The Strategy Pad's Dirty Little Secret That EA Doesn't Want You To Know

[cdon2k]

New blog about the REAL reason behind the strategy pad. Also included, more about the strategy pad controversy.


http://www.operationsports.com/cdon2...t-you-to-know/

[fossen]

Quote: Originally Posted by cdon2k

New blog about the REAL reason behind the strategy pad. Also included, more about the strategy pad controversy. http://www.operationsports.com/cdon2...t-you-to-know/

I don't really get how "being usable for new players" is a dirty little secret.

It's been the case for years that Madden's audience has become more and more limited as it's complexity grows. There are a lot of NFL fans that it can't reach because of the UI learning curve. In order to have a healthy game that's not dwindling into irrelevance, Madden needs to accomodate new players each and every year.

[frankstallone83]

sounds plausible to me.

[ODogg]

I think it's a combination of both: the need to defeat online cheesers and dumbing down the game for noobs.

[joec63]

[quote=fossen;2041392474]I don't really get how "being usable for new players" is a dirty little secret.

Me either...I would be curious to see how many of Madden's core players, not people who peruse these and other forums, actually use audibles. I would bet a majority don't. EA should cater to the general audience of Madden because if you don't innnovate you can't grow. But also realize and plan for the harcore gamer crowd which is the most vocal.

[ryan36]

yeah this is about as secret as the sky being blue, water being wet, me being overweight, and my girlfriend needing to shut the hell up...

Seriously though, anything that makes controls easier in any game should be encouraged. Who wants to fight the controls?

[jamaster14]

Quote: Originally Posted by fossen

I don't really get how "being usable for new players" is a dirty little secret. It's been the case for years that Madden's audience has become more and more limited as it's complexity grows. There are a lot of NFL fans that it can't reach because of the UI learning curve. In order to have a healthy game that's not dwindling into irrelevance, Madden needs to accomodate new players each and every year.

right and i understand this and am fine with it. but it could all be easily fixed and everyoen could be made happy just by having 2 sets of controls...

make your "new user friendly" control the default, and have an option to switch to classic controls.

why is this so hard to do? why, basically since going to nextgen has there been this new wave were it isnt ok to give us multiple options? several camera angles... several controller configurations

why is this bad?

[slick589]

Quote: Originally Posted by jamaster14

right and i understand this and am fine with it. but it could all be easily fixed and everyoen could be made happy just by having 2 sets of controls... make your "new user friendly" control the default, and have an option to switch to classic controls. why is this so hard to do? why, basically since going to nextgen has there been this new wave were it isnt ok to give us multiple options? several camera angles... several controller configurations why is this bad?

have no alt controls been confirmed?