Madden NFL 12 Blog - Franchise Mode in Madden 12

[JaySmooov]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

I could be off-base, but I seem to remember that when starting my franchise last year, Big Ben and another suspended player didn't play. They were moved down the depth charts because of their suspensions by Donny Moore. My point is that if depth-charts were re-organized every week, then that wouldn't have happened. Big Ben would've been starting immediately. But again, maybe I'm off-base. Regardless, I don't want depth charts fluctuating to account hot/cold streaks, and I'm confident that the developers took care to ensure this doesn't happen. After 1 week, you could have a situation where Cutler dips underneath his back-up -- that's not realistic.

Exactly. And, because the CPU would tailor the offense to make up for the dropoff from Cutler to Caleb Hanie, even if Hanie plays well, Cutler's cold streak would end after the week, essetially resetting his overall. Then, Cutler would be right back at the top of the Depth Chart, regardless of whether Hanie played well or not.. That's a potential dealbreaker if it happens that way.

I mean, based off of the interview OS had with Donny, it looks like players wont be shuffled, or QBs who are struggling wont be pulled for the QB of the Future. But, it's good enough for me, THIS YEAR, that the game could recognize that Alex Smith isnt the right answer, cut their losses and move on with Kaepernick and a stop-gap. That's truly innovative if the game can do that without any user influence, and a step in the right direction for Madden AND EA. I can't imagine that the Live/Elite series won't inquire about using this DDP system, and other features in Madden, as well as other football/sports games down the line.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Quote: Originally Posted by JaySmooov

Exactly. And, because the CPU would tailor the offense to make up for the dropoff from Cutler to Caleb Hanie, even if Hanie plays well, Cutler's cold streak would end after the week, essetially resetting his overall. Then, Cutler would be right back at the top of the Depth Chart, regardless of whether Hanie played well or not.. That's a potential dealbreaker if it happens that way. I mean, based off of the interview OS had with Donny, it looks like players wont be shuffled, or QBs who are struggling wont be pulled for the QB of the Future. But, it's good enough for me, THIS YEAR, that the game could recognize that Alex Smith isnt the right answer, cut their losses and move on with Kaepernick and a stop-gap. That's truly innovative if the game can do that without any user influence, and a step in the right direction for Madden AND EA. I can't imagine that the Live/Elite series won't inquire about using this DDP system, and other features in Madden, as well as other football/sports games down the line.

@Rgiles and JaySmooov, I feel what you both are saying but IMO, you both are overlooking a key point. If the OVR of starters are that close to the OVR of bench players, at any position, this would naturally creates realistic position battles.

On ANY real life NFL team, at ANY position, if the starter and a bench player's skill set is close, the coach will play whichever guy is playing best, at that time. Especially in the case of RB's and even with RB's by committee by starting the "hot" RB but this also applies to QB, WR, DB, etc.

My point is if players on teams in Madden 12 have;

A) Real OVR at various positions, close enough to other players, that streaks can make one's OVR better than the other

And/Or

B) Are so drastically inconsistent they could have a starting OVR one week but a bench OVR the next, Madden 12 should and I believe will reflect that through weekly auto updated depth charts.

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

On ANY real life NFL team, at ANY position, if the starter and a bench player's skill set is close, the coach will play whichever guy is playing best, at that time. Especially in the case of RB's and even with RB's by committee by starting the "hot" RB but this also applies to QB, WR, DB, etc.

I disagree with this pal -- and perhaps that's why we're not seeing eye to eye. IMO, starters aren't shuffled in and out in the NFL. It just doesn't happen. Coaches are too concerned about their players' psyche to move players in and out of the starting lineup. IMO, a player has to string along an impressive stretch of games to unseat a starter; and in many instances, that stretch will only earn the player more playing time, not starter-status.

[GiantBlue76]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

I disagree with this pal -- and perhaps that's why we're not seeing eye to eye. IMO, starters aren't shuffled in and out in the NFL. It just doesn't happen. Coaches are too concerned about their players' psyche to move players in and out of the starting lineup. IMO, a player has to string along an impressive stretch of games to unseat a starter; and in many instances, that stretch will only earn the player more playing time, not starter-status.

I agree. Players in the NFL do not get shuffled around often at all. It's not like baseball where there are a ton of games. Most of the time, injuries are the real reason or if a team is out of the hunt and a coach needs to evaluate players for the following season.

[JaySmooov]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

@Rgiles and JaySmooov, I feel what you both are saying but IMO, you both are overlooking a key point. If the OVR of starters are that close to the OVR of bench players, at any position, this would naturally creates realistic position battles. On ANY real life NFL team, at ANY position, if the starter and a bench player's skill set is close, the coach will play whichever guy is playing best, at that time. Especially in the case of RB's and even with RB's by committee by starting the "hot" RB but this also applies to QB, WR, DB, etc. My point is if players on teams in Madden 12 have; A) Real OVR at various positions, close enough to other players, that streaks can make one's OVR better than the other And/Or B) Are so drastically inconsistent they could have a starting OVR one week but a bench OVR the next, Madden 12 should and I believe will reflect that through weekly auto updated depth charts.

Ok, first of all, Madden never updated their depth charts weekly. The only time the CPU ever updated a depth chart, in season, was when a transaction of any kind occurred on the team.

Second, consider this: Michael Vick's rating will be pretty close to Kevin Kolb's. If Kolb is still an Eagle, and say Vick plays poorly in Week 1, ok, lets make Kolb the starter in week 2. Now, if Kolb plays decent, doesn't experience a SIGNIFICANT rating change, while Vick's rating resets because his cold streak ends (He didn't play week 2), you suggest that Vick become the starter again because his rating is better?

You're basically saying Madden should play to the hot/cold streaks to an EXTREME. The real NFL doesn't do that at all.

How long did it take Ahmad Bradshaw to become the starter over Brandon Jacobs? He didn't just simply get it over ONE GAME, he out-produced Jacobs over multiple games. And even though I'm pretty sure Bradshaw fumbled a couple times and Jacobs didnt, that wasn't grounds for an immediate change at RB again because Bradshaw clearly showed he was the better back.

When Manning went on his string of horrible games, did we see Curtis Painter at any point in time? No. Why? Because the NFL doesn't work that way. And you may say Manning's rating was nowhere near close to Painters, but im pretty sure Manning wouldve experienced an extreme point swing in that case.

Show me any instance where a coach repeatedly switched guys in-and-out of a lineup because he had the "hot hand."

Honestly, I think you psyched yourself up for a complex part/feature that won't even be implied in the game, and isn't even practiced in real life.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

I disagree with this pal -- and perhaps that's why we're not seeing eye to eye. IMO, starters aren't shuffled in and out in the NFL. It just doesn't happen. Coaches are too concerned about their players' psyche to move players in and out of the starting lineup. IMO, a player has to string along an impressive stretch of games to unseat a starter; and in many instances, that stretch will only earn the player more playing time, not starter-status.

Quote: Originally Posted by tazdevil20

I agree. Players in the NFL do not get shuffled around often at all. It's not like baseball where there are a ton of games. Most of the time, injuries are the real reason or if a team is out of the hunt and a coach needs to evaluate players for the following season.

Well, I guess we can just agree to disagree then, no biggie.

I am surprised to see both of you say that weekly position changes rarely happen in the NFL, though. Aside from QB, which I agree it's rare but does happen, ie, Steve Spurrier, the other skill positions have this happen regularly.

[JaySmooov]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

@Rgiles and JaySmooov, I feel what you both are saying but IMO, you both are overlooking a key point. If the OVR of starters are that close to the OVR of bench players, at any position, this would naturally creates realistic position battles. On ANY real life NFL team, at ANY position, if the starter and a bench player's skill set is close, the coach will play whichever guy is playing best, at that time. Especially in the case of RB's and even with RB's by committee by starting the "hot" RB but this also applies to QB, WR, DB, etc. My point is if players on teams in Madden 12 have; A) Real OVR at various positions, close enough to other players, that streaks can make one's OVR better than the other And/Or B) Are so drastically inconsistent they could have a starting OVR one week but a bench OVR the next, Madden 12 should and I believe will reflect that through weekly auto updated depth charts.

The Panthers QB situation last year would seem to fit the bill, but that had nothing to do with having the hot player in the lineup. All those QBs sucked last year. None of them were remotely good. And again, Donny basically confirmed teams wont shuffle guys in and out who are struggling

[JaySmooov]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

Well, I guess we can just agree to disagree then, no biggie. I am surprised to see both of you say that weekly position changes rarely happen in the NFL, though. Aside from QB, which I agree it's rare but does happen, ie, Steve Spurrier, the other skill positions have this happen regularly.

I mean, what you're saying is true, but it doesn't happen as often as weekly, or even bi-weekly. I would hate to see a situation where Week 1, Vick is starting, then by week 3, Kolb is starting, then 2 weeks later, Vick is in again, then 3 weeks later, Kolb is in again...etc, etc, all because of ratings and hot/cold streaks.

That would cause more problems than do any good.