(Franchise Mode) What do you do to bring LIFE to yours?

[mavfan21]

I was wondering what you guys do to add an rpg or story element to your franchise?

I use a blog on blogger.com to keep track of basic things like top draft picks, my teams transactions and big trades/signings/etc. I run a 32 team chise but only totally control 1 team. I use fictional news reports and so on to recap trades, games and big events as well.

One thing I have decided to start to do is to have a "break-out" or "bust" season for random players. I go to random.com or use old rpg dice (yes I still have them) to pick random teams or players and then roll a d20 dice and boost key ratings for that player (like Arian Foster, Wes Welker, etc.) or decrease that many for the busts (like Osi Umenyiora, Brian Waters, etc.).

I also use randomness to suspend players, decide who wants a trade, and who holds out for a big contract, etc.

I find it makes Franchise Mode more "real" and fun.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[Sir Richard 311]

I post detailed reports in the "how's your franchise going" thread, and hope that at least one other person reads it. Haha

Either way, it's a good outlet for me to record/recap my experiences from franchise mode.

[KBLover]

I'm trying to get into the Dynasty blog feature here for the first time (with my Raiders franchise only for now - see how it goes and if I can actually keep up with writing on it).

Not sure how it works...I have a section for it (Oakland Franchise) but it acts like I haven't written a post for it, but it says there's 5 messages there *shrug*

But, anyway, that's what I'm doing so far.

I like that random demand a trade and such.

[ABR173rd]

I announce all the games myself, that way I can make up my own story lines according to previous seasons or meetings with teams. It also helps make up for the lack of commentary in the game.

[Franchise408]

I don't do anything with websites or anything, but I post on the "How's Your Franchise Doing?" thread, with constant updates, and I usually just kind of RP storylines with my imagination.

For example, with NFL 2K5 (I bring this up because it was my longest running franchise mode, as well as the one that I had the most "imagination" storylines with), after my first season, I drafted 2 QB's the following year's draft. I drafted a guy named Wendall Patrick out of Central Michigan in the 2nd round, and in the later rounds I drafted a guy named Tom Patterson. Considering that Tim Rattay was my QB at the time (I hated him in real life, as well as in the game), Wendall Patrick became the instant starter, with Tom Patterson backing him up. Patrick had a lot of upside, but made a lot of mistakes. I had games where I'd bench him for throwing too many picks, and having Tom Patterson come in to clean up the mess.

Well, one season, I made it to the Super Bowl... but Patrick got injured in the championship game. So the team that rode on his back to the Super Bowl, and he didn't even get to lead them for the ultimate prize. Ultimately, I lost the game, as Tom Patterson threw a game ending INT in the end zone. With my own imagination, I developed a personal rivalry between Patrick and Patterson, that Patrick carried a grudge against Patterson for losing the Super Bowl that Patrick carried them to. I eventually let Patterson go in free agency (although he did come back around later for a 2nd stint). In the meantime, Patrick had struggles of his own. At the end of his contract, I didn't want to let him go, but I wasn't sure that he was the real deal. So I re-signed him to a 1 year deal. Patrick balled out that year, and if I remember correctly, he took us to a Super Bowl title, so I gave him a long term extension. By the end of my franchise, he developed into Tom Brady status (both in storyline and in game rating).

The other major storyline I had was at the end of my second year, a rookie halfback named Brendan Carr from Michigan State entered the draft. After scouting him, I really wanted to draft him to San Francisco, but he ended up being a top 3 pick to Detroit. He was to be the heir apparent to Barry Sanders in Detroit, but it never worked out. The first 3 years of his career, he suffered season ending injuries either in pre-season, or the beginning of the regular season. So Detroit finally released him. I tried to bring him on board, but he still wanted too much money. So he spent the season at home, watching as San Francisco went on to the first of many championships under the new dynasty.

Well at the end of the year, after San Francisco finally got over the hump and brought home Super Bowl title #6, they had to do a salary dump and get rid of tons of players to get back under the salary cap. One of those players was star running back Kevan Barlow (lmao saying this in hindsight). To replace him, I brought in veteran Clinton Portis on the cheap, and by this time, I was able to sign Carr to a deal for the league minimum. Maybe not realistically considering his injury deal, I also gave him a 7 year deal (I really wanted this guy, and still believed in him, lol). I played the story up of him making his big comeback in San Francisco. My first year with him, I did break the 1000 yard mark, but he couldn't stay healthy the entire season. I think he played 10 out of 16 games. Not wanting to be a backup, Portis retired at season's end. Carr was now the undisputed feature back in my offense.

The next year, my 2nd year with him, I took him to over 1600 yards rushing, and a rushing title. Unfortunately, we lost in the playoffs, but the next season, I won the rushing title with him for a 2nd consecutive year, this time with 1500+ rushing yards. And this year, we did get to the Super Bowl, and did win the 7th title for the Bay Area, unfortunately Brendan Carr finished the game with 2 fumbles...

I really enjoyed watching the careers and stories of Wendall Patrick and Brendan Carr unfold before my eyes. Obviously, so much of it was my own imagination (like Wendall Patrick's feuds with his wide receivers Brandon Lloyd and Reggie Wayne for dropping too many passes ), but that's the kind of stuff I do to bring life to my franchises.

With my time with Madden, I haven't developed storylines so much as I just play as if I am the actual general manager of the San Francisco 49ers. I do bring a lot of real life bias into my franchise mode (perfect example: I love Vince Young in real life, so I signed him in my franchise and made him my unquestioned starter, because in real life I would love for the 49ers to bring in Vince Young). I don't play according to what the 49ers would do, but rather how I would build the 49ers if I were the actual GM. So while I don't do storylines so much, I just try to impart my own vision of a football team in my franchise mode. Like re-signing Braylon Edwards to a long term extension, even though he was injured most of the year with me my first year (Braylon Edwards, another one of my favorite players at his position, so glad the 49ers signed him).

[LionsFanNJ]

If a guy is doing well that doesn't have a roll I'll end up editing him up some to reflect that. Or if a guy has some type of injury I'll alter his gear to compensate. Like wrist tape or a brace or something

[jlech84]

I play NFL Head Coach 09 instead.


Such an underrated game, I would rather have a new head coach than next 5 Maddens.

The best part of the game was the off-season with Schefter and McShay giving draft previews and touting Jack English as the next Elway.

[jethrobag]

In the past I would sim the 1st year, and use the draft class spreadsheet to draft some good players and rebuild from there. I never played much past a season or two with it though. This year, with the new scouting and actual faces to the players, I feel a more human element to the generated players. I haven't used the draft guide much, and I don't care if I don't draft all A pot players. By scouting them through the year, I feel like there is more connection to the players, and when I do find one of those gems, it's that much more rewarding. When you scout a player all the way through the individual workouts, and find out he's an 85 ovr with A pot, you feel likes he's really your guy.