The Abomination That is Madden Nation

[tril]

At the end of the day its just a video game, something that was really created for hour of mindless entertainment.
Hard core sim gamers would probably bore a television audience with a true sim style of play on a video game.

[SteelerSpartan]

Yeah that show just pisses me off....for not only reminding me of the numerous flaws of the game that cheesers take advantage of and gloat about...........

but also many of em are jackasses and their face would be a serious shade of black and blue if they got that way while playing me

(I remember someone got kicked off for slugging that little punk in the Titans jersey......major assbag and deserved an even harsher beat down


You should get a screen all to yourself an play through system link

I actually went to a tournament once and placed 3rd...playing sim. I beat a Madden Challenge winner along the way. However a Mike Vick user beat me with his cheesy play. That's just how those tournaments go.

This was on XBOX when Vick was the stud...I think Madden 2005.

I'll never forget how good it felt to beat a Madden Challenge winner playing sim. I was the Vikings with Culpepper and you'd think I would scramble/bomb but I didn't. I played solid defense and 100% sim on offense and had all these people talking about my stick skills behind me. There were bets being placed on the "white boy" (me) and I won because I stopped his two-point conversion.

I'd actually love to play these guys and beat them. However, I haven't bought Madden the past two years because it simply isn't a good game IMO.

[AdamVinatieri4xsbchamp]

If you want them to make the video game more sim, than the only thing you can really do is just not buy it. This is capitolism at its core. You vote with your wallet as a consumer. EA Sports is free to produce whatever type of video game or cater to any demographic that they want. The NFL does take an interest in this, as they have the exclusive license deal with EA Sports. They are concerned with the overall quality of the product and how many units it sells. Thats it. They are not at all concerned with wether or not it plays like the real NFL.

So in reality, the sim players who buy this game every year and then complain that its not what they wanted are the biggest part of the problem, not cheesers. Very ironic. EA Sports is in the best position a business can be in. They can cater to one group of people for their sales, and even people that dont like the game will still buy it due to marketing and hype. Why would they want to change anything? Would you in their position?

Stop buying the game every year.

[SoxFan01605]

lol...not only are we angry about the game, but now we're angry about a TV show? Good lord, I guess not watching is as silly as a suggestion as don't buy Madden. I'm now convinced that some of you need to be angry and offended...lol

Also, on a side note...I find it funny that some people get infractions for bashing Madden or it's devs, yet a guy compares the Madden situation to rape (cute analogy, big guy)and doesn't even get a warning. Must have MLB umps officiating this particular forum at the moment...lol...floating infraction zones. Sorry, enough silly jokes...on with the anger and drama

[gotmeamodel]

As in the Movie Jerry McGuire....This is the Perfect "Madden Mission Statement" Bravo!!!!

[TarHeelPhenom]

I agree with everyone up here who thinks that show is absurd. I caught it last week and I believe that the two teams were the Chargers and Jags(really doesn't matter b/c there is no strategy involved). All one dude did was direct snap to the running back and all the other did was run WR screens. He would call the screen for the WR on the left, run straight to the right sideline and wait until he was just about to get hit/or he was even getting hit b4 he threw and would complete it everytime. The I have is what it's always been. There is no risk/reward anywhere. Drop back 20 yards and throw off one foot...pinpoint accuracy. Rollout under intense pressure and u have 78 QB ACC rating? No fear...pinpoint accuracy. I've seen these guys lineup in goalline formation and run all the way down the field and they have the nerve to talk trash. It's kind of like playing fullcourt basketball and one goal is 10' and the other is 7'. The guy on the other team jumps in your face after a dunk in the 7' rim as if he has done something special. But, if you asked him to do the same thing in the regulation goal he couldn't even touch the rim. SO, here's to the 7' goal dunking Madden Players!!

[Trevytrev11]

I get the point of the article and agree 100% on what it's trying to accomplish. Madden Nation exposes Madden for what it really is; a football game catered to casual fans who want high scores and highlights.

However, this is a Reality show on ESPN. While I agree these guys probably fit the "cheese" build, you have to understand that this show, like every other "reality" show and like every Sportcenter highlight is edited to show the good stuff. It's going to show the 70 yard bomb, the mindless jukes and spins and the annoying trash talking. What would be the draw if it was two players being civil and respectful to eachother in a 6-3 punt / field goal fest? What kind of audience would Surivor or Big Brother or any reality show get if everything was calm and cool in the game? There is a reason ESPN brings personalities like Skip Bayless and Steven A Smith on the show, it's the same reason why Sportscenter is more about a catch phrase than it is about actually breaking down a game. It's a show that is geared toward the casual fan who enjoys the highlight.

The show does what it is supposed to do. It combines personalities with highlight after highlight of bad football.

The fact is the problems in the show all stem from the problems in the game and this is a whole different topic. These guys are cheesing, but the game allows it and that is the games fault. I doubt the TV show producers were aware or care that the game allows for unrealistic play when they decided to put this show on TV. They just want a TV show. The quality of the gameplay is not important to them. In fact the bad gameplay makes for better action and better TV.

The bottom line is that the problems with the show stem directly from the game. If the game tightens things up to be more realistic, then the show might be forced to reflect that, but in the end you are still going to see the 3 or 4 big plays that happen even in the most realitsic games.