Madden NFL 10 Blog: Franchise Mode Improvements

[LionsFanNJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by IndyColts2

Also, with the pre-created rookies, as great as it sounds that there won't be ******** looking rookies it poses as a problem. A person said in another thread that if there are 224 picks (actually if EA added in restricted FA's then there should also be compensation picks) and you go through 15-30 seasons of franchise, wouldn't you just see the same guy over and over if you made a new franchise? You would know who is who and what they are rated. Unless they have 500,000 players and make it where the system doesn't allow the same player in different Franchises then this will be a huge problem.

This. What is the rookie database going to be like? Will it be enough to randomize rookies enough so that we don't see the exact same players over and over if we restart a franchise? Maybe its tied to the roster updates and downloaded in the background to add more? Thats my only concern with this.

[ghostlight85]

Quote: Originally Posted by seveb

Good stuff. It looks promising for this year. I'm a little leery of too much progression based on performance. I don't want my young QB not to progress because he's on the bench for seasoning. Also, it sometimes makes me feel like I'm playing to build stats for my guys, not win the game. Like if I'm up (or down) by 30 points, that I should keep pounding away with my starting RB to pad his stats. I'd like to see maybe coaching have a bigger part, and maybe much of it be random, or something else creative.

Totally agree, that's one of the things where I prefer it to be more based on coaching and potential and partially performance. Unfortunately I think it is a minority viewpoint as most people want to see it go hand in hand with performance. I don't think it breaks the game to go that way, but it does make for the exact issues you stated.

[Nza]

Obviously some good stuff but a few things I'm concerned about.

Firstly, I just don't like the idea of static rookies pulled out of a pool to create a class. I haven't played NFLHC being in a PAL territory, so maybe it works better than I imagine, but it sounds clunky. It's an inherently flawed idea. At the very least, names should be randomized, because otherwise you run the risk of eventually seeing repeat rookies and knowing if they're good or not before you draft them. I think making potential random is a good idea too - it's just one standalone attribute, that should be easy enough? That way you can never be sure a player is exactly the same even if you remember the name.

Secondly, hopefully stats are still being tweaked because 09 wasn't perfect. Too few passing yards by QB's and way too many sacks IIRC. Sack distribution amongst defenders was off too (too many MLB's with 10+, 3-4 DE's etc).

Also, I was hoping for a slightly more dynamic regression model. 'IF players_age > X THEN execute Regression' is a bit boring. Not all players follow this model in real life. Is there room in Madden 10's system for a Rice, a Favre?

Lastly, I'm not sure I want to know about my player's maximum rating, like it is set in stone. Ugh, that seems terrible to me. Takes the fun right out of developing players IMO knowing what their limit is. Draft a guy 3rd overall, and instantly get to see he'll never become an elite player? Sorry, but that sucks bad. I don't want to know what I shouldn't be able to know in real life! Please say this can be turned off or is at least an attribute you have to go out of your way to find (like right at the edge of the list out of easy sight).

[Megatron2k7]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

I am VERY worried about how older players will progress. I dread a madden 02 system where your first few years you go nuts, around year 7-10 you stableize and year 11-15 you plumit untill you have to retire. No matter how well you played you couldnever get Junior Seau or rich gannon to play like their real life counterparts AND keep their rattings up. It looks like there is no chance a Bret Favre player will be able to have a great season like he did his last year in Greenbay and be a 96 like he started out in 09. I am glad to see the bit about how they will be judged by other palyers in the league, but, again, I fear the unrealistic DUMP of a player's ratting. Lastly, any word on weekly progressions? I loved the week 5, 11, 17 progressions. I thought that was VERY sim. that allowed good players to go up as the year went on like Wess Wlker and players like Favre who underperformed to drop in steado f staying at their ratting all season long. It also allowed fora mid season turn around. maybe you start off cold and then got better stablisising your ratting.

I agree with this PGaither84.

I don't want to see older players decline too fast. They should start to decline in physical attributes mainly, age shouldn't take away polished skills, or awareness.

The one thing that really stood out to me in some previous Maddens is when an older players Awareness starts to drop a lot. It seems to me that pretty much any player should actually increase in AWR every year until they retire, just from practice alone (unless they experience some severe head trauma.....lol).

Awareness is the one and only advantage a veteran may have in this game........don't take it away from them just to drop their overall rating. We never really hear of a veteran becoming worse at what they do...... we usually hear that they have suddenly "lost a step", or their arm is just "worn out", and they take way longer to heal up from the weekly beatings their bodies go through. That kind of physical decline would be fine, just don't go overboard. Look at Joey Galloway..... still great speed in his late 30's.

I'm undecided on the "potential cap". Right now I see more wrong with it than good though. If I draft a rookie who is 72 overall, and it says his potential cap is 88, that seems like I somehow just looked into some magical crystal ball or something. How would I, or anyone know exactly how good this player could or will be ? Shouldn't the sky be the limit for any rookie coming into the league ? Why stop at 88 overall ?

Example....... what would have QB Matt Cassel's potential cap been in the beginning of last year........??? Do you see my point. He's probably already over it with the rating he has now.

I also liked the progression we had in some older versions in weeks 5, 11, and 17 like many of you have mentioned. IMO it's way better that way.

Don't get me wrong... I love the update other than these issues, & I'm not nit picking. Franchise mode is important to many of us, and I'm glad to hear about the attention being spent on it this year.

[Steeler99]

Quote: Originally Posted by CapnKill

Huh... not sure what to think. I was hopping to see a comment on certain attributes not progressing like SPD for example... I find it very unrealistic for a player to gain 3-5 points of SPD ... no one does that. Also this I don't agree with. I think it ruins some of the mystery to know the full potential. One twist that I'd be happy with is what Pro Evo Soccer is doing, where they show you the players growth curve (potential) but depending on the performance a player CAN exceed their potential... I think that goes a long way in keeping things a bit interesting.

I actually think this sounds very realistic. Any good head coach will have a pretty solid idea of "HIS" own players potential after coaching them for a season or two, so with Madden 10 allowing you to see "YOUR" players potential rating, but not other teams, that's actually pretty realistic.

You may end up not resigning a player of your own that has a potential rating maxed out at 75 in lieu of another team's player you suspect will be better in the long run ... only to find out that player doesn't have the ability you thought he would, explaining why his team let him go? Now that happens every year in the NFL, so if the system works like that I'm ok with it.

As it is now, you can see every rating of every player so there are really no surprises when it comes to signing free agents, etc. of course as the post above mine shows, there may be as many negatives as positives to this potential rating?

[Steeler99]

Quote: Originally Posted by thudias

I do like it..look at all the RB's that drop off the face of the earth once they hit 30-32...you can name a few debatable guys but the majority are gone from the NFL and that is a fact.

No doubt about it, LT is a perfect example of that right now. he struggled a bit last year and will likely continue to diminish over the next year or two. That said, there should be a few RB's that maintain skills beyond 30 yrs of age.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by Steeler99

You may end up not resigning a player of your own that has a potential rating mexed out at 75 in lieu of another team's player you suspect will be better in the long run ... only to find out that player doesn't have the ability you thought he would, explaining why his team let him go? Now that happens every year in the NFL, so if the system works like that I'm ok with it. As it is now, you can see every rating of every player so there are really no surprises when it comes to signing free agents, etc.

Conversely you may find some teams underestimate their players. Kyle Kosier [spelling] was horid lineman for the 49ers. he was often ratted in the 50's in madden and never did anything. Now he is a Cowboy Madden has him as an 89 or something like that.

[Nza]

Quote: Originally Posted by Steeler99

I actually think this sounds very realistic. Any good head coach will have a pretty solid idea of "HIS" own players potential after coaching them for a season or two, so with Madden 10 allowing you to see "YOUR" players potential rating, but not other teams, that's actually pretty realistic. You may end up not resigning a player of your own that has a potential rating mexed out at 75 in lieu of another team's player you suspect will be better in the long run ... only to find out that player doesn't have the ability you thought he would, explaining why his team let him go? Now that happens every year in the NFL, so if the system works like that I'm ok with it. As it is now, you can see every rating of every player so there are really no surprises when it comes to signing free agents, etc.

2 issues though - firstly, in that case, a player's potential rating as it is shown to the user should differ depending on the coaching staff. There should be 2 - the actual one, and the one the user is shown. If you have a HOF coach, both should be pretty close or spot one. If you have a poor coach, it could be way off.

Secondly, a static potential rating amongst real players means you'll build an awareness of who to sign in free agency from franchise to franchise. "Ah, yeah, this guy had an awesome potential rating last franchise" etc etc. It will be hard to overlook that and it only stands to make franchises less fresh and less challenging.