Madden NFL 12 Super Bowl Halftime Blog: Tuner Sets and Surprise Onside Kicks

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by BostonJay14

Which one was the important feature? To me they are both fluff.

Tuner sets are indisputably important if you've experienced how they helped out NCAA 11 this past year. Surprise onsides fall into the "cool new tidbit" category, but it's something the community has been asking for since the Saints did it; why can't credit and thank them for getting that in this year rather than immediately dismissing it as "fluff"?

More importantly, if you expected this blog to be a significant back-of-the-box feature reveal, particularly after Ian & co. said that it wouldn't be a headlining feature reveal (despite still being somewhat important), then I don't know what to tell you.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by WTFitsDaveyJ

How do you figure? It was said that the marketing team has a pretty big say on what the main features are and the game itself. The former college QB is a current EA employee, which means he too has to go by what he is told to do. I don't disagree, I'm just playing devil's advocate. For all I know, he could be the missing piece of the puzzle that drives Madden over the hump. Both EA football games are already offense driven, so hopefully his (former) position doesn't affect the future premise of upcoming editions too much. Madden needs some defensive work.

It can't hurt, can it?

My point is, the more people with knowledgeable football experience, the better. That is not discrediting Ian and company.

I agree, though, more defense please.

[BostonJay14]

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

Tuner sets are indisputably important if you've experienced how they helped out NCAA 11 this past year. Surprise onsides fall into the "cool new tidbit" category, but it's something the community has been asking for since the Saints did it; why can't credit and thank them for getting that in this year rather than immediately dismissing it as "fluff"?

i know tuners are important... but to me, thats not a feature. its a tool for them to fix things. i liken it to getting an extended warranty on something. it doesnt really add anything to what you bought, but its nice to know if there is a problem it can get fixed/replaced. this should be standard, not something viewed as a feature or extra. The ability to FIX/Tune things isnt a feature. its good to have, but certainly should just be an automatic.

Quote:

More importantly, if you expected this blog to be a significant back-of-the-box feature reveal, particularly after Ian & co. said that it wouldn't be a headlining feature reveal (despite still being somewhat important), then I don't know what to tell you.

i didnt expect anything but minor things... my point was, IAN stated one of these wasnt fluff... i was very confused as to why he would think that. to me it was what was expected... 2 minor wrinkles that are nice but nothing to get excited about.



and as far as super minor things go, as mentioned, id prefer useful minor things... like being able to skip replays/cutscenes

[Keenan G.]

Quote: Originally Posted by BostonJay14

i know tuners are important... but to me, thats not a feature. its a tool for them to fix things. i liken it to getting an extended warranty on something. it doesnt really add anything to what you bought, but its nice to know if there is a problem it can get fixed/replaced. this should be standard, not something viewed as a feature or extra. The ability to FIX/Tune things isnt a feature. its good to have, but certainly should just be an automatic. i didnt expect anything but minor things... my point was, IAN stated one of these wasnt fluff... i was very confused as to why he would think that. to me it was what was expected... 2 minor wrinkles that are nice but nothing to get excited about. and as far as super minor things go, as mentioned, id prefer useful minor things... like being able to skip replays/cutscenes

I agree with what you said and on your previous post.

Why not tell us everything? It is not like they are competing against 2k or any other football game.

I could understand if COD would want to hide features from Bad Company or any other military type FPS. Until the last minute. Madden on the other hand doesnt have anyone to hide features from. They are the only game in town.

[jeremym480]

Quote: Originally Posted by BostonJay14

i know tuners are important... but to me, thats not a feature. its a tool for them to fix things. i liken it to getting an extended warranty on something. it doesnt really add anything to what you bought, but its nice to know if there is a problem it can get fixed/replaced. this should be standard, not something viewed as a feature or extra. The ability to FIX/Tune things isnt a feature. its good to have, but certainly should just be an automatic. i didnt expect anything but minor things... my point was, IAN stated one of these wasnt fluff... i was very confused as to why he would think that. to me it was what was expected... 2 minor wrinkles that are nice but nothing to get excited about.

When it's Madden first year with turners then it's definitely something of note. Most people who have played games with tuners before know that they're not "fluff" or a "gimmick" that is just used as a tool for the Dev Team. It much more than that. Especially, in the world of sports gaming today where every game this gen has needed a patch. Sometimes certain companies can take 2 or 3 months for one patch. For EA and Madden to be able to expedite that process and cut weeks or even months off of game play tweaks is a huge benefit to Madden gamers no matter how negatively you want to look at it.

Quote: Originally Posted by BostonJay14

and as far as super minor things go, as mentioned, id prefer useful minor things... like being able to skip replays/cutscenes

A. Just because it wasn't mentioned on the first blog doesn't mean that it's not in.

And B. Just because it's something YOU want to see talked about doesn't mean that it important to everyone. Plus, if it was mentioned then there would still be people complaining and saying stuff like "this should be standard, not something viewed as a feature or extra". EA can't win.

[jeremym480]

Quote: Originally Posted by Keenan G.

I agree with what you said and on your previous post. Why not tell us everything? It is not like they are competing against 2k or any other football game. I could understand if COD would want to hide features from Bad Company or any other military type FPS. Until the last minute. Madden on the other hand doesnt have anyone to hide features from. They are the only game in town.

EA doesn't even know what will or won't make it in yet but, you expect them to let us know? Makes sense.

[The GIGGAS]

Quote: Originally Posted by Keenan G.

I agree with what you said and on your previous post. Why not tell us everything? It is not like they are competing against 2k or any other football game. I could understand if COD would want to hide features from Bad Company or any other military type FPS. Until the last minute. Madden on the other hand doesnt have anyone to hide features from. They are the only game in town.

Because the features aren't complete yet. They're just ideas right now. Some of them are in the process of getting implemented. Remember the complaints about how the crowd sounds were going to be improved, and then time ran out and they didn't get in?

Plus, you don't want to basically throw everything out at once, 5 months before your product goes gold. You want to throw features out there at intervals that keep the community interested in the game. They are competing against everyone else who makes games. If they have this one massive reveal in February, there's nothing to re-energize the fanbase in August, when the game actually comes out.

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by The GIGGAS

Plus, you don't want to basically throw everything out at once, 5 months before your product goes gold. You want to throw features out there at intervals that keep the community interested in the game. They are competing against everyone else who makes games. If they have this one massive reveal in February, there's nothing to re-energize the fanbase in August, when the game actually comes out.

Well said. Not certain why some can't grasp this marketing 101 concept...