EA/NFL Extend NFL Exclusive License by One Year to 2013

[ryan36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Only1LT

I don't know what other people's motivations are for posting on this site, but I've stated many times what mine is. I give my opinion on the game in discussion with other posters, because the gaming industry, in general, and Football gaming, specifically, is what I have a passion for. That's what I'm going to school to, hopefully, someday do. I have never, ever posted with the intent of getting a dev to listen to me. You will not find a single post of mine, ever, in any wish list. Given what I believe (know) about how the game development process really is, to actually come on here, with the expressed intent of the devs listening to my revolutionary changes, would be as good of proof, as any, that I'm certifiable lol. That's why when TNT goes ballistic about people asking for changes to the game, I can barely see my keyboard through the tears I have at crying laughing to his responses. He has know idea how ridiculously unfounded his fears actually are.

LT, you always crack me up... At least you have perspective, ya know? Madden is OK...not great. Next year, I'll wait still, probably.

I'm sad EA didn't give Ian and co. a chance to start from scratch, they're trying to take a 2 player offline tourney-game , and make it sim.

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by EddieV

You're wrong, dude. Retailers aren't stuck -- just look at the millions EA has set aside in reserve for unwanted copies of EA Active 2. You really think Best Buy is gonna sell Madden or any other game for less than what it paid? LoL.

They can and do, it's retail 101. Get bodies into the stores, they're going to buy high margin strategy guides, or something else while they're there, or join a rewards program, signup for Amazon Prime, Game Informer subscription, etc. Many may buy simply the game, but a percentage will buy more and that is why it's done.

There are few restrictions on retailers, they usually do have a minimum advertised sale price, which is why you'll see things like 'add to cart to see price' on many websites for some consumer electronics. Frys routinely has sales below this minimum advertised price so their flyer then says 'MAJOR NAME BRAND' rather than 'SONY' for a TV that's on sale.

The only indicator that a publisher has reduced the price (and these are typically permanent, like Backbreaker's current $19 price point) is when it is done uniformly across multiple sites. The publisher doesn't put a game on sale.

EA 'giving away' Madden to hit 5mil copies is another fallacy, sorry. Retail economics account for the pricing you keep citing.

[Only1LT]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

No offense taken ... Even w/ the shaky line play of M10, I'd still venture to say it was better than anything the PS2 Maddens produced. Fast forward to M11, the line play was vastly improved. The run-blocking, while it's not perfect, is the best that Madden has ever offered (best ever in a football game for my money). And in pass-blocking scenarios, the tackles actually get a little depth which allows the QB to actually step up in the pocket. For what it's worth, the slippery-pig group tackle animation rarely happens in M11. I've personally have seen it no more than 5X. As far as PS2 sideline catching -- heh, I didn't think it was anything to write home about. Clearly just my opinion though. You think the tackling was better last generation? My point remains the same: the gameplay now is better than it ever has been. The previous generation offers a level of depth that has been unmatched, and I acknowledged that in my previous post. But when it comes to gameplay, I'm not sure how one can go from what we have now to the PS2.

Not to turn this into one of those threads lol, but I can't see how you can make this statement.

Forget for a moment that the new run blocking logic only works at the LOS (if that) and then after that it is basically as it has always been, but the main problem with the line, that makes it much worse than an unmentioned game, is how the trench battles play out.

Line interactions in Madden come down to one thing. The players engage, come to a stand still, and there is absolutely no visual representation of who is winning until the defender does his escape animation and negates the block. There is no flow. There is no riding defenders. No way to read a block. You approach a blocked defender, but you really have no idea if he will be blocked by the time you reach him (probably won't be) or to what side you should try to pass him because you have no idea what way he will shed the block. It's a guessing game. Setting up blocks is nonexistent because regardless of what side you bait the defender to go, he could easily disengage to either side, regardless of his position.

Blocking in Madden is atrociously handled and always will be as long as they have this one on one OL/DL lineman engagement, that has no movement until the shed animation gets dialed up, and the defender comes completely free. They can make all the blockers block who they are supposed on every single play, and it will not make blocking any less poor, as long as this is the case.

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Only1LT

Blocking in Madden is atrociously handled and always will be as long as they have this one on one OL/DL lineman engagement, that has no movement until the shed animation gets dialed up, and the defender comes completely free. They can make all the blockers block who they are supposed on every single play, and it will not make blocking any less poor, as long as this is the case.

I won't go into deep detail about it -- the trenches is not my specialty. But of the games I compare it to and from my experience, I enjoy running the ball more in M11 than any other football game. I think to an extent you can read the blocks. That, and I feel that real holes are opened up to run through. In a competing game released in 2004, running the ball was a hat trick. If a holes opened up in a realistic manner, it was sort of a luck of the draw (although coincidently the draw play hardly worked in that game). In another competing game released in 2007 (I believe), I think the running game was good. I have nothing bad to say about it b/c although I own it, I haven't played it as much.

But again, for my money, running the ball in M11 offers the best experience .

**Now do I think the line interaction as a whole is better than the previous competition's? No, and that's not what I tried to imply.

[Only1LT]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

I won't go into deep detail about it -- the trenches is not my specialty. But of the games I compare it to and from my experience, I enjoy running the ball more in M11 than any other football game. I think to an extent you can read the blocks. That, and I feel that real holes are opened up to run through. In a competing game released in 2004, running the ball was a hat trick. If a holes opened up in a realistic manner, it was sort of a luck of the draw (although coincidently the draw play hardly worked in that game). In another competing game released in 2007 (I believe), I think the running game was good. I have nothing bad to say about it b/c although I own it, I haven't played it as much. But again, for my money, running the ball in M11 offers the best experience . **Now do I think the line interaction as a whole is better than the previous competition's? No, and that's not what I tried to imply.

If your point was that you find it more fun to run on Madden 11 than any other game, then that is a point that I will not, and should not, argue.

Thanks for the clarification.

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

No offense taken ... Even w/ the shaky line play of M10, I'd still venture to say it was better than anything the PS2 Maddens produced. Fast forward to M11, the line play was vastly improved. The run-blocking, while it's not perfect, is the best that Madden has ever offered (best ever in a football game for my money). And in pass-blocking scenarios, the tackles actually get a little depth which allows the QB to actually step up in the pocket. For what it's worth, the slippery-pig group tackle animation rarely happens in M11. I've personally have seen it no more than 5X. As far as PS2 sideline catching -- heh, I didn't think it was anything to write home about. Clearly just my opinion though. You think the tackling was better last generation? My point remains the same: the gameplay now is better than it ever has been. The previous generation offers a level of depth that has been unmatched, and I acknowledged that in my previous post. But when it comes to gameplay, I'm not sure how one can go from what we have now to the PS2.

I do actually. Not leaps and bounds better tho, just slightly. I hate pro-tak animations period. I think they look ridulous and tackles play out poorly overall. While the old system is nothing to write home about, it seems to handle solo and 2 man tackles better and looks better in motion overall.

With all else being equal or near equal, I'll take the ability to shade wrs, individual press coverage and lead blocking control of the ps2 over current maddens system. So for me, gameplay is a wash or maybe slightly skewed in favor of ps2.

For me, gameplay I'd give ps2 about an 8.5 and current gen about an 8. But overall depth, features and fun factor I give ps2 madden a 10 and current madden about a 5. Ps2 kills it in that regard and it's not even close to me.

[mr_president]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

I won't go into deep detail about it -- the trenches is not my specialty. But of the games I compare it to and from my experience, I enjoy running the ball more in M11 than any other football game. I think to an extent you can read the blocks. That, and I feel that real holes are opened up to run through. In a competing game released in 2004, running the ball was a hat trick. If a holes opened up in a realistic manner, it was sort of a luck of the draw (although coincidently the draw play hardly worked in that game). In another competing game released in 2007 (I believe), I think the running game was good. I have nothing bad to say about it b/c although I own it, I haven't played it as much. But again, for my money, running the ball in M11 offers the best experience . **Now do I think the line interaction as a whole is better than the previous competition's? No, and that's not what I tried to imply.

i will contend that running the ball in madden can be fun, but for me it does not offer the best experience. the suction,teleporting and line interaction seems to always find a way ruin it for me.

there are other games that have done it much better,ncaa 11 to name one and another was released back in 07.

[LiquorLogic]

Quote: Originally Posted by mestevo

Some of these kinds of things can be tracked btw. EA hasn't ever lowered the price of Madden to $30, retailers did, there's a difference.

It doesn't matter. If a retailer makes less on the game, either their shipments will have to decrease or EA's price for the shipment will have to decrease.