Madden Creative Director, Ian Cummings is Leaving Tiburon

[chrisphil1724]

I'm very happy to hear this. I feel this job was more then Ian Cummings could handle. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy but the series has been going sideway at best since he took over.

[Cre8]

Quote: Originally Posted by chrisphil1724

I'm very happy to hear this. I feel this job was more then Ian Cummings could handle. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy but the series has been going sideway at best since he took over.

On Madden 09 I would agree.

10 looked like a great thing was coming...

11 proved (to me at least) that it was a pipe dream.

[CRMosier_LM]

Dude... Seriously... How can you post trash like this that are absolute guesswork, slander, and completely false? You claim the guys have no vision, work ethic (since you basically claim Ian was on vacation instead of doing his job)... But yet have you ever met the guys?... Have you ever sat in during the development? Were you on vacation with him? Lol! Come on man, its ridiculous statements that make the devs job that much harder and absolutely miserable. Random internet troll can mouth off all day without consequence, but the dev team can't respond to it really without risking their jobs or credibility

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by pasgedden

Mark my words people... THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR EA SPORTS....

It really isn't. Your opinion is an overreaction.

[jeremym480]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScriptOhio

One more time guys.... The devs have a direction or idea for the game, they take it to EA Management. Management says no, that's not important, you need to put this in the game instead (example: a content item that's download purchase only). Everyone can blame the devs til they are blue in the face, but those that do obviously haven't actually worked in a professional setting. I'm sure money had something to do with Ian leaving, but I guarantee a huge part was him and his staff being handcuffed by management and the amount of idiot junk that spews out of peoples mouths on sites like this. His response was always "we are trying", a lot of people realize when he says that it doesn't mean we are trying to figure out how to do it, but most likely "we are trying to get this put into the game but the people at the top don't feel its important". His job EA also to spit the company line, did you really think he would come out every year and say "can't do it, management doesn't care what you want"? Cmon thats breach of contract and opens him up to a lawsuit... That is after they throw him out the door. Believe it or not, but developers don't have free reign over what the produce, every action is strictly monitored by their bosses to maximize the profit. They are making an absolute killing on MUT, much more than the sales would have netted if the 10% of you who didn't purchase the game would have went out and bought a copy. As far as everyone who says this lawsuit will change things... The lawsuit will fail miserably, probably won't make it last preliminary hearings. Anyone can file a lawsuit, that doesn't mean it will go anywhere.

Great Post. I agree will 1000% of it. Will read again.



@ all of this.

To say that Ian did nothing is a very ignorant statement, IMO. Madden 10 was a huge improvement over 09. And I'd venture to say that Ian was a nice part of that improvement. I do agree that Ian was necessarily the "director" of Madden because I believe that his hands were tied in a lot of ways but, I do believe that he was a hard worker and wanted to make Madden the best it could be.

While it is pure speculation on my part (because I'll admit that I don't know the first thing about producing and directing the making of a video game), I think that a large part of Ian decision to leave was because of the suits. I think that Ian actually listened to the fans and wanted to give us what we wanted but, they're more interested in thing's like MUT than a better online franchise. I say that only because most "higher ups" that I've come across only see things in black and white. So when they see that online franchise is the least played mode that's all the see therefore, they don't want to spend as much development cost/man hours on it. They don't take into account that the mode isn't played because of the bare bones approach. If something like that was the case I can see how Ian became frustrated with the whole thing. Because basically he's taking it from both ends. He's getting the brunt of the abuse from Madden fans for decisions that basically aren't his as well as, the "why isn't the mode being played" from the suits. It was a lose, lose situation for him.

Again, I will note that this is just a guess just like everyone else here is guessing. Hell, for all we know he's leaving to work less hours, be in a less stressful situation, or any other number of things. Whatever the reason all I can say is I doubt M12 will be effected that much but, I'll definitely interested to see how everything plays out for M13. However, with the suits making most of the decisions I doubt we see any real change there either. Which to me they don't need a massive overhaul like a bunch of people here believe. IMO, they just need to continue tweaking game-play and have a complete offline/online franchises like last gen and then Madden would be great again. But, I guess that beside the point.

[Cre8]

One guy leaving EA isn't going to change anything...

Unless that one guy is Peter Moore.

[Pared]

Ok -

The baseless comments and all-knowing rants stop now.

Discuss the topic. Give your opinions and what you think but STOP POSTING YOUR OPINION AS FACT.

No one buys it here. Only those directly involved have any knowledge on the matters. It's doing nothing but instigating arguments.

Thanks.

[ManiacMatt1782]

Quote: Originally Posted by Legend Killer

Madden 12 will be fine bro. They are already doing demo to the press this week to get ready for the draft. These few guys leaving ain't going to hurt the game that much. I'm sure EA got this under control.

It's too late to significantly help the game. I respect that the dude did talk to the community. But he was also in major denial about the product. I hope fresh eyes on the project helps fix some of maidens major issues this gen, like poor line recognition, size not mattering for blocking and tackling. The complete lack of cleanup hits. Invisible walls forming around players during tackle/break tackle animations. Secondary AI that is predictive, not reactive. Hopefully new eyes fix these inexcusable problems that have gone on for far too long without being addressed. I'm slightly optimistic for 2013