Madden Creative Director, Ian Cummings is Leaving Tiburon

[adamgod8]

Good news.

[Smoke6]

Yea, it seemed like chemistry between players was non existent, its hard to grasp the fact that the "suits" restricts this development team the way its been reported or speculated as. This type of move may just bite them in the rear in the future and know will care about madden again if things dont go so swell with securing the license again.

[guaps]

Quote: Originally Posted by iBlievN5

I don't know of a company that lets their employees do things that won't be blatantly favorable to their audience.

Well, people often don't know what they want until you show it to them. If it hadn't been for Backbreaker, the 2k games, NHL, FIFA etc. people would not have demanded as much.

Quote: Originally Posted by iBlievN5

do you not think Ian has bosses to answer to? that he and he alone decided what got to go into the video game? that he got to requisition his own resources?

First of, I'm not talking about Ian. I'm talking about the whole team of senior developers. Second, I do know that they have bosses to answer to, but those same bosses have allowed fantastic things to happen with the NHL franchise and the FIFA franchise, so I don't see why Madden should be an exemption.

Quote: Originally Posted by iBlievN5

When you have a product, bold and creative get you in the door, from there it's attempting to appease the crowd.

I disagree. Time have shown the crowd pleasing have never been the first best option. Had it not been for continuously bold and creative development, companies like Sony and Apple would not have been where they are today.

[pasgedden]

Quote: Originally Posted by guaps

Regardless of who leaves Tiburon, it is important that the new team introduces a new direction for Madden. The current direction has become uninspiring and uncreative IMO. The current team relies too heavily on market research and polling for new features - the data shows this, the data shows that - that they end up only putting in 'safe' features that people have voted for or have been confirmed to be a good idea by some data, instead of presenting bold and creative ideas for football video gaming.

I hope so but all that data and research stuff sounds like Corp. talk to me.. IMO! All I'm saying IMO, its seems EA doesn't care if Madden is good or not they only care if it sales and if they obey the NFL overall concerns.. IMO..
IMO Ian has achieved NOTHING in sim gaming. But maybe he created a new genre or put Madden in another category all together "Sports Entertainment" IMO.. Better?

[Smoke6]

Quote: Originally Posted by pasgedden

I hope so but all that data and research stuff sounds like Corp. talk to me.. IMO! All I'm saying IMO, its seems EA doesn't care if Madden is good or not they only care if it sales and if they obey the NFL overall concerns.. IMO.. IMO Ian has achieved NOTHING in sim gaming. But maybe he created a new genre or put Madden in another category all together "Sports Entertainment" IMO.. Better?

Yea, the debate of madden being SIM or NOT is pretty big and kinda one of those sensitive issues that people tend not to talk about a lot. Now people who were once SIM players are the ones making an excuse out of how to define the word SIM when it comes to madden "because its only a game".

IMO, madden's lost its identity catering to 3 types of gamers, the casuals, hardcore SIM players, and the tourney crowd. I say focus on being SIM, this tourney crap has gotten out of hand and turned a lot of people away from this game along with the casual aspects.

Its just not fun or intriguing to sit there and get battered online to someone who makes his gaming career abusing exploits in the game and then using EA's own motto as an excuse.

This company needs a reality check real badly and this may be the start of one. If not, then someone somewhere will do it with or without the NFL license. We all have played and enjoyed football games in the past without the names and just team likeness's, Tecmo Bowl, Joe Montana Sports Talks series, Pro football on the Turbo GFX 16 etc.

Its not gonna hurt anyone when the next game comes out that does what madden should have been doing regardless of NFL or not. Thats how the madden this gen has me feeling and im pretty sure im not alone.

Right now im so starving for gameplay, im willing to give anyone or any game a chance at getting it right if M12 falls short this year.

[CRMosier_LM]

Quote: Originally Posted by pasgedden

I hope so but all that data and research stuff sounds like Corp. talk to me.. IMO! All I'm saying IMO, its seems EA doesn't care if Madden is good or not they only care if it sales and if they obey the NFL overall concerns.. IMO.. IMO Ian has achieved NOTHING in sim gaming. But maybe he created a new genre or put Madden in another category all together "Sports Entertainment" IMO.. Better?

Not to pick... But did you play this gen versions before he took over? If so how can you say he accomplished nothing. The game is 50 times better than those 1st 2 or
3 versions. Therefore he obviously improved the game from the turd he was dealt.

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScriptOhio

Not to pick... But did you play this gen versions before he took over? If so how can you say he accomplished nothing. The game is 50 times better than those 1st 2 or 3 versions. Therefore he obviously improved the game from the tard he was dealt.

For certain. Madden 09 was a terrible game. Ian did a fine job getting a more realistic running game, helping to advance gang tackles, and more. Anyone willing to say Ian Cummings did nothing is simply trolling or hating for the sake of hate. he's had two iterations with the franchise, and likely had his hands tied in terms of development cost (starting from scratch, etc). He did darn well in those two years.

[Tyrant8RDFL]

This does not surprise me. First let me say I wish Ian and those that will follow well.

My reason for not being surprised about this is because of how well NCAA is doing. Now I'm not sure if they are going this route. This is just speculation on my behalf, but a few months ago I asked myself. Why does EA have two separate teams to make a NFL and a NCAA game?

When NCAA plays a solid game, and all they have to do is use the same codes, and just adjust the rules, stadiums, and uniforms respectively for each league. Why not just use one team. Just expand it a little.

This will save EA a ton of money, and it pretty much guarantees a solid NCAA, and NFL game to the consumer.

Again just something that entered my mind a few months ago, and would not surprise me at all if this is the route they choose.