Online Communities Took Precedence Over Online Franchise in Madden NFL 12

[CRMosier_LM]

Quote: Originally Posted by tazdevil20

Casey, I know that it will actually. That's probably more the reason they didn't put effort into it this year. They are thinking of it as throw away code when they could simply start the work on the re-write, which in actuality is the right thing to do. However, they should have done it right the first time. That falls on poor development, which is the frightening part. I'll be thrilled if they get it right next year. Full web integration and everything. Online franchise coupled with more gameplay improvements will bring me back to the Madden fan I once was about 10 years ago.

I understand your point completely but my counter argument to that is it isn't poor development but different views on what is important. I guarantee Cam Weber sees the importance of online franchise where as the previous team may or may not have.

[Icarus2k9]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

Some interviews are by text, but this one was my phone. So basically some allow follow-up questions and others do not -- yes, just depends on the medium. Seems like a fair enough question. I know that generally speaking they don't want to or will give specifics on that type of stuff, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. But just to be clear, the interview was about Online Communities, so I just didn't want to use that as a platform to "jump" a developer about online franchise stuff. So I more tacked on a question at the end to at least get a word about it.

Thanks for getting back to me on this. I can see why you don't want to derail the questioning, but if you know for a fact that this is the last question of an interview then there's no problem in taking it off the beaten track a little. I'm not asking you to trick someone, or ignore all the other stuff you ask to sensationalise one response at the end.

I'm a UK news journalist (may not be in two weeks thanks to job cuts, joy joy) and whenever someone mentions numbers we instantly ask for the details on those numbers. They refuse to give them? Just write they refused to give them, ask why and then write that too. Do you have an American version of a Freedom of Information request you can log with the EA press office to get these numbers? If your good relationship with EA is threatened by something as slight as pressing them over a few matters, you never had a good relationship to begin with.

I'm going to back up respectfully now and not tell you guys how to do your job, because you're already making sure the OS community is well informed and actually has a good glimpse behind the curtain (which is better than the rest of the gaming press combined). Take me asking you to press them on certain things as a compliment on how much good stuff you get already

[smokeyvol]

Very lame excuse.

[jerryrice4949]

Quote: Originally Posted by TNT713

JerryRice4949, Once again, my point is missed... All throughout this post I've mentioned two things: 1) Numbers are incredibly low for usage of Online Franchise 2) EA uses those numbers to determine where to allot their resources If communities is indeed less expensive, it requires less resources. Time, money, equipment, and developers are all resources that are used in accordance with the decisions EA makes early in the development cycle - all based on how we play the game. What we tell EA and have told EA since Online Franchise was added is that collectively, WE DON'T PLAY IT. For those fans that still want to point to NCAA as proof that the mode would get used seem to overlook that fact that Madden and NCAA have different target markets and VERY LITTLE OVERLAP of 10%. I also find that much of this argument for more people playing Madden's Online Franchise depends on what we imagine to be gamer habits while numbers - which are concrete - tell us otherwise. Given our actual gaming habits (not the "what if" numbers) it makes perfectly logical business sense to add communities to improve the mode millions of gamers play while tabling the other modes until later. Besides... According to your post, Communities seems to require less resources to improve the mode and it's usage exponentially by eliminating the most common objections to online play and offline franchise. Any theoretical increase in Online Franchise participation would be just that - THEORY. No one really knows how many Madden players will flock to Online Franchise once it gets the dev time it needs. But even if there are 5x as many games played as now, it's still probably going to be less than 10% of the total games played because the 3% we were quoted combines the three least used modes usage together... Too many resources + too few playing the mode = Update other things. Simple... But only when there's no emotional connection. I can't be the only one that sees the correlation... So dare I say again - If you like the idea of online franchise PLAY IT. Otherwise, it's painfully low usage numbers might be seen as a reason to pull the plug entirely... Personally, I'd rather have online PRACTICE mode 10x more than Online Franchise. Dare I say, it might get more play in it's 1st year than the past 3 years of online franchise combine (since we're throwing out baseless numbers and ignoring the real ones). Later

Actually it is you who are missing the point, as well as the guy shilling for the league manager software. Numbers for OF are not low. THE MODE DOES NOT EXIST. There is nothing in what EA calls OF to actually make it a franchise mode. EA knows it and everyone else who enjoys franchise play knows it. IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A MULTI SEASON LEAGUE.

[jeremym480]

As I've always said... "if you build it, they will come". Just look at little brother for the perfect example.

As much as I hate the word, online team play and online communites are both straight gimmick's , IMO. The fact that they ignored franchise over those two is a downright disgrace.

[jpdavis82]

Watch the Ustream event from last week, they talked about this in detail. They didn't choose online communities over online franchise, they chose not to work on online franchise this year because they felt like they would rather wait a year like they did with offline franchise last year in order to give us a fully featured online franchise next year. I know even with that being said there are some of you that will still complain, but honestly you guys expect way too much to be added in a one year cycle. There's only so much they can add in one year and with all the additions they made this year, that means they can focus on these other things like online franchise, footplanting, and other minor additions(new halftime show, new weekly show for franchise, new commentary) next year. I know for a fact those presentation features are on their minds for next year, they talked about it in the Ustream event last week with Mike Young. I also know they are looking at some physics related stuff for gameplay, so just chill guys. We're going to get a greatly improved game this year and even more so next year, so just chill and enjoy the great game that Madden 12 will be, and by this time next year we'll have an even better game to play in Madden 13, until then we'll all be enjoying Madden 12.

There's much more to life than video games so everyone needs to calm down and enjoy the product that EA genuinely is trying to give us and improve for us.

[jpdavis82]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeremym480

As I've always said... "if you build it, they will come". Just look at little brother for the perfect example. As much as I hate the word, online team play and online communites are both straight gimmick's , IMO. The fact that they ignored franchise over those two is a downright disgrace.

How is giving us the best online gaming experience outside of online franchise mode a gimmick? Online communities is far from a gimmick, I don't think most people really understand what online communities even is. The only thing better for online gaming than communities would be tying it in with online franchise, other than that you can't get a better online gaming experience.

[jpdavis82]

Quote: Originally Posted by Elements

This whole feature merits no respect. Cheaters will always be around in every forum and room. People will cheat at all costs to get the satisfaction of a win. I'm thoroughly upset with EA, but we will make Online Franchise work regardless. My question is. How many people can be in a Community at once? Are they going to take away the 50 person restriction?

Yes they changed it from 50 to 2000, you can have up to 2000 people in a community and you can join up to 5 communities