Madden NFL 15: Five Tips To Be Better This Fall

[Hooe]

Speaking for myself, I've offered plenty of measured constructive criticism about Madden NFL on this board. Most notably recently about the UI / UX of Maddens 13 and 25, which I still think is a bit of an abomination, and Madden's shortcomings teaching new players how to play the game, which have been addressed somewhat over the past two cycles with the new tackle cone and the Skills Trainer mode.

However, if the fact that I play and thoroughly enjoy Madden NFL as-is while hoping for year-over-year improvement means that I'm a "Madden supporter", then yes I'm a Madden supporter. I won't apologize for that. Call me "not-sim", "sheep", or any other negative buzzwords all you want, I really don't care. I enjoy Madden as it is built right now and ideally would like to come to this community to talk about the game with and play the game against like-minded people (a task which is unfortunately really hard these days).

As to my position as a moderator on Operation Sports, I wasn't sought out to promote anyone's agenda. Hell, I'm contractually bound to not promote another video game company's agenda, given the no-compete in my current contract as a software developer with a different video game company. My opinions are my own and I'm not obligated to agree with you.

Finally, I can assure you there are plenty of moderators on staff who don't enjoy Madden NFL in its current state; I'll let them identify themselves if they so choose. The difference is that by-and-large you just don't see them in the Madden section because they're busy enjoying and discussing other things on OS which aren't Madden.

[HingleMcCringleberry]

^ Speaking in generalizations here, I don't think it's so much the fact that someone enjoys the game that frustrates most people, but when they take a closed-minded approach to the discussion and refuse to accept the views of others as valid, and then put the other person down as a result... or worse, throw the agenda term around when they mildly disagree with someone else's opinion and attack them. And that is a 2 way street, as both supporters and bashers have done this same thing.

You'll always have the moron who attacks others for having different views, but most people i've seen here are generally respectful in their discussions when voicing an opinion.

For those of us who "bash" the game, I think it mostly contributes to the fact that we are almost certain Madden will never be anywhere near where we want it to be, and it's been close to a decade since we had other options to choose from. that much waiting is bound to make some people quite frustrated with the way things are going. Afterall, we all want the same thing, a game that we enjoy.

[Big FN Deal]

I wonder why people would lock in on that line in Cre8's post about leadership positions, when that wasn't the main point, imo. Regardless of if whoever likes or can tolerate Madden or not, it's not debatable that the game a) doesn't simulate certain football elements as well past games and b) is lacking in comparison to other top sports games. It amazes me that even with Tiburon making it plain that Madden is intended to be a NFL football simulation, they are oft defended when called to task for just that.

This isn't anything new either, I had some post awhile back, with all kind of quotes from various people affiliated with the creation of Madden, all claiming NFL simulation is the goal. Yet even though the product is clearly not meeting that standard, which consequently even Tiburon admits every year about the previous year's version, some people that like or at least can tolerate the game, act as if that fact is somehow irrelevant and nonconstructive.

I could give a laundry list of stuff that was claimed by not just marketing but devs, EAGCs, etc, aimed directly at sim gamers, that was either over exaggerated, didn't pan out or was just false. Then when sim gamers that were hopeful of these claims get clearly letdown by the actual product, they are ones blamed by some.

[kehlis]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

I wonder why people would lock in on that line in Cre8's post about leadership positions,

For me it's because I didn't disagree with anything else he said and thus didn't have anything else to comment on.

I don't agree that "leadership" positions have been given to those who back Madden. Feel free to go through posts and disagree if you wish.

(And in case you missed it those that commented on that aspect were all posters that would fall under that aspect).

Not much of a need to look too deep into that...

[NicVirtue]

Quote: Originally Posted by HingleMcCringleberry

^ Speaking in generalizations here, I don't think it's so much the fact that someone enjoys the game that frustrates most people, but when they take a closed-minded approach to the discussion and refuse to accept the views of others as valid, and then put the other person down as a result... or worse, throw the agenda term around when they mildly disagree with someone else's opinion and attack them. And that is a 2 way street, as both supporters and bashers have done this same thing. You'll always have the moron who attacks others for having different views, but most people i've seen here are generally respectful in their discussions when voicing an opinion. For those of us who "bash" the game, I think it mostly contributes to the fact that we are almost certain Madden will never be anywhere near where we want it to be, and it's been close to a decade since we had other options to choose from. that much waiting is bound to make some people quite frustrated with the way things are going. Afterall, we all want the same thing, a game that we enjoy.

This. There are so many reasons why people feel it will never change. The lot of them are valid. I think it's pretty safe to say that player movement will never be fluid, because that may require them starting over from scratch instead of the usual band-aid fix, and we all know that ain't happening. The way Madden moves and plays now will be the way it will most likely play forever.It's what makes Madden, Madden. Also too, if these developers are touting that they are trying to make a simulated football game, each and every single last person on the face of this earth has every right to critique the game BASED on simulation football. No if ands or buts.

[DeuceDouglas]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cre8

I have noticed over the last few years that many of the vocal Madden supporters on here have been given 'leadership' positions on OS as well.

I haven't really noticed this at. There was even one time where one of these 'leadership' positions stated how a madden supporter would probably perform "acts" on John Madden in return for a trip to a community day, so that doesn't really fall in line with that either. But, it is what it is. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. The clash on here is usually pretty entertaining.

Either you like Madden or you don't. There isn't a whole lot of area in between. This video is a great example why so many people don't and never will. One play the entire time and pretty much nothing you can do to stop it. Everybody wants a better game whether they thinks it's the greatest thing in the world or the biggest turds in a pile of turds.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by kehlis

For me it's because I didn't disagree with anything else he said and thus didn't have anything else to comment on. I don't agree that "leadership" positions have been given to those who back Madden. Feel free to go through posts and disagree if you wish. (And in case you missed it those that commented on that aspect were all posters that would fall under that aspect). Not much of a need to look too deep into that...

Fair enough, guess my point was that I wondered why "leadership", ie Mods, would choose to lock onto, ie respond to just that part, when the overreaching point in that post, imo, was that the Madden forum on OS can seem intolerant of Madden criticism at times, in spite of the facts of the last 10 years, regardless of any specific Mod's personal POV of Madden. When is valid criticism too much and is that same bar set for praise?

I'm not trying to tell anyone how to run OS or anything like that, I'm just speaking specifically to that post and the impression that one can get at times, imo. It's all good either way, was just trying to hopefully explain where I was coming from, I don't want any trouble, lol. j/k

[kehlis]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

Fair enough, guess my point was that I wondered why "leadership", ie Mods, would choose to lock onto, ie respond to just that part, when the overreaching point in that post, imo, was that the Madden forum on OS can seem intolerant of Madden criticism at times, in spite of the facts of the last 10 years, regardless of any specific Mod's personal POV of Madden. When is valid criticism too much and is that same bar set for praise?

Just human nature I guess, I've become numb to reading the same posts over and over every year about the game itself or the way the forum is run.

I just take extra offense to that accusation as I don't think it was fair at all since it is clearly far from the truth.


As to the actual reason you are asking the question you know who you need to PM that question to.