Donny Moore, the 'Madden Ratings Czar', Leaving EA

[4thQtrStre5S]

Quote: Originally Posted by Yukon46

That's like the "which came first" question... I personally dogged Donny for years about Speed..... but Madden never really changed.

I also have had a huge issue with speed... BUt from what I understand from interviews, speed has been adjusted for M16...fingers crossed...

[DCEBB2001]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpdavis82

Dan, I"m a little confused about what they said as far as not being as concerned about authenticity of team ratings. How does this desire for "competitive gameplay" coincide with their desire to create a sim football game, specifically Rex's?

I won't speak for Rex's desire to make a sim football game, but he did say that their number one priority is making the game competitive to play, with authenticity coming in after that top priority.

To me, I would make the ratings for each player as realistic as possible, then make the game fit those ratings. They are more concerned about the gameplay (making it competitive for anyone who picks up a controller) first, then the accuracy of their player ratings second.

[jpdavis82]

Quote: Originally Posted by DCEBB2001

I won't speak for Rex's desire to make a sim football game, but he did say that their number one priority is making the game competitive to play, with authenticity coming in after that top priority. To me, I would make the ratings for each player as realistic as possible, then make the game fit those ratings. They are more concerned about the gameplay (making it competitive for anyone who picks up a controller) first, then the accuracy of their player ratings second.

Disappointed to hear this, can't lie.

[DCEBB2001]

Quote: Originally Posted by Yukon46

I will say this, the main thing in Madden that has bothered me for years.. is the Speed Rating. I think using a proper rating system... based on real data, to properly rate current players (and future players within a CFM)...is one of the major keys to the game. You can really roll all Physical attributes into this... They all need to be rated properly. Last years final Madden 15 roster update.... EA had 460 players rated over 90 for Speed. Reality would have had about 160-175 rated over 90. Then this also leads into CFM drafts... They pour another 50+ players into the game every year with a over 90 speed ratings. Reality would be in the 15-20 range each year. And having myself done re-ratings of Speed in numerous EA Football titles, it has never remotely came close to breaking the game.... it only improves them. As I think any players that have used such Re-Rated Rosters already know. And I think FBG is on par with getting real physical attributes transformed into in-game ratings down to a science. It seems like a good fit to me.

All they need to do is get real data and mimic the statistical distribution of that data. When you do that, you find out some very interesting things about your population of NFL players. Like how if you use the same methodology for every attribute, you find that NFL player have an average SPD of 68 (if you set the best to 99 and the worst to 1) and an average ACC of 65. Madden right now has an average SPD closer to 76 and ACC closer to 83. However, in their defense, I don't think they are using the data they need to use.

[jpdavis82]

If you have a lesser rated team, then let a more skilled player use them, don't make it where every team plays like the Packers/Patriots/Seahawks, that's FAR from simulation.

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpdavis82

Dan, I"m a little confused about what they said as far as not being as concerned about authenticity of team ratings. How does this desire for "competitive gameplay" coincide with their desire to create a sim football game, specifically Rex's?

My take on it is that the two are not incompatible. There is no inherent conflict in creating realistic gameplay while "compressing" or manipulating team ratings.

The more interesting bit was about increasing the spread of player ratings. That does seem to contradict the idea of competitive gameplay. I'm not sure how they could increase the gap while maintaining parity.

Quote: Originally Posted by Yukon46

I will say this, the main thing in Madden that has bothered me for years.. is the Speed Rating. I think using a proper rating system... based on real data, to properly rate current players (and future players within a CFM)...is one of the major keys to the game. You can really roll all Physical attributes into this... They all need to be rated properly. Last years final Madden 15 roster update.... EA had 460 players rated over 90 for Speed. Reality would have had about 160-175 rated over 90. Then this also leads into CFM drafts... They pour another 50+ players into the game every year with a over 90 speed ratings. Reality would be in the 15-20 range each year. And having myself done re-ratings of Speed in numerous EA Football titles, it has never remotely came close to breaking the game.... it only improves them. As I think any players that have used such Re-Rated Rosters already know. And I think FBG is on par with getting real physical attributes transformed into in-game ratings down to a science. It seems like a good fit to me.

The fact that X amount of players were rated 90 in speed does not really matter. It is only about the scale.

If they take your advice and alter the scale there would be no changes in gameplay. That is, if they did it uniformly and without bias. They tend not to do that though, good players tend to become faster (or stronger, you get the idea) and underperformers drop speed.

The point is that we view 90+ as being great. Madden says 90+ is good/needed for positions.

What I would like to see, and Dan you may know the answer to this, is their ratings ordinal or interval? Is the difference in gameplay the same between 70-75 as it is between 90-95? Or does the difference increase exponentially?

[4thQtrStre5S]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpdavis82

If you have a lesser rated team, then let a more skilled player use them, don't make it where every team plays like the Packers/Patriots/Seahawks, that's FAR from simulation.

The issue would be getting the better skilled players to use a lesser team...

I am actually a life long Packer fan; parents born and raised in Wisconsin; so Badgers and Packers all the way...I will not play the Packers, often, because they are a top team that many people want to use..and I just find it hard to play the Packers for some weird reason...I would hate to be forced to play them, because honestly, I am not that good at the twitch controllers, so I would need a better team like them to compete...I have a very hard time with All-MAdden play, and even gets tough on All-Pro for me..

Though I see All-MAdden as ALL-Arcade...

[jfsolo]

So every year when the game first releases and the overall team ratings basically range from 72-92, are they bumping up the lower teams when they really should be in the low 60's? or 50's? Are they making sure that every teams has a certain number of players with high ratings in every category? I'm trying to get a sense of what else "competitive gameplay" could entail.