What Would Make Madden More Immersive

[jmurphy31]

The word immersion/immersive gets tossed around a lot on these boards and in promotions about the game. But I am not even sure where the typical gamer falls in with how they want the game to be immersive.

According to a standard definition of immersion in a video game, it can be best described as a psychological experience that makes the player feel like they are present in a virtual environment, and that the outside world has faded away.

So my question is what would make Madden more immersive?

A. More things for the human to do in relation to their own team
- position battles
- game planning/scouting
- storylines
- draft
- asst coaches
- contracts

B. More things that make the entire franchise come alive
- Weekly wrap up show
- more stat banners within game comparing teams, stat leaders, big
matchups within the game
- more efficient news feed area
- storylines from other teams
- scenarios for them
- more accurate use of teams (play calling, feeding star players the ball)

I think it is both, but i think EA is more (even though its not a lot, just more A than B) on the side of giving the user more things to do but not really ever acknowledging the CPU teams. It would be like playing a 3rd person shooter game where you just had various levels of enemies to kill but no storyline to follow. it would be like Gears of War and playing Horde the entire time and no progression in the story

This is what Madden Franchise mode feels to me. Its just me trying to get my team better, by playing a bunch of play now games with no real clue to what else is going on in the league. I understand I can go to my opponents team page and look at their schedule and stats and make stuff up in my head, but that shouldn't be the case with all the technology out there.

Anyway, just throwing this out here and would like to hear others thoughts on this

[BIGBLUEFAN2023]

I would like to see a sideline reporter reporting on in-game injuries.

Also, a brief interview as the coach is leaving the field for halftime and with the Player of the Game at the end would be cool.

[Dsabol715]

Personally, I'm a stats guy so more stats on the screen would be my main thing. I do like what they've added in CF25 in between plays so I hope that makes it over to the new Madden. QB pressures, targets, different type of %s.

One of my main gripes with the game is actually the practice squad and how it's a big tease. give us the actual NFL practice squad rules! I understood it changed with COVID but it's been a few years later and still using an outdated practice squad.

[Dagan]

It's a bit of a catch-22 talking about immersion because no matter how much EA could implement into the game, it's up to the individual to truly immerse themselves into any of it. End results are that it winds up just becoming countless threads full of opinions, even if there's great suggestions bandied about.

I think if EA really, really paid attention to everyone, they'd realize that to get folks more immersed in what surrounds the game of football, it would be them going full bore on allowing everyone something of a myspace / facebook / instagram page of their own with which to further (even create) their content, ideas, etc. that offers all of the extra immersion realistically. I'm surprised they haven't considered this to the extreme that they could because having such a social media site, yeah, it would cost them a bit, but they would likely make out crazy with ad revenue.

Point being: The bulk of immersion that people choose in everyday life is social media showcases. Let the game be just a really good game. Let the immersion flow over into another platform. No more contentious codes piling atop one another year after year to give further aspects not truly necessary to simply play a football game. Just a thought.

[malky]

To me it's simple, follow NBA 2k formula with Franchise, follow all the things they do in their dynasty, it would be a great start for immersion. They have done that with your franchise history and super bowl celebration, and now more announce crews. Follow that up with MORE AND MORE STATS on display during a game ticker, and in the in the hub, and how about a more immerse half time show? All things that the NBA game does

[jmurphy31]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dagan

It's a bit of a catch-22 talking about immersion because no matter how much EA could implement into the game, it's up to the individual to truly immerse themselves into any of it. End results are that it winds up just becoming countless threads full of opinions, even if there's great suggestions bandied about. I think if EA really, really paid attention to everyone, they'd realize that to get folks more immersed in what surrounds the game of football, it would be them going full bore on allowing everyone something of a myspace / facebook / instagram page of their own with which to further (even create) their content, ideas, etc. that offers all of the extra immersion realistically. I'm surprised they haven't considered this to the extreme that they could because having such a social media site, yeah, it would cost them a bit, but they would likely make out crazy with ad revenue. Point being: The bulk of immersion that people choose in everyday life is social media showcases. Let the game be just a really good game. Let the immersion flow over into another platform. No more contentious codes piling atop one another year after year to give further aspects not truly necessary to simply play a football game. Just a thought.

Totally get what youre saying, but then why have a franchise mode. Just play H2H or Play Now games. and dont get me wring I dont think it needs a ton of fluff. a simple tab in franchise highlighting youre next opponent. Who has been playing well lately, who their main guys are (especially after a few years with generated rookies), what is the historical head to head look like, where are they ranked offensively vs the rest of the league, etc

Or just more pop ups before or during the game. I dont need live look-ins during a game (I actually would rather play the game without interruption) but have something after i hit advance to next week. Not saying 2k was perfect but that simple weekly show kept me in the loop with what was going around the league with records, injuries, etc.

Also, I think 24 and the beta have been some of the best on-field football i can remember and I was still playing 24 up until the Beta and CFB.

[Dagan]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmurphy31

Totally get what youre saying, but then why have a franchise mode. Just play H2H or Play Now games. and dont get me wring I dont think it needs a ton of fluff. a simple tab in franchise highlighting youre next opponent. Who has been playing well lately, who their main guys are (especially after a few years with generated rookies), what is the historical head to head look like, where are they ranked offensively vs the rest of the league, etc Or just more pop ups before or during the game. I dont need live look-ins during a game (I actually would rather play the game without interruption) but have something after i hit advance to next week. Not saying 2k was perfect but that simple weekly show kept me in the loop with what was going around the league with records, injuries, etc. Also, I think 24 and the beta have been some of the best on-field football i can remember and I was still playing 24 up until the Beta and CFB.

Franchise mode, if it had to be just bare bones what's required instead of extras - it would take you from preseason to off season, generating your schedule, dealing with your rosters, scouting players coming out of college, the draft itself, free agency itself, repeat for 30 years (keep all stats, of course). I contend that what most consider more immersion includes anything else that is/has been included. Franchise mode is a need. Outside of sharing your stats with the world in whatever level of "look at me" that you feel you have to have, nothing about an immersive social media site would be required or desired, either.

Play Now mode would require a social media site to keep track of and generate everything that Franchise mode is / does, though. Excel files on display at your page, etc.

Superstar as a mode is just a one player focus with a bunch more extra off the field "immersion" that is debatably unnecessary when it comes to actually just wanting to play football. As a mode though, folks feel that is a need, and so it exists. If you had an EA social media site like I mentioned, though, all of this mode and more could be explored in that way and likely way, way better. Likely way more enjoyable.

Seems like what should have already been the future of sports games, to me, especially in the wake of any legalities that ever happened to any sports titles. If you have your own social media site for all things extra immersion, and it's absolutely you responsible for the content on there (save for being hacked or whatever), then that's clean hands for the game company should you do anything stupid with or relating to their product. Overall, though, I'm saying that folks could have next to no ceiling to immersion like they specifically want it to. Think about teambuilder and how that all works, too. Imagine if you could use your site to generate your own intros and cut scenes for download into your rather barer bones game.

I've had thoughts on these things for over a decade, now. Oops.

[canes21]

Oh boy, I could write a novel about how to improve franchise mode by giving it depth and making it feel like you're just taking part in a living breathing world instead of feeling like you're at the center of a mostly dead universe. Love the ideas that have already been shared in here. I may just spend too much time later writing up something far too long for most of you to even read through.