Small favor...looking for 09 "bulletin board material"

[Ian_Cummings]

Hey guys,
With the team returning to work on Monday, I had an idea that I wanted to post up some "bulletin board" material at work - i.e. some posts that really would get the fires lit with the team. After I pick the best ones and post them up, I will take some pics and post them here as well. I want to do this so you can see for sure that you are having a direct impact on our team's day to day work.

So, my small favor to you all would be for you to post your favorite quotes (+ the original link) from the previous year in this thread. My only guidelines:

- Needs to be from this year, ideally referring to Madden NFL 09
- Have to be constructive with no blatant flaming (i.e. I won't be putting up a post that says something about "we're screwed until EA gives up the license"). I want to be clear...negativity is totally fine...just excessive hatred won't make the cut.
- Ideally the posts are based on entire areas of the game. I probably won't be putting up something along the lines of "EA still doesn't have custom camera angles"...I'm looking for more broad-scale stuff.
- Goes without saying...but only quote it here if you truly believe it's a valid criticism.
- It's totally ok to suggest one of your own posts!

Just as an example. Here's a recent one that I was quite happy with from TheWatcher:

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...post2039033471

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

... the NCAA team spent a huge amount of time on something that a very small group of people are even using. While they were doing that, lots of other glaring problems that pretty much everyone will encounter were left open. We need to be pleading with Tiburon to stop doing stuff like this. I think you have four types of situations when you budget your time creating a product: 1. You have the choice on whether or not to make an improvement in the quality of your product that everyone will be put into position to see every single game, not just the minority. What does that include? -Gameplay -Presentation -Graphics This is and should be chief goal number one. Right now, the first two at least could use the most attention. The first one is most important. If the gameplay isn't at least decent, you're not going to stick around for the other stuff. 2. You have the decision to make on whether or not to improve the quality of something that will improve the product, but only the minority will actually ever give serious attention to. This includes: -Franchise Modes -Miscellaneous options that only the most perceptive people would actually be concerned with having and/or options that are rarely used (I admit that I fall into this sector of the hardcore group) 3. You have the decision to make on whether or not to add a feature/function/option that will add some value to the product, but will ultimately be inconsequential to the 3 cores of gameplay, presentation and graphics. -Take Madden Moments. I appreciate it being there, but how do we get that but not multiple and adjustable camera angles (affects graphics and presentation) like FIFA 09 has (an EA Sports title that is currently excelling)? How do we not get custom sountracks like NCAA 09 (affects presentation and atmosphere)? -We got better looking snow and rain... but we have no temperature controls, no happy mediums in the extremes of the weather settings (graphics), and terribly exaggerated mud on the players. -We have outside stadium shots and up to 50 unnecessary characters around the field (24 event staffers(!!!), an injury cart that's never used, plus a few repeated camera guy characters that either do nothing but stand there, or are constantly fixing their lense never shooting the game, lol) ... but we have no head coaching presence (presentation). 4. You have the decision to make on whether or not to introduce a feature/function that will either revolutionize the franchise and genre, or bust. -We got Madden IQ... nice idea, but we didn't get CPU sliders. Huge blunder. Gamekiller for many hardcores, it even had casuals scratching their heads about the incredible (virtually unstoppable) accuracy of CPU QB's. ...

Looking forward to what you all come up with!

[Boucher]

How about


Online franchise would produce over a trillion dollars in sales

[green94]

The presentation in Madden 09 was GARBAGE. If you guys wanted to capture the feeling of playing football in a cemetery, well you achieved it. Nothing like playing in the biggest virtual game of your life only to to have a bunch of robots on the sidelines acting as your teammates and a crowd that is completely silent, but hey, at least they were snapping pictures the entire game!!!

[Ian_Cummings]

Another good one:

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...post2039043620

Quote: Originally Posted by kmart2180

No there is no logic at all when it comes to off season tasks. The Colts will draft a qb with there 1st round pick if they lack one on there depth chart. I'd suggest Ncaa09 100x over Madden09 just cause itplays a better game of football. They both have their own problems but in the end (IMO) Ncaa09 stands out more and keepsme coming back for more, while madden gets boring very fast. My biggest problems with madden 09 are for 1 the CPU cannot run the ball PERIOD. Facing A Peterson / LT/ B Jacobs is all the same cause they all will not be able to rush for 100 yds on you. Playing the Raiders/Rams feels the same as playing the Steelers/Ravens (meaning there is no difference) Teams all play the same. It gets boring seeing the same stuff everygame. Robo qb - not as bad as once stated but every once in a while you will see a Rex Grossman go 28-31. And the qb% statistics are insanely high. Presentationis terrible. I mean whyeven play the superbowl if its feels/ looks just like the reg season games. (I sim after reg season due to this terribleness). Atleast in Ncaa09 you can take a low rated team and try and make them become good to great. In Madden you can turn the worst team into superbowl champs in 1-2 years. GET NCAA09 and you can thank me later .......j/k ps- I love the NFL way more than College Football but the game is that much better to me.

[Boucher]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA

Another good one: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...post2039043620

Really what it boils down to is that Online dynasty keeps people coming back. It adds a tonne of replay value

[splff3000]

Quote: Originally Posted by boucher

Really what it boils down to is that Online dynasty keeps people coming back. It adds a tonne of replay value

I second that. At least it was the case with me.

[Exonerated]

Online dynasty is cool, but I wouldn't say that its a selling point for the majority of players.

In my opinion. What most people want to see, (casuals and hardcores included),

is whether it plays, looks, and sounds like what we see on tv.
All players can appreciate a game that is bound by the laws of physics, that stresses the fundamentals of football but also has appropriate moments for big plays and highlight reel materials. The frequency of big plays in the current Madden is fine, its just the way the are executed thats the problem. We all love seeing 80 yard touchdown passes and One Handed Pick Sixes. But not 80 yard td passes after running back and throwing a spinning bomb off the back foot without looking at the receiver. And no superhuman dbs, but instead sound coverage caused by good playcalling.

We want it to sound like what we see on tv. We want an intense play-by-play commentator that gets excited and enthusiastic. (A random like the ea radio guy won't cut it). A real commentator that genuinely wants to do a good job.) . hint hint no hammond. The crowd should be loud! So loud it breaks my speakers. During 3rd downs. Intercepts. Fumbles. And 20 yards before a player reaches the endzone. It all comes down to atmosphre.

And it should look like television. We all understand that Ea needs to advertise in its own game, and within due reason. But it has to be less intrusive. Add more advertising by real companies if you will. A better less intrusive ticker. (i'm not real big on pregame and halftime shows, but i guess other people are).


All in all.

Am I playing Madden, or am i watching NFL on the flatscreen here?

[cdon2k]

Wow, where to begin?!? Hopefully I can get this done before Monday!! Adembroski, Country, Lbz, Madden PS2, Pared and others... we need you.