Madden 12 News Post

Madden Creative Director, Ian Cummings is Leaving Tiburon

03:05 PM - April 12, 2011 by Benicio10

According to PastaPadre, Ian Cummings, Creative Director of the Madden franchise, is leaving Tiburon.

He also states there are quite a few other big names going with him.

What do you think about this news?

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Member Comments

# 201 Pared @ 04/13/11 11:29 AM

Ok -

The baseless comments and all-knowing rants stop now.

Discuss the topic. Give your opinions and what you think but STOP POSTING YOUR OPINION AS FACT.

No one buys it here. Only those directly involved have any knowledge on the matters. It's doing nothing but instigating arguments.

Thanks.

# 202 ManiacMatt1782 @ 04/13/11 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legend Killer


	Madden 12 will be fine bro. They are already doing demo to the press this week to get ready for the draft. These few guys leaving ain't going to hurt the game that much. I'm sure EA got this under control.

It's too late to significantly help the game. I respect that the dude did talk to the community. But he was also in major denial about the product. I hope fresh eyes on the project helps fix some of maidens major issues this gen, like poor line recognition, size not mattering for blocking and tackling. The complete lack of cleanup hits. Invisible walls forming around players during tackle/break tackle animations. Secondary AI that is predictive, not reactive. Hopefully new eyes fix these inexcusable problems that have gone on for far too long without being addressed. I'm slightly optimistic for 2013

# 203 GGEden @ 04/13/11 11:38 AM

To me, it just sounds like Ian Cummings has lifted off his career while at EA and is now in a position to start up his own development company. Taking a bunch of people with him to start it off. Just spring-boarding from the 'success' of Madden.

# 204 guaps @ 04/13/11 11:44 AM

Regardless of who leaves Tiburon, it is important that the new team introduces a new direction for Madden. The current direction has become uninspiring and uncreative IMO. The current team relies too heavily on market research and polling for new features - the data shows this, the data shows that - that they end up only putting in 'safe' features that people have voted for or have been confirmed to be a good idea by some data, instead of presenting bold and creative ideas for football video gaming.

People know exactly what they get from Madden and many have become cynical as a result - just look at many of the posts in this thread. Many cheer when they hear that there will be major changes on the Madden dev team, but as long as Madden's direction remains uninspiring and uncreative, there is really nothing to cheer about.

# 205 iBlievN5 @ 04/13/11 11:46 AM

Well M12 is done so there's really nothing lost there, however I think we'll miss Ian's contributions. Say what you will, but under Ian, we lost the phase of madden where it was all about the BIG SHINY NEW mechanic like weapons or run to daylight, we got football improvements. Granted, they weren't perfect, but they were undoubtedly the right direction. We got a semblance of a pocket. Locomotion. QB accuracies on different levels, and some things I can't think of currently. I'm saddened that M13 and beyond won't be directed by him since he was probably our last gasp at simulation.

# 206 Smoke6 @ 04/13/11 11:50 AM

Well, hopefully he's in a position where he can give the community what they want or do his best at making sure it happens. I would like to know how much these guys in the suits play madden as I would like to have there PSN Id's or GT's to give them a dose of how badly this game needs some major attention to gameplay.

Best wishes to them all and hopefully the new recruits and promoted should be a fun ride going into the next madden after this one. Just dissappointed in the late release that may or may not have anything to do with this. Maybe ill give NCAA a shot and have more time to get in the groove again like back in the PS2 days.

# 207 marshallfever @ 04/13/11 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GGEden


	To me, it just sounds like Ian Cummings has lifted off his career while at EA and is now in a position to start up his own development company. Taking a bunch of people with him to start it off. Just spring-boarding from the 'success' of Madden.

Whats wrong with that? Its a way to make a name for yourself. Now if we found out he put no true effort as the director of Madden the last couple of years, then we have the right to be upset. However using the position he currently had at EA to form a new studio is no biggie.

# 208 iBlievN5 @ 04/13/11 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guaps


	Regardless of who leaves Tiburon, it is important that the new team introduces a new direction for Madden. The current direction has become uninspiring and uncreative IMO. The current team relies too heavily on market research and polling for new features - the data shows this, the data shows that - that they end up only putting in 'safe' features that people have voted for or have been confirmed to be a good idea by some data, instead of presenting bold and creative ideas for football video gaming. People know exactly what they get from Madden and many have become cynical as a result - just look at many of the posts in this thread. Many cheer when they hear that there will be major changes on the Madden dev team, but as long as Madden's direction remains uninspiring and uncreative, there is really nothing to cheer about.

I don't know of a company that lets their employees do things that won't be blatantly favorable to their audience. I always thought that this was the kind of thinking that made me confused, do you not think Ian has bosses to answer to? that he and he alone decided what got to go into the video game? that he got to requisition his own resources?

When you have a product, bold and creative get you in the door, from there it's attempting to appease the crowd. I'd have like bold/creative, but I also think we've done about all the bold we can do without becoming arcade. Understated improvements like locomotion were cool/usefel, maybe some type of WR/QB chemistry would have been nice though.

# 209 GGEden @ 04/13/11 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marshallfever


	Whats wrong with that? Its a way to make a name for yourself. Now if we found out he put no true effort as the director of Madden the last couple of years, then we have the right to be upset. However using the position he currently had at EA to form a new studio is no biggie.

I didn't imply there was something wrong with that

# 210 adamgod8 @ 04/13/11 11:54 AM

Good news.

# 211 Smoke6 @ 04/13/11 12:00 PM

Yea, it seemed like chemistry between players was non existent, its hard to grasp the fact that the "suits" restricts this development team the way its been reported or speculated as. This type of move may just bite them in the rear in the future and know will care about madden again if things dont go so swell with securing the license again.

# 212 guaps @ 04/13/11 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iBlievN5


	I don't know of a company that lets their employees do things that won't be blatantly favorable to their audience.

Well, people often don't know what they want until you show it to them. If it hadn't been for Backbreaker, the 2k games, NHL, FIFA etc. people would not have demanded as much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iBlievN5


	do you not think Ian has bosses to answer to? that he and he alone decided what got to go into the video game? that he got to requisition his own resources?

First of, I'm not talking about Ian. I'm talking about the whole team of senior developers. Second, I do know that they have bosses to answer to, but those same bosses have allowed fantastic things to happen with the NHL franchise and the FIFA franchise, so I don't see why Madden should be an exemption.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iBlievN5


	When you have a product, bold and creative get you in the door, from there it's attempting to appease the crowd.

I disagree. Time have shown the crowd pleasing have never been the first best option. Had it not been for continuously bold and creative development, companies like Sony and Apple would not have been where they are today.

# 213 Smoke6 @ 04/13/11 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasgedden


	I hope so but all that data and research stuff sounds like Corp. talk to me.. IMO! All I'm saying IMO, its seems EA doesn't care if Madden is good or not they only care if it sales and if they obey the NFL overall concerns.. IMO.. IMO Ian has achieved NOTHING in sim gaming. But maybe he created a new genre or put Madden in another category all together "Sports Entertainment" IMO.. Better?

Yea, the debate of madden being SIM or NOT is pretty big and kinda one of those sensitive issues that people tend not to talk about a lot. Now people who were once SIM players are the ones making an excuse out of how to define the word SIM when it comes to madden "because its only a game".

IMO, madden's lost its identity catering to 3 types of gamers, the casuals, hardcore SIM players, and the tourney crowd. I say focus on being SIM, this tourney crap has gotten out of hand and turned a lot of people away from this game along with the casual aspects.

Its just not fun or intriguing to sit there and get battered online to someone who makes his gaming career abusing exploits in the game and then using EA's own motto as an excuse.

This company needs a reality check real badly and this may be the start of one. If not, then someone somewhere will do it with or without the NFL license. We all have played and enjoyed football games in the past without the names and just team likeness's, Tecmo Bowl, Joe Montana Sports Talks series, Pro football on the Turbo GFX 16 etc.

Its not gonna hurt anyone when the next game comes out that does what madden should have been doing regardless of NFL or not. Thats how the madden this gen has me feeling and im pretty sure im not alone.

Right now im so starving for gameplay, im willing to give anyone or any game a chance at getting it right if M12 falls short this year.

# 214 Broncos86 @ 04/13/11 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScriptOhio


	Not to pick... But did you play this gen versions before he took over? If so how can you say he accomplished nothing. The game is 50 times better than those 1st 2 or 3 versions. Therefore he obviously improved the game from the tard he was dealt.

For certain. Madden 09 was a terrible game. Ian did a fine job getting a more realistic running game, helping to advance gang tackles, and more. Anyone willing to say Ian Cummings did nothing is simply trolling or hating for the sake of hate. he's had two iterations with the franchise, and likely had his hands tied in terms of development cost (starting from scratch, etc). He did darn well in those two years.

# 215 Tyrant8RDFL @ 04/13/11 12:42 PM

This does not surprise me. First let me say I wish Ian and those that will follow well.

My reason for not being surprised about this is because of how well NCAA is doing. Now I'm not sure if they are going this route. This is just speculation on my behalf, but a few months ago I asked myself. Why does EA have two separate teams to make a NFL and a NCAA game?

When NCAA plays a solid game, and all they have to do is use the same codes, and just adjust the rules, stadiums, and uniforms respectively for each league. Why not just use one team. Just expand it a little.

This will save EA a ton of money, and it pretty much guarantees a solid NCAA, and NFL game to the consumer.

Again just something that entered my mind a few months ago, and would not surprise me at all if this is the route they choose.

# 216 quietcool72 @ 04/13/11 12:44 PM

Haven't read this whole thread, but I see Pasta is reporting that Madden 12 is being pushed back 3 weeks til August 31st. That in itself doesn't mean much to me. They may want to milk some College FB sales more than usual due to the NFL probably not even playing in the first few weeks.

However, what we do know is this. Madden Community Manager RAC (Will Kinsler) left EA a month and a half ago for **** Games. Now the Ian Cummings (and others) defection.

Put it all together, and things down in Orlando don't look too inspiring for Madden 12.

# 217 GGEden @ 04/13/11 12:45 PM

Good post, Smoke6.

# 218 TreFacTor @ 04/13/11 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScriptOhio


	Not to pick... But did you play this gen versions before he took over? If so how can you say he accomplished nothing. The game is 50 times better than those 1st 2 or 3 versions. Therefore he obviously improved the game from the tard he was dealt.

I think everyone is giving, and has been giving Ian too much credit for either the good or bad that is in this gen madden.

In three iterations of Madden there has been
-Online leagues, madden IQ, EA backtrack, Virtual Madden, "hit stick 2.0"
-Protak, presentation, online franchise, QB specific mechanics, Pocket awareness
-stratpad, reworked locomotion, gameflow, gameplan

How much of any of those additions can be credited directly to Ian, the good and bad? Ian could have been more of an emissary to convey what the community wanted instead of being the head guy in charge like many believe. At any rate, I would not got to the extent to say that Ian is the reason madden is good or bad or the same. The foundation was laid before he step foot in the arena, and I'm certain he did his best to make madden better, in the end it wasn't enough for many of us and it's going to take a hell of a lot to change my opinion on any future madden with or without Ian.

# 219 Smoke6 @ 04/13/11 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GGEden


	Good post, Smoke6.

Thanks,

As I browse this forum, I notice that EA has the "25 new Plays" in some threads and its puzzling that most people have forgotten just how dumb downed madden 11's play books were. Now they're being introduced as "NEW PLAYS' is just puzzling to me and tell me that marketing really thinks we are dumb or the 25-40 yr old crowd doesnt play madden anymore and know one under that will notice.

EA needs to hire someone to slap the smile off there marketer's face, I have my degree in marketing but never pursued it due to the economy. Since they seem to be the driving force behind the developing team, what would it hurt to get someone in there who can get the job done and the game back where it needs to be.

This is gonna be the last straw for most gamers here including myself. If it wasnt for the sim community i play in every year, i'd been and abandoned madden after 08, but at the same time its all we got.

# 220 Smoke6 @ 04/13/11 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasgedden


	I played and brought Madden 06-08 rented 09 rented 10... So yes I played... but wait have you seen or played Madden 09 for ps1??? Ummm the reason why I say he did nothing is because Madden last gen is better gameplay wise.. IMO the gang tackle "feature" that he or his team added is not done right.. And it doesn't make since.... How can have up to 9 people gang tackling someone and STILL HAVE TACKLE(s) OR FALL DOWN ANIMATIONS WERE NEAR BY WOULD BE TACKLERS CANT TACKLE or INTERACT WITH THE BALL CARRIER WHO IS FALLING DOWN forward or whatever the situation is.... Not to pick with the capital letters.. The idea is good but not executed well at all IMO.. Gang tackles is not a feature btw its part of football, period! So if a Straight A student got all A's throughout school but the last 4 years got C's instead of those A's but Managed to get a b+ "at best" his/her last year accomplishing anything go right ahead.. lol Its a free country IMO...

The biggest issue is that they're not using the hardware like everyone else has. Their main console is the 360 and it should be switched to take advantage of the PS3's Blu ray disc space and features and then port. There's no reason to have all that available and you're not even using a 1/4 of whats available out of that system(s).

Stadiums should almost be life like in look and feel and they should go back to that 06 engine. Something tells me they will but not this gen, they basically gave us xbox 1 in HD this gen and then slowly added features over the course of this gen when they all should have been there from the start.

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