Madden 12 News Post

Chatting With Josh Looman About Madden's Franchise Mode

02:56 PM - May 17, 2011 by RaychelSnr

With all the news already being released about what to expect in this year's Franchise mode in Madden NFL 12, I thought it would be best to go back through my interview with EA's Josh Looman, one of the main developers behind Madden's single-player behemoth, and just transcribe the entirety of the interview. If there is not news to break, at least you can find a bit more depth here about the reasoning behind some of the changes being made and why they should improve Franchise mode this year.

Read More - Chatting with EA's Josh Looman about Madden's Franchise Mode

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# 61 ComfortablyLomb @ 05/25/11 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellisan


	Wait... How is "fumble prone" or "injury prone" a role?

Because role is a poor word choice when it really means "characteristic."

# 62 Hellisan @ 05/26/11 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComfortablyLomb


	Because role is a poor word choice when it really means "characteristic."

Yeah, but let the ratings do the work... undoubtedly, if they mark somebody as fumble prone, he will fumble every time he touches the damn ball. Injury prone guys will be hurt every time they get on the field.

# 63 jpdavis82 @ 05/26/11 01:15 AM

Apparently on the official Madden Forums there is a rumor going on that some game developers were in a conversation on xbox.com forums and said that there is a ESPN pre/post game show in Franchise mode now.

I hope this is true, but kinda doubt it. Then again they haven't told us that much about Presentation besides player intros and stat overlays.

# 64 oneamongthefence @ 05/26/11 02:52 AM

Its kinda nice to hear about other games needing to emulate Madden for a change. In regards to the NHL series. Hopefully it brings about some nastalgia and I can get lost in franchise mode again for hours on end.

# 65 RedZoneD25 @ 05/26/11 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpdavis82


	Apparently on the official Madden Forums there is a rumor going on that some game developers were in a conversation on xbox.com forums and said that there is a ESPN pre/post game show in Franchise mode now. I hope this is true, but kinda doubt it. Then again they haven't told us that much about Presentation besides player intros and stat overlays.

I can 99.99999% guarantee that is false, but if I am wrong I will eat all the crow I deserve.

# 66 Argooos @ 05/26/11 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellisan


	Yeah, but let the ratings do the work... undoubtedly, if they mark somebody as fumble prone, he will fumble every time he touches the damn ball. Injury prone guys will be hurt every time they get on the field.

...or there's a chance that the developers aren't idiots and actually tested these roles to make sure that's not the case.

# 67 jmurphy31 @ 05/26/11 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpdavis82


	Apparently on the official Madden Forums there is a rumor going on that some game developers were in a conversation on xbox.com forums and said that there is a ESPN pre/post game show in Franchise mode now. I hope this is true, but kinda doubt it. Then again they haven't told us that much about Presentation besides player intros and stat overlays.

Can you post a link with this statement in it...

# 68 jpdavis82 @ 05/26/11 03:36 PM

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/120/5943970.page

awfulperky123
Joined: 05/25/2011 01:19:48
Messages: 7
Offline
It's official! Madden got ESPN for pre-post game franchise shows.

http://forums.xbox.com/29841326/ShowPost.aspx

quoted by a few game developers!

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS, IT's GOING TO BE AMAZING!

# 69 Tecmo Bowl @ 05/26/11 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpdavis82


	http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/120/5943970.page awfulperky123 Joined: 05/25/2011 01:19:48 Messages: 7 Offline It's official! Madden got ESPN for pre-post game franchise shows. http://forums.xbox.com/29841326/ShowPost.aspx quoted by a few game developers! HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS, IT's GOING TO BE AMAZING!

DOubt it. THe link doesn't work and the guy joined yesterday

# 70 spfhelmiii @ 05/26/11 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cocacolaman


	Same with Stadiums. If you but the stupid upgrades have them actually show up. Even be able to upgrade and design a new stadium with current team...not having to move the team to do so.

This. I started a separate thread on this (and really am only repeating myself here in case EA developers are actually reading), but since the create-a-stadium function is already in the game, I do not understand why they simply can't do a quick change so that existing teams can also create a new stadium.

Us 49ers and Vikings fans suffer when we dig into franchise mode (which is the whole point of renovating the thing), but get to year 2018 or so and are still playing in the same old stadiums.

# 71 KalimbeNaire @ 06/16/11 02:00 AM

It seems to me that Franchise Mode is incorporating a whole lot of features from NFL HeadCoach 09. I didn't realize that Josh was on the dev team for Madden 12, so when I was hearing and reading about the updates for the game, I was like, "Hmmm, just like in Head Coach."

There are a lot of Head Coach fans still here and I am still playing it to this day. A relative of mine has come up with some GREAT stat sheets that can track your season progress. You open up the spreadsheet, type in your players names in the correct boxes, and the thing automatically puts those names in for every week and the season totals, and season leaders boards. You plug in your stats from week to week and it calculates them on the season total sheet on a week to week basis. There is even a pie chart for total yards from scrimmage. It is pretty awesome and I think a must have for a stat geek like myself. Since Madden is probably going to be a lot like Head Coach, this sheet should transfer over to Madden extremely well. He was trying to get an idea of how many people might actually be interested in something like that?

Anyway, anyone who has played and liked Head Coach will most likely love what they are doing with Madden in Franchise Mode. To me it seems like the perfect marriage. I get all the options of Head Coach with the playability of Madden on the current engine. NFL Head Coach was using Madden 08's engine and graphics I believe.

Several big questions for me to bring up to him if there is a follow up:

1) And this is a HUGE one for me personally: Off Season Training Camp. I loved this feature for many, many years with my PS2 Madden games and I was ANGRY that Madden 11 didn't have this feature. Now, with rookies having stats that are potentially locked if you didn't scout them, I realize this might be a tough feature to implement...but man, that was the most fun of the franchise mode for me. Drafting my rookies and taking them through those mini games to see if I could make them just a little better for the upcoming season. Please, please get an answer to whether this is coming back or not?

2) Player Progression: Madden's have been horrible at this for a long time. I think 2004 was the last year that players could actually get better across the board in every stat. After that, running backs would only improve in AWR, BTK, CAR, and maybe STA. If they follow Head Coach's progression, I will be in heaven. Essentially all players could improve in EVERY stat they had if they had the potential for growth. As they played and gained experience, they would go up in stats...including things like Speed! So, how will progression be done? Like Head Coach, or like previous Madden tittles?

3) Just how much will your coaches affect your teams? In Head Coach, a great GM really made a difference on your scouting and drafting abilities. Great assistant coaches definitely helped your players perform and progress better. Better offensive and defensive coordinators actually did a decent job of calling plays and sticking to your philosophies. Again, if this mirrors Head Coach...I think there will be A LOT of happy fans.

4) Custom Team Creation: The mode has been lacking forever. Limited uniform options, limited stadium graphics, etc. Madden 11 took a step in the right direction with this, but had very limited number of logo choices.

5) I am worried that "Dynamic Game play" will just be a cover to hide comeback AI. Just what I need...I am crushing the Bills and J.P. Losman gets lucky on a couple of dump off passes, then all of a sudden he turns into Joe Montana and is tossing up 2-3 late TDs on me and costing me the game. They really need to nail this feature. Okay, I guess that wasn't a question.

6) In recent Maddens and in Head Coach, if you "watched", played, or coached your teams, Offensive Linemen would rarely if ever receive pancakes. Since that is the main thing they are graded on as well as allowing sacks, this would really hinder OL progression. Now, Head Coach had a work around in which they graded your OL on how many runs and passes were done, and how many of them were successful, and how many yards were gained. As long as your guys were doing their jobs and they weren't dumb as bricks (LRN rating) they would progress pretty nicely. Still, they wouldn't get recognition for Pro Bowls since they weren't getting Pan Cakes. Are they going to do anything about this?

7) Special Teams AI: Too many times I have seen my special teams blockers run up field, have a defender coming right at them, and they run away to go block somebody else...or nobody most often. Other times I have a return man (rated in the 90's mind you for returning) have a wall of blockers ahead of him, he will decide to cut back and run to where he has absolutely no blockers and a wall of defenders are coming for him. Is there a Suicide rating for players that I am missing? Are they going to work on the AI for this part of the game?

Sorry if there is a lot here to read. If you couldn't tell, I am a stat freak and love Head Coach and Madden. If they do Madden 12 right, they quite possibly have the best football game ever created.

# 72 one5beast @ 06/16/11 04:10 AM

Hopefully franchise mode is going to be good this year
I didnt buy madden 11 because it was basically like 10

# 73 mjhyankees @ 06/16/11 09:24 AM

You know after the all the hype, I'm already disappointed in franchise mode for this year (M12). It will significantly improve in a FEW areas...and these are great improvements, but so many little, easy, but immersive things continue to be left out.
1. Training camp,
2. newspaper articles,
3. radio talk show,
4. college all star game,
5. emails from players,
6. scouting report on players for next game, position by position,
7. The ability to build a new stadium without relocating.
8. a draft that sounds like you are in the draft room (like old gen with crowd booing or cheering.
9. Mel Kyper or some other draft analysis
10. A hall of fame you can visit (you know some player makes the hall in 2017 and you can go in and see his plaque or bust or lifetime stats or something.

What's particularly annoying about all this is that I'm pretty sure that this was all available in prior iterations of the game, mostly old gen. For the life of me, I can't see why most of this can't be put in. The stuff they did is way harder and I appreciate it greatly but most of these little things seem so easy...why leave them out? It's almost as if they consciously don't put it in....like there's an attitude that "well not many people really want this anyway" or "lets hold things out so we can add them a little at a time each year" or some other mindset.

Now I want to be clear, I'm not bashing Madden. Own M11 play every night and enjoy it greatly. I'm excited about M12 and will be on line at midnight for the first time since 08. But it's so disappinting that this little stuff can't be added.....

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