According to Pastapadre and Kotaku, Phil Frazier (Executive Producer for Madden NFL) is the latest to leave EA Sports Tiburon.
Quote:
"It is currently uncertain where he is headed however two prime possibilities are Row Sham Bow – the new social gaming company started by former Tiburon GM Philip Holt – or the massive social gaming company Zynga which has taken on several former Tiburon employees in the last year."
I wish Phil luck in the future. Madden needs a change and the direction they was heading was entirely too slow with simulation football. Hopefully Cam Weber understands this and sees that changes are needed for a new direction with the franchise. Madden after 6 years still havent surpassed NFL2k5 in presentation and ALLPRO2k8 in gameplay yet. Still slipping and sliding, no footplanting...etc. Hopefully the future is SIM football for madden, just have easier sliders for the casual fans. We need what we see on sundays and it hasnt been the case for Madden these 6 years.
Everytime we talk about engines for Madden and Ncaa we gotta here about FIFA and NHL. What many don't realize is when FIFA was at its lowest. They decided then to redo their engines piece by piece. FIFA and NHL flourished, there was no expectation because series was doing bad. Madden and NCAA took awhile because original Next Gen dev thought they could move on with doing so. Ian has brought this up before that is was overruled to making a new engine so they worked with what they had till Ian and Phil got the permission to start taking the engine apart and adding new. This is where we got to Madden 12 and NCAA 12. I feel that we don't have to worry bout the direction of the games. EA current structure won't allow with Cam Weber for both titles he himself said there is a plan. i believe him.
Best of luck to Phil and his future endeavors. Great guy who will no doubt be doing great things at his next position.
As cynical as our community can be here at OS, I think it's important to step back and realize just how much time and effort both Ian and Phil put in to communicate with our site and community over the years. Both love sports gaming just as much as we do.
As Mr. Noah mentioned, we are crossing our fingers the person(s) that fills their shoes will look to OS for feedback and communication. Thanks again guys, it was a great run.
Wait a minute, is this a new thread or has he always been the one leaving...
Man im so confused, if this is fillycheze leaving, man wtf is going on at EA? I mean, I knw we can be very critical and all, but damn man just dont up and leave, I have been upset over madden but not ever wanting anyone to ever quit or lose there job over it, just to get better at the game is all.
Wow man, well goodluck in whatever it is you're headed for next.
Met Phil at E3, quite some time ago. He is DEFINITELY a hardcore guy. I could tell, just from talking with him. Others can tell by reading tweets from him. Played Ian in one of the OS leagues (I'm 1-1 against him btw ). He is hardcore as well. Both guys will be missed, some of you guys might be eating your words when it comes time to give feedback for the game these 2 put into it. Who knows what the next guy will want. Maybe he goes to IGN or Gamefaqs to get feedback. You never know what you got, til it's gone.
On another note, don't people look for other jobs? I mean, who really wants to do the same thing year in and year out? Especially when PR and marketing have more say-so than the people that actually grind away at the game? Maybe they are leaving because of the money, maybe they are leaving because of all the politics that go on behind the scenes at EA (that none of us remotely have a clue about). Either way, Phil and Ian did what "they could do", while other things they had no control over, ruin their visions, then... of course... they get the blame.
Oh well, sad to see Phil go, but we all have to carry on. In the end, it's whatever makes them happy. You can't expect cherries on top of everything, no matter where you work.
I bet Phil and Ian are just as pissed off as the hardcore guy is, when they can't get something in the game
Yep. I hope whatever their future holds they do well and are happy. I've also been critical in the past about certain things in Madden BUT the reason I was in the first place (and something that gets missed in the agendas etc... ) is that to be passionate in the first place means they made a game worth being passionate about.
And for the record I'm 0-1 vs Ian...
Freaking INT inside the 5 when I was going in for the go ahead score....
Ian, just want to say glad to see you back on OS posting and such. More as a gamer but with the knowledge of the inside outs of the sports gaming industry is something we can all learn here at OS so there are less of the ignorant posts how the developers "don't care".
I wanted to get your insight on a subject I think has been brought to the table to much.
Many people talk about how the "locomotion engine and Animation engines" are holding the game back and they (EA devs) should re-write the engine. I stand behind the stance these engines (code) take multiple years to write, test, implement, and then further tweak and test to get desired results out of the tech.
The flame I have received is that the 08 direction of Madden changed the tech up for 09 and people believe they were written in a single year "So why can't you fix the locomotion, sliding, foot planting in one year by writing new tech?". I made the comment that the tech used in 09 was mostly in development from 07 or so.
Can you give a little insight on the length of time it takes to implement these "techs" we see such as "pro-tak", "Double hit tackles", "Animation blending", etc etc
Madden presentation has been bland and boring for 6 years and still lacking. Take out the intros and camera angles, its still Maddens ole presentation. Its a lot more than intros and camera angles, it does help though. Look at NBA2K11 and MLB2K11 presentation package and commentary..outstanding!!! Madden needs to take notes on that, then they can say they "true to the game".
We're off topic here, but I think you've been selling the presentation upgrades short. If you want to dwell on the lack of 2K5ish halftime & postgame shows, cool. But do realize that the majority of sports games don't take the NFL2K5 approach as far as shows go.
And camera angles are critical to the presentation. The angles were awful in M10 (heads getting cut off in close shots) and not much better in M11. How can you dismiss this improvement?
The banners themselves seem to be improved and will keep the user informed -- as wasn't the case the last two years.
The commentary still leaves something to be desired without a doubt. But to suggest that the presentation is the 'same-ol presentation' sounds agenda driven.
Thanks to Phil for the hard work on this year's game. I wish I could super-sim life until late August so I can get my hands on this game ASAP. The franchise improvements have me more excited for Madden than I've been in a long, long time.
Thanks to Phil for the hard work on this year's game. I wish I could super-sim life until late August so I can get my hands on this game ASAP. The franchise improvements have me more excited for Madden than I've been in a long, long time.
Good luck in your future endeavors!
TM, you thinking Online Franchise of the ol APF crew? Shiz, CreatineKC, Me, You, pappy, DCMC, Teambayern, Grunt, Doc, Dakkon, etc
All the best to Phil. I know Madden 12 is going to rock. I hope Josh sticks around and sees the franchise mode through to it's ultimate build on this Gen.
He was probably holding the company back anyway. Good riddance
This is such an ignorant statement. I'm not head over heals about the development of Madden in the last 7 years but making a comment like that just proves you have zero understanding of things.
Truly the ***** will hate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChaseB
I haven't read the whole thread, but don't we have a better picture of Phil somewhere? I want a picture of the new and improved Phil.
Best of luck to the guy wherever he ends up, been great to talk/interact with him over the years.
Yeah, I thought the same. It needs to be P90X Phil.
No agenda here my friend, but I do look at this current gen. MLB2K11 has outstanding commentary and presentation package. When Phil said that Madden is "true to the game" it's not in the presentation dept, even though it's a lot better than the last 6 years. When I look at ESPN, CBS or NBC on Sunday's, it's a lot different than what I have seen at E3. The breakdown the NBA and MLB2k does with stats and commentary is amazing. They don't really need a halftime show with there games. NBA2k11 does have a tiny halftime show.
Just wish Phil and Ian concentrated on those in game presentation aspects, not mostly on intros and cameras. Madden is looking good, can't deny. At this point though, last gen games shouldn't even be mentioned. Because they are by many gamers, tells u something about the direction of the game.
First off if you want to compare presentation MLB2K11 is the game. Play the Show. Secondly Phil and Ian did the best with what they had. Madden 12 is still two months away. Most likely their current build is in Beta. I think what we saw at E3 was an alpha game still. These guys worked their butt of to get the game when Madden 12 is. Once again Cam Weber seems to be very knowledgeable and was able to make the number 1 sporting game in the World not North America, but the world. Madden will be fine people leave all the time.