Connected Careers… finally something to talk about with career modes… you know, instead of screaming in all caps and bold.
The Madden team has recently had it’s feet put to the fire here at NoobTubeTV for some of the improvements that should be made either this year or five years ago. Today the EA Tiburon dropped some of the best news they could have and it is connected to all career modes, literally.
As of next week (June 4) there is going to be a new blog released from EA Tiburon that is going to focus on ‘Connected Careers’. The most important part of this for Madden fans is the hope for details about Madden’s Franchise Mode and what improvements or additions have been made.
It would be simple (in theory) to just add player morale to the player traits section. It shouldn’t be an editable value, but making it a dynamic value that fluctuates is a must for Franchise Mode immersion and longevity.
Madden 12 saw a jump in quality for Franchise Mode, but there were still many bugs and glitchy occurrences that cast an ugly shadow on some of the details that really can’t be overlooked. Some examples include –
Making it to the Super Bowl with a team like the Browns more than once but having the same banner showing that it is their first trip.
Being able to sign Free Agents for much cheaper by going to the “Free Agent” section rather than “Player Management” (where you have to pay players a more realistic salary instead of cheating them with a 1-year $620 deal for a guy that would/should demand more.
Schedules generated year-to-year are random and can end up giving you 6 straight home games and all your division games in the first ten weeks. (The NFL is making a constant effort to schedule division opponents at the end of every season to make late season games matter, this should be done in Madden as well)
Draft logic and trade logic is still busted as we covered before.
The lack of a decent system of Player Value that should mean you have to pay a player based on his performance rather than just his OVR. If you have a QB that breaks every record (regardless of your sliders, his OVR or anything else) he should have a high value that essentially equates to you having to pay more to keep him around. The current system of OVR plays too much of a role and takes much of the focus away from the Skill Ratings which should be the first thing you look for.
Another missing component that has been in NBA 2k and even PS2 Madden titles is morale and attitude for players. This is something that MUST be in Madden in order for Franchise Mode to really hold any water past what it can hold currently. Franchise Mode needs more personality and that should start and end with the personality of every owner, GM, Coach and Player in the game.
If you draft a QB in the first round like the Browns did with Old Man Weeden and you have Colt McCoy being relegated to back-up his morale should take a major hit.
These are just some of the changes that must occur in Madden 13 for Franchise Mode.
A Brief Segway/Comment on The Drew Brees Situation
This holdout (which involves Brees and the Saints disagreeing on a contract extension because of a few million bucks) must end soon if the Saints hope to save any face in the months following Bountygate. Brees led this team to their only Super Bowl Championship and now is being jerked around like he was simply a role-player. Without Brees the Saints would be like the 2011 Colts without Peyton Manning (or worse). Already, they are without their Head Coach and other major personnel. The worst part really involves the current interaction between interim-Head Coach, Joe Vitt and Brees.
This isn’t Vitt’s team. This is something that must be made abundantly clear between the players (especially Brees) and the ownership. Payton is serving a one-year suspension which really makes Vitt look like the guy that comes into a broken home and tries to lay down the law. The response from the players (his children) will most likely result in some sort of “Your Not My (Real) Dad!!!” interaction.
To make it short, the situation with the Saints this year could result in a Top-10 Draft Pick next year that will take over for a spiteful (rightfully so) Drew Brees.
This once again begs the question – Where is the personality in Madden’s Franchise Mode? Hopefully we find out on Tuesday.
*We have had multiple posts about Madden since this article. Please check those out for more details. We will have full reviews of Madden as soon as it is released!
The improvements being made to Madden 13 are catching some eyes around the sports gaming world. The problem is that outside of some improvements being made to make the game’s eye-candy stick out we are still waiting to hear about the much needed improvements to Career Modes. They have already announced that there will be something that ties career modes to an interactive web-based experience. However, the fact that Online Franchise Mode has been bare-bones for three iterations is something that really takes away from any sort of community experience.
Girls and Games Are Alike… Good looks only get you so far.
With the still struggling interactions between O-Lineman and D-Lineman rendering many plays broken (Play Action Passes, just for one example) and then coupling that with other poor AI and animations… you have many questions still left unanswered. Granted, we still have a few months until the game is released, it is worth considering whether or not Madden 13 will be something you are better off buying pre-owned rather than brand new. Rest assured that the game isn’t something you will need to pre-order in most cases as it is often readily available on launch day.
Outside of the chance that Madden 13 blows everyone away with some sort of new gimmick that EA will remove (See ProTAK, Procedural Awareness, Tuners, etc.) it will remain as a game that should be approached as nothing more than a roster update with a slight graphical facelift. You can find Madden 12 online for around $20 on Amazon right now; if you are having that football itch that requires Madden to fill the gap, you would probably be okay to spend $20 on Madden 12 before pre-ordering Madden 13 at this point.
The moments of truth will hopefully come around the time that E3 starts in June. Keep in mind that in our last brief write-up for Madden we focused on the hype machine and how it can suck people in early on in a game’s cycle. You should keep your hopes up but also keep your expectations low. Even with the reactions from EA Tiburon’s Community Days and the ‘dedicated Madden fans’ being posted, it would be a good idea to take their impressions with a grain of salt. Remember, they have to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements and you don’t often hear too much negativity coming from people that get preferential treatment (why would you bite the hand that feeds?).
Once we get to June and July there will be a lot more information out there that EA wants to release. In that case, you shouldn’t lose total hope in Madden or NCAA Football just yet; but you should also keep yourself grounded if you are hoping for groundbreaking improvements.
Every pixel and every mode have been touched! Sounds like some sort of (bad) Michael Jackson joke.
Did you hear about Black Ops 2?!
It is based in the future and it will be released just in time for you to add it to your Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa List!
Don’t get stuck asking, “Why oh why didn’t I take the blue pill?” The hype machine is a dangerous drug that will drag you into the depths of gaming hell.
While we try to be fair and keep our jaded perspective out of everything we write there is always room for sarcasm when it comes to Madden, NCAA Football, Call of Duty and any other annual release in gaming. In all honesty, why shouldn’t there be? When you consider the numerous glitches that occur or even the issues that require the same attention every year that never get fixed. (IE – Broken OLine and DLine interaction or being able to clip out of maps or even mod controllers because you aren’t disciplined enough to play the game legitimately.) It is no wonder that when you get to mid-September you will see message boards light up with such vitriol and anger that you wonder if someone kicked their dog.
No, they are like the many others that get mad about spending $60+ on a game that is in its late Beta stages. When it comes to gaming you need to make sure you have your feet and your gaming thumbs planted firmly on the ground or controller. Don’t expect the big changes to make everything better and don’t expect to be pleased with the first, second or third patches – this is a new era in gaming that takes the games to new lows when they are released.
Madden 13 has my full attention this year as far as making true moves in the right direction.
Black Ops 2 is at the bottom of my list right now because Treyarch has been utterly disappointing over the years and Activision’s ‘new’ business model of bending the consumer over for $15-50 DLC at every turn is starting to become the accepted norm.
Take this as a warning that you should curb your enthusiasm when you start hearing the new things about any annual release making changes or fixes to their flagship titles. Calm down, breath and enjoy the games you have before they become ‘old’ in August and November.
Chiefs – LT, Dequarius Sparks (Colorado St.) – He is an absolute beast and should be their anchor for a long time in KC.
Jags – QB, Clinton Derricote (Oklahoma State) – Called by some to be the “Next Mike Vick” he is just trying to avoid the QB controversy that is bound to happen with Gabbert still in town.
Browns –LE, Lenard Patrick (Colorado) – A puzzling pick as the Browns run a 4-3 Defense. Perhaps they are looking to move him into the interior line?… Who knows with those idiots.
Rams (From Bears, Via Bucs) –ROLB, Aaron Ross (Nevada) – Speed, power and an all around beast. He is only 6 feet tall but brings hits that would break anyone in half.
Giants – Charlie Brooks (Miami OH) – He is a pure freak that reminds many of Jevon Kearse. No wonder the GMen let go of Kiwanuka.
Cardinals – RG, Zack Milles (Hawaii) – He is a good player, but a RG at #6? No wonder the Cardinals are bad.
Bengals – FS, Phillip Grove (Auburn) – A hard hitting FS that moved up the Bengals draft board after a good interview.
Titans – DE, Tramon Saunders (BYU) – He is 6’4″ 292 lbs and looks like he could eat you. No worries, he only eats QBs.
Vikings – OT, Jared Riddick (Oklahoma State) – The Vikings had this guy at the top of their list after Sparks and he fell into their lap. A good pick.
BEARS – HB, Amos High (Georgia Tech) – The whole package! He reportedly ran a 4.35 40 Yard Dash at his Pro Day and at 6’1″ 218 lbs with moves?! The Bears had Zero HBs on their roster and now they look like they might have a Franchise Back!
Saints – OLB, Darrion Lattimore (S. Miss) – The Saints moved up to get this guy. He is solid, but we wonder if they really needed to move up from 18.
Jets – TE, Brent Curette (Michigan) – Looks like Dustin Keller’s days are numbered. Curette is athletic and just the drama queen the Jets love.
Cowboys – CB, Rayquez Joseph (Pitt) – The second coming of Revis, but faster. The Cowboys got a steal here.
Bills – LG, Carter Miller(Oklahoma State) – The third Oklahoma State guy taken, he is a solid guard and the Bills look like they are serious about building a solid core… finally.
49ers – WR, Jocqua Coleman (S. Miss) – He is sizable as he switched from HB to WR his junior year. 6’1″ 232 lbs at WR?… ok
Eagles – DT, Khalek Grady (Nebraska) – The meanest player in the draft might be the final piece that brings this team to the Super Bowl.
Chargers – LT, Landon Walker (Wisconsin) – Another big Badger OLineman?… Maybe the Chargers want to protect Rivers after he broke his leg due to a crap OLine in 2011.
Panthers – CB, Jayden Nix(LSU) – The best ‘big’ CB in the draft, a burner with a high motor and desire to hit like a MLB… Look out NFC South!
Falcons – SS, Leventrice Carswell (Penn State) – Left early after the scandal, a solid pick up to help their struggling DBs.
Texans –WR, Shontrelle Quick (Virginia) – Ran a 4.27 40 at the Combine but questions about his character caused him to drop to the Texans.
Dolphins – OT, Case Adams (Florida) – Jake Long finally got some help from the other end!
Redskins – MLB, Antwan Clements (Arkansas) – Somehow, the next Ray Lewis fell to the team that needed him the most. The NFC East is going to be a tough Division!
Colts – CB, Dom Briggs (Illinois) – He is only 5’8″ but the Colts hope he plays as big as he did in the Big 10.
Patriots – HB, Coco Vereen (UCLA) – He is a solid pick for a team in need of a good HB. But they really should have gone with Defense.
Jags – RT, Latevin Graham (Tenn) – He is hoping to come in and compete for a starting job after the Jags moved up to take him.
Steelers – LG, Martaze Bolton (Florida State) – Athletic and the strongest man in the draft. The Steelers keep building winners even late in the draft.
Raiders – RG, Devan Crawford (UL Monroe) – Leave it to the Raiders to draft the fastest OLineman in the Combine. Hopefully he pulls a lot?
Giants – LT, Nico Archer (Kentucky) – An absolute steal that broke the hearts of Bears fans.
BEARS – CB, Chandler Carter (Texas) – Projected as a 2nd Round pick, the Bears scouted him all season and fell in love with his 4.29 Speed and 39 in. Vertical Jump to go with 13 INTs his senior year at Texas!
Ravens – HB, Chauncy McCorkle (Cal) – Ray Rice needs some help and McCorkle’s 6′ 244 lb frame should do just that.
Lions – CB, O’Dell Tyler (USC) – The Lions traded down with the Pats and took this risk as he has a history of injuries. The upside is tremendous but the risk is crazy given their competition in the division.
Packers – C, Geno Monroe (Georgia) – He is going to have a lot to worry about as he is now the #1 guy that Rodgers will talk to every snap… The defending Super Bowl Champs have a new Center… look out A Rod!
It looked like a great season from our first few games, but between the blowout against the Saints and a couple other games that told us a change was needed… something happened to our dream season. The Bears have gone on a journey into the depths and are hoping to come out of the battles with a miracle trip to the playoffs that requires some help from the Cowboys, Lions and Seahawks. The Lions would love another shot at the Bears as they have trounced them twice (as you will see in the video).
The Bears are entering Week 16 with a 7-7 record and needing to win out just to have a chance at the playoffs. There are many needs for this team as their stars on defense are showing their age in allowing big plays. Look for a complete run-down of the coming draft class and some guesses as to who some teams might target to turn things around. Including a detailed discussion about who the Bears are looking at in the coming 2012 Draft!
Ask any NFL fan about their favorite team’s draft and you will get some sort of response.
As a Browns fanI will give you all you need to hear and more. First, we needed to fix our offense with better receivers and someone to take over after Hillis’ departure.
The Trent Richardson pick was a good one at the time and still is; however, to give up the picks we did in order to get him I would have thought that we would be super smart about the ones we had left.
Then we took a 28 year old QB, Brandon Weeden at #22. In a league where you are looked at as old when you are 30 it is strange to see that as a pick with any sort of gainful longevity. Yet, even that pick wasn’t too terrible in the scheme of things. It was followed up with Mitchell Schwartz from Cal, a big and mean O-Lineman.
Then we took John Hughes! Yeah, you read right… 16 Candles, Pretty In Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire on the Cuyahoga JOHN HUGHES!… Actually, it is some sort of D-Lineman that is going to be a back-up for our talented middle D-Lineman Rubin and Taylor. I was confused by this pick to say the least… then my confusion turned to anger when I saw the other players taken after we traded down and move around in the draft to get a guy that wasn’t even projected to get picked in the draft on many experts’ boards.
That said…
Ever since Madden came out on the 360/PS3 generation of consoles it has had growing pains that have led many football gamers to get banned from forums for venting their anger (which will never happen on our boards, assuming you support your opinion without major profanity— which with Madden can be hard at times). The worst part about Madden for years had been Franchise Mode and bugs in Franchise Mode. That said, there are three major events for NFL fans:
The NFL Draft
Kickoff Week
The Super Bowl
Improving The Draft (What’s Missing?)
There is a reason why the NFL Draft is #1 on that list. It gives people faith that for a moment, their team is going to get better. They might find their ‘Tom Brady’ or ‘Peyton Manning’. There are some players that coming out of college are looked at as ‘sure things’ like Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III and then you have big risks on guys like Vontaze Burfict (went to the halfway-house, AKA the Cincinnati Bengals after going undrafted) who have major character issues.
People go nuts for the draft and it is something that is often talked about more than the Super Bowl. Simply because it is something that every team has a chance to do and do well.
Madden has no personality or atmosphere for the Draft. It is difficult to see what other teams are doing in your Franchise Mode. One example is when a team trades up or down in the draft there is usually some sort of reaction by commentators (which also don’t exist in Madden’s Franchise Mode for the Draft) – in Madden you are greeted with a notice that a trade took place and which picks were involved… and then nothing… No highlight of who was so important that the team moved up to get them. You are also not going to see which players teams select during the draft because the Drafted Player Ticker resets after every pick, rendering it impossible to see how the draft is going or who is coming off the board in any sort of fluid manner.
If the Cowboys were to take a punter with the first pick in the draft you would probably see riots and hear commentators berate the management (Jerry Jones) of the Cowboys…. Not in Madden, take whoever you want because no one cares. Perhaps that is the real personality of Madden’s Franchise Mode – No one cares… and frankly, why should they?
Not to mention it is hard to really have any sense of immersion in a league that seems to exist without any sort of news feed that is easily accessible to let you know that certain players are under-performing. Then again, that is the hideous beauty of Madden’s Franchise Mode.
Minus the lacking atmosphere, here is a list of just some of the things that are missing from creating a true Franchise Mode experience worth paying $60 for every. single. year…:
Player Morale and Personality – Players have no personality. Some teams are simply not desirable to play for, yet… that never comes into play with Madden, just sign the players without any real attention to what type of coach, owner or city they want to play in. Are they just about money are they loyal to loyal fans?… That doesn’t matter in Madden.
Player Performance – This doesn’t matter from multiple levels in Franchise Mode. As far as the much vaunted online roster updates go, apparently a player is better on a week by week basis. However, when it comes to any sort of adjustment to a player after he throws for 500 yards and 6 TDs twice in three weeks, there is no such update to his throwing abilities or his much over-hyped OVR (Overall) Rating.
Player Value – This rating doesn’t exist in Madden at all. This means that when you have a player that runs for 2000 yards two years in a row and then wants to be traded elsewhere you might not be able to get what you should for him because his OVR is 80 due to a low AWR (Awareness) Rating, even if he has 98 SPD, 97 JKE, 95 SPN, etc. The system of value for performance is a constant battle between gamers that state performance means little when potential is all that matters. My response is that performance is MEASUREABLE and potential will NEVER be.
This list will be expanded over the course of the next few months and years as Madden is sure to continue to grow and regress in quality and features. The first step for any game mode like Franchise Mode is ATMOSPHERE and IMMERSION and that should start with the most important day (weekend) of the NFL Year – The NFL Draft.
Yesterday we posted an update about running a longer lasting Franchise Mode in Madden. Today we are posting the first video of our newest Franchise Mode…
In honor of the late great Chris Farely we have chosen DAAAAAA BEARSSSSS!
The biggest roster move before the 2011 season sent Matt Forte to the Bucs and brought Mike Williams to the Bears to help Jay Cutler. Rookie Halfback, Mikel Leshoure was signed to a one year deal worth $2 million to earn a future as the feature back in Chicago.
Before this season started officially we made a few moves that included trading our 93 OVR starting HB, Matt Forte for a better WR for Jay Cutler. The best offer came from Tampa Bay as they offered their young potential star WR Mike Williams (79 OVR). The final deal ended up being Matt Forte and a 2nd Rd Pick in 2012 for Mike Williams with 1st and 3rd Rd Picks in 2012.
We suffered injuries to two different CBs and signed Fabian Washington (77 OVR) as ‘insurance’.
So, without further delay… Here is Week 1 Showdown with the Atlanta Falcons!
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