What Madden needs to lose

[CharioTitan]

We all talk about new features that need to be added to Madden in order to give us a better gaming experience. How about discussing all the crap that needs to come off of the game to make room for new features.

1) Superstar Mode. My apologies to the three people who actually play this mode, but it's gotta go. I remember when I first bought '06, I tried playing Superstar Mode and after about 20 minutes I quickly realized that I was never EVER going to play it again.

2) Create-A-Fan. Part of the reason this feature is so ridiculous is because you can't even use it in franchise mode. You want to waste time creating a fan only to see him in a few exhibition games? Plus, these are the only four fans in the entire stadium who look like they actually care what's going on in the game. How about making the rest of the crowd look like they came to watch a football game?

3)Madden Cards I'm not even sure why Madden Cards exist. If you want to cheat, just turn down the sliders on the CPU team. Or just create a bunch of really good players. Or increase your players attributes on the roster screen.

4)Owner Mode I'm surprised they kept this crap feature from Madden
'05. Who gives a s*** about hot dog prices and fan expectations? I don't think I even go to owner mode during the season unless I want to see my coach information. By the way, I should be able to access my coaching staff information without having to go to Owner Mode. They should be listed along with the team roster under a separate section called Coaching Staff.

5)Storyline Central How terrible is this feature? Tony Bruno is...well...who the hell is Tony Bruno???!!! I never even heard of this guy until Madden. Now I wish that I never knew who he was. He's obnoxious and the feature is annoying. The newspaper doesn't do anything other than state the obvious and it states those obvious things over and over and over again. E-mail is even more useless than the newspapers because it says the exact same thing as the newspaper.

6)Create-A-Team This feature might as well be scrapped along with Create-A-Fan.

7)Truck Stick/ Spin Lots of people like this feature, but when you think about it, it's pretty useless. I mean, running a guy over isn't a move. It's not something you should have a special button (or stick) for. And really, if you don't have a power running back on your team, there's no one to use it. It doesn't really work with WRs and barely works with Tight Ends. I look at it like this, a guy who weighs 230+ lbs is going to run hard because he's big, not because he has a "run you over" move. Plus, the X button (on PS2), already serves as a speed/power burst, that should be used in place of the Truck Stick when you want your RB to power thru a tackle for crucial yardage. The Spin move is also pretty useless. Not because it's ineffective, but because it's not realistic. I can't remember the last time I saw a RB spin while carrying the ball unless he was spinning off of a tackle, which is already an animation on the game that doesn't even involve the spin button.

While a few of these features may be kept for Madden '07 for the people who actually like them, I think if they need more space to add other features, these should be the first to go.

Features that need to stay:

1) Vision & Precision: Great feature! Realistic and fun, it actually helped to alleviate the game's problem of a ridiculously easy passing game.

2)Formation Audibles/ Shifts I love being able to call audibles out of each formation without having to go to the audible screen and set them up for each different opponent.

3) Defensive hot routes A great way to give your opponent different looks on defense without him knowing.

4) Icons A good feature, but not really implemented very well. Guys who don't deserve to be Icons become Icons and the Icons that are on your team don't really have much affect on your teams performance or free agents who want to sign.

5) Gameplan A good feature that needs a little work. It should involve some sort of training camp or film or more plays to practice. A little more interaction and depth would make this a great feature.

New features we need:

1) ESPN/ Highlight mode Replace Storyline Central with a good highlight/ overview mode. Everyone is in agreement that 2K5 had a great highlight feature with ESPN.

2) Improved rookie scouting/ Draft More in depth tracking of future rookies perhaps even showcasing them on the ESPN/ Highlight mode. A combine or Senior Bowl game or any sort of footage of the best rookies coming out (at least the top 10). Maybe add a little zing to the actual draft. Have the top four or five guys at the draft and show them getting their jerseys.

3) More in depth off-season Why does free agency seem like it lasts about one day on Madden? The free-agent signing period should be longer and like in real life, it should be before the draft. Also, I would like weighted contracts (front-loaded, back-loaded).

4) Improve the GAMEPLAY RIght tackles don't block, you can't block punts or FGs, you can't return punts, defensive backs smack down stuff they're not in position to deflect, CPU QBs always throw the ball into the ground and never fumble and whatever other gameplay problems you can name.

5) Better celebrations Madden is a sports game, not an adventure game like Metal Gear or Splinter Cell. But like any other video game, Madden has an ending. When you play franchise mode and win the Super Bowl, you are essentially beating the game. WHat is your reward for beating the game? The game says, "Congratulations" and some confetti falls and that's about it. THere is no MVP ceremony, no presentation of the Lombardi Trophy, no parade, no champagne bottles popping, not much of anything really. WHen I beat a game, I want to be rewarded for it and Madden doesn't do that.

6) Better stat tracking WHy can't I see how many rushing yards my RB had in Week 2 if I'm at Week 13? WHat if I'm playing my division rival and I want to see exactly how well I played against them last time? Oh, I can't. What if I want to see how many games I won 4 seasons ago? ANd why aren't there playoff stats? And why isn't Super BOwl MVP an important award? I didn't go to the Super Bowl last year and I can't even tell you who was the MVP. We need better stat tracking and we need them tracked for a long time.

[T.O.F.N.]

isn't the Truck stick being replaced by the highlight stick?

[cashpath]

truck stick = big backs... Highlight stick= smaller backs....

Not sure how they are going to determine which is which..

[titansrule]

I thought you would be able to do both, but how well you could do each depended on your attributes? So like Portis would be able to do the truck stick...Just wouldnt work in his favour..So it would be wise to use the highlight stick..And vice versa for someone like Lendale White...

I may be wrong in that, as they are the same button...For that to work they will have to have removed back juke...Or moved it to the normal juke button but having to pull back on the joystick at the same time to determine its direction..

[Steelattack55]

Owner mode is not to bad, its a good way to try and make money, I think it helps out some. The hall of fame mode for 2007 sounds good I do agree that the superstar mode was boring it seemed to be lacking something.

[Tiamak101]

I agree with a lot of your points. It is so frustrating to see the CPU QB always throwing the ball away and never fumbling. Punt returning is a joke. I was really ticked off that they didn't allow your created playbook to be useable in franchise mode.

[XSsoCX]

I agree with pretty much everything you wrote. I would like expansion teams/better relocate teams feature that's all that I would add. Better create a team logos/names.

[Hagan]

I like a lot of what you have touched on. The ideas you have for stats I really like. However, I would like to see even more. Keep track of career stats so in year 22 of a franchise I can compare my new stud RB or QB to the old players I use to have. Also, I would like to see more of the stats for die hard football players and fans know and follow. For example, hurries and pressures, if you can more key situational stats, 3rd down catches ect. I am in total agreement with the vision & precision passing. It has made the game so much more realistic and for better game play. However to your points on game play you are wrong about blocking punts. My friend and I have blocked many punts. Although, we have never come close to blocking a FG. Madden needs to improve their fans in the stadium. Better graphics more interaction and more in game emotions. Lastly I would also like to see it possible to trade for future draft picks like the do in real life.

[SilentTom]

I don't have a lot of time at the moment but I thought I'd comment on a couple of the points you wanted to get rid of.

Originally Posted by CharioTitan

3)Madden Cards I'm not even sure why Madden Cards exist. If you want to cheat, just turn down the sliders on the CPU team. Or just create a bunch of really good players. Or increase your players attributes on the roster screen.

Yes this is true for the most part...but some of the unlocked teams and stadiums can be fun for people to use. As well as some of the cheat cards...I don't mean against the CPU, but playing another person for fun you could play a couple cards and have a three-down, fumble filled game if you so choose (I can't remember off the top of my head what kind of cards are available). They can get rid of the Madden Cards if they want, but perhaps leave those special historic teams available and permanently unlocked like I believe they were in past years. And perhaps a couple "easter eggs" to allow the user to change certain rules of the game (like they have in the NHL games where you can set if a guy gets hit he stays down till someone scores).

Originally Posted by CharioTitan

6)Create-A-Team This feature might as well be scrapped along with Create-A-Fan.

Alot of people like to use this feature...it adds replay value and gives people a chance to play with that "make believe team" the made up...especially those who do not have the luxury of having a pro team in their city. Or like I did once (and have seen done) previously create teams from movies (The Replacements ) or their high school team (I've seen that done on several occcasions. It allows them to get creative and have even more fun with the game.

[SkinzFanX]

Originally Posted by CharioTitan

1) Superstar Mode. My apologies to the three people who actually play this mode, but it's gotta go. I remember when I first bought '06, I tried playing Superstar Mode and after about 20 minutes I quickly realized that I was never EVER going to play it again.

They expanded the superstar mode this year, but i agree last year was a load of crap. I bought the Madden 06' the day it came out and was looking forward to playing Superstar Mode, but after about 2 minutes into it I realized it was the same thing as Franchise Mode, just with a different view. All in all, it just plain sucked for Madden 06'.

This years is supposed to have a combine and stuff, and I think that is going to improve on the gameplay a little bit. Also, I saw in some videos that you can only control your superstar, not the entire team, which makes it more realistic.

Alright I'm done.

[SilentTom]

I am looking forward to the Superstar mode, being only able to control your guy...I have only really heard about it from the offensive perspective though so I will be curious to see how they do the defensive positions (will probably make myself a CB).

Does anyone know what the practices/training camps are like? I got really bored with the same thing so many times between each game where if you skipped it it really hurt you.