Madden NFL 11 Interview with Ian Cummings (GameShark)

[DaveDQ]

Just like you wouldn't control all 32 teams in an offline franchise, you wouldn't have to for online. That is the beauty of what they did with this feature. The number one reason online leagues don't work is because we pack them in to fill spots and scheduling becomes a chore.

In comes EA with the Madden OF and it was set up perfectly. Yes, it didn't have much depth, but the most important thing was the ability to play the CPU in different divisions and move the schedule along. We ran 4 seasons with 12 guys and it worked out great. Last year's OF and Pro-Tak were two things that gave me promise for Madden. This year, both remain untouched and it took the wind out of my sails for me.

[thbends]

It does take a lot to run a good online franchise.

1. Starts with a good commissioner. He has to set the rules but not be overbearing.

2. Second you have to find a good core group of guys to keep it going.

3. Don't worry about filling all the teams. Just try to get quality owners. Kick the loser owners out as soon as you realize they are what they are.

4. Try to only invite guys that comes with a backing from guys already in your league that you trust.

5. If you league fails... keep the guys that hung around and consolidate with another group of guys who had the same experience.

(Pay close attention to rules 3 +4. NEVER just let anyone join. One bad owner can run off 5 good ones.)

6. COMMUNICATION

7. COMMUNICATION

[GiantBlue76]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaveDQ

Just like you wouldn't control all 32 teams in an offline franchise, you wouldn't have to for online. That is the beauty of what they did with this feature. The number one reason online leagues don't work is because we pack them in to fill spots and scheduling becomes a chore. In comes EA with the Madden OF and it was set up perfectly. Yes, it didn't have much depth, but the most important thing was the ability to play the CPU in different divisions and move the schedule along. We ran 4 seasons with 12 guys and it worked out great. Last year's OF and Pro-Tak were two things that gave me promise for Madden. This year, both remain untouched and it took the wind out of my sails for me.

Pretty much sums up my feeling exactly.

[GiantBlue76]

I actually think that the design of online franchise was well done. We had always wanted a way to have the cpu control the teams which were not being utilized. It was awesome. I've tried so hard to give Tiburon the benefit of the doubt, but I can't anymore.

[at23steelers]

I agree, with the owners thing. We were in week 2, and one knucklehead was so mad that he lost his week 1 game that he released all his players to FA. So, then other good players didn't know what happened, but saw good players in FA, and since ours was first come, first serve, they signed the other kids players. Then, others didn't think it was fair, and then soon enough our whole league was ruined, because of one person. It usually is one or two people that ruin things.

[kbomb1upc]

This is weak. The only reason I'm still playing Madden 10 right now is because of Online Franchise. Me and a bunch of people of my online franchise are not getting Madden 11 because they screwed online franchise. Guess will just keep playing 10 untill Madden 12 comes out and I'm fine with that. I'll rather give my money to NCAA 11.

[footballdude1971]

Quote: Originally Posted by ryan36

ONLINE franchise man. And the thing is, unless you're part of a sports message board, can you imagine how hard it is logistically to get 31 of your closest classmates together to schedule an ONLINE franchise. The CPU would take over for any teams not user controlled, but still. And those same 31 people would have to have madden. I can't believe Ian didn't know it wasn't going to be used by most of his install base. Unless they move SINGLE PLAYER franchises online...he won't see more use. People are way too busy in many cases.

Yeah logistically it's not practical to run a franchise with more than a couple of people. It's next to impossible. That's why EA's implementation of their online franchise was an **** fail. The online franchise needed to replicate the offline franchise...meaning you could do a franchise with a couple of people with full cpu stat tracking for non-user controlled games and give the players the ability to play each other in every game...e.g. if my team was the Chargers and I was playing the Raiders, even though my buddy's user controlled team is not the Raiders he could still control the Raiders and play against me. Playing the CPU is lame and always has been...it's just not the same game against the cpu AI.

All they have to do is give us the ability to send a friends invite from the controller select screen in franchise mode. They were on the right track with the "spawn game" feature on last gen. Even with that feature the spawn game function would error out after "x" amount of games so it never really worked all the way through a season. At least they were on the right track. You figure with today's technology it would be an easy fix but they can't see it. Instead we get "strategy pad" and crapola like that...

[wheelman990]

The reason I dont play online, is because of the delay in gameplay. It has never played like offline, and until it does, Im not interested. The other thing that will need fixed is cheese plays and exploits.

When this is all fixed, then I'll play sports games online, like I do other multi player games.