Madden NFL 16 CFM Impressions Part 2 - Scouting and Drafting (MyMaddenPad)

[cuttingteeth]

I wish I could spearhead (if I were the boss programmer) a fix to all of this very simply.

1. Every draft class is created online via a website. I suggest the teambuilder site as a template for how simple it can be used to create players, name them and download them for my specific, personal use and to my heart's content. It's not rocket science, and worse, it's old technology at this point...so, I'd not allow any excuses from my team under me saying it can't be done. Anyway, best of all, it's still programming work, people would need to stay on long term to service and monitor the site (or at least, I'd push for that).

2. Even better, the ratings and names I create on the online site for those players...STAY THE SAME...imagine that. So....very much like in real life (and thus we save Madden disc/game space by not needing a combine programming at all) we will know from the real combine and/or how we have set up our draft class (ratings) to have an actual draftboard that we can trust. To not only have one on paper that we go by, the only programmed thing in the Madden game would be adding a draftboard tracker to the draft program. We will have taken away useless programming for something that serves more of a purpose being both a want and a need.

3. The safeguard you put into place would be the same as for teambuilder but also more strict. Allow only whatever version of Madden to download draft classes free for one "NFL calendar" year. After that year, either force the upgrade to the new game, or (and I'd be cool with this) force basically a DLC cost (maybe $30) for each next year of usage. This alleviates worry within EA per losing sales profits, and I want to be clear that I have never wanted them to tank as a company. I understand business and how it truly is about money...people with families needing jobs and such.

This would work.

[brza37]

Quote: Originally Posted by Primo80

I like what ur saying. And about knowing a rookie's value immediately: should you see his attributes before the season or even the end of the season? I wish the risk of a draft pick carried through final cuts in some way.

A few years ago they only revealed the rookie ratings a couple ratings at a time per week during the preseason. So you wouldn't know a rookie's true ratings until final cuts. It actually made the preseason worth while. I'd much rather have the option for that instead of this instant reveal.

With the instant reveal if you somehow draft a bust at a position of need in the 1st round, which seems highly unlikely with how simplified scouting is, you can just double down and draft another guy from the same position with your next pick. There are also a handful of UDFAs available after the draft with crazy high ratings that everyone pounces on because they can see the ratings right away. These guys are usually easily built up into Stars within a season or two. If the ratings weren't revealed immediately it would be much more difficult to find those diamonds in the rough.

I know some people like getting this information right away and hated the old format. Thats fine. But it again brings me to my point that I seem to be making in a bunch of different threads: we need more customization. Instead of forcing everyone to play the game the same way and then scrapping/re-building features every year because a portion of the customer-base didn't like the change, why not allow for customization? For example have an option that Commissioners can set:
Reveal Rookie Info: During Draft / After Draft / Gradually during Pre-Season

[fringeelement]

I haven't even finished reading the article yet so far there's ben nothing to negate the apprehension I had when EA first released the info on CFM. The level of my frustration and disappointment is off the charts and I think I just need to give up on this game. Off the bat, there are two things that stick out to me as terrible design choices by the development team. First, forcing us to scout every week or we loose our points. So now when I'm in a hurry and just want to play a game to get to the next week, I'll be punished by losing scouting points. Sometimes I feel like scouting, sometimes I don't. Why am I now being forced to do it on EA's terms, particularly in a single player CFM??? The other thing that I believe was a bad idea, and I mentioned it in my original impressions, is showing a rookies ratings as soon as you draft him. Coaches and GMs don't really now what they got in a draft until they see their picks on the practice field and this has been emulated reasonably well in the past by not reveling ratings until after the draft. The new mechanic just overly simplifies drafting and, in my opinion will make it too easy. The other mentions the example of trying to find a speed back in '15 only to find out in the pre-season that the player he picked was only an 89. Well, that's how it works in real like. Do you think the Chargers knew when they drafted Ryan Leaf that he was only a 65 OVR QB? No. If they did, they would have just drafted another QB in the second round, which is exactly what this years game will allow us to do. It is an incredibly flawed design choice and essentially a game killer for any self-respecting franchise player who is looking for anything even moderately resembling a "sim" experience.

[Skyboxer]

Well my hype for the game has risen a bit now
The D additions , penalties etc.. are a welcome news.

The drafting I'll have to see for myself and go from there.

[jfsolo]

I'm hoping that a fair amount of the top rated draft picks have really low penalty ratings. Great athletes, with solid skill sets, but totally undisciplined. Anything that adds some uncertainty and trepidation to the process is good.

[BrianU]

For someone who didn't get into CFM last year... Is it possible to set the scouting and drafting to AUTO for my team and not have any advantage over the cpu teams if scouting ends up being too easy?

[ThatMichiganFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skyboxer

Well my hype for the game has risen a bit now The D additions , penalties etc.. are a welcome news. The drafting I'll have to see for myself and go from there.

I agree. I was initially dissapointed with the CFM news, but the new gameplay changes have made me very excited about Madden. I will try out the scouting, but I may just scout up to the point where it says true draft value, so there will still be risk/reward.

[Gmasterson]

I really preferred the old scout system.

One question though, is the first trait on the new game always the best trait for the player?