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[FrenchMovieTheme]

This is going to be a somewhat long post so let me start off by saying that I am a fan of Madden football. It is the best game on the market. I enjoy Madden 07 360, I enjoy current gen madden, and if I had a handheld system I would probably enjoy it on there too. This is not a baseless thread rife with undue criticism. This is a thread about a hardcore madden fan who has ****ing had it up to here.

I have played Madden 07 360 for nearly a month now. It is a solid game. But it is not everything it should be. Infact, there is a shocking amount of content missing when you think about it. I have, at times, tried to defend this. To be honest, some of the things I list here are not gamebreaking. It is not that the game is unplayable without them. It is the fact that it SHOULD be there, and isn't. When you start to add this stuff up, it becomes an issue. The following are issues with Madden '07 360:

* No Individual Defensive hot routes
* No Substitution packages from the coaches menu (for instance, what if I want to put Michael Robinson in for single back packages ONLY? I can't.)
* No Defensive matchup menu
* No option to have the cone on at all times
* No editing current players
* No Co-Op play (offline or online)
* No CPU Vs. CPU games
* No fatigue notification

Again, when you add these up it makes you think "why?" Why can't EA include these things? Tiburon got a free pass for the 360 launch (as all companies did) for incomplete work or cutting corners. Fine. But now 9 months later we still don't have these things? This is ****ing ridiculous. You can't ****ing program any of this shit in WITH 9 MONTHS TO WORK!? The biggest 3rd party company IN THE WORLD can't afford to spend some time on the above? That is a crock of shit. An even bigger slap in the face is that most of that stuff is IN current-gen madden! It is just mind boggling. But you know what? There isn't shit anyone can do about it! You know why? EA doesn't give a **** and they don't have to give a **** because you are going to buy madden. There's nothing you can do. Non-sports fanatics will say "DONT BUY IT LOLZ" but truth be told that isn't an option, trust me.

"Ok..." you say "Well that's not TOO bad, just some missing features..." And you would be right. But let me get into the meat and potatoes of this rant: Online Play. You know what i'm so god damn tired of dealing with EA's shitty online play I've just about given up entirely on playing madden. I would never fold a madden online league, and that is the only reason I still have the game. I will say flat out I don't buy sports games to play single player and I don't buy them to play with buddies. I buy them to play in online leagues EXCLUSIVELY. It is VERY hard to go back to playing the AI when you have grown used to playing against intelligent human opponents. Guess how EA has rewarded us on that front? With a dick slap in the face.

Madden 07 360 online is a god damn travesty. First off, I can't play anyone on the east coast. Shit, I can't play anyone in Texas for christ sake (I live in los angeles) without moderate lag. This is (again!) ridiculous. Why is it that a game like NBA 2k6 has no lag to minimal lag online but I can't get an even halfway decent game of madden online against any of my chums across the coast? Seriously, why? I know for a fact it's not an XBL issue because Madden '06 Xbox had to go thru XBL/EA servers and it was fine. I know for a fact it isn't because it's a next gen game since I've seen NBA 2k6 run at a legit rate online. So what is the deal here? Again, I have to conclude EA just doesn't give a flying **** about online. Why is it that visual concepts can come up with a great online system/features working on probably 1/20th the budget that tiburon is?

NFL 2k5 had online leagues... FOR FREE! It kept complete player AND team stats! It allowed for a ridiculous amount of customization (site headlines and so on). But guess what? EA won't even give us the option to PAY FOR AN online league! No option at all! EA still avoids questioning on a possible patch for the 360. Why? Because they already have your $60 and even if they didn't what else are you going to buy? It is complete bullshit that we can't get any type of online options at all. As if that weren't bad enough, the online performance is a ****ing JOKE! Why is this? That isn't a rhetorical question. Can anyone clue me in as to WHY I can't play a lagless game against someone who is 5 states away from me in Madden, but I can play someone in Rhode Island in NBA 2k6 without any lag at all?

So, to summarize, I just think EA doesn't give a ****. They have a bunch of talking heads at the top of their company who look at the bottom line only. Fine, EA is a company they want to make money, ok. But the extent in which they just dick around the people who purchase their product is sad. I don't know if the 360 debacle with madden is a tiburon issue or if EA is behind it, but it is just frustrating.

 

[Zep]

This might be one of the main reasons I trade in my 360 for a PS3. I have a weird feeling these lag issues will be gone when Madden hits the PS3 this November. 90% of the games I play are sports and if PS3 can give me lagfree madden...They win.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

blah blah blah.

The EA dude in an Interview basically said they hold back features to make sure they have something to pimp in the sequels. As long as sheep keep madden selling why should they care?

 

[Mrbob]

Yeah online has been a sham two years in a row.

Where is the patch anyway?

 

[MightyHedgehog]

The EA dude in an Interview basically said they hold back features to make sure they have something to pimp in the sequels. As long as sheep keep madden selling why should they care?

Well, and the obvious bit about a lack of competition to keep them honest... Stupid NFL robbed me of Itagaki's vision of Tecmo Bowl. The halftime show would probably be worth the price of admission alone.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

Do as I do FMT; blame gnomes.

 

[X26]

Can you create teams in '07?

 

[shpankey]

i have a feeling the ps3 version is going to address a lot of these issues, since it's coming out so much later.

 

[bjork]

I think the more important question to EA is:

Where in the **** is my Beetle Adventure Racing sequels, ****holes?!

 

[newsguy]

Again, when you add these up it makes you think "why?" Why can't EA include these things?

I hate to sound like the NFL2K drones, but your answer here is "they don't need to." No competition makes for laziness bottom line. Remember that alot of these features were in our beloved Madden 05 on the XBOX, and now that they built the new engine with no true competition, there's no need to sweat the small stuff. And as football gamers we know it's the small stuff that matters.

 

[shpankey]

the no co-op thing is the one that pisses me off the most. i have another diehard football gaming friend and we have been playing co-op football for years and years, and not having it has really screwed up football season for us. he would have bought a 360 also, if not for this.

also, i'd love to eventually be able to co-op online. and co-op franchise and season online. not to mention mini-games. every year my friend and i talk about how we want that so bad. make it happen EA!

 

[newsguy]

the no co-op thing is the one that pisses me off the most. i have another diehard football gaming friend and we have been playing co-op football for years and years

Same with me and my brother For years we played the same game the dolphins were playing that day to predict the outcome. Tiburon has broken up my family... mother ****ers.

 

[Hitokage]

You know what i'm so god damn tired of dealing with EA's shitty online play I've just about given up entirely on playing madden

You need to stop forcing yourself to play one version because it's "next gen", "HD", or represents the only reason you bought a 360. Cognitive dissonance is bad, ok?

Why, just the other day I had a nice match against somebody on the other side of the country. (And got a 126.1 QB rating, too)

 

[dammitmattt]

This might be one of the main reasons I trade in my 360 for a PS3. I have a weird feeling these lag issues will be gone when Madden hits the PS3 this November. 90% of the games I play are sports and if PS3 can give me lagfree madden...They win.

Why would these lag issues be gone? It's still going through EA's servers, and Sony's online track record is a joke.

 

[Hitokage]

PS3 is probably going to be little different from Madden 06 on the 360. It'll take a few itterations for them to get it right.

 

[mattiewheels]

The EA dude in an Interview basically said they hold back features to make sure they have something to pimp in the sequels. As long as sheep keep madden selling why should they care?

 

[pilonv1]

I'm extremely annoyed about

- No replays online
- No challenges online

It's a shame when something ****ing stupid happens or there's a close call and you can't even go back and look at it and laugh. I don't see how NFL 2k4 could have specific challenges online in 2004 and here we are 3 years later and Madden doesn't even have standard challenges. Well I can see how (no competition) but it's annoying as hell.

 

[TheMissingLink]

I hate it when it zooms to the screen after a first down and it's like, "First Down!"

No, seriously, that's a huge gripe of mine. Who the **** thought of that idea?

"Oh hey, yeah, we have stunning visuals this year...but you know what? Rather than show a replay of a hard-earned run resulting in a 1st down, let's just zoom to the jumbotran and flash it on the screen!"

We're playing on a next-gen system here, I want replays of the action, not zoomed in jumbotron shots. God. Damn.

ALSO, why is every player snarling? I've never seen Tom Brady snarl, but he's got this snarl, like every other player in the game. So lame.

I had to get that off my chest, thanks.

 

[japtor]

Same with me and my brother For years we played the same game the dolphins were playing that day to predict the outcome.

did your predictions happen to lean towards ridiculous blowouts by the dolphins?

does the current gen 07 still have the old play selection ui, where your in person opponent cant see which play you picked? im guessing theres a hidden play selection method in the 360 one, how does that work, is it like blitz (the cursor just disappeared)? ...of course i might be assuming too much with the way some other things are.

 

[JB1981]

This might be one of the main reasons I trade in my 360 for a PS3. I have a weird feeling these lag issues will be gone when Madden hits the PS3 this November. 90% of the games I play are sports and if PS3 can give me lagfree madden...They win.

Yeah, why do you say this? I'm intrigued.

 

[Zep]

Yeah, why do you say this? I'm intrigued.

Because seriously, except for NBA 2k7, I have no plans to buy another game this year. I buy tennis, football, basketball and baseball games, i'm just a sports gamer. When PS3 drops I get NBA2k7, Madden 07, Virtua Tennis 3, MLB 07'. It's just that I get more sports games with the Ps3(its' one game but I love baseball). You just know EA is going to expand on Madden 07, giving buyers a reason to purchase the game (gang-tackling anyone, lagless online play) and I just have this feeling EA is holding out for the PS3 version due to their loyalty too Sony.

I dont know man, we'll see come November and if Costco's will even have them in stock!

 

[shpankey]

did your predictions happen to lean towards ridiculous blowouts by the dolphins?

does the current gen 07 still have the old play selection ui, where your in person opponent cant see which play you picked? im guessing theres a hidden play selection method in the 360 one, how does that work, is it like blitz (the cursor just disappeared)? ...of course i might be assuming too much with the way some other things are.

it's kind of weird [and i prefer the old way]. but you can call a play with A, and that's what is picked. or you can call a play with X, and it picks that play, but stays in the pick a play screen, so your opponent doesn't know. you can even push X again and overwrite your selection with a new play. you can also hit the Y button to make the noise of a pick [to fool your opponent into thinking you picked that].

it's all really stupid actually. in fact, i fuking hate it the way it is. i wish they'd bring back the old way where you could pick from 9 plays at once (6 being hidden offscreen). that was quick, easy and impossible for your opponent to know what you picked.

 

[shpankey]

and I just have this feeling EA is holding out for the PS3 version due to their loyalty too Sony.

i do too. fight night 3 is a good example (first person boxing mode, upgraded graphics, the new thing with the vision going out, the use of the tilt, etc.) course all of that can certainly be attributed to the games coming out later than the 360 versions, but I, like you, can't help but suspect EA is taking care of their old standby Sony. Sony is like EA's wife. MSFT is just a slut EA cheats on with occasionally, behind his wife's back.

 

[CB3]

Meh. I dont trust Sony's Online service for a second. It seems some of you forget Madden BLEW on PS2, as did most EA games, and online games in general. I have no reason to trust them.

Plus, a few new features for the 1 EA game i buy isnt worth $700+.

 

[Zep]

Seriously...Madden is going to be the biggest seller on Ps3 come November and I guarentee Sony has asked them to do something "extra" to make their game more appealing.

Meh. I dont trust Sony's Online service for a second. It seems some of you forget Madden BLEW on PS2, as did most EA games, and online games in general. I have no reason to trust them.

Plus, a few new features for the 1 EA game i buy isnt worth $700+.

But Madden 07' doesnt blow online? We had to divide the ****ing schedule just to make it playable.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

i'll buy a ps3 eventually but 60 fps + gang tackling isn't worth $700, no matter how big of a football fan i am

 

[CB3]

But Madden 07' doesnt blow online? We had to divide the ****ing schedule just to make it playable.

It is bad. But I dont seem to not have AS bad lag problems like the rest of you. Nevertheless what im saying is i know that Microsoft has a rock solid online service. The only bump in that road is EA games. MOST games on PS2 were horrible online, due to sony's shitty service.

I trust MS to deliver, because it already has. Twice

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

madden ps2 performed well most of the time. the problems were the "connecting..." bug and for some reason me and you always had lag CB. which is weird because we dont have lag in madden 07 360

 

[Zep]

i'll buy a ps3 eventually but 60 fps + gang tackling isn't worth $700, no matter how big of a football fan i am

I agree it's rediculous for someone to spend $700 on a system, when they already have a 360. In my case, I wont have my 360 anymore so I'll probably take a mini loss (hopefully not) and pay off the Ps3 with watever money is leftover. If Madden's online service doesnt change on PS3, then **** it, no point in buying it. Answer me this though, instead of going through EA--->XBlive--->You, it will most likely be EA--->You. Tell me i'm wrong here? And would most likely make lag a lot better.

I trust MS to deliver, because it already has. Twice

They have delivered...for games that I dont really play. If I cant get this in the ONLY football game available, there is a problem CB.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

Answer me this though, instead of going through EA--->XBlive--->You, it will most likely be EA--->You. Tell me i'm wrong here? And would most likely make lag a lot better.

doesn't sony have an only service? so it would be EA ---> SonyOnline ---> You?


plus that argument is out the window when you consider madden '06 on xbox performed flawlessly and that was running on xbox live + EA server as well.

 

[CB3]

I agree it's rediculous for someone to spend $700 on a system, when they already have a 360. In my case, I wont have my 360 anymore so I'll probably take a mini loss (hopefully not) and pay off the Ps3 with watever money is leftover. If Madden's online service doesnt change on PS3, then **** it, no point in buying it. Answer me this though, instead of going through EA--->XBlive--->You, it will most likely be EA--->You. Tell me i'm wrong here? And would most likely make lag a lot better.

Selling your 360 will only put you in shitty madden/nba2k7 leagues. Microsoft wins in that area.

"B-B-B-UT MADDEN 07 ON PS3 WILL HAVE NO LAG!"

It will. Simular to the 360. You can quote that, and take that shit to the bank. I guarantee it will have the same connection issues.

 

[Zep]

doesn't sony have an only service? so it would be EA ---> SonyOnline ---> You?


plus that argument is out the window when you consider madden '06 on xbox performed flawlessly and that was running on xbox live + EA server as well.

Forgot all about Xbox, your correct.

 

[shpankey]

i'll buy a ps3 eventually but 60 fps + gang tackling isn't worth $700, no matter how big of a football fan i am

haha, oh you'll cave... sports are just too engrained into your blood.

 

[Zep]

Selling your 360 will only put you in shitty madden/nba2k7 leagues. Microsoft wins in that area.

Im sure 2k7 will still have leagues but it will be without you guys

"B-B-B-UT MADDEN 07 ON PS3 WILL HAVE NO LAG!"

Cut me some slack, I never said it like that! Just thinking EA still has a soft spot for Sony.

 

[CB3]

Cut me some slack, I never said it like that! Just thinking EA still has a soft spot for Sony.

No doubt. But im saying i highly doubt EA are just letting Connections issues slide on 360, just to have it perfect on PS3. Its not going to be some huge miracle. It will still be EA Coding, EA Servers, EA Lag

 

[shpankey]

heh, almost every poster in here has some kind of sports Avatar. it's a disease i tell ya! :lol

can't fukin wait till tomorrow! what a day of college ball! damn, i'm so excited for the OU v. Oregon game down in Oregon. guarantee you right now, this will be the best game of all the big games tomorrow (of which there are MANY!). we are in for a treat.

Adriiaaaaaaaan!

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

i agree with the zeppster though, and i've said it countless times, EA loves sony and gives sony preferential treatment. madden 07 ps3 will clearly be superior to the 360 version. i just dont think it will be THAT much different

 

[CB3]

heh, almost every poster in here has some kind of sports Avatar. it's a disease i tell ya! :lol

can't fukin wait till tomorrow! what a day of college ball! damn, i'm so excited for the OU v. Oregon game down in Oregon. guarantee you right now, this will be the best game of all the big games tomorrow (of which there are MANY!). we are in for a treat.

Adriiaaaaaaaan!

Ill be at a wedding for most of tomorrow. No College

But better Saturday than Sunday. No way in hell im missing Giants Vs. Eagles on Sunday

 

[shpankey]

i agree with the zeppster though, and i've said it countless times, EA loves sony and gives sony preferential treatment. madden 07 ps3 will clearly be superior to the 360 version. i just dont think it will be THAT much different

i'm thinking...

60fps
slightly improved graphics
co-op!!! [bitches]
add in a few of those options you listed in your first post
juke mapped to the tilt function [or sumfin like this]

overall, when all taken together, i think it will be considered a pretty big upgrade.

 

[Zep]

-Bullshit gang-tackling, scripted, just to say they have it.
-Online Leagues (yes, Im going there!)
-60fps.

Don't know about graphics but whatever. Until then, EA has 2 months to change my mind.

 

[jlh]

I agree it's rediculous for someone to spend $700 on a system, when they already have a 360. In my case, I wont have my 360 anymore so I'll probably take a mini loss (hopefully not) and pay off the Ps3 with watever money is leftover. If Madden's online service doesnt change on PS3, then **** it, no point in buying it. Answer me this though, instead of going through EA--->XBlive--->You, it will most likely be EA--->You. Tell me i'm wrong here? And would most likely make lag a lot better.

XBL is not the problem, EA is the problem. I fully expect them to add some graphical tweaks and bogus improvements to Madden PS3 (can you say Supa - Superstar Mode) but the core problems with the next gen engine will still be there. This is in no way surprising a lack of competition is never a good thing; EA barely had a need to innovate before but now that they are literally the only game in town they know we football fans will buy whatever shit they put out. I skipped last yr's version because I knew it would be a total waste of $60 but I couldn't go two years w/o Madden and what do I get for my money; no player editor (how is this even possible in a football game released in 2006), no co-op and a totally gimped franchise mode (which is the biggest draw for me in sports games). I thought about buying the Xbox version but then I realized that I would be giving EA even more of my money by doing that, I would basically be rewarding them for pissing on me, so screw that. I will suffer this year but from then on they can suck it, I'm renting if I like it and if it manages to add back in some of the stuff that should have never been lost I'll buy a used copy off Ebay, EA will not get another dime of my money.

 

[The Faceless Master]

Non-sports fanatics will say "DONT BUY IT LOLZ" but truth be told that isn't an option, trust me.

that's where i stopped reading.

 

[Hitokage]

madden ps2 performed well most of the time. the problems were the "connecting..." bug and for some reason me and you always had lag CB. which is weird because we dont have lag in madden 07 360

95% of the time it was because neither player had the specified ports open on their router. At least, when I finally learned how to forward those ports through the two routers my ps2 is behind, I never got that problem again.

 

[bluemax]

In 5 years when I am lead programmer for EA/Tiburon your pleas will be heard!

Spoiler

I don't know if I'd actually take that job if they offered it too me. The thought is enticing though.

 

[shpankey]

heh, almost every poster in here has some kind of sports Avatar. it's a disease i tell ya! :lol

can't fukin wait till tomorrow! what a day of college ball! damn, i'm so excited for the OU v. Oregon game down in Oregon. guarantee you right now, this will be the best game of all the big games tomorrow (of which there are MANY!). we are in for a treat.

Adriiaaaaaaaan!

when I'm right, I'm right! I just always know these things...

#15 - OKLAHOMA --- 03 - 03 - 14 - 13 - 33
#18 - OREGON ------ 10 - 03 - 00 - 21 - 34

p.s. we got robbed!

Spoiler

actually, i'm not kidding though :lol

 

[Mrbob]

DaddyZ I think you need my tag now! FLIP FLOPPER!

 

[Y2Kev]

that's where i stopped reading.

An interesting point.

I usually don't interfere in Madden threads because, uh, I am not a big Madden fan. I bought the 360 version last year (as well as the PSP because I needed something to play on the road) and I was not satisfied with either version. That said, I do acknowledge that Madden is a quality product and I will buy another version in a few years (probably on PS3-- lolz! mrbob bait) when I feel it has reached the level that the PS2/Xbox version has reached.

Is there a specific reason why you buy the 360 version? I'm sure you are mostly satisfied with your purchase (perhaps not quite so last year), but it seems there are outlying issues that need to and should have been resolved before EA released this as a product at all. Why fund the project when they are basically putting out a subpar product compared to what they are turning out from their own company on other platforms?

You have a very steadfast resolve.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

Is there a specific reason why you buy the 360 version? I'm sure you are mostly satisfied with your purchase (perhaps not quite so last year), but it seems there are outlying issues that need to and should have been resolved before EA released this as a product at all. Why fund the project when they are basically putting out a subpar product compared to what they are turning out from their own company on other platforms?

why did i buy it on 360? a couple reasons. first off i dont have an xbox and the game isn't BC. secondly, i avoid playstation 2 games whenever possible. the load times are ass and i don't like the controller. i wouldn't mind playing it on ps2 i'd just prefer not. 360 makes things awesome from an online standpoint (universal BL, online all the time, etc) but its just the head to head vs. the other coast that kills me

 

[Amused_To_Death]

Jeff Brown, VP of Corporate Communication at EA said in response to why EA releases games with bugs (October OPM):

"Frequently software has bugs and some are worse than others. When you make sports games, your window is your sports season. You've got to be there at the start of the season. It makes no sense to release Madden in January."

This is a representation of their attitude; this is from the guys at the top, what do you honestly expect?

 

[Zep]

Jeff Brown, VP of Corporate Communication at EA said in response to why EA releases games with bugs (October OPM):

"Frequently software has bugs and some are worse than others. When you make sports games, your window is your sports season. You've got to be there at the start of the season. It makes no sense to release Madden in January."

Thats a horrible answer. I guess there's no reason for QA at EA.