OT: Stupid Madden!

[RugbyMuffin]

I don't know...maybe there's something to that...I've been playing piano since I was 4 (41 years), trombone since I was 9 (36 years) and have been playing professionally since I was 14 - and have never understood the appeal of video games. Sure - we had the first Pong game when it first came out, and the first Atari games, but I never got into them. Then in college, a lot of my friends (admittedly, most were musicians as well since I was in music school) were playing Asteroids and Missle Command obsessively, and I just stood there shaking my head wondering what it was that I was missing. Could it be somewhat the makeup of musicians? I don't know.

I think I played Windows Solitaire about a year (or even two) ago. That was probably the last video game I've played.

I'm not judging - to each his own I guess. I certainly have my own obsessions that 99.9% of the general population would deem pointless (!).

That is great. I wish I could stop playing video games.

But it is really fun to play a really good game. Throw graphics out the window. What make a game is that it has to be a lot of fun to play.

And it only takes one type of video game to get you hooked. Once you are hooked it is like a gateway drug..... first it was days upon days of Command and Conquer, my quiet fantasy of taking over the world comes alive (is it bad that I ALWAYS play the "bad guy first"?), then you play some crazy shooting game with your friends and laugh your butts off when you launch a missle at each others' head, and the next thing you know you are playing as some crazy unstoppable godlike beast rampaging through acient times.....and it goes on.

As for sports games, like Madden, it is great to play and simulate controlling a team. Once you get into it, you can play for hours upon days. But in Madden's case the game has become quite poor so it is not as much fun to play anymore. There were past versions that were really fun to play.

If you never really get into video games you never will, but watch out, I have seen video games claim victim after victim.

 

[cardsfanmd]

I dont have much time left for my 360 anymore with the kids and all, but when madden came out for nintendo 64 I was in heaven. prior to that it was the old maddens on SN/sega and all the mortal kombats and Prime Time Football (deion's game).

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Losing the 2k Series sucked, The NFL and EA Sports suck, by buying the license eliminating competition. Madden is garbage now, It seems like it is getting worse year by year, Did not but it this year on probably wont until the game improves. 2k1 on Dreamcast, that was a GREAT football game

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I think the last video game I played was Leisure Suit Larry.

Wow!

Dirty ol' Man makes a comeback.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Losing the 2k Series sucked, The NFL and EA Sports suck, by buying the license eliminating competition. Madden is garbage now, It seems like it is getting worse year by year, Did not but it this year on probably wont until the game improves. 2k1 on Dreamcast, that was a GREAT football game

My son plays this game all the time at home.

 

[cgolden]

Did anyone notice that Madden still uses the 4-3 as the Cards base defense? I haven't bought the game and don't plan to but from what I've seen that's what it looks like. I also noticed that Castille isn't even listed on the depth chart for FBs.

Did they even research the Cards or just roll out last season's roster with updated ranking?

 

[1DS]

Good point. They do have us down as a 4-3, but you can easily change the defense to 3-4 prior to playing games. Didn't notice about Castille not being on teh roster. I almost always put my backup TE in as a starting FB. He's more of a threat catching the ball, a lot faster and is almost equal in blocking ability. At least they have Dansby playing MLB this year.

I know everyone is knocking on Madden, but IMO it is by FAR the best football game ever. I know a lot of people think there is too many things (blocking controlls, route running controlls, hot routes, QB vision, jukes, spins, stiff arms, swatting the ball, straff, etc.), but if you know how to use all of these controlls, and all the other ones, it makes for great game play. But if you try to pick up Madden now for the first time, you will be lost and it will take you forever to learn everything. I have every Madden since 92 and it seems every year they add a few new tweaks to the game.

I just wish they would fix a few of the small details that irk the heck out of me.

 

[AzWins23]

Good point. They do have us down as a 4-3, but you can easily change the defense to 3-4 prior to playing games. Didn't notice about Castille not being on teh roster. I almost always put my backup TE in as a starting FB. He's more of a threat catching the ball, a lot faster and is almost equal in blocking ability. At least they have Dansby playing MLB this year.

I know everyone is knocking on Madden, but IMO it is by FAR the best football game ever. I know a lot of people think there is too many things (blocking controlls, route running controlls, hot routes, QB vision, jukes, spins, stiff arms, swatting the ball, straff, etc.), but if you know how to use all of these controlls, and all the other ones, it makes for great game play. But if you try to pick up Madden now for the first time, you will be lost and it will take you forever to learn everything. I have every Madden since 92 and it seems every year they add a few new tweaks to the game.

I just wish they would fix a few of the small details that irk the heck out of me.

Play ESPN 2k5.

Madden is the only football game out there with the current NFL Rosters. I hate EA Sports games

 

[SuperSpck]

Play ESPN 2k5.

Madden is the only football game out there with the current NFL Rosters. I hate EA Sports games

Couple of gripes, when the 07 edition came out for the PC, Dansby was at MLB. Attention to detail anyone?

Another huge gripe is that there aren't Will, Sam and Mike LB's, there's LO, RO, and Middle. The SS always lines up on the same side, regardless of the strength of the formation. Sure you can do little things here and there to make sure it's close, but it's not the same.

I also don't like how I can't place any player in any substitution spot. I wanted a package with Boldin in the backfield. Too bad. I had to go "balanced D" playbook to get the 3-4 and 4-3 in the same book, how's about a defensive playbook that's tailored to teams, not just a generic one that has a few random unique plays in it.

 

[ramfanjoe]

I haven't played Madden much in the last couple of years, but that's been because of time constraints rather than any complaints I have about the game itself. With regards to the old Cardinal logo still being used there was somthing simliar with the Rams a few years ago. In 2000 and 2001 the Rams jerseys used to have gold stripe down the side, but they dumped the stripe after 2001. Madden kept the gold stripe on the jersey for two years after the fact.

 

[TruColor]

I haven't played Madden much in the last couple of years, but that's been because of time constraints rather than any complaints I have about the game itself. With regards to the old Cardinal logo still being used there was somthing simliar with the Rams a few years ago. In 2000 and 2001 the Rams jerseys used to have gold stripe down the side, but they dumped the stripe after 2001. Madden kept the gold stripe on the jersey for two years after the fact.

I certainly don't know games, but I do know how the uniforms are determined. They base all of these off of the official NFL Style Guide files (which I have). If the pants were still listed in the Guide, then they were probably in the game. For example, the Jaguars have had a couple of different designs of Teal pants that they've never worn, but have been in the Guide, and they've apparently also been in Madden.

 

[TruColor]

...

 

[Skkorpion]

I guess this is supposed to be an attempt at being funny.

Not a very good effort.

Sorry. Yes, it was an attempt to be funny. Meant no harm. Always got a kick out of your explaining the gray seats in the stadium to each new wave of puzzled questioners.

I'll go back and blitz my post but I can't do anything about the one where you quoted me.

 

[Solar7]

I've been a pretty big gamer my entire life, ever since my parents bought me an original Nintendo when I was two or three.

I'll be honest, my interest in football was pretty passing until I finally played NFL Blitz, which was a really fast paced version of football. But after that, I got into the 2K series, and in a huge way. In '03, I bought both Madden and 2K, and they never matched up. NFL 2K had amazing presentation, gameplay, and customizability.

It's a huge disservice to the videogaming fans of the NFL to sell the license exclusively to EA.

Unfortunately, 2K Sports has been sold since the old days, and now is focused on other sports. We may never see the same quality again.

 

[CardLogic]

Waiting for someone to ask the question about the gray seats...



Yes, I am easily amused at times.

 

[OKCardFan]

...and have never understood the appeal of video games.

I'm not much of a Madden fan (only played '06 on the 360), but I remember having 'TV Sports Football' on the Amiga. I took the Cardinals all the way to a Super Bowl winner. Anytime you can do that, it's very appealing! :thumbsup:

 

[SuperSpck]

Ok, here are a couple of developer blogs.
Promises from a creator can seem hollow if they're not great at following through, but they deserve the benefit of the doubt:

http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/blog.jsp
http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/blog.jsp?itemID=playbooks_blog