Madden 2005

[puckcool22]

they need more jersey templates, the ones they have suck

i think what would be cool for both ncaa and madden is to have a program similar to paint, where they give you a choice of like at least 8 templates from different teams and let you fill in the colors

[Phil]

I've got the PC version of Madden 2003, and I must say that apart from the jerseys, most everything is editable, many things being done externally in Paint programs using relatively simple templates (an original, and dare I say, great idea. Why put in your own primitive paint program when you can use ones that already exist externally?). Helmets, logos, logo swatches (those little frontend slices of the logo that they use when the full logo would be too big), endzones, and midfield logos can all be edited externally.

So why not jerseys? What would be sooooo hard? You can still do the numbers the way you always have (with more selection of course), but let us create our own unis externally?

Oh, and more multi-player touchdown celebrations. It's a step forward to see two players celebrating together, but then in the background you see the rest of the team heading off the field like drones. If it's a long-bomb TD, I wanna see the QB running down the field to hug the receiver (a la Brett Favre) or have the whole receiving corps celebrate together (like the CFL teams' often do).

(This last one I've been brooding about for a long time)

A CFL Expansion Pack

EA's made, what, 17 expansions for The Sims? How about 1 (ONE) for Madden? Add the altered rules, the different field dimensions, the different stadiums, and the different players, and the different league setup. Sure it would be tough to include in the main game (plus a low-profit earning addition), but an expansion pack sold mainly in Canada would be huge, especially considering the growing popularity of the CFL through improved TV coverage and, quite frankly, some darn good on-field product.

I can guarantee you that it would boost sales of Madden. I'd dish out $60 for the main game and $30-$40 for the expansion if it meant I could run for 110 yards on a single play and score a point by kicking it through a 20 yard endzone, or see the Roughriders carry the Grey Cup.... nahhh that's just tooo fantastical.

Alas... I rest.

[Stampman]

"A CFL Expansion Pack"

Oops forgot that one too--however--I may never get off the computer.

[NickNickNick]

I would pay more for a Madden style CFL game than the NFL version.  That would be awesome.  Why wouldn't EA Canada even try this out?  See if there's an interest...

[Jezus_Ghoti]

I hate the 3 stripes thing.

Other stuff I would want to add (not really relating to actual uniform design, but more to the creation of new teams). I wish you didn't have to delete a current team to put a created team in a season. I would like there to be like some sort of an expansion process. Maybe even a second, computer-controlled, expansion team is also added to balance out the league. Also, I really wish the commentators would make a bigger deal out of your new franchise's first game, first TD, etc.

Also, and this is unrelated to all of the above, I wish the commentators would get a little more excited about amazing plays or performances. I rushed for over 1000 yards in one game with Priest Holmes and all they said was "What a day he has had". They should get a little more excited about what, if it happened in a real game, would probably be considered one of the greatest athletic feats in the history of the world.

[Lee.]

"A CFL Expansion Pack"

Oops forgot that one too--however--I may never get off the computer.

Why offer the CFL as an expansion pack?  Just do like EA does with the Hockey series and offer them as playable options.

In EA Hockey you can play as NHL, All-Star, European, cripes, at some point they're just gonna start using their kids midget teams or Beer Leagues.

Offer up the CFL and NFLE in the game itself.  It's not like the CFLPA or CFL itself is gonna nail EA to the wall for likeness rights or other issues.  If it adds a couple of bucks to the price of the game itself, who cares?

[vicfurth]

I have Madden 2001 for PS1, and the uni options are pathetic. You can't even add logos to the helmet. The only jersey templates are the old-school, 1980's 49ers jersey, basically. The logo database reeks of poorly-drawn letters of the alphabet. Come on, the only decent one was the "V" (great for a team named the Vipers, looked a lot like the Diamondbacks "A"). I often find myself naming the teams based on the logos I have. Of course, there is an Indian head that is a source of, like, thirty different nicknames.

Okay, down to what I'd like to see...

Create-a-team: None of that annoying "the home team" junk. If Gran Turismo (car-racing) can put 400 different cars from three continents on a CD, Madden can put some sort of chip or something to say the nickname of your team (same goes for create-a-player. SAY THE NAME!). Also for create-a-team, don't replace somebody. Make an expansion process. Have the computer put out two players per team for an expansion draft. As for unis, have every template, color, font, and stripe imaginable.

Create-a-stadium: It'd be cool to have a retractable roof (al a Reliant Stadium). If it rains, then put the roof on. Actually be able to watch it, too. Choose the color of the endzone. I also have NCAA 2000, and you can create a stadium with a Boise St. blue field. sweet stuff.

There is other stuff I could come up with (video gaming is my specialty), but alas, I run out of space.

[webdav]

Quite simply, they should hire Nitroseed Studios to design fantasy logos to replace the crappy clipart they have.

[GMac]

Quite simply, they should hire Nitroseed Studios to design fantasy logos to replace the crappy clipart they have.

hey quit playing favourites what about he rest of us...lol

or see the Roughriders carry the Grey Cup.... nahhh that's just tooo fantastical.

hey easy turbo... next year is the riders true year of destiny.. look at the past few years who ever won the Grey Cup hosted it the year before... you heard it here folks the riders first in the West...

[GMac]

Quite simply, they should hire Nitroseed Studios to design fantasy logos to replace the crappy clipart they have.

hey quit playing favourites what about he rest of us...lol

or see the Roughriders carry the Grey Cup.... nahhh that's just tooo fantastical.

hey easy turbo... next year is the riders true year of destiny.. look at the past few years who ever won the Grey Cup hosted it the year before... you heard it here folks the riders first in the West...

but back to the topic at hand.. I would kill for a cfl football game even as secondary mode on madden... me and my bro actually play cfl rules some days we keep our own scores for rouges and if we dont have any 3down madden cards we either punt or if we gamble and dont make it we take a knee on 4th...

[Lee.]

next year is the riders true year of destiny.. look at the past few years who ever won the Grey Cup hosted it the year before... you heard it here folks the riders first in the West...

but back to the topic at hand.. I would kill for a cfl football game even as secondary mode on madden... me and my bro actually play cfl rules some days we keep our own scores for rouges and if we dont have any 3down madden cards we either punt or if we gamble and dont make it we take a knee on 4th...

Hmmm...using that logic, why didn't the Bombers hoist it in 2000?

But as far as the secondary mode, that's exactly what I'm on about.  If EA Hockey can use international rules and a different-sized surface, then the football boys can go CFL rules too.  I can't even see things being a matter of the NFL protecting its product, seeing as how they have a sweet deal with the CFL for players and cross-promotion, and own the NFLE.

[Fusebazell]

next year is the riders true year of destiny.. look at the past few years who ever won the Grey Cup hosted it the year before... you heard it here folks the riders first in the West...

but back to the topic at hand.. I would kill for a cfl football game even as secondary mode on madden... me and my bro actually play cfl rules some days we keep our own scores for rouges and if we dont have any 3down madden cards we either punt or if we gamble and dont make it we take a knee on 4th...

Hmmm...using that logic, why didn't the Bombers hoist it in 2000?

But as far as the secondary mode, that's exactly what I'm on about. If EA Hockey can use international rules and a different-sized surface, then the football boys can go CFL rules too. I can't even see things being a matter of the NFL protecting its product, seeing as how they have a sweet deal with the CFL for players and cross-promotion, and own the NFLE.

While, your at it throw in AFL and AFL2.  Now, that my friends would be a sweet game.

[Lee.]

next year is the riders true year of destiny.. look at the past few years who ever won the Grey Cup hosted it the year before... you heard it here folks the riders first in the West...

but back to the topic at hand.. I would kill for a cfl football game even as secondary mode on madden... me and my bro actually play cfl rules some days we keep our own scores for rouges and if we dont have any 3down madden cards we either punt or if we gamble and dont make it we take a knee on 4th...

Hmmm...using that logic, why didn't the Bombers hoist it in 2000?

But as far as the secondary mode, that's exactly what I'm on about. If EA Hockey can use international rules and a different-sized surface, then the football boys can go CFL rules too. I can't even see things being a matter of the NFL protecting its product, seeing as how they have a sweet deal with the CFL for players and cross-promotion, and own the NFLE.

While, your at it throw in AFL and AFL2. Now, that my friends would be a sweet game.

Actually, I used to own "Kirt Warner's Arena Football" by Midway for my PS1.  It was kinda sweet.

Interestingly enough...these guys are trying to be all things to all people in computer football.  American rules, Canadian rules, Arena rules, and for those of use who follow it (me), NIFL rules.

No real teams or player names, though.  But still..!

[Saintsfan]

There was a version of FIFA soccer were you could play indoor, 5 a side soccer, 97 or 98 I think, I really enjoyed that, wish they would bring it back. And it would be good to have some kind of arena league on Madden!

[vicfurth]

Here's an idea. What if you could actually do interviews? Actually talk to Dan Patrick after each game, and see if you made Sportscenter's Top Ten Plays. That'd be sweet. Even have a special microphone attached to where you'd actually talk in the interview. Man, I'm good.

For NCAA, have the actual Heisman presentation (without all the annoying mini-documentaries) & with the same mike attatchment you'd make an acceptance speech. Sa-weeeeeeet!!!

[Sterling84]

I won't try to cover ground that's already been covered. I want everything you guys have said.

In regards to the saying of names...both player and city: We are a ways off from that I think. I mean, there is software that "reads" text and "says" it back in use already from aides for the hearing impaired to mirriam webster.com

But as it is right now, that would result in a disjointed, answering machine type voice plunked in the middle of our commentary. I think for some time yet we are going to have to deal with the saying of only player names that happen to be in that league already. What we are asking, is that the announcers/developers take a bunch of time and record every conceivable name into the game. I'd love it, I want it. But it seems unlikely. They should have the announcers give us sounds (recorded in their voices) ...and let us customize phonetically........even picking which syllable is emphasized. That would allow for fairly smooth use that didnt distract from the gameplay.  That MIGHT not be right around the corner in 2005 though. Oops...snafu there. Would Al Michaels GIVE the world the tools to "forge" statements by him? Seems like a lame concern to me, but these guys guard everything.

Our faces used in game, you guys touched on...are just about here. Tony Hawk 4 already allows for that via online.

Somebody mentioned commentary being deeper. Obviously it gets deeper every year. I just got ESPN Hockey for Christmas and sweet Jebus.......Thorne and Clement know where I shot, if the puck hit someone on the way......which part of the body the keeper saved it with...nuts!

But I agree with that person in that what we want is not only deeper commentary regarding the game itself, but the circumstances surrounding it. I want a nugget of info, recorded somewhere deep in the bowels of that DVD that I don't even find til 10 franchise seasons from now, when someone breaks a career record for ...rushing yards...or whatever...and then the announcers talk about it. Talk about who held that record.....how long its stood for etc. I want to be playing at Cleveland in week 16 (having already sewn up a playoff spot )and have Madden question why my starter is in so long...and how that relates to my season as a whole...my chances in the postseason...whether this is wise. I want to have Thorn mention , somewhat off hand, the game I blew last night after leading by two goals in the third...and more importantly how maybe that was my fifth such blown lead in the month and how that may play into tonights matchup.

THese types of "season specific" or "career specific" details would take lots of extra work upfront for the developers...I know this. But that is what I want to experience when playing these games.

What irks me most I guess (aside from Madden's ridiculous clip art logos) is that we can't even get Madden's current level of customizing for baseball, basketball or hockey! What gives?! I mean, football players unis, in terms of rendering facemasks in 3-d and what not and the amount of equipment they wear......aught to be the hardest to pull off. Yet, we've had some decent version of that since 2001. Why is it so hard to build at least that level of interface into hockey or basketball? Why can't we make new teams in those games? We are already up to making stadiums, pricing concessions and moving franchises in Madden, and we can't even pick a new NBA uniform? Seems strange.

SO I guess, even though all these suggestions are great, we should probably realize Madden is still the best we consollers have and light years ahead of everyone else in realizing how popular these functions are.

[Phil]

Interestingly enough...these guys are trying to be all things to all people in computer football. American rules, Canadian rules, Arena rules, and for those of use who follow it (me), NIFL rules.

No real teams or player names, though. But still..!

Bless his heart, if only he were in charge of Madden development, with EA's money, licenses, graphics, etc.

[Chazberg]

Ok first of all, I have Madden 2004 for Gamecube, and in the uniform editor on franchise, you can't even PUT A LOGO ON A UNIFORM YOU CREATE. What the hell is the point? I made the Titans' light blue alternate jerseys and tried them out on the field, but the helmets and sleeves are completely blank. There is no way to add a logo anywhere while creating/editing the uniform. What the hell is the point? Am I the only person who has this problem? (If so I'm buying an XBox ) Anyway also, they need to have some better jersey stripe patterns, like the Steelers or old Lions sleeve stripes, that you could re-color accordingly. Also like someone else said you should be able to edit current uniforms, so you could have small changes like the Panthers or Falcons in black shoes, or the correct socks for the Jets or Bears road uniforms, or the Bengals in all black or Redskins in all white, etc. Also has anyone noticed that some white alternates like last years' Lipons and the Saints white jerseys/gold pants can't be worn on the road? I was extremely disappointed upon finding this out when I tried to start my Lions franchise with them wearing last year's duds. They can't wear the old away unis on the road, only against other teams wearing white jerseys(?).

[budbowl77]

I would rather see Madden 2005 have old school unis and leather helmets like they do in NCAA 2004. plus that CFL option would be awesome.

but doesnt Winter Valley sports in canada have the rights to CFL computer games ??

[lucky34]

all I would want..

the ability to keep the "team" logo when you edit a uniform.

I hate that you edit a teams Uniforms and you can't put their own logo back on the helmet!  What fun is it to edit a uniform and create a sweet new look for your fave team, then have to use helmets with no logos..BAH!