Another release day means more online problems. This is Maddenoliday?
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UPDATE 8/15: I have received word that the Madden team is doing some tweaking today to try and improve the online experience. There may be instances where players are booted from games as those changes are implemented. Hopefully we see some immediate improvements in this area. I will be attempting more games this afternoon and evening and will report back on the results.
*Updated results on 8/15: I attempted to play six games. The loading into the team selection screen and into the games was considerably faster, and there was no sense of any lag present. However in the first two games (custom teams) we got disconnected at kickoff. In the third game got disconnected on the second drive of the game. In the 4th game got disconnected on the second play of the game. The 5th game disconnected on the first play of the 2nd drive. The 6th game disconnected a couple plays into the first drive.
Updated results on 8/16: Something has clicked as I was able to play all three games today to completion and they were relatively lag-less. Hopefully this is a sign that something has been corrected and people who have had disconnect issue will not experience that anymore.
This time it is EA's flagship title Madden 08 that is having major issues. Eight Nine 10 16 attempts at playing online and eight nine 10 16 disconnects to show for it. All occurring at or soon after kickoff. This has not been an isolated issue as the same thing is being detailed on message boards across the net discussing Madden. It also is not specific to the 360 or the PS3.
Previously I wrote my detailed review of online play. One of the topics of course was lag which seemed to be a crapshoot, but this disconnect issue hadn't really been witnessed on a wide scale until today.
It is absurd that it is practically impossible to get a good game in on release date of the biggest title of the year. This is supposed to be "Maddenoliday" right? Sorry to those people who actually took off work and expected to play online. And EA wonders why so many people go online for one or two games and never return? This is a one of the main reasons. Online has already been spoiled for many out there.
Everyone is excited about the release of Madden. They get it home, hop online, and come across these type of results. Saying that maybe in a couple weeks things will smoothen out is not going to cut it. Online needs to be ready to go for the release, otherwise the community will never fully grow to its potential. We'll be stuck in the vicious circle of not enough people play online so they state they can't justify putting in new features, options, or even making it run properly.
It's a catch-22. EA may claim that a lack of attention to performance and options for online play is because only a small % of consumers use it. However what motivation do new players have to go online? And if they do how much of an opportunity are they going to allow before they give up?
When they get on and get glitched, disconnected, or stuck in laggy games for their first experiences online that is going to sour them on it for good. And that is what has happened with NCAA Football 08, Nascar 08, and now Madden 08 this year.
It is release day for Madden 08. Also known as "Maddenoliday". Good luck playing online.
August 14, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I have played two lag free games so far and looking for someone on the board to play havent found anyone yet though
August 14, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I’ve played 5 custom matches lag free…wow i hope they can get this fixed so everyone can enjoy it like me
August 14, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I didn’t go online yet, but that’ll be bad if this is really happening to a lot of people.
August 14, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I’ve played 5 games online so far:
2 was offline perfect
2 were at like 90%
1 was at like 80%
You can always leave a laggy game but disconnects that results in losses are SO frustrating…I just got two losses in games I was winning…I think I just might chill for a little and learn the game a bit more.
And just little things that bug you like no alt. uni’s online…I know there busy and allocate resource to where they deem will be most effective but how hard would online uni’s be??
August 14, 2007 at 6:27 pm
This is another reason why EA should not be let off the hook. Once again they are screwing consumers with their product. I will state it again, maybe they need to get some better project managers who know how to manage the resources at their disposal to put out a better product overall. I am so frustrated right now that we are not able to spawn franchise games on the next-gen. This has totally ruined my Madden experience. The league I played in was built around this feature and made Madden online the ulitmate football title, MY league would play from the time of release to the release of the new title using this feature.
August 14, 2007 at 7:53 pm
EA Blows. There all business, no vision. Next title up for the coveted bullsh*t trophy… NBA live 08. Try to tell me that wont be a clusterf*ck online.
But seriously, keep hating on screen shots.
August 14, 2007 at 9:00 pm
There was like 6000 people online this afternoon. The only thing that will motivate a greedy corporation is bad PR. I’ve played 3 games and each had various amounts of lag between 75-90% offline speed. Keep on it Pasta. Good work.
August 14, 2007 at 9:41 pm
I’d like to see EA justify a $60 price tag on products that doesn’t offer full features. In my opinion the price tag is what we should be calling EA out on. Most of these companies through around the nextgen title loosely and it ends up being a lesser version than before. Crazy!
August 14, 2007 at 9:54 pm
9,359.
thats how many were on when i got on at 6.
thats amazing.
but yahi played one game i gave up two touchdowns because the lag made me tap A to quickly and get it picked for a TD. but otherwise it was fine i did quit cause it made me wanna shot myself lol but otherwise it was fine.
August 15, 2007 at 5:19 am
Keep up the great work Pasta. Hopefully EA will take notice as you put out some great stuff.
I only had a short time with the game last night because of my Middle School Coaching duties but one glitch that I found that I am not sure if it is my particular disc or nopt is that the game goes blurry in practice mode. Its very strange as it clears up when there is a intercpetion or turnover and the camera changes angles but then goes right back to the blurry camera. Almost looks like looking through a screen door. Anyone else experience this?
August 15, 2007 at 5:51 am
The game itself is great, I think there are too many fumbles in the game, but the overall experience OFFLINE is good.
Online is laggy just like it was for NCAA. I too dont understand how they can justify us paying $60 for a game and it not working correctly online out of the box. Come on EA…
August 15, 2007 at 8:05 am
Frankly the game is a mess. I don’t play all those other stupid modes so if they are good I don’t know. First, online…I cant believe the follow up game to the NEXT Gen is worst then last year and unplayable. This to me is unacceptable. I have FIOS and no problems with other games but have nothing but lag with 08…frustrating. The play book implementation, what the heck were they thinking. Going from seeing 6 plays to 4, making it so small I cant read the numbers in the formation (and I have a 50in TV), and making you go back to the same location every time….uuhh…you can hardly get a defensive play called online. Fumbling…enough said. Gang tackling is lame, if you love it, its is because you have only played Madden and have either never seen it in a video game or never seen it in Madden, it’s a real weak attempt. Why can’t I assign certain D-backs to certain WR before a game, this is fundamental to football. Am I missing something there? Lastly, to be honest I don’t see the big difference between 30 and 60 fps between my 07 and 08 on the 360. This game was all hype compounded by many reviews that had to have a financial interest an EA. An attorney that gets the game should file a lawsuit for the poor online experience since it is advertised.
August 15, 2007 at 9:58 am
I’ve played one game. It was disconnected in the 4th when I was down about 3 touchdowns. Yeah, I suck. lol Anyway, it was pretty laggy. The other guy was in Green Bay and I’m in Orlando (poor guy is a Vikings fan living in GB….lol). Gameplay was ok all in all, though offline is much better, and I’m one of the guys who looks at the vids of 360 and ps3 side by side, shrugs, and says they both look pretty decent, so I’m not exactly a discerning critic.
August 15, 2007 at 2:52 pm
i have played a couple games that were great..i havent heard of this until now..people must have terrible connections
August 15, 2007 at 2:54 pm
In most cases it clearly isn’t the individual connections.
For example I can play any other game online perfectly. I switched over to The Bigs last night when I couldn’t get any games of Madden going.
Also I played through the games online just fine on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Once release day came it went to hell.
If EA has made some fixes today and it plays much better, that just goes to show that the problems are on their end. Just like how the patch they released to fix lag on Madden 07 last year for the 360 did wonders.
August 15, 2007 at 10:33 pm
yah i did custom teams tonight barley remebered that it was online, thats how smooth it was
August 17, 2007 at 5:32 am
Madden 08 development team has failed the community(that pays the salaries) once again!!!The online play is a disaster! No leagues,no online franchise(which was present in 07),and numerous widespread complaints about random disconnects(on the 15th I had 13 games get disconnected before I could get one in.these attempts were with 5 different people in different locations around the US.)
The special teams are a joke as well the ability to pick plays while on defense!I have been a long loyal consumer to the EA product line particularly Madden, but NO MORE! So I end this by saying to EA adios you will NEVER I repeat NEVER get another dime from me or even my friends who use to play (13 in all have given up on EA!!!)The developers as well as Microsoft should really take a long hard look at the lack of effort and attention to detail by EA as a whole and get some resolutions in the works before someone with a savy money hungry attorney files a lawsuit against them for denying man his one enevitable need…an awesome realistic football game he can play with his friends!