Madden 09 online play gets first piece of disappointing news

by pastapadre
Posted April 22nd, 2008 at 8:33 pm

Madden 09 producer Phil Frazier is continuing to answer questions in the game’s official forum. The most notable piece of info to come out since the set of news I posted on earlier is that variable weather will not be found online. Hearing that doesn’t bring about much confidence that other much needed online enhancements will be coming this year.

Weather will not be available online. It’s clear that many of you are interested in this functionality so it’s already on my growing list of features from the community. Honestly, I’d prefer if we solved the online lag issues before we worry about weather. We will be featuring the live weather feed in Madden 09.

Well so much for the hope that online play was going to be taken seriously for once. That great looking screenshot from the other day? You’ll never experience it in an online game. Seems unlikely then that even night games will be in then. It would also mean that online franchise (if added this year) would have no weather or night games which would ruin part of that whole experience. Get ready for a bunch of stale ideal weather games yet again if you play online at all.

Granted it seems to be asking a bit much for these necessary options to be added when they haven’t even gotten the game to run lag-free or avoid high rates of disconnects yet. However EA Canada’s recent releases (NBA Live, NHL, FIFA) have brought about vastly improved online performance along with added modes and options. Will depth charts transfer online so people don’t have to set them before every game? Will you be able to choose the stadium that is played in? Will alternate uniforms be selectable? Will unranked games be tracked at all? Will there be any form of co-op play? All seem even more unlikely after hearing that variable weather hasn’t made it in this year. Disappointing to say the least.

Hey, but field goal nets have been added to the game (thankfully) so now that one can be scratched off the easy complaint list.

Tags:

Xtremedunkz

[quote comment="18748"]Announcers and cover athlete announcement are tomorrow. Weather will be online.[/quote]

you REALLY have to stop sounding like you know everything. You are wrong more times than not. Phil said he would talk to the team about any possible way they could get weather online but he isn't promising anything.

Da Birthday Boy

Announcers and cover athlete announcement are tomorrow. Weather will be online.

coogrfan

[quote comment="18688"][quote comment="18570"]

I have no particular desire to play a game that glorifies criminals, but thanks sooooo much for your input.[/quote]

Lol but you support a school for grade fixing:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/...

[quote comment="18573"]EA has it's priorities straight here, imo. Variable weather is a mere extra, online lag is a game killer.

Seriously, would you guys really have been happier with last year's online experience if it had included snow or rain?[/quote]

[quote comment="fillychez aka Phil Frazier @ EA"]
Weather - This is looking awesome this year. I've already asked marketing if we can show what a snow game looks like via screenshot. I hope to be able to release a screenshot of snow games very soon. [/quote]

Seems like weather was a priority for them. And then they release a snow pict. Yep great priority, only to turn around and say:

{quote comment=""]
Weather will not be available online. It’s clear that many of you are interested in this functionality so it’s already on my growing list of features from the community. Honestly, I’d prefer if we solved the online lag issues before we worry about weather. We will be featuring the live weather feed in Madden 09.[/quote]

Now EA's tryna save face...and try to do something with weather online due to the bad reception.[/quote]

1. Are you seriously equating the sort of brutality seen in the GTA games with an alleged textbook selling scandal?

2. To me it sounds to me like Frazier is attempting to be responsive to the wishes of the online community. I fail to see how that can be interpreted as a bad thing.

King

Is there even going to be anything dealing with espn sport center or NFL network in the game like highlights broken records draft prospect league news while you play your franchise half time show any thing of that nature in the new madden i mean if can even get thing like that in your game and its the year 2008 thin your just making a game for the profit not for your fans

Da Birthday Boy

Weather will probably be on, and the broadcast team update

askearl360.blogspot.com

JUDA

i just purchased again nfl 2k5 and i must say that the only thing that the game lacks is next gen graphics. the gameplay and presentation are much better than any football game on the market it has basicly everthing. awesome animations great usage of the espn license. just the overall presentation is great. every next gen madden has nothing on this game except graphics. EA needs to borrow a lot of ideas from this game as a matter of fact they need to fire all those cats at tiburon. in fact shoe t2 some respect offer their share holders some go money by them out and hire their employees to work on the next madden. im pretty sure they will do a much better job than the crap we have been forced to play. 2k sports makes better sims in my opinion. the only reason i buy madden is because 2k is not making football games anymore. EA is letting true football fans that are gamers down they have taken the true art of the game and turned it to an arcade/sim type game. take notes from nfl 2k5 and step ya game up because that is how a football game is made

Such a letdown... again

[quote comment="18570"]

I have no particular desire to play a game that glorifies criminals, but thanks sooooo much for your input.[/quote]

Lol but you support a school for grade fixing:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/...

[quote comment="18573"]EA has it's priorities straight here, imo. Variable weather is a mere extra, online lag is a game killer.

Seriously, would you guys really have been happier with last year's online experience if it had included snow or rain?[/quote]

[quote comment="fillychez aka Phil Frazier @ EA"]
Weather - This is looking awesome this year. I've already asked marketing if we can show what a snow game looks like via screenshot. I hope to be able to release a screenshot of snow games very soon. [/quote]

Seems like weather was a priority for them. And then they release a snow pict. Yep great priority, only to turn around and say:

{quote comment=""]
Weather will not be available online. It’s clear that many of you are interested in this functionality so it’s already on my growing list of features from the community. Honestly, I’d prefer if we solved the online lag issues before we worry about weather. We will be featuring the live weather feed in Madden 09.[/quote]

Now EA's tryna save face...and try to do something with weather online due to the bad reception.

Jonathon

well good news for people looking for anything to whine to EA about...Phil said in his thread...that he is willing to speak to developers about the lack of weather online issue...he said that he cannot make any promises yet...but they are looking into the possibility for this year...

T-Dogg

Madden 09 better be 60 FPS on PS3

cholic

A song by The Who comes to mind here "won't get fooled again"

Reload

Why is it that year after year we are looking towards next year instead of being excited about this year, ea continues to not implement gameplay elements that i remember having not only on madden on the last gen consoles but also in nfl 2k5 if you are the only one who can make an nfl game why not incorporate all of the features in previous games plus new ones when i finally got used to playing madden they change the whole game engine why, especially don't do it if it isn't fined tuned with real madden players playing it before you release it. my biggest issue with madden at the moment is the animations which add variety but less control of the player you are using come on ea. we all could go on forever about what we hate, and this is ridiculous, well guys i guess THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!

Boom

To all of you who say:

"Online games suck anyway" or "I don't want to jump into that pool of cheesers anyway" etc.....

How about those of us who have a friends list full of people we thoroughly enjoy playing online and would much prefer to have online weather effects as well.

I'm currently playing online on the PS2 version and guess what... Night games, Snow games, Rain games.....

Enough is enough already with all the damn excuses that "it can't be done"

coogrfan

[quote comment="18623"][quote comment="18590"]I don't think anyone, not even the folks at EA, would dispute that adding variable weather online would be a good thing. The question is whether implementing it should take development time away from other things (for example, getting the core gameplay to run more or less lag free, online leagues, etc.).

Imo the answer is no. Weather, while important, is less important than core gameplay.[/quote]

This is BS, ILL SAY THIS IN ALL CAPS" EA CAN ADD FREAKING MASCOT GAMES TO NCAA, RELEASE PICTURES OF WEATHER, AND SOMEHOW CANT ADD WEATHER ONLINE AND REFS...................................................

WAIT FOR IT.............

4 YEARS RUNNING ON NEXT GEN.[/quote]

Gosh. If it's in all caps, it must be true...

EA excuses..

[quote comment="18590"]I don't think anyone, not even the folks at EA, would dispute that adding variable weather online would be a good thing. The question is whether implementing it should take development time away from other things (for example, getting the core gameplay to run more or less lag free, online leagues, etc.).

Imo the answer is no. Weather, while important, is less important than core gameplay.[/quote]

This is BS, ILL SAY THIS IN ALL CAPS" EA CAN ADD FREAKING MASCOT GAMES TO NCAA, RELEASE PICTURES OF WEATHER, AND SOMEHOW CANT ADD WEATHER ONLINE AND REFS...................................................

WAIT FOR IT.............

4 YEARS RUNNING ON NEXT GEN.

deltroy

Nice cant wait for saturday

Details

[quote comment="18607"]Is it that EA doesn't care, or is that they think their core group of consumers (the aforementioned cheesers) don't care about things like that?[/quote]

Perhaps. With EA, anything is possible. But since they have the exclusive NFL and ESPN deals, they need to take the game seriously.

If they're cutting corners because they think the cheesers don't care, then shame on them. If consumers had a choice, it would be fine to leave EA to the kids, cheesers, and casual fans, and leave NFL 2K9 to the people who actually want a simulation game. But that choice doesn't exist. (Thanks, NFL. Way to take care of your fans.) And because that choice doesn't exist, EA shouldn't ignore basic features like weather for online games which is entirely possible.

r00tabaga

11. Leodis McKelvin

-or-

...trade down w/PHI or DAL and get Kelly or Hardy (Thomas will be gone by then). I like WR-Earl Bennett alot too, but in later rounds...

coogrfan

[quote comment="18593"][quote comment="18590"]Weather, while important, is less important than core gameplay.[/quote]
I guarantee you there would be no need to discuss presentation, referees, uniforms, or active sidelines. 2K set the bar with NFL 2K5. Ever since, people have been wondering why EA doesn't approach Madden with the same level of detail. It's like they don't care.
[/quote]

Is it that EA doesn't care, or is that they think their core group of consumers (the aforementioned cheesers) don't care about things like that?

Yamabushi

[quote comment="18531"]

Here's what you can expect:

1. Lots o Hype
2. Old features being re-introduced as if they were new
3. Terrible online play
4. Half ass online leagues
5. Garbage franchise mode that will be bug ridden
6. Record Sales of Madden 09
7. Promises about Madden 2010[/quote]

What he said, plus
8. paper thin rationalizations and excuses from the community.

deltroy

I really like james hardy great size devin thomas and mike jenkins if we go cb i have a feeling we might go with a DT what do you think bro

r00tabaga

Circle the wagons baby! You think we're gonna be able to trade down? If not who do you like at 11 bro?

deltroy

Yea the drive from jersey is horrible 8 and half hours but so worth it. 12-4 baby!!!

r00tabaga

I'll be there in my seat on the Bills side, Row 10-12 yd line and drunk baby! Cheapest ticket in the NFL...I pay about $400 a year but live in Rochester so the drive kinda sux a little...

Buffalo Bills -2008 11-5

deltroy

Yo r00tabaga I am actually from South Jersey and been a huge Bills fan since 89 first game I remember watching was the playoff game we lost to the browns, I went to one bills game in Buffalo a few years ago with my wife they lost to the texans but what a great day just to be in that stadium with all that history was unreal and I always go watch them when they play the jets here,and Def going this year gonna hit up the niners game in Buffalo and hopefully the monday night game against the browns go bills baby playoffs here we come!!!!!!

r00tabaga

Agreed...Details you are on a roll!

deltroy

Damn Details couldn't of said it better myself!!!

Details

[quote comment="18590"]Weather, while important, is less important than core gameplay.[/quote]

If NFL 2K9 existed, do you have any doubt whatsoever that it would have variable weather for online play?

I guarantee you there would be no need to discuss presentation, referees, uniforms, or active sidelines. 2K set the bar with NFL 2K5. Ever since, people have been wondering why EA doesn't approach Madden with the same level of detail. It's like they don't care.

We should be discussing innovations, not bemoaning the lack of basic features. Madden 08 was shipped with a bug that caused fumbles that made the game unplayable, so yes, EA needs to figure out gameplay. But they have plenty of resources to oversee multiple facets of the game.

deltroy

LMAO at r00tabaga I so wish there was nfl 2k9 love apf2k8!!!!

r00tabaga

in a perfect world, I would be playing MVP'08 right now and looking forward to NFL2k9......and be married to Keeley Hazell.....ummmmm, yeah sorry about that last part.

coogrfan

I don't think anyone, not even the folks at EA, would dispute that adding variable weather online would be a good thing. The question is whether implementing it should take development time away from other things (for example, getting the core gameplay to run more or less lag free, online leagues, etc.).

Imo the answer is no. Weather, while important, is less important than core gameplay.

Details

Some people are dismissing online play because of the cheesers.

Maybe all of their friends, family members, associates, and online acquaintances are able to come over to their place and play a game in person while sharing a bowl of pretzels, but for a lot of people, everyone in their life is spread out. Online play is an obvious necessity.

How exciting is it to play a game online with the same weather and time conditions over and over? Football is played in inclement weather. You adjust your game plan accordingly.

I suppose this means when you coach against someone online using Head Coach 09, it will always be sunny. Wow. How challenging. The aim should be realism. This is a simulation game. One day when they're modifying the graphics of the throbbing weapon icons and altering the ridiculous boom sound effect of a long pass, EA will realize that. Hopefully. The bar needs to be set higher.

Timothy Daley

[quote comment="18531"]This is not a suprise...Tiburon online programmers suck and should be fired...Plain and simple...I mean 4-5 years into next gen and we are worrying abut online LAG...when we all have optimized HIGH FRICKIN SPEED INTERNET???....Are these fools serious???

Here's what you can expect:

1. Lots o Hype
2. Old features being re-introduced as if they were new
3. Terrible online play
4. Half ass online leagues
5. Garbage franchise mode that will be bug ridden
6. Record Sales of Madden 09
7. Promises about Madden 2010[/quote]

You forgot #8
8. I'm gonna buy the game anyway regardless.

r00tabaga

Pasta, do you think that they'll ever re-instate the 4th down online rule that they used to have in older Maddens? I think that it wasn't allowed until the 4th quarter and it had to be 4th and less than 10 or something...

Xtremedunkz

online sucks anyway. you can't play a game of football you play a game of avoiding nano's and hurry up long bombs all game. i'll stick to franchise with friends thank you.

r00tabaga

No, you're absolutely right Cougar, the majority of Madden players don't really play the game the way real football is supposed to be played. Exploits like Nano's and Rocket catches drown most of the gameplay and they could care less about things that I've mentioned...4vs4 Online multiplayer (unranked)---variable weather,wind,time of day for online matches---different unis available for ONLINE ALSO!!!

coogrfan

[quote comment="18580"][quote comment="18573"]EA has it's priorities straight here, imo. Variable weather is a mere extra, online lag is a game killer.

Seriously, would you guys really have been happier with last year's online experience if it had included snow or rain?[/quote]

Didn't have a major problem w/online last year as many of you did. I usually tried to find an opponent w/a good ping so I didn't have to suffer from lag. And yes weather,wind,time of day,uniforms do matter to most people! It's like being only able to play one map online on COD4...Madden online gets too repetitive after a while especially when I play w/Buffalo in December! Sunny and NO WIND?!!???!! C'mon--------->[/quote]

I have a very hard time believing that the folks who make up the vast majority of the online Madden crowd (i.e. the cheesers) really thinks this is that big a deal. After all, if they were that concerned with realism they wouldn't be cheesers in the first place, would they?

pat

there rele needs to be different weather online i think ea sports needs to stop dissapointing

r00tabaga

[quote comment="18573"]EA has it's priorities straight here, imo. Variable weather is a mere extra, online lag is a game killer.

Seriously, would you guys really have been happier with last year's online experience if it had included snow or rain?[/quote]

Didn't have a major problem w/online last year as many of you did. I usually tried to find an opponent w/a good ping so I didn't have to suffer from lag. And yes weather,wind,time of day,uniforms do matter to most people! It's like being only able to play one map online on COD4...Madden online gets too repetitive after a while especially when I play w/Buffalo in December! Sunny and NO WIND?!!???!! C'mon--------->

Papernut

They have had 3 releases to get the core gameplay right. That is about 5 years worth of work and they are still not done? I am sorry, but this has turned into a joke of a game. People will keep saying these are little things, but each little thing adds up and so far it is adding up to nothing but disappointment for those looking to play a realistic game of football. Due to the recent producer changes and perhaps other moves in the development team, I do not expect to see any changes till the 10 or 11 year releases. I have kept hope alive for all these years that the game will return to its former self, but it is obvious in the route this series has gone.

Smoky Bacon Potato Crisps Prin

[quote comment="18571"][quote comment="18570"][quote comment="18549"]oh and april 28th grand theft auto IV is comin out get a quality game for once.[/quote]

I have no particular desire to play a game that glorifies criminals, but thanks sooooo much for your input.[/quote]

Make sure to stay away from the Cincinnati Bengals then.[/quote]

thank you took the words out of my mouth.

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