Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

[Steve_OS]

The big news coming out of the OS Forums and Madden Mania over the past few days has been the presence of Madden 09 Producers answering member questions directly. Patrick Williams talks about this in his latest articled entitled, "Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums".

"These past few weeks and months EA Sports has taken a new approach when it comes to dealing with its customers though, one that is probably long overdue, but still very viable. On top of answering questions on the EA Sports forums, certain individuals like Lead Gameplay Designer (for Madden) Ian Cummings, among others, have been visiting the Operation Sports and Madden Mania forums answering questions and passing along feedback from registered members about Madden '09."

[auburntigersfan]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

it is great that they are doing this, at the very least to show that they listen to what we say

[stewaat]

A better way to get this done in the future is to have a separate thread in the forum where only certain, chosen particpants could go and throw ideas with producers/devs. This would eliminate the clutter of the message boards and these people could summarize everything that goes on in these private forums.

The selected few could serve as messengers back and forth so the producers/devs don't have to sort through all the "nonsense".

[stewaat]

Wow that was poorly written but I hope most of you understand what I was trying to say.

Producers ---- Forum leaders ---- OS community

Forum leaders = middlemen to increase efficiency.

[bigwill33]

Yes stewaat, the mods are trying to do their best to keep only relative threads around for the producers to see. We like giving everyone the chance to sound off though and bring forth their ideas or mistakes that nag the series. After the posts are made we try to go back through and just add them to a list compiled where the producer knows to check. He then can pass along that information to the correct department in the company.

[Fu Man Ching]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

Lets just hope it continues. I hate to say it like that. I just think it is messed up the way they did not make a lot of these changes earlier. Why didn't the communication start earlier?

The last three Madden's were garbage on next gen. They should make up for it by selling the 20th anniversary game cheaper and with head coach but no. They sell a bundle for more money.

I appreciate and respect the way that Ian is doing his job. He seems like he cares and is a funny dude.But, where are the guys that work on the other sides of the game ? If they are busy get them a secretary that searches sites for suggestions. It isn't that hard to figure out that the people that been buying your game since day one are the people you should listen to. This should of been going on a while ago.

[yamabushi]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

I for one really appreciate hearing from Ian and knowing that someone at EA cares and is trying to improve things for the players and not just the stockholders.
But I do get the feeling that when Peter Moore came on, the meeting with the sales slumping Madden team went something like a scene out of 'Glengarry Glen Ross'.

[labguy]

I appreciate what Ian is doing as well. I wish some of his co-workers would do the same. It is a shame however that the communication started so late in the development cycle. Not like we have much time to influence anything but some minor tweaks at this point. I am kind of torn between deciding if his concern is legitimate or if it is a "hey we made decent strides this year with the game...stick with us we care" type of PR campaign.

[stewaat]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

Yes stewaat, the mods are trying to do their best to keep only relative threads around for the producers to see. We like giving everyone the chance to sound off though and bring forth their ideas or mistakes that nag the series. After the posts are made we try to go back through and just add them to a list compiled where the producer knows to check. He then can pass along that information to the correct department in the company.

Let me first say it wasn't a shot at mods by any means (not saying you said it was but just want to make it clear).

I just think a private section of the forums for dev/community feedback would be very efficient and that way you wouldn't "scare off" anyone with threads littered with unnecessary posts.

In my opinion a list can't achieve nearly as much as consistent interaction and feedback.

*Also want to note I'm not trying to say I need to be one of the people if this were to ever happen.*

[stiffarmleft]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

I appreciate what Ian is doing as well. I wish some of his co-workers would do the same. It is a shame however that the communication started so late in the development cycle. Not like we have much time to influence anything but some minor tweaks at this point. I am kind of torn between deciding if his concern is legitimate or if it is a "hey we made decent strides this year with the game...stick with us we care" type of PR campaign.

That's my fear, that this is just an elaborate marketing campaign, kinda like a stripper being nice to you to get that dollar, I've grown very cynical in my old age.

[Dudd]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

That's my fear, that this is just an elaborate marketing campaign, kinda like a stripper being nice to you to get that dollar, I've grown very cynical in my old age.

It's not like anything that is being said on these forums should come as a great surprise to the devs. All they have to do is watch a real football game and then play a game of Madden and they'll know what needs fixing. If he sticks around past August, great, but I for one don't think that the guys working at EA are dumb enough that any of what they're hearing is news to them. It has to be a systemic issue that comes with the territory of pumping out a new game each year, and they must simply not have the resources at their disposal to completely overhaul the game, which is really what needs to be done. So, the next best step to actually improving the game is to talk about improving the game, and that's what I think this is, just another way of marketing a product.

[ODogg]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

That's my fear, that this is just an elaborate marketing campaign, kinda like a stripper being nice to you to get that dollar, I've grown very cynical in my old age.

Well it could be but Ian must be a master at manipulation because he really seems to believe what he is saying.

[Phobia]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

I like Ian from what I know of him. But I am real interested if this line of communication with the community will continue throughout say another year are more OR when madden 09 drops will Ian and Simon disappear???

I hope they are not trying to play us like fools. I think that could turn around and back fire even worse for them if that is the case. If they tried to "sell" us a bunch of bull and the community finds out about it. That would hurt their sales and give them a even worse image as the big bully on the block with all the money to push company's around.

So hopfully both Ian and Simon are stand up guys and their word is true and we will see more of them!!!

[DC]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

They see the greatness of NBA 2K and how successful that series is because of feedback

[jfsolo]

Re: Feedback Being Heard Firsthand in the Forums

I appreciate what Ian is doing as well. I wish some of his co-workers would do the same. It is a shame however that the communication started so late in the development cycle. Not like we have much time to influence anything but some minor tweaks at this point. I am kind of torn between deciding if his concern is legitimate or if it is a "hey we made decent strides this year with the game...stick with us we care" type of PR campaign.

Realistically we really won't be able to make a fair analysis of the dialogue that is taking place now until we start seeing the feature list and vids for Madden 2010. If we see many, or even some, of the big ticket items that are being discussed now implemented in next year's game then we can say that this was a very positive experience.

Ian has put himself in somewhat a bind though, not in any real sense of course, but within the limited context of "message board credibility" If he doesn't get the green light from his superiors, then regardless of what gets talked about here we won't see the sweeping changes that we all desire so intently.

He can't come out directly and say, "Bob Smith mandated that Vision Cone 2.0 be our top priority, so the OL/DL interaction didn't get the development time it needed", so he he'll have to make a diplomatic statement about not being able to tune it to the level that they want it to be, and be excoriated on the boards as a liar for his troubles.

Too many message boards participants tend to lose perspective when looking at various issues.