The Offline CFM Conspiracy

[Jax696]

I've tried to use rational thinking to explain away the many discrepancies between the Play Now and CFM functions of Madden. The UI and base functions of the game are identical across all modes, yet, simple things like sliders, controller selection and even game presentation features are different.

In Play Now, if you "Super Sim" or simply move your controller to the middle of the controller select screen, you are enabled the ability to view the game as a spectator. Has anyone else noticed that the Play Now version gives considerably more presentation elements than the CFM version? I'm talking more camera angles, more overlays, less coach close-ups, more player close-ups, more stadium shots, more close ups of the QB walking up to the line, etc... You would think that a sports game would want to include the best of its presentation elements in the largest and most played segment of their game (i.e. Franchise). You would think...

The ability to assign the opposing team a custom playbook (in many cases to simply get the CPU to call more than 20 plays) is easily done in Play Now, yet involves a 2 min workaround in order to "trick" the CPU in CFM.

In Play Now, you can change your opponent's uniform by simply sliding your controller over to their side and select their uniform, then slide back to your side and select your own, and voila...easy! In CFM, you would need a 2nd controller in order to once again "trick" the CPU by changing the opponent's uniform and then log off the second controller before starting your game. Just recently, since the v1.03 patch, that has been altered. If you log off with the 2nd controller now, you are forced to leave the start game screen and upon returning you'll find the CPU's uniform has been reset.

Sliders...I won't even go into it.

Bottom line is that I have been, for the life of me, trying to convince myself, over many iterations of Madden, that these are simply oversights, or mis-programmings on the part of the developers. However, seeing as how over time, the CFM user is being given less and less control -- and in the case of presentation, less and less game, simply because they are playing in Franchise Mode, I cannot get this bad taste out of my mouth that it is being done on purpose.

Players like me who use 32 team control in offline CFM are being robbed of the ability to customize and enjoy their game to its fullest capabilities. Is it a mistake that the presentation is trimmed in CFM, but full on in Play Now? Is it a design oversight that the ability to customize uniforms and playbooks for the CPU opponent in CFM is practically non-functional, even though it is functional in Play Now? Is it a development flaw that sliders in Play Now effect the game differently than it does in CFM? Play Now Live isn't even compatible to Offline CFM -- a detail the developers *failed to mention* when touting their excitement about that feature.

I am irritated to keep turning on my Madden 18, throughout the course of my franchise, and finding that I have less functionality today, than I did when I bought it. Blaming bad programming just isn't making sense to me anymore.

What makes more sense to me is that offline CFM is being restricted intentionally.

Whether out of spite, or out of disconcern for its users, it is clear that whatever game changes are being made are either being made to cripple the mode, or enhance another mode at the expense of offline CFM.

Like all good conspiracies, I can only speculate on the endgame, but the when failures & oversights begin to show a pattern, it usually indicates that these things were neither failures nor oversights to begin with.

[edgevoice]

While you bring up solid, sound and valid points, there is no CFM conspiracy. I warned everybody, and was called out for it and that's fine, that Madden 13 was the beginning of the end of franchise mode as we knew it. That's why I played Madden 12 for 5 years straight. They took away a slew of features, especially player editing. Why? Because they didn't want anyone online cheating with ratings so they scrapped it for offline as well, until they figured it out some 5 years later...

CCM, CFM or whatever you want to call it, was never going to be as EA claimed. The offline and online gaming experience are two different animals and both sides deserve all the features and benefits. Once the company realized they could bring in a continued revenue stream with online play and mut, they focused their attention there.

The offline franchise mode player was left in the dust. For me, it's not about features so much as the poor CPU AI play when playing against the computer and the fact that what features we do have, gameplanning, were poorly implemented.

To be fair, while it took me months to figure out just how to work the current gen sliders, I am still enjoying Madden 17. At least they returned player editing and greatly improved zone coverage. It was their best stab at simulation football ever and I give them a great deal of credit for that.

[StefJoeHalt]

[quote=Jax696;2049014205]I've tried to use rational thinking to explain away the many discrepancies between the Play Now and CFM functions of Madden. The UI and base functions of the game are identical across all modes, yet, simple things like sliders, controller selection and even game presentation features are different.

In Play Now, if you "Super Sim" or simply move your controller to the middle of the controller select screen, you are enabled the ability to view the game as a spectator. Has anyone else noticed that the Play Now version gives considerably more presentation elements than the CFM version? I'm talking more camera angles, more overlays, less coach close-ups, more player close-ups, more stadium shots, more close ups of the QB walking up to the line, etc... You would think that a sports game would want to include the best of its presentation elements in the largest and most played segment of their game (i.e. Franchise). You would think...

The ability to assign the opposing team a custom playbook (in many cases to simply get the CPU to call more than 20 plays) is easily done in Play Now, yet involves a 2 min workaround in order to "trick" the CPU in CFM.

In Play Now, you can change your opponent's uniform by simply sliding your controller over to their side and select their uniform, then slide back to your side and select your own, and voila...easy! In CFM, you would need a 2nd controller in order to once again "trick" the CPU by changing the opponent's uniform and then log off the second controller before starting your game. Just recently, since the v1.03 patch, that has been altered. If you log off with the 2nd controller now, you are forced to leave the start game screen and upon returning you'll find the CPU's uniform has been reset.

Sliders...I won't even go into it.

Bottom line is that I have been, for the life of me, trying to convince myself, over many iterations of Madden, that these are simply oversights, or mis-programmings on the part of the developers. However, seeing as how over time, the CFM user is being given less and less control -- and in the case of presentation, less and less game, simply because they are playing in Franchise Mode, I cannot get this bad taste out of my mouth that it is being done on purpose.

Players like me who use 32 team control in offline CFM are being robbed of the ability to customize and enjoy their game to its fullest capabilities. Is it a mistake that the presentation is trimmed in CFM, but full on in Play Now? Is it a design oversight that the ability to customize uniforms and playbooks for the CPU opponent in CFM is practically non-functional, even though it is functional in Play Now? Is it a development flaw that sliders in Play Now effect the game differently than it does in CFM? Play Now Live isn't even compatible to Offline CFM -- a detail the developers *failed to mention* when touting their excitement about that feature.

I am irritated to keep turning on my Madden 18, throughout the course of my franchise, and finding that I have less functionality today, than I did when I bought it. Blaming bad programming just isn't making sense to me anymore.

What makes more sense to me is that offline CFM is being restricted intentionally.

Whether out of spite, or out of disconcern for its users, it is clear that whatever game changes are being made are either being made to cripple the mode, or enhance another mode at the expense of offline CFM.

Like all good conspiracies, I can only speculate on the endgame, but the when failures & oversights begin to show a pattern, it usually indicates that these things were neither failures nor oversights to begin with.[/

Dumb question I asked..was mixing it up with the "new" feature


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[goalieump413]

Conspiracies are typically harder to identify. What you're seeing is progress in other game modes, that's all.

I echo your frustration, but it's no conspiracy.

[Jax696]

Quote: Originally Posted by edgevoice

While you bring up solid, sound and valid points, there is no CFM conspiracy. I warned everybody, and was called out for it and that's fine, that Madden 13 was the beginning of the end of franchise mode as we knew it. That's why I played Madden 12 for 5 years straight. They took away a slew of features, especially player editing. Why? Because they didn't want anyone online cheating with ratings so they scrapped it for offline as well, until they figured it out some 5 years later... CCM, CFM or whatever you want to call it, was never going to be as EA claimed. The offline and online gaming experience are two different animals and both sides deserve all the features and benefits. Once the company realized they could bring in a continued revenue stream with online play and mut, they focused their attention there. The offline franchise mode player was left in the dust. For me, it's not about features so much as the poor CPU AI play when playing against the computer and the fact that what features we do have, gameplanning, were poorly implemented. To be fair, while it took me months to figure out just how to work the current gen sliders, I am still enjoying Madden 17. At least they returned player editing and greatly improved zone coverage. It was their best stab at simulation football ever and I give them a great deal of credit for that.

I agree that Madden 12 was the last great Franchise Mode for this game. I, too, enjoyed it thoroughly for many seasons until I upgraded to the current gen consoles. I just can't, for the life of me, understand how the game is being altered currently, as we play it, in a way that continues to take away from what little control we already have in CFM, and keep coming to the conclusion that it is being done by accident. Ignoring the mode is one thing, continuously taking away from it is something entirely different.

[tarek]

A poor offline CFM is the main reason why I still play head coach 09, because that is my benchmark for what an offline franchise mode should be like. I think the current madden looks amazing, and is a brilliant game, but agree that the offline franchise gamer is being ignored more and more.

[teeteegardner]

ofcourse they have "scrapped" CFM for other modes intentionally..thats staring us right in the face bright and clear. CFM was based around being a HC , hell even owner mode wasn't in the 1st installmetns if you can remember. I still cant believe how bad past maddens were ... Remember Looman...he reworked franchise, but that didn't even work out to well.. I think they haven't had any visions or effort since him...The XP thing is about the only thing that's been new in about 6 years.

[edgevoice]

Quote: Originally Posted by tarek

A poor offline CFM is the main reason why I still play head coach 09, because that is my benchmark for what an offline franchise mode should be like. I think the current madden looks amazing, and is a brilliant game, but agree that the offline franchise gamer is being ignored more and more.

I would love it if they came out with a playable version based off of Head Coach. However, unless EA really gets serious about CPU gameplay, implementing a full set of sliders like we had previously and continuing to clean up legacy issues, the end result will still have that hollow feel to it.