06-12-2007, 12:07 PM
Madden NFL 08
Ive never been a big Madden fan based on the fact i don't like rugby. But this time round I have to give this game a try. It sounds to good to miss
Ive never been a big Madden fan based on the fact i don't like rugby. But this time round I have to give this game a try. It sounds to good to miss
Quote:
IGN Wii: Madden 07 was one of the highest reviewed (and most-selling) titles during the Wii launch. How has that changed or strengthened future EA/Wii support, and what have you learned from the first release?
Damian Zerr: Madden 07 Wii proved that when done well EA Sports titles translate extremely well to Nintendo's innovative new console. Gesture based gameplay really opens the game up to a whole new playing experience and Madden 07 Wii was an example of introducing a fresh new way of playing a classic franchise. We learned that getting back to the basics and delivering a simple control experience is key for a Wii product's success.
Our focus on the control side of things this year was to continue to refine the controls, make them easier to perform, easier to remember and provide instant feedback to the player when they succeed or fail during gameplay. EA is very excited about the possibilities of the Wii and you can look forward to a strong showing this year with great EA SPORTS titles like Madden, FIFA and NBA as well as others hitting the streets.
IGN Wii: As far as general gameplay goes for all consoles, how is Madden 08 different from its predecessor?
Damian: Madden 08 Wii includes many new features and some exclusive to the Wii version only. For starters, the Wii version will include the franchise's Read and React Player Weapon system. Basically, during gameplay you can manually display and see where your impact superstars are and where best to exploit mismatches on the field. These players are marked with Player Weapon Icons to illustrate their strengths. For example, star QBs can be classified as a Precision Passer, a Scrambler or having a Cannon Arm; the highest honor is that of the Franchise QB.
The graphics in 08 look even better than they did before.The Wii version will also offer a number of exciting exclusive features. One of those is our brand new Party Mode. We built this mode for those times when you have friends over and you want instant multiplayer action. We worked closely with our friends at Nintendo and have included full support to attach your own custom Mii to track your overall progress in the mode.
When first entering the Party Mode you have three distinct games areas: Play Now, Mini-Games and Trivia. All areas fully support four-player action. Once each player creates a profile with their Mii, it's off to gameplay where you can compete in 22 mini-games, a Trivia mode which will test your NFL knowledge or traditional Madden fans' favorite exhibition action. Each time you win or lose at party games it will raise or lower your Party Rating. The sheer number of multiplayer mini-games offered this year is staggering to say the least.
On the gameplay side you will see a number of those fun gestures return. We wanted to keep the controls fun and easy to remember so we remapped a lot of the difficult two handed gestures to simpler actions. The result has made the game a lot more responsive and fun to play.
Humiliate your friends in Telestrator -- draw on-screen with the Wii remote Madden style and show your buddies how you obliterated them.IGN Wii: Dealing with the Wii development specifically, what were "must-change" or "high importance" areas when creating Madden 08?
Damian: Top priority for us was a combination of refined gesture controls and our new modes like Party Mode and Online Play. On the control side of things we're also trying something very new to Wii sports games, but we'll have to talk about this in our next interview. We're not ready to let everything out of the bag quite yet.
IGN Wii: Are there any specific gameplay changes from running, passing, kicking, or play management?
Damian: We've done some tweaking in all areas of gameplay to make things easier to pull off. To Kick or Punt the ball now you simply hold the A button down and swing the Wii Remote up to generate power. This gives the user enough time to properly aim their kick before generating power. On the running side we've simplified the Power Move command to barrel through oncoming defenders. This year you just push the Wii Remote forward. These changes are just the tip of the iceberg, which together help make the game easier to play and more enjoyable.
IGN Wii: The previous game made great use of controller motion for stiff-arms, jukes, and catching or deflecting passes. Have any more of these motions been added for 08? How is the controller being used this time around?
Damian: A lot of those great gestures are back along with some new ones. One of the new additions we're particularly proud of is our new gesture based Audible system. This year we've put your Audible controls on the nunchuk. All you need to do is swing the nunchuk in one of four directions to call an Audible on the fly before the snap. These additions make the pre-snap game that much more interactive, just like in real life. If you don't like what you see on the defensive side of the ball in Madden 08 Wii, make the motion on your nunchuk and watch your team adjust.
Damian Zerr: Madden 07 Wii proved that when done well EA Sports titles translate extremely well to Nintendo's innovative new console. Gesture based gameplay really opens the game up to a whole new playing experience and Madden 07 Wii was an example of introducing a fresh new way of playing a classic franchise. We learned that getting back to the basics and delivering a simple control experience is key for a Wii product's success.
Our focus on the control side of things this year was to continue to refine the controls, make them easier to perform, easier to remember and provide instant feedback to the player when they succeed or fail during gameplay. EA is very excited about the possibilities of the Wii and you can look forward to a strong showing this year with great EA SPORTS titles like Madden, FIFA and NBA as well as others hitting the streets.
IGN Wii: As far as general gameplay goes for all consoles, how is Madden 08 different from its predecessor?
Damian: Madden 08 Wii includes many new features and some exclusive to the Wii version only. For starters, the Wii version will include the franchise's Read and React Player Weapon system. Basically, during gameplay you can manually display and see where your impact superstars are and where best to exploit mismatches on the field. These players are marked with Player Weapon Icons to illustrate their strengths. For example, star QBs can be classified as a Precision Passer, a Scrambler or having a Cannon Arm; the highest honor is that of the Franchise QB.
The graphics in 08 look even better than they did before.The Wii version will also offer a number of exciting exclusive features. One of those is our brand new Party Mode. We built this mode for those times when you have friends over and you want instant multiplayer action. We worked closely with our friends at Nintendo and have included full support to attach your own custom Mii to track your overall progress in the mode.
When first entering the Party Mode you have three distinct games areas: Play Now, Mini-Games and Trivia. All areas fully support four-player action. Once each player creates a profile with their Mii, it's off to gameplay where you can compete in 22 mini-games, a Trivia mode which will test your NFL knowledge or traditional Madden fans' favorite exhibition action. Each time you win or lose at party games it will raise or lower your Party Rating. The sheer number of multiplayer mini-games offered this year is staggering to say the least.
On the gameplay side you will see a number of those fun gestures return. We wanted to keep the controls fun and easy to remember so we remapped a lot of the difficult two handed gestures to simpler actions. The result has made the game a lot more responsive and fun to play.
Humiliate your friends in Telestrator -- draw on-screen with the Wii remote Madden style and show your buddies how you obliterated them.IGN Wii: Dealing with the Wii development specifically, what were "must-change" or "high importance" areas when creating Madden 08?
Damian: Top priority for us was a combination of refined gesture controls and our new modes like Party Mode and Online Play. On the control side of things we're also trying something very new to Wii sports games, but we'll have to talk about this in our next interview. We're not ready to let everything out of the bag quite yet.
IGN Wii: Are there any specific gameplay changes from running, passing, kicking, or play management?
Damian: We've done some tweaking in all areas of gameplay to make things easier to pull off. To Kick or Punt the ball now you simply hold the A button down and swing the Wii Remote up to generate power. This gives the user enough time to properly aim their kick before generating power. On the running side we've simplified the Power Move command to barrel through oncoming defenders. This year you just push the Wii Remote forward. These changes are just the tip of the iceberg, which together help make the game easier to play and more enjoyable.
IGN Wii: The previous game made great use of controller motion for stiff-arms, jukes, and catching or deflecting passes. Have any more of these motions been added for 08? How is the controller being used this time around?
Damian: A lot of those great gestures are back along with some new ones. One of the new additions we're particularly proud of is our new gesture based Audible system. This year we've put your Audible controls on the nunchuk. All you need to do is swing the nunchuk in one of four directions to call an Audible on the fly before the snap. These additions make the pre-snap game that much more interactive, just like in real life. If you don't like what you see on the defensive side of the ball in Madden 08 Wii, make the motion on your nunchuk and watch your team adjust.
This is the first half of the interview.
Full Interview Here
I insist you read the full interview! This game is going to kick some butt.
