Around the Hawk: Jerhawk's Wish List for Madden '10

Ever since the Xbox 360 has been released, Madden has been available for the system from way back to when Madden 06 was a launch title, to Madden 09 this year. Now that the release of Madden '10 is right around the corner (August), wanted to give my wishlist on what I hope Madden '10 will bring this time around and what Madden has been lacking since it's debut on the 360.

1.) Online Franchise- This feature would add so much replay value to this game I feel. I can't see why Madden '10 can't simply take NCAA's idea of the Online Dynasty (which was great), and take the Franchise mode of Madden to online. Could you imagine the fun of taking your team of choice from it's current state, and try to adjust the team to your liking through Free Agency, the NFL Draft, and more complex user trades? That would just be amazing! And even if your team doesn't win the championship every year, you could still compare the financial success of your team to that of the other online team owners. The commissioner of these Online Franchises should also be able to have an option to create a fantasy draft at the start of the league if the other team owner's agreed to this.

2.) Online Quitters- Ok this one should be easy enough. Once your opponent quits the game through the menu in an online game, you should be awarded the automatic win without having to play the CPU. I'm not sure why we have to play the CPU.

3.) Madden Reel - I love how Tiger Woods '09 and Skate 2 has the ability to view other user's photos and videos on the game itself without having to go to EA's websites. I think that would be genious to incorporate these other game's online media ideas into Madden '10. It would also be cool to create a user highlight reel, something that would be a lot easier to use than WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 09, but the same idea in hand. It would be great to take like 20 of your saved highlights and clip them together the way you want with your own camera angles, video effects, highlight speed and possibly some background music from the game's soundtrack. Will EA do this? Probably not.

4.) The Mark of a Cheater- Just a little idea here. When you're about to play somebody in an online game of Madden, wouldn't it be great to view their "My Career" with a push of a button in the pre-game team select screen, and see how many people have them marked as a "cheeser" or "cheater." This way, if somebody has a ridiculously high amount of "Cheeser Marks", you will make sure to not play this user player.

5.) Fix the Online Disconnects - Please EA. Fix the online disconnects. PLEASE!!

6.) 2 vs. 2 - This could have a seperate record so it won't effect your official rank or skill level, but that would be pretty tight to have 2 on 2 games. Maybe 7 on 7, since nobody would want to just be o-line in the game. But then again, the game seems to have enough trouble supporting 1 on 1, the lag would be out of hand for that many. But imagine you and a friend trying to work together rather against two other people. I have a feeling that if me and Deus Legend were to combine strategies, we would be almost unstoppable. But there's no way to judge that without actually putting it in motion.

7.) Jump Ball Battles - Since a jump ball battle occured in Super Bowl XLIII with Larry Fitzgerald, some type of jump ball effect in the game would be great. Maybe have some seperate camera angle come up in the corner of the endzone where you have to try and perfectly time your jump, and the defender will have the same thing going on where they're trying to win the jump ball battle as well by trying to time their jump to swat the ball away. This would add a lot more strategy in goaline situations rather than just QB sneaking it in there every time (something else that needs to be addressed).

8.) RPG SuperStar Mode - I like the SuperStar mode's idea, but the mode itself is rather lame. It could be great if it had somewhat of an RPG feel to it where you get to decide everything your SuperStar does. Such as deciding his workout regiment, his diet, who he hangs out with so he doesn't turn out like Pacman Jones, and the way he acts on the team (such as Team Leader, distraction, etc).

9.) User Stadium Music - NCAA '09 already had this idea of using your own soundtrack from your hardrive and using it in the stadium.

10.) Bring back John Madden! - I love John Madden, and since the game is named after him, why not have him back? But with the announcers, it should be where there's more than one announcing crew. Why not have a CBS crew, a FOX crew, the ESPN crew, NFL Network and NBC crews? Yeah, it would take a lot for EA to pull this one off, but that would really add to the replay value of the game so you just don't hear Chris Collinsworth telling you what you should've done and what he would've done.

11.) Progressive Lighting - For both offline and online, progressive lighting should be brought back (when it goes from day to night during the course of the game). Also, the weather should change throughout the game instead of it just snowing/raining throughout the entire course of the game, why not have it stop and start periodically throughout the game sometimes.

Added by Deus Legend

12.)  Stadium Updates - Update the stadiums. Most of the stadiums in the game are the same as there were in Madden 06. A lot of stadiums have added some features or changed from grass to field turf like New England. I know for example the Georgia Dome a renovation that changed the exterior paint, the seat colors, and more.

13.) Dynamic Crowds - Make the crowd react to certain situations on the field, like they should get louder on 3rd downs, after touchdowns, etc. It sounds like a ghost town during the game some times. And actually make the crowd affect the players on the field like in the current gen NCAA Football games were it had the home field advantage stuff like the stadium rocking and players missing hot routes and audibles.

Added by Sam Frankel

14. AGGRESSIVE AI: In a real game, if you have a 4th and 1 your opponents 10, you're going to strongly consider going for it. The AI never does this. It would be much more realistic if it did.

15. MAN COVERAGE: Nnamdi Asomugha gets beat too often on simple routes. Man coverage in general is a joke. I'm not saying every corner in the game should undercut every quick slant, but when you have a corner with 99 man coverage and 98 press coverage, he should actual hold people to only a few catches a game.

16. PENALTIES: In general, penalties are just a lucky break for your opponent. The only penalties that should be in the game are USER CONTROLLED. That was it actually ends up being a mistake other than a stupid, unlucky holding that takes away a 90 yard run. This would make it less realistic, unfortunately, but it wouldn't really harm gameplay.

17. ANNOUNCERS: Too often I hear "this guy" or "that guy" or "this running back" or "wide receiver." Announcers should use player names, at least for the stars. Also, there are too many times that the announcers are just flat wrong. All too often I hear a scrambling quarterback called a running back or a tight end called a wide receiver.

18. REALISTIC PROGRESSION: In franchises, too many people's speeds goes up. which never happens in real life. After having several pro bowl seasons, your 86 overall linebacker is going to increase in overall. Antonio Cromartie's overall is not going to decrease after a 5 interception season. If Randy Moss has an 800 yard season where he is frequently injured, his injury should go down. The only progressions now are improvements in season performances. It shouldn't take a 2000 yard receiving year to increase from an 98 to a 99. Consistently putting up 1300, 1400, and 1500 yards seasons should be enough.

19: REFEREES: They don't necessarily have to be solid figures (so players don't run into them), but refs can't be seen anywhere. Make them appear on the field more.

20: PLAYER EMOTIONS: Your players on the sidelines aren't going to just sit there and grunt after a 70 yard touchdown bomb. They're going to get excited. Likewise for blowing the game with a last second fumble or interception.

21: CELEBRATIONS: People get up and celebrate after almost every play, and it's unrealistic and annoying. Also, more individualized touchdown dances (like Chad Johnson doing the river dance) could be added.

While Madden has made massive improvements through the years, there is still much room for improvement for the game. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment.