Well it has been a while since we last posted a blog, but we've been looking into more effective ways to run the blog site and get your feedback. For now we are going to be using the EA Forums for comments, so if you want to ask questions or comment on a blog, just go to EA.com and register (if you haven't already). At the end of every blog we will link you directly to the forum thread.
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, last year I personally spent the majority of my time working on the PS2/Xbox versions of Madden. This year I am going to be focused almost entirely on Xbox360/PS3, or what I guess we can officially call the new "Current Gen." But then again you all know how I feel about that term! So hopefully you are all enjoying Madden 2008...
So now let's get down to business! I've noticed a lot of speculation about a "patch" on community forums, so I wanted to clear things up and provide some insight into the patch process. As much as I wish this wasn't true, a patch isn't something that can be instantaneously released. In my dream world, I could come to work, complain about something to a programmer, they'd fix it, and then release the patch live that day! Unfortunately the patch process is not quite that simple and it involves a lot of work and testing before it can be released. Not to mention it has to be approved by numerous entities before it can be put up on a live server for mass download.
The types of things we patch can also be a tricky process as well. The first thing I learned working on Madden is that the best way to create new problems is to fix the old ones! For our game to be as realistic as it is, we rely on complex systems and a huge code base that we continue to develop on year after year. It is really incredible the way that things come together to bring you the gaming experience that you see on your screen, but remember behind the scenes our code is hard at work! When we decide what exactly to patch, we have to weigh the risks and make sure that we only focus on core issues. In some cases we can fix smaller things because they have very little risk, but in most cases we have to concentrate on core issues and make sure that we account for any systems that interact with the changes we are making. We take into account community feedback, customer service hotline data, and even our own personal impressions of the game- but in the end the feasibility and risk of each fix or change is what dictates whether or not something gets patched. Anything that we deem too risky gets logged and we fix it for the following year.
That being said, we are planning on releasing a patch here in the next couple weeks. It is impossible for us to give an exact date because our goal is to push it out ASAP. This means that once we get the approvals and check-offs that we need and then it can go out immediately. In my opinion it wouldn't be good service for us to post an official date and then withhold the patch just for the sake of meeting that date- we want you to get it as soon as possible!
I've rattled on long enough, but hopefully I have provided a little insight into our decision making process and the patch process in general. Here is a list of the fixes that you will see in the upcoming patch:
Fumble Fix - Reduced fumble chances in certain situations. This has been tested thoroughly and we feel that people will be happy with a more realistic (and more fun!) number of fumbles. This was priority number 1 for us.
DB Reactions- changes to the way that DBs play man coverage. Defenders in man coverage won't be able to react to passes that they cannot see. This should make it easier to throw against man coverage.
Favre "Moonwalk"- I love the names that you guys come up with for issues such as this one. You can rest assured that you won't see Farve (or any QB) dancing toward the sideline anymore.
Hook Zone Flip Bug- I saw a post on a community forum talking about this bug and it turns out the fix was very minimal risk. You can now flip plays with hook zones without the players leaving their zones.
Franchise - Fixed NCAA import issue where players would turn 26
Franchise - Fixed bug where HOF Unlocked players cannot be released in Franchise.
We're interested in any feedback you have on this update, so please visit this thread on our official forums to let us know what you think.