QUESTIONS FOR EA AS REQUESTED-noflaming, just direct questions/issues please

[roots3003]

This thread is for the mods to forward to EA/Ian as they requested. Please only ask direct questions.

[sois]

1. Can you remove the rating floors for the OL? I want to feel the effect of using terrible OL. Eliminating the floor makes the good OL more valuable if you are hurting when you use terrible ones. See: Packers 2nd and 3rd string OL vs Jared Allen.

2. Why are there motion shifts in the game? Is that programmed on purpose to make the game more high scoring/user friendly? For example, why does the WR accelerate unnaturally to a ball? An incomplete pass would be fine IMO instead of those unrealistic shifts. Can they be removed as well?

3. Will (minimum) 80 man rosters be in M11? This would be helpful for offseason/preseason activities (cut down days, preseason games, team scrimmages). If not, when is the target to add this?

4. Can you return to multiple point progression? Once a year is not a good model. What other models are you considering? What are your thoughts on performance vs potential? It seems you have emphasized a franchise is "our game and we can do what we want with it". Performance based potential would be the way to go.

[roots3003]

I think this is what Ian was looking for and I hadn't seen anyone start the thread yet, so here we go.

1) What is the scoop on the ratings? Do they matter? How do they work?
Ratings and The Easter Bunny This thread has similar questions about the ratings, a very good thread(for the most part).

2) I think there is a problem with the dive button, as far as how dives look and work this year. Is Diving also messed up?
Is there any plans to rework the dive for next year?

3) Can you guys turn down interceptions? It seems like I get way too many and also throw too many. IMO, there should be more pass deflections, alot more. I also think there should be more random overthrows and underthrows. Most of my games on All-Pro have me and the cpu completing a very high percentage of passes, and when that one pass comes that should be an incomplete, it almost always turns into a INT.

3) Ian- Thanks alot for not giving up these forums. I'm new here and it's really cool to be able to interact with you guys, it definitly increase your companies credibility. Just so I don't sound all negative, I do think Ian and Co. are going in the right direction this year, just alot of stuff to clean up from the past. Wouldn't you agree(had to make this a question)? ;P

[JayD]

**Tune offline franchise weather, I was playing with Green Bay and year one. 15 Sunny days and 1 partly cloudy day. Year 2 14 Sunny days and 2 rain games. One in December in Green Bay. Think you guys could tune this a bit.

[roots3003]

1) This could also be weather related...Can you guys make the uniforms get dirtier and have more grass stains? It's hard to tell this year if the uniforms are dirty.

2) This may have already been answered but a direct answer from IC himself would clear it up...Is the "lame duck" animation going to be toned downed dramatically? I think that has alot to do with the QB being able to release the ball on plays where he should be sacked, which is another issue I see.

[miamimarlins1]

1-Is there anyway we can get a fix to increase sacks
2-Field degradation and uniforms getting dirty seems to be non-existent
3-I haven't seen the animation of the trainer come on the field since the patch, has this been accidently removed
4-The stats overlays since the patch got all messed up, ie every team seems to now only show the Bengals history stats

[bigdfan76]

Along the same line as some people have said but it would be great if you could make the 3-4 effective. i think it would be great to have the theme next year to be pressure. Basically O-line vs D-line(or OLBs in a 3-4) I could see it now... Some one like D-Ware, D. Freeney or J. Peppers on the cover vs W. Jones, J. Long or J. Peters. I know O-line players are not very well known or as marketable but the importance of a good LT or O-line is almost comepletely lost in Madden. We've all seen the great pass rush vs the punter/k/Qb O-line video. Horrible.

[nylawyer]

1. CPU AI - can you tighten up the 2 minute drill....CPU calls TO's properly, kneels when it needs, no hurried playcalling when up big, when down big sould throw deep balls etc.

2. I have noticed especially with the Saints that the CPU will punt even on the opponent's 25 yard line. Can you make a hard and fast rule that unless in the 4th quarter and needing multiple scores that the CPU will always attempt say a FG when it can kick a 48 yard FG and less. I have never seen in the NFL a team punt when on the opp. 25.

3. When faced with an opportunity to pin the opponent deep, say punting on the 45 or 50 yard line, the CPU will often times punt it out of the end zone...can the CPU coffin kick? Football is all about field position and giving up those yards lead to more scoring

4. CPU seems to throw heavily to the slot receiver...big play receivers seem to get lost in overall stats.

5. Can the CPU be tweaked to throw the deep ball a bit more?

6. It seems that outside of Manning, Brady and Brees, the CPU QB's do not audible or adjust the calls or on defense the CPU does not react to a 4 wide set when in the 3-4 leaving slots sometimes wide open. Does the CPU adjust plays at scrimmage?

7. Post patch it seems that the information overlays only refer to the Bears.

8. CPU seems to call a lot of pass plays inside the 5 yard line or on 3rd and 1.

9. I think you know the issues with no replays on TD's.

Thanks.

[ridemooses]

Will you please play one game on a difficulty above All-Pro and notice all the things the CPU "gets" to beat you (a massive turnover differential and absolutely amazing QB play despite who it is)?

Will you please just play one game against a computer and notice that this game has so many little flaws that seem fixable, and FIX THEM?
E.g. suction blocking, horrible O-line/D-line interactions, 3-4 mechanics, overall awareness of players.

Not asking for much...

[ymd]

Before I write the questions. I would like an actual explanation, not a ''this will be patched" or "we didn't have time to fix it" for each question. Please don't ignore the matters at hand.

1. Where are the team specific chants that you stated would be in this game?

2. Why aren't pursuit angles fixed?

3. Why aren't the flats issue fixed?

4. Why are career/franchise stats ridiculously messed up? (Examples: ALL of the kickers have no XP made in 2008, this messes up the career percentage. Tackle stats are messed up. Half-sacks which you hyped up are not in user games.)

5. Why aren't double-teams implamented correctly in this game? This renders the 3-4 defense to be absolutely useless.

6. Why does the AI CPU run routes BEFORE the WR does?

7. Why does the AI CPU WR/CBs still have eyes in the back of their head?

8. Why am I still seeing cornerbacks trucking DT's after an INT?

9. Why doesn't weight mean anything in this game?

10. Why are kickoffs so damn easy post-patch?

11. Why don't ratings mean anything? (See earlier post about ratings/easter bunny topic.) Examples: Kickers playing LT and pancaking Vince Wilfork.

12. Why does the ball go through players hands/helmets/body/ect.?

13. Why do the linebackers/D-lineman ALWAYS look for blockers compared to going after the QB? (Example: Terrell Suggs will have a free shot at the QB but will to the side to get blocked by the center).

14. Why does the CPU AI O-line simply cheat? Left tackles NEVER EVER run to the side of the Right tackle to block a cornerback blitz. This renders overload blitzes useless.

15. How do so many bugs/glitches get sent out? Are you saying your team never simmed a season and noticed the lack of rushing TD's/OLB sacks/ridiculous amount of MLB tackles? Or that tackles aren't added correctly? These are things that EVERYBODY has seen, besides obviously your team.

16. Why is there a lack of interaction in the forums? I personally don't buy that you're more busy AFTER the game has launched that you can't come to the forums for 20 mins to answer questions, compared to being on the forums for hours and hyping up the game DURING the game cycle.