Madden ’07 executive producer talks about the next iteration of a legendary franchise
By Michael Lafferty

“We have ourselves as competition and the gaming community makes sure to push us pretty hard as well”

It is one of the most famous video-game franchises of all time. The name on the package is widely recognized. All one has to do is say Madden and anyone who has been near any kind of video-game hardware will immediately know what you are talking about.

Now entering its 17^th season, the developers have done anything but rest on their laurels but instead are forging forward with some exciting new gameplay elements that build on the theme set by the precision passing of the 2006 edition.

The title is slated to ship on current-gen consoles, handhelds, next-gen consoles and the PC later in August, just in time for the next NFL season. But what exactly is in store for the football fans who flock each year to get the next iteration of the franchise?

Dale Jackson, executive producer of Madden NFL 07, took time to talk to GameZone.com about the next installment in the legendary franchise.

Question: The most venerated video-game football franchise is entering a new season with new challenges. Before getting to other aspects, what are the key gameplay elements we can expect to see in this year's edition of Madden Football?

Dale: In Madden NFL 07 you can expect to see the deepest, most immersive, and most authentic experience in the franchise's 17-year history.

We have spent a lot of time this year working with the gameplay to improve all aspects. The biggest changes have come to the running game where you will see much more individuality in the different backs in the league including specific control with the highlight stick so that small backs and power backs react appropriately. We have also added lead blocking control, where you can take control of any offensive player at the line and try to make the key blocks that will either gain you a few extra yards, or free you back to run to daylight. These additions will definitely improve the running game by adding realism and more ways to be in control of the game and add additional ways to best your opponent. 

In addition to that, we have taken NFL Superstar to the next level with NFL Superstar: Hall of Fame mode. This mode challenges you to create a player and become a superstar worthy of induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This includes a completely new on-field experience where you will play only as the position you created from new cameras specifically made for each position. So on defense, you will be looking up field at the offense and trying to make the big play. You can always choose the option to play the whole team (as normal) when your player isn't on the field, or choose to watch the rest of the game in fast forward. This will give gamers a completely new way to experience Madden gameplay, and will offer loads of replay ability as you try out the different positions.

We have also added a mini-camp environment where you run skill drills to set the attributes of your created player. You can also use these skill drills to rehabilitate injured players in your franchise mode, but be careful, if you push them too hard, you might lengthen their injury rather than shortening it. This environment also includes a bunch of drills that will help you brush up your skills and give you an edge over your competitors.

Another new feature is the Madden Gamer Level. Through this feature, you will be able to track your accomplishment through all areas of the game, both on-line and off-line and in all game modes. You will be awarded points for your accomplishments, which will translate into your Madden Gamer Level. This will allow you and other players to see exactly where you are as a Madden gamer.

We have also added what we are calling "Live Opponent." This is a way for you to get a real person to play you any time you play a game. If you are 15 years into a franchise, and have turned the Bengals into a full-on dynasty and need some tougher competition than the AI can give you, let another Madden gamer step in and play those games against you.

We also have unlockable Hall of Fame players that you can add to your franchise teams or play in exhibition, 3D grass with all new degradation so the field wears realistically where you play on it, 17 additional new player attributes, tons of new animation, the much requested replay challenge, and more.

Q: Ben Roethlisberger suffered a rather serious accident not long ago. In a story published July 13, even his coach didn't know what might happen and how far back he was until he gets "hit a couple of times to see if he's all the way back." How do you take things like that into account when preparing teams for the next game's release?

Dale: Ben is a professional athlete. We plan on him being at 100% when it's game time.

Q: This will be the first Madden designed fully with next-gen consoles in mind (360, PS3, Wii). What challenges did that create in terms of, not only, the look of the game, but the controllers that are now coming into play?

Dale: We will always create great looking games and the new hardware will give us some real horsepower to make a very rich, detailed, realistic experience. The new control offered by the Wii gives us a completely new way for gamers to experience NFL Football. The most important thing is game play. We want to make sure that the visuals and control are used to take your game play experience to the next level. Everyone who has seen Madden NFL 07 for the Wii has been really excited about how much new control is being put into the game. We are working on the PS3 controller now and will be talking about it more in the coming months. 

Q: With the next-gen consoles' capabilities, have there been any changes to the physics of the game as it appears on these platforms?

Dale: Yes. We have been able to add a lot more realistic ball and player physics. This is somewhere we think we can continue to innovate in the coming years as well. The more familiar we get with the new hardware, the more horsepower we can squeeze out of them. 

Q: What pressures does holding the exclusive NFL license bring to bear on the way you approach making the game? After all, you have no competition other than expectations of gaming community.

Dale: We have ourselves as competition and the gaming community makes sure to push us pretty hard as well. We always want to create the best game we can. The NFL License allows us to do this through a much closer relationship with them. We have better access to players, coaches, NFL Films, and content from other NFL properties that would never be available to us without this deal. That access helps us create deeper and more authentic games every year. 

Q: You have given the rushing controls a facelift. Is this similar to the finite control scheme integrated into passing? How much more difficult will this make the game for the rookie gamers?

Dale: The new lead blocking controls and highlight stick won't be any more difficult for rookie gamers. They don't have to be used at all and aren't in the way if you choose not to use them. However, I think even a beginning user will find the highlight stick very easy to use since it operates like the hit stick we have had in the past. In lead blocking, even if you can't go make the key blocks, you can use it at a basic level to misdirect your opponent and add a whole new level of strategy to the pre-play reads. 

Q: The game is entering its 17th season. How do you manage to keep it fresh from a developer perspective?

Dale: We make sure that people get opportunities to be a part of the design process and have a big impact on making the game. It allows them to bring ideas from throughout all of the games that they play into Madden to keep it fresh and new, and find all new ways to improve Madden NFL for years to come. We definitely end up with way more ideas than we can use that way, so look for us to continue to grow and innovate for years to come. 

Q: What do you like the most about Madden 07?

Dale: A couple things. I like playing middle linebacker in NFL Superstar: Hall of Fame mode. I get to be involved in almost every defensive play. I also like the way I can use the influence I earn from my accomplishments to impact my team and my player in the game. I also have to admit that trying to complete games and check things off a list is somewhat of an obsession with me, so Madden Gamer Level will suck up a good bit of my time. There are thousands of accomplishments throughout all areas of the game to complete, and now I have a way of tracking all of that and comparing it to other gamers.

Share | Digg This | Glink It

---