Q: Explain the artistic direction of the game. Does it still have the cartoony graphics? If yes, explain the reasoning behind going with that direction the last few Madden Wii games?

We made the decision to go with a more stylized art direction a few years back since we had been using the same style for 20 years of Madden and felt like it was time for a change. Each year since then, we have revisited the look of our player model and made revisions to it. This year was no exception. We have tweaked the player model to have less exaggerated features such as the bulging player equipment, large hands, etc… We added ref’s back in the game this year and they also have a similar art style that matches the look of our game. Each iteration of Madden we will continue to look at how the art style matches the vision of the product and continue to make changes to improve upon it. We like the tweaks we have made this year and it still gives us the unique look we are trying to achieve.

Q: How is it building a game to use Wii-mote then a normal controller? Is EA going away from using full motion controls and going with the normal button pressing?

I love designing for the Wii because you get to do things with the controller that you don’t get to do with other system’s controllers. We still offer our unique Wii passing schemes, gestures, and will continue to put in features that take advantage of Wii Remote each year. I think we have changed the way we design for the Wii though when it comes to motion controls. When developers first got their hands on the Wii it was all about creating specific gestures for every action you wanted to do in game. What we have learned over time is that it is more about being successful with timing of the gesture and only including them when they make sense. We no longer require you to learn a long list of gestures before you play and have more toward gesturing at the right time will equal in game success.

Q: Are their any new features or game modes in this year’s Madden on the Wii?

Yes, quite a bit actually. This year we offer full support for the # 1 feature requested by the community: Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro. The Classic Controller will be fully compatible with online and offline in this year’s Madden. Also, for gamers who want a more retro experience, we are supporting a new Horizontal Style control scheme where you flip the Wii Remote sideways and use a 2 button approach to play the game. We have upgraded our presentation with all new pre-game, post-game, post-play reactions, new touchdown celebration system, injury decisions, on demand stats, and the list goes on from there. My favorite feature we have added is in-game specific challenges that the player can work toward conquering in the areas of gameplay, social modes, and Franchise. It is an achievement system where players are rewarded with alternate uniforms, stadiums, and powered-up footballs for increasing game completion. Once you’re done collecting, visit the Awards Rooms where you can showcase all the awards you have earned. Our Franchise mode is back with some improvements. In Madden NFL 12 you will be able to start your team from scratch with Fantasy Draft, Hire and Fire Coaches, compete in an auction style player/coach signing game, take part in a new contract negotiation system, and create a player with the Player Editor. In summary, new controller schemes to give you more options, an upgraded in game presentation, a robust Award system, and Franchise improvements will hopefully keep players in the game and playing for hours.

Q: Anything special for the Wii version of Madden that is not in other versions?

Madden NFL 12 for the Wii is completely different than other console versions. This year we have added something exclusive to the Wii we are calling “On Demand Stats.” At any point pre-play you can use the Wii Remote and hover over any player or the Score HUD with the cursor and get up to the minute stats of what is going on in the game. There is no need any more to pause the game and check out stats. The biggest thing I’d say we do differently is our Franchise Mode. Franchise on the Wii gives you the ability to move your team past the greatest franchises and become the NFL #1 legacy of all time and it is all laid out on your virtual campus. If you don’t manage the expectations of the fans, make money, or succeed on the field you can be fired from your organization. We also have two unique social modes with Road to the Super Bowl and Madden Showdown. It is the perfect balance of a grab your friends for co-op mode, then battle them to become king of the couch. All modes, with the exception of Franchise, can be played 5 on 5 as well as 11 on 11.

Q: How is it different developing on the Wii compared to the other systems? Is it a different strategy?

There are definitely different factors that go into planning the next Madden Wii product than compared to other systems. First, having the ability to do motion controls and using the pointer gives us the advantage of doing more things normal controllers don’t. When we decide on new features we want to put into the game we always consider of how we can use the Wii Remote to our advantage to give the player a better user experience. Also, the Wii does social gaming experience better than anyone so we make sure we have a fun and compelling co-op and competitive multiplayer gaming experiences. Madden has always done head to head really well, but we make sure you can have a great 4 player in the same living room gaming experience. We also never want to neglect our core gamer so we always make sure we are listening to the community and improving our single player experience like we did this year with the new controller schemes and Franchise additions.

Q: What is the process gone through to choose player ratings?

Our Rating Czar Donny Moore is a full time Designer strictly responsible for everything that has to do with Players and Player Ratings. Although he is accountable for the final say, he works with a group of guys that are essentially in charge of compiling ratings for the game’s 2000+ players, as well as, designating equipment, gathering photo reference and more. Those guys analyze multiple sources to generate the Madden ratings. The NFL has also has been great partners with us which they help out by sending over game film each week which is essential to roster updates we see throughout the season. Since the Wii game has different player attributes than other versions, the ratings can tend to differentiate themselves among games but for the most part are heavily influenced by the hard work those guys do.