Rebuilding the Madden Companion App
Dreaming big for a totally immersive CFM experience on the mobile app
Anyone who played in an online connected franchise league remembers how grueling the first four months of Madden 17 was without DaddyLeagues. At times user submissions, trade discussions, and overall interest felt nearly the same as what you would expect at the end of a Madden life cycle. Thankfully, EA released a companion app that provided online leagues with the bare minimum of what we needed to bring thing things back to a normal pace, but I would be genuinely surprised if I am the first to say that’s not enough. The purpose of this article will be to communicate the potential of a proper companion app, and introduce a couple new ideas to combine with many of the features already in place in CFM on console.
Users want their CFM experience to be as if it is the real thing. Just as if you are following your favorite team in real life during the NFL season/offseason. The issue is that CFM is most limited when you’re confined to information available only when you’re sitting at your console. The goal is to be truly connected with your franchise and the people in your league.
Hub
Your hub is where you’ll have quick access to anything you need for the current week in CFM. From here you’ll be able to see the week’s matchups, complete training, scout players, and make big decisions regarding re-signings or injured players during the season. The color of your theme will correspond with the team you’re controlling.
Matchups
Under the match ups tab you’ll be able to select any games you want to follow. Games are updated in real time, and you’re able to receive notifications on big plays and final scores.
Analyze
Once inside the game center, you’ll see relevant analytics to the match up you selected. Offensive and defense comparisons, key players, and player tendencies are all things you can expect here.
Want to know more about a particular team? Simply click on the team and you’ll be directed to that team’s hub. From here you’ll be able to to see all the information regarding that team.
Stats
Just like using an ESPN or NFL mobile app, you’ll be able to track real time stats during and after the match up. Did a particular player catch your eye? Click on his name and you’ll be quickly taken to his player hub where you’ll have access to ratings, season stats, career stats, contracts, and much more right at your finger tips.
Highlights
Much has been discussed about the adoption of the Frosbite engine, and many may not recognize the potential it has when it comes to instant replays.
Here is where I would like to see user generated highlights between the two teams from previous games and after the final whistle is blown in their current match up. Also, could you imagine having an auto-generated top 10 plays of the week highlight reel waiting for you in the app as you advance to the next week in CFM? These are the kinds of things that will increase overall engagement.
Game Prep
Too many times have we heard the “let me do prep and scouting real quick” while waiting to play a much anticipated scheduled game. Having the ability to do your game prep within the app allows for a seamless transition into your time spent on console.
You’ll have the ability to choose your gameplans and focus players without having to touch your controller.
Scouting
At the moment scouting on console is not meaningful, and is a rushed process when taken advantage of.
On the app you’ll have the ability to filter players, view and assign your draft board, view news, and search your team needs.
When selecting a draft prospect you’ll be taken to their player hub where you can spend points on scouting, view college stats, coach evaluations, combine results, etc.
The goal is to have the ability to follow a player throughout the season on your mobile device, build a connection with that player, and truly experience that feeling of excitement if that player falls to you during the draft (or the feeling of disappointment when he is taken before your pick during the draft).
Big Decisions
Big decisions are decisions that are of immediate concern to you. In this tab you’ll be able to offer contracts to players in their final year and determine eligibility of injured players.
News
The news category is where your league members will gather to express their feelings and thoughts throughout the season.
It will serve as the hub for all user and CPU generated news as well as user voting for players of the week, season awards, and pro bowl.
My Team
Within “My Team” you’ll have everything at hand to control and make decisions for your team through the season and off season. The goal is to have everything team related available to you outside of playing your actual game. Within these sections you’ll have the ability to make roster changes, re-order your depth chart, view and edit playbooks, re-sign players, view other teams, scout, spend player and coach XP, assign team goals, and more.
Trade Center
From “My Team” you’ll be able to access the trade center. Currently, trading in CFM is a bit of a hassle in leagues with 32 individual users.
- It’s not easy trying to find players that fit your play-style.
- When you communicate with another player about a possible trade, you either hope that user is at his console ready to discuss or you’re busy copy and pasting DaddyLeagues links.
- Once you’ve finally agreed to a trade, you then have to go through the mess of making sure you’ve either both played your games for the week or haven’t.
- You’re stuck with hoping your trade partner can get on his console to accept the trade before the league advances.
On the mobile app, you’ll have the ability to apply filters on players you’re looking for. For example, looking for an LB with 85+ speed and 75+ zone? Done.
You’ll be able to view the player’s card and gather information on stats, contract details, and more. Once you make an offer, the player will receive a notification on their mobile device and have the ability to accept, decline, or modify the trade.
This is also the place where you’ll be able to add players to your trade block. When other teams are searching for specific players, your trade block players are the players that will first show up on the list as trade options.
Like on fantasy football apps, GMs of the league should also receive notifications and have the ability to reject a trade that they deem too lopsided.
My League
Inside “My League” you’ll keep track and have quick access to all information pertaining to your league. This is where you’ll access league and team schedules, standings, player and team stats, awards, records, and league settings.
Free Agency
During the offseason, you should have the ability to track and make offers during the free agency period. Receive notifications when players you’re interested in are gaining a lot of attention, know the level of interest that player has in your team, and have the ability to request a visit. This visit will either negatively or positively impact that players interest in your team based on certain criteria like their fit in the system, competition at that position, team performance, location, etc.
NFL Draft
One of the hardest parts of running a CFM league with 32 individual users is scheduling a draft time that accommodates all users. It can be very upsetting when you’re trying to make the right moves for your team, but are unable to participate in the draft because you can’t be near your console at the scheduled time. The companion app can get rid of that by allowing you to draft on mobile devices. You’ll be able to participate and draft real time with all the features you expect on console.
Final Thoughts
These suggestions only scratch the surface of the potential of CFM and the companion app, but yet they seem like pipe dreams. Much of the CFM community is already well aware that CFM is not the biggest priority at EA for a number of reasons, and I can respect their reasoning behind that. However, the reality is one of the most popular game modes in the Madden franchise is really suffering from a lack of attention.
It can be discouraging because I’ve witnessed first hand the incredible communities and bonds an online CFM league creates, and that’s something I’m sure many people involved in Madden’s development have not had an opportunity to witness. If they spent just one day inside a Slack chat of a dedicated online CFM league, they would walk away assured they’ve got something special in CFM.
On the bright side, the Madden franchise is now in a good spot to change that. Gameplay, MUT, DC, along with many other features are in decent spots, and hopefully the attention that’s been focused on those features can now be brought to CFM.
