New player??

[Hogskin]

I have never even SEEN Madden played. Sounds like I should get it. What is the learning curve? I have a home theater/game room, with several pinballs, shuffleboard table, foosball, darts, 4-player NFL Blitz, tiered seating, 2 driving wheels/pedals, a 10-foot (120 inch) screen, and projector with DSS and computer hooked into it. With the computer, I play a lot of older driving games, classic arcade games using a 4-player controller I built, and other computer games.

I like games that don't take tooooo long to get proficient at, and love multi-player games. So my questions are: Should I get the latest Madden? What other games are must-own games? What is the best driving game, strategy game, shootemup game? Your answers will definitely influence my next purchases! Thanks.

[BrudLee]

Of course you need Madden. But I'll tell you what else you need.

A roommate.

[Daseal]

Brud - you and I think on the SAME wavelength!

[joecrisp]

One of the coolest things about Madden is that it is very adaptable to individual skill levels. It has Rookie, Pro, All-Pro and, of course, All-Madden skill levels which gradually ramps up the intensity and complexity of the game as you improve as a player. When I bought my first copy of Madden, back in 2000, I started off on the Rookie level, played maybe 4 or 5 games at that level until I felt comfortable with the controls, and then moved up to Pro. As I moved up each skill level, it took me a few more games of practice before I felt prepared to move up to the next level. I would say I had probably played 2 full seasons worth of games before I attempted to go All-Madden with any regularity. But it was this flexibility of the game for new players that truly got me hooked. It allows you to enjoy the game right from the start, without having to suffer through a painful and frustrating learning curve to get there.

Obviously, the game has improved dramatically since that first copy I bought 5 years ago. One of the neat little additions has been the "Minicamp" feature, which allows you to master particular skills critical to each facet of the game through positional drills. Much like the regular games, the minicamps can be played at different skills levels. I think that feature helped me a lot, because it allowed me to focus on each aspect of the game and made me a better all-around player.

Madden is by far the best football game out there. The attention to detail, the graphics, the gameplay-- nobody can touch 'em. That's why they sell so many games, and people keep coming back for more.

By the way, Hogskin, can I come over? Sounds like you have a really cool house!

[Hogskin]

Guys, thanks to all of you for your comments and offers to share! Of course all of you are invited to visit any time you are in northern Alabama. That is a serious invite. As far as a roommate, that would be Kathi (and she does not like games of any kind LOL). But I have a lot of neighbors that DO, and I hope some of you guys will stop in sometime.

Joe, thanks for all the info. I guess I will go ahead and get Madden. But I did not think to ask. Does it support 4-player mode as well as 1-player and 2-player modes? And will I be able to use my 4-player control panel? It looks like a keyboard to the computer, and every button and joystick generates key-codes. If Madden supports keyboard mapping, it should work out great.

[SmootSmack]

Hog, that room sounds awesome. If you don't mind I'm sure we'd all love it if you posted some pictures of that room on this board

[BrudLee]

John-

As a PC Madden Gamer, I know that Madden supports Keyboard mapping, but I believe that the PC version only supports 2 players playing locally on the same computer. Additional players can play a network game or an intenet game.

[joecrisp]

If your 4-stick control panel turns out to be incompatible, you can always buy a control pad for your PC which is virtually identical to the ones they make for the gaming consoles like PS2, XBox and GameCube. I don't think they're too expensive, and they might be more ergonomic and easier to use, since the game controls were designed with those kinds of control pads in mind.

[Hogskin]

Smack, thanks for the interest. I do not see a place on the site to post pics, so I will do it here. Please let me know if I should not be doing that. I thumnailed them to reduce load time. The room is still a work in progress.

Pic from last year when all of my kids/grandkids were down for a visit. That is a few of them in the gameroom. I STILL don't have the rest of the formica on that 4-player control panel I built. You can see the projector overhead that is displaying the computer shootemup game they are playing:



Here are a few new ones I just now took. That is a "temporary" curtain in the first one. The rest of the pinballs are in another room that will eventually be the gameroom. This will be just the home theater and computer gaming room:

[Hogskin]

Thanks for the info Brud and Joe. Actually, Joe, I had forgotten, but I do have some wireless control pads - I have them installed, but have never used them.

[JWsleep]

Holy crap, Hogskin!!! Now I have a dream to shoot for. Perhaps we can hold the first anual warpath convention at your place!!! You must be the #1 grandpa with your grandkids. LOL

[joecrisp]

I've always played Madden on the gaming consoles, mostly PSOne and XBox, so I can't imagine playing it any other way than with a control pad. Wireless pads are awesome-- especially in a room like the one you've got pictured above! That place ROCKS!!! I thought I had a cool Redskins Room, but yours is truly awesome! Is that stadium-style seating I saw (or should I say luxury suite:cheeky-sm ), with the steering wheels attached to the railing??!! That's kickass!:thumb:

[BrudLee]

After seeing those pictures, I have something to shoot for.

I salute you, sir!

[Hogskin]

Thanks a lot for the generous comments, guys. I love the room, but of course, down here in Alabama, the Redskin aspect of it is not much appreciated. A couple neighbors are Florida State alums, so they like the colors LOL.

Joe, yes, I built a platform for the back sofa. The steering wheels and pedals are each attached to 2 aluminum tubes that slide into the platform and plug into sockets I put in the platform. So they come out if we have folks over for a movie. By the way, can you post pictures of your Redskin room? I would love to see it. I actually do not have a lot of memorabilia.

[SKINSnCANES]

that is one awesome room, Wow. Do you have grandkids? If you do im sure they arent to sad when they have to come over to grandpas.

I dont know if someone said it but you can play madden four player. Madden is a great game because you can just pick it up and play a game with friends, or play though season after season and watch your team progress. setting up a franchise is great fun if you have the time. The other thing you can do is run a simulated franchise. You dont play any games, just do all the off season work and set up a game play. Most people find it easy to play and win a super bowl so it takes more work to build a team and get it to win a super bowl. Its a little more gratifying.