Madden and NCAA *do* share code after all

[JeffHCross]

Role Overview

Integration Engineer - Temporary

The integration engineer position will be responsible for making sure that these features, developed on either NCAA or Madden, make their way to their counter-part. The integration engineer will be using Perforce, and other in-house developed tools to migrate code, to resolve conflicts, and to verify the correct operation of both games.

An understanding of C++ is critical to this role since the engineer will need to determine the intent of existing code, resolve conflicts between multiple source lines in the code base and verify the correct functioning of the game.

REQUIREMENTS
-B.S. degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Game Development
-Knowledge of C++ is critical
-Experience using DirectX, Renderware, OpenGL preferred.
-Communication skills are important.

[JBHuskers]

Yeah I don't think that was a secret. There is a "central gameplay unit" that works on gameplay for both Madden and NCAA

[Rudy]

I like that they share things but I honestly prefer the games to feel different. Sometimes I wonder if the scrambling logic and mobile QB AI is hurt because the Madden team doesn't care or need that stuff. Somethings need to be NCAA specific and I think NCAA on the PS2 grew to be better than Madden over time because the game got different. Of course you could see the reverse happen but I did like the direction of the NCAA.

It's clear to me that Ian has different views on the game from Russ and the NCAA team. Ian wants desperately to please the "sim" and OS community so he posted a lot on OS last year and still posts on Twitter. His skin is too thin for the position he's in imo. He prefers heavy momentum and slow gameplay while Russ and the NCAA team prefer tighter controls (too much imo) and they are far more low key with their internet presense but their blogs were a lot better this year. I think the NCAA team is really devoted to online dynasty as well as offline dynasty with the emphasis they place on dynasty while the Madden team seems to ignore offline gamers and focus on the masses and online.

[JeffHCross]

Yeah I don't think that was a secret.

Less "secret" and more "not completely sure of". I was glad to see confirmation.

[JBHuskers]

Less "secret" and more "not completely sure of". I was glad to see confirmation.

Yep.

[ram29jackson]

it shouldnt be suprising. You see alot of the same animations etc in game.

I dont get how ncaa plays so freely and Madden seems so stiff though?

[JeffHCross]

it shouldnt be suprising. You see alot of the same animations etc in game.

Right, but sharing the same basic gameplay engine is very different from sharing features, which is what that REQ was about. I've openly questioned the last few years how much code share is going on between the teams, because there's a lot of areas where it's not evident that they are sharing when they could. A good example is the fairly drastic difference between Online Franchise and Online Dynasty. A lesser important but more obvious example is that there are a lot of interface differences between the two games, which means code share is unlikely in anything dealing with an interface.

Though then there are things like the flyby before bowl games that obviously came straight from Madden's pre-game flyby animation.

[jaymo76]

So you're saying maybe just maybe we will have the chain gang in NCAA 12 lol.

[JeffHCross]

So you're saying maybe just maybe we will have the chain gange in NCAA 12 lol.

I would generally expect that whatever Madden added, graphics wise, in Madden 11, we'll see it in NCAA 12 if it makes sense.

[skipwondah33]

it shouldnt be suprising. You see alot of the same animations etc in game.

I dont get how ncaa plays so freely and Madden seems so stiff though?

I think its because in NCAA the players as a whole move alot quicker, the game in self plays very fast. You would think it would be the other way around given the speed in the NFL.

That and things just seem to happen faster, even being tackled and falling to the ground happens quick lol