The MPA10 FAQ

We'll be using this post to answer your questions about our coming iPhone app, Unofficial Madden Player Analyzer 10 (MPA10). Got a question? Want some tips about how to use the app? Want to report a bug or suggest an improvement? Send us an email at augrde at gmail dot com or just leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Thanks to everyone who's spread the word or took the time to pick up and try the app. If you like it, please give it a nice review. Thanks again!

FAQ LAST UPDATED ON AUG. 16, 2009

1. What are the 48 stats shown for each player?

OVR, SPD, ACC, STR, AGI, AWR, CTH, CAR, THP, THA, KPW, KAC, RBK, PBK, TAK, JMP, RET, INJ, STA, TRK, ELU, BCV, SFA, SPM, JKM, IBL, RBS, RBF, PBS, PBF, PMV, FMV, BSH, PUR, PRC, MCV, ZCV, SPC, CIT, RTE, POW, PRS, RLS -- and new for 2010, SAC, MAC, DAC, PAC, RUN. If you're a hardcore Madden player, you'll know most of these acronyms off the top of your head -- but if you don't, just click on a stat when viewing a "Chosen Player" and you'll get more details on what each acronym means.

You'll note that a few stat categories are not included. That's because to accommodate the comparison between NCAA 09 and Madden 10 stats for rookies, I decided to show only the stat categories that were fully shared between the two games (the only exception being the stats new for 2010, since I figured that would be important to you).

2. Why are some player stats missing?

First off, there definitely shouldn't be any missing 2010 stat data. Obviously, there won't be any 2009 data for the new stat categories (SAC, MAC, DAC, PAC, RUN). However, a few players have missing 2009 data, and most if not all of those are rookies that we couldn't find NCAA 09 data for, or they weren't in Madden 09.

3. Help! It takes too long to scroll through the names!

What did you expect with nearly 2,000 players? Seriously, there are a few tips that can speed things up. First off, you can always browse by position or team; those categories are sorted by OVR from highest to lowest. Second, the "Name" screen has a "A-Z" index on the right side. Just tap and drag through that index to quickly jump from one letter to the next.

4. Is there a way to compare more than two players?

It's possible to compare three players side by side with a little ingenuity. Each of the first three tabs -- Name, Position and Team -- can "remember" a chosen player. So if I wanted to look at the Manning boys and compare them to Tom Brady, here's how I'd do it. I'd use the "Name" tab to choose Peyton; I'd use the "Position" tab to look up Eli under the "QB" list; and I'd use the "Team" tab to look up Tom under the "Patriots" list.

Once the data for all three players is loaded, you can just tap between the tabs to look at each player, then scroll down the stats to find what you're trying to compare (for instance, Brady is the best tackler out of the three with a TAK of 33).

5. Why compare a rookie's NCAA 09 stats to Madden 10?
Well, it's definitely apples and oranges, but I think it reflects the general feeling that the NFL is filled with "college superstars" -- so when a rookie reaches the NFL, he becomes "average" once again. But no one's bothered trying to quantify how EA handles that stat conversion; MPA10 is the first to shed some light on how these stats actually get converted.

6. Hey, I see a mistake in your stats!
If you see a mistake in the stats, hit me up by email. We'll continue to update and improve the app as needed during the season.

7. When I'm in the Team or Position view, why can I scroll to a different team or position list?

Honestly, this was a bug we turned into a feature. Originally the lists were limited, but we found ourselves constantly going back and forth from list to list, which was cumbersome. So, if you want to browse through players sorted by Team or Position, we wanted to give you that option.

8. How does the Compare Player feature work?

When you're looking at a specific player, look for a button in the upper right. That will let you choose whether to put the player on the left slot or right slot of the Compare Player screen. So to compare any two players, find the first player and put him in the left slot, then find the second player and put him in the right slot.