Madden NFL 25 Quick Hits - Hit Stick and Heat Seeker Tackling (MyMaddenPad)

[jpdavis82]

MyMaddenPad has posted hands-on impressions of the Madden NFL 25 hit stick and heat seeker tackling systems.

Quote:

The main risk with heat seeker tackling is that you are subject to the defensive fake out system that is triggered by ball carrier evasion moves. If you decide to steer in without using heat seeker (or turn the heat seeker option off) you are not subject to the fake out system with a user controlled defender. Also keep in mind that you will only feel heat seeker activate if your stick direction is off from the intersection point with the ball carrier. If your stick skills are on point, you should rarely even notice that heat seeker is there. Also, you can’t just hold the button down the entire play. It works similar to the tackle prep timer from previous years, you have the judge the distances appropriately because if you hold the tackle/hit stick down too early, your player will lunge early and miss the tackle.

[hanzsomehanz]

I just hope they stay this course in respect to how options are implemented.

Everything sounds good.

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[DeuceDouglas]

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I will say it’s not easy to pull it off as I wiffed more than I wanted to but when you do land it, it feels good.

I really hope it is. I think there should be a ton more risk than reward in terms of it. I don't really care if a guy has 99 hit power. Hits do not always a tackle make. I still think it will be far too easy though.

Quote:

If you decide to steer in without using heat seeker (or turn the heat seeker option off) you are not subject to the fake out system with a user controlled defender.

This is something I don't really get. I'll have to see how it works out but I think I'll leave it on if this works how I think it works. I'd rather have my players be penalized for being weak than me being able to over compensate for bad ratings with 'stick skills'. I think the players should be subject to the fake out system regardless of whether heat seeker is on or off.

[roadman]

According to another CGer, there is the risk/reward factor and it feels good to miss and whiff.

[PRAY IV M3RCY]

I don't really understand the hate towards Ball Hawk. Its not really that overpowered because you have to still be in good position to make a play on the ball. Depending on your ratings also determines how well your player reacts to the ball in the air. I hate a lot of things in Madden but to finally have a tool for DB is welcome. Now they can still tweak and improve this feature because it isnt perfect and they still seem to ignore some basic fundamentals at that position.

[PRAY IV M3RCY]

Quote: Originally Posted by PRAY IV M3RCY

I don't really understand the hate towards Ball Hawk. Its not really that overpowered because you have to still be in good position to make a play on the ball. Depending on your ratings also determines how well your player reacts to the ball in the air. I hate a lot of things in Madden but to finally have a tool for DB is welcome. Now they can still tweak and improve this feature because it isnt perfect and they still seem to ignore some basic fundamentals at that position.

^^ I also have to say this post is coming from my experience as a Db player not me controlling the entire team.

[DeuceDouglas]

Quote: Originally Posted by PRAY IV M3RCY

I don't really understand the hate towards Ball Hawk. Its not really that overpowered because you have to still be in good position to make a play on the ball. Depending on your ratings also determines how well your player reacts to the ball in the air. I hate a lot of things in Madden but to finally have a tool for DB is welcome. Now they can still tweak and improve this feature because it isnt perfect and they still seem to ignore some basic fundamentals at that position.

I think it stems from the fact that the defender always went for the interception and there were times where the player shouldn't really have been in position but got the pick anyways. I didn't have any issue with it though. Basically, I looked at it as getting my DB to do what I wanted him to do. I think it could be toned down a bit and that it should be made to where the DB goes for knockdowns in situations where a interception just isn't possible. And apply the awareness where if the player isn't looking towards the ball your player does nothing even if you hit the button.

Either way, it beats covering a guy down field and wanting to go for a jump ball and having my guy reach for the sky in a 'raise the roof' fashion and completely take himself out of the play.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by PRAY IV M3RCY

I don't really understand the hate towards Ball Hawk. Its not really that overpowered because you have to still be in good position to make a play on the ball. Depending on your ratings also determines how well your player reacts to the ball in the air. I hate a lot of things in Madden but to finally have a tool for DB is welcome. Now they can still tweak and improve this feature because it isnt perfect and they still seem to ignore some basic fundamentals at that position.

I used to hate on ball hawk, like probably last week but I think I agree with the premise behind it the more I think about it. I think the dev team maybe implementing more automated options for Users that are intimidated by the thought of more complex control mechanics and realism, which I advocate for all the time. The reason this stuff is a good sign is because it means they are hopefully looking to make the game more realistic while allowing Users options to choose how much manual control they want to assume. This also means that the AI should benefit allowing CPU controlled players to have more routines/variables.

My remaining issue is that ratings be king, not User control, which I am concern about with ball hawk and "heat seeker" when off. In M13 ball hawk seemed to trigger the same "locked in" animations for every player, when it should do what heat seeker seems to be suggesting, kick in that players ratings under the CPU when used. So if a User moves a CB with poor coverage skills and/or awareness into position, holds down "ball hawk" button, the in-game players poor ratings should kick in, with the player behaving accordingly.

That said, not to go too far down the legacy issue rabbit hole but the ratings can only matter so much without being tied to a vast library of animations to differentiate player performance. For example, it's no big deal that with heat seeker "off" the User can move a player where they see fit to attempt to make a tackle and/or avoid being faked out but it's a major issue if a defender with low agility can move/cut the same as a player with high agility. That's where the rubber will meet the road in the "heat seeker" mechanic and with all player movement in M25, are players with lower agility more difficult to User control/steer than those with higher agility.