Madden NFL 11 News Post

Madden NFL 11 Hints From EA (IGN)

11:18 PM - March 9, 2010 by splff3000

IGN has posted some Madden NFL 11 hints from the EA Season Opener.

Quote:


	"The average game took 63 minutes in Madden NFL 10, despite the fact that players were only playing football for 17 of those minutes. EA Sports promised that they'll deliver a faster experience in Madden NFL 11 for those who want to sit down and play for a few minutes and then get up and move on to the next activity. They gave no indication of how this would be accomplished, but if I was a betting man, I'd wager that they'll be adding a "hurry up" option to the list of presentation settings similar to what we see in this year's crop of MLB titles. Another interesting factoid had to do with playcalling. Madden NFL 10 included 330 plays. The average user used 13 of them. I'm not exactly sure how they're going to get people to explore the playbook, but some sort of simplification is clearly needed."

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 81 dano562003 @ 03/11/10 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	Amen BezO. Half of the picks I throw are because I read the defense, their movement, their location, and then they behave in a way that's completely non-human by making weird moves toward the ball when the QB is just pulling his arm back. How does the DB know there's a hook pattern being thrown and not a deep route before the ball's left the QB's hand or the WR's made a move on his route? Yet he does... Statistics definitely don't tell the whole story by any means.

I'm in that number...

# 82 dano562003 @ 03/11/10 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	BezO - those last two paragraphs on offense and defense - QFT brother!!!!!!!!

Amen!

# 83 scott209 @ 03/11/10 01:56 AM

I could not be happier. I am 183-69 on madden10 and all i use is ask madden. I really hope it true that they are making ask madden better because I would never lose again!!!!!

# 84 Madwolf @ 03/11/10 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA


	What a concept!

Welcome back Ian.

Glad to see you're still large and in charge of Madden 11. I just want my blocks to work properly, and I think you're up to the challenge. Nothing is quite as cool as following your FB through the hole, and making just the right cuts to scamper 30 yards for a TD untouched Deangelo Williams style!

Oh, and make it so I can raise Brian Brohm's potential so I can un-Kragthorpe him!

# 85 Madwolf @ 03/11/10 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dano562003


	I'm in that number...

I don't think the problem on hook and curl routes is anything the DB is doing, but what the WRs is not doing. In real life a WR would come back to the ball, there-by preventing a DB who over-ran the play from coming back down and jumping the route right in front of the WR. In Madden the WR stands there too much on those routes instead of "going" too the ball. If they make the WR go for the ball instead of standing at the end of his route a lot of those little INTs will go away.

# 86 oneamongthefence @ 03/11/10 07:09 AM

Imo, madden would be more accessible if the manual better explained everything or have a really in depth tutorial inside the game. Not the virtual trainer that really didn't explain anything.

# 87 LBzrule @ 03/11/10 07:18 AM

I would be interested in the play book stat being divided between offense and defense.

# 88 BezO @ 03/11/10 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA


	You're not giving us enough credit boss. First off, there's no such stat to point to an unrealistic amount of interceptions, so that's a moot point. Secondly, we don't just blindly make decisions based on this data. We just use it to help make our decisions. The guy that played once and never played again (as you mention)? Well, we know what happened in that game and can make assumptions on what turned him off and try to make the experience better for him. The goal is to make an authentic game of football. Not cater only to the guy that plays one time, or cater to the guy that plays 6 online games a night. It's to cater to the NFL fan and make a realistic and authentic game. Period. Every time I say that it somehow gets lost, and people still assume I'm over here making an NFL Blitz clone. Later.

I hear you. After visiting you all, your intent is quite clear. I'll never question that again. But, because the authenticity I'm looking for is not yet there, I'm not happy with something... priorities, methods... And I feel like I'm in THE smallest minority, waiting for additions that even some of the most sim don't support. Despite your intent, I'm still in line behind what I'd consider periferal improvements. ANYTHING you all do aside from addressing what I feel SHOULD be the foundation of the game is useless to me. I'll never play a franchise, play online... even play more than a handful of games until certain things are address. One of my main issues is not even on the horizon, at least last time we spoke.

# 89 TheWatcher @ 03/11/10 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coogrfan


	I believe it's possible that 76% of the people who responded to EA's survey may well be mainly online gamers, but I find it very hard to believe that the % for the Madden population as a whole is anywhere near that high.

That's what I was thinking as well. I'd even give them that maybe one of those numbers logged into the online segment at some point, what with roster updates and all. I could see that for something of that nature, and maybe that's how they determined their number? I'm just not sure I can see that high numbers like that are online playing on a consistent basis.

# 90 BezO @ 03/11/10 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBzrule


	I would be interested in the play book stat being divided between offense and defense.

Word! I didn't use many plays on either side, but relatively speaking, I used a lot less on defense.

# 91 ODogg @ 03/11/10 10:36 AM

Maybe think of the option play. It's a simple concept but offers a wealth of choices and is deep in the number of options you can do with it. I think that's akin to what Ian is saying.

# 92 BezO @ 03/11/10 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joejccva71


	I've read through Ian's posts here, but I still don't see how you can make a game simpler and faster, but yet make it deeper. The idea behind having a deep game is having ALOT of information presented to you with ALOT of different options at your disposal, whether it be in on the field itself or throughout the franchise mode. How can you possibly make the on-field gameplay SIMPLER but yet DEEPER? The same applies to the depths of franchise mode. Maybe I'm just dumb and can't comprehend this.

Football is just a complex sport. Simplifying it is not the answer IMO. The way to make this game accessible is to include options to automate the complexities. Give those with football knowledge the tools to play football. Give those w/o the knowledge options to automate what they can't/won't account for.

But hey, maybe that's exactly what they're doing.

# 93 Rocky @ 03/11/10 11:42 AM

I just doubt that EA and Madden can capture that COD/Halo crowd they seem to be going for with this. Those guys who put in hours and hours online are always going to be there, imo. I don't mind making things easier for online gamers...but having your slogan for your next game be directed towards them is a huge mistake.

I firmly believe that EA needs to get back those NFL fanatics. Too many people who love football, loved growing up playing football video games, etc. are looking at the increasing prices of games and systems but not seeing Madden look any smoother or realistic animation wise. The PS2 game had better looking animations quite honestly. Slowing the game down in M10 made those animations look even worse.

My focus would've been animations, animations, locomotion, animations, sidelines/crowd, animations, franchise, superstar, online in that order.

# 94 lgxjames @ 03/11/10 11:59 AM

I have to say, I'm not worried...

# 95 ODogg @ 03/11/10 12:02 PM

Rocky - at one time all FPS were offline too, the online community has grown significantly and I don't see why the same couldn't apply to sports gaming.

# 96 Tyrant8RDFL @ 03/11/10 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps3ownz


	Sounds like another epic Madden fail, I cann see they will make it even more arcade for the casuals. IN GAME SAVES have been around for ages, for gods sakes EA, smarten up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joejccva71


	I've read through Ian's posts here, but I still don't see how you can make a game simpler and faster, but yet make it deeper. The idea behind having a deep game is having ALOT of information presented to you with ALOT of different options at your disposal, whether it be in on the field itself or throughout the franchise mode. How can you possibly make the on-field gameplay SIMPLER but yet DEEPER? The same applies to the depths of franchise mode. Maybe I'm just dumb and can't comprehend this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	Football is just a complex sport. Simplifying it is not the answer IMO. The way to make this game accessible is to include options to automate the complexities. Give those with football knowledge the tools to play football. Give those w/o the knowledge options to automate what they can't/won't account for. But hey, maybe that's exactly what they're doing.

I definitely agree with the 3 replies above.

My bigest concern is the areas they are focusing on. The reason why many online players seem to use a small handfull of plays is simply because of how Madden's A.I is not up to par. Let me explain.

Gamers will use a play over and over that has a good success rate, and that is becuase madden has not done a good job in giving us plays that combat those plays. Thus making the decision for many to use the same plays over and over easy with no regrets.

This is why a gamer online will use just a small handufll of plays. It works.

I personally use more plays the 13, but Im in the minority of a sim baller.

What Madden should focus on is a full counter system for every play they impliment into the playbooks on both sides (Offense and Defense). This way when they play a real football gamer the game will become a strategic battle, and forcing them to choose more plays.

I can go into great detail on what can be done, but the chance of them seeing it is very small, also EA needs to realize that they are to blame for this.

Well let see what happens but this article for me is discouraging , and the only thing I can see making me interested in Madden. Would be how the gameplay looks. Especially animation wise. The biggest reason why I have never purchased a next gen Madden.

I have stayed with Madden 8 on the PC. Im hoping Madden 11 can change that. Right now from what Im reading I will still be on Madden 08 PC.

# 97 ODogg @ 03/11/10 12:16 PM

Wow, great post Tyrant8RDFL, I hope Ian is reading this because that is the TRUTH. What I wrote is true also, but you took it from another perspective and I think yours is the biggest reason why players only use a small number of plays. As Madden himself would say, if they can't stop it, keep doing it. And in Madden that's true of certain plays, there is no way to stop it a lot of times so the other guy just keeps running it. They really need to look at the whole point/counterpoint aspect of football and realize it in the game.

# 98 CreatineKasey @ 03/11/10 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrant8RDFL


	I definitely agree with the 3 replies above. My bigest concern is the areas they are focusing on. The reason why many online players seem to use a small handfull of plays is simply because of how Madden's A.I is not up to par. Let me explain. Gamers will use a play over and over that has a good success rate, and that is becuase madden has not done a good job in giving us plays that combat those plays. Thus making the decision for many to use the same plays over and over easy with no regrets. This is why a gamer online will use just a small handufll of plays. It works. I personally use more plays the 13, but Im in the minority of a sim baller. What Madden should focus on is a full counter system for every play they impliment into the playbooks on both sides (Offense and Defense). This way when they play a real football gamer the game will become a strategic battle, and forcing them to choose more plays. I can go into great detail on what can be done, but the chance of them seeing it is very small, also EA needs to realize that they are to blame for this. Well let see what happens but this article for me is discouraging , and the only thing I can see making me interested in Madden. Would be how the gameplay looks. Especially animation wise. The biggest reason why I have never purchased a next gen Madden. I have stayed with Madden 8 on the PC. Im hoping Madden 11 can change that. Right now from what Im reading I will still be on Madden 08 PC.

I like the idea of more contrived counters for sure. I know football is random and not black and white, but anyone who has spent a fair amount of time online knows that players can bank on a handful of tactics to work for an entire game. There isn't much "mixing in" of plays.

Personally I like to think I'm the opposite of that type of gamer. I'm one who tries not to call the same plays more than twice. It has obvious advantages. The first advantage being that the user controlled pass defender legitimately has no idea what's coming and is therefore stripped of his inherent advantage to CPU players: he doesn't know what's coming either.

That being said, it gets very frustrating see the PA flats work consistently against blitzes when the user isn't setting up those plays with run calls. In reality, defenders should be obliterating the QB if he's trying to pull off playaction without actually running the ball.

On defense, many people find 1 or 2 blitzes that get through consistently and call it a day. One trick ponies are just everywhere in ranked matches. These guys bank on someone now knowing a basic counter to their strategy.

Where I think things get really sad is when you see guys who play this game for money. They play just like the ranked lobby kids: 1 base play and audibling/hot routing from it. What does this tell us: It's really the best way to play if your main goal is to win at all costs. That's not good. That needs to change. There's clear logical reasons why teams don't come out in the same play every play. That logic needs to be reflected in Madden in some way.

To be completely blunt, Madden becomes a pretty terrible experience once the chess match is stripped from it. That's what some of the top players do. Madden needs to learn from real time strategy games. Promoting smart decisions, unpredictability, and an overall engaging chess match is the reason football is successful in real life, and is exactly where Madden needs to go to compete with FPS in the competitive game arena.

I'd like to see mechanisms within the game that force varied playcalling. Something as simple as that would add so much to the game. Nothing kills Madden (or any video game nonetheless) more than people "gaming the game". It sucks the life out of everything you intend to do in a game. It becomes a moral battle. It's you playing a guy willing to mess with the AI for an advantage while you won't. I'd rather have the moral battle be gone.

Interestingly, Tecmo Super Bowl's simple concept of "guessing plays" eliminates money plays and repetitive playcalling right then and there. Tecmo does more with it's 8 plays than many Madden games do with their 300. There's a lesson to be learned there, guys.

Rant over. I'd love to hear opinions on this.

# 99 Rocky @ 03/11/10 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	Rocky - at one time all FPS were offline too, the online community has grown significantly and I don't see why the same couldn't apply to sports gaming.

I hear what you are saying, but watching a football game takes a pretty big investment in itself. We're talking about 3+ hours there. That's 1/3rd of the time it takes to play a game in Madden and this is without in-game saves.

FPS's and sports games are different breeds. First of all, there are a plethora of video gamers who have ZERO interest in sports. The vast majority. These players won't flock to Madden because of these new options. Sports games and pro sports in general are predicated on seasons and championships specifically....especially american football. I think ignoring this aspect is hurting Madden a bit.

Alot of gamers WANT the game to be an investment. I want to be wowed if I take an hour or 2 away from my family to play. I fear that this new focus may cheapen the experience a little bit.

I could be completely wrong...maybe this will get alot more gamers back on board with the series. I don't know though.

# 100 Rashad19 @ 03/11/10 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreatineKasey


	I like the idea of more contrived counters for sure. I know football is random and not black and white, but anyone who has spent a fair amount of time online knows that players can bank on a handful of tactics to work for an entire game. There isn't much "mixing in" of plays. Personally I like to think I'm the opposite of that type of gamer. I'm one who tries not to call the same plays more than twice. It has obvious advantages. The first advantage being that the user controlled pass defender legitimately has no idea what's coming and is therefore stripped of his inherent advantage to CPU players: he doesn't know what's coming either. That being said, it gets very frustrating see the PA flats work consistently against blitzes when the user isn't setting up those plays with run calls. In reality, defenders should be obliterating the QB if he's trying to pull off playaction without actually running the ball. On defense, many people find 1 or 2 blitzes that get through consistently and call it a day. One trick ponies are just everywhere in ranked matches. These guys bank on someone now knowing a basic counter to their strategy. Where I think things get really sad is when you see guys who play this game for money. They play just like the ranked lobby kids: 1 base play and audibling/hot routing from it. What does this tell us: It's really the best way to play if your main goal is to win at all costs. That's not good. That needs to change. There's clear logical reasons why teams don't come out in the same play every play. That logic needs to be reflected in Madden in some way. To be completely blunt, Madden becomes a pretty terrible experience once the chess match is stripped from it. That's what some of the top players do. Madden needs to learn from real time strategy games. Promoting smart decisions, unpredictability, and an overall engaging chess match is the reason football is successful in real life, and is exactly where Madden needs to go to compete with FPS in the competitive game arena. I'd like to see mechanisms within the game that force varied playcalling. Something as simple as that would add so much to the game. Nothing kills Madden (or any video game nonetheless) more than people "gaming the game". It sucks the life out of everything you intend to do in a game. It becomes a moral battle. It's you playing a guy willing to mess with the AI for an advantage while you won't. I'd rather have the moral battle be gone. Interestingly, Tecmo Super Bowl's simple concept of "guessing plays" eliminates money plays and repetitive playcalling right then and there. Tecmo does more with it's 8 plays than many Madden games do with their 300. There's a lesson to be learned there, guys. Rant over. I'd love to hear opinions on this.

Great post man!!

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