Madden NFL 11 News Post

Is Madden's Gameflow a Revolution or a Gimmick?

03:05 PM - August 10, 2010 by RaychelSnr

The question I keep asking myself is whether Gameflow and the Game Planning features are a revolution in Madden NFL 11 or just another gimmick which is sure to go by the wayside in future years not unlike Weapons, the Vision Cone, and any number of other features.

It's not like we haven't been given a bevy of reasons to believe Gameflow isn't indeed another gimmick.

Read more - Is Madden's Gameflow a Revolution or a Gimmick?

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 96 - View All

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# 21 jmurphy31 @ 08/10/10 03:55 PM

I think gameflow on its own is a gimmick to get the casual or new gamer into Madden. Especially with the audio and play art. (I guess if any veteran plays and uses gamwflow they take these options off). I do think with gameplanning, gameflow is more geared toward the experienced gamer and becomes less gimmicky. But revolutionary, I wouldn't go that far.

# 22 Hova57 @ 08/10/10 03:56 PM

i think there are certain things needed to make this a feature rather than a gimmick. for madden 11 this will be looked at as a gimmick feature, but in 12 if they can get sometype of strategy as far as moving players around, or defensively scheme control i think it will work. we will need it to be more indepth. i still hold to my though process that we could have the option of hardcore playcalling and everything can be called by set, formations and personell.

# 23 DR.Psych @ 08/10/10 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMChrisS


	The question I keep asking myself is whether Gameflow and the Game Planning features are a revolution in Madden NFL 11 or just another gimmick which is sure to go by the wayside in future years not unlike Weapons, the Vision Cone, and any number of other features. It's not like we haven't been given a bevy of reasons to believe Gameflow isn't indeed another gimmick. Read more - Is Madden's Gameflow a Revolution or a Gimmick?

Don't forgot EA backtrack, ring levels, and the Adaptive Difficulty Engine (or is the ADE still in Madden 11 - waiting on it to arrive).

# 24 DGuinta1 @ 08/10/10 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR.Psych


	Don't forgot EA backtrack, ring levels, and the Adaptive Difficulty Engine (or is the ADE still in Madden 11 - waiting on it to arrive).

Thank God Rewind is still in the game!

# 25 jmurphy31 @ 08/10/10 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR.Psych


	Don't forgot EA backtrack, ring levels, and the Adaptive Difficulty Engine (or is the ADE still in Madden 11 - waiting on it to arrive).

Is backtrack gone. I did notice today they still have rewinds in the pregame menu.
Never understood how that made it in a game and still remains 3 versions later

# 26 shag773 @ 08/10/10 04:58 PM

I say innovative.

Pros
1. I like that more of my focus is on executing the play.
2. If you take the time to set up the gameplan, it is much more realistic.

Con
1. Doesn't give you a chance to do formation subs. I'm not sure how that can be added intp gameflow.

# 27 BezO @ 08/10/10 05:02 PM

My vote: Neither

It's just half baked at this point. And it's based on playbooks that need lots of work, especially on defense.

It doesn't seem to account for end of the game situations too well. I was beating the CPU by 20 and they were still running on every 1st down, but then they would no-huddle on 2nd. My team was still passing. I heard it starts to consider the score at 2:00 in the 4th, but that's too late a lot of times.

It also doesn't seem to account for personnel/formation. Base defense vs 3/4/5 WRs is too common.

No formation subs is also a problem.

But the playbooks are the main problem. Many teams run only a few running plays. Indy is a good example. I'd be surprised if they use more than 4 running plays. They just run them from different formations. Madden needs to duplicate plays in different formations. For example, almost every 2-back running play should be in every 2-back formation. I shouldn't have to search through different I-formations for an off-tackle.

And defense... unless they can increase the number of "plays" 10 fold, which they can't, they have to consider tiering the play calling. The pre-packaged "plays" are not cutting it. There are just not enough stunt/blitz/coverage combinations to account for the most basic of defenses let alone teams like the Ravens & Eagles.

# 28 TarHeelPhenom @ 08/10/10 05:10 PM

IMO Gameplanning and Gameflow go hand in hand. Without Gameplanning then to me Gameflow is of no use to me. I'm loving both features TOGETHER. I love the fact that I can go in and gameplan down and distance and then leave it up to the "OC" to call the plays. Like someone else said, you can easily go in and get rid of those horrible plays that the "OC" may call during certain points and down and distances during the game. I'm still tweaking my gameplan after each game. Playing my best friend with the Redskins against his Cowboys, I was eating him up with the run. I loved how my "OC" stuck to the plan and kept calling the run while sprinkling in some play-action. Ultimately, if you don't like a certain call, you can audible out or you can even stop gameflow and call your own plays. I love it!

# 29 maddenps2 @ 08/10/10 05:16 PM

Nope, not revolutionary at all, Nfl2k5 had the VIP system, 5 years ago, on inferior hardware.

# 30 kennyacid @ 08/10/10 05:25 PM

gimmick..the time could have went else where.

# 31 DirtyJerz32 @ 08/10/10 05:33 PM

Could be rev or a gimmick. I think it's to early to tell.

I for one like it. I think if you set up the game plan correctly it could be very helpful. I know people like picking there own plays but, what I think people are forgetting is that those are the plays you picked.

I'm using it on offense only and I love it. I haven't set up a plan for my D yet so I still pick the plays but, I think once I do I'll never go back to picking plays again.

# 32 sportsgeist @ 08/10/10 05:34 PM

Gameflow is nice but it doesn't always call the right play in some situations. I wouldn't call it a revolution or gimmick.

The only revolution play calling had in years was when you could call your plays on the VMUs playing 2K on the Dreamcast. You could call your plays w/o your opponent seeing them on-screen.

# 33 FedExPope @ 08/10/10 05:42 PM

Its nothing more than an even more automatic Ask Madden. And when I used it in the demo, it stunk, giving me All Streaks way too often. The IGN review mentions it will call this stupid play inside the redzone at times as well, and too often in general. Even when setting up the gameplan the way they wanted.

# 34 Spongedaddy @ 08/10/10 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	My vote: Neither It's just half baked at this point. And it's based on playbooks that need lots of work, especially on defense. It doesn't seem to account for end of the game situations too well. I was beating the CPU by 20 and they were still running on every 1st down, but then they would no-huddle on 2nd. My team was still passing. I heard it starts to consider the score at 2:00 in the 4th, but that's too late a lot of times. It also doesn't seem to account for personnel/formation. Base defense vs 3/4/5 WRs is too common. No formation subs is also a problem. But the playbooks are the main problem. Many teams run only a few running plays. Indy is a good example. I'd be surprised if they use more than 4 running plays. They just run them from different formations. Madden needs to duplicate plays in different formations. For example, almost every 2-back running play should be in every 2-back formation. I shouldn't have to search through different I-formations for an off-tackle. And defense... unless they can increase the number of "plays" 10 fold, which they can't, they have to consider tiering the play calling. The pre-packaged "plays" are not cutting it. There are just not enough stunt/blitz/coverage combinations to account for the most basic of defenses let alone teams like the Ravens & Eagles.

I agree with one caveat. When the casual player runs into a serious cheeser/jerk online..someone who fakes every field goal, etc. they will get frustrated with the experience and Gameflow wont help them much since it doesn't seem to adopt so well. I think they need to do an overhaul to the matchmaking system and online play to help steer the more casual sports gamer into situations where they can have fun online.

# 35 Jimbo68 @ 08/10/10 05:51 PM

Was 'Garbage' an option? Alright, I know it wasn't but should have been. What's the purpose if you have to end up calling audibles 50% of the time. Was just telling my wife the other day that everything in this darned country is about being as fast as you can. Driving, cooking, eating, working, etc.. I personally enjoy spending 45-60 minutes playing a single game of Madden 10, The Show, or any other video game. I believe it's only aimed towards the newbies.

So, my final call would have to be 'Gimmick'. I would much rather have seen uniforms getting dirty as the game progresses, why in the world would they remove this from games past? And better announcers actually announcing a realistic type broadcast, not the disjointed garbage they came up with this year. Funny thing, I've been watching, following NFL football for over 25 years and I've never even heard of Gus Johnson until this game of Madden '11. Oh well.

# 36 Heroiczero13 @ 08/10/10 06:05 PM

A gimmick, its in there so they could have a little bit of a feature list while they try to redeem their souls with Madden 12....on a random note: I do miss the Player Roles

# 37 TalenT @ 08/10/10 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gotmadskillzson


	Gimmick.....for now anyway. Right now it is inconsistent and buggy. They don't pay attention to what down it is, how many yards you got to go for the 1st or where you are at on the field. Several times I have seen them call out bizzare plays like a reverse when it is 3rd and 18 and I am on my own 10 yard line. Or call deep outs when it is 3rd and 1. And on defense it is even worse. They will call 2 DB blitz when the offense is in a 5 WR set. It is as though the cpu can careless what plays you ranked as a priority, they going to call what they want to call.

I could be wrong but, doesn't the game allow you to pick your plays for "3rd and long"? If so, how would they even be able to call a reverse on 3rd and 18? I'm just asking.

# 38 Blazzen @ 08/10/10 06:23 PM

Somewhere between gimmick and revolutionary.

Biggest problem is that there's not enough situations, especially on defense.

Novel idea though.

# 39 Rawdeal28 @ 08/10/10 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SA1NT401


	I like the IDEA of it...But the implementation and execution is Gimmick(y). I have turned it off after 1 game and find NO need to ever turn it back on... Imagine if is WASNT an option but a requirement? That would suck bad....

my sentiments exactly

Quote:

Originally Posted by celg35


	In years past i would have to write down certain plays because i would forget what formation they were in or thier were just too many to remember. gameflow allows me to add , remove plays that i want to use. I like that i can change a gameplan instead of scratching it all together. I like it the most because it lets the game move along without wasting time finding that certain play.......................................that 24 play clock winds down fast and if you want to audible you will need the time to do that..........gameflow allows this.

Biggest problem is that there's not enough situations, especially on defense.

Novel idea though.[/quote]good point.

quick question, can you use Gameplanning without Gameflow?

# 40 CFTejada @ 08/10/10 06:51 PM

It's a gimmick; Gameflow = for noobs. Why would I want the CPU to call plays for me? I did buy the game I would like to pick my own plays; forget all these gimmicks - EA needs to focus on A Defensive A.I patch, franchise mode & we'll be straight

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