Madden 08 Preview

[WVUFAN]

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/784/784284p1.html

Looks like Madden may be finally stepping up due to the new competition.

[Kodos]

If you could believe a word EA says, it would sound promising...

[SFL Cat]

^^^What he said.

[MizzouRah]

The "hype" machine is in full swing.

[WVUFAN]

Maybe I'm not getting it, but for the most part I've not had a whole lot of issues with Madden. 07 wasn't the best, but earlier editions have been better than other games I've played. The fact that they're working on the exact things alot of you have been saying you wanted improved should be a good thing.

I just don't get the EA hate around here. They've put out some great games.

[DaddyTorgo]

i'll say it...i generally enjoy madden. I don't use it for "serious" gaming...but it's nice on a Sunday after the games are over, or during the offseason when I want to fire it up and "see" a little more, get a little more "hands on."

maybe i'm unusual, but I don't really let the statistical issues (pancake blocks, etc) bother me, because of the pace I play it at and the fact that I don't EXPECT it to give me realistic stats or have realistic player progression. I use FOF if I am looking for that. But Madden has its niche in my life, and I am usually quite comfortable paying for it somewhere close to it's release and getting my money's worth out of it.

it's not perfect, but no game is.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

i'll say it...i generally enjoy madden. I don't use it for "serious" gaming...but it's nice on a Sunday after the games are over, or during the offseason when I want to fire it up and "see" a little more, get a little more "hands on."

maybe i'm unusual, but I don't really let the statistical issues (pancake blocks, etc) bother me, because of the pace I play it at and the fact that I don't EXPECT it to give me realistic stats or have realistic player progression. I use FOF if I am looking for that. But Madden has its niche in my life, and I am usually quite comfortable paying for it somewhere close to it's release and getting my money's worth out of it.

it's not perfect, but no game is.

Pretty much exactly how I feel. I play Madden purely for entertainment...when I want to see if I can turn Alex Smith into a great QB by actually playing with him, and having an impact on what he does...not by devising a game plan that will best suit his known and unknown abilities.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Kodos

If you could believe a word EA says, it would sound promising...

Ditto. Seeing is believing.



Also, I doubt these improvements if they exist have anything to do with All Pro 2k8. No one knew for sure that was coming out until the last few months.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

Maybe I'm not getting it, but for the most part I've not had a whole lot of issues with Madden. 07 wasn't the best, but earlier editions have been better than other games I've played. The fact that they're working on the exact things alot of you have been saying you wanted improved should be a good thing.

I just don't get the EA hate around here. They've put out some great games.

Let's see...


Interceptions in simmed games counted twice.

Fatigue completed bugged.

20 DE's routinely being drafted in the 1st round.

Mario running forever.

Players running out of bounds unrealistically on several pass routes.


The list goes on, but Madden 07 had a lot of problems, as did 06 on the 360.

[RainMaker]

One of the gameplay issues that always bothered me (and something 2K did well) was QB sacks and fumbles. A good percent of the fumbles in the NFL come when the QB gets blindsided or stripped. The QBs in Madden never seemed to fumble unless they were running. I hope if a QB gets blindsided, he'll fumble accordingly.

[DaddyTorgo]

wow. What someone else said...if they can get even...75% of those things implemented 75% well, I will be a very happy man.

actual fatigue? actual differences in receivers? new blocking? no "skating" ?

Madden's new moves are made possible to a new animation system borrowed from the FIFA franchise

Me likely. Say what you want about the FIFA-franchise, but the animation on it looks very realistic.

EA is also rewriting the defensive zone AI to eliminate money plays, especially deep balls and corner routes.

[DaddyTorgo]

Fatigue completed bugged.

20 DE's routinely being drafted in the 1st round.

Mario running forever.

Players running out of bounds unrealistically on several pass routes.


3/4 of those claimed fixes just from the preview article. Note that I did say "claimed" as EA can surely promise the moon and deliver a hunk of rock

[Eaglesfan27]

If everything in the preview article is true... I'll be very happy to buy Madden this year. I'd even control all 32 teams if the franchise AI is still messed up.

[sabotai]

This is the 3rd time in the last 6 or 7 years that EA has made it a point to mention "new defensive AI to eliminate money plays". Maybe 3rd time's a charm?

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

Maybe I'm not getting it, but for the most part I've not had a whole lot of issues with Madden. 07 wasn't the best, but earlier editions have been better than other games I've played. The fact that they're working on the exact things alot of you have been saying you wanted improved should be a good thing.

I just don't get the EA hate around here. They've put out some great games.

I think it all stems from what people are expecting in the games. I kind of agree with you on Madden as I enjoy it just as an arcade type fun game. IF I want stats and management I fire up FOF 2007.

Now I agree with the hate they get for the NFL Head Coach game. That was just putrid for what it was supposed to be.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

If everything in the preview article is true... I'll be very happy to buy Madden this year.

need you even make an announcement anymore? i think we can all just assume at this point if it can be played with a console controller, a joystick or a keyboard - you're on it. quite impressive, actually.

[Eaglesfan27]

No more impressive than your ability to really pound a hot sub.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

need you even make an announcement anymore? i think we can all just assume at this point if it can be played with a console controller, a joystick or a keyboard - you're on it. quite impressive, actually.

EF27 is to console games as HA is to midgets wearing sombreros.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by sabotai

This is the 3rd time in the last 6 or 7 years that EA has made it a point to mention "new defensive AI to eliminate money plays". Maybe 3rd time's a charm?

Improving DB AI for EA just means increasing the ratings of the defensive backs.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by sabotai

This is the 3rd time in the last 6 or 7 years that EA has made it a point to mention "new defensive AI to eliminate money plays". Maybe 3rd time's a charm?

yeah, they really need to pull something else out of their bag of oft-used cliche's.

i can just picture the ad wizards sitting around the table trying to conjure up some new hook, and they get to the guy who's been with them for the last 8 years and he says "listen, i got a hot date tonight that i have dinner plans with, why don't we just cut this shit out and go with 'new defensive AI to eliminate money plays' and get the fuck out of there" and they all look at each other and shrug their shoulders and move on.

[MizzouRah]

I will say, they did get MVP 2005 and NHL 07 right.. so anythings possible.

[DaddyTorgo]

mizzou...nhl 07 is right? really? I hadn't heard that...and I can prolly snag it really cheap at this point

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

mizzou...nhl 07 is right? really? I hadn't heard that...and I can prolly snag it really cheap at this point

From what I heard, NHL 07's AI is still not that good, but their new control system is really fun. Now that you mention it, if I can find it for a bargin bin price, I might pick it up as well.

[MizzouRah]

NHL 07 on the Xbox 360, I can't speak for any other platform. I played a full season and although the game is far from perfect (the defensive part of the game needs work), it was FUN, VERY FUN to play due to the shot stick control scheme.

[Maple Leafs]

Wow, you mean EA is saying that they're aware of all the AI problems in the last version of a game, but that the new version will fix all of those issues? Really? Great, where do I pre-order?

[Eaglesfan27]

Gamespot has a preview up as well now. Mostly similar stuff to the IGN preview with a few additional bits of information.


http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/spor...;picks;story;1

[WVUFAN]

That Gamespot preview says co-op is back. That's good news.

[DaddyTorgo]

figure at this point in the hockey (and basketball) seasons you can usually find those EA games for 9.99, 19.99, stuff like that. But I might wait till they're down to 9.99 since I don't have a pressing need for them.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

That Gamespot preview says co-op is back. That's good news.

Nothing beats removing a feature, adding it back, and the boasting about a new feature in the game. EA never changes.

Still, if they really stopped with all the crap mini-games, soundtracks, and other useless crap in the game, and focused on the AI, it could be a good game. Like a pathetic video game fan, I'll be giddy with excitement for this game. Hope I'm not disappointed.

[mrsimperless]

In related news EA is removing all coaching aspects of NFL Head Coach for this year's release due to bugs. They are slated for return as new features in 2012.

[Mike Lowe]

Hopefully the game is better than the grammar in that review. YIKES!

[TroyF]

I'm going to get burned again on NCAA and Madden. It isn't even in question. I'll buy em hoping against hope that this is the year they get it right and they'll screw me. I'm a moron.

[Kodos]

Another preview. Sadly, I am getting my hopes up, which is always a big mistake...

hxxp://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1593/Madden-NFL-08/p1/

Madden 08 First Impressions (Xbox 360)

By: Nate Ahearn - "NateDog"
April 29th, 2007
Madden NFL 08 (Xbox 360)

EA cares, they really do. Despite their public perception of being a money grabbing, fan hating, bunch of micro-transaction addicts, they really do care about what consumers think. They made this very clear to a group of journalists who had been invited to tour EA Sports’ Tiburon Studios in Orlando. The beginning of their Madden 08 presentation featured comments gathered from message boards. It was flush with gripes about gameplay mechanics, graphical shortcomings, and other clamors for a better Madden experience. Oddly enough, any mention of micro-transactions was omitted. Go figure.

Granted these comments could have been gathered from a few hours spent on any of the hundreds of gaming message boards, but it’s the thought that counts, right? Throughout our first viewing of Madden 08 one thing was made very clear, EA understands that what gamers have been playing is not next-gen football.

This is next-gen football.

First things first: we weren’t shown anything about the franchise mode, superstar mode, or any kind of new fangled mode that they may or may not be putting in the game, so stop reading now if you’re in it for those type of specifics. What we were shown was how EA is hoping to change the core gameplay of Madden to deliver a much more realistic, and ultimately, a much more pleasing football experience.

Remember in last year’s game, when you’d throw an out-route to Terrell Owens and he’d be caught in the catch animation, thus leading him right out of bounds, even though there was plenty of open real estate up the sideline? It happened way too often, and it was infuriating every single time.

Well, no more of that bull hunky. We were shown a video that showed what last year’s version did, and then a clip of what this year’s version will bring. The days of being constrained by the current animation are gone, and players can now take advantage of their God-given athletic ability and turn that three-yard out into a twenty-yard scamper up the sideline.

On top of that, the actual act of running now looks much more true to life thanks to some refined foot pinning. No more running like robots, and that’s partly because of the fact that Tiburon will have access to the vault of FIFA animations so the ebb and flow should be greatly enhanced over past years.

The running game is also undergoing a bit of a reality check. Gone are the days of being handed the ball, running into the back of your lineman, and seeing absolutely no reaction other than running in place like the Wiley Coyote about to rundown Road Runner. Now LT (or whoever your back of choice may be) will actually maneuver his way through the gaps in the line. Sidestepping, lowering the shoulder, and pushing his way through the line now make it look much, much better. Once you get through the line though, things can get a little hairy thanks to Hit Stick 2.0.

Need a three-yard gain to score the last-second touchdown in a key game? Mike Alstott or T.J. Duckett used to be your man. There was no stopping it. Now there is a way thanks to the new and improved Hit Stick. Flick the stick down and you’ll take out his knees, stopping the back dead in his tracks. Flick it up and you’ll go for the big hit that we all love to see when it lands properly. In fact, tackling in general has been ratcheted up a notch from the solo-tackling world of yesteryear. Gang tackles are now in the game, and looking very nice, even at the game’s early stage in development.

Not only are gang tackles making their first appearance on the Xbox 360, but now defenders can actually knock each other off of an impending tackle. Say Zach Thomas has your running back all wrapped up in the backfield, when all of a sudden a blitzing corner dives in to help. But instead of hitting the ball carrier he collides with the Dolphin’s massive linebacker. In last year’s game there would have been no response whatsoever. In this year’s game, you’ll break free and continue on. Couple the new tackling with gang, zone, reach, and double-team blocking and the bruisers on both sides of the ball will be moving better than ever.

Simple game of pass and catch.

Of course it’s not just the running game that’s seeing improvements, the passing game is also getting its helping of improvements. First there’s the opponent AI tuning so now Peyton Manning will actually play like Peyton Manning, not just calling out audibles left and right before the snap then playing like every other quarterback in the league.

Once the ball is in the air things are changing a good bit as well. There won’t be anymore “jetpack catches” where players could take control of the receiver and leap above everyone else to make a miraculous – albeit impossible – catch. You can still jump for a catch, but now mid-air collisions are a reality. We saw a few of these impressive tackles in person, and there were a few that had the crowd cringing. The same goes for hurdling, which used to be a kind of god mode in the world of Madden. Now defenders will wrap and drive you straight into the Astroturf.

When Liquid AI first broke onto the scene on the original Playstation, gamers were wowed with the way a defense could adapt to play calling. But that was years ago, and there really haven’t been many huge advances since. This time around Tiburon is rewriting their deep coverage AI so that streak routes are no longer the money plays they once were. They’ve also retuned the AI of ball carriers, so when there’s thirty seconds on the clock, he won’t stay in bounds and let the time tick down. Now he’ll actually act like he has half a brain and duck out of bounds. In fact, the AI’s entire clock management routines have been retooled to deliver some much needed realism. Oh, and defensive hot routes are back too.

As if that wasn’t enough – and it should be by now – player ratings are being expanded quite a bit. Ball carrier vision, hit power, and route running are just a few of the additions that you’ll find. As always, these ratings will change with your performance, but there’s an old favorite that’s being reshaped a bit for Madden 08, and that’s fatigue. Now, playing in Mile High Stadium will affect your boys. Same goes for a humid day in Miami. You’ll see your players gasping for air, and their performance will suffer because of it.

One of the many focal points of EA’s presentation was taking old features that gamers were used to in the Xbox versions, and bringing them into the next-generation (a place they should have been all along). Of course, our first question for the boys at Tiburon was “What about my fantasy draft?!” To which they sheepishly replied, “We love fantasy draft too, but we’re not talking about that right now.” Fishy to say the least.

What they were able to tell us – and this is a reward for those of you who made it this far into the preview – was that cooperative play is back. Finally, you and a buddy will be able to play together on the same team. If someone had told me it would take EA Sports three years to include this feature I’d have had them committed. Needless to say, we were happy to see it finally making its way into the game.


The Outlook

A reoccurring theme in EA Sports’ presentation was delivering a sense of cohesive locomotion. For as much brutality and as many 300 pound ogres as there are in the NFL, there’s still a remarkable amount of fluidity and grace, something that the current offering of next-gen Madden games have certainly lacked. We can honestly say that after seeing the game firsthand, and witnessing several comparison videos of last year’s game to this year’s, that EA finally has their head in the right place, the place that it should have been all along, firmly on the gameplay.

We’ll have plenty more Madden goodness as soon as humanly possible, or as soon as EA Sports decides to send us a build of the game. For now, just head on over to our forums and discuss all things to do with Madden 08.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

For a second there, I thought I read a couple of posts where people expected EA to deliver a good game. Either my vision is failing me or there are some gluttons for punishment on this board.

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

NHL 07 on the Xbox 360, I can't speak for any other platform. I played a full season and although the game is far from perfect (the defensive part of the game needs work), it was FUN, VERY FUN to play due to the shot stick control scheme.

That shot stick is only on the 360 version, the current gen systems get its bastardized little brother, which isn't very good at all.

[Anthony]

man, EA has some impressive hype machines. i want this game and i don't even have any next-gen consoles yet.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by nilodor

That shot stick is only on the 360 version, the current gen systems get its bastardized little brother, which isn't very good at all.

That stinks, without that I don't think I would have been interested.

[Eaglesfan27]

New IGN preview up that has some cool sounding features, such as smart QB's that can see the defense's play art if a play is called too many times and defensive players who can do the same.

http://sports.ign.com/articles/789/789781p1.html

[Kodos]

Must. Not. Get. Expectation. Up....

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

New IGN preview up that has some cool sounding features, such as smart QB's that can see the defense's play art if a play is called too many times and defensive players who can do the same.

http://sports.ign.com/articles/789/789781p1.html

I'm extremely worried about balancing game play with the "Weapons". I can see some of them being unbalanced, causing the game to be very arcade-y. That preview made me less likely to buy Madden, at least less likely to buy right away.

[WVUFAN]

Originally Posted by sabotai

I'm extremely worried about balancing game play with the "Weapons". I can see some of them being unbalanced, causing the game to be very arcade-y. That preview made me less likely to buy Madden, at least less likely to buy right away.

I'm not sure how they could unbalance the game. Personally, I like the "weapons" idea -- gives each player more distinction from the rest of the crowd.

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

I'm not sure how they could unbalance the game. Personally, I like the "weapons" idea -- gives each player more distinction from the rest of the crowd.

I think I would have liked to see them make the average player worse, instead of the stars better. But any widening of the gap should help the game.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

I'm not sure how they could unbalance the game.

If Stiff Arm is too powerful, if Big Hitter causes way too many fumbles, if Cannon Arm makes it really easy to complete bomb after bomb, if Possession Receiver makes it impossible to prevent a catch, if Shutdown Corner produces way too many interceptions....

And I think that "Smart" Weapons are a terrible idea. The player should be recognizing patterns and predicting the play called, not having the game just hand them the enitre play if it's called too many times. What if the AI doesn't vary the play call enough, and by the 3rd quarter, you're seeing every play they call? Or, what if it varies it too much, and you never see it at all?

The more I think about the "Weapons", the more I hope they can be turned off.

[BrianD]

The weapons could unbalance the game, but they don't necessarily have to. We would expect to big hitters cause more fumbles, or stiff-arm specialists be more successful with a stiff-arm than a regular player. If these "weapons" are just visual indicators of higher ratings which are a bit more successful than lower rated guys, that won't be so bad.

The weapons I worry about are the ones which identify the play on the other side of the line. Don't people run multiple plays out of the same formation just to hide this very situation? If I like to run an I-formation off-tackle blast, an I-formation toss sweep, and an I-formation tight-end seam pass, how is a smart defender going to know which is coming just by the formation? Even if I run just those three plays all game, the defender will never know which one is coming.

[Eaglesfan27]

Another preview on IGN is up. The talk of the Marshall minute where Faulk analyzes the stars and predicts the scores is the first presentation improvement I've heard. I'm interested in seeing the "new direction that Franchise mode" will take as well.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/789/789850p1.html

[DaddyTorgo]

better not axe the fantasy draft!

there's nothing more fun than drafting an "all name team" or an "all rookie team" or an "all hair team" or whatever other random crap you wanna make up

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

need you even make an announcement anymore? i think we can all just assume at this point if it can be played with a console controller, a joystick or a keyboard - you're on it. quite impressive, actually.

I hate to say, but I laughed out loud at this. No offense intended EF - it seems like you purchase a lot of games.

[WVUFAN]

Originally Posted by BrianD

The weapons I worry about are the ones which identify the play on the other side of the line. Don't people run multiple plays out of the same formation just to hide this very situation? If I like to run an I-formation off-tackle blast, an I-formation toss sweep, and an I-formation tight-end seam pass, how is a smart defender going to know which is coming just by the formation? Even if I run just those three plays all game, the defender will never know which one is coming.

Honestly, I think they're doing the "Smart" weapons thing as one of the means to stop people from using "money plays". I look at it as the quarterback's ability to read a defensive scheme that he's seen time and time again during the course of the game, which is reasonable. Same with predictable runs/passes from a 'backer's perception. Yeah, the coach(ie the person playing the game) should be able to read tendencies, but so should the player in the game be able to do the same thing, and possible moreso since they're IN the game.

[Kodos]

Okay. After successfully avoiding buying Madden 2007, I have to say I'm getting excited about '08. It's sounding like they are focusing on gameplay and on bringing back all the stuff they've been leaving out.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by sabotai

I'm extremely worried about balancing game play with the "Weapons". I can see some of them being unbalanced, causing the game to be very arcade-y. That preview made me less likely to buy Madden, at least less likely to buy right away.

Madden, acarde-y? nooooooooooooooo, never!