The problems with EA’s (Spot Dropping) zone coverage explained

[blazer003]

I was 100% for the vision cone. I thought it added a great element of realism. I would love to have a simple double tap option like was mentioned. At least people could really get used to that more easily than holding the left trigger and pressing a receiver (or some people never even figured that out and always used the stick to direct the cone.)

[SJag84]

Quote: Originally Posted by dalecooper

I was thinking about this myself after I posted. Maybe every play could have a #1 and #2 receiver that the QB automatically looks at, and assess accuracy penalties like you're suggesting at times? You could possibly also change the designated target pre-snap, and maybe assigning hot routes would automatically do that... I don't know. The main issues I see with this kind of system is that 1. it's complicated to program properly and in a subtle fashion (you can't have even the worst QBs throwing badly just because the user likes a receiver who isn't the main target on the play; and you also can't have the safeties running the wrong way based on this and therefore someone else is wide open all the time). And 2. I could see it getting on people's nerves when it's basically something the user doesn't control, that is just happening automatically. People already get frustrated at random bad throws, but you have to have them to make the game realistic at all. This kind of system would be far more pervasive and invasive than one overthrow per fifteen attempts. What we really need is a headset with eye-scan technology so the defense can just react to whatever your ACTUAL eyes are looking at.

You guys ever play the one button type? I did for kicks, and it sounds like the system the game uses to determine which button has the A above it could be used exactly for this purpose.

Instead of having one of the receivers with an A above its head like it does in one-button, have that be the receiver the QB is "looking at". And then it would change over time as the QB goes through his progressions (as that is what i believe 1 button kind of simulates). If you havent tried it, try it and you'll see what i mean about the programming underneath possibly being used for this purpose.


OR

I forget how the vision cone worked, but maybe you could have a system that is the vision cone, but does not tie itself to the right stick. You could change it like so:

leave the receiver icons and buttons mapped the same, but instead of tapping A (or B, or whatever) to throw the ball, tap (or hold maybe?) A to put the vision cone on them and then right (or left) trigger to throw. This would allow you to change the vision cone wtihout using the right stick, as well as allowing a much better button for controlling throw speed. I dunno how many times i've tried to throw a pass with the strength between a lob and bullet and failed.

Thoughts?

[SJag84]

Quote: Originally Posted by blazer003

I was 100% for the vision cone. I thought it added a great element of realism. I would love to have a simple double tap option like was mentioned. At least people could really get used to that more easily than holding the left trigger and pressing a receiver (or some people never even figured that out and always used the stick to direct the cone.)

hey, how did the vision cone work without using the right analog stick, i couldnt remember, so i threw out an idea in my above post ^^^ that may be exactly how it used to work, which i guess would throw out my idea. lol

[Sundown2600]

Quote: Originally Posted by dalecooper

I was thinking about this myself after I posted. Maybe every play could have a #1 and #2 receiver that the QB automatically looks at, and assess accuracy penalties like you're suggesting at times? You could possibly also change the designated target pre-snap, and maybe assigning hot routes would automatically do that... I don't know. The main issues I see with this kind of system is that 1. it's complicated to program properly and in a subtle fashion (you can't have even the worst QBs throwing badly just because the user likes a receiver who isn't the main target on the play; and you also can't have the safeties running the wrong way based on this and therefore someone else is wide open all the time). And 2. I could see it getting on people's nerves when it's basically something the user doesn't control, that is just happening automatically. People already get frustrated at random bad throws, but you have to have them to make the game realistic at all. This kind of system would be far more pervasive and invasive than one overthrow per fifteen attempts. What we really need is a headset with eye-scan technology so the defense can just react to whatever your ACTUAL eyes are looking at.

Yeah those are some really good points and the best point is even if the devs are able to program something like this ppl would have hissy fits every time it happened and blame the system for the pick they just threw. I mean ppl goo nuts in the Show after a random error so something like this would bunch up a lot of panties. I like the fact that this thread has opened up some serious discussion on this topic. Maybe Russ and the devs would consider something like this in the future. Give the option to turn it on or off just like Hm field advan and Ice the kicker.

Lol at the eye scan stuff that's kinda scary.

[BlitzPackage]

First I'd like to say, "great coverage" (pun intended) by the OP. Very detail-oriented explanation. Good posts by everyone on the topic as well. However, aside from all the X's and O's, I've always felt that one thing will keep Madden from being a true sim: The ability to implement human emotion and instinct in the virtual environment. These attributes are "substituted", should I say, by the "player ratings". Pattern recognition by a DB or LB varies by the players "experience" level, his nose for the ball, and his own assessment of how his skill set matches up with the skillset of the offensive player entering his zone. Just my thoughts.

[OrangeBlood]

One of the problems I have with the one button passing or having to press a button to cycle through receivers is if I am throwing a underneath route and am facing cover 3 I want to throw away from the safety that has curl/flat responsibility...I don't want to have to cycle through all my receivers.

During the drop back I need some way to pick which part of the field I would like to attack: left/right, flat/seam vs. cover 3 or middle/fade vs. cover 2.

I am open for having to tap a button to focus on a receiver then throwing as we normally do. QB accuracy/awareness would come into play if you were to throw away from the receiver you are focusing on and if you were to focus on a receiver for too long and then throw the probably of coverage arriving would go up.

I would also like to see THA broken out into short, intermediate and long accuracy.

If EA were able to get these changes implemented the passing game would instantly become more accurate. It would also allow spot dropping coverage to become more viable. Then additionally if EA were to add pattern-matching coverage users/teams would then be able to choose which style of defense they prefer: spot drop or pattern matching.

Obviously you would need a certain type of player to be successful in either style of defense but it would add yet another dimension to the game.

[l3ulvl]

I really like the ideas being thrown around here, the double tap vision cone throwing method is really interesting. Also the single tap vision cone with the right stick throwing is cool. I'd be willing to try either one of these.

EDIT: What's appealing about the right stick throw is it could be similar to the shot stick on NBA2K, or would need to be flipped straight up for highest accuracy.

[Goldmember2]

Quote: Originally Posted by SJag84

leave the receiver icons and buttons mapped the same, but instead of tapping A (or B, or whatever) to throw the ball, tap (or hold maybe?) A to put the vision cone on them and then right (or left) trigger to throw. This would allow you to change the vision cone wtihout using the right stick, as well as allowing a much better button for controlling throw speed. I dunno how many times i've tried to throw a pass with the strength between a lob and bullet and failed. Thoughts?

I love this idea!