Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

[LBzrule]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

I can assure all of you the new pocket collapse system has a direct and immediate impact on gameplay.

Here are a just a few of the ways it changes the game:

1) It is now critical to read blitzes pre-snap, as slide protection is now a big component of protecting yourself against the blitz.

2) With 5 man protection, you can only block 5 defenders. If they send 6, one will get through. This makes hot routing TE's and RB's in to block another key strategy in running an effective offense.

3) Understanding the concept of a 'hot read' receiver with a short curl, hitch or smoke screen route is often necessary against the blitz.

4) Less time in pocket means less time to go deep. Expect to adapt and hit your check down routes like shallow drags and RB's leaking out into the flat.

There are also huge upgrades in pass defense, making it more important than ever to make good reads.

Rookie and Pro are still pretty safe for the casual, but for everybody else the hope is that they change their play style and employ real football strategies to adapt to the change in direction.

This is great stuff to hear. Sounds better than CG already. Sounds... Now my follow up question is when will pressure be more about the total number of guys you send to a particular spot. For instance, if we outnumber the offense on the weak side 4-2 and my other guys from center to the strong side drop out in coverage, can we get a free runner? After all it is 4-2. This is without slide protection of course. I would really like to see overloads and deceptive looks play an enormous role with defensive play.

[bucky60]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

This is great stuff to hear. Sounds better than CG already. Sounds... Now my follow up question is when will pressure be more about the total number of guys you send to a particular spot. For instance, if we outnumber the offense on the weak side 4-2 and my other guys from center to the strong side drop out in coverage, can we get a free runner? After all it is 4-2. This is without slide protection of course. I would really like to see overloads and deceptive looks play an enormous role with defensive play.

I would like the option of having awareness play a big part in this. I say option for those that want to have to make the adjustments themselves. But I would like an option that a smart QB and smart center could recognize the blitz and change the OL/RB blocking to try and counter the blitz.

One option could be more for the joystick and or coach guys, while the other option could be for the GM/Coach guys.

[Hiro1]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

I just want slide protection to matter again. Nothing is worse than calling a blitz overloading left side of the line only for the right tackle to slide all the way to the left side of the line to pick it up.

[Pokes404]

If they do create a realistic pocket and cut down on the scrambling, why not have the game take people straight into a "Pocket Presence" training drill the first time they fire up the game? Show them how rolling out and/or dropping back 20 yards is not the best way to buy yourself time with this new blocking system (and in real life). Maybe even show them a few examples of when you should escape the pocket (such as a DE crashing inside and losing containment). Even if "arcade" players aren't as interested in realism, they're usually pretty good at adjusting to the game if you just show them how.

[mestevo]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

That'd be nice, but not expecting it. Enjoyed the option training and queues added this year, something to help guide you through identifying the mike and the ramifications of that, how/when/why to slide protection (something I just did last night for the first time in 3+ years because honestly never felt the need or really understood the effect).

[N51_rob]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

Lots of information here. Thanks for the detailed response. I have a couple of questions.

I can assure all of you the new pocket collapse system has a direct and immediate impact on gameplay.

Here are a just a few of the ways it changes the game:

1) It is now critical to read blitzes pre-snap, as slide protection is now a big component of protecting yourself against the blitz.

Very good to hear, but what about the psychic Oline/TE/RB of current gen who will run clear across the offensive line to pick up a free runner. Basically if I know the blitz is coming from the left and a slide protection to the right will I get the desired effect or will some one come across to pick up the free rushers?

2) With 5 man protection, you can only block 5 defenders. If they send 6, one will get through. This makes hot routing TE's and RB's in to block another key strategy in running an effective offense.

Does this mean that guys will use their hands to slide and slip? No more blitzers just running into the back of the Dline effectively allowing one blocker to block multiple rushers?

3) Understanding the concept of a 'hot read' receiver with a short curl, hitch or smoke screen route is often necessary against the blitz.

Some of these routes were already overpowered in current gen madden, the curl and hitch in particular vs man coverage (which is what you get with a lot of blitz') will these routes be tuned to be less effective?

4) Less time in pocket means less time to go deep. Expect to adapt and hit your check down routes like shallow drags and RB's leaking out into the flat.

Will users be able ti differentiate between an excellent, average and poor pass protecting offensive line? There are times on current gen where w/o uniforms there is no differentiating between players. This goes for all posistions. QBs are too accurate, WRs are all the same. There is no real way to differentiate between a route running technician and a raw speedster.

There are also huge upgrades in pass defense, making it more important than ever to make good reads.

Rookie and Pro are still pretty safe for the casual, but for everybody else the hope is that they change their play style and employ real football strategies to adapt to the change in direction.

Thanks again for your feedback and your joining OS to interact with the community. Seems like you guys have taken the direction of building the game from the Line of Scrimmage out. I hope it works well. I am excited to see what Next-Gen Madden has to offer.

[4thQtrStre5S]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

Will users be able ti differentiate between an excellent, average and poor pass protecting offensive line? There are times on current gen where w/o uniforms there is no differentiating between players. This goes for all posistions. QBs are too accurate, WRs are all the same. There is no real way to differentiate between a route running technician and a raw speedster.

^^^^ This is one of my main concerns...The individual player attributes for the offensive line, and Defensive lines also, do not seem to matter...I still get frustrated/annoyed when I remember those YouTube videos showing the offensive line replaced by 5'6", 160lb players with all attributes set to "5" and they still blocked as if they were all-pros...

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

i missed the stream but from what i seen people say is that there is no pocket? looks like current gen? wow...

[royounggoku]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

Yea I saw the stream and there wasn't much of a pocket being formed. What's going on?

[4thQtrStre5S]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

I watched the stream and also followed that with going over to YouTube to check out some NFL 2k5 gameplay, and actual NFL gameplay, and really I think people are expecting too much of a "pocket."

Here is a Youtube clip of GB v Pitt (real NFL)...Notice the pocket is similar to MAdden 25...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM_KHLuCctQ

I would also suspect that pocket creation also depends on the skills of the lineman...

[The JareBear]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

The problem is the QJB video showed guys speed rushing hard off the edges, forming what I think people are looking for with a pocket, where the edge rusher is almost coming from slightly behind the QB, or directly from his side. In the stream there was none of that, it was all regular patty-cake/block shed animation at the LOS.

The pocket didn't look any better in the stream, honestly. Not to me anyway.

Other stuff DID look better though.

[NDAlum]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

I did see some of the updated OL interaction/AI. I did see a blitzer come in and the OL broke off his original guy and went after the blitzer who was going to come in free.

Keep in mind it was on the stream and happened quick so I can't give 100% full details. This is just what I thought I saw.

It was a positive though

[bc21045]

Re: Will People Adjust to the Pocket in Next-Gen Madden?

Maybe I'm wrong but watching those streams and watching the videos that showed off oline/dline interaction it just felt like the lines were "working together" to form a pocket rather than the pocket being a natural result of d lineman constantly trying to get to the qb.

It almost seems like there's a to-do list. First is forming the pocket then once that's done the dline can try to break the block and pass rush.