Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

The all new controls would suggest they added FIFA jostling. They share the ignite and that would be a band aid. You yourself kind of mocked the no switch players that would rather see a more realistic untethered passing system than just adding these kind of controls to the current system. I got the impression you thought something like that too.

I wasn't at all mocking the no switch players, I was just making conversation. It's of no consequence to me how people play.

I know what this blurb means, so I don't have to speculate, I just enjoy being part of the conversation.=)

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

Yes it is only one line, but I am nevertheless worried about what this means.I read it like an answer to a question.
"So how are you guys going to improve the passing game?"
" We added all-new controls that allow you to dominate in the battle for air supremacy."

The community has been complaining about the passing game for some time, and people have been offering solutions or what they want to see. No one was crying out for new controls or blaming the limitations on the current controls.

One marketing sentence only, yes, but it does sound like they added a new mechanic onto this horrible existing foundation.

Remember that air supremacy is the end result of winning a conflict.

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

For me I know better than to go down this ridiculous hype road again with anything regardng Madden. Anyone paying attention has seen this play out before and should realize by now to just wait and find out for yourself, while ignoring any subtle anectdotale early impressions from others. What other people like, prefer or find acceptable can be something completely different from personal standards.

[ggsimmonds]

Remember that air supremacy is the end result of winning a conflict.

I know. I am not "worried" because I think it, whatever it is, will make offenses more potent.

When I said the community has been complaining I was not referring to the complaints that it is too hard to play defense, though I am sure there are many such complaints. The only complaints I am referring to are the ones centered around realism. And they can go either way.

Still, I do think many of us are overreacting. One can slightly modify this marketing line and it would apply to last year's game with the new controls on defense. And it is not a stretch to call last year's game the most sim-friendly.

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

NT 10words

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

I know. I am not "worried" because I think it, whatever it is, will make offenses more potent.

When I said the community has been complaining I was not referring to the complaints that it is too hard to play defense, though I am sure there are many such complaints. The only complaints I am referring to are the ones centered around realism. And they can go either way.

Still, I do think many of us are overreacting. One can slightly modify this marketing line and it would apply to last year's game with the new controls on defense. And it is not a stretch to call last year's game the most sim-friendly.

Personally I think M15 is the best Madden game to date, even though I miss some aspects of Madden 05/06.

[ggsimmonds]

Personally I think M15 is the best Madden game to date, even though I miss some aspects of Madden 05/06.

Gameplay wise it unquestionably is.
(sack issue complicates matters)

But I am a franchise guy so 05/06 still holds a special place in my heart.

[roadman]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

Personally I think M15 is the best Madden game to date, even though I miss some aspects of Madden 05/06.

There were good quality game play from 15, but a few things really knocked it down for me.

1. QB AI/Sack Avoidance- Even though they touted off target throws by lower rated QB's, I very rarely saw that except for severely impacting sliders one way or the other. Also, QB's would dink and dunk with a rush approaching vs throwing the ball away or running QB's didn't take off and run as much as I expected

2. Also, the lack of penalties and challenge system has been an eyesore for the last few years.

Hopefully, those things were worked on for this years game.

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

Gameplay wise it unquestionably is.
(sack issue complicates matters)

But I am a franchise guy so 05/06 still holds a special place in my heart.

Amen. I miss a lot of old deep franchise features.

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

There were good quality game play from 15, but a few things really knocked it down for me.

1. QB AI/Sack Avoidance- Even though they touted off target throws by lower rated QB's, I very rarely saw that except for severely impacting sliders one way or the other. Also, QB's would dink and dunk with a rush approaching vs throwing the ball away or running QB's didn't take off and run as much as I expected

2. Also, the lack of penalties and challenge system has been an eyesore for the last few years.

Hopefully, those things were worked on for this years game.

1) The tune they had on QB accuracy when I was down early last cycle was dramatically different than what shipped. Some feedback besides mine was taken into account on the final product. When I played it, poor QB's were very erratic.

2) Preaching to the choir here. I want penalties so badly.

[Mr.Smif]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

Any chance they remove suction pass/catching and add ball physics like NHL has puck physics?

[JKSportsGamer1984]

WR/DB interactions are a given this year. We knew they were going to add them but I really hope the focus on fine tuning the overall animations in this game as well to make them look more fluid. I really hope they add signature running/ball carrying styles so that not all RB's feel the same. Even if it's not for every back, at least give us a few different styles (downhill, slasher, bruiser, elusive, etc..)

I also hope they clean up the physics engine.

[shaunlmason]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

WR/DB interactions are a given this year. We knew they were going to add them but I really hope the focus on fine tuning the overall animations in this game as well to make them look more fluid. I really hope they add signature running/ball carrying styles so that not all RB's feel the same. Even if it's not for every back, at least give us a few different styles (downhill, slasher, bruiser, elusive, etc..)

I also hope they clean up the physics engine.

Did you know (I do because I dug into the data in the CFM site for a project I'm working on) that each player has a running style attribute? I'm not sure if they do anything in game, but they are there.

[JKSportsGamer1984]

Did you know (I do because I dug into the data in the CFM site for a project I'm working on) that each player has a running style attribute? I'm not sure if they do anything in game, but they are there.

Really? Interesting.... I just hope they address the animations in the game. Adding interactions & giving more user control is a welcomed addition, but if they dont improve the animations & start to really differentiate how players animate to make them look like their real life counterparts (ala NBA 2K) then Madden will still be way behind the pack when it comes to sports games. It's year 3 into Next Gen so I'm expecting big things this year & not baby steps anymore.

[RACZILLA]

Re: Madden NFL 16 Features All-New Controls to Dominate Air Supremacy

Not directed at you specifically and I have no really strong opinions on user catching, but this most directly gets at what I think a lot of people are talking about in this thread - the focus on the user control at the potential expense of authenticity vs the focus on authenticity of the experience of user control.

Madden NFL is a video game. Video games by definition have outcomes influenced by user interaction, and console games in particular are far more real-time action-oriented than PC games. To that end, any feature Tiburon considers adding probably has to impact directly how the user plays the game. The CPU is to use any tools that are added for the user to use in order to create a compelling single-player experience, but by and large the focus in the game mechanics will center on what the user is able to do with his button presses in a variety of contexts.

If on the drawing board Madden is considering two implementations of a thing - one which is all non-interactive AI and one which the user can affect the result - I fathom to guess the thing which the user gets to influence is what gets implemented in the game, always.

From the perspective of the average Madden player - the "casual gamer" I suppose - anything with user interaction adds more to the game than anything that doesn't. They don't have the eye for authentic WR/DB jostling and therefore don't notice and don't care. They see no new gameplay mechanics for the current year and thus the game is "just a roster update". They do know, however, that the Madden series to this point doesn't attempt making receivers dynamically attack an airborne football, so they switch players to do it themselves, and this requirement makes the experience more compelling and enjoyable to them. When they see new ways to interact with the game while controlling a receiver, there's something new to do, a new wrinkle in the game. There's immediate dividends, and the game is new and fresh.

Basically, Tiburon's approach in Madden from my perspective is an action-oriented approach to the game of football. Under this paradigm, don't expect user catching to ever go away or even be deemphasized. To be honest, don't even expect a fleshed-out coach mode beyond the token implementation that already exists. Do, however, expect new gameplay mechanics for that component of the game if wide receivers and defensive backs are indeed a focal point for this year's game. Do also expect the AI to use the tools that are added for the user to use, and do complain loudly when they don't (for example, the user can steer blocks as a defensive lineman in Madden NFL 15 depending on player ratings, while the AI never attempts to do this; this is a problem and Tiburon should fix this). Do not expect Tiburon to focus on something solely for the sake of improving the authenticity of the game (the exception possibly allowed being the offensive line because the user never has control over that) if the something in question doesn't directly impact how the average person interacts with the game and influences the outcome.

And to be clear, I'm not making a judgment on whether Tiburon's approach is good or bad, right or wrong - opinions certainly vary, I have mine, you all have yours. Rather I'm attempting to explain what I observe as their approach to developing the game as objectively as I can. Until this creative direction doesn't return multi-millions of sales and widespread media critical praise for Tiburon, don't expect their approach to change and spend your money and attention accordingly.

I don't know that those two things have to be mutually exclusive (though maybe sometimes when it comes to implementation in sports games they can be).

The best outcome is when you get a gameplay feature that allows you enhance realism by way of more control rather than control taking you out of a realistic experience.

Of course, that doesn't mean it's easy to do.