Pro is the new All Pro

[Unlucky 13]

I've been playing on All Pro difficulty level since the PS1 days, with sliders adjusted in various ways to make the game both fun and the right level of a challenge. But in recent years, the developers have been skewing the difficulty more and more to make playing offense at that level more frustrating, largely by making the CPU defense agressive to a cartoonish degree.

And so I've finally come to terms with the fact that at least as far as playing on offense vs the CPU's defense, Pro is the new All Pro. After playing about ten games and adjusting my sliders, lowing the difficulty setting gives me a very similar game to what I'm used to. It feels like cheating to need to do this and take the step back, but it is what it is. I'll continue to adjust my sliders as necessary, but I don't think I'll be bumping it back up.

Now unfortunately on defense, this makes the game too easy in some ways. The CPU QBs have been throwing a bunch of stupid interceptions right to my defenders, and I'm trying to get a good balance of fairness in that regard. The CPU can still pass and run at a fair rate against me. Its just the turnovers that are out of whack.

Anyone else feeling the same?

[JoshC1977]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

Now unfortunately on defense, this makes the game too easy in some ways. The CPU QBs have been throwing a bunch of stupid interceptions right to my defenders, and I'm trying to get a good balance of fairness in that regard. The CPU can still pass and run at a fair rate against me. Its just the turnovers that are out of whack.

Anyone else feeling the same?

Off-balance throws straight to defenders while on the run? If so.....take a gander at the OP of this thread....

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...-settings.html

If they are just dumb throws into coverage while the QB is set; then I don't know....not seeing it on AP....

[Broncos86]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

Ya know, it's funny. I'm in that same boat that for YEARS, since early PS2 days, I've always played on All Pro. All Madden has always been way too much for me. But last year, on PC, I played on All Madden because I was just stomping the AI.

Now I'm on next gen this year, and All Pro is just beating me up. Combined with some really silly tipped INTs (which I'll fix with the INT slider), I just cannot find that happy middle. Vs All Pro, I can run for 180 yards, but god help me in the passing game. I've played about 20 games thus far, and I've had multiple games where I threw SIX interceptions in the game. From stupid tipped balls to the defense just blanketing my guys, and my offensive line giving me 1.5 seconds to throw the ball at times.

So, I might be tuning it down to Pro as well. I don't care what the difficulty is, I just want a fun game.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

Off-balance throws straight to defenders while on the run? If so.....take a gander at the OP of this thread....

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...-settings.html

If they are just dumb throws into coverage while the QB is set; then I don't know....not seeing it on AP....

A bit of both. I'll certainly take a look at that thread. Some are absolutely amazing picks by my defenders, the likes I haven't seen since the late PS2 era.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

Ya know, it's funny. I'm in that same boat that for YEARS, since early PS2 days, I've always played on All Pro. All Madden has always been way too much for me. But last year, on PC, I played on All Madden because I was just stomping the AI.

Now I'm on next gen this year, and All Pro is just beating me up. Combined with some really silly tipped INTs (which I'll fix with the INT slider), I just cannot find that happy middle. Vs All Pro, I can run for 180 yards, but god help me in the passing game. I've played about 20 games thus far, and I've had multiple games where I threw SIX interceptions in the game. From stupid tipped balls to the defense just blanketing my guys, and my offensive line giving me 1.5 seconds to throw the ball at times.

So, I might be tuning it down to Pro as well. I don't care what the difficulty is, I just want a fun game.

On All Pro, I was also throwing 5-10 picks a game, and being sacked up to 20 times a game. Its clownish. Plenty of times where my QB barely took the snap and was hit. Defenders basically running through my OL like they aren't even there.

[tcnumba10]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

Might have to drop to Pro and lower User sliders across the board so that there is a challenge there.

[Gambo187]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

It's kinda mind blowing when you realize that it makes total sense that at AP and AM the game is designed that the user's AI defensive players have a delay before they move (or they simply don't). It's by design because at the core, the on-field game is designed with user switching in mind.

You really can't fault EA on that because it does show there is a consistent design philosophy. Hence, the development of AI assist being implemented.

There are a lot of us who are now older (40s and 50s) who just aren't joystick jockeys anymore and Pro is now offering what we are expecting out of a game. Finding good difficulty settings at that level now is the thing.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

It's kinda mind blowing when you realize that it makes total sense that at AP and AM the game is designed that the user's AI defensive players have a delay before they move (or they simply don't). It's by design because at the core, the on-field game is designed with user switching in mind.

You really can't fault EA on that because it does show there is a consistent design philosophy. Hence, the development of AI assist being implemented.

There are a lot of us who are now older (40s and 50s) who just aren't joystick jockeys anymore and Pro is now offering what we are expecting out of a game. Finding good difficulty settings at that level now is the thing.

Yeah, I play the game the same today as I did during the ps2 era. Or at least I try to. (Prior to that point, the control was a lot less fluid). I've never, even in my early 20s, been someone who controlled every player. Now closing in on 45, there's just no way.

On offense, I control the player with the ball. Period. No switching while the ball is in the air and user catching.

On defense, I control one of the DL (generally the left DT or DE) until someone other than the qb has the ball. Then I switch to try and make the tackles.

If the game requires more than that, I'm just not capable of making it happen.

[ynkeecwby]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

It's kinda mind blowing when you realize that it makes total sense that at AP and AM the game is designed that the user's AI defensive players have a delay before they move (or they simply don't). It's by design because at the core, the on-field game is designed with user switching in mind.

You really can't fault EA on that because it does show there is a consistent design philosophy. Hence, the development of AI assist being implemented.

There are a lot of us who are now older (40s and 50s) who just aren't joystick jockeys anymore and Pro is now offering what we are expecting out of a game. Finding good difficulty settings at that level now is the thing.

I’m in that older category (51) and agree with your assessment. I’m hoping to find a good set of sliders to make pro tougher or all pro a notch down. I’ve always played all pro and had average stick skills in my best years. I’ve tried both this year as I’ve regressed (had 2 elbow surgeries on each elbow in the last year) and can’t strike the balance yet.

[ricket]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

This thread must have read my mind as I have experienced a very similar issue. In the past I would always play on Pro level, but this year my offense is overmatched and I cannot complete a single deep pass. However, when I switch it down to Rookie the offense is how I like it, but my defense is too overpowering and the CPU offense is stagnant almost always going 3 and out. I have adjusted the sliders in many instances to 0 or 100 depending on relevancy, but makes literally zero difference.

Yesterday it got to the point where I would play offense on Rookie and then go into settings and change to Pro on defense. Pretty annoying after awhile.

[Gambo]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

This thread is exactly why I like MLBtheShows dynamic difficulty and different settings for pitching and hitting. 4 options isn’t enough for the millions of players.

[JKSportsGamer1984]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

This thread is exactly why I like MLBtheShows dynamic difficulty and different settings for pitching and hitting. 4 options isn’t enough for the millions of players.

Exactly. We need more sliders & customization options across the board. Madden is way behind other sports titles when it comes to this.

I wouldn't mind playing on Pro, but the kicking meter is too slow. Not to derail the thread but why don't we have the option to adjust the kick meter speed regardless of what level we play on? Don't even get me started on the lack of other options.. Not being able to turn the training wheel on field graphics off (green bars over D lineman, momentum pop ups, etc.)

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

Exactly. We need more sliders & customization options across the board. Madden is way behind other sports titles when it comes to this.

I wouldn't mind playing on Pro, but the kicking meter is too slow. Not to derail the thread but why don't we have the option to adjust the kick meter speed regardless of what level we play on? Don't even get me started on the lack of other options.. Not being able to turn the training wheel on field graphics off (green bars over D lineman, momentum pop ups, etc.)

The kicking meter on All Pro has driven me nuts for a few years. It used to be faster, but a consistent speed. So functionally, it was just like playing a golf game. But lately, its unpredictible, which is just frustrating. I end up missing so many XP because of it that I sometimes sim the play.

[Black Bruce Wayne]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

I agree. It's pretty competitive but not unfair like All Madden.

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[scitychamps87]

Re: Pro is the new All Pro

I feel like there’s a tremendous issue with difficulty levels in Madden and there always has been. I don’t feel like EA’s AI gets smarter as the difficulty rises. Rather, it just gets cheesier. I think messing with sliders tends to start down a rabbit hole and affects animation quality as well. I’ve really been struggling to find a balance between All-Pro and All-Madden this year.

All-Pro feels the most true to life and ratings based, but the CPU is just too dumb to move the ball against me. All-Madden feels the tightest and has better CPU playcalling, but it feels like ratings don’t matter at all and your own pass coverage, blocking, and tackling are intentionally dumbed down for the CPU’s benefit.

It ruins the fun for me nearly every year at some point until some kinks get worked out.


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