Madden NFL 16: E3 Hands-On Preview

[kholling]

Have they addressed the lack of a consistent 4 man-rush or reduced pocket time for pass plays? That is the biggest issue with Madden was the lack of real pressure on a quarterback and the pocket collapsing. It seems like devs ignore the fact that QB hurries, QB hits, well-formed, and badly formed pockets impact the passing game.

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by The JareBear

Gotcha. That is good input, thank you I still have a "dream" if you will of playing the game without pressing any button at all, having the WR and DB play it out on their own based on ratings and traits or whatever, but I do like that you don't have to switch over officially to use the new mechanics.

To the bold - in my chats with devs, the CPU v CPU crowd was touched on a bit. The general impression I left with is that A - the CPU v CPU crowd is incredibly small to the point where it is difficult to prioritize any wish list item to that end, and B - it's not something they are particularly interested in emphasizing in Madden anyway; they are building a video game to be played by people who actively want to take control of the superhuman athletes the NFL has to offer, not Head Coach.

[The JareBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

AJ pointed out to me that crowds and NPCs got some attention. There are women in the crowd, fans can bring towels and signs to the game, and sideline characters should now dress appropriately for the weather. There's also an end zone cameraman who goes on the field for close up shots sometimes after touchdowns; from other cameras and in instant replay mode, you can actually see this camera man moving around exactly as he did when capturing the footage of the celebration.

Thank you for your feedback and impressions, as well as responding to tweets. Appreciate it

[Skyboxer]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

The catch controls do not require switching, they are context-aware. Just press Triangle / Y while the ball is in the air and the WR will queue up an Aggressive Catch attempt, regardless whether you are user-controlling the WR.

Will have to play for myself and see whats what. (Mainly concerned about No switch leagues and how that will be handled)

[The JareBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skyboxer

Will have to play for myself and see whats what. (Mainly concerned about No switch leagues and how that will be handled)

I have the same motivation/interest. I solely ask these questions in regards to Online CFM (hoping to run in SOS again this year).

I am sure this will end up just needing to be kind of "round table discussed" in leagues as far as where do you draw the line. Where does cueing the catch or DB approach fall as far as switch/no switch. Are ratings still the driving factor, etc. It's a brand new mechanic so it's tough to gauge right now without testing.

My perfect world is I make the throw and let everything else happen as it should. If the CPU, entirely on its own, cannot handle that and routinely makes the wrong choice, leagues may have to consider allowing the aggressive/rac/possession and play ball/play man mechanics be user influenced.

I am actually super curious to see where the no switch guys fall on this when the game comes out, I will be lurking in other CFMs discussion threads to read everyones opinions.

Either way, I think it is a win for everyone. We are getting an improved game in this department no matter which route happens.

Thanks again to BenG and CM for sharing their experience with the game

[The JareBear]

So CM and BenG, it sounds to me like the best bet is to Play Man on defense unless it is a sure fire pick situation? Kinda like, when in doubt, better safe than sorry, Play Man is the more conservative option (less risk, less reward)?

[Skyboxer]

Quote: Originally Posted by The JareBear

I have the same motivation/interest. I solely ask these questions in regards to Online CFM (hoping to run in SOS again this year). I am sure this will end up just needing to be kind of "round table discussed" in leagues as far as where do you draw the line. Where does cueing the catch or DB approach fall as far as switch/no switch. Are ratings still the driving factor, etc. It's a brand new mechanic so it's tough to gauge right now without testing. My perfect world is I make the throw and let everything else happen as it should. If the CPU, entirely on its own, cannot handle that and routinely makes the wrong choice, leagues may have to consider allowing the aggressive/rac/possession and play ball/play man mechanics be user influenced. I am actually super curious to see where the no switch guys fall on this when the game comes out, I will be lurking in other CFMs discussion threads to read everyones opinions. Either way, I think it is a win for everyone. We are getting an improved game in this department no matter which route happens. Thanks again to BenG and CM for sharing their experience with the game

If the pop ups are turned off there's no way to monitor it BUT:

Here's some thoughts (again at work in between stuff)
If the ratings in fact are not negated by the RAC,Possession or Aggresive catch button getting hit.. then probably can live with it IF we find out that aggressive catches aren't money.

Would add a bit to some thinking as far as when to aggressive or RAC catch etc...
However I'm still on the side of wanting ratings to matter more and the virtual player needing to make a decision on their own...

[The JareBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skyboxer

If the pop ups are turned off there's no way to monitor it BUT: Here's some thoughts (again at work in between stuff) If the ratings in fact are not negated by the RAC,Possession or Aggresive catch button getting hit.. then probably can live with it IF we find out that aggressive catches aren't money. Would add a bit to some thinking as far as when to aggressive or RAC catch etc... However I'm still on the side of wanting ratings to matter more and the virtual player needing to make a decision on their own...

Yeah. We really won't know for sure until we get our hands on the game.

This blurb from the EA blog eases my mind a little

"Each WR has a new series of traits that determine which types of catches they look for when under AI control. This includes the RAC, Aggressive, and Possession traits. Throwing the right route to the right receiver and using catch mechanics linked to traits is a critical strategic component in Madden NFL 16."

Anyway, I think we're gonna be fine regardless. Good point though about the visual feedback