Madden isn't meant for offline anymore

[TheGentlemanGhost]

They removed so many little things...

Refs

An actual “hurry up”

Infield injury animations (now they all just take a knee no matter what injury they have if the camera happens to show them)

Game speed options (which did nothing as far as fixing the issues they claim the removal was for)

I really wonder just how bad the foundation of this game is if they have to remove things in this game just to add other features. They definitely should not be pushing their limits with these consoles. They must’ve made so missteps in the beginning of production that they likely will need to start over again next gen.

But also, X factor is really not a CFM feature to me. It seems more catered to arcade play, at least most of the game changing X Factors do. I don’t need guys like Khalil Mack getting 2 or 3 sacks and THEN he gets even harder to stop so now he can get the next 4 or 5 sacks even more easily because of some charged up X Factor lol. It’s completely unnecessary.


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[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheGentlemanGhost

They removed so many little things... But also, X factor is really not a CFM feature to me. It seems more catered to arcade play, at least most of the game changing X Factors do. I don’t need guys like Khalil Mack getting 2 or 3 sacks and THEN he gets even harder to stop so now he can get the next 4 or 5 sacks even more easily because of some charged up X Factor lol. It’s completely unnecessary. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Agree with what you stated except agree to disagree with you on this one.

I understand why you feel that way, but for me, it's a great time to exercise all the tools that come with the game and Khail Mack and others haven't been a nuisance for me. I'll either slide the line towards their side or double team block.

[PGaither84]

This has been a fun read. It echoes a lot of my feelings.


Regarding the old man complaints:
I am 35, or will be in a couole weeks, and have played electronic fooball going back to the SNES and in my teenage years played some of those retro games for fun.

I never bought a PS4/XBox1. I still have 360 games in their original plastic wrap such as the original Red Dead Redemption, Alan Wake, Bioshock and so on. I just cannot justify buying a console for offline single player games when I haven't started, let alone finished, many classic games. More so when there aren't any modern games I want outside of Madden.

Regarding offline play:
A feature from PS2 era Madden that I never saw the 360 era Madden bring back were camera fakes. Since Madden 04-08, if you called a play action, the camera followed the runner as though they had the ball for that half second or full second to sell it before dropping back to the passing camera. The player indicator also followed the runner and really sold it. The same for the fake FB dive HB pitch. That was really missed. As it is on the 360, and I can only assume even now), it is no longer part of the game anymore.

Offline franchise/ccm is how I enjoy the game, much like many other players here. As a result, a solid draft and scouting process, trade logic and the AI willing tontrade with itself and all of the things which happen in Madden 25 is another reason why I have been in no hurry to "update" to newer versions.

Regarding coach mode/game play:
As a nieve and ignorant kid/teenager, I was convinced that Madden 02/03/04 fooball was authentic NFL football within the limits of video games. As I grew up and learned more about the sport, I realized that Madden is closer to High School football than it is to NFL or college ball. Many people have felt that NCAA plays a better game of football, and while indivodual examples are true, I also felt that the expectation from the college game vs the pro game is another reason why.

In ither threads, we talk about schemes and technique and game plans and so forth. Senator Palmer in another thread was talking about how he really only uses about 6 defensive calls, and I agree. While I cannot speak on Madden 20, a legacy issue in Madden has been when a Left or Right tackle will slide across the formation at the snap to block an overload blitz. Even a back side guard wpuld slide over to the opposite B gap to help block. There is a big difference between "looking for work" and what happen(s/ed) in Madden 25 and prior (the games I can comment on.

When I was a part of community day for Madden 11, I made this one of the many areas I tried to get fixed with my feedback and was able to do so... until the first game play patch broke it again. If you play Madden 11 on the disc with no hard drive or updates and offline as printed and set up an overload blitz against a spread 5 man protection, you can see a backside guard or tackle try to slide over and hit an invisible wall preventing them from going more than one gap over and sliding across the formation to unrealistically pick it up. They did it after lunch in a couple hours (to find it, fix it, and test that it did not break things). Yet... it did not last long. It was nice while it lasted.

Well, blitzing in Madden does little more than add another pass rusher who will get blocked. As a result, I personally never send more than 4 at the AI QB, as it is a waste of time and your coverage will be shredded.

As a result, my custom playbooks (4-3 & 3-4) are just different front and a combination of basic coverages with 4 pass rushers, with as few stunts as possible - as those are also not done well.

The AI does not get tricked by coverage rolls and complicated concepts - which also tend to be poorly executed anyway. Instead, and as I mentioned earlier, I tend to treat the game like high school football and sticking to fundamentals rather than complex tactics you would find at the highest levels. For example, look no further than this fantastic breakdown: https://youtu.be/yQxt_j3BEvc

Regarding "slider-itis":
This is very real. As a community, we have different expectations, styles, and things we will forgive vs what we demand.

I have found what works for me and enjoy the imperfect game the best I can.

It seems like some parts of modern madden are improving while other aspects have failed to meet the standards set in the past.

I have returned to the forms this year after so many years away in hopes of seeing a game worth buying. For as much as I still enjoy Madden 25, that is a 6 year old game (2013 NFL season).

[ripp1p]

Is there a way to go from saving to the cloud to offline? I don’t like how you can’t save at different points of the season.


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[hyacinth1]

I was thinking of making this same post but replacing 'Madden' with 'FIFA' in the FIFA Forums w/ FIFA 20 coming out.

[Heisman]

Can somebody explain the fun in madden ultimate team?

I’m a offline player only. Madden 99 was my first madden. I was around 11 at the time and the franchise mode in that game really got me into football.

I just don’t see the fun in ultimate team when you can play real fantasy football on yahoo or something.

[SmashMan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heisman

Can somebody explain the fun in madden ultimate team? I’m a offline player only. Madden 99 was my first madden. I was around 11 at the time and the franchise mode in that game really got me into football. I just don’t see the fun in ultimate team when you can play real fantasy football on yahoo or something.

There's actually a thread about this on the MUT subforum here.

What's the appeal of the MUT mode?

[Fist Of Kings]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheGentlemanGhost

They removed so many little things... Refs An actual “hurry up” Infield injury animations (now they all just take a knee no matter what injury they have if the camera happens to show them) Game speed options (which did nothing as far as fixing the issues they claim the removal was for) I really wonder just how bad the foundation of this game is if they have to remove things in this game just to add other features. They definitely should not be pushing their limits with these consoles. They must’ve made so missteps in the beginning of production that they likely will need to start over again next gen. But also, X factor is really not a CFM feature to me. It seems more catered to arcade play, at least most of the game changing X Factors do. I don’t need guys like Khalil Mack getting 2 or 3 sacks and THEN he gets even harder to stop so now he can get the next 4 or 5 sacks even more easily because of some charged up X Factor lol. It’s completely unnecessary. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

I was one of the people that said madden needed player tendencies/player styles/ability system like apf 2k8 does, and I still feel that way. The problem with madden 20's x factors is exactly what you mentioned, they are cheesy and unrealistic.



I realized this immediately when I was watching some random youtube clip of some guy breaking a bunch of highlight, once a year type long runs with Barkley(giants rb) to 'get in the zone'. The way it's set up in apf 2k8 is a lot more natural and realistic, and in the flow of the game.



But in madden 20, it's a poor implementation that only highlights the bad gameplay, and makes it even more unrealistic. I don't like the way ea went about this. Personally, I feel that if the player ratings translated into the on the field gameplay better then maybe a system like this wouldn't even be needed.