QB movement- hitch step

[adembroski]

I know we all have issues with QB movement in the game, it needs work on all levels, but most of the focus has been on dropback.

I wanted to mention this because I still play Madden 08 PC now and again, and there's one thing I'd really like to see reworked in NextGen Madden, and that's the hitch step.

The hitch step is the little bounce forward a QB does at the end of a long drop, and he'll repeat it as he moves forward in the pocket if he's got good protection.

In LegacyGen Madden, this was one of the few motions almost perfectly done. It was crisp, it felt perfect, if you threw a pass with the hitch step, it would be seamlessly blended with the step, resulting in great better down-field throws.

Now it feels awkward and pointless. Stepping forward... ignoring the fact that the blocking rarely allows for it... doesn't seem to have an effect on the pass anymore. The transition isn't as clean, it feels like separate events... like, you can step up and then throw, but you can step up as a part of the throw, if that makes any sense.

If any of you have LegacyGen Madden, pop it in, drop back, and bounce forward a few steps in the pocket and release a bomb. Try the same thing in Madden 09, I think you'll understand what I'm getting at.

[spfhelmiii]

Hmm, I dunno if I can agree with that. I know definitely in last year's Madden it felt great to step up in the pocket, at least when launching a bomb down the field. I had a Superstar QB (drafted on the Lions, ack), but there was no better feeling then dropping back, taking two steps up in the pocket, and heaving one to Calvin Johnson. I distinctly remember feeling that the step-up gave me a boost in passing distance. Then again, the camera angle may make it feel that way.

Just last night I thought I had a similar experience. I was using J.T. O'Sullivan, dropped back, stepped up and heaved a deep pass that was farther than I had been able to previously. I'll admit, it may just be me wishing that the step-up has an effect that tricks me into seeing it. I'll have to play around with it.

Btw, as you may have guessed, I'm a die-hard Niners fan. Let's hope JTO and company have a monster game against Detroit; we haven't enjoyed a nice blow-out in a long, long time.

[jvaccaro]

I notice that when I try to step forward in the pocket and throw deep, the announcer says "throwing on the run"...

[SoxFan01605]

Quote: Originally Posted by jvaccaro

I notice that when I try to step forward in the pocket and throw deep, the announcer says "throwing on the run"...

Yup. I think that's kinda what the OP is driving at. Almost anytime I try to move forward in the pocket (which is a dangerous game itself...lol) and throw in a seamless manner I end up with a weird little "running forward" animation. It's not inaccurate if I'm actually running, but if I'm just trying to step up it's just silly. I'm wondering if this isn't so much a problem with the QB animation itself, but with the fact that you have no degree of control on the L stick anymore (not pressure sensitive) meaning every forward movement on the stick is perceived as running. This isn't to say QB animations don't need help, they do, but I'm wondering if it's a separate issue.

[Palo20]

Sig styles would help this too as you can have Jeff Garcia who kinda runs toward the line a lot and throws, Favre throwing on his back foot, Brady avoiding rushers gracefully, Peyton moving his feet a ton and avoiding rushers. It would be nice if each QB had his own distinct style in the pocket.

[withauthority]

What the hell is legacy gen madden

[SCOTTFREE226]

Quote: Originally Posted by Palo20

Sig styles would help this too as you can have Jeff Garcia who kinda runs toward the line a lot and throws, Favre throwing on his back foot, Brady avoiding rushers gracefully, Peyton moving his feet a ton and avoiding rushers. It would be nice if each QB had his own distinct style in the pocket.

thats a good idea, but i think you're asking too much..