Year of the WR...

[tmccormi]

It seems like since the Past-Gen versions of the Madden franchise, the development team has taken the liberty of choosing a specific postion on the field and developed new features and variation for that position. But why did we never see the WR get their love???

To preface, let me say that blocking is the biggest problem with the Next-Gen madden games. But in a close second I find that the WR interactions and logic is nowhere near where it needs to be... My biggest gripes when playing the game today were as follows:

- Running/Jogging: It never looks like anyone is running as hard as they can out there, and it seems to make it easier for the DBs to cover since the players never seem to be at full speed until the user has control and is slamming the turbo

- Sitting in zones: It is extremely frustrating to be reading a zone Defense and watch your WR run to and behind a defender rather than sitting down in an opening in the coverage. Sure not all the WRs do it well, but they are all aware that when they are facing a zone they should be looking for the weakness instead of running their predestined yellow brick road

- Jump Balls: I have never seen a WR once in this game turn to the original LOS and attack the ball. If it doesn't get over the DBs outstreched hand, it will be an incomplete.

-Sideline patterns: These are an absolute joke, there is no TE or WR in the league (maybe if Orvlovsky played WR) who would run a pattern towards the sidelines and not even make an attempt to stay inbounds before he has the catch secured.

- Spacing: In some plays in the NFL, guys aren't necessarily targets for the QB but obstacles or decoys that open up other guyys. Currently, it is every man for himself in this game

Let's go EA! Put Fiztgerald on the cover and let's get this thing fixed... I'd love to see the blocking improve in this game, but it will be for nothing if I feel like I have no one to throw too

[Atomic Martian]

you made several good points but remember for wr point you need an equal opposite point of view for the db. I would love to see a fade route implemented

[SwayGod53]

Quote: Originally Posted by tmccormi

It seems like since the Past-Gen versions of the Madden franchise, the development team has taken the liberty of choosing a specific postion on the field and developed new features and variation for that position. But why did we never see the WR get their love??? To preface, let me say that blocking is the biggest problem with the Next-Gen madden games. But in a close second I find that the WR interactions and logic is nowhere near where it needs to be... My biggest gripes when playing the game today were as follows: - Running/Jogging: It never looks like anyone is running as hard as they can out there, and it seems to make it easier for the DBs to cover since the players never seem to be at full speed until the user has control and is slamming the turbo - Sitting in zones: It is extremely frustrating to be reading a zone Defense and watch your WR run to and behind a defender rather than sitting down in an opening in the coverage. Sure not all the WRs do it well, but they are all aware that when they are facing a zone they should be looking for the weakness instead of running their predestined yellow brick road - Jump Balls: I have never seen a WR once in this game turn to the original LOS and attack the ball. If it doesn't get over the DBs outstreched hand, it will be an incomplete. -Sideline patterns: These are an absolute joke, there is no TE or WR in the league (maybe if Orvlovsky played WR) who would run a pattern towards the sidelines and not even make an attempt to stay inbounds before he has the catch secured. - Spacing: In some plays in the NFL, guys aren't necessarily targets for the QB but obstacles or decoys that open up other guyys. Currently, it is every man for himself in this game Let's go EA! Put Fiztgerald on the cover and let's get this thing fixed... I'd love to see the blocking improve in this game, but it will be for nothing if I feel like I have no one to throw too

All very good points. It is crazy difficult to throw to the WR in this game. It just seems the CB's react to the ball and the WR's do not, making for many hair pulling "what the hell was he thinking/doing" moments.

Sideline patterns are not only a joke but the CB's seem to have eyes in the back of their head and break on them everytime.

And where are the spectacular catches!? I saw a couple in 08 but in 09 you can still tap triangle for a spectacular catch but the WR doesn't do anything spectacular, he barely jumps in the air!

[Sanchez_Mareno]

With Larry Fitzgerald having such a high profile end of season they might take notice

[MRxAmazing]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sanchez_Mareno

With Larry Fitzgerald having such a high profile end of season they might take notice

Have you guys seen anything?
Ian has already been working on WR/DB interaction.
As well as the route running.

[Madwolf]

Quote: Originally Posted by SwayGod53

All very good points. It is crazy difficult to throw to the WR in this game. It just seems the CB's react to the ball and the WR's do not, making for many hair pulling "what the hell was he thinking/doing" moments. Sideline patterns are not only a joke but the CB's seem to have eyes in the back of their head and break on them everytime. And where are the spectacular catches!? I saw a couple in 08 but in 09 you can still tap triangle for a spectacular catch but the WR doesn't do anything spectacular, he barely jumps in the air!

Wait, what?

DBs in man coverage do absolutely nothing in this game.

Yea, WRs don't jump for the ball enough, but that's about it. BTW, Spectacular Catching is completely computer controlled only on All-Pro and All-Madden. You can only activate it yourself on lower leves, so it eliminates cheezing.

In most games you can go 23/27 with your only incompletions being batted down by the d-line or an INT.

[SHO]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sanchez_Mareno

With Larry Fitzgerald having such a high profile end of season they might take notice

If they even think about putting him on the cover, I will hunt down Ian and Phil personally.

The Madden Curse is not going to ruin the Cardinals after such a season last year!

[tmccormi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Madwolf

Wait, what? DBs in man coverage do absolutely nothing in this game. Yea, WRs don't jump for the ball enough, but that's about it. BTW, Spectacular Catching is completely computer controlled only on All-Pro and All-Madden. You can only activate it yourself on lower leves, so it eliminates cheezing. In most games you can go 23/27 with your only incompletions being batted down by the d-line or an INT.

While you are correct that coverages don't work properly, the users completions in the game are more a result of the CPUs lack of being able to cover the certain route than anyythhing else.

You aren't completing passes because of separation, spacing, or jump balls. You aren't completing them because the WRs are finding the soft spots in the zones or running sideline routes with their feet in bounds.

Any play that works in Madden is usually a result of a poor and deficient A.I system that is too stupid to comprehend the actions the offense has just taken against it.