A Rant about Madden.......minus the bashing

[cover3blitz]

This is why playing vs the CPU SUCKS and that you guys need to quit worrying about sim style, cause it doesn't exist.

Get online, join a league...get some friends to play with
and stop playing lame *** offline franchise vs no one

[Segagendude]

Quote: Originally Posted by cover3blitz

This is why playing vs the CPU SUCKS and that you guys need to quit worrying about sim style, cause it doesn't exist. Get online, join a league...get some friends to play with and stop playing lame *** offline franchise vs no one

Sir, yes sir!!!

[cover3blitz]

Quote: Originally Posted by Segagendude

Sir, yes sir!!!

good boy lol

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by cover3blitz

This is why playing vs the CPU SUCKS and that you guys need to quit worrying about sim style, cause it doesn't exist. Get online, join a league...get some friends to play with and stop playing lame *** offline franchise vs no one

Sure it does, you just can't have a realistic game AND a strategic one. I'm using the NFL Simulation Sliders and have it on Beginner play calling because that actually makes it harder. Yeah, you read it right. Harder. Why? Because the game is calling the plays, and it calls some pretty darn bad ones at times, both on offense and defense. Anyhow, it results in some fairly realistic results and a challenging game, but it completely removes the strategic aspect of the game which is half the game for most people.

The play calling that Madden does for you is very horrible. If you let it call the plays you'll see Madden IQ between 400 and 530 (think that's the highest I have seen it), which means that's all your playing against in a game offline.

There are still too many fundamental problems with the game for me to enjoy it from an online / strategic standpoint. I'll only play Madden 10 offline this year, and hope next year we see the changes necessary to incorporate player momentum (including footwork), route based passing, better passing mechanics (touch control), complete removal of DB warping, and better procedural awareness (it's in the game this year, but it's not always accurate). I could go on, but I'll suffice it to say that I still feel very limited with what I can do in Madden in order to have fun with it in a competitive atmosphere.

[2Koalition]

Madden 2010 has potential and is going in the right direction. Ian Cummings stepped in and wow, even though the game isn't as good as NFL 2K5 it is still a big improvement. They need to ditch some of the animations and computer assist, sometimes I automatically jump over a defender by just pressing turbo or stiff arming. Ian is a gamer and he will take notes as he plays his Franchise and integrate this with the dev team and I believe Madden 11 is going to slay the 2K5 dragon once and for all. I am a 2K Fan Boy, and I am hoping Madden can do it. If not, I will still be happy saving 60 dollars.

Let it flow.

[Tito78]

Quote: Originally Posted by filtertmp

I agree with your general points, but I think you did yourself a disservice with the anecdote of someone else's youtube videos.. Everyone has experienced what they perceive as something 'cheap' or a 'shortcut in the ai', and can understand your frustration. With that said, there isn't really a plausible alternative. You mentioned you were upset that every single o-lineman on one particular play (sample size..) got beat by the same move. This obviously looks strange and unrealistic. Would you be less upset if the CPU called the appropriate defense more frequently (blitzing the a-gap, or whatever) to stop the play for the same result. Everyone thinks it would be better if the CPU just outcalled you, but it would likely be even more frustrating. Everyone seems to think (and I don't mean to infer you do as well) that 'oh, I have outcalled the CPU AI with a better gameplan and playcalling, and the CPU is cheating to compensate for my genius.' Sorry, but people are not football savants. The CPU could 'outcall' you within the framework of the game if the developers chose. Would you rather play chess where your opponent was always one step ahead of you and you were constantly beaten, or a game of chess where you could outplay your opponent, enjoy your success for stretches, but to keep it close your opponent cheated every once in awhile? Think about that in relation to the general madden public as well.

Please tell me that you're joking. Why would anyone be more frustrated by the CPU outcoaching them, rather than just cheating them ?

I'm sorry, anyone who would enjoy having "success for stretches" only to have the CPU cheat them to keep the game competitive, rather than adjust to what they're are doing and stop it, needs to have themselves checked.

If my star wideout is torching the secondary, rather than just making him drop the pass, or giving the corner a ratings boost, I'd rather the defense, double my most productive WR or roll coverage his way. If I'm running the ball down the defense's throat, rather than just making my online miss blocks, or boosting the dlineman and linebackers block shedding ratings, I'd rather the defense stack the box or starting calling run blitzes.

In franchise mode, I'd rather have the CPU adjust to my tendencies before the game to simulate the game planning that teams do in the NFL.

[Tito78]

Quote: Originally Posted by filtertmp

I think it would easy to say it would be a better difficulty system if as difficulty increased, playcalling was more accurately countered by the CPU rather than something arbitrary. Not a particularly contentious notion there.. I only meant to suggest that it wasn't as simple as you suggest. Think about the average madden gamer. They aren't mike martz.. they aren't taking notes on the effects of specific formations and plays against specific defenses and personnel groups. You need a difficulty system that works with both the hardcore football fanatic and the 8 year old who likes to rush for 90tds a season with AP. I think it would be fair to say people (though most wouldn't admit it) like to 'lose' due to something arbitrary and out of there control (12 foot jump by a 5'11 MLB for a behind the back INT) than to spend an hour getting stifled and out-thought by an omniscient SIM engine. Just my .02.

That's what rookie and pro mode are for. Also, you don't have to be a offensive coordinator to adjust to certian things. If a team is stacking the box, audible to a pass play. If a team is blitzing a lot, call quick passes or screens. If a team is playing the pass in situation where a run would work also, run the ball. It's not that simple; A good number of average madden gamers play head to head. When playing head to head, these are the types of adjustments that you have to make, if you what to win on a regular basis.

If an 8 year old wants to score 90 TDs in a season, he can play on rookie mode.

[Tito78]

Quote: Originally Posted by 2Koalition

Madden 2010 has potential and is going in the right direction. Ian Cummings stepped in and wow, even though the game isn't as good as NFL 2K5 it is still a big improvement. They need to ditch some of the animations and computer assist, sometimes I automatically jump over a defender by just pressing turbo or stiff arming. Ian is a gamer and he will take notes as he plays his Franchise and integrate this with the dev team and I believe Madden 11 is going to slay the 2K5 dragon once and for all. I am a 2K Fan Boy, and I am hoping Madden can do it. If not, I will still be happy saving 60 dollars. Let it flow.

If the patch fixes all or most of the issues, this game will at least be playable. If they can fix the AI, I'll be able to actually play this game again. I don't expect that they could make the ratings actually matter; maybe that's what's holding up the patch. That's probably wishful thinking; however, if they can get the AI to cover the flats, if they can fix the kickoff coverage, and make screens a little less effective, I think I can at least play this game online and get some joy out of it.

The franchise mode is simply to bare bones for me to get into it. It's basically draft, scout, sign players and play the games.The stats are broken too.

This game may be moving in the right direction; however, it seems to be moving at a snails pace.