Opinions About This Idea For Kicking/Punting

[Thinking Out Loud]

Like most football video gamers, I from time to time, think I have come up with great ideas that should be in EA football games. The problem is, so does everybody else and there is no way every idea can or should be put in the games. That said, I just want to run this idea by the OS community to see if it is actually a good idea or just another wishlist addition to add to the pile of broken dreams. LOL!

I really think one of the contributing visual factors to the "arcadey" feeling of EA football games is all the power meters and directional arrows in the kicking/punting as well as the button icons and ball cursor in passing. I think removing these would help EA football games, NCAA/Madden, look more realistic and this is how I think they can start.

Kicking/Punting: Simply make them both analog using the left and right analog sticks on the controller. Left analog stick controls the kickers leg, the right analog stick the dictates where the kicker is aiming. Two easy pre-snap/pre-kickoff steps.

1) hold the right stick in the direction you want to aim the kick/punt (left to aim left, right to aim right, up to aim deep straight foward, down to aim high/hangtime straight foward, left&up to aim deep left, right&up to aim deep right, left&down to to aim high left and right&down to aim high right)

2) when ready to attempt kick/punt, while still holding the right stick for aim, move the left stick down, the ball will snap and the kickoff will begin, if the right stick is held while the left stick is moving ( move the left stick completely forward to attempt a normal kick/punt, right to attempt a onside right, left to attempt an onside left and just release the left stick back to the center for a squib kick.) The faster the left stick is moved in either direction, the stronger the kick/punt and the steadier the move, the more accurate the kick/punt. Fade kicks could also be attempted by rotating the left stick clockwise or counter clockwise upward.

I think this would add a much needed challenge to the kicking/punting in EA football games. So much of a challenge that I would also like them to make the A button(360) a kick/punt assist button, like the defensive assist button currently in the game. This would add the risk/reward of deciding when to attempt user-controlled kicks/punts or holding the A button while watching helplessly, like real teams as the AI controlled kicker makes or misses crucial kicks/punts for the user team.

Opinions?

[TNT713]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

Like most football video gamers, I from time to time, think I have come up with great ideas that should be in EA football games. The problem is, so does everybody else and there is no way every idea can or should be put in the games. That said, I just want to run this idea by the OS community to see if it is actually a good idea or just another wishlist addition to add to the pile of broken dreams. LOL! I really think one of the contributing visual factors to the "arcadey" feeling of EA football games is all the power meters and directional arrows in the kicking/punting as well as the button icons and ball cursor in passing. I think removing these would help EA football games, NCAA/Madden, look more realistic and this is how I think they can start. Kicking/Punting: Simply make them both analog using the left and right analog sticks on the controller. Left analog stick controls the kickers leg, the right analog stick the dictates where the kicker is aiming. Two easy pre-snap/pre-kickoff steps. 1) hold the right stick in the direction you want to aim the kick/punt (left to aim left, right to aim right, up to aim deep straight foward, down to aim high/hangtime straight foward, left&up to aim deep left, right&up to aim deep right, left&down to to aim high left and right&down to aim high right) 2) when ready to attempt kick/punt, while still holding the right stick for aim, move the left stick down, the ball will snap and the kickoff will begin, if the right stick is held while the left stick is moving ( move the left stick completely forward to attempt a normal kick/punt, right to attempt a onside right, left to attempt an onside left and just release the left stick back to the center for a squib kick.) The faster the left stick is moved in either direction, the stronger the kick/punt and the steadier the move, the more accurate the kick/punt. Fade kicks could also be attempted by rotating the left stick clockwise or counter clockwise upward. I think this would add a much needed challenge to the kicking/punting in EA football games. So much of a challenge that I would also like them to make the A button(360) a kick/punt assist button, like the defensive assist button currently in the game. This would add the risk/reward of deciding when to attempt user-controlled kicks/punts or holding the A button while watching helplessly, like real teams as the AI controlled kicker makes or misses crucial kicks/punts for the user team. Opinions?

Good thinking. BUT, "two stick" video games drive me nuts and would be a reason to kick and punt less often. I don't mind the "twitch" to hit the stick, but I never want my finger resting on the stick on any game that also makes ample use of face buttons. I prefer all stick, all buttons, or a twitch action that activates one or the other. I could easily see myself going for it on 4th down 1-2 more times a game just because I didn't want to deal with a 2 stick mechanic during action.

For those who have difficulty in addition to an aversion to dual stick controls, it would be reason for them to abandon kicking and punting altogether.

What might be better is if a stick selects a point on the field - pre-snap - while the kicking motion determines whether they can hit that point. That way you wouldn't need two thumbs on the sticks at the same time.

Later

[maademperor]

I agree with tnt, I hate manipulating sticks too much for this kind of supposedly delicate stuff...but I also agree with OP it should be a bigger part of the games skill type mechanics.

I say throw an extra button push in when the ball is kicked to determine hitting it at the right point...kind of like saying the first button push is the hike and the second is the actual kick. that way you at least have to time it a bit to not kick too early and flub it or too late and get it blocked. the directional stuff is a pain with two sticks, I'm not ambidextrous enough I guess to manipulate both in a sort of slow manner being described....

[Exonerated]

It should be similar to FIFA.

The entire fifa game is involved around kicking a ball.

And it does magnificently on dead ball situations.

Copy fifa's way.

On penalty kicks.

You have a pressure meter (varies depending on game situation, and player ability), and then you aim with the left analogue stick depending on how long you hold the direction.

It's so simple.


Please copy FIFA 11's penalty kicks.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Quote: Originally Posted by TNT713

Good thinking. BUT, "two stick" video games drive me nuts and would be a reason to kick and punt less often. I don't mind the "twitch" to hit the stick, but I never want my finger resting on the stick on any game that also makes ample use of face buttons. I prefer all stick, all buttons, or a twitch action that activates one or the other. I could easily see myself going for it on 4th down 1-2 more times a game just because I didn't want to deal with a 2 stick mechanic during action. For those who have difficulty in addition to an aversion to dual stick controls, it would be reason for them to abandon kicking and punting altogether. What might be better is if a stick selects a point on the field - pre-snap - while the kicking motion determines whether they can hit that point. That way you wouldn't need two thumbs on the sticks at the same time. Later

Thanks for the feed back and I understand what you mean about people having difficulty switching between buttons to sticks, at the same time. However, the whole point of this mechanic is you would not be using buttons, at all, when kicking/punting. Just a simple hold right stick and flick left stick. Can you elaborate on why after selecting a kick/punt play in the playcall screen, then coming back out on the field and placing your right thumb on the right analog stick instead of the button area, would seem so daunting?

Also, the 4th and short scenario you described is exactly the result I would hope this mechanic would create. 4th and short and the user has three options, user control the kicker/punter like they can with all the other players to attempt it themselves, hold down the A button while helplessly watching the AI kicker/punter attempt it or abandoned the kick/punt altogether ( accept for kickoffs of course).

Wouldn't that simulate a realistic risk/reward kick/punt game pretty well?

Quote: Originally Posted by maademperor

I agree with tnt, I hate manipulating sticks too much for this kind of supposedly delicate stuff...but I also agree with OP it should be a bigger part of the games skill type mechanics. I say throw an extra button push in when the ball is kicked to determine hitting it at the right point...kind of like saying the first button push is the hike and the second is the actual kick. that way you at least have to time it a bit to not kick too early and flub it or too late and get it blocked. the directional stuff is a pain with two sticks, I'm not ambidextrous enough I guess to manipulate both in a sort of slow manner being described....

Thanks for commenting Maad. Like TNT said, mixing button pressing with stick movements at the same time can be kind of clunky for some. That's why I suggested ALL sticks for kicking/punting, no need for switching during the kick/punt action. As far as how ambidextrous you need to be, not much. I just went in detail in my op for clarification of the different kicks/punts that could be attempted with this mechanic but it's really just, hold right stick direction and then flick left stick.

This would make kicker/punters actually matter and confront the user with do-it-yourself, trust their AI kicker/punter or abandon it all together. Like I asked TNT, wouldn't that simulate a realistic risk/reward kick/punt game pretty well?

[Thinking Out Loud]

Quote: Originally Posted by Exonerated

It should be similar to FIFA. The entire fifa game is involved around kicking a ball. And it does magnificently on dead ball situations. Copy fifa's way. On penalty kicks. You have a pressure meter (varies depending on game situation, and player ability), and then you aim with the left analogue stick depending on how long you hold the direction. It's so simple. Please copy FIFA 11's penalty kicks.

My question is Exon, is that pressure meter displayed on the screen? If so, I think this is a good idea to improve last years kicking/punting mechanic but it doesn't address having "arcadey" visuals, on the screen. I am not calling the FIFA mechanic "arcadey", just the visual of having a video game power meter displayed on screen. Of course we all know we are playing a video game but the more things that can be done to visually conceal that fact, the more immersible a sim game can be, IMO.

[hampshire2012]

I hate to say it to someone who has clearly thought a lot about it, but I don't like this idea.

My ideal kicking system would be one where the aiming arrow sways a bit around where your trying to aim it, and the amount it sways depends on the conditions and the kickers ability.

Backbreaker had this system and I loved it.

[Pringles]

To be honest no matter what they do it will still be to easy I would rather them make a option that alows the Cpu A.I to do the kicking and punting, a auto Kick and Punt feature that way the game logic will go off of the players rating and attributes rather than me. it will be more of a challenge.

how many times have you watched a game and said we should have won if it wasn't for the kicker or that bad punt ? it would add more drama to the game
but that is just my thought's