EA needs to work on the CB/WR interaction

[EccentricMeat]

There are some pretty simple, fundamental things EA needs to add to both WRs and CBs.

First of all, neither should be able to find and catch the ball, as well as neither should be able to know where the ball is going, unless they are LOOKING for the ball. This will eliminate the psychic DBs who have their backs completely turned to the ball, but as soon as the ball is thrown, they head immediately and directly to where the ball was thrown.

Also, this will add a greater sense of realism, as you will see WRs and DBs looking back over their shoulder while running downfield. Maybe it's just me, but I think this would be AMAZING to see.

Another thing they need to add are REALISTIC DB swats when they're not looking for the ball. If the DB (or LB) has their back turned to the ball so that they can follow the WR, and the WR puts his hands out to make a catch, a DB should try to put his hands in between the receiver and the ball (like they do in real-life).

This will eliminate the psychic no-look-but-immediately-trigger the over the shoulder catch animation, or the psychic DB jump-up-and-swat animation. Also, this will make DB awareness play a MUCH bigger role.

And finally, they need to drastically change the way man-coverage works. How many times have you sent your WR on a curl or comeback route, and the DB turns his back to the receiver to head up field. Then, when your WR makes his break, the DB (still with his back completely turned) INSTANTLY knows that a break was made and where it was made to, and then makes a glitchy turn to face the ball and jump the route.

Two things should be taken into account. If the DB is doing my proposed "look back over their shoulder to find the ball or WR", they will be able to better read the route and have a chance at jumping it (taken into effect that DBs awareness, man coverage, and acceleration/agility attributes). If the DB is NOT looking back or looking at the WR when he makes his cut, then they should have almost NO idea that a cut was made and have no idea where the WR is unless they turn and look.

Comeback and curl routes are some of the most popular routes run against man coverage in the NFL (just watch the Colts play, I swear Manning throws 20 of them a game). But in Madden, these routes are almost useless.

All of these changes would be a MONUMENTAL step forward for the football genre.

Aside from all of the tl;dr responses, what do you guys think?

[jpdavis82]

I guess you're right but literally speaking WR/CB interaction is when they're pushing each other the first five yards of each play. Glad to see that is in there this year. This is only the demo and it's from May, I'm not saying this issue will or won't be there in the demo, but why does everyone have to jump to conclusions about a game they still haven't actually played?

[SageWonder]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpdavis82

I guess you're right but literally speaking WR/CB interaction is when they're pushing each other the first five yards of each play. Glad to see that is in there this year. This is only the demo and it's from May, I'm not saying this issue will or won't be there in the demo, but why does everyone have to jump to conclusions about a game they still haven't actually played?

Track record.

Posted using the power of knowledge.

[jpdavis82]

Quote: Originally Posted by SageWonder

Track record. Posted using the power of knowledge.

I agree for the most part, but this is a new development team and they seem to be trying to please the community/hardcore fans more than any team in recent memory so I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt until August 30th is here.

[SageWonder]

Quote: Originally Posted by EccentricMeat

There are some pretty simple, fundamental things EA needs to add to both WRs and CBs. First of all, neither should be able to find and catch the ball, as well as neither should be able to know where the ball is going, unless they are LOOKING for the ball. This will eliminate the psychic DBs who have their backs completely turned to the ball, but as soon as the ball is thrown, they head immediately and directly to where the ball was thrown. Also, this will add a greater sense of realism, as you will see WRs and DBs looking back over their shoulder while running downfield. Maybe it's just me, but I think this would be AMAZING to see. Another thing they need to add are REALISTIC DB swats when they're not looking for the ball. If the DB (or LB) has their back turned to the ball so that they can follow the WR, and the WR puts his hands out to make a catch, a DB should try to put his hands in between the receiver and the ball (like they do in real-life). This will eliminate the psychic no-look-but-immediately-trigger the over the shoulder catch animation, or the psychic DB jump-up-and-swat animation. Also, this will make DB awareness play a MUCH bigger role. And finally, they need to drastically change the way man-coverage works. How many times have you sent your WR on a curl or comeback route, and the DB turns his back to the receiver to head up field. Then, when your WR makes his break, the DB (still with his back completely turned) INSTANTLY knows that a break was made and where it was made to, and then makes a glitchy turn to face the ball and jump the route. Two things should be taken into account. If the DB is doing my proposed "look back over their shoulder to find the ball or WR", they will be able to better read the route and have a chance at jumping it (taken into effect that DBs awareness, man coverage, and acceleration/agility attributes). If the DB is NOT looking back or looking at the WR when he makes his cut, then they should have almost NO idea that a cut was made and have no idea where the WR is unless they turn and look. Comeback and curl routes are some of the most popular routes run against man coverage in the NFL (just watch the Colts play, I swear Manning throws 20 of them a game). But in Madden, these routes are almost useless. All of these changes would be a MONUMENTAL step forward for the football genre. Aside from all of the tl;dr responses, what do you guys think?

Ball tracking is something everyone has been asking for since this gen started. It was in during the PS2 days. Why they can't do it now is beyond me.

Posted using the power of knowledge.

[BlueNGold]

IMO this is the first thing that needs to be worked on for next year if it isn't somehow improved from the demo to retail of Madden 12. It's becoming more and more of an eyesore the more other areas of the game improve.

The big step they need to take aside from removing some of those "psychic" moments, is either re-doing or adding more and better animations for both WRs and DBs. Sideline catches look strange at times because of the way they're animated, there should be animations for WRs reaching out to catch a ball just out of their reach (at the moment if you throw a deep bomb for example and the ball falls a step or 2 too far from the WR, he just continues running and never makes an attempt to try to catch the ball), and DBs need an animation where they put their arm out in between the ball and the receiver to try and break up the pass instead of some of these magic jump swats that happen too often.

There needs to be a better variation of catches for WRs. Bobble catches, one handed catches, diving catches, tipped ball catches, etc.

Pass interference needs to start working properly and being called at a consistent rate to how it is in real life. I think a big reason it isn't called in Madden currently is because there are no animations of a DB or WR committing an act that would warrant a PI call (like a DB grabbing a WR by the jersey) and the AI of DBs never really allows them to make a play on a ball or a WR before the ball reaches it's target. In Madden you never see a DB try to hit a WR to break up a pass a second or two before the ball reaches that WR like you do while watching a real football game, unless that DB is user-controlled.

Jump balls need to work properly both ways. No more having all DBs react to jump balls better than the receiver, while the receiver just stands there, or as we've seen this year with NCAA, the opposite of that with DBs standing and watching the WR go up for the jump ball a lot of times.

This is a bit of a smaller thing and maybe not as important as the rest, but not every DB has a perfect and clean backpedal.

Awareness needs to play a bigger factor in how DBs play. It would be nice to see low awareness DBs look a little lost out on the field at times, bite on a double move too easily, or try to hold a WR by the jersey or arm to slow him up (and this being called pass interference). On the other end of things, high awareness DBs should be able to make you pay if, for example, you keep having Andre Johnson run an out route to the sidelines. After say the second or third time in a row this happens, a DB like Revis or Asomugha should key in on it and jump the route when they see Andre start to make his break to the sidelines again.

Speaking of Andre Johnson, size needs to matter more in WR/DB matchups. There's a reason 6'5 WRs or WRs with ridiculous verts are so valuable. In Madden it seems like you have the same chance of completing a high pass or jump ball over a small DB with Wes Welker as you do Andre.

[raguel]

I don't think "psychic dbs" would be that big of a deal if wrs actually used their bodies to position themselves between the ball and the defender. It's like Irvin, Rice, etc never existed.

Also, receivers should cut in front of the defender's face, not behind him.

[MagicMan1315]

There was actually a very good thread in the NCAA forum. I but it had a ton of great ideas that should be implemented I think into both Madden and NCAA

"Fighting for the Ball" should be a major focus in NCAA 13