Madden's bqiggest gameplay deficiency: QB AI

[FedExPope]

Imagine if CPU PGs in NBA 2K constantly threw passes out of bounds, into the arms of the other team's players, and not only that but the best in the game were doing that. Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose etc. being turnover machines. That is essentially what is happening in Madden. But since QBs are so important to the team, this results in the user being able to constantly beat the CPU no matter if he throws five picks (yeah I almost won once against Green Bay, me throwing five INTs). It doesn't matter who the damn QB is - Peyton, Rodgers, JaMarcus Russell, Richard Bartel. The CPU constantly makes idiotic passing decisions. Its even worse with running QBs. They will constantly run INTO your D-linemen, sometimes almost deliberately it seems. If given all day in the pocket, they will opt for a deep bomb that is usually hopelessly underthrown and easily broken up/INT'd by the DB. If rushed within a second of the snap however, they are very apt at throwing perfect passes to WRs over the middle. Go figure.

This completely ruins any chance more often than not of the CPU being able to defeat the user. Now I have my QBA slider set to 66. It seemed to improve the CPU a bit, and perhaps I should just put the damn thing to 99 and see what happens. But this is ridiculous. Out of the box the best, smartest QBs in the game should be able to make the correct reads often and be able to smartly checkdown when given the gift of all day protection. As of now the AWR rating doesn't do anything for the CPU QB since I can easily destroy Peyton who is of course 99 AWR. Seeing as it doesn't do anything for the user at all (it did, when we had QB cone that was toggleable but gee lets just take it out for no reason) it is essentially a completely useless rating, yet is the most important for all positions when determining OVR rating. The game seems to have the pass accuracy ratings translate well onto the field. That's good. But I'm sitting at 10-3 with the Raiders, thanks to terrible AI QBing, and I have Terrelle Pryor at QB. McFadden is the best rusher in my league and has his best recieving year yet. But really? Since switching to Pryor as my starter, I am undefeated. I nearly won the first time I put him in late in the 4th, and in the next game I put him in at halftime and won the game with him. If I can win with Pryor, why can't the CPU with Aaron Rodgers? Sliders only do so much. The AI just sucks. And I shouldn't have to set the game up for the AI be able to fit in stupidly accurate passes constantly in order to feel I'm being challenged. This is by far the worst issue in the game for me, and its being completely ignored by EA.

Wake up Tiburon. It's not OK for QB AI to be this bad! It's not! Its so sad they I play NBA 2K and feel spoiled and like the game is too good to be true. Its great for NBA 2K and gaming, but its so sad since I've spent most of my sports game playing with Madden and I'm being blown away so much by 2K.

[yankees028]

I play with thers on 80 and have no problems. you do know if edit your own sliders past a total of 150 it sets the difficulty to pro right. It seems like people complain so much but tweaking the sliders as you go with in 3-4 games you are going to see a huge difference.

I finished my last season on a 0-5 skid losing games by blocked field goals or just plain out getting picked apart from rivers.

Just seems if you are destroying top qb you need to take a step back and figure out your sliders. Granted once and awhile you rattle a qb early and then your good.

[FedExPope]

I'm gonna jack up the slider real high. If the QBs still suck I'm gonna be a sad man.

[Franchise408]

I agree with OP.

Madden AI is about the most awful thing I've ever seen in a video game.

[Jarodd21]

Quote: Originally Posted by FedExPope

Imagine if CPU PGs in NBA 2K constantly threw passes out of bounds, into the arms of the other team's players, and not only that but the best in the game were doing that. Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose etc. being turnover machines. That is essentially what is happening in Madden. But since QBs are so important to the team, this results in the user being able to constantly beat the CPU no matter if he throws five picks (yeah I almost won once against Green Bay, me throwing five INTs). It doesn't matter who the damn QB is - Peyton, Rodgers, JaMarcus Russell, Richard Bartel. The CPU constantly makes idiotic passing decisions. Its even worse with running QBs. They will constantly run INTO your D-linemen, sometimes almost deliberately it seems. If given all day in the pocket, they will opt for a deep bomb that is usually hopelessly underthrown and easily broken up/INT'd by the DB. If rushed within a second of the snap however, they are very apt at throwing perfect passes to WRs over the middle. Go figure. This completely ruins any chance more often than not of the CPU being able to defeat the user. Now I have my QBA slider set to 66. It seemed to improve the CPU a bit, and perhaps I should just put the damn thing to 99 and see what happens. But this is ridiculous. Out of the box the best, smartest QBs in the game should be able to make the correct reads often and be able to smartly checkdown when given the gift of all day protection. As of now the AWR rating doesn't do anything for the CPU QB since I can easily destroy Peyton who is of course 99 AWR. Seeing as it doesn't do anything for the user at all (it did, when we had QB cone that was toggleable but gee lets just take it out for no reason) it is essentially a completely useless rating, yet is the most important for all positions when determining OVR rating. The game seems to have the pass accuracy ratings translate well onto the field. That's good. But I'm sitting at 10-3 with the Raiders, thanks to terrible AI QBing, and I have Terrelle Pryor at QB. McFadden is the best rusher in my league and has his best recieving year yet. But really? Since switching to Pryor as my starter, I am undefeated. I nearly won the first time I put him in late in the 4th, and in the next game I put him in at halftime and won the game with him. If I can win with Pryor, why can't the CPU with Aaron Rodgers? Sliders only do so much. The AI just sucks. And I shouldn't have to set the game up for the AI be able to fit in stupidly accurate passes constantly in order to feel I'm being challenged. This is by far the worst issue in the game for me, and its being completely ignored by EA. Wake up Tiburon. It's not OK for QB AI to be this bad! It's not! Its so sad they I play NBA 2K and feel spoiled and like the game is too good to be true. Its great for NBA 2K and gaming, but its so sad since I've spent most of my sports game playing with Madden and I'm being blown away so much by 2K.

What skill level are you playing on?

[Nukleopatra]

QB AI is beyond awful.

I'm just baffled that it took people this long after release, to realize this. As for scrambling QBs, it doesn't really matter - Aaron Rodgers just scrambled on my defense about 8 times last game - his accuracy wasn't much better either.

Sliders are junk again, and coaching schemes don't do anything.

[baller7345]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nukleopatra

QB AI is beyond awful. I'm just baffled that it took people this long after release, to realize this. As for scrambling QBs, it doesn't really matter - Aaron Rodgers just scrambled on my defense about 8 times last game - his accuracy wasn't much better either. Sliders are junk again, and coaching schemes don't do anything.

You do realize 8 rushing attempts for Rodgers is a ton he isn't a scrambling QB (his mobility is praised because he uses it to avoid sacks so he can buy time and throw the ball). Rodgers can run but he doesn't because he has a howitzer with laser guided sights for a right arm. "Scrambling" QB's aren't going to run around like their back at college they'd be killed (see Vick's injury list which is more due to his line than him looking to run).

If you have a good set of sliders then you'll get good results. Even default all madden should manage to get you about 60-68 % completion and against the good QB's you'll wonder why they never miss (although pressure will really lower that). Unless you are an absolute virtuoso at pass coverage you can get good results with some slider adjustments.

[Nukleopatra]

Quote: Originally Posted by baller7345

You do realize 8 rushing attempts for Rodgers is a ton he isn't a scrambling QB.

Uh, I think that's my point.. Aaron Rodgers is borderline ******** in Madden 12. He ran 8 times, and I wasn't even in the 4th quarter, all runs but one were directly into my Dline, which resulted in sack heaven.

And this whole ''play on all madden, use sliders'' is a joke. If I EVER, in any Madden game created, on ANY level, find myself thinking ''why don't they ever miss,'' I'll drop on my knees and thank god.

A blind kid could hold any Madden 12 QB to under 60% passing - on any level.