Madden 12 - damn it's nice

[Isura]

Quote: Originally Posted by steamboat

How does that make the game playable past the first year? Its awful tedious, and it makes it more so when there is no immersive elements in the draft or progression system doesn't it? I'm looking for a more in depth explanation then that. I see the positives of 32 team control, but don't see how it would make me want to play it that way for very long.

32 team control is not tedious. Takes me about 20 min each season to adjust the coaching scheme. I set everything else to auto (except cutting the fake players in preseason, another 15 min max).

Draft logic isn't horrible for Madden generated classes. But I'm most concerned with on the field immersion. I have rid myself of the hope that EA will EVER make an immersive franchise mode. Each new feature comes fraught with bugs and horrible implementation. But at least I like to see something that resembles football on the field.

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by steamboat

How does that make the game playable past the first year? Its awful tedious, and it makes it more so when there is no immersive elements in the draft or progression system doesn't it? I'm looking for a more in depth explanation then that. I see the positives of 32 team control, but don't see how it would make me want to play it that way for very long.

I do it once each year (the offseason) and that's it. For priorities, I change each opponent as I come to them on the schedule - takes less than a minute for me - and that's the last time I need to do it. I let the CPU run every team, I just change the coaching sliders so that the sim stats look closer to real life (given the engine) and the playcalling on the field is also more balanced, etc.

I just know I enjoyed my franchise for 12-seasons using coaching sliders. Only tedious part is cutting the UDFAs and that doesn't take all that long. I don't even fill the slots - CPU will do that from the FA pool. Coaching sliders changing gameplay was enough for me - that's the "explanation" from me but it's not good enough for you - we just see M12 different.

As far as immersion - even when games have news stories, like OOTP does, after a while, it doesn't cut it anymore or get repetitive after several seasons (even more if you're into online leagues) for me.

[thebizarrojerry]

Just a few of the important things ccm is missing.

cpu vs cpu
control of all teams
transaction log
ncaa draft classes
complete control of renewing contracts, m13 is only in their last year
changing jerseys when starting a game
editing players (patch will only partially fix this)

[Segagendude]

Question to those who played 12 extensively:

Why, on corner routes and such, do my passes go about 10 yds out of bounds? Is there a "lead receiver" feature I'm accidentally hitting? I can only complete passes in the middle of the field. That's not good when I'm trying to get out of bounds to stop the clock, let alone my receivers get nailed.

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Segagendude

Question to those who played 12 extensively: Why, on corner routes and such, do my passes go about 10 yds out of bounds? Is there a "lead receiver" feature I'm accidentally hitting? I can only complete passes in the middle of the field. That's not good when I'm trying to get out of bounds to stop the clock, let alone my receivers get nailed.

A lot of it is the inconsistency on what routes lead and what routes don't. For example, an In route doesn't lead - it goes to the spot the QB is aiming for (the WR if accurate). Corner routes lead after the cut it seems, so they'll be apt to go out of bounds (before the cut, they seem to act like fly routes). Some crossing routes DO lead, like dig routes before a certain point, but after a certain point, they DON'T lead. RBs out of the backfield tend to demonstrate this, too. Arrow routes are especially annoying because of this, which is a shame because I love the arrow route in my HB-focused offense. Sometimes I fall into my "do it like a real QB" timing and the arrow route turns into some kind of whacked "reverse slant".

What I do on routes like that is pull opposite on the L stick when I make the throw.

So if it's a corner to the offense's left sideline and the WR is heading left towards the sideline, I'll pull the stick right (and perhaps either up or down depending on the position of the safety and corner). This will get the QB to adjust his target spot, letting the WR catch up to the ball.

Out routes seem to work like this too, especially considering you have to throw him AFTER the cut (unlike in real life where you deliver the ball before the cut towards the spot the WR should be at the end of the route - throw it with the WR still on his stem and you have more of a hitch/curl/stick route). I'd do the same thing, throw as soon after the cut I can, pulling towards the inside of the field with the L-stick.

Of course, you can (and probably should) use the L-stick on the "non-lead" routes, but you have an option there. On routes that lead, you probably will have to adjust, lest you chuck the ball out of the field of play or into the waiting arms of a DB.

[Segagendude]

Thanks a ton KBlover. That really helps! I need to practice. I couldn't hit the side of a barn and was wondering what was going on. Thanks again sir!