Top 10 things that suck in M13. Great ideas in there! Check it out!

[AE Spits Fiya]

10 things in Madden 13 that sucks!

1. Pass Rush
LEs (4-3) & LOLBs (3-4) of user-controlled teams are beating the sack record every year. When they’re CPU controlled they just run right around the RT and sacks the QB within 1 sec. The CPU QB moves right when no one is open by default.

Some stats from ONE season (User controlled MLB/DT)(all-madden, 13 min Q, 16 sec run-off):
Bruce Irvin as LE had 36 sacks in 16 games. Chris Clemons 2 sacks in 16 games.

Lamar Woodley 25 sacks in 7 games. James Harrison 0

Carlos Dunlap 24 sacks, Michael Johnson 3 sacks

2. Draft
What’s up with the Draft? Awesome idea, layout, and scouting etc. But seriously? Every player who isn’t mentioned in the news is exactly the same every time you get that particular draft (30 different drafts ONLY). How hard can it be to randomize attribute numbers, names, and pictures? Like a CB gets random name and an attribute which fits accordingly (for example; CB gets a random SPD between 78-99. In STR it could be between 40-55 and man-coverage between 50-90 and every player gets a random no. between 0-99 in production). The average of production-rating, size-rating and overall-rating should make out the projected draft spot. There you have it. I made that up in 15 seconds. Furthermore there are 6720 players to be drafted in M13, yet it feels like there are only 200 player pictures. They don’t just look the same they ARE the same. I’m sure random people, like myself, would gladly send a face-photo to be used in Madden 14.


3. Contracts
So I got DRoY, who was undrafted. When his contract was up (550k/1 year) he wanted a new one, obviously, I thought to myself ”He (DRoY) might be more expensive now” yet somehow his agent ****s him in the *** and he wants 2 years @775. Wow! What a great deal for the reigning DRoY! – What I’m trying to say is that contract logic is flawed in a lot of ways. It seems like OVR is the only factor.

4. Coverage
It’s the biggest exploit in the year’s game - Press coverage – First of all; the commentator says it out loud every time it’s used. WHY? We all know the opposing user is just going to hot route his players into streaks and miraculously the worst release-rated WRs will beat the best press corners within 0,5 second to gain a 5-yard head start on the streak. “But why is that a problem?” You might ask, “there’s safety help over the top.” Here comes problem no. 2; where the hell is that safety? He takes such a pour angle that he essentially let’s the WR run past him. Ed Reed does it, Taylor Mays does it. Just like Richard Sherman (97 press) gets beat by Brandon Banks (32 release) 9/10 times. Make press work!! Furthermore; A slant to Desean Jax/Mike Wallace is the killer. The safeties are guaranteed to take awful angles and let a speedy guy slip right through. FIX THAT TOO! I can’t be controlling all 11 defenders. Now we’re at it. Grab a speedy RB and bounce him outside on every play. The defenders will try to tackle you where you are instead of anticipating where they’ll catch you (the angles again). When they all tail you, you break for the end zone. Just run backwards 1-2 yards while aiming for the sideline until they all follow you. TD!

5. Ziggy Hood
How is Ziggy Hood rated 77 I block shedding? He hasn’t shed a block his entire career. It’s fair to say that JaMarcus Russell’s NFL career has been more productive than that of Ziggy Hood.

6. Passing game/Route effectiveness
So, we all look at our routes pre-play and determine where to throw the ball. The in-line TE with the in-post is a surefire 1st down, just like the curl in off-coverage, the streak in press, drag vs. LB, the TE option, and many many more. Why are people throwing to a certain route instead of finding the open WR? Because we know from the routes chosen which WR is going to be open. How hard can it be to fix that? Mix up some things.

7. WR-type
Speed kills. Speed is everything in madden. EA promised that height and weight would be a factor in M13 and it is – or is it? I didn’t really notice. Instead it’s still all about speed. If Dalton throws a ball up for grabs to AJ, the corner will turn and jump for it, but the AI-AJ will keep running and be trying to catch it over the shoulder. You never see them make spectacular catches jumping in traffic if you let the CPU do it. Don’t throw it deep unless it’s a streak and the coverage is press.

8. Schemes
Schemes are a great idea. Of course Gerald McCoy (295 lbs.) shouldn’t function well as a nose in 3-4. Just like Da’Quan Bowers wouldn’t work as a DE in 3-4. I love how their overalls are determined because of this factor. One thing I don’t understand though; why do you pick schemes for your WRs? There are different types of WRs, of course, but teams try to balance it out and getting complimentary guys. Look at the Chiefs. How do you pick a scheme that fits Bowe, Breaston, Baldwin, Wylie, and McCluster. Teams draft to mix things up. Just like they do with RBs, TEs, DTs, Ends, and CBs. It would work better if EA removed individual position schemes and just kept going with 3-4 or 4-3.

9. No Combine?
I don’t really understand where the NFL Combine is? I haven’t found it yet. I think it’s there, because which game producer would leave a feature like that out of a game like Madden? It’s easy to make though. Follow this: You get a list of all prospects and their results in the 40-yard dash, bench press etc. and their ratings change based on the performance. Let’s say I’ve scouted this beautiful DT, BUT he was only 75 STR (based on college production). Geeez that sucks. But then, at the combine, he benches 225 lbs. 900 times. His STR is now 99 when I look him up at my draft board again. That would be sooooo difficult to make in today’s gaming.

10. Every other crappy thing
We’ve all seen it. Madden is awesome. Connected careers are awesome. The new engine has done wonders. BUT
• Why are people falling or getting stuck to each other post-play all the time?
• Auto-subs doesn’t work/is bugged
• Package subs can’t be saved from game to game. I want Bruce Irvin in on 3rd&long and Red Bryant in 3rd&short.
• When you’re in the pocket as a QB and press down RT/R2, the opposing MLB will start to rush the QB. How can he know I wanna take off? It’s pretty effective to remove their MLB from coverage though when running slants.
• No retirement news/section for lesser NFL stars in CCM
• CPU trade logic. Try trading 2nd and 3rd round picks for CPU 1st round. They accept often
• Please update the player profile pictures! It’s the same pictures since they entered the game. People change appearance after 10 years.
• UDFA is “early bird gets the worm”. Why can’t they choose between teams like in FA? The more money the more they want to join your team. Or if a UDFA WR sees that a team only has 2 other WRs, he wants to play there for a chance to start.
• Practice in CCM! GOD it’s boring. Maybe make XP adjustments so the tougher scenarios gain more XP, and no XP for losing. If you’ve played a scenario it will be removed from the list until all others are played too. This way you get to play them all and it wont be the same crap all over again and again and again. Btw maybe change the whole practice system to 10 tries from different things. 10 FGs at 50 yards, if you complete 7/10 coach+kicker gains XP. 10 tries at 4th and inches at the goal line. If you score on 7 your OL+RB+Coach gets boosted. I would enjoy that!
• Broken collarbone, broken collarbone, and broken collarbone. I’ve played 6 seasons (injury rating at 55) and I’ve never placed a guy on IR, but I have seen like 200 broken collarbones. Beautiful!
• And many many more

[Pete Dahh Sneak]

#1 - yes of course, this has been a problem for as long as I can remember

#2 - I agree and disagree. I like fixed classes, because it provides a feeling of a player being yours. You understand his identity. The pictures thing is a huge problem. My friend developed a theory about how a certain picture of a LB (I believe Tevin Ash's face) is one of the telling factors if he's a good LB or not.

#3 - Yes that's dumb.

#4 - The press coverage problem you're explaining, from 3 months of playing, is greatly exaggerating the gameplay that I experience. Unless you're pressing with guys with 70 and below, I cannot understand your POV.

#5 - LOL

#6 - Something I believe is fixed, or at least reduced, with the vision cone.

#7 - I agree

#8 - Something I've never really thought of. While I was reading it, I was nodding my head saying "yea, duh, of course of course". I was very happy when I saw they were putting positional schemes into the game. Now I hate it. The Chiefs would never sign Hillis if this was Madden. There's no such thing as a complimentary back. You cannot be more right.

#9 - I guess you didn't play HC. It'll be a feature within the next few years, there's no way it won't be.

#10 - Yep, yep, yep. I agree with your idea about practice. It should be removed until all others are completed or just not available for X amount of weeks. No retirement news for lesser players is terrible. I don't find out many times a player retires until I'm in week 3 of FA to check something out. UDFA bidding was in HC and may make an appearance, I enjoyed its setup.

The only issue I have that you did not state is the lack of a transaction log. I cannot keep up with all 32 teams and how they're handling their business. IDK if they did this to mask the possible flaws that CCM would present in the AI, but this is killer. I wanna know how the Jags rebuilt their franchise. Especially 10+ years into the chise, IDK who most of the players are. Did they do it through the draft? FA? Combination?

[KBLover]

1. Yep. Don't understand why this is the case. Why is the logic different for the LE than the RE (or the RT than the LT)? Didn't they see that guys like Jared Allen or Justin Smith are stonewalled constantly - two of the predominate DE rushers in the game? I really would love to know the reason why they even made the game like this...

2. Yeah, bring back randomness with reason. I guess their thinking is "it would take 30 years to get through a class", nevermind people might play with multiple teams (I have Ravens and Raiders going now, probably Bucs soon) or in multiple leagues.

3. Another reason why OVR should die and it should be based on his best skill(s) and things like Awards. Heck, base it on his Legacy score, since winning awards adds to Legacy.

4. I don't play a lot of press coverage (Oakland's DBs aren't really good at it in the new guys I've drafted don't seem to have much skill), but if 97 PRS loses to 32 RLS...that frequently (i.e. you're not exaggerating about 9/10, but have tracked it, etc) - that doesn't make sense.

5. Jamarcus Russell has to be on the list of the Top 5 worst NFL players ever. Only one I can think of worse is Ryan Leaf

6. If not the vision cone, some system of "going through your progressions" and the rate of which is based on QB AWR. They have it where the receivers are looking for/at the ball, they need something where the QB is looking at the receiver.

7. Speed is not everything. Ford and DHB drop a lot of what comes their way, assuming Ford's crap RTE gets him open. DHB gets open, but I didn't want to throw it at him, because he'll drop it about half the time from what I could tell. He often had as many drops as catches, sometimes more drops and once in a while, 4 rec and only 1 drop. Meanwhile Juron Criner is slower, but more reliable as he has better hands. Moore is better not because he's faster, but because he's got better ball skills. I signed the Seattle Mike Williams and he's better than DHB because he doesn't drop stuff. Only thing Ford is good for is a deep shot and see if you get it. He got one and no connection on the other in the last game I played.

I've seen Moore (95 SPC) make spectacular/tough catches before. Going up one handed, catching, and holding on, making a sliding catch with the ball going behind him (good throw Terrelle Pryor...), somehow reaching out an arm to grab the ball. The deep ball issue, though, yeah. They react poorly. Like you said, they'll keep running...unless they are at the "catch circle". That's when the WR will contest for the ball.

I don't know if this is height mattering, but I've seen DBs swat and miss passes (ball was too high for their height + JMP skill?) I've seen defenders knock the ball out of a receivers hands, but sometimes not (tried and failed due to height? I notice it happens mostly when they hands are at the same height level)

Weight - I can't think of when that mattered. STR supposedly does, but that's not tied to weight.


8. You can pick a "scheme" to fit WR. Raiders always aim for speed, even though Moore, Ford, and DHB are different otherwise. I could like big, powerful WR, but one could be better at catches, one better and running over DBs and one better at going up to get the ball.

And you can mix it up. #1 Possession, #2 Balanced, #3 Speed. Or I'm using #1 Red Zone Threat, #2 Possession, #3 Balanced. Nothing says you have to have them all the same.

What disappoints me is that what you mention with McCoy and Bowers doesn't happen. I can put Bowers in a 3-4 with a 3-4 Scheme and set my DEs to be Run Stoppers to emphasis block shedding over pass rushing, but Bowers will still do his thing, even with a lower OVR (which means nothing to production). If scheme actually modified how the players actually play (Bowers would try to force double teams more often), then maybe it would make more of a difference.

9. That's why I don't like the purely physical ratings being completely hidden. SPD, STR, AGI, ACC should at least have a grade there and you pay for the actual rating (increase the price of them). Every time I see SPD with just a ? I'm like "why aren't these kids in the Combine? Why don't we have that info? At the least, they should fill in "one level" before the draft (Combine happens before draft day), be locked beforehand, and you get the option for unlocking the full rating before doing the draft (simulating Pro Day/Individual Workout). Love the thought process behind the scouting system, though.

10. You've never had to put guys on IR? Must be nice. I have 5 guys hurt, one on IR. Had three on IR last year and more injuries (on top of Ford out twice, McFadden out twice). I have injuries on 75.

They need to fix auto-sub, packages, and formations subs not saving...the things that get through...and yes to transaction log...the feed doesn't cover everything.

[AE Spits Fiya]

The problem with fixed classes is that people are too competitive. Google it once and you find every superstar in every draft. It ruins the whole experience for me. Guys are finding 8 players with 8 picks at 80+ OVR and all are STAR. I don't wanna cheat, but it's obvious that a lot of people do. Another problem is that if you find a lot of A?s at the scouting, they are probably stars. Why can't a 60 OVR be a star? Too few slow players too imo.

And I REALLY hate the LE/RE stuff. Doesn't make sense. I got a 4-3 run stopper at 63 OVR with no moves. He plays like 4 snaps a game and still gets 10 sacks a year. WTF?

[jfinger2013]

#1 use to have that promblem but if you get Jarrod's game sliders you won't have that promblem anymore. or #4 or #6 or #7 yea Jarodd's game sliders can help you solve all of those promblems just go to my thread is ALL MADDEN TO EASY and then click on his link and plug in the sliders the exact way he says and you will be lucky to get a sack lol. Also passing will be soo much harder more like real life im telling you go gett JARODD'S game sliders.

[AE Spits Fiya]

Already using his blue sliders. So that is definitely not true. It's still full of all 10 problems.

Update: Actually my mate is playing right now. 3 sacks from his AI left end in 1 quarter. All unblocked.

Update: 3rd quarter: 5 sacks

[arevinotion]

good info to me,lready using his blue sliders. So that is definitely not true. It's still full of all 10 problems.

[whaley]

regarding #1 - it's something that is completely dictated by the location of the ball when the pass rush is happening. If you use a left handed QB the same thing happens to the RDE - the engagement animation just stops and the DE unsticks to the OL and takes a free path. In fact, go into practice mode with either a left handed QB (or take a right handed QB and step slightly left after your drop back) and watch the RDE go to town.

None of the pass rush moves by CPU control players ever work either. The only way an actual rusher can get to the QB is by the aforementioned bug.

I've yet to see it able to be fixed via sliders (if someone knows of a way to correct this, speak up now!). Nothing I've tried sliders-wised has toned it down or actually caused a real pass rush move (swim/spin/etc) to work for a cpu controlled player. This is a deal breaker for playing this game and it's caused me to go back to Madden 12 where at least the pass rush at least looks and plays convincingly at times.