Madden 14 Needs a Comprehensive Document On Ratings and Traits

[ghettogeeksta]

Quote: Originally Posted by LBzrule

Well they can't explain how they work. They can only explain how they are supposed to work. What this means is that the ratings do not work as they say as experience of playing the game shows. People are already exploiting the game based on the ratings so that's not significant. Why do you think if you play online, you play against the Eagles or the Broncos and you see 4WR, 1 HB as the personnel set. Then when you get to the line it's an Ace formation with DeMaryius Thomas at TE #1 spot and Eric Decker at TE #2 spot then Stokely and whoever else outside. They get you coming out in dime and dollar then they just run because they have ratings advantages. But if you come out in base D then you get waxed by Thomas and Decker at TE. With the Eagles it's Maclin and Jackson. The game is already being exploited in egregiously asinine ways.

It would be even worst if they explained to everybody how the ratings worked and some people would just quit playing the game entirely.

[LBzrule]

Quote: Originally Posted by ghettogeeksta

It would be even worst if they explained to everybody how the ratings worked and some people would just quit playing the game entirely.

As if this isn't already happening?

[KingV2k3]

Why does anybody think they could explain how the "intention" of ratings actually "results" in gameplay?

They'd be asking for a sh*tstorm of debate / clarification / misinterpretation / misrepresentation / etc.

The ratings guys are OBVIOUSLY working in a "vaccum" that doesn't include the gameplay department, so...

What's the point?

I trust the "eyes" of the "usual suspects" around here (as well as my own) infinitely more than ANYTHING I've ever read from a dev...

It's nice that they participate, on the rare occasion, but I take it all with a "boulder of salt"...

I've got a decade plus into this title and I'm fine with the forum / DIY approach...

THAT has stood MY "test of time"...

[wordtobigbird]

How each and every rating works is one thing, but could we at least an explanation of the controls? I'm pretty sure Madden doesn't even come with a manual. The in-game "game controls" show you the very very basic controls. It even leaves "Total Control Passing" totally up in the air. If someone takes time the navigate through the menus to see a features a video or take a picture of the tip screens, because I still dont think I've finish reading the ball hawk tip before it loaded lol, you still only get a small piece of HOW to play the game PROPERLY.

When I opened NBA 2K13's booklet it looked like a fighting game with all the controls they lay at you. They tell you how to do everything, in multiple ways even. Madden could easily do the same. There as many types of pass as layups. Maybe putting a name and a button command will allow people to learn how to throw a back shoulder fade. On defense you are left. On defense you are left with no explanation how to disengage blocks, the hit sticks, "Swat vs Catch", etc. They pretty much just scream at people to use the defensive assist if they cant user well.

What happened to the drills? FIFA amazed me from the beginning when the first loading screen had a passing drill. And being pretty new to FIFA I sucked at it. I think if you asked people to do a passing drill in madden with "total control passing" to hit every type of throw most people would have be missing targets left and right. But if you taught them how to use the stick properly imagine how many less people would say "the passing game sucks every pass i throw gets intercepted!". What if there was a drill in madden called "throwing your receiver open"? Where they show you to hold the stick to the left or right when your outside receiver is streaking on a cover 2 defense to get the throw between the CB and the S? And thats just one of many throws they could teach. And we all have played 2k13 so you know how they are with teaching you the game.

I just think other games go much further into preaching simulation and and following through with teaching you how to properly control each and every aspect of it. They want you to learn the fundamentals of the sport as you learn how to emulate that with your sticks. Madden just says "if its in the game its in the game" and you figure out how to make it happen.

Just compare madden's laughable practice mode: where you just run plays over and over again. (they couldn't even give us training camp uniforms. Guys are in an empty practice field wearing full game gear and that just looks stupid, but thats more of a personal thing lol.) to FIFA and NBA 2k13's training modes that are in-depth and fun. What we have now is even a step down from "last-gen". It's a grossly overlooked part of the game.

I think people bash the game because they suck at it, and its not because im all that good. Its because whatever they are trying to do doesn't work and they blame the game being bad for it because how could aaron rodgers ever throw 5 interceptions? If EA taught people to play madden and get better at it they would like it more and this is without even changing the gameplay.

(Just wanted to add, I love the game and play it all the time despite its flaws. I enjoy practicing to get better and trying to use X's and O's in the game.)

[hawksruleva]

You left one out - How do the pass block/run block ratings work with the pass block strength/pass block footwork, etc. ratings?

Also - why can't RBs improve their blocking? Either Marshawn Lynch's pass block skills are maxed out, or EA decided that RB's picking up the blitz isn't important enough to spend skill points on.

[hawksruleva]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBLover

Those don't exist in M13. It's RBK/PBK and (supposedly) STR and AGI along with them that do the job now.

They still exist if you create a player, and I think they still exist if you edit an existing player.

[Jetman81]

Quote: Originally Posted by KingV2k3

Why does anybody think they could explain how the "intention" of ratings actually "results" in gameplay? They'd be asking for a sh*tstorm of debate / clarification / misinterpretation / misrepresentation / etc. The ratings guys are OBVIOUSLY working in a "vaccum" that doesn't include the gameplay department, so... What's the point? I trust the "eyes" of the "usual suspects" around here (as well as my own) infinitely more than ANYTHING I've ever read from a dev... It's nice that they participate, on the rare occasion, but I take it all with a "boulder of salt"... I've got a decade plus into this title and I'm fine with the forum / DIY approach... THAT has stood MY "test of time"...

This. Would be nice if they'd go into detail about each slider in the game too, like even explaining how certain ranges (like 10-20 slider for qb accuracy) affects how the game plays so slider-makers can have more understanding in perfecting their slider sets. However, like King mentioned, it'd probably lead to debate and controversy. Nonetheless, it would be nice to have some more in-depth game explanations from the people making the sports games.