Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

[Ian_Cummings]

To provide a little background - one of our stuntmen at the last shoot was also a former QB in college. He volunteered to re-do our default QB drop animation(s). I figured I'd upload one and get your feedback. What do you think?

- Look good?
- Adjust slightly?
- Re-capture?

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New 5 step drop? from The Future on Vimeo.

[RGiles36]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

I think it's definitely better than what is in place now. If I had to critique it, I would say that the dropback looks a little 'tight' (like maybe it should be loosened up a bit if that makes sense).

[LBzrule]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

Here is my thing. This is good for some QB's, but for others get him to slow down a little bit. Joe Flacco for instance does not drop back that fast, neither does Pennington, Brady, Palmer, Roethlisburger and many others. His drop looked great for Garcia, McNabb and some others, but for others it looks too fast. So I would say just get him to drop at different speeds.

[burne]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

How tall is he? His strides do look kinda short and... stumpy. I don't know. Any chance you could attach the data from that shoot to a character model and upload the video? It'd be easier to tell if he wasn't wearing all black and if it wasn't from that angle.

[uiucjpo]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

I say recapture. I think there's too much arm swinging going on. Tom Brady shows you how to do it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAuAe-9ujq8

[tmulk]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

So what will happen when I step to the left, or right, or up before he completes his drop? Will it be like in past versions where the QB will get caught up and do a disco spin? Will he throw off his back foot while jumping if I see the slant is open and throw it after 3 steps?



By the way, much respect. Has this ever been done before? Has any videogame ever given the users the ability to give feedback the way you have this year?

[Keith121212]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

Recapture this animation please if you could. It would be nice if you had him mimic different QB drops. Not specific ones like Donovan McNabb's specifically but have him do a slow 5 step drop and then a fast one. Then have him do a textbook 5 step drop and then one like he's doing

[adub88]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

That was too choppy and fast IMO. The QB is holding the ball way too low. As mentioned, take a look at guys like Brady, P. Manning, both definitely don't drop back that fast.

[Ian_Cummings]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

So what will happen when I step to the left, or right, or up before he completes his drop? Will it be like in past versions where the QB will get caught up and do a disco spin? Will he throw off his back foot while jumping if I see the slant is open and throw it after 3 steps?

Since this is all hypothetical (i.e. it's not in the game yet), I don't have an answer. What do you think should happen in those cases? Should you even be able to "break out" of the drop with d-pad movement?

By the way, much respect. Has this ever been done before? Has any videogame ever given the users the ability to give feedback the way you have this year?

Thanks much. It definitely hasn't been done within EA before...not sure about other games.

[Keith121212]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

What do you think should happen in those cases? Should you even be able to "break out" of the drop with d-pad movement?

You should be able to break out of the drop but it should be done realistically. Remove the throwing off his back foot while spinning animation and put in several animations that look realistic. At least thats my suggestion for that.

[tyler289]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

Looks better. Add a couple other variations based on who is playing QB, but otherwise it's not too bad. Nice work.

[Stroehms]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

Looks good to me and I'm glad you uploaded the video.

Any future videos planned?

[Hooe]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

You should be able to break out of the drop but it should be done realistically. Remove the throwing off his back foot while spinning animation and put in several animations that look realistic. At least thats my suggestion for that.

I like that animation. Just make the throw go somewhere random though.

To the topic: if that new dropback was the standard dropback in Madden, I'd be happy. The way the ball is held by the quarterback in Madden 09 (and all next-gen Maddens, really) is kinda funny.

On the topic of breaking out of the dropback: it should be allowed, but I also think that there needs to be an advantage to using the dropback normally. To bring up an all-too-tired but yet good example, using the predefined pass dropbacks in NFL2K5 and APF2K8, in combination with the routes ran by the receivers in each play, gave the passing game a real sense of rhythm. I don't often get that same sense from Madden (though admittedly there have been a few occasions where I've had that sense occurred in 09, it needs to be more frequent)

Unrelated: I do agree with those above that eventually you all should implement more signature animations, be it dropbacks, tackle-breaking animations, pre-snap routines, etc. etc. if at all possible.

[Palo20]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

If new 3, 5, and 7 step drops are put in place, would we be able to hold the down button until the desired drop was achieved? Right now if we press down the QB starts to run.

[BezO]

Re: Requesting feedback on 5-step drop animation

Your QB LOOKS like he's acting. He looks like he's making a QB coaching video. The animation is probably OK for the shorter, stiffer QBs at the combine, but not for the rest.

I don't know how you all deal with different heights of players using animations, but maybe get 3 guys to animate... someone 6'0, 6'3 & 6'6. Have them watch film of QBs their height, on site, and mimic them.

But you did say default, so I'm guessing you're planning more any way.