Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

[Steve_OS]

The window to test the Madden 23 beta has now closed for those lucky enough to...

Written By: Kevin Scott

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[Momoney168]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

As far as CPU game management, I’d like to see coaches get their own cards with coaching traits similar to players. I know on older titles we could set coaching preferences but this could go deeper.


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[khaliib]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

I would argue “Gameplay Customization” is at the top, esp for Franchise gamers.

The first thing most do is edit Rosters or Sliders to achieve an gameplay experience they’re seeking.

The Beta is always adjusted in a way that nerfs things, then the same select individuals/community they alter the game to appease, trash the game/Dev’s eventually.

Other football alternatives are around the corner though and my energy is directed towards their releases now, more than what I as an Franchise gamer will not get in Madden.

I’m a Gameplay 1st gamer, but they consistently keep tweaking the gameplay aspects away from what I want, so….

It’s also interesting that with the new emphasis of 360 Cuts/Insta-User Stick response, that I went into the Beta expecting to see a greater expansion upon the Next Gen Stats Player Movement debuted in M21, only to be left scratching my head asking where is it at and is it already being scrapped after only 2 years for the new Field Sense Gameplay System

TBH, I expect their new marketed M23 Features to be the excuse why so little was done again, to progress an stagnant Franchise Mode towards an “complete” Mode experience.

In the Beta all the features still felt like a bunch of mechanisms grouped together with no true functional interaction amongst each other.

Just a bunch of XP Boost methods clumped together
- Coaches have no negative impact on player/team building - XP Boost
- Schemes Fit don’t produce any sort of Team Gameplay Identity - XP Boost
- Player Archetypes has “0” impact on Team Building - XP Boost

The new Player Motivations/Tags where static just like the Combine Notes

The neglected Franchise Mode needs a lot of attention beyond just 5 areas because everything in the mode is so connected that if one area/aspect doesn’t provide the needed functional support, all the other aspects end up suffering just the same.

I’ll give Madden a chance by doing the 10-Day Trial, but definitely not purchasing on any promises to include Mode aspects/features post-release date via Live Service delivery, that I’m definitely not doing again.

BTW, I loved the pre-Updated Beta Pass Rush and fumbles/knockouts.

[jfsolo]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

As far as CPU game management, I’d like to see coaches get their own cards with coaching traits similar to players. I know on older titles we could set coaching preferences but this could go deeper.


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I've been thinking this same thing, it would really enhance the staff management greatly.

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[PhillyPhanatic14]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

"Let’s hope when the game does come out that they at least wait a little while after official release to fully gather feedback from the entire community before just reacting to the loudest group of voices."

Well said. The whole article was good. It's crazy how quick the devs are to jeopardize the features they marketed the most just to make the whiny YouTubers and MUT players from the feedback forums happy.

[canes21]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

I agree with the list.

Obviously more franchise improvements are at the top of my list, so I won't go there.

I did say in the beta thread that I felt it was time for special teams to be overhauled. I'd like to see the kicking mechanics redone. Something that is more difficult like what APF 2k8 would be nice.

They need to redo the kicking trajectories to get more realistic gameplay on special teams.

Regardless, we desperately need a setting similar to NBA 2k's True Shot % for FGs at the very least.

With regards to CPU in-game strategy and clock management, it is about time coaches were differentiated much more. Something like the VIP Profiles in 2k5 would be a nice first step. Coaches have tendencies and those need to be represented in the game at a basic level at the very least.

I'd like to see coaches have certain personnel groups, formations, play types, etc. that they rely on so we can more realistically gameplan and counter them.

I'd like to see coaches adjust in game at varying degrees. Some coaches are great at in-game adjustments, others aren't. That would be great to see represented in game beyond just the basic gameplan feature that was implemented last year.

It would also be nice to see some coaches be more aggressive in 4th down situations than others. It would also be amazing if the CPU started not kicking 60+ yard FGs constantly. And going back to special teams play, it would be nice if misses were done more realistically. Madden makes it seem like the average missed FG is 35 yards off target.

Lastly, on a smaller scale, it would be nice to see the CPU use more mechanics in game to their advantage. I'd love to see them put players in motion on their own to see what the coverage is. I'd love to see the CPU show blitz, but back off at the snap. I'd love to see them flip the run at the LoS. I want to see them put a WR in motion, see man coverage causing my CB to cross the field, the safety to roll over the top, and then they flip the run to attack the hole that was just opened in the box.

If Madden can start making coaches feel unique and make playing the CPU feel more dynamic, it will have the longevity that has sorely been missing.

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[kennylc321]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

This article pretty much confirmed any suspicion I had with the game.

We are now in the PS5/XB1X (or whatever it is called) era. How many generations do we need before realizing that the basic gameplay will always been there, with each new version having some kind of tweek?

As far as franchise, on the grand scheme of things, all they really did was add more scenarios. I'm not even sure what the heck they did with scouting, but I will say that I glad to see they will no longer scout a QBs run blocking.

Video football needs an absolute overhaul and this will only be found in a new football publisher.

[JKSportsGamer1984]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

I agree with those 5 areas that need improvement. I would add trench play & presentation but they both need complete overhauls in my opinion.

Franchise mode still feels lackluster

Physics definitely need to cleaned up

I too felt like RB's were getting stuck behind lineman & lead blockers too often. They don't contextually push off as much as they should

As far as kicking, I don't know why they ever went away from the analog stick. That felt way more natural to use for kicking & was more challenging. They definitely need to go back to that.

The beta was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the gameplay improvements (especially the new passing mechanics) kept me coming back for more. However, the stale repetitive presentation, no real meaningful franchise improvements, no refs on the field, clipping issues in the trenches with lineman's arms constantly fusing together, the ball back to ghosting through stadium walls (after they fixed it in 22), huge scorebug that takes up too much of the screen (I don't understand why they don't just make it disappear during gameplay & problem solved), no option to remove the momentum pop ups, no option to turn off the green bars over the defensive lineman, etc. I'm on the fence with getting the game this year. I'll play the trial to see if they made any improvements since the beta, but knowing their track record, unfortunately I'm not counting on it. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[GoJags904]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

Good article. It's madden and has been around all my life. I'll buy when I have money to throw away but I expect kindergarten improvement at this stage. Just gimmicks and flash to say new but still building on a broken yet revenue generating build. Everyone is grown and easy money is a salute from me. Expectations and delivery tho, don't expect your own work to be done by a multi-billion dollar company in a year, when they are still making stupid profits doing little to nothing each year. Hell have we had a 4 year improvement cycle on anything recently. I can't think of one feature that's been improved consistently and not renamed or redone to keep selling. Don't let ur pressure rise is all I'm sayin.

Posters have debated nfl 2k, nba 2k, even mlb the show with madden. Never has madden had that level of immersion since 2005 iirc, when nfl 2k5 dropped. Yet ppl have been comparing and even debating the need for comparison with madden since then. Either EA makes a change to deliver what we should have at this stage in sports gaming football, or we buy/not buy and deal with this embarrassment of an American football company. I play fifa and they do try harder with that an i hear NHL too.

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[Hooe]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

When the beta was initially released, all the chatter from within the community was about how quickly the pass rush would get home on the QB and how well defensive backs broke on balls in the air. Naturally, by the time the beta ended, those two aspects had been toned down to the point that the game was starting to play a little too much like Madden 22.

I have three very pointed disagreements with this single thought.

1 - I do not agree with the sentiment that the beta felt at all like Madden 22 at any point during the beta period. I simply don't. Not only that, I will plant my flag in the ground and say the author is just flat-out wrong here.

The fundamental way that players respond to control inputs and the way players interact with each other is significantly improved by the new branching animation system. Madden 23 felt more responsive than any previous version of the game I have ever played.

2 - Literally the first thing Tiburon said at the start of the beta period was that there was a known issue that interior DL super-wins triggered too frequently. That issue was cleaned up later in the beta period. So of course the pass rush was better when the beta started, there was a known bug causing it to be overpowered. It is perfectly valid for the game to not be done and for identified to receive correction. Given that known issue, the way pass rush was set up at the start of the beta period was never going to be what was released to us in August, and it is unfair for us to have that expectation.

Additionally, the four-man pass rush at the end of the M23 beta was also significantly more fierce than what exists in Madden 22. This admittedly could be simply because edge rushers are programmed to attack more vertically and get stonewalled at the line of scrimmage less so there is less horizontal space to work with as a quarterback (as opposed to increased block shedding frequency), and additionally the DL response to QBs breaking the pocket has been amplified tremendously, but compared to M22 there was a significant behavioral change here over the course of the entire beta period.

3 - I never saw the reaction times of defensive backs in zone coverage deteriorate over the course of the beta period, and I almost never increased the difficulty beyond All Pro. If anything, this is something that still needs tweaking because I saw numerous instances of DBs with their backs turned to the quarterback reacting to throws they could not see.

[tril]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

good article.

Franchise mode: I dont think they'll ever be able to strike balance between hardcore simulation and quasi- casual settings.

The kicking, use APF2k's manual kicking system or use the NCAA kicking system, and to add a bit of strategy make it one analog stick to control strength and location. If you tie in the kicker's ratings, then field position becomes more important. especially if you add attributes like slice left or slice right to a kickers ratings.

Or they could add an x/y axis type kicking system that adjusts to the users' input. one analog controls the position and the other strength, the thing is once the user snaps the ball that is when the x/y axis starts to move, you have to adjust direction and distance. kickers attribute and game setting would dictate how fast the x/y axis moves. the x/y axis would have a certain sweet spot and this would be equivalent to a perfect release in NBA 2k.

[MoreThanAGamer]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

It's timeout for making excuses for Madden and EA Sports. It's also timeout for saying "at a boy EA" for making improvements to a football game that should actually play like, well, football. I know this article is about five areas they need to improve but there are actually many more. They do baby steps of improvements and then regress and then revamp features from past Maddens.


Pass rush defense was a touted feature in Madden 15 with Richard Sherman on the cover. Defense as a whole was better on that game. I remember using those button mashing mechanics and bursting through the line with Ndamukong Suh or finessing the edge with swift defensive ends. It's 2022 and the recent past couple Maddens had no defensive line contain, good pass rush, and no defensive awareness. How in the h3ll did that happen?



It's ridiculous that now defense is a new much improved feature again. It's like going in circles to play a revamped feature as new while not actually moving the game forward as a whole. They get free money for lackluster developed games for a year or two and then recycle some features to make it feel improved.


The splash screens between plays are like M22 but the shield is different. Colors are the same. Players are still talking to nobody. Mouth just moving and rambling. Presentation is stale. Gaudin and Davis need to go. It's boring.


But EA makes improvements to tackle physics this year and now they deserve the developers of the year award to some people. It should have been in the game. It's crazy.

[xCoachDx]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

IMO, it’s missing the one biggest improvement needed:

Line play. In all aspects.

I’m still seeing absolutely no push/movement on the line. Players are just hitting and sticking together. I’m still seeing players being warped out of their gap. I’m seeing interior linemen picking up edge rushers. And I’m even seeing defenders with open lanes to the ball pass them up and just seek out defenders.

All of these have been a problem for years now.

[YaBarber]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

1. Franchise Mode
There are too many missing features to put into this post when it comes to Franchise Mode. Basically, refer to any Deuce Douglas post before he joined the team and that should be added into the game. Free Agency getting improved the way it did was huge and extremely necessary. Scouting getting tweaked was nice but that also has a lot left needed to be done. All-around there still needs to be a ton of work done.

The biggest thing I liked from this post is this quote,

"Personally, I would like to see Madden‘s franchise move away from their existing progression system of having players improve based largely on their on-field performances and have it become a more dynamic and random experience to watch how players develop at entirely unique rates."

The progression system in Madden has got to be the worst possible type of a progression system you could have in a sports video game. People in real life are not all on the same exact schedule when it comes to how quickly or easily they get better or worse. Every single person in the NFL is on a completely different time frame when it comes to their progression and regression in the league. Each individual player in Madden should have their own (HIDDEN) progression & regression schedule with extra factors that can affect their progression & regression schedule such as injuries, production, and morale.

But since we most likely won't get a complete revamp to the system, the least we could get is a regression slider that can be used to determine how drastic regression hits players.

2. Kicking (Special Teams in general)

Agree with a need for a revamped kicking system or at the least making it tougher to make field goals. Ratings seemed to matter way more in the M23 beta, so it would be nice if kicker ratings matter more as well. It should be extremely tough to kick 50+yd FGs unless you have a literal goat like Justin Tucker, and even then, he isn't 100% automatic at kicking from any distance.

Special teams in general needs a complete overhaul. It's looked the exact same for over a decade now.

Punting is terrible:
A. The snap gets to the punter in 0.000003 seconds. Needs to be fixed for both punting and FG kicking.
B. There's no true punt rush, they all just engage and then release to block.
C. There are no true lanes/gaps that the players cover & no true assignments for players to block (also an issue across the board in Madden on Offense and Defense)

Kickoffs are worse than terrible:
A. Again, no true lanes/gaps/assignments as with the rest of Madden
B. Players seem to run at different speeds during special teams plays than they'd normally run. This goes for all special teams plays tbh.

3. Legacy Animations

One thing I've wanted/needed in football games *Madden* is a fundamental foundation of football knowledge embedded into the game. Gaps/Assignments/Football logic. As of now, the players on the field kind of just do things aimlessly because they have no true realistic idea of what they should be doing on the field at all times. There are no true fronts on defense and DL don't have any actual assignments or roles each play. They just run forward and disengage when they feel like it based on ratings (or if you hold turbo.. lol). What needs to be implemented and taught to everyone is actual football assignments and roles at each position.

What is a 0-technique? 3-technique? 1-gap/2-gap defense. read steps for LBs. DBs that backpedal and play to their technique & coverage assignment and reacting to routes/concepts rather than the AI underneath just knowing what the offense is running and sprinting to zones/man assignments. OL should have set assignments based on the defensive front/look.

Madden used to have create-a-play and in that mode, you had a gridded board to plug in where you wanted players to be at pre-snap and what you wanted them to do post-snap. EA needs to basically implement that behind the scenes for true football assignments. Each defensive play should have a preset fronts/alignment vs various offensive formations, with the ability to change them manually either in the play-call screen or pre-snap. There should be a tiered play-call system that lets you set the front and then call the coverage. Coverages should also have way more variety. Madden as of now is basically creating plays as fast as you can before the offense snaps the ball. Why do all of that instead of just having a large variety of coverage calls built into defensive playbooks and give us more realistic options pre-snap like communicating to your defense what you believe the offensive goal is or keying in on a specific player for your DBs, etc.

If the game had football fundamentals in place, you wouldn't see as many random wacky movements and plays by the AI. As of now, they kind of run around trying to figure out what to do before & after a certain point when their initial script is played out. OL don't know who to block because they have no assignments, it's just block whoever is in front of you. There's what, 3 plays with OL doing something other than run straight? Trap, power, counter. And I think counter isn't even that sophisticated.

4. Tuning/Patches
Every beta they've had so far has played like the best version of Madden ever, and then they see people crying about the game being different or too hard and they change it back to playing the same way it's always played. For once can we get a realistic version of Madden rather than the arcade version.

It would be nice for them to tune/patch simulation style completely separate from competitive and arcade.

The beta played better than any Madden ever has. Needs very obvious tweaks and fixes but given that it was a beta I'm not too worried about that, as long as they are fixed in the full game. Let's hope they don't nerf everything like usual, and if they don't then we should have a great Madden cycle.

[YaBarber]

Re: Madden 23 Beta: Five Areas That Need Improvement

Almost forgot. Hopefully it's just a beta glitch but man-align and coverage assignments are busted again even though they worked fine in M22.

Any motions and the defense can't decide what's going on. Defenders never adjusted/exchanged their assignments based on the offensive formation or motion. Man-align was useless because of this.