Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

[KANE699]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

The biggest things for me:

A) Not every team in the NFL plays the Eagles' D - lighten up on the blitzes. Every offline game I play, the CPU thinks it's playing Jim Johnson's D. I'm cool if it's Philly, Pittsburgh or a true blitzing team. Otherwise, I hate this crap.

B) At the community event, you said adaptive AI worked. It doesn't. Period. I feel bad as a community day "elite 8" guy who comes across as a liar. Adaptive AI does not work whatsoever. It's a disgrace.

C) Short/flat passes - see point B. If I wanted to be a cheesy arse, I could throws flats and cross patterns all game. I love the real NFL, so I choose not to. But this is another area where adaptive AI isn't adaptive.




I absolutely accept the criticism of OS guys as a member of the "elite 8".

I feel like l've let them down after three weeks of playing this game.

I'd like to defend myself personally by pointing out I only played the game 12 hours pre-release, but I understand any criticism the "elite 8" have faced for this game's shortcomings.

ALL THAT SAID, I still love playing this game. I just wish some of these weaknesses never reared their ugly heads.

The blitzing offline just kills it for me sometimes. I dont know what it is but they will run an engage 8 an I will be in a 4 receiver set and am immediately able to complete the pass for a big gain, that'd be fine if it was rare, but it happens so often that this game is becomming increasingly easy.

At one point on all pro I actually lost 3 games, im not sure if its because ive gotten better, but even with the Bill Harris v3 sliders the offline game is still incredibly too easy, I miss the challenege I had on community day where the cpu was tough and actually played like their real life counterparts.

[BigBlue]

Ian:

Is there the possibility of 'toning down' the ability to 'break out' of gang tackles for big runs? It's a cool feature, but it happens a bit too often. I guess my real contention is the end result of the break outs . . . TDs. There's never a defender in position to 'clean up' in case of a break out and that's what makes it a bit unrealistic.

Thanks!

BigBlue

[BigBlue]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Ian,

Two more suggestions please. Unranked online gaming should give us the freedom to adjust sliders and game speed. I understand that Ranked games needs to follow a set default in order to rank the players.

But, if I'm playing my buddies, I should be allowed to set my quarter length (which we can), game speed and slider settings.

I don't believe there's a way to make it happen this year, but maybe next year?

Also, many of us miss the profile stat tracking. I like tracking my personal stats (games played, wins/losses, career and game avg stats). for offline games. Can you talk a bit about what went into the decision of removing this and if it'll be back next year?

Thanks again,
BigBlue

[SteelerSpartan]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

1. Pro Tak Gang Tackle breakouts need to be toned down big time...It should happen once or twice a season not every other game

2. Way too many over the shoulder catches....they look horrible when they occur when they're not supposed to.

3. CPU AI Blitzing....everybody else covered this well

4. More effective gameplay/Penalty sliders.........can I get some Off/Def Pass interferences??

5. Run blocking specifically on pulling plays..

6. Are there any animations that result in the D-Line just pushing the blocker straight back into the backfield??? The "Win" animations ive seen have all been this weird slide move to either left or right. Ironically the only time a D-linemen comes straight through a blocker is when he beats a double team

7. Can we please mix up the chain gang scenes so its not obvious the outcome. So it can be a little more dramatic

8. Give us an option to turn off the camera switch while ball carriers go to the ground

[gabs485]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Are you going to bump up the frequency of Instants Replays? I get 4 or 5 a game at most and I play 11 minutes quarters.

Too many over the shoulder grabs, is this going to be fixed?

Are sims stats going to be fix?

Could you please turn up the In game Music volume?

What happened to fans reacting to what was happening on the field? Also Crowd volume seems to have only to 3 levels. Completely Quite, Cheering, Low Yelling.

[johnprestonevans]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

1) Whats happening with the Broadcast Cam? When can we expect it?

2) Are you guys addressing the instant replay issues? (have them showing all big plays, TDs, 1st downs, interceptions, close plays) and not being cut off.

Thanks.

[UpTheIrons]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Add a 10-second runoff option? This would allow users to have 5 extra seconds to call audibles, hot route, change blocking assignments, etc.

Add ability to send offensive players partially in motion? This would allow users to determine whether zone or man-to-man...without triggering an across-the-field animation.

[EvanRG]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Can you fix man alignment so that the flats are not wide open on small RB dump off plays?!?!?!

Other than that... good job, but this is kind of ruining the game for me.

[The 7 Dawg]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Maybe I heard wrong but,

Question: Are you guys changing Ranked Games to 7 Minute Quarters with accelerated clock on?

[KANE699]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Here's another two or three simple ones,


What happened to the variety of animations, I thought we wouldn't see the same exact facemask animation every time this year(not to mention it doesn't get called like it should even with the slider up)

The catch animations, the over the shoulder no look one happens waayyyyyyyy to often, everyone has pointed this out though.

And the cut scenes, the lack of variety is starting to show, and I know you guys have more they just arent triggering for some reason, also showing the qb on the phone right before he goes out on the field? Thats not too bright, it needs to show him during the other teams offensive drive. Also I thought we wouldn't be seeing a flyover for dome stadiums, just start the opening day game at colts stadium or a playoff game and even with the roof closed there is a fly over, come on man.

[jlukes]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Are QB Blindsides accidentally reversed?

With the Giants, I can rack up the sacks with Tuck even though the QB can see him coming, but when I play as Osi, the QB ALWAYS gets ride of the ball just before or as I am hitting him.

[thssanders]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Didn't read the whole thread here, because it's way too long! So sorry if I touch on some points that are already being said....

1) CPU QB's throw the ball just before getting hit way too often. It ends up being a lame duck pass that just falls to the ground. This takes away from a lot of sacks that I would be getting. It's alright to see it once in a while, but it happens way too often.

2) Holding on field goals, but i'm sure you guys know about that one by now.

3) Sim stats are a little outrageous. Far too many passing td's and not enough running td's.

4) CPU linebackers get too many tackles when u sim through a season. The leading tackler in real life last year was D'Qwell Jackson with 154. Next closest was Patrick Willis with 141. I have too many guys above or near this number when i am finished with a season.

5) Sometimes cpu teams line up to punt when they should be kicking a field goal. I was playing the saints the other day at the dome and they punted it from my 31. This has only happened a couple of times since i've been playing, but still a little annoying.

6) Way too much blitzing by the cpu. I don't mind them bringing an extra guy or two, but they continuously sell out and bring 8. Then we simply just toss one to the TE or slot receiver for a big gain.

7) Pursuit angles taken by the CPU seem to be off sometimes. Makes it too easy to outrun them for a TD.

All in all though i am very happy with the game. I have been having a blast so far. And oh yeah, Kevin Ogletree needs to be added to the dallas roster in the next update because he is looking great in camp and has all the cowboys media talking!!!

[Patriot Missile]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Q&A Blog with the Dev Team

Most of the issues I have with the game have been talked about repeatedly already. But here are some I didn't see mentioned.......


Super Sim - I like to Supersim KOs, FGs, and punts..... there are way too many returns for TDs. I had 4 kick returns for TDs in one game. This is also a problem with Superstar mode. Can you tone down the returns when simming?


Run blocking - Many people have already addressed this as a problem.
But here is what I notice (this has been going on for years not just in Madden 10 btw!)
On sweeps, tosses, or anynrun to the outside (lets say its to the right side) the pulling OL will run to the right. he'll be perfectly lined up to block a defender, and either whiff by him, or cut back to the inside. Usually they whiff by the defender and just cut back left. I notice the AI always wants to cut back to the middle....


Heres a good example:

I was on the 2 yard line and a toss to the HB to the right... I had FOUR blockers vs only TWO defenders.... all 4 of my blockers pull out, then at the last second cut to the inside not blocking at all, and leaving me out to dry.... I got the TD, but barely.
I've noticed this kind of blocking for years, but its worse this year.

Its the same with screen passes to the HB or WR..... when the receiver catches the ball, they want to run inside, right into the defenders instead of going to the outside. Its almost like an animation kicks in and you have no control over the reciever at first, he just wants to cut inside. Or often before you throw the ball the HB is already moving inside toward the QB.
I've gotten some good yardage too, but I'm talking about the way the receiver responds when catching the ball. Soetimes the way it cuts to the inside causes you to get stuffed in the backfield when you SHOULD get positive yards, if it only ran toward the sidelines.

I didn't play Madden last year, I played NCAA instead, and the screen passes on that work beautifully. Madden hasn't be able to get screen passes to work well for what seems like forever.

Pro-tak - I heard before the game came out we could pile on with a defender, or move the pile with an offensive player. I've never seen this happen once. Any time I try to add on to a pile my player will just bounce off and dive like an idiot.


Superstar Mode - Why has it been dumbed down so much? I am one of those people who like this feature and always wish you would do more with it. (I think if done right could be a game on its own) It has so much potential and could be so much better. Instead you take features out.... why?
As a consumer, I think its kind of unfair to remove things and not tell people. I'm sure I'm not the only one who expects a new release of madden to be an UPGRADE over previous releases, not having features taken away. (we all know this goes beyond just SS mode too )


Instructions - Like some people have mentioned already, most of us have no clue what a lot of the things in the game actually mean. Can you make a site that tells us what everything in the game does?
Maybe if you had better instructions, telling us what the game does it would maybe even solve some of the issues people are having here......


Thank You

[shavane]

1.) Will there be any corrections to WR catches specifically sideline catches, toe taps, and back of the endzone catches. This is a issue that the developers and testers had to have seen so I'm really confused why these type of plays wouldn't be in the game especially after the superbowl.

I don't know how many games are lost because the QB throws a perfect ball but the WR is not smart enough to tap his feet before going out of bounds.

2.) Will they fix the O-line. This includes run blocking and screen blocking this seems to be the most requested fix on Madden.

[NCballerx88]

Ian, great job with the game man. A few things though:

-Will the patch incorporate the QB specific cadences back into the game?

-Will you guys bring back the stadium specific chants and noises? (Panthers growl, etc)

-The flat is too open and the AI logic with zone coverage is poor, will you guys tighten this up for the patch or future fixes?