Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

[Flamehead]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

It's deeper for about 50% of the Madden fanbase who are the guys who love the stats, who love the sim, and who love the offline franchise.

Why? Because it puts the AI of your coodinator into the game whereas it was non-existent in previous Madden releases. THAT to me...is the deeper part. And yes I love it.

Joe, I believe you’re hitting at the heart of what’s confusing to me about the appeal of this feature (if I’m understanding it correctly):

You say “it puts the AI of your coordinator into the game whereas it was non-existent in previous Madden releases”.

The way I see it, we acted as our own coordinator in previous releases. Meaning, the differences for sim-oriented players might be as follows:

Madden ’10:
1) Scout next opponent’s depth chart for potential mismatches and make mental note of which plays you’d call most to take advantage of those.

2) Fire up game, call play, execute play.


Madden ’11:
1) Scout next opponent’s depth chart for potential mismatches and enter bank of plays you’d have the cpu call most to take advantage of those.

2) Fire up game, have cpu call play, execute play.

So while I might formulate a “favorites” list of sorts based on opponent and situation, the cpu is calling the play in-game, I’m just executing it.

Isn’t part of the fun in Madden actually calling the plays in-game? Yes I realize your getting the “laminated play-call sheet” ready ahead of time, but isn’t this a more tuned version of “Ask Madden” based on pre-defined criteria?

Not knocking anyone who likes it (or even trying to debate its usefulness), just earnestly trying to understand the appeal based on what we know at the moment.

[Hova57]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

Joe, I believe you’re hitting at the heart of what’s confusing to me about the appeal of this feature (if I’m understanding it correctly):

You say “it puts the AI of your coordinator into the game whereas it was non-existent in previous Madden releases”.

The way I see it, we acted as our own coordinator in previous releases. Meaning, the differences for sim-oriented players might be as follows:

Madden ’10:
1) Scout next opponent’s depth chart for potential mismatches and make mental note of which plays you’d call most to take advantage of those.

2) Fire up game, call play, execute play.


Madden ’11:
1) Scout next opponent’s depth chart for potential mismatches and enter bank of plays you’d have the cpu call most to take advantage of those.

2) Fire up game, have cpu call play, execute play.

So while I might formulate a “favorites” list of sorts based on opponent and situation, the cpu is calling the play in-game, I’m just executing it.

Isn’t part of the fun in Madden actually calling the plays in-game? Yes I realize your getting the “laminated play-call sheet” ready ahead of time, but isn’t this a more tuned version of “Ask Madden” based on pre-defined criteria?

Not knocking anyone who likes it (or even trying to debate its usefulness), just earnestly trying to understand the appeal based on what we know at the moment.

this is where i wish they would just come out with all the details about it. something tells me this is incorporated into franchise some how.

[roadman]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

Joe, I believe you’re hitting at the heart of what’s confusing to me about the appeal of this feature (if I’m understanding it correctly):

You say “it puts the AI of your coordinator into the game whereas it was non-existent in previous Madden releases”.

The way I see it, we acted as our own coordinator in previous releases. Meaning, the differences for sim-oriented players might be as follows:

Madden ’10:
1) Scout next opponent’s depth chart for potential mismatches and make mental note of which plays you’d call most to take advantage of those.

2) Fire up game, call play, execute play.


Madden ’11:
1) Scout next opponent’s depth chart for potential mismatches and enter bank of plays you’d have the cpu call most to take advantage of those.

2) Fire up game, have cpu call play, execute play.

So while I might formulate a “favorites” list of sorts based on opponent and situation, the cpu is calling the play in-game, I’m just executing it.

Isn’t part of the fun in Madden actually calling the plays in-game? Yes I realize your getting the “laminated play-call sheet” ready ahead of time, but isn’t this a more tuned version of “Ask Madden” based on pre-defined criteria?

Not knocking anyone who likes it (or even trying to debate its usefulness), just earnestly trying to understand the appeal based on what we know at the moment.

As I understand, EA went around and asked coaches and players about the playcalling.(based on the ESPN videogames article)

The coaches and players told EA no one has 300 plays called during one game.
Seems like they did their research in that area.

The difference between 10 and 11 is that EA scouted the tendencies on yardage and down situations on 11.

It was more random based on other Maddens.

[beastwork]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

so you're saying that all these years "ask madden" has been a farce? Egad!

side note

if i was an NFL coach i would pay a statistician to compile a database of every team's play calling tendencies in a variety of down and distance situations. I'm talking personell packages, formations, play selection, ball placement, anything



and then i would upload it all to an ipad. all my plays would be sorted into situational categories. I would have that joint with me on the field instead of that silly laminated play sheet. within about 5 touches of the screen i would have the perfect play selected.

[Flamehead]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

As I understand, EA went around and asked coaches and players about the playcalling.(based on the ESPN videogames article)

The coaches and players told EA no one has 300 plays called during one game.
Seems like they did their research in that area.

The difference between 10 and 11 is that EA scouted the tendencies on yardage and down situations on 11.

It was more random based on other Maddens.

I hear you. Until I see it in action (and the more I read), it has a feel to me of simply being a robust, customizable “Ask Madden”, regardless of the label or marketing term.

Almost as if EA (in their goal of courting and attracting casual gamers) set out to give “Ask Madden” a facelift to provide more emphasis on the feature and say to the casual masses “see, it’s easier now more than ever!” to increase sales.

The question then arises, how do you spin it to the less casual, sim-oriented without angering them, since it’s an obvious move to garner more casual players?

Answer: you call it “gameplanning”, because you now customize the plays that are given to you by the cpu instead of it being random. Only now, you call the cpu the “coordinator”.

That’s the conspiracy theorist in me. I’ll give it a shot and if I don’t like it, I’ll just turn it off, no harm, no foul.

[coogrfan]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

I hear you. Until I see it in action (and the more I read), it has a feel to me of simply being a robust, customizable “Ask Madden”, regardless of the label or marketing term.

Almost as if EA (in their goal of courting and attracting casual gamers) set out to give “Ask Madden” a facelift to provide more emphasis on the feature and say to the casual masses “see, it’s easier now more than ever!” to increase sales.

The question then arises, how do you spin it to the less casual, sim-oriented without angering them, since it’s an obvious move to garner more casual players?

Answer: you call it “gameplanning”, because you now customize the plays that are given to you by the cpu instead of it being random. Only now, you call the cpu the “coordinator”.

That’s the conspiracy theorist in me. I’ll give it a shot and if I don’t like it, I’ll just turn it off, no harm, no foul.

See, I just don't understand how any of that can be seen as bad.

[Flamehead]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

See, I just don't understand how any of that can be seen as bad.

In and of itself it probably isn't, especially if you don't have an issue with customizing your own "Ask Madden". If some people like it, more power to them.

My only point is that other than it being customizable, I'm not sure how the "Ask Madden" is any different. Now of course, the fact that it's customizable may be all the difference in the world for some, and if that's the case, then that may be my answer right there.

[Valdarez]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

Still doesn't mean they won't be in.

Some of you guys may be complaining over things that are already in the game but just haven't been announced yet.

If it is in the game, then they have done a poor job releasing information. You should lead with the small items that fans requested such as customized playbooks and in game saves, before releasing ground breaking features such as GameFlow that appear to try to solve aspects of the same problem that fans were asking to be addressed.

[Jukeman]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

Whether or not its a revamped ask madden..

its a step in the right direction...Ask Madden needed to be fix since it was called ask coach back in 2000.... nothing is bad about the news

[NoTiCe_O]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

I can see that Gameflow is NOT just an upgraded ask Madden.

The developers took info and statistics on what Teams like to run in certain situations IRL: 1st and 10, 2nd and long, 3rd and short, 3rd and long etc. Not only that but they actually watched game film of every individual teams offense/defense and how they play throughout a real life game.

Then based on the situation in Madden 11 (3rd and long, 2nd and inches) they have an upgraded A.I (O.C) call a play that the team would actually call in that situation IRL. Without going into any playcall screens. Then if you want you can set up your own gameplan (turning you into the coach) and have to ability to decide what plays the cpu (O.C) calls in those same situations (3rd and long/short, 1st and 10 etc.) based on what plays you choose and are comfortable with and know how to execute. That's sim IMO, and more than just a upgraded Ask Madden

This can open up so many possibilities for the strategical element in Franchise mode, you could scout other teams offenses and defenses, and know what plays they run the most in certain situations, like real life. Get an idea of how you should set up your gameplan for the next game, what plays you should keep/take out. I remember a certain madden having the ability to look at your opponent for the weeks most run plays before you went into the game in Franchise mode.

I think we're in for a good franchise mode this year with Gameflow and the presentation upgrades. Things like cut scenes of Peyton Manning getting off the bus to head into the Stadium like one article described is just another piece to add that realism.

Gameflow is an excellent idea IMO, and is something that i will definitely be using this year. Watch out for me online my gameplan is going to be something serious. Bill Bellicheck-esque

Not to mention: (YOU CAN TURN IT OFF!)

[Jukeman]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

I can see that Gameflow is NOT just an upgraded ask Madden.

The developers took info and statistics on what Teams like to run in certain situations IRL: 1st and 10, 2nd and long, 3rd and short, 3rd and long etc. Not only that but they actually watched game film of every individual teams offense/defense and how they play throughout a real life game.

Then based on the situation in Madden 11 (3rd and long, 2nd and inches) they have an upgraded A.I (O.C) call a play that the team would actually call in that situation IRL. Without going into any playcall screens. Then if you want you can set up your own gameplan (turning you into the coach) and have to ability to decide what plays the cpu (O.C) calls in those same situations (3rd and long/short, 1st and 10 etc.) based on what plays you choose and are comfortable with and know how to execute. That's sim IMO, and more than just a upgraded Ask Madden

This can open up so many possibilities for the strategical element in Franchise mode, you could scout other teams offenses and defenses, and know what plays they run the most in certain situations, like real life. Get an idea of how you should set up your gameplan for the next game, what plays you should keep/take out. I remember a certain madden having the ability to look at your opponent for the weeks most run plays before you went into the game in Franchise mode.

I think we're in for a good franchise mode this year with Gameflow and the presentation upgrades. Things like cut scenes of Peyton Manning getting off the bus to head into the Stadium like one article described is just another piece to add that realism.

Gameflow is an excellent idea IMO, and is something that i will definitely be using this year. Watch out for me online my gameplan is going to be something serious. Bill Bellicheck-esque

Not to mention: (YOU CAN TURN IT OFF!)

Not to mention that if all this info can be translated into how the CPU plays...

People just need a "Strategy Pad"

[NoTiCe_O]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

Not to mention that if all this info can be translated into how the CPU plays...

People just need a "Strategy Pad"

Yea, that's another point I was gonna talk about but i guess my mind wandered off writing that. The CPU wil not play like the CPU but rather like the NFL team it has control of. This also makes Franchise mode different every week because you have to know actual football tendencies and how teams run their offense/defense IRL.

I hope that the hiring of a new Head coach or O.C/D.C actually effects the gameplan in a sense that you run a different offense with a different coach, and a different O.C/D.C would call plays much differently from oneanother.

[Flamehead]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

they have an upgraded A.I (O.C) call a play

what plays the cpu (O.C) calls

Semantics, IMHO. To me, you just described a more robust, customizable "Ask Madden" at its core. Any time the cpu is choosing the play for me in-game, it's "Ask Madden"--I'm just defining the parameters.

If Gameflow is being used to choose plays for my cpu opponent, great! I can see how that would be advantageous.

[Blkcanes]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

I do not know if this has been ask already, sorry if it has, did you notice interference calls while the ball was in the air? last years version I don't think I never notice OPI, is it called often, DPI that is, any new rules that we hear on Sundays that were not in the game before?

[NoTiCe_O]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

Semantics, IMHO. To me, you just described a more robust, customizable "Ask Madden" at its core. Any time the cpu is choosing the play for me in-game, it's "Ask Madden"--I'm just defining the parameters.

If Gameflow is being used to choose plays for my cpu opponent, great! I can see how that would be advantageous.

Well Ask Madden was kinda random, in clutch situations it would tell me to kick a field goal from my 40 yrd line, when im down by 3, knowing that I could never hit it.

Gameflow actually takes into account the real factors that an offennsive coordinator would take into account, while using the actual plays the offensive coordinator would call. So I see it as much more than an ask Madden, more like an "Ask the Coordinator based on plays that we know how to execute and run because that's what real teams do."