Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

[TreyIM2]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

I get tremendous rush on the computer and I don't control the D-Line either. The problem is that 99% of the time that I get great pressure, the QB throws the ball a split second before he gets hit lol.

Yea, that is a bit of a prob I notice when trying to get at Manning but I have success of the D line and have sacked him a few times. It's realistic when it comes to Peyton, though. He doesn't get sacked much IRL.

I have to admit, the more I play the demo, the more I like this game. Still like NCAA 11 more but the gap has closed quite a bit. Can't wait for the full retail version.

[PGaither84]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Did we just not notice this stuff last gen, Dave? I mean for the most part youtube, etc... all the scrutiny wasn't there, but I DO feel that ps2 Madden played better, at least up until 10, and I don't think that I have that impression from features, etc...but maybe because they were more engaging, I gave on field play a pass.

Well, concidering Youtube was founded in November 2006, which would be Madden 07, it is kind of difficult to post that kind of "scrutiny" when Youtube didn't exist.

Also, 2k5 came out in 2004. So keep in mind that is when all the 2k vs. Madden "wars" started. Madden 04 was a great game, but when 2k5 came out many people felt Madden 05 was "outdated." For me, 2k5, Madden 07 [for my original XBox,] and now NCAA11 are my favorite football games.

[RaiderKtulu]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Well, concidering Youtube was founded in November 2006, which would be Madden 07, it is kind of difficult to post that kind of "scrutiny" when Youtube didn't exist.

Also, 2k5 came out in 2004. So keep in mind that is when all the 2k vs. Madden "wars" started. Madden 04 was a great game, but when 2k5 came out many people felt Madden 05 was "outdated." For me, 2k5, Madden 07 [for my original XBox,] and now NCAA11 are my favorite football games.

Oh, we definitely noticed a lot of this stuff last gen, but we just assumed it was a technological limitation. It's easy to think that something is "as good as it can get" until someone else does it better.

[LionsFanNJ]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Played the demo today after DL overnight. First impressions the game isn't too bad. Reminds me of slightly tweaked NCAA 11, and i love NCAA 11 on the field. I like the lighting, especially in the new meadowlands (and i've wanted to see that stadium in VG form), but don't like how its not progressive. I prefer NCAA on that one. Gus is 1000 times better than Tom from last year. Gus got me excited when i broke a long run with Shonn Greene. I was like HELL YES. I thought i'd hate gameflow, but its called some pretty good plays at default. I may go back and make my own later and see how i really like it...but i'm not touching the Jets D gamplan. It was awesome.

I'm still on the fence about Madden because of the lack of franchise updating done this year. Thats left me with a bad taste, and NCAA is so good that i won't mind not having both as i do every year....but Madden has dreads. DAMMIT!! what to do! I may wait until the season is in full swing to buy

Overall i think i'll buy Madden, but not on release day. The on field gameplay is fun enough, and i'm not one to harp on all the issues on field the agendas that permeate here love to do. I simply don't care.

[Only1LT]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Yea, that is a bit of a prob I notice when trying to get at Manning but I have success of the D line and have sacked him a few times. It's realistic when it comes to Peyton, though. He doesn't get sacked much IRL.

I have to admit, the more I play the demo, the more I like this game. Still like NCAA 11 more but the gap has closed quite a bit. Can't wait for the full retail version.

True. Peyton doesn't take sacks, so that is realistic, but what isn't realistic is that the CPU Peyton would rather throw an interception rather than take a sack lol. The CPU will throw to covered receivers constantly to avoid being sacked. This goes for both Sanchize and Peyton. Fortunately for the CPU, the defender drops the ball the majority of the time, but it still makes for an unrealistic semblance of the game to have have the CPU throw passes right to defenders in lieu of taking a sack.

Of course this would be less of a problem if it were at all possible to control where the ball goes as opposed to having it be tethered to receivers. Then you would be able to throw passes away, but still near the receiver. Like in the dirt or something. As opposed to just having the throw away button, throw a pass 50yds out of bounds all the time, which is fine if you are out of the pocket, but not so good when you aren't.

Mamma, there goes that "problem with the current passing game" man again lol.

[Only1LT]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Well, concidering Youtube was founded in November 2006, which would be Madden 07, it is kind of difficult to post that kind of "scrutiny" when Youtube didn't exist.

Also, 2k5 came out in 2004. So keep in mind that is when all the 2k vs. Madden "wars" started. Madden 04 was a great game, but when 2k5 came out many people felt Madden 05 was "outdated." For me, 2k5, Madden 07 [for my original XBox,] and now NCAA11 are my favorite football games.

Those are my two picks as well, albeit my 07 was on PS3 (gang tackling FTW lol). I'm not as big a fan of NCAA 11 though. I would put Madden 99 in there along with APF 2K, from a gameplay and animation standpoint. Obviously it was extremely lacking with regards to modes and features.

[staffan]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Played around 10 games on All Pro.

Today, this happened:
Computer Sanchez throws right to the sideline.
I take control of the CB and I decide to go for the pick.
In perfect position the ball seems to go to my hands but the suddenly ends up in the hand of the wideout.
I just had to go to the replay!
When the ball is just about to land in my CB´s hands - WHAT - the WR puts his arms through "my" arms to grab the ball!

I know, this is nothing new for Madden but I thought that it was gone (naive, I know).

This really kills the game for me!

But, can someone please tell me:
This physic "problem" is gone in FIFA and NHL and if I read correctly soon also gone in NBA because Elite is using the same physics as NHL.
Why is this not used in Madden?

[inkcil]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

I guess the saddest thing about the gameplay is that when I go to instant replay and look at why plays do or don't work, it 99% of the time it comes down to Completely Blown Blocking Assignments.

For example:

I just failed to complete a screen pass to Reggie Wayne on 3rd down, which seemed completley fine. The pass was rushed, Payton was tossed to the ground, the ball was kinda wobbly and Wayne Alligator-armed the pass (with two defenders bearing right down on top of him) and dropped it. All of that was fine. But upon replay, I looked and saw that the two offensive players responsible for blocking the 2 defenders simply ran right pass them. With friends like that who needs enemies? Reggie Wayne was toast whether he caught the pass or not...never had a chance when his blockers decided that they weren't going to engage the defense.

[ComfortablyLomb]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Finally got around to downloading this...

- The Gameflow system is incredibly stupid. As soon as the coordinator started explaining Two Man Under to me I shut it off. I've watched hundreds of NFL games and played probably a thousand games of Madden in the last decade+ so I don't need the hand holding. Beyond that, the system is basically "Ask Madden" rehashed. I gave it a shot for a quarter and shut it off. I don't see myself ever turning it back on.

- The preplay controls really didn't need a new button scheme but the hate on this forums seems overblown. Once the controls are memorized it seems like it will be equally quick. The one thing that seemed funky was the AI offense snapping the ball a little too quickly. I'd hate to see them running the clock down to a second or two on every play though so maybe I shouldn't complain.

- Players seem to have more weight to them with the new Lomotion system. I like it but don't love it. It seems like some more tweaking might be needed but it's a possitive step. Pro-tak gang tackling appears to still be in the game but toned down from last year. I could be wrong about that, maybe they're just canned animations.

- Reciever animations seem a lot better and more "aware." They're not perfect but there's an upgrade there that isn't getting the recognition that it deserves.

- Gus Johnson is better than what the game had before but the booth audio still stinks. The problem is that it's so spotty and broken up, basically no flow to the commentary. It's just blurb, yell, or whatever and then several seconds of silence and repeat.

[blackceasar]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

MY REAL-TALK NO BS DEMO IMPRESSIONS:

GAMEPLAY:

I feel like the gameplay has improved but I still think it has a long way to go. For me I think' NCAA's gamplay is much better. Locomotion to me is better in NCAA as well. In the Madden Demo it looks "slapped on" for a lack of better terms. Im not trying to make this an NCAA vs. Madden post but I feel like the Madden team could take some notes in some areas from the NCAA team. I actually dig Gameflow in "some" ways. I have found that when the coordinator calls in an offensive play, if you execute it CORRECTLY (and the D isnt all over his play-call) you will be rewarded. I dig that. I still think on the flip side though it can take away from some of the control you have over a game. Now what I think would be AWESOME here is when you play franchise mode, your offenseive and defensive coordiantors you hire have a true impact on your game if you use gameflow. What I mean is the great ones are better play callers. For example, lets say its 3rd and 1 on the 50. Lets say its OBVIOUSLY a running down. Now lets say almost every OC in the game would call a running play, BUT your top tier OC's wouldnt call "JUST" a running play...they would call "THE BEST" running play for that situation taking into account the fatigue of your players, the state of the other teams defense, etc. I see this as a franchise feature and seeing EA was too lazy to touch Franchise this year to get "swagger" into the game, one can only hope for gameflow to get this kind of depth with franchise mode in 2012 (wont hold my breath though).

I do see more of a seperation between the good players and great players. Revis shut down his side of the field for the most part. There were times though when Wayne had him beat but Peyton stopped looking over there because the last 4 times the ball went that way Revis had 1 pick and 2 deflections. I think the running game is probably the most improved aspect of the gameplay this year. It's nice to see momentum not carry your player out of bounds when catching on a sideline either although it still happens with more of a canned "tip toe" animation. In NCAA you see recievers actually stay in bounds and try to run up feild. I dont see that as much in Madden, again I think NCAA did a much better job.

GRAPHICS:
Better than last year? Yup. A bigger improvement over last year than what was done with NCAA? Nope, not even close in my opinion. Stadiums look amazing this year though. Not sure about the weather because this is still just the demo. Animations are nicer but again, it seems like there could have been a little more done this year.

PRESENTATION:
Do I like the choice of Gus Johnson? Yes I do. Am I pleased with his actual implementation into the game? Nope. Not at all... This is why, while Gus' voice and personality in my opinion is the perfect fit for Madden, the actual execution of this commentary and play by play sounds more like Joe Montanna Sports Talk Football (it was an old Sega Genesis game for the youngsters reading). It's too chopped up. I feel like they half-assed thier sessions with him in the recording booth. It's just not smooth. It sounds like when you are trying to pay a bill over the phone with an automated system. Okay not THAT bad, but I think you see where im coming from. He will say a sentence that flows nice only because its all done in one read but when it's time to place a players name someone in what he's saying there is a disconnect in tone, sometimes volume, etc. It starts to just sound robotic at that point and I think it takes away from the feel of the game. Especially when its a really sweet play. Now if this game was the first sports game to ever have commentary, I would give them a free pass...But when I fire up NBA 2k (even NBA Live), NFL2k5, NHL10, and MLB The Show... I makes me tell EA "so what's your excuse?"

Sound (not commentary)

Ummm...where is the crowd? When you score a touchdown, it seem like this year EA said "okay, we only have time to focus on the crowd and stadium sounds after a TD OR focus on the animations of the players after a TD". I think EA chose the latter of the two. You have just ran the ball up the middle, broke two takcles and stiff armed a saftey to break out for 40 yards into the endszone only to be rewarded with, almost silence (and some broekn up Gus Johnson commentary). WTF??

Other little presentation things:

I have spent the past 11 years working in an industry that has a heavy graphic design component to it. I don't know know who EA has over there handling overlays and post play grapics/interface etc but it feels like they grabbed some interns from the local university...or some VP of EA's kids. To me the scoring drive stuff looks kind of bland. Big flat box with a grated texture and some small text with a BIG Verizon logo off to the side.

I think EA is still dropping the ball when it comes to broadcast style presentaiton (in game). Sure they have the little ticker thing at the bottom with a players headshot and maybe showing he's got 3 tackes and 2 for a loss so far in the game but I wonder what's stopping EA from taking something like that and throwing it up int he center of the screen brodcast style, give it a much richer broacast graphic treatment and then have the camera in game actually focus on that player while they throw up his current game stats. EA, steal 2k5's presentaiton package...you'll thank me for it. Im just saying for myself, part of the fun about a video football game aside from actual gameplay and beating people is the overall experience. This is the reason why you never get tired of playing each game of MLB The Show. its why I can play a 162 game season in that game easier that i can get exited about playing a 16 game season in Madden. I still think EA's people responsible for presentation really don't get it or understand how to "tell a story" during a game..and I dont mean literally. I mean with stats, overlays, graphics, etc. Its being done now...just not in Madden. Overall though EA has added some nice touches here and there.

FRANCHISE:

There is no franchise mode in the demo...but what I have read is telling me not only did EA NOT even take a single tiny baby step forward with this. They actually took big steps backwards by removing what little NFL broadcast feel the franchise has had. Nope..no more NFL show during your franchise....

OVERALL:

I dig the demo, I really do. My comments were not a "bash EA" as much as a "look man, this is what you do well, this is what you could OBVIOUSLY do better". Is Madden 11 better than Madden 10? The demo tells me it will be better than Madden 10. Wether or not its worth 60 bucks for what I feel is going to be more of a patch than a real new game I will leave up to each individual consumer's tastes. There are some glaring things though that Im hoping and praying are the way they are because of its a demo (choppy commentary, silence in the endzone on scores, etc) but if those are going to be the same in the final retail build... I will still buy the game but it will be more of a change of pace game from NCAA 11. Meaning Ill prob play 10 straight games of NCAA 11 then one game of madden (before I get mad) then go back to NCAA for 10 more games.

[LionsFanNJ]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

On thing Madden does on the Demo that NCAA retail fails at....Punt Return blocking and play in general. I feel if you can get past the first two or three guys, you got space to move and the blockers arent' dumb. Something i wish NCAA tuned.

[vch1212]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

I just can't understand the thinking behind presentation. I mean why won't EA just put these guys in a booth together and let them go back and forth for hours? If its to expensive, then just get a bunch of no name voice actors, break em up in to broadcast teams and have em on different games. Make up networks and separate the games that way. That would be great. I don't think the fans really care if its collinsworth / Johnson or the guys from 2k5..(Who to this day still sound fantastic, even though I am a Madden fan!). Why won't they try this? Why?

Its so frustrating. Anyway I love the game play and lighting although I am a little insulted that Game flow is "Ask Madden" just repackaged...did they think we wouldn't notice a re-gift?

I love the passing game and can't wait till we one day find a replacement for the whole Y Receiver X receiver thing.

All in all they did ok. But sometimes I do feel like they don't care about details and they care more about casual fans.

[mrod009]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

This game is solid if you overlook the minor flaws. One major flaw however is the tackling. What happened to Pro Tak?

Gang tackling seems non-existent.

[Golden28]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Nothing about Madden's yearly upgrade (although it could pass as a patch this year) excites me anymore.

I just get the feeling that it's a very average game from a very average developer who have become stilted without any competition to fire them to greater creative feats.

Shame really.

[vch1212]

Re: Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

Nothing about Madden's yearly upgrade (although it could pass as a patch this year) excites me anymore.

I just get the feeling that it's a very average game from a very average developer who have become stilted without any competition to fire them to greater creative feats.

Shame really.

I agree 100%. The NFL is all about parity but yet it let a major product get made by only one company. Competition breeds change and progress. I respect the developers but they act like they could care less about the game. All they do is hide behind the "oh we are focused on game play" statement. So they use that as a reason that they ignored the fact that Chris and Gus sound like they aren't in the same stadium.

I mean how could know one in that company bring that up..."um hey does anyone i this room realize our announcing is terrible?" I am not trying to disrespect them but how could these things get ignored unless your lazy. Just my opinion.