Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

[BestServedCold]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Yea, but unfortunately there's no surprise here. If Chase didn't mention this in the preview, I would've still assumed you could do it. The devs aren't incompetent. They know it's unrealistic. I think they feel rolling and chucking is a staple of EA football games, and there's real hesitation in doing something about it. I don't agree with it, but I don't expect it to change. They've had years to do something about it...

They should have two gamemodes then: realistic and casual.

[Vikes1]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Great write up Chase. From start to finish, your comments seemed very fair and balanced. I enjoyed the read.

I consider myself as a former Madden gamer. Ie...haven't purchased the game for the last two years. So I can't really throw any opinions around trying to compare your thoughts about Madden '12', vs the last few releases.

I'm going to tread pretty carefully due to the above reason....but the last few sentences in your "Final thoughts", really caught my eye. When you wrote that the game felt quite familiar...and that basically speaking, Madden '12' shows some good promise for what the future may bring. For me personally...that kinda landed with a thud.

Now I understand it's not realistic to expect any sports game, in one dev cycle, to completely transform itself from one thing to another. But fair or not...as a sports gamer who's dropped Madden from my annual list of must buy's...your final thoughts were a bit discouraging. I guess in the end...it's more difficult to get someone back...than it is to keep them.

Of course I won't make any final decisions about Madden '12' until I play the demo or rent it. But by your early impressions..it would seem like Madden may still be a ways away, from me again, personally...having it be a "Must buy".

[at23steelers]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Also, did any of the presentation additions add to the immersion of the game IE. camera angles, stats overlay, crowd noise, and scoreboard.

[SmashMan]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

My question is in reference to this sentence in your write up: "The game has to allow you to run backwards and throw the ball across the field; otherwise some gamers would be upset."

Are you actually saying that the EA football developers admit to sacrificing basic FOOTBALL realism to avoid upsetting FOOTBALL gamers?

Or you could say that the EA football developers admit to sacrificing basic FOOTBALL realism to avoid upsetting football GAMERS.

Just sayin'. :wink:

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Thought the writeup was good, Chase. At the very least, it keeps my interest up until more info can be released.

[DGMikeBarker]

How was the backpedaling? Did DB's backpedal just as fast as WR sprinting?

[TheRealHST]

Really enjoyed the preview Chase and I appreciate how real you seem to keep it in your write ups.

My question is in reference to this sentence in your write up: "The game has to allow you to run backwards and throw the ball across the field; otherwise some gamers would be upset."

Are you actually saying that the EA football developers admit to sacrificing basic FOOTBALL realism to avoid upsetting FOOTBALL gamers? I don't expect them to create a game so true to real life that it can only best be played in a VR suit and helmet but not representing the risk/reward of simple passing technique because of potential complaints, doesn't make sense to me. That's like making a simulation basketball game where half court alley oop dunks can be done successfully all game because that's what gamers are accustom to in NBA Jam.

I am excitedly optimistic about Madden 12 and was pretty sure EA football was headed in the right direction with what you said about Dynamic Player Performance in another article. However, this sentence makes me cringe at the thought of my perceived EA football POV in the years following the QB Vision feature, still lingering.

I hope this mindset is just some of the last dwindling affects of Madden's past and will no longer apply when developing Madden 13 like they seem to have done with other past mindsets in Madden 12.

Thats Exacly what they've been doing @ "sacrificing basic FOOTBALL realism to avoid upsetting FOOTBALL gamers"...they did that last year.

[KOTC Wayne]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Thats Exacly what they've been doing @ "sacrificing basic FOOTBALL realism to avoid upsetting FOOTBALL gamers"...they did that last year.

I just believe they can't find a happy medium on it. I think keeping that unrealistic feature in the game to satisfy the casual gamer is just a bunch of smoke.

[Dazraz]

In regards to the kick meter, EA should vary the size of the accuracy marker in the kick meter depending on the ratings of the kicker involved. This would at least give a degree of differentiation between kickers of varying ability.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

I really like the idea in the future of EA adding a real FG% option. I agree that kicking is not true to life as all you have to do is nail the meter and more times than not you will get the FG. In this option you still need to hit the meter but the FG kickers real lifetime % from distance, surface etc is taken into account as well. And this can be a simple option you can turn on or off.

[DocHolliday]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Thanks for the honest preview. Seems like little additions here and there and the bulk of the continent is the same. EA really just does not want to push the limits, and after playing NBA2k11, i dont think i could handle another mediocre and bland game of madden

No thanks, I'll pass this year. Thanks chase!

[Only1LT]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

i've been playing a ton of 2k8 lately....still don't like the QB movement in 2k either. When guys in real life need to slide left/right in the pocket....they backpeddle......that's not allowed in 2k...EA should keep the back peddle animation in there but NOT allow that backpeddle animation to play beyond the pocket.

You make a solid point here. I still think that 2K8 is infinitely closer to nailing QB movement than Madden though.

I have to say though, if the QB back pedal animation is going to look as ridiculously unrealistic as it currently does, I could do without it.

[RogueHominid]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Thanks for the honest preview. Seems like little additions here and there and the bulk of the continent is the same. EA really just does not want to push the limits, and after playing NBA2k11, i dont think i could handle another mediocre and bland game of madden

No thanks, I'll pass this year. Thanks chase!

I'm starting to feel the same way. Football is my favorite sport, but there are other sports games out there that are so much more polished and compelling. I think football will get a smaller amount of my gaming dollars until there's a major content overhaul that makes the game feel fresh and interesting to me again. At present I feel like they've squeezed everything they can out of this version of the game.

I like that there are some improvements to run blocking and zone defense. It sounds like those improvements are more tuneups than overhauls, though, and it sounds like other important areas such as the pocket, pass rush, dropbacks and scrambling are basically the same.

[DJ]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Thanks for the honest preview. Seems like little additions here and there and the bulk of the continent is the same. EA really just does not want to push the limits, and after playing NBA2k11, i dont think i could handle another mediocre and bland game of madden

No thanks, I'll pass this year. Thanks chase!

Good post and sums up my thoughts as well.

[BezO]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Yea, but unfortunately there's no surprise here. If Chase didn't mention this in the preview, I would've still assumed you could do it. The devs aren't incompetent. They know it's unrealistic. I think they feel rolling and chucking is a staple of EA football games, and there's real hesitation in doing something about it. I don't agree with it, but I don't expect it to change. They've had years to do something about it...

I don't understand why they don't put animations in to account for it though. Sure, let folks roll & chuck, but make the QB plant, turn & throw. It's beyond being unrealistic. It ruins the timing of the game.

And EA forgets someone is playing defense as well. Why call defenses, get pressure, only to have the QB roll, spin & throw a strike?

I know what you're saying:

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OuWxuS68FfY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

You and I both probably agree Adrian is sort of floating there and not really cutting. Honestly, in the past I don't really notice it being THAT bad when I'm playing, but when I look at replays then I notice it. So with that being said, I don't really know. I haven't really watched any replays or anything so I don't want to say one way or the other. At the same time, I would think I would feel the difference if it were truly "fixed", and I also don't feel like I would be too out of line saying foot planting isn't something they can probably solve in one year with what's currently in place.

And that type of gliding kills the spacing & timing of the game. Because he's not having to plant his feet on some of those changes in direction, he gained more yards than he should've... or at least gained them faster than he should've. That "cut" at the 30 yard line? He should'nt have been able to turn up the field without having to plant.

1. I certainly felt a pocket envelop me at points. I remember two different instances where I stepped up into the pocket: once I stepped up just to take the sack and lose as little yardage as possible, and another time I tried to just escape through the middle of the pocket and ended up getting about half a yard. I'm not ready to check off all those boxes as 'yes' responses though. And while I did get sacked a bunch, I can't say it's because my O-lineman got bull rushed or whatever else until I get more time to really scope out what happened via replays etc.

2. This is a really good question, but it's one I'm leaning more towards saying 'no' about. I do feel like in Madden you can move up and down a bit, but yeah, parallel is sort of spotty.

3. Yeah, didn't really notice. As I said, I was able to swat away the balls that were under thrown. I also feel like I could get it over the DB last year though.

4. Yeah, I sort of tried to look for it, but again, I was more focused on chasing down whoever had the ball. I think it's a good sign that the linebackers were active on various defensive plays while I was the Ravens.

Thanks! Sounds like EA still has a long way to go.

[big_larry]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

Another year of some minor improvements. I can honestly say we have yet to have a next-gen football game, Break Breaker is the closes to "next-gen" we have. I'm done with Madden and NCAA Football this gen, maybe next gen, and hopefully EA Sports is not the only company making football games then. It's just sad to see 6+ years of football video gaming gone down the drain.