Do you have Madden yet?

[TNT713]

This isn't another "Should I get Madden," thread. This is a WHY DON'T YOU HAVE MADDEN thread. What are you waiting for?

Are you waiting for everyone else to master the intricacies and nuances so you have no chance to win?

Not to sound like a Madden fanboy, but I get my copies (360 & PS3) at midnight on release. I'm usually the first in line. I can't afford for my competitors to gain an advantage. Not for a day. Not for a second.

In this game, if you half step, you lose. So while you stragglers who haven't made up your mind are still deciding, I'm perfecting throwing deep corner routes against the new zone coverage. When you finally get around to getting Madden, don' be surprised when your high hopes of winning get dashed by players who actually showed up to "Training Camp" while you were holding out (don't be a Chris Johnson.)

Are you wondering what all the casual fans think of the game?

Really. Casual football and/or Madden fans are the least reliable source of good Madden information.

Are you thinking all Madden's are the same with nothing more than a roster update?

This is often the opinion of people who don't play Madden enough to know their elbow from their bum. It's the first thing I look for in reviews to indicate that the writer is 100% clueless about Madden. Madden 12 in particular is unlike any Madden before it, but I've already read 2 reviews by guys that sound nice but are packed with red flags that indicate the writer has no idea how to simulate the NFL when he's playing the game.

Are you listening to 2K fans?

2K and Madden are both football games. There are no more similarities.

The audiences are different. The mechanics are different. The techniques are different. The strategies are different. The competitiveness of the players is different. People who like 2K probably aren't going to like Madden. Any impressions you get from 2K fans should contain an asterisk to indicate that this person isn't particularly friendly toward Madden.

Are you afraid of 'cheese?'

Probable. Many who are on the fence about getting Madden have tunnel vision about what is and isn't 'real football.' They are also highly likely to harshly grade the AI when it doesn't make plays we believe it should make despite the fact that allowing the AI to make plays means the USER has neglected to intervene and make the play manually. That's not the AI's fault.

Are you simply not serious about video game football?

Could be. Otherwise, you might have Madden 12. Do yourself a favor, get the game already! As far as I'm concerned, the mere ability to play against live competition from the comfort of my couch is well worth $60, EVEN IF I NEVER DID. Not just during football season, 24/7/365. Indeed, there is no Madden off season. Even if you aren't an online feind like me, there are at least 3 other modes I NEVER use that may also be worth $60 to someone else (Franchise fans chime in!).

Are you only a football fan during football season?

Once upon a time, I played Madden only during the regular season. I was horrible too. There is a definite correlation. Now that I play Madden from August to August, football season never ends and I'm a much better player.

----

Needless to say, if you haven't already purchased Madden - you're a month behind. It's going to take a full month for you to catch up to what's new in this year's game. If you wait another month, you won't have much hope of enjoying the game versus human competition and your opinion may very well be tainted if you listen to those who historically have besmirched Madden in the past.

Do yourself a favor - GET MADDEN NFL 12.

That is all,

Later

[BlackJackRabbit]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

I bought Madden on release day, and I played it for maybe a week. I'm trading it in for 2k12, and I'm not even a basketball fan. Madden 12 is an improvement, but it's still more of the same. The passing, running, and catching systems are basically the same as they've been for the past six years. The technology within the game hasn't evolved at all. That's why I find it boring.

[je_2512]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Seriously, you needed to open a new thread just so we can read the same tired rhetoric?? We all get it, you love the living crap outa' Madden, you're the master of Madden, you know every intricacy of Madden and have spent almost every waking moment perfecting your "Madden Skillz"...time to go outside and get some sun, son.

[raguel]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

off topic, but if anyone wanted an example of "poisoning the well" look no further.

[TNT713]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

I bought Madden on release day, and I played it for maybe a week. I'm trading it in for 2k12, and I'm not even a basketball fan. Madden 12 is an improvement, but it's still more of the same. The passing, running, and catching systems are basically the same as they've been for the past six years. The technology within the game hasn't evolved at all. That's why I find it boring.

Sorry to hear that... The battle of wits I get when I play another human being never gets old. Alas, my passion began with a rivalry. Perhaps that's what you need to put some spice in your Madden experience. Personally, I'm bored by Madden unless there's a human competitor on the other end.

That said, I don't expect the running and catching systems to evolve much. If that's what you want from Madden, I can't see it in the near future. QB Vision and Strategy Pad have been the two most recent 'evolutions' of the game's interface and we see how that turned out.

Seriously, you needed to open a new thread just so we can read the same tired rhetoric?? We all get it, you love the living crap outa' Madden, you're the master of Madden, you know every intricacy of Madden and have spent almost every waking moment perfecting your "Madden Skillz"...time to go outside and get some sun, son.

Thank you for the compliment about being a Madden master, but that's far from the truth. I'm just an X and O junkie. I love NFL football. I spend almost every waking hour immersed in NFL football. Practically all my books are about NFL football. Shows I watch are NFL football or about NFL football. I love the mental preparation and toughness football requires.

I play Madden as an extension of my love of NFL football and attempt to represent the mental preparation and toughness aspects in every game I play.

I wish everyone else did too... But that's another topic.

My point is... Don't think getting the game 3 months after it comes out and getting online against someone that has had the game for months is going to be a wining recipe. Expect to get smashed.

I thought I was a pretty good player in my first online game... NOPE. Smacked 56-3. But I waited til November to get my network card for my PS2.

Learned that lesson.

There's still time for people on the fence to be in the batch of October Madden rookies who will at least have a 2 month jump on the folks won't get it til Christmas.

I just hope guys that waited forever don't whine and cry about the massive beatings they are sure to take when they finally do get it.

You have been warned. LOL

Later

[Segagendude]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

This isn't another "Should I get Madden," thread. This is a WHY DON'T YOU HAVE MADDEN thread. What are you waiting for?

Are you waiting for everyone else to master the intricacies and nuances so you have no chance to win?

Not to sound like a Madden fanboy, but I get my copies (360 & PS3) at midnight on release. I'm usually the first in line. I can't afford for my competitors to gain an advantage. Not for a day. Not for a second.

In this game, if you half step, you lose. So while you stragglers who haven't made up your mind are still deciding, I'm perfecting throwing deep corner routes against the new zone coverage. When you finally get around to getting Madden, don' be surprised when your high hopes of winning get dashed by players who actually showed up to "Training Camp" while you were holding out (don't be a Chris Johnson.)

Are you wondering what all the casual fans think of the game?

Really. Casual football and/or Madden fans are the least reliable source of good Madden information.

Are you thinking all Madden's are the same with nothing more than a roster update?

This is often the opinion of people who don't play Madden enough to know their elbow from their bum. It's the first thing I look for in reviews to indicate that the writer is 100% clueless about Madden. Madden 12 in particular is unlike any Madden before it, but I've already read 2 reviews by guys that sound nice but are packed with red flags that indicate the writer has no idea how to simulate the NFL when he's playing the game.

Are you listening to 2K fans?

2K and Madden are both football games. There are no more similarities.

The audiences are different. The mechanics are different. The techniques are different. The strategies are different. The competitiveness of the players is different. People who like 2K probably aren't going to like Madden. Any impressions you get from 2K fans should contain an asterisk to indicate that this person isn't particularly friendly toward Madden.

Are you afraid of 'cheese?'

Probable. Many who are on the fence about getting Madden have tunnel vision about what is and isn't 'real football.' They are also highly likely to harshly grade the AI when it doesn't make plays we believe it should make despite the fact that allowing the AI to make plays means the USER has neglected to intervene and make the play manually. That's not the AI's fault.

Are you simply not serious about video game football?

Could be. Otherwise, you might have Madden 12. Do yourself a favor, get the game already! As far as I'm concerned, the mere ability to play against live competition from the comfort of my couch is well worth $60, EVEN IF I NEVER DID. Not just during football season, 24/7/365. Indeed, there is no Madden off season. Even if you aren't an online feind like me, there are at least 3 other modes I NEVER use that may also be worth $60 to someone else (Franchise fans chime in!).

Are you only a football fan during football season?

Once upon a time, I played Madden only during the regular season. I was horrible too. There is a definite correlation. Now that I play Madden from August to August, football season never ends and I'm a much better player.

----

Needless to say, if you haven't already purchased Madden - you're a month behind. It's going to take a full month for you to catch up to what's new in this year's game. If you wait another month, you won't have much hope of enjoying the game versus human competition and your opinion may very well be tainted if you listen to those who historically have besmirched Madden in the past.

Do yourself a favor - GET MADDEN NFL 12.

That is all,

Later

[OGKing]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Maybe its because they dont want to deal with a hassle in franchise mode. Like someone said, madden just gets dull and boring after a few weeks. Nba 2k kept me entertained all year long, cause you never know what your going to get each game, unlike madden with the same boring animations..

[je_2512]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

My point is... Don't think getting the game 3 months after it comes out and getting online against someone that has had the game for months is going to be a wining recipe. Expect to get smashed.

You have been warned. LOL

Later

This part of your post only reinforces what we all already know. Madden is NOT about football skill or knowledge....it is about stick skills!! That is my main issue with it, as it is for a great number of people here.

There is no reason why anyone with a good understanding of the ins and outs of pro football should get smoked by some Timmy other than the fact that Madden is not a solid representation of the game!!

IF EA ever gets THAT part of their game right, then we'll really be onto something.

You can pump the game all you want, but in a nutshell, you pointed out the most glaring fault in your own post!

[bh446066]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

I have Madden, but haven't played it yet. I'm waiting on the inevitable patch before I start it up. I love sports video games these days, I have no doubt I'll enjoy it. Coming from my Atari/NES/Sega Genesis roots....today's games blow me away. More to love than hate, in my opinion.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Yeah I sold Madden 10 in October and played 11 less than two weeks. I picked up madden 12 and am 10-1 overall online playing about 1 gm a day if that. Good thing I got the game on release day to keep my edge, so much new strategy to learn this year.

[Rufus]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Nope, didnt purchase, rented, same stuff different day, frankly I'm bored with EA football games, nothing new and nothing exciting to play. Maddens commentary is horrible. I had hopes with NCAA 12, purchased it, but after the fiasco of bugs with it, I'm done. Just started playing Gears 3 and looking forward to Batman AC.

[BlackJackRabbit]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Yeah I sold Madden 10 in October and played 11 less than two weeks. I picked up madden 12 and am 10-1 overall online playing about 1 gm a day if that. Good thing I got the game on release day to keep my edge, so much new strategy to learn this year.

Lol, how much new strategy is there to learn when the passing, running, catching and play-calling systems have been virtually the same for the last seven years ?

[BezO]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Next time you have a great day playing Madden, post here and save everyone some time.

I'm surprised mods haven't locked this as it's just another "I love Madden" thread. Had this been the other way around...

[TNT713]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

This part of your post only reinforces what we all already know. Madden is NOT about football skill or knowledge....it is about stick skills!! That is my main issue with it, as it is for a great number of people here.

There is no reason why anyone with a good understanding of the ins and outs of pro football should get smoked by some Timmy other than the fact that Madden is not a solid representation of the game!!

IF EA ever gets THAT part of their game right, then we'll really be onto something.

You can pump the game all you want, but in a nutshell, you pointed out the most glaring fault in your own post!

My name is Timmy!

But let's talk about this "most glaring fault." The actions you perform on a grass field must be performed on the sticks. Stick skill is necessary, but so is football knowledge. The two are inseparable. Football is played on grass. Madden is played on a controller. Simply suggesting that the two are equal makes no sense. Some grass skills translate to the controller. Some don't.

To illustrate... A QB need to change the play. He yells our the live color and some verbiage for the new play to communicate the new play to the entire team. In Madden, you can yell at the screen and wave your hands all you want. Nothing it going to happen until you interact with the controller.

By that token... football knowledge is a misnomer. Every man thinks he's a football expert, however, there are no football experts. Never have been. The Hall of Fame is packed with great football players and coaches, but there's not a single expert in the bunch.

Some guys are strategist, some are talent scouts, some are great at teaching technique, some are great at defense, some great at offense, some had great hands, great speed, etc... NOT ONE EXPERT.

To be an expert, every single draft pick would contribute. Never happened anywhere. To be an expert, every offensive play would go for a score. Never happened anywhere. To be an expert, you'd have to go undefeated. Only happened once. Real coaches go to clinics to expand their knowledge, because they know they aren't experts.

The reason someone with a solid football foundation would get smacked is the same reason Dick Butkus isn't still roaming the middle in Chicago. EXECUTION matters. If you can't perform, it doesn't matter how smart you are.

If you were a real coach, would you want a player on the team that was fully aware of where to go, what to do, and how to do it - if he was physically unable to perform? Of course not. Likewise, you aren't going to want a guy with all the physical skills if he doesn't have the aptitude to know where to go, what to do, or how to do it.

So yes... Stick skills are important. But they aren't nearly as important as the football knowledge. Without knowledge of where to be and what to do, stick skills are useless. Without the stick skills to execute, football knowledge is fruitless.

If you're really smart at football, but horrible on the sticks... Get better on the sticks. If you're good on the sticks, but lack a football foundation... Get a football foundation. Neither supersedes the other in terms of importance.

Later

[TNT713]

Re: Do you have Madden yet?

Next time you have a great day playing Madden, post here and save everyone some time.

I'm surprised mods haven't locked this as it's just another "I love Madden" thread. Had this been the other way around...

Not saying this is an I love Madden thread - it's not (although I do). But If you can't post an "I love Madden" thread in the Madden forums - Where should you post it?

This is clearly an "If you're going to get Madden, do yourself a favor and get it NOW" thread. Clearly, those that wait - particularly for Madden - are behind the 8-ball. I learned this years ago and am simply passing on the lesson.

Perhaps my mention of 2K in the OP is what has everyone jumpy. It seems people assume that merely mentioning the 2K implies some bias against it. Not so. It was mentioned merely to illustrate that the two are completely different games that feature the same sport.

It doesn't make any more sense to go to a Battlefield forum looking for advice on playing Call of Duty, than it does to ask a 2K fan for advice about Madden. Likewise, if you're looking for 2K advice, you shouldn't ask a Madden fan.

Seems like common sense to me.

Later