Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

[DeuceDouglas]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

Isn't the point of an audible to catch the defense of guard? Then why would you add a delay between audibles? Stupid. Can we at least get a refined game? Madden used to be good. I rember playing it on PS2 and being in awe. No it's just the same every year.

It's not a quick count or fake snap. It's meant more to check into something that (they think) is more likely to be the defense. The delay is to prevent all the online players from being able to hot route six receivers, change the protection, and then hot route six more receivers at the snap of a finger. Chances are the delay won't be long enough to make much of a difference. Players will just use the full playclock to make all their moves.

[N51_rob]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

OS: Will we see more jostling for position/hand fighting from the offensive and defensive players on pass plays?

RD: Due to the impact of the overhauled coverage AI, you will see defenders in much better position to make plays on balls. This includes jostling for position and aggressively moving towards the catch point. We definitely have some major plans around WR/DB interaction coming in the near future in addition to the great work that has been done this year.

So still no real hand fighting. What does "aggressively moving towards the catch point" even mean? The DB AI right now goes to high point the ball while the WR will just continue to run his route. The fact that they still have major plans around the WR/DB interaction is a huge red flag to me that it hasn't been overhauled/fixed still.

I appreciate the question asked because it was very specific, I found the answer to be less so. Even with the focus on defense I don't expect to see much change in the way the DB/WR play the ball, just the defense to be "harder" and by relation the DBs to be "better".

RD:
New Pre-Play Adjustments - protect the sticks (collapse underneath zones to 1st down marker), adjust coverage technique (gives user control of pass coverage techniques) and contain assignment (DE’s in mush rush to prevent QB from rolling out of pocket) are just a few of the new pre-play adjustments we added this year.

New audible system – This is something our online community has been very vocal about, having a more authentic audible system. There is now a very short delay where the QB physically calls the audible before the user can input another one. This eliminates the problem of offenses putting in multiple rapid fire pre-play adjustments before the defense has the time to respond.

These two are very interesting to me. I love the fact that on 3rd and 4 DBs are no longer going to bail, when my opponent is just running an easy crossing route.

Very happy to hear about the audible system, and have high hopes for it. Maybe no more changing 5 routes, the line protection, set the FB to block and the HB on a swing route in under 5 seconds.

Overall some good and some bad IMO. Nothing that gets me excited though. Still in a wait and see approach.

[N51_rob]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

Isn't the point of an audible to catch the defense of guard? Then why would you add a delay between audibles? Stupid. Can we at least get a refined game? Madden used to be good. I rember playing it on PS2 and being in awe. No it's just the same every year.

No not at all. The point of an audible is to recognize the defense is in a formation or personnel that is more likely to stop your called play and you counter that by changing the play.

You come out in 3WR 1TE and a RB with a called pass and you see the defense is in Dime with the CBs giving 10 yard cushions you would probably audible to a draw or dive to take advantage of having 6 blockers vs 5 defenders within 7 yards of the LOS.

[Beelzebot44]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

We pushed very hard for feature parity between the next-gen version and the Xbox 360/PS3 game.

This is the single most disappointing thing I've heard about this game.

[Hooe]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

This is the single most disappointing thing I've heard about this game.

What's wrong with feature parity?

[Beelzebot44]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

What's wrong with feature parity?

It's just another way to say they held back on the current gen consoles so the last gen would have the same game. I don't want parity, I want them to use every scrap of power the current gen has and leave the last gen in the dust.

[Aggies7]

Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

It's just another way to say they held back on the current gen consoles so the last gen would have the same game. I don't want parity, I want them to use every scrap of power the current gen has and leave the last gen in the dust.

As much as I wish they would. It wouldn't be fair to those that either haven't or can't move to Next Gen at this time. And EA wants to take advantage of both systems for sales.

[DNMHIII]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex DicksonS

As much as I wish they would. It wouldn't be fair to those that either haven't or can't move to Next Gen at this time. And EA wants to take advantage of both systems for sales.

So with this logic how is it fair for users of current gen systems?

[Aggies7]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex DicksonS

So with this logic how is it fair for users of current gen systems?

I agree it's not, but that is what I assume their logic is. All I was saying is EA isn't just going to stop making the games and in my opinion that is probably their reasoning. More likely less to be fair and more to have sales on both gen consoles and maximize sales.

Trust me I wish they would focus more on The PS4/XB1, but probably won't happen for a year or two.

[DNMHIII]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex DicksonS

I agree it's not, but that is what I assume their logic is. All I was saying is EA isn't just going to stop making the games and in my opinion that is probably their reasoning. More likely less to be fair and more to have sales on both gen consoles and maximize sales.

Trust me I wish they would focus more on The PS4/XB1, but probably won't happen for a year or two.

Yeah I agree with you. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the next gen Madden title gets held back for years by last gen to be honest purley out of potential lost sales in last gen if the last gen title is perceived as inferior.

[jmik58]

As far as "gameplay" goes, it sounds like the changes have more to do with animations and visual representations -- I wouldn't call this "gameplay" improvements.

To me, gameplay improvements mean something like a rewriting of the code regarding the behavior of defenders so that they actually read-and-react to keys (like they do in real life).

[GiantBlue76]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex DicksonS

Yeah I agree with you. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the next gen Madden title gets held back for years by last gen to be honest purley out of potential lost sales in last gen if the last gen title is perceived as inferior.

LOL, come on guys, this has nothing to do with being fair. It's purely a business decision. There are still tons of gamers on the last gen systems. Those are sales they need and there is no way they are going to alienate that customer base. It's a sound business decision even if it is a bit of a frustration point for those of us who have upgraded.

[Hooe]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson

As far as "gameplay" goes, it sounds like the changes have more to do with animations and visual representations -- I wouldn't call this "gameplay" improvements.

To me, gameplay improvements mean something like a rewriting of the code regarding the behavior of defenders so that they actually read-and-react to keys (like they do in real life).

The notes that came out today flat-out said that man and zone coverage code were rewritten.

It's just another way to say they held back on the current gen consoles so the last gen would have the same game. I don't want parity, I want them to use every scrap of power the current gen has and leave the last gen in the dust.

It is unreasonable to expect EA to abandon the XBOX 360 and PS3 with a multi platform title given the large install base of those two systems. Game companies exist to make money. Further, supporting multiple platforms doesn't automatically translate to "lazy"; it does mean that the games projects must be properly scoped so that the teams can meet their hard stop release deadline in late August and their code freeze well before that.

[Eski33]

I like the sound of the new features. I agree with the fear of imbalance. However I like the direction. To hear that there will be new and improved WR/DB interaction.

[Aggies7]

Re: Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex DicksonS

LOL, come on guys, this has nothing to do with being fair. It's purely a business decision. There are still tons of gamers on the last gen systems. Those are sales they need and there is no way they are going to alienate that customer base. It's a sound business decision even if it is a bit of a frustration point for those of us who have upgraded.

I think we both agree with you. I miss typed when I originally said it. EA will probably say it's to be fair because they would not come out and directly say it's so we can get money from all of you regardless of system.