OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

[twogotwingz3]

All I know is there's absolutely no excuse this generation for Madden. There's no way you can't nail a realistic football experience when a game, NFL 2k5, did it on PS2. That's that.

E-mothafuggn-xactly!!!!!!! How is a game pretty much perfect built on xbox and ps2, but we have to give EA time....smdh madden been around 25+ years!!! Took Visual Concepts 5 years to make the perfect game!! That almost looks on par with next gen madden! Lol

[allstardad]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

Is it where it should be? The simple for me is yes.

We've all complained that they weren't focusing on these things in past installments and begged and pleaded for them to do so with their next installment. And now, while its taken longer than we wanted and it probably should have, they are addressing key issues with the game.

We can all complain about how long it took for them to focus on these issues, but we shouldn't complain about the fact that they are addressing some legacy issues with the game.

.02

[MossMan84]

Im still not sure why we didnt have a madden 14? Madden 25? The game should be somewhat better than last years but how can it not be. The list of improvements sounds pretty nice but how can we have icing without cake? Im still afraid that there will be glaring holes in gameplay along with a broken franchise mode. I could care less about graphics, (to a point) presentation, mut, ect. Just give me a all around good gameplay with adaptive ai and a franchise mode that I can immerse myself in forever! "Focus Daniel Son!" Madden is simply getting sucked into another cycle of poor overall games. It sounds like they have good intentions but the overall vision is not there.

[LorenzoDC]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

Just because they focus on the defensive side doesn't mean it will affect the difficulty going up against the computer A.I., but I really hope that is the case. I also hope they greatly reduce the number on interceptions by the computer defense, as that was usually the only thing that ever stopped me.

This is what really bugged me about M25. No matter how I tweaked the sliders, or whose slider set I used, I could not find a sweet spot in CFM.

For my defense, I either shut down CPU opponents pretty handily OR gave up a ton of yards and scores. On offense, I was able to tone down my run game, even lower than my team ratings would suggest I should get, but my passing game was only ever really stopped by interceptions, which came at a high rate.

I learned to be much more cautious with the throws I would attempt, but it was still a battle. If I toned down the INT's too much, then I could not otherwise be stopped by the defense, or I would reduce WR catching and see 8 drops per game. . .. it all killed the sim style I wanted to play.

I just want the game balance to be more like a real game if I play 15 minute quarters. Working with sliders, I can never get a real balance that does not create cheese one way or another, or tip the balance too far out for either the user or the CPU.

[Beardown]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

I like the focus being on the defensive side of the ball as I tend to be old school. However, I wish they would fix the things already in the game before adding new tackle cones and such. I am glad they fixed the wind meter (about time) but what about penalties, why do I hear that I lost the game last week when I won, I play as a coach (Mike Ditka) and then in season 3 the Browns hire a new coach MIKE DITKA, I guess they cloned me.

I am all for gameplay improvements but presentation and franchise need major overhauls. The only thing I know for sure is that all of the features presented at E3 will not play half as good as they sound.

[SVCbearcat10]

I think the focus on graphics and defense this year is fine. If they don't work on redoing all their animations (running, DB/WR, authentic QB throwing motions, etc.) then I'll be upset. I wasn't planning on buying this and from what I saw, still probably won't unless it goes on sale. I don't think it will be a bad game, but I'll wait the few weeks for NHL to come out and play that.

[malky]

Its all about implementation and until Madden figures that out, these are the conversations we are going to have, it's really sad because a lot of their ideas have been great.

[Big FN Deal]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

Man this is a tricky question, lol. Like CMHooe stated, no way the answer can be no because everything they are touting sounds so football good. However I think most would agree that it would be nice if their focus could be somehow widened. Maybe the game has so many fundamental issues that it's near impossible to even begin to touch everything all at once but that's still difficult to endure after so many years.

I'm honestly not being negative towards Tiburon on this, I absolutely love what I'm hearing about Madden 15 and don't envy this team that has to fix so many football issues, within time constraints. It's just this sucks for everyone, that even with so much good being touted and focused on in M15, there is still so much left to do to get NFL gaming back where it was around 10 years ago, much less completely surpass it.

[Blue12]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

I wish they would fix the things already in the game before adding new tackle cones and such.

Going back to the original question, this is my biggest gripe. We don't need gimmicky features, we need a more realistic game. They should focus on the aspects that impact realism of the game. The gameplay, schemes, player likeness (not just visually but individual throwing, running etc) and even atmosphere affect realism. They touted living worlds last year, but I haven't heard anything about that yet. It looks to me like the crowd may be slightly enhanced, but the sidelines still look bad.

I agree with Beardown, they shouldn't be investing in vision cones until the fundamentals are up to par.

I will give them credit, I'm happy they shored up pass coverage, wind, re-imagined the kicking game, and made it graphically up to par with other next gen games. My biggest problem is that "features" aren't enjoyable when the game is lacking fundamentals. The resources they spent on the vision cone and halftime show could have gone into the areas I mentioned above.

I know it's a shorter development cycle this year, but I guess I'm just getting tired of waiting until next year, every. single. year.

[newtonfb]

Dustin Toms...thank you for hitting the nail right on the head. Its embarrassing to see how madden looks and moves compared to every other video game..nevermind sports games. I wish more of the media would stop giving madden a pass.

[testudoaubreii]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be? Sure, maybe.
Is Madden's Focus Where it EA/Tiburon wants it to be? Yes.

I like what I am hearing thus far, but I am not going to pre-order it or buy it right away. I will have to wait a bit to see how it is going to be at release.

I would have accepted, or even loved to have heard, that EA/Tiburon decided to gives us roster updates and technical updates for Madden 25 for the next 2-3 years, tear down the entire football code or engine and build it from the ground up for this generation of consoles. Hell, I would not even be opposed to paying for some of those updates.

I know that probably will not and cannot happen, but that is what I think they should be focused on.

[totalpoop]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

as many of the other posters have already stated i dont think madden's focus is where it should be. sure adding new little gimmicks like more ultra realistic grass (which they seem to tout literally every single year), new kicking and wind dynamics, and a tackle cone sound great and get NEW and POTENTIAL customers excited what about the loyalty to the people who actually buy this every single year?

And even though it's been beaten like a dead horse five years ago, 2k had the technology to make a better all around experience for users in 2004. TEN YEARS AGO. they had a better singular superstar mode, a better and more in depth franchise mode and this was working with a station that is two generations old!!!

How in all honesty can Madden say, we can't compete and bring the same attributes that a game ten years old could? You can shell out a boat load of cash for an exclusive license but you cant really spend a little more cash on making your game more re-playable to the people who support you EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

but then again, Madden wont, and their sales will continuously decline.

[wordtobigbird]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

FG kicking is going to be a struggle this year. #Madden15 #E32014

I'd say yes. They are focusing on fixing a lot of minor issues (minor in that they can be fixed within a year and should've been fixed a long time ago) that make a MAJOR impact on the game. When was the last time anyone struggled to kick a FG in Madden?

Don't look at EA's headlines. Look at the little things. We hear the same major headlines all the time. If their focus is attention to detail then everything will be fixed eventually.

[sticks323]

Non of the announcements or CG trailers matter until we see someone on the sticks playing.

[Hoops737]

Re: OS Roundtable: Is Madden's Focus Where it Should Be?

All I want is tackling physics and signature animations (ball carriers/QB)

Instead I get the defensive vision cone and 3D grass >__<