Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madden

[Hooe]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

Sorry for the rant OS, but this irks me when they act like we don't know about football and somehow their idea of football is going to teach us something we don't know already.

This feature is not about you, or for that matter anyone on Operation Sports.

It's about the people who haven't yet played Madden NFL at all.

[khaliib]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

This feature is not about you, or for that matter anyone on Operation Sports.

It's about the people who haven't yet played Madden NFL at all.

If it's about those that have not played at all, why even post it on a Sporting Gaming Forum for feedback to be given?

Everyone that has a profile and is posting on this site has had some type of experience with Madden.

So to me the topic is concerning the OS Community because feedback is being invited.

Some note they like, some note they don't care, some note that they don't like.
Some even respond to what others post, which is ok.

My post spoke nothing about a like or dislike of the Mode as to personalize it.

My response was to the thought that the gaming community as a whole doesn't know the fundamentals of the game.

Everyone is simply posting their thought on the subject of the mode.

If it rubbed you the wrong way, the right thing was to PM me, as a Mod!!!

[RandyBass]

Re: Polygon: Madden 15 wants to teach you about football

I've hammered on this on here.

More than anything else, sports games' biggest failing to this point has been accessibility and teaching its users how to play. This is evident in the fact that no gaming-oriented people around me will even attempt to play Madden, NBA 2K, The Show, or even WWE with me, because I'm a veteran of sports games and a hardcore sports fan in general. I know how to play these games, while they are helplessly behind with few to no in-game mechanisms available with which to catch up.

This is a necessary step for expanding the pool of potential customers for the Madden series, particularly as the NFL's popularity continues to grow. One they probably won't see any credit for on this message board, but - assuming the mode is well-executed - one they deserve credit for nevertheless.

Kind of like how fighting games will add a dojo mode, except those games are usually pretty well made at that point, with maybe just some balance issues here and there. Any expansion of the user base usually comes by way of the quality of the game, as well as the popularity of the subject being portrayed. That goes for just about any game.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

If it's about those that have not played at all, why even post it on a Sporting Gaming Forum for feedback to be given?

Everyone that has a profile and is posting on this site has had some type of experience with Madden.

So to me the topic is concerning the OS Community because feedback is being invited.

Some note they like, some note they don't care, some note that they don't like.
Some even respond to what others post, which is ok.

My post spoke nothing about a like or dislike of the Mode as to personalize it.

My response was to the thought that the gaming community as a whole doesn't know the fundamentals of the game.

Everyone is simply posting their thought on the subject of the mode.

If it rubbed you the wrong way, the right thing was to PM me, as a Mod!!!

Nothing "rubbed him the wrong way".
He simply was saying that it wasn't something that applied to you or OS in general.

And EA didn't post that here I don't believe for feedback to be given.
JP simply put it up for those who might want to see it.

It's simply a "share the info" thread.

[DNMHIII]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

This feature is not about you, or for that matter anyone on Operation Sports.

It's about the people who haven't yet played Madden NFL at all.

Honestly I think Madden needed this mode and will need to continue to have a mode like this to capture the 8-14 year old demographic and that's probably good business sense because capturing the younger audience is obviously important long term.

With that said, If EA can just keep the title moving forward instead of spinning in circles by adding and removing stuff incessantly and just start banging away at a more lifelike gameplay feel with natural looking player movements I think everyone would be happy. Now that this mode is in they should keep it and maybe make small changes but focus resources on creating real looking sidelines packed with players coming on and off the field and a stadium feel that makes you feel like you're in the stadium, those things things along with gameplay will keep the younger demographic coming back because they wont stay for more than maybe a release or two playing arcade games in Gauntlet Mode.

[nordiques1995]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

This is a great idea. Not only how to control your player, how to dive, how to catch, how to pass. But how to play the game of football. Football is a fun game and very strategic with so many formation on defense and offense. And you know what ? It's only played in North America. A lot of people did not grew up with a football program at high school.

[kongemeier]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

Yup. In CFM, it's called "Game Prep," and you earn XP for the players you use.

Argh man...

So I have to choose which players to progress? I am not an NFL expert, but I'm pretty sure the entire team is preparing each week and not just a few.

So it's basically like an MMO where I can choose which "bufs" to use for a specific opponent!?

I know I'm making assumptions here, but if this is how it works, I'm not a fan...

[Hooe]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

Honestly I think Madden needed this mode and will need to continue to have a mode like this to capture the 8-14 year old demographic and that's probably good business sense because capturing the younger audience is obviously important long term.

It's not just the younger demographic that's a potential new customer for the game. The average gamer is about 30 years old. Take out handheld devices such as the iPhone and that number jumps to 37 years. Madden at best sells single-digit millions of units a year, whereas more successful console games such as Grand Theft Auto V have sold as many as 30 million units worldwide.

There are plenty enough potential customers for Madden of all ages who just flat-out do not know how to play football to justify this feature for any age group.

[William85]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

Im 32 and have plenty of Madden experience and pretty excited to learn new things to make me a better player . I play online and am blown away with how good some people are so if I can use this mode to close the gap by learning new things, I am all for it.

[Haval93]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

I think it will be a great mode for people who want to learn the game and football in general. I have played Madden for years and have watched the NFL for years but never looked into the strategy for defensives and such. As someone who knows basic defensive formations and options, if this mode can help me become better at the game and learn more about football while being fun, I think its a huge plus. Not ever mode is going to crater to everybody, I know a lot of you Sim games would rather see resources put in game play than modes like this.

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

While I think it's a good premise to teach gamers football principles in unconventional ways, like 110 yard fgs in hurricane winds, I can't see how those lessons/skills will be applied and change the way the game is played, if they're not necessary for success when playing an actual game.

I haven't read all the posts ITT so it's possible others have touched on this, are the lessons complimented with applicable gameplay changes to CFM/Play Now/Online in Madden 15 or is this the first step to teach gamers these things, then at some point have them required for success in gameplay for other modes? I'm asking that as a serious question too, while I wouldn't agree with that design choice, I could still follow its' logic.

[Rockie_Fresh88]

Re: Polygon: Madden 15 wants to teach you about football

so I don't believe people would put the game down and not play it anymore, especially if they paid money for it.

I found myself doing this with UFC after one week . Until I gave up and traded it in

On topic I need something like this. Haven't bought madden in years

[utahman19]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

The problem that I see with this mode as described is the translation error of real life concepts to Madden.

Madden is such a poor representation of even some of the most basic football fundamentals that it could end up confusing people as what they see in Madden and in the trainer is not reflected in real life.

For example, a smash route against Cover 2 zone. It works almost all the time in Madden because the corners play their zone regardless of what is going on around them. In real life, however, if there is not a receiver threatening the corner's zone, he will drop back to take away a smash route, something that doesn't happen in Madden.

Other things such as defenders forcing plays, setting the edge, true pass rush containment, zone blocking, combo blocks, blitz pickup, trap blocking... even a quarterback going through receiver progressions is not represented well in Madden. How can you teach things that aren't represented in the game?

Even something as simple as an out route is poorly represented in Madden, because of the way the passing game is coded. In real life, it would go something like this: "This is an out route. It is run at multiple depths. The receiver needs attempt to sell a deep route before making his break, which needs to be sharp and quick. The quarterback needs to throw the ball when the receiver starts his break, and needs to throw the ball toward the sideline ahead of the receiver. If the throw is late, or if the ball is not thrown ahead of the receiver, the quarterback needs to be ready to make a tackle because it will be an interception. The receiver needs to turn his head and locate the football as soon as he starts his break, with his hands ready to catch the ball. A well timed and run out route is extremely difficult to defend." Etc. In Madden it's like this: "This is an out. It is a 5-yard route, unless it is a deep out, which is more like 12. Receiver, don't worry about a good route, as the defender will beat you to your spot because he knows what you're running. Quarterback, you have to wait and throw the ball after the receiver completes his break or else you will throw a streak route, or maybe a seam, or maybe a comeback; who knows where the ball will go. You can try to lead the receiver, but it doesn't make a big difference. Corners jump the out all the time, it is not a difficult route to defend. And don't try to run an out-and-up double move, because the corners read that every time now matter how often you run the out."

[K_GUN]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madde

It's not just the younger demographic that's a potential new customer for the game. The average gamer is about 30 years old. Take out handheld devices such as the iPhone and that number jumps to 37 years. Madden at best sells single-digit millions of units a year, whereas more successful console games such as Grand Theft Auto V have sold as many as 30 million units worldwide.

There are plenty enough potential customers for Madden of all ages who just flat-out do not know how to play football to justify this feature for any age group.

wow....sans the phones & the avg gamer age is 37?!?!

sweet...for once I'm "above average" at something (43)

[coke hogan]

Re: Polygon: Madden 15 wants to teach you about football

I found myself doing this with UFC after one week . Until I gave up and traded it in

On topic I need something like this. Haven't bought madden in years

which ufc did u buy?
did u not try a demo or renting the game first?
doing any of those two things would save u time.
did u try the tutorial?


in this day and age of renting and demos, no one should be making bad buying decisions. at the same time it's easier said than done. lol.