Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

[BenGerman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Thanks for the write-up, BenG.

I am encouraged to hear your impression of the pocket collapsing from the edge rush. I haven't quite seen this very much in the E3 clips but I trust your judgment.

Hopefully this is a year where the CPU can prove to be a consistently worthy opponent for sim offline gamers.

Glad to help, Jare.

I mean, I'm as hopeful as you are. It was a relatively small sample size, but most of the time (in my experience) pressure was coming off of the sides. This could be because 50% of my time was against another user - and we all know how that changes things.

I'll be frank, we shouldn't consider it a fixed thing at all. I too will be waiting for the game's release before making a final judgement.

[roadman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Hey Roadman, sorry for any confusion.

The QB's are far too accurate, still. Though, the CPU QB's will avoid sacks and throw the ball away (out of bounds) if they're about to be sacked. I brought this up because sacks have been a HUGE problem in year's past, mostly because the CPU holds onto the ball too long.

My thoughts on the QB's being too accurate is that it's always going to be this way. I got the sense from developers that they don't see it as a major problem (after all, the difference between 60% completion rates and 75% isn't that different for the majority of their consumer base) and that they don't want to lower offensive output for competitive play. Or at least not in a way that would frustrate players - which again, comes down a lack of variance implemented in the game. If all goes well, it should be fixable via a slider change, but you never want to have to count on that.

Good point, looks like it's back to the sliders for me. I just thought that if the CPU QB is throwing the ball away instead of taking a sack, it might lower the %'s a bit.

Back to sliders, it has worked in previous years, I'll make it work again.

Thanks for the input!

[BenGerman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Very valid point. I think this ties into what a lot of us here have been clamoring for and that is a "sim mode" setting. You can have "normal mode" for those who don't really care about differences in accuracy for their online/head to head games, and "sim mode" for those of us who want QBs "killing worms" when they short hop a bullet pass or sail one into the sideline.

Another solution would be for EA to really make footwork matter and proper dropbacks/setting the feet really make a difference on passes being on target or a little off

Agreed, and I think that's where Madden still falls behind other games. It's starting to look the part, but until you provide options to customize the experience against the CPU, you're still going to leave a handful of gamers with an empty experience.

I like the idea of footwork being something they look into. If they could incorporate player skill more into accuracy (which is one of the few reasons I liked the vision cone way back when), then there wouldn't be any complaints from the competitive community, either.

[BenGerman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Good point, looks like it's back to the sliders for me. I just thought that if the CPU QB is throwing the ball away instead of taking a sack, it might lower the %'s a bit.

Back to sliders, it has worked in previous years, I'll make it work again.

Thanks for the input!

Makes sense, and maybe it will over a more prolonged sample size. I still saw pretty high numbers, but who knows. It could be that that change along brings a lower % in the long run.

[BenGerman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

One thing I remembered this morning that I hadn't mentioned, yet: the CPU still refuses to try and stay inbounds. There was at least two occasions where the CPU ballcarrier could have run in for a touchdown but instead just ran straight out of bounds.

Oddly enough, I saw some really cool "stay in bounds" animations on the user end. It was baffling.

[The JareBear]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

One thing I remembered this morning that I hadn't mentioned, yet: the CPU still refuses to try and stay inbounds. There was at least two occasions where the CPU ballcarrier could have run in for a touchdown but instead just ran straight out of bounds.

Oddly enough, I saw some really cool "stay in bounds" animations on the user end. It was baffling.

Wow, yeah, hopefully this is tuned up before release. Good to know those animations are in the game at our disposal. CPU should be able to utilize them too, I would think?

[BenGerman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Wow, yeah, hopefully this is tuned up before release. Good to know those animations are in the game at our disposal. CPU should be able to utilize them too, I would think?

You would think. But that was also my concern with the new catch animations... I just didn't see as many on the CPU end as I did the user. Which is fine, I guess? It's just too bad that both sides weren't given equal attention.

[jpdavis82]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Ben,
What did you notice about the sideline players that was much improved? I was thinking they looked pretty much the same from what I remember, but it's very possible they updated them just before E3.

[roadman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Makes sense, and maybe it will over a more prolonged sample size. I still saw pretty high numbers, but who knows. It could be that that change along brings a lower % in the long run.

Ben, were you able to use different level QB's?

For example, I remember one E3 vid where Kaep wasn't on target, like in real life.

Were you able to use someone like Kaep or Bortles throwing inaccurate throws?

Thank you.

[capa]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

One thing I remembered this morning that I hadn't mentioned, yet: the CPU still refuses to try and stay inbounds. There was at least two occasions where the CPU ballcarrier could have run in for a touchdown but instead just ran straight out of bounds.

Oddly enough, I saw some really cool "stay in bounds" animations on the user end. It was baffling.

Wow...how could they miss tuning this. Potential game play killer.

C

[jpdavis82]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Wow...how could they miss tuning this. Potential game play killer.

C

Hmmm if you watch the pats falcons draft champions video the CPU TE stays in bounds two plays in a row.

[SolidSquid]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

Hmmm if you watch the pats falcons draft champions video the CPU TE stays in bounds two plays in a row.

JP you always say play the game before you judge it. Now people that have played it are telling us it's still an issue and you're discounting them based on videos.

[jpdavis82]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

JP you always say play the game before you judge it. Now people that have played it are telling us it's still an issue and you're discounting them based on videos.

I'm not questioning them I'm just saying the video I referenced shows the CPU TE staying in bounds. From when I played the game I don't remember it being an issue either.

[BenGerman]

Re: Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions

" It isn't the gang-tackling of old (seeing seven to eight players pile up is a rarity), but rather a dynamic system in which can actually prevent extra yardage from the ball carrier's side"

Does this mean an end to the falling forward animation? I understand it happens (especially for the Alfred Morris and Lynch types), but the player doesn't even budge when they enter this animation.

I honestly wasn't paying close enough to this specific thing, but I can at least say I didn't notice the animation too frequently while playing.

What did you notice about the sideline players that was much improved? I was thinking they looked pretty much the same from what I remember, but it's very possible they updated them just before E3.

Specifically, I have it in my notes as "sidelines don't look as stiff while playing the game". I mostly remember looking to the sideline while running a kick back and things didn't look so blocky on either side, but I'd have to play M15 side by side to compare it properly. I should say they didn't mention anything about the sidelines getting changed (though, I didn't ask, either).

Ben, were you able to use different level QB's?

So I actually did my best to keep track of this. While I can't speak to the individual "feel", I did keep some small statistical notes:

Bridgewater: 12/16, 186 yards (User)
Mariota: 6/13, 51 yards (User/me)

Bridgewater: 7/11, 155 yards (User/me)
Eli Manning: 12/14 177 yards (CPU)

Sanchez: 14/21, 98 yards (me)
Tannehill: 11/15, 202 yards (CPU)

Bortles: 10/21, 101 yards (me)
Andy Dalton: 19/26, 240 yards (user)

I wish it had struck me to keep stats the first day I played but it just slipped my mind. I honestly couldn't tell a huge difference between QBs after Mariota, who felt slippery but couldn't hit mid-range passes.

Hmmm if you watch the pats falcons draft champions video the CPU TE stays in bounds two plays in a row.

It could be a total non-issue. Remember, I played maybe ten games, all pretty short. But in my time playing the game, the CPU (when running diagonally, not right alongside the OOB line) would just keep running out of bounds instead of changing course. It was definitely apparent, in my time with the game.

Hope this helps answer some questions!

[JKSportsGamer1984]

Are these impressions from E3 or a more recent play test? When you say the players on the sidelines look a lot better, what do you mean by that?

I would like to know this as well. I'm a HUGE proponent of upgrading the sideline players as they still look generic (all wearing high socks, no accessories, no names on back of jerseys, etc...) From the vids I've seen the sideline players looked the same as last year which is unfortunate. Upgrading the sidelines would make this game look so much better.