Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

[Chiryder85]

Can someone clarify to me why the booth call in the video was incorrect? Is it because it should have been reversed as an incomplete pass? It if was in fact a completed pass, the booth call of calling him down was correct, as the knee hit the ground before the ball came out. But yeah, it probably should have been called "incomplete".

Yes. It should have been incomplete. He didn't make a football move or tuck the ball away (could be poor animation)

[Hooe]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

I think my biggest sticking point is CPU roster management during game day.

Right now, how a team CPU deploys a player is dependent solely on the playbook, and in rare cases some baked package substitutions (the Cardinals' defensive playbook is a good example, that defaults to the FS1 Nickel package sub in the Nickel 2-4-5 set). This leaves CPU teams feeling very rigid in franchise mode in particular. Sticking with the same example, if the Cardinals lose Tyrann Mathieu to injury or free agency, they'd presumably not put the replacement free safety in the slot. Another example, in my current franchise, the Giants drafted two talented halfbacks, one a bruiser and one a shifty receiver type. Unfortunately, the receiver type is RB2 and never plays (because RB1 is a good pass blocker, he's also the 3DRB), so the CPU kneecaps itself whenever I play them. That shouldn't happen.

I'd like to see teams more actively move personnel around on game-day to keep me thinking. Have teams with great MCV cornerbacks move their shut-down guy around to play best-on-best. Have teams with multi-dimensional halfbacks (such as the Cardinals with David Johnson or the Steelers with LeVeon Bell) motion those guys out of the backfield, or even line them up in the slot. Have teams with multiple talented halfbacks rotate those guys in and out of the game situationally rather than solely based on fatigue - the Patriots with James White, LeGarette Blount, Brandon Bolden, and Dion Lewis come to mind. Have teams with gadget players put in those players only to run concepts based on those gadget plays - the Cowboys with Lucky Whitehead on slot-jet-sweep plays and concepts that build off that, for example.

Most importantly, have the CPU make all of these personnel decisions dynamically. Don't bake in that the Cowboys always use WR5 on 11 personnel running plays, don't bake in that the Patriots bring in RB2 in short-yardage, etc. Rather, make it so the CPU can intelligently look at its roster and make the same decisions I make with my roster as to give it the best chance to win.

[tril]

booth reviews, or challenges could work. it worked in the other developers title. use that model.

line play - to make it more dynamic, maybe we should be given an option as to how the individuals on a d line and the o line will pass rush an opponent, or protect a certain opponent. make it part of the game plan. make fatigue more of factor. you cant keep pass rushing with the same guy with a swim or finesse move all game without his skill level dropping. make it more tactile. same fro line blocking. maybe the left tackle keeps getting beat by an elite pass rusher, maybe double teaming should be more of an emphasis. as of right now its not.

give the option to make all catches and interceptions manual all the time. the better the receiver the wider the window for a manual catch. put an elite defender on him or double team him the window gets smaller.
same set up for the defender.

maybe bring back some form of the passing cone. make passing all analog. just pressing a corresponding button to a receiver is dated. use the back breaker model for the passing game.

running game and after the catch. it should be imperative that the user must cover the ball when going through holes, especially with less skilled runners. cover the ball should be user controlled, if they dont cover the ball and they get gang tackled etc it should be a fumble. especially if teh defender is going for a strip on the tackle.

the way to make madden more organic, is to have every aspect of the game being more user controlled.

[Americas Team]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

Pass rushing/blocking and player movement will be the first thing im looking for in Madden 18. If pass rushing/blocking isnt overhauled back of box material its an automatic no buy for me.

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[Toupal]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

One more to add to the list:

Defenders with a sixth sense for when a QB scrambles, or when a pass is completed.

For example:
If Chris Hogan is taking his corner down the field on a fly route, and the defender has his back turned to the QB trying to keep up with Hogan, as soon as the QB scrambles, or completes the pass, the CB covering Hogan instantly knows when to turn around, and where to run to.

[roadman]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

Separating the MUT/DC folks vs sim nation is missing on the list too.

Both developers are at least talking about it.

We need OL/DL injuries, snaps over the head, the QB's that scramble, scramble, the list goes on and on.

[YRN]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

I think my biggest sticking point is CPU roster management during game day.

Right now, how a team CPU deploys a player is dependent solely on the playbook, and in rare cases some baked package substitutions (the Cardinals' defensive playbook is a good example, that defaults to the FS1 Nickel package sub in the Nickel 2-4-5 set). This leaves CPU teams feeling very rigid in franchise mode in particular. Sticking with the same example, if the Cardinals lose Tyrann Mathieu to injury or free agency, they'd presumably not put the replacement free safety in the slot. Another example, in my current franchise, the Giants drafted two talented halfbacks, one a bruiser and one a shifty receiver type. Unfortunately, the receiver type is RB2 and never plays (because RB1 is a good pass blocker, he's also the 3DRB), so the CPU kneecaps itself whenever I play them. That shouldn't happen.

I'd like to see teams more actively move personnel around on game-day to keep me thinking. Have teams with great MCV cornerbacks move their shut-down guy around to play best-on-best. Have teams with multi-dimensional halfbacks (such as the Cardinals with David Johnson or the Steelers with LeVeon Bell) motion those guys out of the backfield, or even line them up in the slot. Have teams with multiple talented halfbacks rotate those guys in and out of the game situationally rather than solely based on fatigue - the Patriots with James White, LeGarette Blount, Brandon Bolden, and Dion Lewis come to mind. Have teams with gadget players put in those players only to run concepts based on those gadget plays - the Cowboys with Lucky Whitehead on slot-jet-sweep plays and concepts that build off that, for example.

Most importantly, have the CPU make all of these personnel decisions dynamically. Don't bake in that the Cowboys always use WR5 on 11 personnel running plays, don't bake in that the Patriots bring in RB2 in short-yardage, etc. Rather, make it so the CPU can intelligently look at its roster and make the same decisions I make with my roster as to give it the best chance to win.

Yes. Formation subs and gameplans need to be used by the CPU.

Sent from my SM-G386W using Operation Sports mobile app

[Toastandtoaster]

Not everything needs to be done all at one time. Start out with oversnapped balls out of shotgun formations. Simple 1 percent chance each snap. Adjust with patches as year goes. Simple animation that keeps players on its toes. Second, add botched handoffs. Again, simple very low chance animation/event trigger. In reality, probably not a big deal if they get hrown in or not being that no matter what they say or claim to do, it will always be an arcade gameplay first with sim style on the back burner. But if realism would be attempted, I would start with these ideas. They happen to all teams and more often then not turn out to just be loss of yards and down and some inconvenience. Although being mad each time it happens in the moment sucks, after a few seconds I would be glad that after 20 years of playing Madden, I would actually see the random events that happen on sunday, in game.

[fballturkey]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

CPU teams NEED to reevaluate need after every draft pick and and after every trade. It's way too easy right now to game the AI by trading them multiple guys at the same position during the same week, and it looks ridiculous when team drafts 4 SS's.

[Splice]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

When you create a new coach, you should start in the prior year's offseason. No coach gets fired and replaced preseason week 1. There should be like story line options for draft and free agency. Choosing to keep that veteran player that got let go yet you loved so dearly. If you are a Rams head coach, you could pick between drafting Carson Wentz or Jared Goff. You could rewrite history. Etc.

Would also like to see more realistic draft classes. In every class I've had, there's always been a 80+ QB with quick or superstar development. That just isn't true.

[avwhitechic]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

a user -defined camera needs to return to Madden..the custom angles would definitely keep the game from going stale

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[mlb61]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

The most obvious and fundamental way to make Madden more simulation like is simple.
Play Coach Mode.

[iAmSLASH]

Madden 18 needs (amount numerous of other things) a speed adjustment on the WR's routes. Madden has always had one speed when it comes to WR route running. Thats why the WR always run out of bounce when you throw it to him on that flat route. Smh

[YRN]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

The most obvious and fundamental way to make Madden more simulation like is simple.
Play Coach Mode.

Y'all coach mode guys piss me off sometimes cause some of y'all love to say **** like this. How the hell is coach mode gonna magically fix the multitude of issues this game has?

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[mlb61]

Re: Six Ways to Make Madden More of a Simulation

Y'all coach mode guys piss me off sometimes cause some of y'all love to say **** like this. How the hell is coach mode gonna magically fix the multitude of issues this game has?

Sent from my SM-G386W using Operation Sports mobile app

It doesn't fix all the problems but it makes the experience much less "arcade." Taking control of a player, pushing buttons, moving a stick around, etc. has nothing to do with simulating football. And it has precious little to do with simulating playing football. Some people love to bitch that the game is too "arcade" and not "sim" enough when their fundamental approach is a descendant of playing Pac-Man.