Madden 2010 News Post

Madden NFL 10 Blog: Adaptive AI

12:33 PM - April 10, 2009 by jimbo1215

EA has just posted another Madden NFL 10 blog. This one covers adaptive AI.

Quote:


	"In nearly every sports game that you�ve ever played, there usually comes a time where someone discovers some sort of gameplay strategy that is extremely successful (in an unbalanced way). Often times these are considered �exploits� because they are either impossible or extremely hard to stop. You may find it on your own, or you may learn it from someone abusing you with it online, or you may even pay to find it on a shady website. Regardless, these exploits can often extremely hamper the replay value of a game because at some point, nearly everyone gets tired of doing the same thing over and over again and beating up the CPU by 100 points�and at this point the game typically comes out of the tray. Whether it�s an exploit or a �money play�, it�s all frustrating�so from the start of the cycle we knew that we wanted to create an Adaptive AI infrastructure in our football games. Two of our most experienced gameplay / AI engineers � Daniel White and Ryan Burnsides � took the reigns with designing and implementing the majority of this system so I hope this blog does it justice. "

Game: Madden NFL 10Reader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 76 - View All

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Member Comments

# 41 tyler289 @ 04/10/09 03:31 PM

Fantastic news.

# 42 Hotlanta @ 04/10/09 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pnutt6


	I wonder if the Adaptive AI will carry over from game to game in franchise. For example, if I always start the game off running 10 times in a row, will the defense be ready for that at the start of the game?

This would be cool cause it would sorta simulate the opposing team is watching game films of your play.

# 43 STLRams @ 04/10/09 03:42 PM

Fantastic feature, this is exactly what Madden needs for online and offline. I can't believe some people on the other thread don't want this, in my mind this says - bye bye online cheesers

# 44 malvinthra @ 04/10/09 03:54 PM

While this is a step in the right direction, I question whether Ian's post actually addresses the problem he puts forth. Namely, preventing the ongoing effectiveness of "money"/"exploit" plays. My concern is that someone almost always finds a "money"/"exploit" play that is effective no matter what defense is called. In other words, even if the AI adjusts properly to the play or route that is repeatedly being used, it still won't be able to prevent the certain play or route that the user is exploiting (e.g. the rocket catch in Madden, or the NHL 09 "drag shot"). The reason why these "exploits" can be so frustrating is because nothing outside of maybe (when possible) manually moving players to counter the "exploit" can be done. Hopefully this will lead to each game feeling different or varied instead of scripted, kind of like in the Show, NFL 2k5, WE 9 etc. Just my 2 cents.

# 45 youALREADYknow @ 04/10/09 04:03 PM

Ian, kudos to you and your team.

This is the kind of progress that will put Madden and NCAA in the elite category that they belong in. I guarantee this will increase long-term playability.

# 46 STLRams @ 04/10/09 04:07 PM

I agree, Ian so far you have really impressed me with what your doing. With all of the great features and you true to make the game more SIM I am excited. If you guys end up announing or showing a NFL2K5 like presentation with halftime show and end of game show, my mouth will hang open from shock and excitment. Keep up the good work.

# 47 SageInfinite @ 04/10/09 04:29 PM

Great News.

# 48 Lava @ 04/10/09 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segagendude


	Please tell me that was an 09 screenshot! Look at the top scroll: "End of game"(So why are they kicking off!!??) Score: 100-0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Calm down, it's one of the Sprint Replays that are at the end of the game. Notice the logo/back button on the bottom right?

# 49 jmj25 @ 04/10/09 06:40 PM

How will this exactly stop cheese? If your opponent keeps calling the same play that beats cover 2,3, and 4 what will Adaptive A.I. do?

# 50 Sanchez_Mareno @ 04/10/09 07:13 PM

Is adaptive in the way that it tracks your play calling game to game or does it reset after every game

# 51 afro_dogg20 @ 04/10/09 07:26 PM

Awesome blog, this is great news.

# 52 CapnKill @ 04/10/09 07:32 PM

Will this be turned on in Practice Mode? I hope/assume not?

# 53 ac11367 @ 04/10/09 08:02 PM

This thread is large, so I wonder if this has been mentioned...

Does it mean that if a defense has been beaten by a sideline streak pattern, would the cpu-controlled safeties start cheating toward the corner to make sure that pattern is not open again? Or does adaptive AI only pertains to CB's?

# 54 Cyros @ 04/10/09 08:04 PM

I'm assuming the defense would call more plays to take away the route as well as hot route defenders to help out (double coverage?).

# 55 red butler @ 04/10/09 08:21 PM

Does this quote from the blog bother anyone else ..."a defender will get better and better at man coverage if you keep running the same route over and over again"... Don't get me wrong, If I throw the same route over and over I'd love for it to get jumped. I'm just not sure that increasing the man coverage attributes are the way to go.

What concerns me is that those routes should also be used to get the defense to bite on a double move. If I see the defense beginning to tightening on the curl route, I should be able to call a stop-and-go; if the defender bites on the pump fake he's toast. The way I read adaptive AI, the defender gets a boost to man coverage. With the way the game works, wouldn't the defender now be able to cover the stop and go, just as closely as the curl route?

# 56 ac11367 @ 04/10/09 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red butler


	I'm just not sure that increasing the man coverage attributes are the way to go. What concerns me is that those routes should also be used to get the defense to bite on a double move.

With EA Sports, I would assume that it would be something cheap such as CPU cheesing to increase man coverage ability, rather than just selling out to cover a route which it has been burnt with previously.

# 57 CapnKill @ 04/10/09 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red butler


	Does this quote from the blog bother anyone else ..."a defender will get better and better at man coverage* if you keep running the same route over and over again"...* Don't get me wrong, If I throw the same route over and over I'd love for it to get jumped. I'm just not sure that increasing the man coverage attributes are the way to go. What concerns me is that those routes should also be used to get the defense to bite on a double move. If I see the defense beginning to tightening on the curl route, I should be able to call a stop-and-go; if the defender bites on the pump fake he's toast. The way I read adaptive AI, the defender gets a boost to man coverage. With the way the game works, wouldn't the defender now be able to cover the stop and go, just as closely as the curl route?

We just don't have enough info... I mean, how does it even work? Does the defender know what play I called on offense before the snap? I mean if the defender knows its going to be an out route yet again he will jump it, but if he knows I called a stop and go he won't fall for it just because he's been jumping the same out route over and over...

# 58 Clarke_311 @ 04/10/09 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnKill


	We just don't have enough info... I mean, how does it even work? Does the defender know what play I called on offense before the snap? I mean if the defender knows its going to be an out route yet again he will jump it, but if he knows I called a stop and go he won't fall for it just because he's been jumping the same out route over and over...

Why don't you read the blog, then you'll see how it works.

# 59 red butler @ 04/10/09 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarke_311


	Why don't you read the blog, then you'll see how it works.

I was asking for clarification of the blog. This was a direct quote from the blog..."a defender will get better and better at man coverage if you keep running the same route over and over again"...

I'll give an example of my primary concern. If I scout a defense and see there's a rookie cornerback that I want to beat deep on a double move, I would start by throwing a couple of short routes in order to set him up for the double move. Theoretically, If the game gives the rookie DB an increase in man coverage skills, instead of setting him up, I've actually made him a better CB that is less likely to bite on the double move.

# 60 Vikes1 @ 04/10/09 08:55 PM

I'm still smiling from ear to ear about this long needed feature being added to M10.

I posted not long ago that it's a stretch to really ever consider Madden a sim, without Adaptive AI. And BOOM!...it's in. To have to actually use the depth of my play book now, for reasons other than boredom. To have to game plan and make adjustments.

It's also pretty cool to have reason now to believe when I've spent the bank on highly rated DB's...they now may actually play like it. With the news of this great feature being added...August 14th seems even further away now.

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