Madden NFL 11 News Post

Madden NFL 11 Blog: GameFlow and The Strategy Pad

05:36 PM - July 30, 2010 by Phil_Frazier

Check out the latest Madden NFL 11 blog, discussing gameflow and the strategy pad.

Quote:


	"Ian Cummings here, taking some quick time out to talk to the community after the demo has been out for a few days. First off, one great bit of info has been the positive response around GameFlow. Based on our telemetry, 95% of games played have had GameFlow as the default style of playcalling. We do realize it is the default option, which can obviously help inflate those numbers, so more telling is that of every single play called in the demo, 80% of the offensive plays and 86% of defensive plays were chosen via GameFlow vs. the conventional way. This is very positive stuff for us, as we obviously weren't quite sure how the general public would react to such a drastic change to the way the game was played. Secondly, I wanted to talk about the primary hot-button issue in the community with the release of our demo, the Strategy Pad. As we expected, this feature has caused quite a stir lately, so we wanted to provide some context as to why we tried to unify our pre-play controls to one location. We realize that the Madden veterans have been using the old pre-play system for years, to the point where it had become second nature. Any longtime Madden gamer could probably change the route of 2 receivers, pinch slide protection, and keep a back into block within a second. Despite the comfort with the way things were, it often caused major confusion for someone new to the Madden franchise or really any gamer who isn't familiar with the controls. I've heard a few comments on Twitter to the effect of "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" Well, when we started looking at data, it was in fact broke. Based on the playtests we ran and more importantly telemetry we gathered from the online connected consoles, we saw some pretty major areas that needed improvement."

Read More - GameFlow and The Strategy Pad

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Member Comments

# 41 nba2012 @ 07/30/10 08:58 PM

im glad there making it a option that can be enabled/disabled and not taking it out the game because im one of the few people who like the strategy pad ....

# 42 iamgramps @ 07/30/10 09:06 PM

I wish they would have addressed the default setting for online, regarding the strategy pad.

# 43 KensaiKatai @ 07/30/10 09:13 PM

Thank you for listening to us phil and ian. I will buy the game once the change is implemented, truly looking forward to it as this is the best madden 'gameplay' i've ever seen. It's all a moot point if i couldn't call the plays i wanted though. Thanks again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Maybe for you it was, but not based on their stats they provided it wasn't a "stupid idea." For every decision made, good or bad, there is a decision process and they had the stats to back that up. Man, be grateful they put it back in. That didn't need to put it back in, but they did.

They can speak for themselves.

Those stats don't tell the whole story, it's like saying kirk morrison is a good mlb by the amount of tackles he had. There's so many variables involved but i won't get into that..i'm just glad they listened to us and responded. It might seem irrational to you but this issue was keeping me from buying the game for the first time in my life.

You say they didn't need to put it back in, i say they did if they wanted my purchase. it's that simple. and yes i am VERY grateful.

# 44 KensaiKatai @ 07/30/10 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamgramps


	I wish they would have addressed the default setting for online, regarding the strategy pad.

i'm assuming it will stick for online games, probably a main menu option. pure speculation on my part though.

# 45 Bootzilla @ 07/30/10 09:16 PM

Good news. Regardless of data, the strat pad, no matter how you slice it, takes longer to execute. I know cluttering up the screen is an issue but, having a pre-play bar ala NCAA is a better solution. Are they still looking into how quickly the cpu snaps the ball? That may help until the old system is reimplemented.

I understand attempting to appeal to less sophisticated gamers. Heck, I stopped playing baseball games because I'm a casual fan at best and once they started getting ultra complicated I bowed out. I'm used to Madden and the basketball games but could imagine how intimidating they would be to someone who is just picking them up. We've had an opportunity to grow with these games. Some of us (me) have been around since the inception of these games.

# 46 kehlis @ 07/30/10 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KensaiKatai


	Thank you for listening to us phil and ian. I will buy the game once the change is implemented,

So now you are okay with change and options?

Do you not see how feedback can benefit everyone?

# 47 SoxFan01605 @ 07/30/10 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Maybe for you it was, but not based on their stats they provided it wasn't a "stupid idea." For every decision made, good or bad, there is a decision process and they had the stats to back that up. Man, be grateful they put it back in. That didn't need to put it back in, but they did.

The stats only support the old way had flaws...a point that very few people deny. They don't support that the new way is actually better. The issue isn't that it was changed, as much as the change was actually (in some ways) less intuitive than the older way.

It's all moot now though. I'm very happy they are putting the option back in. I have no issues with anyone preferring the newer way, so it seems like a win-win here.

# 48 KensaiKatai @ 07/30/10 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	So now you are okay with change and options? Do you not see how feedback can benefit everyone?

now i'm ok? i don't quite understand what you mean...i've always been ok with change and options, we just didn't have the latter as far as the strat pad is concerned. Maybe this is what you were trying to say? forgive my confusion.

but as far as feedback, couldn't agree more, that's why i said what i did!

# 49 kehlis @ 07/30/10 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KensaiKatai


	now i'm ok? i don't quite understand what you mean...i've always been ok with change and options,

No you haven't. According to you it ruins the vision of a game...Remember, according to you, developers make the game they want to make and consumer feedback is irrelevant. You have mentioned that on several occasions...

Quote:


	but as far as feedback, couldn't agree more, that's why i said what i did!

I agree with everything you have said about Madden...

# 50 TreyIM2 @ 07/30/10 10:28 PM

I said I wouldn't be surprised if they patched in the option to switch back to the old way, days ago, and now here we have confirmation. Woot! I do have to admit that have gotten fairly use to the Strategy Pad by making it intuitive in my own head after only 4 games of the demo.

What I hate with the Pad is how on offense, if u want to send a man in motion then bring him back to his original position, u can't audible back to the play like before to reset the player, since EA BEEN removed the ability to just send your guy back, manually, YEARS AGO (hint, hint, EA) without the audible reset move.

# 51 TreyIM2 @ 07/30/10 10:29 PM

Oh, and thank you, Mr. Frazier, for helping decide to patch the old pre-snap adjustments back in. Many of us know the issues with the old way but were used to canceling out of the screens we accidentally went into, with a quickness.

# 52 AlphaTrojan @ 07/30/10 10:30 PM

Through intense telemetry and data collection I conclude that accidentally pressing "A" caused gamers to lose .03 seconds before each play. To fix this game crippling problem that approximately 42 people complained about, the Strategy Pad was born. Really EA? Anyone can throw out useless stats and make a point. The Strategy Pad wasn't a killer for me but reading this lame excuse for it was. Good thing the old way will be patched in.

# 53 qboy1021 @ 07/30/10 11:42 PM

Will the audible system be changed to the old version as well?

I play alot of offline 1 vs 1

Hate the fact when I see a 3-3-5 defense, I audible to a run but have to move to the word "run"; seeing that, my opponent then changes the defense to counter the run

# 54 KensaiKatai @ 07/30/10 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	No you haven't. According to you it ruins the vision of a game...Remember, according to you, developers make the game they want to make and consumer feedback is irrelevant. You have mentioned that on several occasions...

hmm, well maybe i didn't explain myself well enough and for that i apologize.

Psychologically speaking, I'm a 'take it as it comes' kind of guy, and i judge everything by it's own merit, this blog included. The reason my outlook is like this is because it's the only way i can judge things by their own worth, not allow myself to fall into a destructive mentality even if things seem to be nothing but destructive around me..this is big to me, I'm not a fan of comparative analysis though sometimes it's necessary. this is because it allows me to better see things for what they are, approach it from a constructive angle, not be redundant (which allows your point of view to be noticed), and not allow myself to be bias.

As far as the Madden team and their vision is concerned, this action alone shows me that they aren't oblivious to consumer feedback or this patch wouldn't be occurring. I've stated numerously that i have faith that franchise mode will be improved in 2012 and that i'm actually looking forward to madden 2012. I think they are aware that this needs to be a priority largely because of consumer feedback. Just because they aren't talking, doesn't mean they aren't listening. (But alas they ARE talking, i have repeatedly said communication was everything, bad news is better than NO news) People have to remember they need to have the opportunity to listen before they can talk. The game hasn't even come out yet so this was very diligent of them. It's also just plain old good business.

As always, time and timing plays a huge factor in everything. Of course the developers make the game they want to make and they SHOULD. well really, it's a balance, kind of like how i approach my music. i make music for me and the audience. not one or the other. Real success lies within having as much perspective as possible.

This doesn't change the fact that i was livid about the strategy pad and that it would of effectively kept me from buying this years game. I can honestly say somewhere in my mind i thought that they would rectify this issue or i would of been wasting my time posting my impressions about it wouldn't i?

Options are a good thing, who doesn't like options? i'm a micromanaging fiend lol so i could never have enough options, as far as customization is concerned. (which reminds me.. allow us to edit more please!

) there's no reason to restrict anything. If i'm in a one person franchise i should be able to do basically whatever i wish at any point (switch teams, edit players ratings (this alone could solve draft class issues), etc)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	I agree with everything you have said about Madden...

thanks, i hope that continues as i'm sure we both want the same thing. there's power in numbers and this alone proves that if we remain respectful, really try and understand where they are coming from, and make a strong enough point, they will listen!

# 55 SubZero97 @ 07/31/10 12:24 AM

I hated the strat pad, but I like Ians reasoning.

It would stop alot of cheese IMO.

Alot of guys wouldnt be able to make 100 adjustments to get that advantage.

It would have even the playing field. Maybe 1 or 2 adjustments.

# 56 MrSkagTrendy @ 07/31/10 04:41 AM

Glad we can change it back. Did anyone else notice you can't reset to your original play on the strategy pad?

Also, will this address the issue of having to scroll through a quick formation audio and then having to select it?

# 57 DGMikeBarker @ 07/31/10 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan36


	This shows 2 encouraging things....1) They're listening 2)they really DO know how people are using the game

All it shows is that they can read data, doesn't mean they've listened.

# 58 DGMikeBarker @ 07/31/10 05:43 AM

The real problem is how fast the CPU snaps the ball. Hope they fix it with the new patch.

# 59 roadman @ 07/31/10 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KensaiKatai


	Thank you for listening to us phil and ian. I will buy the game once the change is implemented, truly looking forward to it as this is the best madden 'gameplay' i've ever seen. It's all a moot point if i couldn't call the plays i wanted though. Thanks again. They can speak for themselves. Those stats don't tell the whole story, it's like saying kirk morrison is a good mlb by the amount of tackles he had. There's so many variables involved but i won't get into that..i'm just glad they listened to us and responded. It might seem irrational to you but this issue was keeping me from buying the game for the first time in my life. You say they didn't need to put it back in, i say they did if they wanted my purchase. it's that simple. and yes i am VERY grateful.

I wasn't speaking to you specifically, but you made it sound personal.

I'm pretty sure if you go through my post, I was for options and finding a solution to this outpouring distaste for the SP.

I was trying to point out to another poster that I quoted who stated it was a silly stupid idea in the first place. I was trying to point out that stats don't lie and they had to make a business decision off those stats. Just like they had to make a business decision to put the old way back in. Just thought that one poster was ungrateful, not pointing to anyone else.

The final result is it's a win-win for everyone. And no, I didn't think it was irrational on your part because you explained yourself. You have more than 4 adjustments to make on the line, I don't. I play merely offline and have no issues with the SP. There are different kinds of players for Madden, so, I understand that.

My only issue is when someone put up a video of Madden 10 and showed everyone how they could set up a nano in 10, but now couldn't in 11. That really put a bad taste in my mouth.

Soxfan- The testing of the new method (SP) is all hindsight, though. At the time, EA had to make a business decision based on the old method stats.

And like you said, as it stands now, it's a moot point. A win-win for everyone.

# 60 ABR173rd @ 07/31/10 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outkizast


	Personally I think it takes less time to memorize how to get out of an audible you "accidentally" got into than it does to memorize this new way to make audibles with the strategy pad. Actually I bet there will be an even MORE staggering amount of numbers with more delay of games and people in the middle of making an audibe when the ball is snapped (for defense) with the strategy pad than the previous way. But anyways that's all irrelevant now as we will have the option for the old way to make audibles. Thanks! Now I won't get too confused when switching between NCAA and Madden.

I agree 100 percent, if your new to something the only way to learn is to screw something up after the second or 3rd time your going to stop doing it and pull out the instruction manual and figure out whats going on.Now the targeted audience is going to have to learn a new set of controls.....As far as the numbers using game flow I am to lazy to change it when I use the demo,all it is is an ask Madden and not even worth hyping it up as much as it was.The fact that EA spent so much time marketing game flow and what a waste it appears to be to me (and yes those percentages are highly inflated) I cant imagine the improvements they could have made to offline dynasty if they had put in that same effort.

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