Madden NFL 25 News Post

25 Days of Madden: The Vision Cone

04:29 PM - August 5, 2013 by RaychelSnr

Throughout the Madden franchises' history, there have been a lot of feature which were hotly debated.

Few generated quite the uproar that the vision cone did when it was implemented in Madden NFL 06. The 'QB Vision Control' feature was polarizing, with people on either side giving numerous reasons why the cone was or was not the game-changing feature the franchise required.

For those who don't remember, the vision cone featured a cone of light on the field of play which denoted the QB's vision of the field. Better QBs had a very wide cone, which covered most of the field. Worse QBs had very narrow cones, giving the better QBs a clear leg up in the game.

However, controlling the cone with the right stick while moving the QB with the left stick proved too much for some gamers. Others simply hated the look and/or implementation of the feature.

With such a polarizing presence, the vision cone was scrapped entirely with no attempts to revive it or anything similar within the series since it's disappearance.

Where did/do you stand on the vision cone debate? Should it make a reappearance as a required feature within the game?

Game: Madden NFL 25Reader Score: 5/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 81 Lukin4 @ 08/08/13 02:44 AM

It wasn't ever meant to represent how much of the field each QB saw, but how much of what they saw that they were able to process and react to... Jamarcus Russell could see that WR streaking up the sideline but not much else, so would throw it to him... Peyton Manning not only sees the WR, but also the CB underneath and the safety coming across from centre field for the pick, so won't throw it...

# 82 unfriendlyghst @ 08/08/13 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBLover


	How does one QB see more of the field than the other? How does the vision cone represent this ability? It's not literal vision (no QB sees only such a sliver of the field). It's knowing where the receivers are at any point in time. The vision cone didn't represent that. It just made the bad QBs blind. That's not realistic.

Gonna have to disagree there KB. If your saying that Jamarcus Russel and Peyton Manning see the same field, and that the vision cone does NOT represent the discrepancy between the two, then I'm gonna have to say you arte O for 2 my friend.

Is it true that both QB's see (are looking at) the same physical field (the green grass)? Yeah , probably, but are they making the same reads? Are they seeing the same recievers get open during the play? Are they making the same pre play adjustments/reads (breaking down man/zone coverage).

I would think not.

As far as the cone goes against the CPU, I dunno, I'm playing with the Raiders now and if Matt Flynn isn't getting sacked or hit, my guys usually drop the pass.

HOWEVER, in the past 2 days I have had 3, 1.5 hr long games against Human oppenents and I can say with out a doubt the cone brings a welcome level of realism.

You HAVE to plant your feet.
You HAVE to lead your receivers.
You HAVE to make a good read (i.e. not across the field left to right or vice-versa)
You HAVE to stay in the pocket (it actually forms)
OR ELSE you RISK throwing an errant pass, a wounded duck, a grounder, or fumbling.

I can understand most people not wanting this level of realism, but it stands as a long lingering issue with Madden games, as it was once AN OPTION for those brave enough to try. And for Sim heads like me. This is a feature I would love to see re enter the series.

**Playing Madden 08 PC Modded rosters and 360 controllers.

# 83 KBLover @ 08/08/13 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unfriendlyghst


	Is it true that both QB's see (are looking at) the same physical field (the green grass)? Yeah , probably, but are they making the same reads? Are they seeing the same recievers get open during the play? Are they making the same pre play adjustments/reads (breaking down man/zone coverage). I would think not.

How does the vision cone represent any of that?

The cone doesn't break down coverages. The cone doesn't make any reads. It just let's one QB see more of the physical field than the other.

The vision cone doesn't emulate ability to make reads at all. How does putting the cone on the receiver make the read? It just meant the QB is "looking at" the receiver so his accuracy is higher. The user is making the read and deciding where to put the cone. The cone isn't reading or allowing the QB to read anything.

How does it emulate the quickness the QB can adjust? It just adjusted as fast as the user could shift the cone, not based on the QB's abilities. The user is still making the presnap adjustments so the cone is just having the QB look somewhere (seeing the physical field), and the QB's abilities didn't alter that success.

Jamarcus Russell and Tom Brady can make the same reads with the vision cone. Russell might just need a faster user - but, assuming the skill is there, he's able to do the same thing as Brady, negating any difference and any realistic separation between the two.

# 84 Gorilla Glass @ 08/08/13 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBLover


	How does the vision cone represent any of that? The cone doesn't break down coverages. The cone doesn't make any reads. It just let's one QB see more of the physical field than the other. The vision cone doesn't emulate ability to make reads at all. How does putting the cone on the receiver make the read? It just meant the QB is "looking at" the receiver so his accuracy is higher. The user is making the read and deciding where to put the cone. The cone isn't reading or allowing the QB to read anything. How does it emulate the quickness the QB can adjust? It just adjusted as fast as the user could shift the cone, not based on the QB's abilities. The user is still making the presnap adjustments so the cone is just having the QB look somewhere (seeing the physical field), and the QB's abilities didn't alter that success. Jamarcus Russell and Tom Brady can make the same reads with the vision cone. Russell might just need a faster user - but, assuming the skill is there, he's able to do the same thing as Brady, negating any difference and any realistic separation between the two.

All of this.

The user is the awareness. The user makes all the reads. Why even put a monkey wrench in that process?

# 85 infemous @ 08/09/13 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gorilla Glass


	All of this. The user is the awareness. The user makes all the reads. Why even put a monkey wrench in that process?

I think your use of monkey wrench is a great way of pointing out the real flaw.

The cone can be a sim tool but it is also a lazy way of emulating the differences between QBs beyond their arm strength, speed, etc. etc.

Putting a monkey wrench in the users process is unnecessary when a subtle change in the fundamental mechanics of passing could really differentiate good QBs from bad ones and great QBs from good ones. Which I'm guessing is what everyone wants right?

# 86 UPside @ 08/09/13 11:32 AM

Vision Cone will always remind me of playing Madden on my PC when I was a kid

# 87 NDAlum @ 08/09/13 02:54 PM

They need to get rid of awareness. That's the problem

# 88 Tsuki @ 08/09/13 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NDAlum


	They need to get rid of awareness. That's the problem

And....replace it with?

# 89 youALREADYknow @ 08/09/13 07:01 PM

The Vision Cone was an equalizer to having a "God mode" third-person camera view while controlling the most important position on the field (QB).

That was the ultimate benefit of the feature. It was never a "realistic" implementation of quarterback vision or reads. It was never a very user-friendly feature in the way that EA designed it.

The bottom line to me is that the passing game is never going to be challenging enough without a counter to these camera angles and ultra-predictable route patterns. There's too much information available at a glance for a user with a controller that a real QB would not have without progressing through receivers using their physical abilities (completing 3/5/7 step drop, planting, head tracking/swivel, shifting stance, sensing pressure, etc.).

# 90 BostonMVP7 @ 08/10/13 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick589


	Single most polarizing feature in madden history. Loved it. Great way to look off or hold the safety especially when playing against users with great stick skills that user a safety. Me and my 4 friends played madden for years but the vison cone years we by far the best. All of us always usered a safety and could usually take away half the field with stick skills and anticipation. The vison come made this a lot harder but in a good and more realistic way. It's says a lot about madden that one of the most realistic features was removed because a bunch of users disliked it. You can shut the indicator off and still have to cycle through receivers which is more realistic. Why can't they just make it an option? Want to use it in play now? Want to use it in for couch co-op? Want to use it for online/offline cfm? A lobby for each in online head to head. Options are a simple way to satisfy a higher percent of users but I don't think EA understands this.

Best post I've seen in a long time. Most users who hate the vision cone probably sucked at the game when using it and/or never put the effort in to practice it. I still play Madden on the PC because of this fantastic feature.

# 91 JibberSkin @ 08/10/13 12:21 AM

This feature would single-handedly force me to buy Madden 25. I loved the vision cone like a child.

# 92 TeeDogg @ 08/10/13 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagsrock95


	Anyone remember "read and Lead" from nfl fever. I thought that was probably the best implementation of this type of feature. It took a little getting used to but it was less intrusive and more accurate.

off topic: Fever animated extremely well for that time.

on topic: I never cared for the vision cone. but I give EA props for trying to add an element of realism to the game. especially the ability to look off defenders and separate upper and lower tier QBs. I just didn't feel it was the right implementation.

# 93 armagedn @ 08/11/13 10:47 AM

I think the current mechanic of waiting until the receiver is looking for the ball (the icon is goes from dull to bright) is better.

# 94 kjcheezhead @ 08/11/13 12:32 PM

I was a huge fan of the vision cone. Madden 08 on ps2 remains my favorite game of all time and its not a coincidence that was the last game that had that feature.

It may not have been implemented realistically but it differentiated the skills of qbs better than any other. As the player, I see the field the same no matter what qb I use. The cone made it much more challenging to play. I didn't have to move it using Brett Favre but when Brett went down and rookie Aaron Rodgers went in, my passing game suffered. I had to read pre snap, to know who my primary, my second wr was so I knew where to go before pressure got to me.

I miss that. It was a better system than just hit x to throw to x and left stick to manipulate routes as needed that is in today.

# 95 kc10785 @ 08/11/13 05:31 PM

It was easy to go through progression in the field. One of the most realistic features they added. This was gold going against players who Like to use the safety. I used to look them off and hit the other WR. It was great. I love the fact that you can't throw the ball accurate if you not looking at the area

Sent From a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Tapatalk 4

# 96 juduking @ 08/11/13 06:13 PM

If you think about it, the vision cone is about as close as one would get to actually portraying how a QB would actually see the field. I always tried to use it, but it was just one too many button presses for me and I would get sacked almost every time. With the new consoles coming maybe something like the vision cone could be done with touch controls so it would be more responsive and quicker?

# 97 amgine808 @ 12/17/13 08:29 PM

Love the cone, it kept people honest. made you focus on the actual game of football (looking off safeties-staying in the pocket). it hurt the vick abusers. one of the best features of madden.

# 98 HeavyHitter55 @ 12/17/13 09:42 PM

When the vision cone first came out, I was very skeptical. I had to play numerous games to decide whether I even wanted to buy the game. Once I got used to it though, it was amazing! It made playing defense and offense fun - really fun. Ever since then, and playing guys online, this would be the solution to some of the many problems with cheesers. It would make it more difficult for the user to do such miraculous things, like sprinting back 20 yards to throw a 50 yard pass away from the LOS.

Honestly, it the vision cone made a comeback, even as an optional feature, it would be much welcomed.

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