Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15 Gauntlet Mode Teaches You How to Play Football, Get Better at Madden

08:56 AM - July 11, 2014 by jpdavis82

EA Sports released a brief Madden NFL 15 video featuring the new Gauntlet mode yesterday. A couple of sites have posted their previews this morning. If any more show up, this post will be updated.

Madden NFL 15 Wants You To Be A Student Of The Game (Game Informer)

Quote:


	The Skills Trainer mode features 48 new drills, but beyond teaching you the controls of the game, they go deeper to teach you core football concepts like recognizing defenses. "When we playtested," says designer Danny Doeberling, "we found out that people call cover 2 defense, people call a smash route. They have no idea what that actually is. So, we're actually taking them through how to recognize a cover 2 defense. And once you actually see it on the field, we'll have you attack that. When you're calling different pass plays, what actually makes up a pass play? What's a cross? Outs? We basically teach you the foundation of the coverages, and we also [teach you] the most common pass concepts. We basically teach you football." Accordingly, there are also drills in the mode where you call red zone plays, for instance.

Madden NFL 15 wants to teach you about football to make you a better Madden player (Polygon)

Quote:


	As Cam and I crafted this vision to take the game toward 'more realistic and more authentic,' what we realized is, if we don't teach people how football works, they're never going to understand this game," Dickson continued. "That's really why the Skills Trainer mode was developed, is because I basically pitched that we need a tutorial system if we're going to keep going in a realistic, authentic direction.

Game: Madden NFL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 42 - View All

Madden NFL 15 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 DNMHIII @ 07/11/14 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamitSarkar


	Yup. In CFM, it's called "Game Prep," and you earn XP for the players you use.

Really......so while you're at it please keep going on what you know about CFM

# 22 mattmilone @ 07/11/14 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_GUN


	cute.......Pat Kirwin, author of Take Your Eyes Off The Ball, has already done that but thanks anyway!

Seriously though, this book is incredible. I bought it thinking that I [i]really[i] knew football front to back. PK detailed everything and then some, and breaks down even the most complicated stuff (like playbook language and offensive line systems) and made it totally digestible. Everyone should buy this, no matter how much you think you know, PK is a truly amazing football mind.

Also, listen to Moving the Chains on Sirius XM at 3p.m. EST everyday. Dude is brilliant.

# 23 hanzsomehanz @ 07/11/14 02:22 PM

Call me a romantic but I am one who wishes they would donne the practice unis as well, as some pointed out: the contexf looks awks seeing them in full gear - just wears a bit heavy.

Love the concept though and will always be an advocate for coaching.

CMHooe made a great point about teaching thru the first level. Sports games need to pick up on this.

I am challenged to shooter games and so even games like Hitman are helpful to me in the first level because they teach me the basics of movement, weaponry and interaction all while I am fulfilling an uncomplicated mission but as the difficulty ramps up I am becoming more comfortable and confident in my skills as they add on new lessons.

I think the majority of us in here had to take and pass a written test and road test before we recieved our official liscence and so we can relate to madden teaching the way of football as they introduce more streets for sim vehicles.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

# 24 K_GUN @ 07/11/14 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz


	Call me a romantic but I am one who wishes they would donne the practice unis as well, as some pointed out: the contexf looks awks seeing them in full gear - just wears a bit heavy. Love the concept though and will always be an advocate for coaching. CMHooe made a great point about teaching thru the first level. Sports games need to pick up on this. I am challenged to shooter games and so even games like Hitman are helpful to me in the first level because they teach me the basics of movement, weaponry and interaction all while I am fulfilling an uncomplicated mission but as the difficulty ramps up I am becoming more comfortable and confident in my skills as they add on new lessons. I think the majority of us in here had to take and pass a written test and road test before we recieved our official liscence and so we can relate to madden teaching the way of football as they introduce more streets for sim vehicles. Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

i recall one of the early Madden's in last gen actually had them in their practice fatigues....'07..'08??.....one of them did

# 25 K_GUN @ 07/11/14 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_GUN


	cute.......Pat Kirwin, author of Take Your Eyes Off The Ball, has already done that but thanks anyway!

Yes.....im quoting myself....

......after listening to the Press Row Podcast which talks about this......i give the team props for doing this.....its great to be teaching football....i will use this to learn more about NFL football......

What i hope though is that if the team shows me how to beat Cover 2....that the gameplay will support this & not have game cheat (player warping...physic DBs) to prevent/counter my attempts at beating a Cover 2 D

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# 26 khaliib @ 07/11/14 08:24 PM

Really, another renamed feature.

I'm tired of this notion that gamers don't know the game of football.

If you're talking about getting deep into the X's and O's of the game, a video game will not do it because it's all scripted concerning the basics.

Folks aren't buying this game as preparation into a coaching career.

They should focus on getting the "Simulation" aspect of their game down first, before trying to so called teach some one about the game.

What the community has been screaming about/trying to educate them on for the past decade is the basic fundamentals of the sport that "has not" been present in their game.

What I take from these type of informative releases is that the reason folks don't really experience game that they would like is because they don't really understand or know about the sport, and thus, don't play the game as it should be played.

Shock the community by making the Sidelines and Endzone as active and crowded as this mode, that will be something unexpected.

Sorry for the rant OS, but this irks me when they act like we don't know about football and somehow their idea of football is going to teach us something we don't know already.

Always looking for some side window to justify the things they do with their concept of football.

# 27 ggsimmonds @ 07/11/14 08:28 PM

My excitement and judgement for this mode and idea will be decided in a couple of years when we can see what impact it had on the game.

If future Maddens go in a more sim and deeper direction, the gauntlet mode will be brilliant. If they fail to make the game deeper then it may be a waste of time.

I will probably play the drills, but I wonder how deep will it go in teaching the actual game of football? I am particularly hopeful that it goes in depth to explain the different defensive fronts, e.g. odd meaning uncovered center even meaning covered center, over and under shifts, etc

# 28 ggsimmonds @ 07/11/14 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaliib


	Really, another renamed feature. I'm tired of this notion that gamers don't know the game of football. If you're talking about getting deep into the X's and O's of the game, a video game will not do it because it's all scripted concerning the basics. Folks aren't buying this game as preparation into a coaching career. They should focus on getting the "Simulation" aspect of their game down first, before trying to so called teach some one about the game. What the community has been screaming about/trying to educate them on for the past decade is the basic fundamentals of the sport that "has not" been present in their game. What I take from these type of informative releases is that the reason folks don't really experience game that they would like is because they don't really understand or know about the sport, and thus, don't play the game as it should be played. Shock the community by making the Sidelines and Endzone as active and crowded as this mode, that will be something unexpected. Sorry for the rant OS, but this irks me when they act like we don't know about football and somehow their idea of football is going to teach us something we don't know already. Always looking for some side window to justify the things they do with their concept of football.

I disagree with this post.

We, as in the OS community, may have a good grasp on the game of football, but that does not mean the gaming community as a whole has that same understanding. I could post three pages of anecdotal evidence to illustrate the point. Do not overestimate the football knowledge of an average fan, let alone the average Madden gamer.

We want Madden to become a deeper and more sim game. EA is worried that the community in general would become lost. I think there is some truth to that. This move, if they follow up on it, could be beneficial. Teach the fine points of football so that when you implement it the community is ready for it.

EA is trying to turn the casual and sometimes cheeser into more of a sim gamer. That is a good move in my opinion. Of course this is all contingent on what EA does in the future, that is whether or not they follow this by making the game more sim.

# 29 CM Hooe @ 07/11/14 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaliib


	Sorry for the rant OS, but this irks me when they act like we don't know about football and somehow their idea of football is going to teach us something we don't know already.

This feature is not about you, or for that matter anyone on Operation Sports.

It's about the people who haven't yet played Madden NFL at all.

# 30 khaliib @ 07/11/14 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CM Hooe


	This feature is not about you, or for that matter anyone on Operation Sports. It's about the people who haven't yet played Madden NFL at all.

If it's about those that have not played at all, why even post it on a Sporting Gaming Forum for feedback to be given?

Everyone that has a profile and is posting on this site has had some type of experience with Madden.

So to me the topic is concerning the OS Community because feedback is being invited.

Some note they like, some note they don't care, some note that they don't like.
Some even respond to what others post, which is ok.

My post spoke nothing about a like or dislike of the Mode as to personalize it.

My response was to the thought that the gaming community as a whole doesn't know the fundamentals of the game.

Everyone is simply posting their thought on the subject of the mode.

If it rubbed you the wrong way, the right thing was to PM me, as a Mod!!!

# 31 RandyBass @ 07/11/14 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CM Hooe


	I've hammered on this on here. More than anything else, sports games' biggest failing to this point has been accessibility and teaching its users how to play. This is evident in the fact that no gaming-oriented people around me will even attempt to play Madden, NBA 2K, The Show, or even WWE with me, because I'm a veteran of sports games and a hardcore sports fan in general. I know how to play these games, while they are helplessly behind with few to no in-game mechanisms available with which to catch up. This is a necessary step for expanding the pool of potential customers for the Madden series, particularly as the NFL's popularity continues to grow. One they probably won't see any credit for on this message board, but - assuming the mode is well-executed - one they deserve credit for nevertheless.

Kind of like how fighting games will add a dojo mode, except those games are usually pretty well made at that point, with maybe just some balance issues here and there. Any expansion of the user base usually comes by way of the quality of the game, as well as the popularity of the subject being portrayed. That goes for just about any game.

# 32 Skyboxer @ 07/12/14 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaliib


	If it's about those that have not played at all, why even post it on a Sporting Gaming Forum for feedback to be given? Everyone that has a profile and is posting on this site has had some type of experience with Madden. So to me the topic is concerning the OS Community because feedback is being invited. Some note they like, some note they don't care, some note that they don't like. Some even respond to what others post, which is ok. My post spoke nothing about a like or dislike of the Mode as to personalize it. My response was to the thought that the gaming community as a whole doesn't know the fundamentals of the game. Everyone is simply posting their thought on the subject of the mode. If it rubbed you the wrong way, the right thing was to PM me, as a Mod!!!

Nothing "rubbed him the wrong way".
He simply was saying that it wasn't something that applied to you or OS in general.

And EA didn't post that here I don't believe for feedback to be given.
JP simply put it up for those who might want to see it.

It's simply a "share the info" thread.

# 33 DNMHIII @ 07/12/14 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CM Hooe


	This feature is not about you, or for that matter anyone on Operation Sports. It's about the people who haven't yet played Madden NFL at all.

Honestly I think Madden needed this mode and will need to continue to have a mode like this to capture the 8-14 year old demographic and that's probably good business sense because capturing the younger audience is obviously important long term.

With that said, If EA can just keep the title moving forward instead of spinning in circles by adding and removing stuff incessantly and just start banging away at a more lifelike gameplay feel with natural looking player movements I think everyone would be happy. Now that this mode is in they should keep it and maybe make small changes but focus resources on creating real looking sidelines packed with players coming on and off the field and a stadium feel that makes you feel like you're in the stadium, those things things along with gameplay will keep the younger demographic coming back because they wont stay for more than maybe a release or two playing arcade games in Gauntlet Mode.

# 34 nordiques1995 @ 07/12/14 07:28 AM

This is a great idea. Not only how to control your player, how to dive, how to catch, how to pass. But how to play the game of football. Football is a fun game and very strategic with so many formation on defense and offense. And you know what ? It's only played in North America. A lot of people did not grew up with a football program at high school.

# 35 kongemeier @ 07/12/14 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamitSarkar


	Yup. In CFM, it's called "Game Prep," and you earn XP for the players you use.

Argh man...

So I have to choose which players to progress? I am not an NFL expert, but I'm pretty sure the entire team is preparing each week and not just a few.

So it's basically like an MMO where I can choose which "bufs" to use for a specific opponent!?

I know I'm making assumptions here, but if this is how it works, I'm not a fan...

# 36 CM Hooe @ 07/12/14 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNMHIII


	Honestly I think Madden needed this mode and will need to continue to have a mode like this to capture the 8-14 year old demographic and that's probably good business sense because capturing the younger audience is obviously important long term.

It's not just the younger demographic that's a potential new customer for the game. The average gamer is about 30 years old. Take out handheld devices such as the iPhone and that number jumps to 37 years. Madden at best sells single-digit millions of units a year, whereas more successful console games such as Grand Theft Auto V have sold as many as 30 million units worldwide.

There are plenty enough potential customers for Madden of all ages who just flat-out do not know how to play football to justify this feature for any age group.

# 37 William85 @ 07/12/14 10:44 AM

Im 32 and have plenty of Madden experience and pretty excited to learn new things to make me a better player . I play online and am blown away with how good some people are so if I can use this mode to close the gap by learning new things, I am all for it.

# 38 Haval93 @ 07/12/14 11:15 AM

I think it will be a great mode for people who want to learn the game and football in general. I have played Madden for years and have watched the NFL for years but never looked into the strategy for defensives and such. As someone who knows basic defensive formations and options, if this mode can help me become better at the game and learn more about football while being fun, I think its a huge plus. Not ever mode is going to crater to everybody, I know a lot of you Sim games would rather see resources put in game play than modes like this.

# 39 Rockie_Fresh88 @ 07/12/14 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coke hogan


	so I don't believe people would put the game down and not play it anymore, especially if they paid money for it.

I found myself doing this with UFC after one week . Until I gave up and traded it in

On topic I need something like this. Haven't bought madden in years

# 40 utahman19 @ 07/12/14 11:46 AM

The problem that I see with this mode as described is the translation error of real life concepts to Madden.

Madden is such a poor representation of even some of the most basic football fundamentals that it could end up confusing people as what they see in Madden and in the trainer is not reflected in real life.

For example, a smash route against Cover 2 zone. It works almost all the time in Madden because the corners play their zone regardless of what is going on around them. In real life, however, if there is not a receiver threatening the corner's zone, he will drop back to take away a smash route, something that doesn't happen in Madden.

Other things such as defenders forcing plays, setting the edge, true pass rush containment, zone blocking, combo blocks, blitz pickup, trap blocking... even a quarterback going through receiver progressions is not represented well in Madden. How can you teach things that aren't represented in the game?

Even something as simple as an out route is poorly represented in Madden, because of the way the passing game is coded. In real life, it would go something like this: "This is an out route. It is run at multiple depths. The receiver needs attempt to sell a deep route before making his break, which needs to be sharp and quick. The quarterback needs to throw the ball when the receiver starts his break, and needs to throw the ball toward the sideline ahead of the receiver. If the throw is late, or if the ball is not thrown ahead of the receiver, the quarterback needs to be ready to make a tackle because it will be an interception. The receiver needs to turn his head and locate the football as soon as he starts his break, with his hands ready to catch the ball. A well timed and run out route is extremely difficult to defend." Etc. In Madden it's like this: "This is an out. It is a 5-yard route, unless it is a deep out, which is more like 12. Receiver, don't worry about a good route, as the defender will beat you to your spot because he knows what you're running. Quarterback, you have to wait and throw the ball after the receiver completes his break or else you will throw a streak route, or maybe a seam, or maybe a comeback; who knows where the ball will go. You can try to lead the receiver, but it doesn't make a big difference. Corners jump the out all the time, it is not a difficult route to defend. And don't try to run an out-and-up double move, because the corners read that every time now matter how often you run the out."

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