Madden NFL 15 News Post

The Five Best Ways To Improve Madden's Presentation

04:24 PM - November 13, 2014 by RaychelSnr

In my review, I panned Madden NFL 15's presentation because of its commentary and a few other glitches in the matrix. Honestly, as the game has aged I feel like several other aspects of the presentation have noticeable flaws within them as well which have become even more visible.

Here are five things I think next year's game needs to really work on to be a clear step above this year's:

Improve the commentary. This goes without saying, as I think this might be the most obvious place Madden needs help. Lines need to be accurately delivered at the last, with the announcers being more aware of what's going on. Even more importantly, the depth of lines needs to be about double what they are to prevent so many darned repeated one-liners.
The stat overlays are awesome, but they disappear way too quickly. I really feel having the announcers talk about the overlays and also keeping them up for more than a few seconds would be great. Perhaps incorporate the playbook stuff into a format where there could still be a TV broadcast going on while you call plays. Just a thought.
More 'situational realism'. This is a problem not just with Madden, but many sports games. The playoffs need to feel like the playoffs. 3rd and 1 needs to feel like a big make or break play. Arrowhead needs to sound like Arrowhead. The crowd needs to crescendo and then 'pop' when a long pass is completed. There's so much untouched material.
Actual in-stadium music. I think this is the one little thing that could add so much. The actual kickoff and touchdown songs would be incredible -- I know the licensing can be problematic but it'd be a cool touch for NFL fans.
Halftime shows which we don't feel like skipping through. Let me first say, I want to give EA credit for doing a halftime show. Let me also be the guy to say this as well: it could be so much better. Unlike other sports, football is a weekly event. Everyone's playing, there are moving parts around the league that implicate your game at the same time. In-game cut ins (see: NCAA Football) would be amazing, as would halftime shows that discuss the impacts of the game in progress, especially late in the year.

What would you like to see Madden NFL incorporate into the presentation next year?

Game: Madden NFL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 1 huntt26 @ 11/13/14 04:26 PM

I just want a live ticker and in-game highlights to show scores from other games, kind of like NCAA football did.

# 2 BSchwartz07 @ 11/13/14 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntt26


	I just want a live ticker and in-game highlights to show scores from other games, kind of like NCAA football did.

I agree 100%. In WAY too many of these games you feel like this is the only game going on. NCAA started to get it a little with the cut ins and the score running along the bottom.

The other thing, ironically was from the last year of EA's other NCAA game. I LOVED that they had a CBS broadcast and an ESPN broadcast. Different announcers, different overlay, different feel. Would really help spice up prime-time games. Also, use networks, I'm sick of seeing EA's logo EVERYWHERE, we get that EA made the game NOBODY ELSE CAN LEGALLY MAKE AN NFL GAME! Use real sponsors and real networks.

# 3 mjavon @ 11/13/14 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntt26


	I just want a live ticker and in-game highlights to show scores from other games, kind of like NCAA football did.

This would be HUGE and since they were able to do it with NCAA, shouldn't be all that difficult for them to recreate. I love following what's going on in the league in my franchise mode, but you kind of have to go out of your way to do so.

# 4 Danish ram @ 11/13/14 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchwartz07


	I agree 100%. In WAY too many of these games you feel like this is the only game going on. NCAA started to get it a little with the cut ins and the score running along the bottom. The other thing, ironically was from the last year of EA's other NCAA game. I LOVED that they had a CBS broadcast and an ESPN broadcast. Different announcers, different overlay, different feel. Would really help spice up prime-time games. Also, use networks, I'm sick of seeing EA's logo EVERYWHERE, we get that EA made the game NOBODY ELSE CAN LEGALLY MAKE AN NFL GAME! Use real sponsors and real networks.

This. And for the love of god dont make computer animated models of Phil sims and Jim nanz use Real film, same with stadium intros. And last but not least: the draft. The draft needs a massive overhaul, i want a studio nfl network show live the entire draft, more storyline players, they dont have to be all that special, just talk about player: he looks fast,strong,weak,is from small School, played in a spread off. Etc the point is, make Them talk about most players. Lets have a virtual draftboard, talk about who is going nr.1, talk about team needs.

# 5 Poke @ 11/13/14 05:40 PM

Move the play selection out of the way during replays.... I can't even see the replay and if I select a play the replay stops! Other than this, it would be nice to see someone drawing on the screen to show why a play went right or wrong, or cut to another game during a score (this just in) or red zone stop/score.

# 6 jhigginsluckow @ 11/13/14 05:48 PM

Interesting. I personally don't think I would like the cut ins or halftime shows. I just skip them. If I want to look at cheerleaders, I can google them lol.

One big thing for me is the playcall screen. I hate that it opens right up to the screen where by pressing A, X, or Y (for XBOX) is calling a play. Reason being, since I skip all the replays and other gimmicks, I'm continuously pressing AAAAAAAAA as soon as the play is over. And if I don't stop in time, it picks the "A" play. I liked it better when it made you pick either "by formation" "by play type" "supersim" or whatever because then I had time to back out of the screen. If any of that makes sense.

# 7 asu666 @ 11/13/14 05:50 PM

I'd like to see scores from other games and more team/player stat comparisons

# 8 stos5363 @ 11/13/14 07:24 PM

Yea I would love dynamic stadium music that was updated all year or to fill the energy from the crowd on a crucial 3 and 1 @ the end of a game but gameplay has to be able to simulate that moment. By this I mean typically 1 yard on madden is not hard to get because the game doesn't replicate the difficulty of a real NFL 3 and 1 same goes for goaline stands.

The stadium intros should go be real footage that cyber stadium transition blew the CBS presentation for me. They should let phil and Jim watch a game of madden and just call it like real game and pull auido from tose sessions along with the stuff they need for other modes.

# 9 Fall_DIFH @ 11/13/14 07:35 PM

Didn't the NCAA games have stadium music in every game since 2008 or 2009? No reason why Madden shouldn't have it. It also seems like in franchise mode they actively go out of their way to make it harder to follow the entire league each year, hell it's a mission just trying to find the stats of my last game if I simmed it.

I think they could learn from NBA 2k with the presentation of stats during games, showing the top 5-10, periodically showing the playoff picture, etc and PLEASE get more context dependent commentary. My QB won a Super Bowl and finished 2nd in MVP voting, game 1 of his 2nd season they shouldn't be treating him like a guy who is green and needs time/experience. The worst part is I have to hear it EVERY WEEK the same line word for word.

# 10 statum71 @ 11/13/14 08:13 PM

Season related league leaders stat banners.

# 11 statum71 @ 11/13/14 08:51 PM

Use Jim Nantz and Phil Simms the same way NHL 15 did with Doc and Eddie.

Adopt that green screen idea.

# 12 Cardot @ 11/13/14 09:08 PM

It sounds like I may be in the minority on this, but I DON'T like it when video games use real footage of announcers or highlights. It actually hurts the immersion for me....Kind of reminds me that I am just playing a video game.

A few years back Madden was promoting some in game music like "Hail to the Redskins" and a few others. But when it would start to play, all of a sudden Ozzy Osbourne would play over it on the PA system...that always annoyed me.

# 13 balljonesjr @ 11/14/14 12:08 AM

I think the people at EA should just watch a full season games (including the playoffs) from 1 team from each conference, and whatever stats they see in those games (that's 21 games including the pro bowl) ... they could add to the game ..... "its in the game" right? Also, between time outs and quarter changes, they could use the fly overs and shots of the city (maybe).In blow outs talk about next week and/or possibly the game of the week.

# 14 Fist Of Kings @ 11/14/14 02:02 AM

The presentation is too bare bones. This has been the case year after year and was the last thing I expected after finally making the leap to next gen. An old game on less powerful consoles got small details like that right. Not only did it not focus only on the qb with the same one run to the field cutscene like Madden 15 does every game, but there for multiple cutscenes for various positions.

If you played a franchise, your stats would display correctly, a nice overlay showed the standings, while a smaller graphic showed scores of other games. Replays were tv styled and showed the whole play instead of being zoomed up close to the ball. The announcers mentioned if your team were on a winning/losing streak, unlike in Madden 15 where again we're given that one line the announcers say every week: Nantz: "Well partner, one team is unbeaten."

The commentators don't have a sense of what's going on the field either. Nantz said my team didn't have much luck running the football when my 2nd string rb was subbed in for a play, even though my starting rb had over 100 yards. The stats overlays don't work right either, as they say every week how one of my players 'bounced back' from a poor performance, showing either 0's or -0.1s across the board.

Also, they said the sideline interactions(living worlds) would be so much better since they are on the more powerful consoles, but it's the same as last gen. Players are zombies either standing, or in a weird crouching stance where their jerseys suddenly become cheap knockoffs once they're on the sideline.

A 240 lb beast comes crashing towards the players on the sideline, and not only do they not interact, they are unaffected by his momentum as they simply shift slightly. Players often celebrate when they shouldn't. Why are defenders fist pumping when I gained 6 yards on 1st down? Unless you're a star player with a specific td celebration, most of the time the guy that scores kept the ball and ran randomly. How many game balls does one player need lol?

They've made football games for a long time, no excuse for presentation so poor.

# 15 mauricehines23 @ 11/14/14 06:14 AM

Madden needs to let the user set their own whether conditions like they use to back in the day.

# 16 radney @ 11/14/14 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mauricehines23


	Madden needs to let the user set their own whether conditions like they use to back in the day.

I agree. Madden needs to let the user set their own weather like they did in the past. I hate that now all the weather is pre-determined in each game.

# 17 jtmoneyb4u @ 11/14/14 10:00 AM

bring back the damn coin toss all games are not played on cbs lets get fox,espn,and nfl network in the game and more broadcast teams i rather hear joe buck than phil sims

# 18 Cardot @ 11/14/14 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsOTTOmatic


	Lol I do the pressing A thing all the time too. I'll screw up and pick the A play like at least a couple times a game. Good to know I'm not the only one

While I enjoy some of the cutscenes, there should be an option for "Fast Play" or whatever that skips them automatically. Better yet, have an option for Never, Occaisionally or Always with the cutscenes. Still not sure why EA doesn't like options.

# 19 Cardot @ 11/14/14 01:07 PM

Not to open any old wounds, but I really liked the way 2K5 handled post play. If I recall correctly, during the postplay cutscene or replay, if you hit the button, the image would reduce into one quadrant of the screen....so you could continue to view it if you wanted...(and it was quick & seemless). in another quadrant was a stat based upon a player from the last play and then the bottom half of the screen you had your playbook. I believe that Madden and NCAA were also better organized back them. For the last several years, EA seems to like to have the playcall screens and replays poping up over each other and tripping over themselves.

# 20 Sheba2011 @ 11/15/14 12:50 AM

The commentary is never going to improve if they keep using the wrong people. They try to find the biggest names possible and stick them in the game. This is nothing against Simms, Collinsworth, Nantz or Johnson but they don't have the voices that translate well to video-games. The action is too quick in a video game for them to keep up with. Those guys record their lines like they are saying it during a normal NFL broadcast where they have time to between plays. It is a problem that plagues many sports video games.

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