Madden NFL 18 News Post

Madden NFL 18 Features New Target Passing, Coverage Assignments & More

06:11 AM - May 12, 2017 by Steve_OS

Amazon has revealed some of the Madden NFL 18 features, as we get closer to an official announcement from EA Sports. Not only does it look like we will see new target passing, but it also mentions coverage assignments. Maybe we can finally assign the best corner vs. best receiver? EA is also giving users different play styles, ranging from Arcade, Simulation and Competitive.

Amazon also notes, Madden NFL 18 releases on August 25 for the Standard Edition ($59.99), but fans that pre-order the Madden NFL 18 G.O.A.T. Edition ($79.99), can get the game 3 days earlier, on August 22.

More details should be released soon.

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Madden NFL 18 takes a significant visual leap with the power of the Frostbite engine. See stunning new stadium exteriors surrounded by vast cityscapes and watch the spectacle of NFL game day come to life in the most photorealistic game to date. Play each matchup to your specifications by selecting from three new Play Styles or play the best real world match ups each week in Play Now Live! With the introduction of even more ways to play, coupled with your favorite modes, Madden Ultimate Team and Franchise, this is Madden like you've never seen before.

Pre-order today and receive up to $50 in additional value including three days early, full game access to Madden NFL 18: G.O.A.T. Edition. Start building your dynasty on day one with one of five Elite G.O.A.T. players, an Elite Player from your favorite NFL team, 12 Squad Packs, 2500 contracts and one uniform pack in Madden NFL 18 Ultimate Team, the complete NFL team-building mode where you build, play and win with your ultimate team of today's nfl superstars and legends.

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Member Comments

# 141 BreakingBad2013 @ 05/14/17 01:22 AM

Does anyone remember that old football game where you could aim your passes? Like with a cursor?

# 142 BreakingBad2013 @ 05/14/17 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BreakingBad2013


	Does anyone remember that old football game where you could aim your passes? Like with a cursor?

NFL Fever's "Read n Lead". Does anyone think Madden's target passing will resemble that? Check it out in YouTube for old gameplay.

# 143 The Chef @ 05/14/17 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhMrHanky


	Here's the back of box description of coverage assignments. "Coverage Assignment: Know your job in pass coverage with an on-screen, real-time UI system informing you of your coverage assignment in pass defense." I think this pretty much sounds like 'Tackle cone' to me, unfortunately. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hopefully that's not all it is, that sounds a lot like NBA 2k where it shows you who you're supposed to guard. It'd be extremely disappointing if they make that a back of the box selling point and it ended up being something so insignificant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Sound opinion, but this is filed under needs more information for me. That could very well be back of the box chatter and later on in blogs we find out it's a bit deeper for SIM mode. Also, I recall Clint wanting last year at EA Play to try to get coverage assignments in a title update for 17, but obviously, that didn't make the cut. Also, there is this tweet exchange with Rex: https://twitter.com/simmaddenleague/...57023350030341

I gotta assume if they're going to label it "coverage assignments" that we will be able to assign DB's to match up with specific receivers. My only worry, and maybe it's the internal pessimist coming out from years of Madden letting me down, but they tried this years ago with defensive assignments and it lasted one year or maybe two. If I recall correctly they had serious issues with it, if a receiver left the field due to fatigue it threw the assignments all off and suddenly you had multiple corners not assigned to cover anyone so you either watched as guys ran wide open and your corners stood around and did nothing or you had to quickly audible to zone.

I'd love it if the game finally allowed us to do something like bracket receivers in double coverage. When I play Atlanta for instance I want to bracket Julio Jones every play with a safety, create actual over/under coverage and try and make someone else beat me. What I get now when I double with a safety is the safety running to the receiver to double him like its a basketball game so if the receiver runs a go route and neither the safety nor the corner have the speed to stay with him he ends up burning both of them deep or hell a post route, basically the safety doesn't play intelligently at all when asked to double someone.

Furthermore, hopefully it's intelligent defensive assignments and the CPU will utilize it accordingly as well. When I play Seattle I want to see them put Chancellor on my TE when in man and actually see him play physical making it difficult to utilize the TE. I hope team identities and individual players play to their skill sets and make playing each team feel different.

# 144 LBzrule @ 05/14/17 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BreakingBad2013


	Does anyone remember that old football game where you could aim your passes? Like with a cursor?

TV Sports Football on the Turbo Graphx 16. I still have the card but no Turbo Graphx. Still have TV Sports Basketball, Bonks Adventure and Legendary Axe.

If it is like this then from what I remember it was difficult to pass in TV Sports Football. You certainly were not lighting defenses up until you learned that mechanic and even then it was pretty tough.

# 145 Madden08PCgmr @ 05/14/17 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	This is why no matter what EA does they cannot win. #pathetic

The consumer can't win thanks to the monopoly in place.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 146 Greenblood60 @ 05/14/17 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BreakingBad2013


	NFL Fever's "Read n Lead". Does anyone think Madden's target passing will resemble that? Check it out in YouTube for old gameplay.

I was thinking that could be a possibility, and they would probably integrate it with the passing system we already have now. I don't see them imposing an entire new passing system onto people. The changes made to the passing game in Madden 16 may have been in preparation for this new targeting system. The additions in M16 didn't allow the user to pass the ball in new ways, it merely allowed them to use the shoulder buttons to do so. Maybe that was to make room for this new targeting system.

# 147 The Chef @ 05/14/17 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenblood60


	I was thinking that could be a possibility, and they would probably integrate it with the passing system we already have now. I don't see them imposing an entire new passing system onto people. The changes made to the passing game in Madden 16 may have been in preparation for this new targeting system. The additions in M16 didn't allow the user to pass the ball in new ways, it merely allowed them to use the shoulder buttons to do so. Maybe that was to make room for this new targeting system.

For some reason I keep envisioning a reticule on screen that you move around and then press the button when you wanna throw the ball taking into account the fact that you have to lead them to that spot creating over and under throws. When I say reticule I mean something similar to what you'd see in a first person shooter and the size of the reticule is dependant on accuracy ratings and quickness of the reticules movement based on the QB's awareness rating. So with someone like Brady you could whip that thing all over the place and the reticule would be larger making for a bigger catch radius while taking someone like Gabbert would be much smaller and require more time to move around.

I'm sure some would hate it, and I'm not even sure I would like it depending on how it was implemented but it's all I keep envisioning everytime I read about the new passing mechanic/system.

# 148 jfsolo @ 05/14/17 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Chef


	For some reason I keep envisioning a reticule on screen that you move around and then press the button when you wanna throw the ball taking into account the fact that you have to lead them to that spot creating over and under throws. When I say reticule I mean something similar to what you'd see in a first person shooter and the size of the reticule is dependant on accuracy ratings and quickness of the reticules movement based on the QB's awareness rating. So with someone like Brady you could whip that thing all over the place and the reticule would be larger making for a bigger catch radius while taking someone like Gabbert would be much smaller and require more time to move around. I'm sure some would hate it, and I'm not even sure I would like it depending on how it was implemented but it's all I keep envisioning everytime I read about the new passing mechanic/system.

I think every QB's reticle should be the same size, but as you say the ability to quickly move the reticle to another spot on the field should be based on the awareness rating. Once you have it in the spot you want, then the pressure, arm strength and accuracy ratings will determine how close to where you aimed it actually ends up being.

# 149 LBzrule @ 05/14/17 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Chef


	For some reason I keep envisioning a reticule on screen that you move around and then press the button when you wanna throw the ball taking into account the fact that you have to lead them to that spot creating over and under throws. When I say reticule I mean something similar to what you'd see in a first person shooter and the size of the reticule is dependant on accuracy ratings and quickness of the reticules movement based on the QB's awareness rating. So with someone like Brady you could whip that thing all over the place and the reticule would be larger making for a bigger catch radius while taking someone like Gabbert would be much smaller and require more time to move around. I'm sure some would hate it, and I'm not even sure I would like it depending on how it was implemented but it's all I keep envisioning everytime I read about the new passing mechanic/system.

This is essentially what the passing game in TV Sports Football on the Turbo GraphX 16 was. You had a reticle on screen. You moved it to where you wanted before passing then you hit the WR. Not sure how that is going to land in a cfm for instance, where defenders are getting quick block sheds galore.

# 150 TreJayMMA @ 05/14/17 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KentuckyNCAA14FB


	Trailer reveals a MyCareer/Story Mode that just might rival 2k's...OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.....7 years late but OMGGGGGGGGG finally

lol that's not really saying much.

Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk

# 151 Greenblood60 @ 05/14/17 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfsolo


	I think every QB's reticle should be the same size, but as you say the ability to quickly move the reticle to another spot on the field should be based on the awareness rating. Once you have it in the spot you want, then the pressure, arm strength and accuracy ratings will determine how close to where you aimed it actually ends up being.

I think the accuracy difference between quarterbacks should be displayed by some sort of aim assist mechanism where there's a magnetic affect, meaning the reticle would be attracted to the receiver it's closest to making it easier to be accurate with more accurate quarterbacks. With not so accurate quarterbacks there would be less of a magnetic affect making it that much harder for the user to throw catchable balls. You would still be able to throw the ball anywhere you want to on the field, but the magnetic effect would give the user a larger margin of error with more accurate quarterbacks.

# 152 BreakingBad2013 @ 05/14/17 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Chef


	For some reason I keep envisioning a reticule on screen that you move around and then press the button when you wanna throw the ball taking into account the fact that you have to lead them to that spot creating over and under throws. When I say reticule I mean something similar to what you'd see in a first person shooter and the size of the reticule is dependant on accuracy ratings and quickness of the reticules movement based on the QB's awareness rating. So with someone like Brady you could whip that thing all over the place and the reticule would be larger making for a bigger catch radius while taking someone like Gabbert would be much smaller and require more time to move around. I'm sure some would hate it, and I'm not even sure I would like it depending on how it was implemented but it's all I keep envisioning everytime I read about the new passing mechanic/system.

Go on YouTube and look at NFL Fever gameplay, that's exactly what it is. I'd be worried about maddens trajectory issues to trust this system in M18

# 153 TheBleedingRed21 @ 05/14/17 04:43 PM

The thing with NFL Fever read and lead, it was just the direction the ball went and was still tethered to the receiver.

The reticle in Fever could be way in front and still go right to the receiver. I'd be surprised if that all target passing is.

# 154 MizzouBravesFan @ 05/14/17 05:08 PM

Super curious about the Target Passing...if implemented right, could fundamentally change how Madden is played. I just don't know how they'd put in true untethered passing that doesn't over complicate the control scheme, not too keen on reticles or cones or any of the such.

# 155 joshtree14 @ 05/14/17 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oneamongthefence


	saw this on Twitter. The 50 gig install size is nearly double of what madden normally is on release. Sent from my LGAS992 using Operation Sports mobile app

4K textures?

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 156 ODogg @ 05/14/17 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madden08PCgmr


	The consumer can't win thanks to the monopoly in place. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

There's no monopoly. Anyone can make a football game, it just can't be an NFL game. That's how the NFL has chosen to sell their license.

Should Coke allow Pepsi to make their version of Coke? Is Coke a monopoly? Nope, anyone can make pop, they just can't make Coke.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 157 ODogg @ 05/14/17 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouBravesFan


	Super curious about the Target Passing...if implemented right, could fundamentally change how Madden is played. I just don't know how they'd put in true untethered passing that doesn't over complicate the control scheme, not too keen on reticles or cones or any of the such.

Just look at NCAA football back on PSX...it had it. You threw to a spot on the field, not a receiver.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 158 johnnyg713 @ 05/15/17 02:31 AM

Target passing seems like the biggest risk madden has ever made. I guarantee a lot of madden players are going to hate this new type of passing. This will force the player throw to the spot on the field where they think the receiver is going to be, time the throw, have the knowledge of the route, etc... this is as sim as it could possibly get for a football game. Yet it doesn't really seem like the "sim" crowd is too excited for this pretty bold game change.

My only concern with the mechanic is immersion. I'm just not one to have all of these meters and visual cues on screen during gameplay. I can't imagine having this new mechanic working without some sort of indicator - like many have already suggested (I mean it does have the word "target" in the name). I'm hoping the developers really hit the nail on the head with this one. If they get the passing mechanic to actually resemble real life strategy AND making it fun and easy to use, it could easily be the greatest football game ever made

# 159 DeuceDouglas @ 05/15/17 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyg713


	Yet it doesn't really seem like the "sim" crowd is too excited for this pretty bold game change.

I can only speak for myself but I think it has to do with the fact that we have no clue what it actually will be. On one hand I could see it being a vision cone-esque move that changes a lot and is very controversial because of it. On the other hand I could it see it simply being a modified version of what is already currently in place.

I think it will be something like the ball carrier mechanics where there are different tiers of difficulty with auto and assisted options for newer users and full options for experienced users. But again, we don't know anything so it's impossible to say until we see it in action. It's going to be ironic though if it is a gaudy on-screen display like the other things they've added over the last few years when that's one of the main reasons I hear for why they got rid of the vision cone.

# 160 FraserOliver17 @ 05/15/17 05:52 AM

I think the best way to make the passing work would still be with the button based system. But once pressed that triggers a reticle of some sort. Or an invisible one for all madden maybe? But yeah. Like an evolution of the leading of passing we have now. It won't need to be tethered. But it would just be a direction of where the pass would be going. The idea of a FPS reticle of sorts would be more realistic to a point, but likely impractical. I can't see anyone getting on board with looking left sideline with a reticle and trying to get it all the way back across the field and changing the depth of the pass etc.
It could also work with using the buttons to change the vision of the QB and prompt a reticle to appear. But have a single button to pass, or a stick flick ala backbreaker. That would be very similar to the vision cone of yesteryear, but as a sim thing I enjoyed the ability to move the safeties, or see young and inexperienced players staring down receivers and things like that.
What you guys think?

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