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Madden NFL 13 Preview

So… You've heard about this new Madden NFL 13 physics engine have you?

Well, I'm here to tell you the infinity engine is indeed legit. It's downright unbelievable actually. Call it a "fresh coat of paint on the same old game" if you want to but I love it.

I played a couple of games last night with some various members of the media and came away very impressed. Sure it's not perfect, you will see limbs getting bent in painful directions occasionally, even see a body slide or rotate a little awkwardly, but all in all, the new Infinity Engine the Madden team has implemented is unbelievable.

I must have seen at least 60 different animations in what little time I had to play with Madden last night, but every one of them made me smile. Getting the right touch on passes never felt so good. If there was one thing I could complain about, it's the offensive and defensive lines. They really need to add 400 animations to those guys next year, to go along with the 400 new ones that were added this year for the receivers. While it is a little better this year, the patty cake stuff is really getting old. I will have to analyze it more to see if strength and ratings really matter down there in the trenches.

Running backs explode through holes and you can actually see them putting their head down to attack a defender on occasion. While watching another gamer playing Madden in the cube next to me, I noticed he was running with Stephen Jackson. As he flipped, while rolling on top of some players on the ground, he stuck his hand down and took off running for some extra yardage. Momentum, for the most part, works as advertised. Bigger players will push smaller players backwards, players will jump and get flipped into awkward positions. When players collide, you will see helmets and necks snap back.

I never played with the Cowboys, but I did roll with the Ravens and Redskins (did I just say that?), just to get a feel for the defense of Baltimore and the RG3 effect for the Skins. He's pretty quick and has an accurate arm, which is very dangerous, as many Madden fans know. The Ravens defense seemed to be everywhere and I mean everywhere. Swarming to the ball at all times. The Steelers defense was no slouch either, as I found it difficult to find any open receivers or run against them at all.

Players don't just get wrap tackled, they will trip over other players feet, on occasion as well. This one time, in band camp… Oh wait, this one time, I flattened a corner, but as I ran by him, he shoestring tackled me, by bringing his arm up and tapping my foot, causing me to trip. It was the wildest thing I ever saw. A couple of times I went into replay mode and instant replay wasn't an option. Guessing it was just an odd bug.

I'm still not seeing many penalties at all and definitely not seeing any pass interference calls. I'm thinking they implement penalties more next year, as they continue to tweak the Infinity Engine. I'm not seeing double teams on pass rushers, but it was only two games and I didn't pay that much attention to it. If you are worried about seeing over the top tackles happen all of the time, I didn't see many of them during the two games I played, but will get plenty of time, over the next three days to find out.

I didn't go into any other modes, just strictly gameplay. I'll be capturing a ton of videos of Madden and other games this week and will post them as I have time.


Madden NFL 13 Videos
Member Comments
# 1 bigsmallwood @ 06/05/12 03:05 PM
This is GREAT!!!! Looking forward to your videos!
 
# 2 RGiles36 @ 06/05/12 03:06 PM
Good write-up...hits on most of my concerns.

I kinda assumed PI would still be non-existent since it was after the CD in February, but I held onto hope after I learned of the Infinity Engine. Ah well...

I figured we'd see some funky looking stuff from time to time w/ the physics as Steve hit on. That's what I found ironic about the Steelers/Bengals which "leaked" RTP: the split looked bad but people were so stoked about the potential for RTP that no one seemed to care.

Can't wait for the vids to roll out...
 
# 3 huskerwr38 @ 06/05/12 03:07 PM
Good write up, I like how you explained the positives and the negatives of the game. However, it seems like the positives VASTLY out weight the negatives, especially considering years past.

About the penalties, hopefully its an early build and they just didn't get penalties in. I mean it could potentially be a game killer if there is zero pass interefence. What happens when a user controlled player just takes a WR out every time a ball comes there way?

All in all, I still can't believe Madden has RTP. I'm definately taking a 3 day weekend when this game comes out!
 
# 4 roadman @ 06/05/12 03:09 PM
Oh, oh, no PI calls.
 
# 5 RGiles36 @ 06/05/12 03:11 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by huskerwr38
Good write up, I like how you explained the positives and the negatives of the game. However, it seems like the positives VASTLY out weight the negatives, especially considering years past.

About the penalties, hopefully its an early build and they just didn't get penalties in. I mean it could potentially be a game killer if there is zero pass interefence. What happens when a user controlled player just takes a WR out every time a ball comes there way?
.

I'm sure the penalties will function as they have in years past. You'll get a blatant PI called...that's never been the issue. It's getting the AI to do it on it's own w/ some regularity for us sim buffs.
 
# 6 marc68 @ 06/05/12 03:13 PM
I already have my vacation day request in.
 
# 7 DUDERMAN @ 06/05/12 03:13 PM
Good read but I was a bit distracted by this picture...




I realize it's suppose to be a bright, sunny game but I've never seen the Cowboys' uniforms wash out to that degree, nor do the Eagles jerseys ever look that bright.

Then again... maybe that's just how the new Nike jerseys look.

Anyway, I look forward to playing with the infinity engine.
 
# 8 Bulls321974 @ 06/05/12 03:27 PM
Maybe, but only maybe, this will be my first buy since Madden 06!
 
# 9 poster @ 06/05/12 03:27 PM
Thanks Steve! Glad to have you out there as a voice for us sim gamers. I know you will discuss with them the items you mentioned for implementation next year.
 
# 10 jWILL253 @ 06/05/12 03:37 PM
I hope with this engine, we can recreate Jerome Simpson's infamous flop, lol...
 
# 11 CoRRuPTMiND93 @ 06/05/12 03:37 PM
did you hear any commentary?? because EA needs to redeem themselves after that video they put out a few weeks ago .
 
# 12 bigeastbumrush @ 06/05/12 03:44 PM
Good write-up.

Can't wait for the gameplay videos.
 
# 13 Only1LT @ 06/05/12 03:55 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadman
Oh, oh, no PI calls.

No realistic OL/DL interactions either...
 
# 14 at23steelers @ 06/05/12 04:00 PM
Next year: if they focus on tuning RTP, adding / fixing penalties, oline and dline interactions, adding import drafts and fantasy draft, allowing more people on teams in CC this will be such an awesome game! This year finally great ground work to start from! Too bad EA didn't get the memo until 7 years for the console generation.
 
# 15 roadman @ 06/05/12 04:04 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Only1LT
No realistic OL/DL interactions either...
We knew that a few months ago. It was stated they were tuned, not over hauled back in April. They have a new person working with the OL, former NFL player, Clint Oldenburg, he even said in one of the webcast, tuned, not overhauled.
 
# 16 RGiles36 @ 06/05/12 04:05 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big FN Deal
Maybe someone can tweet somebody down at E3 to see if sliders are available in the E3 build, to see what happens with DPI turned up to 100.
The same thing that has happened the past several years -- nothing :P

Case has obviously played the game more recently than I have. I'd just be really surprised if PI was called with consistency outside of players user catching/defending.
 
# 17 DJ @ 06/05/12 04:09 PM
I believe EA stated OL/DL play wasn't included in the Infinity Engine this year, as they didn't have time.

Obviously the IE isn't going to be a magical cure-all for Madden, but it is a definite huge step in the right direction. Sounds like with Year 1 we will see a lot of good and some bad, but I'm OK with that. I'll gladly support the game for at least trying something it seemed very hesitant to do in the past and that is adapt and change.
 
# 18 Bolt957 @ 06/05/12 04:09 PM
I wonder when is the demo for Madden '13? I'm really becoming more interested.
 
# 19 roadman @ 06/05/12 04:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bolt957
I wonder when is the demo for Madden '13? I'm really becoming more interested.
Not till mid-August, another 6 to 7 weeks.
 
# 20 RGiles36 @ 06/05/12 04:18 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big FN Deal
Yeah, that's what I was thinking in regard to the other guys having played the game with the Infinity engine but you didn't, right?

I could have sworn some other guys that went back said the same thing about DPI calls working too. Would love to get a clarification on how high the slider was turned up, if at all at the last CE and now at E3.
Exactly...I haven't experienced the Infinity Engine. Take what I say with a grain of salt.

That said, it's more than just physics that play into the lack of PI. It has to be AI/logic involved too. The AI has to recognize that they're out of position on a certain play, and/or have logic that tells them to make contact before the ball gets there. I don't think we're there yet.

I can be proven wrong, but I'd be highly surprised if PI's trigger without user intervention.
 

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