What Sliders Could Be Added to Madden? - JohnDoe8865's Blog

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JohnDoe8865's Blog

What Sliders Could Be Added to Madden? Stuck

Posted on September 10, 2013 at 01:22 PM.

(10)

At some point we are all guilty of it. "Slider-itus". A common condition where sports gamers tweak and tinker with sliders, seeking that perfect balance to the point that we spend more time testing than actually playing. I'm certainly no exception, I've suffered from "slider-itus" many times myself. However, in this blog I'd like to talk a little bit about what sliders could be added to the Madden franchise in order to give users a bit more power in making the game play as we desire. Let's take a look.

General Sliders

1. Run Blocking Slider - The first obvious addition is one that was removed this year and is actually present in NCAA Football 14. The Run Block Slider helps users to control how much push the offensive line gets at the snap of the ball, and it's sorely needed in Madden NFL 25. Let's hope it makes its way back into the game soon.

2. Separate QB Accuracy Short and Deep - QB Accuracy has been a really hit or miss proposition on this generation of consoles. Users attempt to balance instances of "Robo QB" every year to the point of having to nerf QB Accuracy down to 5 (out of 100) or even 0. It's time to separate the QB Accuracy slider for more control. I know that QBs have these throws separated by ratings in Madden, now it's time for even more finite control. My next slider goes with this to some degree...

3. QB Overthrows/Underthrows - One of biggest complaints about this generation of football titles is that QBs rarely miss their receivers by overthrowing them or underthrowing them. This is common in real football and should become a slider so that those of us who would like to see more can achieve that. Default should be set at 25 and it could act as it always has, but cranking it up should result in more realistic QB incompletions.

4. Kick Return/Punt Return Blocking - Special teams are neglected year after year in football titles and it's time to change that. The universal run blocking slider can sometimes be tweaked to help the running game on offense but actually begin to break the kick return blocking. So let's give some credit to the special teams units and get a separate blocking slider for kick and punt returns. Seems like common sense doesn't it?

5. Hit Power - Tired of the clotheslines and shoulder blocks that are passed off as tackles in Madden? This slider seeks to remedy this situation. The lower you turn this slider, the less "big hits" you see and the more fundamental wrap tackles, arm tackles, and drag down tackles you see. Hit sticking could still allow big hits but this slider needs to exist in order to tone down some of the ridiculous over the top "tackle" animations we see in Madden.

Team Specific Sliders

1. Running Back Carry Split - I remember a time when such a slider existed within franchise mode. You could set up your running backs to have an 80/20 split or any increment of 10 down to a 50/50 split. With more running back by committee in the NFL these days than ever, this is a crucial slider for realism. Let us set this up outside of franchise mode, in the game strategy section. As an added tweak, I'd like to see a check box that says '3rd string back gets carries' with an option for yes/no and a 'fullback gets carries' yes/no option.

2. QB throws shorter/deeper - Another team specific slider I've been hoping for is one that let's us separate the big arm gunslingers in the NFL from the game managers. With a short/deep throw slider we could have some more control over realistic QB play in our games. At default 50, it acts as it always has. Under 50 is more short to medium throws and check downs. Over 50, we see QBs take more chances down the field. Tie this with customizable playbooks and the general QB sliders mentioned above, and you've got something.

3. Owner Free Agency Aggression Slider - This one isn't a gameplay slider but would really enhance Connected Franchise Mode. Each owner should have a slider representing how aggressive they are when it comes to pursuing free agents. Some teams like the Patriots, prefer to let veterans walk and plug in younger replacements while there have always been the teams that want to make the big free agent splash. Think Dan Snyder in the Deion Sanders/Bruce Smith days. Obviously this one is a delicate one, as you don't want teams letting every player walk because of a lack of aggression. You could also call this slider 'Draft Focus/Free Agent Focus'

4. Likelihood to relocate - The re-introduction of owner mode was well beyond due, but we finally got it back in Madden NFL 25. With it, came the return of NFL teams relocating. The problem is that they seem to relocate too frequently for more people's tastes. I know that right now there exists the option to turn it off, set it so only teams with low approval can move, or allow everyone to move. Well I've got a simpler solution. Give us a slider for each team so that we can determine which teams are likely to relocate. This way we could ensure that staple NFL franchises never move and that struggling franchises are given the chance to start over. This slider would be allowed to be tweaked each off-season to simulate the real ups and downs of each team within your franchise.

5. Favors Veterans/Favors Prospects - This last slider I'm going to steal from the excellent text simulation, Out of the Park Baseball. Some teams decide to go with a youth movement, it's a fact. Other teams, especially those on the cusp on winning it all, may choose to sign veterans to fill out the roster. Giving us a slider for each team, that we can tweak every off-season, would help us to somewhat control the questionable GM AI. Combine this slider with the Owner FA Aggression slider and you have much more control over your NFL world.

These are just some of my ideas. What say you Operation Sports? What are some of your suggestions for sliders that should be added to Madden?

Comments

# 1 youALREADYknow @ Sep 10

1. Already exists
4. Clipping
5. Facemask

I'd rather see a Throw Power slider than separate Accuracy ones, although all of them would be great!

I'd like to see "global" Tendency/Trait sliders separated from the Penalty sliders so that we can obtain gameplay without nerfing penalties:
1. Ball Hawk: Conservative/Normal/Aggressive
2. Big Hitter: Conservative/Normal/Aggressive
3. Finesse Moves: Rarely/Normal/Often
4. Power Moves: Rarely/Normal/Often
5. Juke Moves: Rarely/Normal/Often
6. Spin Moves: Rarely/Normal/Often
7. Truck Stick: Rarely/Normal/Often
8. Throw Ball Away: Rarely/Normal/Often
9. Tuck and Run: Rarely/Normal/Often
10. Pass Target: Short/Mid/Deep
etc, etc, etc.

If we had scaled ways to impact those traits for CPU controlled players (on both HUM and CPU teams), then I think we could get a lot more from the game.

As it stands now, you have to make a global roster change combined with unusual penalty slider settings to impact the above areas.

# 2 charter04 @ Sep 10

Run Blocking is still in Madden 25 as a slider

# 3 charter04 @ Sep 10

Maybe you meant run block shedding? If so yes it needs to be back in.

# 4 DirtyJerz32 @ Sep 10

Great list, but I think they need to focus on having the sliders that are in place work the way they're supposed to work. Once they get this working correctly then they can add more and more.

# 5 charter04 @ Sep 10

I like those idea's. I would like to have all the penalties represented and the sliders actually work.

Really just want a slider for every aspect of the game.

# 6 pabryant @ Sep 10

Separate Man Coverage and Zone Coverage sliders need to be implemented and coverage ability needs to be removed entirely from the interception slider. At present the interception slider affects coverage, especially zone.
The Running Back Ability slider needs to be brought back as well in addition to the break tackle slider.

# 7 markprior22 @ Sep 10

Until sliders work properly, why even worry about it? All sliders should be as close to realistic as possible at 50 and increase/decrease from there. If you set holding penalty to 100, there should be a holding penalty EVERY PLAY. If it is set to 0, there should be no holding penalties at all.

# 8 Bryzine21 @ Sep 10

A this game doesn't suck slider should be added to Madden 13 and 25. I would turn that all the way up.Hopefully one will be in next-gen.

# 9 rudyjuly2 @ Sep 12

Definitely agree on separate sliders for pass coverage. We need zone and man split. We need special teams sliders in franchise for both user and cpu (and they need to work!).

QB awareness is a must! We need to be able to make the cpu QB smarter on all levels and this needs to be independent of QB accuracy. QB Throw power could be useful.

I want RBA (running back ability) like NCAA has.

Kick block slider.

We have a threshold slider for speed, I'd love to see a threshold slider for talent so we could make great players stand out more (or less). The opposite of the old fair play team option. I'd like to see a slider for player momentum/weight so we can adjust how fast guys can cut.

I also agree with everyone above. No slider set should have a 0 or 100. That means your sliders don't work well enough. EA really needs major work in this area!

# 10 Trick13 @ Sep 13

First off, there is a need for reworking the current sliders for sure.And the addition of some game planning adjustments like NCAA has, but expanded.
In terms of accuracy EA, as I have said for years, should greatly expand the "accuracy windows" of the passing game. As it currently stands it is nearly impossible to throw a pass in the dirt on a out or comeback route, yet we see that every weekend in the NFL.

QB Accuracy slider + QB Awareness slider + Pass Lead Sensitivity slider would be minimum I would like to see for passing.

Zone coverage, Man coverage, aggressiveness slider impacting ball in air reactions and a slider for SWAT vs INT so that turning INTs down won't result in complete crap coverage and non aggressiveness - where defenders just watch completions but more away animations playing out in place of pick animations...

RBK AND PBK, need to be removed from the ratings altogether for all players. All players should be rated in PBK footwork (how well do they "kick slide" and just generally move to be in the proper position to block on pass plays) and the PBK technique - related to hand fighting, move countering and holding (lower technique ratings lead to more holding) and then the same for running...

PBK and RBK sliders should adjust both ratings scales.

Running backs should have ability slider (BTK ELU TRK and so forth) and a BC vision slider (yes even for user side - think "coach mode")
Fumbles stay the same

WR CTH - impacting only catch,CIT and spectacular catch
WR RR - impacting release route accuracy sharpness etc
WR ball skills- aggressiveness of receivers when ball is in the air...

Pursuit
BKShed
Play Recognition
AWR
TAK
BIG HITS
All self explanatory