Well how's it going first of all? I am brand new here, but have been reading a lot of impressions of the game. It is a little upsetting on all of the negative comments on the game, although I do believe the good outweighs the bas. Let's see, as far as improvements go...I think we can strongly go off of the retail finish build. My biggest gripe would simply be the commentary. It could use a little more enthusiasm...lol..understatement. Other than that, just tweak the running animation a little bit, spice up the pre, half, post game presentation and we are on our way to an even better game. Hats off to the new dev team at EA really turning around Madden. I haven't ever been so pumped.

If I had to pick one area of focus it would be the running game. I don't just mean blowing wide open running lanes open for the running back ala 95' where every Rb ran for 200 yds, I mean overhaul the way the line blocks, flows, and running in general.
I'm just going off the demo and there is inside running but most times its unrealistic. I hate to sound like a 2k5 fanboy but they had the running game down pat even if there was a little assist given to the running back when he made contact going through the hole but it still felt more realistic. In Madden the running back runs into the back of lineman and just sort of runs in place until you manually move around your blocker...but 2k had some sort of animation that was triggered when you made contact with the back of one of your lineman that allowed the runner to sort of slide one way or the other and continue running. This allowed for a much smoother running experience. The passing game is pretty tight so far on the demo but the running still feels canned. There is no sense of impact, weight, or momentum as far as I can tell involved in the running game. I would also like to see larger player models which would enhance to plalayer models.

shavane- Don't take this personal but stop with the 2K5 stuff. It's quite ridiculous how people constantly cry over that game. If u want the "assistance" to run through a hole, fine. Fortunately for me, I have skills to get through the lines in Madden. I DO like the hand on the back animation that 2K5 does when the RB comes up on a blocker or someone on his team in the way because that is just realistic. I said that Madden should include that, years ago, when 2K first added that animation but I don't want the animation to take me somewhere I don't want to go...

I was only able to play the demo 3 times plus 1-2min of a fourth before my PS3 shutdown on me, suddenly, but based on the fact that Madden 10 is just a demo, thus far, I will say that the thing that I know for a fact won't be in the retail version is an all new animation engine. I think that if EA isn't already working on something behind the scenes, then they should, or, at the very least, really rip it up and fix it along with the physics. The animations definitely could use more organicness to them. I think the momentum deal needs to be apart of that, too, but it's tricky. It's like sim sports game devs have said over and over, "How real do u make a sports game without killing the fun??" and I think that is a bit of why EA pulled back on momentum to try a balance because when the first Madden hit the PS2, there was a TON of momentum going on and even back then, my cuz and I were saying although we love it, it needed to be tweaked, because it wasn't quite right. And, again, please don't bring up 2K5's momentum because as far as I remember it was not there compared to even Madden 2005. I think people have concocted that fiction in their own heads to keep trying to say 2K5 was far superior to Madden. I wish I could pop it in, now, just to be certain, but, like I said, my PS3 is caput, right about now.

I will see how the actual retail game plays out before I really go in on what I think Madde 11 should have.

I agree about the running game. its should feel less labored. AND YES 2k had a good running game, nobody ever said Madden NEVER did...but 'run to daylight' was too easy imo. And i know i hated the running lanes for M09. They did work on pass blocking, but maybe next year run blocking can be better. It just needs to 'feel' right.

I think Madden 11 should be a focus on defense. Make it entertaining and fun to play on defense. You should be able to gameplan around the defense before the game. Do you want to bum and run Randy Moss or back off him? Do you put your 2nd cornerback on Wes Welker or Joey Galloway? Do you want 3 corners on the field against the Pats? I should be able to decide all these before the game. Check out LBZrules for other great defensive ideas.

Also agree about the 2k thing (sorry TreyIM2) there is too many times where a guy is getting blocked but he still reaches out and blocks me. I should be able to squeeze through the hole. And when I run into an O-line men I should automatically go to the side. In Madden running to the outside is much more effective than the outside. If Madden 11 doesnt let you squeeze through the hole then there should be bigger holes that the O-line makes.