The Little Things in Madden NFL 10.... - SeventhWard's Blog

SeventhWard's Blog

The Little Things in Madden NFL 10....

Posted on August 12, 2009 at 04:34 AM.

(2)

From the "Little Things" thread...

The Little Things In Madden 10 That I Love:

*PRO-TAK & Speed - it feels fantastic and the animations look great. Control is great, players feel heavy, ratings feel real. Very Next-Gen.

*Procedural Awareness - not PERFECT yet in every scenario but when its happening, it's awesome.

*Cutscenes - hopefully this is something they build on and add to. It's a GREAT addition for the feel, makes Madden more like football on TV. Really nice touches that pull you in. Great start, please continue on this course. Make it as watchable as playable.

*Depth of Field - shots look great with selective focus.

*Camera in Instant Replay - movement speed is much more natural, although lens controls are a little clunky and it's nearly impossible to get a wide shot with shallow focus. (No aperture controls)

*Real Time Celebrations - I love seeing my QB throw his hands up in celebration or linemen pump their fists when the RB crosses the Goal Line.

*Custom Uniforms - Never thought I cared, turned out to be very cool.

*Uniform Degradation - Players get dingy.

*Field Goal Nets - they animate up and down, and work.

*Audio Mix - GOOD surround mix this year, commentary still a bit too loud and harsh (I always knock it down by 10%)

*Crowd Sounds & Player chatter is good, and some of it's FUNNY. (except when they glitch play twice back to back)

*Catalog Music is a great addition for atmosphere. It just works.

The Little Things In Madden 10 That Make Me Cringe:

*Instant Replays are glitchy. (PS3) The plays are sometimes incomplete or end prematurely, frames are still dropping making for awkward ball releases and catches, ball spin is reversed.

*Auto Replays are possibly broken. (PS3) No replays for user except in Playoffs.

*EA Sports Highlights has incomplete replays, no way to clear the EA Sports logo or Player Control Circles off the screen in post-game replays.

*The USAF Thunderbirds invisibly flew overhead inside the Superdome for the NFC Divisional Playoff. (Players did head track it, though)

*Players can still run through the walls at the back of the endzone and through other players on the sidelines.

*Some Coach Models have nice faces on VERY awkward head and neck shape - and they look like hunchbacks.

*There's only two cutscenes for the chain gang - either you've got it or you don't - no variations. It's a great scene, just needs MORE ANGLES.

*Hair Textures sometimes flicker, textures and models are sometimes slow to appear in cutscenes.

*Practice Mode - only way to turn off the music is with Volume Sliders.

*The Commentary System. It sounds like old technology.

*The Extra Point - extremely BASIC, but its inclusion makes for a bare bones emulation of "Football Night in America" as a wrapup at the end of a week. Good start. Needs much more, like replays from other games, more wardrobe changes, a Pre-Game show and all new commentary.

-SeventhWard

Comments

# 1 stlstudios189 @ Aug 12

looking forward to this game

# 2 PLAYMKR @ Aug 12

Great write up and what I believe is a on-spot assesment.

To me, this is the best Madden ever. I could tell after 1-2 games last year, that I would not like 09. And i didnt.

I am loving Madden 10.

One more item to add to the cringe factor, I have noticed there is a slow down or pause after each play, as well as after FG's and extra points.

I cant tell if this is lag or a frame rate issue. At some points it freezes for a few seconds. Both on-line and off-line. Thats why i wonder if its a frame rate issue.

Thx,
PM