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OS Roundtable: If You Could Add One Feature To Madden...

If you could add one feature/do one thing for the Madden NFL series, what would it be?

Bob Kollars: Online Co-Op seasons. If EA would implement the ability to have three or four guys on the same team, and run through an entire season on the same team playing different positions, it would take this title to the next level, for me at least. As much as I liked this years title, if EA would add this feature, it would add some much needed longevity to next year's game. Online leagues have been a nice addition, but they largely still have somewhat of a disconnected feeling to them.

By adding online co-op seasons it would allow a group of friends to enjoy the experience truly together and further the "gaming together" idea. Take a look at the popularity of FIFA Pro Clubs/OTP, and the ability to play a season together, and work your way up through divisions. This mode in FIFA is wildly popular, and I believe it would be even more so in Madden.

Matthew Coe: If you've played NBA 2K14 on next gen consoles then you know where I'm going here. The MyCareer mode is the highlight of the game in my opinion, and in an era of increasingly multi-player features being added, I would welcome a single-player story driven career mode in Madden. The current implementation within Connected Franchise Mode just isn't very engaging. I'd call it something like Madden: Path to the NFL.

Imagine working out at the NFL Draft Combine and then hearing (ala NBA2K14's Real Voice) Adam Schefter, Chris Mortenson, Todd McShay, and Mel Kiper Jr. break down your strengths and weaknesses and then project your draft position. Then the tension of the draft and where you might go. Dealing with the introductory press conference, rookie OTAs, training camp, pre-season, and trying to make a difference on an NFL team. An NFL career mode that is done in the same vein as MyCareer would be a huge selling point. Real Head Coach voices, NFL personalities all weighing in on social media, team mate disagreements, dissension, earning your coordinator's trust, I mean think of all the intriguing possibilities that are there.

Steve Noah: I'd like to see more jostling between the receivers and defensive backs. We need to see more animations when fighting for position, more hand fighting and animations to show players battling for the ball. I'd even go a step further with it and implement defensive players tugging at receiver jerseys (of course we'd love to see more penalties, but that's another subject) or getting their feet tangled up. We need incomplete passes because of good defensive play, not because a receiver or defender drops the ball. If a receiver is going over the middle and gets obliterated, we should definitely see a few more drops in those situations. Bring in different animations for tall receivers vs. short defensive backs and vice versa. Make player size matter more. Simply put, we need more ways to improve the defensive side of the ball, as the game feels too offensive friendly.

Jayson Young: Rather than piling on more unnecessary back-of-the-box features like this year's Precision Modifier, my wish is that Madden NFL 15 simply fixes the many broken features that are already included in the game.

Even after three title updates, auto substitutions still do not work in Madden NFL 25's franchise mode. Formation-specific substitutions continue to reset after every game instead of being permanently saved. Injuries rarely occur away from the ball, making offensive linemen invulnerable. Additionally, if a team only has two quarterbacks on its depth chart, both QBs become immune to injury. Many sliders, such as quarterback accuracy, interceptions and pass coverage/pass reaction, seem to have little impact on gameplay. The holding slider appears to only affect passing plays and kick returns, as holds are seldom called on designed running plays. Faulty tie-breaking logic still places the wrong teams in the playoffs.

With franchise sales figures continuing to decline, Madden's long-term health on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would be best served by taking a year or two to tackle the series' longstanding issues before EA Tiburon attempts to fit any more Jenga blocks onto the trembling tower of code that is Madden NFL 25.

Caley Roark: While it might be completely superficial for some, I'd welcome a complete overhaul of Madden's presentation. The context that authentic and meaningful highlights and pre/post-game packages add help create a true "universe" that I can fully invest in.

While NFL 2K5 did it best for football, Madden could take cues from the NBA 2K series and recent NCAA Football games. Specifically, I'd love to see narrated half-time and post-game recaps, complete with score updates from around the league.

I'm sure EA could put either ESPN or NFL Network branding to use, to create a weekly highlight show that we'd want to watch (for me, the twitter feeds aren't getting it done).

If none of that is feasible, at least they could put in reaction shots that aren't canned (and repeated) animations but rather part of the natural flow of the action on the field.

Zachary Arthur: This one is very easy for me. I would absolutely love for Madden to put in a Create-A-Play feature. We all feel like we have what it takes to be that next great coach, and Madden has always had such an opportunity to put in Create-A-Play and let its players see how good they really are when it comes to strategy.

I have a world of ideas in my head when it comes to plays, and I would love the opportunity to see them on the virtual gridiron.

Chris Sanner: All of the above features are great, but the biggest thing this series (and all sports games) needs is a full slate of sliders which not only work, but let you actually define your on-field experience. I'd like to think being able to adjust and tweak different parts of the game would be very possible, allowing you to set diffculty levels for each individual piece of the game -- to allow for the best fan to fan experience as possible.

 

What about you? If you could add one feature/do one thing for the Madden NFL series, what would it be?


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Member Comments
# 61 Candymandagreat @ 02/11/14 12:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceman87GT
One thing? Actual Onside Kicks!

I know others have probably had different experiences but I rarely see warping of the ball into the hands of a player (i.e. balls that should have been tipped but not caught being caught or in some cases balls that should not have even been touched by a certain player being caught by said player), but pretty much every single Onside Kick attempt I have made has involved the ball warping right into the players hands. I've managed to recover one once, and only saw a realistic recovery one other time.

Its frustrating enough that players are forced into a single Onside Kick formation when there are dozens of formations used by teams. Even worse is that no matter what you do the ball will only go to one player, the majority of onside kicks are directed towards the second level nowadays with the occasional attempt to bounce one off the front line, yet no matter how hard you kick it (direction is irrelevant because you can't change that), the same guy (who is usually the 3rd WR on a team's roster) gets the first (and because of the warping pretty much the only) shot at the ball.

I could deal with the direction of the ball being predetermined (even if the direction it is predetermined to go in is unrealistic in today's game), if the warping wasn't so rampant.

I want to see many changes made to the game, but this is the one that has annoyed me the most (and it seems like at least the warping could have been fixed in an update).

Breaking the concept behind the round-table here are some other things:
1. Uniform Re-Designs - we can build new stadiums but can't get new uniforms unless we move the team? Truth is I'd be happy with the ability to switch to the Falcons old uniforms (the throwbacks they wore from 2009-12, right now I can recreate those (using the 1960s pants, 70s helmets, and 90s Jerseys), but don't have an away option so while I'd like to rock their throwbacks full-time I currently can only do so with a Home and Alternate, having to settle for their current away jersey)

2. More interactive Depth Chart/ - When I run a system that switches between formations that use 2 SS and 1 FS and 1 SS I'd like to be able to set it up so that my FS of choice would line up at SS when I make that switch to a 2 SS formation. Additionally In a Pistol formation that uses 2 RBs I'd like to be able to easily switch between using 2 HBs and using an HB and a FB from the play selection screen (switching packages as opposed to pausing and going into Depth Chart).

3. Better Commentary - I'd like to see a crew that involved Gruden (but that is unlikely to happen because of his likelihood to return to coaching in the next few years leaving Madden with a need to re-fill that position), but I'd thoroughly enjoy having 2 different crews to switch things up. One thing that I really enjoyed about Madden 10 was the change of audio we got with the intro of Collinsworth, I actually enjoy his real-life commentary, and in the end I don't think he translates well to games (Much Like Corso his insight comes from real-time observations which are hard to recreate in an audio booth months before any football would be played, so we wind up getting canned sayings that quickly become stale), but it was refreshing for me to hear him instead of Madden. It would be great to see 3 different broadcast styles (or even just 2) replicating the difference in broadcasts we see every week in real life. AFC matchups on CBS and NFC on CBS, when the 2 conference collide the away team determines the broadcast (i.e. Titans @ Green Bay = CBS Broadcast), with a possible 3rd broadcast style being NFL Network or ESPN. Breaking it up visually and audibly would go a long way in preventing the presentation from being stale. We need new non-play interactions to boost the presentation value but Phil Simms and Jim Nantz are going to get stale quickly no matter how good the cutscenes are. Also it would be nice if I Simms din't berate me for not picking up enough for the 1st down on 1st down, criticizing me for padding the stats when I pick up 6 and set up 2nd and 4 is absurd, and that's just one example of odd lines being triggered.
Love #3!!!
 
# 62 gmen15 @ 02/11/14 03:40 PM
I would like more realistic player contracts (RFA, UFA, ability to restructure contracts), more coaches its pretty stupid that there is no offensive and defensive coordinators (it would be cool to hire a OC or DC as your new HC instead of having to hire fake EA coaches), ability to edit imported draft class (EA re-rates all imported players from NCAA horrible) and a few things from NCAA would be cool like previously stated the no huddle options and the formation subs prior to a game so i don't have to sub guys in and out in certain packages. Lastly sliders that actually work...play on all madden and still shatter every record and score 50-60 points every game!!!

EA if its in the game it SHOULD be in the game...
 
# 63 jc9 @ 02/11/14 04:16 PM
Customization i.e. players (faces,body, hair, skin tone), equipment, teams, draft, camera, sliders/penalties that work correctly, weather
 
# 64 HingleMcCringleberry @ 02/11/14 04:50 PM
overhaul the defense and special teams entirely.

everybody knows about the awful db/wr interactions, so no need to go into that. other than that, plays to the outside (runs, screens, etc.) are way too powerful. it's as if there are only a handful of plays in the playbook that will stop those plays from gaining at least 15-20 every time because the AI in this game is just terrible. defenders don't understand their gap assignments, their pursuit angles are terrible, and their block shedding is even worse. no reason why the AI can't pick up on a screen when a guy runs it 3 times only for it to get 30+ a play. AI also can't stop outside runs in this game as seem to get 10+ on me every time. Trent Richardson averaged 10.5 ypc against me with the Rams D last game. There is no reason why he should be able to tear up the Rams D in this game when he got 2 yards on 5 carries this season against them. All these people at EA need to do is get out from under that rock they have been living/hiding under and watch one single game on sunday because he's been so bad that he has only had a few runs that got 10 yards period (he had 9 runs of 10 or more all season).

Special teams is even worse than defense. Kicking is nearly impossible to miss inside 55 yards with a decent kicker, punting is designed for you to bomb it to a corner each time instead of trying to place it so that it rolls up inside the 5, and any time you punt it inside the 10 it just bounces one direction. straight through the back of the endzone. And I am under belief that blocked Kicks are literally impossible in this game. The last time I saw a blocked a kick in Madden was back in 2007. Games in Madden aren't won on defense and especially aren't won on special teams. They are won solely on whoever can break more 50 yard plays due to terrible defensive AI.

I could go on for days with more things to fix in these areas... All in all, in this game to succeed in these two areas you have to take off your football hat, and throw away the tape and your football knowledge. You succeed by playing Madden's version of football, which doesn't even come close to the real thing. Time and time again... Hope we don't have to deal with another generation of this nonsense.
 
# 65 ggsimmonds @ 02/11/14 05:05 PM
either create a play or custom draft classes
 
# 66 B-Lo-Z-Ro @ 02/11/14 05:30 PM
2 Words will make a lot of theses problems put to rest.... FULL CUSTOMIZATION... I know I would like to be able to customize everything from players, uniforms, plays, music (custom soundtracks), photos, positions, schedules, etc. That way all EA has to do is worry about game play & glitches.. Is there a wrong collar color or you want the packers to have all green or all yellow uniforms? I can change that. Is the player too fat or too skinny? I can change that. Let the player have all the control of their game and 80% or more of the complaints & requests will no longer be an issue... IMO
 
# 67 swishbricks @ 02/11/14 08:45 PM
make it better like actually try
 
# 68 Pandetta @ 02/11/14 08:54 PM
Allow significant customization (players, draft classes, AI/sliders) and you resolve a huge number of complaints.
 
# 69 simbayless @ 02/11/14 09:11 PM
1.For the love of god please bring back sim mode for us hardcore gamers and use your default mode for the casuals

2.I am getting tired of wr never get no love after the catch wide open gameplay that is because soon as you have one on one coverage the whole secondary LB included stick on you like magnets and you can never throw over the LB because of the ball trajectory

3.difficult settings needs a overhaul! if I play it on pro the cpu qb throws some incomplete passes,all pro/all madden cpu qb is always accurate unless its a swat down.Please fix the cpu ai on all madden when it comes to blitz 90% of the time no matter what team it is.

4.crowd noise should be a factor like for example,seahawks should be so loud through your tv shakes screen and make your controller vibrate so fast till you hike the ball
 
# 70 Born Again @ 02/11/14 09:13 PM
Import a player like SCEA does. It would be cool to recreate the 1981 NFL.
 
# 71 Sdrawkcab321 @ 02/11/14 09:20 PM
Ability to put legends on current rosters. The way you can on nba2k. And not have to unlock them by playing MUT
 
# 72 NowAndLaterCARZ @ 02/11/14 11:34 PM
ASIDE FROM MAJOR GAMEPLAY AND FRANCHISE IMPROVEMENTS, AN ONLINE SUPERSTAR LEAGUE WITH YOUR MADDEN SUPERSTAR. SIMILAR TO FIFA'S PRO CLUBS SEASONS AND NHL'S EASHL. AS A TEAM WITH YOUR FRIENDS YOU NEED TO RECRUIT OFFENSIVE PLAYERS AND DEFENSIVE PLAYERS, NO O-LINEMEN OR KICKERS AND NO PLAYERS CAN PLAY BOTH SIDES. IF YOU'RE AN OFFENSIVE PLAYER AND YOUR DEFENSE IS ON THE FIELD, YOU CAN WALK THE SIDELINES OR LOOK AT THE PLAYBOOK. THROW IN THE CREATE A STADIUM FEATURE AND UNIFORM EDITOR. AS FAR AS GAMES PLAYED THERE SHOULD BE 10 DIVISIONS WITH 1 BEING THE HIGHEST. THERE SHOULD BE A SUPERBOWL IN EACH DIVISION. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE 16 GAME SEASONS AND IF YOUR TEAM FINISHES 9-6 YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PLAYOFFS. IF YOUR TEAM MAKES PLAYOFFS YOU ENTER A 16 TEAM TOURNY FOR THAT DIVISIONS "SUPERBOWL".
 
# 73 QaiGonJim @ 02/12/14 08:45 AM
Fix the jump ball mechanics, I hate seeing Larry Fitzgerald run a fade and just stand there with his hands up while a 5'9 db jumps ten feet over him to pick the ball off.
 
# 74 riggs6taters @ 02/12/14 12:25 PM
Ability to edit everything is mine also
 
# 75 triniplayaz1 @ 02/12/14 03:19 PM
I would like to see them take a pointer from 2k with the fact that you had to tap the turbo button in order to run faster or use more powerful moves. It adds a bit of competitive element. Being able to just have turbo on or sprint when holding down the turbo button defeats the purpose of speed on the field especially when it comes to football and how large the field is.
 
# 76 Hooe @ 02/12/14 04:44 PM
Full analog passing and a true concept of pass play read progressions.

Every modern sports game has analog controls for its primary gameplay mechanic. Madden meanwhile continues to use a relic from the days of Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo with its coverage-agnostic button-mapped receivers passing mechanic.

I don't say that necessarily as a fault - it's clearly worked for EA Tiburon up to this point - but I hope they are brave enough to shake up the game a bit. The NFL's passing game has evolved since the inception of Madden football in 1989, I think it's high time for Madden to play catch-up.

Note that I specifically do NOT want the vision cone. It was a reasonable idea to try, but working with it in practice was clumsy at-best IMO.
 
# 77 Demoncrom @ 02/12/14 05:45 PM
A functional AI that that does not have to use speed boosts and rubber-banding to cover receivers. Stats that actually matter so that known mismatches play like known mismatches so that seasons play dynamically. Add back the pregame showing of Offensive , defensive and special team ratings and how the 2 teams match up. FIX the run game
 
# 78 Kalkano @ 02/12/14 10:12 PM
Revert franchise mode to how it used to be, so I can watch CPU vs CPU games during offline franchise, and not have to use experience points for my players to progress.
 
# 79 ManiacMatt1782 @ 02/13/14 02:13 AM
Authentic rules. Illegal touching. Fair catch kicks. Penalties being assessed on the kickoff Basically all the rules that are in the nfl, that arent accurately portrayed in madden.
 
# 80 dsk1317 @ 02/13/14 06:00 AM
Defense, defense, defense!
The Tampa 2- The cb's are broken, the mlb is broken, the safety play is also not programed right, either.
Quarters coverage aka 2 read- It plays like a prevent defense, what the hell is wrong with the fools at EA.
Cover 3- The cb's do not read #1 and #2, the c/f defender will not swing deep with #2. Again, wth is wrong with the fools at EA?
Slit field ccoverage- I've already stated the problems with the 2 read side, now to the cover 2 side. The cb is responsible for all of #1 shallow,the safety is responsible for all of #1's vertical stem.
Cover 3 match-man coverage, none existent.
On the ps4 and xbox one, the players can make up to 60 calculations per second, but that means nothing, not when it is not programmed properly.
EA is a damn disgrace to, not only video gaming, but to the game of football.
 


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