Should the Calvin Johnson Rule Be 'In The Game'

Feature Article

Submitted on: 01/12/2015 by Chris Sanner

Unless you live under a rock, and/or chose to boycott the NFL Playoffs this weekend -- you've probably heard about a certain incomplete pass thrown from Tony Romo to Dez Bryant. Bryant caught the pass, took three steps in lunging for the goal line and lost the handle of the football as he hit the ground -- by rule that is an incomplete pass in the NFL.

But yet, that is a rule you won't see enforced in Madden 15. Amongst various penalties which are hardly, if ever called, obscure rules like the Calvin Johnson rule are also not seen within the game. It's understandable given their highly complex nature, and no matter how EA did it they'd have an outcry from gamers in some fashion -- but one wonders if obscure rules should find their way into Madden.

Yes, people would rage quit if the exact same thing that happened to Dez happend in Madden. Yes, others would say it's not sim if you could somehow jump over the line to almost block a field goal like Kam Chancellor.

But at the end of the day, these are the things which make football so unique and so unpredictable -- and really, some realistic randomness is one of the biggest thing Madden's approach to football desperately needs to liven the experience up a bit.

Should there been more crazy things happening in Madden like what you saw this weekend? Let us know in the comments.

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Member Comments

# 21 TexasFan2005 @ 01/12/15 09:31 PM

To the original question: On one hand I say yes, absolutely, these things should definitely be in the game. On the other hand, thinking back to how EA implemented the David Tyree catch so that you see it 5x a game, every single game, I'd say NO. There is no middle ground in EA Sports games because there aren't enough animations implemented properly so as to see different variations of events. Get rid of the canned animations and implement more natural movements for players, then these types of situations can happen naturally.

# 22 cattlekiller @ 01/12/15 09:33 PM

I do think all things that are in the NFL should be in Madden games, but this issue should remain out for now.

Why?Because from all the backlash of this right now, this off season this rule may change.But like many others have said, there is other issues mainly penalties.

# 23 13whitebread @ 01/12/15 10:57 PM

Yeah let's change the rule just for dez bryant signed jerry jones. Give me a break how about those Cowgirls?

# 24 kennyacid @ 01/12/15 11:44 PM

They can't even get the rules that are in the game now correct so why would anyone want another rule in the game. And let's not even talk about the poor replay system in the game....Ehhhh work on what's in now then worry about adding more...

# 25 SageInfinite @ 01/13/15 12:20 AM

The challenge system is too broken to even comprehend something like this.

# 26 oneamongthefence @ 01/13/15 12:51 AM

They have to get challenges to work first. They still seem random. Guys obviously out of bounds on catch and the ref says he's inbounds. Get the basic right before going complex. MaDden has struggled with this for years.

# 27 fistofrage @ 01/13/15 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	All they'd have to do is give these kind of events an appropriate probability of occurring. All-Pro Football 2K8 had bobbled snaps, dropped hand-offs, blocked kicks, and bad snaps flying way overhead. Plus in bad weather, there would be plays where the athletes just slipped and fell down. But those things happened so rarely in APF 2K8 that they were just cool and interesting when they occurred, not frustrating. A little randomness, even if the random event punishes the player, can go a long way towards making a sports game feel more tense and exciting.

We've been begging for this for years, especially offline guys who just want realistic stats. All the online gamers should just turn the sim elements off if they don't want to see them.

But if they can't make holding penalties occur at a a sim rate or even implement PI penalties, why would we want them to get obscure things into the game when they can't even get things that are commonplace into the game?

# 28 rudeworld @ 01/13/15 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	All they'd have to do is give these kind of events an appropriate probability of occurring. All-Pro Football 2K8 had bobbled snaps, dropped hand-offs, blocked kicks, and bad snaps flying way overhead. Plus in bad weather, there would be plays where the athletes just slipped and fell down. But those things happened so rarely in APF 2K8 that they were just cool and interesting when they occurred, not frustrating. A little randomness, even if the random event punishes the player, can go a long way towards making a sports game feel more tense and exciting.

True.... I didn't play AP2K8 too many times to notice the randomness in which you speak of, but I can see if they do add something like this.... It could work.

I think EA is won't add new features that could drastically change the game... For fear of the backlash (looking at you QB cones). I myself even loved the "fight for the ball" (mashing buttons like track&field... People thought that was too video game-ish.... I don't know add the feature and give the user the options of keeping, removing or modifying the amount of times we see it during a game or season for that matter.

# 29 Godgers12 @ 01/13/15 02:43 AM

A bit off topic, but even if that's ruled a catch. The Packers, led by one of the best QB's of all time would have received the ball with over 3 minutes left needing a FG to win, and we all saw how easily Rodgers marched us up and down the field the entire 4 QTR. Including our final drive after the no-catch. Point being we win that game regardless.

# 30 CubFan23 @ 01/13/15 02:49 AM

They can't even get replay right in Madden, there's no way they do this correctly.

# 31 Black_Tom_Brady @ 01/13/15 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godgers12


	A bit off topic, but even if that's ruled a catch. The Packers, led by one of the best QB's of all time would have received the ball with over 3 minutes left needing a FG to win, and we all saw how easily Rodgers marched us up and down the field the entire 4 QTR. Including our final drive after the no-catch. Point being we win that game regardless.

the best qb's of all time??? i think you may be pushing it buddy

# 32 inkcil @ 01/13/15 03:52 AM

They need to get the most basic penalties, rules and replay system in the game first.

# 33 JMD @ 01/13/15 07:44 AM

There are way to many things that need to be addressed before something like this should be in the game. I mean come on, EA can't even get the penalty or challenge system to work.

# 34 TjJunior @ 01/13/15 09:23 AM

It would be a common occurence in an EA game. The common factor is two great recievers making great catches. In Madden anyone that can make a play on the ball has the same set of catch animations. Outside of inconsistent throwing animations and faces there is very little differece in players. Implement penalties and bring back weapons and passing cone. Individuality is needed to setup the circumstances to make the play viabe I think.

# 35 brandon27 @ 01/13/15 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adub88


	I hate to be that guy, man we need some of the basic penalties to be put in the game. I still haven't see a pass interference call in M15.

This.

If they cant even get basic penalties right such as DPI... why are we worried about the process of a catch rule at this point? How are they going to implement an animation of a guy going to the ground and bobbling a pass. In Madden, it's as simple as it's a catch. A Drop(aka pass bounces off WR or DB), or an overthrow.

Now if we got those things working as they should, then yes, lets explore the option of finding a way to make this work with better player/ball physics.

# 36 roadman @ 01/13/15 11:15 AM

Eh, don't even start with me on penalties.

I'm beating a dead horse, and I'm looking at you DPI.

Hasn't even been implemented since I don't know when.

# 37 NC12 @ 01/13/15 12:54 PM

All we really need is for 2K to be able to make a game

# 38 RickyAC @ 01/13/15 02:54 PM

No, we shouldn't be shoehorning in an event like this.

Wide Receiver/Defensive Back interactions (from which we should get *USER EFFECTED* DPI, OPI, Holding, etc) which bring a visceral ""Fight For Every Ball!!" gameplay effect, are the most important need.

After that is the well done TruStep system for ALL 22 players "!ALL-22 TRUSTEP!! MOVE LIKE A PRO!!", with a full and effective set of animations and gameplay mechanics

After that is fully modeled football physics, so we get realistically crazy bounces and ball velocity. ( I think that the hyperaccuracy issues could be better corrected with a spearheaded attack of:

1) Bringing pass velocity down with !REAL WORLD Ball Physics!!!
2) Making footwork from a QB more important
3) The aforementioned WR/DB interaction system
4) Tweaking AI QB programming to release panicked passes (and throw it away occasionally)

rather than just making the AI dumber through sliders.

When,and only when, all those are corrected can we be thinking of adding unique moments like the CJ rule to gameplay. Those moments MUST be both rare, and built on a quality infrastructure, so that they remain exciting, and not just annoying feature-glitches.

# 39 rudeworld @ 01/13/15 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickyAC


	No, we shouldn't be shoehorning in an event like this. Wide Receiver/Defensive Back interactions (from which we should get USER EFFECTED DPI, OPI, Holding, etc) which bring a visceral ""Fight For Every Ball!!" gameplay effect, are the most important need. After that is the well done TruStep system for ALL 22 players "!ALL-22 TRUSTEP!! MOVE LIKE A PRO!!", with a full and effective set of animations and gameplay mechanics After that is fully modeled football physics, so we get realistically crazy bounces and ball velocity. ( I think that the hyperaccuracy issues could be better corrected with a spearheaded attack of: 1) Bringing pass velocity down with !REAL WORLD Ball Physics!!! 2) Making footwork from a QB more important 3) The aforementioned WR/DB interaction system 4) Tweaking AI QB programming to release panicked passes (and throw it away occasionally) rather than just making the AI dumber through sliders. When,and only when, all those are corrected can we be thinking of adding unique moments like the CJ rule to gameplay. Those moments MUST be both rare, and built on a quality infrastructure, so that they remain exciting, and not just annoying feature-glitches.

Although implementing all these things into the game will make it feel like real football but that is not (IMHO) what EA is aiming to do. I believe they are straddling that line of arcade/sim. If they go too sim they will lose buyers, and that goes the other way too. I'm on the pick one and go with it side, that's why I'm kind of fed up with madden.... They have some things in and something's that are missing that should be in....it doesn't make sense and they won't continue to get my cents.

# 40 RickyAC @ 01/13/15 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudeworld


	Although implementing all these things into the game will make it feel like real football but that is not (IMHO) what EA is aiming to do. I believe they are straddling that line of arcade/sim. If they go too sim they will lose buyers, and that goes the other way too. I'm on the pick one and go with it side, that's why I'm kind of fed up with madden.... They have some things in and something's that are missing that should be in....it doesn't make sense and they won't continue to get my cents.

You're undeniably correct that EA is not aiming to capture a "real football" game. And from a narrow-minded business standpoint, keeping arcadey gameplay and wringing money from MUT is the way to go.

I continue to hold out on the foolish dream that EA will try to really capitalize on the NFL brand, try BIG things in the gaming marketplace, and find a way to make both a satisfying game AND piles of $$$.

I think that a realistic (but also viscerally fun) gameplay foundation is essential, which is why I listed all the detailed Simulation-types of improvements.

But, there's no reason not to have more fun with that realistic foundation. Slider tweaks to a proper foundation could create a game with the high-flying but predictable events to keep the tournament guys thrilled (because I have a hunch that a dash more football strategy depth and satisfying gameplay would keep the online guys addicted longer, and paying MORE in MUT)

I would push the simulation gameplay so that I could package Madden more often with other NFL products like All-22 footage through NFL GameRewind, online streaming packages like GamePass.

There might also be money to be made by combining Madden with gamer's real Fantasy Football teams (and perhaps successfully selling Madden to current FF players) by setting up a Fantasy Draft feature, with a Create-A-Team to turn fantasy football league rosters/teams into Madden rosters/teams, and letting players subsequently play out their fantasy football games before or after the real games.

I don't see why a brilliantly built (in terms of physics, body interactions, animations, and AI) football game couldn't also be turned into a CFL game for another few easy bucks. While we're at it, let's take the same amazing fictional Madden core and evolve it into a proper Rugby game to sell in Australia and the UK.

Of course, all this must be marketed correctly, but marketing can't overcome a weakly built core product in the long run. And if I were EA, I'd want to turn as much cash on the current popularity of the NFL as I could. I don't understand the lazy complacency with sport's most valuable property.

I really just want EA to make a football product that's so great that I don't have to second guess giving them my money.

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