M20: What does the future hold?

[acemafia04]

Disclaimer: These are my own opinions! Go away with your logic based criticisms. Let me live in my carefully created safe space. (just kidding, share your thoughts)

My brief M19 year end review: What Does the Future Hold?

Over the years, we've seen features come and go to the Madden NFL game series. Some features seem to be gone very soon, and others seem to just be "fluff and cosmetics". Some are these features are pretty cool, bring the game to life, and make sense for a football game (The Good). Along with the good, we do have the bad, and the ugly. I believe "The Bad" features are holding the gameplay back and frustrating a lot of players across a variety of game modes. I personally wish these features were removed or reworked.


The Good

• Frostbite game engine
• Game Styles (Arcade, Sim, Comp)
• Coach Adjustments
• Return of Defensive Coverage Assignments
• Fan Favorite Celebrations
• Immersive NFL broadcast experience

The Bad

• Real Player Motion (locomotion)
• Animations (game generated)
• Blocking logic
• User Lurk
• Companion App (useless at best)

The Ugly

• Bugs (legacy and new)
• Super emphasis on MUT (popups, announcements, promotions)

Explanation of the the bad and the ugly:

Real Player Motion
Madden wins and loses in the gameplay department, and Real Player Motion often times has a negative effect on the outcome of many plays. I've seen hundreds of players catch a ball, and go out of bounds unintentionally because of this locomotive feature. Skill players feel very heavy at times, and don't feel like they can turn a corner without stopping momentum altogether.

Animations
Scripted animations do add a immersive element to the game, but when trumps user input, it becomes a very negative thing.

Blocking Logic
Several times each game, I see my lead blocker completely by his intended assignment, skipping a whole level of defenders, and seemingly running into empty spaces, blocking no one. I have only successfully ran a slip screen 3 times out of hundreds this cycle, because my lead blockers simply just stand there and let one guy thru, on what should be a walk in home run touch down.

User Lurk
The community has been very vocal about this one: superman unstoppable linebackers lurking all over the field. It is easy to say, don't throw to where the user defender is, and I agree with that. But, I have seen LBs/box safeties travel the width of the field to pick a ball off at the last second. I didn't really see any penalty for button mashing the interception button, on my own end when I lurk for an INT. This should be more balanced.

Companion App
Only use is to sync Daddyleagues lol. Can we add some depth to this, maybe some scouting or draft features?


Bugs
So many to name. It's no secret, the game is riddled with them, and so many people have quit this cycle early to the unpredictable nature of the game.

Emphasis on MUT
We get it, MUT is where the cash is, but it seems to be all the menus and game announcements are about. Whenever I accidently click MUT at the menu screen, I gotta back out of about 20 notifications of things lol.

I gave my BETA key to a friend who was going thru a rough time, I have heard good things about it. I still have low expectations for M20, but hope a fraction of some of these M19 issues are addressed for the longterm

[roadman]

Welcome back.

I'm assuming you didn't have an opportunity to play the beta?

If they release the game similar to the beta form, two or three of your bad's may make it to your good category.

Locomotion, animations and some blocking logic have improved and much more cleaner and smooth look.

Game play looks the best it's had in years if the beta isn't touched at release.

[acemafia04]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Welcome back. I'm assuming you didn't have an opportunity to play the beta? If they release the game similar to the beta form, two or three of your bad's may make it to your good category. Locomotion, animations and some blocking logic have improved and much more cleaner and smooth look. Game play looks the best it's had in years if the beta isn't touched at release.

Thank you for the welcome back! It's been a while. This is encouraging to hear. I gave my beta key away to a friend who was going thru a tough time, tried to cheer him up.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by acemafia04

This is encouraging to hear. I gave my beta key away to a friend who was going thru a tough time, tried to cheer him up.

Hope your friend had the same thoughts as others did on the game play, that was a nice gesture on your part.

[acemafia04]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Hope your friend had the same thoughts as others did on the game play, that was a nice gesture on your part.

Thanks! I did ask how he liked it, he didn't really give me a detailed reply so I'm in the dark lol.

[Dblock1111]

Man, my only gripe with your point is the "brought back" defensive coverage assignments. I'm glad they're back in some capacity but why can I still not assign a player specifically to cover someone else like I could years ago??

So frustrating.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dblock1111

Man, my only gripe with your point is the "brought back" defensive coverage assignments. I'm glad they're back in some capacity but why can I still not assign a player specifically to cover someone else like I could years ago?? So frustrating.

Even though that was a feature around Madden 10 or 11, that feature didn't work correctly right out of the gate. The coverage assignments flipped a lot after setting them up prior to starting the game.

That is why they took that specific feature out if that is what you are referring to.

[acemafia04]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dblock1111

Man, my only gripe with your point is the "brought back" defensive coverage assignments. I'm glad they're back in some capacity but why can I still not assign a player specifically to cover someone else like I could years ago?? So frustrating.

I gotchu, I think I just line that guy up on the depth chart wherever the target is, or by speed or rating, but even that is pretty broken