Madden NFL 12 Gameplay Preview

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Thanks for the honest preview. Seems like little additions here and there and the bulk of the continent is the same. EA really just does not want to push the limits, and after playing NBA2k11, i dont think i could handle another mediocre and bland game of madden No thanks, I'll pass this year. Thanks chase!

I'm starting to feel the same way. Football is my favorite sport, but there are other sports games out there that are so much more polished and compelling. I think football will get a smaller amount of my gaming dollars until there's a major content overhaul that makes the game feel fresh and interesting to me again. At present I feel like they've squeezed everything they can out of this version of the game.

I like that there are some improvements to run blocking and zone defense. It sounds like those improvements are more tuneups than overhauls, though, and it sounds like other important areas such as the pocket, pass rush, dropbacks and scrambling are basically the same.

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Thanks for the honest preview. Seems like little additions here and there and the bulk of the continent is the same. EA really just does not want to push the limits, and after playing NBA2k11, i dont think i could handle another mediocre and bland game of madden No thanks, I'll pass this year. Thanks chase!

Good post and sums up my thoughts as well.

[BezO]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

Yea, but unfortunately there's no surprise here. If Chase didn't mention this in the preview, I would've still assumed you could do it. The devs aren't incompetent. They know it's unrealistic. I think they feel rolling and chucking is a staple of EA football games, and there's real hesitation in doing something about it. I don't agree with it, but I don't expect it to change. They've had years to do something about it...

I don't understand why they don't put animations in to account for it though. Sure, let folks roll & chuck, but make the QB plant, turn & throw. It's beyond being unrealistic. It ruins the timing of the game.

And EA forgets someone is playing defense as well. Why call defenses, get pressure, only to have the QB roll, spin & throw a strike?

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

I know what you're saying: You and I both probably agree Adrian is sort of floating there and not really cutting. Honestly, in the past I don't really notice it being THAT bad when I'm playing, but when I look at replays then I notice it. So with that being said, I don't really know. I haven't really watched any replays or anything so I don't want to say one way or the other. At the same time, I would think I would feel the difference if it were truly "fixed", and I also don't feel like I would be too out of line saying foot planting isn't something they can probably solve in one year with what's currently in place.

And that type of gliding kills the spacing & timing of the game. Because he's not having to plant his feet on some of those changes in direction, he gained more yards than he should've... or at least gained them faster than he should've. That "cut" at the 30 yard line? He should'nt have been able to turn up the field without having to plant.

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

1. I certainly felt a pocket envelop me at points. I remember two different instances where I stepped up into the pocket: once I stepped up just to take the sack and lose as little yardage as possible, and another time I tried to just escape through the middle of the pocket and ended up getting about half a yard. I'm not ready to check off all those boxes as 'yes' responses though. And while I did get sacked a bunch, I can't say it's because my O-lineman got bull rushed or whatever else until I get more time to really scope out what happened via replays etc. 2. This is a really good question, but it's one I'm leaning more towards saying 'no' about. I do feel like in Madden you can move up and down a bit, but yeah, parallel is sort of spotty. 3. Yeah, didn't really notice. As I said, I was able to swat away the balls that were under thrown. I also feel like I could get it over the DB last year though. 4. Yeah, I sort of tried to look for it, but again, I was more focused on chasing down whoever had the ball. I think it's a good sign that the linebackers were active on various defensive plays while I was the Ravens.

Thanks! Sounds like EA still has a long way to go.

[big_larry]

Another year of some minor improvements. I can honestly say we have yet to have a next-gen football game, Break Breaker is the closes to "next-gen" we have. I'm done with Madden and NCAA Football this gen, maybe next gen, and hopefully EA Sports is not the only company making football games then. It's just sad to see 6+ years of football video gaming gone down the drain.

[JerseySuave4]

Hearing how the QBs move has me a little worried but the running game sounds nice and defense sounds good. As long as passing doesnt become catch or int and we see some dropped balls from offense and defense as well as some off timing passes. I like that the o line blocks to the 2nd level, that things are a little more spread out.

As for kicking, why don't they just adopt the Fifa style of kicking. You can a soccer game that also takes into account ratings. Same thing for the way players move, that way those sliding issues with the QB would go away because you wouldnt be able to move in a way that your legs wont allow.

[Jonsco28]

Quote: Originally Posted by xbreezex

im waiting a while before buying this.

Me too....like until the end of August.

[Armor and Sword]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJ

Good post and sums up my thoughts as well.

Hey DJ. While I agree the games like NBA2K11 (still going strong for me) and MLB The Show 2011 are no question the class of sports games. Madden 11 and NCAA 11 were very good efforts. Now Madden 11 off the field was...blech. But Monday may change your mind. If Madden 11 had a much better franchise mode I would not be trading it in. And the fact that NCAA 12 will also be sharing the graphical and tackling enhancments as well as the defensive AI overhaul makes both games a buy for me. I really think we will probably get the best yet from both.

I love my football and more importantly I want depth and i think Madden 12 will give us the depth that us harcore offline franchise players want. No it wil not be HC09 depth, but i am expecting a major upgrade.

Monday will prove this. (At least that is my high hope).

And if Madden 2012 does not prove to me it made the changes that I personally wanted to see (we all have different expectations and needs) then no doubt it will be my last Madden purchase for years to come. And if the changes are made...it will again be the last Madden for me for at least 2 years.

[ChaseB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

Really enjoyed the preview Chase and I appreciate how real you seem to keep it in your write ups. My question is in reference to this sentence in your write up: "The game has to allow you to run backwards and throw the ball across the field; otherwise some gamers would be upset." Are you actually saying that the EA football developers admit to sacrificing basic FOOTBALL realism to avoid upsetting FOOTBALL gamers? I don't expect them to create a game so true to real life that it can only best be played in a VR suit and helmet but not representing the risk/reward of simple passing technique because of potential complaints, doesn't make sense to me. That's like making a simulation basketball game where half court alley oop dunks can be done successfully all game because that's what gamers are accustom to in NBA Jam. I hope this mindset is just some of the last dwindling affects of Madden's past and will no longer apply when developing Madden 13 like they seem to have done with other past mindsets in Madden 12.

Ha well, I think you're probably reading a little too much into what I said, and for the record I've never asked the developers directly about this, so I'm not speaking for them in this regard. I would think, as someone else said, they perhaps have just not found the right balance yet in terms of how to deal with it more than anything. I can't really think of another game that nailed this issue either. So it strikes me that it's probably really hard to get throwing on the run and all that correct while still staying functional and relatively fun for a broad base of gamers.

Quote: Originally Posted by at23steelers

Are there more different types of penalties this year? Are the challenges different, where we can pick what we want to challenge? Also, did you ever see the ball go through a body. This is one of the most frustrating things in madden, and why swatting sometimes didn't work, because the ball would go through your player's hands. Great read btw!

Challenge system seemed to be the same, and I did not see any new penalties -- but that does not necessarily mean there are not new ones. I did not see any 'ghosting' but, again, I would be shocked if something like that is entirely gone. Ghosting of some sort happens in every sports game in some situation at some point.

Quote: Originally Posted by Vikes1

Great write up Chase. From start to finish, your comments seemed very fair and balanced. I enjoyed the read. I consider myself as a former Madden gamer. Ie...haven't purchased the game for the last two years. So I can't really throw any opinions around trying to compare your thoughts about Madden '12', vs the last few releases. I'm going to tread pretty carefully due to the above reason....but the last few sentences in your "Final thoughts", really caught my eye. When you wrote that the game felt quite familiar...and that basically speaking, Madden '12' shows some good promise for what the future may bring. For me personally...that kinda landed with a thud. Now I understand it's not realistic to expect any sports game, in one dev cycle, to completely transform itself from one thing to another. But fair or not...as a sports gamer who's dropped Madden from my annual list of must buy's...your final thoughts were a bit discouraging. I guess in the end...it's more difficult to get someone back...than it is to keep them. Of course I won't make any final decisions about Madden '12' until I play the demo or rent it. But by your early impressions..it would seem like Madden may still be a ways away, from me again, personally...having it be a "Must buy".

The familiarity I was talking about more has to do with controls and so forth. There's nothing new here that forces you to change the way you play Madden from game to game in that way -- though I'm sure the wrap up tackle will lead to less embarrassment for me in the open field. However, as I said in the preview, I felt like I had to change up the way I was attacking the defense a bit and all that. But yeah, if you pulled away from the series, I'm sure it's hard to come back, and I think personal hands-on play is the only thing that should truly convince someone to come back or not.

Quote: Originally Posted by at23steelers

Also, did any of the presentation additions add to the immersion of the game IE. camera angles, stats overlay, crowd noise, and scoreboard.

I spoke about this in the presentation preview, but yeah the immersion has certainly been kicked up quite a bit this year. Sound is still a question since I have not really had a chance to really sit and experience crowd/commentary in a suitable environment.

Quote: Originally Posted by DGMikeBarker

How was the backpedaling? Did DB's backpedal just as fast as WR sprinting?

Again, I've seen the conversation on the NCAA forums about stuff like this, but it's hard for me to really say without actual analysis like some of you guys have had the opportunity to do.

Quote: Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Thanks for the honest preview. Seems like little additions here and there and the bulk of the continent is the same. EA really just does not want to push the limits, and after playing NBA2k11, i dont think i could handle another mediocre and bland game of madden.

I've seen a couple comparisons to NBA 2K, so I feel like I should clear up I guess this misconception. For YEARS NBA 2K -- much like The Show up until this year -- got crap for not being revolutionary enough or not taking enough risks or whatever you want to call it. NBA 2K11 added some really helpful new things to the controls this year, and also redid dribbling -- also really helpful. But in the grand scheme of things, on the court it's the same game it has been for years. But the point is that NBA 2K did not get to where it is making these MASSIVE, ground-breaking achievements on a yearly basis. They found a base (and an engine) that was really good, sound and customizable, and have done an incredible job building and adding to it on a yearly basis.

What you want sounds more like what NBA Elite attempted in one year than anything else.