Madden NFL 13 Gameplay Impressions

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by SageInfinite

I mean correct me if I'm wrong, but the icons don't blink or flash, they just don't appear until the receiver is looking. It's not like you can't throw the ball. I am all for options though, so I feel you.

If you mean they literally disappear until the receiver is expecting the ball, I don't think that's how it works. They seem to be "faded/grayed out" or transparent, then become "lit up" or fully solid when the receiver is expecting the ball.

On another note, I have long wanted an option to completely get rid of pass icons and instead custom map or designated the button for each receiver pregame and preplay.

I think the more that can be done to add optional mechanics to diminish the requirement for arcadey visual meters and indicators in any simulation video game, the better the overall immersion.

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Senator Palmer

I know that I've heard the devs on both games say that the icons don't light up until the receiver is actually "looking for the ball", but from what I've seen, it looks like the icon lights up when the receiver reaches a certain point in his route -- not when he's looking, but when the timing is right to throw. In one of the NCAA vids and in a Madden one, I saw a receiver's icon light up while his back was still to the QB.

You're right -- it's not always an indicator of when the receiver is actually looking. The way it's tuned allows you to anticipate your throws like the pros do.

There were times I could throw the ball prior to his icon turning on b/c I knew the receiver would get his head around before the ball got there.

[GiantBlue76]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

If you mean they literally disappear until the receiver is expecting the ball, I don't think that's how it works. They seem to be "faded/grayed out" or transparent, then become "lit up" or fully solid when the receiver is expecting the ball. On another note, I have long wanted an option to completely get rid of pass icons and instead custom map or designated the button for each receiver pregame and preplay. I think the more that can be done to add optional mechanics to diminish the requirement for arcadey visual meters and indicators in any simulation video game, the better the overall immersion.

Being the old fart that I am, I do believe there were games back in the day that actually allowed for NOT having passing icons. it gave a much more "free" feeling when it came to passing and added a lot more challenge. I think it was an iteration of Joe Montana football on the Genesis, but I could be mistaken. I really think it would be awesome and would add to the challenge of passing. I think the problem lies within the implementation of Madden's passing game. There seem to be too many "hot and cold" spots on the field that result in pre-determined outcomes when you throw the ball. I hate that. it gives you the feeling the play was scripted from the beginning regardless of your decisions or your execution. There should be a lot more incomplete passes in Madden to go along with many less interceptions. Passing should be difficult due to the combination of the proper timing between the QB and receiver AND the defensive positioning on the field AND the athletic abilities of the players involved. Not because I threw it when the receiver was in a dead spot, or the defender warped and made a superhuman physical move to get to the ball.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by tazdevil20

Agreed on all counts here as well. It is a glaring indication (as I stated in another post last week) that the emphasis from Tiburon is still on a casual arcade player who needs help. User catching will now be easier because they want the casual, one game per week guy or 10 year old to be able to feel like he has user control. I'll reserve judgement until i try it out, but right now, I'm not overly impressed. The idea of it and the intention is good, but once again, the implementation appears to suck, like most things in Madden. I am really fairly certain that the Madden team does not have the best of programmers. The design is fairly sound (and it should be since you have the biggest blueprint on earth for your designs - the actual NFL) but the implementation is usually pretty poor. We'll have to wait and see what the demo says.

It's funny how I seem to have a totally different POV about the new User catch assist than most people. lol

I couldn't stand the way in M12, a User could take control of a receiver and completely run off the route all over the field, like some chicken with its' head cut off but still get back to make the catch. It seems that this feature, along with the alleged more realistic ball flight speeds, will make that "tactic" less effective.

I could be completely or partially fooling myself but I get the sense that this EA football team wants and plans to subtly and sometimes blatantly "encourage" realistic game play. Like I stated before, it's not being touted a lot by the devs but Shopmaster mentioned in his impressions "Gone are the days of dropping back 20 yards and throwing the ball on a rope" but the devs are simply generally stating "it's more realistic to just let the QB auto dropback if you don't know the proper depth". lol

While marketing speak is still understandably casual friendly, that doesn't seem to apply as much to the core game design, as in the past, imo.

[SteelerSpartan]

Don't forget guys....this is all a part of helping the cpu QBs progression too....I think they were really aiming to try an get more targets for the 1WRs

[GiantBlue76]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

It's funny how I seem to have a totally different POV about the new User catch assist than most people. lol I couldn't stand the way in M12, a User could take control of a receiver and completely run off the route all over the field, like some chicken with its' head cut off but still get back to make the catch. It seems that this feature, along with the alleged more realistic ball flight speeds, will make that "tactic" less effective. I could be completely or partially fooling myself but I get the sense that this EA football team wants and plans to subtly and sometimes blatantly "encourage" realistic game play. Like I stated before, it's not being touted a lot by the devs but Shopmaster mentioned in his impressions "Gone are the days of dropping back 20 yards and throwing the ball on a rope" but the devs are simply generally stating "it's more realistic to just let the QB auto dropback if you don't know the proper depth". lol While marketing speak is still understandably casual friendly, that doesn't seem to apply as much to the core game design, as in the past, imo.

that's encouraging to hear. Just when i saw that they wanted to make user catching "easier", I cringed. I agree 100% that I could not STAND it when a guy would circle around foolishly and then make a crazy leaping catch. However, I did feel that it was too easy to make a circus catch in coverage. I could literally make 4 or 5 ridiculous catches a game with Hakeem Nicks by simply lofting it up into coverage. It was terrible. 4 or 5 of those types of catches in a SEASON is crazy, never mind 4 or 5 in a game.

[Illustrator76]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

It's funny how I seem to have a totally different POV about the new User catch assist than most people. lol I couldn't stand the way in M12, a User could take control of a receiver and completely run off the route all over the field, like some chicken with its' head cut off but still get back to make the catch. It seems that this feature, along with the alleged more realistic ball flight speeds, will make that "tactic" less effective. I could be completely or partially fooling myself but I get the sense that this EA football team wants and plans to subtly and sometimes blatantly "encourage" realistic game play. Like I stated before, it's not being touted a lot by the devs but Shopmaster mentioned in his impressions "Gone are the days of dropping back 20 yards and throwing the ball on a rope" but the devs are simply generally stating "it's more realistic to just let the QB auto dropback if you don't know the proper depth". lol While marketing speak is still understandably casual friendly, that doesn't seem to apply as much to the core game design, as in the past, imo.

I think you are reaching my friend, because you want so badly for Madden 13 to be good. The devs have already stated that they want to make user catching "easier", combine that with the fact that they also said that you can still throw the ball "when the receiver isn't ready" and manually take over the WR to attempt a user catch (along with zig-zagging still appearing very prominently), and you can color me extremely concerned. I can't say for sure who this dev team is "targeting", but until they stop sacrificing realism for the sake of being so extremely "user friendly", then I think the hardcore guys are going to continue to be disappointed.

This is honestly the LEAST hyped for Madden and NCAA that I think I have ever been. I'm just tired of the band-aid fixes and head-scratching additions (e.g. the aforementioned dimmed out passing icons).

I'M TIRED OF THIS MESS, FOR GOD'S SAKE I WANT REAL FOOTBALL. Little Timmy can go play Madden Arcade.

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by SageInfinite

I mean correct me if I'm wrong, but the icons don't blink or flash, they just don't appear until the receiver is looking. It's not like you can't throw the ball. I am all for options though, so I feel you.

Exactly -- that's why I think CMLeague was on point when he said people are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It seems like some sort of distraction when you play it out in your mind, but once you play the game, it's something subtle that adds a layer of realism to the game.

We're all entitled to different opinions, but I certainly wouldn't label some sort of training wheels. It was perhaps my favorite gameplay enhancement when I played the game in February. It added a game within a game.

I recall playing against Azure (Sim Standard). Of course I had my Cowboys. One of my go to plays is hit Witten on a streak or post coming off the LOS. With the receiver awareness, when I fired the pass, it hit him in the back. I was salty, but I loved it.