Madden NFL 10 Patch #2 Available, Impressions Here (360)

[DGuinta1]

Nice to finally see the AI receivers catch the ball along the sidelines and turn up field!!!!

Is the AFL pack only good for one franchise season? Sorry to go off topic.

[randombrother]

I just got finished playing 3 games online with this. Won 2 lost 1

My impression is this, if this game continues to play the way these 3 games went then Madden has arrived. Things that I noticed were transition between animations seemed much more natural. The game used to feel ridiculous with the animations and the way tackles and such happened in the game. Physics seemed out the door but now things look ALOT better. I saw very little crazy tipped passes from defenders who in real life would have no play on the ball. Running game feels alot better with actual blocking. I thought the better blocking would break the game and have ridiculous runs going down. Not the case.

Before I'd throw picks that just didn't make any sense. You could see the CPU trying make things happen for an outcome regardless of what is happening on the field but the 3 games I've played every single pick I threw was clearly on me and I know it.

This game has totally changed in my opinion. This is just 3 games in mind you but stuff that happens on the field make sense now. Before the game felt like rock paper scissors but now it feels like football. I think EA is on to something with this patch.

EDIT: THIS is the best PR EA could do with Madden. I'm going to be blunt here. I had NO intention of getting Madden 11 at all. I didn't care what EA said. They could have brought Mike Singletary and Dick Butkus with Justin Tuck to my house telling me I'd better buy the game and we would have been throwing down before I put a dollar on 11. But this patch is the best move they could have made. Put your money where your mouth is and I believe they did it with this patch. Show and prove if you want my business and up until this morning they didn't but now they have. If 11 gets better than this then I can officially say Madden has a football game.

[Valdarez]

This was my impression from playing one game. I'm using the NFL Simulation sliders. My general take away is an utter sense of disgust at EA Sports refusing to remove the overlay Ads, frustration at interception slider not working properly (0 still results in INTs), and happiness over QBs no longer making poor passes and tucking the ball and running (I'll be able to alter the NFL Sliders now to better represent the game).

The Good

• CPU QB's are no longer throwing the ball to get rid of it when a play breaks down, instead choosing to tuck the ball and run, which is great. (so very nice to see!)
• CPU's QB appear to be making smarter reads / passes.
• Not as many duck throws by QBs, instead Sacks are occurring.
• Beginner Playcalling doesn't go for 2 when down in the 3rd now (this is random, so may not be a fix, so here's for hoping it sticks in future games)
• Blitzing did seem toned down.
• CPU kickers accuracy seems more accurate (initial impression, I have FG Accuracy at 15, may be wishful thinking, need more testing to verify)
• Chain Gang appears to be toned down (though still displayed twice)
• DBs continue to react better to the ball than WRs (actually start to make play on the ball 'right' as you press the throw button)

The Bad

• Overlay Ads are STILL in the game. So much for EA putting their consumers / fans first.
• QB's tuck the ball and run, but they get 5 yards past the line of scrimmage before the LBs react (this may be a slider issue)
• Still seeing LBs swatting down balls 10 yards off passes (mid 20 yard passes), which just isn't realistic no matter what sliders are employed.
• Outside edge still doesn't seal properly (personally, I don't mind this, but others may)
• Flats still open pretty much every play.
• Duck throws still appear to be primarily at the feet of the lineman or roughly to the line of scrimmage for some reason. (Was hit, had duck throw go to lineman which caught it and ran it back to 1 yard line in 1st game, INT settings are on 0)
• INT settings at 0 still allow interceptions to occur
• Not a single Penalty slider was fixed
• WR's are still beginning their catch animations (arms outstretched) 5+ yards too soon.
• Offensive line changes still appear to be counter intuitive (left to run right, right run left) due too suction blocking (possibly related to slider settings, but doubtful)
• Block pathing is still bad, bad, and more bad. Had several plays where my lead blocker ignored 2 guys right in front of him, just brushing them to try to block a guy 10 to 15 yards off the play. Why???
• Beginner Playcalling still calls a high amount of all out blitzes for the player (definitely not 'easier')
• Still able to run standard kickoff when the ball goes to the right / left back for large gains / TDs.
• No way to click through chain gang animation. (why MUST we watch it?)

[Blazzen]

I played about a quarter and a half during my lunch break.

Panthers (me) vs. Browns, preseason. Was using slightly modified DB's Stat Accurate sliders.

Score was 31-7 when I turned it off. This was mainly due to 2 forced fumbles, one which was returned for a TD, one that setup a short field for a quick TD.

Browns had one long touchdown on a play i blitzed and left a LB on a WR.

I was moving the ball with ease through the air. The lob passes seem much easier to get in, defenders not making superman plays batting the ball down with their backs turned over their shoulders.

Running seemed about the same for the user, but CPU running was getting stuffed a little bit. I did see blocking much improved as far as guys moving up to the next level to make blocks. I also saw defensive pursuit much improved.

Regarding the flats I had one screen pass that was stuffed on what seemed a man/cover 1 defense. I had another screen pass go for 15 yards because of DeAngelo breaking two tackles, defense was either cover 3 or cover 4 zone on a 3rd and 14.

Didn't see any extra replays on TDs, did see less of the chain gang.

Overall they did what they said they were going to do. Sliders will have to be tweaked a little bit but other than that pretty damn good.

Excited to get my franchise started.

[Jistic]

Someone check a Bears home franchise game and see if the noon games actually look like noon and not 4pm please.

[adfletch71]

Replays still not finishing after touchdowns, flats are still not cured yet. I'm on default settings and fatigue is at 65%. Cant even get the sack, wasnt EA suppose to do something about that after all the complaints? Is anyone getting a sack with there d-linemen? I have played 7 games now and havent gotten one sack with playing the d-lineman. U know this is absurd, we have complained about the o-line and d-line, ea has done nothing and yet they focus on helments, come on man!!! Anyone has sliders to help with this..please help, this is getting frustrating??

[bukktown]

Played 1 game on ALL PRO default and won 49-14, Vikes vs Pack. I really cant tell much difference in gameplay but I havent really played since september.

[TeamBuilder]

In 3 franchise games I've played I've returned about 10 kickoffs and there have been 4 holding calls... I'm hoping this is just unlucky and not something the patch broke.