Madden NFL 10: The Game Which Almost Was

[Rocky]

Quote: Originally Posted by CreatineKasey

The big word I'll be looking for is "locomotion". Updated running animations and momentum to go with them is high on my wishlist.

OL/DL play (still...after 20 years....still), is on the top of my wishlist. IMO, alot of Madden's problems still from the interaction (or lack thereof) of the trenches.

[Tito78]

Quote: Originally Posted by wEEman33

Regardless of where Madden's at right now in terms of overall quality, I think the strides they made this year are more significant than any other year since the PS2 days. NFL 2K5 wasn't built in a day. An in that sense, I like the team that is in charge of Madden now and expect them to keep taking big steps forward, like they've made this year. Madden really has improved more from 09 - 10 than any other year in the franchise's history since 03 - 04 or 04 - 05.

Madden 10 is the 5th version of the game released on next-gen consoles; I'm sick of hearing that more time is needed. We, the fan base, have been patient enough.

The team isn't all that different. A lot of the people on staff who developed Madden 10, developed 06, 07, 08 and 09.

This is the fifth version on next gen that has failed to surpass the current gen versions.

They made strides, but they're so far behind that those strides are insignificant.

[Hero_]

Anyone else think the best way to improve Madden is to NOT making any big changes and additions and just spend all the time and effort improving what already exists in the game?

It seems like every year EA comes up with new additions to the game which only causes new problems for everyone to complain about and neglects other smaller issues which could really improve the game.

Also, it seems like anytime EA adds something new to the game, it is exaggerated in the game play. Animations such as 1-handed catches, and tackles that have WRs doing flips happen multiple times every game when they should be rare. One of the suggestions by the article is a QB rating for throwing off the back foot. It wouldn't surprise me if QBs with high ratings for that would start throwing a ridiculous amounts of their throws off their back foot and being un-sackable in every game.

[Artman22]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

I gave Madden 10 a shot but my two of my biggest disappointments in it were the camera angles and the fact it's not college football. Obviously they can fix the first issue and not the second. I think Madden 10 was a lot better than NCAA 10 in my short time with it but the lousy camera angles in both games really hurt my enjoyment of the game. Some of us use to play with the blimp camera on the PS2 and like a higher point of view camera. Some of us loved the custom camera angles we used to get in the older versions. Bring some of those options back and I'll be much happier. Lastly (and this is for Madden and NCAA 11) I think the game needs to go back to being fun. I think a lot of criticism of these games, and I include myself in this, is that the game isn't realistic enough. Whether the 3-4 doesn't generate enough pass rush, the NT isn't occupying enough double teams, the sim stats aren't right, etc, etc. Guess what, none of that stuff was done that well on the PS2 and many of the critics talk openly about how great the PS2 versions were (NCAA 04 or NCAA 06, Madden 03 or Madden 05). The PS2 versions had lousy line play when you compared it to real life. It was Tecmo style wrestling in the trenches but the game produced decent results and we liked it. One of the things I liked about NCAA 06 were the impact players. I loved seeing the great players dominate and instill fear in you from both an offensive and defensive perspective. I'd like to see a big difference between good and bad players even if it breaks the sim rules. I'd like to see a bigger difference between scat backs breaking my ankles with crazy juke moves versus power backs running me over (and let me do it too). I want the deep ball to be easier to complete for both me and the cpu. Big plays are fun! People want realism but taking a sack or throwing the ball away has never been part of the fun football games in the past. People do need to look at why they loved the football games of the past and compare what those games did versus what we are asking these new games to do. In many ways they oppose each other. Be careful what we wish for. Maybe someone will build a great football game that is truly sim AND fun. But I'll settle for fun at the moment. It's been awhile.

This is because madden on ps2 has smooth looking animations also. Madden 11 should really focus on making the animations smooth because they have been terrible on next gen. Especially the running animations..

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hero_

Anyone else think the best way to improve Madden is to NOT making any big changes and additions and just spend all the time and effort improving what already exists in the game? It seems like every year EA comes up with new additions to the game which only causes new problems for everyone to complain about and neglects other smaller issues which could really improve the game. Also, it seems like anytime EA adds something new to the game, it is exaggerated in the game play. Animations such as 1-handed catches, and tackles that have WRs doing flips happen multiple times every game when they should be rare. One of the suggestions by the article is a QB rating for throwing off the back foot. It wouldn't surprise me if QBs with high ratings for that would start throwing a ridiculous amounts of their throws off their back foot and being un-sackable in every game.

Agreed for the most part. I still think that things like signature styles would be nice, but from a game play stand point I agree. I felt that Madden 01-07 on last gen did what you are asking for while adding thigns like the playmaker tool, hit stick, truck stick/highlight stick, etc. I never played 01, but I played 02-08 on last gen and 08-10 on my 360. When I play 07 on my friend's PS2 with him [franchise mode baby!], I notice a lot that is the same, a lot that is better on next gen I miss and a lot of things I miss from that game in the next gen games.

I think one way to put it, M10 has a more simulation feel to it that any other version, but with a lot of flaws. Going back to older Madden games and the faster game speed and such makes them feel more arcade than M10 for sure.

[StormJH1]

This article kind of misses the elephant in the room, which is ProTak and the way the game PLAYS. Much, much improved in Madden 10, but I think it's also fair to say that with all the hype from Ian and the devs, it didn't quite live up to community expectations (or hopes).

ProTak is a great narrative about how an ideal football game should control, but when you actually went to play it, people found that they were still either locked into animations with minimal control, or seeing absurd results, like four tacklers bunching into a cluster, as the ball carrier breaks free of everybody and easily runs for a TD. I'm not saying it was a failure, but I really hope that they continue to work with it, and that they listened to people who felt that if fell a bit short in some areas.

[dfos81]

I expect them to improve upon Pro-Tak and that should go w/o saying, I'm just saying it anyway

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by StormJH1

This article kind of misses the elephant in the room, which is ProTak and the way the game PLAYS. Much, much improved in Madden 10, but I think it's also fair to say that with all the hype from Ian and the devs, it didn't quite live up to community expectations (or hopes). ProTak is a great narrative about how an ideal football game should control, but when you actually went to play it, people found that they were still either locked into animations with minimal control, or seeing absurd results, like four tacklers bunching into a cluster, as the ball carrier breaks free of everybody and easily runs for a TD. I'm not saying it was a failure, but I really hope that they continue to work with it, and that they listened to people who felt that if fell a bit short in some areas.

I agree with you about Pro-tak. I won't speak for what it allowed with branching animations, forming a pocket, what ever else it was supposed to do because I don't know, but as far as gang tackling, I think it's a terrible design.

What it did basically, is put 8 imaginary handles on your player like so.



The problem is, the defenders are often coming from the same point and can't latch on to handle #1 if another defender is there. The game has to move him over to handle #2 or #8 to get involved. The sliding that happens is just ugly and makes you feel cheated as a player.

I'm sure every other football game has some sort tackle points like this, but when you know its there and can watch the game moving the pieces into place like that, it kills any sense of realism.