Madden NFL 11 Hands-On Impressions (Kotaku)

[beastwork]

so you're saying that all these years "ask madden" has been a farce? Egad!

side note

if i was an NFL coach i would pay a statistician to compile a database of every team's play calling tendencies in a variety of down and distance situations. I'm talking personell packages, formations, play selection, ball placement, anything



and then i would upload it all to an ipad. all my plays would be sorted into situational categories. I would have that joint with me on the field instead of that silly laminated play sheet. within about 5 touches of the screen i would have the perfect play selected.

[Flamehead]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

As I understand, EA went around and asked coaches and players about the playcalling.(based on the ESPN videogames article) The coaches and players told EA no one has 300 plays called during one game. Seems like they did their research in that area. The difference between 10 and 11 is that EA scouted the tendencies on yardage and down situations on 11. It was more random based on other Maddens.

I hear you. Until I see it in action (and the more I read), it has a feel to me of simply being a robust, customizable “Ask Madden”, regardless of the label or marketing term.

Almost as if EA (in their goal of courting and attracting casual gamers) set out to give “Ask Madden” a facelift to provide more emphasis on the feature and say to the casual masses “see, it’s easier now more than ever!” to increase sales.

The question then arises, how do you spin it to the less casual, sim-oriented without angering them, since it’s an obvious move to garner more casual players?

Answer: you call it “gameplanning”, because you now customize the plays that are given to you by the cpu instead of it being random. Only now, you call the cpu the “coordinator”.

That’s the conspiracy theorist in me. I’ll give it a shot and if I don’t like it, I’ll just turn it off, no harm, no foul.

[coogrfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Flamehead

I hear you. Until I see it in action (and the more I read), it has a feel to me of simply being a robust, customizable “Ask Madden”, regardless of the label or marketing term. Almost as if EA (in their goal of courting and attracting casual gamers) set out to give “Ask Madden” a facelift to provide more emphasis on the feature and say to the casual masses “see, it’s easier now more than ever!” to increase sales. The question then arises, how do you spin it to the less casual, sim-oriented without angering them, since it’s an obvious move to garner more casual players? Answer: you call it “gameplanning”, because you now customize the plays that are given to you by the cpu instead of it being random. Only now, you call the cpu the “coordinator”. That’s the conspiracy theorist in me. I’ll give it a shot and if I don’t like it, I’ll just turn it off, no harm, no foul.

See, I just don't understand how any of that can be seen as bad.

[Flamehead]

Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

See, I just don't understand how any of that can be seen as bad.

In and of itself it probably isn't, especially if you don't have an issue with customizing your own "Ask Madden". If some people like it, more power to them.

My only point is that other than it being customizable, I'm not sure how the "Ask Madden" is any different. Now of course, the fact that it's customizable may be all the difference in the world for some, and if that's the case, then that may be my answer right there.

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bgamer90

Still doesn't mean they won't be in. Some of you guys may be complaining over things that are already in the game but just haven't been announced yet.

If it is in the game, then they have done a poor job releasing information. You should lead with the small items that fans requested such as customized playbooks and in game saves, before releasing ground breaking features such as GameFlow that appear to try to solve aspects of the same problem that fans were asking to be addressed.

[Jukeman]

Whether or not its a revamped ask madden..

its a step in the right direction...Ask Madden needed to be fix since it was called ask coach back in 2000.... nothing is bad about the news

[NoTiCe_O]

I can see that Gameflow is NOT just an upgraded ask Madden.

The developers took info and statistics on what Teams like to run in certain situations IRL: 1st and 10, 2nd and long, 3rd and short, 3rd and long etc. Not only that but they actually watched game film of every individual teams offense/defense and how they play throughout a real life game.

Then based on the situation in Madden 11 (3rd and long, 2nd and inches) they have an upgraded A.I (O.C) call a play that the team would actually call in that situation IRL. Without going into any playcall screens. Then if you want you can set up your own gameplan (turning you into the coach) and have to ability to decide what plays the cpu (O.C) calls in those same situations (3rd and long/short, 1st and 10 etc.) based on what plays you choose and are comfortable with and know how to execute. That's sim IMO, and more than just a upgraded Ask Madden

This can open up so many possibilities for the strategical element in Franchise mode, you could scout other teams offenses and defenses, and know what plays they run the most in certain situations, like real life. Get an idea of how you should set up your gameplan for the next game, what plays you should keep/take out. I remember a certain madden having the ability to look at your opponent for the weeks most run plays before you went into the game in Franchise mode.

I think we're in for a good franchise mode this year with Gameflow and the presentation upgrades. Things like cut scenes of Peyton Manning getting off the bus to head into the Stadium like one article described is just another piece to add that realism.

Gameflow is an excellent idea IMO, and is something that i will definitely be using this year. Watch out for me online my gameplan is going to be something serious. Bill Bellicheck-esque

Not to mention: (YOU CAN TURN IT OFF!)

[Jukeman]

Quote: Originally Posted by NoTiCe_O

I can see that Gameflow is NOT just an upgraded ask Madden. The developers took info and statistics on what Teams like to run in certain situations IRL: 1st and 10, 2nd and long, 3rd and short, 3rd and long etc. Not only that but they actually watched game film of every individual teams offense/defense and how they play throughout a real life game. Then based on the situation in Madden 11 (3rd and long, 2nd and inches) they have an upgraded A.I (O.C) call a play that the team would actually call in that situation IRL. Without going into any playcall screens. Then if you want you can set up your own gameplan (turning you into the coach) and have to ability to decide what plays the cpu (O.C) calls in those same situations (3rd and long/short, 1st and 10 etc.) based on what plays you choose and are comfortable with and know how to execute. That's sim IMO, and more than just a upgraded Ask Madden This can open up so many possibilities for the strategical element in Franchise mode, you could scout other teams offenses and defenses, and know what plays they run the most in certain situations, like real life. Get an idea of how you should set up your gameplan for the next game, what plays you should keep/take out. I remember a certain madden having the ability to look at your opponent for the weeks most run plays before you went into the game in Franchise mode. I think we're in for a good franchise mode this year with Gameflow and the presentation upgrades. Things like cut scenes of Peyton Manning getting off the bus to head into the Stadium like one article described is just another piece to add that realism. Gameflow is an excellent idea IMO, and is something that i will definitely be using this year. Watch out for me online my gameplan is going to be something serious. Bill Bellicheck-esque Not to mention: (YOU CAN TURN IT OFF!)

Not to mention that if all this info can be translated into how the CPU plays...

People just need a "Strategy Pad"