Madden NFL 11 Video: Ian Cummings Talks Game Plan

[InSainn]

I think before it's all said and done this feature will be the best thing that ever happened to Madden. It's true to how a coach actually calls and plans for a game with the option of going in and switching it up if adjustments need to be made. I see everyone here saying that coaches call their plays based on what the other team is doing. Not true at all. To an extent they do but always within the guidelines of that weeks gameplan, thus why teams make HALFTIME adjustments. Coaches don't adjust their gameplan on the fly, if something needs serious adjustment they do it at halftime. Also, I'm hoping that with every situation we'll have a different set of audibles to choose from at the line if we see something in the defense we can exploit. This, along with the new locomotion has me excited for Madden again for the first time in, well, ever, as I've always felt Madden was a subpar game compared to the football games released by Sega/2K and 989/SCEA. But I think this year they may finally be giving us a real football game and not some arcadish and dull pseudo-sim. Watching the locomotion videos really takes me back to NFL 94 Starring Joe Montana for the Sega Genesis, which to this day is still the best football game ever made when compared to the technology available in it's day. Just the way the movements look so fluid...

[johnnyg713]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bootzilla

Vs. the cpu you can do this it seems by going through other teams default gameplans. On 3rd and short the Dolphins may be likely to go to the Wildcat, the Ravens may be likely to go with a jumbo package, and the Broncos may look to spread you out and throw a bubble screen. In the default gameplan, the plays they're morelikely to call will have more stars next to it I would imagine.

Right.. what I was getting at was they should sort of restrict how much you see depending on your scouting level

[at23steelers]

I really like this feature. Now, I can stick to the gameplan, and not shy away from it, when I get too lazy to have to scroll through all the plays and find a good one. I really hope they do add a lot more formations and plays to the playbooks specifically designed for that team. The Steelers D playbook is so generic and pretty much the same as any other 3-4 playbook in the game. I know Dick Lebeau likes to blitz a lot, but most of the plays in the playbook don't reflect that. I am all for Lebeau now calling the plays for me, if they are similar to the ones he runs in real life.

[granddogg]

this looks like a good thing......p.s. why are people coming in these treads just to hate..lmao

[beastwork]

Quote: Originally Posted by granddogg

this looks like a good thing......p.s. why are people coming in these treads just to hate..lmao

nothing better to do i guess.

this is a pretty solid upgrade. its not a gameplay improvement but quite honestly, i will use the heck out of this. I won't let the computer call my plays but having my favorite plays at arms length without sifting through hundreds of plays is a God send.

that said, this addition does not justify a purchase for me

[PVarck31]

Quote: Originally Posted by granddogg

this looks like a good thing......p.s. why are people coming in these treads just to hate..lmao

You've been here for 3 years and you have to ask that question.

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by NYyankz225

Can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with Valdarez. Online especially, people tend to attack the same section of the field or run certain patterns until you stop it. That's actually how a real NFL team would call plays, depending on your school of thought. A team will constantly run crossing routes if you can't stop it. If I see a team doing that I'll probably stop using man coverage. How does Game Plan take any of this into account? This Game Plan (as far as we know) is not taking the actual plays that occur in a game into consideration. It's nice that it takes down and distance into account, but because it doesn't factor in the routes they run this actually takes away our ability to strategize and you could end up getting beat anyway. So what if the game knows the Packers run out of Shotgun on 1st downs? What's important is, does the game know that they run slants and then more importantly if you're on the opposing team, will the Game Plan suggestion on defense recognize that and call a play that might stop that? Gameplanning for a 3 receiver set means nothing imo...that's too general.

Odds of probability were in my favor.

It's a good question though. If a team is running the ball, does your OC know to make the appropriate adjustments? I was thinking of it more from an offensive standpoint. For example, if my opponent is showing man/bump all game long, I'm going to start throwing some screen plays, throw arrow routes that break the bump coverage, use motion to get off the coverage, or try to run it on him from unexpected formations. I don't see how the game can take that into account as it's not a situation. Conversely, if I see a particular type of zone coverage being called, Cover 2, Cover 3, or Cover 4 repeatedly, I'm going to shred the zones with appropriate passing routes. Those aren't situations, those are reacting to the player and their defense. That's how I would play online.

I could give the examples for the defense as well. The situation is part of how you call a game, but taking advantage of what your opponent is showing you is just as integral to effective play calling.

[lolfalconsbeatu]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

Odds of probability were in my favor. It's a good question though. If a team is running the ball, does your OC know to make the appropriate adjustments? I was thinking of it more from an offensive standpoint. For example, if my opponent is showing man/bump all game long, I'm going to start throwing some screen plays, throw arrow routes that break the bump coverage, use motion to get off the coverage, or try to run it on him from unexpected formations. I don't see how the game can take that into account as it's not a situation. Conversely, if I see a particular type of zone coverage being called, Cover 2, Cover 3, or Cover 4 repeatedly, I'm going to shred the zones with appropriate passing routes. Those aren't situations, those are reacting to the player and their defense. That's how I would play online. I could give the examples for the defense as well. The situation is part of how you call a game, but taking advantage of what your opponent is showing you is just as integral to effective play calling.

This how I play online, and I think all games should be played like this -- football is a chess match.