Madden NFL 25 Hands On Impressions, Three Articles From UTC

[JerseySuave4]

Its sad when you're touting the run game as a big new improvement and it still looks bad and the last gen of systems had MUCH better running motions as well as unique running motions.

[slick589]

One of my big problems with madden is their language. I played RB at a D3 school and know many people who have played RB at equal or higher levels than myself...and not once has any one of us said " did you see me string that combo together in the backfield!!"

Madden is still going through an identity crisis after 8 sub par releases on HD consoles. Adding things in like XP from role playing games and now stringing together combos like fighting games. Madden doesn't realize that all it needs to do to be good is be a real football game. The most basic parts of football, running, tackling, blocking, and catching if all done even average at best by EA would make the game great. As it stands the fundamentals of the game are ignored for gimmicks and arcadey features.

The Show and NBA 2k followed similar paths. Get the fundamentals down then focus on the little things/nuances that make people love the respective sport. Until madden can get the fundamentals right we will never see a level of detail similar to those games, where people at times have to double take to see if it real or a video game.

[TreFacTor]

Quote: Originally Posted by slick589

One of my big problems with madden is their language. I played RB at a D3 school and know many people who have played RB at equal or higher levels than myself...and not once has any one of us said " did you see me string that combo together in the backfield!!" Madden is still going through an identity crisis after 8 sub par releases on HD consoles. Adding things in like XP from role playing games and now stringing together combos like fighting games. Madden doesn't realize that all it needs to do to be good is be a real football game. The most basic parts of football, running, tackling, blocking, and catching if all done even average at best by EA would make the game great. As it stands the fundamentals of the game are ignored for gimmicks and arcadey features. The Show and NBA 2k followed similar paths. Get the fundamentals down then focus on the little things/nuances that make people love the respective sport. Until madden can get the fundamentals right we will never see a level of detail similar to those games, where people at times have to double take to see if it real or a video game.

They are listening. I can see some of the issues I myself have had with Madden this gen, and can see some of the suggestions that we as vocal simulation football gamers have provided in the improvements, but it's the execution....it always comes down to how do they get it done and that is the most disappointing part this generation of Madden. It's truly disheartening to see the run free video and see that all of the running backs ran the same. The only difference they will have is their ability to freeze or otherwise manipulate the defensive ai into performing certain animations (however physics based) and the tree of available moves according to ratings. As I have the last 3 games, I'm going to wait to see what the first few patches are supposed to fix before I even think about picking the game up (at a reduced cost of course).

[slick589]

Last year when Greg Schiano took over the Bucs in order to change the culture he instilled the idea of "The Buccaneer Way" basically doing everything the way it was supposed to be done from eating breakfast to lining up on the field. There was a rhyme and reason for everything and all I's and T's had to be perfectly dotted and crossed. The result was a turn around that not many people expected and 7 wins for a coach fresh out of the college game.

I say this because EA does things "The EA Way". They differ from Schiano because there is no attention to detail. They do things for hoots and no real rhyme or reason.

EA attempts to make it look like they are listening to the sim consumers like us but it is really a façade. A few iterations ago they add signature running animations only to completely remove them. Madden 10 locomotion featured better foot planting but it was removed for madden 11. Throwing animations for qbs have not been updated in some time. Player faces have not been scanned into the game even for many marquee players like Arian Foster. Physics was added last year but what we got was not really physics but a dynamic tackle engine that didn't take into account weight strength or inertia. OL/DL interaction has not been touched in years even though sim heads have clamoured for it and wr/db interaction is not far behind it.

EA tells sim guys what they want to hear and maybe they do actually make changes to the game that we asked for but they are always have done or half thought out then not touched again for several years.

[infemous]

"When you add in the fact that “zig-zag” running has pretty much been eliminated and foot planting animations are heavily in effect…"

Pretty much isn't good enough.

If I can weave as a Running back in Madden 25, I will refrain from purchasing.

[infemous]

Quote: Originally Posted by RGiles36

Me as well -- what tempers that stamina excitement a bit is that they allowed the auto-sub settings to not work in CCM all year in M13. For the stamina impact to be maximized, they must fix the auto subs in their career mode(s).

And stamina must have an affect throughout the season.

A player with 70 stamina/injury/toughness would probably get injured before he got to 200 carries... while a 99 in all those categories RB would be able to survive 350 carries.

[slick589]

Quote: Originally Posted by infemous

And stamina must have an affect throughout the season. A player with 70 stamina/injury/toughness would probably get injured before he got to 200 carries... while a 99 in all those categories RB would be able to survive 350 carries.

This.

I'd love to see this along with a wear and tear injury system tied to the injury rating. Have a guy with 70 injury and a sprained ankle linger longer than a guy with 90 injury. Also the guy with 70 injury has more of a chance of re injuring that same ankle over his career.

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by slick589

This. I'd love to see this along with a wear and tear injury system tied to the injury rating. Have a guy with 70 injury and a sprained ankle linger longer than a guy with 90 injury. Also the guy with 70 injury has more of a chance of re injuring that same ankle over his career.

The bold is already accomplished in the game to an extent via the Toughness rating; that rating affects the severity of injuries endured and their duration.

To the larger point, a revision to the injury system to allow for a player medical history and recurring injuries would be a great addition.