How to Make Madden 10 Challenging

[Valdarez]

Posted this initially in the sliders section, but it's really applicable to everyone who plays Madden 10 in offline franchise. Enjoy!

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Madden 10 is a step in the right direction for the series, but problems with passing, coverage, physics, momentum, and footwork continue to plague the game wreaking havoc on the outcome of plays. For this reason many people do not find Madden Challenging are unable to reproduce realistic statistics in their offline Franchise games.

The best way to make the game challenging is to use a set of sliders. If you enjoy Slow or Very Slow Speed, then I suggest using the NFL Simulation Sliders which are tuned for 15 minute games using a 25 second runoff, or if they are not your cup of tea to try out other sliders that gamers have worked on available in the Madden 10 Sliders Forum with a nice list to all available sliders being maintained in the Madden 10 Sliders Guide which is organized by Game Speed making it easy to determine which slider you'll be interested in trying.

Once you find a slider that plays the way you think the game should play, either by representing the game better (proper blocking, running, turn overs, number of plays in a game) you will more than likely need to make the game more challenging, especially the longer you play the game as you become more proficient with your stick skills and your play calling.

In order to make the game more challenging, I have put together a set of ways to play the game that make it more, and more challenging. Try out the Challenges below and tailor the game until you find a point that provides a challenge for you when you play.


The Power Player Rules are can be applied to any of the Challenges below. Think of the Challenges as 'modes' to play the game in and the Power Player Rules as configurations for the modes. Use none, some, or all of the Power Player Rules to make the game more challenging. Remember, the goal is to make the game fun/challenging for you, not frustrating, but fun and challenging.

When playing the game, try the following:

Limit Punt/Kick Return TDs
It's too easy to run back kick returns and punt returns for TDs or really big yardage plays. In order to limit the effectiveness of returns, try the following:

• Do Not Use the Turbo Button (makes it nigh impossible to run one back)
• Allow the CPU to run it back for you (should only get about 1 or 2 kick returns per season, which is about average)

Remove Money Plays
Lets face it, there are problems with the AI that we simply can't fix with sliders. When you find a play that the AI can't cover, then take it out of the playbook. Do not call the play. Money plays ruin any semblance of realism. You can't have realistic games using plays that AI can't defend.

Running plays that you may find overpowering on offense include:

• Toss Play
• Power O Play
• Sweeps

Passing plays that you may find overpowering on offense include:

• Floods
• Throws to the Flats
• Screens

Limit Offensive Adjustments

• No Hot Routes
• No Line Adjustments
• No Movement
• No Audibles
• No Throws to Flats
• No Screens

Limit Defensive Adjustments

• No Hot Man Assignments
• No Hot Blitz Assignments
• No Hot Zone Assignments
• No Audibles
• No Defensive Line Adjustments
• No LB Adjustments
• No CB/Safeties Adjustments

Please sound off if there are any other items I have left off that could be applied to make the game more challenging.


The Rookie Challenge is fairly straight forward. The Rookie Challenge implies that you are doing the following:

• Using a Challenging Slider Set
• Calling your Own Plays

The Madden Challenge makes things a little more complicated by using the 'Ask Madden' feature of the game. The Madden Challenge implies that you are doing the following:

• Using 'Ask Madden' for all offensive and defensive plays
• Picking any play provided by the 'Ask Madden' feature

The All Madden Challenge makes things even more complicated by using the 'Ask Madden' feature of the game and limiting players to only one button choice (X, A, or Y). The All Madden Challenge implies that you are doing the following:

• Using 'Ask Madden' for all offensive defensive plays
• Selecting a button choice at the start of the game (X, A, or Y) and only use that button choice to select from the first set of plays offered by the 'Ask Madden' feature.

The Legendary Challenge is the hardest way to play the game. How is this accomplished? By changing the Play Call Style available in Settings > Game Options > Play Call Style to 'Beginner'.

One would think that Beginner would be the easiest way to play the game right? Wrong. Beginner only gives players one play to play from at the play call screen. In addition, once you are to the line it's impossible to make any audibles, hot rots, or changes in coverage. Pretty much all you can do is select a player and control this player. The Legendary Challenge implies that you are doing the following:

• Using the 'Beginner' setting in the Settings > Game Options > Play Call Style menu.

Summary
Remember the goal is to make the game game more challenging in order for gamers to have more fun while playing it. The Challenge you need to use and the Power Player Rules options are completely up to you. Play the game how you want to in order to enjoy it!


Credits
Many of the ideas provided in this guide were obtained from reading a multitude of threads on the forums. Unfortunately I gained this knowledge over time and did not track who or where I obtained the information provided. Please recognize this writing as an accumulation of the OS community knowledge.

[DLaren]

...or you could just play the game in coach-mode .

[KBLover]

I've yet to have any overpowered run plays unless the sliders make it too easy to run.

The only one that might be close is the stretch plays and even then, only if the OLBs and CB aren't good in run support or aren't looking outside run.

Sweeps? Toss? Power O? You must have an awesome O-line.

Floods might depend on the QB. With Pat White...there's no overpowered passes...

As far as offensive adjustments, I play with 25 sec run off, so there's not really enough time to go into motion or such and I don't use hot routes.

As far as defensive adjustments - the defensive AI stinks too bad for me to enjoy making no adjustments, imo. I would be frustrated to no end. I don't mind losing or having to play hard to win, but I don't want frustration in the process - at least not unrealistic frustration.

[Valdarez]

I'm only listed plays that I found low risk high reward, which is my definition of an over powered play.

[adam45h]

Two money defensive plays I've come across are any man defense where the two CB's blitz, and anything in the 1-5-5. The CB blitz results in a sack more than any other play because they close in too quickly for the QB to throw it away usually, the 1-5-5 is just a freakin' beast, it's not even fair.

Offensively I think the power O on goal line is a TD 9 times out of 10, but toss plays I'm not so sure of. They actually scare me because I've had a LB pick off the toss and I've had my QB lob it 10 yards back for a turnover, so I don't even try those anymore. Throwing it to the flats I agree with, but you kind of have to sometimes. I think the bigger problem there, for me at least, is that once the RB or HB or whoever gets it there it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to take him down before he picks up 20 yards.

[Valdarez]

On Toss plays when the blocks are picked up properly, then there's typically only 1 player you have to make miss, and then it's to the house for 7. If you follow the blocks and hit it right, you can make at least a 10 yard gain every other time. It's not guaranteed, but a majority of the time you're going to have a big play or a TD.

[adam45h]

One other thing I do to make it more interesting is run interception and fumble returns either out of bounds or into a defensive group. If I break a few tackles then I'll keep going and return it for a TD, but this at least gives them a chance because the pursuit angles are soooooo crappy. They pretty much just try and get behind you, like it's some kind of drafting technique from racing! I do this on long TD's too where it's obvious a safety or whoever would've been able to cut me off but instead decided to line up behind me.

[Valdarez]

Good point, I think they tend to throw a high number of interceptions on out plays or to the flats as well where there is only one receiver there who could actually make the play, so if you shed him, you're on your way to the big house.