All-Madden makes my offense + defense stupid (blown coverages, dropped passes, etc.)

[jimmiejohn]

(warning: long rant)

Ever since I brought Madden 10 in December, I've been soaking up as much football knowledge as I could. Reading defenses, know hot routes, know which routes work against what, etc. Flash-forward to April, and I'm confident in my ability to read defenses, audible, anticipate blitzes. I've been destroying teams by 80+ pts in Rookie, Pro, and 16+ pts on All-Pro so I believed I was ready to face the juggernaut...

Well after 30+ games of All-Madden with various teams, all I can say was that I foolishly ignored every warning.

I was warned that the CPU would make impossible plays. Warned that every safety is Usain Bolt and Ed Reed combined and would fly across the field to make an interception or swat the ball away. Warned that every CB is never beaten on a play, even if he is 10 yards away. Warned that audibles/hot routes/line shifts are useless.

I was warned that my receivers would drop easy passes (I average 10 drops a game on 5min quarters) all if I made all the correct reads. The number of times my receivers have dropped a easy catch-able ball with nobody around him has to be in the 200s by now.

The offensive line is inconsistent, as I get sacked twice a quarter (10 times in one game!!) I'm always checking Instant Replay to see which OL idiot stood there and let his man blow by him on a simple blitz. I'm throwing the ball away after 3sec in the pocket.

I'm pretty much afraid to run the ball because I always fumble every 3rd or 4th attempt. But I have to balance out the offensive so I'm forced to accept those 3 brain-searing fumbles a game. Even if they fumble the ball on the opponent's 1 yd line.

And on defense? Pretty much the same story. I never get pressure on the QB, who is Peyton Brady regardless of his rating is, unless I'm controlling one of the LBs. But that would mean I'm letting the CPU control my safeties who couldn't guard a one-legged Ted Ginn Jr... So I'm forced to pick my poison and defend the #1 WR. At least I took away his main weapon, right?

Dead wrong. I have guys like Michael Clayton and Darius Heyward-Bay going off for 150 yds against me. Peyton Brady only gets once a game, rarely gets intercepted because all my LBs, CBs, SSs, and FSs couldn't catch a CSI rerun (ha, ha). My secondary, like my offensive, drops 10 passes a game on average.

My QB is averaging three TDs, two INTs, and two fumbles a game. My RBs average 3 fumbles a game. My completion percentage is around 59. I understand making a game mode harder than All-Pro, but intentionally lowering the player's attributes?

This is my 4th Madden game on the 360 (07, 08, 09), first game I played All-Madden on, and I can safely say unless EA Sports fixes the fundamental problem surrounding it's games instead of putting a new coat of paint every year, I won't be buying the next Madden... but I say that every year.

[the_stig88]

Yeah all-madden is really a joke as far as I'm concerned. It doesn't really make it more difficult.. it just makes every aspect of your team crappier, and lets the computer cheat you over and over, on offense AND defense. Which is a shame, because in my opinion, all pro is way too easy. Wish there was another difficulty setting in between all-pro and all-madden.

My recommendation? Forget EA's warped difficulty settings, and just find a set of sliders on this site you like. Takes a little trial and error to find which suits you best, but trust me, they make a world of difference.

[jimmiejohn]

Definitely. Would you recommend any?

[cowboyscowboys]

Waits for All-Madden is easy I win by 40 pts a game. People who say this don't realize they have to play a totally lame (money plays) and unrealistic way to do this taking any fun and satisfaction away when accomplished. FYI I know from doing this myself and if you actually try to play some x and o's football be ready to turn the system off out of frustration.

[Boregard]

I gotta say that I can win on ALL-Madden, but like the previous post mentions it is in no way satisfying. You never get the feeling that you made a great play - and forget the CPU making one for you as one of your "teammates"!

This is one complaint I have always had about Madden as a game - even when you have 90+ rated players they play like crap on ALL-Madden unless you take control.

Say all you want about stick skills - I still say that great players in the game should play great on their own! Different people have different styles - and the guys who use strategy should be rewarded as much as stick skill players.

Really wish that they would build the game from ALL MADDEN and work back for easier levels rather than building on All-pro and making the AI cheat on ALL MADDEN which is what it has always felt like!

[TheSaint92]

I played one game on All Madden and that was a game on the Madden 10 demo. It had the be the worst game I've ever played. The computer's defenders made every play in the book. They caught every int that hit there hands and they made every tackle. My oline went from great to terrible, I couldn't run anywhere, my QB's accuracy was horrific, my receivers dropped a ton a passes. It just felt like it made the computer's players better and made mine worst too. And I don't suck because on All-Pro I always beat the computer. The jump from all-pro to all-madden is way too ridiculous.

[lilgame06]

i absolutely agree. I try to tell people that even EA admitted to All-Madden doesn't let players play to their ratings. I'm pretty sure i read that on this board around release time of Madden 10.

I'm in an online franchise right now with 32 people, and we're playing on All-Madden. The interception to touchdown ratios for each starting QB are ridiculous. I mean, you expect a few guys to have more INTs than TDs, you expect a few guys to have a lot more TDs than INTs, and you expect there to be a few guys who are on a 1:1 ratio with it...but when just about all the QBs are on a 1:1 ratio...thats ridiculous.

don't dumb my players down to make the game harder...thats just dumb and a cheap way to increase difficulty

[the_stig88]

Quote: Originally Posted by jimmiejohn

Definitely. Would you recommend any?

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...ers-guide.html
Check this thread out dude. Tons of great sliders to try. It's pretty remarkable how different each set makes the game play.

If you want my recommendation though, I use this set
http://www.operationsports.com/forum...very-slow.html

Nowhere NEAR as many interceptions, improved running game, more realistic stats, and games are MUCH more challenging and exciting.