Madden: Replicating Real Life

[Phobia]

Madden: Replicating Real Life

Lets look at some of the finer details that EA needs to get right to truly bring the game to the next level of sports gaming.

Presentations

• Better Audio & seamless commentating that reduces the dead air space.
• Much better crowd reactions, rises in cheers, oooos when acceptable, and silence when needed. Much more dynamic and louder crowd

• More intense close up view of action on replays, cut scenes, huddles, or chattering between players. Camera shake and other elements could lean well to a more intense look.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-...Smith-mic-d-up

• Implementing the overlay yellow pen to on-screen comments tied to commentary. Such as this look at the "time outs left".

• CBS Inspired theme so they need to add this or something like it for halftime during CCM. There needs to be that immersion of what's happening around the league as you are playing your game every week.

• CCM recap show including a top ten plays of the week, would love to see something this good.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-networ...lays-of-Week-2

• Playoff Scenarios graphic with commentary supporting it during the weekly wrap up show in CCM.

• Score & Stat Ticker - Similar to NCAA Football 13, Madden 14 should have a score and stat ticker at the bottom of the screen.

• Improved Fans - During quarter breaks and timeouts show cheerleaders and random crazy looking fans close up(obviously would need to improve crowd and cheerleader models for this) but this is what you see in the real NFL on Sundays.

• Tattoos

• Real Time Presentation - CGI cutscenes are last gen. Post play reactions, TD celebrations, Sideline reactions, Coach reactions, teammate interactions, players talking in the huddle, player subsitutions, etc. etc. should all be happening in real time. What I mean by this is that at any given moment, the gameplay camera can switch to certain areas of the field or sidelines at any given time, wether it be pre or post play, and we should see players and coaches reacting to what is happening on the field.
  
• Active Sidelines - In order to have true real time presentation, the robotic player cutouts must be removed from the sideline. The full team and coaching staff should be fully animated, from the offense huddled around the offensive coordinator talking about the last drive to the head coach slamming his clip board on the ground in disgust from the current play. This does not only make the game feel more immersive, it would completely change the way cutscenes are done pre and post play. Cutscenes would no longer be repetitive as long as there are varied animations for everyone on the field/sideline.
  
  Having the full team on the sidelines is not just a presentation element. It is a gameplay element as well. Having players and sub packages coming off and on the field in real time is a huge element that football games have lacked for decades. Getting the right personnel on the field is something teams work on all the time. Too many men on the field penalties are none existent because substitutions do not happen in real time. Delay of game penalties would be more realistic and game planning would be taken to a whole other level.
  (Note: This is not to be confused with interactive sidelines. I think it would be great to see players running into the sideline and knock over players or coaches standing there, but I can see where this gets difficult on this gen hardware. However, real time physics could potentially make this possible)

Camera

• Implementing a revolutionary way to play the game. Use the power of kinect to truly bring something special tracking out head movement. Continue using the controller for doing everything as we normally would, but allow the head tracking ability for us to truly look around and feel apart of the action. It could really be something special and get people buying kinects.

Gameplay

• Weight, Momentum, Foot planting - This has to play a MUCH larger role. It is what makes up 80% of the game. Human bodies moving at high speeds with sudden stops and changing of directions
• Zig Zag running - This HAS TO BE REMOVED!!! It is disgusting

• Line Play - We need to see a much more fluid connection between offensive and defensive line man. No more stand in one place till a magic dice roll says who wins (pancake) or losses (release in phone booth). We need to see weight, strength, and foot work play a much larger role in how the lines flow around the QB.

• Player Specific Animations - This is something we need to see a lot more off. We should have all the NFL QB and Running back run and throw animations.
• Ratings that Matter - Players should feel vastly different. It should not feel exactly the same way to run with Colston as it does Lance Moore. They not only move the same, but feel to jump the same, take up the same "space" when shielding defenders, etc. This should not be the case, one is big & strong. Other is fast, nimble and shifty. This should apply across all players. We should be able to tell instantly from a 3rd string to a starter.
• Penalties that work - The penalty system needs to be over hauled and re-tuned.
• A more natural pace to the game and eliminate that "rushed" feel for just getting the game over with. I don't see why anyone that doesn't enjoy football processes, would be playing a simulation football game. Pace, tempo, flow or whatever you want to call it, is vitally important to replicate real life in this game. Instant audibles, other LOS adjustments and all applicable football processes in Madden, have got to be replaced with a better representation for the timing needed to communicate them in-game.
• Punter the default holder position. I know nobody cares about authenticity but most teams use their punter. It pains me to see #2 quarterbacks holding on kicks. Even though it doesn't influence the game.
• Special teams more challenging and engaging. You can have a stick movement for long snapping, you can have a situation based random speed kick meter. There are a lot of ways to simply improve the Madden experience.
• A.I. Improvements: The LB's and CB's just stand there the when the QB is taking off, Passive WR's (For example, a deep pass can result in a WR continuing to run ahead while the saftey will jump ahead and pick it off), WR's don't move early enough or don't move in away to get open when the QB is scrambling & trying to find a man open.
• CPU QB Improvements: The CPU QB play is rather... illogical, in terms of decision making. You often see them sail simple passes. They feature bad decision making currently.
• Blitzing Improvements - Great in-depth look at the flaws of the current blitz system narrated by LBzrule! http://www.operationsports.com/forum...dden-ncaa.html
  
• QB Audible Issues - Madden needs to properly incorporate how audibles are done based on how knowledgeable the QB's are. Guys like Peyton Manning, and sometimes Brady often send guys in motion, and call audibles, however, Madden allows you to make all the adjustments you want, no matter what QB you are. They need to make it in a way in which not all QB's would be allowed to do that. I mean that's why some QB's call timeouts. Because they might not have the trust to make all the adjustments.
• Animation Variation of doing the same things differently. I am not just talking about having mishandled snaps and other predetermined mishaps but having more multiple versions of even routine animations. For example, don't just have one perfect field goal snap animation but many different snap animations, from poor to textbook and many in between. Same thing with player techniques like pass rush moves, coverage and catching. It's this type of variety for even the most routine things in Madden, that would bring the game to life.
• Progressive Fatigue - Madden could take a page out of this book and things such as loading your RB up with 25 touches a game could take a toll on his season, such that in later games he would start already slightly fatigued and have a small dip in ratings. Much like when Larry Johnson had 400+ carries.
  
• Nagging Injuries, I believe that carry over injuries are in this year, but how many times do we see a player tear and ACL in training camp, or "playing basketball" wink wink Mr Suggs. This i believe will now carry over into the next season if the injury is severe.
  
  Continue reading concept under Spoiler
  
  
  Spoiler

  But the concept of nagging injuries is gigantic, it adds a whole new realm of strategy into roster management. Plenty of players have nagging injuries that they play with through the season, some make it through all the games, some sit out a game or two here and there and some re aggravate or worsen their injury.
  
  It would be nice to have your star RB have a mild turf toe or hamstring issues, his ratings drop 4-5 points but he's still 15 points clear of your 2nd stringer. Now a little box pops up ala FIFA 12 that says "Coach I'm a little sore but I can go this weekend" So you get to Sunday and another window pops up "coach sorry but it's hurting pretty bad, I can go about half the time" now you have to sub in your back up to relieve the starter.
  
  Or the window pops up and the player says "coach I'm feeling pretty loose, keep me starting" player pops his hammy and is done for 6 weeks.
  
  Or "coach I'm not feeling that great today, I can play if you really need me, I know it's a big game [rivalry] and I want to be out there" - player re-aggravates the turf toe in the 2nd quarter.
  
  Or the cream of the crop, rookie WR has knee problems from college [back story right Looman/Moore?] you draft him anyways, keeps getting hit, tears the knee, reconstructive surgery in the off-season, comes back a few points lower. Re-tears his knee 3 weeks into the season.
• Home-Field Advantage/Crowd Noise/Toughest Places to Play
• Offsetting Penalties

• DB Shade WRs - The controls to tell your DBs to shade WRs inside/outside needs to be MUCH MUCH easier. Current system send you through a 3 step process. Press Y, Press button WR to shade, Move left stick side to shade. Adjusting your DBs before a player snaps the ball is impossible and at most one WR you can shade. This needs to be improved badly. There is no reason I should not be able to defend the quick slant when I know it is coming by playing the WR on the inside.
  
• Bump and Run - Needs improving big time. There needs to be way more risk reward. The risk of playing bump & run all game with no over the top help currently is not there. DBs jam WRs and can stay tied to their hip way way to easy. Jam a athletic WR and if he beats around the jam, the DB should not be able to stay step for step with WR with a back pedal.

Off-Field Action

• Suspensions, fines, off-field injuries, and legal issues - These need to play a part in the Franchise part of madden. It is a large part of the real NFL and should be replicated in game also. Take a look at Plaxico Burress and Michael Vick. These were big issues for their team. Losing a big asset to off field trouble. Suspensions, look at what the Saints are going through with losing Payton & Vilma. These kind of things impact teams. We can look at numerous players with fines and several game suspensions that harmed their team productivity. Lastly, off-field injuries happen and can be a sudden unexpected blow to a team.

Suspended, Performance enhancing drugs


Off-field Injury

• Playcall Sheets - I would love to see some type of different "play" calling setup then the three play tier setup that has been implemented for the last decade. Some type of more real world setup, gameplanning each week setting up your "play call sheet". Something like the link below.
  http://lazytechguys.zippykidcdn.com/...02-640x880.jpg
• More realistic representation of scouting, and player evaluations. We should get a scouts/coaches perceived view of a player. The players actual abilities should be hidden, except for physical attributes that are easily measured.
• More realistic representation of coaching staff, scouting staff, abilities. Their ability to evaluate should influence how accurate the perceived view of a player is. A coaches ability to teach should effect progression. Head coach, assistants and positional coaches.

Non-Gameplay Related

• In-Game Saves - This is in numerous other sports titles and there is zero reason why it should not be in madden. Unacceptable.
• Cleaner menu interface, less wasted screens to wade through to find info.
• Cleaner stat organization
• Tiered Play-Calling
• Package Creator.....Lets you setup your plays with the subs/personnel in the Menus(Get a 1-Trick Pony Pass Rusher in the game on Obvious Pasing Downs)...You can somewhat do this once the game starts with Formation Subs....But an extra tool in the menus help out a lot
• NBA2k Style Real Field Goal Make/Miss Percentage Option

List your input in what you think should be included to bring the game closer to reality. Items will be added to this first post.

[geisterhome]

AWESOME!!!

[87Birdman]

I agree with a lot of those but I think the suspensions, and sorts may not make it due to it being the NFL license and they probably don't want the "negative" stuff implemented. I think I remember hearing something along those lines in the past, with the NFL wanting to keep that stuff out like the excessive celebrations.

[SA1NT401]

Good start..... Even with RTP I still feel the players movements in every facet are just off and look very robotic.

For years and years I still say the way ratings work is just out of wack. Every player feels exactly the same aside from speed... The run, juke, spin, hit etc all the same. If you were to remove numbers and teams nobody would be able to tell AP from joe schmo.

Still a long long way to go.... Hopefully next gen with more power we might be able to get half of the things we have looked for this generation.

OL/DL is still pathetic in just every way.


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[Old Mr T]

I agree with your points but I'd also add 'Teamwork'.

Football is all about teamwork, which is why the inability to play offline co-op must be addressed. It's been present in previous versions of Madden so I'm stunned that they've removed the ability for gamers to enjoy a key ingredient of football - teamwork.

[Yeats]

Haven't people been asking for all that since forever? I'm honestly interested in hearing how this thread is any different.

[GiantBlue76]

Excellent thread phobia and I will be writing some organized thoughts here as soon as work settles down :-)

[Phobia]

Quote: Originally Posted by 87Birdman

I agree with a lot of those but I think the suspensions, and sorts may not make it due to it being the NFL license and they probably don't want the "negative" stuff implemented. I think I remember hearing something along those lines in the past, with the NFL wanting to keep that stuff out like the excessive celebrations.

True, but whether they like it or not it is part of the game. That is like saying injuries should be removed because they want to "lower" the injury publicity currently in the media!