Madden 2010 News Post

Madden 10 Hands-Off First Impressions

11:05 AM - April 29, 2009 by BlyGilmore

Last week, I sat down with Phil Frazier, a long-time producer at EA Sports, and checked out the latest Madden 10 build. While I did not get a chance to grab the controller and start dissecting the game myself, Phil Frazier did demo many of the new on-the-field Madden 10 features for me.

However, before getting to those features, I must mention that on Monday I wrote that the unofficial theme for NCAA Football 10 will be customization. Well, when it comes to Madden 10 I believe the theme will be "immersion." From the first moment you put the game in your console to the moment you take the field, immersion will be the goal.

Madden 10 Hands-Off First Impressions

Game: Madden NFL 10Reader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 76 - View All

Madden NFL 10 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 CapnKill @ 04/29/09 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmccormi


	I'm sorry, but I don't understand what everyone's gripe is with the weapons. Last I checked, it was just an icon to denote the star players for the casual users who are not as aware of the star players and their skill sets when taking the field. I don't think it changed the gameplay one bit. If I had sat one of you down with '09 with the icons turned off, I don't think you would've been able to tell me that some feature like "weapons" had been added.

Oh where do I start.

1. There was no way to turn them off for on-line games
2. They clutter the screen unnecessarily
3. EVERYONE was a weapon. Some 50 OVR Lineman that just got drafted had a Bulldozer under his name...
4. Did I mention they cluttered the screen?

I'm glad they are gone, it was a HORRIBLE design decision.

# 42 CapnKill @ 04/29/09 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmccormi


	That's my whole point... Once you turn them off, it's like weapons were never there. EA gave you the option to turn them off, so why all the hate. Some people (Not me) would like to have them though if they are using random teams and want to see who their stars are.

They should just look at the teams roster and read the ratings, its much more educational than looking at a stupid icon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlyGilmore


	OK - version 2.0 of the article is now online. EA sent over some screens so I added them to the story. Two of them show gang tackling in action. For those who have already read it, here are the new images ...

Damn, no Audible on the Fly instructions

Come on EA!! AUDIBLES ON THE FLY FOR M10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its just too good of a feature to not put in there.

# 43 bonannogiovanni @ 04/29/09 03:09 PM

BlyGilmore, the use of the right stick on the QB behaves a la 2K5 (evading moves) or it's different? thanks

# 44 Scott @ 04/29/09 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonannogiovanni


	BlyGilmore, the use of the right stick on the QB behaves a la 2K5 (evading moves) or it's different? thanks

It'll be using the Right Stick, thats all we know as of right now...

# 45 Mikocop @ 04/29/09 03:37 PM

I read that the weapon system is still in, although the icons are no longer on screen.

# 46 Deltron @ 04/29/09 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnKill


	Damn, no Audible on the Fly instructions Come on EA!! AUDIBLES ON THE FLY FOR M10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its just too good of a feature to not put in there.

That would be a deal breaker if those weren't part of the game. They are practically necessary for online play.

Didn't '09 have them?

# 47 rudyjuly2 @ 04/29/09 04:31 PM

How did the OL/DL interaction in Madden compare to NCAA?

# 48 CapnKill @ 04/29/09 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deltron


	That would be a deal breaker if those weren't part of the game. They are practically necessary for online play. Didn't '09 have them?

Well to clear it up... there are two audible features so I'll clarify:

1. R-Stick Audibles (those ARE in the 360/PS3 game):
These are the audibles you can perform when you are on the field. Where you press the Audible Button adn then the R stick up, down, left or right. Each formation has 4 pre-defined audibles that you can tap into using this method. This feature is ok and all, but not the one I'm looking for.

2. Audibles On The Fly (These have NEVER been in the PS3 / 360 game, only PS2:
With this feature, while at the play call screen, you highlight a play, you press down on the R stick, and then click on an audible button to assign that particular play to that audible button. You can re-define your audibles "on the fly" every time you are at the play call screen. I would alwyas pick 3 plays when I went to the line, a run left, run right and run gut if I came out in passing... or something else .. it all depends, but this was one of the best features ever, and I find it hard to believe that we still have not gotten it in the PS3/360 game.

It opens up the offensive game big time, it really is great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmccormi


	I didn't know you couldn't turn them off for online, so I will concede you that point. I'd like to add though, that the weapon icon underneath players was the last complaint I heard from people when talking about online.

Oh true, there were certainly much bigger issues in the on-line world than icons, but screen clutter is a big pet peve of mine, and the inability to turn them off was really an annoying one for me. I assume that it was a bug, but if they get rid of the icons period then I wont' have to worry about a bug

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmccormi


	I really didn't see an abundance of players rated low that had weapons, but it's not like that concept is out of the realm of possibility. These 50 OVR players could be very strong against the run (when I say strong, I don't mean technique, just sheer strength). Additionaly, ratings sucked in general last year anywayy. It's not like a route running weapon ran a route better than a guy without it, or a Brick wall tackled any better than someone without it. It was just a placebo thing for the most part (IMO).

Another reason why I hated them. They provided no useful information what so ever. If anything, the info was misleading.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmccormi


	And about screen clutter, just turn them off when you can. It's for the casual gamers, and they are usually casual because they don't feel like sitting there and studying everyones roster or following football closely.

If they can be turned off EVERYWHERE (on-line is the only way I really play the game), then I have no problem with it. You can put in a feature where an oversized donkey shows up and takes a sh1t on my Left Tackles head, but as long as I can turn it off then I don't care. But with any feature that you can turn off, there's always the risk of a bug where for some reason you just can't turn it off... and that is always a concern.

# 49 Brandwin @ 04/29/09 05:06 PM

Good write up. I hope this ends up being the kind of football game we all want.

# 50 TreyIM2 @ 04/29/09 08:24 PM

I've been following Madden 10 since EA first started posting info about the game in early Feb and I have to say, not only from what I've read, but actually seen of the gameplay and such, this game is going to be the football game that football games have been waiting for when it all comes together. Hopefully, it just won't be as buggy as Madden 09, which I thought was a big improvement, overall, over the other Maddens, even with the bugs.
I am beyond excited about Madden 10.

# 51 jaider @ 04/29/09 10:15 PM

All these people on here that comment about playing NFL2K5, well, 2K5 has alot to be desired also...the presentation is fine, the gameplay..(WACK)..did not like the way the men slid across the field, animation was unrealistic..i prefer gameplay, over presentation....but..to each his own....

# 52 MARTZball @ 05/03/09 04:04 AM

There is familiar old name, the godfather, BlyGilmore. Nice write up. Little by little I feel more and more confident about this game seeing a big improvement, hopefully it will be FIFA 09 like.

I won't be holding my breath, but I like what I am hearing.

# 53 icomb1ne @ 05/03/09 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeyland


	This game is still mired in the mud, bad passing mechanics, PS2 gameplay, keep cleaning up the visual detail and no one will notice what a piece of *** this really is.*

# 54 Bgamer90 @ 05/03/09 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeyland


	This game is still mired in the mud, bad passing mechanics, PS2 gameplay, keep cleaning up the visual detail and no one will notice what a piece of *** this really is.*

Yeah since the PS2 versions had procedural animations

...

Ugh..

# 55 blackngoldfan @ 05/03/09 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlyGilmore

These screenshots are amazing, BUT can anybody confirm that these are not "enhanced". Especially the Fitzgerald/Palomalu shot. Notice how there is no blur or DOF present in the huddle shot. Is that because it's an in-game shot and not a replay? It looks like the sharpness was cranked way up. The other shots have a softness to the edges that look more realistic.

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