Madden 2010 News Post

Madden NFL 10 Hands-On Preview (IGN)

01:20 PM - May 15, 2009 by Yankees_CT

IGN has posted their hands-on preview of Madden NFL 10.

Quote:


	"Presentation, something that was seriously lacking in the first Madden iterations on current-gen systems, has seen a nice overhaul. Pre-game you'll notice camera angles that show concession stands handing hot dogs to fans and people making their way to their seats. During the action there will be detailed cutscenes (not the low-resolution models like in last year's game) showing players warming up on the sideline. If your quarterback is taking a licking on the field you'll see him trot over to the sideline and pick up a phone to talk to the coach's box. The chain gang is also present, as are all of the refs that should be on the field. And yes, you can truck into them. Just don't run into them too hard or you might injure one of your star players. Do that, and you'll be greeted with a new injury mechanic. It won't happen immediately � depending on the severity of the injury your man might need to be helped off the field by other players � but once the problem is diagnosed you'll be shown a screen that tells you what's injured, how severe it is and then you'll be given the option to put him back in the game. You'll be given a rating that tells you how good he'll be once he's back on the field and you'll see the likelihood of him re-injuring himself. It's sort of like Blitz The League, but without the steroid use."

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

# 181 Montana16 @ 05/18/09 12:37 PM

^^ Last part made me laugh.

# 182 RGiles36 @ 05/18/09 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	You wouldn't give up one or two of those 7 refs for one recognizable Head Coach that doesn't look like a raisin head? Granted, there are 7 refs in real life... I just don't see how we can go from 0 to 7 and still neglect the Head Coach which is actually far more visible. On Sunday's you don't see all the refs all the time, they're more incidental to the shot when you do see them. But the Head Coach is shown all game long, on purpose and therein lies the problem.

It's not so much that I wouldn't give up 1-2 refs for a fully recognizeable head coach. I don't want to simplify it and make it seem as if that's my point. I'm just saying I don't feel the need to have a fully recognizeable head coach. As long as the resemblance is there (skin color, body shape, etc.), it does the trick. It seems you're willing to have an extremely detailed head coach at the expense of more populated sidelines with a recognizeable head coach figure. I can't disagree more.

Out of curiosity (and this is just good discussion), what's your opinion about the head coach presence in NFL2K5? Are you looking for them to be more detailed than that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	Perhaps "strange" may not be the best word, but that was better than the other one I was going to use... I just think you have to focus on things *we're going to see all the time*... Just seems like a no-brainer... I think they still have some work to do on getting that philosophy nailed down. It's really not an immersiveness thing so much as it is a priority thing. I just totally disagree with how some things that aren't visible much are given higher priority than things that are visible all the time and are a huge part of what we see on Sunday's. That makes no sense to me.

My only rebuttal to that is that I don't see the coach all the time. I'll glance at them prior to the snap here or there or will look if the action spills close the sidelines, but that's about it. Seeing as though I'm only sparingly noticing the head coach, it would be a waste in my opinion to dedicate so many resources to them.

# 183 roadman @ 05/18/09 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayvis


	I just think that everybody is very confident when IGN made a statemant like this : I've never seen a preview written with such doubts about the framerate at this stage in development. Add to this that this isn't even the PS3 version. Then add to this that we still haven't seen a video of the game being played. Then add to that the statement "As much as possible", and it soesn't sound like IGN are very confident about it being smooth on release. They've added too much and something will give. I'd bet money on it.

I've never relied on IGN for previews/reviews of sports video games. If this is valid, there is plenty of time to tune all this.

# 184 Maelstrom-XIII @ 05/18/09 12:48 PM

Wouldn't it be cool though to have a Charlie Weis situation? Where a play goes out-of-bounds, injuring your coach...then depth in your coaching staff would matter too.

It would be a bit superfluous and probably hard to pull off in this gen...maybe next-next-gen...(PS4, Xbox 720...or whatever they'll call it...)

# 185 RGiles36 @ 05/18/09 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayvis


	They've added too much and something will give. *I'd bet money on it.*

I'll take you up on that.

# 186 hayvis @ 05/18/09 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	I'll take you up on that.

LOL. Maybe I'm not that confident.

# 187 TheWatcher @ 05/18/09 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	It's not so much that I wouldn't give up 1-2 refs for a fully recognizeable head coach. I don't want to simplify it and make it seem as if that's my point. I'm just saying I don't feel the need to have a fully recognizeable head coach. As long as the resemblance is there (skin color, body shape, etc.), it does the trick.

But right now, this is what we have:

... lol... now tell me, who does that raisin head resemble? And to make it worse, he doesn't even wear team colors. That's just not good... and even more terrible is that there are three of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	It seems you're will to have an extremely detailed head coach at the expense of more populated sidelines with a recognizeable head coach figure. I can't disagree more.

If the sidelines become more populated that's going to take down everything, but that's not a big worry for me in this regard. I'm just saying that 7 refs but no recognizable Head Coach, I just don't see how that can pass through with Head Coaches being so important to an NFL Broadcast. The Head Coach is a more recognizable figure than any ref. I doubt each ref will be a counterpart to a real world guy, I don't think anyone would expect it of course. But a Head Coach is a different deal. He's such a huge part of an NFL Broadcast in terms of him being spotlighted in scenes and whatnot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	Out of curiosity (and this is just good discussion), what's your opinion about the head coach presence in NFL2K5? Are you looking for them to be more detailed than that?

I wish they looked as detailed as 2K5's do at all times, lol. The Head Coach even has AI in 2K5 and reacts dynamically to things on the field. I mean, when you compare that Raisin Head to 2K5's Head Coaches it's not even close. That shouldn't happen. Madden's should look a lot better considering the time and technology gap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	My only rebuttal to that is that I don't see the coach all the time. I'll glance at them prior to the snap here or there or will look if the action spills close the sidelines, but that's about it. Seeing as though I'm only sparingly noticing the head coach, it would be a waste in my opinion to dedicate so many resources to them.

I was referring more to stuff like cutscenes in regards to live game or times when you get close enough to the sideline post-play to see the Coach. I don't wanna see a Raisin Head there, lol. But during live game even in the scenario you mentioned, I can't see how a Raisin Head that doesn't even wear team colors is acceptable.

At some point, someone said "Okay let's get rid of those fully recognizable Head Coaches, and instead replace him with 3 Raisin heads that are unrecognizable and don't even wear team colors! Yeah, that's progress!"

I mean, sure they didn't say that specifically but that thought process had to pass through in some kinda way for this to happen.

# 188 TheWatcher @ 05/18/09 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaiderKtulu


	The Refs are part of the field. You can run into them, use them as screens, etc. The coach is on the sideline, out of the way. From the perspective that we play the game, you aren't going to see the coach in detail very often unless they were to specifically add in cutscenes or between play shots. A lot of the places where a TV broadcast would be showing the coach, in Madden we'll be in the playcalling screen.

Of course, at some point you're going to run close enough to the sideline that you'll see Mr. Raisin Head popping up, and of course there are going to be post-play situations which is where this deficiency popped up in 09.

7 refs, and 3 unrecognizable Head Coaches... can we keep 7 refs and cut 2 Raisin Heads for one recognizable head coach, or some sort of combination of that? I'm sure there is a reasonable cut somewhere.

# 189 NYyankz225 @ 05/18/09 01:20 PM

I'm confused because all the coaches I can recall were recognizable in 09. McCarthy looked like McCarthy, Tomlin was pretty close, etc. I could also place the model with the coach. What exactly is the problem? Are you saying some specific ones don't resemble the coach or that overall they're not close enough?

# 190 RGiles36 @ 05/18/09 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	... lol... now tell me, who does that raisin head resemble? And to make it worse, he doesn't even wear team colors. That's just not good... and even more terrible is that there are three of them.

It doesn't resemble anyone of course LOL. My question then is where are you pulling these shots from? I've seen you post them before and I thought the same thing then. The only reason I ask is b/c from my limited time spent on next-gen Maddens, I've never seen those types of shots for the head coaches or the raisin head for that matter

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	If the sidelines become more populated that's going to take down everything, but that's not a big worry for me in this regard. I'm just saying that 7 refs but no recognizable Head Coach, I just don't see how that can pass through with Head Coaches being so important to an NFL Broadcast. The Head Coach is a more recognizable figure than any ref. I doubt each ref will be a counterpart to a real world guy, I don't think anyone would expect it of course. But a Head Coach is a different deal. He's such a huge part of an NFL Broadcast in terms of him being spotlighted in scenes and whatnot.

Oh I'm not advocating to make the sidelines more populated. I think a solid job was done with this last year. Madden 08's sidelines were the worst

. And again, my position is not rooted in more refs over a detailed head coach. I'm just saying that I don't think the head coach requires as much full-detail as you've said over the past few months.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	I wish they looked as detailed as 2K5's do at all times, lol. The Head Coach even has AI in 2K5 and reacts dynamically to things on the field. I mean, when you compare that Raisin Head to 2K5's Head Coaches it's not even close. That shouldn't happen. Madden's should look a lot better considering the time and technology gap.

Then we both agree that NFL2K5 did a pretty damn good job with their head coach detail. But then my point is this: even though 2K did a swell job on designing their head coaches, they don't make that much a difference to me. Aside from the scenarios that I pointed out earlier, they're just there. They look good, but if it comes down to an either-or situation, I'll take less detailed but recognizeable head coaches over going all out to design the head coach's and lessening the characters around the sidelines (be it assistant coaches, camera crew, security, etc). I know you despise the characters that are just there in the background, but they help the atmosphere IMO.

# 191 hayvis @ 05/18/09 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	But right now, this is what we have: ... lol... now tell me, who does that raisin head resemble?

Is it Herm Edwards?

# 192 Valdarez @ 05/18/09 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWatcher


	I wish they looked as detailed as 2K5's do at all times, lol. The Head Coach even has AI in 2K5 and reacts dynamically to things on the field. I mean, when you compare that Raisin Head to 2K5's Head Coaches it's not even close. That shouldn't happen. Madden's should look a lot better considering the time and technology gap.

Agreed. I have never understood the argument about resources. If the game is lacking resources for side line animations then there's something severely flawed with the game's engine or the game's design. In either case, the development team should be able to fix it. How can a game 5 years your junior achieve something that you're still claiming can't be done with your engine? Don't tell me it can't be done, don't tell me your engine doesn't support it. Fix it.

I'll still take game play fixes over side line fixes, but it really irks me when I hear that 'we can't do it'. When my developers tell me that, then I tell them if we can't do it, we might as well go home. The animated / alive side lines adds a huge element from an immersion standpoint. Next to the grass and players, it's one of the aspects of the game that you see in some respect all game long.

It would be great to see a coach get animated when there's a questionable call, or in a tense 3rd/4th down conversion. Or even a pan over to them as the huddle breaks where the coach has the clipboard over his mouth as if he's calling a play in. You could even have the announcers work in some commentary with regards to the coach (dynamic and specific).

The dynamic aspect of APF2K8's sideline adds so much realism to the game. The bench lights up when you make a big catch, and when you run down the side line next to it the guys will move from standing in a spot to run towards you and swing their arms telling you to keep on going. The emotion it brings to the moment can't be under rated.

# 193 TheWatcher @ 05/18/09 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYyankz225


	I'm confused because all the coaches I can recall were recognizable in 09. McCarthy looked like McCarthy, Tomlin was pretty close, etc. I could also place the model with the coach. What exactly is the problem? Are you saying some specific ones don't resemble the coach or that overall they're not close enough?

The only time they look recognizable in 09 is during that rare occasion that there is a challenge and that was more like a cutscene, there is no other time to my knowledge in 09 that we seen those. The rest of the time we got this:

# 194 Valdarez @ 05/18/09 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	I've never relied on IGN for previews/reviews of sports video games. If this is valid, there is plenty of time to tune all this.

Nor should you. Seems like their staff is all over the place, and in many instances it's been proven that they haven't even finished games before writing their reviews. I'd trust the guys at GiantBomb.com first, and then GameSpot 2nd (thought you have to know who to trust there, someo of the guys are pretty opinionated and that carries over in some of the reviews).

# 195 RGiles36 @ 05/18/09 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	Agreed. I have never understood the argument about resources. If the game is lacking resources for side line animations then there's something severely flawed with the game's engine or the game's design. In either case, the development team should be able to fix it. How can a game 5 years your junior achieve something that you're still claiming can't be done with your engine? Don't tell me it can't be done, don't tell me your engine doesn't support it. Fix it.

Did you miss that discussion a few months back? There was a lot of good discussion in that thread some time back and Ian provided his input into the previous design philosphy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	The dynamic aspect of APF2K8's sideline adds so much realism to the game. The bench lights up when you make a big catch, and when you run down the side line next to it the guys will move from standing in a spot to run towards you and swing their arms telling you to keep on going. The emotion it brings to the moment can't be under rated.

And in return, some would say you got poo graphics in exchange for interactive sidelines (I don't think the graphics were all that bad myself). TheWatcher has a better eye for it than I do though.

# 196 TheWatcher @ 05/18/09 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayvis


	Is it Herm Edwards?

LOL.

I actually took that shot from the Patriots sideline. Based on where he stood and what he was reacting to, he's actually supposed to be Josh McDaniel! Why did they do Josh like that in 09? He's a good kid, he didn't deserve that

# 197 TheWatcher @ 05/18/09 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	It doesn't resemble anyone of course LOL. My question then is where are you pulling these shots from? I've seen you post them before and I thought the same thing then. The only reason I ask is b/c from my limited time spent on next-gen Maddens, I've never seen those types of shots for the head coaches or the raisin head for that matter .

I just took sideline pics in replay. I had a live game pic too but it wouldn't load in my software for some reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	Oh I'm not advocating to make the sidelines more populated. I think a solid job was done with this last year. Madden 08's sidelines were the worst . And again, my position is not rooted in more refs over a detailed head coach. I'm just saying that I don't think the head coach requires as much full-detail as you've said over the past few months.

I don't too much expect the refs to be polygonal monsters... but they should at least look like what they look like during challenges in 09. If they did that, this would satisfy me. But the raisin heads? That's bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	Then we both agree that NFL2K5 did a pretty damn good job with their head coach detail. But then my point is this: even though 2K did a swell job on designing their head coaches, they don't make that much a difference to me. Aside from the scenarios that I pointed out earlier, they're just *there. They look good, but if it comes down to an either-or situation, I'll take less detailed but recognizeable head coaches over going all out to design the head coach's and lessening the characters around the sidelines (be it assistant coaches, camera crew, security, etc). I know you despise the characters that are just there* in the background, but they help the atmosphere IMO.

I'm not against characters being there as long as I see them on a regular basis. My opposition to the 24 event staffers issue I talked about back in the Winter, is that you never actually know they are there until you go into replay and then look for them all and count them. Things can really only help atmosphere if they're seen. If not, it's just a wasted resource.

Now, the idea of having more Coaches is great. Where it breaks down is when you see them and they look like Raisin heads and they don't even wear your teams colors. It looks wrong and in terms of immersion, it actually hurts it. It's glaring in post-play situations which is where I first recognized it. I was the Giants and I looked over and saw a coach wearing a light beige shirt. I'm like "who the hell is this guy?"

Let me ask you this... if you had a choice between 3 raisin heads or a fully recognizable Wade Philips popping up in post-play and other situations, which would you choose?

# 198 Valdarez @ 05/18/09 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	Did you miss that discussion a few months back? There was a lot of good discussion in that thread some time back and Ian provided his input into the previous design philosphy.

Yep. Link?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	And in return, some would say you got poo graphics in exchange for interactive sidelines (I don't think the graphics were all that bad myself). TheWatcher has a better eye for it than I do though.

I'd argue the point with 2K5, it was pretty top notch graphics in it's day. I wouldn't argue the point on APF2K8, it definitely could have used more detail.

# 199 Bgamer90 @ 05/18/09 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	Yep. Link? I'd argue the point with 2K5, it was pretty top notch graphics in it's day.

Even though Madden 2005 had much better lighting, NFL 2k5 was the best looking football game overall during the time imo.

# 200 RGiles36 @ 05/18/09 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	Yep. Link?

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