Madden 2010 News Post

4th and Inches (Part Two)

12:22 PM - September 22, 2009 by RaychelSnr

In part two of 4th and Inches (read part one here), Kushmir Hassan lists the remaining fixes that he thinks would greatly improve the gameplay in Madden 10.

1. Rocket Catch – I watched a friend play online and witnessed his opponent getting interception after interception by clicking on the defender, going to the spot, turning around and leaping up to make picks. I also recently played a guy who used the Bears and did the rocket catch on the offensive side of the ball. My opponent was on his own 25-yard line with 10 seconds to go before the half. He called a play-action pass and did exactly the same thing that occurred in the defensive situation I explained above. Essentially, my opponent threw the ball to Devin Hester (frighteningly average at a 71), and Hester was able to leap up and take the ball away from Asante Samuel (95) and Quintin Mikell (86) who were playing a Cover 2 Man. My defenders never even jumped. Giving users the ability to trigger certain animations has always caused problems in Madden. A better system would allow us to press a button to make a "play" on the ball, but jumping diving and other animations would be triggered by a player’s attributes.

Read More - 4th and Inches (Part Two)

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Member Comments

# 1 Stikskillz @ 09/22/09 01:23 PM

This is a good list. Too bad lists like this still have to be made though, especially after a game has been released a little over a month.

# 2 LBzrule @ 09/22/09 01:39 PM

I think another solution for bump and run here is to just program better release/press behavior. They really need to re-program the animations and the behavior of the DB's. The way they have it here is a DB can hold a WR up at the line of scrimmage. The animation takes over and the WR has no choice of whether to be bumped or not, UNLESS you have unbumpable routes. They need to program more behaviors and animations for WR's to not get jammed so much. Jab step left then release right if the CB falls for the jab step. Strong WR's come off of the line and extend their arm and separate from the DB that way. Arm Chop the DB's hands and release inside or outside. These type of things should be implemented.

Forward Progress I agree, but I also see some other problems defensively too. Sometimes you hit the back in the backfield and then the animation just takes him forward for a 3 yard gain. In both cases it is momentum. Throwing curl routes and having a guy come back to the line of scrimmage like a dummy is annoying, but having a play read and getting into the backfield and hitting a back only to have the animation push both of you forward is just as annoying.

Pass D vs Run Formations - absolutely agree. I think one problem is the linemen try to block a spot and since there is no help logic then the uncovered linemen just run up the field and vacate gaps and that's when the DB's fill those holes and drop your HB for a loss. Secondly, it annoys me that a 330 lineman, is basically standing and dancing with a cornerback. Come on EA, either the CB should go low and try to derail this train or he is dumb enough to take on the man and get killed. How you have 330 linemen just running up and attaching to CB's is soft. Blow this man up and plant his a$$ into the dirt/turn. It's a cornerback for crying out loud.

They need to entitle Madden 2011 Trench Warfare and focus 70% of their game play efforts there. But that doesn't just mean at the line of scrimmage, that also means down field blocking. They also need to make sure that not every team is going to be good in the trenches. There is still a great degree of overlap in their game that does not distinguish the good OL and DL from the bad.

# 3 sicksteen @ 09/22/09 03:09 PM

Everything you said is true, unfortunately I dont see it becoming fixed because Madden would have to change their whole programming scheme which is something their just not willing to do. =(

# 4 BezO @ 09/22/09 06:16 PM

Too many fundamental issues missing from these 2 lists IMO.

# 5 elgreazy1 @ 09/22/09 06:28 PM

Here's a major fix: Audibles on Kickoffs. I've been having guys who fake Kickoffs only to switch up to Onside Kickoffs. Unfortunately, once you select your return package you can't audible to any other kind of kick return you are forced to use a timeout instead.

# 6 huskerwr38 @ 09/22/09 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marktg30


	Looks like the Honeymoon is over for Ian and OSers for the most part. I can't say I am surprised. I have a feeling the community day guys made a lot of suggestions that will be sifted into future Madden games starting in Madden 11 or 12. I can't wait til they put player morale and other small parts of Madden into Next Gen games and call it a new feature.

I don't think there ever was a "honeymoon" period. People were up in arms from the demo version. Then to even make things worse, the devs went on vacation, and were completely absent from the forums. I remember Ian specifically saying something to the effect that most other years the devs go on vacation after the release but not them. But they did go on vacation. I'm not blaming them for the act of going on vacation, but I am calling him out for saying they don't go on vacation after the release, but then to turn around and do it.
But yes, this is a good list. It seems all the other sports games have caught up to the times, BUT why hasn't Madden the most popular sports game.

# 7 stlstudios189 @ 09/22/09 07:16 PM

Way to fix Madden list will always exsist period

# 8 TreyIM2 @ 09/22/09 09:54 PM

You raise some great points, again, and you can add that no huddles need to be able to be run even after incompletions and consistently after ref deliberations.
I'm not so sure about the forward progress thing but it does happen. I've had my guy knocked back a few yards after, say, catching a ball right past the first down marker then I try to scramble forward to regain that first down yet fall short and the computer will give me the original spot.

I think the overall thing is based on some odd inconsistencies not only in Madden but in Live, as well, is that they use the same, basic engine from years past for almost, if not all their sports games. U can tell in how the different sports games move and animate.

I think it ultimately may come down to EA needing a whole new sports game engine that is more flexible and can encompass more without having to add by subtraction.

I still love Madden 10, though. Lol. I can overlook many of it's flaws cuz it's just a fun game to me, overall.

# 9 JohnnyNutman @ 09/23/09 11:38 AM

this was a really good post. i wish all criticism of the game was this articulate.

not to exclude the fact that all the above listed points would really help the game as well.

# 10 shavane @ 09/23/09 11:45 AM

I'm enjoying madden 10 but there are so many things that can be done better which is really holding the game back in my opinion.

Rocket Catch - EA really needs to improve control for DBs and Wrs as far as attacking the ball in the air. There needs to be more battling for position once the ball is in the air. You should be able to use your body to shield defenders and have better jump ball and fade interactions.

Press Coverage - agree 100% there is a risk reward to playing this style but on 10 its all reward. This really highlights that ratings really don't matter when you have a 70 Cb press a elite Wr. The Wr is at the Cbs mercy because they don't have any swim moves, chops, or jab steps so they just get pressed. Release rtgs and press rtgs should factor into this so teams with weak Cbs can't just press at will for fear of getting beat. Also because they can press for so long Wrs are not able to get seperation when they finally get upfield.

Pass D vs. Run Coverage - This is directly related to poor blocking logic magical defenders, and poor collision detection when engaged in blocking. OL have no idea what they are doing on 10, speedy Cbs from nickel and dime coverages win out over slower lineman because there is no true logic behind blocking, and the lineman don't really get into defenders where they control them or turn them one way or another so defenders can come off of blocks and make tackles.

Excessive dropbacks - this may never get fixed especially with suction blocking on DEs. You know how many good DEs I saw control the line of scrimmage this week in the NFL. Good DEs are a huge part of the defensive end of football, they disrupt offenses and make you scheme around those type of players but on madden good DEs and DTs are pedestrian at best.

No Huddle - Fatigue is great but its ridiculous to a point when 5 plays of no huddle force my Wrs to play Cb after the 1st dead ball.

Challenges - fix it give it more options have some logic to it besides yes or no.

Collision Detection - won't be fixed until they overhaul the madden engine..matter of fact a lot of this issues could be fixed with a next gen system for madden.

Screens - I enjoy the screen game I find that man cov and cov 2 shut down wr screens quite well. Screening to backs is a little more tricky but on the way to the QB especially against speedy backs I check what they are doing and manually attack the screen once I see it developing. This actually feels realistic to me and is how real football is played. If you wanna go balls to the wall after the QB you will get beat on screens.

Forward progress - will never be fixed till they overhaul madden engine. Players are still on skates and animations take over and make players run out of control. Spins, jukes, and breaking out of tackles lack any logic whatsoever so more times then not one the animation and skates take over your at their mercy. We've all lost games because of this.

Def Matchups - Just the fact that we have it is a plus. I use the Eagles and it helps tremendously to have Asante shadowing all the elite Wrs. This should be improved to include Qbs and better options for shutting down some of the elite backs.

I think a huge edition to madden if they fixed the blocking logic and suction blocking would be offenses able to highlight defenders sort of like we can highlight Wrs and Rbs. It happens in the NFL and it happens on madden at least with good OLBers like Ware, Harrison, and Porter they blow up every play and are in the backfield constantly. If you spotlight these players it should somewhat reduce their effectiveness.

# 11 jeebs9 @ 09/24/09 03:54 PM

I totally agree with the forward progress comments. It reminds me of NCAA 08 when you make contact with the defense and the ref would spot the ball where you first made contact. Instead of where you were actually tackled at. Not as bad. But just reminds of that problem...lol

Nice article!

# 12 Shadymamba @ 09/25/09 11:52 AM

lol my gut feeling told me don't buy the game just now...im sure glad games like NFS and Batman and the Show are on the Mantle cuz looks like madden is headed for another rough year of criticism thank god i had will power and held out

# 13 Blackout863 @ 09/26/09 11:11 PM

You forgot 2 things. the unrealistic best of both worlds, swat and midair matrix/david tyree superbowl helmet tackle animation and the removal of the hitstick. they say if u see it on sunday you see it in the game. and from a true fan of the game. i dont see ''hitsticks'' on every play,. i see sound wrap up tackling and thats what i wish would happen. to many times i have played a guy and been hitsticked on every tackle. while it its great when you break a long one cuz a missed tackle it has started to look arcadish.

# 14 ANDROMADA 1 @ 11/05/09 07:50 PM

wow,Lot of things i didnt notice.One biggie is players warping through defenders.This has happened to me on several occasions,I also think the running out of 300 pound Defensive Tackles and ends grasp is Way overblown.That should NEVER happen.Not with Peterson,Jim Brown,O.J. Simpson,I dont care who the runner is.Dt's should be able to breath on a rb and make him go down.Other than that It is stil a fun game.

# 15 GlennN @ 11/10/09 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBzrule


	They need to entitle Madden 2011 Trench Warfare and focus 70% of their game play efforts there. But that doesn't just mean at the line of scrimmage, that also means down field blocking. They also need to make sure that not every team is going to be good in the trenches. There is still a great degree of overlap in their game that does not distinguish the good OL and DL from the bad.

Amen to that, Brother!

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4th and Inches (Part Two)