Madden NFL 11 News Post

Madden NFL 11 Blog: Locomotion w/ Videos and L.T. Screenshot

03:53 PM - April 7, 2010 by Steve_OS

EA Sports has just posted another Madden NFL 11 blog. This one focusing on locomotion.

Quote:


	"Obviously, players in pads can�t run the same speed as a world class sprinter coming out of blocks but their acceleration curves have the same shape. They get up to around 80% of their top speed relatively quickly, but the last 20% is stretched out further (it takes the Olympic guys around 60 meters to hit 100% of their top speed). Once I had the curves created, I tuned them around combine 40 times and 100 meter times of players who ran track in college. I then passed that info on to Ratings Czar Donny Moore so he could set speed and acceleration accurately for our rosters. In total, we have 24 different curves that we can tune to control everything from how a player's speed increases over time (based on acceleration and speed ratings), to how much he can turn based on his current speed (driven by the agility rating). That level of control really lets us differentiate players on the field. It is now possible for our ratings guys to make players that are quick over 10 to 20 yards, but get smoked at longer distances. A 90 speed player can now run the same 40 time as a 99 speed player, but lose over longer distances. I have a video here to highlight this. I created two players. The first is 99 speed, 90 acceleration (#99, on the top in the video). The second is 90 speed ,99 acceleration (#90 on the bottom in the video). The players race for 90 yards in the video. As you can see, the player with higher acceleration jumps out to an early lead, but gets passed at around 40 yards by the higher speed player. The animations aren't final (particularly the initial move that plays), and I still have some fine tuning to do on how we map the acceleration and speed ratings into our set of curves, but you can see how powerful acceleration is going to be in Madden NFL 11."

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 96 - View All

Madden NFL 11 Videos

Member Comments

# 121 RogueHominid @ 04/08/10 02:47 PM

Man, I didn't think there was any way that this news would be received with negative responses. The same usual suspects seem to manage to turn every positive into a negative, smh.

I am not an easy sell, but the explanation that last year's team did in fact prioritize (and improve) locomotion but ran up against a tech limitation seemed pretty straightforward and believable to me. No way you can argue that '10 was as bad as '09 with regard to movement.

The implementation in '11 kind of dispels de facto the notion that they're making this all up somehow and that none of this will actually get into M11 or make a positive difference.

# 122 goodygoody @ 04/08/10 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sausage


	Since acceleration is determined by how far one pushes the analog stick, do you all believe that the RT sprint will be removed or become so type of modifier.

You know what would be interesting. . Maybe they could use the RT button as a brake. . For example. . If you are at high acceleration you can press RT to slow your player down. . If momentum is properly implemented this year, having a brake button could do wonders. . Just a thought

# 123 Danimal @ 04/08/10 03:31 PM

Keep the discussion on the blog and not on people opinions of the blog. If you think someone is in violation of the TOS the report it.

# 124 bukktown @ 04/08/10 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by womalee23


	Great.. No more sprint button for the cheesers!

yeah, they will never figure out how to sprint by moving the analog stick

# 125 Only1LT @ 04/08/10 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by achain


	Where have I heard this song and dance before about how great locomotion is going to be in this year's game.... Oh wait, that's right. It was a promised "feature" of Madden 2009. They even made this fancy video to show it off.... http://www.videogamer.com/videos/mad...n_trailer.html Gotta love rehashing. Boy, I sure hope they get it right this year :\

That does bring back memories. Most of them bad lol.

# 126 Only1LT @ 04/08/10 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	Animations is the movement, which they use motion capture to acquire. Rendering is the drawing of the players to the screen. They claim 60 FPS and yet their animations look as though they are 15 FPS, so while they might (emphasis on 'might') have the responsiveness of a 60 FPS game (I definitely do not see it on slow/very slow mode), they do not render properly at 60 FPS. I write this off as a rendering problem because when I go into a replay and play the play very slowly, it's as fluid, if not more so, than APF2K8's animations. So the animation / capture is definitely 100% there, they just can't display it properly during actual gameplay, hence a rendering problem. Funny thing is I have sounded off on this for well over a year and not one single person from EA has provided any info on the subject. None.

It's possible that they don't have a fix for it as of yet. Not the best PR job to admit that there is an issue and that they have no idea how, or if they can fix it at present.

The animations are mo-capped so that should make animations fairly lifelike. That is unless there is something amiss with either their mo-cap tech, or if the logic that translates the animations is flawed. Like you, I agree, that until that problem is addressed, I don't care if the game runs at 240fps, the animations are never going to look right.

# 127 mmorg @ 04/08/10 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by achain


	Where have I heard this song and dance before about how great locomotion is going to be in this year's game.... Oh wait, that's right. It was a promised "feature" of Madden 2009. They even made this fancy video to show it off.... http://www.videogamer.com/videos/mad...n_trailer.html Gotta love rehashing. Boy, I sure hope they get it right this year :\

I don't see anything in that video that compares to anything in the latest NCAA/Madden videos, and while I didn't play much Madden 09 I do recall players being twitchy like that video showed.

# 128 mmorg @ 04/08/10 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiffarmleft


	There is no physics engine, it's still all animation, just more of it.

I must be misunderstanding it then. From what I have read and seen, players actually move around as if they have weight. It takes them a few steps to slow down, if their feet aren't under them they will fall down, acceleration actually happens. It might not be a physics engine persay, but there is definitely a driving force in the game now for some real physics to be happening right?

# 129 Only1LT @ 04/08/10 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huskerwr38


	I would normally agree, but they ripped out their old locomotion technology and put in an entirely new one, used in FIFA. So they are using a proven technology that works, so I'm a believer on this one this year.

Don't get me wrong, the fact that they are addressing the locomotion issue to the extent of scrapping what they had and using an existing better solution is definitely encouraging. Having said that, things aren't as cookie cutter as that. Just because they use FIFA's system and stick it in Madden, doesn't mean that it will just integrate flawlessly without any issue.

Furthermore, from what I gather from the blog, they are not just lifting the FIFA system and dropping it in untouched. They are adding their own flavor to make it fit what they think is the best implementation. That could be a very good thing if done correctly, or it could be a worse proposition than just leaving it alone.

This isn't an anti EA/Madden/Ian & Co post by any means. I just think it is a lot more complicated than saying there is no possible way that this can't work, because they are using tech that already works in another implementation. Way too early to say what the outcome of this will be. That goes for both the positive and the negative arguments. Only one thing you can say at this point is that SEEM to be taking this issue seriously enough to take this action.

# 130 roadman @ 04/08/10 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only1LT


	Don't get me wrong, the fact that they are addressing the locomotion issue to the extent of scrapping what they had and using an existing better solution is definitely encouraging. Having said that, things aren't as cookie cutter as that. Just because they use FIFA's system and stick it in Madden, doesn't mean that it will just integrate flawlessly without any issue. Furthermore, from what I gather from the blog, they are not just lifting the FIFA system and dropping it in untouched. They are adding their own flavor to make it fit what they think is the best implementation. That could be a very good thing if done correctly, or it could be a worse proposition than just leaving it alone. This isn't an anti EA/Madden/Ian & Co post by any means. I just think it is a lot more complicated than saying there is no possible way that this can't work, because they are using tech that already works in another implementation. Way too early to say what the outcome of this will be. That goes for both the positive and the negative arguments. Only one thing you can say at this point is that SEEM to be taking this issue seriously enough to take this action.

Real good points, agree with everything here. How's it going, LT?

# 131 SouthernBrick @ 04/08/10 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huskerwr38


	Here's my twitter account, you can check my question to Ian. http://twitter.com/huskerwr38 Then he replied with a Yep. @ian_cummings will the acceleration work with the left analog stick like in FIFA? pushing up more = faster accel, less pressure = less accel ian_cummings @huskerwr38 yep

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by huskerwr38


	I would normally agree, but they ripped out their old locomotion technology and put in an entirely new one, used in FIFA. So they are using a proven technology that works, so I'm a believer on this one this year.

That is exactly why I think the locomotion will be very much improved on. I've heard nothing but, good/great comments on Fifa's locomotion system even though I've never played it but, have watched some friends of mine play. I agree since Its completely different proven technology on a proven EA Sports title, I'll choose to believe that the locomotion will be a lot better(not saying the whole game will be but, this could be huge) than M10. If Fifa's technology can't help madden then I don't know what will.

I'm skeptical about the wide receiver blog so that is still a wait and see. I don't choose to believe every single thing a dev writes(been let down to many times) but, I got a good feeling about this new locomotion technology. No doubt M10's movement was better than 09 so hopefully Ian and Co. get one of the most core aspects of football done right this year.

This looks promising so don't let me down. No pressure, no pressure.

# 132 Only1LT @ 04/08/10 05:17 PM

As far as the vidz themselves, I wish that I could actually watch them. I'm at work now and the computer I am on isn't the fastest nor does it have the best GPU. I'll watch it when I get home, although from what I am reading, it still may be choppy as all hell lol.

I don't know why they would have such crappy vidz for something this pivotal to Madden. If I can't see that the loco has been improved then it's like you never had a blog.

I've said many times that fixing loco, momentum, and the animation system, would go a long, long, LONG way to fixing many of the gameplay issues that the game suffers from. As long as players move like they would in real life, then it wouldn't matter if the CB read your mind, or if someone cut routes short with a WR and tried to RC, or many other things, because the effects of those things would be lessened by the fact that they still could not do anything that they would not be able to do in real life.

I would care a lot less if the AI controlled CB broke on the ball the second I hit the button to pass as long as he is not able to make up ground unrealistically to break up a play that in real life, no human being could cover that much ground in that short a time, which is what happens now. And I could not care less if someone wanted to break off a route to try and snag a pass in the air short of the intended target, as long as he didn't immediately stop his forward progress and turn on a dime and then launch into the air.

Anyone that doesn't think that having realistic loco/momentum, animation system, and a physics engine in the game (not saying that they are making a new physics engine for 11, I'm just talking in general) wouldn't greatly improve gameplay and fix many annoyances that many of us complain about, isn't looking at the situation hard enough.

# 133 Only1LT @ 04/08/10 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Real good points, agree with everything here. How's it going, LT?

Wsup Roadie lol?

Can't complain. OK maybe I can lol. Can't wait for this semester to be over. Want to have some free time to mess around with Microsoft's XNA more (XBOX 360 SDK), but between work and school it's tough.

How about you?

What do you think of the info so far?

# 134 roadman @ 04/08/10 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only1LT


	Wsup Roadie lol? Can't complain. OK maybe I can lol. Can't wait for this semester to be over. Want to have some free time to mess around with Microsoft's XNA more (XBOX 360 SDK), but between work and school it's tough. How about you? What do you think of the info so far?

The locomotion is interesting. Interesting to see how it will be implemented and where do we go from here with it.

I have a wait and see attitude about prior information released. (wr catching)

Also, I'm interested in finding out if tuning locomotion is the leading feature or what else they have in store for us. My gut tells me no, because I'm sure there might be other features released at a later date that may topple tuning locomotion.

Homestretch for semester, good luck!!!!

# 135 KyGamerLT @ 04/08/10 05:44 PM

I think this will be very good for madden, madden 10 was a good game. But the madden team got the basics of football wrong with back of the endzone/sideline catches(they are atleast working on this now). The defense is what I want to hear blogs about, Will block shedding matter more? can you're defense play flat zones better. I hope to see something about the Defense soon. I can't wait to see some gameplay videos with the new Locomotion working, hopefully it comes out good in the final product. To me I think this will help the passrush more to with turning around the pocket.

# 136 MattIntellect @ 04/08/10 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valdarez


	Ouch, that sure does put a dampener on the whole new locomotion blog...

No, I don't think you should say that because if memory serves me correctly, I believe that the blog and video of locomotion in Madden 09 only stated that it was improved. There was never any mention of the whole thing being ripped out and started over from scratch. I'm not 100% sure though. The mention of FIFA's locomotion technology into Madden alone, far distances itself from anything we heard about locomotion in 2008 about Madden 09. I understand why people don't want to get there hopes up about Madden 11 after being let down in previous years, but I do think that these recently released gameplay improvements are a sign that they are truly serious about improving the gameplay this year.

# 137 canes21 @ 04/08/10 05:56 PM

I know I am posting a little late, but who cares, right? This is a good step for EA. My wishlist this year was a Realistic Locomotion System, Make Ratings Actually Matter, Make Blocking Realistic, and Improve The Franchise. So far, Realistic Locomotion is in. Can they make all ratings matter and not just a few? Can they make the blocking better than what 2k8 has? If so, I'll love Madden 11. 10 was a good game, but is behind thanks to 06-09. Hopefully they make an even bigger stride this year.

# 138 Only1LT @ 04/08/10 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	The locomotion is interesting. Interesting to see how it will be implemented and where do we go from here with it. I have a wait and see attitude about prior information released. (wr catching) Also, I'm interested in finding out if tuning locomotion is the leading feature or what else they have in store for us. My gut tells me no, because I'm sure there might be other features released at a later date that may topple tuning locomotion. Homestretch for semester, good luck!!!!

I have little doubt that Tiburon has a "bigger" bombshell to drop. Or at least what would be considered a bombshell in their mind, but as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get much bigger than improving locomotion and momentum. If what ever game changer that they were alluding to that we wouldn't see coming doesn't have anything to do with making gameplay more realistic, they can keep it to themselves.

# 139 roadman @ 04/08/10 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only1LT


	I have little doubt that Tiburon has a "bigger" bombshell to drop. Or at least what would be considered a bombshell in their mind, but as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get much bigger than improving locomotion and momentum. If what ever game changer that they were alluding to that we wouldn't see coming doesn't have anything to do with making gameplay more realistic, they can keep it to themselves.

I agree, there are more than a few things to work on where gameplay is concerned.

# 140 Pacman83 @ 04/08/10 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only1LT


	I have little doubt that Tiburon has a "bigger" bombshell to drop. Or at least what would be considered a bombshell in their mind, but as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get much bigger than improving locomotion and momentum. If what ever game changer that they were alluding to that we wouldn't see coming doesn't have anything to do with making gameplay more realistic, they can keep it to themselves.

I dunno about that...are they at the point where "Innovative" means tuning locomotion system? I think theres something else to come, more along the lines of Online Franchise (Big, but not great) and i think after the draft through May is when we'll hear, JMHO.

« Previous 1 2…5 678 9 10 11 12 13 Next »

More Links

Madden NFL 11 Blog: Locomotion w/ Videos and L.T. Screenshot