Madden NFL 11 News Post

Madden NFL 11 Blog: Run Blocking Improvements

03:29 PM - May 12, 2010 by Cvhsalumni

EA Sports has just posted another Madden NFL 11 blog. This one was written by Mike Scantlebury and features run blocking improvements, with a few video examples included.

Quote:


	"As we started planning out the changes to make to run blocking In Madden NFL 11, we just focused on creating the true run blocking schemes exactly as they are drawn up in real life. No reason to try and make a video-gamey version of it - it needed to be the real thing. It definitely took a lot of tuning to get the matchups right versus the many defensive fronts in football, but we have done it. The very first thing we had to do was really lay down the law. What I mean by this is that blockers had to be given realistic rules for who they are going to target depending on what type of run it is. We had to devise rules for each run blocker individually, starting from the play-side Tight End to the back-side Tight End, and all the Linemen in between. These rules also had to work in the situations where there was no Tight End, had to affect blockers in the backfield, and had to work whether you had a fullback to lead block or if you were running out of a Singleback formation. These realistic blocking matchup rules have stood the test of time in football at every level of play, from Pee Wee to professional. So we set out to implement these timeless rules into our football game. Daniel White (who from here forward I will refer to as the greatest software engineer of all time) was able to take the rules that I laid out and actually code them into the game. The result? Better overall run blocking, bigger holes for ball carriers to run through, and more realistic running lanes created by smarter offensive players. Let's look at specific improvement made to the different runs in our game."

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Member Comments

# 61 J Masta J @ 05/12/10 06:18 PM

A hate to be a doubting Thomas, but why no vid of running against a 3-4 D?

# 62 TracerBullet @ 05/12/10 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	:-( Just reminded me of the lack of pause-menu-formation-subs. Fuuuuuuuuuuudge!

Did they not get these in? I know NCAA said they have them. Sucks if they didn't, I was looking forward to actually not having my 4th string WR on my kickoff team.

# 63 splff3000 @ 05/12/10 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Masta J


	A hate to be a doubting Thomas, but why no vid of running against a 3-4 D?

To add on to that, what happens if I manually move my LB's around, like so many people like to do online. What if, instead of my LB's lining up like they normally would in a 4-3, I move all 3 LB's into the gaps between the D linemen? Will the O-line still double team and leave my LB free to roam around(which I think will happen) or will the O-line adjust and try to block my LB's?

# 64 Bgamer90 @ 05/12/10 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	In other words, they did it right. If you are looking for a reason to be excited for the future of Madden, this is a good place to start. Add in locomotion, and the running game is as fun as it's ever been. This is the improvement that makes M10 obsolete.

The running game should be fantastic this year...

new locomotion+ new blocking + dual stick controls + no turbo (default)
=

I want some new gameplay vids.

# 65 rooney8 @ 05/12/10 06:40 PM

With this blocking logic I don't see it stoping cheesers blitzing the crap out of the A gap.

# 66 TreyIM2 @ 05/12/10 06:45 PM

While I have no complaints about the vids and I knew this blog was coming, I just wonder when the Madden 11 blogs will stop following behind the NCAA 11 blogs of the same content. Eh, whatever.

Also, is it just that the vid is somewhat dark or a combination of a dark vid AND new lighting implementation ala NCAA 11? Didn't look as bright as some of the other Madden 11 media, which has been annoying to me. I hope they were able to get in the new lighting system so it will look just as good as NCAA 11.

# 67 jmurphy31 @ 05/12/10 06:59 PM

Will the same blocking scheme work against people online who stack one side of the defense and try and shoot gaps.

Also I wonder how it is for pass blocking ---true pocket, maybe?

# 68 kjcheezhead @ 05/12/10 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splff3000


	I think the blocking improvements look nice. I'm not too worried about the defensive side of the ball, as far as this is concerned, because I think, if run blocking is too powerful, we can fix it by adjusting sliders. I am worried about the defensive side of the ball in general though. From what I can tell, everything that has been mentioned so far, besides locomotion, has been heavily favored toward the offensive side of the ball. I haven't heard one peep about defensive improvements. It seems like every blog that comes out as something new and shiny for the offense. I hope this doesn't turn into Madden 04 again where, in general, the offense overpowered the defense tremendously. Right now, that's where it looks like we're headed. As far as the blog is concerned, I'm guessing that they're playing on rookie or pro. There's no way the D is reacting that slow on All Pro or All Madden. It would make sense for them to do that so they can show off what they've done. What I would really like to have seen was 1 vid showing the play against a weak D line and 1 vid showing the play against a dominant D line so we could see the difference a dominant D line makes. Still though, it looks nice. For those saying that they don't trust the blogs this year, I was right there with you, but I've noticed something this year about the blogs. Most of the vids shown this year, are in game. It's not just one or two players, but it's a full 22 players on the field. That's why I'm not as skeptical as I was before about these blogs now. When I see it in game, I guess I feel reassured that it'll be in since I've seen it in game already.

That's a good point, however we all know the game plays different on all-pro and all madden. Vids that look good on 1 play on rookie level or pro are still not necessarily a good representation of the actual gameplay on an overall basis or on the higher levels most people play on. One other problem is for all we know, every oline will play this way for the cpu like it felt like they did in Madden 10.

That's why I still have to have a wait and see approach. I can't deny I like how it plays in these vids tho.

# 69 stlstudios189 @ 05/12/10 07:07 PM

I am excited about this.

# 70 NYyankz225 @ 05/12/10 07:21 PM

Im also curious what happens if you stack one side of the line on defense or some of the crazy things that people do online. Will assignments adjust?

# 71 The Clairvoyant @ 05/12/10 07:28 PM

Looks great.

# 72 huskerwr38 @ 05/12/10 07:42 PM

This is a very nice addition and looks like it actually is working pretty well. However, the animations and camera seems to snap or jerk when the ball is snapped then it happens again when the ball is handed off. It's very displeasing, however, I'm aware it's a WIP and hope this is smoothed out in the final version.

# 73 CreatineKasey @ 05/12/10 07:43 PM

Looks great! I think the reaction by the defense makes sense. I'm sure it was exaggerated, but the idea is still there. When defenders have zone responsibilities they'll read and react like shown. Players started to pursue once they saw the ball in the HB's hands. If they just fired into the gap on a run instantly and it was play action they'd leave that area wide open. Obviously that happens sometimes IRL, but it shouldn't be the norm.

When watching the replays I could already envision the power of run-blitzes and slanting your strong DL. In cases where OL are pulling, if you shoot those gaps with a blitz you can really blow up those plays. That should be a lot of fun to do now that the OL logic is legit and it no longer feels cheesy to do so.

I'm also excited about the possible end of dime defenses stopping power runs and power run formations. It's about damn time. This should be the end of someone coming out in dime, showing blitz, and playing a cover 2 zone behind it to stop 95% of my plays. Matchups should mean more now, ideally. Acceleration will limit LB's abilities to cover WR.

Lots of good things coming from this guys. Get pumped!

# 74 RayAllen20 @ 05/12/10 08:07 PM

First of all love the blocking, and have 2 things that pop into my minds from this.

1. The gameplay looks wide-open this year. You can cut up lanes, something you couldn't do in Madden 10. '10 felt a little scripted to me sometimes, as the best highlight play I got, was a pro-take animation. Now, I am hoping to pull of some Reggie Bush moves.

2. Also my big question is whether or not we will feel the presence of a great Nose Tackle with this. I would love it if Kris Jenkins was plugging up run holes with 2 defenders blocking him.

# 75 ttmatt @ 05/12/10 08:32 PM

Just read the blog. Everything looks awesome. The videos look great. I love running the ball, so this is something I've been waiting for. This type of stuff is what gets me excited again. This is actual core gameplay improvement. I'm a little concerned about the defense. The defense has been getting the short end of the stick recently. I just hope its balanced well.

# 76 HolyCrap @ 05/12/10 09:08 PM

Seems like the Linebackers and Safeties were LOAFing out there. tsk tsk tsk.

The Linebackers need the engage the blocks or do something to get around them they are just sitting there and then get blocked.

# 77 J Masta J @ 05/12/10 09:32 PM

This better be on rookie, because those LB reactions were TERRIBLE. They were more on par for how LBs would read and react in HS, NOT the pro's. In the NFL, reads are made in less than a second...thinking is the enemy. The LB's in these videos react horribly slow. In fact, they don't even begin to fill gaps until the FB is 1 yard past the LOS! Plus, the interior linemen are double teaming DT's DOWNFIELD! Even as a high schooler, i would've diagnosed this play far quicker than these virtual pro's did. This better be on an easy setting or sliders better be consequential or else...

(this is all from the Jets v Chargers vid)

# 78 J Masta J @ 05/12/10 09:40 PM

I have to say...the kick out block on the counter looked FANTASTIC. and it was great seeing linemen get down field.

even so, reaction time by LBs WAY to slow. the misdirection on this play isn't even that much...the FB does go right, yes, but TWO guards pull left. LB's would be moving at that point.

Same with the stretch...i like the blocking mechs, the double team and go to second level, but those LB reactions are GOSH DARN AWFUL. Honestly, a double team block could not possibly be sustained for 2+ seconds if the OL hopes to also pick a backer up. They're chip blocks at most, and we aren't seeing that right now.

As for the Power-O, the reactions are still bad, so I won't harp on that. But watch 69, the pulling guard...a little bit of suction blocking there???? I watched it from every angle and 2/3 of the time it looked like yes, but the last angle looked like it was natural... and that pancake animation at the end was a thing of beauty.

all in all, they put in some great blocking mechs, but it will just be a matter of finding the right difficulty level and sliders to make LB reactions realistic, b/cuz they aren't even close in these videos.

# 79 roadman @ 05/12/10 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by backbreaker


	I stated this in another thread in response to PGaither84. Every year CD guys come back with glowing things to say and more specifically in commented on the blocking and run game and I chimed in and told him LBzrules said the same thing last year, boasting of changes made on the fly. So forgive me if I don't really get goose pimples when someone at CD tries to re assure us. We get this every year and I've been in these forums since the 90's, Couple that with blog debacle last year. For the most part CD guys are playing the alpha version of the game. When features are added bugs arise code re-writes features change. This is why I say show me this stuff in beta form or when the game is complete.

I agree with most of this BB, but you know as well as I do, that it appears this year , the CD folks are more low key than last year, at least that the way it appears to me.

Quite frankly, I like that approach better.

# 80 spankdatazz22 @ 05/12/10 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	This game needs balance. EA should adopt a both-sides philosophy. For every addition/fix, there needs to be equal attention paid to it's opposite.

This. It's been sorely lacking for years

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