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Madden NFL 11 News Post


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."

Game: Madden NFL 11Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 96 - View All
Madden NFL 11 Videos
Member Comments
# 141 CreatineKasey @ 05/14/10 08:10 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnoobie
i like how the blocking logic is done but the OL/DL interaction still needs a LOT of work...

sooo...will there be PASS blocking logic to? like double teaming a threat during pass plays?
Good question. It's probably best to assume no until proven otherwise. I think that pass blocking logic is tough to implement. I'm still super glad that they're taking the game in this direction. The depth of this blog was phenomenal.
 
# 142 noplace @ 05/14/10 08:32 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rooney8
In all the vids the linebackers are very slow to react. Probably all just in zone but I would like to see how they block the blitz. Do they still try and double linemen and let some linebackers through? I hope not.
Exactly..Looks good but the only problem I have is that it looks like the LB's dont have there own AI. They are not attacking the LOS but allowing the OL to get to them at the 2nd level. No LB is taught to stand there an allow someone to block them... Better EA but still one sided. Cant dumb down logic on the defensive side of the ball to allow blocking to work correctly.
 
# 143 Sausage @ 05/14/10 08:37 AM
If it has not been mentioned, on his twatter account, Ian Cummings said it was on rookie to easily capture the improvements. I am guessing that is why the o-line looked so strong.
 
# 144 roadman @ 05/14/10 09:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by noplace
Exactly..Looks good but the only problem I have is that it looks like the LB's dont have there own AI. They are not attacking the LOS but allowing the OL to get to them at the 2nd level. No LB is taught to stand there an allow someone to block them... Better EA but still one sided. Cant dumb down logic on the defensive side of the ball to allow blocking to work correctly.
As the poster below you said, maybe it was because it was on Rookie level.
 
# 145 Hova57 @ 05/14/10 09:18 AM
with so much time left i think we will get a defensive blowout. there must be one piece of the gameplay not being said , even the cd guys haven't said anything to anyone who questioned the defense other than they like how the defense reacted. that goes for ncaa and madden for that much.
 
# 146 splff3000 @ 05/14/10 09:54 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hova57
with so much time left i think we will get a defensive blowout. there must be one piece of the gameplay not being said , even the cd guys haven't said anything to anyone who questioned the defense other than they like how the defense reacted. that goes for ncaa and madden for that much.
I don't know man. I'm thinking this year will be Madden 04(The one with Vick on the cover where the offenses overpowered defenses easily) all over again and next year will be Madden 05(The one with Ray Lewis on the cover where the defense got big upgrades to match with offense). That's usually how these guys work. They'll focus on one aspect of the game for a cycle and then focus on the next aspect in another cycle ala Madden 04 and Madden 05.

Another reason why I'm not holding my breath for defensive improvements is because, in the gameflow/gameplan vids, I saw the same defensive formations and plays that are always there. You'd think they have team specific defensive playbooks by now, but they don't. Well, they do, but they aren't really team specific as much as they are formation specific ie if 2 teams run a 4-3 defense, their defensive playbook will be exactly the same. Anyway, I hope I'm wrong and we get something to counter all of this offensive stuff, but I wouldn't count on it.
 
# 147 jvaccaro @ 05/14/10 10:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BezO
:-(

Just reminded me of the lack of pause-menu-formation-subs. Fuuuuuuuuuuudge!
is this referring to being in m10 (which I knew about) or m11 (which I really hoped they've fixed)
 
# 148 jvaccaro @ 05/14/10 10:11 AM
I just saw on Ian's twitter that the videos were taken on Rookie mode just to show off the new tech.

www.twitter.com/ian_cummings
 
# 149 kjcheezhead @ 05/14/10 10:28 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jvaccaro
I just saw on Ian's twitter that the videos were taken on Rookie mode just to show off the new tech.

www.twitter.com/ian_cummings
I kind of figured that and it sucks to hear cause it kinda makes the vids useless. 1)The blocking is always strong on rookie mode 2) It means it could be like the wr/db jostling last year that basically disappeared once you bump the difficulty up to all-pro or all-madden. or 3) It works like we saw and the game may have a Madden 04 type offense.
 
# 150 bls @ 05/14/10 10:56 AM
I personally feel like a good idea would have been to show how the blocking is gonna be on a higher difficulty. This really says nor shows anything if the CPU defense is dumbed down.

If you look at all 3 linebackers they don't even attack the ball carrier, they just sit there and wait for the OL to come block them. Terrrible illustration of football.

Why not put out a video on how the blocking will be both on lower difficulty as well as a higher difficulty??????? How do you know how the blocking will be on a higher difficulty if they don't show you?????????? I can guarantee you that they'll run around in circles on a higher difficulty because if they really fixed the blocking, they would have removed the suction blocking as well.

Sounds like a gimmick to me.
 
# 151 falconfansince81 @ 05/14/10 12:03 PM
yeah i agree i would like to see this blocking on a VARIETY of difficulties, to not only show what improvements they have/have not made but ALSO to see how well the ai has improved throughout a translation of difficulty.

i just have a feeling not much will change in that department

i didn't read all the replies to this post, but i'm sure most of you have seen some of the same problems that urked us all since 06.

the running animation did look nice without the hitch-step, i must say.
 
# 152 CreatineKasey @ 05/14/10 12:33 PM
I think the point of the video was to clearly explain the logic, which is obviously cleaner on rookie. Things would get tougher to easily explain to less hardcore fans with defenses winning blocks and messing up the scheme. It was intended to show an ideal result for the offense.

I'm surprised people are putting a negative spin on this given that it's a great sim improvement. Unfortunate.
 
# 153 moneal2001 @ 05/14/10 01:55 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by CreatineKasey
I think the point of the video was to clearly explain the logic, which is obviously cleaner on rookie. Things would get tougher to easily explain to less hardcore fans with defenses winning blocks and messing up the scheme. It was intended to show an ideal result for the offense.

I'm surprised people are putting a negative spin on this given that it's a great sim improvement. Unfortunate.
Why are you surprised? That is about all that you get from this board or just about any game board for anything EA or Madden.
 
# 154 Only1LT @ 05/14/10 02:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBrick
Peace of cake. Do you know how many ignorant youtubers hate madden!?

A LOT lol.
Are you implying that people that make YouTube videos are ignorant, or people that don't like Madden are ignorant, or both?
 
# 155 Only1LT @ 05/14/10 02:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjv31
Couple things I noticed that no one else has mentioned. Running animations looked much improved, and the locomotion was more noticeable. You could see the players had more weight to them and weren't turning on a dime.
I did notice that and was going to mention it. Just wanted to read through the whole thread first.

I definitely see improvement in the running animations. They are smoother. It reminds of the last gen running animations somewhat. I can also see some loco evidence as the player has noticeable body lean when changing directions.

Having said that, I wouldn't say that the run animations are much improved. I'll take it compared to what we have, but it still has a long way to go in my opinion.

I see a lot of posters saying to bring back the running animations from last gen and how they were just about perfect, and I could not agree less. Comparatively the last gen animations may be better, but I never thought that they were anything to write home about either. The one significant advantage they had over current gen running animations is that they at least looked fluid, where as this gen is plagued by a weird hitching in the animations. In the blog vids, the hitching did seem to improve some too though, so kudos to them for that.

The other thing is that although the players leaned when running, and that is most welcome, there is still a floaty... weightlessness look to the way they ran. They look a little too much like feathers in the wind and that they float ever so slightly above the ground rather than firmly planted on it.

Speaking of planting, I think that they could do with more evident foot planting on change of directions. From what I have seen so far, there is really only a foot plant when executing a special move for the most part.

Overall, the improvement is there, and I am appreciative of the small favor, but it is a small favor. Still a lot of work to do in this department as far as I am concerned.

And on a side note, those player models irk me more and more everyday. That's also a factor in the running animations looking off still to me. The angles at which their limbs stay affixed and the overall shape of the models, with their off proportions, don't do the running animations any favors either. (Shudders)
 
# 156 shttymcgee @ 05/14/10 03:07 PM
I still think that there is not enough lateral movement on the LOS between linemen. The assignments seem more realistic (except for the odd reach block by the center on the counter play,) which certainly is a step in the right direction. However, using the stretch play as an example, defenders should be getting pushed laterally to a much greater degree; there should be less standing and jostling.
 
# 157 Palo20 @ 05/14/10 03:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by shttymcgee
I still think that there is not enough lateral movement on the LOS between linemen. The assignments seem more realistic (except for the odd reach block by the center on the counter play,) which certainly is a step in the right direction. However, using the stretch play as an example, defenders should be getting pushed laterally to a much greater degree; there should be less standing and jostling.
Good post, I was just about to show a video. Definitely need more lateral movement out of the OLine.



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Here are a few Colts' runs. They also pull lineman on some of their zone plays. The Vikings' runs are slightly different but you can see the OLine movement and the cutback lanes opening up.




Also, here is one of the Colts' draw plays, it's more of an outside draw play with OLinemem pulling.


 
# 158 Only1LT @ 05/14/10 03:22 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by shttymcgee
I still think that there is not enough lateral movement on the LOS between linemen. The assignments seem more realistic (except for the odd reach block by the center on the counter play,) which certainly is a step in the right direction. However, using the stretch play as an example, defenders should be getting pushed laterally to a much greater degree; there should be less standing and jostling.
They have improved the blocking logic, or at least I hope they have. What you are talking about though requires them, not only add animations, but also implement a new physics engine.

That they would need the former, is obvious. I say that they would need the latter because I remember Ian specifically in a blog last year attempting to belittle how 2K does their blocking animations and saying that they were canned and not dynamic. So I would imagine that he would not want to copy the way they did it and would want the interaction to be dynamic.

That's good and bad. Good in that having most things in a game be dynamic is usually a good thing, but bad in that I don't know if they are actually capable of pulling that off with the state of the game today and I would much rather have what 2K did, canned or not (and aren't the animations in Madden canned to a large extent anyway?) then have what we have now.

The animations in 2K may have been canned, but they were done so well that they still looked like some dynamic struggle was taking place, even if it wasn't. In Madden, the animations are not dynamic and they don't do a good job of hiding the fact that this is NOT what you see on Sunday.
 
# 159 Only1LT @ 05/14/10 04:03 PM
I understand that the vids are being played on Rookie, but what does that actually mean?

So you are saying that because the game setting is on Rookie, that it is perfectly understandable for the defense to react slowly, lack awareness, and show lack of fundamentals. Sounds plausible... except, that the offense is also on Rookie... so... shouldn't the line react slowly, lack awareness, and show a lack of fundamentals?

I'm not saying that there is definitely something wrong with the defense on higher difficulty levels, but to say "oh it's on Rookie, so anything and everything goes" just doesn't make sense to me.

This goes to a larger issue that I have with sports games in general. There shouldn't be 4 different difficulty levels. If it's supposed to be a sim game, then why would you need different difficulty levels? If there is one "normal" mode where things happen as they should, why do I care about a rookie, pro, all pro, all star level?

Now all sports games (that I have played anyway, I haven't played every single one) have difficulty levels so Madden isn't alone in this, but I still can't help but think that there is something inherently wrong with the way that Madden programs difficulty. Difficulty should be based on sliders. If you are not that advanced, you should be able to lower the ratings of the team you are playing against across the board to make it more challenging. But you should never have players play fundamentally wrong in order to make the game easier. Maybe this stems from the lack of confidence I have in Tiburon anyway, but when I see something like this, I can't help but wonder what else is fundamentally wrong with the game, that is just being masked by them exaggerating one aspect of the game to compensate for another. The evidence that many ratings in Madden mean nothing is also substantial, so maybe this is a byproduct of that. But I digress.

Not going to go off on a long diatribe of Tiburon's abilities. I just think that Madden, and any other sports game that thinks of itself as a sim, should have one difficulty. The "real" difficulty. I know that trying to make your game accessible to the novice in order to increase sales is important, but I just think that the way that they are handling difficulty is apparently flawed. Not just because of the vid either. This is something that I have thought for a while. The video is just further illustration of it.
 
# 160 Only1LT @ 05/14/10 04:29 PM
One more thing that I noticed in regards to the animations the blog vids. The animation of Sanchez going back to hand off the ball is, for a lack of a better word, disturbing. Look at how his legs move. It's just straight up bizarre.
 


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