Madden 12 News Post

Madden NFL 12 Super Bowl Halftime Blog: Tuner Sets and Surprise Onside Kicks

09:00 PM - February 6, 2011 by Steve_OS

The Madden NFL 12 Super Bowl Halftime blog is online. Tuner sets and surprise onside kicks are in.

Quote:


	""Tuner Sets", introduced in the NHL series and brought into NCAA Football last year, are hugely important to the development of sports games in that they allow us to tune and tweak many existing parts of game code without the major delay that comes from a full title update requiring 1st party console manufacturer approvals. A quick addition to my hacked surprise onside kick code made this feature easily tunable post-ship, and thus much safer against any exploits that may crop up. This isn't the only thing in the tuner sets obviously...we are in the process of moving as many items into these as possible, from gameplay tuning to franchise data to even presentation aspects. We are excited to the possibilities this will open up to our fans in being able to provide live feedback and having us act on it in near real-time. The days of shipping a disc in a box and forgetting about it are long gone, and we want to be at the forefront of blazing new trails in reacting to our audience and improving the game quickly."

Read the entire blog right here, along with a short video showing off the new surprise onside kick, in action.

UPDATE: The podcast is now on iTunes, for those that couldn't listen to it, via the blog.

EDIT: Per Ian Cummings

Quote:


	"RE: surprise onside, you pick a normal kickoff, then hit the B (or Circle) button as the last press on the meter. Your opponent has no clue!"

UPDATE #2: Via Ian

Quote:


	"Since so many people have asked...surprise onside as of today is only allowed 2x per team per game. That value is also in the tuner set."

Game: Madden NFL 12Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 44 - View All

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Member Comments

# 61 Brandwin @ 02/06/11 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA


	I don't get this. Did you guys read the blog? That concern is specifically addressed numerous times.

Yeah. I'll wait and see.

I'm glad tuner sets are in

Sent from my iPhone while on the toilet.

# 62 LaW97 @ 02/06/11 10:25 PM

they actually put up a poll of PA being fixed vs surprise onside kicks???

get outta town

thats crazy
PA Passes are a staple of the game. something that shouldnt have to be debated on wether or not it works properly

# 63 HARTSTOPPER @ 02/06/11 10:41 PM

Thanks for the information Ian. While it wasn't "ground breaking" it's still cool to see that you guys take our views and opinions into perspective, and cared enough to release information so early. I have my concerns about the surprise onside kick, but I think you guys will iron out all of the potential "cheesy" ways people will exploit this online. If worse comes to worse, I will just line up in an onside kick formation every time and thank my opponent for great field position.

The tuner sets are going to be huge. If I read and understood the blog correctly, the tuner set takes away the need to have a patch approved by Sony and/or Microsoft, and instead it will allow you guys at EA to make gameplay changes on the fly?

# 64 PantherBeast_OS @ 02/06/11 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDoze


	Seriously?? They know PA is broken, but we have to decide between if it gets fixed or if a new feature gets added. Wow, priorities are messed up. Also, why are people saying "from a marketing standpoint"? Because the competition might still their ideas? Its still the same terrible engine, if the most they can do is polish up the graphics and add new "features" like a surprise onside.....another bad year for Madden.

Well bro just because Ian did a poll on both surprise onsides or fix PA. Doesn't mean they ain't going to fix it.. I'm sure they will be fixing the PA while giving us the surprise onside kick aswell. It's way early bro. Don't worry so much. Give them time to put out the info. It's still way early in the build.

# 65 ryan36 @ 02/06/11 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legend Killer


	Well bro just because Ian did a poll on both surprise onsides or fix PA. Doesn't mean they ain't going to fix it.. I'm sure they will be fixing the PA while giving us the surprise onside kick aswell. It's way early bro. Don't worry so much. Give them time to put out the info. It's still way early in the build.

I'm NOT saying PA ISN'T fixed. I'm saying that if it truly was a one or the other situation then I'm sad they picked the suprise onside kicks. I DOUBT this is what happens.

And Ian being able to announce tuner sets is MUCH more than I expected

# 66 PVarck31 @ 02/06/11 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan36


	I'm NOT saying PA ISN'T fixed. I'm saying that if it truly was a one or the other situation then I'm sad they picked the suprise onside kicks. I DOUBT this is what happens. And Ian being able to announce tuner sets is MUCH more than I expected

Where did it say that Ian did a poll on whether they should add surprise onside kicks or fix PA? Did I miss this?

# 67 khaliib @ 02/06/11 10:59 PM

Thanks Ian for stepping out and communicating with gamers.

I'm a rent 1st type of gamer. Not just with EA, but with all games since once you open, you own.

I think a better way to tie in the Surprise Onside Kick would be to tie it into an attribute of your ST Coach. Coaches have to play a role in the game somehow. It would be better if such a call was out of the hands of the gamer. You do this with the Off Coordinator already, just continue to expand to others on the coaching staff.

If your ST Coach calls it, you have to roll with it. Even if the circumstance is not right for it (better hire a ST Coach with good awareness of game situations).

Side note gripe:
I know it's still in the tinkering stage, but the KO players stayed fixed to their KO lanes eventhough it was an onside kick.

Also, for this to look/work right, players "Can Not" do that Standing 2-Step dance. Bodies must collide and hit the ground. This is the one time I would say that Backbreaker type of collisions would be perfect for this feature. It really would be nice if you could choose a guy and go blow up somebody on ST.

Players at the Pro level "Attack" their responsibilities with Recless Abandon. This is one area that really kills the Pro representation by Madden.

Well, we shall see.
That's all anybody can really say right now.

"Oh, how I wish Def Players in Madden would constantly move around like I'm watching on TV now.
Steelers 3-4 motion Def is crazy looking with so much movement happening before the snap"

This is what happens on Sundays.

# 68 PantherBeast_OS @ 02/06/11 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan36


	I'm NOT saying PA ISN'T fixed. I'm saying that if it truly was a one or the other situation then I'm sad they picked the suprise onside kicks. I DOUBT this is what happens. And Ian being able to announce tuner sets is MUCH more than I expected

Well I hope PA does get fixed. But if not it ain't going to be a total loss. I run a lot PAs in my playbook and I'm fine with them most of the time. Just when the AI blitz to much on PA that bugs me.

# 69 DJ @ 02/06/11 11:17 PM

Tuner sets and surprise onsides kicks are both good additions to the game. Ian, do you know if, like in NHL, users will be able to choose which Tuner Set they want to use? That was the only thing I didn't like about NCAA 11 was that you couldn't choose which Tuner to use.

Thanks for the info during Super Bowl Sunday

# 70 at23steelers @ 02/06/11 11:27 PM

I am really impressed with the graphics and score on the top. The tuner is an awesome addition, and surprised onside kicks will be neat if implemented properly.

# 71 Chrisksaint @ 02/06/11 11:30 PM

Tuner sets is good news really good news. I will do a surprise onside kick at the beginning of every half in honor of Sean Payton until I convert one lol.

Waiting anxiously for any of those new features for Franchise,etc.

# 72 yankeesgiants @ 02/06/11 11:31 PM

It's a good start for info.

# 73 econoodle @ 02/06/11 11:41 PM

LOOOOVE the new scorebug.
tho i wish it was on the bottom. it takes away from seeing the nice skyline in some of the stadiums.
tho i think it looks professional up top.

tuner sets?
nice!

i like how he mentioned franchise and said, 'some nice big tidbits'.

BIG tidbits? olol
cant wait.

# 74 havokeff @ 02/07/11 12:49 AM

I'm OK with what I heard. I like that EA is trying to circumvent Microsoft/Sony so that they can continue to address the game during it's lifespan.

The surprise onside kick is a very nice addition. I believe that someone addressed it as a 'trash play' earlier in the thread? Ask the Saints and Sean Payton if they agree with that? lol

Nice info for a FIRST blog.

# 75 cdon2k @ 02/07/11 12:57 AM

Item that most missed from the blog, Tiburion has consolidated their football games resources somewhat.Tech will be shared between games

# 76 NoTiCe_O @ 02/07/11 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdon2k


	Item that most missed from the blog, Tiburion has consolidated their football games resources somewhat.Tech will be shared between games

When he mentioned the producer from Fight Night i thought he was gonna say they were using Fight Nights physics Tech for the Tackles .. Oh well lol

# 77 Hova57 @ 02/07/11 01:08 AM

I think people didn't read the part where they said they were able to get the franchise mode where it needs to be. that they were able to add what they needed to versus the the podcast where they said everything may not be there. Good first blog. Guys no need in getting banned in Feb at least wait till June to get banned lol

# 78 Senator Palmer @ 02/07/11 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdon2k


	Item that most missed from the blog, Tiburion has consolidated their football games resources somewhat.Tech will be shared between games

I agree with you there. There are nuances and subtle innovations in both NCAA and Madden that don't cross over. This could be a very good thing

# 79 cdon2k @ 02/07/11 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator Palmer


	I agree with you there. There are nuances and subtle innovations in both NCAA and Madden that don't cross over. This could be a very good thing

My theory is that they had two separate teams on PS2/Xbox1 era to make each game have a separate feel (to keep people buying both games). This may have backfired in this current generation due to the high costs of HD content. I remember Ian remarking on the high costs of creating one new menu screen. Hopefully they will get better at sharing the technologies between the two games.

# 80 4solo @ 02/07/11 01:37 AM

Overall i think it was a decent blog. Wasn't expecting much. I think the tuner sets will be a nice addition. The suprise onside kick, i feel would have been better served as one of those in game suprises. Where I would go to select a kickoff play and see "suprise onside" and be amazed that they added it. But the early vid was nice. In my opinion something that wouldn't have been too revealing but just makes a solid statement of going in the right direction would have been talking about improving penalties. And not to be negative but for everyone who says its still early, in years past we've said the same thing only to not see things added that we thought should be in the game. But its still early.

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