Madden 12 News Post

Madden NFL 12 Has Twice as Many People Working on Core Gameplay

10:13 PM - April 22, 2011 by Steve_OS

Kotaku has posted an article featuring another interview with new EA Sports Football GM Cam Weber discussing Madden NFL 12 and beyond.

Quote:


	"Weber showed up in February, halfway through Madden 12's build. What a three-year plan is, Weber says, is a comprehensive focus on football gameplay - "whistle to whistle" as he says - that's meant to keep each year from being purely reactive, so that future editions going forward all have identifiable long-term development behind them. In so doing, he offered that Tiburon's core football gameplay team would double in size. Though this crew works on the engine used by both Madden and NCAA, that became "Madden's team is doubling." Weber reiterates: Twice as many people will be working on core gameplay for both games. Madden and NCAA retain their own teams of designers, producers and animators, focusing on the features that differentiate them."

Source: EA Sports' "Football Czar" Opens With A Two-Month Drill

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

# 21 ch46647 @ 04/23/11 03:05 PM

I personally think the NHL series is EA's best franchise but that is for another discussion. I will say that FIFA has the best footplanting and locomotion technology in any sports game availiable IMO.

I do not believe Madden can really reach SIM status in any area of gameplay until those two things are properly implemented. Last year they said they added locomotion. It seems to work at times but does not apply to every player on the field. Usually just the direct player the User is controlling. Also, the footplanting in Madden is just horrible at the moment. Every player just floats/glides/morphs around the field and into their animations.

# 22 Tyrant8RDFL @ 04/23/11 03:12 PM

If gameplay is to be improved. A very friendly control scheme needs to be implemented.

Bring back the controls we had in the ps2 days , where hot routing your defense was very easy to execute.

Also DB shading.

I would also like to have the same running controls we had on the ps2. The controls were well done on the ps2, and there was no need to touch them, so I hope this is one aspect they revisit and bring back.

# 23 BlueNGold @ 04/23/11 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrant8RDFL


	If gameplay is to be improved. A very friendly control scheme needs to be implemented. Bring back the controls we had in the ps2 days , where hot routing your defense was very easy to execute. Also DB shading. I would also like to have the same running controls we had on the ps2. The controls were well done on the ps2, and there was no need to touch them, so I hope this is one aspect they revisit and bring back.

I think the running controls are fine with the dual analog control, but I agree about the hot routing. I miss the secondary hot routing as well, like being able to select individual DBs to press instead of all of them.

# 24 TexasBorn1 @ 04/23/11 03:32 PM

That is great news

# 25 mestevo @ 04/23/11 03:58 PM

So if in February (from the OP) this was said:

Quote:


	In so doing, he offered that Tiburon's core football gameplay team would double in size. Though this crew works on the engine used by both Madden and NCAA, that became "Madden's team is doubling."

The headline is wrong, this is for next year. No?

# 26 adembroski @ 04/23/11 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marshallfever


	I know the Vick shot is from 12, i meant the pictures in the article like this one here: And about the actual article, i sort of agree with you. When i read it, i didn't see anything about the current Madden game having double the team; Especially when he just got abroad this February

That shot is from M11.

# 27 thundergatti @ 04/23/11 04:53 PM

Talk is cheap.

Fix the freaking penalties!

# 28 djordan @ 04/23/11 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	We've heard this before, but what is different, now, is that they're doubling the size of the team working on the game-play engine. They're devoting more resources to the game, rather than marketing. Would I be wrong if I interpreted this as Tiburon is building a new engine ?

Yes you would be. I think they would build a "new" engine for the next consoles to hit the market..

# 29 SageInfinite @ 04/23/11 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	We've heard this before, but what is different, now, is that they're doubling the size of the team working on the game-play engine. They're devoting more resources to the game, rather than marketing. Would I be wrong if I interpreted this as Tiburon is building a new engine ?

I would say so.

# 30 SageInfinite @ 04/23/11 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	Okay, maybe building a new engine is the wrong way to put it. Hopefully they're renovating the current engine.

Yeah I would say they could be heavily tweaking it, but with EA you never know. Every time you have some ray of hope, you see the game in motion and your dreams are killed again imo. It just seems like they just don't have the nuances or smoothness in their animations. I mean even little things like how the receivers start their routes are embarrassing in both games. I mean if they can't get simple animations like that right, how can I have faith in anything they do?

# 31 Bolt957 @ 04/23/11 06:48 PM

You know, just because they have twice as many won't mean anything if it's not good.

# 32 roadman @ 04/23/11 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43M


	Agreed. Still not enough to get me really excited since EA has burned its fans too many times, but its at least providing more hope than before. I liked Ian, but IMO, he wasnt the Madden savior or even close to it that some made him to be. He was just a member of the old tired team that put together the other crappy Madden's. I think Madden 10 improved mostly due to the major backlash from Madden 09, and not so much Ian taking over. Madden 11 was a joke in terms of improvements. I am more hopeful for 12, but I guess we will find out over the next few months if that optimism was misguided.

Well, Ian made a impact on 12, so, like you said, we'll have to see how that turns out.

# 33 Tyrant8RDFL @ 04/23/11 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueNGold


	I think the running controls are fine with the dual analog control, but I agree about the hot routing. I miss the secondary hot routing as well, like being able to select individual DBs to press instead of all of them.

The current control scheme for running the ball is fine, but for me personally I liked the ps2 controls better. We had stiff arms with its own buttons , and they also were important in switching hands to protect the ball. We had quick jukes, plus the moves on the right analog stick. It was deeper, and is why I enjoyed it more.

Yes the way we were able to individually bump and run our DB's was a great thing. It helped big time to avoid the defenders running into each other when there was a trips package.

What I would love to see one day is the ability to tell a defender what route to watch for. This would be insane to have. I'm sure you can see how this can really help or hurt you when you use it, but it would really help for players that do obvious routes with their receivers.

# 34 blklightning @ 04/24/11 01:42 AM

wait, now they're starting a new three year plan. but this game was supposed to be the end of the last three year plan to make the game awesome. so if this game fails, i guess we have to wait another three years before we're back to waiting for the next great madden game. right?

# 35 B-Lo-Z-Ro @ 04/24/11 01:42 AM

some people dnt care & some do but how are they going about scanning faces? Greg Jones from the Jags was in it last year & now its a generic likeness.. are more players/starters going to be scanned or similar likeness? iwish they had a list of who was done in 11 so people can see... for those who care about player likeness anyways

# 36 BlueNGold @ 04/24/11 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud


	I read where a lot of people ask for these defensive features to return but I have a totally different take on this. I want them to streamline the current offensive/defensive adjustments and forget about adding most of what the past EA football games did. The reason being, they way it is done now and the way it was done then, don't seem to translate in a realistic way in the game. I think having an offensive system that along with each play called are two preset customizable audibles per formation ( this is basically a QB going on the field with 3 play choices), every passing play having ONE pre-snap hot read/route and basically the same on field adjustments currently available minus full playbooks and multiple hot routing. Defensively, tiered play calling with each play called having two preset customizable audibles per formation along with an option in the playcall screen to disguise the defense, ALL coverage assignments/adjustments handled in the defensive match-up screen ( just like with NBA 2k11), defensive Commit option for run, pass, PA and screen pass( if they commit and guess wrong big play opportunity, great last-gen option) and the same current on the field adjustments minus full defensive playbook, secondary and individual defensive player adjustments.( No more group press/play off coverage adjustments, freestyle blitzers or spontaneous double coverage). The only player the user can "freestyle" with, is the ONE the user is manually controlling. This would eliminate the sandlot feel of "drawing up offensive/defensive plays in the dirt" AT THE LOS and actually give the games a realistic polish when play calling and game planning. Game planning should be done pregame, play calling done on the sideline during the game, coaching adjustments made based on the game and on the field, play the game.

Great post and I definitely agree with all of what you said. I never did like how you could basically draw up your own play on the fly just at the LOS. That's pretty unrealistic and a big reason why I actually liked the strategy pad last year. Sure, it might not have been as responsive as the past pre-play controls, but for the most part it kept people from creating a lot of those cheap pre-play exploits.

BTW welcome to OS. Just realized you're a new member. It's not often we get solid posters that are brand new.

# 37 BlueNGold @ 04/24/11 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJenness


	Why does EA feel this is newsworthy?? IMHO, it reeks of a marketing ploy to suck people back in and build the hype once again. It wouldn't matter if they hired every man, woman and child on earth, because that doesn't equate to being a better product. What they NEED is people who really GET football....radical fans of the game who will not settle for a sub-par representation of what the game of football entails. People like those at 2k who clearly LOVE the game of basketball, and it shows in their final product. Give me an NFL game that is represented like that, and you will never hear another complaint from me. And I'd buy that game with ZERO hype and marketing.

Who said EA themselves thought it was newsworthy? It's not like they announced it. It was an interview with Kotaku, who were the ones that thought it was newsworthy, which with this community it is.

# 38 kjcheezhead @ 04/24/11 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud


	I read where a lot of people ask for these defensive features to return but I have a totally different take on this. I want them to streamline the current offensive/defensive adjustments and forget about adding most of what the past EA football games did. The reason being, they way it is done now and the way it was done then, don't seem to translate in a realistic way in the game. I think having an offensive system that along with each play called are two preset customizable audibles per formation ( this is basically a QB going on the field with 3 play choices), every passing play having ONE pre-snap hot read/route and basically the same on field adjustments currently available minus full playbooks and multiple hot routing. Defensively, tiered play calling with each play called having two preset customizable audibles per formation along with an option in the playcall screen to disguise the defense, ALL coverage assignments/adjustments handled in the defensive match-up screen ( just like with NBA 2k11), defensive Commit option for run, pass, PA and screen pass( if they commit and guess wrong big play opportunity, great last-gen option) and the same current on the field adjustments minus full defensive playbook, secondary and individual defensive player adjustments.( No more group press/play off coverage adjustments, freestyle blitzers or spontaneous double coverage). The only player the user can "freestyle" with, is the ONE the user is manually controlling. This would eliminate the sandlot feel of "drawing up offensive/defensive plays in the dirt" AT THE LOS and actually give the games a realistic polish when play calling and game planning. Game planning should be done pregame, play calling done on the sideline during the game, coaching adjustments made based on the game and on the field, play the game.

I don't like this idea. It may give the game a sandlot feel, but having the adjustments at the LOS are essential, especially for the defense. Often times when playing human vs human, a player starts to recognize what his opponent wants to do after he sees a few plays. Your method elimates a players ability to make these adjustments in game.

Just having individual press coverage removed from current gen is a complete game killer for me. I can't express how badly I want to see this back. There is nothing worse than using a weaker team knowing your opponent loves to go deep. Do you play off Greg Jennings, which means Donald Driver is going to have soft coverage on a short route, or do you play press on Donald Driver knowing your db on the other side doesn't have to speed to stay with Jennings if his press is beat?

I really can't believe more people aren't asking for these features back. It has always made me crazy to see hoards of people begging for colored cleats or adjustable socks when we still can't adjust our secondary like we need to.

# 39 Joborule @ 04/24/11 03:46 PM

Surely saying the right things in saying this game is more focused to the hardcore gamer this year. Really didn't like the direction of M11.

# 40 Senator Palmer @ 04/24/11 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud


	"Essential" yes, "at the LOS", no. KJ, maybe you missed where I stated, "ALL coverage assignments/adjustments handled in the defensive match-up screen ( just like with NBA 2k11)" or you aren't familiar with NBA 2k11's defensive assignment system. I don't want to get off topic discussing another companies game in a Madden thread but I just mentioned it as a visual reference to what I was suggesting. I will try to state it like this. In Madden 11 there is a defensive match-up screen that enables gamers to put specific defenders on specific offensive players for man pass coverage. I want to see EA expand this match-up screen to allow a defender to be matched up with the QB (spy), account for individual types of LOS technique (press, play off, auto), defensive coverage ( man, zone) and double team options (yes, never, auto). This screen should be accessible from the playcall screen as well as the pause menu. This would give gamers general control over their individual defenders without that sandlot feel we currently have, IMO. Now, for those gamers that want specific play by play control over how their defense plays on the field, I think this feature and customizable personnel packages, need to be added to Gameplan. That would allow gamers the option to preset specific individual defensive assignments for each defensive play before the game, make specific play adjustments at halftime and make general adjustments to the defensive during the game with the defensive match-up screen. I am not against most of what EA football has allowed gamers to do, just how and when they have allowed gamers to do them.

Sounds dangerously like real life football.

I have always felt like the pre-gameplanning options and tweaking individual assignments on specific plays would be a nice touch. I know that Ian felt similiar in not adding more pre-snap adjustments at the LOS, but build the assignments into the call, which I thought made sense.

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