Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15: Five Tips To Be Better This Fall

05:10 PM - June 21, 2014 by RaychelSnr

In what will be the first of many guest video posts here on OS, longtime OS'er Cody Ballard sent us the following video which gives Madden fans five simple tips to step their game up this fall.

The five tips Cody discusses are:

Get an identity.
Develop concepts.
Work on your reads.
Stop being lazy.
Get involved.

Be sure to watch the video above and give Cody's full article a read on Medium. You can subscribe to Cody on YouTube here.

Game: Madden NFL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 42 - View All

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Member Comments

# 21 The JareBear @ 06/22/14 03:08 PM

Dat boi nailed it.

This is Madden Football. The guy is just doing what all the youtube/tourney/Skillz guys do every year. It's not his fault, this the product EA gives us. It's not about playing realistically it's about winning, finding every "best play" in every "best formation."

Lets be honest, they picked Gamechangers who are "Madden Pros" and tournament/head to head champs. Those guys get youtube hits. We aren't playing football, unfortunately, we are playing Madden. I fear it will always be like this. The "popular crowd" always wins.

Sad, but reality.

# 22 jyoung @ 06/22/14 03:25 PM

One of the best features that people rarely mention when they bring up 2K's football games was the limit they had for just one offensive hot route per snap. The defense, however, could make unlimited pre-play adjustments.

That system helped to make games like 2K8 and 2K5 much more balanced, instead of the unstoppable offensive highlight reel that Madden games have become.

# 23 dat boi Q @ 06/22/14 03:35 PM

Lol. If us sim guys tried to play him with a realistic style he would thrash us. I NEVER play online. I had one madden 25 on ps4 since day one and I played one game for 1 quarter and quit because I ran into a guy that played like he does. EA can say they want a sim game but if 9 out of 10 guys they bring in as gamechangers are tourney and exploiters that tells me what kind of game we are getting before it comes out. And the only reason the few sim guys are still gamechangers are because they won't admit or say anything bad about EA. Now all we hear is the game is moving in the right direction or wait next year.
First it was three year plans now it's phase 1-3. All we have to look forward to are sliders,options,and other sim players to get by playing this game.

# 24 Jerros @ 06/22/14 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dat boi Q


	Lol. If us sim guys tried to play him with a realistic style he would thrash us. I NEVER play online. I had one madden 25 on ps4 since day one and I played one game for 1 quarter and quit because I ran into a guy that played like he does. EA can say they want a sim game but if 9 out of 10 guys they bring in as gamechangers are tourney and exploiters that tells me what kind of game we are getting before it comes out. And the only reason the few sim guys are still gamechangers are because they won't admit or say anything bad about EA. Now all we hear is the game is moving in the right direction or wait next year. First it was three year plans now it's phase 1-3. All we have to look forward to are sliders,options,and other sim players to get by playing this game.

Couldn't have said it better man. Madden was built for cheesers. I laugh every time someone tries to say Madden is working to be a Sim. If by sim they mean it's like watching the sims play football then they might be right.

# 25 underdog13 @ 06/22/14 07:08 PM

I hope there are not more 'guest post' like this, this was terrible.

# 26 ggsimmonds @ 06/22/14 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	One of the best features that people rarely mention when they bring up 2K's football games was the limit they had for just one offensive hot route per snap. The defense, however, could make unlimited pre-play adjustments. That system helped to make games like 2K8 and 2K5 much more balanced, instead of the unstoppable offensive highlight reel that Madden games have become.

But I don't like that as a solution either. That is a limitation on the user that is not realistic.
Add a delay and make crowd noise a factor on the road. If, and I am aware of how unlikely this is, but if they ever add playbook knowledge from HC to Madden then that opens up the possibility of miscommunication and adjustments gone wrong.

But this does remind me of the silly house rule I started using which has now become second nature. I play my games while sitting on a dining room chair (eyes are too bad for the couch). When I go to make an adjustment I lean forward in a way that (I think) mimics QBs. Think Peyton leaning forward to bark an order to the line. After I make my adjustment I go back to a straight posture and take a breath as if looking over the field. When I am ready to snap I slightly lean forward again to mimic the ready for the snap posture. Ridiculous? Yes, but that little presentation I do helps to make adjustments a bit more realistic. In case you are wondering, I draw the line at shouting out Omaha. I'm not that far gone.

# 27 ggsimmonds @ 06/22/14 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big FN Deal


	Not to cherry pick the bold but C'mon man, User limitation should be used to achieve realism, in certain context. I refuse to type out much because it won't matter one bit, so I'll keep my point simple. There's a whole host of things that are missing in relation to making audibles realistic in Madden so providing an OPTION to limit preplay adjustments like that other game did would be a good move. Any limitation in Madden that is placed there to prevent exploiting the game in an unrealistic way I generally would count as a realistic limitation.

I understand where you are coming from, but I prefer the time restriction.

However, it also would depend on what adjustments are limited. Say I come out and read a overload blitz coming from the weakside. Say I shift protection and hot route a slant. Then I hot route my RB to a block and release. Or just block, whatever. Nothing wrong with those moves right? Well under the other game I could not do that.

That is why I prefer that each time you make an adjustment the QB goes into an animation during which you cannot snap the ball. In effect it would be a 2 or 3 second delay between adjustments.

# 28 jyoung @ 06/22/14 09:23 PM

You could slide the protection, tell extra people to block, audible to a new play and flip the play direction as much as you wanted in 2K5 and 2K8. The only pre-play limitation on the offense was for changing individual routes -- you were allowed one route change per snap.

# 29 ggsimmonds @ 06/22/14 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	You could slide the protection, tell extra people to block, audible to a new play and flip the play direction as much as you wanted in 2K5 and 2K8. The only pre-play limitation on the offense was for changing individual routes -- you were allowed one route change per snap.

Thanks for the clarification. Still, it would handicap the user too much in my opinion. I wanna be able to get my Peyton Manning on, just not in less than two seconds and before everyone is lined up.

While I would prefer the time delay, I would also prefer the other method over the status quo. We all agree that a change is needed.

# 30 NicVirtue @ 06/22/14 10:50 PM

What is this nonsesne? Like seriously. It's things like this that give me no hope for a simulation football game out of EA. With game changers that promote this kind of stuff, and the divide between them and GC's that actually want simulation football, as well as the lack of featured simulation football articles/videos. If that video was about anything regarding sim football by any of the GC's that want it, it wouldn't have gotten featured on here. Maybe I'm over reacting, but I'm annoyed by things like this.

# 31 NicVirtue @ 06/22/14 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggsimmonds


	Thanks for the clarification. Still, it would handicap the user too much in my opinion. I wanna be able to get my Peyton Manning on, just not in less than two seconds and before everyone is lined up. While I would prefer the time delay, I would also prefer the other method over the status quo. We all agree that a change is needed.

Actually you were able to set multiple hot routs. It was an option in the pause menu I believe. You just couldn't do it nearly as fast like in Madden. You had to wait for that animation to finish, and if you had accelerated clock on, you'd better not even try to call multiple.

# 32 dat boi Q @ 06/22/14 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Live2K


	Ea simply needs a fair play mode back and a better way to seperate the sim people into lobbies. They tried with the communities but apparently no one here used it...so lets blame ea and bring up 2k...

No they NEED to program there game better so cheese like this isn't so affective. Guys like you just kill me. It's a shame that people have to bring up a 10 year old game that is better then madden. The only thing that keep people bringing up 2k is madden because if they made a BETTER game no one would have to bring it up. Madden is the only game across all genres of gaming that gets compared to a 10 year old game. The only thing madden has done better then 2k is the graphics.

# 33 hanzsomehanz @ 06/22/14 11:29 PM

I vote in favor of implementing the delay in responses to hot routing and furthermore the delay for flipping plays.

Madden can get so caught up in the fast pace of speed that it diminishes the value of having purposefully prolonged animations that add realism and immersion.

Tourney gamers literally use the flip play as a scheme within their strategy on both offense and defense which is more a gimmick than a strategy when done with no consequence.

- You have the ability to flip the play at the play call screen: you should now have to wait for the defense to show their positions before you flip the play.

- It should bare negative consequences on both sides by appropriately setting a timer window for how long it takes players to shuffle and get in new positions.

Void of flipping plays based on what you see post huddle: the instant flip play after breaking the huddle simply serves as a gimmick to exploit the defensive AI.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

# 34 carnalnirvana @ 06/23/14 01:58 AM

while i like the discussion/ideas on how to limit cheese its frustrating because we are also moving further away from real football...

i dont like longer qb adjustment animations if its not based on the skill of the QB,

add animations for guys that are running their 3rd consecutive vertical route 60+yds, they should be crawling back to the LOS in a hurry up situation

have fatigue actually work and force guys to have subs on the field, if i decide to punish the broncos D with a long 12 play drive can Dware really make 10 PERFECT swim/spin/bull rush stamina draining moves at his age in the thin air...shouldn't i have to sacrifice as well to do that.

rework the carry and injury rating the type of beating we let these players take contributes to these chessy play styles.

madden needs a hardcore mode with 300% more fatigue so game managers and those of us that know a player by more than his speed rating can have some fun.

# 35 OhMrHanky @ 06/23/14 09:52 AM

Lol. I remember a friend of mine hadn't played madden since 08, I think. He only played on PC, and they stopped making it for the PC. He finally bought a 360 for madden 13. He thought, 'eh, while I'm buying madden, I'll buy this Prima strategy guide to get me caught up on madden stuff.' The first thing he reads in the 'official' madden strategy guide is something like, 'if u play with a team with a strong receiving TE, go ahead and make him your 2nd string WR.' Lol. This kid is a serious football fan, a serious sim type guy, and he instantly threw that guide in the trash. Lol.

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# 36 juduking @ 06/23/14 11:52 AM

He sent me a YouTube message asking me what my problem was with him and how he plays the game. I guess I'll just send him a link to this thread and suggest he read through the comments.

# 37 BezO @ 06/23/14 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moylan


	Those are the same 5 tips I'd send EA on making a better football game, might slide #4 up to #1 tho

Ha! Genius!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoung


	One of the best features that people rarely mention when they bring up 2K's football games was the limit they had for just one offensive hot route per snap. The defense, however, could make unlimited pre-play adjustments. That system helped to make games like 2K8 and 2K5 much more balanced, instead of the unstoppable offensive highlight reel that Madden games have become.

2 things made those games more balanced. The ability to call your front/stunts/blitzes separate from your coverage, and the locomotion.

The plays folks create by multiple hot routes should already be in the game. And the defenses doesn't know what the offense called any way.

IMO, limiting the offense is not the answer. Allowing gamers to scheme on defense like you could in 2K8 is. Because so few people complain about the pre-schemed defenses in Madden, I don't think folks realize how limiting it is. You have to pick the stunts & blitzes you want and live with the available coverage/shell, or pick the coverage/shell you want and live with the available stunts/blitzes. It's nonesense.

# 38 NDAlum @ 06/23/14 12:43 PM

An exchange on that video page:

Commenter: what will you do when you cant hot route 14 times before the snap each time anymore?

Video maker/cballard: "find something else that works man, but right now hot routing a lot is how I play there's nothing wrong with that man EA didn't put hot routes in the game for me to not use them so I don't understand why you're so frustrated with the fact that I make pre-snap adjustments."

In his defense he clearly states he is a TOURNEY STYLE player. He doesn't claim to play the game with any type of respect or integrity for football, so I don't think it's fair to hold him to that standard when he doesn't even think about it when he plays. He "labs" in practice to find exploits just like the prima gamer guys and whoever else he mentioned.

I actually don't mind these guys because their videos are useful for making rules in SOS Crew.

# 39 NicVirtue @ 06/23/14 12:53 PM

It's not the fact that he plays that way. More power to him for it. It's the fact that this style of play is advertised and featured more prominently than simulation football, the supposed direction of this franchise.

# 40 TTD71 @ 06/23/14 12:59 PM

The video does not make me sad as much as the knowledge that the EXACT SAME DISCUSSIONS have been going on for over a decade now...its not the things that guys do online that bother me at all, its the fact that they do them only because they work against a broken AI, a feckless system of penalties and useless fatigue system that makes me frustrated.

EA has made a game where unless I am playing against a known sim-style opponent, there is no chance a punt will occur at any time in the game, there is a 90% chance that the opponent with run no huddle with the 49er's or Seahawks (which makes me laugh constantly when you think of how both teams actually play), and almost zero chance of seeing a play run without 5-6 changes minimum at the LOS.

Field position, time of possession, play-calling, rotating players on specific assignments to avoid fatigue...ALL mean NOTHING...ball possession and, most importantly, who can get the last possession means EVERYTHING!!!

I have been advocating for implementing realistic penalties just about every year since Madden NFL 2004. No huddle offense without realistic fatigue effects, coupled with an infinite ability to make 12 changes, and still quick snap the defense without them being able to adequately respond, is why most online Madden games played against competent opponents are 45-42 score fests even with 5 minute game clock quarters.

Constant no-huddle should result in much higher frequency of false starts, ineligible men down-field, holding, illegal formations and a variety of other penalties that ALWAYS kill sub-par teams in real life. If you keep sending a WR on a steady diet of streaks OR crossing routes that have them running 35-40 yards on every play...by the 3rd quarter they should be noticeably missing from the line-up for long stretches of time as they are gassed and sucking O2 on the bench!! (Of course, since the back-ups at WR, TE and RB alll seem to catch like Jerry Rice in his prime, it may not really matter too much!)

The same thing with O-linemen having to run (well in the game they seem to just morph to the LOS) a steady diet of no-huddle - they would get tired, which would get them to suffer on their foot work, which in turn leads to grasping and grabbing and a HUGE increase in holding penalties or free runs at the QB!

I have seen more drives end in football games because of holding calls, mental errors and false starts that get a team behind the chains than I have from INTs or sacks...its the defining issue for separating "good" NFL teams from "bad" ones.

The ability to execute the way Madden allows - added to the atrocious deficiencies in the on screen AI and animations to execute fundamentals make any talk about schemes and concepts and levels all a bunch of hog wash. I would agree with everyone who has pointed out the thread is appropriately named...this is a blueprint for how to be better at "Madden" and has nothing to do with football.

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