Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15 Blog & Screenshots - Tackling Mechanic

07:44 PM - July 22, 2014 by Steve_OS

EA Sports posted a Madden NFL 15 tackling mechanic video last week. Today they posted some more details in a blog, as well as released some more screenshots.

Quote:


	We broke the tackling problems down into several main categories: 1. Defenders were at a movement disadvantage vs. ball carriers 2. Inability for users to understand direction and spatial distances between defender and ball carrier, and how that affected tackling 3. Lack of UI feedback to help the user understand how the tackle mechanics work 4. Poor risk/reward component in the tackling mechanics 5. Forcing defenders to physically collide with ball carriers before initiating tackles resulted in too many missed tackles To solve the movement disadvantage and the collision requirement, we made the decision to allow user-controlled defenders to 'match' tackles if they get close enough (ball carrier inside tackling cone). This eliminates the need to actually collide with the ball carrier before triggering a tackle. Any tackles performed with the ball carrier inside the cone will have heat seeker steering if this option is turned on.

Source - EA Sports

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Member Comments

# 1 canes21 @ 07/22/14 07:56 PM

I like the way the tackling sounds this year. The main issue now is just getting better looking animations in there. The system seems to be set up a lot better than previous years and is another good step by this team.

Can't wait to try the demo.

# 2 Sparkles @ 07/22/14 10:34 PM

This game just looks beautiful. It finally sounds like madden is fun, and that is a biggest part for a video game

# 3 drlw322 @ 07/22/14 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big FN Deal


	"To solve the movement disadvantage and the collision requirement, we made the decision to allow user-controlled defenders to 'match' tackles if they get close enough (ball carrier inside tackling cone). This eliminates the need to actually collide with the ball carrier before triggering a tackle." If the above quoted part works as intended, that will be a game changer, whether people realize it or not. One of the core problems with Madden for several years has been the issue with ball carriers being able to slide off and essentially be escorted by defenders instead of being tackled, due to the defenders not having a proper angle to trigger a tackle animation. I think many of us have been in the situation of trying to User tackle a ball carrier and they slide right by or behind you. True step was part of changing that, now having the defender not needing to actually collide with the ball carrier to trigger a tackle seems like another piece. That said, once again I hope CPU/AI teammates use it too when pursuing a ball carrier.

I would have to say I disagree, the problem with that is now the CPU has to match tackles base in animation and we all know how repetitive that can get with madden. It takes the physic out at least on the 1st tackler engaged. It also creates warping when the CPU can't match the angle with the right animation. At the end of the day I don't want animation to determine my tackle I want real life physic. That's what the community wanted like the last 8 years and now that we are bored with the physic engine lets bring back the animation base tackle.

It's like a guy that said that madden 08 is the best game ever because they are sick of playing the new game. When this Same guy b$it$& to no end about madden 08 the year it came out.

I just think it's backwards, instead of fixing the issue by reverting back to animation. Why not advance on infinity engine by creating dive and reach animation that would actually effect the ball carrier to cause them to fall using physic and the great ball carrier would run through a arm tackles ( not all the time but base on physic and momentum)

# 4 Jakeness23 @ 07/22/14 11:17 PM

Jerseys still look like plastic, not like cloth. This is EAs problem, always has been, they cannot create a photo realistic game like other companies can.

# 5 Jakeness23 @ 07/22/14 11:19 PM

They stand up too straight going in for tackles too, when they come running in from 5 yards away with their arms all spread eagle. It looks bad, it's not realistic, it's just bad. Pretty sure I'll be skipping year after year until we get another company in there.

# 6 Cowboy008 @ 07/22/14 11:24 PM

The team logos on the big screen look nice.

# 7 jmik58 @ 07/23/14 12:19 AM

"2. Inability for users to understand direction and spatial distances between defender and ball carrier, and how that affected tackling"

I read that as "We're going to take away dynamic gameplay and make more canned animation sequences to make up for the fact that the core fanbase of Madden aren't very good on the sticks."

# 8 NicVirtue @ 07/23/14 12:44 AM

I'm worried about the animations triggering before contact part. I'm having flash backs of my ball carrier freezing in place only to be sucked into an animation. I don't want my ball carrier to react to a tackle that has not even happened yet. I hope it's nothing like that.

# 9 drlw322 @ 07/23/14 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big FN Deal


	It's cool we disagree and I'm trying to understand exactly what is you believe this does, opposed to what I do. Considering you think it regresses the game back to warping tackles , whereas I just see it as allowing for the defender to automatically pursuit and transition into a tackle attempt, according to their proximity to the ball carrier. To be clear, I have no idea if this will work as advertised but going by the few tackles they have shown of it, I like the concept. In earlier Maddens, even when they had warp tackling, the ball carrier could still slide off defenders if they weren't at a proper angle to trigger a tackle animation. The way I understand this is that, unlike back then, defenders won't warp into position but the defender will automatically pursuit and attempt to tackle versus just whiffing. I'm thinking "ball hawk" for tackling, with that mechanic pass defenders don't warp, they switch to autopilot to make a play on the ball.

I get where you are coming from. I just feel that they are slowly going back to what we had before physic. Each year we are losing more and more physic. Now I'm saying this base off my experience with 13 and 25 and what they are saying now. I haven't play 15 I'm just basing it on what they are saying and what Rex said in the press row podcast. He said that they had tester working out as much warping or awkward suction tackle as possible which mean we are reverting back.

I just hope that EA has enough talent to innovate not revert back to old tech splash with some infinity engine. It's next gen now time to think big.

# 10 OhioCub @ 07/23/14 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmik58


	"2. Inability for users to understand direction and spatial distances between defender and ball carrier, and how that affected tackling" I read that as "We're going to take away dynamic gameplay and make more canned animation sequences to make up for the fact that the core fanbase of Madden aren't very good on the sticks."

And to that I say, so what? I want a football sim and realistic gameplay. I want to play against people and let the deciding factor be our knowledge of the game of football and not decided by who's better on the sticks. Yes, I want to control my team but if a mechanic is there to make sure I don't dive at thin air then I'm all for it. My reactions aren't as good as they were when I was in my teens and twenties but I still wanna play a good game of football. What sports game out there doesn't have these types of helper mechanics? And just like in those games, you can turn off the tackle cone and all the helpers if you so desire. Personally, I'd rather not whiff on my tackles.

# 11 Skyboxer @ 07/23/14 01:04 AM

Looks pretty nice to me.
August hurry up...

# 12 Jr. @ 07/23/14 01:12 AM

I didn't see any warping/suction tackles in the video or in the stream from last week, which is my main concern with this mechanic. I've always personally felt that tackling was too easy in 1 on 1 situations, unless the ball carrier is running full speed (which seems to give them more agility, oxymoronically).

I think the issue is that people just try to run full speed into the ball carrier, which rarely happens in real life. Defenders break down and square themselves up in order to wrap up. The CPU started doing this in Madden a couple of years ago, I believe. The strafe button was huge in tackling, but I don't know how many people used it. This mechanic seems to be giving leeway for those who just want to sprint into the ball carrier without worrying about missing the tackle, which shouldn't be the case.

I just hope this doesn't take away a ball carrier's ability to make someone miss without the defender screwing up.

# 13 hanzsomehanz @ 07/23/14 03:48 AM

We have heat-seeker, OP shoestring tackles, tackle cone, agressive & conservative tackle buttons and now match tackling?

I personally see trucking was OP in 25 bc the combinatin of heat-seeker and precision truck allowed both players to intensely magnetize and as a result T-Off on eachother!.

I miss the days of juking - M25 was basically big hits vs big trucks. I dig the new tackle buttons and steeeing assists albeit defenders need to be vulnerable to fakeouts and have their momentum take them out.

The back juke is there and you can juke decently left to right on special teams but through the tackle box?

These tacklers are becoming heat-seeking missiles universally and that kills authenticity; I welcome tackle errors within context and not to silly extremes like 45� dives the wrong way but a missed open field tackle due to a fakeout or sudden change direction is welcomed.

Why not just program better pursuit paths for defenders? Why do I need to turn on Heat-Seeker to assist me? I should be able to suffice on my own so long as the ball-carrier was in my range but to attempt a tackle in close range only to go 45� the wrong way due to no fakeout but poor programming under the hood.

Player Intelligence can replace these layers of assists, so can a more grounded and stabilized run game that does not cause defenders to dive at air due to the slightest herk or jerk in movements.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

# 14 Skyboxer @ 07/23/14 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big FN Deal


	Pretty much how I see it, no NFL defender that's within a reasonable proximity to the ball carrier is going to dive the opposite way, for instance. That's an extreme but it's a similar point they made in the stream when explaining the tackle cone. The closet thing I can think to relate it to is doing a layup or dunk in a basketball video game by pressing the shot button when close enough to the goal/hoop.

Agree. At some point, for the sake of "Sim"/"Realism" or whatever you want to call it, the User needs some help/guidance for certain things.

People will argue this issue on both sides and that's fine.

For me one area, where I very rarely see anyone chiming in (even pro user control people), is the passing.
The huge, IMO, area of football that begs to be overhauled to give the user more control, is the passing.
Fever had a nice system with Read and Lead and was pretty close and just needed some tweaking to get it dialed in.

Year after year people are ok with the hit X for X system.
Not saying replace it but, like Fever, give us the option to use a "throw anywhere" system,

This is coming from someone who is well past the "stick skill" mentality and prefer if Madden had a real coach mode. However in my offline games I sometimes like to use more control.
just saying it's 2014 and we basically are using the same core passing system since forever.
Madden on AppleIIe had a throw anywhere system that I loved! Albeit dated by todays standards lol
Anyways..just saying OPTIONS.

Ok.. my yearly mini rant about the same ole same ole passing system is completed for another year.
Back to tackling...

# 15 TheBleedingRed21 @ 07/23/14 10:42 AM

The cone has three parts to it. I assume if it uses an animation depending what part of the "cone" the ball carrier is in. I think this would solve any warping issues and make for a nice animation plus eliminating the users who try to abuse the ai and swerve.

Also it seems that if you are farther away, it dives like it used to so you can't make a tackle from a far distance without diving thus I assume eliminates warping.

Also on Jrs point, I think the ball carrier always had the ability to avoid tackles pretty easily. With the jukes, spins, trucking not requiring you to really slow down, made this too easy to avoid 1 on 1 tackles especially on CPU. I think could make people juke right as someone goes for a tackle and seeing more missed tackles but slowing the ball carrier since he made contact instead of how it is now and they don't break stride.

# 16 Skyboxer @ 07/23/14 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GiantBlue76


	I would love this and really want them to have an organic physics system for the ball. I want to see balls thrown high when the qb throws off his back foot, passes sailing low and wide when on the run, etc. Everything hits either the defender or receiver currently. It has not advanced much at all. Sent from my KFAPWI using Tapatalk

I have high hopes for Madden15. The accuracy and errant passes seem a lot better. As long as they keep improving I'll be happy. . But I still want more options in the passing game.
Reason I still have Fever.

# 17 johnnyg713 @ 07/23/14 12:20 PM

I have to give them credit for the approach they took to make tackling better. If you asked me what I think should be worked on, tackling mechanics would be very far down on the list. To be honest I never had a problem with the way tackling was done but now that they have laid out the issues many people have and the improvements made, I am impressed with how they see user control. If anything, this makes me excited to see what they do in the future with things like passing and catching.

# 18 Khanchus @ 07/23/14 03:58 PM

tackling.....

my big riff (i seen someone state this on another topic) is the way the lead up to the tackle sometimes and some of the animations are just not real (like the spear shoulder tackle im seeing in all these videos) that one just urks me....

# 19 JMUfootball @ 07/23/14 04:30 PM

When tackling is a binary process, the physics are always going to be all wrong. I agree that this sounds like a "true step" in the wrong direction. A ball carrier should have an "always on" latent attribute for balance, and tackles/impacts with various parts of his body should cause that attribute to deteriorate dynamically until a critical point, at which point the carrier falls.

The problem with madden has always been that tackles are triggered depending on approach angle and one or two attributes of the defender. If the criterion match, tackle animation is triggered. Not the right way to design physics based gameplay in 2014 (!)

This development seems like more of the same, except now trigger thresholds based on angle are lowered. That's great, but canned tackles are still canned tackles...

# 20 SamoanSteelerFromAus @ 07/23/14 08:48 PM

Im in the camp of "stick skills" should be a factor like it has in the last few maddens. The only tackles i really miss in madden 25 are the ones that im running full speed holding the sprint trigger and diving or hit sticking at the wrong angle. Im fine with that, i don't get angry at the game for that.
In football, those are the tackles that are mostly whiffed on. Thats why there is a strafe button people, its so you can slow and break down like they do in real life.
The element of how well you use the controller should remain cause thats what a video game is, if they keep moving away from that than you might as well play virtual chess. Warp tackles ruin the realism for this game, if you whiff on tackles all the time then practice getting better at it or switch away from the ball carrier at let the CPU do it for you.
I've loved defense more than any other part of football since i started playing football games, i even play linebacker in real life, so i don't want the challenge(and in my opinion-realism) taken out of this game.

The reason i love defense is the difficulty of getting to the ball carrier and getting into position to make a tackle, but all that makes a tackle faaaaar more satisfying when you do make it and i don't think that should be tampered with cause casual gamers have difficulty or people don't wanna rely on their "stick skills".

To me, its a backwards step. I play football games for what happens on the field, not so i can be an owner and change the prices on fries or be a head coach and call nothing but plays and let it sim. There needs to be the balance between the right call you make pre play and how well you user control your defender/offender on the sticks. This, in my opinion is dissolving that balance and it is counter productive to the direction they were taking with the physics engine. Once again, i think the casual gamer is getting the nod here and my lack of faith in EA implementing new things has me worried that this will effect the game negatively in the first installment of this feature...

Also, new animations for tackling and break tackling are desperately needed..

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