Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15's Five Areas Which Need Improvement for Next Year

11:59 AM - September 29, 2014 by RaychelSnr

Little by little, the Madden series continues to chip away at its long list of legacy issues and shortcomings. Madden 15 is a solid step better than its predecessors (Connected Career mode bugs aside), but EA seems to timid to take that gigantic leap that so many other series have already taken. The leap that NBA 2K took when you could look at a picture of James Harden and not be able to tell the difference between a game and real life, or the leap The Show took when little things like a beach ball being knocked around the stadium wasn't just a clever detail - it was a clever detail built on hundreds of others.

These are arbitrary examples, of course. When and if games have reached that new level of realism is largely a subjective thing, but if there's a consensus, and I think there is, it's that Madden hasn't made that leap yet.

Read More - Madden NFL 15's Five Areas Which Need Improvement for Next Year

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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# 1 4thQtrStre5S @ 09/29/14 12:13 PM

I disagree with signature animations.....Waste of time when the basic mechanics of football are still not working properly. The sliders, both Human/CPU and then Penalty sliders do not work and there are not explanations as to how they are supposed to work...

General game play needs to be addressed.....Screen passes are broken, for example..

Still need work on zones, M2M, O-line play and D-line play mechanics.

# 2 sportyguyfl31 @ 09/29/14 12:21 PM

#5 is a biggie

# 3 SVCbearcat10 @ 09/29/14 12:27 PM

There needs to be signature coach styles. Yes, playbooks are different. However, when I play the Eagles, I do not feel like I'm playing a Chip Kelley system. It seems like everyone plays the same and moves the same. It really makes the game boring after a season. Plus the phyics need fine tuned even more. I'm tired of seeing my RB carry the ball behind his back.

I have min speed threshold at 0 and on an INT, my OL out ran my RB down the field. Every QB completes 75% of their passes still. While this is one of the most fun Maddens in recent years, the legacy issues make it kind of boring after a relatively short time.

# 4 dmendenhall_9 @ 09/29/14 12:38 PM

I totally agree with 1 and 5 (and the others but I think 1 and 5 are huge). Obviously gameplay can be improved every year but I think its crazy that when I run with Gore it looks nothing like him! This is 2014! NBA 2K14 has had signature styles for years and PES is amazing at this! (other EA games like FIFA are still not very good at it, it's definitely an EA thing). I want Gore run like a little ball (not straight up like he does in Madden 15). And the field is always too small in EA games (FIFA is another great example, giant players on a tiny little field). I don't think this would solve every problem but would be a huge boost to the feel of the game and make it much more fun to play with your favorite team. Or maybe we just need 2K to jump on board and make a football game again! PLEASE!

# 5 xSh4dow95 @ 09/29/14 12:46 PM

Off-setting and multiple penalties would be a nice addition as well. In addition to that, when the referee announces the penalty, it would be more realistic if we heard "encroachment, defense, number 94" instead of "encroachment, defense". Another good addition would be a differentiation between NFC and AFC presentation as well as the addition of Monday Night Football. Also, blocking logic needs a fix. The blocking's good, but at times, the AI intentionally misses key blocks.

# 6 4thQtrStre5S @ 09/29/14 01:03 PM

I believe a lot of the things us SIM players want in the game, like proper penalties, fumbles, blocked FG's or Punt's etc, are left out because the Head to Head/Tournament people would raise hell....EA is trying to cater to two different groups with this game....Really they need two games; one for the tournament people that do not want games decided on bad passes, penalties, fumbles, blocked punts, etc; and then another game for the SIM players who want all that is in the NFL in the actual game....With sliders and on/off options...

Actually it would be easier to just add features with the on/off ability and then fix sliders and penalties and game play...

# 7 dkp23 @ 09/29/14 01:03 PM

Not really concerned with signature moves, im pretty confidient EA would mess that up resulting in OPness for specific players. I am more concerned about the overall game play, it isn't realistic and more figity than anything. Its not momentum based at all as a running back with going full speed is being tackled from behind and the animation is making the tackle go sideways? Gameplay needs to feel more organic, it just feel canned still.

Penalties, there were a lot last year and none this year. Another scenario where it flip flops each year and the next will have penalties and say "we improved the penalty system" when in fact they just put it back to where it was in m25.

One thing for me is the gang tackling or lack thereof, the tackling animation in this game is horrid looking and unrealistic with minimal impact of momentum. I watched madden's live stream prior to release and i find it funny that they liked the tackling this year and had many "gang tackles". Although they admit it still needs improvement,i wouldn't call what we see in this game gang tackling. No two players can wrap up a ball carrier, a tackler that is has his arms wrapped to a ball carrier has to let go for another defender to impact the play. It is almost a pinball effect (madden 03 anyone?)

Fix the tackling with gang tackling and improve where momentum plays a role.

get rid of the cone too.

# 8 tha_show256 @ 09/29/14 01:24 PM

So many of the little things of a NFL game are missing from Madden football, I don't even know where to begin...don't get me wrong, this is the best Maddden to date, however far from what I'd expect of a next gen football game in 2014 headed into 2015! The lack of penalties and DB/WR scuffling for the ball just sticks out like a sore thumb. The sidelines are dead, I thought that was a system limation that could be overcome on next gen consoles...sadly that is not the case.

I could go on and on, but for me Madden gets old way to fast, and Madden 15 is no exception...I struggle every year, with when should trade Madden in?? I have to fight myself for trading it for 2k basketball every year!! Which is about a month after madden...I shouldn't be thinking of trading it in soon, but I get bored with it so quickly.

I love football, and I hate that I get bored with Madden, and it all stems from the lack of immersion for me...the little things KILL MADDEN, while games liken FIFA, 2k basketball, and the show nail that!!

# 9 BadAssHskr @ 09/29/14 01:29 PM

what in the crap are these tournaments, shootout contests? cheese fests?

seems to me a real madden tourney would include a group of people who know a heck of a lot about football, and want to go win a simulation style game with their own game play, playbook, and their own personal system for winning a game.

makes sense to me that a game would have to be won with a variety of variables of such would actually happen on a football field.

it is a "football" game/tourney.

# 10 LeeDiddy @ 09/29/14 01:40 PM

Here is an easy way of fixing penalties.....

1. Since we have two types of tackles, make the aggressive tackle be a higher/non-wrap/shoulder depending on the distance resulting in more penalties helmet to helmet or facemask penalties, but it may result in stopping the ballcarrier in their tracks. Use the hit stick for clean hits to jar a fumble or flat out miss the ballcarrier. No need for a button and the right stick to do the same thing.

2. Holding penalties will be determined by using the line shift on run plays too often and if the O-line is still getting beat on pass plays to the side that they shifted too. The better the pass/run footwork and strength the less likely they will get beat out of position and get a holding call.

3. For pass interference on defense and offense, move swat ball to B (or Circle), make RB (R1) jostle/block/push off for offense while the ball is in the air (press for defense). anytime after 5 yards on defense press is used and knocks the WR off his route while the pass is still catchable in his region of the field, 15 yard penalty. WR pushes off while the ball is coming his way - 10 yard penalty on WR. New animations will be needed, but will make strength ratings mean more to CB and safeties, while giving slower, but stronger WR/TE a better chance to gain separation if contact is made with them.

# 11 GHUFF @ 09/29/14 01:41 PM

I love how EA sports pays attention to details like in snow games in Madden the fans are wearing shorts and t-shirts the camera man a wearing shorts and t-shirts.if you look and watch the NFL game the sidelines including behind the field goal post are packed with people, media reporters .. Broadcast camera in Madden its unplayable you would think the camera with pan out like you see and Tecmo Bowl or Joe Montana sports talk football games on passing plays Smh those games were created in the early 90s MLB The Show, NBA 2k series , communities can share rosters create access to FREE!!Legends create legendary teams customize colors of uniforms acessories you can't do that in any EA sports video game

# 12 Chris Hitchens @ 09/29/14 01:46 PM

not 1 of the suggestions u made is worth any consideration. Theres a million other ways the game can be improved, making the field bigger would be an atrocious change to a game that is already dominated by offense. U missed the ball on what the community wants.

# 13 roadman @ 09/29/14 02:03 PM

The community doesn't want realistic sim penalties. Huh?

If you polled 10 different people at OS on what they want, you will get 10 different answers in different pecking orders.

Penalties are top 5 on my list, but might be much lower on someone else's.

# 14 RogueHominid @ 09/29/14 02:06 PM

I'd have to agree with Hitchens that the list seems off to me.

They have to get the OL/DL thing right. It's still not, as evidenced by the rampant sacks problem and the still-off representation of the interior of the pocket.

They have to get QB play right. They have yet to capture the proper middle ground between the Robo QB and the QB in this year's game that can't seem to figure out when to rush a throw or throw the ball away.

They have to get sliders right so that the description of the slider matches its in-game effects and does so in an intuitive way. This year is better but sliders are still nowhere near as clear and effective as they should be.

They have to allow the kind of customization that other top-shelf sports titles in the current generations allow. Madden is embarrassingly behind on this point and it's not clear why.

They have to improve playbooks, especially defensive ones, so they're more robust.

I could go on, but I'd put each of these issues in the "most important" list.

A problem here is that while other games have taken the "lets get this right the first time and then polish what works each year," Madden has taken the "lets keep taking things out and adding new things and never really get to the polishing stage" approach. I don't think that's a good approach and it shows in the consumer's feeling that Madden proceeds by fits and starts and has lacked a consistent, coherent vision due to regular changes in leadership.

I actually think M15 is fun and is largely a good game, but Madden is still nowhere near the game that it should be.

# 15 asu666 @ 09/29/14 02:13 PM

I'd like to see scores from around the league and more stat overlays.

# 16 UNMLobo @ 09/29/14 02:23 PM

Beyond game play improvements here are two things that hinder enjoyment:

Player creation and editing - All other sports games have deep player creation tools. Previous generation had "Game Face," which helped. Having only preset heads for player creation and Connected Career mode hurts when you have high definition capabilities.

Commentary - This needs a serious overhaul. If Nantz and Simms are too expensive to get back in the booth to create better commentary, get another team. The problem is that the commentary is very repetitive and doesn't fit the action on the field.

# 17 superxero27 @ 09/29/14 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVCbearcat10


	There needs to be signature coach styles. Yes, playbooks are different. However, when I play the Eagles, I do not feel like I'm playing a Chip Kelley system. It seems like everyone plays the same and moves the same. It really makes the game boring after a season.

The thing about that is EA did a pretty decent job at that with NCAA in its last iterations. Teams that use Oregon's playbook go run spread read option no huddle fast fast all the time, Bama grinds it out, Wazzu and Texas Tech chuck it like crazy, and Georgia Tech options rarely throws.

So its not like they can't do it...

# 18 markus48 @ 09/29/14 04:41 PM

I would love to see the Nike and Under Armour football gloves in the game. They already have the license for the cleats so I don't see why gloves are such a big deal.

# 19 jdbeast05 @ 09/29/14 05:36 PM

They need more equipment, why cant we put single sleeves on people? This would bring much more realism to the game. They need to fix the sleeves on the jerseys, they come down way to much. They need to improve the player models. why is Peyton Manning ripped, the offensive linemen need to be bulkier opposed to ripped. None of the kickers look accurate.

# 20 kingsofthevalley @ 09/29/14 06:05 PM

The main thing i'm looking forward to is more organic player movement. They've improved the running animations a ton, however, the devs haven't fully rid the game of that "stiff jerky" movement. Like I say, its more fluid than previous versions, but still needs just a tad bit more work, then they'll be golden.

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