Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15 Continues A Long Tradition of No Penalties

03:36 PM - November 5, 2014 by RaychelSnr

It shouldn't surprise you that Madden NFL 15 has a penalty problem, in the sense that most penalties are just never called in the game. With the default sliders, it is highly possible you won't see a single penalty called during a game. Most OS'ers agree that more penalties would add to the game and not subtract from it.

The popular theory is that EA doesn't have penalties called in the game because the randomness of penalties would ruin the experience for the average user. From talks I've had with Madden developers past and present, there is some credence to that being the case for the lack of actual penalties in the game.

What is baffling though, is why penalty sliders can't account for more variability where you can get to a more realistic penalty count while keeping the default game as separated as possible from penalties. Next year, it would certainly benefit the game if EA Sports could deliver a set of sliders that more adequately gives users the power to create a game experience more suited to the real NFL with actual 1st and 20s being possible.

Perhaps this could be where the all-mysterious (and oft-useless) AWR rating could finally play a hand in things on a tangible level on the field?

What do you think could be done to balance the needs of ****** gamers who may not want a realistic number of yellow flags being thrown with the more hardcore Madden fans who demand more realistic handling of penalties?

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

# 61 roadman @ 11/09/14 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba2011


	Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. Just because it doesn't follow the status quo doesn't mean it's right or wrong. Personally I don't enjoy penalties in the game. It doesn't make me any less of a "sim" player. I like skill to determine who wins a game not penalties. And actually it is a new "modern era" of football. In this era DB's arent allowed to so much as breathe on opposing WR's without it being a penalty. Defensive players can't touch the QB without it being a penalty. This is the Roger Goodell era where he wants games to be as highest scoring as possible. The best way to do that is give teams free yardage like a 5 yard penalty (incidental contact) wiping out a 4th and 40. Imagine a Madden game like the Pittsburgh/Arizona SB where you gout screwed out of a win by the ref's. Imagine a game where the opposing WR falls on his own and you are called for a pass interference. Imagine a game like last years Pats/Panthers where your WR is bear hugged in the endzone on the final play and there is no call. That would be true sim and everyone here would be crying all day long about the game cheating and the game being broken. No one here really wants a true life sim, they want certain aspects of it but not all.

Similar to the Fail Mary a few years ago. That game was dictated by replacement refs.

I wouldn't mind seeing something like that every once in awhile, but, to each their own.

Penalties are part of the NFL game, no reason why they can't be a part of a NFL video game.

I hope you don't mean skill relating to the fastest fingers in the west, ie thumb jockey.

I've been harping on this for several years, if others feel the same way, it's not too late to throw in the towel. A year ago last November, Rex Dickson mentioned if PI wasn't in this years game, it might be in 16.

# 62 dgdfghg @ 11/09/14 01:12 AM

I could of sworn I heard something in the past about penalties being implemnted correctly in Madden 15, was wrong again. [img]

# 63 Sheba2011 @ 11/09/14 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Similar to the Fail Mary a few years ago. That game was dictated by replacement refs. I wouldn't mind seeing something like that every once in awhile, but, to each their own. Penalties are part of the NFL game, no reason why they can't be a part of a NFL video game. I hope you don't mean skill relating to the fastest fingers in the west, ie thumb jockey. I've been harping on this for several years, if others feel the same way, it's not too late to throw in the towel. A year ago last November, Rex Dickson mentioned if PI wasn't in this years game, it might be in 16.

I meant Skill more as in actual NFL games not so much in the game. I have no problem with penalties being in Madden I just don't want them to replicate the real NFL. I don't want to see a PI call every other play in my video games or roughing the passer every time the system thinks I come too close to the QB.

# 64 stsuth @ 11/09/14 11:53 AM

I could of sworn I heard something in the past about penalties being implemnted correctly in Madden 15, was wrong again.

# 65 Chairman7w @ 11/09/14 10:05 PM

Has there ever *been* a video football game that had realistic penalties? What about the great, vaunted NFL 2K5?

# 66 Mercury112491 @ 11/09/14 10:16 PM

No, no game has ever really gotten it right. The 2k series did have actual penalty animations though.

# 67 Kramer5150 @ 11/09/14 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chairman7w


	Has there ever been* a video football game that had realistic penalties? What about the great, vaunted NFL 2K5?*

The penalties were definitely better in 2k5,and to add more "salt to the wound"....2k5 actually had offsetting penalties,when has Madden had this?

# 68 fdgdfdg @ 11/10/14 12:05 AM

I could of sworn I heard something in the past about penalties being implemnted correctly in Madden 15, was wrong again. [img]

# 69 Sheba2011 @ 11/10/14 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdgdfdg


	I could of sworn I heard something in the past about penalties being implemnted correctly in Madden 15, was wrong again. [img]

They have been saying that for a few years now...

# 70 rockchisler @ 11/10/14 04:41 AM

Unfortunately its the same issue in NBA Live. You can smash the steal button without consequence. Its frustrating and takes away from the game..

# 71 Fist Of Kings @ 11/10/14 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowherPower


	The penalties were definitely better in 2k5,and to add more "salt to the wound"....2k5 actually had offsetting penalties,when has Madden had this?

And a challenge system that actually worked, unlike in this game where you're not always allowed to challenge plays yourself. So the ai does this for you for some odd reason, and even then the game still gets it wrong. My coach has lost challenges that were clear fumbles, TDs, and twice I've seen my qb called for roughing the passer, even worse that I was playing on defense. I've never seen that in all my years playing 2K5.

# 72 sdtjdyu @ 11/10/14 01:45 PM

Just have a simulation settings for those of us that want simulation football - and have a Madden setting for those that enjoy ******.

# 73 NDAlum @ 11/10/14 02:27 PM

Tournament mode - no injuries, huge hits, no fumbles, no dropped passes...basically nothing that is "random"

Simulation mode - EVERYTHING THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS

# 74 Sheba2011 @ 11/11/14 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NimitsTexan


	Wow! I guess you and those like me want very different games . . . I struggle to understand how someone could want to play an NFL football game that did NOT replicate the real NFL in something as important as penalites. Be that as it may, I continue to hope that Madden will eventually make a football game that does, in fact, replicate football . . .

If we had a game that 100% reflected the real NFL, most people here would hate it. Where does the "replicate football" end? Do you want real life budget management for CFM mode as well, one where you need to be a CPA to balance? Do you want to have real contracts where you have to hire a lawyer just to understand some of the verbiage used? Should they add a Rex Ryan mode where your coach accidentally uses time outs at the wrong time? How about a Justin Blackmon mode where your star WR turns out to be a psychotic addict who can't stay out of trouble? This is all stuff that replicates the real NFL that everyone here says on a daily basis they want.

Or are you like me and want some of the real NFL but not all of it because it is still a video game. I want the game as lifelike as possible but at the end of the day it is about having fun. I don't enjoy watching a game in which there are so many penalties, one of the reasons I stopped watching the NBA years ago. I am not against having accurate penalties but I would want working sliders so I can adjust it. I don't want to see incidental contact or defensive holding penalties every other play. Neither is right or wrong just a different view on the game of football.

# 75 Boilerbuzz @ 11/11/14 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowherPower


	The penalties were definitely better in 2k5,and to add more "salt to the wound"....2k5 actually had offsetting penalties,when has Madden had this?

Agreed. No one says it was completely sim because some penalties would be hard to implement without being completely random. But the ones that were there were no more random than any other aspect of the sport. It wasn't 100%, but it was a vital part of the game. That's the point. And there were sliders for them too!

# 76 charter04 @ 11/11/14 11:22 AM

When I say I want real penalties I don't mean I want an automatic 4-7 a game. I don't want random penalties just to keep stats right any more than I want Random incompletions. I want things to work lifelike. There are games were an NFL team has only 1 or 2 penalties in real life.

The reason for penalties in the first place is to allow skill to win over cheating. In real life I mean. When I play basketball we call our own fouls. Yes we call them. If a guy shoots a jump shot and the defender hits his arm it makes him miss the shot. It wasn't the shooters lack of skill or the defenders skill. It was a foul that did it. That's the point of penalties.

Right now the only two penalties I can think of that work that way in Madden is offsides and intentional grounding as a user. I've had guys hard count and draw me offsides. I've messed up and hit the throw away button in the pocket. I want all penalties to work like this.

Pass interference is already there it's just not called. I've had guys running for a completion and had the defender interfere with him and I miss the pass. It should be a flag.

The other key is the sliders. If someone wants more to be called they could. If none then fine.

Ultimately if penalties were done right, skill would be even more important than it is now.

# 77 DaSmerg @ 11/12/14 06:51 PM

Penalties in Madden in its current 'game state' just isn't going to work. The base game play, player animations and interactions have remained relatively static and unchanged for pretty much an entire generation...that is...Xbox360/PS:3 and now the first X:1 & PS:4 release.

So for right now, no, adding penalties to the mix would be IMO ugly and simply adding a randomly generated stat line.

At some point in the future, if this title can finally evolve and have some proper physics, some proper ball physics and trajectories and animation system. Then sure and yes, get penalties back in there and bring the gauntlet of them and put them in place with a proper risk-reward system.

P.S. ****** Madden players and/or ****** NFL gamers is a myth. Like many before have said, this arcadey Madden product is one part marketing and two parts catering to the wam-bam I'm done online gamers and tournament players.

Also I don't see anyone mentioning the NFL's role in this. This is their licensed product after all and I would bet that they have a fair amount of input into what they would like and what they want to see in their virtual official product.

# 78 CrackerJackJones @ 11/12/14 07:15 PM

EA SPORTS does not make sim sports titles only ****** games. They want their games to be accessible to a much broader audience. EA SPORTS BIG was the ****** gamers field but it is cheaper to make sim/arcade style games to kill two birds with one stone. Madden will never be sim. Look at NBA LIVE 15 nothing sim about it just a good looking game made to playable and fun just like Madden and FIFA. I'm sure that 2k would have made on hell of a football game but we may never know.

# 79 JHTJ @ 11/13/14 12:57 AM

Its crazy to me how superior NBA2K15 is to Madden 15. I am a diehard Football fan, and just a ****** NBA fan - but I haven't even thought of playing Madden since ive purchased NBA2K. It is a better representation of the sport, more aesthetically pleasing, deeper in every mode, and a better overall experience.

I cant help but think there are tens of thousands of highly impressionable kids picking up these games and being influenced as they align themselves with a sport of choice. One they will invest in, emotionally and financially, for a lifetime. The NFL surely knows this, or maybe they don't. Hell, maybe I'm wrong. Time will tell I guess.

# 80 Majingir @ 11/13/14 12:17 PM

Is this really surprising? EA Sports has this issue through all their games. NHL games have had a huge issue with penalties the past number of years. Madden is similar(but not as serious as NHL) and FIFA you don't really ever see cards handed out either.

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