Madden NFL 16 News Post

Madden NFL 16 CFM Impressions - Confidence, Goals, Hub & More (MyMaddenPad)

10:08 AM - June 7, 2015 by jpdavis82

Shopmaster has posted his Madden NFL 16 CFM impressions based off of his hands-on time with the game. In the article he talks about confidence, regression, dynamic drive goals, new hub and much more.

Shop plans on releasing another article on Tuesday discussing the new scouting and draft.

Game: Madden NFL 16Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 24 - View All

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Member Comments

# 81 l8knight1 @ 06/08/15 09:37 AM

Can you continue your franchise from M15 franchise file to 16 like you can in the show??

# 82 brza37 @ 06/08/15 09:41 AM

Thanks for answering questions JP. I've got a couple on the things that Shop touched on.

1. Is it still possible to see a spread sheet view of ratings for multiple players somewhere? The Visual depth chart looks nice but when I'm comparing players to make decisions on my depth chart or which free agents to add I need to be able to see their ratings next to each other. Thats something that the MUT visual DCs lack and would be a major disappointment for me if I couldn't do that in CFM anymore.
Also is there still a spread sheet view of player contracts? Sorting by cap penalty or freed up funds was the best way to make tough salary cap decisions in my opinion.

2. If I understood one of your replies correctly then its great news that Confidence resets for all players to 50 after each season. I was hoping for a bit of moderation like a max of 66 and min of 33 to start a season but 50 sounds good too. My question about Confidence then is do players that you resign after the season still lose Confidence because they suddenly "don't know the playbook" anymore?

3. When creating coaches is there anyway to assign a new coach a specific rank or packages? Two problems in online CFMs this year were generally poor teams stayed bad because of the Confidence hole that they couldn't crawl out of and that new coaches that enter the league a season or two after the CFM began were at a significant disadvantage because of their coaching level and lack of packages. This has lead to a lot of players who joined our league late just quitting after a while because they felt they couldn't catch up.

4. It looks like the Twitter feed and Stories were completely scrapped based on the New CFM Hub screenshots. Is this true?

5. Is there a way to see all the players who are on the Trade Block? This is shown as an option on the player card but I don't see anywhere that just shows all the players around the league who are on the block.

6. Is there a slider for XP and Confidence so commissioners can adjust how much XP and Confidence is given out? There are so many varying opinions on how fastor slow players should progress/regress. By adding a slider for it EA could make everyone happy by allowing them to set the progression rates on their own.

7. This is a draft question so it will have to wait but please confirm whether we finally have a customizable draft board/player rankings again. And whether the CPU will draft based on your customized board if you can't make the online draft.

# 83 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danish ram


	You can just play the game and forget all the goals in game, it's not mandatory, it's just something to make the game more fun. I'm not crazy about the xp system myself but there has to be a progression system somehow otherwise everyone would stay the same as they are in year one. As i said, progression should be cpu controlled, based on player talent, age and ingame stats. Look no further than fifa, and you get the general idea

The problem I see here though, this is the system we used to have in Madden. Then people complained it wasn't good enough for whatever reasons they thought. People complained they wanted control over it, rather than the CPU just being "random" about it.

Personally, I don't have an issue with the system as it is. I play the game as if the XP doesn't exist in game. I call my plays as if I would as the coach. I throw to the open guy based on the read I made, not based on who needs a number of catches in a game, or drive or whatever to hit a goal.

Then you take your XP, weekly, bi-weekly, whatever... for me it's every 4 weeks, and I apply it in the area's I want my players to improve as if I was serving the coach/GM role. So, if my WR's have poor hands... as a coach, I'd be putting them on the jugs machines daily to work on their catching, so... I'd dump my XP into them there. If they were poor route runners, and not able to get open, well, now as a coach, I'd be working on the release techniques, their route running etc.. So that's where my XP would go.

Now, to me, that system works great. My guys get whatever they get by the way I play the game. I'm an offline player, so it's easy for me. I can understand though where it's an issue for online guys, because I'm sure there's guys in leagues that are just taking advantage of the system. However, with the trend shifting towards everything online, that's where the problem lies IMO. That's another rant for another day though.

While the XP system works for me, because of how I choose to play within it, and use it. I completely understand why you'd want to base it on Fifa types, with potential, and age, etc, etc, etc. However... the big drawback there, if someone at EA decides that DeVante Parker, the rookie WR for Miami gets only a B potential, and will be maxed at an 80 OVR, then I've got, and many others have a big problem with that. Because, lets say I put up back to back to back 100 catch, 1200 yard, 12 TD seasons with the WR... he's clearly filling a superstar role on my team, yet the system is prohibiting him from his ratings advancing. To me, that's an issue.

Bottom line is, nobody is every going to be happy with it.

# 84 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	I guess I would look at this and say, if someone is getting 100 catches, 1200 yards, and 12 TD's a season with an 80 rated player.... 1) does the player really need his ratings increased? 2) is a system broken if a player performs far better than their abilities (ratings)?

I get that. I guess my example is a bit off saying 80 OVR, but what if he's 70 then? Then it changes things.

I just remember all the complaints back in the day of people complaining that the ceilings for players were out of their control too. They hated the fact you'd draft a QB and he enters the league at a 75, but only progresses to say... an 82. Then people get bent out of shape that he's had a great year, but he cant progress because EA said so when they created the official NFL player in the roster, or because they created the draft class that way. I used to hate that about Madden's old system. You start your franchise with the week 1 roster update, then by about week 5 a player on your team has broken out, maybe he's a rookie, maybe he's a 2nd or 3rd year young guy that's finally getting it. Either way he breaks out, and becomes a superstar. However, that's completely impossible by way of your franchise in Madden now, because a person at EA in charge of rosters and ratings was in touch with a scout or something that said naw... at best, he's a C potential, max 72 overall based on the Madden rating scale. Then the next roster update, or next year's game comes out and he's a 87OVR because he blew up. It's that restriction that people always complained about with the old systems.

Bottom line, I don't know the right solution, I honestly don't think there's a right solution to progression/regression. Everyone is going to have an opinion on it. To me, it's as if EA went this route in an attempt to please everyone. The XP is awarded to the player. Some earn it quicker than others. Use it how you see fit as the coach/GM/player. Handle it on your own. The unintended consequence however, are the Madden players that will just take advantage of the system to grind it out and boost a player, because you can always earn XP, and increase the development trait so you can boost them up even faster.

Maybe there's the solution... Don't let the development trait change. If a guy comes in at slow, don't provide the chance for the player to upgrade it so he earns XP quicker. That way the player can attain all the goals he wants, will earn XP, but still take longer to progress and reach superstar status by way of ratings since he's earning less XP over his week/season/career. That way it helps restrict how high a player can get, in a given time period. I'd hope that the XP system awards less and less points as a player ages, but I don't know anything about how it's programmed obviously.

Again, just thinking of other ways.

# 85 ODogg @ 06/08/15 11:03 AM

Football is completely subjective in how it should be modeled from the real thing. Whether you like the xp system or not I find it pretty funny some of you guys keep saying that NFL players don't have individual goals. Of course they ALL do w some being more selfish and vocal about it than others. And sure, maybe EA isn't getting it exactly right but the fact that they're trying to make the game go in that direction to me is a great idea, the game should have more of an RPG feel for long term game modes.

And yet I see some folks saying you can either have RPG or have realism?? Uh RPG is realism. RPG stands for role playing and when you are playing any game for the long haul you are playing some role.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 86 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	For me that doesn't change anything. If someone is rated 70 and putting up those numbers consistently, then the ratings system is flawed. I remember them too. The difference comes down to what type of control someone wants. Unrealistic vs realistic control. Like you said further down in your post, there might not be a right or wrong answer. All depends on one's preference. I Wish we had both options.

Absolutely I'd say it is flawed. That's a whole other can of worms though. A large part of the problem is how driven these types of games are by ratings though, and how obsessed many players are with the OVR rating.

In my CFM's, for my WR's in particular, my OVR is irrelevant. It's all about the position they are in on my depth chart, and what abilities I want them to excel at, whether that's speed, route running etc. etc.

Which is why I kind of like this system. It allows me to focus the XP into the area's I want my players to "grow" and attributes I value as the guy running the team.

The execution of the system isn't the greatest, but to each their own though.

# 87 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	Football is completely subjective in how it should be modeled from the real thing. Whether you like the xp system or not I find it pretty funny some of you guys keep saying that NFL players don't have individual goals. Of course they ALL do w some being more selfish and vocal about it than others. And sure, maybe EA isn't getting it exactly right but the fact that they're trying to make the game go in that direction to me is a great idea, the game should have more of an RPG feel for long term game modes. And yet I see some folks saying you can either have RPG or have realism?? Uh RPG is realism. RPG stands for role playing and when you are playing any game for the long haul you are playing some role. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed.

As I said, when I hop into CFM, I look at the mode as me playing every single role.

I'm the GM, because I've built the roster, and I am being given control over the way I "train" and "improve" that roster by way of the XP system.

I'm the coach, because I control the depth chart, and scheme, and manage the game on gameday by calling the plays and making all the decisions in game.

I'm the player, because I'm the one executing the plays on the field. Which ties back into the XP system, because it helps me decide which aspects of my player to improve with the XP earned.

I'm the owner (if I include owner mode, which I didn't in M15 because of the finances situation), then I control the business side of it. Sadly, this part of CFM is still seriously lacking IMO.

I think the big problem with the system the way it is, it's too easy for the "cheesers" and the casual fans to take advantage of the system and build up XP by going out of their way to ensure certain players hit their goals so they can build a roster of superstars. That's the root cause of the problem IMO. To me, it's not a big issue since I play solo, offline against the CPU. As I said earlier, I don't let goals and such determine how I play. I try not to even look at them. I call my plays, I make my throws, etc based on what I see and what my game plan is against the CPU in game. If my WR hits his goals, great. If not, I don't care. The big thing for me, is playing in a competitive game, that I hopefully win.

# 88 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	We are going to strongly disagree on this. In real life (realism) a player doesn't improve on something just because they arbitrarily decide what to approve on and how much they improve based on stats or goals. That RPG element is the opposite of realistic. A real NFL player improves because of coaching (head, assistants and position), practice (drills being worked on, both individual and team), work ethic, playing time, etc, etc. And then the player increases production. In real life (realism), reaching goals has no impact on a players progression. Reaching goals is a product of player progression.

I don't think that's entirely right either though. A player DOES improve on something they arbitrarily decide to improve on, err... Well maybe it's their head coach, or position coach's recommendation that he trains on a certain area, however as a football player, I can say, I want to be a better catcher of the football, and spend hours upon hours working on a jugs machine, or with a QB to improve my ability at catching. If I want to be a better route runner, I can work on my speed, and agility training to improve my footwork and body control, and work with someone to teach me the proper techniques of when, where, and how to make my cuts in my routes. Of course, I do agree where that improvement is not based upon stats or goals. I'd say it does lead to improvements in statistics because said player has improved, but yes, the stats shouldn't be the key indicator in allotting points to a player to help them improve in a video game.

Often times though, that probably is directed by the coaching staff. So, I guess, give your coach a different set of points, that he can spend on player development through game planning, training, practice's and such that then awards the player's XP that can be spent/applied either by the player, or CPU automatically. Similar to the NFL head coach series. Afterall, isn't that the direction Madden Franchise was supposed to head after the Head Coach series was axed??

# 89 SolidSquid @ 06/08/15 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon27


	I don't think that's entirely right either though. A player DOES improve on something they arbitrarily decide to improve on, err... Well maybe it's their head coach, or position coach's recommendation that he trains on a certain area, however as a football player, I can say, I want to be a better catcher of the football, and spend hours upon hours working on a jugs machine, or with a QB to improve my ability at catching. If I want to be a better route runner, I can work on my speed, and agility training to improve my footwork and body control, and work with someone to teach me the proper techniques of when, where, and how to make my cuts in my routes. Of course, I do agree where that improvement is not based upon stats or goals. I'd say it does lead to improvements in statistics because said player has improved, but yes, the stats shouldn't be the key indicator in allotting points to a player to help them improve in a video game. Often times though, that probably is directed by the coaching staff. So, I guess, give your coach a different set of points, that he can spend on player development through game planning, training, practice's and such that then awards the player's XP that can be spent/applied either by the player, or CPU automatically. Similar to the NFL head coach series. Afterall, isn't that the direction Madden Franchise was supposed to head after the Head Coach series was axed??

I like to use this example. Pick any WR in the league. Say he has a goal for 130 catches and he attains that goal should his catch ratings go up? Yes, should his speed increase? Not at all.

# 90 msdm27 @ 06/08/15 11:43 AM

See, here's the thing (and just quoting this post as it was the last one in this realism/rpg discussion)...

Real life/realism will NEVER be attainable for ANY video game, no matter which way you try. The only way this would be possible in Madden is if games were played CPU vs. CPU because you'd take user input out of the equation, thus removing (for the most part) the chance of lower rated players performing beyond their abilities.

To the WR example, the reason why that'd WR succeeds is likely because the QB (user) is so skilled that it basically puts the lower rated WR in a position to succeed way beyound his actual ratings. Or you know... user catching :P

There is no way for a video game to represent coaching, practice, work ethic... and tie them to progression because... it is a VIDEO GAME! there is no AI in the world that could handle this. In addition, the fact that it is a video game creates time constraints that are not found in real life. In real life, a team has plenty of coaches and scouts that divide tasks amongst them.

Well, why doesn't Madden implement several position coaches and scouts, you say... What exactly would this achieve? So it'd be more realistic to click a button telling my WR coach that WR "X" has to train route running and then he'd magically get better at that?

I don't see how that is different from simply using XP for this very purpose.. As Brandon has stated previously, it appears to me the issue likes in the way they put XP at the forefront of the mode instead of making it look more "organic".

Point blank, gamers would never have enough time to actually play the games if any video game was to implement a realistic progression/training system. Same goes for the offseason and the draft, when it comes to scouting. This is why text-based games are generally seen as more complete/sound games.

The overall reason why XP has to be earned IN-GAME is because no game could ever create a system where the user practices (and it'd have to be a complete practice setup, not just for one individual player) 5 or 6 times before actually being able to go play a game. It would be an endless loop.

The one way I see to "solve" the XP issue is:
- First of all, physical attributes should not be able to be improved upon. Find a proper regression algorythm and apply it to declining players, but don't allow a 26 yr old WR with 86 speed to go to 92 speed just because he collected XP and decided to use them all on one thing.

- Lastly, tie the ability to use XP to your performance (and scale it for expectations/playing time). This would require Madden to have a more complete stat tracking system where the system could collect data for missed tackles, deep completions, pressures, blown coverages..... But this would actually create a system where you earn XP for your performance and then you can only use them on the very things that allowed you perform that way.
Ex: If I'm a QB and I'm dinking & dunking my way through XP, I'd unlock the ability to improve my short and mid range acc ratings.

Now if users were willing to live with a good degree of randomization for things like "work ethic" and "practice results" then a real system for progression might be created, but that would never fly.

# 91 kehlis @ 06/08/15 11:43 AM

A players attributes should determine performance, not the other way around.

# 92 ehh @ 06/08/15 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	Football is completely subjective in how it should be modeled from the real thing. Whether you like the xp system or not I find it pretty funny some of you guys keep saying that NFL players don't have individual goals. Of course they ALL do w some being more selfish and vocal about it than others.

The difference is that those players don't really have control over reaching their goals because it's on the coach, play calling, substitutions and a ton of other variables. In Madden, we control all of that so we can make unrealistic decisions just to meet a goal instead of focusing on the right play for the team.

It's not like Dez Bryant is using a Jedi Mind Trick IRL to force Romo to throw him the ball five times in a given drive. He can act like a divas as much as he wants but Garrett and Romo aren't going to care.

# 93 msdm27 @ 06/08/15 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	Because they practice at it. Not because they reach some goal. Some players will become a much better catcher (much better hands), while others won't improve much. All depends on what they focus on, how much they focus on it, who they are working with, and what potential they have to improve that particular trait. Goals have nothing to do with this. Which you actually do get into later in your post. How XP is gained and used all depends on what type of control you want. Unrealistic, gain XP through goals and spend XP on any trait with no potential cap on that trait. Realistic, gain XP through realistic means, the things you have mentioned, and use the XP and have a higher % of XP spent on attributes that were focused on and a lower % of XP spent on other attributes, with a potential cap on all attributes. In a realistic system, XP becomes a middle man that isn't even necessary. An unrealistic RPG system, XP is essential. This all depends on what type of control someone wants. I really think you and I are basically agreeing in principle, and maybe not agreeing on some of the details.

Could you expand a bit more on what your idea of realistic means for progression are, and how they could realistically be applied to a video game?

# 94 Skyboxer @ 06/08/15 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	A players attributes should determine performance, not the other way around.

Agree BUT not cut and dry unless EA gets rid of visual ratings all together and keeps them hidden.
Otherwise there would be no surprise stars drafted etc...
In any case the ratings have never mattered other than Speed and maybe some others with a bit of meaning.
They're there for show and nothing else really.

# 95 kehlis @ 06/08/15 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	Agree BUT not cut and dry unless EA gets rid of visual ratings all together and keeps them hidden. Otherwise there would be no surprise stars drafted etc... In any case the ratings have never mattered other than Speed and maybe some others with a bit of meaning. They're there for show and nothing else really.

Agreed and I didnt intend for that post to sound so totalitarian. Phone issues.

# 96 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	Because they practice at it. Not because they reach some goal. Some players will become a much better catcher (much better hands), while others won't improve much. All depends on what they focus on, how much they focus on it, who they are working with, and what potential they have to improve that particular trait. Goals have nothing to do with this. Which you actually do get into later in your post. How XP is gained and used all depends on what type of control you want. Unrealistic, gain XP through goals and spend XP on any trait with no potential cap on that trait. Realistic, gain XP through realistic means, the things you have mentioned, and use the XP and have a higher % of XP spent on attributes that were focused on and a lower % of XP spent on other attributes, with a potential cap on all attributes. In a realistic system, XP becomes a middle man that isn't even necessary. An unrealistic RPG system, XP is essential. This all depends on what type of control someone wants. I really think you and I are basically agreeing in principle, and maybe not agreeing on some of the details.

Oh, absolutely! Again, I'm not really disagreeing with anyone's opinion on this matter. Just discussing it, from both sides, and kind of brainstorming on how it could be done better, while still giving some control to the user.

I can totally see how the XP system gets abused, and becomes unrealistic. Im just also OK with it. While it's not as realistic as it could be, I use it in what I think is a logical sense from a GM/Coach/Player standpoint, because... well that's all I have to work with in the game.

My biggest concern is how it gets changed, if it ever does. I don't like the idea of players having hard caps built into the roster file that says this is as good as they can ever get, no matter what, even though it makes sense realistically, because some guys do hit that ceiling. However, I think that ceiling can vary from team to team as well dependent on coaching, training, better teams/facilities, better schemes etc.

Like you and I have both said, there's a large number of ways for this to work, everyone is going to have their own opinion on it.

It almost needs a separate part of CFM as it's own module of the franchise component really.

# 97 jpdavis82 @ 06/08/15 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	A players attributes should determine performance, not the other way around.

Check your PM's

# 98 brandon27 @ 06/08/15 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolidSquid


	I like to use this example. Pick any WR in the league. Say he has a goal for 130 catches and he attains that goal should his catch ratings go up? Yes, should his speed increase? Not at all.

Absolutely agreed. How do you propose an increase for a player's speed though by way of on field performance though? That's all we have in the mode to base it on right now.

So you'd have to either restrict the attributes you can spend XP on, but that doesn't really help, because rookies especially when they join the NFL, get bigger, stronger, and faster through training, and further growth and development of their bodies simply by age, and weight training etc. etc. So, you need a way to account for that too.

Maybe they need to categorize the rating attributes. Say... group ones like agility, speed, strength in to a category named "physical". Then group catching, spec catch, hands, carrying etc into "positional". Then group some others into mental. Then break it down by each position by a weighted value towards the three categories and how important they are to that position, and the XP earned from each "goal" is distributed by that formula to those categories. So... you might earn 10,000 XP for that 130 catch goal, but you might only be able to spend 10% of it into the physical category. So, it makes it more difficult to earn those attributes.

Although... now that I think of it, I guess it is kind of that way now. Those certain key attributes for certain positions are a lot more expensive to purchase than others.

I give up. lol

I agree there's got to be a better way, but like I've said, I don't think theres any way possible that's going to satisfy everyone. We have this method now, because of all the complaints of the old method. So they gave us "control". Changing it back is just going to cause the same problem I feel.

# 99 kehlis @ 06/08/15 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpdavis82


	Check your PM's

Got it this morning, will respond when by a computer after work tonight.

# 100 Hooe @ 06/08/15 12:45 PM

A usage question (and only a usage question) - do people here focus their XP spending on SPD / ACC in CFM?

Personally, I find this incredibly inefficient. Using the WR example, I'd rather upgrade his CTH / CIT / RRT / SPC / AWR ratings. The way EA has balanced the game, one can increase these ratings by more total points than if one just focuses on SPD / ACC, and by a significant margin. If I spend my XP on SPD / ACC instead, I'm not maximizing the value of that XP spent and not improving that player as much as I potentially could otherwise.

If I want a more athletic player, more often than not I have to draft him, not build him.

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