Madden NFL 16 News Post

DB/WR Interactions Are Vastly Improved in Madden NFL 16, According to EA

07:04 PM - June 15, 2015 by RaychelSnr

It's finally happening! Defensive back and wide receiver interactions are going to be a big thing this year, according to a new blog on EA Sports website. Also being introduced this year are new pass catching mechanics, which will allow you to consider how you want your receiver to go after passes.

Quote:


	"The most revolutionary addition this year is the new catching system. Previously, players had just one option (Y/Triangle button) to catch the ball. In Madden NFL 16, there are three different catches types to choose from. The mechanics work by HOLDING the catch button as soon as the QB makes the pass. You no longer need to hit B, as catch control is now automatic on the intended receiver. However, it�s still possible to have more control by clicking on with B and steering the receiver with the left stick."

What This Means: The big thing is, this introduces another small layer of strategy on the field -- where you have to make an important decision during a play on whether to play aggressive or conservative. There's nothing wrong with that. Even better, playing as a WR in connected franchise just got a lot more fun. Again, a positive thing.

There are three ways to catch passes this year:

RAC Catch (X/Square) - A run after catch, allows you to catch the ball and turn up field during the catch with the intent to gain yards. These catches have higher drop and knockout chances, and can be susceptible to interceptions if thrown into traffic.
Aggressive (Y/Triangle) - This drives the receiver back to the ball to go up and catch the pass at the highest point possible. These catches have lower catch chances and higher knockout chances, but with guys like Calvin Johnson -- well they may work pretty ok.
Possession (A/X Button) - The Possession catch is what it sounds like. It's safer to do, can help your receiver both catch the ball and stay in bounds. You lose RAC yards with this almost always, but ensures the reception. Good for those goal line plays or first-down conversion attempts.

New WR AI Traits, DB/WR Interactons

Quote:


	"The Multiplayer Catch System is based on technology in development for more than two years, and allows receivers and defenders to go up for a catch simultaneously and battle for the ball in the air while using ratings, mechanics and positioning to deliver the appropriate outcome The team added more than 400 new multiplayer catch outcomes, which includes knockouts, tip ball, simultaneous possession catches, offensive/defensive PI, interceptions and more."

What This Means: The enhancements we've been waiting on in the passing game look to finally be here. Not only will there be new animations, there will be new tools to use (as detailed above). Also, Madden is adding hundreds of new receiver/defender interaction animations -- including press interactions, zone chuck interactions, and hand fighting during route running.

Also included in the enhancements are new enhancements to the defensive pre-play alignment system. Think of this as trying to force the receiver inside or outside -- you can now strategically try to do that based on what you are expecting your opponent to do. Obviously lining up on the outside of the receiver forcing him in when he's running a slant won't work out well.

There will now also be 'shot plays' added into this year's game. There are 100 new shot plays (600 new plays overall), which will include team-specific shot plays in their playbook.

Finally, there will be new in-game feedback systems. These were developed in response to the success of Madden 15's pass rush and tackling feedback. This new system will be built around passing and catching. The feedback will tell you if the pass was under pressure, on the run, or off the back foot to provide context for why passes weren't accurate (if they aren't).

When a pass is released, there will be a catch UI that displays what kind of catch the AI is looking for. You can override that at any time by choosing the catch button you'd like.

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

# 41 sebennayx @ 06/17/15 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CM Hooe


	There is FAR more activity between WRs and DBs. I'm not the right person to ask about authenticity of technique, but they are fighting each other for position, fighting for the ball, and generally being a lot more active. This was the very first thing that jumped out to me when I was playing the game. If there are any concerns about the Aggressive Catch control being overpowered, turn those down a bit. On All-Pro difficulty, it is VERY difficult to pull down an Aggressive Catch when being attacked by a defender or defenders in close coverage, even with reasonably good receivers such as Brandin Cooks and Nuk Hopkins. It's probably easier with Dez Bryant, but I didn't get to draft him :-( The Aggressive Catch also makes deep routes in single coverage a reasonable challenge, now, rather than a complete non-starter as they've been in previous Madden games. I didn't really try out the defensive play ball / play man controls because I forgot about them, lol. I was specifically by several EA reps told that the AI has access to every new move that the user has wrt playing an airborne football, both on offense and defense. This statement matched what I was seeing in the game; the DBs in particular will make decisions on playing the man or the ball. I had more success with the RAC Catch; I run a fair amount of crossing routes in my offenses today. I didn't really try the Possession Catch much; I probably should have on things like curls and what not.

Thanks CM, any chance you were able to notice if the db shading affected the play at all? Ex- did playing with inside leverage force an outside release? And if so did that affect the play (especially on the shot plays, forcing a throw into coverage or closer to the sideline)?

Thanks again for the updates

# 42 denverbro89 @ 06/17/15 09:54 AM

Maybe this mechanic should've been pressure sensitive to the triangle/ Y button. Tap for RAC double tap for jumping catch, hold for possession catch. Seems like that one decrease response time as the user controlling the receiver.

# 43 gjneff @ 06/17/15 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon27


	Sounds good in writing. It's got to play well though. I kind of wish the catch type would be automatic based on ratings. Not sure we need another varied control for something like this, but it sounds promising.

This needs to be part of a dynamic set of tendencies for the way players play and not just what they are good at. Some players have a "tendency" to do something when their skills say they should do something else.

# 44 Trick13 @ 06/18/15 05:08 AM

I have to say that I am, up to this point, very impressed with what has been released/ showcased.

The DB/WR interactions that have been available for viewing so far are a vast improvement over anything we have seen previously from EA.

That being said, there is still a little disappointment for me in the way the system works, or the controls for it.

In years past attempting catches would often result in a reception and then the hurdle animation playing out of context - so are we now going to see "possession" catches leading into diving animations?, RAC receptions becoming stiff arms???

I would have prefered a system where "possession" attempts were on the R1 or bumper - logical as that is cover up ball, and then RAC/Aggressive attempts being tied to "pressure/timing sensitivity" on the Y/triangle, which would have left dive for desperation attempts on passes where diving made sense and then have L1/bumper be the user option of attempting to swat/knock away INTs. Even possession attempts could have been made "timing" sensitive tap = snatch and tuck away, press = catch and fall, and hold = sideline feet in and catching while going to the ground.

All of that would have allowed the user to dictate the attempted animation while allowing the ratings/tendency/traits system to dictate success or failure.

I like the idea behind the different catch styles giving us back some control on the user end over the attempt made, but feel like controller timing is going extinct - not a fan of that trend.

That brings me to defense in the pass defending area of this system - does the user have the ability to "play ball" for the swat attempt or is every "play ball" input have my defender attempting a pick??? And "play receiver", does that leave the user any control over timing a hit versus attempting to swat the ball out as the receiver pulls in the ball???

One of my biggest gripes with Madden goes back to the arrival of the 360 console and the death of the best video game control layout ever - the PS2 Madden control layout which supplied a bit of "integrated or forced" realism because you had to release the sprint/acceleration button to perform moves that require "footwork setups" and allowed for the "cut moves" we see every single game day from just about every ball carrier who ever runs with the ball in their hands.

The natural progression of that superior system would have been to allow for certain combos - example stiff arm/strip ball was directional based on left or right trigger - so you could have had cover ball become the holding in both triggers and wrap up tackles being the same input. Holding one side and tapping the other could have been - for offense - tucking the ball with one arm (less effective compared to full cover ball) and tapping the other to reach out and punch some defenders facemask or swipe at incoming tacklers arms. Defensively, holding one trigger in while tapping the other could be the type of half wrap and swat at ball that we see repeatedly in the NFL on strip sacks and ball carriers. Again the effectiveness would be dictated not only by ratings but also by the timing of execution.

These are the types of controls - where user control input both the pressure or length of time the button is depressed coupled with actually timing the control input - that is, for me, a huge reason the game is not as fun as it was in years gone by.

Just to be clear, ratings would/should dictate success/fail rates of attempted animations, but animation pools - just like with passing trajectories - should be tied to timing of the input and the type of input utilized...

# 45 Hooe @ 06/18/15 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebennayx


	Thanks CM, any chance you were able to notice if the db shading affected the play at all? Ex- did playing with inside leverage force an outside release? And if so did that affect the play (especially on the shot plays, forcing a throw into coverage or closer to the sideline)? Thanks again for the updates

I will play around with that today and get back to you.

# 46 roadman @ 06/18/15 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KOTC Wayne


	One thing that needs to be added back to Madden is defensive lock. I should be able to have my best defender following the oppositions best WR. I think it was a error with being able to do this only b/c they allowed you to put multiple players on defensive lock so if they were to limit it to only 1 or 2 players being allowed to do this you would think that should eliminate the problem.

Is this similar to what you are looking for?

QUICK ADJUSTMENTS

Defensive quick adjustments give users the ability to adjust any of their defenders on the field without having to manually switch to the defender. Simply select the group (DL, LB, DB), choose individual adjustment, select the defender and set the assignment.

This addresses a long-standing legacy issue that put the defense at a disadvantage when it came to pre-play adjustments.

# 47 Skyboxer @ 06/18/15 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	Is this similar to what you are looking for? QUICK ADJUSTMENTS Defensive quick adjustments give users the ability to adjust any of their defenders on the field without having to manually switch to the defender. Simply select the group (DL, LB, DB), choose individual adjustment, select the defender and set the assignment. This addresses a long-standing legacy issue that put the defense at a disadvantage when it came to pre-play adjustments.

No.. I mean I LOVE they added it as I've been wanting this for a while but that's not the same. This is assignment audibles.

We want the ability pre-game to set up a certain CB (or whoever) to always cover/follow a certain WR the whole game if he was on the field. I would sometimes also set a certain LB to be on a RB during certain games etc..

# 48 redsox4evur @ 06/19/15 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyboxer


	No.. I mean I LOVE they added it as I've been wanting this for a while but that's not the same. This is assignment audibles. We want the ability pre-game to set up a certain CB (or whoever) to always cover/follow a certain WR the whole game if he was on the field. I would sometimes also set a certain LB to be on a RB during certain games etc..

I think I get what you are saying...like last year the Patriots always had Revis set up against whatever team's best WR no matter where he lined up on the field. Is that close to what you are talking about?

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DB/WR Interactions Are Vastly Improved in Madden NFL 16, According to EA