Madden NFL 18 News Post

Madden NFL 18 on the Frostbite Engine: Reactions

12:10 PM - February 3, 2017 by RaychelSnr

Earlier this week, EA announced that Madden was moving over to the Frostbite Engine. In the long run, this will likely be a pretty positive move for the franchise. The Frostbite engine has shown a lot of promise since its inception. However, some OS staffers have some worries about this upcoming year of Madden. Read their thoughts after the jump and add your own in the comments!

Read More - Madden NFL 18 on the Frostbite Engine: Reactions

Game: Madden NFL 18Hype Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 9 - View All

Member Comments

# 61 adembroski @ 03/31/17 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwolf


	Frostbite is going to bring a much better lighting system for sure. The game will look much better. Now I do believe it's animation system and physics system is better too. So it can definitely affect the way Madden plays. Hopefully it allows them to make more noticeable differences in ratings in the trenches.

I REALLY hope they take this opportunity to completely overhaul blocking, and yes, Frostbite could help a ton with that. I just think we're a year out.

That said, I know Clint is just dying to do it. I hope I'm wrong. I think M17 took massive strides forward, another leap like that... I may not need another sports game.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

# 62 ch46647 @ 03/31/17 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	I REALLY hope they take this opportunity to completely overhaul blocking, and yes, Frostbite could help a ton with that. I just think we're a year out. That said, I know Clint is just dying to do it. I hope I'm wrong. I think M17 took massive strides forward, another leap like that... I may not need another sports game. Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

Adem- Havent seen you around here in a while. Hope you are well. Do you feel block is more important than the movement/locomotion system?

I believe how the players move has been Maddens biggest Achilles heel since the transition to XBOX 360 in 06'. This includes both how the game looks and plays.

# 63 DeuceDouglas @ 03/31/17 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	I REALLY hope they take this opportunity to completely overhaul blocking, and yes, Frostbite could help a ton with that. I just think we're a year out. That said, I know Clint is just dying to do it. I hope I'm wrong. I think M17 took massive strides forward, another leap like that... I may not need another sports game.

I really hope this is the case as well. M17 drove me absolutely insane with how horrid the line play (specifically pass blocking) was. It isn't sexy but it would go a long way in making Madden a much better game. I'd love to see them work heavily on player movement as well so we don't see players dropping 350 lb. lineman into coverage and keeping up with WR's but with such a heavy eSports presence now, that is something that could end up being very polarizing.

# 64 Madden08PCgmr @ 03/31/17 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	Franchise mode has its own engine, specifically built around an event-calender system. Frostbite isn't built for any of that. It's built to ease work flow between assets, models, environments, and animations. FranTK is built for scheduling events and resolving them in a menu interface. Using frostbite would be, frankly, stupid. Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

Having worked on the game, what are your thoughts on Franchise Mode?

I'm ready to let go, if you will. If I want my franchise fix, I just go back to PC.

Will there be a time I'm the near future where franchise mode meets and or exceeds the expectations created from 2003-2005, in your opinion?

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 65 adembroski @ 03/31/17 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madden08PCgmr


	Having worked on the game, what are your thoughts on Franchise Mode? I'm ready to let go, if you will. If I want my franchise fix, I just go back to PC. Will there be a time I'm the near future where franchise mode meets and or exceeds the expectations created from 2003-2005, in your opinion? Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

I think John White is one of the most intelligent, professional, and competent people I met at EA. I think the full potential of FranTK hasn't even been scratched. The future is very bright.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

# 66 adembroski @ 03/31/17 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ch46647


	Adem- Havent seen you around here in a while. Hope you are well. Do you feel block is more important than the movement/locomotion system? I believe how the players move has been Maddens biggest Achilles heel since the transition to XBOX 360 in 06'. This includes both how the game looks and plays.

I don't honestly think loco is that bad on next gen, especially compared to the binary blocked/unblocked trenches.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

# 67 DeuceDouglas @ 03/31/17 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	I think John White is one of the most intelligent, professional, and competent people I met at EA. I think the full potential of FranTK hasn't even been scratched. The future is very bright.

If you had to guess, when will the full potential start to be scratched? Only reason I ask is because we're coming up on its sixth year of use with CFM and IMO franchise mode has seemed severely stagnant since the concept of CFM was introduced. As someone who is essentially "all-in" on franchise mode, I truly hope the future is very bright, it's just a lot harder for me to see it given how poor recent features have been from both an execution and quality standpoint. Doesn't mean that can't or won't change but just based on the last couple years I don't have much confidence in CFM being able to return to the level of enjoyment that previous Madden's had or on par with other sports titles franchise modes any time soon.

# 68 SOU7GLO @ 04/01/17 01:42 AM

There needs to be more of an emphasis on the head coach and coaching staff (including various scouts), along with the front office to increase the immersion factor. We should be able to customize everything about our coach and owner or create/select an entire staff. The create a player tools from The Show are on point and EA should use a similar method. From selecting current coaches to retired players, to the medical team, just like in the PS2 days would help enhance the immersion factor.

Also, our head coach or owner should be able to unlock perks, celebrations, gear, and accessories based on CFM accomplishments that we would see on the field. It would also be sweet if the coach or owner had an office or luxury box we could decorate with earned Lombardi trophies, and other in season awards for us and our fellow league mates to view. Also allow us to retire #'s and hang banners.

Optimize the CFM menu. We should be able to sort ratings by the entire NFL instead of going through each team. Standings, stats, and roster management should be on the front page. Allow us to access our playbooks, customize, set audibles, and save them within CFM so we don't have to back out and do it under the customize tab as it is now. Offseason free agent bidding has improved, but needs additional work. We should be able to quickly sort through the ratings when bidding on FA's. Right now, we have to view the players card each time.

Lastly, bring back the radio show.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 69 roadman @ 04/01/17 01:55 AM

You had up me all up to the radio show.

I'm in if it's not Tony Bruno, the guys voice was nauseating and repetitive.

I'll take the mini-skills over the radio show, but I think EA will try to reinvent the wheel and not try to copy features from 10 years ago.

Just my take.

It's starting to become more of a wish list thread. lol

# 70 SOU7GLO @ 04/01/17 02:06 AM

Yeah it is. Haha! Those mini skill drills were great though. Enjoyed throwing the through the rings, pocket presence - dodging the bean bags, and the timed pass rush drill.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 71 adembroski @ 04/01/17 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeuceDouglas


	If you had to guess, when will the full potential start to be scratched? Only reason I ask is because we're coming up on its sixth year of use with CFM and IMO franchise mode has seemed severely stagnant since the concept of CFM was introduced. As someone who is essentially "all-in" on franchise mode, I truly hope the future is very bright, it's just a lot harder for me to see it given how poor recent features have been from both an execution and quality standpoint. Doesn't mean that can't or won't change but just based on the last couple years I don't have much confidence in CFM being able to return to the level of enjoyment that previous Madden's had or on par with other sports titles franchise modes any time soon.

There were two parts to my response. I refer you back to my original statement. I have reasons I do not wish to elaborate further.

Also... uhh, so, franchise mode was better when the CPU teams ran in played games 8-12% of the time, draft picks could literally not progress past 85, and no substitutions were made in simmed games? I spend hundreds of hours at MaddenMania on the Manifesto team testing a 20 page document of weekly tweaks you had to do to create a remotely playable mode. Eventually I moved to Football-Freaks and spent hundreds of hours trying to figure out what fields held what in a compressed SQL database to create external tools like Gommo's MaddenAmp.

Take the rose colored glasses off, franchise has ALWAYS been a mess. The difference is at least now there's a reasonable semblance of functionality. Apparently you'd prefer a repetitive radio show and 17 2,000 yard rushers a year?

I tuned progression in M12. I promise you, it's the most realistic in Madden history (out of the box. Modded, it's '06 PC with MaddenAmp. I tuned that too). Seriously, please, sim 10 seasons of any other Madden and I'm sure you'll agree if your honest. If I'd had that responsibility on '13, it would have been INFINITELY easier. FranTK is a test bed, basically. It can run a full season in about a minute. It's a fantastic tool that finally has a designer who'll use it.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

# 72 LionsFanNJ @ 04/01/17 01:11 PM

I hope the switch to frostbite gives the devs an excuse to rework the damn weather. I heard frostbite is good for weather effects.

...and let us manually pick weather in CFM.

# 73 OhMrHanky @ 04/01/17 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	You had up me all up to the radio show. I'm in if it's not Tony Bruno, the guys voice was nauseating and repetitive. I'll take the mini-skills over the radio show, but I think EA will try to reinvent the wheel and not try to copy features from 10 years ago. Just my take. It's starting to become more of a wish list thread. lol

Lol. I'll agree with this. I HATED tony Bruno. Lol. I liked the idea, but didn't like him, personally, so the radio thing was annoying. I think there's probably a few sides to how people want to see franchise improved, and/or what would better 'immerse' the user. So some people seem to want more fine tune controls. I agree with coaches as far as that's concerned. These can make a big difference in real life. And/or, it's just cool to pick up a retired player u liked and make him an assistant coach and/or groom him into a head coach or something. Then, there's the draft and scouting. There seems to be not much consensus there, lol. For me, I'm actually close to ok with most of the CFM related functionality in terms of gameplay, injuries, etc. Coach selection would be the final thing needed to make that piece more complete. I actually don't want to go back to the days of setting hot dog prices and whatnot, lol. But, if they added that and u didn't have to control it, that would be fine for people that want that. For me, personally, and I know some people wouldn't even care about this, but for me, man, I want a weekly wrap up show of some kind. This would give me the 'immersion'. The thing would only need to be 2-5 mins long. Basically, it would be exactly like the 2 minute warning with Chris Berman, I believe. Give me a quick 2 min show WITH fake clips as highlights from other games. Let me SEE The actual players making the plays in all their digital glory. Near the postseason, of course, references should be made to post season seeding battles. But again, I want to SEE and HEAR it. I don't want to READ it. Lol. When u have a little highlight show, u remember a little more about who is winning/losing throughout your season. As it stands right now, I don't know who's even close to the playoffs until I play them IN the playoffs. If I see/hear a weekly show while navigating the menus or something, I'll know Aaron Rodgers is doing good and GB is winning, or cam Newton is stinking it up again and Car is losing. So, for me, I would actually put weekly wrap up show at #1, but I know it's more like #10-20 on their list. So, don't think I'll ever see this. But, I just think it be really cool and would give some 'life' needed to the mode.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 74 Madden08PCgmr @ 04/01/17 10:47 PM

Thanks for sharing your insights AJ.

I'm on Madden sabbatical for now. I'll dive back in if and when the time is right.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 75 kjcheezhead @ 04/05/17 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	I REALLY hope they take this opportunity to completely overhaul blocking, and yes, Frostbite could help a ton with that. I just think we're a year out. That said, I know Clint is just dying to do it. I hope I'm wrong. I think M17 took massive strides forward, another leap like that... I may not need another sports game. Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

This game completely died 3 years ago for me. As much as I love football madden hasn't been enjoyable since the ps2 days. Stale, repetitive and boring. Line play improvements would help so much with that. It's the backbone to the sport. Hopefully frostbite will be a resurrection. It needs it badly.

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 76 TombSong @ 04/06/17 10:52 AM

Even with the inclusion of "physics" into madden and whatever they call the current engine(does not really matter cause they all do the same thing) Madden to this date still has not escaped the FACT that player interactions are dominated by canned animations. Whatever dice roll/algorithm they use to determine a tackle success/fail, catch success/fail is all played out by predetermined animations, not whats actually happening on the field. Is frostbite gonna change this ?

This is why you still see suction blocking/tackling. This is why you still see warping/sliding by WR's/DB's.

The offensive line pass protection is AWFUL. You can routinely see guards and the center ignoring blitzing LBs to go help double team a DT that is ALREADY blocked. HBs don't check for blitzing LB's. They just charge to the LT/RT whether the tackles need help or not, and most of the time dont even realy help, they just slide around the blocking animation going on between the tackle and the DE.

Pulling guards may as well be pulling QB's because I've seen them so many times just get tossed to the side by DB's. The guards RARELY put DBs on their azz.

The offense makes a hot route or a audible and this makes YOUR defense shift back to the default alignment ......WTF ?!?!?! Why is the offense in control of my defense ?!?!?!

They had to implement "NANO DETECTION" as a freaking feature...a FEATURE in a football game because theses guys after 25+ years of making this game STILL do not have pass protection schemes correct.

Mario running is STILL alive and well in 2017.

Players have little to no awareness of each other. They just run their assigned paths. DB/LBs don't pass WR's off to the next zone defender correctly. There is no technique to the man coverage in the game. Inside leverage means NOTHING. They will STILL allow WRs to get inside them no matter what the ratings are of the players.

Blitzing LB/DB's don't take the shortest path to the QB. The A or B gap they are suppose to blitz according to the play art they wont take that, they will try and loop around the DE or just freaking run into their own team.

All that said and a BUNCH of other things wrong with this game. We are now expected to believe a new game engine is gonna fix all this, LOL.

I can't WAIT to see the first videos of the new game. I can almost predict we are gonna see the SAME legacy issues and get the same excuses for why this game has not evolved.

# 77 Birdman18 @ 04/07/17 11:44 AM

You guys have to keep in mind, this is like changing out the engine of a car. Sure you'll get more horsepower, maybe better mileage and all of that. But if your suspension sucks, your alignment is off, the tires are worn and the breaks are going out.. then your overall ride isn't going to be very pleasant.

Moving from Ignite to Frostbite is going to be similar. Whatever legacy issues that have been in the game may very well in fact still exist. The general framework of the game's code is more than likely still the same as Madden 06 on Xbox 360. There will be upgrades in certain parts, but M18 needs to be treated as any other version of Madden that has come out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 78 adembroski @ 04/07/17 02:38 PM

An "engine" does not in and of itself change anything. It's a tool that makes creating easier. I mention specifically visuals because the core frostbite lighting is some of the best in the industry. The MAY overhaul the gameplay code, but Frostbite does not necessitate that.

Play Mass Effect: Andromeda. It still feels like Mass Effect.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

# 79 Birdman18 @ 04/08/17 02:07 PM

I wanted to comment on the blog posted by Chris in the Frostbite transition. Here's a comment from a FIFA Dev on their transition:

"The overarching goal is to leverage the abilities of many of our game teams to produce an engine that delivers world-class games. For FIFA, the move to Frostbite allows us to develop new features that were not supported by the previous engine including the new cinematic story mode in FIFA 17, The Journey."

Now, I'm calling BS that the Ignite engine wouldn't allow them to do a mode like The Journey. Hell, Fight Night had a similar mode and that was on Xbox 360! Maybe it improved the visuals and added that extra polish, but to say Frostbite allows them to create this entire mode, that's just silly.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 80 mestevo @ 04/08/17 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman18


	I wanted to comment on the blog posted by Chris in the Frostbite transition. Here's a comment from a FIFA Dev on their transition: "The overarching goal is to leverage the abilities of many of our game teams to produce an engine that delivers world-class games. For FIFA, the move to Frostbite allows us to develop new features that were not supported by the previous engine including the new cinematic story mode in FIFA 17, The Journey." Now, I'm calling BS that the Ignite engine wouldn't allow them to do a mode like The Journey. Hell, Fight Night had a similar mode and that was on Xbox 360! Maybe it improved the visuals and added that extra polish, but to say Frostbite allows them to create this entire mode, that's just silly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Are you suggesting Fifa and Fight Night used the same engines? Not sure how one thing proves the other. I suspect there's are a lot of animation support making it easier to create in-engine cinematics we see in other Frostbite titles that allow them to hit their targets for a story mode in FIFA with Frostbite.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

« Previous 1 2 345 Next »

More Links

Madden NFL 18 on the Frostbite Engine: Reactions