Madden NFL 18 News Post

Madden NFL 18 Features New Target Passing, Coverage Assignments & More

07:11 AM - May 12, 2017 by Steve_OS

Amazon has revealed some of the Madden NFL 18 features, as we get closer to an official announcement from EA Sports. Not only does it look like we will see new target passing, but it also mentions coverage assignments. Maybe we can finally assign the best corner vs. best receiver? EA is also giving users different play styles, ranging from Arcade, Simulation and Competitive.

Amazon also notes, Madden NFL 18 releases on August 25 for the Standard Edition ($59.99), but fans that pre-order the Madden NFL 18 G.O.A.T. Edition ($79.99), can get the game 3 days earlier, on August 22.

More details should be released soon.

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Madden NFL 18 takes a significant visual leap with the power of the Frostbite engine. See stunning new stadium exteriors surrounded by vast cityscapes and watch the spectacle of NFL game day come to life in the most photorealistic game to date. Play each matchup to your specifications by selecting from three new Play Styles or play the best real world match ups each week in Play Now Live! With the introduction of even more ways to play, coupled with your favorite modes, Madden Ultimate Team and Franchise, this is Madden like you've never seen before.

Pre-order today and receive up to $50 in additional value including three days early, full game access to Madden NFL 18: G.O.A.T. Edition. Start building your dynasty on day one with one of five Elite G.O.A.T. players, an Elite Player from your favorite NFL team, 12 Squad Packs, 2500 contracts and one uniform pack in Madden NFL 18 Ultimate Team, the complete NFL team-building mode where you build, play and win with your ultimate team of today's nfl superstars and legends.

Game: Madden NFL 18Hype Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 221 StefJoeHalt @ 05/20/17 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adembroski


	Lots of heated discussion for a feature we don't know anything about:/ Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

lol Adem come on u been on both sides of this (customer and Dev) and expect less? Lol

Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

# 222 jfsolo @ 05/20/17 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reyes the roof


	That's what I want as well. It sounds like maybe this target passing is designed to make it tougher to be accurate, but that doesn't change the fact that once you master that, Tom Brady will play the same as any rookie QB with a high accuracy rating

If it is a mechanic that can be mastered in that way, then the design and implementation of the feature is fundamentally flawed. If you have a QB with 65 awareness and 75 MAC, then it should be physically impossible for any User to maneuver the targeting reticle(or whatever mechanic is used) with anywhere near the same precision as they could with a Tom Brady, regardless of how much they practice with that player. This should be especially true on sim style where ratings are not supposed to be overridden by stick skills.

# 223 Hunkerdown @ 05/20/17 05:16 PM

I am concerned with new engine, and the potential some of this stuff being gimmicks. I will try game when it comes out in ea access, but as the past few years have gone, ala numerous patches. Might stick with 17 for a while, having fun in franchise. Plus Tom Brady on cover, not sure if I can get myself to buy, haha Falcons fan here, yes still hurts.

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# 224 adembroski @ 05/20/17 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StefJoeHalt


	lol Adem come on u been on both sides of this (customer and Dev) and expect less? Lol Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Maybe it's referring to the defender's target? Passing off receivers in coverage!

I mean, hey, if we're going to speculate wildly...

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

# 225 DeuceDouglas @ 05/20/17 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfsolo


	If it is a mechanic that can be mastered in that way, then the design and implementation of the feature is fundamentally flawed. If you have a QB with 65 awareness and 75 MAC, then it should be physically impossible for any User to maneuver the targeting reticle(or whatever mechanic is used) with anywhere near the same precision as they could with a Tom Brady, regardless of how much they practice with that player. This should be especially true on sim style where ratings are not supposed to be overridden by stick skills.

I know we're still in wait and see mode but I can't help but think that, despite what the description states, the simulation setting will still value user agency and "fun" first and foremost over some of the randomness you might expect or the true to ratings driven gameplay like it suggests. Really hoping I'm wrong there but the way even Clint, who is supposed to be the most hardcore sim of any of the devs, talks about certain things it gives me the impression that no matter what they still are prioritizing fun>everything model and advanced user control is something that equals more fun. We'll see though and at the very least it's a start.

# 226 jfsolo @ 05/20/17 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeuceDouglas


	I know we're still in wait and see mode but I can't help but think that, despite what the description states, the simulation setting will still value user agency and "fun" first and foremost over some of the randomness you might expect or the true to ratings driven gameplay like it suggests. Really hoping I'm wrong there but the way even Clint, who is supposed to be the most hardcore sim of any of the devs, talks about certain things it gives me the impression that no matter what they still are prioritizing fun>everything model and advanced user control is something that equals more fun. We'll see though and at the very least it's a start.

Your skepticism is completely warranted on this front. What I hope that they're able to recognize is that in a sim setting, advanced user control is not synonymous with complete mastery, i.e. a User being able to make a player perform beyond his ratings. Mastery of mechanics is the raison d'etre of competitive mode, so people who think of that is being fun have an obvious sandbox of their own to play in.

As I've said before, sim style cannot be just competitive lite. "Play true to player and team ratings" If this isn't the case it will be easy to see, and we have to call them out on it.

Rex will say some things on twitter that makes me nervous, but until proven to not be true, I choose to believe him when he says this about the 3 styles:

Quote:


	You'll have to decide for yourself but for me it is like playing 3 different games. Definitely more than just sliders involved.

# 227 Spitfire71 @ 05/22/17 03:44 AM

The concept of 'target passing' is vague and scares the hell out of me. Maybe I'm being a Negative Ned here but all I can think of is the myriad of ways they can screw this up. Nightmare scenarios like them removing icons altogether and having passing tied to both analog sticks or something. Or anything resembling the passing cone debacle. I can see CFM being a nightmare if that's defaulting to sim style and combined with this system. *shudder*

I hope this was an idea that's been in the works for a while and that they've been working on tuning it because I can see this making the game either controller-smashingly difficult for no logical reason, or UBER-OVERPOWERED AS F*CK.

Just tune it right, and give me the ability to throw a real back shoulder pass in timing (which I've been asking for for YEARS) and I won't complain too much. I think.

Are defensive assignments coming back? If so, super YAY. (Although they gotta fix that issue in franchise where all the formations were swapped. What the hell was that?) And I hope that's expanded so you're not just limited to covering a guy that would normally be across in formation (e.g. if someone's killing you in the pass game with a quick RB, you can maybe switch your slot CB over to cover that guy instead of being limited to linebackers and safeties.)

People want upgrades to CFM, which I understand. But, to me, the best upgrade they could give to that mode is improving the actual game experience. I wouldn't say no, however, to tuning a few elements of CFM like lowering sim injuries a touch.

# 228 ODogg @ 05/22/17 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolidSquid


	I hope for everyone's sake there isn't a big visible target on the field for the new passing system

It could be done subtly, something like a translucent reticule that one can see but is not a huge attention getter like the flashlight.....er vision cone was ...which is why people who hated it hated it so viciously I think, aesthetically it was awful..

# 229 ODogg @ 05/22/17 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reyes the roof


	That's what I want as well. It sounds like maybe this target passing is designed to make it tougher to be accurate, but that doesn't change the fact that once you master that, Tom Brady will play the same as any rookie QB with a high accuracy rating

It most certainly could if they adapt the target system to be more responsive with a better QB.

# 230 jfsolo @ 05/22/17 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	It could be done subtly, something like a translucent reticule that one can see but is not a huge attention getter like the flashlight.....er vision cone was ...which is why people who hated it hated it so viciously I think, aesthetically it was awful..

I was thinking that it should be a translucent football.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	It most certainly could if they adapt the target system to be more responsive with a better QB.

If they don't do this, then it's a failed mechanic right out of the gate.

# 231 iFnotWhyNoT @ 05/22/17 11:09 PM

Hopefully it's something like a brighter reticule in default, then options for translucent and off.

Maybe it's one of those systems where familiarity with the sensitivity of the target system/reticule with a QB is all you need before you can turn off the aids. I don't want to play with a reticule all the time, I want to get good enough to not need it. I like a clean screen.

# 232 DeuceDouglas @ 05/22/17 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfsolo


	If they don't do this, then it's a failed mechanic right out of the gate.

I wonder how they dictate that though. I'd love to see AWR control something like that so it actually means something. But then there's this dilemma where does a High AWR QB's reticle move it slower or faster? Faster you can move it more but it's also likely harder to control. Slower is easier to control but you can't do as much under pressure. Maybe AWR could tie to the amount of "stickiness" it might have to it where a QB with low AWR might have his reticle kind of slide and feel heavy when moving it around while high AWR would be very precise when you're moving it. Really can't wait to see how this feature works.

# 233 4thQtrStre5S @ 05/23/17 12:32 AM

I could see them making targeting attached to ratings and it can work. If anyone has played MLB The Show, as a catcher, you can tell the difference between a good catcher and bad one by how well the catcher mitt responds to ur controller input to catch off target pitches ...

So not only is it doable but can be a great challenge, skillful and fun.

# 234 sva91 @ 05/23/17 12:49 AM

It would be cool if you target receivers using the right stick, and use the right trigger to pass (not sure if this has been discussed yet). Better qbs can move from receiver to receiver much quicker/fluidly, or have a much larger margin for error than lesser qbs. I can see that working out.

The big problem when trying to make a simulation football game is that not all qbs react as quickly and can read defenses the same in real life, yet every player is given the same sky cam when playing. So it's nearly impossible for qb rating to affect their play unless the developers cheaply make certain passes inaccurate no matter how you press the icon button. The right stick method would let users know going into a game, how a certain qb's ratings will affect their respective gameplay.

# 235 OhMrHanky @ 05/23/17 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iFnotWhyNoT


	Hopefully it's something like a brighter reticule in default, then options for translucent and off. Maybe it's one of those systems where familiarity with the sensitivity of the target system/reticule with a QB is all you need before you can turn off the aids. I don't want to play with a reticule all the time, I want to get good enough to not need it. I like a clean screen.

Yeah, this is what I'm sort of hoping for. Really, it's sort of already in the game with total control passing, however, as we all know, total control passing still doesn't feel like it truly throws to a spot. Honestly, if they just tweaked total control passing and made it less forgiving (more overthrows/underthrows), this would be in the game right now. And, in essence, untethered the ball, lol. So, yeah, I'm hoping for no reticule as I like a clean screen as well. Hopefully, after some time with it, we can just 'feel' it. And, if that works well, actually, this really could be a game changer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 236 Hooe @ 05/23/17 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sva91


	It would be cool if you target receivers using the right stick, and use the right trigger to pass (not sure if this has been discussed yet). Better qbs can move from receiver to receiver much quicker/fluidly, or have a much larger margin for error than lesser qbs. I can see that working out.

Not a bad idea, but if you remap right trigger to "throw the ball", how do you break the pocket / scramble?

Sprint is mapped to R2 / RT in every other gameplay context, I'd personally be hesitant to change it for just one gameplay state if it were my decision to make.

# 237 ODogg @ 05/23/17 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CM Hooe


	Not a bad idea, but if you remap right trigger to "throw the ball", how do you break the pocket / scramble? Sprint is mapped to R2 / RT in every other gameplay context, I'd personally be hesitant to change it for just one gameplay state if it were my decision to make.

Uh no, they aren't going to be changing R2, LOL

# 238 SolidSquid @ 05/23/17 03:19 PM

I highly doubt they add any more input to the actual passing mechanic. It's why people still freak out over the vision cone they couldn't handle aiming and throwing. I think it will simply be each qb will have a "throw radius". So imagine throwing to X there is basically a "target" around player X. The higher rated the qb the smaller the circle or target the lower rated qb the bigger the target. No the football can land in any spot in said target, thus giving higher qb more accurate target and lower rated ones higher chances of overthrows underthrows or offline ones

# 239 4thQtrStre5S @ 05/23/17 03:22 PM

If target passing does use a system where you place your pass using the right analog stick and then the right trigger to throw, then all your other button previously used to throw to a specific receiver could be open.

Of course, there would need to be an option to use or not use the new target system if this was the case.

To integrate both passing systems to be used simultaneously, I would have to think on more. But I am sure EA/Tiburon got something working...Probably not as elaborate as have been suggested here..

# 240 Godgers12 @ 05/23/17 03:35 PM

Target passing probably works in conjunction with icon passing, it's most likely just a more responsive version of lead passing.

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