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

[Jrocc23]

Sounds very good. But I'll definitely have to see it in action. If it turns out like it's supposed to be, I will definitely start up a CCM for a CB. Would be fun trying to shutdown some of the best WRs.

[Skyboxer]

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 for the info man!
If we are at the point now where we generally have to worry about playmakers (and it's not way overdone) I'll be a happy gamer.

[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.

[sebennayx]

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

[denverbro89]

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.

[gjneff]

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.

[Trick13]

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...

[Hooe]

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.