Madden NFL 10 Blog: Player Ratings - A New Philosophy, A New Era

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by kcarr

This is something that I think is a big part of the problem. No offense to Phillip. He is a good QB but people coming on here and complaining about their teams QB getting what should be a pro bowl rating like that is an insult to the player. EA in the past seemed to play to these comments by raising the ratings for every player until they were all really highly rated. Derek Anderson was a great example of this. He had a good season last year but really dropped off at the end and showed some weaknesses to the point where it seemed obvious, to me anyway, that he would drop off this season. Most of the people on NFL network seemed to agree with me as I watched their preseason shows. Tom Brady is another great example. He had one season throwing to Moss and all of a sudden his arm strength is up from low 90s which is to high for him up to being among the top in the league. This had nothing to do with his arm all of a sudden getting stronger. He still has a moderate to even weak arm in terms of strength. He makes up for it with great accuracy and decision making but that doesn't mean his arm is incredibly strong. They also seem to be against the idea of lowering ratings. LT for example has been dropping off for the past couple seasons and has maintained the 99 overall rating. Before this thing about adjusting ratings I would have expected him to be a 99 again this year.

I disagree that Tom Brady's arm is weak. I would've agreed in say 2001 when his arm strength was questionable as a second-year player and he was thin as a twig, but he's worked really hard with specific weight training that targeted his upper body (I saw him in a ESPN special about this) over the years and he can certainly gun it now. He made some really powerful throws last season. I can remember commentators making a few comments last year about how his passes had a lot more velocity on them than they'd seen from him in the past. I'm not sure his throw power rating should be 99, I think 99 is going overboard, but I wouldn't put it below 90.

[TheWatcher]

The rating idea sounds great. I just hope that somehow speed doesn't find a way to kill everything else. If a WR that sucks can't get open much or drops passes more, that's a good thing. But when he does catch it and he's able to take it to the house a lot because he's faster than everyone else, that might be whole new problem.

So on top of that, I hope sliders that work make an impact this season as an extra insurance that nothing wacky like that happens.

[DocHolliday]

I really think madden would benefit from intriducing something like a high bred between APF and their current rating system.

Leave the stuff you have in now, but also give Star RB's like Forte a "quick Jukes" animation package that only a few have. GiveMike Turner a "Battering Ram" animation package. Give Fitzgerald a "spectacular catch" package along with a "big jump catch" package.

Give Warner his regular rating plus a "Pocket Presence" boost while in the pocket along with a "Quick Release" throwing animation package.

You can go on and on, but the way it was done in APF is just awesome, and mixing it with your current rating (spd, agility, strength, etc) would make it the absolute best of both worlds.

Hell I might even buy the game if you do this

Intil something like this is done (and no "weapons" did not do this) there will never be a major diffence, like on Sundays, between Fitz or Patrick Crayton. Not like there is between Jerry Rice and Ricky Sanders in APF.

[The Sim God]

Quote: Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Intil something like this is done (and no "weapons" did not do this) there will never be a major diffence, like on Sundays, between Fitz or Patrick Crayton. Not like there is between Jerry Rice and Ricky Sanders in APF.

you got a point there

fitz compared to crayton doesnt feel like that much of a difdference(height, weight, moves, jump etc) they feel the same

in apf rice compared to ricky sanders is a world of difference. you can "feel" the difference. you can sense sanders small frame and can sense rice height/weight & catching.

i dont wanna turn this into a flame thread but we gotta state the obivious is we are moving towards a more SIM game

[greenegt]

Great news. Now teams in game should play even more like their real life counterparts.

[kcarr]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

I disagree that Tom Brady's arm is weak. I would've agreed in say 2001 when his arm strength was questionable as a second-year player and he was thin as a twig, but he's worked really hard with specific weight training that targeted his upper body (I saw him in a ESPN special about this) over the years and he can certainly gun it now. He made some really powerful throws last season. I can remember commentators making a few comments last year about how his passes had a lot more velocity on them than they'd seen from him in the past. I'm not sure his throw power rating should be 99, I think 99 is going overboard, but I wouldn't put it below 90.

Yes, he is much stronger than he was back at the start of the decade. However, in the current rating system I wouldn't put him above 94-95 and after this change I would say he should really be closer to 90.

If you expand qbs to a solid amount of the range, say from 30-99, on pass strength where a weaker QB like pennington or brees is colt brennan or whoever is down around 40 or 50 then you have to get away from the idea that anything below 80 or 85 is like unable to play the position and to be good you have to go up to 94 or 95. here ratings around 50 should be able to make most throws. By the time you hit 80 you should be getting good zip on your throws and really be making some powerful throws. By 90 you should have a really good gun. To get to 99 should put you in the ranks of strongers armed quarterback of all time. Therefore any rating solidly above 90 should be a player with a really special arm strength. While I could still see tom having high 90s for accuracy and awareness, I don't see his power being in the truly elite category. More along the lines of a very good rating but below to top.

[gabs485]

Will ratings really matter this time? Last year's game had a lot of ratings that obviously helped the player's overall rating but in my opinion didn't affect the way the game is played. Route Running for receivers, Man vs Zone coverage for defensive backs, are a few examples of ratings that the game doesn't translate into the field.


Take Route Running for instance. There is no way to show the difference between someone who has a 90 route running rating and someone who has a 70 or any other number for that matter. Steve Smith runs routes exactly like Anthony Gonzalez, He might run faster but he runs over the same rail. And It is the same with every player.

If you are implementing ratings such as Route Running in the rating system, It is your duty to translate these visible to the game on the field. Players running on rails should be a thing of last generation, you got the tech to add more variables to it.

Ian, do you think that it would be possible to introduce a route running system that would make route running more intricate? For example, Let's say the receiver is suppose to run a post and break in 15 yards down the field. The higher his rating is the more accurate he will run his route, if he doesn't have good route running skills maybe he breaks 11 yards down the field instead of the 15 yards he was suppose to run therefor increasing the changes of an incomplete pass.

You can go even further, maybe even if you have not so great route running skills but your QB has a great awareness rating along with good accuracy, you've could still be able to have a chance at completing the pass thanks to the QB's skills. Same way around, maybe your QB is not very accurate but your receiver has great route running skills along with great hands, maybe he can adjust to the ball and make a play.

I don't know if It's too late for this but a system similar to what I've had explained would be very good for the passing game. Not to mention that in conjunction with this widening of rating, it would really help distinguish good player from elites.

[BezO]

I can't get excited over this until I see it. Speed was too much of a factor up until now, IMO. This sounds to me like it could make things worse, unless...

If you all are implementing realistic momentum, prep steps, plants, ect., this could work. The few speed deamons left have to be controlled by the laws of physics.

My major concern is this: Thinking of good, but slower players and average but speedy players... Asante Samuel, Antrel Rolle types vs Deven Hester, Troy Williamson types for example. How are these match ups being handled? Will we SEE Hester & Williamson running less than spectacular routes... gathering themselves, slower in & out of breaks, telegraphing routes, ect? Will we see Samuel & Rolle quicker out of breaks with less prep steps, being physical, ect?

Will we see realistic footwork? Will we see effective route running, quickness & acceleration ratings? Will the Samuels & Rolles of the world be able to cover the Hesters & Williamsons of the world for the same reasons they do in real life? Will the Anquan Boldins of the league be able to get open against the Tyvon Branch types? Will we see contextual animations?