Madden 09 Thread

[cdj]

The official site is up (http://www.easports.com/madden09/), so might as well get a thread for it.


Some info:

"Whether you prefer to make your moves on the field, from the sidelines or in the front office, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition has something for every football fan. Madden NFL 09 will feature the most immersive gameplay, the richest online offerings and the most comprehensive feature depth in the history of the franchise, while NFL Head Coach 09 has been reinvented to provide a unique new NFL experience by allowing fans to be in total control of their favorite franchises. The two games offer unique experiences and then can even interact with one another with gamers being able to import their user-designed plays from NFL Head Coach 09 and put them into Madden NFL 09 to create customized playbooks for complete control on the field."

Madden NFL 09 will be available for the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and is rated RP by the ESRB. NFL Head Coach 09 is scheduled to ship only as a part of the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition, which, at a suggested retail price of $89.99 for the complete package of Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 plus additional exclusive bonus content, will ship on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION®3.

EDIT - Game comes out August 12.

[Mugg]

u Madden NFL 09 will feature the most immersive gameplay, the richest online offerings and the most comprehensive feature depth in the history of the franchise

When they say this every single fucking year, it kind of loses it's impact.

On the plus side, it convinces me that I too, can earn a ridiculous salary for a giant company for doing absolutely nothing (such as the advertising people who come up with that shit anyway).

I would like to get back into the Madden franchise since NCAA has disappointed since the move to NG, but I guess I'll have to wait and see how badly NCAA disappoints this year before making that jump.

[JBHuskers]

Packaging Head Coach with me being on the fence for the 20th anniversary anyways has me sold on getting the complete deal. First time on Madden since 2003, can't wait.

[I OU a Beatn]

The two games offer unique experiences and then can even interact with one another with gamers being able to import their user-designed plays from NFL Head Coach 09 and put them into Madden NFL 09 to create customized playbooks for complete control on the field."[/I]


This sounds really cool if they can get it to work correctly and without a lot of bugs.

[cdj]

No Madden on PC this year:

2. We knew that our decision to not develop this year’s Madden for the PC would be an unpopular decision in some circles. But I’ll reiterate what I said a couple of weeks ago in this space…the PC presents some very serious business challenges to us in the sports category, particularly because so many of you all are playing your favorite sports games on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. We are committed to shipping a limited number of our games on the PC this year, but we’ve also had to cut a few of our games from the platform. We do have ideas for how to revitalize the PC for sports games and the types of games that are best suited to the platform, and we’ll continue to explore those. Source (http://itsinthegame.ea.com/archive/2008/04/01/madden-20th-anniversary-and-more.aspx)

[GTster]

The possibilities with the playbooks from HC is what's going to force me to pick up this combo. I haven't purchased a Madden new since 02, but ncaa has just about turned me away.

[JBHuskers]

Yeah I'm very curious in what direction Head Coach goes....hopefully it doesn't get dry and boring after the draft, like it did when I experienced the original.

[Noremorse210]

No one is worried that create-a-play will be completely game breaking/cheese?

[cdj]

No one is worried that create-a-play will be completely game breaking/cheese?

I'll be honest - that's the sole reason I've been against a play creator in either NCAA or Madden. While it'd be a great feature for straight players, I fear it would make online play even less enjoyable versus random foes. However, if people can't take their created plays online that will help a lot. (There will be complaining if that's the case, but it may be for the best.)

[Soonerfan09]

I'll be honest - that's the sole reason I've been against a play creator in either NCAA or Madden. While it'd be a great feature for straight players, I fear it would make online play even less enjoyable versus random foes. However, if people can't take their created plays online that will help a lot. (There will be complaining if that's the case, but it may be for the best.)
There's going to be cheese anyway, so I would rather at least be able to have fun in my dynasty.

And I would rather you be able to bring them online. No matter what, unless you play Utopians exclusively you'll find cheese, so it could still be fun for us.

[cdj]

That's a good point, Soonerfan09. It's in the game now, so it's just a matter of hoping the cheese possibilities are limited.

[cdj]

The Madden 09 official site (http://www.easports.com/madden09/) has a countdown leading up to April 25.

Each day they post one of the covers of a previous edition of Madden along with wallpapers of it. According to the countdown, the Madden 09 cover athlete should be announced on April 25, the day before the NFL Draft. (The NCAA 09 PS3 cover athlete is expected to be announced on April 24th.)

[cdj]

Guys -

There is a 'one-day only' Madden survey up in the news section. If you could visit that thread (http://www.ncaastrategies.com/utopia/showthread.php?t=56785) and answer the five brief questions, it would be greatly appreciated.

[cdj]

Here's a bunch of Madden-related tidbits from Peter Moore's blog:

***

AJ says, “My league has been running now since Madden 06. We love being able to draft our teams from scratch and taking them online and playing a full 16 game schedule and playoffs included. Problem is this year there are no stats after the games? Why not Mr. Moore? I ask you to allow us to have the stats of our games, custom teams or not.”

Here’s what Dale Jackson, our Executive Producer for Madden NFL told me:

“Year after year, the discussion of league play and stat tracking has been a recurring theme in feedback on Madden. Madden NFL 09 will address this feedback directly. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that those who enjoy online stats won’t be disappointed. Based on the amount we see this requested in forums, we’re very excited about our features we have planned here.”

Ron says, “ Mr. Moore, I recall in an interview with Game Informer you mentioned something along the lines of making Madden more playable for casual gamers. Is there way to customize the engine to satisfy the casual as well as the hardcore gamer who wants more simulation and realism? For instance why not just create a separate arcade mode for the casual user who knows very little about football. This can possibly perhaps increase your sales which from what I understand decreased last year.”

Great question, Ron. I’ll take this one first. I’m passionate about making our games more approachable without “dumbing down” the experience. Sometimes that means new modes (as you point out), sometimes that means creating different control schemes (as we did last year with Family Play on our Wii games), but it’s also very important that this also mean creating approachability in our core game experiences as well. Tuning our games to be fun and approachable regardless of what your skill level is at first and making them adapt to meet your skill level.

Here’s Dale’s take on this:

“Designing features that make the game more approachable while also adding a layer of depth for the hardcore can be tricky. Madden NFL 09 has new features that adapt the experience to be fun no matter what your level of skill. On top of that, it’s highly customizable for those that enjoy tweaking the game themselves.”

Smokecapone says, “What are you guys going to do about cheating in online gaming? I play Madden religiously (PS3) even though the game is not what it is on the PS2. I get tired like many others that play the game the way it’s played in reality to go home from work or whatever and relax and chill by playing a quick game online only to be cheated because the idiot can’t pick up on basic controls of Madden."

More from Dale:

“I spend a lot of time playing online as well and have fallen victim to the same cheats or glitches that many have complained about. Believe me, nothing makes the team more angry than to see folks using these to ruin the experience of honest Madden players. We're constantly reading the boards and reviewing game logs to hunt down any major issues. Through a few patches for Madden 08, we greatly reduced the number of major cheats in the game. We’ll be even more diligent for Madden NFL 09 and will patch any serious glitch or cheat that’s discovered. All issues reported by the community from the 08 product have already been addressed in 09.”

[cdj]

The first Madden 09 blog entry is up. (Link (http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?threadID=358270))

A New Season is Approaching!

Hello again Madden fans! It’s been over six months since we last did an official blog, but as the NFL Draft approaches the time is right to get a new year kicked off. I’ve read some comments on message boards about us being very silent about the game- and what that could possibly mean. Well allow me to break the silence and assure everyone that the development team here at Tiburon has been hard at work making what I think is shaping up to be the best Madden EVER. I feel like we are past the transitional challenges and ups-and-downs that we experienced in the early years of Next Gen, and that we have built the same type of efficiency and innovation that we had during the PS2/Xbox years. The big difference is now we are dealing with much more powerful hardware, so we can really take football gaming to a whole new level. Needless to say- I’m excited! In the wake of our long silence, I‘d like to take a second to address some of the sentiments I have been reading on message boards and give you guys a brief update:


Are you watering down Madden?!

Most of you have probably read Peter Moore’s blogs where he referenced our desire to make football gaming more approachable and easier for people of all ages and experience levels to play. We at Tiburon couldn’t agree with him more and I think that we have done a great job this year on accomplishing this goal in Madden. HOWEVER- I want to make one thing very clear! Making the game easier to approach does NOT have to compromise the great advanced gameplay experience that we have spent years building. From reading message boards it seems like our core Madden gamers (you guys) have been quick to assume that making the game more accessible means they will lose the depth they love. This is simply not the case! With proper design we can cater to both brand new and the hardest of hardcore users. Think about it… the level of depth and advanced features are the very things that have made Madden what it is today- why would we ever stray away from that? In fact this year we are adding even more depth and hardcore features than ever before AND we are also making a game that your little brother or dad can pick up and enjoy.


When will Next-Gen be “caught up” to Current Gen?!

Admittedly I have been a Current Gen guy at heart the last few years- in fact last year (Madden 08) was the first time I played a Next-Gen version of the game. I’ m also quick to tell people that Madden 2004 and Madden 2005 are my favorite versions to date. I get a lot of people, especially some of my CG playing friends, asking when will Next Gen “catch-up.” First off, I think that the term “ catch-up” is a pretty unfair term considering that some facets of NG Madden are well past CG Madden- like graphics for example. But not only do I understand the question, I constantly ask it too; when will my favorite CG features make it into NG? I’m going to go out on a limb right now and say that Madden 09 has not only “caught up” but it has surpassed CG from a sheer feature standpoint.

Another thing to note is that one of our goals is to not only bring features over from CG, but to make them better in the transition. You are going to see that with a couple of the new features that we are bringing over this year.


What about these staffing changes!?

Of course another one of the hot message board topics was the departure of David Ortiz a couple months ago. David is a really cool guy, he loved Madden and we’ll surely miss him. Stepping into his place is Phil Frazier a guy who was a key member of the Madden team back in the glory years of PS2/Xbox. Phil worked on an entire generation of Madden, in fact the most successful generation, and he is extremely in tune with what the product needs to be and what people are looking for. Luckily he also has a special place in his heart for hardcore fans- his first words to me the day he started on this project: “D-Cas! What have we done for the hardcore this year and are they going to love it!?”


Are you guys fixing the glitches from last year!?

This might be my favorite part of the job! Every year you guys find some of the most innovative ways to take advantage of our AI. Working on CG I thought of myself as a deputy of shenanigans, helping to fix everything from nano-blitzes to online disconnection cheats. And rest assured that this year will be no different! Let’s take a look at a few of the tricks we have already fixed this year:

-3 Man Front Nano- and other nano’ s of course
-Double Pass and HB Pass Plays
-Onside Kick Exploits
-Jump Catching and Spectacular Catch Exploits
-Online Disconnection Glitches- including the automotion offsides bug


Ok-so give us the goods on next year’s game! What can we expect!?

We’ve been quiet for a reason- we think this is going to be a VERY special year for the Madden franchise, not just because it is the 20th Anniversary but also because the game is looking awesome! We’ve really taken community opinions into consideration and you’ll be happy to know that you have had a direct influence on the contents of this game. We are not at a point where we are ready to release a bunch of information about the game, but we are getting ready to spill the beans very soon. Rest assured that once we make the initial announcement this year, there will be more blog content than ever to give you guys the full scoop.


Start getting excited… talk to you soon…

- Daniel Castorani (D-Cas)

[cdj]

Link (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/)

We're here to make it easier for you over the next several weeks because we're beginning a new weekly segment called "Madden Mondays." Exclusively here at the GameStop blog, we'll reveal a different feature for Madden NFL 09 every Monday that nobody else knows about. These are not necessarily THE new features of Madden NFL 09, but they are nonetheless interesting features that the good folks at EA Sports will reveal to us before they give them to anyone else. While they are keeping many of the core features under wraps until later, you can rest assured that they are working to make Madden NFL 09 the most realistic experience ever, and they would never just add purple horseshoes to their cereal and call it a day.

Because we're celebrating our new weekly feature, we thought it would be fitting to tell you about the new User-Controlled Celebrations. Gone are the days of just hoping your player will celebrate after a touchdown. Now you will be in control after a touchdown, and a simple push of the "celebrate" button will allow your player to spring into action. If that player happens to be known for his elaborate celebrations, then he'll perform some of those that you've seen him do in real life. For example, a player like Terrell Owens has more than 10 of his familiar celebrations available.

http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/images/283x196_041408.jpg
Just move your player to one of the "Hot Spots"
in the end zone to celebrate your TD triumph.

Not only will unique players have unique celebrations, but different "Hot Spots" in the end zone will feature different celebrations, as well, like dunking over the goal post or hot-shotting in the corner of the end zone. Specific stadiums will even feature their own local celebrations. Can you say, "Lambeau Leap?" We've also been told that an extra "hidden" control will let you steal an opponent's celebration so you can really rub it in. However, you'll have to discover that one on your own.

Speaking of celebrations, can you believe it's been 20 years since the first edition of Madden football? Check out the 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition of Madden NFL 09 for Xbox 360 and PS3, which features a full version of NFL Head Coach 09 and exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay. After you've read about the Collector's Edition and watched the video trailer, remember to check back every "Madden Monday" for another GameStop-exclusive scoop on another Madden NFL 09 feature.

[cdj]

Madden 09 Producer Phil Frazer has been answering questions on the EA Forums (http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?threadID=359444&start=0&tstart=0). If you have any questions about the game, quite a few are being addressed/answered.

Here are some interesting tidbits thus far on Madden 09:

- Jetpacking has been addressed.
- Re: Pocket - This falls under the realm of gameplay tuning and is something we're trying to accomplish.
- Re: Collision Animations - Can't discuss specific animation enhancements yet. We've made good progress with our animation system in general though.
- Re: Refs - We have seen the many posts that clearly indicate the fact that refs on the field is important. That being said, we have not added refs to the field during gameplay in Madden 09. I do understand why many consider this an important detail so I'll make sure it's discussed as we start to talk about Madden 2010, which is very soon. I do feel like we've made significant improvements (details coming soon) to the overall level of presentation in the game this year. I hope you are all as happy as we are with the changes that we made.
- Re: Online Leagues - Unfortunately, you'll have to keep guessing for now. Information (on) specific online features will be released very soon.
- Re: Upgrade Servers? - We're very aware of the fact that the game sometimes lags when playing online. I actually had a conversation with one of our designers about this problem the other day. We're going to do some intensive testing with people across the country to make sure this gets improved. We agree that the lag *****.
- Re: Team Uniforms - We just did a comparison of the Madden uniforms vs. the uniforms that teams wore last year. As many have noted, we had several mistakes. We're on top of this now and are working to make sure the teams in the game wear the uni's that they most often wore during last season.
- Re: Replays - My PR friends may get mad at me for doing this but I'll answer this question directly. We aren't going to officially announce it for some time but because you guys are the hardest of harcore, I'll give you the advanced notice. Madden will be supporting saved replays this year. We loved this feature in NCAA and couldn't wait to get it into the game. It's working now and is fantastic.
-Re: John Madden - I can't yet comment on how John will be used in the game. He is back but I doubt you would expect the way he's used. :)
- Things are incredibly hectic at work as we prepare to demo the game for our CEO next week. The team is getting very excited as the game is really starting to take shape. You should look forward to a wave of Madden details next week. :)
- O-Line - Sounds like you were a fan of slide protection. We were too and have added this to Madden 09. Just don't tell anyone yet. :)
- There's some friendly competition between the Madden and NCAA teams. We're hoping that the extra month of development as compared to NCAA will result in even better looking lighting. Look forward to some snow screenshots in the future as proof.
- Annoying Cameras - We have all new cameras tis year. The camera you call out specifically should be gone. Hopefully you don't find the new cameras annoying. :)

[cdj]

New blog entry on gamestop.com (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/#maddenweather):

Although some games are played in domes, football remains one of the sports in which weather can be a factor. Some of the most memorable football moments come when teams battle the elements and each other. Who can forget last year's blizzard-like Seahawks vs. Packers playoff game, or the 1967 "Ice Bowl?"

For our continuing Madden Mondays series, EA SPORTS has given us another exclusive sneak peek at one of the features of Madden NFL 09, shipping out August 12, as well as the 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition of Madden NFL 09 for Xbox 360 and PS3. In their efforts to enhance the drama and emotion of a real football game, they've taken on the weather.

To give Mother Nature the respect she deserves, they've overhauled everything from Madden NFL 08 to give you a movie-like experience. One of these overhauls is fog, and lots of it. It gives a greater sense of depth and scale and makes the stadiums seem huge. We've heard that no two snowflakes are alike, and although we haven't seen every flake in Madden NFL 09, we can tell you the snow is more realistic than ever. You'll see deeper snow on the fields, with dramatic accumulation and realistic wear from play. Player's footsteps will leave imprints, snow will be piled on the sidelines and the yardage lines will be shoveled, just like in a real game. We probably won't see a snowplow clearing off a space for a field goal since the NFL banned their use after the infamous 1982 "Snowplow Game." But you never know.


http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/images/283x196_0421b08.jpg

Improved color correction and stadium light bloom mean that you'll see the steam of a player's breath on a frosty night, as well as splashes of water when his feet hit the rain-covered turf. And the 3-dimensional interaction that snow and rain particles have with the wind may tempt you to bundle up when you play. You'll see it all at a movie-quality 60 FPS rate on the Xbox 360 and PS3. All of these subtle differences add up to give you an immersive NFL experience.

Remember, these exclusive peeks aren't necessarily the main new features. They're just the tip of the iceberg, no pun intended. EA SPORTS is keeping the rest of the iceberg top secret for now. But we will continue to chip away at the iceberg with another exclusive every Monday for the next six weeks.

[coogrfan]

Impressive. If nothing else it appears that M09's visuals are going to be a huge improvement on what was already a pretty good looking game.

[cdj]

RAC has asked us to remind the community that during the Draft, the Madden 09 site will continue the annual tradition of posting screenshots of rookies in their new uniforms.

http://maddenfb.com/photos/news/images/7623/original.aspx

[JeffHCross]

RAC has asked us to remind the community that during the Draft, the Madden 09 site will continue the annual tradition of posting screenshots of rookies in their new uniforms.Tell RAC they should probably avoid showing a rookie committing a penalty like the Holding the Browns pick was doing last year ;)

Now for the real purpose:
Would anybody on here be interested in the Madden CE, minus Head Coach, for the regular price of Madden? I'll buy CE just to get Head Coach, but I'm honestly not interested in the rest of the package.

[cdj]

From the thread where Prodcuer Phil Frazier is answering questions:

Weather will not be available online. It’s clear that many of you are interested in this functionality so it’s already on my growing list of features from the community. Honestly, I’d prefer if we solved the online lag issues before we worry about weather. We will be featuring the live weather feed in Madden 09.

I'm guessing this means the same for NCAA. :( They better have the lag fixed if there's no variable weather online.

[I OU a Beatn]

From the thread where Prodcuer Phil Frazier is answering questions:

Weather will not be available online. It’s clear that many of you are interested in this functionality so it’s already on my growing list of features from the community. Honestly, I’d prefer if we solved the online lag issues before we worry about weather. We will be featuring the live weather feed in Madden 09.

I'm guessing this means the same for NCAA. :( They better have the lag fixed if there's no variable weather online.


It's just good to see that they're aware of the online lag and are working to fix it. However, if they haven't fixed it by now, then who knows if they ever will.

[JBHuskers]

Madden cover announcement is tomorrow....get ready to cross that guy off your fantasy football draft board. [laugh] [laugh]

[Soonerfan09]

Madden cover announcement is tomorrow....get ready to cross that guy off your fantasy football draft board. [laugh] [laugh]
Adrian Peterson.
Reverse curse.

[JBHuskers]

Adrian Peterson.
Reverse curse.

He's one of my top 5 guesses....

1. Tony Romo
2. Big Ben
3. Adrian Peterson
4. Eli Manning
5. (a stretch) Randy Moss

[cdj]

Favre. (http://www.pastapadre.com/2525/brett-favre-is-the-madden-09-cover-athlete)

[JBHuskers]

A nice choice IMO....and this is coming from a Bears fan...but I definitely loved Favre.

[Ghettoshark]

Favre. (http://www.pastapadre.com/2525/brett-favre-is-the-madden-09-cover-athlete)

Hell yeah! Now, to find a copy in stock here in Wisconsin...

[pavel_quad]

oh man, no way he comes back now...

[JBHuskers]

oh man, no way he comes back now...

I don't think he would anyways since he's probably holding a rifle in the woods 24/7 right now enjoying life.

[dukelionsm]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/game_room/2008/04/madden-cover-revealed.html

has kinda asweet vido at the bottom

[JBHuskers]

What you all have been (maybe) waiting for....EBGames FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING on Madden 09, ends at 11 central time Monday I believe.

I just pre-ordered the CE for $89.99 and it will be in my mailbox on Tuesday morning August 12th...


EBGames' Daily Deal for Free Overnight Shipping of Madden 09 (http://www.ebgames.com/gs/stopwatch/dailydeal.aspx)

Edit: nevermind the guarantee is refunding shipping and it's free...read it wrong haha [laugh]

[chiefnole85]

Favre on the cover is a shitty idea IMO

[coogrfan]

An excellent interview w/Phil Frazier regarding this year's game.

http://www.gametap.com/articles/gamefeatures/madden_nfl_09_interview-04252008

[JeffHCross]

An excellent interview w/Phil Frazier regarding this year's game.

http://www.gametap.com/articles/gamefeatures/madden_nfl_09_interview-04252008Looks like EA's starting to get creative with the AI:
Phil Frazier: There are three really big things this year that I'm really excited about. The first is actually a collection of features that we call Real Football Intelligence. That's the theme for this year's product. Part one of that is a feature that looks really cool and that's a holographic training environment. In this mode, you choose to go to the holographic training center and you have a bunch of training drills for you to practice. You can do things like work on pocket presence, you can work on receiver timing, focus on defense. I believe we have a total of 12 different drills that you can try. The mode looks really nice -- the players are holographs, you're in a holographic stadium -- it's pretty cool looking. And coming out of that mode, we actually assess your Madden skills, giving you a Madden IQ. Obviously, you want to do as good as possible in those drills, and from your Madden IQ, we actually set your game skills, so if you have a high score, we're going to make the game really challenging for you. So the folks that are really hardcore with the game are going to get a really challenging experience right out of the gate. Those who aren't so good, we'll adjust the game accordingly so the game is still fun for them, just not quite as hard. This is what we call Adaptive AI, setting the game up to be played on your level. It's one of the first sports experiences where the game actually adapts to you without having to adjust the game yourself.If they can pull it off, that's a genius way of doing sliders.

[Cjones]

Looks like EA's starting to get creative with the AI:
If they can pull it off, that's a genius way of doing sliders.

Indeed. Hopefully the sliders will still be adjustable, but it's a good idea.

[MtneerManiac]

lol the Madden dev team is so much better than the NCAA dev team.

[coogrfan]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/gocoogs/JLong_Full.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/gocoogs/CLong_full.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/gocoogs/MRyan_Full.jpg

Outstanding. These are by far the best player models I've ever seen in a football title.

[dc86]

The Madden curse gets transferred to Aaron Rodgers and comes in the form of Brian Brohm.

[JBHuskers]

The Madden curse gets transferred to Aaron Rodgers and comes in the form of Brian Brohm.

Basically LOL

[brza37]

Anybody know if and where I could get a roster update for PS3 Madden with all the newly drafted players? Or at least the first few rounds?
Its probably a real pain to make but would be cool to have even though I'm not too psyched about the Iggles newest additions. Not a bad draft but not exactly any immediate impact players in the group. At least they'll have a chance at returning a kick with DeSean Jackson back there instead of Reno Mahe.

[cdj]

Newest Gamestop Madden Blog: (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/#maddenPIP)

Realistic action, graphics and presentation are a big draw for Madden NFL games, but having to hit the "pause" button several times a play can slow down the action, which detracts a bit from the realism. In their efforts to keep the action moving at an NFL pace, EA SPORTS has given us an exclusive peek at another new feature for Madden NFL 09: the Options OnDemand Picture-in-Picture Play-call Window.


http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/images/283x196_042808a.jpg
Check player stats from the play-call screen.


To keep the game moving, the Options OnDemand PIP Play-call Window will streamline the flow of important information, like player and team stats, instant replay and even Madden Tips, which suggests a feature you haven't used yet with a video tip explaining it. Think of it as the animated paper-clip thing from Microsoft Office, except it's MADDEN! You'll also be able to make substitutions right from the play-call screen or challenge a call with Coach Picture-in Picture.


http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/images/283x196_042808b.jpg
Madden is poised and ready to dish out one of his video tips.


Our EA SPORTS contacts tell us this is just one of dozens of features that will improve the overall presentation of the game. It's part of their "Beyond Broadcast Presentation" goal, which means they are striving to make Madden NFL 09 redefine the broadcast standard in such a way that the football networks will try to emulate Madden NFL 09's presentation on their own broadcasts.

[Soonerfan09]

Hopefully they will fix all the problems with Franchise. Looking pretty good so far.

[JBHuskers]

IGN Preview of Madden 09 (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/869/869674p1.html) -- Posted on Friday the 25th.

April 25, 2008 - Every single year Madden Football is one of the most celebrated and scrutinized releases on the calendar. It's beloved and hated for the same reason: it's the only professional football title available on today's market. There are those that say that it's simply a roster update from year to year, and then there are those that say, "It's a football game, what more do you want?" Regardless, with the announcement of the "retired" Brett Favre as the cover athlete for this year's (the 20th anniversary for the series) game, the hype train for Madden NFL 09 began to chug this weekend in New York City with a slew of pre-draft festivities, interviews, and celebrity sightings. We were on-hand to soak it all in and pry as many details out of liquored up EA developers as we possibly could.

First things first; there are online leagues. That means that you and up to 32 of your closest compadres can play through a full NFL schedule including playoffs, championship games, and Super Bowl. There's also flex scheduling which will allow for you to play games out of order to accommodate a heated rivalry in Week 8 that needs to be played at the beginning of the season for convenience sake. There will be trades, a draft, signings, and pretty much everything else that you remember from the season mode of Madden, but now it's all online.

Another key point that EA Sports is trying to hit home with Madden 09 is the idea of increased accessibility. It's actually something that we should have seen coming as Peter Moore recently spoke about how Madden needs to widen its already massive audience by allowing for the game of football to be dumbed down, for lack of a better phrase, so those not familiar with the sport can get into the action. The first of two features that aim to achieve that goal is known as the Virtual Trainer. This goes beyond simple drills and training camp games by actually testing your knowledge of Madden and how the game of football is supposed to be played. Based on your performance in the Virtual Trainer, the game will adjust the difficulty to meet your skill level. Whatever that may be. You'll also be assigned a Madden IQ so you can actually compare your proficiency in the sport of football against your buddy's.

The second piece to the accessibility puzzle is what's being called EA Sports BackTrack. Essentially through Madden's replay system the game will be able to point out holes that you should have hit on that last running play or an open receiver or soft spot in the zone on a passing play.

Presentation is another aspect of Madden 09 that is said to be revamped from years past. First of all, Larry O'Brien, the bloke who voiced the radio personality that we've had to suffer through over the past few seasons, is gone. Replacing him is Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond from NFL Network and should provide the commentary that we've come to hope for from a Madden game. Aside from that there will also be camera shots from outside of the stadium, real weather effects with snow that actually accumulates on the field (and sideline) and is impacted by players running through it, and there's also said to be redesigned grass. Not exactly sure how "new" grass can look, but we'll have to wait and see. There's also a new look to the player models which is actually supposed to be more in line with the teaser from Madden 06 that caused such a stir in the industry. Again, we'll have to wait to see for ourselves before we believe it.

EA is also making a slight control change to this year's football duo (NCAA Football 09 included). In Madden 09 it's being called Total Control Animations and one of its features is bestowing a newfound sense of control when using the left analog stick. Now you'll no longer need to wiggle the right stick in conjunction with the left to pull off a juke. Now a simple left stick maneuver will be mimicked on-screen and should allow the runner to be more evasive than in previous years. We got to test the system for ourselves with NCAA Football 09, but for those impressions you'll just have to check back next week.

There are other little additions that were revealed to us as well like realistic field goal nets, the ability to return a short field goal a la Devin Hester, a new lighting system, and smart routes for receivers. We were told that Madden 09 houses a whopping 85 new features, though we're still waiting on the full list from EA Sports. Rest assured, as soon as we get the skinny, so too shall you.

[rhombic21]

Madden is shaping up to be a pretty awesome game so far. I usually don't get that excited for Madden, but this year I'm starting to.

[JBHuskers]

Madden is shaping up to be a pretty awesome game so far. I usually don't get that excited for Madden, but this year I'm starting to.

Yeah it's been 4 or 5 years since I've bought it, and I went all out this year and got the Head Coach edition.

[CFR-116]

Those screen shots look incredible. I'm really looking forward to reading more about this game.

The Madden IQ thing sounds very interesting...yet kinda scary too, on how it will effect the game. It kinda sounds as though it may reduce the need to fart around with sliders, which to me would be great. Although my cautious side hopes it's optional, which I'd imagine it is. But what a great and innovative idea! Man...it would be fantastic to be able to just play at default settings, which would be a first for me anyway.

It at least so far, sounds like EA is going the extra mile with this 20th anniversary game. This game actually has me excited about it's release!:)

[boxboy99]

Damn EA finds a way to get the hooks in me each year! [evil]

[TrueBlue]

Those screen shots look incredible. I'm really looking forward to reading more about this game.

The Madden IQ thing sounds very interesting...yet kinda scary too, on how it will effect the game. It kinda sounds as though it may reduce the need to fart around with sliders, which to me would be great. Although my cautious side hopes it's optional, which I'd imagine it is. But what a great and innovative idea! Man...it would be fantastic to be able to just play at default settings, which would be a first for me anyway.

It at least so far, sounds like EA is going the extra mile with this 20th anniversary game. This game actually has me excited about it's release!:)

Well it would be nice to play on default settings, but everyone has different skills and I think thats the main driving point with sliders. I think its a way for people to find a happy medium between difficulty levels in order to cater to their own skill to make the game challenging/fun for themselves.

[cdj]

IGN: Online League Details and a Glimpse at Gameplay (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/870/870503p1.html)

[coogrfan]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/33493.html

This is a couple minutes of gameplay footage that looks much, much better than the stuff IGN posted.

[TrueBlue]

The gameplay looks basically the same, except it seems more polished and fluid. I like it. The player models are good looking too.

[cdj]

Here's todays GameStop Madden Blog (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/) on returning missed field goals...Note that you can return missed field goals in NCAA 09 as well, so this blog may be of interest:

In chatting with the Madden NFL 09 production team, we find that every year they are challenged with a dichotomy of sorts. They want Madden NFL to raise the bar in innovations and features, yet, in keeping with their reputation for authenticity, the Madden franchise must remain true to the overall game experience. That's why, no matter how many times we ask, we won't see a running back activate his rocket boots to get a first down. In fact, we're told that the list of the more than 85 new features for Madden NFL 09 does not contain rocket boots, gravity guns nor mushrooms that make players grow to twice their size.

http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/images/283x196_050508b.jpg

However, sometimes innovations in gameplay easily lend themselves to NFL authenticity. One of these Madden NFL 09 innovations is the ability to return missed field goals. Over the past couple of years, we've seen in the real-world NFL how a seemingly insignificant field-goal attempt can be turned into a momentum-changing, or even game-deciding, touchdown return. Some of these are among football's most memorable plays, like Nathan Vasher's and Devin Hester's 108-yard returns, or Antonio Cromartie's record-setting 109-yard return last year for the Chargers.

http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/images/283x196_050508a.jpg

This may change the way you think about that end-of-the-half 55-yard field-goal attempt. If you look into the end zone and see Devin Hester flapping his arms and practically salivating for the chance to take your kick to the house, will you go for it or just take a knee and regroup for the third quarter? You just might face that exact scenario when the Standard and 20th Anniversary Collector's Editions of Madden NFL 09 release August 12. We'll bring you another exclusive sneak peek at another Madden NFL 09 feature next Madden Monday.

Larger pics of the shots above can be found at the actual blog site.

[cdj]

Madden Blog on the new playcall screen in Madden 09 (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=playcall_blog).

[cdj]

PnXluahCKDQ

[colb]

Great ad.

[cdj]

Madden 09 + EA Sports Fantasy Football (http://fantasy.easports.com/2008_video_splash.asp)

- Import your fantasy team into Madden NFL 09
- Manage league drafts through your 360 or PS3
- Live scoring on your game console
- Teams & Leagues are free
- Advanced commissioner scoring & set-up

[Sacrafice]

Everything I have read is great, but I would like to hear more about online game play outside of addressing the glitches. In the leagues I am in the games seem to be decided before the opening kick off more times than not which is very frustrating. It never was this way on the PS2. Yeah some games were out of hand early, but not nearly as much as with 08 on the PS3. Example is I played a divisional opponent back to back he won at home 35-7 then I won at home 45-21. I consider our skills pretty even and would have liked to see the match up shown as so and not decided by my team failing to show up on the road and like wise for his team. He was St. Louis and I was Cleveland. Thats the big thing I would like to see improved and hope it will be better. Yeah it should happen, but not as frequently as it has been.

[cdj]

- IGN: Madden First Look (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/872/872430p1.html)


- Also, the Fantasy Football options described above aren't all included free with the game:

Last but not least on the chopping block is the newfound interaction between NFL Head Coach, Madden and the all-new Fantasy Football product that will be on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network in time for the start of the season. The Fantasy Football download will be available for 1200 Microsoft Points (or $15 on PSN) with live stat tracking available for an additional 400 MP ($5). While drafting your fantasy squad isn't possible online just yet, you and your friends can sit in your living room, pick your squads the same as you've done in the past and then upload them to EA's online fantasy website. There are video clips that will play after picking the top 60 or so players with stat summaries from the previous season to let you know what you can expect in the coming year. You can also load that team into Madden and use it as a standard fantasy draft squad.

[Papa LoneStar]

Madden Blog on the new playcall screen in Madden 09 (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=playcall_blog).

Very happy that "bluff mode" is back....4 options instead of 3 is great also....:D

[cdj]

The latest Gamestop Madden Blog (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/) - Pics available at link:

You may have run into this scenario in previous versions of Madden NFL. Your receivers are spread out over the field and an assigned route takes one of them just off of the screen. You think he's open; so you pass that way. Since you can't see him, you're not quite sure if the corner is barreling down on him, if he fell down, or if you're completing a pass to the guy holding the down marker. The producers at EA SPORTS have given us another inside scoop on the biggest Madden NFL camera overhaul yet, the all-new ActionCam camera, which will put an end to that problem.

Madden NFL 09 will feature a camera system that dynamically adjusts to keep all of your players in view, eliminating the need to blindly pass off of the edge of your screen and hope for the best. When you run a pass play, the ActionCam automatically pans out, zooms in, and adjust angles to keep all of your receivers on the screen.

Once you complete that pass, if the ball carrier happens to break away from his defenders, the ActionCam will rock back and forth, zoom in and follow the ball carrier, giving you that intense feeling that you're sprinting alongside him. And if a defender happens to really lay into the ball carrier, the Big Hit Camera will rattle the screen with the force of the crunch. It's like having a tiny producer in your console that constantly assigns the best camera angles.

For those of you who prefer the old camera angles, the Classic Camera System will still be an available option. The new ActionCam is just one of more than 85 improvements to Madden NFL 09, and it's just one more reason you should check out either the Standard or 20th Anniversary Collector's Editions of Madden NFL 09, which release August 12th. Remember to come back next Madden Monday for another exclusive sneak peek at Madden NFL 09.

[TrueBlue]

I was just perusing some stuff at ign.com and noticed this tidbit from their May 8th article:

"There's still no Owner Mode"

[evil]

They really need to complete the franchise mode. They may be refining the gameplay this year, but for fucks sake. If they don't have the franchise mode up to snuff from last gen then I will most certainly not buy 2010. 2009 seems promising in the gameplay department, and Head Coach has me excited, but that will only go so far.

[the red c]

What is the difference between the standard and the special edition?

[cdj]

What is the difference between the standard and the special edition?

SE contains NFL Head Coach. The actual Madden 09 game should be the same for each version.



Also:

Madden Blog on tackling (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=tackle_blog)

Video (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/media.jsp?itemID=tackle_vid)

[coogrfan]

SE contains NFL Head Coach. The actual Madden 09 game should be the same for each version.



Also:

Madden Blog on tackling (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=tackle_blog)

Video (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/media.jsp?itemID=tackle_vid)

We have also eliminated the "explosion" phenomenon when the game couldn't find a tackle animation in time and characters bang off each other and both fall down.That alone was enough to pique my interest, but the vid was absolutely sick. It took a while, but it seems like this is the year Madden truly becomes a next-gen title.

[cdj]

Madden Gameplay FAQ (http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?threadID=365603) - Producer Ian Cummings answers questions on the EA Forums

[Soonerfan09]

Madden Gameplay FAQ (http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?threadID=365603) - Producer Ian Cummings answers questions on the EA Forums
Madden is really looking good. The only real negatives I seen was
Are the following features included in Madden NFL 09? If not, why not?
1. In-game saves
2. Custom cameras
3. Coach mode
4. Accelerated clock
No, they currently are not. These are priority calls balanced against all of the other things we wanted to accomplish this year. and only number 1 and 4 pertain to me (maybe 2).
I sure hope they fixed franchise mode though...

[Mr. Tennessee]

Wow they put coach mode on madden and not NCAA? For shame yall for shame!

[TrueBlue]

Are the following features included in Madden NFL 09? If not, why not?
1. In-game saves
2. Custom cameras
3. Coach mode
4. Accelerated clock
No, they currently are not. These are priority calls balanced against all of the other things we wanted to accomplish this year.Wow they put coach mode on madden and not NCAA? For shame yall for shame!

Its not included.

[Mr. Tennessee]

:(

[rhombic21]

I don't think it's really a big deal that they don't have coach mode on Madden, since they're releasing a coach mode specific NFL game that even comes packaged with Madden SE.

[Mr. Tennessee]

I don't think it's really a big deal that they don't have coach mode on Madden, since they're releasing a coach mode specific NFL game that even comes packaged with Madden SE.
The point is, it's just nice to have that option on there and not be relegated to one game.

[Mr. Option]

Do Over! Madden Mondays Week 6: EA SPORTS REWIND
May 19, 2008 at 11:11am

Do over! If only life imitated EA SPORTS REWIND.
Click the picture above for a larger version.We all have moments we'd like to do over in life. If we had a nickel for every time someone around here said, "I wish I didn't drink that whole bottle of pancake syrup," or I wish I had known that 'beachball' was actually a Portuguese Man-of-War jellyfish," we'd be living on our own private island by now.

Even more so in the sports world, we often hear competitors (both real and virtual) saying, "I wish I could have that pitch back," or "I never should have thrown that ball." Well, we won’t hear it as often in Madden NFL 09, with the all-new EA SPORTS REWIND, which will allow gamers to literally put a play in reverse and replay a down. Think of it as a Madden mulligan. Not unlike a super power, REWIND can be used for both good or evil. (Think Mike Shanahan and his pre-snap field goal timeouts.) For players looking to improve their games, this is a fantastic way to immediately learn from your mistakes without having to wait until the situation presents itself again, like in most sports games. Just click the REWIND button when a play ends, and watch your players reverse track back to the line of scrimmage.

However, REWIND can also lead to a few broken friendships. For example, suppose your best buddy has been talking trash for weeks about how he owns you. So you say, "Ok, tough guy. I’ll take 3 REWINDS, and then let’s just see how dominant you are." Five minutes later you’re laughing maliciously as you REWIND his kick-off return for a TD. Needless to say, you probably won’t be going to Sizzler together the next day.

Here are some important details regarding EA SPORTS REWIND in Madden NFL 09: Before the game begins, each player may select 0, 1, 3, 5, or unlimited REWINDS to be used during the course of the game Rewinds may be be used on any play: Offense, Defense, & Special Teams. They're not available during online games. Madden NFL 09 hits the streets August 12th, including the historic 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition. So click here or head to your local GameStop to reserve your copy. And remember, with great power comes great responsibility.
http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/


Not a great feature to have, but it's not used online and you can turn it to zero. Really seems like it is for the "other" madden gamers.

[cdj]

IGN Hands-On Preview (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/875/875772p1.html)

[FSUprime]

lol yea i would never use the rewind feature, ever.

[cdj]

Madden Blog on new animations Part 1 (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=anim_blog) - Part 2 (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=anim_blog2)

Each blog contains links to video clips showcasing the animations.

[cdj]

GameStop Blog: (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/)

but·ton mash·ing: The act of a gamer repeatedly pressing buttons, often in a random order, in the hopes of achieving a desired result, usually associated with a low rate of success, gnashing of teeth and use of colorful metaphors.

If there were a Webster's Dictionary of Gaming, you might find find a similar definition for button mashing as listed above. It's an ancient technique passed down from console generation to console generation. For years, gamers have waited for a more responsive sports game that would alleviate the need for said mashing. Madden NFL 09 could be the game that breaks the cycle. EA SPORTS showed us another part of Madden NFL 09's vast feature set, the Total Control Animation System. Besides having a catchy name, this new animation system looks to change one fundamental flaw in sports games past: the inability to break out of moves when the one you have initiated clearly isn’t working.

For example, how often have you triggered a spin move to evade a defender, only to have him wrap you up with one hand? You think to yourself, "Hey, I’ll just stiff arm this clown and continue my merry stroll to the end zone." That’s when the button mashing starts. Result: The whistle hasn’t blown, but you know the play is essentially DEAD. Not anymore. The Total Control Animation System will allow you to branch out of one animation and into another, giving you the ability to perform combo moves even after you've been wrapped up. Now, be warned, as Newton's Third Law of Motion will tell you, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Total animation control applies to both offense and defense. Yes, you can follow-up a half-spin move with a juke and a stiff-arm, but all of this will ultimately extend the play and lead to a higher risk of the ball being stripped. So when you think you're being sneaky and breaking out of tackles, just remember that the defender may actually be holding you up in an attempt to jar the ball loose.

[Gooksta]

madden looks gay!

[Godzilla07]

Here's the QB ratings. Matt Ryan is overrated, and Rex Grossman is also overrated.

http://www.sportsgamer.com/content/1603/madden-09-quarterback-ratings/

[Chase56]

How does Matt Ryan have a 73 speed and my boy Dennis Dixon has a uhm, 60?

[coogrfan]

How does Matt Ryan have a 73 speed and my boy Dennis Dixon has a uhm, 60?

Could it be because Ryan isn't rehabing a torn acl?

[ZachArt002]

That's retarded. Five years down the franchise road, when Dixon is fully rehabbed, he'll still be a 60 and Ryan will still be a 73

[Keith1212]

That's retarded.
LMAO I wasn't going to say anything [laugh]

Coogrfan will go any length to defend an EA football game in all aspects it seems.

[coogrfan]

LMAO I wasn't going to say anything [laugh]

Coogrfan will go any length to defend an EA football game in all aspects it seems.

So you're saying a guy who tore his acl last November should show no effects less than a year later?

Imo the whole thing's a moot point anyway-EA will be releasing numerous roster updates, if Dixon proves he can run again he'll get upgraded.

[Keith1212]

So you're saying a guy who tore his acl last November should show no effects less than a year later?

Imo the whole thing's a moot point anyway-EA will be releasing numerous roster updates, if Dixon proves he can run again he'll get upgraded.
ACL tears are not what they used to be. Dennis Dixon should make a full recovery. His speed before the tear was at least in the mid to high 70's most likely so to drop it after the tear to a 63 is silly. He'll be playing fully recovered so the ACL tear shouldn't even factor into his speed rating I'd think.

[Makaveli_Reborn]

Dennis Dixon PLAYED on that torn ACL and was still faster than Matt f*cking Ryan. Just stupid.

[Estes]

Um, Matt Ryan only has 63 speed. Not sure where you got 73 at. [rock]

Still dumb he is faster than Dixon; but it isn't as bad as you guys are making it out to be.

[Keith1212]

Madden is looking very good to me right about now. According to the people that went to the community event, Madden is looking very good to them too. The gameplay vids look good too. I love college football but when it comes down to my football videogames, I definitely want to be playing the best football game regardless of anything and that will most likely be Madden this year with NCAA '09 not having a pass rush which is a major issue imo that will most likely kill that game online in a matter of months if not sooner.

Another thing that has had me looking forward to Madden is that Ian Cummings has been posting and more importantly responding alot on Operation Sports and has made several good tweaks and additions to Madden due to feedback from posters over there. My opinion of Tiburon developers has seriously been raised over the past few weeks.

When I heard that passing icons will dissapear if someone sprints with the QB too far behind the line of scrimmage, I seriously started smiling. Maybe the people that work on Madden and NCAA aren't so bad after all :). I'll be downloading the demo for Madden and then I'll make my decision on whether to purchase it from that.

NCAA on the other hand, I'll download the demo and sometime after release, I'll try borrowing it from a friend. Other then that I won't be getting it.

[pavel_quad]

When I heard that passing icons will dissapear if someone sprints with the QB too far behind the line of scrimmage, I seriously started smiling.

Is this for both games, or just Madden?

[EAaggies]

I'm also pretty pumped for Madden after looking at the message boards and various alpha builds of the game online.

I was wondering if anyone here is going to start up an online Madden league? I like how you can have the regular league setup, or allow duplicate teams in a league (like 32 Packer teams if one wanted), or one can go the fantasy draft route.

If a league is started which of the three options would people go for?

Allowing duplicate teams allows everyone to have a good team, while fantasy draft route is fun. The purist 1 team per a person route is good too.

I haven't bought a "next-gen" Madden title on 360 since all the rest of them seemed like flops. Seems like this year I'll be picking it up.

Also Keith you mentioned something about a demo? If so I'm assuming one can download it off the market place or is this a demo one needs to find in a magazine?

[Keith1212]

I was referring to the one that will hopefully be available in the marketplace sometime before release.

[cdj]

Latest GameStop Madden Blog: (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/blog/)

Mother Nature Strikes Back!

On Monday, November 26, 2007, the Pittsburgh Steelers played host to the Miami Dolphins in what can only be described as an utter debacle. In a thrilling 3-0 Steelers triumph, Heinz Field looked like it had just hosted a monster truck rally as rain poured down mercilessly, making the field virtually unplayable. We learned two things that night. Number 1: our GameStop fantasy football team would miss the play-offs because we couldn’t get a measly 3 points out of Ben Roethlisberger and Heath Miller. Number 2: weather can have a serious impact on the results of a football game.

In fact, some of the more historic games in NFL history have been made so by Mother Nature, i.e. the Patriots and Dolphins “Snow Plow Game” in 1982, Bears and Eagles “Fog Bowl” from 1988, and the snow-laden Patriots and Raiders “Tuck Rule” game in 2002, just to name a few. What does all of this have to do with Madden NFL 09? Well, clearly weather has always been IN the game, but up until now, it had little impact ON the game. For the first time, weather will affect how your players move and perform on the field. When precipitation is heavy, elusive runners like Adrian Peterson will be more likely to put the ball on the turf when juking and spinning. So you'd better cover up! Receivers who rely on a quick release, like Steve Smith, could slip coming out of the gates. QBs diving for a first down on a rain-drenched field may suddenly rekindle memories of a summer Slip N Slide, not to mention they won’t have the same accuracy as you're used to. For icing (pun intended) on the cake, Madden NFL 09 will also feature some weather specific celebrations…can you say snow angels at Lambeau?! Mix in a little rain-puddle splashing, some dynamic player breath, and you’ve got yourself a virtual weather wonderland, which, if you recall from Week 2’s Madden Monday, the weather and lighting have been completely overhauled, making Madden more immersive than ever before. Now it should be noted, just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you should expect results similar to the aforementioned Steelers game of last year. Although these weather “tweaks” will require you to think twice about the moves and calls you make, they won’t completely render offenses useless.

[rhombic21]

Posted by Russell:

Complete game of Chargers vs Ravens on All-Madden.

http://www.maddenwars.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=98

[cdj]

Ratings for NFC East (http://sports.ign.com/articles/879/879251p1.html)

[TrueBlue]

Wow, Justin Tuck a 94 for the Giants and Shaun O'Hara only an 82? O'Hara got snubbed me thinks.

[Papa LoneStar]

Cowboys are gonna be nasty in this game! :D

QB Tony Romo: 94 overall (96 accuracy, 90 power, 80 awareness)

RB Marion Barber: 93 overall (92 speed, 86 strength, 94 agility, 95 acceleration, 99 trucking, 95 stiff arm)

RB Felix Jones: 80 overall (96 speed, 97 agility, 99 acceleration)

WR Terrell Owens: 98 overall (96 speed, 94 agility, 94 acceleration, 95 awareness)

TE Jason Witten: 97 overall (84 speed)

TE Martellus Bennett: 80 overall (84 speed)

Offensive Line: 96, 89, 94, LEONARRRRRRRRD DAVIS 97, 89

MLB Zach Thomas: 94 overall (97 awareness, 97 tackling)

ROLB DeMarcus Ware: 98 overall (87 speed, 83 strength, 97 acceleration, 90 agility, 94 tackling)

CB Terence Newman: 95 overall (97 speed, 97 agility, 98 acceleration)

along with Pac-Man probably being in the low-to-mid 90s....it's gonna be fun :D

[cdj]

From SportsGamer.com:

WR Ratings (http://www.sportsgamer.com/content/1607/madden-09-wide-receiver-ratings/)

Tight End Ratings (http://www.sportsgamer.com/content/1609/madden-09-tight-end-ratings/)

[cdj]

How does Matt Ryan have a 73 speed and my boy Dennis Dixon has a uhm, 60?

http://www.maddenmatrix.com/images/dd1.jpg

http://www.maddenmatrix.com/images/dd2.jpg

[cdj]

Two new videos - Rewind & Virtual Trainer (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/news.jsp?itemID=twonew_vids)

[cdj]

Madden Playbooks Blog with Anthony White (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/blog.jsp)

[cdj]

IGN: Hands-On report for the Wii version of Madden 09 (http://wii.ign.com/articles/881/881573p1.html)

[cdj]

Two new Madden vids have been posted (http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/media.jsp?itemID=adapt_vid). One on the adaptability of this year's game and another on the 20th Anniversary.

[rhombic21]

Mad Sci has posted some videos of our tournament game:

http://www.maddenmatrix.com/

[ak1knight]

IGN: Hands-On report for the Wii version of Madden 09

That new call your shot sounds cool but it sounds like it'll be abused way too much online (heck he even said if you know football you can dominate the AI with it). Why can't they just let you create your own play instead of it turning into some gimmicky feature that'll be abused and make online not fun?

[cdj]

Player ratings for entire AFC posted here (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/882/882358p1.html).

NFC will be added by division each day this week.

[Keith1212]

They have a celebration video up on IGN showcasing some touchdown celebrations. All of them look bad but the Lambeau Leap expecially looks terrible. It's getting ripped on OS/Maddenmania. Not a major thing but it says something about EA that people looked at it, let it be called "The Lambeau Leap" and actually let IGN feature it in a video when it looks so off from the real thing.

[Forum Idiot]

whats doing with all the camera flashes in these madden clips?
the only time you ever see camera flashes at a football game is the superbowl kick-off. EA decided to add them for every play during the game it seems.

[cdj]

whats doing with all the camera flashes in these madden clips?
the only time you ever see camera flashes at a football game is the superbowl kick-off. EA decided to add them for every play during the game it seems.

Supposedly they will significantly tone down the flashes in the final build, but have the flashes be higher in # for the Super Bowl.

Sometimes it is so bad in these clips, that I fear for any epileptics who may be watching.

[cdj]

End the search, guys. I found out what Culpepper has been up to:

With drives rivaled only by his avatar, former Madden NFL cover boy Daunte Culpepper persevered and established a new Guinness World Record for "Highest Score in the Two-Minute Drill on Madden NFL 2002" with a staggering 14,500 points. Playing the same game that featured him on the cover, Culpepper played as himself with the Minnesota Vikings and made some serious connections to then-teammate Randy Moss. He earned the record at EA's 20th Anniversary Premiere Party for Madden NFL 09, and if unbeaten, will be included in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2009, scheduled for release next February. Link (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/884/884682p1.html)

[ak1knight]

End the search, guys. I found out what Culpepper has been up to:

With drives rivaled only by his avatar, former Madden NFL cover boy Daunte Culpepper persevered and established a new Guinness World Record for "Highest Score in the Two-Minute Drill on Madden NFL 2002" with a staggering 14,500 points. Playing the same game that featured him on the cover, Culpepper played as himself with the Minnesota Vikings and made some serious connections to then-teammate Randy Moss. He earned the record at EA's 20th Anniversary Premiere Party for Madden NFL 09, and if unbeaten, will be included in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2009, scheduled for release next February. Link (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/884/884682p1.html)

HTF did he get 14,500 points in 2 minutes? If it's legit he deserves a spot in the Guinness book of world records :p

[Makaveli_Reborn]

They have a celebration video up on IGN showcasing some touchdown celebrations. All of them look bad but the Lambeau Leap expecially looks terrible. It's getting ripped on OS/Maddenmania. Not a major thing but it says something about EA that people looked at it, let it be called "The Lambeau Leap" and actually let IGN feature it in a video when it looks so off from the real thing.

lol, I went and dug it up. Wow. That's embarrassingly awesome.

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14229536/madden-nfl-09/videos/madden09_061908_celebration_LambeauLeap.html

[pavel_quad]

How much you wanna bet the NFL told them they can't have virtual players jumping into the virtual stands, as it poses a virtual risk to virtual spectators and opens the virtual NFL to virtual liability lawsuits?

Or maybe it was just poor animation, lol...

[cdj]

Or maybe it was just poor animation, lol...

That's probably a close guess. :)


Here's a funny article (http://www.dasgamer.com/madden-cover-stars-reveal-their-madden-betting-habits-deny-curse-at-ea-event/) from the recent Madden 09 launch party:

Part of the story: Culpepper admitted, “I won and lost a few mortgage payments on a game of Madden.” He also mentioned that he had to get better after he notched his cover. “When people see you on Madden, they assume that you’re the best. I got challenged a lot more when I got the cover.” The biggest bet Marshall Faulk ever had to pay out over losing a game involved letting a free agent drive his Bentley for a month. Instead of playing for money Ray Lewis would rather bet on-demand push ups, waiting to cash them in at restaurants and parking lots. Lewis also revealed a softer side saying he wished there was more Phil Collins music included on the in-game soundtrack. And yes, he was smiling during that last part.

[Keith1212]

LOL @ on-demand pushups :D

I'm taking that and using it in future bets

[coogrfan]

Ian Cummings addressed this over at OS earlier in the week. In a nutshell, someone in the animation dept screwed up. Here are the Lambeau Leap mo-caps that were supposed to play in those situations:

tQd4_ucdytM
ltjM8blMSbE

On Tues IC provided the following additional info.

Well quick update for everyone - I got in this morning and looked for myself, there's definitely good news...the bottom video that I showed above IS actually in the shipping game. The problem is that there seems to be a bug with the Green Bay-specific logic (i.e. it's not working) - so there's a random chance that you could get that Spiderman-looking thing when you run to the wall. Many people were speculating this...you all were right. It's just the wrong animation being played.

So I guess it's better than nothing, as there's a 25% chance that you'll get the actual real Lambeau Leap.

I'm still looking into whether we can patch this to be 100% though.

[Mr. Option]

How do you become one of those guys and be the virtual guy?

[cdj]

IGN has finished posting all player ratings (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/882/882358p1.html), including free agents.

[Rush23]

http://maddenlist.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3324#post3324

6 Rushing TD's with the Dolphins is a random one lol

[illinifan91]

lol, I went and dug it up. Wow. That's embarrassingly awesome.

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14229536/madden-nfl-09/videos/madden09_061908_celebration_LambeauLeap.html

he looks like spider-man wtf.

[chi-bob]

How do you become one of those guys and be the virtual guy?

You probably have to be a specifically average shape and have some prior football knowledge in order to get technique correct.

[cdj]

The Top 50 Players in Madden 09 (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/885/885364p1.html)


The Souljah Boy:
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/885/885364/madden-monday-top-50-players-20080630032757223.jpg

[cdj]

360 version of the Madden demo will be available tomorrow with purchase of this DVD (http://whv.warnerbros.com/WHVPORTAL/Portal/product.jsp?upc=883929012787&S=NFLJOP&myid=NFLJOP&Product=NFLIJOPWS).

No word on when it will hit XBL or PSN, but it should be relatively soon.

[cdj]

The Madden NFL 09 demo is scheduled to be available August 1st on both XBOX Live and the Playstation Network.

[Keith1212]

The demo for Madden 09 will hit XBL and PSN on Friday August 1st.

This will not be a typical demo. Instead of traditional gameplay with reduced quarter length it will feature time in the virtual trainer and then head into one of the “Madden Moments”, this one from the Super Bowl. Only the offensive team will be controlled (in this case the Giants seem likely). Commentary has been excluded due to demo size limitations.

Source: Pastapadre.com

Words cannot describe how lame the demo will be if this is true. Not even Coogrfan can twist this into a positive way :p

[Makaveli_Reborn]

lol, who the hell makes decisions like that? I suppose the demo for NCAA Basketball will be a free throw shooting contest?

[chiefnole85]

this is being hyped to be a big imporvement over last year right? I preordered it and i'm counting on it to deliver since ncaa didn't yet again

[mackzills]

I heard something about a "mulligan system", where you can re-do plays.
If that is true, that is the worst sports gaming concept I've ever encountered. That is worse than the Mascot Mash-Up BS. I will still buy Madden, for my Raiders and my draft classes, but I will NOT use that stupid feature.

[sixbecomeseven]

I heard something about a "mulligan system", where you can re-do plays.
If that is true, that is the worst sports gaming concept I've ever encountered. That is worse than the Mascot Mash-Up BS. I will still buy Madden, for my Raiders and my draft classes, but I will NOT use that stupid feature.

you can turn it off

[coogrfan]

Words cannot describe how lame the demo will be if this is true. Not even Coogrfan can twist this into a positive way :p

Hmmm... let's see.

"EA is really thinking outside the box here. And people say they can't innovate..."

How's that? [cool]

[mackzills]

you can turn it off


Thank god.
Any way I can turn off the mind of whoever thought this was a good idea?

[takeo5108]

Thank god.
Any way I can turn off the mind of whoever thought this was a good idea?

Yeah it would just take away all big plays and fairness in the game. Dumbest idea EVER.

[mackzills]

Yeah it would just take away all big plays and fairness in the game. Dumbest idea EVER.


Oh, you missed the game winning field goal? Here, try again.

Damn, sucks about being stopped at 4th down. But, now you know they're blitzing from the outside, so go up the gut this time.

Die creator!

[cr4zy]

lol

[ThirtyThree]

this is being hyped to be a big imporvement over last year right? I preordered it and i'm counting on it to deliver since ncaa didn't yet again

Me too. This is the first year I didn't buy NCAA, so I hope Madden is at least decent.

The 360 version has Collinsworth and someone else commentating, correct? Not that lame ass ESPN Radio again?

[cdj]

Collinsworth and Tom Hammond.

[Keith1212]

Apparently Madden has no CPU sliders this year [oops]

[TrueBlue]

Apparently Madden has no CPU sliders this year [oops]

Link?

If true, what in the blue hell is EA doing this year?

[Keith1212]

Confirmation here (http://www.operationsports.com/forums/madden-nfl-football/259416-new-more-sliders-14.html#post2038557775).

Also within that link, there are no custom controller configurations either.

[TrueBlue]

Confirmation here (http://www.operationsports.com/forums/madden-nfl-football/259416-new-more-sliders-14.html#post2038557775).

Also within that link, there are no custom controller configurations either.

:keith_SHN

The controller configs I could care less about, but what the hell? No CPU sliders? Is this due to the new tests they perform to test your levels? If they actually took out the sliders they better make damn sure that the Madden IQ feature works to the fullest.

[kella]

I'm hearing that Madden has a lot of the exact same problems as NCAA.

[laugh]

[joker305th]

Does Madden have custom playbooks that can be used in dynasty mode?

[EuroTide]

The Madden NFL 09 demo is scheduled to be available August 1st on both XBOX Live and the Playstation Network.

wondering if its gonna be the same over here as with the ncaa demo that we never got. seems the european ps store is much lamer than the north american

[sixbecomeseven]

Guy says he has the game, he's open to questions on the IGN boards. There is a video he posted on page 4 of 'proof'.

http://boards.ign.com/madden_nfl/b5973/168306650/p1

IDK just thought I would post it

[MightyBruin]

I'm hearing that Madden has a lot of the exact same problems as NCAA.

[laugh]

Yeah this guy says pass defense is abysmal in Madden as well (http://nutweasel.blogspot.com/).

Well looks like I'm holding on to NCAA after all. If both games are going to have broken defensive ai might as well keep NCAA because it offers more teams and unique offenses.

[Keith1212]

Yeah this guy says pass defense is abysmal in Madden as well (http://nutweasel.blogspot.com/).

Well looks like I'm holding on to NCAA after all. If both games are going to have broken defensive ai might as well keep NCAA because it offers more teams and unique offenses.
Against the computer it is according to that blog. I'm more concerned with how it is against a human being.

[oweb26]

Against the computer it is according to that blog. I'm more concerned with how it is against a human being.
In a Sense isnt that one in the same, you can only control one player at a time, if the computer doesnt cover like they are suppossed to, its going to be the same versus a human being. If the MLB doesnt cover his zone then he wont cover it online or offline, Even on NCAA the pass defense entire problem stems around hook zone coverages not working and that problem comes from the LB's.


PS. I thought the madden demo was just okay, nothing really to write home to momma about, I scored All-madden on everything except the pass defense mostly because who the fuck controls the damn cornerback!!! I also thought that virtual stuff was stupid.

[TrueBlue]

I really hope that Madden delivers a playable product this year. I've found some decent sliders (all credit due to bcthomas, fellow Utopian) to be able to play NCAA 09 in an enjoyable manner. I just hope this Madden IQ feature works well enough to the point of serving its purpose. I think if Madden can nail the gameplay aspect, and through in many of the features that made last gen franchises so enjoyable, we will have a gem on our hands. Granted it shouldn't have taken this long, but still I hold out hope none the less.

[Keith1212]

Field degradation is broken according to many people that have the game. The uniforms can get ridiculously muddy but the field looks brand new. I don't know if it will get addressed with the release day patch but I doubt it.

[chiefnole85]

was the release date pushed back to the 16th or is it still the 12th?

[Keith1212]

Still the 12th. I can get it by the 8th or 9th. If I get it early though its going to have to be a purchase so I'm thinking hard on it.

[TrueBlue]

Damn, I really thought this series was heading in the right direction. I'm getting pretty skeptical now. [glare]

[coogrfan]

Madden producer Phil Frazier posted the following over at OS last night. Verrrrry interesting...


Evening,

There's been a lot of discussion around rosters and patches so i wanted to go ahead and post an update.

Rosters
For those that manged to get an early copy, you may have noticed that a roster update was recently made available. Many of you also noticed that Brett Favre was listed as the 2nd QB for the Packers. This roster was posted up as a final test of our roster update capability. We're actually prepping a more final roster update that should be available on 8/11.

As for our roster update frequency... Our current plan is to update rosters about every two weeks. This could change based on major roster movement but expect us to drop rosters on an average of twice a month through the Super Bowl.

Patch
Yes, I'm finally going to discuss the state and details of the patch.

Regarding the patch status... Yes we submitted a patch to MS and Sony about a week ago. They are currently going through certification and all indications point to them going live some time next week. Please understand that it's very easy for issues with the patch to delay the release of the patch. For example, if MS finds a new bug with the patch, it would easily be delayed by 2 weeks. We're hopeful the patch will drop on or around 8/14.

What's in the patch?

There's a number of changes in this patch. Most would never be noticed by the average consumer but some were targeted at improving the experience as quickly as we could.

1. Changed default quarter length of online leagues to 5 minutes.
2. Solved a very rare stability issue that occured when using a couple of playbooks.
3. Eliminated a button mashing glitch during high latency online games.
4. Eliminated a stability issue that sometimes occured while viewing the player HUB in online leagues.
5. Fixed a tricky disc eject glitch that occured at specific points of online games.
6. Kick Return Tuning - made improvements to help reduce frequent long kick returns.
7. Safety Tuning - eliminated issue where safeties in deep zone coverage would sometimes not react to a run to their side.
8. The game skill slider for interceptions was tuned to amplify it's affect.

What about some of the other early feedback on the game? Keep reading, we're not done.

Patch #2 & DLC
Now that some details for patch #1 have been discussed, it's important to note that we're not done. We think it's very important to continue to improve the game even after it's release. We're actually very happy with the non-patched product but having the ability to patch the game to make it the ultimate experience is fantastic capability that we definately want to use.

We're already hard at work on the 2nd patch and are also evaluating releasing a FREE DLC. Here's a sneak preview of what you might expect in future updates.

Patch #2 Possibilities
Please understand this list is under construction and won't be finalized until we've received more feedback on the final game from the community.
1. Ghost Juking OOB fix - aka CPU players running out of bounds
2. CPU Accuracy tuning
3. Amplify the field degredation effect (the system is currently working but is hidden by some of our late added post effects)
4. Other post-release community feedback

DLC Possibilities
The same warning comes with this one. We're still evaluating these changes and are working hard to get them out as quick as possible.
1. Accelerated Clock
2. CPU Sliders (you would have the all new human sliders as well as a brand new screen of CPU sliders)
3. Legacy Gen Controller Config
4. Madden Community Gamerpics (a variety of gamerpics that will show what community you belong to. make sure your community managers know you want an OS gamerpic.)


We're targeting a mid-September release for patch#2 and the DLC but will give constant updates and screenshots as we progress.

I look forward to seeing all of your very constructive feedback next week when the game is released and will do my best to answer additional questions here.

Phil

[chiefnole85]

sounds like the Madden team has got their shit together for the most part

[Keith1212]

I purchased Madden '09. I'll be on with it later tonight.

[Skipwondah33]

I love the game thus far, haven't gotten too indepth with it (only 5 games), but it is a noticable difference from last year and the commentary is much better.

[Keith1212]

I am loving the game as well so far. I suck horribly at it though. I want to keep at it regardless. If anyone from here wants some games against me just let me know. I want to get better and thats only going to happen through experience.

[Durant_4_Prez]

Keith, did you pick it up for the 360 or PS3?

LOL nevermind, just looked at your gamertag sig. [laugh]

[boxboy99]

Been sitting on my desk since Friday, havn't even popped it in, been playing HC, and NCAA Dynasties. Not sure if I want to keep Madden yet, but havn't even had the urge to pop it in yet.

[Keith1212]

This game cheats on All Madden viciously. I'm done playing the cpu. This shit is ridiculous. It's online only from here on out. Fuck it.

[TrueBlue]

This game cheats on All Madden viciously. I'm done playing the cpu. This shit is ridiculous. It's online only from here on out. Fuck it.

Would you care to elaborate? I am probably going to look into picking it up tomorrow at midnight, a friend reserved it for me at a local Gamestop. I'm going to be browsing Utopia intensely in the next 24 hours to determine if I go through with the purchase.

[Durant_4_Prez]

Would you care to elaborate? I am probably going to look into picking it up tomorrow at midnight, a friend reserved it for me at a local Gamestop. I'm going to be browsing Utopia intensely in the next 24 hours to determine if I go through with the purchase.

Yeah, I'm interested as well seeing, as I do most of my gaming against the CPU. If it's as bad as that post indicates I may not pick it up.

[Keith1212]

I just suck right now, I jumped straight onto All Madden and I get frustrated quickly because of my struggles so don't let my complaints dissuade you from buying the game. I think most people will like it.

My only issue with the game right now is that I can't really put the ball where I want to on some throws when I feel that I should. For example, if I want to throw the ball deep towards the sideline and I press the buttons that should make my QB do this, the ball should not somehow get thrown towards the middle of the field. Also the cpu gets the most timely fumbles and penalties it seems like.

Other then that everything is fine with the game. I'm sure I won't run into these problems so much as I get better and I understand the way the game plays more.

[TrueBlue]

I'm sure there will be a bit of a learning curve, so to speak, with the new IQ feature. Its not conventional in the way the game has historically been customized. Once people have the game and the Utopia community can better see how it works, I'm sure there will be ways to alleviate some of this stuff.

Or I can just hold out hope, can't I? :(

[Durant_4_Prez]

I'm actually 'feening' for Madden much more than I ever was for NCAA, but that could be for the polished turd that it was/is for now.

[spiker311]

can we get a poll for who will buy madden 09?

i'm just curious to see how people vote. i think i'm going to rent it first, to see if i'm interested. i played madden 08 for about a month last year before i gave up. the seasons are twice as long and the pro game lacks the heart and tradition that i love about the college game.

[Keith1212]

http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/174255

Link here (http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/174255) since I don't know how the EA Sports World embedding works. I tried the link, I tried just the number, it didn't work in the preview so fuck it.

On to the video:

I don't know what the fuck Rich Seubert was supposed to be doing here. Then Chris Snee not only ignores the dude but then he goes to block somebody instead of going back to at least try and dive back on the fumbled ball. :keith_SHN


Wishlist item #1 - Make it so that O-lineman always know when the QB fumbles if he's not engaged with a defender so that the shit above doesn't happen. I'm fine with the sack but the fumble returned for a TD is too much seeing as how Chris Snee obviously wasn't ready to do anything on this particular play [evil]

/vent

[Durant_4_Prez]

Well, just remembered I don't have gas in my car so I might go get it tomorrow sometime.

[JBHuskers]

Not doing the midnight madness...but got free overnight from EBGames, so at 4:45PM I'll be rocking the Madden but probably only enough to do the IQ [down] got sand volleyball @ 6:30....but no hanging out drinking beer tomorrow night, will be running straight home for some Madden :)

[MtneerManiac]

With all the talk that our dudes did at the community day about how much better this game is than NCAA, I'm pretty disappointed.

Average game, IMO.

Everything just seems off ... I dunno what it is.

[Durant_4_Prez]

With all the talk that our dudes did at the community day about how much better this game is than NCAA, I'm pretty disappointed.

Average game, IMO.

Everything just seems off ... I dunno what it is.

Agreed, I dunno if it's just madden IQ or what but I just couldn't get into the game and turned it off in the middle of my second game. My first game I lost to the Saints with Carolina in OT, defense sucks.

[TrueBlue]

lol

I played a little but certainly not enough to pass judgement yet.

[Durant_4_Prez]

I'll definitely be playing some tomorrow (don't know how much seeing as I'll be busy packing to go back to school). I'm just a little disappointed right now.

[MtneerManiac]

Maybe it's because the game plays so much faster?

I think that's some of it, comparatively to NCAA.

Also, Colinsworth is okay, but that other announcer sucks dick. I want Madden back, lol.

[chiefnole85]

i'm about to go pick this up because i preordered it but i am less excited with some of the stuff i'm reading

[dukelionsm]

i was planning on picking it up for the PS2, but wii features basically you can create your own hot routes by drawing on the screen w/ the wimote

sounds kinda tempting

anyone play the wii version ?

im not really into all the gimmicks they offer vs. other consoles, but that feature sounds pretty badass

[pavel_quad]

I'm getting this at lunch. Why? Dunno. It's a long wait until MLB09...[laugh]

[mkeller25]

I've played a couple games of Madden and I was satisfied with my sole head to head game I played. Read that first line again, I’ve played just 1 game heads up and a few games against the CPU. I played a good friend, my Bills vs. his Browns, and I consider myself to be light years ahead of him as far as talent/skill goes in Madden. That being the case I gave him 2 "rewinds" which is a new feature that I like for the sake of having a choice of whether or not you want to use it and how many rewinds they get. We played the game with both players selecting the all-madden difficulty.

Pass Offense - I am very, very disappointed thus far with what I have seen. I absolutely HATE the awkward camera angle used when you throw the ball downfield. I can't see whats going on as clearly and it just is annoying. Maybe it will help guard against people "rocket catching" or whatever but, I think once people figure it out, it won't matter. I just don't like it at all. WHAT DID THEY DO TO SCREENS!!? AHHH This drives me INSANE. My RB catches then ball and proceeds to act like he has no sense of direction and does some ridiculously dumb animation that prevents him from gaining good yardage. Just throw a few, you'll see. WHY OH WHY did that piss poor "spin around, throw your hands in the air and catch the ball animation" make it into this game. Don't know what I'm talking about? Throw a corner route to your TE or WR and try to lead the receiver, he will do it like it's his job. You know what I'd like to see? A reciever actually jump, contort his body so that his shoulders are square with the football, reach up, and fall backwards onto his back... like its a jump ball. Thats what real football players would do, not spin around and try to keep their momentum, all while not even touching their feet down. Okay enough ranting. Some good things!! I did have an excellent play where I threw a slant from the 5yrd line going in and QB actually placed the ball in between the defenders as opposed to leading the receiver like he normally would have. That resulted in a nice catch animation where my reciever had to stop, catch the ball, and fall out of bounds. I WAS ABLE TO THROW THE BALL FROM UNDER CENTER. Now, maybe this is because I wasn't playing someone who is good or we havn't figured out the blitzes yet but. I was never able to play anyone and throw from under center last year. Anytime I did, it was an automatic sack, unless it was a play action boot. But I threw several slants and deep patterns out of I which I was extremely happy with. Slide protection is also extremely helpful and a very welcome addition this year. Smart routes are delicious and I don't know how they could have been overlooked in years past. I'll be interested in testing out how well the patented "out" route works this year. Against man coverage, a lot of times EA makes this route unstoppable, but I didn't throw it at all last game so I'll have to test it out. When it’s uncoverable it drives me nuts. Oh and another bad thing to add, I watched a demo somewhere where there was supposed to be some sort of “smart passing” done by the QB this year. The example they used was where a team was running cover 1 and the offense read it quickly and saw the receiver streaking down the sideline with a few steps on the corner. Clearly the right throw to make is to throw the ball as close to the sideline as possible to ensure the safety in the deep middle of the field can’t get over in time. With the Bills, and yes I know Trent Edwards is far from an elite QB, this was not possible. I had Lee Evans SCORTCH a Browns corner and Trent threw the ball as if there was no “smart passing” feature. It really pissed me off as I tried this a few times to no avail; the QB simply put the ball where he normally would have, whether the safety was there or not, frustrating!

Rushing Offense - Frustrating to say the least. Marshawn Lynch is a capable back, and he broke plenty of tackles, but wasn't able to really have a good rushing day. It seemed like I was only able to run the ball when I caught the defense by surprise. By that I mean I ran the ball most effectively out of Shotgun. Anytime I lined up in Weak or Strong I, I pretty much got shut down or was limited to 1 or 2 yards. SLIDE PROTECTION IS YOUR FRIEND!. Running an off tackle? Try using slide protection. It will give you a zone blocking scheme that is helpful because if you read your blocks correctly, it's usually a good gain. Slide protection isn't used for the running game in real football to my knowledge, although “line calls” are. I’m assuming this is some sort of way to account for zone blocking line audibles and I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to run zone blocking at will. As some people have probably already said, breaking open for a big run just doesn’t seem possible. Especially since they tuned the running game this year, at least that’s how it seems to me, where when you break a tackle with the truck stick for example, your player is NOT instantaneously back up to full speed as has been the case previously. This prevents you from breaking big gains which I sort of like but its obviously unrealistic to think that the longest run in football this year will be 18 yards.

Pass Defense - Not much to say here. It’s difficult to manually cover anything this year which goes back to that ridiculous pass camera that I hate with a passion. It doesn’t appear that my d-line is laying on the ground every play so that’s a bonus, unlike with NCAA. I don’t think the deep ball is going to be as much of a threat this year, not that it was a super threat last year, but it was a threat none the less. I have nothing to say on the topic of “rocket catching” and strafe catch and all that because I don’t do that and neither do my friends or the CPU. Let’s just hope its not an issue. Overall I felt the defense was adequate and satisfying as a whole.

Rush Defense – Like I said with the rush offense, it seems like the best runs were given up when I wasn’t expecting it. If I loaded the box, the offense had no chance. If I was concerned about the pass, and he ran the ball, it worked pretty well. I’m very happy that the d-line doesn’t instantaneously get into the backfield but I’m assuming that means goal line situations are going to be unstoppable if there’s no penetration. I haven’t tried much yet obviously but that’s my expectation. So some things are good and something’s are bad. I know it sounds like I’m contradicting myself but I can find no other way of explaining this nuances of the running game. It seems close to realistic, which with longer quarters and actual simulation style game play might be a good thing. Who’s to say with 7 min quarters and 25-30 rushes per team we wouldn’t have a very good game with accurate results? I think it’s possible.


Head Coach Impressions – I really do like this game so far. It really seems like its going to be very frustrating yet rewarding, and very difficult to start from scratch. I’m really interested in seeing how my players with a good coach perform compared to how my players with a bad coach perform. As an upstart new head coach, my players seem lost on the field sometimes. It’s extremely frustrating but my HC is a 14 overall, I guess I can’t expect much else. As long as my guy progresses a long and I see improvement I think it will be extremely satisfying and rewarding. I’d like to play a few games with a good HC to see how my players perform. My guess is things will be a lot more realistic. My QB will actually hit open receivers and my RB will hit the hole….. I hope. On another note, there is just so much to do. So many things going on, and it all feels very realistic and in-depth and I really like what I’ve played. I’d like to check out the online and see what it’s like matching wits against someone. The play creator isn’t as robust as I would have liked to see, and it’s kinda quirky. Example, I couldn’t get my TE to line up on the line of scrimmage. I mean he would be on the line of scrimmage, but he wouldn’t put his hand in the dirt like a real TE lined up next to the tackle would. So that was annoying. It was kind of cumbersome and annoying but I like the idea of being able to move my