Madden NFL 13

[Danimal]

Terry and I played a few online games last night. Game still shines when playing against a friend and I was up way too late which was reflected in the 89 I shot this morning.

[Wilk5280]

Adjusted my picture settings on my new HDTV and now it's smoothed out the jaggies and the picture looks very crisp. Played the 360 version at Best Buy and can't tell the difference between the two versions. Actually, I prefer the PS3 version as it doesn't look as cartoony.

Fair enough, but when I play them back-to-back on the same tv in my house there is a significant difference between the two. Tiger and Madden looked washed out in comparison to their 360 counterparts.

[DivotMaker]

Tiger and Madden looked washed out in comparison to their 360 counterparts.

Agree on Tiger...should have my copies of Madden Tuesday afternoon....

[MUTTS]

Shame on me. I was stuck at work waiting for lab results so to kill time I read the os forums. Big mistake. Reading about all of the ccm issues has me worried.

I only play offline as a solo player. My copy is unopened but I think it's going back. Seems like the ability to play a traditional franchise isn't there.

Hopefully you guys- whom I trust can help.

Is it possible to play a franchise where myself and my 2 boys each control a team? That might have some appeal as my kids are just starting to play.

Tony

[Sudz]

Connected careers sucks. Period.

I always create myself, my friends and my son and add us to a few teams. CCM does NOT allow custom rosters anymore hence killing major enjoyment for me. Really disappointed with the off-field stuff this year.

[Rodster]

Has EA ever listed the stats of those who use "Play Now" only? I really wish EA would bring back Season Mode but i'm probably just you know...

[JRod]

Shame on me. I was stuck at work waiting for lab results so to kill time I read the os forums. Big mistake. Reading about all of the ccm issues has me worried.

I only play offline as a solo player. My copy is unopened but I think it's going back. Seems like the ability to play a traditional franchise isn't there.

Hopefully you guys- whom I trust can help.

Is it possible to play a franchise where myself and my 2 boys each control a team? That might have some appeal as my kids are just starting to play.

Tony

CCM-offline is exactly a franchise mode. If you just select a coach, I don't see how it differs from franchise. Now all the options like adding another player, 32 controlled human teams, stuff like that may be stripped away. But I don't see any different between CCM offline and last year's franchise mode.

[dbdynsty25]

Now all the options like adding another player, 32 controlled human teams, stuff like that may be stripped away. But I don't see any different between CCM offline and last year's franchise mode.

Lol...you do know you just named what is different right? They took away all customization...

[JRod]

Now all the options like adding another player, 32 controlled human teams, stuff like that may be stripped away. But I don't see any different between CCM offline and last year's franchise mode.

Lol...you do know you just named what is different right? They took away all customization...

That's different from the mode changing. The mode is still the franchise mode. It's not you play 14 games and don't have free agency.

[MizzouRah]

Played my first game of the season in my online CC, AP defaults, 15 min quarters, 15 second time clock.

Lost to the Lions 16-13, both teams had 4 INT's and 6 sacks a piece. Bradford is out for 6 weeks with a broken collarbone. Jackson had 101 yards and overall, we shot ourselves in the foot many times over. Megatron had 1 catch as both team's offense were stagnant.

Up next is the Redskins.

[pk500]

Too bad people are succumbing to the dissection at the OS forums because Madden 13 plays the best, most enjoyable and most realistic game of console football on the field I've enjoyed in 25 years of this hobby.

Without question.

[XXXIV]

Just renewed my centuries old rivalry with Zeppo. Game seems to play a bit sluggish online. No big lag just slow all the way through.

Though not as sluggish as I was as he beat my ass by 21. RG3 is my Madden nightmare.

[Rodster]

Too bad people are succumbing to the dissection at the OS forums because Madden 13 plays the best, most enjoyable and most realistic game of console football on the field I've enjoyed in 25 years of this hobby.

Without question.

Time management for the CPU is still atrocious.

[XXXIV]

Too bad people are succumbing to the dissection at the OS forums because Madden 13 plays the best, most enjoyable and most realistic game of console football on the field I've enjoyed in 25 years of this hobby.

Without question.

Time management for the CPU is still atrocious.

Have never seen it that bad but the rest of the game has never been this good.

[Sudz]

Connected Careers a game killer? Will EA kill franchise in ALL OTHER games too?

NHL 13 is up next?

http://www.puckgamer.com/what-does-madd ... or-nhl-13/

[Inuyasha]

Connected careers sucks. Period.

I always create myself, my friends and my son and add us to a few teams. CCM does NOT allow custom rosters anymore hence killing major enjoyment for me. Really disappointed with the off-field stuff this year.

If that's what you're into, then CCM is probably not for you due to the limitations this year. I would suggest stick with Madden 12 since that is a solid game and you can pretty much do what you want in franchise. Some guys on OS figured out how to use Madden 13 official rosters in Madden 12 (and Madden's 11 and 10) so just download those and you'll be good.

I am doing my 'season' and ignoring all the CCM stuff and it's been enjoyable because I really like the gameplay engine this year. It's not perfect, but I think it's on the right track for 14. Sure I miss the same things like the ability to change my opponents uniform and controlling all 32 teams so I can keep my rosters close to real life, but I'll take the gameplay enhancements this year over those options.

[Leebo33]

Too bad people are succumbing to the dissection at the OS forums because Madden 13 plays the best, most enjoyable and most realistic game of console football on the field I've enjoyed in 25 years of this hobby.

Without question.

I totally agree. I am having a blast with Madden 13. I don't like Nantz/Simms as announcers in real life because they are excrutiatingly boring and blatantly biased towards the Patriots, but for some reason the addition seems to work in Madden to give each game an authentic feel (although hearing them in an all NFC matchup is a little strange). The crowd noise is also much better. These small additions along with the much more realistic animations, physics, and game play results have me hooked.

So far I've only been playing random "Play Now" games on All-Star as I tweak the sliders a bit. It's nice that I can play a game in less than an hour and never feel that things are dragging.

[Naples39]

I started an offline CCM as a RB and a low round pick. What does it take to get some PT?

I had 2 carries in the first game for 4 yards, and none since and the season is almost over. Admittedly I kinda sucked at first until I changed my running approach and bumped it down to Pro difficulty, but now I am tearing up practice. Anybody else try something similar?

[TCrouch]

You have to have enough XP to bypass whoever is above you. With Auto Sub and fatigue issues broken, you may never get a carry in a game right now. Sucks until they patch it.

[Brando70]

On field gameplay is the best it has ever been. Aside from the occasional AI boner, this game plays great. I started a career with the Chargers, and in my first game against the Raiders, they ran a play action play with a deep pass on their first play (incomplete), and the next play went downfield again for a 40-yard gain. They were very aggressive the whole game. Yet against the Titans in my second game, they played a more conservative, run-oriented game. The game still needs improvement, especially in the line play, but the interaction between tacklers, ball-carriers, receivers, and pass defenders has improved dramatically this year.

CCM is not as messed up as OS would have you believe, but there are some broken bits that are annoying. Right now, you can partly address the substitution issue by upping fatigue to 55-60. Players will fatigue faster and get subbed out. The problem is some positions like OL which usually don't see fatigue subs in real life will also sub. The lack of roster customization also blows ass. However, even goofed up CCM is more entertaining than the barren franchise of Madden's past. I want to get through an offseason and see how the CPU manages its teams, but so far I am more engaged with CCM than I ever was with regular franchise.

[HipE]

I'm really enjoying CCM, even with all of the bugs. I actually started off the regular season 0-2 with the Steelers, losing 28-21 at Denver and 28-14 at home to the Jets. I typically cruise through the regular season on all pro level, it has been great to actually have intense and challenging games this year. I also enjoy the level of customization the new XP system allows for. If you go into your schemes it shows the three most important traits for each position to have to fit your scheme on offense and defense. I've been putting the XP I've earned through practice and games into these areas for each player and I'm already seeing the overalls go up for my players only 4 games into the season. I also like being able to boost the abilities for my coach as well. I've almost saved up enough to buy my first upgrade, which will allow all of my cornerbacks to earn XP more quickly (biggest weakness on my team).

I've found another bug that I haven't seen mentioned here. The wind direction appears to be reversed from what it shows on the screen (at least in offline CCM). My kickoffs into an 18 mph wind were going out of the end zone in Denver, while when I had the wind at my back they didn't even make it into the end zone. The same thing happened in my week 3 game at Oakland, so it wasn't specific to that one game or stadium. This is easily compensated for as long as you are aware of it.

[Brando70]

I've found another bug that I haven't seen mentioned here. The wind direction appears to be reversed from what it shows on the screen (at least in offline CCM). My kickoffs into an 18 mph wind were going out of the end zone in Denver, while when I had the wind at my back they didn't even make it into the end zone. The same thing happened in my week 3 game at Oakland, so it wasn't specific to that one game or stadium. This is easily compensated for as long as you are aware of it.

I thought I was perhaps imagining this but I saw the same thing.

[TCrouch]

It's been like that for the past 2 years.

I noticed it last year and figured it would be gone, but this year it does the same thing. Plus, when you go to kick, if you pull the trigger to leave their "broadcast" cam or whatever, the wind meter changes there, too.

[10spro]

Since I started my CCM, I played all the practice games including pre-season games. Playing Steve Young yesterday where I won the SB against Ben's Steelers in a see-saw battle 24-17. Although it may not seem much at the time, the XP points does seem to eventually settle your player as you move along with the season. In the beginning of the year I remember saying to myself, why the heck I am playing a legend only to have him hold the ball for FG's tries? Once I acquired enough XP's, Young became the starter and although he had his ups and downs during the regular season, his game started to pick up in the wild card playoffs game and never looked back. With the SB win, I just got another 5000 XP to spend and start another season. Very enjoyable 1st year with the Niners, I do cringe and wish for the best when I see a RB being clothes lined while having his knew bent backwards in three pieces courtesy of the IE, but overall I am having a good time with this mode.

[kevinpars]

It just annoys me that I can't play the game the way I want to play the game - play out a season by playing a lot of different games with different teams. I get tired of playing as the same team all the time. I like to play as various teams in the context of the season rather than be stuck with one team. I find the term 'connected careers' to be anything but. I actually feel completely unconnected to the league - you have to dig through the interface to find out the scores from other games or to see the league standings. Not interested in micro managing the draft by learning about ficticious college players or play out preseason games that are almost as dreadful to play as they are to watch in real life. I don't want to play the sims football version, I just want to play out the season and if my team doesn't make the playoffs I would like the option to play the SB game.

And for about the 20th season in a row I hope against hope that EA will actually bring the penalty system into the 21st century. No block in the back penalty, and per usual you can turn the Pass interference penalty up to 100 and you are lucky to see it called once every three games. I am not sure I have ever seen an offensive pass interference call in all the years I have played Madden. Turn roughing the passer up to 55 and it gets called once a possession, but turning interference to 100 has no effect. I don't get it.

And special teams is a complete waste of time. Considering how many games in the real NFL come down to special teams play it is disappointing to know that the chance of a block or a muff or a shank is pretty much nil. In about 30 games i have yet to see a punt land inside the 15 that came to a stop in the field of play. The oblong shaped ball always miraculously finds its way into the end zone for a touchback.

And time management is still a big problem. One minute left in the game and down by a touchdown and the AI team is running draw plays? I have seen that happen at least 3 times.

But it's my bad - I knew what i was getting when I bought the game and yet I bought it anyway.