Madden 360: Still holding up?

AJColossal · Post by **AJColossal** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:19 pm

I was quick to get rid of my copy of Madden 360, as I just wasn't feeling the new gameplay engine. So I was surprised to see a lot of you singing it's praises after the first week of so of it's release.

So for those that still play it: how's Madden holding up? Still having fun with it? I have it backordered on Gamefly, and I just wanted to know if it's still delivering the goods.

seanmac31 · Post by **seanmac31** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:28 pm

Madden's great. I have had some lag problems with my online play, but aside from that, no complaints at all. I suspect you'll get the same response from most of the people who were singing its praises.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:58 pm

I'm loving it, offline and online.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 8:05 pm

I'll let you know. I just got my copy today!

...of course, I also got the box to return my 360

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 8:32 pm

Still the most played game on my 360.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 8:35 pm

I'm still loving it as well.

AJColossal · Post by **AJColossal** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 8:47 pm

Thnaks for the responses. Looking forward to my GameFly copy.

Sport73 · Post by **Sport73** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:15 pm

Perfect? No. Damn good fun and actually better at its core than the current gen? Yes.

Pretty. You betcha!

Da-da-da da-dah; I'm loving it!

bkrich83 · Post by **bkrich83** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 4:11 am

ScoopBrady wrote:I'm still loving it as well.

Same here.

packmanuk-4 · Post by **packmanuk-4** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 5:14 am

I've just got the game and really enjoying it. I just wondered what slider settings you guys were using to get the best results and what if any fixes there are to help the simmed stats ?

Diablo25 · Post by **Diablo25** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:46 am

It plays a pretty decent game of football but the camera situation just bugs the hell out of me. Frame rates need to be cleaned up. I can't wait to see next years' version.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:38 am

I got to play 2 1/2 games last night before I packed the 360 up for shipping. I'm assuming that the 1 to 3 second pauses in the game are due to my faulty 360 (I also had one game crash at halftime)? I guess my 360 problems are with the disk drive since the demo ran great.

I can't wait to get a chance to play again as I really enjoyed playing it last night. One thing I thought was funny is when the CPU QB got bumped by the man in motion he took the snap from the guard!

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:10 am

Having a blast with it!

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:37 am

Diablo25 wrote:It plays a pretty decent game of football but the camera situation just bugs the hell out of me. Frame rates need to be cleaned up. I can't wait to see next years' version.

Completely agree. If they only had some more playable camera options, I'd be singing its praises. That said, I just can't warrant the $60 purchase because of this issue. Drives me crazy as well!

Looking forward to Madden 2007.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:40 am

I really really like it, and this is coming from someone who normally doesn't care for football games. (Don't know if that's a plus or a minus, but there you have it.)

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:50 am

I felt like you guys for awhile, but the more I play it, the more I see wrong with it. I love the running game and all the animations, but the passing game is pretty bad at times.

For one thing, intentional or not, they brought back the animation where if a defender hits your qb before he releases the ball, it rolls on the ground and is a fumble. It doesn't matter how far into the release the qb is, if he gets hit, it's a fumble. I had three recoveries returned for touchdowns in one game because of this.

Also, if you watch closely, the DB play is very much like NFL 2K5 at times. I see DBs that have a play on the ball actually turn and run away at the last minute.

I do like the fact that the super dbs are gone, but I wonder if it was really for the better.

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the game, but it definitely looks like the most rushed title for the 360.

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 11:38 am

I'm still really enjoying the game, it is pretty much all I play. I think all madden/default sliders is as good of an untweaked skill level as there has ever been in a football game. I'm 6-2 in my current all madden Steelers franchise, and my stats have been great. The qb fumble problem that Badgun mentioned is really the only thing that is pissing me off at this point.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 11:40 am

HipE wrote: The qb fumble problem that Badgun mentioned is really the only thing that is pissing me off at this point.

Here too. Well, that and the fact that my D-line (Eagles) can't pressure the QB...but maybe that's just my personal lack of ability.

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 11:58 am

The biggest thing that helped me start getting sacks was switching to a safety before every play. I find that my CPU controlled teammates do a much better job of breaking blocks, so I let them handle getting to the QB. With Polamalu, I'm able to keep any receivers from getting deep past my coverage, which has really helped eliminate the big play by the CPU. I also do a much better job getting interceptions this way, I've already got 4 with Polamalu on the season. My team is leading the league in sacks right now, with my defensive line getting the majority of them, something that I almost never saw when I manually controlled a lineman or linebacker.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 11:59 am

Play calls and stunts really make a difference. After my first season of franchise, both of my DE's were Pro Bowlers, but not a truckload of unrealistic sacks. (Derrick Burgess had 12, Bobby Hamilton had 9 but a lot of stuffs in the backfield on counter runs). Sapp and Washington got added pressure. I think I had about 35 sacks from my DL through 16 games and 3 playoff appearances. The weird thing about the stunts is that the R stick is kind of "spun". When you do your DL shift with the LB, you then need to move the R Stick LEFT to pinch down, RIGHT to fan out, UP to go right, and DOWN to stunt left. It's whacky as hell but attacking the weak point of their line (again ratings matter) will provide a lot more pressure.

slyguy · Post by **slyguy** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 1:04 pm

Badgun wrote:I felt like you guys for awhile, but the more I play it, the more I see wrong with it. I love the running game and all the animations, but the passing game is pretty bad at times.

For one thing, intentional or not, they brought back the animation where if a defender hits your qb before he releases the ball, it rolls on the ground and is a fumble. It doesn't matter how far into the release the qb is, if he gets hit, it's a fumble. I had three recoveries returned for touchdowns in one game because of this.

Also, if you watch closely, the DB play is very much like NFL 2K5 at times. I see DBs that have a play on the ball actually turn and run away at the last minute.

I do like the fact that the super dbs are gone, but I wonder if it was really for the better.

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the game, but it definitely looks like the most rushed title for the 360.

I couldn't agree more with you. And the momentum with catching the ball is just too much.Don't get me wrong i like momentum but in the 360 verison there is just to much.Also the kick meter is just not right when doing extra points and field goals.But other wise with these problems i still having fun with the game

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 1:14 pm

One thing they should do is make trying field goals differently. The most important thing on these is the snap and the hold, none of which you control. I don't even think there is a snap or a holder rating.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 2:34 pm

I don't know what to think about thi game after playing about 6 games. Talk about a title that needed another 6-12 months of dev time. While I see lots of good things, there are many others that just make me scratch my head. I keep playing in hopes it will grow on me as it has others, and while i agree the gameplay has a solid base, it really seems it could go either way with an 07 version.

The Good
- Run game is fixed. I can't see how anyone who has played this can say Mario running is still in the game. I can run right into the back of my OL without hitting a button and my guy will get skinny if there is a hole, lower his shoulder and turn to push through or just stumble.

- Play Calling Interface is outstanding, I love it.

- Special Teams, hey I can return punts. Hey I saw a punt blocked, I have never seen a punt blocked in madden. Now if we could just get field goals.

- Animations, staggering how new animations can make a game. I've seen so many "Did you see that!" moments while playing. It is by far the thing that has caught my eye the most.

- Passing Game, love the fact that not every pass is online. Love that you can actually hit a long Post over the middle in coverage.

The Scratch my Head
- Graphics, yep I said it. I don't get what is so mind blowing except the cut scenes and when your QB is walking to the line. They are much better, but man when I am under center and look at the cast of 2001 playing LB on the other side of scrimmage it screams Sega Genesis.

- Animations, yeah I know I said it was good. What has me going WTF, is why with the number of new realistic animations, do I still have to see the 2 guys running into each other and falling down animation. Take the crap ones out of the game.

- Glitches for lack of a better word. The QB thing badgun describes is a glitch to me, a WR cathing a ball with one foot clearly out of bounds and being called a pass is a glitch. A QB being hit while handing off and fumbeling the ball backwards only to have the play stopped and the team given a 3 yard loss. MY RB going up over the top and losing the ball because it hit an OL. I see the base of a good realistic physic model here, that is just not tuned at all.

- Radio announcer, could have been a great feature if they got all the hoemtown radio guys. As it is, yawn.

- Camera Angles, WTF 1 angle and the fact that when you zoom out your in the coaches box and the only wy to get back down is to hike the ball.

- Passes, I have never seen so many floated passes in a game before. Why am I the only one seeing this?

- Franchise, BFD they changes the menu system.

Whew that is enough I guess since this is not an impressiosn thread. I am most impressed with the game play, but I could have been blown away and that is disappointing. I'm not as confident as everyone else that 07 will improve all the problems.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 2:41 pm

I love the new kickng. When I first saw it in a video, I was horrified. But now that I've used it, I love it. I retains the 'never the same kick' element of the old system, allowing all kinds of fade and draw or slice and hook, yet makes it really, really hard to shank one completely, something that was far too easy to do in the old system. I'm curious, slyguy, what about it is "just not right."

Some things in the game really do drive me nuts, the worst being the 'tuck rule' fumbles. Very frustrating. And the changes in player momentum initiated by a 'getting tackled' animation kicking in really bug me, especially in two particular situations: a swing pass on the edge, where the defender is between the QB and the reveiver, but is able to suck the receiver back towards the middle of the field to make the tackle; and with QBs getting sacked up the middle, where he is being magnetically pulled down and forward to meet the tackler instead of being knocked backwards. Also I hate it when I am trying to throw but the QB is doing some crazy dance in the pocket, especially on the play actions. I do wish there were a way to do the slight nod style of PA when you need to instead of the full-blown ball fake.

I kind of wish I could turn off the turbo button. I do a lot better, especially on defense, when I lay off the turbo button. Run plays work better, too. Also, the L-trigger should be renamed the 'tackle button' instead of the 'strafe button,' it's so useful for tackling. I'm really, really loving the tackling confrontations in the open field, especially since I learned how early to use the juke on offense! The Y-button is really the only button I need when I have the ball, though. The camera has never bothered me. I like the close-up view just for the visuals, but before the snap I always zoom back, and that view is actually farther out than any view I've ever been comfortable with in other games. It works great for me.

I never even knew you could use the R-stick for line audibles! What about the linebackers? That's one of the things missing I've missed the most. That and the mini camps. Well, I don't really want the same old, retread mini camps, but I'd love to see the mini camp idea continued.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 2:51 pm

Danimal wrote:The Scratch my Head
- Graphics, yep I said it. I don't get what is so mind blowing except the cut scenes and when your QB is walking to the line. They are much better, but man when I am under center and look at the cast of 2001 playing LB on the other side of scrimmage it screams Sega Genesis.

I couldn't disagree with this more. The graphics of this game continue to amaze me at every turn, whether close up, far away, in gamepley or replay. I'm looking at the crowd half the time during the QB walk-ups and whatnot, it really is pretty amazing. The big, wide stadium shots are impressive, but they cut out of them too quickly I think. And it's so nice to finally have replays online in Madden, even if they are only in the mini screen during play calling. But that's been a long time coming, and I'm glad they finally put that in.

I love how they have crowd-quality 3D players in the bench area, as well as the more detailed head coaches, who are just as detailed as the on-field player models. But hey! WHERE'S THE CHAIN GANG? Madden has ALWAYS had a chain gang. I can deal with no officials (in fact, it's a relief, as that back judge always looked like a safety to me, not to mention it was always half-assed anyway since there was so side judge or field judge, only 5 officials, not seven. . . ), but you HAVE to have a chain gang! I really miss them in the replays, since in the game you have the yellow line, but still.