Madden NFL 12

[lexbur]

Apparently the big wigs at EA (and judging from some of the posts in this thread, some of you Madden players here also) have underestimated the passion Cleveland Browns fans have.

[snaz16]

The EA Madden Cover contest has become a joke now.

if you had not heard, the FINALISTS for the Madden 12 Cover are :

Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick


First - who the hell is Peyton Hillis. Never heard of him. Maybe because he plays on the Browns.

Mike Vick - LOL, does EA really want to piss off half the population?

I hope some exec at EA comes out and says screw the contest, we're going with Aaron Rodgers. How can Rodgers not be the cover guy. Or at least someone who is a star player, unlike nobody Hillis and excon Vick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04QrRLdU ... re=related
The best running back you never heard of. Brady Quinn for Hillis? Thanks Denver

[MizzouRah]

It's all about marketing.. but seriously, Vick?

[Wilk5280]

The EA Madden Cover contest has become a joke now.

if you had not heard, the FINALISTS for the Madden 12 Cover are :

Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick


First - who the hell is Peyton Hillis. Never heard of him. Maybe because he plays on the Browns.

Mike Vick - LOL, does EA really want to piss off half the population?

I hope some exec at EA comes out and says screw the contest, we're going with Aaron Rodgers. How can Rodgers not be the cover guy. Or at least someone who is a star player, unlike nobody Hillis and excon Vick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04QrRLdU ... re=related
The best running back you never heard of. Brady Quinn for Hillis? Thanks Denver

For every great play he made in that video he has two fumbles lost.

Yeah, thanks McDaniels I do like me some Hillis

[Lancer]

Apparently the big wigs at EA (and judging from some of the posts in this thread, some of you Madden players here also) have underestimated the passion Cleveland Browns fans have.

Is it really that? Or is it ppl trying to make the cover a joke? I don't know, i'm just asking.

[lexbur]

Apparently the big wigs at EA (and judging from some of the posts in this thread, some of you Madden players here also) have underestimated the passion Cleveland Browns fans have.

Is it really that? Or is it ppl trying to make the cover a joke? I don't know, i'm just asking.

It's no joke, Browns fans are nuts. There's practically been a media blitz going on in Cleveland about this contest since it's started. They mention it all the time on the local news and in the paper, encouraging fans to vote. I'm not surprised at all Hillis is doing so well.

[snaz16]

The EA Madden Cover contest has become a joke now.

if you had not heard, the FINALISTS for the Madden 12 Cover are :

Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick


First - who the hell is Peyton Hillis. Never heard of him. Maybe because he plays on the Browns.

Mike Vick - LOL, does EA really want to piss off half the population?

I hope some exec at EA comes out and says screw the contest, we're going with Aaron Rodgers. How can Rodgers not be the cover guy. Or at least someone who is a star player, unlike nobody Hillis and excon Vick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04QrRLdU ... re=related
The best running back you never heard of. Brady Quinn for Hillis? Thanks Denver

For every great play he made in that video he has two fumbles lost.

Yeah, thanks McDaniels I do like me some Hillis

Yeah,he will cough the up the football on occasion.

[Lancer]

And the winner is.............................

Turn on ESPN 2 right now and they'll annoucer the winner around 458pm ET - hillis and vick are on the show right now. The suspense! it's like crowning Miss America!

[Lancer]

new video of 12, wow it sort of looks like backbreaker!!!! lol - I like the player models in this vid :

[Lancer]

IT'S HILLIS! LOL. What a joke!

[Danimal]

IT'S HILLIS! LOL. What a joke!

Might I ask why that is a joke?

He may not be a house hold name as of yet but he had a great year last year and is a good football player.

[Lancer]

Well I am thinking about this from a marketing standpoint rather than fan. I'm sure these two were the last guys who they wanted on the cover. If they had their wish, I'm sure it would be a higher profile player like Rodgers. But EA decided to go w/ the people's vote concept and this is what they got.

[Danimal]

Oh got ya, my bad.

Personally I like Hillis but only because he was a beast in our Online franchise

Tomorrow the Gameplay and Presentation Blog drops with videos. Based on how they are doing things with the new GM I would expect basically the same game play improvements NCAA is getting. Interested to see what the presentation improvements are.

[ScoopBrady]

Well I am thinking about this from a marketing standpoint rather than fan. I'm sure these two were the last guys who they wanted on the cover. If they had their wish, I'm sure it would be a higher profile player like Rodgers. But EA decided to go w/ the people's vote concept and this is what they got.

Are you kidding? I'm sure they would have loved to put Vick on the cover. People have already moved on and worship him again.

As far as Hillis is concerned, sure he's no superstar, but if you follow football at all and don't know who he is then you don't really follow football. (not you personally I'm speaking in general)

Glad to see Hillis get the win and love that he knocked off Rodgers and Vick to get it.

[Danimal]

Also from a marketing standpoint this is pure win for EA. They had people talking about their game daily since the middle of march. This thing has been on ESPN, Twitter, Facebook, News and Radio shows. Hell driving home I heard them talking about him winning the cover. They had over 13 million votes or something like that. To think it matters who won and they are upset from a marketing standpoint is a little absurd.

[Danimal]

http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/major ... l-upgrades

Blog #1

My bad more then one I guess

http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/first-look-gameplay

http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/first ... esentation

http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/collision-madden

http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/hills ... ss-release

[Danimal]

For those too lazy to read all of these

Playbooks & Gameplay

• All-New Collision System: Now maintain full control of players up to the point of impact – from tackling to blocking – providing the most authentic collisions in franchise history. This new system uses a player’s momentum and over 100 new tackle animations, including 40 gang tackles, to provide more impactful hits, stolen tackles, and consecutive hit tackling.

• Advanced Defensive AI: Over 100 defensive A.I. enhancements resulting in the smartest Madden defense ever. Players in zone and man coverage will properly recognize and react to plays, including the ability to break out of assignments when appropriate, resulting in a defensive team that truly works together.

• Custom Playbooks: The #1 most requested feature by fans in recent years, allows you to build the ultimate game plan by modifying an existing playbook or creating your own by selecting up to 400 offensive or defensive plays from 75 different playbooks. Integrate your custom playbook into a game plan for use with the improved GameFlow system, which executes an authentic, situational game plan for you.

Presentation
• Broadcast Redefined: Experience NFL Sundays like never before with completely overhauled presentation, including 32 team-specific run outs featuring mascots and cheerleaders, over 500 dynamic broadcast cameras authentic to every NFL stadium, innovative “real” on-field cameras shot by expert NFL Films cameramen, and a network inspired new broadcast graphics package.

• Unprecedented On-Field Authenticity: Hundreds of visual improvements across all areas of the game including: new player equipment, helmet stickers, pylon and ball physics, a player degradation system that affects uniforms and helmets based on weather and field surface, 3D grass, and new player specific animations that showcase the personalities of each NFL player.

Franchise and Superstar Modes
• Franchise mode includes more than 100 new features and enhancements, including expanded rosters, an all-new rookie scouting system, a free-agent bidding system, and more.

• In Superstar mode, fans can now control the growth of their superstar with an all-new progression system that allows you to earn skill points by participating in practice and games. More details on Franchise and Superstar modes will be released on May 16.

Dynamic Player Performance
• Dynamic Player Performance is an all-new feature that creates unprecedented realism as a player’s skills and confidence will rise and fall based on his performance throughout a game or in Franchise mode, just like the real NFL. No two players will play the same in Madden NFL 12, and more details will be revealed at the E3 Expo on June 6.

Madden NFL Ultimate Team
• The perfect combination of Madden NFL Football, fantasy football, and trading cards comes to life in Madden NFL Ultimate Team. More information on how to earn, buy, auction, and trade players will be released on June 20.

Online Communities
• Online Communities will provide an all-new way for Madden NFL gamers to meet and play. More details will be released on July 25.

[GTHobbes]

I like the sounds of the improved camera stuff, and hope it means there will be a lot more available gameplay camera angles. Maybe all the years of complaining has finally paid off -- hopefully they've also heard the complaints about needing to add in-game saves.

[Danimal]

This is a good read.

http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/videoga ... =fullstory

I'm very pleased to see the ability to play press or off coverage on individual receivers has returned as well as shading them inside or out.

[Danimal]

Presentation Video
http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/videos/c9a ... 65140aRCRD

Game play Trailer
http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/videos/mad ... 2-gameplay

[matthewk]

• Advanced Defensive AI: Over 100 defensive A.I. enhancements resulting in the smartest Madden defense ever. Players in zone and man coverage will properly recognize and react to plays, including the ability to break out of assignments when appropriate, resulting in a defensive team that truly works together.

Translation: Psychic defenders that will react to the pass even though they are facing away from the ball.

• Custom Playbooks: The #1 most requested feature by fans in recent years, allows you to build the ultimate game plan by modifying an existing playbook or creating your own by selecting up to 400 offensive or defensive plays from 75 different playbooks. Integrate your custom playbook into a game plan for use with the improved GameFlow system, which executes an authentic, situational game plan for you.

Translation: We're running out of new ideas, so we're finally putting past features back in.

• Broadcast Redefined: Experience NFL Sundays like never before with completely overhauled presentation, including 32 team-specific run outs featuring mascots and cheerleaders, over 500 dynamic broadcast cameras authentic to every NFL stadium, innovative “real” on-field cameras shot by expert NFL Films cameramen, and a network inspired new broadcast graphics package.

Translation: We say this every year, and we're hoping you'll bite one more time.

Sorry for sounding negative, but all this reads like the same stuff I've heard from them every year.

[Danimal]

Translation: We say this every year, and we're hoping you'll bite one more time.

Sorry for sounding negative, but all this reads like the same stuff I've heard from them every year.

It's fine to be negative but IMO you're just being lazy. If you bother to go read or look at any of the videos you could make an informed judgement.

According to the articles Madden put in 700 cameras, unique to the stadiums so cuts, wipes and replays would emulate a real broadcast. They worked with CBS and NFL Films for various elements of the presentation so it would feel like an actual TV broadcast. Will it work? I have no idea but to say it is the same old thing is really off base IMO.

Either way you did me a favor. You reminded me why it is pointless to post here anymore about sports games. There are too many people here who want to do nothing but engage in arguments, insult others or argue about politics etc.

I won't bother posting any more Madden information you guys win.

[greggsand]

I loved Madden last year. I found the Online League stuff to be really great having never tried it before. Looking forward to 12.

[matthewk]

I don't need a video to know that custom playbooks is a new feature that used to be old feature. It's also hard to judge something like "improved defensive AI" based on promotional videos.

Like I said, the thing reads well, but we've been through this how many times now? Remember Liquidmotion?

Not sure how my observations were worth having such a tantrum over. Maybe we should just forbid any negative talk about the game.

[RobVarak]

Apparently the big wigs at EA (and judging from some of the posts in this thread, some of you Madden players here also) have underestimated the passion Cleveland Browns fans have.

Not to mention the passion that white folks have.