Madden 07 (Xbox 360) Thread

[JRod]

BK -- good point on the Superstar mode. I think that's going to be my mode of choice.

[Brando70]

Thanks for the impressions, bk. It sounds like if you like NCAA 360, Madden will likely float your boat. With the announcement that they will patch the fatigue thing, I've gone back to being eager to get the game.

I have a couple more questions. First, do the Bears have the right shoelaces?

I keed, I keed.

Seriously, though, does the impact stick really vary the moves of different RBs? I thought that's what they said in the run to daylight video. And if so, is it hard to remember what the stick directions will trigger among the different backs?

[bkrich83]

Thanks for the impressions, bk. It sounds like if you like NCAA 360, Madden will likely float your boat. With the announcement that they will patch the fatigue thing, I've gone back to being eager to get the game.

I have a couple more questions. First, do the Bears have the right shoelaces?

I keed, I keed.

Seriously, though, does the impact stick really vary the moves of different RBs? I thought that's what they said in the run to daylight video. And if so, is it hard to remember what the stick directions will trigger among the different backs?

Bears shoelaces aren't right. Gamekiller!!!


Yes if you liked NCAA, then I would think you would like this game. It's NCAA, just a little smoother playiing imo, and a little more polished, if that makes sense.

Yes the impact stick does appear to really vary the moves between the RB's. But the biggest thing I can see with the RB's, is without the stick, the bigger backs seem to drag more defenders, fall forward more etc. Stick controls are easy and very similiar to NCAA.

Again, this is all based on super limited playing time, so take with a grain of salt.

Jrod, again still real early, but I really have had fun with the SuperStar mode.

[Leebo33]

I'm also very interested in the Superstar mode. Are you a receiver, Brian?

[Danimal]

Exactly marino. I'm waiting for bkrich's impressions. We felt the same about Madden 360 last year so I'll trust his opinions. TCrouch's too. I don't know if Terry got the game yet but I think bkrich did.

"Yes, lets find a couple of people who thought NCAA 07 was the cat's pajamas, they're sure to be objective."

Just like you're being objective with your snide and obvious negative tone towards NCAA and Madden on the 360. Give me a break. Can't wait for your unbiased impressions.

His unbiased views are pretty much the running joke around here, just ignore him.

[bkrich83]

I'm also very interested in the Superstar mode. Are you a receiver, Brian?

Funny thing. I have made a few guys as I am just playing around with it. I've had the most fun playing as a WR. I've had the most fun doing that, I guess it's because from as long as I can remember I always wanted to be a WR (Wes Chandler was my boyhood idol), and it's pretty fun.

I also made a DE, TE, FB and all are very unique and different. Each position takes some getting used to in my experience. When you first start playing, you sort of feel overhwhelemed as if the game is moving to fast.

It's pretty cool. You set up your player, get his parents (gene pool etc.)

Sign your agent, do a couple of interviews. Teams will then have you in for personal workouts, in which you run the 40, Bench Press, and then do a position specific drill. Then you do the "Wonderlic" test. NFL Combine, then it's off to the draft.

From there it's Training camp, and pre-season games. And that's basically as far as I have gotten so far.

Seems to be more variability in agents you can sign this year also. But that maybe in my head.

[bkrich83]

"Yes, lets find a couple of people who thought NCAA 07 was the cat's pajamas, they're sure to be objective."

Just like you're being objective with your snide and obvious negative tone towards NCAA and Madden on the 360. Give me a break. Can't wait for your unbiased impressions.

His unbiased views are pretty much the running joke around here, just ignore him.

I almost think it's on purpose. Like some sort of sociology experiment.

[bkrich83]

One guy in another forum, a 2K fan, said that using the highlight stick, he was able to rack up 200 yards rushing a game, sometimes just in the first half. We'll see.

I have not found that to be the case. I could just suck though.

[bkrich83]

One other thing, as hard as it is to believe, this came with Madden's worst manual ever. It's so thin, it's more pamphelet than manual.

I really with they would explain some of the nuances of SS mode for example. There are some things happening there, that I am not sure how they affect my player or the game.

[Brando70]

I almost think it's on purpose. Like some sort of sociology experiment.

I saw his article in The American Journal of Sociology last month. Didn't get a chance to read the whole thing, just the title and abstract.

TITLE
"Burning the Cat's Pajamas: The Responses of Collective Consciousness to Targeted Anonymous Inflammatory Rhetoric Designed to Demean the Opinions of Others"

ABSTRACT
NCAA 07 for the 360 s0x0rs!

[bkrich83]

I almost think it's on purpose. Like some sort of sociology experiment.

I saw his article in The American Journal of Sociology last month. Didn't get a chance to read the whole thing, just the title and abstract.

TITLE
"Burning the Cat's Pajamas: The Responses of Collective Consciousness to Targeted Anonymous Inflammatory Rhetoric Designed to Demean the Opinions of Others"

ABSTRACT
NCAA 07 for the 360 s0x0rs!

LMAO!!!.

That is an all-time classic.

[Bill_Abner]

I won't have the PC version until Monday, but for those that have the 360 edition, a few questions pertaining to the similarties to NCAA (360)

--Does the CPU ever miss a FG?
--Are the Super High Flying Wallenda DBs in the 360 version?
--Sliders: If anyone has messed with them, can you tell a difference, particularly QB Acc. If you lower that slider, does it basically just impact arm strength? i.e. can you still throw it 50 yards in the air with a low QB Acc slider setting? (You can't in NCAA 360)

--How are the DBs playing? I guess what I mean is that on the 360 version of NCAA I see a lot of deer in the headlights defensive backs that basically stand there and do nothing even as the ball sails over their head. Some of therm also have a tendancy to run into a zone and cover...no one, especially on crossing routes.

This, I would think, would be a very tough thing to program because on the one hand you want good DBs to play better than bad ones, but you also don't want the bad ones to look like zombies in a uniform, which happens in NCAA a bit too often imo.

I agree about the corner routes; that's nothing new to arcade football. That route has plagued both Madden and the old 2K games for years, which might have been one of the reasons for the invention of the Flying Wallendas in the first place.

What's this "shotgun" thing you guys are talking about...

[ScoopBrady]

Yeah I am going to believe two posters with post counts under fifty, who are posting now.Naah.I will wait for more credible sources.

Exactly marino. I'm waiting for bkrich's impressions. We felt the same about Madden 360 last year so I'll trust his opinions. TCrouch's too. I don't know if Terry got the game yet but I think bkrich did.

Yes, lets find a couple of people who thought NCAA 07 was the cat's pajamas, they're sure to be objective.

You do realize that anytime someone posts something negative about Madden or NCAA over at OS they are met with snide comments from both the posters and mods that their opinion carries no weight.

There was even a thread called "Madden 07 - Positive Comments Only" and yet when a guy made a similar thread called "Madden 07 - Negative Comments Only" it was promptly locked.

Just because a guy doesn't have a red or green name or 20,000 posts doesn't mean he's not reliable.

And for the record, my Gamestop manager, who I trust very much absolutely loved NCAA 07 on the 360 told me today that he, too was underwhelmed by Madden. He said that Superstar Mode was the best part of the game. He said the shotgun blast was very annoying. This guy has been telling me for a month that I was wrong about NCAA and how good Madden was going to be and now he's really let down after spending a few hours with the game last night. I'm not looking for someone to tell me what I want to hear...I'm looking for someone who is interested in being honest about a game that's important to a lot of us.

Did you notice how I said that we felt the same way about Madden 06 for the 360? I didn't say anything about NCAA 07 for the 360 so I don't know why you brought it up. You see, everybody has different opinions and a lot of forum posters have agendas. When a forum poster has very little posts any agenda he/she might have is hidden. I've known bkrich and TCrouch for years and know that they have no agenda. Why shouldn't I wait for their impressions if they felt the same way about Madden 06 on the 360 that I did? Should I wait for your impressions of the game knowing how much you dislike the 360 version of NCAA and how much I like the 360 version of NCAA?

[bkrich83]

I won't have the PC version until Monday, but for those that have the 360 edition, a few questions pertaining to the similarties to NCAA (360)

--Does the CPU ever miss a FG?
--Are the Super High Flying Wallenda DBs in the 360 version?
--Sliders: If anyone has messed with them, can you tell a difference, particularly QB Acc. If you lower that slider, does it basically just impact arm strength? i.e. can you still throw it 50 yards in the air with a low QB Acc slider setting? (You can't in NCAA 360)

--How are the DBs playing? I guess what I mean is that on the 360 version of NCAA I see a lot of deer in the headlights defensive backs that basically stand there and do nothing even as the ball sails over their head. Some of therm also have a tendancy to run into a zone and cover...no one, especially on crossing routes.

This, I would think, would be a very tough thing to program because on the one hand you want good DBs to play better than bad ones, but you also don't want the bad ones to look like zombies in a uniform, which happens in NCAA a bit too often imo.

I agree about the corner routes; that's nothing new to arcade football. That route has plagued both Madden and the old 2K games for years, which might have been one of the reasons for the invention of the Flying Wallendas in the first place.

What's this "shotgun" thing you guys are talking about...

Remember bill, playing time still limted.

Last night in my SS mode game, Nate Kaeding misssed a 40 yd field goal wide right.

DB play, don't know about high flying, explain?

DB play seems to be smarter. With the possible exception of the corner routes. I haven't seen any flat footed safeties if that's what you mean.

I have yet to hear the shotgun sound. However, I haven't reall paid attention to it, and had the sound down pretty low last night as the wife was asleep.

[ScoopBrady]

Yeah I am going to believe two posters with post counts under fifty, who are posting now.Naah.I will wait for more credible sources.

What?????? So the number of posts on a message board increases someone's credibility? I don't see the logic. If they had posted something you agreeded with, would they then be more credible?

In most cases I don't trust anything from a brand new poster that is too negative or too positive. And I trust them even less if their first post is in an impressions thread. Too many agendas out there. Someone like you who posts in general threads and looks for help from the community or offers help to the community is more likely a credible source.

[bkrich83]

Did just have a cool play in my SS mode. I am a WR that got drafted by the Pack.

Playing Atlanta in the preseason, Ahman Green took a handoff and cut back and then got outside, I laid a blindside block on the pursuing safety that spung him for a 60 yard td run. I must have watched the replay about 15 times. Totally satisfying play that I didn't even touch the ball on.

[ScoopBrady]

Thanks for the impressions bk. I'm looking forward to picking it up Monday night. Hopefully they addressed and fixed Soldier Field but I'm guessing they didn't. Oh well, that's only aesthetic. Keep the impressions coming.

[bkrich83]

Also two things about manual replays.

When you use the manual replay, it plays the NFL films music. I think that's pretty cool.

Disappointed no NCAA style screenshots in replay.

[bkrich83]

Thanks for the impressions bk. I'm looking forward to picking it up Monday night. Hopefully they addressed and fixed Soldier Field but I'm guessing they didn't. Oh well, that's only aesthetic. Keep the impressions coming.

Scoop you and I both like the same types of games generally. I have had a lot of fun with this game so far. As I keep saying though, still early.

Also in SS mode, at first I was a little underwhelmed with it. But after I figured out what I was doing, and what was what, I have really started to enjoy it.

[bkrich83]

Sorry to flood the forum.

One more thing, I got this from Sdrotar at OS. Before playing SS mode, go in to mini-camp mode, and play with the 40 yard dash, and bench press games, there is a definite learning curve there.

[bkrich83]

Bill another SS game, Falcons kicker, (Jay Feely?), just missed a 45 yard field goal wide.

[Millennium]

Playing a CB in SS mode is the single most fun experience I have ever had with a football game.

That is a big statement for less than 4 hours of gameplay, I know. But this is what I have been hoping for in a football game since Career Mode in MLB 06. Taking control of one player on the field, not calling plays, not controlling anyone else. The camera is a HUGE innovation in terms of being able to switch to tracking the ball or watching your man at any point.

As far as gameplay, I think it has been mentioned many times, but a "more polished NCAA" is right on. To answer Abner - it looks as if the DB Jump animation is there, but they have taken the air off of it. They can still tip passes, but I haven't seen any DB yet go into 'fast forward high jump mode'. I haven't been searching it out, either, but it's something that I would notice had I seen it as it is a bit of an annoyance to me in NCAA.

Running game is silky smooth. If you don't use turbo and are patient, you can actually see holes develop. It's nice to watch.

I have seen some framerate issues, not huge ones at all, and only when playing in heavy rain and/or snow. Again, nothing major, but it is there.

I can definitely see me playing Superstar mode for multiple seasons and running an NCAA dynasty this year, which is something I haven't done in forever.

[bkrich83]

Playing a CB in SS mode is the single most fun experience I have ever had with a football game.

That is a big statement for less than 4 hours of gameplay, I know. But this is what I have been hoping for in a football game since Career Mode in MLB 06. Taking control of one player on the field, not calling plays, not controlling anyone else. The camera is a HUGE innovation in terms of being able to switch to tracking the ball or watching your man at any point.

As far as gameplay, I think it has been mentioned many times, but a "more polished NCAA" is right on. To answer Abner - it looks as if the DB Jump animation is there, but they have taken the air off of it. They can still tip passes, but I haven't seen any DB yet go into 'fast forward high jump mode'. I haven't been searching it out, either, but it's something that I would notice had I seen it as it is a bit of an annoyance to me in NCAA.

Running game is silky smooth. If you don't use turbo and are patient, you can actually see holes develop. It's nice to watch.

I have seen some framerate issues, not huge ones at all, and only when playing in heavy rain and/or snow. Again, nothing major, but it is there.

I can definitely see me playing Superstar mode for multiple seasons and running an NCAA dynasty this year, which is something I haven't done in forever.

I got put in to cover kickoffs, that was actually pretty fun also. I just run down the field and try to put a big hit on somebody.

I have to agree on SS mode, up to this point, this is the type of career mode I have been looking for in any sports game.

[bkrich83]

BTW, just played a game in Lambeau in SS mode in the rain. I have to say as far as field conditions, degradation and uniform and players getting dirty and all that cosmetic stuff, it's truly gorgeous. For those graphics whores like myself.

I just heard the shotgun blast for the first time. Who's bright idea was that?

Through 2 SS games, haven't seen the CPU challenge a call yet, although I haven't really seen any that needed challenging.

[Bill_Abner]

Very good to hear about the FGs.

The high flying DBs -- instead of a QB missing his target, most incompletions are due to leaping defensive backs that swat the ball away with one high flying magical leap. This is all over ther 360 version of NCAA and has been in Madden in the past. This is not in the Xbox version of NCAA, though, so I was curious if that made its way into Madden. When you see an incompletion, is it due to a great one-handed swatting of the ball? A bad throw? A drop?

This is just a pet peeve of mine, like walks in a baseball game. I just hate seeing every DB making All Pro level plays every single game because, to me at least, it brings ratings into question as to what they actually are doing in game terms.