Madden 08 Hands On

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:43 pm

Pursuit just isn't there after an int. Especially by the skills players but even the OL are slower to cut off the sideline.

You have to switch and aggressively try to cut the ball carrier off.

I've also seen a few instances of the intercepter breaking tackles even spinning through several players once.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:03 pm

I haven't played this year's Madden yet, but do chasing defenders still line up single file style as they chase the break away ball carrier down the field? This has been a staple of Madden since its first year of release, and it has always bugged me to no end to see it year after year. 2k football isn't perfect by any stretch, but in their game, it always seems like the chasing defenders are coming from more realistic pursuit angles from all over the field. Maybe that's just my rose colored glasses speaking though.

Leadfoot5 · Post by **Leadfoot5** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:31 pm

Pretty much. Watch any of the many videos from NCAA08 on this and other forums and watch the defenders line up and all take the exact same angle. It's the same in Madden08.

Not sure how a development team would address this though... Do you program it so a certain percentage of players take different pursuit angles, or what the math behind the scenes deems to be the best?

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:32 pm

GTHobbes wrote:I haven't played this year's Madden yet, but do chasing defenders still line up single file style as they chase the break away ball carrier down the field? This has been a staple of Madden since its first year of release, and it has always bugged me to no end to see it year after year. 2k football isn't perfect by any stretch, but in their game, it always seems like the chasing defenders are coming from more realistic pursuit angles from all over the field. Maybe that's just my rose colored glasses speaking though.

There's no swarm effect in Madden, as you know. It's the same where if there's three guys chasing you, they take turns trying to take you down. There's no swarm of the defense in Madden and that creates a few one miss tackle and your home free. You certainly never feel like a Bears or Pats defense is all over you all game long.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:01 pm

Leadfoot5 wrote:Pretty much. Watch any of the many videos from NCAA08 on this and other forums and watch the defenders line up and all take the exact same angle. It's the same in Madden08.

Not sure how a development team would address this though... Do you program it so a certain percentage of players take different pursuit angles, or what the math behind the scenes deems to be the best?

You program it so the best players take the best angles. You also have a swarm effect. Problem in madden and ncaa is how players attack the ball. They tend to attack straight on and do not strafe or take away angles from the ball carriers.

Things in madden will not change. This is the same game I played on the PS2 before the Xbox. Things have been tweaked but when you see the leap froggin LBs in 5 versions. The same plays in all the versions. Bascially unchanged problems, they aren't going to work on pursuit angles. Instead we'll have a jock strap feature next year while we have to slider our way out of WRs going back to double team catches.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:28 am

JRod wrote:
Things in madden will not change. This is the same game I played on the PS2 before the Xbox.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:48 am

I don't have as much trouble fumbling the ball as much as getting interceptions. It's part fo the game allright, but what's annoying perhaps is when the CPU returns it for a TD 80% of the time. I have more games now played on the PSP because I am away and it plays a fine game without the super DB's and fumbling/interceptions most of us are experiencing on the 360.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:06 am

10spro wrote:I don't have as much trouble fumbling the ball as much as getting interceptions. It's part fo the game allright, but what's annoying perhaps is when the CPU returns it for a TD 80% of the time. I have more games now played on the PSP because I am away and it plays a fine game without the super DB's and fumbling/interceptions most of us are experiencing on the 360.

The INT's kill the fun. Superstar mode is busted (see my earlier comments).
I'm glad I only rented it. Perhaps I'll rent it again if some sorta patch comes out but not holding my breath.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:23 am

Inuyasha wrote:
JRod wrote:
Things in madden will not change. This is the same game I played on the PS2 before the Xbox.

All I'm saying is I'm seeing the same crap that I've seen in the PS2 versions. There's more old madden in the game than new madden.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:12 am

I'm glad I have the old Madden. The turnovers don't seem out of hand. There was a game or two where I saw a few fumbles, but nothing way out of line and not consistently high.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:32 am

Madden on the PC plays great.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:41 am

Rodster wrote:Madden on the PC plays great.

Yes, sir. Had a great game as the Chargers playing against the Steelers last night. Pulled away gradually in the second half after a tight, tense first half to win 27-14.

Take care,
PK

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:56 am

Does Tiburon make the pc version as well? Or is it a different EA team that makes the pc game?

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:17 am

My first few games I didn't use the RB to cover the ball at all and had just one fumble in 4 games on All Pro. After reading about all the fumble problems everyone else was having I started running a lot more tentatively and not using the special moves, etc. and also hitting the RB when in traffic. Over my next 4 games I must've fumbled at least 10 times. I decided to stop using the RB altogether last night and was truck sticking all over the place in 2 games without any fumbles, but I did throw 5 picks.

I don't mind the high number of INT's b/c for the most part I feel like they're my fault. Once I get better at the passing game and the precision passing feature, I'm sure I can get better at putting the ball in spots where only the receiver will have a shot at catching it. But I think there is definitely some kind of screwed up logic with the fumbles.

Despite all that I am having a lot of fun with the game. It definitely feels more responsive than 07, the atmosphere seems more lively, and there are so many new animations that I would finally put Madden in the same ballpark with 2K5 in that category.

jondiehl · Post by **jondiehl** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:35 am

matthewk wrote:I'm glad I have the old Madden. The turnovers don't seem out of hand. There was a game or two where I saw a few fumbles, but nothing way out of line and not consistently high.

Same here. I got it last night and couldn't be happier. Of course, alot of the AI issues, sliders, playcalling by the CPU, etc are never seen by a gamer like me, as I rarely get a game for offline play. I just get bored to quickly. I plan to play Madden online 99% of the time. The only reason for me to play offline is to accumulate the achievements, and in Madden's case that can be done in one evening... no different this year, then it's online only from that point.

I had some phenomenal games online last night. Pro or All-Pro, ranked vs unranked, didn't make a difference. Each one was well played, turnovers were under control (only really bad passes were picked, and I only saw two fumbles online in a handful of games), and we even had penalties being called and challenges being upheld and reversed.

So far, so good, IMO (which is strictly coming from a multiplayer perspective).

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:18 pm

pk500 wrote:
Rodster wrote:Madden on the PC plays great.
Yes, sir. Had a great game as the Chargers playing against the Steelers last night. Pulled away gradually in the second half after a tight, tense first half to win 27-14.

Take care,
PK

What settings are you using PK? Did you change any sliders?

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:19 pm

GTHobbes wrote:Does Tiburon make the pc version as well? Or is it a different EA team that makes the pc game?

I believe they make the PC version as well.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:37 pm

Rodster wrote:
pk500 wrote:
Rodster wrote:Madden on the PC plays great.
Yes, sir. Had a great game as the Chargers playing against the Steelers last night. Pulled away gradually in the second half after a tight, tense first half to win 27-14.

Take care,
PK
What settings are you using PK? Did you change any sliders?

Pro, just penalty sliders changes and accelerated clock, 12 minutes. I think I'll step up to All-Pro soon.

Take care,
PK

Leadfoot5 · Post by **Leadfoot5** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:04 pm

Even with the flaws, I'm finding 08 to be fun on the 360. For the first time ever, I'm even having a good time playing the game on-line. I'm only 1-2 so far, but each game (against randoms) has been fun. No cheesy play and each game has been close.

Last night my Chargers got beat by the Patriots (14-17) on a 4th and 10, 30 yard pass to the end-zone to Moss with less than a minute to go. I had shut down Moss for the entire game, but his "hands" finally came through in the clutch. There were 2 picks and 1 fumble but nothing that seemed "wrong." As many others have said, the pace of the game is nice and quick, and games don't drag on like they did in previous iterations.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:13 pm

How did the Madden turnover bug get into the Bears-Colts game yesterday?

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:36 pm

Brando70 wrote:How did the Madden turnover bug get into the Bears-Colts game yesterday?

LOL or the Jets/Vikings game which I believe featured 3 defensive TDs for the Vikings.

I think I've fumbled more with the coverup button because I have a tendency to be too conservative and I get leveled by the CPU. I just started to play smarter, which includes more fair catches and sneaking out of bounds when possible and the reward doesn't outweigh the risk. What's amazing is that my cautiousness has also results in less CPU fumbles!

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:42 pm

Brando70 wrote:How did the Madden turnover bug get into the Bears-Colts game yesterday?

An EA patch would've fixed that.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:52 pm

Rodster wrote:
Brando70 wrote:How did the Madden turnover bug get into the Bears-Colts game yesterday?
An EA patch would've fixed that.

Hopefully it won't be in there next season. Completely ruins the NFL for me.

snaz16 · Post by **snaz16** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:52 pm

pk500 wrote:
Rodster wrote:
pk500 wrote: Yes, sir. Had a great game as the Chargers playing against the Steelers last night. Pulled away gradually in the second half after a tight, tense first half to win 27-14.

Take care,
PK
What settings are you using PK? Did you change any sliders?
Pro, just penalty sliders changes and accelerated clock, 12 minutes. I think I'll step up to All-Pro soon.

Take care,
PK

Are you getting the right amount of plays at 12 minutes ?

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:12 pm

Brando70 wrote:
Rodster wrote:
Brando70 wrote:How did the Madden turnover bug get into the Bears-Colts game yesterday?
An EA patch would've fixed that.
Hopefully it won't be in there next season. Completely ruins the NFL for me.

Maybe Grossman designed the turnover aspect of the game using himself as the model.