Madden 25?

[10spro]

I far as presentation...well...ugh. These are the most hydrated players of all time (or least because no water comes out of the bottle), Simms makes me wish my tunnitis was worse, and I roll my eyes all 20 times a game I see the cut scene with the coach bending over slightly at the waist and yelling through his hands.

Not to mention how pathetic most of them look, hunched back with a beer belly. Pete Carroll just makes the rest look like monsters and he's just average. Mike Tomlin is another guy that looks decent for a change.

I have my slider threshold at 40 and went back to normal speed as the slow setting may give you a more realistic experience but I didn't like the stuttering. The infinity engine needs more work as some tackles simply appear as an exaggerated overload of guys pinballing into a pileup. The pass rush is not consistent as sacks don't happen as a result of your pressure but rather as a coverage sack, and QB's still seem to have a picnic while in the pocket zone.

Running is fun particularly during WR screens plays, and during kicks the wind indicator is still reversed. BTW, did they miss the onside kicks? PR are definitely an improvement, had one run all the way to the end zone only to be called back for clipping.

Tried the zoomed camera angle but I went back to Legacy as it seemed to give me a bit more awareness of the field for these aging eyes.

[Inuyasha]

I went back to Legacy now as well and I'm happy with it.

I didnt have a problem w/ the replays until last night. I had a great td bomb to Megatron but on the replay, they showed the sky instead of the ball and then it zoomed in on the grass and background. Stuff like that they should have down pat by now.

Also, on a coach's challange, the outcome of the play was reversed in favor of the home team, but the crowd still booed.

Other than that one good game I've had, the rest have been pretty much a joke. The offense is way too powerful on all pro default. Problem with me is I don't really like to mess with sliders so if there is a good slider set out there for All Pro please recommend it.

Maybe I should just start a season w/ the Bears and it seems all my games w/ the Bears turn out to be decent.

[sportdan30]

There's no doubt in my mind I'm trading this in come October 5th. As I and others have stated, there's a lot to like, but for whatever reason, the devs at EA cannot put a complete game together. I'd love to repurchase this game on the next gen console, and hope EA makes a few tweaks to the presentation and game play. However, I'm not feeling very confident.

I find many of the tackles to be strange and unusual looking. My feeling is that obviously the I.E. is still not operating efficiently. The pinball tackles really stand out.

After playing The Show and NBA 2K series, the poor implementation of cut scenes, replays, commentary, and the lack of intelligence of the fans are incredibly apparent.

Maybe it's just me, but I still feel like there is some pre-determination on certain plays. As an example, the A.I. QB will stand in the pocket, with no conception that he's about to be sacked. He'll make no attempt to duck out of the way or move up in the pocket. It's just that the code decided that it's time for the QB to take a sack. Also, it's very clear to me when the CPU RB is on a mission to break tackles and go for a big gain or TD.

These negatives aside, I still look forward to scratching my football itch with this game. I've already played more "play now" games than in the last couple years. For the most part, the game is fun, and I'm enjoying the challenge.

[Inuyasha]

I'm leaning the same way.

Having 1 game I consider good out of the maybe 9 to 10 I played is not a good ratio.

I'm playing PLAY NOW too, but decided to try out some of the connected career stuff last night. Maybe I'm just impatient, but I'm done waiting around for the menu screens to load and making other decisions. I just want to play the dam game on the field. I tried out that owner mode too and forget it. You spend more time in the menu screens than playing the actual game. It's not for me and I understand there are people who like that mode, but maybe EA's forgotten about the ordinary football videogame player who just wants to play the damn game.

That's why starting one of those CCM seasons to me is looking like a big hassle.

[Inuyasha]

Looks like Franchise isn't as arcadey as play now.

Started a Bears Franchise and Forte is hurt 3 weeks, but my first 2 games were pretty good.

I barely own vs Bengals 12-7 and got killed by the Vikings 28-13.

so there is hope. Not ever pass or run resulted in a big play.

[Dave]

Franchise has definitely played differently than Play Now for me.

Are there really no formation subs in the game? I haven't been paying attention the last couple of years and I can't find anywhere to do it in the game. All of the connected franchise stuff seems more complicated than it needs to be too.

I'm having fun with it so far though.

[bulls23]

XBOX player here. Game is fun. I'm playing on slightly adjusted All-Madden difficulty. QB Acc at 33, Int at 25, everything else at default. Special teams Punting and Kicking at 43, accuracy at 33, FG at 60.
Penalties upped to 75 for most except face mask at 63, PI at 50. Roughing Passer at 55.

12 min quarters, 14 run off.

Played 3 preseason, 1 reg season (CIN vs CHI-me, lost 26-23- Cutler had 325 yards but threw two picks) and 1 exhibition vs my 8 year old, who beat me 31-28 (SD vs ARZ-me).

Stats for all these games have been varied but believable.

Nothing feels predetermined to me. Running game is smooth and the control is incredible. I feel completely responsible for picking the right hole to get a 8-15 yard gain, or run the wrong way and get stuffed. Playing defense is nice as my input dictates the difference between a sack and the CPU getting a first down. It all comes down to what play you pick and how you control your players. Nothing feels cheap to me.

Love the return game, especially with Hester. Choosing the right path can get you way down the field, very exciting. In years past it seemed no matter what you did, you were limited to maybe the 30 yard line and had no chance taking it to the house.

The only large problem I'm having is with glitchy saves. I already have had to started my CFM twice now, as my save file won't load when I return to it. Even when going to file management there is no option to load the file. The files they automatically bring up are deleted or damaged.

Oh yeah, the waterboy has to go.

[Inuyasha]

Franchise is definitely the way to go.

Played two more games and I had a very competitive game vs Pitt and I blew out Det. The blowout wasn't cheap, I had to earn my points.

So far it's helter skelter with this game for me. I love it at times and other times it makes me say WTF. It's filling my NFL gaming need for now and it's fun at times.

[pk500]

Can dudes offer suggestions on sliders? Fun game, but the offensive lines resemble German Panzers in 1939 on run plays and the Berlin Wall in 1948 on pass plays. That provides the QB with weeks to throw.

Appreciate any specific tweaks or the names of any slider sets -- CPU and human -- that you've downloaded from the share community on Madden.

Thanks,
PK

[Inuyasha]

Leebo was using some good ones.

Try default all pro in franchise, the game plays better. Play now default is nfl blitz.

[Danimal]

Can dudes offer suggestions on sliders? Fun game, but the offensive lines resemble German Panzers in 1939 on run plays and the Berlin Wall in 1948 on pass plays. That provides the QB with weeks to throw.

Appreciate any specific tweaks or the names of any slider sets -- CPU and human -- that you've downloaded from the share community on Madden.

Thanks,
PK

Look for slider by AzureSim they should be the most popular (or were), that is what I used as my base.

Take both CPU and AI QB accuracy down to 10 each
Take both WR catches down 10 from what he has them at.
Bump up fumbles a few notched IMO
Set speed threshold to 45
Set Fatigue to 52
Injuries 50

Penalties start with all default at 50
Move DPI down to 35 (I know this seems odd but do it)
Move OPI down to 40
Move False start and offside to 55
Move holding to 45
Roughing the QB to 54
Leave everything else at 50

Play the game on Slow speed but know that you can't run any pitch or toss plays without some serious lag. However I play at slow with the above.

I'm still tweaking but I like these so far. Playing with the penalty slider has an effect and its odd but it seems the more you raise a slider the less aggressive the AI plays. I s*** you not with eh above setting I get more penalties called a game then the other way around.

[pk500]

Thanks.

I downloaded these sliders. Do I need to load them before every Play Now or CCM game? I tried to load them, and I saw no change to game speed, quarter length, etc.

[pk500]

Never mind. I need to open my eyes.

[Danimal]

Don't fell bad PK the method for getting the sliders into the CCM is a little ass backwards. You need to load them from outside of the CCM, then in the CCM choose use custom sliders. Then save the CCM and make adjustments

[pk500]

Dan:

No, I still need to learn how to load sliders for CCM and Play Now. I had made a post asking you for your preferred sliders when I realized you posted your modifications to Azure's set Leebo is using.

So I still need help.

[Danimal]

I kind of descibed it above and I'll try again here off of memory but keep in mind I am s*** ass drunk right now.

1. Download and save slider.
2. From main menu outside of CCM, (i.e. you have MUT etc) find the manage files and load the slider sets (both of them)
3. Start CCM
4. Go to setting and find slider
5. Hit Y(?) to load custom sliders and it load whatever you have loaded.
5. Save you franchise
6. Adjust s***
7. Save again

You're all done.

[pk500]

Thanks for tipsy tips on how to load rosters for CCM. I figured it out for Play Now, too.

I'm having an excellent variety of fun, competitive games with Azure's default All-Pro sliders on slow gamespeed. His penalty settings don't produce many flags, but penalties have been broken in Madden for years. The only tweaks I think I need to make are to reduce his injury slider setting and increase the fumble setting -- both slightly.

Otherwise, these sliders have fixed this game for me. Feels a lot like the variety of game results and styles of Madden 13 with the cool new running and gameplay features of Madden 25.

I'm pretty stoked tonight.

[Leebo33]

I've really had to up the difficulty level on the sliders after this weekend. My games were fun and competitive but I was always winning even matchups or as slight underdogs. I started a career as Minnesota's (random choice) coach just simming everything but the regular season games and I blew out Detroit and Chicago on the road. So I lowered my passing accuracy to 4 and run blocking to zero and put the CPU pass blocking and QB accuracy back to default. I lost a couple Play Now games between even teams. I'm usually a "Pro" to "All Pro" player so my success is surprising. I might try default All-Madden just as a baseline.

The CPU AI is usually good but there are still some hiccups. I had a game last night trailing 15-10 with no time outs and where a couple of kneels would kill the clock. The CPU in my red zone ran on first down, passed incomplete on second out of an empty backfield, and then something kicked in because they kneeled on third down but kicked a FG as time expired. Strange.

[Danimal]

I started my Bears franchise after settling on my slider and had a great game against the Bengals where I eeked out a 20-19 win. Everything about the game felt right, no hijinks etc. Go to game 2 against the Vikings. Matt Cassel is playing QB and they throw like crazy. When they do run AP is killing me but they continue to throw. Top that off with I was able to run at will 2 backs comined for 400+ yards and I will 55-7.

The problem with this game is if you find a play or plays that work against a team they never adjust to them like a human would. In my 20-19 win I could run a deep curl to Jefferies and they almost never played him man up or tight so it worked every time.

Against the Viking running to the right side of the line was a snap.

I don't know I never feel this way while playing NCAA, nothing feels like a given to me. I don't want to resign myself to playing Madden and letting the game call the plays but that might be the only way to not abuse the AI.

[bulls23]

Speaking of penalties, I noticed that holding and facemask are not as sensitive as in previous Maddens. Here are my settings which are producing realistic number of penalties in my view:

Offside: 75 (at this setting, even my D line jumped offside a few times)
False Start: 75 (CPU will false start once or twice a game)
Holding: 81 (you really need to turn up this slider in Madden 25 or you will see NO holding calls)
Facemask: 60 (turn it up any higher and you will see too many, still less sensitive than past years)
Clipping:54
Roughing Passer: 54

everything else default for now. I am still experimenting with PI sliders, but I'm sure they don't work again. I had DPI at 95, and OPI at 50 last game. There were two instances where my WR got bumped down the field and no call.

[greggsand]

I constantly debate jumping on the Madden train, but every year, the 'slider talk' bums me out.

[pk500]

I constantly debate jumping on the Madden train, but every year, the 'slider talk' bums me out.

Madden 25 is definitely broken on any default level. It's sad, because I really enjoyed Madden 13 at default All-Pro and had semi-realistic, varied, fun games.

This year's game requires a lot of slider alchemy. I really enjoy Danimal's modified Azure sliders; they're giving me that Madden 13 feeling all over again. But we shouldn't need to resort to slider trickery to get a playable game.

Damn, I miss NFL 2K5.

[Zeppo]

I don't really agree with PK. I don't think it's any more or less "broken" without slider tweaks than any other version of Madden. I haven't made any alider adjustments and in the few games I've played, I've had varying success on both offense and defense, and far more difficulty defending the AI, especially their run game, than in the last two versions of Madden. In fact, I was downright aggravated last night against the Igles whom I simply could not stop on the ground. Maybe that was a game where the overpowered offense and overpowered running game were showing themselves. I can't say.

But I really like all the little tweaks they've made in this year's version, such as the L-trigger modifier for jukes and such and the differing hot routes depending on the player's position. Lots of little things they've tweaked.

[pk500]

But I really like all the little tweaks they've made in this year's version, such as the L-trigger modifier for jukes and such and the differing hot routes depending on the player's position. Lots of little things they've tweaked.

The tweaks are noticeable and appreciated. But they're built upon a game engine that uses balsa-wood stilts as its foundation.

[RobVarak]

Damn, I miss NFL 2K5.

The unfortunate and yet accurate distillation of every Madden thread.