Madden NFL 15 - Livestream with Rex Dickson

[cdj]

EASPORTS

[JBHuskers]

They're saying that All-Pro is tough this year.

[skipwondah33]

They're saying that All-Pro is tough this year.I expect complaints then lol

[jaymo76]

overall wasn't blown away by anything in particular. The D looked very much like it has always looked. It will be impossible to know until we can actually play the demo.

[souljahbill]

I only caught a little of it. Too many cut always to the dudes playing instead of staying on the game itself. No one cares to watch 3 guys in front of a banner.

[skipwondah33]

Graphics and player models looked good the few minutes I watched.

Watching a game though will be impossible to judge at least if you go into with not expecting much. ..and not "ahj this sucks" mode lol

Have to play like Jaymo said. I can tell some differences compared to Madden 25

[GatorfanStovy]

Dang missed oh well. Will they have the video up to watch later at all?

[bdoughty]

Dang missed oh well. Will they have the video up to watch later at all?

The recording.

http://www.twitch.tv/easports/b/548832711

[cdj]

Dang missed oh well. Will they have the video up to watch later at all?

The archived video is now in the first post.

[GatorfanStovy]

Thank guys! 6 more weeks!

[GatorfanStovy]

Hey on a side note,at least it was different teams for the video.

[WolverineJay]

WOW! I am not sure I have ever seen that many 3rd down stops in a Madden game. Maybe defense is much improved this year, it looks even better than NCAA 12 before any patches. I know they were messing around a bunch, but the defensive player sense especially in zones never looked better in Madden.

Now how much of this translates to gameplay on the PS3, guess we'll find out when the demo drops in August.

[CLW]

(1) Look at EA usin' that superior PS4 to show off the graphics :nod:
(2) Odd they said they want to bring NCAA back
(3) These guys are very odd in front of a camera - not nearly as camera friendly as some of the previous guys and/or even Haumiller
(4) Sounds like the jump snap feature is overpowered - they tried to qualm those fears but I don't buy it
(5) I don't like the QT element of the d-line stuff - but at least it can be turned off
(6) Don't like the "tackle cone"
(7) Zone coverage is going to be a BEAST to throw against
(8) QBA sounds good but again I'll believe it when I see it
(9) I'll believe it when I see it on CPU difficulty on All-Pro
(10) Bluff blitz players will be interesting and make the reads a little harder
(11) I like the change to the hot routes
(12) Like the disguise defensive play calls
(13) crowd going nuts pre-game?
(14) there are going to be a TON of false starts and offsides this year online
(15) there will be no punt returns online with the new kick arc
(16) dude taking another shot at 2K football - I don't like that guy at all - he comes across as a real arrogant jerk
(17) hopefully that's true about the 10-11 guys dropping back in coverage getting blown up on runs
(18) interesting they are lowering expectations but at the same time saying the best madden ever made (contradiction much)

[Rudy]

My long winded analysis on the stream.


After watching this stream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safhjnj8Occ) it’s very clear that the focus is on online play and defense. EA is clearly trying to tone down online offense and eliminate exploits. There appears to be very little focus on the CPU AI as it was not even a part of the conversation. While everyone keeps saying that’s a “good thing” defense is so much better I disagree after watching Rivers and Manning struggle to complete passes the entire video. The game should be realistic which means shutting out Manning in the first half isn’t realistic or a good thing imo. As an offline gamer I am very concerned as to how this plays out.



There are some nice additions to the hot route menus this year. For pass protection you can select “max protect” which assigns all the TEs and RBs to pass block. You don’t have to hot route each one individually anymore.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/maxprotect.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/maxprotect.jpg.html)

On the defensive side the DBs have some powerful tools. You can shade inside or outside and also choose “Over the Top” and “Protect the Sticks” coverage to protect against the deep ball (both man and zone) and protect the first down marker respectively.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/CoverageOption.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/CoverageOption.jpg.html)

The DL options include an option for QB contain where the DEs will be less aggressive in the rush and guard against any QB roll outs and scrambles.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/QBContain.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/QBContain.jpg.html)

When making an audible or hot route the QB icon will indicate this and you can’t make another adjustment until the indicator disappears.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/audibleindicatorunderQB.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/audibleindicatorunderQB.jpg.html)


I do not see the NCAA style full hurry up playbook. I see the traditional options (4 plays to pick from) when audibling although the defensive audible screen looked odd as it listed an offensive formation (and it wasn’t the formation SD was in either). Full defensive assignments like assigning one CB on a specific WR are not in the game this year.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/defensiveaudible.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/defensiveaudible.jpg.html)

The defensive playbooks are better and also include built-in plays with disguised coverages. For example, you can call Cover 2 Show 4 which will present a pre-snap read of Cover 4 and then drop the CBs down closer to the line at the snap. Players that like to drop almost all of their defenders in coverage will no longer be able to stop the run effectively. Draws will be effective. The OL is programmed to only use two double teams at any time but a third OL will jump in if a DL breaks free.



Good news on the slider front – they untied them from the difficulty. So no more goofy things if you are on All-Madden and the difficulty drops down to All-Pro because you pushed a slider above 50. All the difficulties are harder. They are encouraging users to use the Skills Trainer and start on Pro. All of the difficulties got tuned to be better although I’m not sure exactly what that means and no word if the sliders, specifically the blocking sliders or pass coverage sliders are more powerful. The sliders have been so watered down the last couple years that there were debates if they were reversed or not. That should never happen. Sliders should have a significant impact and be noticeable.

Kicking has a rainbow style indicator that shows you exactly where you are aiming. I’m OK with this IF the accuracy of the kicker works properly and the kicks don’t automatically go there. This indicator can be turned off.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/kickindicator.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/kickindicator.jpg.html)


The OL will have pre-play fidgets like the Center looking through his legs and separate players moving a tiny bit before the snap while getting set.

The WRs can user swat balls down now if you take them over. This will help prevent interceptions. But will the CPU do this? Will the CPU use any of these new tools that are seemingly built for the online crowd? Right now they have made the DBs really aggressive while the WRs stay on their predefined route path and don’t deviate. See the pass play at 42:10 as an example. WRs don’t fight for the ball and I see a game that looks to be unbalanced from an offensive passing perspective. I shudder to think how bad the CPU QB play will be less than All-Madden (where all QBs are too good and too similar). I really hope the interceptions are toned down although the Madden team seemed pleased to announce there will be a ton of them!


There were two examples of things I didn’t like and yet the EA team seemed to like them. At 21:05 watch the replay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safhjnj8Occ#t=1265 of an OL (big #74) cut a DB (#29) but never actually fall to the ground! He immediately morphs back up and block the next guy! Sorry but that’s broken physics. No 300+ pound lineman performs a cut block and is back on his feet in less than a quarter of a second. In the pic below it's #74 diving at #29. But don't worry - he never really even touches the ground before blocking another DB.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/cutblock.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/cutblock.jpg.html)

Rex also shows an example of an inaccurate pass at 22:45 but I completely disagree. Rivers gets smoked in the pocket but still throws a perfect spiral that is exactly on the money and caught by the WR. No wobble or incompletion there. I’d like to get a definition of inaccurate I guess. You make the call on the two pics below.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/perfectpass.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/perfectpass.jpg.html)
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/rudyjuly2/Madden/Rex/perfectreception.jpg (http://s104.photobucket.com/user/rudyjuly2/media/Madden/Rex/perfectreception.jpg.html)


They showed that the game has new avoidance animations so guys don’t get stuck to each other when running past. They can avoid and keep on going. An example was shown of a TE getting off the line into a route while the DE went upfield to rush. This can also happen on crossing routes with different receivers.


Ratings will be released soon starting on Monday. Expect all ratings to be released slowly over time. There will also be a blog on the new presentations like the halftime show. Hopefully the half time show is much improved from the E3 build. I don’t see any press box type replay angles which I would like to see on passing plays. Everything is zoomed in.

[CLW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xff-oqRNZic

[Rudy]

That was funny. Blake Bortles looks like he's 30+ years old.