cdj
07-04-2016, 07:20 PM
Some of the more noteworthy answers & information from Madden NFL 17 Designer Clint Oldenburg in an interview with Game Informer's Matthew Kato (http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/07/03/10-downs-with-a-madden-17-designer.aspx?utm_content=buffera4501&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer).
What's Madden's most popular mode?
I think the most popular mode is Ultimate Team right now. That has really blown up the past three years. I think before that franchise was really popular, and franchise still is really popular – it's actually our most played mode in that users are logging in daily and they stick with it the entire year. In terms of just users, Madden Ultimate Team has the most users.
Is there stuff that didn't make it into this year's game that you personally would have liked to have been included?
We as designers have ideas for years that are on the cutting room floor that we want to bring in. There are a number that our community are asking for that we didn't get a chance to do like defensive assignments – a lot of those things that make the game more immersive and authentic. Online team play is another one that comes up on my twitter all the time. The thing that people don't realize is that the guys making the games are gamers, and we want those things too, but we only have a limited amount of time and a limited amount of resources, so we have to go after what's important. But what I'd like them to understand is we hear them, and we agree with them, and it's going to be there eventually.
In some cases, [a feature] will fit better with a feature set of a specific year. In other cases, we have to build supporting features for a feature. For instance, as a blocking guy, I haven't had the opportunity to update play action yet. Our play action blocking system still needs work. I haven't got to do it, and I push for it every year. But we were able to get defensive gaps and run fits in this year, and that was definitely a requirement before we can do the play action system. Now that's there, play action is definitely on the table for the next two or three years.
The team has talked a lot about how blockers and defenders act and interact at the point of attack, but what happens to all those responsibilities when the QB scrambles out of the pocket?
On passing plays, the improvements that we made there, particularly for defensive linemen or pass rushers – basically open up the disengage angles and gave them protection logic. So, when the quarterback scrambles outside the pocket, the defenders are going to be able to see him start to scramble and predict where he's going to be instead of where he's at, and start pulling away from blockers much sooner than they have been. Coverage guys are following their pattern matching rules so you're not going to have as many guys getting open late. We've also kind of nerfed the playmaker mechanic. A lot of hardcore guys loved it online. You could just playmaker dudes all over the field. So that's not quite as effective. That's based on distance and if your receiver can actually see the quarterback. Lastly, we have this new zone crash feature. Similar to last year's spy crash, regardless of who you are controlling on the field, if that quarterback is outside the pocket, click your right stick and the nearest zone defender will go to get the QB.
For the entire Game Informer Q&A, click here (http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/07/03/10-downs-with-a-madden-17-designer.aspx?utm_content=buffera4501&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer).
What's Madden's most popular mode?
I think the most popular mode is Ultimate Team right now. That has really blown up the past three years. I think before that franchise was really popular, and franchise still is really popular – it's actually our most played mode in that users are logging in daily and they stick with it the entire year. In terms of just users, Madden Ultimate Team has the most users.
Is there stuff that didn't make it into this year's game that you personally would have liked to have been included?
We as designers have ideas for years that are on the cutting room floor that we want to bring in. There are a number that our community are asking for that we didn't get a chance to do like defensive assignments – a lot of those things that make the game more immersive and authentic. Online team play is another one that comes up on my twitter all the time. The thing that people don't realize is that the guys making the games are gamers, and we want those things too, but we only have a limited amount of time and a limited amount of resources, so we have to go after what's important. But what I'd like them to understand is we hear them, and we agree with them, and it's going to be there eventually.
In some cases, [a feature] will fit better with a feature set of a specific year. In other cases, we have to build supporting features for a feature. For instance, as a blocking guy, I haven't had the opportunity to update play action yet. Our play action blocking system still needs work. I haven't got to do it, and I push for it every year. But we were able to get defensive gaps and run fits in this year, and that was definitely a requirement before we can do the play action system. Now that's there, play action is definitely on the table for the next two or three years.
The team has talked a lot about how blockers and defenders act and interact at the point of attack, but what happens to all those responsibilities when the QB scrambles out of the pocket?
On passing plays, the improvements that we made there, particularly for defensive linemen or pass rushers – basically open up the disengage angles and gave them protection logic. So, when the quarterback scrambles outside the pocket, the defenders are going to be able to see him start to scramble and predict where he's going to be instead of where he's at, and start pulling away from blockers much sooner than they have been. Coverage guys are following their pattern matching rules so you're not going to have as many guys getting open late. We've also kind of nerfed the playmaker mechanic. A lot of hardcore guys loved it online. You could just playmaker dudes all over the field. So that's not quite as effective. That's based on distance and if your receiver can actually see the quarterback. Lastly, we have this new zone crash feature. Similar to last year's spy crash, regardless of who you are controlling on the field, if that quarterback is outside the pocket, click your right stick and the nearest zone defender will go to get the QB.
For the entire Game Informer Q&A, click here (http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/07/03/10-downs-with-a-madden-17-designer.aspx?utm_content=buffera4501&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer).