Operation Sports: Madden NFL 12 Preview

[cdj]

Chase Becotte has posted OS' preview of Madden NFL 12.

It has to be hard to find balance during a game of controlled chaos. With so many AI players interacting with one another, the physics engine and AI have to be on point or end up making the game look ridiculous. The last system in place led to massive scrums and players diving all over each other, inevitably leading to many fans to turn on the Benny Hill theme song while playing.

In addition, the removal of suction blocking and suction play in general has been something EA has tried to eradicate for years. While it’s probably not going to ever vanish completely during this generation, the tweaks made to the physics engine do have some clear benefits, as well as a couple potential shortcomings. All in all, the developers are not trying to win the war this year when it comes to the problems surrounding physics and suction blocking, but they do clearly want to win a decisive battle in Madden 12.

And while these elements of the game will receive the most focus, the other element worth watching closely is whether or not the presentational uniqueness being introduced to the game carries over to the way each team feels and plays.

Simply put, no one should be thrown off by the game this year because it does feel quite familiar from a pick-up-and-play standpoint, but if gameplay balance is found, there’s enough here to get people excited about where the franchise can end up in the future.

Click here for the entire preview.

[CLW]

Wow that wasn't exactly a "glowing" preview. LOL if this turns out to be a bust and I cancel my pre-order do I get my Amazon credit back?

[JeffHCross]

Doesn't sound all that different from his NCAA preview. "Same old, same old" was the general gist of that one too.

[skipwondah33]

Doesn't sound all that different from his NCAA preview. "Same old, same old" was the general gist of that one too.

Exactly, their team and everyone else are just doing an excellent job of advertising the game. I can tell you just from watching the videos of NCAA that it "looks" as if it will play differently. If I can see the same in Madden then I'll know how it will play.

I liked this version we're in with a few problems, so if I can get some gameplay adjustments and realistic zone coverage I'm satisfied. I don't play any other mode other than online franchise and online leagues.

[JeffHCross]

Exactly, their team and everyone else are just doing an excellent job of advertising the game.

Skip, I don't follow. I was just saying that's why the OS preview sounded like -- I don't agree with it

[ram29jackson]

DID they get rid of strategy pad ?

[WolverineJay]

DID they get rid of strategy pad ?

It is referenced further down the page in one of the update sections I think that its still there by default. However you still have the option to use the older method with the buttons and analog sticks like we got in one of the patches last year.

[jaymo76]

Didn't like this quote at all:

"The zone defense is also a bit super powered right now, but I would rather the defense have more power than not when it comes to Madden. For now, it seems like the concession being made is that defenses are dropping lots of potential interceptions. I don’t even recall intercepting a ball during the event, but I know I should have had at least five. However, this area is another one that is always hard to balance. Wide receivers really don’t fight the cornerbacks to make sure they don’t intercept passes, so the defenders sort of have to artificially drop a couple here and there in these games. Regardless, zone defense and the interception passes are still being tuned, according to EA"

Will this be the case with NCAA as well???

[JeffHCross]

Will this be the case with NCAA as well???

Here's what he said about zone defense in NCAA:

Last year, zone defense was, well, awful. Defenders would protect areas where there were no players or seemingly ignore particular areas of the field that absolutely needed to be defended. This year, it seems like defensive players will now actually work as a team and try to figure out what zones need to be defended and figure out what player should be defending them at any one point.

Basically, last year every defensive AI player was oblivious to other defenders on the field. If a safety was supposed to protect one area, then that was the area that would be defended no matter what. This year, defenders will literally point to each other and opposing players to signify that they are handing off the coverage of that receiver to someone else. It's a clear visual cue, and it's an effective one. It seems like now you should know why a coverage was blown, and it's also a way to acknowledge that these defenders actually have some awareness of both teammates and opponents.

In addition to that tweak, zone defenders will also shift their coverages based on where the receivers actually are on the field -- novel concept. If the offense sets up with a flooded right side of the field, defenders on the left side will actually move to protect the farthest portion to the right of their zones. It does not mean they will abandon their coverage area, but rather they just now notice that the closest danger will be coming from the right side.

When it comes to the flats, they also should be defended better this year. I am not ashamed to admit that I looked to the flats quite a bit last year; it was an easy low-hanging fruit when you wanted some easy yards. This year man and zone defenses both seem to be focusing on not allowing players in the flats to pile up YAC. I actually tested this out on quite a few plays during the two quarters I played, and this new-found defensive fervor in the flats seems genuine.