OFFICIAl MADDEN NFL 15 Thread

[sonoftony]

I'm not even excited for the next Madden

 

[hymen man]

I get it every year, so I'm excited... even though I was terrible in M25. I usually always adapt to the game yearly, but I couldn't this past year.. was hard to stop the run.

 

[Retto]

If Cam gets the cover (unlikely tho...) 3 copies will be mine. 1 to play, 1 to get signed, && 1 more just because...

But I can't see them letting Sherm lose

Beyond that...Madden's my favorite game of all time...can't wait til August

 

[jetpacunlimited]

If Cam gets the cover (unlikely tho...) 3 copies will be mine. 1 to play, 1 to get signed, && 1 more just because...

But I can't see them letting Sherm lose

Beyond that...Madden's my favorite game of all time...can't wait til August

You should try APF

 

[ballahb]

It's Sherman on the cover

 

[Retto]

You should try APF

I've been eyeing some of the vids as of late, the gameplay does look great. Something about Madden I just can't kick (probably just so used to it, been playing since I was 5), but if 2K15 at E3 is indeed true, I'd give it a chance this year as well.

 

[adobecs4]

View media item 1012450

 

[MarvelSux]

APF>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[Bend_The_Knee]

Superman>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[T0INE]

 

[T0INE]

[h2]  [/h2]

[h2]Madden NFL 15: Full Details of New Presentation, Graphics, Gameplay Mechanics[/h2]

  Submitted on: 06/09/2014 by Chris Sanner

EA Sports has lifted the curtain on Madden NFL 15 today, with tons of new details about how their flagship sports title is going to be playing this year. We've compiled the big stuff into this feature (with links back to the original story on the EA site). Be sure to read through each and let us know what sounds good and what doesn't.

Enhanced Graphics

Improved Lighting

The Madden NFL team reworked the game’s exposure system to create better lighting and colors in all weather conditions. Improvements have also been made to the game’s stadium night lighting, as well as ambient lighting.

Characters are now fully reflective, and will reflect light bounced from the environment itself. This creates richer, more realistic lighting that brings player/material details to life like never before.

3D Grass

The playing field itself comes to life in Madden NFL 15 with 3D-enabled grass during gameplay. In past versions, grass was merely a texture. This year, the game now features full “infinite grass” technology.

Richer Detail

Heavy improvements have been made to player and coach likeness thanks to player scanning. Upgrades have been made to player and coach heads, as well as Colin Kaepernick's tattoos.

(More Details)

Improved Presentation

Authentic NFL-Style Broadcast

Former NFL Films Senior Cinematographer Brian Murray serves as Presentation Director of Madden NFL 15, and his goal was to shoot Madden like an authentic broadcast. Scripted celebrations and on-field moments have been phased out to allow for emotional moments to be shown with variety and energy. Players now celebrate big plays (even by their teammates) with organic, unscripted excitement.

The improvements are also evident with polished transitions coming in and out of timeouts. Quarterbacks can now jog towards the sideline while music plays, just like you’d see on TV heading into a commercial break.

New Broadcast Elements

The Madden development team placed a heavy emphasis on broadcast banners, and tying new commentary back to them. Every banner in the game has been retouched to reflect the look and feel of an authentic NFL broadcast, and players will see a variety of new broadcast wipes that provide context to in-game performances.

A refined drop-down system will provide consistent updates on player performances. These additions help provide context to games in Connected Franchise mode, making them feel like a living, breathing season. Pregame and halftime banners tie together events from the season, including new Playoff Chase and Divisional Standings banners.

Real NFL Jumbotrons

Gone are the days of generic “LOSE LOSE LOSE” messages on Madden NFL scoreboards. Madden NFL 15 features authentic jumbotrons messaging and imagery from a number of NFL teams, displaying more than 20 events including touchdowns and crowd cues (get loud on defense, be quiet on offense).

This new treatment is extended to Super Bowls as well, giving them a more “neutral” feel. Super Bowl scoreboard images are no longer be subject to the game’s home team. Instead, the winner now sees their team’s logo alongside the Lombardi Trophy.

Player Spotlight Montages

New broadcast banners and montages tell dynamic stories about how players are performing, making every game feel fresh. If a quarterback like Colin Kaepernick or Robert Griffin III is making big plays with their legs, gamers may see a montage of some of their biggest runs. If a pass rush is making life difficult on an opposing quarterback, you might see a few of their biggest plays. It’s all about telling a story.

Commentary Improvements

Madden NFL 15 features more than 80 hours of new commentary between play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and color commentator Phil Simms. Some of the recording focused primarily on player names, so that Jim and Phil will call out more names during and after the play.

Jim Nantz has re-recorded much of his mid-play commentary so that it fits more comfortable with the rest of his dialogue. This results in a smoother, more cohesive broadcast as Jim calls out the action on the field.

Pregame and Halftime

Local sports director Larry Ridley leads an all-new intro sequence before games, calling out specific matchups and other tidbits to keep an eye on during the game. The halftime show also includes broadcast-style graphics, as well as a fantasy ticker with player stats on the bottom of the screen.

During halftime, Larry will also break down some of the game’s highlights with all-new audio recordings.

New Playcalling

Call Plays With Confidence

Players can leverage data from millions of online games with all-new crowd-sourced play recommendations.

 For example, if Madden NFL players like spreading the field with four wide receivers on third down, you’ll see some of the plays that get called most often, as well as their success rates.

The improved game-flow system is not just limited to community success, but also opponent tendencies. This new data results in better suggestions than in years past, and replaces the “Ask Madden” feature.

Knowledge is Power

Madden NFL 15’s new playcalling also tracks how often you call certain plays over the course of your career, as well as how successful the plays are.

The “Previous Play” widget also shows you how well the plays are being executed compared to the rest of the Madden community.

Plays by Concept

Looking to exploit your speed on the outside? Are your receivers tough to press off the line? Then call plays based on concepts like streaks, fades, and slants in order to capitalize on your personnel.

If you’re looking to dial up Dez Bryant in the red zone, then check out the fade concept and get him a touchdown. If your opponent can’t hang with the savvy of Wes Welker, perhaps double move and slant concepts are your best bet.

Player Sense 2.0

Zone/Man Coverage Improvements

Zone Coverage ratings now have a bigger impact on how quickly defenders break on throws. Defenders with higher ratings in Zone Coverage will react much quicker to throws.

Defenses are now smarter when it comes to going for a swat vs. an interception or a tackle. This improved logic will be broken down by player traits.

Improvements have also been made to zone defenders responsible for the flats. Some things to look out for include smarter principles (no more out route abuse!), improved head tracking on all players, increases in press and chuck interactions between DBs and wide receivers, as well as better pursuit and tackling ability.

Man Coverage ratings have also been tweaked to impact how much separation receivers are able to get on cuts in their routes, resulting in improved behavior of the defender.

New to Madden NFL 15 is the addition of disguised defenses, where opposing secondaries will show you one coverage but give another.

Real AI 2.0

The Madden development team continues to improve the decision-making of computer-controlled players. Thanks to Real AI 2.0, computer quarterbacks understand different passing concepts, and will read defenders before making correct throws. They'll also audible and call hot routes based on Real AI, and also have improved logic for handling pressure in the pocket.

The computer now makes the same types of decisions that a skilled user would make. One improvement is CPU Fake Snap, which attempts to draw players offside more than in previous versions of Madden NFL.

War in the Trenches 2.0

Pre-Play Fidgets

The improvements are obvious before the ball is even snapped, as new animations replicate the pre-play behavior of an NFL line of scrimmage. Each position group has their unique set of fidget animations to prepare them for the snap of the ball.

Power Pass Rush

In Madden NFL 15, Players can now trigger power pass rush moves by pressing the X/Square buttons while engaged with a blocker. These moves used to be triggered by flicking the R-Stick, which sometimes felt unresponsiveness. With the new controls, players will have more control and ability to get off blocks. Use these moves with powerful linemen like J.J. Watt, Chris Long and Julius Peppers.

Finesse Pass Rush

Power pass rushers aren’t the only guys getting love, as finesse pass rush moves have also been improved. Players can now press the A/X buttons while engaged to trigger finesse pass rush moves from players such as Cameron Wake and Brian Orakpo.

Off the Line

Some of the NFL’s best pass rushers like Robert Quinn, Robert Mathis, and Von Miller use their quick first step to get off the ball and gain an advantage by timing the snap. That’s now possible in Madden NFL 15, as players can make successful (or unsuccessful) speed rush moves by pressing RT at the correct time during the snap. However, mistiming the move will result in a slow first step and a win for the blocker, or even an offsides penalty.

Disengage and Contain

Contain the scrambling abilities of quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick by keeping them in the pocket and getting off blocks when they try to leave the pocket. New QB Contain pass rush logic and animations have been added so that defenders will pressure the quarterback while keeping the outside of the pocket contained.

Pass rushers can now easily disengage by pressing A/X while moving the L-Stick away from the blocker. Playing defense offers much more control and responsiveness when attempting to get off blocks.

Catch Variety and Pass Inaccuracy

Inaccurate Passes

In past versions of Madden NFL, any quarterback could consistently shred an opposing defense with accurate passes. But in Madden NFL 15, the quarterback accuracy rating (THA), situation, and scenario have never been more important.

QBs now throw a number of inaccurate passes determined by their accuracy ratings and pocket pressure, with the level of accuracy ranging from “very inaccurate” to “perfect.” As in the real NFL, there's a much higher chance of being inaccurate when under pressure.

When building your offensive strategy, be sure to consult your quarterback’s three accuracy ratings: THA Short, THA Mid and THP Deep. Accurate throwers like Philip Rivers and Drew Brees will be able to pinpoint their throws more effectively than less accurate quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Eli Manning.

The effectiveness of mobile quarterbacks has also been tuned to allow for greater ability to throw on the run. In previous version of Madden, throwing on the run came at a heavy cost. This year, players will have more ability to take advantage of their quarterback’s athleticism outside of the pocket.

Catch Variety

New in Madden 15 is increased catch variety. Players will now see both wide receivers and defensive backs make efforts to go after inaccurate passes.

If you put too much air on a curl route, you’ll now see your receiver leap in an attempt to catch the overthrown ball, rather than just stand there and let the ball sail over his head.

These varied animations are available for both wideouts and defenders, so be sure to put the ball on target.

Each of the details above were all originally posted on EA's website. Check out each article linked below:

Catch Variety and Pass Inaccuracy

Enhanced Graphics

Improved Presentation

New Playcalling System

Player Sense 2.0

War in the Trenches 2.0

 

[ognter]

Trailer looks eh.. animations still look weak

 

[T0INE]

[h2]  [/h2]

[h2]MADDEN NFL 15 FEATURE OVERVIEW: TACKLING MECHANICS[/h2]
By EA SPORTS Jun 9, 2014

Super Bowl XLVIII proved that defense can still win championships in the modern, pass-happy NFL.Madden NFL 15  is further proof of that, and this year’s game features the most immersive defensive gameplay control in franchise history.

Madden NFL 15 includes all-new tackling mechanics that change the way gamers play defense.

TACKLE CONE
User controlled defenders now have an all-new Tackle Cone that is used to determine if they can complete a conservative tackle. If the user presses A (Xbox One) or X (PlayStation 4) while the ballcarrier is somewhere in defender's Tackle Cone, the defender will engage in a non-big hit tackle animation. Success of this tackle is based on a number of factors, primarily player ratings. that may or may not be successful based on a number of factors. Ballcarriers can attempt special moves to to avoid these tackles. The visual aspect of the Tackle Cone can be turned On or Off in the settings menu.

CONSERVATIVE TACKLES
User-controlled defenders can now decide between aggressive and conservative tackles. By pressing A (Xbox One) or X (PlayStation 4) when a ball carrier is in the defender’s sights, defenders can attempt a Conservative Tackle on the runner. 

AGGRESSIVE TACKLES
Aggressive Tackle combines both dive and Hit Stick tackles. If a ball carrier is within three yards of the defender, pressing the Aggressive Tackle button (X on Xbox One, Square on PS4) will trigger a Hit Stick tackle. If the offensive player is outside of three yards, pressing the Aggressive Tackle button will result in a diving tackle attempt.

The success of these tackle are based on a number of factors, including player ratings and timing. If a user attempts a tackle before the ball carrier reaches them, they could whiff on the tackle entirely.

The new tackling system creates more decision-making on defense. Do you go for the big hit and potential turnover, or simply wrap up to prevent the big play? These decisions will not only depend on your team’s personnel, but your skill level as well. The choice is yours.

PRECISION TACKLE
Align your defender in front of the ball carrier and decide whether or not to go for a conservative or aggressive tackle.

 

[T0INE]

OS Q&A with Madden 15 Creative Director of Gameplay:
[h3]Madden NFL 15: In-Depth Gameplay Interview With Rex Dickson[/h3]

  Submitted on: 06/09/2014 by Chris Sanner

Prior to E3, we got a chance to talk with Rex Dickson, Creative Director for Gameplay for Madden NFL 15.Rex was candid and very detailed as to what Madden fans can expect from the game on the field this year, be sure to read through the interview and comment on which aspect of the gameplay has you most excited to see in action this week on the show floor!

Operation Sports: With defense playing a key role in Madden NFL 15, can you give us some examples of what exactly has been improved?

Rex Dickson: Defense has had an across the board overhaul this year. It starts with the defensive line and the new Pass Rush mechanics. Pass Rush moves have moved off the right thumbstick and are now performed with the face buttons. You also have the ability to ‘steer’ a block with left stick and directionally disengage from blocks using a button + left stick. An all-new player ring with feedback components gives clear user feedback around the new mechanics. Tackling has also been overhauled from the ground up. We have added a defensive tackling mechanic to aid users in directional facing and distance to perform tackles successfully. Coverage AI has also seen a complete rewrite and will play more realistically than ever before. You can also expect to see a variety of new defensive pre-play adjustments and finally, new plays throughout the defensive playbooks.

OS: How will playing defense locked onto a player be different than player-lock? What differentiates the experience?

RD: The player lock feature is very similar to how it has worked in NCAA Football in the past. When using the player lock camera on defense, it gives you the perspective of the field from the defensive side of the ball. Much like player lock in NCAA Football, it becomes critically important to ‘do your job’ when in this mode, as the AI will take advantage of you if you are out of position. The experience is unique in that it feels like a totally new way to play defense in Madden NFL.

OS: Can you give us a brief description of each of the new camera angles this year? 

RD: Zoom Camera –The zoom camera is the close-in view that shows the game at the highest visual detail. This is the visual wow factor camera, and is best for inside run plays.

Standard Camera –  This is the classic Madden camera

Wide Camera –  View sideline-to-sideline from an isometric perspective

All 22 Camera – This camera ensures that all 22 players on the field are always in view. It is close to a top down perspective.

Broadcast Camera – This camera view is from the press box. A high angle, side-on view.

Defensive Camera –  View the action from the defensive side of the ball with the ability to switch players.

OS: Of the six new camera angles, how many of them are specifically for the defensive side of the ball?

RD: The defensive camera is exclusive to the defensive side of the ball. This camera gives you an over the shoulder perspective looking towards the offense. You can player lock in this view or choose to use the base defensive camera, which allows you to switch players. The defensive camera will always keep your player and the ball in view, so you will get unique camera perspectives depending on the defensive position you are playing in. Overall the defensive camera and player lock on defense have the ability to completely change the way you play defense.

OS: Will we see a helmet cam?

RD: No, the closest we get is with the defensive camera which is more zoomed in 3rd person over the shoulder. I think to do this right it isn’t just throwing a helmet cam perspective into the game and calling it a day. You have to work through all the design challenges with playing football in 1st person, you would want to do all on the field presentation, a huge focus in player-centric presentation. To do this right, I think you have to go all in on it and really blow it out. With all of that said, there is so much cool technology both out there right now and coming down the pipe that I think there is definitely the potential for some really cool stuff.

OS: Have you given much thought about bringing back the custom camera angle?

RD: Yes, in fact that was one of the first things discussed when we started talking about doing all the new gameplay cameras, and user customization tools and options is very important theme for us on next-gen. While we haven’t been able to implement custom cameras this year, it’s definitely on our minds.

OS: What types of pass rush moves will we have at our disposal this year and how many more animations will we see in the trenches?

RD: We have added hundreds of new animations to our pass rush system. If the move exists in the NFL, you will see it in the game this year. Everything from rips, swims, push pulls, bull rushes, speed rushes, counter moves, clubs and everything in between. Rather than rushing the passer with the thumbstick, you now use face buttons to choose between finesse or power moves and you have clear visual feedback as to when your windows are open to perform those moves.

OS: Will we see more jostling for position/hand fighting from the offensive and defensive players on pass plays?

RD: Due to the impact of the overhauled coverage AI, you will see defenders in much better position to make plays on balls. This includes jostling for position and aggressively moving towards the catch point. We definitely have some major plans around WR/DB interaction coming in the near future in addition to the great work that has been done this year.

OS: Will each player have different proximity cones? For example, will a superstar have a larger cone to be more effective at longer ranges?

RD: No, the proximity cone is built to be universal in terms of ranges. Anything too far out at longer range starts to look and feel like suction tackling so we keep this consistent. By keeping the size of the cone the same, the user has a clear understanding of range to tackle regardless of the player they are using. Now that being said, ratings play a big role in these outcomes. Just because you got a ball carrier in the cone it isn’t going to guarantee a tackle. If the ball carrier’s break tackle and elusiveness ratings are higher than your defender’s tackle rating, the ball carrier has a higher chance of slipping away. We also do some things under the hood around player tendencies, so that you will see big hitters laying people out with hit sticks and smaller DB’s diving at big ball carriers’ legs.

OS: How is the risk vs. reward tackling different from the hit stick of Madden’s past?

RD: The aggressive tackle from distance is the riskiest tackle, because it is a dive and it has the highest chance to miss, especially if you are early with it, before the ball carrier is in the cone. The dive tackle is also strong against truck moves and stiff arms. Performed up close (within the inner section of the tackle cone, the aggressive tackle will perform a hit stick tackle. This is more difficult to achieve by nature of the close distance you need to perform it, but there is high reward with big hits and the ability to cause fumbles.

The conservative tackle is the ‘safe’ way to tackle. Your base tackle chances are higher when using this action vs. the aggressive tackle. The conservative tackle is strong against jukes and spins but weak against trucks and stiff arms. The risk here is pressing it early, before the ball carrier is in the tackle cone, this will play a short ‘whiff’ animation that can be recovered from, but it slows you down for several steps.

I should also mention that hit stick is still supported and functions the same as the aggressive tackle from close range.

OS: Will fatigue play a role in how aggressive or conservative a player can tackle? In late games, will the AI play more aggressively and attack the ball more if they are losing?

RD: Fatigue affects a lot of things in the game. Everything from injuries, stamina, substitutions, etc. However, we do not change player behaviors based on fatigue. We do have a variety of ‘under the hood’ adaptive AI behaviors that can trigger things like defenders going for more strip balls, or being more aggressive going for interceptions vs. playing the man when down late.

OS: With new jump snap mechanics, will there now be mechanics to work the snap count as a QB?

RD: While the fake snap mechanic is not new, the way it functions this year is. Previously, a fake snap had a certain percentage chance of triggering an encroachment or offsides penalty. This year, fake snapping can cause user-controlled defenders who are attempting the off the line mechanic to go offsides. On the Xbox One console, we actually do haptic rumble in the same trigger you use to perform the OTL mechanic when the opposing QB fake snaps. This can be utilized by savvy players to make an opponent jump and pull them into the neutral zone.

OS: The Show Time pre-game and halftime show sounds interesting. Will the show cover other games in progress, showing highlights from those games as well or will it only discuss the game you are playing?

RD: For the first year of the new pre-game and halftime shows, it is about the game you are playing, but we’re definitely looking at ways to expand it in the future. The halftime show is a huge breakthrough for the Madden NFL franchise and something we’re very excited to give to fans.

OS: Who will host the pre-game and halftime shows?

RD: Larry Ridley. He is the local sports anchor at the NBC affiliate here in Orlando. He is fantastic, very energetic and does a great job telling a dynamic story of the game over highlight replays. It is so dynamic that literally no halftime show is ever the same, with each one telling the unique story of that game.

OS: Will crowd-sourced play calling be updated in real time or weekly?

RD: We are currently aiming for once a week, and we will update as frequently as we can. Our goal is to make sure that this feature remains relevant to our fans not just at launch, but in the weeks and months beyond.

OS: Boss battles are in the Run the Gauntlet mode. What can you tell us about that?

RD: This is one of those things that’s too much fun to give away, so you’ll have to see for yourself. The Gauntlet will be playable at E3 and I am sure that there will be plenty of discussion around this new mode. Consider it fan service for all of those who recall the mini-games in Madden on the previous generation platforms and how much fun they were.

OS: Are all of these improvements going to be seen on the Xbox 360 and PS3 version as well?

RD: Not all, but almost all. We pushed very hard for feature parity between the next-gen version and the Xbox 360/PS3 game. The main limiting factor was animation memory. While most of the features are on both, the depth of new animations is limited on Xbox 360/PS3, while we can throw hundreds of new animations at the next-gen consoles. Additionally, the next-gen game is going to look more impressive visually.

OS: It’s good to hear about the improvements on the defensive side of the ball, can you share with us the improvements on the offensive side?

RD: For years, Madden fans have asked to see a greater separation in QB play due to accuracy. Pass accuracy plays a huge role in the NFL and now it will in the game as well. We tweaked our system to make it so not every single throw is either perfectly on the numbers or way out of bounds, there’s more nuance and passes that are slightly offline, but potentially catchable. This has a huge impact on the game both functionally and aesthetically. This system also creates noticeable separation between the QBs. You can forget about the days of subbing in the fastest QB regardless of accuracy because accuracy definitely matters now. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady now feel elite (the AI versions will really tear you up this year) while lower rated QBs can really struggle at times.

OS: We appreciate you taking the time for this interview, is there anything you would like to add that would get the community buzzing, while we wait for the next round of details to be released?

RD: We worked on literally hundreds of things this cycle, but a select few personal favorites to keep the community buzzing…

Player emotion  – An extension of Player Sense where players react with the emotion in post-play. These reactions reflect the emotion of the previous play and make the players feel alive on the screen. There are hundreds of new animations in this areas and it allows our presentation team to shoot these moments dynamically in real time, vs. the static pre-rendered ‘scripted scene’ that are the same every time you see them.

New Pre-Play Adjustments  - protect the sticks (collapse underneath zones to 1st down marker), adjust coverage technique (gives user control of pass coverage techniques) and contain assignment (DE’s in mush rush to prevent QB from rolling out of pocket) are just a few of the new pre-play adjustments we added this year.

New audible system  – This is something our online community has been very vocal about, having a more authentic audible system. There is now a very short delay where the QB physically calls the audible before the user can input another one. This eliminates the problem of offenses putting in multiple rapid fire pre-play adjustments before the defense has the time to respond.

Skills Trainer  – Close to 50 drills and tutorials, more than doubling last year’s content and includes the new ‘Gauntlet’ mode that will debut at E3.

Special Teams  – All new kick meter and kick arc graphics. Ratings matter now, not every kicker can kick a 50 yard field goal anymore. Wind matters now.

War in the trenches  – Significant improvements to both run and pass blocking across the board.

Pre-Play Fidgets  – Players are no longer static during pre-play. You will see lineman signalling to backs, defenders communicating with each other, digging their heels in, etc.

Presentation – Brian Murray, who worked for NFL films for 8 years and has multiple Emmy awards is our new director of presentation. He has made a huge impact on the game and you can expect massive across the board upgrades in presentation this year.

 

[adobecs4]

Still looks the same.

 

[T0INE]

 

[raider5]

Looks good..but every year they talk about these improvements and it still doesn't make the game any better than the previous year..

Any word on if they'll have a deal with NFL Sunday Ticket again like they did last season through Amazon?

 

[22stylez]

Too many gimmicks. Gameplay still looks the same. Regardless I'll still cop

 

[Bend_The_Knee]

EA Challenges 2K
http://gimmegimmegames.com/2014/06/ea-2k-sports-nfl-rivalry-come-bro/

 

[dakid23]

Any word on if they'll have a deal with NFL Sunday Ticket again like they did last season through Amazon?

anybody?

 

[hymen man]

^ to my knowledge, nothing of the sort has been announced as of yet.

 

[1c3m4m]

Football is my fav sport, will cop this like I do every year, last Madden wasn't that bad

Although looking back when All Pro Football came out, me and my bro was at how great it was compared to that years Madden,

APF>Madden of that year

 

[kingfoamnyc]

Weak as ****

 

[The_Isomotion31]

Really thinking about getting a new current gen system for this.

 

[T0INE]

Looks like the official cover is out: