. I hope that means they put a lot of work into gameplay.
The games on the ps2 and original xbox were the best to me. 07 I had the most memories from, the ability to important draft classes to madden was clutch too. I've always valued the ncaa games over madden. The element of fun and realism was evident in both back in the day but ncaa just kicked it up a notch. 08-12 I felt ncaa went on a decline to madden but they started to make a comeback with 13 and 14.Still can't believe there's no NCAA football..
Bro I'm already trying to think of how to talk my 10 and 6 year olds out of wanting it.
#NeverforgetAnyone on PS4 still playing Madden?
BTW lets not forget how much props Madden 15 got. I heard nothing but good things, even from Madden haters.
[h2]Madden NFL 16 First Look Screenshots[/h2]
Posted May 21st at 2:30pm.
Be the Playmaker in Madden NFL 16 featuring all-new playmaking tools that highlight the battle for air supremacy.
Check out the first screenshots below, and stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
The NFL is full of playmakers, and Madden NFL 16 brings them to life with all-new WR/DB interactions.
Place the ball where only your receiver can get it with body-relative throws including high-point, low-point, back-shoulder, and the ever-popular touch pass
Receivers and defenders deliver the most authentic exchanges to date.
Madden NFL 16 features a variety of new two-man interactions.
Improved time of day and lighting helps highlight Madden NFL 16's updated player likenesses.
Your playmaker highlight reel has arrived with new player spotlights, dynamic goals and achievements, and innovative on-the-field cameras bringing you closer to the game than ever before.
Madden NFL 16 is now available for pre-order at all major retailers, and fans who place their orders now will receive $15 in Ultimate Team content including 10 Pro Packs and a Playmaker Pack for use in Madden Ultimate Team (MUT). The Playmaker Pack grants fans with an Elite player who they can use to give their Ultimate Team an extra boost right out of the gate and start making the huge plays right away.
Those looking for even more content can upgrade to the Deluxe Edition, which ups the ante with 36 Pro Packs and a Playmaker Pack, all for $69.99. *
[h1]Xbox One Gamers Can Play Madden NFL 16 Early with EA Access[/h1]
08:20 PM - May 20, 2015 by Steve_OS
Xbox One gamers will once again have the opportunity to play Madden NFL 16 five days before the actual release date with a subscription to EA Access, confirmed by Microsoft marketing executive Aaron Greenberg on Twitter.
With Madden NFL 16 releasing on August 25th, EA Access subscribers should be able to download the game on August 20th.
As an Xbox One exclusive, EA Access gives subscribers ($4.99 a month/$29.99 a year) access to The Vault, which provides full digital downloadable games for EA SPORTS UFC, NHL 15, Battlefield 4, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare, NBA LIVE 15, Madden NFL 25, Madden NFL 15, Need For Speed Rivals, FIFA 14, FIFA 15, and Peggle 2. EA Access subscribers also receive 10% off EA digital purchases and trial versions (typically 6 hours) of EA games before they are released.
With that said, EA Sports released another Madden NFL 16 screenshot on their Facebook page. It features New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski defended by Arizona Cardinals cornerback, Patrick Peterson.
For more Madden NFL 16 details, including features, screenshots and the first trailer, check out our official page.
Panthers are about to be so cheese with the QB controls with Cam and touch passing now that we have two 6'5 receivers
[h1]Madden NFL 16[/h1][h2]25 Things To Know About Madden NFL 16’s Franchise Mode[/h2]
The Connected Franchise mode in Madden NFL 16 hasn't been dramatically overhauled from last year's game, but EA has made some important tweaks in hopes of making the mode more engaging. We learned all about the mode, and have loads of info to help you run your franchise.
Getting Around
- The mode is easier to get into from the start, including offering players the choice to skip forward to the regular season versus spending the time to customize your franchise further.
- The main home screen contains more actionable options, basically consolidating the Home and Actions screens from last year. You can advance the week, scout, buy XP packages, and more from here.
- Your team's depth chart (below) is visually overhauled. Apart from allowing you to move players around via a drag-and-drop mechanic, it also has options to spend XP and see how everyone is improving.
- Individual player cards have actions such as putting that player on the trading block or seeing their goals (more on these later). The new layout also surfaces the attributes germane to their position. Thus, you don't have to scroll endlessly past unimportant attribute numbers just to find out a QB's long-distance accuracy. Here you'll also see which attributes are affected by fluctuations in confidence.
New Goals
- New drive goals let you earn XP and confidence during each drive of a game, and these can be dynamic. For example: After you intercept the ball, a goal may pop up for your offense to march down and score on the subsequent possession in order to capitalize on the situation.
- Weekly goals can similarly be chained together for larger XP rewards and to create some extra storylines for the week-in, week-out schedule. If you have a hot rookie, a goal may surface tasking you with getting more TDs in order to reflect his newfound prominence. Regardless, the team at EA Tiburon assures us that you'll always be rewarded for doing well, and there are not performance standards that are too high if your player comes back down to earth.
- After each play you'll see all the goals influenced by that play via a scrolling onscreen tracker at the bottom of the screen. You'll also get XP and confidence updates. Furthermore, the loading screen shows you how you're progressing towards various goals.
- The cost of the XP packages has been tweaked to adjust to the new ways you can gain XP.
Confidence
Game Prep
- Confidence isn't penalized as much for bad play. Thus, your team won't go into an unrecoverable confidence free-fall.
- Teams with low confidence have access to a special, non-interactive game prep (costing hours) activity to boost their spirits.
- Missing some weekly goals can have a negative effect on your confidence.
- The ratings and attributes affected by confidence has been tweaked to control fluctuations better.
The Draft
- You can now access a free practice mode from the game plan screen, and it does not cost you hours.
- Teams have more hours to use in game prep during the week.
- Activities in game prep are more skewed toward game planning against that week's opponent as opposed to general improvement by position.
- Madden 16 features a new scouting system with three tiers that show the players best three attributes.
- By the time you scout through the third tier (costing you 11 points), you'll know what round talent that player is, and therefore where they deserved to be drafted vs. where they are projected to go. This will help users identify first round busts and diamonds in the rough.
- The NFL Combine is also included, giving you a breakdown of potential draftees' results and rankings over the 40-yard dash (speed), bench press (strength), vertical jump (jumping), three-cone drill (acceleration/agility), 20-yard shuttle (acceleration/agility), and broad jump (strength/jumping).
- Players have access to all the combine info on players in the draft, and the info itself does not cost you scouting points.
- Draft classes are randomized, and the development team has tweaked the process to try and ensure better and more realistic distribution of positions drafted and where they are drafted.
- Users are provided more player information during the draft, and it's better surfaced while you're drafting so you don't need to drill in so many menus, unlike in previous years.
- Once your player is drafted, you'll immediately see their ratings and where they rank in the draft in terms of their overall rating.
Free Agency
Commish Powers & More
- Madden 16 does not include major changes to signing free agents or the available contact options. Elements missing in previous years like restricted free agents and the fifth-year option are not in the game.
For more on the game, check out these recent batch of screens.
- Commissioners of online and offline leagues can apply wins or losses to other players' matches. This could come in handy if there was something that prevented a game that should have won, or if you want to advance the week to skip over a deadbeat player.
- Owners of small-market teams will have more cash at their disposal to help them out.
[h2]Madden NFL 16 Feature Deep Dive: Connected Franchise[/h2]
Posted May 28th at 1:00pm.
Written by John White, Designer
Connected Franchise Mode (CFM) is back and deeper than ever in Madden NFL 16.
Everything in Connected Franchise is done thinking about our players first, and all these new features came directly from community feedback and play-test sessions.
We’re committed to making an easy-to-use, deep Connected Franchise Mode that hits on all the features you crave. This is just the beginning.
Let’s jump right into more details of the new features.
START PLAYING FASTER
The Connected Franchise introduction flow has been reworked to get new players into the game faster.
Getting started in Madden NFL 16 Connected Franchise has been streamlined to three easy steps.
1. Choose between Cloud and Offline. Cloud has faster week advances and gives players the ability to access their league online and invite friends. Offline still has the ability to create multiple offline characters, and saves the league locally.
2. Select your team
3. Customize your experience further or start playing immediately. Players will begin in the regular season by default, you can also begin with a Fantasy Draft, or in the preseason
DYNAMIC DRIVE GOALS
Each new drive contains a Drive Goal that can be completed for bonus XP and/or Confidence.
Specific goals are tailored based on events in the current game to give players a unique challenge each and every game.
Dynamic Drive Goals truly influence the way you play. The more goals you complete, the faster your players improve.
POST-PLAY GOAL FEEDBACK
The team listened to fan feedback and made it easier for players to see which goals have been completed in-game. This year, players will now see goal feedback throughout the mode.
XP and Confidence updates appear next to your player at the end of each play. A new ticker at the bottom of the screen tracks goal progress and shows updates to all the goals influenced that play.
Players will also notice new broadcast interface elements that celebrate completing goals. This adds up to a groundbreaking broadcast experience for Connected Franchise.
WEEKLY GOALS
Weekly goals have been refactored from the ground up by implementing a new quest-like system that chains goals together week to week. These goals are assigned based on performance, position, and career status and are both team-based and individual.
For example, a “Breakout Running Back” goal may be triggered for rookie running backs that are having a great season.
As goals are completed or missed, player confidence will fluctuate. Some focus on negative stats such as fumbles and interceptions, and are tied to regression.
GOAL LOADING SCREENS
New goal loading screens allow players to maximize goal completion. Completing these goals during the game will give you additional XP and/or Confidence that helps players perform better on the field.
THINGS TO DO
The Connected Franchise Hub is more streamlined, and players can find what they need faster than ever.
It all starts on the consolidated Things to Do screen, which brings all the information from last year’s Actions and Home to one convenient location. Players can see where they stand in the season timeline, and how far they are from the Playoffs.
VISUAL TEAM DEPTH CHART
One major overhaul this year is the all-new Visual Team Depth Chart, which allows players to easily see each side of the ball and make adjustments.
Your depth chart is the heart and soul of your team, which is why we brought it to the forefront with the Team Panel. Simply drag and drop players to reorder the depth chart.
PLAYER CARD
Another big improvement is the new Player Card, which gives players an attribute breakdown without having to scroll left or right on a spreadsheet. This screen includes all the key position attributes for the player, and which attributes are being affected by Confidence.
Quickly perform key actions such as spending XP, viewing goals, adding to the trade block, and more.
NEW SCOUTING
Scouting has been reworked from the ground up in Madden NFL 16. Coaches and Owners will see a “Thing to Do” item in Week 3 that instructs how to Scout. The basic concept is that you’ll spend Scouting Points on a player, learn more about their abilities, and decide whether you want to select them in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Scouting Points unlock a player’s top three attributes, with the third unlock providing their true draft value. This true draft value will help teams find “Diamonds” and “Overvalued” players in the draft class.
Will you take a projected fifth-round pick with second-round skills in round two, or wait until later hoping that others don’t realize his potential? These are the types of decisions that come to life with the new true talent rating.
COMBINE STATS
Players can now access Combine Reports during NFL Combine Week, which includes a Combine Grade and results from six Combine events: 40-yard Dash, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, 3 Cone, 20-yard Shuttle, and Bench Press. These results can be seen without spending any Scouting Points.
Combine Reports not only include results, but also how players stack up compared to others at their position. Will you draft the fastest running back in the class, or look for a well-rounded player?
DRAFT FEEDBACK
The Draft screen itself has received a visual overhaul, and now provides much-needed feedback right after selecting a player. You’ll immediately be able to see the player’s attributes and where he was ranked, which provides immediate feedback on whether or not you made a good pick.
MEMBERS LIST
New Members panels allow players to quickly interact with fellow league members in a Cloud Franchise. You can see their game status and whether they’re online.
Commissioners can toggle Auto Pilot, clear cap penalties, and remove them from the league.
SIM-A-WIN
League commissioners can influence wins by using the League Schedule. Sim-a-Win allows you to set the winning team for any game that has not been played.
This tool allows players to craft the season of their dreams, and also helps facilitate large multiplayer leagues.
FREE PRACTICE
Players voiced a desire to practice with their Franchise team, so the team went ahead and added Free Practice to Game Prep this year.
Coaches or Owners can take their team on the field to experiment by using Free Practice. When Game Prep is available during the week, Free Practice can also be used at no additional cost.
Free Practice is a great way to a look at how a team plays, and lets players stay ahead of the curve.
CONFIDENCE TUNING
Confidence has been greatly tuned in Madden NFL 16. We’ve decreased the amount that confidence changes for every player, and also adjusted the ratings per position that can go up or down, and how confidence impacts them.
A new Game Prep activity has been added to the preseason, which allows teams to improve their low confidence before the season begins. We’ve also increased the amount of time each team has in Game Prep every week.
OWNER MODE FINANCE TUNING
Small-market teams in older stadiums now have more money to spend into the offseason every year.
As you can see, the team has left no stone unturned in Madden NFL 16 Connected Franchise Mode.
Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks, and be sure to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.
King Messiah checking in!
First madden 16. NT League SB will be mine.
Ty you coming back next Madden? Did you upgrade your wireless? lol
Definitely. I'm gonna be in a dorm, so I hope I don't have any problems. I might be a different team but I'm looking forward to the chat......the feels, the alliances, the stories. 
[h2]Madden NFL 16 Feature Deep Dive: Draft Champions[/h2]
Posted June 15th at 2:00pm.
For several years, some of the most common questions and comments heard around the EA SPORTS studio were related to Fantasy Football.
“What are you going to do with Fantasy Football?”
“Madden NFL should be doing Fantasy.”
If you asked five different people, you’d get six different answers. The challenge is delivering the “core” fantasy draft experience without losing the on-field excitement that Madden NFL fans have come to expect. In Madden NFL 16’s Draft Champions, the team has delivered on both fronts.
The first thing our team did was take a look at the traditional Fantasy Football experience: a 12-16 round snake draft spread out over a few hours. While this can be a lot of fun with friends, it can be a really long event. Also, without the pizza, wings and trash talk, the experience loses something.
That format also has two downsides from a Madden point of view. Not only is it tough to organize that many people for a large event (just ask your Commissioner), but the actual time spent drafting players is very small.
Fantasy Football is a lot of fun, but we realized the Madden NFL version needed some tweaks.
THE GOAL
Having identified the challenges, we asked ourselves “What is the core fun of Fantasy Football that will work for Madden?” It is pretty obvious: Making the pick. Choosing the player that is going to carry your team. Draft night is the best part of Fantasy Football. The goal of Draft Champions was giving players draft night over and over again.
Draft Champions adds to the Fantasy Football experience by paying off draft night immediately. As soon as the draft is over, players can take the new squad onto the field. The result? A very tight draft experience that distills the best parts of Fantasy Football, and combining it with an exciting Madden event that can be completed in an evening.
Anyone who gets through a head-to -head gauntlet will truly be worthy of the title “Draft Champion.”
DRAFT NIGHT REIMAGINED
The team had four goals with the creation of Madden NFL 16 Draft Champions: Always on the Clock. Every Pick Matters. Keep it Tight. Replayable.
Draft Champions begins by picking from one of three coaches, which helps ensures each draft will be different and the pace remains high. Coaches determine a team’s offensive and defensive playbooks, and also defines two default “Styles,” typically one offensive and one defensive. Your team’s uniform is determined by your favorite team. Simply update the team choice to change uniforms.
A base team is then generated, which is playable but relatively low-rated. There is a group of players that are available for base team rosters.
While OVR ratings are similar, there will be some variety in the types of players that show up. Over time, Draft Champion players realize which players should stay, and which should be upgraded.
UPGRADING YOUR TEAM
Now comes the heart of the experience, drafting players to upgrade your team. Players have the choice of three players in each round, and with a limited number of rounds, each pick matters.
Every draft will be different; there may be a number of highly-rated wide receivers and half backs in one draft, and a number of safeties or linebackers in another. Every pick will be an upgrade over the base team, and Draft Champions will give players tough decisions in every round.
Unlike a typical draft, the quality of players to choose from rises and falls from round to round. One draft may create a defensive juggernaut, while another could create a power running game behind a dominant offensive line.
Let’s look at a couple sample rounds:
1. Which position is most important to me right now, CB, SS or TE?
2. Do I go for depth at WR or strengthen my line?
3. Which legend do I want to focus my team around?
4. Do I go for the higher rated player, or take a player to help my style rating?
A typical draft consists of 15 player rounds; the limited number of rounds mean that you are always on the clock and every pick is crucial. Experienced players will be able to move through the draft quickly, but Draft Champions includes tools to take a deeper look at players before making a selection.
The limited number of rounds and players per round also mean that every draft will be different. Players competing in Draft Champions can play repeatedly without ever building and/or facing the same team.
YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
After the draft, it’s time to take the new squad onto the field. Choosing a Solo Draft gives players up to three games against AI opponents. With each victory, the quality of the competition will increase until the championship game in the brand new Draft Champions Stadium.
Players looking for a real challenge can jump into a Head-to-Head draft. While drafts happen independently, taking on the best players in Madden NFL 16 will provide the ultimate test for your drafting skills. Win four games in a row to become a true Draft Champion!
The number of games in each event are relatively low in order to preserve the “Madden Fantasy in a Night” feel for Draft Champions. Even if you get knocked out, you get to jump right back in and draft another team.
We couldn’t be more excited to get Draft Champions into your hands to see how we answered the question, “What does Madden do with Fantasy Football?”
Your Draft. Your Team. Your Championship.
[h2]Madden NFL 16 Gameplay: Air Supremacy[/h2]
Posted June 15th at 2:00pm.
By Madden NFL 16 Creative Director Rex Dickson
Madden NFL 16 is the culmination of fan feedback, and years of technological advancements.
At the top of the list was WR/DB interaction, which has been blown out into a collection of features called “Air Supremacy.”
Air Supremacy revolutionizes passing and catching on both sides of the ball with new user and AI mechanics. There is also a new multiplayer catch interaction system with more than 400 new two-player catch animations with a wide variety of outcomes.
NEW HANDOFF SYSTEM
Air Supremacy starts with the quarterback. We started from the snap, with an all-new handoff system that includes a large variety of new content and much tighter timing between handoff and blocking.
Each play type has a uniquely captured handoff specifically designed for the given play, resulting in hundreds of animations. This system also includes all new fake handoffs for the Play Action game, which ties in perfectly for the shot plays. More on those later.
QUARTERBACK LOCOMOTION
The team completely re-worked QB pocket, scramble and rollout locomotion. Simply tap the RT/R2 button in the QB’s drop back, or when standing in the pocket. This allows players to “roll to pass,” and includes a completely reworked back shoulder roll out. These new mechanics work brilliantly with our boot and roll out plays.
One of the big benefits of roll out is that players don’t suffer the same accuracy penalties as “throw on the run.” The team also re-worked scramble (Hold RT/R2) to be more responsive, and allows players to toggle between pocket, rollout or scramble loco at the touch of a button. You can also branch out of any drop back instantly by tapping the LT button after the snap.
Finally, we made it a priority to ensure that all the new QB loco mechanics are utilized by the CPU AI. Expect QB’s like Marcus Mariota and Cam Newton to offer a substantial threat on the ground this year.
QUARTERBACK AI
For many players, the most requested change for Madden NFL 16 was an overhaul to the CPU QB AI. We spent several years developing a new AI architecture called “Behavior Coordinator,” which allows us to create a more granular set of behaviors to a given situation.
This not only helps deliver the most challenging CPU QB’s to date, but also creates a clear distinction between different types of QB’s. The game you get from Tom Brady (pocket passer) is dramatically different than the behavior you will see from dual threats like Mariota or Newton. Each style of QB will now react to situations differently, based on their traits.
This new QB AI also represents improvements to Robo QB, Dink-and-Dunk offense, pressure awareness, play calling and situational game management.
PASSING MECHANICS
One of the big additions in Madden NFL 16 is the “body relative” throw, which allows players to throw a high jump ball (like on a fade or streak route) or a low throw where only the receiver can make a play on the ball.
We have also re-worked the new touch pass (now double tap receiver icon) for easier execution of dropping the ball behind linebackers and in front of safeties.
CATCHING MECHANIC
The most revolutionary addition this year is the new catching system. Previously, players had just one option (Y/Triangle button) to catch the ball. In Madden NFL 16, there are three different catches types to choose from.
The mechanics work by HOLDING the catch button as soon as the QB makes the pass. You no longer need to hit B, as catch control is now automatic on the intended receiver. However, it’s still possible to have more control by clicking on with B and steering the receiver with the left stick.
Here is a break down each of the new catches, the risks and rewards and situational applications:
1. RAC CATCH
A RAC (run after catch) is a catch where the receiver turns up field during the catch with the intent to gain yards. RAC catches drive the receiver up field, to catch the ball in stride.
Players perform the RAC catch by holding X/Square once the pass is released. RAC’s have a higher drop and knockout chance, and are susceptible to interceptions when the pass is thrown into traffic.
RAC’s are primarily used when a receiver is open in space or has several steps on a DB with a vertical route.
2. AGGRESSIVE CATCH
The aggressive catch, or high-point catch, drives the receiver back to the ball to go up and catch it at the highest point possible. They can be used to fight back to the ball and challenge a defensive back going for an interception.
Players perform aggressive catches by holding the Y/Triangle button once the pass is thrown. Aggressive Catches are best utilized in combination with the high throw mechanic.
Aggressive catches have lower catch chances and higher knockout chances, but can be a formidable weapon when thrown to an elite high point receiver like Dez Bryant or Calvin Johnson.
3. POSSESSION CATCH
The possession catch is where the receiver protects the ball with his body and secures the catch at the expense of looking to gain yards after the catch. Possession catches are best utilized in traffic, and can also be used to force receivers to perform “get the feet down” catches near the sideline or back of end zone.
You can perform a possession catch by holding the A/X button once the pass is thrown. They are most effective with the low throw mechanic, and when thrown to slot/possession trait receivers.
They come at the expense of RAC yards, as receivers frequently go down immediately after the catch.
WIDE RECEIVER AI TRAITS
Each WR has a new series of traits that determine which types of catches they look for when under AI control. This includes the RAC, Aggressive, and Possession traits. Throwing the right route to the right receiver and using catch mechanics linked to traits is a critical strategic component in Madden NFL 16.
MULTIPLAYER CATCH SYSTEM
The Multiplayer Catch System is based on technology in development for more than two years, and allows receivers and defenders to go up for a catch simultaneously and battle for the ball in the air while using ratings, mechanics and positioning to deliver the appropriate outcome
The team added more than 400 new multiplayer catch outcomes, which includes knockouts, tip ball, simultaneous possession catches, offensive/defensive PI, interceptions and more.
The system also account for double coverage situations. We have spent countless hours tuning and balancing this system extensively to ensure players cannot exploit the system.
ADDITIONAL WR/DB INTERACTIONS
The team also added hundreds of new receiver/defender interaction animations, including new press interactions, zone chuck interactions and hand fighting during route running.
This includes a complete overhaul to our defensive pre-play alignment system, as defenders now align to the inside or outside of the receiver based on the coverage and where they want to force them.
PLAYBOOKS AND SHOT PLAYS
Working in concert with Madden NFL 16’s Air Supremacy theme, we met with legendary coach Tom Moore to work on a new addition to our playbooks, authentic NFL “Shot Plays.”
In the real world, a shot play is primarily play-action based and usually keeps backs and tight ends in to block, while receivers go deep.
We have added more than 100 new shot plays (600 new plays overall), including team-specific shot plays in each team playbook.
IN-GAME FEEDBACK SYSTEMS
Building off the success of Madden NFL 15’s pass rush and tackling feedback, the team created a new feedback system around passing and catching.
Pass feedback tells players if the pass was under pressure, on the run, or off the back foot in order to provide context as to why the pass came out the way it did.
Once the pass has been released, the catch UI displays the catch that the AI is looking for. The user can override this choice at any time by tapping or holding down one of the three catch buttons.
Finally, after the catch is made, we will display the type of catch the receiver performed.
ADDITIONAL OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
The passing game isn’t the only thing that got love. We added two mechanics to help move through the line as a ball carrier. The first is “get skinny” (hold RB) when running through the line, as well as context sensitive ‘cut step’ juke (LS left/right) performed behind the LOS to cut off blocks.
Ball Carrier AI has been completely overhauled with new “hit the hole logic,” resulting in a real and tangible running game from the CPU. Ball carrier locomotion and True Step have also been revisited to ensure responsive controls that are still grounded in the realm of authenticity.
Contextual Awareness has been revisited with several new animations and much tighter registration with other players
New extra point rules are in! After scoring a TD, players can kick the PAT from the 15-yard line, or attempt the two-point conversion from the 2. The new rules also allow the defense to score two points on returns. Penalties are fully supported on these plays, so teams can change their decision if a penalty occurs.
[h2]Madden NFL 16 Gameplay: Defense[/h2]
Posted June 15th at 2:00pm.
By Madden NFL 16 Creative Director Rex Dickson
We’ve touched on all the improvements made to the passing game with all-new Air Supremacy, so it’s time to show the defense some love.
Here are some of the improvements made to the defensive side of the ball in Madden NFL 16.
PLAY BALL (BALL HAWK)
Play Ball (Ball Hawk) is back and has been heavily revised to ensure the most aggressive path possible to the ball. As with past years, the user plays the ball by holding the Y/Triangle button as soon as the pass is released.
Play Ball is the best way to challenge the receiver for the catch, but comes at the risk of triggering a catch animation behind the receiver and giving up a big play.
PLAY RECEIVER (NEW)
New this year is the Play Receiver DB mechanic. Hold the A/X button once the pass is thrown to play the receiver. This drives you towards the receiver as opposed to driving you to a catch point.
Hit receiver can be used to dislodge the ball during the catch, but comes at the expense of not being able to trigger interceptions.
ORGANIC GANG TACKLES
Forget everything you remember about Pro-Tak. Madden NFL 16 delivers the most dramatic tackles in franchise history with a fully organic, physics-based gang tackling system. We now have fully realized momentum-based organic interactions on tackles that support a limitless number of defenders attaching to the ball carrier.
The system is complemented by new dynamic gang tackle animations that can “go organic” based on additional defenders in proximity.
We also worked on the stat-tracking side – Assisted Tackles and Half-sacks are now being tracked appropriately in the stats screen. It all adds up to the most authentic tackles ever seen in Madden NFL. Gang tackling is back!
OTHER TACKLING IMPROVEMENTS
While most players raved about the changes to tackling in Madden NFL 15, some users complained about feeling too much “suction” in the conservative tackle system. The team took this feedback to heart and tuned both the tackle cone and match distance to eliminate warping (or suction) from the tackling system without sacrificing control or responsiveness.
Aggressive tackles were also improved so that defenders always dive towards the ball carrier instead of just at his facing direction.
QUICK ADJUSTMENTS
Defensive quick adjustments give users the ability to adjust any of their defenders on the field without having to manually switch to the defender. Simply select the group (DL, LB, DB), choose individual adjustment, select the defender and set the assignment.
This addresses a long-standing legacy issue that put the defense at a disadvantage when it came to pre-play adjustments.
ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
Madden NFL 16 also includes a few key defensive improvements demanded by the community. A few of the highlights include:
- QB Spy logic has been updated to be more effective at stopping rushing QB’s
- Contain Defenses and logic have been improved to help counter the new rollout and scramble mechanics
- New mechanic where users can now make their defenders in spy assignment abandon the spy and chase the QB at any point in the play. This is done by clicking in R3 once he ball has been snapped.
- Resolved an issue where users would not have time to audible to onside kick recovery when their opponents caught them in normal return vs. onside kick.
- The offense can no longer use no huddle to consistently cause AI defenders to be called offsides.
[h2]Madden NFL 16 Gameplay: AI Improvements and Penalties[/h2]
Posted June 15th at 2:00pm.
By Madden NFL 16 Creative Director Rex Dickson
Part three of the Madden NFL 16 Gameplay Deep Dives takes a look at the game’s revamped AI, as well as all-new realistic penalties.
PENALTIES
Our hardcore simulation fans have been demanding realistic penalties for years. The team finally made this a point of emphasis in Madden NFL 16, and penalties will play a bigger factor than ever before.
In addition to several new penalties being added, we have updated all pre-existing penalties and built a system to control penalty frequency.
Every player is assigned a Penalty trait based on real-world NFL data, which determines how likely they are to commit a penalty; an undisciplined player has a far greater chance of committing a penalty than a disciplined player.
Players’ in-game strategy has an impact on penalties as well. For example, pressing cornerbacks are more likely to commit a defensive holding penalty, while goalline and max protect calls make offensive holding penalties more likely. Mistiming the “Off the Line” mechanic can easily draw a neutral zone infraction or encroachment penalty.
Finally, all penalty sliders have been updated to allow players to fully customize the experience to their liking. The Default slider setting is based on NFL penalty averages over the last five seasons to make both penalty type and frequency as authentic as possible.
The list of new and updated penalties includes:
Encroachment, False Start, Offensive Holding, Facemask, Defensive Pass Interference, Illegal Block in the Back, Neutral Zone Infraction, Defensive Holding, Illegal Forward Pass, Illegal Touching, Delay of Game, Kick Catch Interference Running into the Kicker, Unnecessary Roughness and Roughing the Passer.
PROCEDURAL AWARENESS HEAD TRACKING
As the Madden NFL franchise moves forward with its “Player Sense” theme, one of the biggest detractors was a lack of true head tracking for all players across all situations.
Madden NFL 16 includes added logic for QBs, RBs, WRs and defenders so that each head and eye track (the ball and players around them) uniquely based on their position.
Quarterbacks will scan the field for open receivers, ball carriers will alternate their gaze between incoming defenders, and players will track other players around them after the play. You may even see players looking up at the scoreboard on a breakaway run.
PRE, POST, AND DURING PLAY MOTION QUALITY
The quality of player motion has been a primary point of emphasis for the Madden NFL team for several years now. This year, we made huge strides in pre, post and during play motion quality. This touches several major systems like huddle break, walk to line, pile get up logic, pile avoidance, post play path finding and more. When it comes to in-game animation quality improvements, the list is endless.
Players can expect a dramatic reduction in pops, warps, slides, and other issues in Madden NFL 16. This will continue to be a focal point for us as we strive towards our goal of animation quality.
LEGACY ISSUES
In addition to all the new features being added, the team continue to address the feedback and concerns of our community.
A number of legacy issues have been addressed in Madden NFL 16, mostly around exploited mechanics or solidifying features meant to counter those exploits. Here are some highlights:
- QB Spy logic updated (QB swerves the spy exploit)
- Flip the Play to speed up huddle break issue has been addressed
- Out of position subs causing exploitable routes has been addressed
- Rocket Catching / Mossing / DB Glitches have been significantly reduced and/or eliminated
- A large percentage of the known “nano-blitzes” have been removed
- The PA End Around exploit play has been addressed.
- Route swapping exploits have also been resolved.
- A variety of ‘money plays’ have been revised or altered.
- Resolved the friendly quit glitch for Madden NFL 16
- Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more Madden NFL 16 deep dives, and be sure to check out more on this year’s gameplay.
Live has surpassed Madden in terms of visuals and Live looked like complete dog **** a couple years ago
