Madden '13

[Hometown Kid]

Well, another year, another Madden. I was thinking there's gonna be more of the same. I didn't play '12 because it was just too much of not changing anything. I read there's a new engine to help tackling and to end the "psychic DB" deal that's been prevalent since the series' inception almost 25 years ago, which i'll believe when I see and i'm not expecting.

They're teasing the new connected careers mode which could be cool, though I wish they'd do more for offline Franchise multiplayer. That just plain sucks. But i'll at least give them credit for trying to go a little different route this year. Don't understand why they don't look at Madden 2004, which was pretty much one of the best games of the PS2 era. Owner Mode in the PS2 games >>> Franchise in any of the current-gen versions.

Anyways, I might pick this up if they're quick with the player edit patch, hope it doesn't suck. I mostly just want to play as "The Icon" anyway.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Madden 04 was quite awesome, all though too easy to dominate with Ricky Williams on that game.

Madden 10 was the last good Madden as far as gameplay goes. Then fuck ass 11 came out...terrible, terrible, terrible. And what was 12? A clankier, choppier version of 11, and that was on PS3. 13 should be much better since they are finally getting rid of fuck ass Collinsworth for commentary and apparently its the NCAA engine what a Madden skin, which is still levels better than 11 or 12.

 

[PeepShow]

Fuck EA.

2K5 plz.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

Enzo, it's not the NCAA engine at all. It's a new physics engine.. finally. Still see animation playing a key factor at times, but a little animation HAS to be a part of it. From what I've seen though, the graphics have dipped a little with the new engine, but that's to be expected. What I'm really looking for now is for them to fix the AI vs. PI this time compared to last year's clusterfuck.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

That's not how GI explained it a few issues back. And the graphics look absolutely amazing this year, last year was just fucking terrible. Year for year, generation for generation, 12 might be the worst Madden overall.

 

[Hometown Kid]

What do you guys make of the new Franchise/Career mode? To me that's what's going to make or break the game, especially with NBA2k's and MLB The Show's fantastic offerings. I thought Madden's been stuck in the dark ages with that, and I applaud them for trying something new, although it could be a trainwreck.

I think the graphics look great, and it is an all-new engine, Enzo, the NCAA one stays the same this year, then switches to the new Madden's next year.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

...and these changes mirror those of NCAA 13

What I read. I hope this new engine is for the better since the dumbed down 11 and 12 engine was...well...dumb.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

It's a physics engine... more physics driven than say, NBA2K has ever gone. It might be faulty this year, but they should get it all together eventually. I have confidence in them with it though, based off what I've seen so far.

As far as careers mode.. I don't like the idea. Basically, you're choosing to be a player, coach, or GM... or all 3. That's fucking ridiculous, imo.

Franchise has always been solid in it's premise that you're a coach, control every player, but also function as the GM/owner. The lines were always blurred tho, which could be for better or worse.

But now there's no blurred lines (except motion) and the premise of that sucks. You're basically being asked to do this/that/the other or choose any specific role. I've never been a fan of the my player style shit... I mean, it's realistic in that you only control what is given to you... but again, the AI really fucks you over sometimes, and it eliminated (in Madden's case anyways) the experience of the GAME (not the video game, the football game) and really left you just simming through shit until you were on the field.

I'm just looking for franchise to improve with the depth in the future seasons, and to fix those god-awful flaws of inflated pads in rookie classes that you can't fix.

And again, AI vs. PI has to be fixed. Yeah, it was tougher to play last year, but it wasn't because they ramped up AI, it's because they dumbed down PI in such an incredible fashion.

I was playing a game, using the Packers and playing the Bengals, down a point in the third. Aaron Rodgers drops back, no pressure at all vs. a 4-man rush and 1 DE was taken out with a pancake block. Not scrambling, just sitting in the pocket. Jordy Nelson is WIDE OPEN 30 yards downfield on the right, but to the left of the numbers. I throw it, no pressure, not using any leading controls, just tap Jordy's button and Rodgers throws it 15 yards OUT OF BOUNDS! Not only should that never happen, it WOULD NEVER happen. It was just the AI vs. PI flaw... their way to make the game more "competitive". Give me my PI back, but make AI tough... that's my main concern with Madden after the last couple years... primarily last year.


But PI vs. AI is something very few games have figured out. It's just, in Madden, when you fix PI sliders, you're in a custom class and AI goes back to Pro settings, and it's like Madden 06 when you can just fucking score 200 pts. a game against anyone.

 

[Hometown Kid]

My Player works in 2k 'cause they added a bunch of extra shit (press conferences, endorsements, commercials, etc.) to give a good reason to play and make it feel like a personal career, and Madden did an alright job for like the first year, but then they never added anything to it, then they stripped everything away, and who the hell wants to just play locked to a non-CAP? I think being able to create a guy, play for awhile, then retire and become a coach/GM with the same guy is pretty cool, but just playing games with a player lock doesn't do anything for anybody. Legit LOL'd at Skip Bayless and other ESPN dingbats being on twitter criticizing your moves and stuff being a feature in careers mode. WHO greenlighted this idea? Tony Bruno added so much to '05's game, so lets do the 2012 equivalent. >_>

We'll see how the AI situation shakes out but it's hard to speculate on that without playing the final game, it's not like they'll give you any real info on it. "It's great, better and tougher than ever!". Right.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

It's a physics engine... more physics driven than say, NBA2K has ever gone. It might be faulty this year, but they should get it all together eventually. I have confidence in them with it though, based off what I've seen so far.

That is the most baseless statement I've ever heard from you. You're comparing the two worst entries of a storied franchise to the best entry of another storied franchise. Clanky animation, piss poor graphics and even poorer control response is "physics based", only if you've had a stroke. Luke, try your hardest to defend this statement or your the best troll going right now.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

That is the most baseless statement I've ever heard from you. You're comparing the two worst entries of a storied franchise to the best entry of another storied franchise. Clanky animation, piss poor graphics and even poorer control response is "physics based", only if you've had a stroke. Luke, try your hardest to defend this statement or your the best troll going right now.

You misinterpreted what I said. I didn't say 11 or 12 are physics... I said Madden 13 is going to be a physics engine... you said you hope this engine is better than 11 or 12... 11 and 12 were the same engine as they've been running for years when everyone was begging them to go to physics, or for NFL2K to come back so THEY could do a physics-driven game... I was saying 13 is going to be physics... physics, even faulty, will trump overly animated shit like they've been doing for years.