I wanna see organic tackling physics and no more of these canned animations...i wanna see player weight and momentum play a real factor
Maybe change the truck stick to a fight for yards stick...that way the player fights for extra yards instead of just running people over only to be tackled by the next defender
I'm going to add my vote to the "Create your own plays". Although I could see that maybe being a problem for the CPU to defend against. I remember playing football games in the late 80's/ early 90s were you could create some plays the PC had no chance of defending against.
And while not anything that would really improve the game play ... a Superbowl that isn't just plain boring. I mean a few fireworks and a short scene with a trophy you dont even get to hold is pretty bland. Even a pic of each Superbowl ring you won on your stat page would be cool. But again, that is more aesthetics and not really game play.
Creating a brand new franchise team from scratch would be fun imho. I'd see it as starting out with less money than established teams so your players would probably be average at best (might be a good team to hire retired players to for temporary help). Then increasing the teams fan base by playing games, thus getting more income. And winning would increase the fan base more than losing. Of course with the a similar salary cap as the established teams so as not to become unfair in later years.
Oh yeah, 1 more thing. Being able to go to the league schedule, selecting a scheduled game that is not your team and being able to watch it play by play would be cool also.
So, I just finished my first season in franchise mode and here are some things which I think could improve for next year's version of the game.
1) Physics. This is a football simulation game, it shouldn't be dictated by animations. I understand animations have to occur sometimes, but physics should be the priority here. Multiple times I've gone to dive or call a fair catch on a punt, only to be denied which always results in a fumble. This isn't a coincidence when it happens multiple times. This is being suckered into a fumble animation.
2) Pass blocking has improved a bit, but it can still be better and more realistic.
3) Superstar X-factors have to go. This is my first experience with them as I didn't play last year's game. They are terribly unrealistic and make the game feel arcade-like. NFL football isn't an arcade game, it's supposed to be simulation. I love that abilities exist, but they're not used properly.
4) The game moves waaaaay too fast. Once again it feels too arcade like. Bring back tempo adjustments. There used to be an option to play at the following speeds: fast, normal, slow, super slow. The "slow" options made it feel realistic and that you had control over your players.
5) Better CB coverage. It is absolutely impossible to cover any slant play the CPU runs. Receivers catch almost every pass. Generally speaking, in previous versions, CBs would knock balls out of their hands a realistic amount of the time, now it almost never happens.
6) The news feed is a cut and paste "feature" that has been the same for year after year. It continues to put up "old news." There is nothing innovative about it. It doesn't show your team's signings, etc.. It's actually embarrassing. I don't have a next gen console yet, but I doubt it's any different than the PS4 version. Bring back the newspaper. The social media is a joke.
7) Challenges are still a joke, but I surprisingly won one. Allow us to challenge specific things on a play, not what the CPU thinks we'd be challenging.
8) Improved presentation. You have an ESPN license. Perhaps try using it?
9) Coaching carousel. This is well overdue for being implemented.
AI is terrible u can run the same plays over and over and they never pick up on it
Slants can never be stopped or even pressed for some odd reason. It's as if they don't watch the real NFL on Sunday's
Physics no explanation needed here LESS animations
Full user control of the WR/TE in the passing game. I'm tired of triggering jumping animations for players who don't need to jump. I should be able to make the player jump or dive for the ball on my own. Give control back to the user not cpu or animations
Put players numbers and last name on the field so we know exactly who is who. Or u can make this an X-factor trait for certain smart QB's to identify certain matchups
Need more option routes and zone sitting routes. Fix comeback routes in certain formations they don't comeback to the ball. They turn and sit as if it's a curl route
More information during the draft in franchise mode. For instance is the QB I'm scouting a left handed QB, and player comparisons. If there is a 6'3 240 pound RB in the draft it would be nice to see his comparison being Eddie George or Derek Henry etc. Also certain players should be generational talent type players and it should say that during scouting.
Awareness/play recognition increase and decrease. If a player isn't playing in his system and is traded to a team not running his system his awareness and play rec should drop significantly. And there should be caps on certain attributes in general. If a rookie comes in the league with 89 speed there is no way He should ever be able to go up to 95 speed. His cap should be somewhere around 92-93 and the same goes for arm strength etc.
Better rookie prospects in franchise mode. How many times have I been in a draft and the TE are running high 4.6 and 4.7 speed. This is 2021 the TE are very athletic now this isn't 1965 EA.
Ability to use formation subs with CUSTOM PLAYBOOKS
Bring back create a play
REAL DEFENSIVE ASSIGNMENTS the ability to put specific players on specific WR. I want Jalen Ramsey on the 2nd best WR and I will double team the other teams #1 WR. Fix alignments issues so my LB doesn't end up on WR. I want my CB on WR and my S & LB on TE & RB.
Coach Mode Franchise. I love Madden, but at times it gets frustrating playing against some really terrific Madden players who are just pro level good at the game. I think there is a decent sized group of people that would like an option to play an online or offline Franchise in Coach mode. A mode where you have zero control over the players. You're A coach/Gm you sign/draft/trade/build your team, and on game day you call the plays on Offense and Defense. Do you have a young QB who's gun shy, panicky in the pocket, low awareness. Maybe you tailor your play calling to quick/short game, rollouts, etc.. This seems like a super easy completely "OPTIONAL" implementation. Use existing Coach mode in the settings. Take out the ability for any user control for players, and have a league setting to turn on/off. The money route/run and those who are awesome at defender control might hate this, but they can always join their own regular leagues. I can tell you right now if EA did this simple option I'd have easy 30+ friends and fantasy football guys buying an Xbox just to do this. What turns many off is being bad at the video game portion of the game. Player familiarity with Playbook/Scheme. Tired of seeing people pickup FA's (even QB's) and they start them the very next game. In real life almost any position there is a period of adjustment where any player needs to learn the system. Not it's week 6, my QB just got hurt and I noticed a 68 rated QB in FA and my backup on my roster since Summer camp is rated 61 so I'll replace him without a hitch. Need a FWS rating (Familiarity with System). If it's low their ratings are affected. If it's average 50-60 they are normal ratings, if it's high maybe they get a small boost since maybe they played in lets say a west coast zone run their whole career. Custom Schemes or ability to change some roles. **** If I'm playing a West coast scheme Not every WR should be Route runner. Some teams have a deep threat to spread the D, Some have a Physical tall 50/50 ball guy, all teams have a slot WR, etc.. I really dislike your premade schemes shoehorn in dictated roles. Also add some positions. IE. RB2 is maybe a receiving/slot back like a Tarik Cohen. With this you should have some dynamic playbooks that read what players choose. WR1 Physical, WR2 Deep, WR 3 Route Runner. Then maybe generate a playbook that is designed with these type of routes per what the player selects. Have it pop up, based off your players role selections we have auto generated a playbook designed to best implement your players routes and run types based on the roles you assigned. You can edit this playbook or choose another if you wish.
https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/madden-nfl-football/885037-connected-franchise-mode-rebuild.html This is what the Madden Fans want! Franchise has been criminally neglected and we need some serious improvement. Please get this to Sean Graddy. Thanks!
Being able to save offensive or defensive hot routes or defensive assignments while in practice mode.
Customizable personnel packages while in practice.
Head coaches and coordinators have specific perks. Payton offenses could have multiple plays stacked for quicker audibles and no huddle. Belichick teams could have better film study. Greg Roman could have bolder running keys for qb. Josh Daniels could have audibles based on passing concepts to groups of receivers. Spags defense could time snap better over the course of a game if it remains consistent for blitzes and disguised coverages.
More motions. Be able to hot route while keeping your motion.
More defensive actions. Stunts, delayed blitzes, twists, left/right double coverage, over/under double coverage and contain to spy.
Hot routes for rpo plays.
Line chemistry builds to perks like blitz detection and better pass offs. Chemistry builds with snaps over season. This could be applied to other skill groups. Better zone pass off after so many zone snaps.
Kickers can get the yips.
More in depth team preview. It could look like a slightly simpler form of a playbooks game planning section.
More abilities. Travis Kelce/Tyreek Hill should have a double move master with tighter doubles and a double move got route tree after catching 4 consecutive non double route.
Here is my wish-list and things to improve upon for next year’s Madden. Although, I’d love to see EA skip a year as an “I’m sorry, we know we’ve screwed up the past few years, so we’re going back to the drawing board and starting over for you,” WWE did that. Or at least give up the exclusive license and allow for competition, because let’s face, competition brings out the best in everyone and everything. Having a monopoly promotes complacency and laziness..BUT! We know that won’t ever happen, so here goes. I do hope EA personnel reads this as I truly think there are good ideas in here that would actually improve the game.
1) Fix the overall play of the game. The game is still almost 100% dependent on animations and pre-determined outcomes. This is 2021 and we’re now on ‘next-gen,’ there is literally zero reason why real physics can’t be incorporated into the game. Look at All-Pro Football 2K8 for example. That was released two generations ago, and it is STILL the bar for football games that play the way they should. You can throw proper fade passes and the ball has true trajectory. Pockets don’t collapse on every single play. Players move they way they should move. The AI players react and move like you would see in a real football game. These things don’t happen anymore in Madden and they absolutely should. The technology is there, utilize it properly! APF 2K8 and even 2K5 before it, are true simulation games where animations don’t dictate the outcome of the game. They presented a challenge to the player to defeat the CPU based on skill, both mentally and playing ability. Those games are proof that having a simulation football is possible, yet EA refuses to incorporate physics and true simulation style into their games. Ratings need to matter! It’s almost impossible to tell difference between a high rated player and a low one. A linebacker on the CPU shouldn’t be able to catch up to a very speedy WR on my team, but he does. Yet, I can never catch a WR with one of my CBs. How is this realistic?! A DL shouldn’t be able to catch up to my QB when I already have a few steps on him. I’ve messed with the speed threshold slider, it doesn’t work! For the love of God, EA, please sit down and play APF 2K8 and then play Madden 21, the difference is night and day, and not in a good way for Madden.
2) Where is the coin toss? Why was it ever taken out!? I’m beyond sick of having the same thing happen every game, unless I manually go into the settings before the game starts to say I want my first choice is to kick off, or to receive. I shouldn’t have to do that to get variety. Give us the damn coin toss to start the game, for goodness sakes! What was the reasoning for taking it out!?
3) Why are we still in caves?.. When was the last time a backup QB took the snap on PATs and FGs? That’s the punter’s job and it has been for quite some time! When was the last time the backup QB had those duties?..
4) How many times do we see a struggling QB get pulled from a game after throwing 4 INTs or fumbling several times in a real game? Or a RB or WR get benched for fumbling and dropping passes? Or an OL get benched for giving up too many pressures? Or a DB getting pulled for getting burned frequently? We see that pretty often in real life. How often do we see anyone get pulled on a CPU team when they’re struggling? I can answer that in one word. Never. Shouldn’t that be fixed? (: Perhaps give players being subbed in some sort of temporary boost for getting an opportunity? But don’t make it an unrealistic, arcade like boost
5) Turnovers still happen too frequently. By no means should I lead the league in turnovers given up and turnovers forced every single season in franchise mode.
6) The challenge system still is atrocious. Although, I have won a couple in Madden 21 (surprisingly), it is still extremely far behind NFL 2K5. In that game, you could choose what you want to challenge, not what the CPU thinks you should challenge. Overall, despite me winning a couple, there are still loads that I should’ve won, but the game just doesn’t work the way it should, due to the dependency on animations rather than actual physics.
7) CPU has not improved like it should. It’s still not realistic. CPU players still juke and move when they have a wide open lane. This wouldn’t happen on Sundays in real life; therefore, it shouldn’t happen in Madden, considering it IS a simulation football game, and that’s why no one else can make a simulation football game!
8. X-Factors. They. Have. Got. To. Go. Plain and simple. They are a gigantic marketing scam by EA so they can tout new “X-Factor Abilities” whilst ignoring other glaring needs that need to be improved upon. These things are not realistic. How realistic is it that after a QB completes deep passes to trigger their bomb mode? If anything a QB would be tired after throwing several deep passes, but in the wisdom of EA, it means they can throw the ball 80 yards. -_- Baker Mayfield threw the longest pass in NFL history, which was an incomplete pass of 76 yards? (I could be wrong on the yardage). But how realistic is it for a QB in the zone to continuously be able to throw 80 yard passes. This is something you’d see in NFL Blitz, which is an arcade game, not a simulation game. The ‘Truzz’ ability is so laughingly bad as well. So a QB scrambles and all of a sudden, he’s incapable of fumbling?! Let’s see, he scrambled, he should be a little more tired than he was, which should actually INCREASE his potential to fumble, not make him incapable of fumbling. Truzz is truly awful, and again, arcade like. Gambler, so you can complete a few passes and all of a sudden you’re unable to be intercepted?! What!? That’s not how it works in the NFL. Every single X-Factor is unrealistic and just arcade like. Like I said, this isn’t NFL Blitz. Madden is supposed to be a simulation game, and these do not make it a simulation game. Players having certain abilities is great, and should give you a feeling of superiority, but in Madden, they just come off as cheating and cartoonish. Look at All Pro Football 2K8 to see how abilities should work. You have an advantage using some players, but it felt natural, it wasn’t forced and overpowering, and arcade like. That game came out over 10 years ago, yet Madden can’t duplicate it.
9) Give us the ability to sign coordinators. Those coordinators could have an impact on the players as well. Some offensive coordinators can have an impact on better pass blocking, better route running, or perhaps even worse for those if that isn’t their coaching strengths. Same thing for defensive coordinators, give us an increase in pass rush or man to man coverage, or perhaps worse for those if that isn’t their strengths. Bottom line, for better or worse, have the coordinators have an impact. Give us a coaching carousel, coordinators could become head coaches, or former head coaches who get fired may only be able to get a coordinator job. This all happens in the NFL, but we haven’t had coordinators in Madden in forever.
10) It is impossible to play defense in Madden 21. I recall reading something about how you were improving zone defense, but whatever it is that you did, you just broke the game more. Slants are impossible to defend. Defenders on a user controlled team almost never knock the ball out of a receivers hands. Tackling is the worst it has ever been! Switching between defenders doesn’t work like it’s supposed to. More often than not, you’re switched to a player who isn’t the closest to the ball. This is the worst defensive Madden I’ve ever played, and it doesn’t even allow for the game to be fun.
11) Madden Franchise mode is still a joke, despite them making efforts to improve it. Here’s how..
A) Give us a better pre-show, halftime show, and post-show. I’m going to reference 2K5 and all of the NBA 2K games. Their pre-shows are fantastic, while EA gives us this crappy game intro and then boom, kickoff! We had highlights on a PS2 game on the weekly wrap up show for games we didn’t even play. There is beyond zero reason why these next gen consoles can’t do something a PS2 was able to do. And where did the starting lineups disappear to!? Why did those get taken out!?
B. Give us a better overall presentation. Give us press conferences like NBA 2K has, instead of shoddy text based media questions. Let the press conferences have an impact on player morale and performance. If a coach/owner gives a motivating answer, it should give a spark to the team. Criticism should have a negative impact..etc.. Fan morale and support and optimism should also be impacted. Give us a better news feed. The social media feed is beyond awful. It's never updated. It has old news stories. It doesn't have signings for your team. It dreadful and downright embarrassing.
C) When you watch a game on Sunday afternoon, you’re watching either FOX or CBS. When you watch a game on Sunday night, you’re watching NBC. When you’re watching a game on Monday night, you’re watching ESPN. (**cough cough** why don't you ever use your ESPN license when you have one?! Oh yeah, just so no one else can use it! **cough cough**). What do you notice when watching those games? Different presentations, perhaps? Different graphics?.. Different scoreboards?.. That’s a yes to all of the above. Now what do you see when you play a game in Madden on Sunday, Sunday night, Monday night? Hmm, you see all the same graphics, scoreboards, and presentations. How about giving us different presentations and graphics and scoreboards? MLB The Show does that, why can’t EA? This is next gen, let’s utilize the technology. It shouldn’t be hard to provide different scoreboards and presentations to make games feel different?
D) How about adding a bunch of people as a 3rd person to the broadcast booth? We’d get a different broadcaster for Sunday afternoon games, than we would for Sunday night, or Monday night, or Thursday night? You can keep the same main team, since I don’t foresee you having different broadcast teams, but you absolutely could have some rotation for a 3rd person to make the games feel different.
E) Scouting and free agency is awful. How about a complete re-haul for those? How about sending scouts to the northeast or southwest to scout schools in that area, in order to gain more knowledge on players from those schools? Then another week send scouts to the southeast, for schools like LSU and Alabama, to get a closer look at those players? We would have to pick and choose where to send people, but then we would be privy to the information on everyone who attends the combine, like in real life. Give us options to have some strategy for scouting. Then give us some sort of ‘internet scouting report’ that are all over the internet for real. We could read those reports and choose to send our scouts to get a closer look at those players if we wish to.
F) For free agency, teams still sign players they don’t really need, while some players are left un-signed. Have some players not interested in some teams for any reason: location (don’t want to play in the cold), current state of the team, etc.. Also, have a better bidding system, the point system just never felt good.
G) Improve the draft, I know you’re making an improvement to draft logic (maybe that was in the last update?) If it was, it wasn’t working as the Dolphins still drafted a QB in the second year of the franchise when they had Tua who was a 77 overall. Where are the draft day trades? You never seen CPU teams have draft day trades, which isn’t realistic. You never see a CPU team trade up to try and take a QB if they need one, which is something you see ALL. THE. TIME. for real.
H) CPU transactions need an overhaul in general. Again, look at NBA 2K, you’ll see CPU teams trade with each other and offer you trades. That never happens in Madden.
I) Player ratings can still be improved, they’re better than they used to be, but can still be improved upon.
J) New player limitations!.. Say your QBs catch the injury bug and you need to go to the FA market and bring someone in.. The whole playbook shouldn’t be available to them or to any player who is new. That’s just not realistic, especially for QBs. It takes time to learn the plays.
K) Stat tracking has improved with the year to year, and week to week being included. But, historical stats are still lacking. A top 10 really doesn’t cut the mustard in 2021 and for next gen, hate to break it to you! Give us a list of a top 10 individual team leaders in all the categories. Give us past Super Bowl Champions. The lack of stat tracking is pure laziness on EA developers.
L) Home field advantage of some sorts. It should be more difficult to play a playoff game in GB in the freezing cold. It should be difficult to play a game in Seattle. But please for the love of God, don’t just make the screen shake and give us all headaches watching that. No one wants that.
M) Flex scheduling in franchise mode. If two teams have a certain winning percentage or there’s a playoff scenario taking place, that game should be bumped to Sunday Night Football.
N) Injuries, when a player goes down in a game, how often do you see within the broadcast where a reporter comes on screen announcing that the player has torn his ACL, after only two plays from when he got injured? Let me answer that for you.. Never. You don’t hear what’s 100% wrong with a player until Monday. We shouldn’t know what’s wrong with a player in Madden after two plays have passed. This; however, is what you see on Sundays: “He seems to have an injury to knee, his return is doubtful.” This is what should happen in Madden. Give us an area of the body that has been injured, and that he’s probable or doubtful to return.. Perhaps even have a sideline reporter give us that kind of update with an onscreen cut in character! What a hoot that would be!? If only we had that kind of technology available!
I honestly don’t see how any of these are unrealistic expectations for a next gen game. These should all be 100% feasible to incorporate. How about using some of that Madden card pack money and put it towards good use?
bring back the vision cone, this push button system is to simple for and game where skill should be a factor!!! this could change with crowd and weather which needs to matter in every home team. Practice will matter and style , I know people didnt like the cone but you knew what the Qb was looking at and if you were the Qb could look off and go to another, you know kinda like REAL football. If it's in the game!!and while I'm at it, bring the coin flip also. Please join me in "BRING IT BACK"!!!!
Bring back the vision cone, this game should not be a simple push button passing game, look off the def, or on def be able to look where the qb eyes are, weather and crowd rookie qb,need to be a factor in football, this could be included as well. Would be great to play with a qb that you need to practice with to know how to pass instead of just pushing circle button. And while I'm here bring the coin flip back!! if it's in the game!!! Weather/crowd need to matter, it's part of what makes football great!!! "BRING BACK THE VISION CONE"
I forgot to add this to my list above, so I'll just add it here. Include spoken commentary names for drafted players. I know it's impossible to do for them all, but some of them you can. Look at NBA 2K and MLB The Show. The commentary in those games announce names for players that are added to the game, why can't Madden do that?
I'm back- and yes "BRING BACK THE VISION CONE" rally!!!!! read a commit about the screen shaking, I do believe this would this would work with FG visitor teams instead of the stupid ice freeze screen that changes from whats been going on all game and then disappears from the screen,I never like or understood this , make in shake and harder to hit on time, home field should matter as, its football!!! BRING IT BACK!!!
I've been saying it year after year if 2k can have so much player control madden definitely can have it.
Franchise and face of the franchise modes should be can be way more in depth and way more role player ish.
FOF mode should allow us to create our own story lines by simply allowing us to create our own high schools and opponents like ncaa did back in the day the story would be first of all us picking and choosing whatever position we want and playing each game to earn scouts respect and earning stars like on ncaa back in the day. Each game tells you your projections at the next level what schools want you and what position you may play and how soon you may play. Have a bigger selection of colleges represented and every game he's either getting closer to a scholarship star rankings increase or decrease or he's going to have to walk on and earn playing time. No more sorry **** storylines please!!!!!!! Then we he gets to college repeat this cycle he plays 10 games trying to Mahe it to the national championship game but even if he don't then he still can earn points for NFL draft day also make a senior bowl and combine (combines should be a game mode for every position) testing bench 40 vertical broad jump and few cone drills also on the field testing. Also have the wonderlic and the top 5 teams interested in that player. As he progresses through out the league have him living in an apartment as a rookie driving somethin simple and have him hire and fire agents get endorsements opportunities also different opportunities to lead him into different paths ie. Leadership role team player roles but could also decline and become a locker room disturbance or distraction but there's always room for improvement on and off the field. Hold press conferences with him after games if he balled out like on 2k. The more money he starts making the better life he lives.( Nfl2k) he can have career of playing for different teams or just on 1 team. He can play 10 plus years or just a few it's up to you. That's how FoF should be.
General needs and concerns 1. Bring back coin toss 2. Bring back real injuries let us see the bone sticking out them being carted off the field them throwing up after concussions. Make it realistic 3 have better commentating and bring madden back damn more dialog is needed 4. Created mode needs more depth creating players especially!!!! No reason why we can't add our own face to the game hair styles and colors are racist and very outdated. There should be create a team options in the game to be able to expand franchises and the league. That could be added to franchise mode as well. 5. More offline gaming modes everybody don't play that fantasy football **** of a game mode I haven't gotten into it since it was introduced the k.o. mode should allow you to play with 2 or more players offline. And if you get past level 2 you should only go back 1 is gotta have more to play for. The fake nfl street mode good idea but I should also be allowed to play that offline with other ppl and pick whoever I want or create my whole team. Also I should be able to play 2 players in franchise mode.
Yall been dropping the ball for years. I've been playing madden since the first one was released and I've never had an issue until it got on ps3. With this next generation console it should be VR compatible and everything you guys could imagine . I will save my money this year if these things don't change and sound like I'm not alone. Get it all the way right this year you have money time resources and great ideas everywhere no excuse as to why it can't get done.
Replies
Maybe change the truck stick to a fight for yards stick...that way the player fights for extra yards instead of just running people over only to be tackled by the next defender
And while not anything that would really improve the game play ... a Superbowl that isn't just plain boring. I mean a few fireworks and a short scene with a trophy you dont even get to hold is pretty bland. Even a pic of each Superbowl ring you won on your stat page would be cool. But again, that is more aesthetics and not really game play.
Creating a brand new franchise team from scratch would be fun imho. I'd see it as starting out with less money than established teams so your players would probably be average at best (might be a good team to hire retired players to for temporary help). Then increasing the teams fan base by playing games, thus getting more income. And winning would increase the fan base more than losing. Of course with the a similar salary cap as the established teams so as not to become unfair in later years.
1) Physics. This is a football simulation game, it shouldn't be dictated by animations. I understand animations have to occur sometimes, but physics should be the priority here. Multiple times I've gone to dive or call a fair catch on a punt, only to be denied which always results in a fumble. This isn't a coincidence when it happens multiple times. This is being suckered into a fumble animation.
2) Pass blocking has improved a bit, but it can still be better and more realistic.
3) Superstar X-factors have to go. This is my first experience with them as I didn't play last year's game. They are terribly unrealistic and make the game feel arcade-like. NFL football isn't an arcade game, it's supposed to be simulation. I love that abilities exist, but they're not used properly.
4) The game moves waaaaay too fast. Once again it feels too arcade like. Bring back tempo adjustments. There used to be an option to play at the following speeds: fast, normal, slow, super slow. The "slow" options made it feel realistic and that you had control over your players.
5) Better CB coverage. It is absolutely impossible to cover any slant play the CPU runs. Receivers catch almost every pass. Generally speaking, in previous versions, CBs would knock balls out of their hands a realistic amount of the time, now it almost never happens.
6) The news feed is a cut and paste "feature" that has been the same for year after year. It continues to put up "old news." There is nothing innovative about it. It doesn't show your team's signings, etc.. It's actually embarrassing. I don't have a next gen console yet, but I doubt it's any different than the PS4 version. Bring back the newspaper. The social media is a joke.
7) Challenges are still a joke, but I surprisingly won one. Allow us to challenge specific things on a play, not what the CPU thinks we'd be challenging.
8) Improved presentation. You have an ESPN license. Perhaps try using it?
9) Coaching carousel. This is well overdue for being implemented.
10) Better scouting.
Slants can never be stopped or even pressed for some odd reason. It's as if they don't watch the real NFL on Sunday's
Physics no explanation needed here LESS animations
Full user control of the WR/TE in the passing game. I'm tired of triggering jumping animations for players who don't need to jump. I should be able to make the player jump or dive for the ball on my own. Give control back to the user not cpu or animations
Put players numbers and last name on the field so we know exactly who is who. Or u can make this an X-factor trait for certain smart QB's to identify certain matchups
Need more option routes and zone sitting routes. Fix comeback routes in certain formations they don't comeback to the ball. They turn and sit as if it's a curl route
More information during the draft in franchise mode. For instance is the QB I'm scouting a left handed QB, and player comparisons. If there is a 6'3 240 pound RB in the draft it would be nice to see his comparison being Eddie George or Derek Henry etc. Also certain players should be generational talent type players and it should say that during scouting.
Awareness/play recognition increase and decrease. If a player isn't playing in his system and is traded to a team not running his system his awareness and play rec should drop significantly. And there should be caps on certain attributes in general. If a rookie comes in the league with 89 speed there is no way He should ever be able to go up to 95 speed. His cap should be somewhere around 92-93 and the same goes for arm strength etc.
Better rookie prospects in franchise mode. How many times have I been in a draft and the TE are running high 4.6 and 4.7 speed. This is 2021 the TE are very athletic now this isn't 1965 EA.
Ability to use formation subs with CUSTOM PLAYBOOKS
Bring back create a play
REAL DEFENSIVE ASSIGNMENTS the ability to put specific players on specific WR. I want Jalen Ramsey on the 2nd best WR and I will double team the other teams #1 WR. Fix alignments issues so my LB doesn't end up on WR. I want my CB on WR and my S & LB on TE & RB.
I love Madden, but at times it gets frustrating playing against some really terrific Madden players who are just pro level good at the game. I think there is a decent sized group of people that would like an option to play an online or offline Franchise in Coach mode. A mode where you have zero control over the players. You're A coach/Gm you sign/draft/trade/build your team, and on game day you call the plays on Offense and Defense.
Do you have a young QB who's gun shy, panicky in the pocket, low awareness. Maybe you tailor your play calling to quick/short game, rollouts, etc..
This seems like a super easy completely "OPTIONAL" implementation. Use existing Coach mode in the settings. Take out the ability for any user control for players, and have a league setting to turn on/off. The money route/run and those who are awesome at defender control might hate this, but they can always join their own regular leagues. I can tell you right now if EA did this simple option I'd have easy 30+ friends and fantasy football guys buying an Xbox just to do this. What turns many off is being bad at the video game portion of the game.
Player familiarity with Playbook/Scheme.
Tired of seeing people pickup FA's (even QB's) and they start them the very next game. In real life almost any position there is a period of adjustment where any player needs to learn the system. Not it's week 6, my QB just got hurt and I noticed a 68 rated QB in FA and my backup on my roster since Summer camp is rated 61 so I'll replace him without a hitch. Need a FWS rating (Familiarity with System). If it's low their ratings are affected. If it's average 50-60 they are normal ratings, if it's high maybe they get a small boost since maybe they played in lets say a west coast zone run their whole career.
Custom Schemes or ability to change some roles.
**** If I'm playing a West coast scheme Not every WR should be Route runner. Some teams have a deep threat to spread the D, Some have a Physical tall 50/50 ball guy, all teams have a slot WR, etc.. I really dislike your premade schemes shoehorn in dictated roles. Also add some positions. IE. RB2 is maybe a receiving/slot back like a Tarik Cohen. With this you should have some dynamic playbooks that read what players choose. WR1 Physical, WR2 Deep, WR 3 Route Runner. Then maybe generate a playbook that is designed with these type of routes per what the player selects. Have it pop up, based off your players role selections we have auto generated a playbook designed to best implement your players routes and run types based on the roles you assigned. You can edit this playbook or choose another if you wish.
This is what the Madden Fans want! Franchise has been criminally neglected and we need some serious improvement. Please get this to Sean Graddy. Thanks!
Being able to save offensive or defensive hot routes or defensive assignments while in practice mode.
Customizable personnel packages while in practice.
Head coaches and coordinators have specific perks. Payton offenses could have multiple plays stacked for quicker audibles and no huddle. Belichick teams could have better film study. Greg Roman could have bolder running keys for qb. Josh Daniels could have audibles based on passing concepts to groups of receivers. Spags defense could time snap better over the course of a game if it remains consistent for blitzes and disguised coverages.
More motions. Be able to hot route while keeping your motion.
More defensive actions. Stunts, delayed blitzes, twists, left/right double coverage, over/under double coverage and contain to spy.
Hot routes for rpo plays.
Line chemistry builds to perks like blitz detection and better pass offs. Chemistry builds with snaps over season. This could be applied to other skill groups. Better zone pass off after so many zone snaps.
Kickers can get the yips.
More in depth team preview. It could look like a slightly simpler form of a playbooks game planning section.
More abilities. Travis Kelce/Tyreek Hill should have a double move master with tighter doubles and a double move got route tree after catching 4 consecutive non double route.
1) Fix the overall play of the game. The game is still almost 100% dependent on animations and pre-determined outcomes. This is 2021 and we’re now on ‘next-gen,’ there is literally zero reason why real physics can’t be incorporated into the game. Look at All-Pro Football 2K8 for example. That was released two generations ago, and it is STILL the bar for football games that play the way they should. You can throw proper fade passes and the ball has true trajectory. Pockets don’t collapse on every single play. Players move they way they should move. The AI players react and move like you would see in a real football game. These things don’t happen anymore in Madden and they absolutely should. The technology is there, utilize it properly! APF 2K8 and even 2K5 before it, are true simulation games where animations don’t dictate the outcome of the game. They presented a challenge to the player to defeat the CPU based on skill, both mentally and playing ability. Those games are proof that having a simulation football is possible, yet EA refuses to incorporate physics and true simulation style into their games. Ratings need to matter! It’s almost impossible to tell difference between a high rated player and a low one. A linebacker on the CPU shouldn’t be able to catch up to a very speedy WR on my team, but he does. Yet, I can never catch a WR with one of my CBs. How is this realistic?! A DL shouldn’t be able to catch up to my QB when I already have a few steps on him. I’ve messed with the speed threshold slider, it doesn’t work! For the love of God, EA, please sit down and play APF 2K8 and then play Madden 21, the difference is night and day, and not in a good way for Madden.
2) Where is the coin toss? Why was it ever taken out!? I’m beyond sick of having the same thing happen every game, unless I manually go into the settings before the game starts to say I want my first choice is to kick off, or to receive. I shouldn’t have to do that to get variety. Give us the damn coin toss to start the game, for goodness sakes! What was the reasoning for taking it out!?
3) Why are we still in caves?.. When was the last time a backup QB took the snap on PATs and FGs? That’s the punter’s job and it has been for quite some time! When was the last time the backup QB had those duties?..
4) How many times do we see a struggling QB get pulled from a game after throwing 4 INTs or fumbling several times in a real game? Or a RB or WR get benched for fumbling and dropping passes? Or an OL get benched for giving up too many pressures? Or a DB getting pulled for getting burned frequently? We see that pretty often in real life. How often do we see anyone get pulled on a CPU team when they’re struggling? I can answer that in one word. Never. Shouldn’t that be fixed? (: Perhaps give players being subbed in some sort of temporary boost for getting an opportunity? But don’t make it an unrealistic, arcade like boost
5) Turnovers still happen too frequently. By no means should I lead the league in turnovers given up and turnovers forced every single season in franchise mode.
6) The challenge system still is atrocious. Although, I have won a couple in Madden 21 (surprisingly), it is still extremely far behind NFL 2K5. In that game, you could choose what you want to challenge, not what the CPU thinks you should challenge. Overall, despite me winning a couple, there are still loads that I should’ve won, but the game just doesn’t work the way it should, due to the dependency on animations rather than actual physics.
7) CPU has not improved like it should. It’s still not realistic. CPU players still juke and move when they have a wide open lane. This wouldn’t happen on Sundays in real life; therefore, it shouldn’t happen in Madden, considering it IS a simulation football game, and that’s why no one else can make a simulation football game!
8. X-Factors. They. Have. Got. To. Go. Plain and simple. They are a gigantic marketing scam by EA so they can tout new “X-Factor Abilities” whilst ignoring other glaring needs that need to be improved upon. These things are not realistic. How realistic is it that after a QB completes deep passes to trigger their bomb mode? If anything a QB would be tired after throwing several deep passes, but in the wisdom of EA, it means they can throw the ball 80 yards. -_- Baker Mayfield threw the longest pass in NFL history, which was an incomplete pass of 76 yards? (I could be wrong on the yardage). But how realistic is it for a QB in the zone to continuously be able to throw 80 yard passes. This is something you’d see in NFL Blitz, which is an arcade game, not a simulation game. The ‘Truzz’ ability is so laughingly bad as well. So a QB scrambles and all of a sudden, he’s incapable of fumbling?! Let’s see, he scrambled, he should be a little more tired than he was, which should actually INCREASE his potential to fumble, not make him incapable of fumbling. Truzz is truly awful, and again, arcade like. Gambler, so you can complete a few passes and all of a sudden you’re unable to be intercepted?! What!? That’s not how it works in the NFL. Every single X-Factor is unrealistic and just arcade like. Like I said, this isn’t NFL Blitz. Madden is supposed to be a simulation game, and these do not make it a simulation game. Players having certain abilities is great, and should give you a feeling of superiority, but in Madden, they just come off as cheating and cartoonish. Look at All Pro Football 2K8 to see how abilities should work. You have an advantage using some players, but it felt natural, it wasn’t forced and overpowering, and arcade like. That game came out over 10 years ago, yet Madden can’t duplicate it.
9) Give us the ability to sign coordinators. Those coordinators could have an impact on the players as well. Some offensive coordinators can have an impact on better pass blocking, better route running, or perhaps even worse for those if that isn’t their coaching strengths. Same thing for defensive coordinators, give us an increase in pass rush or man to man coverage, or perhaps worse for those if that isn’t their strengths. Bottom line, for better or worse, have the coordinators have an impact. Give us a coaching carousel, coordinators could become head coaches, or former head coaches who get fired may only be able to get a coordinator job. This all happens in the NFL, but we haven’t had coordinators in Madden in forever.
10) It is impossible to play defense in Madden 21. I recall reading something about how you were improving zone defense, but whatever it is that you did, you just broke the game more. Slants are impossible to defend. Defenders on a user controlled team almost never knock the ball out of a receivers hands. Tackling is the worst it has ever been! Switching between defenders doesn’t work like it’s supposed to. More often than not, you’re switched to a player who isn’t the closest to the ball. This is the worst defensive Madden I’ve ever played, and it doesn’t even allow for the game to be fun.
11) Madden Franchise mode is still a joke, despite them making efforts to improve it. Here’s how..
A) Give us a better pre-show, halftime show, and post-show. I’m going to reference 2K5 and all of the NBA 2K games. Their pre-shows are fantastic, while EA gives us this crappy game intro and then boom, kickoff! We had highlights on a PS2 game on the weekly wrap up show for games we didn’t even play. There is beyond zero reason why these next gen consoles can’t do something a PS2 was able to do. And where did the starting lineups disappear to!? Why did those get taken out!?
B. Give us a better overall presentation. Give us press conferences like NBA 2K has, instead of shoddy text based media questions. Let the press conferences have an impact on player morale and performance. If a coach/owner gives a motivating answer, it should give a spark to the team. Criticism should have a negative impact..etc.. Fan morale and support and optimism should also be impacted. Give us a better news feed. The social media feed is beyond awful. It's never updated. It has old news stories. It doesn't have signings for your team. It dreadful and downright embarrassing.
C) When you watch a game on Sunday afternoon, you’re watching either FOX or CBS. When you watch a game on Sunday night, you’re watching NBC. When you’re watching a game on Monday night, you’re watching ESPN. (**cough cough** why don't you ever use your ESPN license when you have one?! Oh yeah, just so no one else can use it! **cough cough**). What do you notice when watching those games? Different presentations, perhaps? Different graphics?.. Different scoreboards?.. That’s a yes to all of the above. Now what do you see when you play a game in Madden on Sunday, Sunday night, Monday night? Hmm, you see all the same graphics, scoreboards, and presentations. How about giving us different presentations and graphics and scoreboards? MLB The Show does that, why can’t EA? This is next gen, let’s utilize the technology. It shouldn’t be hard to provide different scoreboards and presentations to make games feel different?
D) How about adding a bunch of people as a 3rd person to the broadcast booth? We’d get a different broadcaster for Sunday afternoon games, than we would for Sunday night, or Monday night, or Thursday night? You can keep the same main team, since I don’t foresee you having different broadcast teams, but you absolutely could have some rotation for a 3rd person to make the games feel different.
E) Scouting and free agency is awful. How about a complete re-haul for those? How about sending scouts to the northeast or southwest to scout schools in that area, in order to gain more knowledge on players from those schools? Then another week send scouts to the southeast, for schools like LSU and Alabama, to get a closer look at those players? We would have to pick and choose where to send people, but then we would be privy to the information on everyone who attends the combine, like in real life. Give us options to have some strategy for scouting. Then give us some sort of ‘internet scouting report’ that are all over the internet for real. We could read those reports and choose to send our scouts to get a closer look at those players if we wish to.
F) For free agency, teams still sign players they don’t really need, while some players are left un-signed. Have some players not interested in some teams for any reason: location (don’t want to play in the cold), current state of the team, etc.. Also, have a better bidding system, the point system just never felt good.
G) Improve the draft, I know you’re making an improvement to draft logic (maybe that was in the last update?) If it was, it wasn’t working as the Dolphins still drafted a QB in the second year of the franchise when they had Tua who was a 77 overall. Where are the draft day trades? You never seen CPU teams have draft day trades, which isn’t realistic. You never see a CPU team trade up to try and take a QB if they need one, which is something you see ALL. THE. TIME. for real.
H) CPU transactions need an overhaul in general. Again, look at NBA 2K, you’ll see CPU teams trade with each other and offer you trades. That never happens in Madden.
I) Player ratings can still be improved, they’re better than they used to be, but can still be improved upon.
J) New player limitations!.. Say your QBs catch the injury bug and you need to go to the FA market and bring someone in.. The whole playbook shouldn’t be available to them or to any player who is new. That’s just not realistic, especially for QBs. It takes time to learn the plays.
K) Stat tracking has improved with the year to year, and week to week being included. But, historical stats are still lacking. A top 10 really doesn’t cut the mustard in 2021 and for next gen, hate to break it to you! Give us a list of a top 10 individual team leaders in all the categories. Give us past Super Bowl Champions. The lack of stat tracking is pure laziness on EA developers.
L) Home field advantage of some sorts. It should be more difficult to play a playoff game in GB in the freezing cold. It should be difficult to play a game in Seattle. But please for the love of God, don’t just make the screen shake and give us all headaches watching that. No one wants that.
M) Flex scheduling in franchise mode. If two teams have a certain winning percentage or there’s a playoff scenario taking place, that game should be bumped to Sunday Night Football.
N) Injuries, when a player goes down in a game, how often do you see within the broadcast where a reporter comes on screen announcing that the player has torn his ACL, after only two plays from when he got injured? Let me answer that for you.. Never. You don’t hear what’s 100% wrong with a player until Monday. We shouldn’t know what’s wrong with a player in Madden after two plays have passed. This; however, is what you see on Sundays: “He seems to have an injury to knee, his return is doubtful.” This is what should happen in Madden. Give us an area of the body that has been injured, and that he’s probable or doubtful to return.. Perhaps even have a sideline reporter give us that kind of update with an onscreen cut in character! What a hoot that would be!? If only we had that kind of technology available!
I honestly don’t see how any of these are unrealistic expectations for a next gen game. These should all be 100% feasible to incorporate. How about using some of that Madden card pack money and put it towards good use?
Reading is hard! 🙃How old are we!? I'm so terribly sorry that I didn't keep my comment to the length of a Twitter post for you! 🙃
That's a shame, because there are a lot of good ideas in there, and they're all positive, so they do in fact, bring a positive light to this thread.
You should read a paragraph a day, you'll get through it 🙃 And I bet you'll enjoy my ideas, too!
I hope this comment wasn't too long for you!!!!!! 🙃
Franchise and face of the franchise modes should be can be way more in depth and way more role player ish.
FOF mode should allow us to create our own story lines by simply allowing us to create our own high schools and opponents like ncaa did back in the day the story would be first of all us picking and choosing whatever position we want and playing each game to earn scouts respect and earning stars like on ncaa back in the day. Each game tells you your projections at the next level what schools want you and what position you may play and how soon you may play. Have a bigger selection of colleges represented and every game he's either getting closer to a scholarship star rankings increase or decrease or he's going to have to walk on and earn playing time. No more sorry **** storylines please!!!!!!! Then we he gets to college repeat this cycle he plays 10 games trying to Mahe it to the national championship game but even if he don't then he still can earn points for NFL draft day also make a senior bowl and combine (combines should be a game mode for every position) testing bench 40 vertical broad jump and few cone drills also on the field testing. Also have the wonderlic and the top 5 teams interested in that player. As he progresses through out the league have him living in an apartment as a rookie driving somethin simple and have him hire and fire agents get endorsements opportunities also different opportunities to lead him into different paths ie. Leadership role team player roles but could also decline and become a locker room disturbance or distraction but there's always room for improvement on and off the field. Hold press conferences with him after games if he balled out like on 2k. The more money he starts making the better life he lives.( Nfl2k) he can have career of playing for different teams or just on 1 team. He can play 10 plus years or just a few it's up to you. That's how FoF should be.
General needs and concerns
1. Bring back coin toss
2. Bring back real injuries let us see the bone sticking out them being carted off the field them throwing up after concussions. Make it realistic
3 have better commentating and bring madden back damn more dialog is needed
4. Created mode needs more depth creating players especially!!!! No reason why we can't add our own face to the game hair styles and colors are racist and very outdated.
There should be create a team options in the game to be able to expand franchises and the league. That could be added to franchise mode as well.
5. More offline gaming modes everybody don't play that fantasy football **** of a game mode I haven't gotten into it since it was introduced the k.o. mode should allow you to play with 2 or more players offline. And if you get past level 2 you should only go back 1 is gotta have more to play for.
The fake nfl street mode good idea but I should also be allowed to play that offline with other ppl and pick whoever I want or create my whole team. Also I should be able to play 2 players in franchise mode.
Yall been dropping the ball for years. I've been playing madden since the first one was released and I've never had an issue until it got on ps3. With this next generation console it should be VR compatible and everything you guys could imagine . I will save my money this year if these things don't change and sound like I'm not alone. Get it all the way right this year you have money time resources and great ideas everywhere no excuse as to why it can't get done.