Details on the Madden patch
by 
As I previously posted, the second (and more significant) patch for Madden 08 is on the way. In a producer blog the details of what will be fixed with this patch were revealed.
Fumble Fix – Reduced fumble chances in certain situations. This has been tested thoroughly and we feel that people will be happy with a more realistic (and more fun!) number of fumbles. This was priority number 1 for us.
DB Reactions- changes to the way that DBs play man coverage. Defenders in man coverage won’t be able to react to passes that they cannot see. This should make it easier to throw against man coverage.
Favre “Moonwalk”- I love the names that you guys come up with for issues such as this one. You can rest assured that you won’t see Farve (or any QB) dancing toward the sideline anymore.
Hook Zone Flip Bug- I saw a post on a community forum talking about this bug and it turns out the fix was very minimal risk. You can now flip plays with hook zones without the players leaving their zones.
Franchise – Fixed NCAA import issue where players would turn 26
Franchise – Fixed bug where HOF Unlocked players cannot be released in Franchise.
I’m looking forward to going back and playing the game now that the fumbles will have been adjusted. That was one of the first things I noticed at the Community Day and has hampered the experience for me ever since. I just wish they had toned down the kickoff power and frequency of injuries also. The change to DB reaction comes as a pleasant surprise. I’m checking into franchise freeze issues (which weren’t listed) and will post up when I hear back on that subject.
*Update* EA has clarified the details of the patch. It does in fact include the fix to franchise mode. Click here to see the remaining items the patch fixes.
October 25, 2007 at 1:22 pm
That DB’s Reactions fix is freaking huge. Those type of things ruin the game for me than anything else. I just hope they can fix the linebackers being super human and being able to cover T.O. on All Madden
October 25, 2007 at 1:56 pm
I cant wait to try the game with the patch now.
October 25, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I just hope they havent made the passing game easier, like last year!
October 25, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Great news!
October 25, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Boy, I hope the free agents disappearing, and undrafted rookies not going into the free agent pool errors are fixed…because seriously…those were a couple of the biggest issues.
October 25, 2007 at 2:47 pm
I can tell that this patch is going to make Madden a passing game all over again… The moaning of the fans have gotten madden to make it easy to throw deep passes and this is no good… I have no issues with All Madden defense by the cpu… I can throw deep by using proper calls and by pump faking… Now I am sure that If I have a good speed receiver is lights out… Great job by the non sim players of moaning and now we will get good old passing happy madden…horrible
October 25, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Why people like JerseyBoy are bashing things that need to be fixed is beyond me. I guess you really cant please everyone. Some people just want to complain just to complain.
October 25, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Ummm I dont think so…. I never said they should not fix the issues… but the fact that people that suck and cant throw in all madden should not be the reason why EA is force to make the passing easier.. and make no mistake about it… It will be made easier.. If you want to throw deep and with success then play on pro level… All Madden should be hard and all sports games on the top level player harder then the ratings due to the fact that human A.I is much stronger then cpu A.I… so get your facts straight before you come at me like that… or better yet.. Learn to play on all madden before you bithc to EA to make it easier for you to throw…I have no issues throwing on All MAdden
October 25, 2007 at 3:33 pm
cool
October 25, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Pasta up the patch on here when it comes out, since not everyone has their PS3’s online.
October 25, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Jersyboy
Right ON! I cant stand all of these a holes who like to pick up the controll and button mash and compete in Madden. These people suck and so does EA for catering to these whiny bitches.
October 25, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I would play again but after 1 complete season with my superstar he was at 62% progress to the HOF… that was just heartbreaking IMO
October 25, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Any luck we can get the online disconnect issues fixed? All this stuff is great but if you can’t even make it through a game online it doesn’t do a whole lot of good.
October 25, 2007 at 4:45 pm
JerseyBoy77……you hit my concern on the head. Passing and interceptions didnt need to be changed. We dont need a passing game anything like last year. But like I have stated months ago…..Madden isnt for hardcore football fans. If somebody cant pick it up and within 10 minutes pass for 400 yards and get 31 points they complain. Maybe the patch wont effect passing that much…I hope!
October 25, 2007 at 4:49 pm
what are you talking about? you really want the DB’s to know where the ball is when they’re not even looking at the ball? It’s not gonna hurt the passing game at all.
October 25, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Josh,
To be honest I have played about 300 games online, I check several Madden forums 3 to 4 times a week….yes I love football……and I have never noticed this DB problem or for that matter seen it posted as a problem before today. I have seen people complain about how hard it is to pass and I think this is EA’s answer to it.
October 25, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Well, I mainly have it happen when I’m playing the computer. I have never had a problem with it online though.
October 25, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Two months later and we ‘may’ have a functional game… I am not holding my breath. I am curious as to why the Free Agent issue was not mentioned for the Franchise mode. Could you please look into this issue as well? I am speaking about the Free Agent pool drying up and players that are cut that vanish in the off season during Franchise play. Would sure appreciate some clarification.
October 25, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Josh… Is ignorant for you to think that the patch if it does what it says it will do will not make the db’s play dumb… Like I said if you want to exploit the cpu a.i which cost 60 bucks on all madden then dont play all madden and stick to pro and you can act like Joe Montana with Rex Grossman… All Madden should be hard and when i play the game I have no issue throwing the ball deep and outs and any pattern I want.. Because I unlike many madden fakers… Like to run the play and not scrmable or thrown on the run and I actually call out blocking assigments and I actually step up in the pocket and when you step up in the pocket the linebackes and corners dont react as well as when you are still or moving in the pocket side ways or scrambling.. but people throw picks and bitch and moan and tell EA that the db are super and so are the linebackers and now we get a patch to make those non sim players throw and be happy..Pathetic if you ask me…. Stick to pro and throw all day… Leave All madden the way it is… the true level for real fans
October 25, 2007 at 5:47 pm
JerseyBoy77,
Darnit if somebody calls a post, they want to complete a post. It doesnt matter if the defense is in a cover 2. Seriously reading defense isnt what madden is about…which is to bad.
October 25, 2007 at 6:10 pm
The DBs reaction was something i noticed very quickly when i started playing ncaa football 08. In madden it wasnt as bad but it still needed to be fixed. When I throw a lob to a receiver downfield the other DBs shouldnt leave their man and head to the targeted receiver as soon as the ball leaves the QB. In a real game its hard for a defender in man to man to notice when and where the ball is thrown because their eyes are on their man not the QB. The safeties if they drop back in cover 2 should instantly head toward the receiver because they are eyeing the QB and dont have a man to guard.
Unfortunately with them fixing this it takes away any challenge that there is to passing because playing on all madden ive gotten to the point where i usually beat the computer by at least a couple TDs and this will only increase the margin making it even less fun. I’d like to see madden next year make madden tougher passing not by giving the defense superhuman abilities but make throwing less accurate like it is in real football. In Madden almost every throw is on the money and that isnt the case in the nfl.
October 25, 2007 at 6:11 pm
the dbs do turn on the ball out of nowhere. and that is dumb they did a good job fixing it. and jersey you get a life. your the problem with madden the stubborn gamer who thinks just cuz he does it its the way. the flaw is fatal its not even real how a db or a linebacker can run down field with his head turned and all of a sudden turn to pick it. as a matter of fact your not even supposed to turn your back on the field. i can tell your a fat loser that plays madden all day cuz you dont see the fact that its unrealistic. get a grip and a life you clown
October 25, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Amen to you mike. some one with a little sense. defenders arent that good. so dont make em that good on the game
October 25, 2007 at 6:46 pm
wow. because i think the db’s are too smart in the game, i am an madden faker. pretty smart guy huh. I only move around with my qb when needed. Your telling me, the reason that the DB’s are able to know where the ball is going when there backs are turned is because I make bad decisions? Not really, if you look at the back cover of Madden, it says “Read and React” not “React when you can’t even see the play”
October 25, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Jeresyboy and everyone else that thinks this will effect passing. The “patch” is fixing something that happens in real life. The FACT that LBs and DBs can react to passes that they CANT see is horrible. Do you really think that is ok. NO!!! Its not and I dont really understand why im wasting my time typing this to people that just dont understand what is real life. Im going to ASSume you have played football. Well if you are playing DB and the WR you are covering beats you on his route and you jump up and knock the ball down without even knowing the ball is coming or where its coming from do you think this ok? If you answer yes then you have bigger problems then just a video game. So ask yourself this question before YOU COME AT ME WITH BULLS**T. Should this happen, NO BODY CARES that your ALL WORLD at all madden. NO BODY!!! If this needs to be fixed it needs to be fixed. All Madden should be hard but even on lower levels the cpu DB make plays without seeing the ball. Everyone has an opinion and I would have respected yours but, well… I just dont!
October 25, 2007 at 9:24 pm
The whole Db AI thing is basically about curl routes.
October 25, 2007 at 10:19 pm
I’d like to think that Im a pretty good passer in Madden and know how to make the right reads and all, but the db’s react to the ball in a unrealistic way sometimes.
When you are throwing a timing pattern that only you and the wr knows it is broken when the db is able to have his back turned to the qb but once the ball is thrown know to turn around and jump the route. I mean Im all for a tougher ai but atleast make it a realistic Ai.
Make me pay for when I make a bad throw. Not when I make a perfect throw.
October 25, 2007 at 10:29 pm
what they really need to fix is being able to change player positions, like LG to RG, or ROLB to LOLB. and the last patch, they accidentally made it to where you cant change the “years pro” number in create a player, so you have to create rookies which is gay.
October 26, 2007 at 4:24 am
I thought the 26 year old glitch is where you edit the equipment of a rookie and it turns him 26. So will this fix all 26 year old glitches?
October 26, 2007 at 6:27 am
I hope they have not mad e passing too easy. I personally thought it was fine the way it was. the three lineman blitz was anoyying but the franchise glitch was my main concern. can we play a franchise or what. ?
October 26, 2007 at 10:33 am
so when is this coming out?
October 26, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Stupid question here…I know that when new rosters are downloaded I have to re-start a franchise, but since this is a software fix, will it load up without forcing me to start a new franchise?
October 26, 2007 at 12:09 pm
i dont think so
October 26, 2007 at 12:36 pm
it doesn’t matter what anyone can or can’t do on all madden. oh i play on all madden and i’m so good and everyone sucks because you are so good. people are so dumb and ignorant. defensive players can have their back to the ball and know where the ball is. that’s not realistic and that’s a glitch. they are fixing it, end of story. the player has to see the ball to react to the ball. not much you can say to argue with that. if i suck at the game or i’m good at the doesn’t matter. it’s a glitch and that’s it.
October 26, 2007 at 4:10 pm
the real game breaker is the fact you can’t play franchise because of the missing player bug. HOW COULD PASTA AND ALL THESE OTHER EA CLOWNS IGNORE THIS HUGE ISSUE THA THAT RENDER FRANCHISE UNPLAYABLE.
October 26, 2007 at 9:22 pm
EA just released a fixed roster #4 with the correct skin colors on Korn Robinson and Charlie Anderson… Also put Ronnie Brown on I.R and added a few players… Nice work EA
October 26, 2007 at 11:42 pm
[quote comment="5493"]the real game breaker is the fact you can’t play franchise because of the missing player bug. HOW COULD PASTA AND ALL THESE OTHER EA CLOWNS IGNORE THIS HUGE ISSUE THA THAT RENDER FRANCHISE UNPLAYABLE.[/quote]
Thats a pretty easy question for me to answer. I don’t play franchise mode. And it isn’t my job to test the game.
Like I mentioned I’m trying to find out if there are fixes included for that, hopefully will hear about it next week.
October 27, 2007 at 8:26 am
Leave it to EA to continue to baffle people with bullcrap. Covering fixes that a select few care about, but yet, the most important glitch/error…is left, yet again, unmentioned by the EA staff. You can’t blame Pasta for these problems, it’s EA’s crack team they have over there putting together these games. I don’t know why I ever thought that EA would actually put out a patch to fix these problems, when they allowed them to be in the game when it was released as it is. I’ve made phone calls, and had e-mail correspondence, and all I get…is a feeling of being in a maze with no exit. It’s nothing but dead ends, with no hope in sight.
October 28, 2007 at 9:35 am
let me tell you something, I play games to have fun and as of lately the biggest bull crap that takes away from this game is the f*cking fumbles and the magic interceptions
October 28, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I downloaded the new rosters and when I make a franchise with the rams, Train active team doesn’t appear, I did the samething for the other team and it worked…can anyone help me?
November 25, 2007 at 9:02 pm
It’d be great if they could look into the freezing of the game as well. I’ve been experiencing some severe slowdowns in gameplay in the 2nd half, and freezing issues in the 4th quarter. Since I don’t have a lot of time to game, I’ve mostly played Superstar mode. I am having a hard time continuing to play this game. Please look at fixing the freezing issues.
Chad