Madden 09 gameplay footage and online play details
by 
Well I was wrong about nothing significant coming out in an effort to avoid getting swallowed up by GTA IV on its release day. IGN has the full details on Madden 09’s online leagues via an interview with two of the Madden developers which you can read in its entirety here. It focuses on the league aspect but later in the interview shifts to discussion on the Virtual Training Center. They’ve also posted up the first gameplay footage. You can watch that video by clicking here (make sure to watch in hi-res).
Flex scheduling is cool for a multitude of reasons. First off, flex scheduling is what we refer to as an ‘open schedule’ with no set order. What this means is that if you log online and ten members of your twenty member league are online, you can play any of your opponents that you have remaining games with. The nice thing about this is that it doesn’t allow for leagues to get stale or held up waiting for others to play. If the stars align, and you have all of your opponents online, you can, in theory, knock out your entire league in one day.
Leagues are always difficult to see through to the end. You need a good group of owners and a wide array of options for the commissioner. I like the idea of offering open schedules and providing the ability to have the same team controlled by different owners. Those are the type of options that are helpful and assist in making them more likely to succeed.
It sounds as though they’ve thought them through pretty well and aren’t the glorified tournaments recently touted as leagues for titles such as NBA Live 08 and NHL 08. Those didn’t even include playoffs which essentially made them worthless. I’m going to assume that playoffs are included in Madden’s leagues, although not hearing them mention it within the interview was noticeable. Hopefully there is some sort of confirmation soon that there will be playoffs in the leagues.
April 30, 2008 at 11:32 am
[quote comment="19606"]…and clearly the game had hit its wall in terms of development which was evident by the weak rendition 2k football that was released last year….[/quote]
…that still had superior gameplay than Madden along with refs and active sidelines which are somehow too challenging for EA to incorporate. And I’m even talking about post-patch Madden since it was shipped unplayable with the turnover problem.
April 30, 2008 at 12:09 pm
ERIC you have hit it right on point.. they will not be getting 60$ from me on this game, the only time i see my wallet coming out to pay for an EA game this year is college football… your review was the same thing i was going to say and more.. great review man
April 30, 2008 at 12:19 pm
[quote comment="19605"]
Not me I thought every 2k football game was trash. But thats just my opinion.[/quote]
The only way you could say something like that, and be a true football fan, is if you truly did not give the games a chance. Like Details said, 2k5 set the bar 4 years ago that still hasn’t been matched in presentation, fluidity of gameplay, realism, and depth of franchise mode. I mean really… I still remember being blown away getting up at halftime of my 1st game to go to the bathroom and stopping in my tracks as Chris Berman and 2K’s “SportsCenter” came up and showed me highlights of my game. I was even more incredulous as Berman’s comments were spot-on with the replays. Even 200 games later I would still let the halftime show run and most weeks would watch the weekly wrap-ups. It was that good.
Even without the NFL license they upped the ante in 2k8 with more natural momentum physics, intelligent blocking and defense AI and stellar online play. Everyone online had pretty much even teams. If you were being beat on the ground, you could retool your team for the next game by picking up better DT or a run-stuffing LB, but you’d have to sacrifice somewhere to make that pick-up. It opened up a whole other world of online football strategy.
So yes… to hear you call it garbage, you either didn’t give it a chance or you were looking for NFL logos instead of insightful football gameplay.
April 30, 2008 at 12:25 pm
[quote comment="19606"]…while the PRESENTATION in NFL 2K5 was outstanding…the gameplay clearly was not up to par with madden…but besides that the game was obviously inferior to Madden…if the game didn’t sell for $19.99 then it would have never developed a cult following…imo most 2k fanboys simply don’t have the dough to pony up for the new madden ever year…instead they would rather live in the past and cling on to their $19.99 coaster…while the game was a good game in 2004, it clearly has been surpassed by the next gen console games…and clearly the game had hit its wall in terms of development which was evident by the weak rendition 2k football that was released last year….[/quote]
The gameplay was not on par with Maddens? No offense, but remove your Madden fanboy blinders lol. I can think of a few things off the top of my head that makes 2K’s gameplay better than EA’s:
-Pocket for the QB
-O-line/D-line interaction
-WR/CB interaction
-Animations in general (you can’t argue that)
-LB’s don’t soar to new heights for INTs lol
-Among several other things
The fact that 2K5 was 20 bucks was a bonus but that’s not the reason people loved it. It’s obsurd that you think people who enjoyed 2K simply don’t have the money to buy Madden every year lol. People just tend to be wise with their money.
And to think that the next gen Maddens have surpassed NFL2K5 when they do not even have the features 2K had 4 years ago? Get real.
April 30, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Jonathon… please read my previous post. It was way more than the presentation. And yes.. the $20 game was great… but they had already won me over with 2k3 so I would have paid full price for 2k5… if I had to. Hell… I got over 400 hours out of 2k5.. I would have paid $120 for that much entertainment…(but don’t tell them that).
You say there was something wrong with the player models? That has always been my problem with Madden. I finally bought a cheap used copy of ‘07 and my kicker, Jeff Wilkins looks like he could kick Ray Lewis’ ass. (I’m actually encouraged that the Brett Favre pictures of Madden ‘09 look like a normal QB… finally).
Again I would say that you didn’t give them enough of a chance.
April 30, 2008 at 1:23 pm
dont buy it and go away we get it you hate ea
LMAO life losers are funny
waaaaa 60 bucks you losers cant afford to waste 60 bucks maybe you should go back to school to get better jobs to make more money and stop playing video games. Or better yet you awesome designers go make a better game other wise STFU DOUChe bags
April 30, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I know I’m a loser. That’s WHY I play games… to escape from this sorry life for a while (and I can’t afford the gas to go anywhere anyway). But I have solace in the fact that I am articulate (look it up) and literate (may as well look that one up, too).
I don’t “hate” EA… but I do hate what they are doing. They are gobbling up companies and competition like Cartman’s Trapper Keeper. And that kind of behavior is not good for consumers on any level. The real bad guy in all of this is the NFL. They are the ones courting the exclusive deals (EA, DirectTV, Sirius). EA just had the clout and cash to pony up.
As far as this game goes… this is the first Madden in years that looks like it may actually make some strides. I haven’t bought into the hype at all this last decade. Things like refs on the field and field goal nets don’t mean much to me, but the core gameplay and a deep franchise mode do.
Online leagues are interesting (I played ina few back on 2k5)… but I don’t like the flex schedule so much. The main problem is trades and injuries. Say one guy has Tomlinson on his team and he plays 10 games… then trades him to a team who has only played 6 games so far. LT will end up playing 20 games that season! It can really screw up the stats.
April 30, 2008 at 1:58 pm
[quote comment="19621"]I know I’m a loser. That’s WHY I play games… to escape from this sorry life for a while (and I can’t afford the gas to go anywhere anyway). But I have solace in the fact that I am articulate (look it up) and literate (may as well look that one up, too).
I don’t “hate” EA… but I do hate what they are doing. They are gobbling up companies and competition like Cartman’s Trapper Keeper. And that kind of behavior is not good for consumers on any level. The real bad guy in all of this is the NFL. They are the ones courting the exclusive deals (EA, DirectTV, Sirius). EA just had the clout and cash to pony up.
As far as this game goes… this is the first Madden in years that looks like it may actually make some strides. I haven’t bought into the hype at all this last decade. Things like refs on the field and field goal nets don’t mean much to me, but the core gameplay and a deep franchise mode do.
Online leagues are interesting (I played ina few back on 2k5)… but I don’t like the flex schedule so much. The main problem is trades and injuries. Say one guy has Tomlinson on his team and he plays 10 games… then trades him to a team who has only played 6 games so far. LT will end up playing 20 games that season! It can really screw up the stats.[/quote]
good point about flexing…I never even thought of that scenerio. It needs to be week to week.
April 30, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Everybody sound dumb in this thread do u really think they was going to show all the features this early. They was just showing the work they did with the player models and weather. They not going to show something new around the same time GTA has all buzz and NCAA is next on deck. It still has favre in the video so stop reading to much into this video
April 30, 2008 at 2:21 pm
[quote comment="19621"]I know I’m a loser. That’s WHY I play games… to escape from this sorry life for a while (and I can’t afford the gas to go anywhere anyway). But I have solace in the fact that I am articulate (look it up) and literate (may as well look that one up, too).
I don’t “hate” EA… but I do hate what they are doing. They are gobbling up companies and competition like Cartman’s Trapper Keeper. And that kind of behavior is not good for consumers on any level. The real bad guy in all of this is the NFL. They are the ones courting the exclusive deals (EA, DirectTV, Sirius). EA just had the clout and cash to pony up.
As far as this game goes… this is the first Madden in years that looks like it may actually make some strides. I haven’t bought into the hype at all this last decade. Things like refs on the field and field goal nets don’t mean much to me, but the core gameplay and a deep franchise mode do.
Online leagues are interesting (I played ina few back on 2k5)… but I don’t like the flex schedule so much. The main problem is trades and injuries. Say one guy has Tomlinson on his team and he plays 10 games… then trades him to a team who has only played 6 games so far. LT will end up playing 20 games that season! It can really screw up the stats.[/quote]
you obviously didnt read the article, the teams that trade need to have the same amount of games played.
April 30, 2008 at 2:28 pm
lol try looking up what netting 6 figures means
you need to go back to school if you cant afford gas you must be a 10 dollar an hour peon
LOL video games should be the last thing on you to do list this year, seriously put controller down pick up book
get better life, then 60 bucks wont be a problem LMAO
April 30, 2008 at 2:51 pm
No.. I didn’t read the article yet. I can’t get to IGN here at the studio.
And you, Mr. LOLler. I never said $60 would be a problem. Not for something I wanted anyway. What exactly are you doing for your 6 figures… besides talking like a 13 year old and being a general weenus? If you are making that kind of bank, you are obviously fairly intelligent. But no one will respect that talking like a kid on YIM and acting like an ass.
April 30, 2008 at 2:58 pm
It’s a good thing that people aren’t jumping to conclusions based on a minute and a half of gameplay from an early build in April…
Oh wait…
April 30, 2008 at 3:06 pm
lol i aim to impress random people on the net, who cares if i provide for my kids,
and money doesnt = intelligence
right place right time luck and seed money = success
the best part of money and being my own boss is being able to be an ass all the time, you got stuff ass backwards
April 30, 2008 at 3:19 pm
o protein and muscle dust
April 30, 2008 at 3:25 pm
[quote comment="19637"]
and money doesnt = intelligence
right place right time luck and seed money = success
[/quote]
This I’ll totally agree with you on.
The other part… if that’s what gets you off, well… I know that you’re not alone. I find that it’s a sad fact of this world. Something that I cannot be… nor do I aspire to be.
I’ll even say that you are correct twice in one post as it’s usually the assholes and those without conscience who are more likely to make it and are successful (generally speaking).
OK… I’m starting to sound like a hippie (down with corporations!…oops).
Back on topic… from experience (because 2k5 had them 4 years ago) online leagues are good in theory, but hard to sustain unless you find a really good core of players who are in it more for the experience than to simply win. One of the biggest problems is getting guys in the league who can’t stand to lose and come on the website screaming that they got cheesed.
I did manage to get into one league that actually played through 3 seasons and for the most part it was a good experience.
April 30, 2008 at 3:25 pm
One thing I noticed is that the footprints disappeared. I can see that happening over a span of time but not after one play. Also, the snow didn’t move or disappear when a body hit the turf.
No huge deal but this has been done before, like six years ago….
April 30, 2008 at 3:33 pm
this game looks awesome so far.
What happened to the new commentary? I was looking forward to it.
The presentation looks like a mix from CBS and ESPN
April 30, 2008 at 4:05 pm
[quote comment="19613"][quote comment="19605"]
Not me I thought every 2k football game was trash. But thats just my opinion.[/quote]
The only way you could say something like that, and be a true football fan, is if you truly did not give the games a chance. Like Details said, 2k5 set the bar 4 years ago that still hasn’t been matched in presentation, fluidity of gameplay, realism, and depth of franchise mode. I mean really… I still remember being blown away getting up at halftime of my 1st game to go to the bathroom and stopping in my tracks as Chris Berman and 2K’s “SportsCenter” came up and showed me highlights of my game. I was even more incredulous as Berman’s comments were spot-on with the replays. Even 200 games later I would still let the halftime show run and most weeks would watch the weekly wrap-ups. It was that good.
Even without the NFL license they upped the ante in 2k8 with more natural momentum physics, intelligent blocking and defense AI and stellar online play. Everyone online had pretty much even teams. If you were being beat on the ground, you could retool your team for the next game by picking up better DT or a run-stuffing LB, but you’d have to sacrifice somewhere to make that pick-up. It opened up a whole other world of online football strategy.
So yes… to hear you call it garbage, you either didn’t give it a chance or you were looking for NFL logos instead of insightful football gameplay.[/quote]
Every 2k was trash compared to Madden. I am a fan of the NFL so im gonna play whatever game the NFL is on and that is madden. Back on PS2 I would get both 2k and madden and every year I wondered why I even got 2k because it was crap compared to madden. If you like 2k better thats fine but I play football games to play with my team and that team is on madden. I guess im the only one who enjoyed the new video clip. Oh well maybe the line will be shorter this year.
April 30, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I still haven’t seen the clip yet. But I doubt the lines will be any shorter. Sorry.
I don’t have any blind team loyalties, so I really don’t care what logo I look at when I play. I’m more into team building and franchise making anyway.
April 30, 2008 at 4:36 pm
The news on IGN was misinterpreted as confirmed today by Phil Frazier that those details on user controlled leagues are UNTRUE. Check out the details now, ASKEARL360.BLOGSPOT.COM, along with other new things discussed today on Madden 09 news!
April 30, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Earl doesnt have good info anyway…that guy just doesnt know what he is talking about.
April 30, 2008 at 5:23 pm
[quote comment="19607"][quote comment="19557"][quote comment="19555"][quote comment="19553"][quote comment="19552"][quote comment="19547"]Still no refs on the field. EA is so pathetic.[/quote]
It’s already been confirmed that they’re would be no refs bro…[/quote]
Not surprising. They can’t even add refs to the field. That truly shows how lazy the developers are. I wish a comet would come down and slam into the EA office and take them all out.
They are a bunch of scam artists.[/quote]
ok buddy u go make a video game yeah u will sell no copies ea works hard and it sucks when ignorant kids like u say stupid stuff so just stop[/quote]
You’re the type of little kid that funds EA. Or I should probably say your parents do, because I doubt you’re old enough to make money yourself yet.[/quote]
yeah rite son ibought my own 360 my own ps3 and my own maddens so stop being a lil Bi*#h son if u got nun goog to say then dont say it[/quote]
wow ur cool omg i accidentally hit the wrong key so just stop leaving ignorant comments ur not cool by starting stuff on the computer ur one of those little nerds who love to judge video games and talk so much
April 30, 2008 at 5:28 pm
[quote comment="19666"]Earl doesnt have good info anyway…that guy just doesnt know what he is talking about.[/quote]
Get out of here Elijah.
April 30, 2008 at 6:38 pm
[quote comment="19670"][quote comment="19666"]Earl doesnt have good info anyway…that guy just doesnt know what he is talking about.[/quote]
Get out of here Elijah.[/quote]
I didn’t post that.
April 30, 2008 at 7:43 pm
[quote comment="19602"][quote comment="19599"]Did anyone notice that Favre didn’t hold the ball up high on the 2 passing plays?[/quote]
Did you notice that brett favres beard didn’t have gray hairs in it and that the grass at lambeau field didnt look like real grass and that there weren’t enough cheese heads in the stands…………….sheeeshh
FYI, my statement wasn’t a negative one, so relax. A lot of people on the forums had been complaining about the way the QB holds the ball before passing it. Example:
http://www.pastapadre.com/2558/live-blog#comments
In the gameplay video, Favre held the ball differently, and I wanted to know if anybody noticed it…………sheeeshh
April 30, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Check out the Derrick Harvey screen on that link to see what I was talking about.
April 30, 2008 at 9:53 pm
my 60 bucks will be going toward ncaa it looks way better then madden.if they was to put the time and effort the do with madden ncaa will crush madden.
May 1, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Bring back John Elway football from the arcade…That game was awesome!!
May 1, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Look, I hate to keep giving ea chances. But you have to give Phil Frazier at least a 1 year gimme. He got handed a complete piece of crap and is expected to turn it around. He is making a concerted effort to interact with the people put real effort into the game and answer questions directly, where David ortiz did not even attempt to . David Ortiz was the worst thing to happen to Madden….ever.
May 2, 2008 at 11:01 pm
The game is going to be good again this year hopefully. Sure everyone will sit here and bitch and moan about it, but we all know you’ll be the ones in line to get that copy ASAP
May 5, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I wish all the Madden Sheep would wise up out of their commercially induced comas a realize that EA and Madden is just the same recycled trash year in and year out. Madden is just a kiddie Arcade football game marketed as a football sim, which is a total crap. Graphics seem to be the most important factor when it comes to the EA Sports Sheep Consumer which is pathetic, GAMEPLAY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND 2K DELIVERS A REALISTIC FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE but because of the NFL license deal and the commercially induced generation of gamer it suffered in the sales dept.
Untill the Madden Sheep stops buying the crap EA will never make a decent game, so its in your hands. DON’T BUY EA PORTS PRODUCTS!!!!.
APF 2K8 is the greatest football sim to date, so if you are a real football fan that is what you should be playing, not the arcade, label induced garbage called Madden.
July 19, 2008 at 8:50 am
What about the online disconnetc cheaters or laggers when you wuppin their azzez? any auto loss for those guys?