Gamestop Madden Monday: ActionCam

refs should be in the game and should affect the gameplay. if the ball hits them, well thats part of the game. it adds more realism to the game. those of you who applaud the gimmick features that ea has been feeding you are bunch of sheeps. we shouldn't even have to ask for the refs. they were in previous maddens. i don't remember anyone posting a complain about them being on the field so why take them out?

[quote comment="21174"]LOL at the losers who are concerned about spending 60 bucks, poor mofos like you shouldn't be on online forums or playing videos games, not having 60 bucks should be a sign that you have bigger probems in life than the madden taCKLe ANIMATIONS[/quote]

i feel you on that one dog. i mean its just 60 bucks. lol

[quote comment="21174"]...you have bigger probems in life than the madden taCKLe ANIMATIONS[/quote]

Yeah, we do have bigger problems. That's why we NEED better tackle animations. To help escape the bigger problems.

LOL at the losers who are concerned about spending 60 bucks, poor mofos like you shouldn't be on online forums or playing videos games, not having 60 bucks should be a sign that you have bigger probems in life than the madden taCKLe ANIMATIONS

Pasta any word on if they fixed the rocket catching from 08? Also i'm loving this new camera angle I just wonder how it will feel when playing against a live opponent.

[quote comment="21126"]really i dont really see a problem with it i almost think the opposite i mean the quarterbacks tackle way to well but i think the passing game is good improvment for the ai is neccasary u should leave every int from the game and no that it was because u throw a bad pass to the wrong man often the dbs drop those but then they catch they catch the hard throse the ints u never see in real life[/quote]

Firstly, you need to work on putting some punctuation in your posts. You know how difficult it was to make sense of that?

Secondly, I never had a problem avoiding picks in Madden 08 - I might throw 1 or 2 a game, no biggie. It's the AI controlled QBs on the other team that are the biggest culprit, and a large reason for that is that dbs go after the pass aggressively, while WRs just follow their routes. It gets to the point sometimes that I'm running the guy who made the interception out of bounds because I'm sick of scoring off them.

Not to mention the fact that a slider setting of "0" for interceptions should mean zero chance of interceptions... 0 or 100, it doesn't seem to make a whole heap of difference.

really i dont really see a problem with it i almost think the opposite i mean the quarterbacks tackle way to well but i think the passing game is good improvment for the ai is neccasary u should leave every int from the game and no that it was because u throw a bad pass to the wrong man often the dbs drop those but then they catch they catch the hard throse the ints u never see in real life

[quote comment="21115"]everyone hear complains about the franchise for Madden Next Gen the past 3 years what do you guys think will make it better?

Personally theres only a few things nothing special.

1. Fix Progression system ( Ncaa Football 08 was great)
2. Fix scheduling so we play new people every year
3. make realistic stats for cpu
4. play clock sim so real stats for user games
5. be able to change postions for player ie. move 4-3 end to 3-4 outside linebacker
6. fix the draft so that its not runners recievers quarterbacks and corners dominating the first round look at it this year OL, DL, QB ,RB , DL, DL, DL, DL, LB, LB,
try to get that top 10 in madden 08 even with importing a ncaa draft class

like to see what you guys think, sick of the ref talk[/quote]

All good ideas, but honestly, when it comes to gameplay I'd be happy if they simply drastically cut down on the amount of TDs scored off interceptions, which means changing both the reciever and DB AI. That is Madden's biggest flaw and has been for far too long.

[quote comment="21100"]
if the ball goes through the ref there is no reason to put them in the game. in my opinion[/quote]

You should have refs (and kicking nets, and chain gangs) for the same reason that you have a stadium, a crowd, a skyline backdrop, and people on the sidelines (which really needs some improvement too) - atmosphere. If you want it to feel like the genuine NFL experience, then it has to at least LOOK like the genuine NFL experience.

everyone hear complains about the franchise for Madden Next Gen the past 3 years what do you guys think will make it better?

Personally theres only a few things nothing special.

1. Fix Progression system ( Ncaa Football 08 was great)
2. Fix scheduling so we play new people every year
3. make realistic stats for cpu
4. play clock sim so real stats for user games
5. be able to change postions for player ie. move 4-3 end to 3-4 outside linebacker
6. fix the draft so that its not runners recievers quarterbacks and corners dominating the first round look at it this year OL, DL, QB ,RB , DL, DL, DL, DL, LB, LB,
try to get that top 10 in madden 08 even with importing a ncaa draft class

like to see what you guys think, sick of the ref talk

[quote comment="21040"][quote comment="21026"]You don't realize how ridiculous you all sound. The head ref is the only one that makes the calls, the others are irrelevant therefore, let Earl do his job and stop trying to imply other employees because they won't take over. Earl was created as the head referee for EA and that won't change it. I've never seen so many people complain as they do on this site.[/quote]

you're an idiot...i wanted to tell you this a long time ago...but the official in the madden games is Ed Hochuli...not this imaginary Earl guy who you are always talking about and claim to have a website based upon... though John Madden's middle name is 'Earl' which could be where this name originated for the website...but even that is suspect...[/quote]

Thanks for finally let me know after this "long time" of waiting. No, the ref is Earl. There is no website claimed it's really there as far as I know? Thanks for telling me John Madden's name is Earl has nothing to do with this. All EA games refs are Earl but thanks for this info, and once again I'm an idiot.

P.S. - Next time you have a question just ASK EARL!

I think this camera feature is very stupid. I don't want the screen shaking and doing all this nonsense. All I want is to see the whole field without the jazz.

I want refs and chain gangs not a box in the endzone to dance like someone said earlier. I hate when players have stupid celebrations in the endzone anyway. Just walk off the damn field and not make a fool of yourself and your team.

I want to see a football simulation not an arcade piece of trash. EA hasn't made a good sports title on the next-gen platform yet with exception of NHL 08 and maybe tiger woods 07. I want EA to put the same focus and care that they put into FIFA also into all of their titles. Moore is an ass who sounds like he wants to make every game more and more arcadish. And to the people that say I am a "hater" you are an ignorant fool. I don't hate them I just am extremely dissapointed and ready for change. It's time to make some real sports simulations not trash like this. I think we'll be let down by Madden this year. Maybe Head Coach will be the way to go instead. NCAA has the potential to be great, but EA is too lazy to get over the hump.

Sorry for my rant but EA well deserves this and much more.

[quote comment="21096"][quote comment="21050"][quote comment="21048"]i agree that if they do add refs( which it really doesnt matter to me)the next complaint will be, they are in the way or i lost that game cause the pass hit the ref it'll go on and on about how the refs interfered with the game.[/quote]

Make the refs try and avoid the ball, but in case the ball goes straight at them, make it pass straight through them. Problem fixed.[/quote]

ok i have no prob with that but people will say thats not realism the ball going through the ref, people are looking for realism. you see the problem never ends[/quote]

if the ball goes through the ref there is no reason to put them in the game. in my opinion

[quote comment="21054"][quote comment="21049"]how about fumbles on qb/center exchang thats realism. bad snaps on field goals and punts thats realism. the holder mishandling the snap on field goal attempts (tony romo) thATS REALISM but guess no one cares about that stuff. lol[/quote]

I've always been a proponent of not being randomly penalized. Whether that be through bad snaps, penalty calls, bad holds, ect. You should always have some sense of control over what happens.

So holding calls should happen more when the QB doesn't get rid of the ball quickly, or when the QB runs out of the pocket, or when the QB runs no huddle. It shouldn't just call a holding penalty because the game randomly decided to do so.

Fumbles should have to do with fatigue, player ratings, weather, and defensive players going for strips. Not just "there should be 1-2 fumbles in every game so we'll program it that way".

Thats why those incidents such as bad snaps would be unfair to the user. While those things happen in real life, they happen because the players screwed up. It would be incredibly frustrating to have a game decided by a random bad snap that was of no fault of your own.[/quote]

that was well said but there is a higher percentage of it happenning in bad weather like the nfc championship game in the snow. im sure they can come up with a way of implementing it into the game where you do have control over it. it really doesnt matter to me honestly cause ima play the game regardless just was trying to add some more realism to the game. but i really would love different presentation for playoffs and super bowls.

[quote comment="21050"][quote comment="21048"]i agree that if they do add refs( which it really doesnt matter to me)the next complaint will be, they are in the way or i lost that game cause the pass hit the ref it'll go on and on about how the refs interfered with the game.[/quote]

Make the refs try and avoid the ball, but in case the ball goes straight at them, make it pass straight through them. Problem fixed.[/quote]

ok i have no prob with that but people will say thats not realism the ball going through the ref, people are looking for realism. you see the problem never ends

yep i rather have a car with no radio and the manufactuer focus rather on the engine so it runs good :)

The new cam seems like a good idea, I agree that the shaky cam might be overboard. If they want it to look like a broadcast NFL game the shaky cam is a bad idea. But I don't get the fixation with the refs.

With all of the issues that EA has to fix to make this year’s game better, refs would have to be last on the list.

My question is why are refs on a video game so necessary?

It’s just eye candy. I would rather have game play perfected than see some mindless ref on the field.

Late-

ok EA has all the money in the world top selling game in america in football, college football, and a bunch of other money makers. but top game they make top money maker is Madden year in and year out. so shouldn't that game with all the money their racking in have the hugest staff and the best inovations and the most realistic game play. everyone can bash mlb 2k8 but by an innovation standpoint way ahead of madden and ncaa football. i think EA has so much money they forgot y they started making games.

[quote comment="21063"]es comsumers it does not matter. it does not matter if quality is ignored and something else becomes the red hearring..its ok! its all ok..go back to sleep consumers go back to sleep everything is very ok! preorder your games it does not matter if they’re refs or nets or basic elementary things that should just be in the game never mind that..pay attention to new cameras..go back to sleep its all ok![/quote]

Apparently you thought this was so insightful that it was worthy of being posted twice. It wasn't.

Btw, Phil Frazier stated on the EA forums a while back:
" (there will be)revamped graphics: Improved stadium models, new weather particle system, new lighting models, new player models, field goal nets, user-controlled celebrations, and Total Control animation system. There are now clear visors also."

I guess you'll have to find something else to chide the poor, clueless masses with.

There's two issues at work here ...

1) At face value is this a good feature? Of course it is - hard to argue that being able to see the whole field is a good thing

2) The long simmering, now boiling over, resentment of EA for pushing a mediocre product, for having the exclusive license, for broken gameplay issues etc.

For lots of folks it is, understandably, difficult to separate the two.

Madden this year looks to be doing some things right. The camera angles, the online leagues, new presentation

I have a feeling the gameplay will remain what it is and always has been - and I don't particulalry like. That said, at face value and independent of your feelings about EA, some of these changes are welcome

There are a lot of really good suggestions in this thread for things that would be a great addition to Madden. Refs and FG nets, while cool and immsersive, would be second to many of the other things.

The AI and overall gameplay feel of Madden is what really needs the work first.

es comsumers it does not matter. it does not matter if quality is ignored and something else becomes the red hearring..its ok! its all ok..go back to sleep consumers go back to sleep everything is very ok! preorder your games it does not matter if they’re refs or nets or basic elementary things that should just be in the game never mind that..pay attention to new cameras..go back to sleep its all ok!

"Since you can't see him, you're not quite sure if the corner is barreling down on him, if he fell down, or if you're completing a pass to the guy holding the down marker."

funny how the blog mentions the chain gang... you know... the one that doesn't exist. There aren't guys holding down markers.

Yes, the new camera should be good.

No, Madden has not made the jump to nex...current with great success.

Yes, they need refs.

Yes, they need new o-line AI.

Yes, they need to fix franchise.

Yes, they need an actual physics engine.

Yes, I will be renting this first (not buying a hyped piece of trash this year).

[quote comment="21054"]
I've always been a proponent of not being randomly penalized. Whether that be through bad snaps, penalty calls, bad holds, ect. You should always have some sense of control over what happens.

So holding calls should happen more when the QB doesn't get rid of the ball quickly, or when the QB runs out of the pocket, or when the QB runs no huddle. It shouldn't just call a holding penalty because the game randomly decided to do so.

Fumbles should have to do with fatigue, player ratings, weather, and defensive players going for strips. Not just "there should be 1-2 fumbles in every game so we'll program it that way".

Thats why those incidents such as bad snaps would be unfair to the user. While those things happen in real life, they happen because the players screwed up. It would be incredibly frustrating to have a game decided by a random bad snap that was of no fault of your own.[/quote]

I agree to an extent re: holding penalties, but stuff like face masking, false starts, etc. are things that should be dictated by player ratings or else they never happen in the game.

Same with snaps and the like. There are Cs in the league who are known as great snappers, and there are QBs who are known as poor at the snap (Rex Grossman, I'm looking at you). If you choose to use one of those QBs, you should run the risk of rating-specific turnovers. I don't want all QBs or Cs to have the same chance of fumbling snaps and the like though just because it happens X amount of times in real life. It would have to be a rating if this was implemented. Stats are easily obtained for this area, so it wouldn't be a major task to implement.

It's something that is lacking in all basketball games as well, with a near total lack of dribbling and passing errors, despite having player ratings in those areas. You see it ocassionaly in CH 2K when you attempt a long pass, but that's about it.

[quote comment="21049"]how about fumbles on qb/center exchang thats realism. bad snaps on field goals and punts thats realism. the holder mishandling the snap on field goal attempts (tony romo) thATS REALISM but guess no one cares about that stuff. lol[/quote]

I've always been a proponent of not being randomly penalized. Whether that be through bad snaps, penalty calls, bad holds, ect. You should always have some sense of control over what happens.

So holding calls should happen more when the QB doesn't get rid of the ball quickly, or when the QB runs out of the pocket, or when the QB runs no huddle. It shouldn't just call a holding penalty because the game randomly decided to do so.

Fumbles should have to do with fatigue, player ratings, weather, and defensive players going for strips. Not just "there should be 1-2 fumbles in every game so we'll program it that way".

Thats why those incidents such as bad snaps would be unfair to the user. While those things happen in real life, they happen because the players screwed up. It would be incredibly frustrating to have a game decided by a random bad snap that was of no fault of your own.

[quote comment="21051"]
The PC version of Madden has draft day trades and always has as long as I remember.[/quote]

I should say -- HAD draft day trades, given that the franchise, and, thanks to the exclusive license, the entire sport, is now dead on PC.

[quote comment="20936"]
I hope that two CPU controlled teams can execute trades. To me it is one of the biggest problems with previous Maddens. Trades are a big way some teams fill in the needed holes either through acquiring a good player or moving up the draft boards.[/quote]

The PC version of Madden has draft day trades and always has as long as I remember.

[quote comment="21048"]i agree that if they do add refs( which it really doesnt matter to me)the next complaint will be, they are in the way or i lost that game cause the pass hit the ref it'll go on and on about how the refs interfered with the game.[/quote]

Make the refs try and avoid the ball, but in case the ball goes straight at them, make it pass straight through them. Problem fixed.

how about fumbles on qb/center exchang thats realism. bad snaps on field goals and punts thats realism. the holder mishandling the snap on field goal attempts (tony romo) thATS REALISM but guess no one cares about that stuff. lol

i agree that if they do add refs( which it really doesnt matter to me)the next complaint will be, they are in the way or i lost that game cause the pass hit the ref it'll go on and on about how the refs interfered with the game.

do anyone care about different qb styles of throwing the football and different styles of running for running backs, different presentation for rival games, playoffs and super bowl. pre-game,haltime, and post-game show. every qb dont throw the same, every running back doesnt run the same. o- line improvement, they took out shifting your o-line. they can also add assigning double teams for the o- line ,this is just some of the stuff i think is more important than refs and chaingang. and i dont see the point of a chaingang anyway there are markers on the field to indicate where the line of scrimmage is and the first down, atleast thats option in the pause menu. so there is no point for chaingang.

every new feature thats announced people complain about refs.. you'd think that EA would get the hint already and add them.

[quote comment="20966"][quote comment="20954"]I have no idea why so many people are hung up on referees. Do people have a zebra fetish or something?

To me, refs are pointless.[/quote]

Pointless?

Then why not take out the crowd watching the game? Why not remove the sideline players? While you're at it, why not remove the entire stadium?

REFS EXIST. They're on the field. With the players.

How can you not grasp that? EA is simulating a football game. It's not "to each his own." Players running around the field with no refs doesn't look right. EA can improve the snow all it wants. Without refs, the game is incomplete.

Watch a football game sometime. See how the refs are there? Crazy concept, isn't it? Taking them out shouldn't be an option.[/quote]

yes for all u people complaing and saying why should there be refs should read what he just said

[quote comment="21024"][quote comment="21013"]who gives a F@#k about refs on the field stop crying.The main focus this year should be things to improve the game play this year.If they put them on the field people will complain about there player running into or its not real cuz they run through them.I know if they was on the field i would run crossing routes and use the ref as a pick.People would complain and say thats a glitch so stop b*&chin about that and focus on the real problems[/quote]

They aren't even focusing on the real problems. First off they haven't mentioned anything significant about gameplay improvements...all you wanna complain about is gameplay, gameplay, gameplay and they not even fixing that...instead i bet about 90% of these so-called 85 new features were prolly on last gen and they just introducing them as new or features that really don't mean shit...i atleast want some kind of realism while playing this game so why not add refs...it will make me feel better because they are not trying to improve gameplay to make it realistic...they still haven't improved O-line and D-line interaction...if you really watch football, games are won and lost in the trenches.[/quote]

but u just sound dumb so u go to video game websites and complain about refs when the out cry needs to be gameplay.If im not mistaking this is a upgrade for gameplay and if eveerybody say madden was so perfect on current gen then them adding everything from that is about time and a plus.Who gives a crap about refs shut the hell up who cares if yall want realistic stuff complain about that espn production not being put in work.Yall cats are ridiculous.Im telling yall if they put refs in im using them as a extra man on the field.

A welcomed addition.

[quote comment="21026"]You don't realize how ridiculous you all sound. The head ref is the only one that makes the calls, the others are irrelevant therefore, let Earl do his job and stop trying to imply other employees because they won't take over. Earl was created as the head referee for EA and that won't change it. I've never seen so many people complain as they do on this site.[/quote]

you're an idiot...i wanted to tell you this a long time ago...but the official in the madden games is Ed Hochuli...not this imaginary Earl guy who you are always talking about and claim to have a website based upon... though John Madden's middle name is 'Earl' which could be where this name originated for the website...but even that is suspect...

[quote comment="21013"]who gives a F@#k about refs on the field stop crying.The main focus this year should be things to improve the game play this year.If they put them on the field people will complain about there player running into or its not real cuz they run through them.I know if they was on the field i would run crossing routes and use the ref as a pick.People would complain and say thats a glitch so stop b*&chin about that and focus on the real problems[/quote]
seriously...and i hope when they do get refs, hope you all bust huge nuts

idk about you all, but this game just looks akward. I was some what a fan of 08, but as this game does look to be going in the right direction, something about it just doesnt look right...idk what it is.

earlier when wondering how are they going to improve the game i thought it was going to be line play if you watch a 4-3 defense rush with the four man front usually the line is in a straight line two yards from the line of scrimmage and the linemen are either beaten or have pankaked the opposing line, this is incredibley unlike football usually a pocket looks like a u in stead of a line and other things can be said about the running game , don’t get me started on the stretch play, if u fix the line play u dont need refs the game will feel more real ull step up in the pocket ull cutback for big runs ull be able to move in the pocket and be able to actually read blocks that is wat is needed but that doesnt sell games. come check out madden with all new blocking !