Expectations Going Into The Madden 11 Demo

by pastapadre
Posted July 24th, 2010 at 6:34 am

With the Madden 11 demo set to release on Tuesday I thought it would be interesting to hear what your thoughts are going into it. Some outlets got to try out the demo early and it seems there just isn’t a whole lot of enthusiasm towards the game this year. That matches up with the response coming out of E3.

The demo is structured well and with five minute quarters provides an opportunity to actually get into the flow of the game. For some that should show off the benefits of the GameFlow feature while others may already figure out it’s not for them. Gameplay will likely feel similar to that of NCAA Football 11 due to the locomotion improvements, though at E3 Madden felt a little slower and more deliberate.

My overriding feeling for some time has been that there really isn’t anything terribly compelling about Madden 11. I did really enjoy Madden 10, and had looked forward to the next iteration but where the focus went in development (trying to pick up new casual consumers) and the final feature set that came out of that sunk my excitement. Instead I already envision spending much more time with NCAA than Madden, and that is saying something, since I’m much more into the NFL than college football.

So what are you looking for out of the demo? Is it going to be a determining factor in purchasing the game or are you already decided? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Tags: latest news

Portaroc88

Its all dependent on how the user plays, bottom line you can exploit any video game.
baconfanatic

I think they should of put Peyton Manning or Mark Sanchez on the cover, it would help it sell more
http://twitter.com/WWOFTBBNR Phil

OK
m'amsd

WILL THE DEMO BE ON THE UK PSN PLEASE ANSWER

http://twitter.com/tracyllrkn Tracy Larkin

If it doesn’t just make an American account.

Jamesfaw

maybe the reason you dont like picking plays is because you dont know what plays to pick loser
SB100

I am buying Madden 11 for sure. I buy it every year and will continue to do so. To all you NFL2K5 people, the game was pretty good and Madden could learn a few things from it.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Corey-Ragland/13752595 Corey Ragland

I played 2k5 back in the day, after a game and a half I gave it away and went back to Madden
http://www.facebook.com/people/Corey-Ragland/13752595 Corey Ragland

What made my decision on how this years Madden is gonna be is Pasta's post saying EA did very little to franchise mode. Seeing as how I pretty much exclusively play franchise mode I don't want to spend $60 for the same mode with a slightly different physics engine and the new rookies. I am enjoying NCAA so far and will just stick with it. Maybe next year they'll make some big improvements to the mode and give me a reason to buy it again
http://twitter.com/MRxAmazing Jeremy J.

This is probably my favorite post by you so far. I plan on spending most of my time with NCAA (once some things are taken care of). And as of now, I don't plan on getting Madden for the first time since '99. I highly doubt the demo is going to make me want the game anymore since Tiburon ruined it this year. Besides NCAA, I'll probably play 2K5 and Backbreaker if they patch it up good.
http://twitter.com/MRxAmazing Jeremy J.

This is probably my favorite post by you so far. I plan on spending most of my time with NCAA (once some things are taken care of). And as of now, I don't plan on getting Madden for the first time since '99. I highly doubt the demo is going to make me want the game anymore since Tiburon ruined it this year. Besides NCAA, I'll probably play 2K5 and Backbreaker if they patch it up good.
Leeejon21

ima big Madden fan… bought almost all games since madden 2003, but the Demo better be showing real improvements, or else im not gonna buy it
Blitzer662002

i really think that until madden implements a realistic physics engine, the bugs that exist within the pre designed animation system are going to cause noticable issues. i knew backbreaker wasn't going to be anything mind blowing which is why i refrained from buying it, but I was hoping that it would open the eyes of developers to adopt/develop their own “ragdoll” engine if you will. That's why I look more forward to 2012 than 2011.

To answer you question as far as purchasing the game, playing the demo will be the only factor into me buying the game this year.

The thing that is likely to deter me from this years game, is yet another emphasis on the “i dont know crap about football” gamer. I understand the need to market the game to everyone, but those that have a superior knowledge of the game and are able to execute that knowledge should have a gigantic advantage over somebody who knows nothing. And with last years game the ability to throw to the flats consistently against coverage designed specifically stop just that type of play, because the AI system is garbage makes me personally never want to play the game ever again.

I could rant all day on the flaws of the game, but the fact of the matter is they can perfect the game, and should have a while ago but money makes the world go round.
Pingback: Futbol Soccer Opinion » Blog Archive » Expectations Going Into The Madden 11 Demo – Pasta Padre (blog)
Rude Boy

LMAO I love how you mention Slaton's avg fumble per but left out AP's you must be a Vikings fan. AP's avg fumble per is 42.31 that's less than 2 carries more yet his carry rating is 8 points higher than Slatons so no the rating system is not fine.

dan

What? I didn’t leave out AP’s average?! Read it again dumba$$.

Slaton’s avg is worse than AP’s so he has a lower carry rating, it’s pretty simple. In regards to 8 points, I guess you could give Slaton a 3/4 point boost in carry rating to 61 but HE DESERVES A LOWER RATING which isn’t what your little tantrum indicated.

If you think Slaton having a 58 carry rating and not a 61 (both still the worst) is a sign that the rating system is poor then, well you need to get a life.

Rude Boy

Tantrum if pointing out something that MANY other people have complained about is a tantrum well than you have a bone to pick with quite a few other people but its hilarious how you say raise Slaton’s rating & not lower AP’s that has biased written all over it AP is carrying around a weighted purple football so clearly he has an issue with fumbling more than just a 65 what’s really funny is you say get a life yet you’re commenting on my comment so who needs to get a life?!?!? Go back & eat some more baby dicks faggot you don’t want AP’s rating up so you can throw the ball to him in the flats & truck stick every chance you get the worse Madden players ALWAYS defend the overpowered players I’ll play you any day one 360 & I guarantee I’ll make you quit

dan

Just to clarify for your simple mind:

Slaton has the worst Fumble/rush ratio in the NFL;

As a result, Slaton has the worst carry rating in Madden.

Does that answer “Why is Adrian Peterson’s carry rating a 65 but Steve Slaton’s carry rating is 58?!?!? AP has led the league in fumbles 2 straight seasons yet he’s not rated worst in the carrying category”

Now you know. So you admit you’re wrong then. Good to know. end of.

Rude Boy

No need to clarify anything homer I made the point quite clear that AP should not have a carry rating that much higher than Slaton but I did notice you didn’t address the challenge good choice ha ha ha
window licker

Are you not reading the responses? There is a clear reason why Slaton has a lower rating…he, in the past season, fumbled on a higher percentages of his touches. It seems like to me the rating system is working in spite of a common belief that AP has the worst fumbling problem in the league. If you don’t believe the logic then maybe Curtis Painter should have better accuracy than Peyton Manning because he threw less interceptions…
dan

Now you’re saying the gap should be as big but before you said “AP has led the league in fumbles 2 straight seasons yet he’s not rated worst in the carrying category”.

Then I corrected you with statistical evidence and tried to explain why. Everything else you’ve written has been to try to save face.

You wanted AP to be the worst in the category, you said it with your own words.

http://www.facebook.com/cory.c.allen Cory Charles Allen

I like too many sports to settle for a sub-par football release. FIFA 11 and NHL 11 are far superior to any other sports game on the market, and I will be happily buying both. I will not waste 60 dollars on a sub-par game.
http://twitter.com/WyGuy069 Wyatt LeRoux

they should make it an online demo so we can play people
daley7199

Yeah Pasta, There isn't alot of Enthusiasm for the game yet for some reason Its Gone Gold Already. Last time I checked you cant take “Enthusiasm to the BANK!!!!!!!!!!!”

Who gives a shit if the Cronies at E3 or some douchebag at a retail outlet doesn't have “enthusiasm” for the game. The bottom line is every one will buy this game just like they do every year. Even the douchebag 2k Fan boys like Amen Ra will play this game even though he claims he wont buy it. Of course he is completely full of shit but that's a different story. Madden is still the king of all sports games and that just isn't going to change. You might as well accept it. The game isn't going to blow anyones doors off any more. I really don't know what you people want but there isn't much more they can do to this game that will make a huge inpact on the game.

Basically All the whiners are just complaining about superficial Fluff that doesn't really matter one way or another. People conplained about Summerall and Madden, they gave us Madden and Michaels. People started whining about that they gave us Collinsworth and Hammond. They complain about that they give us Johnson and Collingsworth. I am sure people will complain about Collinsworth and Mr. “ON THE NINETEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
daley7199

Well you are quite right but on that same token, It is far more difficult to orchestrate 22 players on a football field than it is with 22 on a soccer field where collisions are infrequent and spacing is the name of the game and in hockey where there are only 12 players on the ice and 2 of them dont move that much.

Football is the hardest sports game to get right and I think EA has done a pretty good job.
daley7199

Help Sell more? What planet do you live on. Madden has no problem selling and in fact has already gone gold. Having said that, being a Jet Fan, I wouldn't mind seeing Sanchize on the cover.
HUEJAK

I use to play NFL2K until I saw Madden and in my opinion NFL2k is not even close. Madden is more like real football and in my opinion it has gotten better every year but this year going after the casual fan might set game play back.
philly

but my thing is, is it worth 65 dollars every year to buy a watered down game, JUST because you're a fan of football? Even though I buy it, I can't say it's really worth it. Like for Madden 12 all they need to do is add some new animations, continue to decrease bugs/money plays/animations, and give fans a deep franchise mode/single player experience! But what will probably happen… is they try some brand new idea to see if it'll work instead of knowing before they add it in the game, totally take out somethings from last years game instead of improving them (like the halftime show), and gain money from more sponsors by putting their name next to a rating or overlay.
skihawks

ALthough I am deep into NCAA, if Madden 11 plays like NCAA 11 I don't understand how that could be a bad thing. Many people are ripping Madden because the presentation in the demo is weak.

NCAA is getting the love because it took the bigger leap this year but Madden should not be shoved aside as worthless….

Not replying to HUEJAK…For some reason, I cannot add comments.
Foozballs

I think Madden is going to open all of our eyes to how playcalling should be in a football game. gameflow isnt a “mode”…but it will have one of those “how have we played without this?” impacts when its all said and done. I am excited to actually being able to have a gameplan and a distinct style of offense that I can define.

Anyone who just dismisses this gameflow thing because they are closed minded will be missing out.
Joe0552

Madden 11 proves how no competition can bring about lazy game development. From the moment I saw the first teaser trailer with “Simpler, Faster…” blah blah crap, I knew the Madden team didn't put any real time into developing a new game. With no other NFL football games pushing them, the team just sat back, updated the rosters, made one big tweek to the game play engine and patted themselves on the back for suggesting that we take too much time playing a fake football game. What they fail to realize is that if the Madden series was that good none of us would care how much time a single game took to complete.
I have NCAA Football 11 and it's a very good game but College football doesn't excite me as much as the NFL so I'm glad both development teams used the locomotion gameplay. I look forward to playing an offline Franchise but without any real updates to the Franchise mode I'm sure it will get old really fast. I also will turn off the offensive coaches audio and live with the not so stellar play play audio.
In the end Madden 11 will be a disappointment to a degree because it will feel way to similar to Madden 10 but with no other NFL game on the market we fans will just have settle and hope something new will be done for Madden 12.
Cal

In my opinion, I know that Madden is going in the right direction. Although gameplay needs some MAJOR improvements, presentation is getting better every year. For example, they've got players stopping to get water and Gatorade. All EA needs to do is create well over a hundred more scenes to bring the full gameday feel. One of my biggest expectations is that they've changed the field goal view in broadcast mode. We never see anyone attempt a field goal from a sideline point of view.
Cal2307

disappointed in the lack of improvement in franchise and online franchise. especially after last year the said it was going to be a focus
Samkaveli

That's great to hear, it shows that the people are waking up. EA thanks people are fools, and their sells will suffer more this year. you can fool the people some of the time, but when those people wake up to your bullshit, they simply will hit you where it hurts in that's with their wallets. you can't get away with fooling people with marketing forever. unless EA makes a change come 12 with real time physics Madden is in trouble.
Angmatthems

The fact that the sidelines are still the same with the robots, shows this game is still really poor but there is no 2k5 so we get this crap again madden you guys really need to put effort into every aspect which you do not but hopefully we will have progresive lighting but who really cares this game will be full of problems but like i said what else do we have backbreaker ok enough said……skullman
Pingback: Pav going nowhere – agent | International News - Stay up to date with the latest World News, Finance & Business, Green News, Technology and Sports
Blindpug

I would like to suggest a boycott of Madden 11 for 1-2 weeks. I suggest this so that EA realizes us customers mean something and that you can't just keep repackaging the same game with a tweak here and there and charge us 60-70 dollars, counting DL content, which should be free anyways. Look, im likely to get Madden again this year, I just wont be at the store at midnight like years past. Im tired of madden not progressing like it should. If this years players look like talking goats again doing interviews, the sidlines looking like ghosts with helmets on doing the same motions over and over and or course Franchise mode not being progressed at all im gonna scream. Which is what looks to have happened this year. Its sad but im already looking forward to next years madden because this one is a let down.
AC

Sad about the lack of dynasty mode improvement shocked even! Years after NFL Coach and they cant throw us dynasty players a bone?

Downloading of the full game is available now for 360 the vibe of E3 etc has made me not rush and download. Feedback from freinds is Gameflow is a waste of thoughts and time!!!
Cody

I'll play the demo but I'm probably skipping this year (after buying 3 or 4 years straight and 10 out of the last 12). I want franchise mode improvements and they have been put off yet again for crap I don't care about.
Skinsfan11

I'm defiantly downloading the demo on Tuesday. I want to see how EA improved on the presentation, commentary, locomotion and Game Flow. I've been a Madden fan for 15 yrs and I enjoy it. I don't get why “some” peeps are stuck in the past with 2k5. JUST GET OVER IT!!!!
skihawks

Sounds like from what I have read that the Madden team focused mostly on gameplay. It is supposed to have the same engine as NCAA 11 so the gameplay should be covered…

I am not going to judge Madden based on the demo.
Osackpo98

Bring back NFL Head Coach.
As someone who only plays offline franchise, that game was the closest to an accurate franchise sim. The current franchise is awful, and I find myself going back to an NFL head coach from 2 years ago. They should pick up the mechanics from that game, give players the ability to actually play as their team, and then we'd have a great franchise mode. Or just update the old head coach. Please EA.
KC

The game looks decent, its Madden… nothing new.

NCAA is EXTREMELY sharp in terms of the locomotion and the way the players move and feel. Very realistic. If Madden had the player movement/locomotion and animations that NCAA had, it would INSTANTLY make the game 10x better gameplay-wise
KC

The rumors (from EA themselves) is that they are picking apart NFL Head Coach's code and overhauling the Franchise mode for Madden 12. When you really think about it, and you see how EA worked 90% on the core on-field gameplay this year(so they won't have to spend much time on gameplay for Madden 12), it seems to make sense. They are selling us a half-assed version of Madden while they try to earn back some credibility by giving us a real Franchise experience in '12…

Kind of seems like what they did with Madden '09. Sold us a ripoff incomplete game while they worked on making Madden '10 the real upgrade and improvement… its pathetic and almost criminal but they have us by the balls….
Foozballs

didnt Madden have all of this stuff first? Madden definitely started it with Protak (in NCAA this year now) and they both talked about locomotion. so im pretty sure its all in there. i think
KC

Locomotion is in there but it just does not flow well with the current Madden game engine. It does not fit with the animation system/player movement of Madden. You put NCAA and Madden next to eachother and watch the footage you can tell the clear difference… Madden is very robotic whereas NCAA is smooth and the players move VERY realistically. I can't get over how NCAA feels when you run any play, it just feels so right and unrobotic…

Protak is in Madden but, again, the game engine and animations do not allow for it to work correctly. It was very noticable the first time they installed it(Madden 08 I believe??), but now it has become obsolete. I would say 85-90% of all the tackle animations in Madden are 1-on-1 animations with players running into the animation and not contributing to it(aka 'ProTak-ing') … it also seems that the player momentum has gotten lost in Madden. The smallest of ballcarriers will push forward a 300lb D-Lineman with ease only because the animation calls for the ballcarrier to fall forward during the tackle. When ProTak was working, bigger defenders would win the momentum battle more often, or multiple tacklers would hit the ballcarrier and force him back.
KC

They CAN fool everyone with marketing forever… or atleast for Madden 12.

I'm going to try and predict the future: All it will take to get Madden to the top of sales charts next year is one liner marketing like “MADDEN 12. NEW FRANCHISE. NEW PHYSICS ENGINE. NEW GAME”… then when people flood the stores to buy it, they find out it is just a new online franchise mainscreen display and a bug-filled offseason mode. Then the “new real-time physics” is simply NCAA 11's game engine ported over to Madden with Madden's 7 year old tackling animations. Then when the complaints about the these 'new features' start coming out, EA plays the victim by saying that “the new technology is great, Madden 12 is great, but we cannot please everybody. We need the proper time to tweak our new technology and one year is just not long enough to make a game that everybody loves.” …. then the same old story with Madden '13 …

Have you gotten used to EA faking the chase for improvement? They don't want to overhaul Madden because it is simply too much work for them. It is easier to use the base programming code from a regular XBOX game and just add lines here and there and make hundreds of millions every fall…
Fze

“Gone Gold” is not a sales term. It means the game is completed and ready to be mass manufactured.
Ape

if they mostly focused on gameplay why would you not judge the game based on the demo? thats what the demo is for.
Na

EA needs to stop trying to sell NFL football to the masses and concentrate on the hardcore football fans. These stupid gimmicks of buying scouting reports and quick injury healing crap is garbage. I haven't and won't buy one, what sucks is that kids and glitchers are out there using them. Make an arcade game for the people who aren't into football, honestly they don't care what plays are in the game. For us diehards EA is ruining what madden could be. If EA didn't put 2K out I'd probably still be playing 2K, but I always had both games madden and 2K, if you never learned to play 2K them you just didn't get football…not much can be said for ya I guess..it was very good. But I can't play without my updated rosters…who can.

Come on EA…stop the bullshit gimmicks!!!
Princepointe

I'm not a 2K Fanboy AT ALL but wait until you play this crap they gave us. EA gave us a BIG FU.
Princepointe

HAHAHAHAHA. You have no clue what your talking about. I've played ten games with this gameflow crap and it's nothing more than ASK MADDEN upgraded. They call your play and “tell” you why they picked it and how to run it. It's a mode for SUPER NEWBS. I'm talking someone that doesn't know anything about fottball. It's a diversion. If you take away gameflow and ask whats different the list would be really short and BAD. There is on maybe 4 positive changes this year. MAYBE
Jaden McPhearse

I feel like Madden has dropped their marketing techniques. Like the Extra Point was a terrifyingly bad part of Madden 10. Me and my bud would always sit there at half time tapping “A” as fast as we can praying to god that it would skip. Oh! But now they can use the fact that the Extra Point is skippable as an 'Upgrade' to Madden 10. Why not just realize that the Extra Point was bad in the first place? Like I said, if they feel the need to put something bad in one game, just to make it so they can use it for their benefit next season, is stupid. This really isn't the place to be whining about it… But come on! Haha.
niners

to all the nfl2k5 fans please STFU enough about this game it sucked 2k is only good at b-ball games get a life, thank you
Foozballs

Thats nice that you played 10 games yet still dont even know what the mode is. If i create the gameplan then its my plays. Does it help new players? Sure. But if i can create my own gameplan then i'm all in.
Princepointe

WOW. You have no clue. The gameplan is nothing but a “plan”. Not an exact system on what play to call and when. The comp picks the plays they want, when they want. Even if it's the case that you picke the plays WHATS THE POINT? Just pick the plays in game. The point is EA wasted alot of time on this pointless feature when so many other things needed to be fixed.
Foozballs

Its nothing but a “plan”? What is that supposed to mean. Its called a GAME (….wait for it…) PLAN. YOU define the plays and what situation they are called and how often. Its a heck of a lot more realistic than opening up the entire playbook every play. Its ok if you dont understand how plays are called in real life, no one is perfect.