Is Madden NFL 12 Unplayable?

[StrawHat Patriot]

Hey OS! This is my first thread, so sorryif it's unnecessary, but here it goes.

Is Madden NFL 12 unplayable to any of you guys, because I'm stunned with how the game is just so amazingly unrealistic at times to me. Whether it's LB's, or commentary, what is/are the main thing/main things that upset you the most?

These are some the issues I have.

Spoiler

Gameplay issues that are upsetting

Realism

• The lack of passing trajectory control really upsets me. There are times I pres on the d-pad simultaneously while throwing the ball, but the QB still throws to the linebacker. For example, an inside slant to the middle , and the QB pretends that the Lb in't there and throw to him. The D-pad function also isn't a good thing since will get sacked if you try throw it if the pass rush is near you/if you're throwing on the run.
  
• There is a huge lack of Edge Rush in the game. In really life, I see defensive ends getting a lot more sacks than defensive tackles, but in this game, I can only get puss rush with my DT's.
  
• Field Goal Blocks also occur from the edges. Again, in real life, field goal blocks are often blocked from a hand in the middle. but it never works in this game.
  
• CPU playcalling/decision-making can be really bad at times, for example, when there's 15 seconds left but they still have all 3 time-outs and they on they're own 25, they just take deep Hail-Mary shots instead of doing quick intermediate passes to get the midfield first.
  
• Player interactions, facial expressions, etc. are still not fixed. There times where I see players look or move peculiarly.
  

Player Intelligence

• The offensive line work needs to be improved. I see some players stand around instead of trying to double team a defensive line men (If they're are only 3 pass rushers). The RB's at times will just do a quick chop block sometimes that might not even be near the defensive player.
  
  
• The receivers will often not fight for the ball sometimes, or they might not run the route/ leave the route randomly. There's times where I could be running a curl route, and the receiver leaves the second the ball is in the air to be caught.
  
• The cornerbacks are psychic, or absent-minded in coverage. There are times where throw a pass downfield and the corner can bat it down without looking, or there are times where I throw a deep pass, and the corner stops, and keeps his head turned to the QB just so the pass could completed.

Player Movement

• The Linebackers are too fast. How high they jump for picks or bat down passes isn't the issue. The issue is how fast they do it. It's in the blink-of-an-eye speed that they act on the play.
  
• Sliding, Warping, Stopping, are also issues. There was a time I played against the Steelers and threw a slant that was facing the sidelines. When I threw it, the receiver just stopped in place and the corner picked it off. There are times where you throw a pass and the corner will slide around the receiver or go through him to pick it off, the receiver, as mentioned earlier stops. Also, players moving near each other can also result in them just moving in place, or other things.
  
• Player Ratings need to matter a little more. I can be scrambling out the pocket with a fast QB, I can be doing a running play with my HB and the DE or DT will stop him even the the defensive player's speed rating might be lower than the offensive player's speed rating.

Game Modes that are upsetting/have some upsetting things

NFL Superstar is so incomplete it's not funny. All you do is 10 practice plays (in which majority are usually running plays), do your part of the game, and check some of the few stats they have. There's no fight the starting job, the skill point system is done poorly (I am a QB and I lose points for my RB fumbling), there's no around the league stuff (interviews, your agent, mail, people talking about you), and it overall just lacks depth. There's also a very limited amount of options for the appearance of you player (I want long hair, and I don't want a beard).

Franchise mode isn't bad, but lacks depth. There's no pregame, halftime, or postgame shows. There's no newspapers, articles, or radio shows like we used to have. There's no weekly wrap-up show, or feel around the league. There's no "storyline feel" to the games. Madden 06 on old-gen had the CPU playing better when they needed the win to get in, and records, rematches, other things feel irrelevant. Also, too much rainy games.

Madden Moments are good. But there are some errors such as the wrong uniforms, and they are certain dramatic games that they might have left out.

Madden NFL Online is also okay, but online franchise lacks salary cap and other things, and fumbles are way likelier to occur when playing.

The advertisements can be annoying as well.

Practice is fine, but it would be cool to have a Stituation mode brought back. Put yourself in a situation where your down by for 4 with 1 timeout and you have to drive 75 yards down field.

Create a team is severely lacks features and has some glitches. Whenever I do a game between two created teams, there's always so much points scored, so much turnovers, the jersey numbers and equipment are off. You should be allowed more options for your jersey, and also, to be allowed to create more skill options for your team. (Elite defense, Elite Rush attack, game manger QB). Also, allow you to edit players (just in case you want your QB to be a scrambling QB).


Presentation elements that are upsetting

Realism

• I don't need to mention commentary.
  
• Lack of pre-game shows, halftime shows, postgame shows, all that stuff. It makes the game feel boring.
  

Graphics problems that are upsetting

Player Models
Some player models/hairstyles are poorly done. Andy Dalton for instance is bold. People who have dreadlocks or mullets have paper-looking hair (Clay Matthews for example).

[Broncos86]

My words would be "can only tolerate for so long."

[Cusefan]

You kids are spoiled. I remember when a broken game was actually broken and literally did not work. Before broadband internet, patches really did not exist for the most part, I remember buying games where you could not get past a level because of a glitch.

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cusefan

You kids are spoiled. I remember when a broken game was actually broken and literally did not work. Before broadband internet, patches really did not exist for the most part, I remember buying games where you could not get past a level because of a glitch.

Reminds me of when I'd play "Adventure" on the Atari, and I'd choose the random game option where it randomly placed keys. Sometimes, you could get a key inside the castle it was supposed to unlock. Boom, screwed.

[CM Hooe]

Unplayable? Far, far from it.

I enjoy Madden NFL 12 moreso than any other football game I've ever played.

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Broncos86

Reminds me of when I'd play "Adventure" on the Atari, and I'd choose the random game option where it randomly placed keys. Sometimes, you could get a key inside the castle it was supposed to unlock. Boom, screwed.

Yeah.

Games need to get back to that kind of thing. Game used to be HARD and fun. Now they seem to focus on trying to be "too fun" and end up easy and boring sometimes.

Or maybe I'm just a S&M gamer personality. I like getting abused by games in fair/realistic ways. Makes me think and play harder. Now, it's just stuff like OMG the enemy has 2058x as much HP as you...but still fights stupid. Gah. That's not hard...just tedious. I digress...

[PGaither84]

By itself Madden 12 isn't that bad... but years of frustration coupled with the knowledge that other games have represented the sport better leave a sour taste in my mouth.

When you play Madden on the Super Nintendo, it's pretty amazing. Now it's dated.

When you play Madden 02 on the PS2/NGC/XBox and compare it to NFL 2k2, there are pros and cons to each game. When you compare Madden 05 to 2k5, there is a world of difference. Both games have pros and cons and fans of each... but the quality of on-the-field game play is NOT comparable.

When you look how well the sport is represented on the 4-5 year old game 2k8, don't tell me I'm spoiled and am asking for too much or tell me it's too hard to do.

Can I enjoy Madden 12? Yes, off and on. As Bronco Stu said, it's tolerable for a while. However, my expectations are greater than the product I am being offered.

[CRMosier_LM]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

By itself Madden 12 isn't that bad... but years of frustration coupled with the knowledge that other games have represented the sport better leave a sour taste in my mouth. When you play Madden on the Super Nintendo, it's pretty amazing. Now it's dated. When you play Madden 02 on the PS2/NGC/XBox and compare it to NFL 2k2, there are pros and cons to each game. When you compare Madden 05 to 2k5, there is a world of difference. Both games have pros and cons and fans of each... but the quality of on-the-field game play is NOT comparable. When you look how well the sport is represented on the 4-5 year old game 2k8, don't tell me I'm spoiled and am asking for too much or tell me it's too hard to do. Can I enjoy Madden 12? Yes, off and on. As Bronco Stu said, it's tolerable for a while. However, my expectations are greater than the product I am being offered.

I don't know what to tell you other than I'm glad you like 2k8 and the 2k series as a whole and I can understand that you want want Madden to go that direction. But I can guarantee you that I will never support that direction in Madden. If EA goes that direction then I'm done with the game... As will a lot of other people. I personally thought the Gameplay in that series was bad, animations so long that they eliminate realistic reflex reactions (same with nba 2k imo). Does Madden need to tone down the change of direction speed? Oh yes they do, but if it ever goes to the extent that 2k does then I'm done. Players literally feel like they are in cement shoes. I can move better than that with a basketball or football in my hand and that's a guarantee... I'm getting old and I'm not even athletic anymore. The long drawn out animations are compensating for something in the code that doesn't work... It has to because there is no way those movements could be viewed as realistic by their dev team.
We are just going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by CRMosier_LM

Oh yes they do, but if it ever goes to the extent that 2k does then I'm done. Players literally feel like they are in cement shoes. I can move better than that with a basketball or football in my hand and that's a guarantee... I'm getting old and I'm not even athletic anymore.

Alas, if change of direction where the only animation problem in Madden...

Just seeing that video of the pass rush that was put up in another thread makes me wish Madden's pass rush was like that instead of the "one hit KO" type nature to it.

[StrawHat Patriot]

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

Unplayable? Far, far from it. I enjoy Madden NFL 12 moreso than any other football game I've ever played.

May I ask how?