EA Conference Call With Sean Bailey, Lead Designer - Gamplay

[DookieMowf]

I got this from Madden Mania, thanks to Bruce80 for posting this.

Quote:

BIG CREDIT TO MADSCI AND THE MADDEN MATRIX FOR THIS INFO: thanks my man! Just got off a conference call with EA. Sean Bailey, Lead Designer of Gameplay, for NCAA and Madden was on the line. The Community Leaders were able to ask him a number of questions for almost an hour. I am summarizing, to the best of my ability, the conversation: My question about undocumented features: Last week, on a conference call with Ian Cummings, I asked him was Pass commit and run commit in the game? If so, it's not visible. He told me Pass Commit and Run Commit are in both games, but it just doesn't show in NCAA, as in, there is no pop up or user feedback. I posed the question again to Sean. He indicated that Pass and Run Commit work as long as you push the right stick up (for pass commit) or down (for run commit) within the first second after a play starts. He also added that Smart Routes are also in the game just you don't see them in NCAA. The Smart Route extends your WR's route to 1-yard past the LOS. When you come to the line, you hit the Y or the Triagle, then the WR, then click the right stick. The WRs route will then be adjusted. Last week, Ian said Man Lock was also a feature. Sean said it was not. Kobra chimed in that there is a way to do Man Lock via audible and he would post it on EA SportsWorld once things get running. SPD CHANGES In the 08 game, a player that is 98 speed is just 1 measurable degree different than a player with 99 speed. So, a 98 SPD DB could stick with a 99 SPD WR--right on his hip. In the 09 game, 99 speed is about 9 or so degrees faster than 98. Speed calculations are based on a curve instead of a straight line this year, meaning, as you get faster, you get much faster at the tail end. And if you didn't get that, the different between 98 and 99 SPD in 09 is much greater than the difference in speed between a player with 98 SPD and a player with 99 SPD in 08. PASS RUSH QUESTION Rhombic21 asks about the perceived lack of pass rush in NCAA and figured this may be due to a number of D-lineman getting knocked down on the line. Sean indicated that this does happen a little more than is should, but this would be hard to tweek AND this sorta is related to the open gameplay feel and as every action has a reaction, he would worry that making the change would affect gameplay in other ways. ADAPTIVE DEFENSIVE AI My question. I asked if this year, the Defense would recognize if you ran the same play over and over and make adjustments. Sean mentioned that they way they do it in previous years on the current gen side was that the defense would get a ratings boost if they noticed that you were running the same play over and over. This year, unfortunately, there is no adaptive AI, so, the defense does not make adjustments if you run the same play you have success with over and over. CPU DEFENSE PLAY CALLING The CPU pretty much calls plays based on down and distance, not really based on formation. This is an area EA wants to work on in the future. SPECTACULAR CATCH EFFECTIVENESS WITH CPU-CATCHING Asked by ShopMaster: Spectacular catch by a WR without manual control is something that you will not be able to rely on. It will happen, but rarely. Only WRs with 90 or above SPC will even perform spectacular catches. In order to trigger then, you would throw a high bullet pass or up and to the left or right, depending on the position of the WR. D-LINE AND LBs INT ABILITY There have been some adjustment to the INT ability of lineman and LBs in pass coverage. They don't pull down INTs as well as they did in 08. CPU PLAY CALLING The CPU will call plays based around the primary receiver. In terms of playbooks, the team will execute the same playbook tendancies regardless of how the team personnel changes over time. If the coach is fired, Sean indicated that the playoff probably changes at that point. COMPOSURE My question: I asked what would bring up a QB's composure once he took a hit (time out, short passes, take the QB out of the game, end of quarter or half??). Throwing an INT is the easiest way to negatively affect composure. If you are using Quiz the QB and you guess the right play, your QB will NOT lose any composure. You can also call time out and use the Interactive Time out feature to instruct your QB to Block Out the Crowd. When you do this, the QB regains his composure, the squiggly lines and question marks over the WRs dissapear. The changes generally span a drive or possession. MAN VS ZONE EFFECTIVENESS Zone works better than man this year. Man coverage in 08 is better than man coverage in 09. BLOG ON THE CHANGES MADE IN THE GAME BASED ON FEEDBACK DURING COMMUNITY DAY I mentioned that it would be nice if EA could list the changes made to the game based on our feedback during Community Day. Sean indicated that there were a number of significant changes attributed to our input. Look forward to this blog. One big one was our feedback regarding the poor flat and short zone coverages--which have been fixed as a result. KICK RETURNS Kick returns are much easier this year. This will probably be the year of the kick return. Not sure what else I can say about this. Well, that's all I remember. Check out ShopMaster (MaddenWars), Rhombic21 (ncaaStrategies), Boza SFMB (South Fla Madden Ballers), Chris at ncaaStrategies, Damon (MaddenPlanet). They were also a part of the conference call. I'm sure I missed a couple things and each one you read will probably reveal a little more information. As always, like my homie 3rd and Long says, I may be wrong, I was the other time. Holla Mad

[callmetaternuts]

Very nice info. Its nice to have that sort of input an feedback. Im curious about that manlock info we should see posted.

One thing that irks me is that the playcalling doesnt change year to year based on personnel. So if the CPU is a power run team with good backs (wisconsin maybe) but in year 3 or 4 they have a scat back and great QB, they still go power run.......meh.

But thanks for the heads up.

[Exonerated]

Nice post.

No mention of the automatic field goals from 50+ though =(

[therizing02]

Great info. Bummer about the adaptive AI and the pass rush. It's very frustrating that they can get into current gen and not next gen. But hey, who cares we get cheerleaders and mascot games.

[J-Unit40]

KICK RETURNS
Kick returns are much easier this year. This will probably be the year of the kick return. Not sure what else I can say about this.

Bummer. I like having to work to get a great return or take one to the house. We'll have to figure something out with sliders. Not too happy about the adaptive AI either. That's pretty weak.

Other than that, some pretty good info. I like how the spectacular catches were toned down as well as DL with INTs.

[muggins]

These make me sad

NO ADAPTIVE DEFENSIVE AI
This is pretty sad.

CPU DEFENSE PLAY CALLING
The CPU pretty much calls plays based on down and distance, not really based on formation. This is an area EA wants to work on in the future.

Are you kidding me?

CPU PLAY CALLING
In terms of playbooks, the team will execute the same playbook tendancies regardless of how the team personnel changes over time.

Disappointing.

[davin]

Quote: Originally Posted by muggins

These make me sad CPU PLAY CALLING In terms of playbooks, the team will execute the same playbook tendancies regardless of how the team personnel changes over time. Disappointing.

That has been a problem for awhile. It really kills long term dynasties for me. Eight years down the road, a team appears to have recruited completely outside of their actual strategies (for example, last year, WVU became a school for the pocket passers and bruising running backs). This led to 62 speed QBs running the options, 84 speed RBs getting toss sweeps after toss sweeps. When playing against these teams it really sucks because their offense just stalls, but against the CPU they still put up numbers so they stay near the top.

[jwb0581]

Quote: Originally Posted by muggins

These make me sad NO ADAPTIVE DEFENSIVE AI This is pretty sad. CPU DEFENSE PLAY CALLING The CPU pretty much calls plays based on down and distance, not really based on formation. This is an area EA wants to work on in the future.

Do you know what this means? It means that online dynasties, with everyone in the same conference or division, is the way to go in '09. More human vs human games, fewer human vs cpu games. It will continue to be this way until they implement adaptive AI.

[BrianFifaFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwb0581

Do you know what this means? It means that online dynasties, with everyone in the same conference or division, is the way to go in '09. More human vs human games, fewer human vs cpu games. It will continue to be this way until they implement adaptive AI.

This isn't a good thing for me......

[Perfect Zero]

Yeah, that is really upsetting news.