Last week we gave you a gameplay wishlist for madden. Truth be told, we can all go on for a long time for gameplay improvements. But for this week, we are going to expand that list into gameplay improvements part 2. Without further ado, here is the second part of the gameplay improvements:
Route Running
Route running is a fundamental part of NFL, and it is also a big part of madden. But really, all it is in madden is the separation you gain. I’ve seen in NFL players like Antonio Brown run an out route and he barely changes speed. In madden though, no matter the player they really run the routes pretty similarly. It’s more determined by the way that the CB or DB reacts to the ball, and this should not be how it is.
Let me get further into what I’m talking about with a route that I think is a pretty important NFL route, but is 100% obsolete in Madden: sluggos. Now we all know what the sluggo route is. More than likely it is the route you hot route if you ever have a play with that route on it. It looks like a slant off the line of scrimmage and then the receiver cuts back upfield for a streak. Watching actual NFL games you almost never see a guy run just a straight fly route. They almost always utilize some form of this sluggo. Off the snap you take a quick cut in to make the defender think you are going across the middle and then cut it back upfield for the fly route. This is not utilized in madden at all. This is what route running should be used for. Why wouldn’t the receivers try to fake out the defenders while running the route, and have success with it with high route running? We’ve all seen NFL. Remember the plays where someone like Dez is just sitting uncovered 40-50 yards downfield? That’s usually because of a situation like this where he fakes the defender out and just has no one to cover him.
Team Play
Team play was a pretty popular and fun mode. It never really got the love it deserved though. Personally I loved it, and I know a lot of others did as well. But the main downfall of it was the lag. The connection never was really as flawless as a normal head to head game. This is a mode I would like to see be brought back. Even make if a part of franchise for those that wish to do so. Instead of having a 32 man CFM, make it a 64. Allow 2 players to control a team and play in the game. It’s not something for everybody, but it’s a cool feature that a lot of people would enjoy and have fun with. Playing on someone’s team in Madden is fun, but playing on someone’s team and also progressing through an actual season is even better.
Challenge System
This was briefly mentioned before but I really want to put some time into this time. The challenge system really needs an overhaul. In NFL it is big, it can completely change the momentum of the game. In madden it really isn’t the same. I might challenge one play for an entire length of a season in madden. For starters, simply make more controversial calls. We know this is a video game so it IS PERFECT as far as being able to make calls, but put slight error into the game. Allow there to be opportunities where you can really challenge the spot of the ball or if it was a catch. Also, scrap the “LT or L2” that pops up to challenge plays occasionally, because those are always wrong.
Next, the system itself needs some love. I want to be able to choose exactly what I am challenging. Even if it is irrelevant to the play, the option should be there. I don’t want the game to tell me what I am challenging. I want to specifically challenge the spot of the ball or specifically challenge if it was a catch or not.
Vision Cone
This is of course not something that appeals to everyone. But a lot of people who play sim franchises would like this option. Make it optional. It was in the game before, why is it not now? It can be defaulted to off for online games, but allow CFMs the ability to turn it on and make for a more realistic experience.
Catching System
The catching system received HUGE changes for Madden 16 and there really is only a few tweaks that need to be done to it mostly with the aggressive catch. Playing with Odell specifically, I notice way too many times, almost once a game that he is trying to catch passes one handed. And this is fine, but it consistently happens when there is no reason he can’t put two hands on the ball. I know this happens to other receivers as well. There is no reason why someone should try and have this amazing spectacular catch when they can easily use two hands.
Coin Toss
Bring it back. It’s cool not having to wait the 5 seconds or whatever it is that is skipped, but I think most people prefer this to come back for CFM. I like to see who actually wins and if they pick to receive or kick. Picking which side of the field to defend with wind is important too, it’s strategy. You want to have the wind at your back in the 4th quarter when you need to make that field goal.
Broadcast Presentation
Madden has had the same broadcast style for quite a long time. But the truth is that NFL games are broadcasted through several different channels. Make good use of the exclusive NFL rights and have games broadcasted from ESPN on Monday nights as well as the other stations that have games. It makes it feel more immersive.
Please leave comments on what you think should or shouldn’t be in the game, and any additional gameplay improvements you think should be in Madden 17.
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