If you are like me and have heard all the commentary (except the championship, unfortunately), try this playlist. Here are the Madden soundtracks from 2003 to 2012. Sorry to those without Apple Music.
Let me know how you like it.
Here is a list of new bugs that I experienced in dynasty, post-update:
• Stunts create more collisions with teammates or players do not stunt at all (the update claimed to fix a problem I didn’t see instead, making it worse).
• The timeout bug is white rather than saying time out.
• Unable to change teams between divisions within a conference. Side note - rather than toggling a required number of protected rivals, make it so a team can rank order their own rivals individually to ensure rivalry games each year and the proper games on rivalry week.
What the update did well:
• Way less injuries.
• Less exits due to wear and tear
• The new uniforms are cool.
• Player growth is significantly better and requires less XP Slider intervention.
• Recruiting menus now snap to the top when switching between positions (thank you for that simple QOL fix).
• The offseason recap is a nice touch.
Outstanding issues:
• Team overall rating logic.
• Some fillable fields delete upon first letter entry (coach name) while others require use of the clear button (division name). This is a simple QOL fix that is caused by a lack of attention to detail.
• Playbooks driving sim results rather than overalls.
• Custom playbook creation should be available in TeamBuilder to reduce the workload for a custom playbook.
• Custom playbooks change the formatting in-game such that kickoffs start with onside (custom offensive) or weird return packages (custom defensive). Hail Mary plays are lost (Hail Mary Goal Post). Formation layouts are weird when selecting plays from the huddle.
• Pass and run blocking need to be better. Some missed block are just illogical.
• Assigning captains does nothing.
• Depth chart needs to support auto sub format (R and Sub packages).
• TeamBuilder attention to detail with logo centering, size and facemask clip colors.
I have some really cool ideas to add nuance that could make this game feel more authentic and every season feel unique. That can be for another post.
Let me know anything I missed below.
I redid conferences so the P5 are powerful again and to remove independents. I also added divisions. The effort was to try to group teams with their rivals (as much as possible) and consider geography so the athletes can spend less time traveling and more time studying (I’m looking at you Stanford after the ACC move).
As always, let me know what you think
I have uploaded my SPREADNGO offensive playbook for you to download. It is a balanced spread offense that uses Go Go, Bunch and Stack in special situations. It is lighter on RPO (because it feels broken this year).
I have rated all the plays so there are robust coach suggestions in every situation.
I would love your feedback. Try it out. Tell me what you think.
We look like we are getting closer to a finished product. One of my pet peeves with changing recruiting positions and it not snapping to the top has been fixed. Playing on Heisman finally feels rewarding (even though I still have to turn interceptions down to 25). I’m liking the new animations.
New bugs I’ve noticed.
•Started a new dynasty and did my realignment including divisions. Now you can’t swap teams between different divisions within a conference.
•The timeout area of the bottom scoreboard goes white rather than saying “time out.”
•User team player progression seems low while the CPU teams seem normal (short data set on this one and still needs more testing).
I’d say this was a pretty good overall outcome. I still have more time to put in and will surely find other bugs. Still hold some grievances about the MVP+ and Madden ownership necessity for the full coaching experience (when they allow for full draft class exports again, they can make power moves with Madden purchases).
What are you all seeing?
I love that they brought back college football. My issue is the internal decision making, oversights and lack of attention to detail by the development team. The outcome is a game that becomes more unrealistic the longer you play.
Let me give some examples of poor decisions, oversights and lack of detail orientation:
•Auto progression focuses on speed and strength. This makes everybody super fast and strong but underrated/underdeveloped.
•CPU teams seriously lack in recruiting capability.
•Recruiting menus don’t automatically snap back to the top when switching between positions and/or groups (this is such an obvious QOL fix that is immediately fixable).
•There is no incentive to develop team leaders or assign captaincy, it is actually hidden.
•The gameplay requires slider manipulation to reduce the unrealistic offensive line, interception and special teams play.
•User preferences and auto sub adjustments do not transition to dynasty.
•Teambuilder has uncentered logos on the helmet bumpers and likely other places. Also, the facemask clip color is not changeable.
The NIL and coach mode inclusion is great. Fixing the current issues can make this game amazing. There was so much promise. I still believe it can get there.
I have been with my girlfriend for a year. I have told her and purposely avoided crowded places or fireworks because of past military experience. I made her aware this was the case on day one.
She set up travel to a place where the streets were mobbed with people who have a tradition of bopping each other on the head with plastic (harmless) mallets and fireworks as part of an annual celebration. She has been there before and shared few details.
When I asked her after we arrived and I started getting guarded, she responded with, “you know I forget things sometimes.” I responded with, “forgetting what city I come from is understandable but forgetting the effects from my military service is pretty big.”
AITAH?