It’s never too early to start thinking about Madden 18’s release date in August. Unfortunately, EA hasn’t provided Madden gamers with much information regarding improvements related to gameplay features. All we really know is that the game will switch over to the Frostbite game engine. Until we get more info, we’ve decided to go through 5 suggested improvements for Madden 18.
CPU Gameplay
There are so many areas of the CPU’s gameplay that need improving, but we’ll stick to only a few. The biggest is probably the computer’s situational clock management skills. Many Madden players have complained about the CPU’s awful clock management. This unrecognized issue ends up taking the realism out of gameplay.
The CPU could be down only a score or two with a decent amount of time left, and it won’t hurry up. The computer controlled team won’t use a hurry up offense, or treat the situation with a sense of urgency just like your online H2H opponent might.
This is a very unrealistic aspect of playing against the computer. Many Madden players will play against the CPU in order to improve their overall skills. It won’t help you get better if the CPU doesn’t play situations with at least a semblance of realism.
Story Mode
There is a lot of buzz on the internet regarding a possible “Story Mode” in Madden 18. If that’s true, then that should make for an interesting new game mode. Several years ago, Madden featured a “Career Mode” where your player from NCAA Football could be carried over into that year’s Madden.
Your player would get drafted, attend press conferences, and make small yet impactful career decisions. Decisions such as star in a movie, ask for more money, and demand a trade were all options in the old game mode. Many Madden players would like to see a game mode similar to the old one brought back into the series.
A great deal of players in the Madden community reference the NBA 2K series and the way they approach their MyPlayer and MyCareer modes. Madden 18 could try something along these lines, but may want to seriously consider the suggestions of their fans before moving forward with something like this.
Classic Teams
Ah yes, classic teams would be an incredibly popular addition to Madden 18. Not to be confused with classic players, which are already part of the Madden series through Madden Ultimate Team (MUT). Again, this would be very similar to the NBA 2K series and the way they make a ton of classic teams available. Regardless, Madden could and should do the same exact thing and give players the chance to use classic teams.
I’ve been saying this for years. Think about a Madden showdown with the ‘85 Bears pitted against the ‘07 Patriots. Or maybe one of the great Cowboys teams of the 1970’s playing up against one from the 1990’s. Walter Payton, Joe Montana, Jim Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr, Joe Namath, and Ray Lewis all in the same NFL football game. How much fun would that be?
Create A Play
I’ve never understood why the Madden series got rid of this cool feature. One would think it would’ve just gotten better and better with time, but create a play faded away many years ago. Well, EA and Madden need to bring this feature back in Madden 18.
Personally, I used to have a lot of fun tinkering around with different plays. True, this feature may not be for everyone, but for those players who enjoy the X’s and O’s of football this would only enhance their experience.
Maybe Maden could offer various types of plays which users could then create their “own” plays from. Such as having different categories like play action, toss running plays, screen passes, and so on. This would at least satisfy a players craving to create their own championship playbook that they thought up all by themselves.
Connected Franchise
There are so many areas of Connected Franchise mode that need improved, but we’re only going to touch on a few.
First, many would like to see some sort of feature that allows users to carry over their franchise from the previous year’s game. Why should you have to start from scratch after you invested a lot of time and effort into rebuilding a team like the Browns? Maybe you finally found that franchise quarterback in the draft, or landed the high profile free agent you bid relentlessly to acquire. Regardless, you should be able to carry over from last year’s game.
Another area that can be improved is hiring and firing coaches. In fact, Madden 18 can again borrow from earlier Madden titles such as Madden 2004. The coaches in earlier titles would evolve and become better. You would also have to hire your coordinators, and make sure they would fit your schemes.
Also, old retired players would eventually start to become coaches and you could go out and hire them as coordinators and eventually as head coaches. This seems like a small improvement, but it would make the experience much more realistic. Since this occurs in the real game and in the NFL, then it should happen like that in the game–right?
That just about does it for our 5 suggested improvements in Madden 18. What improvements would you like to see in Madden 18? Any additional game modes you want for Madden 18? As always, feel free to comment below.
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Biggest thing I don’t like you can. Bust your but on solo challenges and earn coins just to have madden take them away with stupid contracts. This kills the game for me. There’s got to be a better way to do this.. you give so little coins on some challenges that there’s no since in playing them because you just take what coins I won. And when you sell a player you charge me 10% that doesn’t make since either
Immersion for franchise mode.
Cloud type system that saves highlights from the Week 1 to Year 10. Rewards and record.
High lights from previous games when playing the same opponent in franchise more or later in the season or even from last season.
Players become coaches offence, defensive special team or can even work for the media like Tony Romo.
Twitter feed in the game have sound where Larry Ridley reads the feed or have interactive. Part of Twitter is to interact not just read or being back the radio show and weekly recap with highlights during the game as well.
NFL Network , CBS and ESPN swipes for download or being able to download sportscaster package with announcer and replays and recap show. So if ultimate team doesn’t want that but franchise player do we now have the choice and have downloadable content . Seems like a logical move .
Have the option of presetting the snap “time” when you are playing defense in practice mode. I.e. Make it so you can choose for the offense to snap the ball after 5-10-15-20 seconds etc. Right now it’s difficult to practice defensive adjustments because the CPU controlled offense will snap the ball after only a couple of seconds.
Exactly. On offense a player gets all day to adjust and call the play. Defense has not time at all.
Practice needs to be overhauled anyway in my opinion. More can be done with it. Much more. I don’t expect it though.
I’d like to see a defensive “lockdown” option where you can set a DB to automatically line upagainst/follow a chosen WR regardless of the formation or playcall.
good one
But can they get it right? Will manual motions exploit lockdown coverage? Can you drop OUT of lockdown coverage and the defense align itself okay? There is a lot that goes into this and the more complicated the less likely we will like the implementation. I don’t trust EA to be able to do it right or with enough flexibility. I mean it is 2017 and they don’t offer preset double team plays. I use to love this with 2ksports against those one man teams and the wiggle slot WR where they thought I was in one coverage and I wasn’t. Lol.
offence and defense coordinators play books follow to there new teams
I’m not posting a wishlist because it is way too long and EA will not do most of it. But I’m don’t require a new graphics engine. Why? Because it is going to be yet another focus on texture graphics rather than the heart of the game which is game play.
BLANK Custom playbook to start from. How HARD IS THAT???
I shouldn’t have to come in and delete plays from another book to create one. It is 2017 and it makes no sense other than laziness on their part.
Playbooks with better INFO and more EASILY identifiable.
I won’t to identify screens, motions, jets, reverses, hb pass, flea flickers, etc.. more easily.
I want to know from the screen the personnel of the formation: 3WR, 4WR, 2TE, etc…
Playart that is consistent. 5 yd out should look the same on all playart that has it. Same with 10 yd and Deep ins. Corners and post corners.
Sort plays within a formation. Sort the playbook overall. NOT COMPLICATED PROGRAMMING!!! HS’ers can do this and that is why we should not accept it. Heck…. we are talking driverless cars and a video game company can’t do a simple SORT????
Allow for audibles to be set from where you insert your playbooks. Many of us know what we want and it allows us to change them immediately should we ditch a play for another one when editing without going to places. They can keep the audible section, but just allow them to be set from the selection of plays.
I don’t care for the rating system of plays either. I don’t use it. Too much time to put into it. I would rather see playcall sheet. But I know that won’t happen.
Game play.
I’m all for no player being perfect. Got it. But not totally stupid. If your top rated LT gets run by a lower rated DE then let it be realistic and not your LT in a confused backpedal and just ignoring the DE. I’ve got TWO pro bowl OL in C and RT and I have video of them being totally oblivious to what is going on in front of them at times and it makes no sense.
Pulling OL lost in space. They run back many times too far and won’t block the ONE guy left or the CB just walks through the block as if it was not there.
Change up the run commit. Need TWO LEVELS. DBs can be included on one level like they are now and another that does not include them. Besides a wrong flick of the stick and you could find yourself in full commit and giving up an easy score. Happens when the menu stays up rather than taking your command and now you get in a frantic to get that adjustment in. Pissed me off blowing a scoreless Super Bowl against the Patriots 52-7 or something like that. Lol.
Better blocking options for the OL. And the playart needs to reflect it or disable the option. Don’t have me blocking LEFT and the game is ignoring it. You will see because the playart does not shift in that direction or pinch. For run blocking what is the point??? I don’t see it doing anything .
More blocking options out of the backfield. Easy to do as well. Trust me. Doesn’t require a lot. I believe 2k had which direction for the player to look to block. Same here rather than a LG running clear across formation to block where the RT is blocking. / 8
Block In/Left/Right/Rnd: Rnd being the console decides. I have video of a RB behind the center in to block. A Safety comes around the corner and with a LB right in front of him he leaves to block the safety. / 8 This ain’t AI folks. This should work similar to the tackle cone you think? Block who is in front of you in that case. lol
I like that the 3 wr gun normal sets have RB Weak and Strong side.
I would like to see the same for GUN: ACE or Big plays too.
I know you can FLIP the play to get this but you should know that is NOT the same.
They don’t have to offer a new formation. Just over me away to flip the BACK and not the entire play.
Will the audible stick as you select them in the playbook?
Many Sets I had to remove a running play or PA because it would default as my Y or RB respectively.
I could have 5 running plays and 3 PA plays, but the set would default one play from each to fill that slot.
And many times if you go into a game and change the audibles you will notice they aren’t the same or blank, even though they are correct when you audible. SMH
The game should not force your audible selection to begin with. Some of them it does. Others… it takes some time to work it.
Their audible system needs reworking. I shouldn’t have to scroll forever in a day to get from Dice Slot to Gun: Normal.
Now I don’t for that because of how I setup my playbook, but of course any editing like removing a playset would screw it up or requires in some cases rebuilding the book.
Here is what I’m talking. I said I wasn’t, but just to give you an idea.
When we audible we usually audible between what? Formation Types: Similar formation, Gun formation, Pistol formation. Correct?
Ok. Click audible. Whatever formation type you are in it scrolls through that type only.
So singleback would scroll through those only. Gun would scroll through those only. Pistol through those only.
So depending on your play type content you have 1 or 2 more type options. If you do then you do 1 of 2 commands to scroll through those types. It might be the joystick up or down that does it.
The playcall screen is broken as well.
Special teams especially.
Kickoff what options do you get? Did they tell you how to get more or what you want when you don’t see it? NO
How about letting us decide either what we normally use rather than this random mess they give us in 2017????
Why on free kicks do we have to choose 2 back returns?????
Why does FG Load Left and Load Right require SO MUCH MOVEMENT???? Unrealistic. The entire line does not need to go through that type of shifting. If they decide to audible from a load right to load left then just keep the same people on the side they are on and shift the people over in the direction of the load, but not all that hoping around.
Have you ever gone in and called a play without going all the way out to the main menu of FORMATION, TYPE, PERSONNEL?
Just scroll through the plays that show up and you will notice at times the name of the formation DOES NOT line up with the actual formation that is displayed. Smh.
TYPE can also screw you over as well because it doesn’t always include the right plays you can choose from.
Motion plays that start off in the wrong formation and know this is NOT on purpose. It is broken. They fixed some but not them all.
I’ve also been locked out of pausing to look at instant replay. I’m not sure when it happens, but that irks me because the fix when playing the console is to simply show it under the playcall menu, with the clock rolling of course.
Challenges. Can we challenge what we want? Will the outcome be correct or is this part of the NFL too? Lol.
Superstar QBs can be sacked. Stop the spinning QB: while spinning away from the view of downfield and able to throw perfect strikes downfield. Stop the QB being sacked who still manages to launch one downfield despite an awkward throwing motion towards the ground. o.O
Super Bowl teams don’t need to be EXAGGERATED. Every year they do this.
The Patriots are super fast in every capacity as was last year Denver was and the year before that that team.
Enough already. Part of the winning was playcalling. Please respect that aspect of the game.
Yes the clock management needs revamping big time and it does kill the joy of winning.
But again… don’t make these teams SUPER TEAMS that can’t be stopped because there is already a DRAMA/CHEAT mode built into playing the console. Playing a strict SIM game and you will see it. I usually can tell from the 1st drives. The game usually starts out 7-7 or 7-3. You’ll know. I played the game the other night and Flags were popping up AFTER the play was over. No joke. I saw it happen twice and it was in that mode. It uses them and unbelievable drops and overthrows to kill drives to keep it close. Again you have to play a strict sim game to see it.
Commentary is not all it was hyped up to be. It works well with putting in last weeks REAL player status and stats.
Here is the problem. I’m a Cowboys fan. So Romo was hurt. I come out with Romo. The commentary is talking using his status. So you can imagine how insane that looks and sounds. It is not a win win unless you are in a game restricts players based on their status.
The game still gets game status wrong. I score and go up by 17 points and the game says I’m still behind. / 8
The game does not keep up with the speed of the game or the current play of the game at times when it is a big play.
The game does not know when the game is over and uses the correct commentary for that situation.
Penalties are confusing at times on turnovers.
Offense is still the offense if it turns over the ball.
So an illegal block in the back during the return of an INT is not an offensive penalty as the game states.
The referees need to be more realistic. Yes I know this isn’t game play, but the static figure calling penalties and pointing in the wrong direction is disturbing. It isn’t too hard to make this determination. Left or right. Two choices. Why is it hard? Even on turnovers the referee would point using the direction as if there was no turnover.
IE… Offense is on the right side. Defense is on the left. INT occurs with a penalty on the defense.
You still get the signals right. After the INT… illegal block in the back Defense.
Official would be pointing LEFT.
It would also help if they would get the huddling team right as well.
And it makes no sense to show a huddle with a QB on 4th down and teams are punting. / 8
What I would like to see is the decision NOT come from the wording “PUNT” but from the animation of transition which should work the clock. This is the same for those last minute FGs with the clock running. This really adds to the drama of getting setup on time.
ALSO…. it adds to the drama of the defense making their call because they TOO have to transition.
I’d like to see transitions regarding the huddle as well for package calls and substitutions whether manual or automatic because this is missing from the chess match of the game.
Which brings me to another issue. When the play is over the automatic substitutions need to occur BEFORE the playcall screen appears.
I don’t like calling a play where I’m expecting one back and a back that doesn’t fit the play has been substituted in without my knowledge.
This is why that sub screen show this. And guess what? The opponent in real football knows this as well.
AND… getting your sets in fast would be key otherwise you could end up with too many men on the field like the real game.
See…. I’m talking REAL football. This game is missing ALL of this and there is so much more that can be done rather than focusing each year on textures. I doubt very seriously the animations are going to change. Well not in a realistic fashion. More sliding and zipping to a spot to make a play unrealistically.
Did I also mention the playbook would be nice if it eliminated so many DUPLICATE plays?????
Did I also mention do we need play names to include TEAMS?????? NO!!!!
I don’t like using TEAM name plays. I’m the Cowboys. I don’t use the Jets, Eagles, Patriots, etc… named plays.
Sounds petty, but what does having the name display add to the game? Nothing.
If they side note it… fine. But don’t show up when I call the play. I personally don’t like the team named plays because many are the same as other plays with ONE route being different. / 8
How many Dive plays do you need that run in the same place or stretches or Pitch that is no different than the toss in ONE SET?????
Can we get some more reverses/jets/dbl reverses/etc… Can teams react to them based on their defensive call?
Double moves downfield are mostly a waste. Can they tweak that where the defender will play tighter and get burned on the double move or like it is now where no one hardly ever jumps it? I’ll throw out, out, out, out and run an out and up and the defender is right there. Yes I’m taking into account the defense. Run it in practice and you’ll see.
PA is also about the safeties thinking it is a run play. There needs to be away to have the safeties play to it and get burned other than the cheesy run commit or playback as they do now and never react to it. Well except if you are the console which nano reacts to everthing.
DBs covering streak or go routes are still breaking off for routes thrown to underneath. STOP IT!!!!!!
Can you imagine someone covering Moss or DJackson and running off that coverage for a throw underneath??????
And they break off the moment the ball is leaving his hand which PROVES… the console KNOWS where the throw is before it is even made except the defender covering the receiver when you are on defense. LOL.
Ok. That’s more than enough. I’ve got to start posting my videos.
EA is going to run the same marketing campaign they did last year with the snippet videos to fool the gamers of improvements.
I will provide the REAL DEAL for gamers to compare because with these videos up M18 videos will follow and the world will have M25-M18 to compare to see the TRUTH and hopefully the NFL and NFLPA will END this exclusive mess and open the license up to other developers. That is all I want. CHOICE… again. And if Madden is the best out there then fine. But right now we have no choice and that is not right.
Peace!
This may not be of any interest to the gamers I have been playing Madden since Daunte Culpepper was on the cover. This was in the era of PS One and I have been playing every year and every new game since. I have also gotten all PS upgrade to PS 4. This game has gotten away from what madden started for one thing this ultimate team I think all the true gamers should play with the original teams as per the NFL. But that is not real football. you need to bring back user teams , spectate, helmets off some times, there is no intentional grounding!!!, unnecessary roughness tackling out of bounds not called but maybe twice a season. It would be to go back to the previous games and see what made madden popular. Like I said I have played a long and my work colleagues whom were police officers, we even had a league within our squad . But please bring back user team where you can play with any team at anytime you can still have your other elements keep the connected franchise as is . By the way I’m retired police and play as regular as possible I enjoy playing against the CPU and I play Madden 15 but bought the 17 but don’t like being restricted to one team per season. I don’t know how my life would be now if it wasn’t for Madden so these changes would be appreciated. By the way I’m 70 years of age and still enjoy playing madden real football and will continue..