looks like madden is back (so says ign)...........

bboncorr · 05-18-2007, 03:54 PM

Madden NFL 08 Hands-on
It's a Madden holiday. Exclusive impressions, movie, screens, developer blog, podcast and more.
by Jonathan Miller

May 18, 2007 - We weren't expecting much. The most hallowed sports franchise of all time has fallen on hard times lately, so when Lead Producer David Ortiz booted up Madden NFL 08 in our office this week, we had our doubts.

Sure, on a recent visit to EA Tiburon we saw some early gameplay videos and listened as producers explained their grandiose plans for the future. Owner mode will be back, fantasy drafts will be back, player editing will be back. On the field, EA preached dynamic gameplay, dynamic gameplay, dynamic gameplay. We got excited at the possibilities, but this is all lip service until you actually get to play for yourself.

And after playing for ourselves, we can safely say this is the next-gen Madden you've been waiting for. On the field, the action is smooth and responsive. Players simply do the things you want them to do. Visually, it's a gem -- running at 60 frames per second with a branching animation system that not only looks great, but leaves control in the hands of the player. Off the field, presentation is kicked up a notch with full-motion videos of your favorite team playing on the jumbotron of your personal trophy room, and you're one step away from jumping into Franchise, Owner or Superstar modes.

Click here for an exclusive gameplay trailer of Madden 08 in action.On the field, Philip Rivers hands off to LaDainian Tomlinson on a simple dive play. But no LT run is ever simple. He runs straight though an arm tackle, covering up the ball and pumping his knees. A safety tries to join in on the gang tackle, grabs LT's waist and tries to spin the MVP to the turf. LT simply goes with it, regains his balance and accelerates to the outside and rips off a big gain.

In another sequence, Carson Palmer throws to Chad Johnson on a comeback route on the right sideline. A cornerback goes for a big hit that Johnson simply avoids. Then, dancing left and right, he picks his way through the secondary on his way to the end zone and the Ocho Cinco Riverdance.

Some call it responsiveness. Others call it twitch. Whatever you want to call it, Madden 08 is fast and fun. Remember back in the days when you didn't need the juke button to lose a defender? You could simply hesitate, wait for a defender to commit, and run out of the way. It's strange how the Madden team has looked back at what made past games great. It's brought back all those old twitch elements and eliminated old exploits like corner routes and Michael Vick domination, and we're not talking about the championship pit bull circuit. A new fatigue system ensures Vick won't run horizontal for a hundred yards before outrunning the defense to the pylon for six. Vick will still get his, but his runs will play out more like real football where he just breaks ankles the old fashioned way. Then throw in next-gen graphics, animations, gang tackling, mid-air collisions, Hit Stick 2.0, and improved AI (especially on the deep ball) and you are left with what may be the most enjoyable Madden in years.

Where has Franchise been? Click here to find out in our new developer blog.Fans of the user catch are going to love the extra control you have over receivers. Making a subtle change of direction no longer takes you out of the play, ready to throw you controller at the screen as the pass fall to the grass incomplete. Instead, you can fire the ball downfield, switch to a receiver, come right back to the ball and leap for a spectacular catch.

Well, not everyone can make a spectacular catch. Brandon Stokely isn't going to leap over Dre' Bly and pull it down with one hand. Randy Moss will, because he's a weapon, and the spectacular catch is his ability. In Madden 08 EA introduces a new weapon system, highlighting star players and telling you how to take advantage of the skills. It's a sort of cross between Winning Eleven's star players and NBA Live's superstar moves. Ray Lewis is a brick wall defender (and a smart defender -- stars can be a weapon in more ways than one.) But hey, let's not discount Stokley -- he's a weapon in his own third receiver in the slot sort of way: he's a damn fine possession receiver. There are 24 weapon categories in all.

At the team select screen, you can see just how many weapons each team has -- the Pats lead the pack, unsurprisingly, with 14. The important thing to note is that these weapons are more than just icons on the field that run faster than the rest of the players. John Lynch is not going to be out of position in the secondary. Brian Urlacher is going to hit you a lot harder than Walt Harris.

Even before the game you'll be on the lookout for weapons. Marshall Faulk hosts the pregame "Marshall's Minute" in which he'll preview the star players and even predict the score. Then when players run out of the tunnel, weapons will get their own special introduction as well. Where EA is hoping the weapon system will really take off is in Franchise mode as you try to form the perfect team based on your play preferences. For a complete breakdown of the weapon system and four other things you need to know about Madden 08, check out Jon Robinson's preview over at IGN Sports.

The Bengals have weapons. Seriously. Check out J-Rob's thoughts on Madden 08.Off the field the trophy room looks similar to the shrine in the upcoming NCAA Football 08, with shelves lining the walls ready to show off the signs of your greatness. Anytime you're on the sticks, you can earn a trophy, says Ortiz. There are your typical tasks, like throwing for 400 yards in a game or winning the Super Bowl in Franchise. Online, you can even risk trophies in head-to-head matchups, so your collection may never be complete unless you are at the top of the EA leaderboards. The highlights of the trophy room are the new EA Challenge rings that look similar to Super Bowl rings. As you move up in skill and experience and collect more trophies, you can customize each of the five rings with as much ice as you like, as well as the team logos and colors of your choice.

The user catch is back.There is still a lot more to talk about. Franchise mode is taking a new direction -- plus all the alternate uniforms will be included this time around. Owner mode is even deeper. There are more online options (still only two players online, but four players offline). And Superstar is supposed to be improved. Still, it's the improvements on the field, the sweet branching animations and feeling of complete control that have us hyped on Madden. We haven't felt this way for years, and it feels good again.

For your own complete Madden holiday, click on the video link below for an exclusive new gameplay trailer. And be sure to check out our exclusive new Madden 08 Developer Blog on Club IGN, and listen to Friday's Gamescoop Podcast with an interview with David Ortiz, the Big Papi of Madden himself.

vids and picks over at ign in the link.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/789/789799p1.html

SOBAY310 · 05-18-2007, 04:01 PM

Well, at least this gets me excited about it again. I'm set on picking up Madden '08 as a "this is your last chance to show me something" ordeal.

If I see everything the same way those peeps at IGN saw it, then I will be very, very happy!!

Nexgenrulz · 05-18-2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOBAY310

Well, at least this gets me excited about it again. I'm set on picking up Madden '08 as a "this is your last chance to show me something" ordeal.

If I see everything the same way those peeps at IGN saw it, then I will be very, very happy!!

Well apparently IGN didn't see what I did. Just look at their review for The Show. Madden is still the same thing. But bb just reenforced my point. He's still hoping Madden will be the "bomb". Most of us have gotten past the EA BS.

SOBAY310 · 05-18-2007, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexgenrulz

Well apparently IGN didn't see what I did. Just look at their review for The Show. Madden is still the same thing. But bb just reenforced my point. He's still hoping Madden will be the "bomb". Most of us have gotten past the EA BS.

Yeah, that's why I was being skeptical of IGN. They couldn't have been further off with their review of The Show. It's not the first time IGN and I haven't seen eye to eye on things.

Well, I still have a soft spot for EA because they really took sports games to the next level and I spent many a night during my high school days pounding away at Triple Play Baseball and Madden. Madden is more of a traditional purchase for me, and some things in life are just like that, ya know. Every fall I look forward to the new Madden, and I just hope EA does their part and gives us more than a roster update.

mahmer · 05-18-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexgenrulz

Well apparently IGN didn't see what I did. Just look at their review for The Show. Madden is still the same thing. But bb just reenforced my point. He's still hoping Madden will be the "bomb". Most of us have gotten past the EA BS.

No, Madden is different this year. 60FPS, gang tackling, all the current gen features added back in with icon attributes based on play calling. Improved upon graphics, superstar mode improvements, and a deeper franchise mode than even current gen. Of all the years to be pumped about Madden, this is the one. 07 was a very playable game but had short comings, agreed that they need to get their crap together, but this is the year EA seems to have heard what people want.

SOBAY310 · 05-18-2007, 05:11 PM

BB, you are going to get Madden for your PS3 so we can go head to head right? C'mon, it's only fair! I'm trying to find a way to get a 360 so I can game against you, eck, and razor. This is the least you can do!

Razor05 · 05-18-2007, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOBAY310

BB, you are going to get Madden for your PS3 so we can go head to head right? C'mon, it's only fair! I'm trying to find a way to get a 360 so I can game against you, eck, and razor. This is the least you can do!

Hmmm, maybe you could rent a 360 for the weekend or something? Wait, does that mean that BB, eck and me are the top 3 on your 'to play' list?

SOBAY310 · 05-18-2007, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor05

Hmmm, maybe you could rent a 360 for the weekend or something? Wait, does that mean that BB, eck and me are the top 3 on your 'to play' list?

haha, you bet!!

bboncorr · 05-19-2007, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOBAY310

BB, you are going to get Madden for your PS3 so we can go head to head right? C'mon, it's only fair! I'm trying to find a way to get a 360 so I can game against you, eck, and razor. This is the least you can do!

i may pick it up for both systems. so i can check both out. i got a couple of reasons to get it on both systems but im not gonna go through them here. so i will definetly see you online when it comes out.

eck979 · 05-21-2007, 08:01 AM

Man, this has me very optimistic.. But I just hate the fact that IGN reports the same type of stuff every year for Madden and it's just not so.. but these improvements sound like a real good game of football, the Icon system seems really good, rather than just going off attributes. I'm picking it up. I really truly hope I won't be disappointed!

Sobay, you let me know when you get that 360 bro.
I did just trade in all my sports games though. NCAA football (maybe) will be my next sports game. I'm just not into the baseball anymore, and I haven't played basketball in sooo long and I needed some new stuff, so they're gone. All I've got left now is Fight night, tiger, GRAW2 and guitar hero.

05-18-2007, 03:54 PM	#1
bboncorr High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4,418	looks like madden is back (so says ign)........... Madden NFL 08 Hands-on It's a Madden holiday. Exclusive impressions, movie, screens, developer blog, podcast and more. by Jonathan Miller May 18, 2007 - We weren't expecting much. The most hallowed sports franchise of all time has fallen on hard times lately, so when Lead Producer David Ortiz booted up Madden NFL 08 in our office this week, we had our doubts. Sure, on a recent visit to EA Tiburon we saw some early gameplay videos and listened as producers explained their grandiose plans for the future. Owner mode will be back, fantasy drafts will be back, player editing will be back. On the field, EA preached dynamic gameplay, dynamic gameplay, dynamic gameplay. We got excited at the possibilities, but this is all lip service until you actually get to play for yourself. And after playing for ourselves, we can safely say this is the next-gen Madden you've been waiting for. On the field, the action is smooth and responsive. Players simply do the things you want them to do. Visually, it's a gem -- running at 60 frames per second with a branching animation system that not only looks great, but leaves control in the hands of the player. Off the field, presentation is kicked up a notch with full-motion videos of your favorite team playing on the jumbotron of your personal trophy room, and you're one step away from jumping into Franchise, Owner or Superstar modes. Click here for an exclusive gameplay trailer of Madden 08 in action.On the field, Philip Rivers hands off to LaDainian Tomlinson on a simple dive play. But no LT run is ever simple. He runs straight though an arm tackle, covering up the ball and pumping his knees. A safety tries to join in on the gang tackle, grabs LT's waist and tries to spin the MVP to the turf. LT simply goes with it, regains his balance and accelerates to the outside and rips off a big gain. In another sequence, Carson Palmer throws to Chad Johnson on a comeback route on the right sideline. A cornerback goes for a big hit that Johnson simply avoids. Then, dancing left and right, he picks his way through the secondary on his way to the end zone and the Ocho Cinco Riverdance. Some call it responsiveness. Others call it twitch. Whatever you want to call it, Madden 08 is fast and fun. Remember back in the days when you didn't need the juke button to lose a defender? You could simply hesitate, wait for a defender to commit, and run out of the way. It's strange how the Madden team has looked back at what made past games great. It's brought back all those old twitch elements and eliminated old exploits like corner routes and Michael Vick domination, and we're not talking about the championship pit bull circuit. A new fatigue system ensures Vick won't run horizontal for a hundred yards before outrunning the defense to the pylon for six. Vick will still get his, but his runs will play out more like real football where he just breaks ankles the old fashioned way. Then throw in next-gen graphics, animations, gang tackling, mid-air collisions, Hit Stick 2.0, and improved AI (especially on the deep ball) and you are left with what may be the most enjoyable Madden in years. Where has Franchise been? Click here to find out in our new developer blog.Fans of the user catch are going to love the extra control you have over receivers. Making a subtle change of direction no longer takes you out of the play, ready to throw you controller at the screen as the pass fall to the grass incomplete. Instead, you can fire the ball downfield, switch to a receiver, come right back to the ball and leap for a spectacular catch. Well, not everyone can make a spectacular catch. Brandon Stokely isn't going to leap over Dre' Bly and pull it down with one hand. Randy Moss will, because he's a weapon, and the spectacular catch is his ability. In Madden 08 EA introduces a new weapon system, highlighting star players and telling you how to take advantage of the skills. It's a sort of cross between Winning Eleven's star players and NBA Live's superstar moves. Ray Lewis is a brick wall defender (and a smart defender -- stars can be a weapon in more ways than one.) But hey, let's not discount Stokley -- he's a weapon in his own third receiver in the slot sort of way: he's a damn fine possession receiver. There are 24 weapon categories in all. At the team select screen, you can see just how many weapons each team has -- the Pats lead the pack, unsurprisingly, with 14. The important thing to note is that these weapons are more than just icons on the field that run faster than the rest of the players. John Lynch is not going to be out of position in the secondary. Brian Urlacher is going to hit you a lot harder than Walt Harris. Even before the game you'll be on the lookout for weapons. Marshall Faulk hosts the pregame "Marshall's Minute" in which he'll preview the star players and even predict the score. Then when players run out of the tunnel, weapons will get their own special introduction as well. Where EA is hoping the weapon system will really take off is in Franchise mode as you try to form the perfect team based on your play preferences. For a complete breakdown of the weapon system and four other things you need to know about Madden 08, check out Jon Robinson's preview over at IGN Sports. The Bengals have weapons. Seriously. Check out J-Rob's thoughts on Madden 08.Off the field the trophy room looks similar to the shrine in the upcoming NCAA Football 08, with shelves lining the walls ready to show off the signs of your greatness. Anytime you're on the sticks, you can earn a trophy, says Ortiz. There are your typical tasks, like throwing for 400 yards in a game or winning the Super Bowl in Franchise. Online, you can even risk trophies in head-to-head matchups, so your collection may never be complete unless you are at the top of the EA leaderboards. The highlights of the trophy room are the new EA Challenge rings that look similar to Super Bowl rings. As you move up in skill and experience and collect more trophies, you can customize each of the five rings with as much ice as you like, as well as the team logos and colors of your choice. The user catch is back.There is still a lot more to talk about. Franchise mode is taking a new direction -- plus all the alternate uniforms will be included this time around. Owner mode is even deeper. There are more online options (still only two players online, but four players offline). And Superstar is supposed to be improved. Still, it's the improvements on the field, the sweet branching animations and feeling of complete control that have us hyped on Madden. We haven't felt this way for years, and it feels good again. For your own complete Madden holiday, click on the video link below for an exclusive new gameplay trailer. And be sure to check out our exclusive new Madden 08 Developer Blog on Club IGN, and listen to Friday's Gamescoop Podcast with an interview with David Ortiz, the Big Papi of Madden himself. vids and picks over at ign in the link. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/789/789799p1.html __________________ Living Room pioneer kuro plasma PDP-5010FD (9.9) Denon 4308CI (9.5) B&W 683's, HTM61, 685's (9.0) Sony PS3 (9.0) Sony BD-S350 (9.5) HSU VTF-3 MK3 sub (9.0) Harmony 1000 (9.5) XBOX360 + HD DVD (9.2) Nintendo Wii (7.5) Netflix Roku (9.0) Gaming Room 60A3000 (8.7) Halcro ssp200 (10. perfection) Deftech BP7004, C/L/R2002, BP2X (8.7) Sony Remote Commander (7.0) Toshiba HDA35 (7.9) Samsung 1400 (5.0) Bedroom Panasonic TH-42PZ85U (8.7) Tivo HD (9.7)

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05-18-2007, 04:01 PM	#2
SOBAY310 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Age: 28 Posts: 5,561	Well, at least this gets me excited about it again. I'm set on picking up Madden '08 as a "this is your last chance to show me something" ordeal. If I see everything the same way those peeps at IGN saw it, then I will be very, very happy!!

05-18-2007, 05:11 PM	#6
SOBAY310 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Age: 28 Posts: 5,561	BB, you are going to get Madden for your PS3 so we can go head to head right? C'mon, it's only fair! I'm trying to find a way to get a 360 so I can game against you, eck, and razor. This is the least you can do!

05-21-2007, 08:01 AM	#10
eck979 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: PA Age: 30 Posts: 3,667	Man, this has me very optimistic.. But I just hate the fact that IGN reports the same type of stuff every year for Madden and it's just not so.. but these improvements sound like a real good game of football, the Icon system seems really good, rather than just going off attributes. I'm picking it up. I really truly hope I won't be disappointed! Sobay, you let me know when you get that 360 bro. I did just trade in all my sports games though. NCAA football (maybe) will be my next sports game. I'm just not into the baseball anymore, and I haven't played basketball in sooo long and I needed some new stuff, so they're gone. All I've got left now is Fight night, tiger, GRAW2 and guitar hero.