Madden for X360

[wco81]

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/742/742471/vids_1.html

OK, there is one with a bunch of plays from scrimmage in the Madden Classic camera. Doesn't look that much different from the current gen. It does quickly cut away to the WR making these acrobatic catches.

The other two are the Eagles-Giants videos we've seen before.

There is a difference in the level of polish between those and these gameplay ones.

Was it just an intro?

The gameplay ones are running real fast and smooth. Looks like 60 fps easily? Some of the animations and the how it quickly switches to a close sideline view of the WR catching the ball before going out of bounds is new. But most of the tackling and QB maneuvering in the pocket animations look the same as what we have now.

Obviously the resolution is sharper but it appears to be the same mo-cap animations we're used to.

No physics in other words!

In fact, this could be just a 720p of the current graphics engine. Or how the PC version looks on a good rig. Not as much of a gap as there appears to be between the current Fight Night game and the FN demo they gave at the PS3 press conference.

But it's very early yet.

 

[Acert93]

Obviously the resolution is sharper but it appears to be the same mo-cap animations we're used to.

No physics in other words!

I had a feeling that would be so. From looking at it, I can hardly tell a difference from 2005 on my PC (which is just a high res console version). Same mo cap and same bugs. The field of vision is a GREAT addition, but this is basically the same current gen game... I think I will pass thank you.

Obviously there is a HUGE difference in quality from the "artist rendition" they had been showing. I think my point about not trusting "visual targets" and ignoring EA's promise, "It will look better... so much better some of us did not want to show it" is well justified. Uh huh, yeah right. I wish I was wrong when I was getting flamed over the Madden stuff, but it appears I was right. But even I was not expecting... an Xbox port

This is one of the negatives of EA buying the NFL exclusive, no urgancy. While it was just a rumor from someone at an EA showing, I get the feeling the "next gen" Madden wont appear until fall 2006. How sad.

No point discussing my dissappointment with this title (the PC graphics are a dead give away).

 

[wco81]

Well now I'm not so sure because according to this Gamespot preview, EA only showed it running behind closed doors and it was just some replay mode, not gameplay screens.

Maybe IGN mislabeled it.

http://www.gamespot.com/x360/sports/maddennfl2006/preview_6125625.html

 

[quest55720]

Madden is the game for the XBOX 360 this fall. If EA does a killer job with madden the XBOX 360 could have a monster launch. There are millions of hardcore football gamers out there. If madden 360 blows them away I could see the 360 flying off the self. Madden and GTA are by far the most important franchises for the US. Hell the commercial for madden 360 durring the NFL draft convinced more than 1 person I know to buy a 360.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

I agree with your premise.. That Madden and GTA sell consoles.

However, the only people who would be convinced to buy a X360 at launch because of the Madden commercials are people with more money than brains.

Those clips looked NO different than what is available currently on the XBOX, and anybody who plays Madden SKIPS through those movies after they've seen them once or twice.

The actual GAME PLAY has to be improved, and if those videos are to be taken seriously, the game play hasn't improved.. (and by Gameplay I mean IN game graphics, to clarify).

I play Madden EVERY WEEK on my Xbox. But if that is going to be the level of improvement on the X360, then I'm going to just shell out $50 to buy it on the Xbox, and not shell out $450+ to buy Madden and an X360.

Plus, if it takes X360 6 months-1 year to actually get "next Gen" games developed for the console, at that point, it had better be $100 cheaper than the PS3. So the X360 is going to need to 1) Launch with titles (most of which aren't noticably different than current Gen with a few exceptions), then 2) Lower their PRICE when the PS3 comes out and 3) At the same time gain the benfit of developers having worked with the hardware for a while so they are producing better "2nd generation" games than the PS3 developers who are struggling to learn hardware and are developing "1st generation" games.

X360 will have to beat the PS3 at the PS3's release by having 1) More titles, 2) A lower price and 3) Better games because of a longer developmental cycle.

If X360 can't do all of those things by the time the PS3 releases, MS will be playing #2 once again. (I don't think N is a player in this at all, and from what I read and what I hear, only fanbois will debate that fact)

 

[quest55720]

I agree the in game graphics and gameplay will be key. If EA pulls it off and makes Madden 360 a true next gen game then it will sell Xbox 360's like hot cakes. I also think the next gen live will only help sell the game. I also think the many hardcore football fanatics have the disposible income to by a XBox 360. Also there are rumors of the PS3 being more than 299 at launch.

 

[blakjedi]

Is it in EA's interest to spend the tim emaking the x360 shine versus polishing the PS3 version off?

I dont think that they think so.

 

[quest55720]

Is it in EA's interest to spend the tim emaking the x360 shine versus polishing the PS3 version off?

I dont think that they think so.

Since there will be no madden PS3 this fall that point is moot for a year. I agree when the PS3 launches both football games will be similar. EA is to lazy to spent extra money on 1 version. It will be a 1 size fits all just like this generation.

 

[blakjedi]

Is it in EA's interest to spend the tim emaking the x360 shine versus polishing the PS3 version off?

I dont think that they think so.

Since there will be no madden PS3 this fall that point is moot for a year. I agree when the PS3 launches both football games will be similar. EA is to lazy to spent extra money on 1 version. It will be a 1 size fits all just like this generation.

I'm confused by your response... if EA can just dump a current gen Madden on x360 this year with hires improvements etc would they do that rather than go all out for x360?

 

[quest55720]

Is it in EA's interest to spend the tim emaking the x360 shine versus polishing the PS3 version off?

I dont think that they think so.

Since there will be no madden PS3 this fall that point is moot for a year. I agree when the PS3 launches both football games will be similar. EA is to lazy to spent extra money on 1 version. It will be a 1 size fits all just like this generation.

I'm confused by your response... if EA can just dump a current gen Madden on x360 this year with hires improvements etc would they do that rather than go all out for x360?

My answer is based on the rumor that EA will charge 59.99 for next gen games. It will be in EAs best interest to make a kick ass game to sell more Xbox 360s so they can sell more games at 59.99.

If EA cheaps out and makes a half ass xbox port then the 360 will be dead in the water. Since they don't have GTA to fall back on they need madden to be the killer app.

 

[blakjedi]

If EA cheaps out and makes a half ass xbox port then the 360 will be dead in the water. Since they don't have GTA to fall back on they need madden to be the killer app.

Exactly my point. Exactly. 8)

 

[Acert93]

I wont by a high res current gen Madden on 360. No way. Get the PC version after January 1st for $20 and look just as good

I hate being right about EA

 

[jvd]

This is ea . Even the ps2 first gen offering was pretty subpar esp compared to vc's football games . They just don't really put the effort in .

I want to see what vc comes up with . The basketball game from them looks good

 

[Acert93]

IGNs new update seems to be encouraging... maybe the media is wrong... I guess we can wait to find out.

 

[Inane_Dork]

The staff of TXB (Shockwave et al.) got to see the game behind closed doors and said that, in some ways, it looked better than the teaser commercial. You can find the thread in TXB's E3 forum if you're really interested.

Make of that what you will.

 

[Psikotiko]

The videos are from the gamecube version.

http://media.cube.ign.com/media/698/698630/vids_1.html

 

[Gollum]

Here's a quote from the guy at teamXbox who saw the game behind closed doors:

Today we got to see Madden 06 IN-GAME and I must say that while it doesn't look just like the commercial it actually looked BETTER.

It's a bit hard to explain, but to me, the commercial looked too stylized and the characters almost looked more like superheros than human beings.

Behind closed doors at EA's booth we got to see a demo of Madden 06 running on the 360 engine that was not just some kind of commercial or target demo animation but in-game, real-time motion.

The detail, sharpness and sheer crispness of the image quality was insane! We got to see how much detail was in the character models, as well as the stadiums and it was unreal. You could view in up VERY close to the player's face and see everything from stubble on their faces to inconsistencies on their skin such as birthmarks and whatnot on players. Shaun Alexander #37 for the Seattle Seahawks was the character being shown and you could see birthmarks on the back of his neck. There is even sweat that rolls down the skin...it's almost so detailed it's gross.

Now, I will say we didn't get a chance to actually see a full 11 man team on each side of the field, but from what we did say it actually looks like EA is kicking some serious booty on what they have coming in the next gen.

Dunno how that relates to the underwhelming videos, are they showing the same thing? I'm not into Madden at all so I have no clue, but I realize its a huge game for NA, so I'm curious.

I'm wondering wether EA takes the X360 more serious than it took the Xbox at first, and wether they'll actually offer many real next-gen titles for it before the time PS3 rolls out...

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

I'm confused by how the TXB report from "Behind closed doors" refutes any of the other reports/videos when they admit they haven't seen full 11 on 11 action (normal game play scenario) and talk about "zooming in" on players faces, etc.. to see detail.

It sounds to me like they still aren't talking about how anybody actually interacts with the game. You know, the 95% of the game that's actually important rather than cgi video cutscreens and the like?

And with EA having their exclusive NFL contract, it certainly means they can be even lazier than before.

 

[Acert93]

The detail, sharpness and sheer crispness of the image quality was insane! We got to see how much detail was in the character models, as well as the stadiums and it was unreal. You could view in up VERY close to the player's face and see everything from stubble on their faces to inconsistencies on their skin such as birthmarks and whatnot on players. Shaun Alexander #37 for the Seattle Seahawks was the character being shown and you could see birthmarks on the back of his neck. There is even sweat that rolls down the skin...it's almost so detailed it's gross.

That is more encouraging. But I must ask: Why? The lighting, animation (physics!), and gameplay features are more important than putting a scar on someones face. They have HELMETS on 99.999% of the time when on the field.

I guess on tradeoffs I want real grass, a field that gets dirt torn up, and eye candy you can see while playing, not on replays. They could be doing both, but I hope if it comes to tradeoffs the actual 11-on-11 gameplay experience looks good. At least as clear as the trailer and better animated.

 

[wco81]

Looks like Gamespot got the same demo that TXB got. Apparently they're not ready to show gameplay yet. That's interesting because my understanding is that EA has had a skunkworks project for at least a couple of years.

What it sounds like is they've paused the game and gone into the interactive replay mode and they're navigating the camera around the stadium.

I think the motion-captured animations they have look good. Just not realistic at all. I don't want exaggerated ragdoll physics like in shooter, just simulation physics depicting what should happen when a 200 pound player collides with a 240 pound one.