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Madden 15 – The Most Pivotal Madden To Date

As we get closer to the release of Madden 15 it is becoming evident that the PS4/XBone version of the title might be the best evidence of what to expect in the coming console generation as far as Madden games are concerned.

Dick Sherman Doing What He Does Best... Opening his big mouth. — Dick Sherman Doing What He Does Best… Opening his big mouth.

With the 360/PS3 versions of Madden 06 through 09 basically being a throw-away after EA obtained the exclusive license to produce and distribute NFL games it seemed like we’d see real changes once Madden 10 arrived. Thankfully, we did see some pretty nice changes through the effort of Ian Cummings and company. A couple years later, Cummings was gone and Madden fell back into the rut of limited progress.

Madden 25 was a solid title that still suffered from the played out animations and terrible AI in many areas of the game. It became evident that some sort of real change was necessary. The last time Madden saw any sort of direction to make it a truly ground-breaking experience was in Madden 2005 with the hit stick and a focus on defense. It helped to limit what Madden had started to become with the advent of tournament style play that nearly gutted the simulation style that Madden NFL was always supposed to be.

Madden 15 is finally bringing back what has been missing for almost ten years. The focus on defense (even with the obnoxious Dick Sherman on the cover) is something that is more welcome than most simulation football fans can say. Couple that with the news that wind in the game has been fixed and will even move the aiming direction during field goals, new catch animations, better variety in QB throwing, etc. You actually might see a game worth getting excited about.

Why is Madden 15 the most pivotal version of Madden to date?

Because with the new additions and polish put on the PS4/XBone it seems like the Madden developers are finally trying to make it into a real simulation of NFL Football.

As for how realistic the Connected Franchise Mode might be? We will have to wait and see. Keep checking back on NoobTubeTV.com as there will be further updates and reactions to a very busy August-December in gaming.

Battlefield 3 Has Yet Another Texas Sized Patch

Usually when something needs ‘patched up’ it is in reference to something small that needs a little bit of a touch up where serious in-depth work isn’t needed. Sometimes a game will require a few patches here and there to clear some things up in the coding.

EA DICE has made it a habit to duct tape their Battlefield 3 title together with patches that resemble changes that would be made for a completely new game. While this update is primarily in regards to new DLC (which could be called a new game, I suppose) the fact remains that they keep putting out patches that take hours (at times) to download. Hopefully this is the last ‘patch’ for awhile as Battlefield 3 has seemingly sunk into the background as Borderlands 2 and Halo 4 get closer to release.

Here is your lovely list of updates to BF3

Weapons Balancing
Reload timer adjustments
A number of weapons have had their reload timers adjusted to better fit their animations and gameplay balance. For most of these weapons the gameplay timers were slightly out of sync with the actual reload animation, meaning the player could either fire before the animation was done, or had to wait longer than the animation played. Primarily this is a cosmetic change (around 0.1sec); however for a few weapons (M416, F2000, FAMAS, KH2002, MK3A1, JNG90, MG36 QBU-88, SVD, Pecheneg, SCAR-H, AN-94) this should also improve the performance of the weapon. Full details below:
• Short and Long reload reduced: SCAR-L, AEK-971, F2000, AN-94, AK-74, PP2000, G3A3, SKS, MG36, JNG-90, MK3A1, SCAR-H, SVD, QBZ-95B
• Long reload reduced: AUG A3, 44 Magnum, KH2002, Pecheneg, L85A2, QBB-95, M1911, MP7
• Short reload reduced: M417, FAMAS, M39 EBR, M416, PP-19, QBU-88
• Short and long reload increased: ASVal
• Long reload reduced, shot reload increased: M4A1
• Long reload increased: P90

Damage output/range adjustments
• UMP: Increased the close range damage of the UMP but reduced its damage over range. The UMP now has a sweet spot in CQB but suffers compared to the PP2000 at longer ranges.
• PP2000: Increased the long range damage of the PP2000 to highlight its role as a mid-range, low recoil PDW.
• M1911: Increased the minimum damage of the M1911 to make it fit better between the Magnums and the M9/MP443
• M93: Reduced the M93R’s damage and range, as it was an obvious go to pistol compared to the M9/MP443. Its recoil has been reduced for a smoother burst action to counter the reduced damage.
• 12G Frag rounds: These rounds have been adjusted to do their damage in a smaller area but to be more consistently apply the maximum possible damage.
• AA: Slightly increased the damage of the AA against infantry, the AA was simply over nerfed in a previous update. The AA guns now also properly do damage to MBTs again.
• 12 Gauge buckshot close range damage has been slightly increased.
• Slightly reduced the range penalty for the suppressor on the SCAR-H.
• Increased bullet velocity for the coaxial HMG, making it easier to hit targets over longer ranges.
• Increased the minimum range of the 40mm Flechette and tightened the cone of fire for more consistent damage levels.
• Slightly reduced the range bonus added by the heavy barrel on the 5.56mm, 5.45mm, 6.5mm Assault Rifles.
• Slightly reduced the range penalty for the suppressor on 5.56mm, 5.45mm, and 6.5mm weapons: AR, Carbine, and LMG.
• Slightly reduced the range penalty for the suppressor on the SCAR-H.
• Slightly reduced the range penalty for the suppressor on 5.56mm, 5.45mm, and 6.5mm weapons: AR, Carbine, and LMG.
• Slightly reduced the range bonus added by the heavy barrel on the 5.56mm, 5.45mm, 6.5mm Assault Rifles.
• Increased the damage of the M5K.

A select set of weapons have had their recoil adjusted based on joint community feedback and statistical analysis to provide greater balance in the weapon choices players make. Specifically, the M16A3 and M4A1 have increased recoil to make them less attractive in all situations. Competing weapons like the SG553, G36C and M416 have been improved to also increase viable player choice in primary weapons.
• SG553: Horizontal recoil reduced to help make this weapon more controllable.
• MG36: Vertical recoil reduced to make this weapon more controllable.
• M416: Vertical, Horizontal, and First Shot recoil have all been reduced to make this weapon clearly different from the M16A3.
• M16A3: Recoil amounts slightly increased.
• M4A1: Recoil amounts slightly increased.
• G36C: Vertical and First Shot recoil amounts reduced.
• M16A4 and M4: These weapons have been adjusted for the increased recoil they now have. The burst versions of these weapons give the player a reduction in horizontal recoil for greater control.

Miscellaneous weapons changes
• FIM92 and IGLA now lock on to air vehicles at both lower altitudes and longer distances.
• Added Burst Fire to the M5K as an available fire mode.
• Increased the bonuses provided by a number of bipods: F2000, G3A3, M27, M416, Pecheneg, Type88, FAMAS, MG36
• Belt Fed Machine guns are now more accurate when standing and firing while aiming. This affects the M240, M249, Type88, Pecheneg, and LSAT.
• 44 Magnum: Rate of fire reduced slightly to highlight this side arm’s role as a slow firing heavy hitter and differentiate it from the MP412 REX.
• Increased the fire rate and reload time of the MP412 REX to better highlight the improved CQB performance over the 44 Magnum.
• Removed burst fire from the L85 and added Single Shot to the L86 as is authentic for these weapons.
• Slightly increased the radius for maximum damage of the 40mm LVG. While the overall damage level remains the same, the LVG will be lethal over a larger area.
• Reduced the aimed accuracy bonus of the M417 with a suppressor to balance it with the other weapons in the game.
• Increased the aimed accuracy bonus of the ACW-R, L86 LSW, LSAT, MP5K and MTAR with a suppressor to balance with the other weapons in the game.

Weapons fixes
• Underslung weapons on the AUG and SCAR-L now properly benefit from the hip accuracy bonus of an attached laser sight.
• The SOFLAM will no longer lock onto your own vehicle if deployed and not immediately activated by the player.
• SCAR-L: Fixed the heavy barrel not increasing recoil when zoomed and standing.
• Corrected some incorrect descriptions of clip sizes and bullet types for weapons added in Close Quarters: M5K, LSAT, and ACW-R
• The PKS-07 is now available on QBB-95
• The M417’s foregrip was incorrectly reducing horizontal recoil by too large an amount. It has been adjusted to be balanced with other foregrips.
• The ACR Foregrip, MG36, QBB-95 and RPK Extended magazines as well as the RPK and SKS Heavy Barrel are now able to be unlocked and equipped in the accessory screen.
• Fixed an issue with incorrect damage for the M320 buck when used with certain attachments.
• MK3A1 now uses flechette rounds instead of Frag rounds in Gun Master mode (in Close Quarters).

Vehicle Related Tweaks and Fixes
• Removed flares from gunner position in helicopters. With the right combination of unlocks, an attack helicopter could be effectively invulnerable to lock on missiles. Removing the flares from the gunner balances the attack helicopter against ground fire.
• Air Radar now shows friendly vehicles as well.
• Helicopter weapons can now destroy equipment with splash damage.
• The Laser Designator unlock on the Scout Helicopters has been changed from a Pilot Upgrade to a new stance in the Copilot seat (position 4). Like the CITV turret on the Main Battle Tanks, the Scout Helicopter’s Laser Designator is permanently available to players who have received the unlock.
• Repair tool damage against enemy vehicles lowered by 10%.
• Changed reload behavior on Tank / Tank Destroyer cannon weapons to prevent being able to fire 2 shots from different weapons quickly one right after another.
• Firing mode can now be seen from the vehicle passenger seats where you are allowed to fire your own weapons.
• Fixed the hit indicator showing when entering a vehicle after previously shooting a soldier.
• Increased the damage helicopter and jet rockets do to helicopters, jets and infantry.
• Increased the damage helicopter gunners and IFVs do to helicopters and jets.
• Fixed Jets not getting top attack damage bonuses on Laser Designated targets.

Persistence Related Tweaks and Fixes
• Changed how MCOM station defend/attack kill score is calculated. Victim no longer needs to arm/disarm the crate but rather be in a 5 meter radius of the crate. Also increased kills needed for the Crate Defend Ribbon from 2 to 4. Overall, these changes should make it somewhat easier to get the ribbon, while increasing the opportunity for strategic play around MCOM stations.
• Premium Engineer assignments are now counting all shotgun kills independent from the class using it.
• Fixed so you can get score from awards in coop.
• Accuracy dogtags now show the correct stats.
• Coop Stars and dogtag are now properly unlockable and equip able.
• Gun Master and Domination Winner ribbons and medals added.
• Fix for assignment with multiple dependencies showing as unlocked in frontend. (Jack of All Trades & Only for the Dedicated)

UI Related Tweaks and Fixes
• Added letters to the capture point icons displayed directly over the mini-map.
• Fixed the grenade counter acting strangely when entering a vehicle with a grenade in hand.
• Fixed the damage indicator which showed the wrong direction if the damage dealer was dead.
• Fixed the hit indicator showing when spawning or closing the in game menu.
• PC specific: Fixed laser designator related icons disappearing from the screen when you enable the chat.
• Fixed a bug where the clan tag sometimes shows as the player ID.
• Added clan tags in nametags and kill card.
• PC specific: Fixed the vehicle hit indicator being shown each time you re-enter the first person camera of a ground vehicle.
• Fixed so commorose VO works when sitting in an AA vehicle.
• Fixed so you get the critical health fullscreen color tint while in the post revive state.
• Removed the join button in the server list for non-Premium users on Premium exclusive servers.
• Fixed so the spawn menu always disappears when you are revived.
• Bugfix the colorblind objectives showing the wrong icons and blinking with a black background.
• Fixed M-Com distance not updating if user moves towards it with EOD Bot.
• Mortar strike explosions are now shown on the HUD for the shooter.

Miscellaneous Tweaks and Fixes
• Fixed so the MAV gadget will not remain floating in midair if the user exits it while still flying.
• Fixed bug where it was possible to shoot while transitioning from sprint into prone.
• Fixed so you can’t revive a player who switched team since he died.
• Fixed two exploits on Donya Fortress that allowed players to get on top of the level.
• Fixed bug where you could get an incorrectly calculated longest headshot with the EOD bot.
• PS3/Xbox 360 specific: Added map rotation settings to preset list in detailed server info. Players can now see all relevant settings that are being run on the server.
• Xbox 360 specific: Introduced a clickable promotional spot on the main menu.

Do Legacy Games Get A Reprieve From Letting You Down?

Madden 13 has received great reviews from mainstream media, but when it comes to hardcore users – not so much. Why is it then, that this game is selling like hot cakes with crack sauce?

If you don’t get your annual Madden fix will it be an itchy year?

It seems as if this is true to some extent. While EA Tiburon made significant strides with the development of Madden 13 they still somehow managed to anger a faction hardcore community enough that they are up in arms over numerous ‘scandals’ that they seem to be taking personally.

Tebow for a moment and consider a world without annual releases.

Why is it then that they buy the game every year even if they think it is terrible or a let down?

Many of the problems that are prevalent in the gaming and software world revolve around giving the end-user just enough improvement or subtle tweaks that they want to give it a chance. The expectations are so high that consumers don’t even look for things that will impress them. Their eyes are studying every pixel for a flaw and every player movement for the slightest inaccurate animation. This doesn’t mean they are wrong to be angry about not seeing the improvements they want to see… it just means they aren’t privy to what the corporation’s plan for consumer development and profit margins – rather than actual game improvement.

Don’t think for a moment that the developer is the only ‘guilty’ party. The fact of the matter is that you are enabling a company to continue making what you term to be ‘broken’ games because you are buying them every single year.

If someone came to you asking for advice on how to deal with a person that continuously lets them down. Every time they make plans something comes up. Every time they say something, they find out it is a lie or maybe just an exaggeration.

What would you tell them?

Chances are good that you would advise them to end that relationship or step away from it slowly if they are worried about hurting feelings.

My question to those of you are continuously disappointed with Madden every year (or any other game – Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, etc.) is –

Are you obligated to purchase any of these things every single year?

If you don’t like the product you are buying every year, stop giving the company that makes it the power to keep making it. Talk with your pocket-book rather than your angry fingers… money is the only language businesses speak. If that means you have to take a course on Rosetta Stone in order to learn how to grow a monetary backbone – do it.

Stop giving annual releases a reprieve if you don’t like what you are getting – take the power back.

Madden 13 Sliders – Connected Career (Offline) v1.0

rg3m13 — It is time for Madden 13… Here are some sliders to help you find your best settings.

Here is the first set of sliders for Madden 13 on Connected Career Mode (Offline)

*If these are too easy for you we will be releasing All-Madden Sliders soon!

Option	Setting
Salary Cap	ON
Skill Level	ALL PRO
Quarter Length	12 Minutes
Acc Clock	15 Seconds
Game Speed	Slow
Player Progress	Weekly
Coach Firing	ON
Game Play Tuning	ON
Injury	ON
Pre-Existing Injury	ON
Trade Deadline	ON
Trade Type	Enable All
Auto Strafe	OFF
Auto Sprint	OFF
ALL CPU SETTINGS	OFF

SLIDERS	HUM/CPU
QB ACC	35/65
PASS BLOCKING	25/70
WR CATCH	55/55
BROKEN TACKLES	35/55
RUN BLOCKING	35/85
FUMBLES	25/60
PASS DEF REACT	50/50
INTERCEPTIONS	30/50
PASS RUSHING	10/45
RUSH DEF REACT	10/50
BLOCK SHEDDING	25/50
TACKLING	25/50
FG POWER	50
FG ACCURACY	45
PUNT POWER	50
PUNT ACCURACY	95
KO POWER	50

INJURIES	60
FATIGUE	60
MIN SPD THRESH	60

PENALTIES
OFFSIDES	85
FALSE START	57
HOLDING	50
FACE MASK	53
DPI	100
OPI	100
PUNT CATCH INT	100
CLIPPING	50
INT GROUND	85
RGH PASSER	51
RGH KICKER	94

Madden 13 – The Midnight Release Review

Looking for some last minute advice to help you make that release day or midnight launch decision for Madden 13?

Here it is –

You should buy this game if:

You are a Madden fan
You liked NFL Head Coach
You want deep online leagues
You want deeper offline career modes

You shouldn’t buy this game if:

You prefer open player editing for career modes
You prefer fantasy drafts
You prefer to have Franchise Mode with people on the same console
You don’t believe in performance on the field being a factor in progression or building XP

The Midnight Release Review – (yes, we have multiple reviews – more feedback and evolving reviews are better than one you read in a crappy magazine or website that doesn’t look at the game over an extended period of time)

The current grades for Madden 13 in terms of scholastic levels would be a B- or in the typical (just as subjective) ‘number’ grade it would be around an 8.3 out of 10.

The justifications for a review and score start with what was deducted and why.

Gameplay – The Infinity Engine

The Infinity Engine makes the game ‘look’ better in terms of players on the field having a wider range of motion and trying to trick your eye into not seeing the canned animations that are still there, but are more hidden due to the ‘rag doll’ effects of the new engine. You will see players flopping and falling all over the place at times and on occasion it will make you laugh (at one point Eli Manning took a knee to end the half against my Browns and as my defense pushed through the line – the kneeling Manning looked like he got hit by a truck… no penalty was called.)

It still plays like Madden 12 if you discount the flailing. As we stated in our earlier review of the game, it seems at times like players are running at eachother with numb arms at their sides and jumping into opposing players (and sometimes their own teammates). If you try and picture the players up close drooling with lazy eyes it will make the game a bit more entertaining – at least for a few seconds. (If you are saying or thinking “You’re wrong for that.” I might be, but you can’t say I’m not honest.)

Customization – No Editing Players for Career Mode

This has been one of the most commented topics here on NTTV. It is a fact that Madden 13 is extremely limited on editing players and rosters for career modes. While EA has stated that they are considering the option of maybe patching this into the game, you shouldn’t hold your breath or grasp for hope and change when it comes to this – the bottom line is that EA Tiburon pushed this game in a new direction and had to leave some things behind to do that. Customization is one of the things that I would think could be more of an on/off option but apparently they don’t see it that way and maybe my assumption is over-simplified. (Programming isn’t often a matter of ‘turning something on or off‘.) You can still edit players in exhibition mode but it won’t carry over to CCM (for now).

To go along with customization, you also won’t have the ability to run a fantasy draft for your connected careers. It is unfortunate and somewhat confusing if you consider the fact that it doesn’t involve editing players and you can trade and pick up free agents in CCM. My best guess is that it would screw up a lot of the commentary, storylines and twitter feeds if someone suddenly had a team with Peyton Manning, Trent Richardson and Ray Lewis.

Playing CCM With Friends On the Same Console

Perhaps the second most infuriating issue with our readers is the fact that you can’t have a league where you are competing with a friend, sibling or roommate on the same console. This is one of the most confusing issues I have come across. It really doesn’t make a lot of sense if you consider the fact that people have had this ability for years. It follows the same lines of logic as player editing, but really – this is flat out ridiculous. If you consider the release date of Madden you will see that it often coincides with the start of college classes and students returning to campus. This is where most of my sports league gaming with friends happened back in the day and now it is gone. To this, all I can say is that I hope you held on to Madden 12.

The Reasons You Should Buy This Game Today

Now that we have given you the reasons why this game had the deductions, we will further enlighten you with the reasons why this is one of the best Madden games ever released. We have already given a couple reasons why this game is awesome. If you want a few more reasons to buy Madden – here you go.

The Deepest Career Mode Ever

Madden has had a tough time over the past few years trying to push a better franchise mode. Madden 12 was decent but it lacked logical CPU teams and it also lacked intelligent contractual negotiations. This year they have gone above and beyond what they had in the past and that is the primary reason I chose to get this game with the Season Ticket… I had to see Connected Careers with my own eyes.

You will see storylines from college recruits that have had violations, injuries and even breakout seasons. They will climb and fall on the draft boards and you will feel the pressure to find the diamonds in the rough and avoid the potential busts. The scouting in this game will make you think more than Madden 12 did with simply picking a player and getting information given to you. You will have to pay for information and if you want more specific scores you will have to pay more.

Players will want to negotiate extensions of their contracts through the year and you will have to make decent offers when you are given the chance, otherwise they will stop negotiating and test free agency. It is yet another small detail that makes it stand far above Maddens of the past. To go along with this new contract approach you will have to start determining how you want to build your team. If you are creating a new coach and want to change the schemes and mindset of your team it will take time for you to find the right players and personnel that fit what you want to do.

If you decide to be a player you will have other things to worry about – namely, your player’s storyline and how he will progress throughout his career. You will have to earn XP and put it into the right areas if you want to become a superstar in terms of OVR ratings and such. The bottom line is that your performance will dictate almost everything. If you come in and stink it up, it might be a quick career for your version of JaMarcus Russell.

Progression Is Based On Performance and Development Ability

Making your players better whether it is as a coach or as a single player will depend on two things. You have to perform well on the practice field and in game situations when you get the chance. Some people are obnoxiously pissed about this for some reason, thinking that ‘potential’ should be the sole factor in how a player progresses. This is a common misconception that people make when they want to determine whether a game is being realistic (hopefully you can see the irony there). If someone works a job and busts their hump to make their quotas and they go above and beyond whether they have good potential doesn’t matter. The same goes for people or players (see JaMarcus Russell, Vince Young, Todd Marinovich, Vernon Gholston, the list goes on and on) that have all the talent and potential in the world and it goes to a waste due to laziness, purple drank or factors beyond their control). This is why the development rating is so important.

Development will determine how much and how fast a player can gain XP. If you want to increase this trait you will have to pay for it with, you guessed it – XP. It isn’t like running for 500 yards every game on Rookie Difficulty will make it easier to get a player to some sort of inflated rating. Well, in that extreme case – it might. Either way, it will cost you 50,000 XP just to take someone from the ‘Quick’ Development Trait to ‘Superstar’. If you consider the fact that it could take you an entire season (or two) to get that many points it suddenly becomes clear that some players might only progress to the mid-80s for an OVR, but the best part is that you will have groomed them on your own (if you want). If you prefer the hands-off approach you can also set player progression to automatic and let them grow as the CPU sees fit.

The Infinity Engine

Yes, this was one of our downsides, but the fact of the matter is that this game looks so much better with players that move due to reaction to other people and objects. That is after-all what physics pretty much revolves around. You will see players moving in a slightly more realistic fashion (especially if you play with game speed set to slow or very slow). You will also notice that momentum is a bit more prevalent in this game and you won’t be able to stop and move on a dime. It will be more like stopping and moving on a… quarter.

That said – the game still plays like Madden. You can move players without some sort of strange delay like on 2K football or something like that, so don’t get scared off when people talk about momentum and real time physics. Also, you will notice that the big hits in Madden 13 look and feel bigger than any Madden during this console generation. A lot of this has to do with the infinity engine and how the players react to different speeds of play and how they are positioned.

We will have more coverage of Madden 13 over the next days, weeks and months. Hopefully this more detailed review will help you decide whether or not to go out and spend the $60 on Madden today or this week.

As always – Happy Gaming!

Madden 13 Review – CPU AI and Decision Making

Sports games are always going to be destined for flack from the hardcore fanbase of each sport they represent. It is the nature of the beast in many ways – today we will be taking a look at ‘the beast’ behind Madden 13 and the CPU AI and Decision Making (esp. Play Calling).

Sliders Need To Be Adjusted

Playing Madden 13 on All Pro difficulty (second hardest to All-Madden) one of the first things you will notice is how easy it is to stop the CPU running game while you play defense. It is really a combination of issues that starts with the problems with OLine and DLine interactions (aka- Blocking). I was able to stop LeSean McCoy for a majority of the game with only a couple decent screen passes and one impressive 20 yard scamper. Outside of that, it was easy to stop the CPU’s running attack. I suggest moving the Human Sliders for Run Defense down to 35 or 40 if you wish to have a more realistic experience. I will be working on an initial slider set in the near future, but it is something that must be done incrementally because one game doesn’t exhibit what will ‘always’ hold true.

Regarding CPU talent on offense, after playing the Bengals it was apparent that the CPU Passing Accuracy needed to be increased greatly as Andy Dalton struggled greatly through most of the game. Once we got to the end of the game he somehow used his Ginger Ninja powers to complete a couple passes and lead an amazing drive. Moving CPU Pass Accuracy to 75 and then reducing the Human and CPU Interception sliders to 35 should be a good start.

Comeback AI – The Reason You Have Broken Controllers

During my game against the Bengals I was enjoying a great defensive battle for almost the entire game. I was holding a 17-9 lead with under 3 minutes left. Andy Dalton had completed only 9 of 28 passes and was intercepted four times in the game. He was terrible. Then, almost as if the Peyton Manning DirectTV fairy came down and sprinkled ginger ninja pixie dust in his digital jock strap he came out of no where to complete crazy passes to Brandon Tate and his other targets with ease. Not only was it strange that he was so accurate, but my defensive backs (who had played a great game up until this point) suddenly almost stopped playing and let a Bengals receiver get wide open 40+ yards down field. The game came down to the Bengals attempting a 2-Point conversion – which is where our last section will take over.

CPU Decision Making – If your coach sucks in real life, just assume he is a cyborg programmed with EA’s Madden Play Calling Logic.

The Bengals, like the Eagles – had a hard time running against my Browns team all game long. Then, finally when they scored their first touchdown and were within reach of tying the game because of a sudden magical ability to pass the ball – they decided to run it up the middle.

I stuffed the attempt and then recovered the ensuing onside kick. It wasn’t the worst playcalling, but it goes to show that some of the logic that you would like to see in sports games is still missing. This isn’t only in Madden either – you can see it in almost every baseball game as well as basketball games that put in confusing line-ups at the end of a game.

Madden 13 is a solid game, but it still suffers from some of the same issues that have become a legacy with this game. We are hopeful to see some of these things alleviated through tuner updates and slider settings. Stay tuned for our slider set in the coming week. Keep in mind that the sliders will change throughout the year.

You Can’t Teach Speed – Outsmarting Your Opponents

Whenever I talk to jaded gamers about playing games like Call of Duty, Halo or any other online shooter they usually tell me that the game is too fast. While I agree that online First Person Shooters (FPS) are rather fast paced you also shouldn’t let this stop you from playing the games you’d like to enjoy. As we get older we tend to lose a lot of our quick ‘twitch’ reflexes (especially in gaming). Look at athletes or any other person that relies on their physical abilities early in their career only to have to switch to a more cerebral approach later on.

For those of you that don’t have the ‘reaction time’ for some of your favorite games, it might be time to come to terms with the fact that you are ageing. It sounds almost comical from a gaming perspective but really there are many more tactics and strategies that can help your performance than the twitch reflexes you have lost (or never had).

Plan Your Movements

Even if you have to think about your movements in a calculated manner for each match you are probably thinking more than any of your other opponents and therefore – gaining an advantage. It isn’t that someone with fast reflexes doesn’t think but they tend to operate in a more instinctive fashion. The benefit you gain from planning out your attacks is that you actually work out multiple potential problems as you advance. A prime example of this can be found in the following clip from the movie Sherlock Holmes –

Know Your Speed and Stick To It

Nothing can screw up your gaming ability more than playing out of your element. If you have an opponent in Madden that prefers to play a no huddle offense and leave you grasping for time outs or hopeful incomplete passes you shouldn’t stoop to their level when you get the ball. Slow the game down, take your time with every snap and adjustment (we will have a full feature on how to do all these things in Madden 13 over the next week).

Always make it your mission to play ‘your’ game. It is vital for you to take every opportunity to make your opponent think and sometimes overthink everything they are doing.

When playing a game like Call of Duty there are often only two types of players in a team deathmatch setting: Campers and Rushers. Campers hate to be forced out of their favorite spots and rushers hate having to stop and slow down to kill a well placed camper. It is really the ultimate conundrum when it comes to gaming and it can provide you with the ability to create a third type of COD player… a hybrid of camper and rusher. We will call it a Cramper.

One of the videos I posted back in April shows you the best of both worlds –

Need Some Help Developing Your Gaming Identity or Game Speed?

NoobTubeTV recently started offering Game Training sessions for your convenience just a few weeks ago. For many people out there the gaming world can be a rather unnerving place if you are new to the online realm especially. We offer a professional, courteous, patient and friendly atmosphere where you can develop your skills and find your desired level of gaming. For more information on our Game Training sessions, please visit the NTTV Game Training page.

Making Madden Better – Volume 1 – Ending Games

No matter which form of entertainment you choose – gaming, movies or books, if the ending is bad you will consider it either a waste of your time or sit there for a minute wondering if that really is all that happens.

Madden has a few issues in this department and no where is it more noticeable than at the end of a big game. We are starting a new series of videos dedicated to helping make Madden a better experience. These are primarily meant to catch the eyes of developers at Tiburon; however, if you have other suggestions for things we haven’t covered please comment below, send us a message on YouTube or email us at officialnoobtubetv@gmail.com.

Again, the content we provide is meant to be used as constructive criticism in order to improve the game. There is no reason to point fingers or say anything in an unprofessional manner. You will get nowhere fast if you think bashing something or someone will make it or them change.

Keep hitting that F5 key as NoobTubeTV is starting to grow more popular we will be posting more often.

There Is Some Purity When It Comes To Being A Noob – Never Let It Go

No matter what type of hobby or interest we have taken up at any point – we have always been noobs somewhere along the line. Gaming is no different in this regard and some people like to demonize the idea of having a new player on their team as if it is something that will forever change their online persona. Their Win/Loss ratio or Kill/Death ration might suffer because a teammate is new to the game. That is probably the most common complaint about noobs online.

Outside of the fact that people don’t want to have a noob on their team, there are also those that don’t like how noobs play the game. In some cases like Call of Duty, Halo or any other First Person Shooter (FPS) there are certain ‘tactics’ that frustrate more seasoned players. Some of these are (but not limited to) – camping, using ‘over-powered’ weapons and of-course weapons like the NoobTube.

Then you have games like Madden and NCAA Football that almost completely rely on the all powerful speed rating. All you need are a couple WRs that have 99 SPD matched up against slower defenders and the game is over in the first quarter. Granted, these games are more susceptible to exploits because of game design flaws or simply lacking ability to effectively counter the ‘go deep’ approach. The fact of the matter is that if you are new to a game and you are learning the ropes you should take comfort in knowing that everyone has been there before. But shooter games are really the bigger target for what a noob or the teammate of a noob goes through and Call of Duty games are probably the most popular.

Call of Duty is a blazingly fast game that really revolves around twitchy movements and dedication to learning the nuances of the game itself. Once you learn the basics, it becomes a relatively easy game to play. You aren’t guaranteed to be the best in the world if you play all the time; but like anything else – you will get better.

Which is why one of the biggest problems with non-noobs (especially those in Call of Duty) are some of the worst when it comes to being respectful to new players. The idea of ‘Prestiging’ is something that happened in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Basically, you are able to level up in Call of Duty and obtain new weapons and other equipment as a result of your time invested. Now with Modern Warfare 3 there are 20 levels of prestiging and it has started to give some gamers out there a bit of a superiority complex. They feel that anyone that hasn’t prestiged simply is not as skilled or knowledgeable of the game as they are. Really, all prestiging means is that people have put in more time than others. You can play Call of Duty for 8 hours a day three days a week and reach the top prestige level – even if you are terrible.

The catch is that you will get better because you are playing the game more and more. Don’t think for a moment that because you are new to a game and struggling that you will never get it. The people you are playing against were in that same place at some point or another – stick it out and get better at your favorite games. Just don’t forget that when you get to the point where you aren’t a noob that there are thousands of other gamers out there that are in your old shoes and they need your help and advice… not vulgar language or sophomoric behavior.

The Dark Knight Rises – Could It Change How People Want Games To End?

If you consider how the upcoming movie The Dark Knight Rises it is a distinct possibility that Batman could die. This isn’t really much of a spoiler. You can look up any of the Batman vs. Bane battles and see that Bane actually breaks Batman’s back. This isn’t really meant to be a rundown of Batman’s comic history however.

bane — Could this movie change the entire landscape of entertainment if Batman either dies or ends up eating through a straw?

It should be known that the target audience for the new Batman movie is also the same target audience that many gaming companies push their products to as well. As much as fans of the Dark Knight series seem to worship the story and characters involved with Christopher Nolan’s epic trilogy they don’t really question the story – they enjoy the movie for what it is and go on to buy it on blu ray and tell everyone how great it is/was.

This drives us to wonder what will happen if Batman either dies or ends up like Christopher Reeve… Will fans keep their unwavering support? That question then branches into a new direction. If people love the ending of The Dark Knight Trilogy with Batman either dead or a vegetable – how can they keep getting annoyed with games like Mass Effect 3 when they pretty much end in tragedy as well?

The point is that we have turned into a society (especially in gaming and film) that demands for the hero to save the day, kill the bad guy or simply wait for the credits to end for some hope that we will get to follow the trailers to yet another sequel.

Is it a cop out for people to write a story that ends with a brief glimmer of hope after the credits? Is it considered a failed story about a heroic journey if the hero dies in the process of saving everyone? That strategy seems to work well for The Bible (the best selling book of all time) and even The Matrix (check out a nice rundown of that series over at The Cool Ship) or does it simply not translate to games?

Without spoiling anything (too much) we will leave this as an open discussion but also provide you with some games that have some of the best endings.

Red Dead Redemption Game of the Year
– One of the best games available on this generation of consoles. The story is well written, the voice acting is top notch and the side-quests are numerous enough to keep you playing forever. Without spoiling the ending we can tell you that it is pretty much perfectly scripted in every way a western can be.

Batman: Arkham City (Game of the Year Edition)

– It is hard to tell you that any game is the best you will ever play, but in the spirit of Batman… this is hard to pass up. The game plays smoothly and the story and voice acting is amazing. With the likes of The Joker, Harley-Quinn, Two Face and others it is a game that demands your time.