Madden 2004

[Ryanwb]

crap, I must get this game!

 

[green machine]

Do you guys think Madden is the way to go this year? I've been thinking about switching to the NFL 2K series, but if Madden is good then I might just stay with them.

adam

 

[Mojo]

Madden is great, I won my first game of teh yeaer 35-10 over the Lions, classic game for Emmit 25 carries for 95 yards
Jeff Blake had a solid 13-17 performance
Anquian Boldin is pretty good in that game as the slot reciever

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by arthurracoon
Yeah. What were they?

Shipp?
"Q"?
Pace?
Emmit?
Blake?
ect...

Marcel is, I think, like a 71
Q is maybe an 81
Pace is in the high 70s
Emmitt is like a 79
Blake is a 78

The best player on the team is Big, who is like a 95 or something. All the LBs are in the 70s. Barrett is something like a 72 or something. McCown is a 68, I think. Parsons is a 48.

Maybe tomorrow I'll bring my strategy guide and fill you in with all the specifics. I can tell you that I ran the "Catch Ball" minicamp with Bryan Gilmore, and he only caught like three balls out of 10. Kid's fast, but has hands of stone.

 

[SweetD]

I played the game last night. I like it but not sure if I am sold on the game vs the 2k/ESPN game. The game play is realy good and started a frachise with the Cards. I don't realy like the Playmaker option while you are running it is way to hard. I do like how they show the replay on the screen while you are picking your play that is nice to see sometimes you miss the replay becouse you want to keep the game going. For right now if you need a Football Fix Madden is a no loose, but until ESPN comes out I would not buy it. Just let your friend buy it like I did.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by SweetD
I played the game last night. I like it but not sure if I am sold on the game vs the 2k/ESPN game. The game play is realy good and started a frachise with the Cards. I don't realy like the Playmaker option while you are running it is way to hard. I do like how they show the replay on the screen while you are picking your play that is nice to see sometimes you miss the replay becouse you want to keep the game going. For right now if you need a Football Fix Madden is a no loose, but until ESPN comes out I would not buy it. Just let your friend buy it like I did.

I agree the Playmaker control after the snap on offense, both passing and rushing, is too hard. I'm sure it's better if you have an RB like Freddy Taylor or Marshall Faulk, who is capable of getting around the corner. Keep Emmitt and Marcel between the tackles, and you set up some nice play-action stuff (There isn't enough Play-Action in the Cards playbook, in my opinion. The playbook seems basically the same as last year, which was disappointing, but that's what you get when you don't have a defined offensive style).

The playmaker control on D, however, is essential. If you don't designate run v. pass, you're going to give up big gains. I really like it, though, because my players were always out of position in Madden 2003, and that killed me in games.

 

[AZCardsWin]

Ok guys, I played the game today and had sucess passing the ball with the I formation slant routes! I think i found a way to help you guys out as well- Put Mike Stone and B.Gilmore in as the kick returners and M.Stone as the punt returner. This is good for "2" reasons:

1. You dont want to lose Adrian Wilson to injury on special teams!
2. Stone (and his "90" speed) gave me great field position on all of his returns. Gilmore boasts some very good speed as well.

Still trying to find the best defenses to use. I like the 4-3 Over the best so far.

Go Cards/ Madden!
Tim

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

In the PC version there is also a way, when running the ball in the open field, to direct your blockers downfield. It is hard to get used to but last night I finally got it worked out right as Emmitt ran in the secondary and freddie jones layed a crushing 'pancake' block on the Ravens DB to spring Emmitt for the score...

However that was the only bright spot as the Ravens D intercepted the ball twice form me (1 for a td) sacked Blake 6 times and Johnson, and SHipp each gave the ball up on fumbles.

I lost 31-10

I believe I am in week 8, after the bye week which I needed as Kendall went down with broken ribs and was out 3 weeks.

By the way, Garcia and Starky are horrible on this game. If you check the stats they are always giving up sacks. I have already gone out and singed a FA Center and cut Starky. My line is pretty good now!

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

I finally got my copy!

I took the Cards in franchise mode. Went 2-2 in the preseason, and won against the Lions 31-24. Ray Thompson had a 93 yard interception return for a TD to get Mr. Mo Mentum to change his address. At that point, I had blown a 14 point lead and was trailing 14-17.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I am playing on Pro and the game is hard. I used to abuse Madden 2k3 on All Pro.

However, Boldin leads my team in receptions, yards, and TDs after 2 preseason games.

McClown is out for 8 weeks.

 

[kerouac9]

I started a preseason game last night but had to quit it because my lady was hungry, but McCown is not very good getting the touch on his passes. I threw an outlet to Shipp in the second quarter, and it sailed three yards over his head to the sidelines.

Nice deep ball, though. He completed two passes to Bryant Johnson, one on third and 25 or something.

 

[HoodieBets]

Does anyone play on-line? If so maybe we can all get a league or something going. I have sucess on the HB Go with Smith and i love pounding the ball with emiitt. On defense i change to a 46 and have good success in getting pressure and sacking the QB. I found that if levar blitzes he usually gets through in the backfield. Slant routes are by far the most effective way to pass though. Kasper is probably the best WR.

 

[green machine]

If I get the game I'm going to get it for my xbox, and it doesn't play online in madden. NFL2K does play online for Xbox, that's why I'm really considering that. However, if everyone gets the PC version and we could have a good league going I'll consider buying the PC version just to play online.

adam

 

[bratwurst]

I am going to swing by best buy on the way home from work tonight, hopefully they will have it in stock.

I am getting it for PC and would be interested in playing online.

Has anyone built a stadium yet? How does that work? Do you get to design it at all?

 

[Chaz]

Cool article in Wired about Madden.


I had no idea Madden Football was in the HOF.


I would like to get the game, coughing up the $50 is what I have a problem doing.

 

[CardsFan88]

Originally posted by SirChaz
Cool article in Wired about Madden.


I had no idea Madden Football was in the HOF.


I would like to get the game, coughing up the $50 is what I have a problem doing.

I would suggest getting the pc version.
If your system can handle it, it should be a better deal.

1. Easy online updates to rosters

2. While I don't know the logistics of ease, availability, and price of ps2 online madden, I got a free season long online pass in my madden 04 box.

3. It will cost you only $35 at gamestop (may still be under babbages in phone book in phoenix...it was for me but I was using an old phone book.)

4. If you want to wait until this, next, or the weekend after that, you could get it cheaper. Past madden's have gome on sale at this time. If $35 now, could be $29 this weekend. For 2002 I paid 27.99 the day it came out only to see it drop to 24.99 the next weekend. Either way it beats pay $50 and throwing 10 or so bucks away for licensing fees to playstation.

5. If your system is good enough it should (not sure) exceed playstation2's beautiful graphics. Heck 2003 on my 400mhz p2 with geforce 2mx400 sdr 64mb nearly equaled playstation 2's last year, especially after...#6

6. updates to fix bugs, and to possibly add new features, like the better lighting/glossy effects add on in last years first patch.

 

[HoodieBets]

I may be wrong but i believe that people who play on PC and people who play on PS2 can play each other on-line. I was playing someone with a mic and i could here him typing while making roster moves.

 

[bratwurst]

Originally posted by SirChaz

I would like to get the game, coughing up the $50 is what I have a problem doing.

Just picked up my copy, it was $41 after tax at best buy.

Not exactly a lot cheaper, but not $50.

I keep waiting for GTA3 Vice City to drop to $30. I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon though.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Man, we need a video game forum!

Hint, hint Mr. Mike!

 

[Dan H]

Got 2004 today and simmed the first season. Calvin Pace was a Pro-Bowler with 14 sacks. The 'quan was injured but still had 37 catches. Bryant Johnson led the team in receptions (and we went 5-11, blagh.)

So anyway, I got some pretty decent players in the draft. Picked up a franchise QB in the first round (88% THA, 92% THP) from Stanford of all places and got a run-stuffing DT in the second.

The only bummer is Emmitt retired on my team after only 1 year.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Im pretty sure the Lb not named is Gerald Hayes.

Not positive just going off my memory.

 

[vince56]

Got the game today. $29.99 at FRY'S in tempe, even though sticker price says $39.99

I love the play editor / playbook editor. 2k3 had a blitz play that was my bread and butter. They ommitted it from this year's game, so I opened up the play editor and now it's back in the game. This play editor isn't Front Page Sports quality, but it's the best I've seen since FPS 98. The ticker is f'n awesome, as is the owner mode and training camp. Still no 80 player roster for pre-season. The added animations are fantastic. Madden 2k3's system crash error seems to have been fixed too.

The comentary is much better this year. On one play, I had Emmitt run off tackle right and he broke it for 30 yards, then on the replay, Madden and Al go off on the block thrown by Bryant Johnson to spring Emmitt, and they show a replay of Johnson's crushing hit. That was great!!

Did ya notice Atlanta has about 15 dark uniform variations? Crazy.

Good stuff, definitely worth the $30.

 

[KingofCards]

I suck at this game. I am going invent people.

I will make a KingofCards, 6-4 240lb wr catches everything and runs over 180lbs cbs. Except he plays every down and cares more about winning then anything else and never had to take 90 pills a day to do so.

Sorry I can't handle the Cardinals losing under my hands.

Our d-line in the game is not acceptable. I am going to invent "fat ass" a 300lb bruiser that attacks the passer.

 

[Assface]

KVB got a career ending injury right away for me. Kenny King improves in huge leaps so I started him as my #2 DT. It seems like our line is kinda average and they don't get any better. I did notice I have way more time to throw than in last years version. No matter how good of a line I put together I was never had time to wait for the recievers to get open. Running seems a lot harder now and I had to get used to the passing icons coming up automatically instead of pushing the button to bring them up. I threw a lot of incomplete passes to the tight end immediately after snapping the ball. I love the owner mode. It's cool that you can pick your training staff (first thing I did in the offseason) and assistan coaches. Just out of curiosity, why is Sullivan's OL rating 80 and his WR rating is in the 50s? I thought he was a reciever guru. Very cool game.

 

[CardsFan88]

You can alter your guys in the roster before you start your franchise.

Blake is 7 feet 415 lbs and runs faster than vick and deion in his prime.

All my guys are over 300 or so pounds all at 99. I love crushing blows and running people over. But nothing beats Madden64 on this note. If you built your guys this big, and put him at fb, do the fb dive, and just about every run you were injuring 1 or 2 defenders....it was classic...I wish they would do that again, or at least give you that option.

I was going to say the same thing floridacard about sullivan they have him at 53 for wr...I was like what? All our coaches suck a__ in our game so I fired 'em. I now have trestman as hc, some old guy who had good off. rating for my oc, bellichick as my dc, and another good coach for special teams.

For whatever reason my madden is locking up or crashing. When it crashes, it gives me a sidewinder error (the microsoft game pad..older 1999 non usb style)...anyways the funny thing is I took it off my startup programs thingy, used "stop it" to see what my computer was running, and it wasn't...yet when I play the game it'll crash and give me that error....then I reload madden...and it gives me another microsoft gamepad error, but one from a controller I don't have, didn't load, but was bundled in somehow with it.

I'm wondering if anyone else is getting this error. Or how to stop madden from looking for it. At least you can save at any time, so I can still play it, just kind of a hassle...but I'll take this over no madden.