My Madden Online rant

[MTK]

I played my first two online games in a long time last night. I lost my first game in a really good game 28-24. I was actually up 17-0 early in the 3rd qtr but I gave up two quick scores, one set up by a fumble on a kick return, and he rallied to edge me out in the last minute. I was Minnesota and he was Indy.

In my second game I was the Skins and the other guy was the Eagles. I was up 16-7 in the 3rd when we got disconnected. So far I haven't seen much cheese, but maybe I've just gotten lucky and played a couple of fairly honest players.

[CrazyCanuck]

I've been playing online quite a bit lately and it's been pretty good. I've seen a little cheese but not much. Occasionally I run into a FG/punt blocker which is annoying, but I'm not sure it qualifies as cheese.

I always take the Skins and have had a bunch of good games. When I start a new game I search for another player who's rating is close to mine (within 5000 or 10000). This helps ensure that both guys are on the same level and I've found it to work well for the most part.

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by CrazyCanuck

I've been playing online quite a bit lately and it's been pretty good. I've seen a little cheese but not much. Occasionally I run into a FG/punt blocker which is annoying, but I'm not sure it qualifies as cheese.

I always take the Skins and have had a bunch of good games. When I start a new game I search for another player who's rating is close to mine (within 5000 or 10000). This helps ensure that both guys are on the same level and I've found it to work well for the most part.

The FG/punt block tactic, where they move their player across the line of scrimmage before the snap and block the kick is a cheat/glitch tactic, in that it takes advantage of a glitch in the game which allows them to do that. As long as they actually block the kick, no penalty is called. If they miss the block, then the penalty is called, but that only matters if you miss the kick anyway.

I've found that as long as I call the play quickly and line up, I can just sit there and wait for them to run around until they decide to stop doing it, or they run back behind the line and I'm able to kick it before they come across again.

Use of this particular cheat/glitch tactic obviously won't be tolerated in our league, though I expect that most everyone who wants to play in the league will be anti-cheat/glitch/cheese anyway.

I started out using the Skins exclusively, and it took me a while before I was able to use them well and win consistently, mostly because I wasn't prepared for all the cheaters and glitchers early on. I guess I'm one of the unfortunate folks who encountered a lot of those right off the bat.

It also seems like I was playing against the Vikes/Eagles/Falcons a lot, too, and it took me a while to figure out how to defend those crazy scrambling quarterback tactics that everyone likes to use. Seems like everyone wanted to re-create McNabb's 14-second scramble/60-yard toss on every play. I eventually figured out how to shut those down, though, so my record has improved considerably.

Now I'm trying to win with every team, in part to satisfy the requirements for the "Master of All Teams" trophy, but mostly so I can just get a good feel for the personnel on every team. I'd like to get to the point where I can use or play against any team; knowing exactly what players, packages and plays to use, and knowing how to counter the likely strategies of my opponents.

[CrazyCanuck]

Originally Posted by joecrisp

The FG/punt block tactic, where they move their player across the line of scrimmage before the snap and block the kick is a cheat/glitch tactic, in that it takes advantage of a glitch in the game which allows them to do that.

In real life blocked kicks happen once in a while so I would expect the same in Madden. But if it's a cheat/glitch like you mentioned then that's a different story.

Originally Posted by joecrisp

It also seems like I was playing against the Vikes/Eagles/Falcons a lot, too, and it took me a while to figure out how to defend those crazy scrambling quarterback tactics that everyone likes to use.

Tell me about it. And add the Pats to the list.

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by CrazyCanuck

In real life blocked kicks happen once in a while so I would expect the same in Madden. But if it's a cheat/glitch like you mentioned then that's a different story.

Exactly. How often do you see 2 or 3 blocked PATs in a game? Doesn't happen.

I'm pretty much anti- anything that you wouldn't see happen in a real game-- like a scoring player running up to the goalline and then running alongside it just to taunt somebody, or the D-linemen doing the wave...

although that last one is pretty funny.