Run Blocking Improved for Madden 11

ITS ABOUT TIME! - I have always been disappointed in how Madden has delievered the RUN in its game... Ask any Offensive coach - At any level of play - and he will tell you that the OFFENSIVE LINE is the key to any running attack - (sure a great RB helps but a great OL can make a medicore RB into an ALL-PRO however; A high end RB is NOT going to be successful w/o a quality O-LINE!)

This years Madden STATES that they have recognized this and The OL will be more of a factor in the out-come of a game... No longer will guys be able to get away with drafting their OLINE in rounds +20 - without skilled players to run behind - no RB will be successful - check out the blog form the EA team - taken from their website\!!!


Hey Madden fans, my name is Mike Scantlebury, and I'm here today to hit you with some info about changes we've made in regards to blocking for Madden NFL 11. For those of you that don't know me, I am a designer on the Gameplay Team here at Tiburon. I've worked in gameplay, focused primarily on tuning and realism, for over 5 years (working on the PS2/Xbox generation until last year). This year the task of creating designs to improve run blocking was delegated to me, and through a collaborative effort between several engineers and designers on my team, we were able to design and implement totally new run blocking logic into the game...and there's no denying it makes a HUGE difference.


The new Run Blocking AI will open up more running lanes and allow users to establish a true ground attack like we see proficient running teams do on Sunday. It all starts with blocking, without blocking the greatest running backs of all time would not be able to put up such huge numbers. There are obviously many different run blocking schemes out there, so we decided that we wanted to really focus on the core run plays that are the true staple of the majority of NFL offenses.

As we started planning out the changes to make to run blocking In Madden NFL 11, we just focused on creating the true run blocking schemes exactly as they are drawn up in real life. No reason to try and make a video-gamey version of it - it needed to be the real thing. It definitely took a lot of tuning to get the matchups right versus the many defensive fronts in football, but we have done it. The very first thing we had to do was really lay down the law. What I mean by this is that blockers had to be given realistic rules for who they are going to target depending on what type of run it is. We had to devise rules for each run blocker individually, starting from the play-side Tight End to the back-side Tight End, and all the Linemen in between. These rules also had to work in the situations where there was no Tight End, had to affect blockers in the backfield, and had to work whether you had a fullback to lead block or if you were running out of a Singleback formation. These realistic blocking matchup rules have stood the test of time in football at every level of play, from Pee Wee to professional. So we set out to implement these timeless rules into our football game. Daniel White (who from here forward I will refer to as the greatest software engineer of all time) was able to take the rules that I laid out and actually code them into the game. The result? Better overall run blocking, bigger holes for ball carriers to run through, and more realistic running lanes created by smarter offensive players. Let's look at specific improvement made to the different runs in our game.

Power O - This run is the staple of several professional football teams. Now this run has been in the game for the last several years but the play has never run the way it was intended to. As a matter of fact you could say the matchups were sort of backwards. You see Power O stands for Power Off Tackle, this is an off tackle run that is designed to go through the C gap (gap between the Offensive Tackle and Tight End). In the previous years, I bet you have always been forced to bounce the run wide Why? Well for starters the play-side Defensive Tackle was often left for the pulling Lineman to pick up like you were running an Inside Trap run. This is Power Off Tackle not an inside Trap.

In Madden NFL 11 you will see the play-side defensive tackle get a double team by the play-side Offensive Guard and Offensive Tackle. This double team is critical for 2 reasons (1) It addresses the main threat at the point of attack (2) It opens a bigger running lane for the blockers and ball carrier to go through. On Power Off Tackle runs the pulling guard is supposed to lead through the C Gap and look to seal inside, and versus most fronts he'll end up blocking the Mike (middle linebacker). If there is a fullback he will also lead the HB through the C gap then look to block the first defender he sees coming from the play-side. Now you might be saying "what about the backside linebacker?" Well my friend remember that double I told you about that was going to happen to the play-side DT? A lineman will move off that block double team block and pick up that backside LB. The pulling guard and fullback usher the running back right through that C-gap and let him make his way up to the safeties.




Taking the run through the C Gap makes the run a much quicker hitting run play than if you were to take it outside of the Tight End. Now to be clear you can't have a ‘Power' running game with just any team, especially if you are going to make Power O the staple of your running game. To have a running attack you need to have at least a respectable run blocking offensive line but to make Power O a staple a good run blocking Tight End is absolutely critical. Without that, defensive ends and outside linebackers alike will kill your off tackle run before it even gets started. So make sure your personnel suits your running attack

HB Counter - Now this run always fits perfectly into a power running game. It sets those aggressive defenders up to think that the run is going in one direction then bam before they know it the running back is going by them in the opposite direction. Now counters have been in our game even longer than Power Os but the design of counters in our game have been quite different from how they are executed in real life, which obviously led to them being relatively ineffective most of the time. The first piece of this actually goes beyond blocking. It all starts with defensive reaction. Defenders in the box now have a more deliberate reaction when they see that initial fake by the running back. Thanks to our new locomotion system (explained in detail here), it only takes a step or two in the wrong direction for a counter to be run with maximum efficiency.

So now let's talk about the blocking. In years past the blocking for a counter was pretty much the same as a Power O run in the opposite direction. For Madden NFL 11, you will see these 3 key differences (1) Both guards pull on counter runs, the first guard kicks out the EMLOS (End Man on Line of Scrimmage) and the second guard leads through the hole looking to seal inside (which usually means he gets the Mike) (2) When running the counter to the weak side of the formation the play-side offensive tackle will immediately go to the second level and block the play-side Linebacker (3) On most plays with a fullback, the fullback will go to the side of the fake.




Having both guards pull had an immediate impact on the effectiveness of the run. The defense could have a very good run stopping defensive end that could easily beat your offensive tackle trying to block him head up, but with counter blocking that destructive end will often get kicked out by the first pulling guard which is a much easier blocking assignment. That offensive tackle that no longer has to worry about that destructive defensive end can now go right up to the second level and pick up the play-side linebacker. Now the last key difference will also impact user controlled defenders. When you as a user see that fullback charging towards the strong-side they will probably immediately think Power O, which is exactly what you want them to think. A small misstep on the part of the user controlled defender can result in big yardage for the ball carrier.

HB Stretch - Stretch runs incorporate zone blocking which has become increasingly popular on the Pro and Collegiate levels over the last several years. You see teams abandoning the Power Run game in order to employ more zone blocking schemes into their ground attack. The beauty of zone blocking is that it incorporates as many double teams as possible. This makes it a lot easier for the ballcarrier to make it to the outside, because even a good run stopping defender that has outside containment responsibility will have to beat a double team block (which is no easy task) in order to blow the play up in the backfield.

Stretch runs have a longer handoff than other run plays to give the play time to develop, and during that time you're going to see multiple double team blocks. What you are also going to see is linemen or tight ends moving off of the double team blocks and going up to the second level picking aggressively pursuing linebackers. Last year you would often see the wrong blocker coming off the double team to pursue the linebacker, so what you would end up with a lot of the time was a big lineman chasing behind a linebacker with no chance of making that block. In Madden NFL 11, you will see the appropriate blocker in the double team coming off to make the block, often times sealing up a nice big run lane for you to scoot through.




Versus a 4 man front, the play-side offensive tackle and tight end will double that play side defensive end, then the tight end will work his way up to the play-side linebacker and try to cut him off from getting to the outside. Now this is not always the behavior, if the linebacker decides that he is going to shoot the C gap instead of going to the outside then the offensive tackle will be the one to pick him up, so don't worry we got you covered in that regard.

Having the appropriate player come off of the double team has another awesome benefit and that is more running lanes for the ball carrier to choose from. With zone blocking the ball carrier chooses his lane as the play develops. The run is designed to go wide to the outside but you never know how the defensive is going to react. If defenders are able to quickly get to the outside than look to the inside for a running lane to go through and if there are no running lanes (because the back side defenders have filled them all) then you could even look the bend the run all the way back in the opposite direction. With the new momentum-centric locomotion system, the feel of a ballcarrier changing lanes in the backfield is smoother and more fun than ever.

Inside Zone - Staying in line with stretch runs, another great run this year is the Inside Zone run. These runs are awesome for many of the same reasons that stretch runs are. To sum it up in two words, double teams. These appropriately placed double teams at the point of attack set up the ballcarrier with a better designed lane than what you would find on the streets of an upscale neighborhood. No litter, no potholes, just a nice wide lane for you to traverse at your leisure. Alright it's not quite that smooth and easy. The lane can get shutdown really quick, the defensive end could beat the block attempt of your offensive tackle or worst yet, the defensive tackle could split that double team so you'd better throw it into high gear and hit that hole with urgency. You never know when there is going to be construction on that road, so make good use of it while it's clear.




Like I said with the stretch runs, new locomotion makes changing lanes smoother than ever before. So if the run is designed to go in the B Gap (between guard and tackle), but you see the hole developing at the C Gap, you don't even have to put on your blinker, just change lanes and hit that hole. Hey you could even take a run going into the B-Gap on the right side and take it all the way to the C-Gap on the left side (though I wouldn't suggest it). I mean it's your run so take it wherever you want, but I'm assuming your no. 1 priority is positive yards so in most cases you probably want to run the play as it's drawn up on the chalk board.

In Madden NFL 11 you will notice that double team blockers come off double team blocks at the appropriate time so you're going to see your run lanes developing, but I have to warn you, Inside Zone is a lot quicker hitting than Stretch runs so you have to make your decisions a lot quicker if you are going to change lanes. If you want to take a zone run in the opposite direction you don't have to bend it all the way back in the opposition direction, you can just call one of excellent Zone Weak run plays. Zone weak runs are the same as inside zone runs but they are aimed at the weak side of the formation (hence the name zone weak). Use these runs to take advantage of the awesome zone blocking going towards the weak side of the formation. These runs are also great for keeping your opponent on their toes.

Well I hope this helps you guys pound the rock in Madden NFL 11. The run blocking has been overhauled to help you, the fan, run the ball like your favorite teams do on Sunday. With core runs all being improved it's going to be interesting to see the various ground attacks that gamers are going to employ into their offense. Some will stick with power runs, hitting you with counters here and there, while others will utilize outside zone blocking schemes and may use inside zone blocking runs as the staple of their run game. There's a lot of good stuff to choose from this year, so make sure to utilize the strengths of your line and mix it up.

Thanks Madden fans - hope you enjoy!

I am not sure that this will make getting quality O-Line a priority. I think it will reward getting great O-Line. However I think it may make bad Offensive line men better. We will have to wait for the demo, and it is probably like those of you who have played ncaa (I really think they used basically the same code for both games) but I am concerned that great D-line men and Line Backers will be less effective against less than solid O-Line. Have any of you had great Defensive Line play in any of your ncaa games?

dtigertron wrote:I am not sure that this will make getting quality O-Line a priority. I think it will reward getting great O-Line. However I think it may make bad Offensive line men better. We will have to wait for the demo, and it is probably like those of you who have played ncaa (I really think they used basically the same code for both games) but I am concerned that great D-line men and Line Backers will be less effective against less than solid O-Line. Have any of you had great Defensive Line play in any of your ncaa games?

interesting that yuou say this because 1 of the reviews of the Demo has the same concerns for defensive line play - apparently it is extremely difficult to have any kind of succes playn with a DL player... i guess we will se whne th edemo comes out on the 27th!

I have had no problem beating my blockers as the Jets in the demo. Although I don't know what stats those d-line and 0-line are, it seems fine to me. At least, it seams like last year when it comes to the "war in the trenches." Still in first demo, haven't tried indie yet.

man i just played the demo too and i played as indy since i hate pretty much anything to come out of NY lol no offense to jets/giants fans lol and i couldnt get my ground game going for the life of me lol but i read somewhere that they made the passing game better, which i didnt really see a need for... i mean it was already easy as hell to complete crazy long passes and it seems to have gotten even easier now lol but then again, i was using manning so lol eneded up winning 13-7 in O.T. lol

- not sayn that I am more skilled thna you DEN_24 - but i was highly successful running the ball with jets on all madden level... I believe the Jets have a grt Oline - maybe some1 can confirm (i know Mangold is best centre around) and the Colts are less skilled in the Oline - and Addai is not a comporable back to Greene or Tomlinson... It always grt to have 2 good RB's - keeping your RB fresh is a huge advantage - especially on long drives) -

My 2nd game - I had a great 7 and half minute drive - (almost took the entire 1st half - LOL!) - I found that following your blockers was intuitive and realistic - still getting use to the new controls (upper body and lower body movements via R3) - its too bad a practice session is not available - ity would great if we had the ability to lab some of the new features! - But not complaining - the 5 minute quarters is quite generous for a Demo - beats the hell out of 1 minute quarters like Madden 10 demo (although supposedly there was a code giving you longer quarters if you pre-ordered) - I asked the clerk at the Electronic Boutique (Game Stop in USA) about this code last year - and she looked at me like I had 3 heads! - I wish Canada had more support for football!!!

no i know what ur sayin lol i wasnt expecting a 100-yard game with addai lol plus it was only my first game so, im sure the running has improved as well, but yes what u said about follwing ur blocks being more realistic than last year is very very true

Yea runblocking is WAY better this year, Im afraid running the ball might be overpowered once people get it down, especially with a power back that can fall forward for 3yds every time someone hits him.

Cant wait for the game to come out so I can start shredding people online with AD

And its awesome that having a good O-line will actually mean something this year

for your benefit falconfan - here is the thread we started in this discussion 3 WEEKS BEORE THE GAME EVEN CAME OUT!

I hope you draft Oline lkike u did last year... u will be scrambling for trades and draftn Oline at rookie drafts for 2-3 rounds...

Oline is critical this year - get 20 games in and u will see.. talk to some1 like Bigmullet, DEN24 or dtigertron - guys that are RUN GUYS - they will tell u the importance!

GREENERRRR wrote:for your benefit falconfan - here is the thread we started in this discussion 3 WEEKS BEORE THE GAME EVEN CAME OUT!

I hope you draft Oline lkike u did last year... u will be scrambling for trades and draftn Oline at rookie drafts for 2-3 rounds...

Oline is critical this year - get 20 games in and u will see.. talk to some1 like Bigmullet, DEN24 or dtigertron - guys that are RUN GUYS - they will tell u the importance!

I HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT AND KICK MY ASS ON THE LINE SO WE CAN FINALLY GET SOME REALISTIC BLOCKING!! want that to be heard loud and clear

well i've done a lot of testing on all madden, and IMO it still doesn't matter because the blocking is static. explain why tebow is rated stronger than ray lewis? strength doesn't matter. there is no momentum in the game, so other ratings need to hold more weight.

unfortunately until they start using a physics based system animations are always going to control the outcome of 2 player interactions. ratings only seem to matter in certain categories again (dynamic ones), as i've concluded from my lab sessions. if you raise wr catch, the wr doesn't so much catch better...the db will simply get the 'losing animation' so the wr is allowed to catch the ball, or just not react at all.

if revis is covering a bad wr, you can make a perfect throw..only to have revis time-shift into position to morph through the bad wr and either swat the ball, or the wr will simply have an invisible force field hung above him and the pass will fall incomplete. thats as dynamic as madden can get using animation to script ratings and interactions between players.

now if i apply this same concept to offensive linemen, it seem's they have all been unplugged from the matrix. no matter how good or bad the player is i sub in, the ratings of the DE or DT govern the animation to occur. the better rated the DT or DE the more likely he will trigger a swim or spin animation and be in the backfield very soon, or suck up an average running back into a tackle animation.

the real curve ball to translating ea's run block programming lies in the hands of rb rating. a great madden back like cj will be far less likely to get suctioned into tackles when running through gaps or off tackle. or less rated back, that possesses even similar speed and agility like sproles or charles will get sucked into a tackle animation despite there being a running lane you could drive a bus through. the DT tackle rating for example was > than the running backs OVR rating and its going to be a long day trying to get through the line.

but again, those are just the resluts i've came up with from testing the computers ai. and if for some reason, blocking turns into a dynamic function in online franchise mode than i guess i'll be running a lot of shotgun lol.

**edit; i'm not disproving ea sports in admitting run and blocking has been broken in every year madden has came out. my point is they may have tweaked run block assignments buts again, speed and acc will create separation and animations will dictate the outcome. i hope i'm wrong, because we'd be one more step closer to realistic running. i read the blog too, and had high hopes...i still think ratings for oline is meaningless. this is what happened last year and you can still do it this year. its been stated nothing has been done to actually apply blocking ratings. and as i've seen for myself, nothing changed other than acceleration factored in.