Substitution Tactics in Madden Ultimate Team

The overall enjoyment of online head to head play seems to fade away as your team's OVR rating rises above 90.  I think one of the main reasons for this may be that some of the more advanced players that have become successful in Madden Ultimate Team are able to build an elite team.  An advanced player can probably be listed under two categories.  There the skilled players and then there are players that may not be as skillfull but still have a knowledge of certain Madden programming defects that help aide their successes.

I try to keep my team between 80-85 OVR rating.  This helps level the playing field to some degree.  Lately, I've noticed some teams pausing the game to auto reset their depth-chart.  In the online head to head match-up screen before a game, some teams will appear to have the same OVR as your team.  But, some teams may also have some superstars on their roster that are not listed in the starting lineup.  These players won't be included in a team's OVR rating but that doesn't mean they won't be participating in the game.

The online match-up screen does have a way to allow you to preview your opponents depth chart before the game but this feature hasn't been very stable, on PS3 at least.  If the depth chart preview is used too much or is pulled up at an inopportune time, Madden has been known to freeze up.  Lately, it seems to be working better but EA hasn't confirmed whether or not it has been fixed. 

The depth chart preview feature isn't always reliable and sooner or later you'll have to face an opponent who will either pause the game to reorder the depth chart or they will do something that is less conspicuous and sub in their superstars between plays.  Until EA is able to find a way to address these hidden roster tactics, my new philosophy will be "if you can't beat them, join them".

Resolution
To be more successful in Madden Ultimate Team, I would recommend keeping some superstars at a few positions on your roster.  If your opponent pauses at the beginning of the game use this opportunity to auto-reorder the roster.  You can't stop your opponent from doing the same thing so might as well do it yourself.  I would also recommend familiarizing yourself with the Madden substitution user interface and start subbing in superstars between plays.  Everybody else does it so you might as well start doing the same. 

On offense, I have a pretty strong offensive line except at the Center and Right Guard positions.  Before a play, I'll choose a formation and sub in my superstar C and RG.  On defense, I use an all silver defensive line in my starting lineup and a couple medium value outside linebackers.  In between plays, I'll choose a formation and then sub in my top-notch defensive ends and linebackers.  On the next play, the same substitutions will remain if I'm using the same formation.

When playing Madden Ultimate Team always remember to first watch out for your own interests, because others will be watching out for theirs.

Madden NFL 12

Football Playbook Designer

Have you ever found a Madden NFL Football write-up on the internet and gotten a bit overwhelmed by all of the changes needed in order for the play to be run effectively?  Some users go into practice mode and "lab" these write-ups for several hours until they get everything down.  I imagine most users, like myself, either don't have the time to lab or might lose interest in labbing after a while. 

To help speed up my learning process I have attempted to mark hot routes from the write-up to a playbook image and then I would refer to it during the Online game.  This works pretty well but it takes a lot of time to edit each playbook image.  Instead of drawing up plays I came up with a Greasemonkey script which allows you to drag and drop hot routes onto a playbook image. 

This script will currently run on the http://www.primamadden.com/free-preview website. (This site hosts all of the team playbooks for Madden NFL 12). 

How to use:
1.  Go to an offensive playbook page and then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. 
2.  Here you will find buttons for each hot route that is available on Madden NFL Football.  Also, included are some "player motion" graphs and slide protect images.
3.  Click on a button and then the hot route image will appear on the page. 
4.  Drag the hot route over the old route in the playbook formation image.

Now you can have a visual representation of your write-ups.

Download Madden NFL 12 Playbook Designer.

Madden NFL 12

Madden Ultimate Team Tips

Buy Gold Packs
Buying gold packs (not premium gold packs) seems to give you best bang for your coins.  Buy a gold pack (6,ooo coins), look through the pack and determine which cards you want to keep for your team and collect the cards you need for your collections.  Post the rest of the cards to the auction block for 10,000 bid and 10,000 buy now.  For best results, set your auctions to expire after 1 or 2 hours during peak times.

By default, the buy now value is 30,000 coins for gold cards.  When a buyer sees 10,000 BIN (buy now) they will be more apt to buy your card.  You can also discard cards that are not part of a collection and get back 750 coins.  So essentially, you can get back at least 2/3 the amount of coins you used to purchase a gold pack through discards and selling popular cards on the auction block.

Also, do some research on cards that you are posting to the auction. Do an auction search for your card. If the search comes up with more than 100 you will have a more difficult time selling the card then say a card that comes back with less than 30 in the list.

Legend Pack Strategy
Another way to earn coins is to buy a legend pack.  If you are lucky enough to get a Gale Sayers, Barry Sanders, or Jerry Rice in a pack you can put it up on the auction block for about 100,000 coins.  You can probably build your entire team off of the sale of a Dan Marino, for example.

Free Coins
In the Madden NFL 12 menu, sign up for fantasy football with NFL.com and then log your team into Madden NFL 12 and you will get 3,000 coins.

Madden NFL 12

Madden Ultimate Team Coach Boost Tips

In this year's Madden Ultimate Team, a majority of the coaches have positive and negative boosts which seem to make quite a difference on how your team performs.  I might be wrong about this but a coach's overall rating does not seem to make that much of an impact like it did in previous years.  Right now I'm using Raheem Morris because of his +3 zone coverage.  His negative boost is -3 Pass Block Footwork.  I have seen my pass blocking take a bit of a hit but I could always build my offensive line to compensate.

Two other coaches that caught my eye were Marvin Lewis (+3 press, -3 Play Action) and Lovie Smith (+3 Pursuit, -3 Throw on the run).  I would think one could easily build an offensive scheme without the use of the Play Action pass and it's not too difficult to pass the ball while staying in the pocket.

Power Running
If you like to run the ball I would recommend Mike Smith (+3 Run Block Strength, -3 Power Moves).  You'll get good gains with your running back but the drawback to this coach is that you won't get very much pressure on the quarterback while on defense.  Mike Munchak of the Titans has the same boosts (+3 Run Block Strength, -3 Power Moves).  Bill Belicheck (+3 Run Block Strength, -3 block shedding) is another coach that will help your running game.  Jason Garrett (+3 trucking, -3 zone coverage) will also give you a boost in trucking.

Deep Throwing
Coaches with deep throw accuracy seem to help quite a bit as well.  Some coaches with deep throw accuracy are Sean Payton (+3 deep throw accuracy, -3 tackling), Mike McCarthy (+3 deep throw accuracy, -3 power moves), and Norv Turner (+3 deep throw accuracy, -3 play recognition).  Tackling and play recognition seem to be pretty important so if you like to throw the ball far go with Mike McCarthy.

Defensive Pressure
If you are looking for more defensive pressure these coaches provide power move boosts: Rex Ryan (+3 power moves, -3 elusiveness), Tom Coughlin (+3 power moves, -3 elusiveness), Jim Schwartz (+3 power moves, -3 run block strength).

Medium and Short Throw Accuracy
Steve Spagnuolo (+3 medium throw accuracy, -3 catching) and Pete Carroll (+3 medium throw accuracy, -3 man coverage) will help boost medium throw accuracy.  Though, I don't understand how having Steve Spagnuolo as a coach would be a good idea because if your QB is throwing the ball accurate it won't make much difference if your receivers have trouble catching the ball.

Good short throw accuracy coaches are Pat Shurmur (+3 short throw accuracy, -3 play recognition) and Chan Gailey (+3 short throw accuracy, -3 tackle).

Coaches without boosts
For some reason these coaches don't have any boosts on the back of their card: Jim Harbaugh, Tony Sparano, Gary Kubiak, and Jack Del Rio.

Reward Coaches
Perhaps the most popular reward coach is Texans Core reward, Gary Kubiak.  This card comes with a +5 speed boost.  Completing the Patriots Core collection rewards you with a Bill Belicheck (or N.E. Coach) +5 morale card.

Madden NFL 12

XBOX 360/PS3 Button Converter

Almost all Madden NFL 12 write-ups that you will find on the internet will be done using XBOX 360 button control usage.  Even the Split Backs Pro write-up I recently wrote for the West Coast playbook, was done with XBOX 360 button control usage.  I purposely did this to showcase a new Greasemonkey script that I wrote for PS3 users. 

This script will translate XBOX 360 button chracters to PS3 button images on almost any website.  I say almost any website because I've filtered the script to only run on sites that contain the word "Madden" and the following capital letters: X, A, Y, and B.

Another neat feature that I've added to the script is when you click on the PS3 button image it will toggle back to the XBOX button character variation for you.  Also, this change will be saved so when you return to the website you won't need to make the change again.  This toggle feature is especially helpful in situations when you don't want a character to be converted.  One example of this might be when you have LB (for linebacker) in a sentence.  The script might read this as the LB button on XBOX but you can fix the mistake by clicking on the PS3 button and the script will remember that change.

Download XBOX 360/PS3 Button Converter

Madden NFL 12

West Coast Playbook: Split Backs Pro Write-up

Here's a mini writeup of the split backs pro formation in the West Coast playbook.  I use the Dual HB package but the normal package might be diserable if you want better run blocking at the FB position.

 

Texas
Vs. Zone
1.  Hot route X and B WRs to out routes depending on what side of the field you are on.
2.  Hot route Y (FB) to left.

Look for any of the hot routed recievers to be open.

Vs. Man

1.  Hot route X WR to drag.

FB will be open for potential long gain.  B Reciever in curl should also be open.



SS Pressure

Vs. Zone

1.  Hot route X and B WRs to out routes depending on what side of the field you are on.

Wide recievers will be open.  The A reciever will also be open.  Warning, try to avoid throwing to the HB running the blue route.  A defender in a hook route is likely to intercept the ball.

Vs. Man

1.  Hot route X reciever to drag.

After the ball is snapped, scramble back slightly with the QB to try to draw in the LB who will be guarding the HB running the blue route.  The HB should be open for a big gain.



HB Draw

Vs. Zone

This play can result in some big gains especially if you are running against a 3-4 defense.  You can even motion the Y back to the right of the screen to help draw one of the defenders from the middle of the field. Sometimes you can also have the HB cut back to the left side to get past the front line.  He should be able to run for a while.

Vs. Man

This play will also give you good gains against man defense.



PA Slide
Vs. Zone & Man
The Tight End (A) is almost always open for a long gain unless the defense uses a purple zone.  Most defensive plays don't have purple zones by default, though.  Against man the HB will be open for a quick pass.



Off Tackle

Vs. Man

I tend to get better results with this play in Man defenses.  Motion Y back to the right.



Curl Combo

Vs. Man

Any of the wideouts running curl routes should be open.  I've learned that timing is important.  If you throw too late the X and B WRs will miss the ball start running toward the line of scrimmage for some reason.  This could result in an interception.  Be careful with this play.



Backs Cross
Vs. Man

The HB should be open.  The FB might be open depending on personell.  The X reciever will also be open.  I'm not sure if it's me or the team I use but drags this year don't seem to be as effective as they were last year. I might start changing drags to IN-routes and see if these work better in getting separation from the defender.

Madden NFL 12

How to view your opponent's record

In Madden NFL 12 you can no longer see your opponent's win loss record in the online head to head matchup screen.  You can still check your opponent's record after a game, however, by going to your Player Hub at easports.com.  If you are on XBOX go to http://www.easports.com/player-hub/360/[GAMERTAG].  On PS3, go to http://www.easports.com/player-hub/PS3/[GAMERTAG].  On this page, scroll down to the bottom and view the Recent Activity section.  Here, you will find your opponent's gamertag.  Copy this down and paste it in the URL in the area and then go to their Player Hub.  On their Player Hub, click on the LEADERBOARDS tab button.  Your opponent's, rank, skill, level, wins, and losses should be listed.

Admittedly, this takes quite a bit of work to go through so many steps to gather this data.  Instead of doing all this, I decided to write a Greasemonkey script that shows this data on your own Player Hub page.  Now with this script, you can go to your Player Hub page and scroll down to the Recent Activity section and you will see your opponent's win-loss record under each result.

Unfortunately, the recent Activity section will only show completed games.  If your opponent quits before the game has finished the game results won't appear in this section.  You can still obtain your opponent's gamertag, however, by having the game results emailed to you.  Or, you can also view game results by going to the Leaderboard screen on your (XBOX or PS3) console.  In my script, I have also included a Gamertag Record Search box at the top of the Player Hub page so a player's win loss record can be obtained through a search as well.

Now with this Gamertag Record Search box you could essentially lookup an opponent's record while you are in the online head to head matchup screen if you really wanted to.  This is assuming that you have a computer or laptop at your fingertips while you are on your XBOX or PS3 console, of course.

To use the script, follow these 3 steps
1. Download Firefox.
2. Install Greasemonkey extension.
3. After installing Greasemonkey, install Madden NFL 12 View Opponent Record.

Madden NFL 12

How to flip a run without a QB gesture

When flipping the direction of a running play with the R-stick, the quarterback makes a gesture to his team.  This might give your opponent an idea that it might be a running play that's going to be reversed in the other direction.  One way to flip the run without the quarterback gesturing is to bring up your audible menu and then quickly hit the cancel button.  Afterwards, you can flip the run without giving it away to your opponent.

Additional Running Tips
I think it was last year (Madden 11) when the default settings for auto sprint and auto strafe were turned on by default.  This year, I decided to turn these off.  With auto sprint turned off, I have seen a huge improvement in my running game.  Lately, I've been able to rush for 100 yards or more most of the time.  I've also seen improvements in kickoff returns as well.  Take control of your running.  Turn off auto sprint.

Madden NFL 12