I have the game and can answer some questions ...

The animation catch is totally different from the strafe catch. Strafe catch will get positioning but the animation will is totally different. I am curious what the answer will be from EA.

SHOPMASTER!

EA! I know, removed strafing from the offense to eliminate "animation catching" aka rocket catch and that juiced up spectacular catch.... EA has forced use to rely on animation catches every year and since their is no strafing on offense, it will just be harder to trigger those animation catches this year, but there still in the game. Strafing was removed from offense to eliminate players from using these as go to moves and EA's solution to toning them down, I guess. The down side to this is that they have hurt the ability to "user catch" in the game, now! their is no way to guide your receiver... what I mean by this is, now instead of being able to strafe to turn around to meet the ball, you have to circle around with your receiver, aka u-turn with the analog stick... "very frustrating". The majority of the time when trying to "user catch" with the receiver, its easy to get out of position since you can't strafe... thous your better off letting the cpu catch 4 u, maybe this is what EA wanted to do to level the playing Field online this year. To me, not having strafe on offense would be like not having it on defense. Imagine! that would be a nightmare... always having to run when trying to "user control" the defender to get into position and not being able to strafe, it would be "so easy" to over pursue or to be out of position. The point I'm trying to make is... this is the way I feel, when trying to "user catch" on offense... always! "out of position".

How do you feel about the removal of strafe on offense.

The running game this year is "sick" the best its ever been... by far... which is a good thing, since a lot of players might not like the removal of "strafing" on offense and will be running the ball.

Actually, animation catching is done without strafing. You just drop back press up and bullet pass and the WR will jump up and get it. Strafe catch takes skill, animation doesn't. NO disrespect, but the question was actually for SHOPMASTER to answer.

BAKNAFEK88 wrote:

The animation catch is totally different from the strafe catch. Strafe catch will get positioning but the animation will is totally different. I am curious what the answer will be from EA.

BAKNAFEK88, thx's man! Finally someone understands "what" i'm talking about. Without "strafing" on offense... its so easy to get the receiver out of "position" when trying to "user catch". Have you ever tried to "user catch" a pass and didn't "strafe" and over ran the route... well, if not, then you will experience this with madden 09.... its like they wanted to tone down "user catch" ability in the passing this year.

No problem BRO, we are on the same level. I know exactly what you mean. I always user catch. That's what makes the game fun.

BAKNAFEK88 wrote:

No problem BRO, we are on the same level. I know exactly what you mean. I always user catch. That's what makes the game fun.

Finally! another player speaks... that "user catches" and doesn't rely on the cpu to do it for him.

Whats Good Shop. Thanks For Joining The Site. Also It Seems Like You Are A Very Helpful Man. Take It Easy !!! R3V 1t UP

BAKNAFEK88 wrote:

It has been said that strafe catching is outta the game. Is that true?

It's out in All-Pro and in All-Madden.

SuprmnxXx wrote:

SHOPMASTER!

EA! I know, removed strafing from the offense to eliminate "animation catching" aka rocket catch and that juiced up spectacular catch.... EA has forced use to rely on animation catches every year and since their is no strafing on offense, it will just be harder to trigger those animation catches this year, but there still in the game. Strafing was removed from offense to eliminate players from using these as go to moves and EA's solution to toning them down, I guess. The down side to this is that they have hurt the ability to "user catch" in the game, now! their is no way to guide your receiver... what I mean by this is, now instead of being able to strafe to turn around to meet the ball, you have to circle around with your receiver, aka u-turn with the analog stick... "very frustrating". The majority of the time when trying to "user catch" with the receiver, its easy to get out of position since you can't strafe... thous your better off letting the cpu catch 4 u, maybe this is what EA wanted to do to level the playing Field online this year. To me, not having strafe on offense would be like not having it on defense. Imagine! that would be a nightmare... always having to run when trying to "user control" the defender to get into position and not being able to strafe, it would be "so easy" to over pursue or to be out of position. The point I'm trying to make is... this is the way I feel, when trying to "user catch" on offense... always! "out of position".

How do you feel about the removal of strafe on offense.

The running game this year is "sick" the best its ever been... by far... which is a good thing, since a lot of players might not like the removal of "strafing" on offense and will be running the ball.

I disagree with this. Strafe catching is the result of bad playcalling and allows people to get out of 3rd and long situations that they wouldn't have been in if they played football. You say that it forces people to let the cpu catch for you, totally disagree again. If you throw the ball on time, read defenses, then you will hit your WR in stride not let him run as far as he can and then just strafe him up in front of the defender. Letting the cpu catch for you is an excuse, don't let it define you brother ... lol. You say it's frustrating because you are not throwing it right, I felt it was fustrating knowing I played good defense and I know that on 3rd my opponent was going to Rocket Catch for a first down, how frustrating is that. If your WR has to make a u-turn and run around to catch the ball it means you ran further than your QB can throw and I suggest you throw sooner or actually throw routes to hit your man in stride.

Just my opinion on that matter.

i never strafe catched but thats just becase i didn't understand how good it was.

how are the deep balls? In the demo i can barely execute a deep pass over 30 yards.

BAKNAFEK88 wrote:

The animation catch is totally different from the strafe catch. Strafe catch will get positioning but the animation will is totally different. I am curious what the answer will be from EA.

I guess your talking about Spectacular Catch. I haven't seen it yet, I'm about to go into practice mode and see if I can trigger it with Moss. From talking to the developers it's not nearly as automatic or even occur on a regular basis, but I'm sure someone will find a way to trigger it all the time. Hopefully not though.

Shopmaster wrote:

BAKNAFEK88 wrote:

The animation catch is totally different from the strafe catch. Strafe catch will get positioning but the animation will is totally different. I am curious what the answer will be from EA.

I guess your talking about Spectacular Catch. I haven't seen it yet, I'm about to go into practice mode and see if I can trigger it with Moss. From talking to the developers it's not nearly as automatic or even occur on a regular basis, but I'm sure someone will find a way to trigger it all the time. Hopefully not though.

ya they toned it down with he spectacular catch

Thanks for the answer and clarity good brother. Please let us know what results you come up with.

hey guys this thread is purely to ask shopmaster questions. and to let SHOPMASTER answer those questions. i know those of you who are answering things ther than shopmaster are just trying to help, but i know personally that i want my answers from someone who hs th game, not people who have heard things bout the game.

aother question i have is, what do you thin the main strategy from good players this year will be,will they focus more on running or passing? i guess what i am asking is can you pick up good enough yards on the ground and is the defensive gameplay good enough to play with a team like the jags with 0 wr's but with a great running game and defense and still compete? or would it be better to play with a team more like the colts or bengals or browns who have good passing games?

Shopmaster wrote:

SuprmnxXx wrote:

SHOPMASTER!

EA! I know, removed strafing from the offense to eliminate "animation catching" aka rocket catch and that juiced up spectacular catch.... EA has forced use to rely on animation catches every year and since their is no strafing on offense, it will just be harder to trigger those animation catches this year, but there still in the game. Strafing was removed from offense to eliminate players from using these as go to moves and EA's solution to toning them down, I guess. The down side to this is that they have hurt the ability to "user catch" in the game, now! their is no way to guide your receiver... what I mean by this is, now instead of being able to strafe to turn around to meet the ball, you have to circle around with your receiver, aka u-turn with the analog stick... "very frustrating". The majority of the time when trying to "user catch" with the receiver, its easy to get out of position since you can't strafe... thous your better off letting the cpu catch 4 u, maybe this is what EA wanted to do to level the playing Field online this year. To me, not having strafe on offense would be like not having it on defense. Imagine! that would be a nightmare... always having to run when trying to "user control" the defender to get into position and not being able to strafe, it would be "so easy" to over pursue or to be out of position. The point I'm trying to make is... this is the way I feel, when trying to "user catch" on offense... always! "out of position".

How do you feel about the removal of strafe on offense.

The running game this year is "sick" the best its ever been... by far... which is a good thing, since a lot of players might not like the removal of "strafing" on offense and will be running the ball.

I disagree with this. Strafe catching is the result of bad playcalling and allows people to get out of 3rd and long situations that they wouldn't have been in if they played football. You say that it forces people to let the cpu catch for you, totally disagree again. If you throw the ball on time, read defenses, then you will hit your WR in stride not let him run as far as he can and then just strafe him up in front of the defender. Letting the cpu catch for you is an excuse, don't let it define you brother ... lol. You say it's frustrating because you are not throwing it right, I felt it was fustrating knowing I played good defense and I know that on 3rd my opponent was going to Rocket Catch for a first down, how frustrating is that. If your WR has to make a u-turn and run around to catch the ball it means you ran further than your QB can throw and I suggest you throw sooner or actually throw routes to hit your man in stride.

Just my opinion on that matter.

Yeah! definitely matter of opinion.

"User catching" is a skill... not from bad play calling, Bro! ... but "user catching" does help... when you do have your play well defended and everyone has experienced that a time or two... like EA said, if its in the game its in the game and they "strafe" on both side of the ball in the NFL. Yes! their are times you have to "route pass" to a receiver in the game... like on a quick slants, when you have to bullet pass... there's no time to "user" over to catch with the receiver cause you throw the route off. Anyway! enough about that and bad play calling... strafing! is needed to "user catch" on offense as it is needed to "user defend" on defense. Madden 09 still has the "rocket catch" and the "spectacular catch" and thats what players used last year, to get out of those 3rd downs you were talking about... it happened to everybody. I said in my previous post EA removed "strafing" to tone down... "Animation catching" I didn't say... I agreed with this. I feel that animation catching and user catching are different... "user catch" is a skill and "animation catch" is something we'll see alot more of this year... "locked animation catching" this is were your receiver goes in to a locked animation to make a catch. Me! I would rather "user catch" as alot of the elite players here do at "Madden-School" and around the world for that matter.

Anyway! Its all a matter of opinion and preference, I guess.

I'm a "gamer" first and when I see a flaw... I don't mind saying so... I feel the removal of strafing, which will be back next year " mark my words"... is taking "User control" out of the players hands this year. A lot of EA bots will just praise the game as "usual" this year... but here at "Madden-School" we don't do that, we give our "honest" opinions of the game.

Anyway! Shopmaster its been great getting your views and opinions on the game... Your a legend in the madden community and its a honor having you at the site

Thx's Super!

Shopmaster wrote:

SuprmnxXx wrote:

SHOPMASTER!

EA! I know, removed strafing from the offense to eliminate "animation catching" aka rocket catch and that juiced up spectacular catch.... EA has forced use to rely on animation catches every year and since their is no strafing on offense, it will just be harder to trigger those animation catches this year, but there still in the game. Strafing was removed from offense to eliminate players from using these as go to moves and EA's solution to toning them down, I guess. The down side to this is that they have hurt the ability to "user catch" in the game, now! their is no way to guide your receiver... what I mean by this is, now instead of being able to strafe to turn around to meet the ball, you have to circle around with your receiver, aka u-turn with the analog stick... "very frustrating". The majority of the time when trying to "user catch" with the receiver, its easy to get out of position since you can't strafe... thous your better off letting the cpu catch 4 u, maybe this is what EA wanted to do to level the playing Field online this year. To me, not having strafe on offense would be like not having it on defense. Imagine! that would be a nightmare... always having to run when trying to "user control" the defender to get into position and not being able to strafe, it would be "so easy" to over pursue or to be out of position. The point I'm trying to make is... this is the way I feel, when trying to "user catch" on offense... always! "out of position".

How do you feel about the removal of strafe on offense.

The running game this year is "sick" the best its ever been... by far... which is a good thing, since a lot of players might not like the removal of "strafing" on offense and will be running the ball.

I disagree with this. Strafe catching is the result of bad playcalling and allows people to get out of 3rd and long situations that they wouldn't have been in if they played football. You say that it forces people to let the cpu catch for you, totally disagree again. If you throw the ball on time, read defenses, then you will hit your WR in stride not let him run as far as he can and then just strafe him up in front of the defender. Letting the cpu catch for you is an excuse, don't let it define you brother ... lol. You say it's frustrating because you are not throwing it right, I felt it was fustrating knowing I played good defense and I know that on 3rd my opponent was going to Rocket Catch for a first down, how frustrating is that. If your WR has to make a u-turn and run around to catch the ball it means you ran further than your QB can throw and I suggest you throw sooner or actually throw routes to hit your man in stride.

Just my opinion on that matter.

I love the way u put this shop...this is exactly how i feel...i u throw a bad pass u shouldnt need to user catch aand u should throw a better pass call the right play and not jus hot route a fade route on every Play...PLAY FOOTBALL is all im saying and it isnt that easy in real likfe to jus hope infront of a defender...i have perfect position to justintercept and out of nowhere i get picked lol by the wr...anyways well put shopmaster.