Make pass accuracy attributes matter: implement a throw meter
If you play MLB the show you know what I'm talking about, but every throw requires you to hold the throw button down as a meter shows up and you have to let go of the throw button in the middle of the meter. Better players and easier difficulties will have a larger "good zone", where you must hit to get am accurate throw. There us also a "medium zone" where the throw is somewhat accurate but the throw is off target. If you really miss there is a "bad zone" where the throw will generally be out of reach. Certain throws also have a "perfect zone" within the good zone that produces a throw that us absolutely on the money.
In madden, a throw meter could be used to both add user skill to making a perfect throw in a tough position, and to give meaning to every accuracy point from 0-99 removing accuracy thresholds. The more difficult a throw is, the smaller the perfect and good zones will be so whether you make or miss a throw will be entirely up to you.
If you're throwing 5 yards away in a clean pocket with drew brees, the perfect zone will be pretty easy to hit and you can easily hit your man perfectly in stride. It will still be possible to make a 40 yard throw under pressure with Vick, but you better hope that you time the meter perfectly or that the WR is wide open because a small miss on the meter will land you in the medium or bad throw some where if coverage is tight the pass will be more likely to be picked or fall incomplete than completed.
A few issues I can think of with a throw meter are getting it to not take too long, possible lag, player buy-in, and bullet/touch passes with the meter. I would answer these issues with the following. The meter would have to be fast to run during a QB's throw motion, but that's not a bad thing since the meter needs to be fast or else it would be too easy. Lag is a concern, but mlb the show avoids this pretty well abd their servers are usually worse than EA's. The throw meter could be optional in madden like it is in MLB, but typically anyone that can operate it half decently will be better off with the meter than relying on RNG. The meter may make it impossible to hold down the pass button or two it for a touch pass, but it shouldn't be too difficult to do that.
TLDR: a throw meter would make QB accuracy matter, decrease RNG, add skill to the game, and make the game more realistic. Sounds like a W all around to me.
If you play MLB the show you know what I'm talking about, but every throw requires you to hold the throw button down as a meter shows up and you have to let go of the throw button in the middle of the meter. Better players and easier difficulties will have a larger "good zone", where you must hit to get am accurate throw. There us also a "medium zone" where the throw is somewhat accurate but the throw is off target. If you really miss there is a "bad zone" where the throw will generally be out of reach. Certain throws also have a "perfect zone" within the good zone that produces a throw that us absolutely on the money.
In madden, a throw meter could be used to both add user skill to making a perfect throw in a tough position, and to give meaning to every accuracy point from 0-99 removing accuracy thresholds. The more difficult a throw is, the smaller the perfect and good zones will be so whether you make or miss a throw will be entirely up to you.
If you're throwing 5 yards away in a clean pocket with drew brees, the perfect zone will be pretty easy to hit and you can easily hit your man perfectly in stride. It will still be possible to make a 40 yard throw under pressure with Vick, but you better hope that you time the meter perfectly or that the WR is wide open because a small miss on the meter will land you in the medium or bad throw some where if coverage is tight the pass will be more likely to be picked or fall incomplete than completed.
A few issues I can think of with a throw meter are getting it to not take too long, possible lag, player buy-in, and bullet/touch passes with the meter. I would answer these issues with the following. The meter would have to be fast to run during a QB's throw motion, but that's not a bad thing since the meter needs to be fast or else it would be too easy. Lag is a concern, but mlb the show avoids this pretty well abd their servers are usually worse than EA's. The throw meter could be optional in madden like it is in MLB, but typically anyone that can operate it half decently will be better off with the meter than relying on RNG. The meter may make it impossible to hold down the pass button or two it for a touch pass, but it shouldn't be too difficult to do that.
TLDR: a throw meter would make QB accuracy matter, decrease RNG, add skill to the game, and make the game more realistic. Sounds like a W all around to me.
Anyone have thoughts about this?