jase12881

I can tell you how to do it, but not how to do it well. You press the left stick down...just down, and then let it back up and press the right stick down....let it back up...left stick. Basically it's just down on each joystick alternating (you actually don't have to wait for them to go back up). Getting fast at it seems really hard. I've seen people online claim they got sub 4.2 times (in Madden 08, but it's basically the same), but they never said whether it was superstar mode or with a certain superstar. Running it with faster players seems to make it easier. With the Lions in Mini game mode I ran under 4.1, but in probably 30+ tries in superstar mode, the best I ever got was 4.38 with a qb and 4.41 with a running back. I eventually gave up and just created the superstar how I wanted them as a rookie on a team and then just asked to get traded right away.

Actually, I don't sim every season, just the first one. I like to have a team that I made a difference to playing. Sure, I could play with the default roster, but that feels like playing 16 "Play Now" games to me. Also, as I'm not very good at the game, i have a hard time finding a difficulty level that let's me play a balanced game. Generally either I either crush the computer (which hasn't happened in 09 yet because I'm still getting used to the controls) or the computer absolutely blows me out. I guess I need to mess with the different sliders and difficulty settings until I find something that's competitive. Of course, considering I play as the Lions, maybe every team SHOULD blow me out. Oh, and also...looking back...It appears a couple players did gain a little. Stanton actually went up 3 points....but Kevin Smith didn't go up at all (not even a single stat) in spite of the fact that he rushed for 900+ yards (I think he was at 990) and winning rookie of the year. Calvin Johnson didn't improve at all (of course he starts at an overrated 91. Pretty good for a kid who hasn't made much of an impact at the NFL level yet.) Jordan Dizon, Gosder Cherilus...neither of them improved a single stat. I guess maybe I should have the rookies doing the training drills. Additionally...this is new to me...but it was in 08. Has anyone gotten a good 40 time for their superstar in superstar mode? Lots of people can apparently do it in the mini games mode (I actually got a 4.08 in minigames mode with the Lions on all madden), but in superstar mode it seems a lot harder...the best I got was 4.41 which gave my (supposedly scat) running back 92 speed. I've resorted to just creating the player how I want him as a rookie and just playing it that way, but it doesn't have the same feel.

Just a quick question.... I'm completely new to Madden on the 360. I played it a lot for ps2, but I just got a 360 last month. I haven't played franchise mode extensively. I did try one year with the Lions and simmed the first year (for me the first season starts when I've done my offseason thing and I have the team I put together a bit...plus the team sucks right now). Now when simming, I didn't do any of the training exercises between weeks. Not a single player ever improved at all. Is this the way it's supposed to be? are the training exercises mandatory? and has anyone else had this problem? I mean every single player on my team was exactly the same rating for the 2009-2010 season as they were for the 2008-2009 season. If anyone can offer any advice (or let me know that i just got a freak season), I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

I believe both Gamespot and IGN's reviews of the game said the changing difficulty thing was inherently flawed (possibly to the point of being broken) in their reviews. IGN gave it an 8.8 and Gamespot gave it an 8.0.

So I watched the Packers/Bengals preseason last night. Only the starters though. I found myself conflicted. On one hand I want Aaron Rodgers to be a good QB because I feel for him having the whole Brett Favre thing going on during his first starting season and because it would kind of stick it to Favre a bit (which I am always up for), but on the other hand I had to keep reminding myself that they're the Packers and if they struggle for a while that's a team my Lions might actually beat that they get to play twice a year, and I hate the Packers. For the record, in the brief glimpses I saw of the Bengals starting offense and defense, they were awful. Tackling was just pathetic, the offensive line wasn't getting much of a push, and the receivers kept dropping balls. Hopefully they can get into a rhythm once the season starts (or before). The Packers looked better overall, although their offensive line (and running backs) seemed to have a hard time stopping the Bengals pash rush at times. Rodgers looked pretty sharp with his lone interception not being his fault. Of course, being that I'm a Lions fan living in Pittsburgh (and thus secondarily root for the Steelers), I should want both teams to struggle.

I gave up on LCS when I realized that Tony (Toni?) isn't voiced by Michael Madsen anymore in the game. (ok, actually it just wasn't a comparable gta experience to other games on PS2 and I don't have a PSP). Boo to the voice change. I still play GTA online quite a bit (360). Mostly I just play free mode though and grab the phantom and try to screw with people.

I think I reply everytime. But now I actually have a 360 so I'm not just dreaming about games that I could maybe get once I bought a system. Xbox360: Fable 2, Mercenaries 2, Madden 2009, NHL 09, SvR2009, possibly Gears of War 2 (haven't played Gears of War yet), and Saints Row 2 PC: Spore In most cases I will be renting the games instead of buying. Games that are really good will be bought. In some cases I'll be reviewing the game before I bother to even rent it...but yeah, I love games but I'm cheap. Especially since I'm currently unemployed (for about a month now). Obviously Spore will be dependent on reviews since I can't rent. I'm sure there's others.

Well shit, I guess I'm not getting it. I'd wait to see an impartial review before I make a decision. Anyone who talks about ESPN 2k5 like it was the best football game ever made loses a lot of credibility in my book. The presentation was pretty cool in 2k5, but other than that, it was nothing special. No doubt Madden 09 will have issues, but presentation isn't the number one thing I look for in a football game. It IS part of the package, but gameplay is more important to me. EDIT: Or yeah..maybe sarcasm I don't do sarcasm though.

Well my hope for Brett Favre's Madden curse (that he would get hit by a bus) just became much more likely with him playing in New York (or technically New Jersey). Seriously though, that's a big coup for the Jets. Favre may end up being a distraction for the Jets, but he's also a huge upgrade for them. Just don't expect him to play much longer than this year. As a Lions fan, I'm just happy to have him out of the NFC North (hopefully forever). Now a new QB can carve my team's defense up like a turkey twice a year. A while back I was looking at one of the football stats databases (the exact site escapes me at the moment) and I realized that the Lions have not won both games against Green Bay in any year since Brett Favre took over as their QB. Not a single time. In fact, there was only something like 3-4 seasons where they managed to steal ONE of the games. Granted, the Lions have sucked forever, but that's still some impressive dominance by Favre's Packers, and pretty much the entire reason why I could never ever like Brett Favre.

I always kind of assumed that the reason the NCAA games didn't have player names was because they would have to pay every player for their likeness as there is no player's association like in the NFL. Totally an assumption though. But I doubt they can "officially" give out the "named" rosters. More likely they created them and then leaked them.

I, for one, actually like the new controls. They take a little bit to get used to, but they have a nice feel to them...I also like hotspots generally. The idea that only certain submissions moves should lead to victory is already in the newest one...only struggle submissions made you submit. The problem with this (other than a stupid SS system) is that they chose poorly as far as moves for this. Boston Crab = Submission....Ankle Lock = No submission. I agree with most of the rest of your post though. I also think that voiceovers aren't really necessary for the game, at least not with the time frame they have. While they do add a nice degree of realism (which is why if they ever change to a longer development cycle I wouldn't mind having voiceovers) but I think it takes up too much time/data space that could be used on a better career mode. Some of the new stuff they're working on sounds cool in theory though...create-a-move...new tag system...but stuff that sounds good in theory has a way of not working out so well in practice as of late.

You know, looking back at the predictions made in this thread throughout the playoffs, and then seeing everyone pick Detroit...I'm very worried now. If Detroit is the favorite in this forum, that pretty much means they have no chance apparently. Also I think a lot of you are severely underestimating the Pens. The Wings might pull it off, but I see Pittsburgh as the favorite. Also, although Datsyuk and Zetterberg are fantastic, and probably better defensive forwards than Crosby/Malkin...Pittsburgh's duo is more talented overall, and still do a great job of playing two-way hockey. That said, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are miles better than anyone else on the Pens, including Hossa. As someone who follows both teams, I'd rank the top 5 forwards in this series like this: 1. Crosby 2. Malkin 3. Zetterberg 4. Datsyuk 5. Hossa Defensively I do think Detroit is a lot better, but Sergei Gonchar will be the second best defenseman on the ice...and Pittsburgh plays a very strong game defensively as well. They're nothing to sneeze at Pittsburgh has tremendous depth though, and I think when the top line is off the ice, Detroit loses the other matchups. The real question though is HOW will Detroit possibly stop Laraque? (Actually someone asked that very question on one of the other boards I was reading...they actually listed players they felt Detroit didn't have an answer for and Laraque was one of them...much to my amusement)

Ranked.... 1. Mercenaries 2 2. Spore 3. Fable 2 I wasn't excited about Fable 2 until I started reading some of the previews. Same with Spore. Mercs 2 I've been following since nearly the beginning and it's shaping up nicely from what I've seen so far. Too bad they've delayed it at least once already.

As someone who has closely followed both teams, I can tell you that Pittsburgh is much better than a lot of people picking Detroit think they are. They're a tough defensive team and their forwards are unmatched in the league in terms of talent. That said, I also believe a lot of people here in Pittsburgh are underestimating the Wings a bit. While the first line has been carrying them lately, they're deeper than a lot of people here think. Even as a Detroit fan though, I can see them fighting hard, but it's Pittsburgh's series to lose.

Well, I've been rooting for the Pens to win the East throughout the season and playoffs. With that said, it's time for me to turn against them as they play my Red Wings. I don't care -that- much who wins this series, just as long as it's a good series...preferrably 7 games. I'm in the enviable (or unenviable) position of having my favorite team and second favorite team playing in the finals, so either way it will be bittersweet. Less bitter and more sweet if the Wings win (although I'll be disliked here in Pittsburgh if that's the case), and More bitter, less sweet if the Pens win. But either way, what I really want is a spectacular display of hockey that will go 7 games. I'm really hoping this is the best finals in a long time.

Great or even good games is somewhat subjective. For example, I thought Freedom Fighters was way overrated (at least according to the reviews it got from Gamespot). On the other hand, I enjoyed Legacy of Kain: Defiance and Secret Weapons over Normandy which both got lukewarm (or worse) reviews. That said, here's a couple games I enjoyed (enough to buy, and i'm extremely cheap). Godfather Mercenaries Yeah, they may seem like cheap GTA knockoffs, but Godfather has some great gun physics, the ability to evolve the way your character looks as you get money, and a fun little hand-to-hand system. Mercenaries on the other hand, adds the twist of being able to call in airstrikes, and blow things up. The best part about it is that with enough firepower you can blow up anything in the game (except trees and landscape for some reason). MSG series Hitman Series MSG series is an obvious one and all the games in the series are a blast. I really enjoyed MSG3 though. Hitman series is really only for you if you enjoy being patient and maybe even doing some trial and error on your way to solving an objective. I really enjoy it though. Psi-Ops Second Sight Two games that are really about having mind powers. They both came out around the same time, and they're both fun in their own way. Second sight is the more stealth/cover type game while Psi-Ops is more run-and-gun. Also Psi-Ops is on the gorier side for a ps2 game, while Second Sight is rated T. Another game that I found surprisingly fun, although I didn't buy it is 007: Everything or Nothing. For a Bond game (which other than Goldeneye on N64 have traditionally been shit) it's pretty good. Hand-to-Hand is kind of fun, and I liked trying to beat any level I could without firing a single shot (all hand-to-hand) Another game that I liked, although some might not is Def Jam: Fight for NYC . I went into it expecting it to be really stupid (I only rented it because I could get it for like a dollar being that it was an older game). However, I was very pleasantly surprised. It might not be as deep move-wise as a traditional fighter like a Tekken or Mortal Kombat, but it's a lot of fun. Again, I don't know if any of these are -great- games, but they're all games that I thoroughly enjoyed. And even though I've beaten almost all of them, I still play all of them on a regular basis.

I live in Brookline. Sweet, going to school or what? Nah...my girlfriend (whom I met when she was going to school in Michigan) is from this area (Beaver actually), and she got a job here after she graduated, so we moved to Pittsburgh together. As far as Colorado goes....I thought putting in Budaj was what Colorado needed to do to get back into the swing of things. As it turns out, I was wrong. Theodore gave up 3 goals in this game. Budaj gave up 5. Not that they were necessarily his fault, but I don't think I was right. And I have to say, the one thing that I liked about what Colorado did at the end of this game is that they kept playing to the end. They didn't try to act like goons, or start fights, they just played like a team with a lot of pride who's had a tough go of it (Lots of injuries). They were fighting to get the puck, and it almost seemed (with the way they played) like the game was actually close. Now, I've hated the Avalanche since 1996, but I respect their no-quit attitude in this series, even when the going got tough. Hopefully now the Sharks can stretch out that series and wear out Dallas some.

I live in Brookline.

Whew. I thought for sure the Wings were gonna blow that and let the Avs tie the game up. A couple lucky breaks (and a potentially gamechanging non-call when Forsberg was tripped) and the Wings manage to hold em off. I think if it ends up being Dallas vs Detroit in the Western Conference finals though, Dallas will find a way to take it. They just seem to be almost unstoppable. The Wings can't afford to look past the Avs quite yet though. If any team can come back from an 0-3 deficit against Detroit, it's the Avs. If Detroit doesn't win the cup (and recent history says they won't), I'd like to see the Penguins take it. Not because of their talent or anything else like that, but because I currently live in Pittsburgh (and thus I support their teams secondarily after Detroit/Michigan teams). GO REDWINGS! (and go pens.)

Hopefully the Madden curse will cause him to get hit by a bus (in Green Bay haha). But seriously, I think the reason they're using Favre on the cover is that this is the 20th anniversary of Madden, and so they wanted to go with an old guy. Why they didn't use Madden himself, I have no idea.

As a Tigers fan, I have to say...I can't watch baseball anymore. It pisses me off too damned much.

I don't think there's a link to it from his front page (I'm at work so I can't check...work blocks all game sites), but here's the address for the download for the latest Wrestling Mpire game (see bottom of this post). It still costs money ($16.99), but you can download the trial for three tries for free. Should at least provide a couple hours of entertainment...assuming it works for you and you don't waste the trial. I know I had fun with the trial. Most of the improvements (in my opinion) have to do with career mode...especially with creative control, so downloading the demo version won't give you as good an idea of the game as downloading the trial. The actual control feels a bit sluggish by comparison to Wrestling Encore, but you can up the speed with f1-f3 or f4 (I can't remember which). Also, you will want to use a computer gamepad (or ps3 controller) if you can. Oh, and be careful not to <escape> your way out of the game, or you'll waste your attempt. http://www.mdickie.com/gam_wm2008ce.htm

Valid point, MSNBC probably just caught on because of his (former?) association with Hilary Clinton, considering the timing.