Madden NFL 17 Update 1.03 for PS4 & Xbox One Fixes Issues

Reportedly a 4.8GB download on PlayStation 4 and a 368MB download on Xbox One, Madden NFL 17 update 1.03 is now live. As you can see in the patch notes compiled by Operation Sports and members of the development team, the update includes a fix for the run/pass tell glitch and more:

Pre-snap glitch where you could tell a pass/run by whether the receivers had a name listed or not

Fixed a bug with prematurely showed incoming rookie ratings in franchise mode

White against white jerseys appearing in Head to Head games

Freezing and fumble frequency during MUT Solos should be fixed

The Force Defender was tuned to lower effectiveness on outside runs

Blocker occasionally not blocking in the hurry up offense

Strip Tackle attempts by the CPU were reduced (Percentages were tuned in recent Gameplay Tuner)

A desync issue with Play Action passes where the QB would either lose passing icons or could not move has been fixed. This fix should also affect CPU QBs not scrambling.

Defenders will now slow down when their stamina is depleted

Released last week (our review), Madden NFL 17’s first week stats saw a 44% user and 36% CPU 3rd down conversion percentage (NFL average is 39%), while users scored 24 points per game and the CPU scored 15 points per game (NFL average is 22.4). Additionally, users had 2.1 sacks per game and the CPU had 1.35 sacks per game (NFL average is 2.25).

What do you think of this year’s Madden?

[Source: Operation Sports, Rex Dickson (Twitter 1, 2, 3, 4), Clint Oldenburg (Twitter)]

Essential Reading:

10 Game Mechanics That Need to Evolve (or Die)

10 Game Mechanics That Need to Evolve (or Die)
Tutorials

Recommendation: Banish them entirely. Use contextual in-game scenarios to showcase more complex tasks. Let players play! They'll figure it out or teach one another.
Item Pickups

Recommendation: Small, manageable inventories are great. Don't design quests and games that require the player to have 37 pinecones on hand just in case.
Fetch Quests

Recommendation: Provide a main quest that is so expansive and diverse it allows for organic tangents that feel important. Fetch quests are artificial bulk. Get rid of them. Invest the time in a main quest that satisfies for 40+ hours instead and my time will feel valued.
Inventory Systems

Recommendation: It doesn’t take a lot of effort to find creative ways for game worlds to make sense. In The Witcher 3's case, why not add an option for the banks in Novigrad to not only exchange currency, but allow you store items in safety deposit boxes?
Minimaps

Recommendation: Allow for maps in towns. Outside of that, no map, no icons, until you explore the area. Create a world that can help players find their way intuitively without a map using landmarks, signposts, and NPCs that can offer more than grunts and stock expressions.
Quicksave/Quickload

Recommendation: If games insist on traditional save/load mechanics, integrate it into the control scheme. Here’s a freebie, double-tap the touchpad to save, hold it to load. I’m positive that will lead to absolutely zero accidental saves...
Character Momentum

Recommendation: Just pay Naughty Dog for their player momentum algorithms and be done with it.
Fast Travel

Recommendation: All killer, no filler. Don’t make me backtrack unnecessarily. Use fast travel any time it keeps a player’s progress moving forward and avoid ever making a player move backward.
Weapon Types

Recommendation: Have fun with weapon types. If you must have an axe and a sword, make them play differently. Not just heavy swing vs light swing, let it impact the way a character is responded to, let it affect the way a character develops, etc. If your game can’t include explosive teddy bears, then do some research to find the medieval equivalent to one (there totally is one).
Dialog Options

Recommendation: Player choice will grow and become more complex as technology (and budgets) advance. But if a game cannot (or does not) provide the foundation for meaningful dialog options, don’t include it. It weakens your story and insults the player.