gibs can you explain what you were talking about in one of the mad den episodes about the visual aid. i got confused once you started saying it was confusing and i couldnt find anythin in the forums explaining it.

You can turn off the strategy pad so it doesn't appear when you hot route. It is still the same system but it doesn't require you to press a direction on the d-pad to turn it on. It's always on. Usually you have to press up, then up to get to hot routes.. well you can just press up and you are already at hot routes.

so you dont need that extra button press to activate the strategy pad. but the trade off is you have to have the pad memorized b/c you can not see it?

That is correct. Honestly it's the best way to go...because you WILL subconsciously FORCE yourself to remember it. It's really not hard anyways.

Right activates backers
Left activates DL
Up activates Coverage
Down activates the player you are controlling

and from there the stick auds are majority the same as past maddens, except for contains, flat and purple zones...

yeah i hear what you are saying. zan, will you be goin back to the old way after the patch? i mean if u get the pad down and disable it so you dont have that extra button press then its pretty much the same once you get it down right

I'll consider it...because the d-pad, at times, isn't as responsive as I would like...

Im not sure yet either im starting to get used to it

i'll pop madden back in once the patch is released. i did attempt to learn the strat pad, but i am a creature of habit and things didn't turn out too well.