Hey, Maximum Football fans! Luke here with a brand new look behind the curtain at what the team is working on in Maximum Football.
It’s been about a month since we released Maximum Football on PlayStation 5 and we’ve seen new teams created, new MPL records set, and a ton of new faces join our community. Thanks so much for the support and feedback you’ve shown through this first month of 1.0 and welcome to our first Dev Blog following our launch. Let’s dive into what the team has been working on.
What We’re Working On
Brand New Offensive Playcalling System
We are making CPU playcalling more dynamic by improving how the AI evaluates and selects plays.
Previously, the CPU playcalling system was condition-based and this would often lead to rigid and repetitive playcalling. Our new system introduces new logic for the CPU to make more intelligent playcalls. Here’s what will be added:
- Feature-Based Scoring: Each play is evaluated using a combination of pre-defined metrics such as expected yards yield, execution complexity and more.
- Context-Aware Play Selection: Plays are dynamically selected based on the current game situation, making the CPU smarter with calls at the end-of-half and end-of-game.
- Strategic Flexibility: The system adapts dynamically to different game situations.
- Better Play Selection: AI-drive scoring ensures optimal play choice under different scenarios.
Updated Locomotion
We’ve been steadily tuning player locomotion throughout the year, and there’s more on the way. Our goal is to make movement on the field feel smoother, more natural, and more responsive—whether you’re sprinting into the open field or cutting on a dime.
First, we’ve added new animations that trigger at different movement speeds as well as implemented smoother, more natural transitions between speeds. You will notice a player’s limbs increasingly speed up and their gait stretch as they increase their speed.
Secondly, we’ve added a smoother transition between idling and moving in various directions. You can see this most clearly in screen plays. Before this update, the receiver would pause momentarily after the catch before beginning his movement. After the update, the receiver can immediately begin moving upfield.
Continued Blocking Improvements
Blocking has been a big focus for us leading up to 1.0, and we’ve already rolled out several improvements that helped shore up the run game and special teams. But we know there’s more work to do—especially when it comes to protecting the quarterback.
The big focus of this update is making sure the offensive line “maintains the wall” in pass protection, establishing the pocket without leaving gaps that defenders can exploit. Prior to this update, you’d see lineman chasing their assignments even if they weren’t a threat to the quarterback. Now, lineman will be much more focused on assessing and taking care of threats in front of them.
The offensive line also has more awareness around where the quarterback is moving. They will prioritize pushing defenders away from where the quarterback is in the pocket.
Looking Ahead
Franchise Mode
Work on Franchise Mode is well underway as we prepare to launch it later this year. We know that everyone is excited for this next step in building their ultimate football universe, and we are excited to bring you the full details of it ahead of launch. But we know you are fiending for information now, so here’s a sneak peek at a couple of features that will be available.
- Expanded Coaching: Each team’s coaching will consist of a head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator with each coach bringing their own stats and ratings to the team to help improve them.
- New Staff Roles: Franchises aren’t just successful because of their on-field staff; other support roles are crucial to making sure a team operates at optimal capacity. So, Franchise mode will also include a scout staff that handles evaluating talent, a marketing firm responsible for sponsorships and drawing fans, and an accounting staff that manages your organization’s budgets.
- Importable Draft Class from Dynasty: You will be able to export graduating classes of players from Dynasty mode to use as incoming draft classes in Franchise mode. A player’s incoming rating and potential will be based off of their performance at the previous level.
There is still plenty more information to share about Franchise mode as we get closer to its release later this year.
Mailbag: Your Questions, Answered
When can we expect plays like RPOs, option runs, and draw plays to be added to the game?
We are working on option plays in general but there are still some animations which we need to process for them. Right now, the most likely schedule for it is together with the Franchise update later this year.
Are there any plans to add the ability to upload logos directly to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S?
We understand that uploading custom logos is a big part of building your custom football universe. However, there are some platform limitations for uploading directly to console. We have some features on the way that will make it easier to find logos you may be looking for, such as searchable logos, team and roster sharing, and database filtering. Additionally, we are considering creative solutions in the future to help console players further bridge this divide.
Is the team going to be adding a hurdle button to the game?
Hurdles are definitely on our roadmap, but right now the team is focusing on other features and tweaks for gameplay, including getting the previously mentioned option plays ready, looking into playbook variety, and just polishing core gameplay in many small ways (from blocking to catching in certain situations to AI behaviors). We don’t yet have an ETA for a hurdle button.