Madden NFL 19 Patch 1.16 Available, Improvements to Defensive AI Play Calling, Cover 3 Logic & More - Patch Notes Here

Madden NFL 19 game update 1.16 has arrived, bringing with it improvements to the defensive AI play calling, cover 3 logic, Ice the Kicker improvements, the return of the Franchise player-lock camera, added play-a-friend to MUT Squads and much more.

Check out the patch notes below and let us know what you’re seeing.

Gameplay

• Additional Cover 3 logic
• Ice the Kicker improvements
• Defensive AI play calling update

Franchise

• Return of the Franchise Player-lock Camera

Madden Ultimate Team

• Added Play-a-Friend to MUT Squads via password matchmaking

• General stability improvements

• Re-implemented previous version of Franchise Player-lock Camera
  • DEV NOTE: Due to community feedback about difficulties seeing the backfield action as a defensive player with the MUT Squads camera, we have reverted back to the legacy player-lock camera that views the field from the defensive perspective for Franchise mode and player-lock.
• Addressed a save file crash
• Fixed an issue where some players were missing Career Stats data
• Addressed an issue where Supersim could become stuck after a CPU player timeout
• Addressed an issue with mouse selection not functioning throughout the Customize Your Season flow, after continuing from a Play Now game

• Updated defensive play call AI for CPU-controlled teams
  • DEV NOTE: AI-defensive play calling will now more closely match the tendencies each NFL team has shown over the course of the season up to this point.
• Addressed an issue causing defenders to sometimes line up offsides during no-huddle offense

• Increased fumble chance when hit with a Hit Stick tackle during a steerable spin ball carrier move – this applies to all Game Styles and difficulty levels
• Fixed an issue causing a fumble when the QB would break a sack during the throw animation – the ball will now be released and will result in an incomplete pass

• Added logic for Ice the Kicker so that when the kicker is iced by the opponent, the iced state will remain intact for the remainder of that drive
  • DEV NOTE: This is an improvement to the Ice the Kicker logic to prevent the offense from running a wasted play or calling a timeout of their own to remove the iced state and does so by simulating the assumption that continuing to run a kicker on and off the field multiple times before a critical kick would in and of itself put him in a pressure-kick state.
• Added logic for Field Goal blocks to prevent players from spamming the Off the Line mechanic on RT/R2 to achieve a perfect jump on the snap; mistiming the button press will result in an early jump animation, a stamina penalty to that player, and possibly an offsides penalty – this new logic applies to all Game Styles and difficulty levels

• Fixed an issue with Cover 3 Match where the outside third defender didn’t always convert to man coverage against certain vertical routes
• Added logic for Cover 3 Match to prevent the Hook-Curl defender from converting to man coverage on receivers running short crossing routes
• Added logic for Cover 3 Match for the Seam Flat defender to search for and quickly match routes going to the flats after the Hook-Curl defender avoids matching
• Added logic for the Seam Flat defender in Cover 3 to match wheel routes
• Tuned Cover 3 Match to speed up the reaction of the Hook-Curl defender when the #3 receiver to his side runs a route to the flat underneath two vertical routes
• Fixed an issue in Cover 4 Quarters to properly cover the inside-most receiver vs. Hail Mary Trio

• Addressed an issue that would sometimes cause an RB hot routed to pass block on play-action plays to run past the line of scrimmage before entering his pass block assignment

• Fixed an incorrect button prompt for the Open-field celebration mechanic in Skills Trainer

• Added the ability to play Squads vs. Friends
  • DEV NOTE: Squads Play-a-Friend is a new tile on the Squads hub. You first choose if you want to play in a 2v2 or 3v3 game. A team of two cannot match up against a team of three. Once you select the event, the party leader will be prompted to enter a password when they ready-up. Coordinate with your opponents and have them use the same password. Once you begin matchmaking, you will only match against another team using the same password.