FOF2004 suggestion/request ?

[KevinM]

I have a suggestion/request to be considered for inclusion in the next version (5.0e ?) of FOF2004, and wondered if this is the right place to post it ?

Cheers,
Kevin.

[Yossarian]

keep us all in suspense why don't you...
:-p

[KevinM]

OK, I'll post it here...(cue big anti-climax now )

One of the things I like about the NFL.com site later in the season is their "Playoff Scenario" page, which I am sure you all know lists a series of "What if's" in regards to teams playoff pictures depending on theirs, and other teams, winning, losing or tieing games that week.

Before each NFL week starts I like to go through the whole scenario and see who it would be best for my team to have win, lose or tie and I think a page like this in FOF2004 would be nice to see.

It could be a line in one of the menus that is only activated once at least 1 team has a chance of making it to the playoffs depending on results that week.

For instance it could say:

NFC EAST

Philadelphia Eagles will clinch a playoff spot with a win
and a Dallas loss
and a Washington loss or tie

etc, etc. You get the picture.

Also, there could be a page listing the current status of all Playoff contenders, with their current seeds and playoff potential. For instance:

Say it is week 14, the page could read something like

NFC

#1 seed : Philadelphia (10-3)
#2 seed : Carolina (9-4)
#3 seed : Green Bay (9-4)

Wild Cards

New York (9-4)
Tampa Bay (8-5)
St. Louis (8-5)

In Wild Card Race

Dallas (8-5)
Minnesota (8-5)
Atlanta (7-6)
Seattle (7-6)
San Francisco (7-6)

Again, you get the picture, obviously constantly updated as each week's results come in.

I just think that not enough is made of the playoff scenarios, I always like to follow all the possible outcomes of the forthcoming weeks action.

I would also like to see in the standings page the current seeding next to the team name. I always find it a bit of a headache, especially when 3 or 4 teams have the same result, working out who will be seeded higher.

Yep, I know if I apply myself, I could work it out, but it would be nice just to see it listed somewhere.

Anyway, as I said at the beginning, probably a bit of an anti-climax, and maybe it is just me, but I would love to see the above included. I think it would be a nice addition to the excitement to the latter end of each season.

By the way....Bonus points to anyone who can guess my team

Cheers,
Kevin.

P.S. Be gentle with me, I'm new here

[hukarez]

Hmm...might as well toss my two cents in!

I wouldn't mind seeing some kind of 'special teams' acknowledgement under the 'single game' records for a team and all. Such as return yards, return yards for TDs. I had a special teams player recently return a kick off for a TD as opposed to settling for a touchback. I was hoping to see if he maybe set a team record or the like for the return, but couldn't find it anywhere!

In any case, one thing I wouldn't mind seeing (and it'll probably bloat the game's DB or something), is a 'Team Hall of Fame' of some sorts. Just a HOF for each team...but that'll probably end up taxing. Since most of my own team's players (despite outstanding careers) haven't shown up in the HOF, I'd like to take solace in the fact that they're at least in their own respective Team's HOF.

EDIT: In regards to "Special Teams" , would it be possible to incorporate tackles done for a special teams player? I noticed we have a 'Field Goals' for the record almanacs...but when it comes to the end of the season, and when I'm going to be re-signing depth to my roster...I'd like to know which of those second string/third string folks that I have deserve to remain a part of my team - and if they're impact players on special teams and the like. I'm not quite so sure what variables it would take to add to the code, and to display them for stand-out special teams players.

Then again, it probably wouldn't matter as much...seeing as for some reason, the AI still decisively puts my starting WR and RB as KR and PR - even though I'd much prefer a backup or third stringer handling those duties!

[Hurst2112]

The team HOF was something that has been requested since it was taken out. I wouldn't mind it back.

Still, I think the most sought after thing I am looking for is a records of bowl wins for each player. The information is there...sort of. If a QB won 4 bowls, I can spend some time and look to see what teams he played for and looked back at that teams standings (and bowl wins). It does take some time, but it is possible. It would be nice to take all that searching out of the picture and just have the total wins in the player's profile. This has been requested several times, but is something that Jim has chosen not to put in. (I understand that the difficulty to do this with the current engine kept him from going any further than talking about it.).

I do like Kevin's idea. I have learned that by looking at and studying the standings, I can get a pretty good idea of who is left. I don't get confused that many times as to why this team got in and my team didn't. Mostly because I am not as familiar with the new tie-breaking rules than I was with the old format. Kevin's idea would make it easier to understand and add a little more immersion to the game.

Rock on

[Bubba Wheels]

Here's what I'd like to see. On offense, something in between 'do it all yourself' or 'let the co-odinator do it all.' Maybe have the co-ordinator give you a 'short-list' of plays appropriate to the situation and allow you to pick from that. Cut through the minutia of having to know every formation/play/situation/team-tendancy or doing nothing at all.

Why not, defense too!

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Still, I think the most sought after thing I am looking for is a records of bowl wins for each player. The information is there...sort of. If a QB won 4 bowls, I can spend some time and look to see what teams he played for and looked back at that teams standings (and bowl wins). It does take some time, but it is possible. It would be nice to take all that searching out of the picture and just have the total wins in the player's profile. This has been requested several times, but is something that Jim has chosen not to put in. (I understand that the difficulty to do this with the current engine kept him from going any further than talking about it.).

Ahh. This would also fall into the category of an 'injury list' - more along the lines of the most severe ones. Always nice to know the 'history' of a free agent at the least, so that I know what I'm dealing with.

One little perk that I've really wanted to see - is a FG completion % for Kickers. More so along the lines of eye candy, I'm sure...guess I'm just used to seeing profiled kickers with percentage success rates!

[amdaily]

Originally Posted by hukarez

One little perk that I've really wanted to see - is a FG completion % for Kickers. More so along the lines of eye candy, I'm sure...guess I'm just used to seeing profiled kickers with percentage success rates!

I've wanted this since FOF1. No idea why it was never added.

[Hurst2112]

I forgot about the FG%. That would be high on my list. This should be a must have.

[AgPete]

Some coaching changes I'd like to see:

** Ability to edit coaches. (Give them real names, rankings, salary)

** More expanded coach duties. (Special teams coach, quarterback coach, etc.)

** Not being forced to start a career with coaches/scouts already in place.

Some ideas in Madden or OOTP I'd like to see in FOF:

** Playcallling option like OOTP has where a regular weekly sim will suddenly pause, take you to the game and let you coach at strategic moments. OOTP does this for benchmarks like 500 HR but I'd like to see it done for maybe 2 minute situations, going for it on 4th and other controversial stuff.

** Optional ability to insert player portraits in their stat profile

** Ability to change the amount of teams per conference or division and not stick with 32. I'd like to see FOF more friendly for historical NFl sims.

** More emphasis on physical attributes or football smart attributes.

Some real NFL changes I'd like to see:

** Practice Squads

** NFL Europe

** Enhanced training camp

** More detailed contract options

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by AgPete

** More expanded coach duties. (Special teams coach, quarterback coach, etc.)

This is where I wish I remembered what threads I had posted stuff in!

In regards to the Special Teams coach, I posted in a thread inquiring about the difference between the Offensive Coordinator and Defensive Coordinator's "Kicking" and "Punting" factors. Both were highlighted in red - for both Coordinators, and I had a problem figuring out which one of the two affected the kickers and punters.

Ugh! My memory's atrocious...

[sovereignstar]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

I forgot about the FG%. That would be high on my list. This should be a must have.

I remember bitching about this when playing FOF2.

[Franklinnoble]

I'd like to see more flexible league sizes and alignments, and the ability to expand.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I'd like to see more flexible league sizes and alignments, and the ability to expand.

Not quite so sure if that'd be a complicated segment of code to implement in FOF2004...though, I'm sure that sounds more like a wishlist for FOF2k5, no?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by hukarez

Not quite so sure if that'd be a complicated segment of code to implement in FOF2004...though, I'm sure that sounds more like a wishlist for FOF2k5, no?

Everythng in this thread looks like version 6.0, not 5.0e, imho.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Everythng in this thread looks like version 6.0, not 5.0e, imho.

Guess the title of the thread threw me off then!

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar

I remember bitching about this when playing FOF2.

You sick of using the windows calculator too?

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

You sick of using the windows calculator too?

:o I thought I was the only one...! Still. More glitz, I'm sure...but I'd very much more appreciate seeing a percentage when going about choosing kickers and stuff. Such as, 39 of 42 is a bit more desirable to me than say, 32 out of 38.

[T-Storm]

I'd second the wish for special-teams records beeing tracked (I'd also like the special teams numbers to be part of the team statistics windows for the year and awards for the best special teamer).
But I'd abolutely kill to have some stats about kickoffs:
as it is, kickers are rated for their kickoff ability, but there is no quick look evidence, to see how he performs. I'd like some sort of avg. kickoff length and touchback statistic added for kickers.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by T-Storm

I'd second the wish for special-teams records beeing tracked (I'd also like the special teams numbers to be part of the team statistics windows for the year and awards for the best special teamer).
But I'd abolutely kill to have some stats about kickoffs:
as it is, kickers are rated for their kickoff ability, but there is no quick look evidence, to see how he performs. I'd like some sort of avg. kickoff length and touchback statistic added for kickers.

It records how long all the kickoffs are, so this wouldnt seem to be too hard of an addition. Then again, I know nothing about programming