Field Goal Suggestion for Solecismic

[beargrowlz]

Suggestion: Add a new field goal setting for end of game when leading by more than 7 points. Conversely, prevent kickers from kicking field goals when a team is in a clock draining offense.

I prefer the former and dislike the latter - but would probably live with it - because someone might be in a clock draining offense with a 1 or a 4 point lead (not sure how the game determines what "one score is") and might want to try a 53 yarder to make it 4 or 8 and because it reduces the player's decision making.

Here's what prompted my suggestion:

After experiencing my difficulties last week with a field goal kicker refusing to try a game tying field goal well within his range with 4 seconds left in the game, I thought my conflict with kicker quota was full for life, or at least more than a week.

Glad to see Solecismic addressed that in this month's Q&A.

This week's living with kickers episode is a kicker who insists on kicking a field goal even though we're in clock draining offense.

I have my kicker's distances set to 52/59. We're driving along in clock draining offense up by 10 with 2 minutes left. Because I've got the kicker's distance set to 59 at the end of the half, he tries a 55 yarder and misses, giving my opponent outstanding field position. Now I really can't be too miffed about this because the kicker did do exactly what I set him to do, kick one inside 59 yards late in the game.

A setting on the Offensive Adjustments chart - if the next iteration of the game even has one - such as suggested above would allow my kicker to kick a game winning/tying field goal in the last seconds, but also prevent him from doing so when the points aren't really needed and the result of a miss would be more harmful than the points would help.

[MIJB#19]

On the flipside of that coin, it would be nice to have the reverse happen in overtime, making the kicker attempt longer kicks than under 'normal' circumstances. I remember one occassion where my kicker wasn't called on to attempt a 46-yarder with 7:35 left to play (EDIT: In overtime, of course). Instead we punted from the 29 and to my annoyance lost on the ensueing drive.

To add to that, it would be nice to return the ability to control 4th down going for it decission making like with FOF2004. Now, we're unable o differenciate 4th and 1 from a 4th and 10 situation. Between the opponent's 35-yard line and the end zone, if I have more confidence in my offense than my kicker, I want to be able to go for it on 4th and short, but still have the kicker called on 4th and long. Now, all I can do is set a go for it percentage based on the score and rough distance from the end zone, but independant on whether it's 4th and short or 4th and long.