PING: MizzouRah - Your ESPN settings?

[hukarez]

Mizzou,

I'm getting inundated with the posts over at OS - can't quite keep up. I did recall seeing your post about tweaking around some sliders. Have you finalized yours yet in terms of quarter length? I think 10 minutes is a bit too much for me, and I'm getting seriously worked.

How about your other settings?

[MizzouRah]

I'm thinking 9 mins is about perfect, but 10 has worked in the past, I'm just getting used to my plays and that's what makes the game faster for me.

Try 9 mins.


Penalties all the way turned up, except for clipping, turned off.


Todd

[hukarez]

I don't suppose you have the game on 'Fast' or 'Normal', do you? I left those things at default. Well, save for the Multiple Hot Routes. I need those for sure..

[LionsFan10]

Mizzou, I think I know a good dynasty you can write up. How about ESPN, and while you're doing it you can keep people like hukarez up to date on any slider setting changes and what-not, a fantastic idea indeed!

[MizzouRah]

Mizzou, I think I know a good dynasty you can write up. How about ESPN, and while you're doing it you can keep people like hukarez up to date on any slider setting changes and what-not, a fantastic idea indeed!
I just might do that. This game is so much fun! I'd like to see what the Rams can do.

Although it's hard writing a dynasty through a console game.



Todd

[LionsFan10]

I just might do that. This game is so much fun! I'd like to see what the Rams can do.

Although it's hard writing a dynasty through a console game.



Todd

That's true, but I believe it's been done in the past. Besides the cut & paste ability it really isn't all that different from a "sim" like FOF, it's not like there's any graphics in sim games. Either way I've always enjoyed your dynastys and was just tossin' out some ideas. :)

[MizzouRah]

That's true, but I believe it's been done in the past. Besides the cut & paste ability it really isn't all that different from a "sim" like FOF, it's not like there's any graphics in sim games. Either way I've always enjoyed your dynastys and was just tossin' out some ideas. :)
Yeah, you're right. It's just so hard to really get a good one going without losing interest.. and finding the time to type all the data in.


Todd

[hukarez]

I'm actually tempted to try out XBox Live just for the heck of it. Though, I still have an Action Replay for when the roster updates are given...thank goodness OS has a Forum for roster updates and stuff.

Still, was messing around with the stuff GrantDawg posted in the other thread - about the weekly prep thing. I'm still trying to get used to the gameplay again - it's been awhile since I've played a console football game. I'm getting seriously worked.

I've been using Heelfan's sliders on OS so far - if I were to max things out, I think I'd end up getting obliterated. Then again, I'm playing SD...so that probably has quite a bit to do with it. Amusement purposes, of course. :p

One thing's for sure though...this game's got some veiny armed players...

[hukarez]

I'm thinking 9 mins is about perfect, but 10 has worked in the past, I'm just getting used to my plays and that's what makes the game faster for me.

Try 9 mins.


Penalties all the way turned up, except for clipping, turned off.


Todd
9 minutes sounds ideal. I take my time playing these games out, for sure. What quarter length times are you using for the CPU simulated ones? Default of 5? I might have asked this question in the other thread, but how about Game Speed? Normal or Fast?

[MizzouRah]

Give me some time to check out a few other sites. I really haven't had the time to check out sim stats or anything like that. I use normal game speed, I have a hard enough time looking for my recievers. :)


Todd

[hukarez]

Give me some time to check out a few other sites. I really haven't had the time to check out sim stats or anything like that. I use normal game speed, I have a hard enough time looking for my recievers. :)


Todd
You and me both! Clearly, I've got some major rust with my console gaming skills. I checked out your other thread; in regards to alternative methods for the trade A.I.

I suppose I can live without pre-season, but I've grown quite fond of the weekly prep thing. But just to clarify in regards to your settings:

You're starting from the All-Pro and customizing those sliders accordingly? I don't suppose you're using Heelfan's versions from OS? In any case, I think I'll just be flat out obliterated if I turn up all the penalties. Still, if it'll improve more 'False Start' calls and the like, I'll give it a go ahead.

[MizzouRah]

I'm still on AP defaults, but all penalties turned up full, EXCEPT for clipping, which I have set to full left.

You can do the weekly prep thing after the trade deadline in week 8, so you'll have 8 more weeks to do your prep - which are the most important weeks anyhow.


Todd

[hukarez]

Saw a thread on the OS site, in regards to the whole Trade AI bit. He's apparently suggesting shutting off the 'trading block' entirely throughout the game, and something along the lines of checking the other team's trading blocks (if you have it enabled) to see if there are any superstar players there.

Needless to say, it sounds like a whole lot of work for a workaround.

[MizzouRah]

Saw a thread on the OS site, in regards to the whole Trade AI bit. He's apparently suggesting shutting off the 'trading block' entirely throughout the game, and something along the lines of checking the other team's trading blocks (if you have it enabled) to see if there are any superstar players there.

Needless to say, it sounds like a whole lot of work for a workaround.
I agree.. I give props for people who try to make a game playable, but ack.. too much work for me.

I think FOFC members have been spoiled by FOF. If I had a gaming company, I would hire Jim. Could you imagine FOF with ESPN's graphics and presentation? Football bliss.........


Todd

[MizzouRah]

ESPN QRG: http://www.espnvideogames.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25734 (http://www.espnvideogames.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25734)

Excellent quick reference guide for ESPN football.


Todd

[MizzouRah]

ESPN QRG: http://www.espnvideogames.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25734 (http://www.espnvideogames.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25734)

Excellent quick reference guide for ESPN football.


Todd

Hehe.. I quoted myself!

Print these out on one page and they are really a BIG help for ESPN.


Todd

[MizzouRah]

Here are the slider settings I am going to try out, straight from Bill Harris at: http://dubiousquality.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Bill for these!


Quarter length for played games should correspond to whatever gives you 110-120 plays a game (I use seven or eight minutes). Oh, and it appears that setting simulated games to use 6 minute quarters will produce the best Simulated stats). Sliders are on a 1-40 scale, with 1 being min and 40 being max, and there are tick marks every 8 places on the slider scale (I stuck to increments of 8 to make them easier to adjust). I use the same setting for both CPU and Human.

Blocking 40
Passing 40
Running 40
Catching 40
Coverage 0
Pursuit 8
Tackling 8
Kicking 0
Fatigue 20
Injury 20
Fumbles 32
Interceptions 0

We didn't test the Fatigue or Injury settings. Fatigue is another project in itself, and some of those are already underway by people who will do it better than I can.

Now if you look at these settings and think that I've eliminated drops by maxing out catching, for example, that's not how they work. The min/max for the slider isn't an absolute--it's a relative influence, and the max/min influences do not produce absolute results.

For Penalties, all sliders are maxed except clipping, roughing the kicker, and ineligible man downfield, which should be set to 32.

That's it. I've played several excellent games with these, and I hope your experience is the same.

[GrantDawg]

How'd he get a 0 for kicking? At default, the computer has missed more than half its field goals and I've seen 4 miss extra points.

[Eaglesfan27]

The 0 for coverage looks odd to me. I assume that would decrease the ability of corners and other defenders to cover receivers. Why do that? I'm finding that the bad corners already get lit up and the good ones do a fairly good job of covering.

[GrantDawg]

The 0 for coverage looks odd to me. I assume that would decrease the ability of corners and other defenders to cover receivers. Why do that? I'm finding that the bad corners already get lit up and the good ones do a fairly good job of covering.
These look almost exactly like the slidres I'm trying on Coach mode (except the kick thing). Right now with 8's on the computer defense, I can't create a running game to average over 2 yards a carry, or a QB to complete 40% of his passes. Way to many tipped passes even with an 8 on coverage. I guess I will end up trying these sliders exactly (again except kicking) and see what happens.

[hukarez]

What are your kicking sliders at, by chance?

[GrantDawg]

What are your kicking sliders at, by chance?
I would guess about 32 (my wife and daughter are playing Harry Potter right now or I'd check).

[MizzouRah]

I haven't really played many games with these sliders, but just try them out and see what you think. Like Jistic, Bill does a very good job with sliders.


Todd

Edit: Default AP was working ok for me, but I'm giving these a shot as well as trying out legend default - which someone said worked great.

[hukarez]

I would guess about 32 (my wife and daughter are playing Harry Potter right now or I'd check).
Hmmm...I wonder if those settings would solve those unbelieveable kickoffs by CPU kickers... haven't gotten around to trying them out yet, as I'm stuck at work. Arg!

[Maple Leafs]

I may try those sliders out. I'm having these problems with ESPN:

- Too many interceptions (both me and the CPU -- roughly 3 or 4 each per game)
- Not enough completions (too many drops, too many picks, everything batted down)
- YPC of about 3.0 (Not bad, but I want it around 4.0)

I've got my INT slider all the way at the bottom and have started nudging up passing, blocking and catching. These sliders are more extreme than I'd planned on, but they may be worth a try. You can only have so many 14-7 games where all the TDs come on INT returns.

(By the way, I still suck at kicking. Is it me, or will the ball always go slightly to the right of wherever you get the arrow to point?)

[cwilloughby]

Like everyone else, I was initially scared off by the extremes used in bill's sliders. After a few unsuccesful games using other sliders, however, I tried them and am very happy with the results.

A few thoughts...

1. I didn't see a huge change in kicking ability. As the raiders, I still got 1 or 2 touchbacks with Janikowski per game, and I 54 yeard field goal wide, but it had the distance. It seems that lowering this mostly affects the speed of the horizontal arrow as it sweeps. It may also affect the amount of leverage the wind has on a kick.

2. The running game seems more realistic. A lot of short carries, a few medium (7-15), and like 1 big run (60+).

3. I set the fatigue level at 5 and sub out at 65 because I like to see bench players get some time (especially for CPU teams).

4. The CPU's completion percentage seems to be closer to normal.

5. Interceptions seemed to only happen when they should. (There were about 2 per game).

I'm thinking of starting my franchise with these asap.

[Eaglesfan27]

After playing a few games in my dynasty and some exhibition games, I'm agreeing with the idea that even guys with bad hands are making too many interceptions. I'm going to try changing the interceptions to 0 as it in these sliders :)

[MizzouRah]

Like everyone else, I was initially scared off by the extremes used in bill's sliders. After a few unsuccesful games using other sliders, however, I tried them and am very happy with the results.

A few thoughts...

1. I didn't see a huge change in kicking ability. As the raiders, I still got 1 or 2 touchbacks with Janikowski per game, and I 54 yeard field goal wide, but it had the distance. It seems that lowering this mostly affects the speed of the horizontal arrow as it sweeps. It may also affect the amount of leverage the wind has on a kick.

2. The running game seems more realistic. A lot of short carries, a few medium (7-15), and like 1 big run (60+).

3. I set the fatigue level at 5 and sub out at 65 because I like to see bench players get some time (especially for CPU teams).

4. The CPU's completion percentage seems to be closer to normal.

5. Interceptions seemed to only happen when they should. (There were about 2 per game).

I'm thinking of starting my franchise with these asap.
Excellent! When I get back from vacation, I'm trying his sliders out as well.

Thanks for the fatigue help as well.


Todd

[Maple Leafs]

I tried the settings above... not bad. A definite improvement. I think they may be a little too extreme -- this time I won 45-14 with over 200 yards rushing. Now that was against a terrible Giants team so who knows. I'll keep trying and let you know.

[MizzouRah]

I tried the settings above... not bad. A definite improvement. I think they may be a little too extreme -- this time I won 45-14 with over 200 yards rushing. Now that was against a terrible Giants team so who knows. I'll keep trying and let you know.
Keep the feeback coming, I'll be via dialup starting tomorrow night.


Todd

[Maple Leafs]

One thing I'm noticing (not exactly slider related, but I'll throw it out there): I seem to have a lot more success with the running game in the second half.

It could be coincidence, and it could be that I'm just rusty early in games. But I'm wondering if anyone else is seeing this. Because it sure feels like sticking to a run game early, even when it's not working, can wear out a defense later in the game.

Which would be pretty cool, if I'm not imagining it.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've noticed my running game is better in the 2nd half as well, and I tend to break off my few big runs in the 2nd half.

[Maple Leafs]

A further update: I like these sliders. I think they work about as well as could be expected. In about four or five games with them I've seen passing games get better, fewer INTs (but still a few each game) and a generally more realistic running game. There still seem to be too many big plays, but I've also had some nice 14-play drives which I almost never saw in Madden. I'm playing about .500 with these sliders, which considering the skill on my team (49ers) is probably about right.

I've wound up nudging the Human sliders down a few notches, but otherwise these are pretty much bang-on.

[MizzouRah]

Another OS find.

Apparently if you max out the injury sliders for both human and CPU, you can turn preseason and weekly prep on and trades will be few and far between, only ones people are seeing now (1-2 per year) are non-superstar trades.

Also, the injuries are still normal even with them maxed out. I'm going to try this out tonight.


Todd

[Philliesfan980]

Another OS find.

Apparently if you max out the injury sliders for both human and CPU, you can turn preseason and weekly prep on and trades will be few and far between, only ones people are seeing now (1-2 per year) are non-superstar trades.

Also, the injuries are still normal even with them maxed out. I'm going to try this out tonight.


Todd


Cool, as always let us know.

[hukarez]

This is sounding very good to my ears. Now, to sort through all those sliders....