Ben E Lou
12-31-2009, 02:17 AM
NOTE: Please state your issue succinctly. It would help tons if you'd *not* use this thread to discuss what others have posted, but just to report. I'll compile the issues from time to time and delete posts when I've done that. This isn't the place to report installation problems. Head to the stickied FAQ first, then the "I'm having trouble" post next for help with installation.
IN-GAME LOGIC
AI-recommended game plans are throwing significantly shortly and therefore causing too many high-catch RBs.
44 seconds left in the game, down by 4, no timeouts left, on 4th down a FG is kicked.4-8-CIN42 (4Q: 00:44) Adrian Kestner attempted a 59 yard field goal and succeeded. Cincinnati 21, Oakland 20
AI punts from 33-yard line with 50 yards is FG distance. Additional details on the field goal settings and not kicking, here are three examples from recent IHOF seasons (2022 and 2021), team in possession my own, with a top5 scouted kicker:
Normal FG setting at 47
weather: 42 degrees, rain, 9 mph wind
score tied 0-0
4-6-ALB30 (1Q: 01:25) J.R. Copeland punted 30 yards. Touchback.
Normal FG setting at 47
weather: 49 degrees, fair, 7 mph wind.
score tied: 7-7
4-10-FRE29 (1Q: 02:34) J.R. Copeland punted 29 yards. Touchback.
Normal FG setting at 47
weather: 45 degrees, fair, calm.
score: leading 37-7
4-11-GOT30 (3Q: 00:23) J.R. Copeland punted 30 yards. Touchback.
Suggest that the percentage for ALWAYS GO FOR on 4th down be increased for any situation at any time in the game. Not just when your trailing in the 4th qtr.
If its 1st,2nd,3rd qtr Im on a teams 1 yard line or anywhere inside the 10 I want to go for it on 4th down. I'd rather get the TD then kick a FG being that close
Substitutions are off, as in players not in the depth chart and only active for STs are getting snaps. This has always happened, but the new substitutions on nickel and dime are making it worse.
Examples:
In the old version I would have an RB that was only active for STs and not in the depth chart at all get carries. Now I'm having the same problem with a ST LB that is getting SLB snaps in the nickel while the backup SLB rides the bench.
[edit, consolidating arguments below]
Additional info:
ST LB got 7, 8 and 12 snaps on defense in the last 3 games. My backup SLB took 16, 7, and 9 snaps on defense in the same lapse. My backup's endurance is 31/45. The ST LB's endurance is 7.
Bear argues that this is not a bug, but the endurance check stops with the last guy. I counter that if that's the way it's supposed to work, I can easily "cheat" my way around it by placing my low-endurance ST LB at backup in the depth chart so all the sub snaps fall to the real backup (now not in the depth chart). This would be similar to the situation where a low-endurance RB would get more carries as a backup.
Again, this is all conjecture. But I will try the workaround on Monday and see if it works. {MORE INFO ADDED} Adding to the post about substitutions, I switched the ST LB and the real backup SLB in the depth chart to see if the reason the ST LB got so many snaps was the lack of endurance of the backup. Results: the ST LB got 17 snaps (remember, his endurance is 7), the real backup SLB got only 2.
In conclusion, endurance is not related to the issue and I definitely feel this is a bug I would like to see addressed.
Fullbacks, even top-tier endurance ones, not rushing nearly up to 25% of the time when 25% is checked. For details, see post #3 in this thread.
Seems there is also a problem with the settings for Finesse Running Percentage.
I set the value to 100(%) for ALL formations and ran a test game. Result were five trap/draw/counterplays from a total of 34 run plays by RBs. And although I also use the 25(%) setting for FB runs, there was only one run by a FB in that game. Might the FB run-% be linked to the settings for Finesse Runs? BEN EDIT: I just tried this myself and checked several game logs. Similar result. That setting at 100% doesn't do anything close to 100%.
I noticed that the AI, near the end of the half, when they are behind will call a timeout when they get the ball. For example, say I go for it on fourth down and miss it, the opposing team will get the ball and immediately call a timeout, even though the clock is stopped.
1. Teams should be kneeling when the opponent has less than 3 timeouts and it's 1st and 10 with less than 2 minutes, or when there is only 1:20 left in the game, and the opponent has 1 timeout, etc.
2. My team should not go into prevent defense with a 10 point lead and still over 3 minutes left. I want my regular pass defense to be in effect.
3. For some strange reason, I still see my Nickel defense coming out against base offensive sets, i.e. Pro-form or I-form, even though my setting is at ZERO, and this is in the 1st quarter where tie score is the adjustment. Doesn't happen often, but enough for me to notice, especially since it shouldn't happen at all.
4. When my settings are set to run the ball with around 90% certainty in the 4th quarter with a 2 score lead, I should be doing just that. Not passing 8 straight times.
5. If my settings for screen passes are 0, why am I throwing screens in the game?
Arizona: Strong formation, strength is left. The defense is in a 43 with dime personnel and 2-deep man-to-man coverage, keying aggressively on the pass.
1-10-ARI16 (2Q: 00:36) Harris Sharpe ran around the left tackle for 72 yards. Tackled by S Darrin Eccles. Key block delivered by Lincoln Lum.
Start of third quarter.
1. Now, with 36 seconds, I break off a 72 yard run, which clearly would put me in FG range after the run, yet we let the clock run to 0, and I never get a chance to attempt a FG.
2. In the 2 minute drill, with my team down 7 points, and we're at my 20 yard line with less than 1 minute left, why are we throwing short passes, instead of intermediate to long passes? And why do we throw a screen or short pass when an obvious Hail Mary situation should be the call, i.e. less than 10 seconds in the game and around mid-field?
3. In a game in which a FG will tie or win the game, we should automatically go into a run only mode once we get into our Placekicker's range. So, if I'm down 21-23 with 45 seconds left at the opponent's 24 yard line, I should be running only, not still passing.
Atlanta: Weak formation, strength is right. The defense is in a 34 with prevent personnel and 4-deep zone coverage, keying aggressively on the pass.
1-10-ATL25 (4Q: 00:22) Vinny Testaverde pass fell incomplete, intended for WR Michael Irvin. S Danny Copeland defended the pass. The quarterback threw into double coverage.
Atlanta: Single-Back formation, strength is right. The defense is in a 34 with prevent personnel and 4-deep zone coverage, keying aggressively on the pass.
2-10-ATL25 (4Q: 00:13) Vinny Testaverde pass completed to WR Frank McClain for 45 yards. Tackled by CB Dave Waymer. McClain gained 39 yards after the catch. The quarterback threw away from the double coverage. PENALTY: New Orleans was called for Defensive Holding.
Atlanta called a time out.
Atlanta: I formation, strength is right. The defense is in a 34 with prevent personnel and 4-deep zone coverage, keying aggressively on the pass. Copeland is blitzing.
1-10-ATL30 (4Q: 00:05) Vinny Testaverde pass completed to WR Ernest Givins for 18 yards. Tackled by S Eric Williams, assisted by CB Dave Waymer. The receiver ran his route right over the middle of the field. The quarterback threw away from the double coverage.
With 13 seconds left in the game, down 23-20, my team hits a 45 yard pass putting them in FG range on the opposing teams 30 yards line. Range for a tying FG.
Instead we accept the Defensive Holding penalty, WIPING out our own 45 yard pass play, taking us out of FG range.
Sorry, no coach EVER would accept a penalty that would take them out of FG range that could tie a game at the end.
This was well within the range of my kickers end of game settings.
NEW ROSTER FILE
Experience is off by one year.
Contracts for players may not be accurate.
Not a bug, but a curious omission: no updated players.csv can be found.EXPLOITS AND IMBALANCES
It appears that the requested contract for a 7th round draft pick is pretty well above that of an unsigned rookie free agent. I am not certain that this is a new issue in 6.3, or if it's just something I am noticing now for related reasons, but in any setting where the salary cap matters, it really creates a disincentive to select and sign late round picks (already a problem in the game to begin with).
Backup Endurance Issue--A player who is slotted as a backup will never leave the field apart from injury. Just verified that this is still true in 6.3. This creates an intentional exploit and also an unintentional exploit.
1. The most obvious is to slot your best player at the position at RB2/FB2/TE2/FL2/SE2, and then use the personnel screens to make RB2/FB2/TE2/FL2/SE2 the starter in every situation. The starter will never leave the field, no matter what his endurance. This is easy to detect when it's a RB, because he gets so many carriess, but it flies under the radar when someone slots their best TE at TE2 and uses the personnel screen to get him on the field for every snap.
2. More subtle is the usage of heavy 2-TE or 3-WR sets. My team in WOOF is set up for a mostly 2-TE offense. My second-best TE is rated 65/65. He'll never be subbed out when we're in 2-TE, which may be as high as 80% of the snaps. Similarly, if I don't have a good TE I use 3-WR, 4-WR, 5-WR exclusively in passing situations, secure in the knowledge that my FL2 (who in every league besides WOOF is a very solid player) will always be on the field even if FL1 and SE1 happen to be subbed out.
Talent at QB in a league populated by game-generated draft classes is far above the talent at QB in the gamestart rosters (Main Street, no X-Factor), both fictional and default. This has now been tested in 3 long-term simmed leagues (all started fresh in 6.3) and around a dozen new gamestarts, with both fictional and default rosters. Similarly, talent at Safety is far worse than in the default rosters. This creates an entirely different reality with regard to success of downfield passing in particular in a league that has played out for 10-15 seasons as opposed to new ones. I don't think anything can be done about existing leagues, but tweaking the talent at those two positions should make a big difference in helping the game play the way it's supposed to going forward.COSMETIC
Rex putting -1 for run percentage on 4th and long in game before a bye week
Odd reporting of directional rushing (see post #2 in this thread)
TV Icons appearing on schedule for bye weeks and weeks without logs. (see post #4 in this thread)
Guys with Repetitive Concussive Syndrome get the "Career is Over" message when you click on the injury, but it's not always true. Players in both SP and MP will sometimes come back from RCS two or three seasons later. I'm not sure if this is a bug, or just a problem with the text describing the nature of the injury. Regardless, the two are incongruous.
For a veteran player already considering a FA offer from your team, look at his contract status on his player page. If the offer is for minimum salary (and asterisked as such), the column listing the effective salary for each year improperly escalates in the out-years. This seems to disappear if you begin to edit the offer.MISC
Summer league injuries are now occurring in leagues with injuries turned off. This is a huge problem for FOWL, since we sim the entire regular season in one shot. If a guy is "out" for just one or two games at the start, he doesn't play for the whole season.
"Under Windows Vista (64-bit), I have no ability to print even though it shows the available printers. It doesn't appear to matter which screen it is on, printing does not appear to work."
The game crashes when I click on career records only in the CFL.
I'll investigate further.
[edit:]
Some of the owners at the CFL say they have the same issue, others say it works fine, and one says it crashed one time and worked another.
http://www.cyberfootballleague.com/f...c=2692.new#new (http://www.cyberfootballleague.com/forum/index.php?topic=2692.new#new)
I saw this in the 250-yr sim thread (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=76205) last night - Hall of Fame selection didn't have any DE, LB, or S making the list.
Here's something that I think is new. In the 3-4 defense, if the same player is slotted as backup WLB and backup SLB and the "Lock" checkbox is checked, the "recommend" button is removing the player from one of the backup OLB slots. (Another user reports that this is a legacy issue.)
IN-GAME LOGIC
AI-recommended game plans are throwing significantly shortly and therefore causing too many high-catch RBs.
44 seconds left in the game, down by 4, no timeouts left, on 4th down a FG is kicked.4-8-CIN42 (4Q: 00:44) Adrian Kestner attempted a 59 yard field goal and succeeded. Cincinnati 21, Oakland 20
AI punts from 33-yard line with 50 yards is FG distance. Additional details on the field goal settings and not kicking, here are three examples from recent IHOF seasons (2022 and 2021), team in possession my own, with a top5 scouted kicker:
Normal FG setting at 47
weather: 42 degrees, rain, 9 mph wind
score tied 0-0
4-6-ALB30 (1Q: 01:25) J.R. Copeland punted 30 yards. Touchback.
Normal FG setting at 47
weather: 49 degrees, fair, 7 mph wind.
score tied: 7-7
4-10-FRE29 (1Q: 02:34) J.R. Copeland punted 29 yards. Touchback.
Normal FG setting at 47
weather: 45 degrees, fair, calm.
score: leading 37-7
4-11-GOT30 (3Q: 00:23) J.R. Copeland punted 30 yards. Touchback.
Suggest that the percentage for ALWAYS GO FOR on 4th down be increased for any situation at any time in the game. Not just when your trailing in the 4th qtr.
If its 1st,2nd,3rd qtr Im on a teams 1 yard line or anywhere inside the 10 I want to go for it on 4th down. I'd rather get the TD then kick a FG being that close
Substitutions are off, as in players not in the depth chart and only active for STs are getting snaps. This has always happened, but the new substitutions on nickel and dime are making it worse.
Examples:
In the old version I would have an RB that was only active for STs and not in the depth chart at all get carries. Now I'm having the same problem with a ST LB that is getting SLB snaps in the nickel while the backup SLB rides the bench.
[edit, consolidating arguments below]
Additional info:
ST LB got 7, 8 and 12 snaps on defense in the last 3 games. My backup SLB took 16, 7, and 9 snaps on defense in the same lapse. My backup's endurance is 31/45. The ST LB's endurance is 7.
Bear argues that this is not a bug, but the endurance check stops with the last guy. I counter that if that's the way it's supposed to work, I can easily "cheat" my way around it by placing my low-endurance ST LB at backup in the depth chart so all the sub snaps fall to the real backup (now not in the depth chart). This would be similar to the situation where a low-endurance RB would get more carries as a backup.
Again, this is all conjecture. But I will try the workaround on Monday and see if it works. {MORE INFO ADDED} Adding to the post about substitutions, I switched the ST LB and the real backup SLB in the depth chart to see if the reason the ST LB got so many snaps was the lack of endurance of the backup. Results: the ST LB got 17 snaps (remember, his endurance is 7), the real backup SLB got only 2.
In conclusion, endurance is not related to the issue and I definitely feel this is a bug I would like to see addressed.
Fullbacks, even top-tier endurance ones, not rushing nearly up to 25% of the time when 25% is checked. For details, see post #3 in this thread.
Seems there is also a problem with the settings for Finesse Running Percentage.
I set the value to 100(%) for ALL formations and ran a test game. Result were five trap/draw/counterplays from a total of 34 run plays by RBs. And although I also use the 25(%) setting for FB runs, there was only one run by a FB in that game. Might the FB run-% be linked to the settings for Finesse Runs? BEN EDIT: I just tried this myself and checked several game logs. Similar result. That setting at 100% doesn't do anything close to 100%.
I noticed that the AI, near the end of the half, when they are behind will call a timeout when they get the ball. For example, say I go for it on fourth down and miss it, the opposing team will get the ball and immediately call a timeout, even though the clock is stopped.
1. Teams should be kneeling when the opponent has less than 3 timeouts and it's 1st and 10 with less than 2 minutes, or when there is only 1:20 left in the game, and the opponent has 1 timeout, etc.
2. My team should not go into prevent defense with a 10 point lead and still over 3 minutes left. I want my regular pass defense to be in effect.
3. For some strange reason, I still see my Nickel defense coming out against base offensive sets, i.e. Pro-form or I-form, even though my setting is at ZERO, and this is in the 1st quarter where tie score is the adjustment. Doesn't happen often, but enough for me to notice, especially since it shouldn't happen at all.
4. When my settings are set to run the ball with around 90% certainty in the 4th quarter with a 2 score lead, I should be doing just that. Not passing 8 straight times.
5. If my settings for screen passes are 0, why am I throwing screens in the game?
Arizona: Strong formation, strength is left. The defense is in a 43 with dime personnel and 2-deep man-to-man coverage, keying aggressively on the pass.
1-10-ARI16 (2Q: 00:36) Harris Sharpe ran around the left tackle for 72 yards. Tackled by S Darrin Eccles. Key block delivered by Lincoln Lum.
Start of third quarter.
1. Now, with 36 seconds, I break off a 72 yard run, which clearly would put me in FG range after the run, yet we let the clock run to 0, and I never get a chance to attempt a FG.
2. In the 2 minute drill, with my team down 7 points, and we're at my 20 yard line with less than 1 minute left, why are we throwing short passes, instead of intermediate to long passes? And why do we throw a screen or short pass when an obvious Hail Mary situation should be the call, i.e. less than 10 seconds in the game and around mid-field?
3. In a game in which a FG will tie or win the game, we should automatically go into a run only mode once we get into our Placekicker's range. So, if I'm down 21-23 with 45 seconds left at the opponent's 24 yard line, I should be running only, not still passing.
Atlanta: Weak formation, strength is right. The defense is in a 34 with prevent personnel and 4-deep zone coverage, keying aggressively on the pass.
1-10-ATL25 (4Q: 00:22) Vinny Testaverde pass fell incomplete, intended for WR Michael Irvin. S Danny Copeland defended the pass. The quarterback threw into double coverage.
Atlanta: Single-Back formation, strength is right. The defense is in a 34 with prevent personnel and 4-deep zone coverage, keying aggressively on the pass.
2-10-ATL25 (4Q: 00:13) Vinny Testaverde pass completed to WR Frank McClain for 45 yards. Tackled by CB Dave Waymer. McClain gained 39 yards after the catch. The quarterback threw away from the double coverage. PENALTY: New Orleans was called for Defensive Holding.
Atlanta called a time out.
Atlanta: I formation, strength is right. The defense is in a 34 with prevent personnel and 4-deep zone coverage, keying aggressively on the pass. Copeland is blitzing.
1-10-ATL30 (4Q: 00:05) Vinny Testaverde pass completed to WR Ernest Givins for 18 yards. Tackled by S Eric Williams, assisted by CB Dave Waymer. The receiver ran his route right over the middle of the field. The quarterback threw away from the double coverage.
With 13 seconds left in the game, down 23-20, my team hits a 45 yard pass putting them in FG range on the opposing teams 30 yards line. Range for a tying FG.
Instead we accept the Defensive Holding penalty, WIPING out our own 45 yard pass play, taking us out of FG range.
Sorry, no coach EVER would accept a penalty that would take them out of FG range that could tie a game at the end.
This was well within the range of my kickers end of game settings.
NEW ROSTER FILE
Experience is off by one year.
Contracts for players may not be accurate.
Not a bug, but a curious omission: no updated players.csv can be found.EXPLOITS AND IMBALANCES
It appears that the requested contract for a 7th round draft pick is pretty well above that of an unsigned rookie free agent. I am not certain that this is a new issue in 6.3, or if it's just something I am noticing now for related reasons, but in any setting where the salary cap matters, it really creates a disincentive to select and sign late round picks (already a problem in the game to begin with).
Backup Endurance Issue--A player who is slotted as a backup will never leave the field apart from injury. Just verified that this is still true in 6.3. This creates an intentional exploit and also an unintentional exploit.
1. The most obvious is to slot your best player at the position at RB2/FB2/TE2/FL2/SE2, and then use the personnel screens to make RB2/FB2/TE2/FL2/SE2 the starter in every situation. The starter will never leave the field, no matter what his endurance. This is easy to detect when it's a RB, because he gets so many carriess, but it flies under the radar when someone slots their best TE at TE2 and uses the personnel screen to get him on the field for every snap.
2. More subtle is the usage of heavy 2-TE or 3-WR sets. My team in WOOF is set up for a mostly 2-TE offense. My second-best TE is rated 65/65. He'll never be subbed out when we're in 2-TE, which may be as high as 80% of the snaps. Similarly, if I don't have a good TE I use 3-WR, 4-WR, 5-WR exclusively in passing situations, secure in the knowledge that my FL2 (who in every league besides WOOF is a very solid player) will always be on the field even if FL1 and SE1 happen to be subbed out.
Talent at QB in a league populated by game-generated draft classes is far above the talent at QB in the gamestart rosters (Main Street, no X-Factor), both fictional and default. This has now been tested in 3 long-term simmed leagues (all started fresh in 6.3) and around a dozen new gamestarts, with both fictional and default rosters. Similarly, talent at Safety is far worse than in the default rosters. This creates an entirely different reality with regard to success of downfield passing in particular in a league that has played out for 10-15 seasons as opposed to new ones. I don't think anything can be done about existing leagues, but tweaking the talent at those two positions should make a big difference in helping the game play the way it's supposed to going forward.COSMETIC
Rex putting -1 for run percentage on 4th and long in game before a bye week
Odd reporting of directional rushing (see post #2 in this thread)
TV Icons appearing on schedule for bye weeks and weeks without logs. (see post #4 in this thread)
Guys with Repetitive Concussive Syndrome get the "Career is Over" message when you click on the injury, but it's not always true. Players in both SP and MP will sometimes come back from RCS two or three seasons later. I'm not sure if this is a bug, or just a problem with the text describing the nature of the injury. Regardless, the two are incongruous.
For a veteran player already considering a FA offer from your team, look at his contract status on his player page. If the offer is for minimum salary (and asterisked as such), the column listing the effective salary for each year improperly escalates in the out-years. This seems to disappear if you begin to edit the offer.MISC
Summer league injuries are now occurring in leagues with injuries turned off. This is a huge problem for FOWL, since we sim the entire regular season in one shot. If a guy is "out" for just one or two games at the start, he doesn't play for the whole season.
"Under Windows Vista (64-bit), I have no ability to print even though it shows the available printers. It doesn't appear to matter which screen it is on, printing does not appear to work."
The game crashes when I click on career records only in the CFL.
I'll investigate further.
[edit:]
Some of the owners at the CFL say they have the same issue, others say it works fine, and one says it crashed one time and worked another.
http://www.cyberfootballleague.com/f...c=2692.new#new (http://www.cyberfootballleague.com/forum/index.php?topic=2692.new#new)
I saw this in the 250-yr sim thread (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=76205) last night - Hall of Fame selection didn't have any DE, LB, or S making the list.
Here's something that I think is new. In the 3-4 defense, if the same player is slotted as backup WLB and backup SLB and the "Lock" checkbox is checked, the "recommend" button is removing the player from one of the backup OLB slots. (Another user reports that this is a legacy issue.)