FOF8: Wish List for patch 2 and beyond

[A-Husker-4-Life]

This is just a wish list, jim may never even look at this but put down some of your wishlist items just for fun.

- Global playing time setting and the computer subs in the best available player.

- Raising the defensive playbook from 78 to 100 or more

- Being able to choose your long snapper/holder/gunners/kicker/punter

- Choosing where we blitz by using the diagrams within the plays by locking them. I'd love to only blitz my WLB and choosing 'Always' doesn't do that.

- Raising the defensive playbook to 36 and let us choose when we want to run a nickel/dime or goaline. Maybe it could work like;

Cover 2, Blitz 2, Nickel, Pass
press 1, blitz 1, goaline, Run agg
Cover 2, No Blitz, Base, Run
Cloud 3, 1 blitz, Dime, Pass agg

I'm really enjoying this version, I just think there's acouple things to make it even better.

[yabanci]

I already posted this in the FOF8 thoughts thread, but just in case he does read this but not the other I'm going to post it here too:

The ratings order for defensive front players is bad.

It should be changed to:

run defense
pass rush technique
pass rush strength
m2m
zone
b&r
etc

rather than:

run defense
pass rush technique
m2m
zone
b&r
pass rush strength
etc

It's illogical not to have ratings of the same type grouped together as they always had been for defensive linemen and are for every other position. Wish he would change it in a patch.

[BucDawg40]

My #1 most wanted: the ability to generate and import a coach file, just as we can with the player and draft files.

[Darkmatter]

Posted most of this in my Gameplanning is tedious thread, but here we go.

Instead of raising the defensive playbook to 36, increase the # of slots beyond 72. I like the idea of there only being 12 formations, but the fact that I can't call in those formations into as many scenarios as I would like is...dumb.

In addition, we need to be able to add multiple plays into the gameplan at once. In my previous example...if I wanted to move 5 runs into each offensive scenario, I currently have to perform over 200 clicks. There's absolutely no reason why

We also need the ability to specify what kind of plays the AI should generate. For instance if I want to handle the pass plays on my own, I should be able to tell the AI to generate me 40 run plays.

Finally, it would be nice to be able to import plays into the playbook without wiping out the existing plays. This would allow us to create plug-and-play books that can be moved in and out over the course of a franchise as your personnel changes.

[FC45]

A playoff bracket would be good.

[Hammer]

Posted most of this in my Gameplanning is tedious thread, but here we go.

Instead of raising the defensive playbook to 36, increase the # of slots beyond 72. I like the idea of there only being 12 formations, but the fact that I can't call in those formations into as many scenarios as I would like is...dumb.

In addition, we need to be able to add multiple plays into the gameplan at once. In my previous example...if I wanted to move 5 runs into each offensive scenario, I currently have to perform over 200 clicks. There's absolutely no reason why

We also need the ability to specify what kind of plays the AI should generate. For instance if I want to handle the pass plays on my own, I should be able to tell the AI to generate me 40 run plays.

Finally, it would be nice to be able to import plays into the playbook without wiping out the existing plays. This would allow us to create plug-and-play books that can be moved in and out over the course of a franchise as your personnel changes.

Yes. I want to be able to create the gameplan I want much more quickly.

[adso]

I'd be happy with playing with the gameplan I have spent alot of time to set! :rant:

[Noop]

Player editor

I might be in the minority though.

[Templar]

A search player funktion.

[Sharkn20]

To be able to create the playbook / gameplan by sections if we want to. Not all at once as it is now. Like is possible to add dofferent packages for a specif player that you just traded for.

[Firefly]

Agree with posts 1, 2 and 4. I feel like FOF8 is a terrific start, but needs some work.

[Marmel]

Franchise relocation needs to be toned down quite a bit. Maybe even let the user have the final vote on this? I'll pull up a saved file if necessary but something like 10+ teams have moved by the year 2075. I get Minnesota and Jacksonville and even LA Rams, but this sim has also seen Dallas, NY Jets, Miami, Indy, etc moving.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

The ability to create Defensive plays.

Pick the coverage, blitzers, formation, & aggression.

Cover 2, SLB-WLB, Base, Run

Cloud 3, No Blitz, Dime, Pass Agg

Press 1, SLB-WLB-CB2, Goaline, Run

I just think the defence could be fleshed out more, to give us the feeling we have some control again.

[Ned Doolittle]

There needs to be a way to set, by percentage, who you want to be targeted, by formation, like this:

213 formation:
X Receiver: [drop down list with your WRs, RBs and TEs] 50%
Z Receiver: [drop down list...] 15%
TE: [drop down list...] 5%
RB: 15%
Y Receiver: 10%
FB: 5%

This will give you more control over who gets the targets. I've had teams with good WRs and they kept losing targets to mediocre TEs because the TEs happened to have better rote running skills. I prefer my TEs to be really good at blocking first and catching passes second but it seems to be a ton of work to manipulate things to get the targets to work out properly.

[Sharkn20]

There needs to be a way to set, by percentage, who you want to be targeted, by formation, like this:

213 formation:
X Receiver: [drop down list with your WRs, RBs and TEs] 50%
Z Receiver: [drop down list...] 15%
TE: [drop down list...] 5%
RB: 15%
Y Receiver: 10%
FB: 5%

This will give you more control over who gets the targets. I've had teams with good WRs and they kept losing targets to mediocre TEs because the TEs happened to have better rote running skills. I prefer my TEs to be really good at blocking first and catching passes second but it seems to be a ton of work to manipulate things to get the targets to work out properly.

The big part of the new FOF8 is that you can actually select who gets the targets by designing the plays. I wouldn't like this to be removed from the game. I love the gameplanning from Scratch.

[Ben E Lou]

The big part of the new FOF8 is that you can actually select who gets the targets by designing the plays. I wouldn't like this to be removed from the game. I love the gameplanning from Scratch.
Unless I'm misunderstanding, I don't think anyone is asking for the play-designing to be removed. I think a fair number of people are looking for an "in-between" option: something that gives the user more control than Rex, but less than "Put 200 plays in playbook. Assign 65 of them--any of them multiple times--to 20 different scenarios." I think nearly everyone would readily concede that this is much closer to how real-life coaches coaches prepare for a game, but for many, it's just not fun, and these games are supposed to be about having fun. But having no control over game plans also isn't fun for a significant subset of people as well. The current system has put full game plan control out of reach for just about all but the most dedicated grognards with hours to spend on it.

For me, I've found an easy-to-implement happy medium by simply dropping in a few extra plays in a few key situations that target my better players. I can increase the potential for my TE to get targeted by ~32 times per season by simply adding two plays where he is the primary target. Done. Want my good-running QB to tote the rock more? Add two designed runs to the game plan, and his carries go from 60 to 92. Add three, and he's up to 108. It takes very little time to do this and the results in terms of who gets the ball are satisfactory for me.

[Sharkn20]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, I don't think anyone is asking for the play-designing to be removed. I think a fair number of people are looking for an "in-between" option: something that gives the user more control than Rex, but less than "Put 200 plays in playbook. Assign 65 of them--any of them multiple times--to 20 different scenarios." I think nearly everyone would readily concede that this is much closer to how real-life coaches coaches prepare for a game, but for many, it's just not fun, and these games are supposed to be about having fun. But having no control over game plans also isn't fun for a significant subset of people as well. The current system has put full game plan control out of reach for just about all but the most dedicated grognards with hours to spend on it.

For me, I've found an easy-to-implement happy medium by simply dropping in a few extra plays in a few key situations that target my better players. I can increase the potential for my TE to get targeted by ~32 times per season by simply adding two plays where he is the primary target. Done. Want my good-running QB to tote the rock more? Add two designed runs to the game plan, and his carries go from 60 to 92. Add three, and he's up to 108. It takes very little time to do this and the results in terms of who gets the ball are satisfactory for me.

This is very interesting. I might try to do the same, as is taking me a great amount of time to get the results I want for my team

[TAFIV]

for me the play designer is just too tedious, i gave up after making about 10 plays, what i would like is when you auto generate plays the ability to specify:

1. Formation
2. Pass/Run
3. on pass plays a % for the position of primary receiver (i.e. 40% Y, 30% z, 30% x)
4. on pass plays % of length (i.e. 5% screen, 50% short, 30% medium, 10% long, 5% deep)
5. on run plays % direction (i.e. 30% left, 70% right)
6. number of plays (already there)

i don't know how difficult this would be to implement but i think it would be a huge improvement for those of us who want more control of the plays in our book but either don't have the time or patience to make every play ourselves

[A-Husker-4-Life]

for me the play designer is just too tedious, i gave up after making about 10 plays, what i would like is when you auto generate plays the ability to specify:

1. Formation
2. Pass/Run
3. on pass plays a % for the position of primary receiver (i.e. 40% Y, 30% z, 30% x)
4. on pass plays % of length (i.e. 5% screen, 50% short, 30% medium, 10% long, 5% deep)
5. on run plays % direction (i.e. 30% left, 70% right)
6. number of plays (already there)

i don't know how difficult this would be to implement but i think it would be a huge improvement for those of us who want more control of the plays in our book but either don't have the time or patience to make every play ourselves

I love this idea... I'd love it for the defense too.

[TroyF]

Unless I'm misunderstanding, I don't think anyone is asking for the play-designing to be removed. I think a fair number of people are looking for an "in-between" option: something that gives the user more control than Rex, but less than "Put 200 plays in playbook. Assign 65 of them--any of them multiple times--to 20 different scenarios." I think nearly everyone would readily concede that this is much closer to how real-life coaches coaches prepare for a game, but for many, it's just not fun, and these games are supposed to be about having fun. But having no control over game plans also isn't fun for a significant subset of people as well. The current system has put full game plan control out of reach for just about all but the most dedicated grognards with hours to spend on it.

For me, I've found an easy-to-implement happy medium by simply dropping in a few extra plays in a few key situations that target my better players. I can increase the potential for my TE to get targeted by ~32 times per season by simply adding two plays where he is the primary target. Done. Want my good-running QB to tote the rock more? Add two designed runs to the game plan, and his carries go from 60 to 92. Add three, and he's up to 108. It takes very little time to do this and the results in terms of who gets the ball are satisfactory for me.


I like this. I like this a lot.

What I've been doing to make sure my X receiver gets enough to targets is to keep having rex do the gameplan and looking for how many plays X is the primary target. It's worked, but it's a little tedius. I like the idea of having a package of plays for the guys I want and putting them in. I will be tryint this tonight.

[BishopMVP]

Franchise relocation needs to be toned down quite a bit. Maybe even let the user have the final vote on this? I'll pull up a saved file if necessary but something like 10+ teams have moved by the year 2075. I get Minnesota and Jacksonville and even LA Rams, but this sim has also seen Dallas, NY Jets, Miami, Indy, etc moving.In two 50 year Build History sims I had two teams move in one (Cleveland, Cincinnati), and zero teams relocate in the other. Not sure which one of us is the outlier, but you always do have the easy option of renaming the cities involved in an SP career.

I'd like the option for global playing time settings and then the ability to lock certain players into certain formations, especially on defense. If I have a high rated but low endurance MLB I'd want him playing every down until he's tired and then the backup coming on for a couple plays, as opposed to the current system where Rex will choose to bench him vs ALL 2-WR sets etc. This system seems like it could be a real problem in MP especially if an opposing OC is running a very high percentage out of one formation. Same thing with RB's on offense - my best guy should be in all formations on the first two downs except 5-wide, maybe there's a different 3rd down back, maybe a different short yardage one. You know, how it's been in every previous iteration.

[Templar]

I still wonder, if you rename a city, do then the home town mechanics still work correctly? :confused:

[redfox000]

What if the QB had the option to audible out of the play called and call one himself? I think that would be cool.

[yabanci]

I think at some point practice squads need to be added. I understand Jim's reasoning for leaving them out, but they've become too important in today's NFL not to be included. When a team puts a guy on IR, it's almost always a practice squad player who fills the roster spot (whether off your team's or another), not a street free agent.

Having a practice squad would allow you to control their positions, maybe give them a tiny experience bonus, give you a more accurate scouting report since they're with the team, allow you to keep track of them better than dumping them into the free agent pool, maybe add a little cohesion bonus if they eventually make the roster, make it less painful to cut a late round pick, and generally make things more interesting (especially in multiplayer) because you can always poach a player off another team's squad while worrying about another team doing the same to you. So many pros for adding practice squads, no real cons. If the goal is to "put yourself in the front office," you kinda need a practice squad if you want a realistic NFL simulation.

[BishopMVP]

I still wonder, if you rename a city, do then the home town mechanics still work correctly? :confused:Which part in particular? Unless I'm blanking on something it's just changing Display_Name, not actually altering anything with the underlying mechanics.

[pjc]

Only thing I find missing at the moment is having a bit more control over who blitzes when rexing the D gameplan.

Even something as simple as position check boxes along with the blitz based on pass rushing skills setting.

Eg.
Blitz based on pass rushing skills Dropdown as is.
Blitz CBs []
Blitz Ss []
Blitz MLBs []
Blitz OLBs []

Very easy that way to have a random assortment of LBers blitzing, or only have my best OLB blitzing etc.

[MattG]

Some really good ideas in here.

Not so much an addition but a fix for me. Late game playcalling logic is really bad sometimes.

On defense I've seen multiple last second TD's given up by HAL defense playing Cover 1. No team is going to play M2M and drop just one safety back. If anything you are playing 8 back with Cover 4.

On offense I've seen many last second FG's when winning. In a Super Bowl the offense was up 14-10 and decided to kick a 35 yard FG with :11 left then kickoff deep. That would get a coach fired if it was blocked or they ran the ensuing KO back.

[Ben E Lou]

Some really good ideas in here.

Not so much an addition but a fix for me. Late game playcalling logic is really bad sometimes.

On defense I've seen multiple last second TD's given up by HAL defense playing Cover 1. No team is going to play M2M and drop just one safety back. If anything you are playing 8 back with Cover 4.

On offense I've seen many last second FG's when winning. In a Super Bowl the offense was up 14-10 and decided to kick a 35 yard FG with :11 left then kickoff deep. That would get a coach fired if it was blocked or they ran the ensuing KO back.I really hope that stuff like this isn't just getting posted here. As a reminder: REMINDER: This Is Not An Official Solecismic Board. - Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=88113)

If you have a bug report, make sure to send it to customersupport AT solecismic DOT com. Posting it here does nothing to get it fixed.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

Please bring back the keying on the Run/Pass.

[Templar]

Which part in particular? Unless I'm blanking on something it's just changing Display_Name, not actually altering anything with the underlying mechanics.
From the in game help: The list on the right side of the screen shows the distance from this home town to every team in the league. Distance may be a factor when players are choosing between teams during the free agency periods.

When a team moves from LA to Oakland and I rename Oakland back to LA what home town - team distance Rex is calculating then in the home town screen?
If Rex still use Oakland for calculating you better keep this in mind.

[MizzouRah]

I would love to see more stats when watching a game live on the right side of the screen. Also, can we bring back the timeouts showing on the scoreboard?

[cdunlap]

Formations for CPU teams when not calling plays on the Scoreboard, instead of that section being blank.

Continuous games on the scoreboard without having to select The "Exit after Week" button every time.

[cdunlap]

Why do the open windows keep snapping back to their old positions? irritating.
i.e. the scoreboard after a game is played

[cdunlap]

The design of the Scoreboard, I wish the football field was larger as it was before. The player leaderboard doesn't need to be that big.

[sirotka33]

The design of the Scoreboard, I wish the football field was larger as it was before. The player leaderboard doesn't need to be that big.

I much preferred the side scrolling action compared to the top to bottom as well.

[Templar]

I much preferred the side scrolling action compared to the top to bottom as well.
Me too!

[WilleB]

Could we get rid of the print function and have it export to a file? Excel or PDF.

[TAFIV]

Could we get rid of the print function and have it export to a file? Excel or PDF.

1. hit print
2. when print box comes up click on drop down menu next to "Name"
3. click "Microsoft Print to PDF"
4. click "OK", a save file window will come up
5. select where to put the file
6. name the file
7. click "OK"
8. you now have whatever you were looking at on your comp as a PDF file.

[corbes]

I wish that the offensive coordinator's style (e.g., west coast, erhardt-perkins) slightly influenced how Rex puts together the gameplan. In other words, a west-coast coordinator's rexed plan would look slightly different than a smashmouth coordinator's rexed plan. I feel like that might give a realistic middle-ground approach on putting together these gameplans.

[WilleB]

1. hit print
2. when print box comes up click on drop down menu next to "Name"
3. click "Microsoft Print to PDF"
4. click "OK", a save file window will come up
5. select where to put the file
6. name the file
7. click "OK"
8. you now have whatever you were looking at on your comp as a PDF file.

(3)

Is not an option

[yabanci]

The offensive style and defense front teams use need to be displayed more prominently or in more places. Most obvious would be on gameday>reports>scouting report. There's plenty of space on both sides of the team's name. On the left it should say offensive style: west coast or whatever and on the right side say defensive front: 4-3 over or whatever (if this is technically feasible, of course, i have no idea).

[yabanci]

(3)

Is not an option

I think it shows up automatically with Windows 10 (I have it exactly as he describes). If you don't see it, you might have to add it. Maybe go to setting, printers, and add it there. Not sure exactly, google it and you should find instructions easily enough (hopefully).

[Artaud]

For me, the #1 thing on my wish list is...bigger text, and/or a font that is easier to read. I've wished for that for years and years. I would buy FoF8 if finally, finally, this text-based football management sim had text that was easier for my 59 1/2 year old eyes to read.

[yabanci]

I wish that the offensive coordinator's style (e.g., west coast, erhardt-perkins) slightly influenced how Rex puts together the gameplan. In other words, a west-coast coordinator's rexed plan would look slightly different than a smashmouth coordinator's rexed plan. I feel like that might give a realistic middle-ground approach on putting together these gameplans.

I think the way this works is in pre-training camp when you put together your offensive playbook. If you rex the playbook, it takes your offensive coordinator's style, as well as your team's strengths and weaknesses, and puts an emphasis on adding plays that best fit his style. There's also box that says "offensive style threshold." If you increase the default, it will put even more emphasis on adding plays that best fit his style.

So when it comes time to rex a game plan during the season, it will be geared more toward west coast or smashmouth etc because there will be more plays of that style in the playbook. Whether this is the best way to do it or not, i don't know, but I believe this is the method the game uses to put your offensive coordinator's stamp on the game plan when you rex it.

Generate Plays - Takes the number of plays in the Plays to Generate field and adds them to the playbook. You can not have more than 200 plays in your playbook. The AI adds these plays keeping the Offensive Style Threshold. This threshold is a bonus (the default value is 15) given to plays that better fit your offensive coordinator's style of play.

[JimboJ]

For me, the #1 thing on my wish list is...bigger text, and/or a font that is easier to read. I've wished for that for years and years. I would buy FoF8 if finally, finally, this text-based football management sim had text that was easier for my 59 1/2 year old eyes to read.

+10000000

I know Jim is proud of how much info he can show on one screen, but it does create eye strain. Not everyone is playing on a 22" monitor. Some of us prefer to play on more portable devices. Not to mention our eyes are not the same as they once were. If he wants his game to still look like it was created 18 years ago, fine. But please at least recognize there is a much wider variety of devices now then there was 18 years ago, and make the game more adaptable.