Is armlength important

[Stanley92]

The player files have both hands and armlength,
so of course do this play in somehow. Perhaps special team blocking FG, or just as in real life those Offensive lineman can have a small advantage if longer arms.

Whatever I liked to test it and found this in the info on player files
HANDSIZE - in inches and eighths of an inch (93 is 9 3/8")
ARMLENGTH - The player's arm length, in inches and eighths of an inch. If this is a 0, which it is in the default Front Office Football player file, the game chooses an appropriate arm length.

Now I found a website listing players with the longest arms over the years in NFL and had a go at it filling in some values for armlengths.

I picked Alvin McKinley (2002) that was listed having arms of 36 4/8 on that website. Zero in the player.csv file.
So what would be the number for that column ?
I sure tried every possible thing beside what I first thought must be 364.
Alvin came out with all kinds of arm length but his true 36 4/8.
(Even tried taking the number down to how many Eights of inches, 292, since the height of players was sat up that way)

If this number play no part one just can skip it, but if it's there Jim must have thought of something. If so I just get random numbers as if I left the zero that was in the file from the start.

I'm I just missing the point or math failing me ?
:confused:

[Stanley92]

Well no one looks to be in this question.
I would have hoped to know if Jim had these armlengths and hands included in his code. See several factors it could play in.

But maybe it was for future issues, since trying to get a number from the csv file into the game correctly just fails.

It was a good idea from Jim, but just in his mind I think.

Can you imagine some DL with long arms stepping up and blocking FGs and punts ?
OT with extra long arms better stopping an edgerusher getting around to sack the QB ?
But on all that maybe a rating for jumping should have been included.
(Good for WRs and DBs)

[Dutch]

Arm length and hand size adjust the calculations on each play according to the manual. Arm Length in particular appears on the surface to be bonuses/penalties related to pass protection and QB pressures. Without testing, it is unclear how much of a penalty/bonus is achieved.

For offense (from the manual).

Players have physical attributes and they have offensive skills. The following physical attributes can be important when evaluating players:

Weight: this is often the most important attribute for a player. Physics gives us the reason. The force on an object is equal to mass times acceleration. To move an opposing player, a lineman has to create a change in his acceleration. In order to do this, a player needs both mass and what we call explosion. Since everyone is playing on the same field at the same altitude, we can cancel out the role of gravity and substitute weight for mass.

Weight can be controlled, to a small extent. During training camp, you can ask your players to lose or gain weight. Each player is limited as to how much he can weight train and in what direction, so you can’t transform a cornerback into a nose tackle. In Front Office Football, a player’s performance is reduced by the difference between that player’s weight and the ideal weight for the position he is playing on that particular play.

Height: For some positions, height matters. Quarterbacks ideally can see over the rushing defensive linemen. Height matters more for quarterbacks than for any other position, but a quarterback’s weight does not matter. Wide receivers and tight ends can better compete for thrown balls if they’re taller.

Hand Size: For quarterbacks, a larger hand means a better grip on the ball. Quarterbacks with small hands aren't quite as precise with the ball.

Arm Size: (presume this should read Arm Length based on the ensuing text) For offensive linemen, longer arms mean it's harder for defensive linemen to use their technique to get in and out of range and come off of a block.

For Defense (from the manual).

In Front Office Football, defensive players aren’t necessarily tied to their positions the way offensive players are tied. Players have physical attributes and they have defensive skills. The following physical attributes can be important when evaluating players:

Weight: this is often the most important attribute for a player. Physics gives us the reason. The force on an object is equal to mass times acceleration. So to stop an opposing player, a defensive player has to create a change in his acceleration. In order to do this, a player needs both mass and what we call explosion. Since everyone is playing on the same field at the same altitude, we can cancel out the role of gravity and substitute weight for mass.

Weight can be controlled, to a small extent. During training camp, you can ask your players to lose or gain weight. Each player is limited as to how much he can weight train and in what direction, so you can’t transform a cornerback into a nose tackle. In Front Office Football, a player’s performance is reduced by the difference between that player’s weight and the ideal weight for the position he is playing on that particular play.

Height: For some positions, height matters. For defensive backs, the taller you are, the more likely you’re able to successfully cover receivers. For defensive linemen – especially linemen in a 34 defense expected to handle two gaps – if you’re too short, you will have trouble seeing over offensive linemen and making a good choice as to how to handle the block.

Arm Length: For defensive linemen, particularly defensive ends, arm length helps keep blockers away and may make a difference in performance.

[henry296]

This is from the latest patch notes, which tells me arm length is more important for tackles than guards which makes sense.


Notification for offensive linemen with short arms should reflect engine difference between interior linemen and tackles

[Stanley92]

But then my initial question remains.
Putting in numbers as I wrote just don't transfer out when the game starts.

Have a look what I wrote there and see what's might be wrong.

If anyone could check it and see and if I'm right it should go to the bug mentioning.