Football Coach - The real competitor

[cupofjoe]

Blocked (https://www.reddit.com/r/FootballCoach/s/YDkQqOqdXF)

The creator of Football Coach: College Dynasty has announced that he’s developing a NFL version. This will, by far, be the biggest competitor of FOF.

I own both FOF and Football Coach. FOF does have a better depth and game engine, BUT Football Coach is just smoother and the game engine isn’t that much farther away. The dangerous combo will be if the developer will alow draft imports from the college game to the NFL

In my opinion, now is the time for Jim to adapt. He needs a better interface or the game will lose. I’m rooting for FOF, but at the same time the potential of Football Coach is appealing

[INDalltheway]

Blocked (https://www.reddit.com/r/FootballCoach/s/YDkQqOqdXF)

The creator of Football Coach: College Dynasty has announced that he’s developing a NFL version. This will, by far, be the biggest competitor of FOF.

I own both FOF and Football Coach. FOF does have a better depth and game engine, BUT Football Coach is just smoother and the game engine isn’t that much farther away. The dangerous combo will be if the developer will alow draft imports from the college game to the NFL

In my opinion, now is the time for Jim to adapt. He needs a better interface or the game will lose. I’m rooting for FOF, but at the same time the potential of Football Coach is appealing
Jim's game with Achi's ability to make a UI is the dream. He's such a great developer and so creative. This is some of the best gaming news I've seen in quite some time.

[Sweed]

I've only heard good things about FC-CD but haven't tried it myself mostly because I really don't have time to add a new game. I'd heard he was going to try pro football next and it does interest me. From what I hear and your post it sounds like the on field game is very good. Now, let's see how the rubber meets the road with the new games financial model. As it stands FOF is the only game that has come close to getting the cap and other financials right.

If "Football Coach: Pro" (or whatever it ends up being called) can't get the cap right, teams to keep players that should be kept, and the whole "Front Office" right the game will be a miss for me. I hope he can pull it off, competition is a good thing, but I'll believe it when I see it. ;)

[INDalltheway]

I've only heard good things about FC-CD but haven't tried it myself mostly because I really don't have time to add a new game. I'd heard he was going to try pro football next and it does interest me. From what I hear and your post it sounds like the on field game is very good. Now, let's see how the rubber meets the road with the new games financial model. As it stands FOF is the only game that has come close to getting the cap and other financials right.

If "Football Coach: Pro" (or whatever it ends up being called) can't get the cap right, teams to keep players that should be kept, and the whole "Front Office" right the game will be a miss for me. I hope he can pull it off, competition is a good thing, but I'll believe it when I see it. ;)

If anything, Achi is very open to feedback and works at a frenetic pace. His updates to his college game were consistent and on time. The game is not perfect by any means but it is so easy to play. At this point in my life that is number 1 for me. I have no doubt he'll connect the games as well for ultimate immersion.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

My working theory is Markus and Jim have rejoined forces and will come out with a new FOF some time in the future.

For whatever reason Comp2us didn't want to be saddled with American football which killed the original deal. Markus stayed on as part of the agreements of the merger. He saw that the game wasn't going to be invested in to the same degree as before so he cashed out.

Markus knows how to grow a company and there is a lot of room to grow for FOF. I think this is going to happen.

[cupofjoe]

My working theory is Markus and Jim have rejoined forces and will come out with a new FOF some time in the future.

For whatever reason Comp2us didn't want to be saddled with American football which killed the original deal. Markus stayed on as part of the agreements of the merger. He saw that the game wasn't going to be invested in to the same degree as before so he cashed out.

Markus knows how to grow a company and there is a lot of room to grow for FOF. I think this is going to happen.


I'd love something like this. Jim has mentioned his age several times and he seems unsure about the future of FOF. It would be great for him to partner with someone who can maybe even takeover once he feels like he has had enough.

[cupofjoe]

If anything, Achi is very open to feedback and works at a frenetic pace. His updates to his college game were consistent and on time. The game is not perfect by any means but it is so easy to play. At this point in my life that is number 1 for me. I have no doubt he'll connect the games as well for ultimate immersion.


I played it a lot before FOF9 came out, then took a break until a couple of weeks ago. I've started playing it again and I'm really impressed with the improvements he made during that time. It's a solid game.


I don't think there's any chance it'll ever have the depth FOF has, but it'll be interesting what he comes up with

[Sweed]

If anything, Achi is very open to feedback and works at a frenetic pace. His updates to his college game were consistent and on time. The game is not perfect by any means but it is so easy to play. At this point in my life that is number 1 for me. I have no doubt he'll connect the games as well for ultimate immersion.

I have read many posts from many users saying the same thing. It gives me hope that he will get the front office/financial side of the game right. Looking at Markus and OOTP. Many were in doubt of a German producing a baseball game. Luckily Markus was a good listener about both on field and front office sides of the game. Markus got a ton of things right, but there is also a lot of detail in OOTP that is there because he listened to users.

I gave DDSPF a try a couple of years ago, 2023 IIRC so after it had some time to mature. Guys like MaHomes and Stafford being released due to the cap was happening routinely in that game.

I ended my last post with "but I'll believe it when I see it.", which wasn't a dig at the developer. Rather it was said in the context of knowing how hard this is to do. I only wish him success on the project. :)

[Passacaglia]

I feel like I've heard a few times about this game on here. I own it, and have tried it for a few minutes, but it never really clicked with me. Not to be rude, but just asking so that it might help me get into it - what's good about it?

[INDalltheway]

I feel like I've heard a few times about this game on here. I own it, and have tried it for a few minutes, but it never really clicked with me. Not to be rude, but just asking so that it might help me get into it - what's good about it?

For me it was really easy to get into a save and has the "one more turn" quality about it. The game is straightforward and it has adapted to the modern game really well with NIL and transfers IMO.

I think it does a lot of different things really well. I like how the assistant coaches are handled and how they get promoted and progress. I also appreciated that even though it wasn't a finished product it was super playable and updates didn't nuke old saves.

[AlexB]

I played it and the one more turn thing is definitely there - it looks good, is intuitive and as others have said the progression of coaches in particular is good (not 100% convinced on the player training)

But the thing that got me was the recruiting was just a joyless grind, so if there is a pro version that is based on the same UI and framework, I would definitely give it a look

[Gallifrey]

I played it and the one more turn thing is definitely there - it looks good, is intuitive and as others have said the progression of coaches in particular is good (not 100% convinced on the player training)

But the thing that got me was the recruiting was just a joyless grind, so if there is a pro version that is based on the same UI and framework, I would definitely give it a look

The recruiting for me was a grind until I finally figured out how to manage it, now it is a hook.

I think FCCD is a good game.

FOF has such depth at play development and play calling that makes it unique. And hard to match.

The Pro version will have a lot to live up to.

On a side note... think of the dream... College Years 2... if only.

[sovereignstar v2]

Don't mention TCY 2. It really grinds Jim's gears

[Gallifrey]

Don't mention TCY 2. It really grinds Jim's gears

I know!

[Passacaglia]

Just take TCY, update it with new conferences, and take my money (or allow conference changes within a game and take twice my money). Sheesh.

[sovereignstar v2]

Bro, I'm feeling you. I can't contain my giddyness when I'm setting up a custom league for Football Coach College and scoping out the modern offenses, installing logos, and modifying bowl game affiliations. I love all that stuff.

Bottom line though, is that the game engine isn't there and I still much prefer the UI and flow of TCY and that's why I'm still playing it. The rigidness, while frustrating at times, lends itself to stability and a very realistic experience. Jim put time into getting the scheduling really good, that much is obvious. I just get frustrated with the old offenses, the lack of graphics, and locked bowl affiliations.

[james17]

My working theory is Markus and Jim have rejoined forces and will come out with a new FOF some time in the future.

For whatever reason Comp2us didn't want to be saddled with American football which killed the original deal. Markus stayed on as part of the agreements of the merger. He saw that the game wasn't going to be invested in to the same degree as before so he cashed out.

Markus knows how to grow a company and there is a lot of room to grow for FOF. I think this is going to happen.


This would restore my faith in Markus if this happened. Has he left Comp2us for another venture of some type or are we just wishful thinking here?

[Haiku]

This would restore my faith in Markus if this happened. Has he left Comp2us for another venture of some type or are we just wishful thinking here?

I doubt it will happen, but Solecismic should be able to confirm or deny this speculation.

[NawlinsFan]

I have been playing FOF since 2007 and can only pray that Jim continues and is inspired to carry this franchise to new hieghts. I am old and would love to have some quality years in-game for whatever years I have left.

[james17]

I have been playing FOF since 2007 and can only pray that Jim continues and is inspired to carry this franchise to new hieghts. I am old and would love to have some quality years in-game for whatever years I have left.

Hey, buddy, I'm an oldster too and heartily agree with you!

[snaqzaddy]

I’ve played both.

If not for my personal preference in an NFL management game, as I would rather face the challenge of a salary cap, I do believe FCCD is the better all around game.

The depth of FOF9 is pretty much the only strength IMO - UI and menu navigation is clunky as all hell. I’m new to FOF and have only played 9, so if you told me they just plopped new rosters in there every year since inception, I wouldn’t be shocked. It feels like playing an app from 2004 (which admittedly, it part of the appeal in a way lol)…

But yea, I would try the NFL Football Coach if one comes out. FOF should be prepping for some major improvements.

[drained]

If we have to be honest, FOF9 is the best NFL management sim on the market. I feel like we are still in those early days of football management, with one game trying to find its footing as the best on the market. DDSPF is the most complete, and has a storied history. It would have been nice if somehow that game wasn’t so clunky UI-wise, or that it didn’t struggle to properly understand the NFL cap.

I really hope that Football Coach finds a way to realize what Jim’s vision with OOTP Developments was. A modern NFL game, in the lane of what FM and OOTP carved out. It was obvious that Jim was all in on creating a whole football universe, and in those blog posts on the OOTP forums, he took positive reception to the idea of eventually having multiple leagues running concurrently, under different rules (So we could have had a NFL and CFL existing together per say). I think that is still super ambitious unless one is truly dedicated, and has the prowess to program such a large game.

FOF and Jim’s time is pretty much coming to a close. Do you remember when we thought we would never even get a FOF9? It’s clear that same passion that Jim had when making the OG FOF’s in a market of football moguls and other games is there for the creator of Football Coach, he just needs to actualise it.

I hope with this one (that he admits will take 2+ years to make), there is some connectivity to the college game, and that it carries a similar UI.

[Stanley92]

My hope has always been that one game will step up and provide us with a perfect game in the area of finance. We all know how important the contracts and economics are to get a good team. GMs doing summersaults with all the stuff like bonuses, front load, back load, restructure and whatever. So far games we got lack one or two of these tools that is essential to make one feel like a complete GM. Of course all kinds of tricks in trades often falls short.
The years tick on and as I read we are a large group of older blokes that has been waiting a long time. Me just on the last step before turning 70 and know I haven't got as many years left as I have been playing NFL games.
The old APBA and Strat-O-Matic cards was replaced with PC games but still I wait for that perfect released PC game.
(Graphic isn't that important but if even that would happen I can rest happy)

[korme]

The customizability of Football Coach has me absolutely ecstatic for a pro game.

[cupofjoe]

The Developer has released his first notes on the game, I have mixed feelings about his direction:

The pro game is unnamed and is planned for an Early Access release in late 2026. I'll be posting these devlogs on Reddit and the Discord: https://discord.gg/Bdsy9bwcqP (https://discord.gg/Bdsy9bwcqP)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I'm back with a new devlog, which should be pretty meaty and will contain lots of info about coaching staffs, team front offices, player development, and more. I've been hard at work implementing these core systems and can't wait to share details with you all.
But first, I do want to give a big thank you to everyone who bought FC:CD last week during the Steam Sports Fest. Thanks to a big week of sales, we were able to break 50,000 lifetime sales for the game, which is truly incredible. Thanks to all players, new and old, for allowing me to pursue this as my full-time job!
Coaching Staffs

Now, for some goodies about the pro football game. First, let's talk about coaching staffs. In FC:CD, your coaching staff was limited to the HC, OC, and DC. But in this game, you'll also have position coaches on offense and defense, as well as a Special Teams coordinator and a Strength and Conditioning coach. You can see all of them below.

https://i.imgur.com/oxAw6HD.png (https://i.imgur.com/oxAw6HD.png)

As seen above, each side of the ball has 3 position coaches, as I didn't quite want to make them too plentiful; 3 feels like a sweet spot for managing a staff in my eyes. On offense, you have a QB coach, a Skill Position coach (RB/WR/TE), and an Offensive Line coach. On defense, you'll have a DL coach, a LB coach, and a DB coach (for corners and safeties). Position coaches are mostly involved with the training and development of their players; they aren't really involved in playcalling, but rather in making sure their guys are ready to perform on Sundays.

All coaches have 4 attributes they level up, similar to the FC:CD system, but with some important changes. Now, each coach has a 'background', either offense or defense, that controls what side of the ball they specialize in; one thing in FC:CD that I didn't like was having your DC also have 'offense' level that you could just ignore, so this new system should make those leveling decisions more impactful.

All football coaches have these attributes:
Playcalling - either offense or defense; this is how well they can scheme and call plays, will be used to get a composite playcalling level for the team when playing/simulating games
Leadership - has various effects on players, like raising team synergy and discipline, enhancing random events during the season, and is a FA attractor
Mental training - how well the coach develops mental attributes, like Pass IQ for QBs, Ball Carrier Vision for RBs, Line Command for OL, Defensive IQ for LBs, etc
Tools training - how well the coach develops toolsy attributes, like route running, accuracy, tackling, run block technique, etcYour strength coach has a different set of attributes:
Strength training - how well the coach helps develop strength for the team
Conditioning training - how well the coach develops conditioning
Youth motivation - how well the coach trains players 25 and younger
Vet motivation - how well the coach trains players 25+These coach attributes will make a bit more sense when we talk about player development below, and things may change, but that's where they are now. As with FC:CD, there will be a minimum and maximum coach level, and they'll gain/lose XP each season.

Additionally, each coach will have a set of coach skill badges, which are modifiers on various parts of the job, similar to FC:CD. And finally, each football coach will also have a "positional teaching proficiency", to reward coaches who are 'QB whisperers' and such. Each coach will gain proficiency for their position group throughout the year, and decay if they don't teach that position in a while.

Hopefully that all makes sense! In all, you'll have 11 coaches on the staff to manage, which I'm hoping is a sweet spot, not too complex and not too simple.
Front Offices

Let's move on team front offices. This is obviously a new concept that did not exist in the college game. There are 4 roles here: Owner, General Manager (GM), Scouting Director, and Medical Director.


https://i.imgur.com/5UcAkMv.png

The Owner is the big boss of the team, and is responsible for hiring and firing the GM. He or she will give expectations to the GM, which may be over multiple seasons, like "Make the playoffs within 3 years" or similar. The Owner will have different personality badges to apply modifiers to what they do, and their financial health and spending philosophy may play a part in how the GM is allowed to build the team.

The General Manager is second in command, and is responsible for drafting, trading, signing players in the offseason, and hiring/firing the Head Coach and other FO members. They'll give expectations to the HC which are more short term, like "Win 10 games this year" or similar. GMs will have their own team building philosophies, like if they prefer building through draft or FA, as well as skill badges to apply modifiers.

The GM has these attributes:
Contract negotiation - how well they negotiate with players, higher level means more team friendly deals may be possible
Trade negotiation - how well they talk with other GMs and network
Staff evaluation - how well they can evaluate staff hires, as those not signed to your team will have their levels and skills slightly obfuscated
Vision - how well they can talk with the Owner, convincing them to align more with what the GM wants, managing expectations, and may also play a role in convincing HCs to joinNext is the Scouting Director (SD). They're responsible for scouting players, both in the draft and around the league, and producing scouting reports and updates to the GM. Behind the scenes, they have a staff of scouts scouring the nation, but that will be abstracted away from the user (similar to OOTP). I don't want to dive too deep into the scouting system right now, but rest assured it will be a major part of the game.
The Scouting Director has these attributes:
College scouting - how well they scout college players and their toolsy/physical attributes
Pro scouting - how well they scout players in the league and their toolsy/physical attributes
Mental scouting - how well they scout mental attributes of players, including seeing player personality badges and meta attributes like confidence, morale, etc
Projection - how well they can see the 'projected' attributes of players; this means seeing their OVR rating 3 years into the future, helping the GM decide who has potential and who's best days are behind themFinally we have the Medical Director (MD). They're responsible for overseeing the surgeries that players need during the season and providing medical reports on prospects and potential FA signings. Teams will also have separate 'medical facilities' which I won't discuss today, but also play a part in the equation.

The Medical Director has these attributes:
Upper body surgery - controls success chance and recovery period for upper body injuries (chest, shoulder, arms, hands, head, etc)
Lower body surgery - controls success chance and recovery period for lower body injuries (foot, ankle, knee, etc)
Medical innovation - controls chance for 'innovative surgery' to be available, which may have a better recovery period or downgrade injury to minor, etc (with some % chance of failure)
Medical scouting - provides better medical insight into scouting reports, providing durability and conditioning concernsEach member of the front office will have their 4 attributes, all from level 1 to 10, as well as skill badges and personality badges to augment their job in different ways, providing a ton of unique archetypes and ways to succeed.
Player 'meta-attributes' and development

Finally, let's dive deeper into player development, and how some of those attributes mentioned above play into it.
Along with the core player attributes, which you can read about in the Devlog from 8/20, players will also have a set of, for lack of a better word, meta-attributes. These attributes are semi-hidden from the user; for some you may get an idea of what the rating is in a range, and some may be entirely hidden.
There are 8 in all:
Determination - a sort of new 'potential', will affect player development
Durability - how at risk they are of injury
Conditioning - how well they manage stamina in-game
Discipline - how likely they are to accrue penalties
Morale - mood, affects re-signing, modifies attributes in-game
Wear and tear - how beaten down they are, will apply penalties to attributes the higher it is
Confidence - mainly for QBs and Kickers, confidence is the mental part of the game that lets them perform; will go down for missing easy FGs or throwing too many interceptions
Scheme mastery - all players have levels of proficiency for different schemes; low mastery means they don't grasp the scheme very well, and will have an outsized effect on some positions (like QB or ILB)There will be events throughout the year to raise or lower these attributes, as well as just natural growth or decline. I'm hoping they help add new layers of complexity and depth without being too overwhelming.
As for player development, obviously a completely new system was needed for the pro game. Players need to have realistic age curves, while still allowing for surprise jump years, and some influence from the team to improve them.

As such, there are basically 3 components to player development. The first is the age curve, which is different for each position, and determines how each attribute increases and then decreases throughout a player career. Some, like Defensive IQ, will stay high late in the career, while more physical ones like Elusiveness will fall off earlier. The second is pure randomness, allowing for surprise breakout and regression years, and varies for each player. And the third is the player's "development score", which is where all the stuff from above comes into play.

Without getting too into the weeds, players will basically store up development score points each week that they're on a team. These points are per-attribute, and are affected by a players determination, the coaching staffs training levels, team facilities, any player injury, quality of practices, and game snaps. These development score points are directly translated into attribute gains each time player development happens. You can see how much an effect this 'development score' has on an example QB's career attribute progression, with lines for 0, 50, and 100 development score:

https://i.imgur.com/ijthbrj.png (https://i.imgur.com/ijthbrj.png)

Speaking of, in this pro game, players will develop during the season. The season is divided into quarters in which this will occur; 1 after OTAs in the offseason, 1 after preseason camp, 1 about mid-season, and 1 at the end of the regular season. This should help the realism, and along with scouting updates throughout the year, will feel very dynamic.

I have lots more in the works, including ways to 'focus' development for certain attributes, but this is clearly already long enough. I hope this has given just a taste of the new and exciting gameplay possibilities!

Thanks everyone for reading and being a part of this community. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!