Ladder - Yet another sliders poll

[Kodos]

Please choose the option you like best.

[Julio Riddols]

I think we should modify and then play for more than one week with the modifications. When I first tried EF27's sliders in my solo dynasty, the first game we had 11 sacks. The next game we had 2. We never had more than 5 in a game the rest of the season. My passing game was great in some weeks, poor in others. The run game as well. We need to pick a set and play more than a couple games on it before making changes.

[Julio Riddols]

FWIW, the sliders EF27 posted before seemed pretty damn good in my time with them. A slight tweak up on human pass accuracy and CPU running ability and they might be perfect.

[gstelmack]

What is broken with stock AA that we are attempting to fix with sliders? All I've heard so far is a generic "too easy". My hope is for the balance we had in 13 - I have to work and outthink to beat the CPU teams that are decently matched with me, am generally beat by the CPU teams better than me, and I destroy the teams that are worse than me.

As my roster builds, I expect to have a fair number of easy games, and I'm okay with that, as long as I do get a challenge from teams at or above my team's skill level. I don't want to use sliders that turn every game into a major challenge - that's not college football.

[Eaglesfan27]

I voted for option 1 but I'm good with any set-up (including stock AA) and really have very little preference.

[Julio Riddols]

I'm also fine with stock AA.

[Kodos]

Maybe AA is the way to go. Are there any small tweaks we'd want for that? Like lowering human passing or interceptions?

[CU Tiger]

I voted stock AA...as I feel using my sliders that I have dozens of games with could be perceived as giving me some unfair advantage that I would rather avoid.

I am ok with whatever we decide, I just like you wish we could put it to bed find a set and stick with it.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

I feel using my sliders that I have dozens of games with could be perceived as giving me some unfair advantage that I would rather avoid.

That's not really a concern for me.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Maybe AA is the way to go. Are there any small tweaks we'd want for that? Like lowering human passing or interceptions?

I would like lowered accuracy (at least for human) and interceptions.

[Kodos]

Do we want slow or normal speed?

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I would like lowered accuracy (at least for human) and interceptions.

Maybe 30 for interceptions for both human and CPU?

What is a good pass accuracy setting? Should we lower pass blocking a bit too?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Maybe 30 for interceptions for both human and CPU?

What is a good pass accuracy setting? Should we lower pass blocking a bit too?

I think normal makes the human think quicker and I like it. 30 is a good compromise on interceptions. I like 5 or 10 for accuracy. Although, others play at 30 and that isn't a bad compromise either. I think pass blocking could be left at default.

[Julio Riddols]

30 int, 30 accuracy works for me.

[Kodos]

Default AA sliders with 30 pass acc and interceptions for both CPU and humans. That works for everyone?

What about the minimum speed threshold? 1? 50?

[CU Tiger]

Normal
30/30
works for me.

Id like to see minimum speed lower than 50.
I personally like 3-7 based on expirementing and personally play usually at 5.
1-40 is cool....above 40 I start to see more and more D warping.

[Kodos]

Okay. Sliders are set as follows:
AA
Default
Pass Acc and Ints set to 30 for both humans and cpu
Min speed 5

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

I am still on having CPU pass blocking bumped up a notch, tackling for both down a notch, still debating if run blocking for both need to go up a notch.

Not as sure on QB accuracy, I'm not seeing 80+ percent completion from either side in my games or anything. If we adjust it, I'd start small, 10 points seems too much.

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Is KFH that RB averaging like 19 yards a carry?

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

We're hoping to earn a place in the rankings too, that's why it was no mercy against South Carolina.

we went to campus and banged cheerleaders all night after a 73-27 dismantling of the number 5 team in the country.

Our two QB's combined for 26/29 passing for 404 yards and 5 scores (with no interceptions for the first time this season), Matt Edwards had 3 more rushing scores, and the punter hasn't seen the field for 2 weeks except to kick the ball off. Very happy with the way this team is rolling offensively.

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I would, however, be ok with lowering QB accuracy like 10 points and seeing what that does.

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Penn State was overmatched by our talent and we jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first 3 minutes including a great punt return by our backup HB. We had a kickoff return for a TD to have a 45-7 lead before the half. We let up a bit in the 2nd half but cruised to a 73-26 win. Thurman had a near perfect day with only a few incompletions, over 300 yards passing, and he accounted for 6 TD's.

Originally Posted by Kodos

Too many scores in the 70s. Shorter quarters maybe?

It really looks to me like humans are, for the most part, having an awful easy time with these sliders. Scores in the 70s are pretty rare in real life, but not for human-run teams.

[Julio Riddols]

FWIW there have been 4 games with recorded scores in the 70's. USC over Penn State, FAU over North Dakota I think it was, and My blowout over Texas State and then this recent blowout over South Carolina. The South Carolina blowout for us was probably the most unnatural score,

I think the reason can be attributed to THIRTEEN of our players who play significant roles being on hot streaks. No other team I have checked has any yet.

[Julio Riddols]

Duke has 16 players on a hot streak.
Buffalo has 18.

[Julio Riddols]

I don't think the sliders need to be touched after looking at the stats, honestly. If we tweak CPU pass blocking up, we'll see CPU passers completing an even higher percentage of throws. The in game numbers don't seem to support that there are necessarily too many sacks for human teams overall either... But if anything is going to be tweaked, CPU pass blocking seems like the only reasonably legit thing to make a move on.

[Kodos]

When a player is averaging 19 yards a run with a significant number of carries (47 carries, 893 yards), something is off. Other top RBs are averaging more like 5 yards a pop. I know FAU has been playing weak competition, but 19 ypc... That's ridiculous.

Here are our scores with these sliders:


Week 1 - Old sliders
Duke over NC State, 28-25
Florida Atlantic over UL Monroe, 56-14
Georgia over Rice, 37-13
South Florida over UCF, 21-13
USC over UCLA, 23-6

====================================

Current sliders
Week 2
Indiana over Michigan, 30-13
Buffalo over PSU, 56-24
South Florida over Alabama, 42-25
UTSA over Georgia, 33-31

Week 3
Indiana over #6 Louisville, 42-20
Buffalo over #1 OSU, 37-34
Duke over Maryland, 38-22
Florida Atlantic over FIU, 59-28
Rice over SMU, 45-16
South Florida over Florida, 19-13
USC over Colorado, 59-7
UTSA over LSU, 27-17

Week 4
Indiana over Purdue, 50-3 -- teams were both in the B range for roster ratings
Buffalo over BYU, 34-24
Clemson over Duke, 38-31
Florida Atlantic over North Dakota, 77-10
Alabama over Rice, 62-10
South Florida over Georgia, 13-10
USC over Alabama, 24-21
UTSA over Florida, 42-13

Week 5
USC over Alabama, 24-21
Duke over #16 Nebraska, 16-14
UTSA over Texas State, 84-7
Buffalo over Iowa, 47-21

Week 6
USC over PSU, 73-26
UTSA over #5 South Carolina, 73-27
Toledo over Buffalo, 48-41


When is the last time you saw a top 5 team have 73 points put up on them?

[Julio Riddols]

To be fair, I played amazingly.

I think FAU must be running an offense conducive to huge gains, and Whaley is kind of a freak.

[Kodos]

It's easier to play amazing with some sliders. I have not been challenged in any of my Ladder games so far. And I'm not great.

[Julio Riddols]

My passing numbers, week to week with these sliders:

Week 2 at UGA

21/35 for 287, 2 TDs, 6 interceptions.

Week 3, home against LSU

21/33 for 269, 1 TD, 2 interceptions.

Week 4, home against 0-5 Florida

16/30 for 228, 1 TD, 4 interceptions.

Week 5, home against lowly Texas State (we are about 20 points better than them in every category)

28/36 for 495, 8 TD, 1 interception.

Week 6, home again against S.C. (Who prob shouldn't have been in the top 5 with one loss already on their record)

26/29 for 404, 5 TDs.

You can see a major light went on in the Texas State game. That carried over against South Carolina, but I was even more laser like in the Carolina game. If you had watched me throwing the ball, you might have thought I had been playing the game for months non stop in order to get that good. I promise you I haven't played that good of a game in years, not since Madden 04. I was just that on point, and it almost feels like I am bragging, but its just the truth. I was in the matrix. I had gone super saiyan. S.C. literally stood no chance the way I was seeing the field.

As you can see though, the first 3 games of the season, I played like ass at QB. Worse than ass, double ass.

I'd bet on me regressing to the mean before I'd bet on me continuing to explode. I also have a hell of a schedule coming up. First South Florida, last years National Champs.

Then I have a run of 5 more ranked teams in a row.

As for Whaley, I think it comes down to whatever offense is being run there at FAU. Look at his YAC. He is rarely touched, it appears. Either that is a money play or the opposition is weak, or both. Sliders probably won't fix that. Just my opinion. Someone who can run the option excessively well can make some serious hay. I can't, I suck at it. SkyHi might just be fucking amazing at it.

I'm not saying we shouldn't explore slider tweaks, I just think it is an overreaction to think we need them when human teams are far from total juggernauts at this point.

Now, if we go a few more weeks and everyone is just killing the CPU, or if I put up 70 on a couple more teams, etc.. Then yeah. I think maybe then it will be time to explore. The cumulative stats just tell me slider tweaks aren't the issue because for every team hanging 70 on their opponents, there is another struggling to crack 30. For every team who isn't getting sacked there is a team with their QB on his back more than a pair of shoulder blades.

I just don't think there is a happy medium, and I think hot streaks have a lot to do with things. My top 3 WR are all hot right now. That has to mean something.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Kodos

It's easier to play amazing with some sliders. I have not been challenged in any of my Ladder games so far. And I'm not great.

I agree these sliders are too easy although Alabama gave me a much bigger challenge than I expected. However, I think the other sliders are too hard for some of our members. It's a tough call. I know we don't want to keep chasing sliders and I don't think we want to suck the fun out of the league by making games overly artificially hard.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Kodos

When is the last time you saw a top 5 team have 73 points put up on them?

Clemson gave up 70 to WVU in the 2012 Orange Bowl.

Wisconsin beat Nebraska 70-10 in 2012

WVU beat Baylor 70-10 in 2012

USC beat number 11 UCLA 66-9 in 2005

Oregon put up 62 on USC a couple years ago. USC also scored 51 though.

Ohio State beat Penn State 63-9 last year, Penn State was 7-5.

GA Tech beat UNC 68-50 in 2012. UNC finished 8-4


Also, keep in mind I didn't rest my starters in either of my last 2 games, and I threw the ball late to run up the score in both. That doesn't happen in real life.

If anything, I guess a rule could be made where throwing the ball with a lead of 30 or more in the 4th quarter is not acceptable, but I don't think that makes any sense.

[Kodos]

I'm not thinking major overhaul. I'm thinking tweaks, and maybe cutting a minute off of quarter length.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

If anything, I guess a rule could be made where throwing the ball with a lead of 30 or more in the 4th quarter is not acceptable, but I don't think that makes any sense.

Just throwing an idea out there: 30 point lead means you can't do no huddle, and you have to turn on chew clock.

[gstelmack]

I would not cut a minute off quarter length, in my games without no huddle I almost feel like we're not getting quite enough plays in.

And I'm in the camp that's mostly having to work, I think this is my first game where I should be better than the competition yet and I'll see how the sliders go. But I kicked and scraped to beat both Florida and Georgia who have comparable ratings to me.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Just throwing an idea out there: 30 point lead means you can't do no huddle, and you have to turn on chew clock.

I keep forgetting about chew clock being an option. I honestly don't anticipate winning by such a large margin again, but I will put in my backups and run the clock next time I get up by a ton like that. I have just been trying to build my coach points and since there is no penalty for running up the score like there used to be, I've kinda just forgotten about kneeling or running to grind clock late.

[Julio Riddols]

And my average number of plays usually sits right around 65, so I think we're right on the money there.

I think what it really comes down to is the game rewards you for running up the score and breaking records, and we're all trying to boost our coaches as fast as possible because recruiting is so much harder. I don't begrudge anyone running up the score honestly, not now when we all need every advantage we can get in the recruiting game.

I was actually thinking if there was a way to tweak injuries or endurance that would be a good way to help force a little more struggle into the game.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm all for a league wide rule about turning on chew clock once you have a 30 point lead. I've been doing that in previous games, but decided to go for a high score this game.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I think what it really comes down to is the game rewards you for running up the score and breaking records, and we're all trying to boost our coaches as fast as possible because recruiting is so much harder. I don't begrudge anyone running up the score honestly, not now when we all need every advantage we can get in the recruiting game.

This....and since MY Player is the subject of much scrutiny I must address the slander against Dean Houston....errrr Pierre Whaley.

1st Whaley is my boy. He was my first big time recruit and a player who I have genuine immersion with. I want to see him win a Heisman.

2nd...Look at my stats in the Pyramid with Newbie. They are similar and were against the harder sliders, with 1 exception. Whaley is my change of pace scat back. He comes in runs a couple sweeps or options and grabs some bench while Dan McMillan carries the load of the tough runs.

3rd...I have a couple money plays. I have actually set a personal rule that none of them are to be run more than 4 times per game...I have one play that prior to this game I had ran 12 times for 12 TDs. For some reason this week suddenly Whaley couldnt turn the corner. I dont know what next week will hold.

4th if you think Whaley's YPC are bad PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dont look at my WR Pitts....just pretend he isnt there.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

This....and since MY Player is the subject of much scrutiny I must address the slander against Dean Houston....errrr Pierre Whaley.

1st Whaley is my boy. He was my first big time recruit and a player who I have genuine immersion with. I want to see him win a Heisman.

2nd...Look at my stats in the Pyramid with Newbie. They are similar and were against the harder sliders, with 1 exception. Whaley is my change of pace scat back. He comes in runs a couple sweeps or options and grabs some bench while Dan McMillan carries the load of the tough runs.

3rd...I have a couple money plays. I have actually set a personal rule that none of them are to be run more than 4 times per game...I have one play that prior to this game I had ran 12 times for 12 TDs. For some reason this week suddenly Whaley couldnt turn the corner. I dont know what next week will hold.

4th if you think Whaley's YPC are bad PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dont look at my WR Pitts....just pretend he isnt there.

I'm fairly certain Whaley is on the fast track to that Heisman, heh.

[CU Tiger]

Whaley was injured this week.
Out indefinitely with a concussion.

[Kodos]

If only Coach had pulled him earlier!

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Kodos

If only Coach had pulled him earlier!

It happened in the 2nd quarter..he only had 280 yards at the time!!

[CU Tiger]

Plus, no love for the Dean Houston reference...shocked, I say.

[Kodos]

We try not to encourage anything related to Hell Atlantic.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

I am still on having CPU pass blocking bumped up a notch, tackling for both down a notch, still debating if run blocking for both need to go up a notch.

Not as sure on QB accuracy, I'm not seeing 80+ percent completion from either side in my games or anything. If we adjust it, I'd start small, 10 points seems too much.

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I would, however, be ok with lowering QB accuracy like 10 points and seeing what that does.

What's the consensus on these? Worth pursuing, or just say the sliders are the sliders, and be done with the monkeying? I fall in the tweak them camp.

CPU pass blocking up 1 notch
Tackling down a notch for both humans and cpu
Drop pass accuracy down 1 notch (just CPU, or both?)

[CU Tiger]

Can we define a notch before I weigh in ?

[Kodos]

Whatever the smallest increment available is.

[gstelmack]

Not ready to say we should adjust QB accuracy. Willing to do the other 2 if 5 points or less.

[Julio Riddols]

Wouldn't taking tackling and pass accuracy down for the CPU make it even easier to beat the hell out of them?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Kodos

We try not to encourage anything related to Hell Atlantic.

Originally Posted by Kodos

What's the consensus on these? Worth pursuing, or just say the sliders are the sliders, and be done with the monkeying? I fall in the tweak them camp.

CPU pass blocking up 1 notch
Tackling down a notch for both humans and cpu
Drop pass accuracy down 1 notch (just CPU, or both?)

I'm in favor of all 3 of those tweaks.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Wouldn't taking tackling and pass accuracy down for the CPU make it even easier to beat the hell out of them?

But if our tackling goes down as well, they break more runs. And our QB accuracy down balances it, as does bumping their pass blocking up a notch.

However, after my UTEP game, I'm beginning to think this is playing pretty well for me. 42-3, I only had 350 yards of offense total. We had 6 sacks, but that seems about right. Their QB was a little too accurate on his throws, but tweak that down and we just pound it on the ground with broken tackles and maybe win it more (or differently).

Tweaks feel like they may make the game play a bit more like college (more broken plays with dropped balls, more big plays with broken tackles), but overall not sure the difficulty will change much. I'm coming back around to wanting to leave it just as it is - we're having some aberrations, we're getting blowouts (which happen in college), we're getting some tough games, and we are losing some.

[gstelmack]

Summary: I could go either way. If we want to try a few weeks with the 3 proposed tweaks to the sliders, I'm game, we can then decide after that (or for next season) if we want to keep them or go back to stock.

[Kodos]

So now that we've settled on staying with NCAA 2014, should we go forward with the tweaks?

CPU pass blocking up whatever the smallest increment is
Tackling down whatever the smallest increment is for both humans and cpu
Drop pass accuracy down 1 notch (for both cpu and humans)