Ladder conversion to NCAA 14- Teambuilder tips thread

[Kodos]

Hey guys. I'll be posting some helpful tips for rebuilding your roster in Teambuilder, but for now just a quick tip. Pick a team with similar pipelines to what your NCAA 2013 team has. For instance, in my case, I should probably look at the pipeline states for Ohio State and Notre Dame to find a close match to the pipeline states that my Indiana team has in NCAA 2013. If I start with Indiana's roster, I will lose pipelines in CA and FL. To check this, you many need to start a test dynasty and look at pipelines for teams in NCAA 2014.

[CU Tiger]

pipelines matter much less in '14...

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Actually, I've downloaded the rosters for all teams. I'm going to edit it so that the columns go in the same order they appear on Teambuilder. If people like, I can share that file when I'm done. Having them in the same order makes the entry phase easier.

Figured maybe this post should go here too.

[MacroGuru]

I would like the file. I will be on the Road tomorrow until Monday, then back out on that Tues until the next monday

[Julio Riddols]

Me too

[Kodos]

Alright, working on it. Being EA, some columns are not labeled or labeled wrong.

[Kodos]

Still working on the roster file. Hope to have it ready today. PM me your email addresses so I can send you the file when I'm done. Unless there is somewhere I can just upload it.

In addition to have unlabeled columns and mislabeled columns, they also left out Impact Blocking and Kick Returns entirely, so I am entering those manually. Thanks, EA.

[gstelmack]

Current file is uploaded at:

http://www.gstelmack.com/Ladder2018rosters.xls

I'll update that with more of the coach record stuff when I get a chance to finish it this weekend.

[Kodos]

Thanks!

[Julio Riddols]

We put in 2018 as the year or 2014?

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

We put in 2018 as the year or 2014?

I don't know if that field means anything.

[Kodos]

General Tab

Enter your team name, location, coach name, and stadium name. School type is FBS (1-A). Enter your school prestige using the number from the spreadsheet (See Program Info Tab below). If you click on the first paintbucket under school colors, the Select Primary Color screen comes up. Schools are in alpha order. For the third color, I usually just repeat the color from bucket one. I chose 2014 for the year. I don't know if it makes any difference. I think it is just for people who make historic rosters. To make things easier on myself, I simply made Kick Return = 40 for all linemen.



Logo Tab

You can upload two custom logos. The perfect size is 256 x 256 pixels. You have the option to sample your school color from the logo you upload. Use the "remove background" option or you will end up with a square on your helmet that doesn't quite match the rest of the helmet. Your other option here is to choose an existing logo from EA's list at the bottom of the screen.



Stadium Tab

Select your conference, find your team. There are some generic ones if you want to change your stadium.



Field Tab

Once again, find your field from the list, or you can edit the field to your liking.



Uniform Tab

Once again, you can choose from EA's existing uniforms, or, if you're feeling more daring, create your own. I use the second option. If you go the custom root, be sure to load up your team in game to see if things look good. You can end up with some funky stuff otherwise.




Mascot Tab

Choose your mascot from the list.



Program Info Tab

You can fill in the Program Info using the spreadsheet below.

http://www.gstelmack.com/Ladder2018rosters.xls

**Please note: I made up the values for Coach Prestige and Fan Base. I based Coach Prestige on overall records/bowl records/appearances in the championship game, etc. I am willing to discuss changes to these if they don't look right.

For fan base, I just duplicated the values from the Coach Prestige field. If people have a good idea for how to do Fan Base well, I am all ears. The values I put in there were just placeholders for the most part. Edit: The Fanbase attribute is now taken from the Stadium Atmosphere attribute in NCAA 2013.

I think we should adjust the Pro Potential column too. USC has to be sending scads of people to the NFL in this universe. Maybe base it off of the roster strength columns (OVR, OFF, DEF)?







Roster Tab

This screen is subdivided into the Player Info and Player Skills tabs. I plan to get correct heights and weights by looking at players in game as I edit my roster. (I'm finding it efficient to go through and name players, adjust height, weight, class, number, race in one swipe, then go in and edit in the player skills tab on a second pass. I realize most people won't bother with race and number, but I'm anal with my team. ) You are likely to end up with either too many or not enough players at certain positions in relation to your existing roster from NCAA 2013. My solution is to edit an extra player at a different position and then switch him to his correct position next offseason. To make this easy, I add his position to his first name. (For example, use "RB Alex" in the first name field.)


NOTE: SAVE EARLY AND OFTEN. I've lost edits in the past by not saving frequently.

After you do your roster, it is a good idea to go through and recheck all player's class levels. I had several wrong after my first pass.




I put the columns in the spreadsheet in the same order they appear on the entry screen. The two yellow columns in the spreadsheet (Impact Blocking and Kick Return) are the ones I entered manually. I tried to be accurate, but you many want to verify these in game.





Saving a spare player for later...

[Julio Riddols]

Are we robbing our players of a year of development by not going through that part of the preseason in 2013? Or am I forgetting that we have already done that part?

[Kodos]

We already went through that.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Kodos

We already went through that.

Shit

[gstelmack]

For Fan Base, can't we just use Stadium Atmosphere from 2013? Pro Potential as well?

[Julio Riddols]

I have my uniforms done and my QB's entered, I will work on adding more dudes tomorrow. I'm decently happy with the re-design, but I think I need a better looking roadrunner logo to put behind the text. Hard to really do what I want with the 256 pixel limitation though. Wish I could kind of replicate the Seattle look somewhat.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

For Fan Base, can't we just use Stadium Atmosphere from 2013? Pro Potential as well?

For Pro Potential, the values are from in game. I just thought they were low considering human teams are dominating The Ladder at this point.

Stadium Atmosphere for Fan Base seems like a logical choice.

[gstelmack]

Spreadsheet uploaded with rival wins/losses, top 25 wins/losses, and conference championships. I KNOW I did not get every rivalry or top 25 game, but I got a lot more than the game did.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Spreadsheet uploaded with rival wins/losses, top 25 wins/losses, and conference championships. I KNOW I did not get every rivalry or top 25 game, but I got a lot more than the game did.

I tried downloading it, but it looks like the old version. Is there a new link?

[gstelmack]

Should have overwritten it. I'll check.

[gstelmack]

I uploaded to the wrong directory. Should be fixed now, same link as above.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

I uploaded to the wrong directory. Should be fixed now, same link as above.

Looks good now. Thanks!

[Kodos]

New version of the Team History screenshot. Will replace version in the writeup above too.

I'd appreciate feedback on if the Coach Prestige ratings I made look fair or not. They're not set in stone by any means.

I think we should consider editing Pro Potential too, as our teams are among the elite in this universe and should be sending lots of players to the NFL.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I have my uniforms done and my QB's entered, I will work on adding more dudes tomorrow. I'm decently happy with the re-design, but I think I need a better looking roadrunner logo to put behind the text. Hard to really do what I want with the 256 pixel limitation though. Wish I could kind of replicate the Seattle look somewhat.

The Roadrunner might show better if you can get a white border around it. Otherwise, it kind of vanishes on the helmet.

[CU Tiger]

2014 does a nice job with Pro potential

Its a 4 year rolling sum of drafted players weighted by round.

If you want to modify it Id suggest making everyone a C unless we have the Data to back it up. Pro Pipeline is a HUGE marker in 14. If you skew it wrong you will write a self fulfilling prophecy.

FAU looks like a true coach's death bed in that graphic

[gstelmack]

Not sure on pro potential - recently I haven't had a ton of really good senior talent, so it's been a reasonable marker, although I was surprised at how few of the guys that got me a championship got drafted. I wouldn't give me more than a C, that's for sure. USC on the other hand probably ought to be better than a C-.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Kodos

The Roadrunner might show better if you can get a white border around it. Otherwise, it kind of vanishes on the helmet.

I've got a couple edited versions I am working on where I have done just that.

Much happier with this version.

[Kodos]

Yep, it shows up much more now.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Not sure on pro potential - recently I haven't had a ton of really good senior talent, so it's been a reasonable marker, although I was surprised at how few of the guys that got me a championship got drafted. I wouldn't give me more than a C, that's for sure. USC on the other hand probably ought to be better than a C-.

I thought it was sort of neat in an offline dynasty I "play" which is recruiting only.

I had a QB who was a 99 OVR, won 4x BCS NS, 3 Heismans but he was a typiccal mobile QB and only 5'9".

He got drafted in the 5th round while I had 8 other players go first round.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm back home (and had an amazing vacation with the family.) Working starting tomorrow but I will try to get my team done ASAP.

[gstelmack]

So I have to change the name of one of my players. A name that EA assigned him in 13. Brandon Dickens is not allowed by the web app. I love overzealous profanity filters.

[Eaglesfan27]

Working on my rosters - what year do we assign Redshirt Freshman? Sophomore, I'm assuming?

[Kodos]

I just went with whatever their listed year was. There's no way to assign FR vs. FR (R). We'll end up losing the redshirt option for some guys in the conversion, unfortunately, because the game decides that for you.

[gstelmack]

Yeah, I focus more on how many years they have left.

[Eaglesfan27]

Sounds good. Thanks so much for the spread sheet. It is making things much smoother. I'm almost through my offense.

[Kodos]

Glad it helps.

[gstelmack]

Down to the last bit here. I have I think 4 guys that did not have a matching roster spot in the template I used, and I have to figure out which of them should take the backup kicker's slot I don't have anyone for now, and then figure out how to remind myself to position switch him back at the start of next season.

But everyone else is done. I'll try and find time to do the coach stuff tonight.

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I just went with whatever their listed year was. There's no way to assign FR vs. FR (R). We'll end up losing the redshirt option for some guys in the conversion, unfortunately, because the game decides that for you.

I lost a year on all but one of my best recruits during the last conversion. My thinking after that disaster was that it selects FR (R) if their overall ability score is above a certain threshold. I have no evidence for that other than my single anecdote, however. But I have already mentally adjusted to the fact that it will happen again to me this season.

[Kodos]

Unfortunately, for Freshman, there's not really anything we can do.

[Julio Riddols]

I'm hoping to do all but the heights and weights tonight at work. Mondays are typically slow in the hotel biz.

[MacroGuru]

When do we have to have this completed by? I want to do it from home instead of the road but won't have time to get to it tonight and I won't be back home until the 21st, I can do it from the road though.

[Kodos]

There's not a terrible rush. I still have some research to do on coach stats.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I'm hoping to do all but the heights and weights tonight at work. Mondays are typically slow in the hotel biz.

Do height and weight actually matter in NCAA 14? EA is notorious for that just being window dressing. I left mine alone since I'm editing guys at the same positions, but if there's a reason I'll go back and do them all.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Do height and weight actually matter in NCAA 14? EA is notorious for that just being window dressing. I left mine alone since I'm editing guys at the same positions, but if there's a reason I'll go back and do them all.

In NCAA 14, I think they matter to an extent. I think they have some influence on the new engine when tackles happen.

[gstelmack]

If that's the case, I'll start updating my players to correct numbers.

[Eaglesfan27]

Finished the rest of my offensive players tonight (still have to go back and do weights.) I love learning things about players. Tonight, I learned I have a guard who can actually catch the ball decently with a catch rating of 70 and a catch in traffic of 72. Makes me think he could get some time as an extra TE in some goal line packages.

[gstelmack]

South Florida is done: TeamBuilder | NCAA Football | EASports.com

[Kodos]

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Finished the rest of my offensive players tonight (still have to go back and do weights.) I love learning things about players. Tonight, I learned I have a guard who can actually catch the ball decently with a catch rating of 70 and a catch in traffic of 72. Makes me think he could get some time as an extra TE in some goal line packages.

I figured out how many ATHletes I've recruited who can both throw and catch: 3.