This game's biggest issue is the "challenge" system.

[MC Fatigue]

OK - this is something that's been frustrating me lately with this game, and I just felt like sharing.

The Challenge System in these 2k games either has to be tuned a ton, or it simply has to go.

I'm not sure if I'm for or against a challenge system. On one side, there's no need to include human error in the game, and they could make every play called correctly. On the other hand, it adds some realism in that some plays can be called incorrectly and overturned.

I guess I wouldn't mind the whole system if it didn't completely suck.

Now - I guess I should explain why I think it sucks... I've been sort of keeping track in my head each time a play is absolutely 100% obvious, yet the computer totally screws it up. Not in a "ooh - that was pretty close sort of way. I mean - both feet landing a foot out of bounds and it being called a catch"...

So here are some of the calls I've seen (all of which I've seen multiple times). All were challenged, all were upheld...

-Player catches ball in endzone - jumping - one foot comes down, the other lands a foot out of bounds. Touchdown!

-Player catches ball in the endzone - jumping - both feet land out of bounds. Touchdown!

-Same as above - except not in the endzone; just along the sidelines. Catch!

-Player catches ball. Is immediately nailed and drops the ball on the ground. Did not turn, did not move, did not do anything... Fumble!

-Player clearly crosses the plain for the first down - yet it's called maybe a yard short. 4th Down!

Those are the ones I can currently think of, and they've happened a lot lately. The out of bounds one and fumble ones especially.

I just don't understand. The programming has to know exactly where the players are - so there's no reason for it to ever be wrong. Obviously, then, they've programmed it in to make bad calls and force us to challenge here and there... But why bother if it's done so poorly? I can see if a player's feet are really, really close to the sideline - but when a guy lands with his foot well out of bounds, there's really no reason to have a bad called made, or at least there's no reason for it to not be overturned and corrected.

This is just my major pet peeve with this game; and if they come out with another football game, I really hope this is addressed.

Either entirely remove the challenge system (there's no reason for incorrect calls in the first place when it can all be programmed in properly).

Or fix the system so that it at least gets the majority of calls correct, but is sketchy here and there on really, really close calls.

Again, I understand they wanted to incorporate human error into the game, since it's a part of every sport, but no referee is going to call a TD after watching a tape with a player landing a foot out of bounds, never coming close to touching in bounds. It's just ridiculous and really, really kills this game for me sometimes.

[RogueHominid]

For my money, the biggest problems are DB AI and blitz angles. Both are horribly wrong.

The challenge system is inconsistent. To your first point, I think in APF you only have to have one foot down; I don't think they follow NFL rules.

In the other examples, you're right: the game makes mistakes on clear calls. It's frustrating, but it's the least of my worries. I typically don't see a mistake like that that really matters but once ever 5 or so games. When it happens to you, though, it totally blows.

[Pappy Knuckles]

The challenge system works fine to me. Like Autumn said, you only need one foot down. As far as the game making mistakes on clear calls goes, it's up to you to challenge and get it overturned. I wish you could challenge some of the BS pass interference calls but you can't do that in real life either.

[Hammerhunker]

Actually this thread puts a smile on my face. If these are the "biggest issues" then things aren't all bad. The "million" other great things this game does kind of makes up for it.

I don't mean to trivialize your concern, I am just worn down by the frustration of the other games, and it is nice to have a game, as old as it is, that does most things extremely right.

Disclaimer: I have chronicled the fact that I played this game only briefly when it came out, and haven't truly dived into this game until recently. So it is like I bought a brand new game

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Autumn Wind

For my money, the biggest problems are DB AI and blitz angles. Both are horribly wrong. The challenge system is inconsistent. To your first point, I think in APF you only have to have one foot down; I don't think they follow NFL rules. In the other examples, you're right: the game makes mistakes on clear calls. It's frustrating, but it's the least of my worries. I typically don't see a mistake like that that really matters but once ever 5 or so games. When it happens to you, though, it totally blows.

I got screwed twice in our last game. I don't remember the first call, but it was clear it was blown and on the 2nd play in question, it wasn't even reviewed when it should've either been an incomplete pass or a fumble.

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by Djwlfpack

I got screwed twice in our last game. I don't remember the first call, but it was clear it was blown and on the 2nd play in question, it wasn't even reviewed when it should've either been an incomplete pass or a fumble.

I remember that one. The cruddy thing is that there are plenty of times when the booth should review the play during the 2:00 drill that they don't.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Autumn Wind

I remember that one. The cruddy thing is that there are plenty of times when the booth should review the play during the 2:00 drill that they don't.

If that isn't realistic I don't know what is.

[MC Fatigue]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pappy Knuckles

t's up to you to challenge and get it overturned

For the 1 foot in thing, I was not aware of that, thanks for letting me know.

For the other calls - like I said, I did challenge them. They were all 100% clear as day - yet the computer upheld them.