This game is so freaking frustrating

[Sven Draconian]

How can a game be so close to being great, but make so many stupid little mistakes.

1) The game has some of the best locomotion in a sports game, but it gets ruined because the AI takes so many mis-steps...even with user controlled players. I was using Dick Anderson and "stole" the play and got in position to blow up the screen, only to have the AI take my guy, move him FOR ME, and give me a ****ty animation to recover.

2) Why do 3-4 teams (AI) always shift their LB's to the offensive left?

3) Why do defensive backs go into such long, terrible animations and get themselves burned (see point #1).

4) Why do my linebackers stand still (again, back to point #1).

5) Why can't I shift my defensive line in the 3-4 defense?

6) Why does the computer run so many counters? They never work.

7) Generic WR's.

8) The WTF animations (QB off the back foot lobs, RB's who decide to cut the wrong direction).

9) My FB and TE's inability to block. Why can't I ever block an OLB in the 4-3?

10) Coverage on the out patterns/flats.

11) Collision detection. So many players brush shoulders with the ball carrier without bothering to actually tackle them.

This game was so close to having great gameplay, but it becomes so frustrating. Some plays it looks and feel perfect. Then the next play the computer takes your user controlled linebacker, makes hiim step left and you end up wildly out of position. Or you try and cutback into a hole, and get one of those long stop, plant animations despite just getting the handoff.

So close, but so far away.

[sportyguyfl31]

Yeah this game can do that to you.

One you really see some truly amazing stuff....I still see animations ive never seen before.

the next game you'll be driven to punch a hole through your TV.

[ovrcfntdorgamiartist]

Barring the horrible Flea Flicker money play though, this still is the best and most fair football game to play online IMO.

[rickmitchell22]

Quote: Originally Posted by ovrcfntdorgamiartist

Barring the horrible Flea Flicker money play though, this still is the best and most fair football game to play online IMO.

I dont think anyone has completed a flea flicker on me in about 2 years. Its not a money play.

[R3LeNtLeSs]

Alot of the bad animations that you see from the defense is just the games way of representing players skill levels. The game is trying to show a skill gap between bronzes and silvers and golds etc. Kinda the same with how madden does on all madden

[catcatch22]

A lot of the problems you stated are more slider issues. The default game play sliders seemed rush and feel wrong. They may not have had enough time to work on the each specific aspect of the sliders and the default game play itself.

[DavonBrown]

Quote: Originally Posted by catcatch22

A lot of the problems you stated are more slider issues. The default game play sliders seemed rush and feel wrong. They may not have had enough time to work on the each specific aspect of the sliders and the default game play itself.

What sliders are you using?

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sven Draconian

How can a game be so close to being great, but make so many stupid little mistakes. 1) The game has some of the best locomotion in a sports game, but it gets ruined because the AI takes so many mis-steps...even with user controlled players. I was using Dick Anderson and "stole" the play and got in position to blow up the screen, only to have the AI take my guy, move him FOR ME, and give me a ****ty animation to recover. 2) Why do 3-4 teams (AI) always shift their LB's to the offensive left? 3) Why do defensive backs go into such long, terrible animations and get themselves burned (see point #1). 4) Why do my linebackers stand still (again, back to point #1). 5) Why can't I shift my defensive line in the 3-4 defense? 6) Why does the computer run so many counters? They never work. 7) Generic WR's. 8) The WTF animations (QB off the back foot lobs, RB's who decide to cut the wrong direction). 9) My FB and TE's inability to block. Why can't I ever block an OLB in the 4-3? 10) Coverage on the out patterns/flats. 11) Collision detection. So many players brush shoulders with the ball carrier without bothering to actually tackle them. This game was so close to having great gameplay, but it becomes so frustrating. Some plays it looks and feel perfect. Then the next play the computer takes your user controlled linebacker, makes hiim step left and you end up wildly out of position. Or you try and cutback into a hole, and get one of those long stop, plant animations despite just getting the handoff. So close, but so far away.

Been awhile since I played, but here's my thoughts on the items.

1. The only scenario I have ever seen the AI take the control away is on a certain juke move (which is bad). Other than that I'm not sure what you experienced, and the explanation didn't quite make sense.
2. Never saw this in offline and played roughly 4 seasons.
3. Positioning was usually the problem I noticed, not necessarily long animations. Maybe you could give an example so we could talk more in-depth.
4. RunReader seems to be the biggest culprit here. RunReader allows them to read the run, and supposedly make a better move on the runner. The reality is that it allows them to stand there and be blocked.
5. I believe this was their attempt to help negate many of the defensive line exploits people were using in 2K5. I'm fine with it if it kept the exploits down.
6. Again, haven't noticed it. It's strange you say the counters never work, as many gamers have complained about the counters being too effective. They seem about right to me if you are prepared for them, and they can burn you if you're not, especially if you don't have necessary stick skills to counter (counter the counter FTW!) or have not setup the defensive for the strong/weak sides properly.
7. Completely agree if you are referring to the WR hands. Very bad design decision.
8. I like the QB off the back foot animation. It's a good way to train users to set their feet. That's a personal taste however. I agree it's not realistic. Not sure what you mean by the HB problem.
9. Your blockers go where you tell them. If you are directing them problem, then you probably need to work on directing them with your movement. Try not taking control of your player until they are ready to cross the line of scrimmage, that helps a lot of players who struggle with missed primary blocks.
10. The flats can be covered in multiple ways. That shouldn't be a problem. As for the outs, it's only a problem on the wide part of the field (as is any route really). The out on the wide part of the field is simply the most noticeable. Bump man is the only thing that covers it properly.
11. Definitely like to see some video evidence of this problem. The tackling / collision detection was pretty good. The only time you might see something a little off was when the HB tried to get skinny between two engaged blockers on each side.

With the Linebacker problem you mentioned in your summary, try moving the player before the play starts, instead of just hitting B and waiting for it. If you just hit B to select the player, but do not move them, then when the play begins the AI will control the LB and begin moving them in the direction he was supposed to go. So if he's heading up to the left for a low zone he's defending, but you see a run and pull him as quickly as you can after the ball hike, odds are he's already started running for his zone. Thus you see what looks like a movement towards a direction that isn't a direction you moved him. Hope that's clear. Hit me up on 360 if you ever want to talk about some of the problems in depth and how to avoid them if possible.