WTF is wrong with Special Teams?

[goh]

Raise your power slider.

I'm more concerned with punt returns. The human blocking is entirely inept while the AI teams get on just fine.

[weeeeeeez]

The biggest problem with special teams for me in this game is that the ball NEVER has bounced backwards for me on a punt. Or the CPU for that matter.

[nova91]

Quote: Originally Posted by goh

Raise your power slider. I'm more concerned with punt returns. The human blocking is entirely inept while the AI teams get on just fine.

Thorough all of my dynasties I have returned about 17 punts and 20 kickoffs for TDs about half of those were brought back due to holding calls mainly because I go out and recruit the fastest most agile player with the highest awareness I can find and you have to lateral sometimes when you are in a jam.

Also I have tried both raising and lowering both sliders on FGs and punts the cpu just can't kick for nothing.

[mnAD28]

Quote: Originally Posted by goh

I'm more concerned with punt returns. The human blocking is entirely inept while the AI teams get on just fine.

This. It bugs the heck out of me. They get at least 7 yards before any of my guys gets near him, then he will usually break that tackle and run for another 10 because everyone else is blocked. But when I return it, I'm lucky to het any yardage if I don't bring a guy back myself to block.

Also, blocking kicks is pretty easy. Just take the back guy (your return man) and line up just inside of the guy on the outside on the right of your screen. Then time the snap and you won't get blocked. He needs good acc to get there in time though.

[AutoMG]

Yes, Villio. Been that way for years as far as I know.

[somehetero]

It all depends on your difficulty and sliders. If you feel cheated, adjust the FG Range and/or FG Accuracy sliders.

I usually play on AA with standard sliders, and I've seen the CPU miss two or three FGs in 100+ games. CPU kickers with ~80 kick power routinely hit 50+ yard FGs, and I've had freshman kickers with similar power not able to hit from 45 with no wind.

As someone above mentioned, punt return blocking has ALWAYS been atrocious on current gen systems in both Madden and NCAA. It seems like your blockers (the ones that don't instantly get beat at the line of scrimmage by the CPU's protection team when they break downfield) always just run directly toward your return guy and stand in front of him until he fields the punt, then turn to block and all instantly whiff. I especially hate the stupid "instant swim move" animation that 90% of the CPU gunners do every single punt as they approach your return man.

The only way I've ever been successful returning punts is by putting my fastest guy with the highest acceleration back there and running straight to the far sideline as soon as he fields it. If you manage to get around the CPU gunners that are almost always on top of you as soon as you have control, you can usually turn it upfield for about 15-20 yards before a linebacker catches you on an angle.

This has been broken for years.

EDIT: CPU punt coverage teams are also on a "mirrored button reaction", meaning they instantly react and move the opposite way (your right, their left) of the input you enter for your return guy as soon as you do it. You can see this easily if you ever field a punt with a little room as the CPU "cluster" of tacklers moves in on you. Just wiggle your movement stick back and forth and watch the defenders zig-zag as they run toward you. It's hilariously stupid, makes returning punts on higher difficulties incredibly frustrating, and REEKS of AI cheating. Yet another reason why the Button Press Reaction system ruins these games and a player vision reaction system has to be implemented moving forward.

[sycodmn]

I turned Kick Power and Kick Accuracy down to 45 for both Human and CPU, and I've been getting really realistic results. With UCLA, who has a good, but not amazing, kicker, my range is about 48, with kicks from 49-50 hitting the crossbar, meaning I might be able to make them with the right angle, or with wind at my back. Sounds about right. Just played Oregon State, they have a strong, but innacurate (only 70 kick acc) kicker, who missed a 40 yarder, from the left hash, wide right. Seems about right.

Your mileage may vary, but I've found special teams to be pretty good this year. When I miss kicks, its because they're out of my range, or bad user accuracy.

[Yorkie]

Quote: Originally Posted by Shankssta

The AI blocked a kick for me in a ranked match once. It was crazy. Speaking of special teams, kickoff coverage and blocking is terrible.

I know this all too well. When the demo was first released, I played as Oregon vs. Texas and took the very first kickoff all the way back for a TD (on All-American difficulty). I also did it a 2nd time while still playing the demo... this time playing the Florida State vs. Alabama game.