Overall observations after seeing lots of videos

[mercalnd]

So this week we've been treated to a lot of videos from OS and IGN primarily. Comments are diverse on each thread about a specific set of videos. So I thought it'd be nice to have a thread where we can synthesize these observations. So here's what I got from those videos.

-Slowdown is GONE.

-Whoever plays these games for IGN is by no means a football genius, which obviously has an effect on the way the vids come out.

-Many people have complained about passing % being low. I noticed a few things about that: First, there are almost no drops and those that are there are credible (caused by players getting hit as the ball arrives or the throw was a bit off). The catching slider should help here as suggested by Bill Abner's impressions from playing at E3. This is nowhere near what we had last year where wrs would drop perfectly thrown passes when there was no one around. Second, I focused mainly on the CPU's passing where possible. The videos where people complained most about the CPU passing were Florida and Ohio State. The big differences I noticed from last year were that the CPU completed some short passes in these games and their % was at 40. While still unrealistically low, this is much better than the 25-30% we often saw in 05. Oh yeah and in Ohio State's case it was on the road at Michigan with HFA on.

-Gone are the unbelievably wild throws by the CPU qb. In 2005, it was incredibly frustrating to see the qb throw in an area completely removed from the play for no apparent reason.

-Another thing that I noticed was that the CPU-controlled defenders seem to play much better for the player than for the CPU team. Most incompletes I've seen from the CPU were knockdowns or receivers getting hit. The coverage seemed much tighter against the CPU than against the human. Lowering human defensive awareness and knockdowns should help bring that CPU % back up to realistic levels.

-Many cite 2004 as a game in which the CPU had great offensive games. While those games did occur, I also saw plenty of 2004 games in which the CPU couldn't pass at all.

-CPU running: Sadly we have yet to see a football game where the CPU runs realistically. So we'll once again have to tweak sliders. Fortunately, with the exception of 2003, I've always been able to get the CPU to get decent running numbers.

Overall, despite the concerns some have about the CPU offense, I've seen enough of a difference in the way the passing is working to be optimistic about ai and coaching sliders helping. I'm one of the few who actually think the sliders worked in 2005. I did see a difference when I adjusted sliders. The problem was that the CPU offense was so far out of whack that sliders couldn't fix it. Sliders have always helped the running, even if they don't produce complete realism. Worst case scenario based on what I've seen in those videos, we get a game in which the CPU passes for 40-50% while racking up some big plays and putting up some points. I can live with that.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Bill Abner and Fetter, who both played the game at E3 enjoyed it. Abner is on record stating the CPU passed up and down the field all day on him. Man, is it July 12th yet?

[ifiok25]

I wish it was july 12th. Great post about this. The passing game on default this year looks better than last year's default passing game. I'm not too concerned with passing. Has the composure thing been redone? I think that last year it was overdone. The running game will use tweaking anyway so that's no surprise. I didn't really see those unrealistic jumps by the DB's in any of those videos which is a huge plus. I'm happy that the slowdown is gone. To be honest the game looks faster which is good. Again great impressions. I can't wait until this game is out.

[HeartlandHusker]

- I just like the way the computer plays, it seems like the computer is a lot more comfortable on offense, or atleast more confident in its throws.

Even if it plays really crappy at least it looks like its going to play different.

- Also the way the impact players are focused on is good to see, I truly thought that this would be a wasted feature.

[Shockgeez04]

from watching the videos looks to me like the wide-open, shootout gameplay is back from '04, last year the defense had everything on lock i had real trouble moving the ball without wholesale changes to the sliders and difficulty levels,
05' defensive awareness was incredible + dropped balls = frustration

everything looks pretty good so far except the playbooks which look like the same limited ones that have been in there for years

[rdawsoniii]

I hope it is like 2004 in regard to CPU passing and game scoring, where they have great games and terrible games alike. That's the way it should be, just like there should be occasional shootouts and occasional defensive slugfests. If every game plays the same, then it's not a realistic or well-made game to me.

[kirkdawg]

One of the things that is contributing to the lack of CPU running in the vids is that they keep playing 5 minute quarters. Running the ball is not something you do with time running low and a long way to go down the field. Also, the CPU tends to call plays and spend more time at the line than a human controlled player so they are not getting as many plays off. This necessiates the CPU having to go for more yards per play.

[Lintyfresh85]

very good post... you've made valid points... can't wait for the game.

[Rocky]

Good post can't wait for the game. But I'd be remisced if I didn't say something else that really bugs me about this game.


FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE CHANGE THOSE CRAPPY *** TACKLING ANIMATIONS

85 percent of them are the same ones that are seen in NCAA2002.