Blocking AI

[santeria49]

I think there is a glitch with blocking out of the shotgun. It isn't nearly as bad in under-center formations. It could still stand improvement, but, the worst problems definitely seem to be related to the shotgun formation.

[bznupe]

I have a reply to the person who brought up the sprint button. I thoroughly disagree on your part, I thought not holding on to the sprint button would actually help my running game out, much to my dismay it actually led to the backside defender or the linebacker who just beat my blocker to tackle me even faster, and even then when my blockers would actually block my man would kind of sputter while trying to accelerate. Point blank period the lack of good blocking on this game makes it hard to beat quarters defense if your in the shotgun. I think the game developers overreacted to the lack of rush defense last year and totally screwed up the blocking schemes. The entire purpose of the spread offense is to spread the field and open up running lanes and this game does a horrible job at it. Line backers and defensive backs stop shotgun runs too easily. Also, I can't remember the last time I have seen a pancake block on this game. I can't lie I love to throw the rock but I like to keep the defense honest but this game doesn't allow me to.

[Hipster-Doofus]

The main issue with this game is that "blocking scheme's" do not exist here. Out of the Shot Gun, under center, running option, or power it doesn't matter. The lack of a scheme is what the issue is in this case. Like I said before, the lack of blocking schemes directly corilates to "A Random Chaotic Sequence of Meaningless Events", which is the blocking AI in this game. It's Basically Block who ever where ever when ever. Different types of offense's render different types of blocking schemes. You don't block Dive's and same way as Power, or Inside Zone the same way as Triple Option, or Speed Option the same way you block HB Toss. Each play, each "scheme" is different, and should be treated as such.

The issue with this game is, if you just look at the OL and not the backfield, you would think that you were running the same play over and over again even if you change from Zone, to Option, to Dive (with exception of Power because of Guard Pulling). Up front, every thing looks the same, and shouldn't. That is the issue, and the reason for all of the missed asignments and missed blocks.

That being said, I realize taht this is a video game, and I'm not sure the developers even understand the different in scheme's, and even if they did, I'm not sure it's possiblet o implement that into the game itself. So until then, we are stuck with what we got.

[helix139]

Agree re: blocking schemes. They need a lot of work. zone schemes are nonexistent and choices linemen make are sometimes completely illogical. It's been my one real beef with EA football games for years. Blocks should be based on the LB/DL stacks created by the defensive front, with appropriate rules for the inside zone, blocking down for trap or veer, pin and pull for the outside zone/stretch play, etc. It's definitely possible but probably requires more time to implement the logic than the developers are willing to put in. Maybe one year we'll get that as our big new feature. The problem is that the mainstream doesn't care about the linemen, regardless of how much better it could make their game. Perhaps one of the EA guys can chime in and explain why, after all these years, we still don't have a good blocking engine.

As far as running from the shotgun, it can be done. I've found that shotgun runs are especially slow for the blocks to develop, however, and you need to wait even longer for the hole to develop before you explode through it. My advice is to not push the analog stick all the way forward while waiting for the hole and then push the stick all the way forward and hold the trigger to explode through the hole. Do it right and you can average 6-7 yards a pop against an equivalent team.

[hcopenhagenh]

Some people don't understand what BLOCKING SCHEMES mean. The running game is not that difficult this year. However, that doesn't mean that the running game isn't a mess. The BLOCKING SCHEMES make the running game a mess because the OL just gets in the way rather than make blocks.

As far as the Sprint button is concerned, this is the dumbest part of the running game and shows no ingenuity by the programmers. If you hit the sprint button too early the defense magically come off blocks and go to the RB. The is just a dumb dumb dumb dumb concept. RB's in real life are told when you see a hole that you need to hit it. How are you suppose to hit it in EA programmed games? You can't! You just lumber through there and wait to be hit unless you are playing against a really bad FCS team. If you hit the sprint button you get ghost tackled by a DT that is clearly getting controlled at the LOS.

Here is how a real life sweep should be blocked (Oh, and it is very obvious the RB is sprinting in the backfield before he hits the hole): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh5I5F3IEaA

Real Life off Tackle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GNXpF2kPjQ

Here is how it looks for NCAA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSVKp1gwN4Y

[helix139]

Someone should alert EA to Chris' Smart Football Blog at http://smartfootball.blogspot.com. There is some very good discussion and diagrams regarding true run blocking schemes

[stoncold32]

WE should've saw this coming, guys.

Think about it. Last year, all they did was pancake block. I saw entire d-lines get pancaked last year. We complained, now there are no pancakes, but there is also is no blocking AI. It's just randomly done it seems.

[slthree]

[quote=hcopenhagenh;2039922671]Here is how a real life sweep should be blocked (Oh, and it is very obvious the RB is sprinting in the backfield before he hits the hole): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh5I5F3IEaA

The reason this sweep works is because the WR who ran it followed closely behind 3 key blocks. He stayed literally on top of the back who originally sprung him. He did not run wide and sprint, as many here do and wonder why they get tackled so quickly.

Notice, he keeps the sweep "tight" and does not make a beeline to the sideline, as many here do and wonder why they get tackled so quickly.

There are issues with the blocking, no doubt, but there are more issues with users who don't understand that you have to use your blockers. In this game, if you run a sweep and get too wide too quickly your lineman will look stupid but that is the users fault.

You try to make the point that the back is sprinting the entire way. I'm guessing you say that because your trying to prove that users should be able to mash the sprint button immediately and it not affect the play. Wrong.

That point is invalid as the receiver who runs the ball is coming off motion. He is not a Tailback receiving a pitch from a standstill. Since I was a Tailback I can tell you with certainty that no back is taught to sprint outside full speed immediately upon receiving the pitch.

You gotta run fast but not wrecklessly. You cannot outrun your blockers. There is a reason the elite backs have a "second gear". You don't see it until a lane has developed. A lane doesn't develop on the sweep until engagement. We have beat this subject to death in the impressions thread with video. Go check it out.

Still, there are examples of terrible AI blocking in this game. I second the slip screen blocking mentioned earlier where 3 lineman ignored 1 defender. I hate that