What does awareness really do?

[Hellisan]

Quote: Originally Posted by KingV2k3

Go into practice mode Sadly, doing the neccesary "lab work" to prove or disprove gameplay and AI issues is in short supply these days...

Well there's a big issue here. Practice mode plays very differently than the game mode. I have no use for what "labbing" in practice mode will teach me, I have found that very few things apply or carry over. I feel that all the tuning has been done to the game mode, and not practice mode. Hence, for me, this has no applicability.

I'll still probably try your suggestion however.

[imalive1459]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hellisan

Well there's a big issue here. Practice mode plays very differently than the game mode. I have no use for what "labbing" in practice mode will teach me, I have found that very few things apply or carry over. I feel that all the tuning has been done to the game mode, and not practice mode. Hence, for me, this has no applicability. I'll still probably try your suggestion however.

Practice mode doesn't use down and distance, the game clock, or player composure. A lot of things won't carry over.

[KingV2k3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hellisan

Well there's a big issue here. Practice mode plays very differently than the game mode. I have no use for what "labbing" in practice mode will teach me, I have found that very few things apply or carry over. I feel that all the tuning has been done to the game mode, and not practice mode. Hence, for me, this has no applicability. I'll still probably try your suggestion however.

You sir, are a wise "veteran" of the football gaming wars...



Yes, the only "true" test is in Dynasty b/c practice mode and "play now" modes are slightly different gameplay-wise than games in season...

I admit, I simplified the test, to see if it would inspire any of the doubters to take a look...

Quote: Originally Posted by imalive1459

Practice mode doesn't use down and distance, the game clock, or player composure. A lot of things won't carry over.

Practice make it easier to sit back and observe the D w/o consequence, which is why I suggested it...

For the "true test" of this (and esp. the "shaky play art" issue) you'd be better off in game, but I understand if that's not attractive to most...

[Isura]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aggies7

I always thought if you are controlling the player awareness is useless.

This is not true ime. I moved my 2nd string RB to WR in his junior year. He is rated 90, but awareness dropped to 54. He drops quite a few easy passes and misses blocking assignments relative to other lower rated WRs.

[Playmakers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Isura

This is not true ime. I moved my 2nd string RB to WR in his junior year. He is rated 90, but awareness dropped to 54. He drops quite a few easy passes and misses blocking assignments relative to other lower rated WRs.

That is correct awareness effects other aspects of gameplay at each position

Put a FB at 90+ awareness and watch how he recognizes what defenders to block in the open field.

RB's will pick up blitzes better because of higher awareness....

I spend a lot of hands on time with the ratings and a RB with high awareness that has good throwing ratings will do some nice things when the CPU calls a trick play as opposed to a RB with lower awareness with equal throwing ratings.

[vusa92troy]

I think that awareness doesn't factor into game play when some peeps play the game in 'arcade' mode. Those of us that are more on the 'sim' side of things really do know that importance of the awareness rating.

[GGGswim]

Finally got hit with the Awareness issue in past three games of my #1 Auburn offline dynasty squad.
Flew through opening 7 games absolutely demolishing opponents -- tremendous D, built honestly thru recruiting, held 2 diff teams to <120yds total offense, and hadn't given up more than 1 TD in a game -- with a Sr RS QB playing in his 1st season as the man. 90+ throwing power and accuracy (my 'old' QB was a 4-yr starter that graduated with an OVR of 98). Setting the scene...next three games were AT #6 LSU, AT #4 FLA, AT unranked UGA.
LSU - QB that had MISSED on fewer than 15 att's, threw FOUR INT's, every single one of them in the LSU end zone. Thank God for our defense which ruled the day, almost as convincingly as in 1st 7 games. B/T his INTs and dozen or so INC's he did throw 5 TDs, tho.
FLA - one of those games where you're thinking the CPU just has it in for you. Picked off 1st 2 FLA passes of game and was up 14-0 in 1st. QB got absolutely nothing done for me all game long, had to rely on HB tandem. DEF couldn't get off the field against FLA. Somehow eked out 42-35 win, QB with a 120.something rating. He was just HORRIBLE
UGA - losing record, mind you. Played like they were the #1 team and my QB missed so many wide open receivers it was beginning to be laughable. Uncovered WR w/ D set for all out blitz, audibled to Fly and ball would sail into sideline a a 45-degree angle from the WR streaking down middle. Had one play where audibled to a slant and, with WR wide-freakin' open b/c of that, ball went downfield as if he was supposed to run a Fly and was INTd. One time, same type of Fly audible with same uncovered WR 15yds downfield, I'm mashing the A-button yelling at the controller to throw the damn ball, but he holds on and is sacked. Relied on punishing ground game for the win, again.

Having started to read this thread recently, postgame after surviving this brutal AWAY 3-gm stretch, I double-check all his ratings, and he has the lowest AWR of all active QBs on roster, only higher than a Fr. I RS'd when he came in.
No other explanation other than he was completely rattled by the intimidating away SEC stadium settings and folded (other than at LSU as it progressed and we built a lead).
I will never recruit another QB that doesn't have at least an above avg AWR for the rest of history.

[KingV2k3]

One of the (only) frustrating parts of this game centers around the AI with regard to depth chart placement...

If you get past the first season and "auto" your depth chart, you'll see that the AI values OVR over players playing anywhere close to their position...

For instance, the AI put a backup MLB in my second FS and SS slots, even though his AWR at those positions was a paltry (and unacceptable) 12!

His OVR was only a handful (or less) ahead of other FS / SS players who's AWR was 5-6 times higher...

Since I have no interest in seeing a backup MLB wandering around a deep zone like an idiot, I rearranged the depth chart to put the "best" players in those slots, which is IMHO a combo of OVR / AWR...

Sadly, the CPU teams still employ this flawed "logic", so they have some guys playing waaaay out of position when fatigue kicks in...

I can also guess that some users devalue the importance of AWR, since the devs / AI don't seem to value it as much as they should...