Query: Game-to-Game Momentum?

[KingV2k3]

I've noticed in my SMU Dynasty, that "trap games" definately exist once or twice a year, where the CPU plays "lights out" if I'm coming off a few consecutive wins or an underdog / road win...

I also noticed that when going into a game against a conference opponent that has consequences in the standings (either short or long term) are tougher games...

I, for one, really like this aspect b/c it's "realistic" in the sense that the games should have some "Any Given Saturday" (sic) factor...

If the result was always based on team / player ratings, HFA, etc. it would not represent the "randomness" of sports...

I would like some feature where I "spend" some Coach Points or something to warn my players about upcoming trap-type games or games that have a extra significance in the standings or to the program...

Last example:

Had Tulsa (who I was in peril of being tied with in the standings if I lost at home) down 28-6 at the half, got the kick to start the second half and marched down the field for, a score thart could have iced the game...

I threw on 3rd and goal, and (TOTALLY MY BAD READ) threw a pick 6, to get them back in the game...

Suddenly it was as if Tulsa collectively thought "Hey, wait a second, WE can win this game" and went heywire for the remainder of the game...

If it were not for a missed two point conversion and a turnover on downs just out of FG range, I would have lost, what suddenly became a "nail biter"...

No "comeback" or "robo", just the kind of mistake that can lead to a major shift in momentum, very much like RL...

Good stuff!

[Deegeezy]

I do think momentum exists in the game. It is just no longer shown via a lame meter.

I notice that when on the road and the CPU has a nice string of plays, my guys start to fumble, drop passes, etc.

[chemicalxv]

I don't know, I just threw a topic out there.

I'm in the 2nd year of my Tulane dynasty and I scheduled Miami in Miami because I wanted to see the smoke entrance (it wasn't that impressive).

Anyways they were ranked #11, I was like #59 in the preseason rankings. I didn't really expect to win, especially after I only beat one of those FCS teams 35-7.

Anyways I ended up winning 41-21. Total domination. They had ~350 yards of offense (maybe even less than 300, can't remember exactly). Miami had 3 drives where they just marched downfield at will (like the CPU does sometimes) but that was it. I answered them every time. It was 24-7 at halftime. I wasn't worried about losing the game at all.

However I'm trying to play my next game (home against Washington) and Washington is pretty much imposing their will against me like I did against Miami. I just don't understand it. Their offense is WORSE than Miami's, AND it's a home game for me. I've stopped better RBs than they have (85 OVR/82 OVR) yet as I type this they sit at 31 carries for 315 yards. Yes, that's absolutely ridiculous. That's a first down EVERY TIME they run.

Anyways I've restarted the game a couple times to see if it was one of those seemingly random "You're going to lose this game" types when you start a game sometime. But this happens EVERY TIME. I'm seriously sitting here looking at this as a predetermined loss because there's no other way to describe it.

[chemicalxv]

Also when I say "imposing their will" I mean it.

3/4 of the games aren't even competitive. In one of them they were up 38-7 at halftime. Another it was 42-14.

[rhinoceros]

This definitely existed in Madden 08. The players' mood would change based on a few factors -- contracts, their place on the depth chart -- but wins and losses had the by far the biggest influence. Players in bad moods underperformed in the games and players in good moods saw their awareness skyrocket.

There isn't any hard evidence in NCAA this year, but I feel like my players don't play as well after a loss and my MAC team was almost invincible after winning ten games in a row.

[Jr.]

This all sounds great, but don't you think this is something that EA would've promoted like crazy considering the bad publicity they've been getting the last few years from hardcore gamers? I feel like if this was designed to be a part of dynasties, we would have heard about it.

As for myself, I'm not really attentive enough, nor have a good enough memory to see patterns throughout a season of how teams are playing me. So I can't say whether I agree with this theory or not. It sounds pretty awesome, but like an earlier poster said, I think this is more placebo effect than a hidden code that affects performance game-to-game