VT Hokies 2011 Roster as Case Study on How Closely Video Game Players Match Real Ones

[Warren Piecee]

My Depth Chart & Ratings.......................Depth Chart and Ratings in NCAA 12..................Difference


K................................................. .......K>>
#89, Jourell, OVR = 86............................48# Myer, OVR = 82.......................................N/A>>

Myer has a strong but not always accurate leg. Last season he handled kickoffs and a kicker who is now in the NFL handled field goals. This season Myer will again handle kickoffs only. Jourell won the field goal kicking job over the spring. Since the game's roster was completed before spring ball began this fact could not be reflected in the roster. I am certain there are other college teams that will have the same two-kicker arrangement. Furthermore, I assume that the game does not allow kickers to ever get injured since each roster only has one. The fact that the game only allows for one kicker per roster is therefore a serious impediment to the production of realistic rosters.>>>
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P................................................. .......P.......................................... ......................Difference
#19, Coale, OVR = 79.............................83# Delmer. OVR = 80....................................N/A
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Coale beat out Delmer and all other punters for the job this past spring. Since the game’s roster was completed before spring ball even began this could not be reflected in the game’s roster.>>


KR……………………………………………………...........KR……………………………………… ……………………............Difference>>
#4, Wilson, OVR = 99……………………............#4, Wilson, OVR = 99…………………………….............0>>
#11, Roberts, OVR = 97………………..............#11, Roberts, OVR = 98…………………..........………+1>>
#20, Hosley, OVR = 99>>
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The match is almost perfect.>>


PR………………………………………………………PR……………………………………………………….... .....................Difference
#20, Hosley, OVR = 99……………………#20, Hosley, OVR = 99………………………..........................0
#19, Coale, OVR = 99...................#19, Coale, OVR = 99………………………….........................0
#82, Byrn, OVR = 80>>
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A perfect match. However, Byrn was not included on the game's roster. Since he is the third string punter returner his absence detracts from the realism of the game’s roster.>>


KOS
#89, Jourell, OVR = 86>>
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See above.>>



LS>>
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I did not bother with LS.>>

[Warren Piecee]

My Depth Chart & Ratings……………….Depth Chart and Ratings in NCAA 12....Difference>>>
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QB……………………………………………………..QB……………………………………………………….Di ffference>>
#3, Thomas, OVR = 85…………………….#3, Thomas, OVR = 80…………………….-5>>
#12, Clayton, OVR = 75…………………..#12, Clayton, OVR = 76……….…………+1>>
#5, Young, OVR = 72……………………….#10 QB, OVR = 69……………………………N/A>>
#6, Leal, OVR = 69*…………………………#8 QB, OVR = 67………………………………N/A>>
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My critic[s] who asserted that I had rated Thomas is too high were correct. I believe explaining how I arrived at my inflated rating is enlightening. Thomas was rated in last year’s game as a tight end with an OVR of 80. To come up with my OVR for him I first adjusted his quarterback-related ratings since he would be rated as a quarterback in NCAA 12. I then tried to account for the fact the game rates players differently depending upon the position they play. (In other words, a QB with an 80 speed does not run within the game the same as a DE with an 80 speed does.) The differences in the ways that the game rates players by position is one of the great mysteries of the game’s design. I obviously don’t have a full grasp on it. I am fairly certain noone outside of EA sports does. I can’t quibble with Clayton’s 76. QB #10 and QB #8 are two of the 4 to 12 players on the game’s roster who are random players who have nothing in common with actual players beyond what can be explained by coincidence.>>
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HB……………………………………………………..HB……………………………………………………….Di ffference>>
#4, Wilson, OVR = 88 IMP PLAYER.. #4, Wilson, OVR = 90 IMP PLAYER…..+2>>
#2, Oglesby, OVR = 80……………………note rated as a HB in game…………………N/A>>
#22, Gregory, OVR = 73…………………#22, Gregory, OVR = 87…………………….+14>>
#26, Hopper, OVR = 69…………………HB #21, OVR = 77………………………………..N/A>>
#?, Holmes, OVR = 63*…………………# Holmes, OVR = 66……………………………..+3>>
#?, Dyer, OVR = 60* >>
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I cannot fault Wilson's OVR of 90. (Another one of my critics had it correct.) As I have mentioned previously in this thread, the game’s roster was completed before spring ball even started. Sometime after the roster was finished Oglesby changed his uniform number two 2 and was moved by the team from the FB position he held last year to HB. Gregory being given an OVR of 87 is indefensible. I believe this is the first time he’s ever been on the game’s roster. I don’t think he has ever been any higher on the team’s roster then forth until this year. He is lightning fast but the 87 is ridiculous. I just don’t know what to make of it. The rating given to Holmes is close enough. HB #21 is another one of the 4 to 12 players on the game’s roster who are random players who have nothing in common with actual players beyond what can be explained by coincidence. Hopper appears in the game as SS #26. He is another player who changed position after both spring ball began in the games roster was completed. If one uses the roster edit feature to change Hopper from a SS to a HB his OVR come out very close to where I had him rated as a HB. This surprised me for a reason that will be obvious later in the post>>
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FB……………………………………………………..FB……………………………………………………….Di ffference>>
See one line below…………………………..#25, Oglesby, OVR = 74……………………..N/A>>
#45, Phillips, OVR = 74…………………..#45, Phillips, OVR = 71……………………..-3>>
#39, Scales, OVR = 71…………………….not in game………………………………………..N/A>>
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If the game designers had at least waited until after spring ball began to create the team’s roster they could have taken into account Oglesby’s position and number change and rated him as a HB wearing number 2. There doing so might have delayed the release of the game but it may also have allowed them to work out the many serious bugs that have surfaced in the game since its release. I think Phillips deserved a 74. If one uses the roster edit feature to change Oglesby from a FB to a HB his OVR drops to 40. This fact is another example of how the game rates players differently depending upon the position they play. Oglesby was a HB his first three years on the team. As a HB he should have an OVR of 80.>>
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[TDenverFan]

So it looks like EA makes the top rated players closer to realistic than the bottom rated players... Granted I could of told you that looking at this year's roster

[Warren Piecee]

Quote: Originally Posted by TDenverFan

So it looks like EA makes the top rated players closer to realistic than the bottom rated players... Granted I could of told you that looking at this year's roster

I believe you are correct but this point is far from the only thing I have learned and demonstrated in this exercise so far.