Awareness for CPU QB's and how it effects their decision making

[Playmakers]

For the last 2 years there has been a debate regarding awareness and how it effects gameplay offline vs the CPU

Some people believe awareness doesn't effect the game for the CPU QB accept for SIM MODE

IMO that is not true.....on the field in a USER vs CPU GAME the awareness rating of the CPU QB is huge in regards to executing their offense and making appropriate reads. I'm a huge fan of QB's having a higher awareness as opposed to really low awareness especially the SR QB's because it allows the CPU to execute their offense much better IMO regardless of level.

A QB with high awareness and low accuarcy will still be effective in a realistic manner on the field.....he will manage the game for the CPU much better by not turning the ball over. He won't be ROBO QB because of high awareness as you'll see him complete a lot of short passes in the flat that plays to his strength but on deep throws or passes over the middle he'll become inaccurate but not to the point where he is throwing INT's

Low awareness for QB's hurts the gameplay on the field and makes it unbearable at times to watch.....even if a guy has 88 accuracy if his awareness is low he'll throw passes right to the defense which leads to the abnormal amount of pick 6's

I think awareness should be used to judge a QB's experience and how they run the offense...the accuarcy rating should dictate his passing effectiveness within the game

Awareness also plays a major role in the QB's ability to make the option pitch on offense....it seems like low awareness QB's is the main reason why option offenses struggle badly in NCAA at times. The QB can be really fast and elusive but it won't matter for some reason if he has low awareness because his decision making in the offense will overshadow his ratings.

Like everyone else I download rosters from the OS community once they are complete....so just a heads up when you grab the rosters you should observe the awareness ratings of the QB's especially the SR's and JR's tweaking the rating will go long ways toward enjoying the HUMAN vs CPU experience

Also i would like add that Default Playbooks tend to break the game for the CPU aswell....I won't really get into that right now because NCAA 12 maybe different from 09, 10 and 11. But in years past for some reason the CPU QB functioned better in a Generic playbook as opposed to the new playbooks EA has added recently and i don't know if that has to do with programming logic or what but i'll waite for NCAA 12 to see if that is the case again this year

These are few videos of the CPU QB's with high awareness and some their key ratings as a base....you'll notice they almost kinda react human like in their decision making on the plays

Michigan Rick Leach (85-AWR, 91-THP, 86-THA) makes a really quick read and gets rid of the ball allowing his RB enough time to setup the defender in the flat

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Minnesota Sandy Stephens (82-AWR, 87-THP, 79-THA) The play fake he executed was very fluid and the pass completion was damn near perfect in the way it played out

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

FSU Charlie Ward (88-AWR, 87-AGL, 85-ACC, 88-ELU, 86-THP, 86-THA)...some of the additional ratings included helps to allow the QB to roll out and get outside the pocket and execute the play

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

BYU Steve Young (88-AWR, 76-SPD, 94-ACC, 86-BCV, 64-CAR, 95-THP, 85-THA)...The 64 CARRY Rating tends to make Young slide a lot at the end of runs as he won't seem to risk fumbling when defenders are near him. His 86 BCV helps him to locate the open running lane....his awareness tells him to take off if he doesn't see a open reciever

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Florida Steve Spurrier (90-AWR, 80-SPD, 85-AGI, 85-ACC, 80-BCV, THP-82, THA-92)......again you'll the QB make the decision to run triggered by awareness of not seeing anyone open...once in the open field BCV helps him to read the pursuing defenders

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

Virginia Tech Mike Vick (78-AWR) He's a JR and RB Kevin Jones (74 AWR) He's a SOPH and LT Duan Brown (66-AWR, 85-IBL, 60-Pursuit) He's a SOPH....The awareness of all 3 players IMPACT this play....it allows Vick to read the oncoming defender and execute the pitch while Jones awareness stops him running to wide out of bounds which is a major problem with the CPU Option attack at times....Jones Awareness is very high because he's only SOPH but the IBL rating and Pursuit rating kicks in because it's a running play and you'll see him follow the ball down field and make 2-3 blocks a long the way

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

So this isn't a Level comparison thread this is just to show how AWARENESS can IMPACT the logic of QB's and other players like Offensive Linemen

[jfsolo]

I think you should edit some QB's down to have really low awareness and show some contrasting clips of them playing like garbage as a result.

[Gotmadskillzson]

So........you trying to say the carry rating determines the likelihood of a person sliding ?

In your opinion how low of THA is too low ?

[Playmakers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gotmadskillzson

So........you trying to say the carry rating determines the likelihood of a person sliding ? In your opinion how low of THA is too low ?

Not everyone just Young.....for some reason he slides a lot

I have Dan Marino with like 60 carry rating and he tends to slide a lot aswell when he runs. He's not very fast or anything and his awareness is 90 something yet he does that slide animation very much like Young even though their physical attributes has Young much faster and elusive....the only difference really is the Carry rating being equal to each other.

I have a McNabb, Frazier and Holieway with 80+ carry amd the never seem to slide so i think it's possible the lower carry rating stosp them from taking a chance of a fumble or something.

It'll be interesting to see how tweaks works in NCAA 12 because if the game is already good out of the box can you imagine what type of realism you could create in player tendencies for that game by tweaking it a little more

[Gotmadskillzson]

Ok......so what are your opinions on Hit power and tackle ratings ?

Does having one higher or lower trigger certain animations or AI logic ?

[Playmakers]

Quote: Originally Posted by jfsolo

I think you should edit some QB's down to have really low awareness and show some contrasting clips of them playing like garbage as a result.

no problem i'll reorder the depth charts and move some of younger QB's into the starting lineup and show how they react on the field

What i've seen is guy's running outside the pocket to pass then if they decide to run for some reason they run back into the middle bump into offensive linemen and kill the scramble all together because the defense catches them since they took the wrong running lane.

Or they simply hold the ball and stand there looking confused as to when to throw it.....

[Playmakers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gotmadskillzson

Ok......so what are your opinions on Hit power and tackle ratings ? Does having one higher or lower trigger certain animations or AI logic ?

Hit Power higher seems to make them more aggressive in head on collisions...they tend to leave their feet more

Tackle rating higher seems to make them wrap up more and be less aggresive but it also triggers that strip animation from behind a lot where the defenders try to jar the ball lose by punching at it

The tackle rating higher also tends to make them take out a players legs more in the open field for less aggresssive DB's

If it's balanced between both then you get plays like that vision tackle animation i showed you last week by Roy Wiilliams where he leaped at the ball carrier from behind and sorta horse collared him that was one of the best animations I've seen in the game

[Gotmadskillzson]

So.......if I want more take out the legs tackles and less diving into your gut tackles......

I would simply raise their tackle rating and lower their hit power ?

Another question.......

Your opinion on return rating ? To me it doesn't do what it states it does.