A NEW WAY TO PLAY 2004!

[THEBIGORANGE]

okay all you button mashers that find 2004 too easy, try this. i was like you, i have mastered 2004 and am waiting for 2005 when i decided to give this a shot. AA default settings, start out with a low rated school( i used east tn state-this was the last year for football at etsu). try just calling the plays and let the ratings of the players take over. i found it quite a challange trying to out-think the AI, maybe you will too. i call the offense like i would if i was the offensive coordinator, not running the same play all the time that gives me positive results and i play down and distance on the def. side of the ball. this works for me since i am a def coordinator at the high school level. find a system that works for you at your own choosing and stick with it, making adjustments on the fly. just call the defense and let it roll.also, i know how much fun we have with recruiting but put it on auto when recruiting time comes and take what cards you've been dealt. it took me 6 seasons to get a contract to virginia and after 1 winning season and a trip to the orange bowl(where i lost) i was awarded a contract to michigan. i am now in my 1st yr at the BIG-HOUSE and went 10-1 and playing USC in the rose bowl. this has been great fun and its quite a rush out-thinking the AI when i can. thought some of you mite try this why you are waiting for 2005 to come out.

[maddox8]

Sounds fun gonna give it a try today, I will post thoughs after a few seasons are done.

[THEBIGORANGE]

just finished my 1st season at michigan and went 11-1, winning the big ten and a 17-3 win over USC in the rose bowl( i was behind 3-0 at halftime). put it on auto-recruiting and starting my 2nd season ranked 7th. opened up at home with a 52-3 whipping of eastern michigan and now going on the road to Bowling Green. I keep my roster at 55 and try to redshirt at least 1 or 2 players a year. cutting your roster down to 55 is challenging. IMO, playing this way is a whole new way to enjoy this game. remember, most of our playing days are over, so sit back and run things from the sideline and let the chips fall where they may.

[Cyros]

Any suggested minutes for this?

[THEBIGORANGE]

play 10 minute quarters- i know, it takes about 1.5 hrs to actually play a game the way i play(very methodical) i believe you could get by with 9 minutes each quarter but i have found 10 minutes gives me the most realistic results(forget the peneltys, they will happen and they will be costly, but hey, adversity rite?

[Cyros]

Quote:

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THEBIGORANGE said:
play 10 minute quarters- i know, it takes about 1.5 hrs to actually play a game the way i play(very methodical) i believe you could get by with 9 minutes each quarter but i have found 10 minutes gives me the most realistic results(forget the peneltys, they will happen and they will be costly, but hey, adversity rite?

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I went ahead and started my dynasty with Elon using 5 minute quarters. Currently I'm in the 3rd quarter against Virginia (put myself in the ACC and regretting it) and I'm down 27-0 with only 2 total first downs. BTW, do you have anyway I can contact you?

[Dauminator]

Yeah I generally prefer longer games, but I don't think I have the time or the patience to do that with 2004 anymore. So I'm using 5 min, which is a big adjustment.

This coach mode thing is frustrating. I never have problems when it's my own fault I lose, but when someone else screws up and costs me, it's harder to take. I started a 12-user dynasty, using my favorite team from each conference (always wanted to do that-never did). So far I'm 1-2. Southern Miss edged Cal 24-21 in the first game. Tennessee got upset by Fresno State 21-17 in the second game. I had just taken my first lead 17-14 with well under a minute left in the game. Three incomplete passes later, I'm sitting pretty. I call another zone coverage play, but my defense didn't play zone or something, because there was only one guy within thirty yards of Bernard Berrian. He went for the interception and naturally missed, leaving Berrian with the openest path to an 80-yard TD I've ever seen. What's worse is it's on my greatest games list with a score of like 1380 or something like that. After that, Wake Forest lost to Boston College, which I expected. Wake's poor run defense had no chance against Derrick Knight.

But, this is actually what I want to see. No matter how hard I try to get realistic games and results, I still end up winning way more games than I should. Although Tennesse should not lose to Fresno State, knowing that an upset is possible (thanks in part to only having 5 min quarters) and that building up lower programs will be difficult, is nice to know. It should be extremely difficult to win the national title, and it looks like it will be when playing this way.

You know, I've considered doing coach mode for a long time, but never did it for some reason. Thanks for reminding me of it. Looks like I may have found a way to pass the time until 2005.

[Cyros]

Well, I ended the game losing 37-0, granted 24 of those points came in the first quarter. I manage to adjust to a 3-4 defense and slow them down a bit but my lack of defensive speed still hurt. Offensively, all I could do was sit there and yell at the QB to throw the ball instead of take a sack. Half back didn't get over 40 yards but he did have 2-3 10 yard runs to go with his poor runs. Oh well, I'll either start over with them as an independent or keep going and hope I can scrape out one win in this season.