Making permanent subs in a franchise roster

[dophin26]

The scenario: I have a franchise roster. It is in week one with no games played. All teams are set to human control. I'd like to only control one team's destiny, but leave the others human controlled in case I want to play a game.

The question: Can you make personnel substitutions for different formations for the other teams without getting in and playing a game?

I'd like to be able to put different running backs in for diff. situations for the computer to use throughout the season, but I don't want to play the game. I'd also like to not have to save and load new playbooks for every game of the season. Someone in another thread said you could make changes and if it stayed human controlled, they would stay that way after the game.

[puja21]

you can even do that w/ 31 CPU controlled teams; normally, you do this in the roster prior to starting your franchise... go into "manage playbook," choose the team's PB you want to alter, select "formation subs," swap it however you want, then back out w/ the B button. Even though you choose to "discard" the current playbook, the substitutions remain.

This is how I made it so the Jets & Panthers have their kickers handle KO duty in my rosters as opposed to the punters, as it was in the default roster. IIRC Dan fixes some other weird subsititions from the default roster in his rosters-- like backup safeties/LBs starting in situational formations for some teams (goalline, nickel/dime) that sort of thing...


To do this once you are in a franchise, I think it works the same way (choose the team w/ L/R shoulder buttons, go into "manage PB", "formation subs" make changes.

[dophin26]

Awesome. I should have just PM'd you and saved the thread. Thanks! That's going to make things much more interesting.

[puja21]

never know-- might help someone else (if any new person bothered to use the search that is...)

[dan77733]

Quote: Originally Posted by puja21

you can even do that w/ 31 CPU controlled teams; normally, you do this in the roster prior to starting your franchise... go into "manage playbook," choose the team's PB you want to alter, select "formation subs," swap it however you want, then back out w/ the B button. Even though you choose to "discard" the current playbook, the substitutions remain. This is how I made it so the Jets & Panthers have their kickers handle KO duty in my rosters as opposed to the punters, as it was in the default roster. IIRC Dan fixes some other weird subsititions from the default roster in his rosters-- like backup safeties/LBs starting in situational formations for some teams (goalline, nickel/dime) that sort of thing... To do this once you are in a franchise, I think it works the same way (choose the team w/ L/R shoulder buttons, go into "manage PB", "formation subs" make changes.

Except for the part about subbing in players in a roster file, puja is pretty much spot on. Dont do subs with a roster file. It can cause problems.

Best thing to do is this - start a franchise with all 32 teams "user" controlled. If you're using puja's franchise file, make sure all 32 teams are "user" controlled.

Use the L and R buttons two switch teams that you want to make subs with. Dont do subs for the Dolphins while the main team in the 49ers. The best thing to do is if you want to sub in players for the Dolphins, select them first.

In other words, make sure that the team you're subbing in players with is the main team on the screen.

For example, the 49ers are the first team listed and using their playbook, they have the second FS as a starter in the "dime" formation. I sub in the starting SS (in my 2k7 roster, it was Chad Williams) since he's a starter for that position. I then exit out using the "no, discard this playbook" option. Go back to the main screen and then use the R button to go to the Bears, Bengals, etc.

I go in order from the 49ers to the Vikings. Any team that I make substitutions with is always the main team on the main menu for franchise.

You dont need to save or load any playbooks. You dont need to control the other teams either. Once you're done with all your subs (on a team by team basis), save the franchise file and use Finn's editor to select the other 31 teams that you dont want to play with back to "cpu".

You can also sub in the players who should be the Long Snapper (LS) and Holder (H) during punts and field goals/extra points if you want to.

All subs will stay intact for the entire season unless a player gets injured which luckily, I never had any problems with. However, once you start the following season, you will most likely have to do the entire process over due to the CPU signing and releasing players and the Draft. I never play more than one season, so it doesnt affect me but just want to let you know.

The funny thing is that once all my roster and franchise files are done (2K5-2K8), I will be playing a four year franchise without actually playing franchise and having to deal with the crappy as hell off-season AI. Tee hee.

Here's some extra advice - if you hate it when the CPU does trades, you DONT need to control other teams to prevent it from happening. For the first season, turn off pre-season. Having pre-season on gives the CPU 5 extra weeks to complete trades via the trading block (the trading block is the only way the CPU completes trades).

What I do is this - after week one, check the trading block. If any CPU team has a player there, use Finn's editor to control that team and then remove the player from the block in-game. Simply, switch back that team to CPU and then move on to week 2. You'll have to do this for five weeks. Week 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Once week 6 is complete, trades can no longer be done (unless you turned off the deadline option in the franchise main menu, which is not recommended).

Not only do I do this to avoid trades and allow the CPU teams to be controlled by the CPU, I also do this every week in order to set the kick and punt returners using Finn's editor.

I didnt think that the depth chart feature would be useful in the editor but for kick and punt returners, I stand corrected.

Hope this helps, bud.

[dophin26]

It helps a ton. I wish I had more time tomorrow to mess with this (Christmas party). I am anxious to see what happens. I know what you are talking about with playing "franchise", but with new rosters too. I am going to start 1984 as soon as I have 1983 where I want it. I'm 90% there.

Thanks,
Dan
dophin26

[dophin26]

One more question on this- if more than one team is using a particular playbook (I have several using the same because of the 3-4 defenses), will the changes only affect the one team, go across board and change the others using the playbook, or possibly have no effect at all?

UPDATE: I must be doing something wrong. I can't get the substitutions to stay. I have all 32 teams user controlled in franchise. I've yet to play a game.

1. I select 49ers,
2. choose gameplan,
3. manage playbook,
4. choose the playbook (in this case "west coast"), it asks me to put a name in for it and I stay
with the default WCO and hit enter,
5. I make my substitutions through the "formations"
6. I use the "B" button to back out and it asks whether I want to save. I have tried just hitting "B" until I'm out, but then it leaves the WCO book as one of the two I can choose next time. If I hit the "A" button on "No, discard..." it doesn't keep the changes in the game. If I hit the "B" button on discard, it leaves the WCO book as one of the two I can choose next time.

I am really lost on this one. When I left the WCO book there and started the game, the subs were there, but that would mean only two books could be changed. Help?

[puja21]

well do you have the 49ers playbook set to "west coast" in the editor? b/c if not, i dont think you can make subsititions in that book.

i think you would have to pick the 49ers default playbook, edit the subs in that, & then backout... so check in the editor to make sure west coast is their playbook (if that's what you want)