10YF is a sim league. We're all grownups and know that some of the things we see on Sundays aren't sim, but they also aren't limited by AI and legacy issues in Madden, we don't want to have a league full of rules, but if any player has too many complaints, ramifications are listed below. That being said, the following rules are in place to maintain a sim environment for all to enjoy, hopefully they will act as a baseline for your playstyle rather than alterations that you need to make to your game. These rules are not all inclusive, and owners may be punished for doing things not listed below if it's not consistent with our sim goals. Most fall into the realm of 'DON'T ATTEMPT TO ABUSE THE A.I'. I feel we are offering a lot more freedom than some of the other successful leagues here on OS. All we ask is that you refrain from abusing this privilege. i.e. We’re not a ‘do whatever it takes to win’ league. You should only have to look at the gameplay rules once and verify that's the way you play, if not , this league probably isn't the league for you.
-Gameplay: Simulation
-Difficulty: All-Madden
-Quarter Length: 13 minute quarters with 14 second accelerated clock
-Gamespeed: Normal
-Auto Flip Defensive Play Call: User Preference
-Ball Hawk: Off
-Auto Strafe: Off
-Heat Seeker: Off
-Switch Assist: User Preference
*Please note, gameplay rules are subject to change, as well as adjustments that may be needed once the game is tested.*
I. 10YF PROTOCOL
Spoiler
*This is an Operation Sports Online Franchise, that being said, you need to be a current member of OS to participate. If you are banned from OS at any time during your tenure within 10YF, you will be removed from the league.*
A. Game Setup
1. 10YF advances every 72 hours, unless all games are completed prior to advance time. Our goal is 2 games per week.
2. The HOME TEAM must stream AND archive their games. If the stream is impacting game quality, the away team can attempt to stream, or the game can be continued without being streamed. *ALL HUM/CPU games must be streamed, THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS*
3. Coordinate with your opponent for jersey selection before the game. The HOME TEAM has the choice between dark or light tops, the visiting team must wear the opposite. It is the responsibility of the home team to contact the visitor and let them know if dark or light tops are being worn. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR THROWBACK UNIFORMS MORE THAN 2 TIMES PER SEASON.
4. Each member of the league will be expected to create a coach to start their franchise. We've found that this is the most fair approach to managing in game assists such as scouting points, free agent retention and retirement influence.
B. Scheduling
1.Each week we advance, we will post a scheduling thread on OS and link it in the Discord chat multiple times over the first 24 hours. This OS thread should be the primary means of scheduling your games.
2. Unless your game is already scheduled via Discord DM when you post, please let us know your expected availability over the next 72 hours.
a.IF A TIME IS AGREED UPON USING GROUPME, THE TIME SHOULD BE POSTED IN THE WEEKLY SCHEDULING THREAD WITH BOTH OWNERS VERIFYING.
Example:
Lions vs. Chargers.
Chargers availability
Mon: 6-10 PM EST
Tue: 4-9 PM EST
Wed: 7-11 PM EST
We're all grown and obviously there will be extenuating circumstances, but priority goes to the owner who posts in the OS Thread first. In the event that one owner posts and has heard nothing back from his opponent after 24 hours a DM will be sent via Discord, if the unresponsive owner isn't heard from within 36 hours of the original opponent post, that owner will be placed on autopilot for the game. Owners who are placed on auto 3 times in a season without communicating your absence to a commissioner will be removed from the league.
II. GENERAL GAMEPLAY RULES
Spoiler
A. General
1.10YF is a ''single no-switch league''. This means users are not to switch players when the ball is thrown until a player has made contact with the ball. THERE SHOULD BE NO USER CATCHES ON OFFENSE, and the only user interceptions should come from the defender that was being user controlled at the beginning of the play. You may switch to tackle a player when ball is in offenses hands on ground.
2. 4th down conversions should only be attempted when the game calls for it. If you wouldn't see an NFL team do it, you shouldn't either. There is absolutely NO reason to go for it on 4th down in the first half on your own side of the field. All we ask is you keep it realistic. If people fail to do that then we will have to enforce more stringent guidelines.
3. No huddle offense is allowed for the teams that run it naturally, but if it's to be a normal part of the gameplan, the ball cannot be snapped before the playclock has been run down to 27 seconds to allow the defense to make adjustments. It is to take advantage of fatigue from players remaining on the field, NOT to keep the defense from setting up properly.
4. You are NOT allowed to quicksnap in 10YF outside of the goal line situations, otherwise, you must allow the defense time to get set.. At least 3 seconds from the time the offense sets.
5. Variety in play calling is a must, calling the same formations/plays/route combinations continually is not allowed.
6. Fakes: Fakes are meant to catch your opponent off guard and should on occasion. No team should have more than 3-4 fakes ran per season, even with the new plays added into M17, it just doesn't happen that often.
7. The ONLY time a player can be lined up out of position is when using the preprogrammed sub packages using the R-Stick.
8. We WILL allow custom playbooks to be used in a limited fashion. You are allowed to add/remove up to 2 formations to the default playbook. You are allowed to add/remove plays and sets within the formation as you see fit. Please keep play variety in mind and do not use that to abuse particular routes by loading up your playbook with so called "money" plays.
If you have a concern about another player or believe they are breaking rules, please contact the commissioner privately with the concern along with any evidence and we will investigate the issue.
B. Game Disconnects
1. If your game is disconnected, take a screenshot of the disconnect message and pm it to a commissioner for proof.
2. Restarts are NOT allowed versus CPU under any circumstance.
3. Quitting a HUMvHUM game will result in immediate removal from the league.
III. OFFENSE
Spoiler
A. Pre-Play
1. After calling a play, offenses are not to hurry to the line and snap the ball right away unless the play clock is under 8 seconds.
2. You are not allowed to call any more than three (3) hot routes before an offensive snap.
3. You may NOT sub in your RB to the FB position.
B. During Play
1. When taking the snap from under center, quarterbacks should not throw the ball until they have completed at least a three step drop. Conversely, QBs should not drop back more than 10 Yards. You can only escape from the pocket by moving left, right, and/or climbing the pocket. ie. up the middle.
2. As a general rule, run plays designed to go between the guards should not be bounced outside the tackles. Obviously, there are extenuating circumstances to every situation, but this should not be a steady part of your run game.
3. Zigzag running is not allowed. Making a cut or two is fine, but running back and forth to manipulate poor AI pursuit angles is not. This includes open field runs.
4. Your back up HB must receive at least 1 carry per 5 by the starting HB. i.e. If your starter has 20 at the end of the game, 2nd string should have at LEAST 4
5. Playaction in obvious passing situations is not allowed.
1st Down - Allowed
2nd Down - Allowed
3rd and Short - Allowed
3rd and Medium - Allowed
3rd and 7+ - Not Allowed
4th and 7+ - Not Alloweed
Because of AI issues, defenses bite too hard on playaction in passing situations for this to be realistic.
6. If you call a HB screen pass and don’t like the defense’s reaction, you must either throw the ball to the HB, throw the ball away, or scramble. Throwing to other receivers is not allowed.
IV. DEFENSE
Spoiler
A. Pre-Play
1. Run commit is permitted on 3rd and 4th down, as well as goal line situations.
2. If you move a player on defense, you must stay on that player until the ball is snapped. If you play one of the safety positions, and you’d like to bring your player into the box for run support, or would like to cover more ground for coverage of the flats. You are allowed to do so. For the most part, we’d like defensive adjustments to be made by using man align, show blitz, etc.
A. During Play
1. Users are not allowed to switch players when the ball is thrown until a player has made contact with the ball. The only user interceptions should come from the defender that was being user controlled at the beginning of the play.
2. You may switch to tackle a player when ball is in offenses hands on ground.
V. ROSTER MANAGEMENT
Spoiler
A. Trades
1. All trades must be APPROVED by a commissioner. Members must submit their trade proposals via PM on OS to get approved.
2. Only one(1) trade will be allowed during the season and this player must be BELOW a 85 OVR. In the offseason you are allowed a max of 2 trades with NO OVR restrictions. All trades will be reviewed by our trade commission for approval. Failure to follow this rule may result in you having to undo the trade and accept cap penalties.
a. In-season* is from the beginning of preseason until the trade deadline
b. Off-season* is from post Super Bowl until the advance to the new season
3. Trades may be a combination of the following:
a. Single player for single player b. Pick(s) for pick(s) c. Single player for pick(s) d. [Single player + single pick] for pick(s) e. [Single player + pick(s)] for [single player+ pick(s)]
4. Players who can’t be traded:
a. Rookies b. Players in the 1st year of their contract. (No sign & trade situations)
5. Trading with the CPU is allowed, but will be up to the descretion of trade committee.
B. Roster Requirements
1. Teams are required to keep 53 players on their active roster at all points during the regular season. No team in the NFL would go into a game with less than 53, and we will not either in 10YF.
2. If you would like to apply to have a player moved to another position officially in the offseason, you must post it in the Position Changes thread, THERE ARE TO BE NO POSITION CHANGES WITHOUT COMMITTEE APPROVAL.
3. We will allow XP to be applied to players every 4 weeks in the CFM. You can either do this manually, or let the CPU allocate points, but in order to keep the integrity of FA intact, ALL XP must be spent before resigning stage. This is the only way to be certain that a player gets his true market value in Free Agency.
C. Interchangeable Positions
1. A FB can be put in at HB, but a HB may not be put as a FB
2. WR’s may not line up in the backfield
3. You may put a TE at WR through formation subs and/or package substitutions
4. You must have a FB or TE at TE3 in the depth chart
a. TE/FB (TE is allowed to play fullback, fullback is allowed to play TE) b. OL (Any member of the OL can be played at Center, Guard or Tackle) c. DT/DE (DT can play as DE, DE can play as DT)(DE needs to be at least 290 lbs to move to DT) d. DE/OLB (DE can play as OLB, OLB can play as DE)(OLB needs to be at least 250 lbs to move to DE) e. LB (All linebacker positions are interchangeable) f. CB/Safety (You are allowed to play a maximum of one(1) CB at safety)(CB must be at least 190 lbs and less than 90 SPD to play S)
D. Free Agency[indent]1.
1. To keep the offseason strategic, every team must let at least one player 74 or higher and under 30 go to FA. You are allowed to resign this player, but you cannot resign him outright, you must allow him to test the Free Agent market first. What this means is that during the in-season and off-season resigning phase, each team will be permitted to re-sign any player except 1 who is 74 or higher overall.Kickers and Punters are excluded.
2. Qb floor for every QB in Free Agency. Minimum bidding must start at:
Tier 1 QBs: 80 OVR and above - $10 Million minimum annually
Tier 2 QBs: 70-79 OVR - $4 Million minimum annually
Tier 3 QBs: 70 OVR and Below - $2 Million minimum annually
The #1 QB on your roster MUST get a minimum of $10 Million regardless of his OVR(ex. If your QB retires, you MUST pay 78 QB who is your highest rated/scheduled starter at least $10 Million minimum when you negotiate his next contract.)
Quarterbacks can be offered as many years as they request.*See Rule E-1.*
3. Kickers & Punters are exempt from the rule.
4. Any player requesting a 1-year deal can be offered 1-2 years.
5. All Off-season FA bids for players UNDER 30 must be over 40 points.
6. All Off-season FA bids for players OVER 30 must be over 30 points, instead of 40.
E. Player Contracts
1. All QB contracts must be approved by a commissioner before being finalized. You MUST give the them the amount of years that they are asking for during negotiations.
2. Signing Contracts - All players resigned, or signed in offseason free agency, must receive at least 20% of their contract by way of signing bonus if:
a. The contract is three seasons or longer in length b. The contract is worth $2 million or more per season
3. Signing Contracts - On the opposite end of the spectrum, players resigned or signed in offseason free agency, cannot receive more than 50% of their contracts worth by way of signing bonus.
4. Signed or resigned players must not receive contracts longer than four seasons unless that is what the player is asking for. If a team has a player requesting a contract longer than four seasons, they must contact a commissioner with a screenshot of the request to receive permission to sign the player to a longer contract.
Contracts that don't meet Rule 2, 3, and 4 will be released into free agency and the offending team will have to eat any penalties associated with the cut and will not be allowed to sign that player until after the next offseason free agency period.
F. Roster Minimums
QB - 2
HB - 3
TE/FB - 4 (Minimum 1 TE)
WR - 5
OL - 9 (Any combination the owner chooses)
DE - 4
DT – 3 (If you run a 3-4 defense, you are allowed to carry 2)
LB – 6
CB - 4
S - 3
K - 1
P - 1
*It is NOT mandatory that you carry a fullback on your roster.
The discipline used for rule infractions can include but is not limited to:
1. Warning
2. Suspension of player(s)
3. Removal from league
We will play 2 years, then the 3rd will be simmed.
Season 1 - Played
Season 2 – Played
Season 3 – Sim Season
Season 4 - Played
Season 5 – Played
Season 6 and beyond, play seasons.
Pre-Season
Weeks 1 & 4 will be played. 48 hour advance for all PRE-SEASON weeks.
If you've gone through the rules and feel this is a league you're interested in joining, please copy and fill out the information below:
PSN ID:
Age:
Location:
Top 3 Teams you’d like to use:
Do you have a Discord account?(If so, PM it to me)
What length of quarter do we specify in the rules?
How many games per week are required?
What's your definition of Sim?
Have you ever played in a no-switch league?
How many leagues are you in currently?
Are you able to check/post on OS daily?
The Bills are the only available team, fill out the app so we can get you set up for a tryout
PSN ID: StanThePickle
Age: 23
Location: Illinois
Top 3 Teams you’d like to use: Bears, Chiefs, and Browns
Do you have a Discord account? I don't, but will create one if needed.
What length of quarter do we specify in the rules? 13 min quarters w/ 14 acc. clock
How many games per week are required? 2 a week
What's your definition of Sim? No user catch always comes to mind, but really just playing fair and similar to real life.
Have you ever played in a no-switch league? Yes
How many leagues are you in currently? 0 hoping to join 1 or 2 since I have some free time this year
Are you able to check/post on OS daily? Yes.