Xbox Current Gen Coach Mode sliders?

[sl8b]

I just beat the saints, 24-16 in a great game.

Schaub was 13-17. Mostly short passes......actually, I don't think he threw any passes over 20 yards except maybe 1.

Bush ran all over me.......but Brees was awful, 10-32. He threw a few deep, and they were all shut down.

Could the 60pass/40run be part of why I shut them down in the passing game? Granted, I got a pass rush, and I do have D. Hall and Milloy back there.....and Jimmy Williams is pretty good in the game.

Hopefully it was just a great game by the falcons (and myself, hah)

Maybe we'll need to control all the teams and lower the conservative slider. It made a HUGE difference. Granted, it's only one game, but if anyone knows how the falcons play inside out, it's me.

I'm not restarting this 'chise again, so I'll find out in a few weeks if I need to control all the teams........

thoughts?

s

p.s. it was nice playing a game where 3rd down conversions were hard to come by......40 points were scored, but the D played a big part in this game.

[Manning2Harrison]

Quote: Originally Posted by sl8b

Could the 60pass/40run be part of why I shut them down in the passing game?

The intent of that setting is to influence the CPU's play-calling. The thinking behind that is that if the CPU sees your defensive philosophy is to play the pass 60% of the time, it will try to offset that by running more than 40% of the time. A higher ratio of runs to passes by the CPU-> fewer passes thrown by the CPU-> fewer deep balls thrown by the CPU.

Whether the game is even coded to allow for such an influence on the CPU, I have no clue- that tweak was purely speculative and I have yet to be convinced one way or the other. I thought of doing that as a work-around for being unable to adjust the run-pass ratios in the coach settings for the other 31 teams. I would think the quickest way to see if it has any influence is to play the same team several times at 60-40 and 40-60 and see if there's a pattern of different play calling by the CPU when your at the different settings.

I think there are any number of more likely reasons for Brees doing so badly. I only scored 17 points total in my 2 games against the Falcons, so the quality of the defense is huge factor. Good secondary play combined with an intimidating pass rush is a huge factor. A QB who forces throws into coverage (or has no open receivers for a large part of the time) or is a split second away from being hit on half his throws is going to have a bad day.

There's also the "on any Sunday" factor that you see from time to time. You might see something that seems to be an aberration from the big picture perspective, but if you ask yourself "could it happen?" and the answer is yes. If something unlikely but within the realm of possibility happens, I don't freak out. Upsets happen. Career days happen. Inexplicably bad days happen. And I like that they crop up from time to time.

That 10-32 day by Brees is why I don't pass judgment on slider tweaks until I've played a few games with them. A few more games will tell you if that 10-32 is part of a pattern, or an anomaly. You could find out that Brees just had a bad day, or you could end up thinking that the quality of your defensive personnel has an influence on what the slider settings for the CPU passing game should be.

[Manning2Harrison]

Quote: Originally Posted by sl8b

Maybe we'll need to control all the teams... ...I'll find out in a few weeks if I need to control all the teams........

I think 32-team control is going to be a must for an enjoyable franchise experience. The total broke-dickedness of the sim engine is reason enough (LT got 2,743 yards- OMFG!) alone, but there are a number of other reasons as well. For those who don't know what I mean about 32-team control helping with the stat engine- you can change the coaching philosophy of each coach to pass more and run less, and while there's nothing you can do short of giving backups some starts to get a significant number of carries, you can avoid ludicrous rushing totals like LT's 2,700-plus yards.

As some have already noted, there's an unsettling number of franchise/high quality players getting cut loose. The "Roster Management" section of the offseason is where this happens, as opposed to a team simply not re-signing a FA. As is so often the case when EA adds a new wrinkle to the game, the concept may be good but the implementation falls short. The revamped running game is a home run, but Roster Management is a three-base error requiring human intervention. Start a franchise and sim through a season- you'll see what I mean.

Then there are curious depth chart decisions. Madden makes too much of preseason stats by backups playing against other scrubs and sets regular season depth charts by position battle results. The Ravens played Mike Anderson ahead of Jamal Lewis, and as a result, Jamal the Vol is now a Colt. In my past interactive franchises, I've had to make numerous depth chart adjustments at the beginning of each season.

There are so many phases of team management that give you a choice of CPU/User that you can intervene where necessary and leave other things to the CPU, so 32-team management isn't the huge headache that you might think. When I first saw the concept, I avoided trying it because I thought would be too much work. After having switched to 32-team control with Madden '06, I'll never do franchise mode any other way unless and until EA fixes every broken aspect of it- meaning I'm probably going to be a 32-team lifer.

On the upside, the CPU draft logic is so improved that when I do my interactive franchise, I'm going to let the CPU draft for the teams that don't have human GM's.

And finally, there is a FA period before the draft. Halle-freakin-lujah! With Carney's retirement, I was really considering drafting Mason Crosby. I think this kid is so good that I wouldn't fault a team needing a kicker for picking him higher than kickers normally go. But it turned out that I got Janikowski in free agency before the draft, so I was able to use my third round pick on Brian Leonard, who probably wouldn't have lasted until the 4th.

The bottom line is that anybody who's planning on doing several seasons in franchise mode is strongly encouraged to set the number of users to 32 when starting out.

[Manning2Harrison]

Slider test season finale

Panthers 41, Saints 7

Carolina crushed the Taints' dream of avoiding a losing season by denying a winning one to Carolina. With Drew Brees not finishing the season finale for the second year in a row (pinched nerve), the 'Aints would have been shut out but for the Deuce getting loose for an 84 yard TD run.

Todd Bouman- 8-20, 130, 0/0
Jamie Martin- 5-10, 90, 0/2
Adrian McPherson- 0-5
Jake Del Homey- 20-35, 264, 1/0

Deuce McAllister- 7-102 (6.6), TD, long 84t
Reggie Bush- 12-29 (2.4), long 11
DeShaun Foster- 16-107 (6.6), 2 TD, long 38
DeAngelo Williams- 18-72 (4.0), 2 TD, long 14

INDIVIDUAL SEASON STATS

Drew Brees- 83.9 rating, 26 TD, 19 INT, 55.2%
Deuce MCallister- 1,219 yds, 9 TD, 3.8 ypc
Reggie Bush- 462 yds, 4 TD, 3.3 ypc, 27 rec., 2 TD, 12.2 yds per catch
Sack leader: Will Smith- 11
Tackles leader: Scott Fujita- 104 (became starting MLB in mid-season due to injury to the Stormin' Mormon)
John Carney- 24-33 (72%), 10-16 from 40-49
Mitch Berger- 41.4 punt avg.

AFC Championship: PIT 38, NE 24
NFC Championship: WAS 31, STL 24
SB XLI: PIT 22, WAS 17

More Houston stupidity: Texans cut David Carr loose, then take Stanton instead of Quinn (who is white in my class, yay) with the no. 1 pick.

The no. 11 pick wasn't high enough for me to get Patrick Willis, but I was pleased enough with my draft that I'm going to do another season with the Saints. I'm interested in seeing what I do with a full season on one set of sliders.

Joe Horn retired, and I allowed Stallworth to go FA since he got traded IRL. That, combined with Reggie's lackluster running as a rook, means he'll be spending more time as a receiver than as a RB in 2007.

Saints 2007 Draft

1. Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin (will start at RT)
2. Steve Breaston, WR, Michigan (will be no. 1 while Reggie will be the primary no. 2 and Bethel Johnson and FA signee Taylor Jacobs rotate in when Bush is at RB; Hass will remain in the slot)
3. Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers (with Reggie playing wideout more, I'll still have a running/receiving threat at FB in the full house and split back sets)
4. H. B. Blades, ILB, Pitt (will start at MLB)
5. Nick Hayden, DT Wisconsin ( Hollis Thomas is ow 33 years old)
6. Brandon Meriweather, FS, Miami (still on the board in Round 6? Hell yeah, I'll take him. May end up challenging Roman Harper, but a backup for now)
7. Aaron Brant, T, Iowa St. (will back up Joe T at RT)

[NoleFan]

Everything looks good guys. Nice draft M2H. Meriweather should be able to help the team immediately...even if only on ST.

sl8b,
If you get a second, do me 1 favor. I'd like for you to post your thoughts regarding the differences in coach mode in Madden 07 and NCAA 07 since I know you've now played both. I'm inclined to believe, though I haven't played it, that Madden's may be a little better since it has an actual coach mode.

I anticipate your response!

NoleFan

[sl8b]

I get what you're saying about making the cpu run more, and it makes sense. I didn't have much of an issue w/ the cpu running the ball before though.....I had cpu running backs getting chunks of yards.

I'm happy to see Del Homey throw for a high % against you (no offense mudcat, but you know what i'm saying, lol). It looks promising, and no, I NEVER change sliders after just one game.

Are you lowering the aggressiveness slider for all coaches? That looks like a must.....and if so, are you doing it for played games only, or for all the games? I'd hate to add to the cpu simmed rushing yards!

I'm going to play at least one game tonight and see how the cpu throws against me. Maybe I just need to accept the fact that the falcons D is pretty good (which they are in the game, against the pass anyway)

[sl8b]

Quote: Originally Posted by NoleFan

Everything looks good guys. Nice draft M2H. Meriweather should be able to help the team immediately...even if only on ST. sl8b, If you get a second, do me 1 favor. I'd like for you to post your thoughts regarding the differences in coach mode in Madden 07 and NCAA 07 since I know you've now played both. I'm inclined to believe, though I haven't played it, that Madden's may be a little better since it has an actual coach mode. I anticipate your response! NoleFan

The week before madden was released, I went to the beach.....so, I haven't played NCAA since a week before madden came out. I like ncaa this year, and the coach mode is pretty good.....but to me, ncaa is a game I just fire up w/ 6 or 7 min. qtr's at AA default and just get games in......recruit, and build my draft classes. I take it for what it is, a fun game to play or watch. I thought 06 and 07 were both good at coach mode/default settings.

Madden is head and shoulders above ncaa in coach mode.....because like you said, it is truly a coach mode type game. The gameplanning, and amount of adjustments you can make are way deeper than ncaa, and the actual gameplay is much much better.

In ncaa, what i call isn't always all that matters because of HFA and MO feature. The game just kind of happens.......I don't feel like I have a whole lot of control over the outcome. I had a QB lose 20 points overall in a game where he completed 12 of his first 13 passes. I'll keep playing it, but I'll sim some games to keep up w/ my madden franchise. I prefer not to sim, but I play every madden game, and if I don't play ncaa, I have to keep up somehow. All I can really say is........ncaa is a fun game, and it's just kind of there. Whatever happens happens........

Madden coach mode: I love the gameplan feature. Player roles make you get to know your team and how to use them, and you'll have an idea when they should excel. Good stuff all around. NCAA added individual assignments to defense this year, but madden's works way better I think. I feel like I'm controlling as much as i can from the sideline. You can change the primary reciever which is huge........and I've noticed Matt Schaub never throws to the primary (don't really know about anyone else) so if I want him to throw to Alge Crumpler, I'll make the wr on Crump's side the primary, and if Alge is open, Schaub will throw him the ball.

After messing w/ the coaching settings, I've found them (granted, it's after just one game) to be alot more sensitive than the ones in ncaa. Some people will say those only matter in simmed games, but I've noticed them working in madden for 3 years now. So that's my story and i'm sticking to it.

I love college football, but I rearrange my life for the NFL, so I'm a bigger pro fan than college, so maybe that's part of my bias.

Bottom line: In madden's coach mode, I feel like I still have alot of control over what's going on in the field of play. I feel "handcuffed" when I play ncaa.

I can't really put my finger on why I love it so much, I just do. I hope I've helped.......and if you have any questions, feel free to ask away. I'll answer as best I can.

Sig/nole- you are in a really good position bro.........feel free to start your 'chise as soon as you get the game. Pop in mudcat's settings and you will have a blast.

Also, I don't think they have players rated against man vs. zone like you asked earlier.

Geographically, you me and mudcat are in the same region of the country. I've been known to spend time in NC, Tenn and Fla., so I'd love some head to head coaching one of these days!

Maybe one of these days we could all meet up and play some madden and catch the acc or sec championship game.......or peach or cont. tire bowl or something. Or even a falcons or panthers game.

[Manning2Harrison]

Quote: Originally Posted by sl8b

Are you lowering the aggressiveness slider for all coaches? That looks like a must.....and if so, are you doing it for played games only, or for all the games? I'd hate to add to the cpu simmed rushing yards!

I started this franchise as 1-user one because it was going to be just for testing sliders. You can't change the coaching sliders for the CPU teams. But when I start my Cards franchise, I'll definitely lower the aggressiveness for played games. I'll probably restore it to the original setting for simmed games. Like you said, no need to generate additional rushing yards in simmed games.

After playing a season with the Saints and getting a group of draft picks I really like, my attachment to the team is growing and I expect to keep on plugging away.

At the Owner Mode stage of the offseason, you can go tp "Change User" and reset any team to human or CPU control. If I had though of it last night, I would have taken over all of the other teams. I'm going to do that next season. When I went through the rosters to change numbers on rookies, I saw that some teams had 7 tackles or 3 punters but only 4 WR's, so the CPU drafting isn't any better.