My Foray into Sliders (Very Slow)

[KBLover]

If you're really good at the game, these will probably be too easy. I'm no Madden expert

I'm seeking more realism than challenge. A good team should play well and whip a bad one more often than not. I'm hoping to get teams to play to their strengths/weaknesses and have the games come out how they come out.

Trying to minimize "wild stats", things like 90% completion or 7+ YPC.

Trying to keep the cheesy side of the game engine to a minimum. I know the limitations/flaws will rear their heads, but it shouldn't be constant if at all possible.

I know this isn't optimal, but I tested with the Ravens. Not only is it a team I know probably the best out of my teams, it's a middle-of-the-road team talent-wise with clear weaknesses and strengths.

I also have a fantasy draft roster of young players, and I certainly can feel the differences in the two.

Finally, I don't switch on defense and don't have any "money" offensive/defensive plays. So those who do, I don't know how these sliders will react.


Here's the sliders:

Game Options
Quarter Length: 15 minutes
Play Clock: On
Accel. Clock: On
Accel. Clock Runoff: 25 sec
Camera: Broadcast (changes the angles some and a little easier to see some things while a little harder to do deep passes and some routes - plus I like it the best LOL)
Injuries: 38 (was getting too many small injuries too often)
Fatigue: 65 (was 100, but I don't think defenses becoming exhausted during a drive in the 1st quarter is realistic)
Game Speed/Threshold: Very Slow/85 OR Slow/50
Motion Sensor Function: 0

Penalties
All set to 10. They are mostly animation creators and I never got many penalties anyway even with them turn to 100. So I put them at 10. May change a few of them later on.

Player Skill
Passing: 14
QB Accuracy: 30
Pass Blocking: 15
WR Catching: 40

(Harder to get separation and low QB Accuracy hopefully will keep the high percentages to the best QB/WR combos)

Rushing: 13
Broken Tackles: 15
Run Blocking: 35
Fumbles: 52

(Was seeing too many fumbles for some reason both for an against me. This is the most influx section as I look for more steady runs and fewer "insta-touch-tackles" against RBs without things getting crazy)

Pass Defense: 13
Reaction Time: 25
Interceptions: 0
Pass Rushing: 80

(The reaction time was 40, but I saw too much craziness and QBs with under 40% completion. Pass Rushing might seem high but it puts pressure on the AI QBs - like the AI will put you your line - and attempts to minimize plays where there's all day to throw)

Run Defense: 17
Reaction Time: 33
Block Shedding: 0
Tackling: 5

(Trying to allow true lanes and sealing edges while also allowing defenses to recognize and react to what's happening. Lower tackling tries to make position by the defender matter when attacking ball carriers.)


CPU Skill
Passing:
QB Accuracy: 30
Pass Blocking: 15
WR Catching: 40


Rushing:
Broken Tackles: 15
Run Blocking: 35
Fumbles: 52

Pass Defense:
Reaction Time: 25
Interceptions: 0
Pass Rushing: 80

Run Defense:
Reaction Time: 33
Block Shedding: 0
Tackling: 5


CPU and human sliders are the same right now, and hopefully, that can stay that way or pretty close.

Special Teams
FG Power: 55
FG Accuracy: 20

(I just can't miss FGs for some reason. I shouldn't be deadly accurate with Hauschka...)

Punt Power: 90
Punt Accuracy: 90

(Allows punters to change field position while also maybe allowing punt returns if the coverage is bad. I've seen the AI punters do better and actually shoot for the sidelines more...too bad they still aren't too accurate in placing inside the 20.)

Kickoff Power: 50

(I might drop this. My fantasy drive kickoff kicker can put the ball out of the endzone with and decent wind behind him. Makes Janikowski look rubber-legged.)

Sub Out/In
(listed as Out/In by position)
Offense
QB (50/65)
RB (76/80)
WR (71/76)
FB/TE (72/76)
OL (10/20)

Defense
DT (30/45)
DE (30/45)
LB (30/45)
CB (30/45)
S (15/20)

(I wanted the defenses to tend to wear down if they have to be on the field longer, making the TOP battle more meaningful. I might have to increase the in/outs on defense as these were set when I was using 100 fatigue and guys would get exhausted on the first drive of the game, and it doesn't account for teams that rotate either.)

[KBLover]

Stats from the last couple games under these sliders:

BAL 17, SD 35

Passing:
Rivers (SD): 115.1 rating, 17/28, 260 yds, 60%, 2 TD, 0 INT
Flacco (BAL): 77.2 rating, 12/25, 131 yds, 48%, 1 TD, 0 INT

Rushing:
Tomlinson (SD): 12 for 43 yds, 3.5 AVG, 0 TD
Sproles (SD): 8 for 51 yds, 6.3 AVG, 2 TD
Bennett (SD): 1 for 8 yds, 1 TD
Rice (BAL): 20 for 63 yds, 3.3 AVG, 0 TD
McGahee (BAL): 12 for 51 yds, 4.2 AVG, 1 TD
McClain (BAL): 4 for 16 yds, 4.0 AVG
Flacco (BAL): 3 for 20 yds, 6.6 AVG

Receiving (top performances):
Jackson (SD): 6 for 169 yds, 28.1 AVG, 1 TD, 90 YAC
Floyd (SD): 5 for 42 yds, 8.4 AVG, 0 TD
Manumaleuna (SD): 2 for 30 yds, 15.0 AVG, 1 TD
Washington (BAL): 3 for 52 yds, 17.3 AVG
Mason (BAL): 3 for 48 yds, 16.0 AVG
Heap (BAL): 2 for 9 yds, 4.5 AVG, 1 TD

Defensive standouts:
Cooper (SD): 7 Solo, 4 Asst, 1 TFL
Merriman (SD): 5 Solo, 2 Asst, 2 TFL, 1.0 Sack
Phillips (SD): 3 Solo, 2 Asst, 3 TFL, 2.0 Sack
Reed (BAL): 5 Solo, 4 Asst
Lewis (BAL): 3 Solo, 2 Asst
Gregg (BAL): 1 sack
Price (BA): 2 Solo, 3 Asst, 2 TFL, 1 Sack


BAL 23, CLE 6

Passing:
Flacco (BAL): 68.7 rating, 17/32, 192 yds, 53%, 1 TD, 1 INT, 6.0 AVG
Anderson (CLE): 39.6 rating, 12/26, 114 yds, 46%, 1 TD, 2 INT, 4.3 AVG

Rushing:
Rice (BAL): 26 for 117 yds, 4.5 AVG, 1 TD
Lewis (CLE): 11 for 56 yds, 5.0 AVG

Receiving: (Best performers)
Mason (BAL): 5 for 47 yds, 9.4 AVG
Heap (BAL): 3 for 46 yds, 15.3 AVG
Rice (BAL): 3 for 31 yds, 10.3 AVG
Lewis (CLE): 4 for 19 yds, 4.7 AVG
Robiskie (CLE): 2 for 22 yds, 11 AVG
Vickers (CLE): 1 for 24 yds, 24 AVG, 1 TD

Defensive (best performers)
Webb (BAL): 5 Solo, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks, 1 INT
Johnson (BAL): 4 solo, 3 Asst, 1 TFL
Reed (BAL): 1 solo, 1 Asst, 1 INT for 13 yds
Elam (CLE): 2 solo, 4 asst, 1 INT
Maiava (CLE): 5 solo, 5 asst, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Bowens (CLE): 3 solo, 5 asst
McDonald (CLE): 3 solo, 5 asst
Coleman (CLE): 4 solo, 3 asst, 2 TFL, 2 sacks



With the new roster update, I'll probably restart and then see how the game play out again with the new ratings/rosters.

[KBLover]

Probably will adjust some things.

Trying to get more lower scoring games and one game I just had would have been 17-3 if it weren't for points off turnovers.

Also moved the game speed to slow and the threshold to 50. 85 was just making some plays totally useless - like screens, play action, and just about any outside run (and some inside runs.) It didn't do much to the passing game, strangely enough.

[KBLover]

Latest changes:
The below changes have been added to the first post as well.

Game Options

Game Speed from Very Slow to Slow
Speed Threshold from 85 to 50

(Though either combo of Very Slow/85 or Slow/50 should work relatively well. The higher threshold will make some plays very, very hard to execute, however).

Passing game (both CPU and User)

QB Accuracy from 20 to 30
Pass Blocking from 25 to 15
WR Catching from 30 to 40

Running game (both CPU and User)

Broken Tackles: From 40 to 15
Run Blocking: From 50 to 40

Pass Defense (both CPU and User)

Pass Reaction from 15 to 25
Pass Rush from 90 to 80

Run Defense (both CPU and User)

Rush Reaction from 40 to 33


The running game continues to be something of a mystery. I've used higher sliders and gotten bad running and sometimes the lower sliders give me better running. No idea.

I'm debating lowering QB Accuracy to 25, splitting the difference between 20 and 30. Last game played, Flacco had 69% completion and Rivers had 70% completion. That's a bit high, though it might have just been randomness.

I'm liking how the defense is working. The players are reacting well without being cheesy/glitchy-looking. Varied results in the run game without having 30-40 yd runs. Tomlinson was a pain to stop, but his longest run was "only" 20 yards. He ended up with 5.6 ypc with a lot 4-8 yd runs and one, maybe two for a loss.

Pass defense was realistic - no leaping, one handed, behind the back type picks (no picks at all, actually) and they weren't playing psychic pass coverage, nor too stupid coverage.

The higher WR catching seemed to give more flow to the passing game. Routes were actually developing with some measure of competence. I'll probably leave this as is. There were still a couple drops (Clayton, again with the drops I see.)

[Knapper]

Hey KB these look solid I will give them a shot and get back to you.

[KBLover]

Maybe I don't need to change the QB accuracy after all. Had a HARD game as Oakland vs SD.

It was a low scoring defensive battle. 6-6 at halftime. Neither team did much, except for Tomlinson running. He broke 33 yd run.

I went ahead 9-6, but then Vincent Jackson burned me for a 44 yd TD to go up 13-9. Stayed that into the mid-4th quarter. Driving down the field when Heyward-Bey literally moved out of the way so the CPU defender could pick off the pass. Well, I guess that's the game's way of expressing that he ran a bad route.

Defense allowed a first down but did get a stop right before the 2:00 warning. They punted.

Had to get the ball in the endzone and the Charger pass rush was still relentless. It was the ugliest two-minute drill ever, but found a way to get into the red zone. Had one timeout left and :27 on the clock. After a drop and a near coverage sack, it was 3rd down with :16 on the clock. Then I hit Schielens on a corner route in the endzone with 11 seconds left.

McFadden didn't do much running the ball, but he was a valuable receiver. A couple screens and on swing pass, but mostly he went over the middle out of the backfield as a check down.

After a kick off and a pick on a desparation pass, the hard win was sealed.

Ugly, ugly game.

SD: 3/3/0/7 = 13
OAK: 3/3/0/10 = 16

Passing:
Gradkowski: 21 of 43, 259 yds, 48%, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rivers: 13 of 22, 151 yds, 59 %, 1 TD, 1 INT

Rushing:
McFadden: 15 for 43 yds, 2.8 AVG, 0 TD
Tomlinson: 19 for 108 yds, 5.6 AVG, 0 TD

Receiving:
McFadden: 7 for 80 yds
Murphy: 5 for 57 yds
Schilens: 3 for 48 yds, 1 TD
Heyward-Bey: 3 for 38 yds

Jackson: 4 for 67 yds, 1 TD
Gates: 3 for 23 yds
Hester: 3 for 15 yds

Defensive:
Raiders picked up one sack (Alston). Seymour and Asmougha led with 6 solo tackles. Huff got the INT at the end of the game.

Chargers had two sacks (Castillo and Cason) though it felt like more. Castillo had 5 solo tackles. Burnett had 5 assists.

TOP:
SD: 31:25
OAK: 28:35

Total yds:
SD: 416
OAK: 430

3rd downs:
SD: 5/11 (45%)
OAK: 6/13 (46%)

[KBLover]

I found this link while reading a thread on the rosters sub-board.

http://profootballfocus.com/by_week....gameid=&stats=

And you can click on player participation to see how many plays each player had.

It looks like DBs and LBs don't sub out too much, though LBs more often than DBs. DL seem to sub out the most on the defense.

On offense, not much subbing at all, really. HB the most, but a lot of times, not overly much, and of course QB hardly ever if at all. OL doesn't very much either.



I might have to play with the fatigue settings again. To see guys who play 60+ defensive plays, even over 70 in some games (like Lions vs Browns) really makes me think I have fatigue doing too much and/or I need to tweak more with sub in/out to let the starters play.

[KBLover]

Just played my first game under patch 2 with these sliders with one tweak.

I lowered Run Blocking for both CPU and User to 35 (was 40). Not that it made a ton of difference, but maybe it quashed some of the would-have-been super long runs.

This was a very defensive game. Missed two field goals with the "new" way of changing angle of the kick with the stick instead of moving the arrow before the kick (I still change trajectory before the kick). One of them was really short. The other was a 53 yard miss (wide right). Doesn't help that I'm using broadcast mode so it harder to see exactly how much angle you should try for, heh.

Final score was 13-10. Orton threw 2 INTs on an otherwise solid day. Marshall and Royal were the goto guys for him, both over 100 yards receiving. Koch had a nice day punting as well.

Was interesting because someone else mentioned more big plays (which led to him upping threshold - not planning on that, yet, myself) and there were next to none in this game.


http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=t15g0j4tiAVXFF0nE49Y97Q&single=true&gid=0&output=html