Anyone Annoyed by the Cheap AI at the End of Games?

[Mr. JimmyFly]

Quote: Originally Posted by PacMan3000

Seriously guys? What levels are you playing on? I'm on All-Pro and am just shocked by how blatant it is. First off, the QB inside of 60 seconds ends up throwing the ball MUCH quicker. He basically takes a one or two step drop and it's complete. And it's usually always a touchdown, no matter if they have 60 seconds and 3 timeouts of 15 seconds and 0 timeouts. I'm very surprised now one has encountered this. It takes the fun out of the game for me a little bit.

I've found that Madden will 'overcompensate' for having a low rated team play competitively against a higher rated one...

I've noticed that a Bills (human) vs. Patriots (CPU) matchup (for example) will engender some really questionable AI...

It's like the AI 'wakes up' just before the two minute warning at the half and then again in the fourth quarter, notices it's losing or is in a close battle...and goes haywire...

I had the Pats on the ropes in Foxboro and when all else failed (I managed to execute a great two minute drill and was around their 10 yard line with one play left on the clock and could have tied with a TD), the AI went crazy...the Pat D line pancaked my O-line en masse and then sacked, and injured my QB for the season, while his errant pass was picked off by Vrabel who suddenly had hops like Air Jordan...he then somehow outran the 94 SPD rated Roscoe Parrish for a 102 yard TD...

Total cheese...

I attribute what you are seeing to playing with the Browns...

It's not as much fun to play with the better teams...but the AI doesn't kick in this way nearly as much...

[bcruise]

Quote: Originally Posted by PacMan3000

Seriously guys? What levels are you playing on? I'm on All-Pro and am just shocked by how blatant it is. First off, the QB inside of 60 seconds ends up throwing the ball MUCH quicker. He basically takes a one or two step drop and it's complete. And it's usually always a touchdown, no matter if they have 60 seconds and 3 timeouts of 15 seconds and 0 timeouts. I'm very surprised now one has encountered this. It takes the fun out of the game for me a little bit.

There are plays in the playbook that are designed like that - especially in the 5-wide sets (often used when a team is trailing late). Not every passing play involves the QB taking a 5-step drop.

[ThePebble19]

Yeah, i see some weird things in the last couple of minutes...Like in my Bills chise, game 3 against the Jets...I tore NY up all day long on the ground...My created HB had 95 yards rushing as of halfway through the 4th, and my backup (Who was Musa Smith, after a trade I made) had 45 yards rushing...all together, was averaging close to 6-7 ypc...and all of a sudden, when I was down 28-21 in the 4th, I couldn't pick up a rushing 1st down to save my life. So then I had to rely on Losman, and it didn't really work out too well for me...Ended up losing by the same score after Lee Evans dropped a bomb with 47 seconds left, at the 2 yard line, when he was 3-4 steps ahead of David Barrett.

But, that is the NFL...usually when a team is on the ropes and they have to suck it up defensively and make a stop, they make a stop.

Now, as for how I let Cedric Houston run for 185 yards and 4TD on 23 carries? That is a whole different story...I may need to draft some defensive line help :-)

[PacMan3000]

Well obviously. There are three and seven step drops. But the QB's in the game don't do the one step drop a lot. And it's definitely a lot more prevelant towards the end of the game when the AI starts to cheese.

Hey Jimmy...that's an interesting observation, and it's probably correct. I'll test it out and see how it goes in the coming games. Good observation, though.

[Rebels10]

I totally agree with you...I have had it happen where I am dominating a game..17-3 or simliar to that. The CPU gets the ball--score...on the next kickoff I fumble--their next play--score...then in a 1:30 time frame the score is 17-17. Or...they will score with 2 minutes...stop me on a three and out...force me to punt. Then, their next series two play touchdown.

I feel for you too...it seems like there is nothing you can do. It drives me crazy!!!!!!!

[trey5]

Ah, the dreaded "comeback AI" of yesteryear...

Hasn't been a real problem for me this year. Every once in a while the CPU will get a cheese call that they won't let me review or complete a fluke pass or something like that, but it is not often enough that it ruins the game for me...

[PacMan3000]

On a side note...is it me, or is the replay/challenge system screwy, too? For example, I'll have a play that the refs deem was a fumble. But on the replay, you can clearly see that the QB's arm was coming forward, and therefore by rule it should be an incomplete pass. But after the ref watches the replay, he STILL rules it as a fumble.

I have even seen the "Bert Emmanuel Rule" messed up in this game. Where a WR clearly has the control of the ball, but part of it hits the turf. The ref goes and review it, but still rules it as an incompletion.

Anyone having any better luck with challenges?

[vegasmike]

Pacman3000, and Rebels10 I feel for you. I play as the Browns too. It has happend to me as well. countless of times. too bad madden doesn't do challenges like that other game did. When the cpu is driving late in games, I try to play as the SS and go back 30 yards from line of scrimmage to hopefully "prevent" those bombs from happening.. I know Browns fans that the "Prevent" Defense scares us all. I still go in a tizzy when I hear John Elways name or "The Drive".