Regarding attributes...

[Mo_Magic]

I find it VERY hard to believe attributes are meaningless, especially considering the fact that when you turn an attribute to 0 it is actually BETTER than the attribute at 99 or even 100.

In my opinion, most attributes are for simulation, like juke and spin and pursuit, but there are some that are gameplay(like agility, speed, and most notably: strength).

I've been conducting a series of test to see if I could do numerous things, like form a pocket, etc. So far, the only attribute that seems to be functioning correctly is the strength attribute. I took down all tackles by 20 strength(so they drop into the backfield deeper), gaurds by 15(so they drop into the backfield), and Centers by 10(so the drop is minimal, but noticeable) and noticed that the farther down their strength is, the more they actually drop into the pocket. Try it yourself for one team and see if it works, I gaurantee you it will. To counteract this drop so that the cpu would feel "comfortable" I turned pass blocking up to its highest level on the dummy controller...

The result?

The tackles drop back as if protecting an edge rush, the guards do the same, and the tackles also. It creates an actual pocket...

I ran into some problems the first time, as the CPU QB would think it was under pressure and gun the ball away randomly... that's when I turned up the pass blocking.

The defenders get close enough to the QB that they could still get sacks if they break free, but far enough to keep the QB from panicking with the ball.

I'm thinking I'll have to rework the rating though and make them global(something like 80 for tackles, 83 for guards, and 87 for Centers, I'll let you guys know) so that the pocket is formed the same way everytime. Right now, I'm running this with the Raiders and what I've done seems to be working to perfection.

So basically, the strength rating, at least for the Oline positions, has to do with how deep they drop into the backfield at the snap of the ball, rather than when the get into animations with the defenders.

In my opinion, some of the ratings may just be reversed and some of them may just mean stuff for franchise. I'm experimenting with agility next because I saw Gideon Primes video... that's an attribute that affects two in game ratings, juking and spins, which are only for simulation I'm guessing...

Point I'm trying to make is, some of this games flaws by reversing sliders/playing with them. I already have what appears to be a pocket, now I just need my blockers to play smarter... and I have an odd feeling they will when I turn awareness to 0(or at least reverse it from there ratings now). This could be the reason for tons of things if it is true, like Peyton Manning and Brady throwing into double coverage constantly... etc(as all ratings seem to work better at 0)

[Mo_Magic]

Well, ratings are officially not meaningless. I turned Throw Power all the way down to 0 and Jamarcus Russel's bullet passes look like freaking 50 yard lob bombs, rather than freaking bullets...

I think ratings just have either reversed values or get stronger as you hit certain numbers, etc. Or maybe the test with attributes at 0 is just what it is... 0. Meaning no game value is applied to it... That may be why you don't even have to cut to change direction with 0 agility, and you don't have to accelerate with 0 acceleration(just hit turbo, you'll instantly hit top speed), or why my bullet passes are lob passes(because 0 arm strength would indicate an inability to throw a ball, let alone throw it hard).