Setting some early expectations

[splff3000]

One thing I would like to see return is the ability to control which LB showed blitz. This was in 04 or 05 I believe. You could use the D-pad for this. R1 then dpad: left = rolb showed blitz, right = lolb showed blitz, up = MLB showed blitz, down = all lb showed blitz. You could cancel the action by hitting the same dpad direction again. This would really solve some problems with LB's being out of position. It would also help with blitzing as you can choose what you want your opponent to see. Imagine this: You could shift your lb's to one side and have that OLB and MLB showing blitz so that it looks like an overload, but you actually have the backside LB blitzing. When the offense shifts the blocking to block the overload the backside LB has an easier chance to get the QB. This is the type of stuff I'd like to be able to do.

[Benicio10]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA

Thanks - this is the kind of info I was looking for. I can look into this - much easier than re-writing all our plays.

I understand the need to include all these packages, but in defensive pre-play i have no time and it's so confusing to make adjustments.

that's why putting it in playcalling is the best way to do it.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Benicio10

I understand the need to include all these packages, but in defensive pre-play i have no time and it's so confusing to make adjustments. that's why putting it in playcalling is the best way to do it.

It's the best way from a consumer standpoint, but sounds too time consuming to focus on and labor intensive from a development standpoint according to Ian.

[jfsolo]

Quote: Originally Posted by SoxFan01605

I don't think it's a bad idea to address things like line play and covergae schemes, but I tink it's more important to address the root AI isues on defense first. Man and zone coverages (in any form) need to work and consistent OL/DL interactions need to be found before any of the playbook variety even matters. Not that I'm anywhere close to an expert, but I do think that once base issues are addressed that there can be ways to work more detailed schemes into the current system.

I agree. I understand where the really hardcore guys are coming from, but they're wanting the game to go from crawling to running a marathon.

As has been mentioned by several people, there are so many other more pressing issues, that if not totally fixed first, it would render all the new D-line stuff totally irrelevant.

[BezO]

I underestimated how much this bothered me.

Quote: Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA

What's the reason? One, it's VERY expensive. It entails re-writing our entire defensive back-end database for play data, re-creating every single defensive play, and likely major overhauls for many sections of AI. It's not that it's extraordinarily hard to do, it's just that it's a massive amount of work that would cause an inordinate amount of bugs. We already have a lot of work ahead of us in terms of general AI, CPU playcalling, etc, and the tiered play-calling just doesn't quite fit in that scope.

I guess it was only a matter of time before something got in the way of the most realistic representation of football.

What was the purpose of the "build from the ground up" for this generation again? With the exception of the break tackle tech, you all don't seem to have enabled much new functionality.

Quote: Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA

So being that this is the first bit of 'bad' news - I'm more interested in what functionality you currently feel like you just CAN'T create without that system. What do you find yourself wanting to do that you just can't accomplish with the combination of the current plays + pre-play controls on defense + defensive hot routes when it comes to defensive play calling?

I REALLY hope your playbook guy isn't allergic to hard work. He has a lot of it ahead of him. Or I guess we could just hot route our way into desired defenses every play.

[eldogg]

i got an itchy feeling we will be hearing this alot during this dev cycle.

it's too hard or it will take too much time.
i'm waiting for clever ways of telling us this that and a third is not possible with this engine.

[MJenness]

Quote: Originally Posted by eldogg

i got an itchy feeling we will be hearing this alot during this dev cycle. it's too hard or it will take too much time. i'm waiting for clever ways of telling us this that and a third is not possible with this engine.

Me, too! What are we, 3 months into the dev cycle and we're hearing it already. I just wonder why other developers are able to do so many things, but EA seems "shackled" in so many ways.

It'll be a) we set priorities, and this just didn't make the cut b) from a development standpoint, it just was too time consuming c) it just wasn't possible due to cost or d) we didn't realize this was so important to the community.....next year.

[eldogg]

e. all of the above.

i really hope tiburon develops the game 2k and madden players want.