Do sim gamers really want difficulty settings?

[johnnyg713]

As sim gamers don't we all just want the players in the game to act like their real life counterparts? Does putting it on all madden make the players play better and pro make them play mediocre? I know some people are better than others at madden but shouldn't there be a "sim" difficulty where player attributes determine the difficulty not the AI?

[sb24]

Im with you on this one.

[kcarr]

I think difficulty settings should be based less on a requirement or lack of requirement for "stick skills" and less on how well the CPU players actually perform tasks and more on playcalling ai and help offered with playcalling. Maybe give tips at lower levels and adjust the aggressiveness of CPU AI taking advantage of weaknesses in the user's playcalling at lower levels and at higher levels make the CPU AI fully take advantage of any weaknesses within the playcalling.

In user vs user games the difficulty level should really have no effect on anything as every player should play to his ratings at there is no playcalling AI as it is a user controlling both sides.

[kehlis]

i don't think ratings should be tied into difficulty level at all.

Ratings should determine ai on all levels. The difference in difficulty levels should be things like the relative speed of the game, larger running lanes on lower levels, quicker closing holes on the higher levels, more WR seperation on the lower levels. These are just some examples.

I know I am in the minority here, but I don't think the AI shuold at all be compromised by what level you are playing on.

[BezO]

Yes. But I feel simulation & difficulty level should be 2 different things. IMO, difficulty level should only effect the user. For example:

A RB has a 90 juke rating. On the lower difficulty levels, the success of his moves could be less reliant on the timing of the user's juke-button press. On the higher difficulty levels, if you don't time the juke correctly, it doesn't work, despite the rating. In either case, the RB is always a 90. The user on the higher difficulty level just needs better timing to get his player to perform up to his ability.

[kmart2180]

I would like to see a differece when going level to level. One of my biggest gripes with Madden 09 was I couldnt get the CPU rb to ever be dominate. I wanna know that when Im on the highest level that when I play a Superstar they are gonna shine to their fullest abilities. I want to really have to call an aggressive run stopping packages to stop A. Peterson. They need to be smarter and not always try and hit the Homerun but rather take the 2-3 yds gains.

I want Peyton Manning to shred me if I dont get pressure on him.

I want Casey Hampton to be a complete force up the middle as a Huge DT.

But what needs to go is the feeling of being cheated. Just cause the level is on its hardest does not mean the AI should be unstoppable, or do crazy things to comeback or stop you from coming back. It should just play solid football. And force you to do the same to win.

The attributes should just mean more the higher the level you get. Make it mean something if you have a 82 rated Db covering Randy Moss 1 on 1. We should know better if we are playing on the highest level.

I DONT want the level to make Vince Young a better passer. Like I said above make the rating matter more the higher the level. Meaning you would have a easier time completing passes with him the lower the level u play on and the harder the lvel the tougher it should be to pass with him. When the CPU is using him I dont EVER wanna see him going 70% EVER. Cause then it just goes to show ratings dont matter.

[BrianFifaFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by BezO

Yes. But I feel simulation & difficulty level should be 2 different things. IMO, difficulty level should only effect the user. For example: A RB has a 90 juke rating. On the lower difficulty levels, the success of his moves could be less reliant on the timing of the user's juke-button press. On the higher difficulty levels, if you don't time the juke correctly, it doesn't work, despite the rating. In either case, the RB is always a 90. The user on the higher difficulty level just needs better timing to get his player to perform up to his ability.

Totally agree. Great post....

[Vikes1]

It would be great to have a level titled..."To the ratings." And the game actually did...play to the ratings.

I've never really been sure if Madden plays to the level chosen, or to the ratings. If I were to guess, I think the game level may out weight the player ratings in many cases. I mean where does the game play to the ratings?...myself, I've never found that place. Even messing with the sliders here, there and everywhere.

In my opinion...with how suspect the ratings are, difficulty levels and sliders are a must. I wish it weren't so.