Ian's team showing great progress: THE PITCH (PLEA) FOR A PLAY EDITOR.

[shotgun styles]

THE NEW TEAM'S FOCUS IS IMPRESSIVE.

I have to give credit to Ian and his team here. You guys seem to be taking the monumental responsibility of the exclusive license very seriously. That is a welcome change.

I only have one "need" item, and that is a comprehensive play editor. Without create a play most of us coach types don't have nearly as much fun, or replay motivation.

A POWERFUL PLAY EDITOR WILL KILL CHEEZE, NOT HELP IT.

The argument has been made that a powerful play editor only helps cheaters. Not true. How many "cheeze" plays are in the real NFL? None, because in the NFL you have the power to adjust to anything. If I can create ANY play, then you can stop it because you can create ANY play.

I have spent whole weekends just tinkering with my offense and defense.

REBUILD THE PS2 PLAY EDITOR

If you start with the original editor from PS2, you have most of the necessary pieces to make the ideal next-gen version. It allowed a wide variety of formations and substitutions, custom routes, and strategic styles. Here are the major tweaks needed to complete what you guys stared.

OFFENSE

I understand that Phil was the one who built the PS2 version, and he did a bang up job. If we had this basic tool, with just a few improvements, it could be the next gen editor we've been waiting for.

1) Improve custom routes.

Routes should not end arbitrarily. Many deep routes and crossing routes are ruined because the receiver stops running too soon. Look at this pic...



The "X" receiver's route is in orange. See how it ends in the middle of the field, that's where he'd break it off. I highlighted in red where he should be going.

When making a new route it should end with the option to "continue to sideline" or "continue to endzone". This would make deep square-ins and shallow crosses work properly.

2) Customized hand-offs and play-action.

The old editor would not let you create custom play action motion for your running backs or WRs. You could edit existing play action plays, but you could not create your own.

This meant that you could not create a reverse, or fake the ball to a WR. More importantly you could not align your play action plays with your actual running plays in order to make the fake effective.

3) Actual blocking assignments

There needs to be a way to create better pass and run blocking than simply saying "run block" or "pass block". This becomes a serious problem when you want create running plays. Since you never know who is assigned to block whom, you can never read your blocks until you're 3 or 4 steps into a run.

Blockers need to be smarter, and actually block the person they are assigned to. But this is useless unless you can give them an assignment in the first place.

You should also be able to release a hot-route pass blocker into his route by pressing his button. This allows you to adjust your max-protection if no blitz comes. This is very common in the NFL.

DEFENSE

1) Custom Zone coverages.

This is the cheeze killer right here. It doesn't matter what bullsh!t offensive play someone creates, I can stop it if I can drop my guys into zones anywhere on the field. Having adjustable zones is the key to putting the hurt on cheaters. It also allows you to run overload blitzes and "robber" coverage to surprise people.

The most important element here is the ability to cover deep over a Randy Moss type player. With the old zone system the single deep man always covered the middle. Not necessarily what you want if you're only need to protect Randy's side of the field.

2) Control over man coverage.

Trying to create double coverage was hit or miss. Moreover, you could not assign one person to cover over and another under.

In the NFL defenders play off more often than press, so the off coverage needs to give cushion at the snap, not run right at the WR when the play starts.

3) Custom pass rush lanes

Now I know this is where cheezers will thrive, but if you fix the blocking it won't matter. Defenders need to be able to tie up blockers, fill gaps, loop, stunt or rush around the corner. Simply having them run at a left, right or staight angle isn't enough. They have to disrupt the offense, and need to be able to crash gaps that the offense is exploiting.

OVERALL

1) Online custom playbook leagues

It is plainly unfair that custom playbooks are not allowed online even if BOTH PARTIES agree to use them. I understand the people who don't want to play against them and they should not be forced to. But we should not be forced offline either. We should at least have the option of choosing.

2) Practice mode

Lastly we need a BUILT-IN REAL-TIME playable practice mode. Whether you do this online or in the game a playable practice mode is essential to making the play editor work. Last years play editor was unusable, largely because you couldn't properly store plays and because you couldn't practice live as you worked.

Given the choice between a very powerful online play editor and a watered down in-game editor I will always opt for more power. Having more options is the only way to stop cheezers. Having less options makes us all subject to them.

[MRxAmazing]

I agree with this almost completely.
I don't like the online portion of it though.
Keep it to offline only.

[94niners]

I want a play editor too! Agree!

Not so sure about online though. Maybe...

[tyler289]

I think you should only have custom playbooks in non-ranked or private games. But other than that, it sounds great.

[roadman]

Just an FYI.

This was discussed at some length about a month ago.

Phil chimes in because he put together the play editor for the PS2.

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...ay-editor.html

[CapnKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by MRxAmazing

I agree with this almost completely. I don't like the online portion of it though. Keep it to offline only.

What's the problem with his on-line proposal?

Obviously custom playbooks will NEVER be an option in ranked games, I never understand why people keep asking for that.

But for a CUSTOM game, I don't see why they can't be an option... When I think Custom game I think any option I want to tweak should be tweakable.

Weather - Check
Stadium - Check
CUSTOM Uniform - Check
CUSTOM Sliders - Check
Import Custom Team - Check
Import Custom Playbook - Check

you get the idea... I mean, its a custom game, that's the whole point.

[shotgun styles]

Quote: Originally Posted by CapnKill

What's the problem with his on-line proposal? Obviously custom playbooks will NEVER be an option in ranked games, I never understand why people keep asking for that. But for a CUSTOM game, I don't see why they can't be an option... When I think Custom game I think any option I want to tweak should be tweakable. Weather - Check Stadium - Check CUSTOM Uniform - Check CUSTOM Sliders - Check Import Custom Team - Check Import Custom Playbook - Check you get the idea... I mean, its a custom game, that's the whole point.

Not only are you dead on, but you are also getting more to my point: league play.

We should be able to at the very least have created plays with our own league, so we can agree on ground rules. No one who doesn't want created plays has to play in that league.

I don't care about ranked games or any of that stuff, I just want to match wits with my friends without having to physically be in the same room with them.

[MRxAmazing]

Quote: Originally Posted by CapnKill

What's the problem with his on-line proposal? Obviously custom playbooks will NEVER be an option in ranked games, I never understand why people keep asking for that. But for a CUSTOM game, I don't see why they can't be an option... When I think Custom game I think any option I want to tweak should be tweakable. Weather - Check Stadium - Check CUSTOM Uniform - Check CUSTOM Sliders - Check Import Custom Team - Check Import Custom Playbook - Check you get the idea... I mean, its a custom game, that's the whole point.

I suppose it's not so bad. I just couldn't imagine enough of people WANTING it that Ian, Phil and Co. will go out of their way for it.