What is Sim-Style Play in Madden?

[Militant X 1]

you gave a very intersting take on SIM.

i am a str8 online baller! i never use glitches or any other "cheesy" tactics to win a game. do i bring a, b and c gap blitzes? of course! however, offensively, you mentioned that you only throw deep to Moss once a game. wow! what is soooo wrong with utilizing a deep threat like Moss a few times in a game to pop your opponent deep?

also, to me, there is nothing wrong with a QB bootleg or rollout after the snap, especially if that is a design play in the playbook. i have often heard the good, bad and the ugly about both online and sim play. i am very intersting in playing the SIM style for a bit. but it seems like there are tons of rules that must be memorized. lol can you share more info please? on madden i run the Baltimore Ravens and on ncaa i run the Virginia Tech Hokies.

~Mili

[mjhyankees]

I think I'm as anal as they come with regards to sim play in madden, but I suppose we all have a different definition (at least slightly) to what sim is. For me it's controlling all 32 teams, getting my sliders to reflect realistic game stats in ALL areas. I'm so obsessed that I'd rather get close to median stats each game than win (I play mostly offline - online cheesers turned me off too - not to mention all pro levels out everyone's abilities).
I draft and sign FA for all 32 teams based on a strategy. For some teams it's win now, others it's a five year plan, other are just plugging holes. I decide all this based on what I see the team has and how they are doing during the seasons.
Playcallingwise I use ask madden so as to avoid running money plays or favorite plays mutliple times. I may call my own play if the ask madden is ridiculous (he calls a 4-3 when the cpu comes out in 5 WR etc.).

I do audible to exploit weaknesses in the cpu alignment on D. Some may call this cheese but to me IRL, if I see they've got 9 guys in the box with an 85 speed CB on my 98 speed WR, I have to take advantage. Also if he's shifted heavily right I'll change the play to the left. Stuff like that.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Oh Boy! LOL

This question is probably most responsible for my frustration over the past 6 years and is constantly used a "reason" for Madden not being a complete NFL simulation game. I don't see how Madden gamers can ever expect to hold EA accountable for not making Madden a complete NFL simulation game, if that can not agree a very basic principle.

To answer the question of "What is Sim-Style Play in Madden?", there is NO caveat for sim-style play in Madden or any other game, period. In real life, people can do ANYTHING they choose to do and allowing gamers to do that in games, is simulating real life. That said, the whole point of a simulation game is NOT to limit gamers in-game actions but to simulate the real life risk/reward of those actions, in a virtual environment.

So the simulation issue in Madden is NOT and has NEVER been the actions the game allows gamers to perform but has ALWAYS been the lack or absents of virtually representing the real life NFL risks/rewards that apply to those actions.

If we all could come to grips with this fact, then we could stop labeling and allowing ourselves to labeled, into divisive gamer groups and come together to lobby EA, not gamers, to take actions to make Madden a complete NFL simulation game.

[Flamehead]

Quote: Originally Posted by theironlung82

I GET NO ENJOYEMENT OF BEATING A CHEESER BECAUSE I DONT FEEL I AM REALLY PLAYING A REAL FOOTBALL GAME IF A GET A CHEESER TO PLAY, I GET GUYS RUNNING AROUND IN PADS, BUT NOT REAL FOOTBALL First, you missed my point. It's not about me stopping them, I don't care about not stopping a cheeser, I can, and I never said I couldn't. I dont want to play them at all. It's no fun WIN OR LOSE watching my opponent run 3 plays all game. 99% of the time, after I begin to stop their 3 plays, they just disconnect. I dont want to play that. I dont understand ANYBODY who would want to play that or play that way. When I play Madden, I AM TRYING TO SIMULATE A FOOTBALL GAME. Isnt that the point of playing? To cheesers and people like you, obviously no, but to me that the whole point of picking up my sticks. Wanting to play Madden the way football is supposed to be played is garbage? Thats nuts. What game are you playing? You are playing a football game! Why would you not try and play like the game you are trying to emulate? You are probably a cheeser as well.

Great post. Some people are more interested in the video game aspect of it than the football aspect. Reminds me of Fight Night Champion--I can beat cheesers in that game but take absolutely no satisfaction in doing so.

I'd rather lose to someone who plays it as sim than beat someone who cheeses. My aim is experience the sport as it's meant to be played. Call me crazy I guess.

[mjhyankees]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

Oh Boy! LOL This question is probably most responsible for my frustration over the past 6 years and is constantly used a "reason" for Madden not being a complete NFL simulation game. I don't see how Madden gamers can ever expect to hold EA accountable for not making Madden a complete NFL simulation game, if that can not agree a very basic principle. To answer the question of "What is Sim-Style Play in Madden?", there is NO caveat for sim-style play in Madden or any other game, period. In real life, people can do ANYTHING they choose to do and allowing gamers to do that in games, is simulating real life. That said, the whole point of a simulation game is NOT to limit gamers in-game actions but to simulate the real life risk/reward of those actions, in a virtual environment. So the simulation issue in Madden is NOT and has NEVER been the actions the game allows gamers to perform but has ALWAYS been the lack or absents of virtually representing the real life NFL risks/rewards that apply to those actions. If we all could come to grips with this fact, then we could stop labeling and allowing ourselves to labeled, into divisive gamer groups and come together to lobby EA, not gamers, to take actions to make Madden a complete NFL simulation game.

Your risk/reward comment is right on.....that's why people keep going for it on 4th down...they make it so often. QB sneaks when it's 4th and inches work 90% of the time. If it was more 50-50 people would think twice about going for it. I don't know the percentage in real life but a 4th and inches on your own 30 calls for a punt in the NFL...in madden it's "go for it".

[Franchise408]

Quote: Originally Posted by Thinking Out Loud

Oh Boy! LOL This question is probably most responsible for my frustration over the past 6 years and is constantly used a "reason" for Madden not being a complete NFL simulation game. I don't see how Madden gamers can ever expect to hold EA accountable for not making Madden a complete NFL simulation game, if that can not agree a very basic principle. To answer the question of "What is Sim-Style Play in Madden?", there is NO caveat for sim-style play in Madden or any other game, period. In real life, people can do ANYTHING they choose to do and allowing gamers to do that in games, is simulating real life. That said, the whole point of a simulation game is NOT to limit gamers in-game actions but to simulate the real life risk/reward of those actions, in a virtual environment. So the simulation issue in Madden is NOT and has NEVER been the actions the game allows gamers to perform but has ALWAYS been the lack or absents of virtually representing the real life NFL risks/rewards that apply to those actions. If we all could come to grips with this fact, then we could stop labeling and allowing ourselves to labeled, into divisive gamer groups and come together to lobby EA, not gamers, to take actions to make Madden a complete NFL simulation game.

I can tell you exactly why I hold EA accountable. I had found the game that was "sim" to my standards, but EA took it off the market because they were afraid of competition. So now, if I want to play an NFL football game, I am left with a game that does *NOT* offer a satisfactory gameplay experience.

So yes, I hold EA accountable when they fail to provide a product that I enjoy, while in the process eliminating the product that I did enjoy.

And while many gamers have differing definitions of "sim", I think it does fall back on EA when they make a game that encourages you to *not* play sim.

Going back to some of the examples from the OP - which when I first read I didn't realize were 2 years old - I run screen plays "improperly" because the game encourages you to do so, by giving you better results for running an improper screen play.

I do an auto roll out out of necessity, because my 90 rated offensive line can't block a back up, rotational d-lineman.

I do constant slant routes because that's the only pass pattern that I can actually get results with.

I don't use my entire playbook because certain plays are simply un-usable, while other plays are nearly guaranteed to work everytime.

So while maybe nobody can agree 100% on "sim", there is still a responsibility that EA holds for whether or not they produce a product that replicates that or not. In my eyes, EA does not provide that product. And I hold them accountable for failing to create that product, when they eliminated the product that succeeded in my eyes, thus eliminating *my* choice.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Wait a minute.....a 2 year old post was replied to ?

[Franchise408]

Yes, this thread got necro'd.