Why do people control all 32 teams?

[DorianDonP]

Quote: Originally Posted by Franchise408

The main reason that I don't is because I feel, who am I to determine what moves another team does or doesn't make? The NFL is chalk full of teams who make bad decisions (many of those decisions can be found in what people complain about Madden - releasing good players and keeping bad players; drafting the same position over and over again [Detroit, anyone???]; bad trade logic; etc.). I run my team the way I want to, and outside of that I feel I'm in no place to determine what moves the Washington Redskins do or don't make. While a human may be able to better manage a Madden team than CPU AI, there's going to come into play the human bias that is going to affect all 31 other teams in the league, and as far as I'm concerned, I'd rather watch the CPU make some wonky moves than have ME influence the builds of all 32 teams.

I have asked myself that before. Who am I to make changes to what the computer is doing? But then I realize that I am the one that spent 60 bucks on the game and the way I maximize enjoyment is to be immersed into realism. I just can't deal with the unrealistic AI.

Realism, to me, doesn't mean making sure the CPU teams all have A+ drafts and free agent signings with no "bad decisions". You are right, teams in real life do make weird choices. I just make sure these wonky choices don't become the standard for the franchise simulation that I am attempting to become invested in.

I guess I just disagree with your last sentence. I'd much rather have my understanding of football (which includes cognitive thinking, foresight, and an eye for detail) to be the major influence on my franchise than hit or miss programming that can absolutely take the immersion out of the equation.

Plus, I realize I spend more time getting to know all of the teams (and thus being able to imagine storylines) when I scroll through each team and make sure nothing too nonsensical is going on.

The Ravens, with a 90 rated Joe Flacco, signed a 92 rated Matt Shaub in my franchise. Sorry, I just can't let that slide and say "better the computer than me."

[37]

Quote: Originally Posted by DorianDonP

I have asked myself that before. Who am I to make changes to what the computer is doing? But then I realize that I am the one that spent 60 bucks on the game and the way I maximize enjoyment is to be immersed into realism. I just can't deal with the unrealistic AI. Realism, to me, doesn't mean making sure the CPU teams all have A+ drafts and free agent signings with no "bad decisions". You are right, teams in real life do make weird choices. I just make sure these wonky choices don't become the standard for the franchise simulation that I am attempting to become invested in. I guess I just disagree with your last sentence. I'd much rather have my understanding of football (which includes cognitive thinking, foresight, and an eye for detail) to be the major influence on my franchise than hit or miss programming that can absolutely take the immersion out of the equation. Plus, I realize I spend more time getting to know all of the teams (and thus being able to imagine storylines) when I scroll through each team and make sure nothing too nonsensical is going on. The Ravens, with a 90 rated Joe Flacco, signed a 92 rated Matt Shaub in my franchise. Sorry, I just can't let that slide and say "better the computer than me."

Not that i feel bad for Flacco

[cusefan74]

Why is it so hard to believe that a team would draft a kicker in the 1st round. The Raiders did, although they never make good choices, but that's besides the point. I've done 2 drafts and have seen 1 kicker selected in the 1st round, and 1 team selected a QB they really didn't need. Other then that they have done a good job drafting in the 1st round, beyond that I don't pay attention to other teams later picks. I check all preseason long to see if any 1st round picks have been cut, and I have never seen one. That don't mean there are no 2nd rounders, but I am just saying I haven't seen any 1st rounders.

[Argooos]

I control all 32 teams (and have since Madden 06) because I don't trust the AI to make intelligent decisions. Even bad real-life decisions do not compare to some of the boneheaded moves the AI will make. In real life, there is usually a good reason even for bad decisions.
The other reason I control all 32 teams is that I absolutely love it. I enjoy managing the depth chart, signing free agents, and all that with my own team, but when I control all 32, I get to do it for every single team. The offseason for me is in many ways more fun than playing the actual games. That's just the type of person I am though.
I create my own house rules and things to make things fair and increase the randomness of what happens to the teams and players. The result is a huge increase in league parity, where every team is at least pretty good. It makes playing the games as my team more fun, because every team is challenging to play against.
Doing this for years has the added advantage of giving me an encyclopedic knowledge of NFL players for the past 5 years.

[PlayIIwiN]

Quote: Originally Posted by Argooos

I control all 32 teams (and have since Madden 06) because I don't trust the AI to make intelligent decisions. Even bad real-life decisions do not compare to some of the boneheaded moves the AI will make. In real life, there is usually a good reason even for bad decisions. The other reason I control all 32 teams is that I absolutely love it. I enjoy managing the depth chart, signing free agents, and all that with my own team, but when I control all 32, I get to do it for every single team. The offseason for me is in many ways more fun than playing the actual games. That's just the type of person I am though. I create my own house rules and things to make things fair and increase the randomness of what happens to the teams and players. The result is a huge increase in league parity, where every team is at least pretty good. It makes playing the games as my team more fun, because every team is challenging to play against. Doing this for years has the added advantage of giving me an encyclopedic knowledge of NFL players for the past 5 years.

What are your house rules out of curiosity? Since I am NEW to the 32 control and also does the CPU still trade between each other IF I don't start it? Will they offer up trades to teams at all? Also with the NEW FA timer how does one not cheat for their team w/ controlling all 32 and outbid themselves?

[Argooos]

Quote: Originally Posted by PlayIIwiN

What are your house rules out of curiosity? Since I am NEW to the 32 control and also does the CPU still trade between each other IF I don't start it? Will they offer up trades to teams at all? Also with the NEW FA timer how does one not cheat for their team w/ controlling all 32 and outbid themselves?

I don't actually own Madden 12 yet, so I can't answer for that game.
You'll have to do trades yourself though. The key (at least for me) for having a fun competitive league while controlling all 32 teams is to be as fair as possible (and be unfair to your own team). For free agency, for example, I use random number generators to determine who gets the top players for each position. I then set up a "draft" order for picking the rest of the free agent players. For the team that I'm playing, I never sign any top players (90+) in free agency. For trades, if it involves my own team, I always make sure it's a bit of a rip off for me. For trades between cpu teams I always try to make sure it's a fair as possible. I ask myself from each team's perspective "does this trade make sense for my team?".

To increase the randomness, this year at the beginning of each season I am going to select a bunch of players randomly. 1/4 of them are going to receive either a ratings or potential boost of 10 point. 1/4 of them will get a boost of 5 point. 1/4 of them will lose 5, and 1/4 will lose 10. I may also do some mid-season "progression" for high and low performers.

[KBscholar]

I like to control all 32 teams so that when a CPU controlled team has a player get a season ending injury, I can place him on the IR.

Can someone back that up, or correct me if I'm wrong on that?

[Argooos]

Quote: Originally Posted by PlayIIwiN

With what I am reading here I am thinking F' MADDEN and will cut my $60 loss! I only play offline franchise and EA completely F'd this game sideways... someone needs to be FIRED! To have to micro-manage every team because a bunch of babies whined about cuts and other issues, EA somehow completely BROKE the experience for all except those FEW! The AI logic is a JOKE and apparently can't be corrected because the same JACKA$$es that made the game are now being asked to fix it!? To them it's not broke... simple as that!

As far as I'm concerned the franchise AI in Madden has been broken since at least Madden 06 (when I started playing the game). Stupid AI decisions are nothing new.