Instead of ratings why not just abilities..

[m1ke_nyc]

Keep the ratings, just assign different animations to different players based on play style, characteristics etc.

[TheTruth437]

Quote: Originally Posted by codyj123_321

I think APF2K8 had the right idea, as i have seen so do a few people on here. The problem with the ratings is what is really the difference between 99 THP and 93 THP? I can't seen one and the same goes for throwing accuracy. The ratings also don't really make elite players seem different from just average players. Madden 12 for example, I won a super bowl with LEVI BROWN in a first year chise btw. I played on All-star(I believe that's the one just before all-madden?) and finished 2nd in MVP race. What i'm getting at with that little story is that I shouldn't be able to carve up D's and put up MVP numbers with a 70 OVR QB. I think just having abilities like Cannon Arm, Laser Arm, Glue Hands, etc. instead of ratings would result in more accurate play styles of players. It's just my opinion and i would love to hear some of you all to elaborate on this further.

I agree. But I would want more tiers of player caliber and ability. I would like each player to have a certain caliber(great,good,average,bad and terrible). I would also like five different levels of each ability for each caliber.

[Kanobi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Senator Palmer

APF had ratings behind all of those abilities

False. Some of the abilties are boosts to certain ratings, however, others trigger hard coded AI tendencies and specific animations. I've been doing some extensive work on APF's player ratings/abilities and the level of customization is such that you can basically get a player to play exactly like his real-life counterpart. This creates an extremely organic gameplay environment.

[poopoop]

Quote: Originally Posted by Senator Palmer

So, it's not really changing the way the game functions, it's just handicapping the user.

It's a fair handicap as the user (assuming he's competent and understands how the game works) will always have an advantage over a computer controlled team. Look how easy it is to outmaneuver computer controlled teams in trades, the draft, general player management...

Hiding ratings from the user will help level the playing field.

[Senator Palmer]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kanobi

False. Some of the abilties are boosts to certain ratings, however, others trigger hard coded AI tendencies and specific animations. I've been doing some extensive work on APF's player ratings/abilities and the level of customization is such that you can basically get a player to play exactly like his real-life counterpart. This creates an extremely organic gameplay environment.

How does that differ from what Madden has in place, especially with DPP and player traits?

Quote: Originally Posted by poopoop

It's a fair handicap as the user (assuming he's competent and understands how the game works) will always have an advantage over a computer controlled team. Look how easy it is to outmaneuver computer controlled teams in trades, the draft, general player management... Hiding ratings from the user will help level the playing field.

Agreed on all counts. I was simply pointing out to those who may not know that you're not really getting rid of the ratings.

[wisdom less13]

Man, I remember getting Madden for Sega as a kid, and having a fold out ratings poster. It rated everyone on the letter scale, i.e. A-, A, A+, etc. Not sure if it had their salary on it too, because that was how you traded guys in those days hahaha I would play those games like it was nobody's business. Everyone ran like Barry Sanders in the game by having to cut back and forth while running further away from the line of scrimmage. Sorry, I got caught up in my flashback. I don't mind the option of having to have them hidden or shown. I just hope this game gets me back into Madden for it's been one of my least played sports games year after year lately...

[Kanobi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Senator Palmer

How does that differ from what Madden has in place, especially with DPP and player traits?

The difference is the environment in which everything happens. APF's level of player interaction and amount of animations enabled the abilities to play out a lot more realistically. Whereas Madden's attempt at making players unique is still VERY much limited by it's own gameplay environment. Quiet simply, you're a lot more likely to see a play happen in APF that resembles reality than you are in Madden.

[Matt54987]

The vision cone was the best idea they ever had. The size of cone really made the QBs feel different, and it added a dimension to the game that hasn't been replicated since.

It's a shame the casuals hated it so much.