Can someone explain why the schemes are so important to the game, and what they do?

[lovelymines]

Scheme has absolutely zero effect in game. It doesn't make your players play any differently.

What schemes are for is to adjust the 'overall' rating to reflect how you use a player. For example, if you are a 3-4 team you are probably going to want outside linebackers with pass rushing abilities. In previous games you would have had to manually look at the various individual ratings to see how valuable they would be to you, because the overall value wouldn't really give you an indication. With schemes, you can easily see which outside linebackers will be of value to you with the overall rating. A tackling or cover-2 linebacker will take a severe overall rating hit in a pass rushing OLB scheme, while linebackers with high pass rush abilities will get an overall rating increase.

Note that none of the individual ratings that have an effect in game and in simulation is changing. It is merely a reflection of how good a player will be at what you are asking him to do.

[mestevo]

Next iteration this needs to extend to your coordinators. Your coach can provide a bonus to a certain skillset (defensive minded coaches, etc) as the head coach, but if you want bonuses and to attract players that fit a certain sceheme you should have to hire coaches to reflect that. Mike Martz air it out offense, take no prisoners hard hitting Gunther Cunningham defense.

There should be no changing your own personal scheme, let it be governed by something more authentic by bringing in a new coach and changing the system. You can force it with the wrong coaches in place, but not receive as much or any of the benefits of doing it right.

[SloeyEZ]

I've been stopping myself all night from replying, but now I have to!

Hasn't anyone heard of Head Coach? It was done, and quite well in 09 but everybody wants to just button mash Madden players. Why aren't you people that want to see OC and DC mean something buying HC 09? Maybe if there were a surge of buyers EA would make it again! I still play it lol.

Spread the word! The ghost of Head Coach is coming!!

[Rumplebeanskin]

The main thing I've found with schemes is that it kinda destroys the game, from a realism point of view. In that I mean it is an absolutely overriding factor for the CPU to use whatever it's scheme/player type pre set to influence roster moves without using the tiniest bit of common sense.

2 examples are that with every CCM I've started now, the Rams have ALWAYS cut Danny Amendola and Steve Smith, even though the receiving corp is bad and thin as it is. Also, the Panthers always sign Ryan Grant despite the fact they have 3 good backs in Williams, Stewart and Tolbert and a lot of cap tied up in those guys.

Until the CPU has the AI to decide when it should and shouldn't just blindly follow its own scheme and player type preferences, the whole system just won't work. This is possible, just go look at the "GM Brain" feature on the new NHL.

[feeq14]

Quote: Originally Posted by cj54

I'm convinced the scheme doesn't matter, in my online ccm with the cowboys my scheme changed to west coast and spread even though I didn't make any adjustments. So now all the players I focused on getting with a balanced scheme or 3-4 attk is a waste if that xp boost thing is true, which I doubt. I think it's just a display thing for now and probably not working right. I think player type is the only thing you need to focus as it determines overall. Plus when scouting it costs 1000 points to scout player type and only 25 for scheme.

Hold on so are you saying you managed to change your scheme? exactly how did you do this?

[Obnoxious]

Basically fixes the issue of the CPU just signing and drafting the player with the highest overall.

Personally, I stick to a scheme because they progress faster and their awareness doesn't drop.

Some people think its pointless, but I like the idea.

[mikeemitchee4]

I personally think that it does matter, because I am in an online dynasty with a few pals and I picked up a trade from them, and he was doing quite well with the player, cant think of his name at this time, he let him go because I was going to give him 2 2nd round picks and I traded him one of my players that he needed, this player that I recieved does not fit my scheme and he is now struggling to make plays and gains exp much slower.

[Gatorfan89]

Quote: Originally Posted by SA1NT401

It's a neat idea.... But not fully fleshed out at this point. Even some of the players currently on a team w/ a certain scheme already implemented don't fit into it....ie deangelo Williams.

This is what I think is stupid. For example a guy like Andrew Luck doesnt fit the Colts scheme. Are you serious? They are building their offense around him. Andrew Luck is the Colts scheme.

Or Maurice Jones Drew for example. He doesnt fit the Jags scheme. Really? Did they have a scheme, or an function of an offense besides MJD the last few years? How can you default it to where he starts out and already doesnt fit.