Do players progress only based on game stats?

[Unlucky 13]

I bought Madden 13 a few weeks ago after I learned that it had been patched to allow roster editing, and have been mostly pleased. However, after playing a season and a half dealing with the new progression system, it seems that the players who get XP are only the ones who do well on the field in the previous game.

Do rookies/young players who dont play well or much not still progress fairly well as they did in previous versions? For example, playing as Miami, Ryan Tannehill and Lamar Miller only average a few hundred points a game of XP despite starting and playing fairly well. Hardly enough to progress them at all, let alone the 5-8 OVR they would have gained for a season most of the time in years gone by. Tannehill started as a 77 OVR and ended as a 79, for example.

On the flip side, veteran defenders who rack up stats seem to get HUGE XP, no matter how long they've been in the league, or how well they're rated to begin with. Doesnt this seem a bit backwards?

Also, do young players on the bench progress at all? I drafted a RT in the first round in 2014 who is on the bench his rookie season. Should I expect him to get better at all sitting behind a better (though mediocre) veteran player, or do I have to play the low rated rookie for him ever to increase his ratings?

Thanks!

[CM Hooe]

The majority of the progression in Madden NFL 13 is based on meeting statistical goals. You can view the goals for a given player by selecting More... > Personnel > Team Goals, then select the player you wish to view goals for. Without hitting these goals, your players will not earn XP and won't progress. The types of goals your player needs to hit is based upon his player type; for example, a 3-4 OLB will have sack-oriented game and season goals, and a 4-3 OLB will have tackle-oriented game and season goals.

Goals come in three types - game, season, and milestone. A game goal is just that, a reward for completing an in-game task; ex. catch five passes. A season goal comes in four tiers for each player; for example, a pass rusher might have the season tiered goal of 0 sacks, 2 sacks, 4 sacks, and 8 sacks. Completing any tier above the first (0 sacks) will give the player an XP reward at the end of the season (after the Super Bowl), while failing to complete any goal above the first tier will result in player regression. Milestone goals are more career-oriented - 20,000 pass yards, five Pro Bowl appearances, break Emmitt Smith's rushing record, etc.

XP can also be earned for all players on the roster by completing weekly Practice, which is basically a full 11-on-11 game with a given preset situation selected from about twenty options. In this manner you may progress backups without playing them.

Further, the amount of XP earned from weekly goals is affected by the player's Development rating - the better the rating, the better the XP reward - and season goal XP rewards are affected by purchased Player Development packages on your coach character - if you've purchased the developmental upgrade for a given position group, all players at that position on your roster will receive more XP for hitting any of their season goals.

Finally, it's worth noting that for purposes of OVR rating, the player's statistical production is now a factor in that (in addition to positional ratings, player size, and how durable the player is). For example, Ryan Tannehill's OVR will rise as he accumulates career stats over the course of multiple years, even if you don't spend any XP raising his ratings. This has no effect on football gameplay but does affect how he is valued in trades, free agency, and contract negotiations.

[Unlucky 13]

Thanks for all the info! I knew some of that, and misunderstood some as well. I was also under the impression that the practice XP was only for my HC. Now that I know that its for my players too, Im much more likely to suffer through a longer option.

Some of the individual goals are crazy high though. 100+ receptions for my 3rd and 4th recievers for example!

It makes sense in many ways, but still doesnt account for the real world situation of young players who dont get into game action getting much better/more ready to play in their first few seasons in the league.

[splff3000]

Quote: Originally Posted by Unlucky 13

Thanks for all the info! I knew some of that, and misunderstood some as well. I was also under the impression that the practice XP was only for my HC. Now that I know that its for my players too, Im much more likely to suffer through a longer option. Some of the individual goals are crazy high though. 100+ receptions for my 3rd and 4th recievers for example! It makes sense in many ways, but still doesnt account for the real world situation of young players who dont get into game action getting much better/more ready to play in their first few seasons in the league.

Welcome to Madden 13 CCM lol. I'm sure as you play more, you'll notice more "crazy" stuff like this.

[kwpit79]

Quote: Originally Posted by splff3000

Welcome to Madden 13 CCM lol. I'm sure as you play more, you'll notice more "crazy" stuff like this.

Seriously. I personally prefer progression to only be tied into potential, but if they're going to keep it the way it is for M25 and beyond, the goals need to be much more robust and flexible. I play six minute qtrs, and there are many goals that are impossible without forcing them to happen (e.g. 125 tackle seasons / 110 reception seasons, etc).

Basically, I want progression to happen in the normal course of a game, not because I have to force stats on players to get them to improve.

[Trick13]

I think the XP system, as currently configured, is horrible. That said, I do see a ton of potential within the system if some serious tweaks were made. Here are some I would like to see;

CPU team progression setting normal - great - legend
this would allow you at the legend level to basically assign
all CPU teams, regardless of coaches, to have all XP boosts

Option to block certain ratings from progression
For instance SPD, THP, JMP, INJ, SPC, TGH, DEV would be ratings I
want to remove from the XP system - because you can't coach
speed, injuries and toughness(recovery time) should be affected
only slightly and only by the training staff, some guys have a knack
for spectacular catches and that can't be coached and DEV
for HUM players cuz you should have to deal with the players dev
level that he has.

More specific goals based on player type scheme and so forth;
A possession WR should have goals for "moving the chains" so catches resulting in 1st downs, deep threat guys would have yrds/catch goals - I could keep going but you get the idea...

Players within the game need to have multiple scheme fits and positions. Each year in the NFL teams switch defensive philosophies and there are players who thrive during their careers within multiple schemes. DEs move to pass rush LBs, OLBs move inside, OLBs become DEs, 3-4 DEs become 4-3 DTs and so on.

Take JJ Watt as an example He plays DE in a 3-4, yet has the skills required to be a 4-3 DE or DT

D. Ware is moving to DE as the Cowboys transition to the 4-3 under M. Kiffin

E. Sims is a backup player, but has been solid in both the 4-3 as an OLB and in the 3-4 as an MLB/ILB during his career, he may not be spectacular at either but he has been productive at both.

Along with this, you should be able to designate not only your preferences for your starters' "scheme/player style" but your backups as well. If you want to run a multi-front defense you should be able to designate say your starting DEs to be run stopper types and your second string guys as balanced and your 3rd stringers as speed rushers. More flexibility is needed within the system for it to reach the potential it has.

[juggalotusx]

Just wait till you see players that have the best year to date drop 5 points like crabtree and players like 29 year old ted ginn go up to 85, WTH. But that is with the cpu progression so who knows and its set to end of the season in ccm. 75 rec to 40 and 8 tds to 0 tds it makes no sense.plus with no assists its almost impossible to get defense goals.

[Unlucky 13]

I didnt pay a whole lot of attention to what players on other teams did as far as progression. Frankly, I find the new interface to be pretty poor compared to many years' past. I get that they're trying to push the whole CCM BS, but since my "character" is a HC, shouldnt he give a damn about whats happening across the league? Id like a GM mode for next year. I dont want to pretend that Im a player or a coach, I want to have a NFL simulation, and the GM post is the closest to what Id like to experience.

As far as meeting the statistical goals, I guess my whole scheme of low risk, move the chain, get first down after first down football doesnt mesh all that well into it. Playing 10 minute quarters has given me realistic scores. CPU running backs have run as many as 25 times in a game against me. But, I tend to throw for about 175 yards a game, and run for 80-100. I punt whenever appropriate, and kick FG when it makes sense.