It's time for adaptive, intuitive, situational AI play calling

[BrianU]

My 2 cents:

I think asking for real adaptive AI is too much for the current state of the game. There are other steps to improving the CPU that should be taken and are more realistic. The fact that the devs cannot or won't do these things makes me feel they don't have the skill or will to implement the things you guys are asking for. I think just as much as the engine being stale the dev team is stale too. We need a whole new group.

Here are some improvements which would make CPU vs offline much more challenging:

- Fixing the playbooks. Just take a look at the way playbooks are rated, it's trash. Try a game using gameplan playcalling on defense and look at the situations when certain defense is called. It is illogical. The CPU plays zone too much and at the wrong times. Calling Engage Eight on 3rd down is a BAD IDEA. All 32 teams call defense the same way. The sad thing is the devs don't have to do much to fix this. All they need to do is allow us the users to edit the gameplans of the CPU teams and we would fix it. You would see a file a week after release of 32 different gameplans customized for each team with proper play ratings. It would instantly make the gameplay improved. It's such a huge opportunity they are missing by not allowing us to do this. Instead they focus on custom playbooks for users so you can have 50 hail mary plays to use against your friends.

- Improve the CPU's stick skills. The CPU is awful at the fundamentals of moving their players. They run into the opposing team, they don't use moves properly, and they take bad routes in the running game. As long as the CPU has awful stick skills you will never be able to play this game the way you do online vs people. It's just too easy to outdo the CPU in the stick skill department. I personally let the CPU take over for me after catching a pass just to make it fair. If I didn't I could easily spam buttons and gain yardage that the CPU never would. It's an unfair playing field because the CPU plays like a 90 year old.

- Clock management. We all know it's bad. Some people were optimistic that it is improved, and it might be, but it's still not enough. It has to be perfect there is no reason for it to not be. A simple algorithm for the last 2 minutes of the 1st half and end of game is all you need. The CPU should never run the ball when they are leading and there is no time left. NEVER. Why is that so hard to understand?.... Why does this still happen?

I honestly think the devs just are not passionate about the game. They mail it in year after year. We need people who are PASSIONATE about creating a football game. Look at The Show. Their devs actually interact with the fans on here and explain in detail how the game works and how the AI works and it's fascinating. They have fully fleshed out how every element of gameplay works. Hell check swings in The Show are more complex then the playcalling in Madden. You can tell by the way they speak that they have passion for their game and care about it. I doubt they would find it acceptable that the CPU blows the game when it is close at the end. Or auto-subs not working in franchise. Or sliders not working properly in franchise. That game is truly DEEP. Madden is artificial like candy that rots your teeth.

[kc10785]

I like this idea for CPU play and user vs user play. Picture how many players who only run 4 plays a game will be frustrated. The people who got 1 play for zone and 1 play for man type of players. I pray we can get this next gen

We have to understand we can't control all 11 players on the field so we need the other players to smarten up. Jump routes if you seeing the same play 15 times a game. By doing this you can make double moves for the WR to actually be realistic later in the game.

Sent From a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Tapatalk 4

[roll2tide]

Quote: Originally Posted by BrianU

My 2 cents: I think asking for real adaptive AI is too much....

Fixing the play books should be fairly easy if they'd just put the time into it. Fixing clock management falls right in line with improvements I'd like to see in GM/Coaching AI improvement. I know there are lots of specifics in player movement and interaction that need to be fixed but, imho, improved GM/Coaching AI would add more depth and immersion to the game than people realize.

Imagine playing your CFM and dominating your division for a few years when all of a sudden a bottom dweller hires a new coach and he completely changes both play books and over hauls the personnel. Or maybe he's a defensive guru. What if coaches could be assigned one of any number of philosophies and, based on that, create their own custom playbooks? Facing the Browns in year 2 and year 8 and year 15 and year 25 might all be completely different experiences. No two franchise experiences would be the same even if you used the same team.

[TreFacTor]

I've got the feeling the game will never be built with the offline player in mind. It's clearly built for head to head because there's no competition from the computer on any level, what worked on the computer in 08 still works today....it's one reason I gave up on playing the game. I know other games increase enemy count or make your shots less accurate, but this should never be the case in a football game. I can't buy this game at full price until I see the offline AI ripped out and nuked.

[kjcheezhead]

What would be useful is if EA stole a page from 2k. Not trying to compare but that game had a VIP for you. You could use yours or your friends and the cpu made the calls and adjustments like the player would. With Madden share, this would have unlimited potential. Give each of the 32 teams a different VIP from SIM style players leagues and you should get a different experience against every opponent.

I think that would even be better than adaptive ai as far as being challenged without cheated.

[jmurphy31]

Quote: Originally Posted by TreFacTor

I've got the feeling the game will never be built with the offline player in mind. It's clearly built for head to head because there's no competition from the computer on any level, what worked on the computer in 08 still works today....it's one reason I gave up on playing the game. I know other games increase enemy count or make your shots less accurate, but this should never be the case in a football game. I can't buy this game at full price until I see the offline AI ripped out and nuked.

I have made this same point in other threads. EA is more focused on head to head games than they are the solo offline franchise player. Look at the glaring mistakes or things that have not been corrected in years (or ever)

• CPU Play Calling
• 1:01 automatic Time Out
• CPU off Field signing, Drafting, and cutting of players that makes little sense
• This year, the Super Bowl Winner is celebrated wrong (I haven't seen it yet in my CCM, not there yet, but others have)
• Sim Engine still doesn't work properly
• 4 teams relocating in the first few years

[TreFacTor]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmurphy31

I have made this same point in other threads. EA is more focused on head to head games than they are the solo offline franchise player. Look at the glaring mistakes or things that have not been corrected in years (or ever) CPU Play Calling 1:01 automatic Time Out CPU off Field signing, Drafting, and cutting of players that makes little sense This year, the Super Bowl Winner is celebrated wrong (I haven't seen it yet in my CCM, not there yet, but others have) Sim Engine still doesn't work properly 4 teams relocating in the first few years

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=KHYm4kzCqek