Need anti-Big Play slider suggestions

[mcrawford]

I know most people here aren't playing the PSP version, but maybe you can help me out with some suggestions. How can I reduce the number of big plays -- 40, 60, 80 yard touchdown runs and passes? They are commonplace in the PSP version, according to my experience.

What happens is that if anybody -- RB, WR, QB, whatever -- gets into the open field, they are absolutely gone. All the way to the end zone, every time. I can see this happening once in a while, but when it happens regularly, even against tough defenses, it's boring.

So any suggestions? Turn DEF Awareness up? Tackling? Those are my first two guesses but I wanted to see what other people with more experience thought.

[FakeTiger]

Agreed. I'm dying for some good PSP sliders. I've looked everywhere. The console sliders don't seem to fit. I really like the flow and feel of the PSP version but can't figure out how to tone things down to a realistic level.

[mcrawford]

Yah, totally. To be sure, it's not just that the CPU busts big plays, my team does it too. I'm trying to cut down on the whole thing for both sides.

[ehh]

For Xbox...

I'm tweaking sliders a ton right now because I can drop 30+ points on an A+ defense relatively easy, and the CPU can do the same to me. After watching the FSU/Miami game the other night I knew I had to make some changes. Granted there are alot of big plays in college football, it seems to me that a great defense can still stiffle a great offense.

What I'm contemplating trying (on all-american difficulty) is putting Defensive Awareness and Knockdowns up to 99% for both Human and CPU, as well as putting QB Accuracy up to 80% or so to counter the great defense. If you look at replays (especially with your team playing a zone) way too many defenders run in circles or are way too slow in reacting, I mean 2-3 seconds late in reacting to a slant or post pattern. I'm hoping in the long run something in the 85 AWR/99 KD area will work.

The only thing that I fear is that this will see the return of the "super-man DB/LB" of '05-'06. I honestly think that's the only method EA has on this engine of having a lockdown D - that or making you fumble 5 times a game.

[rudyjuly2]

I actually won a game last week 13-9! It was the lowest scoring game I have ever had in NCAA '06 or '07. The scoring in the game is high - I scored over 30 points a game in my dynasty last year and gave up about 28 but I don't mind. As long as both teams punt at least a couple times a game and the defense can make stops, I don't get overly concerned about trying to limit the offense.

Imo, when you try to tweak a game to make the stats better, you often make the game play worse. It would be easy to reduce running back ability sliders to slow them down preventing long runs and maybe make the ypc better. However, then you play a game with a RB that can't make people miss and you feel you are just going through the motions while playing. I need to feel I can make a significant difference while playing by making good decisions, reads AND good stick skills. This game is designed to be high scoring so trying to counteract that may result in more frustration, not less.

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

I actually won a game last week 13-9! It was the lowest scoring game I have ever had in NCAA '06 or '07. The scoring in the game is high - I scored over 30 points a game in my dynasty last year and gave up about 28 but I don't mind. As long as both teams punt at least a couple times a game and the defense can make stops, I don't get overly concerned about trying to limit the offense. Imo, when you try to tweak a game to make the stats better, you often make the game play worse. It would be easy to reduce running back ability sliders to slow them down preventing long runs and maybe make the ypc better. However, then you play a game with a RB that can't make people miss and you feel you are just going through the motions while playing. I need to feel I can make a significant difference while playing by making good decisions, reads AND good stick skills. This game is designed to be high scoring so trying to counteract that may result in more frustration, not less.

Who's sliders are you using, Rudy?

[mcrawford]

Quote: Originally Posted by ehh

For Xbox... What I'm contemplating trying (on all-american difficulty) is putting Defensive Awareness and Knockdowns up to 99% for both Human and CPU, as well as putting QB Accuracy up to 80% or so to counter the great defense.

Yeah, it's tricky...I've been looking at it more, and the problem is definitely the long ball. The QB's accuracy is about right, as far as I can see, overall. Both sides will complete about 50% of their passes -- the problem is that the yards-per-catch is astronomical. Maybe I'll try your suggestion.

And actually I wouldn't mind the high-scoring games, if every TD wasn't on a 70-yard pass. A typical drive is this: incomplete pass. 70-yard TD pass. 2 plays, 70 yards. I just think it's (a) more realistic, and (b) more exciting if things build up on a drive, and big plays happen rarely.

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by mcrawford

Yeah, it's tricky...I've been looking at it more, and the problem is definitely the long ball. The QB's accuracy is about right, as far as I can see, overall. Both sides will complete about 50% of their passes -- the problem is that the yards-per-catch is astronomical. Maybe I'll try your suggestion. And actually I wouldn't mind the high-scoring games, if every TD wasn't on a 70-yard pass. A typical drive is this: incomplete pass. 70-yard TD pass. 2 plays, 70 yards. I just think it's (a) more realistic, and (b) more exciting if things build up on a drive, and big plays happen rarely.

Essentially what I want to do is stop having situations where a WR is on a fly pattern in double coverage and neither DB even lifts their hands in the air to make a play on the ball. They just keep running, let the WR catch it and then try and hit him hard to make him drop the pass. It's very stupid.

I also want the CPU to be able to routinely connect on short passes. IMO, what I've noticed is that if you have a QBA for the CPU too low they will miss entirely way too many short passes. In the sliders I'm messing around with, I want the CPU to be able to hit the open man on most occasions on routes less than 7 yards. Seems the only way to do this is have their QBA at 75% or higher. With the D-Awr and Knockdowns also high up I'm hoping to combat the deeper passes. I'm just tired of seeing teams who run the West Coast offense have their QB have a completion % that's equal to a QB's team who runs a downfield passing scheme.

Sadly, in my testing so far I've seen several occasions with the D's awareness at 85% and KD at 99% where a WR will catch a ball over two DB's while neither DB makes a play on the ball. There isn't much more room for improvement, cept to go back to Heisman - which is something I don't want to do.