Sliders in NCAA are Overloaded (How this hurts gameplay customization)

[Sundown2600]

I spent some time in practice mode working on the run game and option. It's really frustrating because not only do all of the sliders work in Practice Mode, unlike in Dynasty and Play Now, but they are much more sensitive and responsive as well. With that said there are too many gameplay variables tied in to each slider that prevents us from fine tuning the game for the ultiumate experience. EX:

Tackling Slider: Injuries, Hit Power, Fumbles, Tackling ability, Pursuit and overall defensive aggression are all tied into the Tackle slider, which makes it impossible to increase or decrease one of these gameplay aspects without affecting the other in the same way. This is probably the most powerful, influential slider in the game, but that's not a good thing. This slider is way overloaded. It should be for Tackling ability and for that only. The other aspects should have seperate sliders to give gamers maximum customization.

Rush Defense Slider: This slider controls the Play Recognition for Run Plays and Block Shedding. I've heard this said before and have seen it, but it is much more noticeable in Practice Mode, so it's just really nice to have solid confirmation. Having this one slider control both aspects severely hurts the ability to customize the run game, particularly for the CPU, as they are not as instinctive as we are. The CPU option game can be helped out tremendously with this slider set at 10 and under because the DBs in man coverage stay with the WRs that streak down the field for much longer and when DBs are in zone they don't recognize the play as quickly and stay comitted to their zones for just that extra bit of time that allows the play to develop properly. The biggest effect that I saw was when this slider was set at 10 or under. The Pitch Man was not always covered and the defense was much more likely to follow the QB. This allowed the QB make a sound decision because too often the defense covers both the pitch man and the QB with multiple players when the Rush D is set anywhere over 25. This type of recognition should not happen on every speed option play. There should be good reads and bad reads by the defense, a lower Rush D slider provides that, but here's the catch. The negatives that come with this are a lack of block shedding by LBs and DLs, plus inflated pancake stats by the OL. Two many good defensive players lying on their backs. Not realistic. A Block Shedding slider and a Play Recognition slider replacing the Rush defense slider would be the ultimate cure, but we don't have it.

These two sliders are the most overloaded, but their are others as well like the Pass Cov slider. It controls pass play recognition as well as zone/ man ability of all defensive players. All three of these aspects need seperate sliders. In a perfect world our slider options would look like this:

Off Awareness: (Please EA bring this back! The players by default are often too dumb *Braxton Miller with 60 something Awr GTFOOH!* Making the AI smarter with one golden slider could save us a lot of headaches.)

QBA: (This would simply affect the accuracy of thrown passes and it would actually work in a perfect world )

RBA: (I would like this to affect the BCV of all ballcariers as well as what it already does now. I would not want it to affect broken tackles though, we need a slider for that just like Madden. This slider should be used to balance out the Pursuit slider as well)

Broken Tackles: (Slef explanitory. Would affect all ballcarriers just like Madden)

WRC: (Should affect drops only. I would not have it affect spectacular catch attempts. Too high you get no drops and some amazing catch animations. Lower it down for realistic drop numbers and guys don't make those beautiful catches. Seperate this!)

Spec Catch slider: (Just another slider that would allow for better customization. By default we don't see enough spec catch attempts, but a lot of it is due to the pinpoint accuracy of the QBs in the game and a QBA slider that is FUBAR.)

Run Blocking: (Would affect Blocking ability of all players in regards to how long they hold their blocks as well as real assignment AI and positioning)

Impact Blocking: (Would affect the likelyhood and the ability of players to perform pancake and cut blocks. It will also affect when blockers get to the second level. Can be balanced with block shedding)

Pass Block: (Affects how long blockers hold their blocks and positioning.)

Pass Block Help/ Blitz support: (Would determine blitz pickup ability and blocking help ability of all blockers during a pass play.)

Fumbles: (Seperate just like Madden)

Def Awareness: (Same as Off Awareness.)

Run Play Recognition: (ability of the defense to read and react to off run plays)

Block Shedding: (Ability of def players to come of blocks and to avoid or absorb impact blocks.)

Interceptions: (Catching ability of def players. This would in no way affect a def players ability to break on a ball, jumping ability, etc. Cathing is all it would impact.)

Pass Rush: (Pass Rush ability of all pass rushers. I like how this works when teamed up with the Pass block slider. I know how to make the line play feel more fluid when I have this balanced corectly...I'd just like to see better blocking animations and interactions. More inside rushes by DEs and more stunts. Try setting your Pass Blocking to 0 and your pass Rush to 10. The interactions look more realistic and you see more spin moves.)

Pass Play Recognition: (Would affect the def ability to recognize pass plays. This slider would in now way affect the def ability to make plays on the ball. Ratings and the Def Awareness slider would do that. This would simply help them with positioning)

Zone Cov Ability and Man Cov Ability: (Gives the user the ability to make one aspect of the pass D better than the other based on user preference.) Some teams are better than others in one of the two aspects. Some are proficient at both. Give us the power to choose!!!)

Pursuit: (Seperating this from the tackling slider is imperative. It would control pursuit angles and hustle. Just as the RBA slider gives the ballcarrier more "effort" this slider would do the same for the defense. I would want my RBA slider to affect BCV. I want this slider to affect which gaps get hit. This will give us the power to balance our games!!!)

Tackling: (Tackling ability only.)

Hit Power: (Some like those NLF Blitz shoulder tackles...I don't)

Injuries: ( Another gameplay aspect that is smothering the poor tackle slider. How hard is it to keep this seperate?)

Guys feel free to add to this I'm sure I forgot a few. Also with all of these sliders the Off and Def Awareness sliders as well as the individual awareness of the players would dictate "when", "why", "where" things happen on the field. "How" things happen are usually dictated by ratings and talent. Awareness puts you in prime position to make plays. A player might be more talented, but a low awareness will find him out of position and unable to use his talents. A smarter less talented player may lose out to a stronger, faster one, but if he's dumb as a rock he won't be in the right spot anyway.

[SonOfEd]

Good stuff man! I would also love to see a Fatigue slider like in Madden. I found in M12 so much can be accomplished with high fatigue settings, almost like a global editor on lowering the physical ratings.

[renegade28]

I really like the idea of a Blitz pickup slider. The corner and safety blitzes can be way too effective on the game.

[Buckeye Country]

I wish EA would test the sliders in Dynasty mode instead of regular practice mode. I honestly think if they were to tune the sliders in Dynasty this game would be pretty good. As is stands now this game is unplayable. I am still trying to figure out a fix other than reducing player rating for the accuracy problem. I have been testing since July. Same crap with ncaa 12!!! They make improvements in some areas, but not in areas that matter. They waste a patch on uniforms when there are so many fouled up issues in gameplay.

[PatriotJames]

I love this post Sundown! I was talking to a buddy and EA isn't sending out tuners so instead of editing things like tackling to change a whole bunch of things, there should be a slider for each rating, at each position.

Example:

Pass Accuracy for QB's
Pass Accuracy for every other position

Say they brought out a game where the QB's are just way too fast it's like having a bunch of Mike Vicks and RG III's on the field.

QB Speed slider... bump that down.

Or move others up.

The problem with pass & rush blocking. Up the awareness for offensive line.

Something that has hurt the DE pass rush for some time is that finesse moves do not create blockshed. You could fix this how you wanted to make DE's in a 4-3 better at getting pressure on the QB.

So much we could do to make these games better. I don't think it's EA being lazy if they did this. Obviously this community will put time and effort into making a game feel right and if EA just put more control in our hands like this and like your post Sundown, we could really make these games amazing.

[fistofrage]

I agree with you 100% on this....However, EA is so incompetent that adding more sliders is going to equate to adding more broken sliders. They need a fumble slider and an awareness slider for sure, but the odds of them working properly are probably slim.