Underdog AI

[Young J 334]

Just wonderin if this is calculated into the CPU's logic. After playing hundreds of games on all kinds of slider sets I have noticed that overall I have tougher games vs weaker opponents.

I will play teams like USC, UGA, and OSU and will hold them to 28 or less on most occasions. But when I play teams that are 75 overall or below the game instantly turns into a shootout. Slow backs have 100+ yards, QBs with nearly no accuracy will have 220+ easily, and I will give up at least one kick return. Lol

I just dont get how I can hold a powerhouse to under 28 pts and less than 300 yards on offense and then turn around and play a Stanford-like team and give up 42+ points and 400+ yards on offense each time. I will sometime have a streak of blowouts, but its rare. And I run the same offense and defense. Is it just me? Am I getting so full of my team's ratings that I unconsciously play less hard? Please tell me Im not alone. Lol

[Young J 334]

bump

[bigbensintown]

Yeah I have noticed this as well, especially in my Syracuse dynasty. I thought it would be fun to take that team and see what I could do with it as far as building the program up. Anyway, I am in year 5 and I have beaten WVU badly all 5 years, and aside from the first year with my crappy team, I kill top 15 teams on my nonconference schedule, but when it comes time to play Rutgers or South Florida (who declined big time winning about 3 games a year after year 2 in my dynasty) they push me to the edge. I beat Rutgers the last 3 seasons 17-14, 21-20, and 34-31. I like that one especially because they are a rival. Also, I played Western Kentucky and man, they played hard in the first half, it was like 17-10 or something like that. My team is in the top 5 consistently and I like the fact that lower caliber teams seem to get themselves up to play me. Hopefully year 5 is my National Title campaign...I lost in 4 OTs to Texas in the title game in year 3, but I am currently 9-0 with a game against #11 Louisville this next game.

[Young J 334]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigbensintown

Yeah I have noticed this as well, especially in my Syracuse dynasty. I thought it would be fun to take that team and see what I could do with it as far as building the program up. Anyway, I am in year 5 and I have beaten WVU badly all 5 years, and aside from the first year with my crappy team, I kill top 15 teams on my nonconference schedule, but when it comes time to play Rutgers or South Florida (who declined big time winning about 3 games a year after year 2 in my dynasty) they push me to the edge. I beat Rutgers the last 3 seasons 17-14, 21-20, and 34-31. I like that one especially because they are a rival. Also, I played Western Kentucky and man, they played hard in the first half, it was like 17-10 or something like that. My team is in the top 5 consistently and I like the fact that lower caliber teams seem to get themselves up to play me. Hopefully year 5 is my National Title campaign...I lost in 4 OTs to Texas in the title game in year 3, but I am currently 9-0 with a game against #11 Louisville this next game.

Sounds like you're enjoying your dynasty. They're all about ups and downs. Glad to hear that Im not the only one that has to struggle against the cupcakes of the conference. Lol

[bigbensintown]

Yeah, for sure, haha. This is the only dynasty so far that I have kept interest past a few years. I'm a Florida fan at heart, so much respect for Auburn and the SEC, but its too easy as UF, and also too easy as Oregon, my adopted west coast team, as I live out here, and enjoy the Pac-10. Cuse is certainly a challenge.

[z Revis]

You're definitely not alone. It happens all the time to me. I really think it's all about starting the game strong and gaining momentum. In my experience, if I start the game and drive right down the field for a TD, a lot of the time it just seems like the CPU gives up even though it's just 7-0 and I blow them out. But often times, when I go 3 and out on my first possession and say they get on the board first...it's often a close game throughout. But if I'm playing a top team, then it doesn't seem to matter much. I got off on a hot start against #5 UGA and they still came back to push the game into OT. I was up 14-0 and I thought it was going to be a blowout, but they came right back and we went into OT.

[Young J 334]

My Hawaii dynasty is really interesting going into year 7. I have been invited to the Pac-10 and have good games every year. I have made Hawaii a Pipeline state and I still have trouble landing recruits. Right now I have a 91 rated team and only 2 players with a 91 overall or better.

And to the latter post, idk. I have scored and got up to a 14-0 lead fast but they battle back every time. Its pretty cool. Im thinkin about scheduling cupcakes for my non-conference games next year. lol

[Chessboxer1]

yes it's in the all video games (for the most part, didn't see it much in college hoops 2k) and it bugs the hell out of me. i call it the great equalizer, because the ai seems to want to make games competitive for the underdog.

if i'm idaho, and i play usc, i expect to get trampled. if i'm usc and i play idaho i expect to knock all their starters out by halftime, plain and simple. i understand a division opponent with a lot of veterans and a few stars like oregon state to give me a good game, but there shouldn't be an across the board boost for all inferior teams. it doesn't make the game more fun, because when i'm playing a team thats better then me they play down to my level and i end up killing them.

there is a simple solution to this, and that is some sort of focus meter or amped meter or whatever you want to call it. have a meter that shows your collective focus (and possibly the collective focus of the other team) before and during the game. add some abilities to try and psych them up (pre-game speech maybe?) or yell at them during the game or whatever, to try and snap your team out of their funk. this feature could also hinge upon how many veterans you have starting (or at key positions like quarterback) if there was some sort of logical explanation as to why oneonta state is still hanging with penn state in the third quarter, than maybe i'll be able to accept it.

oh and btw, this should happen almost exclusively when the superior team is on the road, unless the difference between team rating difference is <10 (less than or equal to 10) or something along those lines. anyone else agree, or am i complaining for no reason?