What does awareness really do?

[GGGswim]

Thught I read somewhere here in another subject thread that AWR (high or low) affects a few of your team categories such as Academic Prestige. (Also 'heard' that simply recruiting players with low ratings for this category affect its rating.)

Kinda makes sense if you believe that categories such as this don't increase or decrease on a random whim by the AI. There's something that made my 6* Auburn team drop from a B to C+ after a few nat'l championship seasons that included a few (probably too many) JUCO recruits.

[KingV2k3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hellisan

Too bad this got pretty much ignored, because I find it to be an intriguing take on the subject. I played last year's game a lot and came away convinced it didn't matter (this was with using HIGH AWR qb's for the most part, mixed in with some very low). In this game I'm not so sure; I have Nick Montana with the original ratings at UW. OK arm, good accuracy, dumb as a rock. I swear he gets pressured a TON, and then anytime he is even halfway touched if you try to throw it, it won't get anywhere near the target. By contrast, Jake Locker (for the one year I had him) seemed to be able to complete passes under duress much better. I think there is possibly some truth to what you're saying, and possibly some additional impacts of having good AWR compared to bad.

As I said in my original post, this is VERY easy to test / confirm...

Go into practice mode and pick a play the sends three receivers into routes of varying depth, while the back runs a checkdown route...

Have the D play Man Under One...

Run the play with the low AWR QB a bunch of times and observe how the D reacts...

THEN:

Run the exact same play vs/ the exact same D a bunch of times with the high AWR QB and observe how the D reacts to him...

There will be a difference...

Re run all steps against a Cover Two (or Tampa Two) and observe...

Sadly, doing the neccesary "lab work" to prove or disprove gameplay and AI issues is in short supply these days...

[BlastX21]

Quote: Originally Posted by Playmakers

This gets so old debating

Sorry I meant to say that applies to QB sim numbers only.

[Bucknut17]

using tOSU in my od Pryor got hurt with 4 games to go his senior year so I went to a true freshman that I had just recruited, I noticed better coverage and it seemed like when I did spot the open reciever it would take a fraction of a second longer to get the ball out of the qbs hand which resulted in more hit while throwing/ sacks and more ints... now in his SO year after training his awe is about 6 points higher and I'm seeing less hit while throwings although his awe is still pretty low so I do still see some....

[anonymous6237]

A little off topic but still about AWR:

I decided to start a new dynasty with Texas A&M. To more closely resemble real life I decided to start Ryan Tannehill and move Jerrod Johnson (the real life starter who got benched a couple weeks ago) to slot WR/backup QB. This is exactly how A&M was using Tannehill before he got the starting QB job.

I've always thought Jerrod Johnson could play either TE or slot WR irl fairly easily so I adjusted his stats before starting the Dynasty and changed his position to WR instead of QB...huge mistake. I started the Dynasty and looked at my Depth Chart...he's got a 22 AWR when he plays QB. Did he just forget over the summer how to play football? I think most real life defensive tackles would have more than a 22 AWR if they played QB.

[vusa92troy]

Is there any one who has labbed the actual awareness numbers that we are talking about. For this theory, you could recruit a one star qb with low thpwr and low thacc and high awareness and he should do pretty well.

Thoughts?

[imalive1459]

Quote: Originally Posted by anonymous6237

A little off topic but still about AWR: I decided to start a new dynasty with Texas A&M. To more closely resemble real life I decided to start Ryan Tannehill and move Jerrod Johnson (the real life starter who got benched a couple weeks ago) to slot WR/backup QB. This is exactly how A&M was using Tannehill before he got the starting QB job. I've always thought Jerrod Johnson could play either TE or slot WR irl fairly easily so I adjusted his stats before starting the Dynasty and changed his position to WR instead of QB...huge mistake. I started the Dynasty and looked at my Depth Chart...he's got a 22 AWR when he plays QB. Did he just forget over the summer how to play football? I think most real life defensive tackles would have more than a 22 AWR if they played QB.

This is some EA does to combat cheesing. Rather than addressing the AI issues behind the exploit, they do something else to fix it(i.e. Fake punt run was guaranteed 4 yards or so a couple years back, now it's almost a guaranteed loss of a yard since the runner takes a couple steps outside before moving forward. This is a result of poor lineman interaction and their inability to react to a run play. That's a whole other story).

People could sub a speed demon in at the QB position and throw reasonably well. Or a WR as a TE and burn a linebacker real easy. Now, subbing a guy to another position drops his awareness a lot. This is especially noticable with safety's to LB's. Since height, weight, and the knowledge of how to play a position aren't factored in, Safeties and LB's look a lot alike in ratings. If it weren't for an imposed awareness drop, safeties would be a better option in the LB position because of speed and better coverage(since the other ratings are similar).
There aren't many position specific skills for defensive players. In your case, it's obvious that Jerrod wouldn't suddenly forget how to play QB. The low awareness is just a silly fix for an exploit.

[phant030]

Quote: Originally Posted by KingV2k3

As I said in my original post, this is VERY easy to test / confirm... Go into practice mode and pick a play the sends three receivers into routes of varying depth, while the back runs a checkdown route... Have the D play Man Under One... Run the play with the low AWR QB a bunch of times and observe how the D reacts... THEN: Run the exact same play vs/ the exact same D a bunch of times with the high AWR QB and observe how the D reacts to him... There will be a difference... Re run all steps against a Cover Two (or Tampa Two) and observe... Sadly, doing the neccesary "lab work" to prove or disprove gameplay and AI issues is in short supply these days...

Yea, this is pretty much how its been. I think b/c QB accuracy and pocket composure are sensitive enough on default levels, so this is for balancing b/c the user takes over the awareness of the QB.

Same for RBs...if the Defense or Offensive line was not boosted/handicapped, the user could dominate the game with any player on the field b/c BCV doenst come into question.

I could be considered "cheap", but I dont know of any other way to create the balance or difference of talent under user control. Although, with the QB, the throws could be a bit more inaccurate and inconsistent. They recievers can be open, but can he get it there should be the main thing focused on..b/c humans override awareness and decision making.

The same thing applies to "programmed advserity/challenge" in rivalry games or so call 'predetermined losses'.....without a morale, composure, dynamic ingame ratings system....how do you have letdowns, struggles w/ lesser opponents, and games you have to overcome great amounts of adversity to win? If not programmed in, the game would have very predictable outcomes bc there is no other systems in place to allow for the dynamics yet.