Is this game challenging on the highest difficulty?

[young22]

Ok here's my setup. Let me give credit to JKits for the base sliders I tweaked.

Heisman difficulty. It's the only difficulty that will challenge me personally.

Injuries on. I highly recommend editing down your players injury ratings. Just remember to edit them back up if you export them to Madden. I take 10 off QB, 15 off HB/FB, 25 off WR/TE, 70 off OL, 40 off the defense. Had a lot of guys be out for the game, and a few multi week injuries. I run a dynasty thread and will sometimes even make up injuries for the challenge.

For fatigue I do an on/off reset: start with it on, switch it off before the second half kickoff, then switch it back on. Players get tired, but not so much that they start being complete garbage and disappearing. THIS IS KEY.

9 minute quarters. Go 8 if you want, anything less is too few plays.

Normal game speed

47 threshold. I'm going to try raising this to 65 or so to tighten up the run game a little bit. Then again, this isn't the NFL so idk I may leave it.

HFA off when you're at home, on when you're on the road. Again, THIS IS KEY. If you have to have it one way, turn it off.

Ice kicker on (just wait till I get to kicking)

Penalties

I believe it was JoshC that made the "penalty sliders gameplay impact" thread. Old thread, not gonna go dig it up, but penalties (some, at least) have a noticeable impact on gameplay. A lot of these values are very similar to what I started with with the JKits Sliders

Offsides/False Start/Holding: 91

Offsides gives the DLine a quicker jump, False start does the same thing for the OLine. Use the fake hike, you'll get calls on both sides. Holding I don't think does much to gameplay

Facemask: 59

I feel like the hits are a bit bigger, and you get some penalties happening.

OPI: 99

DPI: 98

Aggressiveness when going for the ball. These penalties still don't really exist, you might get one called when there's a collision on a route.

KRI: 60

Just what JKits has it at

IG: 99

This is the big one that really changes how the game plays. This gets the CPU QB to be aggressive. They don't actually throw it away that much, maybe 2-3 times a game. You will occasionally get them snapping the ball and an instant throwaway, once every few games.

RTP: 54

JKits

RTK: 35

JKits

So now for the actual sliders

User/CPU

QBA: 5/5

Anything higher and every game is like Tom Brady vs Aaron Rodgers. Make good reads, and warm up your QB with short throws. You can't just come out the gates throwing it 50 yards. Get in rhythm.

PBK: 0/55

USER will have enough time to make a couple reads and make a decision. You will have to scramble at times, and OL ratings matter. 50-55 is the sweet spot that really makes ratings shine for the CPU OL vs USER DL.

WRC: 0/40

At 0 for the USER, you will see drops. User catching is key to make plays on contested balls. 40 for the CPU will see them drop 3-4 balls a game.

RBA: 35/70

The big change I made from JKits set. He has it at 15/90, which is just too extreme imo. 30-35 will allow you to feel the weight of the USER runner and have to be smart with your cuts and moves. CPU backs were too overpowered at 90, every guy could go beast mode and had 4.3 speed. You can go to 80, it's what I've gone to the last couple games I've played. It's slightly unrealistic but it's tough. I will likely lower USER RBA too, running is still easy for me.

RBK: 0/50

Nice balance here.

PCV: 25/25

PCV slider is reversed, I'm pretty sure. Tight, ratings-based coverage here. There will not be that many gaping windows that are open for longer than a couple seconds.

INT: 35/40

Any higher and DBs have hands of glue.

RUSHD: 65/95

I've found that there's a good balance here. You have to call good plays and make good reads. That's really the theme throughout, you have to be smart on these sliders.

TAK: 25/55

I was hesitant about 25 tackling, but honestly after thinking about how many missed tackles you see in college, it's a good setting. It's not good for the CPU though, running becomes even easier.

FGP: 100/60

Ok so I use Tuscaloosa's kicking method. This is the only way I've found to manually kick and have it be a challenge. Go follow that link and you'll see why USER is at 100.

FGA: 30/40

Decent balance of CPU kicking. I sim CPU kicking and I've noticed a few too many misses so I may go 45. USER again, follow that link.

Autosubs

I don't believe in these affecting gameplay.

QB: 0/1

HB: 79/85

WR: 45/55

FB/TE: 30/35

OL: 35/45

DT/DE: 84/90

LB: 65/80

CB: 45/50

S: 35/40

NCAA "secrets" I've learned

Edit all Scrambling QB's aside from the ones in an option offense so they're either balanced or have high awareness. 17 of my 31 sacks in my current season came off of scramblers taking dumb sacks. Lower their trucking first, as they don't really use it. Next one to lower is elusiveness, break tackle. If you can't make them balanced without killing their running ability, jack up the awareness to a 90 or so. Only way to avoid cheap sacks.

When you get further into Dynasty, do some awareness edits to the CPU stars that have low AWR (usually front 7 defenders). Those stud players should have high AWR, with the way it's scaled on generated players they'll stand out.

Run/Pass slider: Shift the USER (only USER, don't touch CPU) Run/Pass Defense slider one tick to the left, towards run. It makes the CPU pass game better. Logic here is that the AI sees you as unprepared for the pass, so they will pass a bit more, but they still run a good amount, and their pass game is sharper and more aggressive.

House Rules

Play SIM. Don't abuse money plays. Like SilverBullet said below, use the WHOLE playbook. Don't run zone read and 4 wide dives all game then complain that it's too easy. Don't hot route guys to streaks every single time you see press. This is my only "rule" in game, and it's not even a rule, just my playstyle.

Clear Coaching Trees: I believe you can do this in the Custom Conference part of the offseason. The only skill tree you should ever use is recruiting, the rest are overpowered and make things very easy. Look at the first skills you unlock on the HC tree, "Antifreeze" and "Road Warrior". The first level of both of those are ridiculous. Ice the kicker doesn't work? I don't care if you're Bill Belichick, your kicker is nervous, you're nervous. Can't no coach do that. Clearing the trees is the only must have dynasty rule. Also, recruit realistically. Don't sign all the unsigned 5 stars because that'll kill your dynasty quick.

You want proof of the variety and challenge of this setup, go look at my dynasty thread. Link in my signature.

[SilverBullet19]

A LOT of the challenge is up to the user, really. You have to avoid exploiting the game, and make it a true chess match.

DON"T USE MONEY PLAYS: USE THE WHOLE PLAYBOOK
Like every sports game, there are money plays. I COULD run the same 10 plays all game and win, but that's on me. It's up to the user to keep it tough, really. You have to consciously open up your playbook, force yourself to call new plays and limit how many times you run others. Don't run the read option for 10 plays down the field to score and complain it's too easy. It's easy because you refused to branch out run anything else. Take chances, take risks. Run 5 yard pass plays, and 15 yard passes. Run toss plays and get blown up for a 5 yard loss...just to break a toss for 15 yards later. Take your shot plays and either get 50 yards or get sacked. That's football. Almost every play works, it's just a question of how often.

If you can't manage to avoid money plays, make a custom playbook and don't put them in. The big thing is, don't exploit AI shortcomings and complain the game is too easy. It's on you to make it tough.

Read through both of these, or skim. They both have a lot of good info in terms of how to make the game a challenge either game by game, or over the course of several seasons.

Dynasty House Rules
https://forums.operationsports.com/f...ule-ideas.html

Game outside the Game
https://forums.operationsports.com/f...-fix-them.html


Other Factors
Young22 pretty much covered it. I am using all of these as well. One other thing is do not use coaching skill trees. You can use the recruiting one, but leave all others empty. They result in big user advantages.

My differences: I put user RB ability at 25. It's enough that you can have a good running game if your line is decent, but not overpowering. I might drop it to 20 and test that, but I had a very good running game with it at 25. A good amount of broken tackles, speed to hit the corner, and some decent jukes/spins.

USER interceptions set to 40. At 35 I never get picks, at 45 its too many. 40 allows for a decent balance. CPU is set to 40 as well. Bottom line is when its at 35 for user or cpu, the defense drops almost every interception.

I am testing setting my defense slider thing next game, but I've heard good things. It would make sense for me too, as my run defense is not so great lol.

I still have some blowouts, but also some close ones. When my team was a 90 overall, I scored 24 unanswered to beat Oklahoma (99 overall) 24-10. I needed a game winning drive to beat Texas (97 overall), and a game winning drive to beat Oklahoma again in the conference championship. My team is now an 88 overall, and I needed a game winning drive to beat Arizona State who was only 83 overall. You can win, but it's not easy.

[young22]

Quote: Originally Posted by SilverBullet19

A LOT of the challenge is up to the user, really. You have to avoid exploiting the game, and make it a true chess match. DON"T USE MONEY PLAYS: USE THE WHOLE PLAYBOOK Like every sports game, there are money plays. I COULD run the same 10 plays all game and win, but that's on me. It's up to the user to keep it tough, really. You have to consciously open up your playbook, force yourself to call new plays and limit how many times you run others. Don't run the read option for 10 plays down the field to score and complain it's too easy. It's easy because you refused to branch out run anything else. Take chances, take risks. Run 5 yard pass plays, and 15 yard passes. Run toss plays and get blown up for a 5 yard loss...just to break a toss for 15 yards later. Take your shot plays and either get 50 yards or get sacked. That's football. Almost every play works, it's just a question of how often. If you can't manage to avoid money plays, make a custom playbook and don't put them in. The big thing is, don't exploit AI shortcomings and complain the game is too easy. It's on you to make it tough. Read through both of these, or skim. They both have a lot of good info in terms of how to make the game a challenge either game by game, or over the course of several seasons. Dynasty House Rules https://forums.operationsports.com/f...ule-ideas.html Game outside the Game https://forums.operationsports.com/f...-fix-them.html Other Factors Young22 pretty much covered it. I am using all of these as well. One other thing is do not use coaching skill trees. You can use the recruiting one, but leave all others empty. They result in big user advantages. My differences: I put user RB ability at 25. It's enough that you can have a good running game if your line is decent, but not overpowering. I might drop it to 20 and test that, but I had a very good running game with it at 25. A good amount of broken tackles, speed to hit the corner, and some decent jukes/spins. USER interceptions set to 40. At 35 I never get picks, at 45 its too many. 40 allows for a decent balance. CPU is set to 40 as well. Bottom line is when its at 35 for user or cpu, the defense drops almost every interception. I am testing setting my defense slider thing next game, but I've heard good things. It would make sense for me too, as my run defense is not so great lol. I still have some blowouts, but also some close ones. When my team was a 90 overall, I scored 24 unanswered to beat Oklahoma (99 overall) 24-10. I needed a game winning drive to beat Texas (97 overall), and a game winning drive to beat Oklahoma again in the conference championship. My team is now an 88 overall, and I needed a game winning drive to beat Arizona State who was only 83 overall. You can win, but it's not easy.

I'm actually gonna try RBA at 25 for my next game. I can run for 5 yards a carry with bad backs on a bad team, too easy. I'm good at running, but I'm not that good.

And yeah, coaching skill trees are huge, gonna edit that into my post.

[SilverBullet19]

Quote: Originally Posted by young22

I'm actually gonna try RBA at 25 for my next game. I can run for 5 yards a carry with bad backs on a bad team, too easy. I'm good at running, but I'm not that good. And yeah, coaching skill trees are huge, gonna edit that into my post.

I actually apparently had it set to 20 for my Arizona State game, might try 15 even, but I dunno. At 20 they're definitely a bit slower off the ball, but do decent with breaking tackles and make quick cuts still. Weird. I think 15 might be too low, slow and unable to make moves. I'll find out though

[Creasy1010]

Quote: Originally Posted by SilverBullet19

I actually apparently had it set to 20 for my Arizona State game, might try 15 even, but I dunno. At 20 they're definitely a bit slower off the ball, but do decent with breaking tackles and make quick cuts still. Weird. I think 15 might be too low, slow and unable to make moves. I'll find out though

I've had RB ability at 15 for at least a couple seasons now, they are definitely slower off the ball, sometimes more than others, but my running back right now is second in the nation on rush yards, running a Pro-Style Offense.

[TarHeelPhenom]

I'm just going to piggy back off of what Young22 and Silver have said. I can tell you without doubt that there are countless ways to make this game challenging. EA left us a gem in the fact that the game is fully customizable especially if you take advantage of the editors available to you. I have edited this game and watched the CPU more than i have played myself and have had a ball doing it. My 2 cents is:

1) Do all you can to take your advantages away and the AI's disadvantages away. My philosophy on SIM is that the less control you take the more SIM you get. For example, in real life, if you were playing on a football team, you would not be able to control what tye other 10 of your teammates do. You can only control what ypur assignment is. Therefore, when you play the game don't switch and let your AI teammates make plays. Just one example.

2) Custom Playbooks- Custom Playbooks allow you to take out plays that hinder the AI's playcalling. For example, in my custom playbooks I eliminate 4 verts, i only keep 1 HB Screen and 1 Read Option play because it seems as though those are the plays the AI love to call most on offense. On defense I eliminate Engage 8 and some of the blitz plays that leave the AI vulnerable. Because we have the "eye in the sky" viewpoint it's easy to read when they sell out on D. I also eliminate CB blitzes as well and only leave a couple Zone Dog blitzes. I also customize the playbooks according to Offensive Philosophy. There are also edits you can make with the editor that will make AI Playcalling on offense more aggressive.

3) Edit, Edit, EDIT!!!- lol...this is where it's at for me. I've had the pleasure over the years to kick around ideas with guys within this community and as a result have uncovered a boat load of knowledge about the game, how individual ratings/attributes really work and how limited we are doing edits in-game. Ive learned so much from dudes like kaalib, tdawg, Tuscaloosa and many others. But more than that, I took it upon myself to roll up my sleeves and learn on my own and come up witj my own formulas so that the game will play the way I want it to. There are ways through editing that you can make player ratings really matter. Ratings will eliminate the advantages if you let them. But you have to let them.

Remember, our stick skills cancel out ratings. Think about it. Player awareness is cancelled out by our stick skills for the player we control. It's our awareness. Less from us equals more out of the game. I could talk all day about the things ive learned that keeps this game fresh.