***Official Impressions Thread***

[TheDT]

Quote: Originally Posted by d_max

First, I'm assuming you start your coach in the year 2008. Let's say you get fired in the year 2012. Is this an "end of game start all over again" type scenario or do you simply just join a different team and drive on?

I'm pretty sure that you may or may not get an offer.

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Second, how is the overall play of the QB's? Do they escape pressure and roll out if need be? Are the interceptions toned down from the previous version of Head Coach?

everyone who has the game has said that players behave like their real life counterparts and also that the game plays well out of the box. You can change to INT slider if you want though.

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Third, what type of staff can you hire and fire in this game?

GM, Trainer, O/C, D/C, ST/C, and all positional coaches.

[MissionMaximus]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

Ditto. For me at least, the immersion level is huge in this game. This is the game I have been waiting for.

I definitely like the sound of that. Picked up the Strategy Guide but was scared to read to much(did not want any spoiler info). But how cool was it in the back were it has current players that when they retire become coaches.

[krulmichael]

Quote: Originally Posted by MissionMaximus

I definitely like the sound of that. Picked up the Strategy Guide but was scared to read to much(did not want any spoiler info). But how cool was it in the back were it has current players that when they retire become coaches.

Very cool indeed, I know it's been the same way in Madden for years now too.

[MissionMaximus]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

It's in the Abner thread. I ran two tests. First test I ran as the chargerss. I used Norv Turner and started the sesaon at the beginning of training camp. I had a couple of players injured in the pre-season. They did not seem to be healing in the pre-season. Once I got to the regular season, they did not seem to be healing as they should either. During week 2 I had a couple of other players hurt, at that point my players hurt in the pre-season healed as they should have, and all subsequent injured players seem to heal as they were supposed to. Weird, quirky but not a game killer. In my second test I started a season as Jacksonville, created coach and started in the off-season. Got to pre-season, had some guys get hurt, they are healed as they were supposed to. So it worked fine. I don't know the rhyme or reason for all this, that's up to Josh and his guys to figure out, but the sky does not seem to be falling. At least from what I have tested. I would like someone else with the game to test, to make sure I am not missing something.

Maybe it has something to do with the teams trainers. Chargers trainer is a 14 in strategy book and Jag's is a 65 in strategy book so that's probably it.

[JRod]

Quote: Originally Posted by MissionMaximus

Maybe it has something to do with the teams trainers. Chargers trainer is a 14 in strategy book and Jag's is a 65 in strategy book so that's probably it.

They aren't healing at all, not just slowly.

[MissionMaximus]

Quote: Originally Posted by JRod

They aren't healing at all, not just slowly.

Maybe it is a bug I don't know? But I remember reading that poor trainers will misdiagnose injuries and might say 1-2 days when in fact it is much longer.

[DLaren]

Quote: Originally Posted by NoleFan

So practice isn't like the 1st HC where you run plays trying to increase your players' proficiency (that percentage deal) with them? Can you describe how you go about practice? I'm interested!

No it's not like the first HC game. In this one, you get a prompt once a day that asks you to set a "gameplan". From there you select what you want the players to work on from a list of options presented. Then the practice is simmed and you get a 'practice recap' prompt.

Unless I'm missing something, you can't watch them practice.

Quote: Originally Posted by JayBee74

Are you at a disadvantage by "simming through some stuff", much like the penalty given for simming through a training exercise in a boxing game? How does preparation for an online game differ from preparation for a CPU game?

I'd imagine that you're only at disadvantage if you have a lowly rated staff (because simming delegates the task to the related staff member).

Quote: Originally Posted by claystone

So DL, do you run the "play-creator" first and watch the plays and mark which ones you like, and then take them into the practice sim, or vice versa?

The Play creator takes you to a play selection screen, then you can edit the selected play or just run it as is to see how it goes. There are a couple of different ways to approach the play-creator, but that's the general idea.

Quote: Originally Posted by jrcain

Fellas I am getting this game Tuesday so I can wait but if you guys could tell us what the create a play limits or has? Can you set these.... Auto-Motion? Play Action Pass? Inside Pulling Guards? Two Handoffs? Options? etc.... .

You can't set them directly, but you can find a play that already has what you're looking for and edit it; to an extent, you can't change which ball-carrier gets the ball.

Quote: Originally Posted by d_max

Second, how is the overall play of the QB's? Do they escape pressure and roll out if need be? Are the interceptions toned down from the previous version of Head Coach?

From what I've seen, they play similarly to their real-life counterparts.

I'm coaching J****ssel and he takes off and runs when the pocket breaks down or if he can't find an open WR. He tends to struggle when going through multiple progressions, but I'm trying to keep my pass plays fairly simple until his AWR improves.

[MissionMaximus]

Quote: Originally Posted by DLaren

From what I've seen, they play similarly to their real-life counterparts. I'm coaching J****ssel and he takes off and runs when the pocket breaks down or if he can't find an open WR. He tends to struggle when going through multiple progressions, but I'm trying to keep my pass plays fairly simple until his AWR improves.

That is completely insane. The amount of depth and realism in this game is unbelievable. Jamarcus sounds like he does in real-life a absolute cannon for right arm but struggles to read defenses. Get him a topnotch QB Coach asap.