Formations and Depth Charts

[Shinywalrus]

Quote: Originally Posted by ablueduck

Recreate all the nickel plays with the correct formation set and then delete the nickel playbook so the computer uses your nickel set instead of the default wrong one? I'm not sure if this would work but it's worth a shot, I'll try it out too as I also play with Dallas. I think you would have to set how often the computer uses the plays to the mid or high range though, and I'm not sure this if you can do this if the only way to make plays without getting the injury bug is to do it in the middle of games.

It doesn't really work, unfortunately.

The computer isn't smart enough to recognize created plays as part of a formation, it would seem, which is probably why they're stored separately. This is part of the design problem.

But the way I've observed, even if a custom play is based on a particular play or formation, if it's a created play, the computer does not recognize the "Hey, it's 3rd and long, let's go nickel" logic. I've seen my revised "Nickel" plays get recommended at completely inappropriate times.

The other problem is that I'm pretty far into my main career, and there's no way that I can find to change my playbook or scheme, or remove formations or plays from the playbook.

Everything is so rigidly designed. If you don't set everything up just so with the playbooks before you start your career, there really seems to be no way to fix it.

[ablueduck]

Yeah it is a glaring problem if you're simming a large amount of games, I play most of mine so it is more of a non-issue but I could see how frustrating this could be. I guess we could just re-format our entire defenses so that they aren't 3-4 and get completely new personnel. =(

[Donny_Moore]

Quote: Originally Posted by Shinywalrus

It doesn't really work, unfortunately. The computer isn't smart enough to recognize created plays as part of a formation, it would seem, which is probably why they're stored separately. This is part of the design problem. But the way I've observed, even if a custom play is based on a particular play or formation, if it's a created play, the computer does not recognize the "Hey, it's 3rd and long, let's go nickel" logic. I've seen my revised "Nickel" plays get recommended at completely inappropriate times. The other problem is that I'm pretty far into my main career, and there's no way that I can find to change my playbook or scheme, or remove formations or plays from the playbook. Everything is so rigidly designed. If you don't set everything up just so with the playbooks before you start your career, there really seems to be no way to fix it.

It doesn't sound like you gotten very deep into the game yet to be honest (Do you sim everything?), because during Coach Hire, you have the ability to fire any of your coordinators and hire brand new ones who will bring with them entirely new defensive and offensive playbooks.

In fact, on the screen to go into Coach Bidding, it even shows the coaches playbook right there.

If you are unhappy with your current playbook, please take advantage of some of the other coaches around the league and get rid of your current guy.

It is obviously a drastic way to go about making changes to your playbook (firing coordinators/hiring a new coordinator with a new playbook), I just didn't want you to feel like you were stuck and had no way to change your playbook.

Also, being four years into your career Mr. Walrus, can you share any tidbits or rookies that are really cool later down the road? I'd love to hear your feedback, both positive and the negative about the state of the game 4 years in.

Haven't seen much feedback about that yet...

[ablueduck]

Quote: Originally Posted by Donny_Moore

It doesn't sound like you gotten very deep into the game yet to be honest (Do you sim everything?), because during Coach Hire, you have the ability to fire any of your coordinators and hire brand new ones who will bring with them entirely new defensive and offensive playbooks. In fact, on the screen to go into Coach Bidding, it even shows the coaches playbook right there. If you are unhappy with your current playbook, please take advantage of some of the other coaches around the league and get rid of your current guy. It is obviously a drastic way to go about making changes to your playbook (firing coordinators/hiring a new coordinator with a new playbook), I just didn't want you to feel like you were stuck and had no way to change your playbook. Also, being four years into your career Mr. Walrus, can you share any tidbits or rookies that are really cool later down the road? I'd love to hear your feedback, both positive and the negative about the state of the game 4 years in. Haven't seen much feedback about that yet...

I don't really see it being the playbooks so much as the fact that most defenses(correct me if I'm wrong) have nickel formations that they use. And the way the computer handles setting up the personnel for these formations is problematic.

[Shinywalrus]

Quote: Originally Posted by Donny_Moore

It doesn't sound like you gotten very deep into the game yet to be honest (Do you sim everything?), because during Coach Hire, you have the ability to fire any of your coordinators and hire brand new ones who will bring with them entirely new defensive and offensive playbooks. In fact, on the screen to go into Coach Bidding, it even shows the coaches playbook right there. If you are unhappy with your current playbook, please take advantage of some of the other coaches around the league and get rid of your current guy. It is obviously a drastic way to go about making changes to your playbook (firing coordinators/hiring a new coordinator with a new playbook), I just didn't want you to feel like you were stuck and had no way to change your playbook. Also, being four years into your career Mr. Walrus, can you share any tidbits or rookies that are really cool later down the road? I'd love to hear your feedback, both positive and the negative about the state of the game 4 years in. Haven't seen much feedback about that yet...

I think there may be a problem, then.

What I discovered was, after a few years, that the Wade Phillips 3-4 is generating far fewer sacks than it should. In the case of the Patriots and Chargers 3-4 defenses, they have stronger interior defensive linemen, and the game doesn't really seem to play the roles of the DEs much differently, so their higher ratings generally substantially higher sack and hurry totals in the non base defensive schemes.

I ONLY sim games. No other portions of the season. Unfortunately, I think there may be something broken in the coordinator replacement system. As a I mentioned in my original post, I fired Brian Stewart, the original coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. I went to my Team Philosophies page, made sure that the Playbook Ownership was with the Defensive Coordinator, reset my Philosophy to a 4-3 defense and recalibrated the LB/DL types I would be looking for.

I selected, after various reloads, several different new potential defensive coordinators. I hired, for example, a coordinator who brought the Jaguars defensive playbook. After hiring him, when I go to "View Playbook", it's still 3-4 base. I tried simming ahead to see if it activates the new book in the off season or new season, but it does not. I still have a 3-4 defense with 3-4 plays, and he brought nothing with him, despite that his hire sheet said otherwise.

In terms of rookies in the future, theyre actually the best way I found to stay viable: in the third year, I believe it was, I was able to select Xavier Cox (from the English draft line) - he would be an extraordinarily poor fit for a real 3-4, but he's playing DE for me so that my nickel formations can resemble reality. As far as I can tell, Size doesn't really seem to directly impact anything, but I could be wrong. He certainly doesn't seem to be struggling!

The Cox draft also gave me an early second round TE that compared to Antonio Gates (potential 94), a ROLB that compared to Derrick Brooks (potential 92), and others. I gave up first day picks for Albert Haynesworth in 2011 draft, so all of my guys there are randoms and UDFAs, a few of which are 85+, but not starting for my squad.

If you could look into whether the playbooks actually update with hires, that would be helpful, though. They're not for me.

[Shinywalrus]

Lest I be accused of lying again...

Two years in I hired a Patriots assistant. I liked the Pats defensive scheme's more aggressive use of ILB a little bit more. It didn't change the playbook. So I decide to fire him:



But let's make sure that we have everything set to give the DC control over the playbook...and yes, we're fine on that front:



Alright, let's just hire someone from a great 4-3 defensive scheme...doesn't get much better than the Jags!



And...let's check out our awesome new Jags Physical D playbook:



But if it's more expedient to assume I'm just not playing the game, whatever floats your boat.

This is just kind of frustrating.

[Donny_Moore]

Quote: Originally Posted by Shinywalrus

Lest I be accused of lying again... Two years in I hired a Patriots assistant. I liked the Pats defensive scheme's more aggressive use of ILB a little bit more. It didn't change the playbook. So I decide to fire him: But let's make sure that we have everything set to give the DC control over the playbook...and yes, we're fine on that front: Alright, let's just hire someone from a great 4-3 defensive scheme...doesn't get much better than the Jags! And...let's check out our awesome new Jags Physical D playbook: But if it's more expedient to assume I'm just not playing the game, whatever floats your boat. This is just kind of frustrating.

Make sure when you hire a new coordinator, that you give into the demand of change playbook. That will get rid of your playbook, and take the new coordinators playbook.

If you don't, you will keep your current playbook in place.

You also have the option of taking only some of the coordinators playbook, not all during coach hire bidding as well.

[JoeMimic]

It's weird because I switched my philosophy to 4-3 but didn't fire the DC so we still play a 3-4 but I swear if I pick defensive plays using formation I have pretty much 3 options 5 DBs/3-4/Goalline and that's it but if I go by type I swear there are plays in there that I don't see using the formation play calling.