What is up with Defining Moments!?

[BocephusTyrant]

This game is a vast improvement over the first HC. I just had two defining moment frustrations in one game.

Yesterday I played the Lions-Bears game. My team (Lions) drive down to the 10 yard line and have 3 seconds left in regulation, I call a TO and have Jason Hanson kick a gimme FG that he misses just slightly short and bounces off the goal post.

Now we are tied and go in to OT at 21 all. Sudden Death! We get the ball and throw a hail mary pass to Calvin Johnson and he's stopped at the 15 yard line. I get a defining moment to either go for the win with a TD or kick the FG and be a wuss. I want the sure win and take the FG option and Hanson makes this one, so we win. Though my approval rating drops 20 points because we only won the game by a FG instead of a TD. IMHO, that is f*cked up!
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[joebc]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

I had one the other day where the clock was running down to the 2 minute warning and it was the TD/Field Goal one. The definining moment popped up about 3 seconds before the 2 minute warning sounded. I had to choose one, so I chose field goal (the lesser of the approval outcomes) because that would have put me up by 10.

So my team lines up for the field goal and the 2 minute warning happens. I never got the play off, but I still lost about 10 or so points on my approval rating!!


Although frustrating at times, I am still thoroughly enjoying this game.

[blocknose]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

another dumb one that i had last night i downed the ball on third down with like 15seconds left in the game so i could let the clock run out on 4th for the win but no the game thinks this would be a good time for a defining moment punt or go for the win so i choose punt just incase they snap the ball (thankfully they didnt)but i shouldnt have had to decide

[XiaNaphryz]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

I got one in the very first preseason game I played after popping in the game disc. Raiders had the opening drive and scored a field goal. I take the offense to near mid-field on our opening drive and complete a pass on 3rd down that just misses a first down. Then all of a sudden...

DEFINING MOMENT!

Are you kidding me? First quarter of the first preseason game and I have to suffer through negative feedback for not wanting to go for a 4th and 1 in my half of the field because we're behind 3-0?

[claystone]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

another dumb one that i had last night i downed the ball on third down with like 15seconds left in the game so i could let the clock run out on 4th for the win but no the game thinks this would be a good time for a defining moment punt or go for the win so i choose punt just incase they snap the ball (thankfully they didnt)but i shouldnt have had to decide

LOL, I got the same one. I had 9 seconds left, 4th down and no time outs for the other team. So I'm just going to let the time run out, but no, Def. Mon comes up asking to go for it or punt...wtf?!?!

This Defining moments and emotion reactions, needs to go. It really doesn't belong in this game. When emotion reactions comes on, i always hit calm. I don't care anymore, as long as i win the game.

[Purplepower]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

Maybe sort of off topic. A screen came on saying one of my players had a negative response. His was Peterson who's approval ratings drop of 8 points because I am not playing him. He just carried the ball 23 times in a win against the Saints. I don't understand this. He has been hurt all but 2 weeks, so yes his carries on the year are down. Anyone seen this?

[markprior22]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

Yeah, the entire DM thing is FUBAR'd. Wish it could just be turned off. Defining moments for coaches/GM's are wins....period. If the coach is consistently making poor on field decisions or the GM making poor personnel decisions, it will eventually show up in the team's record which will in turn affect fans, media, owner, etc.

[Kingfish]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

In my first career i had probably 4 DMs in the first 6 games and they DEVESTATED my approval rating. Each one was to me a 'no-brainer'.

1) less than a min to go in the first half...on my OWN 34 yd line...do you punt or go for it? are you kiddin me? PUNT = -18 pts

2) less than a min in the game...down by 2 do you kick the 28yd FG (for the win) or go for it on 4th? KICK = -27pts WTF?

3) repeat #1 this time I was on THEIR 40...not feeling like a 57 yd FG attempt I chose to just kneel it and go into the half down by 6 after 4 first half TOs(2 INTs and 2 fumbles). Run the clock out = -9 pts

4) i honestly can't remember this one but I know I just clicked through it without reading.

It seems like the decisions are insain. My guide now is, if it makes good football sense, it will probably cost me points. Now does that seem right to you?

I haven't had a DM in this career as I am simming the kicks and the defense...and I hit the start button as SOON as I know i didn't get the first or whatever. I HATE the Derailing Moments!

[TCF]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

i don't think that DM's should be in here. i mean yeah fans can boo and get upset but if a coach is conservative most of the time.. who knows

[Kingfish]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

i don't think that DM's should be in here. i mean yeah fans can boo and get upset but if a coach is conservative most of the time.. who knows

I say keep'em but there really are a few things missing from the game IF they wanna do it right. Add post game press conference...kick a FG, loose 20+ pts of approval but still win the game

"Coach, on that 4th down in the 2nd quarter, considering the final outcome, would you still kick the FG?"

"Are you kidding me? Did you see that really big board in the endzone? The one with our team having the bigger number on it? How did you even get in here...would I do it again, hell yeah! Any other questions?" (+12 approval from fans, +8 owner,+20 staff, +20 players, -10 media = +10 over all)

This would be just another chance to offset the in game DM loss and I could see these kinds of things affecting your approval a LOT more than on the field events. A WIN erases a LOT of the second guessing...a loss magnifies it but win and all is forgiven.

Maybe defining moments should just be some kind of modifier to be applied at the end of the game based on the final results.

[havlen]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

It's the defining moments that convinced me that the development staff didn't really know much about football. I don't really know of any other way to explain it -- I don't see how anyone that follows football couldn't have spotted the horrible logic of the DMs and fixed them long before release.

As it stands, defining moments -- which should have been one of the coolest features in the game -- is actually one of the most annoying. More often than not, the defining moment wants you to do something the opposite of what any good coach would do.

[DougSupreme]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

It's the defining moments that convinced me that the development staff didn't really know much about football. I don't really know of any other way to explain it -- I don't see how anyone that follows football couldn't have spotted the horrible logic of the DMs and fixed them long before release.

As it stands, defining moments -- which should have been one of the coolest features in the game -- is actually one of the most annoying. More often than not, the defining moment wants you to do something the opposite of what any good coach would do.

I have noticed that the owner is the only category that makes logical decisions during DMs. If the owner, staff, and players were in line then it would make more sense. Heck have you heard some of the crap that is spouted in the media by reporters and fans alike? They usually are off in left field. They tend to have a negative reaction regardless of whether the right or wrong decision is made. You just can't please some people no matter what you do.

[havlen]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

I have yet to see a fan, media member, football player, coach or owner think it would be a good idea to go for the touchdown on 4rth and goal from the 4 during a 14-14 tie with 7:53 in the 4rth quarter.

[Kingfish]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

...More often than not, the defining moment wants you to do something the opposite of what any good coach would do.

Exactly...if you are 'worried' about your job and the approval loss would really affect your game...do like I do...ask yourself, "what would a real coach do" and then do the opposite!

Now isn't that sad?

[havlen]

Re: What is up with Defining Moments!?

As a first year Miami coach, I figure I'd better have at least one eye on approval.

Here's sad:

I went into my last game with a 95sh approval. After going down by 14 pts, I drive in the 2nd half and score a touchdown making it 14-7. Head Coach asks me to kick an onside as a defining moment which I declined.

I tie the game in the second half and early in the fourth quarter I've driven down to the goal line and stall out. The defining moment wants me to go for it even though we are tied and a field goal will give me the win.

Total cost of deciding to win the game: 15 approval points.

That's sad. And to think, defining moments could have been one of the cooler features. Now, it's just something that makes me decide between an approval boost or winning the game.