Operation Sports Forums - Custom Offensive Playbooks. What works and what doesn't.

As many of us know, there is a major bug with custom playbooks. I posted my guide to making a successful offensive playbook in another thread, but decided that it could be more helpful with more exposure. So, I copied my guide to making a playbook that works. This is for the PS3, by the way. I do not know if the playbook bug affects the 360. If it does, than my guide will problably work.

The offensive playbooks, for the most part, work fine. Certain formations have bugs to lookout for. So far, the ones I have found are all in the Shotgun formation (4WR Trey, Normal, Normal Flex, Spread, and Spread Flex). Also, beware of the playbooks that have "Hidden" formations (like Wyoming and Auburn with their Wild Cowboy forms). You can see all the formations (even the hidden ones) of a playbook by going to the set audibles page inside the editor. If the base playbook your making doesn't have one of the previously mentioned formations, then you should be fine.

For the Spread and Spread Flex forms, if they are in the base playbook you wish to use, you can avoid the bug if you keep at least one play in them at all times. The real challenge is finding a playbook without the Shotgun - Normal formation, as it is in 95% of all the playbooks. For a Pro Style base, go with Washington, as it is absent of all the suspect formations. For a Spread offense, go with Baylor as it only has the Shotgun - Spread formation and it is a good formation to use for any type of playbook.

Here is what I do: 1st, I avoid any playbook with the Shotgun - Normal or Normal Flex formations. Next, I set all the audibles to a play in the Goalline formation, unless the playbook you are using has one of the suspect formations. In that case set one of your audibles to a play in those formations. Next, add the Ace - Big formation to your book. This one is there to keep you above the 50 play minimun while editing. Next, clear out all other formations in the playbook, then check the audibles. You should only see the required forms (Goalline and Hail Mary), the Ace - Big and those Shotgun forms that you set for audibles (if applicable). Check the Shotgun forms inside the audibles menu to make sure that the play you set as an audible is the only one. If you see a play you didn't pick (Four Verticals), or a play listed as "Undefined", then your book is bugged.

Once you add the plays/forms you want, get rid of the Ace - Big (unless you want to keep it), save the book and head straight to a practice session. Usually, if your playbook is bugged, you will see it as soon as you try to pick the second play. I recommend that you try at least one play from each form to make sure it works. If you get through that without error, You should be set to finish editing, and you should have a playbook that works.

I have two playbooks that I have thuroghly tested (based on the afformentioned base books) and they work just fine. If you start a game/practice with a playbook and it doesn't load the playbook immeadiately, your system (PS3) will freeze when loading the session. This means your playbook is no good.

Don't even bother with a defensive playbook. Also, check the base playbook for any "Hidden" formations before editing. If they are there, go to the next playbook.

That said, there might be more bugged plays or formations that I missed. However, they are relatively easy to find. Just add the Ace - Big form, and delete all others. Check the formations under the audible menu and see what is there. If there is a formation listed that should not be there, check to see what play it is. If it is a "phantom" play (Looks like a normal play, in the right form, but doesn't show up under the list of plays), or is an "Undefined" play, then your bugged.

I have yet to find a solution to the "Hidden" play bug. However, it seems that the "Undefined" play can be worked around. You must 1st identify the bugged form. Then, reload the base playbook. Before deleting the formations, I recommend you set an audible to a play in one of the forms with the "Undefined" plays. This way you can just wipe all other forms and still keep one play in those bugged forms. Once wiped, check the audibles. All that is there is your "filler" form (Ace - Big), required forms (Goalline and Hail Mary), and the bugged forms with the play you set as an audible. If the play in said forms shows as Undefined, or there is a play there that you did not select, then it is no good. If you only see the play you saved, then you should be fine to continue. Just make sure that you keep at least one play in the suspect forms at all times. If at any time you clear all the plays from those forms, then you will introduce the bug, and your book is ruined.

I recommend saving and testing often in the process of making a new playbook. This way, if your book is bad, you will find out sooner than later.

If anyone has any tips to add to this guide, please do. I would like to know if there are more bugged formations than the ones I have noticed.

As a final note, I have been able to make successful playbooks in the Spread, Pro Style, One Back, and Air Raid base types. I don't remember which teams books I used for the One Back and Air Raid books, but I identified the same issues and solutions with those as I did for the Pro and Spread books.