Operation Sports Forums - Global, on-the-fly depth chart changes and packages: some thoughts

I’d like to see an easy way to globally sub-in a HB for all formations without going all the way to the depth chart. Simply holding down L2 or some other button on the playcalling screen would cause an overlay to pop up listing your RBs, and you quickly scroll down to the guy you want and he’s in. He stays in until you switch him out. For the life of me I don’t understand why this hasn’t made it into the game already. Making changes to specific formations works and allows you to divvy up carries, but it becomes tedious as you have to change back from time to time. The same goes for using the package settings “HB spell” and “HB sub.”

In fact, the package functionality of this game bothers me. Seems there could be a way to improve this. I originally thought about how they could go back to selecting personnel packages before selecting formations (like way back in Madden 90 or 91), but I’m not sure this would work, as there are too many combinations not to bog down the play selection process.

Package creation could help solve this. Ideally, an end user should be able to tag formations to packages, so goalline formations don’t show up when I have a Passing package in (say 4 WR), helping to streamline playcalling.

Keep in mind that packages are player personnel groupings. WR flip or TE slot are not packages, and right now packages are folded into the formation-selection screen. This may be easier for arcade-style play, but it creates a sort of psychic limitation on your gameplanning. If, instead, you could tag formations to certain player packages (and create your own) in a front-end coach/strategy screen, it would add more depth to gameplanning.

Adding a switch where one could cycle through packages with a trigger button might work. One of the options would be “standard” and would allow you to select from all formations and plays like you do now. Switch to your created packages and only the appropriately tagged formations show up. You remain in that package until you switch out. This allows more package specific play-calling if you so choose.

Or perhaps it becomes a playcalling option in the settings menu. Set playcalling to “gameflow” “conventional” or “by package.” I don’t know…I’m just spit-balling here.

Package creation and formation tagging would eliminate the need for formation subs, outside of special teams, which we apparently can’t set anyway. This makes selecting personnel groupings a bit easier, as you no longer have to make changes to individual formations. You could create special packages like a 2<sup>nd</sup> unit package with all of your backups, a “Tebow” package if you’re the Jets, or you could use the number system like they do in the NFL where 211 corresponds to 2 TE, 2 RB, and a WR (or do I have that backwards?) if you so choose…

You could still have your WR flips and such using the analog stick.

Food for thought.