Some ground rules to these sliders.
1. Must choose game speed SLOW and save them in your main settings.
2. Choose 6 min QTRs for purpose of testing, it's a good enough game length.
3. Must persevere with the game you play vs CPU....stats and general observations will change and even out as game progresses.
4. If you choose Dolphins as your team (for instance) who are rated 76, make sure you play a game versus a team of equal rating, a team of lower rating, and a team of higher rating. Even choose different types of offensive styles -- eg, Panthers with Newton who scrambles, Patriots with Brady as master QB, etc.
5. Be patient, because you're used to playing on All-Pro with the easy sliders on Normal speed; so as you play games with these sliders, it will take some getting used to as you adapt to it.
6. Try to break the game sliders by running the cheese plays you use over and over. I found with my cheese that it worked two plays in a row, but the CPU cottons on. You might have to go away from the cheese for a drive, and back again, it will work a little before the CPU cottons on again. You should find you have to go away from your cheese and try other things, tho you can always go back to your cheese, but again, have to go away from it.
GAME OPTIONS
SKILL LEVEL = ALL-MADDEN
Game Speed = SLOW
Qtr Length = 6 Mins
Minimum Play-Clock = 25 seconds
Accelerated Clock = OFF
Defensive Auto Strafe = OFF
Defensive Ball Hawk = ON
Defensive Heat Seeker = ON
Defensive Switch Assist = ON
PLAYER SLIDERS
QB ACCURACY = 60
PASS BLOCKING = 77
WR CATCHING = 60
RUN BLOCKING = 77
FUMBLES = 50
REACTION TIME = 100
INTERCEPTIONS = 70
PASS COVERAGE = 100
TACKLING = 40
CPU SLIDERS
QB ACCURACY = 15
PASS BLOCKING = 40
WR CATCHING = 30
RUN BLOCKING = 77
FUMBLES = 50
REACTION TIME = 100
INTERCEPTIONS = 35
PASS COVERAGE = 100
TACKLING = 35
==========
The problem I found with other people's extensively researched sliders/settings is that they just weren't realistic still. Not just the stats, but also the visual game and feel. Things made easy still for the human, or far too open high-octane play.
Instead, for my sliders, I relied purely on the eye-test. The feel-test. As I tweaked each slider, until it started to feel/look right.
Aiming for a K.I.S.S. slider setting. I think others go too far, or over-think each single digit.
It's not so much based on getting stats right, tho partially it is' for me, it's more about how much the game "looks" and "feels" balanced and NFL-like.
===========
I played about 40-50 games in testing this, including tweaks up/down to assess whether something went out of whack. Some observations or explanations of these sliders and how it affects gameplay.
The main issue with EA's Madden coding is that drag and deep crossing routes are overpowered in passing, and certain types of runs when rushing. And that the programmers pretty much have to code Blocking to be atrocious in order to try to get a "balance" from the overpowered nature of those routes/runs. Heavy nano-pressure to try to close the window of the drag route.
So you need to ensure for both you and the cpu that REACTION TIME and PASS COVERAGE are maxed out. To tighten the DB/WR interplay. Even maxed out, the drag/cross routes are still effective, but less so. You certainly can't keep doing it over and over because the AI decides to either make an edge rusher or interior lineman/LB burst thru the next time and sack you or force you to hurry a throw for an INT. The balance tho is achieved by having the PASS BLOCKING etc factored in, as well as game speed SLOW which buys you a second in the pocket to react to a hurry and make a choice, at least you get a choice to do something. The bad and good effects of that choice are pretty 50:50.
The CPU QB ACCURACY must be this low to get some errant throws from them. Otherwise, they go 28/30 or 15/17 every game. Instead, you get a more realistic 50-65 percent rate....depending on the skill level of the CPU QB. Brady vs Kizer, etc. CPU WR CATCHING must also be this low so you get the occasional drop from them. Sometimes it's a pretty bad wide open drop. But at least it keeps putting the CPU team in 3rd down situations that it has to fight out of. CPU INTs MUST be this low because if they're higher, far too many passes you throw end up picked. Instead, at what I have them, you get more defensed passes, broken up passes, dropped INTs. You don't throw an unrealistic 5 or more INTs a game. But a more realistic 0-3....depending how bad you're cheesing. Even with PLAYER INTs up at 70, you don't get many yourself either. It works out more evenly, where both you and the CPU team throw about the same picks a game. 0-2 picks each, or CPU team throws 1 and you throw 2. That type of thing.
The CPU's pass blocking is way overpowered, so it has to come down. At 40, you can get thru the line quicker, and this also has a good balanced effect on the QB feeling pressure and throwing an errant pass, throwing it away, throwing to the wrong read and falling short of the first down marker.
The other main problem with the game is how under-powered RUN BLOCKING is for both you and the CPU team. At what I have it, you get a very good balance thru the entire game, where sometimes the CPU breaks off chunks of yards, and you don't at first, but as you work thru your play-calling, you start to slow them down and increase your output. Sometimes you get gaping holes and long TDs scored by you or the CPU, but they soon bottle you up and you bottle them up with some effort. What also greatly helps having a realistic running game is the TACKLING slider. Down this low for the CPU, your RB (and Kick Returners) and WRs can fight off some tackles, break some, get a few extra yards. As you see in the NFL often. It's pretty realistic now both running the ball and defending their run. Power Runners like J.Stewart will break tackles on you and get chunks of yards, or those animations where they get tackled but momentum drives them forward for another 2 yards. And the same happens for you. But you can't keep cheesing the run, or the same run, because again, the AI starts making the edge rushers or interior lineman break blocks and tackle you for a loss. Especially realistic is when you're defending a goalline stand. At times you see the CPU OL open a gap and the RB powers thru with tacklers draped over him. Sometimes he has a huge hole and gets thru untouched. Sometimes you break blocks and get 3 and out goalline stands. It works out pretty evenly.
Game speed of SLOW is imperative. It's a more realistic speed of player. But also it just buys you a second in every situation. Returning a punt or kick. As a QB in the pocket under heavy blitz. As a RB dancing thru traffic around the LOS. Etc.
In my games, I had vastly different and interesting things happen. There were fumbles while diving into the endzone, muffed punts, pick sixes, broken tackles on 3rd and long resulting in first downs. Elite QBs adapting to interior pressure throwing delicate rainbow lobs and goalline fades for TDs. Fake FGs. Blocked PATs taken 70 yards until caught from behind and/or fumbling it with the ball returned the other way. Kickoff returns taken half-way. Etc
Basically, just a LOT of really interesting things going on in the games. I thoroughly enjoyed playing the CPU on All-Madden with these sliders. It felt like playing a human. I'm kind of addicted to playing the CPU now with these sliders. It's pretty fun, and challenging without being frustrating or unrealistic.
You're never going to get exact/perfect stats. But it's pretty decent how each game ebbs and flows and sometimes the CPU team is struggling with the pass but doing well on the ground and it just pans out that way, when the next time you play that same team, the run might not work so well but the pass does. And you notice the same for yourself. Each game becomes a different "beast".
======================
I hope some of you try these sliders out, and give me your POSITIVE or NEGATIVE feedback. Just ensure you play a decent slate of games so you learn to adapt to the gameplay these sliders give.
Thanks
1. Must choose game speed SLOW and save them in your main settings.
2. Choose 6 min QTRs for purpose of testing, it's a good enough game length.
3. Must persevere with the game you play vs CPU....stats and general observations will change and even out as game progresses.
4. If you choose Dolphins as your team (for instance) who are rated 76, make sure you play a game versus a team of equal rating, a team of lower rating, and a team of higher rating. Even choose different types of offensive styles -- eg, Panthers with Newton who scrambles, Patriots with Brady as master QB, etc.
5. Be patient, because you're used to playing on All-Pro with the easy sliders on Normal speed; so as you play games with these sliders, it will take some getting used to as you adapt to it.
6. Try to break the game sliders by running the cheese plays you use over and over. I found with my cheese that it worked two plays in a row, but the CPU cottons on. You might have to go away from the cheese for a drive, and back again, it will work a little before the CPU cottons on again. You should find you have to go away from your cheese and try other things, tho you can always go back to your cheese, but again, have to go away from it.
GAME OPTIONS
SKILL LEVEL = ALL-MADDEN
Game Speed = SLOW
Qtr Length = 6 Mins
Minimum Play-Clock = 25 seconds
Accelerated Clock = OFF
Defensive Auto Strafe = OFF
Defensive Ball Hawk = ON
Defensive Heat Seeker = ON
Defensive Switch Assist = ON
PLAYER SLIDERS
QB ACCURACY = 60
PASS BLOCKING = 77
WR CATCHING = 60
RUN BLOCKING = 77
FUMBLES = 50
REACTION TIME = 100
INTERCEPTIONS = 70
PASS COVERAGE = 100
TACKLING = 40
CPU SLIDERS
QB ACCURACY = 15
PASS BLOCKING = 40
WR CATCHING = 30
RUN BLOCKING = 77
FUMBLES = 50
REACTION TIME = 100
INTERCEPTIONS = 35
PASS COVERAGE = 100
TACKLING = 35
==========
The problem I found with other people's extensively researched sliders/settings is that they just weren't realistic still. Not just the stats, but also the visual game and feel. Things made easy still for the human, or far too open high-octane play.
Instead, for my sliders, I relied purely on the eye-test. The feel-test. As I tweaked each slider, until it started to feel/look right.
Aiming for a K.I.S.S. slider setting. I think others go too far, or over-think each single digit.
It's not so much based on getting stats right, tho partially it is' for me, it's more about how much the game "looks" and "feels" balanced and NFL-like.
===========
I played about 40-50 games in testing this, including tweaks up/down to assess whether something went out of whack. Some observations or explanations of these sliders and how it affects gameplay.
The main issue with EA's Madden coding is that drag and deep crossing routes are overpowered in passing, and certain types of runs when rushing. And that the programmers pretty much have to code Blocking to be atrocious in order to try to get a "balance" from the overpowered nature of those routes/runs. Heavy nano-pressure to try to close the window of the drag route.
So you need to ensure for both you and the cpu that REACTION TIME and PASS COVERAGE are maxed out. To tighten the DB/WR interplay. Even maxed out, the drag/cross routes are still effective, but less so. You certainly can't keep doing it over and over because the AI decides to either make an edge rusher or interior lineman/LB burst thru the next time and sack you or force you to hurry a throw for an INT. The balance tho is achieved by having the PASS BLOCKING etc factored in, as well as game speed SLOW which buys you a second in the pocket to react to a hurry and make a choice, at least you get a choice to do something. The bad and good effects of that choice are pretty 50:50.
The CPU QB ACCURACY must be this low to get some errant throws from them. Otherwise, they go 28/30 or 15/17 every game. Instead, you get a more realistic 50-65 percent rate....depending on the skill level of the CPU QB. Brady vs Kizer, etc. CPU WR CATCHING must also be this low so you get the occasional drop from them. Sometimes it's a pretty bad wide open drop. But at least it keeps putting the CPU team in 3rd down situations that it has to fight out of. CPU INTs MUST be this low because if they're higher, far too many passes you throw end up picked. Instead, at what I have them, you get more defensed passes, broken up passes, dropped INTs. You don't throw an unrealistic 5 or more INTs a game. But a more realistic 0-3....depending how bad you're cheesing. Even with PLAYER INTs up at 70, you don't get many yourself either. It works out more evenly, where both you and the CPU team throw about the same picks a game. 0-2 picks each, or CPU team throws 1 and you throw 2. That type of thing.
The CPU's pass blocking is way overpowered, so it has to come down. At 40, you can get thru the line quicker, and this also has a good balanced effect on the QB feeling pressure and throwing an errant pass, throwing it away, throwing to the wrong read and falling short of the first down marker.
The other main problem with the game is how under-powered RUN BLOCKING is for both you and the CPU team. At what I have it, you get a very good balance thru the entire game, where sometimes the CPU breaks off chunks of yards, and you don't at first, but as you work thru your play-calling, you start to slow them down and increase your output. Sometimes you get gaping holes and long TDs scored by you or the CPU, but they soon bottle you up and you bottle them up with some effort. What also greatly helps having a realistic running game is the TACKLING slider. Down this low for the CPU, your RB (and Kick Returners) and WRs can fight off some tackles, break some, get a few extra yards. As you see in the NFL often. It's pretty realistic now both running the ball and defending their run. Power Runners like J.Stewart will break tackles on you and get chunks of yards, or those animations where they get tackled but momentum drives them forward for another 2 yards. And the same happens for you. But you can't keep cheesing the run, or the same run, because again, the AI starts making the edge rushers or interior lineman break blocks and tackle you for a loss. Especially realistic is when you're defending a goalline stand. At times you see the CPU OL open a gap and the RB powers thru with tacklers draped over him. Sometimes he has a huge hole and gets thru untouched. Sometimes you break blocks and get 3 and out goalline stands. It works out pretty evenly.
Game speed of SLOW is imperative. It's a more realistic speed of player. But also it just buys you a second in every situation. Returning a punt or kick. As a QB in the pocket under heavy blitz. As a RB dancing thru traffic around the LOS. Etc.
In my games, I had vastly different and interesting things happen. There were fumbles while diving into the endzone, muffed punts, pick sixes, broken tackles on 3rd and long resulting in first downs. Elite QBs adapting to interior pressure throwing delicate rainbow lobs and goalline fades for TDs. Fake FGs. Blocked PATs taken 70 yards until caught from behind and/or fumbling it with the ball returned the other way. Kickoff returns taken half-way. Etc
Basically, just a LOT of really interesting things going on in the games. I thoroughly enjoyed playing the CPU on All-Madden with these sliders. It felt like playing a human. I'm kind of addicted to playing the CPU now with these sliders. It's pretty fun, and challenging without being frustrating or unrealistic.
You're never going to get exact/perfect stats. But it's pretty decent how each game ebbs and flows and sometimes the CPU team is struggling with the pass but doing well on the ground and it just pans out that way, when the next time you play that same team, the run might not work so well but the pass does. And you notice the same for yourself. Each game becomes a different "beast".
======================
I hope some of you try these sliders out, and give me your POSITIVE or NEGATIVE feedback. Just ensure you play a decent slate of games so you learn to adapt to the gameplay these sliders give.
Thanks
Comment