Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

For those of you who were using my sliders, here are the latest (and probably final) settings plus the franchise house rules I'm using.

Here are the settings:
First value is Human setting, second value is CPU setting:
Blocking: 16,40
Passing: 0,40
Running: 16,40
Catching: 40,40
Coverage:4,28
Pursuit: 4,10
Tackling: 0,8
Kicking: 0,40
Fatigue: 4,4
Injury: 20
Fumbles: 28
Interceptions: 0

I've played about a dozen games with these settings, and I am really, really pleased with them. Most importantly, the interception problem that has plagued us is gone. Here's why: 'pursuit' is a misleading label for the slider. It's not pursuit, it's 'defensive speed,' which is not the same thing. With the slider at four, players in the secondary can't close on routes as quickly as they could before. I have a 90+ rated defense, and in the last 10 games I've averaged under two interceptions a game. Plus only two quarterbacks have been below 50% completion percentage.

The other important thing that a low pursuit setting does is allow big plays on offense. If it's in the fifteen range or higher, it's going to be extremely difficult to ever have big plays. This will also open up the kicking game. I lost the AFC championship on a punt return for a touchdown, which I had never seen before.

Also, I've developed some Franchise house rules that make Franchise mode very challenging (at least for me). My goal was that every opportunity had to come with some kind of associated risk.
1. Max out the salary slider, pay 10% more in bonus than the player requests, and nothing longer than 6-year deals.
2. Max out the trade slider. Don’t trade away guys in the last year of their contracts, and don’t trade for rookies. If a guy is rated below 70, you can release him but not trade him.
3. You can’t trade for a team’s starting QB or trade for/away kickers/punters.
4. No more than 10 draft choices a draft and no more than 2 per round.

I tried to keep the rules as simple as possible but still compensate for A.I. weaknesses. The CPU doesn't value rookies, starting quarterbacks, or kickers highly enough. It's also too willing to trade for players in the last year of their contract. As far as individual salaries, players are too willing to accept no bonus in return for only slightly more money, which makes salary cap management too easy.

Here's where risk comes in. With the 10% bonus kicker over what the player requests, you're taking on quite a bit of guaranteed money (NFL average is almost 50% now, so that's actually pretty realistic). So when guys don't pan out, it's not so easy to get rid of them--you've got a big bonus hit attached. It comes so difficult to manage the cap that you'll actually need to use different contract types to be effective.

I've been able to put together strong teams, but not great ones. And there are always question marks on my roster, because you just can't fill every hole. I think these rules make Franchise play much more realistically and with a pretty high level of difficulty.

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

How long are your quarters?

Sim length?

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

When I play I use 8 minute quarters. I've played so much that I select plays pretty quickly now.

For sim I use six-minute quarters. I think that technically the most statistically accurate (for end of season numbers) way is to sim at 6 minutes for half the season, then at 5 minutes for the other half.

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

I don't think CPU running should be anything higher than 30. Raising CPU blocking and lowering human tackling seem to do a lot more for the CPU running game than raising the running slider. What you will get, I think -- especially with pursuit at 4 -- is unbeatable breakaway speed for all CPU skill players. I've played around with the running game sliders a lot in practice mode and basically, whether the running slider is at 30 or 40 the running back won't be any more intelligent about finding creases in the defensive front. I find maxing out the blocking here is a no brainer, but also putting human tackling at a low setting (mine is at 8) will compensate by getting the CPU some decent YAC. Some games the CPU just isn't going to be able to run the ball, I think we just have to accept it; giving it massive breakaway ability is just going to mean more breakaway runs, not necessarily a more realistic running game.

Just my .02.

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

That has not been my experience with the games I've played with these settings--about a dozen at this point. Pursuit at four gives a slight speed cheat to the offense, but it's not overwhelming. That setting is actually for two reasons: one, to allow occasional big runs, and two, to control CPU interceptions. With pursuit at four the interception problem goes away.

Ratings play a huge difference in how this game plays, though, so our experiences may be different. I don't have a problem with giving up big plays with these settings--my defense is very good, actually--but I also rarely call man defenses without at least one safety in a deep zone.

Thanks for your impressions.

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

Hmm, I was already seeing what seemed like too many big plays with pursuit > 4 and running < 40. I think it's a YMMV thing. I still stand by my last statement though: putting running at 40 doesn't seem to turn 1 yard gains into 4 yard gains. I may try out tackling at zero though, because I get the sense that the CPU could always stand to get more YAC. I just don't want to see my D players getting knocked over like bowling pins.

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

Bill--I am 14 games into my latest season (2007) with your sliders. I have enjoyed every game I have played with them. Great job and thanks for all of your work. I have not really seen anything out of the ordinary. I have given up plenty of 100 yard rushing games on between 18-33 carries and the passing is as good as it's going to get for the CPU. Thanks again and I would recommend your sliders to anyone.

Re: Bill's Sliders Plus Franchise House Rules
 

favre4vr, thanks very much.