Operation Sports Forums - View Single Post - Video Game Football Stinks, and No One Seems to Notice

Niq54 · 08-04-2008, 04:30 PM

The two biggest issues in video game football are poor AI, and constantly ineffective Defensive Playbooks Assignments. In video game football as you pointed out the player can only control one player at a time. The player must count on CPU AI to be in the rght place at the right time. This sounds easy enough but quite often human players find their CPU teammates out of position. This can be due to suction blocking or poor pursuit angles. While I understand this can be difficult for game designers to program but the biggest problem comes from the problem with Defensive playbooks/play assignments. For years video game football teams have used the same defensive playbooks. We buy into it if they give us extra formations or name the playbook after our team, Tampa 2, Baltimore D, NE Defensive for example. But the problem is the design of the plays with the playbook. The designers have given us defensive hot routes, but most people use this to fix the play not to create new ones. For instance how many defensive plays have the d-line assigned to the proper gaps? I hate the fact the the NOSE tackle doesnt cover the A gap on a standard Cover 3 play. And do DE's ever attempt to keep contain? Only if you call a QB contain play but then they do don't rush they imply spread out and sit on the line of scrimmage. DE's rarely follow proper pursuit angles. Let me breakdown a typical DE pursuit on a run play; ball snapped, DE rushes to blocker, ballier breaks line of scrimmage to opposite side of field, DE turns around and runs across the field. Does DE go past the line a scrimmage and run behind the line to be wary of the boot counter or reverse BCR??? Nope. Do line backers play inside-out? Nope Do CBs try to keep contain? Nope This is why for years (extremely apparent in NCAA09) the CPU will only run the ball to the outside. How often have you seen the CPU ball carrier run up the middle? Ask yourself these questions. In soccer, basketball, hockey and baseball the all the CPU players have to do is stay in zones or or run with their man. In football defensive is not just reactive players have assignments during the play not just the beginning. Until game designers and programmers establish in play assignments we will continue to see the current "reactive electronic table top" defense that we have played and enjoyed for years.

08-04-2008, 04:30 PM	#14
Niq54 Rookie OVR: 4 Join Date: Mar 2008	The two biggest issues in video game football are poor AI, and constantly ineffective Defensive Playbooks Assignments. In video game football as you pointed out the player can only control one player at a time. The player must count on CPU AI to be in the rght place at the right time. This sounds easy enough but quite often human players find their CPU teammates out of position. This can be due to suction blocking or poor pursuit angles. While I understand this can be difficult for game designers to program but the biggest problem comes from the problem with Defensive playbooks/play assignments. For years video game football teams have used the same defensive playbooks. We buy into it if they give us extra formations or name the playbook after our team, Tampa 2, Baltimore D, NE Defensive for example. But the problem is the design of the plays with the playbook. The designers have given us defensive hot routes, but most people use this to fix the play not to create new ones. For instance how many defensive plays have the d-line assigned to the proper gaps? I hate the fact the the NOSE tackle doesnt cover the A gap on a standard Cover 3 play. And do DE's ever attempt to keep contain? Only if you call a QB contain play but then they do don't rush they imply spread out and sit on the line of scrimmage. DE's rarely follow proper pursuit angles. Let me breakdown a typical DE pursuit on a run play; ball snapped, DE rushes to blocker, ballier breaks line of scrimmage to opposite side of field, DE turns around and runs across the field. Does DE go past the line a scrimmage and run behind the line to be wary of the boot counter or reverse BCR??? Nope. Do line backers play inside-out? Nope Do CBs try to keep contain? Nope This is why for years (extremely apparent in NCAA09) the CPU will only run the ball to the outside. How often have you seen the CPU ball carrier run up the middle? Ask yourself these questions. In soccer, basketball, hockey and baseball the all the CPU players have to do is stay in zones or or run with their man. In football defensive is not just reactive players have assignments during the play not just the beginning. Until game designers and programmers establish in play assignments we will continue to see the current "reactive electronic table top" defense that we have played and enjoyed for years.