Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

[nortobc]

So I have a few things I'd like to discuss and understand. Since EA gives us NOTHING in terms of descriptions about the functionality of most player attributes and tendencies, let's have a pow-wow and see if we can't get to the bottom of these lingering questions.

1. What does player tendency effect?
My understanding is that player tendency is only a description of the player. So, a speed HB will be "faster" and a power HB will be "Stronger". I've seen "speed" back with less speed than "power" backs. Does this actually effect the play of the player? I've received conflicting answers.
If the answer is that player tendency is only a description of the player, then we need not go any further. If the answer is, player tendency effects the player's on field performance, let's discuss what each tendency does.

2. Which attributes are used in SIM and which are used during game play?
I remember reading in the past that some attributes are only used in SIM and other are only used in game play. Does anybody have any insight into this? I'm fairly sure that Run Block is only used in SIM and things like Run Block Strength and Run Block Footwork are only used in game play. Let's list these and get a confirmation:


I will update the below information as more becomes available/clear on what exactly each tendency does and which attributes are used for SIM or Game Play.

ATTRIBUTES:

Skills:
Speed = Game Play
Acceleration = Game Play
Agility = Game Play
Strength = Game Play
Jumping = Game Play

Running:
Break Tackle = SIM
Trucking = Game Play
Elusiveness = Game Play
Stiff Arm = Game Play
Spin Move = Game Play
Juke Move = Game Play
Carrying = ???
Ball Carrier Vision = ???

Blocking:
Run Block = SIM
Run Block Strength = Game Play
Run Block Footwork = Game Play
Pass Block = SIM
Pass Block Strength = Game Play
Pass Block Footwork = Game Play
Impact Blocking = ???

Catching:
Catching = ???
Spectacular Catching = Game Play
Catch in Traffic = Game Play
Route Running = Game Play
Release = Game Play

Tackling:
Tackle = ???
Hit Power = Game Play

Defense Engaged:
Power Move = Game Play
Finesse Move = Game Play
Block Shedding = ???

Coverage:
Man Coverage = Game Play
Zone Coverage = Game Play
Press = Game Play

Throwing:
Throw Power = Game Play
Throw Accuracy = Game Play

Kicking:
Kick Power = Game Play
Kick Accuracy = Game Play

Returning:
Return = ???

Miscellaneous:
Awareness = ???
Play Recognition = ???
Pursuit = Game Play
Stamina = Game Play
Injury = Game Play

TENDENCIES:

QB:
Scrambler - how often the QB scrambles when the play breaks down
Pocker Passer - ???

HB:
Power - ???
Speed - ???

FB:
Blocking - ???
Receiving - ???

WR:
Speed - ???
Possession - ???

TE:
Blocking - ???
Receiving- ???

OL:
Pass Blocking - ???
Run Blocking - ???

DL:
Pass Rusher - ???
Run Stopper - ???

LB:
Coverage: ???
Run Stopper: ???

DB:
Coverage: ???
Hard Hitter: ???

K/P:
Power - ???
Accurate - ???

[nova91]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Tendencies are screwed up, I have seen a Pocket Passer QB with 900+ rushing yards and multiple 100+ yard games.

[K0ZZ]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Awareness is used in both game play (when your not controlling a player) and in sim.

Tendancies are actually how a player plays which is pretty dumb, the roster glitch proved it. Players don't play to their attributes but to their tendancy. IE a 80 speed QB will run as much as a 99 speed QB if they both are scramblers.

[jello1717]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Tendencies affect how CPU controlled players (for both your team and CPU coached teams) play. IE. a "scrambler" QB will often tuck and run at the first sign of daylight and/or first sign that everyone is blanketed while "balanced" and "pocket passers" will stay in the pocket for much, much longer before taking off. I've read that "power" and "speed" backs will attempt different types of moves (ie. trucking vs. juke) but I haven't seen/tested this personally.

In game ratings:
PMV = effectiveness of power moves
FMV = effectiveness of finesse moves
RBS/PBS = effectiveness of countering PMVs on runs and passes
RBF/PBF = effecitiveness of countering FMVs on runs and passes

[Old School SD Fan]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

In general my overiding beef with EA football titles is ratings have FAR too little impact on gameplay, a fraction of what levels and sliders have.

In my book, if you line up a 99 WR against a 65 corner he should be ripping him all day. A 90 DT against a 70 OL again should feast.

Just never translates that way on the virtual gridiron with EA.

[nortobc]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Tendencies affect how CPU controlled players (for both your team and CPU coached teams) play. IE. a "scrambler" QB will often tuck and run at the first sign of daylight and/or first sign that everyone is blanketed while "balanced" and "pocket passers" will stay in the pocket for much, much longer before taking off. I've read that "power" and "speed" backs will attempt different types of moves (ie. trucking vs. juke) but I haven't seen/tested this personally.

Here is the problem. We are still guessing if tendencies even have an impact on the game, and what they are. So if tendencies have an impact, then how would you explain SS tendencies of coverage vs hard hitter? Does the hard hitter SS not cover a WR? Does the coverage SS not hit a RB? I've seen coverage SS with higher hit power than some hard hitting SS. Who is the better hitter? The guy with the tendency or the guy with the higher attribute?

Do tendencies trigger certain animations? My question is, how does tendency functionally effect the player?

Why doesn't EA have a manual that explains all of this?

[nortobc]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

In game ratings:
PMV = effectiveness of power moves
FMV = effectiveness of finesse moves
RBS/PBS = effectiveness of countering PMVs on runs and passes
RBF/PBF = effecitiveness of countering FMVs on runs and passes

I think RBK and PBK are only used in SIM.

What about ELU?

[Mavmoses07]

In general my overiding beef with EA football titles is ratings have FAR too little impact on gameplay, a fraction of what levels and sliders have.

In my book, if you line up a 99 WR against a 65 corner he should be ripping him all day. A 90 DT against a 70 OL again should feast.

Just never translates that way on the virtual gridiron with EA.

Completely agree. Although this might be a result of certain ratings have little affect on how well a players plays, yet these same ratings significantly affect the player's overall rating.

[jello1717]

Here is the problem. We are still guessing if tendencies even have an impact on the game, and what they are. So if tendencies have an impact, then how would you explain SS tendencies of coverage vs hard hitter? Does the hard hitter SS not cover a WR? Does the coverage SS not hit a RB? I've seen coverage SS with higher hit power than some hard hitting SS. Who is the better hitter? The guy with the tendency or the guy with the higher attribute?

Do tendencies trigger certain animations? My question is, how does tendency functionally effect the player?

Why doesn't EA have a manual that explains all of this?

I think tendencies are just what they'll try to do, not how well they'll do it.
Using QBs as an example, with bugged rosters, balanced and scrambler are swapped. Thus Denard with his 99 SPD/ACC is bugged as balanced and some other guy with 70SPD/ACC is bugged as scrambler. He tendencies mean that Denard will rarely take off (but be crazy effective when he does) while the bugged scrambler will take off often (and not be very effective when he does).

Using your SS example, say a hard hitter tries to use big hits more often and say hit power is how effective he is at hitting with big hits (I made those both up). In this case a hard hitter with lower hit power than a balanced guy would go for more big hits, but they wouldn't be as effective as the balanced guy with more hit power.

[aerovt]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Jello1717 is correct. Coverage guys can, and sometimes do have better hit power than 'hard hitters'. The difference is coverage guys have attributes that make them better in .. coverage (ie speed, man coverage, catch etc).

In game tendencies dont make a player better or worse at anything, it just effects what they are more likely to try. IE if the SS is listed as coverage, he will be more likely to go for the pick rather than just trying to knock the socks off of the receiver and vice verse. Not saying a hard hitter will never go for the pick, but he would be less likely to do so.

The problem in game with the tendency switch is players end up not playing to their attributes. Scrambling QBs try to pass too often, slow pocket QBs try to run too often and are bad at it. On defense, the AI thinks its CBs are all hard hitters, so it tries to press coverage your WRs. As their actual stats are more coverage, they cant press very well and WRs blow by them etc etc

[aerovt]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Completely agree. Although this might be a result of certain ratings have little affect on how well a players plays, yet these same ratings significantly affect the player's overall rating.

I agree. Its annoying that the OVR isnt really that good of an indicator for how well many players play at a position.

A perfect example was in Madden 10, there were some 'hidden' players in the FA, basically 2-3 people who won some contest. They were all rated pretty poorly, but got to choose their stats. One guy was named 'Makino' or something and was a HB with ~95 ACC, ~95 SPD, but super low awareness. He had a ~68-70 overall, but in the players hands was one of the best HBs in the game as a lot of those factors that made a low OVR didnt matter

[nortobc]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

Great discussion we got going here. When I get some time, I'll update the first post to list all the tendencies and attributes, what they do and if they are used in SIM or Game Play.

How about Pass Rusher vs Run Stopper for DL

or

Coverage vs Run Stopper for LB?

[SonOfEd]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

I cant say for '12, but while working on an overhaul on '11 I have seen a couple of things in ratings. The strength rating will often change the defensive players tendencies pretty quickly, yet I cant say I saw much of a change in their gameplay tendency wise. The hit pwr rating adjusts the type of tackle they will attempt, while the tackle rating reflects on its success. A lightweight CB will have hit pwr down in the 40's and you will see more tackles at the knees. Same for a lot of the smaller "hybrid" LBs.

[Playmakers]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

I cant say for '12, but while working on an overhaul on '11 I have seen a couple of things in ratings. The strength rating will often change the defensive players tendencies pretty quickly, yet I cant say I saw much of a change in their gameplay tendency wise. The hit pwr rating adjusts the type of tackle they will attempt, while the tackle rating reflects on its success. A lightweight CB will have hit pwr down in the 40's and you will see more tackles at the knees. Same for a lot of the smaller "hybrid" LBs.

NCAA 11 IMO with edits done right plays just aswell as NCAA 12

RB's are amazing after edits and you can really seperate the type of defenders on each team....As you stated the ratings can dictate what type of hits the players try to perform

Most people had trouble getting the CPU to run the option in NCAA 11....I've had some fairly good results with Option QB's and teams by way of ratings/edits.

Here are some clips of a CPU created Michael Bishop executing the Georgia Tech playbook

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[charter04]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of player tendancies and attributes; WTF do they do?

As some have said the tendancies are the style of play. I can really see this with the team I use the most. I have been using the default rosters. RB #7 of Arkansas, AKA Knile Davis, is a power tendancy runner. He has 90+ spead but in real life he is more of a straight line runner. So I have notice that he lowers his shoulder to run people over more that my balanced or speed RB. All of the tendancy work like that. A pass rush end will rush the passer and not play the run as much.