Game is Just Too Easy

[JimK]

What really hurts this game is that it is just too darn easy. Here's just an example for you. I picked the Chiefs. Terrible team. I made a new coach, so I started with a coach rating of like 13. Also, I'm too impatient to really do the coaching. I don't analyze the opposing scheme. I don't even call plays. I just hit circle and let my coordinator call the plays. The only thing I'll do is intervene in certain situations where a decision is required, like punt or go for it. I also used sliders made by Ebongreen that greatly bump up the running game, while I myself went with a passing offense.

Well, after one draft and a couple free agent signings, my pitiful 13 point coach took the Chiefs to 14-2. We murdered the Patriots 35-14 in the playoffs before I finally decided that the game was too easy.

Also, Brian Brohm, no superstar by any means if you just look at his ratings, set a new NFL record with 55 TD passes and 5600 yards. Dwayne Bowe had over 120 catches. It was just ridiculous.

Some other notes:

--Playing the game seems to really favor the offense. When I was playing games I had by far the best offense with a pretty crummy defense. When I started supersimming (after I decided playing was too easy even though I wasn't calling plays), that changed completely. My offense came back to earth and suddenly my defense was great.

--After playing several different franchises over the years, as I continue to play this game off and on (usually during the offseason of the real NFL to get my fix), one thing is clear to me: Keith Rivers is by far the best player in the 2008 draft. No other player comes close to the impact this guy has (unless you count just about any QB you pick if you run a passing offense and play the games). I usually move him to MLB just so he's in the middle of my defense where he can make plays everywhere. In this last franchise he was the MLB in the Tampa 2 and had 11 interceptions. 11 interceptions by a LB. That was along with about 130 tackles.

[algoody421]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

Your problem is slider and playcall related. This game is NOT too easy WHEN you play it correctly and have properly adjusted sliders. Just try mine, with the penalties and everything as its written, same for cpu and human all around. I have video posted of stats on my topic in the slider forum, go see how realistic the stats come in...

That plus NEVER using mastered plays UNLESS absolutely necessary will bring the game to a more realistic difficulty. That means you're down or its tied in the 4th and you need a 3rd/4th down. The only reason you should be using ONLY MASTERED PLAYS(which is what many of you do when you complain about difficulty), is because you ONLY HAVE MASTERED PLAYS. I go most of the first 8 games without using ANY mastered plays, just to master the whole playbook faster and to give myself more difficulty. The more you use mastered plays though, the more you take advantage of the system(making the game too easy). Realize mastered plays give EVERY PLAYER AT MASTERED A HUGE RATINGS BOOST. Thats why you get 5 interceptions a game on some of these slider sets(especially default).

Try my sliders, and play like I explained in the slider topic. You need to run the ball every game at least 30 times with at least 20 going to the starting rb. This is to run time to make stats more realistic. Also, you HAVE TO PLAYCALL YOURSELF. Your oc an dc will only call about 20 plays in total and will over use mastered plays skyrocketing their usage score. You'll notice if you defer on 3rd down, THEY ALWAYS CALL THE SAME ****ING PLAY! You have to playcall by knowledge or formation seeking ONLY learned or unlearn plays until none are left. I broke all this down though in that topic.

Im a guy who used to get 15 int with 7 for td with only one person every year, as well as just throwing for 600 yards/game 6000 a season and 60 tds EVERY SEASON. I beat the game so badly I was perfect for SEASONS in a row. I was winning 80-18 or so almost every game. Then I fixed the sliders and started playing like Ive explained. WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. The best coaches can KICK YOUR *** if you dont gameplan properly and play call well.

But until you try to play this way, YES, the game will always be TOO EASY...

PS granted your sliders werent adjusted yet but manti te'o got 9 last year at lb(even if it was college). As a mlb in the cover two, anyone who throws over the middle too short is asking for an interception to the mlb. I watched urlacher get EVERY SINGLE INT in his career(22). He played every year under lovie pretty much in the cover 2...

[JimK]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

We essentially agree that the game as written is entirely too easy. You have to make house rules to make it not easy, which is an admission that it's too easy to begin with.

[BrnwsBucksFanNC]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

I guess I dont really understand this then. I have played this games pretty much since it came out. I have found ways to make it easy, and I have found ways to make it more challenging. The question is what do I want out of the game? Yes, we have to make house rules. I also play Madden and NCAA and I need to make house rules with those as well.

So what if the game requires slider changes and house rules to keep it challenging? From what I see of this whole website, that is what it is dedicated to doing.

So if the point is to enjoy the game for what it is worth, we change sliders and make house rules. If it is not the point of enjoying the game, well, why play it at all?

[Skarecrow]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

I'm a big fan of ebongreen's sliders. they're not realistic, but they're fun. however, if you match them with a good passing playbook and the vertical passing or spread philosophies, then have your coordinators playcall, you're going to decimate the opponents. you just will. I've had joe kain and dane morrow both flirt with 8000 yard 80td passing before with that combination.

you want a hard game? play a power running offense with byron's sliders. I tried it, it was a different game.

I went back to ebon's sliders because I like the game that way. if you don't like the game that way, give algoody's advice a shot. you don't even have to start with the mastered/not mastered thing if you don't want to, just the combination of sliders and running makes it hard enough.

oh, and reset until you get zazalli or sweeny as your draft paths, and don't look at a draft path cheat sheet. or hell, look all you want but make your GM do all the draft picks and only override him if he's picking like 4 DTs in a row.

[Winnipeg59]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

I must be doing something wrong then, because I seem to struggle regularly with HC09. Of course I usually try to rebuild the Raiders, so...

Might I suggest the OP start a dynasty thread? I would seriously like to see how the OP manages his game, the moves made and the way things play out?

[bblack1207]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

You should probably just play Madden then because this game is for Coaching. Anyone who does not get excited by creating a team and all of the residuals that go along with managing it throughout should be playing something else. This is for building a team/organization and enjoying it becoming successful while performing like you created it to do on the field.

[john129pats]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

You should probably just play Madden then because this game is for Coaching. Anyone who does not get excited by creating a team and all of the residuals that go along with managing it throughout should be playing something else. This is for building a team/organization and enjoying it becoming successful while performing like you created it to do on the field.

He said it was too easy, which has nothing to do with liking the game. OP has a point. I have to constantly go out of my way to make the game more challenging, which is poor design.

[algoody421]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

Hold up, whats so ****ing difficult about these three things? I'll be as succinct as possible.
1) setting the sliders ONCE for the REST OF YOUR careers. I have proof of how well my sliders work, its already posted. REALISTIC STATS = REALISTIC COMPETITION. At this point I make slider adjustments one at a time and have pretty much perfected every stat. Records dont get broken unless you have the talent and the staff(2 4+ developers) at that position. That and it usually has some tie to you(the player) because of a bad game you had against them(torched for 350+ yards passing for instance).

2) ACTUALLY LEARNING YOUR ****ING PLAYBOOK(Im tired of being nice about this, Ive explained it enough). That means not using mastered plays every ****ing down every ****ing game cause you ****ing feel like it. Way to ruin the game and then blame the game for it.

3) ACTUALLY PLAY CALLING REALISTICALLY. You know running on first down most of the time to run clock and wear down a defense/open up passing lanes. You know most teams average at least 20 runs, if not 30-40 with 20-30 going to the main back. Thats what it means to have a WORKHORSE, 30+ QUALITY reps.

Also not breaking the huddle before 25 unless you need to hurry before the end of halfs/to catch up. Most huddles dont get broke till 20 in the nfl, some are faster under the elite but even then its 25(maybe 30 if they run the hurry up). ****ty teams break it at 15 cause the o/dc couldnt pick a play fast enough(bears did it all the time under martz). Watch an nfl game.

I ask you? Whats so hard? You cant take a loss so you just always use mastered plays. Then somehow expect the cpu to play as well as you magically when they use learned and unlearned plays THROUGHOUT THE ****ING GAME!

Oh no, you have to play like an adult instead of a child gaming the system. You have to be responsible and realistic, make all the calls yourself. To be honest, why would you want to watch your coordinators call plays anyways? Thats just ****ing lazy. Play the game or sim it if you want to just be the gm, but dont have one foot in and one foot out.

[JimK]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

He said it was too easy, which has nothing to do with liking the game. OP has a point. I have to constantly go out of my way to make the game more challenging, which is poor design.

Thank you, man. I'm glad someone understands what I'm trying to say and isn't just out to attack people. A couple people have made this forum an unfriendly place. As you said, I never once mentioned that I don't like the game or that I want to play Madden.

What I said was that the game is too easy, which it is. Other than that, I like the game. Which should be obvious by the fact that I'm on this forum.

It's unreal to me that complete strangers think it's their place to tell me how to play the game, or tell me I don't have a right to play the game because I don't think what they want me to think about the game. Talk about delusional.

[JimK]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

Hold up, whats so ****ing difficult about these three things? I'll be as succinct as possible.
1) setting the sliders ONCE for the REST OF YOUR careers. I have proof of how well my sliders work, its already posted. REALISTIC STATS = REALISTIC COMPETITION. At this point I make slider adjustments one at a time and have pretty much perfected every stat. Records dont get broken unless you have the talent and the staff(2 4+ developers) at that position. That and it usually has some tie to you(the player) because of a bad game you had against them(torched for 350+ yards passing for instance).

2) ACTUALLY LEARNING YOUR ****ING PLAYBOOK(Im tired of being nice about this, Ive explained it enough). That means not using mastered plays every ****ing down every ****ing game cause you ****ing feel like it. Way to ruin the game and then blame the game for it.

3) ACTUALLY PLAY CALLING REALISTICALLY. You know running on first down most of the time to run clock and wear down a defense/open up passing lanes. You know most teams average at least 20 runs, if not 30-40 with 20-30 going to the main back. Thats what it means to have a WORKHORSE, 30+ QUALITY reps.

Also not breaking the huddle before 25 unless you need to hurry before the end of halfs/to catch up. Most huddles dont get broke till 20 in the nfl, some are faster under the elite but even then its 25(maybe 30 if they run the hurry up). ****ty teams break it at 15 cause the o/dc couldnt pick a play fast enough(bears did it all the time under martz). Watch an nfl game.

I ask you? Whats so hard? You cant take a loss so you just always use mastered plays. Then somehow expect the cpu to play as well as you magically when they use learned and unlearned plays THROUGHOUT THE ****ING GAME!

Oh no, you have to play like an adult instead of a child gaming the system. You have to be responsible and realistic, make all the calls yourself. To be honest, why would you want to watch your coordinators call plays anyways? Thats just ****ing lazy. Play the game or sim it if you want to just be the gm, but dont have one foot in and one foot out.

Um, who the hell are you and what in the world makes you think it's your place to swear at me and call me lazy? I'll play the game however the hell I damn well please. If you don't like it you can kiss my ***.

[algoody421]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

You're making false claims of how easy the game is and then you get defensive when I show you how to fix that. You act as though its too hard to play realistically so you'll just bitch about there being no challenge when you play like a child.

[DSThom]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

You're making false claims....

You should know very well about that. Your first post here, before you started spamming very thread with your rambling incoherence, was titled "Lesser exploits/sound advice to enjoy this game," in which claimed Motivator is effective for the length of a coach's career!

The game is way too easy unless you make all kinds of rules for yourself that to many, especially those looking for a realistic football simulation, make Head Coach 09 a big disappointment. What could have been, if they'd finished the job, but just isn't.

[algoody421]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

I made a mistake, everyone does. But motivator at the beginning of the game can and will make your team overpowered, even the dolphins, even on my sliders. Ive done it. Even if it doesnt work on every player after its used, its still the best route, if you seek to win every game every year.

The only house rules you need, I stated. Very simply, learn your whole playbook to MASTERED every year, fix the sliders once, and play call a balanced game. Thats it. You people act like thats a lot of things to incorporate. ITS NOT.

And the game isnt too easy, you're just exploiting it and expecting it to be difficult. Anyone can win every game using mastered plays every play, win with unlearned plays...

[Skarecrow]

Re: Game is Just Too Easy

The game isn't that easy if you suck at it. I can attest to that.