Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

[DeuceDouglas]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

I've seen conflicting information about whether or not there are limits to how many plays you can put in a given situation--some have said unlimited plays can be added, and others have said that up to 30 can be added.

Is there any clarity on that, whether for offense or defense?

I'm not sure if I can provide much clarity but I can give you some info based on my experience. I don't think there is a limit to how many plays can be put in a given situation but there is definitely a limit on how many plays can be starred for the entire playbook. When I first started I tried giving every play in a teams book a star for each situation but there comes a certain point where it won't allow you to do that any longer. I'm not sure what that limit is exactly but it is very high, I'm estimating ~2000 plays, because it didn't occur for me until I was a good ways in so we're talking ~400+ plays in 5-6 situations before it happened.

The one thing that I noticed however is that if you're adding plays from the "My Gameplan" section (Where you hit X or Square to add or remove play by situation) you can only add 30 plays before the Add Play part becomes grayed out. It doesn't stop you from adding plays to the situation because you can still give plays stars through the formations screen but it made me curious as to if the playbooks would only use the top 30 rated plays for a given situation rather than the entire bunch because of that. I never actually tested it and it would be something probably quite hard and tedious to do so but it was just food for thought.

I know that's not the clarity you're looking for but just some of my observations from my end.

[RogueHominid]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

I'm not sure if I can provide much clarity but I can give you some info based on my experience. I don't think there is a limit to how many plays can be put in a given situation but there is definitely a limit on how many plays can be starred for the entire playbook. When I first started I tried giving every play in a teams book a star for each situation but there comes a certain point where it won't allow you to do that any longer. I'm not sure what that limit is exactly but it is very high, I'm estimating ~2000 plays, because it didn't occur for me until I was a good ways in so we're talking ~400+ plays in 5-6 situations before it happened.

The one thing that I noticed however is that if you're adding plays from the "My Gameplan" section (Where you hit X or Square to add or remove play by situation) you can only add 30 plays before the Add Play part becomes grayed out. It doesn't stop you from adding plays to the situation because you can still give plays stars through the formations screen but it made me curious as to if the playbooks would only use the top 30 rated plays for a given situation rather than the entire bunch because of that. I never actually tested it and it would be something probably quite hard and tedious to do so but it was just food for thought.

I know that's not the clarity you're looking for but just some of my observations from my end.

I started looking at the CPU generic books, which we all know play better than the default team books in solo CFM games when assigned to the CPU, as the generic books actually have some kind of sensible starting system in them.

What I noticed is that some situations would have plays rated in star tiers, while others would have a bunch of plays with just 1/2 star. I wondered if this was because the number of total stars for the book had been used up.

They really need a more intuitive and transparent system for setting up play call frequencies. I can't find a developer explanation of how precisely this works anywhere.

Thanks for weighing in. Figuring these playbooks and game plans out seems to be the secret to making this game great.

I'm 1-4 on default AP now with SF and it's been a blast. I'm working from Sabo's books, which eliminate lots of problems, like the routes the CPU tends to take sacks on. Consequently, I have 6 sacks in 4 games, 4 by one player! I can't remember a time in Madden where I was on pace for less than 30 sacks in a season. I normally get 60+.

[RogueHominid]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

I just uploaded my offensive game plan. It's simply named edgeplan. Feel free to download it and use it as a template. You will wind up with 60 plays. I will check this post as well as mine and help as much as possible. Good luck.

Thanks man, will do!

If you're on PS4, holler (Trojan Man OS).

[edgevoice]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

Dang, sorry on XBOX ONE. Should have specified. Good Luck.

[DeuceDouglas]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

I started looking at the CPU generic books, which we all know play better than the default team books in solo CFM games when assigned to the CPU, as the generic books actually have some kind of sensible starting system in them.

What I noticed is that some situations would have plays rated in star tiers, while others would have a bunch of plays with just 1/2 star. I wondered if this was because the number of total stars for the book had been used up.

They really need a more intuitive and transparent system for setting up play call frequencies. I can't find a developer explanation of how precisely this works anywhere.

Thanks for weighing in. Figuring these playbooks and game plans out seems to be the secret to making this game great.

I'm 1-4 on default AP now with SF and it's been a blast. I'm working from Sabo's books, which eliminate lots of problems, like the routes the CPU tends to take sacks on. Consequently, I have 6 sacks in 4 games, 4 by one player! I can't remember a time in Madden where I was on pace for less than 30 sacks in a season. I normally get 60+.

Yeah, the generics are definitely rated differently than the team defaults which is what helps them play better. Like you mentioned there's certain situations where all 20 plays will be rated a half-star which basically means any of those 20 plays pretty much stand an equal chance of being called in that situation. I think there's also a bit more variety in those 20 plays as well (not as much Curl Flats, Corner Strike, etc.) which is what makes them even better.

But when you look at the team defaults they're a lot different and often heavily skewed one way or the other. For example, if you look at the Packers they have 13 runs and 7 passes for their first down situation. If these were all half-starred then they'd still likely run more often on first down just based on the distribution but the way it's set up all their runs are four stars and the seven passes are one star. This is also part of what makes the CPU extremely predictable and too similar in nature regardless of who you're facing. When I looked into gameplans I looked at five teams and all five of them had either 13 or 14 runs to 6 or 7 passes on first downs and all the runs were four stars and all the passes were either 1 or 1.5 stars.

It's really unfortunate that this feature controls such a significant part of the game and it hasn't been improved or expanded upon since inception. Especially when solutions and/or improvements are so obvious and simple.

[RogueHominid]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

Yeah, the generics are definitely rated differently than the team defaults which is what helps them play better. Like you mentioned there's certain situations where all 20 plays will be rated a half-star which basically means any of those 20 plays pretty much stand an equal chance of being called in that situation. I think there's also a bit more variety in those 20 plays as well (not as much Curl Flats, Corner Strike, etc.) which is what makes them even better.

But when you look at the team defaults they're a lot different and often heavily skewed one way or the other. For example, if you look at the Packers they have 13 runs and 7 passes for their first down situation. If these were all half-starred then they'd still likely run more often on first down just based on the distribution but the way it's set up all their runs are four stars and the seven passes are one star. This is also part of what makes the CPU extremely predictable and too similar in nature regardless of who you're facing. When I looked into gameplans I looked at five teams and all five of them had either 13 or 14 runs to 6 or 7 passes on first downs and all the runs were four stars and all the passes were either 1 or 1.5 stars.

It's really unfortunate that this feature controls such a significant part of the game and it hasn't been improved or expanded upon since inception. Especially when solutions and/or improvements are so obvious and simple.

Excellent commentary, Deuce!

I hadn't gone in and looked at the team default game plans closely, especially not after striking gold with Sabo's books.

I think those of us who are OCD and are interested in figuring this out should put together a global resource from OS users on how to make these game plans better.

I'm in the knowledge-is-power camp and at least we know now that default books have jacked up game plans that significantly detract from the game, that generic books have much better game plans that can be used as a model for improved game plans, and that custom books can eliminate many of the plays the CPU doesn't run well + add plays to get the CPU's best players involved.

With that knowledge, we can start some kind of knowledge repository with specific tips for folks interested in using the game plan and custom playbook feature to enhance their games.

This discovery saved the game for me. I was always too lazy to use this feature before, but after seeing what a well-tailored book and game plan could do for the CPU, I was blown away.

[DerkontheOS]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

For anyone using generic playbooks for the CPU, what have you found that works and what does not work?

I gave the redskins pass balanced and Cousins has thrown 15 times in a row...

[D81SKINS]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

For anyone using generic playbooks for the CPU, what have you found that works and what does not work?

I gave the redskins pass balanced and Cousins has thrown 15 times in a row...

Pass balance= pass heavy
Try the Run balance or another

[jblanco427]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

First off, love the playbooks, gameplay is super realistic when combined with the right sliders.

But, on Xbox 1, I seem to be having issues with saving in cfm after I play the game. I make the second profile with the 3rd string qb on the opposing team, use the second controller to apply playbooks and keep it on during the game (it does turn off at times, but I turn it back on and the game continues). Once I finish the game, it exits me out all the way back to the main menu saying I "switched profiles" and by the time I get back into the cfm it is only saved up until my last manual save, which is always immediately before kickoff.

Any help on this would be very much appreciated, I love the better play calling from the cpu, but if I can't get it to save it's not gonna work out.

Thanks in advance!

[SpyPirates]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

[My bad, I originally posted in the wrong thread.]

But while this is bumped, just want to say I was skeptical at first about all of this business, but I think this is a really useful way to improve CPU playcalling and introduce variety into your games.

I'm currently using your Dolphins playbook (which I had been using the default version of in my CFM) to see if the super sim will get any better this season. My team's running game is pretty average, but I have Aaron Rodgers, so it's frustrating when the super sim runs the ball in almost every situation unless it's 3rd and long or a 2 minute drill.

Maybe next year I'll upload a few random playbooks with the gameplan filled out so we can get all 32 teams on the community file share. Let me know if anyone else has done any offensive playbooks that OP didn't get to this year; 71 pages later it's hard to keep up with this stuff!

One thing I like doing that neither the default playbooks or OP did was introduce more deep/play action passes on 2nd and short. I guess if "realism" is the only goal, this is fine, but I think it's an optimal strategy to go for big plays on 2nd and short (which is defined as 2nd and 2 or less for game plan purposes).

[servo75]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

Not sure if this is a relevant thread, I have a question on custom playbooks in general...

What is the significance of "rating" plays, and what are some tips in how many stars to assign to a play? I'm browsing through some of the stock playbooks and I notice that every play has exactly 0.5 stars - what's the meaning of that? I had the system of assigning 2 stars to a play that would be run with typical frequency, 0.5-1 for rare, 3 for common and 5 for "duh what else would you call?"

So I assume the ratings/gameplan effects plays that you see in the "Strategy" suggestions. I'd also figure that if you have a second down and medium in the red zone and you're trying to run out the clock, then the game cross-references your game plan for plays that are maximized in those three categories?

As a side note, I recently customized a defensive playbook (I like the 4-3 but wanted to add "46" plays), and I noticed that when I super-sim defense, the CPU moves the ball at will, and I have to user-control to slow it down (and I SUCK at playing manual defense! ). I would assume that the CPU when calling plays uses my gameplan and automatically picks the #1 "suggested" play), so it's picking 46 Blitz in 3rd and long.

Do I have this figured about right?

[SpyPirates]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

Not sure if this is a relevant thread, I have a question on custom playbooks in general...

What is the significance of "rating" plays, and what are some tips in how many stars to assign to a play? I'm browsing through some of the stock playbooks and I notice that every play has exactly 0.5 stars - what's the meaning of that? I had the system of assigning 2 stars to a play that would be run with typical frequency, 0.5-1 for rare, 3 for common and 5 for "duh what else would you call?"

So I assume the ratings/gameplan effects plays that you see in the "Strategy" suggestions. I'd also figure that if you have a second down and medium in the red zone and you're trying to run out the clock, then the game cross-references your game plan for plays that are maximized in those three categories?

As a side note, I recently customized a defensive playbook (I like the 4-3 but wanted to add "46" plays), and I noticed that when I super-sim defense, the CPU moves the ball at will, and I have to user-control to slow it down (and I SUCK at playing manual defense! ). I would assume that the CPU when calling plays uses my gameplan and automatically picks the #1 "suggested" play), so it's picking 46 Blitz in 3rd and long.

Do I have this figured about right?

Hard to say exactly, but my mental model of what's happening is for each situation, each half star a play is rated as earns it one "ticket", and all the tickets are thrown into a hat and the CPU draws at random to determine what play is used. So a 1/2 star play is called 2x less than a 1 star play, which is in turn called 3x less frequently than a 3 star play. No evidence to support this; it just sort of makes sense and seems like it might be roughly correct in my experience.

Regarding hybrid situations where you're both running out the clock and it's 2nd and long or something, my experience would lead me to guess that both situations are relevant to determining the playcall--there isn't a complete override. I have a low sample size with my gameplan, which is pass heavy, but in running out the clock situations, I have more pass plays than a default playbook, but more run plays than I would have otherwise in situations like 2nd and long, 2nd and short, where I'm mostly calling pass plays in the gameplan.

[charlieinwhite]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

I made a custom playbook, rated all the plays half stars and sometimes when I select a play on 2nd or 3rd down it goes into a punt formation.

Why would that happen?

How do I get Coach Suggestions for the User to use the whole playbook?

I know we rerate books for the CPU to call a more diverse game plan but when I rerate a playrook for me to use Coach Suggestions the same few plays are suggested over and over.

Is there a trick to it? Too many plays? Is Coach Suggestions glitched?

Would love to be able to use the whole playbook without having to choose each play by formation, ect.

Did you ever get an answer?
I scanned over the next five pages and didn't see any.
Tried creating my own play book and am having the same issues as you, fake punt being called instead of what I chose, the suggestions ignoring my play book and, blank plays showing, highly frustrating.

[Dazza1]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

have tried reading right the way through this post and my eyes are bleeding, lol. so can I just clarify, the only way to get a CPU team to use a custom playbook in Madden 17 offline CFM is with the second profile system? is that correct? no other way?

[King Gro23]

Re: Madden 17 Everything Playbooks (custom) for the CPU or user

Let's just push for this to be a feature in M18 without a second profile ; and all this extra work that I personally have gotten 10-20 crashes and 2 successful attempts.

It is extremely frustrating. This could easily make the game much better gameplay wise


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