Madden 18 CFM Scouting Tool
Hi all, and thanks for checking out the Madden CFM Scouting Tool. A good number of you will have used the previous iterations of this tool for Madden 17, and I'm pleased to say that it's back and better than ever. There's a load of new features and it's been tuned to work with the current M18 draft classes.
Download Here (or from the attachment on this thread)
Key Features:
Preview Images:
Here is a little preview of V6 of the tool (N.B. this is an incomplete draft class):
How does it work?
You input data for players in your draft class, including the player's position, projected round, age, unlocked skills and grades, and combine stats. The tool will then offer a variety of outputs to help you determine whether or not this player is worth drafting, and his true value relative to his peers in the class. An inordinate number of checks are performed against different criteria to categorise players as the following:
The tool will also output a True Value Rating for each player. This is complex algorithm that takes into account all of the data you've entered. It will help you rank prospects against each other and set your board ready for draft day.
New for Version 6!
Version 6 is the biggest update to the tool I've made since version 2. I've completely rewritten large swathes of the underlying plumbing so that it's better architecturally and will allow me to react faster to changes in draft class tuning from EA. I'm pretty proud of the results, and hope you reap the benefits!
Compatibility:
This is particularly important for non-Microsoft Excel users!
To use the tool, you will need Windows with Excel 2010 or newer installed. I cannot guarantee it will work on any other version of Office or older versions of Excel.
Other users have managed to get it working on iPad and Mac, but I can't offer much comment on how effectively the tool works in this form. Apparently it works on Sheets, but some of the conditional formatting goes funny and the drop downs may not work correctly.
I do know there are major, major compatibility problems with Excel 2003 or older, so probably not even worth trying. There are a couple of minor compatibility problems with Excel 2007: the TVR ranking column won't work because the function used to drive that only came into play with Excel 2010, and some of the data validation for skills and grades will mess up because it references a different sheet.
Data Input Syntax for Non-Excel Users
The data validation/dropdown lists may not work in tools like Sheets. Dropdowns are used in the following areas:
The tool may throw an error if you don't use the correct syntax on these fields. My guidance is as follows:
Player Archetypes: Input these exactly as you see them on Madden, e.g. 3-4 Pass Rusher, Balanced 4-3, Cover 2, Zone, etc. etc.
Draft Stories: Use the first column in the Draft Stories tab to ensure you get the right syntax.
Scouted Skills: Use the abbreviations as per below:
Acknowledgements
Massive thanks to Alex the Great who help me gather data during the EA Access Trial for v5. Enormous thanks to the many, many people who have sent me their data in the run up to the V6 release. Couldn't have done this without your help!
If anyone else wants to help me out, please unhide columns D and E in the tool after the draft, and populate them with the OVR and dev traits for the players you scouted. This will give me a bigger sample size to ensure the tool is even more accurate for the next version! Either upload these direct to the thread (or post a link) or PM me for my email to send these over.
Happy drafting!
OMN
Download Here (or from the attachment on this thread)
Key Features:
- Never draft a bust: "Draft Status" column separates the blue chippers from the scrubs using a huge number of position-specific checks against unlocked scouting attributes and combine stats.
- Set up your Big Board correctly: The tool provides a ranking algorithm to help you set your board before draft classes. Invaluable, particularly in Online CFMs where you're unable to attend the live draft!
- Scout Dev Traits: My extensive research into how you can use draft stories to predict dynamic dev traits is now incorporated into the tool.
- Find the mid/late round gems: You will now be able to see the potential stars hiding in the middle and late rounds of the draft.
- Find depth in the later rounds: As well as the elite prospects, the tool will also find potential contributors for your team who are likely to have an OVR in the 70-74 range.
- Rebuild through the draft like a real GM: The tool will help you draft entire classes of high quality players who are all potential starters for your team.
- Draft by BPA: The unique "True Value Rating" system provides a ranking algorithm to compare all prospects so that you can always draft best player available.
- Compare YOUR draft class to the average Madden draft class: Draft Class Strength Analysis tab shows you how your class compares to the average class in terms of elite prospects, depth, and strength at different positions.
- Scout efficiently: Tool ensures you spend your scouting points as efficiently as possible, ruling out players with a low OVR quickly in the scouting process.
- Scout more players: the Tool will ensure you can cover as many prospects as possible in the class, meaning you don't have to focus on positions of need.
- Bring in Free Agents at the right positions: Draft Class Strength Analysis will show you which holes in your team you can plug through the draft, and which areas you would be advised to bring in Free Agents.
Preview Images:
Here is a little preview of V6 of the tool (N.B. this is an incomplete draft class):
How does it work?
You input data for players in your draft class, including the player's position, projected round, age, unlocked skills and grades, and combine stats. The tool will then offer a variety of outputs to help you determine whether or not this player is worth drafting, and his true value relative to his peers in the class. An inordinate number of checks are performed against different criteria to categorise players as the following:
- Blue chip prospects: Potentially elite, top 10/pro bowl caliber players at their position. OVR normally at least 75.
- Red chip prospects: Serviceable starters, but will likely not progress into elite players. OVR normallyi n the 70-74 range.
- Do not draft prospects: Players who will normally have an OVR below 70, and are usually not worth drafting as they will never progress into starters for you.
The tool will also output a True Value Rating for each player. This is complex algorithm that takes into account all of the data you've entered. It will help you rank prospects against each other and set your board ready for draft day.
New for Version 6!
Version 6 is the biggest update to the tool I've made since version 2. I've completely rewritten large swathes of the underlying plumbing so that it's better architecturally and will allow me to react faster to changes in draft class tuning from EA. I'm pretty proud of the results, and hope you reap the benefits!
- Archetype Blue/Red Chip Checks: The tool has been completely rewritten so that a more flexible, extensible model for blue and red chip status checks against both positions and archetypes is provided.
- More accurate checks: The new checking logic means that the tool is more accurate than it has ever been before, in terms of identify elite/blue chip prospects, and serviceable starters (red chip prospects).
- More draft stories: I'm pretty sure I've got 99% of the draft stories covered off in the tool now (N.B. some stories are part of a broader archetype that has the same effect but different wording depending on position - check the Draft Stories tab in the tool). Keep an eye out for stories in Draft week itself, not many people know about these ones!
- Further tweaks to the algorithm: True Value Rating algorithm tweaked to further normalise it across positions.
- More granular dev trait %s: Based on the data I've gathered so far for M18, I've been able to provide more granular/accurate dev trait estimates against prospects.
- Tool User Guide: There is now a user guide for the tool embedded as a new sheet. That should stop the incessant questions I get about skill abbreviations... I hope...
- More additional minor tweaks and alterations than you can shake a stick at: V6 was a massive piece of work. So many minor changes I can't list them here, but the net result is the best scouting tool yet.
Compatibility:
This is particularly important for non-Microsoft Excel users!
To use the tool, you will need Windows with Excel 2010 or newer installed. I cannot guarantee it will work on any other version of Office or older versions of Excel.
Other users have managed to get it working on iPad and Mac, but I can't offer much comment on how effectively the tool works in this form. Apparently it works on Sheets, but some of the conditional formatting goes funny and the drop downs may not work correctly.
I do know there are major, major compatibility problems with Excel 2003 or older, so probably not even worth trying. There are a couple of minor compatibility problems with Excel 2007: the TVR ranking column won't work because the function used to drive that only came into play with Excel 2010, and some of the data validation for skills and grades will mess up because it references a different sheet.
Data Input Syntax for Non-Excel Users
The data validation/dropdown lists may not work in tools like Sheets. Dropdowns are used in the following areas:
- Player Archetypes
- Scouted Skills
- Draft Stories
The tool may throw an error if you don't use the correct syntax on these fields. My guidance is as follows:
Player Archetypes: Input these exactly as you see them on Madden, e.g. 3-4 Pass Rusher, Balanced 4-3, Cover 2, Zone, etc. etc.
Draft Stories: Use the first column in the Draft Stories tab to ensure you get the right syntax.
Scouted Skills: Use the abbreviations as per below:
- STR
- AGI
- SPD
- ACC
- AWR
- CTH
- CAR
- THP
- PBK
- RBK
- JMP
- TRK
- ELU
- BCV
- SFA
- SPM
- JKM
- IBK
- SPC
- CIT
- RTE
- RLS
- TAS
- TAM
- TAD
- TOR
- PAC
- KPW
- KAC
- TAK
- PMV
- FMV
- BSH
- PUR
- PRC
- MCV
- ZCV
- POW
- PRS
Acknowledgements
Massive thanks to Alex the Great who help me gather data during the EA Access Trial for v5. Enormous thanks to the many, many people who have sent me their data in the run up to the V6 release. Couldn't have done this without your help!
If anyone else wants to help me out, please unhide columns D and E in the tool after the draft, and populate them with the OVR and dev traits for the players you scouted. This will give me a bigger sample size to ensure the tool is even more accurate for the next version! Either upload these direct to the thread (or post a link) or PM me for my email to send these over.
Happy drafting!
OMN
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