How do you guys play Franchise?

[reerdo]

As I plan on having one long term Franchise this year instead of lots of 1 to 2 year one's I was interested to see how you guys play yours by using the poll attached and any snippets of advice you have from any long term Franchise's you have done before.

As I always lose money hand over fist in Owner mode and I want to save my Steelers RB player save for later in the year I will be going straight in on Coach mode with the Jets.

So the options I see are :

A) Play all games (which is what I have normally done hence I don't get many seasons in)
B) Mix and Match (Sim Regular Season and Play Post Season?)
C) Sim and only Sim

[adembroski]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

Here are my accelerated CFM rules;

I'm not a play every down guy, I have kids, I have family, I have a job, I have side work. I cannot play every down and get through a season (I do play every down of slider test games, so everything I posted above is valid), so I came up with some rules to ensure I am ultimately responsible for my team's success or failure, but I can get through seasons quickly.

I love Play the Moments, but it doesn't identify quite enough situations as "moments" so I came up with a different way to use it.

I categorize games in 4 levels; 1.) Playoff games, 2.) Divisional games, 3.) Intraconference games, and 4.) Interconference games. Each uses it's own sim rules.

Overarching rules- Always play the 1st possession of each team in each half (2nd as well if it was a 3-and-out, the idea is YOU set the tone), and always play the finals 2-3 minutes of the first half (second half depends on how competitive the game is). Otherwise, follow the rules below.

1.) Playoff games

Play every down, period. Too important not to. Even if you're getting slaughtered, you want to experience that blank stare you see on players faces as their season is ending.

2.) Divisional games

< 14 pt difference- play every down.
14-21 pt difference - play "key" downs (see below)
22+ pt difference - Play the Moments

3.) Intraconference (non-divisional) games

< 10 pt difference - play every down
11-17 pt difference - Play key moments
18+ pt difference - Play the moments

4.) Interconference games

8-14 pt difference - play key moments
15+ pt difference - play key moments

What are "key moments?"

You sim 1 play at a time, and enter the game on all 3rd & 4th downs and red zone plays. Also jump in when you feel it's appropriate. For instance, I also play all 2nd and short and backed up plays and I define 25 going in as red zone, not 20.

With this system I'm able to knock out a full season in about a quarter the time it otherwise would, so I can actually make some progress in my CFM. Also, it makes you look at AWR of players, especially QBs, since it figures heavily into sim results.

[itsmb8]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

Here are my accelerated CFM rules;

I'm not a play every down guy, I have kids, I have family, I have a job, I have side work. I cannot play every down and get through a season (I do play every down of slider test games, so everything I posted above is valid), so I came up with some rules to ensure I am ultimately responsible for my team's success or failure, but I can get through seasons quickly.

I love Play the Moments, but it doesn't identify quite enough situations as "moments" so I came up with a different way to use it.

I categorize games in 4 levels; 1.) Playoff games, 2.) Divisional games, 3.) Intraconference games, and 4.) Interconference games. Each uses it's own sim rules.

Overarching rules- Always play the 1st possession of each team in each half (2nd as well if it was a 3-and-out, the idea is YOU set the tone), and always play the finals 2-3 minutes of the first half (second half depends on how competitive the game is). Otherwise, follow the rules below.

1.) Playoff games

Play every down, period. Too important not to. Even if you're getting slaughtered, you want to experience that blank stare you see on players faces as their season is ending.

2.) Divisional games

< 14 pt difference- play every down.
14-21 pt difference - play "key" downs (see below)
22+ pt difference - Play the Moments

3.) Intraconference (non-divisional) games

< 10 pt difference - play every down
11-17 pt difference - Play key moments
18+ pt difference - Play the moments

4.) Interconference games

8-14 pt difference - play key moments
15+ pt difference - play key moments

What are "key moments?"

You sim 1 play at a time, and enter the game on all 3rd & 4th downs and red zone plays. Also jump in when you feel it's appropriate. For instance, I also play all 2nd and short and backed up plays and I define 25 going in as red zone, not 20.

With this system I'm able to knock out a full season in about a quarter the time it otherwise would, so I can actually make some progress in my CFM. Also, it makes you look at AWR of players, especially QBs, since it figures heavily into sim results.

Im copying this post into my notes, so thanks.

[reerdo]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

Here are my accelerated CFM rules;

I'm not a play every down guy, I have kids, I have family, I have a job, I have side work. I cannot play every down and get through a season (I do play every down of slider test games, so everything I posted above is valid), so I came up with some rules to ensure I am ultimately responsible for my team's success or failure, but I can get through seasons quickly.

I love Play the Moments, but it doesn't identify quite enough situations as "moments" so I came up with a different way to use it.

I categorize games in 4 levels; 1.) Playoff games, 2.) Divisional games, 3.) Intraconference games, and 4.) Interconference games. Each uses it's own sim rules.

Overarching rules- Always play the 1st possession of each team in each half (2nd as well if it was a 3-and-out, the idea is YOU set the tone), and always play the finals 2-3 minutes of the first half (second half depends on how competitive the game is). Otherwise, follow the rules below.

1.) Playoff games

Play every down, period. Too important not to. Even if you're getting slaughtered, you want to experience that blank stare you see on players faces as their season is ending.

2.) Divisional games

< 14 pt difference- play every down.
14-21 pt difference - play "key" downs (see below)
22+ pt difference - Play the Moments

3.) Intraconference (non-divisional) games

< 10 pt difference - play every down
11-17 pt difference - Play key moments
18+ pt difference - Play the moments

4.) Interconference games

8-14 pt difference - play key moments
15+ pt difference - play key moments

What are "key moments?"

You sim 1 play at a time, and enter the game on all 3rd & 4th downs and red zone plays. Also jump in when you feel it's appropriate. For instance, I also play all 2nd and short and backed up plays and I define 25 going in as red zone, not 20.

With this system I'm able to knock out a full season in about a quarter the time it otherwise would, so I can actually make some progress in my CFM. Also, it makes you look at AWR of players, especially QBs, since it figures heavily into sim results.

Wow thank you for that reply, that's everything I hoped for and more in terms of ideas to take away from this thread.

I'm also in the position where a family minimises available play time hence my desire to find a happy medium between play and SIM.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Operation Sports mobile app

[timhere1970]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play week 4, 8,12 and 16, sim the rest. Play every other playoff game. I like the team building and management part of the game so i want a team that i enjoy playing with but its success is not overwhelmingly based on my game skills. I generally get through 20 or so seasons this way. I start losing interest after that because i will no longer see my rookies careers play out.

One draw back to this is that the sim engine is and has been busted in the playoffs for years. You will lose most simmed games in the playoffs regardless of talent. In fact i am in 2024 and have yet to win a simmed playoff game this year. I recently remembered that i started loading the game and simming it that way last year and it worked much better. I will be going back to that.

[Sheba2011]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

In my offline league, I play every game but I switch each game between "Play only offense" and "play only defense". Playoff games I play 100%.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

Football is the only sport where I can play every game, so I do.

Usually I get about 5 seasons deep, but that is also after I typically get through 2 seasons in a prepatch test CFM.

Sometimes I may sim the first season of that second CFM.

[Bondsfan]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play every game, but with play the moment. So each game is both played and simmed. Only game I play the entire game is the Super Bowl, if I get there.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play every game of my franchise and I typically go 4-5 seasons deep before I move on to a new team and start it up again (or do a fantasy draft team and play with classic rosters).



Here are my house rules along with TDawgs XP house rules in conjunction with using his XP sliders:


I am not playing a 32 team control Franchise this season. I am rolling with an offline single team Dolphins CFM. Below are some general guidelines I employ as "House Rules" to try and keep a well balanced and competitive league. The CPU will do what it does and I am fine with that. It is what it is and to be frank I plan on only playing 5 full seasons max with this team.

1) Gameplanning - I use JoshC1977’s game planning method. Please refer to his 2017 slider thread (link is above) to see how to do this. It is easy and works fantastic for CPU play calling

2) Player XP - I set progress players to "Every 4 Weeks" for the CPU so therefore I also follow that rule. Please read below as I have included TDawgs XP house rules in conjunction to use with his brilliant XP sliders!

3) Coach XP - I spend it whenever I want during the season and I don't limit what packages I buy. Have fun with it. It's your coach and your legacy rating.

4) Contracts during in season resign period and off-season free agency :

Contracts must never be more than 4 yrs unless player requests more

You must let one player rated 80 or higher test free agency


For all Contracts that meet these parameters below:

All contracts longer than 2 years (3 years or more)
All Contracts 2MM total or higher

Must receive a bonus at 30% of the contract amount so for example you have a WR who signs for 60MM over 4 years his bonus should be 18MM of that 60MM total.

QB Contracts are a different animal:

Minimum contract amounts for QB's (even if they want much less) in free agency:

4MM for QB rated below 70

8MM For QB rated 70-79

14MM for QB rated 80-89

17MM for QB rated 90+


When signing your own QB's these rules apply to your 1st and second stringers only.

Also a small caveat. Your starting QB must be paid a minimum of 14MM regardless of rating once his contract comes up for extension. So let's say you have Big Ben retire on you and now your want Landry Jones to step in...and his contract is up to be redone. Well...if he is going to be your starter...he must get starters money. It makes you really think about QB's and their worth to you.


5) Trading - So we all know we can fleece the CPU.....don't do it. If you want a realistic franchise don't blatantly fleece them. Sometimes you can get a good deal that ends up looking one sided. But don't go and trade a 1st and 3rd and some 75 rated RB for Aaron Rodgers. You know that just would never happen. Here are some guidelines for trading:

If trading for a CB you must send back a CB of no lesser value than +/- 10 rating points plus a 2nd round pick. Or you must send at least a 1st and 3rd rounder for any CB rated above 83.

Any blockbuster trade must include a 1st this year a 1st next year, and either a 2nd this year or a really solid young 3rd year or higher player rated 80 or above at either RT, LT, DT, DE, CB, WR, HB.

If your going to trade for a starting QB rated 83 or higher you really should be giving up the moon for them. 1st, 2nd this year, 1st next year, plus a very serviceable young player rated 80 or higher at the positions I mentioned above.

Also one trade is allowed per season. No trading of or for any rookies or players in the first year of a new contract.

In the draft trade as much as you want. It is a lot of fun.


Scouting - I have no house rules on scouting at all. knock yourself out and enjoy the hunt!!!


TDawgs XP House Rules

Rules

Rule 1 - These sliders are not intended for 32 team human control leagues. These sliders are intended for a 1-4 person league with the rest being cpu controlled.

Rule 2 - These sliders are intended for sim play style. If you constantly lead the league in everything or break records non stop the amount of xp you earn will be skewed in your favor.

Rule 3 - These sliders are intended for 4 week progression only. Every Week and End of Season progression will not work with these. Human controlled teams may progress as you please but I still suggest 4 Week for you as well.

Guidelines (How I Play)

Guideline 1 - Use JoshC1977’s game prep method!!!

Guideline 2 - All starters on my teams must have at least an 80 rating in Awr before I upgrade another attribute. All backups must have at least a 70 rating in Awr before I upgrade another attribute. This does two things. First it makes me have to spend on brains instead of jacking up their other ratings and using my stick skills to beat teams. Second it keeps it inline with how the cpu progresses players. They most definitely spend on Awr so again I don't want to cheat them.

Guideline 3 - I will pretty much never spend any XP on Spd, Acc, and Agi.
I feel guys come in at their peak in those areas so no need to make them better and I don't think the cpu goes for those either.

Guideline 4 - This is something I just started doing. At each progression phase, after I've got my players to the Awr level they need to be at, I auto progress any unused xp they may have left. I believe that the auto progress not only coincides with the cpu progression but also will progress players based off of your scheme. Plus I like having only some control over progression. A little random variety is nice. It gives me the feeling of being a Head Coach. I've trained them on their Awr (smarts), they train their bodies, and position specific stuff falls on their imaginary position coaches lol.

To Sum It Up

So that's basically it. The guidelines you don't have to follow but I think it will add a lot to these sliders. The rules however you must follow for these to work properly.

Side note on a few things. I've read where some think the user gains too much XP with these. Remember that these were created to give you realistic averages of talented players later on in your cfm. If you turn them down, while lowering your xp, you are also lowering the xp of all cpu teams and stunting their progression resulting in a cfm with not much top talent. If you gain too much xp you may just be too good for them. However they do give very realistic results for the cpu and to me that is the most important part for people who want a long and satisfying cfm experience. I haven't had a problem gaining too much xp as of yet and if I do at some point I think the guidelines I have above will help to keep things in check. You can always implement your own house rules for yourself as well. That's it.

[VTWiseGuy]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play all my games but, If I am having a losing season and knowing I am going to get canned. I sim the rest of the way.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play franchise very reluctantly.



Someday I hope we can get the franchise mode we all deserve.

Come on. Let's not derail this thread.

There is a whole other thread for that.


Sent from Palm Trees and Paradise using Operation Sports

[reyes the roof]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play all of my games with the exception of super simming the end of games if it's a blow out. I think the fact that it's so easy to get through a season makes me play this more than other games that have a way better franchise mode

[Smallville102001]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

I play ever game with a sport like football because the season is so short it is easy to get threw seasons fast.

[NimitsTexan]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

In MLB the Show, I am forced to sim 50$-70% of games (generally play 1/sim 2) to have even a small chance of playing multiple seasons within the course of a regular season. Assuming I have 5-10hrs in a week I can play video games, and assuming a single game takes about an hour, it takes me about a week of real time to play seven games. A 162 game season would take me at least 4 months, and probably closer to 6. Even simming 2 of 3 games, it still takes me 2-3 months to play through a baseball season.

Madden though, assuming a game plus practice takes about 2 hours a game plus practice/game prep, in those 5-10 hours a week, I can play 2-4 weeks of Madden football. In a 17 week football season, I can easily get through 3-4 seasons of Madden playing every down.

[Grey_Osprey]

Re: How do you guys play Franchise?

In order to get through multiple seasons/franchise's (offline cfm), I usually just play offense, and only play non-divisional games; simming divisional games.

I use TDawg's XP sliders, with some minor tweaks (reductions) to try and keep OVR's down. I also use Armor's sliders, but have also utilized JoshC's, Charter's, and Jarrod's too.

I like to rebuild teams, so after playing/simming several years, if I can't find a team worth rebuilding, I just start a new franchise.

And I'm still playing 17 at the moment, if that matters.