Strategy Discussion: 4 Defensive "depth charts" to 1 Offensive.

[JesterBlaze]

Notice that in total you can set only 1 instance of offensive starters whereas you can set 4 instances of defensive starters... and you can pick and choose which instance of defensive starters is on the field at a given time... Perhaps instead of thinking in terms of Offense/Defense/Special Teams you should think in terms of Offense/Special Teams/Base Defense/Nickel/Dime/Goal Line???

[tarcone]

You are missing the formations screens. While the base set is the same. You can sub in a TE for a WR (2 TE sets), a 3rd WR for a FB, 2 WRs for a TE and a FB, etc.
I think there are just as many offensive screen, if not more, then defensive screens.

[JesterBlaze]

I think the base set is what I'm getting at. Pretty easy to get 4 run-stopping DLinemen and LBs for your base defense and 4 pass-rushing DLinemen and coverage LBs for your nickel and dime. Perhaps we can utilize a set of run-blocking OLinemen for run plays and pass-blocking OLinemen for pass plays via the formations... never crossed my mind...

[Brando]

Yeah, I like to use those multiple screens to platoon guys on defense where I don't have good all-around guy. My backup FS Derek Crooks is a perfect example. He's a 36/36 guy with a 0 in run defense (that one bar makes up about 29% of a safety's overall rating), low endurance, no special teams or return value, but he has pretty nice bars in the passing-specific categories, so he's been playing either SS or FS in nickel/dime the last two years instead of my base defense starter.

His pass defense rating has always been above 81 and he's had six picks in about 600 pass plays over those two years. To put that in context, Dwayne Hernandez led all safeties in interceptions last year with six picks in 520 passing plays. Crooks isn't a world-beater overall, but if I can use my fourth safety spot on a guy who can make a positive impact on 10-15 third downs or obvious passing downs, I feel like I'm squeezing everything I can out of my roster.

[Mike17]

Perhaps we can utilize a set of run-blocking OLinemen for run plays and pass-blocking OLinemen for pass plays via the formations... never crossed my mind...

This sounds plausible until you consider that for it to be effective, you'd have to skew your gameplan to be ~75% or more run or pass so that your run blockers have minimal chance to see a pass play and vice versa. My GPs are rarely that extreme and I think it's asking for defensive familiars to show up

[JesterBlaze]

I agree Mike. I don't like to appear closed-minded though so I feel I owe anyone who participates in a discussion a level of attention to their suggestion. Even if I don't end up utilizing the suggestion at least I've mentally traveled down the path to see what's there.

[GGill]

Jester,
I have gotten a lot out of your recent posts and it gives one a lot to think about. However, I think the game has many hidden factors that don’t let one thing work in each game all the time. I know when I got FOF I let it run thru about ten seasons before I took over a team. It was a very bad one and I built it into a winner in three seasons. [Single play]

In this MP game I’m finding it a totally different beast. Yes real people do make a huge difference, but I think the game engine also responds differently. The team I was in SP was far worse than the Voodoo are. However I never saw the things I’m seeing in games. Like 3 offside and a fumble on a final drive. Or 4 pass interferences in a row to give up a winning TD in the last second. [Some of the last ten games or so have been pretty unreal in that regard] I’m not sure why or how one corrects for those things or if you can.

I’m really starting to wonder if it is just dependent on a dice roll and getting a group of players the algorithm likes and not much more. Despite the input of the human. I will say I’m looking forward to the end of this season so I can start drafting and targeting the players I want to build a team around instead of just plugging holes to stop the bleeding. I guess time will tell and if some of what you have mentioned bears fruit.

p.s. I'm not bitching; I'm very intrigued in to seeing how the Voodoo pans out over the next several seasons. AND if I can turn this sorry ass franchise around or not!

[JesterBlaze]

GGill, I think part of what you've mentioned is probably because in Solo Play your cohesion, etc. is usually above the PC controlled teams, who in only a few years will have totally disfunctional organizations.

Fumbles of course have plenty of "dice roll" in them but penalties do seem to be based largely on (lack of) experience and (lack of) cohesion... as well as perhaps endurance/playtime which is something I don't have a large set of data on but, letting a possible good secret out of the bag: I put my playtime to 100% for everyone during a recent IFL Bowl and had more than my regular share of penalties and lost. The last 2 I kept it "decent" and won with an expected number of flags.

[JesterBlaze]

Oh, and in case you haven't already come across it, coaches have a discipline rating that I assume plays a big part in penalties.

[Kobeck]

Jester,
I have gotten a lot out of your recent posts and it gives one a lot to think about. However, I think the game has many hidden factors that don’t let one thing work in each game all the time. I know when I got FOF I let it run thru about ten seasons before I took over a team. It was a very bad one and I built it into a winner in three seasons. [Single play]

In this MP game I’m finding it a totally different beast. Yes real people do make a huge difference, but I think the game engine also responds differently. The team I was in SP was far worse than the Voodoo are. However I never saw the things I’m seeing in games. Like 3 offside and a fumble on a final drive. Or 4 pass interferences in a row to give up a winning TD in the last second. [Some of the last ten games or so have been pretty unreal in that regard] I’m not sure why or how one corrects for those things or if you can.

I’m really starting to wonder if it is just dependent on a dice roll and getting a group of players the algorithm likes and not much more. Despite the input of the human. I will say I’m looking forward to the end of this season so I can start drafting and targeting the players I want to build a team around instead of just plugging holes to stop the bleeding. I guess time will tell and if some of what you have mentioned bears fruit.

p.s. I'm not bitching; I'm very intrigued in to seeing how the Voodoo pans out over the next several seasons. AND if I can turn this sorry ass franchise around or not!

I feel your pain. I thought I could turn Fresno around. I knocked on the door a couple of times but I never got in - lol

It is a challenge. I had a good roster for sure, but not a winning roster.

[JesterBlaze]

I had a good roster for sure, but not a winning roster.

Kobeck, I think/hope that I can speak of us as friends/acquaintances after many years in the league together. On that note I ask you to educate me on the difference you've mentioned above.

[Matt]

I also believe that a new HC will have more penalties until he's been with a team for a few years.

[Kobeck]

Kobeck, I think/hope that I can speak of us as friends/acquaintances after many years in the league together. On that note I ask you to educate me on the difference you've mentioned above.

I had the parts but "I" clearly did not know how to use them.


Probably had some mismatched parts ect... reguardless I could not get Fresno into the POs


I will say when I took Fresno over the D was a shambles. Of course it could be that I just did not know how to use the players that were there. As for the Fresno O. Great between the 20s then kick the FG about half the time. Then lose by 2 - lol

[VitoStallion]

I think the base set is what I'm getting at. Pretty easy to get 4 run-stopping DLinemen and LBs for your base defense and 4 pass-rushing DLinemen and coverage LBs for your nickel and dime. Perhaps we can utilize a set of run-blocking OLinemen for run plays and pass-blocking OLinemen for pass plays via the formations... never crossed my mind...

I do this a lot on offense -- esp if I'm looking to spear the offense through one main player.

[VitoStallion]

GGill, I think part of what you've mentioned is probably because in Solo Play your cohesion, etc. is usually above the PC controlled teams, who in only a few years will have totally disfunctional organizations.

Fumbles of course have plenty of "dice roll" in them but penalties do seem to be based largely on (lack of) experience and (lack of) cohesion... as well as perhaps endurance/playtime which is something I don't have a large set of data on but, letting a possible good secret out of the bag: I put my playtime to 100% for everyone during a recent IFL Bowl and had more than my regular share of penalties and lost. The last 2 I kept it "decent" and won with an expected number of flags.

interesting as this happened to my Gunslingers in playoffs last year -- I changed from my usual 80 to 100 and we TANKED -- not taking away from the other team as they smoked us earlier in the season but we'd just come off a 482 yard, 5TD [Gunner McQueen for MVP!!!) throttling of the Dixie Rebels when this happened...

time to change this gp vs VAN again