I hope to roll out the next release soon, I want to make a few more changes once games start up again in the beta leagues but don't plan to attack any more significant issues until the next version.

Sounds good. I don't think the full beta engine is close to ready for release though. There are major issues with the lack of pressure being generated on QBs. Anecdotally, this isn't just because MFN-1 is loaded with talent on the OL, Beta-87 had problems with pressure as well. Since QBs make decisions faster, it may be worth doing a partial reversion to the OL blocking bonuses from a few releases ago and see if it all balances back out.

Yeah, I am going to look at the DL pressure some more and also the DB B&R.

B&R may not be completely busted, it may just be misleading what attributes control pre-snap decisions. I have found CBs with high B&R make the "right" decisions most of the time. I also don't mind that CBs "fall down" on busted B&R, but I'm not sure why B&R Coverage is the attribute that determines the presnap decision. I don't think I noticed it until the QB changes because now QBs shred CBs that fall down.

I've updated the line play to get a bit more pressure on the QB, now that the QB is responding so well to the pressure. My testing shows this brings us back up to a reasonable amount of sacks.

Also have a few other minor changes:

* Holding calls away from the play should be eliminated.
* Cold QB off the bench has been tweaked to increase the effect a bit more.

I'm curious. Can you re-run this game in the beta engine code? https://nfl.myfootballnow.com/box/665

My team has the obviously better QB, better O line, and equally good WRs. All grandad's team has that is obviously better is his DBs. But, yet, by convoying QBs and blitzing 2 on every play, he shreds my team.

I want to know if the score is similar in the new beta engine because, if so, I think I'm done again for 3-6 months. I don't want to waste my time game planning opponents when the only thing you need to win is a few 90+ DBs and blitzing 2 on every play because that's just not game planning or football.

What really annoys me about this is the general play selection on defense. Here are the plays:

4-3 Normal SLB Middle Blitz
4-3 Normal WLB Outside Blitz
4-3 Under Crowd Middle
4-3 Under Double LB Blitz
46 Normal 3 Deep LB Blitz
46 Normal Inside Blitz
46 Normal Strong Blitz
46 Normal Weak Blitz
Dime Normal 2 Deep Man Under
Dime Normal Double WR 2
Dime Normal Double WR 3
Dime Normal LB Blitz
Nickel Normal CB3 MLB Blitz
Nickel Normal Double LB Blitz
Nickel Normal Man Cover 2
Nickel Strong FS WLB Blitz

The bolded ones are the ones that do __not__ blitz. Now, to be fair, I blitz against the run, but here's my play selection for the game.

4-3 Normal 4 Deep Zone
4-3 Normal 4 Deep Zone Under
4-3 Normal Man QB Spy
4-3 Normal SLB Middle Blitz
4-3 Normal SLB Outside Blitz
4-3 Normal WLB MLB Blitz
4-3 Normal WLB Outside Blitz
4-3 Under Crash Right
4-3 Under Crowd Middle
4-3 Under Double LB Blitz
46 Normal 3 Deep LB Blitz
46 Normal Inside Blitz
Dime Normal 2 Deep Man Under
Dime Normal LB Blitz
Dime Normal Man Cover 1
Goal Line 3 Deep Man
Nickel 3-3-5 3 Deep Zone Under
Nickel Normal 4 Deep Zone Under
Nickel Normal CB3 MLB Blitz
Nickel Normal Shallow Zone Deep
Nickel Strong 2 Deep Man Under
Nickel Strong CB3 Blitz Zone
Nickel Strong FS CB3 Blitz
Nickel Strong FS WLB Blitz

I feel like I'm being penalized for not blitzing every single play. And for having/calling more than 16 plays on defense.

I bet my defense would improve tremendously if I took out the bolded plays, for instance, and that's just sad. Then again who knows since convoying QBs means that they are always at 100 fatigue when elite starters fatigue after the first 2 mins of the game.

I was looking into the game more and it's stupider on the offensive side of the ball. Gdad ran 17 unique plays, only 2 were runs, and finished with 119 yards running to my 34. Of the 15 passing plays, he ran some of them up to 9 times basically without impunity.

I've given up game planning. From now on, I'm just going to take all I know about the game and cheat like mad. And once I have the best cheater playbook and system that I can build, I'm going to post how to do it step-by-step because something has to give.

His Offensive Plays

Empty 4 Wide Spread Corner Post
I Formation 3WR HB Inside Weak
I Formation 3WR Slot Short WR Deep
I Formation Normal HB Blast
I Formation Normal PA Fullback Flat
I Formation Normal TE Flag
I Formation Twin WR Hard Slants
I Formation Twin WR Strong Flood
Singleback Empty 4 TE Corner
Singleback Normal Post Corner
Singleback Normal Quick Slant
Singleback Slot Strong Skinny Posts
Singleback Slot Strong TE Corner
Split Backs 3 Wide Dive Left
Strong I Big TE Post
Strong I Normal PA All Go
Weak I Normal Skinny Posts

My Plays

I Formation Normal Cross In
I Formation Normal HB Blast
I Formation Normal TE Flag
I Formation Twin WR HB Toss Strong
I Formation Twin WR Quick Outs
Shotgun Normal Double Outs
Shotgun Normal HB Flare
Shotgun Normal Post Flags
Shotgun Normal Short Attack
Singleback Big HB Inside Strong
Singleback Big Waggle Post
Singleback Empty 4 Short Posts
Singleback Normal All Go
Singleback Normal HB Counter Weak
Singleback Normal Post Corner
Singleback Normal Slot WR Cross
Singleback Normal WR Post
Split Backs 3 Wide Drag In
Split Backs 3 Wide WR Quick Out
Strong I Normal HB Dive Strong
Strong I Normal HB Off Tackle Strong
Strong I Normal Quick Hooks
Weak I Normal HB Inside Strong
Weak I Normal Skinny Posts

This is actually something I encourage in MFN-1, because it gives me a place to directly give feedback about whether changes I'm making are closing those exploits.

It makes me feel really dirty as a player. Like I'm giving up years of football knowledge for the sake of beating people in ridiculously unrealistic ways.

Normally yes, but in the beta leagues if you're up-front about what you're doing - even if it's just via PM, if you feel the exploits are too damaging - I can immediately counter with code updates on a game-by-game basis and ultimately that helps fix those exploits faster.