GrandadB wrote:
Not everyone wants more simulation to RL football. Which is why any controls for minimum active play selection and maximum use of a play per game should be a league decision and controllable by the league admin, same as injury rate.
JDB's vision is realism. I agree admins need the autonomy to loosen away from that goal, to have "Smirt leagues", a bit of something for everyone.
Those two leagues were the only ones at the time where a long pass play might work occasionally without getting blitzed and sacked 90% of the time. Where 2 & 3 deep zone coverages would be used.
Neither league played under a different sim to other leagues at the time, so unless you were mandating certain defences vs offences...
I let both leagues go after we had lost more than half the owners who did not want to subscribe, did not want to see ads interfering with the game, and/or had lost interest in the game due to non-improvement to the game engine. It verified that there were more than enough MFN players who wanted that type of game.
No, that verified people wanted a purely free game, and whilst everyone would love improvements to happen quicker, we're a) where we are and b) game not making enough for JDB to quit full time work and hire developers. The game has to make enough to cover server costs, additional costs (ie AI image tools, reports) and in an ideal work, become big enough to make JDB able to focus 100% on the game.
So, back to the question at hand, the best option to me is to put the controls in for the auto manager and coach to add plays if there is a deficiency, same as for the roster
Would have to be intelligence based; develop rules, avoid putting plays in for rules that would cause them never to be triggered, avoid combinations that would lead to overuse, avoid selecting only plays that were "too good" or "too bad". Ideally, would factor in HC playbook, HC ratings, OC and DC ratings. Would be a fair chunk of work there. Without rules, every AI gameplan would be random plays, every down for the most part?
have the AI coach change a play (other than using a GL out of realistic situation, like 3rd and 10), along with a QB "audible" function based on the QBs ability to read a defense and recognize a blitz if overused by a defense.
Problem is, the latter makes it an offensive show with defence not having opportunity to react, as JDB has previously said. It's good in theory and something I don't disagree with in concept, but you're in a 203, see defence in quarters, if team doesn't 100% audible to run people would then complain.
[quot]Blitzing should be based on the NFL % of blitz. "The average blitz rate in the NFL is approximately 26% to 29% of defensive snaps, varying by season and analytical tracking". Again, only way to get that simulation or anywhere close to it is by use of the AI Coach and code, and league admin control/settings. Any other way?[/quote]
The problem with your logic though is that under the current engine, blitzing is way overpowered - that's why people blitz so much.
Blitz and you fill the gaps, stuffing the run. Blitz and unless the QB gets the ball away quickly, bad things can happen.
The issues for me are more that O line are beaten too easily, speed still the op attribute within the game, and I find RB/FBs don't always pick up the blitz well enough. Sure, gameplan may have you running a simple route in the backfield for a dumpoff, but you see that LB/CB totally unblocked heading for your QB, I doubt many HCs would complain about the back at least trying to chip them if not abandon route.
I think the problem is that people are trying to solve the short term problem (blitzing) without addressing the longer term problems that make blitzing so effective (O line holding blocks/beaten off line, backs not picking up blitz, QB holding ball too long and taking sack, QB not always throwing away, QB not able to extend plays).
Address the long term issues and we should get to a situation where blitzing isn't 100% effective as a standard tactic, but good in certain situations. That's the preferrable route for me than making playcalling restrictions per se.
If the game engine is at a state where blitzing all the time can be exploited, then people are free to choose to do that as a defensive tactic - but would get punished.
That's where the game needs to get to imo. Different styles of offence can do well, with on field talent and good playcalling rules. Ditto defences.
