IMPORTANT if you play Madden

[Abe Sargent]

I have felt that Madden misses a certain element to it for a while. As such, I have created a Random Chart for occurances in the game. I will be using this chart in my Madden 2004 Empty Cupboard dynasty. The Chart is below for you to reviiew.

This is four pages of chart goodness. The premise is simple. Each game week, before the game, you roll d100 and look up the chart. There's a 25% chance that nothing will happen at all. Many are minor, many are significant, and some are catastrophic.

If something doesn't apply to your game, it counts as nothing. For example, if you roll that you are sick and must sim the game, but you sim anyway, then it would be nothing. And yes, you always listen to your coordinators....

Anyways, like I said, this chart will be instituted for year three of my dynasty, found:

Madden 2004 Empty Cupboard Dynasty


Hopefully this will be a fun experiment for all. Anyway, the chart is below. I don't know how well it will translate into a forum post, but I'll try. If you use it too, let us know!




Random Chart for Madden:

01-03 Roll on position chart. Starting player for that position is suspended a week for violating a team rule.

04 – 05 Roll on position chart. That player is suspended for four weeks for a drug infraction.

06 Roll on position chart. That player tripped over his dog and is injured, move him to backup for the week.

07-08 Roll on position chart. Backup player did so well in practice that you start him this week.

09-10 Your WRs are getting blasé – you switch your #1 and #2 WRs for a week.

11 Other GMs around the league are gobbling up TEs. Sign one now before there aren’t any left. If you need room, you will have to cut a player.

12-13 Your star QB/RB/WR/CB (pick one) with the lowest salary compared to overall rating is demanding more money. Increase their pay at least 1 million.

14-16 You are sick. The assistant coach will have to coach this game. Sim the game.

17 The owner is not happy with the way your game has gone. Throw the ball 50% more than you currently do. If your passing attempts already exceed 75% of offensive plays, then cut them in half. This lasts until you lose.

18 The owner needs some money. Cut somebody.

19-20 Your QB coach thinks that your third string QB needs devo time in the league to grow and develop. Play him in one additional series each game for the entire remainder of the season. This is cumulative with prior results here.

21 Your defensive coordinator believes that your opponent’s are flipping the field on your defense in order to get mismatches. Switch your LE and RE, LOLB and ROLB, SS and FS, #1 CB and #2 CB, and #1 DT and #2 DT. This lasts until you lose.

22-25 Your defensive coordinator wants to confuse your opponent. Switch from your base defensive formation to a 3-4 (or a 4-3 if you play a 3-4 already).

26-27 Your defensive coordinator wants to stop the ball more this week – use two strong safeties in the safety positions this week.

28-29 Your offensive coordinator is out sick for two weeks. In the meantime, you have to use the basic playbook for your team. (If you already use the basic playbook, then use the Lions book)

30 Computer glitch hits your playcalling data. You are unable to call any audibles or hot routes on offense or defense this week while a techie replaces the data.

31 Your offensive coordinator feels that power running must be used this week – your FB should get at least 15 carries this week out of the FB position.

32-33 Your offensive coordinator has broken down game tape and believes that fresh legs on offense give your team the best opportunity to win. Rotate RB’s every series and every six plays during long series this week.

34 Breakdowns in the pass blocking schemes this week in practice will require that you have a TE, HB, or FB blocking on every pass play.

35 Your owner wants to see the passing game get a little more flashy. Use an offensive formation with one more receiver than normal over 50% of the plays until you lose a game.

36 You issue a “non-tolerance” edict to prove to your players that you are tired of turnovers. Whenever any player turns the ball over, bench the responsible player for the remainder of the game.

37-38 All of your players who make the Pro-Bowl this year will require an extra 500k each to represent escalator clauses in their contract. If gotten earlier in the year, this will apply when the Pro-Bowl is selected later.

39 Your kicker stubbed his toe. Put him on backup and kick Field Goals/Kickoffs with somebody else, for this week.

40 Your Punter demands more money. Either cut him and sign someone else to send a message to your team, or play him at least 250k more.

41-45 Your QB burns all of your timeouts early this week. You may not take any TOs in this game.

46-47 During a coaches meeting, everyone agrees that the upcoming game needs a few tricks tossed in to win. Play at least five trick plays this week (fake FG, fake spike, fake Punt, HB toss, WR reverse, etc.) (NOT Play action)

48 Tape shows that the opponent this week sniffs out shorts passes too well. No screens, tosses into the flat, or crosses over the middle for less than five yards.

49 Your top TE injured his finger. He’ll play, but he can’t catch – do not throw any balls his way this week or next if you decide to play him.

50 More speed and catching is needed to win this week – start whomever your computer designates as the 3rd down back this week in the RB slot.

51 Journalists have suggested that you have no balls. Prove them wrong by going for it on every fourth down this week.

52 Journalists have suggested that you have no head, instead letting your penis make the decisions. Prove them wrong by playing it very safe and conservative this week, including never going for it on fourth, always punting when a field goal is unlikely, and never throwing the ball more than 20 yards downfield.

53 Your star CB has been griping about getting more money. Instead of getting paid more, however, he has agreed to be content if he sees offensive play as a WR. Line him up as a WR at least 5 plays per game, with at least 2 balls thrown his way, for the remainder of the season.

54 Secret plans from the upcoming week’s opponent were leaked to your office. They intend to run all game long! Prove that you can stop them by running 4-6 and Goaline defenses the entire game.

55 Frank Beamer said that your Special Teams were only special the in “Short Bus” sense. Go for a punt block every time this week, try to recover at least one onside kick, lateral the ball at least once, and fake a punt or field goal.

56-60 Recent websites have been attacking your top draft selection this year. Some have been calling him a bust. Prove them wrong by controlling that player the entire game, when on offense or defense.

61 You are shocked by an electrical current, and are mute for a week. You can still call plays via hand signals, but you cannot control any players this week.

62 -63 You decide to groom your defensive coordinator for a head coach position. He calls every defensive play until you lose a game.

64 -65 The opponent this week is pass happy. Play Nickel, Dime, or Quarters the entire game.

66 The defense this week over pursues. Toss at least 6 screens, 2 HB tosses, 3 quick outs, and 3 flats.

67-68 Modify your playbook to include 5 additional trick plays for the remainder of the season, just to prepare your team for the unlikely situations later when you may need them. This is cumulative.

69–74 Top Free Agent retires. Take whichever Free Agent that is not a kicker or punter and is considered by your scouts to be the best overall and edit him down to a 25 overall so that no person will sign him.

75 The team doctor disagrees with your strategy of keeping injured players on the roster, if any. Place every player who is injured for the duration of the season or more on IR. Sign backups if necessary.

76-00 Nothing




Position Chart (Only affect starters unless mentioned otherwise):

01-04 QB
05-10 HB
11-12 FB
13-18 #1 WR
19-25 #2 WR
26-29 #3 WR
30-31 TE
32-34 LT
35-36 LG
37-38 C
39-40 RG
31-43 RT
44-46 LE
47-48 RE
49-55 DT #1
56–63 DT #2 or MLB #2
64 – 68 LOLB
69 - 73MLB
74 – 77 ROLB
78 – 83 SS
84 – 86 FS
87 – 92 CB #1
93 – 97 CB #2
98- 99 K
00 P


-Anxiety

[GoldenEagle]

Interesting.

Just to ask a question: o players really develop faster if they get more playing time? If so I may go with Brad Banks alot more at QB with the Cowboys.

[Travis]

I've been using Seneca Wallace as my starter (his awareness sucks, but he's basically a poor man's Mike Vick) and he's up over an 80 OA now (in 4th season), with just his awareness holding his rating back (and he starts off similar in stats to Banks (whom I have as my backup).

As for this chart, I think it's an excellent idea and I'm going to start using it for my games.

[Draft Dodger]

I'm getting quickly annoyed with Madden.

'03 made me angry becaus there was ZERO pass rush, no matter how much I tweaked the sliders. Well, they fixed that all right. I'm giving up 10+ sacks a GAME (Pro, Coach only) with a decent OL. It's to the point that I would just run on third and long instead of taking a sack and lose even more yards.

So, I decided to switch to Rookie level - my first game played, I was up 51-0 at the end of the first quarter (again, just coaching). So, I backed out of that game, and moved the sliders aggressively (like 80% blocking for me, 20% break block for the CPU). Only played a bit of one game, so, we'll see how that goes.

Other things - what happend to Injury / Penalty sliders? They were there in '03, right? And, couldn't we get a "Comeback Code" slider? I can accept a bit of comeback code to make things interesting, but it needs to be toned WAY down in this game.

[General Mike]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
Interesting.

Just to ask a question: o players really develop faster if they get more playing time? If so I may go with Brad Banks alot more at QB with the Cowboys.

In a dynasty, that I was simming with the Panthers, I traded for Mike McMahon and increased his rating to 92 OV. The only joysticking i did were the preseason mini camps.

So where do i get a 100 sided dice from?

[Travis]

Originally posted by General Mike
In a dynasty, that I was simming with the Panthers, I traded for Mike McMahon and increased his rating to 92 OV. The only joysticking i did were the preseason mini camps.

So where do i get a 100 sided dice from?

Just use 2 die 10 (oh god, I can feel the geek flailing about, trying to break out). Use one as your 'tens' die, and the other as your 'ones' die, so if you roll a 5 and a 6, that's 56.

You can also buy percentile dice that are exactly the same (2d10) just one of the 10 sided dice has a 0 after the number to designate it as the 'tens' die.

[andy m]

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
'03 made me angry becaus there was ZERO pass rush, no matter how much I tweaked the sliders. Well, they fixed that all right. I'm giving up 10+ sacks a GAME (Pro, Coach only) with a decent OL.

i read on another forum that this is a fault with 'coach only' mode. QB's are sitting ducks when you use this option, rendering it pretty much pointless.

[Abe Sargent]

Here;s one idea for sports games for the future. Random charts and stuff.

-Anxiety

[FBPro]

Nice idea.

[[email protected]]

Very Nice Frank Beamer bit.

[wig]

What do 100 sided dice look like?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by wig

What do 100 sided dice look like?

Very similar to a golf ball actually, but it has 100 sides.

[SirFozzie]

A Zocchihedron!

(and yes, I just established my geek credentials)

[HornedFrog Purple]

http://www.random.org/nform.html