Pro Strategy Football 2016

[Pro Strategy Football]

Just a quick update on what's in store for PSF 2016.

One of the biggest things is that I’m trying to get the game onto Steam. I have a Windows version that runs great, and I’ll work on a Mac version if I ever clear Greenlight and get on to Steam. I also started a lot earlier this year, and I’m able to focus on features rather than rewriting like I did last year.

Here are some things I’ve already added:

• Windows version with keyboard and mouse support, including the scroll wheel
• can now easily swap starters and subs, which will be important as I’m adding fatigue
• can now tell your players to burn the clock and stay in bounds
• can now “watch the clock” to have the Clock Dialog come up automatically each play if the clock is running
• defense can now guard the sidelines (as in the last two minutes), but that opens the middle more
• added ability to flip between strong left and right
• added “Auto Suggest” mode to have the AI automatically suggest a play for you each down (which you can change, of course)
• increased number of injury categories (will increase it more when I add individual linemen later)
• Playbooks on both offense and defense (this will probably be an IAP, and I plan on continuing to improve it)
• added defensive options to guard the sidelines, will add more later (below)

And now I’m working on Career tasks and some coaching tasks as well. I’m working from a burn down list, and will release the game in August this year, and can then continue adding features later in the year. I’m also going to be adding IAPs for optional use, but never for anything that’s required (kind of “buy to win” for people who like to do that). All IAPs will be more for people who want to build super teams at the cost of some realism.

PSF will have at least most of these in August. Anything not completed will be added later in the Fall if possible.

• Fatigue on both offense and defense. You'll need to rest players or see their performance drop and even risk injuring them. Will be able to wear down defenses, too.
• Configure your coaching staff, preferred formations, weather, etc
• Team Drills to focus on some areas (at cost to other areas if you’re not careful), including penalties, turnovers, red zone, two minute offense, and defensive stamina.
• Player training to let you increment specific attributes on players. I’m not allowing too many players or too huge changes, and I’ll let users buy tokens to increase the number of changes, but again, you’ll get a small number for free to keep it more realistic.
• Scouting before the draft. Draftees will now be in tiers, and you’ll have to scout players to see specific values.
• Adding Player potential.
• Trading Draft picks!
• break offensive and defensive lines up into individual men. This will replace the overall team run blocking and pass blocking ratings, etc. Defensive players will have strength and speed, in addition to their current attributes.
• Free Agency. I’m putting this last, because it will be the most time consuming, and I’d rather add many of the above and then work on this later.

And these will get in asap:

• Zone blitz (and more zone options, either in August or later)
• QB Read and the abilities for a linebacker to shadow the QB

Also, while some of the new features (playbooks, for example) will be IAPs, but I’m working hard to make sure that no IAPs will be necessary for play, but instead will add optional features or some “pay to win” options.

And just a reminder, If you can help me get on Steam, I’d greatly appreciate any advice! My greenlight page is Steam Greenlight :: Pro Strategy Football

[Julio Riddols]

I like the ideas, this game will be a big one when it gets fully fleshed out for sure. The QB read is a solid addition that no other sim football game really replicates right now, and playbooks will be a huge addition for me. If I can make myself a playbook of about 50 plays or so that I can use to call my offense, then it will go a long way toward speeding up game play and increasing replayability for me.

[Pro Strategy Football]

Thanks, Julio, and I'm looking into adding another option off the Offensive Playbook just to hold pass patterns. So on offense, you could pull up either the playbook or the patterns. Of course, your saved plays will have patterns, too, so I don't really know how much value this extra page brings. I'm deferring that until maybe Release 2 or 3, but playbooks are definitely in R1.

Later, I can see more advanced playbooks, where you could save different playbooks by categories (which you could name). So you might have a different playbook for Two Minute Offense, etc. But I'll also wait on that and get all these other features in first and then get feedback from users like you.

Thanks again! And you just told me I need to bump up the number of plays in the playbook. :-)

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Pro Strategy Football

Thanks, Julio, and I'm looking into adding another option off the Offensive Playbook just to hold pass patterns. So on offense, you could pull up either the playbook or the patterns. Of course, your saved plays will have patterns, too, so I don't really know how much value this extra page brings. I'm deferring that until maybe Release 2 or 3, but playbooks are definitely in R1.

Later, I can see more advanced playbooks, where you could save different playbooks by categories (which you could name). So you might have a different playbook for Two Minute Offense, etc. But I'll also wait on that and get all these other features in first and then get feedback from users like you.

Thanks again! And you just told me I need to bump up the number of plays in the playbook. :-)

Regarding the playbooks, I picture something like a simplified version of a call sheet an NFL team might use - If I can ultimately design, name and save plays into a library and then fill a game day play sheet/play book from that library, I think that would be awesome. I think that could possibly be a way to include the situational plays and base plays in the same space, and might add a little feel of authenticity to the "coach experience".

Regardless of how it is implemented or how robust it is, I'm excited to see what you come up with because you've done a great job growing the game into what it is. I have this insane list of things I would love to see happen in a football sim, so it's cool to be able to whisper some of them right into your ear, but don't think you have to change your plans based on my input unless you think it would legitimately be good for the game. I mean, I could spout ideas all day long, but I'm just one dude. No need to thank me, its a privilege to even have the chance to give you suggestions and feedback. I should be thanking you for even caring what I say, haha.

I'll definitely be keeping on the lookout for what develops.

[Pro Strategy Football]

Hey, I also want to share what I'm doing on fatigue and injuries in PSF 2016. I've already made it very easy to now swap offensive players out in 2016. You simply tap the man's icon and tap "Rest him" or "Bring starter back." And if you're playing casual mode or ask the AI to suggest a play, the AI will rest your players for you.

Now, before I get into how players on both sides tire and rest, I have to point out that I can't change the roster depth for 2016. That would take a ton of redesign and cost me the time that I'm using for other features. So ... I've come up with the following.

An offensive player tires a little every time you use him on consecutive plays, and tires more on long plays, but his tiring rate will be affected by his Stamina, a new attribute. To rest him, simply don't call his number for a few plays, or better yet, take him off the field, where he'll rest quicker. For example, if the HB is on the field and tired, but you don't call his number for a few plays, he rests some, but he'll rest more if you swap him out.

Over time, though, if you keep piling on him, he will tire, and the more tired he is, the more likely he is to make a mistake, get less yards, or even get injured.

The defense will tire as a unit. They tire more on longer plays and especially on long drives, and they rest when off the field, including during half time. If your offense keeps going three and out, your defense is going to wear down, and their reactions will lower, etc. If a defense gets worn down, a good offense will then just make it worse and worse, so you don't want to let it happen.

Finally, I'm now using "leadership" on all offensive and defensive players, and it'll come into play on important downs and plays, and will work with their fatigue.

Let me know what you think!

[Flasch186]

Sounds great.

[Pro Strategy Football]

This evening, I'm researching Zone Blitz, and from what I'm reading, it can actually mean two things:

1) simply allowing you to blitz a LB out of zone coverage, maybe even allow something like "Man 2" which is two deep zones and man coverage underneath;
or
2) blitzing a LB or two, and dropping a lineman back to cover the blitzer's area

For August, I can do one or the other, but probably not both, and I think having both might confuse people. Now, even if I go with interpretation #2, I can still look at providing a hybrid coverage "Man 2"

Any of you defensive gurus let me know what you want in the zone blitz!

[aran]

Coming to windows!? That's fantastic! I'll be buying for sure on release day. Voted for your greenlight as well. Best of luck!

[Pro Strategy Football]

Originally Posted by aran

Coming to windows!? That's fantastic! I'll be buying for sure on release day. Voted for your greenlight as well. Best of luck!

Thanks, Aran! Yeah, if I can get it on Windows, I think I'll be able to get on Mac later as well. Thanks for the vote, and help me spread the word! :-) I'm way short of the Yes votes so far.

[Pro Strategy Football]

The folks at Cocos2d-x interviewed me about Pro Strategy Football!

Check it out at Interview with Kerry Batts, author of Pro Strategy Football. | Cocos2d-x Developer Blog

[Flasch186]

NICE!

[Marc Vaughan]

Awesome interview

[Pro Strategy Football]

Thanks, guys!

[JimboJ]

Great article! I didn't realize you actually worked with Tom Landry on the original game. I used to love that game (even though I hated the cowboys).

Hopefully the early release and more focus on marketing really gives this game a boost this year.

[Pro Strategy Football]

Originally Posted by JimboJ

Great article! I didn't realize you actually worked with Tom Landry on the original game. I used to love that game (even though I hated the cowboys).

Hopefully the early release and more focus on marketing really gives this game a boost this year.

LOL, thanks!

[Pro Strategy Football]

I've completed the Preseason screen, which now includes Team Drills, Player Training, and editing your stadium. I've also completed the Scout Draft Pool screen, and I'll later work on trading draft picks.

Are any of you interested in customizing your coach as well? It wouldn't affect you if you coach your own games, but it would come into play in two areas: 1) when you let the AI simulate your game, and 2) when you ask the AI to suggest a play.

I don't want to waste time on this if it's not desirable. I still need to break up the offensive and defensive lines, which is a lot of work. That'll affect the game logic, the rosters, and the draft. And I'm going to work on trading draft picks after that.

Not sure how many of these people would like, so I'm throwing it out there:

First, Set the Head Coach attitude/approach (Conservative, Balanced, Aggressive).

Offense
Preferred standard formation (or none). In non-must-pass situations, this shifts the percentages that this formation will be used more (unless, for example, you’re in must run)
Preferred passing formation. Similarly, in must pass, this is your preferred passing formation.

Defense
Favored line (three man, four man, or balanced). Which line the AI coach favors.

Favored coverage (man, zone, or balanced). I’m not sure I’ll have it affect the play, but it’ll definitely affect which coverage the AI favors when suggesting plays or coaching for you.

Blitz tendency. Ditto. How frequently you want your team to blitz.

On these defensive and offensive preferences above, I’m not sure I’ll have these choices affect the play, at least not yet. It’s more to design how you want your assistant coaches to call plays. I have thought that maybe I could add a small factor in the defensive line. If you choose, for example, three man, then you’ll get a very slight boost any time you’re in a three man line (and the AI will favor 3-4 over 4-3), and a very slight cost any time you’re in a four man line.

Also, I could later add, probably as a one-time IAP because of the work involved, a "Detailed Offensive Playcalling" screen where you could completely design how your offensive coordinator calls plays in normal situations, by defining a grid based on field position, down, and distance. You’d define percentages for each play category (this table would be used, but sometimes modified by the situation, and sometimes completely ignored - for example, you have to score immediately, or maybe you’re up by three TDs with 5 minutes left).

It’s also been suggested to me that I let you select a “Coaching Staff” from a list of staffs, and you can purchase other staffs (one time purchase, after you buy one, he’s always available). A coaching staff would apply a small percentage (good or bad) to offensive and defensive results. For example, you might have:
- Balanced Staff (+0 Offense, +0 Defense)
- Offense 1 (+1 Offense, -1 Defense)
- Offense 2 (+2 Offense, -2 Defense)
- etc
and you could buy
- (+1 Offense, +1 Defense)
- (+2 Offense, +1 Defense)
- … (+2 Offense, +2 Defense)
etc

Thoughts?

[Flasch186]

I would leave that for an IAP or next version. Focus on what you have now in line and start marketing!

[Pro Strategy Football]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

I would leave that for an IAP or next version. Focus on what you have now in line and start marketing!

I agree. I looked at my project schedule and decided to postpone the Coaching page for now. I have implemented Player Training, Team Drills, Scout Rookies, and am nearly done with Trading Draft Picks.

Our dog had a very serious accident, which has taken up a good deal of my time, but I still like where I am on the Trading Draft Picks. Here are some screen shots of where I am right now.
Right now, they reflect that Denver has some previous trades (I created them for tests).
1) you tap “Trade” to select picks on your tab and the other team’s
2) you tap “Remove” to remove any picks
3) a checkmark shows at a glance which picks are selected
I may add a "Reset" button to quickly remove all selections from the current trade. And of course, you can just cancel out, too.

When you propose, I'll use well established values to determine whether the trade is fair. With the checkmarks and "Remove" buttons it's very easy to see what you're offering and what you're requesting.

In the first screen, you see that Denver has a previous trade from Dallas (Denver actually has three first round picks this year - I created a few for testing). Then I selected Cleveland for trading, because they have the first pick this year.

You can easily add and remove picks that you're offering or requesting, and the checkmarks make it easy to see the current selections.

View Teams in Pick Order

Trade Draft Picks

[Pro Strategy Football]

I've just been notified that PSF 2016 has been Greenlit and will be on the Steam Store this year! I'm planning on a late August release date. I've been testing on Windows and iOS (having a few problems on Android right now), and I plan on a Mac release later, too.

I really need to update the video at Steam Greenlight :: Pro Strategy Football 2016!, because I've added a ton since making it.

In addition to nice coaching options, including the ability to easily swap players in and out and more, I've added a ton to Career Play.

• - Trading Draft Picks can help you improve a bad team more quickly at the cost of future picks
• - Scout draftees in the upcoming draft to see if you want to trade up or down
• - automate any phase of the career now
• - Training Camp lets you focus on key players and improve their ratings
• - Team Drills let you work on Team attributes
• - More Team Attributes this year, such as Two Minute Offense, Defensive Stamina, Ball Control, and more!

[Julio Riddols]

This game is growing nicely, man. Impressive. I'll be purchasing asap.

[Flasch186]

Like

[Pro Strategy Football]

Thanks! BTW, while I've added a ton to career, I'm still adding to coaching, too, such as shuffling players, dealing with fatigue, and more.

For example, another new coaching feature lets you can tell your defense to guard the sidelines or play normally. Now, some defenses such as two-deep already make life tougher on wide receivers, but with this new option, you're having your defenders give up some middle area to protect the sidelines. This mainly affects medium and long passes.

So, for example, if this is selected against me, then my chances are slightly better if throw crossing or inside routes and slightly worse if I throw sideline routes or fades. If I throw a hook or comeback, then it depends on whether I'm throwing to a back (who will be running toward the middle of the field) or a wideout (who will be running down the sideline and turning).

Just another chess move. On defense, you can always just play normal, but you can also mix this in occasionally if you know the offense is trying for the sidelines.

[PilotMan]

Yep, I'll be picking it up once it gets on Steam. That's very exciting!

[Pro Strategy Football]

Hey, guys, just wanted to let you know, it looks like PSF 2016 will be on Mac! It runs fine in a nice large window right now. Can't get it to launch full screen yet, and I have to learn how to get it on either Steam or the Apple store, but I don't think any of those are real showstoppers.

[PilotMan]

I'm going to beat Kerry here.

Pro Strategy Football 2016 on Steam

Live on Steam very, very soon.

CONGRATS!!

[Pro Strategy Football]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

I'm going to beat Kerry here.

Pro Strategy Football 2016 on Steam

Live on Steam very, very soon.

CONGRATS!!

Thanks! September 6th!

[Pro Strategy Football]

look for "PSF 2016" or check this link (PSF 2016)

I want to point out that somehow an old build was released by Apple, and that I've contacted them asking what I can do to release the newer build. When the new one is released (which I submitted a few weeks ago), it has updated rosters, has the correct 2016 schedule, fixes several bugs, includes several improvements to play resolution, includes the free playbooks, and much more. I'm hoping that'll happen this weekend, or at least very, very soon. I deeply regret this, don't know how it happened, because I submitted the newer version, but regardless, I just want it resolved asap.

I'm confident you'll enjoy the updated game. This year, I combined both the Career and Head Coach versions into one game.

When I can catch my breath, I'm going to be creating play calling videos on my youtube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/ProStrategyFootball

Thanks,
Kerry

[QuikSand]

Anything new with this game? Hankering for a good long term sports fix on my iPad. If there's a credible American football game, that would be my first choice -- this seems like the best I can find (though to be honest, you have to know what you're looking for if you want to find this game...it doesn't come up at all with something like "football manager" or "football coach" presumably in part because of the initialed name, rather than calling it Pro Strategy Football 2016).

Has attention shifted to the PC platform?