I have always been a fan of the work others put in here to create slider sets. A lot have unique philosophies and approaches but for me the best way of analysing these is through the stats created through gameplay. It removes all the subjective observer bias that can occur by looking for if a slider set 'feels' better.
Many of the slider sets on OS are geared towards certain parameters - User v CPU, CPU v CPU etc and few exist for User v User gameplay. Aestis does a fantastic job each year collating his leagues stats and producing a slider set for them but not all of us play with the same quarter length and clock run off at full snap count levels and so we need to consider how well those sliders apply to our leagues.
At the end of the day, Madden is a computer game that people play for fun, and even within 'Sim' gameplay there has to be gives and takes depending on what the game will allow each year through its design. The only way of testing how yours match up is through thorough analysis and to do that you have to have certain aims to adjust towards. One of the benefits of online CFMs is the ability to export this data to analyse and I have done this with our leagues sliders and I hope others can benefit from this.
Statistical Targets
Your statistical targets are dependent on the quarter length and clock run off that you chose for your league and this will affect a number of sliders:
For these to be applicable the following parameters need to be consistent for you:
Skill Level: All Pro Game Style: Simulation Game Speed: Normal Quarter Length: 9 minutes Accelerated Clock: ON Clock Run Off: 20 seconds (A few seconds either side will probably work similarly)
We also use the following which may or may not affect their accuracy for your leagues:
Ball Carrier Moves: USER Only
Auto-Strafe: Allowed for Users with Win % under 85% (Recommended OFF)
Ball Hawk: Allowed for Users with Win % under 85%
Heat Seeker: Allowed for Users with Win % under 85%
Defensive Switch Assist: Allowed for All
This should give your league an average of around 85-90 Offensive Snaps per Game (Special Teams not Included). If you manage to get this snap count through other settings these should also work for you.
This is about 71% of NFL Levels (123 per game).
Our statistical targets for certain areas of the game will then be projected from this. Some we will aim to try and match NFL averages. Some we will need to alter to match said averages in fewer snaps OR to make what is a computer game slightly more fun!
It is worth noting that I do not believe that any significant gameplay affects are created from setting x in main menu sliders and y in CFM sliders. This makes no sense to me, especially when considering online User v User CFMs have 32 people potentially with different main menu settings. You can therefore set what you like there!
Passing (Averages per Game)
Total Passing Yards per Team: 236.6 (100% NFL Averages)
Attempts per Team: 24.9 (71%)
Completions per Team: 15.6 (71%)
Passing TDs per Game: 3.1 (100%)
INTs per Game: 1.7 (100%) *
Drop % per Attempt: 7.44% (141%)*
Drops per Game: 3.6 (100%)
Penalties per Game: 2.2 (33%)
Penalty Yards: 19 (33%)
Points Per Game: 44.9 (100%)
Methodology
These above targets I use to gauge our slider's accuracy and adjust them. This should then reflect in the 'feel' of the game but only in a statistically proven fashion.
Many game total targets are set at 100% but these have to occur in 71% of the snap count, so averages per play/percentage occurrences are therefore at 141%.
N.B I also set some slightly altered targets in some areas:
1. Penalties and Penalty Yards: Set at 33% to minimise the impact these have on Total Yardages (I may look to increase this target in the future)
2. Untouched Passes (This is a pass that isn't a completion, a drop, a pass defended or and interception). They occur 21% of the time in the NFL, and we need to reduce their number to get effective stats with less downs whilst still retaining some for a realistic feel. 33% again is a target for these (mostly) statistically irrelevant aspects of the game.
3. As a result of lowering the target for untouched passes, we increase the target for Dropped passes to still get a realistic game total for completion % without too many overthrows.
Current Performance:
Spoiler
You can see in the results below that our sliders are on target for a lot of the passing targets we set. The first patch changed the running game and we are still trying to find the right balance there, whilst the September title update affected Interceptions. The aim is to get these numbers closer to the targets but we may hold off until next season to adjust anything drastically as we are nearing our first playoffs.
Based on the way Madden is playing this year and the way people play Madden in general (less underneath passes than in the NFL/superhuman user linebacker play etc), especially after the recent patch, we may have to try and get a lower number of fumbles whilst allowing for a slightly higher number of interceptions in order to keep total turnovers at a similar level.
Sliders - Version 1.0
League Settings
Spoiler
Essential Settings are Highlighted in Bold. Others Are Customisable
Commissioner Settings
Skill Level: All-Pro Game Speed: Normal Game Style: Simulation League Type: Coaches Only Instant Starter: On Trade Deadline: On Trade Type: Enable All Coach Firing: CPU Only Salary Cap: On Relocation Settings: Disabled Injury: On Pre Existing Injury: Off Practice Squad Stealing:On Player Progression Frequency: Weekly
Clock Management
Quarter Length: 9 Minutes
Accelerated Clock: On
Minimum Play Clock Time: 20
User Team Help
User Preference
Team Settings - Game Options
Spoiler
We use these as a handicapping system in our league. I recommend doing the same to get the same results, but these may or may not make differences to your statistics. I cannot infer this from the data available to me.
Auto Flip Defensive Play Call: Recommended On Ball Carrier Special Move: Manual Defensive Auto Strafe: Recommended Off Defensive Ball Hawk: Off if Win % Above 85% Defensive Heat Seeker Assist: Off if Win % Above 85% Defensive Switch Assist: Recommended On
FG Power: 52 FG Accuracy: 48 Punt Power: 48 Punt Accuracy: 52 Kickoff Power: 48
Game Options
Injuries: 24 Fatigue: 50 Min Player Speed Threshold: 8
Penalties
Offside: 57 False Start: 52 Holding: 50 Defensive Holding: 55 Face Mask: 50 Defensive Pass Interference: 55 Offensive Pass Interference: On Kick Catch Interference: On Illegal Block in the Back: 50 Intentional Grounding: On Roughing the Passer: 50 Roughing the Kicker: On Running Into the Kicker: On
Proposed Adjustments
Spoiler
Looking at the data above, it would seem that some areas may need tinkering with to achieve our targets. There was a small skewing of rushing data pre the August title update which we are recovering from (very high numbers of broken tackles) but rushing totals are slightly too low and broken tackles too high. This is a delicate balance to strike and may need increasing tackling, reducing fumbling and encouraging the use of aggressive ball carrying at key moments to achieve.
Interceptions are slightly too high, partly because of the September title update, so we will try to address that, but coverage looks spot on otherwise with the number of passes defensed.
Penalties and Pass blocking are getting a small bump.
I will look to make adjustments along these lines in the future and I will update after doing so with the appropriate data, but if you chose to follow these suggestions that is up to you and the evidence to support them working is limited:
FG Power: 52 FG Accuracy: 48 Punt Power: 48 Punt Accuracy: 52 Kickoff Power: 48
Game Options
Injuries: 24 Fatigue: 50 Min Player Speed Threshold: 8
Penalties
Offside: 57 False Start: 54 Holding: 50 Defensive Holding: 60 Face Mask: 50 Defensive Pass Interference: 55 Offensive Pass Interference: On Kick Catch Interference: On Illegal Block in the Back: 50 Intentional Grounding: On Roughing the Passer: 51 Roughing the Kicker: On Running Into the Kicker: On
Look good!
How sim is the play in this league?
Do you get organic feeling gameplay?
How big of a database do you hope to get?
How big of an effect does fatigue play in this league?
How much do you like spreadsheets?