CPU vs CPU Working from Zero Sliders

[forme95]

Really struggling this year making a workable set. Mixed, matched, varying, this, that, those..... All a mess.

I decided to make one last ditch effort and work from zero. I feel like sliders are modifiers to the game and the game doesnt really play to ratings. So, I wondered, what if I zero out the sliders and work my way up. That is what I am going to do. At this point, what could it hurt. I have over 200 hours and 15 franchises that I have tried to play and one thing or the other murders it.

What I am going for is a watchable football game with stats relatively close to the Madden league. I dont care about NFL stats. This is a video game and the only thing "sim" about it is, NFL team names and players. It plays football, but it doesnt play NFL football. I also want to get some kind of defense in this game which OOTB is sacks and interceptions. Outside of those, defenses are clueless. The game is very offensive (ya that too lol) programmed. QBs and players do not matter. Thompson-Robinson plays no different then MaHomes in cpu vs cpu.
One franchise after being fed up, I did a All Pro franchise and I released every Browns first stringer (including Winston and Huntley) with DTR the starter. The team still went 10-7. Come on, they cant go 10-7 with STARTERS lol. Anyway, enough ranting. It is more my frustrations. Every year I try to make Madden work because I enjoy using the Browns and Garrett and Chubb.

On to working from zero. I started with Pro, offline, default roster, Owner. Surprisingly, I really liked what I saw in 3 preseason games with the Dolphins. I am using the Dolphins under my wifes account because IDK something totally different. Her account isnt connected to EA and it still let me play. I may try to disconnect my account from EA. I didnt know you could play that way. I thought you had to have a EA account.

What I saw in 3 preseason games. QBs seemed to play more true. Bad, everyone was sub 50s accurate. Run game really sparkled I thought. Some lack of running but increased more the games played. It really seemed like guys like Tyreek and Mike Evans really played to ratings and were better, while lesser receivers had more drops. Same with QBs. I thing that really shined (even at zero) was sacks only averaged between 2 to 4 a game. Where QBs sensed pressure and threw it away more then taking the sack. Defense was there! While coverage was eye popping better, some really deep shot animations happened more then I truly thought it would. Really gives me hope to work with.

Now, it did have its issues. With security at zero, as you could imagine, lot of fumbles and zero interceptions, led to zero interceptions lol. Another is a lot of dropped passes. Honestly it felt more like as the game went on, qb and wr would get in synce and catches would improve. I actually kind of liked it. But way to many easy drops. All manageable stuff at this point. It was preseason so I will let 3 season games play before I make any changes.

If you'd like to test also and help, all I ask is that you do a Offline, default roster, no edits, no playbook changes, no fantasy drafts, Owner mode (i dont do any owner things. I play as GM really. I ignore any owner stuff) and start in preseason.

Any number or setting with (?) means im considering a change

[forme95]

Owner, offline, default roster
Only do 1 upgrade/renovate a season in bye week of Preseason

CPU DOES pick up 5th yr option
CPU DOES restructure contracts

User Settings:

Game Options (Main Menu as well as inside Franchise) Physics Based Tackle Slider is only available in the main menu.

Coin Toss 1st Choice - Receive

Coin Toss 2nd Choice - Against Wind

Kicking Meter Style - Multi Meter

Control Scheme - Tap and Tap

Passing Type - Placement

Passing Slowdown - Off

Passing Lead Increase - Large

Reticle Speed - 20/20

Reticle Visibility - Hidden

Meter Visibility - Hidden

Hit Stick Quality Feedback - Hidden

Hit Stick Timing Feedback - Hidden


Gameplay Helpers

Auto Flip Defensive Play Call - On

Defensive Ball Hawk - On

Defensive Heat Seeker - Off

Defensive Heat Seeker Window Size - 100%

Defensive Switch Assist - Off

Controlled Player Art - Off

Coach Mode - Off


Visual Feedback

On Field Visual Feedback - On

Dynamic Play Call - Off

Play Button layout - Users Choice

Previous Play Information - Off



On Field

Everything is set to off except:

Franchise Bottom Line Ticker - Scores Only

Pre-Snap Menu - Off

Player Names - Off


Cameras

Camera Toggle - Off

Passing Cam - Off

Offense Camera Settings - Standard (Users Choice)

Defense Camera Settings - Standard (Users Choice)


Volume Control

Master Volume - 100

Audio Mix - Custom

In Game Commentary - 70

Stadium Speakers - 100

Crowd Volume - 100

On the Field - 100

Music - 50

Menu SFX - 60


League Settings

Skill Level - All Pro

Game Style Simulation

Quarter length - 9 Minutes

Accelerated Clock - On

Minimum Play Clock Time - 20

Offensive Playcall Cooldown - 10

Offensive Playcall Limit - 3

Defensive Playcall Cooldown - 4

Defensive Playcall Limit - 4

Dynamic Momentum/Home Field Advantage - Off



Team Settings

Season Experience - Customized

Everything set to “Manual” for a GM and “Auto” Coach

Reorder Depth Chart - Manual

Auto Progress Players/Talents - Off

Tutorial Popups - Off


Commissioner Settings

Trade Deadline - On

Trade Type - Enable All

Trade Difficulty - Hard

Salary Cap - On

Free Agent Motivation Impact - Normal

Practice Squad Stealing - On

Relocation Settings - Disabled

Staff Talent Cost Modifier - Slower

Injury - On

Practice Injury - On

Pre Existing Injury - On

Progressive Fatigue - On

Prospect Storylines - On

Draft Timer - On

Fantasy Draft Order - Standard

Free Agent Negotiations Stage 1 - 5

“ “ Stage 2 - 10

“ “ Stage 3 - Unlimited



League Type Settings

League Type - All

Coach Firing - On, (as GM)

Full On Field Control - On

Career Clock - On


Dev Trait Management

Breakout Scenarios - On

Development Trait Regression - On

Desired X-Factor Dev Players - 50/75

Desired Superstar Dev Players - 70/100

Desired Star Players - 320/500

Superstar Abilities - On

Ability Edit Controls - Any Player


Roster Protection

Minimum Roster Size - 48

In Season Player Movement Limit - Unlimited

Player OVR Cut Restrictions - No Restriction

Offseason Player Cut Limit - Unlimited

Fill Roster - Off



Human Sliders/CPU Sliders (same for both. Current is most right number)

QB Accuracy - 0, 7

Pass Blocking - 0

WR Catching - 0, 30

Run Blocking - 0

Fumbles - 0, 20

Pass Defense Reaction Time - 0

Interceptions - 0, 10

Pass Coverage - 0

Tackling - 0, 15


FG Power - 50

FG Accuracy - 50

Punt Power - 50

Punt Accuracy - 50

Kickoff Power - 50



Injuries - 25

Fatigue - 50

Player Speed Parity Scale - 50

Physics Based Tackling Results - 50


Penalties

Offside - 50

False Start - 50

Holding - 50

Facemask - 50

Defensive Pass Interference - 50

Illegal Block In The Back - 50

Roughing The Passer - 50

All other penalties are toggled “On”

Auto Subs DEFAULT

Draft Strength Default


XP Sliders (THANKS Funky, GREAT SET)

Star: 320
Superstar: 70
X-Factors: 50


QB: 80
HB: 120
TE: 88
WR: 106
FB: 90
T: 84
G: 74
C: 76

DE: 106
DT: 82
MLB: 90
OLB: 88
CB: 104
FS: 112
SS: 114

K: 100
P: 100



Age Progression XP Rate Sliders:

20 - 23: 100
24 - 25: 90
26 - 29: 100
30 - 31: 90
32: 80
33 - 35+: 100

Offense Regression Rate Sliders:

QB: 120
HB: 80
TE: 100
WR: 100
FB: 100
T: 80
G: 90
C: 90


Defense Regression Rate Sliders:

DE: 90
DT: 100
MLB: 90
OLB: 90
CB: 90
FS: 90
SS: 90


Special Team Regression Rate Sliders:

K: 100
P: 100


Age Regression Sliders:

26 - 27: 100
28: 90
29: 80
30: 90
31: 100
32: 110
33: 120
34 - 35+: 130

[forme95]

Forgot to say what I was working on.

I am not touching special teams or penalties at this point. I want to focus on gameplay. Also I think ST effects gameplay and doesn't help ST at all. I'll worry about penalties after gameplay is set bc it effects gameplay as well.

- To many fumbles and not enough int's.
- To many receiver drops. While I like the hit while catching drops, to many open field drops. It happens as miss timing, but to many over all.
- QB % to low even for elite qbs.
- Almost to many deep shots, but that is least of concern at the moment. 50/50 balls are beautiful.
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[Zuddyyy]

Quote: Originally Posted by forme95

Forgot to say what I was working on. I am not touching special teams or penalties at this point. I want to focus on gameplay. Also I think ST effects gameplay and doesn't help ST at all. I'll worry about penalties after gameplay is set bc it effects gameplay as well. - To many fumbles and not enough int's. - To many receiver drops. While I like the hit while catching drops, to many open field drops. It happens as miss timing, but to many over all. - QB % to low even for elite qbs. - Almost to many deep shots, but that is least of concern at the moment. 50/50 balls are beautiful. - Pro or All Pro - Clock. 11-20 may be to many plays for this.

Which difficulty plays the most realistic! All pro or pro?

[forme95]

Quote: Originally Posted by Zuddyyy

Which difficulty plays the most realistic! All pro or pro?

If I recall, Pro plays smoother but gives more of a "bonus" to the player. All Pro is suppose to be more even with better AI but can start getting into weird gameplay.

[Zuddyyy]

What does placement passing mechanic affect the cpu?

[sportsgamingguy2023]

Quote: Originally Posted by forme95

If I recall, Pro plays smoother but gives more of a "bonus" to the player. All Pro is suppose to be more even with better AI but can start getting into weird gameplay.

One thing I never understood is if there are any boosts in Pro if you are doing cpu vs cpu. Technically, there is no "user" to give a boost to. Both teams are controlled by the cpu.

I don't think I ever saw a clear answer on what sliders are in effect when you do cpu vs cpu. CPU settings only? Are there boosts that occur on all levels in cpu vs cpu? Whether that be for user or cpu?

Does it matter if you start the game controlling one team and then pause and move controller to the middle? What about Slow sim after game starts? What sliders are in effect and are there still boosts provided? Gets real muddy for me...

[forme95]

Quote: Originally Posted by sportsgamingguy2023

One thing I never understood is if there are any boosts in Pro if you are doing cpu vs cpu. Technically, there is no "user" to give a boost to. Both teams are controlled by the cpu. I don't think I ever saw a clear answer on what sliders are in effect when you do cpu vs cpu. CPU settings only? Are there boosts that occur on all levels in cpu vs cpu? Whether that be for user or cpu? Does it matter if you start the game controlling one team and then pause and move controller to the middle? What about Slow sim after game starts? What sliders are in effect and are there still boosts provided? Gets real muddy for me...

Everything is so all across the board. MM setting sliders dont matter, only cpu sliders matter, only in franchise sliders matter, only MM matters, still a hum controlled team so hum matters, this is reversed, that is backwards, this doesnt work, that has to be zero, slider blah does more then blah, slider that only controls that, so on and so forth. So many different opinions, and so many "its placebo" when it differs from one gamer to another. No wonder no one can figure anything out when it comes to cpu vs cpu LOL.

In reference to my Pro, All Pro comment, to me that is how I see it. To add though, I have seen it in other places online as well. Does it matter for cpu vs cpu...... thats just another unproven answer. To me, Pro plays smoother. The real issue is, Pro, AP, AM, doesnt matter, same results.... a winning season. That said, is a bonus applied to cpu vs cpu....... You could run in circles forever on it.

I saw some player say that he does cpu vs cpu but he will do the initial kickoff and then slow sim the rest of the game. So does that add the hum sliders back in? Yet another question.

With trying this from zero, I really am trying to just keep it simple and not over think everything. Sometimes I think that is my biggest issue.