Itbeme23 Madden 18 All-Pro True Simulation Sliders

[itbeme23]

Hey Guys,

Some of you might know me from my slider threads for MLB The Show. Although I didn’t release a set for The Show this year, I have been really enjoying Madden 18 since release, with my own slider adjustments. I have been a long-time user of many of the slider sets on these forums, and the guys definitely know what they’re doing. Understanding sliders and how each one affects gameplay is something that takes a lot of time and effort, and I have great respect for the rest of the slider guys for their efforts in making the game the best it can be.

All that being said, I'm posting my set, if not for any other reason, to give people an additional choice for sliders. Everybody who makes sliders has their own approach, but the goal is the same: to make the game as realistic as possible. That's what my goal has been with any slider set I've released, regardless of which game it was for. Everybody who has used my sets for The Show in the past knows how much time I put into testing and stat tracking. It's been the same for Madden. Therefore, even though some of my settings will inevitably look different than the sets you have seen in the other threads, please trust I've gathered enough of a sample size through testing to be confident in every slider value in this set. I will give explanations on each, that way everybody has a clear idea of how I arrived at these values.

Something very important to note: I tested my set in both Play Now and CFM, and the two modes DEFINITELY play differently. Therefore, this set is strictly for CFM. Personally, I’m running a 32-team franchise, so I have the option to play more football games than humanly possible. LOL. So, I will not be able to give you information about how these slider settings affect sim stats, as I am playing every game on the schedule. This set really is intended for people who enjoy playing with 32-team control. In my opinion, with slider adjustments, QB Trait adjustments, and custom playbooks for the CPU, Madden 18 plays a damn good game of football.

Here be the set!

Game Options:

Difficulty: All-Pro

- This has always been my difficulty level of choice, simply because it provides the most balanced gameplay.

Game Speed: Slow

- There is a certain level of truth to Game Speed affecting gameplay. My opinion on Game Speed is how it affects the overall “feel and fluidity” of the gameplay. That was the premise behind this setting. I tested my set on Very Slow and Normal, and I didn’t like either. On Very Slow, the game felt like it was stuck in the mud. On Normal, it felt to herky-jerky. Slow feels perfect for this set.

Game Style: Simulation
Quarter Length: 13 minutes
Play Clock Time: 20 seconds

- This set has STRICTLY been tested using the above quarter length and play clock time. Please understand, quarter lengths and runoff time work in conjunction with the Fatigue slider, which of course works in conjunction with my auto-sub settings. I cannot give specific advice on different quarter lengths and fatigue settings. General rule of thumb is if you are going to have longer quarters, you should have Fatigue set lower. My guess is if you tried to use my current fatigue settings with 15 minute quarters, you’d likely experience disappearing players towards the end of the game. I’ve done extensive testing with my settings, and I haven’t experienced disappearing players. I prefer 13 minute quarters because it keeps the game moving at a reasonable pace. Total plays are consistently in the 115-120 range, which is close to real-life NFL averages, although some games may be a bit lower. When added to realistic scores for each game, as well as realistic team and player stats across the board, there’s not enough evidence to warrant a deviation from the current setting.

Injuries: 21

- Extensively tested in CFM. AGAIN, this setting is set for User-played games, so I do not know the effect of this setting on sim stats. There are two goals in adjusting the Injury slider.
1. To find a realistic number of injuries on a PER-GAME basis
2. Understanding the Injury slider affects injury severity as well, I wanted to minimize the risk of CONSISITENTLY losing star payers on a game-to-game basis. Yes, those happen on a per-game basis (i.e. Eric Berry). However, I think we all can agree that if we saw guys like Tom Brady, Arron Rodgers, or Dez Bryant go down for the season in Week 1, that would take a bit of the immersion out of the CFM experience, at least for me. So, with Injuries set at 21, you will see players get hurt every game, some big name players, some average players. Some might be out for the game, some might come back, and some might be out for a few weeks. I’ve encountered some IR type injuries as well.

Fatigue: 80

- This slider SHOULD NOT be changed. It works perfectly with my quarter/accelerated clock settings, as well as auto-subs. Change at your own risk.

Speed Threshold: 60

- I view this slider as a “feel” slider as well. It does have some affect on gameplay, most noticeably it affects big play ability, and the frequency at which the CPU will challenge (and be successful) at creating big plays. I’ve noticed this most in the run game. I’ve tested at several values, between 50 and 100, and the lower the setting, the more the CPU RBs turn into Barry Sanders. I didn’t like how it felt at 50 for that very reason. However, I still wanted the CPU to have big play ability in the run game, and I also wanted to see them take shots downfield in the passing game. I feel 60 provides balance in both. Star offensive skill players will put on the moves, and they will make you pay for missed tackles. Star QBs will test you downfield. That’s how it should be.

Auto Subs: (OUT/IN)

Offense:

QB: 0/1
RB: 86/87
WR: 55/60
FB/TE: 25/30
OL: 0/1

- You will see realistic subbing on offense. RBs will sub out every 2-3 plays or so, if you run them consecutively. However, if you use formation subs as I do, it’s not as big of a deal. WR and TE subs happen as well, and you will notice these rotations on long drives, marching down the field.

Defense:

DE: 96/98
DT: 96/98
LB: 97/98
CB: 10/15
S: 20/25

- My main focus was getting realistic D-Line rotations, and it took me a LONG time to settle on these settings. I won’t say, “you will see defensive lineman sub out ‘x’ amount of times per game”. However, YOU WILL see rotations, most notably on long drives. Same with the LBs. Those big boys can’t handle 15 play drives without needing a break, so these settings allow you to see some rotations. Goal accomplished.

Sliders: (User/CPU)

QB Accuracy: 8/23

- On the User side, I wanted there to be a challenge. You should struggle with scrubs, and you should have an easier time with stars. With this setting, you will be challenged every game. On the CPU side, it’s simple. Any higher than 25, and EVERY QB is Tom Brady. At 23, you will see realistic completion percentage depending on the caliber of QB you are seeing, and YOU WILL see throws downfield. Please keep in mind, the skillset of your QB greatly affects whether he will throw downfield. Average QBs are usually in the 59-64% completion range. Stars will be 65-70%. Scrubs will struggle in the 55-58% range, sometimes lower.

Pass Blocking: 50/55

- Most important goal here was to keep the amount of sacks per game in check. However, this is something that NEEDS to be patched to fully rectify that issue. At these values, you can expect to see an average of 3-5 sacks per game, per team. Yes, that’s still on the high side, but I feel it’s the best I can do without the sacks issue being patched. Any higher, and you start to see some suction blocking as well as too much time in the pocket for the CPU (5+ seconds). I’m sure these will change with a patch.

WR Catching: 45/45

- You will see dropped passes at this setting, but at a realistic clip. Understand the WR Catching slider influences QB accuracy as well. You will see the receivers sometime drop balls after big hits, and sometimes you’ll see them drop balls that hit them right between the numbers. THIS STUFF HAPPENS IN REAL LIFE. I’m very confident in this setting, and don’t plan on changing it.

Run Blocking: 45/70

- Credit goes to Flazko on this. Realistic running lanes on both sides without being OP. Cutback lanes are there as well if you identify them early.

Fumbles: 49/49

- Default doesn’t provide any fumbles. Anything lower than 49 provides too many. 49 it is. You will see fumbles as a result of big hits, strip sacks, as well as ball carrier strips. All at a realistic clip.

Pass Defense Reaction time: 75/85
Pass Coverage: 75/80

- These were by far the most difficult to settle on, because they have such an effect on QB stats as well. I'm not claiming to have "cracked the code" for these settings, but I will say I’m happy with the results I’ve seen on the field. Keep in mind, these settings are based on my observations on gameplay, my interpretation of what each slider affects, and from the years I spent playing DB myself. Based on my observations, I believe the following:

Defense Reaction Time is how quickly DBs react to the ball in the air (i.e. plays on the ball),

Pass Coverage is how much space is generated between WR and DB. Again, I did a lot of testing of different values, and I’m happy with where these are at. I’m constantly checking instant replays to closely monitor WR/DB interaction, and I cannot find any good reason to change these settings. Your receivers will be able to generate space, and you will be able to hit them as long as you make the right reads. The CPU isn’t OP at these settings, but they do play an aggressive pass defense, which I like.

Interceptions: 50/35

- I don’t see a whole lot of User interceptions at default, which is why I chose to leave it. Some guys have this setting lower, but I play with a strict “No Switch Rule”, as well as not using “Ball Hawk” or any other assists. So, any interceptions my team generates is either because my user-controlled player makes the pick, OR the other defensive teammates’ ratings came into play. CPU interceptions are OP, in my opinion, especially with higher Pass Coverage settings. I’ve chosen to follow Flazko’s lead on this and keep them at 35. Trust me, if you make a poor decision, and the CPU is in position to make the interception, most of the time, they will. If you try to force the ball into coverage, or throw up a duck, chances are you’ll be picked. Very happy with these settings so far.

Tackling: 47/40
- I had both User and CPU set at 40 for the longest time, but that was when I was using a higher Speed Threshold setting. Once I lowered it, and the CPU started turning into Barry Sanders, I decided to give User tackling a bit of a boost. I simply got tired of seeing CPU RBs averaging 10 YPC every game. At 45, Users will make the tackles they’re supposed to, and strong/shifty CPU RBs still have the ability to break a big run, just not OP.

Special Teams:

FG Power: 56
FG Accuracy: 35
Punt Power: 48
Punt Accuracy: 75
Kickoff Power: 57

- These settings started from Flazko’s base. I may have made a slight adjustment to a couple of them, but for the most part, they’re still pretty close to Flazko’s.

Penalties:

Offside: 65
False Start: 52
Holding: 86
Defensive Holding: 99 (Broken)
Face Mask: 55
Defensive PI: 99
Illegal Block in the Back: 50
Roughing Passer: 50

- I want to make something abundantly clear about these settings. I am not of the belief that penalties have a heavy influence on gameplay. I’m sure they do to a certain degree, but I did not base my gameplay sliders on my penalty sliders, or vice versa. These were set on the premise that the penalty sliders affect the FREQUENCY at which that particular penalty is called in-game. Simple as that. You can expect to see a fairly realistic number of penalties, as well as penalty variety. Keep in mind, the Defensive Holding slider is broken. Haven’t seen one called since I got the game. Defensive PI is called, but not very often, even with the slider being maxed. Roughing the Passer WILL NEVER be called if it’s at default. Moving it up one click allows you to see it at least once per game. I wish the animations/scenarios were better when this penalty was called, but at the very least, it’s called. Big time momentum shifter in the game.

So there you have it! I hope you guys enjoy these as much as I’ve been. I’m already halfway into the first week of my 32-team franchise, and I’m having a blast, playing some really great games.

Feedback is always appreciated, but keep it constructive and to-the-point.

Cheers!

[Darth Aegis]

Appreciate the write up. I enjoyed reading it! I normally a All Madden guy and not because of my skill ( I'm average at best) I just feel the decision/playcalling Cpu All Madden is better, but probably just placebo on my end. I'm going to give your set a try. I'm currently playing on very slow/100. Just feels good to me, but I will try it on your settings between the same 2 teams and see if it makes a difference. Im waiting for the next roster update to start my CFM offically. Need to decide on a set until then. Can't wait to try these later!

[mathteachernerd1968]

Thanks man, I'll try these.

I never play online so I wonder, who the heck plays online in All-Madden mode? Is MUT played on all-Madden? Do the pros like Problem Wright play on all-Madden? Just curious, because I can't believe all the picks I'm throwing and my o-line is manhandled by a cheating CPU.

I'm wondering if all-Madden online against a real person is just as difficult as it is against the CPU.

[Big Bankhead]

Great looking set and explanation man. Very thorough, because of that I'll give these a test run in my test lab CFM

[Robbaayy]

I love the explanations. Really helped me know where you were coming from. Best sliders I've tried out so far. Had a nice clean gameplay everytime I started a game. I still feel like the user QB accuracy is alittle low. Too many missed passes on short easy throws. All in all it played really nice. Should I bump up the user accuracy a few ticks?

[Flazko]

Just stopping by to say Nice thread dude. Not sure if it's your first time posting madden sliders but you did a great job explaining everything. 👍
I like to view everyone's threads and see what the community is saying. Good job. (thanks for the credit on some of my influences)

[itbeme23]

Quote: Originally Posted by Robbaayy

I love the explanations. Really helped me know where you were coming from. Best sliders I've tried out so far. Had a nice clean gameplay everytime I started a game. I still feel like the user QB accuracy is alittle low. Too many missed passes on short easy throws. All in all it played really nice. Should I bump up the user accuracy a few ticks?

Thanks for giving the set a shot, man. I appreciate the compliments. As far as User Accuracy goes, I set it that low because it's supposed to be a struggle for lower-tier QBs. If you think about it this way, Blake Bortles is going to have a tougher time than Tom Brady, as it should be. With the setting at 8, you'll have those head-scratching moments where your QB will be WAY off-target with a seemingly easy throw. I get that. But understand, that stuff does happen in real-life. If it was consistently happening at an unrealistic rate, then I would change the setting. But, I've been playing with a variety of QBs, and I feel like their completion percentages are pretty realistic. To answer your specific question, if you feel like you need to raise QB Accuracy, I wouldn't go any higher than 10. Any higher than that, and passing becomes too easy. Good luck!

Quote: Originally Posted by Flazko

Just stopping by to say Nice thread dude. Not sure if it's your first time posting madden sliders but you did a great job explaining everything. 👍 I like to view everyone's threads and see what the community is saying. Good job. (thanks for the credit on some of my influences)

Thanks for the props, Flaz! It's definitely not my first rodeo when it comes to sliders, but it's been a good 8 years since I've put out a Madden set. But this year's game really does play a good game of football if you put in the time to figuring it out, and that's why I wanted to give guys another option. I used your set exclusively last year. Great work!

[itbeme23]

Just played Jags vs Texans Week 1 game. I was playing as the Jags, and I had a 19-16 lead going into the final minute of the game. What happens? I give up a 75 yard, game-winning TD to Alfred Blue. And on the way to the house, he broke AT LEAST 4 tackles. I was absolutely disgusted. Those are the types of games that make me jump on the conspiracy-theory bandwagon....you know, the one that says there's "comeback A.I." in Madden. Uggh. I've lost more than I've won in all the Week 1 games I've played up to this point, and I've been okay with it for the most part. Four of the 7 games I've played have been decided by one score or less, which is awesome. But, I'm also 1-6 in those games, and I'm a pretty decent Madden player. This one genuinely annoys me, because I had played a pretty damn good game on both sides of the ball, all the way up to the final possession. To lose in that way was beyond "maddening"....no pun intended.

If any of you are seeing the same broken tackle issue with CPU RBs, please chime in. I'm already thinking of raising the User Tackling slider. I know for sure I won't go to default, because it becomes OP with a bunch of hit stick tackles, which is highly unrealistic. I'm thinking the sweet spot is likely between 45-50.

Other notes from this game:

- Jags lost BOTH Blake Bortles and Marquise Lee to injuries in this game. Bortles is out four weeks with a dislocated elbow, and Lee is out for the season with a knee injury. Sucks, but that's life in the NFL.

- I tripped out on how close this game was to the real-life game between these two teams this past Sunday. I ended up sacking Tom Savage 8 TIMES (real-life Jags got to him 10 times). Normally, this would annoy the crap out of me, but it was kind of cool to see in this game.

Cheers!