ViatorLion10's NCAA Football 14 Bible (w/ Sliders Set)
If you're like me, you've been enjoying NCAA Football 14 for the better part of a decade. I actually sold my PS3 when I upgraded to my PS4 back in 2015, however, a strong desire to play NCAA Football once more drew me to purchase a whole new PS3 a couple years ago just so I could play. Since then, I've been having a ton of fun like the old days, specifically playing dynasty mode and trying to build up 1 star programs.
After succeeding more than a few times at turning these small programs into powerhouses, I realized I needed to find ways to make it a little harder. What you read below is a compilation of years of playing and hours of testing in NCAA 14. These sliders/rules should give you the best possible NCAA experience until we can one day get a new game (which I'm sure EA will ruin, but that's another conversation).
This setup should be perfect for playing dynasty in any form. Whether you love to build a program from the ground up, or whether you just like to play with your favorite 6-star program.
Gameplay Settings
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Difficulties: Heisman
Quarter length: 8 min
Games go by at a good pace and have the requisite amount of plays to stack stats. 9 min feels a bit too long.
Speed min threshold: 40
Tested this a lot to see what value would give realistic differences between players of different speed ratings. Players with very similar ratings have very minimum separation. >5 starts to showcase speed differences, but not in an overpowered form. Top speed players should still be killers (as in real college football)
Sliders (User/CPU)
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QB Accuracy: 5/5
This is a slider that I wish I could go in between values. User QBs are basically robots at "10", but they struggle a bit too much at "5". In the end, I went for "5" because once your QB "heats up" he basically becomes automatic, so you'll need to scheme a way to get your QB in rhythm (which kind of makes sense honestly). The value is basically perfect for CPU QBs.
Pass Blocking: 45/50
User value feels about right. "50" gives too much protection, but "40" is a little too leaky so you can't take many deep shots.
WR Catching: 0/40
Oddly enough, this slider affects some of the separation that WRs can get when they are facing man coverage. The lowered values don't seem to have a significant effects on drops (though excess numbers of drops is not necessarily different from college football)
RB Ability: 30/70
Slider feels nice w/ user RBs. They don't feel overpowered, but they aren't complete slugs either. CPU slider is harder to gauge. They mostly turn into bowling balls and don't make a lot of special moves (if any). This is the best balance I could find.
Run Blocking: 0/20
The running game is OP in this game for users, especially from the shotgun. This value should allow for a decent amount of block shedding up front and keep the run games from dominating too much. CPU value should allow dominant run blockers to control the LOS, but allow you to exploit weaker OL.
Pass Coverage: 15/40
This slider acts more like the "reaction time" slider in Madden. Functions mainly to affect defender reactions while in zone coverage. Values were tested to highlight differences between players w/ varying zone coverage ratings.
Interceptions: 35/45
Interceptions can be a little too frequent for both the user and the CPU. However, the slider seemingly affects how defenders play the ball while it's in the air to force incompletions. This feels like a nice middle ground
Rush Defense: 10/100
User defenses can often dominate opposing run games. This value should help mitigate that without getting torched. CPU value makes it much harder to run so you have to be on your game with reading holes and making moves.
Tackling: 35/45
This user value may be a little low, but it's what I like to start with at least. Would like to see more forced fumbles, but that should come with better stick play. CPU value allows for some broken and missed tackles, but won't allow you to overpower the CPU w/ special moves.
FG Power: 40/45
Values need to be knocked down. College kickers shouldn't be able to kick 50 yarders w/ ease.
FG Accuracy: 0/45
User kicking is way too easy in this game. Slider doesn't really change that. CPU value makes the kicker a little more unpredictable. Wouldn't go below this though.
Punt Power: 40/45
Same reasoning as FG power.
Punt Accuracy: 0/65
CPU accuracy needs a little boost so they just don't always kick the ball out of the end zone or shank it out of bounds.
Kickoff Length: 50/50
Slider is broken for users. No need to change the CPU value.
Penalties (AFFECTS GAMEPLAY)
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Offsides: 100
Affects DL firing out off the ball. Higher value means more aggressiveness which comes with better pass rush and play against the run.
False Start: 85
Basically the same effect as offsides but instead for OL. Too much value difference between these two values and you won't see enough second level blocking in the run game.
Holding: 100
You don't see holding calls that frequently, but the slider needs to stay higher from proper blocking animations.
Facemask: 59
Has a possible effect on hard hits and forced fumbles. However, don't go too high because then there's too many penalties called.
Offensive Pass Interference: 100
Affects WR aggressiveness for attacking the ball while in the air. Leads to more aggressive catches and is a good counter to good pass coverage. Do not adjust value because it's difference from DPI affects man coverage effectiveness.
Defensive Pass Interference: 30
CRITICAL VALUE: The value of DPI compared to OPI has a strong effect on the separation that WRs get against man coverage. This value took a lot of testing to figure out because it relies on other values to work, but "30" was a perfect middle ground I felt.
KR/PR Interference: 60
May have some effect on how defenses read the offense, but it is unclear if this is fact or just anecdotal.
Clipping: 51
Grounding: 99
Roughing the Passer: 54
Roughing the Kicker: 50
Auto Subs
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QB: 0/1
RB: 80/85
WR: 75/80
TE/FB: 75/80
OL: 0/1
DT: 80/85
DE: 80/85
LB: 75/80
CB: 70/71
S: 70/71
Recruiting Rules
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After years of playing this game, recruiting just became WAY too easy. Many people have tried to come up with ways to restrict recruiting, but I never really liked most suggestions because they didn't feel realistic. The method I came up with may seem a little overwhelming and complicated, but is actually much easier to follow than you'd expect.
-You must start with your coach recruiting tree level on 1 and cannot add to the tree unless your program meets certain requirements (see below for progression)
-You are only able to "scout" a player once. Therefore, you are restricted by your coaching tree scouting ability which creates a "fog of war (recruiting)" effect unless you have a premiere program
-Any player who is "interested" is fair game to recruit regardless of location or stars
-Any non-interested player within your program's state is fair game (EXCEPT 5*s, which will require at least one "green" pitch in his top 2 "bonus factors"; if the "green" is in the third slot, one yellow needs to be in the top 2)
-Any 4* or higher that is not from you state, a pipeline state, or any state directly adjacent to yours cannot be added to your recruiting board until week 5
-Non-interested players from pipeline or adjacent states can be added to your board if they have a "green" pitch in their top 2 or a "green" in their 3rd position w/ a yellow in the top 2 (EXCEPT 5* which need "green" in both top 2 positions and at least a yellow in the third)
-Non-interested players from all other states can only be added if their top 2 positions are "green" and the 3rd position is at least a "yellow"
-Players from pipeline or adjacent states can be added to boards in week 13 regardless of pitch statuses (Non-pipeline/adjacent state players: follow the pipeline rules as listed above starting in week 13)
-JUCO players are fair game (and even encouraged for smaller programs) as long as they meet the above criteria.
-DO NOT cherry pick stats in the weeks you have recruits visit. I was pretty guilty of this for a long time so I could get those bonus points. Play the game as you'd normally do it just like a real college program does.
Essentially, you are being limited to recruiting within your pipeline and adjacent states unless you are a big time national program who has the resources and appeal to recruit nationally (just like real college football).
Coach Skill Tree Rules
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To unlock different parts of your coaching skills tree, you need to meet certain requirements as follows:
Game manager tree (based on coaching accomplishments):
-Road warrior: win 1 road game, 1 season w/ winning road record, win a conference title
-Antifreeze: win 1 game on a last minute FG, 2 games, 3 games
-Matchups: finish in top 30 of total offense, top 15, top 5
-Setup: finish in top 60 of total offense, top 25, top 10
-Penalties: 3+ seasons w/ program, 5+, win National Title
-Big game: win 3 rivalry games, win 3 bowl/conference championship games, win 6 bowl/conference championship games
-Light a fire: 10 win season, 3+ seasons w/ program, 5+ seasons w/ program
-Coachstradamus: 10 win season, win 3 bowl games, win a National Championship
-Clutch: 1 4th Q comeback from 14+ down, 3 comebacks, win a National Title
Alterations to Player Injury Ratings
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Injuries on simulation are pretty good, however, they are very infrequent while actually playing the games. Injury ratings can be adjusted to increase frequency and put a bigger emphasis on having depth for your program. This will lower player overalls, but not actually affect how they play.
QB: -30
HB/FB: -25
WR: -40
TE: -30
OL: -80
DL: -80
LB: -70
DB: -40
K/P: -60
Gameplay Limitations (IMPORTANT TO READ)
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We are certainly all guilty of monopolizing our money plays and exploiting the CPU defenses to get dubs. Here are some considerations to take while playing to make the CPU a little more challenging to face:
-Limit cheese/money pays. For me, this predominantly includes read options, running plays from "flex" shotgun formations, stretch plays to sides of the field w/ no WRs, and my favorite passing plays. You can always run these plays from time to time, but try to limit yourself to 3-5 of them a game so you aren't just exploiting a CPU weakness
-No motion exploits. This is basically to keep yourself from getting zero defenders on a side of the field to run the ball or to prevent WRs from getting pressed.
-No "accelerated clock" until under 3 minutes left in the 4th Q. I have run out entire 4th Qs to secure upsets before just by running the ball and using accelerated clocks.
-Switch up your defenses. Do not just call the same coverage or blitz on every single play.
-Limit or switch up your "lurk" defender. Try to be a little realistic with how the player you are controlling would actually defend. I don't suggest only controlling DL, but if you want to let most of your defense play in accordance to their ratings, this is an option to try.
-Do not make any in game adjustments on offense (to aggressive or conservative). Leave everything as "balanced" on offense. For defense, the only change I would recommend against is the "option". Keep that as balanced to give some variety to how your AI defenders play the option. All other defensive adjustments are your choice.
Program Transfers
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Transfers don't occur frequently enough in this game, specifically considering how huge the transfer portal has gotten in recent years. You can mitigate this on your own roster by cutting players (they won't transfer, but it'll be like they transferred from your team) that meet the following requirements:
-Any rising sophomore >75ovr who doesn't project to be at least a backup by his Junior year (if he doesn't have a path to playing time, he would likely transfer in real life)
-Any redshirt senior in a program that is 3* or less who is >85ovr (graduate transfers to bigger programs for a shot at the NFL)
How to Handle Position Changes
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Position changes are nice, but they end up hurting player overalls because they destroy awareness ratings. Any player that makes a position change I usually give a 15 point boost to their awareness rating after the switch (except players who switch from R to L and vice-versa like RT going to LT)
It's honestly a really great system in my opinion, I just wanted to tweak it a bit to fit more of my liking. It goes like this:
-This will be done in addition to the game's progression system, not in place of.
-You can do this with every player on your roster (that is NOT a true freshman). The whole system should not take too long to implement and does not take anything special to do.
-For each player, you will do the following:
1) Generate a random number between 0 and 49 to determine if a player regresses, stays the same, or progresses.
0-9: Regression
10-19: Regression
20-29: Maintain (no editing needed)
30-39: Maintain
40-49: Progression
2) The second number will determine the degree of regression/progression. Take that number and divide it by 3. Then round up to the nearest whole number.
E.g. 47 will be a progression value of 3 (7/3 = 2.33, so round up to 3)
3) The regression/progression number that you get is the value that you will subtract or add to a player's attributes (except "injury"). You can add these points to all attributes, or just attributes relative to your player's position. That is your prerogative.
Additional Editing
If you want to go even deeper with these edits, you can add some of the following as well:
-Work ethic/potential values: assign each player on your roster a randomly generated number (1, 2, or 3). This will affect how he responds to the above editing system:
1: Low work-ethic/potential: no chance of progression boost (random numbers from 40-49 lead to another number generation)
2: Average: no changes from above system
3: High: gets a re-roll opportunity and takes the best possible outcome (sometimes this may be taking a lower reduction)
-Freshman to Sophomore growth (for true freshman only):
This is a way to reward those true freshman who come in and become significant contributors right from the start. It also encourages you to not redshirt and to play true freshman more even though that might be a risk overall-wise.
QBs: 8+ starts w/ 140+ passer rating (+2 to THP, THA, and Awr) and/or 500+ yards rushing (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, CAR, BTK, and special moves)
HBs: 800+ yards rushing (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, CAR, BTK, BCV, AWR, and special moves)
WRs: 750+ yards receving or 55+ catches (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, AWR, CAT, SPC, CIT, RTR, and REL)
TEs: 600+ yards receiving or 45+ catches (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, AWR, CAT, SPC, CIT, RTR, and REL)
OL: 12+ starts (+2 to STR, PBK, RBK, and IMB)
Pass Rushing: 5.5+ sacks (+2 to SPD, ACC, STR, HPW, PMV, and FMV)
Run Stopping: 50+ tackles or 10+ TFL (+2 to SPD, ACC, AWR, STR, TCK, BSH, HPW, PUR, and PRC)
Pass Coverage: 3+ INT or 5+ PD (+2 to SPD, AGI, ACC, MCV, ZCV, and PCV)
-All-Americans:
First-team: +2 to all attributes
Second-team: +1 to all attributes
-Outstanding performers:
Reward players who perform at elite levels. These benchmarks are roughly equal to what a top-10 performing player in the nation would achieve.
QBs: 3700+ yards passing or 170+ passer rating (+2 to THP, THA, and Awr) and/or 800+ yards rushing (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, CAR, BTK, and special moves)
HBs: 1500+ yards rushing (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, CAR, BTK, BCV, AWR, and special moves)
WRs: 1300+ yards receving or 85+ catches (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, AWR, CAT, SPC, CIT, RTR, and REL)
TEs: 800+ yards receiving or 60+ catches (+2 to SPD, AGL, ACC, AWR, CAT, SPC, CIT, RTR, and REL)
OL: 300+ yards team passing per game (+2 PBLK for all starters); 240+ yards team rushing per game (+2 RBLK for all starters)
Pass Rushing: 11+ sacks (+2 to SPD, ACC, STR, HPW, PMV, and FMV)
Run Stopping: 100+ tackles or 20+ TFL (+2 to SPD, ACC, AWR, STR, TCK, BSH, HPW, PUR, and PRC)
Pass Coverage: 6+ INT or 10+ PD (+2 to SPD, AGI, ACC, MCV, ZCV, and PCV)
-Editing true freshman QBs across the nation:
"kawkeye" makes a really good point in his method that freshman QBs tend to have awful AWR ratings and this can affect how QBs play over time. To mitigate that, find all true freshman QBs in the NCAA and generate a random number between 1 and 3 for each player. 1 and 2 do nothing, but if you get 3, add 15 to the QB's AWR attribute. This also helps to differentiate QBs from the same recruiting class if one of them happens to get the AWR bump and the other one doesn't.
I was pretty happy to come across this system from "kawkeye" because it definitely add another layer to dynasties which is fun. This is just my own little rendition of what he came up with.
And there you have it. That is my NCAA Football 14 Bible. I've been following this in my dynasties for the last year or so, and it has brought a lot more enjoyment back to the game for me.
09-13-2021, 01:46 PM
