gnperdue
08-18-2007, 08:28 PM
After 25 iterations, I think I finally have my sliders for AA set. I haven't changed the sliders for seven games now (I am 5-2 in those games), and that is by far the longest stretch of stability. I developed these while playing a seaon with Texas, a season with Clemson, and a season and a half with Maryland, along with some play now games (also with Maryland). I got a lot of help and inspiration from steelerfan and playmakers, so I'll tip my hat to them now.
I run a balanced (slightly pass heavy) offense and either a 4-3 or a 3-4 depending on personnell. (The 3-4 is much stronger in this game, IMO.) They come with some house rules that I adhere to at all times. I obviously endorse these rules, but do what you like.
House Rules
--------------
1) You may not toss an option pitch to a Wide Reciver.
2) You may not toss an option pitch beyond the line of scrimmage more than once per half.
3) You may not run the same offensive play twice in a half.
4) You may not run the same defensive play twice in a quarter.
5) Bonus: If you feel very strong, switch rule 3 to read oncer per game and rule 4 to once per half.
The Sliders
-------------
User QB Accuracy - 50. I experimented with higher values here, but I read defenses well enough that I would almost never throw an intercetpion without errant passes. If you don't have that "problem" you will see a large improvement at 55.
User Pass Blocking - 95. I still feel my pass protection is terrible at this setting, and I have an elite line.
User WR Catching - 40. I got the idea to lower this value from steelerfan. In general, I don't even notice it.
User RB Ability - 50. Default is fine here.
User Run Blocking - 55. In general, User blocking is poor on AA. I would raise this even more based on the animations and individual plays, but at the end of the day, my running game is healthy, statistically speaking, here.
User Awareness - 0. This is an effort to calm the Interception Probelm.
User Knockdowns - 0. This is also an effort to slow CPU INT's.
User Intercetptions - 10. This looks funky, I know, but trust me, 0/0 on Knockdowsn/INT's does not work. I got this insight from playmakers and I'll post a quote of his below.
User Break Block - 55. Nominally, this is to help generate a pass-rush, but I've found that athletic sacks on AA are essentially impossible. You have to scheme very, very well to get pressure.
User Tackling - 60. This is mostly for the boost in pursuit angles. You have to bring this up to compensate for 0 Awareness in the run game.
User FG Power - 15. This looks low, but I think it is accurate.
User FG Accuracy - 0. I am still a two time Groza winner sporting an 86% FG accuracy mark with the slider here. Trust me, the kicking game will still be easy here. I would take this about 20 points lower if I could.
User Punt Power - 40. This may still be too high.
User Punt Accuracy - 40. This may be too high too. Coffin-corners are still not too hard to pull off here.
User Kickoff Power - 40. This feels about right to me.
CPU QB Accuracy - 60. The goal here is to keep the CPU from throwing picks on good reads. It almost never makes a good read, so I want to protect the precious few it does.
CPU Pass Blocking - 15. I still have an extremely hard time getting to the QB and would lower this except for my pride.
CPU WR Catching - 40. This is mostly to help compensate for the QB accuracy.
CPU RB Ability - 75. I don't think you can go much lower than this or the CPU will fumble too often. This setting can be frustrating in that it is very hard for the first defender to bring a runner down, but the CPU runs enough terrible running plays to balance things out in the end.
CPU Run Blocking - 75. This setting is mostly about helping the CPU with its poor running scheme. The unfortunate drawback is that the CPU is almost unstoppable on short yardage if it just pounds the ball, but without this, its scheme is so bad it can't run well in other situations.
CPU Awareness - 40. I brought this down just to the point where defenders in man coverage with their backs turned respond to the ball after a step rather than instantly to keep the passing game from feeling less contrived. I can move the ball on higher settings, but I have to cheese. Here I just play normal and relaxed.
CPU Knockdowns - 0.
CPU Intercetptions - 10.
CPU Break Block - 45. This is mostly about slowing the absurdly good pass rush. I would move this lower but I don't want to upset the running game too much.
CPU Tackling - 65. Tackling here is bumped up to improve pursuit (offsetting the lowered awareness).
CPU FG Power - 15. This is the level I feel is realistic. Unfortunately, the CPU still trots out the kicker for 57 yard field goals into the wind in the rain. But at least 53 Overall kickers don't just ace kicks like that now (good kickers still hit from 50-55 pretty well).
CPU FG Accuracy - 20. This looks ornery, but elite kickers aren't affected at all. Complete scrubs will not ace 50 yarders from the far hash here.
CPU Punt Power - 40. This may be too high. Outkicking coverage is a big part of why we see such big returns. Certainly, you cannot have this set higher than 40.
CPU Punt Accuracy - 40.
CPU Kickoff Power - 40.
Okay, so I know the INT setting looks funky, but trust me, I think it is the best we can do. With 0/0/0 for Awareness/Knock/Int my team averaged 3.75 INT's per game (over 16 games). With 0/0/10 I've averaged 1.86 INT's per game (over 7 games). I got the idea to move to this setting from playmakers, and here is what he had to say about it:
Here's what I think and how those two sliders are working. If you uitlize one the other has to be at 0.
For example the Default setup is 50/50.
Well if you leave one at 50 the other has to be dropped to 0. If you set them both to 0/0 your still going to see pretty much the same results as if the sliders were back at 50/50 because your not setting a ratio.
It's kinda confusing but it doesn't appear the sliders are backwards but the INT slider by itself represents 2 clicks for every one click you adjust the KDWN slider and it determines a certain percentage the defenders try to go for a pick. This is based off of the CPU QBA being at DEFAULT 50 and no higher with Human AWR at 0.
Ratio:
INT-5 = KDWN's at 40-45 or Defenders try to go for the pick about 5% of the time. This setting probably gets you 0-1 picks per game as a normal pattern.
INT-10= KDWN's at 35-40 or defenders try to go for the pick about 10% of the time. This setting probably gets you 1-2 picks per game as a normal pattern.
INT-15= KDWN's at 30-35 or defenders try to go for the pick about 15% of the time. This setting probabaly gets you 2-3 picks per game as a normal pattern.
I could be totally wrong but it appears that if you use the INT Slider by itself starting at 0 then it functions as the KDWN slider in reverse order. If you increase the INT Slider from 0 to 5 then it will act as if you had the KDWN Slider set between 40-45 and INT at 0. But remember the other has to be 0 at all times they can't be used together.
I messed around with Knockdown above 0, but it doesn't really work. I've found with Knockdowns up instead of INT, that players warp to the ball to pick it off. With the INT slider bumped up instead, you don't see that. You will still pick the CPU off once or twice per game. I really don't think that can be helped. The CPU simply cannot read coverage, and if you go back and watch replays, you'll find that even the bulk of its completions are really ill-advised throws. Occasionally it will hit a guy who is wide open, but it throws into coverage like it is getting paid to. But, with these sliders I'm not seeing the 4, 5, and 6 INT games. I've picked the CPU off 3 times twice these settings, but both times they all came late in the game when the CPU was well behind and pressing to catch up.
I haven't tested 0/5 yet for Knockdown/INT yet, mostly because 0/10 has felt really good. Actually, my other sliders were developed in an environment where I was picking off 4-5 passes per game, so when that number drops to 1-2, I'm having a lot of trouble stopping the CPU now! Regardless, it is quite possible 0/5 might be the better setting (according to playmakers above), so check that out if you like.
I run a balanced (slightly pass heavy) offense and either a 4-3 or a 3-4 depending on personnell. (The 3-4 is much stronger in this game, IMO.) They come with some house rules that I adhere to at all times. I obviously endorse these rules, but do what you like.
House Rules
--------------
1) You may not toss an option pitch to a Wide Reciver.
2) You may not toss an option pitch beyond the line of scrimmage more than once per half.
3) You may not run the same offensive play twice in a half.
4) You may not run the same defensive play twice in a quarter.
5) Bonus: If you feel very strong, switch rule 3 to read oncer per game and rule 4 to once per half.
The Sliders
-------------
User QB Accuracy - 50. I experimented with higher values here, but I read defenses well enough that I would almost never throw an intercetpion without errant passes. If you don't have that "problem" you will see a large improvement at 55.
User Pass Blocking - 95. I still feel my pass protection is terrible at this setting, and I have an elite line.
User WR Catching - 40. I got the idea to lower this value from steelerfan. In general, I don't even notice it.
User RB Ability - 50. Default is fine here.
User Run Blocking - 55. In general, User blocking is poor on AA. I would raise this even more based on the animations and individual plays, but at the end of the day, my running game is healthy, statistically speaking, here.
User Awareness - 0. This is an effort to calm the Interception Probelm.
User Knockdowns - 0. This is also an effort to slow CPU INT's.
User Intercetptions - 10. This looks funky, I know, but trust me, 0/0 on Knockdowsn/INT's does not work. I got this insight from playmakers and I'll post a quote of his below.
User Break Block - 55. Nominally, this is to help generate a pass-rush, but I've found that athletic sacks on AA are essentially impossible. You have to scheme very, very well to get pressure.
User Tackling - 60. This is mostly for the boost in pursuit angles. You have to bring this up to compensate for 0 Awareness in the run game.
User FG Power - 15. This looks low, but I think it is accurate.
User FG Accuracy - 0. I am still a two time Groza winner sporting an 86% FG accuracy mark with the slider here. Trust me, the kicking game will still be easy here. I would take this about 20 points lower if I could.
User Punt Power - 40. This may still be too high.
User Punt Accuracy - 40. This may be too high too. Coffin-corners are still not too hard to pull off here.
User Kickoff Power - 40. This feels about right to me.
CPU QB Accuracy - 60. The goal here is to keep the CPU from throwing picks on good reads. It almost never makes a good read, so I want to protect the precious few it does.
CPU Pass Blocking - 15. I still have an extremely hard time getting to the QB and would lower this except for my pride.
CPU WR Catching - 40. This is mostly to help compensate for the QB accuracy.
CPU RB Ability - 75. I don't think you can go much lower than this or the CPU will fumble too often. This setting can be frustrating in that it is very hard for the first defender to bring a runner down, but the CPU runs enough terrible running plays to balance things out in the end.
CPU Run Blocking - 75. This setting is mostly about helping the CPU with its poor running scheme. The unfortunate drawback is that the CPU is almost unstoppable on short yardage if it just pounds the ball, but without this, its scheme is so bad it can't run well in other situations.
CPU Awareness - 40. I brought this down just to the point where defenders in man coverage with their backs turned respond to the ball after a step rather than instantly to keep the passing game from feeling less contrived. I can move the ball on higher settings, but I have to cheese. Here I just play normal and relaxed.
CPU Knockdowns - 0.
CPU Intercetptions - 10.
CPU Break Block - 45. This is mostly about slowing the absurdly good pass rush. I would move this lower but I don't want to upset the running game too much.
CPU Tackling - 65. Tackling here is bumped up to improve pursuit (offsetting the lowered awareness).
CPU FG Power - 15. This is the level I feel is realistic. Unfortunately, the CPU still trots out the kicker for 57 yard field goals into the wind in the rain. But at least 53 Overall kickers don't just ace kicks like that now (good kickers still hit from 50-55 pretty well).
CPU FG Accuracy - 20. This looks ornery, but elite kickers aren't affected at all. Complete scrubs will not ace 50 yarders from the far hash here.
CPU Punt Power - 40. This may be too high. Outkicking coverage is a big part of why we see such big returns. Certainly, you cannot have this set higher than 40.
CPU Punt Accuracy - 40.
CPU Kickoff Power - 40.
Okay, so I know the INT setting looks funky, but trust me, I think it is the best we can do. With 0/0/0 for Awareness/Knock/Int my team averaged 3.75 INT's per game (over 16 games). With 0/0/10 I've averaged 1.86 INT's per game (over 7 games). I got the idea to move to this setting from playmakers, and here is what he had to say about it:
Here's what I think and how those two sliders are working. If you uitlize one the other has to be at 0.
For example the Default setup is 50/50.
Well if you leave one at 50 the other has to be dropped to 0. If you set them both to 0/0 your still going to see pretty much the same results as if the sliders were back at 50/50 because your not setting a ratio.
It's kinda confusing but it doesn't appear the sliders are backwards but the INT slider by itself represents 2 clicks for every one click you adjust the KDWN slider and it determines a certain percentage the defenders try to go for a pick. This is based off of the CPU QBA being at DEFAULT 50 and no higher with Human AWR at 0.
Ratio:
INT-5 = KDWN's at 40-45 or Defenders try to go for the pick about 5% of the time. This setting probably gets you 0-1 picks per game as a normal pattern.
INT-10= KDWN's at 35-40 or defenders try to go for the pick about 10% of the time. This setting probably gets you 1-2 picks per game as a normal pattern.
INT-15= KDWN's at 30-35 or defenders try to go for the pick about 15% of the time. This setting probabaly gets you 2-3 picks per game as a normal pattern.
I could be totally wrong but it appears that if you use the INT Slider by itself starting at 0 then it functions as the KDWN slider in reverse order. If you increase the INT Slider from 0 to 5 then it will act as if you had the KDWN Slider set between 40-45 and INT at 0. But remember the other has to be 0 at all times they can't be used together.
I messed around with Knockdown above 0, but it doesn't really work. I've found with Knockdowns up instead of INT, that players warp to the ball to pick it off. With the INT slider bumped up instead, you don't see that. You will still pick the CPU off once or twice per game. I really don't think that can be helped. The CPU simply cannot read coverage, and if you go back and watch replays, you'll find that even the bulk of its completions are really ill-advised throws. Occasionally it will hit a guy who is wide open, but it throws into coverage like it is getting paid to. But, with these sliders I'm not seeing the 4, 5, and 6 INT games. I've picked the CPU off 3 times twice these settings, but both times they all came late in the game when the CPU was well behind and pressing to catch up.
I haven't tested 0/5 yet for Knockdown/INT yet, mostly because 0/10 has felt really good. Actually, my other sliders were developed in an environment where I was picking off 4-5 passes per game, so when that number drops to 1-2, I'm having a lot of trouble stopping the CPU now! Regardless, it is quite possible 0/5 might be the better setting (according to playmakers above), so check that out if you like.