ESPN Football: The One Game Impression
OK I finally played a full game, and not just practice, with ESPN Football. I used Bill Harris’ slider settings and I have a few questions for the ESPN-ites out there. I fully realize that one game is by no means any kind of barometer to how a game really plays, but I just have a few questions, regardless.
Before I ask them, I just gotta say, are those halftime and post game Berman notes outstanding or what? Damn that’s cool.
OK, my general questions:
1.) Is it too easy to pass for big yardage? Not too easy in terms of completion % but yards. I played with the Browns against Pittsburgh and Garcia was something like 21/42 for 326 yards. Out to lunch stats? No, not really. But if this is an every game thing…yeah, that’s an issue. A lot like last year, the flag route is the bread and butter play for me, and the Steelers really struggled to stop it. Quincy Morgan logged 9 catches for well over 100 yards, most on flags. Again this is just ONE game and on its face that means nadda–which is why I’m asking.
2) Can the CPU pass? Yes, Tommy Maddux kinda stinks, but 6/17 is pretty damn bad. A one game flop? Or does the CPU have issues with this?
3) What is up with the safeties? Duce Staley took an off-tackle about 76 yards on me, which was GREAT to see the CPU be able to do. Then I watched the replay. My safety, Robert Griffith, pretty much stood in place and walked in a circle, allowing Staley to run for daylight. Later in the game, Jeff Garcia (me) called his own number on a bootleg from the 3 yard line and walked into the end zone. On the replay, the Pittsburgh safety, who was in a zone, let my WR go free (smart) but then turned his back and ran to the back of the end zone to guard…nobody. It was truly bizarre and was the reason Garcia scored so easily. Anyone else see this kinda thing?
Anyway, I lost 26-14, and enjoyed myself. Even after one game you can see and feel the fluidity of this game. Oodles of potential, but if anyone can answer these questions for me I’d appreciate it.
Oh, and yeah, hoo boy these rosters are bad.
July 27th, 2004 at 8:30 pm
I wish I could answer those questions for you but I’ve only played one full game myself and I got the game at noon on release day. I am about to plug in the sliders from Bill Harris’ slider project and see how they fare. I wonder if he’ll do something similar for NCAA. I sure as hell hope so.
July 27th, 2004 at 10:31 pm
The game varies to me. Some games I can rack up passing yards, others they completely shut me down.
If I rush for 100 yards, I feel pretty good.
For the CPU offense, it could use some tweaking. I have been lit up by both passing and running. But I feel the norm is more of the CPU having a bad offense.
I play All-Pro, 8 minute quarters, and a tweaked set sliders based off of Bill Harris’s.
July 27th, 2004 at 10:54 pm
you just need to tweek the slider Coverage up. i am tweeking and the human offense all pro vs the cpu defense all pro is close to ok. just kick up human running and blocking a bit and cpu coverage.
i upped all the cpu offense up to 39 and the human defense up to 32 and it seemed better. i was intercepting about 4 or 5 a game with the chargers d before.
i have only one game with this and it might work but i need several more to see.
i am taking too long because i watch too many replays.
July 28th, 2004 at 2:29 am
Played my first as well last night - got caned 41-10 by the Titans (I was the Bengals).
I was using Bill Harris’s sliders as well, but boy does this game take long to play, even at 8 min quarters. Why does the opposition always snap with 20 on the clock ; they were even doing it in the last 3 minutes when they’d already beaten me, and this was pre-season.
My passing was abysmal - I was 10/29, with 2 ints. For some reason, the camera seems just a little too far away from the action for me to pick the best pass out.
Managed to trigger the clipping stat bug - Rudy Johnson got credited with a -41 yard run, which ruined his stats somewhat.
Rosters - Bengal ones weren’t too bad (at least all the rookies are in this year), but they appear to be at least 6 weeks old. I’m hoping that some up to date ones hit the streets soon.
Few tweaks tonite, methinks.
July 28th, 2004 at 6:52 am
If you’re on Xbox there’s a guy at OperationSports named MMan who has released an updated roster. He has other versions to follow as well. Once I get someone’s opening day rosters I’ll be done with it.
July 28th, 2004 at 8:34 am
Now you’ve got me wondering about the safeties. In the last game I played, the CPU had not one but TWO breakout 70+ yard TD runs against me. If I see that happen again I’ll have to check out the replay and see what the safeties are doing.
To answer #2, I have noticed that the CPU throws into coverage too often. This probably leads to higher than normal incompletions and interceptions.
July 28th, 2004 at 10:37 am
About big plays, I don’t think the breakaways are as prevalent as last year. The tackle breaking isn’t nearly as bad (big backs still drag defenders for extra yards tho) but defenders can catch up to most ball carriers, including fleet WRs.
On passing game, the zones seem to give up too many completions, particularly deep posts and corners or any passes over the LBs. Also, quick little squareouts are open against most zones where the CBs drop back (not play short zones as in cover 2s).
Where I think the game continues a problem from last year is the pass protection is bad even against the weakest defensive teams. You often have matador blocking against DTs, who still get an inordinate amount of sacks with the fan line stunt. Even with a 3-man rush, they can generate good pass pressure. Throw in a LB blitz and the QB almost always has to check down to a dump to the RB or a short pass. There should be some variability in this. Some teams blitzing won’t always get to the QB. And certainly shouldn’t be producing pressure with just a 3 or 4 man rush.
But it appears that the only way to keep the passing game from dominating is with this overpowering pass rush, not necessarily with better pass defense by the LBs and DBs.
wco81
July 28th, 2004 at 10:43 am
Thanks for the comments guys. Appreciate it.
July 28th, 2004 at 1:31 pm
I too have seen my RB get negative yards in his stats due to a clipping penalty. Maybe I can have it happen enough to really skew the stats for the year and sign a cheaper contract
July 28th, 2004 at 5:30 pm
http://www.consolefootball.com./documents/49.html
(scroll down past the review of the game)
It has some excellent tips for first timers. The article claims qb spy doesn’t work but it does. You need to do it with a zone defense and not manually blitz any linebackers.
Roster updates are online, well they will be sooner or later.
If you don’t like bill’s sliders (they are pretty good but some didn’t like them) there is amassive post about sliders at the operation sports forum. Hellfan’s sliders are the most popular right now. Can be located here:http://forums.operationsports.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1135222&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=64&vc=1
its about quarter way down the page and is a quotation of his actual post.
July 28th, 2004 at 6:06 pm
I mentioned in an earlier post that I use Bill Harris’s sliders, but I have tweaked them. I forgot to mentioned what I “tweaked”. I turned down human passing and running. Seems to be working ok, as I mentioned, it varies from game to game.
Hmm, we havent heard from Bill in almost a day, and havent heard from Dan for a couple of days. Could they be immeresed in the ESPN experience and not have time to post?
Seriously, Bill, I hope you are playing around with the sliders and post them. I have always found that I typically agree with you sports games, so would love to see what you find as realistic sliders.