Suggestions: Spring Training, Playbook Settings

butsam · 08-02-2014, 08:01 AM

I have two suggestions for the development of BTS:

(1) I saw in the FAQ how it mentioned that you can call all plays, or you can turn it over to the computer but it sounded like the player input for that situation wasn't set in stone yet (at least as of when the FAQ was written).

In my opinion, one of the best implementations of this was in the Front Page Sports: Football Pro series of games by Dynamix in the 1990s. You set run/pass, short/med/long, or special teams percentages of calling certain types of plays for various situations (e.g., 3rd and 6-10 yards with less than 5 minutes in the half and down by 8+ points). I don't remember all of the ways it was broken down, but it was pretty impressive how comprehensive this breakdown was, and had to do with time left in the half, time left in the game, point spread, down, yards for a first down, and yards for a touchdown.

(2) Regarding player development, again borrowing an idea from Front Page Sports: Football Pro, I really liked how they did Spring Training. For each position, you allocated time to improve skills in a variety of areas...catching, speed, blocking, passing, running, tackling, etc. The more time you allocated to each position, the more your players' stats would improve to get closer to their maximum potential. Of course players also would progress through the regular season, but this gave a way for the coach to influence what they wanted to emphasize. Do you have your RBs work on 75% running, 20% blocking, and 5% catching? Or do you want them to work 50% running, 10% blocking, and 40% catching? If you choose the latter, their catching skills will get closer to their maximum potential, but at the expense of running skills not progressing quite as fast during Spring Training.

Just a couple of random suggestions from the peanut gallery, take or leave them!

Sam

Francis Cole · 08-02-2014, 09:43 AM

1)You can call the plays if you want, or let your coaches decide for you. If the coaches decide for you they will select the plays based on the general strategy you have set (e.g. are you are running team etc).

I am still not sure yet about the user having to choose within the play clock; For example even if you are on a 40 sec play clock, you'll realistically have to decide in less than 10 seconds, as you need enough time for the personnel to enter the field, form the huddle, talk in the huddle, get into formation and set themselves.

As far as I know those other games don't have that problem: as soon as you decide the players are magically in the formation and ready for the snap.

2)I'm still not 100% sure how we will model OTA/pre-season, but they are good ideas. Thanks.

butsam · 08-02-2014, 01:22 PM

Good point on the time remaining on the clock!

If I could offer a recommendation, it would be to not do the 25-second clock, but always do a 40-second clock or whatever you decide is best to handle that...even though at first blush it seems less realistic, I think it is more realistic. Here's why--

I think it is artificial when games (like Madden for example) do that very short 1st down clock. The coaches had the commercial break, or the referee timeout upon turnover, or the time during whatever caused the ball to require more time to be reset, to decide upon a play. They are not as time-constrained on calling a 1st down play if it is after a change of possession, they actually have *more* time to call that play than the subsequent 2nd/3rd/4th down plays...it just isn't all while the play clock is running. It's like you suggest--the actual play-calling is a very short piece of what happens during that time between plays.

Besides, navigating menus to find the play you wish to call is never as efficient as calling out a codename.

I would lean toward the play clock being optional if you include it.

08-02-2014, 08:01 AM	#1
butsam Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 57	Suggestions: Spring Training, Playbook Settings I have two suggestions for the development of BTS: (1) I saw in the FAQ how it mentioned that you can call all plays, or you can turn it over to the computer but it sounded like the player input for that situation wasn't set in stone yet (at least as of when the FAQ was written). In my opinion, one of the best implementations of this was in the Front Page Sports: Football Pro series of games by Dynamix in the 1990s. You set run/pass, short/med/long, or special teams percentages of calling certain types of plays for various situations (e.g., 3rd and 6-10 yards with less than 5 minutes in the half and down by 8+ points). I don't remember all of the ways it was broken down, but it was pretty impressive how comprehensive this breakdown was, and had to do with time left in the half, time left in the game, point spread, down, yards for a first down, and yards for a touchdown. (2) Regarding player development, again borrowing an idea from Front Page Sports: Football Pro, I really liked how they did Spring Training. For each position, you allocated time to improve skills in a variety of areas...catching, speed, blocking, passing, running, tackling, etc. The more time you allocated to each position, the more your players' stats would improve to get closer to their maximum potential. Of course players also would progress through the regular season, but this gave a way for the coach to influence what they wanted to emphasize. Do you have your RBs work on 75% running, 20% blocking, and 5% catching? Or do you want them to work 50% running, 10% blocking, and 40% catching? If you choose the latter, their catching skills will get closer to their maximum potential, but at the expense of running skills not progressing quite as fast during Spring Training. Just a couple of random suggestions from the peanut gallery, take or leave them! Sam

08-02-2014, 09:43 AM	#2
Francis Cole Lead Developer for BTS Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 854	1)You can call the plays if you want, or let your coaches decide for you. If the coaches decide for you they will select the plays based on the general strategy you have set (e.g. are you are running team etc). I am still not sure yet about the user having to choose within the play clock; For example even if you are on a 40 sec play clock, you'll realistically have to decide in less than 10 seconds, as you need enough time for the personnel to enter the field, form the huddle, talk in the huddle, get into formation and set themselves. As far as I know those other games don't have that problem: as soon as you decide the players are magically in the formation and ready for the snap. 2)I'm still not 100% sure how we will model OTA/pre-season, but they are good ideas. Thanks. Last edited by Francis Cole; 08-02-2014 at 04:05 PM.

08-02-2014, 01:22 PM	#3
butsam Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 57	Good point on the time remaining on the clock! If I could offer a recommendation, it would be to not do the 25-second clock, but always do a 40-second clock or whatever you decide is best to handle that...even though at first blush it seems less realistic, I think it is more realistic. Here's why-- I think it is artificial when games (like Madden for example) do that very short 1st down clock. The coaches had the commercial break, or the referee timeout upon turnover, or the time during whatever caused the ball to require more time to be reset, to decide upon a play. They are not as time-constrained on calling a 1st down play if it is after a change of possession, they actually have more time to call that play than the subsequent 2nd/3rd/4th down plays...it just isn't all while the play clock is running. It's like you suggest--the actual play-calling is a very short piece of what happens during that time between plays. Besides, navigating menus to find the play you wish to call is never as efficient as calling out a codename. I would lean toward the play clock being optional if you include it. Last edited by butsam; 08-02-2014 at 01:29 PM.