Madden 2005 -- funny stuff...

[htismaqe]

I decided to start a franchise in Madden with the Chiefs and instead of playing the games for the first (2004) season, I would sim them to mimic what has happened in real life.

Right now, I'm starting week 4 at 0-3 and here's a couple of gems.

Chris Bober and Jason Dunn are demanding playing time or a trade.

But these are the funniest:

I checked my Advisors screen and amongst other things, they're saying "The sports radio shows are ripping the team new one" and "We've got cap room. Now's not the time to be frugal."

A freaking video game is smart enough to figure it out, but the braintrust at 1 Arrowhead Drive isn't?

[Saulbadguy]

Interesting..i havent played with my Madden sliders at all.

NCAA on the other hand, when I set it to All-American, it is HARD to run the ball. My O-line would constantly be pushed back, and the opponents d-line would always collapse the play. Had to adjust that. Also, WR's would constantly drop balls. Had to adjust that.

Defensively though, it was way too easy. On default settings, I could average -20 yards a game rushing vs an opponent, and about 120 yards passing..usually on a couple of big plays. They made the game by default, way too defensive. Madden is the complete opposite...way too offensive.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Interesting..i havent played with my Madden sliders at all.

NCAA on the other hand, when I set it to All-American, it is HARD to run the ball. My O-line would constantly be pushed back, and the opponents d-line would always collapse the play. Had to adjust that. Also, WR's would constantly drop balls. Had to adjust that.

Defensively though, it was way too easy. On default settings, I could average -20 yards a game rushing vs an opponent, and about 120 yards passing..usually on a couple of big plays. They made the game by default, way too defensive. Madden is the complete opposite...way too offensive.

Yeah, I've never used default settings. I played NCAA 2004 on Heisman.

[Saulbadguy]

There are other things that you can take advantage of in NCAA 2005...make one of your speedier halfbacks a Linebacker and blitz him to the side every down...even on Heisman, you are guaranteed about 8-9 sacks a game.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

There are other things that you can take advantage of in NCAA 2005...make one of your speedier halfbacks a Linebacker and blitz him to the side every down...even on Heisman, you are guaranteed about 8-9 sacks a game.

That's just simple willpower. You either take advantage of the cheese or you don't.

I mean, last year it was possible for a 1-star team to get the top recruiting class in the nation if you new the right tricks...that's why I used OSUMike's recruiting "house rules"...

In a lot of ways, getting realism is as much about the self-control that it takes to avoid CHEATING as it is about tweaking sliders...

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

That's just simple willpower. You either take advantage of the cheese or you don't.

I mean, last year it was possible for a 1-star team to get the top recruiting class in the nation if you new the right tricks...that's why I used OSUMike's recruiting "house rules"...

In a lot of ways, getting realism is as much about the self-control that it takes to avoid CHEATING as it is about tweaking sliders...

Yup.

You'd think they'd fix these things, though.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Yup.

You'd think they'd fix these things, though.

I'm not a big fanboy...I think ESPN is a great game too...I'm just a franchise nut and for that, Madden is much better.

I don't buy into the idea that every time they fix something, something else gets broke. To me, every iteration of Madden or NCAA is slightly better than the last. Next year's will be no exception. I just wonder how much ESPN will improve. If they fix the draft, I will be switching...

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I'm not a big fanboy...I think ESPN is a great game too...I'm just a franchise nut and for that, Madden is much better.

I don't buy into the idea that every time they fix something, something else gets broke. To me, every iteration of Madden or NCAA is slightly better than the last. Next year's will be no exception. I just wonder how much ESPN will improve. If they fix the draft, I will be switching...

Definately..sometimes I think to myself after playing, "How can they make this any better?"

Here is a slight list of grievances I have with NCAA 2005 (and correct me if i'm stupid and am doing something wrong..)

They need different packages with each formation, like Madden has. I'd like to quick sub my 2nd string HB in with the press of a button, instead of setting the depth chart manually. Something to that effect, at least.

They need to continue to work on the stadiums, how they look, and more importantly, how they feel. This may be asking much, but every stadium has its own "traditions". They are working on this, but they need to keep working at it.

They need to tweak their "BCS"...there have been teams getting in to the National title game that have NO business being there.

[Thig Lyfe]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

In a lot of ways, getting realism is as much about the self-control that it takes to avoid CHEATING as it is about tweaking sliders...

Exactly. I used to cheat all the time. I'd use the trick with the Create-A-Player where you make somebody 99 OVR, trade them for a 1st round pick, and then make the Create-A-Player a lot worse. I just didn't like losing ever.

I'm recovered now.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Definately..sometimes I think to myself after playing, "How can they make this any better?"

Here is a slight list of grievances I have with NCAA 2005 (and correct me if i'm stupid and am doing something wrong..)

They need different packages with each formation, like Madden has. I'd like to quick sub my 2nd string HB in with the press of a button, instead of setting the depth chart manually. Something to that effect, at least.

They need to continue to work on the stadiums, how they look, and more importantly, how they feel. This may be asking much, but every stadium has its own "traditions". They are working on this, but they need to keep working at it.

They need to tweak their "BCS"...there have been teams getting in to the National title game that have NO business being there.

I can't speak on NCAA 2005 since I didn't buy it.

I am absolutely HOOKED on the sub packages in Madden. So much so that I've set my auto-sub percentages at 50 out and 75 in. In fact, I'm thinking about turning auto-sub OFF altogether.

I use packages exclusively for resting players. I also use sub packages to put Kris Wilson in at FB and other such things.

[David.]

Yeah, I play on all-madden with the sliders even tougher than what htis posted. I still can't be stopped. It sucks :-\. I don't use cheese either, I'm just ridiculously good with a middle linebacker. Most people can't score on me Even online, I'd be undefeated if it weren't for my xbox freezing mid game. All the games I'm disconnected at have me up. I don't use cheese either. I donno, I guess I've just played the game so much I know what works.

[Thig Lyfe]

Originally Posted by David.

Yeah, I play on all-madden with the sliders even tougher than what htis posted. I still can't be stopped. It sucks :-\.I don't use cheese either, I'm just ridiculously good with a middle linebacker. Most people can't score on me Even online, I'd be undefeated if it weren't for my xbox freezing mid game. All the games I'm disconnected at have me up. I don't use cheese either. I donno, I guess I've just played the game so much I know what works.

Are you sure you don't use cheese?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

That's just simple willpower. You either take advantage of the cheese or you don't.

I mean, last year it was possible for a 1-star team to get the top recruiting class in the nation if you new the right tricks...that's why I used OSUMike's recruiting "house rules"...

In a lot of ways, getting realism is as much about the self-control that it takes to avoid CHEATING as it is about tweaking sliders...

I've never understood the whole cheating thing. Why do it? It wouldn't make me feel good to win if I had the system rigged so that anyone could win.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I've never understood the whole cheating thing. Why do it? It wouldn't make me feel good to win if I had the system rigged so that anyone could win.

It's the surest way to ensure that a game gets boring way too fast.

The goal of most linear platform/adventure games is the "beat" the game.

Since Madden is a football simulation, it's a little more open-ended, but in the end, the goal is to win the Super Bowl. If you win it over and over again, you just ensure the game gets boring.

In NCAA 2003/2004, I started with a 1-star team (Utah State, Idaho, Louisiana Lafayette, and San Jose State to be exact) and went through 4 or 5 seasons of building them up, struggling through poor recruiting and the occasional 1-win season. The goal was NEVER to win a NC, which to me simply isn't realistic. It was to build up my coaching prestige so that I could get a job offer from a bigger school.

The longest, most satisfying dynasty I played in 2004 was 11 seasons (4 with Utah State, 7 with the University of Iowa). I won 1 Sun Belt title, 2 Big 10 titles, and ZERO national championships...

[shakesthecat]

After years, no, decades of frustration, I finally won another SB last night.

I'm in 2008 of my 4th franchise of Madden 2k5, and had not won a SB since 2029 of Franchise 1.

It took every ounce of self control I had to not go out and riot.

[Hammock Parties]

Here's how my 2005 franchise has gone so far:

Year 1: Vermeil, lost in AFC Championship, 34-21 to Titans.
Year 2: Vermeil, won SB. 31-17 over Seahawks.
Year 3: Gunther, lost in AFC Championship, 32-29 to Colts. Manning engineered a 2-minute drill to win the game, and I threw an interception on the last play of the game after getting into FG range.
Year 4: Beginning.