More info on CPU Sliders (from EA)

[TheFuture15]

As promised, I did some research last night and today so I figured I'd put out as much information as possible.

First, let me start off by talking about the sliders for Madden 08 (and basically all previous Madden games):
08_Sliders.jpg

As you can see, we have 10 sliders here for the CPU:
- QB Accuracy: Directly changes the CPU's QB Throw Accuracy rating
- Pass Blocking: Modifies the various Pass Blocking ratings of the CPU OL
- WR Catching: Directly changes the CPU player's Catch rating (the one about to catch the ball)
- RB Ability: Directly changes the applicable ratings for the CPU Running Back (BTK, Juke, Spin, etc)
- Run Blocking: Modifies the various Run Blocking ratings of the CPU OL
- Awareness: Directly changes the CPU defenders Awareness ratings
- Knockdowns: How often the CPU DL will jump to attempt to bat down your pass
- Break Block: Directly changes the CPU defenders Block Shedding, Finesse Move, & Power Move ratings
- Tackles: Directly changes the CPU defenders Tackle ratings


What does Madden 09 do differently?
Madden 09 has a very different approach to sliders, as they now are the key determining factors in your skill level. Whereas before the skill level change was kind of a nebulous thing, now you can see that a skill level change is actually a modification of a few sliders. These are all HUMAN sliders...and here are some examples:
09_AllMaddenSliders.jpg
09_PassSliders.jpg
09_RushSliders.jpg
09_RushDSliders.jpg
So as you can kind of see in the images, there are 4 main HIGH LEVEL sliders. These are Passing, Rushing, Pass Defense, and Rush Defense. Playing at the All-Madden level means that all of these 4 sliders are at 15 (on a scale of 0-20). These sliders indicate how DIFFICULT it is to play the game in each of those areas. So in researching this I kind of realized that there apparently is actually a level ABOVE All-Madden now (i.e. you can go all the way up to 20 on each of those).

This was apparently implemented this way so you can hypothetically be really crappy at passing yet really good at running and still have a fun yet challenging experience. If you play with the "My Skill" preset, then the sliders adapt and change to you after every game based on your stats. However you can always turn that off and just tune and tweak to your liking.

Within each of these High Level sliders, there are 3 sub sliders. These sliders are actually the core set of what changes, and these are the HUMAN sliders. So for each High Level category, you have:
Passing
- QB Accuracy: Modifies your QB's Accuracy rating
- Pass Blocking: Modifies the run blocking ratings of your OL
- WR Catching: Modifies the catch ratings of your receivers
Rushing
- Broken Tackles: Modifies the broken tackle chances of the human ballcarrier
- Run Blocking: Modifies the run blocking ratings of your OL
- Fumbles: Modifies the fumble chances for any human ballcarrier
Pass Defense
- Reaction Time: Modifies the reaction times for your defenders by modifying the man coverage, and zone coverage ratings
- Interceptions: Scales the catch chances of your defenders
- Pass Rushing: Scales the Finesse & Power move ratings of your defenders
Rush Defense
- Reaction Time: Modifies the reaction times for your defenders by modifying the play recognition ratings
- Block Shedding: Modifies the block shedding ratings of your defenders
- Tackling: Modifies the tackle ratings of your defenders


I have to run to a meeting - looking at this, please feel free to post what you think you will NOT be to adjust for the CPU AI. I see a few off hand that we knew (CPU WR Catching for example). I will be back with more info later but I wanted to give some details so you all can discuss from here.

[vsoul86]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheFuture15

As promised, I did some research last night and today so I figured I'd put out as much information as possible. First, let me start off by talking about the sliders for Madden 08 (and basically all previous Madden games): Attachment 9826 As you can see, we have 10 sliders here for the CPU: - QB Accuracy: Directly changes the CPU's QB Throw Accuracy rating - Pass Blocking: Modifies the various Pass Blocking ratings of the CPU OL - WR Catching: Directly changes the CPU player's Catch rating (the one about to catch the ball) - RB Ability: Directly changes the applicable ratings for the CPU Running Back (BTK, Juke, Spin, etc) - Run Blocking: Modifies the various Run Blocking ratings of the CPU OL - Awareness: Directly changes the CPU defenders Awareness ratings - Knockdowns: How often the CPU DL will jump to attempt to bat down your pass - Break Block: Directly changes the CPU defenders Block Shedding, Finesse Move, & Power Move ratings - Tackles: Directly changes the CPU defenders Tackle ratings What does Madden 09 do differently? Madden 09 has a very different approach to sliders, as they now are the key determining factors in your skill level. Whereas before the skill level change was kind of a nebulous thing, now you can see that a skill level change is actually a modification of a few sliders. These are all HUMAN sliders...and here are some examples: Attachment 9827 Attachment 9828 Attachment 9829 Attachment 9830 So as you can kind of see in the images, there are 4 main HIGH LEVEL sliders. These are Passing, Rushing, Pass Defense, and Rush Defense. Playing at the All-Madden level means that all of these 4 sliders are at 15 (on a scale of 0-20). These sliders indicate how DIFFICULT it is to play the game in each of those areas. So in researching this I kind of realized that there apparently is actually a level ABOVE All-Madden now (i.e. you can go all the way up to 20 on each of those). This was apparently implemented this way so you can hypothetically be really crappy at passing yet really good at running and still have a fun yet challenging experience. If you play with the "My Skill" preset, then the sliders adapt and change to you after every game based on your stats. However you can always turn that off and just tune and tweak to your liking. Within each of these High Level sliders, there are 3 sub sliders. These sliders are actually the core set of what changes, and these are the HUMAN sliders. So for each High Level category, you have: Passing - QB Accuracy: Modifies your QB's Accuracy rating - Pass Blocking: Modifies the run blocking ratings of your OL - WR Catching: Modifies the catch ratings of your receivers Rushing - Broken Tackles: Modifies the broken tackle chances of the human ballcarrier - Run Blocking: Modifies the run blocking ratings of your OL - Fumbles: Modifies the fumble chances for any human ballcarrier Pass Defense - Reaction Time: Modifies the reaction times for your defenders by modifying the man coverage, and zone coverage ratings - Interceptions: Scales the catch chances of your defenders - Pass Rushing: Scales the Finesse & Power move ratings of your defenders Rush Defense - Reaction Time: Modifies the reaction times for your defenders by modifying the play recognition ratings - Block Shedding: Modifies the block shedding ratings of your defenders - Tackling: Modifies the tackle ratings of your defenders I have to run to a meeting - looking at this, please feel free to post what you think you will NOT be to adjust for the CPU AI. I see a few off hand that we knew (CPU WR Catching for example). I will be back with more info later but I wanted to give some details so you all can discuss from here.

cpu accuracy, since qb's dont throw inaccurate passes while being pressured only while being hit(and sometimes at that) and defensive awareness(a HUGE concern for me). Also I was not aware that the knockdown slider dealt with lineman i always assumed it dealt with db's or anyone playing in coverage, like their effectiveness when attempting to swat.

[JohnDoe8865]

Ian I just want to say this is a great explanation of the new system and I'd like to thank you for trying to shed some light on how it is supposed to work this year and what the 08 slider really meant (Knockdowns).

Now as to the other question, my only real concerns would be making the CPU run the ball more effectively consistently and the QB completion percentages. Also I'm a bit worried about CPU INTs but that is just a lingering concern from last year.

Thanks a lot for this.

[RAZRr1275]

Not bad at all. It seems like most of the cpu problems will be able to be adjusted by human sliders.

[vsoul86]

and by the way....isnt that basically how espn's sliders worked in relation to difficulty settings? on rookie all the sliders were low for cpu and high for the user while on legend it was the opposite, but they did have cpu sliders.

[callmetaternuts]

Ian, thanks for the info, very detailed and some what comforting. Thanks again

[JBucc]

Quote: Originally Posted by vsoul86

and by the way....isnt that basically how espn's sliders worked in relation to difficulty settings? on rookie all the sliders were low for cpu and high for the user while on legend it was the opposite, but they did have cpu sliders.

Yeah the different difficulty levels on 2k's football games is just slider adjustments.

[Nza]

Thanks Ian. Off hand, the following are not covered with that system, or at least not available to refine like the rest:

- CPU QBA. (effected by human pass defense difficulty setting?)
- CPU WR catching. (effected by human pass defense difficulty setting?)
- CPU fumbles. (effected by human run defense difficulty setting?)
- CPU int. (effected by human pass difficulty setting?)
- CPU pass reaction time. (effected by human pass difficulty setting?)
- CPU run reaction time. (effected by human run difficulty setting?)

Also, no special teams? not even human?

With the difficulty sub levels and each of these per level, slider development will probably be even more involved than before. I'd imagine with the CPU sliders it would have been quite a bevy of options indeed, perhaps even overwhelmingly so. Still though, while I can see how removing CPU sliders can effectively condense the slider functionality we always had in some cases, the sliders above remain absent with a system like this.

I must say though, these categories seem far more intune with what I wish Madden always had for sliders.

All in all, until people really sit down to tweak it, I'm not sure it is possible to say either way if it was a good or bad move. The absence of the above suggests bad, but it may not be that simple.

[Likwidkewl]

Thanks for the info. It's nice to see an explanation for these things. However, I don't see a way to make the CPU QB be less accurate and throw errant passes. I guess that is a design decision. One you can change next year.

[grunt]

Thanks for the effort. I hope there is a work around for the robo qb or a possibility for a pacth. I am loving the demo and this good be a really special game.

Peace