Thoughts after completing a Demo Season

[BYU 14]

I think I go with the consensus here, in that this game is very well done and has incredible potential once the bugs are sorted out. Here are a few thoughts after my first Season with the Demo. [B]Interface[/B] Pretty solid in my opinion and I especially like the way each stage is broken down in steps, this can be particulary helpful out of Season, easy to follow and makes sense. I like the player cards, I know some have mentioned they like bars, but the number system for ratings works well for me. I like the Team info and evaluation screens (BYU's Team colors are Blue and White BTW, game has Brown and White) and the help section ties in well with each part of the game. [B]Suggestions:[/B] 1-I think the interface could use a back arrow to go to the previous screen as things don't always flow smoothly from some screens. 2-Some type of team summary report (similar to TCY) that show all the Team leaders on one page. Maybe this could replace Strengths and Weaknesses on the Team info page as the same information is included on the evaluation page as well. (I know this can't be changed now, just a thought for a future version) 3-Would like to be able to scroll where the team name is at the top of the page to see other teams depth charts, Stats, evaluations etc. This feature would be helpful on all the team screens. 4-Color coding players on the depth chart who are injured or suspended (Red=Out, Yellow=Injured but able to play, Blue=Suspended) Overall I really like the set up, everything is easy to keep track of and the presentation is good. The white lettering bothers some but has not been a detriment to me (Probably something we could mod I would imagine) [B]Gameplay[/B] I am really happy to have the option to call plays here and also like the fact that you can tailor the gameplan to situations as well as just down and distance. I have only skimmed over this but you could literally spend hours fleshing out Gameplans for different opponent types. I also am impressed with how much you really have to tailor things to your Coaches and your roster strengths/weaknesses. It really does make a difference to try and go outside your areas of proficiency. Stats look pretty solid overall, outside a couple of minor anomolies that have already been brought up with Punts and int's. The play by play is very nice and just needs a couple of tweaks here and there. The gamelogs missing plays and the 2 pt conversion bug (Allowing Field goals if down 3 and TDs if there is a penalty) are already well documented. [B]Suggestions:[/B] 1-More plays to choose from in a future update/version. 2-Color coding the formations in the play calling screen. (Blue=Formation bonus, Red=Formation penalty) This way you see at a glance what you can use effectively. Another option here would be to only allow the user to call plays from formations that they have included in the gameplan. This would actually be ideal IMO as IRL you won't run things you haven't worked on during the week. 3-Ability to set a substitution pattern based on fatigue Overall this is another strong area once all the bugs are squashed. Like the fact that again if you leave things up to your Coaches you see a noticable difference depending on how strong your Coach is. Just having the option to call plays is awesome and whether more are added or not, this is still a strong suit. Also like the fact that the CPU seems to notice your areas of weakness and go after them...may just be a coincidence, but it seems to happen. Houston had some speedy receivers that were a mismatch with my corners on deep routes and a weak running game. They went deep again and again, hitting 3 home runs. [B]Recruiting[/B] A really strong are IMO. I tried to sit around and cherry pick some 4 star recruits late in the process that were under the radar....no such luck. There is a lot of strategy to consider in this area, do you offer a pitch early, with no information and hope you get it right so you get a jump on the competition? Do you scout a player and wait, knowing you might lose him if you don't act quick enough? All things you have to consider......... I like the fact that there are "Athletes" included as this is quite common in High School, a player is a do everything guy for his team playing on both sides of the ball and maybe 3 or more positions. This feature simulates this really well IMO, as it lets you decided where he can best play in College. I also like the fact that on occasion you can pull a recruit with no initial interest to consider your program with some early love. This can be especially true if other offers are slow in coming. I also got an email from a player recruiting me, saying he met a player on my roster at a camp and wanted to come play with him.....Awesome feature!!! Recruiting service feedback is nice, and not 100% accurate all the time, which is a good thing. You still have to use your own judgement. Like the the fact that JC's are included as well! [B]Suggestions:[/B] 1-Once you land a player at one position it seems others you have offered are immediately turned off. I needed 3 Cornerbacks and after 1 committed the other 2 had their interest drop from 9 and 10 respectively to 2. Would be helpful for a player to recognize there may be multiple slots open at a position. Another example here is I was recruiting 2 QBs, one was an athlete I wanted to switch to WR since I had no solid options at that position. The pure QB committed and the other guys basically told me to go to hell (Maybe he was just stuck on playing QB :) ) 2-Would like to see a list of the other teams that have made an offer to a player. It would help to be able to compare this to the players foavorites to get an idea of how far you should pursue him. 3-Final recruiting report. More of a question here, but does the report also show if someone originally commited to another School, but then came to your School, also vice versa if you lose a recruit that way. I know it happens, just wonder if it will be stated explicitly? 4-Minor thing I already mentioned to Arlie, sprucing up the recruit ratings a bit on the Weight lifting (Players maxes recorded in increments of 5 pounds not 1) and also lowering the numbers a bit. Overall this is the best part of the game to me right now and a big step up from TCY. I know it is only one Season, but it seems like you have to recruit your ass off to get good players to a mid major program. From what I have seen I will not be playing for a National Title inside of 5 years with BYU, I am just hoping to get a Bowl bid or 2 in that time. Great job here. [B]History and Off Season training[/B] It was mentioned in another post that most of the history features/stats are not available in the Demo, so can't really comments here. The training also looks good with what I could do with it, will have to see it play out over several Seasons to give a better opinion and see how much the Coaches factor in to development. [B]Suggestions[/B] 1-The only thing I can really say here at this point would maybe be to have the Suggest button in the training screen apply the Coaches suggestions to all players in the listed position group, instead of having to do each one individually. This would just be a time saver if you were going to trust your Coaches. [B]Overall[/B] A really solid effort and I will definitely be buying this game. You can really see the potential greatness in this game and Arlies promise to make it Modder friendly is a huge plus. I believe this is a great start for the series and think this game has a great future when it is all said and done. To Arlies and the testers, you all have done an outstanding job and releasing a Beta demo was a great idea. You have a lot of people who are really eager for a new College Football sim and I think it will be really beneficial as the Game heads toward release. Thanks guys!

[Guest [Icy]]

Really good resume and the beta team already propossed some of that suggestions, i'm sure Arlie will try to add some of them.

[Tim Plum]

[B]Suggestions 1-The only thing I can really say here at this point would maybe be to have the Suggest button in the training screen apply the Coaches suggestions to all players in the listed position group, instead of having to do each one individually. This would just be a time saver if you were going to trust your Coaches.[/B] The Apply Globally button does this. Thanks for the good feedback.

[sportsfanmas]

There's only one thing that I really hope is included in this game, and that is a playoff bracket, so that you know which teams won the at-large berths and what the seeds are. Also some sort of bowl analysis, which shows all the bowl games and what the match-ups are, you know like Big East #6 vs. ACC #5. That would help a lot, as I don't like the fact that you don't know what your team is seeded in the playoffs and such. Sorry, I'm rambling now. lol.

[rdklein]

My suggestions: 1. I wish you could play/sim one game at a time without simming the whole week. and I like your ideas - especially these: 2. The back arrow on the interface. 3. Substitutions based on fatique.

[Bryan Swartz]

Why do you need to be able to sim one game? I don't understand the need for this.

[BYU 14]

[QUOTE=Tim Plum][B]Suggestions 1-The only thing I can really say here at this point would maybe be to have the Suggest button in the training screen apply the Coaches suggestions to all players in the listed position group, instead of having to do each one individually. This would just be a time saver if you were going to trust your Coaches.[/B] The Apply Globally button does this. Thanks for the good feedback.[/QUOTE] Your welcome Tim, you guys did a good job. The apply globally button sets everyones training to the same levels for each position group. My suggestion was for the suggest button to set all players at each postion based on their individual needs, not one global setting for everyone.

[MirageAg99]

Is there a way to get bowl projections early in the season? I've only played to week 5, but I would like to know what posible bowls I could get to.

[GeoWar]

Instead of a "Global Apply" button a "Coaches Recommendation(suggestion)" button. That way you can trust the coaches or check a few players that you want to sure of and fine tune.

[GeoWar]

Or Both .... some may wish to Gobal apply ... others may wish to have coaches responsible ....

[Meat]

I would love to see a playoff bracket added as well.

[galaril]

A bowl summary page would also be a nice addition at some point. It could give a breakdown of the tie-ins- by conference and when teams are selected they could be listed. Also, after the bowls are done it could be a reference to see what that years bowl results were like abowl history. I believe somebody already mentioned this in some way.

[Guest [Icy]]

[QUOTE=galaril]A bowl summary page would also be a nice addition at some point. It could give a breakdown of the tie-ins- by conference and when teams are selected they could be listed. Also, after the bowls are done it could be a reference to see what that years bowl results were like abowl history. I believe somebody already mentioned this in some way.[/QUOTE] In the history section(disabled in the demo) you can see who played each bowl and results for every season, how did the polls end in every season, etc, you will like it. I would put a screenshoot but not sure if we are allowed so better let's wait for Arlie.

[cody8200]

[QUOTE=BYU 14]Your welcome Tim, you guys did a good job. The apply globally button sets everyones training to the same levels for each position group. My suggestion was for the suggest button to set all players at each postion based on their individual needs, not one global setting for everyone.[/QUOTE] I agree with you totally BYU. I will suggest as much to Arlie. Hopefully it can be done. -beta tester

[rdklein]

[QUOTE=Zorromorph]Why do you need to be able to sim one game? I don't understand the need for this.[/QUOTE] You don't understand because you don't play the game like I do. Say I wanted to watch the top 25 games... well, since I couldn't watch one game at a time, I would have to sit there until all the games finished playing out. Let me give you an example to make it clear for you. What happens when your mother calls me and wants me to come over and spend the night, as you know she normally does, and I was in the middle of playing all the games out? I would have to either start over or miss watching them - or tell her to wait. You know how much she hates being told to wait. Is that clear, son?

[Guest [Icy]]

[QUOTE=rdklein]You don't understand because you don't play the game like I do. Say I wanted to watch the top 25 games... well, since I couldn't watch one game at a time, I would have to sit there until all the games finished playing out. Let me give you an example to make it clear for you. What happens when your mother calls me and wants me to come over and spend the night, as you know she normally does, and I was in the middle of playing all the games out? I would have to either start over or miss watching them - or tell her to wait. You know how much she hates being told to wait. Is that clear, son?[/QUOTE] If i were a mod you would be banned from here asap. He just asked a question, the example about his mother was totally out here, i guess you need to learn a lot about education.

[Mike D]

[QUOTE=rdklein] Let me give you an example to make it clear for you. What happens when your mother calls me and wants me to come over and spend the night, as you know she normally does, and I was in the middle of playing all the games out? I would have to either start over or miss watching them - or tell her to wait. You know how much she hates being told to wait. Is that clear, son?[/QUOTE] :eek: And people call me a prick.

[Mike D]

[QUOTE='[Icy]']If i were a mod you would be banned from here asap. He just asked a question, the example about his mother was totally out here, i guess you need to learn a lot about education.[/QUOTE] Nah, it's par for the course for him.

[sportsfanmas]

lol, damn Zorro, you gonna take that? That was a pretty low diss right there.

[Bryan Swartz]

Ignoring the personal flameage, I will respond on topic. You can still watch the Top 25 games or whatever you want. You don't have to watch them all at once, just pause the game until you want to watch the next one or whatever. It makes a lot more sense to me to sim them all at once(if you don't, then what is the purpose of the ticker, for example).

[Wolfpack]

Well, for me, I'd like to be able to watch...actually watch...other games than my own. No control, I'd just like to be able to watch them play out. I play a lot of baseball sims, and I usually watch my team's games, plus the games of teams that are close to me in the standings. In this, I'd like to watch the games of conference rivals, and future opponents. Think of it as watching film.