Test League: Gameplay Feedback

Hi,

I thought it would be a good idea to collect the feedback from the test league, so we can get more opinions in a structured way.

User vs User games:

Games Week 1:
Chiefs (Para) - Patriots (Matt) 28-35
Lions (Para) - Cardinals (Zill) 35-38
Bengals (Warrior) - Ravens (Eternal) ?-?
Giants (Warrior) - Cowboys (Eternal) 24-10
Texans (Jimmy) - Jaguars (Zill) ?-?
Steelers (Xipie) - Browns (Hiero) ?-?
Bucs (Xipie) - Dolphins (Epone) ?-?

Games Week 2:
Patriots (Bartell) - Saints (Zill) 49-48
Titans (Fraser) - Jaguars (Zill) 37-28

Raiders (Bishbop) - Jets (CPU) 45-10



Had a game against Matt (Chiefs - Pats) - I had the following findings.

Overall:
- Game feels slow (laggy). Hope the patch corrects it a bit, but maybe try one speed level faster?
- Too long game in my view. We had over 1 hour play time with 58 off. plays on my side. Of course this gives quite good sim stats, but it's a bit long in my opinion.

Run game:
- Running game seems extremely difficult. Problem is that inside runs are almost always stopped after 0-1 yards, outside runs go for the distance sometimes. Further evaluation needed...

Pass game:
- Passing game ok, defense is ok
- Maybe a bit less pass blocking, but overall should work

Injuries:
- Think we had 4 injuries. This is ok, but maybe lower the slider just a little bit

Penalties:
- I think I had 7 penalties for 80 yards in the first half. 2 holding, 2 pass interference, 2 block in the back. I would lower the sliders a bit.

Would agree with the pass game > pass blocking and injuries part from my game.

No issues with game speed, run game and definitely not the penalties though.

Second game done, I have to confirm but also correct some feedback.

Overall:
- Second game not laggy, game plays much better with a better frame rate. Hope they fix it with patch - nothing the league can care about.
- Game is still too long. About 1:10 is too much in my eyes. Game time should be reduced a bit (or more run-off)

Run game:
- Gets better, it's just harder than last year. Slider should be alright, but many will struggle this year for sure.

Pass game:
- Should be ok too, maybe a bit too accurate QB's.

Injuries:
- 4 in the first game, 2 in the second game. Will be ok, although I had bad luck with my QB injured in the first quarter, but that happens.

Penalties:
- Better this time, just a few PI calls - but all were correct I think and 1-2 of them absolutely great (with the defender stumbling on a deep shot and taking the receiver with him).




Stats from the 2nd game:
Palmer 15/21, 321Y, 3TD/1 Int
Kaaya, 22/34, 278Y, 1TD/0 Int
Stafford 7/11, 85Y, 1TD/1 Int

Riddick 19Att/85Y, 2 TD
Johnson 9Att/23Y, 2 TD

(I had many short passes with Kaaya to Ebron and Riddick, but 22 runs and 45 passes is still too much)

Played Zill (Bills-Jets) and Para (Pats-Chiefs).

I think run game is harder but scared if increased screens will be too powerful and returns get too many yards. Happy to sit and wait. Run game will get easier once XP rolls in and OL improves.

Passing is slightly easier but can't change this slider until patch that tightens zones and increases pass rush.

Scrambling QBs are a pain in zone D. There are ways to stop this but would recommend focussing on enforcing the "reasonable" scrambling rule (shooting myself there with QB Taylor).

Injuries while high in number were okay, could try dropping from 30 to 25 if too high. Play clock run off to 16 instead of 18 would also reduce number of injuries plus a few minutes off the game.

(Slider works as a TimeQuarter/InverseSlider, so standard is 300sec/50=6x or 360s/100-50=7.2x, so 540s/100-25=7.2x or 540/100-30=7.7x)

If zones are not tightened enough would recommend increasing pass D and reaction slider but taking INT down to compensate.

Scrambling QB's can be easily stopped by setting the conservative pass rush adjustment. It's just a strategy thing

Just a question on running. I've not been able to play yet (so don't shoot me down) so its more for the guys who have played the test league

In terms of the run - is it more you can make some smaller runs and the odd chance to make a longer yardage run? overall surely that would be more sim anyway that a certain couple of plays that spook AI defence and you can run it a longer way just whenever you want? If you look at our last season in M17 the top 5 HBs were between 1709-2307 yards with average yards per attempt all over 6.2 and as high as 8.7 yards where as Elliott in 2016 was 1600 yards (NFL top 5 was 1200-1600) and average was 5.1 yards per attempt. I make sense in what I'm saying in my own head lol I hope that I have put this across in the right way that it makes sense to others

Bartell wrote:Just a question on running. I've not been able to play yet (so don't shoot me down) so its more for the guys who have played the test league

In terms of the run - is it more you can make some smaller runs and the odd chance to make a longer yardage run? overall surely that would be more sim anyway that a certain couple of plays that spook AI defence and you can run it a longer way just whenever you want? If you look at our last season in M17 the top 5 HBs were between 1709-2307 yards with average yards per attempt all over 6.2 and as high as 8.7 yards where as Elliott in 2016 was 1600 yards (NFL top 5 was 1200-1600) and average was 5.1 yards per attempt. I make sense in what I'm saying in my own head lol I hope that I have put this across in the right way that it makes sense to others

Blocks seem to develop slower and are generally not as big as last year. So running is more difficult, but on the other side the special moves are much better, so I think the normal standard run shouldn't be as powerful.

Average seems to be reduced, yes. In my 2 sim games I managed 3,x average with Ware and 4,4 with Riddick. So quite realistic averages - as you can see in the NFL there are many runs just for no gain or just a few. No way every run is for 7-8 yards at least.

BUT - if they don't change it in the patch or we correct the sliders significantly, it will be a change for the players in this league and averages may drop. Even if it's more realistic, we have to ask ourselves if we want it like that.

I'm not sure there is anything wrong with the run game,  when madden 17 first came out it was equally tough.
Like Matt indicated it'll get easier with XP.

Think what I'm seeing is a big diversity in different games, which makes it tough to say what feels right or wrong.
I might have mentioned about the lack of pressure yet in another game I got plenty of it, even 3 sacks with Spence.
One game you hardly have any penalties or injuries and the other ones are filled with them.

I think in general the sliders are quite good for now.

Only did a few games so far, but just a few things I've noticed.

Mid to deep accuracy was very poor with Dak but amazing with Flacco. Strange considering their ratings. Pass leading seemed to hurt accuracy significantly. 

Injuries are far too frequent.

I didn't notice any penalties at all. Perhaps too lenient?

How can one join the test league?

Bishbosh1985 wrote:How can one join the test league?

Download wire and join the chat - we will tell you hahahahaha

Sent you a PM @bishbosh1985

I'm just catching up on this thread and went through the stats before advancing to week 2. 12 of 16 games were played and from the stats it seems offense is overpowered. There were a bunch of RBs average over 7ypc with at least 9 carries and even 2 in double digits. Pass percentages and ypa were also high but so were INTs. It seems in a lot of cases its either complete, dropped or an INT. Like Matt said the pass coverage is a focus of tge patch anyway so i guess we can wait on that before making drastic adjustments.

Also anyone who wants to participate in the test league is welcome to. Just let me know and I'll send you the info.

brza37 wrote:I'm just catching up on this thread and went through the stats before advancing to week 2. 12 of 16 games were played and from the stats it seems offense is overpowered. There were a bunch of RBs average over 7ypc with at least 9 carries and even 2 in double digits. Pass percentages and ypa were also high but so were INTs. It seems in a lot of cases its either complete, dropped or an INT. Like Matt said the pass coverage is a focus of tge patch anyway so i guess we can wait on that before making drastic adjustments.

Also anyone who wants to participate in the test league is welcome to. Just let me know and I'll send you the info.

Just to be curious - which teams had such a high ypc? Honestly surprising to me and different to the games I have played.

I fear that especially defense will change drastically with the patch and we can start testing again. Maybe in preseason then, so we don't lose again that much time.

Freeman had 12.8 ypc
I should have taken screenshots. I can't remember off the top of my head whp else had double digits but at least the following had 7+ypc
McCoy
Zeke
Pumphrey 
Lynch
Lacy

Be interesting to see those players longest runs. 
Giants had Zeke at 3ypc except for one run in the 4th.

warrior9674 wrote:Be interesting to see those players longest runs. 
Giants had Zeke at 3ypc except for one run in the 4th.

McCoy hit a big one near the end, about 40 yards but I was running okay with him. Forte was stopped at the line every time except for one 70-80ish run.

Played as Raiders v very poor Josh McCown led Jets, 45-10. Highlights:-

McCown accuracy poor
Carr 300+ about 3 missed open receivers
Lynch 22/155/2 tds (biggest run. or truck lol, about a 40 yarder)
Forte got very little - although Raider D is tough
Cooper over 100 yards rec 
7 pens, 5 against Raiders (too many)
Pass rush seemed ok at times, bad at other times

Overall, 'felt' ok. Too many pens and 4 injuries (didn't check severity), although the Jets seemed poor overall so bit of a mismatch.

Zone D is a problem as we all know. Could be a bigger problem if patch doesn't fix it soon.

I've just had an awesome game with Zill.

Pats v saints.

Both QB had around 400 yards. Accuracy was 75% me (gave Zill 2 picks) and Brees was 80%

Rushing for me was fine with 116 and scored 2 TDs and Zill struggled. We did think this could be my O line against his D line and then for Zill rushing I'm just awesome at run stopping

My 2 INT were terrible throws and defence picked them simply.

1 penalty I recall and that was down to pass interference. Was a non human controlled defender - I couldn't grumble.

3 injuries. 2 game ending and one temporary. Which is more than we got before in M17 and from what others say it's maybe slightly too high a frequency but this was my first game in the test league

I'm seeing too many games with 70+ points, some over 90 - not realistic.

Especially passing game seems overrated. I really hope it will be patched with the mid-september patch, otherwise it could get really tough.

My experience is now a mixture of comp and sim mode, but I feel especially a few routes can't be covered. Of course if you have a play with 2 such routes (and comp players know the plays!), then it's nearly impossible to stop them. Other plays or routes are ok.

warrior9674 wrote:Be interesting to see those players longest runs. 
Giants had Zeke at 3ypc except for one run in the 4th.

It was similar last year though too. The problem is that basically every game there was at least one 50+ yard run which pumped up yards per carry and the amount of breakaways increased as the franchise progressed causing ever rising ypc.

Also, we are a full league (or very near it) so test games against the CPU really don't help our sliders and can skew the stats. Please only play games vs. other users and list the Teams and users here so we can keep track of them easier.

Who played as the Falcons week 1? Was it against CPU or User? Who was the user in that game?

Fraser (Titans) vs Zill (Jags)
Want to say it was a week 2 game?
Titans won, high scoring game.
Fournette - 16 for 57 yards long 13(i think, if i remember correct)
Murray - 14 for 124 - long 67
Henry - 4 for 43 - long 44 (lost a big chunk trying a sweep with a slower back haha)
6 picks from bortles and a fair few innacurate passes from both sides.
Injuries were ok i guess. 2 game enders firsst minute. then cramps late on
a lot of block in back penalties and 1 fantastic cpu Pass Interference to prevent a touchdown