Playcalling and Playbook Issues

[servo75]

For my online sim leagues I've become very concerned about what I see as really bad playcalling (not even counting the time the AI called a run on 4th and 10 in my own territory when we had the lead).

I guess my question comes down to this: Once run or pass is decided, does the specific play call rely on nothing more than randomness (subject to the play weights)? Or does it take the game situation into account? As an example, I find the 3rd and long playcalling to be very conservative. Because I have long pass plays and short pass plays but it seems to me that the game just picks a pass play at random without regard to game situation. So I had to make a separate custom playbook just for 3rd/4th and long, with a bunch of long plays, but due to the fact that we have to have run plays I still am forced to include 10 run plays. Even though I put this playbook in the 3rd and long scenario AND set pass to 100, it STILL calls run plays and even when it does call pass plays it will call a short out on 3rd and 15.

The bottom line is that the AI playcalling doesn't seem to have any awareness of the game situation (which quarter, point differential, 2 minute offense, 4 minute offense, etc.) . Yes it's 2nd and 1 but there's 1 minute left in the half and I'm trying to score. So maybe take that into account and don't just rely on the play calling settings which are generic? If it's 3rd and 7 (Is that "medium" or "long"?) maybe don't pick a RB screen call even though it's technically in the playbook, even with a high weight, it's not intended for long yardage. The "coach" seems oblivious to this. It makes calls that would cause them in real life to be fired after the game.

When setting the run/pass frequency in game plan, I'm hit with two issues: The first is, what is meant by "short" "medium" and "long"? It makes a huge difference. The second is, when selecting run vs. pass, is it dependent solely on the run/pass weight or does game situation factor into it? I generally like to run on 3rd and short but if short can be up to 3 yards, that's generally a passing down. I would expect my coach to recognize that and say, okay the weight may be 30 but this is obviously a passing situation so we're going to call for a pass play of adequate length for the yardage situation." The game does not seem to do that. I think on the playcalling screen, it should not say short, medium, or long but give yardage, i.e. First and <10, 10-15, 15+. Or on third down, it should be <2, 3-5, 5+ because I'm not clear on what 3rd and short means and even if it's 3 yards or less, 3rd and 3 is a very different strategy than 3rd and 1, and I want to make sure it's calling a play appropriate to the game situation, which it does not seem to do. If I'm on the "longer end of short", following the game plan strictly and going only by weight and playbook might call FB dive on 3rd and 3, or WR streaks inside the 5 yard line.

I realize this game is developed by a small team and has limited resources, but in my opinion the next big step for the game to take is better playbooks and diagrams, clearer and more precise terminology and upgrading the playcalling. If I would give constructive advice, before the next version releases, consult an actual coach (it can be a coordinator from an XFL team for all I care) when designing the built-in plays and playbooks:
* "Quarter" is a 7 defensive back formation. What we call quarter is just a 3-2-6. That's still dime. They should be called "Nickel 425" , "Nickel 335", "Dime 416", etc.
* "Power" again on offense is a specific type of block pattern I think the term is mis-used in the game. It's defined as a "scheme" but again that term is misused. Scheme is not in of itself a property of a play.
* And in custom playbooks, why can we only filter by formation and run/pass? Why not filter by pass type, or just 335 Base?
* Not to mention the defensive play diagrams which are confusing (offensive ones have issues too). I'm glad there's a page which explains the diagrams but they're still not standard. What is a "zone rush"? Why does double not indicate who's being doubled?

Playbooks and playcalling, IMO must be the primary focus for 2025. I'm getting tired of losing games because my offense is calling FB dive plays when we're down by 7 with 1 minute laft.

[AKH]

In the settings you can make changes so the playcalling weight becomes an actual percentage, i.e. setting it to 100 makes it pass every time.

In the settings you can define how many of each type of play (run/pass) a playbook must contain.

You are right that once it selects pass/run it will go by the weight of your plays. Thats why you have the ability to make custom playbooks. (and also this is a discussion we have perpetually with users. Some/most users get very angry if the AI starts overriding their weights because it thinks something else is better.) If it is 3rd or 4th and long the QB will look more downfield, but thats not a guarantee. (AND you see endless examples in real life of both "stupid" (to viewers or commentators) playcalls and checkdowns way behind the line to gain.)

We are of course continously looking for things to tweak and/or add, and will keep this in mind, but please be aware that many users feel very differently than you with respect to having the AI override their weights.

[servo75]

I've talked the issue over with my league commissioners and either lowering the number of required runs, or setting to percentage is out of the question.

I thought of an alternate solution. I've always thought the choices in game planning should be expanded to include not just down and distance but game situation.
How about having a checkbox in the game planning screen where an owner can opt in to having AI override their weights.

Something else too... is it possible to set playbook limits where there's a minimum TOTAL # of plays but not run and pass individually?

Also just for the record, what is "short" "medium" and "long" on playcalling screen?

[AKH]

yeah sorry I had to put a kid to bed and forgot to come back and answer the last questions.

From what i remember short/medium/long is <4 / 4-8 / >8.

Zonerush is basically a mixture of spy and contain.

DoubleMan will go in man on the "focus player" from your gameplan (if he is not on the field, it will select an appropriate other guy).

The setting for minimum total plays in a playbook is not a bad idea, ill keep that in mind.

[servo75]

Sounds good, thanks for answering. The conundrum in my online league (and I assume others) is that if they set the number of run plays required to 0, or set the run/pass to a percentage, then some of the more "advanced" GMs will use that to cheat somehow, in a way I don't really understand.
I also understand that people aren't happy with having the AI override their weights when the game situation dictates.
For example if short is <4, then that presents a problem because 3rd and 1 is a run down (at least for me), while 3rd and 4 is generally a pass down so that makes playcalling strategy tricky. And because I found the AI playcalling to be too conservative in 2 minute drills, I made a "3rd and long" playbook with all pass plays but because of our league rules and settings I have to include 10 run plays and they can still get called even if I set pass to 100. Rare, but I've seen it happen and even lost games because I get a run play called on 3rd and 15 (that's a place where IMHO the AI should step in). That's why I proposed the possible solutions, the first as I mentioned simply having a global minimum instead of just minimum run and minimum pass (thank you for considering this), but also wonder if you could put a check mark in the strategies allowing the player to "opt in" to having AI override their weights when necessary. The final suggestion I would make is that in addition to down and distance, have playcalling scenarios for 2 and 4 minute drills and other game situations.

That breakdown of short/medium/long looks good but as I mentioned having short anything from 0-4 can be problematic. It also differs by down.

This is just my opinion, but this is the way I would present it:
1st down: Short <6, Medium 6-15, Long 16+
2nd down: Short <4, Medium 5-10, Long 11+
3/4 down: Short <2, Medium 3-6, Long 7+

And maybe put the yardage in the screen because as we've seen short, medium, long can be vague/confusing. I appreciate you clearing it up though. Don't mean to be a pain, it's just that if I had to name one thing that needs the biggest improvement right now, it's the play calling and game planning / strategy.
Keep up the good work!

[brooks_piggott]

The distances are in the help bubble on the strategy screen.