It's been quiet around here for too long, so I'm happy to finally announce the v.19.0 Playbook Update is available now! This release is massive and will have a significant impact on how you and the AI play the game, so there's a lot to go over before you jump in. For a quick overview of some of the changes coming, check out this video:
Expanded Playbooks
This update greatly expands the pool of plays available (75 total) and introduces 9 preset offensive playbooks built to facilitate a variety of play styles. In-game you'll now have access to 25 plays featuring new concepts like bubble screens, WR/TE runs, and shovel passes which should keep things fresh and make AI opponents less predictable. Team strategies have also been revamped to support the new playbooks, so make sure to give your custom teams a once-over before you play!
Defensive Changes
Defensive playbooks are being built now but will come at a later date, as I want to make sure I have a complete understanding of what the new offenses bring to the game before I commit to all the plans I have. Fear not, defenses have also received a ton of work behind the scenes, including completely redesigned plays and categorization, pass defense improvements, and a new feature called 'defensive reads', which give you the ability to adjust your defense's focus before the ball is snapped.
AI vs AI Modes
Another new feature in this update comes as a result of your feedback, the addition of 'Coach' and 'Watch' AI vs AI gameplay modes! Call in plays from the sideline or kick back from a comfy seat and enjoy the AI battling it out! To help improve the overall presentation, I've also added in-game milestones, drive stats, and a host of new crowd reaction cameras to the game. These new spectator options are available in all game modes, so if you've ever dreamt of running a full AI vs AI season schedule, I got you covered!
Feedback
Additionally I've made a ton of smaller adjustments to gameplay balance, AI running, play calling, and animations, while also squashing a whole bunch of bugs. This update introduces many foundational changes to the game, so I'm calling on yall to really hammer through it and give me as much feedback as possible to make sure things are still feeling fun!
Full patch notes below and as always, thanks for playing!
Patch Notes - v.19.0
PLAYBOOKS
- Added 9 offensive preset playbooks and assigned them to default SRFL league
- Created a default defensive playbook and assigned it to all teams
- Expanded in-game playcalling screen to support 5 categories and 25 plays
- Reworked all 20 original offensive plays, added 55 new plays
- Reworked all 20 original defensive plays, created new defensive categories, and added 5 new plays
- Reworked existing special teams plays, created a new FG/XP kick defense play
- Expanded offensive formations to 10 total
- Consolidated defensive formations to 6 total
- Updated play descriptions to fully support new playbooks
PLAYCALLING
- Updated and adjusted all team strategies to support new playbooks and playcalling changes
- Teams now have dedicated strategy settings for extra points, QB runs, and WR runs
- Teams now have a dedicated strategy setting for determining how often and to what extent defenses will try and call what the offense is going to run
- Improved AI's playcalling use of strategies and game situation to call appropriate plays
- Improved AI's playcalling and clock management when leading in the 2nd half of a game
- Updated sim engine to incorporate all changes to playbooks, strategies, and playcalling
GAME SETUP
- Added 'Coach' and 'Watch' as control options on the setup game screen
- Updated setup game screen to support new control options and additional information
PRESENTATION
- Added new camera intro animation at the start of 3rd/4th down plays
- Added new camera cuts to crowd and player reactions after non-highlight plays
- Added presnap stat, drive, and milestone displays
- Updated scoreboard messages
- Updated player state box organization
- Redesigned play recap UI element to display team name and colors
- Improved post-play camera motion
- Improved and added Defensive Coordinator's reactions to game stats
- Updated coach's pregame opponent preview dialog
- Added news popup to frontend main menu
GAMEPLAY
- Added defensive 'reads' UI to defensive play previews
- Updated AI running logic, ability to hit holes, and usage of power moves
- Added pass 'wobble' on low quality passes and kicks
- Significantly decreased amount of AI 'balloon' passes
- Added animation for QB handoffs/pitches
- Improved ball arc on very short passes and added QB shovel pass and animation
- Updated AI running logic, ability to hit holes, and usage of power moves
- Improved QB release point and throwing animation
- Improved QB recognition of pressure and ability to transition into scramble without losing speed
- Increased chance of deflections
- Increased chance that receiver will drop a pass when a defender makes a play on the ball
- Decreased dive distance by 40%
- Improved AI pursuit angles
- Increased the amount defenders will be affected by jukes and misjudge their pursuit angles as a result
- Improved overhead catches and increased likelihood of proper animation to be used for it
- Safeties no longer double team man-defended receivers by default, will pickup undefended receivers instead
- Improved safety's ability to match receiver depth on deep coverage playcalls
- Decreased distance pass blocks drive defenders forward
- Decreased ability to sustain pass blocks for long periods of time
- Added ability for blockers to sustain blocks on specific playcalls
- Improved blocker's ability to not interfere with runners
- Improved blocker's ability to follow a path before engaging in a block
- AI punters use more of the field when aiming their kicks
- Increased AI kicking accuracy
- Greatly increased AI's ability to block FG/XP
BUGS
- Fixed a critical issue where the game would soft lock when a punt hit the goal post
- Fixed a critical issue where 'sim cpu games' button was visible on the schedules page when no cpu games were left to sim, causing a soft lock when pressed
- Fixed an issue where a player would become invulnerable to tackles when they catch a pass inside the 1 yardline
- Fixed an issue where player controlled kick returners would get stuck running backwards
- Fixed an issue where the wrong kick returner would be displayed in the stat box during kickoffs
- Fixed an issue where the incorrect record would be shown during the Player of the Week HYPE recap