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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:07:05 GMT
I've been enjoying TCY an obscene amount since I got it, finding the constant churn of players and perpetual weakness at one point in the roster or other a refreshing change to the longer term FM and FOF games. Landing a superstar recruit was fun and was then made better by the desperate scramble to get enough pieces around him at other positions to make valuable use of his four years at the school. However, TCY is essentially just a spreadsheet with not a great deal of depth behind it, which is one of the reaons I was enjoying it so and, more importantly, one of the reasons it had to go. When Solecismic's grand announcement turned out not to be TCY II but instead some old toss of a card game, I decided I need more, so I splashed out on Grey Dog Software's Bowl Bound College Football, for it's much more depth and FM-esque GR-abilityness. BBCF has proper rubbish teams with proper rubbish prestige who will spend decades recruiting proper rubbish high school players. It has budgets and deeper player personalities - in TCY reshirting is a way of life, in BBCF if you recruit a player on a promise of playing time and then redshirt him it's seen as an afront and players will run off to other schools if you don't keep them in hookers and coke happy. What I'm saying is, it's not easy, but who wants easy when they can have misery? More to the point, who wants to read about easy, when they can read about misery?
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:07:27 GMT
College Records
OVERALL : 12-13 Overall Conference +------+-----------------------+------------------+ Year | W L T | W L T +------+-----------------------+------------------+ 2006 | 6 7 - | 4 3 - * 2006 | 6 6 - | 4 3 - +------+-----------------------+------------------+ TOTAL | 12 13 0 | 8 6 0 +------+-----------------------+------------------+ *Post Season appearance.Post Season2006 New Orleans Bowl : FAU 16-19 Rice Regular SeasonArkansas State 2-02006 : Arkansas St 16-19 FAU 2007 : Arkansas St 16-23 FAU Bowling Green 0-12007 : Bowling Green 28-16 FAU Central Florida 2-02006 : FAU 27-20 UCF 2007 : FAU 10-7 UCF Central Michigan 0-12006 : Central Michigan 29-23 FAU Colorado State 0-12006 : Colorado St 12-3 FAU East Carolina 1-02006 : FAU 22-20 East Carolina Florida International 1-12006 : FAU 17-14 FIU 2007 : FAU 13-24 FIU Louisiana Lafayette 0-22006 : FAU 0-27 Louisiana Lafayette 2007 : Louisiana Lafayette 26-21 FAU Louisiana Monroe 0-22006 : Louisiana-Monroe 17-12 FAU 2006 : Louisiana-Monroe 51-17 FAU Middle Tennessee State 2-02006 : Midd Tenn St 10-13 FAU 2007 : FAU 30-27 Midd Tenn St North Texas 2-02006 : FAU 21-10 North Texas 2007 : North Texas 10-17 FAU Rutgers 0-12006 : Rutgers 22-15 FAU Temple 1-02007 : Temple 24-34 FAU Toledo 0-12006 : Toledo 31-13 FAU Troy 1-12006 : Troy 16-23 FAU 2007 : FAU 20-13 Troy Washington State 0-12007 : FAU 3-29 Washington State
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:07:42 GMT
Held for Stats
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:08:24 GMT
Recruiting Class Ranking 2006 : 110th 2007 : 111th
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:08:52 GMT
Held for three cherries.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:36:02 GMT
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY Well, sure, your Central Florida Knights are nice and all that, but they've been around a while - the Knights are entering their 29th season with a football program in 2008 and 12th in the top level IA ball. Nah, what you want is your University of Florida Atlantic Owls. Firstly, their logo is the YA RLY owl pulling a face like he's had an especially bad day at the owlfice office and then returned home to his hole in the tree to find Mrs Rly in bed with the dramatic chipmonk. Secondly, the Owls have had a football team for exactly six years and have been at the IA level since 2006. They've had one head coach in that time, one winning record and are 4-10 against ranked opponents, including two wins over the huge Bethune-Cookman University. Thirdly, I know someone who went there and he says their ladies beach volleyball team is awesome. He knows what he's talking about too, because he spent four years in a student room overlooking the beach volleyball practice court and failed every one of his courses. A GIS for Florida Atlantic Beach Volleyball brings up this image : So if you'll excuse me, I have to go and prepare for my new role.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 28, 2008 17:47:05 GMT
I mentioned the depth, right? I'm sure I did. But in case you've forgotten, here's the very first email I get on flipping on the PC at my new FAU desk. Welcome to the Training Camp stage of Bowl Bound College Football. This email will help you get started by explaining how to set your team budget and scouting service.
First, set your team's budget by clicking on the 'Team Budget' item under the Camp submenu. Start out by entering your recruiting allocations for each scouting region and position. This will impact the accuracy at which you see ratings and rankings for players in that position/region.
Next, set your staff funding. Medical impacts how quickly your players recover from injuries. Str & Con helps keep your players from getting injured and their overall endurance. Academics tutors dictates how well your program is at providing student athletes the proper tutoring to keep them eligible during the season.
College offense and defense impact the accuracy of your views for players not on your team. Advance scouting helps determine the accuracy of your pre-game reports on your opponent.
Make sure you watch the remaining money you have left on the bottom of the screen. All your budget items and scouting service must fit under your total budget limit listed on both screens.
The second task of this stage is to choose a recruiting service. You can do this by selecting Scouting Service from under the Camp submenu. Recruiting services are rated by region and accuracy. A service will always be better for the region it specializes in. Services help you by getting information on a recruit's list of schools still in the running, personality makeup and overall preferences. This information can be very valuable in determining which kids to go after and offer a scholarship to.
After you have set both your budget and scouting service, you have finished the first week of training camp.You can advance to the next week by clicking the advance week button in the lower left of the game (looks like play button). You can also advance the week from the Game Status menu.
To begin evaluating your team roster, click the 'Take Action' button to head to the stage status screen and select item number two. So, err... Yeah. I behave like a good monkey and mash the set budget button as instructed and get this delight : So I have to decide which region I want to focus on and spend money appropriately to make sure I get to see everyone there. Then I have to spend money on certain positions to make sure I get enough time watching the players I need. Then I need to spend money on a recruiting service, to make sure I have the right people with the right time in the right areas. Then I have to moderate all of that each year by the availability of recruits. So a look at the screen tells me I can find 179 High School quarterbacks declaring this year, of which 46 are coming from the South East, where I am, with an average quality of (light red) "Below Average." On the plus side in the south east there are 48 cornerbacks and 19 strong safeties, with an average grade of very good. So if you need help at a certain position you have to decide to spend more money in the region where the best recruits are, but you have little influence. Or you can spend less money where you have more influence, but perhaps be picking from a smaller pot. This is going to go disastrously badly.
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Post by Narcizo on Feb 28, 2008 18:46:59 GMT
Aye, that's about the stage of the demo where I went "WTF" and ran away crying for me mammy. So good luck with that Mr Owly person.
There's MP leagues for this. Which actually makes sense given the amount of depth you can get into.
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Post by coffers on Feb 28, 2008 20:12:35 GMT
Owwww eerrrrr loooks complicated.
Good luck with that I shall watch with interest.
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Post by Moo on Feb 28, 2008 21:45:01 GMT
Should have held the outside two, then cancelled, then held, then cancelled again, then pressed start. You'd have got nowt, but it would have made me laugh at you in the pub. :thumb: Now I can read the rest of the thread.
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Post by Moo on Feb 28, 2008 21:48:46 GMT
I wish I hadn't. It looks incredibly complicated. So just play it for a while, tell me how to do it, then I can go for glory in my first season. Just like in FM.
What?
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 29, 2008 3:01:18 GMT
The TeamJust how bad are this lot? Well, the good news is that you can look for yourself. I'm very impressed with the printing and reporting option on this one, it's fair to say. The only thing that would make it better is if the alt text for the column headings told you what each one meant. Here are the likely lads : QUARTERBACK Irving Flores is the man for the next year, before he graduates to spend the rest of his life selling houses. Or burgers. Something that isn't football at any rate. Decent arm strength, but he's not going to have anyone confuse him for Dan Marino with his laser accuracy. RUNNINGBACK
Redshirt freshman Robert Yang is listed as the starter here, but although he will be a back with good speed and agility one day, today isn't that day. Likely to get injured putting on his socks. Yang's most impressive feature is that his high school is somewhere called "Christ Missionary and Industrial." Bringing the good word and machine tools to the world. The yin to Yang's yang is William Armstrong, who'll be starting at fullback, clearing the way for Robert. Or at least he'll be clearing the way if he manages to fall on someone while he injures himself. 36 durability? Oh dear. RECEIVERS
Senior Kenny Munson is allegedly the starter although I'm not sure how someone with a 41 rating for Hands gets to be a receiver. On the other side Christopher Parks can catch, but we'll have to wheel him into position on some sort of cart, as he has a 16 rating for running. I shudder to think what that looks like. Perhaps we can ask backup receiver Irvin Jones whose running ability is rated a 1. You can do your own Stephen Hawkinge jokes. At Tight End things are much better, as we turn to Thomas Adams who's a decent run blocker and long snapper, which will come in handy for all the punting we're going to be doing. OFFENSIVE LINE
I laugh at our offensive line purely because I don't have to play behind it. As impediments go I imagine it slows down opposition defenders about as much as some damp paper. At Center Steve Stout isn't. At Guard, Woodrow Woodall and Dave Roberts aren't horrible, if only for Woodall's work ethic and at Tackle Marvin Murphy thinks blocking consists of being fat and David Garcia is listed by the scouts as "a lazy fat useless cunt." Ok, that scouting report is in my handwriting, but the scouts all agree. Or they're fired. DEFENSIVE LINE
The defensive line has something approaching potential as Paul Diaz and John "John Johnson" Johnson make a respectable pair at the end positions and they're both Juniors, which means they don't need to be immediately replaced. Inside them is Ray Reid who's awful and Pedro Fuchs who might one day become awful if he tries really, really hard. LINEBACKERS
The starting middle linebacker when I took over the Knights was called Bob Nelson. The starting middle linebacker here at the Owls is called Jay Nelson. Bob Nelson was good, Jay Nelson is not. Outside Nelson is Richard Snider who's below average just about everywhere and Christoper Wilson who's below rubbish just about everywhere. CORNERBACKS Charles Fisk is apparently the key to our entire defence, which means we are totally, totally boned. He has poor speed and acceleration, which are mildly important for cover corners, but at least he's good at returning punts. Larry Smith can't cover receivers but that's ok because he's so slow that he won't be anywhere near them to get beaten. SAFETIES Louis Combs starts at the strong position and works hard but has roughly none of the physical skills required of someone at that position. Alongside him is Dennis Hardy who's decent enough but, like most of our non-horrible players, he'll be leaving at the end of the season. KICKERS Jonathan "Jonathan Johnson Not John Johnson" Johnson is the kicker and is horrible. Jack Sanchez is the punter and is horrible.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 29, 2008 3:37:33 GMT
After I'd finished crying about what passes for a roster at this place I have to go face the school's Athletic Director Board fpr them to lay out their expectations for my first season in charge.
"We think our team can finish in the top three of the Sun Belt Conference."
Well, that's grand. Can I have your team? Because my team isn't finishing in the top three of anything with more than two people involved.
"It will be a struggle."
Yes. Yes it will.
"But a good conference record and a strong showing against Florida International should be enough for the board."
Florida International? Wait, there's another shitty team out there in Florida. What are they, breeding?
At least I'll have a place to go to get a job when this lot fire me for not finishing in the top three of whatever the thing is.
Budget Not really knowing what to do here, I plump for the following :
Scouting - Regions Atlantic East : $45,000 Southeast : $45,000 Midwest : $30,000 Great Plains : $30,000 West : $15,000
Scouting - Positions QB : $50,000 RB : $50,000 WR : $50,000 OL : $50,000 DL : $50,000 LB : $50,000 DB : $50,000 ST : $10,000
Staffing Medical : $55,000 Strength and Conditioning : $55,000 Academi Tutors : $55,000
Coaching Offensive Coordinator : $375,000 Defensive Coordinator : $300,000 Special Teams Coach : $125,000
Opposition Scouting College Offense : $60,000 College Defense : $60,000 Advance Scouting : $60,000
Scouting Service I picked the slightly bizarre sounding "Southern Cookin'" scouting service who specialise in the south east and hold massive parties with lots of food, which is good as I need some fat people, stat.
The board had given me $1,740,000 and I gave them $5,000 change. You're welcome.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 29, 2008 4:13:09 GMT
Pre-Season Week TwoIt is important for a coach to pick the correct offense and defense to match both his personnel and style of play.
In Bowl Bound, there are six different offensive philosophies to choose from. The first is a balanced attack that involves using a combination of the run and pass to keep defenses guessing. It gives a bonus to the I Form and Pro Set, while penalizing a team that uses Flexbone, I Form Big, Quads, Spread, Wing T and Wishbone.
A team can also choose to use the traditional Option attack. The option is an exciting run-based offense using trickery and good blocking to confuse opponents.With this selection, the team will face penalties when using Quads, Shotgun, Single back, Spread and Trips. A bonus is given to Flexbone, I Form Big, Wing T and Wishbone.
Next is the Run-N-Gun, a quick-hitting passing offense that uses short passes to help with the running game. It gives a bonus to Quads, Shotgun, and Trips, while penalizing a team that uses some traditional power sets like Double TE, Flexbone, I Form Big, Weak, Wing T, and Wishbone.
If a team chooses the Smash Mouth philosophy, it will be relying on ball control and normally have a bruising back with lineman that really get out and run block. Power sets are a good choice with this set and a bonus is given for teams using the Double TE, I Form, I Form Big and Strong formations. They are penalized, though, for using one-back or fewer sets like Quads, Singleback, Shotgun, Spread and Trips.
The Vertical passing game in college tries to stretch the defense with long passes, while also running between the tackles. Users will face penalties when using Flexbone, I Form, I Form Big, Strong, Wing T, Wishbone. A bonus is given to Quads, Shotgun, and Single Back.
The final offensive philosophy is the West Coast, a complicated offense using short timing routes and quick decisions by the quarterback. Teams running the WCO get a bonus with the Pro Set, Single Back and Weak. They face a penalty when they use the Flexbone, I Form Big, Trips, Wing T, and Wishbone.
On the defensive side, teams have seven choices to look at. The first is the base 4-3, a defense thats needs the front four to both hold the POA against the run while also getting to the QB. The LBs often make the tackles and the DBs tend to focus more on coverage. Teams choosing this philosophy will face a penalty for the 3-4, 3-3-5, and 5-2 formations because of limited practice time.
The Base 3-4 relies on the linebackers to be playmakers and help both against the run and in blitzing the QB. The DL need to hold up more against the run and provide the LBs space to make plays. Team using this focus will face a penalty with the 4-3, 4-2-5, 4-4 and 5-2.
The next option is the 4-6 defense, which relies on blitzing linebackers and safeties to disrupt an offense's timing. It's effective against the run but can put corners on an island at time. Like the 4-3, users will face a penalty with the 3-4, 3-3-5 and 5-2 formations.
The 3-3-5 stack is a flexible defense that put two safeties in the box and keeps three DBs deep for coverage. It offers a lot of speed that can be used for both blitzing or dropping into coverage. 3-3-5 teams will face a penalty if they use the 4-3, 4-2-5, 4-4 and 5-2 formations.
Another choice is the 5-2. This philosophy puts pressure on the front 5 to hold the POA and the two LBs to play in space. Having the five down lineman helps plug run gaps and can also help contain a mobile QB. Because of its style, users will face a penalty when going with the 3-4, 4-4, and 3-3-5 formations.
The next defensive focus is the 4-4, a strong set against the run. With only three DBs, though, it relies on the LBs in both coverage and blitzing the QB. Users will get penalized when they use the 3-4, 3-3-5 and 5-2 formations.
The last defensive option is the 4-2-5, a defense that puts pressure on the extra safety to play both the run and the pass. It offers more options in coverage without hampering the run defense like the Nickel.
Once you decide on an offense and defensive philosophy. be sure to click save on each screen and you will be ready to advance to the next week.
To begin evaluating your team depth chart, click the 'Take Action' button to head to the stage status screen and select item number two. ChoicesMy team is rubbish, so it's probably best I don't tax them too much. As a result, I pick the Balanced offensive system and the 3-3-5 defence, because if I'm going to put my horrible defence somewhere, it's going to be between the other side and my end zone and deep in the hope that the teams I run into are rubbish enough to make regular horrible mistakes. The local newspapers run a story in which they refer to Florida Atlantic in 2006 as "Bottom Feeders."
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Post by elth on Feb 29, 2008 4:50:17 GMT
That might be overly generous judging by your roster.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 29, 2008 5:45:02 GMT
A few weeks of fiddling about got our schedule filled and what better way to start my career with the Worstest Team in Florida than against the Worst Team in Florida... Schedule1 at Central Florida - 2 at East Carolina - 3 OPEN - 4 at North Texas - 5 Middle Tenn St - 6 OPEN - 7 Louisiana-Monroe - 8 Troy - 9 Arkansas State - 10 Toledo - 11 Central Michigan - 12 at Louisiana-Laf - 13 Rutgers - 14 at Florida Int - 15 OPEN - I like the middle of our schedule, where we have five home games in a row. That stand right there might just save my life.
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Post by Narcizo on Feb 29, 2008 7:18:12 GMT
3.0 rated quarterback is pretty decent at this level. Shame he's finishing this year. Isn't STR strength? In which case he's pretty weak, isn't he? I'd probably switch to the 20 or 100 rating system, I always thought the 10 point scale was a bit vague.
*edit* ahhh! Strength is different from arm strength. Pretty cool how you can click forward to the player card. Grindin really ought to be paying attention to stuff like that.
*double edit* Having 40 hands must come in useful if you're a quarterback.
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Post by Sonic on Feb 29, 2008 7:42:00 GMT
If you find them missing, that was me. The cherries this season where so sweet, I needed another fix. Hmm, cherries and ice-cream and coffee. And something else.
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Post by Sonic on Feb 29, 2008 7:42:38 GMT
I wish I hadn't. It looks incredibly complicated. So just play it for a while, tell me how to do it, then I can go for glory in my first season. Just like in FM. What? :checkit:
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Post by Sonic on Feb 29, 2008 7:52:40 GMT
40 hands? I hope there not all on 2 arms. That would be hard to clothe. Southern Cookin feeding the Bottom Feeders No wonder Boo is staying away. Good luck with this. Oh, and you forgot to put money into scouting your most important position: the Kicker :checkit:
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Post by Moo on Feb 29, 2008 9:20:31 GMT
Sonic is right - you need a good kicker.
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Post by Sonic on Feb 29, 2008 9:54:26 GMT
Sonic is right - you need a good kicker. I'm glad you didn't say I was right about the second line of my previous post. That would be too much to bare.
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Post by coffers on Feb 29, 2008 10:46:38 GMT
Yeah you need someone to kick the shoite out of any shirkers.
:checkit:
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Feb 29, 2008 12:46:18 GMT
3.0 rated quarterback is pretty decent at this level. Shame he's finishing this year. Also a shame that he looks like that bloke from the Lightning Seeds. My Quarterback, yesterday tomorrow.
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Post by Sonic on Feb 29, 2008 13:17:52 GMT
I'm going with the one with the glasses, because he's the only one who either doesn't care what the others are looking at, or doesn't know what the others are looking at, or is preparing for the time when he won't have the urged to wonder what the others are looking at. That or the bitch is blind.
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