Stats and Records in games

[GoLowDrew]

I'll use football for example. EA Madden or College football.

Been playing these games also for the last 15+ years. (Only play two, football and basketball).

Like many of you, simulation is important so I adjust the game settings so the results are similar to real games.

My players never made it in the record books.

In football, I may have an occasional 40pt game. But often I kept it in the 14-28 range.

In order for me to set a single season rushing record, I would have to run the ball like with the same player for 50+ pts per game.

Any comments to share? Or that's how the game goes.

There are times, players had a good career. A dominating career, but never made it into the record books. One may say....that's the record. But IMO, the record numbers are often unrealistic. Do you feel the same? How are your game play in terms of stats and records?

[Andrew]

I generally don't get records unless I'm actively trying for them, usually for a change of pace.

[formx]

I was once playing Madden NFL 10 Superstar mode as Percy Harvin, and Adrian Peterson once got 5000 rushing yards in 10 games. Only because Favre only handed off the ball to AP. Never passing except on 3rd downs.

[GoLowDrew]

Correct. That was what I wanted to confirm. There is no way to set any records, unless one is actively trying to set it. Then it becomes an unrealistic game, and might actually be counter productive....example, running the ball for yrds, when passing was the better option to continue the drive.

[Patr1ck]

I rarely go for records. However, once I get good enough at a game, say most recently the 2K Basketball series, I would try and break a record once I believed that I had a chance to. I have gotten a few games in MyCareer where I started the first quarter hitting shot after shot and got to the line for 3 point plays, knocked down 3's, steals for breakaways, etc. When I realize that I just scored in the neighborhood of 30 points in the first quarter with MyPlayer, then I really go for it. This is not without cheese, but usually the first bulk of points are scored in a legit, yet aggressive manner. It usually tails off later in the game, especially when I get subbed out, or end up cold after forcing shots, then the up and unders and the spin dunks start. I usually don't get it, but I have a couple times when I really nailed my release timing for 3 point jumpers. Yeah, broke that single game record as well. But of course, at that course of the game, he was a superhuman baller going up against "MyCareer cpu AI." After all the endorsements, awards, and championships, like Andrew said, for a change of pace, try to set a record.

To set a football rushing record, you would really need some great breakaways if you didn't just call run plays. I mean, wouldn't the computer AI sniff out the run after a awhile and make it difficult to get any good gains? Wouldn't using the rush so much just open up the defense to be more vulnerable to a pass play? I haven't played a football video game in years, but from what I remember, a nice timed reverse run can get huge yardage if the secondary commits early.

I do think there is a way to set records without predetermining that as a goal, but it is most likely a very rare occurrence when playing at a competitive difficulty and requires a vast amount of situations that just benefit that one player, along with it being a video game where situations can be taken advantage of, regardless of whether it's cheesy or not.

[Andrew]

Agreed. I think it can happen organically - at least to an extent - when you've happened to have a hot start and suddenly find yourself in a position to set a record. It may take a bit of force-feeding and unconventional strategy from there on to get the job done, but as in real life, sometimes you just find yourself within reach of an historic performance without thinking about it until you realise how close you are to one.

[GoLowDrew]

Oh...and another beef about Records. So I broke the record for kick off return yards. The record was there for 8 seasons from when I started the game. 5-6 games later, my record was broken.....WTF. So no one touch this record for 8 seasons, and my record was broken by someone in such short time??? DId everyone started to juice?

I know.....I know, it's just a game. But as a simulation, I hope the developers pay more attention to this in the future. I expect this from Madden 98, not today.

[Oznogrd]

I almost always gun for records in Madden organically. The yardage adds up after 5 seasons of 6000+ yards.