Question about R3 features

[dreamtheatervt]

In my mental preparations for the new PDS, I have one really burning question that I hope someone can answer, and another that might be too late to implement if they are not already, but at least it will be out on the table for the future.

The Big Question (at least for me): Will there be ways to adjust zone defenses (be able to play more than cover 3), or at least some templates for other defenses such as cover 2, cover 4, quarter/quarter/half (QQH), and Man Free (larger area than middle third to watch. There are other more exotic ones, but short of customization those templates would be nice.

Would an alignment function be feasable? I am aware that this would be a monstrous undertaking, as different coaches have different ideas of strong and weak side (I am being totally serious on this one. The first HS coaching job based strong side on the side with more receiving threats, the other was a TE/FB based system), but it would be utterly amazing to build true 43 Miami and slide fronts. It would be nice to shade DB's inside or outside of receivers as well, but that's just asking for extra icing on an iced cake.

A quick way around the worrying about making alignments adjustable would be to make a defensive "flip" audible, that flips the play on the field. This would be especially great for QQH coverages, as well as "cloud", "sky", and "rain" versions of standard cover 2/3/4 defenses.

I know I ask for a lot...I am just get really psyched up for the new release. R3 is going to be like having a second Christmas/Chanukah/whatever holiday you look forward to (I'm so used to being PC at work...dang sensitivity training [:D] )

[David Winter]

The Big Question (at least for me): Will there be ways to adjust zone defenses (be able to play more than cover 3), or at least some templates for other defenses such as cover 2, cover 4, quarter/quarter/half (QQH), and Man Free (larger area than middle third to watch. There are other more exotic ones, but short of customization those templates would be nice.
 
Adjusting the zones something I spent a lot of time looking at for the PDS2.0 but unforunately isn't going to make it in this time. I know it's being asked for and as the new PDS evolves with updates of it's own, I'm sure it will get in there.

Would an alignment function be feasable? I am aware that this would be a monstrous undertaking, as different coaches have different ideas of strong and weak side (I am being totally serious on this one. The first HS coaching job based strong side on the side with more receiving threats, the other was a TE/FB based system), but it would be utterly amazing to build true 43 Miami and slide fronts. It would be nice to shade DB's inside or outside of receivers as well, but that's just asking for extra icing on an iced cake.

There is a very basic version of like that in place for defense but it's not user defineable. The game evaluates the defensive play design. The game can determine if the defense is strong left, right, or balanced. Balanced just means that the defense is evenly spread on the field while a strong side simply means there are more defenders lined up on one side than the other.
 
Again, it may not be exactly what you're after, and as you said, everyone has their own system.

A quick way around the worrying about making alignments adjustable would be to make a defensive "flip" audible, that flips the play on the field. This would be especially great for QQH coverages, as well as "cloud", "sky", and "rain" versions of standard cover 2/3/4 defenses.
 
This is what it does now. If a team continually runs left the defense will catch that tendancy. It will try to load a play that is stronger on the left side. If it can't, it will find a play that's stronger on the right side and simply flip it.
 
This assumes the AI does not find a specific play call in a defensive coaching profile. If there is a specific play called in a specific coaching profile that matches the current situation, that's what defense is called and the tendancies are ignored.

The Defensive Flip audible is a good idea.. something I can look into as I'm redoing the audible system for R3 anyway.