Returns: kicks, fumbles, interceptions

[Old Coach]

Talk about a delayed reaction- I should have remarked about this a long time ago. It's been so long ago that this was mentioned, I don't recall what thread it was in.

Someone posted that they had never seen a punt or kickoff returned for a TD in MaxFB. I get them about as often as they happen in real football.

I had 2 recent games basically decided by punts returned for TD. I have been playing games with my 1940 College league lately and not long ago I had Tulane leading Alabama 21-20 early in the 4th quarter when Alabama returned a punt 82 yards for a TD. Alabama went on to win 32-27. I would say I average a punt or kickoff return for a TD about once for every 10-12 games. I've had games start out with the opening kickoff returned for a TD. My kickoff cover men are given a 1.5 second delay before they start downfield. That gives the return team time to setup their blocks. I don't have numbers to back this up, but I would say that I get about 25 yards/KO return on average. As to punt returns, usually, but not always, if several members of the punt coverage team are showing fatique (red), you have a good chance of getting a long return.

I do get a lot of long fumble returns, especially if the fumble occurs close to the sidelines and the man that picks up the fumble has a clear lane to run. I do not ever remember seeing a long interception return.

I think that's because interceptions happen with the receiver very close to the defensive man and he is in a good position to tackle the interceptor. Unless the defender breaks the intended receivers tackle, there will not be a long return. Usually the defender is tackled as soon as he catches the ball. A long interception return would be more likely if a defender intercepted a badly thrown pass that is not close to an intended receiver, such as an overthrown out pattern. That's not likely in MaxFB because the defenders are generally close to the intended receiver so a badly thrown pass not only misses the intended receiver but also misses any defenders close by.

Old Coach

[Frank Brickowski]

The Lack of interception returns is a bit annoying.  I have only seen one long INT return for a td in maximum football. Ed Reed of the Ravens returned an INT 96 yards for a game clinching INT with about one minute left to go.  Needless to say that was very entertaining.  I understand what you are saying about the WR being close to defender to make the tackle.  Fact of the matter is offensive players typically aren't good tacklers.  I see quite often in real football, pro and college where a defender intercepts a pass with the intended wr right next to him.  However a good amount of times the defender either breaks the offensive players tackle or jukes him to get at least a little bit of positive yardage.  I have actually gone back to Football Pro 98. I forgot how much fun that game is to play.  I set up the gameplans and profiles and let the computer duke it out.  No Simulation.  Every game is played on the field.  Someone actually made the 2008 NFL Rosters for fbpro 98, which made it even better.

[Frank Brickowski]

Also. I have seen this enough times to be annoyed by it. A defender intercepts a pass with no one around him and instead of running he takes a knee in the field of play.

[DAWUSS]

I think a lot of it has to do with the game engine and player models/animations.

[Old Coach]

Also. I have seen this enough times to be annoyed by it. A defender intercepts a pass with no one around him and instead of running he takes a knee in the field of play

I've seen that also, especially when a lineman intercepts the pass. In gameplay, this is often preceeded by a lineman tipping the pass and he intercepts or sometimes another DL catches the tipped ball. The tipped ball happens so fast in gameplay that you usually don't see it. In replay you can see it.

I think a lot of it has to do with the game engine and player models/animations.

I think that may also be the case. The engine may be kicking over to the faircatch animation/routine for some reason when the pass is intercepted. It seems that once an interception occurs, the same routine and animations that occur on a fumble return should happen on the interception return.

Fact of the matter is offensive players typically aren't good tacklers. I see quite often in real football, pro and college where a defender intercepts a pass with the intended wr right next to him. However a good amount of times the defender either breaks the offensive players tackle or jukes him to get at least a little bit of positive yardage.

Good point- WR's and TE's are abnormally good tacklers in MaxFB. On fumble returns, however, the defender often breaks tackles.

Unless we can get into the code and see what's there, we have to live with it as is.

Old Coach

[Mykal]

Original Old Coach

I think that may also be the case. The engine may be kicking over to the faircatch animation/routine for some reason when the pass is intercepted. It seems that once an interception occurs, the same routine and animations that occur on a fumble return should happen on the interception return.

Hmmmmmm, thats a strange one indeed
CFL has no fair catch...period......................yet the same still happens
I've never seen any return on an INT

Something is definately going wrong in the game engine
but like you say, we have to live with, so thats that
and to be honest its pretty minor compared to some of the bugs we used to have that are now fixed, IMO. [:)]

[Marauders]

Someone posted that they had never seen a punt or kickoff returned for a TD in MaxFB. I get them about as often as they happen in real football.

 
I believe this was in reference to simmed games.
 

[mbsports]

Correct in simmed games it appears impossible to have an INT return for a TD no matter how many in a game.  We had it set so that every pass was a pick and never would they go back for six.

[Marauders]

This sim game was created to round out stats for games that were not played out manually.  It really was not intended as a replacement for the 3D play.
 
In a league, it is a good idea to have a game of the week or two in 3D to get all of the teams played in 3D and simmed about even.

[DreamTeams]

ORIGINAL: mbsports

Correct in simmed games it appears impossible to have an INT return for a TD no matter how many in a game.  We had it set so that every pass was a pick and never would they go back for six.

That seems to even things out as I've never seen a pick returned for a TD in the 3D game either. Wish it did but many of the causes for this have been listed.

[mbsports]

I have the exact opposite problem in 3D - I see TDs with 12 man left/right/and all over the darned place, kick returns too.  So I prefer to do them all in sim mode, I'm more willing to trade off that you won't see the TDs there then I am to trade off seeing tons of games decided by random returns that just go all the way all the time.  It's worked out alright so far so I'm not too put off by it.