Stupid AI errors in sports video games

[NT!]

I can't stand bugs in video games, especially sports games. I haven't played any video games in a few months (never played much to begin with) and recently loaded NHL 2005 back up on the old computer.

I have a dynasty whose top centers are Jason Spezza and Patrice Bergeron. Spezza has maxed out on almost every category including faceoffs but he CANNOT win a faceoff. I have gone five games without him winning one faceoff. He loses to 4th line guys who are like 50 years old and have never taken a faceoff. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he lost to a goalie.

WTF. Faceoffs are so key in this game.

Any other game bugs that just ruin things for you?

NT

[Case Closed]

It bugs the hell out of me in football games that instant replay is a part of the game. It's a video game, this should not have to come up. It's not fun in real life and it's a computer game. It's very lame.

[JaredL]

I think in general football games lose a lot of their replay value for me because the computer just cheats at the hardest difficulty level and the next level down, which I usually play, is too easy.

You'll see all sorts of crap, from linebackers outrunning receivers, ridiculous bounces, the opposing defense shifting in the direction you're running every single time, sucky defensive lineman that dominate my future HOF O-lineman every single down etc. In particular I remember one game where I was sacking the quarterback and just as my guy was diving for the sack, the ball was released and went rigth to a receiver in the front corner of the end-zone. I watched a replay and what happened is the ball went basically straight down and bounced off the tackler's shoulder and went straight to the guy for the TD. Absolutely impossible in real life obviously, and I never once saw anything vaguely similar happen in a two-human game or at easier difficulty.

Similarly, baseball games can suck when you play on the hardest settings. Perhaps it's been updated, I have a couple year old version of High Heat. On the second-hardest setting, even control pitchers can't place the ball for [censored]. If I try to throw a waist-high outside fastball the ball goes to the same spot nearly every time - just wide of the strike zone. If I try to adjust and throw down the middle he grooves it right down the middle, so you can get to where you can't hit the outside or inside part of the plate. Sure pitchers have off nights, but a control guy should not game after game have this happen.

Another issue with these settings is that to make the game harder they tend to even out the teams. This has gotten better, but for example how fast your opponents are is irrelevant because they jack up everybody's speed on the other team to a ridiculously high level. Same goes for the defensive line. It doesn't matter if it's the 49ers defensive line or Seattle's, they will both equally dominate my offensive line and I can't run for [censored].

[GBP04]

okay I remember vividly when I first played Madden 2006. I had a nice franchise mode going on All-Madden. With 8 seconds left and me winning by 4 in the Superbowl, the CPU throws a hail mary from its own 40. The guy catches it with both feet out of bounds (and it's not even close, a good 4 feet out of bounds) and it is ruled complete. There was no challenge or anything. It immediately calls timeout with one second left and scores the game winner on the next play.

[THAY3R]

You should probably rename the subject to "Stupid AI errors in EA Sports video games."

[youtalkfunny]

So this one time, I'm hung up between second and third, caught in a rundown. The thirdbaseman chases me back towards second. When I'm almost back, he makes his throw.

I'm delighted to see that nobody is covering third! I sprint for third. The thirdbaseman is frantically trying to get back to the base, to take the throw. We are running virtually side-by-side. As soon as he turns around to look for the ball, I'll speed past him.

Yeah, right. The throw comes from second. Without breaking stride, and without looking back, the thirdbaseman catches the ball, and tags me out. Seriously, dude is sprinting toward third, and the ball hits him right in his glove.

Yes, this was EA Sports.

[disjunction]

Most things mentioned are not AI errors.

I don't want to troll, this is an easy mistake to make. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Pudge714]

The one thing that really bothers me and Madden (and very few things do) is when you break a big play and LB's,Safeties, or CB's will chase down your WR's or RB's who have five-ten yard head starts.

[kyro]

Mike Piazza's StrikeZone for the N64.

Worst. Game. Ever.

1) No errors. That's right, it's IMPOSSIBLE to make an error in this game.

2) No running next to a wall. If you go up to the wall to catch it, your player will force-run into the wall and fall down.

Ugh, I hate this game.

[Jack of Arcades]

Try MLB 06. The hardest setting, HOF, is probably the most perfect baseball game around.

As for football games, I don't play them (or basketball). Waaaaay too unrealistic. As someone who really tries to study the game things are just way too off for me to enjoy them.