My Football Simulation Project

[ShaneTheMaster]

I'm not using the word 'game' here, because I think the more accurate word is 'simulation'. I've been working on it little by little for the last several months, and wanted to put a feeler out there.

What I'm creating is a football simulation WITH graphics - something that does not really exist right now. But this thing is not a game. It would be realistic in every conceivable way. If a fat defensive tackle picks up a fumble and runs 80 yards, he will get tired, gasping for breath, and slowing down drastically, maybe even falling down towards the end. Players can trip and fall, Two receivers can have the same speed, but one might be able to accelerate faster, and one just may run the wrong route on a play, because he hasn't fully learned the playbook. You may have a star who doesn't like to stay in shape, so he slowly deteriorates physically.

I've already completed the player generation and scouting. Players are rated 0-119 in each attribute, divided into 3 categories: Football skills, Physical Skills, and mental/behavior attributes - but you only see a broader summary value of each - (0-11). Ratings are seen through scouts, who also have a scouting error.

I'm working on this thing piece by piece, 1 football fundamental at a time. If the players can't accelerate and decelerate properly when they run, nothing else matters. I've got that down. I'm working on kicking right now. Next would be throwing. Then after that blocking, etc.

Below is a screenshot showing what the players look like in a kickoff formation (I am still tweaking these, I have since made the shoulder pads a little less wider).



These youtube videos don't do this justice, but it'll have to do until I figure out how to share higher quality videos.

I've been working on the kickoff animations, and how a player's attributes affect the kickoff itself. It's hard to see, but notice how the ball can bounce funny after it hits the ground, just like in real life. Some tweaking may be necessary. I also made the length of the shoulder pads a little shorter - but you probably won't be able to tell that in these videos. Also note that in all videos, the kicker is aiming to kick the ball right down the middle.

Below are 3 videos demonstrating 3 different kicks by the same player with a leg strength rating of 6, and a kickoff accuracy rating of 6.

http://youtu.be/EC1RCv7B898
http://youtu.be/WJWfvoeog1E
http://youtu.be/BnCp7am0P54

Below are 3 kicks by a different player, but this player has a leg strength rating of 9, and a kickoff accuracy rating of 0.

http://youtu.be/q5BxNBjf7Ho
http://youtu.be/XVJypLCg9qc
http://youtu.be/W9WdasW7hAg

Next up: "teaching" a player to catch the kickoff.

[JayBee74]

Pretty ambitious considering your at the kickoff level right now.

Strat-O-Matic does have graphics of the sort you're talking about.

Spoiler

The triangles, squares, and circles actually move.

[Bull_Dozer]

That's really freaking cool

[El Capahoe]

There is already a game out there called Goal Line Blitz that looks similar to what you're trying to do here

[JayBee74]

[ShaneTheMaster]

While all the games mentioned are completed and have different strengths and weaknesses, none of them exhibit a full, realistic, true simulation of multi-year football in 1 package.

Such a simulation does not exist. I'm hoping I can complete mine one day.

[Hooe]

Looks like you're off to a good start, keep it up! I'm guessing by the app icon that this is an XNA project? How long have you been writing code?

A minor polish thing for what you have so far - I think the action would look better if the camera was not allowed to pan past the boundaries of the field. You might when you have some downtime implement some camera bounding logic.

[ShaneTheMaster]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Looks like you're off to a good start, keep it up! I'm guessing by the app icon that this is an XNA project? How long have you been writing code? A minor polish thing for what you have so far - I think the action would look better if the camera was not allowed to pan past the boundaries of the field. You might when you have some downtime implement some camera bounding logic.

Thanks, yes, I will be constantly be refining the camera system - I actually already fixed the issue you mentioned.

I am using XNA, and I've been coding for about 25 years. I am using C#.

I'm now working on players receiving the kickoff (or sometimes dropping). Hopefully, I'll be able to post videos of it in the next few days.