Fixing the Play Clock/Game Clock ratio to prevent overly milking the clock

[QQC]

I am all for milking the clock, and I do understand that it is a part of smart gameplay to retain the win while you are ahead in close games. The problem is that the ratios are off between the play clock and the game clock (:40 / 5:00 = 13.3%) where as a real NFL game would be (:40 / 15:00 = 4.4%).

PROBLEM: Currently, it is way too easy to drain the clock and keep it for an unrealistic amount of time when compared to the length of the quarters. A player can very easily drain the clock for an entire half with the completion of a few first downs. This conflict in ratios makes the game very unrealistic and in some aspects not fun when facing an opponent who does this or by doing it yourself. You cannot reduce the play clock because you need that time to select and adjust on the line, and you cannot increase the game time because playing a game takes too long already.

SOLUTION: Keep the times for the quarters and the play clock the same (or to which ever setting you prefer) but instead of draining the clock second for second on the game, the game should only drain the actual percentage in comparison to a real NFL game which would be 4.4% as stated above. While the play clock is draining, after the 4.4% of the game clock has passed the game clock should stop while the play clock continues to run (i.e. in 5 minute quarters you can drain the clock for 13 seconds per play). This means that you still get the full :40 seconds for the play selection and you can still drain the clock in the same ratio as the NFL standards and not eat the entire quarter just by getting one first down and sealing the deal. This would allow more realistic and strategic gameplay.

PROBLEM EXAMPLE: Start of the 4th quarter (5:00). You are on defense. They have the ball and they are up by 6, 1st and 10.
- First play FB dive, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :39 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 4:13.
- Second play HB Sweep, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :39 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 3:26.
- Third down. HB Counter, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :39 burned on play clock. Timeleft - 2:39 51% remaining.
- Fourth Down - Punt.
As you can see, without even completing a first down, you have still drained nearly 50% of a quarter. If the player got a first down (just ONE first down), you can kiss your timeouts or the game goodbye. If this were done in the third quarter and they achieved a first down, that entire 3rd quarter is theirs and they would still have the ball for the 4th.

SOLUTION EXAMPLE (same scenario): Start of the 4th quarter (5:00). You are on defense. They have the ball and they are up by 6, 1st and 10.
- First play FB dive, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :13 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 4:39.
- Second play HB Sweep, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :13 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 4:18.
- Third down. HB Counter, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :13 burned on play clock. Timeleft - 3:57. 79% remaining.
- Fourth Down - Punt.
If you were to milk the clock in the real NFL on a 3 and out, you would be killing 17.6% of the clock and you would have ~82% of the clock left which matches much more closely to this new solution (79%).


With this solution, you can still drain the clock as a strategic measure and still have the full :40 seconds for play slection but still keep it true to the NFL so that not only one team handles the ball per quarter (or even half). This would also greatly help the Madden Challenges as they play 2 to 4 minute quarters and the ratio is much more severe.

[steve]

i think u shud move this to another section to get more ppl to see this. cuz its really smart and a big issue IMO. this is like the biggest issue to me of all madden years. the play clock seriously needs to be fixed.

i liked u idea but i think there shud just be a *play selection* timer, to avoid the stoppage of the game clock while the team is on the field. which could lead to a team on a clutch drive, plenty of time to set up a play (hot routes, auds, etc.).

for example, as i mentioned in some other thread b4...there should be a play selection clock that give maybe 15-20 seconds for the offense to pick their play (game clock is frozen at this point). now when the offense breaks the huddle, they shud have 20-25 seconds to hike the ball (game clock and play clock begin to count down). this allows time to pick play, make adjustments to play, and then hike the ball. while still effectively running the game clock at a steady pace.

if its unclear of why i chose my option...imagine this. 15 seconds left in the game. neither team has a TO left. the person with the ball is down by 4 and needs a td to win. theyre in the redzone at the 7 yrd line. instead of having 15 seconds to hurry up and hike the ball. they can wait till 13 seconds run off at which point the game clock wud freeze and have 40 seconds to hike instead of 15 to audible and hot route, and come up with a good idea of what they wanna do. but in actuallity, they shud be forced to rush any decision they are about to make.

further, my idea is that bein able to run 25 secs off the clock is okay. not exactly like the nfl, but this is a game, and im guessing we dont wanna be at tournaments until 4am, so this wud still keep the game progress at a decent rate

[dsr1105]

true i played somebody who started milking the clock at mid 3rd qtr and kept using hd direct snap which i couldnt stop and ran 7 mins of the game

[dsr1105]

true i played somebody who started milking the clock at mid 3rd qtr and used hb direct snap which i coulndt stop and he drained 7 mins of the clock all of which in his possesion

[dsr1105]

sorry for reposting just saw this now, i didnt see it come up when i clicked post quick reply so i redid it

[Akron Boy 32]

Originally Posted by QQC

I am all for milking the clock, and I do understand that it is a part of smart gameplay to retain the win while you are ahead in close games. The problem is that the ratios are off between the play clock and the game clock (:40 / 5:00 = 13.3%) where as a real NFL game would be (:40 / 15:00 = 4.4%).

PROBLEM: Currently, it is way too easy to drain the clock and keep it for an unrealistic amount of time when compared to the length of the quarters. A player can very easily drain the clock for an entire half with the completion of a few first downs. This conflict in ratios makes the game very unrealistic and in some aspects not fun when facing an opponent who does this or by doing it yourself. You cannot reduce the play clock because you need that time to select and adjust on the line, and you cannot increase the game time because playing a game takes too long already.

SOLUTION: Keep the times for the quarters and the play clock the same (or to which ever setting you prefer) but instead of draining the clock second for second on the game, the game should only drain the actual percentage in comparison to a real NFL game which would be 4.4% as stated above. While the play clock is draining, after the 4.4% of the game clock has passed the game clock should stop while the play clock continues to run (i.e. in 5 minute quarters you can drain the clock for 13 seconds per play). This means that you still get the full :40 seconds for the play selection and you can still drain the clock in the same ratio as the NFL standards and not eat the entire quarter just by getting one first down and sealing the deal. This would allow more realistic and strategic gameplay.

PROBLEM EXAMPLE: Start of the 4th quarter (5:00). You are on defense. They have the ball and they are up by 6, 1st and 10.
- First play FB dive, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :39 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 4:13.
- Second play HB Sweep, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :39 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 3:26.
- Third down. HB Counter, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :39 burned on play clock. Timeleft - 2:39 51% remaining.
- Fourth Down - Punt.
As you can see, without even completing a first down, you have still drained nearly 50% of a quarter. If the player got a first down (just ONE first down), you can kiss your timeouts or the game goodbye. If this were done in the third quarter and they achieved a first down, that entire 3rd quarter is theirs and they would still have the ball for the 4th.

SOLUTION EXAMPLE (same scenario): Start of the 4th quarter (5:00). You are on defense. They have the ball and they are up by 6, 1st and 10.
- First play FB dive, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :13 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 4:39.
- Second play HB Sweep, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :13 burned on playclock. Timeleft - 4:18.
- Third down. HB Counter, stuffed :03 seconds. :05 seconds to transfer to play calling screen. :13 burned on play clock. Timeleft - 3:57. 79% remaining.
- Fourth Down - Punt.
If you were to milk the clock in the real NFL on a 3 and out, you would be killing 17.6% of the clock and you would have ~82% of the clock left which matches much more closely to this new solution (79%).


With this solution, you can still drain the clock as a strategic measure and still have the full :40 seconds for play slection but still keep it true to the NFL so that not only one team handles the ball per quarter (or even half). This would also greatly help the Madden Challenges as they play 2 to 4 minute quarters and the ratio is much more severe.

DAMMN THATS THE BEST IDEA IVE HEARD FOR MADDEN.....THIS SHIIT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IMO

[lockhart23]

i hate milking the clock,i dont know why people be doing it online in 5 min quartes,now if your in a money gm or in a tourney i understand,but i tottaly agree ur idea is good bruh!

[YoDaddy]

The best idea I have ever seen! PLain and Simple. I have always hated the milking the clock idea in 5 min games but could never think of a solution and didnt blame ea cause its up to the cheap dork who kills time instead but this solution can fix the problem.

You should seriously post this on ea boards/email ea with this idea.

Great Man.

[brucecf123]

Ya i agree, this is probably the best madden idea in years.

[deloz]

There are two ways to look at running the clock all game when playing for money. One way is that you cant blame someone for trying to take advantage of everything possible(including the short quarters) to win. The other way is that no one should have the ability to keep the ball for an entire quarter NO MATTER WHAT. This play clock/game clock idea is truely smart and would eliminate cheap wins at tourneys. If anyone from EA ever sees this please consider it.

[Matkafee]

I agree with the above sentiments. Great idea man.

[zlightsout11z]

dude great of u to think it out nice job i totally agree even tho this is my bread n butta in the 4th quarter.lol

[franchise_X]

i totally agree, i played a guy the other day who started milking the clock in the first half and if they did that i think the game would be a lot funner.

[o Genius]

but none of this makes a difference...the offense only get 4 downs, that means you just need to play defense...40 sec playclock x 4 downs = 1min 60sec???

plus you have 3 timeouts, so there is atleast a possible 4 difference possession just in the 4th quarter

interception or fumble?

[T Moneyx561]

someone should email this to EA or somethin.

or at least make a setting on the game for this. like how it has "hardcore mode" make a "tournament mode" and make it perfectly situated for us.

[MarylandTerps23]

i can almost guarantee he copied and pasted that idea for somewhere.

[dsotm]

Good thinking.

[iceland55419]

it should go back to 40 seconds under 2 min in the 4th.

other than that i like it.

[x Adjust x]

Originally Posted by MarylandTerps23

i can almost guarantee he copied and pasted that idea for somewhere.

Just because you use Yahoo.com for tips doesn't mean he does.

[Triumph 7LC]

Originally Posted by iceland55419

it should go back to 40 seconds under 2 min in the 4th.

other than that i like it.

exactly... once u get to the 2min it should be the same as in a real game