The WR crazy stats thread led me to be curious about this. My impression is that most people who hang around here don't.

I play two games. One I play call and one I do not. I enjoy calling my own plays and sometimes want the GM only option.

I voted for "Never or virtually never. Jim could drop play-calling altogether from his next game and I wouldn't really care."

But I wouldn't want it dropped from the game, because I use the playcalling interface to "watch" the games in the postseason. I just always click on the Have Coach Call Play button.

I usually don't call my own plays but I like the fact that I have this as an option.
I'd rather have this option than not.
Also, when the game is on the line (usually within the last two minutes of a close game) I take control of the play calling because I really want to avoid a bad AI decision.

Last time it happened (about a week ago), I was playing with San Francisco in the SuperBowl against Buffalo.
we were an 8-pt favourite against the Bills so I felt confident. However, our offense stalled quite a bit in this game while we really had been a true power all season long and then there we are in the final two minutes up by a score of 12-10.
We have the ball, run a few plays and ultimately find ourselves with a 4th down on the Bills' 43-yard line with only 47 seconds left to play.
Guess what, the AI goes for the 56-yard FG attempt. Misses (duh!)
and so the Bills get the ball back with 43 seconds left, almost at mid-field. A couple of passes later, they attempt a 45 yarder and win the SuperBowl 13-12.

This time around, I didn't take "control" of the play calling in the final two minutes, and look what happened (in the BIG GAME damn it !) so I was really mad and decided to re-run the game this time calling the plays myself in the final minutes. The AI had really screwed the SuperBowl and the though of it ruining everything I did for the whole season was unbearable. Especially knowing that NEVER would this call have occured in real life.
So I re-simmed the game and this time we won with correct calls made.
Not something I usually do or want to do but that time I was really mad at what happened.

Hmm....been quite a while since I've seriously played single player, to be honest.

Hmm....been quite a while since I've seriously played single player, to be honest.
Me, too. Where's the "might sometimes call plays if I played single player, but since I play multiplayer I don't have the option" option?

i'm a freak - i call every play of every game and wouldn't buy the game without this option...

I too voted for Never, but that's not entirely true. I take over play-calling in big games if it's close and I have a poor play-calling coach. Usually not until the second half and, like I said, if it's close.

I voted "virtually never" but wouldn't want it removed as functionality. That's because every once in a while it's fun to call my own plays.

No here because I pretty much only play in an MP league, and don't get the chance to make my own calls during a sim because they aren't done. I wouldn't say get rid of it completely though. Also, it could be useful if a new patch or version comes out where you can do live sims in a MP league, if at all possible.

I voted "virtually never" but wouldn't want it removed as functionality. That's because every once in a while it's fun to call my own plays.

That's me but thinking about it, it's been a long time since I've done so and I'd never do it in a franchise I care about. I don't like the fact that it skews the results.

I've probably called the plays in 95% or more of the FOF games I've played. Not neccessarily all the plays, and any number of times primarily in order to get carries/touches for various backups or to make sure a starter reaches a particular milestone in the season/career (usually not outrageous milestones, just 1,000 yd rushing sort of stuff).

And minus the playcalling aspect, whatever interest I have in FOF would diminish considerably.

I play mostly MP now, so obviously no play calling. And what a shame that is, playing head 2 head MP would simply be brilliant...

Whenever I do play SP, I usually call about half my games...

Sometimes I fast sim. But about half the time, I watch the games on fast speed up until the last five minutes or so. Then, if the game is close, I will take over play calling--mainly because I like control of time outs, but also because I like the immersion of it.

dola--so I voted for most games, but it is with the above caveat.

i don't ever call my own plays. season takes too long. if i wanted to call my own plays i'd play madden and actually get to control my players. i'm not interested in being a coach, though, i just want to be a GM.

I couldn't vote because the proper option for me is not there.

I call my own plays in certain situations. Like avoiding the computer from calling a 59-yard FG attempt on the first drive of the game. Or trying to get the ball down the field at the end of a half instead of running the clock out.

i voted always but i click the button to have the coach call the play alot

I play two games. One I play call and one I do not. I enjoy calling my own plays and sometimes want the GM only option.

This is me. I have some 'GM' save games and some 'Coach' save games.

To me it's situational. There are times when the game logic is just not good and I try to override it. One of my big pet peeves is when the game decides to go for 2 vs 1. The game also has this tendency to not do the onside kicks the way I want and it also calls timeouts when I don't want them called. Also, sometimes on crucial 3rd downs I make the call to throw to my best 3rd down receiver and I also call a lot of QB sneaks on 3rd or 4th and short behind my best guards.

i don't ever call my own plays. season takes too long. if i wanted to call my own plays i'd play madden and actually get to control my players. i'm not interested in being a coach, though, i just want to be a GM.

My sentiments exactly, except for my lack of interest in Madden. If I really wanted to call plays, I'd find a text sim to do so.

I just started my first game in which I plan on calling all the plays. Before I just called plays when in speciall situations to overide my coach.

If I want to call plays, I'll pop Madden into my Xbox. :)


Todd

I calll my own plays all of the time.