M17: Custom Playbook Rules - (Season 3 Test run) (2024)

After much debate on the subject of custom playbooks (CPBs) over the past couple years, we have decided to give CPBs a trial run next season so that we can make an informed decision on them as a league going forward.

We will be going with a conservative and restricted approach for the CPBs in order to ensure they don't have too much of an effect next season while we try them out. If you don't want to use a CPB, that is fine. You can continue using any team playbook you want next season.

If you want to try a CPB out next season, please adhere to the following rules:
- Only offensive playbooks can be customized. Custom defense playbooks will not be allowed initially.
- The base playbook must be a Team Playbook. Scheme playbooks like 'Pistol' or 'Air Raid' are not allowed.
- Members may add 1 Formation plus 1 additional Set OR just 2 Sets to their offensive playbook. For example, if your playbook doesn't have Pistol and Strong formations you can only add one of them. If you have for example Pistol formation you can add the set "Pistol Trips" too.
- Offensive Playbooks must all have between 5-7 Formations not including Goalline and Hail-Mary. There are 9 customizable Formations in Madden: full-house, I-form, Near, Pistol, Shotgun, Singleback, strong, weak and wildcat. Goalline and Hail-Mary are on top and cannot be eliminated. If your base team playbook has more than 7 formations you must delete some to get down to 7.
- Each Formation needs at least 10 Plays (except Goalline, Wildcat, Full-House, Near and Hailmary)
- Plays, Custom Audibles and Play Tendencies can be changed at any time
- Custom Playbooks can be changed once during the season but must be submitted for review and cannot be used until after approval

Process for Creation and Approval of Playbooks:
1. Create your PB in Madden

2. Release your CPB in the dedicated CPB Thread in the forum (CPB Thread will be posted later)
- 2a. Name your Base Playbook
- 2b. List all Formations
- 2c. List added Formations and Sets
- 2d. List deleted Formations and Sets

3. Upload your Custom Playbook in Madden-Community on PS4
- Naming Convention : SMLE_CityAbbreviation (Only 10 characters allowed)
- Example: 1) SMLE_MIN
- Playbook Description: Please include your PSNID and the base Playbook Name in your CPB description (Description allows over 40 characters) - Example: SMLE_brza37_Eagles_CPB

4. Updates to sets and/or formations must be posted in the CPB thread then uploaded to the community on PS4 and approved before use.

Control Process:
1. Through the CPO (Custom-Playbook-Officer) – @MeisterEder69
- 1a. Downloads CPB
- 1b. Compares with the information in the forum
- 1c. Controls whether playbook allows sim/rule-based play (ie. not just the same 10 plays/concepts in 6 different formations)
- 1d. If everything is ok then it will be approved in the forum

2. Random checks - Random checks of streams will be made to ensure no changes were made to the CPB after approval

3. Notifying the admins about rule violations ( Brza/Warrior/LTown/Bish )
- Immediate 1 game suspension upon first violation
- CPB ban after multiple violations

Obligations of CPB-Users:
- Must get the playbook approved before using
- Must be in-line with sim play and all other rules of the league
- ALL games must be streamed if you are using a CPB (not just home and CPU games)

CPB-Timeline:
1. Playbooks should be submitted for approval by the end of the regular season so that there is enough time to review all playbooks before next season

2. Approved CPBs will be allowed for season 3
- Late entries will be approved on a first come first serve basis and may not be approved before season 3

3. After week 12 of season 3 a poll will be posted to vote on the future of CPBs.
- If an overwhelming majority liked the allowance of offensive custom playbooks we will continue with them for season 4. If so, another vote will take place in Week 14 of next season to decide whether the majority also wants to allow defensive CPBs in season 4.

CPB Tutorial
MeisterEder prepared the following tutorial on how to create custom playbooks to help guide anyone who isn't already familiar with the process:

Also, a special thanks to Eder for offering ideas on how we can test out CPBs as well as volunteering to taking on complete responsibility for the approval and control process. His CPB will be controlled/approved by the admins.