A Beginner’s Guide To GOI
by GM AJ
I joined GOI on February 17th, 2023. I had the privilege to play through 3 seasons and in that time, I experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows. No, I’m not a pro-Madden player nor am I even close to touching the elite players in this league, but I’ve learned a lot in my short time here and thought, why not share that with the rest of you?
Scout Your Opponents
Take advantage of the fact that every game has to be streamed by someone in this league. You don’t have to sit down and watch the entire game. Just watch a quarter and see what certain GMs like to do. And don’t be afraid to jot down some notes. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two. I know I did!
Watch The Tape
Same idea as #1 really but watch your own film! Rewatch the plays that you were successful on, and rewatch the plays you messed up on. I’ve learned a lot by rewatching my interceptions and touchdowns. Early when I first started playing in GOI, I had a lot of plays that could get me big gains, but short yardage was where I struggled. However, by going ahead and rewatching my games, I learned that I was totally missing some open receivers for easy gains on plays where I was just staring at the home run. It was also good to note down which plays did what to each coverage.
Take The Ass Beating
I know, I know, this one could raise some eyebrows. But hear me out for a second. It’s hard to not want to concede when you’re getting blown out, but don’t let those games go to waste. You could be getting beat badly because of a number of factors, but usually, it’s because you’re going up against a quality opponent. Take some deep breaths and see if you can figure out some ways to be successful against them. After all, you’re going to have to find a way to beat them if you want a shot at the Super Bowl.
Find Your Style
This might be the most important thing I learned in my first stint with GOI. I knew how to play football, but I didn’t know how I played football if that makes sense. In my 2nd season, I won 3 games. First off, I thought I was better than I was and thought I could be successful throwing 40 times a game with a below-70 overall QB. It took a while to find what I was good at and for me to realize I should start using the strengths of my team instead of forcing a playstyle that I just wasn’t good enough to use yet. Once I found a style of play I liked, the game became so much more fun for me.
Be An Active Chatter
If you didn’t know, chatting in the lobby is a great way to get coins which are used to buy rewards. Every reward comes in handy when it comes to building your team. After all, no one is winning a championship with a bad team. So don’t be afraid to join in the conversation or start one, I promise everyone wants those coins just as much as you.
Practice Makes Progress
If you’re serious about winning in this league, then you’re gonna have to practice. Whether that be in MUT, Quick Match, Offline Franchise, or whatever it is, just set some time to play the game outside of a scheduled game. It also helps to get your butt into practice mode and work on your offensive plays and defensive coverages. It’ll help turn your adjustments into muscle memory, especially on defense where you only have so much time to adjust before the ball is snapped.
Ask For the Price
We were all witnesses to Peter’s trades last edition. While we can be salty about the fact he pulled them off, I think we should also use it as a lesson. If you’re interested in a player, go ask for their price. Even if you don’t think you can get them, it doesn’t hurt to see if you can!
Be Savvy in the Offseason
Take the draft and free agency seriously. Look up how to scout certain positions, and see what players are available in the free agency pool. You’d be surprised at how much of an impact a rookie can make on your team or what hidden gems you can find in free agency.
Have Fun
Yeah, I’ll end it with this cliche. But it’s true, just have fun with it. It’s a video game at the end of the day. Don’t be afraid to experiment, don’t be afraid to take risks. Play in a way that’s fun for you and makes you want to keep playing every week and every season.
