I could careless about the highlights/commentary. It's all about the gameplay for me. I mean I love watching the Sooners play on saturdays but it's even better playing as them everyday. I do agree the commentary gets old/repetitive but I still enjoy it and I believe it's better then maddens. I played Madden '11 last year and was severely disappointed that I bought the game. The new commentary is awful and I hated how chris collinsworth mocked my every play. When I watch the madden trailers I can't help but to feel it being absolutely fake and it doesn't excite me. I've always been a HUGE college football fan and I'm glad just to have a game like NCAA. People, think about it sure NCAA Football has it's flaws but I'd rather play a game with flaws then not even have the option to play a college football game. I don't know much about the early versions (seeing how I wasn't even alive when they were out) but I do know I like what I've been seeing in recent years and I believe it can only get better.

I disagree. In my opinion I dont think playing a football from a TV broadcast perspective works. The best angle, in my opinion, is what we have now. Could there be adjustments? Sure and I dont have issues if the TV broadcast view was an option (ala the Tecmo Bowl view).

The demo is taking way too much flak. Is it because EA held it from the E3 floor, which I think there has been way too much focus on. Is it because the NCAA 11 demo offered more options or is it because the game isnt the huge leap over last year?

I understand the disgruntlement over the commentary but I dont buy games to listen to the commentary. I understand that there is an immersion aspect but I think we are getting way too nit-picky and basically digging for reasons to hate.

EA has done an outstanding job in regards to improvements regarding visuals and expanding of game modes. NCAA series has always played great and this year will be no different.

@Eskii33, I dont need to dig for reasons to hate man. I've purchased pretty much every iteration of both Madden and NCAA since the titles birth back in the day. I'm probably one of the games biggest homers to be honest. At the same time, both titles are severely lacking in the presentation department and are still behind gameplay wise compared to the PS2 counterparts. Devs still have a ton of work to do period.

Once they put in a great presentation package that can rival 2ks efforts and when the devs come to realize that football players wear cleats and not iceskates you wont hear a another peep out of me honest.

I cant recall the guys name, but there was a developer who left 2k for EA not too long ago. After about a year (I think) he went back to 2k. Know what he stated about EA? The environment was much more controlled at EA and more free at 2k.

I also recall reading from Ian cummings that last generation the devs had more freedom to do what they wanted to do than they've had this generation.

Those statements from the 2k dev and Ian cummings lead me to believe that is the reason why the EA football titles have been so stale this generation and why 2k games have more spice to em.

The presentation is what immerses you and keeps you excited. I'm pretty sure that the "other football game" back in 2005 had a ton of flaws, but you know why those flaws weren't zeroed in on? The presentation shaded that **** gauranteed. A good presentation package adds a ton of shelf life to a game. EA is still lacking that presentation.

I'm not going to go on about the players moving like they have iceskates on and a pole stuck up their butt because I've spoken about that already, but the devs still have lots of work to do. I wish them well, and looking forward to when they get the series locked back on like it should be.

Meantime in between time, I'll probably be the first is line for both titles come release date. Its a ritual.

@

# 20 misterkrabz



You said all that needs to be said about NCAA 12. It feels good in the gameplay area this year, though. However, the player animations and sliding is ridiculous and there is no visual representation of momentum in the game. Basically, momentum in the game is being respected, but not reflected. Meaning, it feels good, but looks very bad. Foot planting, drop backs, (run, stop, turn and jump is way off). There are other things that I am unimpressed with as well.

@Chris
You said everything in the first sentence of the last paragraph:

"The problem is, its now 2011 and great gameplay isn't enough to be considered a great game in sports simulations."

I've stated this a hundred times in these forums. But guys always come back with "EA needs to focus on gameplay, gameplay, gameplay."

Look...I'm liking the game alot. Gonna enjoy the real thing. But presentation is what gives a game a heartbeat. I was shocked to find out with all the focus on presentation for both games that commentary wasn't a target in either game.

Ive played Bout 3 games in a row on high difficulty... All I can say is WOW, this game is a big step forward (on the field wise). CPU actually has a brain on offense and running game for CPU Is there. I can def start to see how cool HDR lighting is now that ive played a game at florida state...

The game is just faster, more fluid, less robotic, smarter, and most of all.... Its well balanced, offenses are not automatically in God Mode anymore.

the games fine to me, people just expect way too much, i will be buying no question about it

@turok77. Nah man, not expecting too much just expecting what was once there to return is all.

I'm speaking of the player movement being there previously not presentation.

Great article, sums up how I feel about the game as well. It will still be a very good game but the lack of presentation is holding the game back. And to anyone bashing NHL's commentary, yes it is repetitive but the reactions to goals or big hits are way more enthusiastic than NCAA's.

i find myself simming plays and watching just to see the game from a real presentation type of camera angle. from that angle is where i see the lighting improvements. from that angle is where i want to see highlights, not from a trailing the player ground level camera.

@ Kings.

I understand the relevance of presentation but in my opinion it doesnt break a game. MLB 2K has great presentation but the game sucks. The Show has stale commentary and a decent overall presentation package.

I may be in the minority but I loved the NCAA series since the Genesis days and I keep playing it because it is fun. I have never replayed a game for months because of presentation because at some point it all gets recycled. I play for the result especially online dynasty.

When I play a sports game within a week I skip intros, replays and anything else that slows down play time. Even NBA 2K 11, regarded as having some of the best presentation, became stale 10 games into my season.

My point is that no matter what developers do with presentation it ultimately is an item that becomes repetitive and skipped by gamers.

Overall a good read. I am curious to see if there is going to be anything to slow the comp up just a bit...Is it just me, or is that RB from Bama a complete BEAST...So hard to slow down...Don't get me wrong, you can stop him a few plays, but if he sees a tiny whole, he's breaking off a long one...

Then when it comes to TV style presentation, the same old boring unrealistic camera angles continue to dominate the game. There's nothing resembling broadcast viewpoints, which is to the game's detriment at this point. The best games in our genre feature rich TV-style presentations. NCAA, in this regard, feels completely uninspired and boring.

Couldn't agree more. I want a game that resembles what I see on Saturday's, not some gears of war type camera angle.

What annoys me is they used to have different broadcast for non national games and they just took it away. It isn't as rewarding to play those big games anymore