RaychelSnr's Blog
Let's just get this out of the way right now, before we start talking NCAA Football 14 -- last year's edition of the game was a downer in so many ways. There were none of the improvements in NCAA that Madden received, in fact there weren't many improvements at all -- making NCAA 13 feel like NCAA 12.5.
Coming up this year, there are a lot of things that NCAA Football 14 simply needs to do in order to recapture the magic of a series that was once, just a few short years ago, the most innovative and risk taking series in our genre. Here are three things for 2013 for the NCAA Football series:
1. Refined Infinity Engine - NCAA Football 14 not only needs the infinity engine, but it needs the version that will be refined in Madden NFL 14 from last year's quirky version. I feel pretty good that this year's edition of the engine will delve deeper into line play and change the entirety of how that portion of the game works. Thus, NCAA needs the improved line play and the new tackling system -- both of which will make the game feel 2x fresher than this year's version ever began to approach.
2. Revamped Dynasty Mode - Dynasty mode is stale. The menus haven't changed much, you aren't really feeling like a coach anymore, and there's just so much more about running a program and the passion that goes into that than what we are given. NCAA Football 14 needs a better representation of running your own program. Personally, I'd rather connected careers stay a long way away from NCAA if it means we're going to take a step back in features. We don't need that, we need a mode that actually brings a focus and style this year that doesn't feel entirely plastic and generic.
3. An Actual Presentation - From commentary to the camera angles, NCAA Football's presentation is the worst amongst the major sports games by a long shot. It neither feels like a TV broadcast or an in-stadium experience but rather a hybrid which accomplishes neither well. The crowds need to be more alive, the camera angles need to be more real and we need to get a whole slew of new lines or even completely new guys in the booth. Nothing short of a complete overhaul can be considered acceptable at this point.
So what about you? What are your three keys for NCAA Football 14 this year? Do you see any other glaring issues you'd put above the three I mentioned? Sound off with a comment!
You can follow me on Twitter.
Coming up this year, there are a lot of things that NCAA Football 14 simply needs to do in order to recapture the magic of a series that was once, just a few short years ago, the most innovative and risk taking series in our genre. Here are three things for 2013 for the NCAA Football series:
1. Refined Infinity Engine - NCAA Football 14 not only needs the infinity engine, but it needs the version that will be refined in Madden NFL 14 from last year's quirky version. I feel pretty good that this year's edition of the engine will delve deeper into line play and change the entirety of how that portion of the game works. Thus, NCAA needs the improved line play and the new tackling system -- both of which will make the game feel 2x fresher than this year's version ever began to approach.
2. Revamped Dynasty Mode - Dynasty mode is stale. The menus haven't changed much, you aren't really feeling like a coach anymore, and there's just so much more about running a program and the passion that goes into that than what we are given. NCAA Football 14 needs a better representation of running your own program. Personally, I'd rather connected careers stay a long way away from NCAA if it means we're going to take a step back in features. We don't need that, we need a mode that actually brings a focus and style this year that doesn't feel entirely plastic and generic.
3. An Actual Presentation - From commentary to the camera angles, NCAA Football's presentation is the worst amongst the major sports games by a long shot. It neither feels like a TV broadcast or an in-stadium experience but rather a hybrid which accomplishes neither well. The crowds need to be more alive, the camera angles need to be more real and we need to get a whole slew of new lines or even completely new guys in the booth. Nothing short of a complete overhaul can be considered acceptable at this point.
So what about you? What are your three keys for NCAA Football 14 this year? Do you see any other glaring issues you'd put above the three I mentioned? Sound off with a comment!
You can follow me on Twitter.
# 17
RGiles36 @ Jan 8
Feels like commentary is on this list every year for NCAA. Not that's it's excellent in Madden either, but I just find it odd how the staff opts every year to largely ignore broadcast presentation.
# 18
SkillzKillz719 @ Jan 8
The amount of potential that this game has is I think one of the main reasons people like myself get so frustrated at. There's a reason why some of us like college football better than the NFL, but this game represents very little, if any of it.
If you actually watched a college football game this year, and put in NCAA 13 to compare, you would be BEYOND disappointed.
Here are my 3 keys:
1.) Presentation/Excitement. They need to up the excitement. That's one of the many reasons I love college football. Adding a 30 second cut-scene is NOT presentation! Imagine if there were dynamic cut-scenes... You chose what players you wanted in the front (captains) and you could select from 10 different pregame chants like dancing (haka dance), focused (very stoic, but focused), loose (vince young-like in the National Title), energetic (players gather around defensive captian), etc. And then depending on how well you are doing in the year, the crowd will be excited. The Fan Base grade that every team has can show how loud the crowd is. And this is just on gameday...
2.) O-line/D-line interactions. We all know championships are won and lost in the trenches. This is not the case in NCAA 13. Make 70 OVR Guards get blown off the ball by guys with 90+ strength. And if you have a good O-line, there needs to be huge holes when running the ball.
3.) Modes/Dynasty. There needs to be a breath of fresh air in this game. I think if we could all describe in one word, most people would say stale. Because it's true. There needs to be a new mode, possibly AD, or dynasty needs to be what we all know it could be. Make me feel like I'm actually running a program. Scouting was moving in the right direction, but eventually you can tell who the bust are when a 76 OVR 4* is being recruited only by San Jose State. You scout him, and oh, no wonder, he is actually a 67.
tl;dr
NCAA 14 could be the best NCAA ever. They just need to give it life. Along with some OL/DL improvements, and a better Dynasty mode, I think we will all be happy here at OS.
If you actually watched a college football game this year, and put in NCAA 13 to compare, you would be BEYOND disappointed.
Here are my 3 keys:
1.) Presentation/Excitement. They need to up the excitement. That's one of the many reasons I love college football. Adding a 30 second cut-scene is NOT presentation! Imagine if there were dynamic cut-scenes... You chose what players you wanted in the front (captains) and you could select from 10 different pregame chants like dancing (haka dance), focused (very stoic, but focused), loose (vince young-like in the National Title), energetic (players gather around defensive captian), etc. And then depending on how well you are doing in the year, the crowd will be excited. The Fan Base grade that every team has can show how loud the crowd is. And this is just on gameday...
2.) O-line/D-line interactions. We all know championships are won and lost in the trenches. This is not the case in NCAA 13. Make 70 OVR Guards get blown off the ball by guys with 90+ strength. And if you have a good O-line, there needs to be huge holes when running the ball.
3.) Modes/Dynasty. There needs to be a breath of fresh air in this game. I think if we could all describe in one word, most people would say stale. Because it's true. There needs to be a new mode, possibly AD, or dynasty needs to be what we all know it could be. Make me feel like I'm actually running a program. Scouting was moving in the right direction, but eventually you can tell who the bust are when a 76 OVR 4* is being recruited only by San Jose State. You scout him, and oh, no wonder, he is actually a 67.
tl;dr
NCAA 14 could be the best NCAA ever. They just need to give it life. Along with some OL/DL improvements, and a better Dynasty mode, I think we will all be happy here at OS.
# 19
DickDalewood @ Jan 8
Along with presentation, get the title looking equal on both consoles. It's inexcusable for one version to be noticeable superior to the other this far into the generation. Stop being lazy, and just figure it out like almost every other dev this generation has.
In fact, that goes for a lot of things... still no sideline referees? No in-game saves? EA has a million excuses for why these things can't be done... yet other sports titles never seem to run into these "issues".
In fact, that goes for a lot of things... still no sideline referees? No in-game saves? EA has a million excuses for why these things can't be done... yet other sports titles never seem to run into these "issues".
# 20
DickDalewood @ Jan 8
Also, this title easily had the worst presentation of all the sports titles, with the reason being it feels the least like the sports broadcast it is trying to replicate. The games COMPLETELY lack the passion and atmosphere that makes college football so special. Playing a game feels almost nothing like watching the game on TV outside of the ESPN overlays, and it CERTAINLY doesn't convey the pageantry and excitement of being at a game in person.
Dull and boring about sums it up, which is the exact opposite of how a college title should feel.
Dull and boring about sums it up, which is the exact opposite of how a college title should feel.
# 21
malky @ Jan 9
Really only 2 THINGS for me, in order to buy next year
1. MOST IMPORTANT IS TO STOP THE FREEZING, been going on for two years now, and it's actually gotten worse, MUST STOP, UNACCEPTABLE
2. Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs........ yeah it's a year away, but no reason not to add it now, plus would be a game changer as far as pushing up the sales on a product that's been on stale mode for a few years
1. MOST IMPORTANT IS TO STOP THE FREEZING, been going on for two years now, and it's actually gotten worse, MUST STOP, UNACCEPTABLE
2. Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs........ yeah it's a year away, but no reason not to add it now, plus would be a game changer as far as pushing up the sales on a product that's been on stale mode for a few years
# 22
Cardot @ Jan 9
As an offline guy, here is what I would like to see EA do:
1. Go through all the plays and REMOVE all the ones that don't work. And by "don't work", I mean all the money plays and all those plays doomed to fail.
2. Now lets see if they can get some of those plays to work right, and if so, add them back in. Maybe even the option play....after all this is COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
3. Finally, I would love them to remove the magical offensive boosts that both the CPU and I benefit from late in the game. I'll play the game enough to get some exciting finishes...I would rather they be "Natural".
1. Go through all the plays and REMOVE all the ones that don't work. And by "don't work", I mean all the money plays and all those plays doomed to fail.
2. Now lets see if they can get some of those plays to work right, and if so, add them back in. Maybe even the option play....after all this is COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
3. Finally, I would love them to remove the magical offensive boosts that both the CPU and I benefit from late in the game. I'll play the game enough to get some exciting finishes...I would rather they be "Natural".
# 23
rudyjuly2 @ Jan 9
NCAA needs to show some innovation. Back in the PS2 days they introduced impact players, matchup sticks and had a lot of fun. I can't remember if they beat Madden to using the r-stick on the DL but the games were different and you actually felt the NCAA team did some cool things. All I feel about the NCAA team now is that they are incompetent and inferior compared to the Madden team. They don't seem to innovate anything and just take the table scraps from Madden.
For me NCAA has to provide much better cpu AI and execution in the college type offenses. The biggest selling point and advantage NCAA has is the college game with the running QBs and spread offenses. If you screw that up you turn an advantage into a negative. That's the way I feel this franchise has turned. It's buggy, glitchy, unpolished and uninspired.
For me NCAA has to provide much better cpu AI and execution in the college type offenses. The biggest selling point and advantage NCAA has is the college game with the running QBs and spread offenses. If you screw that up you turn an advantage into a negative. That's the way I feel this franchise has turned. It's buggy, glitchy, unpolished and uninspired.
# 24
kingsofthevalley @ Jan 10
NCAA 14 3 keys.
1. Player movement- Organic is the key word here. Players STILL to this day (its been what, 8 years on current generation) move like androids and just give off this lifeless animatronic feel. Totally disengages me from the game.
2. Presentation- Just a tad bit of flavor in Dynasty mode, and please get rid of the sprinkler cams during the game.
3. Player movement- Once again, it looks like a bunch of robots running on a treadmill while skating all over the field. That to me is unacceptable for a game this deep into this console generation. Lets get some movement in those hips and some weight on those cleats.
1. Player movement- Organic is the key word here. Players STILL to this day (its been what, 8 years on current generation) move like androids and just give off this lifeless animatronic feel. Totally disengages me from the game.
2. Presentation- Just a tad bit of flavor in Dynasty mode, and please get rid of the sprinkler cams during the game.
3. Player movement- Once again, it looks like a bunch of robots running on a treadmill while skating all over the field. That to me is unacceptable for a game this deep into this console generation. Lets get some movement in those hips and some weight on those cleats.
# 25
jwtucker710 @ Jan 10
I thought NCAA 13's graphics took a step back. I played '13 for about a month and traded it. Definitely improve graphics, even if EA is working on the next-next Gen consoles, you can still make this game a lot better. Here's what I would like to see for '14. Hope you're reading EA, but won't count on it:
1). Herbstreit & Brent Musberger calling the national title game every year. Musberger's getting old, but still likes the ladies (ha!).
2). Able to make your own playoff system.
3). High school Armour All-American Game (or the Army one) at the end of a collegiate season, and recruiting depends on how well your players play in that game. And maybe some of the top h.s. players will announce where they will play after this game. Unlike the Road to Glory games, where you only get one or two plays to choose, but an actual game just like the rest of the collegiate games.
4). TV mode/viewing. Sometimes it's fun to watch your created players and adjust. and having a separate mode would be nice. I do like the current auto-sim feature, which lacks in Madden.
5). Ability to import NCAA players into the new Madden. This may be a Madden programming/development call, but want it back -- please!
6). Include all the Nike alternative gear, uniforms.
7). Also, maybe another Madden development call, but when drafting NCAA players, the ability to draft by your schools, not just a top leaderboard. That defensive end for Northwestern might be a gem, but may not be on the draft board or never made the draft class.
8). Lastly, if you're going to implement the new Infinity engine, please fix all of the bugs that were in Madden '13.
1). Herbstreit & Brent Musberger calling the national title game every year. Musberger's getting old, but still likes the ladies (ha!).
2). Able to make your own playoff system.
3). High school Armour All-American Game (or the Army one) at the end of a collegiate season, and recruiting depends on how well your players play in that game. And maybe some of the top h.s. players will announce where they will play after this game. Unlike the Road to Glory games, where you only get one or two plays to choose, but an actual game just like the rest of the collegiate games.
4). TV mode/viewing. Sometimes it's fun to watch your created players and adjust. and having a separate mode would be nice. I do like the current auto-sim feature, which lacks in Madden.
5). Ability to import NCAA players into the new Madden. This may be a Madden programming/development call, but want it back -- please!
6). Include all the Nike alternative gear, uniforms.
7). Also, maybe another Madden development call, but when drafting NCAA players, the ability to draft by your schools, not just a top leaderboard. That defensive end for Northwestern might be a gem, but may not be on the draft board or never made the draft class.
8). Lastly, if you're going to implement the new Infinity engine, please fix all of the bugs that were in Madden '13.
# 26
JoedicyMichael @ Jan 10
1) PRESENTATION / COMMENTARY
Personally, I believe they should have 3 or 4 sets of commentary presentations rotating out. (Thats a long shot, but 2 is okay).
Say for example, if you play a Prime-Time game, you would have a CBS Presentation (being that College Football takes up CBS's prime-time slot IF its a really big game.) That would be the highest honor being that it the game of the week.
Now say your team is playing hardly a regular game. Half the time, your playing on ESPN or your schools local/personal network. They can easily revamp the ESPN commentarters & for god sakes add Musburger.
Then there are simply those teams who arent playing on ESPN. Thats where the 3rd set of presentations come in. They could be simply a new random set of people or ESPN's lower division commentators.
All In all, heres the deal.
CBS/Fox for Prime-Time Game Of the Week
ESPN/ESPN2 for Regular/Prime-Time games
Local / EA network for Regular Games.
2) DYNASTY & ROAD TO GLORY....... PERIOD! (To hell with Legends mode)
Simple put, Dynasty mode is pure 1Dimensional. The main reason why it is that way is because there is no interaction between the Coach/Crowd/Players/University at all. Besides the Dynamic changes, that its lol. What ever happened to the GPA requirements & disciplinary actions??? In order for Dynasty to be a true DYNASTY mode, it needs to be taken down to the semi-small matters. Maybe adding a system of where you earn your players Respect throughout your season/career, player personalities, etc.
As for RTG, its solid up to the point where you start losing points for things you can control. Also, what ever happened to the highlights presentation of you if you scored Player of the Game or etc. What would be more in-depth would be a Weekly ESPN Presentation like "College Football Live" covering how you faired in the previous game or just discussion of your for a brief segment. Also, a Weekly Presentation of if you the Top Match ups . Hell, even bring in Home Depot Saturday's.
3) Draft Class / Integration With Madden.
Missed it in this years game.. Would be nice to bring it back.
Personally, I believe they should have 3 or 4 sets of commentary presentations rotating out. (Thats a long shot, but 2 is okay).
Say for example, if you play a Prime-Time game, you would have a CBS Presentation (being that College Football takes up CBS's prime-time slot IF its a really big game.) That would be the highest honor being that it the game of the week.
Now say your team is playing hardly a regular game. Half the time, your playing on ESPN or your schools local/personal network. They can easily revamp the ESPN commentarters & for god sakes add Musburger.
Then there are simply those teams who arent playing on ESPN. Thats where the 3rd set of presentations come in. They could be simply a new random set of people or ESPN's lower division commentators.
All In all, heres the deal.
CBS/Fox for Prime-Time Game Of the Week
ESPN/ESPN2 for Regular/Prime-Time games
Local / EA network for Regular Games.
2) DYNASTY & ROAD TO GLORY....... PERIOD! (To hell with Legends mode)
Simple put, Dynasty mode is pure 1Dimensional. The main reason why it is that way is because there is no interaction between the Coach/Crowd/Players/University at all. Besides the Dynamic changes, that its lol. What ever happened to the GPA requirements & disciplinary actions??? In order for Dynasty to be a true DYNASTY mode, it needs to be taken down to the semi-small matters. Maybe adding a system of where you earn your players Respect throughout your season/career, player personalities, etc.
As for RTG, its solid up to the point where you start losing points for things you can control. Also, what ever happened to the highlights presentation of you if you scored Player of the Game or etc. What would be more in-depth would be a Weekly ESPN Presentation like "College Football Live" covering how you faired in the previous game or just discussion of your for a brief segment. Also, a Weekly Presentation of if you the Top Match ups . Hell, even bring in Home Depot Saturday's.
3) Draft Class / Integration With Madden.
Missed it in this years game.. Would be nice to bring it back.
# 28
jameson416 @ Jan 10
several great great points on here, and as an avid college football fan and NCAA football junkie, I've always wished they would put more emphasis on signing day in these video games, i mean, ESPN dedicates an entire day of programming for all of the drama of NSD, with recruiting and all that can be done with it this game could be a huge success... just this adding to some of the other great points on here
# 29
balljonesjr @ Jan 11
If you play ac3 look how he runs while the animus is loading and even when he's running thru the cities this is how players n ncaa I'm sure more could b done in a football game but when he runs it looks great
# 30
Eski33 @ Jan 11
Along with gameplay, I want the graphics to improve. NCAA 11 was beautiful. The last two years looked like a PS2 game.
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Working...
Blitzing both corners.......
Calling 4 verticals on a 3rd and 2......
Calling a run play on a 3rd and 15....
Not calling time outs when they are losing....
Bad clock management period.
Fix ball carrier AI. They need to avoid defenders, not run directly into them. They must and I mean must learn how to use ALL their special moves, even chain some of the special moves together. I mean we would except a basketball game if no player ever did a crossover, hesitation or spin move to drive to the basket ? No we would not, so why do people accept it in NCAA football games ?
Special teams need to be blown up and completely over hauled. It is COMPLETELY SCRIPTED and BORING. I never had my punt blocked, never had my FG blocked. CPU never ran a punt back for a TD or a kick off back for a TD. There is no threat or danger in special teams at all. 97% of punts is either a fair catch or 3 yard return. No danger there. You don't ever have to worry about ANYTHING. No bad snaps, no bad holds, no blocks, no nothing. Total snore fest, that is what special teams is in this series.
Offensive line and defensive line interaction is too damn scripted. Perfect pocket doesn't form all the time in real life, but in this game, it does. That needs to change. Speed rush by defensive ends to need to happen. No threat from defensive ends what so ever in this series because they always get suctioned into the offensive tackles & play patty cake with them.
Zone coverage....fix it ! Defenders don't do the proper inside and outside coverage techniques in zone coverage at all. Man coverage is terrible too. Corner backs don't drive on slants like they do in real life. WR/DB interaction is nothing but a foot race to a spot on the field. No jostling, no push offs, no holding, nothing.
Option teams.....needs to be blown up and over hauled. Zone blocking logic needs to be fixed.
For the love of God, will please stop having defensive linemen fall down on running plays !!!! Holy crap that is annoying seeing 2 and sometimes 3 defensive linemen fall to the ground on running plays INSTEAD of being DRIVEN BACK. Same thing on passing plays, defensive linemen should be able to drive offensive linemen backwards. Stop having defensive linemen spin in place. Who the hell spins in place ? You either spin to the left or spin to the right AROUND somebody, not just spin in place like a damn idiot not getting around anybody.
Stop having punters kick the ball out the back of the end zone. Football is all about field position. No coach would tolerate a punter who can't aim or don't have a sense of field position.
Give us short, medium, deep pass ratings. Along with throw on the run and play action ratings. Not all QBs can throw every type of pass well and not everybody can throw on the run or is good at fooling the defense.
Get the basics of football done FIRST CORRECTLY. Then move on to the other stuff. Which would be:
Improve Coach Mode. Coach mode players get the shaft in every sports games every damn year. Improve that mode.
Dynasty.....just flat out boring sorry. Need some audio or video thrown in there or something. Just looking at numbers and letters recruiting is boring as hell. Have a coaches meeting where you can see your offensive, defensive, special teams coaches, trainers or something. Add practice drills, film watching, something. Just plain too boring now.
Road to Glory.....flat out boring, too easy.
Heisman challenge......way too damn easy.
Bullet time, reaction time, what ever you call it, get rid of that BS.
Mascots game.....get rid of it. Who the hell plays it ?
Commentary....BORING. Tell us the back story of teams and rivals. What they did the week before in dynasty or last season, how they currently doing this season. Needs to be way more like NBA 2K where it feels more like a tv broadcast and less like a mindless robot saying the same crap over and over again, regardless of what is happening during the season or during the game.
Graphically.....better player models. Dirty uniforms, more weather options that actually effect game play and play calling.