Why EA Needs to Patch the New Playoff into NCAA Football 13

Feature Article

Submitted on: 07/02/2012 by Bo McCready

Why does EA need to patch in the new playoff system?

Well, it’s the biggest change in college football since the implementation of the BCS. And the shadow of the playoff will be hanging over the college football season. If it’s not in the game, then EA is failing to deliver the most accurate product possible.

No, we won’t have the playoff this year, and EA might use that as the justification for not including it in the game. But a lot of people play Dynasty Mode, and some of us even make it to the third year. If I hit 2014 in my dynasty and don’t see a playoff system, it just won’t be the same. The NCAA football series is ostensibly a simulation of real college football, and that’s why we need the playoff system patched in. We may not know all the details of how the system will work, but if EA can patch in even a reasonable facsimile of the playoff system, that should be good enough.

But patching the playoff system into the game isn’t just about accuracy, it’s about sending a message to gamers that we matter once the product is pushed out the door. Perhaps I’m just projecting my own feelings onto those of the sports gaming community, but it feels like sports gamers don’t trust developers the way we used to. Patching in a working playoff system, in my opinion, would go a long way toward restoring some trust. Regarding the NCAA football playoffs, I can’t recall such a fundamental change to a major sport in recent years, especially not one that was announced so close to a game’s release date. And that’s why it’s such an important development for the gaming world, as well as the sports world. The way EA handles the playoff situation might just be the blueprint for how issues like this are resolved in the future, and because of that, it’s important for EA to get this one right.

That’s not to say, though, that some mechanical issues won’t stand in the way. It’s easy for me to recommend a patch without understanding the mechanics of how it would work. Now, if the FIFA team can patch in the Euro 2012 mode with all of its unique rules, it’s hard for me to imagine that a college football playoff couldn’t be patched in. But NCAA Football and FIFA are different games with different coding, and we need to acknowledge that it might not be as easy as it sounds.

On some level, it’s amazing that this is even a conversation we can have. This console generation has seen a revolution in content delivery that allows us access to updates and features that were unheard of ten years ago. We no longer have to spend hours manually naming the rosters of our favorite team, broken gameplay can be tuned, and if there’s a fundamental change in the way a sport determines its champion, we don’t have to just assume we’ll see it in next year’s game. If EA doesn’t patch in the playoff system I’ll be very disappointed. And that disappointment will be a testament to how far we’ve come.

Whenever playoffs make it into an NCAA Football game, I’d like to see some flexibility. Personally, I favored a six-team playoff, with the top two ranked teams receiving a bye into the semifinals and the higher-seeded teams playing home-site games until the championship game (credit for my support of this plan goes to Brian Cook). That plan would make seeding something to work for during the season. Unfortunately, it’s not going to work that way. But imagine the goodwill EA would create if they allowed gamers to use not just the four-team playoff, but their favorite model as well.

What do you think, OS readers? Can we expect to see EA patch in the playoff this year? Will the playoff patch (or lack thereof) affect your decision to buy the game?

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Member Comments

# 81 BA2929 @ 07/03/12 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Playmakers


	There are other sports games that allow you to create tournaments and playoffs outside of a franchise or dynasty mode. Heck you can start with College Hoops 2K8 and create a tournament that only consist of All Time teams or Classic teams. There are guys who create and download many teams from Team Builder who probbaly would love to have the option of playing a tournament/Playoff with classic teams like 95 Nebraksa vs 91 Washington for example.... Just because it doesn't appease to you doesn't mean it would be worhtless to others.....I for one would have no problems using the feature to setup Playoffs for Classics teams i create. Here's some examples of things you can do with a playoff mode even if it's not installed in Dynasty mode.... http://www.dfnsports.com/bigten/2006...big-ten-teams/ ESPN�s All-Time Greatest College Football Playoff includes just 5 current Big Ten teams ESPN recently launched their All-Time Greatest College Football Playoff where they have compiled what they feel are the 32 greatest teams in the history of college football. Of those 32 teams, only 5 of the greatest teams in history comes from the current Big Ten Conference. Included on their list are the following Big Ten football teams: � 1947 Michigan � 2002 Ohio State � 1968 Ohio State � 1941 Minnesota � 1986 Penn State Another example of what a Tournament/Playoff mode would do for added replay value in the game. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...f&sportCat=ncf I mean seriously for the guys who don't care about a playoff system that is your choice....but there are some guys who could also make great use of such a feature even if it's not included in a Dynasty mode for this year. In fact I'd be willing to bet money if EA used a Playoff system this year you'd have more guys on these forums at OS who would download classic teams and use the Playoff Mode outside of Dynasty mode more than they would use the single player Heisman mode inside of Dynasty.

Again... what's stopping you from just drawing a bracket on a piece of paper and doing this that way? You can still use your custom teams. You can still have a playoff.

How does EA win with some of you guys here? You rip them for inaccuracy in one thread, then you want them to patch in a not-accurate playoff mode in another. I just don't get it.

# 82 Playmakers @ 07/03/12 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA2929


	Again... what's stopping you from just drawing a bracket on a piece of paper and doing this that way? You can still use your custom teams. You can still have a playoff. How does EA win with some of you guys here? You rip them for inaccuracy in one thread, then you want them to patch in a not-accurate playoff mode in another. I just don't get it.

are you senial or what?

i've stated like 3 times now it doesn't have to be tied into Dynasty mode it could be just another feature outside of dynasty mode that has no bearing on accuarcy this year.

Have you not noticed other sports games give you a playoff option without even playing a franchise or dynasty mode?

You keep trying to make it tie into dynasty mode only this year and that is not what some people are asking for right now.

# 83 Kaiser Wilhelm @ 07/03/12 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Playmakers


	are you senial or what? i've stated like 3 times now it doesn't have to be tied into Dynasty mode it could be just another feature outside of dynasty mode that has no bearing on accuarcy this year. Have you not noticed other sports games give you a playoff option without even playing a franchise or dynasty mode? You keep trying to make it tie into dynasty mode only this year and that is not what some people are asking for right now.

He made a valid point. Tournament mode is rather pointless as a human can do all of this with a sheet of paper and a pen. Tournament mode is really unnecessary in any modern sports title.

# 84 jfsolo @ 07/03/12 07:10 PM

I don't know this for sure, of course, but I'd bet heavy money, that they won't put it in until NCAA Football 15. I bet that right now they're locking down the feature set for NCAA 14. It's pretty much a lock that the Infinity Engine 2.0 will be in 14, and who knows what kind of connectivity with CCM might be in the works. I also think that Coaching Carousel may get a nice bump for 14, since it got minimal attention for 13.

Although folks are saying it in a bitter, cynical manner, it's true that the playoff is a no-brainer marketing coup for 15. Infinity Engine stuff for 14, playoff for 15. No brainstorming sessions needed.

Wanting a patch this year, and even thinking that it's going to be in next year is each person's prerogative, but it's just going to lead to more angry people lashing out and calling EA and other posters names.

# 85 malky @ 07/03/12 08:16 PM

I'm 100 percent sure a playoff will be in the game next year... If two companies were competing ..... since that's not the case EA can pretty
Much do what they want unfortunately

# 86 Playmakers @ 07/03/12 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaiser Wilhelm


	He made a valid point. Tournament mode is rather pointless as a human can do all of this with a sheet of paper and a pen. Tournament mode is really unnecessary in any modern sports title.

If it's pointless then why do you see various media outlets always creating a Simulation tournament in Basketball, Football and Baseball?

Like i said before if you created a poll on these boards choosing to have a playoff tournament Outside of Dynasty Mode with All Time Teams vs Using Just single past Heisman players inside Dynasty mode I'm pretty confident the Playoff Tournament with ability to use entire Full man Classic squads would win in a landslide.

You have no idea how many people who create squads on Team Builder would love to download those teams and put them in a tournament where the game keeps track of stats for them during the playoff mode.

Or better yet how many guys on Team Builder who create Div 11 schools or Highschool teams that would love this feature even if it's not installed in a Dynasty mode.

So to call it useless or pointless simply because you wouldn't utilize it doesn't mean plenty of others wouldn't do it and love it.

# 87 StormJH1 @ 07/03/12 08:45 PM

Absolutely not. It's not even a real playoff! Not when there's a secretive, yet-to-be-determined committee that gets to say who gets into the final four. A "playoff" is when you have a league with balanced scheduling and where the records of teams mean something compared to one another. EA doesnt have an obligation to cram some hybrid playoff system into a 2012 title when the real system doesn't even exist until 2014. I'd prefer they focus on making sure things aren't BROKEN.

Sent on iPhone using Tapatalk

# 88 TDenverFan @ 07/03/12 08:45 PM

Or a tourney to work you'd need at least 16 TB slots.

Paper and pencil works just fine for a non-Dynasty tournament. I do it with my friends sometimes.

# 89 Ziza9Noles94 @ 07/03/12 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA2929


	Again... what's stopping you from just drawing a bracket on a piece of paper and doing this that way? You can still use your custom teams. You can still have a playoff. How does EA win with some of you guys here? You rip them for inaccuracy in one thread, then you want them to patch in a not-accurate playoff mode in another. I just don't get it.

Fair point, but I think a fair amount of people are probably thinking that with the $500 people spent on a PS3 or 360 or both and the $60 for the game, they shouldn't have to resort to an old school pen and paper method to do something that the game could do for them. I still do it for tournaments, well on a computer, but it would be nice if the game included a way to set up tournaments. As pointed out, other games offer the ability to set them up. Accuracy is not the point in a mode like that. Structure, seeding, and setup are. Not jumping on you as I think it shouldn't be patched in myself. I just think as far as this series goes "next gen" has been defined too much as "this or that" instead of "all of this and all of that." I really don't think it is the consoles that are the problem but rather the developers ability to program the most out of the consoles that is the issue. But that is a convo for a different day.

Still anxiously awaiting the 10th.

# 90 TMaj1972 @ 07/03/12 11:39 PM

"hey guys, we really wanted to get the playoffs in, but we didn't have enough time. but in road to glory mode, you can now choose what you can order off a menu during a recruiting trip, there are 14 types of restaurants from seafood to bbq, this is the most authentic recruiting simulator"

@Skull--Man, this is the funniest thing I have seen in I don't know when. I don't even do message boards that much, but I had to log in and give you some respect for that one. That is JUST what EA is going to do. +1million

# 91 bomccready @ 07/03/12 11:56 PM

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone - positive and negative.

One of the best things about writing for OS is that an article like this can generate such heated debate, and with well-reasoned arguments on both sides.

My goal in writing this article wasn't to imply that EA will make a huge mistake by not patching in the playoff. I don't think that's the case at all. I just think that patching it in, if it's at all possible, would be a really neat benefit for all of us, especially Dynasty Mode gamers that get to year 3 of their dynasty and are a little disappointed that they're still using the old championship model.

Again, thanks for all the comments. I certainly didn't expect that people would get so fired up about this issue and I look forward to seeing where the discussion goes from here.

# 92 CrimsontideuA @ 07/04/12 11:02 AM

It's not even 2014/2015 season yet. It does not make sense to patch it in now. Plus they need to make sure the rosters fixed first and foremost.

# 93 malky @ 07/04/12 11:38 AM

My thing is if in the current game i can take the whole PAC 12 and put them in the Big East and not blink an eye about it, then people shouldn't be concerned about having a playoff in NOW as not being "Realistic".... No need to wait until 2015 or whatever to put a playoff in the game, if that was the case then we shouldn't have full control over conference re-alignment.

# 94 Kaiser Wilhelm @ 07/04/12 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrimsontideuA


	It's not even 2014/2015 season yet. It does not make sense to patch it in now. Plus they need to make sure the rosters fixed first and foremost.

You're not the only person to make these remarks but I chose to cite your post in order to address this notion entirely.

It does not matter if the system does not go into effect until 2015 because EA can patch it so that it goes into effect in 2015. In Madden 2002 the Texans football team was programed to only come into effect after the completion of the first year in franchise mode.

The ability to have a feature lay formant only to be triggered under certain circumstances is nothing new to video game programming and completely within the theoretical realm of possibility.

# 95 bomccready @ 07/04/12 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaiser Wilhelm


	You're not the only person to make these remarks but I chose to cite your post in order to address this notion entirely. It does not matter if the system does not go into effect until 2015 because EA can patch it so that it goes into effect in 2015. In Madden 2002 the Texans football team was programed to only come into effect after the completion of the first year in franchise mode. The ability to have a feature lay formant only to be triggered under certain circumstances is nothing new to video game programming and completely within the theoretical realm of possibility.

Kaiser Wilhelm, great post - that's exactly the point I should have made more clear in my original article.

So many people have commented that my article was stupid because the playoff isn't really starting this year. But I'm not arguing that EA should patch this in as a separate mode or in year one - I just want to see it come into effect at the appropriate time in Dynasty Mode.

Games like Football Manager and Baseball Mogul have demonstrated that this kind of coding is very possible. And I think it would be awesome if it could happen in NCAA 13. If it doesn't work perfectly, that's okay. Trying to put it in this year would give the NCAA team time to work out the kinks and see what doesn't work so that by the time the playoff does come into place, it will be working perfectly.

# 96 moylan1234 @ 07/04/12 01:03 PM

You were clear in the article bomccready sometimes people just read what they want to read and I agree it would be awesome to have the tourney come into effect in 2015 but I think they should wait until all the details are announced.

also love the idea of a separate tourney mode way more useful than road to heisman

# 97 LastExit @ 07/04/12 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomccready


	Kaiser Wilhelm, great post - that's exactly the point I should have made more clear in my original article. So many people have commented that my article was stupid because the playoff isn't really starting this year. But I'm not arguing that EA should patch this in as a separate mode or in year one - I just want to see it come into effect at the appropriate time in Dynasty Mode. Games like Football Manager and Baseball Mogul have demonstrated that this kind of coding is very possible. And I think it would be awesome if it could happen in NCAA 13. If it doesn't work perfectly, that's okay. Trying to put it in this year would give the NCAA team time to work out the kinks and see what doesn't work so that by the time the playoff does come into place, it will be working perfectly.

That's how I read your article originally and it's a great idea. They should do it for dynasty mode but I expect that they'll hold off and offer it as a "new feature" in NCAA 16 or whichever iteration it will be.

# 98 Kaiser Wilhelm @ 07/04/12 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomccready


	Kaiser Wilhelm, great post - that's exactly the point I should have made more clear in my original article. So many people have commented that my article was stupid because the playoff isn't really starting this year. But I'm not arguing that EA should patch this in as a separate mode or in year one - I just want to see it come into effect at the appropriate time in Dynasty Mode.

I believe you made that point very clear here --

Quote:


	No, we won�t have the playoff this year, and EA might use that as the justification for not including it in the game. But a lot of people play Dynasty Mode, and some of us even make it to the third year. If I hit 2014 in my dynasty and don�t see a playoff system, it just won�t be the same. The NCAA football series is ostensibly a simulation of real college football, and that�s why we need the playoff system patched in. We may not know all the details of how the system will work, but if EA can patch in even a reasonable facsimile of the playoff system, that should be good enough

It does require the reader to read a bit in between the line but the attentive reader would have easily picked up on that.

Quote:


	Games like Football Manager and Baseball Mogul have demonstrated that this kind of coding is very possible. And I think it would be awesome if it could happen in NCAA 13. If it doesn't work perfectly, that's okay. Trying to put it in this year would give the NCAA team time to work out the kinks and see what doesn't work so that by the time the playoff does come into place, it will be working perfectly.

The biggest issue is the business model of the annual sports title. The model is that each new game is an expansion. So where we have games like the recently released Crusader Kings II that will have patches, like the most recent 1.06, that actually add in features that previously were not in the game in order to maintain the long-term life of the game (around 5+ years); games like EA Sports' NCAA Football franchise can just add these features in the next year and use it as a sales pitch.

It is logical from a business standpoint for EA to not add it in, unless the business has some benevolence but EA is one gaming company I would argue lacks any benevolence towards their consumers.

# 99 jfsolo @ 07/04/12 02:03 PM

I don't think that anyone misunderstood the intent of the original article at all. People get upset with or have these hopes that EA will do X, when they should know better.

EA's going to make up their own rules for the unknown aspects of the playoff, then code it to kick in during the third year of the dynasty, or they're just going to wait until NCAA Football 15, using the rules that are actually in place, and have it start during year one of the dynasty. Everyone knows what their going to do.

You can want them to do the former, but an expectation of anything but the latter is fundamentally illogical, and getting po'd is pointless.

# 100 HankScorpio11 @ 07/04/12 02:11 PM

Good lord guys.

You all realize that the details of the 4 team playoff haven't even been ironed out yet, and that the decision is still subject to passage by the NCAA Board of Directors with regards to adding an additional championship game???

Then there's the little issue of the game containing the NCAA license and having to get approvals for in game content from the NCAA (remember back in the day when the tearing down of the goalposts had to be removed?).

Do you honestly think the NCAA would sign off on something to be in the game when the real world details of the playoff (what sites will play the game, how the selections will be made, etc) haven't even been ironed out yet. Even if EA wanted to include the playoffs in a patch I'm sure they couldn't.

I've been coming on this site for a very long time now, and have lurked quietly in the shadows. When I read this article I had to post something.

I just am confused as to how this article gets put on the front page, or even written in the first place, when there is a game called MLB The Show 12 that not only neglected to include a playoff system that had firm details ironed out before it's release, but also has been mum regarding any sort of patch to include the new playoff system...and by the way, their competition found a way to include the new system into the game.

Stop all the ridiculous EA bashing over this and start breaking down the facts logically. Better yet, when can I expect the front page article addressing the lack of the new playoff system in MLB 12 vs. this TMZ fluff piece meant to stir the pot-- (which you succeeded in doing by the way

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