Submitted on: 02/27/2008 by
Wil McCombs
For NCAA Football addicts, we are in the thick of perhaps the most painful time of year. The college season is in the books, and last NCAA game is beginning to feel tired. With National Signing day over and done with, we are starting to get anxious to try out the new recruits in an updated version of our favorite sports game.
The trouble is, simply waiting for EA Sports’ offering come July is not always satisfying. Although 08 made some solid improvements for next-gen sports gaming, there were still several issues, ranging from annoying to appalling. What follows are ten “wishes” for this summer’s NCAA title, which, in my mind, would vastly build and improve upon NCAA Football 08.
I know we all enjoy dabbling in Campus Legend mode for three or four days before we get our eager little hands on the appropriate roster files, but let’s call Campus Legend mode, what it is: a waste of time and effort.
We’ve seen that EA Sports is trying to cater toward a more casual gamer with features like Family Play, and the unrealistic Campus Legend Mode is NCAA’s attempt to align with that strategy. Throughout my many years of sports gaming, it has become abundantly clear that the NCAA series has a very niche, dare I say “cult” audience/following, much more so than Madden. Thus, including a mode for the casual audience is an exercise in futility. While I could include a laundry list of improvements to the mode, I will instead, cast my vote to remove it entirely, and let the EA team focus on improving the gameplay and Dynasty Mode.
Believe me, I know that I am preaching to the choir on this one. We have been barking up the uni/stadium tree for years now. But it’s time that EA finally heed our collective words of angst-filled wisdom. Exclusivity to sports license in the next-gen gaming era now bears a responsibility to make games as polished and realistic as possible. Making certain that uniforms and stadiums are correct is a very minor, yet critical step in the right direction.
It would be phenomenal if I could start my 09 Dynasty Mode with my beloved Illini, playing in an updated Memorial Stadium, rather than the 2002 version, renovated for the Chicago Bears season. And I’m sure Western Michigan fans would like to play in something that actually resembled Waldo Stadium. Let’s hope our uni and stadium complaints don’t fall on deaf ears once again for 09.
This is one of those nice little features that we enjoyed for PS2 and Xbox that was unfairly shelved for the transition to next-gen systems. While those who actually use FCS teams in head-to-head or dynasty modes is generally limited to students and alumni to those particular schools, their inclusion in the game is paramount to the realism factor. After all, I’d like to see my early non-conference season pair me against actual teams, rather than say, “NCAA-1AA East.”
Am I mistaken, or did the NCAA menus used to work in a fluid and efficient manner? We could edit a player’s appearance, info, and equipment within a dynasty without the depth chart defaulting. We could also edit a depth chart without the player somehow occupying the 2nd and 3rd spot within a certain position. We could also move quickly between menus without annoying one second lags. Were we spoiled? Perhaps.
Aesthetically, the new menus and interfaces look nice. But there has to be a way to make them as efficient as those within the past generation. Not a major change, but something that will immediately impact our gaming experience in a positive way.
There were some who cried out for the older, simpler recruiting system last year, but for the most part, we NCAA junkies agreed that the new system was a solid step in the right direction. Although more time consuming, and not always “un-monotonous,” the new system did present a more realistic approach to recruiting top talent for your school.
But there is still room for improvement in this system. One major improvement that I would like to see for 09, would be some sort of way to differentiate the process between the different tiers of schools. While the folks at EA did attempt to do this by ranking schools differently across the “pitches,” or categories, I would like to see this idea go a step further.
For instance, I would like to see special pitches be available for different types of schools. Those schools steeped in tradition could have a pitch titled, “Historical Program,” that could easily attract the 5-Star recruits quite easily. Conversely, lower level programs could have a “Rebuilding Program,” or “Growing Program” pitch that could help bring some higher level recruits to less prestigious programs, and hasten their rise to Dynasty Mode greatness.
Yet another brilliant EA Sports brainchild that got the proverbial axe for the next generation of NCAA gaming. Although the Player Discipline system did have the tendency to be a overdone in the old XBox and PS2 games, it was a great little tweak that spiced up Dynasty Mode significantly.
I would like to see Player Discipline return in 09, but be played down just a bit from the previous system. This system would also be a great way to expand upon the already existing Coach Integrity mode, by having your disciplinary decisions directly affect Coach Integrity.
There seems to be a bit of a trend developing here, but yet again, EA Sports has dropped the ball by removing a great last-gen feature in 08’s PS3 and Xbox 360 games. While the spring game was certainly not a make-or-break element of Dynasty Mode, it did help to give the Dynasty off-season a nice layer of depth. It would be nice to see EA resurrect the idea for NCAA 09, with perhaps a couple of new twists, such as position battles, Madden-esque mini games (to simulate off-season training), and even early enrollment for some top recruits.
Turnovers were a hot-button issue for both Madden and NCAA in 2007, and rightfully so. EA Sports decided to do a complete 180 on football gamers last year, changing interceptions and fumbles from a relative anomaly, to an every-other-possession occurrence. While fumbles could be slightly combated by the “cover the ball,” interceptions proved more problematic, even with slider adjustment.
While I do understand the philosophy behind the increase, the execution was off-base.. Football video games have always been, largely offensive-minded. By increasing turnovers, the game becomes, in theory, more balanced. However, the lack of balance is caused more by unrealistic defenisive AI, rather than a lack of turnovers. The sharp spike in turnovers for 08 was essentially EA Sports putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. Instead of increasing turnovers, EA’s developers should have spent more time on improving the AI of the defense, in particular the linebackers and defensive backs.
My wish for 09, is that EA focus on this lack-luster AI, and improve defensive reaction to passes. I would like to see a pass-defense system largely based on player positioning (and ball-placement based upon the QB’s THA and THP ratings), with many more animations for broken up passes and tipped balls. This would insure a balance between offensive and defense, without causing us to fire the controller through the new 52” plasma.
Many NCAA veterans were discouraged with the lack of Formation Subs in 08. While the plethora of personnel packages helped alleviate some the pain, the lack of a formation substitution feature still made playcalling feel restricted.
In retrospect, however, the Formations Sub system of old was equally limited. Restricting a formation in regards to personnel positioning makes play calling predictable, especially when facing a human opponent An attractive alternative would be including the option of Custom Personnel Packages. Ideally, we could have 1-2 custom packages for each playbook formation, allowing us to put a HB out wide, a WR in the backfield, whatever our crazy imaginations can conjure up. I think the idea of custom packages is a step up from the old formation sub system, in that it will allow us greater flexibility, and thus greater unpredictability when facing our friends and online opponents.
Far and away, the biggest problem with NCAA 08 was its lack of atmosphere. Gameplay improvements were, overall, outstanding, and a real stride toward next-gen gaming. But EA appeared to have made a conscious decision to cut back on the intangibles that make college football so special. And this was a huge mistake.
For the 09 edition, I want it all back. I want the mini pre-game show back, with some more depth to the commentary and predictions. I want to see the teams run out onto the field, and specific players highlighted as potential difference makers. And I want to see the coin toss happen at the 50 yard line, not just a cheap animation to simulate a coin flip.
During the game, I want more in-depth commentary. The same old Corso-isms have run their course. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t bee totally upset if the commentary shifted to the duo of Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit. The two are outstanding on ABC broadcasts, including them in the game would add nice touch of authenticity.
The crowd and fanfare also need to be more, well, audible. College stadiums are wild and raucous venues. They should appear as such within the game.
Wish in one hand, crap in the other, and see which fills up first. I suppose that rings true for or plight as NCAA Football fans. All the wishing in the world won’t put our dream-version of NCAA Football on shelves this July. All we can do now is wait….and hope.
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