Alright boyz, here we go!!! NCAA 2006 First impressions

[Emiliano]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

In response to the pancake question, I'm running all over the place and usually seeing about 8 pancakes for my top OL, but usually 4-6 for each of my other Offensive Linemen.

I lowered "human run blocking" to 30%. It seems that it's toned down a little, but the numbers are still a bit high. Eric Winston, my 96 LT, had like 10 in my last game. Well, we'll just live with that... Maybe we should try to lower to 0%???

[Ironhead]

Originally Posted by Emiliano

I lowered "human run blocking" to 30%. It seems that it's toned down a little, but the numbers are still a bit high. Eric Winston, my 96 LT, had like 10 in my last game. Well, we'll just live with that... Maybe we should try to lower to 0%???

I am playing on AA with Kentucky and I am lucky to see even two of my offensive linemen get 2 pancakes. I have pass blocking at 0% at run blocking at 10%.

[Emiliano]

Originally Posted by Ironhead

I am playing on AA with Kentucky and I am lucky to see even two of my offensive linemen get 2 pancakes. I have pass blocking at 0% at run blocking at 10%.

Really?!? I should try then... Does it affect passing and running game a lot?

[Eaglesfan27]

Pass blocking at 0%?!? I can't imagine how quickly the pass rush must get to you. I still have problems with DE's blowing by my highly rated offensive line with it at 50%. However, I have been toying with the idea of lowering the run blocking rating.

[Ironhead]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Pass blocking at 0%?!? I can't imagine how quickly the pass rush must get to you. I still have problems with DE's blowing by my highly rated offensive line with it at 50%. However, I have been toying with the idea of lowering the run blocking rating.

It gets there pretty fast. But through four games (including Lousville & Florida) I have only been sacked 9 times. Now, my completion percentage and TD-INT ratio are a completely different story

[Airhog]

I sent an e-mail about cancelling my order. I doubt they will, of course by the time they get around to it, they will probably have it in stock. I should have just gone to Walmart and picked up a copy when it came out...

[Bearcat729]

Hmm my entire OL won 1st team All American honors. My LT had 80 pancake blocks, LG had 64 pancakes, Center had 33 pancakes, RG had 47 pancakes, and RT had 54 pancakes.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by Bearcat729

Hmm my entire OL won 1st team All American honors. My LT had 80 pancake blocks, LG had 64 pancakes, Center had 33 pancakes, RG had 47 pancakes, and RT had 54 pancakes.

did all of them progress in ratings?

[Bearcat729]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

did all of them progress in ratings?

A little bit during the season, but I have not started my second year yet so I'm not sure about progress during the offseason. The UC left tackle was rated 85 to start the year and is a 86 at the end of the season.

[Balldog]

@

TEAMS 1 2 3 4 OT F Tennessee 7 7 14 0 3 31 LSU 0 7 7 14 0 28

Visitor GAME STATS Home 458 Total Yds 393 17 First Downs 12 115 Rushing Yds 210 47-0 Rushes-Fumb 31-3 3 Rushing TD 3 174 Passing Yds 108 16-24-1 Comp-Att-TD 11-23-0 4 Interceptions 1 5/15 3rd Down Conv. 5/13 21:49 Time of Pos. 14:11

I have modified Jistic's sliders and I am getting pretty good results. See above box score and below individuals stats.

Passing
Ainge (Ten) 16-24, 174 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT
Randall (LSU) 11-23, 108 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT

Rushing
Riggs (Ten) 35 car, 100 yards, 3 TD
Broussard (LSU) 27 car, 133 yards, 3 TD

Receiving
Meachem (Ten) 6 rec, 110 yards
Davis (LSU) 3 rec, 44 yards

Blocking
Sears (Ten) 5 pancakes
Niswanger (LSU) 4 pancakes

[mrsimperless]

I'm already getting disenchanted with the game. I've yet to have a close contest after six games and I'm 5-1 with Ole Miss. When the AI DOES do well it usually seems to be a bunch of cheap crap. The CPU running IS markedly better. I do believe that. But the passing doesn't really seem to be. I've yet to have a game where my team gets less than 3 picks.

Perhaps I need to up to Heisman and do some slider adjustments...

[jbmagic]

balldog

your using Jistic's sliders version 2 it came out today?

i saw in operation sports forum today

[Izulde]

I've got a passing qb playing for Arizona that he got an offer to in RFTH mode. I'm running 3 minute-quarters and passing most plays I have the ball.

My first game I slaughtered somebody... It wasn't even funny

[Pumpy Tudors]

My net access seems to be working right now (although I don't expect it to last long), so I'll say one thing really quickly. I like how the game gives you codes for the sliders now. If you like to try out different slider settings, you can just write down the codes instead of all the individual slider positions. Excellent stuff.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

My net access seems to be working right now (although I don't expect it to last long), so I'll say one thing really quickly. I like how the game gives you codes for the sliders now. If you like to try out different slider settings, you can just write down the codes instead of all the individual slider positions. Excellent stuff.

Agreed. I decided to try Jistic's sliders in an exhibition game because he usually makes good sliders, and it was cool to be able to enter in the sliders. By the way, I didn't like his version 2 of the sliders. Both QB's were passing too high of a percentage. However, I do like the basic idea behind his sliders in trying to increase the passing percentages some as I've decided they are a bit too low in played games for my taste. The good news is that his sliders which take a few things to the extreme show that you can get a high completion percentage for both teams if you want it.

[CraigSca]

Happily, I think I may have taken a step forward. I played Tulane tonight on Varsity and destroyed them through 3 quarters, 45-3. I then decided to hike it back to AA and finished the game with a 66-17 victory (one of their TDs was a 95 yd INT return).

I think I finally figured out how to run (as I burned them for an 81 yard TD run on AA level) and my move to the DL has paid dividends. I think I can finally play AA and have it challenging as opposed to getting annihilated. Looking forward to getting my rosters (they shipped today) and starting my first dynasty

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Happily, I think I may have taken a step forward. I played Tulane tonight on Varsity and destroyed them through 3 quarters, 45-3. I then decided to hike it back to AA and finished the game with a 66-17 victory (one of their TDs was a 95 yd INT return).

I think I finally figured out how to run (as I burned them for an 81 yard TD run on AA level) and my move to the DL has paid dividends. I think I can finally play AA and have it challenging as opposed to getting annihilated. Looking forward to getting my rosters (they shipped today) and starting my first dynasty

Very nice win

[CraigSca]

Will be nice if I can hopefully figure out the correct difficulty and sliders to make a game of it. I'm hoping I can find the correct attributes to allow me to have Maryland win/lose to teams they are suuposed to. Will make my dynasty more fun if I can avoid the 11-0 or 0-11 scenario.

Hopefully AA is it...and maybe just a little changing of the sliders will lead to perfection

[jbmagic]

on normal default sliders and penatlies max out.

in a 8 min quarter.

AA level

my Offense line got a lot of pancakes.

one got 31, another got 16, another 12, and another 11

all together my total pancakes was 86

i ran 36 times for 279 yards. i was UCLA. Drew is a good running back.

[jbmagic]

hey guys also if your having trouble with passing.

there easy play mode. if you have it set to yes. you can have pass assist on, catch assist on, run assist on and kick assist on.

you can choose on or off for those.

anyone playing with any assistant on?

Pass assistant affects qb accuracy and pass blocking. if you have it on, then the sliders for those are off.
it helps a quarterback pass the ball better by designating whic WR are open and which are not

Catch Assistant affects WR catching. if you have it on then the slider for it will be off.
It helps the Wr catch the ball better by making passes easier to complete.

Run assistant affects Run ability and run blocking. if you have it on then the sliders for it will be off.
it makes it easier for the ball carrier to find the holes in the defense and gain big yards.



i using pass assistant and catch assistant on so far. but once i get better i turn them off.

[PSUColonel]

Could some one please point me in the right direction as to where I can find the most realistic sliders and such? Thanks.

[Balldog]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

balldog

your using Jistic's sliders version 2 it came out today?

i saw in operation sports forum today

Nah, I took his version 1 and modified them. I willl post the codes here in an hour or so, I want to play another game with them.

[Balldog]

Errr...I just experienced my first CPU long ball bomb festival. I was up 13-0 and Nebraska decided to just start chucking it deep, to the tune of a final score of 35-13.

48-yard pass, 70-yard pass, 26-yard pass, 60-yard pass, 37-yard pass...

All these were bombs into coverage except for the 37-yard pass, I assumed since they were up 28-13 with 3:03 to play they would run the ball and bit on the PA pass. They scored 35 points from in the final 12 minutes after being shutout for the first 24.

There QB ended up being 21-32 for 506 yards with 5 TDs and 1 INT.

[CraigSca]

Ouch. I've been reading that people are having problems giving up the long ball like this. I haven't really experienced it too much as my problems everywhere else may be masking it.

[Balldog]

I just ran a practice with USC (O) vs. OSU (D).

USC - Hailmary
Ohio State - Dime - Cover 2 Man

They completed the TD pass 8 out of 10 times.

[Comey]

I've been Pitt's bitch. Twice I was down 28-0 to them in the first half, as my PSU secondary couldn't defend crap. Once the game fell to DDE, the other to my finger hitting the power button.

I finally decide to get the game over with, and I'm finally able to prevent them from the big pass play. I was up 20-10 heading into the fourth, and they kicked a field goal with 2:11 to make it 20-13.

I pick up two first downs, and run the clock down to :59, when Tony Hunt fumbled the ball after a big run. Pitt got it, and hit a bomb to tie it with :48 left. I get it back, get to midfield on a good return, but can't get anywhere. I punt, and they get the ball at the 20 with :13 left. They complete a pass to 14 yards, and call timeout with :03 left.

I go into the prevent.

It doesn't matter.

Palko hooks up with one of his receivers on a 66-yard bomb, in triple coverage, winning the game on the last play, 26-20. I am still stunned.

[Balldog]

Maxed out knockdowns and lowered QB ACC to 35%

50-yard passes...

Incomplete
Touchdown
Touchdown
Sack
Touchdown
Touchdown
Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete

[Philliesfan980]

Here are some good CPU vs CPU or "coach" mode sliders (taken from utopiafootball.com)

AA
9 min

QB Acc 25
Pass Blk 75
WR Catch 50
RB Ab 50
Run Blk 65

Aware 50
Knock 50
Int 25
BB 50
Tack 75

ST
all 50


Guys seem to be getting pretty good results with these.

[Balldog]

On Heisman

Incomplete
Incomplete
Touchdown
Incomplete
Touchdown
Sack
Touchdown
Touchdown
Incomplete
Touchdown

[Balldog]

On Heisman, maxed out INT, Knockdown, and Awareness

Interception
Incomplete
Touchdown
Touchdown
Touchdown
Incomplete
Sack
Touchdown
Incomplete
Touchdown
5/10

....sigh

Catching at 50%
Incomplete
Touchdown
Touchdown
Incomplete
Incomplete
Touchdown
Incomplete
Incomplete
Touchdown
Interception
4/10

Again...

Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete
Touchdown
Incomplete
Touchdown
Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete
2/10

so 6/20...not bad considering the players involved.

[Airhog]

So once again, they are letting you throw it into 3 deep coverage. That means its gonna suck again playing it online....

[Cuckoo]

Don't know if this has said before (probably has), but I kept thinking last night about something this game needs and something it had several years ago before the exporting into Madden began. If I don't export my draft class into Madden, why can't the game tell me in what round my player would have been drafted. It doesn't even have to be entirely perfect, but something would be better than nothing.

I play with the house rule that if a guy is obvious first round talent, I don't even try to convince him to come back for his senior season. But sometimes there are guys that are on the fringe and it drives me nuts that I don't know where they would get drafted.

I suppose this is EA's way of making me buy Madden.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by Philliesfan980

Here are some good CPU vs CPU or "coach" mode sliders (taken from utopiafootball.com)

AA
9 min

QB Acc 25
Pass Blk 75
WR Catch 50
RB Ab 50
Run Blk 65

Aware 50
Knock 50
Int 25
BB 50
Tack 75

ST
all 50


Guys seem to be getting pretty good results with these.

how the pancakes on it with those sliders?

with default sliders, penatlies max out on AA 8 min quarter i got a grand total of 86 pancakes in one game. that is crazy. top player got 31 pancakes in one game.

if pancakes is a problem for human, its going to cause human teams to have a great offense line when they progress faster than cpu teams.

we should be getting the average pancakes per season as the sims games. if not we going to progress faster for the offensive line players than cpu during a dynasty.

[Emiliano]

Guys, lower the human run blocking slider to 0%. The numbers of pancakes will decrease. They're still a bit high, especially if you have great O-line and run a lot like me, but they're not out of proportion anymore. In my last game (destroyed UNC 55-21), I got 8 pancakes from Winston which is my most talented lineman (96 ovr.). One lineman had 5, others 2/3. I ran like 30/35 times. It doesn't affect the running game, indeed it becomes more challenging, but absolutely not impossible.

I also modified all the other sliders, and now my completion % are increased.
I'll probably post them later. I'm getting good games (even lost with Ga.Tech at home, damn!!!) and enough realistic results .

[Emiliano]

Forgot: how are you doing in the in-season recruiting? I manage to get a 5-star QB from Florida, a 5-star RB from Texas and a 4-star MLB from Ohio. I'm 6-2, and in week 10 I think. I guess I was pretty lucky to get 3 committments. The other 9 turned me down.

[jbmagic]

Emiliano

so run block slider causes the high pancakes?

what your run ability at for cpu and human?

[Emiliano]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

Emiliano

so run block slider causes the high pancakes?

what your run ability at for cpu and human?

I think so. I did 2 games with 0%, and the max I got was 8 pancakes from one of my linemen. Consider that I run a lot, even 35/40 attempts for game.

My RB ability is at 50% (put I think I'll probably lower it), CPU RB Ability is at 80%.

[Airhog]

So, would you guys say that this years version is better than 2k5? How about 2k4? I think the only thing I've seen so far that turns me off, is the deep ball. I just hope its not overused in online play. Hopefully, someone will find a play that stops the deep ball like in 2k5.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by Airhog

So, would you guys say that this years version is better than 2k5? How about 2k4? I think the only thing I've seen so far that turns me off, is the deep ball. I just hope its not overused in online play. Hopefully, someone will find a play that stops the deep ball like in 2k5.

no problems with deep passes

just lower qb accuracy sliders.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Airhog

So, would you guys say that this years version is better than 2k5? How about 2k4? I think the only thing I've seen so far that turns me off, is the deep ball. I just hope its not overused in online play. Hopefully, someone will find a play that stops the deep ball like in 2k5.

Better than 2k5? Yes, easily for me.

Better than 2k4? Hmmm... not sure yet. Right now yes, but I played the heck out of 2k4.

I haven't had issues with the deep ball that prevent me from enjoying this game.

[jbmagic]

i sim a season and i check season stats for all teams the highest anybody player got for pancake is 41.

it seems like pancake is high still no matter what you put for the run blk slider. your going to end up with way way more than 41 pancake for one player for a dynasty season.

this is going to cause problems with offensive line players for human progressing faster than cpu teams. its a problem if you play a dynasty.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Better than 2k5? Yes, easily for me.

Better than 2k4? Hmmm... not sure yet. Right now yes, but I played the heck out of 2k4.

I haven't had issues with the deep ball that prevent me from enjoying this game.

I agree with this assessment. At this point, I'm fairly sure I'm going to play this more than even 2004, and I suspect ultimately I will deem this the best NCAA in my eyes. However, I'm giving it some more time before I definitely say that.

[Greyroofoo]

My short musings on the game
Positives:
- AI running ability
- In-season recruiting
- Ability to turn off the crowd impact

Negatives
- Corners cover the short pass perhaps too well and can't defend the bomb for their lives
- Too many passes dropped
- AI CPU completion rate is insanely high in simulated games (after 8 weeks in my dynasty, 39 QBs have 70+ completion percentage
- AI receivers are just plain stupid at times
- Some very sloppy animation transitions
- Commentary just says some dumb stuff at times (for example, I threw the ball into the endzone, a defender tipped the ball, which then bounced off another defender's back and into the hands of my receiver. The commentary I get is "WOW, there's no way the defense could've STOPPED that play!"

[AlexB]

I've just spent half an hour reading th entire 10 pages of this thread, and it sounds like a typical EA release - initial wow factor, follwed by exasperation as serious flaws are gradually exposed in the game, which leads to a never ending quest to find a set of sliders that set the game as it should be...

Hopefully Madden will be different, but history suggests otherwise

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

I've just spent half an hour reading th entire 10 pages of this thread, and it sounds like a typical EA release - initial wow factor, follwed by exasperation as serious flaws are gradually exposed in the game, which leads to a never ending quest to find a set of sliders that set the game as it should be...

Hopefully Madden will be different, but history suggests otherwise

I use AA defaults and while there is an issue or two that I could mess with the sliders some, I haven't and it plays just fine for my skill level.

Of course penalties are all the way turned up and I might have 1-3 penalties called in a game, but that's been like that since penalties were added years ago.

If a game becomes a slider tweaking nightmare, I'll take it back. MVP needed very minor tweaks and still plays a fun and competitive game, I'm thinking NCAA will be the same way.

[Cards4ever]

Say, can anyone tell me where you find your pipeline states? I can't seem to find that.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

I've just spent half an hour reading th entire 10 pages of this thread, and it sounds like a typical EA release - initial wow factor, follwed by exasperation as serious flaws are gradually exposed in the game, which leads to a never ending quest to find a set of sliders that set the game as it should be...

Hopefully Madden will be different, but history suggests otherwise

I'm trying some slider tweaks to add more realism, but it hasn't been as bad as past games for me. The CPU doesn't tend to throw deep on me often, and I'm usually stopping it with cover 2. I limit myself to throwing deep 3 or 4 times a game. I'm still having a great deal of fun

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Cards4ever

Say, can anyone tell me where you find your pipeline states? I can't seem to find that.

I think it's only visible during the offseason recruiting, but I could be wrong.

[Cards4ever]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I think it's only visible during the offseason recruiting, but I could be wrong.

Thanks for the response, I'll look for it when I get to that then.

[Ironhead]

Am I the only one throwing massive amounts of INTs? It seems like the defense is always playing zone and there is one guy I never see.