NCAA Football 2008

[rowech]

Originally Posted by nilodor

I think the reason that interceptions are so prevalent this year is down to three things, one good, two bad. The first is I think we throw it up too often and have been spoiled by the very little risk compared to reward in previous versions. In 08 if you just throw it up, it's most likely incomplete, but there is a chance that it will be picked or caught as it should be. The two problems are, we have very little control over the pass strength. I find it incredibly difficult to throw a lob or medium lob pass, all I can throw is hard and laser, which is incredibly frustrating when you actually have an open receiver 15 yards behind the linebackers, but you can get the ball over the LB's because you can't throw a lob. The third kinda plays into the second and into what the guys over at OS said in their review. Linebackers are just way to responsive to the ball, you'll have an open receiver, throw the ball then a LB who is 5+ yards away from the line of the pass jets over, does some crazy jump and picks off the pass. Unless the pass within a couple of steps of the guy and he's the next Urlacher I don't really think we should be seeing this. The other complain I have heard is with DB's being too responsive, I dunno, I haven't really seen too many breaks that are that way out there to me. Sometimes your receiver is gonna catch it, occasionally the DB is gonna get a good jump and get it, maybe the Wideouts should be more competitive but it's not that bad IMO.

The touch passing you can deal with a bit. Just tap the button or use the stick to control it a bit it seems. The third part you mention is the major problem. Linebackers and safeties are simply too quick to the ball and can jump 80 feet high.

[rowech]

Has anyone read enough about Madden to know how close/far it will be from NCAA?

[Bee]

Originally Posted by rowech

Has anyone read enough about Madden to know how close/far it will be from NCAA?

I've been wondering about that as well. The CL mode in NCAA 08 has been the most fun I've had with an EA sports game in years so if that translates to Madden then I'll probably pick it up.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

see, but that's the point of CL. you are one cog in a system. you aren't controlling the whole system, just one piece of it. i've had my QB blow some huge games for me, out of my 3 seasons of CL my RB was only able to get 1 bowl win. my showcase is pretty much empty. we went to 3 bowl games and while i was able to do my part, i obviously couldn't score everytime i touched the ball and ultimately my success was in the hands of another person. that's realistic.

but yes, there've been times my eyes got big being out in the flats with NO ONE around me and a sure td to be had and the QB throws it the other way. that's football. the open guy doesn't always get the ball.

My issue is mostly that my "impact" QB throws 3+ picks per game. That's all. I love CL mode, for the reasons you mentioned and because I get to do things such as block that I don't do otherwise.

And you won't find me crying that I keep getting hit right after the handoff because we have a porous Offensive Line.

Just that my impact QB keeps throwing picks...

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

but is it interceptions by sucky QBs, or is it INTs from stud QBs with great accuracy? i would expect a sucky QB to toss like 3 INTs a game.

i haven't played any dynasty games just yet, just finished my CL. i'll start tonite.

With the sliders I'm using, true stud QB's throw hardly any int's and have some excellent games. However, above average QB often throw at least 2 a game. Below average QB's are throwing 3-4 a game and bad ones are throwing even more. It's not a game killer for me, but it is frustrating, because I like everything else about the game.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

What sliders do you recommend changing to solve this problem? I was talking to my brother last night and he was complaining about too many interceptions in the game. Even if he turned them down, defenders just kept getting in the way of passes, but instead of intercepting it, the ball just bounced off them. The frequency sounded a bit alarming.

I would lower defensive awareness for the human (and CPU if you want too) to at least 25. I've experimented with 20, but any lower than that and the offense can put up too many big plays. I lowered interceptions to 0 and knockdowns are up to 95.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by rowech

Has anyone read enough about Madden to know how close/far it will be from NCAA?

From reading previews, it is a very similar but is supposedly more polished. However, interceptions and fumbles are similar to NCAA in that they are overdone. Supposedly, a patch will be out sometime after release to fix that issue.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

From reading previews, it is a very similar but is supposedly more polished. However, interceptions and fumbles are similar to NCAA in that they are overdone. Supposedly, a patch will be out sometime after release to fix that issue.

For NCAA as well?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by rowech

For NCAA as well?

The producers have been quoted as saying there will be a patch for Madden. The NCAA producers haven't said they will make one for NCAA, but there is speculation they will release one since the two engines are supposed to be very similiar.

[Icy]

I'm having way more realistic INT numbers now using these settings in the USF dynasty I'm running.

Human Def Awareness = 10 (I have computer Def Aw at 60 so they play a bit smarter and can defend better)
Human and Computer INT = 0
Human and Computer Knockdowns = 30

I'm not having big defensive problems with def Aw such low. My main problem is on the offensive part, I suck at reading defenses, and once i do, i don't have enough time to call audible or set hot route, the damn 30 seconds per play are too short, but that can't be fixed with sliders I find myself throwing most of the time to my RB, TE or WR running throgh the middle, but can't conect with any WR running long routes close to the sidelines. If i throw to them, it's a secure INT.

[Icy]

BTW, not sure if we have a thread here about madden, but an early review from sportsgamer doesn't look so good about Owner mode (or better said the lack of it). It seems that the next gen Madden 08 is still going to lack current gen consoles/Pc owner mode features.

[kingnebwsu]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

My issue is mostly that my "impact" QB throws 3+ picks per game. That's all. I love CL mode, for the reasons you mentioned and because I get to do things such as block that I don't do otherwise.

And you won't find me crying that I keep getting hit right after the handoff because we have a porous Offensive Line.

Just that my impact QB keeps throwing picks...

Yep, that's my big problem. Even with my INT slider at ZERO my solidly rated Ohio State QB is throwing 3-6 INT's per game. At least one pick-six a game. This mode is pretty much unplayable when my QB commits a turnover on half of the possessions.

[Anthony]

i had to go down to Varsity level. way too many INTs for my liking on AA, and i just couldn't make some throws. the point of playing games is to have fun, and i wasn't having fun on AA. too hard. besides, we don't get bonus points or awards for playing on harder levels. varsity was a lot more fun for me. my WRs were able to make more catches/plays. felt more realistic.

[rowech]

I did a dynasty with Boston College. I went 3-8 and it was evident that either I sucked or BC sucked. I switched over to Penn State and went 8-5 including a Poinsetta Bowl win versus San Diego State. However, I did land the #1 recruiting class in the country. There was a huge difference between Penn State's WR's and Boston College's. PSU's are so much faster and make such better cuts. My passing game really increased with them. Made the game fun. Still too many INTs from the 40 foot jumping LBers but that's just going to be part of the game I think.

[mh2365]

I know this is superficial but the lack of alternate uni's on the 360 is annoying

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Just that my impact QB keeps throwing picks...

Mine threw 52 this year. Annoying to say the least.

[Balldog]

Anyone have this for PS2? I'm just not feeling it for XBOX 360.

[Mike1409]

Originally Posted by mh2365

I know this is superficial but the lack of alternate uni's on the 360 is annoying

Agreed and heres the thing, they could solve a ton of issues just by seperating the pants and tops. That would give every team up to 4 options without any new designing.

[Eaglesfan27]

Not that it helps now, but the developers have already said they will be releasing free alternate uniforms via an update ("sometime before the holiday season" is the time frame they have given.) There is speculation they will sneak a patch in that update to address the interception/fumble issues.

[rowech]

Madden reviews are up at 1up and Team Xbox...getting great reviews.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by rowech

Madden reviews are up at 1up and Team Xbox...getting great reviews.

Early copies = great reviews.

[Richard Weed]

Early copies = great reviews = early copies next year

Aug 14 copies = great initial reviews = pissed off future reviews = waiting until release date next year

[nilodor]

I'm really getting into this game now, I seem to be adapting to the interception situations and am having some really fun games. One good thing I noticed is this season I am starting a 4* freshman at middle linebacker and he makes some fantastic plays but his lack of awareness shows. He'll hit the wrong hole on runs sometime, get washed out of some plays, then comeback, not bite on play action and make a big pick. As I'm moving through the game I'm noticing that you need to scout the other team, pick on the bad players and work through that way.

[Anthony]

trading in my copy for madden 08 tomorrow. i just don't have any allegiance to any of the schools. my alma mater is not in the game. i'll have a ton more fun playing as the Giants.

[Icy]

I must admit i'm enjoying a ton the CL mode as QB. As i can call audibles, I can get over the stupid playcalling AI . I created an option QB and after not playing the whole first season i'm the starter now for Miami. I'm going to finish this and to export it to madden to see how well/bad can do my version of Vick in the NLF (without the crap around him).

My madden preorder was shiped to me yesterday so it should be here before the weekend. The CL and SS modes are the main reason for me to get NCAA/Madden as i doubt i'll can get over the franchise problems to really enjoy it.

[Ironhead]

In my dynasty I just started recruiting a punter who ran a 4.22 in the 40.

It would be kind of interesting to have a player handling punting and kick returning duties.

[Richard Weed]

HA, sorry I couldn't connect to you. Really weird.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Some interesting sales numbers for NCAA Football 2008. The PS3 version of the game actually sold more units per installed consoles than the Xbox 360. Pretty amazing considering the PS3 version was the inferior version of the game with the frame rate issue.

Rank Software Title Platform July Total

1 NCAA Football 2008 Xbox 360............ 516,875
4 NCAA Football 2008 PS2................... 258,316

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Some interesting sales numbers for NCAA Football 2008. The PS3 version of the game actually sold more units per installed consoles than the Xbox 360. Pretty amazing considering the PS3 version was the inferior version of the game with the frame rate issue.

Rank Software Title Platform July Total

1 NCAA Football 2008 Xbox 360............ 516,875
4 NCAA Football 2008 PS2................... 258,316

Considering the lack of quality titles for the ps3, what did you expect?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Considering the lack of quality titles for the ps3, what did you expect?

I don't think it speaks to the titles by any means. There's a good game coming out for the PS3 just about every week for the next 3 months at this point. I think it speaks more to how blind the general consumer base is to some of the problems in these EA games. Certainly shows that marketing will overcome lousy development.

[Eaglesfan27]

ROFL. I'd love to see your list of "good games" coming out every week for the next 3 months for the PS3.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

ROFL. I'd love to see your list of "good games" coming out every week for the next 3 months for the PS3.

This is why I don't respond in the other thread, but now it comes here. He managed to turn the "PS3 is selling way fewer copies of Madden" into a good spin for Sony, when all it really means is those folks are starved for anything to play on it. The Playstation has always had a strong sports gaming component, and the Xbox 360 folks have a ton of other games to play. The numbers still show that there are far more Madden fans with 360s than there are with PS3s...

[KWhit]

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

This is why I don't respond in the other thread, but now it comes here. He managed to turn the "PS3 is selling way fewer copies of Madden" into a good spin for Sony, when all it really means is those folks are starved for anything to play on it. The Playstation has always had a strong sports gaming component, and the Xbox 360 folks have a ton of other games to play. The numbers still show that there are far more Madden fans with 360s than there are with PS3s...

I'm totally confused here. I haven't made a post anywhere about Madden sales figures. The only post I made in this thread was my surprise that PS3 owners weren't disuaded by the fact that the PS3 football games were running at a lower frame rate and seem to have purchased the game at the same percenage as 360 owners did. That was a statement as to my relative shock at the sales figures, not any promotion of the PS3 in any way. I expected the adoption rate to be less on the PS3.

I'd also add that I wasn't the one to bring the console war into the discussion. I was talking only about the game.

[Eaglesfan27]

Some huge leaps of faith on that list to call them good games.. I'm willing to bet that Lair is going to be a big flop in comparision to the expectations.

[gstelmack]

So one thing that the discussion of the announcers in Madden made me remember to comment on here: I actually think it's cool that there is almost no announcer commentary during the high school games, that when I play some podunk Division II school there is just a generic PA announcer, and that when I play another well-known school it's the full ESPN crew. I was realising this when my South Florida Bulls played Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette and had the boring guy, but when we played UNC or Rutgers or Louisville, etc we get the full crew.

Actually a kind of nice touch.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

So one thing that the discussion of the announcers in Madden made me remember to comment on here: I actually think it's cool that there is almost no announcer commentary during the high school games, that when I play some podunk Division II school there is just a generic PA announcer, and that when I play another well-known school it's the full ESPN crew. I was realising this when my South Florida Bulls played Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette and had the boring guy, but when we played UNC or Rutgers or Louisville, etc we get the full crew.

Actually a kind of nice touch.

Yep, it's been this way in the game for at least a couple of years now. You only get the ESPN crew when it's a televised game. For me, playing as Memphis, it helps keep the commentary from getting stale any faster. It's pretty much the same commentary as the past 3 or 4 years, but at least I'm not hearing it every single game. Of course, if I were playing as a bigger football school, I'd hear it much more often and might even be tempted to turn it off. Still, I get what EA was trying to do here, and I agree that it's a nice touch.

[astrosfan64]

I can't take Lee Corso

[Richard Weed]

The commentary at times is off by about a play. This is usually after there was a challenge and I skipped through the numerous replays. It also happens when I pick my play immediately (within 2 seconds) and hurry up to the line and they're still talking about the last play's formation.

[Radii]

So I gave up on ever learning to be a QB in this game, and decided to play another CL career as a running back, this time at Arkansas just to blow everyone away. I got really good in practice pretty quickly, and about 5 weeks into the season I take over from McFadden as the starter, 99 overall rating, 99 speed, everything in 90s of course.

Our first game? FCS SE, the poor no-skill division I-AA school. Every time I carried the ball I scored a touchdown, no matter where on the field I was. Break 1 tackle and outrun everyone else. 6 carries, 314 yards, 6 TDs.... Dont' forget the passing game though! 3 receptions, 74 yards, 2 TDs. One catch my momentum took me out of bounds immediately. Oh yeah, we were winning 77-7 at the half, I didn't play any the second half, those are 1st half numbers only.

Nice way to start a career i guess, I should be breaking about every record there is, though I'm looking forward to games against LSU and UGA and the like to see how I do against good teams w/ these ratings.

[kingnebwsu]

Good luck with CL mode as a RB. My QB has been downright awful and despite my 250 yds/game average out of the backfield, Ohio State won't be making a bowl game (mostly due to the QB's awful INT...4-5/game).

[Icy]

I have been a dominant QB so far in my CL. I created a scrambling one, had crap High School playoffs (lost in the first game) and signed for Miami as the 5th QB (with only 71 overal ratings). In my freshman season i just trained and was the kick holder until got the starting spot in the last game of the season (raising my ratings to 86). In my sophomore season I was the starter and I have break all the rushing records but were just average on passing (my coach call option plays most of the time).

- Had one game with 385 rushing yards and 5 rushing TD plus 8 / 15 for 1 passing TD.

- My longest run for TD was a 87 yards one.

- Ran for 2085 yards that season being the top rusher, above all the RB's in the NCAA.

- Also had a crap record being the most sacked QB in the NCAA, they really put a lot of pressure and i need to read better the blitzes.

The bad news is that despite my incredible rushing numbers, even more for a QB, we were 5-7 that season that is really dissapointing for Miami.

I'm going to start my junior season (rated 92) now and probably will declare for the draft after it. I'm really looking forward to see how can do a QB like this in the NFL without the option plays (M.Vick?).

My next CL will be probably in the defensive side, a MLB.









Here is one handling the pressure in the pocket:

[MizzouRah]

Allright, I kept NCAA and APF - Madden went back today for a deposit on NHL 08.

What's the consensus for quarter lenghts for NCAA?

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Allright, I kept NCAA and APF - Madden went back today for a deposit on NHL 08.

What's the consensus for quarter lenghts for NCAA?

I've been playing with 7 minute quarters. It seems to give good results and I have also seen other people mention they are using 7 as well.

[Ironhead]

I have been using 8 minutes and have been pretty happy with the results. Total number of plays will be a little light - probably averaging about 110 to 120 between the two teams with the CPU generally running more plays than I do. It's working for me though.

[mh2365]

CL is an absolute joke ... you can take a 60 overall player and turn him into a 90 overall player by the end of the first year ..just way too easy

[MizzouRah]

Thanks guys! I think I'll go with 8 for now to see how that plays out.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've been going with 8 as well, although I use a few minutes of quick sim each game to boost the number of plays to a more realistic number.

[gstelmack]

I restarted my CL deciding to be a QB instead of RB, looking ahead at the possibility of importing him into Madden. I was also getting tired of an O-Line that leaked like a sieve, so this time I accepted as West Virginia's QB.

Season 1 ended with us #3. I took over halfway through, but by then we had lost our opener to Western Michigan which kept us out of the National Championship game.

I've switched to the INT 100 / KNOCKDOWN 0 sliders and am having a lot of fun. I can actually whip a pass past a LB who is running the other way without him turning around and grabbing it from midair. I've also seen completions go through the hands of a defender going for the pick. MUCH nicer. Threw behind a receiver and he made a sliding catch while leaning back. Really cool.

Just started season 2, and had to fight for #1 on the depth chart again. I was a 98 overall, but the senior was now a 99. Didn't take long, but was still interesting.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

I've switched to the INT 100 / KNOCKDOWN 0 sliders and am having a lot of fun. I can actually whip a pass past a LB who is running the other way without him turning around and grabbing it from midair.

Hmm, I'm happy with the high knockdown, low interception settings as the QB's have generally been throwing only a few per game and if I'm careful I can avoid too many picks, but I've heard enough people say that this setting works better that I should give it a try tonight. Did you lower defensive awareness or make any other changes?