NCAA Football 2004

[illinifan999]

From the EA Sports Website:


No other football game delivers the spirit, atmosphere, and emotion of college football like NCAA Football 2004. Celebrate the history of college football with classic teams like the 1924 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, or replay one of the 20 greatest college football games from the last two decades. Feel the tradition of college football Saturdays with all-new pre-game introductions and experience the in-game pageantry with new mascots, flag-waving cheerleaders, and cannons.
Key Features for 2004:

Take the rivalry online: Battle Michigan vs. Ohio State, USC vs. Notre Dame, Oklahoma vs. Nebraska, and more in online head-to-head exhibition games. Chat or sing your favorite fight song in-game with EA SPORTS™ Talk*, or follow the stat leaders across the country in the Online Top 100.

College-style gameplay: Get in the end zone with new trick plays like the Halfback Throwback and Wide Receiver Double Reverse Pass. New animations include sideline tackles, stumbles, new over-the-shoulder and basket catches, user-controlled celebrations, and much more. See the receivers better through a new QB Rollout camera and use the Play-Action Pass camera to fake out the defense.

New College Classics mode: Replay 20 of the greatest college football games from the last two decades. Take over the game at a key situation, relive the glorious victory, or change history with an upset.

Over 150 new teams: Play as one of 36 new 1-AA teams or one of the 100+ NEW Classic Teams including 1930 Notre Dame, 1956 Oklahoma, 1972 USC, 1985 Auburn, and 2002 Ohio State.
Continuing the dynasty: Project the season’s top performers with the new Pre-Season All-American Team and revel in your weekly accomplishments with new Sports Illustrated magazine covers.

Hmmmm.....Pre-Season All America. Been waiting for that. Am very interested in the new SI Mag covers. Can't wait to see how that comes out.




This looks like fun.

From Gamecube:






Drool......

[INDalltheway]

I can't wait to get my hands on this game. Those last features sound awesome!

[Kodos]

Droooooool. Even more than usual.

[KWhit]

The 2003 edition is one of my favorite games EVER (on pc or platform). Probably in my top 3-5. I can't wait for the new version. Bring it on!

[illinifan999]

http://www.sportplanet.com/ncaa/ncaa.../gamenews.html

http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/spo...ex.html?page=1

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/sports/n...reenindex.html

Last two have screens, first is news.

[illinifan999]

From IGN:

Here's a down and dirty list of the simple additions, you know, things that basically pad the stats from last year:


36 new AA teams
20 new mascots -- 70 total!
5 new fight songs (there were already quite a lot last year)
165 new teams
10 new formations
Over 200 new plays
More trophies to win
More bowls

As dandy as all this sounds, none of it compares to the final big addition. After a big upset, or at the conclusion of a "great game", fans may storm the field and rip down the goal posts. Now that's what I'm talking about.

On the dynasty mode:

This year, you'll get to take on a greater role as coach of your team. Recruiting is based on your coaching style and you'll actually pitch recruits on different aspects of your program. As coach, you may be fired, offered a contract extension, or given offers from other schools, based on your performance, which is measured by a job security meter.

Beyond this, your entire team can be in jeopardy based on their ongoing performance. With conference prestige now making a difference (and thus fixing some problems with the poll logic), teams the under-perform for a significant amount of time can actually get dropped from their conference. At the same time, Notre Dame could do well and decide to join a conference.

Better yet, there's new in-game commentary related to career records. Get close to the career rushing record, win record, or any assortment of other prestigious marks and the commentators will give you props.

Toss in alternate unis (each team now has four unis total) and the ability to choose your mascot when creating a school, and you're pretty much set for another year of college football. Ah, but there's even more goodies in store for faithful gamers.

Much of the information seen in last year's Dynasty mode is returning with a few enhancements, but the magazine presentation will offer a prettier package. Each week you'll get a new cover based on events across the entire NCAA. One cover I saw had the headline "Upset Saturday", because there'd been five major upsets that weekend. EA plans a preseason issue and then an issue for each week of the season. Beyond the cool covers, which look about as authentic as possible, there'll be some substance lurking in the virtual pages.

A Heisman watch, All-American hopefuls, and conference outlook will all be staples of this changing magazine. Archived covers can be checked out throughout the season but, unfortunately, they don't stay throughout an entire Dynasty.


EA bio
NCAA Football 2004 is the first EA game to utilize the EA Sports Bio. Whichever genius came up with the bio deserves two raises and a bigger office, because the Bio is, essentially, the ultimate franchise mode. It links every future EA game, because the more you play and accomplish the more you unlock across the entire EA Sports library.

You got game
Not directly linked to the Bio (though you do earn points for them), is a final cool touch for NCAA Football 2004. NCAA saves your top 10 greatest games. Using a formula so complex even NASA can't understand it, each game is calculated for it's "greatness score". Factors include margin of victory, whether it was a come-from-behind victory, if it was a big upset, and other numerous incidentals. The date, outcome, and box score of your 10 greatest games are saved for posterity.

This isn't fair. Why couldn't I have found this 2 days before the game was released. Can't wait to see screenshots with the magazine. Oh, I am pre-ordering this one.

[Dr. Sak]

NCAA2004 INFO

Scroll down to see the features on the page or read em here...



General

PS2 will be only online as of right now. Top 100 Rankings and voice chat for broadband only are included.
Carson Palmer is the coverboy
Features

100 Classic teams and over 20 great games from the past
36 new 1-AA Teams from the Big Sky, Southern, A-10, and Gateway Conference
A-10: Delaware, Hofstra, James Madison, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Rhode Island, Richmond, Villanova, William & Mary
Big Sky: Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Portland State, Sacramento State, Weber State
Southern: Appalachian State, Chattanooga, Citadel, East Tennessee State, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, Western Carolina, Wofford
Gateway: Illinois State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, SMS, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, Western Kentucky, Youngstown State


Dynamic home/away crowd
New Tunnel Entrances and a "special" Notre Dame one
My NCAA®: Write your own page in NCAA Football history: track your most memorable games ever with Greatest Games, and track new career and school records in the Record Book. The trophy room features all-new individual player awards, more Bowl games, rivalries, and conference championship trophies. Campus Challenge is now available in two-player games so you earn more credits.
4 Uniforms per team
Graphics

EA has teamed up with NVIDA to bring some "special effects" to is 2004 lineup of games. This could be anything from weather effects to lighting effects.
EA has signed an agreement with Bitstream to use its Font Fusion font rendering engine and a set of Bitstream's fonts for several of EA's titles.
Fans will tear down the goalposts this year
New tunnel entrances(team specific entrances possibly) are in
Crowds sit "on the hill" now in some stadiums
New animations include sideline tackles, stumbles, over-the-shoulder catches, basket catches, and user controlled celebrations
Weather Based Accessories
Gameplay

Artie Gigantino recently e-mailed me with this: "I am working with EASports to improve the special teams and defensive system the game uses. The special teams will sport a new look which is more realistic to last years version. I am also working with them (EA) to get new defensive concepts and looks into the game. The new systems are all using my philosophies and will be much better than last years game."
New trick plays such as halfback throwback and wide reciever double reverse pass.
New QB Rollout Camera to help the player see the field better
Play-Action Pass Camera to fake out the defense
MASS SUBSTITUTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!
New Playbooks

Sound

300 New Team Specific and Situational Chants
Up to 20 new fight songs
Interface

Dynasty

Pre-Season All-American Team in Dynasty Mode
New recruiting tactics, be able to pitch different parts of your program to recruits
Pre-Season Magazine covers, in-season magazine covers. This will be a magazine with a headline that would read something like "Upset Saturday" if many upsets happened, etc.
Changing Conferences: If you're a small school and sustaining sucess (from MWC or Sun Belt) a bigger conference can come calling but if your a bigger school and you're an embarassment to the local society (Baylor) then the conference will kick you out.

[KWhit]

Originally posted by illinifan999
With conference prestige now making a difference (and thus fixing some problems with the poll logic), teams the under-perform for a significant amount of time can actually get dropped from their conference. At the same time, Notre Dame could do well and decide to join a conference.

This will fix the biggest beef with the 2003 version I had. After a couple of years, TCU and Marshall became powerhouses because they would win most/all their games. Even though they were in a shitty conference, they were always granted really high spots in the polls and got BCS bowl games. I'll be glad if that's fixed in 2004.


When does it come out?????

[KWhit]

Dola - I just saw it's supposed to be released in July.


Woo Hoo!

[Pumpy Tudors]

Uh, tunnels and smoke and fans on the field are nice and all, but what about tiny little things like varying conference schedule (as Memphis, I never got to play East Carolina, and I always finished the season against TCU), in-game saves (not holding my breath for that one), and bigger rosters?

Or are those things less important than 20 new mascots and 4 jerseys for each team?

[Swaggs]

This is my next purchase.

[SuburbanPimp]

Finally...



Miami players are wearing black shoes.



That always urked the hell outta me. Oh, and the game sounds really cool.

[sooner333]

I already reserved my copy...just $5 down at Software Etc. and I'm getting the game when it comes out. Pumped hardly describes my feelings. The good news, I only have to wait until July.

[Poli]

Maybe we'll see the Wing T and the Double Wing!

[MizzouRah]

A must buy for me. I'm so broke soon...



Todd

[tucker342]

:drool:

[JeeberD]

I finally understand bbor's ejaculation QOTM...

[sabotai]

Looks like I'll be buying a PS2...(not coming out on PC, right?)

[Neuqua]

I tell myself every year that I can only buy one football game (Madden or NCAA) and every friggin' year I get both. They both look so damn promising.

Grrr.

[mckerney]

And maybe a real flexbone offense instead of that disgrace to the flex in last years game.

[KWhit]

Originally posted by Neuqua
I tell myself every year that I can only buy one football game (Madden or NCAA) and every friggin' year I get both. They both look so damn promising.

Grrr.

If you do go with one, NCAA 2004 should be the one dude. Madden can't compete IMO (of course I'm a college fan mostly).

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Oh My I cant wait .

[Neuqua]

Originally posted by KWhit
If you do go with one, NCAA 2004 should be the one dude. Madden can't compete IMO (of course I'm a college fan mostly).

Problem is, I'm more of an NFL fan. In fact, I don't even watch college football. But for some reason I've always like the NCAA games, I know I put more hours into last years NCAA than I did with the Madden.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

If Ncaa 's gameplay is as good as last years Im sold .
My dream comes true the 1945 Notre Dame team Vs. 2004 Ohio State team....what a game that would be .Now if they could improve the crowd animation ..l;

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Dola: No PC version ?

[Ragone]

I haven't really payed much attention.. But does ncaa 2004 have the autoname players function so you won't export qb #17 to madden.. I really don't wanna wait the 2 months it takes someone to type up the rosters of college players.. and besides after 4 years... they are all random named anyway

[Pumpy Tudors]

Yeah, I guess shoe colors and teams from the Middle Ages are more important than being able to generate a pass rush. Well, I'll get the game anyway and just find more "little" things like customizable playbooks to complain about.

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by Pumpy Tudors
Yeah, I guess shoe colors and teams from the Middle Ages are more important than being able to generate a pass rush. Well, I'll get the game anyway and just find more "little" things like customizable playbooks to complain about.

That is true, it's damn near impossible to get a sack in the game. Hopefully that's an unannounced addition to the game...

[MizzouRah]

I couldn't get sacks in Madden either. In fact, didn't NFL 2k3 have the same problem?

We want sacks!



Todd

[Pumpy Tudors]

Huh? I thought we wanted fans pulling the goalposts down. You all have to make up your minds.

[tucker342]

I average about one sack every 5 or 6 games in NCAA 2003, hopefully they made that a little bit better...

[illinifan999]

I seem to get a realistic amount of sacks every game. I use the DT, and use the swim moves. Of course it might help that he is usually 90 for strength.

I DO want fans pulling down the goalposts. As soon as Southern Illinois goes to the Big Ten and beats Ohio State in Carbondale, down the goalposts will go. Muahahahahahaha!!!!

[ColtCrazy]

I could usually get sacks in NCAA with blitzs up the middle from quick LBs. In Madden, it's the other way around. Even with computer pass blocking on zero, I usually rank around 25th in the league with sacks.

I cannot wait for this game to come out. I've been playing 2003 lately, creating teams and all. This one should be unbelievable, but more sacks would be nice.

Ragone has a point. I hated Sega's College Basketball 2k3, but I loved the autoname feature. I hope NCAA 2004 gets this.

[sabotai]

CHEMICAL, there wasn't a PC version last year, so I doubt they'll be one this year.

[sooner333]

Originally posted by Pumpy Tudors
Huh? I thought we wanted fans pulling the goalposts down. You all have to make up your minds.

Yeah, its for the Ok St. Aggie fans who tear down the goalposts or storm the basketball court every time they beat a top 25 team in either the USA Today, AP, Sagarin, RPI, Solecismic, or Colley Matrix polls. If their rating also adds up to more than 25 with those polls, they will also tear down the goalposts. Then they'll wear the T-Shirt for years to come.

[rexallllsc]

Originally posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER
If Ncaa 's gameplay is as good as last years Im sold .
My dream comes true the 1945 Notre Dame team Vs. 2004 Ohio State team....what a game that would be .Now if they could improve the crowd animation ..l;

How about instead of crowd animation, the crowd sounds? I dont know any crowds that wait until AFTER a play is over to cheer. If a guy is breaking a 20 year run, the crowd should get louder and louder. if a QB throws a bomb, there should be a "ooohhhhh" and upon completion, everyone should go CRAZY....

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by rexallllsc
How about instead of crowd animation, the crowd sounds? I dont know any crowds that wait until AFTER a play is over to cheer. If a guy is breaking a 20 year run, the crowd should get louder and louder. if a QB throws a bomb, there should be a "ooohhhhh" and upon completion, everyone should go CRAZY....

Don't know about Madden yet, but in a NFL2k4 clip I saw, the crowd did get louder when Owens caught a pass and then proceeded to run 50+ yards for a TD. In fact, it was the best crowd reaction I've heard so far in a football game.


Todd

[illinifan999]

Got some new info:


Taken from NCAA Utopia


The SI covers feature pictures of real players on the teams (at whatever point in the dynasty you're at) and a "cover" of a real game-type situation within the SI mag setup. You can review all of them, from the pre-season edition all the way through, all season.

Coach Contracts have apparently been overhauled well. No longer are the "goals" or "parameters," so to speak, etched in stone. You won't get fired for not meeting every goal perfectly if you still did a good job and had a good record. Also, as you're playing, better teams can offer you a job.

Recruiting is still on a 5-week system, but you now have to try and "sell" each recruit on some aspect of your team when you first approach them. There are around 6 options, stuff like facilities, playing early, having time to develop, location close, location far, etc. Also, EA has actually implemented the feature of recruits responding to your game play style. It really WILL be hard for Nebraska to recruit good wideouts this year.

Create-A-Team evidently now has mascots available for created teams. Stadiums have been improved, etc and seems to be really improved.

Ton of new chants have been added including "overrated!" for if you're beating a higher-rated team at home.

You can "spend" recruiting points on trying to keep players that are leaving prematurely, if you wish.

The game also keeps track of your "ten greatest wins" somewhere in there, as well.

Source: Operation Sports via MaddenMania

Excited about using recruiting points to try to keep that talented junior from leaving. Be able to have mascots with create a team is nice, and I'm really interested in the pitch different aspects of your program.

[illinifan999]

Originally posted by rexallllsc
How about instead of crowd animation, the crowd sounds? I dont know any crowds that wait until AFTER a play is over to cheer. If a guy is breaking a 20 year run, the crowd should get louder and louder. if a QB throws a bomb, there should be a "ooohhhhh" and upon completion, everyone should go CRAZY....

Many people who have been able to preview the game said that this has been improved dramatically.

[KWhit]

Originally posted by illinifan999

Coach Contracts have apparently been overhauled well. No longer are the "goals" or "parameters," so to speak, etched in stone. You won't get fired for not meeting every goal perfectly if you still did a good job and had a good record.

This is a major improvement. I HATED it when I was fired just one season after winning a nat championship because I didn't make the top ten in the polls.

[Easy Mac]

Originally posted by bsak16
Southern: Appalachian State, Chattanooga, Citadel, East Tennessee State, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, Western Carolina, Wofford

This is all I've cared about for college sports games over the past 3 years, and the only reason I bought NCAA 2k3. This is enough of a reason for me to buy. Looks like my girl's ring is going to have to wait. I think I just filled the cup... Must go buy game.

[Kodos]

More info from a reliable guy at the IGN boards:

Electronic Arts will release the latest entry in its NCAA Football series on July 17.
NCAA Football 2004 will be available in stores on that date for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. This year’s biggest addition is the ability for PS2 owners to take the game online and play opponents—complete with EA Sports Talk functionality.
Other new features will include new trick plays, a “deeper” Dynasty mode—which will incorporate more awards and even magazine covers—and a long-awaited College Classics mode that will let players replay 20 of the greatest college matchups of all time. 150 new teams will also be added, including 36 Division 1-AA teams and 100 Classic teams.
NCAA Football 2004 will also be the first EA title to incorporate something called the EA Sports Bio, which will keep track of all EA Sports games played on a single console, and issue special content and rewards for players of multiple EA games.

Also read that Madden online will have a Fair Play mode which forces players to punt on 4th except in certain situations, and which addresses most of the complaints of cheating/cheesing online. Sounds good to me!

[Pumpy Tudors]

Yet still no mention of being able to generate a pass rush...

[MizzouRah]

I've read on os that sacks are better as well (at least in Madden). The moderator posting had about 3-4 sacks per game in the limited time he played. I would hope this translates over to NCAA as well.

It all seems to good to be true, I hope it all comes together without taking away from the gameplay.


Todd

[dawgfan]

Hmm, maybe I'm in the minority but I didn't think NCAA 2003 was that far off on pass rush/sack results. Based off of recollections (it's been a few months since I played) I was probably averaging 3-5 sacks per game on defense. I was playing a lot of 5-2 on first downs and bringing guys in off the edge or 4-3 and blitzing multiple LB's. I didn't think getting sacks was easy, but it seemed far from impossible...

Next to Halo2, this is the Xbox game I'm most looking forward to. With EA improving the poll logic and relaxing the requirements for coaching contracts, plus all the fun stuff like the old-time unis, school specific intros, stadium specific rituals/chants/sounds this game is going to rock.

[ice4277]

I agree with Dawg, I had an easier time getting sacks on NCAA than I did on Madden. However, it still seemed as though sack totals may have been a bit low in both.

[Super Ugly]

I'm so jealous. Once again it looks as though EA won't be releasing NCAA over here in Britain, even though the Madden series always does well. Maybe it's time I bought a US console and import the games instead of waiting for the companies to give us foreigners a break ...

[oykib]

Originally posted by Super Ugly
I'm so jealous. Once again it looks as though EA won't be releasing NCAA over here in Britain, even though the Madden series always does well. Maybe it's time I bought a US console and import the games instead of waiting for the companies to give us foreigners a break ...

Just get a chip. That alone doesn't make you a pirate.

[Aylmar]

Originally posted by sooner333
Yeah, its for the Ok St. Aggie fans who tear down the goalposts or storm the basketball court every time they beat a top 25 team in either the USA Today, AP, Sagarin, RPI, Solecismic, or Colley Matrix polls. If their rating also adds up to more than 25 with those polls, they will also tear down the goalposts. Then they'll wear the T-Shirt for years to come.

Except for the games where they beat Stoops...that doesn't seem to be such a big deal anymore.

Bob Stoops

7-1 against teams in the Top 10
1-2 against Oklahoma State

[mrsimperless]

I didn't see anything about fixing the not being able to use the swat passes as a DB feature on the XBOX. (It apparently worked fine on the PS2 and was DOCUMENTED as a working feature in the xbox manual, but it didn't work) Dammit, but this bug pissed me off!! Quit trying to screw the xbox owners already!!