NCAA Football 09 Video w/ Dave Ross: GameSpot

[J-Unit40]

Quote: Originally Posted by FlyingFinn

Players look like they are on ice. Haven't seen this much gliding/sliding in a football game in a long time.

I agree. Something looks off when they juke side to side. It's like they slide and the defense looks like they are skating. That's something that appears to be a staple with EA football games now. What's funny is that the recent EA soccer games have done a pretty good job with footplanting (FIFA 08 & Euro UEFA). I don't know much about Live since I only played the demo.

[rudyjuly2]

The game definately looks faster and I like this a lot. Its not too fast at all imo and a welcome change from last year. Pastapadre says there is more weight to the players this year as well which is good. The lighting has improved nicely and I can't tell much of anything else from this video.

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

The game definately looks faster and I like this a lot. Its not too fast at all imo and a welcome change from last year. Pastapadre says there is more weight to the players this year as well which is good. The lighting has improved nicely and I can't tell much of anything else from this video.

Yeah the speed is something that I really do like and I don't think the speed of last year's game was at all representative of D-1A college football.

[rudyjuly2]

Quote: Originally Posted by Moostache

The cycle of pre-release and post-release comments is as predictable as having a game released every year. For those who expect revolutionary gameplay and simulation changes, you will always be disappointed. If you have not figured that out by now, you are either 12 or have an IQ around that number.... The pattern plays itself out EVERY TIME: 1) new console released 2) "new" version of Madden / NCAA is developed on new engine 3) annual re-releases come out and tweak gameplay, player models and re-hash old features as "new" by bringing them over for the first time over a series of years. 4) new elements and gimmicks (HFA, Impact Players, Mascots/Cheerleaders) are added and subtracted each year 5) the game "peaks" after 3-4 years on a console and then backslides at the tail end of a generation. 6) lather, rinse, repeat...

This is very true. A big part of this is the life of a console and the constraints of the annual release for sports games. I hope that the lifespan of the 360/PS3 does reach a true 10 years so developers will actually make significant changes to an engine rather than small tweaks every year. Probably won't happen though.

I don't see EA moving to a Euphoria type engine which is unfortunate. However, I still think there are enough things that could be improved with this engine to make NCAA a truly great game. Just think of the things that most people are complaining about: INTs, CPU QB AI, passing pocket, presentation. These things were good on the PS2 (whether for NCAA or 2K games) so there is NO reason these things can't be good on a PS3/360. They don't need a new engine to fix them - just better programming.

[rudyjuly2]

Quote: Originally Posted by bad_philanthropy

Yeah the speed is something that I really do like and I don't think the speed of last year's game was at all representative of D-1A college football.

I agree. The fast gamebreakers just didn't feel right and the lack of big plays made the game more predictable. I loved the fear of playing against an impact player in '06 along with the big plays that could change a game. I hope that returns. While I got used to the speed of last year's game on the PS3, I missed the fast speed of the PS2 which made the game a lot more fun as well.

[JMD]

Quote: Originally Posted by AuburnAlumni

I swear...when I hear Peter Moore jabber on about "wide open gameplay", blah blah blah I want to punch him in the face. The run around, run around, throw deep offense seems to be in full effect, regardless of if he is playing on freshman difficulty. And Petey...NO ONE CELEBRATES WITH THE DAMN MASCOT! How hard is it to show a cutscene of the team RUNNING ONTO THE FIELD?!! Honestly...I'm serious. That would help the "atmosphere" Petey. Sorry, I'm just venting over stuff that should have been in and STAYED IN this series YEARS AGO. Still plan on buying it but Good lord I wish there were some guys in charge of this game that UNDERSTAND FOOTBALL. Not a bunch of geeks who have no clue that in reality....football games aren't 65-60 explosions with 17 turnovers a game and 3 penalties. End of rant.

Please note the bold part I highlighted in the above quote. This is the problem. We all know this game will be the same as last year with a few minor upgrades in the graphic's department. We will still complain about the lack of features the game will not have, yet some of you are still going to support EA by giving them your money. I really don't understand this thinking. If you buy a product and you're not happy with it, why in hell will you buy it again? Take a year off and make a statement, let EA see their sales drop and force them to do better.

I want a great realistic football game, NCAA and NFL, I really do, but if we all just keep buying this crap we will never get what we are looking for. Lets face facts , no other company is ever going to be able to give us an official NCAA or NFL football game, it's all on EA, they will most likely own the rights to the licenses forever and that's sad. But, if we keep supporting them nothing will change.

I can already feel myself being sucked in after seeing the Madden 09 trailer. I love football,. I watch 6 games at once during football season on my multi-TV Direct TV set up. I crave football video games. But how can I justify buying a new EA football game after the past 4 years of disappointment? The truth is I can't. This year I will rent both NCAA and Madden 09 instead of buying them on launch day. I know the millions of diehard fans will run right out and buy the game so my post here is worthless, but I wish just one year all the NCAA and Madden players would just step back and take a year off.
Then we'd get a football game.
End Rant.

[therizing02]

Quote: Originally Posted by JMD

Please note the bold part I highlighted in the above quote. This is the problem. We all know this game will be the same as last year with a few minor upgrades in the graphic's department. We will still complain about the lack of features the game will not have, yet some of you are still going to support EA by giving them your money. I really don't understand this thinking. If you buy a product and you're not happy with it, why in hell will you buy it again? Take a year off and make a statement, let EA see their sales drop and force them to do better. I want a great realistic football game, NCAA and NFL, I really do, but if we all just keep buying this crap we will never get what we are looking for. Lets face facts , no other company is ever going to be able to give us an official NCAA or NFL football game, it's all on EA, they will most likely own the rights to the licenses forever and that's sad. But, if we keep supporting them nothing will change. I can already feel myself being sucked in after seeing the Madden 09 trailer. I love football,. I watch 6 games at once during football season on my multi-TV Direct TV set up. I crave football video games. But how can I justify buying a new EA football game after the past 4 years of disappointment? The truth is I can't. This year I will rent both NCAA and Madden 09 instead of buying them on launch day. I know the millions of diehard fans will run right out and buy the game so my post here is worthless, but I wish just one year all the NCAA and Madden players would just step back and take a year off. Then we'd get a football game. End Rant.

I think we'd all like to believe that if we take a year off from buying this game that it will have an effect on the series and how it progresses. Unfortunately, the people that post here at OS, whether we (hardcore sim players) want to believe it or not, we are a fraction of the smallest fraction that buys this game.

Peter Moore has recently stated (about Madden) that his feedback from the general public was that the game was too hard or the ability to just pick it up and play was kind of difficult. He sees this as a problem. It would be reasonable to assume that the future of EA's games will be dumbed down from a difficulty standpoint so the casual gamer (the most important demographic to EA) can buy it and play it right out of the box. More casual gamers=more money for EA.

The casual gamer picks up the game, looks at the back of the box, sees the great pics, looks at the features, and says "wow this is going to be great." Buys the game, pops into the machine, and starts a game with his favorite team/alma mater. "Holy ****, they have the (choose team) stadium, and the mascot, and the fight song. This is very realistic." Do you think this guy notices any recruiting glitches? Depth chart problems? The ridiculous Super Sim feature? No pocket for QB? The pathetic CPU QB AI? Hell no!

Unfortunately, those are the most important customers to EA. Not us.

[D.Winn]

^^This guy has a point.

I think its pretty sad that people are like, "the lighting looks great!". Ok....im playing NCAA football, not Luigi's Mansion. The lighting is a factor, but if its a selling point, then count me out. The stadiums are upscaled and we know this because after every play there is a stadium shot instead of some form or presentation, lol. All of these "new" animations and we can't even get a ref on the field that will run and pick up the ball, but we can go over and dance with the mascot? NCAA is no longer for the hardcore fans, because just like the Wii, it is trying to attract casual gamers. What does that mean for us? Well....when you sign online to play expect people running around for 49 seconds and then launching the ball deep every time because they are "casual" and just want to have fun. Bee-Yeet!