NCAA Football 09 Patch Announcement

[DrUrsus]

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

I don't think gameplay is flawed (*puts on flame ******ant suit*). There are areas that need improvement, sure. But SO MUCH goes into game play it will make your head spin. Personally, I have always controlled a defensive lineman, 70% of the time a tackle, and I don't find much difference between 08 and 09. I get to the QB a couple times a game and that is what I would expect. Please keep in mind that gameplay is a totally different team. We split that out into a specialized team a couple years ago. So I'm not an expert on this stuff. I think the problem is that the short passing stuff is always there. That is why they don't go deep, and that is why the QB rarely feels pressure. I mean... if the easy 5-7 yards is there, why not just take it unless it is 3rd down and you need more? But as I said before.. I'm a feature guy, not an X and O guy. Variety is very important to making a game that sells right?

Some college QBs (and NFL) don't take the easy 5-7 yard "dump". They try to force long throws even though there may be an open man underneath. I would recommend in the future (pass this on to the gameplay guys) that they have a QB intelligence rating or several involving decision making about passing. This would allow the user to tweak this very important aspect of the game. Guys like Joe Montana and in recent years Peyton Manning learned to take what was given to them, but you still have guys like Rex Grossman that force things. He would be low on my QB intelligence (and by the way QB awareness never worked this way), and guys like Tom Brady (although it ills me to say it) and Peyton Manning would be high on the QB IQ. Just a thought that would tremendously help gameplay.

[ElroyJetson]

k i cant download the patch when it comes out because im not connected to the internet with my ps3 , can some one please send me the patch via email at [email protected] ?? it would be greatly appericiated

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

question has anyone heard any status update on the patch?

[DrUrsus]

Quote: Originally Posted by simgameonly

Hey Auburn I am preparing myself for some frustration on this one. Its becoming clear that some of the gameplay fixes hoped for in "patch 2" are going to run smack dab into a brick wall of the EA corporate vision of "wide open gameplay" God, I hope I am wrong but the handwriting may be on the wall on this one based on what I am reading.

I just hope they fix the SLIDERS and RETURNS issues gameplay wise at the very least. I used to be in the videogame and computer business and trust me, looking into the sliders and fixing them could be done VERY EASILY. You know I'm right, OMT. If they are indeed broken then this should be addressed and it can be easily fixed unless someone really screwed up.

[nstod]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrUrsus

I used to be in the videogame and computer business and trust me, looking into the sliders and fixing them could be done VERY EASILY.

Then you should also know that it could be very easy or very difficult. It depends on what level it is broken. It could be a fix to one class, or a fix to dozens of classes. It just depends on where the issue(s) are.

[davin]

While I think the sliders working would help (and help a lot in regards to being able to fine tune the cpu without giving the human bonuses), I don't think that alone can fix the defense.

I used to be apart of the pass rush isn't a huge issue crowd, but the more I play, the more it has bugged me. I didn't sack the QB once as OSU against an FCS team. Not once. On one play my entire DL was on the ground. The CPU seems to have this amazing ability to put our DL on the ground. If this were real life I am pretty sure we'd see a discussion of how "dirty" the teams the cpu used were with the OL. I also want pressure when I do get it to have more of an effect. It takes a special QB to stand in the pocket with a DL charging at him to step into the throw into the middle of the field and take the hit. But these QBs for the most part not only can do that, but they become virtual Peyton Mannings. I'm not asking for the pass rush to dominate the game, but I want pressure to at least be attainable. If I am lucky enough to get sacks in some games, it is just because the CPU holds the ball too long on screens. It isn't just guys being upset that used to nano blitz, my playcalling patterns last year on defense might use one blitz sending 6 guys every 12 plays or so. Now my blitzes of 7 get stone walled by 5 OL. That is James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, Ross Homan (two 90+, one 85+), Lawrence Wilson (90+), Cam Heyward (85+), Todd Denlinger (85+), Dexter Larrimore (85+) being stone walled by an FCS team on a consistant basis. For comparison, I watch my DL on run plays. My guys can get amazing penetration on a blitz or even without it. It is like on run plays, when the OL is trying to push my guys away, the DL gain ultra strength and can push through it.

The zones are another problem that really need to be looked into. Running zone is almost pointless because my guys are not going to react the way they should. Zone defenses are not set up to last for 8 seconds. No defense is really planned for that, except maybe prevent (which unless it is a hail mary isn't entirely effective). My guys play zone at maybe a high school level. They quite often drop back way past their assignment, and if they do stay in it, will refuse to recognize a guy coming across the screen into his zone. That is fine for a lower ranked guy, but the highly ranked guy should at least be aware of it.

Pursuit angles are also pretty bad. This isn't as high of priority to me, but it is still bad. It is amazing to watch the cpu players as you turn the corner. Most of the time, they have the angle, but abandon it. At the very least they should try to force you into a move. I wouldn't complain if it was the CPU just simply being overwhelmed by a Ted Ginn or Reggie Bush out there, but it is far more than that. Go run in open space where it looks like the CPU has the angle at first when you are using turbo, then watch as they give up their angle. Now stop using turbo, and they correct their angles. I have actually stopped myself from scoring just because I felt bad that my 89 speed running back was shredding FSU's defense on a big run because they forgot how to take angles on plays.

The game still is fun, more fun than last years. But the fun of being a great defensive team isn't there as much anymore. Now I am only bringing up the negative and not writing what I think the game does right, which is a much bigger list. I love the new running system and think that alone could lead to "wide open gameplay". Sliders could really help in some aspects like I said before such as the run game where I do not need a boost on my ratings but the cpu does. It is challenging for me NOT to have 1500 yards rushing on the year with my lead RB, but I need the sliders where they are or else the cpu run game dies.

[DrUrsus]

Quote: Originally Posted by simgameonly

Co-sign and a big old agreement with Auburn on this one. I think what some of us think slipped past the testers, might be a gross misunderstanding. The game plays like it does for a reason fellas, its becoming more obvious

The fact is that many people that work in the video game business just don't understand sports as well as the hard core sports fan or those of us who actually played the sport. I'm not sure how much input EA is getting from athletes or knowledgable people now, but it would certainly help if they are not.

[DrUrsus]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

Thanks Adam for that list. I don't think kickoff returns are that bad but punt returns are far too easy (on AA). I DO think sliders could fix some of these issues even if not completely. The lack of a pass rush could be helped by exagerrating the sliders a little more. Its more of an issue on Heisman I think although my comments are mainly about offline play where I can use sliders. If they fix the returns and sliders I would be in heaven. The one other big thing for me is to get the cpu to throw deep. That's more important to me than the pass rush issues.

rudyjuly, Don't you think that the kickoff return team always gets to far up the field, even for college football. I am hardly ever stopped anywhere near the 20 yard line. The CPU usually makes it to at least the 30 on me, and I usually make it to the 40. I would have to handicap myself (which I HATE to do in videogames, I hate house rules and such) and not use the sprint button at all and I still think I would make the 25 at least every time. The problem I see on AA and Heisman is that the blockers stonewall or knock down the defense. Do you see that (serious question) as well? What's everyone else seeing?