NCAA Football 12 Title Update #3 Sent to Microsoft and Sony

[DorianDonP]

Player tendencies make a difference, from my experiences, but only with the QB position. Past that, I don't see what the difference between a "balanced" DE and a "pass rushing" DE. The reason it's so noticeable with QBs is because the games can feel different if you are playing a scrambling QB. And that presents challenge.

The tendency issue IMO is really just exposing that it's not sophisticated, or even realistic. Every player plays the same, tackles the same, runs the same.

Going forward, tendencies need to be something with depth, and not just something that may give a hard hitting CB a big hit (that unrealistically comes after swatting a pass he cant see) animation a few times a game.

With NBA 2k, tendencies are so deep that almost every player you see will have a unique way to play the game. The only way to make differences in the players in NCAA is to make their attributes really good, or really bad. It's as if the team doesn't realize that ratings should ride the back of player traits/tendencies, and not the other way around.

For example, there should be several running styles to choose from when a player is created. Some players run high, and it affects their ability to run someone over (unless they have some insane attributes), and some run low. There should be several throwing animation (releases) for QBs, which will make recruiting a QB more specific to the style you want. Do you want a QB who has a quick release, if it may reduce his throwing power, or someone with a longer release, if it maximizes his throwing power?

There should be a trait that relates to having a high motor. So guys with that tendency will finish plays, while guys who don't may take plays off. That way you could have a 77 rated DE that you like playing over the 90 rated DE who is lazy.

Or how about doing away with "awareness", since it is really the difference between a great and bad player in NCAA, and simulate that difference in players by making coaching ratings. That QB with great attributes that is being recruited might have a 66 rating with the Georgia Tech team recruiting him, but be a 77 with the Georgia coaching staff recruiting him.

Imagine recruits that can have 120 different ratings when they first step on campus. Their speed, agility, acceleration, arm strength, and ratings like that remain the same. But how their player tendencies and traits match up with the coaching staff determines their overall. And on the field, what you prefer as a style determines who you start. If you have a 5 star, 90 ranked blue chip QB but you don't like his throwing style and slow release because it results in picks and sacks, then you may start the lesser talented former 3 star 78 rated senior QB because you like the way he controls. More talented players are benched all of the time in real life.

Or how about instead of an "awareness" rating that limits all freshman, how about having a freshman only being able to know a certain percentage of the playbook? So if you are starting a true freshman game 1 of the season, the "squiggly lines" that appear when you bring up the art in a hostile enviornment also appears squiggly in the play select menu. SO lets say, only half of the playbook appears normally. Might see some players sitting that stud freshman QB and going with their junior or senior until that player can learn the playbook. I say that is more in tune with what really is happening than a 38 awareness rating.

Before I draft a player in 2k I actually scout them to see how they play. I need to "test play" with them in a 3 on 3 or 1 on 1 game. In NCAA, I simply go after pipeline players with good star ratings. I don't care to look at anything else, including tendencies or stats. If more depth was given to tendencies, I would actually put in time (fun time) looking at the players themselves. And oh man, how nice would it be to be able to play with the recruit in a HS game or some kind of HS camp or all star game or something that would let me know how they play on the field.

I'm getting way too ahead of myself, right? But this is what I think of when I start to critically look at the player tendency issue in NCAA 12. It's so generic and bone dry, that I really don't even care to invest energy into caring if it's fixed. Cuz even the "fixed" version of lacks a ton.

I guess what I'm saying is I really don't think having a random QB 3-4 years in my dynasty take off running more with patch 3, will ease the boredom I have with the way the players play with the other 21 positions.

Part of the joy of 2k is having unique play all over the floor. So many times I play a lower rated player because I like his style of play better than the higher rated player.

With size not mattering in this game, and tendencies not being much more than "does he run or not" feature, then recruiting becomes nothing more than trying to find the highest rated player. I remember a thread on this forum asking "which players should i recruit for a 3-4 defense," and all I could do was smirk. "The same as you would recruit for any defense...just find the highest rated players you can," is what my answer was. I mean, what is the actual difference between a 6'1 196 OLB that is a hard hitter, and a 6'4 250 pound OLB that is balanced?

It's obvious to me the more I think about this that player tendencies, coupled with coaching preferences, and player physics is the future of football games, with ratings become the 4th thing that ties it all together. But EA football is lagging behind with an archaic approach to how football should be simulated.

Someone said they wouldn't be surprised if NCAA hid tendencies in 2013. Removing features instead of working on them seems to be something most of us aren't surprised by anymore.

I'm not only not looking forward to Patch 3, but I'm also weary of the long-run approach to improving this series that EA is taking.

Is the game playable? Yes, it is. I can still pop it in and play it (provided it doesnt freeze) for a few enjoyable hours. But for me, it is no longer a way to become immersed in a football simulation, especially dynasty. It's gonna take more than patches and tweaks to get back there.

/rant

[Colt45]

EA just tweeted out that the patch will be available Friday.

http://twitter.com/#!/EANCAAFootball...86905222447104

[ABR173rd]

UPDATE: Title Update #3 addressing the "No Huddle" issue has made it through first party certification and will be available Friday (10/7).
Via Twitter

[Aranor]

It is becoming pretty common for EA to ignore its own fans. Fix the "no huddle" and the rest will be all right. So many things that will go unfinished its no wonder they fell behind in basketball. This is pretty much why I don't get EA games. Shame on me for being lured in by the coaching carousel when I knew that their games were flawed. Just remember people next year NOT to believe in all the hype because they said the same thing this year. The crowd was supposed to be louder, zone coverage was supposed to be improved, etc. Lies lies lies...

[Strings74]

So wait, all this patch does is fix the stuff that the last patch broke?

Uh boy.

[coogrfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Strings74

So wait, all this patch does is fix the stuff that the last patch broke?

Would you prefer that they didn't fix it?

[BGarrett7]

Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

Would you prefer that they didn't fix it?

Probably, gives them more to complain about.

[Aranor]

I think what a lot would prefer is to fix more of what they screwed up in the first place ie. Recruit tendencies, blocking etc.