NCAA Football 13 News Post

OS Roundtable: What do you think of the NCAA Football Gameplay Enhancements?

12:54 PM - April 18, 2012 by RaychelSnr

After yesterday's big gameplay reveals, we asked our staff what they thought of the game this year. There is a mix of excitement and healthy skepticism abound. Be sure to read on and share your thoughts at the end!

Read More - OS Roundtable: What do you think of the NCAA Football Gameplay Enhancements?

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# 21 Gotmadskillzson @ 04/18/12 04:31 PM

The whole thing with me is HOW OFTEN will this new stuff play out.

I mean they added 100s of new catch animations last year.......None of them played out unless you USER CATCHED, even then I only seen 3 or 4 different ones in NCAA 12.

Bull Rush Animation ? Never seen the CPU do it.......

100s of new tackles added last year ? Where ? I seen the same 5 tackle animations over and over.

Same thing with locomotion........Didn't see defenders slow down when they changed directions. Didn't see the difference between a 99 acceleration player from a 0 acceleration player.

So until they make it where these actually play out more often, with more variety, I have hard time believing they have 100s of various animations when I been playing the game to death and only see 5 different ones.

# 22 Retropyro @ 04/18/12 04:45 PM

I WANT it to be good and see all enhancements actually do what they say they will. But I'm just going to take a wait and see approach this year. No more buying into the hype for me.

# 23 Orangemann @ 04/18/12 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mm boost


	While you guys are wasting time saying too little, too late...I am saying, finally!! i can't wait to get my hands on this game. I've never lived my life being a negative nancy, and don't plan on changing that anytime soon. Instead of harping about that should have been in the game 3 years ago, why not appreciate the fact that it will be in the new game? I just don't understand the line of thinking for some of you guys. It's a video game guys...find ways to enjoy it for what it is worth. We will NEVER have a perfect football game...if you want real football, go outside and play.

Exactly this

# 24 Smoke6 @ 04/18/12 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mm boost


	While you guys are wasting time saying too little, too late...I am saying, finally!! i can't wait to get my hands on this game. I've never lived my life being a negative nancy, and don't plan on changing that anytime soon. Instead of harping about that should have been in the game 3 years ago, why not appreciate the fact that it will be in the new game? I just don't understand the line of thinking for some of you guys. It's a video game guys...find ways to enjoy it for what it is worth. We will NEVER have a perfect football game...if you want real football, go outside and play.

Know one is asking or expecting a "perfect" football game, this line keeps being used way too much and its out of context. The reason why guys are harping on this is for the fact that this stuff was in the game years ago or had been asked to be included in the game for so long that they are fed up.

After being told after said request "we dont have time", "we have maxxed out this engine or hardware", blah blah blah! And then we get it on the same hardware all of this was said to have been the reason for it not being in the game, is a slap in our faces.

To some of us it is a slap in the face and we see it as the devs were just not caring enough to put it in the game or give us any other type of indication besides what I mentioned above as to the reasoning behind it not being there at all.

Im in the boat of trying to have everything in the game that belongs in their from the start, then the process of elimination or tweaking shall begin. it just seems like EA doesnt even try to incorporate all of the nuances in the game before they start dismissing them from the game itself!

But there's your answer from my perspective, and the fact that most of us are getting a lil too old and been waiting yr after yr for that major upgrade thats not gonna come.

But these features are great to see and hear about but I will be waitiing from some true hands on impressions from people who know whats up.

# 25 LastExit @ 04/18/12 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retropyro


	I WANT it to be good and see all enhancements actually do what they say they will. But I'm just going to take a wait and see approach this year. No more buying into the hype for me.

Ditto....I've been playing this game for a decade and always got the game as soon as it came out but this year I'm going to wait and see what the final product actually looks like. I don't remember when EA sent the first patch last year but I'd like to wait for that to go through for this game.

Great summaries of the first two podcast reveals. I wish they would have a podcast titled "Goodbye to all of that" where they show the bugs that they have corrected (audio of crowd swells out of sync during kickoffs......players rolling the ball forward on the ground after a play is over out of sync.......defenders still getting caught offsides during a hurry-up offense.....etc.).

# 26 unfriendlyghst @ 04/18/12 05:36 PM

These improvements are a welcome sight for sore eyes and hopefully this is the begining of the implimentation of real football scenarios.

One thing that I heard the Devs say a few times in the gameplay live stream was, "It just didn't look realistic (so we got rid of it and replaced it with ____)" I really like the sound of that and I know that these things maybe said every year but still good to hear.

# 27 The_Gaming_Disciple @ 04/18/12 07:32 PM

To all the EA developers who scan these boards...please...please...read and comprehend carefully. Your true hardcore game fans have lost confidence in you. Your stock is continuously falling and reaching new lows on the market. Your exclusive rights deal is soon coming to an end. The competition is lurking...your NBA Elite...aka Jesus pose moment is coming sooner than you think...you will be forced to scrap this engine and start all over...face the music...or repeat the demise that was NBA Elite.

"These words have been spoken, so that those who hear might believe"

# 28 Boilerbuzz @ 04/18/12 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenglund


	The two I think of are the 5- and 7-step dropbacks and the trajectories. These are just basic football pieces that should have always been in the game, so it makes it a little frustrating to read about.

Frustration. Thank you. I couldn't put my finger on the emotion. Anyone else feel that these "enhancements" would have already been in the game 6 or 7 years ago if there was competition in the market? I'm just saying that these don't have to be new, but they should have LONG been in the game already and there is enough brainpower in Florida to have gotten this done already. A blueprint was already out there for them to work with and they chose not to do it.

With that said, I'm glad SOME movement is being made in this regard and I will consider, finally, getting a football game this year. But I need a bigger draw. These should have been icing. Not the cake.

# 29 Boilerbuzz @ 04/18/12 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unfriendlyghst


	These improvements are a welcome sight for sore eyes and hopefully this is the begining of the implimentation of real football scenarios. One thing that I heard the Devs say a few times in the gameplay live stream was, "It just didn't look realistic (so we got rid of it and replaced it with ____)" I really like the sound of that and I know that these things maybe said every year but still good to hear.

Frankly, I don't care if something *looks* realistic. If it *is* realistic, the looks will naturally follow suit. Nothing should go into the game that doesn't start from that premise of being realistic at the foundation. This was my problem with EA football and NBA Elite was a prime example of their current (apparent) philosophy and how it can go horribly wrong. In terms of football, if they implemented a REAL ball physics engine, the trajectories should not have to be baked or predetermined! So, I still have an issue with that part. Of course it doesn't need to be a full Navier-Stokes evaluation. But something close would have been great. The current platforms are MORE than capable and it baffles me why they have yet to do some of these things. This *look* thing has me worried about the QB dropbacks. It's not just LOOKS. There's a point to the dropbacks and if they didn't approach this from THAT element, the dropbacks will be worthless.

I'm still looking for realistic defensive play structure, line-interactions, double team, etc...

# 30 tbook24 @ 04/18/12 08:56 PM

their is no 5 yard bump rule in college football. i want to see that nano blitz stuff worked on because it really takes away from football strategy

# 31 tizorch @ 04/18/12 11:36 PM

Unimpressed. Until they overhaul the collision physics and real life momentum physics it will still be the same ol' game with a few cosmetic upgrades each year.

# 32 btemp @ 04/19/12 12:11 AM

Totally unimpressed. As someone who first picked up NCAA Football 11 I loved it, I thought it was significantly better than Madden both on and off the field (just a musing, but I wondered if that's because NCAA was less concerned with gimmicks and minor graphics changes). Probably the best football game I've played since Madden 05/2k5 (both great games). But NCAA Football 12 was completely unplayable for me, I played 2 games and it was so incredibly glitchy I put it down waiting for a patch - which was a first, even horrible versions of Madden (hello 07) I found more playable. The patch took so long I literally haven't picked up NCAA since. That was an expensive $60 I spent.

Two points from this:

a) I now have a deep distrust of "promises" EA makes, particularly the NCAA team. Some people will say this is naive, but while EA is no one's favourite company I've usually found that what was promised was in the game. It wasn't perfect, and it may not be what we wanted, but it was there. With NCAA 12 the game for me, and many others, was flat-out broken. I'm very sceptical that these improvements will actually play as claimed. I suspect that when the game comes out, all these changes will unbalance the game and it will be again glitchy until a patch comes out months later. Fool me once...

b) These improvements are so far overdue. Its ridiculous that basic things like 3,5,7 step drops are just NOW getting in the game, or that "psychic" defenders have been broken for years. This is the 8th year of Madden on next gen and they're finally putting this in?

c) The game just looks... bad. I watched the latest gameplay trailer and the whole thing was very ugly. Plus, even more basic things like O/D line interaction just doesn't work. No need to go into detail, but its embarrassing how bad the O and D lines work.

Anyway, consider me a former NCAA player that hasn't seen anything near enough to get me to touch NCAA 13.

# 33 cmidd @ 04/19/12 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slingblade73


	I think they should retail the game at $30 this year out of good will.

If indeed they are turning over a new leaf, they should do this, hell do it b/c they still haven't fixed the o-line problems Jayson mentioned.

# 34 sk @ 04/19/12 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btemp


	Totally unimpressed. As someone who first picked up NCAA Football 11 I loved it, I thought it was significantly better than Madden both on and off the field (just a musing, but I wondered if that's because NCAA was less concerned with gimmicks and minor graphics changes). Probably the best football game I've played since Madden 05/2k5 (both great games). But NCAA Football 12 was completely unplayable for me, I played 2 games and it was so incredibly glitchy I put it down waiting for a patch - which was a first, even horrible versions of Madden (hello 07) I found more playable. The patch took so long I literally haven't picked up NCAA since. That was an expensive $60 I spent. Two points from this: a) I now have a deep distrust of "promises" EA makes, particularly the NCAA team. Some people will say this is naive, but while EA is no one's favourite company I've usually found that what was promised was in the game. It wasn't perfect, and it may not be what we wanted, but it was there. With NCAA 12 the game for me, and many others, was flat-out broken. I'm very sceptical that these improvements will actually play as claimed. I suspect that when the game comes out, all these changes will unbalance the game and it will be again glitchy until a patch comes out months later. Fool me once... b) These improvements are so far overdue. Its ridiculous that basic things like 3,5,7 step drops are just NOW getting in the game, or that "psychic" defenders have been broken for years. This is the 8th year of Madden on next gen and they're finally putting this in? c) The game just looks... bad. I watched the latest gameplay trailer and the whole thing was very ugly. Plus, even more basic things like O/D line interaction just doesn't work. No need to go into detail, but its embarrassing how bad the O and D lines work. Anyway, consider me a former NCAA player that hasn't seen anything near enough to get me to touch NCAA 13.

I have two points to get across.

1) Nobody is holding a gun to your head telling you to buy this game. If you really don't want to spend 60 bucks on it, then go play it at a friends house, or wait a week and buy a used copy at gamestop. Try the game out, if you don't like it then just return it.

I don't get why so many people say "I spent 60 bucks, these guys scammed me". It's not that hard to think of ways to test it out without paying for it.

You can go to a friend who has the game, you can purchase a used copy from gamestop which is always refundable, or you can replay the demo enough times for you to get a feel for the game.

2) There's something that a lot of people don't seem to understand in the world of marketing.

Are a lot of these things that they are bringing out overdue? From a fan's point of view yes. These are basic things that should have been included in the world most realistic sim football game.

HOWEVER, from the developers standpoint, they need something to add every year.

If everybody got their wish and EA added every single thing possible in NCAA 13, who is going to go buy NCAA 14 for a different cover case?

Rosters? Nope. There are people here on OS that would just make new rosters. If there was nothing to improve on, they would lost tons of money.

I'm not saying I enjoy getting these features way later, but I most certainly understand why they stagger these features unlike a lot of 10 year olds on here that cry about how they get scammed 60 bucks because they don't know how to think.

# 35 feeq14 @ 04/19/12 06:46 AM

I am not one of those impossible to please overly entitled gamers who complains about every nitpick and missing element (i did rage against mass effect 3 a bit but thats neither here nor there) BUT: if they did all of this fixing to psychic defenses and do nothing to address defensive psychic playcalling i will be highly pissed.

Running the spread option is rendered moot if i come out in 5 wide and the defense is in a 4-3 because they know im running.

# 36 PowerofRed25 @ 04/19/12 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisxsong


	I have two points to get across. 1) Nobody is holding a gun to your head telling you to buy this game. If you really don't want to spend 60 bucks on it, then go play it at a friends house, or wait a week and buy a used copy at gamestop. Try the game out, if you don't like it then just return it. I don't get why so many people say "I spent 60 bucks, these guys scammed me". It's not that hard to think of ways to test it out without paying for it. You can go to a friend who has the game, you can purchase a used copy from gamestop which is always refundable, or you can replay the demo enough times for you to get a feel for the game. 2) There's something that a lot of people don't seem to understand in the world of marketing. Are a lot of these things that they are bringing out overdue? From a fan's point of view yes. These are basic things that should have been included in the world most realistic sim football game. HOWEVER, from the developers standpoint, they need something to add every year. If everybody got their wish and EA added every single thing possible in NCAA 13, who is going to go buy NCAA 14 for a different cover case? Rosters? Nope. There are people here on OS that would just make new rosters. If there was nothing to improve on, they would lost tons of money. I'm not saying I enjoy getting these features way later, but I most certainly understand why they stagger these features unlike a lot of 10 year olds on here that cry about how they get scammed 60 bucks because they don't know how to think.

#1 is a valid point although as another thread on OS shows, we buy the game because it's all there is to represent college football. If there were other options, I have no doubt most of us would utilize them. But there aren't. In this case, the exclusive license IS a gun to our head. Most of us only play one or two games a year and for the last decade, NCAA is one of them.

#2 completely misses the point. We aren't talking groundbreaking stuff that is getting put in, we're talking stuff that is basic football. Not extras, not fancy things; basic fundamental football like players looking for the ball and quarterbacks taking proper drops. These aren't things that get held back just to have something new for next year.

It will take EA a half dozen development cycles just to scratch the surface of things that need to be fixed and added to this game. And even IF they get to the point where they can't possibly add more to the realistic college football experience, there will ALWAYS be room for yearly improvement. Whether it be graphics, improving sound mixes, fixing problems that arise (something EA struggles with), adding on to the database of animations/cut scenes, adding game modes and on down the line.

That is how you market a sports video game. You get it right and then you subtly REFINE the game on a year to year basis. EA fails miserably in that their crowning achievement each year is simply getting the basics right. That is if they work, a 50-50 proposition at best.

Your fundamental premise is wrong and you need look no farther than games like FIFA, Tiger Woods, NBA 2K or MLB The Show as proof. All of those series have had the basics down for years and they REFINE their game on a yearly basis. They need not make significant changes to game play or game modes; all they do is polish what they have, tweak a few things based on consumer feedback or add a new feature as technology improvements dictate but that is that. Each one of those series are hugely popular, MUCH more-so than NCAA football.

EA's NCAA series is so far behind the times that it is frankly very troubling wondering what has been going on for the last 3-5 years. While all those other games just need a yearly polish, the NCAA series is still trying to make football players look like football players and make game modes actually operate correctly (and has so far failed at both, by the way).

We live in a world where every blade of grass on a virtual golf course replicates the real thing, where you can play a 5 on 5 basketball game with 10 users and where you can play an entire baseball career from the eyes of a player that looks just like you. Tell me why, in 2012, we're just now getting a college football game where players look for the ball and quarterbacks take realistic drops to throw.

# 37 Scrapps @ 04/19/12 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mm boost


	While you guys are wasting time saying too little, too late...I am saying, finally!! i can't wait to get my hands on this game. I've never lived my life being a negative nancy, and don't plan on changing that anytime soon. Instead of harping about that should have been in the game 3 years ago, why not appreciate the fact that it will be in the new game? I just don't understand the line of thinking for some of you guys. It's a video game guys...find ways to enjoy it for what it is worth. We will NEVER have a perfect football game...if you want real football, go outside and play.

You are absolutely right. When i get home from work, I'll just round up 21 of my friends for an intense game of football. I just happen to have uniforms and pads in my shed. I mean, people don't have jobs, do they? Wives? Kids? Responsibilities? While I'm at it, who needs MLB the show? I'll just call another 17 pals and we can set up a doubleheader for Saturday. You've opened a whole new horizon for me. Thanks EA!

# 38 roadman @ 04/19/12 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerofRed25


	#1 is a valid point although as another thread on OS shows, we buy the game because it's all there is to represent college football. If there were other options, I have no doubt most of us would utilize them. But there aren't. In this case, the exclusive license IS a gun to our head. Most of us only play one or two games a year and for the last decade, NCAA is one of them. #2 completely misses the point. We aren't talking groundbreaking stuff that is getting put in, we're talking stuff that is basic football. Not extras, not fancy things; basic fundamental football like players looking for the ball and quarterbacks taking proper drops. These aren't things that get held back just to have something new for next year. It will take EA a half dozen development cycles just to scratch the surface of things that need to be fixed and added to this game. And even IF they get to the point where they can't possibly add more to the realistic college football experience, there will ALWAYS be room for yearly improvement. Whether it be graphics, improving sound mixes, fixing problems that arise (something EA struggles with), adding on to the database of animations/cut scenes, adding game modes and on down the line. That is how you market a sports video game. You get it right and then you subtly REFINE the game on a year to year basis. EA fails miserably in that their crowning achievement each year is simply getting the basics right. That is if they work, a 50-50 proposition at best. Your fundamental premise is wrong and you need look no farther than games like FIFA, Tiger Woods, NBA 2K or MLB The Show as proof. All of those series have had the basics down for years and they REFINE their game on a yearly basis. They need not make significant changes to game play or game modes; all they do is polish what they have, tweak a few things based on consumer feedback or add a new feature as technology improvements dictate but that is that. Each one of those series are hugely popular, MUCH more-so than NCAA football. EA's NCAA series is so far behind the times that it is frankly very troubling wondering what has been going on for the last 3-5 years. While all those other games just need a yearly polish, the NCAA series is still trying to make football players look like football players and make game modes actually operate correctly (and has so far failed at both, by the way). We live in a world where every blade of grass on a virtual golf course replicates the real thing, where you can play a 5 on 5 basketball game with 10 users and where you can play an entire baseball career from the eyes of a player that looks just like you. Tell me why, in 2012, we're just now getting a college football game where players look for the ball and quarterbacks take realistic drops to throw.

I agree with some of this, but if EA was putting in extra stuff, fancy things, as in recent years, you'd hear backlash, too. So, with your point, they are darned if they do and darned if they don't.

I agree, this stuff should have been done yesteryear, but there isn't anything we can do to change that.

Even with games like COD, our son was son so disappointed with the changes in the last one, he said, don't get that series again. The 2k hoops forums here were just as loud or louder with 2k 12 issues. And every year, I pop in the MLB Show forums and people are complaining about the incremental upgrades for the last few years.

If these features work as advertised, this could be a good step in the right direction with NCAA, finally, but we will see.

No one was as frustrated as me with NCAA last year. The lack of communication with all the bugs was terrible and lackadaisical.

# 39 jwilphl @ 04/19/12 09:55 AM

I admit I haven't been paying much attention to this year's game (since I already know I'm not buying it), but after looking at what they claim to be gameplay enhancements, I found most of that stuff wasn't even gameplay per se.

Also there was no mention of fixing the STILL AWFUL line play. They claim to have removed all warping and sliding but it definitely still exists. Honestly I just wonder if this is stuff they simply CAN'T fix because the fundamental game engine is so flawed? If that's the case, their angle really makes sense. Add more fluff (i.e. pre-game entrances that quite honestly add nothing to the bulk of the experience) until the engine can be redone. Although that, too, remains a question mark: will the engine ever be replaced? It sure as heck needs to be.

As I said I'm not buying, but I'll follow along out of curiosity and to perhaps guess at what will need done for '14 when I may purchase. Regardless, I would remain highly skeptical of any so-called improvements based on track record, and that certainly includes the sound department.

# 40 ultralow36 @ 04/19/12 10:11 AM

There is no way EA can we with y'all ...Its very funny on here 1st y'all complained and ask why this is not in there or that not in....then when they start trying to fix it you stay it should have already been in there and to top that off you want better passing, super lb gone, DB play improved ...OK we listened to y'all so let's right the ship....and then boom it want work right anyways so what's the point.....see they can't win...

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