NCAA Football 14 News Post

Operation Sports - Press Row Podcast: Episode 22 - NCAA Ultimate Team Mode Interview

09:59 AM - May 15, 2013 by Steve_OS

It’s Episode 22 of the Press Row Podcast, a special Press Row One-on-One with NCAA Football 14 producer Ben Haumiller (@benhaumiller) and host Richard Grisham (@richgrisham) dedicated to the all-new NCAA Ultimate Team Mode – also known as “the mode they said couldn’t be done.” We talk all about how Ultimate Team came about for a college game, the different ways that players are being incorporated into the mode, and all the details about how the game is structured and played. In other words, everything you ever wanted to know about Ultimate Team but were afraid to ask.

This is the second of a series of shows we’ll do with Ben as NCAA Football 14 information comes out, so let us know what you think and send us some questions and thoughts you’d like us to ask Ben in the future.

Do it one of these ways:

1) Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast and send us some Tweets while you’re there
2) Email the show at [email protected]
3) Respond to this post

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes, so subscribe and rate it too! The link is here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/o...563624090?mt=2

Enjoy the show!

Run Time: 53:01

If you can't view or listen to the embedded player below, please click here.

Game: NCAA Football 14Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 54 - View All

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Member Comments

# 41 jpdavis82 @ 05/15/13 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davo1021


	In MUT, the players wear their normal number. I've never seen random numbers. Night Train Lane, a CB from the 50's, wears #81 but he wore that in real life.

Otto Graham wears 60

# 42 hossafan91 @ 05/15/13 08:43 PM

hope they get more "famous" college guys who didn't play in the NFL. would love to have guys like Ivory Christen (Friday night lights) and other fan favorites.

# 43 Lawdawg25 @ 05/15/13 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hossafan91


	hope they get more "famous" college guys who didn't play in the NFL. would love to have guys like Ivory Christen (Friday night lights) and other fan favorites.

Yeah there's probably a ton of great college players who didn't do crap in the NFL. Hopefully we see some. Jason White is someone who comes to mind.

# 44 Aggies7 @ 05/15/13 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA2929


	Looks interesting, and this is coming from a guy who never plays UT modes. I'll probably give it a shot until the rosters come out.

Will probably try it but I really wish EA would have perfected or tried to perfect existing modes and gameplay first.

As it seems every year EA adds a gimmick mode.

# 45 Timeetyo @ 05/15/13 09:18 PM

Very interesting.

I am likely never going to play this mode as I really dislike random online games, but the way I look at it is this - if including this mode brings in lots of $ - that will only benefit everyone who plays NCAA regardless of the mode you prefer.

# 46 Wildcats302 @ 05/15/13 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timeetyo


	Very interesting. I am likely never going to play this mode as I really dislike random online games, but the way I look at it is this - if including this mode brings in lots of $ - that will only benefit everyone who plays NCAA regardless of the mode you prefer.

I'd play this if I could do the season/playoff thing off-line but apparently you cannot. My internet is inconsistent and I hate trying to play someone and then it cutting out at the start of the 4th quarter, not fair to them and sucks for me.

# 47 Timeetyo @ 05/15/13 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildcats302


	I'd play this if I could do the season/playoff thing off-line but apparently you cannot. My internet is inconsistent and I hate trying to play someone and then it cutting out at the start of the 4th quarter, not fair to them and sucks for me.

Agreed - if they could make this mode work offline against AI I would dive in, but I know that goes against what they really want - which is the online social experience (and addiction).

# 48 reginald_rush @ 05/15/13 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timeetyo


	Agreed - if they could make this mode work offline against AI I would dive in, but I know that goes against what they really want - which is the online social experience (and addiction).

Most games played in MUT are against the AI. Your collection is kept on the EA server, that is the only reason I can think of that online is a must.

# 49 jello1717 @ 05/15/13 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reginald_rush


	Most games played in MUT are against the AI. Your collection is kept on the EA server, that is the only reason I can think of that online is a must.

It's my understanding that MUT didn't have the promotion/relegation -> tournament setup that's apparently extremely popular with FIFA.

# 50 BA2929 @ 05/15/13 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggies7


	Will probably try it but I really wish EA would have perfected or tried to perfect existing modes and gameplay first. As it seems every year EA adds a gimmick mode.

I've came to the realization that EA just isn't going to just have a year where they just improve/perfect the game, and that we'll always be stuck with some mode I'll play once then never fire it up again. Which will probably be the case with UT.

It's a shame they feel the need to add a gimmick mode like UT every year, actually. But, we have nobody to blame but ourselves and fellow gamers. Making statements about not spending "my $60" on a repeat of a yearly game has gotten us to the point where EA thinks "we have to put a new feature into the game EVERY YEAR or nobody will buy it!" I'm sure 85% of the people on OS would, but I'm talking about the average gamer here.

# 51 kingsofthevalley @ 05/15/13 10:36 PM

I'll tell ya the only thing thats on my mind honestly. Fingers crossed that all of the scanned face models and any unique equipment in this mode is open for use in the standard editor. I.....will......be.....in......heaven if it is. If any of the game changers or ANYONE that has a link to the devs please tell them not to lock the aesthetic options. Any equipment, face models, etc need to be available in the standard dynasty mode editor.

Actually, does anyone have one of these guys twitter? Is it Chase B thats on the team now thats a member here? Seriously, I need to get at one of these dudes most expediently before its too late. I dont think this would be a complicated task at all. Its just if they're prompted to do it or not is what it comes down to I think.

This thread seems to be a little more active

# 52 cparrish @ 05/15/13 10:38 PM

No thanks, not interested. The only thing I am hoping for is it will mean we get better equipment that matches what we see on Saturdays.

# 53 johnnyg713 @ 05/15/13 10:43 PM

Can players get hurt for a season?

# 54 Lawdawg25 @ 05/15/13 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA2929


	I've came to the realization that EA just isn't going to just have a year where they just improve/perfect the game, and that we'll always be stuck with some mode I'll play once then never fire it up again. Which will probably be the case with UT. It's a shame they feel the need to add a gimmick mode like UT every year, actually. But, we have nobody to blame but ourselves and fellow gamers. Making statements about not spending "my $60" on a repeat of a yearly game has gotten us to the point where EA thinks "we have to put a new feature into the game EVERY YEAR or nobody will buy it!" I'm sure 85% of the people on OS would, but I'm talking about the average gamer here.

If implemented correctly, I wouldn't call this a gimmick. It's a very popular mode in FIFA and has been around for a few years. One thing that could hurt it, however, is the fact that it's not current players so they can't be "in form" like FIFA.

# 55 MsuGaige @ 05/15/13 10:52 PM

I'm personally excited for it. It's a nice change up from the other various stupid modes they have put in the game the last few years. It's worth a shot. Not to mention the next gen consoles are coming out so I would not be shocked if it lacked the major areas that needed fixing.

# 56 smack23011 @ 05/15/13 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jello1717


	CFB is certainly a team game, but you definitely think about the stars. You think of the 97 Wolverines and you think of Charles Woodson. For the '05 Longhorns it's all about Vince Young. While the '10 Tigers had a great defense, it's still all about Cam Newton.

But that's STILL a great team!

# 57 BV11 @ 05/15/13 11:37 PM

I really think they should have done something different for the uniforms and had the players wear their own individual college helmets, and let the user have the choice to create their own jerseys/pants ala team teambuilder.

I guess I will just have to try and find the team with the most generic looking jerseys. It will just take away from the mode having Tim Tebow and Calvin Johnson in Oregon jerseys to me.

# 58 Ice_Cold345 @ 05/16/13 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerseySuave4


	Its popular in Fifa because Fifa is a worldwide popular game and soccer is a worldwide sports with many different leagues in many different countries. So you can take a guy who plays in the MLS and put him on an English league team. You can pair Messi & Ronaldo with Donovan and Balotelli. When you play or played a season/franchise in Madden did you do a fantasy draft before you started or did you just play as the regular rosters? Most don't do a fantasy draft. People might think i'm just bashing this to bash it but i'm bashing it because I think it is one of the furthest priorities they could have went with and the only reason it seems they did is because they think in order for a game to be considered a top tier sports game, this mode needs to be included. Ben's own words. If instead of this they decided to come out with classic TEAMS then i'd be more excited. I'd rather play with the 97 Michigan TEAM not take Charles Woodson and place him on Florida State to play in Oregon uniforms in USC's stadium. I'd rather have some of the mid 90s FSU teams go against the 02 Buckeyes or Hurricanes teams. Classic TEAMS are something that makes sense for an NCAA Football game and would get a lot more people to be interested in playing with different classic TEAMS, instead of creating an All Star team of legends all mixed.

I basically feel like you do, but I don't really mind Ultimate Team that much, as I might play here or there, but it's a mode that gets dull rather quickly. EA thinking this needs to be in the game is quite dumb, when there are other things they could fix or add (like making RTG actually fun and not boring or other gameplay mechanics.) It would've been fun to play with Vince Young's Texas squad and face up against one of the dominant Miami teams or other matchups. The one thing that Ultimate Team does provide is coverage for everyone because not every school has a classic team, where in Ultimate Team, every single team will have a player being represented.

# 59 BA2929 @ 05/16/13 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawdawg25


	If implemented correctly, I wouldn't call this a gimmick. It's a very popular mode in FIFA and has been around for a few years. One thing that could hurt it, however, is the fact that it's not current players so they can't be "in form" like FIFA.

FIFA also has a world-wide appeal and numerous widely known athletes. For example: Not many NCAA fans are going to want Rashaan Salaam (example of a lesser known guy that they might get) as their RB unless they're a fan of Colorado (or the Bears). Heck, half the people who buy this aren't even going to know who Rashaan Salaam is. In my mind, it's basically Madden UT but with college teams (and lesser known players) and that's why I think it's a gimmick.

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