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View Full Version : My NCAA 2004 Online Rant

CraigSca
10-10-2003, 01:25 AM
Ok...so I picked up NHL 2004 and the Online Adapter for the PS2 today. Barely got to touch NHL 2004, but decided to hook up the adapter after the wife went to bed to see if I could give NCAA 2004 a go. Hooked up the adapter quite easily, cabled it into my router and I was good to go...

Within seconds I received a challenge from someone in the Beginner #2 room. Ok, let's give it a go! Mind you, I've played about...30 games total...always on Varsity, and I do pretty well against the CPU (who wouldn't?). This would be my first experience playing All-American - gulp.

I noticed the other guy begin to pick his team...I'm thinking maybe I'll play Navy or someone because I enjoy the Flexbone, and I'm looking forward to a good game against....Oklahoma. Sigh. Ok...the guy picks Oklahoma...guess I'll upgrade my team to Maryland so I can at least stay in the game. Long story short, the guy pretty much dominates me, and beats me 14-3. How did I get my field goal? Well...Oklahoma decides to go for it on like...4th and 24. I stop him, and I'm therefore in FG position.

2nd game - again, another challenge after about 5 seconds. The guy picks Texas. Sigh. Ok, I'll play Maryland again. He goes up 21-0 in the 2nd quarter and says to me, "Good D". Bite me! I stage a valiant comeback, but he beats me, 31-28, on a last second FG. It was a great game.

3rd and final game of the night - another challenge out of nowhere. The guy picks...Ohio State. Again, I pick Maryland. You can tell he's good, and beats me handily, 33-14.

Ok...I realize I can't expect much - who in their right mind would pick a mediocre team? Actually, I would...for fun. And thus begins the rant...

If I see the following THINGS one more time, I'm gonna barf...

Guys going for it on 4th and LONG deep in their own territory. I suppose I should like it, and when I become better at the game I'm really gonna make them pay for it.

People using the goal line offense outside my 10 yard line. Even when I tried the goal line defense, there was very little I could do - why? Because Oklahoma, Texas and Ohio State have monster offensive lines and my opponent could run it right up my gut. Whoopee!

Opponents that have Maurice Clarett break 500 tackles, or Williams of Texas make a catch with 3 guys all over him over and over and over again. Pick a damn team that doesn't have a money play that's unstoppable, please!

I realize some of these issues lie in EA's court...and I realize some of my opponent's are just taking advantage of their personnel. But...I just wanted a good game of football - not Bastardized Exploit Bowl 2004.

Oh, if anyone wants to make me 0-4, I'm on as CraigScar. But please, don't pick the #1, #2 or #4 team in the nation though, ok? :)

-Craig
mckerney
10-10-2003, 01:29 AM
Can I be Miami?
Marmel
10-10-2003, 01:31 AM
I don't see you.
Marmel
10-10-2003, 01:33 AM
dola...

I have pretty much given up on playing random people.

If we play, you pick a team and I will matchup with you on equal terms. I normally don't care who I play as.
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 01:33 AM
Sorry Marmel, I'm heading out for the night. Unfortunately, my 2 and 4 year olds don't care that Dad's been playing football until 2am.

At least my 4 year old wouldn't dare go for it on 4th and 24 :).

-Craig
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 01:33 AM
dola

cool - I'll probably be on tomorrow night around 11pm est...
Marmel
10-10-2003, 01:35 AM
Thats fine, it is getting late here anyways.

I put you on my 'buddy list'. My name there is 'Cusefan19952'

I need some better competition than neuqua anyways. :)
General Mike
10-10-2003, 01:45 AM
Originally posted by CraigSca
...
Guys going for it on 4th and LONG deep in their own territory. I suppose I should like it, and when I become better at the game I'm really gonna make them pay for it....
-Craig
There's a fair play option you can enable to keep people from being "cheesers". I'm not sure what exactly it enables, but it's something you can check out.
JeeberD
10-10-2003, 01:50 AM
Dammit, I really need to convince my roommate to get an adapter for his PS2.

I now curse my damn X-Box and EA for not making its games X-Box Live playable...
Honolulu_Blue
10-10-2003, 05:30 AM
Almost, nay, I will safely say, that all on-line games suffer from this type of ridiculousness. The big reason I don't like on-line gaming all that much is because of the other people you play with. It just seems populated with an overwhelming number of immature basement-dwellers.

Multi-player/on-line gaming can be a blast if you're playing with people you know, but just going into a game blind... caveat emptor, my friend.

I recall trying either Starcraft or Diablo or something along those lines once on-line. I got into the "set up" area where you can chat, challenge, etc. In under 30 seconds I witnessed such a barrage (not directed towards me) of inane insults and ridiciocity that I said "F*ck this." and logged off for good.

The only on-line game I have ever played with any sort of regularity was Wolfenstien. That was fun for a while, but still riddled with the same problems from time to time.
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 05:51 AM
Originally posted by General Mike
There's a fair play option you can enable to keep people from being "cheesers". I'm not sure what exactly it enables, but it's something you can check out.

I don't have the manual in front of me so I'm not quite sure exactly what it does, but we did have the Fair Play option on - I think it's automatic for 'ranked' games. My initial hope was that it made all teams equal and thus made the only difference between teams the uniforms. It doesn't do that, so I'm still stuck having to watch which Top 5 team my opponent will pick and then adjust accordingly. :(

Oh, one of the things it does is prevent you from quick kicking. Kind of a good idea, otherwise I'd be blowing time outs left and right when I see my opponment trying to punt on 2nd and 10 against my 4-4 defense. :)

My delusional dream would be to get a bunch of guys together and start a little league using Ivy League teams (or some other lower tier teams). Not sure it's possible, because schedules are liable to conflict, but it sounds like a lot of fun.

-Craig
mckerney
10-10-2003, 10:48 AM
Originally posted by JeeberD
Dammit, I really need to convince my roommate to get an adapter for his PS2.

I now curse my damn X-Box and EA for not making its games X-Box Live playable...

It does suck, though in just having one console I'd much rather go with my X-Box for other reasons. After playing some Madden on a friends PS2 I've really come to appreciate the graphical and controllerer advantages of the X-Box.
VPI97
10-10-2003, 12:09 PM
I should have a network adapter in place tonight...I was going to see if anyone wanted to play, but after reading this I'll have to figure out what team I want. By default, I play with my alma mater, but apparently, playing with top teams is too much of an edge.

I'll guess I'll have to take a crappy team...like Syracuse. Can't get much worse than that :)
vex
10-10-2003, 12:10 PM
All this talk of online is about to make me go and get the adaptor.
General Mike
10-10-2003, 12:25 PM
Originally posted by CraigSca
I
My delusional dream would be to get a bunch of guys together and start a little league using Ivy League teams (or some other lower tier teams). Not sure it's possible, because schedules are liable to conflict, but it sounds like a lot of fun.

-Craig

If I had the network adaptor I'd be interested in something like that.
Kodos
10-10-2003, 12:50 PM
I'll play using Indiana, unless my opponent chooses a ranked team. Then I try to match them.

My online name is Kodos.
VPI97
10-10-2003, 02:21 PM
Originally posted by General Mike
If I had the network adaptor I'd be interested in something like that. Ditto
Marmel
10-10-2003, 02:22 PM
+2
Kodos
10-10-2003, 02:40 PM
I can tell you from past experience that it is REALLY difficult to get people to actually play their games. See the Madden tournament for an exhibit of how hard it is to even finish a tournament with only 6 players...
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 02:55 PM
Cool, I'll be around - look for CraigScar!

And, if you guys want to set up a league, I'd be all up for it.
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 03:06 PM
Originally posted by Kodos
I can tell you from past experience that it is REALLY difficult to get people to actually play their games. See the Madden tournament for an exhibit of how hard it is to even finish a tournament with only 6 players...

dola...

oh sure, a tournament would be hard to complete, but a 7 game conference schedule like I'm suggesting oughta be a piece of cake :D
Kodos
10-10-2003, 04:45 PM
Good luck, and I would even consider joining. I'd take Cornell if you went with the Ivy League idea.
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 05:45 PM
Cool - I'll take whoever - Dartmouth maybe?
VPI97
10-10-2003, 08:20 PM
dibs on Penn
CraigSca
10-10-2003, 11:55 PM
Great game, Marmel!

Actually, playing you reminded me of something else to add to my rant...

Opponents who try to finesse an onside kick on EVERY kickoff. Was nice to see you legitimately kick deep every time :)

Also...you obviously are MUCH better than me in the open field. I'm so used to playing the CPU that I'm caught flat-footed 90% of the time when facing a human opponent.

Grats to Army :)
Marmel
10-11-2003, 12:05 AM
Great game Craig. Throw the records and talent out the window when Army and Navy get together.

That 92 yard drive on the ground was the difference when I was juking back and forth, but you were in the game up until the final 30 seconds.

Terrific game and it made my greatest games list!