NCAA Football 2008

[Emiliano]

Comparisons videos on EA Sports NCAA 08 site.

[CraigSca]

Wow, I didn't realize any of the videos were up on the EA Sports site. I'm officially salivating.

[Eaglesfan27]

A list of all of the ratings players will have on the 360 and PS3 (with new ones from last year underlined.) This has been posted on a few sites, but I thought I'd share for anyone who has missed them:

Global Ratings
Speed
Strength
Acceleration
Agility
Jumping
Awareness
Injury
Stamina
Toughness
Importance


QB
Throw Power
Throw Accuracy
Elusiveness
Trucking & or Break Tackle

RB&FB
Carrying
Catching
Ball Carrier Vision
Juke Movie
Spin Move
Stiff Arm
Trucking & or Break Tackle
Elusiveness
Impact Blocking

WR&TE
Route Running
Release
Catching
Carrying
Catch in Traffic
Spectacular Catch
Ball Carrier Vision
Juke Movie
Spin Move
Stiff Arm
Trucking & or Break Tackle
Elusiveness
Kick Return

OL
Impact Block
Run Block
Pass Block
Run Block Footwork
Run Block Strength
Pass Block Footwork
Pass Block Strength

DL
Power Moves
Finesse Moves
Block Shedding
Pursuit
Play Recognition
Tackle
Hit Power

LB
Block Shedding
Hit Power
Tackle
Pursuit
Play Recognition
Power Moves
Finesse Moves
Man Coverage
Zone Coverage

DB
Man Coverage
Zone Coverage
Press
Power Moves
Finesse Moves
Block Shedding
Hit Power
Pursuit
Play Recognition
Tackle
Kick Return

K
Kick Power
Kick Accuracy

[rowech]

I had planned to wait on this and Madden but the damn dynasty mode for NCAA looks like it might be worth the pricetag.

[Emiliano]

Courtesy of MadScientist, from the MaddenMatrix site, this is a link to a video of the final of the tournament they had at the community day. All you lucky 360ers, it's worth checking it out...

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Emiliano

Courtesy of MadScientist, from the MaddenMatrix site, this is a link to a video of the final of the tournament they had at the community day. All you lucky 360ers, it's worth checking it out...

Looks good. Thanks for the link.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Emiliano

Courtesy of MadScientist, from the MaddenMatrix site, this is a link to a video of the final of the tournament they had at the community day. All you lucky 360ers, it's worth checking it out...

Wow, thanks!

Every year I say I'll wait for impressions, but I'm going to reserve NCAA once again via Gamestop on Monday.

[CraigSca]

Not to rain on the parade (and it doesn't matter to me much), but I did see some hitching in Emiliano's video.

[Kodos]

Just preordered mine at Gamestop today.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Not to rain on the parade (and it doesn't matter to me much), but I did see some hitching in Emiliano's video.

I did as well.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Just preordered mine at Gamestop today.

I'm right behind you.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I have 3 GameStop stores and one EBGames store very close to me, and I haven't yet decided which one is going to get my preorder. I think I'm going to find out if any of them are doing a midnight release, and that will determine it for me.

[kingnebwsu]

Strip stores are much more likely to do a midnight release. The stores should have posted what time they're opening with their marketing update that went up today. It's either a midnight opening or 8 AM on the day of release.

[rowech]

Are any of you guys preordering fearful of it not living up to expectations? After Head Coach and Madden '07, I'm worriesome.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by rowech

Are any of you guys preordering fearful of it not living up to expectations? After Head Coach and Madden '07, I'm worriesome.

This is the year they'll get it right!!!!

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by rowech

Are any of you guys preordering fearful of it not living up to expectations? After Head Coach and Madden '07, I'm worriesome.

Head Coach? There is only one game worse than that one and there's a HUGE thread about it here at FOFC.

[Kodos]

I'm strangely confident that it will be good.

[Phototropic]

I actually thought last year's game was a lot of fun and played it for several months straight. It's good to see they might have fixed one of the most frustrating issues for me which is the DBs running into WRs and not making a play. I'm going to wait for the demo before I decide between this and the other football games.

[vex]

I just hope this years version doesn't freeze nearly every game on me.

[Eaglesfan27]

There are some new screen captures from the media day up at OS and other places. Korupter, TazFTW and other Hawaii fans should like them quite a bit. I'm just happy to see that the Heisman winning player has believable stats. Hopefully, the rest of the simulated stats look as good:

http://forums.operationsports.com/vB...d.php?t=208965

[Emiliano]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

There are some new screen captures from the media day up at OS and other places. Korupter, TazFTW and other Hawaii fans should like them quite a bit. I'm just happy to see that the Heisman winning player has believable stats. Hopefully, the rest of the simulated stats look as good:

http://forums.operationsports.com/vB...d.php?t=208965

Nice screens. Thanks for the link, EF.

[gstelmack]

Hmm, apparently I have to register to view that link. Oh well.

[k0ruptr]

bah those stats are garbage. only 51 TD's and only 4400+ yards. lol

I'm just playing, good to see an *acceptable* sim engine

[SFL Cat]

zzzzzz...I'll pass, thank you.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

zzzzzz...I'll pass, thank you.

No, thank you!

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by rowech

Are any of you guys preordering fearful of it not living up to expectations? After Head Coach and Madden '07, I'm worriesome.

Every year I feel that it is the best console game I pick up, so I'm pretty confident in my pre-order. That being said there are always flaws, they just never seem to ruin the game for me.

Madden on the other hand is a wait and see because sometimes it just hasn't been fun to play, this year I'm cautiously optimistic, but still wait and see.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by nilodor

Every year I feel that it is the best console game I pick up, so I'm pretty confident in my pre-order. That being said there are always flaws, they just never seem to ruin the game for me.

Madden on the other hand is a wait and see because sometimes it just hasn't been fun to play, this year I'm cautiously optimistic, but still wait and see.

As craptacular as most EA games are, I think that the NCAA football game has always been the one game that they make that does provide a pretty good gaming experience. I would note that I'm only speaking from a single player or gaming with friends at home perspective. Online is brutal, but that could be said for nearly all sports games with the number of cheesers online anymore.

Madden is becoming an excellent game to pick up after a few months used for $20 when the slower release months like February come around. It's just not worth $60 in any way, shape, or form.

[Eaglesfan27]

A new gameplay video up on youtube. I like the run blocking (even though the guy playing seems to be slow in his use of the lanes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWDHN_gaRRc

Correction, that is the CPU that is being slow to use the lanes as the guy is playing in campus legend mode and only controlling the QB. I wonder what the HB's ratings are.

[Eaglesfan27]

One more video that looks AMAZING (I love the blocking) but takes a long time to load:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player.p...20685&type=wmv

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

One more video that looks AMAZING (I love the blocking) but takes a long time to load:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player.p...20685&type=wmv

Oh my. Looks so much better than last year's - the movement and tackles are great.

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

A new gameplay video up on youtube. I like the run blocking (even though the guy playing seems to be slow in his use of the lanes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWDHN_gaRRc

Correction, that is the CPU that is being slow to use the lanes as the guy is playing in campus legend mode and only controlling the QB. I wonder what the HB's ratings are.

Probably pretty good considering it's Darren McFadden

[kingnebwsu]

Anyone see the TE miss the block on the last play of the gametrailers video? He let a guy run right by him (who incidentally made the tackle). Is this a flaw that will always be in football games?

[Grammaticus]

Looks great in HD.

[CraigSca]

No update today?! Sigh.

[Eaglesfan27]

There are some new gameplay videos up on maddenmatrix.com. The gameplay appears to be vastly improved from last year. These videos are the best ones yet. I particularly like #3.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by kingnebwsu

Anyone see the TE miss the block on the last play of the gametrailers video? He let a guy run right by him (who incidentally made the tackle). Is this a flaw that will always be in football games?

Yes, unfortunately. It'll probably be in football video games as well.

[vex]

Originally Posted by sabotai

Yes, unfortunately. It'll probably be in football video games as well.

Very nice.

[kingnebwsu]

Originally Posted by sabotai

Yes, unfortunately. It'll probably be in football video games as well.

Touche salesman. Everyone be sure to say every word in every sentence you write on FOFC or else it will get taken out of context

[nilodor]

There are some videos up on operationsports.com and everytime I play a video football game in bad weather (in the videogame not IRL ) it seems the same as playing in perfect conditions. Maybe they choose this route because it would be to time consuming to create new models for players falling down or not being able to cut and just general mayhem. Weather can be a huge factor IRL but it never seems to translate into these games.

[Emiliano]

New IGN piece about motivation, along with a couple of new videos as well (one about recruting).

[Phototropic]

Originally Posted by Emiliano

New IGN piece about motivation, along with a couple of new videos as well (one about recruting).

Well I think those two videos have sold me.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by kingnebwsu

Touche salesman. Everyone be sure to say every word in every sentence you write on FOFC or else it will get taken out of context

I think his point was that TEs in real life miss that block, too, so how can you blame the video game for being realistic? I actually think it's a factor not well played up in these simulations: what about receivers that cut off their routes? Blockers that get confused on who they are supposed to block? Coverage breakdowns in the secondary?

Of course, it could be a bug, too.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

I think his point was that TEs in real life miss that block, too, so how can you blame the video game for being realistic? I actually think it's a factor not well played up in these simulations: what about receivers that cut off their routes? Blockers that get confused on who they are supposed to block? Coverage breakdowns in the secondary?

Of course, it could be a bug, too.

That relates to one of my favorite new ratings if it works well - Route Running. From reading interviews, it seems like players with lower route running will make sloppier cuts and generally run less precise routes. If it is too low they'll even run the wrong routes. It remains to be seen if TE's with good block ratings will make that block or if it will be a bug where all TE's will miss it. However, I suspect it is the former from watching the videos and reading the reviews.


The biggest flaw that still seems to be in the game (from the previews) is that the QB pitch on the option can come too late and it is too accurate. If that is really the biggest flaw, I can deal with that by just giving myself a simple house rule or two when I run the option.

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

I just watched the first of the two IGN videos that are new. Very nice blocking and some good looking new plays. There were plenty of plays where the TE made a good block and one where he missed it.

[MizzouRah]

Not even sure I'll get Madden because I'll be playing the heck out of this game. Recruiting finally looks interesting.

[CraigSca]

This is ridiculous. I'm glad I have so many family and work obligations to occupy my time, otherwise it's going to be a lot of time NOT well-spent on the MaddenMania forums. 25 days and counting...

[Eaglesfan27]

I just watched the recruiting video. One thing I've noticed in this video and the other recruiting videos out there is that they have a much more realistic variety of body shapes for HS seniors. I've seen many more underweight recruits and a few that are overweight including a 6'4 265 pound QB in one video.

[CraigSca]

As well as linemen with guts!

It's funny, this is the only game of the year (console or PC) that keeps me awake nights, that makes me send my wife into Toys R' Us to coyly see if they have it in the back (how lame am I?) and yet, when I get it, I get about 70% through a single year of a dynasty and then put the game away until next year.

Makes no sense to me, but I love this game...

[Eaglesfan27]

There is a new interview up this morning at Operation Sports with two of the producers including Ian Cummings (who has quickly become my favorite producer in the series.):

http://features.operationsports.com/...me=ncaafb08int

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

As well as linemen with guts!

It's funny, this is the only game of the year (console or PC) that keeps me awake nights, that makes me send my wife into Toys R' Us to coyly see if they have it in the back (how lame am I?) and yet, when I get it, I get about 70% through a single year of a dynasty and then put the game away until next year.

Makes no sense to me, but I love this game...

Man...that sums me up to a tee. I don't know what the deal is but I've yet to make it through a season. As good as the recruiting looks this year, I'm thinking this may be the version that prompts me to go further (even if that means simming through some games).

Also...I think the lack of ingame saves is a big reason I never make it far. I like to play out games but know I'm making an hour and a half commitment everytime I start a game. Like I said above...this year there may be more simming of the games and more attention to other facets.