On the fence as to which one to get?

[Sigma4Life]

I have the game for 360 & ps2 and I like them both equally. The 360 has better AI and blocking. The ps2 feels more complete with HFA, defensive hot routes, better playbooks, better pass rush, better overall speed.

The 360 version has two flaws that really irk me. The biggest flaw is DE's almost never get an upfield pass rush so scrambling quarterbacks get to the edge at will. The second issue is the game plays a bit slow, especially online, so the qb gets an extra second to throw making pass defense a bit frustrating at times.

[choadler]

[quote=Nza]You do realize how easy that can be turned around, right?

Like, "EA could make the next gen version without the ability to tackle and people would still be backing it either because they traded in their Xbox or refuse to believe their $500 'next gen' console could be beaten by a $100 one", for one example.

So true.

Again, why are people getting their panties in a wad because someone likes the xbox version better. Having the xbox 360 version start off with a high quality product is a good thing for everyone. Eventually everyone who wants to play NCAA football is going to have to play next gen. I know I am extremely happy that there are people saying the xbox 360 is good. Look at the reception the first year of Madden received.

[UMDDogs]

You bought a 360 to play next gen games, I would get the 360. I love the X-Box version but I haven't played the 360. I have a hard time believing the regular x-box version is better than the 360. If it is than EA isn't doing what they are supposed to be doing.

That being said, you spent all that money on the 360 you might as well play games for it.

[Badgun]

Quote: Originally Posted by ODogg

Well I do hope you're not lumping me in that last group who said current-gen sucks as I never said that, I just think the 360 is a lot better. And yes I've played both because I own both versions since a lot of my friends don't have 360 and when I play online i have to play current gen. I honestly don't see why anyone who owns a 360 would be playing the current gen though, aside from like my situation where they want to play online vs their buddies who don't have a 360.

Odogg,
I do respect your opinion and I consider you one of the good guys here, even if we do differ on this issue. That being said, I'm going to share with you why I like the Xbox version better and then I want you to share with me why you like the 360 version better. I really do want to know what I'm missing, but everytime I put the game in, all I see are the pretty graphics and animations. Like choadler said, that don't make a game better.

For the sake of making a fair comparison, I will only mention the extra features and franchise stuff that the Xbox version has. Keep in mind, that while I enjoy ESPN the Magazine and the Trophy case, these items have no bearing whatsoever on gameplay and I could easily live without them if the gameplay on the 360 was better. Same goes for the Campus Legend...I have no desire at all to play this mode so it's a non factor. I realize that some people prefer the Xbox because of all the extras, but truthfully, to me it's all about gameplay.

Gameplay - This is obviously the most important aspect of any sports game so I will focus on that for now. My first impression of the NCAA demo was that it felt very much like last year's Madden 360. This was a bad thing in my opinion as I thought that game was awful. I realize that EA had made some improvements, but the core of Madden 360 lies underneath the nice coat of paint EA has applied to NCAA 07. Menus are identical, playcalling screens are pretty much identical, and there are even a ton of plays that have been pulled right out of the Madden 360 playbook. For someone to say that this is a new engine or a new game is absurd. So I was hoping that the look of the game was the only thing similar to Madden, but I was wrong. Two vital things from that awful game rear their ugly head in NCAA 07. First and foremost, the game still has that floaty feel. It's hard to describe, but the game just doesn't feel as responsive as the Xbox version. Other people have mentioned this as well so I know there are people out there that know exactly what I mean. This affects player movement, making cuts while running, catching passes...it affects everything and it just doesn't feel as tight and responsive as the Xbox version.

I'll give you a perfect example of it here. Twice now I have had 4th and inches and called qb sneaks and both times even though I was pushing forward on the stick, my qb got turned around and ran backward resulting in a 5 yard loss. This never happens in real life or on the Xbox version. I don't know what causes it, but that's what I mean by unresponsive control. If I am pushing UP on the stick, how can my qb literally get turned around and go the other way? I've noticed similar stuff on other plays as well. Like on a comeback route...my receiver will catch the ball and even though I am pushing up on the stick as soon as he catches it, he continues to run back towards the line of scrimmage for another 8 yards. So a nice 10 yard comeback route often results in no gain.

None of these things happen on the Xbox version...none of them. Overall, the feel of the 360 version just feels off ever so slightly.

The Xbox version has also added some very intuitive menus to the audible and playmaker options. Now when you want to audible, tap X and a whole little menu comes up on the side of the screen with a list of your audibles. You no longer have memorize which audible you mapped to which button. Playmaker options work the same way. Hit Y at the line and you get another menu of all the options you have at your disposal. Again, a nice improvement over having to remember what does what. It's a shame the 360 version doesn't have these either.

The other thing that you already know I don't like is the way the game allows you to skip the breaking the huddle cutscene and be back at the line with no time elapsing off of the clock. For those that don't know, on the 360 version, when a play ends in bounds and the clock is running, you can quickly call a play and then press A again and you are instantly back at the line of scrimmage, hit A again and you have started a new play and only 2-3 seconds has elapsed off the clock since the last play ended. You can also do the same thing when the CPU has the ball, but it is still up to the CPU when they snap the ball. For anyone that cares anything about clock management at the end of a game, this is terrible joke. It's the one thing that will not let me take this game serious.

Now Odogg, I would like for you and the others who constantly defend the 360 version, to answer this question for me. If you need points at the end of a big game to win and you are out of timeouts, how are you going to play it? All the defenders of this game say it's simple...you refrain from hitting the A button and you let the animation play out. Keep in mind, it takes upwards of 6-8 seconds to no huddle, but you can hit the A button and call a play in 2 seconds. What are you going to do? What if you're down by 4 and you're on the 5 yard line with 5 seconds to go? You know if you run the no huddle and let the animation play out, the game will end and you won't get a play off. However, you can double tap A and throw the winning TD pass...what are you going to do? I know what I would do and this is the very reason I can't take the game serious.

It is also worth mentioning that the online component of the 360 version is also light years behind the Xbox version. You cannot view details of your opponent's career, hell you can't view details of your own career. Fair play is turned on in the Xbox version, but it doesn't exist on the 360 version. It just appears that the 360 version is completely stripped down in a lot of areas, but we are supposed to be patient because the game was built from the ground up. ( I love that one).

Well that's why I like the Xbox version over the 360 version. Now Odogg, aside from the graphics, stadiums and animations, please tell me what makes the 360 version better.

[Rules]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I have played the demo on the 360 so hopefully I have had a tiny taste of what that version brings to the table. I am going to take the plunge and pick up the Xbox version tonight based on some good points I have read which sounds like a more overall complete game of the two. Thanks again!

[Sigma4Life]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rules

Thanks to everyone for your input. I have played the demo on the 360 so hopefully I have had a tiny taste of what that version brings to the table. I am going to take the plunge and pick up the Xbox version tonight based on some good points I have read which sounds like a more overall complete game of the two. Thanks again!

Good choice. I think you'll be happy either way.

[edaddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Badgun

Odogg, I do respect your opinion and I consider you one of the good guys here, even if we do differ on this issue. That being said, I'm going to share with you why I like the Xbox version better and then I want you to share with me why you like the 360 version better. I really do want to know what I'm missing, but everytime I put the game in, all I see are the pretty graphics and animations. Like choadler said, that don't make a game better. For the sake of making a fair comparison, I will only mention the extra features and franchise stuff that the Xbox version has. Keep in mind, that while I enjoy ESPN the Magazine and the Trophy case, these items have no bearing whatsoever on gameplay and I could easily live without them if the gameplay on the 360 was better. Same goes for the Campus Legend...I have no desire at all to play this mode so it's a non factor. I realize that some people prefer the Xbox because of all the extras, but truthfully, to me it's all about gameplay. Gameplay - This is obviously the most important aspect of any sports game so I will focus on that for now. My first impression of the NCAA demo was that it felt very much like last year's Madden 360. This was a bad thing in my opinion as I thought that game was awful. I realize that EA had made some improvements, but the core of Madden 360 lies underneath the nice coat of paint EA has applied to NCAA 07. Menus are identical, playcalling screens are pretty much identical, and there are even a ton of plays that have been pulled right out of the Madden 360 playbook. For someone to say that this is a new engine or a new game is absurd. So I was hoping that the look of the game was the only thing similar to Madden, but I was wrong. Two vital things from that awful game rear their ugly head in NCAA 07. First and foremost, the game still has that floaty feel. It's hard to describe, but the game just doesn't feel as responsive as the Xbox version. Other people have mentioned this as well so I know there are people out there that know exactly what I mean. This affects player movement, making cuts while running, catching passes...it affects everything and it just doesn't feel as tight and responsive as the Xbox version. I'll give you a perfect example of it here. Twice now I have had 4th and inches and called qb sneaks and both times even though I was pushing forward on the stick, my qb got turned around and ran backward resulting in a 5 yard loss. This never happens in real life or on the Xbox version. I don't know what causes it, but that's what I mean by unresponsive control. If I am pushing UP on the stick, how can my qb literally get turned around and go the other way? I've noticed similar stuff on other plays as well. Like on a comeback route...my receiver will catch the ball and even though I am pushing up on the stick as soon as he catches it, he continues to run back towards the line of scrimmage for another 8 yards. So a nice 10 yard comeback route often results in no gain. None of these things happen on the Xbox version...none of them. Overall, the feel of the 360 version just feels off ever so slightly. The Xbox version has also added some very intuitive menus to the audible and playmaker options. Now when you want to audible, tap X and a whole little menu comes up on the side of the screen with a list of your audibles. You no longer have memorize which audible you mapped to which button. Playmaker options work the same way. Hit Y at the line and you get another menu of all the options you have at your disposal. Again, a nice improvement over having to remember what does what. It's a shame the 360 version doesn't have these either. The other thing that you already know I don't like is the way the game allows you to skip the breaking the huddle cutscene and be back at the line with no time elapsing off of the clock. For those that don't know, on the 360 version, when a play ends in bounds and the clock is running, you can quickly call a play and then press A again and you are instantly back at the line of scrimmage, hit A again and you have started a new play and only 2-3 seconds has elapsed off the clock since the last play ended. You can also do the same thing when the CPU has the ball, but it is still up to the CPU when they snap the ball. For anyone that cares anything about clock management at the end of a game, this is terrible joke. It's the one thing that will not let me take this game serious. Now Odogg, I would like for you and the others who constantly defend the 360 version, to answer this question for me. If you need points at the end of a big game to win and you are out of timeouts, how are you going to play it? All the defenders of this game say it's simple...you refrain from hitting the A button and you let the animation play out. Keep in mind, it takes upwards of 6-8 seconds to no huddle, but you can hit the A button and call a play in 2 seconds. What are you going to do? What if you're down by 4 and you're on the 5 yard line with 5 seconds to go? You know if you run the no huddle and let the animation play out, the game will end and you won't get a play off. However, you can double tap A and throw the winning TD pass...what are you going to do? I know what I would do and this is the very reason I can't take the game serious. It is also worth mentioning that the online component of the 360 version is also light years behind the Xbox version. You cannot view details of your opponent's career, hell you can't view details of your own career. Fair play is turned on in the Xbox version, but it doesn't exist on the 360 version. It just appears that the 360 version is completely stripped down in a lot of areas, but we are supposed to be patient because the game was built from the ground up. ( I love that one). Well that's why I like the Xbox version over the 360 version. Now Odogg, aside from the graphics, stadiums and animations, please tell me what makes the 360 version better.

Excellent post man you hit it dead on..even though I will play both when the mood fits....