NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheFuture15

Just curious...aside from these issues, are you enjoying the game?

I'd like to comment on this. I just got the game about an hour and a half ago and haven't put nearly as much time in as ODogg and some others. The game is definitely enjoyable, but several of the issues posted here (and are already on your list) are immediately noticeable in the first game I played (I've only played two so far). While the game is fun and the gameplay has a much better underlying design than NCAA 08, there are some key areas of gameplay that lack polish and I could see becoming tiresome rather quickly.

In my first game AA level LSU vs Tulane the most noticeable issue was the pass rush. This was especially noticeable to me in contrast to the demo. My front four got no pressure whether I blitzed, controlled a lineman myself, or let the AI try to get pressure with the front four. My d-line was just manhandled.

Didn't test the punt block so I can't comment on that. But the cpu passing game was very one-dimensional. It felt cheap the way the cpu was able to move the ball down the field, I either wasn't able to get any pressure (which I would figure with LSU vs Tulane I should at least have one play during the course of the game where I cause the QB to experience some heat) or it would just dump the ball off for a short gain over the middle. Regardless of what defense I called it was able to complete these routes.

Oh and one other thing I was specifically looking for was to test out the subs that I had heard about. Sure enough Tulane used one RB the entire game (32 carries no unreasonable for Tulane bu last year the backup averaged 5 carries per game as well), no other back was given a carry and no other back was even subbed in. They also only used three DT's as well.

Overall the game is enjoyable but it's hard to explain, the gameplay doesn't seem balanced well, almost incomplete. I said earlier, if the "Muy Importante" list and the roster edit bug gets fixed this will by far be the best NCAA release in the series. There are some wonderful improvements to gameplay and the game overall but some parts of gameplay haven't been balanced in accordance with the changes and it makes the game seem incomplete. I definitely like the potential here though.

[ODogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheFuture15

Just curious...aside from these issues, are you enjoying the game?

Oh yes man, I am loving the game. I was telling everyone at the Gamestop Round 3 tournament about it and how kick@ss it was and I think they all hated me, LOL!! I think Adam was 100% right when he said this was the most FUN NCAA game since 2004. Personally I think it's better than 2004 because although it was the best clearly in the series I think people remember it somewhat in nostalgic terms and forget about the warts.

I can't wait for Madden now Ian!

[Anti Honor]

Edit - My bad. Didn't see the post about having the game.

[dave374]

Just so you know.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheFuture15

I can only talk to the gameplay stuff...that's what this thread will be dedicated to. Adam is the contact point for other issues. And also I can't talk about patch timing...it's impossible to say exactly how long it will take due to the 3rd party testing guidelines and such. But I have heard the NCAA team definitely wants to accelerate a patch out the door to fix the roster editing issues you list above (since they are definitely major).

Ok for those that have the game:

KEEP POSTS TO GAMEPLAY ISSUES ONLY. All other questions should be put into the Q&A thread that Adam created.

Also, Ian, as he states above, has no timeframe on when a patch could/would be released, so stop asking or giving him deadlines.


One last note, lets stop with the debating back and forth on what the community leaders knew or didn't. It doesn't help in this situation. The focus of this thread is to fix gameplay isssues. Unless you are going to post something that pertains to the focus of this thread, do not post.


Thank you.

-CB

[countryboy]

Now I am going to go back and delete all posts that do not adhere to the above guidelines. If your posts adds nothing to help the focus at hand or if you are posting and don't have the game, your post(s) will be deleted.

This is fun. I'd rather be doing this than enjoying NCAA.

[bad_philanthropy]

Quote: Originally Posted by rhombic21

The reason they can complete such high percentages is because they aren't ever under pressure unless you blitz, so they have all day to sit there and pick you apart. Combined with the fact that the short zones drop back too far. If you fix the pass rush and the short zone issue, so that the QB had less time to make a decision (and the defense didn't have to blitz contantly to get pressure, thereby leaving huge gaps in underneath coverage), and so that defenders were actually in position to cover the short, high percentage throws when they ought to be, both human and computer completion rates would drop significantly. And yes, you do mean to be a jerk. Don't lie about it.

Yep that is exactly the problem, and I speculate that the QB AI wasn't really changed from before but rather the QB was just given more time by underpowering the pass rush.

In '08 if the AI QB got pressured the logic would basically go AWOL and the QB would just throw the ball up or do any number of other stupid things. I think it was a combination of not having good play calling logic to combat to adapt to the defense getting consistent pressure and the QB AI just being inadequete. The AI QB rarely seemed to use the dumpoff routes, didn't try to evade the pressure enough, or simply recognize the pressure and try to get out of the box to throw the ball away.

[J-Unit40]

Ian,

I have the game and have played 8 full games, all of which were at least 7 minute quarters.

My issues mirror what you have already posted in your opening post. If you fixed those issues, we would have a fantastic game of college football. I do enjoy the game as seen in all of my posts in the NCAA Impressions thread, but the issues you are aware of are holding this game back from being great. Thanks.

Also, I know the pass rush is somewhat of an issue. However, if you get a pass rush, the CPU QB hits the panic button and just chucks it into coverage most times. I DO NOT want this game to turn into NCAA 08 again with all of the INTs thrown by the CPU. The CPU QB never throws the ball away, they throw into the defense's hands. Please keep that in mind. That was a gamekiller in my book.