Just played NCAA 06...

[duke776]

Quote: Originally Posted by BhamTiger

When I got home, I hooked up the old black Xbox and fired up NCAA 2004 as I was in a nostalgic mood thanks to this thread. We can add NCAA 2004 to the list. The gameplay is fantastic, but it lacks all the newer features that made dynasty mode great in 06 and 07: 1. No rotating schedules, so it gets boring playing the same teams every year in dynasty mode. 2. 55 man rosters. Injuries will kill you in this game. 3. No suspensions. 4. No impact players, though that might be a plus when you combine it with the momentum meter. 5. No in-season recruiting. 6. Teams in wrong conferences and missing a few newer teams in D1 Now, what it does have is: 1. No momentum meter. Huge for me as every game in 07 was a turnover-fest. 2. Realistic gameplay. Kickers will actually miss kicks and the players don't run around like ants on steroids. Pursuit angles are much better. 3. Sliders that actually work. I think I can live with the negatives though. I actually started a new CPU vs CPU dynasty in 04 last night after testing sliders for a few games.

Yeah, it sucks not having some of the improvements that have been made after 04, but like you I can live with the negatives. I actually like not having in season recruiting because then me an my brother battle it out for recruits in the off season, and I actually stole my starting QB from him The non rotating schedules are probably my biggest gripe from that list.

[BhamTiger]

Quote: Originally Posted by duke776

Yeah, it sucks not having some of the improvements that have been made after 04, but like you I can live with the negatives. I actually like not having in season recruiting because then me an my brother battle it out for recruits in the off season, and I actually stole my starting QB from him The non rotating schedules are probably my biggest gripe from that list.

Yep, I can deal with the rosters, no impact players (no momentum meter either!), and no suspensions, but the non-rotating schedules and teams in wrong conferences is a bit of a downer in dynasty mode.

Still, the gameplay is superb. I figured out how to get around the problem of CPU teams not running the ball by creating a coach profile for whatever team I play in dynasty mode. Set their offense to 80% run and max conservative and their defense 80% pass max conservative and you'll see realistic numbers of run plays and pass yardage. After the week is done, you can delete the coach profile and the team profile will reset to whatever it was before.

I have 06 also, but the deep ball and the pancake stats kinda kill that one for me.

[MrOctober430]

Quote: Originally Posted by BhamTiger

The only thing I didn't like about 06 was the deep ball being automatic. Even with coach sliders max conservative, the CPU would still chuck it deep every game, and it was usually a completion. 07 was good too, but the momentum meter could be a gamekiller. It could be almost nullified with the right sliders, though. Every NCAA after 07 has been crap.

I loved the deep ball LOL. That's why I always have 5,500 yard passing QB every year.

[NoDakHusker]

Quote: Originally Posted by BhamTiger

The only thing I didn't like about 06 was the deep ball being automatic. Even with coach sliders max conservative, the CPU would still chuck it deep every game, and it was usually a completion. 07 was good too, but the momentum meter could be a gamekiller. It could be almost nullified with the right sliders, though. Every NCAA after 07 has been crap.

yeah the deep ball was wayyy too easy. I actually had to limit myself to how many deep balls I could throw in one game, just because it was so easy.

[BhamTiger]

Quote: Originally Posted by ndhusker90

yeah the deep ball was wayyy too easy. I actually had to limit myself to how many deep balls I could throw in one game, just because it was so easy.

Well I typically play a ball-control, option run offense, so my QB wasn't the issue. I hated how the CPU could throw downfield at will. No defense could stop it, and sliders only partially reduced it. You'd still give up 2-3 big pass plays every game.

The pancakes stats were messed up too. The human team would always have their entire starting Oline as the top 5 in total pancakes per season.

Other than that, 06 was the ****. The running game was great with no slider adjustments and with only a few adjustments to the coach profiles, you could get realistic CPU playcalling. Plus it didn't have the dreaded momentum meter that 07 had. The option was a thing of beauty in that game...

[FunkDockta27]

What about 05? I LOOOOOVED that one on the 'Cube. Never played it on PS2, I hear alot about '06 and '07 tho...was their any hate towards '05? '06 was the first one i snagged on PS2. Still have it...I remember the deep ball lol....

[BhamTiger]

Quote: Originally Posted by FunkDockta27

What about 05? I LOOOOOVED that one on the 'Cube. Never played it on PS2, I hear alot about '06 and '07 tho...was their any hate towards '05? '06 was the first one i snagged on PS2. Still have it...I remember the deep ball lol....

I never really got into 05. The passing game was impossible, thanks to superhuman DB's and WR's with no hands.

I'm running a game of 06 right now on my PS2 (CPU vs CPU) and have QB ACC at zero and WR catch at 50. Defensive awareness at 100 and knockdowns at 100. It somewhat cuts out the deep ball, but it's still effective too many times. I may have to drop WR catch down to zero and just have a ton of drops per game.

I think I finally have pancakes under control. Run block and pass block at zero and defense block break at 75. I'm almost to the end of the first quarter and only 1 pancake for each team. The blocking is still good enough that the run game can pick up some yards, though they don't steamroll teams like on default.

I tried 07 earlier today, but then I remembered why I hated 07 so much. The stupid momentum meter turned what was a close game into a blowout. One fumble and the game was over.

[Pokes404]

I popped 06 in a while back, as well. When I first fired it up I went into practice mode to play around a little bit. The first thing I noticed was the graphics and thought, "I can't believe I ever thought these graphics looked good." Next, I forgot about sprint being the X button. I'd have to say I really do prefer sprint being R2. My first few plays were a little rough as I adjusted to the controls and the speed of the game.

But then ... it happened. I ran a counter play off the right side. My line picked up the defense well, my back accelerated past a couple of linebackers that were almost in position to stop me but couldn't quite get there (they didn't get "sucked" into me), I steered my RB toward the sideline and watched him lean to his right and make a wide turn because his momentum wouldn't allow him to turn on a dime, my WR blocked the SS just right of the hash marks, I had to steer my RB back up field well before getting to the sideline to give him the time to make the turn, I timed it just right and watched him briefly tip-toe along the sideline before taking it into the endzone just before the FS caught him at the goalline. That's when it all came back to me. I'd truly forgotten how good it felt to run with the ball in the last-gen NCAA games. No "tron jogging," crazy speed bursts, or suction blocking or tackling. 06 wasn't a perfect game by any means, but it sure did a lot of things really well.