I'm getting worried about NCAA 12 because...

[dan_457]

Quote: Originally Posted by SynShadowzz

I'm saying I have low standards compared to you guys. I came to OS because I wanted to find out what other people were doing with the game. I'm not a "community gamer" who's in-tune with every video game and how they work. I'm just amazed that a lot of people find this game so irritating, yet continue to play. I know that as far as college football goes, this is your only option. However, I'm not sure why everyone is so shocked that something is out-of-whack... Every video game I've ever played has some flaws, but I expect that. I just don't consider these major flaws. I've adjusted to them, and the game plays fine for me. What does bother me is the lack of attention paid to the game by EA or whomever controls the updates. I just wish they would stay with it through it's run and continue to update the game until the very last second of it's meaningful existence (when NCAA 12 comes out). The problem is the licensing, and the fact that EA/Tiburon doesn't have to worry about making a better game. It has 0 competition, and 0 reason to improve. What's worrisome about competition however, is the fact that game developers seem to pander to the "common gamer." Instead of making a more realistic game, they'll make a game with stupid modes like "ERIN ANDREWS TOUCHES YOUR VIRTUAL JUNK IF YOU THROW FOR 1,000 YARDS IN ONE MASCOT MASHUP GAME" or "John Saunders lunch-buffet mode - See how much food your linemen can eat without puking." Like I said, I want the most realistic game I can get. Is this it? No. Did I think it would be? Of course not. Can it be better? Yes. I'm not holding my breath for NCAA 12 either, because ultimately, it's going to be the same game.

I ask myself "why am I playing this/why do I do this to myself?" about every game I need that CFB fix, even if the end result is me getting angry over a video game.

When it comes to standards, I wouldn't say too many people are expecting too much, is it too much to expect them to have gotten man/zone coverage right by now? Or for scrambling QB's to actually scramble. EA's been making Football games for what? Two decades? You'd think they'd be done butchering the fundamentals by now. Every game has flaws, obviously, but this is kind of ridiculous. It's like an FPS where your bullets curve, and shooting someone in the feet does more damage than in the head, but it's the only FPS on the market.

And you're right, EA is going for the casual gamer, that's where the money has and always will be. The more complex a game is, the smaller the audience gets. The lack of competition has perpetuated Madden and NCAA's mediocrity, there's no threat of 2k or anyone else creating an awesome game and pulling the rug out from under EA, so they're in no rush to really innovate or improve.

I don't expect much from NCAA 12, it seems like they already accomplished what they wanted to with 11, by somewhat restoring the games reputation like madden did with 10. It'll probably be back to baby steps again.

[dxdude2004]

Quote: Originally Posted by jbrew2411

Sliders only do so much. I have been playing this game since NCAA 98 so don't tell me how to get the most out of the game. NCAA 11 has major gameplay issues. Without the patches you can see things like a cpu QB running the read, play action that works, and less of the superman LB's and D-linemen. What you can't see is improved special teams, dual-threat QB's playing like well a dual-threat. When you run a zone look you see guy allowing players into their zone and never trying to cover them until after the catch. DB who run routes better then the WR's. You add all the patches on top of that and you see the D-line reaction time go crazy. That is why play-action does not work because it was killed with the first patch on release day. I said sliders can only do so much and here is why. If you play dynasty mode then you should know that the game changes a few years in. As the higher rated players from the original roster set are gone and the pre-loaded, Tiburon created recruits come in with much lower ratings. The game engine does not support the lower rated players very well. I have played dynasties that have went anywhere from 4-7years in and every time I had to change my sliders to try and improve gameplay. Have you ever tried to lower say the QB accuracy down to 5 and see what happens? That is what I play on and it has nothing to do with how accurate the QB throws the ball but how fare he can throw the ball. I can rip any D a new one with it set at 5 and complete 70% of my passes. While the sliders have some impact on the game they don't have enough impact because of the gameplay issues. If you want to see what happens when you give gamers great graphics but poor gameplay then look no further then NCAA March Madness 10. I'm not talking about sales of the game. We all know basketball games don;t sale like football games. I'm talking about what the game offers. NCAA MM10 had an amazing presentation package that included 2 different TV crews. It felt like watching a game on ESPN or CBS. What the game could not offer was great gameplay. The game was built to only play quick games. It had a dynasty mode that was worthless. No sliders in the world could improve the game. The game sucked *** and anyone who played it knew that within weeks. It got traded in fast. I have 5 gamestops within a 15 mile radius of where I live and all of them would not take it in on trade because they had so many. I gave that example to show that you can worry about band location or cheerleader chants all you want but if the gameplay is not improved then people will move on very fast. Go checkout the Choops2k8 section here at OS and you will see a fan base that loves that game. Why, because it offers great gameplay, which includes the legacy mode depth, more then it's graphics. If you don't see the point I'm trying to make then I will give you a real life example. A video game that offers great graphics is like a really good looking girl. You go over to talk to her but soon find out she is all looks because she is dumb as a brick. That is a game that is graphics only. Now rewind back to walking over to her. Now talking to her you find she is really smart and you spend hours engaged in conversation. That is a game that has great gameplay and graphics. Now you have to decide who will you marry, the girl that is looks only or the girl with looks and a brain? If you said looks only then good luck. Now if you picked the looks and a brain then you will have a great life. Same works for games. Game that offer looks only are fun at first but offer nothing long term. Games that offer the looks and the brain gives you long term playability.

About your last example (the real life one), the thing you forgot to mention is that, some people have a different taste in women (i actually have no taste in women meaning only one thing about me that we can all easily guess). Let me just make clear, it's not like I don't want gameplay fixed, I'll agree it isn't the best, even on CPU vs CPU, but it's good enough with my adjustments to the settings that I get by. I just don't want people calling other people names just because they don't agree.

To give you a real life example, it's like the gay life (the life I'm familiar with, like I said I'm always in the minority lol). It's like the gay life because, a lot of people give gays crap because of the way they think and what they like. Now, if I'm looking at somebody I like, they may look really good, but looks aren't the most important thing to me, it's how they act. I know my example probably isn't very good, that's what the boredom of school can do. But please understand that I agree, gameplay needs fixed a bit, but adding more to presentation is never a bad thing.

[nighttrain32]

One that has been repeated over and over and always comes up is why not have the features/mechanics from the PS2 version. EA has an animations driven football game that plays worse, even though it has better hardware to work with. I can't stand the motion shifts for tackling and the Pro-Tak. it actually makes me think they don't have any resources and a bunch of men are making this game in their basement.

I bought NCAA 11 used this year because I just can't stand funding a company that doesn't make basic improvements on the game. We shouldn't be talking about the coverage or the blocking this late into the cycle. Seriously, it has take almost 6 years to get the SOME of the fundamentals down and we're still waiting for them to finish the game that we've been waiting for. If Call of Duty was this bugged out, they wouldn't have a franchise, and yes I already know those games have flaws.

At this point in NCAA lifespan on the PS3/360, they should be asking us for goofy things that could include in the game because gameplay could be a minor in the dev cycle and should have a lot of the flaws ironed out. We're still waiting on the double hit tackles, competent defenses, QBs throwing reasonable distances/velocities, CPU players playing to their strengths, gadget plays, custom jerseys, custom stadiums, custom playbooks, as well as a true coaching carousel. Its really sad when one of the top things on a wishlist is colored socks or new band formations. Those things I'm sure they could do in a day and not think about it ever again.

[TheCreep]

A civil war is going on? So you're saying that folks have yet to realize (even when I'm sure they've read about it) that different parts of the game are worked on by different sections of the dev team?

Sigh lol. Alright, lets state it one more time. Gameplay upgrades have no bearing on visual upgrades and the other way around from what I've gathered. We tracking? Enough said. One love and good night all.

[MachoFantastic]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheCreep

A civil war is going on? So you're saying that folks have yet to realize (even when I'm sure they've read about it) that different parts of the game are worked on by different sections of the dev team? Sigh lol. Alright, lets state it one more time. Gameplay upgrades have no bearing on visual upgrades and the other way around from what I've gathered. We tracking? Enough said. One love and good night all.

I guess if they had an infinite amount of funds and employees then you'd be right. Unfortunately they don't, so what you are saying doesn't make any sense. Even though they are split into two different groups, it doesn't change the fact that they work for the same company. So, the more people who work on the "visuals" team, the less people are available for the "gameplay" team, and the more money they dump into the "visuals," the less is available for the "gameplay."

[nighttrain32]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheCreep

A civil war is going on? So you're saying that folks have yet to realize (even when I'm sure they've read about it) that different parts of the game are worked on by different sections of the dev team? Sigh lol. Alright, lets state it one more time. Gameplay upgrades have no bearing on visual upgrades and the other way around from what I've gathered. We tracking? Enough said. One love and good night all.

I think we all understand that they used the divide and conquer strategy for getting work done the fundamental gameplay and player recognition is still far from where a game with 6 installments should have.

Quote: Originally Posted by MachoFantastic

I guess if they had an infinite amount of funds and employees then you'd be right. Unfortunately they don't, so what you are saying doesn't make any sense. Even though they are split into two different groups, it doesn't change the fact that they work for the same company. So, the more people who work on the "visuals" team, the less people are available for the "gameplay" team, and the more money they dump into the "visuals," the less is available for the "gameplay."

They make it sound like they're an independent developer when their excuse is limited resources. If this we're any other series in any other genre, they wouldn't be moving units. I mean look at the timeline for a game that has 1 sequel and you see improvements. Maybe NCAA 12 will the Sports Game of the year. I really hope so.

[jd369]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheCreep

A civil war is going on? So you're saying that folks have yet to realize (even when I'm sure they've read about it) that different parts of the game are worked on by different sections of the dev team? Sigh lol. Alright, lets state it one more time. Gameplay upgrades have no bearing on visual upgrades and the other way around from what I've gathered. We tracking? Enough said. One love and good night all.

It is a sad fact that the majority of folks that use internet message boards are not that bright. Some folks dont realize this even after they are repeatedly told that the game has separate teams lol.

Quote: Originally Posted by MachoFantastic

I guess if they had an infinite amount of funds and employees then you'd be right. Unfortunately they don't, so what you are saying doesn't make any sense. Even though they are split into two different groups, it doesn't change the fact that they work for the same company. So, the more people who work on the "visuals" team, the less people are available for the "gameplay" team, and the more money they dump into the "visuals," the less is available for the "gameplay."

In the grand scheme of things they do have an infinite amout of resources. EA profits millions from this game alone, so for them to say they dont have enough employees to dedicate to both gameplay and visuals is just ludicrous. Lets face it, they are in to make the most money with the least amount of effort, which really pisses me off cause I LOVE playing football, but I cant play when what they produce does not resemble a football game other than there are 22 guys on the field and a ball. Unfortunately, until another company comes along thats how its gonna stay.

[89OneHanded]

Quote: Originally Posted by jd369

Unfortunately, until another company comes along thats how its gonna stay.

I wouldn't hold your breath for that.