Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

[RaychelSnr]

It has now been well over a week since NCAA Football 09 was released and we have seen just about every reaction possible about EA Sports newest game. Our very own Patrick Williams was in the middle of the release frenzy and checks in today with an article discussing his thoughts on how the releases reaction was received among the community in his latest article, Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story.

"Summer is usually a time for relaxation in the sports world. Summer lacks any real dramatic sports news. At most, all you can hope for is some kind of off-the-field NFL scandal or hot topic -- and this year has not let us down, thank you Brett Favre and the Packers organization. Still if you love sports -- and since you are here you most likely do -- and play sports video games, you know that summer means a new beginning for the next season’s titles."

[Rules]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

$60 wasted and another crap article stating why "the few" of us don't like the game, making it sound like we are the ones with the problem


Now that 2k is basically gone (from football) I find it funny how quick some jump the shark to the other side when expectation should ALWAYS be at a high level.......NOT JUST FOR EA!

$60...........the price for a game.
The price for a game that you SHOULD NOT have to deal with these glaring gameplay BUGS, especially when it has been HOW MANY YEARS NOW?

[AuburnAlumni]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Every bit of negativity has been warranted in my opinion.

Why? Well, regardless of what you think about the actual gameplay, Almost every major feature upon release was flat out broken.

1. Editing Rosters made your game freeze. Can't do that.
2. Stadium Sounds were causing issues for folks. Can't do that.
3. Online Dynasty was disappearing, being hijacked, etc. Can't do that.

That covers every major "new feature" in the game.

Gameplay is an opinion. But in all honesty, the folks that are really tearing NCAA a new one in the AI department are not "9 post wonders". These aren't 12 year old Timmy.

Bill Abner, Bill Harris, Rhombic, etc. These are ESTABLISHED WELL RESPECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS . And it's not like they think the game "is a bit easy on offense", etc. These folks, like myself, are saying there are MAJOR issues.

Again, it's everyone's individual tastes on gameplay, etc. But there is a very vocal..and IMO...very KNOWLEDGEABLE section of the NCAA community that is highly disappointed with what this game looks like right now . I agree, obviously, with Rhombic and Co. and I think that...pre patch..this game is an arcadish score-fest with horrendous Defensive AI.

Could Defensive AI be adjusted? Could the ridiculous speed cheat for offenses be toned down? Could a Defensive line actually play to their abilities instead of getting pancaked and stonewalled by All Pro Offensive lines at Akron and Ball State?

Sure they could. Will they? Who knows.

But it would be very reasonable to suggest that this launch has been one of the messiest, bug filled, AI deficient in memory.

Just my .02.

[HustlinOwl]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Great article and can't believe it has only been a week

[Failure]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Every bit of negativity has been warranted in my opinion.

Why? Well, regardless of what you think about the actual gameplay, Almost every major feature upon release was flat out broken.

1. Editing Rosters made your game freeze. Can't do that.
2. Stadium Sounds were causing issues for folks. Can't do that.
3. Online Dynasty was disappearing, being hijacked, etc. Can't do that.

That covers every major "new feature" in the game.

Gameplay is an opinion. But in all honesty, the folks that are really tearing NCAA a new one in the AI department are not "9 post wonders". These aren't 12 year old Timmy.

Bill Abner, Bill Harris, Rhombic, etc. These are ESTABLISHED WELL RESPECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS . And it's not like they think the game "is a bit easy on offense", etc. These folks, like myself, are saying there are MAJOR issues.

Again, it's everyone's individual tastes on gameplay, etc. But there is a very vocal..and IMO...very KNOWLEDGEABLE section of the NCAA community that is highly disappointed with what this game looks like right now . I agree, obviously, with Rhombic and Co. and I think that...pre patch..this game is an arcadish score-fest with horrendous Defensive AI.

Could Defensive AI be adjusted? Could the ridiculous speed cheat for offenses be toned down? Could a Defensive line actually play to their abilities instead of getting pancaked and stonewalled by All Pro Offensive lines at Akron and Ball State?

Sure they could. Will they? Who knows.

But it would be very reasonable to suggest that this launch has been one of the messiest, bug filled, AI deficient in memory.

Just my .02.

couldnt agree more

[fistofrage]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Work is being done to help each other overcome the problems, and slider and music customization help is a hot topic. This game may just have hope yet. Still it has been an eventful week or two in the online community with forums everywhere taking some twists and turns to say the least.

But alas, even the sliders were broken. Don't make it sound like there was a horrible storm and now the sun is out. There was a storm and now that people realize that the sliders and other things are broken to the point the community can't fix them. NCAAville is sitting under a dark cloud until EA fixes their broken product. The eye of Sauron is upon us. We are basically powerless at this point.

They have our money so we're at their mercy. I won't be fooled again.

[srudoff]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

belongs in the Impressions thread

[thmst30]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

OK, What the hell is this OS. This is the 3rd or 4th story about how NCAA is a good game and that the ones who don't like it are overreacting. Come On! Yes many people are overreacting, BUT a lot of people have problems with this game and most the complaints are real and warranted. Please Please Please quit sucking up to this game just because the developers are on the site, or because you personally like the game. I'm happy for you, really its great that you can enjoy your purchase, but for those that can't quit putting them down and treating their statements are purely false. Its OK for people to like the game, and hate the game. Try to take a more neutral approach. I personally used to be a huge NCAA fan and would ALWAYS get it day 1, now I cannot stand to play it, it bores the crap out of me, and the bugs/issues drive me away constantly. Doesn't mean my view on the game is wrong, its just MY view. Let those that enjoy it, enjoy it. Let those that dislike it have their say so that hopefully EA can improve upon what they feel needs fixed. This game is still way way behind where I feel it should be by now, so I intend to let EA know that, and maybe just maybe they will make me and many others a little happier in the future. Not everyone will be satisfied, but more so this year than ever it seems, and with good reason. IN MY OPINION.

[SteelerSpartan]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Auburn you nailed it man. There are so many damm things broken with the game in just the features dept.

And then you have the gameplay... And its become even harder to remedy it with confirmed broken sliders

[ChaseB]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

"But as the week went on and as the dust started to settle, people spent a little more time playing the game. Now reports of people actually having fun with the game are starting to pop up, and threads of gamers posting their best experiences and great games are prevalent. Work is being done to help each other overcome the problems, and slider and music customization help is a hot topic. This game may just have hope yet. Still it has been an eventful week or two in the online community with forums everywhere taking some twists and turns to say the least.

So with the cleanup after the storm taking place now, does normalcy peek out from behind the storm clouds? Only time will tell. But with big brother Madden’s release just a few short weeks away, I know we'll have to gear up to go through it all again, because after all, it is release season!"

Is that the part that's bothering you guys? I'm just curious. I've been busy the last few weeks so haven't been following this whole release thing closely (not a huge football fan in the first place) but I did proof and edit the article and when I read through it, that's the only part I could see you guys possibly jumping on.

This is more about forum psychology than the issues that are or aren't there to me. At least when I read it that's the feeling I got.

[Rocky]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

"But as the week went on and as the dust started to settle, people spent a little more time playing the game. Now reports of people actually having fun with the game are starting to pop up, and threads of gamers posting their best experiences and great games are prevalent. Work is being done to help each other overcome the problems, and slider and music customization help is a hot topic. This game may just have hope yet. Still it has been an eventful week or two in the online community with forums everywhere taking some twists and turns to say the least.

So with the cleanup after the storm taking place now, does normalcy peek out from behind the storm clouds? Only time will tell. But with big brother Madden’s release just a few short weeks away, I know we'll have to gear up to go through it all again, because after all, it is release season!"

Is that the part that's bothering you guys? I'm just curious. I've been busy the last few weeks so haven't been following this whole release thing closely (not a huge football fan in the first place) but I did proof and edit the article and when I read through it, that's the only part I could see you guys possibly jumping on.

This is more about forum psychology than the issues that are or aren't there to me. At least when I read it that's the feeling I got.

There's no balance. No explaining why people are upset at the game, just that there is something wrong with "us".

[Sabin]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Im so sick of hearing "despite the problems NCAA 09 is still a lot of fun".

The game is still fun because the majority of us are huge CFB fans and its pretty hard not to have some fun with the game when you can play with your favorite team.

Is this game a total disaster? No, but stop shoving "this game is a lot of fun" down our throats when people that enjoy the defensive side of the game are pulling their hair out because of the unrealistic QB & OL play.

[Cebby]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Is that the part that's bothering you guys? I'm just curious. I've been busy the last few weeks so haven't been following this whole release thing closely (not a huge football fan in the first place) but I did proof and edit the article and when I read through it, that's the only part I could see you guys possibly jumping on.

I think it's mostly this:

Perhaps just another college learned lesson was rearing its head: the fact that people who dislike something are more vocal than people who actually care about it. Because if you were on the boards during all the impressions, or should I say complaints, then it became a little trying. Several die hards proclaimed the game was busted and that they wouldn’t be purchasing this year -- mind you this was still before the game was even officially released. Glitch after glitch began to surface, and as more and more people received their games, the question was how could this be going bad again after things looked so bright and promising?

It's now been a week since the game was "officially released" and the rosters, sliders, and online dynasties still don't work. We've known for months that there was no defensive pressure, returns were broken, and that short passes were impossible to stop, but were assured by stooges and developers that those problems were minor and would be fixed by release.

As AA said, the new features range from poorly implemented to unusable, and the gameplay has serious problems. This isn't complaining just for complaining, this is the most buggy console game I've ever seen.

[GoVols1985]

Re: Summer Storms: The NCAA Release Story

Im so sick of hearing "despite the problems NCAA 09 is still a lot of fun".

The game is still fun because the majority of us are huge CFB fans and its pretty hard not to have some fun with the game when you can play with your favorite team.

Is this game a total disaster? No, but stop shoving "this game is a lot of fun" down our throats when people that enjoy the defensive side of the game are pulling their hair out because of the unrealistic QB & OL play.

In all fairness, I could say the same to people who are shoving "this game is broken" down our throats.

[ChaseB]

Im so sick of hearing "despite the problems NCAA 09 is still a lot of fun".

The game is still fun because the majority of us are huge CFB fans and its pretty hard not to have some fun with the game when you can play with your favorite team.

Is this game a total disaster? No, but stop shoving "this game is a lot of fun" down our throats when people that enjoy the defensive side of the game are pulling their hair out because of the unrealistic QB & OL play.

Where's that this game is a lot of fun quote though? And where's the quote that says there's something wrong with you guys? I mean if I misinterpreted the tone I guess that's possible but I just didn't see it while editing it. Like I said before it's more about the forums in general to me, rather than the opinions. Maybe it's because I haven't been following this saga so closely or something, so I'm not reading between the lines or something?