NCAA 2004 is still the best

[ODogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Shakedowncapo

No defense in 2004? Wow..you guys must suck..i would love to play you..and show you how i can dominate with my FS... 2004>>>05'

Ahh..the inevitable "it's not the game, you guys must not know what you're doing" post. How original.

[glucklich]

Quote: Originally Posted by ADW

Honestly, I feel the defense is tougher due to the offense being handicapped with things such as dropped passes, incorrect blocking schemes, poorly designed and thought out plays, unrealistic defensive back play (banjos), and fluctuating player ratings. For example the QB Choice plays in the shotgun are real head scratchers for me. They're trying to implement the zone read play that many spread offense teams run. How that play is supposed to work is the offensive line uses it's standard zone/reach blocking technique on the play side defensive linemen while the back side defensive end is intentionally left unblocked. The quarterback reads this player and based on what the defensive end does, the quarterback can give the ball to the back on the zone play or keep it himself and go around the back side. In NCAA 2005 the center, play side guard, and play side tackle will zone/reach block, however for some reason they have it so the back side guard pulls to the play side and the back side tackle blocks the back side defensive end. This blocking scheme doesn't make any sense. Why would you pull the back side guard to the play side when the play side linemen are zone blocking in that direction? If you're going to pull the back side guard the play side needs to block down. Also since the back side defensive end is being blocked by the back side tackle, who is the quarterback "reading" to make his give/keep read? This is just one of the numerous examples of poorly thought out schemes and play design in NCAA 2005. The good news is the production team at EA Tiborun has gotten the message concerning NCAA 2005 and it's shortcomings and they're looking to make dramatic improvements for NCAA 2006.

I feel there is far more distinct CPU speed cheat in 2005. Its interesting how it reminds me of 2002 Madden in this regard and I also think Moye was working on Madden at that time. Now he leaves Madden which improves a lot and goes to NCAA which becomes worse. If nobody remembers in Madden 2002 there was a speed cheat (there was one in 2002 NCAA too) and also there was a problem running inside. If you were to use sliders to fix the interior run blocking you make the WRs way too lethal in the process. This imbalance plus the speed cheat killed the game. I think 2005 Madden has the best game play of all of them but the announcing and environment is very stale. If it wasnt for Madden 2005 I would have gone back to NCAA 2004 because I hate speed cheats which are evidence theres a difference between realistic gameplay and realistic stats/results. The sad thing is I dont see NCAA getting better- at least not on the current systems. The next gen XBOX is to come out next fall and so wouldnt you think EA will focus their resources on that (unless they have already). Based on this past console too, I dont expect the first version of EA games to be very good.

[m7406]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jistic

Man that's crazy. If NCAA had Madden's engine this year I'd be in heaven. THe graphics, animations, controls are superior......but it's Pro and I wish it was college.

strongly agreed!!!

[koolbubbaice]

Quote: Originally Posted by m7406

strongly agreed!!!

yep.. 05 blew chunks.. Worse offense AI I ever seen in a football game.. If you play a sorry school on the highest difficulty they will be lucky to complete 30% of their passes.. Even Rice's QB can have a40-50% completion rate.. I like the fact that the Defensive AI is much improved, but its cheap, & not far.. The secondary all rush towards the reciver the QB is throwing to before he even has the ball.. Catching in triple coverage.. The 10 yard pass deflections, where about 6-8 players tip the ball before it falls to the ground.. Awful play calling.. The drop glitch.. Slowdown for the Xbox.. EA really needs to get their crap together with 06.. The crowd noise & homefield advantage was the only bright spot in the game.. The confidence meter was broke as hell too.. I see promise with the evolution of the hit stick though... EA just needs to bring it up to speed with Maddens.. All this & I'm still excited about NCAA06.. Please make this game better EA.. Nothing beats the college atmophere..

[brahmagoul]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks a lot of these things. My big gripe with NCAA 2005 is the lack of ability to bullrush. If you hit O, you fall down. Plus, if you drop back, the computer quickly throws a pass if you don't move the controller. This hurts the fluidity. I like to let my QB take the drop step occasionally. An engine different from Madden would be best, but I at least hate seeing NCAA be the second-rate engine a couple steps behind Madden.

[hockeyboy28]

Yea but next years will be better ill tell you why the reason is that 2003 was pretty good just like 05 EA after they do a GREAT one they always tend to slackoff but next years will be alot better faster gameplay plus they will work out the kinks andthings like that so next year's madden 06 and ncaa 06 will the best im hopeing thats how it is because 2002 for ps2 was great but then they 2003 which was ok then 2004 everybody loved it and now 05 isnt that great do you see what im getting to now?

[ehh]

I hadn't touched this game since CH2K5 came out a month and a half ago, but since UConn had a big win in their bowl game the other night I got the itch to play this again.

And damn, I played this game alot this year, but I don't remember it sucking THIS bad. I had one offensive touchdowns in three games w. my A+ overall Michigan team on Heisman sliders. I had won 27 in a row before losing three straight games last night. Dropped pass after dropped pass, awful blocking, super-human DB's.

I popped in '04 and mmmmmman what a difference. I may actually start up a Penn State dynasty today in '04. Game is pretty damn solid.