Happy Holidays: Impressions on the NCAA Football 08 Demo (360)

[Steve_OS]

We have just posted our impressions of the NCAA Football 08 demo. Find out what Clay Shaver has to say about the recently added demo available on the Marketplace.

"When the marketing wizards at gaming giant EA Sports coined the term Maddenoliday to represent that special Tuesday in August when the latest version of Madden hit, it instantly became the Christmas Day of sports gaming. Madden comes will all of the tradition, pageantry and, frankly, the commercial exposure that we’ve become so use to during the real Christmas season.

So with Maddenoliday being officially marked Christmas, it’s only fair to call the release of NCAA Football, EA Sports other football juggernaut, Thanksgiving. The similarities are pretty startling. It’s a month before Christmas. You wait for it with great anticipation. You fill yourself with goodness. Then you plop your butt down in front of the TV for four days never to see the light of day till Monday. Sounds like NCAA to me!

With our metaphor firmly intact, we celebrated one of the great unknown holidays and traditions this morning at 5:00a EST. When the NCAA Football 08 official demo hit the Xbox Live Marketplace, I couldn’t help but deem it the “night before Thanksgiving.” If you’re not familiar with the night before Thanksgiving as a holiday, it’s largely considered, yet often debated, the biggest bar night of the year. With pretty much every person in the free world off work on Thanksgiving Day, save those poor souls at the Butterball hotline, that Wednesday night is spent by millions of people giving thanks to hops and barley at their favorite watering hole."

[Brandwin]

Great stuff as always Clay.

[Altimus]

Quote: Originally Posted by DookieMowf

Great stuff as always Clay.

Agreed, good read Clay.

[NovaStar]

Clay, that is a very entertaining and well written impression. Great job.

[asween40]

very entertaining read...thanks....make sure to do one for all pro football!!!

[BezO]

Informative impression! Thanks

Can you expound on something? QB Pocket AI. Man, I'm glad DEs take the direct line to the QB when he drops further than he should. But what about when you take a normal drop? You did mention it was harder to get outside, but is it because the DEs actually get up the field to contain? If so, is it necessary to use the QB Contain hot route to get the DEs to rush up the field?

In other words, does an actual pocket form AROUND the QB on a fairly regular basis? Did you find that the QB had to give ground to get outside? And did the DEs disengage and chase when a QB did break contain?

[Shaver]

Quote: Originally Posted by BezO

Informative impression! Thanks Can you expound on something? QB Pocket AI. Man, I'm glad DEs take the direct line to the QB when he drops further than he should. But what about when you take a normal drop? You did mention it was harder to get outside, but is it because the DEs actually get up the field to contain? If so, is it necessary to use the QB Contain hot route to get the DEs to rush up the field? In other words, does an actual pocket form AROUND the QB on a fairly regular basis? Did you find that the QB had to give ground to get outside? And did the DEs disengage and chase when a QB did break contain?

I felt like the pocket formed in most cases. Maybe not perfect, but better than last year. DE's seemed to push upfield when engaged and, in most cases, you did have to give up ground to get outside when taking the snap from under center.

[BezO]

Quote: Originally Posted by Clay_OS

I felt like the pocket formed in most cases. Maybe not perfect, but better than last year. DE's seemed to push upfield when engaged and, in most cases, you did have to give up ground to get outside when taking the snap from under center.

Great news. Thanks!