NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

[Ian_Cummings]

*Edit to be a little more clear on wording:*

Hey guys.

Just wanted to let you know there definitely are folks looking into the following gameplay complaints - we will be able to let you know very soon if they are truly bugs, and if so, if they are patchable :

Posts seen most often / categorized as most severe:
- DL pass rush
- CPU QB percentages
- Kick / Punt Returns are too easy

Still require more research / investigation
- Players in pursuit often turn the wrong way (see LB's on swing passes?)
- DB "stand straight up" issue
- Delay CPU snapping a few seconds
- CPU deep ball
- Rocket catch
- More penalties
- Substitution sliders

As for the crashes and stats disappearing and roster editing stuff and the like...keep in contact with Adam (OMT) on their status.

To re-iterate, we don't want to have a knee-jerk reaction and tune the game too far in the other direction with a small set of sample feedback...thus explaining the amount of time we'll take into researching these complaints. The majority of NCAA's resources are being dedicated to the roster issue - it seems to be the much higher priority.

- Ian

[Ian_Cummings]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

Also from reading impressions the other thing is that the lb's are running away from the ball when in position to get an int or tackle.

Will look into this as well. Thanks.

Also is adding in assisted tackles for stats patchable?

No...it wouldn't be. We need to focus on only the highest priority stuff based on community feedback for the patch.

[aholbert32]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

i (like everyone else) appreciate your effort but i'm curious why d line issues weren't fixed as auburn alumni started freaking out about this like a month ago after watching a video. if it's broken now it was broken then.

A month ago the game was already gold. They couldnt have fixed it if they wanted to.

[Ian_Cummings]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

i (like everyone else) appreciate your effort but i'm curious why d line issues weren't fixed as auburn alumni started freaking out about this like a month ago after watching a video. if it's broken now it was broken then.

As already stated...the game was done. That's why Madden already has this fixed yet NCAA wasn't able to get it.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

Thanks Ian, basically if you guys can fix up all of these issues the gameb it would really be a significant improvement..

[shaunlmason]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

I think it is great to see an active interest. despite that the game hasn't even hit streets yet.

I think it is unfortunate that this glaring issues have overwhelmed what, at it's core, is a very fun and enjoyable game.

Personally, the game is good, but if I were on the development team I wouldn't be proud of this release.

I don't think anyone at EA wants to settle for anything less than perfect and the game is not quite there yet.

[blevins]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

Receivers speed and defensive backs lack there of is the issue not the dline pressure. Dline pressure I think is fine it is just guys get open so fast or easy usually. Dont know if it is patchable but the speed difference is very noticeable even in zone coverage.

Kick coverage team is also too slow but sliders can fix that with turning up the kick power.

[J-Unit40]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

Thanks Ian, basically if you guys can fix up all of these issues the gameb it would really be a significant improvement..

If everything under "Muy Importante" was fixed (and the roster issues), I would be extremely happy.

Thanks for popping in and listening to the OS community Ian.

[Ian_Cummings]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

Receivers speed and defensive backs lack there of is the issue not the dline pressure. Dline pressure I think is fine it is just guys get open so fast or easy usually. Dont know if it is patchable but the speed difference is very noticeable even in zone coverage.

I disagree. When 2 of your 4 DL end up on their backsides it has nothing do do with the speed difference between WR's and DB's.

[Ian_Cummings]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

If everything under "Muy Importante" was fixed (and the roster issues), I would be extremely happy.

Thanks for popping in and listening to the OS community Ian.

I kind of had to:

I really don't wanna comment on gameplay like kick and punt coverage. I'm on the NCAA game team, that includes everything but the dudes running around on the field. I know that for 09 Ian Cummings was in charge of the gameplay. He might be a better person to ask.

[blevins]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

I disagree. When 2 of your 4 DL end up on their backsides it has nothing do do with the speed difference between WR's and DB's.

I have that happen maybe 3 times a game. Then again I play with lsu with the best dline in the country. I am also playing ranked games online.

It is not like qbs are sitting back there for more than 5 seconds.





But then again, it would pretty dumb of me to argue against you fixing it.

Just trying to make sure not all of us think the sky is falling.

[J-Unit40]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

I disagree. When 2 of your 4 DL end up on their backsides it has nothing do do with the speed difference between WR's and DB's.

I agree with this. However, the DBs do seem to allow the WR to catch the ball at times and will not make a play on the ball. Also, the CPU QBs rarely overthrow or underthrow the WRs or go deep. Hence, the high completion percentages.

[blevins]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

TheFuture15,

This is just my opinion and please don't take it personal.

I think EA needs a better QA system. The people that test appear not to be purist or hardcores. They need to give the Community Leaders, since they trust those guys, the Alpha/Beta builds early in the process so you guys can take notes of possible bugs and glitches. Then they can focus on fixing those things that are fixable. They never catch all these bugs because they are the creators. Its easy to miss things when you run things they way they are supposed to be run because you created it! I know this all too well as a web developer. In my profession it happens all the time. Users see and find things that we totally miss as developers because we aren't trying to break the product, and we miss things. That's why in our QA process, we have layman web users test our products and report back to us in a specified period of time so that we can test and fix bugs and errors. EA should be ashamed. As a big company that they are, they should know that. If its a resources issue, then they should bump up their budget or reallocate resources to put a bigger priority on testing. I know they can't fix everything, but some of these bugs are ridiculous and easily found with quality testing.

Agree the testers for EA games have dropped the ball, by far, more than anyone. (See madden last year and now ncaa).

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

I disagree. When 2 of your 4 DL end up on their backsides it has nothing do do with the speed difference between WR's and DB's.

One of our posters made the observation playing as USC against Utah State with pass block sliders at 0 for the cpu and break block at 100 for the user. He observed how he wasn't able to get any pressure whatsoever against the Utah State line. I could understand the reverse happening in the game -Utah State's d-line getting manhandled, but the defensive line for USC would and in the game should the entire offensive side of Utah State's game. Basically it seems like player ratings are not factored in enough into line play in NCAA this year. And that there is some sort of inherent gameplay mechanic giving the o-line a huge advantage.

[dkrause1971]

Re: NCAA 09 Gameplay Issues (response from EA)

I agree with this. However, the DBs do seem to allow the WR to catch the ball at times and will not make a play on the ball. Also, the CPU QBs rarely overthrow or underthrow the WRs or go deep. Hence, the high completion percentages.

That more than anything has always plagued the series. More non events like under thrown and over thrown balls and not picked or caught.