The Caustic Issues

[J.R. Locke]

Well I traded in NCAA 2009 for $40 at Gamestop towards the purchase of Madden Collectors Edition. First off I had not purchased NCAA in a long long long time, like 2004 or so. A lot of the same issues remain but obvious improvements in the running game, tackling animations, dynasty progression, visuals made it a very enjoyable game. Overall I absolutely loved the game except for the lack of these three elements. Without the addition of these features in the future I just don't think I can spend the $60 for again.

1) No create-a-play/playbook. I have been waiting for something like 8 years for a football game to include an in depth play creator but no one has delivered (word is Head Coach's is bland).

Overall I think the playbooks are terrible. With all these teams running read options with slow drop back quarterbacks it would be so nice to edit playbooks for every team.

2) Immersion. There is no pre-game, halftime, TV style presentation. The highlights lack something. The after play celebrations get real old real quick. The dynasty mode suffers from a horrible interface/UI. Reading stats is a eyesore.

With the focus on stadiums, which are done beautifully I might add, I can see how other presentation elements didn't make the game. But for me half the MAC teams played in generic stadiums, including the Ohio Bobcats who I use, making it very very dull to play. Lacked that small school feel.

3) Game Customization. The lack of working sliders was telling in how customizable this game was. But for years EA football games have had the same useless sliders (Penalty's, INT never seem to work like they should).

I think it is about time that we get a game that we can tailor to our own desire. Starting with camera options along with the options to change game speed, adjust CPU/HUM sliders for every attribute included in the game, along with dynasty options to edit players attributes and team playbooks along with formation substitutions during a dynasty.

Anyway those are the three big changes I kind of want before I would purchase this game again. I thought the gameplay was excellent and most of the "problems" others had with the gameplay didn't bother me really at all.

I would love it if others could list there top three issues of need for this game and if you are plan to purchase again in the future or not, with or without those features.

[umd]

There are several things holding this game back this year but here are 3 that just really bug me and I'm not even gonna bother discussing Robo QB, dumbed down defense and crippled special teams play.

1) Sliders - how the f%$# do you break the sliders and ship the game? How exactly does that happen? CPU being HUM sliders is a cluster f. I want a stronger (than the anemic) CPU run game? I have to raise my RB slider so my HB runs for 190 just to get the CPU to 85. And when they are assigned to the right spot, how about making them actually work? What's the point of having penalty sliders if certain sliders don't even get that penalty called?

Could many of the gameplay issues be fixed with working sliders? I'd love to be able to at least try and find out.

2) Presentation - is much better this year but still pretty far behind what we already had last gen. The stadiums look great, stadium sounds (if you take the time to add them) sound great. As much as people bash mascots and user controlled celebrations they add to the game.

Give us back team intros (generic or not), the Gameday team at halftime, pre or postgame. Give us uniform patches, bowl art, logo's and celebrations for accomplishing things like they use to in the old faded memory days of the PS2. How about the Player to Watch where he was always warming up and they'd talk about him and flash his stats.

3) Don't reinvent the wheel - give us the good stuff back - create-a-school always breathed life into the game for me in Dec or as a change of pace earlier. Cupcake or Smashmouth?

Where's the choice for Playoff or Bowl that was around, I think, in the days of my gray-UFO-looking PS1?

What about a tuned eligibility system for suspensions - eligible and ineligible players based on academics etc like PS2.

Formations subs - NOT audibles. Let me put my freshmen WR in the slot of certain packages so he can get some burn. Let me put my run blocking lineman in my heavy run sets and decide who plays special teams.

I'm really waiting for Tiburon to get this game together again. NCAA is not Madden. Unfortunately, it looks like NCAA is being pushed into the role of casual little brother.

Don't give us wide-open gameplay - give us solid "NCAA" gameplay on offense, on defense and on special teams.

Give us the little things back (fix the big things) that made this series the superior football franchise on PS2/Xbox.

[stoncold32]

^^^^^^^

I agree with all of what you said, but the playoff thing will never come back due to the NCAA.

The ONLY thing that was ever missing from Ps2 was the option to play in a post-season All-Star game. I know the real one is trademarked, but there used to be a generic one back on PS1. In my franchise, I used to love to play with and see great players that were on other teams that I never got to see or play against. How real is it to have a guy win the Heisman, and I've never seen him play?

[badpoet]

I don't care about the presentation. I don't care if I can't create plays.

I just want a game that's somewhat realistic and that is good. Which, unfortunately, has apparently been too much to ask this time (unless patches fix it).

[Keyser Soze]

When playing the CPU using the spread offense the CPU will constantly run the same CB man blitz play that puts the super slow MLB on your slot WRs and ruins the game. You can score or get massive yardage on that play virtually every single time regardless of how crappy your team is since your WR will be faster then the MLB except in the MOST extreme of cases.

You can blow up this coverage time after time but the CPU will never learn and continue to run it over and over again... its sad and pathetic and makes running the spread versus the CPU almost pointless since the point IS to get mismatches like this but since its so darn easy and often, it just breaks the game.

Also, there are several plays that you can call on every play of the SEASON against the CPU and they will never stop. They might/will stop it a few times by randomly calling a GOOD D but they will just as quickly go back to an awful defense and get blown up. EA really needs to implement some sort of play calling AI for the CPU in a big way.

[umd]

Even after just one day of Madden (I partially split the CE w/ a friend for Head Coach) I can see that it's the better game gameplay wise this year hands down.

Things may pop up over time - as always - but man NCAA has some really glaring flaws that look even worse after playing Madden all day.

What have they done to this franchise? It's depressing. So much crappy QC for NCAA.

[W Patrick]

Quote: Originally Posted by stoncold32

^^^^^^^ I agree with all of what you said, but the playoff thing will never come back due to the NCAA. The ONLY thing that was ever missing from Ps2 was the option to play in a post-season All-Star game. I know the real one is trademarked, but there used to be a generic one back on PS1. In my franchise, I used to love to play with and see great players that were on other teams that I never got to see or play against. How real is it to have a guy win the Heisman, and I've never seen him play?

I also enjoyed the all star game, they took it out after the ps1 and I guess just forgot about it.

I also noticed in Madden 08 360 they took team specific helmets out of the Pro Bowl that was available on the ps2. EA and their rotating features very inconsistant and sloppy. Thats what no competition gets you.