The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

[SoundTheAlarm]

I really don't like how this video game has a magic piece of code that simply refuses (or very, very rarely) allows big upsets to happen.

And before I even start I will tell everyone now that I am the Offensive Coordinator so I only control the offense...so I really don't need to hear the "you should have played better defense" stuff.

Anyway, I was playing in the first year of my New Mexico dynasty. Started the year off 2-3, going against #8 TCU who was undefeated...

I basically ran the ball and controlled the clock for most of the game, the strategy I chose so that I could try to at least keep it close. Anyway, my defense is actually playing quite well and I go up 7-0 at the end of the first, then 21-7 by halftime. After getting the ball to start the 4th, I had a 13-play, 96 yard drive that ended with a field goal to go up 24-7 with 1:44 to go. I kick off to TCU. After 2 incompletions, TCU tossed a screen pass to the HB and he proceeded to break NINE (9) TACKLES!!!!! and go 84 yards to the endzone. Then on the ensuing onside kick, TCU kicks it and it only goes 5 yards and TCU recovers...no call. Then on the first play, TCU throws a 65 yard bomb to a WIDE OPEN receiver...24-21.

On the next onside kickoff, I recovered it and then my player FUMBLES THE BALL and TCU recovers. After a bit of a drive, TCU throws a 34 yard touchdown pass with 3 seconds to go to win the game, 28-24.

I mean... ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!?!?!?!?!? Mind you, I had NO control over any of this, so it wasn't human error. It was simply NCAA Football 12 saying "no way are we letting 2-3 New Mexico beat 6-0 TCU. Nope."

I mean, how much more Blatant can the game get with that? Simply ridiculous. And the sad thing is that I will probably never be able to play a game as perfect as I did again to have a shot to beat TCU.


Ok.... it felt better to vent a little. Has anything close to this happened to anyone else??

[Steelersfan85]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

I noticed this in road to glory. My team would have a first down and under 1:20 remaining with the other team out of timeouts. Instead of running the plays I simmed them but the cpu did not run the clock out and my team punted and went on to lose.

[FSUNolez]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

I had something similar happen. I took an undefeated Wake Forest team to the National Championship Game...


Championship Game: Auburn vs Wake Forest (I'm the Wake QB in Road to Glory)

Auburn is up by 14 at the start of the fourth quarter. I quickly score with just under 5 minutes to play. I stop Auburn on 3rd and long and with 3:30 to play, I scored again to tie the game up. Once again, I quickly stop Auburn on 3 and out and on my next possession, throw an 80 yard bomb down field for a touchdown with 2:17 to play and now I'm up by 7. Auburn proceeds to mark down field and tie the game up with just under 40 seconds. Coach wants to run the clock out and take this into overtime. Blasphemy. I suggest plays to coach and mark us down field. With :25 seconds left, I throw a 31 yard touchdown pass to go up by 7! Wake Forest… National Champions!!! [whistles] Not so fast, my friend. Auburn is not done. With 8 seconds left, Auburn throws a 72 yard touchdown pass to tie the game up. We’re going into overtime. Wake Forest wins the coin toss and elects to go on defense. Auburn wastes no time showing me that I’m going to need a touchdown. On my overtime possession, I am sacked twice on my way to a 4th and 24. Do I have one more ‘Cinderella story’ left? Nope. Sacked again. Ball game.

[Pizzaguylol]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

Comeback AI has been around for years.

[JalenTigh]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

Comeback AI has been around for years.

Yep... its amazing how many wide open receivers I see in the 4th quarter only to have my QB completely miss them, even though he has high accuracy and has been hot all game... How I can go 3 1/2 quarters without a pick, and suddenly throw 3 in a row... How my Oline decides to stop blocking... I could go on and on.

[nova91]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

Yep... its amazing how many wide open receivers I see in the 4th quarter only to have my QB completely miss them, even though he has high accuracy and has been hot all game... How I can go 3 1/2 quarters without a pick, and suddenly throw 3 in a row... How my Oline decides to stop blocking... I could go on and on.

I just had this happen to me, year 1 in my UNC dynasty I lost to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl 77-75 in the 6th overtime after being up 42-7 in the 4th. My QB threw 2 picks on 2 consecutive drives, my WRs hands turned to stone covered with butter, the O-Line opened the flood gates letting my QB get sacked 6 times and getting called for holding 6 times twice on 1 drive negating several big plays and the RB fumbles on the 5 going in then my defense went from great to trash, after allowing only 117 yards passing and 92 yards rushing through 3 quarters they had 389 yards passing and 198 yards rushing going into OT tied 42-42.

[MidniteDLITE]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

I just had this happen to me, year 1 in my UNC dynasty I lost to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl 77-75 in the 6th overtime after being up 42-7 in the 4th. My QB threw 2 picks on 2 consecutive drives, my WRs hands turned to stone covered with butter, the O-Line opened the flood gates letting my QB get sacked 6 times and getting called for holding 6 times twice on 1 drive negating several big plays and the RB fumbles on the 5 going in then my defense went from great to trash, after allowing only 117 yards passing and 92 yards rushing through 3 quarters they had 389 yards passing and 198 yards rushing going into OT tied 42-42.

CPU just punishing you for running up the score...up 42-7 in the 4th and you throw? You deserve to lose..

[Colt45]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

I beat #1 Oregon in Oregon with a one star Ball State that won 2 games the season before.

*shrug*

But yeah, Comeback AI has been around since the Super Nintendo days. You used to be able to turn it off (at least in Live you could). It's in every EA game, and gets worse as you go up the difficulty ladder.

[nova91]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

CPU just punishing you for running up the score...up 42-7 in the 4th and you throw? You deserve to lose..

I didn't start throwing until the HC replaced the 2nd team with the 1st team AFTER made it back within 7 points, the way they were starting to score 7 points was not going to be enough. The first INT was on 3rd and 16 on their 49 with 5 min to go 42-35 the second was 42-42 with 32 seconds left to go trying to get into FG position. Yeah so just STFU about deserving to lose.

[BGarrett7]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

Comeback AI has been around for years.

And in just about every title.

[Anaxamander]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

I'm not going to make any claims about comeback code or anything, but I will say this.

I've had more than my share of games where the CPU only scores on 70+ yard touchdown bombs. They can't do anything else--CPU can't pass short, CPU can't run past the line of scrimmage, CPU can't really even get a first down--but they score on big bombs, no matter what. I play the pass, I swat manually... doesn't matter.

Again, this is some games--not every game.

[jswaykos]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

Definitely one of those things that has always been in games, and it's a way to make it artificially more difficult. I fended it off in an exhibition game last night - Hawaii at Florida (I'm playing as Hawaii), 4th and whatever, UF needs a touchdown to win. I actually batted the pass down in the end zone for the win!

Lots of times, the 'come back' is my fault because I play too aggressive, and instead of just trying to contain the CPU, I play stupid.

[masprague]

Did anyone watch the ND - Michigan game. ND was up 23 to 7 in the fourth and D Rob went the length of the field in 21 seconds to win.

Not defending the game, but it does happen IRL.

[nova91]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

Did anyone watch the ND - Michigan game. ND was up 23 to 7 in the fourth and D Rob went the length of the field in 21 seconds to win.

Not defending the game, but it does happen IRL.

No one is disputing that is does happen IRL, it's the way the game makes it happen, QBs missing 5 yard slants by a mile with no pressure, as the OP mentioned players breaking insane amounts of tackles, DBs going braindead on long passes, and inexplicable no calls by the refs.

[Sydeburnz]

Re: The Mysterious "Peacekeeper" of NCAA

I was playing Madden - Oakland leading Patriots by 17 pts late in the 4th. They returned a punt and a kickoff for TD's and ended up tieing the game and beating me in overtime.

It sucks worse when you can't even watch the plays like you can in NCAA