NCAA Basketball 09 Producer Blog #1 w/ OS Exclusive Screenshots

[Steve_OS]

We have just posted our NCAA Basketball 09 Producer Blog #1 with Gameplay Producer, Connor Dougan. He explains the gameplay engine and how the team made NCAA Basketball 09 better and different.

Check out the Operation Sports exclusive screenshots, right here.

"Hey what’s up everyone, my name is Connor Dougan and I’m a Producer on NCAA Basketball. I’m here to give you some details on NCAA Gameplay and the adoption of the EA SPORTS basketball engine into NCAA Basketball 09.

Some of you may already be aware, NBA LIVE re-wrote their Gameplay engine a few years ago and it has seen significant improvement in 08 and in 09.

At the end of the 08 product year for March Madness we felt that the basketball engine (shipped in LIVE 08) was in a state where we felt that that there was a strong, core foundation and ultimately, in a position for us to take it. The March Madness Gameplay engine was suffering from old tech resulting in poor animation blends, questionable physics and a code base that was very difficult to manage/maintain/enhance (to name a few issues).

So… the EA SPORTS Gameplay engine was a go for NCAA Basketball 09."

[Jay Bishop]

Damn I wish they could DLC their improvements to LIVE. I would love to have that "cut the gather off from the block animation" joint. All of the responsiveness issues should be patched to Live!

[asu666]

EA still has a lot of major hurdles to clear in getting its college game up to the level of NCAA College Hoops 2K8. NCAA Basketball 09 will probably be decent, but will still need a lot of work to take the crown.

[wsu_gb23]

If March Madness is going to have the same engine as Live, consider me out.....The players in the Live series have never moved right; everything just looks awkward....

[dave374]

I feel sorry for the guys who don't a least give this game a chance.
It was a blast to play at the community event ... and judging from some of the comments in Connor's blog, they actually addressed some of our concerns.

I do agree however with Jay Bishop ... I wish they'd add these improvements to Live 09 with a patch.

Dave

[tril]

sounds promising!!

[texbuk84]

If March Madness is going to have the same engine as Live, consider me out.....The players in the Live series have never moved right; everything just looks awkward....

amen to that brotha

[texbuk84]

i think they need to add the 2k engine to there portfolio then March Madness will be a good game

[PaperLantern]

LOL @ the second to last picture.

Cole Aldrich looks like a clown in this game. He looked bad in 2k8, but this is just horrible. He's almost bald IRL, but they've got him with a LAME hairstyle in this pic.

[DubTrey1]

I suppose I will wait for the demo on this one before I absolutely dismiss this game.

[Alliball]

Re: NCAA Basketball 09 Producer Blog #1 w/ OS Exclusive Screenshots

LOL @ the second to last picture.

Cole Aldrich looks like a clown in this game. He looked bad in 2k8, but this is just horrible. He's almost bald IRL, but they've got him with a LAME hairstyle in this pic.

Gamekiller?

Good Lord

[whittleboy615]

Re: NCAA Basketball 09 Producer Blog #1 w/ OS Exclusive Screenshots

LOL @ the second to last picture.

Cole Aldrich looks like a clown in this game. He looked bad in 2k8, but this is just horrible. He's almost bald IRL, but they've got him with a LAME hairstyle in this pic.

So edit his appearance.

College games are not allowed to make their players look just like the real persons. It's against NCAA regulations.

[Tomba]

Re: NCAA Basketball 09 Producer Blog #1 w/ OS Exclusive Screenshots

The team is intent on establishing itself as a good college basketball brand. Sean and company listened to all of us carefully and I directly saw the excitement they had over their alpha build of the game even though we did pick it apart as much as we could and gave enough suggestions that would hopefully benefit this years title more.

I'll say right now it was better playing then NBA Live 09 and that is exactly what they were ehaded for and wanted. To be a better basketball game then NBA Live because they improved on the engine they were given. NBA Live 09 was roughly like 2 months done when we saw NCAA 09 so the improve from that game to NCAA was fairly decent.

These producer blogs and EA being on these very boards themselves and getting us guys involved is so that the right information comes out...

[Glenn33]

After playing NBA Live 09 - I am PLENTY excited for this game. I am a Believer!

[Behindshadows]

Re: NCAA Basketball 09 Producer Blog #1 w/ OS Exclusive Screenshots

Love the screenshots, thanks Steve for sharing. Player models look good