NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

[poster]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

I am having fun with the demo and looking forward to playing it some more. Running an offense seems very fun in this game. Need to get the controls down better to be sure.

[WarEagleTom]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

I REALLY wanted to like it, but its horrible, unplayable and certainly not worth the money. No need to go into detail, already deleted the download.

[TopDog]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

I had no clue this game was in the works or even a demo was out till I scanned the new demos a while ago. I downloaded the game to give it a shot.

Let me say that I haven't played a Live game since the Genesis and haven't owned the 2k game since 2k7 (2k8 was a rental).

I am really surprised at how fun the game is. The tempo feature is great. You can really tell the difference between TN and Kentucky. Defensively, I think this game does the 2-3 zone much better than the 2k series, it just feels more natural. On the other hand, I tried pressing with TN and the players were all over the place. Kentucky zipped by to the hoop without any problem. I really need to practice with this D. Turnovers and picking off passes seemed realistic, not too many. Offensively, the give and go feature was easy to pick up for a n00b like me and I was able to score 19-26 points in each game. I had a couple of sweet dunks off the give and go that had my jaw dropping.

Not going to nitpick on clothes, shoes, or sound that much because fun is what it's all about for me and I realize this is a demo. I like Erin Andrews on the sidelines and she's definitely not MIA. She broke in 3 times in one of my games with some pretty decent info. The only funny things I've noticed are that Vitale sounds like he has a frog in his throat sometimes. And, is it just me, or does he call Nessler BRIAN on several occasions?

[countryboy]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

just had a funny play happen. I was backing down Patterson and he flopped but no call so I took it to the rim hard only to have to miss the dunk and have the ball shoot out to a player at my 3pt line and I drained the 3.

[biglami]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean others shouldn't.

I'm not fond of fat chicks, but if someone likes a little more lovin', all the power to him.

Robert Plant (lead singer of Led Zeppelin) said that a "Big leg woman aint got no soul"...thus leading me to think he wanst a big fan of fat chix...and he is my mentor in the ways of lust...so I must disagree and say that if a guy like fat chix, then he loses credibility in all matter, lol j/k...his credibility is only lost in matters of judging female talent...I like skinny chix myself

but yea I didnt see this thread and posted my impression in the main forum...I think I lije the game, but I dont know, I hope the grafix get upgraded when the full copy comes out...gameplaywise tho it seems simple, which is ok, considering how overly canned and complicated 2K has gotten (and obviously isnt even existing in CH 09)

[TopDog]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

Played another game as UT @ home against Kentucky. Played on All-Conference difficulty and I forced waaaayyy too many turnovers. I started out and stayed in the 2-3 zone for the entire game. I forced 12 turnovers, half stolen passes half steals, and won 24-10.

[bowld]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

My one big gripe so far is when backing down in the post an offensive foul gets called almost every time. i hope i can adjust sliders to cut down on this

[whittleboy615]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

I enjoyed the demo a lot. This game is maybe 10x better than MM08 was for PS3, and I can't wait to own the full retail version. Here's my random first impressions.


Good:

• Bench and player cutscenes (players subbing in)
• University seals at Play Now screen
• All the new features (Game tempo, Quickstrike ball-handling especially)
• Improved block and dunk animations
• Ability icons are back
• Stadium signs and better refs, fans, cameramen, and cheerleaders
• The full court press is a lot of fun
• Trapping animations are much much improved
• Guys don't run out of bounds as easy
• CPU jumping passing lanes and waving arms on defense
• Crowd much more reactive and intelligent
• Everyone catches the ball in triple threat
• End half horn added
• "Beep, beep" countdown added with 5 sec left in a half
• Graphics in general are fantastic
• Campus scenery background is pretty
• Loud "woosh" noise after made Home team free throws
• Great responsiveness with kickout 3-pointers
• Getting ball in quick from inbounds to push ahead
• 5 second calls are actually possible. In MM08, the CPU would push off at 4.8 sec every time.
• Floor spacing is great
• Classic teams + Chuck Taylors! Jordan has massive hops.
• Transition game AI improved: players explode toward basket
• CPU is much harder to beat now. MM08 was way too easy on the hardest difficulty level.
• The loading screen is fun. It let's you practice quickstrike moves.
• More mini games could be added like Hotspot, 1-on-1, 3pt challenge, etc. along with user-controlled two-line layups during warmups

Bad:

• Players still go backcourt too much. The CPU can be bringing the ball up court with minimal pressure and they will make a pass to a teammate straddling the halfcourt line and he gets called. It also happens a lot when the CPU's teammates run to midcourt to help break the press. They will get a pass and then pivot back over the line when they get in triple-threat after catching the ball.
• Tennessee's outside men's 3-pt line should be orange
• Directional passing with the analog stick is terribly inaccurate.
• Players need better muscle definition. The beanpole legs on the classic team players look especially too skinny.
• Maybe I just haven't figured it out, but the tipoff is really difficult to win. I'm confused about when I'm supposed to press the triangle button.
• Arrows that demonstrate how to run the plays should be visible when you press R3 or some other button. They had this feature in last gen, and it was very helpful in learning new plays.
• The user doesn't seem aggressive enough when I try to steal ball out of air. The CPU has much better "snatching" ability than the user does.
• Sometimes when trapping, the CPU will pick up their dribble before halfcourt and then throw a fullcourt pass to a teammate and the defense will just stand behind the player instead of stepping in front of him for an easy fastbreak steal.
• The CPU's defense is very good at snatching bad passes like that though.
• Player attributes should be visible at the staring lineup select screen in Play Now
• UNC fans chanted "OOOOHHH" one time while the Tarheels were on offense.
• The free throw light-up system is too small and the colors on the backboard do not provide enough contrast. I had a complaint on EA's Live boards from a red/green color-blind guy who couldn't make any free throws with this system.
• Offesnive fouls can be confusing because the announcer does not acknowledge them and there are no corresponding cutscenes of the refs or players. I thought I had an And1 a few times, but the next thing I knew the CPU was inbounding the ball, and I was scrambling to get in my press.
• The CPU needs the presence of mind to call timeout before getting a 10 second backcourt calls.
• The crowd should chant "5-4-3-2-1" to end halves, and maybe have an "off count" for when the away team has the last shot.

[ehh]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

My one big gripe so far is when backing down in the post an offensive foul gets called almost every time. i hope i can adjust sliders to cut down on this

Once you have initiated the backdown do not use the L-stick anymore, just the right stick (or tapping the shot buttons) to perform a move or fake. If you keep wiggling the L-stick the game thinks you're being overaggressive and they will call you for a charge.

[whittleboy615]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

I also chuckled when virtual Kevin Love was subbed in the game for Kentucky.

[bowld]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

Once you have initiated the backdown do not use the L-stick anymore, just the right stick (or tapping the shot buttons) to perform a move or fake. If you keep wiggling the L-stick the game thinks you're being overaggressive and they will call you for a charge.

o, ok thanks man guess im used to the 2k backdown system

[Motown]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

The only thing missing from this demo is...

1. Corey Beck
2. Corliss Williamson
3. Scotty Thurman
4. Al Dillard
5. Dwight Stewart

1994 anyone? Those shorts are huge!

I hear ya man, how 'bout the Runnin' Rebs of UNLV...1990 baaybe

1990 roster
UNLV
Larry Johnson
Stacey Augmon
David Butler
Anderson Hunt
Greg Anthony
Stacey Cvijanovich
Travis Bice
Dave Rice
Barry Young
James Jones
Moses Scurry
Chris Jeter

[sinkdog]

Re: NCAA Basetball 09 Demo Available, Impressions Here

I actually tried really hard to like this demo but something just didn't feel right.

The controls felt very "floaty". The movement of the players, the ball physics, player animations just didn't look right. I never really felt like I had control of things.

The player animations just don't look natural. Every player looks like an old man haunched over. Every pass is lobbed and nothing seems organic. Ball movement is incredible unrealistic and this felt like very last gen basketball to me.

There was nothing about this demo that made me want to go out and buy it -- seriously....I really wanted to have an NCAA Basketball game this year. Oh well.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Demo is out - Impressions here

Ok I still have 2K8 just in case but I will say I wasn't expecting the demo to be as decent as it was. You can see it has some really good gameplay but a lot is hidden behind some bad animation "locks" and jerky animations. Too many times the player I was supposed to be controlling locked in a guard animation and I was unable to do anything. Also every time you get close to another player you automatically went into a double team which left the man I was guarding wide open.
Fix these things and we may have a good game here.

[countryboy]

Re: Demo is out - Impressions here

the game does a lot of things right, but unfortunately, they are "poorly played out". The gameplay seems to be moving faster than the players at times. It just doesn't feel fluid. To me, the players feel one step behind whats actually happening.