The Gaming Tailgate Video Podcast
This real-life change has ramifications on NCAA Football's virtual gridiron as well. Once added, up to four users will have a chance at taking home the crystal football, perhaps elevating the interest level and competitiveness of Online Dynasties. However, these changes will not take effect until the 2014 season. This means that the first version of the video game to be directly impacted (where the first year of Dynasty Mode matches up with the starting year of playoffs - 2014) would be NCAA Football 15.
While the NCAA Football development team has previously stated that they will not code the game to make conference realignment changes automatically between seasons or allow users to delete or rename conferences, the NCAA and partners have provided them the leeway for some user customization, namely within the Custom Conferences feature.
"The project team has earned the trust of the NCAA, the conferences, and the Collegiate Licensing Company by being responsive to its requests in the past. Divisional renaming was pitched, and approved, as a means of giving users control over modifying conferences and not being stuck with generic "Division A and B" naming. ... Allowing users to modify reality is within bounds, Haumiller said, because it's a user imposing his own personal statement upon a product he purchased. AI-driven realignments aren't going to happen, because then it appears to be EA Sports speaking for the NCAA." (Courtesy Kotaku: "Chaotic Conference Alignments Scramble College Football’s Video Game, Too")
Where does this stance leave NCAA Football 14? Will Dynasty Mode feature the Bowl Championship Series existing in perpetuity and leave the mode with only one season in-game matching the real-life post-season structure?
The Window of Opportunity
Over the last few seasons, the changing college football landscape has undoubtedly created challenges and uncertainty for the NCAA Football development team. Numerous conference realignment changes (both rumored and actual), new FBS programs, rule changes, and more have led to a changing Dynasty landscape. From the outside, it would seem as if the team has had to track more rumors than a reporter for TMZ. This level of uncertainty and changes may be presenting a window of opportunity for the NCAA Football team.
Over the years, many NCAA Football fans have asked for an optional tournament (or playoff) post-season structure. Obviously, with the BCS in place that was not an option. Now, with the previous 14-year BCS structure joining the horse-and-buggy days, could this option finally become a reality?
Could this be the catalyst EA SPORTS needs in making a push for acquiring permission from the NCAA and their partners for more user customization within Dynasty Mode for the dedicated NCAA Football fan base? Given the rumor mill that is still in action regarding conference realignment & expansion and the length of time between now and the start of the likely playoff, the game finds itself risking appearing out-of-date in a major game area unless proactive measures are taken. The focus for the Dynasty team should be on providing users with multiple and deep options in order to cover all bases as they aim to stay ahead of the curve in order for the product to accurately represent the NCAA and their partners. At some point the 'unallowable situation' has to shift from users being unable to match the real-life system to users selecting a system that may (or may not) be in place. With uncertainty becoming a constant, more options may be the answer for the development team and more importantly, for the franchise.
One such possibility includes an option with the Custom Conferences feature to select post-season structure. Perhaps in NCAA Football 14, this means the default is the current BCS structure with an option for the four-team playoff. Not only would this allow Dynasties to match up with real-life (when reaching the 2014 season and beyond), but also gives users more options - perhaps the biggest universal theme in all community requests.
Despite the number of changes already, it appears that the conference expansion and realignment rumor mill will keep going. Over the last few years it seemed as if several conferences may disappear; first it was the Big 12, now it may be the Big East or the Mountain West - while other conferences are rumored to be adding FCS programs. Having the option to remove (or 'hide' by removing all members) a conference within Custom Conferences as well as going above 123 squads seem to be the unavoidable elephant in the room if Dynasty Mode is going to stay current.
Many Details Remain
It may be weeks or months until all of the details are ironed out with the four-team playoff. Team selection, semifinal & championship game location, revenue sharing, status of existing bowls, and more must be discussed and agreed upon before this new system goes into place in real-life or in NCAA Football. However, the new goal from the community is clear - find a way to allow users to experience this new four-team playoff structure within Dynasty Mode beginning in NCAA Football 14 and make sure users can keep Dynasty Mode up-to-date.
Once the new post-season structure is finalized and NCAA Football 14 enters the mind of sports gamers, the question will resonate loud and clear: "Can we use the play-off system in Dynasty Mode?" Being able to answer this question in the affirmative will offer college football fans a way to experience the future before it happens. The dev team and the community currently sit in a limited window where what was once deemed impossible may be, in fact, an option. Let's hope the moment doesn't pass us by.
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