The Gaming Tailgate: NCAA Football 12 Preview

[gschwendt]

would you be able to group these somewhere or tell me where they are grouped because you have like 3 or 5 threads going and i'm getting lost.
Do you mean the pictures or a list of team entrances?

[ram29jackson]

Do you mean the pictures or a list of team entrances?

i'm sorry, I just mean the screen shots

[steelerfan]

Also, I missed the last 7 pages or so, but I did skim a little just now...

Someone asked about injuries. I can tell you that the devs are aware of my feelings about the frequency of injuries to O-linemen. I think they need to happen more often. I'm still not certain it's been addressed, but I know Brian had a Center get hurt.

When I was on my first trip, in January, I was assured that the "hey, I didn't even know he got hurt" of 11 will be gone in 12. This seems to be true, I don't recall any injuries that weren't conveyed to me somehow.

[Daywalker86]

gotta say im excited about everything i've seen so far. Can't wai for dynasty info:nod:

[rhombic21]

Were there any new features/changes to features that introduced anything that was overpowered as far as gameplay was concerned? I'm thinking about run commit on NCAA '10, or impact players on NCAA '06.

Were there any plays, or types of plays that felt out of balance in any way?

I assume that you cannot disclose whether custom playbooks can be used online, or whether they apply to both offense and defense (i.e. is it possible, using the custom playbooks feature to create a multiple-front playbook, or to swap out some formations/plays for others?)

[ArkHogs]

I did, but only briefly.

Awesome. I have one question, do they have their new nike uniforms?

[gschwendt]

i'm sorry, I just mean the screen shots
Here are all of the images we've added today:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegamingtailgate/archives/date-posted/2011/04/21/

Some are straight from EA, some are screencaps from the videos from today. As well, you can always see our latest images on our NCAA 12 Info Central (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/content.php?335-NCAA-Football-12-Information-Central).

[steelerfan]

Awesome. I have one question, do they have their new nike uniforms?

Wow. I'm not certain. Sorry, if I can get confirmation, I will let you know.

[ram29jackson]

Here are all of the images we've added today:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegamingtailgate/archives/date-posted/2011/04/21/

Some are straight from EA, some are screencaps from the videos from today. As well, you can always see our latest images on our NCAA 12 Info Central (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/content.php?335-NCAA-Football-12-Information-Central).

gee whiz, I thought it was just a few, thats allot !

[ArkHogs]

Wow. I'm not certain. Sorry, if I can get confirmation, I will let you know.

That would be great! Thanks :)

[ram29jackson]

Ark State went really minimalist with the uni's. Did someone complain about the black like they complained about the Indian name ?

[xMrHitStickx904]

no, I mean actually depicted. Not what you think the stuff that is supposed to be video game grass looks like to you haha

hahah, yeah I knew what you were trying to say.

[gschwendt]

Ark State went really minimalist with the uni's. Did someone complain about the black like they complained about the Indian name ?
No, no one complained about our black uniforms. Our coach did say on twitter that we'll have black uniforms for next season as well, we just didn't have a mock-up available so EA could only create what they had a mock-up for.

[xMrHitStickx904]

Kind of off topic, but Ryan Mallet is discussing the TD pass he threw against Alabama with Jon Gruden, the same play that the NCAA Dev Team introduced, thought it was really interesting to say the least.

[jaymo76]

Also, I missed the last 7 pages or so, but I did skim a little just now...

Someone asked about injuries. I can tell you that the devs are aware of my feelings about the frequency of injuries to O-linemen. I think they need to happen more often. I'm still not certain it's been addressed, but I know Brian had a Center get hurt.

When I was on my first trip, in January, I was assured that the "hey, I didn't even know he got hurt" of 11 will be gone in 12. This seems to be true, I don't recall any injuries that weren't conveyed to me somehow.

Awesome Steeler! I'm glad to hear the injuries siuation seems to be fixed. Now if only we had an injuries slider...;) ...

[ram29jackson]

No, no one complained about our black uniforms. Our coach did say on twitter that we'll have black uniforms for next season as well, we just didn't have a mock-up available so EA could only create what they had a mock-up for.

did kind of look like practice jerseys haha

[MtneerManiac]

Anyone else that play the game have any insight on the grass in-game? ;)

[jaymo76]

By chance did anyone play as (or against) Syracuse at the Carrier Dome? The lighting from the preview trailer earlier in the week looked amazing. Could anyone comment on indoor stadium lighting?

[Rudy]

Please push for a slider for zone vs. man coverage. It would help with SO many complaints if people felt zone was over powered - at least offline.

Also, you guys said the pass rush was a lot better but does the LE still dominate? Since cpu QBs always slid to the right it resulted in the LE getting far more sacks than the RE vs. the cpu. I'm hoping this gets fixed along with better cpu scramble logic.

Did anyone play against a cpu Oregon team? Were they easy to shut down or were they actually tough to stop on offense? The cpu spread option game and scrambling QB needed a ton of work. Please tell me that drastic improvements have taken place. So many good things listed but this is a crucial area to really capture college football properly.

[steelerfan]

Do crowds cheer realistically? Like are touchdown cheers louder than first down cheers?

Yes. Crowd responses are much better in 12. As a whole, the sounds are a nice upgrade from 11. Drum lines, PA guy saying, "Penn State FIRST DOWN" etc. Sound will play a big part in atmosphere and immersion in 12, IMO.

[steelerfan]

Please push for a slider for zone vs. man coverage. It would help with SO many complaints if people felt zone was over powered - at least offline.

Rudy, I spoke with the devs about this one personally. They are aware that it is on the community's radar.


Did anyone play against a cpu Oregon team? Were they easy to shut down or were they actually tough to stop on offense? The cpu spread option game and scrambling QB needed a ton of work. Please tell me that drastic improvements have taken place. So many good things listed but this is a crucial area to really capture college football properly.

I didn't, but it is something I've mentioned in my feedback as needing an upgrade from 11.

[ArkHogs]

Yes. Crowd responses are much better in 12. As a whole, the sounds are a nice upgrade from 11. Drum lines, PA guy saying, "Penn State FIRST DOWN" etc. Sound will play a big part in atmosphere and immersion in 12, IMO.

Sweet. I deleted my post because I went back and saw someone already asked something like that lol :P

[steelerfan]

Anyone else that play the game have any insight on the grass in-game? ;)

The grass looks great. Honestly, the first thing I noticed was how much of a visual upgrade it is.

[Kingpin32]

I really hate this time of year. Cause now instead of focusing on my books, I keep getting excited with every little piece of info that comes out. You guys are despicable.

[Kwizzy]

-Rudy: I talked with the devs at length about CPU offensive execution (especially spread offenses) however for those of us hoping for a dramatic overhaul I'm afraid it was not a focus this year. Now I did have a couple CPU QBs take off on me for some success so I remain hopeful that tuning can help with it some. The CPU run game was better to me though.

-The grass is definitely 3d in game, it does have an affect too but like Tommy said, it's most dramatic in screenshots.

[Kingpin32]

But I do have a question, if it's been answered just point me in the right direction. How are spread offenses this year? With the new blocking techniques can we now efficiently run a legitimate spread offense?

[Kwizzy]

Were there any new features/changes to features that introduced anything that was overpowered as far as gameplay was concerned? I'm thinking about run commit on NCAA '10, or impact players on NCAA '06.

Were there any plays, or types of plays that felt out of balance in any way?

I assume that you cannot disclose whether custom playbooks can be used online, or whether they apply to both offense and defense (i.e. is it possible, using the custom playbooks feature to create a multiple-front playbook, or to swap out some formations/plays for others?)

No nothing stood out to me as overpowered as far as the new defense, new enhanced tackling engine, etc... As we said before, we felt that the DTs were overpowered some, especially against the run but that's a matter of fine-tuning. I actually felt like the game was a very good balance of defense and offense. The defense could dominate the game but mess up & that could change really quickly. It had a very nice chess game feel to it IMO, especially user vs user.

[ArkHogs]

Regarding entrances, do all teams walk out of a locker room? Or just teams that have a tradition in the locker room?

[Kwizzy]

But I do have a question, if it's been answered just point me in the right direction. How are spread offenses this year? With the new blocking techniques can we now efficiently run a legitimate spread offense?

I believe that you will be able to, especially once the DTs are tuned correctly. The new way players interact & the lack of suction tackling allows you to get through smaller holes in the line which is what a good deal of the issue with shotgun running in '11 was.

[Kwizzy]

Regarding entrances, do all teams walk out of a locker room? Or just teams that have a tradition in the locker room?

Are you looking for something specific?

[ArkHogs]

Are you looking for something specific?

No, I was just watching the sizzle trailer and I saw USC walking out of their locker room. So, I was wondering if all schools walked out of a locker room as a part of the pre-game..

[gschwendt]

No, I was just watching the sizzle trailer and I saw USC walking out of their locker room. So, I was wondering if all schools walked out of a locker room as a part of the pre-game..I think it's mostly just bigger schools... didn't go looking for it but the handful I saw were only from the bigger schools.

[Kingpin32]

I believe that you will be able to, especially once the DTs are tuned correctly. The new way players interact & the lack of suction tackling allows you to get through smaller holes in the line which is what a good deal of the issue with shotgun running in '11 was.

Cool thanks for that. I think this will help in my decision making for a team in my OD.

[JBHuskers]

Anyone else that play the game have any insight on the grass in-game? ;)

You can notice it, along with the rubber pellets coming off of the field on cuts and tackles....

[JeffHCross]

I also confused JeffHCross with a play that had a lot of pre-snap movement and looked like 7 or 8 were rushing, but only 3 or 4 actually blitzed (in overload fashion). I don't remember the play though.I only vaguely remember the play at all. I think at that point I was more concerned with whether or not you had just done something that was totally broken. :D Would've eased a ton off my mind if I'd known it was designed to have all that movement.

[ram29jackson]

pre-snap = can you still only do one man in motion ? anyone try ?

[Kwizzy]

pre-snap = can you still only do one man in motion ? anyone try ?

Pretty sure the answer to this is yes, I didn't try to send more than one but I don't remember anything that would lead me to believe that's changed.

[JeffHCross]

my question - Who is the NCAA lead guy?Roy Harvey (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/content.php?129-A-New-Game-Plan-(and-Executive-Producer)) is the Executive Producer. Ben Haumiller is now being listed as "Associate Producer". Not sure if that's a change in the title for him or not.

As far as I am aware, there's no one that shares Ian's "Creative Director" title.

[ryby6969]

With momentum added into the tackling engine, can you tell a significant difference in larger, bruising backs as opposed to small scat backs? Also, will delayed blitzes make it back into the game?

[ram29jackson]

steelerfan -

Are Penn States so called new uniforms in the game ?

How dark is the shading in the endzone because of the stands blocking the sun?

[baseballplyrmvp]

did anyone try editting player weights to see if weight truly makes a difference now? can you tell a difference between having a 350 lb o-tackle vs having a 260 lb o-tackle, in the running game?

also did anyone play with hawaii? is vili the warrior in there?

[Rudy]

Was the camera the same as last year? Did the players have more weight?

[Paakaa10]

With momentum added into the tackling engine, can you tell a significant difference in larger, bruising backs as opposed to small scat backs? Also, will delayed blitzes make it back into the game?

did anyone try editting player weights to see if weight truly makes a difference now? can you tell a difference between having a 350 lb o-tackle vs having a 260 lb o-tackle, in the running game?

Was the camera the same as last year? Did the players have more weight?

Lot of weight-related questions here haha.

Personally, I can't speak to anything significant with regard to player weights; in the Community Event setting, sometimes there are requests from the team that influence how we play the game. I didn't have the opportunity to pay a whole lot of attention to the in-game sizes of the players to see if they had a measureable effect on the gameplay.

That said, I did notice that it was much more difficult to break long runs with a halfback in the game versus how it was in NCAA 11. The enhanced tackling system definitely helps the defense make the plays that they should. This is especially true when your running back falls victim to a consecutive hit tackle that really floors him.

And to Rudy RE: camera -- seems to be the same as NCAA 11 for gameplay. If there are any changes, it's really minor.

[RussellWilson]

I wonder how the cut scene is gonna be for an injury in NCAA Football 12?

My guess for the demo will be June 15th, 2011.

[ryby6969]

Sounds good. It just seems like a big bruising back is nowhere near as effective as he should be.(think Gerhart) I am just hoping with the added momentum in tackling, if you get outside with a bruising back against a small DB, the other team should be worried. It will add something to recruiting also if both are equally effective in their own ways. Thanks for the info guys.

[Paakaa10]

Sounds good. It just seems like a big bruising back is nowhere near as effective as he should be.(think Gerhart) I am just hoping with the added momentum in tackling, if you get outside with a bruising back against a small DB, the other team should be worried. It will add something to recruiting also if both are equally effective in their own ways. Thanks for the info guys.

I'll say this; I found that when I got near the goal line, I felt more comfortable trying a FB run than going inside with my HB. I don't know if it was just the build we were working with--and be aware that, even last week, the build was being updated every single day with changes and fixes--but the defensive line was very effective at stuffing my HB on inside runs, which was a nice contrast to how "automatic" those runs seemed to be inside the 5-yard-line in NCAA 11. Switching to an FB run was often more successful, and that might have something to do with the weight; however, without numbers and repetition, it can only be labeled speculation on my part.

[xMrHitStickx904]

I wonder how the cut scene is gonna be for an injury in NCAA Football 12?

My guess for the demo will be June 15th, 2011.

The week after or so I'll have it retail lol.

[Paakaa10]

Another random note--which was mentioned by steelerfan in one of the many threads earlier today--is that I actually saw a non-skill-position player get injured during my time with the game last week at the Community Event. My center got "Hip Bursitis"--a minor injury--and I just about fell out of my seat because it was the first time in the last three years of NCAA that I've played where the injured offensive player was not a QB, HB, WR, or TE. I definitely took that as a good sign in terms of how the game may require you to be able to make changes on the fly during a game if a lineman in the trenches goes down.

[xMrHitStickx904]

All of the information for the various builds and momentum really has me questioning what style of offense I want to run this year lol. I run what I call the "Spread Raid" with Oregon and Missouri's playbook. But ... that power running style sounds enticing.

[JeffHCross]

I definitely took that as a good sign in terms of how the game may require you to be able to make changes on the fly during a game if a lineman in the trenches goes down.Whereas many of the rest of us had an "Oh shit" moment when we realized that offensive line depth might finally matter again.

[JBHuskers]

With momentum added into the tackling engine, can you tell a significant difference in larger, bruising backs as opposed to small scat backs? Also, will delayed blitzes make it back into the game?

If you take the wrong angle as a corner or safety on a bigger WR or RB, that momentum will kill you and all you will end up doing is pushing the guy rather than tackling him or even slowing his momentum.

[ryby6969]

If you take the wrong angle as a corner or safety on a bigger WR or RB, that momentum will kill you and all you will end up doing is pushing the guy rather than tackling him or even slowing his momentum.

Thanks JB, that is very encouraging to hear.

[JBHuskers]

Thanks JB, that is very encouraging to hear.

Yep, you actually may end up helping the guy more than stopping him if you're not skilled enough or don't use the right technique. I remember a few games over the past four months where I have pushed guys right into the end zone :smh:

[steelerfan]

steelerfan -

Are Penn States so called new uniforms in the game ?

How dark is the shading in the endzone because of the stands blocking the sun?


The new jerseys are in.

How dark? Uhh...

( ) not very dark
( ) somewhat dark
( ) dark
( ) very dark

[steelerfan]

I only vaguely remember the play at all. I think at that point I was more concerned with whether or not you had just done something that was totally broken. :D Would've eased a ton off my mind if I'd known it was designed to have all that movement.

What made it worse, from your perspective, is that I also used "Show Blitz" on that play, lol.

[steelerfan]

Whereas many of the rest of us had an "Oh shit" moment when we realized that offensive line depth might finally matter again.

Speak for yourself, lol. I am pushing for that to be the case. :nod:

[Kingpin32]

Was there commentary in the builds you guys played? It would make sense if it wasn't, but I'm really wanting to play the game without putting it on mute and listening to music. The new crowd sounds are encouraging though.

[baseballplyrmvp]

what about penalties? did anyone get a late hit out of bounds, or taunting, or illegal touching penalyt? (did anyone ask about it?)

[ram29jackson]

The new jerseys are in.

How dark? Uhh...

( ) not very dark
( ) somewhat dark
( ) dark
( ) very dark

well yeah but I'm sure you know what I mean ? On tv from the side view I never thought about it but the last couple years in the EA game they make a point a showing a darkened shaded perspective. I kind of dont like it but it adds to the uniqueness. I almost wish Penn State had an old school bowl like ND and Mich.

[JeffHCross]

Was there commentary in the builds you guys played?Yes. For all intents and purposes, the builds we played were as complete as a retail version.

[steelerfan]

Was there commentary in the builds you guys played? It would make sense if it wasn't, but I'm really wanting to play the game without putting it on mute and listening to music. The new crowd sounds are encouraging though.

Yes, even if you don't like the commentary, I'm guessing most will be pleased with the new sound of the game.

[steelerfan]

what about penalties? did anyone get a late hit out of bounds, or taunting, or illegal touching penalyt? (did anyone ask about it?)

There are no new penalties. I have let the devs know that more (and more variety) are wanted.

[steelerfan]

well yeah but I'm sure you know what I mean ? On tv from the side view I never thought about it but the last couple years in the EA game they make a point a showing a darkened shaded perspective. I kind of dont like it but it adds to the uniqueness. I almost wish Penn State had an old school bowl like ND and Mich.

The best answer is probably to tell you to look into HDR lighting. Camera exposure is at the center of what you're asking, I believe.

[baseballplyrmvp]

There are no new penalties. I have let the devs know that more (and more variety) are wanted. :( thanks for answering though

[Kingpin32]

Yes, even if you don't like the commentary, I'm guessing most will be pleased with the new sound of the game.

It's not that I don't like the commentary, but when I just purchase the game and can say everything they say, I would like a revamp.

[JeffHCross]

Apparently I never posted these ... oops.


How about run/pass commit and gameplanning--any significant tweaks that jumped out at anyone?I wouldn't call it "significant", but one complaint I've had from NCAA 11 is that pass defenders don't react to a ball in flight when set on "Balanced" Pass Defense. That's still true for lower-tier teams, but when you play with top defenses you don't need to set to Aggressive or Conservative to get them to react. They'll react to a ball in flight much more so than in NCAA 11.


Is there a noticeable difference from the elite defense's compared to say average or below average?:nod:. Definitely. The new system makes a defense's ability to "RUN TO THE BALLLLL!" a lot more important.

[Kingpin32]

One thing that has been bugging me. How do you become an EA Gamechanger?

[LopHuckawuckie]

Was Auburn's "War Eagle" flight in the pregame?

[gschwendt]

Was Auburn's "War Eagle" flight in the pregame?
Yep. As mentioned before, we saw Auburn's War Eagle as part of their entrance, however it was still a work-in-progress when we saw it so they didn't really want us to capture any images of it.

[steelerfan]

One thing that has been bugging me. How do you become an EA Gamechanger?

I'm not one, so I don't know the details.

[JBHuskers]

One thing that has been bugging me. How do you become an EA Gamechanger?

http://insideblog.easports.com/archive/2010/07/22/ea-sports-game-changers-roster-continues-to-grow-apply-today.aspx

[Rudy]

What made it worse, from your perspective, is that I also used "Show Blitz" on that play, lol.

What do you mean by "Show Blitz"? Are we actually able to have our cpu teamates fake a blitz now to confuse opponents? Will this work against the cpu?

[ryby6969]

What do you mean by "Show Blitz"? Are we actually able to have our cpu teamates fake a blitz now to confuse opponents? Will this work against the cpu?

You could do it on NCAA 11 also. On PS3, you hit :ps3tri: for coverage adjustments, and then hit left on the D-pad. It makes everyone "show blitz".

[souljahbill]

So, since "Play Now" has intros, that means y'all can really talk about intros, right? So.....

1) How long were they, in general?

2) Let's say I actually was a VA Tech and wanted to do the Enter the Sandman thing. Was their intro long enough to just put the song on and hit go or would I have to so some editing to make it work?

3) The most important question. Did anyone happen to think of me and say, "let me check out Southern Miss" to see what our intro was and if our mascot got into the game? :D

[Paakaa10]

So, since "Play Now" has intros, that means y'all can really talk about intros, right? So.....

1) How long were they, in general?

In general, they varied :P. It really depends on what school you're playing as and how much of their "tradition" that the developers have gotten into the game for this year. I played games as some of the lower-tier schools and they had generic entrances that were a little bit longer than last year's generics. I also played as a team like Auburn who had about 6-7 "separate" cut-scenes in their entrance before the team even got on the field. When you get the game, it'll be well worth your time to play as many games with as many different schools as you can just to see the new "traditions" incorporated this year.

I think there was some talk here at The Gaming Tailgate that we might build up a database post-release of NCAA Football 12 to figure out which schools have specific "tradition" entrances and which are generic, and then start working with the community to figure out more "traditions" so that we can help the developers eventually have something specific for all 120+ schools.


2) Let's say I actually was a VA Tech and wanted to do the Enter the Sandman thing. Was their intro long enough to just put the song on and hit go or would I have to so some editing to make it work?

Didn't play as Virginia Tech personally; we also weren't playing on consoles that had sound files for us to use with the Custom Sounds system, so it's not something we would have been able to test.

I will say that part of it will be a personal preference of what you want from the game in terms of how long the song will play. Depending on the sequence of Virginia Tech's entrance cut-scenes and how much of "Enter Sandman" you use, it might potentially overlap with the parts of the entrance where commentary is played.

This will really be something that you'll have to test when the game comes out, as we probably won't be able to see it in action until then.


3) The most important question. Did anyone happen to think of me and say, "let me check out Southern Miss" to see what our intro was and if our mascot got into the game? :D

Personally, I did not; sorry! Not sure if any of the other guys might have.

[griffin2608]

Did any of you guys play with any lower tier schools? If you did could you tell us about their entrances? Like c-USA schools or Mac schools. How much attention did the smaller schools get? I always start my dynasty with smaller schools then move up.

[psusnoop]

OK Steelerfan, you played with PSU what was the entrance like for PSU? Was it just running out of the tunnel or were there band and cheerleaders leading them out?

I really like the idea of more injuries to the OLine/Dline, lets hope it is a good balance.

Nice that there will be Custom Books in the game, as this will surely add a lot of depth to Dynasties as a whole.

[gschwendt]

So, since "Play Now" has intros, that means y'all can really talk about intros, right? So.....

1) How long were they, in general?

2) Let's say I actually was a VA Tech and wanted to do the Enter the Sandman thing. Was their intro long enough to just put the song on and hit go or would I have to so some editing to make it work?

3) The most important question. Did anyone happen to think of me and say, "let me check out Southern Miss" to see what our intro was and if our mascot got into the game? :D
1) They all seemed longer... as Paakaa mentioned, the generic ones are a little bit longer whereas the more authentic ones are quite a bit longer.

2) Actually cdj & I tested this in March on the PS3 since we each had an external drive with sound files. I think you could probably just start it and it would play fine, however, to get the true impact of the team running out right as the song intro amps up, you would probably have to do some editing. If you watch our most recent podcast video, I created a mock-up using NCAA11's intro and overlayed the music to it. I had to do a fair amount of trial & error to get it to work just right.

Along those lines tough, I will say that the anticipation song to the actual run-out, they seem to fade fairly well in between them. As well, it truly did make a significant impact... going from X-ing through it every time to stopping to enjoy it.

3) Sorry... I did not.


Did any of you guys play with any lower tier schools? If you did could you tell us about their entrances? Like c-USA schools or Mac schools. How much attention did the smaller schools get? I always start my dynasty with smaller schools then move up.
I played several games with Arkansas State but they didn't have our specific entrance but that's just because we don't have our mascot in the game and our entrance is actually the mascot driving himself out on a motorcycle, similar to the Demon Deacon (which is in the game).

[psusnoop]

I played several games with Arkansas State but they didn't have our specific entrance but that's just because we don't have our mascot in the game and our entrance is actually the mascot driving himself out on a motorcycle, similar to the Demon Deacon (which is in the game).


With your kind of pull, this is surprising. Hahaha:-)

[Paakaa10]

2) Actually cdj & I tested this in March on the PS3 since we each had an external drive with sound files. I think you could probably just start it and it would play fine, however, to get the true impact of the team running out right as the song intro amps up, you would probably have to do some editing. If you watch our most recent podcast video, I created a mock-up using NCAA11's intro and overlayed the music to it. I had to do a fair amount of trial & error to get it to work just right.

Along those lines tough, I will say that the anticipation song to the actual run-out, they seem to fade fairly well in between them. As well, it truly did make a significant impact... going from X-ing through it every time to stopping to enjoy it.


Here's another note about the Community Event experiences, particularly here at TGT: if one of us can't answer a question, there's a chance that somebody else who frequents the forum will be able to. There were certain things that we all "tested" at these events, but there was also time for people to explore things based on their own curiosity. I had no idea that gschwendt and cdj tested the intro music, for example haha.

[baseballplyrmvp]

can you tell me if defensive matchups are in (like setting your #1 corner to always line up against his #1 wr, #3 corner on #4 receiver, etc)?

also, are dreads the only kind of hair style? are there different lengths as well? (sorry if that was already asked)

[gschwendt]

can you tell me if defensive matchups are in (like setting your #1 corner to always line up against his #1 wr, #3 corner on #4 receiver, etc)?
I didn't see that option. However in January we did express that we REALLY want to get that in the game and while they said they didn't think they'd be able to get it in this year, it's something they can look to in the future. That said though, they did say in the short term they could provide us with a defensive package sub that put your #1 CB in the slot so if a guy is keeping his best WR in the slot the whole game, you can always use that. I didn't check to see if it made it in though.


also, are dreads the only kind of hair style? are there different lengths as well? (sorry if that was already asked)Long dreads are the only hair styles I saw.

[duckfan4]

cdj - Oregon has proper stadium signage

So this means that they updated the stadium walls? Also, did they update our/Oregon's turf (making it more vivid instead of the faded turf from NCAA 11)?

[steelerfan]

OK Steelerfan, you played with PSU what was the entrance like for PSU? Was it just running out of the tunnel or were there band and cheerleaders leading them out?

It was pretty generic, IIRC. I did play with them quite a bit, but mostly on the road so I could see more stadiums etc.

[steelerfan]

Did any of you guys play with any lower tier schools? If you did could you tell us about their entrances? Like c-USA schools or Mac schools. How much attention did the smaller schools get?

I played about a half of Ohio at Akron to see the Zips' new stadium. I don't recall anything standing out about their entrance.

[morsdraconis]

Alright, here's one for you guys:

Does the CPU still call plays based on what play you choose (aka psychic playcalling where they know what play you choose)? For example, you come out in 4 WR Shotgun Speed Option and the CPU comes out in a 3-4 defense even though you've been doing nothing but throwing the ball out of that formation for a good 5-7 plays.

[Dr Death]

I have a question about the new Zone defense... say you have a WR run a 5 yard hitch and there's a defender covering him in the zone... does the WR then move left or right and try to find an open space or does he just stand there? Thanks for any input.

[JBHuskers]

...by the way we can say that Custom Playbooks are in now, but we can't talk about the specifics just yet :D but at least we can acknowledge the obvious :D

[JBHuskers]

I have a question about the new Zone defense... say you have a WR run a 5 yard hitch and there's a defender covering him in the zone... does the WR then move left or right and try to find an open space or does he just stand there? Thanks for any input.

I'm pretty sure he stands pat just like they have been. Especially if the QB is in the pocket. Now if he scrambles, that might be a different story....I don't remember 100% for sure.

[Dr Death]

Thanks JB for the response!

[Kingpin32]

...by the way we can say that Custom Playbooks are in now, but we can't talk about the specifics just yet :D but at least we can acknowledge the obvious :D

Play creator??

[JBHuskers]

Play creator??


...by the way we can say that Custom Playbooks are in now, but we can't talk about the specifics just yet :D but at least we can acknowledge the obvious :D

:D

[Kingpin32]

lol I thought that would be apart of the obvious :D

[JBHuskers]

lol I thought that would be apart of the obvious :D

That's an entirely separate entity :P

[Kingpin32]

That's an entirely separate entity :P

Dah well, I almost had you :D

[jaymo76]

Two additional Q's that you guys may be able to answer...

1. During entrances do you see the visiting team enter the field first ala last gen? I hate only seeing one team enter when I am the visiting team and don't get to see my own guys walk onto the opposition field.

and...

2. Do any of the players have their helmets off or are the dreads simply "tacked" onto the helmets? I remember Adam saying last year that NCAA players had no actual heads to attach dreads.

[jaymo76]

Oops one more Q. I forgot to ask:

I have seen a shot where the ASU player looks to be warming up before the game. Have players warming up on the field been returned to the pre-game???

[gschwendt]

Two additional Q's that you guys may be able to answer...

1. During entrances do you see the visiting team enter the field first ala last gen? I hate only seeing one team enter when I am the visiting team and don't get to see my own guys walk onto the opposition field.

and...

2. Do any of the players have their helmets off or are the dreads simply "tacked" onto the helmets? I remember Adam saying last year that NCAA players had no actual heads to attach dreads.
1. Yep... the visiting team does in fact walk out into the stadium. It's a small but nice touch.

2. No helmets off... best I can tell the dreads are simply "tacked" on as you mentioned.

Oops one more Q. I forgot to ask:

I have seen a shot where the ASU player looks to be warming up before the game. Have players warming up on the field been returned to the pre-game???
Yep... there are a fair amount of new cutscenes pre-game and the stretching/warm-up is part of that. A nice little touch.

[PDuncanOSU]

I was hoping to see more flexibility with depth charts, formation subs, and packages. Maybe having strongside/weakside positions instead of left/right, or being able to specify slot recievers and outside recievers, or 3rd down backs. Could you see if there were any changes like this made in play-now, or would that be more of a custom-playbook or dynasty feature?

[ram29jackson]

someone mentioned the possibility of specific entrances for 120 schools in the future:

not worthit, just stick to top 50 or something with a few different generics.

ultimately, I wonder how many are in this year? top 30-40 ? plus some employee favorites ?

[jaymo76]

1. Yep... the visiting team does in fact walk out into the stadium. It's a small but nice touch.

2. No helmets off... best I can tell the dreads are simply "tacked" on as you mentioned.

Yep... there are a fair amount of new cutscenes pre-game and the stretching/warm-up is part of that. A nice little touch.

Excellent to hear! It's the small little touches that add so much to the game. Now fingers crossed that they have also addressed minor things such as:

1. Listing for game of the week
2. Auto pull the cpu QB after say 4 ints, etc.

[steelerfan]

someone mentioned the possibility of specific entrances for 120 schools in the future:

not worthit, just stick to top 50 or something with a few different generics.

I would disagree that presentation is "not worthit". I think it adds to the atmosphere, gives playing with different teams and in different stadiums a different feel, and I also believe the entrances are a great add for the hardcore and casual fan. I think it's a good way to get the interest of Casual Joe without adding a lame feature to the gameplay that will piss off Hardcore Harry.

[Kingpin32]

Hardcore Harry sounds like a pornstar name.

[ram29jackson]

I would disagree that presentation is "not worthit". I think it adds to the atmosphere, gives playing with different teams and in different stadiums a different feel, and I also believe the entrances are a great add for the hardcore and casual fan. I think it's a good way to get the interest of Casual Joe without adding a lame feature to the gameplay that will piss off Hardcore Harry.


all the entrances will/would be a better bigger deal if you get to see them online head to head and only let the the home team guy have the ability to cut through the scene if he wants. Sure, some might say it wastes time or what ever,but I like the idea haha.

and the same goes for music. Who cares about intro tunes unless the other guy can hear it, especially with my sense of humor haha.

what would be more perfect than coming to Notre Dame and here some Gregorian chant music?! haha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlr90NLDp-0

or for FSU or one of my Indian themed created teams ,I always liked the Indian theme type feel I get from this Janes Addiction tune

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qbxvo0r1TM

[st0rk50]

New member here, just wanted if know you community day members only played Play Now games, or did you actually get to play dynasty or road to glory games? I would like to know if there is maybe some new commentary for those, like how a team has been doing, or player, throughout the season. Maybe some dynamic stuff. You probably can't talk about it, but just hoping.:)

[cdj]

New member here, just wanted if know you community day members only played Play Now games, or did you actually get to play dynasty or road to glory games? I would like to know if there is maybe some new commentary for those, like how a team has been doing, or player, throughout the season. Maybe some dynamic stuff. You probably can't talk about it, but just hoping.:)

We played those modes and will be able to elaborate when EA SPORTS discloses any changes made to those modes! :)

[JBHuskers]

New member here, just wanted if know you community day members only played Play Now games, or did you actually get to play dynasty or road to glory games? I would like to know if there is maybe some new commentary for those, like how a team has been doing, or player, throughout the season. Maybe some dynamic stuff. You probably can't talk about it, but just hoping.:)

Let's just say we covered EVERYTHING in the past four months....we just can't say what we covered yet :) Welcome to the site!

[Jayrah]

Thanks for the great info guys. I know you love it so it's not "work" necessarily, but it's nice to have honest to god opinions to give everyone a real feel for what they will be receiving. There's no over the top positivity, just true reactions to what you guys saw. That's really nice. Thanks for all the questions too guys. There is some great stuff to sift through.

In 18 pages I didn't see these answers the way I was looking for, so if you would CD guys:

1) With the new route reaction defense, did you notice good and bad Trail coverage technique by db's and lb's during man to man defense? Were there any new animations which would allow a good trail cb to get an arm in and knock the ball away without PI?

2) No serious overhaul to Special teams, but with any new ball trajectory/physics, did anyone play in difficult weather conditions to see if field goals felt different? Similarly do deep passes become more interesting in these conditions?

3) I read that there is not a whole lot more in the way of db/wr interactions. This is slightly depressing, but Wr diving animations are a definite step in the right direction. Are there any other new back-of-the-endzone/middle-of-the-field/sideline catch animations that will vary the wow factor in the passing game? Also, do the dive animations "have to" be triggered by the user, or will the cpu occasionally go and make a play for you? Are ratings a factor there?

4) Is Gametrack something that only pops up early 3rd qtr or more throughout the game like 2k11 has implemented? Obviously can't talk about dynasty in that regard (and I'm hoping it is in there like that), but just generally will it pop up more often for us throughout the game?

5) I keep reading that the DTs were overpowered when you played last. What was the consensus on this? Were they flat unblockable, or did too many average DT's control the LOS? Did all DT's feel the same in that regard, or was there still a difference in the way better DT's played? What was the feeling on how this can be tweaked?

6) Anyone notice any PI/Roughing penalties? Both penalties have been all but non-existent in the past. Chris mentioned nice animations with the qb getting hit because the timing is more fluid. Last year the qb was hit EVERY play even if it was 2 seconds after the ball was released, but I never saw the penalty for roughing on that type of play. The only roughing I saw was what I considered to look like helmet to helmet contact, because it happens as the ball was coming out and still the penalty flag flew. Also PI was just not called on a consistent basis at all. I saw a few but I've had way more games when it's cost me when I was cut off and couldn't get to an otherwise perfect throw. With suction even further gone, there should be no hesitation on a flag when a wr is cut off. Any new animations (similar to the trail technique) that would allow for a db to get in there early and cause a PI while playing the receiver without having to cut him off or bump him (aka hand fighting or an early grab of the arm)?

7) Any difference in the mechanics of the playclock? Does it still run down to 30 and wind down from there?

8) THE BIG ONE FOR ME: Last season screens were BROKEN because of the blocking imo. Not looking for more success but want to know some things that would change the feel of a good play. This includes Wr and Rb screens, but not bubble screens as those have been touched upon.
(A) Do linemen pick up a block for a count before releasing to get out in front of the rb? The rb waits for a count and so does the O-line, but meanwhile the d-line is running down your qb untouched.
(B) Do linemen block downfield before the rb catches the ball now? As long as the ball is caught behind the LOS, blocking can legally happen downfield AND before the catch is made. As opposed to having a 4 on 2 situation and someone comes free untouched to blow the play to shreds because the line is waiting for the catch to be made.
(C) Does the defense react better to this play? This mostly entails pursuit angles and general awareness levels.
(D) Is the timing on the Wr screens better? Everything happens so fast in 11 that the Wr is in the middle of the LOS before the play can really be set up. Also the release is such that in man to man coverage, the db closes the gap very quickly (partially due to psychic route running).
(E) Does the cpu run this play with any effectiveness?

That'll do for now, I'm sure I'll have more! Thanks guys!

[Jayrah]

someone mentioned the possibility of specific entrances for 120 schools in the future:

not worthit, just stick to top 50 or something with a few different generics.

Don't agree with this at all. I want to see WSU's to get me pumped up. I'm sure they're not in the top 40 or 50, and I'm sure everyone else who plays as their school feels the same way. You would say that though, being that you're an SC guy. You guys got in the game! :P

[ram29jackson]

Don't agree with this at all. I want to see WSU's to get me pumped up. I'm sure they're not in the top 40 or 50, and I'm sure everyone else who plays as their school feels the same way. You would say that though, being that you're an SC guy. You guys got in the game! :P

I have a friend who is a UCLA fan but I never cared much for either local school. The team and Stadium have a lot of history though

[WolverineJay]

Hi everyone, I just found this site yesterday, and a ton of great stuff on here. I usually look for info on the next NCAA and Madden around draft time and the information your providing here is top of the line, thanks.

I just have couple quick questions and yes I know you're not allowed to discuss Dynasty mode (offline or online), but can you wet my appetite a little bit anyways. What would you rate the changes or improvements to presentation, gameplay, and Dynasty mode on a scale of 1 to 10? From what I am hearing so far it seems that they put a great deal of effort into presentation and good amount into gameplay so I'm just wondering if they put equal effort into Dynasty improvements without going into any detail just a number to go by to get me even more excited for NCAA 12.

Is there a responsive feel to the new tackling button and diving for passes? I just don't want there to be a lag or delay on screen from the time I push the button and see the tackle or diving catch.

Edit- Added another question.

[cdj]

Hi everyone, I just found this site yesterday, and a ton of great stuff on here. I usually look for info on the next NCAA and Madden around draft time and the information your providing here is top of the line, thanks.

I just have couple quick questions and yes I know you're not allowed to discuss Dynasty mode (offline or online), but can you wet my appetite a little bit anyways. What would you rate the changes or improvements to presentation, gameplay, and Dynasty mode on a scale of 1 to 10? From what I am hearing so far it seems that they put a great deal of effort into presentation and good amount into gameplay so I'm just wondering if they put equal effort into Dynasty improvements without going into any detail just a number to go by to get me even more excited for NCAA 12.

I will say that there are some noticeable Dynasty Mode improvements as well. Honestly, I don't want to say too much or the wrong thing that may lead people down the wrong path or get hopes too high or too low. It will be a fun ride to see community reaction once all game features and released and discussed.

Glad you found the site. Thanks for joining!

[morsdraconis]

Alright, here's one for you guys:

Does the CPU still call plays based on what play you choose (aka psychic playcalling where they know what play you choose)? For example, you come out in 4 WR Shotgun Speed Option and the CPU comes out in a 3-4 defense even though you've been doing nothing but throwing the ball out of that formation for a good 5-7 plays.

Hmm... No reply eh? Not a good sign for those of us that enjoy playing against the CPU...

[WolverineJay]

I will say that there are some noticeable Dynasty Mode improvements as well. Honestly, I don't want to say too much or the wrong thing that may lead people down the wrong path or get hopes too high or too low. It will be a fun ride to see community reaction once all game features and released and discussed.

Glad you found the site. Thanks for joining! Yeah I'm glad I found it as well seems like you guys have a great deal of contact with EA Tiburon which can only help in the long run for the series. Thanks for the quick response. One more question, is there a responsive feel to the new tackling button and diving for passes? I just don't want there to be a lag or delay on screen from the time I push the button and see the tackle or diving catch.

[Jayrah]

Hmm... No reply eh? Not a good sign for those of us that enjoy playing against the CPU...

:D Always the pessimist rises!

JK :P

[PDuncanOSU]

I was hoping to see more flexibility with depth charts, formation subs, and packages. Maybe having strongside/weakside positions instead of left/right, or being able to specify slot recievers and outside recievers, or 3rd down backs. Could you see if there were any changes like this made in play-now, or would that be more of a custom-playbook or dynasty feature?

Does no response mean it's something that can't be answered yet? Or that it wasn't changed? Or am I just being an impatient ass?

[Jayrah]

Anyone get a chance to mess with the interception slider? Sounds like int #s were pretty high over the days. Some of that was due to zone and general Defense improvements, but did anyone try to tweak for more knockdowns? If so, is there a change in the way the db's attack the ball from an animation standpoint, or do they just simply go for the pick and drop more of them?

[Kwizzy]

I didn't feel there were too many picks at all. JB might feel differently but that's because he likes to throw into double coverage! :D

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[JBHuskers]

I didn't feel there were too many picks at all. JB might feel differently but that's because he likes to throw into double coverage! :D

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

I don't know what the hell happened in that game :D

I was playing pretty decent up until then.

[xMrHitStickx904]

I don't know if this was asked, but what kind of offensive styles did everyone use?

[JeffHCross]

...by the way we can say that Custom Playbooks are in now, but we can't talk about the specifics just yet :D but at least we can acknowledge the obvious :DDude -- that was yesterday. Catch up on your e-mail!

Does the CPU still call plays based on what play you choose (aka psychic playcalling where they know what play you choose)? For example, you come out in 4 WR Shotgun Speed Option and the CPU comes out in a 3-4 defense even though you've been doing nothing but throwing the ball out of that formation for a good 5-7 plays.In terms of NCAA '12, like others have guessed, I'm not sure what we can and can't say on this.

In terms of the actual question itself, as it relates to NCAA '11, it's important to address the whole concept of 'psychic playcalling'. I won't deny it appears to exist, because I've seen the same thing you have -- call Gun Spread Flex HB Draw -- hey, look, a 3-4 defense! The problem with the psychic playcalling theory is that we only notice it when it appears psychic. I've seen plenty of times when I call Gun Spread Flex and call a pass play, and the defense comes out in a 3-4. It's not that defense is psychic, at least that doesn't explain everything, there's some larger issue at work.

[d2721]

please answer this.. are Notre Dame's new techfit jerseys in the game? thanks.

[d2721]

If yall dont mind i have a few questions:

* Is there an Saturday night football presentation package?
* Are there crowd and band chats for Notre Dame?
* Are the stats update play by play?( like the real espn presentation) Thanks i really appreciate you guys feedback.

[Deuce]

All great info guys...thanks for all your work.

One question... I haven't read much on user vs CPU games. Did you guys get any time vs the cpu? Just wondering if the cpu is improved. I assume since zone is better that cpu D will be better at least. Is there any further info you can provide? How was CPU offense?

[Paakaa10]

please answer this.. are Notre Dame's new techfit jerseys in the game? thanks.

Didn't play as Notre Dame; sorry! I know one of the Community Event guys (MPDamon) played as the Irish a bunch, but I don't think he's registered here to be able to provide any specific feedback there.


* Is there an Saturday night football presentation package?

If you could describe "Saturday night football presentation package," that would help me answer this if I can; however, if this relates to Dynasty we can't comment on anything until EA SPORTS releases information. All of our information is limited to what is seen in "Play Now" games.


* Are there crowd and band chats for Notre Dame?

Again, didn't have the chance to use Notre Dame.


* Are the stats update play by play?( like the real espn presentation) Thanks i really appreciate you guys feedback.

After every play? Not that I remember. However, a lot of our focus at the events has been on the gameplay first. I'm a presentation guy too, but I can't remember some of the specifics. Also, do note that we're playing "Work in Progress" builds at these events; while some things are set in stone and final, other things are still open to change.


All great info guys...thanks for all your work.

One question... I haven't read much on user vs CPU games. Did you guys get any time vs the cpu? Just wondering if the cpu is improved. I assume since zone is better that cpu D will be better at least. Is there any further info you can provide? How was CPU offense?

I played almost exclusively vs. CPU--save for the annual Community Event tournament--and I was playing 5 minute quarters on All-American difficulty with default sliders. I'll say that the CPU definitely puts up a better fight on defense; zone defense improvements--while I can understand why people are playing it as a "wait and see for myself" situation--are legitimate and definitely make you think harder about the plays you call when you have the ball.

CPU offense puts up a pretty good fight as well. Again, the game was a "Work in Progress" as we played it and defensive line play was perhaps a little too successful against the CPU. That said, the build of the game was being tweaked daily and we got that feedback up to the guys programming the game, so it should be a better balance when you play defense against the CPU as well once the game is finally released.

Appreciate all the questions, guys; we'll keep answering what we can.

[Deuce]

CPU offense puts up a pretty good fight as well. Again, the game was a "Work in Progress" as we played it and defensive line play was perhaps a little too successful against the CPU. That said, the build of the game was being tweaked daily and we got that feedback up to the guys programming the game, so it should be a better balance when you play defense against the CPU as well once the game is finally released.

Appreciate all the questions, guys; we'll keep answering what we can.

Thanks for the info. I kinda figured the CPU D would have to be better since the zone is much improved...after all, the CPU in NCAA 11 didn't know their zone D was broken! :D

[Rudy]

The CPU offense always sucks in term of running the ball on AA default for regular gamers. I usually adjust the sliders for this before I play a single game.

[d2721]

Thanks for the response.

[baseballplyrmvp]

are you guys done visiting ea or will they continue to bring you guys in, up until the game goes final?

[Paakaa10]

are you guys done visiting ea or will they continue to bring you guys in, up until the game goes final?

According to Community Manager Justin Dewiel in his blog at the NCAA Football 12 title site (http://www.ea.com/ncaa-football/blog/ncaa-football-12-community-day-events):


All 16 members will be invited back into the studio in May to give one final pass at the game. That means another 30 hours of hands on time for each guy.

We have not been told when this will happen--outside of the general "May" timing--or what the focus will be for that event just yet.

[baseballplyrmvp]

According to Community Manager Justin Dewiel in his blog at the NCAA Football 12 title site (http://www.ea.com/ncaa-football/blog/ncaa-football-12-community-day-events):



We have not been told when this will happen--outside of the general "May" timing--or what the focus will be for that event just yet.oh ok...thanks brian.

[Paakaa10]

oh ok...thanks brian.

No problem; if you--and anybody else reading this thread--have anything specific you would like us to look at, you could mention that here as well and we can add it to our lists of stuff to check. No guarantees that we'll be able to focus on any of it--or that we'll even be able to share any of that information after the event depending on what EA SPORTS tells us for clearance--but we can at least try and see since this will be the last Community Event of the NCAA Football 12 development cycle.

EDIT:
Although, of course, take a reasonable approach for any suggestions haha. Perhaps if some of you have lingering concerns about issues with NCAA 11 that the released information hasn't completely answered questions about, then we can take those suggestions and see if the issues can be replicated in NCAA 12 or if they've been fixed.

A lot of this will depend on what our task is when we return to the studio; if our "play time" is regulated because the team wants specific answers to certain aspects of the game, then that's what we'll be doing.

[steelerfan]

I'll answer what I can, jayrah...


1) With the new route reaction defense, did you notice good and bad Trail coverage technique by db's and lb's during man to man defense?

I'm not sure if it's technique or ratings, but with the removal of psychic Man, there are variations.


2) No serious overhaul to Special teams, but with any new ball trajectory/physics, did anyone play in difficult weather conditions to see if field goals felt different? Similarly do deep passes become more interesting in these conditions?

I played one snow game, but I didn't notice anything about ball trajectory/physics that was different from good weather games. I did notice receivers slipping out of their cuts more though. I threw a pick on one occasion because my WR fell down.


3) Are there any other new back-of-the-endzone/middle-of-the-field/sideline catch animations that will vary the wow factor in the passing game? Also, do the dive animations "have to" be triggered by the user, or will the cpu occasionally go and make a play for you? Are ratings a factor there?

There are a lot of new catch animations for full speed catches and drops. I don't think they have to be triggered every time.


4) Is Gametrack something that only pops up early 3rd qtr or more throughout the game like 2k11 has implemented? Obviously can't talk about dynasty in that regard (and I'm hoping it is in there like that), but just generally will it pop up more often for us throughout the game?

I wasn't able to put my finger on when it happens, but I'm almost certain there were other Game Track scenarios besides the start of the 2nd half.


6) Anyone notice any PI/Roughing penalties?

Yes. In January, I talked to one of the devs about PI and he said it should get better because of the new collision system. I saw a couple last week. Also, Roughing the Passer is back. I saw it several times, and I believe I had only bumped the slider to 55.

[steelerfan]

I was hoping to see more flexibility with depth charts, formation subs, and packages. Maybe having strongside/weakside positions instead of left/right, or being able to specify slot recievers and outside recievers, or 3rd down backs. Could you see if there were any changes like this made in play-now, or would that be more of a custom-playbook or dynasty feature?

I didn't notice any.

[Paakaa10]

I wasn't able to put my finger on when it happens, but I'm almost certain there were other Game Track scenarios besides the start of the 2nd half.

I can vouch that--depending on the statistical flow of the game--GameTrack doesn't just happen after the third quarter starts. I forced a few fumbles early in a game and it was the second quarter--after a fumble--that the GameTrack situation was triggered.


Yes. In January, I talked to one of the devs about PI and he said it should get better because of the new collision system. I saw a couple last week. Also, Roughing the Passer is back. I saw it several times, and I believe I had only bumped the slider to 55.

I cranked sliders to the 80s last week and Roughing the Passer skyrocketed (at least, compared to NCAA 11) :D. That said, the calls weren't artificial; there were legitimate instances of a defensive player following through too long after the pass was thrown, both by me and by the CPU.

[cdj]

There's GameTrack and also montages. GameTrack definitively occurs at the start of the third quarter (after KO), montages occur after a standout player/team performance. Did you guys notice the GameTrack wipe on the screen? I didn't see any montages last week (guess no one had a great performance :P) so I don't know if all montages are labeled with 'GameTrack.'

[Paakaa10]

There's GameTrack and also montages. GameTrack definitively occurs at the start of the third quarter (after KO), montages occur after a standout player/team performance. Did you guys notice the GameTrack wipe on the screen? I didn't see any montages last week (guess no one had a great performance :P) so I don't know if all montages are labeled with 'GameTrack.'

Okay, so maybe I misunderstood GameTrack versus the montages then haha. What I described in my previous post with regard to forcing fumbles and having that mentioned was the "montage" where replays of the forced fumbles were played and commentary discussed that trend in the game. Can't recall if the montage was labeled GameTrack to save my life.

[cdj]

Okay, so maybe I misunderstood GameTrack versus the montages then haha. What I described in my previous post with regard to forcing fumbles and having that mentioned was the "montage" where replays of the forced fumbles were played and commentary discussed that trend in the game. Can't recall if the montage was labeled GameTrack to save my life.

They are basically the same thing. :D They both show highlights of the game. The wipe (or lack of) is the only real difference.

[JeffHCross]

steeler, if memory serves I threw two picks in our game ... I remember seeing them highlighted at some point. Was that after the half, or was it random (like maybe the beginning of my next drive?)

[steelerfan]

steeler, if memory serves I threw two picks in our game ... I remember seeing them highlighted at some point. Was that after the half, or was it random (like maybe the beginning of my next drive?)

No idea.

[steelerfan]

They are basically the same thing. :D They both show highlights of the game. The wipe (or lack of) is the only real difference.

Good that you pointed it out then. :D

[Wolverines05]

hey im new here. just a couple of suggestions i really hope can be addressed before release. For one, i like the new locomotion system from ncaa 11, but my biggest problem with it are the player strides. it sounds ridiculous, but players in the game simply take massive strides. they average step in the game is over 2.5 yards. in real life,when in the open field, denard robinson takes 4 strides to get 10 yards. (which is considered really long strides irl) but for example, in the gameplay trailer video, you can see denard take a zone read and take 2 steps that equal about 6 yards. (just look in replay mode at any player running down the field) it doesn't sound like a big deal, but i feel like the game/field feels a lot smaller, and the game feels less wide open. college football especially is a wide open game, but when players cover the field so well in such massive strides, the game becomes more compact. i hope this makes sense, and i hope others have noticed it too. (just compare strides from ncaa '10 to '11) since the game feels less wide open, it is a huge detriment to teams that run the spread.
the big player strides may be due to a couple of reasons. 1.) player models are too big for the football field 2.)the player kind of floats through the air a little, and the player thus covers more ground than he normally would with each stride
anyway, i hope one you guys can shed some light on this subject, whether the developers are aware of it, and whether it can be corrected before release. thanks alot

[razorback44]

Did anyone use this play yet?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5181/5577160342_5310cb3430.jpg

I'm just curious if those two LB's are actually able to make it to their zone's in time without leaving gaping holes in the defense?

When I first saw this play I laughed because I was assuming the spot zones would still be in the game and this play would leave wide open passing lanes. However, with the enhanced zone defense I can see how this play might actually be successful. Did any of you guys have first hand experience with it?

[Rudy]

No problem; if you--and anybody else reading this thread--have anything specific you would like us to look at, you could mention that here as well and we can add it to our lists of stuff to check.

I'd really like you guys to play some games against a cpu Oregon team to see if the cpu can actually run the spread and specifically the zone-read. What about the user using Oregon as well? The read option plays are staples of that offense but NCAA 11 made it harder to run those plays than the basic I-form or ACE runs. A large part of that was the amount of negative plays which were too many but the blocking needs to be held a bit longer on option plays (or give us wider splits) and it hurt that type of offense. Many guys in NCAA 11 were boosting run blocking sliders for those running schemes which isn't a good solution as it messes up the other formations. Heck, I'd love to see the cpu play itself with both teams being Oregon and see how those offenses do.

Can you ask if they fixed the weights they generate for the recruits? They were 100% random and not tied to any attributes which didn't make much sense. http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/showthread.php?1316-Player-s-Weight-in-NCAA-Football-11

A minor concern is if the cpu QB will always drift right leading to the LE getting the majority of the sacks. Try to keep an eye out on which OLB or DE gets the majority of the sacks while playing the cpu. In real life most teams put their better pass rushers (and lighter, less effective run defenders on the weak side) but you would never know it from the sack results while playing games in NCAA 11.

Thanks!

[Cipher 8]

To give a heads up, we'll be able to talk about anything that you would see inside a Play Now game. So any questions you have, fire away and we'll do our best to answer, though remember it was still a work in progress while we were there. We'll likely answer your question inside a podcast that we'll record either tonight or tomorrow.

I got a burning question that I'm sure thousands of other NCAA fans have as well. In gameplay, play now or otherwise, will linebackers be able to jump like 15 feet in the air and knock down passes or intercept them anymore? I understand some of the elite high rated players should be able to but it seems like any and every linebacker can do this in NCAA and it's been a problem for years now. Have you seen any improvements in this regard?

[Deuce]

I got a burning question that I'm sure thousands of other NCAA fans have as well. In gameplay, play now or otherwise, will linebackers be able to jump like 15 feet in the air and knock down passes or intercept them anymore? I understand some of the elite high rated players should be able to but it seems like any and every linebacker can do this in NCAA and it's been a problem for years now. Have you seen any improvements in this regard?


I think this was addressed on the first page. 2 or so people responded and both said they felt like it was gone.

[steelerfan]

Did anyone use this play yet?

I'm just curious if those two LB's are actually able to make it to their zone's in time without leaving gaping holes in the defense?

When I first saw this play I laughed because I was assuming the spot zones would still be in the game and this play would leave wide open passing lanes. However, with the enhanced zone defense I can see how this play might actually be successful. Did any of you guys have first hand experience with it?

I used it once, vs a human, and got an interception.

[steelerfan]

I got a burning question that I'm sure thousands of other NCAA fans have as well. In gameplay, play now or otherwise, will linebackers be able to jump like 15 feet in the air and knock down passes or intercept them anymore? I understand some of the elite high rated players should be able to but it seems like any and every linebacker can do this in NCAA and it's been a problem for years now. Have you seen any improvements in this regard?

Again, I have not seen leaping LBs.

[Cipher 8]

I have another question as I'm reading through the 13+ pages of already posted comments...

I'm sure at one time or another in Play Now you've witnessed the multiple player collisions or tackles where players can add-on to or get involved with the tackle. Can you speak on some of this? Specifically if Multiple collision tackles and consecutive hit tackles actually affect the ball carrier who are fighting for extra yards. For example. One guy has them wrapped up and is engaged the initial tackle attempt by sorta dragging him down but can a user controlled safety come in and lay the wood on him to assure he doesn't pick up that extra yard for the first down or is it still like years past where once the first tackle animation has started it cannot be affected by other players.

I hated how I'de start a tackle with a player from behind and then a safety or someone else in front would just bounce off him like he hit an invisible wall. It should effect the player in 2012.

[Cipher 8]

Again, I have not seen leaping LBs. In NCAA Football 12 or ever because while it doesn't happen every play it does happen quite often in 2011. I still play 2011 frequently and it happens almost once a game that makes me says wait a minute should he be able to do that? :mad:

[Geauxlden]

You guys are doing a great job bringing info to the community, thanks for that. Were y'all able to view stats after the play now games? If so, could you tell me if stat tracking for pancakes, half sacks and tackles have been fixed?

[Jayrah]

In NCAA Football 12 or ever because while it doesn't happen every play it does happen quite often in 2011. I still play 2011 frequently and it happens almost once a game that makes me says wait a minute should he be able to do that? :mad:

In 2012. We ALL saw it in 11

[Jayrah]

I have another question as I'm reading through the 13+ pages of already posted comments...

I'm sure at one time or another in Play Now you've witnessed the multiple player collisions or tackles where players can add-on to or get involved with the tackle. Can you speak on some of this? Specifically if Multiple collision tackles and consecutive hit tackles actually affect the ball carrier who are fighting for extra yards. For example. One guy has them wrapped up and is engaged the initial tackle attempt by sorta dragging him down but can a user controlled safety come in and lay the wood on him to assure he doesn't pick up that extra yard for the first down or is it still like years past where once the first tackle animation has started it cannot be affected by other players.

I hated how I'de start a tackle with a player from behind and then a safety or someone else in front would just bounce off him like he hit an invisible wall. It should effect the player in 2012.

Sounds to me like in both the description of how this works, and from the player experiences in Orlando, this plays out more often the way it should based on momentum/speed/weight, especially with that 2nd player coming in and cleaning up. Actually it sounds pretty awesome and hopefully this will help alleviate cheap yac by an rb with no momentum.

[JBHuskers]

They are toned down in 12 ... plus you will have the ability to put loft on the ball as well.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Jayrah]

They are toned down in 12 ... plus you will have the ability to put loft on the ball as well.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Whats toned down?

[Kingpin32]

Whats toned down?
I believe the super LBs.

[steelerfan]

In NCAA Football 12 or ever because while it doesn't happen every play it does happen quite often in 2011. I still play 2011 frequently and it happens almost once a game that makes me says wait a minute should he be able to do that? :mad:

Haven't seen it in 12.

[steelerfan]

I have another question as I'm reading through the 13+ pages of already posted comments...

I'm sure at one time or another in Play Now you've witnessed the multiple player collisions or tackles where players can add-on to or get involved with the tackle. Can you speak on some of this? Specifically if Multiple collision tackles and consecutive hit tackles actually affect the ball carrier who are fighting for extra yards. For example. One guy has them wrapped up and is engaged the initial tackle attempt by sorta dragging him down but can a user controlled safety come in and lay the wood on him to assure he doesn't pick up that extra yard for the first down or is it still like years past where once the first tackle animation has started it cannot be affected by other players.

I hated how I'de start a tackle with a player from behind and then a safety or someone else in front would just bounce off him like he hit an invisible wall. It should effect the player in 2012.

The "clean-up" hits are impactful. It's a lot of fun to target a runner who is being held up and knock the shit out of them. :nod:

[steelerfan]

You guys are doing a great job bringing info to the community, thanks for that. Were y'all able to view stats after the play now games? If so, could you tell me if stat tracking for pancakes, half sacks and tackles have been fixed?

I'm not sure about pancakes, what half-sack problem are you talking about?

[Geauxlden]

I'm not sure about pancakes, what half-sack problem are you talking about?

It just seems that the user defender never gets credit for a 1/2 sack or an assisted tackle even if they share the sack/tackle with a cpu defender. Just wondering if this had been addressed.

[ram29jackson]

They are toned down in 12 ... plus you will have the ability to put loft on the ball as well.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


Loft on the ball ?

How about the logic this year with distance and touch or lob passes?
In Ncaa 11 , I seem to remember if your player was just 10 or a little more yards and open and you just want to get your pass over the line-play in front of you. A touch pass would cause the ball to just balloon further out and the receiver has to start chasing it into coverage.

are deep passes less balloon like as well ?

[steelerfan]

It just seems that the user defender never gets credit for a 1/2 sack or an assisted tackle even if they share the sack/tackle with a cpu defender. Just wondering if this had been addressed.

In 200+ games on 11, I only saw 2 or 3 half-sacks that were recorded as such. I saw at least one last week on 12. I think the new collision system will probably get the results you're wanting with half-sacks.

[Oneback]

Loft on the ball ?

How about the logic this year with distance and touch or lob passes?
In Ncaa 11 , I seem to remember if your player was just 10 or a little more yards and open and you just want to get your pass over the line-play in front of you. A touch pass would cause the ball to just balloon further out and the receiver has to start chasing it into coverage.

are deep passes less balloon like as well ?

I didn't notice a problem with deep passes ballooning. I was able to put touch on the ball. I ended up saving one of my replays to show the devs and ask if they had done work on ball trajectory. I was impressed with some of the results.

[Geauxlden]

In 200+ games on 11, I only saw 2 or 3 half-sacks that were recorded as such. I saw at least one last week on 12. I think the new collision system will probably get the results you're wanting with half-sacks.

Very cool to hear, thanks for the responses.

[steelerfan]

Very cool to hear, thanks for the responses.

No problem, buddy. Good to see you back here.

[ram29jackson]

were there a lot of tackling animations or did it get a little repetitive with the ones you are familiar with from NCAA 11 ?

[Oneback]

When I was there I was amazed with the amount of new animations they had in the game, especially in January. From tackle animations to a stumbling catch animation, diving catches, dropped catches, etc. There were a lot of new animations added to the game.

[d2721]

Anyone know if the new techfit jerseys for Notre Dame are in?

[d2721]

Does the "special entrances for BCS games" include that Saturday night football theme music? thanks

[VWEBBJR]

Not sure if any one of you guys played with Oregon but I wanted to know if the unis they wore from the Nat'l Championship game are in the game?

;)

[cdj]

were there a lot of tackling animations or did it get a little repetitive with the ones you are familiar with from NCAA 11 ?

Like Oneback said, there are just a lot of new animations added. In the time I played, I never saw anything I thought were extremely repetitive. Granted, that may change once we all log 100+ hours. ;)


Anyone know if the new techfit jerseys for Notre Dame are in?

I don't think so, but MPDamon would know best. Do you have a good side pic of their unis? I played Damon in a game and also saw him play WhoisDo several times with ND, so a pic might jog my memory.


Does the "special entrances for BCS games" include that Saturday night football theme music? thanks

I think the music is the same, but the special entrance I referred to is below. (Using Spoiler tags in case someone wants to wait and find out come July 12.)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5183/5635098675_a5bc10f0ff_z.jpg


Not sure if any one of you guys played with Oregon but I wanted to know if the unis they wore from the Nat'l Championship game are in the game?

;)

I think they were in last year's game (or close enough), but I don't think they added in the yellow socks and those shoes. I skimmed through UO's unis quickly (I knew we'd get some Oregon uniform questions!) and didn't see them. I'm not sure if all uni's were added in though.

[JeffHCross]

i hope one you guys can shed some light on this subject, whether the developers are aware of it, and whether it can be corrected before release. thanks alotI didn't speak with any developers about this, so I can't say if they're aware of it. As far as between now and release ... it's unlikely, to be honest, in my opinion. This isn't from any inside information or anything like that, totally my opinion, but making a change of that magnitude between now and release would completely change the balance of the game. Timing of every animation would need to be modified with a change like that.

Personally, I haven't noticed such a major change from NCAA 10 to 11 in terms of player strides -- I may have to take a look at this later.

[d2721]

file:///C:/Users/Damion/Desktop/ND%20Pics/ND.jpg

[d2721]

file:///C:/Users/Damion/Desktop/ND%20Pics/106449420_crop_340x234.jpg

[Wolverines05]

i know new stuff about zone d, tackling, etc. is gonna be answered, so im gonna ask some different things. so here are some suggestions/questions:

1.) make home field advantage matter more: the squiggly lines from the pre snap play art dont really hurt your opponent at all, as it is still incredibly obviously that my player is running a streak/slant/etc. just b/c the play art is squiggly doesn't mean i can't tell what route my wr is running! instead, perhaps show 2 possible routes that the receiver is running and take out the squiggly lines. this way i wont know for sure what my wr is going to run, and that would be a real HFA. especially with the new emphasis on differentiating crowds, this would be awesome. bring the presentation element into the gameplay too.

2.) any new running animations (jukes/spins) or new running styles? I personally feel that NHL and FIFA do a great job of giving you a lot of smooth control on the sticks, with tons of variety in the types of moves you can pull off. in ncaa/madden, you can really do a left/right juke, truck, back juke, etc. with a simple flick of the right stick. if more moves were given to the runner, for example diff. types of jukes, it would give a lot more control to the user along with a greater arsenal of moves. this would really help separate good gamers from bad, and it would make the running game deeper and it would feel awesome to know that executing an awesome juke to blow by your defender was all your doing.

3.) any changes to the locomotion system? i thought last year was a good start, but def. needed enhancements.

4.) is the highly touted motivation system from NCAA 2008 in the game anymore? lol

5.) please suggest that qb accuracy needs to toned way way down. in the demo of ncaa 11, there were actually under/over throws and ratings really seemed to dictate the outcome of the throws. of course once the game launched and was patched, it was back to the same old perfect pass every time. it made the game incredibly offensive oriented again, and also meant that ratings didnt matter pretty much. which then meant that there was no penalty for having a mobile qb whose accuracy ratings sucked. i really hope that qbs accuracy are more accurate to real life, meaning much less accurate in the game. i want to see under over throws, receivers barely able to make a play. not only would this lead to more realistic passing stats and completion %, but it would actually cut down on interceptions. this is because most interceptions come from a defender being in front of the receiver, meaning right in front of a predictable perfect pass. i dont want to be able to roll all the way right, throw 50 yds downfield across my body for a perfect throw, even if it means i wont have an all to easy to come by TD. if this was addressed, it would eliminate cheesers ten fold and force them to play sim. GET this in the game!!!

6.) now if i were you guys, i would try to break/mess with the game to point out any flaws. im guessing you do this already. but moreover, in previous years, you could put your punters/kickers/qbs on the o line, and they would do just fine against the d line. this also works the other way around. there are really sad videos of this online, not to mention ive done this myself, but i believe the problem lies with the fact that there are no "BAD" animations in the game. meaning, a punter with 14 run/pass blocking will play just as well as the o lineman with 65 ratings b/c there are no animations that are meant for a player under a certain rating. adding bad animations, where my punter would realistically get destroyed and would never be able to hold a block, get past an o lineman in a thousand years, would help expand that ratings curve in an easy way. this also applies to every rating that requires an animation, so tackling route running, catching, etc.

7.) i think one of you touched on this a little, but it was said that there is more band music playing throughout the game? i think it would be awesome to hear epic band music playing, like Requiem for a Dream, other epic music that is heard at games instead of just generic drums/trumpets.

ive def got more to come, but this is so awesome that you guys are doing this!!!

[cdj]

file:///C:/Users/Damion/Desktop/ND%20Pics/ND.jpg

Go to Imageshack.us and upload your pic there. Right now you are posting the physical location of the pic on your hard drive and we can't see it. :)


i know new stuff about zone d, tackling, etc. is gonna be answered, so im gonna ask some different things. so here are some suggestions/questions:

1.) make home field advantage matter more: the squiggly lines from the pre snap play art dont really hurt your opponent at all, as it is still incredibly obviously that my player is running a streak/slant/etc. just b/c the play art is squiggly doesn't mean i can't tell what route my wr is running! instead, perhaps show 2 possible routes that the receiver is running and take out the squiggly lines. this way i wont know for sure what my wr is going to run, and that would be a real HFA. especially with the new emphasis on differentiating crowds, this would be awesome. bring the presentation element into the gameplay too.

2.) any new running animations (jukes/spins) or new running styles? I personally feel that NHL and FIFA do a great job of giving you a lot of smooth control on the sticks, with tons of variety in the types of moves you can pull off. in ncaa/madden, you can really do a left/right juke, truck, back juke, etc. with a simple flick of the right stick. if more moves were given to the runner, for example diff. types of jukes, it would give a lot more control to the user along with a greater arsenal of moves. this would really help separate good gamers from bad, and it would make the running game deeper and it would feel awesome to know that executing an awesome juke to blow by your defender was all your doing.

3.) any changes to the locomotion system? i thought last year was a good start, but def. needed enhancements.

4.) is the highly touted motivation system from NCAA 2008 in the game anymore? lol

5.) please suggest that qb accuracy needs to toned way way down. in the demo of ncaa 11, there were actually under/over throws and ratings really seemed to dictate the outcome of the throws. of course once the game launched and was patched, it was back to the same old perfect pass every time. it made the game incredibly offensive oriented again, and also meant that ratings didnt matter pretty much. which then meant that there was no penalty for having a mobile qb whose accuracy ratings sucked. i really hope that qbs accuracy are more accurate to real life, meaning much less accurate in the game. i want to see under over throws, receivers barely able to make a play. not only would this lead to more realistic passing stats and completion %, but it would actually cut down on interceptions. this is because most interceptions come from a defender being in front of the receiver, meaning right in front of a predictable perfect pass. i dont want to be able to roll all the way right, throw 50 yds downfield across my body for a perfect throw, even if it means i wont have an all to easy to come by TD. if this was addressed, it would eliminate cheesers ten fold and force them to play sim. GET this in the game!!!

6.) now if i were you guys, i would try to break/mess with the game to point out any flaws. im guessing you do this already. but moreover, in previous years, you could put your punters/kickers/qbs on the o line, and they would do just fine against the d line. this also works the other way around. there are really sad videos of this online, not to mention ive done this myself, but i believe the problem lies with the fact that there are no "BAD" animations in the game. meaning, a punter with 14 run/pass blocking will play just as well as the o lineman with 65 ratings b/c there are no animations that are meant for a player under a certain rating. adding bad animations, where my punter would realistically get destroyed and would never be able to hold a block, get past an o lineman in a thousand years, would help expand that ratings curve in an easy way. this also applies to every rating that requires an animation, so tackling route running, catching, etc.

7.) i think one of you touched on this a little, but it was said that there is more band music playing throughout the game? i think it would be awesome to hear epic band music playing, like Requiem for a Dream, other epic music that is heard at games instead of just generic drums/trumpets.

ive def got more to come, but this is so awesome that you guys are doing this!!!

1) I think most of us agree that we want HFA to matter more, but then the discussion becomes how realistic is it versus what we allow in video games. Louder and more intense crowd noise on big downs and possessions seems to be something most people want and can accept.

2) The devs told us that they've added some new running styles like they did last year.

3) I don't think we were told of any specific changes to Locomotion, but I'm guessing they made some changes under the hood. Personally speaking, I felt like I could control my RB more (tighter), but it didn't mean I could pull off unreal moves though. It just made it easier to cut back towards holes at times.

4) The Exploding Man? :D Nah, I don't think he's coming back!

5) Agree with you on that. One of the issues that has existed in passing is that the game is very 'point-to-point.' Ball thrown to spot of receiver, nothing more or less. I thought there were a nice amount of overthrows and off-target passes in the Community Event builds, but like you said - that could change in patches or updates, hopefully not though.

6) I didn't move out of position players to other spots, but I did see some new animations for players getting blown up on the o-line. Basically they were just grabbed and thrown to the ground. Someone else may have tried that specific issue...

7) Are you talking in-game or in the menu system? In-game they did add more drum cadences for variety and also to avoid the same sounds from year to year. In-game, users should utilize the Stadium Sounds feature (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?4-Stadium-Sounds) to help improve in-game music and atmosphere.

[Wolverines05]

I didn't speak with any developers about this, so I can't say if they're aware of it. As far as between now and release ... it's unlikely, to be honest, in my opinion. This isn't from any inside information or anything like that, totally my opinion, but making a change of that magnitude between now and release would completely change the balance of the game. Timing of every animation would need to be modified with a change like that.

Personally, I haven't noticed such a major change from NCAA 10 to 11 in terms of player strides -- I may have to take a look at this later.

yeah, please do look at it. the easiest way to do this is to go into practice mode, offense only, and just do 40 yd dashes and look in replay mode. its really glaring to me actually, and realllllly bothers me. also, in that gameplay trailer, look at denard robinson keeping the ball at :25. his first 2 steps covers 6 yds, which is just ridiculous. not only is that a ton of coverage for being fully accelerated while running a straight line, but for his first 2 steps, that is absurd. irl, after watching footage of zone reads, the qb usually covers 5 yds in 3 steps. for example, in this play, it takes the qb 3 steps to get from the 25 to the 30, and when he is running down the sideline, his 4 steps (hes at full speed/full stride) gets him about 9 yards. at this rate, denard would take 9 steps to cover 30 yards, while it would take the navy qb about 12-13 steps. this doesn't even take into account the fact that denard hadn't even started to accelerate, as these were his first two steps.

while i need to get back to finals studying lol, i have a lot more examples, but to see for yourself, just go to practice mode/look at replays while playing in game. anyway, this bothers me a TON and ill come up with more examples in the next couple days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwr5KWSAHE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob0s4tVxdCI

also, in terms of devs not being able to change the animation, a couple things. one, i would hope this new collision system would mean that it wouldn't matter if the animation was altered/changed because the tackling animation could only occur at point of impact. therefore, making sure that warping at the right point wouldn't matter, because there is no more warping.. hopefully. idk though. thats probably just completely wrong logic lol. two, i know that ian cummings showed a video of them changing the running animation/enhancing it. in middle of alpha stage too. i think this is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owCrPfB_6V8

[JeffHCross]

while i need to get back to finals studying lol, i have a lot more examples, but to see for yourself, just go to practice mode/look at replays while playing in game. anyway, this bothers me a TON and ill come up with more examples in the next couple days.No need. Getting me pointed in the right direction is enough.

[drlw322]

No problem; if you--and anybody else reading this thread--have anything specific you would like us to look at, you could mention that here as well and we can add it to our lists of stuff to check. No guarantees that we'll be able to focus on any of it--or that we'll even be able to share any of that information after the event depending on what EA SPORTS tells us for clearance--but we can at least try and see since this will be the last Community Event of the NCAA Football 12 development cycle.

EDIT:
Although, of course, take a reasonable approach for any suggestions haha. Perhaps if some of you have lingering concerns about issues with NCAA 11 that the released information hasn't completely answered questions about, then we can take those suggestions and see if the issues can be replicated in NCAA 12 or if they've been fixed.

A lot of this will depend on what our task is when we return to the studio; if our "play time" is regulated because the team wants specific answers to certain aspects of the game, then that's what we'll be doing.

any possible way that they would be able to fix the ankle brace turning white. Also how much would have to go into getting different QB throwing motion like madden instead of naming them after players they can use style names, ala Choops2k8 shooting styles. thanks again

[cdj]

any possible way that they would be able to fix the ankle brace turning white.

I saw it alluded to on Twitter, but never followed up. What is this ankle brace issue exactly?

[JeffHCross]

I saw it alluded to on Twitter, but never followed up. What is this ankle brace issue exactly?Basically it's reverse uniform degradation, or at least that's the theory.

It's some how linked to dirty uniforms as the braces gradually get whiter as uniforms get dirtier; they remain black on artificial fields.

Every time I play a game the ankle braces change colors. For the first few plays the braces will be black, but they will change colors from black to gray then to this ugly whitish-creme color.

I think it has to do something with the patch that added uniform degradation. It was never an issue before that. I'm guessing it's a glitch that tries to put dirt on the ankle braces but it instead turns them white.

[JeffHCross]

Also how much would have to go into getting different QB throwing motion like madden instead of naming them after players they can use style names, ala Choops2k8 shooting styles.Quite a bit. It would require new animations being recorded through motion capture (and not just throwing, but potentially a lot of different animations that are currently used for the QB position), adjustments to existing motions so the ball trajectory is right no matter what animation it comes out of, and the addition of an interface to change the style of the QB. Then you have to consider the code that would select the right animation, rather than just selecting from the same set for every QB.

[WolverineJay]

I just looked over the the last few pages and seems my question got lost in the mix. No biggie, I'll just re-type it for you. Plus I thought of a few more gameplay questions, lol.

When you guys used the new tackling button and dive for catch button was there any delay or lag from the time you pushed the button and saw the animation kick in?

Can you use the dive for catch to make interceptions over a diving wr? In other words does the WR always win out if both WR and DB dive for the overthrown ball.

How effective is the dive for catch? I read all the reviews and some come off as implying it is overpowered especially when I read that if we use the dive catch we won't be disappointed.

And a last couple things regarding special teams since not much was said about it. I hope the developers are aware of the kickoff glitch where a HB or WR is inserted as the kickoff specialist and then does short pooch kickoffs to the sideline and results in a recovered onside 75% of the time. Also, can we get an answer as to why they removed the bad snaps from special teams that makes no sense at all to remove it from the game. If anybody watches college football they see bad snaps for punts, field goals, pat's, and when QB's are in shotgun formation. If they can put those animations back in with the requisite delays we might see some actual blocked punts and field goals like real life.

Thanks for taking the time to answer all our questions, its much appreciated.

[JeffHCross]

I didn't notice any real difference between the dive button on NCAA 11 and the new tackle button on NCAA 12, but I also tend to not use the button on 11 until I'm really close to the ball carrier, so I may have been using it more like it will be for 12.

I didn't try dive for catch at all. I'm a horrible User Catch player.

I didn't speak to anybody about special teams, so I don't have any answers for either of those last questions. I definitely want to see the bad snaps back in though.

[d2721]

heres a youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2bBbU_HMEg&feature=player_detailpage

[Rudy]

3) I don't think we were told of any specific changes to Locomotion, but I'm guessing they made some changes under the hood. Personally speaking, I felt like I could control my RB more (tighter), but it didn't mean I could pull off unreal moves though. It just made it easier to cut back towards holes at times.


I must say that is disappointing to me. I didn't think locomotion went far enough last year. I want more player momentum and less control but this makes it seem like they are going back towards pre-NCAA 11 momentum. I really wish they could offer a couple different settings of momentum like the game speed slider. Just give us more options to be able to recreate a PS2 like player movement system.

[Jayrah]

yeah, please do look at it. the easiest way to do this is to go into practice mode, offense only, and just do 40 yd dashes and look in replay mode. its really glaring to me actually, and realllllly bothers me. also, in that gameplay trailer, look at denard robinson keeping the ball at :25. his first 2 steps covers 6 yds, which is just ridiculous. not only is that a ton of coverage for being fully accelerated while running a straight line, but for his first 2 steps, that is absurd. irl, after watching footage of zone reads, the qb usually covers 5 yds in 3 steps. for example, in this play, it takes the qb 3 steps to get from the 25 to the 30, and when he is running down the sideline, his 4 steps (hes at full speed/full stride) gets him about 9 yards. at this rate, denard would take 9 steps to cover 30 yards, while it would take the navy qb about 12-13 steps. this doesn't even take into account the fact that denard hadn't even started to accelerate, as these were his first two steps.

while i need to get back to finals studying lol, i have a lot more examples, but to see for yourself, just go to practice mode/look at replays while playing in game. anyway, this bothers me a TON and ill come up with more examples in the next couple days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwr5KWSAHE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob0s4tVxdCI

also, in terms of devs not being able to change the animation, a couple things. one, i would hope this new collision system would mean that it wouldn't matter if the animation was altered/changed because the tackling animation could only occur at point of impact. therefore, making sure that warping at the right point wouldn't matter, because there is no more warping.. hopefully. idk though. thats probably just completely wrong logic lol. two, i know that ian cummings showed a video of them changing the running animation/enhancing it. in middle of alpha stage too. i think this is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owCrPfB_6V8

Omgoodness you're right! I knew there was just something off. Like the field seemed too small or something. But it's simply that more steps per yard need to be added. This would also speed up the legs of players, making them look faster, and make cutting animations that much more sick! One of the reasons spin moves have never looked tight enough is for this very reason!

[souljahbill]

Do stadiums fall into the "Play Now" category?

If so, there wouldn't happen to be any new generic stadiums, would there?

[steelerfan]

1) When you guys used the new tackling button and dive for catch button was there any delay or lag from the time you pushed the button and saw the animation kick in?

2) Can you use the dive for catch to make interceptions over a diving wr? In other words does the WR always win out if both WR and DB dive for the overthrown ball.

3) How effective is the dive for catch? I read all the reviews and some come off as implying it is overpowered especially when I read that if we use the dive catch we won't be disappointed.

4) And a last couple things regarding special teams since not much was said about it. I hope the developers are aware of the kickoff glitch where a HB or WR is inserted as the kickoff specialist and then does short pooch kickoffs to the sideline and results in a recovered onside 75% of the time. Also, can we get an answer as to why they removed the bad snaps from special teams that makes no sense at all to remove it from the game. If anybody watches college football they see bad snaps for punts, field goals, pat's, and when QB's are in shotgun formation. If they can put those animations back in with the requisite delays we might see some actual blocked punts and field goals like real life.


1) Honestly, until this week, I didn't know/realize there had been a change to the tackle button. It's something I'll be testing on my next visit.

2) I have no idea.

3) I can't say with certainty, but I'm sure it can be tuned and wouldn't worry too much.

4) I got the sense that ST will be overhauled all in one year, not incrementally.

[steelerfan]

Do stadiums fall into the "Play Now" category?

If so, there wouldn't happen to be any new generic stadiums, would there?

1) Yes.

2) I didn't check.

[Wolverines05]

Omgoodness you're right! I knew there was just something off. Like the field seemed too small or something. But it's simply that more steps per yard need to be added. This would also speed up the legs of players, making them look faster, and make cutting animations that much more sick! One of the reasons spin moves have never looked tight enough is for this very reason!

EXACTLY! there are other issues that this causes too, but this is definitely the reason the devs. slowed the game down b4 launch last year. during the demo, the gameplay to me felt pretty realistic, in that players were moving fast. however, a lot of people complained that the game was too fast. this wasn't because people were moving too fast, but their long strides multiplied by the stride/second made them cover ground in an unrealistic manner. now, players run pretty accurate 40 times but thats actually because they have ridiculously long strides. but to compensate, the alternating of their legs is drastically lowered. (probably 5% difference, but that feels like and is a lot)

aside from that, here are a couple benefits that realistic running motions would offer.
1.) more control: by having shorter strides, you have greater ability to change direction after your foot lands. with a longer stride, you have to wait a little longer b4 you are able to change direction. this can all the difference when trying to cut around/ cut back/ change direction when running through a hole.

2.)if youre in the open field and you see a guy 10 yds in front of you, with shorter strides you have more time and greater ability to actually set your guy up and try to get by him. as it is now, using the left stick is the best way to maneuver around defenders. i think that shortening strides would allow more time to use the set up moves (DUAL ANALOG CONTROL) and actually take advantage of the right stick. i dont like simply flicking my right stick right and watching a predetermined juke get by a guy. i wanna set him up and run by him, using my own skills. shortened strides would help immensely

3.)as you said, this would open up the game. it feels soooo compact now, and would just make everything feel more wide open. (which college football is) isn't the spread offense about well, spreading the field??? I don't want players who have really long strides because it makes covering the ground way too easy. i want to feel the open space in college football and put my athletic players in the open. i want to run my now deceased rich rod offense with denard robinson (custom playbooks) to perfection.

4.) finally, having shorter strides would help truly reflect speed, acceleration, and agility ratings. with essentially more space to roam, athletic player ratings would truly come alive, and the effects would be noticed immediately.

[Rudy]

Omgoodness you're right! I knew there was just something off. Like the field seemed too small or something. But it's simply that more steps per yard need to be added. This would also speed up the legs of players, making them look faster, and make cutting animations that much more sick! One of the reasons spin moves have never looked tight enough is for this very reason!

Yeah, the players just don't look natural. It's something that looks worse when you aren't actually playing and just watching a video. Whenever they did one of those EA moments in a real game and showed NCAA 11 last year it looked bad because of it.

[Jayrah]

I think this is my new #1 request for 2013. It would speed up the players (animations and movements become shorter and quicker to compensate for the loss of yards per stride) but SLOW DOWN THE GAME! With more control you would not need as much space to make a move as wolverine was saying. Actually the space would probably move from 10 yards away from a defender to 6 or 7 with the same amount of strides remaining to have to decide on a move. A late kickout block would allow you to still cut up inside andnot get stuck on your lineman. Etc.

It also would alleviate the slide effect in the game imo. Defenders turning and covering so much ground in coverage (as the oregon safety does in the new gameplay video for 12) would not happen, giving a perfect balance to defenders in the new zone and man coverages. A hole in the defense would be easier to see but not abusable. Defenders would basically react in a more timely fashion. Wrs would also benefit in this effect by running routes in a more natural fashion, especially during cuts, where sometimes the player is turning before they are planted.

Line play would be condensed and quicker moves defensively combined with smaller/shorter strides offensively would give rushers a chance around the edge! Make that first 1 or 2 steps at least "seem" more explosive. Pocket would collapse a split second sooner as well i would think just because of spacing issues.

Just an overall game changer really.

[souljahbill]

Would making the field bigger do the same thing? It would probably be easier as opposed to mo-capping shorter run strides.

[Rudy]

I think this is my new #1 request for 2013. It would speed up the players (animations and movements become shorter and quicker to compensate for the loss of yards per stride) but SLOW DOWN THE GAME! With more control you would not need as much space to make a move as wolverine was saying. Actually the space would probably move from 10 yards away from a defender to 6 or 7 with the same amount of strides remaining to have to decide on a move. A late kickout block would allow you to still cut up inside andnot get stuck on your lineman. Etc.

It also would alleviate the slide effect in the game imo. Defenders turning and covering so much ground in coverage (as the oregon safety does in the new gameplay video for 12) would not happen, giving a perfect balance to defenders in the new zone and man coverages. A hole in the defense would be easier to see but not abusable. Defenders would basically react in a more timely fashion. Wrs would also benefit in this effect by running routes in a more natural fashion, especially during cuts, where sometimes the player is turning before they are planted.

Line play would be condensed and quicker moves defensively combined with smaller/shorter strides offensively would give rushers a chance around the edge! Make that first 1 or 2 steps at least "seem" more explosive. Pocket would collapse a split second sooner as well i would think just because of spacing issues.

Just an overall game changer really.

I do think this is why many like the way the PS2 players moved. It seemed more natural. I'm still going to push for a momentum option for NCAA 12. Next Gen (normal) and Classic (like PS2)! Everybody wins!

[ram29jackson]

I do think this is why many like the way the PS2 players moved. It seemed more natural. I'm still going to push for a momentum option for NCAA 12. Next Gen (normal) and Classic (like PS2)! Everybody wins!

the ps2 players may have looked smoother but they also moved way too fast. It was much more video-gamey.

[JeffHCross]

Would making the field bigger do the same thing? It would probably be easier as opposed to mo-capping shorter run strides.Assuming that the field/stadium size is currently scaled to the player models, making the field bigger could have other unintended consequences.

[VWEBBJR]

This maybe very wishful thinking, but on TD celebrations, did you guys see any celebrations like this below?

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Citi+BCS+National+Championship+Alabama+v+Texas+DF_ c6TICtSkl.jpg

;)

[cdj]

This maybe very wishful thinking, but on TD celebrations, did you guys see any celebrations like this below?

;)

I did not, but I may not have played (or scored a TD) with a team that has those gloves.

[VWEBBJR]

I did not, but I may not have played (or scored a TD) with a team that has those gloves.

OK, thanks CDJ, that would be sweet if those actually made it in.

[Paakaa10]

I did not, but I may not have played (or scored a TD) with a team that has those gloves.

OK, thanks CDJ, that would be sweet if those actually made it in.

I don't remember playing as a team with those glove styles in my time with the game; that said, hard to know whether NCAA regulations allow such a celebration. If you remember from this past year's Michigan-Ohio State game:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Used-as-intended-Ohio-State-s-alternate-unis-ar?urn=ncaaf-289645


Nike was obviously very proud of the retro "Pro Combat" look it dreamed up for Ohio State to wear in today's rivalry match with Michigan, in honor of the Buckeyes' 1942 national championship team. Part of that look included lightweight "Vapor Jet" gloves featuring "premium Magnigrip CL technology" and custom art specifically designed to display a block 'O' when the palms are brought together. Nike has put a similar design on the gloves for every team in the Pro Combat line, including a script 'A' for Alabama in last year's BCS Championship Game.

The only problem? When Ohio State receiver DeVier Posey brought the gloves together to form the 'O' after taking in a touchdown pass from Terrelle Pryor to put the Buckeyes up 24-7 in the second quarter, he was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. OSU was subsequently forced to kick off to the Wolverines from its own 15-yard line instead of its own 30. Later, when offensive lineman Mike Adams flashed the 'O' to the crowd to celebrate a 32-yard touchdown run by Boom Herron that extended the OSU lead to 31-7 in the third quarter, he was flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty, too.


If these are against the rules of play, would have to imagine that the NCAA might have asked the development team not to have that kind of celebration in NCAA Football 12; even though Nike went out of their way to design the uniforms that way in the Pro Combat series.

[JeffHCross]

I don't remember playing as a team with those glove styles in my time with the game; that said, hard to know whether NCAA regulations allow such a celebration. If you remember from this past year's Michigan-Ohio State game: That had nothing to do with NCAA regulations. That had to do with officials that thought it was a gang sign.

[Paakaa10]

That had nothing to do with NCAA regulations. That had to do with officials that thought it was a gang sign.

Huh... just went through the 2009-2010 NCAA rule book for football and couldn't find anything related to the glove celebrations. The only glove-related material was as follows:


If worn, gloves or hand pads must be gray in color on the back, including the backs of the fingers. It is strongly recommended that the palms also be gray; however, black on the palms is acceptable. The recommended shades of gray are Pantone Cool Gray 8C, Cool Gray 9C, 423C and 430C.

I would assume that the rules have changed in the last few years given the Nike design for the palms of gloves in the Pro Combat uniform line, but I can't find a more recent version of the rules.

[JeffHCross]

I would assume that the rules have changed in the last few years given the Nike design for the palms of gloves in the Pro Combat uniform line, but I can't find a more recent version of the rules.Not necessarily. Those rules allow for designs on the palms. And besides ... the version of the rules you found was only a year ago. ;)

But besides the point ... that "celebration" isn't illegal ... except in Michigan-Ohio State. Plenty of other teams had similar designs, did similar things, and went unpenalized. Mark Ingram's celebration with the Alabama glove design was used in SportsCenter's intro video for month.

[Jayrah]

Would making the field bigger do the same thing? It would probably be easier as opposed to mo-capping shorter run strides.

No it wouldn't I don't think. They'd have to redo everything around the stadium, including fans and signage and boards and everything. I thought this way too, but after reading on everything that goes into creating a stadium, and the amount of time it takes to just do "simple" things around the stadium, I realized that this is not the best solution.


I do think this is why many like the way the PS2 players moved. It seemed more natural. I'm still going to push for a momentum option for NCAA 12. Next Gen (normal) and Classic (like PS2)! Everybody wins!


the ps2 players may have looked smoother but they also moved way too fast. It was much more video-gamey.

What do you mean by "moved too fast"? Because that is the point. Everything would move "faster", but the game would slow down from a decision aspect and players would take more steps to get from point A to B. But they wouldn't get there any slower during sprint because the times are already in place to be "realistic".


Assuming that the field/stadium size is currently scaled to the player models, making the field bigger could have other unintended consequences.

This. The players look right on the field as far as size goes, but movements are spread out in sprint mode.

Actually after playing in practice mode a little bit, slower players take fewer shorter strides in the game. This is only somewhat the case IRL. But faster players actually don't move a whole lot longer in striding (assuming players are same height), but rather, the legs move faster. Lighter, faster players have lighter and faster feet. I'm not sure how to explain that correctly, but the ncaa series has always depicted faster and slower by length of stride, while the length of the stride is not always the case. Another thing to consider is that this is only in "sprinting" mode. The sliding effect (which should be less prevalent again, but may not be perfect) and overly quick player turning ability accounts for the other huge makeup of ground in the game that looks "unnatural".

[Wolverines05]

No it wouldn't I don't think. They'd have to redo everything around the stadium, including fans and signage and boards and everything. I thought this way too, but after reading on everything that goes into creating a stadium, and the amount of time it takes to just do "simple" things around the stadium, I realized that this is not the best solution.

This.



What do you mean by "moved too fast"? Because that is the point. Everything would move "faster", but the game would slow down from a decision aspect and players would take more steps to get from point A to B. But they wouldn't get there any slower during sprint because the times are already in place to be "realistic".


This. The players look right on the field as far as size goes, but movements are spread out in sprint mode.


Actually after playing in practice mode a little bit, slower players take fewer shorter strides in the game. This is only somewhat the case IRL. But faster players actually don't move a whole lot longer in striding (assuming players are same height), but rather, the legs move faster. Lighter, faster players have lighter and faster feet. I'm not sure how to explain that correctly, but the ncaa series has always depicted faster and slower by length of stride, while the length of the stride is not always the case. Another thing to consider is that this is only in "sprinting" mode. The sliding effect (which should be less prevalent again, but may not be perfect) and overly quick player turning ability accounts for the other huge makeup of ground in the game that looks "unnatural".

Well, it is true that game would and should move faster, but players on the ps2/xbox game ran something like 3.9 second 40's. this was actually mentioned by a dev. i think a few years ago; not gonna try to find where it was said. but anyone can test this too. so maybe players did move a little bit faster than real life, but definitely a big improvement over now. also, part of the 3.9 40 time may be because players running down the sideline didn't actually have to begin from 0 acceleration, as they were already in stride. so maybe it was completely realistic.

i actually feel that players might be a tad big compared to the field; not sure though. but its def. not uncommon for sports games to feature players that are too big for their environment. mlb 2k7-2k8 had enormous models. i think until nba 2k9 models were too big, and in fact the devs recognized this and made a point to show their new (and properly proportioned to the field player models) models and compare it with the old ones.


as a comparison, check out this video:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/gt-preview-ncaa-football/11298
doesnt that gameplay look silky smooth?! damn. seriously though, player strides were shorter and more realistic. but also look at the procedural leaning and lack of robotic movement in general. but whats truly awesome about that locomotion system is that it was believable. players respected the physics of the game, and nothing came across as cheap. look at the players in the video run by defenders without any animations playing out. i feel on next gen that to make a move to get by a defender, i have to flick my right stick left to play out a juke animation where the defender gets his ankles broken as well. in last gen, it seemed animations were entirely separate. i could juke/ even move around a player while the defender would just change his direction instead of playing out an animation himself. watch how jukes did not dictate what the defender did at all; if defender got beat, nothing he can do about it but change direction. no canned animation plays out. this is because players respected momentum, agility, speed, acceleration, etc. that is why the game felt so much more organic.

also, idk but do player models on the older games seem smaller to the field than players on 360? it seems that way maybe a little to me, but not quite sure.

ive got a whole other rant about qb accuracy comparisons from last gen to this gen, where throwing was way more dynamic too, but thats another topic lol.

[Rudy]

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/gt-preview-ncaa-football/11298
doesnt that gameplay look silky smooth?! damn. seriously though, player strides were shorter and more realistic. but also look at the procedural leaning and lack of robotic movement in general. but whats truly awesome about that locomotion system is that it was believable. players respected the physics of the game, and nothing came across as cheap. look at the players in the video run by defenders without any animations playing out. i feel on next gen that to make a move to get by a defender, i have to flick my right stick left to play out a juke animation where the defender gets his ankles broken as well. in last gen, it seemed animations were entirely separate. i could juke/ even move around a player while the defender would just change his direction instead of playing out an animation himself. watch how jukes did not dictate what the defender did at all; if defender got beat, nothing he can do about it but change direction. no canned animation plays out. this is because players respected momentum, agility, speed, acceleration, etc. that is why the game felt so much more organic.


It's the twitchiness and ease of change of direction on next gen that has bothered me more than some of the animations. The lack of player momentum has made it too easy to turn on a dime. Guys can spam the l-stick back and forth without much penalty. It's what makes it so much harder to actually play defence on next gen. Offensive players have a huge advantage because they make a cut and lose no speed as they leave the defender in the dust. It's made playing pass defence too hard.

Take a look at this old NCAA 07 video. Watch every RB and kick return, particularly the kick return of 2:10. The player tries to cut back a bit but there is no quick movement and the player slows down. There is never an instance where the user could spam the stick left or right to get around someone. Player weight/momentum was much heavier. The graphics are also a lot worse lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdVxKfFQHQQ

Here is an NCAA 11 video. Check the kick return at 3:20. The returner can make a quick move without any speed slowdown or natural arc to that move. There is very little weight shown in the player movement and it also makes it look unnatural. Lateral movement is still too easy to pull off.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsfIt6IAak0&feature=related

[drlw322]

I saw it alluded to on Twitter, but never followed up. What is this ankle brace issue exactly?

I believe it has to do with the player degradation, before the 1st patch last year players did not get dirty and the ankle brace will stay black on grass surface. After the 1st patch when they added the player degradation, the brace would get progressively lighter and lighter until it turned completely white.

[jaymo76]

There is never an instance where the user could spam the stick left or right to get around someone. Player weight/momentum was much heavier. The graphics are also a lot worse lol.[/video]

So true Rudy. Play next gen and then go back to 06/07. Trying to move bigger/slower players was impossible. Next gen has made it too easy to move players and the thing is that it was purposeful... EA bragged that players could move on a dime, which is entriely unrealistic.

[Cipher 8]

Just like to say thank you for answering my earlier questions and being so open with the rest of the fans and community! You guys rock and I'll be checking your site daily! I should've stayed more active here I joined last year.

[steelerfan]

EA bragged that players could move on a dime, which is entriely unrealistic.

I don't necessarily disagree with the basis of this discussion, however, do you not remember EA's viseo last year about Locomotion? The one that showed the LB in coverage? The point was that a drastic change of direction would require a stop and re-acceleration. Now, I'm not saying EA nailed it with 11, but I'd hardly say they were bragging to the other extreme.

[steelerfan]

Just like to say thank you for answering my earlier questions and being so open with the rest of the fans and community! You guys rock and I'll be checking your site daily! I should've stayed more active here I joined last year.

Glad to see you back in the mix. :nod:

[Rudy]

I don't necessarily disagree with the basis of this discussion, however, do you not remember EA's viseo last year about Locomotion? The one that showed the LB in coverage? The point was that a drastic change of direction would require a stop and re-acceleration. Now, I'm not saying EA nailed it with 11, but I'd hardly say they were bragging to the other extreme.

Last year was a small step in the right direction but quite a few of us want it to go a lot further. I did a poll on OS. Many liked it the way it was but many also wanted more. I wish more people voted but you can see the results from an October poll with only 31 votes. 4 wanted LESS momentum. 14 liked it the way it was and 13 wanted more. I would love it if you community guys could ask them about providing an option or slider in this area. Being able to select PS2/old school momentum would be awesome.

http://www.operationsports.com/forums/ncaa-football/450217-player-momentum.html

[Jayrah]

I don't necessarily disagree with the basis of this discussion, however, do you not remember EA's viseo last year about Locomotion? The one that showed the LB in coverage? The point was that a drastic change of direction would require a stop and re-acceleration. Now, I'm not saying EA nailed it with 11, but I'd hardly say they were bragging to the other extreme.

There's no doubt they're trying, and getting really close imo. Locomotion slowed the game down a ton from '10, which I think was the year where offense was really touted. I think the only major problems in this gen are simply the cap at which a player can stride (based on the virtual environment he is surrounded in), and then the "weight" of the player not being fully acknowledged by the engine (IRL terms anyway). We'll really have to break it down when the game drops, cause I don't think that players will cover as much ground as it looks like once all this is finalized together with any momentum tweaks.

The concept itself is simple, but it is most likely a difficult maneuver with the current player models. I suppose in theory the easiest thing to do would be decrease the size of all player models, but I don't know how realistic that is. With the current models, basically it makes sense that if you bring the yardage gap at which a faster player can stride down, his legs will have to move faster to maintain the same speed in a 40 yard dash (since the game has clawed and scratched to get players to a realistic time with the current stride lengths).

But 2 questions burn in my mind for this issue. First, can they do this for just certain players? Mid speed TE's and bigger players don't have the problem, as their strides are considerably shorter and actually are not in need of a change imo. And second, would the momentum of this engine allow them to do it realistically without having to redo the entire running and movement system, based on all the work they've put into getting the times to a realistic level?

Therefore, with the game the way it is, I would think if you change the cap of yards per stride, you're going to affect every player in the game because it seems that their stride lengths are directly tied in some fashion to their spd rating, so you're going to lower everybody's stride length and that would be bad the other way. I don't know if they can untie a group of ratings (whatever it would be, example being everybody rated 88 or above in speed depending on what players stride too far) and then mo-cap a fast group and tie it back in to the current system or maybe reinvent the wheel, mo-cap all types of players and take your longest strides and cap it on the virtual field, but it seems like a difficult thing to do.

Maybe I am way off base and it's simpler, but it's late and my brain can't comprehend what technical codes and numbers are involved in such a process. I don't know much about video game programming, so this is my uneducated guess as to what would have to happen.

[souljahbill]

So, next year in the TGT Wishlist Tournament, would this be listed as

1) Smaller player models

or

2) More realistic stride lengths?

Also, Coaching Carousel is going to win again so it's all about what's going to finish second (special teams overhaul maybe?)

[Rudy]

Look at this example of zone coverage in the G4 video (http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52550/ncaa-football-12-gameplay-preview/?quality=sd). The defender in coverage at the 1:55 mark bounced back and forth twice with little penalty at all for change of direction. The fact this video was showcased as a positive is not a good thing imo. You could never do something like that in the PS2 version. #ClassicMomentumOption

[psusnoop]

That FS on the pick really moved each way without getting penalized at all. Interesting posts coming up here right now regarding this. I'd like to see this look more fluid in the future. I think EA has something here with their locomotion but we can tell that it needs to go more in depth to really "look and feel" better.

[Wolverines05]

Look at this example of zone coverage in the G4 video (http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52550/ncaa-football-12-gameplay-preview/?quality=sd). The defender in coverage at the 1:55 mark bounced back and forth twice with little penalty at all for change of direction. The fact this video was showcased as a positive is not a good thing imo. You could never do something like that in the PS2 version. #ClassicMomentumOption

Yeah, immediately when the trailer came out, this stuck out to me like a sore thumb. what i think happened is that the devs mocapped a bunch of subtle locomotion movements for 11, not just straight on 40 yd dashes, but lateral movements, backpedaling etc. its been the case where the ai is not competent enough to have cb's defend wr's using their backpedaling skills and then accelerating to where the receiver is cutting. im sure the ai in ncaa 12 has definitely received some upgrades, but it also seems like these little movements (backpedaling, sidetracking, etc) have been sped up to an unrealistic speed in order to compensate for the poor a.i. i dont wanna sound like im bashing the game at all, but this simply destroys the believability of the locomotion system. weve already discussed how on last gen, players abided by the locomotion system put in that game. even if it wasn't completely realistic, (even though i thought it was pretty close) the fact is that last gen had players abide by their system, and it was believable. i hope that the new defenses in 12 aren't improved mainly due to the sped up "lateral movements/backpedaling animations" but because of good ai.

[Wolverines05]

also, in response to a bunch of your guys thoughts, i think smaller player models are the way to go. however, this would be quite a massive undertaking. animations would need to be completely reworked, and the football would then look really massive lol, and need to be changed. but i think in the long run, this is def. the way to go even if it means sacrificing other things that they had planned for next year.

with that said, smaller player models, while it would seem to be a purely aesthetic "feature," would actually have a lot really good inherent qualities that would really help gameplay. i've already gone over a bunch of these things, and im sure there are more. ultimately though, small player models would actually make the game play more realistically without any "core gameplay" needing to be changed. it would make the game so much more wide open (important; wide open gameplay doesn't mean NO DEFENSE) and improve the game a TON.

[PeteyKirch]

Has EA updated Rutgers Stadium at all?

Their first attempt at the new stadium was a pretty poor effort in recreating the real thing.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a115/PeteyKirchner/Stadium.png

[Jayrah]

ultimately though, small player models would actually make the game play more realistically without any "core gameplay" needing to be changed. it would make the game so much more wide open (important; wide open gameplay doesn't mean NO DEFENSE) and improve the game a TON.

the key words would be BALANCE. The game would become much more balanced spacially, allowing the offense to make decisions in space, but also allowing the defense to be a major factor in the current form of the game.

[champ195797]

I know there's not a lot of people that plays RTG mode but I really hope they did some work to it I would love to actually player in an under armour game and be able to announce the school you decide during the game

[steelerfan]

Just keep in mind that any video you see is from a WIP. I'm not saying that the retail version is going to miraculously cure all ills, but a WIP is a WIP. There is still work to be done.

[Wolverines05]

Just keep in mind that any video you see is from a WIP. I'm not saying that the retail version is going to miraculously cure all ills, but a WIP is a WIP. There is still work to be done.

yeah thats ideally what im hoping for, but im not sure if the devs are aware of the stride length issue. do you guys keep in touch with them when youre not at tiburon directly helping out? if so, considering you guys are like the intermediaries, could you ask them about it and see if anything can be done before release. i figure the sooner they know, the better chance they have to fix it before launch.

[steelerfan]

yeah thats ideally what im hoping for, but im not sure if the devs are aware of the stride length issue. do you guys keep in touch with them when youre not at tiburon directly helping out? if so, considering you guys are like the intermediaries, could you ask them about it and see if anything can be done before release. i figure the sooner they know, the better chance they have to fix it before launch.

We do, but I'm not sold on why it occurs. It seems to me that the longer strides are the easiest/only way they've got to simulate faster players. In turn, having fast players cover the same distance, in the same time frame, with more (but shorter) strides could actually make them more elusive. If a guy takes 3 steps to cover X yards instead os 2 steps you've increased his opportunities to change direction by 50%. That could, IMO, have a drastic negative effect.

[Jayrah]

We do, but I'm not sold on why it occurs.
It seems to me that the longer strides are the easiest/only way they've got to simulate faster players. In turn, having fast players cover the same distance, in the same time frame, with more (but shorter) strides could actually make them more elusive. If a guy takes 3 steps to cover X yards instead os 2 steps you've increased his opportunities to change direction by 50%. That could, IMO, have a drastic negative effect.

That's what I think too, stride length is a direct tie in to speed.

However I have a completely different opinion on the effect, but it wouldn't be 3 strides for every 2 currently, it'd be more like 2 1/2 for 2. I have 3 variances that does/would make this a positive over a negative.

1. Tighter Animations: Because of the shortened strides, all ball carrier moves naturally just a become little tighter and a little more up-field rather than lateral, making moves seem more realistic. We've all heard the phrase "get north and south" for a ball carrier, and this would essentially do that to the game. It might be subtle but would make a huge difference.

The other variance here will be making sure that weight is properly carried with the faster/shiftier ball carriers when slowing down, stopping and moving laterally.

2. New Defender "slip/juke" animations: IRL if a defender gets juked, he rarely actually slips sideways (like they do on the game), unless he is on a slick field. Instead more often than not a defender gets "stuck" for just a split second planting in the ground, leaning or half stepping the wrong way, and either reaches out or lunges at the ball carrier. Only a single 1/2 step is the difference between solid and weak contact on a ball carrier most of the time, but only the shiftiest backs can make a guy miss completely.

The other variance here is making sure that weight is properly carried to defenders in pursuit. If a ball carrier suddenly slows down in the open field after the defender has the angle, that angle should change and allow for a ball carrier to move laterally and cut back across his face, IF the ball carrier has the lateral and acceleration skills to do it. *In this case the defender should stay on his path for no less than 2 to 3 steps depending on his pursuit ratings. I personally would love to see a "Change of Direction" rating added to the game with a direct tie in to the weight of the player, giving the game an added and natural "weight", and making the plays I am describing possible.

3. New Collision Engine: In the current build of the game, a juke animation results in a defender "sliding" past the ball carrier, no matter when or where the juke happens in relation to the defender. Maybe the guys that played the game can say if the new collision system removing suction from tackling alleviated this issue? If so all we'd need are a few new animations and BOOM!

[Rudy]

Just keep in mind that any video you see is from a WIP. I'm not saying that the retail version is going to miraculously cure all ills, but a WIP is a WIP. There is still work to be done.

I'd say for an issue like player momentum that what we see is what we'll get 99.9% of the time. The reason I say this is because it isn't an error. It's a conscious decision to have the game play this way. The devs want super control over the players and the game has played like this for the last 5 years. The only way we'll see more player momentum is if they offer us an option in the game because the default settings won't be different from the videos we've seen in this area.

[souljahbill]

I personally would love to see a "Change of Direction" rating... Isn't this what the agility rating is suppose to do?

[JeffHCross]

Isn't this what the agility rating is suppose to do?Yes.

[Deuce]

Just thought of a question after listening to the podcast (great job btw). When it comes to 2nd hits on the ball carriers has there been any logic added for fumbles? If you're in the grasp does it matter if you 'protect the ball'?

[Rudy]

I'd love to hear about new sliders - fumbles, injuries, stamina, pass coverage - man and zone, etc. Does this fall under Play Now to discuss or do I have to wait to hear about new sliders and options potentially?

[jaymo76]

Look at this example of zone coverage in the G4 video (http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52550/ncaa-football-12-gameplay-preview/?quality=sd). The defender in coverage at the 1:55 mark bounced back and forth twice with little penalty at all for change of direction. The fact this video was showcased as a positive is not a good thing imo. You could never do something like that in the PS2 version. #ClassicMomentumOption

Yeah that's the clip I was refering to in my original post. The movement pattern of that safety (and his great leaping abilities) scared me. Improved zone and hyper-coverage with momentum on a dime could do real damage to this game. Now, I will stay open-minded until the demo but the scene gives me nightmares as of right now.

[JeffHCross]

Just thought of a question after listening to the podcast (great job btw). When it comes to 2nd hits on the ball carriers has there been any logic added for fumbles? If you're in the grasp does it matter if you 'protect the ball'?There were a lot more fumbles than I would have expected during the most recent event, but it was unclear as to the cause. I don't immediately recall seeing any double-hit-caused-fumbles, but I also didn't see that many double-hits in my game. I think the lower ratings of the teams I was playing with was the leading cause.

[JeffHCross]

Look at this example of zone coverage in the G4 video (http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52550/ncaa-football-12-gameplay-preview/?quality=sd). The defender in coverage at the 1:55 mark bounced back and forth twice with little penalty at all for change of direction.

Yeah, immediately when the trailer came out, this stuck out to me like a sore thumb.

Yeah that's the clip I was refering to in my original post.
All I can really tell you guys is that I played a ton of zone with 12, and while I had my fair share of defenders making plays, I don't remember anything ridiculous occurring, certainly not like in that clip.

EDIT: Also, Oregon has a couple of possibly highly rated guys returning at safety. Hard to tell who that was, but it's something to keep in mind.

[Deuce]

There were a lot more fumbles than I would have expected during the most recent event, but it was unclear as to the cause. I don't immediately recall seeing any double-hit-caused-fumbles, but I also didn't see that many double-hits in my game. I think the lower ratings of the teams I was playing with was the leading cause.

Thanks. Not really a big deal...just wondering how detailed they got.

[steelerfan]

Yeah that's the clip I was refering to in my original post. The movement pattern of that safety (and his great leaping abilities) scared me. Improved zone and hyper-coverage with momentum on a dime could do real damage to this game. Now, I will stay open-minded until the demo but the scene gives me nightmares as of right now.

Keep in mind that 11's demo fell far short of the finished product. I wouldn't put all my marbles in the demo's basket.

You have 8 guys here that have between like 60 and 120 hours each with the game and none of us are worried about improved zones. :)

[steelerfan]

That's what I think too, stride length is a direct tie in to speed.

However I have a completely different opinion on the effect, but it wouldn't be 3 strides for every 2 currently, it'd be more like 2 1/2 for 2. I have 3 variances that does/would make this a positive over a negative.

1. Tighter Animations: Because of the shortened strides, all ball carrier moves naturally just a become little tighter and a little more up-field rather than lateral, making moves seem more realistic. We've all heard the phrase "get north and south" for a ball carrier, and this would essentially do that to the game. It might be subtle but would make a huge difference.

The other variance here will be making sure that weight is properly carried with the faster/shiftier ball carriers when slowing down, stopping and moving laterally.

2. New Defender "slip/juke" animations: IRL if a defender gets juked, he rarely actually slips sideways (like they do on the game), unless he is on a slick field. Instead more often than not a defender gets "stuck" for just a split second planting in the ground, leaning or half stepping the wrong way, and either reaches out or lunges at the ball carrier. Only a single 1/2 step is the difference between solid and weak contact on a ball carrier most of the time, but only the shiftiest backs can make a guy miss completely.

The other variance here is making sure that weight is properly carried to defenders in pursuit. If a ball carrier suddenly slows down in the open field after the defender has the angle, that angle should change and allow for a ball carrier to move laterally and cut back across his face, IF the ball carrier has the lateral and acceleration skills to do it. *In this case the defender should stay on his path for no less than 2 to 3 steps depending on his pursuit ratings. I personally would love to see a "Change of Direction" rating added to the game with a direct tie in to the weight of the player, giving the game an added and natural "weight", and making the plays I am describing possible.

3. New Collision Engine: In the current build of the game, a juke animation results in a defender "sliding" past the ball carrier, no matter when or where the juke happens in relation to the defender. Maybe the guys that played the game can say if the new collision system removing suction from tackling alleviated this issue? If so all we'd need are a few new animations and BOOM!

Which is kinda my point. Fixing stride lengths may require new mo-capping and several other tweaks. It sounds more like a request for 13, to me, than a reasonable fix for 12 at this point.

[ram29jackson]

I never hardly get or pay attention to Demo's anyway

[steelerfan]

I'd say for an issue like player momentum that what we see is what we'll get 99.9% of the time. The reason I say this is because it isn't an error. It's a conscious decision to have the game play this way. The devs want super control over the players and the game has played like this for the last 5 years. The only way we'll see more player momentum is if they offer us an option in the game because the default settings won't be different from the videos we've seen in this area.

Agree to disagree.

[Wolverines05]

That's what I think too, stride length is a direct tie in to speed.

However I have a completely different opinion on the effect, but it wouldn't be 3 strides for every 2 currently, it'd be more like 2 1/2 for 2. I have 3 variances that does/would make this a positive over a negative.

1. Tighter Animations: Because of the shortened strides, all ball carrier moves naturally just a become little tighter and a little more up-field rather than lateral, making moves seem more realistic. We've all heard the phrase "get north and south" for a ball carrier, and this would essentially do that to the game. It might be subtle but would make a huge difference.

The other variance here will be making sure that weight is properly carried with the faster/shiftier ball carriers when slowing down, stopping and moving laterally.

2. New Defender "slip/juke" animations: IRL if a defender gets juked, he rarely actually slips sideways (like they do on the game), unless he is on a slick field. Instead more often than not a defender gets "stuck" for just a split second planting in the ground, leaning or half stepping the wrong way, and either reaches out or lunges at the ball carrier. Only a single 1/2 step is the difference between solid and weak contact on a ball carrier most of the time, but only the shiftiest backs can make a guy miss completely.

The other variance here is making sure that weight is properly carried to defenders in pursuit. If a ball carrier suddenly slows down in the open field after the defender has the angle, that angle should change and allow for a ball carrier to move laterally and cut back across his face, IF the ball carrier has the lateral and acceleration skills to do it. *In this case the defender should stay on his path for no less than 2 to 3 steps depending on his pursuit ratings. I personally would love to see a "Change of Direction" rating added to the game with a direct tie in to the weight of the player, giving the game an added and natural "weight", and making the plays I am describing possible.

3. New Collision Engine: In the current build of the game, a juke animation results in a defender "sliding" past the ball carrier, no matter when or where the juke happens in relation to the defender. Maybe the guys that played the game can say if the new collision system removing suction from tackling alleviated this issue? If so all we'd need are a few new animations and BOOM!

Exactly! This is perfect!

also ive noticed a couple things in replay while in practice mode. it may be that the players kind of glide while in stride, and therefore cover an abnormal amount of ground. for example, when the player is running straight ahead, and both feet are in the air, (right foot about to come forward about to touch the ground, left foot still back) the player kinda glides forward a little bit. it may be here where the player covers maybe another half yard. if this is indeed the problem, it is definitely fixable before launch. it wouldnt be perfect, but considering that players can take up to 3 yard strides, cutting an extra half yard would definitely help, and make the game more realistic. and i could live with that. but again, see denard in that video take his first two steps off the zone read for 6 yards is disgusting both aesthetically and gameplay wise. if strides were able to be capped at 2.5 yds, the game would def. feel more natural, and then the real fix could come in ncaa 13.

also, while im not completely sure about the gliding on straightaway runs, it is definitely noticeable when looking at the qb in the pocket. if you take your qb and move him right or left, (not sprinting, just moving around in pocket) his movements definitely don't look natural, and it is easy to see him kind of glide further. qb movements in the pocket are supposed to be small, but you can actually cover a fair amount of ground just pressing left or right because of this gliding effect. this gliding also applies to defender movements (backpedaling/lateral movements). just look at the oregon player in that clip.

so definitely check this out to see if gliding may be taking place. if so, i definitely think the devs can solve that before release.

[Wolverines05]

just some general questions:

1. i feel like ai qb's only moved right in the pocket, and never left. really odd and dont know why this happened. did you see qb's move in all directions in the pocket?

2. would ai qb's go deep, even if there was a guy more open in the flat? generally, ai qb's tend to go to the most open receiver, so if it was late in game/3rd and long, qb's would often take short passes for minimal yardage. i feel like ai qb's dont have progressions, and as a result, the best receiver on the team doesn't get the ball nearly enough. just curious as to any enhancements made to qb ai.

3. i know you said motivation is not in the game, but what about player confidence. idk if this was only for qb's in ncaa 09/10, (feature where you could guess what play defense called to gain back composure) or for every player. i think this was awesome in last gen, and was wondering if there is hidden code for player confidence in the game.

4. yeah theres the debate about whether home field advantage should be in the game, because that might give an unfair advantage to the home team. easy solution: make it an option to put HFA on or off.

5. on depth charts, will it now show you the most relevant attributes to a player's position. for example, if i scroll down to my kicker, i don't want to go all the way to the right to find kicker accuracy/power. im guessing this would be a fairly easy thing to implement. it would just make things easier in general.

6. if any of you played with a triple option team, is the animation for handing the ball off to the fullback sped up/changed at all? because i think long animation is what made fullbacks no threat at all. also, any changes to animations for handoffs on zone reads or things like that?

7. i know about the custom sound feature, and i looked at the thread on custom sounds for all teams, which is awesome. have the devs done any of that work for us by putting some awesome band music in the game, like zelda, star wars, stuff like that? maybe they need the rights to music like that. idk

8. is lee corso in play now games? did the devs tell you why he was missing last year? also, does taking him out enable the other two to have a lot more lines?

[jaymo76]

Keep in mind that 11's demo fell far short of the finished product. I wouldn't put all my marbles in the demo's basket.

You have 8 guys here that have between like 60 and 120 hours each with the game and none of us are worried about improved zones. :)

That sounds good! I look forward to seeing it for myself this summer.

[Jayrah]

Isn't this what the agility rating is suppose to do?

Yes. I forgot about that. You're right, but I guess I just really havent seen that particular rating in play

[MacDiiddy]

Great stuff guys, I literally wasted WAY too much time reading all the comments and questions on here

I have a few questions.


1. I doubt any of you did, but I'll ask anyways. Did anyone play with the flexbone playbook (Navy, Georgia Tech, Paul Johnson). It had some pretty big flaws in it. 3 main flaws come to mind. The QB screen (I couldnt even get this to work in practice mode against no defense), Anything Play Action (but then again that was the flaw of 2011 in general), and the most concerning for me.....the Option pass. It worked great in 2010, but in 2011 it was quite broken. The QB would at times keep dropping back and never pass the ball, that and the playside DE would ruin the play almost all the time.

I like to run 90 percent of the time and pass 10 percent, like most option teams (i.e. Georgia Tec). The problem is when I need that option pass to work, to torch a defense that is cheating sooo bad to stop the run, I get destroyed.

Anyway, have any of you played with this playbook...if so, thoughts?


2. How are the sidelines? I know they have made strides in this area over the past couple seasons, but I hope to get to the point where the sidelines are just packed with bodies, like any FBS football team.


3. This was sort of addressed previously about special teams (with the comment that there really wasn't any change), but do you think there will be any chance of blocked kicks this year? I can not remember the last time I had a blocked kick.....I think I recall a year where there was a glitch for PAT's but still.....when you play dynasty and it is year 2019 and you have not seen one blocked kick.....ever....i mean, if its in the game, its in the game.

Likewise, I guess this means no variations to the punt game. I would like to see the Shield Punt, the rugby punt, or the quick punt (Lined up in a spread formation and QB punts the ball).


4. Did you notice any "Fun" plays or "Bastard" formations. I.e. South Carolina has always had that one set of formation/plays, where their were three Olinemen in the box and the rest where out on the hashes.....or ofcourse all the boise plays they added that one year.


---TE--T----------------G--C--G------------------------T--TE------
--WR----------------------QB-----------------------------WR------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------HB------------------------------------

5. I think this counts under play now, because this is an issue when viewing rosters, but is the lag time between rosters and menu's fixed? I know that got quite annoying, esp. menus while playing dynasty mode.

[VWEBBJR]

This was probably hit upon already, but did you guys hear any authentic crowd chants?
For instance, at Missouri home game they say... M-I-Z then the other side of the stadium they say Z-O-U...?

[gschwendt]

This was probably hit upon already, but did you guys hear any authentic crowd chants?
For instance, at Missouri home game they say... M-I-Z then the other side of the stadium they say Z-O-U...?
I didn't but then again I wasn't necessarily listening for them either. That said, cdj or Kwizzy one mentioned that they heard "Husker" ... "Power".

[gschwendt]

1. I doubt any of you did, but I'll ask anyways. Did anyone play with the flexbone playbook (Navy, Georgia Tech, Paul Johnson). It had some pretty big flaws in it. 3 main flaws come to mind. The QB screen (I couldnt even get this to work in practice mode against no defense), Anything Play Action (but then again that was the flaw of 2011 in general), and the most concerning for me.....the Option pass. It worked great in 2010, but in 2011 it was quite broken. The QB would at times keep dropping back and never pass the ball, that and the playside DE would ruin the play almost all the time.

2. How are the sidelines? I know they have made strides in this area over the past couple seasons, but I hope to get to the point where the sidelines are just packed with bodies, like any FBS football team.

3. This was sort of addressed previously about special teams (with the comment that there really wasn't any change), but do you think there will be any chance of blocked kicks this year? I can not remember the last time I had a blocked kick.....I think I recall a year where there was a glitch for PAT's but still.....when you play dynasty and it is year 2019 and you have not seen one blocked kick.....ever....i mean, if its in the game, its in the game.

4. Did you notice any "Fun" plays or "Bastard" formations. I.e. South Carolina has always had that one set of formation/plays, where their were three Olinemen in the box and the rest where out on the hashes.....or ofcourse all the boise plays they added that one year.

5. I think this counts under play now, because this is an issue when viewing rosters, but is the lag time between rosters and menu's fixed? I know that got quite annoying, esp. menus while playing dynasty mode.
1) I didn't run any Flexbone, sorry can't help there. I think though that one of the biggest problems with the option passes is that the offensive line doesn't move like it's an option run. Instead, they seem to try to build a pocket which obviously doesn't help once you get outside the pocket (this was all regarding NCAA11, no clue if they changed it for NCAA12).

2) I think the sidelines are mostly the same. Ian Cummings mentioned a year or two back that the problem with the sidelines is that whenever they moved to this generation of consoles, the powers that be at that time decided to put a huge focus on making the stadiums & players on the field highly detailed. The problem is that doesn't leave a lot of overhead for the rest of the models to be rendered. So with that said, in order for us to get more detailed sidelines, I imagine they would have to tone down the detail on the players & stadiums... something I doubt ever happens (you don't want fans complaining that models took a step back). I think until we move onto the NEXT generation, we'll have essentially the same sidelines.

3) During our last community event, I did notice that it looked like players are on the edge were actually able to get into the backfield and at least give the impression they had a chance to block a kick. That said, I never saw one blocked and even at that, I don't know if something was "broken" is the reason I was seeing that or what. They are very aware though that we want to see a focus on special teams in the future.

4) I didn't look for them but in case you didn't see it, they did highlight an Auburn play as part of the 25 plays that had an OT split wide. Here's the formation art: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5568116794_f6ee4f5c8f_o.jpg

5) I never really looked at the rosters in-game.

[gschwendt]

JeffHCross has written up his first impressions of NCAA Football 12 after attending community events:
http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/entry.php?13-NCAA-Football-12-First-Impressions

[Paakaa10]

3) During our last community event, I did notice that it looked like players are on the edge were actually able to get into the backfield and at least give the impression they had a chance to block a kick. That said, I never saw one blocked and even at that, I don't know if something was "broken" is the reason I was seeing that or what. They are very aware though that we want to see a focus on special teams in the future.

Let me chime in on the blocked kick question; in my time with NCAA 12 so far, I had one punt block--where I ended up blocking the CPU's kick--for a safety when the ball went back out of the endzone. Didn't see any field goals blocked though.

[C00KH4X]

I don't know if it had been asked or not, but is slide protect still in the game?