• The Gaming Tailgate: NCAA Football 12 Preview

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    gschwendt
    Published on 04-21-2011 09:20 AM
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    Last week, several members of The Gaming Tailgate attended a Community Event for NCAA Football 12. While more details of that will come very soon, continue below to read a write-up from Chris Jacobs (cdj) briefly talking about some of the things we saw. In addition, we plan to go into further details in a podcast but wanted to give you a sample of what to expect.

    Presentation
    Presentation in the NCAA Football franchise has come a long ways in the last few years and continues with NCAA Football 12. As we have seen and heard already, community members with an eye for in-game screenshots will utilize HDR, 3D grass and crowds along with new player related items to make their shots even more memorable: dreadlocks, bowl patches, heavy fog, increased player equipment & gear options, and more.

    With 120 FBS programs, there is the need and desire by the development team to help make each team and school details as accurate as possible. Coming to NCAA Football 12 are more authentic team entrances (Auburn, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas), along with updated uniforms (rest easy, Arizona State and Washington State fans), stadiums (Indiana), stadium signage (Oregon) and field art (Arizona State, East Carolina, Florida State, Ole Miss). The teams listed highlight just some of the changes coming to NCAA Football 12, they are not the full list.

    Thanks to the help of the NCAA Football community, the development team was able to gather information quickly and efficiently for school Marching Band and cannon information. The best news? Both of them will be featured in NCAA Football 12! Bands are visible in the stands and both will be featured in cutscenes following big plays. Joining them in cutscenes will be coaches rallying their team – or maybe even jawing with officials.

    The presentation of NCAA Football 12 also adds in GameTrack, montages, new between quarter highlight and score overlays, new stadium camera pans, special openings for BCS bowl games and some rivalry games, customizable Stadium Sounds situations for pregame (‘anticipation,’ ‘entrance,’ or both) and more. If you enjoyed the presentation in NCAA Football 11, you will be impressed by NCAA Football 12. As much as we’ve been able to disclose, there’s still significant new features yet to be announced.


    Gameplay

    NCAA Football 12 continues to build on gameplay, highlighted by the Enhanced tackling system and improved defensive zone coverage.

    The Enhanced tackling system helps eliminate ‘suction’ from the game by no longer allowing players to engage in tackles or blocks until a collision begins actually takes place. Three-man gang tackles as well as double-hit tackles aid in the realism while a bevy of new tackle animations will let you see something new as you play the game.

    The defense also receives a boost with improvements to zone coverage. Defenders will read receivers to help get their coverage responsibility, will carry them through zones, and will point to receivers as they leave their zone passing the assignment on. Man coverage also benefits as defenders will make moves based on what the receiver does – but they will no longer ‘mirror’ them.

    Playbooks received a significant revamp with new authentic formations (such as TCU’s 4-2-5 Okie Across), nearly 150 new plays, as well as the standard yearly updates based on team changes. The playcall screen has received a slight makeover as users can now press the corresponding button to pick one of the three highlighted plays while moving left and right to select a different formation.

    While the defense will have some teeth in NCAA Football 12, the offense can also boast of improvements. If you make the right read against improved defensive coverages, receivers can now catch the ball in stride and players can engage user controlled dive catches. As the dev team motion captured these new catches, they also added in new realistic animations for dropped passes. Improved ball and pylon physics also add to in-game realism.

    This is just the start of NCAA Football 12. In the next few weeks and months we will hear about and be able to discuss all of the new features coming to the game on July 12.


    As well, we have takes from other attendees representing The Gaming Tailgate:


    As mentioned, stay tuned for more details about the game as well as the Community Events.


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    Comments 632 Comments
    1. steelerfan's Avatar
      steelerfan - 04-21-2011, 10:05 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by griffin2608 View Post
      Did you guys play each other or were there times when you were facing the CPU? If you were able to play the CPU did you notice any differences in the AI? Did the teams play to their strengths?
      That's a little tough to talk about in the confines of "Play Now", which is what we can discuss at this point. I mean, teams used their playbooks, lol. You may have to get a little more specific for us to help you, or maybe I'm just thinking too much.
    1. gschwendt's Avatar
      gschwendt - 04-21-2011, 10:06 AM
      Be sure to read Oneback's blog discussing "What is Pattern Reading Zone Defense"
      http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/for...g-Zone-Defense
    1. steelerfan's Avatar
      steelerfan - 04-21-2011, 10:08 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Paakaa10 View Post
      Especially in an epic game between myself and steelerfan where my defender tipped the ball at the line of scrimmage and his receiver caught it and fell into the endzone for a touchdown. Completed a comeback from down 14-0 for him and he ended up winning the game when he pick-6'ed my desperation heave to avoid overtime.
      That was epic! Even if I had lost that one, I would have been amazed by that game.

      I will add that most of the games between 2 users (on 5 minute AA) were very low scoring.
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop - 04-21-2011, 10:08 AM
      I read that they have improved on the zone defense, now in a play now game how did the defenders protect their assignments and what was your take overall of the "new" zone coverage?
    1. Oneback's Avatar
      Oneback - 04-21-2011, 10:08 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by ryby6969 View Post
      You lied to me OB! Came to Florida for "work" my ass!
      Had to keep things tight lipped, I do want to keep going to florida for "work".
    1. ryby6969's Avatar
      ryby6969 - 04-21-2011, 10:11 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Oneback View Post
      Had to keep things tight lipped, I do want to keep going to florida for "work".
      Understandable, just busting on you because I just thought about it when you posted some impressions. lol
    1. Kwizzy's Avatar
      Kwizzy - 04-21-2011, 10:13 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by psusnoop View Post
      I read that they have improved on the zone defense, now in a play now game how did the defenders protect their assignments and what was your take overall of the "new" zone coverage?
      Obviously things are still being tweaked at this point but IMO they are MUCH improved. I had little to no hesitation with calling zones and anyone who played last year knows that's saying something! It is so cool to see one defender carry a reciever through his zone and then pass him off to the next guy with a hand signal.
    1. griffin2608's Avatar
      griffin2608 - 04-21-2011, 10:14 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by steelerfan View Post
      That's a little tough to talk about in the confines of "Play Now", which is what we can discuss at this point. I mean, teams used their playbooks, lol. You may have to get a little more specific for us to help you, or maybe I'm just thinking too much.
      Well, let me try lol. If you are playing a team with a scrambler does he scramble when the blocking breaks down. If you are playing a big bruser of a RB do they pound the rock? Or if you are playing a team with a tough D is it tough to move the ball?
    1. ryby6969's Avatar
      ryby6969 - 04-21-2011, 10:14 AM
      Did anyone try out the different defenses (3-4,4-2-5, etc) and if so can you "feel" the difference? Also, how is the pass rush right now?
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop - 04-21-2011, 10:15 AM
      That is exactly what I was thinking Kwizzy, it had to look pretty cool just seeing it happen like that.

      Just being able to call more zone coverages is a very very big plus. Can't wait to see a vid myself of this happening.
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop - 04-21-2011, 10:16 AM
      How many of you guys "tried" out the new plays. How well were they executed and implemented into the game both on Offense and Defense?
    1. steelerfan's Avatar
      steelerfan - 04-21-2011, 10:17 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Kwizzy View Post
      Obviously things are still being tweaked at this point but IMO they are MUCH improved. I had little to no hesitation with calling zones and anyone who played last year knows that's saying something! It is so cool to see one defender carry a reciever through his zone and then pass him off to the next guy with a hand signal.
      +1

      It was so fun to be able to call zone again. I never once felt like I was putting the game on the line by calling zone.
    1. Paakaa10's Avatar
      Paakaa10 - 04-21-2011, 10:18 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by griffin2608 View Post
      Well, let me try lol. If you are playing a team with a scrambler does he scramble when the blocking breaks down. If you are playing a big bruser of a RB do they pound the rock? Or if you are playing a team with a tough D is it tough to move the ball?
      Some of the builds of the game that we played were more complete than others; I did notice that quarterbacks with lower speed and awareness would tend to stay in the pocket longer, while a quicker QB would give up the pass if the receivers were covered more quickly than in the past. But it was hard to get a full read on this at the stages that we saw the game.
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop - 04-21-2011, 10:18 AM
      Given that all you (saying bad things under my breath about you lucky SOB's) got to be part of this and help shape NCAA 12 what from the play now games stuck out to you guys the most? What was "your" wow factor within the Presentation and the Play Now? And please everyone chime in, I love different takes on it all.
    1. ryby6969's Avatar
      ryby6969 - 04-21-2011, 10:18 AM
      Do any of you guys know if custom playbooks are available online and in OD's also? Or can you not talk about it?
    1. Oneback's Avatar
      Oneback - 04-21-2011, 10:19 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by ryby6969 View Post
      Did anyone try out the different defenses (3-4,4-2-5, etc) and if so can you "feel" the difference? Also, how is the pass rush right now?
      I tried out all of the new defenses and let me tell you things are looking good. There will be a lot of people early on thinking the passing game is broken because the defense now takes away a lot of those cheap throws and you actually have to read the defense or an underneath defender will come away with the ball. I really liked the half field concepts.
    1. griffin2608's Avatar
      griffin2608 - 04-21-2011, 10:19 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by steelerfan View Post
      +1

      It was so fun to be able to call zone again. I never once felt like I was putting the game on the line by calling zone.
      I just watched the new gameplay video. It is really nice to see the ball being thrown up between D players in a zone and the actually look like they know a o player is in their zone and the converged on the ball.
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop - 04-21-2011, 10:20 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by steelerfan View Post
      +1

      It was so fun to be able to call zone again. I never once felt like I was putting the game on the line by calling zone.
      That is refreshing to hear/read. Honestly something that will add a whole new layer to the game compared to 11. Defense wins championships baby!!
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop - 04-21-2011, 10:21 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Oneback View Post
      I tried out all of the new defenses and let me tell you things are looking good. There will be a lot of people early on thinking the passing game is broken because the defense now takes away a lot of those cheap throws and you actually have to read the defense or an underneath defender will come away with the ball. I really liked the half field concepts.

      Oh boy, as "psuexv" would say "my pants just got a little tighter".......
    1. ryby6969's Avatar
      ryby6969 - 04-21-2011, 10:21 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Oneback View Post
      I tried out all of the new defenses and let me tell you things are looking good. There will be a lot of people early on thinking the passing game is broken because the defense now takes away a lot of those cheap throws and you actually have to read the defense or an underneath defender will come away with the ball. I really liked the half field concepts.
      How about the pass rush in the 3-4? I enjoyed using it in powerhouse but it is tough to get pressure even with All-American OLB's.
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