NCAA Football 13 Demo Available Now on XBL & PS3

[Tako 715]

no real life if CB's see outside man and inside man BOTH going vert, its an automatic lock to man coverage on that outside guy... dont want to make things worse by trying to get a LB to cover slots... that just creates more headaches.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...-2-safety.html

Sure, I'm no expert on cover 2. This is a good article by Matt Bowen. Cover 2 vs different route concepts.

[WolverineJay]

I've put together a video highlighting some of the issues I've come across with the demo. There's still a possibility that these are fixed in retail or even already fixed, but if not, it will cause some headaches.

I have seen a ton of issues in the time I've had with the demo that echo your video highlights. The biggest gripe you didn't point out is the HORRIBLE AI on option plays it is like all CB's are lazy and programmed to just sit in the endzone like the play at 2:30. The RCB actually is looking into the backfield as the Read Option play develops and couldn't care less about stopping the play in fact he turns around and would rather engage in a block with the WR, LOL. Horrendous AI that makes running the Option cheap and weak. I know I know it is only varsity difficulty level but my goodness what horrible player AI for defending the Option. It probably has to do with the needed improvement of blocking by WR in NCAA 13, but I guess sadly that can only be done with suction blocking or pre-programming to ignore the play and concentrate solely on the WR despite the play coming right at him. The play prior the defender jumps inside despite the QB running to the outside, again varsity level garbage AI it truly stinks and is a poor difficulty level to play this game on so I will wait to pass final judgement on Heisman difficulty.

[JeffHCross]

I've put together a video highlighting some of the issues I've come across with the demo. There's still a possibility that these are fixed in retail or even already fixed, but if not, it will cause some headaches.

Regarding "Inside CB man on HB, no reason to drop deep", it looks like he read that his man (the HB) was staying in to block, and just went man on the closest receiver. DBs seem to do that (in game, not sure about IRL) instead of blitzing (which is what LBs usually do in the same situation).

[JeffHCross]

HDR Lighting... what does this stand for? Horribly, Dysfunctional and Ridiculous??? The lighting ruins team's uniforms/colors and don't even get me started on trying to play as or at night w/ their gold helmets...

The Ugly -

Probably should have put HDR Lighting here, but has their colors all wrong and I know that many other team's will as well. Either fix the HDR or drop it. I want to play as a team w/ a gold helmet and have it shine like they do in real life, not look like it's been sitting in dried mud for two days.

Looks to me like the specular shading/highlight on the helmet is non-existent. Yet the reflection is really high, so they look almost like mirrors (or, as others have said, chrome). I think they look okay (not great, but okay) on the field, but when they're walking down the tunnel they look like a matte finish. That's probably because it's either reflecting nothing (may be the case since it's a canned cutscene), or reflecting the dull gray of the inside of the tunnel.

But night games are going to be ... interesting ... based on this. I don't see any highlights on the helmets that I would expect, at least during day games (haven't gotten to the night games yet).

EDIT: Weird, USC seems to have a specular highlight, but it didn't seem like either Baylor or K-State had one.

[JeffHCross]

A few notes:

• Shotgun - Split Slot - Read Option. There's no dynamic blocking indicators in the playart, so I have no idea who the OL are claiming they're going to be blocking. But as far as I could tell, there was usually no one left unblocked on the line. Certainly not the RE, who should have been the unblocked if I'm thinking correctly.
  
  EDIT: In fact, none of the Read Options plays appear to be showing the dynamic playart, OR leaving EMOL unblocked.
• Quarters - 3 Deep - 3 Double Buzz has two flat zones, not two buzz zones.
• Wayyyyyyyy too many HB screens by the CPU, and wayyyyyyyyy too many of them easy throws that were dropped.
• Wasn't the Studio Updates the things that we had to hold to skip? I didn't see a single one in my first Dynasty game, and I'm 99% sure I managed to skip all of them. I do know that the first one attempted to show on the 4th play of the game, when I had a 4th and 2 coming up.
• This is totally a nit, but when the Bottom Line is showing scores, it rotates as three separate pieces, first the Away Team, then the Home, then the time remaining, with a fraction of a section lag between each. It should be all as one to truly emulate ESPN.

[ram29jackson]

The Kansas State helmets kind of come off like aluminum or chrome or something like that...but with the new houston helmet I saw, that may be on purpose? the houston helmet in the pictures in our new uniform section kinda' look candy apple ...I hope not LOL...look, just give us some shading, give us some night , give us some day...the art over the last decade has been phenominal..but it doesnt need to look that real.

if the game played the way it does now but looked like it did in 2005..2003 even, I would be happy with that.

By then they already had 3 dimensional players,fields and atmosphere and you could run any where you wanted on the field etc.

but kids think computers are their god now and expect it to do everything they can think of. Even for something as trivial as this.

[JeffHCross]

if the game played the way it does now but looked like it did in 2005..2003 even, I would be happy with that.

Go back and play those games again and say that. I agree that gameplay is first and foremost, but that level of graphics on this level of hardware, for a $60 title, would be unacceptable.

[Dr Death]

BREAKING NEWS!!!

I actually ran the ball!!! Playing as and up 10-7, I had a 3rd and inches w/ 1:11 left... since I am extremely limited w/ the selection of 5-Wide plays, the passes I would typically use in 3rd and inches aren't there, so I ran! Picked up 5 yards and then later scored another TD. QB # 7 was 22 of 24 and the lob pass worked on the Drag and Mesh Routes vs Man... thanks to Wolverine for that! {I think it was Wolverine}

Anyway, thought you all might like to know I can run the ball!

Also, I am really digging the WR's blocking down field... very nice!

[xGRIDIRONxGURUx]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...-2-safety.html

Sure, I'm no expert on cover 2. This is a good article by Matt Bowen. Cover 2 vs different route concepts.

yeah that is the basic layout... but with any defense there are rules... and basic cover 2 rules at all levels are verts with no flat threat = man lock and its always a call made by the CB to the safety verbally

[ram29jackson]

Go back and play those games again and say that. I agree that gameplay is first and foremost, but that level of graphics on this level of hardware, for a $60 title, would be unacceptable.

see Jeff, you fall right into the category I just said. How the hell is that unacceptable ? dude, remember, I played those titles last year until my first ps3 went bad. I meant what I said.

the games were just a few bucks cheaper back then as well, mentioning the price doesnt strengthen the viewpoint. If the graphics had never changed for one reason or another, you would have never known about these current ones and it wouldnt have mattered. But people seem to think that computers means everything is supposed to be obsolete 6 months later after its out.

and you are saying unacceptable...well, if theyre so advanced after 10 years, how come O and D line play is still random and useless. They can do stuff to make fancy catch animations but they still cant do anything or hold back on doing anything to make ratings really matter ( dont get me wrong, I do see ratings matter to a certain degree in the game) but all this supposed tech and its still a 7 on 7 drill in alot of ways.

..isnt it more unacceptable that we've had that over the shoulder catch animation for what? 5..10 years ? and this is the first year its finally gone or added to?

[ram29jackson]

wrong command/bad repost

[CLW]

Played a few of these and it really just feels to me like a slightly polished/corrected somewhat version of 12 in the gameplay department. I enjoyed 12 so its fine but I cant help but feel like NCAA got the short end of the stick this year compared to Madden.

[JeffHCross]

see Jeff, you fall right into the category I just said.

I'm not "falling into" anything, Ram. You weren't very clear on just how much of a fantasy world you're creating.

If your concept is that no game in 2012 looks very different from what it did in 2003 or 2005, then yes, I would be content with that, though I do think the video game industry may not have survived such a stagnant advancement. Though some people would argue that the gameplay from 2005 isn't all that different from 2012, so maybe NCAA sales would be paltry compared to what they are today.

If we didn't have NBA 2k12, The Show, GTA, Skyrim, or other graphically advanced games to compare to, yes, that'd be okay. I thought you were proposing that if NCAA hadn't advanced graphically, while other games had, that you would still be okay with it. You might be, but you'd be one of the very, very few. I said the 2003/2005 level of graphics on this level of hardware. That would be pathetic if The Cell processor and everything packed into the PS3 still produced PS2 level graphics.

My point about the pricepoint is that it is acceptable for some games to look not all that different from 2003 or 2005 level graphics. Those games aren't $60 though.

But people seem to think that computers means everything is supposed to be obsolete 6 months later after its out.

That really makes no sense. "Computers" are not the cause of our consumer culture.

how come O and D line play is still random and useless. They can do stuff to make fancy catch animations but they still cant do anything or hold back on doing anything to make ratings really matter ( dont get me wrong, I do see ratings matter to a certain degree in the game) but all this supposed tech and its still a 7 on 7 drill in alot of ways.

I don't find any of that acceptable either, but I live with it. Some aspects of this series I simply choose to live with.

And, for the record, I'm a software programmer. I don't think computers do anything. But I do expect the programmers that are responsible for the titles we know and love to be more capable today than they were in 2005.

[Dukie98]

Two presentation issues I noticed:

1) Once, the "drive summary" graphic said that I had a 129-yard drive. For what it's worth, it came after I recovered an onside kick, and that may have accounted for the mistake -- the other drive summary graphics have been accurate.

2) One of the studio updates was for the Texas-Texas Tech game early in the second quarter -- yet it only listed one UT player as having accumulated any stats -- an assisted tackle. Somehow, in 17 minutes of gametime, I suspect someone should have achieved a little more than that.

[souljahbill]

LOL, I returned one last night 103 yards with the Alabama returner. #22 I think. Blazing fast and the blocking was superb, a nice big hole to hit and he was GONE!

Just did 104 with Oregon HB #6. :p

[jaymo76]

I'm still not overly impressed with the crowd noise. I hope it is a lot louder in the retail version. However, I must say that when a QB gets rattled, it's ugly. Last night I was playing around with Oregon. The QB threw two picks and was solid blue. From that point on he was awful. I really liked seeing that. Also, I see they have added "ICE" back to ice the kicker. As LSU I kicked the game winner and the kick metre was covered with ice I almost blew the kick. Yes it's gimmicky but I kind of like it and don't know why it was removed (as in the physical ice). I don't think they have had ice on the kick metre since NCAA 10???

[Iron Dragon]

Had a game where Baylor trailed by 5 and was in my red zone (14-9) with 20 seconds to play.. they have a timeout, run the ball once - lose a yard or two, then run again and gain about 10 but not enough for the first, and attempt to hurry up to the line with four seconds left and can't get a play off despite having a timeout. So they lost staring at the end zone with a timeout.

[beartide06]

After playing one game last night as Baylor, I noticed a few things that others have already mentioned, along with a few other things of my own. I have also noticed these in the 10-12 other games I have played on the demo.

- As Tommy mentioned in his video, when the QB scrambles, the defensive players just stand and watch rather than reacting and making a play.

- One thing I noticed that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, when the you manually motion a WR towards the LOS and snap the ball or motion him towards the LOS and he is set and snap the ball, the WR automatically starts to block instead of running his designed route. This was something I noticed in NCAA 12 and it can be annoying.

- I noticed that, as others have as well, Brad says my team is "confused" and calls a timeout. Clearly when I am trying to stop the clock my team is not confused.

- I believe Dr Death pointed out that the CPU ALWAYS calls a TO with 1 minute left in a half.

- Rece interrupted me in the Baylor game with 35 seconds left in the first half while I was driving to score. It was after an incomplete pass, but I don't care about anybody else's game but my own when I am driving to score before the half. Heck, Coaches even say not to worry about any other games but their own game!

- On one of my KO returns I noticed one of the blockers who was lead blocking ran right by a defender he should have blocked. Their shoulders literally touched each other, but he did not pick him up and I could have had a huge return.

- As someone else pointed out, under some circumstances, guys will run a streak route instead of their intended route. In my case, my guy was supposed to run a comeback route, but instead he ran a go route. Keep in mind that I was Baylor at home.

- Also, the ice the kicker feature is in, but the user only gets iced, and even when that occurs the angle is extremely awkward. What I don't get is how come, as a user, I cannot ice the CPU? Nearing the end of the game against KSU, I attempted to ice the KSU kicker with 5 seconds left, but he did not get iced at all.

On a brighter note, I actually found a designed shovel pass play!!! It is located in Baylor's playbook under "Shotgun Spread" and the play is called "HB Mid Screen." Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the EA developers say themselves that they DID NOT have a designed shovel pass play in the game, but they just had a shovel pass "throwing" motion that is usually an underhanded toss? How brilliant is EA that they do not know what is in their own video game In this case, it turned out to be a positive surprise. Maybe they said they did not have a shovel pass play in the game because the play was not called "shovel pass play." Clearly the HB mid screen is run almost just like a shovel pass designed play in real life. That is like the "WR mid screen" in the game is commonly known as a "Jailbreak screen" in real life, but it is still in the game. Just because it is not called that, it doesn't mean it is not in the game.

[Dr Death]

On a brighter note, I actually found a designed shovel pass play!!! It is located in Baylor's playbook under "Shotgun Spread" and the play is called "HB Mid Screen." Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the EA developers say themselves that they DID NOT have a designed shovel pass play in the game, but they just had a shovel pass "throwing" motion that is usually an underhanded toss? How brilliant is EA that they do not know what is in their own video game In this case, it turned out to be a positive surprise. Maybe they said they did not have a shovel pass play in the game because the play was not called "shovel pass play." Clearly the HB mid screen is run almost just like a shovel pass designed play in real life. That is like the "WR mid screen" in the game is commonly known as a "Jailbreak screen" in real life, but it is still in the game. Just because it is not called that, it doesn't mean it is not in the game.

Yes!!! Thank you Bear Tide for texting me about the "Shovel Pass." It IS in the playbook and in two games I used it I was 7 of 9 for around 45-50 yards and in the second game I was 7 of 7 for 45 yards. So... 14 of 16 for 90-100 yards... I'll take that!!! Now, if I can use it as an audible from 5-Wide I will be even happier.

The Shovel Pass... er... HB Mid Screen... the only thing wrong is they have the RB just come to a complete stop as he faces the QB. In real life the RB will run as if he's running off tackle and the QB will shovel the ball forward to him when he's behind the G or T... but hey, it's in the game and actually works, so I like it!

Thanks to Bear Tide for letting me know!

[beartide06]

Two presentation issues I noticed:1) Once, the "drive summary" graphic said that I had a 129-yard drive. For what it's worth, it came after I recovered an onside kick, and that may have accounted for the mistake -- the other drive summary graphics have been accurate.2) One of the studio updates was for the Texas-Texas Tech game early in the second quarter -- yet it only listed one UT player as having accumulated any stats -- an assisted tackle. Somehow, in 17 minutes of gametime, I suspect someone should have achieved a little more than that.

I have also noticed this similar issue, but when it updates about the Colorado game. It is in the 2nd quarter, yet the only stat for Colorado is a tackle by a MLB

Yes!!! Thank you Bear Tide for texting me about the "Shovel Pass." It IS in the playbook and in two games I used it I was 7 of 9 for around 45-50 yards and in the second game I was 7 of 7 for 45 yards. So... 14 of 16 for 90-100 yards... I'll take that!!! Now, if I can use it as an audible from 5-Wide I will be even happier. The Shovel Pass... er... HB Mid Screen... the only thing wrong is they have the RB just come to a complete stop as he faces the QB. In real life the RB will run as if he's running off tackle and the QB will shovel the ball forward to him when he's behind the G or T... but hey, it's in the game and actually works, so I like it!Thanks to Bear Tide for letting me know!

Not a problem DR Death!! I know you, of all people, would be overly excited to hear about this....

“BREAKING NEWS.”