NCAA Football 11 Demo Available Now! Share Your Impressions

[CLW]

Now that I've had more time to mess around, I can safely say I'm not even buying this game unless they fix the pass coverage. Hook zones are completely wrong. Not only do they do sit in the wrong spot on the field, but it's often way too deep and they will make no attempt whatsoever of cutting in front of a receiver.

Then, as rhombic said, there's all kinds of problems whenever the DBs actually cover the wide outs. I've had 3 or 4 times where there was a wide open score because the DB either fell down or for some oblivious reason turned around and looked at the QB.

I also had an instance where the CPU had run a no huddle, and I called a cover 2. I controlled the safety on the left side of the field and covered the edge as I was supposed to. The CPU throws to the flat on the right side(remember with Cover 2, that side should be covered by a close CB with safety help) and there is NO ONE is the area. The RB catches the ball, turns around, and runs 30 yards untouched for the score. Whenever he scored, there still was not a defender on the screen. Where the hell my DB and safety went is completely beyond me.

Combine those issues with the severely underpowered pass rush and ability for blitzing players to get to the QB and you've got a recipe that is going to make it nearly impossible to stop offenses.

This is all on All American like online play uses, by the way.

The Zone defenses are indeed suspect (at best). I've also noticed on run plays the LBs and secondary are seemingly too slow to react and keep dropping back into coverage even after the RB has crossed the line of scrimage.

I've successfully mixed in a zone here and there but its a rare feat (particularly on Heisman).

I'm fearful that if it isn't fixed in HUM v. HUM games you are going to be left to only playing man and either bringing the house or playing cover 2 man and just allow your opponent to drag you up and down the field to a slow death.

[Kwizzy]

I haven't played enough to agree or disagree here but I must say, with all of the announcements released & after playing 3 games of the demo, I am VERY concerned that defense is going to be severly underpowered at best this year. It concerns me that when I play with Nebraska (one of the top 3 defenses in the country) I'm going to have to participate in a shootout. It bothers me that 120 WAYS TO WIN only applies to offensive principles.

Hopefully they have addressed some of these concerns in the final build or can do so in the first patch. Otherwise it could have a marginalizing effect on what is an otherwise impressive set of additions this year.

[gschwendt]

Then, as rhombic said, there's all kinds of problems whenever the DBs actually cover the wide outs. I've had 3 or 4 times where there was a wide open score because the DB either fell down or for some oblivious reason turned around and looked at the QB.

One of the builds we played at CD had this same error. It had some issue with where the DB was trying to switch between animations from back-peddling to turn & running. They fixed it in a later build but I suppose it somehow snuck back in there. I have confidence that they'll get it straightened out.

For the other issues, I haven't played the demo very much yet but I have to hope that they'll have most of them addressed.

One thing that hurts is that we don't have an instant replay so for instances like your 3rd paragraph, you can't go back and see what actually transpired. Hopefully the eventual blog that was mentioned addresses some of those concerns.

[cdj]

At the Community Event, some of the devs did say that the new additions (Locomotion, Real Assignment AI) helped make the offenses strong and worked well enough to make them very high-powered, but they did recognize that and stated they were working to make sure the defense wasn't helpless. At the CE, several of us (maybe all) did point out some slow reaction times by defenders. Hopefully when they post the info on improvements between the demo and retail version it will address some of these defensive issues. Personally, it also makes sense to have a high-powered demo to try and sway casual gamers into buying. However, with varying difficulty levels in the demo you'd hope the D would be sharper, but a lot of these issues will need to be addressed by Locomotion tuning.

[CLW]

At the Community Event, some of the devs did say that the new additions (Locomotion, Real Assignment AI) helped make the offenses strong and worked well enough to make them very high-powered, but they did recognize that and stated they were working to make sure the defense wasn't helpless. At the CE, several of us (maybe all) did point out some slow reaction times by defenders. Hopefully when they post the info on improvements between the demo and retail version it will address some of these defensive issues. Personally, it also makes sense to have a high-powered demo to try and sway casual gamers into buying. However, with varying difficulty levels in the demo you'd hope the D would be sharper, but a lot of these issues will need to be addressed by Locomotion tuning.

I may be crazy, but I seem to recall in Madden a defensive reaction slider (or something to that effect) where the user could adjust how quickly the CPU responded to both the pass and run. Perhaps giving us the option to adjust more things to our own liking (we all have different wants/needs) could solve the issue(s).

[I OU a Beatn]

I just really hope they fix the issues I mentioned. This game is genuinely fun so I'd have to have it ruined by something that I know can be tuned without all that much effort. Hopefully it's addressed in the final game, and if not, hopefully via a patch. If they do fix those things bringing balance between offense and defense, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this will be the best game they have released this generation...by far.

As it is now, those issues are really dampening things for me.

[Kwizzy]

I hear ya CDJ but here's the issue with that, "make sure the defense isn't helpless". That represents a lack of acknowledgement of DOMINANT defenses.

The issue with defense isn't locomotion tuning IMO... Combined with improper zone location & reaction, it's a lack of focus on what makes great defenses so dominant. Press coverage throwing off timing, well timed blitzes catching the oline & QB off guard, stunts and twists on the dline confusing blocking schemes, etc.... It seems their approach to defense is to tune it to give it a chance against whatever adjustments they have made to the offense. That needs to change.

I realize this is only the demo, & i hope you're right & everything is fixed or at least better. But this is a major concern I have just based on comments of others, the feature list for this year, and a couple games with the demo personally. At this point, it's definitely not enough to say well, we've fixed that in the final build. They've said that in the past, & it hasn't been the case. They would serve themselves well to release videos of any changes since the demo went to cert.

[rhombic21]

To me, it just seems like the locomotion has exposed how faulty some of the existing defensive AI was. Defenders in the past could get away with essentially squatting on routes and jumping on the WR's first break, without any real threat of getting beat deep. Now that's not the case (and rightly so), but they haven't updated the defensive AI to reflect that. So it seems like defenders are often times still playing too aggressively as though they can get away with the things they did in the past. This is amplified by some of the issues with zone coverage, which result in defenders flat out covering the wrong areas and not reacting realistically to receivers that threaten their zones.

This extends beyond the simple issue with the hook/yellow zones over the middle (which simultaneously seem to result in too passive coverage against extremely short routes, and too aggressive/short coverage when receivers go deeper downfield towards the seam areas). For instance, in cover 2 zones, the CBs in the flat zones should sink back and get underneath deep routes down the sideline, particularly when there is no threat to the short flat area. Realistically, most teams employ a cover 2 scheme that resembles what you see if you put the CBs in purple zones instead of the light blue flat zones. But my point here is that just as they have offensive line blocking rules, they should also have defensive keys and defensive coverage rules. Defenders far too often find themselves standing around and covering nothing but grass, when in real life a player in that position would alter his coverage to adjust to the play. For example, if a LB is in a flat zone and covers a HB out to the flat, he doesn't just stop covering him completely when that HB turns up the field and goes down the sidelines, unless a second player enters the short zone. If there is nobody near his primary zone, then an LB in that situation will get depth and guard deeper down the sidelines.

Another MAJOR area that needs to be addressed defensively is with regards to pre-snap alignment. This is a serious problem, not only with man coverage where you end up in situations where defenders are lined up on the completely wrong side of the formation, resulting in wide open receivers, but also in terms of run defense and reaction to motion. Many of the defensive alignments that are widely used on the game would rarely be used in real life, particularly when the offense motions into an unbalanced formation. There desperately needs to be an easier to way to audible from the 2 deep safety alignment to a single high safety alignment.

My point here is that there are probably some things that can be addressed with AI tuning and tweaking, but there are other issues that require a major reboot of the way defense is programmed in this game.

[cdj]

I hear ya CDJ but here's the issue with that, "make sure the defense isn't helpless". That represents a lack of acknowledgement of DOMINANT defenses.

The issue with defense isn't locomotion tuning IMO... Combined with improper zone location & reaction, it's a lack of focus on what makes great defenses so dominant. Press coverage throwing off timing, well timed blitzes catching the oline & QB off guard, stunts and twists on the dline confusing blocking schemes, etc.... It seems their approach to defense is to tune it to give it a chance against whatever adjustments they have made to the offense. That needs to change.

I realize this is only the demo, & i hope you're right & everything is fixed or at least better. But this is a major concern I have just based on comments of others, the feature list for this year, and a couple games with the demo personally. At this point, it's definitely not enough to say well, we've fixed that in the final build. They've said that in the past, & it hasn't been the case. They would serve themselves well to release videos of any changes since the demo went to cert.

That line about defenses is my own line & paraphrasing so please don't attach that to the team. :p They want teams with great defenses to play that way. I agree on your other points. I hope they get very detailed when explaining the differences between demo and retail as well as when they announce any additional game features coming.

[Kwizzy]

haha yeah cdj I knew those were your words not theirs, but you get what I mean right?

Rhombic I couldn't agree more, especially with your first paragraph. I think the limitations placed on players by adding actual physics to the game will begin to show some glaring errors in the AI of the game, especially on defense. What we are seeing in this demo is a reflection of the fact that defenses in real life need to react, as a unit, to what the offense is trying to do in order to overcome the physical limitations on a single player. So like you said, if there is no threat to the flats, the defender needs to react to that and help out elsewhere.

Also to one of your other points. Defensive alignment needs to be addressed ASAP. Lining up correctly and factoring in the strength of the offensive formation is crucial to any success a defense has. In this game, when I see a 3 WR set & call a Nickel, I shouldn't have to flip the play if that 3rd WR happens to line up on the right instead of the left. There are many alignment issues that need to be fixed, along with how players react to the offense before defenses will have more than a fighting chance.

[steelerfan]

There's something that will help the game in general.

The ball warping between hands is something that we saw at the CE, but was fixed later on. I played the 360 and PS3 versions yesterday. The Texas jerseys in the crowd do look red on PS3 and there's some small graphical hiccups in terms of the shadowing, but I don't expect that to be a problem in final build.

Thank you.

[jaymo76]

I haven't played enough to agree or disagree here but I must say, with all of the announcements released & after playing 3 games of the demo, I am VERY concerned that defense is going to be severly underpowered at best this year. It concerns me that when I play with Nebraska (one of the top 3 defenses in the country) I'm going to have to participate in a shootout. It bothers me that 120 WAYS TO WIN only applies to offensive principles.

Hopefully they have addressed some of these concerns in the final build or can do so in the first patch. Otherwise it could have a marginalizing effect on what is an otherwise impressive set of additions this year.

I'm at work right now so I haven't played since last night but after the excitement of the demo died down I had to reflect on the experience. I am still excited about the game BUT the PASS DEFENSE has MAJOR issues to be worked on. Let's hope sliders will solve these. In the Miami/OU game Pyror (er... #2 for legal purposes) had well over 15 seconds on one play.... and I was in a 4-6 D!!!! Also, my secondary gets scorched. If you play around with the GAME PLANNING and the RUN Commit be prepared to be burned big-time on the pass D.

On another topic... I still beleive that SPEED KILLS in NCAA 11. Anyone with speed and acceleration are untouchable. I hope that is tuned in the retail version.

Come on clock... I need to get home for some more gaming!!!

[Flav]

Playing the Clemson Mizzou game and its raining. I just ran a 5 WR Package and the slot ran an out route. He actually slipped on his cut which I thought was realistic and it didn't happen often in '10

[morsdraconis]

I'm at work right now so I haven't played since last night but after the excitement of the demo died down I had to reflect on the experience. I am still excited about the game BUT the PASS DEFENSE has MAJOR issues to be worked on. Let's hope sliders will solve these. In the Miami/OU game Pyror (er... #2 for legal purposes) had well over 15 seconds on one play.... and I was in a 4-6 D!!!! Also, my secondary gets scorched. If you play around with the GAME PLANNING and the RUN Commit be prepared to be burned big-time on the pass D.

On another topic... I still beleive that SPEED KILLS in NCAA 11. Anyone with speed and acceleration are untouchable. I hope that is tuned in the retail version.

Come on clock... I need to get home for some more gaming!!!

But why? That's real life.

If the dude has 4.3 speed and the acceleration to hit that speed ridiculously fast, why shouldn't he be a burner that can get behind coverage and make teams pay for single coverage on him?

Hell, I just played a game where I nailed my TE on a fly route overtop of double coverage because they brought the safety up to the line of scrimmage letting him get behind both players. It happens.

Now, if it happens every time, that's when there's an issue.

[jaymo76]

But why? That's real life.

If the dude has 4.3 speed and the acceleration to hit that speed ridiculously fast, why shouldn't he be a burner that can get behind coverage and make teams pay for single coverage on him?
Hell, I just played a game where I nailed my TE on a fly route overtop of double coverage because they brought the safety up to the line of scrimmage letting him get behind both players. It happens.

Now, if it happens every time, that's when there's an issue.

I don't dissagree with you. However, my point is that for the demo every QB and RB seem unstoppable (PS3). It didn't matter if I was Ohio or Mizzou... a QB run could easily go for 20-30 yards time after time. Also, RB speed as compared to defensive pursuit just seems off... like 2-3 steps behind. I don't find this an issues of Wr's or anyone else, just your power positions of QB and RB.

[Kwizzy]

But why? That's real life.

If the dude has 4.3 speed and the acceleration to hit that speed ridiculously fast, why shouldn't he be a burner that can get behind coverage and make teams pay for single coverage on him?

Hell, I just played a game where I nailed my TE on a fly route overtop of double coverage because they brought the safety up to the line of scrimmage letting him get behind both players. It happens.

Now, if it happens every time, that's when there's an issue.

The problem, IMO, isn't that the offensive players are so explosive, it's that we haven't been given defensive improvements adequate enough to stop them on a consistent basis even if we decide to focus on them. At least in the demo.

[xGRIDIRONxGURUx]

i played the demo without reading any reviews here, at all, then played the demo some more AFTER reading some of the responses here...

from a "coaching" standpoint...

OFFENSE
* blocking obviously is great
* little glitchy on a few of the options (i expect this to be fixed in retail)
* passing game is more realistic as far as bullet vs lob and the accuracy that comes along with them
* good explosion from the RB's when you do hit speed burst once you find the hole

DEFENSE
* on PS3 i can get great pressure with 4-5 (havent had the problem some have had here)
* only time i see a problem with deep coverage is when my DB's face a vertical route inside and a corner route on the outside
* good flow to run plays to give good support, and i PURPOSELY scrambled my butt off with pryor and saw no problems with pursuit

there are tons of other things i saw, but i do think some DAI will need to be tuned pretty seriously so that FS's in that cover 3 situation will flow to help out so that CB's dont sit on someone having to pick from a 1 on 2 situation... im assuming some awareness tweaking could fix this problem easily...

i think the speed/acceleration is spot on, and does not/will not "rule" in NCAA 11, its all fluid, and for the FIRST TIME the game/field feels "crowded" during the play as it does in real life in college ball... that crowded feeling FINALLY comes from a great balance of GOOD BLOCKING mixed with GOOD penetration... the blitz now scrapes correctly when the blitzer recognizes run away from him...

man coverage (with time) still tends to give up the meshes and crosses a tad too easy, but the whole reason for those routes exist for these coverages anyways, so really no complaints... and they can be covered easily if you switch and cut in front of the route, but you better be sure otherwise its automatic 6 for CPU (and eventually user)... but the corner routes vs man are much better covered...

i did see the locomotion REALLY take over on defense when i TRIED to turbo blitz, which from what i can tell is completely out now... i tried, and tried, and tried, and tried, and tried to get a rocket catch off on a deep vertical, but being the demo, im not sure if its just removed altogether or animations out, or just left out or what... but i couldnt even come close to ANYTHING that looked like a rocket catch like you could still do from last year... on the deep ball you really have to have a step on someone, and with saying that the DB's do better vs the pump fake than in NCAA 10...

the near to true life midline out of the pistol in the MIZZOU book is nifty, cant wait to use it with a real option/mobile QB though, as i cant tell if its the slower QB, the glitchy option delay thats in the demo, or if its just going to be a wasted play b/c it wont animate correctly, but i do like the idea in theory... along with a lot of the changes in the books, even on plays that were in last year, being able to run some of this stuff is just awesome with great blocking... even if im only gaining maybe 3 yards... still nice...

the speed option from ACE BIG doesnt work like it did in NCAA 10, you can still read it, but the automatic 4-6 yards doesnt happen anymore... i do like how they actually account for the DE on load options, forcing you to read the first LB/OLB/SS thats forcing the alley... GREAT STUFF THERE!!! (big thumbs up from a coaching stand point) the pitch is a tad off on timing, as i find myself sometimes hitting it 2-3 sometimes 4 times before it will actually pitch the ball... aggravating... really sucks...

back to defensive coverage on zones though, i LOVE that the underneath guys dont "hug" to people crossing their zones like they do in NCAA 10, no LB has eyes in the back of his head... so i dont see why they would have eyes in the back of their head on the game... i never liked the whole running backwards and sideways while you sat still in the pocket to only sit right in front of someone on a deep curl that they never "saw" the whole play...

the one thing that sums everything up for me on the NCAA 11 demo is this... "PLAY CALLING"

those zones will be exploited if they are stretched correctly, man will be beat without a good blitz to accompany it... the run game will actually help you with setting up the PAP, so now we can actually open the game up from the offensive side... on the defensive side though, a needed tweak to the awareness will help out with some of this deep ball conversation... but if you are going to blitz, again, PLAY CALLING, YOU BETTER BRING NUMBERS... blitzing 6-7 on NCAA 11 demo with the FIXED blocking, is like sending 4-5 on NCAA 10 game...

i am EXTREMELY satisfied with the demo, as its only a demo, and i have absolutely no concerns, especially with the way they have responded so far in the builds to our feedback, and with the talk about certain things now, they will follow suit and tweak as we see needed to ensure the best game play experience...

"E"

[iBrandon]

What is the auto-speed burst used for? I’m guessing it just uses speed bursts for you atomically? I would think the same for auto pass? They will pass just pass the ball?

[Rudy]

I'm going to try the auto-sprint tonight. I'd still like to know the sliders available this year.

[Gamecock999]

Downloaded and played 4 games last night, went 2-2 on AA. First game lost with OU, just getting a handle on the new controls. Won with Miami, mostly passing. Lost with UF, gave the CPU 2 pick 6's. Actually came back and tied it, but it scored at the end. Blew out Mizzou with Clemson. Up 28-0 at one point. Used a lot of PA passes and got 2 int's. On this game, the CPU threw 2 hail mary type passes over jumping double coverage twice towards the end of the game (just to make it close I think). Not realistic.

Overall, game played smooth. The jury is out on the run game. On all 4 games, I felt as if I were controlling a guy on skates rather than running, especially on kickoffs. Couldn't cut at all. One extreme to another almost. Thumbs up though. The actual game usually plays much better. Counting down to the 13th.