NCAA Football '12 impressions thread

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, a game I played last night I was like 13/32 with 310 yards. The only passes I could hit with regularity were Seattle and one of the 5-wide plays that sent 2 WRs long breaking toward the sidelines and one long breaking towards the middle. So I averaged a ridiculous amount of yards per catch, but couldn't complete simple 5-10 yard passes at all. Either they'd get knocked down by a LB, or I'd manage to fit one in and the receiver would drop it when he got hit. However, if I bump the sliders up, I'll complete nearly every one of those.

[spleen1015]

NCAA newb here

I have found that when I play on All American, I can't do much of anything on offense. When I play on the settings just below AA, I can pretty much do whatever I want and I don't think I would ever lose.

Is the transition really supposed to be like that? I would expect AA to be harder, but even when I play against shitty teams with a decent team I can't do anything.

Is this maybe a slider issue?

[Ksyrup]

That's what I'm struggling to work through right now.

Some of the people who used to swear by Varsity by making it difficult with sliders have given up on it, because even at 0/100 settings, it's too easy. And it never was like that (at least for some of us who suck). On AA, though, it's been a challenge to make it easier than it is, at least using a realistic gameplan with varying types of pass plays.

[Kodos]

I'm not a passing star by any means, but are you guys timing your shorter routes so you throw right as or slightly before they make their breaks?

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I'm not a passing star by any means, but are you guys timing your shorter roots so you throw right as or slightly before they make their breaks?

I know that one of my problems is the type of pass I throw. I haven't found that 'in between' feel for bullet versus lob pass. I seem to throw a lot of bullet passes and I get lots of interceptions and knock downs.

[Ksyrup]

Another of the problems I'm dealing with (and I'm sure you guys do the same) in trying to find a happy balance with the game is that most of my games are played with poor rosters (starting with a crap team and trying to make them contenders). So you add the problems of running an offense with low-70s rated QBs and receivers to the type of challenge a given slider set is "supposed" to provide, and it doesn't match up. I'm fairly certain most of the guys at the OS forums are playing with the top teams, so their results are with 90s rated players. And of course, I have no doubt they are far better players than I am.

In last night's game, I'd say of the nearly 20 incompletions I had, 2 were just complete misfires by the QB, 5 were me panicking and throwing a bad pass into coverage, 8 were LB knockdowns where the receiver was crossing over the middle (mid and deep), and the rest were on the receivers hands but dropped when they got hit. I specifically had one deep pass where I held the button for a split-second so it wouldn't be a total lob pass, and a LB just past the LOS knocked it down. The receiver was a good 15 yards behind him.

[Simbo Klice]

I think the passing definitely takes some getting used to, and you have to read coverages a lot more to truly find the open guy as most guys will drop a pass even if they get hit well after they've begun to secure the ball. I've never been a slider user, just play straight AA (I bumped it up to Heisman last year but this year passing did get a LOT tougher) and when I got the game, I was throwing 2-4 picks a game and completing about 40% of passes.

Now, I'm back down to earth on the INTs (most games) and usually hit at a 60-67% clip. A lot of it is setting up what you're doing, I noticed that a lot of my problems came when I abandoned the run and sat back in shotgun chucking it. Oh yeah, and don't drop back too far to buy yourself time- the extra length of the pass gives the defense time to react and either hit your WR or step in front and pick it.

The LB's are still an occasional pain in the ass, moving in or out of the pocket to create a clear line of sight between the QB and WR is a good way to lower their deflections.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

What slider settings are you guys using? Maybe I need to try something completely different.

I have QB accuracy down 2 notches for human, wr catch down 1 notch for human (but may go back to default). I have CPU rb ability and blocking each up 2 notches (to 60.). I have interceptions down to 30 for each side. I have pass rush down to 40 for each side (and may turn this down lower.). I have speed threshold at 25. I am using a talented roster with USC and had a lot of trouble passing when Barkley got knocked out of a game. Also, I have really bad passing games when I abandon the run. I mix them up constantly.

[Ksyrup]

Cool. I'll mess around with some setting tonight.

The ones I'm currently using are:

All-American
Time: 8 min.
Game Speed: Slow
Speed Threshold: 25

Offense (HUM/CPU)
QB Acc. 15/25
Pass Block 50/50
WR Catch 45/45
RB Ability 45/85
Run Block 20/50

Defense
Pass Coverage 40/50
Pass Rush 25/15
INT 20/35
Rush Defense 10/55
Tackling 15/15

Special Teams
FG Power 45
FG Acc. 30/35
Punt Power 50
Punt Acc. 40
Kickoff Power 50

Basically, SECElite's last edit but I've bumped passing up and CPU INT down. I'll try a game using yours and see how it goes, EF27.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

I've been playing on Very Fast speed with a 25 threshold

It kinda reminds me of a 2k game with these settings.

[Ksyrup]

What a POS game. I had just finished my weekly recruiting and the fucking game froze trying to exit the recruiting screen. Unbelieveable.

[Toddzilla]

I get a freeze in exactly the same place every single time...

At the beginning of the season, when you set up your recruiting board, custom schedules, etc, and I choose "Pick a Pipeline State". Every time, never fails.

I have to quit the game, reload it, and it works.

[DaddyTorgo]

Forget this shit.

I don't think I've played a full game yet.

[lungs]

Another PS3 patch is up....

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by lungs

Another PS3 patch is up....

Only issue addressed in this patch is to fix the no-huddle issue. Due out tonight/tomorrow morning for 360.

[Balldog]

After the last patch I filed a BBB complaint against EA. I can only tolerate so much lying or misleading advertising. EA assured me that most of the issues I had with the game were going to be fixed and sent me a free copy of FIFA12.

The issues I complained about were the no-huddle issue, tendency bug, coach progression, freezing during games, and failed to load on online dynasties.

It will be interesting to see if they release a tuner tomorrow to address a copy more issues but I have little faith.

[Ksyrup]

I'm finally getting into my dynasty with Colorado State. Just finished the regular season (I think this is 2014? I always sim ahead 4-5 years) 8-4 and play the effin' Gators (7-5) in the Armed Forces Bowl.

I think I finally got the slider stuff down - losing some games I probably should, winning with some difficulty others. Only 1 real WTF game, where I got manhandled by 6-6 San Diego State 28-13. Beat ranked Air Force, but that's mainly because this game still can't figure out how to run the option. I am thankful for the QB scramble though. Definitely makes defense harder.

I'd still like to see pass interference actually incorporated into the game. And intentional grounding (although this would likely effect the computer team 95% of the time, so maybe it's a good thing it never gets called). And late hits out of bounds. And punts that actually bounce ways other than straight down the field.

I am enjoying it, but I still cringe every time I feel like the game is pausing too long, because I know the next freeze is coming. Almost had another last night, but it seemed to work itself through it in about 90 seconds.

[MizzouRah]

Knock on wood.. but I have the x360 verison, loaded to the HD and have played over 25 games and never had a freeze yet.

Does the freezing pertain to ps3 or do you guys have the x360 game?

[Ksyrup]

360

I've had it freeze at the end of a game twice, once during recruiting, and another doing something with roster management, I believe.

[Ksyrup]

EANCAAFootball EA NCAA Football
We'd also like to announce that the team is currently working on a fourth title update and we will announce details at a later date.


EANCAAFootball EA NCAA Football
NOW AVAILABLE: Title Update #3 addressing the "No Huddle" issue is now available for download on the Xbox 360 & PS3.

[Ksyrup]

This game is going to be PERFECT by the time spring training rolls around.

Actually, I do hope they tighten it up, because if it's good enough, I'll stick with this next year. No need to have a couple month delay starting my dynasty.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

360

I've had it freeze at the end of a game twice, once during recruiting, and another doing something with roster management, I believe.

You loaded to the HD? (I figured you did, but figured I would ask)

[Ksyrup]

No. I have no idea how to do that. I literally only play this one game on the 360. My youngest daughter plays it mostly. I don't even have a live account (just the free one).

If that might fix the issue, how do I do that?

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

No. I have no idea how to do that. I literally only play this one game on the 360. My youngest daughter plays it mostly. I don't even have a live account (just the free one).

If that might fix the issue, how do I do that?

When you are at the screen to play the game (at the XLIVE home screen and you thumbstick up to get to the game to play it) press "Y" to load the game to the HD - will take about 5-10 mins.

I load all my games to the HD and I don't ever have freezes, NCAA included.

[Ksyrup]

Cool I'll try that. Thanks.

[whomario]

You should definitely try it out, the box is also a million times less noisy that way when playing a game

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, good point. Especially when I'm mostly playing at night after the wife goes to sleep.

Then again, that noise hides my cursing when I throw an INT.

[MizzouRah]

HAHA.. I've had many a cussing night after I threw a pick.

Install all your games if you have the room, at least the ones you play the most.

[ColtCrazy]

I need to get a bigger hard driver. I have just a 20GB one and it has room to put about 1 game on the HD at a time. I think that would help keep the game from "skipping" some on the snap. Otherwise, it seems fine.




I did just finish my first year in franchise playing as USF. I'm doing a relegation type system. I started in the ACC, the second tier to the SES in the South Division. I went 11-0 and made the championship game, which is my only annoyance since I don't think an undefeated second tier team should make it over a 2 loss first tier team.

Probably the most amazing result in season one is that Florida will get relegated to the ACC. Hawaii was relegated in the West, Northern Illinois in the North, and Tulsa in the Central.

No way I'll go 11-0 the next year. In the ACC, I basically had Tennessee as my top competition. I'll have a ton in the next division, though I did edge out VA Tech in non-conference play.

[gstelmack]

Made the mistake of going ahead and doing a second high school game after playing one already in my Road To Glory run last night. I had two confirmed instances of the stats screwing up. Early on I completed my second pass, and noticed it had me at "1/2 9 yards". I should have been 2-for-3 at that point, so one of my completed passes was completely skipped in the stats.

Then later we drive down to around the 10, I hit a receiver in the flat who gets tackled at the goal line. Announcer says "incomplete pass", but as expected from the gameplay the ball gets spotted at the goal line. Sure enough my stats have another incompletion and none of the yards.

Both are frustrating, since basic stats are pretty key to a game like this, plus it costs me recruiting points.

Then one of these days I'll play a console football game that doesn't count my current trip to the red zone when it shows my offense's red zone stats...

[Ksyrup]

Forgot to mention... so I downloaded the game to my hard drive. Tuesday night, I played a game, then simmed the week and go in to do the next week's recruiting. I'm on player 17 out of 18, and it freezes as I hit A to move to the next 10 minute block. FUCK ME. Have to shut it down completely and do all that recruiting over again (which included some drops/adds, moving guys up/down the queue, etc.). Completely frustrating.

Luckily, it hasn't hit at the end of a game like it did way back when. Yet.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Forgot to mention... so I downloaded the game to my hard drive. Tuesday night, I played a game, then simmed the week and go in to do the next week's recruiting. I'm on player 17 out of 18, and it freezes as I hit A to move to the next 10 minute block. FUCK ME. Have to shut it down completely and do all that recruiting over again (which included some drops/adds, moving guys up/down the queue, etc.). Completely frustrating.

Luckily, it hasn't hit at the end of a game like it did way back when. Yet.

This is confusing to me.....I haven't had any issues with the game freezing or anything. I know others that haven't and then I know those who do...I wonder if it's a system issue? Meaning you have an older Xbox or one of the specials that it doesn't like....

[Ksyrup]

I really don't recall when I bought my 360, but the first NCAA game I bought for it was 2009, so I'm guessing it was in 2008. I haven't had an issue with it at all. It's a 50GB version, I think. Came bundled with Legos Raiders of the Ark and that Jack Black Panda movie game.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I really don't recall when I bought my 360, but the first NCAA game I bought for it was 2009, so I'm guessing it was in 2008. I haven't had an issue with it at all. It's a 50GB version, I think. Came bundled with Legos Raiders of the Ark and that Jack Black Panda movie game.

The first sign of the dreaded RROD is the console freezing. It could just do it on one game at the start, then it will start doing it on all games, then the dreaded RROD.

Bottom line if you are constantly getting freezes that no one else is then I would start putting money back for a new console. FWIW I suspect your console you have is one that is at a very high risk of RROD to being with.

Look at the back of the console. It should say 16,5A 14,2A or 12,1A just above made in china. If it says either of the first 2 then the chipset inside is Microsoft's garbage rather than a quality chipset and the machine is going to RROD at some point. The question is when rather than if.

[chadritt]

NCAA has a lot of reported freezing issues. I had some for a few days after enabling my internet but when I disabled my connection everything cleared up. PS3 by the way.

[Ksyrup]

yeah, the internet thing is what I heard. I enabled it again when the patches came out, but maybe they didn't fix it.

I'll check my console for RROD issues, but I'm pretty sure I bought this after that had been resolved. I actually worked with Microsoft on the issue in a tangential way, so I'm fairly certain that at the time, I knew what the timing was and what to avoid when I made the purchase. And my kids play other games and have never reported a freeze. I think it's just this garbage game, as opposed to a garbage console.

[Ksyrup]

Speaking of the garbage game, I'm starting to get into my dynasty more and more. In my second year with Colorado State - went 8-5 in my first year, then lost my QB and top 3 RBs to graduation. Coming into this year, I had 2 70-rated QBs at the top of the depth chart, 1 Sr and 1 Soph. The computer put the Soph at the top of the depth chart, so I went with it. I played 4 OOC games, struggled in a few, but managed to win them all despite my QB throwing 3 TDs and 6 INTs. I have 1 really good RB, and although he seems to get knocked out of every game for a couple of series, he's kicking ass with a 7 YPC average. His backups...not so much. If he goes down, I'm dead.

Anyway, in my 5th and final OOC game (I'm in the MWC, with only 7 conference games), I decide to start the Sr QB to see if he's any better. Holy hell he (I guess, technically, I) was horrendous. He puts up Morgan Newton numbers for the first half, so I bench him and bring back the Soph on the final drive of the 1st half. He throws a 60-something yard TD and goes on to a 13-20, 274 yards, 3 TD performance. I guess building the narrative around the results, my benching him was the rude awakening he needed to kick it into gear. haha

He better be ready, because we've got #7 TCU next.

[MizzouRah]

I had my first freeze in a long time with NHL 12 the other night.. go figure.

[Balldog]

I want to like this game so bad but I can't get to a point where the CPU can do anything on offense on All-American. Then I can't stand Heisman.

[Young Drachma]

Speed Chess Arcade (Freshman Sliders) - Operation Sports Forums

I have a devil of a time with this game, because I feel like when I'm playing with subpar teams that there's no real shot in bothering ever because nothing I do seemed to matter. That's probably owing to my general lack of skill, but also the way the game played.

So I've had my own sliders for years that I've used where I'd play on Heisman and jack up the user sliders to 100 so that it made it fairer for me. But this year, that wasn't working because it made me way too good. So I've gone in the opposite direction.

I did some labbing (I think it's funny when those NCAA12 diehards say that) with these sliders where I dropped the Human to 0 in everything but Field Goal power and accuracy (sorry, I like kicking field goals) and kept the computer at default except for interceptions.

With 3 minute quarters so the games don't drag on, it's turned out to be a lot more enjoyable, the scores realistic and yet, the games never feel predetermined, which I like.

[gstelmack]

Has anyone seen an issue where the on-field pre-play arrows get all squiggly, jumping back-and-forth rapidly between two sets? Starting with the one for where my QB goes on the play, but including everyone else if I show the play graphics? Instead of a nice straight line I get a zig-zag in the direction of the arrow, but flipping back-and-forth rapidly across the arrow direction. It's very annoying, sometimes goes away partway into the game, sometimes lasts the whole game, and sometimes does not show at all.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Has anyone seen an issue where the on-field pre-play arrows get all squiggly, jumping back-and-forth rapidly between two sets? Starting with the one for where my QB goes on the play, but including everyone else if I show the play graphics? Instead of a nice straight line I get a zig-zag in the direction of the arrow, but flipping back-and-forth rapidly across the arrow direction. It's very annoying, sometimes goes away partway into the game, sometimes lasts the whole game, and sometimes does not show at all.

That's due to crowd noise, I'm assuming when you see this, you are on the road?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Has anyone seen an issue where the on-field pre-play arrows get all squiggly, jumping back-and-forth rapidly between two sets? Starting with the one for where my QB goes on the play, but including everyone else if I show the play graphics? Instead of a nice straight line I get a zig-zag in the direction of the arrow, but flipping back-and-forth rapidly across the arrow direction. It's very annoying, sometimes goes away partway into the game, sometimes lasts the whole game, and sometimes does not show at all.

Yup, that's crowd noise at loud road stadiums. You can disable home field advantage effects should you want to.

[gstelmack]

Ah, interesting, had not realised that. Well, okay, then, it's actually a pretty cool feature.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Ah, interesting, had not realised that. Well, okay, then, it's actually a pretty cool feature.

They have enhanced that this year.. sometimes I don't even have the lines in really hard to play places.

[Logan]

You can turn that option off if it either bothers you or if you're as bad as Detox.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Logan

You can turn that option off if it either bothers you or if you're as bad as Detox.

Nah, now that I understand it I can deal with it. Plus it's more fun to see the squiggly lines on the first play of the game, hit a 20 yard pass, and watch them disappear on the next play

[Ksyrup]

Played a really strange game last night. I'm 6-1 playing 0-7 UNLV. First half, I can't do shit. Scoreless after 1 quarter, then they score, I answer, they get a FG, and finally with a minute left in the half, I put together a decent drive for a 14-10 lead at half. Second half starts, and I'm dominating. Add 2 TDs and I'm up 28-10, then add a FG midway through the 4th and I'm up 31-10. 2:30 left, I punt and have them 4th-and-13 at which point the dude throw a bomb to a WR who somehow gets behind my DBs and it's 31-17. They try an onside kick, I recover, run the ball 3 times, they use all 3 TOs, and now I'm punting again with a minute left. Again, I sack them a couple of times and they've got like a 3rd-and-23, and dude hits a WR on the sideline for 40 yards with 4 seconds left. Next pass, he throws a Hail Mary into the end zone - 2 WRs, 5-6 DBs, and his dude catches it. I win, 31-24. #3 on my greatest games list. It wasn't all that great, it was just weird.

[Ksyrup]

How many minute quarters do you guys play? I have almost always played 8 minute quarters, but I'm noticing with this year's version that the simulated games appear to be getting off a ton more plays than me (or just gaining more yards and scoring more points than they did in previous versions). I'm pretty sure I haven't changed my style of play from past years, and when I'd look at my team's offensive and defensive rankings, I'd fit in the mix pretty well. This year, my offense is ranked like #113, but my defense is ranked #1. That suggests to me I'm not getting as many snaps as teams in the simulated games. And I don't think that was as huge as issue as I'm seeing this year.

Anyone else noticing this? I'm 7-1 and scoring almost 30 points a game, yet my offense is in the bottom 10 in yards. And my D is #1 in yards allowed. I guess I could go up to 9 minute quarters.

[Young Drachma]

What level are you playing on/sliders are you using? It sounds like a sliders issue to me.