Keep It, Fix It, Add It.

[cujox10x]

Alright, I want to start a productive topic. I have a lot of ideas, and suggest that this topic be used as a figurative brain storm for any ideas us CONSUMERS may have. I am guilty of being critical and negative at times, but I think it would be helpful if we all tried to keep this positive, and focus on things that will help.

I would like to start by saying I am a religious offline dynasty player, so my opinions will obviously be focused on that aspect of the game. If you prefer a different game type, I encourage you to speak up and give your opinions as well.

For whatever it's worth I have been loyal to the EA NCAA franchise for quite some time now (since the early 2000's). I have to be completely honest, in my opinion, the franchise has seen better days. With that being said, lets try to get this thing back on track.

Hopefully the topic is self-explanatory but if not, my idea is for it to look something like this...

Keep It

- The big one...Conference Realignment - I have to say, EA hit this one right on the head with custom conferences. The BCS tie-ins are a great addition as well, and I'm looking forward to the improvements EA makes to this in the future installments. Possibly being able to create 22 team conferences, and adding team builder teams for additional 22 team conferences.

- In game strategy Pad - Great in-game feature that I actually think Madden should adopt as well. The only thing is that I think it should be included in coach philosophy so you don't have to mess with it at the beginning of each game. It's great for playing a realistic, full length game as I like to do, because you can run the clock down before every play. Would love to see the computer adjust their strategy as well, especially when leading or losing a game. Would help to add realism, and that is after all what most sports gamers are looking for! (With the exception of cheesers)

- Coaching Carrousel - It's fun and adds a different storyline if you choose to use the feature. I'm all for anything that adds a personal touch to the game, and my dynasty. Variety is ALWAYS a plus as well. I do think this feature could use some tweaking and updating, but I like the idea.

- Presentation - I would like to see the menus navigate a bit faster, but overall I like the presentation at the main menu and in dynasty mode. Way better than Madden.

- Roster Share

Fix It

- Tackling - I feel as though tackling is completely random. Players running full speed at each other, sometimes connecting, sometimes missing all together. Random broken tackles, players being stopped dead in their tracks due to weak tackles from behind, arm tackles on feature backs. It just all makes little to no sense, and its very frustrating. I really don't have the answer on how to fix this, but I'm thinking a configuration with the right stick would help.

- The passing game - This is definitely something EA needs to improve in the upcoming years, if only because what do people generally like to do the MOST in a football game? Pass. I can definitely live with being shut down in the passing game, as long as its a bit more REALISTIC. When my receiver has 4 yards of separation, and the corner is running full speed in the opposite direction, a curl route should work. (just an example) Also, deep passing is, imho, "broken." I believe a majority of the problem stems from not having enough animations for the WR, and DB. And for gods sake let the human WR strafe in All-American and Heisman please.

- Leaping linebackers - My biggest problem isn't that linebackers can knock down short passes, because it happens in real life every once in a while. My problem is how accurate they are when doing so. It's really difficult for someone to stand 10 yards away from a 60-70 mph throw (just a guestimate) and connect with that ball 100% of the time, or even 50% of the time for that matter, so for them to hit the ball every time they jump is unrealistic.

- Team Builder - It could use some updating, which I think EA is aware of. My biggest problem is that the players on my created team didn't have access to the vapor jet and super bad gloves with their team color. I stopped using team builder when I found that.

- ESPN Broadcast in the menus - I would love this feature if it worked. I listened to Plaxico Buress being back on the field over and over for 2 weeks until I finally turned it off all together. Good thought, but broken.

Add It

- Camera Views - I'm getting sick of being picked off because I can't see my outside wide outs on a screen. It also takes away from playing defense with a corner, or defending the swing pass. Not being able to see the whole field of play makes no sense to me. So a wider selection of camera views would be grand.

- Create A Player Accessories - A Mouth guard, a wider selection of shoes, and team color tape is all I can think of at the moment. (If you guys can think of more please add it!)

- Customizable Jerseys - Or at least be able to set my favorite jersey as my default, so I don't have to change it before every game. Madden has this feature.

- Dynasty Versatility - Anyway to further personalize my dynasty, or add synthetic story lines would be great. It gets old making up my own scenarios. Just a thought.

- New Rivalries - It would be great with the addition of custom conferences if you had the ability to create new rivalries. If not manually then with teams playing each other numerous times in back to back years or multiple close games. I don't know exactly how it would work but it would be a nice addition.


Overall I think players can overlook the minor errors or issues in games, especially sports games. I think most of the problem NCAA players have, is that the major stuff is broken i.e. severs, important aspects of game play. EA had good intentions with the product they put out this year, but they focused on all of the wrong things. Hope they make some major improvements with the on field product, and getting the difficulty corrected, then worry about entrances, and pretty menu art. I have always thought of EA as an innovative sports game company, especially in the football dept. but as of a few years ago I have been sincerely disappointed in the product. Time will tell, I will remain optimistic, but it might take some competition to get them back on track. We will see!

[dray05]

I think your idea of being able to generate new rivalries with a team you play often would be a great addition to the game.

In online dynasty my friend plays as texas and we play each other every season. We have had many close games and nail biters. It would be great to see this game turn into a rivalry.

[dudo670]

I think the way that rivalries should work is that if you have enough of the "Classic Games" with a certain team, and its a back and forth series, it should become a rivalry.

[TIMB0B]

Quote: Originally Posted by dudo670

I think the way that rivalries should work is that if you have enough of the "Classic Games" with a certain team, and its a back and forth series, it should become a rivalry.

That's the most thoughtful way I've heard to implement new rivalries. How many games should it take to establish a new rivalry?

[TIMB0B]

Quote: Originally Posted by cujox10x

- In game strategy Pad - Great in-game feature that I actually think Madden should adopt as well. The only thing is that I think it should be included in coach philosophy so you don't have to mess with it at the beginning of each game. It's great for playing a realistic, full length game as I like to do, because you can run the clock down before every play. Would love to see the computer adjust their strategy as well, especially when leading or losing a game. Would help to add realism, and that is after all what most sports gamers are looking for! (With the exception of cheesers)

I agree the gameplan adjustments should be part of coach philosophy, but disagree with the "adjustments" altogether. They're mostly a risk/reward boost to a player's skill, and not an actual gameplan. These (Big Run, Hold Block, Jump Snap, Strip Ball, Swat/INT, etc.) should strictly fall under a player's specific attributes such as awareness, position specific skill, and discipline (a Discipline attribute should be created regarding a player's penalty propensity - based on their GPA); Then there are some of these adjustments that do pertain to coaching philosophy (Zone depth, Option defense, Clock Tempo).

Check out my post here on how they should redo gameplan --> Gameplan Adjustments needs an overhaul

The game should really make use of the existing gameplan adjustments by embedding them into the player's attributes giving them more unique identities of whether they're a playmaker or simply a role player. For example, why should a run stopping DL-man have the same Jump Snap advantage as a pass rushing DL-man?

And for coaches, playcall aggressiveness should determine the zone depths and option defense from the current gameplan adjustments. This is such an important slider if EA utilized it correctly to give coaches an identity as well.

Zone blocking, man-to-man blocking, or balanced. This could go a long way with offensive playcall aggressiveness. For example, if your coach is aggressive, he'd run a zone blocking scheme and your playbook should correspond by removing all man-to-man blocking plays. Man-to-man would be conservative and remove all zone blocking plays. Balanced would include both.

And "No-Huddle" should be added to coach philosophy. There needs to be an actual option to toggle whether you're a huddle/no-huddle offensive team. And in the game, if you're a no-huddle team, you shouldn't have to ever hit the no-huddle button, it automatically goes no-huddle. And if you change formations, it should make the applicable adjustments. A WR shouldn't line up at TE. (Substitutions are still allowed. If you notice in a real game, the ref will stand over the ball. That's because if the offense makes a substitution, the defense is allowed to as well, therefore they stop play until the defense makes their substitutions. Other than that, the offense can snap it as quick as possible if they don't make substitutions. I'd like to see an illegal sub penalty.)