NCAA Football 09 Patch Announcement

[callmetaternuts]

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

Well, there is some stuff that is already in the patch. This is stuff we identified and started on before the game hit shelves. Now that more issues are coming out we are identifying the ones we want to fix the most. I was going to do an official patch announcement of some kind when I knew, and still will, but I'll give a sneak peak based on what I know cause I love your avatar so much. We fixed 2 recruiting exploits Fixed a rare online desynch Added half time highlights Changed custom sounds so you can hear your opponent's while on the road Fixed the exploit that custom sounds will tip you off when your opponent is going to fake punt/kick on 4th down That's all I can remember off the top of my head. There are some others but I don't have the patch list in front of me as I'm posting at home right now. It is still up in the air as to the stuff that we didn't have identified until the game went public. They are all on the gameplay team so I am not involved in their decision whether or not to fix them. The NCAA team's top two issues we want fixed is kick coverage and sliders. It is best to wait on an official announcement, because any of this could change at any minute. I'll let everyone know once everything is locked down and finished, cause I don't want to mislead anyone. ONCE AGAIN, these aren't promises!

That sounds good, i like the idea and possibility of adding some of that stuff. I know people will be happy about the away stadium sounds (sucks we only get 50, im curious to hear how a few people will set up sounds for different teams, or if they will adjust it before every game by adding and deleting some)

I know its not a final list, but im disappointed to not see any defensive issues on that list. Again, I KNOW ITS NOT FINAL AND ITS ONLY A GUESSTIMATE but thought that might/should be priority one.

Thanks for the info Adam.

[hud519]

At risk of showing my ignorance, I have never had to deal with a patch before. When the first patch does come out, is it and update that will automatically download when you run the game, or something you will have to download independently off PS Network or XBox Live?

[callmetaternuts]

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

Hey, I'm in the same boat as you! Work all day, then be a husband after that. But then she starts watching Boy Meets World reruns and I can escape to my video game den. Though, I find myself putting down the sticks and reading OS! I wonder if EA offers hazard pay like those guys on Discovery that drive the trucks over ice! But I'm looking into the bowl patches for 2010... it is very complicated though, and will take a lot of work. I wouldn't be surprised if we decide to cut it and put that work into bigger features. But hey, it hasn't been cut yet! I don't know about the sliders in the 2nd patch... it has been sent on to the gameplay team as our (NCAA game team) top request from them to fix, but I can't make a promise there. I really want it fixed personally, for what it is worth.

Work sucks huh? Dontcha hate workign all day, coming home, and trying to find time to do anything resembling fun? I think i speak for alot of us Adam when i say that while bowl patches and endzone art is sorely missed, we would much rather have that scrapped and focus on tuning the gameply/sim engine to perfection than adding other smaller issues. There are alot of minor things missing (as there are in any game), but when the overall gameplay isnt up to par, some things MUST take a backseat. bowl patches are great, adds to the realism, but ill take realistic punt returns and smarter DB's (not super human, just smarter) any day of the week.

Especially when you say that bowl patches are a HUGE undertaking, might that energy be better focused somewhere else? Not dogging on you, and i know thats just an example, i just hope the bigger picture is kept in mind on all this.

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

Yeah, the initial 5-10 days was what we thought originally. Turns out not to be the case. This is why I am VERY hesitant to give dates. That whole 5-10 days thing was posted all over the intrawebs, so people are expecting it any day now. I guess there is just a lot of video games going through certification right now, so we are now estimating a 15 day lead time on patches. I think this roster bug patch is going to be out in the first week of August, which is a bummer. Sorry guys

No sweat on the patch. I wouldve liked it to be out July 16th, but we get it. Your 5-10 days did get passed around like a cheap hooker, but you didnt lie about it, it got caught in QC, central control and lord help us, MS and Sony. Im just happy you and the team were willing to identify it and get the fix out there ASAP instead of turning your back. An extra day or so wont kill us. As alawys, any updates you can give are appreciated.

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

Your avatar has somehow, after 20 seconds of starring, forced me to reply again. There has got to be some voodoo going on here! Err... Oh yeah... do you think a slider fix will make your pass rush preference's work? Or is that not covered there? I'm not a slider lab guy myself.

I agree with AA. I dont think sliders will help at all. I take that back, they will help a tiny bit, but it is a fundamental gameplay/philosophy thing. This is where a disconnect of any kind between the community and you, the community and the testers/devs and/or you and the rest of the team cant happen. We get that this year's feature is wide open gameplay, but PLEASE keep that in context of the overall game. Like we all have said. I want my stud FSU D-line (who is over rated and i couldnt be happier) to wreak havoc on FCS schools, on the Duke's of the world.

There should be a glaring differnce in my dynasty when i play FCS in week one and UF in week 11 (or is it 12?). I should feel like i own FCS on O and D, get in the backfield, hit the QB, rattle him, make him throw passes in the dirt. Against UF, i should have a tougher time and feel like its more of a stalemate (i refuse to say they are better).

I dont want to take UGA against OU and have a complete sack and hurry fest, but i do want pressure. I want the QB at times to have to run for their life. This MUST be fixed. Any thing else would be gravy, but this must be addressed in the patch. Kickoff stuff is broken, we know that, but honestly (and i hope this comes out right) punts and kickoffs are about every 7th or 8th play. Defense is played on EVERY down, seems to me that defense should be a higher priority in that regards (dont get me wrong, i want kickoff stuff fixed too.....needy creatures arent we)

I cant stand to see my line on their butt every play, and i cant stand to see my DB's get abused and my LB's get burnt, not because they are slower than the WR (i can handle a 95 SPD WR getting by my 85 SPD LB) but because the QB has too much time. Defenses and schemes are created to hold up for 4-5 seconds, not 8-10. When you blitz, the DB's are usually in a position to best defend the play for 3-4 seconds. If the blitz doesnt work, you should get eaten alive, but the blitz shouldnt have a 2% success rate either. I want to see some push in the trenches, even if they dont break through, or rip/swim away, i want my DT to push the C or G into the backfield, collapse the pocket. I want to see the QB flushed out with pressure in his face and make a bad throw.

I hope you can convey our sense of urgency, our anxiousness, and seriousness in getting the defensive play up to speed on this game. This has been and will continue to be the topic of 80% of the threads here. I think that in itself would poin to bigger issues. I get that you or the devs may not call the shots, but lets also look at how big a part of the game defense is. Wide open gameplay can still be had with dominant defenses. You scheme around it. You throw screens against blitzes, you can get around it, but it shouldnt happy on every play when WKU takes on UGA.

Im gonna beat the dead horse again, please get this addressed. If it cant be completely overhauled (it is a patch, not a new game) at least lets tweak it to where its somewhat reasonable. There is a balance between this years offensive orgy and last years defensive battle (INT fest). I just hope that it can be found quickly.

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

But you can't compare shiny helmets to custom configs... those are different disciplines. You have different guys working in those areas; you can't just say "Hey mister graphics, go work on gameplay" cause that will cause MORE bugs as mister graphics, while a capable programmer, has never done gameplay. This isn't flipping burgers as the analogy often is! Oh.. BTW... Go Bucs!

If it helps, i live in Tampa, have season tickets to the Bucs game and would be happy to take you to one should it get all our issues taken care of! I sit right by the pirate ship in the lower level, good times!

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

I'm not going to reply to the rest of this, but as far as the number of patches.... as much as we love to have them, they bleed over into NCAA 2010's budget. But your issue is the same as the others we believe... once the fix is through, these online dynasty issues won't be happening.

Glad to hear online dynasty is a back end thing. Lets get this worked out!

I know you said how disappointed you and the team were that these issues were shipped and such and you're right, we cant roll back time and do anything, but we can apply these lessons and such to the future versions. Maybe less new features and more tweaking? Maybe different times for community days? Im sure all of OS would be willing to help in any way!

Again, thanks for the feedback and info, and if i leave you with one thing (outside of the thanks) its PLEASE keep the foot on the pedal on the defensive issues, dont let those get lost.

[mkharsh33]

Quote: Originally Posted by hud519

At risk of showing my ignorance, I have never had to deal with a patch before. When the first patch does come out, is it and update that will automatically download when you run the game, or something you will have to download independently off PS Network or XBox Live?

not a stupid question at all...

if you have xbox live, as soon as you put your game in it will say there's an update. plus, if you're here on these forums there will be quite a buzz about it. but you'll know...

[stewaat]

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

Your avatar has somehow, after 20 seconds of starring, forced me to reply again. There has got to be some voodoo going on here! Err... Oh yeah... do you think a slider fix will make your pass rush preference's work? Or is that not covered there? I'm not a slider lab guy myself.

Sliders will not fix the pass rush problems. There just isn't any aggressiveness by defenders and the things needing fixes are:
- Pursuit angles
- Elimination of OL cutting DL
- Make the ratings matter
- Give the DL a burst off the line
- Give LBs realistic speeds

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

I don't think gameplay is flawed (*puts on flame retardant suit*). There are areas that need improvement, sure. But SO MUCH goes into game play it will make your head spin. Personally, I have always controlled a defensive lineman, 70% of the time a tackle, and I don't find much difference between 08 and 09. I get to the QB a couple times a game and that is what I would expect. Please keep in mind that gameplay is a totally different team. We split that out into a specialized team a couple years ago. So I'm not an expert on this stuff. I think the problem is that the short passing stuff is always there. That is why they don't go deep, and that is why the QB rarely feels pressure. I mean... if the easy 5-7 yards is there, why not just take it unless it is 3rd down and you need more? But as I said before.. I'm a feature guy, not an X and O guy. Variety is very important to making a game that sells right?

I'm not flaming but to say you don't think gameplay is flawed is going to be viewed as ridiculous...I think that as well.

However if you mean gameplay in the sense that you can play a game, get somewhat realistic stats, and have a fun time doing it...I will agree.

If you mean gameplay as in an accurate simulation of the real life football then you sir, are way off. The speed "cheats" alone make this impossible. Not looking for perfection but just somewhat accurate simulations!

Quote: Originally Posted by simgameonly

Hey Auburn I am preparing myself for some frustration on this one. Its becoming clear that some of the gameplay fixes hoped for in "patch 2" are going to run smack dab into a brick wall of the EA corporate vision of "wide open gameplay" God, I hope I am wrong but the handwriting may be on the wall on this one based on what I am reading.

I agree 100% with you man.

[callmetaternuts]

To echo stewaat's post above (and my novella a few posts about that), the things on defense that need to be fixed are a bit on the high side. Pursuit angles are just garbage. I think this has to do with sideline awareness. The CPU needs to use the sideline as an extra defender, but if you get to the sideline, they all angle for the pylon. In fact, on any return (punt) you can just go back and forth left and right, keep cutting back towards middle of field for a few yards and the go back to the sideline and you will get them so far offline that they angle for the pylon, givnig you a clean runway to score.

The slowness of the DL off the line is bad too. I try to jump the snap, since thats the only chance i have (and its a bad chance at that) and EVERY TIME i time it right, my DL does a little shimmy that slows him down, thats ridiculous. They need to be plowing towards the QB.

The defenders need to be aware of someone in their zone, or if the ball is in the air, maybe, go make a play on it.....i dont think thats asking too much. Too many LB's or DB's watch someone come in their zone and they just wave as they pass them, or will see a curl route being thrown and they stand there until its caught. GO HIT THE BALL CARRIER, dont just stand there.

Like stewaat said, this isnt intended to flame you or bash you, i reallyd o appreciate your insight and efforts to reach out to us, but with that comes the fact that you will hear our unedited thoughts on the game.

Lets get the defense fixed, and fixed quickly and correctly. It has to be done.

On a somewhat unrelated note, ive said since Day 1, that wide open gameplay was achieved, and had to be achieved at any cost. The game caters to the mass markets that watch Sportscenter and see Reggie Bush and Devin Hester running around. You dont see highlights of QB hurries, or passes batted down, you see 80 yard runs with 6 broken tackles, 2 spins and a partridge in a pear tree. They accomplished what they wanted (not Adam, the corporate suits) and it didnt matter at what costs. The goal going in was wide open gameplay, we have wide open gameplay, its just a shame at what cost.

I hope it can be remedied to appease us and the casual gamers. (Maybe two modes in the future??) Im really really really hoping that this can be fixed. Dont let us down Adam (if it were only up to just you, i get that you have a boss, we all do.........meh)

Keep us in the loop and we appreciate the feedback, insight and updates (and we know they arent promises, just intentions)

[Vince]

i'm sorry, but already in some of my games i'm getting pressure even with the "glitch".

i really think fixing the sliders will solves most of the problems...especially QB accuracy.

[RealCanesFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by OMT

I don't think gameplay is flawed (*puts on flame retardant suit*). There are areas that need improvement, sure. But SO MUCH goes into game play it will make your head spin. Personally, I have always controlled a defensive lineman, 70% of the time a tackle, and I don't find much difference between 08 and 09. I get to the QB a couple times a game and that is what I would expect. Please keep in mind that gameplay is a totally different team. We split that out into a specialized team a couple years ago. So I'm not an expert on this stuff. I think the problem is that the short passing stuff is always there. That is why they don't go deep, and that is why the QB rarely feels pressure. I mean... if the easy 5-7 yards is there, why not just take it unless it is 3rd down and you need more? But as I said before.. I'm a feature guy, not an X and O guy. Variety is very important to making a game that sells right?

OMT thanks for everything you have been doing to keep us informed. Other than the patch for the rosters and the fact that you guys left out our all white storm trooper jersey's, I think the game is awesome. It is exactly what was advertised wide open game play. I am not having a problem 1 getting to the QB.
I know a bunch on here will trash me and say I am smoking crack, but I say leave the gameplay the way it is!!!!
I think the ones complaining of a lack of pass rush are the cheezers that like to blitz on every down. This year you actually have to have a little skillz to play Defense and some people cant stand it.

I am loving NCAA 09...best game you guys have made yet!!!!!