NCAA Football 13

[Teal]

Okay, so I caved... Played the demo quite a bit this morning, and indeed, the passing game feels so much more natural and real. LOVE that the icons grey out when the receiver isn't looking for the ball. The new tackles are good, and there's just some good stuff going on there.

So yeah, I'm a creampuff. Damn forum effect...

[Rodster]

Teal, downloading rosters is real easy. Go to team management and select roster share. Enter the gamertag of the persons rosters you want. If he uploaded them it will ask you if you want to download them. Then you have to save them.

[Teal]

Yeah, I'm stupid. Done.

[Aristo]

Loving the game. Here are some sliders that I think have turned a fun game into something really special. I dont really change much, as this is one of the better balanced sports games I have seen out of the box.

That said, DB's need a lot of help. But increasing pass coverage so much leads to a lot of INTs, so that got dropped. I may go a bit lower on QB accuracy, but it is not bad now.


Gameplay
Skill: All-American
Injuries: On
Fatigue: On
Quarter Length: 8 minutes
Play Clock: On
Game Speed: Very Slow
Player Min Speed Threshold: 30
HFA: On
Ice the Kicker: Off

Penalties
Offsides: 100
False Start: 100
Holding: 54
Facemask: 55
Off Pass Interference: 100
Def Pass Interference: 100
KR/PR Interference: 65
Clipping: 65
Intentional Grounding: 100
Roughing the Passer: 55
Roughing the Kicker: 55

Skill USER/CPU
QB Accuracy: 35/35
Pass Blocking: 70/70
WR Catching: 45/45
RB Ability: 50/50
Run Blocking: 60/60
Pass Coverage: 90/90
Pass Rush: 40/40
Interceptions: 40/40
Rush Defense: 60/50
Tackling: 50/50
FG Power: 50/50
FG Accuracy: 45/45
Punt Power: 50/50
Punt Accuracy: 50/50
Kickoff Power: 50/50

[pk500]

Thanks for posting these. I agree: This game is very, very nice out of the box. Just needs a few tweaks. So I'm glad to use these as a baseline, especially with penalties.

Others, please feel free to post slider sets you dig. Dan, I know you said you had a set that was working well for you.

[XXXIV]

Paul you will make a great addition to our Madden league.

[pk500]

Paul you will make a great addition to our Madden league.

Seriously? I'm the worst person. Don't like getting pinned down to a league because of my fluid schedule. Poker Nights are fun, but leagues are a bad fit for me.

[XXXIV]

Paul you will make a great addition to our Madden league.

Seriously? I'm the worst person. Don't like getting pinned down to a league because of my fluid schedule. Poker Nights are fun, but leagues are a bad fit for me.

I didnt think of it that way. I just thought you like the foosball and of how much fun it would be to get you head to head over Live.

[pk500]

Paul you will make a great addition to our Madden league.

Seriously? I'm the worst person. Don't like getting pinned down to a league because of my fluid schedule. Poker Nights are fun, but leagues are a bad fit for me.

I didnt think of it that way. I just thought you like the foosball and of how much fun it would be to get you head to head over Live.

Sorry. Never have been much of a stick-and-ball team sports guy on Live. Much prefer racing games and shooters.

[Sudz]

Loving the game. Here are some sliders that I think have turned a fun game into something really special. I dont really change much, as this is one of the better balanced sports games I have seen out of the box.

That said, DB's need a lot of help. But increasing pass coverage so much leads to a lot of INTs, so that got dropped. I may go a bit lower on QB accuracy, but it is not bad now.


Gameplay
Skill: All-American
Injuries: On
Fatigue: On
Quarter Length: 8 minutes
Play Clock: On
Game Speed: Very Slow
Player Min Speed Threshold: 30
HFA: On
Ice the Kicker: Off

Penalties
Offsides: 100
False Start: 100
Holding: 54
Facemask: 55
Off Pass Interference: 100
Def Pass Interference: 100
KR/PR Interference: 65
Clipping: 65
Intentional Grounding: 100
Roughing the Passer: 55
Roughing the Kicker: 55

Skill USER/CPU
QB Accuracy: 35/35
Pass Blocking: 70/70
WR Catching: 45/45
RB Ability: 50/50
Run Blocking: 60/60
Pass Coverage: 90/90
Pass Rush: 40/40
Interceptions: 40/40
Rush Defense: 60/50
Tackling: 50/50
FG Power: 50/50
FG Accuracy: 45/45
Punt Power: 50/50
Punt Accuracy: 50/50
Kickoff Power: 50/50

Are penalties CPU and Human? Seems like the CPU plays like Gallant and I play like Goofus.

[XXXIV]

Sorry. Never have been much of a stick-and-ball team sports guy on Live. Much prefer racing games and shooters.

All good. Though I think you may underestimate yourself.

[Aristo]

Are penalties CPU and Human? Seems like the CPU plays like Gallant and I play like Goofus.

I'm pretty sure penaltis are affected by awareness. Visiting teams are also more prone.

Was playing a good game with SMU vs. TCU this afternoon. I got down 14-0 in the 1st quarter, and I was having a rough time running the ball. TCU's DL was just having its way with my OL. I finally set my offensive strategy to "Hold Blocks Longer" in order to give my run game a spurt. Although I was at home, it still led to a spate of penalties. But it did seem to ease up, and I eventually got back in the game, trailing 14-10 at half.

Early in the second half I threw a pick six and pretty much assumed I was done. But I managed one long bomb in the 4th quarter, and held TCU in check the rest of the way. On what was going to be my last drive, I managed to move the ball, finally hitting my TE for the game winning TD with about a minute left.

That play was great because he was not even close to being an option. But with everyone covered, I started to panic, looking for somewhere to throw, when the TE came free across the endzone. Holding those blocks was worth the extra penalties I took in the end.

What I like is, that if I did the same thing at TCU, the penalties probably would have killed off my team. The offensive and defensive strategies work, but they all come with a trade-off.

The other thing I am enjoying way more than I thought I would is the recruiting in dynasty. I love that you are given 20 hours to scout 35 guys, with a max of one hour per player. It forces me to prioritize guys by interest vs caliber. I also make sure I am hitting weak pipeline states, like CA for SMU, so thatI can hold it, as well as making a run at some lesser FL recruits to see if I can add it.

Then, once the season starts, you are allocating 3 hours of scouting time. All the while, players' projected ratings are moving based on yur scouting. This forces you to alter your draft order, based on all of the above, in addition to team needs. I'm surprised at how not tedious it actually feels.

The only regret is the loss of the roulette wheel everyone hated so much. Right now, once I have established a player's interests in my strengths, I know that each week I can lock in X amount of points. I can bolster that with 3 promises, a visit, and scholarship offer. I actually preferred having to sweat out a call where the recruit kept forcing me to talk about my team's weaknesses, resulting in a bad call, while another kid I might be struggling with goes perfect. It better represented the fickle nature of teenagers. It also felt more like poker, where you spent time learning how to limit your losses and bolster your winnings.

But the kids whined every year that it was so unfair that a recruit might ask about their piss poor facilities or lack of TV coverage. Now, I can 100% ignore every D rated category my team has. I wish the devs had not caved to the vocal kids at OS on that. But they still improved recruiting overall.

[bulls23]

Halfway through my first dynasty year with Indiana. I took out the fake FCS team to begin the year and put in W. Michigan. Promptly lost to them, but have won 4 of 5 since (including my last vs Ohio St at home 3-0). Record stands at 4-2. Only other loss was to #18 Michigan State where I got behind right out of the gate and was heavily overmatched. Haven't had to change AI Sliders much, Raised the offense sliders one notch for me and CPU, lowered kickoffs and interceptions by 2 notches. Heavily changed Penalty sliders and playing 5 min quarters. Bumping up to 6min for my next game at Navy.

I also have an open Dynasty with UAB where I'm offensive coordinator, moving my way up the coaching ladder. Still have yet to touch Road to Glory, but the demo with the Reaction time feature was intriguing.

[MizzouRah]

We are 5-0 after another close win vs UCF. I was up 31-17 and out of nowhere UCF ties the game with about 4:30 left in the game. We go up 38-31, knock out the starting QB and they get within 8 yards from tying it back up and we get the INT to seal the W. HB Josey had 269 yards though, probably my best running game ever in NCAA.

We are #19 with Vandy coming into town.

[Inuyasha]

hey guys, not feeling 13, so thinking about rebuying an older version. What do you guys recommend, 11 or 12? 11 is 5 bucks on amazon and 12 is 10 bucks at BB if you can find it.

I remember 11 being really good, but 2 years later I dont know how it will hold up. I had 12 last year and found it somewhat lackluster for some reason. But I wouldn't mind rebuying it for 10 bucks. Any thoughts?

[Aristo]

I'd go with 11, depending on what you are going to do with it. If you want to run a dynasty, then you need to get 12. 11 did not produce enough recruits, and by season 3, most teams you play are missing multiple XP's a game and can't hit FG for crap because almost everyone has a generic walk-on kicker.

But mostly, I suspect you just need a break from the series. The gameplay is mostly the same in all three editions. It seems like you are mostly just burned out.

[Danimal]

Honestly not sure how you could go back to either after playing 13.

Is it perfect? Of course not.

But the lack of super LB interceptions, the passing additions and the fact that defenders need to see the ball to make a play make it a better experience.

Having said that if you want to go backwards then 12 is the better choice over 11 but let me know the first time a LB jumps 6 feet to make a one handed interception if you're enjoying the game.

[toonarmy]

hey guys, not feeling 13, so thinking about rebuying an older version. What do you guys recommend, 11 or 12? 11 is 5 bucks on amazon and 12 is 10 bucks at BB if you can find it.

I remember 11 being really good, but 2 years later I dont know how it will hold up. I had 12 last year and found it somewhat lackluster for some reason. But I wouldn't mind rebuying it for 10 bucks. Any thoughts?

I really was enjoying NCAA 13, but after playing a lot I started realizing how crap the AI is overall. I just could not get a decent balance of challenge versus realism with the defensive and offensive AI. I popped NCAA 11 in and I think that it is a stronger game if you are mainly interested in gameplay. First off, the graphics are actually better in 11 than in 13, and the menus do not have the horrid lag of 13. Second, and most importantly, I can get a believable challenge from the CPU without endless slider adjustments. Having played 11, 12, and 13 a ton I think that 11 is the superior of the three games when it comes to gameplay. 13's Heisman Mode is great fun and the passing is really cool, but at the end of the day the game becomes boring because of the faulty AI. I'm not sorry that I purchased 13 since I got some good entertainment out of it, however I was ultimately left wanting something more. That is the reason I am now playing NCAA 11. The warts in 11 do not bother me as much as the warts in 13.

[Rodster]

Now that EA agreed to anti-trust ruling, will there be an NCAA 14? And yeah I agree that this series has been stagnant overall. Based on the recent BB clearance deals I should have waited and purchased Madden and NCAA 12 for $9.99 for each.

[MizzouRah]

NCAA 11 might be the best in the series. I am enjoying 13 though, if not for the improved passing alone.

[toonarmy]

http://www.destructoid.com/ea-gives-up- ... 2063.phtml

Some details on EA giving up exclusivity. Hope I can find my receipts so I can cash in on the class-action money, lol.

I think there will be a NCAA 14. EA giving up exclusivity is more a reaction to the antitrust lawsuit than them wanting to quit making NCAA games. I doubt another company will put out a credible NCAA game next year in any case. Since EA is only giving up the exclusivity for five years I have to wonder if another company wants to go through a two-year development cycle with no assurance that they would be able to keep the franchise going for a few years past the time they get their game to market. It would be cool to see Sega put out a great NCAA game, but I won't be holding my breath.

[Aristo]

hey guys, not feeling 13, so thinking about rebuying an older version. What do you guys recommend, 11 or 12? 11 is 5 bucks on amazon and 12 is 10 bucks at BB if you can find it.

I remember 11 being really good, but 2 years later I dont know how it will hold up. I had 12 last year and found it somewhat lackluster for some reason. But I wouldn't mind rebuying it for 10 bucks. Any thoughts?

I really was enjoying NCAA 13, but after playing a lot I started realizing how crap the AI is overall. I just could not get a decent balance of challenge versus realism with the defensive and offensive AI. I popped NCAA 11 in and I think that it is a stronger game if you are mainly interested in gameplay. First off, the graphics are actually better in 11 than in 13, and the menus do not have the horrid lag of 13. Second, and most importantly, I can get a believable challenge from the CPU without endless slider adjustments. Having played 11, 12, and 13 a ton I think that 11 is the superior of the three games when it comes to gameplay. 13's Heisman Mode is great fun and the passing is really cool, but at the end of the day the game becomes boring because of the faulty AI. I'm not sorry that I purchased 13 since I got some good entertainment out of it, however I was ultimately left wanting something more. That is the reason I am now playing NCAA 11. The warts in 11 do not bother me as much as the warts in 13.

The AI in NCAA 11 was just as brain dead. I'm sorry, but you can pass for 6000 yards a season on AA. Of course, you will also rack up some INTs as psychic DB's intercept passes they have no business getting near. You can crush the CPU option at will.

I've been in a dynasty with the same group of guys since NCAA 11, and we have to do major slider adjustments to make the game even remotely competitive. We had everyone in the top 10, and everyone had a player up for the Heisman.

We've done far less slider adjustments in NCAA 13 to get to the same stage.

[toonarmy]

hey guys, not feeling 13, so thinking about rebuying an older version. What do you guys recommend, 11 or 12? 11 is 5 bucks on amazon and 12 is 10 bucks at BB if you can find it.

I remember 11 being really good, but 2 years later I dont know how it will hold up. I had 12 last year and found it somewhat lackluster for some reason. But I wouldn't mind rebuying it for 10 bucks. Any thoughts?

I really was enjoying NCAA 13, but after playing a lot I started realizing how crap the AI is overall. I just could not get a decent balance of challenge versus realism with the defensive and offensive AI. I popped NCAA 11 in and I think that it is a stronger game if you are mainly interested in gameplay. First off, the graphics are actually better in 11 than in 13, and the menus do not have the horrid lag of 13. Second, and most importantly, I can get a believable challenge from the CPU without endless slider adjustments. Having played 11, 12, and 13 a ton I think that 11 is the superior of the three games when it comes to gameplay. 13's Heisman Mode is great fun and the passing is really cool, but at the end of the day the game becomes boring because of the faulty AI. I'm not sorry that I purchased 13 since I got some good entertainment out of it, however I was ultimately left wanting something more. That is the reason I am now playing NCAA 11. The warts in 11 do not bother me as much as the warts in 13.

The AI in NCAA 11 was just as brain dead. I'm sorry, but you can pass for 6000 yards a season on AA. Of course, you will also rack up some INTs as psychic DB's intercept passes they have no business getting near. You can crush the CPU option at will.

I've been in a dynasty with the same group of guys since NCAA 11, and we have to do major slider adjustments to make the game even remotely competitive. We had everyone in the top 10, and everyone had a player up for the Heisman.

We've done far less slider adjustments in NCAA 13 to get to the same stage.

You must not throw deep in NCAA 13 very much. The AI is completely broken. Likewise with some crossing patterns. I agree that 11 does have some AI issues but nothing like I see in 13. Also, I play with a crappy team with crappy player ratings. NCAA 13 makes them look all-world, whereas 11 sure doesn't.

[HipE]

I don't ever remember seeing anything like the cpu's inability to cover the deep pass in NCAA 13. In my limited time with the game on AA default, i could throw a bomb for a td probably 80% of the time with the 4 verticals play. The hail mary was money too. Pretty much any pass play where one of the inside receivers runs a streak pattern will result in a long td pass. Here are a couple of plays I uploaded to show what I'm talking about:

http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/127750276

http://www.easports.com/media/play/video/127749802

On the one play three of my receivers have the deepest guy in the secondary beat by nearly five yards, they are running in a little cluster and the pass triggered a catch animation for all of them at the same time. This isn't limited to AA either, I was completing these same passes on Heisman default. The only difference is that I had less time to wait for players to get open, resulting in me taking a sack at times. I didn't intentionally try to abuse this either, I only chose from the three coach suggested plays each time but at the end of the half these plays always come up.

[Aristo]

I'll have to see if i can dig up some stats from our old 11 dynasty, where guys were throwing bombs left and right. It was pretty stupid. Dial up one of the verticals and run up the score.

I have pass coverage set to 85, but may go to 90. But this has dramatically helped stop the ease of throwing long. It's the biggest issue in this year's game, to be sure. But I don't cheese in my solo game and then cry about it on the internet. With pass coverage. Set this high, I just don't see my wr's getting loose so often. If I see him beat his man, and a pump fake to the other side moves the safety, I still go for it. But at 85, the safety will get over to the guy.