NCAA 07 XBox 360 Thread

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:55 pm

I thought swat was LT or maybe I am thinking of a prior version?

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:07 pm

pigpen81 wrote:Guys, my biggest gripe with the game right now is on D. How in the heck to I swat the ball down on a pass play? I have tried Y and itis a delayed catch animation. I have tried A and it is a delyaed stick the arm up. But my AI teammates jump and swat passes down with ease...how can I replicate that? I akm using a MLB....do I need a safety or CB to use the swat button with mroe effect?

My experience has been that the A-button and Y-button work wonders, esepecially the A-button to defend the passes, which is almost overpowered IMO since the defenders can leap so well. That said, I have seen some nicely thrown balls get through a well-positioned DB with a well-timed A-button. Also receivers can do a lot with the body to get to the ball, and their Y-button can be pretty powerful as well. Plus, usually the receivers are bigger and better-rated than the DBs. The Y-button constantly gets me in trouble when defending, going for the pick when I should be smart and go for the more-sure knock down, especially since now the A-button will often knock the ball out of the hands of the receiver.

To defend the pass with the Y or especially the A, you do have to hit the button early in most cases, but I don't find it to be a caase of a 'delayed' button. It's just that the act involves so much more than the insta-turnaround and stick the arm up type of deal. If you hit the button very early and hold it down, you will see your player get his footwork in order, turn his head and/or torso, and get ready to leap. Then he will time the swat according to the position of the ball. It's not a button where you just tap it and try to time it right yourself, it's a button where you hold it down and the earlier you start the better the chance of success, while the actual swat move will be timed automatically.

Think a spin shot in Table Tennis rather than a quick, reaction punch in a fighting game. Usually I won't use any L-stick at all when defending a pass, just letting the DB auto-run after I've tapped the 'become the guy' B-button, and then start that A-button at the right time and hold it down, sometimes with a little turbo at the end. Turbo on it's own with no L-stick will cancel the auto-run, where as the A-button or Y-button doesn't really seem to if not pressed way too early. I don't find it much different, really, than the last several years of EA football games.

Phototropic · Post by **Phototropic** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:03 am

This game is really playing great for me on default Heisman although I am definitely not good enough to handle it yet. One thing I have noticed that bothers me is the CPU doesn't seem to kneel when they have the game in hand. Has anyone seen them kneel or have any ideas on a way to fix this if possible?

ubrakto · Post by **ubrakto** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:22 am

In my handful of games, which includes two losses, I've never seen the AI take a knee. Hell, I got obliterated by Purdue last night and they were still throwing the darn football around like it was going out of style. Apparently the default AI coach configuration is set to Steve Spurrier.
---Todd

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:37 am

I'm through my first season as Michigan in my Dynasty, 7-5 finish, including a 47-10 drubbing at the hands of Ohio State, and in those 5 losses i've had one kneel down total.

Phototropic · Post by **Phototropic** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:38 am

I'll have to take a look at the team/coach sliders if they are still there this year. Maybe changing some kind of aggression slider will help.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:40 am

ubrakto wrote:In my handful of games, which includes two losses, I've never seen the AI take a knee. Hell, I got obliterated by Purdue last night and they were still throwing the darn football around like it was going out of style. Apparently the default AI coach configuration is set to Steve Spurrier.
---Todd

Yeah, the late game AI is a little wonky. I played an Iowa-Iowa State game last night (I was Iowa). Late in the second quarter, Iowa State was driving but didn't run the hurry up except for one play, which was odd.

Then, when I was up 14-0 when Iowa State put a nice drive together and scored a TD with a minute left. I recovered the onside kick, didn't get a first down, and Iowa State got the ball back with about 35 seconds left. I went into prevent and they got to around their 40 with 20 seconds. I kept dropping my DBs back, and they proceeded to throw underneath instead of trying to hit it deep. Granted, I think they were reacting to my audibles, but late in the game without TOs, you have to at least try and get it 20 yards down the field.

The crowd noise is also not as intelligent as I'd hoped. I made a huge third down stop with a tackle in the backfield, and the crowd surged just slightly when you'd normally here an enormous roar.

I also am not seeing a lot of penalities, even after cranking sliders to 75. I'm going to max them and see what happens.

My still-early assessment is that the Xs and Os are mostly there, and I think the gameplay is solid enough to give this long-term entertainment value.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:48 am

ubrakto wrote:In my handful of games, which includes two losses, I've never seen the AI take a knee. Hell, I got obliterated by Purdue last night and they were still throwing the darn football around like it was going out of style. Apparently the default AI coach configuration is set to Steve Spurrier.
---Todd

Todd,

I was just reading your blog post about the quirk where a pitch just bounced of the FB's back. Had the same thing happen to me in an online game yesterday. It was just a straight pitch, not manually done in an option or anything. Ball is snapped, QB pitches and it bounces off the back like a brick wall for a turnover. I am going to try and recreate it and see what happens.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:39 am

I think the AI just can't count. If you have no timeouts, the AI will take a knee. But if you have timeouts, the AI seems to figure "well, hell, they will just use a timeout so why not run a play?" For some reason, the AI just doesn't reason that after you run out of timeouts, they can kneel again and the game will end.

I still keep going back and forth between Heisman and All American. I guess i will need to work on the sliders some more.

Phototropic · Post by **Phototropic** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:45 am

Well that is better than nothing I guess. If it's a clear kneeldown situation with no hope I can at least burn my TOs and keep them from putting up 6 on me.

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:41 pm

Just so you guys are aware, Todd is doing a helluva job posting a detailed 5 year NCAA 360 season analysis over on the blog. It's a very good record of how the game ranks teams, dishes out awards, signs players, and assigns bowls. Really interesting stuff for those that are into this sorta thing.

Phototropic · Post by **Phototropic** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:01 pm

Thanks for the heads up Bill. I practically have your site as my home page during NCAA week.

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:22 pm

Bill_Abner wrote:Just so you guys are aware, Todd is doing a helluva job posting a detailed 5 year NCAA 360 season analysis over on the blog. It's a very good record of how the game ranks teams, dishes out awards, signs players, and assigns bowls. Really interesting stuff for those that are into this sorta thing.

agreed.

yr "blog" is awesome...keep it up!

we need more posts about yr ankles though...

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:23 pm

In case you guys are wondering...FairdaleKings released his rosters finally. I personally didn't have a problem with DT's, but here they are in case you're curious. (linked to OS so they get the credit of course).

http://forums.operationsports.com/vBull ... p?t=176292

ubrakto · Post by **ubrakto** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:26 pm

I'll tell ya, Rob. The thing that bugged me about the play wasn't the bad pitch. I could see that happening, as long as it's extremely rare. What really honked me off was the ball dropped right at the QB's feet and he just stood there while the D charged in for the recovery and TD return. Bizarre.

There seems to be situations where player awareness goes straight out the window. Another occurence I saw last night was when the receiver was sitting wide open looking to receive a pass and just let the ball conk of his helmet. It would've been funny if I weren't getting slaughtered.

You just don't know shame until digital Kirk Herbstreet is actually laughing at you.

---Todd

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:43 pm

Phototropic wrote:Thanks for the heads up Bill. I practically have your site as my home page during NCAA week.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:40 pm

Bill and Todd,
I liked your impressions but one observation. Last year we were complaining about the game engine, busted stats among other problems with the game. If this year's complaints are too many undefeated teams and not enough 3-4 loss teams, that's pretty good.

The 360 gameplay isn't perfect but right now its the best football game made period. It's better than NFL 2k. Yes a game has been released that better than NFL 2k. I have played both versions and the 360 has the basics of football down pretty darn good. Either EA Sports will turn this into MVP baseball and just make a killer game or they will "f" it up next year with some half-done "rape the stripper" mode aka Campus Legend. And I have to say the campus legend mode is pretty good for the xbox. I wish they would let us use this mode as a scouting tool instead of just a player creation mode.

Overall for the first time in a long time a football game is fun. I couldn't say that about Madden, NCAA for a long time. Personally I couldn't say that about NFL 2k but that's just me.

If you like college football games and don't have a 360, I think this is a system seller.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 5:43 pm

JRod wrote:The 360 gameplay isn't perfect but right now its the best football game made period.

I'm pretty close to drawing the same conclusion. There have been some really fun football games, but none have been the total package IMO. NCAA 07 gives me:

- blocked kicks!
- punt and kickoff return blocking
- competent CPU AI that calls plays logically based on the style of the team.
- all types of plays *can* work. Draws, screens of different types, play-action, etc.
- ratings *really* matter.
- no "speed cheats" or superhuman DBs.
- the right amount of drops, great catches, etc. (again, ratings matter)
- the interaction between blockers and defensive players is amazing, despite a small bit of suction blocking that still remains
- Love the "jump snap"
- I think the passing game is just about perfect. Passing speed seems right, the risk/reward seems right for short/long passing, you *can* make plays on the run but you need to set your feet and you risk throwing a bad pass.
- fantastic looking stadiums

The thing I like best though is the feeling that "anything can happen." I had the CPU burn me on a fake punt today, but the really cool thing is that it was the first fake FG/punt I had seen so it's not like they are overdoing it.

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 6:18 pm

JRod wrote:Bill and Todd,
I liked your impressions but one observation. Last year we were complaining about the game engine, busted stats among other problems with the game. If this year's complaints are too many undefeated teams and not enough 3-4 loss teams, that's pretty good.

Yes it's very good. The problem (and all games have them) is that the game needs its screws tightened in certain areas. I think this is the game NCAA 05 and 06 should have been and that the game engine on the Xbox has officially run its course. All EA can do now is to add new features (and those are always hit and miss) and strengthen things like stats, polling AI, player progression, and so on.

On the Xbox this feels like a healthy NCAA 06 patch to me. For now, that's a very good thing. I just hope EA Sports doesn't sit on its collective hands now that the gameplay is back on track.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:08 pm

I find it way too easy to roll out with the QB on the 360. If you roll out, you usually escape the rush, and then you can either throw the ball or have a lot of green in front of you to run with your QB for a good 10 yards. Sliders?

I can avoid doing this, sure, but it bothers me that it is in the game. I guess I can use the vision cone on every play, or not use the sprint button with the QB to slow things down to avoid this, but it is in the game.

The AI improvements need to be containment for the DEs. I thought at first it was to improve the defensive back AI, but a slow QB should not be able to take a snap under center and roll to the left or right and have 2-3 seconds of freedom to run or to set and throw. Not consistently anyway.

I personally think that Madden may turn out to be the better and more polished game this year and unlike years past, I may actually switch over to it and sell NCAA in August. I am not feeling like this is going to be a great long term game for me. Maybe that is just me, or maybe it is burnout from years of playing NCAA football.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:18 pm

Leebo, great post. I feel that same way. Much like the WE-factor, in that anything can happen. This is the first football game where I feel that.

SoMisss2000 · Post by **SoMisss2000** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 1:41 am

One thing that I do find troubling about the game is the fact that if the Tight Ends don't get off the line without getting touched, they get stuck on the defensive end in the "Mario Running" animation. EA needs to implement some "slip" moves that TE's use to get off the line. My tight end is the only impact player I have on offense and it pisses me off when he doesn't even get off the line and into his route because of the mario running.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:26 am

SoMiss:
I would go farther and say it's not just TE that get stuck. I've seen a more than a few WRs get stuck in their routes.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:19 am

There are definitely some things that need cleaned up and hopefully will be fixed in Madden.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 12:57 pm

JRod wrote:Bill and Todd,
I liked your impressions but one observation. Last year we were complaining about the game engine, busted stats among other problems with the game. If this year's complaints are too many undefeated teams and not enough 3-4 loss teams, that's pretty good.

The 360 gameplay isn't perfect but right now its the best football game made period. It's better than NFL 2k. Yes a game has been released that better than NFL 2k. I have played both versions and the 360 has the basics of football down pretty darn good. Either EA Sports will turn this into MVP baseball and just make a killer game or they will "f" it up next year with some half-done "rape the stripper" mode aka Campus Legend. And I have to say the campus legend mode is pretty good for the xbox. I wish they would let us use this mode as a scouting tool instead of just a player creation mode.

Overall for the first time in a long time a football game is fun. I couldn't say that about Madden, NCAA for a long time. Personally I couldn't say that about NFL 2k but that's just me.

If you like college football games and don't have a 360, I think this is a system seller.

Not sure if it's the best football game yet, but I agree with your comments.. it sure is one fun game to play and is the reason I finally caved in and bought a 360.