NCAA 08 impressions

hellbent · Post by **hellbent** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:14 pm

Inuyasha wrote:Anyone pickup the PS2 Version? Any impressions or big changes to the gameplay compared to last year?

I rented the XBOX version this year while debating whether or not to jump back into the next-gen waters. While last year's last-gen version was fantastic, this year's is lacking the organic, anything-can-happen feel of NCAA 07.

There are some things that EA improved upon, such as de-emphasizing the long ball by making pockets more prone to collapse and having the occasional missed block, increasing DB AI, increasing holding penalties, severely limiting the effectiveness of play action passes and weakening impact WRs somewhat. This is probably my favorite difference between 07 and 08.

However, there are a slew of new issues in this year's version. The biggest issue is safety play. Quite often, they will take bad pursuit angles on RBs running to the outside, and give up huge running plays, both for you and the CPU. Sliders help somewhat, but don't completely fix the problem. Safeties are also ineffective in pass defense unless being used to blitz the QB. All too often, even on Heisman, the safeties will come up into the box pre-snap, pulling support for the CBs, who are left on an island. Quick slants and curls are virtually money plays this year as a result.

Another big problem is that, as has been alleged in the 360 version, the CPU QB will complete a ton of passes under the coverage but rarely attempts to stretch the field. They are also turnover prone, often throwing at least 2 picks a game. So, if you just play deep zones most of the game, eventually the CPU's drives will peter out. Even if they are completing quite a few passes underneath the deep coverage, they are crippled by their tendency to not try to go for the home run ball on occasion.

So, right now I'm flipping back and forth between 07 and 08, while still heavily contemplating the 360 version, especially if someone finds some sliders/game settings to decrease the # of interceptions in that version.

pigpen81 · Post by **pigpen81** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:16 pm

Thanks Hellbent for the 08 XBOX 1 impressions....I am playing 07 on the box and love it but was contemplating updating...you have saved me the trouble.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:30 pm

Danimal wrote:I have been unable to upload a video or photo since I've had the game. Everytime I try it say Upload in progress and it never leaves that screen. Last night I let if go for 45 minutes.

I have not heard of anyone else having this problem. Has anyone else heard anything?

Thanks

I have a problem of when I go to select a play to view the replay of, it's a totally different play than what is listed and also the other night after saving a couple of plays it said there was an error saving my videos and nothing was saved so that feature is not working too well for me either.

I'm enjoying this years game very much, I'm 4-4 in my dynasty with Pitt and have only had seen one fumble in the last 4 games and that was on a bad pitch on an option play, just had a really good game tonight in a 13-7 loss to #5 Louisville.

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:22 pm

Vader, you have a corrupted video file somewhere. I had to delete 2 that I uploaded from my Campus Legend. When looking through the videos you have (in the game) if you have one corrupted it will say it is and you just have to delete it.

No problems since I deleted them.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:53 pm

I just finished game 7 of my Miami (Ohio) dynasty. I am now 4-3 with tonights 49-7 win over Bowling Green. Im play 7 min qtrs on AA.

After only intercepting 4 balls in the first 6 games I was able to pick Bowling Greens qb 8 times. Yes...8 times....

Im really believing high INTs are coming up based on player ratings.

My fumble problems have decreased significantly as the season has gone on sivce I started holding down the right bumper in traffic.

So far I really am enjoying playing this dynasty with a crap team.

I think Im going to start one with Michigan and use Miami Ohios playbook.

icvu42 · Post by **icvu42** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:31 am

XXXIV wrote:I just finished game 7 of my Miami (Ohio) dynasty. I am now 4-3 with tonights 49-7 win over Bowling Green. Im play 7 min qtrs on AA.

After only intercepting 4 balls in the first 6 games I was able to pick Bowling Greens qb 8 times. Yes...8 times.... Im really believing high INTs are coming up based on player ratings.

My fumble problems have decreased significantly as the season has gone on sivce I started holding down the right bumper in traffic.

So far I really am enjoying playing this dynasty with a crap team.

I think Im going to start one with Michigan and use Miami Ohios playbook.

Just curious as to what slider adjustments you may have made. I just tried Jistics from over at OS and they are pretty good. My problem (as is always on football games) is that I completely suck on defense. I apparently always call the wrong sets, cause the CPU regularly has guys wide open. I haven't seen any INT problems except for my own stupid decision making.

Having said that, I really really am liking this game. I started a season with VA. After getting destroyed by Wyoming (partly because Im still getting to the 360 controller) I beat Duke in 3OTs.

Rick

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 3:22 pm

icvu42 wrote:Just curious as to what slider adjustments you may have made. I just tried Jistics from over at OS and they are pretty good.

None yet...I dont want to make any snap judgements ...I want to play a few more games and get a better feel for what I like and dont like...

Its too easy to say there is too much of this or that after just a few games.
I thought the game had far too many fumbles at first but after adjusting to the right bumper to protect the ball and not doing special moves in heavy traffic I dont fumble much at all.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 4:10 pm

I'm having the CPU do the phone calls and what not, it got boring really fast.

Gameplay has been fine so far imo... although it takes me awhile to get used to it after playing APF.

Passing and even running are so different in both games.

Both games are fun to play, although EA has never had the immersion 2k sports brings to their games. (NHL 07 aside)

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 4:59 pm

MizzouRah wrote:I'm having the CPU do the phone calls and what not, it got boring really fast.

Gameplay has been fine so far imo... although it takes me awhile to get used to it after playing APF. Passing and even running are so different in both games.

Both games are fun to play, although EA has never had the immersion 2k sports brings to their games. (NHL 07 aside)

I'm in full blown obsessive testing mode with this game right now.

How do you let the CPU handle the calls? I agree -- this is major busy work, even for a recruitnik like myself.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:11 pm

Bill_Abner wrote:
MizzouRah wrote:I'm having the CPU do the phone calls and what not, it got boring really fast.

Gameplay has been fine so far imo... although it takes me awhile to get used to it after playing APF. Passing and even running are so different in both games.

Both games are fun to play, although EA has never had the immersion 2k sports brings to their games. (NHL 07 aside)
I'm in full blown obsessive testing mode with this game right now.

How do you let the CPU handle the calls? I agree -- this is major busy work, even for a recruitnik like myself.

Shoot Bill, it's in one of the coach menus, I believe where you set your playbook and what not. There are 3 options you can turn (assist) on. They are all 3 on by default. One is target recruits, one is offer scholarships, and the other is phone calls.

I turned the first two off, so we'll see how good the CPU handles the phone calls.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:09 pm

hellbent wrote:
Inuyasha wrote:Anyone pickup the PS2 Version? Any impressions or big changes to the gameplay compared to last year?
I rented the XBOX version this year while debating whether or not to jump back into the next-gen waters. While last year's last-gen version was fantastic, this year's is lacking the organic, anything-can-happen feel of NCAA 07.

There are some things that EA improved upon, such as de-emphasizing the long ball by making pockets more prone to collapse and having the occasional missed block, increasing DB AI, increasing holding penalties, severely limiting the effectiveness of play action passes and weakening impact WRs somewhat. This is probably my favorite difference between 07 and 08.

However, there are a slew of new issues in this year's version. The biggest issue is safety play. Quite often, they will take bad pursuit angles on RBs running to the outside, and give up huge running plays, both for you and the CPU. Sliders help somewhat, but don't completely fix the problem. Safeties are also ineffective in pass defense unless being used to blitz the QB. All too often, even on Heisman, the safeties will come up into the box pre-snap, pulling support for the CBs, who are left on an island. Quick slants and curls are virtually money plays this year as a result.

Another big problem is that, as has been alleged in the 360 version, the CPU QB will complete a ton of passes under the coverage but rarely attempts to stretch the field. They are also turnover prone, often throwing at least 2 picks a game. So, if you just play deep zones most of the game, eventually the CPU's drives will peter out. Even if they are completing quite a few passes underneath the deep coverage, they are crippled by their tendency to not try to go for the home run ball on occasion.

So, right now I'm flipping back and forth between 07 and 08, while still heavily contemplating the 360 version, especially if someone finds some sliders/game settings to decrease the # of interceptions in that version.

Thanks! I really liked 07 too, but thought it could have played a little faster. Not sure which gen I should pick up.

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:56 pm

Weird thing happened to me the other night. I was playing at Notre Dame, evening game...all fine till late in the game. Suddenly, the skies are blue with the sun shining! I run a few plays and it goes back to evening. Then while looking at stats, it flickers a few times between the day and evening skies. Anyone else see or read about something like this happening?

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 3:37 pm

grtwhtsk wrote:Weird thing happened to me the other night. I was playing at Notre Dame, evening game...all fine till late in the game. Suddenly, the skies are blue with the sun shining! I run a few plays and it goes back to evening. Then while looking at stats, it flickers a few times between the day and evening skies. Anyone else see or read about something like this happening?

I notice when I am looking at highlights, the lighting will sort of stutter and then snap into place for the replay, then when I back out of it, it will do the same thing back to the night look. Also, at the start of the game it seems to sort of snap into the right time of day.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:46 pm

I've seen highlights that happen in the beginning of the game (in daylight) show up at night when they replay it later in the game as the play of the game. That's pretty damn funny.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:38 am

http://blog.digitalsportspage.com/2007/ ... at-a-cost/

Man, I must need to go to remedial posting school because I tried twice to post a comment the Jared's blog entry and I can't get it to show up!

Anyway, I think I've finally found a happy medium that I can live with on All-American. I usually get 1 or 2 defensive picks and the CPU completes 55-70% of the passes. It's a little high on both ends, but the game is very enjoyable except for the now-rare game where I get my 6th pick in the 3rd quarter and just reset the game. That's as good as it's going to get. I have more great games than not.

Here's what I think are the key settings. The rest I find work as intented and I can pretty much adjust for the team I'm using and/or my skill level as I improve. I don't mess with these though:

CPU Zero: pass blocking, interceptions, catching
CPU Max: QB accuracy
Human Zero: awareness, interceptions, catching
Human Max: knockdowns

Just a small drop in CPU accuracy increases my defensive interceptions substantually. On default All-American I dont' think I've played a game where Justin King of Penn State didn't have an interception and I usually get 3-5 with 2 brought back for TDs. With the above settings I usually get 1-3 with any team I use. If you lower CPU pass blocking the CPU QB will still get plenty of time and hit the outlet receivers. You would think that lowering the catching to zero would bring back memories of NCAA 05, but I only get 1-3 drops per game which seems reasonable.

I'm totally convinced there is some crazy "evening" logic with fumbles in this game as well. When I first got the game I fumbled a *lot* and so did the CPU. But as I got better and smarter (using special moves prudently, using the cover-up button near the end of almost all runs, running out of bounds with my QB or punt returner instead of trying for the extra yard, etc) my fumbles reduced to 1 or 2 a game (usually lose 1)...and so did the CPU fumbles!

I've focused on the negative, but there is a lot to like about the game. It's probably my favorite NCAA football game with the slider tweaks because the running game is fun, the CPU will pound the ball, and most of all I haven't found any money plays which have existed in almost every version of the series. I know they have motivation and momentum built in but it doesn't seem overdone. Impact players are just that..impact players but not unstoppable. The almost mini-game nature of the "jump snap" feature is fun although somewhat unrealistic because I can usually draw the CPU offside 4 times a game but *have* to try to keep them honest.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:49 am

Leebo33 wrote:http://blog.digitalsportspage.com/2007/ ... at-a-cost/

Man, I must need to go to remedial posting school because I tried twice to post a comment the Jared's blog entry and I can't get it to show up!

Comments have to be approved by an admin before they will appear. This prevents the flood of spam from filling the comments pages. I think Jared and Scoop are the only admins who can approve comments.

Post by **Jared** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:36 am

Yeah...we had a flood of spam comments, hence that procedure. Usually I get an e-mail when a comment is posted, but for some reason that didn't pop up...sorry Leebo.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:01 pm

Ill keep this short and sweet...

Through 9 games of My Mighigan dynasty on AA I only have 15 interceptions....That with NO sliders.

I love this game...I hate EA

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:03 pm

XXXIV wrote:Ill keep this short and sweet...

Through 9 games of My Mighigan dynasty on AA I only have 15 interceptions....That with NO sliders.

I love this game...I hate EA

Yeah...I'm with you on the interception thing. I am 6 games in with the Canes and I only have 8. Not pissed about that at all...and I have some ballhawks on D.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 11:03 am

XXXIV wrote:Ill keep this short and sweet...

Through 9 games of My Mighigan dynasty on AA I only have 15 interceptions....That with NO sliders.

I love this game...I hate EA

Yep, AA defaults have been ok for me as well.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:10 am

I can't tell you how jealous I am of you that are not seeing the interceptions. I have basically given up all hope with NCAA and will give Madden a try next week in my quest to find a decent next gen licensed football game. I tried 3 games on default All-American tonight and returned 4 interceptions for TDs and had 9 picks total using 7 minute quarters. I already gave up on the previous sliders I was using.

NCAA 08 is the single most frustrating game I've played in many years. A lesser game I could have shrugged off after a few days of play. A money play I could ignore...but I can't have my money play be the opponent passing the ball.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:58 am

Leebo33 wrote:I can't tell you how jealous I am of you that are not seeing the interceptions. I have basically given up all hope with NCAA and will give Madden a try next week in my quest to find a decent next gen licensed football game. I tried 3 games on default All-American tonight and returned 4 interceptions for TDs and had 9 picks total using 7 minute quarters. I already gave up on the previous sliders I was using.

NCAA 08 is the single most frustrating game I've played in many years. A lesser game I could have shrugged off after a few days of play. A money play I could ignore...but I can't have my money play be the opponent passing the ball.

I had a game last night where I had 4 Ints.. I hope I didn't jinx myself.

icvu42 · Post by **icvu42** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:51 am

On defense, do you guys play more man to man coverage or zone? Do you play bump and run coverage, use a lot of blitzes?

No matter what I do, I just suck on defense, specifically the passing game. It seems the CPU always has guys wide open. This is on basically default AA.

Thanks for any advice.

Rick

AJColossal · Post by **AJColossal** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:04 pm

Leebo33 wrote:I can't tell you how jealous I am of you that are not seeing the interceptions. I have basically given up all hope with NCAA and will give Madden a try next week in my quest to find a decent next gen licensed football game.

The early word from Madden impressions suggest there are a lot of turnovers there as well.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:22 pm

icvu42 wrote:On defense, do you guys play more man to man coverage or zone? Do you play bump and run coverage, use a lot of blitzes?

No matter what I do, I just suck on defense, specifically the passing game. It seems the CPU always has guys wide open. This is on basically default AA.

Thanks for any advice.

Rick

The games where I play well on pass defense have two common themes. First, I get a ton of pressure. QB accuracy seems to go down A LOT even when you're just hurrying him. I recommend diving at the QB even if you won't necessarily get to him. They get rattled.

The other thing I do is play 2 and 3-deep zones, but "show blitz" prior to the snap. I think the QB is fooled and doesn't expect the DBs to drop back into coverage. This is especially effective against the 3-step drop routes, but it may leave you open for the longer passes. But I see a lot more of the former than the latter, so it's a tolerable risk.