NCAA Football 11

[kevinpars]

I noticed a big change after the first tune file. I may have to drop my slider settings and start over.

It is a lot of fun to play a football game where you can get beat by a running team. I remember the first thing people would do in the old days would be to fire up the game and play against Nebraska - only to find out that the running game for the AI was still anemic.

I also like how the option game has become more realistic. It used to be that a pro style offense could run an option play and go for big yards. Now, if you mess up the timing, you are looking at a bad pitch and a turnover. Much improved.

I like the idea of tune files. Like someone said earlier about the Madden 10 patch - it was great but came so late in the year that most people never even got a chance to use it. With tune files you can get fixes quickly an bypass the whole patch approval cycle.

[Lancer]

I bit the bullet and re-bought the game.

Just love the update. Played default all pro and had a exciting game as mich state vs mich. I lost a close game at the end but it was cool that whenever i made a great play, it was called back by penalty. It didnt seem cheap but realistic. My rb fumbled 4 times which did not help.

I had played 2 games of madden before this and this game is better by far unless they patch up madden. first thing you notice is that the stadiums in ncaa really make you feel like you're in them. i don't get the same feeling w/ madden this year. And like you guys mentioned, the control is so much better than the heavy control feel madden has. And I love the fact I have to work on drives in NCAA, where in madden most of my scores come from 2-4 play drives.

The person that posted that NCAA feels like madden 10 but refined is dead on. It reminds me of the fun I had with madden 10 last year. I guess they used madden 10 as a the engine and refined it for ncaa 11. I guess that means if they follow suit, ncaa 12 will be based on madden 11, which means I'll probably hold onto ncaa 11 for 2 more years.

Just a fun game.

[vinny-b]

does anyone play with the play clock set to 'off' ?

I feel like am cheating, but don't enjoy always being "under the gun" to select a play before the clock expires. Not really too familiar with the offensive playbook, yet

[Naples39]

does anyone play with the play clock set to 'off' ?

I feel like am cheating, but don't enjoy always being "under the gun" to select a play before the clock expires. Not really too familiar with the offensive playbook, yet

It'll come in time, and when in a pinch, quickly switch over 'by type' play select option (LB/RB in play select screen).

[vinny-b]

does anyone play with the play clock set to 'off' ?

I feel like am cheating, but don't enjoy always being "under the gun" to select a play before the clock expires. Not really too familiar with the offensive playbook, yet

It'll come in time, and when in a pinch, quickly switch over 'by type' play select option (LB/RB in play select screen).

naples: thanks

expect the hot-routes will also help. Instead of searching for the 'perfect' preset play, everytime.

[MizzouRah]

Whew.. I'm now 5-1 as Mizzou and still kicking myself for losing to Colorado at home. My defense really played well against Texas A&M, but after an onsides kickoff with little time remaining, the game came to the last play of the game and we picked off a pass in the endzone to secure a 20-14 victory. Gabbert is out for the season though.. so my gameplan is going to change to more of a running attack with Washington.

Next up is #19 OU at home.. should be interesting.

[Leadfoot5]

Finally got around to picking up the game for the 360 myself and overall I'm impressed, but I was wondering if anyone else is having a problem with the game momentarily (1-2 sec) "pausing" during gameplay? For example, I broke off a 50 yard run and halfway through the run the whole game paused for a few secs, then resumed. When watching the replay, the football "warps" without the player for that part of the play.

The only other graphical glitch that bugs me is the lighting adjusting (lighting kind of pops in) at the end of quarters and when the replays/photos are displayed at the end of the game. None of these are game killers, I'm only mentioning them to make sure it's not my system that is the problem. I'm also purposefully staying away from the bugs/glitches threes on OS.

And BK, thanks for the pointer to the sliders, they improved the default AA gameplay noticeably.

[Aristo]

I think if you install the game to the hard drive, the hesitations will disappear. That i something they should fix.

[MizzouRah]

Yeah, try that. I haven't had any issues, but I always install every game to the HD.

[Naples39]

I also saw a few stutters (one of which made me miss a key field goal), but since installing to the HD I haven't seen any.

[Brando70]

Holy s***, this game is incredibly fun! I haven't had that can't-wait-to-play-again feeling with a football game since the last generation, and I'm more of an NFL guy than an NCAA one. Love how the game is wide open yet you can still play some defense and keep it from being a pinball game on the scoreboard.

[MizzouRah]

The only gripe I have is the injury reporting, sometimes I never know a player has been injured until I see that a replacement is now playing.

My QB was hurt and it took me a few plays to see that #12 was out there instead of #11. They do report them sometimes, but not all the time - it's almost like a glitch.

[Naples39]

The only gripe I have is the injury reporting, sometimes I never know a player has been injured until I see that a replacement is now playing.

My QB was hurt and it took me a few plays to see that #12 was out there instead of #11. They do report them sometimes, but not all the time - it's almost like a glitch.

Yes, that is annoying. There should be some kind of immediate on screen indicator.

I also love getting sideline injury reports from Erin Andrews telling me "he" may or may not return, when I have no clue what player for what team she is talking about.

Lastly, I think the whole rest him/play him thing doesn't work right. Several times I say rest my player with a minor injury, then he's right back out there.

[Danimal]

It's in the bottom ticker right after the play happens, then a little bit later they do the sideline report. Although I agree they are light on the injury cut scene.

Not to be an ass, but how do you not realize your QB is different?

[MizzouRah]

It's in the bottom ticker right after the play happens, then a little bit later they do the sideline report. Although I agree they are light on the injury cut scene.

Not to be an ass, but how do you not realize your QB is different?

I'll have to look more I guess.. I know it doesn't pop out at me or anything.

It might have only been a play.. but I look at my receivers patterns pre-snap and never really pay much attention to the QB.. I noticed when I started running with my back up that it wasn't Gabbert.

The injury system was great last year, wonder what broke it?

[Danimal]

No it is definitely hard to see, it doesn't pop out at all.

[MizzouRah]

No it is definitely hard to see, it doesn't pop out at all.

Well there you have it.. I'm almost 39.

[Pete]

I downloaded the tune file. My question is do you need to load it prior to every game if you are just playing exhibition?

I have it in my files and can access it but just wondered if it automatically applies once you download it. Thanks.

[Brando70]

I downloaded the tune file. My question is do you need to load it prior to every game if you are just playing exhibition?

I have it in my files and can access it but just wondered if it automatically applies once you download it. Thanks.

When I boot up, I get the message that it loads up along with my profile and rosters.

[Teal]

It automatically applies, Pete.

The only thing I've seen with the tuning file that I'm a little put off by (and it may just be that I suck!) is that I have yet to come across a running back that isn't some kind of demigod. Seriously. I've lost several games in a row in my OF simply because RB's are cutting through my defense like hot butter-breaking numerous tackles, juking like Sweetness...

When a team like Auburn struggles mightily against a team like Kentucky, something's wrong. I mean, sometimes, no matter what I do, the RB is going for a huge gain...or a score. And it didn't seem to be a problem before. But now, it just feels like a pretty big overcorrection.

[MizzouRah]

You might suck... just kidding.. I'm like #2 in the nation against the run, although I get a real test against OU next game.

[Teal]

No, no, no...I admitted as much, and it might be. I don't have much experience with actual football. My HS didn't have a football team, and I never really grasped the X's and O's, although I've traditionally loved football video games. But as video game football gets more 'realistic', rudimentary knowledge of defensive schemes seems to be more essential.

So yeah...maybe it IS just me...

[Rodster]

Was NCAA or Madden where if you got picked they showed you the coverage and you had to choose the correct call or you got squiggly lines? Needless to say I always saw squiggly lines.

[Teal]

Was NCAA or Madden where if you got picked they showed you the coverage and you had to choose the correct call or you got squiggly lines? Needless to say I always saw squiggly lines.

If I did 'eeny meeny miney mo' I would occasionally get one right...

[Teal]

Okay, I have to vent. This is not a b*tch and moan post about some gameplay flaw; rather, it's an honest observation of my play style.

I'm not really having any fun at all in the online franchise. Every game has been like pulling teeth, and it's because I'm trying to be something I'm not. I'm just a casual gamer. I like playing games for the fun of it, but have never taken anything seriously. I also, obviously, simply don't have the skills and abilities some of you have when it comes to sports games in general. Don't get me wrong-I've always LOVED sports games. But I've never desired going through the trouble of adjusting sliders, upping difficulty, and all that, because of one glaring thing about me, personally:

I do not enjoy getting hammered by the computer. At all.

I can gracefully lose a game by a large margin to one of you guys (danimal and Terry know this firsthand), but I don't play videogames against computer AI just to have my ass kicked by the computer. I don't enjoy it. I don't mind losing a close match, but when I'm completely, hopelessly overmatched, I just can't enjoy it at all. When I can't get ANYTHING going on offense, and can't seem to stop anything on defense, it, well...it begins to piss me off. And the last thing I want to do is be a 40 year old man who gets pissed off at a video game.

I don't bump up difficulty on any game anymore. I either play on the defaults, or, in the case of a game with a storyline, I actually will bump it down from default, just so I can enjoy the story without frustration.

I guess where I'm going with all this is that I feel that I need to bow out of the online dynasty, Dan. I can't begin to compete on AA, and I'm honestly floored by how you guys seem to shut out teams on that difficulty level.

Again, it's not the game...it's me. I'm just not that great at football. I never played, and, while I understand some basics, I can't read offenses and defenses like some of you can.

Anyway, I'm just frustrated...and I don't want to be frustrated.

(But there's DOES seem to be WAY too many holding penalties called. There's my moan about the game itself)