NCAA Football 12

[10spro]

My kid is too young to understand football but she loves the mascot mash-ups.

[WPatrick]

Any lockups on the PS3 version? Boom mentioned he and his son had lockup issues on the 360. I went with the PS3 version this year.

I spent a total of 14 hours of playing the PS3 version yesterday and had zero lockups (knock on wood). Everything was really smooth.

Played a ton last night with no problems on the PS3.

[Danimal]

FWIW i haven't had a lock up on the 360. Things to keep in mind when people report lock ups on a 360 9 times out of 10 it's a problem with the machine.

[TheTruth]

If any of you got it through Amazon do not forget to overlook downloading the guide.

So is the guide good or bad?

LMAO! With that kind of language I need to go into politics.

You need cell phone pics as well.


360 here and no lockups yet thru 7 or so games.

[TCrouch]

Massive mystery solved for me. I played my entire High School season at QB, and played horrendously for most of it. 50% completion percentage on a GOOD day, half my games with 2 or more interceptions, yet still managed an 8-2 record and a State Championship game berth--which I lost, naturally.

When I got to college, I noticed my type said "Scrambler" and I had 80 speed. I'm thinking "wtf?"

I look at my stats, I had 50 (FIVE-ZERO) throwing power!! My accuracy was like 70. So I spent 14 games trying to stand tall in the pocket and throw lasers with a player that was apparently armed with a nerf gun. It should have made sense earlier, considering I'd 'uncork' a bomb, only to see it travel about 20 yards and end up as a jump ball in the secondary...but at least it made me feel better. I was thinking I didn't get THAT bad at football in a single year away from XBox Live! I had intended to make a pocket passer, obviously, but somewhere along the way I forgot to change the type and didn't know it...*sigh*

So lesson learned is don't try to play a scrambler as a pocket passer--that sh*t doesn't work!!

[toonarmy]

I finally gained the starter position at Florida in RTG. The more I delve into this mode the more I realize how much they added to it. The Coach's Trust thing is so cool. There are an absolute ton of levels to work up to until you gain the ultimate trust of being able to audible plays. The skill upgrades based on XP are cool as well. I really like the menu in RTG -- easy to navigate and a lot of different features and stats/awards things to look at. RTG in the past was ok, but did not feel like a fully-fleshed out mode. Now it feels like a major mode that is much more polished. Easily the best mode of this type in any sport, including NHL and PES.

[JRod]

I don't know if it's a PS3 issue or a patch issue but I saw players getting locked into blocking position last night right as I blew past them. They really did look like the electric football players.

My other nitpick before the good...

The option is still kind of broken. I think it just comes down to how fast guys get off the line and their awareness. A player shouldn't be able to go after the QB and still be able to tackle the RB after the pitch. Once a player commits he should be screwed if the ball goes the other way. I play with Air Force and it's a big deal. It's not broken and you can still pick up yards but it's annoying how fast the DEs can get into the back field.

But like all the other comments here the AI is much more human like. Not only that but I also saw the difference in ability between my QBs like I've not seen in years before. So my #1 QB goes down and my #2 is in. He's slower and and okay passer. In a game against N.D. he's missing WRs left and right late in the game. Wide open players too. I sub in QB #3 who's faster and my option game opens up a bit.

I also like the coaching feature. I may just decide to play games on one side of the ball until the 4th quarter. Games which normally take an hour now take about 25-30 minutes. Which is good because last night, I got the halfway point of the season with that just one more game feel. I can't say that about years past.

[Teal]

Alright, you gushing f*ckers, I got it. Had to trade some stuff I wasn't sure I wanted to, but the damn DSP forum effect strikes again...lol

[XXXIV]

Joy to you

[Blublub]

Anyone else with the patched PS3 version seeing TONS of in-game slowdown? I've been out of the scene for a couple of years, is there a DSP online dynasty?

[Blublub]

I got the bonus NCAA mini guide from Amazon today (downloadable PDF) and it is actually quite good. It does a nice job of detailing strategies and explaining the plays. If any of you got it through Amazon do not forget to overlook downloading the guide.

Where do you find it in your account info? I do remember it being listed when I pre-ordered and I did get the notice about the $20 credit but no mention of the strategy guide.

[toonarmy]

I got the bonus NCAA mini guide from Amazon today (downloadable PDF) and it is actually quite good. It does a nice job of detailing strategies and explaining the plays. If any of you got it through Amazon do not forget to overlook downloading the guide.

Where do you find it in your account info? I do remember it being listed when I pre-ordered and I did get the notice about the $20 credit but no mention of the strategy guide.

They emailed me the place to dl it.

[toonarmy]

I won't put any spoilers on here, but all I can say is the cut scene after winning the national title game is extremely shitty. Maybe it's just a RTG thing and dynasty mode has a better one.

[Lancer]

you already won the nat champ after your freshman year ?

[toonarmy]

you already won the nat champ after your freshman year ?

Mainly due to a stud rb that kept me in games. My stats were pretty mediocre. It will be a challenge to win the Heisman since Florida's coach apparently loves to run the ball. I have an even better rb in my second season, so I am not passing a whole lot.

[Teal]

Oh, I'm liking this very much. Very much, indeed. Anyone who can't see a world of difference between 12 and the previous offerings isn't paying attention. This sucker plays a game of football, now. I'm loving the new animation system, the removal of suction blocking, and 'automatic animation' triggers. Played about 5 games with Terry tonight, and every game was better than the one before it. We had one EPIC matchup, too...it was great!

[Blublub]

Thanks Toon - the notification email was in my spam folder. Not bad at all and a good ad for the full strategy guide.

I'm with Teal, it is a pretty big improvement over past years on next-gen. There are some remaining AI issues to be sure and EA doesn't exactly have a very good track record in fixing this sort of thing in a patch. But, if they do (and I can figure out the cause of my slowdown issues), for the first time I have something approaching the fun factor missing since, I dunno, 2004 (or even 2007 on the PSP).

[TCrouch]

That was an absolute blast, Teal.

Gamespot review is up-- 7.0.

I can't even comment on all of the issues with the guy's review. But let me sum it up by saying somebody with a clue really needs to review a game like NCAA 12. My favorite quote of the entire thing is "there's a persistent bug where it turns all of the receiver's routes into wavy lines with question marks for their button assignments". So the guy has zero clue about the home field advantage effects, and thinks it's a bug? And that's who's reviewing it for Gamespot?

Saying it's a "disappointing entry to the franchise" while complaining that the hits aren't big enough and that the on field action "is as good as ever", without even really getting into details just blows my mind. It's like Operation Sports would have assigned me to review FIFA or something. It makes absolutely no sense to me for a site that big to hand the review to somebody who complains about how recruiting is dull (a lot of people like it), and then also say that he played so horribly with his RTG QB that NOBODY wanted him--yet he still walked on at Texas and started day 1. The only way that's possible is with the cheesy player upgrade DLC. Since you're a 5-star recruit, you start anywhere that you sign. So having some uber-upgrade downloaded and installed, yet complaining that it's not realistic is the biggest contradiction I've heard.

I'm just flabbergasted in how somebody like this is reviewing it. I think the game is head and shoulders above previous versions. I've logged about 30 games at this point and I'm still seeing new animations and strategies in every session. Teal and I were cracking up last night at some of the chain-reaction hits and tiny things like a LB properly leaving the tailback near the sideline when the QB scrambled free. The CPU defender intelligently made the call on which was a bigger threat. He drifted from his man a bit and stood in the passing lane that the QB wanted to hit--and eventually 1-hand-swatted the ball down when the pass was thrown.

Every tackle looks different--which is pretty amazing, considering the animations seem to start and stop instantly when the next guy hits you, triggering a different animation altogether. The fact that they can accomplish this without strange hitches and choppiness to the animations blows me away.

I've tried not to spout a bunch of crap about this game in the first couple days, but my session last night with Teal had me absolutely giddy. I had to go grab multiple beers at a time between games or halves. By the end of the night I was delirious, loud, and obnoxious, but having a ridiculously good time.

This game is legit.

[XXXIV]

That was an absolute blast, Teal.

Gamespot review is up-- 7.0.

I can't even comment on all of the issues with the guy's review. But let me sum it up by saying somebody with a clue really needs to review a game like NCAA 12. My favorite quote of the entire thing is "there's a persistent bug where it turns all of the receiver's routes into wavy lines with question marks for their button assignments". So the guy has zero clue about the home field advantage effects, and thinks it's a bug? And that's who's reviewing it for Gamespot?

Thats awesome!

Are King's rosters up yet? Dont want to start the dynasty without em.

I cant hide from you forever. Im thinking tonight we have a play date

[toonarmy]

That was an absolute blast, Teal.

Gamespot review is up-- 7.0.

I can't even comment on all of the issues with the guy's review. But let me sum it up by saying somebody with a clue really needs to review a game like NCAA 12. My favorite quote of the entire thing is "there's a persistent bug where it turns all of the receiver's routes into wavy lines with question marks for their button assignments". So the guy has zero clue about the home field advantage effects, and thinks it's a bug? And that's who's reviewing it for Gamespot?

Saying it's a "disappointing entry to the franchise" while complaining that the hits aren't big enough and that the on field action "is as good as ever", without even really getting into details just blows my mind. It's like Operation Sports would have assigned me to review FIFA or something. It makes absolutely no sense to me for a site that big to hand the review to somebody who complains about how recruiting is dull (a lot of people like it), and then also say that he played so horribly with his RTG QB that NOBODY wanted him--yet he still walked on at Texas and started day 1. The only way that's possible is with the cheesy player upgrade DLC. Since you're a 5-star recruit, you start anywhere that you sign. So having some uber-upgrade downloaded and installed, yet complaining that it's not realistic is the biggest contradiction I've heard.

I'm just flabbergasted in how somebody like this is reviewing it. I think the game is head and shoulders above previous versions. I've logged about 30 games at this point and I'm still seeing new animations and strategies in every session. Teal and I were cracking up last night at some of the chain-reaction hits and tiny things like a LB properly leaving the tailback near the sideline when the QB scrambled free. The CPU defender intelligently made the call on which was a bigger threat. He drifted from his man a bit and stood in the passing lane that the QB wanted to hit--and eventually 1-hand-swatted the ball down when the pass was thrown.

Every tackle looks different--which is pretty amazing, considering the animations seem to start and stop instantly when the next guy hits you, triggering a different animation altogether. The fact that they can accomplish this without strange hitches and choppiness to the animations blows me away.

I've tried not to spout a bunch of crap about this game in the first couple days, but my session last night with Teal had me absolutely giddy. I had to go grab multiple beers at a time between games or halves. By the end of the night I was delirious, loud, and obnoxious, but having a ridiculously good time.

This game is legit.

I've been so busy playing NCAA since I got it that I had not been reading the reviews of it. GameSpot's sports reviews have been pretty much junk for the past several years, but this one surely takes the cake. After reading the review what ticks me off the most is the reviewer's dishonesty in trying to portray himself as a person who has played the previous NCAA games. While reading the review it is quite apparent that he knows next to nothing about this series whatsoever. I was actually laughing to myself throughout the review at some of the BS this guy says. In particular, why in the hell does he b*tch about QBs in practice mode in RTG being able to be hit and not wearing a red jersey that lets people know not to hit them? He says this takes away from the realism. Well, golly gee, there's hundreds of things in the game that are not perfectly realistic. It's absurd to pick out that one aspect and act like it's a flaw. I could go on and on about the incompetence of this review, but anyone who reads it will be able to see what a joke of a review it is. GameSpot literally should eliminate that review and find someone more able to review the game. I'm not saying this just because NCAA 12 is easily one of the most compelling sports games I have ever played and certainly the best football game, but because the review does a disservice to GameSpot readers, EA, and any shred of respectability that GameSpot still has. People here know that I am not one to nut over an EA sports game, but I have to give them all the credit in the world for this gem of a game. BTW, if anyone is pissed about this review, you might want to stay away from the GamePro review (6/10) that states, "So why does it feel like I'm playing a game that should have come out in 2008?" I looked at the Metacritic rating after Terry posted the link to the GameSpot review and found the ridiculous review at GamePro.

[10spro]

Personally, I've stopped reading many online reviews with the exception of this site where I may want to see some of your Kat's comments on certain games. I was quite satisfied with the 11 version and kept it until Wednesday when I got 12. There are enough tweaks that made me buy this version, last night I was really digging the Coach mode, just love watching the game from that camera angle but more importantly while not perfect, the AI is very solid.

[XXXIV]

Personally, I've stopped reading many online reviews with the exception of this site where I may want to see some of your Kat's comments on certain games.

Yes and yes!

[10spro]

One noticeable improvement for me is the play action call. I find I have a bit more time to read the play and throw instead of being smothered immediately as in '11.

[vinny-b]

Gamespot review is up-- 7.0.
I can't even comment on all of the issues with the guy's review. But let me sum it up by saying somebody with a clue really needs to review a game like NCAA 12. My favorite quote of the entire thing is "there's a persistent bug where it turns all of the receiver's routes into wavy lines with question marks for their button assignments". So the guy has zero clue about the home field advantage effects, and thinks it's a bug? And that's who's reviewing it for Gamespot?

Gamespot handing over NCAA to someone like this, would be like Road & Track magazine paying an elder Amish man to test drive and review the 2012 Ferrari California.



_

[vinny-b]

One noticeable improvement for me is the play action call. I find I have a bit more time to read the play and throw instead of being smothered immediately as in '11.

positive news. I don't know if i ever ran that play properly in 2011 (without taking the sack)

: )