NCAA Football 08 Catch-All Thread

Time to leave the demo talk behind and get into the real game (with the correct game title, hooray nitpicking!)

GameFly shipped my copy, which I was wondering about, because I was sure the demand for the game would be high. I'll get to rock the college ball tomorrow.

Campus Legend (which is all I've spent time on since noon today) is fun this year!

magnus wrote:

Campus Legend (which is all I've spent time on since noon today) is fun this year!

It really is, I made a QB and battled my way through High School. I 5 starred the whole thing and got plenty of offers. I'll have to try it out with a receiver or something, I have to imagine anything other than QB or maybe RB would be kind of a snore.

I tried with a FS. Surprisingly fun, even though you obviously don't participate in each and every play.

It is surprising fun. Being a HB isn't quite as fun when your head coach is an idiot, but it's still pretty fun this year.

I've never used this kind of kicking control and I suck horribly at it.

Prederick wrote:

It is surprising fun. Being a HB isn't quite as fun when your head coach is an idiot, but it's still pretty fun this year.

Whew. Glad I'm not the only one thinking so. I've been craving a football game so badly, given the crap that was released last year.

Two things:

One, the AI likes to go for it on 4th down WAY too much. 4th and 6 in the 1st Quarter? From anywhere ahead of your own 40? Go for it!

Two, every year I have this I dislike the "Impact Player" feature more, especially since, for the AI, an Impact Player is amazing, no matter what his actual rating is.

I'd really appreciate and kicking tips, last night I hit the upright on a PAT. I've yet to score a field goal so for now I always go for it.

Did they not record any new Corso audio? The last NCAA game I played was 04 or 06 and I swear he still says the same lines when I get lazy and have him pick a play (which he totally sucks at doing on offense).

CannibalCrowley wrote:

I'd really appreciate and kicking tips, last night I hit the upright on a PAT. I've yet to score a field goal so for now I always go for it.

Put the controller on a table.

CannibalCrowley wrote:

Did they not record any new Corso audio? The last NCAA game I played was 04 or 06 and I swear he still says the same lines when I get lazy and have him pick a play (which he totally sucks at doing on offense).

It definetly sounds like they barely recorded ANY new audio. For anyone. It's the same stuff I remember hearing last year, and the year before that. In their defense, 2K8 only recorded a little new announcer stuff too.

Prederick wrote:
CannibalCrowley wrote:

Did they not record any new Corso audio? The last NCAA game I played was 04 or 06 and I swear he still says the same lines when I get lazy and have him pick a play (which he totally sucks at doing on offense).

It definetly sounds like they barely recorded ANY new audio. For anyone. It's the same stuff I remember hearing last year, and the year before that. In their defense, 2K8 only recorded a little new announcer stuff too.

...'cause after all, you can't coach that!

Really disappointed that they basically put a few new plays in and then mailed in the EXbox version. I'm really thinking of trading it back in after 2 days, guess that what I should've expected for a dead platform.

The new Campus Legend for the 360 sounds like everything I've wanted in the previous CL modes, only playing as your player sounds so awesome.

Well, remember, it is EA.

Campus Legend is cool... until your top 10 team loses to unranked K-State on the back of your CPU QB's 4 INTs, which he follows up with a 6 INT performance against your conference rival. Especially when you've rushed for over 100 yards in both games - over 70 yards after the first hit. WTF else does the game want you to do?

Prederick wrote:

It definetly sounds like they barely recorded ANY new audio. For anyone. It's the same stuff I remember hearing last year, and the year before that. In their defense, 2K8 only recorded a little new announcer stuff too.

Granted it's been several years since I played 2k5 but I haven't noticed any totally repeated commentary. Sure they're still the same guys so they have the same sound overall, and catch phrase, but I havent heard a sound byte yet and thought 'hey that was in the old game!'

Not that I would be outraged anyways. If a game is going to use the same voice actors it seems like a good idea to expand on a library of commentary every year, rather than replace it. I'd rather hear repetition from year to year rather than repetition from play to play.

polypusher wrote:

Granted it's been several years since I played 2k5 but I haven't noticed any totally repeated commentary. Sure they're still the same guys so they have the same sound overall, and catch phrase, but I havent heard a sound byte yet and thought 'hey that was in the old game!'

Oh, there's a ton of it. Not that that's a problem, but a large chunk of the 2K8 commentary is recycled from past games.

*Legion* wrote:

Campus Legend is cool... until your top 10 team loses to unranked K-State on the back of your CPU QB's 4 INTs, which he follows up with a 6 INT performance against your conference rival. Especially when you've rushed for over 100 yards in both games - over 70 yards after the first hit. WTF else does the game want you to do?

You play. To win. The game.

I'm actually getting a little annoyed at NCAA. I'm playing on the difficulty mode one step short of the highest difficulty (all American?) and I swear the corner backs are better receivers than ... well, my receivers. I've seen CB's turn on a dime, step over and pick a pass off multiple times while my receiver continues running three more steps and brings his arms around to catch the ball that never arrives. I can't seem to thread the needle ever, if my guys don't have at least five feet separation from anyone of the defense, I can't trust them to catch the ball before the defender appears in front of it.

I'm no super awesome football pro, but I know how to complete a pass. Maybe I'm missing something.

Certis wrote:

I'm no super awesome football pro, but I know how to complete a pass. Maybe I'm missing something.

1) EA football games typically expect you to control the receiver and go get that ball.
2) Are you using the QB vision cone?
3) Passing is most effective in the short to intermediate range.

Anyone else getting lockups? Specifically, when saving photos at the end of a game.

1) EA football games typically expect you to control the receiver and go get that ball.

Something I'm well used to from the 2K5 days. I always switch to my receiver.

2) Are you using the QB vision cone?

Once in a blue moon if I want a little more control on leading the pass. Can't say I'm very effective when I activate it. Do you?

3) Passing is most effective in the short to intermediate range.

No doubt, past 10 yards and you're in heavy INT territory. Is that just a college ball thing?

Certis wrote:
2) Are you using the QB vision cone?

Once in a blue moon if I want a little more control on leading the pass. Can't say I'm very effective when I activate it. Do you?

On certain intermediate pass routes, I do. There is very little pass placement control in this game, which may be by design. The vision cone primarily provides an accuracy boost.

3) Passing is most effective in the short to intermediate range.

No doubt, past 10 yards and you're in heavy INT territory. Is that just a college ball thing?

Partly, yeah, and also partly an attempt to rein the gameplay in after a bomb-heavy version last year.

I'm missing something about the vision cone. How do you turn it on/use it?

Prederick wrote:

I'm missing something about the vision cone. How do you turn it on/use it?

Move the Right Stick to wave it around. Hold LT and press a receiver's button to make the cone lock on that receiver.

Certis wrote:

I'm actually getting a little annoyed at NCAA. I'm playing on the difficulty mode one step short of the highest difficulty (all American?) and I swear the corner backs are better receivers than ... well, my receivers. I've seen CB's turn on a dime, step over and pick a pass off multiple times while my receiver continues running three more steps and brings his arms around to catch the ball that never arrives. I can't seem to thread the needle ever, if my guys don't have at least five feet separation from anyone of the defense, I can't trust them to catch the ball before the defender appears in front of it.

I'm no super awesome football pro, but I know how to complete a pass. Maybe I'm missing something.

No, I don't think you're missing anything. The DB AI reacts *way* better with the ball in the air than wide receivers do, which has been driving me batty as well. And there's far too little control over the type of pass your QB throws (lob vs. bullet). Typically you hold down the pass button for a receiver to get a bullet pass and time and again, the throw of my QB (legend mode) has absolutely no relation to how I press the button. To me, I think the game is judging how the QB should throw the ball which is terrible because it didn't used to be like that and very often it'll throw exactly the wrong kind of pass for a given situation. The number of picks I've thrown because the QB launched a bullet pass into one-on-one coverage when my intent was to lob a ball over the top has been infuriating.

Anyway, on the whole, this is still a better version than NCAA '07. You don't see linebackers go into warp speed in pass coverage to deflect a ball they have no business getting to. And the ability to drop a long bomb on teams at will has been very nicely toned down. I like the running game *a lot* this year and the tackling animations are really top-notch. Interceptions pretty much have to be turned down in the game sliders because they're too frequent. But overall, I'm really happy with the rest of the on-the-field gameplay.

I think the worst problem in the game right now is the AI playcalling. It continues to have absolutely zero situational awareness. You really get a sense of this in Campus Legend mode when you can't do your own playcalling and watch in horror when you're trying to come from behind late in the 4th quarter and have to endure the AI calling nothing but runs and short passes. Or call a screen play on 3rd and long. It's shameful that after all these editions we still don't have an AI opponent that can call plays or manage the clock worth a damn in the 4th quarter. It can really kill the experience when you've had an absolutely epic game get decided by an AI that doesn't seem to realize the clock is running out and they need a score.

Back on the plus side, I really like the new recruiting engine so far. I only played with it a little for the first time last night, but on first impression, it's a really nice change of pace from the old recruiting model, which had gotten really stale. The only question I have about it is if it's still far too easy to build a 1-star school into a recruiting powerhouse. Anyone played with this much yet?
---Todd

You can build up a program somewhat quickly, but I've found that a lot of signings are related to your team's performance. I took a team that 3-8 last seaston to an 8-3 record, and I landed a lot of 4 stars, and even one 5. On a separate dynasty, my team was 2-9 last season, and only improved to 4-7, and the best I could pull off were 3 4 stars, the rest 3's and lower. I've got the pitching down during conversations with recruits, so I think the visibiility and performance of the program affect some signings. I feel EA has struck a nice balance on how difficult it is to excel with a lesser squad. If you're Arizona, it should be hard to outrecruit the schools around you, but then again pulling off a big upset or two really goes a long way. Plus, what fun would it be to get pasted for 10 years straight with a bunch of 1 and 2 star recruits? I play on AA by the way, and it seems to be a good fit as far as CPU AI goes.

rdmcfall wrote:

I play on AA by the way, and it seems to be a good fit as far as CPU AI goes.

Vanilla, or have you made any tweaks to the game AI? I'm starting to try and find the sweet spot between getting the game to play fairly, and still not be a pushover.

EDIT: On the passing, i'm finding it absolutely infuriating. In vanilla settings, the difference between your WRs and their WRs is flat-out ludicrous.

[quote=Prederick]

rdmcfall wrote:

I play on AA by the way, and it seems to be a good fit as far as CPU AI goes.

Vanilla, or have you made any tweaks to the game AI? I'm starting to try and find the sweet spot between getting the game to play fairly, and still not be a pushover.

I tried straight up AA for a while, but you're right...the cpu will eat you up with 7-10 yd gains through the air. Even if I had the right D on, the QB would thread it between 3 guys each time for a 3rd down conversion. I tried using Playmaker's AA sliders (360) and I've had some decent results. You can get these over at operationsports.com in the forums. Only adjustment I made to these was dropping CPU QB accuracy down to 80. Overall, I still think the game plays best at AA with no tweaks other than lowering QB accuracy for the computer. Their running is fair, their D is fair, just adjust the CPU QB and maybe recieving and you should be good to go.

I am loving the game and I love the toned down deep ball - especially against online opponents. One of the things you can do for certain passes is actually switch to the receiver and stop him just after you have released the ball and go up for it. If you are actually in front of the Safety or DB you have a good shot. The DB's will almost always take an inside position and unless you get in front of them they will take it away. That being said TE passes are huge in this game, especially against the cover 1 sets and the crazy 5-2 and 4-4 which people are using to bring unholy pressure on the QB. Legend mode is a blast, but I have only played with the QB. I really like the game and the online part is actually pretty enjoyable this time around.

- Spy

I'm incredibly irritated. Playing in dynasty mode, I have never seen such blatant rubber-band AI as I have in this game.

I mean, in the 4th, 7-0, they're not changing their game. I'm doing the same defenses to the same exact plays. Yet somehow - magically - they're executing at a 10-yard/play level.

Not to mention that the "jump snap" mechanic is the stupidest and most arcade-y gimmick ever.

This is a fun as hell game, but when the computer jumps the snap ten times a series and never goes offsides once with a WAC team (Nevada, for chrissakes), that's BS. Plain and simple. This happened to me playing against Oregon, too, but they're a higher level team and I was willing to accept that. But I'm playing a team of my equal - Fresno State versus Nevada. I'm up 7-0 this entire game. Magically, I produce two fumbles on the first snap with a Halfback that's rested. How many times do they cough it up? Zero.

I know I'm not crazy; I had a friend sit and watch me and tell me if the game wasn't suddenly executing like a top 25 team in the 4th when it was down. It wasn't even a question to him as it was to me. This is coming very close to ruining dynasty mode for me. I don't want to play as Texas where they execute flawlessly; I want to play as Fresno State, and even with a B offense, somehow it manages to fumble twice when they're ahead, nevermind that I'm holding/pressing onto the Protect Ball button like my finger was glued to it.

Yes, yes, "Fresno State isn't perfect, so they're going to screw up." Fine. But if I'm playing a flawless game for three quarters, and in the fourth I get two fumbles and four sacks, one of which on a handoff play, that's not right. At all. And I'm really pissed because the way it plays is very fun, but "random" events making me seriously question the AI's reliability should not happen.

Very, very irritating.