Is anyone else frustrated with the lack of progress between these games? The previews for the new game (coming out in July) feature the SAME OLD, TIRED COMMENTARY between Nessler and Herbstriet that we've heard for the last four years, even after EA promised that it would be "fresh."
Studio updates, the bottom-line ticker, and the addition of Rece Davis would be cool and all if (1) they showed highlights of the games they're updating and (2) Rece's commentary actually flowed together. Instead it's choppy and you can physically HEAR where they cut the audio in recording...
Are you as frustrated as me? Am I just asking too much?
Either way, leave your opinions in the comments.
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Here is the gameplay preview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsvMH-xw-eA
look at 2:31
in that video ಠ_ಠ
looks like the swagger is finally back
Yeah, I haven't been too impressed with the series
I used to buy it every year but haven't for the past couple of seasons. Recycled commentary, minor gameplay tweaks, and largely cosmetic additions. At it's core it's still a pretty good game, but it just seems to have become stagnant. I guess the lack of competition could be to blame.
I know they're adding a lot more school specific pre-game festivities but I'm guessing we'll never see "enter sandman" due to the licensing.
NCAA for me is just to hold me over until madden comes out and then I trade it back in for like 40 bucks. So I never complain too much unless it's something that makes the game unplayable like the online dynasties completely breaking last year.
Don't know why but I've never really been a huge fan of Madden. I guess because I started playing NCAA first... But I will still occasionally buy the Madden games if I want to do Superstar mode with a player from the NCAA games.
EA
This is why EA was rated the worst company in America. They establish their base of buyers and create a monopoly. Then they coast.
The only reason I get it year after year is because of my love for the college game and the fact that we get new players that just fall right into place like LT3. He was way underrated in NCAA 12 (understandably because he hadn't started a whole season before) but that's why I'm getting it.
However, I'm hoping and praying that these commentary previews are not finalized and that they will smooth out the cuts and maybe introduce new lines for Nessler and Herbstriet.
What they really should do is use multiple commentary crews. Heaven forbid EA should spend more in production of the game, but I would love to see them do that. They could have Rece, Jesse, and Craig for Thursday nighters, Blackledge and Nessler together, and then Herbstriet and Musberger. Frankly, I'm SHOCKED that they haven't enlisted Musberger to come in and work on a game. His voice talent would be much better and would be more cohesive with Herbstriet because they actually commentate together.
I feel the same way
I LOVE the NCAA series, but EA as a whole seems to really be churning out below average games these days. With the exception of Fifa, all the the games seem to be just minor tweaks and updates of previous years' versions. NCAA and NHL are probably the two games I play the most, and they seem to be the best examples of year by year tweaks without too much actual new and interesting stuff to keep you playing. My NCAA playing definitely falls off after the college season is over mainly because its the college game itself that keeps me interested in NCAA. Standing alone, the game really isnt worth the 60 bucks year in and year out based on the updates made from year to year. And the biggest part that big time college fans enjoy the most are the rosters, and even the default rosters are usually EXTREMELY off target.
I love it when I'm playing online and when my opponent sees I'm staying with Tech they switch from mediocre to good team they probably root for to some elite team like Bama or Oregon immediately.
Correct
Literally half the teams I used to play would be Oregon or Alabama. And honestly, playing against those teams is just ridiculous. With alabama is the calll a run up the middle and press forward for 6 yards every play or with oregon, run four verticals and just wait for your tighend to outrun the opponents corners. I just started backing out against those players. No point in playing either of those teams.
The Show is the only sports game worth the money anymore.
Wow- I disagree
The Show is an awesome baseball game with great simulation value but the NHL series is by far the closest to actually simulating a sport as is the FIFA series (I know- soccer and hockey). But yes, EA Sports has done nothing really new with NCAA Football or Madden minus update graphics engines.
NHL Close to simulating?
Not a chance, sorry. Going a bit off topic here, but the current NHL version allows plays sticks to go through legs, pucks to go through players, and two players to bump into one another with having zero noticeable consequence. NCAA is a much better model than NHL at representing real world gameplay, and Fifa is in an entire league of its own in terms of realism.
Glitches, yes
But even IGN, GameSpy, GameFly, Game Informer (I can keep going) ranked EA's NHL franchise as being just behind FIFA as the best sports simulation dating back to the mid 90's. Also, though I don't own NHL '12 I've played it a ton and did not notice those issues and being a former hockey player of nearly 23 years I would have. Sticks do go between legs and sometimes and goals are scored in that manner (see many redirects in front when a player is in the act of crashing the net or Brad Richards game-tying goal with 6.6 seconds against Washington in the playoffs- he shot the puck as a guy dove on his stick, through his legs) and Holtby went to cover the puck). The hitting thing is bothersome (and does occur sometimes in real life- needs to be shown by having the forward dip his shoulder into the defender and the effect is slowing progress to the net) but it is being addressed this year according to EA's press releases. Even though other glitches undoubtedly exist, to say that NHL is behind NCAA with super linebackers (not just in jump but speed), suction blocking, little change in ball speed when thrown regardless of play, d-linemen amazingly breaking down blocks at the split second of RB line penetration on 50% of plays, one-handed picks by DB's without looking back for the ball, very few big hits from safeties on receivers going up, and a general sense of apathy on the part of the producers, is quite honestly incorrect. Not to say that the NHL series is the best ever (FIFA is better and arguably so is Fight Night) but it has been consistently amongst the best since the Genesis/SuperNintendo days and even the general gaming review community recognizes this fact along with the players. NCAA is nothing but a series of glitches and issues which could be fixed by one patch but for some reason, after releasing the Tuner, nothing else is done on EA's end. The general outcry, which has been absent from most other EA Sports franchises (minus Madden- I liked '12, didn't get the complaining), is evidence of this fact. Also the total overhaul of the design team is as well (for the second time I believe). NHL, FIFA, Fight Night, and others didn't experience the same massive overhauls. I played both games/sports and the NHL series is MUCH closer to simulating a real hockey game than NCAA is to simulating football. Also hockey knowledge is incorporated into NHL '12- you can design your offense to run through the points and relying on cycling down low to generate open ice and opportunities. In NCAA you haven't been able to look off defenders since 2006 or set individual CB assignments (which can be done in Madden- surprising). Even the create-a-playbook mode is questionable. Also the animations are pretty bad on the lines and with receivers at many points- its being addressed (finally, you know, after six years of complaints from the fan base).
NCAA Football has been a disappointment since the 2006 version (2005 was INCREDIBLE and still to this day the best EA Football simulation I've ever played- could look off defenders, create separation with receivers and corners, and going undefeated in Heisman mode was nearly impossible but a 1 loss team could go to the NCG) and though NCAA '12 was a good game overall, many fixes are required:
1) Commentary has been awful since 2005- no Gameday? No ABC/CBS/Fox coverage? NOTE: I do like what they've done with the new ticker/update
2) Neutral site games- you have a decent amount of opening week kickoff neutral site games that need to be incorporated. Its ridiculous that no CFB Kickoff game or Allstate Kickoff in the Capital game is in the game.
3) Super linebackers
4) suction blocking
5) no-look picks going for six where the CB can break tackles better than a RB with 99 "break tackle" ability
6) No varying pass speeds
7) WAY TOO EASY TO WIN A NATIONAL TITLE- even with teams like Duke or Colorado one can go undefeated, even in the SEC or Pac 12, in their first year with a D+ roster,
It seems that the staff has actually experienced a massive changeover and is attempting to fix many of the old issues. I think I will buy it again this year to see how the changes appear in the game. Madden, though having many issues in its own right, is by far superior to NCAA and this needs to be changed. EA got it right with the NHL series- maybe move those design teams over....
Agree on all these points. Here are my main issues:
- Fullback run blocking is atrocious. On stretch plays out of the I-form, the fullback will completely whiff on any player right in front of him
- Apparently every guard from FCS West or San Jose State can routinely pancake-block a 90 DT
- Bionic linebackers who apparently have 46" verticals, as they bat down every over the middle pass from a 6'6 quarterback
- DBs covering two routes at once on deep plays
NCAA 13 seriously needs to improve the gameplay and replay value. What make me want to play is having a realistic simulation of the college football season. The other night I had the difficult set to Heisman and simmed through 3 straight undefeated seasons with the more or less current VT roster. While that would be awesome in real life, it ain't gonna happen. They need to include neutral site games for sure, and what about having mid-season updates? Changes to coaching prestige or stability when Ohio State tubes, or updated uniforms when VT inevitably unveils its weird Nike variation.
I complain, but I'm a slave to this franchise. Damn.
You and me both. Even if some stopped buying the game, overall most would continue because it is fun and we like to play as Tech, another school, or create our own to win Natty's. Complaining is good because maybe sooner or later EA will listen.
They gotta do something new
Yeah on the same page as everyone else here. I used to alternate each year between NCAA and Madden. I typically like NCAA better, but i'm a bigger college football fan so maybe that's why. I just wish they could do something significant, but don't know what that is. Really the biggest complaint is the lack of a large library of sound clips they can pull from during the game. It gets so repeatitive after a couple weeks and then quickly gets old. Why can't they just record at least 3x the amount of commentary from the voice "talent", would it really be that hard??! That would be huge for this game. Imagine if the intros and play by play was different through out the season, huge improvement.
Essentially what I was saying about adding new commentators. They need more variety... But I agree, they could just keep Nessler and Herbstriet and give them newer fresher lines that vary with each game's intro, but let's be honest... We don't really care for those two.
If they actually used real-life commentary pairings/teams (Thursday night crew on ESPN, CBS crew, ABC Saturday night w/ Musberger and Herbie, Todd Blackledge and Nessler... you get the picture) I would be more invested in the game. However, until that variety is in place, I will continue to be dissatisfied.