Utopia to Attend EA Community Day on 6/12!

[rhombic21]

http://www.ncaastrategies.com/images/ncaafootball08/small_logo.pngRhombic and cdj have been invited to represent Utopia College Sports at EA's community day event next Tuesday, June 12. We will tour the Tiburon studio, get a chance to meet with producers and ask some questions, and most importantly, get a chance to play the game and give you our impressions. This is the first time that Utopia has been represented at community day, and both cdj and I are extremely excited for the opportunity.

As I previously mentioned, we are going to get a chance to ask questions and playtest the game. I've already discussed it with cdj, and we have worked up a bunch of things to find out/test, but we're also open to any suggestions from you guys.

Please use this thread for any ongoing discussion related to our visit.

[sayo]

Wow congrats. What version will you guys be testing? And what have you guys determined you will cover as far as questions?

[rhombic21]

We're going to get to play both versions. We have a bunch of things that we want to take a look at. We're going to try and hit as many of the major gameplay issues that we can. Keep in mind, however, that we're only going to have a few hours with the game, so we're working with limited time to try and take a look at things.

[dawg_gone]

Fantastic. G/L with that. No pressurrrrrrrr... [laugh]

[WhoUTestin]

Can you please check the flexbone playbook and see how the WB moves?

[sayo]

Yes understandable. As far as gameplay, you should ask them about the process of implementing their "features" without going overboard. That seems to be a pressing issue here.

[supersigma2of21]

Xbox 360

Congrats rhombic and cdj. I think I speak for the entire coach mode community when I ask can you simply see if it or QB auto-throw are in the game. If you could, also check to see if cpu vs. cpu is in the game if coach mode or QB auto-throw aren't in the game.

Thanks,
supersigma2of21

[TrickyD]

Awesome work in getting selected for this event guys! I'll be looking extremely forward to browsing over everything you all bring back.

[cdj]

As rhombic said, we're both very excited and honored to be selected for this event, which happens to be the first ever Community Event dedicated solely to NCAA Football.

rhombic and I have been chatting and we are very focused on providing the coverage that Utopians deserve. We will play the game as extensively as possible, while also asking questions that site members have wanted answered for years.

Please let us know what we can do to provide the best info possible. Also, if you have any burning questions, please post them in the UCS: Interview Questions thread.

[gschwendt]

Ask if there's any differences (even minor) between the PS3 & 360. Not a huge deal but I'm curious if there are differences like there were between PS2 & Xbox (ie helmets popping off, etc.)

[wvfan14]

Good luck guyas.

Can you all see if the deep passing game has been fixed, along with any new additions to the running/run blocking system if current-gen?

Along with gameplay, could you all ask how the campus legend and dynasty mode differ from last year's (current-gen)?

[redandblack]

Congrats and good luck. Can't think of anyone better than you two to represent Utopia at this event.

[sayo]

Congrats and good luck. Can't think of anyone better than you two to represent Utopia at this event.

QFT

[gschwendt]

WFT

What Fuck the?

[WhoUTestin]

WFT

What Fuck the?

Well fuck that?

[JeffHCross]

I read it as "What? Fuck that."

[Wahoo35]

What is the throwing accuracy of the Hawaii back up punter? :D

[Keith1212]

Thats honestly just great, great news. I know the both of you will be able to give us some great impressions of the game.

[JeffHCross]

Just don't get too distracted by missed blocks and I'm sure you'll be fine rhombic. :)

Have fun guys, it's a great honor.

[sayo]

My bad I meant QFT quoted for truth. [laugh]

[kidzer0918]

ask them who plays the game when they make their videos and then slap them.

[JeffHCross]

My bad I meant QFT quoted for truth. [laugh]W?FT.

[Keith1212]

My bad I meant QFT quoted for truth. [laugh]
LMAO I really thought you were saying "Well fuck that" [laugh]

[Keith1212]

ask them who plays the game when they make their videos and then slap them.
[laugh]

With a backhand. Make sure his teeth catch your knuckles.

[laugh]

[gschwendt]

I figured the QFT was the intent since Well Fuck That isn't commonplace and Q & W are neighbors.

[sayo]

yes Q and W are right there next to each other and I didn't bother to check my spelling since it was three simple letters.

[Keith1212]

yes Q and W are right there next to each other and I didn't bother to check my spelling since it was three simple letters.
That you still managed to fuck up [laugh]

A lesson has been learned today. Typos are possible on even the simplest of things :keith_yes

[Come2Conquer]

rhombic, I'll take a copy for PS2. Just hit me with a PM when y'all get back & I'll send you my mailing address. Thanks man.





[cool]

[DonohoFlnkr]

So, we (Utopia) are finally on the map?! It's about time. I have read the EA boards and wondered if EA really believes that the people on there are truly representative of the game's consumers. I know that RAC sees this board, but I wonder if he is able to convince the higher ups that our site is more representative than the posters on the EA board.

[gschwendt]

hey rhombic... since I would think this would be REALLY easy to implement before going gold, ask them if it'd be possible to include the score and time overlay on highlight replays. That way when we create highlight videos from them, it has the time, down, distance, score, etc. all right there for you. Maybe even make them each optional or something. Again, I dont really think that'd be too hard to implement.

[IowaWolverine]

It's great that Utopia has been invited. :)

[steelerfan]

Wow, I have been around here a long time like many of you. I honestly began to doubt we'd ever be heard or taken seriously. This is great news!! I honestly can't think of anyone else I'd rather have representing us. I know you two will do a great job. This is a great day for Utopia. Congrats to cmq, Tricky, Rhombic, cdj and anyone and everyone else who made this happen.

[bruinfan18]

Congrats guys. It's well deserved.

[husker_blitz]

Congrat guys. cdj, please make sure rhombic doesn't go on one of his EA blast rants that will wind up giving all of us a bad name. :rolleyes: :D

[neystar206]

Great News.......

[dshban]

d00de wut colur ar teh bose stete kekers soks?

[wvfan14]

Also, check and see if kick/punt returns were fixed.

[westsidetide]

Congrats, Guys! And to you also CMQ and Tricky. You guys have brought this site a long way.

My question: What exactly do you mean by 'revolutionary'?

[wvfan14]

My question: What exactly do you mean by 'revolutionary'?

I concur.

Ask some Qs about the dynasty mode.

[TubbyChooChoo]

I concur.

Ask some Qs about the dynasty mode.

Triple that!
What is revolutionary about dynasty mode??
My guess s that you can play real people online for your games within your dynasty(ies) like you could with other EA games last gen.

Also -- logos in dynasty..new and revolutionary or the same since Bill Walsh??

[Plottydawg]

Congrats on the honor, fellas. I just hope for a change, EA actually listens to all ideas (especially Utopians, since IMO we are the most intelligent NCAA FB video gamers out there).

What's even weirder is that EA selected a Husker and a Sooner to represent Utopia. Hope you guys are flying in separate....j/k.

I guess my question will come to deal with concepts and ideas of coach mode. Will it have a certain set of "sliders" for maximum accuracy, and how realistic will the stats and game play be when it comes to just choosing a play and letting the players sort it out? Or will some of us have to return to playing "Uber-QB" to get the realistic stats we expect from a 95 rated QB like what had to be done with 07. Good luck, gentlemen, may the Foce be w/you and eh, no pressure! Look forward to reading all the info you two bring back for us to digest.

[Gatorguy91]

Congratulations Guys. I hope the game is fun.

[dshban]

Please ask dynasty questions. :)

[WKUsSledgehammer]

Awesome news, guys! Just remember to enjoy it and have some fun!

[21SEC]

Congrats guys, and congrats to Tricky, CMQ, and all the mods. So if rhombic does launch into a tirade while there, can we Utopians flog him upon his return home?;)

Defintelty check coach mode on all the systems. You know the brotherhood will be waiting on knees until your return.

[Fluff E Bunny]

In homage to the 'I got it' threads where people got the game before rhombic, let me just say, "I hate you guys."

:D

[keyser soze]

rhombic, are you 2 just going to play pvp or pvm also? if you are going to play pvm let me know, i have a few things i would really like you to check out as far as AI game play goes. thanks

[Southpaw]

Please find out the SPD rating for Tennessee's backup punter.

kthx bai

That's cool, though. Is EA paying for your airline tickets and lodging?

[cdj]

Congrat guys. cdj, please make sure rhombic doesn't go on one of his EA blast rants that will wind up giving all of us a bad name. :rolleyes: :D

Congrats guys, and congrats to Tricky, CMQ, and all the mods. So if rhombic does launch into a tirade while there, can we Utopians flog him upon his return home?;)


If steam starts coming out of his ears, I'll have my taser ready. ;)

Seriously though, despite his occasional rant, I know rhombic will ask some damn good questions and provide some of the best pre-game info we've ever had. Not only am I excited to meet with EA, but I really looking forward to bringing information back to Utopia and seeing what everyone thinks.

I concur.

Ask some Qs about the dynasty mode.

Triple that!
What is revolutionary about dynasty mode??
My guess s that you can play real people online for your games within your dynasty(ies) like you could with other EA games last gen.

Also -- logos in dynasty..new and revolutionary or the same since Bill Walsh??

Asking about Dynasty Mode changes (and making it more in-depth) is something near the top of my list.

Tubby - Do you mean the logos for Create-a-School? Or else I'm slow this morning and not realizing what you mean by 'logos for dynasty.' I'll def. be asking why CAT hasn't been touched much in the last few years (similarly to online mode).

Congrats on the honor, fellas. I just hope for a change, EA actually listens to all ideas (especially Utopians, since IMO we are the most intelligent NCAA FB video gamers out there).

What's even weirder is that EA selected a Husker and a Sooner to represent Utopia. Hope you guys are flying in separate....j/k.

I guess my question will come to deal with concepts and ideas of coach mode. Will it have a certain set of "sliders" for maximum accuracy, and how realistic will the stats and game play be when it comes to just choosing a play and letting the players sort it out? Or will some of us have to return to playing "Uber-QB" to get the realistic stats we expect from a 95 rated QB like what had to be done with 07. Good luck, gentlemen, may the Foce be w/you and eh, no pressure! Look forward to reading all the info you two bring back for us to digest.

I caught the Husker-Sooner irony, as well. [laugh] Coach Mode is also high on my list (it's a big list ;)) to look into. IMO it adds replay value to the game, so I hope not only that it is continued, but that they develop it in some fashion.

rhombic, are you 2 just going to play pvp or pvm also? if you are going to play pvm let me know, i have a few things i would really like you to check out as far as AI game play goes. thanks

As of now, I'm not sure if we will be playing the CPU or humans. Looking at past info on Community Day events, it appears (I may be wrong though) that each invitee is able to play on their own console. Ideally, I think rhombic and I would like to do each. Go solo for a bit to gather as much info as possible and then play versus to see how the AI acts in certain instances. With the defensive additions to current-gen NCAA, I'm very intrigued to see how well they work versus a human foe.

[Makaveli_Reborn]

I posted my congrats and questions in the Interview thread (like we were supposed to :D) but I'll post it here again since people seem to be looking at this one.
----------------------------
If I could have ONE aspect of the single-player game overhauled it would be the way recruiting is handled.

I'd like to know what (if anything) has been done to more accurately recreate the way recruiting operates in CFB. Year-round recruiting? Recruiting kids before their senior years? Being able to recruit kids without giving offers (ie being able to talk to/visit more than 25 kids a week)?

Congratulations guys. I'd also like to know if EA is footing the bill for this little excursion. Not that it's any of my business I guess.

[pavel_quad]

This is awesome. Deep ball, scramble and chuck QB's, decent run blocking at the LOS and second-level...That'd be enough for me.

Not to be a wet blanket, but if these two super sleuths uncover an AI problem, there's still nothing that can be done for '08, right?

[keyser soze]

cdj, that is awesome and I hope the 2 of you have a great time of it.

Well when you play the CPU I am curious to see some simple things like does the computer audible or shift to counter your moves. Such as shifting D-line and linebackers to the NON TE side of the formation. Does this end up in an auto sack on every pass play like it has in the past or will the CPU do the smart thing and audible to a run towards the TE and butcher you. Also, when you get close to the goal line, does the CPU still cheat and know whether or not you called run or pass breaking the huddle like in every year past? You can typically easily test this by calling a run out of a 4 WR spread formation inside the 5. If they come out in goal line and ignore the WRs then they are cheating. You can confirm this by audibling to a pass out of the same formation and watching the CPU shift out of goal line. I believe if these 2 things haven't been fixed then it will say a TON in what to expect overall in CPU pre-snap AI.

Other then that things like blocking/coverage I know you 2 will be all over. One thing that I would REALLY like to hear about is if you find a play that works well and run it over and over will the CPU do anything about it. Last year I could run the same play for an entire season and never be stopped because the CPU would only randomly call defenses and even though they would sometimes call one that would work, there was zero memory to store that info and they just continued to randomly call the next play.

Thanks and have fun!

[husker_blitz]

Tubby - Do you mean the logos for Create-a-School? Or else I'm slow this morning and not realizing what you mean by 'logos for dynasty.' I'll def. be asking why CAT hasn't been touched much in the last few years (similarly to online mode).
If Tubby isn't then I will...just touch base with C-A-S to see if anything is different (ie record books, Great Game scores, etc) I know game play is going to be the most focused of the excursion, so if you could just spend a couple of minutes tinkering with it that would be cool.

I didn't see this, but are you going to be sampling both next gen and current gen? You might want to clarify new vs current and X-box vs PS. Thanks.

[TexAg]

This is about the best news I've read in a long time. Congrats guys. Hey Rhombic, are you sure you'll be able to play something besides online there???;)

[J Hall]

nice. do us proud and i'm sure the game's flaws will finally be noticed and (hopefully) fixed.

[supersigma2of21]

Coach Mode is also high on my list (it's a big list ;)) to look into. IMO it adds replay value to the game, so I hope not only that it is continued, but that they develop it in some fashion.
**Gives cdj a big bear hug**

[HookemHorns]

I'll post this in here as well:

Running game questions:

Does the FB react correctly to incomming defenders?

Is there finally a full running game...dive, iso, counter, power, trap, inside zone, outside zone and complementing play-action off each one?

How is the run blocking, straight ahead, zone, and pulling/traping? Are kick out and seal blocks executed properly? Are their cut blocks?

Has the counter run been added to shotgun formations? See Texas last year.

Passing game questions:

Is pass blocking on play-action improved?

Is pass blocking improved, has the different types of pass blocking been implemented? BOB (Big on Big), slide, bootleg with a guard pulling, blitz pickups, etc.

Has the screen game been improved? HB Screen, FL Screen, Middle Screen, TE screen, Double screen? Do the linemen actually block?

Are the recievers able to read zone coverage, ie. on the mesh route instead of continuing to run accross the field do the settle into the voids just outside the hash marks?

Is the conerback to the one side still able to cover both the hitch and corner combination to his side.

Does it still take forever for the reciever to run a smash route.

What type of route combinations are in the game, have any been added?

Playbook questions:

Any new formations?

Is the I-formation option back in?

[greenbayrocks567]

First off, congratulations guys, I'm sure you will both bring back very viable information back to UCS. I have a series of questions, for you both.

1. Announcing--Have there been new voice recordings added since last season?

2. Team Entrances--Though I doubt they have added any, simply because we haven't heard anything, out of curiosity are team specific entrances added? (ala Michigan under the Blue banner, Tennessee running through the T.)

3. Deep Ball Craziness-- In past NCAA's you were able to scramble way behind the line of scrimmage and bomb it down field to a wide open guy. Is this fixed?

4. Option-- The option is a ton of fun to run in these games, but too often it is too easy to run, when it shouldn't be. I always thought that it was too easy to run in NCAA, no matter who the QB. Has the realism been brought back?

5. Dynasty-- I have a lot of questions regarding dynasty mode, so I'm going to break it up into sections.

a. Has the penalty system been reworked? Or am I going to have to deal with my A+ behavioral QB getting caught smoking bud at a party again?

b. They have been advertising this years Dynasty as 'revolutionary' I want to know why.

c. Ever since Owner mode came into Madden, and the ability to modify uniforms and upgrade stadiums came into play, I wondered why this couldn't be added to NCAA. I think it would be a great option to modify uniforms and upgrade stadiums just like in Madden. Of course maybe this is the 'revolutionary' aspect of dynasty.

d. I was wondering if the recruiting system has been changed at all. It has been very easy to recruit in NCAA in recent years, and I hope this has been changed.

6. Coaches-- I don't know if this goes against the NCAA rules or whatever, but it would be neat to have coaches likeness's in the game. Like Bobby Bowden wearing a straw hat, adding a new weight class for guys like Charlie Weis you know (superheavyweight perhaps?), that type of thing.

Again congratulations guys, and thanks ahead of time.

[Wooly]

WOW! This is huge! Thanks for the hard [work] guys.

Damn![down]

[Mr.T]

Congrats guys!!

I'm sure all the gameplay Q's have been covered.

Here are the 2 that I REALLY would like to know about:

1. Edit player & Equipment, is it available this year?

2. Cut scenes after the huddle break, heading to the line of scrimmage. Please tell me EA did away with this crap!!

Thanks!!

[Come2Conquer]

Thanks for the hard guys.

Stop it RIGHT NOW!

[TubbyChooChoo]

Right

Check on Create-A-School logos...I was just thinking dynasty because that's what I do with my created school.
:)

[Cory]

Make sure you rock some Utopia gear.

[Makaveli_Reborn]

WOW! This is huge! Thanks for the hard guys.

That might be my favorite Utopia post ever

[RUSSELL05]

Have fun guys

[Papa LoneStar]

Congratulations....I can't wait for the info :D

[STARTER]

Be sure to bring a pen and a legal pad and takes as much notes as possible. We are dying for information. We will expect a full report on every thing from the game play to the hot secretary, whose cleavage has obviously distracted the quality control guys since she started in 2004:eek: . (the only explanation of the crap that’s been put out is recent years.) Also asked if you can video record you experience, from the player models to the afore mentioned secretary. Thanks in advance.

[21SEC]

Make sure you rock some Utopia gear.

THONG[oops]

[JBHuskers]

Congrats guys! Hopefully you'll be able to influence them to not put out a turd this year!

[Rudy16]

WOW! This is huge! Thanks for the hard guys.

Somehow I don't think you meant to say that.

[Mr.T]

WOW! This is huge! Thanks for the hard guys.

This thread may have been derailed a bit.
[laugh]

[TubbyChooChoo]

Make sure you rock some Utopia gear.


You can borrow my wife's ncaastrategies.com t-shirt if you need a tight cut-off to show off your breasts!

[steelerfan]

Somehow I don't think you meant to say that.

Maybe he meant: "WOW! This is hard! Thanks for the huge guys." ??[laugh]

[Wooly]

You bastards! :D Yeah, I went back and edited my post.

[CaneBone]

Have they implemented ANY new presentation effects into the game? New intros, audio, ESPN integration, etc.

Congrats guys!

[Cory]

I didn't realize this was so close. Hopefully we can have on-the-site updates, meaning rhombic and cdj report from Tiburon.

[cdj]

I didn't realize this was so close. Hopefully we can have on-the-site updates, meaning rhombic and cdj report from Tiburon.

I don't think we'll be able to report directly from on-site, but I do plan on attempting to get info here right away on Tuesday night once the event is over.

[Cory]

I don't think we'll be able to report directly from on-site, but I do plan on attempting to get info here right away on Tuesday night once the event is over.

That's what I meant mostly.

[husker_blitz]

Where is this event taking place? I don't know where Tiburon is located.

[dshban]

Where is this event taking place? I don't know where Tiburon is located.

Orlando.

[cdj]

Where is this event taking place? I don't know where Tiburon is located.

Orlando. Here is Tiburon's website (http://www.tiburon.com/) with some pics of the place.

[worst2first]

First of all, congratulations. I will post this question in the other thread as well, but please find out if the auto pass feature is back in next-gen. This, or some form of coach mode is absolutely essential to coach mode players and shouldn't take more than a minute or two to check. Thank you.

[CFR-116]

Have a fun and safe trip guys.

[WKUsSledgehammer]

I just thought of something I'd like to know.

I wonder if you could find out some of the major differences in the current and next-gen versions.

For instance, according to the vid posted today, current gen will feature in-season drills and medical redshirts in dynasty mode. It'd be nice to know if these are in the next-gen game, and if not, what are some other discrepancies.

[coogrfan]

Guys, EA posted a vid today on the Madden site that shows a number of really impressive gangtackles (the genuine article, not the canned animations of the past). Can you check to see how much of this sort of thing we can expect in NCAA?

[IowaWolverine]

I just thought of something I'd like to know.

I wonder if you could find out some of the major differences in the current and next-gen versions.

For instance, according to the vid posted today, current gen will feature in-season drills and medical redshirts in dynasty mode. It'd be nice to know if these are in the next-gen game, and if not, what are some other discrepancies.
I'd like to know, too.

[Soonerfan09]

Congrats and have fun guys!

[illuvius32]

I can't imagine a better team of guys who will go in there and ask the questions that need to be asked. I'm really excited by this news. Good luck, guys.

[nolesandgators]

Orlando. Here is Tiburon's website (http://www.tiburon.com/) with some pics of the place.
I've actually been there before. It's not all that fancy or anything, but it's really cool to see where they make the game.

[RandomHero]

Could you guys see if you can customize player equipment this year. Also find out why every recruit i see in the videos so far is wearing a dark visor.

[BigOrangeCountry]

I skimmed this thread, so I'm not sure if these questions have been submitted yet, but I'll ask in case:

1. How many roster spots does the XBOX version have?

2. How many roster spots does the XBOX 360 version have?

Gameplay?

1. How is the fullback blocking?

2. How well have they implemented the multiple layer blocking to the run game?

3. How often do offensive linemen get knocked on their butts but opposing defensive linemen?

4. How hard is it to pass on a zone?

Thanks guys, and again, congratulations. Rep Utopia.

[cdj]

Here's the official flyer for the event:

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8172/flyersmall2hy2.jpg

[worst2first]

It's nice to see NCAA Strategies getting some respect from EA. Good luck guys. Don't let us down!

[JeffHCross]

Also find out why every recruit i see in the videos so far is wearing a dark visor.Look at the recruiting vid (http://www.ncaastrategies.com/utopia/showthread.php?t=49382) posted today and you'll see that, thankfully, this isn't always the case.

[steelerfan]

Here's the official flyer for the event:

Seeing NCAA Strategies on there made my mouth drop open. WOW. I can't believe they're finally giving us some credit. This is GREAT....

[husker_blitz]

[quote=cdj;1295730]Here's the official flyer for the event:

Seeing NCAA Strategies on there made my mouth drop open. WOW. I can't believe they're finally giving us some credit. This is GREAT....
It does look kind of nice doesn't it. :) Although I admit I almost missed it since it didn't say Utopia...oh well at least we're on there.

And to think it only took about five years to do. :hmm:

This is certainly a step in the right direction and Will has really done a nice job IMO with his communication with us.

[raczilla]

I'm glad to see you guys are excited. I'm pumped for next week myself!

[Mr. Tennessee]

I will post this question in the other thread as well, but please find out if the auto pass feature is back in next-gen. This, or some form of coach mode is absolutely essential to coach mode players and shouldn't take more than a minute or two to check. Thank you.
:) Indeed.

Very excited that we have two of our members going.

[JeffHCross]

The only thing I don't like about seeing NCAA Strategies on there is seeing Madden Planet too. I love the guys, and the ones that go to EA do a great job ... but the actual NCAA community on there has died

[redandblack]

I do believe NCAA Strategies is the largest NCAA Football series fan site. Or if not biggest definitely the most active.

[JeffHCross]

I do believe NCAA Strategies is the largest NCAA Football series fan site. Or if not biggest definitely the most active.I agree. MP is a very good community, just their NCAA forums have died in the last few years. Their admins do a very good job at reporting when they go to EA events though.

[KILL3R]

rhombic please don't kill nor break anything. Remember its only a game. Oh, good luck and have a safe trip. Your definitely the best man for the job and I'm happy you were chosen to attend. Finally all NCAA fans will have a honest realistic review.

[JeffHCross]

rhombic please don't kill nor break anything. [laugh] I can see it now ...
Well, everything was going well, until rhombic noticed that the backside guard on Flexbone Triple Option Rev was pulling the wrong way when a specific package was loaded, and, well, he snapped. Broke the controllers by throwing them into the flat-screen TV. Arraignment is Monday.

[JackRyanWMU]

^^^

[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

Best of luck, guys!

[neystar206]

I just want to know if the game play levels are going to be harder with a smarter AI this year???

Because I thought that the all-american and heisman levels were to easy in ncaa07.…..
thanks

[IowaWolverine]

[laugh] at Jeff's post.

[cdj]

I do believe NCAA Strategies is the largest NCAA Football series fan site. Or if not biggest definitely the most active.

I'm pretty sure we're the only community site devoted to NCAA FB. Most other sites that have a large NCAA area are either dedicated to Madden or sports gaming in general.

[21SEC]

Yalls report on coach mode will probably determine if I break down and buy a 360 soon. If Coach Mode is left out of the next-gen again well I will just have to hope the xbox will survive another year.

[cdj]

Yalls report on coach mode will probably determine if I break down and buy a 360 soon. If Coach Mode is left out of the next-gen again well I will just have to hope the xbox will survive another year.

That will be the first thing I check on next-gen....call a pass play, hike the ball, and hope the QB does his thing.



Also, if anyone has any other questions they would like rhombic or I to try and look into on Tuesday, please post them in this thread (http://www.ncaastrategies.com/utopia/showthread.php?t=48606) by late this afternoon. This way it can be added to the pool and we will have it before departing for Tiburon tomorrow.

[coogrfan]

That will be the first thing I check on next-gen....call a pass play, hike the ball, and hope the QB does his thing.

You probably already know this, but if it's like current gen you'll have to go to controller layout and change auto throw to on.

[MightyBruin]

Check out the playbooks for both current gen and next gen. Let us know what you think of them. Have they added even more new formations and plays for current gen or are we just getting roster updates?

[greenbayrocks567]

I see that neither Sportsgamer (formerly Madden Nation) nor Madden Mania are on the list...thats kind of odd.

[boarderkid889]

yall gonna take some pictures of ea? have always wondered what ea looks like. then again i wonder what rhombic looks like...

congrats! show what utopia is all about

[cdj]

yall gonna take some pictures of ea? have always wondered what ea looks like. then again i wonder what rhombic looks like...


Yes, sir. Batteries are charged, and unless EA gets camera shy, we'll have pics to show off their facilities. I'll also see if I can get rhombic into some centerfold-style poses for you. ;)

[husker_blitz]

I'll also see if I can get rhombic into some centerfold-style poses for you. ;)
Please don't. No matter what time you post them...I'd just eaten. :keith_puk

[cdj]

I have a 5:50 AM flight out of Omaha, so I'm off to bed - should be able to post tomorrow night from Orlando, but don't expect game info until Tuesday night. Monday night's plan consists of a dinner with the other Community Leaders invited and with Will. Here's hoping for tons of positive info come Tuesday! Thanks for all of the questions, guys. Hopefully we can get most, if not all, answered and then some.

[rhombic21]

Sorry guys, I don't have a laptop, and have been unsuccessful in securing one. Looks like I may just have to make as many notes as possible, and then try to get something typed up after I get back.

[TrickyD]

pick up a digital voice recorder at wally world on your way out

[dshban]

pick up a digital voice recorder at wally world on your way out

Do this, please.

[JeffHCross]

pick up a digital voice recorder at wally world on your way outConcur. I have a digital recorder from OfficeMax, and it's been amazing. I was never smart enough to take it with me to class, but for getting quotes and notes-to-self, it's been indispensable.

[husker_blitz]

pick up a digital voice recorder at wally world on your way out
I have one I don't even use since I left the newspaper. Hell, I would have driven to give it to cdj to give to rhombic just to get as much info as possible.

[locke888]

then again i wonder what rhombic looks like...

congrats! show what utopia is all about

5'10" 179 lbs. Shaved head, slightly pale, beard no mustache, clipboard in hand secured by handcuffs, wearing "OU 2000 National Champs" T-shirt, Massive forearms(from playing NCAA online, I hope)

Anyone else want to take a guess? Winner gets copy of NCAA 08 courtesy of Utopia.

[JeffHCross]

FYI: MaddenPlanet (one of the other attendees) will be putting their coverage of Community Day here (http://www.maddenplanet.com/features/1181485323.shtml).

[keyser soze]

Nice find. Do we know which 2 in the group picture are our guys?

[gschwendt]

Nice find. Do we know which 2 in the group picture are our guys?

those are from the Madden Community group 06

[Fluff E Bunny]

those are from the Madden Community group 06

I recognize Bert from VG, other than that....

[rhombic21]

Good news guys! They have a computer lab here at the hotel, so it looks like I'll be able to type up my thoughts tomorrow night afterall.

Ran into cdj earlier in the lobby, and we've both arrived at the hotel here in Maitland.

Sidenote: Bottled water here at the hotel costs $2.40. Ridiculous.

[FieldingBLUE]

Sidenote: Bottled water here at the hotel costs $2.40. Ridiculous.Hit a Walgreens (330 S. Orlando in Maitland). We don't want you dehydrated and passing out while playing the game. Good to hear you boys arrived safely.

[cdj]

Just got in a bit ago. Carpooled from the airport with Paul from VG, Damon from Madden Planet, and Nick from gamertagradio.com. They're all excited for the event as well, so there should be a lot of great NCAA coverage tomorrow evening/night.

[dshban]

Good news guys! They have a computer lab here at the hotel, so it looks like I'll be able to type up my thoughts tomorrow night afterall.

Ran into cdj earlier in the lobby, and we've both arrived at the hotel here in Maitland.

Sidenote: Bottled water here at the hotel costs $2.40. Ridiculous.

$2.40? Jeesh, it's that much at my school canteen. $4.00 at sporting events in the city.

[fried rice]

give 'em hell, rhombic and cdj!

[gschwendt]

someone on another board mentioned that they're supposed to have a tournament as part of tomorrow... rep us well guys!

[gschwendt]

hey guys... if it's not too late, I have another question to add to your list. What will the clock rules be for 08?

[cdj]

someone on another board mentioned that they're supposed to have a tournament as part of tomorrow... rep us well guys!

That is true. Considering rhombic is in the tourney, I've already decided to devote the time left after my game(s) to go back and get more impressions and info. [laugh]

Also on the itinerary is a 'blank spot' from 12-3, so it appears EA has some sort of surprise in store for us. We immediately begin our day at 10 AM tomorrow with hands-on time with the game and producers will be on-hand to answer questions. (The over/under for minutes they let rhombic and I ask questions is currently set at 23.5. ;))

[JeffHCross]

Damon from Madden PlanetTell Damon I'm jealous.

[FAIRDALE KINGS]

That is true. Considering rhombic is in the tourney, I've already decided to devote the time left after my game(s) to go back and get more impressions and info. [laugh]

Also on the itinerary is a 'blank spot' from 12-3, so it appears EA has some sort of surprise in store for us. We immediately begin our day at 10 AM tomorrow with hands-on time with the game and producers will be on-hand to answer questions. (The over/under for minutes they let rhombic and I ask questions is currently set at 23.5. ;))

I'm taking the under.

[djaeb2001]

That is true. Considering rhombic is in the tourney, I've already decided to devote the time left after my game(s) to go back and get more impressions and info. [laugh]

Also on the itinerary is a 'blank spot' from 12-3, so it appears EA has some sort of surprise in store for us. We immediately begin our day at 10 AM tomorrow with hands-on time with the game and producers will be on-hand to answer questions. (The over/under for minutes they let rhombic and I ask questions is currently set at 23.5. ;))


Yeah, I'm taking way under. I'm thinking your getting 15 minutes.


PEACE

[boomerj4sho]

1. See how the menus are? do they lag?
2. Corner routes, still money?
3. Animations, gang tackles?
4.How is the inside running game?
and finally Just like you Rhombic I am an OU fan. Could you see the rankings on Reggie Smith, Demarco Murray, Allen Patrick, Kelly, and bradford? Just really as many as you can remember or write down.

Thanks,, this is for next gen btw.

[Fluff E Bunny]

Sidenote: Bottled water here at the hotel costs $2.40. Ridiculous.

Welcome to the greater Orlando area!

Hit a Walgreens (330 S. Orlando in Maitland). We don't want you dehydrated and passing out while playing the game. Good to hear you boys arrived safely.

Always good advice for those visiting the Orlando area. You can take advantage of drug and grocery stores that aren't far from the main attractions and save a lot of money.

That is true. Considering rhombic is in the tourney, I've already decided to devote the time left after my game(s) to go back and get more impressions and info. [laugh]

Also on the itinerary is a 'blank spot' from 12-3, so it appears EA has some sort of surprise in store for us. We immediately begin our day at 10 AM tomorrow with hands-on time with the game and producers will be on-hand to answer questions. (The over/under for minutes they let rhombic and I ask questions is currently set at 23.5. ;))

Beer and hookers.

[Estes]

Hey, congrats guys.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say

[BDawg35]

There is nobody I would trust more with this awesome responsibility as Rhombic. But, just a word of warning: Don't sell out, mang, just because EA is granting you an audience. Be the Rhombic you've always been ... a rabble-rouser with a cause.

[GatorTD8to10]

There is nobody I would trust more with this awesome responsibility as Rhombic. But, just a word of warning: Don't sell out, mang, just because EA is granting you an audience. Be the Rhombic you've always been ... a rabble-rouser with a cause.

Are you allowed to use the wods 'mang' and 'rabble-rouser' in the same paragraph?

[Canada_NCAA]

Are you allowed to use the wods 'mang' and 'rabble-rouser' in the same paragraph?

Only in Canada.

[dshban]

Only in Canada.

And Michigan, apparently.

That's B-Dawg for you.

[FieldingBLUE]

Michigan is pert near Canada...

[cdj]

Just returned from supper at the Hard Rock Cafe with the rest of the community leaders plus Will, Mike, and Matt from EA (all in online marketing, I believe). Very fun time and lots of good NCAA chat. For example, Paul from VG may devote most of his gaming time to Madden throughout the year, but he also gives NCAA quite a whirl....and he was able to point out many of the strong & questionable points about the game.

Dan (PackWolf) from Madden Nation Season 1 is here as well; he's a really good guy and it's easy to root for him to succeed in his Madden Challenge quest. Also here is MadSci, who put together an informative powerpoint with a voice over on NCAA info two years ago at E3. If he does the same this year, we'll get you guys a link. Everyone in the group has been great and are very anxious to get their hands on the game tomorrow morning.

The guys we've met from EA (Will, Mike, Matt) have been great...let's just hope the developers are as friendly when we turn the spotlight on their face tomorrow. ;)

Before I pass out for the night, I'm going to review the questions/list. The recent additions to the 'Interview Thread' will be added. If you have anything to add to ask, please post it in the Interview Thread. I'll try to check it one last time tomorrow morning before heading to Tiburon.

[rhombic21]

It is 6:08 AM local time, and I find myself unable to go back to sleep. Very excited about the day that we have coming up. I'm trying to get organized so that I can get as much quality information as possible right now, but I already know that I'll probably be distracted when I get there, and forget almost everything. Hopefully I have some time to gather my thoughts before the producers arrive.

Dinner last night was a fun time. I sat next to Packwolf and got a chance to hear him talk about life on the Madden Nation bus. Really cool guy, with an amazing passion for gaming. He spent all day yesterday on airplanes to get here, then had to rent a car and walk forever to get to the restaraunt, and was STILL chomping at the bit to get his hands on the game.

Right now I'm trying to compose some questions to ask. I definitely want to ask some hard questions, but I don't want to be combative or oppositional, so I'm trying to think of a way to ask some things tactfully. We were talking about it yesterday, and cdj has a bunch of really good questions, so I might let him take the lead on that.

[texacotea]

Nice guys, I couldnt imagine Rhombic its like christmas eve and knowing that as soon as the sun comes up youll get to see what Santa brought you. Keep those producers on thier toes let them know that we know football and want this game to be more geared toward us. ill def. be following here at work when I get the time.

[dshban]

Nice guys, I couldnt imagine Rhombic its like christmas eve and knowing that as soon as the sun comes up youll get to see what Santa brought you. Keep those producers on thier toes let them know that we know football and want this game to be more geared toward us. ill def. be following here at work when I get the time.

Santa brought a big lump of coal for Rhombic. :D

[Fluff E Bunny]

And Michigan, apparently.

That's B-Dawg for you.

When the ancient Canadians were in border negotiations with the ancient Americans, they had to decide if they wanted to keep Michigan or Quebec. They decided that the only fair way to determine who got to make the choice was a coin flip, which the Canadians won and immediately, without hesitation, they made their choice.

They chose Quebec and the Americans secretly laughed to themselves because the Canadians got stuck with the French bastards.

The Canadians, meanwhile, rolled with laughter because the Americans got stuck with Michigan.

[supersigma2of21]

You know, I just realised how truly important it is that we have 2 guys going to community day. This is, IMO, the largest concentration of coach mode players on the net and the members here are tolerant of us. ;) Having guys that respect our style of play at community day is definitely a HUGE deal.

I think I'm going to cry!

[dshban]

When the ancient Canadians were in border negotiations with the ancient Americans, they had to decide if they wanted to keep Michigan or Quebec. They decided that the only fair way to determine who got to make the choice was a coin flip, which the Canadians won and immediately, without hesitation, they made their choice.

They chose Quebec and the Americans secretly laughed to themselves because the Canadians got stuck with the French bastards.

The Canadians, meanwhile, rolled with laughter because the Americans got stuck with Michigan.

http://h1.ripway.com/Dallas/-Dallas-/The_More_You_Know2.jpg

[cdj]

Well, the big day is finally here. Like rhombic, I'm very excited for the event. We both realize how big this is for the community and will do our best in communicating our thoughts with the producers and finding out info that Utopians want and deserve.

According to the itinerary, we will not be back to the hotel until after supper, so we probably will not begin posting info until around 10-11 PM EST.

Again, we're both very excited in learning about the game (not only this year's, but the general methodology behind the franchise) and will not let you guys down. In our minds, this isn't just 'rhombic and cdj' here, it is the two of us representing all of Utopia. Wish us luck and let's all hope we bring back some great finds this evening!

[keyser soze]

Well, the big day is finally here. Like rhombic, I'm very excited for the event. We both realize how big this is for the community and will do our best in communicating our thoughts with the producers and finding out info that Utopians want and deserve.

According to the itinerary, we will not be back to the hotel until after supper, so we probably will not begin posting info until around 10-11 PM EST.

Again, we're both very excited in learning about the game (not only this year's, but the general methodology behind the franchise) and will not let you guys down. In our minds, this isn't just 'rhombic and cdj' here, it is the two of us representing all of Utopia. Wish us luck and let's all hope we bring back some great finds this evening!

Good luck and I hope you don't feel too rushed. Make sure you slow down and enjoy it some and get comfortable with the game first. You need to be comfortable to really test a game. I know I have loved almost every version of the game on the first day of release so to get over that hurdle in 4 hours is going to be hard indeed. Can't wait to read your posts tonight!

[supersigma2of21]

According to the itinerary, we will not be back to the hotel until after supper, so we probably will not begin posting info until around 10-11 PM EST.
This is not acceptable. I'm going to need for you to find a way to post info every hour...on the hour.

J/K [laugh]

Above all, I want you guys to have fun and cherish this experience which is the first of many to come.

[BDawg35]

Good luck and I hope you don't feel too rushed. Make sure you slow down and enjoy it some and get comfortable with the game first. You need to be comfortable to really test a game. I know I have loved almost every version of the game on the first day of release so to get over that hurdle in 4 hours is going to be hard indeed. Can't wait to read your posts tonight!
This is absolutely correct. The newness of a game sometimes clouds our judgment. Then something crops up that doesn't seem ... right. Then it seems to rear its ugly head a little too often. Next thing you know, you're hating life because you've got to deal with 12 months of this crap.

Ah, but who knows? Maybe they've created the perfect game this time and it truly will be Utopia on earth.

[renegade28]

Again, we're both very excited in learning about the game (not only this year's, but the general methodology behind the franchise) and will not let you guys down. In our minds, this isn't just 'rhombic and cdj' here, it is the two of us representing all of Utopia. Wish us luck and let's all hope we bring back some great finds this evening!

Having seen firsthand the quality of your work in the past, I know we have nothing to worry about. Just make sure that you take the time to really enjoy the experience, I know I would.

[WKUsSledgehammer]

And don't forget to jack a box of games to pass out to your favorite Utopians!! ;)

[Fluff E Bunny]

And don't forget to jack a box of games to pass out to your favorite Utopians!! ;)

And one for me too, please. :D [laugh] :) [smile] :o :( [down]

[Makaveli_Reborn]

ten bucks says they just invited Rhombic so they could take him out in the woods and kill him. His identity will be assumed by an EA PR rep. I'll be watching Rhombic's next posts intently.

[JeffHCross]

Michigan is pert near Canada...There are four Ohio State groups on Facebook devoted to giving Michigan to Canada.

[kidzer0918]

ten bucks says they just invited Rhombic so they could take him out in the woods and kill him. His identity will be assumed by an EA PR rep. I'll be watching Rhombic's next posts intently.

HAHA that is funny and sad at the same time

[DonohoFlnkr]

ten bucks says they just invited Rhombic so they could take him out in the woods and kill him. His identity will be assumed by an EA PR rep. I'll be watching Rhombic's next posts intently.

"It's called 'Death Therapy', Bob"

[JeffHCross]

From MaddenPlanet (http://www.madden04.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=51819&view=findpost&p=686389):

Here are some hightlights I have for you guys so far.

- New site that users can upload 10 pictures and 5 videos to a website and allow other users to view those. There are no size limit on the video's only a limit on how many. Once you have 5 the next one uploaded will overwrite another. Not sure if you can choose which one to delete yet.

- The highlight system is unreal from what I have seen. After the game you can go back through and view all the plays of the game from different camera angles. Basically the Presentation producer told me that every game he has played he has never went in and not had his replay show up. So in a 5 or 6 minute game you should be able to view all the plays from the game and save them. If something needs to be overwritten because of the space then the replays have a greatness score. The lowest scores get deleted first. Like 1 yard runs and such will go first. you will also be able to go into this replay thing after an online game I am really liking this.

- shrine - The shrine is what displays as you are in the main menu. In the shirne are TV's and such up on the wall. The TV's display snapshots and videos that you have saved. You don't have to go into the menu to get to this they just show up as you move around your Shrine. The game also takes an auto snapshot on big play replays that happen and those are shown. At the end of a replay during the game it will show you the picture with a "camera noise"

- I saw edit player and took some screens. Going to upload those.

- Individual defensive playmaker. My favorite so far. Very nice addition. You hit "A" on xbox pre-snap and get a display that lets you use the left and right stick to change the assignment for that one guy.

- for you guys that love putting yourself in the game campus legend is it. I am going to get into that next.

- super sim - you can choose to go through play by play or just sim to the end of the game. This also goes into campus legend as you can get through games really fast. For example if you are a running back and you just scored a TD you can sim through the time your team is on defense and be back on the field as your RB in a few seconds.

- ESPN greatest games is something that now uploads your greatest games online. It's just the greatest games score but you can compare to others now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/mongoose1614/DSC00122.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/mongoose1614/DSC00123.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/mongoose1614/DSC00124.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/mongoose1614/DSC00125.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/mongoose1614/DSC00126.jpg
More real quick:
The EA locker isn't there as far as I know. That's about 99%.

No form of online dynasty that i can find.

[kella]

How is Notre Dame an A-? They lost practically the entire team :D

[JeffHCross]

See above.

[HookemHorns]

How is Notre Dame an A-? They lost practically the entire team :D

It is Notre Dame remember, EA has always over rated them.

I don't see how they are B+ on offense and will have a Fr. QB leading the team. Must be really good special teams that garner that A- rating.

[kella]

It is Notre Dame remember, EA has always over rated them.

I don't see how they are B+ on offense and will have a Fr. QB leading the team. Must be really good special teams that garner that A- rating.

Not to mention no big play receivers with any experience. The defense sucked as sophomores and juniors, I don't expect them to be a B+ just because 8 months have passed.

[HookemHorns]

Not to mention no big play receivers with any experience. The defense sucked as sophomores and juniors, I don't expect them to be a B+ just because 8 months have passed.

Didn't 4/5ths of their O-line graduate. I hope their speed ratings are low as Notre Dame probably has the least amount of speed on both sides of the ball of any top team.

You know though now that I think about it Notre Dame probably won't be to hard to beat in the game even if they are rated high. They'll have an entire team that has good OVR ratings but low awareness.

[lseknightpride]

I want info[evil]

[FieldingBLUE]

There are four Ohio State groups on Facebook devoted to giving Michigan to Canada.I'm cool with it. Better health care, more hockey. Shoot, most of northern Michigan already thinks they're Canadian anyway.

[gschwendt]

I want info[evil]

patience grasshopper... we didn't expect to receive any info during the day today, most likely the onslaught will begin tonight after 10 Eastern.

[HookemHorns]

patience grasshopper... we didn't expect to receive any info during the day today, most likely the onslaught will begin tonight after 10 Eastern.


That is the time I cannot wait for, I got the popcorn, laptop, and the comfy computer chair (La-Z-Boy) ready.

[Makaveli_Reborn]

I already love "sim to end of game" assuming there won't be any crazy anomalies. No more sitting through 63-3 beat downs without any other option.

[JeffHCross]

I don't see how they are B+ on offense and will have a Fr. QB leading the team.Offensive ratings are nothing more than an average of the starters, I believe. It's not significantly affected by having a low-rated starter at any one position, even QB, as far as I can tell.

[supersigma2of21]

Now, with the supersim can we simulate series in dynasty games also? I was thinking earlier that if there is no qb autothrow and we can supersim series in-game then I can coach mode my defense and supersim my offense and get through games faster and still purchase what looks to be a good game.

[HookemHorns]

Offensive ratings are nothing more than an average of the starters, I believe. It's not significantly affected by having a low-rated starter at any one position, even QB, as far as I can tell.

I understand that but they lost all of their skill position players, 4/5ths of their offensive line, and their defense is slow and has been pourous for years now.

If any other team lost 8 starters on offense and 6 on defense they would be rated much lower.

[gschwendt]

Now, with the supersim can we simulate series in dynasty games also? I was thinking earlier that if there is no qb autothrow and we can supersim series in-game then I can coach mode my defense and supersim my offense and get through games faster and still purchase what looks to be a good game.

Yes... I believe it has been confirmed that you can super sim dynasty games. As part of that, you can sim til the next defensive series, sim through quarter, sim to end, etc. I can't remember for sure but I'm thinking I saw the super sim option in the exhibition games from the IGN Masterbit Theater videos.

[JeffHCross]

I understand that but they lost ...Right. I was just saying their QB alone isn't going to bring them down. I agree they're overrated (though, we don't know who else is up at B+ range). Also curious that that screen shows B+ rather than the # rating gschwendt posted in the other thread.

Now, with the supersim can we simulate series in dynasty games also?Yep, supersim will be in all modes, as far as I've read. I know it's been mentioned in Dynasty write-ups, not just Campus Legend.

[steelerfan]

I can coach mode my defense and supersim my offense
Hmm...Defensive Coordinator Mode....

[supersigma2of21]

Hmm...Defensive Coordinator Mode....
Exactly!

[NDandUGA]

I understand that but they lost all of their skill position players, 4/5ths of their offensive line, and their defense is slow and has been pourous for years now.

If any other team lost 8 starters on offense and 6 on defense they would be rated much lower.

They lost 3/5ths of the offensive line. They return an All American candidate center, possibly the best tightend in the country, and last years stud freshman Sam Young at tackle.

The defense has plenty of speed. Its the lack of pass rush, poor tackling, and amazing ability to give up the big play that makes the defense particularly awesome.

They do have a 5th year senior punter who is pretty good. I have a feeling he's going to get a workout this year.

[joshuahuskers]

one good thing is you can edit player equipment. I know it's small, but it was a big deal to some people. Very good to see that's back.

[HookemHorns]

They lost 3/5ths of the offensive line. They return an All American candidate center, possibly the best tightend in the country, and last years stud freshman Sam Young at tackle.

The defense has plenty of speed. Its the lack of pass rush, poor tackling, and amazing ability to give up the big play that makes the defense particularly awesome.

They do have a 5th year senior punter who is pretty good. I have a feeling he's going to get a workout this year.

I knew it was something like that. I mean honestly I want Notre Dame to be good, college football is better when all the traditional teams are good. I just don't see Notre Dame being any where near an A-. I don't think I have ever seen without thinking about it a team unranked in the game rated so high.

[durd2817]

one good thing is you can edit player equipment. I know it's small, but it was a big deal to some people. Very good to see that's back.
The game also has the body editor that current-gen Madden has had for several years. I was tired of my 6'2'' 315 defensive tackle looking like a linebacker.

[Canada_NCAA]

I'm cool with it. Better health care, more hockey. Shoot, most of northern Michigan already thinks they're Canadian anyway.

Ahh more hockey. How I miss it already. Only to be replaced by the release of football games. I'd rather take Maine before Michigan.

[sayo]

DAMN USC is stacked.

[RUSSELL05]

DAMN USC is stacked.

You didn't know they returned 10 or 11 starters on defense them mofos will be abused online well maybe not they don't have a scrambler at QB.

[Chase56]

in game saves on next gen?

[gschwendt]

in game saves on next gen?

I don't believe so... I believe Super Sim is it's replacement but I'm not certain about that.

[21SEC]

Where the hell are they?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?????????????????!!??!?!?!?!? ?!

[supersigma2of21]

Probably out having a nice, EA purchased, dinner. That's where I'd be. ;)

[steelerfan]

Maybe they're having a pillow fight?!?[laugh] :keith_puk

[gohuskies]

Commiserating together over the high cost of bottled water while on an expenses-paid trip?

[dshban]

Congrats on becoming a forum mod, gschwendt. :)

[texacotea]

Maybe they're having a pillow fight?!?[laugh] :keith_puk

Now thats funny.....we do need something..........[down]

[Estes]

Congrats on becoming a forum mod, gschwendt. :)

Hey, I didn't even notice. Congrats gschwendt.

[Husker Fan]

Have any video clips/audio interviews popped up yet?

[gschwendt]

Congrats on becoming a forum mod, gschwendt. :)

Hey, I didn't even notice. Congrats gschwendt.

thanks guys... just happened today

[IowaWolverine]

Have any video clips/audio interviews popped up yet?
If you go to the bottom of this site (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=30280), you can listen to a rerun of an interview with Packwolf, who was at Community Day today. Once you get to the audio thing which has his interview, you have to skip to about halfway through before they start talking to him.

He mentioned a lot that the game is "tight" and that the graphics are great. He said there is gang tackling. He also said scramble and chuck didn't work as well and that a lot of the guys there thought the AI was better overall this year.

[ntmeangreen11]

a sun belt mod?

woot! we're moving on up

[gschwendt]

a sun belt mod?

woot! we're moving on up

yep yep... don't worry, I'll make sure the MAC & CUSA fans know their place :p

[coogrfan]

yep yep... don't worry, I'll make sure the MAC & CUSA fans know their place :p

Uh-oh...[down]

[HookemHorns]

Some things I've found out so far, there will be no names on-line this year...no sure if thats nextgen only though. Pat Whites speed rating is 91. Scrambliing QB's have been toned down significantly. Apparently a lot of people were testing that out today.

What new improvements are being added to the on-field gameplay?

Basically, the game feels like a nice combination between current gen and next gen. The branch animation is fantastic and the players are really responsive. I really felt like I had control of my players on the field. Also, they totally rewrote the blocking AI and it’s REALLY nice.

Tell us about the new "Motivation" system, and how it will work.

Didn’t really get too into it, but it’s basically the next gen version of the dynamic ratings system where a players attributes can change throughout the game.

Will NCAA and Madden be sharing the same improved engine across the board, as well as defensive hot routes, etc... etc.

YES. Both games feature the branch animation, gang-tackling, and improved blocking system. NCAA does have defensive hot routes this year as well. It finally feels like both teams for Madden and NCAA are definitely working together.

In the current gen new video they show the QB evade feature. Will that make the cut for next-gen?

No, that did not make it in, but from what I saw of the Current Gen version, it’s just an animation. I don’t think we are missing that much in the next gen.

How many new formations have been added on offense and defense?

I can’t give an exact count, but there are definitely more plays. I am happy because I have my Fake FB, HB Toss back.

What has been done this year to tone down the effectives of scrambling QB'S in last years game?

QB’s are slower in general. Plus, the defense contains them quite well. If you don’t have a mobile QB, he definitely won’t be running around. Also, the QB accuracy definitely goes down if he throws on the run. It’s very noticeable. Also, You can’t run your QB straight back and just chuck up the deep ball without turning around. Either the ball ends up very short or very inaccurate.

Are there formation specific subs in the game?

Honestly, I didn’t notice. I mean, you can change out your HB and all that jazz, but I didn’t check to see if you can save different packages and what not.

Will we see sustained double team blocks? Like for NT in the 3-4 defense

HELL YES!!! The blocking is absolutely spectacular. I talked to VJ Leblanc today and he’s the one the rewrote the blocking engine. He took the time to show me exactly how it works, and man, it’s sweet. Blockers actually block like they have a purpose and have specific assignments. Not only that, but they adjust their assignements to the defensive front. They create blocking lanes and they aren’t the same every time. You can run the same running play against the same defense and not always have the same hole open up. The interaction is fantastic.

Can you trigger possession catches in NCAA like you can in Madden this year?

I’m not 100%, but I don’t think so. There’s pretty much just a “catch” button.

Could you explain how the new fatigue system works?

Not really sure, guys seemed to get tired and it showed on the field. It even shows in their running animations.

Is he kicking game harder last year it was way to easy to nail long FG’s and coner punts?

Kicking seems to be unchanged.

Are smart routes in the game?

No.

Will we feel a difference between a LB and a CB when using them on the field?

I couldn’t really feel that much of a difference besides speed, but you can tell by looking at them. Some DL and OL have some serious beer guts.

What has been done to discourage people from sprinting back 20 yards and throwing a bomb?

Very risky. The QB won’t throw the ball more than 20 yards or he will be very inaccurate. I don’t think that will be a problem at all this year.

Is there still button lag on playcalling screen?

A little, but it’s more responsive than last year.

Do players run into each other and get stuck during plays?

Yes, but it doesn’t happen quite as much. It’s still annoying, though.

Have the ball physics improved?

Yes, to a point. They are still weird after the ball gets batted away, but the way the ball wobbles during throws and kicks are very nice.

Is there still too many back to back encroachment penalties?

No, but I saw a lot of false starts.

Has Pass Interference been smoothed out and corrected?

I’m not quite sure. I got one called on me that was rather cheap, but I didn’t really see to many PI calls in general.

Franchise/Dynasty

Will there be online dynasties/online season play this year?

No.

Do the next gen systems have the recruiting feature called "create-a-prospect" in other words can you create a player that you can recruit?

Will it be possible to transfer schools with a created player?

No.

Will we get to participate in off-season drills to better a players attributes.

No, they don’t have off-season drills, but you do run drills during the season.

Has player progression been tweaked? As it stand now in 3 years there are way to many 99 rated players.

Not sure. We didn’t really dive into the franchise.

Since gang tackling has now been added have tackle assists and sack assists been added to the tracked stats as well?

No, there are no assists in the game.

How will weight gain be handled in dynasty mode?

I’m not really sure. I didn’t get into Franchise all that much.

Create-a-Player/Player Editing

Is editing players in the game?

Yes.

What are all the new ratings and what do they mean?

They have a bunch, but I didn’t get a chance to jot them down.

Are clear visors in the game?

No clear visors.

How many new pieces of equipment has been added?

I can’t answer that because I never really paid attention to it in the previous games.



Presentation

What can we expect in terms of ESPN integration for NCAA 08?

Um, ESPN integration? I didn’t see anything special really.

Tell us about the new "saving your replay" system. I see the 10 gigs left on my 360 hard drive disappearing...fast.. Especially after saving replays of my ND squad crushing Bangpow's East Lansing Underachievers In Green.

It’s really nice. You can view every play of the game afterward and save it on your hard drive. Apparently, will be able to download those to our computers and do what we want with them. So, space on the HD might not be that big of a problem. But man, those highlights are sweet!

Are there custom camera angles in the game?

No.

Are there any new camera angles in the game?

No.

Has the opening sequence been smoothed out?

Yes, it’s smoother, but still very uneventful.


Online


Are we going to be able to see player names when playing online this year?

Unfortunately……no.

Will EA ever be implementing an "online locker" concept whereby players can share rosters (i.e. edited rosters) online without having to buy a 3rd party device. (They did this for a while with Madden next gen, would be quite handy in next-gen.)

Not yet.

Can we save depth charts for online usage?

Don’t know.

Any new options to online mode? Like playing ranked games on Heisman? Is spectator mode in the game this year?

We didn’t really get into online play.

Have load times been reduced?

They seem to be about the same.

What will the differences be between the 360 and PS3 versions?

Not sure. We only had 360s, but I guess not much…if anything.

Is there 4-player Co-Op?

Nope, but there is 2-player.

__________________


I'll post more as soon as I find something out. Hopefully we'll here from Rhombic and cdj soon.

[supersigma2of21]

Yeah, all of that is from Craig Gonzalez from consolesports.net. NCAA Day, Day 2 (Q&A) (http://consolesports.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=132&Itemid=56)

[sayo]

booo no new cam views. [evil]

[ntmeangreen11]

Since gang tackling has now been added have tackle assists and sack assists been added to the tracked stats as well?

No, there are no assists in the game.



WTF????

Good luck getting realistic sim stats.

[sayo]

Since gang tackling has now been added have tackle assists and sack assists been added to the tracked stats as well?

No, there are no assists in the game.



WTF????

Good luck getting realistic sim stats.

Yeah for real. Especially if there are a lot of gang tackles. Your LBs could get like 200 tackles.

[steelerfan]

Hey, it does sound like the majority of improvements listed here are gameplay related. That is good news.:)

[coogrfan]

booo no new cam views. [evil]

Hooray Beer? [cool]

[cdj]

Thoughts coming shortly in new moderated thread.

[jwhite25]

Hooray Beer? [cool]

haha, nice [laugh]

patiently waiting.... I bet Rhombic is writing a book. or they escorted him out earlier in the day [laugh]

[supersigma2of21]

*drooling*

[HookemHorns]

Thoughts coming shortly in new moderated thread.

Hooray Beer!!! Oh wait that was a previous post. :D

[kella]

"He also said scramble and chuck didn't work as well and that a lot of the guys there thought the AI was better overall this year."

I hate to burst the bubble but people say this EVERY year.

[steelerfan]

"He also said scramble and chuck didn't work as well and that a lot of the guys there thought the AI was better overall this year."

I hate to burst the bubble but people say this EVERY year.

We'll see what our guys say. At least we haven't already heard that it's the same or worse.

[sayo]

Hooray Beer? [cool]

HEHE [laugh]

[fignuts]

We'll see what our guys say. At least we haven't already heard that it's the same or worse.

True. And with no word on Rhombic tearing the facility apart from missed assignments, I feel confident to say that the game passes the tests. [laugh]

[21SEC]

You slowasses;) damn I've got to take my little girl to have get tubes in her ear tomorrow morning @ 6am! I need to go to bed. Hope yall had a good time[cool]

BTW, I bet your report will be up like two minutes after this messege post[laugh]

[sayo]

True. And with no word on Rhombic tearing the facility apart from missed assignments, I feel confident to say that the game passes the tests. [laugh]

You make Rhombic sound like some crazed lunatic![laugh]

[SirCharles1985]

It doesn't sound like they really fixed the pass interference bug that drove me crazy last year. Also, I thought there was a rule passed last year where you could only wear clear visors, so why aren't they in the game.

[steelerfan]

You make Rhombic sound like some crazed lunatic![laugh]

Well......

[jwhite25]

he did put the game back in the case and threw it against the wall after an online game we had in 04, I admit, the game was pretty ridiculous where i was swimming thru the line with some terrible PSU DT, and had like 2 BS TDs.
all in good fun :)

[rhombic21]

Hey guys, I just got back from the bar, and am at the lab now. I leave the hotel here in 5 hours for the airport, so I'm just going to stay up and get this thing hammered out. I haven't had a chance to read the entire thread, so I may duplicate some info that others posted elsewhere.

It was an awesome experience, and I think that the NCAA team really enjoyed having me and cdj down here. They seemed to value our input, and we now have more than one direct line of communication with people at EA. We were able to talk at length with virtually everybody who worked on a major aspect of the game, for both current gen and next gen. The only thing that we weren't able to get any solid answers on was online play, because none of the guys that came by today deal with that, and obviously that isn't up and running yet. Just know that I hammered home online dynasties, custom playbooks, and heisman ranked games to anybody that walked in the door and had anything to do with the game.

Before I type anything else, I also want to reinterate how cool a lot of the guys are here. I bash producers of this game more than anybody else here, but after meeting them, it was clear that a lot of them are really good guys that genuinely want to make the game as good as possible. Having gotten a chance to meet with these guys in person, and hear some of their ideas about where they see the game going in years to come, I feel a lot better about where the game is headed into the future.

Also, we made a lot of really good contacts with other guys in the community. Getting a chance to hang out with Packwolf, Madsci, RAC, Damon, and Kobra from VG has been a great experience. Also, kudos to RAC, Matt, and Mike here at EA that set us up with some great accomodations, restaraunts, and other things. The whole EA staff here was incredibly warm and gracious in inviting us down here, and I think it was a really positive event for us in terms of positioning ourselves within the community to be at the hub of NCAA Football.

[boomerj4sho]

These ?s are for next gen.
How was the menus? did they lag?
running game?
Rhombic did you catch any of the Sooners player ratings?
Thanks guys.

[Clemsonfan]

Hey guys, I just got back from the bar, and am at the lab now. I leave the hotel here in 5 hours for the airport, so I'm just going to stay up and get this thing hammered out. I haven't had a chance to read the entire thread, so I may duplicate some info that others posted elsewhere.

It was an awesome experience, and I think that the NCAA team really enjoyed having me and cdj down here. They seemed to value our input, and we now have more than one direct line of communication with people at EA. We were able to talk at length with virtually everybody who worked on a major aspect of the game, for both current gen and next gen. The only thing that we weren't able to get any solid answers on was online play, because none of the guys that came by today deal with that, and obviously that isn't up and running yet. Just know that I hammered home online dynasties, custom playbooks, and heisman ranked games to anybody that walked in the door and had anything to do with the game.

Before I type anything else, I also want to reinterate how cool a lot of the guys are here. I bash producers of this game more than anybody else here, but after meeting them, it was clear that a lot of them are really good guys that genuinely want to make the game as good as possible. Having gotten a chance to meet with these guys in person, and hear some of their ideas about where they see the game going in years to come, I feel a lot better about where the game is headed into the future.

Also, we made a lot of really good contacts with other guys in the community. Getting a chance to hang out with Packwolf, Madsci, RAC, Damon, and Kobra from VG has been a great experience. Also, kudos to RAC, Matt, and Mike here at EA that set us up with some great accomodations, restaraunts, and other things. The whole EA staff here was incredibly warm and gracious in inviting us down here, and I think it was a really positive event for us in terms of positioning ourselves within the community to be at the hub of NCAA Football.


Who the hell are you and how did you get Rhombic's password?[rock] Just kidding, glad you guys represented down there. I look forward to reading your reviews.

[husker_blitz]

rhombic, good to see you weren't arrested for assaulting the producers. :)

Can't wait for more info on your experiences there.

[Estes]

Holy Shit they brainwashed rhombic!












:p

[cdj]

These ?s are for next gen.
How was the menus? did they lag?
running game?
Rhombic did you catch any of the Sooners player ratings?
Thanks guys.

I did detect some slight menu lag, but didn't ask on it as the game played fine. I attributed it to us playing a developer's copy.

Running game...Not too shabby. rhombic is better at next-gen than I, so I'll leave it up to him.

[husker_blitz]

Uhm....cdj....info on Create-a-schools for current gen? Please!!!!

[Makaveli_Reborn]

Holy Shit they brainwashed rhombic!
ten bucks says they just invited Rhombic so they could take him out in the woods and kill him. His identity will be assumed by an EA PR rep. I'll be watching Rhombic's next posts intently. I knew it. Damn. This is like in Planet of the Apes when Charlton sees his shipmate but then sees the lobotomy scar.

Damn you. Damn you to hell EA

Can we change Rhombic's name to "Supposedly_Rhombic?"

[IowaWolverine]

[laugh] at all the reactions to "rhombic's" post.

[kella]

It's nice that there's a line of communication, but I really hope that they can ACT on our input. A lot of people here obsesse over this game. If they say something is fucking stupid, then I hope EA will listen now.

PLEASE PUT IN A BUTTON TO SCATTER YOUR PLAYERS ON A PUNT YOU DON'T WANT TO RETURN. I mean for real. A 2nd year computer science major could probably program that.

[TubbyChooChoo]

Uhm....cdj....info on Create-a-schools for current gen? Please!!!!

Create a school info for 360!!!

Same logo BS or new shizzle??!!

[redandblack]

Any news about coach mode?

[fried rice]

I knew it. Damn. This is like in Planet of the Apes when Charlton sees his shipmate but then sees the lobotomy scar.

Damn you. Damn you to hell EA

Can we change Rhombic's name to "Supposedly_Rhombic?"

[laugh] right on point.

[cdj]

Uhm....cdj....info on Create-a-schools for current gen? Please!!!!

Sorry - didn't seem to be improved or touched.

Create a school info for 360!!!

Same logo BS or new shizzle??!!

Sorry - not there.


However, to both of you: rhombic and I each stressed that CAT is damn important to hardcore gamers. I think it's safe to say that it will be in a future NG version, it is not being dropped. They have some high hopes for it and I'm under the impression that when they finally bring it to NG, they want it to be very impressive and have some of the long-desired wishes CAT guys have asked for.

EA couldn't/didn't state any specific long-term plans, but reading between the lines, they did know about CAT and seem to know what fans want in that regard.

Any news about coach mode?

Rhombic and I discussed CM in-depth greatly with every producer who came by. Some were vaguely familiar with it, others really knew about it and judging by the tone of their voice, have some high hopes for CM and CM inspired wishes down the line. EA has officially been enlightened on Coach Mode.

[JeffHCross]

My thoughts on cdj's posts in the other thread:
* SWEET new exclusive current gen feature: The Play Art bluff...That's huge. I've been wondering if they'd think of a way to do that ... that's really good. Especially if you know what play you called, just not the corresponding buttons (I always forget that).
* QB avoidance is basically a special juke/animation for the QB.A big Nelson "HA-HA" to all the people thinking QB avoidance was going to be game breaking. Obviously I'm still waiting to hear from rhombic, but this is very encouraging. It's all I thought it was, and hopefully cdj is right.
* After TDs, there is a nice new 'Drive Summary' screen. IIRC, it's pretty much the same thing you see in the START menu under Drive Summary.Very useful for us Dynasty players, especially those that use AViD. I always managed to look under Drive Summary one play too late.
* The new Leadership by Example did NOT seem terribly overdone. From the few games we played, I thought it was OK as the most I saw a position get a boost was +2 to my DBs.Very encouraging. Thanks Cdj!
They have some high hopes for it and I'm under the impression that when they finally bring it to NG, they want it to be very impressive and have some of the long-desired wishes CAT guys have asked for.Good to hear. I've been thinking ever since we heard CAS was out that they just didn't feel it was done yet. That's very good to hear that I was at least on track.

[joshuahuskers]

disappointed that there is no CAS in next gen. When they bring it to NG, it better be stellar.

[husker_blitz]

Sorry - didn't seem to be improved or touched.

However, to both of you: rhombic and I each stressed that CAT is damn important to hardcore gamers. I think it's safe to say that it will be in a future NG version, it is not being dropped. They have some high hopes for it and I'm under the impression that when they finally bring it to NG, they want it to be very impressive and have some of the long-desired wishes CAT guys have asked for.

EA couldn't/didn't state any specific long-term plans, but reading between the lines, they did know about CAT and seem to know what fans want in that regard.
That's cool. At least I know C-A-S is still in current gen and you make it sound as if will get its day in the sun soon.

[JeffHCross]

Yeah, all of that is from Craig Gonzalez from consolesports.net. NCAA Day, Day 2 (Q&A) (http://consolesports.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=132&Itemid=56)Related to this ... I'd like to ask everyone to please source any information you find. This is both professional on our parts and respectful for the work they do on other sites. This is especially good, on our part, when grabbing something from a professional site. I've seen way too many community sites that think it's perfectly fine to grab an article from IGN and post it without a byline or source ... technically it's copyright infringement, and, moreso, it just makes you look better when you source material.

[IowaWolverine]

From the other thread...
For example, I chose Buffalo as my school....did a search for all scrambling QB, but I forget the last parameter I put in. I do remember I had 19 matches and it shows that player's overall rank. The highest number on the list was in the 2000s, with the last 3 being ATH and not QBs. None of the 19 had very high interest. I didn't get to go any further, unfortunately.
That's a nice subtle thing to me. It drove me crazy in the past if I was running an option offense to have to search through ATH's to find what looked like scrambling QB's. If that kind of search didn't include ATH's, then it would be annoying.

[supersigma2of21]

Rhombic and I discussed CM in-depth greatly with every producer who came by. Some were vaguely familiar with it, others really knew about it and judging by the tone of their voice, have some high hopes for CM and CM inspired wishes down the line. EA has officially been enlightened on Coach Mode.
I was almost 100% sure there wouldn't be an actual coach mode. However, on NG, if a pass play is called for the human team...the ball is snapped and the controller is left alone, will the human team's cpu-controlled QB throw the ball on his own?

A quick supersim question:

I know you can sim the entire game or whole offensive or defensive series but can you sim single plays?

[gohuskies]

Related to this ... I'd like to ask everyone to please source any information you find. This is both professional on our parts and respectful for the work they do on other sites. This is especially good, on our part, when grabbing something from a professional site. I've seen way too many community sites that think it's perfectly fine to grab an article from IGN and post it without a byline or source ... technically it's copyright infringement, and, moreso, it's just makes you look better when you source material.

This is good advice. This would be good policy. Moderating staff, I suggest you feel quite free to delete, without hesitation or explanation or apology, any unsourced statement about the upcoming game. If other sites are digging, fair is fair: they deserve their tip of the helmet. We'd want the same from them.

The excuse of "Come on, dude, it's the Internet" has been used to justify every bad behaviour from gratuitous rudeness to plagiarism, a vast refuge and renaissance for the world's assholes, who do not care to own their actions. Let that buck stop here. Utopians, feel free to report unsourced informational posts for moderator attention, and if they ask you what you are thinking, send them to me and I'll explain.

[Finch2004]

Thanks for all the info keep it up

[WKUsSledgehammer]

What are all the new ratings and what do they mean?

They have a bunch, but I didn’t get a chance to jot them down.