IGN Article on NCAA 07

[emoinwinter]

Just ran into it. I'll post more once I read it.

http://sports.ign.com/articles/702/702305p1.html

This game is freakin' sweet!

[emoinwinter]

Wow! This game is going to be amazing! Too much to talk about, but here is the article if you guys are too lazy to click over there and read it. The article centers around the Xbox and PS2 release of the game, but tomorrow they are going to talk about the 360 version. Hopefully all the features they talked about are going to be included for the 360.


NCAA Football 07: Turn the Tide
Trick plays, momentum, and academic ineligibility.
by Jon Robinson
April 19, 2006 - The Puntrooskie. When you think trick plays and momentum shifts, maybe no play in college football history sums it up better than Bobby Bowden's call against Clemson. It was a fake punt LeRoy Butler took 78 yards to set up a game-winning field goal late in the fourth. It's a play nobody saw coming. A play nobody thought would work. A play that still lives on in the minds of fans as one of the most stunning scenes in a sport known for reverse passes and The Hail Marry.



And while the NCAA Football series has been able to accurately capture a lot of the spirit, pride, and passion of the college game, one thing that's been missing has been those moments that Turn the Tide. Those unforgettable trick plays that make your jaw drop and the team that lost drop even farther down the standings.

That's what NCAA Football 07 (PS2, Xbox) is all about. It's about momentum shifts. It's about control. It's about unpredictability, trickery and deception.

And it's about to launch the term Puntrooskie into the vernacular of gamers.

So here's the situation. It's 4th and 20 and your opponent is laughing as he sees your punter walking out on the field. He's stopped you cold on 3rd down and the game is all but over. What do you do? How about a direct snap to a running back? But there's more. When the runner gets the direct snap, he runs up to another teammate in front of him. In a split second, you can bounce away from the line with the ball carrier or hand the ball to the man in front of you…between his legs. That's right, when you watch the replay, you can actually see the deception, the ball is being passed between the legs of the player in front of you. Each player runs a different direction and the defense has to figure out who to tackle.

This is just part of the new emphasis on not only trick plays, but special teams. You'll find reverse runs, fake reverses, and of course, a new way to block both punts and kicks. In one-player games, you can actually switch to a new camera that focuses in on the defensive player you want to use in attempting to block the kick.

Hit the sprint button right before or right at the snap of the ball, and your player will explode off the line, getting a jump on the tackle or guard as you dive toward the ball with an all new set of animations specifically for blocking kicks.

But with every action, the other team has an opposite and equal reaction, as for the first time, gamers will be able to abort kicks while the play is in process, turning the holder into a quarterback if you sense the defense is about to block the ball. Even onside kicks have been given an overhaul as the camera shot is on the ball and you move an icon on the pigskin where you want to thrust your foot (helped out with the all new kick meter that uses the right analog stick to pull back to start the motion, then flick up to kick, even aiming left or right). Kick it on the top to send it straight down into the turf for the high bounce or kick underneath it to try and lob it in the air. The choice is yours (although the big bounce is the way to go).

Score a block, a touchdown, a big play, or even recover an onside kick, and you can not only feel the momentum change in the game, but you can see it shift on a meter that now keeps track of what team has momentum on their side. The more big plays a team accumulates, the more momentum they get (while helping turn the tide of the game), and with that come even bigger animations. Your team will get amped up to the point where every tackle might look like a Hit Stick smack as your D lines up with more intensity. Wide receivers will start making one-handed grabs, sacks will jar the ball lose for fumbles, and you'll see animations (captured close up in an Impact Cam) that you won't see during regular gameplay. Momentum will also give your team stat boosts for a short period of time, so once momentum is on your side, you really need to take advantage of it because you never know when your opponent will pick off a pass and swing momentum back the other direction.

Upping the Ante



But just because everything you've read so far has been about highlight plays, don't think the producers at Tiburon haven't gone in and fine-tuned the gameplay that was already there. In fact, this might be the biggest overhaul - from playbooks to AI - that you've seen in the NCAA series to date.

One of the big AI fixes is aimed at stopping scrambling quarterbacks. Last year's game in particular was ruled by running QBs as the defense failed to recognize when he was scrambling. The improved AI logic now sees the defense react faster to quarterbacks looking to run, including spies, and even zone defenses who will use more realistic pursuit logic.

There is also a new run commit feature to help turn every down into more of a chess match as the defense tries to anticipate the offense's next move. Before the snap, if you sense the offense is going to run straight ahead, you can flick the right analog stick straight down to send your defenders toward the middle of the line (great for stopping the QB sneak). Press the right stick to the right or left to anticipate a direction for the option or sweep, or press up to make sure that nobody bites on play-action. Then again, if you guess wrong, you're in trouble, as a defense selling out to the right while the blockers are rushing left are going to get blown off the ball so bad, there might only be one guy left to beat as the ball carrier sprints toward the sidelines.

Another little feature that has been added could end up paying huge dividends as quarterbacks finally have the option to throw the ball away from the pocket. This way, if you're feeling the rush, you no longer have to try and scramble before launching the ball out of bounds. The new option actually looks like you're trying to complete the pass, throwing the ball toward a receiver, but it will bounce at his feet. It's a nice safety valve to have, especially if your QB isn't fleet of cleat. You have to be responsible with this new ability, though, especially because you're throwing the ball in the field of play. A bad throw is always liable to get picked off if the defense is in the right position or if you are throwing off balance.

And while the team at Tiburon always hates it anytime anyone refers to NCAA as Madden's little brother, there is actually a lot from the Madden series that is now being brought over to NCAA 07. They are incorporating the pass blocking logic from Madden that eliminated nano blitzing into NCAA, along with adding slide protection. Precision passing (throwing the ball high/low, right/left) has also made the jump, even if (thankfully) the vision cone system did not. Also look for defensive hot routes to make the jump to the amateur ranks.
Other gameplay tweaks include more accurate throwing power (you can finally see the difference in velocity between a star QB from USC and some scrub from D2), along with less broken tackles throughout the game. Last year, there were too many small running backs who could all break through the line no problem. This year, it depends more on rating, with the smaller guys slipping tackles instead of trucking over everyone in their way. In addition, look for formation specific audibles. Using the right analog stick at the line of scrimmage, you will have four audibles automatically at your disposal for every formation. This way, you're not changing in and out of formations when changing your play, enabling you to hide your calls a bit better from your competition.

But if you're looking for maybe the biggest change in the series, all you need to do is open the playbooks. I'm talking about the biggest playbook overhaul in the history of the series. Tiburon hired two offensive gurus who watched at least three games of every team, then went in and personalized each and every playbook. There are 102 new formations in the game (86 on offense, 16 on defense), including the spread offense that includes option runs to the WR, the double slant and go, the post stop, the Nevada Pistol formation (QB stands 3 yards deep with a RB directly behind him)…there are so many new plays, it's almost overwhelming (to the point you'll get called for delay of game while cycling through all the new hotness). There is also greater variety in the formations you already know. Just because USC and Texas both have I formations, that doesn't mean they both run the same plays out of the I. Now USC's I looks more like a pro setup, while Texas uses the I to run more options.



There are approximately 17 formations per team, including 270 plays.

And that also includes a variety of trick plays like I talked about earlier. You'll see fake field goals where the holder will flip the ball over his head to the kicker who is running behind him. You'll see the holder throw shovel passes to a player out on the wing. You'll see reverses, fake reverses, and of course, the reverse pass.

But all of the newness isn't reserved for scores, as the defense also has some new flexibility. The added variety includes everything from cross-fire stunts to more zone blitz packages, capturing a more realistic scheme for every team in the game.

Campus Legend

Last year, the featured hook was Race for the Heisman, a one player game where you created a character and embarked on a four-year odyssey of games and ugly girlfriends in attempts to capture the greatest trophy in sports. In NCAA 07, you're still trying to win the Heisman, but the real goal is simply to be the most popular person on campus. Sounds a little Brady Bunch to me (Big Man on Campus), but to be the guy Marsha falls in love with, you're going to need to be one hell of a baller...and a scholar. That's right, when creating your player, you now have to select a major and pass your classes. You're given a midterm and a final throughout your semester, and if you fail, you're actually found academically ineligible and given a one-game suspension.

Luckily for gamers, the 10 question tests are un-timed (hope you have your Internet search ready), but it pays to be smart. The harder your major (U.S. History, Chemistry) the bigger boost you'll receive to certain attribute points tied into your major. Don't worry, though, if you want to be a dumb jock, you can take a simple major like Sports Geography or Football Trivia and breeze right through.

When you create your character, you'll have to earn your attribute points a lot more than last year, as there will be five drills tied to each position for you to run through. Jam through the 40, punt and kick return drills, pass catching and more, then use the points you earned to go into the player editor and assign them to any skill you want. This way, if you want to start with the fastest player possible, you can give all of your points to speed, working on the other skills as you go. The choice is finally up to you.

Depending on your rating, certain schools will offer you scholarships (more choices than last year, although you no longer have the ability to walk on), then it's time to head into the routine of a freshman sensation. That means every day you need to go to class, head to practice (10 practice plays from a specific formation. The better you practice, the better that formation will work in the next game), and go out to social events in order to be seen around campus. But that's not the only way to become popular as everything you do in the game will obviously reflect highly on how you're viewed. Win the Heisman, defeat rival teams, even spurn the NFL and return to school…if only I could take ballroom dancing. In the end, you might see yourself enshrined in your favorite school's Hall of Fame.

Dynasty



There are a lot of gamers out there that don't want to be a Campus Legend, they want to lead their favorite school to the BCS Championship, and if that's the case, Dynasty mode is once again your obsession. The new addition to Dynasty is the Spring game. This is your chance at evaluating your talent before the season and working out certain players, as the better they perform in the Spring game, the better their rating will be next year. This enables you to focus on the passing game to help young quarterbacks progress, or watch as your linebacker intercepts a pass and increases his awareness +2. That's why the Spring game isn't focused on your seniors who are already maxed out. It's about building for the future, and that's what laying the foundation for a successful dynasty is all about.


ESPN Integration

You can't flip on the game without noticing the ESPN impact. ESPN.com stat screens, online ESPN tickers, ESPN radio. The Greatest Games feature is now called ESPN Instant Classics. The magazine in Dynasty mode has switched from SI to ESPN. In the coming years, expect the integration to become even deeper and creative, but what's here already is pretty cool, especially the ticker. When online, you can have the ticker display scores from real life or from your dynasty, keeping you up to date on whatever season actually means more to you (tough choice).

The Early Word

I spent a few hours playing an alpha version of the game, and everything is already feeling and looking like the title that should follow what many consider (myself included) the best sports game of last year. The new additions may sound overwhelming, but so far blend smoothly into the mix of style, substance, and of course, trickery, the likes that would even make Bobby Bowden proud (and a few Clemson fans cry).

Cheer up Tigers. Now you can call a Puntrooskie of your own, changing the momentum and the game back in your favor with the press of a few buttons and the imagination of a gambler.

Turn the Tide. That's what NCAA Football 07 is all about.

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[silverwheels]

Rental...

[emoinwinter]

Hopefully they didn't use the second half of the Tulsa game as a point of reference for our playbook in the game...

[TheGodfather889]

This game looks like it'll be pretty badass.

[OUstud]

I'll buy even though it doesn't look any different than 06; I have bought every one since 1999. 08 on PS3 will rock.

[jccouger]

I'll buy it just for the updated roster

[badger]

what have they done with the player girlfriend? did they replace it with a picture of the player's dog? (see dresser)

[emoinwinter]

Here is the preview for the XBox 360:

http://sports.ign.com/articles/702/702461p1.html


NCAA Football 360: First Look
Dynasty, mini-games, and Touchdown Jesus.
by Jon Robinson
April 20, 2006 - Touchdown Jesus. If you're a Notre Dame fan, the image is awe-inspiring. If you're a gamer and you watch the statue throughout an Irish shootout as the dynamic lighting and time of day change throughout the day and night, that's when you realize where next-generation graphics are headed.


Using satellites (where and when EA got satellites I have no idea and they wouldn't tell me), the crew at EA Sports was able to capture the exact sun position for every stadium, including latitude, longitude, time (including daylight savings time), and temperature differences throughout the year. This translates into the kind of dynamic lighting that gives the game the most photorealistic nature of any sports title I've seen to date. You'll see the sun in its accurate location in the sky for every game, dropping the realistic shadows throughout the stadium. It's the first time playing in January actually feels like playing in January as you watch the cloudy sky turn dark and the rain drench the field as time progresses and you're driving for that game-winner. Even if you're only playing five minute quarters, the lighting and weather will change like it would for a three hour game in South Bend.

But details like dynamic time of day and weather are only just the beginning.

What you'll see in every stadium is an actual living environment. Look into the crowd to see accurately located student sections, alumni sections, visitor sections, and even spots for the home and away bands. Each set of fans will react differently to what's happening on the field, stomping their feet, clapping their hands, even holding their hands over their mouths in astonishment of the one-handed catch they just saw. On the flip side, the visiting fans will sit down and shake their heads, not believing their D just gave up such a big play. Look to the sidelines to see the mascots also reacting to what's happening on the field and leading the cheers. When a player with the ball breaks into the open field, you'll see fans stand in anticipation. When the band plays the school fight song, fans will clap along, and best of all, you'll finally see fans participate in everything from the Florida State War Chant (chop and all), to the Florida Gator Chomp.

There are 70 schools that got the full treatment of details, including everything in a two mile radius around the stadium. Someone from EA Sports drove the country for four to five months last year taking pictures throughout each stadium and the surrounding areas. He would stand at the 50 yard line with his camera and shoot in a circle in order to realistically depict every section. He even busted out the measuring tape, taking measurements of rails, stands, seats, and sidelines then translated them into the game. One Tiburon producer claimed that the 360 version is the closest replicas you can see of a stadium without having the blueprints. As an example, the current gen stadiums consist of 2,500 polygons. Next gen? Try 125,000 polygons. In terms of textures, the current gen game claims one-half meg of texture space. Next gen claims 17 megs. That's why you'll finally see the H-style goalposts at LSU and even the 5 yd markers on certain fields.


But don't think this is just a visual upgrade of Madden 360 with a college feel. Thanks to a motion-capture session where over 10,000 moves were captured, you can expect to see tighter animations than Madden, including brutal blindside hits, cutblocks that send defenders flipping head over cleat, and even defensive players jumping over blockers trying to cut them down low. The NCAA team learned from what went right and what went wrong with Madden, and with the extra time is trying to fine-tune the gameplay while implementing the passion and pageantry of college football. The NCAA team was even able to get the actual CAD data from the different helmet companies in order to use the exact data and place it right on top of their player heads.


And if you're looking to show all of your friends some highlights, or just how great the Ohio State uniform looks in the game, you now have the ability to snap off screenshots in replay and save them to a photo album. The picture will show the date and result of play, giving you a photo representation of your Dynasty. And if the pic is from one of your Greatest Games, you'll be able to sort through the pictures that way as well, calling up memories of that 42-41 barnburner.

On the field, it's all about momentum and the new momentum meter. Interestingly enough, the meter works and looks a little different than NCAA current gen as EA is pitching a company line that each generation of systems is its own unique game (that way you can't complain if something is left out of one of them, I guess, as something can't be left out if it was never there). For the 360, momentum is more about the highlight play. In the current gen game, you'll see momentum rise slowly the more big plays you pull off. On the 360, momentum will jump and take bigger shifts with every substantial play. It's a subtle difference, but it could mean big plays leading to even bigger plays in next gen with a slow build up to a game-deciding play on current gen. Either way, with momentum on your side, expect to see some jarring hits and defenders stripping the ball at every opportunity as your entire team will receive a ratings boost when your momentum meter is filled.


Impact players have also been refined from last year. Forget the days of random zones and receivers dropping passes only to get hot. Getting in a zone is now based on situations. It's 3rd and 1 with time running out. This is the time you need your HB to step up and make a play. This is when the game is on the line. This is where having an Impact Player is really going to pay off. In Dynasty mode, player performance will be evaluated every three to four games, so if a player is stepping up, he can be designated an Impact Player whereas if one of your early season studs starts slipping, he could loose his icon blinking status.

Other gameplay details I noticed were the Hit and Truck Stick both made the conversion to 360, and the Vision Cone for passing is also in the game, although it is turned off by default. You can attempt to jump the snap by hitting the sprint button at just the right time. You can challenge plays. You will be able to do mass substitutions, save depth charts, and even save audibles for all 100 playbooks. The variety of teams you'll find in current gen is missing, however, as there are only 119 schools in the game (all 1A schools), and there are no all-time great teams. Also missing are the Stadium Pulse and home field advantage, not to mention the huge upgrade to the playbooks (including trick plays) and Campus Legend mode (create a character and become the most popular dude in school) that you'll find in NCAA current gen are disappointingly MIA on 360.


When in the game, the play calling screen is identical to Madden 360, only difference is the Ask Corso box as opposed to Ask Madden. They have also doubled the number of player ratings in order to help accurately depict what happens out on the field on any given play. You'll notice a ton of help buttons as well, showing gamers how to simply pull off things like Hot Routes. A graphic will pop up showing the sticks and which way to press for streaks and slants to try and bump up the depth for gamers who are still living in the days of running whatever play they called in the huddle.

One area where the next gen game has really advanced is the commentary and play-by-play. The Nessler, Herbstreit and Corso team are back and sounding better than ever thanks to more variety of lines being added thanks to the extra space. You'll hear them comment on momentum, on why someone is an Impact Player, and, of course, give you their picks before every game. As an example, on current gen, there are about eight lines of commentary per a common situation on the field. Next gen has about 16 lines of commentary for that same situation. That kind of variety is what you want to hear, especially if you're playing a 30-year Dynasty.

That's right, the 30-year Dynasty has made the jump to next gen. In fact, just about everything you see in NCAA Football current gen's Dynasty mode will be featured on the 360. That's in-season recruiting, that's pipeline states, that's polls and bowl games and of course, the Heisman. You will now be able to view a recruit's initial interest level. You can sort players to make them easier to find, like wide receivers interested in Florida. And you can target prospects in the preseason, that way you can start recruiting them in Week 1. There will also be a National Championship game once all of the BCS games are completed.

Up to 12 users can play Dynasty, and using the RB button, you can switch between active users. You will know who is in control by the fight songs and school colors on screen, so there are no more excuses if one of your friends messes with your team "by accident". There is also a cool ESPN ticker at the bottom of the screen that switches between real world stats and the latest news and updates from around your Dynasty including Heisman updates, the race for All American status, Top 25, and even recruiting visits. Unfortunately, ESPN The Magazine did not make the transition into 360.

The visuals of Dynasty are meant to completely immerse you in your school. The interface shows campus images, landmarks, scrolling backgrounds and school colors. You'll feel so much like a student, you'll be wondering when midterms are handed out.

On top of Dynasty, there will also be a new mini-game mode that is surprisingly addictive. The three games are Bowling, Tug of War, and Option Dash. In Bowling, you start on offense from the 10 yard line. Score a touchdown to get a strike. Gain one yard for one point, two yards for two points, and so on. In the second frame, score from where you left off to pick up the spare or don't score and collect points for every yard you gain. Points are added up just like a real bowling match, with 300 being a perfect score. What adds to the appeal of Bowling, is playing the mode with two-players. While one side is on offense trying to score, the other player is on defense trying to prevent a score. If you're defensive minded, you can achieve perfection by holding your opponent to zero.


Option dash is a one-player game where you have two minutes to drive down the field from the 20 using only option plays. Bonus points are awarded for special moves, while negative points are slapped down for fumbles. Score a touchdown and start over from the 20.

Tug of War might be the best of the bunch, however, as this one or two player game can be maddening (in a good way). One player has the ball and starts at the 50 while the other player is on defense. You have one play to gain as many yards as you can, and wherever you are tackled, that's where your opponent takes over headed the opposite direction. First team with a touchdown wins. Think about it, you can be winning the whole game, driving the ball down to the 10, then watch as the next play your opponent pulls of a 90 yard score for the W. Crazy. The only bad thing is while all of these mini-games seem like perfect fits online, they are not playable on Xbox Live.


There will be a host of achievements for 360 gamers obsessed with these points, however. In fact, there will be 50 ways to earn achievement points throughout the game, including everything from completing a 30 yard pass to bowling a perfect game of 300.

All in all, I have to say I was pretty impressed by the early version of NCAA 360. The visuals, and especially the stadium models simply blew me away. Unfortunately, as in almost all next-gen games so far, there is a trade-off in moving your game to next gen. You read about trick plays and playbooks and becoming a Campus Legend on current gen and wonder how a system that is supposed to be more powerful actually has less features to offer. I'm wondering the same thing, and I've been wondering that since the 360 launch. But if you simply look at this game on its own, I think it has plenty for fans to love.

Let's just all say a prayer to Touchdown Jesus that they get the gameplay right and that one day in the near future, we won't be left thinking about what's missing in a game, we'll be thinking about what can be added that we've never seen before.

Isn't that what next gen is all about?

If not, it should be.

Until then, NCAA Football is still looking like one of the top sports games the system has to offer. 30 year Dynasty, addictive mini-games, and the Gator Chomp. All from stadiums that blow away anything you've seen before.

I can almost feel the snow as it falls, my team down by a touchdown, momentum on my side, my mascot leading the cheers and the band in the background. It's time to find my Impact Player near the end zone. One Truck Stick, two…it's time to high step for the score.

It's time for NCAA Football 07.

The time 360 sports fans have been waiting for.


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[BASSooner]

my only concern about the game is the music. It better be different from last year.

[emoinwinter]

my only concern about the game is the music. It better be different from last year.

I'm sure with the 360 you can do custom soundtracks. I haven't run across a game yet where you can't.

[SoonerStud615]

what have they done with the player girlfriend? did they replace it with a picture of the player's dog? (see dresser)
The girlfriend was kind of a dog anyway on 06...

Oh my God. 360 looks almost just as good as madden did on there. I own madden and was constantly stunned with it. NCAA looks like a winner

[Penguin]

We have to worry about academic ineligibility?


They need to concentrate on the video game aspect and not the "real-life" simulation.

Come on, EA! What about 16 game playoff option rather than updating the BCS calculations??????


IT'S A VIDEO GAME!!! GIVE THE FANS WHAT THEY WANT!!!!