NCAA 12/Madden 12

[ProjectPat2280]

I figured id make a thread that discusses both games. For those that are planning on getting either game, what are some of the things you are looking forwards to seeing? What do ya wanna see changed? Im just stoked to see that presentation is continuing to get the spotlight. IMO, NFL 2K5 has the best presentation in a sports title and that went a long way to making that one of the better sports titles in gaming. Hopefully Madden and NCAA can get to that level.


I also wanted to create this thread to show off some of my custom covers that i started making last year. If ya like what ya see and are planning on getting either game and would like a custom cover, let me know and ill make one up for ya.



Some of my Madden 11/NCAA 11 covers from last year:

Spoiler

 

[Matt]

Well, EA has screwed me over again.

Why the **** do assistant coaches not have real profile pictures? They dropped this feature last year and I figured with the focus on franchise mode in Madden, they would be back...but nope. It is such a small feature, why eliminate it? So effin lazy.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Well, EA has screwed me over again.

Why the **** do assistant coaches not have real profile pictures? They dropped this feature last year and I figured with the focus on franchise mode in Madden, they would be back...but nope. It is such a small feature, why eliminate it? So effin lazy.

Its most likely a license issue. They can't use the coaches picture or name without their consent. Same thing with Bill Parcells and Bill Belichic(sp)

They claim the focused on franchise, but I'm not seeing it. Where the weekly wrap up show? Where's the 'around the league' highlights? Wheres practice drills?

At least they brought in cut days.

 

[Matt]

The thing is, they use real names (at least for some of them, oddly Josh McDaniels is missing....he was in previous games). Just not real pictures.

Also, WTF is with importing draft classes? For whatever reason, the rookies have pictures, like...models, I guess. The stat import still sucks (my 3 time Heisman winner, 99 all around QB is imported as a 5th round, 65 all around player). I was actually enthusiastic this time around. EA's blog promised to fix all of these problems and they have done jack and **** aside from giving me the ability to cut useless, made up players.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Yea iv been hearing about the import problems, ie Andrew Luck showing up as an African American when you import him to Madden.

 

[Matt]

Some of the assistants are real, others aren't. I just went through the list in off-season mode. Some guys like Mike Pettine, Bruce Arians, Kyle Shanahan etc are there. Others are just made up names. In previous years they've had all of the real coordinators. Why change it? They either have a contract with the NFL Coaches Association or they don't (clearly they do if they are using real head coaches). Did a bunch of coaches drop out of the NCA this year and I didn't hear about it or is EA just being lazy?

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Some of the assistants are real, others aren't. I just went through the list in off-season mode. Some guys like Mike Pettine, Bruce Arians, Kyle Shanahan etc are there. Others are just made up names. In previous years they've had all of the real coordinators. Why change it? They either have a contract with the NFL Coaches Association or they don't (clearly they do if they are using real head coaches). Did a bunch of coaches drop out of the NCA this year and I didn't hear about it or is EA just being lazy?

Yea its more than likely license issues.


But EA tends to half ass it, instead of improving upon it. Take the Weekly Wrap Up Show they did. Instead of improving it, they just drop it all together.

 

[MoPlaYa]

I bought Madden 12 but havent got to play it much yet

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I bought Madden 12 but havent got to play it much yet

Overall I like it. It's just some small stuff that bugs me. But it irks me because they should of NEVER made it past QA

 

[Matt]

Yea its more than likely license issues.


But EA tends to half ass it, instead of improving upon it. Take the Weekly Wrap Up Show they did. Instead of improving it, they just drop it all together.

I just don't get how it can be licensing issues. They have an agreement with the Coaches Association, otherwise the head coaches and a few assistants (about 20 %) wouldn't be real.

My question is, if you're going to use fake assistants....why not make all of them real or all of them fake rather than picking and choosing. And the ones they chose make no sense. Kyle Shanahan? Bruce Arians? Where are the good assistants like Mike Martz, Romeo Crennell, Russ Grimm and Dick LeBeau? The only decent assistant who is real is Dom Capers.

I just don't get why it would be only a few.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

The coaches assoc doesn't cover every coach though. They have to actually be a part of it. There's a bunch of assistants that aren't under it and a few HC's.

 

[Matt]

The coaches assoc doesn't cover every coach though. They have to actually be a part of it. There's a bunch of assistants that aren't under it and a few HC's.

The only current HC who isn't part of it is Darth Hoodie.

As for the coordinators, to my knowledge most, if not all are members. They all were in the game last year.

I'm wondering if it has something to do with the amicus brief filed by the Coaches' Association during the lockout? That pissed off A LOT of coaches. As far as I'm aware none of the HCs dropped out over it, but maybe there was an exodus of coordinators?

 

[ProjectPat2280]

The only current HC who isn't part of it is Darth Hoodie.

As for the coordinators, to my knowledge most, if not all are members. They all were in the game last year.

I'm wondering if it has something to do with the amicus brief filed by the Coaches' Association during the lockout? That pissed off A LOT OF coaches. As far as I'm aware none of the HCs dropped out over it, but maybe there was an exodus of coordinators?

Very well could be. The lockout kinda threw everything out of whack

Im not so much concerned about the coaches as i am some players STILL not having proper representations in the game. DeAngelo Williams as been a premier back for some time now and he STILL doesn't have his dreads(which he's had for 3 plus years now). I just create my own Deangelo williams with dreads and move the real player to the FA list.

 

[dodgers2213]

best madden was 05 IMO. I have hated all the next gen games. I bought 08, took a break then bought 10'. Didnt like any of those.

Reviews of 12' still hasnt wowed me to want to buy it. What do you guys think of this years edition?

 

[CurlehMustachio]

Been meaning to kick my pop's ass in Madden 12. I claims that this will be his last one--doubtful. lol Anyways I planning on getting some practice in tomorrow and hopefully I'm wowed.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

best madden was 05 IMO. I have hated all the next gen games. I bought 08, took a break then bought 10'. Didnt like any of those.

Reviews of 12' still hasnt wowed me to want to buy it. What do you guys think of this years edition?

If you played Madden 2010 or 2011, there isn't much that has changed. Sure there are some new presentation elements(which really helps with the immersion imo) and a few gameplay tweaks, but it isn't the big leap that Madden 2009 to Madden 2010 was. I think its a good game, but I'm a little disappointed there wasn't more done to Franchise mode considering they didn't even touch it at all last year. The new animation engine is also really good.

Like you, i HATED all the next gen games up until Madden 2010. Prior to 2010 i was just playing NFL 2K5. But with 2010, Madden started to get better in the presentation department, which for me is the biggest area. I want great, tv broadcast like presentation and Madden 2012 is really headed down the right path. Not quite on 2K's level but getting close.

 

[terry78]

Played some at Best Buy, it has a few new features but not so much that it's wheel reinvention.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Played some at Best Buy, it has a few new features but not so much that it's wheel reinvention.

Yea most of the changes are under the hood. I think if u own 2011 you could prob get by playing that for another year and just get some updated rosters. I tend to get these sports games once every other year or once every 2 years in the case of NCAA. NBA 2K, however iv purchased each year since 2001

 

[Matt]

I liked a lot of what NCAA did this year but the menu lag, some of the load times are atrocious and the crowd and refs often look terrible. Still, I love the create-a-coach and custom conference features and feel that the game runs really smoothly.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I liked a lot of what NCAA did this year but the menu lag, some of the load times are atrocious and the crowd and refs often look terrible. Still, I love the create-a-coach and custom conference features and feel that the game runs really smoothly.

Yea i think NCAA 2012 is pretty good too, altho it was more of a sideways step from last years game. Again though, with the presentation elements they are adding(team entrances etc), they are deff on the right track.

 

[Matt]

Yea i think NCAA 2012 is pretty good too, altho it was more of a sideways step from last years game. Again though, with the presentation elements they are adding(team entrances etc), they are deff on the right track.

Yep, which is why I love the customizable coaches. Nothing makes me happier than seeing ol'Joe Paterno, complete with suit and tie on the sidelines for the Nittany Lions. It adds so much to the presentation.

But this year is basically a sidestep. They took 3 steps forward but they also went ahead and took 3 backwards with crowd graphics that are worse than even an advanced PS1 game and terrible menu lags/load times.

 

[TheBat812]

I'm loving the demo for Madden 12, might have to pick it up. The game just looks a lot more fluid now, without the lame animation-sucking.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I'm loving the demo for Madden 12, might have to pick it up. The game just looks a lot more fluid now, without the lame animation-sucking.

There are some gorgeous animations. I was playing earlier and my receiver caught a little out pass and his cut comin out of the catch was jaw dropping. Unfortunately when u see animations that don't look as good they are even more evident.

 

[Matt]

Ugh, I finally got around to trying the much hyped free agency in Madden 12 franchise. It sucks! I play as an AFC and NFC team in franchise and unfortunately, it is impossible to bid on multiple players much less bid as more than one team. Plus there is no sense of negotiation. You just slam the X button as much as possible.

Auction style free agency is another one of EA's good ideas that they were too lazy to fine tune and therefore it fails to live up to it's potential and is thoroughly unenjoyable.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Ugh, I finally got around to trying the much hyped free agency in Madden 12 franchise. It sucks! I play as an AFC and NFC team in franchise and unfortunately, it is impossible to bid on multiple players much less bid as more than one team. Plus there is no sense of negotiation. You just slam the X button as much as possible.

Auction style free agency is another one of EA's good ideas that they were too lazy to fine tune and therefore it fails to live up to it's potential and is thoroughly unenjoyable.

The more i play Madden the more it becomes apparent at how broken it is. This has to be one of the more broken titles they've released. DB's dont play the ball in the air, some players shoulder pads appear way too high in game, the crowd sounds cut out after half time, some teams are forced to play in rain games ALL the time in franchise, the challenge play system doesn't show you what you actually challenged and well as a handful of others.

Im assuming most of this will be patched, but again, how EA lets this stuff slip is beyond me. I honestly think they DO catch it, they just dont do anything about it until enough people complain.