Play action

[djwill13]

Call me crazy, but every single time I run play action, I get sacked. EVERY TIME. Doesn't matter if it's from SG or under center. Is it me? Am I doing something wrong? I've tried slide protection, but that doesn't seem to work.

While we're on this, has anyone taken a look at the pass blocking assignments? Why am I noticing G's engaging in blocks with DE's and CB's? Maybe it's the team I'm playing with....I dunno.

[sitinon32]

It depends on the pa play. There are a few I don't call because of that. But the majority of them work fine. Pa screens don't work at all. I use a lot of pa passes in my offense. They definitely work

Sent from my Nexus One

[HcopenhagenH]

You all are gluttons for punishment.

[sitinon32]

You all are gluttons for punishment.

NCAA plays just fine. NCAA >>>>>>>>> than Madden this year. I hardly play Madden b/c of NCAA. Now that pump fake gitch is gone, players have to rely strictly on playcalling and out-smarting your opponent to win. I don't have a problem with man or zone defense. Hell, my defense hardly gives my opponents time to throw anyway...

[djwill13]

NCAA plays just fine. NCAA >>>>>>>>> than Madden this year. I hardly play Madden b/c of NCAA. Now that pump fake gitch is gone, players have to rely strictly on playcalling and out-smarting your opponent to win. I don't have a problem with man or zone defense. Hell, my defense hardly gives my opponents time to throw anyway...

I haven't tried Madden, but based off my assumption of playing NCAA, that is a very sad statement. I sooo want this game to be good, but the little things get on my nerves. For instance, I think the majority of the problem with PA plays not working is due to blocking assignments. I need to look more closely at it, but I've seen on multiple occassions where G's engage in blocking DE's, and the T slides in. That makes zero sense. Slide protect doesn't seem to help with this either. In fact, when I slide protect, it usually makes the blocking WORSE. I'm still trying to figure that out.

Also, why do they continuously try to take user control out of the game? I can't even see where the circle is to get to passes anymore. I just run in what I think is the right direction and hold Y. I'd personally rather have more user control. Maybe I'm alone on that....but counter it with the defense being able to big hit, or let db's have better range when it comes to swatting.

The game is...ok. I'm glad I didn't pay for it. I'd give it a B- overall based off my experiences with it. I'm about 20 games in now. The run game is better than it ever has been

[sitinon32]

Are we playing the same game???

Try playing on an HD tv when you get a chance. I see the spot for the ball just fine. This year has more user control than any other NG version. Some people say they like the user control in Madden, but I feel WAY more in control of my player on NCAA. On Madden, the seem to 'skate'. As I said previously, there are a select few pa passes that NEVER WORK, but the rest of my PA passes work fine and I eat the defense up once i draw them in with the run (they also work when they DON'T read as "set up").

Which playbook and team are you using? Still running the Syracuse book? Cuz that's what I use and my offense is fine. I can score 60 or keep it a 17-10 game if I want to...just depends on how I want to play since that PB is so versatile.

edit: I should also add in that i'm using sliders....most EA games aren't playable at default. That probably plays into why I enjoy it so much also....

[HcopenhagenH]

NCAA plays just fine. NCAA >>>>>>>>> than Madden this year. I hardly play Madden b/c of NCAA. Now that pump fake gitch is gone, players have to rely strictly on playcalling and out-smarting your opponent to win. I don't have a problem with man or zone defense. Hell, my defense hardly gives my opponents time to throw anyway...

NCAA doesn't play fine. You have just accepted the game. The game is a POS. From Game Play, to Play Books, to AI, this game is one heaping pile of crap.

NCAA doesn't even replicate football. It is Not what you see in Pop Warner, Jr. High, Varsity, College, or NFL. Simply put, NCAA isn't football. It is a sports video game that looks like football and that is it. How people can get into this game is beyond my comprehension. IMO if you have any type of football IQ then you would hate this game because IT ISN'T FOOTBALL and it doesn't use any concept from football.

[sitinon32]

NCAA doesn't play fine. You have just accepted the game. The game is a POS. From Game Play, to Play Books, to AI, this game is one heaping pile of crap.

NCAA doesn't even replicate football. It is Not what you see in Pop Warner, Jr. High, Varsity, College, or NFL. Simply put, NCAA isn't football. It is a sports video game that looks like football and that is it. How people can get into this game is beyond my comprehension. IMO if you have any type of football IQ then you would hate this game because IT ISN'T FOOTBALL and it doesn't use any concept from football.

Is there a football game that you DO like?

I haven't "accepted" the game..its just good. I played ZERO ranked games on 08, 09 and 10, but I have NO issue playing random ranked games in this year's version b/c I feel it actually provides both players with a fair chance to win. There is nothing on offense that's 'unstoppable' and you can scheme to beat anyone. I use a fair bit of football IQ to win my games. I rather enjoy mixing up my offense so much that my opponent has NO CLUE what's I'm about to run next. Or confusing them with all out man-blitzes, then switching to zone blitzes, the dropping 9 into coverage all from the same formation. Those w/o football IQ can't find a way to compete. Those who have it make it to the 4th qtr of a tight game. My last ranked game I won 21-15. My opponent had figured out a way to move the ball downfield on me, but I got him to make a mistake in the redzone with a last-sec audible from man to zone for an INT and ran out the clock.

[djwill13]

Are we playing the same game???

Try playing on an HD tv when you get a chance. I see the spot for the ball just fine. This year has more user control than any other NG version. Some people say they like the user control in Madden, but I feel WAY more in control of my player on NCAA. On Madden, the seem to 'skate'. As I said previously, there are a select few pa passes that NEVER WORK, but the rest of my PA passes work fine and I eat the defense up once i draw them in with the run (they also work when they DON'T read as "set up").

Which playbook and team are you using? Still running the Syracuse book? Cuz that's what I use and my offense is fine. I can score 60 or keep it a 17-10 game if I want to...just depends on how I want to play since that PB is so versatile.

edit: I should also add in that i'm using sliders....most EA games aren't playable at default. That probably plays into why I enjoy it so much also....I'm playing strictly offline. I've never had to touch the sliders in an EA game to enjoy it...until now. I HAD to tone down the defensive pass rush, and increase pass blocking. NOW I'm actually having a bit of fun. I'm only playing offline though. I wish I could play online, but it's kinda hard to do from Iraq lol.

I just couldn't take it anymore. The CPU will load up, putting 9 in the box, with no safety help. I just couldn't make play fakes work. As soon as I finished out the fake, I was getting sacked on nearly every play fake. Seems to be better now.

[sitinon32]

I'm playing strictly offline. I've never had to touch the sliders in an EA game to enjoy it...until now. I HAD to tone down the defensive pass rush, and increase pass blocking. NOW I'm actually having a bit of fun. I'm only playing offline though. I wish I could play online, but it's kinda hard to do from Iraq lol.

I just couldn't take it anymore. The CPU will load up, putting 9 in the box, with no safety help. I just couldn't make play fakes work. As soon as I finished out the fake, I was getting sacked on nearly every play fake. Seems to be better now.

I've learned that with Nextgen EA football games, the FIRST thing I have to do is find a decent slider set. The usual problems are: 1) cpu can't run the ball effectively, 2) can't generate a decent user pass rush, 3) cpu qb completes too many passes (aka robo qb), 4) not enough penalties called (holding, facemask ect) 5) cpu pass rush TOO effective giving you little to no time in pocket, 6) running vs cpu can be too easy. So I find a slider set (or tweak to my liking) to correct those things, then it plays great. EA setting everything by default at 50 leaves the game unbalanced.

[PSUEagle]

Play action is 100% broken. The CPU doesn't account for the running back when they blitz: they just head straight to the backfield and tackle whatever comes in the way. Hence the failure.

[djwill13]

Play action is 100% broken. The CPU doesn't account for the running back when they blitz: they just head straight to the backfield and tackle whatever comes in the way. Hence the failure.

I agree, but I think the issue happens before they even reach the backfield. Somehow, the defense seems to know when a PA pass is called. The Oline doesn't get on their blocks at all, and get blown up quickly

[sitinon32]

Play action is 100% broken. The CPU doesn't account for the running back when they blitz: they just head straight to the backfield and tackle whatever comes in the way. Hence the failure.

CERTAIN PA passes do not work. ALL of them are not broken (at least in the pb I use). This is both with and without slider adjustments. I only play on Hiesman (unless its a ranked game which is AA by default). After you've played a while, you know which ones work and which ones don't. Most of the Power-O PA passes from I-forms and Strong-I work fine. Draw PA passes seem to work fine. What I DON'T call are PA screens, some of the PA bootlegs and I NEVER call PA from Ace-Snugs w/o cancelling the PA. Occasionally, I'll get sacked right after the fake, but its b/c they blitzed. If I see the blitz coming, I'll hr my FB to pick up the blitz and run the play as intended. If I want the FB to leak into the flat, I'll HR the HB to block and cancel the PA. i'm not afraid at all to call a PA after I've run the rock a fair amount of times.

[djwill13]

Call me crazy, but I've ALWAYS felt that hot routing gives away the fact that you're passing. Maybe I should start mixing in some of that on run plays just to throw my opponent off....Hmm...never thought about doing that acutally.

I stand by what I've said about the blocking though. It's HORRIBLE on PA passes. Oh and the PA's I was getting murdered on were from Ace sets, so that might be the problem.

After tinkering with sliders, it's not "as" bad, but I basically have to read the defense while the fake is going on and know who my hot wr is immediately. Before, i'd let the playfake go out before reading the defense to see how the defense reacted and to see what holes are open.

[HcopenhagenH]

Is there a football game that you DO like?

I haven't "accepted" the game..its just good. I played ZERO ranked games on 08, 09 and 10, but I have NO issue playing random ranked games in this year's version b/c I feel it actually provides both players with a fair chance to win. There is nothing on offense that's 'unstoppable' and you can scheme to beat anyone. I use a fair bit of football IQ to win my games. I rather enjoy mixing up my offense so much that my opponent has NO CLUE what's I'm about to run next. Or confusing them with all out man-blitzes, then switching to zone blitzes, the dropping 9 into coverage all from the same formation. Those w/o football IQ can't find a way to compete. Those who have it make it to the 4th qtr of a tight game. My last ranked game I won 21-15. My opponent had figured out a way to move the ball downfield on me, but I got him to make a mistake in the redzone with a last-sec audible from man to zone for an INT and ran out the clock.

It takes ZERO football IQ to win games. This game isn't based on Real Life Football Strategy. LG Football Games were closer to playing a real life sim than CG. This game is complete trash.