BuckeyesTHEGAME
01-24-2005, 10:58 PM
FIX
THE
PLAYBOOKS
Now I'm not talking about the formations. Oh no, the formations (on both sides of the ball) are fantastic.
(I would still like to see a formation editor, but I guess mascot games, "College Classics," and create-a-sign are more important than decent plays. However, seeing as how EA caters to a group of fans who giggle like children because they get to play as a team of "Horned Frogs" with fans who hold up signs that says "OMG!! UR GAY!! LOL!!!" I guess I shouldn't be surprised.)
(Note: I created signs too. Mine say: "Why does every team run the same offense?" "Why doesn't EA fix the playbooks?" and "Why are the people at EA so adament about pissing off the hardcore football fans?")
Anyway, as I mentioned, the formations are fine, but the plays themselves look like something I drew in the dirt when I was seven. Ok, maybe they're not that bad, but will someone please tell EA that all teams do not run the exact same offenses? No matter who you're playing, they have several option plays in their playbook.
USC? Option.
Hawaii? Option.
Air Force? Ok, they actually run the option. Point EA.
Anyway, basically every single formation has two or three option plays in it, but why? Was it always this way? In one word or less... Nope.
In NCAA 2004, there were two variations of certain formations (most notably the "I"). You had one style of "I" that featured mostly option plays, but you had another "I" featuring more of a power running attack with a bit of WCO mixed in. This year, the "I" is the "I," regardless of which team you use. Not only that, but every formation is pretty much the same when it comes to running plays. VANILLA.
Here are your choices in the "I": dive, dive to the other side (which is pretty damned stupid considering we can flip the play at the line), counter (which doesn't work because the line doesn't block correctly), zone (which doesn't work because the line doesn't block correctly - is there an echo in here - and because the back lines up too close to the LOS), toss (which sporadically works, but only when the receivers block the corner - which is rare), sweep (same as toss), full back blast, and oh... the option.
Ok, ok, ok... what happened to the off tackle plays? Seriously, where are they? I desire, nay, DEMAND an explaination. Where the hell did they go? Who is the braniac that actually said the words: "I think we should take the off tackle plays out of the playbooks"?
Whoever he is, someone needs to find him, tie him up, and bring him to my house so I can hit him in the head with my Woody Hayes bobble-head doll, err...action figure. I mean, really, the off tackle play is a staple of college football. It's Jim Tressel's "money play." It is the bread and butter of many college running games yet it's nowhere to be found in NCAA 2005.
Aside from the lack of the off tackle, each playbook has the same plays that I previously mentioned. Basically you're running the same plays from a different position. What is this, junior high football? There is no creativity whatsoever and that means regardless of what team you use, you're using the same playbook over and over again. This does two things:
1. It ensures that every game feels similar.
2. It decreases the chance that I will still be playing this game in April (which I was doing with '03 and '04).
But enough about offense, let's move to the defensive side of the ball.
First off, I love the additions of the 3-3-5 and 4-2-5. However, the rest of the formations are e-x-a-c-t-l-y the same as they've been for years. Where are the defensive line stunts? Where are the combo coverages? Where is the freaking creaivity!?
In my opinion, the playbooks are the worst they've ever been, especially considering how different Madden's are. Not only that, but you can even create plays! Holy cow, it IS possible!!!
I guess I'll just have to live with creating signs and running dive play after dive play until someone at EA gets with the program.
THE
PLAYBOOKS
Now I'm not talking about the formations. Oh no, the formations (on both sides of the ball) are fantastic.
(I would still like to see a formation editor, but I guess mascot games, "College Classics," and create-a-sign are more important than decent plays. However, seeing as how EA caters to a group of fans who giggle like children because they get to play as a team of "Horned Frogs" with fans who hold up signs that says "OMG!! UR GAY!! LOL!!!" I guess I shouldn't be surprised.)
(Note: I created signs too. Mine say: "Why does every team run the same offense?" "Why doesn't EA fix the playbooks?" and "Why are the people at EA so adament about pissing off the hardcore football fans?")
Anyway, as I mentioned, the formations are fine, but the plays themselves look like something I drew in the dirt when I was seven. Ok, maybe they're not that bad, but will someone please tell EA that all teams do not run the exact same offenses? No matter who you're playing, they have several option plays in their playbook.
USC? Option.
Hawaii? Option.
Air Force? Ok, they actually run the option. Point EA.
Anyway, basically every single formation has two or three option plays in it, but why? Was it always this way? In one word or less... Nope.
In NCAA 2004, there were two variations of certain formations (most notably the "I"). You had one style of "I" that featured mostly option plays, but you had another "I" featuring more of a power running attack with a bit of WCO mixed in. This year, the "I" is the "I," regardless of which team you use. Not only that, but every formation is pretty much the same when it comes to running plays. VANILLA.
Here are your choices in the "I": dive, dive to the other side (which is pretty damned stupid considering we can flip the play at the line), counter (which doesn't work because the line doesn't block correctly), zone (which doesn't work because the line doesn't block correctly - is there an echo in here - and because the back lines up too close to the LOS), toss (which sporadically works, but only when the receivers block the corner - which is rare), sweep (same as toss), full back blast, and oh... the option.
Ok, ok, ok... what happened to the off tackle plays? Seriously, where are they? I desire, nay, DEMAND an explaination. Where the hell did they go? Who is the braniac that actually said the words: "I think we should take the off tackle plays out of the playbooks"?
Whoever he is, someone needs to find him, tie him up, and bring him to my house so I can hit him in the head with my Woody Hayes bobble-head doll, err...action figure. I mean, really, the off tackle play is a staple of college football. It's Jim Tressel's "money play." It is the bread and butter of many college running games yet it's nowhere to be found in NCAA 2005.
Aside from the lack of the off tackle, each playbook has the same plays that I previously mentioned. Basically you're running the same plays from a different position. What is this, junior high football? There is no creativity whatsoever and that means regardless of what team you use, you're using the same playbook over and over again. This does two things:
1. It ensures that every game feels similar.
2. It decreases the chance that I will still be playing this game in April (which I was doing with '03 and '04).
But enough about offense, let's move to the defensive side of the ball.
First off, I love the additions of the 3-3-5 and 4-2-5. However, the rest of the formations are e-x-a-c-t-l-y the same as they've been for years. Where are the defensive line stunts? Where are the combo coverages? Where is the freaking creaivity!?
In my opinion, the playbooks are the worst they've ever been, especially considering how different Madden's are. Not only that, but you can even create plays! Holy cow, it IS possible!!!
I guess I'll just have to live with creating signs and running dive play after dive play until someone at EA gets with the program.