Full Game Video of NCAA 2005 At IGN

[mad_bomber]

Now this will really give you an idea of what to expect in NCAA 2005. Must warn you though the four files are pretty big. 56kers it may take a while.

IGN FSU vs Miami (http://media.sports.ign.com/articles/523/523743/vids_1.html)

[mad_bomber]

Here are some things I noticed from watching the game between FSU and Miami. This was a human vs human game so I wasn't able to get a feel for how the cpu's offensive and defensive ai is. It was kind of difficult to get a good grasp of the new features from a gameplay standpoint. The two guys that played the game didn't use any audibles, hot routes, or flip the direction of the running plays. They also didn't dig too deep into the playbooks.

Run blocking assignments on counter plays still isn't done properly. The playside tightend should leave the defensive end unblocked and he should block the playside backer or strong safety and let the backside guard kick out on the defensive end. This doens't happen. Instead the tightend blocks the defensive end leaving no one for the backside guard to kick out on. The center also doesn't block down on the defender in the gap where the backside guard pulled from. I'd love to be able to go down to Orlando and draw this up on the whiteboard for the game developers. The run blocking on other plays appears to be much better. I did notice the fullback making good blocks.

Gameplay is a tad slower. Not really a big deal for me

New defensive plays in the 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 look pretty good from what I could tell. The 4-2-5 Zone Blitz play looks to be a nice defensive play. Both strong safeties blitz along with one of the stacked linebackers. The defensive ends drop into coverage.
3-3-5 Mid Blitz sends all three stacked backers on a blitz while everyone else plays man coverage. The 3-3-5 has some good zone blitz schemes as well. I think the 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 could be used the entire game with no problems. The schemes that I saw looked to be pretty sound and are along the lines of what many schools actually do. It's definetly better than Madden's 3-3-5. The 4-2-5 and Nickel defenses are two separte defenses.

It appears that we won't have team specific defensive playbooks. Again this was a human vs human game so I obviously couldn't tell if the cpu would use one base defense or would they jump from scheme to scheme as they have in the past. It would be nice to see teams try to mimic the defensive styles of their real life counterparts.

The only new offensive formation I saw was Ace Big Twins. Basically it's the Ace Y Twins from NCAA 2004 except that they have two tightends on the strongside rather than a tightend and receiver. Of course I could only see the formations for Miami and FSU's playbook. Therefore if there are any other new formations we won't know about them until we more info about the game is released.

The crowd is much more livelier. Miami was trailing late in the game facing a 4th and 9 from the FSU 10 yard line. The FSU crowd really got into the game making the screen shake. it actually felt like a real big time atmosphere considering the game situation. Nice touch. Also the cut scenes do add to the overall atmosphere. I actually enjoyed it

Commentary has improved, but the majority of it is pretty much the same as previous versions.

New zone blitz schemes that call for the linemen to drop into coverage. I noticed some from the Dime and 4-3 formations. It was hard to get a feel for the entire playbooks as the two players playing the game didn't really dig deep into the playbooks but I liked what I saw. I did notice some defensive plays that call for line stunts. Nice addition.

During a timeout on the playcall screen it gives you the choice to select which players you would like to coach so that it'll give them a compusure boost.

Many of the original plays look the same however they did tweak some of the individual receiver routes in some of those plays. For example they changed the shotgun spread WR Under play. Now the receiver will run a drag route instead of going under and then up the field. I guess EA Tiburon felt that this was a money route they had to get rid of.

New shotgun spread running play called Weak Off Tackle. It calls for the backside guard to pull and lead for the halfback. The quarterback will boot away after the handoff. They also added the QB Option Choice play to the shotgun spread formation. Neither player used either of these plays so I wasn't able to tell if the execution of these plays has improved. I would've liked to have seen whether or not EA Tiburon implemented the correct blocking assignments for the offensive line on these plays.

Safeties don't seem to react to the ball as good as they did in NCAA 2004. This also had lots to do with each player trying to take control of the safeties to make a play on the ball. They really seem to get their players waaaay out of position when doing this. The guy playing with Miami was able to execute the manual catch quite a bit. It would've helped if the guy playing with FSU had mixed up his coverages more. He was in the 4-4 defense for the majority of the time. They really need the Virtualy Filmroom and Playbook for 2005 :D.

Draw plays from under the center seem to be much more effective. In my opinion the slower gameplay seems to help out the running game. I got fooled a few times watching the draw plays in action. Each player was able to get decent gains when they used them.

Ace Y Trips formation has a playaction bootleg pass. Basically the run fake goes left and the quarterback boots back to his right after the playaction fake. The receiver on the single receiver side crosses the field at about 10 to 15 yards. Looks to be a good play although neither of the players used it. I don't recall this play or any like it in NCAA 2004. I'm going to check and see.

Ace Big Twins HB Read has the makings of being a solid run play. Usually the zone blocking plays in NCAA call for the offensive line to block straight ahead, however this play has each blocker blocking at an angle towards the playside. When running this play you're basically looking for the best path to take with the back. I only saw them use this play once, but it was nice seeing all of your blockers block in a particular direction. I also noticed a play from this formation where both tightends blocked down on the edge defenders sealing them to the insde. It was a nice touch. It would've been better if they had maybe wrapped one of the guards around those two blocks so that he could lead for the ball carrier. Nevertheless it looks promising.

These are some of the things I noticed. They didn't use instant replay or fool around with the dynasty mode or other game features. I did notice where a Miami player muffed a punt and he went to the FSU sideline and got chewed out byt he FSU coach. This is obviously a glitch that should be worked out by the time the game is released.

For you Miami and FSU fans here's how your teams' playbooks will look in NCAA Football 2005.

Miami's playbook consisted of
Ace Big Twins
Ace Slot
Ace Y Trips
Ace Bunch
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun Y Trips
Shotgun Spread
I Form Normal
Weak Twins
Goal Line

FSU's playbook consists of
Ace Normal
Ace Twins
I Form Normal
I Form Slot
Shotgun 2B Slot
Shotgun Y Trips
Shotgun Trips
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun 5 Wide
Goal Line

Finally, the natural grass field looks too much like artificial turf. I know this is nitpicky on my part, but they look a tad to bright instead of that dark green color that natural grass has.

[Volunteer77]

WoW just makes me want it that much more....... Your right Mad, the ground in that video looks like concrete or gray carpet. I am hopeing it is just the video qual and it'll look better in the game. In all I liked everything I saw so far.

Do you think that ea will keep those "User" stats for online games? I hope they do.

[kbell97]

good post and find by Mad Bomber, I noticed some new play from the 4-4 also, a CB blitz, and a new one called pinch blitz( it looked like the rRILB and RDE hit the bgaps and the RDT loops around the DE). I am really liking what I see from the 3-3-5.

[mac6262]

For some odd reason it seems like it's a slower gm, the backs hitting the holes looks slower.. And the guys in motion look odd as well.. Are you guys looking at technical specs, I've always been big on play and how smooth everything is.. The guys in motion look funny, from a light jog to a sprint..I did notice Brock Berlin still sucks though.... I wonder why they chose Um VS FSU.
I hate being teased......


GO CANES

[Illinilax]

Is anyone else having problems accessing these videos?

The links on the ign site bring up the same index.hmtl file over and over

[djwill13]

i knew i wasn't the only one. lol

illilnax, i feel you, i'm right there with you

[FlaPride]

I don't know if you mean the dodgeball video, but you have to let it run through that each time. the first quarter is the bottom right, 2nd the bottom left, 3rd qtr. top tight, etc. don't know if that is what your talking about it threw me too. hope this helps

[djwill13]

naw, it was askin me to input a password and to sign up for something for like $5.95 a month

did you guys get this too? i would really like to see this

[TrojanNole]

You only have pay if you want the Realplayer versions, the Windows media versions, less bitrate is free.

[FlaPride]

double click on the picture.

Was the video dark, and hard to see for anyone else?

[Illinilax]

did you notice in the fourth quarter the fsu coach chewing out the miami player after the punt(about 2:10 left in the game)?

Also the 30 stack looks awesome

[Farmer]

The dodge ball video did throw me off too.

I liked what I saw, even though the game appeared to move a little slower then this years version.

The new defenses got my blood pumping and gave me yet another round of ammo for asking my wife to let me get the film room for next year.

On offense I noticed the blocking assignments, especially the FB hitting the first guy that poked his head behind the LOS.

I'm really really anticipating this title.


-Farmer

[djwill13]

when i try to d/l it, all i get is dodgeball. i even let it play all the way and all i get is the same 30 sec clip of dodgeball.

what am i doin wrong guys?

thanks

[FlaPride]

I don't know/ once the dodge ball video finishes it goes into the first quarter of the game. or it should

[djwill13]

what do you guys click on, and what do you see when you do it?

[FlaPride]

I dble clicked on the screen shot of the game, then the video window pops up with the dodge ball promo in and plays. at the end of that trailer the video of the game follows. you don't have to do anything but sit there and watch.

[Illinilax]

probably ie settings or your firewall are preventing this from passing through
I haven't solved the problem
i used my co-workers pc to view without any problems
I

[mad_bomber]

You may want to try and download it to your pc. At the bottom of the Dodge Ball trailer there's a link that says left click. Then after you click that link you'll be directed to a page that says right click to to save the video. These are big files so if you're on a dial up connection it may take awhile.

[djwill13]

thanx bomber, i see it now

looks pretty sweet, thanx for the info

[auinnawlins]

he had trouble, but that wasnt unexpected.....from a georgia fan...

[djwill13]

he had trouble, but that wasnt unexpected.....from a georgia fan...

what??? i don't get it?

lol

[djwill13]

hey auinnawlins that's why you have ATL rappers quoted in your sig right?

[hobbs2324]

Is that the blurriest imaging ever? and I have cable but it kept starting and pausing and then starting again, like a bad porno..........if I ever saw one that is :rolleyes: