Official EA Sports College Football 25 Thread || Available Now

[T0INE]

[h2]NCAA will not renew EA Sports contract[/h2]
The NCAA has made the decision not to enter a new contract for the license of its name and logo for the EA Sports NCAA Football video game. The current contract expires in June 2014, but our timing is based on the need to provide EA notice for future planning. As a result, the NCAA Football 2014 video game will be the last to include the NCAA’s name and logo. We are confident in our legal position regarding the use of our trademarks in video games. But given the current business climate and costs of litigation, we determined participating in this game is not in the best interests of the NCAA.

The NCAA has never licensed the use of current student-athlete names, images or likenesses to EA. The NCAA has no involvement in licenses between EA and former student-athletes. Member colleges and universities license their own trademarks and other intellectual property for the video game. They will have to independently decide whether to continue those business arrangements in the future.

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[h1]Update on EA Sports and College Football[/h1]
[h3]ANDREW WILSON[/h3]
Executive Vice President, EA SPORTS

By now, most fans will have heard that EA's licensing agreement with the NCAA is set to expire and that we have agreed to part ways.  I'm sure gamers are wondering what this means. 

This is simple:  EA SPORTS will continue to develop and publish college football games, but we will no longer include the NCAA names and marks.  Our relationship with the Collegiate Licensing Company is strong and we are already working on a new game for next generation consoles which will launch next year and feature the college teams, conferences and all the innovation fans expect from EA SPORTS. 

We took big creative strides with this year's college game and you’ll see much more in the future.  We love college football and look forward to making more games for our fans.

In Stores July 9, 2013

Info Via Operation Sports:

Experience a whole new game in NCAA Football 14 with the introduction of real-time physics and the Force Impact system. Gameplay has also been tuned with the college game in mind, with special attention paid to collegiate staples like the Spread Option offense.

• Physics - The new and improved Infinity Engine 2 comes to NCAA Football, bringing with it renewed authenticity and enhanced realism. New features include:
• Stumble Recovery - Fight gravity as you scramble for extra yards. Utilize the right control stick to try and regain your feet or lunge forward for that extra yard.
• Force Impact Trucking and Hitting - Feel the power of physics as runners bowl over defenders or tacklers make a big hit on the ball carrier, all driven by the new Force Impact system. Also, utilize improved stiff-arms that take size and strength into consideration.
• Running Game Improvements - The introduction of physics offers a suite of improvements to the running game, including hard run cutting for direction changes, improved run blocking and a new acceleration burst that lets you get around the corner or through the hole and into the open field.
• Option Offense - Play true to your team with over 20 new option types, all optimized for a true college football experience. Utilize the Spread Option, Zone Read and more to stymie defenses and put big points on the board. Highlight key defenders before the snap and read their movement after to know when to pitch the ball and when to keep it.

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[T0INE]

[h2]NCAA 14 Debuts The Next Iteration Of The Infinity Engine[/h2]

Last year, NCAA overhauled its passing game. The gameplay makeover continues in NCAA Football 14, due out in July for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The first reveal for the game details developer EA Tiburon's focus on improving Madden's Infinity Engine, as well as some unique college football additions.

EA Tiburon decided not to integrate the Infinity Engine into NCAA 13. The physics engine used in Madden NFL 13 (which came out months after NCAA 13) aimed to realistically replicate hits to multiple parts of the body, but ended up being inconsistent and unsatisfactory. With the benefit of more time with the engine, EA Tiburon feels the engine has moved forward and is capable of more nuances. Impacts such as stiff arms, hit stick tackles, and dive tackles now jar the ball carrier appropriately. The team says it is also cleaning up the engine's previous failings (such as players flopping around on the ground due to minor contact) and not just heaping on features it can't handle. We'll have to wait until we get our hands on a build of the game before we can get a judge on how the engine is progressing.

More work on player movement is also planned for everything for better direction changing (firm foot planting making for less swerving while running) to active stumble recovery. Hitting back on the right stick will help the runner regain his balance if he's tripped up. Finally, EA has developed a new acceleration system. You can still use the right trigger for a quick burst, but players naturally ramp up to their top-end speed on their own.

While these changes are certainly welcome, fans of the college game should be heartened to hear that EA Tiburon is also tweaking how the option works in NCAA 14. Twenty new option pitches have been added to try and keep up with the play's prevalence in modern playbooks for so many different teams.

Instead of just throwing in a bunch of new variations of the option, EA Tiburon is re-working its blocking logic as well as runner's motions through traffic at the line of scrimmage. Offensive linemen now try to prioritize defenders better as well as execute different blocking schemes like double teams and zone blocks. If they clear the line of scrimmage they also fire out to the second level more effectively. Ball carriers, meanwhile, should no longer run into the backs of their linemen, but instead pause with their hands on the backs of their teammates while a hole develops. If executed properly, these additions should be a big boon for the franchise, which has struggled with these elements in the past.

To help you execute the option, viewing the play at the line of scrimmage, the game highlights which defensive player you should read and take cues off of. While this may sound like a dead giveaway in favor of the offense, gamers still have to execute after the ball is hiked to successfully fool the defense with the option. EA is also integrating videos and hands-on tutorials for the option and NCAA 14's other new features.

Stay tuned for more on NCAA 14 on April 18 when the changes to the game's presentation package are discussed.

With more than 20 new option pitches, a lot of work has to be done to get this play right

Link

 

[shannonscrooks]

God bless you Toine. Keep fighting the good fight.

 

[MVP]

Isn't this EA's last CFB game?

 

[rook]

Son...the graphics look the same since the QB from Boise State was on the cover

 

[T0INE]

[h1]NCAA Football 14's "More Mature" Madden Physics[/h1]

 

[T0INE]

Looks like Ultimate Team Mode  will be making it's way to NCAA 14.

Via Gamestop

[h2]Bonus![/h2]
More details
[h3]Pre-order NCAA[emoji]174[/emoji] Football 14 and receive the exclusive NCAA[emoji]174[/emoji] Football Ultimate Team SEC Conference Pack including key SEC players and bonus game extension to get your star player off the bench and back on the field![/h3]
Available online and in-store while supplies lasts.

 

[greatabyss43]

Isn't this EA's last CFB game?

where did you hear that?? I hope thats not true.

 

[JCMojica24]

where did you hear that?? I hope thats not true.

I heard that as well. I hope 2k sports picks it up.

 

[JCMojica24]

They need to add more equipment options so we aren't just stuck with the same old crap like always. Would love more Nike cleats and gloves and what not

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

That first play look dope as hell..

 

[T0INE]

This won't be the last NCAA football game from EA.

EA might lose their exclusivity rights to make college football games pending the results of certain lawsuits but that won't change anything.

The NCAA license isn't as lucrative as the NFL one because the college football games don't sell nearly as well as Madden does. So it may not be financially viable for a new company to develop a new CFB game even if the license isn't exclusive anymore.

 

[jjs07]

They need to add more equipment options so we aren't just stuck with the same old crap like always. Would love more Nike cleats and gloves and what not

I know, right?

Where are the adidas/UA gloves etc?

 

[T0INE]

[h1]'NCAA Football 14': A first-look preview[/h1]
I’ve been running the virtual option since “Bill Walsh College Football” on the Sega Genesis. That makes me either a wishbone expert or just plain old (although I’ll settle for being an old expert).

So when I got my hands on “NCAA Football 14” for the first time at a special preview event in San Francisco, and some of the featured points of emphasis about the new game were all of the enhancements made to the option, I seriously spent the next 20 minutes reading the outside linebacker and either pitching the ball wide, or tucking it down and running as the Oregon Ducks. And I couldn’t get enough.

And for gamers unfamiliar with how to run the various option plays, EA Sports is ready to teach you, even designating icons above certain defenders’ helmets to alert the offensive player about positioning, and whose movements in particular they need to read. So while running the read option to the right, the left outside linebacker will have a No. 1 over his head, and if he cuts inside, you’ll learn to pitch the ball to your running back. If the linebacker plays outside, then it’s time for the quarterback to keep the ball himself, cutting up inside the linebacker as he tries to work his way into the open field. Other plays, the linebacker will be the first read, but a defensive back will be the second read, so depending on the call, you might keep the ball when you see the linebacker get blocked, but when the safety moves up to make a play, you pitch the ball to your running back at the last second and try to work the sidelines for a long run.

“We’ve gone crazy overboard revamping the option game this year,” said Larry Richart, “NCAA 14’s” central game-play designer. “There are 31 different option types in our game now, which include all the different veer options, shotgun full triple options, shovel options, the Pistol … any type of option play you can think of. We want to teach the user what they should be doing, because if you don’t know how to run the option, it can be complicated, it can be scary, and in years past, calling these plays, a lot of people didn’t know when to pitch, they didn’t know when to keep it, so now you’re going to see the defender you’re supposed to be looking at, and depending on what he does, you’ll either pitch it or keep it. The guys you’ll need to read will be indicated, and you’ll know the order you’ll need to look at them. We’ve even added new animations to the defense where you’ll see the defender shoot out or attacking the quarterback right away, so you’ll know right away what he’s doing in order to make the right play.”

The open-field targeting of blocking receivers has also been completely revamped, so now your receivers will actually block the right players from the right position on the field, opening up new running lanes that just weren’t there before. You’ll even see the offensive linemen making it to the second level and targeting the safeties, no longer content to simply block any player in sight.

“We went through every single option play and determined who every guy should block, and who they should leave unblocked,” Richart said. “We’ve totally revamped the logic to go with brand-new animations and plays.”

The option pass has also been boosted. Where last year you had to hit A to snap the ball, then A again to bring the icons up, and by that time, your quarterback was stuck in some drop-back animation, eliminating all hope of a bubble screen and most likely leading to a sack, in “NCAA 14,” the option pass is now simply a play-action pass, with the game automatically going through the option fakes, allowing you to set up your passing play more quickly. And with the enhancements made to downfield blocking, the bubble screens are increasingly effective this year, as your players finally block the appropriate defenders in front of you as you take off for the first down.

There’s even a new spread option playbook available that features all of these new plays and option types. That includes more than 20 new formations and 350 new plays to go along with a skill training practice game that will have you running the option like a champ. Then again, all of these improvements also carry over to CPU teams, so get ready to give up some yards on the ground this year if you’re not ready to defend all of these new option plays.

Added “NCAA 14” producer Ben Haumiller: “The computer is much smarter about using moves, getting to the outside, and timing the pitch.”

But the improvements to the option game aren’t the only big additions, as “NCAA Football 14” will finally reveal the enhancements made to the EA Sports Infinity physics engine. Last year, the new real-time physics system was left out of the “NCAA” series, angering fans who felt like it once again relegated the college game to “Madden’s” little brother status. But with Infinity Engine 2.0 debuting in “NCAA 14,” fans are going to see what another full year of tweaks can add to the game play, and the difference is downright staggering (not to mention, smooth). Gone are all the problems you saw in “Madden” with players randomly tripping over a foot and falling down (now they’ll actually step over random limbs), or teammates rolling all over each other, twisting their legs, and flipping around after the play was already blown dead.

“This is a much more mature version than what you played in ‘Madden,’” Richart said. “But the big thing is, it’s physics you can play. We put a greater emphasis on the ball carrier, and now with the Infinity engine, you can really emphasize stiff-arms. In the previous version, you’d run, and when you pressed the stiff-arm button, it was a dice roll whether you hit or not. This year, you can see the ball carrier really punch. We added all new animations, and now you can hit the defender in the face mask, you can hit him in the shoulder, and depending on where you hit him, you’ll see him react differently to the move. Also, with the Truck Stick, you don’t have to worry about that silly NFL rule with the crown, and you’ll notice much more forceful impacts where the ball carrier can deliver the blow and you’ll see the defender fall back in much more natural, organic reaction.”

Runners will also be able to fend off defenders, pushing and shielding their way past a would-be tackler, even if they don’t smack them in the chops. Running backs will have more contextual awareness than years past, avoiding blocking linemen in a game-play tweak EA is calling “ball carrier avoidance.” “Madden 13” suffered from running backs flying into the offensive line, then falling down because they ran into the back of their guard or tackle. In “NCAA 14,” the running back will stick his hand out and sidestep the blocker instead of making things easy on the defense by falling backward to the turf.

Also new is a stumble recovery system, where gamers can flick either up or down on the right stick when their ball carrier trips. Pull back on the stick, and you can try to recover and keep running, or if you feel like you might be in jeopardy of taking a vicious Hit Stick from a nearby defender, you can simply flick forward to dive ahead while protecting yourself and the ball.

Running locomotion has also been improved so direction changes will actually incorporate players making cuts as opposed to zigzagging their way down the field like past iterations. Auto sprint has also been removed in favor of an acceleration burst mechanic. So now, players won’t be running at full speed at all times. Using the right trigger, you’ll be able to burst when you feel like you need to hit that extra gear. But it’s not like you can turbo your way up and down the field at no cost, as EA has also added a fatigue meter at the bottom of each player, letting you know how much energy you have on every play based on individual player ratings, and the more you do jukes, cuts and sprint, the more you’ll notice your meter drop dramatically.

“At the end of a play, if you run out of energy, you’ll see it on screen in their running motion and style,” added Richart. “You’re basically out of gas.”

For hard-core fans, EA Sports has even added the ability to call plays based on personnel. This new play-calling type is based on the number of backs, tight ends and receivers on the field, and you’ll now be locked into calling audibles that match your personnel (gone are the days of audibling between goal line and five wide to gain an advantage over defensive matchups by having a receiver running routes from the fullback position). This will also take away the bug “NCAA” has had the past couple of years, where the CPU would come out in Wildcat, then audible into shotgun and try to throw a pass while the running back is locked in playing quarterback.

But don’t think all of the improvements are limited to the offensive side of the ball, as the EA Sports crew seems to watch Jadeveon Clowney hits on constant loop at the office, putting added emphasis on polygon smashing thanks to the evolution of the Infinity engine.

“The new physics also come into play on defense with the Hit Stick,” explained Richart. “There are a lot bigger collisions in the game this year, especially when you see a bigger defender square up on a little guy. You’re going to see train wrecks out there. The Hit Stick is back. I know people have felt that it has just been OK the past few years, and it wasn’t like it used to be, but with the new Infinity engine, you really feel the impact of the Hit Stick and dive tackles. Now when you dive at a runner, the force of the dive really exerts the momentum of the force, and the physics will take care of the rest.”

 

[swendro]

Better buy this one before they strip out all the features for NCAA 15 on PS4/720.

 

[T0INE]

They need to add more equipment options so we aren't just stuck with the same old crap like always. Would love more Nike cleats and gloves and what not

I know, right?

Where are the adidas/UA gloves etc?

Agreed.

I think they're new Nike gloves in the game based on the screenshots I saw.

Don't know about new cleats

 

[T0INE]

Here's EA's schedule on when they'll be discussing various features of the game.

I'll ad it to the OP as well.

 

[wings90]

An Ultimate Team feature with their default rosters is going to be horrible.

 

[swendro]

I don't see any new cleats or accessories from that footage .

 

[T0INE]

They need to add more equipment options so we aren't just stuck with the same old crap like always. Would love more Nike cleats and gloves and what not

I know, right?

Where are the adidas/UA gloves etc?

Just watched the video in the IGN preview and adidas gloves are in.

Saw several players from adidas schools (Notre Dame, UCLA, Wisconsin etc.) wearing colored gloves.

Hopefully it the same for the UA schools.

 

[T0INE]

 

[zs05wc]

If Denard wasn't on the cover I wouldn't buy. Sort of have to now because he is.

 

[T0INE]

Some Hands On Impressions about NCAA 14

By now most of you have probably heard or seen a few articles pop up regarding the gameplay improvements for EA Sports NCAA Football 14. I'm really excited to get into the details with you and discuss what it all means. If you haven't seen the articles by ESPN, Polygon or OperationSports.com, you should check them out as they all provide different perspectives. Also be sure to check out the newest videos on EA Sport's blog for a first look at gameplay. I'll kick this off by discussing some encompassing features and then break everything down later.

"RTP/Infinity Engine 2.0"

I want to start by clearing up any confusion or to those who are being pessimistic - EA simply did not just port over the physics from Madden 13 and call it done. A lot of work was done to rework this and has already been talked about in the aforementioned articles. While it's already been stated that a big focus was put on the ball carrier (and there was), there was a big focus to add some modifications that add a lot of NCAA flair (like actually using NCAA blocking rules instead of NFL, option game overhaul, read option overhaul, etc). Above all else, defense reacts to these things differently. From an overall gameplay perspective, my experience at the first community event was very refreshing.


"Impact Engine"

While most people will assume this simply means more big hits, that isn't exactly the case. This also plays a big factor into the new stiff arm mechanic. As Larry Richart explained already, the game used to simply 'roll a dice' in order to determine the outcome when a ball carrier attempted to use a stiff arm to break a eligible tackle animation (based on ratings). Now timing is a huge factor as the impact of a ball carriers arm is much less if it is already fully extended (hitting the button too early). Timing the button correctly will render the largest impact and create the maximum possible separation between the tackler and the ball carrier. That is, if the stiff arm is successful at all. From my hands-on with the game, this seemed to be very balanced. Even a well-timed stiff arm won't keep a charging linebacker from wrecking your world in the open field. I'll get into this a bit more later on.

"Acceleration Burst Mechanic"

Up until now, a player's acceleration has been somewhat linear. It's just a rating that dictates how quickly a player can get from his current velocity to his maximum speed. This new mechanic allows more of a burst to allow a player to explode in a direction. For a running back, this rewards patience running tosses or stretch plays. There were several times that I would string a play into let's say, the 5 hole only to explode back towards the center and against the grain of the defense to bust a play open for big yards. For wide receivers, the burst mechanic allows them to catch the ball on a screen or hitch and burst away from an incoming defender and into the open field.

However, no one has really talked about what this means for a defender. During my time with the game, I spent a lot of time playing the linebacker positions and baiting a HB into a hole only to use the burst mechanic to meet him at the LOS. Safeties can use the burst to break on passes such as posts and get to the ball/receiver.

I know some of you are worried about balance of this feature. And to that I present to you...

"Fatigue Meter"

Want to run toss plays with your HB all game and not spell him at all? Want to run go-routes or 9's all game with your speedy WR? Well, you better be ready for them to have their hands on their knees. For those of you who play FIFA, you will be somewhat familiar with the effects of holding down the sprint button all game (*everyone grabs their hamstrings in recollection*).

I've been hammering for this feature ever since I joined the EA Sports Game Changer program as I feel that it is another important aspect of NCAA Football that we were simply missing. You guys who love the no-huddle and up-tempo offenses are going to be challenged with managing substitutions or risk getting the ball to a running back or wide receiver and him not having any gas left in the tank to take it anywhere up field. This will also force people to actually look at your substitution sliders in your coaching preferences.

This will also effect some special team decisions. Not that it was a good idea before, but utilizing your star skill players for punt and kick returners will ultimately reduce their effectiveness as the workhorses for your offensive attack. Additionally, a guy with 99 SPD 99 ACL and 99 AGI may not be the best option as a kick returner if his stamina is only a 62. Sure, he breaks the field open more often than anyone else on your team, but you won't think as highly of him when he gets sucked up from behind every time as he starts to fatigue. Conversely, players with lower speeds but higher stamina ratings will be rewarded for sticking with a play and taking good angles as their efforts could end up paying off in the form of a touchdown saving tackle.

It's also important to mention that as the game goes on and a player gets more fatigued that his acceleration burst mechanic becomes less effective. He also has a higher chance of fumbling or not recovering from a stumble. Speaking of which...

"Stumble Mechanic"

Personally, the new Stumble and Avoidance Mechanic really differentiate the running game from Madden 13's iteration. Essentially the stumble mechanic adds a layer of variability (yes, on TOP of what the physics engines have already done for tackling) to tackling while bringing a feeling of balance to a ball carrier. After a broken tackle, you can flick the right stick back to attempt to gain balance and continue to the run, or you can flick the stick forward to dive for a first down or avoid an incoming defender ready to take your head off. Madden 13's broken tackle animations were too long, and the stumble mechanic allows a user to abort out of those scripted animations to dictate a more favorable outcome.


"Avoidance Mechanic"

I guess the best way to explain this is to reference the game Assassin's Creed and how a user can 'swim' or otherwise avoid bystanders/objects while on the run. One of my biggest complaints with Madden 13's running game was having to manually avoid my own blockers in fear that I will get "Sanchez'd" and end up on the ground without ever being touched by a defender. That changes this year as ball carriers will put their hand out, hop-step and side-step to avoid blockers and make their way up field.

What most people miss with the announcement of this feature is what it means for the defense. Linebackers will no longer get lost in the crowd and will use the same mechanics to avoid defenders in front of them taking on blocks. Combined with the new blocking logic, this makes every run play a chess match between backs and linebackers.


"Targeting Mechanic"

If you are like me, you are sick of "swerving" (when a user just goes back and forth on the stick, rendering your defenders helpless as they fly by the ball carrier as if they were looking at the ground) and there is finally an answer to this too often used tactic in online play. A newly tuned "locomotion system" and the new physics engine really do a lot to combat this as it focuses a lot more on planting of the feet. However, a new targeting mechanic allows defenders to make the final lunge towards the ball carrier to account for the last second evasive maneuvers. However, this requires manual manipulation of the sticks to accomplish. Thankfully, the windows to engage the tackle animations were tightened in order to get rid of the dive-bomb tackling techniques often used where a defender can just blindly charge in a direction and make a tough tackle in space.

Defenders will now break down when coming head-on with a ball carrier. Users can use the dive button to lunge at the ball carrier to account for any last second change of direction. This mechanic also seemed to help the issue where a defender would blow by a receiver who was being directed by a catch animation.

"Blocking Logic"

I know, we've heard it before. However, I think there are some interesting changes that are coming this year that will provide some significant improvements:

- Screen plays
As it was explained to us, the NCAA Football and Madden series have always used the same blocking rule definitions within the game. Obviously in real life, this is far from the case. So the gameplay team went in added things like the ability for offensive players to block downfield on screen plays. Previously the blockers would gather in front of the receiver and behind the LOS and then decide who to block once the pass was caught. In NCAA Football 14, you will see slot WRs, TEs and pulling offensive linemen actively attack defenders beyond the LOS while the ball is in the air. Bubble screens and quick screens took on a whole new meaning after being very frustrating to use in NCAA 13 (and every iteration of NCAA that bubble screens were previously included. Let's be frank, they never worked properly). While it does a lot for the screen games, it also opens up the short passing game, something which has been very vanilla up until now.

- Options/Running game
Everyone has their complaints with blocking logic. The flaws were especially apparent in the option game. Blockers consistently let the wrong defenders come free and often resulted in situations where you were going to lose yards regardless of the option taken. Richart's comments on reworking all of the option plays are true. Since the offensive line knows who to turn free and who to read, they can easily decide on where the 2nd level block is and get to it. EA took this to another level by adding in-game indicators that highlight the players that your offensive line will turn free and the players that you will need to read. It's a nice learning tool for users new to option plays (or new to running them properly).


That's it for now. I'll hopefully be able to gather more thoughts as the information becomes public knowledge.

Link

 

[datboi81]

So pretty much they're bringing "r2" trigger acceleration back?...either way ill probably pick this up first day

 

[bearclawd]

where did you hear that?? I hope thats not true.

I heard that as well. I hope 2k sports picks it up.

If 2K had it...

They need to add more equipment options so we aren't just stuck with the same old crap like always. Would love more Nike cleats and gloves and what not

EVEN if they stick with the same cleats, at least change up the colorblocking so it's like the cleats on the field.