Official EA Sports College Football 25 Thread || Available Now

[datboi81]

Last time they had a Michigan guy on he cover it was the best game in the series...hmmm

 

[T0INE]

[h1]NCAA Football 14 Sights and Sounds[/h1]
College is a time to express your true identity, and collegefootball teams seem to be embracing that mantra wholeheartedly. Alternate uniforms, base layers, team-specific gloves and more have become commonplace (word choice) in the college game, and the team behind NCAA Football 14 is working feverishly to keep up with the nation’s new looks.

Those new uniforms go a long way to nailing the college stadium atmosphere. The NCAA Football franchise has moved even closer to replicating the real thing this year, with the introduction of two stadium anthems. 

“When You Look Good, You Play Good”

The above quote comes from former University of Oregon running back Kenjon Barner, who took a few moments while he was visiting the EA SPORTS Orlando studio to talk about Oregon’s love of trend-setting uniforms. While alternate and throwback jerseys have been around for years, it’s hard to think of uniform variety without thinking of the Ducks. The team has been tinkering with its look since 1998, providing a staggering number of combinations of jerseys, helmets and pants.

It seems these days everyone is getting in on the action, and the NCAA Football 14 team has been working closely with Adidas, Nike, Russell, and Under Armour to keep up with all the new looks and get them into the game. Teams will be debuting new uniforms every week of the upcoming season, and the goal is to get the new looks into the game as quickly as possible.

Building a Seven Nation Army

The familiar strains of Jack White’s guitar-turned-bass and the chant of “Oh… Oh-OH-oh oh OHH OHH” is probably a sound you’ve heard a million times at sporting events, and when Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes kicks up you’re ready to join in the refrain with more than 100,000 of your closest friends. The song, which came to America via Penn State’s Blue-White scrimmage in 2006, has become a staple in the sports world, and you’ll hear that chanted bass line echoing around football stadiums every weekend in the fall.

In a similar vein, many fans are also familiar with Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation, the electro-funk song that has been getting crowds jumping and chanting for over a decade. Traditionally, Kernkraft 400 has been used to pump fans up during timeouts or as a way to keep the crowd hot after a big play, making it hard for visitors to regain their composure.

This year NCAA Football 14 will be bringing that same emotion to the virtual gridiron, firing up virtual crowds with both Seven Nation Armyand Kernkraft 400. One of our goals was to keep these  experiences authentic to how they’re used in actual NCAA stadiums, so expect to hear the crowd get particularly loud and imposing right before a kickoff or during a key 3[sup]rd[/sup] down situation. Like our other crowd chants, these audio clips were taken from actual games and live crowds. The team traveled to more than 30 different FBS games last year, and every time one or both of these songs played to fire up the crowd.

For those with school spirit to spare, don’t worry. You’ll still get to hear “Rocky Top,” “Glory, Glory,” “Buckeye Battle Cry” and all your other favorites, but there will be yet another layer of realism to the crowd.

Gaining New Perspective

Another new feature is the ability to play games from one of three new camera angles. First up is the Wide camera, which presents the game from an angle akin to the “All 22” coach’s film. This full shot of the field keeps all players in frame and will allow players to keep tabs on all players at all times.

There is also the Zoom camera, which starts off from tackle-to-tackle and stays close to the ball throughout. If you want get the perspective of the QB or one of the backs then this is a good choice.

Last but not least is the Coordinator camera, which provides a view of the whole field initially, but dynamically zooms in during the play to follow the action. Traditionalists can still enjoy the Standard camera, but the new camera offers additional perspectives for anyone that wants to experience the game from a new angle. In addition, all these cameras will also be available in Road to Glory.

The new uniforms, stadium sounds and camera angles make NCAA Football 14 the most immersive in the series to date. 

Fans can keep up to date by visiting the NCAA Football website, Facebook, and Twitter  for exclusive assets and unique insights into all of this year’s new features. College football enthusiasts can also get involved in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #PLAYTRUE.

 

[swendro]

“When You Look Good, You Play Good”

The above quote comes from former University of Oregon running back Kenjon Barner, who took a few moments while he was visiting the EA SPORTS Orlando studio to talk about Oregon’s love of trend-setting uniforms. While alternate and throwback jerseys have been around for years, it’s hard to think of uniform variety without thinking of the Ducks. The team has been tinkering with its look since 1998, providing a staggering number of combinations of jerseys, helmets and pants.

No new cleats confirmed. How can they be working closely with all the companies and not one person say hey let's throw in some new cleats too? Sorry for harping on the subject, but damn, it doesn't make sense.

 

[clutch 713]

Can't wait!! I had more fun with NCAA lately than Madden. Madden continues to get worse while NCAA is getting better and better every year, IMO.

 

[T0INE]

 

[toothrowed318]

I'd be down as long as I could import roster to madden from the looks of it it won't happen??

 

[T0INE]

[h1]Current Pros Give the Old College Try in NCAA Football Ultimate Team[/h1]

There will be real football players, using their real names, in the debut of NCAA Football Ultimate Team this year. They just won't be anyone suiting up on a college football field this fall.

A deal with the NFL Players' Association gives NCAA the rights to use up to 2,500 current NFL stars, pictured in their alma maters' uniforms, and build a pool of virtual trading cards just as large as Madden Ultimate Team, where the collection-and-player-management game has been running since 2010.

"It was weird receiving an email saying the NCAA franchise was approved by the NFLPA," said producer Ben Haumiller, who added that individual negotiations are ongoing to bring retired stars into the game, with an eye toward signing up more after the game's July launch.

It's a shrewd way for NCAA Football to solve its biggest problem—the fact that, legally and under NCAA bylaws, they may not use actual, active college player likenesses in the game (though there is a massive legal dispute over whether that is in fact taking place anyway.) A game built on a population of fictitious players would have nowhere near the appeal of Madden, FIFA or Hockey Ultimate Team—just ask Diamond Dynasty, a variant of the format introduced by MLB The Show last year, which remains an outlier in terms of appeal. By contrast, MUT, FUT and HUT as they're known, have been enormous drivers of microtransaction revenue to EA Sports, and now—what, NUT?—will be expected to do the same.

That was the business mandate. Creatively, Haumiller said he wanted Ultimate Team in his game as a point of pride. "It's a feature that's become a gold standard, to show you are on the top tier of team sports games," he said. "We're the No. 3 seller in North America in sports games; we know we need it. How, that was the question."

One floor up at EA Tiburon, of course, are the Madden guys, who already share a gameplay development team with NCAA—and, it bears mentioning, its Ultimate Team developers also are the ones building NCAA's version. So you can expect this version to play very close, if not identically, to Madden Ultimate Team. A key difference will be in the solo challenges and 10 game seasons—with a playoff and "relegation"—that NUT will mimic from the extremely popular FIFA Ultimate Team. "While we don't have a true college football playoff yet, we do have it here in Ultimate Team," notes Haumiller.

The mishmash of uniform styles, playing fields, boosts and special cards will be present in addition to the very diverse lineup stocked with players from more than 120 teams, some going back into the mid-1990s. "You can have Penn State's uniforms, in Autzen Stadium, with Drew Brees as your quarterback," Haumiller said. Or something truly loathsome, like Tim Tebow being cheered at Doak Campbell Stadium.

The difference is there will be no coaches, as much for the licensing as for the time needed to reasonably model that many. Another key advantage of using Madden Ultimate Team assets is that, for many of the younger players anyway, the facial modeling can be repurposed in NCAA, too.

What is most curious about NCAA Ultimate Team will be discovering who isn't in the game. All schools had to sign off on a player appearing under their name in the game. USC KGB'd Dolphins running back Reggie Bush out of existence at Heritage Hall after an improper benefits scandal resulted in major sanctions against the athletics program (and the forfeiture of Bush's Heisman Trophy.) With Bush persona non grata as a Trojan, he will not appear in the game at all. But Tyrann Mathieu, kicked off of LSU's team last year for reported drug problems, has been welcomed back to Tigerland, assuming he signs with the Arizona Cardinals. (Rookies this year cannot appear in any NFLPA licensed game until they sign with an NFL team, effectively joining the union.)

But there also will be some all-time greats who are no longer in uniform for any team reappearing in this game. The players from last year's Heisman Challenge mode are all expected to return (some are still negotiating an extension for their appearance)—and that also means Heisman Challenge itself will return. Some players who have not appeared in a football video game for a very long time may also be on the way.

It also means Kirk Herbstreit, the ESPN analyst who played for Ohio State from 1989 to 1992, but never professionally, will suit up in scarlet and gray again. Herbstreit has been the video game's color commentary voice for more than a decade. "That was the first question we got back from his agent: 'Well, what are his ratings gonna be?'" Haumiller laughed. "Kirk is an esteemed member of the NCAA family and as such, we will definitely take care of him."

Ratings will prove tricky in another area: Representing all schools (and they will all have players in the card population, some more than others) and fairly rating their past stars. Utah State's greatest player ever may seem quite average next to one from a powerhouse school. And then there's the matter of what to do about players from Division I-AA (sorry, "Football Championship Subdivision") teams. This issue has yet to be resolved, but Haumiller said that while they have the rights to a guy like Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, their college licensing does not include the FCS division. "Flacco made his name at Delaware," which is a I-AA school, "but he did transfer over there from Pitt," Haumiller said. Maybe that's the solution.

Conceptually, NCAA Ultimate Team can be given credit for introducing the Ultimate Team concept to the college game in a safe and legal way. It can also be viewed as a reconditioned version of Madden Ultimate Team, which has run college-themed specials in its card collections before.

If longtime players of the series feel no compulsion to jump into Ultimate Team, then to be honest, they're not the segment EA Sports is going after here. It's looking for crossover with the Maddenites, particularly those who would buy NCAA as a tide-me-over in July, and will try hook them with the card game so they don't trade NCAA in when Madden releases in August. It might flow the other way, too, that NCAA Ultimate Team becomes someone's introduction to Madden's.

Whatever EA Sports gets out of this will be gravy, but with Ultimate Team being rumored for inclusion in NBA Live 14, it's clear the feature was long overdue for NCAA, whether hardcore fans were demanding it or not.

 

[T0INE]

[h1]NCAA Football 14: The Ultimate College Football Team[/h1]
EA Sports' Ultimate Team mode is finally coming to NCAA, and thankfully your deck won't be filled with QB #6 and HB #23, but with real-life football players.

In the Ultimate Team mode, you get a starter pack of player cards with which you play real games with in order to earn coins to buy more packs. By buying packs and competing in auctions to win specific player cards, you build up your roster with better and better players to compete against others online.

The NCAA franchise as a whole is unable to feature real college players (hence the anonymous player numbers that are used), but NCAA 14's Ultimate Team mode has found a way around this and features real-life football players. Using its existing NFLPA license, developer EA Tiburon is creating Ultimate Team cards for all active NFL players on their college teams – that's over 1,400 players at the game's launch. It's like the worlds biggest college all-star alumni game featuring everybody from current NFL players like Russell Wilson to former college greats not currently in the pros such as Andre Ware. There is also a multitude of guys in between – those whom you may recognize because they were your school's campus heroes even though they haven't made it big in the NFL.

Following the mode's card-collecting philosophy, there will be multiple versions of some players if they've transferred schools in their college career, played multiple positions, or different cards for a player's junior and senior seasons. Like the Ultimate Team mode in other games, NCAA 14 will also encourage collecting as many cards as you can with bonuses for getting all the cards in a particular collection set, such as all the Heisman Trophy winners, for example. EA says that it hopes to ultimately have over 2,500 player cards in the mode.

You can play games by either taking on solo, offline challenges (perhaps based on events such as a top game in the current season, a bowl game last year, etc.) as well as online via Head-to-Head Seasons. This mode, started by the FIFA soccer franchise, creates 10-game seasons and eight tiered divisions of play. You start out at the bottom division and work you way up via promotion while trying to avoid getting knocked down a division through relegation. NCAA 14 adds a four-round playoff structure that requires you to win at least five games in order to qualify (eight victories gets you a first round bye).

Unlike some of the other Ultimate Team modes in EA Sports titles, NCAA 14's version does not feature chemistry between players, coaches, mobile/browser support, or consumable cards related to stat increases. There will, however, be customary "contract" extensions that let you continue to use a card and unspecified player items (no mention of whether these are earned or will cost money) that can be used to help out your team. The coin cost for different levels of card packs and any info on EA Tickets (which can be bought with real money and put towards card packs) has not been revealed yet.

NCAA 14's version of Ultimate Team doesn't feature all the bells and whistles the mode has enjoyed in other EA Sports titles, but college football fans should find no problem getting excited about this addictive mode.

For more on NCAA 14, check out this preview on the game's gameplay  and this one on its presentation.

Note: The original version of this preview mentioned 2,500+ players in the mode. EA Sports has since clarified that the mode will have over 1,400 players at launch, and that 2,500+ is the goal going forward. The text has been modified to reflect this distinction.

[h2] [/h2]

 

[finallyfamous]

Any updates on RTG??

 

[T0INE]

Any updates on RTG??

Probably not.

The only things EA has left on the agenda for NCAA 14 is to discuss Dynasty and Play a Season mode.

 

[T0INE]

[h1]NCAA Football 14 Ultimate Team[/h1]
If you’ve been playing EA SPORTS games over the years, you’ve likely gotten hooked on Ultimate Team mode in Madden NFL, FIFA or NHL.  Well now you can get the same experience in NCAA Football 14. Let’s take a quick tour of the mode so you’re ready to create your own Ultimate Team on July 9.

WAKE UP THE ECHOES

The very first thing you’ll do after firing up NCAA Football 14 Ultimate Team is pick your school to get your base team.This determines your initial playbooks, as well as home and away uniforms, so choose wisely. You’ll get enough players in your initial pack to fill out your roster, and you might even receive one of the school's all-time greats.

Once you get underway, it won’t be long until you accumulate enough coins to start buying new packs and adding players to your team. Imagine a Tennessee team where Peyton Manning could throw the ball to Donte’ Stallworth, Jason Witten, or Cordarrelle Patterson, while also having the option to hand the ball off to Arian Foster. Or how about teaming up Dennis Dixon and LaMichael James at Oregon for an unstoppable option attack? With more than 1,400 former college players to choose from, the combinations of talent are nearly endless.

PLAY ALONE OR TAKE ON THE WORLD

NCAA Football Ultimate Team has a little something for everyone, allowing gamers to either play against the CPU in Solo Challenges, or against the community in the new Head-to-Head Seasons mode. Solo Challenges are a great way to learn the ropes and earn some cool rewards along the way, and some of them have special unlock requirements that encourages player to keep collecting and improving their team.

Head-to-Head Seasons puts a new twist on traditional online play. Players will compete in 10-game seasons and advance up eight tiers of opponents. Winning games during the season will give you a higher seed come playoff time. Emerge as the tournament champion to reap the most valuable rewards.

BUILDING A POWERHOUSE

One of the most addictive features in Ultimate Team is Collections, which reward devoted fans with big coin payouts, exclusive packs, special-edition player profiles and more. Every Collection will show exactly what you need in order to complete it, and new Collections will be available throughout the year. Also, be sure to look for special edition packs around rivalry games, bowl games and other major college football events for your chance to score some rare stuff.

So how are you going to keep your team straight? The powerful and user-friendly team manager makes things simple. Easily browse through your roster and select the perfect lineup for any situation, or simply select Choose Best Lineup and let the CPU handle it for you. The interface is designed to let you get in, make changes, and then get back on the field.

You can also put players up for auction if they’re just sitting on the bench, or if you need the coins. Set the starting price and then sit back and watch the bidding wars begin. Or, if you’re in the market for a new player, run a quick search to find exactly what you need to get your team over the top. If you’re not the bidding type, find a Buy Now sale to cut to the chase.

This is just a small glimpse of what you can expect in NCAA Football Ultimate Team, and we’ll be diving into some insight from the development team on the process of signing players for the mode.

NCAA Football will be available on Tuesday, July 9, for Xbox 360 and PS3, and fans can learn more at the NCAA Football website. Pre-order today to receive exclusive Conference Packs.

Fans can keep up to date by visiting the NCAA Football website, Facebook, and Twitter  for exclusive assets and unique insights into all of this year’s new features. College football enthusiasts can also get involved in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #PLAYTRUE.

 

[peter80warrick]

Though how Ultimate Team will be built for NCAA Football 14 may remain a mystery until May 15 – whether that be using current “unnamed” players, legends, generics, or some mishmash of the three – EA Sports perceives it to be a major new addition to the series as they are featuring it in all retailer pre-order bonuses. Gamestop was the first to leak the introduction of the mode and now others have followed with their respective exclusive conference packs.

•Amazon: Pac-12 Conference Pack
•Best Buy: Big Ten Conference Pack
•Gamestop: SEC Conference Pack
•Origin: Big East Conference Pack
•Target: ACC Conference Pack
•Walmart: Big 12 Conference Pack

 

[T0INE]

FYI, Importing Draft classes to Madden is back.

From the Madden blog released today.

THE FEATURES YOU ASKED FOR

Madden NFL 25 also includes several fan-requested features, including full 32-team control, new commissioner tools, and a league transaction log. Also, fans of the NCAA Football franchise will be pleased to hear that they’ll be able to import their draft classes from NCAA Football 14 into Madden NFL 25.

 

[T0INE]

 

[T0INE]

[h1]NCAA Football 14 Playbook 4: Dynasty[/h1]

Dynasty mode in NCAA Football 14 offers several new features that should excite any would-be head coach. All-new Coach Skills allow you to focus on the traits you believe are most important for a coach both on and off the field, while Power Recruiting streamlines the process for scouting and signing players without sacrificing depth.

Furthermore, presentation enhancements tell the story of your Dynasty with more detail than ever before. Players can also once again export their NCAA Football 14 Draft Class into Madden NFL 25, allowing your players to continue their journey into the NFL.

Here’s a look at what makes this year’s Dynasty the best yet.

A GREAT TEAM STARTS WITH A GREAT COACH

College football coaches have to devise on-field strategy as well as recruit, star elite prospects to join the team.

This year introduces a new wrinkle in the form of Coach Skills, which allows coaches to excel in specific areas. There are 18 upgradeable, multi-level skills spread across two skill trees for head coaches, as well as separate skill trees for offensive and defensive coordinators. Altogether, there are 36 upgradeable skills.

Here’s an example: if you know which players you want and would like to sign them with minimal fuss, you can invest in Insta-Commit. This higher-level skill takes a while to unlock, but it’s a must-have for anyone who spends a substantial amount of time recruiting players. This skill provides a 5% chance of instant commitment when you offer a scholarship, and goes up to 10% and 20% over the next two levels. Insta-Commit allows coaches to spend more resources on those guys who are playing hard-to-get.

Conversely, if you’re more interested in on-field bonuses, you may want to upgrade a skill like Clutch, which helps your team out in close games. This is a high-level skill that isn’t available right away, but it’s worth strong consideration once it unlocks. At its first level, Clutch will let your team start off the fourth quarter HOT if the score is within 14 points. At the next level your team stays HOT throughout the entire quarter, and when maxed out your players get VERY HOT in the final two minutes (and overtime) if the score differential is within a touchdown. The HOT and VERY HOT descriptors are dynamic ratings adjustments, so you’ll see your team perform well above their normal skills as long as they’re in those states.

Coach Skills are also available for offensive and defensive coordinators, each of which gets nine upgradeable skills.. These skills will assist in certain areas on one side of the ball, such as improving blocking or enhancing zone or man coverage.

A LEAN, MEAN RECRUITING MACHINE

This year, NCAA Football 14 introduces Power Recruiting, which streamlines the process of scouting and recruiting players without sacrificing the depth fans have come to expect. Rather than using phone calls and pitches to try and sign players, Power Recruiting allows coaches to assign a set number of points to each recruit on a week-to-week basis. If you see a player you want, set your board so that you spend the maximum number of points available each week to win him over. Once you feel a commitment is imminent, move some of those points over to a different player who needs a bit of extra persuading. Power Recruiting makes it easy to efficiently adjust your focus and put the perfect amount of energy into signing the players your team needs most.

Dynamic Pitch Grades return this year, but with benefits measured in a slightly different way. Now you’ll be able to see which factors are most important to a given recruit, and you’ll be granted bonus points based on how your school measures up. Players enamored with your program are easier to reel in without having to expend precious resources.

Power Recruiting also plays a role in deciding when to offer scholarships or schedule campus visits, so there’s an added layer of strategy when planning your moves. Power Recruiting will be further detailed in another article devoted solely to the sweet science of snagging those highly-coveted players.

Offseason recruiting has been streamlined into one stage, which creates a quicker, more intense experience. This is your last chance to make a play for those undecided prospects, and your ultimate opportunity to go all-in on that player (or players) your team desperately needs. For more on Power Recruiting, be sure to check out the blog that lays out all the details.

TELLING YOUR STORY

In addition to all these new features, presentation upgrades will help make your league feel more alive.. Right from the outset, loading screens give info on stats and standings, and pregame commentary will sometimes center on your team’s position in the college football. Studio Updates with Rece Davis have returned, and have been tuned to be particularly relevant to your team. Are conference rivals squaring off at the same time as your game? Is a team close to you in the standings trailing late in the game? Hear all about it from Rece. Not only do the updates relate more directly to your team, but they’re also designed to appear during natural breaks in the action, such as after a kickoff or change of possession.

Neutral site games have been added to Dynasty mode this year, so all games for the 2013 season are scheduled at their correct location. Furthermore, you can set up neutral site contests of your own with Custom Schedules, and even put your team in one of the season-opening Kickoff games if you wish. You can also schedule both conference matchups and non-conference contests at neutral sites.

This year has been one of big changes for the NCAA Football franchise, and that goes double for Dynasty mode. Coach Skills and Power Recruiting put great new spins on this classic mode, all while making the experience faster and more intuitive. Whether you prefer to take over a powerhouse program and extend their dominance or build up a small school from scratch to national acclaim, Dynasty in NCAA Football 14 lets you build your team your way.

This is just a small glimpse of what you can expect in NCAA Football Dynasty Mode, and we’ll be diving into additional insight on the all-new Coach Skills feature.

 

[JCMojica24]

Thanks for the updates Toine! Looking forward to the release.

 

[T0INE]

[h1]Coach Skills Deep Dive[/h1]
FLEXING YOUR COACHING MUSCLE

New to Dynasty mode this year is the introduction of Coach Skills, which allow you to customize your skills in order to gain an advantage over the competition. Whether it’s locking up recruits early or coming out swinging in big road games, Coach Skills let you tailor your experience and specialize in the areas you believe are most important. Let’s take a look at the various skills you can unlock and how they can help you rise above the rest.

THE OLD BALL COACH

Most players start their Dynasty as a Head Coach, opting to control all facets of the team. However, a coach’s duties are vast, and require both thorough game-planning and great recruiting. The Head Coach skill tree has been split into two branches: Game Management and Recruiting.

THE GAME MANAGER

The Game Management skill tree offers on-field  boosts, including influencing player abilities, recognizing what sorts of plays the other team is running and keeping players disciplined and poised even in pressure-packed situations One  such skill is Coachstradamus, which allows you to see the last play called by your opponent. Upgrade the skill to level 2 and you’ll have a 10% chance of identifying the play type your opponent will run next. Become a true Coachstradamus and you’ll have a 25% chance of correctly guessing the opponent’s upcoming play.

Another example is the Big Game skill, which lets your team start off HOT in rivalry games. When a team is HOT, the players get a dynamic ratings boost that allows them to play above and beyond their typical skills. Upgrade it once and you’ll also come out HOT in bowl and championship games. Put in another skill point and you’ll come charging onto the field VERY HOT and ready to jump all over the other team.

Here is a full listing of the Game Management skills and an idea of what they offer at their base level. Each skill can be upgraded to level 3, but you’ll have to wait until the game launches to see what the higher level skills can do!

Antifreeze- Nothing gets to your kickers. Nothing.

Level 1: Ice the Kicker  is ineffective 50% of the time.

Road Warrior- Your quarterbacks shine on the road and don’t get rattled by Home Field Advantage.

Level 1: No controller vibration.

Matchup- Find the best mismatch and then attack. All matchups are shown from the offensive point of view.

Level 1: Passing Matchups appear in Preplay Coach Cam. (Coach Cam + Right Stick to the right)

Setup Artist- Successful run plays will set up the play action pass plays faster and vice-versa.

Level 1: Decreases the yardage needed for Setup Plays by 10%. Choose plays that are in the same formation type (pass or run).

Clean Laundry- Play disciplined and avoid costly penalties. Caution: Increasing team aggressiveness will cancel this skill.

Level 1: CPU is 50% less likely to cause penalties.

Light a Fire- Players can get HOT and COLD. Call a timeout to fire up your team when they need it. HOT players get performance bonuses.

Level 1: Call a timeout to get all COLD or lower players back up to NORMAL.

Big Game- The bigger the game, the HOTTER your team starts. HOT players get performance bonuses.

Level 1: Your team starts off HOT in rivalry games.

Coachstradamus- Learn which plays and play types your opponent callsso you can be a step ahead.

Level 1: You are shown your opponent's previously-called play. This can be seen in the upper-right of the play select menu.

Clutch- Your team always seems to get HOT in high-pressure situations and perform better. HOT players get performance bonuses.

Level 1: You start the fourth quarter HOT if the score difference is 14 or less.

THE RECRUITER

Some say that a football game is won or lost before the players even set foot on the field, and those individuals will likely gravitate toward Recruiting skills. These abilities provide you more recruiting points in certain situations or at specific points in the calendar.

One Recruiting skill you may want to unlock quickly is Kitchen Sink, which provides you with 50 extra points to assign to EVERY recruit, EVERY week at its base levels. At level 2, you get 100 extra points, and at the max level you get 200 extra points. And 200 extra points per recruit per week really adds up over the course of the season. Kitchen Sink is a high-level skill that unlocks after you put 10 points into your Recruiting skill tree, and it’s definitely worth the investment.

Another option is The Closer, which boosts the number of recruiting points available in the last half of the season. When unlocked, the skill provides 500 bonus points a week for weeks 8-15, and that number jumps to 1000 bonus points at level 2 and 1500 at level 3. If you’re the type of coach that backloads your recruiting, then this skill will give you that extra oomph late in the season.

Here’s the full list of Recruiting skills, with a first-level description of the benefits.

Locksmith - Get back into locked-out recruiting battles. You can unlock up to five prospects in a year, but you must be in the prospect's top 10 and have offered a scholarship.

Level 1: Open one locked recruit per season. You need to be within 2000 points of the last place team to use this skill.

Scouting- You have a knack for discovering some of the best high school talent in America. You can scout more efficiently and for less.

Level 1: Increased scouting efficiency allows you to uncover around 25% of a prospect’s true skills each week for 50 points.

Royal Treatment- Your entire staff goes the extra mile to make sure prospects have great visits.

Level 1: you will receive a bonus of +250 points the week a recruit visits your school,

The Opener- You have an early edge on your competition during recruiting.

Level 1: Increase your recruiting points total by +500 points in weeks 1-7.

The Closer- You have an edge on your competition late in the season during recruiting.

Level 1: Increase your recruiting points total by +500 points in weeks 8 through 15.

Letter of Intent- You really know how to close out the deal on signing day.

Level 1: You gain +1500 extra recruiting points for the off-season and a 5% chance you will steal a prospect from their top school.

Pipelines- You specialize in getting to know high school coaches.

Level 1: You only need five players minimum, from a state, to declare it a Pipeline (six is default).

Kitchen Sink- Your work ethic is second to none and it pays dividends on the recruiting trail. You can assign even more points to a prospect each week.

Level 1: Each recruit can have +50 extra points assigned to them each week.

Insta-Commit- You've got the gift. Nobody makes a better first impression or closes a deal faster. You must be that prospect's top school.

Level 1: You gain a +5% chance of an instant commitment, when you offer a scholarship.

COORDINATING RESPONSIBILITIES

While many fans may choose to immediately opt for head coaching glory, others like to start off as a coordinator and work their way up the ranks. These individuals will also have specific Coach Skills, as both coordinators have their own skill trees. Each coordinator gets nine unique skills whichcan be upgraded up to level 3. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s available:

Offensive Coordinator

Up Tempo- Stay healthy, fatigue  more slowly and prevent injuries. This skill is perfect for up-tempo teams.

Level 1: Players gain +2 to Injury and 10% increase in Stamina for games.

Ball Security- Stress the importance of protecting the football.

Level 1: Players gain +1 to Carrying for games.

Cannon- Be ahead in the arms race. Train your players to be better passers.

Level 1: QBs gain +1 to both Throw Power and Throw Accuracy for games.

Air Traffic Control- Never underestimate the importance of solid receiving mechanics. Get your HB, FB, TE and WRs ready for games.

Level 1: Players gain +1 Catching +2 Spectacular Catch and +2 Catch in Traffic for games.

Daylight- Everyone has to carry the rock sometime. Condition your players to be able to run with the ball at game time.

Level 1: Players gain +1 Break Tackle, +2 Spin Move and +3 Elusiveness for games.

Bulldozer- Your O-Line knows how to open up the gaps and control the line of scrimmage. Your run blocking is stellar.

Level 1: Your offensive line gains +2 Impact Blocking for games.

Great Wall- The best offense is behind a great wall. You develop good pass blocking technique.

Level 1: Your offensive line gains +1 Pass Blocking for games.

Mathlete- You believe football is a game of brains.

Level 1: Players gain +1 Awareness for games.

Athlete- Physical conditioning is the core to any star player.

Level 1: Players gain +2 Agility, +1 Strength and +1 Acceleration for games.

Defensive Coordinator

Road Closed- Your players get off their blocks quickly to stop the run.

Level 1: Your defensive players gain +1 Block Shedding for games.

Recharge- Stay healthy, fatigue slower and prevent injuries. Perfect against up-tempo teams.

Level 1: Your defensive players gain +2 Injury for games and 10% increase to Stamina.

Charge- Your tenacious pass rush causes fits for the opposition.

Level 1: Your defensive players gain +1 Power Moves and +1 Finesse Moves for games.

No Fly Zone- Your players are very disciplined with their zone coverage assignments.

Level 1: Your OLB, MLB, CB, SS, and FS gain +1 Zone Coverage for games.

Shutdown- Lock on  a WR and shut him down.

Level 1: Your CB, SS, and FS gain +1 Man Coverage and +2 Press Coverage for games.

Tackling- Nobody gets away from your defenders.

Level 1: Your defensive players gain +1 Tackle, +1 Pursuit and +1 Hit Power for games.

Ball Burglar- You play a very aggressive style of defense, always  Going after the ball.

Level 1: Your defensive players gain +1 Catching, +2 Spectacular Catch, +2 Catch in Traffic for games.

Pure Instinct- You believe that defense runs on instincts.

Level 1: Players gain +1 Awareness for games and +2 Play Recognition for games.

Athlete- You know the best way to channel and focus raw talent.

Level 1: Your defensive players gain +1 Speed, +2 Agility, +2 Acceleration and +1 Strength for games.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR SKILLS

Perform well in games to earn XP, and when you secure enough XP, you’ll level up and earn a skill point. Head coaches gain XP for accomplishing a variety of goals, both in-game and over the course of a season. Head coaches can also assign the skills of their CPU coordinators, so you’ll still have full control over how your program is run.

For coordinators, the XP is tied to their unit’s on-field performance and recruiting. Offensive coordinators will earn points for gaining yards and scoring touchdowns, while defensive coordinators gain XP from shutting down the opposing offense and forcing turnovers. User-controlled coordinators will also be able to recruit, and can utilize their head coach’s recruiting bonuses for their benefit, and reap the XP benefit for signing prospects.

Coordinators can transfer all their skill points when they make the jump to head coach. So if you upgrade all nine of a coordinator’s skills to their max level, you’d start off your head coaching career with 27 skill points to allocate on the various Game Management and Recruiting skills. Not a bad reward for paying your dues.

What happens if you go through a season and realize you’re not happy with your skill point allocation? You can reallocate your points and focus on other areas once the offseason hits. Make sure you’re comfortable with the adjustments though, because you won’t be able to make sweeping changes again until the year is over.

When starting up your Dynasty you’re able to determine how many points coaches are given at the start (on a scale of 1-20), as well as how quickly you level up. Start mapping your path to coaching stardom now, and decide which skills you just can’t live without. Be forewarned though, the CPU coaches in your Dynasty will also be developing their skills, and they’ll change their tactics every time you start up a new Dynasty. Being a coach has never been so rewarding.

 

[T0INE]

[h1]Power Recruiting Deep Dive[/h1]
Recruiting is the lifeblood of any college football program, and the process has long been a part of the NCAA Football franchise. This year, recruiting takes a big leap forward with the new Power Recruiting system, a streamlined process that maintains the depth that fans have come to expect. It’s the fastest, easiest, most rewarding way ever to sign those coveted players.

RECRUITING 101

Power Recruiting is that it’s a points-based system that allows coaches to assign a number of points to each targeted recruit every week. At a base level, coaches are given 5,000 points each week during the season to distribute amongst their targeted recruits, with each player having a cap of 500 points. There is one pool of points for scouting, as well as recruiting and offering scholarships, so you’ll have to carefully manage your resources and choose wisely. 

During the offseason coaches are given 10,000 points with no player cap, so coaches can allocate points however they want. If there’s that one player that you feel can take you all the way, then you can pump in ALL your offseason points in the hopes of making a big splash. It’s probably not a strategy you’ll want to employ every year, but it can be worth it in those seasons when you see a once-in-a-generation talent that is a perfect fit for your system.

These numbers are all based on the assumption that you have no Coach Skill bonuses which can boost your Recruiting abilities. Skills like “Kitchen Sink” can significantly enhance your point totals week-to-week, while “Letter of Intent” will provide help in the offseason. For a full explanation of the ways to enhance your recruiting abilities, check out the Coach Skills blog.

Point allocation carries over from week-to-week, so the only time you have to dive in and make changes are when you want to adjust point allocations or  plan something extra like schedule a visit.

You’ll also be able to get constant feedback on targeted players, with weekly updates on gains and losses, as well as how close they are to signing with a school. Players can be filtered to show who needs the most attention and where you may be dropping off a player’s radar. Sometimes you’ll see two schools locked at the top of a prospect’s board, at which point a recruiting battle will break out as both schools go all-out to land the player. These competitions can be fierce, and will sometimes rage all the way up to Signing Day.

BONUSES AND DEAL BREAKERS

Last year marked the introduction of Dynamic Pitch Grades, which allowed you to improve your school’s stock in the eyes of recruits with strong play and consistent excellence. Those grades return this year in the form of Top Interests, which breaks down the top three factors a recruit takes into consideration.

The cool thing about Top Interests is that if your school’s strengths align with the prospect’s interests, you’ll be automatically granted bonus recruiting points for that player. The bonus is pretty significant, as you can gain up to 410 extra points for a given player if there is a fit. You can still add more points out of your pool if you want, but the bonuses gained can help you spread your resources around to target more prospects.

On the other end of the spectrum are Deal Breakers, which some prospects use as an absolute determination of whether or not they’ll even consider a school. If a player has a Deal Breaker and your school rates at a C+ or worse in that category, you won’t be able to add that player to your board or spend any points on scouting or recruiting. However, if you can get your grade above a C+, the prospect will unlock and you can continue with the process.

For example, if your team is in need of a wide receiver, the “Playing Time” factor will display as an “A” grade. If a wideout prospect has a “Deal Breaker” for Playing Time you can add him to your board and recruit as normal. However, if you start targeting and offering scholarships to other receivers, the Playing Time grade may drop and you’ll be locked out of further recruiting that original player. 

SCHOLARSHIPS AND VISITS

Power Recruiting places a renewed emphasis on offering scholarships and scheduling campus visits. Now, recruits will expect to see scholarship offers earlier in the year to prove your interest, and waiting too long can result in recruiting penalties or even being locked out entirely. Perhaps you’ll want to get a good scouting report on your targets before offering, but don’t put it off too long or you may get locked out.

Things are quite different for campus visits, as you actually get more of a boost by waiting later in the year to schedule a visit. So while you may get a 100 point boost by scheduling an early visit, holding off until the last few weeks can net a bump of 700-800 points or more. There’s a risk-reward element since each prospect can only make 5 visits a season, and other teams will be jockeying to schedule their own visits. 

There are several other elements that factor into deciding when to invite someone for a campus visit, and many of them will grant bonuses. Scheduling a visit for a rivalry game or big matchup against a ranked opponent will give you a points boost, as will planning complementary visits. An example of a complementary visit is bringing in a quarterback, wide receiver and offensive lineman all in the same week so the guys can get to know each other a bit as potential teammates.

The flip side of the coin is competitive visits, which can harm your bonus if you bring in multiple players at the same position. The players will view each other as rivals, and will likely spend so much time looking over their shoulder that they don’t really enjoy the trip. For that reason, you’ll want to minimize competitive visits whenever possible. Here’s the breakdown of the number of players that can visit in a given week without any negative repercussions:

• QBs, HBs and FBs – More than 1 per position, per week, triggers competitive visit
• WRs, TEs and Safeties – More than 2 per position, per week, triggers competitive visit
• All other positions – No limit, no competitive visits

When you’re scheduling visits, the screen will show you if it creates a complementary or competitive visit, so you can see at a glance what the repercussions of your decision will be.

Bonuses can also be earned with a strong in-game performance. Beating a rival or Top 25 team will make a good impression, as will meeting specific yardage goals. If you manage to schedule a complementary visit late in the season against a rival or ranked school, you can make those visiting players take notice with a strong performance. Add in the Royal Treatment Coach Skill and it’ll be hard for anyone to say no to you after you show them around campus.

Power Recruiting streamlines the art of recruiting, while adding new, deep wrinkles as well. It’s easy to jump in and set your board, but true masterminds will love diving in to account for Top Interests, schedule visits at the perfect time, and truly squeeze the most value out of every week. No matter your strategy, Power Recruiting has something to offer everyone.

Did you miss the earlier talks about NCAA Football 14 Dynasty Mode? Check out Part 1  and Part 2  here.

 

[22stylez]

glad we can import draft classes this year...did not cop last year because of that.

 

[atlsfinest]

The new recruiting elements look fire. Day One cop

 

[T0INE]

 

[T0INE]

NCAA 14 Achievements/Trophies:

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

NCAA Football 14 Achievements

There are 41 achievements with a total of 1000 points.
Sort:
	Go for Broke	15
Complete a pass for 50 or more yards (excludes Co-Op).
	Keep 'em Honest	10
Gain 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards in the same game (excludes Co-Op and Road to Glory).
	Unstoppable	15
Win a game by 35+ points on Heisman difficulty (excludes Co-Op).
	Best Class Ever	15
Have the #1 ranked recruiting class in a season in single team Dynasty Mode.
	High School Champ	15
Play and win the High School Championship Game in any state.
	Future Star	15
Become a 5-star prospect in Road to Glory Mode.
	Put Your Helmet On	15
Become a starter in Road to Glory Mode.
	And the Winner Is…	15
Win the Heisman Memorial Trophy[emoji]174[/emoji] in single team Dynasty, Road to Glory, or Heisman Challenge Mode.
	Take What's Mine	15
Win a position battle in Road To Glory Mode.
	Earn My Trust	20
Reach the max coach trust in Road to Glory Mode.
	Hometown Hero	50
Lead your alma mater to a National Championship as a head coach in Dynasty (Coach Contracts on).
	Let's Do It Again	20
As a head coach in Dynasty, sign an extension to stay at the same school (Coach Contracts on).
	Dream Job	20
Become the head coach of your alma mater in Dynasty (Coach Contracts on).
	Dual Threat Coach	100
Win the BCS Championship & have the #1 recruiting class in a single season as head coach in Dynasty.
	Living Legend	50
Reach a coach prestige of A+ with a created coach in Dynasty (Coach Contracts on).
	My Two Cents	15
In Online Dynasty, write a comment on a Dynasty Wire story.
	Tire Fire Offense	30
Win a game without scoring an offensive touchdown and gaining less than 200 yards (excludes Co-Op).
	Pick Up 20	15
Break off a 20 yard run (excludes Co-Op).
	Welcome to the Club	70
Win the National Championship in year 1 of Dynasty with S. Alabama, Georgia State, or Old Dominion.
	You’re but the Learner	15
First drill completed!
	Now I am the Master	15
Completed all of the drills
	Gold Digger	15
First gold medal in a drill
	End of the Rainbow	15
Earned a gold medal in every drill
	Thief	20
Break a locked prospect
	Last Place Winner	10
Schedule a prospects fifth and final visit
	Perfect Match	10
By the time the prospect visits, have an A+ grade in all of their interests
	One to Remember	20
Schedule a visit with only complimentary players
	Pop the Clutch	20
Unlock all levels of the Clutch skill
	Halfway There	50
Complete Tier 1 and Tier 2 of a Head Coach Skill tree
	Go Outside	70
Max out either Recruiting or Game Management skill tree
	Face Off	20
Import your GameFace	(1)
	All Too Easy	10
Play a game with custom difficulties set for Offense and Defense
	Get My Good Side	10
Play a game with a new camera angle
	Top of the Class	50
Win an NCAA Ultimate Team championship.	(1)
	Start the Journey	10
Win an NCAA Ultimate Team Seasons game.
	NCAA Ultimate Team Fanatic	20
Complete 20 NCAA Ultimate Team Games.
	This One Is Hard 3.0	50
Build an NCAA Ultimate Team with a skill rating of at least 85.
	Way Too Easy	10
Build an NCAA Ultimate Team.
	Hoarder	20
Complete an NCAA Ultimate Team Collection.
	Who's the Big Winner?	10
Win an auction for an NCAA Ultimate Team Item.
	Change Your Mind	10
Call an audible via Kinect	(

 

[1Cn9wL8dg3]

Tradition Football has compiled a list  of the top 15 rated players from NCAA Football 14.  Even more details can be found here.

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

Quote:

99 OVR – Jadeveon Clowney DE#7 – South Carolina – JR 97 OVR – Johnny Manziel QB#2 – Texas A&M – SO(RS) 97 OVR – De’Anthony Thomas HB#6 – Oregon – JR 97 OVR – A.J. McCarron QB#10 – Alabama – SR(RS) 97 OVR – Marqise Lee WR#9 – USC – JR 97 OVR – C.J. Mosley MLB#32 – Alabama – SR 96 OVR – Braxton Miller QB#5 – Ohio State – JR 96 OVR – Teddy Bridewater QB#5 – Louisville – JR 96 OVR – Jake Matthews LT#75 – Texas A&M – SR 96 OVR – Aaron Murray QB#11 – Georgia – SR(RS) 96 OVR – Taylor Lewan LT#77 – Michigan – SR(RS) 95 OVR – Tahj Boyd QB#10 – Clemson – SR(RS) 95 OVR – Sammy Watkins WR#2 – Clemson – JR 95 OVR – Denicos Allen ROLB#28 – Michigan State – SR(RS) 94 OVR – Ka’Deem Carey HB#25 – Arizona – JR

 

[T0INE]

Here's a gameplay vid from E3

Also the demo is rumored to be dropping next week.

I'll update the thread when I get concrete info.

 

[mmoreno1015]

Any word if they've overhauled challenging a play? It's been nearly impossible to win that and there have been times when I know that the wrong call was made but my challenge still gets denied. Sorry if it's been answered. I've been trying to read all the info and press releases that have been put out but maybe I just missed it