EA Sports NCAA Football game

[Cyclonsin]

I’m the opposite. I’ve only played Dynasty and haven’t really noticed sim engine issues. When it comes to value I’m pretty sure I’ve already gotten enough out of it.

Even in RTG the sim is pretty awful. The Heisman winner my first year was a true Freshman QB from Memphis with good, but not great, stats. The next year it was a DL from Michigan State (congrats @FriendlySpartan) who missed two thirds of the season with injury. In my third season I'm in the CFP with my first game against North Texas, quarter final matchup against UAB, and semi-final matchup against the winner of K-State/Georgia Southern. So I tend to believe the sim isn't great.

Also, playing as a WR, I have to agree with @AirWalke about the abundance of block in the back penalties. It even happens regularly if I don't tough the sticks on a running play and the computer manages to run into the back of some DB. Infuriating.

 

[Urbandale2013]

Even in RTG the sim is pretty awful. The Heisman winner my first year was a true Freshman QB from Memphis with good, but not great, stats. The next year it was a DL from Michigan State (congrats @FriendlySpartan) who missed two thirds of the season with injury. In my third season I'm in the CFP with my first game against North Texas, quarter final matchup against UAB, and semi-final matchup against the winner of K-State/Georgia Southern. So I tend to believe the sim isn't great.

Also, playing as a WR, I have to agree with @AirWalke about the abundance of block in the back penalties. It even happens regularly if I don't tough the sticks on a running play and the computer manages to run into the back of some DB. Infuriating.

I’m just starting my third year and the previous two have been senior QBs winning the Heisman. Don’t remember who was in the playoff but it was normal the first year. The second year was pretty normal too.

Not saying it isn’t without flaws because it definitely isn’t but just not experiencing as many issues as others. I really like the recruiting even if I’d make some changes. It seems really realistic especially losing out to a big school who comes in late.

 

[longdriveforsom]

The game played great with no real issues for the early access days. After they added the team builder/Ultimate team update I've seen more bugs.

- Tackled a opposing player at their 25 and they teleported 75 yards for a touchdown
- Had my player turn invisible while crossing the goal line on a short run.


Hopefully there will be an update to fix this soon

 

[Cyclonsin]

The game played great with no real issues for the early access days. After they added the team builder/Ultimate team update I've seen more bugs.

- Tackled a opposing player at their 25 and they teleported 75 yards for a touchdown
- Had my player turn invisible while crossing the goal line on a short run.


Hopefully there will be an update to fix this soon

I saw a couple instances of teleporting yesterday, but nothing as frustrating as that. The first time a DB I was going to block on a screen teleported about 5 yards out of bounds. On the other a defender who was about 3ish yards to my left while running up the sideline wound up right in front of me.

 

[ISUCubswin]

This game is really missing poorly called targeting violations that ruin a kids day and a teams chance to win

 

[nhclone]

I am trying to run the option-- and it is really tough.

Deadly when it works, the timing is weird to get down though. I kept having issues with not pitching the ball when I pressed L1, not sure what I was doing wrong.

 

[CoachHines3]

Deadly when it works, the timing is weird to get down though. I kept having issues with not pitching the ball when I pressed L1, not sure what I was doing wrong.

ive been doing some wishbone lately

 

[cstrunk]

2nd game - I beat Iowa 21-10. Offense was harder to come by, but my defense still did a good job. When Iowa started running hurry-up offense, they ended up scoring a TD, and I thought "oh great, the fix is in..." but my defense regrouped and we got the big road win. Gameplay still seems pretty good to me. However, I did try to kick a 45 yard field at the end - LMAO that had no chance, I shanked it.

 

[RustShack]

Deadly when it works, the timing is weird to get down though. I kept having issues with not pitching the ball when I pressed L1, not sure what I was doing wrong.

Mine works great 85% of the time. Occasionally the RB stops early and starts running the opposite direction before the pitch though.

 

[Dandy]

About half way through second year of dynasty. Recruiting going much better this year. Focusing on 14 players and as I gain commitments I go back to the well and find high level prospects with no offers and Send the House on them. I went from not even top ten to top interest on the #1 Center (coincidentally is a red diamond bust) just by offering and sending a ton of time towards him.

One update I'd like to see is if you open the Team Needs page, your NEED will go away and no longer be a red line for that position if you have a commitment.

 

[Mr Janny]

I have a couple of different dynasties going, one where I play the games, another where I'm just simming to better understand recruiting and coaching skills. I signed a 4 star, gem wide out. He came in as a 76. Had a star development trait. Was my number 2 receiver as a true freshman. By his sophomore year he was up to an 80 overall. Still holding down the number 2 slot, but clearly had a bright future. Junior season, no stat improvement. Still an 80. Now he was number 3 on the depth chart. I took a closer look at him and even though he had been a 4 star with a good development trait, his ability caps were all pretty low, and he was maxed out. By his senior year, he was my 4/5 receiver and some of the lower ranked receivers I'd recruited were now ahead of him.

I think that's pretty awesome, to include scenarios like that in the game. It makes each player feel unique, and does a good job representing how each player takes a different path, in this case, a guy who peaked early and then plateaued. (aka the Hawkeye Quarterback path)

 

[Clonefan32]

Started an Iowa State dynasty and am about half way through season one. I started on Varsity not quite knowing how the difficulty would play out and switched to AA after the second game. In my last game against WVU, I could tell the AI started to ramp up a bit. Alot of the plays I had run with success weren't working and I had to adjust, which was good. It's hitting the sweet spot of being difficult but not impossibly hard.

I don't think I quite thought out recruiting well enough. I'm concerned I'm going to wind up with about 10 commits. I think I used too much time too early on guys that I was 4-5th on that I couldn't sway. I think I should be better off next year with a little different plan.

Also, I can't run an RPO or option to save my life.

 

[cyfanatic13]

Started an Iowa State dynasty and am about half way through season one. I started on Varsity not quite knowing how the difficulty would play out and switched to AA after the first game. In my last game against WVU, I could tell the AI started to ramp up a bit. Alot of the plays I had run with success weren't working and I had to adjust, which was good. I don't think I quite thought out recruiting well enough. I'm concerned I'm going to wind up with about 10 commits. I think I used too much time too early on guys that I was 4-5th on that I couldn't sway. I think I should be better off next year with a little different plan.

Also, I can't run an RPO or option to save my life.

It took me til the second or third day to realize they flipped what holding X does for read option. Every time I run it now I have to tell myself “Crash=X” otherwise I’ll revert to the old way every time

 

[Dandy]

About half way through second year of dynasty. Recruiting going much better this year. Focusing on 14 players and as I gain commitments I go back to the well and find high level prospects with no offers and Send the House on them. I went from not even top ten to top interest on the #1 Center (coincidentally is a red diamond bust) just by offering and sending a ton of time towards him.

One update I'd like to see is if you open the Team Needs page, your NEED will go away and no longer be a red line for that position if you have a commitment.

Also I need 3 Left Guards in this class but the LG prospects available stink. There are three solid Right Guard prospects so I'm recruiting the RGs and I'll switch one or two to LG in the off season for depth chart balance.

 

[huntt26]

The game is missing commercial breaks and the guy standing at the 30 yard line with the light-up media break countdown clock. AND it's missing the defense substituting late, faking injuries, and the ref standing behind the center telling the QB to wait to snap haha

 

[Clonefan32]

Is there a mass substitution option? I had a couple games early where I would have liked to have put in the 2nd string but I couldn't figure out how to do it and just had to sub out guys individually. I've heard others stay the game automatically put in the 2nd string, but I didn't have that experience.

As an aside, I like the wear-and-tear part of the game. It's more realistic to have to think about workload and to make sure you have quality depth. I'm at Week 7 in my first year and I'm already seeing Sama subbed off quite a bit to avoid injury.

 

[nhclone]

I've tried quite a few tactics in recruiting so far and picked up a few things.

One season, I crammed as many points into each recruit that I could (so even after I moved to Hard Sell, I added DM Prospect for more points, etc) and did terribly. I think I only had like 4 commits during the season doing it that way. The additional points on top of Hard Sell didn't seem worth it and too many of the other prospects went elsewhere before I could move to them. This was also a bad schedule year for visits so that played a part in it also, I'm sure.

Visit timing is huge. If you can make sure you have a home game in week 7ish that seems to be the sweet spot for me. Too early and you lose them when they take visits to other places, too late and they commit before you get a chance to bring them in.

You can find the Hard Sell combo before you have all 3 unlocked. This has been a game changer. Between whatever green checks you have and the propects Deal Breaker (will always be a green check mark), you can quite often start Hard Selling as soon as the option is there, even if you can't see the green checks.

 

[Bigman38]

I have a couple of different dynasties going, one where I play the games, another where I'm just simming to better understand recruiting and coaching skills. I signed a 4 star, gem wide out. He came in as a 76. Had a star development trait. Was my number 2 receiver as a true freshman. By his sophomore year he was up to an 80 overall. Still holding down the number 2 slot, but clearly had a bright future. Junior season, no stat improvement. Still an 80. Now he was number 3 on the depth chart. I took a closer look at him and even though he had been a 4 star with a good development trait, his ability caps were all pretty low, and he was maxed out. By his senior year, he was my 4/5 receiver and some of the lower ranked receivers I'd recruited were now ahead of him.

I think that's pretty awesome, to include scenarios like that in the game. It makes each player feel unique, and does a good job representing how each player takes a different path, in this case, a guy who peaked early and then plateaued. (aka the Hawkeye Quarterback path)

For the off-season progression was there ever a point it showed you how much they went up? Like the (+4) next to their stats in the old games.

I missed it if there was, wished I took some screenshots so I could figure out how much they changed.

 

[Rabbuk]

Do hard and soft sell just one time boost or if you keep it multiple weeks it boosts more?

 

[Mr Janny]

For the off-season progression was there ever a point it showed you how much they went up? Like the (+4) next to their stats in the old games.

I missed it if there was, wished I took some screenshots so I could figure out how much they changed.

No, it doesn't show you the number that it goes up, which is a shame. Just an arrow indicating if the player got better. Hopefully they patch that in.