NCAA Football 2011: Demo Impression

The Demo has dropped today and the first impressions at TF are rolling in…  here is ShaunLMason’s first take….

+ The opening scene in the demo is nice. Herbie overlay explaining new features.
+ The presentation is WAY better on game start.
+ The camera angle is lower…on kickoffs the speed on the field seems faster due to the angle.
+ Right click defender lock is still in.
+ Graphically, far superior to ’10.
+ In game cut scenes/replays are pretty awesome.
+ The blocking is MUCH better on offense (my initial impression)
+ The defense is much ‘quicker’, which I expected.
+ Run commit is toned WAY down (I used it on 1st and goal, result…picked 6 for the Buckeyes)
+ I think the yardage for the icons dissapearing is much shallower this year. I am a horrible backpeddler on passing plays and one (where I still threw a TD) play the icons dropped off and I didn’t think I was that far back…maybe 10 yards.

/ Have seen receivers running into each other and ‘hanging’ a little bit.
/ There is a new play calling screen.

- Hopefully they tighten up players on defense interacting with the ball carrier…I feel like a couple guys didn’t make a play when they should have. Maybe Heisman is better, or the animations/AI are still a work in progress?

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End of game 1: Ohio State 28 Miami 0.

In one defensive series, I saw a gang tackle (which was slightly bugged, the offensive player went down and the defenders stayed locked together, just an animation issue), then completely overran a sweep and couldn’t cut back. On the punt return, the camera rotated when I caught the ball…and completely screwed me up. First offensive series, I torched the Miami defense for a touchdown (All-American). I threw an out route that was actually well covered, but the defender completely missed me and I went for pretty good yardage. A couple run’s later by Boom Herron and I am in.

So, the camera that screwed me up on punt return only happens if you have player lock on the returner. They were non-existent on offense. Next game I am going to be Miami.

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End of game 2: Ohio State (CPU) 10 Miami (Me) 7

tOSU played great defensively. I broke a couple good passes on a drive to score, but other than that, dominated by Ohio State.

One good thing I liked: I needed a first down late in the game and threw a short pass to the HB sitting under the LB coverage. I got gang tackled but moved the pile just enough to get the 1st.

Still haven’t seen a return of that retarded fall forward animation.

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Playing Mizzou-Clemson. I threw my first really bad pass and it gets picked. Something I noticed…Tempo (aka No-Huddle/Chew Clock) is under gameplanning. I am going to try to No-Huddle when I get back on offense.”