The Executive Producer for NCAA football 11 has put out a new blog outlining the “New Game Plan”.
——————–
It’s clear that we have some of the most passionate sports and sports gaming fans in the country. And for many of us, NCAA Football isn’t just another video game. It sustains us through the off season, it’s the center of our gaming universe, the one we always come back to, the experience around which all other games must orbit. And just like the real sport of College Football, it’s a tradition many of us have grown up with. I know some of you out there have been with us since the very beginning; since the first EA SPORTS Bill Walsh College Football came out in 1993!
I joined the NCAA Football team last summer once “10″ was out the door. As the Executive Producer for the game, I’m completely dedicated to the NCAA Football franchise. And it’s been a great experience working with a very talented Tiburon Studio team putting together this year’s product. Before officially taking the helm I had a number of weeks to prepare and transition from my old gig. The previous NCAA Football 10 team was still wrapping things up so it gave me time to do a lot of research. I spoke to everyone on the team, reviewed our metrics, read the game reviews, forums posts, blogs, the love letters, the hate mail, and even watched a few poignant YouTube videos created by our most passionate fans. And while it’s clear we did get a lot of things right, we also recognize we have some work to do to take this game from good to great.
So I’m using my first blog opportunity to set the stage for what you’re going to be hearing about over the coming weeks and months as we roll towards launch this July. No major announcements here, but I did want to outline our approach to NCAA Football 11. It comes down to three key elements:
- Core Experience
- Authenticity
- Innovation
Core Experience
At the end of the day we all know what ultimately matters in a football video game is what happens on the field. Controller in hand, heart pounding, clock running down, season on the line. That’s where it all counts. Running, blocking, passing, it all has to perform and perform well. It’s the foundation upon which all other major game modes are built; dynasty, career, etc. As a long time fan of NCAA Football, it’s clear that great core gameplay is fundamental to a great game experience.
For NCAA Football 11, we’ve gone back to the very heart of our football engine and made some major upgrades. Lots more to come on this topic; I promise the core improvements will be worth the wait.
Authenticity
Fans of college football know it’s so much more than just the game of football itself. It’s what surrounds and supports the experience. It’s the pageantry, passion, and tradition that make college football one of the greatest experiences in sports today. We’ve taken some deserved criticism in this area over the past few years, but we think you’ll be impressed by what you’ll see in NCAA Football 11. And to set the record straight for my friends out there on Pasta Padre, NCAA Strategies, and Operation Sports, the screen shot we released was not ’shopped. It’s 100% pure, right out of the game. (Replays aren’t looking too shabby either…)
As a Michigan Wolverine fan, I want an NCAA Football that resembles the Saturday afternoon experience at the Big House. The sights, the sounds, and the traditions. (And of course, the return of a winning season. 
But it’s not just about visual presentation. It’s also making sure that my team – and all 120 FBS teams that we include in the game – look, feel, and play like my team. There are style variations across teams in the NFL but if you want to see true variety, it’s all about College. We recognize that NCAA Football needs to more closely model and reflect those differences as part of gameplay.
Innovation
We’ve always had a history of innovation on the franchise. It was the first EA SPORTS game on Xbox Live back in 2004. In 2009 it was Online Dynasty, giving you the ability to compete with your friends across the country. Or last year’s web-based team creator, TeamBuilder, where (amazingly) you guys have already created more than half-a-million custom teams! By the way, these teams will all work in NCAA Football 11 as well…
Before I came onboard the NCAA franchise, I worked on a number of online games and technologies across EA SPORTS and also led the team that helped bring EA SPORTS games to Xbox Live and Sony PSN. Without giving too much away, you can probably guess that online will be a big component of some of the new areas we’re exploring this year.
Looking Ahead
NCAA Football designers Ben Haumiller and Russ Kiniry have already covered a few of the minor updates in their recent blog. Things, frankly, we should have gotten to a while back… So please keep the faith, the “real” stuff we need to talk about for NCAA Football 11 is still up ahead!
Thanks and Stay Tuned!
===
PS — Part of my research included a NCAA Football 10 web survey that some of you may have filled out. I’d like to open it up wider, so if you’re interested in participating, please follow the link below:
You can also email me at NCAAFootballFeedback@ea.com. Given the amount of email I get daily, I don’t always have time to reply, but I do promise I’ll read everything you send. Just keep it civil and spam free
