NCAA Football 10 Player Lock and Defensive Assist
by 
This week’s Inside EA Blog posting for NCAA Football 10 describes new additions to the game in Player Lock and Defensive Assist. You can check out the full article here which includes a video showing a Player Lock camera shift.
In an effort to help players on defense we’d also like to introduce Defensive Assist. By pressing the A button on Xbox 360 (or the X button on PlayStation 3) your player will move to his correct position at any given time. For example say you are not exactly sure where the corner you are controlling should be playing his zone; all you have to do is press the A button and the player under you control will move to his assignment on the field.
While this isn’t the most thrilling update it does make me start wondering whether this is a step towards an eventual Online Team Play mode for the game. Both of these features would be beneficial in such a mode. While that may not be coming this year having these could help acclimate users to that style of playing the game just as Campus Legend mode has done.
April 3, 2009 at 4:10 am
wow. completely useless feature. why aren't they showing the actually interesting stuff like their doing with Madden ?
April 3, 2009 at 4:14 am
People have been disappointed in the NCAA blogs compared to the Madden ones. I understand that to an extent, especially after this week's. Don't forget though that the online dynasty news is coming a week from today. Hopefully that is more substantial.
April 3, 2009 at 8:13 am
EA needs to step up. The info they have been putting out for ncaa doesnt sound too promising again. they do this every year. focus only on madden and forget about college football the game i love the most!
April 3, 2009 at 7:33 pm
They don't have to write about ground breaking features because almost every feature that Madden has blogged will find its way into NCAA. That includes the new WR sideline awarrness, Depht of Field, Refs on the field, chain gain, player momentum, new inconsistent speed animations, WR/DB interactions and many more. I always like NCAA better than Madden and I see this year as no different.
April 3, 2009 at 6:03 am
I know these seem like fairly useless features but I really hope (cross fingers) that the EA developers are actually gonna live up to the hype that they are building these games up to be. I am really sick of buying these games with minimal upgrades. Pray for no disappointment this year…
April 3, 2009 at 6:13 am
All NCAA has to do is say theyve improved the defense, added new animations (throwing and running), improved the running AI, and added every jersey combination for the teams along with new accessories and I'm sold. This game was the only football title I bought last year and was has the highest replay factor to it. Madden just got stale due to lack of presentation, gameplay and sub par franchise but NCAA actually had me hooked for a while.
April 3, 2009 at 6:40 am
NCAA is actually has more replay value than Madden, like James said, but I think thats purely just a result of Madden's inability to improve 'chise mode.
On another note, I think NCAA 10 actually looks pretty cool……the updates arent as flashy as Madden's, but they are solid.
April 3, 2009 at 10:11 pm
i think ncaa replay ability is the choice of soo many teams and people can relate to some of the teams cause they attend the school they are playing with.
April 4, 2009 at 5:49 am
i agree
ncaa is already a solid game
could use some improvements here and there but definitely above madden
April 3, 2009 at 6:49 am
Woww…..On second thought, after reading the EA Sport blog more fully..I absolutely LOVE the player lock feature! I can now play defense willingly on NCAA…terrific, terrific add…….traversing the deep 3rd of the field as a Free Safety would be a dream come true in franchise……
Maybe then, as a defender i can FINALLY win some Heismans.
April 4, 2009 at 5:50 am
prolly need about 25 INTs with 17 going for scores
April 3, 2009 at 7:19 am
player lock is awesome.
April 3, 2009 at 12:09 pm
yeah. i am tired of all the madden news…..we should be seeing more ncaa features and updates. the funny thing is ncaa comes out first.
April 3, 2009 at 1:00 pm
The difference in the player lock is this:
In previous versions of the game, if you didn't touch anything, the AI would control your player for you. However, once you hit a button or the stick, full manual control took over, and the AI no longer moved the guy you are controlling.
However, with this feature, even after you move your guy, if you hit the button, the AI will take back control of the player. Not a huge deal, but just wanted to provide some clarification
April 3, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Ah, that does sound right. Thanks
April 3, 2009 at 2:15 pm
no problem pasta.
April 3, 2009 at 2:12 pm
The difference in the player lock is this:
April 3, 2009 at 2:32 pm
"Online Team Play mode for the game. Both of these features would be beneficial in such a mode. While that may not be coming this year having these could help acclimate users to that style of playing the game just as Campus Legend mode has done."
I have been thinking the same thing for some time "Online team play" (Like NHL 09) I really really hope so, but they have got to fix some of that lag that u get for it to really work. I mean if I play CB and I'm on some human WR and I get some lag I'm burned. Really hope they do that tho in Madden, and ncaa.
April 3, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Does anybody else have MLB 09 The Show? After playing this for the last month and then thinking of all that EA Sports has NOT done with the ncaa football franchise it just makes me not excited for this game as I have been in the past. I guess maybe its so I dont get my hopes up and then become disappointed like every other year.
April 3, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Yea I have the show and its spoiled me in terms of sports games.
April 3, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Look at the crowd, look at the sidelines this game will get no attention at all the hype machine ea does it again!!! ncaa 10 will be a huge dissapointment
April 3, 2009 at 8:59 pm
There isnt any hype who is excited about this game right now? No Refs "yet" they would have to break out team specific entrances to gain a lil buzz cuz that crap they release every week is just plain weak.
April 3, 2009 at 9:32 pm
they should have teams talking trash at the 50 for rivalry games, players on the sideline holding there helmets in the air before kickoffs but no not ea theres no college atomosphere what so ever
April 3, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Not much to get excited for here hope next week blog is better:(
April 3, 2009 at 5:28 pm
how is this new? you can do this on previous versions. all you have to do is scroll to that player and control him. I play safety all the time in madden.
April 3, 2009 at 6:55 pm
This will be the 1st year that I don't buy NCAA football. This game is definately looking like NCAA 2009.5.
April 3, 2009 at 7:35 pm
What how can you say that when the same updates Madden is getting, NCAA is also receiving.
April 3, 2009 at 10:14 pm
its still early to come to that you will not purchase the game. I loved 09 with out all the interceptions so if they tweak a few things add some new animations and better gameplay like they have been posting i will like it.
April 3, 2009 at 7:16 pm
The sidelines still look like sh*t! No refs, no chaingangs, no coaches on the sidelines. I know they haven't announced everything yet but what the hell has the NCAA team been doing all year? I mean Madden looks like it's making huge progress & NCAA looks like nothing has changed. I thought NCAA was better than Madden last year but this year is looking like the total opposite.
April 3, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Yeah madden is taking a huge dump on ncaa which is odd. I understand that its early but its a month earlier for madden and madden has me more excited with the stuff they have already released.
April 3, 2009 at 10:45 pm
I can see where this would be usefull for something like online team play, but I don't really think it's important enough to devote your weekly blog update to it. It's pretty unexciting if you ask me.
April 4, 2009 at 5:03 am
Pasta and his fucking online team play mode obsession.
April 4, 2009 at 5:33 am
online team play is amazing don't knock it
April 4, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Who's not obsessed with it. You get a good group of people and play through a lot of seasons…it's one of the funnest gaming experiences I've had in a long time.
April 4, 2009 at 5:33 am
They did this in ncaa basketball and live i like this idea especially for new players who arnt familiar with football
April 4, 2009 at 6:15 am
LOL………I came close in Superstar with 11 INTs with 4 for scores…….so you know, I think 70 plus tackles, 5 sacks, 10+ FFs, 10 + INTS mite do the trick
April 4, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Rezluk,
Who cares about the people who dont know about football! How about the people that have been buying this franchise for the past 12 years? The goal is to make improvements and EA isnt doing that. They should be ashamed at their efforts the last few years!
April 4, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Hey guys you think they will, or have some of these features in ncaa 10 and hopefullymadden 10? One feature could be the introduction of a role system. For example, if you have a 4-3 or 3/4 defense, you can draft/sign defensive tackles and give them a role that makes them take up as many blockers as possible. If players like their roles, it could make them play better than their ratings indicate. It could also make things such as weight/size matter more (bigger backs = better for goalline situation). Also, a players morale could effect the whole team. This leads to another idea, the introduction of a team chemistry system, one for offense and defense. The higher the chemistry, the better they play. Lastly, more things to do during the off season. Like let playersgo to camps or w/e that lets them gain weight, lose weight, gain awareness, as well as other things. Losing weight could result in a boost in speed, agility, etc. How much they gain depends on how much they lose. and there is a limit on how much they can lose. This would be good for some skill positions. By losing weight, players should also get reductions in some areas like injury, tackle, block shedding, etc.