User manual GAMES MICROSOFT XBOX NCAA FOOTBALL 2K3

WARNING: READ BEFORE USING YOUR XBOX VIDEO GAME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM. TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 5 6 6 8 8 9 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 20 20 20 21 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 25 27 35 36 37 1 About Photosensitive Seizures A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to certain visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear in video games. Even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause these "photosensitive epileptic seizures" while watching video games. These seizures may have a variety of symptoms including: lightheadedness, altered vision, eye or face twitching, jerking or shaking of arms or legs, disorientation, confusion, or momentary loss of awareness. Seizures may also cause loss of consciousness or convulsions that can lead to injury from falling down or striking nearby objects. Immediately stop playing and consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Parents should watch for or ask their children about the above symptoms--children and teenagers are more likely than adults to experience these seizures. The risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures may be reduced by sitting farther from the television screen, using a smaller television screen, playing in a well-lit room, and not playing when you are drowsy or fatigued. If you or any of your relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy, consult a doctor before playing. Other Important Health and Safety Information. The Xbox Instruction Manual contains important safety and health information that you should read and understand before using this software. Avoid Damage to Your Television Do not use with certain televisions. Some televisions, especially front- or rear-projection types, can be damaged if any video games, including Xbox games, are played on them. Static images presented during the normal course of game play may "burn in" to the screen, causing a permanent shadow of the static image to appear at all times, even when video games are not being played. Similar damage may occur from static images created when placing a video game on hold or pause. Consult your television owner's manual to determine if video games can be safely played safely on your set. If you are unable to find this information in the owner's manual, contact your television dealer or the manufacturer to determine if video games can be played safely on your set. Unauthorized copying, reverse engineering, transmission, public performance, rental, pay for play, or circumvention of copy protection is strictly prohibited. Using the Xbox Video Game System. Using the Xbox Controller . . . . . . . . . . Intro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Menu Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Gameplay Controls. . . . . . . . Calling Plays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On Offense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Before the Snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Running the Ball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quarterback Scramble . . . . . . . . . . . . Pass Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catching a Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Before the Snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . After the Snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kicking the Ball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Receiving Punts and Kickoffs . . . . . . . Replay Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Main Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Game Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exhibition Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choosing Teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Controller Assignment Screen . . . . . . Coin Toss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting Your Plays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Season Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legacy Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Xbox Video Game System 1. Set up your Xbox video game system by following the instructions in the Xbox Instruction Manual. 2. Press the power button and the status indicator light will light up. 3. Press the eject button and the disc tray will open. 4. Place the NCAA College Football 2K3 disc on the disc tray with the label facing up and close the disc tray. 5. Follow on-screen instructions and refer to this manual for more information about playing NCAA College Football 2K3. Using the Xbox Controller 1. Connect the Xbox Controller to any controller port on the front of the Xbox console. For multiple players, connect additional controllers to available controller ports. 2. Insert any expansion devices (for example, Xbox Memory Units) into controller expansion slots as appropriate. 3. Follow on-screen instructions and refer to this manual for more information about using the Xbox Controller to play NCAA College Football 2K3. Avoiding Damage to Discs or the Disc Drive To avoid damage to discs or the disc drive · Insert only Xbox-compatible discs into the disc drive. · Never use oddly shaped discs, such as star-shaped or heart-shaped discs. · Do not leave a disc in the Xbox console for extended periods when not in use. · Do not move the Xbox console while the power is on and a disc is inserted. · Do not apply labels, stickers, or other foreign objects to discs. 2 3 INTRO On a crisp autumn day, the crowd comes alive as the first notes of the school fight song blast out from the marching band on the field. The season is about to begin and the hopes and dreams of the student body and the alumni are running high. This is your year. The conference championship is there for the taking... a top national ranking is within your grasp. Do you have what it takes to lead your team all the way? Do you have what it takes to go to the Tostitos® Fiesta Bowl® and win it all? With NCAA 2K3 you can find out. Select your Alma Mater and lead them into contention for the top spot. You can even win one of your players the Heisman Trophy, but it will take a solid effort week in and week out to get there. NCAA 2K3 is packed with all kinds of great features like an ESPN broadcast presentation, all new player models, all 117 Division 1-A schools, mascots, cheerleaders and rabid student sections to recreate the electricity of a college football game. In Season and Legacy Modes you will get to guide your team through a regular season and see how you stack up in the Writers Poll, Coaches Poll and Sega Championship standings. If you do well enough your school will get invited to one of the 25-post season bowl games. And if you are good enough to wind up in one of the top two spots of the Sega Championship poll at the end of the year, you will compete for the National Championship at the Fiesta Bowl. But once you've reached the top of the college game, can you stay there? See if you can in Legacy Mode. Build your program with strong recruiting classes. The better you do, the easier it will be to bring in the top talent. You'll also be able to go through Spring Training workouts to improve the skill level of your players. Compete in different regimens of offensive and defensive drills to get your team ready for next year. CONTROL SUMMARY NCAA 2K3 is designed with analog functionality in mind. The Xbox analog controller provides a fuller range of motion and adds to the overall depth of the game. However, if you're more partial to using the directional pad, the default control scheme allows you to use this method to control player movement. Either way is acceptable, it's a matter of personal preference. MENU CONTROLS Button Action left thumbstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Move cursor A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Select Menu Item / Scroll forward through the highlighted selections B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scroll backward through the highlighted selections X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Help Menu 4 5 Coach's Corner: Help On most menu screens you can get help by pressing the X button. Coach's Corner: Virtual Control Are you more than ready to take it to the opposition, but tired of trying to remember all of those buttons? Well, for those of you who just want to get down to the business of playing football, allow Sega Sports to introduce you to your new best friend - Virtual Control. Virtual Control is an analog-focused control system that will allow you to perform any of the game's moves without ever moving your hands from a natural position on the thumbsticks. You will be closer to the field than ever before! Getting the most out of this advanced control mode will take some practice, so be sure to look at how the system works by examining Virtual Control commands, found in parentheses () alongside their standard companions throughout this manual. Coach's Corner: Bluff Mode When you are playing against another human opponent, the last thing you want them to know is what play you are calling. To keep the defense guessing, press the A button and keep it held down. You can then scroll through other pages of plays or formations to hide your play. When you release the A button, it will call the play you originally selected. When you are playing a game with more than one person per team (e.g. two-on-two), either player on the team can select a play. If you are on offense, the first person to enter a play will be the quarterback. Be careful though, both players will be able to select the play at the same time, so you will want to designate who the playcaller will be. Coach's Corner: AI Play Calling Need a hand? Then ask NCAA 2K3 for assistance. During play calling, press the A button once and either the offensive or defensive coordinator for your team will suggest a play. Press the A button again to accept the selection. GENERAL GAMEPLAY CONTROLS START button (during gameplay). Pause Menu left thumbstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Highlight formations or play sets CALLING PLAYS left / right triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toggle through formations A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Select formation or play B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . View previous formations or play sets Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flip play or formation X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Switch between package and formation 6 7 BEFORE THE SNAP A (right thumbstick button) . . . Hurry players to the line of scrimmage / snap ball Y (right thumbstick up) . . . . . . . Call up the Audible Menu RUNNING THE BALL Keep the ball on the ground and pound it out. You will control the clock and your running back will be racking up the yards in his pursuit of the Heisman Trophy. Here are the controls for running with the ball. A (left thumbstick button) . . . . Speed Burst / Power Move X (left analog stick left). . . . . . . Lower crowd noise (quarterback) B (right thumbstick right) . . . . . Fake snap signal White. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hot Routes left / right triggers (right thumbstick down left or down right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stiff Arm Left / Right White or Black (right thumbstick up left or up right). . . . . . . . . . . . . . X (right thumbstick button) . Y (right thumbstick up) . . . . B (right thumbstick right) . . NO HUDDLE OFFENSE The absolute best way to keep the defense on its heels is to go with a no huddle offense. The defense never gets a breather and you will be able to dictate the pace of the game. The no huddle offense is also a great way to score quickly as less time will run off the clock. Press the Y button (right thumbstick up) immediately after the completion of the play to quickly run the same play again. From there you can call an audible or create your own variation by sending your receivers out on Hot Routes. . . . . . . . . Juke Move Dive Hurdle / High Step Spin Move Coach's Corner: Instant Energy Press and hold the A button (left thumbstick) while running to fill the player arrow completely. You're all charged up now! Press any special move button and you will be able to put a little bit more umph into it. Your stiff arm will be more devastating, your spin move more elusive, and your juke move more slippery. 8 9 Coach's Corner: Spin City NCAA 2K3's spin move feature might be a bit different than you are used to. When you press the B button, you won't make the spin move right away it only preps your runner for contact. As soon as a defender makes contact with the ball carrier, you'll execute the spin move - hopefully leaving your defender clutching nothing but air. RUN TYPES There are several ways to move the ball on the ground. Here are some key terms to help you keep the offense moving forward. Draw . . . . . . . . A delayed run up the middle. Draw plays work well against a blitzing defense. Dive . . . . . . . . . This is the forte of the power back. The ball carrier takes the ball and plows right up the gut. Get to the hole quickly; if you can make it through the line you will be running free through the secondary. Counter . . . . . . Works great against a defense that suffers from over pursuit. The defense thinks the play is going one way, but the ball carrier goes the other way. This only works if your offense can really sell the fake. Trap . . . . . . . . . The trap play is designed to suck the linebackers into the wrong hole. Get the linebacker where you want him and the trap play will work well. Pitch / Toss. . . . If you've got a speedy running back, get him to the corner in a hurry with the pitch or toss play. 10 11 Coach's Corner: Running the option An offense you see a lot of in college football is the option. The quarterback can hand it off to a running back diving up the middle by pressing the A button. If the QB decides to keep it, he'll start running to the outside (like on a pitch or toss play) and then it's decision time once again. The quarterback needs to read the linebacker and either keep the ball, or pitch it to the running back by pressing the Black button. Option plays are colored yellow in your playbook. PASSING Running the ball will get you yards by the handful, but it is the passing game that will get you yards by the bunches. Be careful though, if you throw the ball up for grabs the momentum of the game can turn in a heartbeat. One of the most deflating things for a team is seeing a cornerback intercept a pass and streak down the sidelines for a touchdown. Any button . . . . . . . . . . .Pass to that receiver (double tap to fake) White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pump fake Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Throw the ball away Coach's Corner: Set your feet!!! Having problems completing passes? You probably aren't giving your players the best chance. Most real players can't wing the ball downfield while on the run; they need to plant their feet before they throw. So make sure you do the same when you are playing the game. Stop moving for just a moment and your completion percentage will go up. 12 13 QUARTERBACK SCRAMBLE Even the best offensive line in college football will let a defender through from time to time. So when you see the defense coming through, you need to make a quick decision - throw the ball away or take off running. Hold down the right trigger and your QB will become a runner so that you can scramble out of the way. Once you've passed the line of scrimmage, you can let go of the right trigger as you can't pass the ball anymore. PASS TYPES There are numerous pass plays that you can call, but they break down to three basic categories. Normal Pass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drop back, find the open man, and let the ball fly. Play Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The QB fakes a handoff and then drops back to pass. Play Action passes work best when you've been pounding the ball on the ground for a long time. Bootleg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On the bootleg play, the QB will fake a toss to one side of the offensive line and roll out in the other direction. right trigger + White / Black (right thumbstick down left or right thumbstick down right) . . . Juke Move right trigger + A (left thumbstick button) . . . . . . . Speed Burst / Power Move right trigger + B (right thumbstick right) . . . . . . . Stutter Step / Spin Move right trigger + X (right thumbstick button) . . . . . . Slide / Dive right trigger + Y (right thumbstick up) . . . . . . . . . Hurdle 14 15 Coach's Corner: Maximum Passing If you want total control over your passing game, turn on Maximum Passing from the Controller Assignment Screen. With Maximum Passing activated, you can lead your receivers to thread the ball in front of, behind, over, and around the defenders. To use Maximum Passing, press the left thumbstick in the direction in which you want to adjust the throw. Press the stick a little bit for a fine adjustment, press harder for a bigger adjustment. With Maximum Passing turned on, you also get total control over getting the ball into the receiver's hands. Tap the pass button to lob the ball, which works great for getting the ball over the defender that is between you and your receiver. Press the pass button normally to deliver a normal throw (make sure you let go of the button before it leaves the quarterback's hands). Hold onto the pass button for a bullet pass. Bullet passes work great when the receiver is only open for a short time and when the defender is playing deeper than the receiver is. ON DEFENSE The offense gets all of the attention, but real football fans know that it is defense that wins championships. Stuff the run, shut down the passing game, and force the turnovers that will lead your team to glory. BEFORE THE SNAP B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Select a defender B + directional pad . . . . . . . . . . . Directional swapping (left thumbstick) directional pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reposition defender (left thumbstick) White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . View players (with defensive back selected) left / right triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . Shift defensive line of scrimmage (with defensive lineman selected) A button (right thumbstick button). . . . . . . Hurry players to the line of scrimmage Y (right thumbstick up) . . . . . . . . Call audible CATCHING A PASS Now that the ball is in the air your receiver has to make the catch. The best receivers run precise routes, have unshakable concentration, and have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. You'll notice that once the ball is in the air, three icons will appear on screen. The red marker is the shortest place where you can catch the ball, you'll probably have to jump - Y button (right thumbstick up) - to do it. The yellow icon is the perfect spot to catch the ball. The red icon is the deepest mark on the field, you'll probably have to dive - X button (right thumbstick button) - to make this catch as it will be coming in low at this point. Press the B button (right thumbstick right) to select the receiver nearest the ball. You don't have to take control of your receiver to complete the pass, but doing so and pressing the right button (jump or dive) can help make a catch you might otherwise miss. 16 17 Coach's Corner: Let the defense play Would you rather be the strategist than the tactician? Are you afraid that you'll blow the coverage and give up a big TD? Then let the AI worry about it. Just make sure you don't touch the controller (either moving the left thumbstick or pressing a button) and the AI will do the rest. If you do touch the controller, then it's up to you. Coach's Corner: Using the Right Player Before the snap, use the B button to select which defender you are controlling. Try to use a lineman or a blitzing linebacker - that way all you have to worry about it getting into the backfield and sacking the QB or tackling the running back. If you select a cornerback or a safety that is dropping back into coverage, you won't be able to see the man you're supposed to be defending if he runs off screen. Coach's Corner: Say what? You'll often hear that the defenders are playing bumpand-run or man-to-man. What does that mean? In manto-man coverage, your corner back is up at the line of scrimmage and is playing the receiver tight. In loose coverage, your cornerback is locked in on his man, but starts off the line of scrimmage to give the receiver a cushion. Defenses use loose coverage when there is a big speed differential between the receiver and cornerback (in favor of the receiver) and are trying to defend against the big play. With bump-and-run coverage, your cornerback comes up to the line and hits the receiver. This will slow down the receiver and disrupt the timing of the offense. Zone coverage designates the defenders to cover an area rather than a player in particular. The problem with zone coverage, though, is that the offense can flood receivers into a zone so there will be more receivers than defenders. AFTER THE SNAP B button (right thumbstick right) . . . . . . . . . .Switch defenders A button (left thumbstick button) . . . . . . . . . . Speed Burst X button (right thumbstick down) . . . . . . . .Dive / Tackle Y button (right thumbstick up) . . . . . . . . . . . .Jump left / right triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Defensive line special move 18 19 SPECIAL TEAMS Though they're usually the last guys you hear about on the football field, having quality special teams can make a difference in the game. Good punters can pin your opponent inside their own 5-yard line. A good punt or kick returner can break free of the defenders and score a game-changing touchdown. KICKING THE BALL 1. Set the ball trajectory and direction with the left thumbstick. Be sure you take into account the movement of the arrow - it will drift if you let go of the left thumbstick. 2. Press the A button to snap the ball / start the play 3. Press the A button again to stop the power meter as close to the top as possible for a booming kick REPLAY CONTROLS Need to see that play again? Then pause the game (START button) and select the Replay option. Now you can watch your Heisman hopeful bust through the line on that 83-yard scamper or watch your corner step in front of the receiver to make the big interception again and again. A button . . . . . . . . . . . left trigger . . . . . . . . . . right trigger. . . . . . . . . left thumbstick button directional pad . . . . . . X button . . . . . . . . . . . B button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Play / Stop Rewind Fast forward Rotate camera Move camera focus Zoom in Zoom out RECEIVING PUNTS AND KICKOFFS left thumbstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control return man after reception Y button (before catch). . . . . . . . . . Fair Catch Y button (after catch) . . . . . . . . . . . Down the ball (in the endzone only) Coach's Corner: Kick the ball! Too often players get in the habit of going for it on fourth down. In real life teams rarely go for it, but it seems that players on the digital gridiron go for it far too often. Kick the ball and let your defense take care of business. If you don't make the first down, your opponent will wind up with better field position. 20 21 MAIN MENU After the NCAA 2K3 title screen has appeared, press start to see the main menu screen. From here, you can jump to into the game or set things up just the way you like them. GAME MODES Practice: Brush up on your favorite team's formations and plays. Champions are built with a solid foundation on the practice field. Quickstart: Jump into the game with two teams selected at random. This is a great way to brush up on your skills before your buddies come over. Game Modes: Select one of the many game modes and then head out to the field. Customize: Design your own players, teams, and schools. Options: Change the way the game is presented by adjusting the volume, the penalty calling, and many other user configurable options. Load/Save: Load and Save your game settings. User Records: Check out how you have been doing by looking at your stats. Tourney: Compete in a 4, 8, or 16 team tournament to see who comes out on top. Exhibition: Match up any two teams and head out to the field. Season: Lead your team through a regular season. Do well enough and you'll be playing in one of the 25 bowl games at the end of the year. Legacy: With Legacy Mode you will lead your football program through season after season. Can you build the next great powerhouse in college football? Recruit high school seniors, redshirt players, and hold spring training workouts to improve your chances in the upcoming campaign. You've got 25 seasons to mold your school, can you become a legend? EXHIBITION MODE Now that you have all of the basics down, let's head on out to the field and throw the pigskin around. This game won't count for your season standings, but it is a good way to get some practice. 22 23 CHOOSING TEAMS Note: the team on the left is the visitors and the team on the right is at home. To make it easier to find the team you are looking for the teams are grouped by conference. Press the White / Black buttons to scroll through the list of conferences. Then the left / right triggers to select your team. For a change of pace, you can also change the playbook your team is using. Want to see what your team would look like running an option offense? Then try out Nebraska's playbook. COIN TOSS The visiting team gets to call it. The winner of the toss gets to choose whether to kick or receive. The loser chooses which goal to defend. Following the coin toss, the Special Teams play calling screen appears and the game is set to begin. SELECTING YOUR PLAYS The National Championship is built around the talent of the athletes, teamwork, and the coach's playbook. This isn't old school AI where you could call the same plays over and over again. To win, you are going to have to mix up your plays on offense and defense. Play to your team's strengths. If you have great cornerbacks, you can gamble more with blitzes and exotic zone defense. If you have a great running back, then pound the ball out on the ground. For the offensive playbook, passing plays are displayed in blue, running plays are displayed in red, and option plays are displayed in yellow. CONTROLLER ASSIGNMENT SCREEN Once you've selected the teams, the Controller Assignment screen appears. Press the left thumbstick button or directional pad left/right to align your controller with the team you wish to coach. Once you've picked a team, you can choose Maximum Passing by pressing the A button. When everything is set the way you want, press the START button to advance to the game. Controller Assignment for Exhibition is on the same screen as Team Select; for all other modes, it is separate (this is to allow the user access to his User Records' name during any gaming mode). SEASON MODE To make it to the post season bowl games, you first have to make it through the regular season. Play conference and non-conference games as you battle against the rest of the Division 1-A teams. If you rank high up in the Sega Championship poll, you will get invited to one of the premier bowl games. If you're good enough to finish first or second in the poll at the end of the regular season, you can move on to the Fiesta Bowl and battle for the National Championship. In Legacy Mode, the championship game will rotate between the four major bowls in this pattern - Fiesta Bowl (2003), Sugar Bowl (2004), Orange Bowl (2005), and Rose Bowl (2006). 24 25 Once you've selected your school, you will come to the Season Menu: Schedule: Take a look at your upcoming opponents. Options: Just like the options menu from the main screen, you can set up the game just how you like it. Customize: Manage your depth chart and rosters with the customize menu. Team Select: Change which team you're looking at. Save: Save your season's progress. Quit: Exit season mode and return to the main menu. LEGACY MODE Welcome to NCAA 2K3's legacy mode. This is the start of the 2002 NCAA season. Check out the management option to see what is happening with your team. Take over an existing college program or build up your own national powerhouse. Management: Set up your team by modifying the depth chart and scouting your opponents. Next Week: Advance to the next week of your season. Schedule: Check out who is playing who in college football. Team Schedule: See who your upcoming opponents will be. Stats: How many yards does your Heisman hopeful have? NCAA 2K3 keeps track of tons of stats. Pour over the numbers to your heart's content. Save: Save your season's progresss. Options: Adjust the way the game is played. See page 36 for a description of the various options. Quit: Exit Legacy Mode and return to the main menu. 26 27 MANAGEMENT Depth Chart: Move players from the second string to starting roles to fill in for injuries or to demote poorly playing players. Cut Players: Get rid of players to make room for new recruits and up and comers. Scouting: Check out the stats and numbers of your opponents. Coaching Strategies: Adjust the weighting of your team's play calling. Needs: Check out who's going to be graduating. This will help you when the recruiting period comes up. Redshirt: Did you recruit a phenom at quarterback but he's not ready to unseat your senior QB just yet? Then redshirt him for the year and he won't lose his eligibility. RECRUITING Pick players off of a list of High School and Junior College recruits (following each season + Bowls). This lasts 5 weeks; press START to advance 1 week. You may visit up to 12 recruits per week (or revisit players to seal the deal and get them to commit to your program). Amongst the lists of players you can view are the Top 150, separate regional selections, by position, players you've visited, and players who have committed to your program. You switch through these different lists by pressing the left / right triggers and White / Black buttons; select to visit (or remove a visit) by hitting the A button, and sort a stat category by pressing the B button. PLAYER RATINGS The best players are "A" rated; the worst are "D". You can see what school the player is interested in and the order he'd like to visit them. Additionally you can see where the player is in his decision-making process. Committed: He's signed with a school. Packed: He's made up his mind that he's going to the first school on his list, but hasn't signed yet. There is very little chance that you'll change his mind if you aren't that first school listed. Wavering: He isn't as committed as he once was to the first school in his list. This is normally caused by a school with a great reputation/ranking recruiting him when he didn't even consider going there. Slight Lean: Not that committed to the first school listed; another visit will be needed to get this type of player to change his attitude towards your school (or visits from the CPU-controlled schools can do the same). Uncommitted: Thinking about the schools listed, but not leaning towards any one of them. AT THE END OF THE SEASON After the Bowls and before Recruiting, a Coaching Comparison screen will appear where you might be able to see your name amongst the NCAA's greatest coaches of all time (if your teams perform well enough over a long period of time). Points are awarded for: Wins, Bowl Invites, Sega Championship Bowl Invites, Winning Conference, Leading the Nation in several different statistical categories, having the Heisman Trophy winner on your team (and several others). Press the A button to see how you did during the previous Season. Press the START button to continue on to Recruiting. 28 29 Coach's Tip Try to recruit players which are nearest to your school's level within Division 1-A . Did your team win it's Conference and go to a Bowl Game? You will probably find more "A" & "B" rated players that will be interested in coming to your school. If you have a losing record in a weak conference, you will have a hard time finding those "Elite" players wanting to come to your school. Play within your program and slowly build up towards being granted easier access to those "A" & "B" players by getting the best "C"s & "D"s that you can and training them hard. Signing Screen ­ After the 5th week of recruiting, a list of players you successfully signed will appear. Above this list will be listed a number of "Free Slots" you have available on your roster. If this number is not zero, you can sign everyone that you have successfully recruited; if this number is zero, you might need to check your list to see which players you want to sign. Use the A button to select/deselect the currently highlighted player. START will take you on to Training. Training ­ Training gives you the opportunity to drill your team, and see real improvements in their performance. You can distribute your training points in any way that you desire, but be wary. If you see the indicator next to the currently highlighted drill change from LOW to MED or MED to HIGH, you are increasing the possibility of bad things happening. Players participating in the drills at these levels will have a higher possibility of getting injured or having their ratings becoming unbalanced by training too much in one area. Also note that points spent on Group Drills (7-on-7, 6-on-7) spend points across all the positions which participate in those drills. After you've spent all your Training Points in all of the positions (press left /right trigger to rotate through the different groups), press START to execute your training. See Page 31 for a brief description of the drills you can run during Spring Training. Coach's Tip For a quick way to distribute all your Training Points in a reasonably safe fashion, press the Black button and select "yes" from the popup which appears. This distribution of points is not "ideal" or "suggested"; it is just a starting point - the best training results will come from experimentation. SPRING TRAINING During Spring Training you will be able to work with your team to improve their stats and numbers. Here's a breakdown of the various drills offered during your spring workouts. Offensive Drills 7 on 7 - The QB and all receivers, including RB's, run pass routes against the DB's and LB's. Rollouts - The QB's practice moving and throwing on the run. Grip Strength - The QB learns how to hold onto the ball under pressure. One Knee - This drill helps strengthen the QB's throwing arm. Routes - The QB and receivers need to be on the same page when it's time to throw. Weight Room - Everybody pumps iron these days. Conditioning - Run, run, run, and run some more. 30 31 Playbooks and Gamefilm - You've got to know what you're doing as well as what the opponents will be doing. Bag Drills - Practice running through traffic... get your knees up! Gauntlet - With this drill, you run through tackling dummies and defenders. Quick Feet/Block Recognition - You gotta learn to protect the QB. Linebacker Awareness - If you don't know where the LB's are, the QB will take a pounding. Patterns - Here you learn how to get open and catch the ball. One on One (WR's) - Receivers need to be able to block and run routes. Sled Training (TE's) - TE's work down in the trenches as well. Helps you work on your blocking technique. 6 on 7 - This drill helps the O-line block as one. High Knees - Offensive linemen need to step on people. DEFENSIVE DRILLS High Knees - Bodies fly all over in the trenches. This drill helps the D-Line step over the pile. One on One (Def Line) - You against him. Practice getting around the blocker. 6 on 7 - It's all about the D-Line and LB's working together, and here's where we get on the same page. Tackle Drills - Practice blasting the pretty-boy ball carriers...and it's fun too! Weight Room - More muscle = more mass, more mass = harder tackles...that's why you play defense. Conditioning - If your offense is turning over the ball, you need to be in shape. Playbooks and Gamefilm - You can't just be fast and strong, you've got to be smart. This is where we'll get an extra step on the offense. Zig Zags - Since DB's are chasing receivers all game, you need to be agile. One on One (DB's) - With this drill everyone gets the chance to be out on an island... being CB isn't so easy, is it? 32 33 Bag Drills (LB's) - Bodies fly everywhere in the box... this will help you avoid getting tangled up in the pile. 7 on 7 - With defensive pass coverage, you need to know where everyone is supposed to be, not just yourself. Let's go out and practice some coverages against a passing attack. CUSTOMIZE Almost everything is customizable in NCAA 2K3, by selecting Customize from the main menu you can change the following options: School Create - Make up your own Division 1-A school for the ultimate challenge. Can you create the next great football powerhouse? Player Create - Want to see how you would do on the college level? Do you want to relive your college glory days? Then go ahead and input your stats into NCAA 2K3 and create your own player. Maybe you just want to see if you can create the ultimate collegiate athlete that can win the Heisman Trophy. Select the player create option and see if you can do it. Edit Players - Change the rosters of your favorite college. KICKERS/PUNTERS Weight Room - Like we said, everyone is pumping iron these days. Conditioning - Who knows... maybe the kicker is the only thing standing between your opponent and a special teams TD. Playbooks and Gamefilm - Even if you just kick a ball there are things that you can learn from film. Punting Drills - Kick the ball. Go pick it up. Kick it again. That's what you do. Now get out there and try for the coffin corner. Kicking Drills - OK, here's the deal. You need to kick the ball far and straight...we don't want to be haunted by any "Wide Right's." Recruitment - Set up the high school seniors that will be coming to the college level for the next season. Depth Chart - Does your fourth string running back look more promising? Promote him up to a starting role with the depth chart menu. Reset Rosters - Ooops. Did you mess up? Don't worry, you can always reset the rosters with this option. Save Rosters - Save all of your hard work so the players, rosters, depth charts, and recruits are ready for you the next time you play NCAA 2K3. 34 35 OPTIONS Customize the way you want to play NCAA 2K3 prior to kick off with the options menu. Press the A button to cycle forward through an option selection, press B button to cycle backward. Game Options: Change the game options like quarter length, skill level, and game speed. Controller: Change the controller layout from the default. Penalties: Select which penalties you want to be called and the frequency that they are called. Presentation: Change the camera angle, sound effects, volume, and ESPN replays. Credits: Check out the people that brought you NCAA 2K3 . Weather: Want to play in the mud? Then dial up the precipitation and let the rain come falling down. CREDITS VISUAL CONCEPTS NCAA 2K3 Executive Producer Greg Thomas Project Manager Happy Keller Quality Assurance Director Chien Yu Lead Tester Robert Nelson Assistant Lead Tester Derek Williams Quality Assurance Matthew Allen Erik Andreassen Stephen Benz Brad Blakslee Tim Collins Derek Davis Joey Edwards Bertrand Estrellado Shane Fenton Dan Gildengorin Christopher Gross Maurice Hill Craig Kilcoyne Thomas Kim Brian Krawchuk Erik Lampi Damon Perdue Andrew Peters Michael Regan Eli Robles Semmy Sebastian David Winslow Additional Testing Andrew Davies Drew Gall Kevin Hicks Special Thanks Richard Yee Jenn Baker Jeff Thomas Matt Crysdale Rustin Lee Mark Allen Matt Karnes Brian Luzietti NFL 2K2 Director Of Technology Tim Walter Lead Engineer Chris Larson Lead Artificial Intelligence Engineer Shawn Lee Engineers Matt Hamre Nick Jones Alex Lee Matt Bandy Marc LeBlanc Aki Rimpilainen Boris Kazanskii Matt Underwood Andrew Marrinson Tim Meekins Tom Bak Library Engineers Ivar Olsen Eivind Hagen Chuck Batson Art Director Matt Crysdale 36 37