NCAA Football 08: Motivation

One of the great parts about college football is that any player can step up their game at any time. By fighting for an extra yard, delivering a solid hit or intercepting a ball at the right moment, one man can give his teammates a rush of adrenaline that motivates the other guys to play much harder. Think you want the win more than your opponent? Now you have the opportunity to prove it thanks to NCAA Football 08's new motivation feature.

Before the ball is snapped, you have a chance to see how motivated a player is as they contribute to plays or make a difference during the game. If you consistently make plays with one player, you can get him into the zone, which will elevate his stats. This indication, represented by a ring of fire, will show that at that moment he's at the top of his game. As a result, you'll want to put him in the position to make a big play that can completely change the tempo of the game. For instance, get a running back into the zone, and you'll notice that their ability to break tackles and stay on their feet is dramatically heightened.

If you make a big play, the crowd won't be the only group reacting to your actions. Your teammates will receive a boost to their motivation, making them hit their blocks or their tackles even harder. This effect is known as the sphere of influence, and it will quickly radiate outwards from your athlete to his teammates, getting them into the game. What's cool about the motivation feature is that you don't have to be in control of an impact player to get into the zone or trigger a sphere of influence boost. Any player on the field can make critical plays and lead by example for their teammates; however, you may find that impact players will have much more influence on other players than a regular athlete.

However, just because you can motivate your team after a couple of big plays doesn't mean that you'll be able to crush the competition outright. Players will need to keep their athletes performing their play assignments, or their teammates will quickly drop out of the zone. Squads can also lose motivation if the opposing team manages to gain significant yardage on an offensive play or cause a loss of yardage on defense. In short, if you want to avoid your players seesawing between gaining and losing motivation, make sure that your players do their jobs as best as they possibly can.

We'll have more on the features of NCAA Football 08 soon.

©2007, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved