You can get the entire D-1A roster with names for free through the 360 over the internet. Start up the game and go to Online -> EA Locker. There you can download a custom roster. The full roster for 360 owners can be found under the user Lanteri87. There are websites where you can purchase rosters, but those are at least $15, and I can't vouch for their accuracy. LSU's is usually fairly accurate, but I usually have to make adjustments. Not a big deal, but little things, like Toliver being listed as a SO instead of JR. I'm also working on a way to make my stadium sound collection available to people who want them.
They include names, but EA has some updating to do. They have Lotson as a RS Senior. They have a few other mistakes on the LSU Roster as well.
Well apparently EA really screwed things up with the game rosters this year and only caught the problem a few weeks prior to the game release. The story's all over the internet. I have the PS3 version and was prompted to download a patch with the correct roster. So I don't know if the named rosters available through EA used the old, incorrect roster file or the new corrected one when replacing the names. Roster issues aside, I have to say that I'm quite disappointed with this year's release. Not only did they not expand on Stadium Sounds, I think they actually took the Official Review event from 2009 out of 2010. They didn't even come close to showing Tiger Band's actual pregame routine either. Game balance is still out of whack and heavily favors the passing game. D-line pressure with LSU is absolutely pathetic with QBs literally sitting in the pocket for 5-6 seconds, while my O-line constantly gets blown up. Sorry, but for plunking down $60 every year, I expect considerably more than a roster update, like fixing the college game atmosphere and gameplay. EA could really set the NCAA series apart from Madden by doing the little things that make the college atmosphere so great and make much more money. Instead I'm starting to think the consensus of NCAA being treated like Madden's red-headed stepchild by EA is true.
I just bought a PS3 and plan to buy NCAA and Madden. Since I haven't played in 3 years, I look forward to them. I just have to wait until I visit the States next month to buy them.
The PS3 is a great system, you're gonna love it. The graphics on the next-gen systems are incredible. The only major gripe with the NCAA games is the gameplay bugs they've never really fixed, like ineffective pass rushing and secondary play, difficult to run the ball, etc. My favorite is when you play someone who sprints their QB backward 25-30 yards and manages to throw a perfect bomb to a triple-covered receiver 40-45 yards downfield. :angryfire EA made a huge improvement last year by introducing the custom stadium sounds, and that was well-received by the fans. But so far they haven't done the little things to help create a college atmosphere (bands, pregame/halftime routines, showing officials/chain gangs). Instead, they seem to treat it as Madden-lite, when I think they could do so much more for the series and truly set it apart.
I do like the stadium sounds, but I actually wish they were team sounds. If I'm playing as LSU at Auburn, I still want to hear 1st down, etc. I also, of course, want more options. Where's 2nd and 3rd down? How about being able to make a list of songs for timeouts? I was disappointed that LSU's pregame was not included in the pregames coded for the game. ULL's is in there! Come to think of it, I can't think of an SEC team whose pregame show is in there. Halftime shows change from week to week, so I can understand not putting those in. Speaking of the bands, where did they disappear to during the game? The LSU band in NCAA used to sit by the north endzone tunnel and I used to complain that they weren't in the right spot. Now they're just gone (and the spot that they were in is almost the spot where the band currently sits). Tiger Stadium is correct I believe, except the scoreboard in the south endzone is also the new HD one; isn't only the one in the north endzone HD right now? I actually never thought about the officials not being on the field, but that's a good point! I know I'm being picky, but all this and more is what makes the college football atmosphere.
That and I gave up the rights to my first born to be able to afford the game. If they're gonna charge 8 million dollars for a video game, make it worth it. Detail is key. esp in college football games.
