Soccer Gaming Catch-All

Roke wrote:

That PES video makes me want to own a console. I haven't played FIFA in years.

I was thinking of going to the PC this year for PES. Just need to get the 360 controller for PC thing. Assuming they have a downloadable version available in the USA.

edit: The Konami USA site doesn't list PC as an option for PES2012? There are copies of 2011 on DVD floating around as well as a site in the UK which seems to offer it for download. Although searching for the game through the actual company site doesn't show the game, but googling will get a direct link for a 2011 download. I don't understand why it has to be so painful to find a PES game for the PC here.

I'm buying it for PC (I have 360 pad plugged in, way to go). On PC you have access to all the best mods.
This year it feels like football. New slow dribbling and widely improved AI give it whole new feel, even though it's essentially the same engine. I was able to pull so many great moves (and saw even more from AI player, both combining with swift passing moves and working alone) in few games that I've played. Favourite - running toward corner flag with Thiago Silva and Zambrotta on my back and then turning with RT, leaving them both behind, in the classic Ronaldinho fashion, exactly how you used to see him pull those moves off - new dribbling possibilities are all about quickly changing your momentum and leaving opposition wrong footed. Just like that AI move I've uploaded it was like something absolutely staged, taken out of real game.

re: Bale - how does he score all those goals, then? Cutting inside on his own, running into the box and just tapping balls in or what? Because like I said, such number of assists is understandable when guy is your primary corner taker, but I was never able to combine that with goalscoring.

UCRC wrote:

re: Bale - how does he score all those goals, then? Cutting inside on his own, running into the box and just tapping balls in or what? Because like I said, such number of assists is understandable when guy is your primary corner taker, but I was never able to combine that with goalscoring.

From what I recall it's a decent mix of tap-ins from crosses on the right-wing or receiving a through-ball from my central midfield trio and running into the box, and then a few rebound tap-ins.

I took a look at a few matches from last season. If he gets the ball when the opposition give away possession he blows past the central defender closing him down and uses his pace to get one-on-one opportunities a fair bit as well so it's not converting killer balls into the box.

My wingers don't mark opposition fullbacks when we're out of possession unless I instruct them to so he's often in open-space to start the counter-attack. Combine that with the pace of the front 3 (when Crouch isn't playing) and I tend to get more than my fair share on the counter.

Roke wrote:

From what I recall it's a decent mix of tap-ins from crosses on the right-wing or receiving a through-ball from my central midfield trio and running into the box, and then a few rebound tap-ins.

What are his PPMs? I've learned that Moves Into Channels PPM helps with these situations.

Is he on free roam setting?

UCRC wrote:
Roke wrote:

From what I recall it's a decent mix of tap-ins from crosses on the right-wing or receiving a through-ball from my central midfield trio and running into the box, and then a few rebound tap-ins.

What are his PPMs? I've learned that Moves Into Channels PPM helps with these situations.

Is he on free roam setting?

He does have 'Roaming from Position' checked... all 5 of my midfielders do. He (along with my right-winger) are set to "run from deep" often as well

PPMs:
*Run with ball down left
*Gets into Opposition Area
*Gets forward whenever possible
*Curls ball
*Knocks ball past opponent

I tried to get him to place shots into the corner of the net but he refused. A shame because I find that works really well for wingers attacking in the box.

UCRC, I fully expect you to point out another tactical thing I'm using but don't remember. I'm impressed.

In season two it's the beginning of November and Bale is my top-scorer with 9 goals in 16 appearances but only 2 assists. I expect van der Vaart shooting from everywhere and taking set pieces will continue to cut down on Bale's assist opportunities.

Pred, seems like this year is the year to get back into PES. I've mentioned that early build demo is really good and now I hear that it doesn't even compare to the final product.
Bloggers who had access to review code say that it's the best PES ever - thing that we last heard when PES 6 came out.

And looking at the design decisions they've made is interesting even to somebody who isn't going to play the game. At first glance it is the same game - almost no evolution in graphic department, UI, animations, sound, same engine, no glamour. Instead, they've spent whole year making AI improvements and balancing core game systems. It reads as the most unimpressive thing ever, but once you see it on screen, you get it. You see the huge space of possibilities that opens, plays and combinations that you wouldn't imagine in soccer games because they were too rigid, too static. When everything comes together, even in demo it can resemble real football, which I guess is the highest praise.

I just hope it sells well, so next year they can make all those shiny improvements. But the core gameplay is very much there and I can't wait to get the full version into my hands.

Color my interest cautious. The demo hasn't come stateside yet though, so i'm still waiting.

(Your avatar works so well with old 'location'.)

Demo came out worldwide for PC and PS3, it's been delayed on 360.

Obtaining a legal version of PES 2012 for the PC with our early release date looks near impossible in the US. Can't find mention of a US PC version anywhere on the web except for in a Konami press release. And from reading PES forums it appears we haven't had a proper PC release here since WE 2007.

Wiki tells me that there is >2 week difference between NA and EU releases. In your favour. This is baffling.

Anyway, second PES demo will be out tomorrow. Not sure whether it's based on final code, but it's supposed to address many shortcoming of first demo. I'm off to give FIFA12 a try.

UCRC wrote:

Wiki tells me that there is >2 week difference between NA and EU releases. In your favour. This is baffling.

I believe FIFA comes out the same day in NA so they are trying to directly compete? I'm guessing I am going to have to wait until after the UK release date to get a PC version. Hopefully Konami partners with someone again to make a downloadable version.

I too have come around to soccer. Several co workers from far away lands and been educating me. Being originally from the Baltimore area I have been watching as many D.C. United matches as I can. I am looking forward to my first real journey into FIFA.

I am having trouble deciding if I should go with PS3 or 360.

Any suggestions?

At this point, I feel that, unless you're a framerate whore, there is no difference of merit between the PS3 and PC versions of FIFA. It's pretty much down to whether you like XBOX Live or PSN better.

Just copped the PES and FIFA demos. Will report soonish.

EDIT: Citeh in the demo. United not. EA trolls hard.

Another note. Why don't companies let me play the halves in the demo for as long as I want and simply limit the choice of teams?

Also, and I feel bad about this, but I learn more about global music through FIFA than I do from any other venue.

EDIT v2: Alright, the NA version of PES Demo has a very odd team choice. Tottenham, Bayern, Inter and Rangers. Huh?

I'd guess the selection of teams is down to them trying to let you play with different formations and styles.

Here is something for all of you to ponder...

I love regional pricing.

On Steam for me:

Football Manager 2011 - $44.99

Football Manager 2012 - $39.99 (Pre-order)

For god's sake.

FM 2012 - October 21st

NBA 2K12 - October 4th

FIFA 12 - September 27th

PES 2012 - September 27th

Forza 4 - October 11th

And that's just the sports games i'm interested in.

I don't know that I'm that interested in FM 12 - I've not seen any radical new features, and for some reason the idea of starting a new game in FM 11 just weighs down on me like an unpleasant chore.

I must be ill.

I skipped 11, not sure if I'll bite on FM12. It may be a christmas sale purchase, Prozac 2.0's due in February and the sorts of games I can drive one handed with just the mouse may become what I'm limited to with late night feedings. Anyone have experience of FM and babies?

Congratulations on the imminent arrival of your little one.

If you are anything like me, I wouldn't be handling something delicate whilst in the middle of an exciting Cup/League/promotion/relegation run. It remains the only game where I have actually broken a peripheral (as opposed to one breaking..), although Front Office Football has run it close.

I tend to take a more prosaic approach to my guys not doing what I want. I guess spending 40 hours a week managing an office means I've master the whole accepting things you can't change thing and since I play LLM exclusively I fully expect nothing I try to work the way it's meant to.

Prozac, my daughter just turned a year old. My last game of FM pre-baby was a week before she was born last September. The next game ... in May right before she turned nine months old. If I didn't have any other gaming commitments I probably would have started sooner (at about four months or so). I did play a lot of PES in those first four months. It's a much easier game for me to pick up for 20-30 minutes at time.

davet010 wrote:

I don't know that I'm that interested in FM 12 - I've not seen any radical new features, and for some reason the idea of starting a new game in FM 11 just weighs down on me like an unpleasant chore.

I must be ill.

I'm almost there. I still feel like i'm figuring out FM 11 on some levels, and unless the announced features in FM 12 have the "how did I live before this" feeling some of the previous releases have given me, I may just pass.

/Shock. Horror.

Prederick wrote:
davet010 wrote:

I don't know that I'm that interested in FM 12 - I've not seen any radical new features, and for some reason the idea of starting a new game in FM 11 just weighs down on me like an unpleasant chore.

I must be ill.

I'm almost there. I still feel like i'm figuring out FM 11 on some levels, and unless the announced features in FM 12 have the "how did I live before this" feeling some of the previous releases have given me, I may just pass.

/Shock. Horror.

I feel this way every year until I see it on sale.

Oh, RE: FIFA and PES.

Played a game of each. Lost the game of FIFA 1-0. Lost the game of PES 5-4. Which is one hell of a reversal from where I remember the games being 6 years ago. What surprises me though, is that while I desire both games... I don't really want them, y'know? Neither demo blew me out of my socks, but that might be more because both demos (FIFA especially) continue my enormous frustration of not giving me enough time to really get anything more than a fleeting taste of the game.

FIFA demo on PC turned out to be a trainwreck so I gave up on that quickly. PES second demo I expected to improve much more over the first one. I will judge it on final version because you need to try all of the game controls to appreciate it. And it's not exactly a learning curve, but willingness to put time into it, creating own tactics which suit your style and coming up with your own linked feints

Quick question for those who have demoed FIFA 12 and played FIFA 11. Is there much difference to the entry level gamer such as myself? I'm still enjoying 11 thoroughly, but aside from having my hometown MLS team in the game I can't see a compelling reason to get FIFA 12.

I'm going to download the pre-release version tonight. I tried the Fifa demo and really didn't care for it. It seemed less intuitive than previous versions I had messed with.

I'm going to give this full version a spin and see if there is a control scheme I enjoy.

Anyone got a decent data update for FM11 to take it to Sept 1 ? If I'm not buying FM12, I'll need to get 11 up to date if I am going to start a new game.

DS, you should get FIFA 12 because i have preordered it, and i need other entry level gamers to beat. or be beaten by.