Fifa 11 "Festival of Fifa" hands-on Impressions

Saw a couple of dissapointing elements;

- After 55min a stat shows that passing accuracy for both teams is 100%!!
- Even at the 90th min mark all the players still have atleast 50% of their energybar!!

And looking at the match it was a fairly reasonable set of players but with too much pressure imo and even then of the 3 big improvements made (p+/propassing/fatigue model) 2 have failed to make an impact.....

Only shows 2 players have passing at 100%. Fabregas and someone else. Not the whole team as obviously passes have gone astray. Having said that, still looks ping pongy to me!
 
Passing too accurate, players like Xavi and Iniesta will be again shit in the game because everyone can do what they do (even keepers) and they aren't fast or strong, that seems to be AGAIN the most valuable stats.

Deffensive AI has lights and shades. Some good anticipations, but some good old "standing 3 meters away ok striker" and some good old "one idiot breaking the line for no reason".

All players can easily control any oncoming ball effortlessly.

Strength seems to be still overdone.

Great, just the things I hate the most about the series. I really doubt if I will buy it.

Don't kid yourself. You'll buy it. And then we'll play some more realistic online games with full manual controls and no secondary pressing ;-)
 
Only shows 2 players have passing at 100%. Fabregas and someone else. Not the whole team as obviously passes have gone astray. Having said that, still looks ping pongy to me!

Yep, my mistake. Didn't see it was about players. But at halftime the stats are still 87% passing accuracy. Seems high to me. Will check normal stats at opta.
 
explain this to me guys. why can pro passing be disabled? i'm a pes player and i have no freaking idea why they have that option to disable it in fifa? it's making me laugh. lol.
 
Because EA believe that there are some people within their userbase which want every pass to be perfect? In any case, it's on by default and on by force online, so it doesn't really affect anyone, unlike the stupid assists in general.
 
explain this to me guys. why can pro passing be disabled? i'm a pes player and i have no freaking idea why they have that option to disable it in fifa? it's making me laugh. lol.

EA made a two-button control scheme for the WC game, nuff said.
 
Thanks Lothario, great link! Although it's only for the one match for every team. Couldn't find a season stats on there. But it shows even the most dominant team doesn't have passing higher then 80% and this is the best passing team in the world.
 
Thanks Lothario, great link! Although it's only for the one match for every team. Couldn't find a season stats on there. But it shows even the most dominant team doesn't have passing higher then 80% and this is the best passing team in the world.

Actually 80% is very realistic for passing accuracy. I was concerned about this myself so I did a brief search. In this summer's WC, the top five teams were above 80% passing. England was under-average and they were in the high 70s. Ninety percent is not unusual for Barcelona. Now these are for top teams and I haven't searched for lower league statistics.

Still, two thoughts: 1) how often do you see pass accuracy drop below 80% in FIFA with semi or assisted passing? 2) I frequently see a computer-controlled team with 90%; dunno if I've ever seen the CPU drop below 80%. (Note: All I've been playing lately is WC game so I can't speak for your less than average teams in regular FIFA, though even in the WC game you play against crap teams during qualifying.

If anyone else has differing information, please share, as I only had time for a very cursory search.

*Edit: Just found this info for league averages:



League Passing Accuracy
England 74.1%
France 76.0%
Germany 77.7%
Italy 78.1%
Spain 74.7%
Average 76.1%

Also found this from Barca v Madrid in '08:

Part of good ball retention other than great passing and awareness which Barceloona have is balance and close control. The ability to shield the ball and keep it close runs through the team and makes it hard for the opponent to get it. Coupled with these tactics and good organisation leads for a difficult team to beat. Barcelona made 442 successful passes against Madrid to their 171, while only 44 bad passes to Madrid’s 33. A 90% pass accuracy to madrid 75% even though they made three times as much passes.
 
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85+% is actaully the norm for anyone decent on assisted passing and that's a slightly spurious thing to say anyway, because the passes you make in FIFA are -MUCH- harder than those in real football.

It's both a case it not being enough of a difference between the best and worst and just generally being too easy. Even the great Barcelona will mostly try safe passes when in FIFA you see relatively few - a lot of what a 90% pasing percentage will be bolstered by is backwards passes and passes along the back.
 
85+% is actaully the norm for anyone decent on assisted passing and that's a slightly spurious thing to say anyway, because the passes you make in FIFA are -MUCH- harder than those in real football.

It's both a case it not being enough of a difference between the best and worst and just generally being too easy. Even the great Barcelona will mostly try safe passes when in FIFA you see relatively few - a lot of what a 90% pasing percentage will be bolstered by is backwards passes and passes along the back.

Watching the GC vids and seeing the high accuracy % at the end of games, I remember thinking there really should be more of a learning curve when playing a new FIFA for the first time, even if you're a FIFA vet, at least when there's a new passing system. Problem is, Pac-Man has a bigger learning curve than FIFA with assisted controls.
 
You've nailed it - the learning curve game to game has ground to a halt completely. Ridiculous really - even in the bad old days there were fairly considerable changes year to year to controls - now it's always the same: We can't change shit because everyone goes to pieces if they can't instantly win on legendary.

It's a huge pity, and an absolutely horrendous way of making games. I don't know. More and more I grow tired of EA at the moment - their mentality is so stupid sometimes. It's so damned stupid. Can't wait for sliders. I've gone from not liking the idea because I thought it was unnecessary to deciding it's absolutely necessary due to EA being so wet.

I absolutely fucking hate casual gaming.
 
That was more my point, 87% accuracy when the majority are attacking passes. It's too high.

Can't wait for sliders, I just hope they give enough control over enough aspects to actually make a difference. Custom tactics sounds great, but after the initial difference you realise that every team is based on the same playmodel and custom tactics only slightly alters that. A good example is even when you set a team up in formation and tactics to be ultra defensive after a counter their f#$king back line is always near the halfway line. It doesn't matter whether the team has an attacking or defending set-up the same thing always happens.......

Is anyone else fearing they are falling into the ps2 gen trap? I started to think this after 10 and the shockingly bad crossing (the curve reminded me of the crap ps2 games). It's only a small aspect, but it was off and the more and more I see of the game (the total lack of midfield play) just starts to remind me more and more of the bad old days. 360 running created the skating and now they have made animations/turns even faster then before. God I hope the PES demo is good!
 
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That was more my point, 87% accuracy when the majority are attacking passes. It's too high.

Can't wait for sliders, I just hope they give enough control over enough aspects to actually make a difference. Custom tactics sounds great, but after the initial difference you realise that every team is based on the same playmodel and custom tactics only slightly alters that. A good example is even when you set a team up in formation and tactics to be ultra defensive after a counter their f#$king back line is always near the halfway line. It doesn't matter whether the team has an attacking or defending set-up the same thing always happens.......

Is anyone else fearing they are falling into the ps2 gen trap? I started to think this after 10 and the shockingly bad crossing (the curve reminded me of the crap ps2 games). It's only a small aspect, but it was off and the more and more I see of the game (the total lack of midfield play) just starts to remind me more and more of the bad old days. 360 running created the skating and now they have made animations/turns even faster then before. God I hope the PES demo is good!

The new PES trailer is stellar. By PES2012 Konami will be looking down on EA again, no doubt. Most of us will be telling EA "we told you so", sadly. Konami have listened to their hardcore fans and taken a leap of faith. EA have listened but I don't feel they trust us at all and need constant nagging before caving in. I get the feeling they think "how would they know what's best for our franchise?". The stalling and trying to appeal to the "U-universal for all" crowd has allowed PES lee-way to come back and legitimately compete toe-to-toe for my dolla(£).

Sure their keepers aren't as good as FIFA's and the online mode can't touch FIFA's, but the Offline gameplay, competitions, graphics and editing are so damn solid and authentic now (although FIFA pips them for faces now). Kit's fit better, players have their own passing as well as running styles (as they've always had) but Konami have built a nice library of animations for the star players after years of adding to them(gourcuff checking over his shoulder before getting the ball was a nice touch for me).

Saying this, FIFA11 will be the "winner" this year for sure imo. Most here will play it more than PES2011 this year and the press will rave about it. But I predict that next year, PES2012 has the potential to be the media darling if they sort keepers and add more animations to marry along with the shooting and passing moves you can pull off. Anyways, the competition is good for gamers imo, and I can go back to moaning at Seabass instead of Rutter. :BOP:

Edit: Be sure to note (before the angry replys) that I'm still very much looking forward to FIFA11. If not only to take my beloved spurs through the Barclays Premier League season to the top 4. Hopefully I can play more than 2 seasons without the game crashing and locking me out of the mode this year though lol.
 
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Re: Re: Fifa 11 "Festival of Fifa" hands-on Impressions

Watching the GC vids and seeing the high accuracy % at the end of games, I remember thinking there really should be more of a learning curve when playing a new FIFA for the first time, even if you're a FIFA vet, at least when there's a new passing system. Problem is, Pac-Man has a bigger learning curve than FIFA with assisted controls.

So don't play with assisted control? I understand why They have them they just should not be available for online ranked matches. At least pro passing can't be turn off online
 
So don't play with assisted control? I understand why They have them they just should not be available for online ranked matches. At least pro passing can't be turn off online

You're missing the point. This isn't so much about me, as I play all manual, as it is about the philosophy behind FIFA. EA and Rutter have repeatedly said they want to make a realistic football game, yet it's becoming harder and harder to believe that.

As long as assisted controls are what they are, and remain the default control settings, it's like FIFA is being designed for 10 year olds.
 
Using assisted is like playing a darts videogame where you can stop the marker anywhere and hit either a bulllseye or a triple20.

Let's hope it's a little harder to pull off first time passes in the final version. Sure it's easy in real life, but not under pressure and not when hitting a 180degree ball.
 
The new PES trailer is stellar. By PES2012 Konami will be looking down on EA again, no doubt. Most of us will be telling EA "we told you so", sadly.

....

Edit: Be sure to note (before the angry replys) that I'm still very much looking forward to FIFA11. If not only to take my beloved spurs through the Barclays Premier League season to the top 4. Hopefully I can play more than 2 seasons without the game crashing and locking me out of the mode this year though lol.

I think that summarizes quite well what the majority of the veterans of this forum feel. I'm definitely trying PES this year because Fifa seems to have stalled and parked on a "for all the family" conception that is hiding a lot of their excellent technical work.

Really, I would have preferred to have 2 great games because BOTH of them have improved a lot, but we know that scenario is nearly impossible. Once one franchise gets the crown, they inmediately change the brainchip to "conservative mode" in order to milk the cow for some years.

That's why I'm so happy PES is catching up this year, it was needed. And, well, after all, we were all PES fans some day so it will feel a little like going back home after a good trip. The trip was good, but your sofa at home is the best place to be.

PS: If EA had the guts to make the game go further into the simulation path, maybe we would be having a different scenario, but they won't do it. EA doesn't do this things. Hence why PES has had another chance. Let's really hope they use that chance to put a good effort and slip 2 or 3 greatly improved games next years. At least, after all the disaster of the las years, they're in the right direction now.
 
I hope they go through with the sliders suggestion for FIFA12. Allow us the facility to ramp up contextual error, tone down acceleration, increase stamina burn-rate etc and we can make the game play in a more realistic way without worrying about scaring off the masses (who will leave it on Default).

Stick in some presets for arcade/normal/sim, add that filter to online match-making, and away we go.
 
...and improve team AI (both you're own and the cpu) and it could be very close to being the best representation available.

I just hope Konami's effort this year will give them the kick up the arse they need to get back on track as up to 09 they were going the right way.
 
I think that summarizes quite well what the majority of the veterans of this forum feel. I'm definitely trying PES this year because Fifa seems to have stalled and parked on a "for all the family" conception that is hiding a lot of their excellent technical work.

Really, I would have preferred to have 2 great games because BOTH of them have improved a lot, but we know that scenario is nearly impossible. Once one franchise gets the crown, they inmediately change the brainchip to "conservative mode" in order to milk the cow for some years.

That's why I'm so happy PES is catching up this year, it was needed. And, well, after all, we were all PES fans some day so it will feel a little like going back home after a good trip. The trip was good, but your sofa at home is the best place to be.

PS: If EA had the guts to make the game go further into the simulation path, maybe we would be having a different scenario, but they won't do it. EA doesn't do this things. Hence why PES has had another chance. Let's really hope they use that chance to put a good effort and slip 2 or 3 greatly improved games next years. At least, after all the disaster of the las years, they're in the right direction now.

Amen.

I hope they go through with the sliders suggestion for FIFA12. Allow us the facility to ramp up contextual error, tone down acceleration, increase stamina burn-rate etc and we can make the game play in a more realistic way without worrying about scaring off the masses (who will leave it on Default).

Stick in some presets for arcade/normal/sim, add that filter to online match-making, and away we go.

Amen.

...and improve team AI (both you're own and the cpu) and it could be very close to being the best representation available.

I just hope Konami's effort this year will give them the kick up the arse they need to get back on track as up to 09 they were going the right way.

Allelujah, Amen.

:WORSHIP:

Last year I predicted that EA would go with Personality/Individuality with FIFA11. Hopefully they improve upon that, but for FIFA12 the only way forward from here HAS TO BE Team AI. Not that shitty custom tactics nonesense but real intelligent team mates that don't just run in straight lines with a disregard of positioning between themselves and a defender. Team mates that stop in space and demand the ball when you are in possesion. Team mates that cover passing lanes while in defense. Opposition AI that shows some trepidation before lunging into a challenge when defending.

With attributes taken into consideration we'd see one of the most varied football gaming experiences ever made. And i'm pretty sure it's doable with this engine. If you look at "set piece creator" they seem to be able to even let the user progam the players to make certain running movements and patterns.

Just a thought anyways.
 
I think the problem is EA are at a crossroads which I don't think they will solve or even have any intentions to solve. I personally don't think sliders is the way forward as unless your an offline gamer were does this leave Online? Forget about all those tiny sliders We struggle to change one setting from "Assisted" to "Manual/Semi" and suddenly theirs no one to play.

99% of the FIFA community is assisted ping pong passing gamers and I don't think theirs any way to change that without changing the game mechanics for EVERYONE rather than letting the assisted gamers get on with their game and let 1 or 2 of us Manual/Semi players play in the corner by ourselves.

That's just the main problem, the actual game has so many other problems that need looking at such as too much freedom for crap players, tackling being a no skill art with little individuality between each player.
 
I think the problem is EA are at a crossroads which I don't think they will solve or even have any intentions to solve. I personally don't think sliders is the way forward as unless your an offline gamer were does this leave Online? Forget about all those tiny sliders We struggle to change one setting from "Assisted" to "Manual/Semi" and suddenly theirs no one to play.

99% of the FIFA community is assisted ping pong passing gamers and I don't think theirs any way to change that without changing the game mechanics for EVERYONE rather than letting the assisted gamers get on with their game and let 1 or 2 of us Manual/Semi players play in the corner by ourselves.

That's just the main problem, the actual game has so many other problems that need looking at such as too much freedom for crap players, tackling being a no skill art with little individuality between each player.

You know, I don't think they are at a crossroads. In fact, I'd argue they've discovered the perfect recipe and I'll point to last year's insanely high reviews and their record sales numbers to back me up. Think about it, what they've done is combine the best of what worked for them in the past with just enough tech innovations and realism to entice people away from PES while PES stagnated and struggled with the next-gen transition.

From a business perspective, FIFA is a massive success. From the football purist's point of view, not only is FIFA a mixed bag but it's a business/game development strategy that doesn't instill great confidence for future editions.

My prediction is FIFA 11 will be an improvement over 10, and I have no doubt I'll buy it, but depending on how improved PES is, I may not be back for 12. Here's one "purist" who's lost what little faith he had in EA.
 
You know, I don't think they are at a crossroads. In fact, I'd argue they've discovered the perfect recipe and I'll point to last year's insanely high reviews and their record sales numbers to back me up. Think about it, what they've done is combine the best of what worked for them in the past with just enough tech innovations and realism to entice people away from PES while PES stagnated and struggled with the next-gen transition.

From a business perspective, FIFA is a massive success. From the football purist's point of view, not only is FIFA a mixed bag but it's a business/game development strategy that doesn't instill great confidence for future editions.

My prediction is FIFA 11 will be an improvement over 10, and I have no doubt I'll buy it, but depending on how improved PES is, I may not be back for 12. Here's one "purist" who's lost what little faith he had in EA.

That sounds quite accurate tbh, they've almost 'conned' the simulation gamers into thinking that's while they're aiming for while still retaining a core arcade experience. Basically keeping their old target audience happy, while doing enough to entice old PES players.

As it stands they'll do this year on year until PES is enough of a threat to force them to innovate again.
 
Interesting to see players now can get yellow cards for non-sliding tackles. Like in the last second of the Barca vs. Juve one, that's not even necessarily a foul on Messi let alone a yellow-card. In the other game, John Terry got one as well for basically a standing challenge (pressing), where ref gave advantage but gave him a yellow later!

The Lyon vs. Chelsea game isn't as good to see because the skill level of those playing seems rather poor. Especially Lyon guy keeps taking one touches to many and sprinting with likes of Toulalan! and running into opposition and losing possession.
 
Looks very nice in the rain. I just hope that's an infrequent occurance and it's not raining two out of every three MM fixtures, like in 10.
 
The Lyon vs. Chelsea game isn't as good to see because the skill level of those playing seems rather poor. Especially Lyon guy keeps taking one touches to many and sprinting with likes of Toulalan! and running into opposition and losing possession.

Lyon is AI and clearly set on a very low skill level probably Amateur or Semi Pro at best, you can easily tell this by how they give the ball away by running into Chelsea players and not shooting when clean through.
 
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