FIFA 12 Demo impressions

Fifa International Soccer on the Megadrive for me, then ISS on the SNES, ISS Deluxe and from there every single PES up until PES2009, where I switched to Fifa. I still bought Winning Eleven 2010 and PES 2011, but really didn't get on with them too well. Saying that, FIFA 11 was a let down for me, too, as the flaws in Career Mode really struck a nerve with me.

Yep more or less the same for me. ISS all the way through, 2008 was a I kind of like this FIFA but Pro Evo was still my main choice. 2009 was the year Pro Evo died for me after many many years of being my number 1
 
Probably been mentioned but a nice touch there.. if not slightly annoying in the context.

Had the ball out wide with Arshavin on the half way line. As he played it in to Wilshere he was clipped and stayed down. Couple passes later Gervinho is out wide on the edge of the box when the whistle blows and the ref pulls play back because Arshavin is injured.

Take him off, play goes back to where Gervinho had the ball and the ref has it in hand. Drops it and the Marseille defender knocked a long ball back to my keeper.

That's brilliant :D
 
The thing with PES and FIFa is that PES2012 should been released last year.. PES2011 should have been PES2012, but now they are 1 year late.. if we take into account PES2008/2009/2010 PES is even more behind..

Im not sure now which one to buy.. probably PES for offline gaming and FIFA for online gaming.. might be best solution :)
 
I think I'll do the same regarding contain, I always used to do that myself anyway with "super cancel", the built in auto contain looked a bit unnatural IMO anyways.
 
Agree with Bitter that it's easier to play and score on PES than FIFA.

I also play full manual on World Class and am conceding many and not scoring many.

My first attack was a goal on PES demo and after that one game I turned it off.
 
Agree with Bitter that it's easier to play and score on PES than FIFA.

I also play full manual on World Class and am conceding many and not scoring many.

My first attack was a goal on PES demo and after that one game I turned it off.

Giving PES a good chance then eh? :LOL:

If I turned all of my games off after 10 mins if I wasn't impressed, I'd have given up gaming years ago! :D
 
I'm baffled how almsot everyone can't see how the AI is so jarring.

You spend a lot of time with the ball, playing slow, patient football, using all the options the game gives you, and it feels like a decent game.

Then a move breaks down and the AI gets the ball, and you have to witness the pace of the game instantly turning arcade like, with the AI doing everything at 100mph. Watching the AI in posession of the ball is like watching the Benny Hill show. The way players constantly turn at any given angle in the blink of an eye, chopping on the ball and changing direction to the point where it turns in bizarre circles just to keep the ball, it's plain odd. I've never seen a FIFA game in the past do this, let alone anyone in real life. If you're gonna programme a football simulation then at least make the players look like they're athletes, not super heroes.

As for this apparently wonderful AI where the ball is laid off etc, I've yet to see a single attempt at goal from the AI from outside the box in 10 matches. I've seen the game pass it backwards, but it's all done really fast and with the aim of getting the ball immediately forwards asap.

I think the game is fine when you have the ball, but the moment the AI gains control it degenerates to complete and utter toilet.
 
I'm baffled how almsot everyone can't see how the AI is so jarring.

You spend a lot of time with the ball, playing slow, patient football, using all the options the game gives you, and it feels like a decent game.

Then a move breaks down and the AI gets the ball, and you have to witness the pace of the game instantly turning arcade like, with the AI doing everything at 100mph. Watching the AI in posession of the ball is like watching the Benny Hill show. The way players constantly turn at any given angle in the blink of an eye, chopping on the ball and changing direction to the point where it turns in bizarre circles just to keep the ball, it's plain odd. I've never seen a FIFA game in the past do this, let alone anyone in real life. If you're gonna programme a football simulation then at least make the players look like they're athletes, not super heroes.

As for this apparently wonderful AI where the ball is laid off etc, I've yet to see a single attempt at goal from the AI from outside the box in 10 matches. I've seen the game pass it backwards, but it's all done really fast and with the aim of getting the ball immediately forwards asap.

I think the game is fine when you have the ball, but the moment the AI gains control it degenerates to complete and utter toilet.

I've still not seen the AI shoot from outside of the box. I dunno, maybe it's a tactical thing and I'm defending the centre better than I'm defending the wings?

I'm going to go back to it tonight and give it some more games. It's got a lot of potential to be a very good game and I really want to get into it so I can play the CM that sounds much improved. But I'm not sure I'll get over the CPU movement with the ball and their ninja-like movement.
 
I'm baffled how almsot everyone can't see how the AI is so jarring.

You spend a lot of time with the ball, playing slow, patient football, using all the options the game gives you, and it feels like a decent game.

Then a move breaks down and the AI gets the ball, and you have to witness the pace of the game instantly turning arcade like, with the AI doing everything at 100mph. Watching the AI in posession of the ball is like watching the Benny Hill show. The way players constantly turn at any given angle in the blink of an eye, chopping on the ball and changing direction to the point where it turns in bizarre circles just to keep the ball, it's plain odd. I've never seen a FIFA game in the past do this, let alone anyone in real life. If you're gonna programme a football simulation then at least make the players look like they're athletes, not super heroes.

As for this apparently wonderful AI where the ball is laid off etc, I've yet to see a single attempt at goal from the AI from outside the box in 10 matches. I've seen the game pass it backwards, but it's all done really fast and with the aim of getting the ball immediately forwards asap.

I think the game is fine when you have the ball, but the moment the AI gains control it degenerates to complete and utter toilet.


If you try it 1v1 online or against you mate. it would be no problem
 
I'm baffled how almsot everyone can't see how the AI is so jarring.

You spend a lot of time with the ball, playing slow, patient football, using all the options the game gives you, and it feels like a decent game.

Then a move breaks down and the AI gets the ball, and you have to witness the pace of the game instantly turning arcade like, with the AI doing everything at 100mph. Watching the AI in posession of the ball is like watching the Benny Hill show. The way players constantly turn at any given angle in the blink of an eye, chopping on the ball and changing direction to the point where it turns in bizarre circles just to keep the ball, it's plain odd. I've never seen a FIFA game in the past do this, let alone anyone in real life. If you're gonna programme a football simulation then at least make the players look like they're athletes, not super heroes.

As for this apparently wonderful AI where the ball is laid off etc, I've yet to see a single attempt at goal from the AI from outside the box in 10 matches. I've seen the game pass it backwards, but it's all done really fast and with the aim of getting the ball immediately forwards asap.

I think the game is fine when you have the ball, but the moment the AI gains control it degenerates to complete and utter toilet.

Totally agree mate. I dont know how people dont see this and are actually commending the game for being a decent speed.
 
I don't understand how people are struggling to defend, or get to grips with the new system. The tutorial makes it pretty obvious and IMO, simple. If the ball is close to your defenders leg while the opposition has it, press the A button (or whatever it is). Simples. If you're not in the right area, he'll stick his leg out and won't connect with the ball. So you try again or just press the B button to slide and hack them down. Then you've got X to pull and shoulder barge and holding the triggers or A down will contain the opposition player.


Defending with the player you are controlling is fine. Love the jockeying etc. But the AI defenders don't cover well.

So i'm constantly switching between out of place defenders, then of course i've lost control of the original marker so he gets skinned.

I then think. OK i'll not switch and leave the AI to cover the runs. I conceded 3 in a game. The helplessness of this situation is more frustrating than high pressure. Never thought i'd say that.

This was world-class but trust me it'll be worse than that online.

---------------

Attacking has a similar problem. A few years ago i remember EA saying that strikers will now run into space when they see it. Thats fine, but when faced with a packed defence (6-0-4) they dont move at all.

This is when you need movement most, to create space.

It wasn't there in 10,11 or the 12 demo. I dont like playing with counter-attack but that is the only time i've consistently won on the demo.

---------------

As a side-note clubs with 8-9 players online (inc defenders) will be great this year. You dont have to worry about AI then. Also AI movement upfront will be gone. I'll put up with Afro's if it means getting a good game.

Manual FC - Boys we need to find some defenders to get our numbers up. 4-5 players wont cut it this year. Get recruiting
 
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Totally agree mate. I dont know how people dont see this and are actually commending the game for being a decent speed.

Yeah, ball speed is fine, but the old problem of momentum makes the AI feel like it's travelling faster than you when it gets the ball. It's technically not, but we just choose to try and play in a realistic manner that the AI is incapable of doing, hence the jarring styles, and speed, of play depending on which team has the ball. The AI chooses not to bother using precision dribble, 360 dribble, any of these things except the odd bizarre looking skill move. So you naturally make your players move slower than the AI does when it has posession.
 
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I did something similar (using the Alternate scheme). I switched X with A, A with RB and RB with X as I don't feel the need for using containing as well. I now have pressing with a second defender on X and standing tackle on A, just like it was before. Couldn't care less about containing now that it's on RB and won't interfere with my usual control layout I got used to :)

See now THAT should've been the default controls because I see people elsewhere switching to that same configuration. Plus, it goes in line with my belief that the series should do away with auto-tracking movements ENTIRELY, be it in the form of contain or the old pressing system. Manually positioning your players and knowing when to alternate between running (RT) and jockeying (LT) should be the standard way of defending, as it makes for a more complex, methodical but far more rewarding system.
 
Giving PES a good chance then eh? :LOL:

If I turned all of my games off after 10 mins if I wasn't impressed, I'd have given up gaming years ago! :D

I've hammered the PC demo of it the last few weeks.

Xbox feels crap in comparison. Very juttery.
 
I did something similar (using the Alternate scheme). I switched X with A, A with RB and RB with X as I don't feel the need for using containing as well. I now have pressing with a second defender on X and standing tackle on A, just like it was before. Couldn't care less about containing now that it's on RB and won't interfere with my usual control layout I got used to :)

I changed X and A around straight away but I'm def going to go a step further and do what you have done and move contain to RB.
Secondary pressure will be the same button as before then and standing tackle will stay as standing tackle. I know you've just basically said that but it makes sense to move contain to RB (which was a redundant button anyway). Why wouldn't EA just do this in the first place?
 
Not sure if this animation was in FIFA 11 but I did a pass last night that was a few yards away from Song. Normally he wouldn't have got to the ball and I'd have had to move him towards it but he stretched his leg out sideways to stop the ball. Looking pretty impressive :)

FIFA demo doesn't save control configs does it?
 
Not sure if this animation was in FIFA 11 but I did a pass last night that was a few yards away from Song. Normally he wouldn't have got to the ball and I'd have had to move him towards it but he stretched his leg out sideways to stop the ball. Looking pretty impressive :)

FIFA demo doesn't save control configs does it?

Yeah until you turn off the game :)
 
I'm baffled how almsot everyone can't see how the AI is so jarring.

You spend a lot of time with the ball, playing slow, patient football, using all the options the game gives you, and it feels like a decent game.

Then a move breaks down and the AI gets the ball, and you have to witness the pace of the game instantly turning arcade like, with the AI doing everything at 100mph. Watching the AI in posession of the ball is like watching the Benny Hill show. The way players constantly turn at any given angle in the blink of an eye, chopping on the ball and changing direction to the point where it turns in bizarre circles just to keep the ball, it's plain odd. I've never seen a FIFA game in the past do this, let alone anyone in real life. If you're gonna programme a football simulation then at least make the players look like they're athletes, not super heroes.

As for this apparently wonderful AI where the ball is laid off etc, I've yet to see a single attempt at goal from the AI from outside the box in 10 matches. I've seen the game pass it backwards, but it's all done really fast and with the aim of getting the ball immediately forwards asap.

I think the game is fine when you have the ball, but the moment the AI gains control it degenerates to complete and utter toilet.
+1 CPU AI is unrealistically fast.
 
I did something similar (using the Alternate scheme). I switched X with A, A with RB and RB with X as I don't feel the need for using containing as well. I now have pressing with a second defender on X and standing tackle on A, just like it was before. Couldn't care less about containing now that it's on RB and won't interfere with my usual control layout I got used to :)

I was having a real hard time yesterday getting to grips with the new defensive controls, but this is almost surely the solution. It will be tried after work and the CL matches. :)
 
+1 CPU AI is unrealistically fast.

Do as Pughy, Tom and I previously said: stop using the contain button as it makes the AI do weird things to keep possession. Change the buttons so you won't use contain that often and simply walk/run to try and intercept the ball "manually" with a good timed standing/sliding tackle. It makes the game SO much better this way.

In short: configure the buttons like you were used to in FIFA11, "remove" the contain button, and don't fly in to try and intercept the ball but wait for the right moment.
 
i don't mind going in defence, i would literally own this year.

and give some comedy value.

Defending with the player you are controlling is fine. Love the jockeying etc. But the AI defenders don't cover well.

So i'm constantly switching between out of place defenders, then of course i've lost control of the original marker so he gets skinned.

I then think. OK i'll not switch and leave the AI to cover the runs. I conceded 3 in a game. The helplessness of this situation is more frustrating than high pressure. Never thought i'd say that.

This was world-class but trust me it'll be worse than that online.

---------------

Attacking has a similar problem. A few years ago i remember EA saying that strikers will now run into space when they see it. Thats fine, but when faced with a packed defence (6-0-4) they dont move at all.

This is when you need movement most, to create space.

It wasn't there in 10,11 or the 12 demo. I dont like playing with counter-attack but that is the only time i've consistently won on the demo.

---------------

As a side-note clubs with 8-9 players online (inc defenders) will be great this year. You dont have to worry about AI then. Also AI movement upfront will be gone. I'll put up with Afro's if it means getting a good game.

Manual FC - Boys we need to find some defenders to get our numbers up. 4-5 players wont cut it this year. Get recruiting
 
First impressions are a bit strange, It feels like they've definetly improved the game but at the same time it feels certain parts of the game just don't "fit" in, the whole defensive game is a great idea (same as PES really) but the problem is it just feels so out of place to the rest of the game, it feels like someone just plugged in the PES defensive system and left everything the same in terms of attack, it doesn't compliment the attack like the other game does, hopefully they can work on the dribbling next year to fit their defensive system with inertia.

moving the ball around feels so slow, or maybe im not holding the button down long enough? The AI isn't great either, with the lack of movement, defensively it's pretty good though.

Not sure how that overall ranks then?
 
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