Hi there,
I have two questions that keep on bugging me for several versions of PES now. Maybe some of you can help me clearing those up. Wall of text ahead!
1)
The AI setting in exhibition matches between two human players. Does this have any influence at all? When creating an online game session in PES2009, the AI is set on "beginner" level per default. It's not possible to change that. In offline exhibition matches between human players, the option is still available.
So, what does it do? Was Konami to lazy to put in an if/else depending on whether there was an enemy AI needed for the upcoming match in the first place? Keep in mind that it is possible to switch from "1P vs 2P" to "1P 2P vs Com" in-game without having to restart the match. Is this the sole reason, or does it also influence the way your own AI players (those you don't control at any given time in a match) act?
What I mean by that is this: When playing against another human player, you COULD choose to let the AI defend most of the time by just not selecting them manually. Of course we all know from playing solo mode, out-dribbling a "beginner" AI is way easier than doing the same against a "top player" AI. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I recall the defense mechanisms of an easy AI are much less solid altogether. Now, if said setting does influence (again: does it?) the behavior of AI players in an human-controlled team, it would be a bad idea not to defend "manually" all the time. Otherwise, on "top player" setting, it could be better (depending on your skills...) to let the AI player do his defending automatically. Therefore, the game would be harder on "beginner" setting. Better players could score goals more easily against a weaker enemy - the weaker player would not have the option of relying on the AI defense (not even by accident - think of players who don't switch players that often!).
Yesterday I tested this casually with a friend. Matches on "beginner" ended with 6+ goals on average. Matches on "top player" ended on 3+ goals. Coincidence? Maybe, because he chose Chelsea when I switched to "top player" and I found it always hard to play against them. Anyway, your thoughts on this matter?
2) The "morale effect". I'm fairly sure, everybody who plays PES knows this effect. Concede one or more goals, and your players just refuse to play soccer any more. Many easy passes end up in the opponent's arms, 100% sure shots won't go in, attackers hide behind the opponent's defenders, while the own defenders do everything but defend. But go up two goals ahead instead, and everything is the exact opposite: Basically, you can 1-pass blindly through the midfield without worrying of it being intercepted, your attackers are always free for a deadly through pass, shots go in easier, and almost every "free ball" on the field ends up magically at one of your player's feet.
From what I've experienced, the only way to "get back in the game" is to play it safe, hold the ball in your possession, try to get a shot on goal every now and then. In short, try to keep up with this situation. Conceding another goal at this moment means open season on your goal. Half time seems to weaken the effect. Goals can turn it around altogether, putting the opponent in that awkward position.
My point is, I basically like the simulation aspect of it - a team that trails 0-3 in real life won't come back without a miracle. But this is still a video game and the effect is way to strong. A player should have the same possibility of scoring a goal all the time. The players should behave the same no matter what the scoreboard reads. Surely, player fatigue has to be taken in account, but that's about it.
Now I know every player has a morale value in his stats, and there are the teamwork values that can be displayed in the formation settings screen. But I've never read anywhere (from Konami or from fans) about the existence of this effect, let alone a documentation for that matter. So, I'd like to hear your thoughts about this, too. Does it exist (or am I and my friends imagining this)?
Kudos for reading.
I have two questions that keep on bugging me for several versions of PES now. Maybe some of you can help me clearing those up. Wall of text ahead!
1)
The AI setting in exhibition matches between two human players. Does this have any influence at all? When creating an online game session in PES2009, the AI is set on "beginner" level per default. It's not possible to change that. In offline exhibition matches between human players, the option is still available.
So, what does it do? Was Konami to lazy to put in an if/else depending on whether there was an enemy AI needed for the upcoming match in the first place? Keep in mind that it is possible to switch from "1P vs 2P" to "1P 2P vs Com" in-game without having to restart the match. Is this the sole reason, or does it also influence the way your own AI players (those you don't control at any given time in a match) act?
What I mean by that is this: When playing against another human player, you COULD choose to let the AI defend most of the time by just not selecting them manually. Of course we all know from playing solo mode, out-dribbling a "beginner" AI is way easier than doing the same against a "top player" AI. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I recall the defense mechanisms of an easy AI are much less solid altogether. Now, if said setting does influence (again: does it?) the behavior of AI players in an human-controlled team, it would be a bad idea not to defend "manually" all the time. Otherwise, on "top player" setting, it could be better (depending on your skills...) to let the AI player do his defending automatically. Therefore, the game would be harder on "beginner" setting. Better players could score goals more easily against a weaker enemy - the weaker player would not have the option of relying on the AI defense (not even by accident - think of players who don't switch players that often!).
Yesterday I tested this casually with a friend. Matches on "beginner" ended with 6+ goals on average. Matches on "top player" ended on 3+ goals. Coincidence? Maybe, because he chose Chelsea when I switched to "top player" and I found it always hard to play against them. Anyway, your thoughts on this matter?
2) The "morale effect". I'm fairly sure, everybody who plays PES knows this effect. Concede one or more goals, and your players just refuse to play soccer any more. Many easy passes end up in the opponent's arms, 100% sure shots won't go in, attackers hide behind the opponent's defenders, while the own defenders do everything but defend. But go up two goals ahead instead, and everything is the exact opposite: Basically, you can 1-pass blindly through the midfield without worrying of it being intercepted, your attackers are always free for a deadly through pass, shots go in easier, and almost every "free ball" on the field ends up magically at one of your player's feet.
From what I've experienced, the only way to "get back in the game" is to play it safe, hold the ball in your possession, try to get a shot on goal every now and then. In short, try to keep up with this situation. Conceding another goal at this moment means open season on your goal. Half time seems to weaken the effect. Goals can turn it around altogether, putting the opponent in that awkward position.
My point is, I basically like the simulation aspect of it - a team that trails 0-3 in real life won't come back without a miracle. But this is still a video game and the effect is way to strong. A player should have the same possibility of scoring a goal all the time. The players should behave the same no matter what the scoreboard reads. Surely, player fatigue has to be taken in account, but that's about it.
Now I know every player has a morale value in his stats, and there are the teamwork values that can be displayed in the formation settings screen. But I've never read anywhere (from Konami or from fans) about the existence of this effect, let alone a documentation for that matter. So, I'd like to hear your thoughts about this, too. Does it exist (or am I and my friends imagining this)?
Kudos for reading.