FIFA 13

[ezee ryder]

It's been announced, new features also revealed.

As expected AI is major focus, but I reckon first touch (if done right) could be just a game changing, in a good way.

There are five main "features", which FIFA Soccer Blog have explained exceptionally well.

Attacking intelligence
First touch control
Complete dribbling
Impact engine (improved)
Tactical free kicks

EA has also said they will be focusing on the fundamentals quite a bit, which includes making the CPU AI more human, lateral defensive containment, new pass types (dinked), new animations (180 degree shots) and new behaviours (goal line clearances and shielding out of play).

Most positive so far, but it's sad to see they've neglected stuff like team styles and player individuality a little. However, I guess if a few of those five features work as intended, it could have a knock on effect.

[ezee ryder]

Some screenshots (more here) showing off their new cover star Messi, as you'd expect.

[nakamura]

It's like EA are making PES12!!

In seriousness, it sounds positive so let us hope it is. Fifa 12 was the first one I have sold this gen as it just became a chore to play.

[ezee ryder]

A tad worried about the defensive AI. Will it be able cope with the new and improved attacking AI? I doubt lateral movement on its own will be enough to deal with it. Hope they have actually improved the defensive side of things, and not just left it the same as FIFA 12.

[nakamura]

Yeah same here. So many times players are just left to run into space with full backs playing them onside or centre backs just not tracking.

[hudson]

My list of fixes to make it even better than last year...

• Sort out defenders ability to deal with a ball over the top. So many times defenders have stumbled or missed the ball completely with what I thought was a well timed attempt.
• Hey, on Pro Clubs, tell that AI to stop giving me a lofted ball (at close range too) when I blatantly wanted it on the floor (and vice versa).
• EA Sports, please make online friend league look more like a footy league with nicely laid out stats. None of this EA Hockey/Basketball hash presentation. Also, more admin functionality that caters for replays in case of any innocent disconnections suffered.
• Let's have squad line-ups save-able online.
• Prevent referee strips from clashing with mine or opponent's team.
• Make goalies less dumb at coming for obvious balls.

I really like FIFA 12. I mainly play online in H2H or Pro Clubs. Offline is a bit stale. Haven't played it since October 2011, not sure why. Boring games against the AI I think.

[rmoxon]

Yeah same here. So many times players are just left to run into space with full backs playing them onside or centre backs just not tracking.

Thats just you not anticipating the runs and not keeping your back 4 in check.

The deffensive a.i. In FIFA 12 was actually pretty good, but they just made it so you actually had to keep control of your team you couldn't rely on the CPU to play for you like you could in 11, and that's how it should be. The trick of a football game should be that you need to learn to manage all your players, not just one, and that's where FFA 12's biggest achievements lied.

I use to have problems with it too, until I bothed to actually get good at the game (granted it took me about 590 hours to get there, but I got there)

The only changes that need to be made to the AI are the ones involving difficulty level as currently it goes Professional: piss easy.... World Class: slightly too hard...... Legendary: virtually impossible to play against.

[ezee ryder]

Yes, there is a reliance on your controlling or keeping your back four in check. However, given that you can only control one player (fully) at a time, the defensive AI in FIFA 12 isn't up to scratch. As nakamura and hoolak mentioned, your defense is way too weak against balls over the top and one-two plays, especially the latter. The AI gets dragged in and unless you frantically switch between players, the opposition (offline or online) gets in behind you way too easily. It's something the team in Canada are fully aware of after receiving feedback from the community, and hopefully they have fixed it for FIFA 13.

The AI in FIFA 12 (defensive or otherwise) is by no means "pretty good", it's actually very poor. The single player suffers from the poor AI the most, as each game is really no different to the next no matter who you're playing. There's no real diversity or excitement, which is a shame as the career mode was much improved when compared to FIFA 11. It doesn't really have the same negative impact when you're playing multiplayer, but still shows itself to be quite poor, especially defensively. It's the reason why EA Sports have placed a massive focus on making it better and more human this year. I just hope the defensive side of the AI has been tweaked to match up to the attacking improvements.

After speaking to the lead gameplay producer recently, I'm glad they're not just making changes to the AI in terms of difficulty, as that would be utterly stupid and slap in the face of hardcore FIFA players and the community. It's nice to see they've listened to most of the player feedback and are looking to improve certain key areas whilst keeping the majority of gameplay fundamentals in mind. As always though, the proof is in the pudding, so I can't wait to get my hands on it and see if the changes they've made have improved the overall gameplay.

[rmoxon]

Yes, there is a reliance on your controlling or keeping your back four in check. However, given that you can only control one player (fully) at a time, the defensive AI in FIFA 12 isn't up to scratch. As nakamura and hoolak mentioned, your defense is way too weak against balls over the top and one-two plays, especially the latter. The AI gets dragged in and unless you frantically switch between players, the opposition (offline or online) gets in behind you way too easily. It's something the team in Canada are fully aware of after receiving feedback from the community, and hopefully they have fixed it for FIFA 13.

The AI in FIFA 12 (defensive or otherwise) is by no means "pretty good", it's actually very poor. The single player suffers from the poor AI the most, as each game is really no different to the next no matter who you're playing. There's no real diversity or excitement, which is a shame as the career mode was much improved when compared to FIFA 11. It doesn't really have the same negative impact when you're playing multiplayer, but still shows itself to be quite poor, especially defensively. It's the reason why EA Sports have placed a massive focus on making it better and more human this year. I just hope the defensive side of the AI has been tweaked to match up to the attacking improvements.

After speaking to the lead gameplay producer recently, I'm glad they're not just making changes to the AI in terms of difficulty, as that would be utterly stupid and slap in the face of hardcore FIFA players and the community. It's nice to see they've listened to most of the player feedback and are looking to improve certain key areas whilst keeping the majority of gameplay fundamentals in mind. As always though, the proof is in the pudding, so I can't wait to get my hands on it and see if the changes they've made have improved the overall gameplay.

Well I disagree with you in regards to defending.

When I first started playing it I would have agreed iwth you, but as I became good at the game, and learnt to keep all my deffenders in postion by switching between them I realised I was just originally very rubbish at the game. I actually like the defending now, I think its a shame that so many people seem to refuse to adapt to it so its forcing the developer to make the game easier again for Fifa 13. At the end of the day deffending against players like Messi should be challenging, it should get you on the edge of your seat, I dont want the A.I. to do all the work for me. If they tweak the AI as youre suggesting it will simply cancel the attacking movment of the opposing team out.

I do however agree with you in regards to the single player, it does feel very similar no matter who you are playing, and I think this is in large part due not only to every team having a single play style but the fact that on higher difficulty the A.I. performas almost faultlessly, its simply not that fun.

[hudson]

The issue with the ball over the top is the game's problem. If the ball goes over the top and both the attacker and defender are together jostling for it, but the defender has a bit of an advantage due to being better positioned, FIFA12 sometimes, about 50/50 will have your defender automatically attempt to control it, but for some reason, and it may be due to defenders not having very good ball control stats, the defender takes either a hideous clumsy touch, misses it completely, or if you do try to combat it (press a well timed button) you may find your defender swing a simple leg at it (or header) to clear, only to miss and fall over. Most of the problem was not down to the player doing anything wrong.

I remember there was a similar problem in FIFA09 or 10, but they patched it to make it better.

[rmoxon]

The issue with the ball over the top is the game's problem. If the ball goes over the top and both the attacker and defender are together jostling for it, but the defender has a bit of an advantage due to being better positioned, FIFA12 sometimes, about 50/50 will have your defender automatically attempt to control it, but for some reason, and it may be due to defenders not having very good ball control stats, the defender takes either a hideous clumsy touch, misses it completely, or if you do try to combat it (press a well timed button) you may find your defender swing a simple leg at it (or header) to clear, only to miss and fall over. Most of the problem was not down to the player doing anything wrong.

I remember there was a similar problem in FIFA09 or 10, but they patched it to make it better.

What youre describing is down to you, the player, its not a fault of the game. If you atempt to control the ball with a defender who has riubbish ball control skills its your own fault when you lose it. Next time whack the ball into the stands, dont try to control it.

Ive never actually had a player miss the ball like you describe though so I dont know whats going on there.

[hudson]

Maybe you play on easy mode or don't play online much. I know I'm not alone and that you, on this forum, would argue that the clouds are willys til you're blue in the face.

[rmoxon]

Maybe you play on easy mode or don't play online much. I know I'm not alone and that you, on this forum, would argue that the clouds are willys til you're blue in the face.

Cant say I'm bothered what you think about what I'd argue about.

I play online all the time, I'm on my 52nd online season, I'm in the top division, and in single player I play on world class, though I don't play single player much at all to be fair.

Just becuase I'm better at defending than you doesn't mean I am talking rubbish, it just means I have had more practise and I know how to play it better.


Plus, you know, Sometimes clouds DO look like willies

[hudson]

Cant say I'm bothered what you think about what I'd argue about.

I play online all the time, I'm on my 52nd online season, I'm in the top division, and in single player I play on world class, though I don't play single player much at all to be fair.

Just becuase I'm better at defending than you doesn't mean I am talking rubbish, it just means I have had more practise and I know how to play it better.


Plus, you know, Sometimes clouds DO look like willies

No, I'm the best. I won the north west and then represented the nation for the title.

In the Barbie and Ken dress making finals.

[rmoxon]

No, I'm the best. I won the north west and then represented the nation for the title.

In the Barbie and Ken dress making finals.

See that's the problem!

While you were making dresses for little dolls I was learning how to defend in FIFA 12

Thats the difference right there.