Fifa 12

[JingleBells]

wtf is this ultimate team shit

Just that, shit.

It's a way for EA to make more money by getting children to buy game packs with players in. (Each to their own I suppose)


It's all about pro clubs for me, making your little man and playing in a team online - although I forgot how much effort I had to do in 11 before playing, our FIFA12 club is full of dreadful players like me (seriously, finesse shots just end up going out for throw-ins). The team I play with played a game last night vs some French guys who played 1-5-2-2 as a formation, the back 6 never left their own half and the front 4 just ran rings round our untrained pro's - they had 11 human players, I'd love to know what the 6 defenders find enjoyable about winning without ever leaving their own half.

The new defensive system is certainly taking a while to get used to, I've started a career mode as Burton Albion at Professional level, and I'm getting there, I've beaten Leeds (who missed two penalties :lol and Everton in the League Cup. I normally play FIFA on say professional level and try and get the hang of it (winning like 5-0 all the time) then move up to World Class

 

[eksdee]

btw, you can change the defending back to old style if you didn't know... I seen it earlier, from Tactical to Legendary(old fifa style)

But you can't use Legacy defending online, as the option is removed. Best to just learn TD.

 

[Turamber]

Thought I was doing well as I beat my Danish mate a bunch of times the other night. I played the computer this evening and got repeatedly thrashed. The defending is doing my head in.

 

[TheDoon]

I've played the demo for like an hour and i can defend fine, but I'm really struggling to attack, I've scored 1 goal in about 10 games.

 

[Turamber]

I seem to recall they patched last years version because of similar attacking/defending problems, perhaps they will rebalance it again? Games should never be balanced around the best players...

 

[Aada]

I seem to recall they patched last years version because of similar attacking/defending problems, perhaps they will rebalance it again? Games should never be balanced around the best players...

Well that's the problem with Fifa it always has been attacking players some how gain a superhuman speed boost when they are running forward and defenders are left for dust with no way of catching up which is not fucking real in anyway.

 

[Aada]

I've had it with this game there is so much that feels wrong its crazy the defending system is shit it comes down to how many times you can press lb in a match.

The impact system oh dear lord its shit players just falling over each other especially defenders which just makes it suspicious everytime it happens.

Speaking of defenders why does the AI leave gaping holes in your defence that the striker happens to be there, corners as well just feels scripted I can't count how many times I literally just can't get to that header no matter what I try.

What really grates me though is I get punished for the other guy quitting yes that's right my DNF goes down if the other guy quits, WTF?

I'll play PES and the unlicenced teams any day of the week.

 

[eksdee]

Some more musings on TD, from another forum:

I haven't changed my buttons around, you get used to them after a short time. 90% of my defending is done using only the thumbsticks and triggers anyway.


I very rarely (almost never) use the actual Contain function, whereas I'm constantly using the Jockey button (and Sprint Jockey when appropriate, so basically the two triggers) while repositioning my defenders.

I find that this gives me finer control rather than just holding Contain and locking on, because I can define better where I want to 'force' the dribbler to go, and also control when I move in or back off.


As in real life, players will take fewer risks with the ball the nearer they are to their own goal. So if you're thinking you can wade in and tackle a centre-back or a deep midfielder in their own half, they are understandably not going to let you get close. They'll move away or shift the ball to a teammate. It's only when they get around your area, where the space is also more compressed, that they will take more risks with the ball in an attempt to make something happen. This seems logical. But it doesn't mean you can't force them backwards, harry them into a bad pass or anticipate for an interception.

Some opinions:

1. Most importantly, approach defending as a collective team exercise rather than a 1v1 drill. If you're focussing too much on the ball and not what everyone else is doing, you're going to be dissected.

2a. You need to defend by retaining your team's formation and staying organised, so use the right thumbstick to select specific players and keep your shape. Always be wary of being pulled out of position. If the dribbler cuts inside from the wing and dribbles across half the width of the pitch, pass him on to a central player rather than chasing him endlessly. Maintain your shape at all times.

2b. On that note, use the Teammate Contain sparingly. Don't lean on it like a crutch, or your players will be pulled out of position. Use it only at a strategic moment, e.g. to help contain the dribbler while you shut off his passing options. Don't hold it for long, and don't use it without fully considering the gaps that your teammate might end up leaving.

3a. You need to defend by anticipating and blocking passing lanes. Teammates not under your control can make a reasonable effort at remaining goalside of a dribbler, so sometimes it's better for you to flick selection to a different player and move him into a potential passing lane, denying that pass (or intercepting if it is attempted). Prioritise blocking off the forward passes. The more difficult you make it for the opponent to pass forwards, the fewer chances/goals you'll concede.

3b. Similarly, if you're jockeying the dribbler, always anticipate where he might want to play the ball next. You can 'shade' him to either side, positioning your defender in a way that stops him from squeezing an expected pass beyond you down a particular side.

4. You need to defend by denying options. Thinking one step ahead. This is the key to effective pressing, and it's how Barcelona do it:

The opponent cannot play through you if he has nobody to pass to. If he has nobody to pass to, you can close in and force him either away from your goal or to lose the ball.

5. If the opponent releases a pass, don't always immediately follow the ball. Sometimes it's better to track his next movement for a moment to ensure that he doesn't just slip past to receive the one-two.

6. Know who your strong players are. When you do get close to an opponent, a strong defender can be more aggressive with the 'Push/Pull' feature and muscle them out of it.

7. If you find that attackers are skipping around you too easily... it means you're simply too close. Back off. Jockey at a distance of an extra yard or two away and you'll find that you can react to their changes of direction much more comfortably.

8. Above all, remain patient and wait for your chance to make a successful tackle. Eventually you'll force them into a rushed/difficult pass, or you'll channel them into traffic, and then you can pounce. But only at the right time.

 

[Shagrat]

Some more musings on TD, from another forum:

cheers, thats quite helpful. I think its just a case of breaking all the FIFA11 defending habits really, this feels more like defending in a game of football, rather than in a football game (if that makes any sense)....

 

[eksdee]

Yeah, exactly. It's really hard to master definitely, but far from impossible to be competent enough to become competitive.

I still give away tonnes of bad goals to cheesy tactics, but I at least am able now something like 7 times out of 10 to stop people one two chipped passing their way through my defense. I lost 7-1 to some guy today who just constantly 1-2'ed around my whole team. I couldn't get near him. Yet my record is 44-0-21 (or thereabouts) on Ultimate Team so I know I'm doing okay.

Head to Head is another matter right now. The last four games I've played, I've lost. Every time to someone using the keeper control/cpu defence 'feature'. It's just impossible to break down a defense on World Class difficulty most of the time. They then break against me - as the CPU tends to allow you right up to their penalty box before putting in a challenge - and score. Irritating. I'm seriously thinking of just sticking to Ultimate Team until they fix this bullshit. Not that people don't use it on UT as well, there are plenty of lamers there, but somehow it's less of a problem when you're not playing against Barcelona or Man City ever game.

 

[megadave]

Had my first real session last night. Started on amateur by mistake and hammered them, so I decided to try out Legendary mode. I thought I was going to get battered like I did on my first play on world class, but I won 4 games out of 5, although only ever by 1 goal

I don't mind the new system tbh, in previous FIFAs I generally used to back off into good positions and use the team-mate contain since holding X against good opposition would get you skinned online, so defending has barely changed for me.
I rearranged the buttons; the tackle button seems awful unless it's absolutely perfectly timed and even then you're not guaranteed possession so I ditched that, the slide tackle is almost as bad, it often goes straight to the opposition or my player doesn't get up in time, just like previous years. I've basically just replaced the old press/tackle with contain but spend most of my time jockeying like last year. I do struggle when they make it into the box though, mainly because I haven't found a way to get tight enough and actually land a tackle, it generally just results in a wall of players scrambling it out.

As Wazzer said, playing the AI is fucking dull as shit and the same old problems are still there. I hate how increasing the difficulty means that opposition players stats are boosted instead of the AI actually being more intelligent. They become immensely disciplined at defending yet in attack all that happens is they become freakishly good at keeping possession until they get a shit cross goal or a shit rebound goal, it's never a through ball, or a nice bit of passing or a longball over the top. ZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[eksdee]

Yep, couldn't agree more about the AI.

 

[megadave]

Every time to someone using the keeper control/cpu defence 'feature'.

What is this?

 

[eksdee]

Basically if you press back on 360 or select on PS3, you take control of the keeper and the CPU controls the rest of your players... on world class level. Good luck breaking down that consistently. The CPU is just too good and it almost always ends in the other person breaking on you and scoring. SO frustrating.

 

[Aada]

Played about 5 games last night and traded it in every match is just lol anyone tell me why defenders with the same pace stat still can't catch the striker?

The game is horse shit through and through and the funny thing is there was a lot mode copies already traded in.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Played about 5 games last night and traded it in every match is just lol anyone tell me why defenders with the same pace stat still can't catch the striker?

Because defenders start from facing the wrong way and standing, whereas runners don't have to change direction and are normally at pace so don't have to accelerate.

 

[megadave]

It's also because if you increase the AI, opposition attributes increase, I think there are sliders in the options to change this though, so you can make their players slower? I haven't checked.

A couple of weeks ago I was on FIFA11, slipped a through ball though to my Pro, had about 2 yards on Mensah yet he caught up to me and effortlessly tackled from behind, checked each plays speed stats, his was about 75, mine about 97

 

[Aada]

Because defenders start from facing the wrong way and standing, whereas runners don't have to change direction and are normally at pace so don't have to accelerate.

But even side by side a striker will outpace the defender, some other things that annoyed me the impact system is bollocks last night i was in a game me and the striker got into a tangle and fell over 3 times! each time the striker beat me to getting up and running onto score twice, fine but 3 times is bulltshit,

 

[megadave]

You can stop slow defenders out-pacing fast strikers in options by adjusting these sliders, there's each of these options for both Human and AI

EA are introducing sliders this year to allow you to customise your own experience. Each slider can be changed for both the user and CPU teams seperately and can be done, on the fly, mid match.

Sprint Speed

Modifies the maximum sprint speed a team can reach.

Acceleration

Modifies the time it takes for a teams player to reach their maximum speed.

Shot Error

Increases/Reduces the amount of error applied to a teams normal shots. This doesn’t affect other types of shots (i.e finesse).

Pass Error

Increases/Reduces the amount of error applied to a teams ground passes. This does not affect other types of passes.

Shot Speed

Increases/reduces the amount of speed applied to a teams normal shots. This doesn’t affect other types of shots (i.e finesse).

Pass Speed

Increases/reduces the amount of speed applied to a teams ground passes. This doesn’t affect other types of passes.

Injury Frequency

Increases/reduces the frequency that injuries occur within a team.

Injury Severity

When a player from a team gets an injury, this will increase/reduce the severity.

Goalkeeper Ability

Increases/reduces the saving ability of the goalkeeper.

Positioning: Marking

Increases/decreases how tightly the defenders mark their opponents.

Positioning: Run frequency

Increases/decreases the number of runs teammates will make.

Positioning: Line height

Specifies how high/low the defensive line will positions themselves for a team.

Positioning: Line Length

Specifies how stretched or compact the team will try to keep their line for the pitch.

Positioning: Line width

Specifies how stretched or compact the team will try to keep for the width of the pitch.

Positioning: Fullback Positioning

Increases/decreases how far the teams fullbacks will push forward.

Power bar

Modifies how quickly/slowly the power bar fills up when you request any type of pass or shot.

It will take a while for people to find the sweet spots for settings, and everyones will probably be pretty different, but we’ll gather a list of what people are using post launch.

 

[Turamber]

It's a very realistic game to be fair. I can't even get Tevez to get off the bench.

 

[Litmus]

It's a very realistic game to be fair. I can't even get Tevez to get off the bench.

Ha lol yea

 

[Wazzerphuk]

West Brom 0 – 0 Arsenal | EA SPORTS Soccer

Impact engine frustration followed by funny - obvious pen not given, followed by their player springboarding off Sagna's back to pull off a face plant. Good work.

 

[eksdee]

Can't believe they STILL haven't fixed the goalkeeper abuse. It's so dumb. I play online to play against players, not the CPU.

 

[eksdee]

Just gave this guy an absolute trashing on Ultimate Team. This goal was the icing on the cake:

Replay 5 | EA SPORTS Soccer

 

[eksdee]

Goalkeeper control in online games has now been patched out on all platforms. Fuck yeah. It's like a totally different game now.

 

[Overdriven]

Some major gripes with this game and the AI involved, especially with the keeper and random players stop running.

Don't get me wrong, LoL moments with the impact engine sometimes.

 

[JingleBells]

Been trying out Head 2 Head seasons as Borussia Monchengladbach as I'm in a private league as them and need some practice, beginning to get used to defending - essentially you have to not mash the tackle buttons like a twat and try and contain the play.

Still get stupid things like this though:

http://www.ea.com/uk/football/videos/ugc/100494178

I love how when you fall over you block everyone, I scored another earlier when I tried to lob the on rushing keeper - but he blocked it, took me out and somehow ended up behind me so all I had to do was stand up and slot it into an empty net.

Also fucking quitters stopping me getting the "Win a H2H Seasons game" achievement

 

[Shagrat]

aw man I suck. playing the EA tournament, got to the final, 2-2 in the 85th minute and what do i do..........goalkeeper throws the ball straightto their forward

soooooo mad.

 

[eksdee]

Happens to everyone now and again tbh. Still obsessed with Fifa. Play it an unreal amount.

http://www.ea.com/soccer/videos/ugc/100794943 my latest screamer.

 

[Keitanz]

I think that goalkeeper thing is a bug, seems to happen a LOT online..