“You don’t need to invent anything, you just have to do traditional research where you look at history and then compliment that with scientific research where you’re trying to do something new. That can lead to a lot in the business and technology sectors these days” – Bill Buxton
A chat with Microsoft Principal Researcher Bill Buxton, Part I
Yesterday, I had the chance to download and play the Fifa 2010 demo for quite a bit. Even though I’m a huge soccer fan, I will try to keep this short review as objective as possible.
Overall, the game looks solid and improved. It will be one of those “must-have” games for all soccer fans out there:
What I love:
- Player control and maneuverability: EA has improved this considerably. You now have almost total control of your player.
- Players AI: One thing that you will notice immediately is that your players are not “morons” when waiting for a pass, trying to tackle or intercepting a pass. But the HUGE improvement was made to the goalkeeper – WOW!
- Players visuals and details
- Gameplay workflow
- Referee: The way he pulls a yellow/red card out…kudos for EA
Needs improvement:
- Visuals for Stadium/fans surroundings – still look like 2 generations ago.
- Default view made the players look small. I know you can switch to different views but this one – which I like because it gives you an overall view of the field – make the players tiny.
- Slow? Even though the gameflow is great, I feel is a little bit slower than previous version.
So far, I have not found something major for a negative comment. One thing though, tonight I will try to uncover some of the old tricks and cheats that a lot of people complaint when playing online with their counterparts.
I tested the demo on a PS3 so I could not tell if there’s any difference on the XBox 360. In the past, EA has developed these titles quite similar (if not identical) for both platforms.
Enjoy!
Key Features
• 360° Dribbling—The first-ever true 360° dribbling system in a football game provides finer dribbling control, enabling players to find spaces between defenders that previously were not possible.
• Skilled Dribbling—All-new animation warping technology provides unprecedented control. Skilled players now have the ability to face a defender and use highly-responsive lateral dribbling to skip past him.
• Freedom in Physical Play—Wider dribble touches and new collision sharing creates a varied, less predictable, and extended fight for possession between the dribbler and a defender.
• Player Urgency—Improved urgency AI logic, with over 50 new movement cycles, delivers more responsive positioning so your players stay focused on the ball and move at a speed appropriate to the action.
• Improved Trapping Intelligence —Players now have a better awareness of where the easiest, most natural trapping position is so they can get the ball on the ground and under control easier and earlier.
• Advanced Positioning —Defenders multi-task and play the pitch more intelligently by covering dangerous spaces left by out-of-position teammates. In attack, players analyze space more effectively, curve their runs to stay onside, create passing lanes and vary attacking options.
• More Accurate Passing —Players better analyze space resulting in pinpoint passes that give their receivers more options and time to outrun defensive pressure.
• Authentic Shooting —Refinements to the shooting system and modifications of the ball physics create a wider, more realistic variety of shots that enhance the exhilaration of scoring.
• Varied Defending Options —Slide Tackle targeting has been enhanced so skilled players have more reach and avoid tackling through the dribbler. Better effort clearance logic gives defenders more options when attempting to get a foot on the ball before an attacker. Effort, such as sliding to block crosses and overhead kick clearances, give defenders more tools to prevent goal-scoring opportunities.
• Refined Goalkeeper Intelligence — numerous improvements mean that goalkeepers now have more urgency and better perception of where to intercept loose balls, resulting in a more responsive and powerful rushing system. New animation warping technology provides game-realistic goalkeeper positioning and momentum, resulting in more varied scoring opportunities.
• Manager Mode Authenticity—More than 50 major improvements were designed to create an authentic experience to mimic the real-world game. Match results are based on team and player strengths and weaknesses. Player transfers are determined by multiple decision points, including club finance and prestige, availability of similar players, and competition from AI-controlled clubs. Player development is more realistic with true-to-life growth curves based on factors such as age and environment.
• Continuous Gameplay— Maintain the atmosphere, pace, and intensity of a match with quick free kicks and referee carding.
• New Practice Arena—Work on individual skills in a fully featured practice mode before stepping on the pitch.
EA PS3 development has now ‘caught up’ with 360 development.
PS3 FIFA 09′s graphics will be “at least as good” as 360 FIFA 09′s, EA has promised.
Speaking to VideoGamer.com in an interview, FIFA 09 PS3 and Xbox 360 producer David Rutter said that some multiplatform game developers had in the past struggled to get the PS3 version up to scratch simply because they started working on Microsoft’s console first.
However, Rutter said that EA development on PS3 has now “caught up” and it has achieved “parity” on its multiplatform games.
Rutter said: “This year we’ve done a heap of work to make sure that the actual visuals of the game are at least as good on PS3 as 360, to the extent where we’ve had meetings with executives that have basically been fine tooth combing almost, taken a microscopic look at what’s going on to make sure they are as good as each other, and they are. There’s no graphical features or level of rendering or anything else that’s different between the consoles this year.”
When asked why such attention was needed to get the PS3 version to the same level as the 360 version, Rutter replied: “A lot of it is to do with the fact that when all the game teams around the world started work on console games they ended up making a 360 version before a PS3. So tools and technologies were there to support 360 in advance of PS3, and the investment required to do both is obviously an up front cost, and it takes a little while to catch up.”
He added: “Yeah. As far as we’re concerned we’re there. There is parity, as it’s called, between 360 and PS3 for us. We’re chuffed about that.”
FIFA 09 is due out for Xbox 360, PS3 and PS2 this Autumn. Check out our hands-on preview right here.
Tags: PS3, XBox 360, Fifa 09, PS3 Fifa 09, Xbox 360 FIFA 09, EA, Rutter
UPDATE!
EA just got FIFA 09 site Live. Not too much information there but it should be flooded eventually
Enjoy!
Here’s over a minute-and-a-half-lasting gameplay video of EA Sports’ upcoming FIFA 09, to be released this October as per usual. The video originally appeared courtesy of France’s PSM3 magazine, but was cut-through with interview and talk, full of information that flooded the internet a couple weeks back. Here’s only the shakycam, but nevertheless first gameplay moments as recorded by PSM3.
N4G.com : FIFA 09 debut gameplay video
UPDATE!
GamePlayer Australia wrote a really good comparison including images of each game. Take a look >>>
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Konami has just announced that they will be releasing Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PES 2009) this fall. It seems that they are working to regain first place – unexpectedly taken by the FIFA latest series.
But not so fast, this time is going to be a close fight because EA with its FIFA 09 is looking to become one of the most anticipated soccer games. I know a lot of people is going to trash what I’m saying but for no one is a secret that the latest PES game was a totally disappointment.
I’ve just created a small comparison of the new features to be included in each game:
| - Improved physics system. FIFA 09 has an improved physics system which affects both players and the football itself allowing for beautiful, powerful and devastating shots and unprecedented levels of realism during a match. - Improved animation system. The brilliant animation system seen in FIFA - New player faces. 3D player modeling is vastly improved and now offers - Increased response times and game speed. Player response times have been |
- New additions include that will further bridge the gap between According to Konami: - ‘The new game has undergone a stunning graphical update to ensure its - ‘Similarly, all-new options allow users to tailor the game to their own - “We are committed to extending the realism of the new game with a wealth of |
Tags: FIFA09, PES 2009, Pro Evolution Soccer, Fifa 09 screenshots, Konami, EA
UPDATE!
EA just got FIFA 09 site Live. Not too much information there but it should be flooded eventually
Enjoy!
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In the begining of the Euro 2008, Eurogamer Portugal has posted some new FIFA 09 Screenshots. Check them out…
- Improved physics system. FIFA 09 has an improved physics system which affects both players and the football itself allowing for beautiful, powerful and deveastating shots and unprecedented levels of realism during a match.
- Improved animation system. The brilliant animation system seen in FIFA 08 is improved upon to include hundreds of new animations for players that further add to the simulation feel of the game.
- New player faces. 3D player modelling is vastly improved and now offers unbelievable similarities to the real life counterparts.
- Increased response times and game speed. Player response times have been increased to increase the flow of the game as in real life, while game speed has been tweaked from FIFA 08.
