2012 AI Tactics and Settings

[EvanRG]

Quote: Originally Posted by spit_bubble

^ I think I got that wrong, might also be: 1. default 2. defensive 3. balanced 4. offensive Though that sort of goes against what the icons seem to indicate. Who knows, maybe there is no real order to them, and perhaps the AI can distinguish between them all by other means.

When I started my Master League Online and went to edit my tactics, it said the order was 1. Default 2. Defensive 3. Balanced 4. Offensive

So you were right the second time.

[spit_bubble]

^ Ah cool so it actually said this. Might have been better for them to actually label the slots as such, rather than have that info tucked away somewhere.

[spit_bubble]

It seems the AI's use of formation change is independent of tactics. Case in point, I switched the four tactics for my team so that they all had a 4-2-3-1, and yet kept the assisted manager on. During the game I was down 2-1 late and the AI switched my formation to a 4-2-2-2.

I didn't check the pause menu to see if it effected any of those four presets, I was busy trying to win the game. So I'm not really sure what the deal is at this point. I'm going to keep the same set up and pay closer attention.

[KG]

From the same link that Bahnzo posted here is a list of what the actual settings mean:

Possession (OFF) = Direct Attacking with quick passing (on the ground)!
Possession (DEF) = possession play, slow attack dominating possession!
Long Ball = Counter attack, defenders sit deep and launch long passes up field tot he wingers and strikers
Quick Counter = High pressure, especially from strikers
Swap Wings = When you attack down one side, the winger on the other side attacks with you.
All out Attack = Long ball game, Stoke, Blackburn style!

Player support:

So this basically this dictates how teammates move around the ball carrier, so it's correct in it's called player support, where it's confusing is offensive and defensive.

So values 1-6, what they do is make players provide options sideways and many backwards 'safe options' to the ball carrier. So with Barca for example, this is set to 0, so it makes Barca play a lot of safe, backwards, sideways passes, So overall it means, 'slow orientated build up'.

values 7-13 (balanced) Just means teams will attack normally and player on the ball as standard look for options ahead of them unless the player isn't in clear space, teammates won't always run ahead of the ball carrier.

values 14-20 means fast attacking, team mates always look to get ahead of the ball carrier and the team is encourages to look only for forward passes!


Support Range:

Support range shows how close the players stay to around the ball carrier, so values 1-6 mean the players keep close together, (Barcelona Arsenal) it's useful for short passing game, tiki taka etc..

7-13 is standard

14-20 means players spread away from the ball carrier, this is useful for teams that counter, and teams like Stoke etc.. for long balls, Long passing game hoofball etc..

Position Switch

Position switch dictate how much freedom players have to temporarily play in different designated positions or switch places with players in similar positions.

1-6 means player rarely if ever switch positions (tactically disciplined)

7-13 means players will now and gain switch with players in a similar position, so for example the left central midfielder and right central midfielder or two strikers will change the sides they are playing, same with centre backs even.

14-20 is similar to that above but If a player finds himself out of position he will then take up the nearest position designated for a while, the drop back to his designated position.

So for example if a center back charges forward, if he ends up in midfield he will stay there for a bit, then move back, same with striker coming back to defend. It's built to give you the option to give your players the choice to swap around a bit in bid to confuse the opposition and say if a center back is getting the better of a striker, maybe swap for a secound with a winger and see if it confuses him.

Attacking Style:

Attacking style is quite important for player runs and general player movement when attacking.

1-6 means players will drift and congregate out in wide positions to support the ball carrier in making attacking moves out wide

7-13 (balanced) players will maintain their shape

14-20 players will congregate more in the middle, and wide men for example will come inside to offer support through the middle.

Pressing

Pressing is both how intense your team presses the oppositions ball carrier and also i've noticed a zonal element to this.

1-6 (loose) makes players stand off the ball carrier and the player will focus much more and working with his teammates as a unit.

7-13 players, won't actively close down the opposition, they will tend to hond shape unless the opposing ball carrier enter is, well 'zone' (Zonal marking) Maybe.

14-20 tight players will actively close down the opposition, 14-20 dictates how intense they move out of their formations shape to meet the ball carrier

Defensive Line:

Self explanatory really

1-6 Deep

7-13 Normal

14-20 High

Compactiviness:

This dictates how closely compacted your team is when closing in around the ball carrier

1-6 The team forms up as a unit very tightly in the center of the pitch

7-13 Normal

14-20 The team spreads out around the ball carrier.

Finally you should now that: 1-6 and 14-20 dictate how extreme you want your team style to be for each parameter so 14 is say relatively far from the ball carrier and 20 is very far etc..

7-13 Dictates you want a balance but with a slight favor towards a parameter. So 7 or 8 would mean your players your players would move slightly out wide, and say 11 12 would make them move slightly towards the middle etc..

[RoyceDa59]

Super post KG! This should help me creating formations.

[RoyceDa59]

Quote: Originally Posted by EvanRG

When I started my Master League Online and went to edit my tactics, it said the order was 1. Default 2. Defensive 3. Balanced 4. Offensive So you were right the second time.

Where did you find that info at, I have been looking all over for it. Spitbubble is right though it does sort of go against what the pictures indicate.

[spit_bubble]

Quote: Originally Posted by RoyceDa59

Where did you find that info at, I have been looking all over for it...

When you go to "Game Plan" and select the top option "Leave to Manager" it will show you the set up for the four slots, and they are indeed: 1. Default 2. Defensive 3. Balanced 4. Offensive

Thing is, I'm almost certain the AI will only use the first slot. That's not to say the AI won't make changes, but rather that the AI will only make changes within the first slot. I'm pretty sure the other three are just there for the user.

I played a game where the AI had control of my manager, and I went down late so the AI made a sub and changed the formation. When I checked the pause menu it showed those changes in the first slot.

Another game I played I let the AI control the subs, but I controlled the formations, and when a sub was made it reverted to the first slot during the game (I was using slot 3 at the time).

Another test I did was to change the tactic within the first slot to "Possession" at the match set up screen. Then I backed out, went back in and selected "Leave to Manager" to see how the AI would handle it, and the AI switched the tactic in the first slot to "Quick Counter".

And yet another reason I think the AI only uses the first slot is because when you use "Leave to Manager" slots 2-4 won't have an assigned tactic and instead will use the generic "Standard" one. And if you look at the formations for those slots they will be sort of strange as well.

So like I say, I'm pretty sure the AI only uses the first slot, and makes all changes within that slot. While slots 2-4 are there for the user, to swap on the fly without having to make a bunch of changes in the pause menu during a game.

I'm 98% sure of all this. And it makes sense if you think about it.

[spit_bubble]

^ Adding to this, I'm not so sure the AI will change your tactics for you during a game, even if you leave everything to the manager. I think you still have to take control of that if you want or need a change.

I played a few games with everything left to the manager and the tactics stayed on slot one even though it was pretty clear it would have been better to use another tactic.

So I think if you want to have the AI control your manager it's best to select "Choose Manually" at the pre-game set up, then choose to leave the assist on. This way all the slots will keep the proper formation rather than changing into the strange ones you see the AI come up with.

Kind of hard to explain, you'll have to just check it out to see what I'm talking about. One thing's for sure it's a lot more complicated than it has to be. I swear the way some games are designed Sloppy as *expletive*.