FIFA Soccer 10 Hands On Previews (Eurogamer, IGN)

[Steve_OS]

@ Eurogamer

Quote:

"Accessed in the current build by hitting the back button during the pre-match practice sequence, the editor splits the final third of the pitch into a number of square zones, covering the corners, and the outskirts of the 18-yard area. You can create set-pieces for each zone (up to four), with a maximum of 32 that can be saved to your profile. It works like this. Highlight a player you want to move with the right stick, hit record, and then manoeuvre him in real-time exactly where you want him to go during the move. His motion is tracked by a thick bluey-white line as a visual aid. You can repeat this with as many players as you like, slowly building up the set-piece to your exact specifications. All the while you can test it out against an AI defence at the push of a button, easily delete and re-record anything that's wrong, then save it to the d-pad for easy access in-game."

@IGN

Quote:

"Defensive AI is being beefed up and refined as well. You'll now see players leap in front of shots and stick their foot out to block an incoming pass. They're also being designed to cover open spaces and latch on to an opposing player making a run at your goal. Slide tackles, a favorite but risky move of many, will now be longer and more accurate in an effort to combat (and balance) the new 360 degree dribbling and skilled dribbling abilities that we've talked about before. Keeper AI, something that has been an issue of mine for some time, hopes to be more realistic once FIFA 10 ships. The developers are planning to implement more effective awareness of a goalkeeper's positioning so balls that they could reach out and pick up will no longer roll out of bounds, giving the opponent a corner. All of these subtle changes to the AI on the field are so finite they're impossible to see in my twenty-or-so minutes with the game. There were moments when it seemed like the new urgency behaviors hadn't been turned on, but the developers were quick to inform me that the build being used for the event was more than a month old. Here's hoping they make all of the planned additions in time for launch."

[teambayern]

Both look great so far.

[Qb]

It's stuff like this that worries me:

Quote:

Other changes are harder to gauge over a short playtest. Finesse shots seem tougher to pull off, and the refs are needlessly punitive, with far too many questionable fouls disrupting play. "Refs aren't fully figured out yet," Rutter reckons. Nor yet are the players, all of whom are currently undergoing final tweaking and balancing.

People aren't used to seeing fouls called in FIFA, they put it in, someone complains and we're back to square one. Worst case scenario paranoia on my part, of course...

[therizing02]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

It's stuff like this that worries me: People aren't used to seeing fouls called in FIFA, they put it in, someone complains and we're back to square one. Worst case scenario paranoia on my part, of course...

Exactly. I can hear the whining from the teen age cheesers on the EA boards now.

If EA claims that "Total Football" is the angle kind of like Madden's "if you see it on Sunday...", then the number of fouls per game needs to be increased.

Total Football does NOT equal 5 total fouls per game.

[ChaseB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

It's stuff like this that worries me: People aren't used to seeing fouls called in FIFA, they put it in, someone complains and we're back to square one. Worst case scenario paranoia on my part, of course...

After speaking with David at the event, I don't think you should be paranoid about that type of stuff. I don't think they're afraid of fouls, it was more just that they were not programmed right in old versions, and the team is now working to correct it.

And David said multiple times that fouling was essentially broken in the 70 percent done version I played in Vancouver on Monday, so it's hard to even gauge them yet.

(My preview is coming late today, and I can also answer some of the community questions.)

[KG]

I wouldn't mind a foul slider. Set it at halfway for online matches and let MM players increase it to replicate real footy.

[Qb]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

After speaking with David at the event, I don't think you should be paranoid about that type of stuff. I don't think they're afraid of fouls, it was more just that they were not programmed right in old versions, and the team is now working to correct it. And David said multiple times that fouling was essentially broken in the 70 percent done version I played in Vancouver on Monday, so it's hard to even gauge them yet. (My preview is coming late today, and I can also answer some of the community questions.)

Thanks, Chase. Looking forward to your reading your thoughts. I'm holding out hope that the 360 dribbling and re-worked standing tackle/pressure will create more fouling situations. Thoughts?

Quote: Originally Posted by kgx2thez

I wouldn't mind a foul slider. Set it at halfway for online matches and let MM players increase it to replicate real footy.

Now that just makes too much sense. Somebody fly this man to EA Canada...

[marcoyk]

Not having 360 degree movement was just about the only thing that annoyed me about last year's game. Glad to see it being put in to this game. I also thought set-pieces were a little lacking. I'm really liking what I'm reading.