News Post

FIFA 09 Producer Interview: Dave Rutter Part 2

03:02 PM - July 23, 2008 by Steve_OS

We have just uploaded Part 2 of our exclusive interview with FIFA 09 Xbox 360 and PS3 Producer, Dave Rutter.

Also be sure to check out our FIFA 09 screenshots section as we've added two new high-res in-game shots.

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Member Comments

# 1 EXboxur @ 07/23/08 03:07 PM

Nice!

Reading now....

# 2 therizing02 @ 07/23/08 03:20 PM

Great interview! It's also sounds like the fatigue system will be working well this year.

Unfortunately no handballs. I guess a good follow up would be why are they in the PC game then?

# 3 EXboxur @ 07/23/08 03:40 PM

- No handballs and probably won't be for a number of years. This is extremely disappointing and like therizing mentioned they are in the PC version. (Perhaps this is something that could be asked at the Community day.)

- I don't know if he understood the dummy pass button question. It doesn't sound like it's in there though. (Maybe this is something that could be brought up at the community day too.)

- The finesse shot is not new, but it seems as if it is being presented as a new feature.

- We are still locked into the original PK direction selected, which means PKs will probably remain the same as 08. Not good. Right now the keepers have a great advantage during PKs because once the kick taker selects an area of the goal to shoot at he cannot change the shot direction. In other words, if the kicker chooses to place the ball in the top right corner and presses the shoot button, he is locked into shooting there, even if the keeper is all the way to the right. It's hard to explain, but I'm sure some of you guys know what I'm talking about.

- Cup games at correct venues is a plus.

- No Africa Cup of Nations in the game means players won't be missing during the appropriate times in manager mode.

- There are reserve players again, but no youth or reserve league.

- Loaned out players get better with appropriate teams. Still no word on whether or not we can check how well they're doing.

- Still no dynamic lighting. Not sure why. Most other EA sports games have it.

- As usual we can't see coaches in FIFA games, only WC and Euro games.

- No practice/free training. I still don't understand why this is so hard to implement.

- It sounds like there might be some sort of create-a-team feature, but we have to wait until Leipzig. Fingers crossed.

- Still no replays to the hard drive. Again, I don't get it.

- I really hope the fatigue system has been improved. This might not seem like much, but if it has been "changed significantly" then this is great news.

- The free kick system sounds much better, still not perfect but it sounds like it's getting there.

# 4 poster @ 07/23/08 03:41 PM

Agree on the fatigue system. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

# 5 bad_philanthropy @ 07/23/08 03:43 PM

So can we cautiously assume from this interview that the fatigue system will work properly and that cpu teams will actually alter their lineups in manager mode? I can't wait for this game.

# 6 Bahnzo @ 07/23/08 04:14 PM

Does anyone else find it disappointing the producer of FIFA doesn't understand what a dummy pass is? I can't remember what it was, but there was another soccer specific thing he didn't understand earlier too. This is like the producer of Madden not knowing what a Cover 2 defense is.

How hard is it to put a proper practice mode in, even if it's just free kicks and corners?

Nothing really new, and gotta love when old features get touted as new ones, even when they were in the game last year.

# 7 therizing02 @ 07/23/08 04:25 PM

My follow up questions from this interview...

If handballs are so hard to program why are they in the PC version?

Can you talk more about the Fatigue system. Specifically will CPU managers adjust lineups accordingly? During the game AND before.

Can we check on the progress of our loaned out players during the season?

Will players get called for International matches during MM?

# 8 BrianFifaFan @ 07/23/08 04:30 PM

It's good to hear about fatigue, but the handball thing is kinda a bummer. Like Therizing said, it's on the PC version. And the collision detection is phenominal on this game, how hard could it really be? The create-a-team stuff is probably gonna be like NHL. But that would be really cool if you could create yourself.

All in all a good article. But it still worries me that Man Mode hasn't really been mentioned as having any major work. It was functional, but buggie. And the PC version was much better. Still counting the days. The footage on the MLS capture video looks really good. Come on Lepzig! First gameplay footage then........

# 9 Qb @ 07/23/08 05:00 PM

Bahnzo, the other thing you mentioned was 'quick restarts' to which he said [paraphrasing] "I'm not sure what you mean, we do have a quick rematch option for online play..."

Rutter is a Brit, right? I'm hoping that these might be due to a language/terminology misunderstanding.

Overall, some good stuff, some disappointing stuff and more examples of answers that don't really answer the question...

# 10 drjohnnyboy @ 07/23/08 05:50 PM

He definately did not understand the "dummy pass" term

I am pleased to see they finally have added the free kick layoff man and dynamic wall, will make for some more interesting scenarios

# 11 luckyluchiano @ 07/23/08 07:15 PM

What about stat tracking throughout your manager mode...Why cant we see what is going on in all the leagues when the season is going on. You only meet in the CL league...What about Stat history and Trophy history like Madden. After the season I want to look at my accomplishments...I want to know how many goals I scored throughout my career..I want to look at my trophy case and see all my winnings...Why isnt the Santiago Bernebaeu in the game??

# 12 thegoons21 @ 07/23/08 08:29 PM

Yeah, he either didn't understand the questions, skated around them, or the questions themselves weren't specific enough. Hopefully for community day you guys will get specifics.

In regards to loaned players, my big thing is yaaay they'll get better but will we actually see them get put in the starting 11? Still no mention if they've put in best 11 feature for MM.

Everything else is gravy.

# 13 greenhorn @ 07/23/08 09:14 PM

Excuse my naivete, but what is a �dummy pass?�

Can�t wait to see some extensive gameplay footage and more manager mode info.

# 14 EXboxur @ 07/23/08 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhorn


	Excuse my naivete, but what is a �dummy pass?� Can�t wait to see some extensive gameplay footage and more manager mode info.

When a player acts as if he is going to receive a pass, but instead lets it run through.

# 15 ryanmjo @ 07/23/08 09:34 PM

If there's a part 3 can someone ask if they took out the Estadio de los Artes? I also agree the loan system needs to be fixed.

# 16 Qb @ 07/24/08 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhorn


	Excuse my naivete, but what is a “dummy pass?”

Quote:

Originally Posted by EXboxur


	When a player acts as if he is going to receive a pass, but instead lets it run through.

Exboxur is right in regards to what the question was asking, but I can see where Rutter may have misunderstood. The term 'dummy pass' could be misconstrued (as Rutter did) to mean a 'fake pass' as I believe the word is used in that manner at times in the British vernacular. Although I think that would be usually be called a 'feint-pass' so I could be wrong, of course...

The funny part is that the animation for faking the reception of a pass & allowing it to roll through into space (clumsy I know, but in the interest of clarity) IS in 08, but I have no idea how to trigger it (happens infrequently, but I've definitely seen it). Since a lot of us played the WE series, we remember being able to do this with that control scheme by holding one of the shoulder buttons as the pass approached and would like to have the option to do so manually in FIFA. It could prove very useful to combat the ever popular tactic of charging defenders at the pass receiver, although improved player responsiveness & first-touch control could help immensely in those situations as well...

# 17 KG @ 07/24/08 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bahnzo


	Nothing really new, and gotta love when old features get touted as new ones, even when they were in the game last year.

That is a staple of EA's next-gen games.

"New for 2009, but don't tell anyone this was in 2006"

# 18 ezekiel55 @ 07/24/08 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianFifaFan


	It's good to hear about fatigue, but the handball thing is kinda a bummer. Like Therizing said, it's on the PC version. And the collision detection is phenominal on this game, how hard could it really be? The create-a-team stuff is probably gonna be like NHL. But that would be really cool if you could create yourself. All in all a good article. But it still worries me that Man Mode hasn't really been mentioned as having any major work. It was functional, but buggie. And the PC version was much better. Still counting the days. The footage on the MLS capture video looks really good. Come on Lepzig! First gameplay footage then........

Hey Brian, just noticed it's your birthday...Happy B-day bro!

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FIFA 09 Producer Interview: Dave Rutter Part 2