Archive for February, 2008
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Fri 29 Feb 2008
This is the letter i have written to Seabass, using e-mails and comments from members of this site. The letter will be sent on Tuesday 4th March 2008, so any errors noticed, or things that i have completely missed out should be commented on at the bottom before then.
“Firstly, thank you for taking time out your busy schedule to read this letter. I am writing on behalf of PESGaming.com, a very popular online Pro Evolution Soccer community that has been running for a number of years, and a website in which I personally write a weekly column, titled Interfering With Play. Since the release of next generation PES2008, and following your own personal comments regarding the game, the community has joined together to offer suggestions and ideas for the future of PES. These views are not just my own, but are of hundreds of gamers based all over Europe, and in some cases the United States of America.”
“Most people over hear see PES as a certain purchase come the end of the year, and each year, it very rarely disappoints. As far as a football game, the realism and game play is better than anything currently available on the market, and over the past few years, the graphics have started to equal other sporting titles out there. With that said, this years offering, especially as it was the first multi format next generation release, failed to live up to the hype many people had created. The game is definitely not a bad game, by any stretch of the imagination, and still is played by many gamers, but after a number of weeks of playing it, each has raised many of the same points, and PESGaming.com decided to unite together and give the hundreds and indeed thousands of regular visitors a voice, hopefully one that may influence some of your future game making decisions.”
“Pro Evolution Soccer as a game has always been the football fans choice, and not been particularly favoured by arcade based gamers looking for a quick fix. The next generation audience have felt that the latest offering of PES is far too quick, and that it almost falls into the unrealistic category. Football can be played as a build up game, with long stringing passing moves, and this is something PES has always been excellent at. The speed of the game is something that could definitely be addressed for the next offering of the game. ”
“One of the biggest complaints from every gamer who has played PES is the lag that everyone has experienced at one stage or another. To Konami’s credit, patches have been released to rectify the problem offline, however many gamers won’t even play the game online. With the whole emphasis of the next generation being online gaming, and bringing the gaming community together, lag free gaming is almost as crucial as being able to play multi player on the same system. The potential for online tournaments is massive, and marketing opportunities from having a successful online community are immeasurable. Couple this with the huge social networking culture currently running wild, and the sky is truly the limit. Gamers would take pride in their profile, which could be used to display their best goals and track records, and would be happy to keep up their rankings in order to be entered in to big money, sponsored tournaments. Add to this the ability to create your own leagues with mates, and you could have a thriving online community, with very little effort on your own part. I am sure you are aware of the potential for this, but this is also what a great deal of gamers want to see and experience, and PES is the one place they would love to do it.”
“The commentary aspect is something that has greatly improved over the past few years, and many Pro Evolution fans now claim it to be the best available. However, with so many next generation console owners having a wealth of MP3s stored on their systems hard drives, surely the option of allowing custom play lists during menu screens would be both practical and time saving on your part.”
“The game modes featured in PES are all very popular, but surely with the capabilities of Blu Ray and HD DVD disks, more modes could be included. Modes such as an indoor mode of 5 a side, or a 7 a side mode, both styles of football that are very popular in the U.K would add slightly more variety to the game, and would also attract more of a casual audience, who maybe are not looking to play through lots of league or cup competitions, and are slightly overwhelmed by the hundreds of players on offer. More players and teams, will be welcomed by most PES fans though, and whilst many admit that the Master League is one of the best modes in any current computer game, simple things could be done to make the experience more realistic. One of the biggest gripes is the use of points, when currency, even if its fictional currency would add to the realism. Also, making the option to train your players slightly more in depth, even with the possibility to work on set plays in training, triggering runs that then can me made during the following week’s matches. The whole argument most players base this on is that PES has potential to be a massive game, but lacks both the variety of game modes or the sheer number of teams to attract those gamers who are more concerned with quick fix football.”
“One thing most gamers, including myself, can not understand is why every year something seems to be removed from PES, after having a successful year. Features such as the in depth edit mode with pixel editor for logos, random selection mode, the ability to base copy players, the PES shop, the ability to swap shirts and shorts to give different kit combinations and the ability to play a penalty kick match. These modes were all exceptionally popular, and all would be heartily welcomed back into the next Konami football offering. The edit mode in particular is a huge loss for many gamers. Everyone understands that licenses cost a lot of money and sponsorship deals are not that easy to come by, so the ability to make the logos and strips for yourself is crucial. Most people have not invested in the camera for their console, and even then 8 spaces is far to few. This can be taken further, with the ability to customise managers, referees or even a stadium editor, as a way of getting around the licence problem, whilst still giving gamers the most realistic football experience around.”
“I will say again, these views are not just of myself, but are the views collected from gamers all over the world, and have been sent to me in the form of hundreds of e-mails since the start of 2008. The game play and fundamentals of Pro Evolution Soccer are still there, but now as it is a next generation game, many of the above features would be most welcomed by the PESGaming.com public.”
“We ask that the next PES offering is completely lag free, be it online or offline, and maintains the high standards set in previous versions, and keeps the top quality game play that has seen the title stand the test of time, albeit with a slightly slower tempo!”
“Thank you very much for your time reading the letter, and we hope that some if not all of the ideas have offered some kind of inspiration towards the next title. I personally can be reached on danbolas@hotmail.com, and will be more than willing to discuss these issues further if you wish. The website I write for and the home of many of these brilliant ideas, is www.pesgaming.com.”
Yours truly,
Dan Bolas
Interfering With Play
PesGaming.com
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 26 Feb 2008
Welcome to Interfering With Play. This week will see the writing and finalising of the Seabass letter, but due to the overwhelming and frankly huge response I have had from e-mails, messages and MSN chat, it is going to take slightly longer than first thought. I hope to post a copy on this site before Friday, as I am now in the process of collaborating all the points together now, before finally turning it into a piece that ill not bore readers. I apologise for anyone desperate to read it, but for the sheer volume of information that needs to be included, it is, in my opinion, better to take the time and get it right than rush it and waste the last few months’ work of hard work. With that said, enough has happened in the last week in order to keep Interfering With Play more than full, so lets get rolling.
Showing His Studs
Undoubtedly the talking point of the week, especially as regards to the English Premier League was the challenge on Arsenal’s Eduardo by Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor, which caused a horrific double break of his leg and torn ligaments. The tackle itself was nowhere near as bad as some of the challenges that have occurred this season, and was more a case of bad timing than intent to hurt the Croatian. Those who view Sky Sports News on a regular basis will see that Martin Taylor is far from a dirty player. He has received a total of 2 red cards in nearly 300 professional games, and averages a booking every 39 games, a very respectable record for any footballer, never mind one who plies his trade as a Centre Back. Arsene Wenger has since retracted his statement that Taylor should be banned from football, and most players and managers, including Eduardo have cleared him of blame for the incident. But I ask, how long before such a thing happens to a Rooney or a Gerrard, and England loses a key member of their side. Croatia would have probably been considered with an outside chance of winning Euro 2008, and now have lost one of their star strikers. Couple this with the fact it was an English player who had made the tackle, and you realise that although it was undoubtedly a horrible injury, it could have fallen so much worse for the FA, and given the media a field day. Players like Essien and Mikel are both renowned for leaving their foot in, or even occasionally going over the top of the ball in a tackle, and had they done so to an English player, I am sure the media would be called for more hefty treatment of these players. Kuyt managed to get away with a yellow card for what is arguably the worse tackle of the season so far, and this again is an area which is far to inconclusive for the modern game. Bans need to be greater for reckless play, and the FA should be able to hand out extended bans or even review incidents after the referee has taken action. At the moment, whatever the ref decides regarding a caution must stay as that, and this means yellow card tackles that deserve red are not getting punished. Couple this with the madness of a four game ban for Alliadiare, who whilst slapped Mascherano, did not cause any physical injury, and you realise that the system is both flawed and highly outdated. Any views on this subject, an issue, which is on most people’s lips at the moment, are more than welcome.
Welcome to My Empire
2008 will see the launch of a whole new world of gaming, as for the first time ever, there will be an interactive multi sport online community. For those of you who are unaware, a title called Empire Of Sports is going to be released for PC in the middle of this year. The game is to follow a similar role to the exceptionally popular World Of Warcraft series, in which you create your own character and move him or her round a virtual world. However, instead of fighting battles and collecting experience points, you work out at a gym and play in online sporting competitions to increase your rank. Sports range from Football to Tennis to Basketball and even more extreme sports such as Skiing, and are coupled with time spent in the gym to help you build up your athlete’s stats. The difference is, of course, every player you will play against will be another human being, be it in a 1 on 1 tennis match or a full scale 11 a side football league, with your team mates being real people playing the game just like you. For many sports gamers, something like this would seem to be the Holy Grail, and in my opinion, it does seem to be very interesting. I have never dabbled into the World Of Warcraft, but since my PS3, would consider myself a regular online gamer and love the idea of competing against real world opponents. The idea of having a team with mates, which you would pit against another team is one that I have personally been looking forward to for years, but I still feel that, although the idea is an excellent one, it still has a long way to go to make itself a must own game. It is due for release in May / June of this year, and anyone with anymore information would be welcome to post it as a comment, or send it this way via e-mail.
And We’re Heading Live To The Rumour Mill
Rumours this week have struck of PES2009 actually not being released until 2009, and even reports from a couple of sources that it will be Seabass’ last PES offering ever! Before we go any further, can I point out that most gaming rumours change on a daily basis and that one minute a game due out in 2009 turns up next week, with another game being delayed til 2010! The problem with a medium like computer games is the fact that is built for a generation that hates waiting. Game players are the same people who have been brought up on Cash Machines, Fast Food and Ready Meals. We have 100’s of channels so there is ‘always something on’ and we don’t buy CDs, if we like a song we download it that minute, legally from iTunes of course! As soon as any news of a slight delay occurs, immediately annoyance steps in and we get very frustrated. Many people were furious about the delay GTA IV and Metal Gear Solid 4 both experienced, yet movies have 6 month or 12 month set backs all the time. Therefore, as soon as any rumour hits the Internet about a delay, some people will see it as gospel, and some sites have even already printed that PES will not be released this year. I am personally far more sceptical. In an industry that moves so quickly, 6 months is a very long time, and more news about the next PES instalment will be far more accurate at that time. The other factor, which needs to be taken into account, though, is would PES gamers wait another 12 months for a new version of PES, if it irons out the ‘problems’ with this seasons title. EA Sports will have released three new titles (four including FIFA Street) by the time the new PES is released, so whether the game comes out in October or January may not be that important. What is important is that the game reaches the exceptionally high standards that it has set itself, and the Seabass and Konami take on board the views of football fans when making the game.
Ask The Experts
Moving on from the above point, I wonder how many experts actually work on a set game. For example, Call Of Duty 4 brought in a number of ex-military members, who all put their input towards the game. Wherever possible, Infinity Ward took their views and replicated it in the gaming world, and as a result what occurred was one of the most realistic and best war games on the market. But there were changes that had to be made. Simple things that are the difference between games and reality that needs to be added for effect. The grenades that you throw out should take 5 seconds to explode, however, the developers thought 5 seconds was too long for gamers to wait, and despite taking the advice of the experts, shrank the time delay down to three seconds, resulting in an increase in speed, even if it does sacrifice realism. This is of course, not possible for all genres of game, and indeed not for all titles. It would be impossible to take the views of a 13th Century Assassin on board when making Assassin’s Creed, and games like Stuntman: Ignition require a more user friendly interface than just diagrams and drawings presented to a real stuntman. However, with most gaming developers having not experienced many of the things they design games about, surely there is a call more than ever for experts to be brought in. Ray Houghton, ex-Republic Of Ireland and Aston Villa midfielder plays a huge part in the tactical development of Championship Manager, so surely working with professional coaches will help give a greater understanding to the AI in games like PES and Fifa. Your views on this subject would be, as always, greatly appreciated.
‘Keep On Rolling’
Comments made on the previous Interfering With Play have led to the question what will this article feature once the Seabass letter is done and dusted. This weeks article made very little reference to the aforementioned letter, and is as long, if not longer than previous weeks offerings, however, Interfering With Play’s future is totally in the hands of the PESGaming.com public. Every week I receive e-mails commenting on something someone has read on the site, and every week I sit down on a Tuesday with a list of ten or so topics and have to shrink them down to 3 or 4 in order to save time. I plan to continue writing for a while yet, as I still have a number of talking points that can be discussed, and have no intention of packing it in. With that said, I appreciate that over the summertime, there may be a point of a few months were Interfering With Play will go on a summer holiday. I hope that should this happen I will return in time for the build up to the future PES, with the latest news and dealings from the gaming world. So in answer to the question, I have a few topics to still discuss and write about, so you won’t be getting rid of me just yet!
That’s it for this week’s column. Hopefully the Seabass letter will be up for your viewing pleasure on Thursday, but it may come slightly later, depending on work and time restraints. As always, comments are more than welcome at the bottom of the page, along with e-mails, which can be sent to danbolas@hotmail.com. I also have to apologise for any people who may get deleted of my PS3 friends list in the next few weeks. I have too many people on there at the moment, and with some of my mates buying PS3’s in the next few weeks, I need to streamline it slightly. Send me a message on there in the next few days shouting out who you are and that your read the column, and I will not delete you!
Thanks for Reading.
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Wed 20 Feb 2008
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 will finally be making an appearance on Sony’s PSP on February 29th. The game, which is being released some 5 months afters it’s console counterpart, will retail for around £17.99 - Buy with Play for release date delivery.
IGN have published a favourable 8.9 review, which you can read in full here.
A bona-fide PES game on the PSP, PES 2008 admittedly only takes small steps from last year’s title, but it takes all the right ones. If there is anyone yet to be converted to Seabass’s formula, this isn’t the game to do it. However, for PSP owners who already worship at the temple of PES, this could well be their mana. In improving upon PES 6 it marks itself as the definitive sports title currently available on the PSP, and for those of a certain inclination it’s therefore one of the best games there is for Sony’s handheld.
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 19 Feb 2008
In this week’s Interfering With Play, I will be concentrating on the last part of the Seabass letter, the features and game modes available in PES. The letter is now starting to take a decent shape, and we hopefully be almost complete by the time I write next weeks Interfering With Play. Of course, there will be people who feel their views or opinions haven’t been taken into account, but I have read every e-mail and comment, and found these points to be the most frequent, along with the most likely to be featured. As always, there seems to have been a number of major talking points in the gaming world, and indeed the football world these past 7 days, if you have anything you wish to stress your views on, you can do so on here via the comments feature, or by e-mailing me directly, my address is at the bottom.
Seabass Letter: Features
This week’s topic for the Seabass letter is regards the features and game modes of PES2008, and possible ways it could be improved for 2009. Here, feel free to read the ideas, and comment on their importance to you as a PES gamer, along with developing any that may sound like a good idea. These are the collective views of many gamers, along with my own personal views and those of my PES playing mates.
When it comes to game modes, PES has always been very unique. For the past 7 years or so, it has featured updates and improvements in both graphics and controls, but has kept basically the same set game modes all the way through. Any other games series would be slaughtered for the lack on originality, yet PES seems to get away without anyone noticing. Imagine a FPS that had the same maps and weapons, and yet was released 7 consecutively years featuring a handful of new characters, or a driving game that stuck to meagre Time Trials and regular track racing. There is no denying that the features included are all pretty much standard, and to most extents, work very well, however, here we are to look at what could be added, and how existing modes could be improved.
We start with a huge missing feature from the next generation version PES, and that is the shop mode. There is no way this feature should have been taken out. PES points achieved by playing friendly matches or winning tournaments meant you could unlock the players and teams you personally wanted at the time you wanted them, and not have to do an entire tournament just to unlock one player you would like to sign in Master League. The idea of having further unlock able content, such as celebrations, or even the option to play matches using old time commentators and black and white style footage would be welcomed, along with silly features like the ability to design ad boards or corner flags. The bottom line is for as long as I can remember, PES has enjoyed relative success with the shop mode, so much so that EA Sports have since implemented it into FIFA, and it is a travesty that it was removed from this PES.
One mode that a lot of people have called for is a Referee mode, whereby you actually control the ref, and make decisions on the pitch, acquiring rating points for successful games or fairly officiated contests. Whilst this does seem like a good novelty idea on my part, I could see it getting boring quite quickly. At the end of the day, when you go out to play football with your mates, no one dreams of being the ref, and whilst the feature would be good fun in a 3 player environment, it would more than likely result in bias decisions, and I would personally prefer the time to be spent making a better online experience as opposed to bringing in a more novelty game type.
Another hugely popular mode, and something that I could defiantly get on board with, is the Indoor mode, or a 5/7 a side version of the game. It is brought in a lot in basketball games, whereby you can form a small-sided team in a one off match against another group of players. The players do not need to be of the same nationality, nor play for the same club, and it would offer a quick fire alternative to the 11 on 11 games. I am not suggesting it is made OTT, like FIFA Street, but instead using the same game engine as that used in PES 2008. The option of playing 5 a side on a smaller, indoor pitch, with smaller goals would not only provide a different game mode, it would also improve gamers short passing play, which would in turn add them in crowded penalty areas. A 7 a side mode would act as a go between, and could even be played on a more bouncy, Astroturf like surface that would give a different feel to the matches. Both types of game would be played on smaller pitches, obviously the 5 a side pitch being smaller than the 7 a side one, and the goals would be as appropriate, long and low 5 a side goals, and hockey style goals for the 7 a side. Rules could even be changed to the players will, with head height rules, kick ins, slide tackling or even the area rule all being open for interpretation by the gamer. I really feel this mode would work well, and Seabass could do a lot worse than bring it into PES 2009.
One feature that was touched upon earlier, and would work would be a multi ball system during matches. Having ball boys situated around the pitch, they could quickly retrieve the ball or have one close to where they are located in order to throw the ball to the set piece taker. This would be welcomed in order to increase continuation throughout the matches, but also be practical as, whilst there are so few stadiums on PES, this mode would also be realistic, with most big clubs opting to employ this system.
The master league is arguably the best game mode in any sports series, offing you to take the hold of a lower league club, with a playing staff of no namers, and turn them into a world-class footballing outfit fronted by big name superstars. This mode has gradually been updated each year, with realistic player aging, progression and contracts. However, it is now more than ready for a bit of an overhaul. Gamers have requested things such as the ability to switch between clubs, a feature, which would make the game slightly more management like, and the ability to include custom teams as competition, a feature that would potentially allow for a Championship and League 1 section of the league. Two of the best suggestions though, are ones that Konami should really find easy implementing. Firstly, the introduction of currency, be in € or £, in order to bring realism to the transfer dealings. This seems such a simple thing to bring in, and I am pretty sure it is down to the fact they can’t be bothered to convert the game from Yen to Pounds to Dollars, as the game is released over different locations. Slack and lazy, but more than likely one of the many corners cut in order to ensure the release is as close to EA Sports’ title as possible. The other feature, which again would be more of a novelty, would be the ability to customise the starting 22 players you have, by both appearance and name only. Players like Castello, Miranda and Espinas have all been legendary for me over the years, but the option to replace these with my mates would be too good to miss. Having a team that looks like your school team, or Sunday league mates would make the Master League that little more personal, and make it so much harder when you finally sold yourself in order to bring in Cristiano Ronaldo.
The league and cup game modes have always been pretty solid in PES, and this year was no exception. On this front, and with many others such as the Exhibition mode, I would not change a thing. One thing I find exceptionally strange though, is that game modes are constantly removed from PES. No longer can you have a Penalty Shoot out with your mates, choose the referee or play a Random Selection match. The fact that these things are not massive loses means that people don’t tend to moan about them as much, however many gamers will tell you they were welcome things, and should be brought back in as soon as possible. The analogy best suited would be that of making a new car. Features like Sat Nav are very popular and more than welcome but are no good if something like electric windows don’t feature. If something is working well, it should still be part of the end product, no matter how small it may seem.
That is the main points I have received on the audio front in the e-mails and comments. Any build up on this or possible ideas related to these can be sent to me via e-mail or left as comments at the bottom of this article.
That is it for the Seabass Letter now. Any comments about anything read over the past few weeks need to reach me by the weekend, as I will be putting together a finished text in order to send next week.
Eat My Goal
One of the craziest features is the current debarkle regarding the GOTM competition run on this site, in association with Console Goals. I personally have nothing to do with the organising and deciding which goals feature, and am more than happy to vote for the goal which I feel is the best goal. The fact is, the prize of a free game makes the competition more than worth entering, and as soon as it is easier to upload my PS3 scored goals online, I will be myself taking part in events. Some people need to just chill out and face facts though, that the goal which won did so on public votes, and was not chosen by a panel of experts or even Alan Hansen. You don’t like the goal, that’s fine, don’t vote for it, but when a goal wins so convincingly in a public domain vote, then that means the majority of people liked it the best. Fact. I think it’s pretty sad the people can’t be gracious enough to accept a good goal, even if it is scored against them.
It’s A Kind Of Magic
Love it or hate it, there is no denying there is a certain something about the FA Cup. This year more than most, it has seen many Premier League sides face off against lower league opposition, and huge scalps been taken as a result. Nowadays, it seems un-cool to want to win the FA Cup, and with so much money being thrown at the Premier and Champions League winners, it is understandable that managers may be tempted to field a weaker team. However, it’s the same Liverpool fans that are saying there not bothered as the ones who were celebrating when Michael Owen scored 2 late goals against Arsenal to help them lift the trophy. Try telling Barnsley, Cardiff or even Preston, who were crushed in the last minute, that the competition means nothing. In a day and age where English football seems to be losing its traditions and heritage on a weekly basis, its nice to have something still running that has been both successful and sought after by many professionals and clubs. I end with the statement that the only time a manager ‘doesn’t care about the cup’ is when their side are no longer in it!
That’s your lot for this week. As always all comments are welcome. If you have a great deal to say, I recommend you do so by e-mail, but short public comments are probably better on the comments section of the site. danbolas@hotmail.com is where your mails can be sent.
Thanks for Reading
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 12 Feb 2008
Welcome to this week’s Interfering With Play. In a week which has seen a number of major sporting talking points arise, I am going to crack straight on with the Seabass letter, before moving on to a number of other issues I would like you, the PESGaming.com visitors to have your say on. Remember, you can express your views publicly, via the comments at the bottom of this article, or privately to my own personal e-mail address, which is featured at the end of the Interfering With Play. Lets get going.
Seabass Letter: Audio
This week’s topic for the Seabass letter is regards the audio elements of PES2008, and possible ways it could be improved for 2009. Here, feel free to read the ideas, and comment on their importance to you as a PES gamer, along with developing any that may sound like a good idea. These are the collective views of many gamers, along with my own personal views and those of my PES playing mates.
When you go to see a great movie, the music will not make your opinion of that movie change to much should it be rubbish, but if the music or ‘soundtrack’ is fitting with the target audience, the songs will stay in your memory and will enhance your viewing experience. A number of top movies have albums dedicated to their soundtracks, and be it the mellow classical sounds of a movie like Atonement, the punk rock style of an American Pie movie, or the more metal based tunes found in Transformers, there is no denying that, more than ever, the audio related to the media is a crucial part of the end package. The same is to be said about computer games, with games like Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid backed by excellent tense musical scores, Crazy Taxi and GTA supported with appropriate driving music and most American sports games receiving music from some of the most popular Hip Hop and Rap artists, all of which makes for a more enjoyable gaming experience.
When it comes to the music featured on PES, there is no denying that it stands out as below par. Each year, one licensed tune is used to front the game and the starting video, (this year was the Kaiser Chiefs) followed by a number of exceptionally mediocre pieces of music that bring nothing to the table. I know I am not alone in saying I have found myself singing along to Go For The Goal or staying on the formation screen a couple of seconds longer to hear a rousing chorus of ‘I Want To Be A Superstar!’ but in a day and age where music plays such a big part in TV shows, Movies and other video games, this should be taken into account by Konami. EA Sports release Fifa as a worldwide title, but support it with artists and genres well known in various areas and continents, meaning there is a chance you will find a handful of songs you have heard before. Konami need to follow suit, either by allowing you to feature your own Hard Drive stored tracks, or provide a 30+-track list of bearable, real music.
One thing that had come into criticism in many PES instalments, but seems to be less berated in 2008 is the commentary. Jon Champion has done an excellent job of working with the script provided to produce a realistic take on the ongoing matches, and sounds as enthusiastic as anyone has before him. The fact that Mark Lawrenson brings as much to proceedings as he does in a regular England match (minus the awful one liners) is defiantly one up for the realism effort. FIFA has always been praised for its commentary, and having the best team in the business, Andy Gray and Martin Tyler, that would be expected. However, this year sees over elaborate scripts, talking more about the local history of stadiums and ignoring great goalmouth action. It is exceptionally difficult to get the commentary spot on, as football is such a spontaneous sport, and with so many different topical situations, anything other than the game itself would seem out of date. The scripts of PES are definitely improving, and including more text, along with a more believable co commentator (suggestions include Alan Smith from Sky Sports or even Graham Taylor from 5 Live) will only help to make this more realistic.
The final point regarding audio is the actual fans themselves, and they’re general chanting and cheering. Every year, and with every licence, more and more real life chants occur on PES, and once again this is only a good thing. I don’t think anyone would complain if you couldn’t quite make out every word, and the general tune was all that could be clearly identified, but the more that are featured, the better the match experience would become. The same could be said for moments of showboating skills, crunching tackles or even referring decisions. These little things would help to give a bit more of the feeling that you’re in the stadium, and is a realism aspect often foolishly overlooked. The reoccurring point from most people is the way fans celebrate a goal, with the same tone should it be a last minute winner or a consolation goal after being hammered 5-0. Anyone who has attended live football matches, especially at the top levels, will know how the place erupts following a late strike to win your team the game, and this should, and could quite easily be reflected in the fans reaction to the goal. Most gamers will make enough noise sitting in front of their TV screen at home, so it would be nice to have the virtual fans backing up your emotions!
That is the main points I have received on the audio front in the e-mails and comments. Any build up on this or possible ideas related to these can be sent to me via e-mail or left as comments at the bottom of this article.
“I’m Moving To New York”
My next point will be one that will 100% raise an opinion in the English fans of Premier League clubs, and this is about the relocation of one English Premier League game a season to a foreign country, starting in 2010/011. I personally feel this is the epitome of greed, with clubs sacrificing the support of their loyal fans in order to make slightly more shirt sales and improve ‘global domination’. We do not see La Liga sides or Seria A sides offering to play their domestic league games in the U.S.A or Asia, and whilst it would give an opportunity for non English fans to see the top English sides, the fact that sides like Bolton, Blackburn and Wigan struggle to fill their own home stadiums with local folk implies that Koreans or Australians aren’t going to be over the moon to watch these sides. Clubs are involved in countless pre season mini tournaments and tours of all these aforementioned places, and whilst they do lack the cutthroat style of the Premier League, they provide the spectacle required to feed the foreign fans hunger. Beckham has taken a great deal of stick due to the extensive travel schedule he will be under in the MLS, and how it will end up affecting his England performances. So surely flying every English Premier League player half way across the globe, to different environments, cultures, climates and time zones is going to have just as negative as an affect. I could rant about this for a long time, but instead am opening it up to the PESGaming.com public. Your views will be greatly appreciated, and if supported, this topic will continue next week.
The Race Card
Interesting to see the first instance of comments shying away from both gaming and football, and fact about Lewis Hamilton being racial abused in Spain occurring on this very site. It is an exceptionally sad fact of sport, as is life that the colour of your skin is a point for discrimination, hatred or abuse. I work and play football with people from multiple ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs, and from my personally view, it makes no difference what your skin colour is as to the kind of person you are. Its unfortunate that not everyone shares this view, and that athletes who are placed out in the spotlight to entertain come under a great deal of abuse from rival fans for the exact reason that there skin colours or upbringing differs to their own. Spain, and in particular Spanish football has come under a lot of attention for this, with the national coach Aragones singling out both Henry and Reyes in a public forum. The irony being, most fans that abuse players over skin colour will then be cheering for someone of the same complexion in their own shirt, making the fact that the true racism is against shirt colour, not skin. It is of course a hot potato of a subject, and one that will no doubt be addressed time and time again both on Interfering With Play and throughout the worldwide media. In direct response to the Lewis Hamilton racism claims, and the fact the F1 did not want him to win the race (due to the fact they didn’t want a “black F1 world champion”), I find these claims both ill founded and without any form of evidence to support them. There has never been a black or Asian F1 World Champion, but this is down to the fact that only 3-4 teams have any real chance of providing a World Champion, and each time so far, they have chosen white drivers. Golf was seen as very much a traditional sport, yet arguably the greatest ever player of the game, and one of the most recognisable faces in the world, Tiger Woods, has broken through all racial and discriminative boundaries, a path I truly hope Lewis Hamilton follows in F1, and proves the critics that is not about the colour of your skin, its about the talent you posses.
You Can Leave Your Cap On
Following Fabio Capello’s first England game, I would like to take the opportunity to say how pleased I was with the fact he picked a side, and made his substitutions based upon current form, and not on reputation. Michael Owen is a top striker, and will no doubt bounce back and get ever closer to Lineker and Charlton in the all time goal-scoring charts; however, his current club form was not deserving of a place in the England game, and as a result, didn’t merit one. Players like Wes Brown and Matthew Upson, neither of who would be in my personal first eleven; both have been regular, solid performers for their club sides, made a reasonable step up to the International stage, and have proven that a good run in a domestic side will increase your chance of International honours, something that under Sven and McClaren seemed to be overlooked, especially regarding Shaun Wright Phillips. The best piece of it all though, was the fact that Fabio has installed some discipline into the ranks. Gone are the cliques and the Wags, and hopefully a team bond will eventually form. Unlike club football, where your with your team mates 6 days a week, an international squad needs more focus on bonding, and you spend most of the season trying to beat your team mates in the domestic leagues. If Capello can turn England into a team as opposed to a group of individuals, who knows where we may find ourselves come July 2010.
And with that I will leave you to it. Please feel free to make comments about anything you have read here. The Seabass letter is well on the way to being complete, with only one week left before it is being finalised. If you wish to get in contact, you can mail me on danbolas@hotmail.com or alternatively, drop a comment on the bottom of this article for all to see.
Thanks for Reading
Posted by Peter Willis in GOTM on Thu 07 Feb 2008
Kristoff1875 walks away with the prize for our PES 2008 Goal contest. He choose Call of Duty 4 on the Xbox 360 (a very wise choice I may add) as his prize.
Here is the winning goal, streamed via www.consolegoals.com - The Pro Evolution Soccer video sharing website.
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 05 Feb 2008
This week’s Interfering With Play focuses upon the edit mode of PES2008, and how it may be improved for later versions of the game. Of course, this is a much debated and ridiculed subject, seeing as up until the Next Generations of Pro Evolution Soccer, the edit mode was one of the most impressive aspects of the game, and thanks to option files, made the lack of official teams and strips almost bearable. As always, comments and e-mails are welcomed in the usual ways, regarding anything spoke about in this week’s column.
Seabass Letter: Editing
This week’s topic for the Seabass letter is regards the editing elements of PES2008, and possible ways it could be improved for 2009. Here, feel free to read the ideas, and comment on their importance to you as a PES gamer, along with developing any that may sound like a good idea. These are the collective views of many gamers, along with my own personal views and those of my PES playing mates.
The edit mode on PES6 for the Playstation 2 was as comprehensive an edit mode as has ever featured on a console football game. Aside from actually patching the game, a tactic used by most PC gamers, the level of editing that could be achieved using simple tools was fair better than anything EA or anyone had to offer. The fact that the X Box 360 version of the same game featured a minute edit mode that merely allowed name changes meant that maybe, Konami weren’t really concentrating on the editing power of the Next Gen, and PES2008 has proven this fact.
The first feature that defiantly needs to return is the pixel editor, allowing clubs badges to be edited using a simple, Microsoft Paint style program. This would, in turn, give the strips more authenticity by allowing the clubs real badge to feature on them. The pixel editor would be much preferred by many gamers to the use of a Digital Camera, which not only limits the amount of space required, but makes it harder to actually get the perfect image, due to lighting and texture issues. It is pretty obvious that Konami have experienced a great deal of problems regarding content editing, as the FA Premier League would be the first to put a spot to any unofficial shirts. I have made my own team each year, using my mate’s names and designing pretty accurate strips, however, this year I have been unable to do so. This is surely something Konami would encourage, and a pixel editor; with space for at least 500 badges, sponsors and logos is a must for the next version of PES.
A lot of people have brought to my attention the number of boots available on PES2008, and that it is nowhere near enough. From a personal point of view, 12 pairs of boots in a variety of colours suits me fine, however a lot of gamers seek more. The ability to customise patterns and styles seems a massive point on most people’s wish list, but a more realistic request from some is the option to have default templates, similar to PES6, and be able to customise the colours using the RGB scale similar to those for making kits. Just a thought but something that seems to be in the forefront of the PES gamers mind.
Having edited the game myself this year, I have noticed the poor scale of colours that can be used for shirts and shorts. Anyone familiar with Adobe Photoshop will know that the RGB scale runs from 0 to 255, giving a huge number of possible combinations and colours. The PES scale runs almost a third of that, which is hardly acceptable from a Next Generation game. People who have edited the game themselves have said they have found it hard to represent exact shirt colours for teams like Manchester United and Liverpool, with this being the main cause. Of course the option of more colours would also increase the graphical appearance of the game, something that every Next Generation franchise should be looking to do on a yearly basis.
One of the biggest shocks for most PES gamers was the shocking number of templates available for custom kits, meaning you could only create similarities to your team’s replica shirt. Despite each shirt providing a number of different combinations, depending on the colours and patterns used, it is still a step backwards from the last generation and again needs to be sorted out. Crazy options such as 12 different styles of captains armband are more than willing to be sacrificed in order to bet more realistic patterns for shirts like Portsmouth and Everton. Twelve did seem to be slightly a magic number for editing modes, as everything, from Font Styles on the back of the Shirt to the number of available short types all came in blocks of 12. Granted, it was Konami’s first multi-format Next Generation release, but 2009n needs an improvement on it.
The obvious options should also be included, the choice of the location of the clubs badge, with clubs placing it in the centre of the shirt becoming a more common occurrence. Also, the huge option of adding sponsors to the front of the shirt, a feature that makes plain kits look much more realistic. A step in the right direction would even be allowing the placement of test across the shirt, as opposed to the nothingness that currently fills the space.
And the final point is regarding the posers! Gone are the days of the simple, long sleeve or short sleeve shirts, with the UnderArmor wearing, tattooed celebrity player replace them. PES has always been the first for this, including gloves, caps, friendship bracelets, sock tape and many more ‘accessories’. Again, this needs to be updated further, ranging from things like tattoos on the players forearms to different styles of shorts. It is something that will no doubt be addressed in the future, but there is no better place to start than PES2009.
That is the main points I have received on the editing front in the e-mails and comments. Any build up on this or possible ideas related to these can be sent to me via e-mail or left as comments at the bottom of this article.
It Hurts To Be This Good
Now I am in my mid twenties, I find myself in a gaming situation very different to that of my teens and even my childhood. I have always played a lot of computer games, and whilst football games and sporting games were always my preferred choice, I have dabbled in all genres, some which agree with me, others that I truly am poor at. However, since the PS3 release, I have found myself flying through titles, completing them at will and whilst enjoying them, wishing that some would put up a bit more of a fight. I play most of my games on the Normal to Hard settings, and don’t spend every waking minute playing them, yet have completed a staggering 7 PS3 games in 9 months. Bear in mind, I have never completed Super Mario Brothers 3, and never had the patience to stick at the puzzles of the Monkey Island or Dizzy franchises, and always resorted to walkthroughs. As a gaming generation, are we just getting better at games, because it is more socially accepted to play them, to earn the bragging rights of completing a game down the pub can replace how cool the car you drive is. Or is it that developers want to get us through games quicker, as a way of making you feel good about yourself, and willing to purchase more of their titles, and support that particular franchise at a later date. Any views on this subject would be more than welcome.
96,97,98,99, Paused
It wouldn’t be a football website if we didn’t mention the Beckham situation, and the fact that Mr. Capello has decided to leave him out his first England squad. Most football fans, and England fans have enough common sense to see what Beckham has done for English football, and indeed the image of the game all over the world. His face in as associated with the sport as Tiger Woods with golf, or Michael Jordan with Basketball, and his legacy as a player, irrelevant of what happens over the last few seasons of his career will live on, thanks the defining moments that have happened before. Least we forget the kick on Simone, the two corners he planted in the Champions League Final, The free kick against Greece and the ‘dodgy’ Portuguese penalty spot. He has answered a lot of his critics with the ball at his feet, none more so than Capello himself, who told him he could leave Madrid only to ask him to sign a new contract following his excellent performances in helping Real to win La Liga. There is a huge media circus that surrounds the ‘Spice Boy’ and maybe Capello didn’t wish to have his first game as England coach remember as being Beckham’s hundredth, and with so much young exciting talent coming through, he had perfect excuse to play the fitness card. Of course, Beckham signed away his competitive football career when he joined LA Galaxy, but its pretty obvious he will be fitter now training with Arsenal than he will ever be in his time in the states, an area that are still very much in love with Brand Beckham. Your views on this current footballing hot potato would be welcomed, although by the time some of you read this, the friendly will have been and gone, and it will be either a case of ‘Who Needs Him’ or ‘Get Him Back’!
Slightly shorter than usual tonight, due to the fact I have a fair bit of other work that must take some sort or priority, however, as many regular readers know, you are more than welcome to reach me in a comment form on here, or at danbolas@hotmail.com if you want to vent your opinions one on one. I try to reply to all e-mails, but in some cases the sheer volume makes this impossible.
Thanks for Reading
