Archive for June, 2009
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 09 Jun 2009
IWP League Champion 2009: Ivan Kostic (Internacional)
Welcome to this week’s Interfering With Play. It has been one of the more difficult weeks to keep quiet following comments made by the community. There is no denying there is a huge split between those gamers who are pleased by a trailer, and those who quite frankly are disappointed by what Konami have put on offer. Having allowed time to reflect, I am only going to dedicate one section of this week’s column to the trailer, and hopefully after which, we will be in a position to register to the true views of the community. I will also like to point out that we have a winner for the PRO-ve Your Skills competition this week, so please do not send any more entries. The new champion will be setting their challenge on Sunday. With that said, lets get rolling with this week’s Interfering With Play.
“I Never Wanted To Say This”
Those familiar with the tones of punk pop band Paramore may have an advanced knowledge of the reason for the above headline, but this week I am going to start with the talking point of the PES world, ‘that trailer’. All motion capture and hear say aside, this is the first opportunity the gaming world has had a chance to look at the plans for Pro Evolution Soccer 2010, a title that many believe will be a make or break release for the franchise. The trailer is available for your viewing pleasure a couple of posts below, although I am aware many of you have seen it.
The video has divided the community like so many other aspects as of late. There is a strong group of individuals that are not happy with what Konami are showing. They feel the trailer is no more a progression than that which was shown 12 months ago, and the game is not moving forward. There are feelings that the game has not brought in 360 degree movement, and that there are no new animations. All of this based on a minute or so trailer, a third of which shows actual football action.
There is a second group that have been there before. They are aware that Konami tend to release a highly rendered video showing the games chosen star (Messi) in an action packed snippet as a way of giving game magazines something to discuss following the E3 gaming convention. They feel that the trailer represents ideas of the next version of PES, but believe that this is far from the finished article.
I am simply going to start off by reporting the facts. The first fact that the image of Messi, delivered worldwide a few weeks ago and confirmed to be an in-game image, looks very similar to that which is featured in the video. It is also a fact that Messi produced a great deal of his motion capture following the champion’s league final. It would be almost impossible to manipulate the captured footage into a video so soon after the actual footage was taken, and if so the animations would not look as smooth. It is also widely reported that Barcelona are getting a new kit for the 09/10 season, and I believe Liverpool will also be changing their away shirt. The video clearly shows both teams playing in their 2008/09 replica shirts, something that simply would not happen for a game that is set to be based on the 09/10 season, and feature Liverpool as a fully licensed side. Finally, the way every player moves on the video would be shown as much more similar to the starting video of PES 2009 as opposed to the in game footage.
Therefore, the trailer needs to be taken in the frame of mind in which it was intended to be received, as a simple promotional tool to announce PES 2010 to the gaming world. Whether PES 2010 needs a teaser trailer, or instead should rely purely on its end product is another debate for another time, but the trailer cannot represent an end product in any way shape or form. There is no way of telling, based on that footage, whether 8 direction movement is still present, because there is such little movement within the trailer it can’t be confirmed. The most interesting part of the trailer would have to be the use of the sliders, and the decision Messi makes (incisive run), as these are brand new features that will support both AI and game play.
So, going back to my song lyric title, and indeed the whole purpose of this little section, following everything you have heard and read, both the rumours and the facts, I would like to know whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic about Pro Evolution Soccer 2010? Are you looking forward to its release or simply turning to a different franchise? My personal view is I am very optimistic, but at the same time a realist. There are people and sites out there that would have you believe this game was created by some divine power, and belittle or even worse delete any negative comments. I believe that PES 2010 has potential to the greatest football title of all time, but like any game needs a great deal of work and a few bright ideas to achieve this. As the weeks go on, hopefully we will start to hear a few more facts, see a few more videos, and then really see what Konami are offering this year.
“No Digity”
A quick note to those involved in the IWP World Cup 2009. Due to a lack of response on behalf of the 25 people who declared an interest (this is almost a quarter of those interested in the PS3 league) the competition will now run with 8 teams as opposed to 16. Two groups will be announced in the coming weeks, with the top 8 international sides being used. Sit tight for more information.
“I Saw You Turn Away”
As I have mentioned before, I am one for showboating in football. However, there is a cheeky little tricky in PES that not many people may have noticed, and even those who have seen it may need to flick on the instant replay in order to double check. Playing as Chelsea the other week, I found the ball with Deco mid way inside my opponents half. Malouda was darting forwards to my left whereas Lampard was taking up his usual edge of the box position. I opted for the ball out to the French winger, and upon execution, I saw Deco look towards Lampard and play the blind pass to Malouda. This is something I have seen Ronaldinho do on many an occasion, and have since seen a couple of PES players do it. Next time I manage to do it, I will try to upload a video showing it, as without it I know a number of PES regulars will not believe me!
It makes the case that PES does feature a lot of these little flicks and tricks without really making a big deal out of them. The trick used a lot by Rivaldo, where you flick one foot behind your standing foot to strike the ball is another one which is used sparingly on PES, and it is my question whether or not you feel these tricks should be mapped with controls, or just allowed to run free. Taken further, are there any other moves you would really like to see added to PES. My personal one, as mentioned before, would be the L turn, whereby you drag the ball back past your standing leg then flick it with the inside of the foot. It’s a move I believe would be right at home within the game, and would add depth to the dribbling and turning experience. As always feel free to make your comments, but be sure to include your e-mail address, as fake messages will just be deleted.
“I Am, Ready To Be New Again”
The game modes featured on next generation PES are pretty much what would be considered as your standard football game modes. A training mode, a few leagues and cups and the crown jewel, the Master League, all of which fall slightly on the dated side and most of which need some sort of revamp. On the other hand, the versions of PES for the PS2 and Wii are using new game modes as a way of enticing gamers in, something which I personally feel the next generation needs to look into. Especially in a gaming world which focuses so much on achievements and trophies, a variety of game modes would offer a new challenge, as opposed to completing a number of different leagues played under the same format.
In its defence, PES 2009 introduced the Champions League mode and Become A Legend, both of which would have to be called successful implementations. But with game modes such as Champions Road, World Tour and Random Match Selection having graced other versions of the franchise, I am opening the floor to your ideas for game modes that may just add a little bit of variety to your PES experience. Before we go any further, the two topics that will come up are online, an issue which has been expressed to the point of tedium and game play, a department which has been looked at and already discussed. These suggestions are simply for game modes which you would like to see implemented in future versions of PES.
I have made no secret my desire to see a 7 a side league or tournament. Played on smaller pitches, with smaller goals and on astro turf, teams could be generated at random by the AI or even allow for manual selection, similar to the NBA draft. I feel this would add dimension to a gamer night, with shorter matches and faster paced games being more suited to a group of gamers playing together on the same console. The problem of sitting off for too long is one which ruins many a good PES evening, and having shorter matches with slightly different rules would help ease the experience.
Another one of my favourite ideas was something that used to be a regular feature in the ISS series, scenario mode. For those unfamiliar, you would take the role of a team within a match, and had to achieve a certain objective. An example would be hold on to a 1-0 score line as China against Brazil, or score twice in the last 10 minutes to beat the Spanish as Italy. Each scenario was rated on a difficult on 1 to 5 and some required real skill in order to gain a result. This coupled with the Champions League license could prove to be a real winner. English football fans would love to take charge of Liverpool at half time, 3-0 down against AC Milan, or with 2 minutes left have a Beckham Corner at 1-1 against Bayern Munich with Manchester United. The option of using classic players and classic teams, which in turn could be unlockable would be an added bonus, would add further depth to game, and would be similar to the Legends of Wrestlemania title WWE released earlier this year.
Those are just a couple of suggestions I personally feel would be easy to implement and add a handful or trophies or achievements that would be a different challenge. Please get in touch either via comment or e-mail, and the better ideas will be discussed in next week’s column. Of the community feel there is a genuine case for a couple of ideas, I have no problems putting together a small document and sending it to the powers that be at Konami.
That’s your lot for this week. The lack of Double D, return of In The Red and PES Trailer all put a slight delay on The Big Survey. However, there should be a new one up towards the end of this week. I am still accepting goals for the PESGaming.com Gaol compilation, send me an e-mail if you have a goal you would like to show off. Interferingwithplay@hotmail.co.uk is the place to send your e-mail to, and expect a couple of decent additions to this site within the next few months!
Thanks for Reading
Posted by Dan Bolas in Site Updates on Sun 07 Jun 2009
Obviously, this week’s challenge wasn;t as difficult as the previous one, and it is fair to say we now have an PRO-ve Your Skills Champion. Manuel Sacco managed to beat Manchester United 2-0 with Barcelona, Eto’o and Messi scoring the goals. Therefore Manuel is the champion, and has set this week’s challenge.
Score Two Goals Using Your Goalkeeper In The Same Match
A decent challenge in my opinion, and one that is more than achieveable. To ensure that foul play is kept to a minimal, two screen shots are required. One must show the end match screen, showing the two goals scored by the keeper. The second must show the GK celebrating one of his goals in his GK jersey, in order to stop people just playing a registered GK up front!! Screenshots can be taken on a phone, digital camera or print screened, but must clearly show the desired images. The challenge can be completed on any format, using any version of PES. Finally, I will personally be checking the winning entrant has used a registered GK, and not just played Ronaldo in goal!
Send your images to interferingwithplay@hotmail.co.uk. The first person to do so becomes the champion. An update will be given in this week’s IWP on the status of the challenge!
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2009 News on Sun 07 Jun 2009
A Return to Form?
No, not a reference to the upcoming PES 2010, but of my weekly Saturday column ‘In The Red’! I was planning this week’s edition of the column to be a glorious return to form, but unfortunately I broke my hand on Wednesday night and as such this will be a shorter column than usual, so apologies for that!
Firstly, congratulations to all of the clubs who claimed major honours this year. Being a Liverpool supporter, you may rightly assume I have a huge bias against United – being born in Liverpool, I guess it goes with the upbringing. However, I admit that United thoroughly deserved to be crowned Premier League Champions this year. No team wins a title through luck alone, and as such, I can only wait to see what happens for us in the coming season (’09-’10).
Secondly, the new PES 2010 trailer. I’m sure Dan will be doing a little analysis of it in his IWP in a few days time, so look forward to that! However, I’d advise fans to hold back from speculating too much about PES 2010 until we’ve seen some actual gameplay! Each year Konami put out a highly rendered, beautiful-looking video which is designed purely to ramp up the hype, yet one which is far from representative of actual gameplay. Let me point out though, I’m not a cynic – I am very excited about this year’s edition of the game, and I’ve only heard good things about it so far!
Beat The Blogger
Having played 12 matches against 5 different opponents (and lost only 3, may I add!), next Saturday I will be announcing the name and location of the winner of Beat The Blogger 2009, who will win themselves a copy of PES 2009 on the Nintendo Wii. The current winner is currently positioned at first place with a 3-1 win. If you’d like to try and beat this in the next week, then please email me on the address below – hopefully Dougie will be around for you to play against – with a broken hand, I don’t rate my chances too well!
One last time, the competition rules;
1) Players can use any Club team, with the exceptions of Barcelona, Inter, Real Madrid, or Manchester United. Same rules apply for bloggers.
2) Only one copy of the game is available to win. Final rulings reside with the panel of bloggers. Competitors may enter as many times as they wish, as long as the bloggers are available to play. To keep it fair, with regard to who gets to have another match the soonest, preference will be given to the person who has played the least amount of games.
3) Number of games played does not affect the final decision.
4) If you beat us soundly with a less ‘highly-rated’ team rather than Liverpool or Arsenal, this may be taken into account.
Lookalike
Huge thanks to Jasper(inho) for sending in this week’s lookalike. I think it’s a very close resemblance personally!
If you’ve got a good lookalike then please email me on the following address:
francis_newall@hotmail.co.uk
As always, comments on your preferences to what I talk about, whether you liked it, or just general comments on the article, are all very welcome.
Thanks,
-Francis
Posted by Dan Bolas in Site Updates on Tue 02 Jun 2009
Guys, as promised here is the first trailer for Pro Evolution Soccer 2010. Prepare to get very excited about the use of defensive and tactical sliders, as well as graphics that would look more at home on a Sky Sports HD advert.
A comprehensive screenshot gallery will be released in a couple of days time, showing the most up to date and modern screenshots of PES 2010 in development, I am just getting clearance from the powers that be! Enjoy The trailer below
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2009 News on Tue 02 Jun 2009
Hey all. I’ll be continuing to post my ‘In The Red’ column on Saturdays from now on. I don’t want to push Dan’s IWP down the page very much, so I’ll keep this brief! A video has emerged of Messi in the motion capture suit, then a spectacular, unrelated miss at the end of the video. Just copy and paste the following link into your browser:
http://www.cuatro.com/deportes/videos/rey-europa-leo-messi-habla/20090529ctoultpro_42/
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 02 Jun 2009
IWP League Champion 2009: Ivan Kostic (Internacional)
Welcome to this week’s Interfering With Play. This column has a shelf life of arguably a couple of days, as this week promises to bring some of the latest news regarding Pro Evolution Soccer 2010, as well as the much fabled ‘first video trailer’. It should become a snowball affect now over the next few months, with news starting to from first on a weekly and then daily basis, as magazines and journalists all begin to add their spices to the collective platter that is PES. I am going to use this brief opportunity to inform you that as of this moment, no one has won the seemingly easy PRO-ve Your Skills challenge yet. The challenge has been available for just over 24 hours, so I expect someone to have completed it by now. However, with no photo in my inbox, I am simply waiting for someone to get in touch. There will be a prize for the eventual winner of PRO-ve Your Skills, so get gaming, and get involved. If, on the other hand, this competition is not your thing, feel free to ignore the article altogether.
“I Hate The World Today”
This site is dedicated to PES, and on a more general note, football gaming. Therefore, each week, my column is scribed with the intention to promote discussion and debate on the aforementioned matters, in a mature and light hearted environment. The last few weeks, the comments section has descended into what can only be described as an embarrassment, both for this website and the majority of decent community members that are out there. We have had issues ranging from death threats, to personal verbal abuse to identity theft, all of which have next to nothing to do with the articles penned, or the general topic of Pro Evolution Soccer.
People have openly complained about the lack of a log in section, comparing the site to WENB. I would like to take this opportunity to point out that PESGaming.com has an active forum that has been running for over 6 years, and the majority of topics are both constructive and sensible. I am regular reader of peoples work within the forums, and whilst I don’t post much on there, I do use it for reference when writing Interfering With Play. The addition of a log in section wouldn’t really stop any of the problems occurring at the moment, as everyone who wanted to post their views could still do so, just they would have to go through a registration process first! By my own admittance, I may have been slightly lenient with the lack of deleting comments on this site so far, but that is all changing as from this week.
From now on, any comments that feature abusive language or threatening behaviour towards any other community members will be deleted straight away, irrelevant of the topic they are raising. Any comments that are blatantly repeats of previous issues or comments already raised, in other words not moving on the debate and just reiterating the same points, will also be deleted. If you would like to assure that your username remains personal, please fill in the e-mail address tab below your screen name. An e-mail will be sent to you confirming your username is linked to your IP address and e-mail address. Finally, any issues that are deliberately off topic will be deleted straight away. Off topic is at the discretion of myself, and if you have anything you would like to discuss with me, you can do so via e-mail.
It is a sad state of affairs when a community that is all banding together for a common goal has to be babysat by its contributors, but unfortunately the situation has gone beyond a joke. The same people that want Konami to listen to them are acting in an aggressive, immature and unprofessional way, and are doing both themselves and this well established Pro Evolution Soccer website a huge disservice. If you are one of the many who act in a sensible way and take this site with the intention it is delivered, then please continue to do so, I hope the minority will be ignored and eventually, disappear.
“The Green, Green Grass Of Home”
On a slightly lighter note, it has been reported that PES 2010 is going to be using a whole new graphics engine. Whilst this may have been mentioned before, there is damning evidence to support the fact, some of which is unable to be made public as of yet. However, upon recently purchasing a new TV, I have to criticise the quality and realism of the pitch itself, both the grass and the line markings.
Up until recently, I was working on a smaller screen Goodmans TV that was definitely not at the height of technology. It wasn’t bad per say, just not very good, and therefore I decided to invest in a new LG one. I have always used the HD cable, and anyone playing next generation consoles should have 100% made the switch by now. However, the different in picture quality is amazing, so much so that the grass quality stands out a mile off.
In the past I have been one to hail PES 2009 as one of the best looking football titles ever, and have even gone on record defending the grass to community members who were less than satisfied. I stand by my judgement on the player models, some of which are borderline photo realistic, but openly hold my hands up and say that grass textures and pitch details need to be hugely improved in PES 2010. I think many of us would love to see pitches that deteriorated as matches went on, with mud patches and slide marks becoming visible. My experience of this (Actua Soccer Series) was less than impressive but this is 15 years on, and something that other sports have began to look into, Brian Lara’s Cricket one of the best at doing so. Views on the pitch texture and grass, something which I believe Konami are looking into, would be greatly appreciated.
“Boots With The Fur”
It is no secret now that PES 2010 will feature motion capture by none other than Lionel Messi. For those not familiar, Motion Capture is where an individual has tiny sensors attached to their body and perform a number of actions, which in turn relays the information back to an animated version on the computer. Many games have been using this for many years, with a variety of results; arguably the most famous was the Mortal Kombat series from the mid nineties, which took a lot of flack for having photo realistic characters beating each other black and blue. To my knowledge, however, it is something that the PES series has not used before, and now having one of the worlds best players at their disposal, seems as good a time as any to initiate the system.
In my ever sceptical view of Konami actions, I am not sure about the decision, but before expressing my opinions, I will open to the floor to you guys. Do you feel that motion capture is the way forward for Pro Evolution Soccer? It will get rid of the annoying slow motion running style, but will using just Messi limit the feel between players, something which FIFA has been criticised for (a title which is famous for its motion capture). The same could be said for styles of tricks or shot. It is no secret that someone like Messi has a unique style and is a great example of how to control and dribble a ball, but I would hate to play a game whereby every player has this same style. Imagine John O Shea showing that close dribbling control, or Titus Bramble having a swift change of direction on the ball. At the same time, this is the next generation, and many gamers on this very site have been crying for the next generation to reach PES. Looking through my gaming collection, it is hard to find a game that features humans and does not use some form of motion capture, so is PES just playing catch up? Your views on what could prove to be the biggest decision Konami have ever made in the franchises history are welcomed.
“I Don’t Understand How, You’re Number One”
Before I bring out the next ‘Big Survey’, I would like to put one final issue to bed, something that was coupled with last week’s PRO-ve Your Skills challenge. The ratings system on Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 needs a serious overhaul. Goalkeepers never get above a 6.5, even if they have had the greatest game of their life, and defenders only break a 7.0 if they manage a goal. Meanwhile, an attacking substitute who have played 2 passes and scored a penalty in the last 15 minutes of the game can be awarded an 8.0! The lack of logic borders on scary.
One huge personal improvement for me between PES 2008 and 2009 is that on the ratings screen, you can actually select a player and view their in game stats, issues such as pass completion rates and distance dribbled. Whilst I am sure these play some part in the overall rating, it is not fair unless they are weighted appropriately. Of course, a defender is less likely to have shots on goal, but having more interceptions in crucial areas of the pitch is equally as important. As I have mentioned before, maybe a rating system based upon their position would be more appropriate. At a brief count there are 12 positions, with some variations for side of the field. Having different targets for each position would make for more accurate stats.
The other big issue is the numbers used. Until recently, Football Manager and before it Championship Manager where the law when it came to stats. Between 1 and 10, each player received a ranking that led to a season average. There were no career averages, but instead, players were rated based on their performances in each competition, and the data was stored to that player. In PES, player ratings are either a full of half number for example 6 or 6.5. It is very rare a player will get a rating below a 4.0 and even rarer they will receive above an 8.0. This means you have a rating system consisting of just eight rankings, something which makes no sense. It is also difficult to establish what would be considered an average performance. Based on the system, 5.0 would be average, as it is half way between 1 and 10, but instead, it seems to be the lowest ranking most players receive. Short of being sent off or giving the ball away every touch, 5.0 is the score a player will get, and only goals or assists boost that up. It would be fantastic if every match stat was recorded, and every ranking was saved, but at the moment, this is the least of the worries as the ratings need tweaking to at least resemble some sort of accepted scale. Your views are greatly appreciated.
“Don’t Look Back & Never Surrender”
Just a quick answer to a question left by the community, something which relates to the above point. In Become A Legend, the lack of defender or goalkeeper option has frustrated many. One mate was so livid by it he actually has never played the game mode. The reason for its exclusion is pretty simple, and lends heavily from the above ratings system discussion. The Become A Legend set up rates your performances on things you do well within the match, and rewards you heavily for scoring goals or assisting. Those players who play in midfield might feel that having a perfect pass ratio and winning many tackles affects there rating, but they would have to admit that having a poor game and scoring a goal would give them a higher overall score.
The Become A Legend mode, as with PES 2009, doesn’t really have a system for rating defensive performances, something which would make playing as a defender be ever so infuriating. Removing it from the game was the only option of Konami, something which many hope will be rectified in a more defensive PES 2010. The same applies to goalkeepers, and whilst it may be a long way off, I long for a game whereby you can have full control of the goalkeeper in a match, with a range of controls similar to those of outfield players. The delight of claiming crosses and launching a quick counter attack is one which both FIFA and PES are yet to truly capture.
That’s your lot for this week. Many of you picked up on my poor spelling in last week’ article. In many cases I write these columns late at night, or rushing before I go out and therefore make no apologies for misspelling a handful of the 2,000 plus words I pen each week. I understand that it is frustrating, and wherever possible I read and edit my piece, however, more often than not, this is just not an option. IF you see a mistake, feel free to comment, and I will change it, and delete the comment upon its edit. interferingwithplay@hotmail.co.uk is the place to direct e-mail to, and comments that are both on topic and community friendly will be welcomed, those which are aggressive, repetitive or irrelevant will be deleted. Has anyone seen Double D?
Thanks for Reading
