Interfering With Play 06/11/07
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 06 Nov
It’s Tuesday and it’s PESGaming.com, so that means its time for this week’s Interfering With Play. With the views on the new Pro Evolution Soccer split pretty much 50:50, I am fully aware that for everyone that agrees with one of my points, there will be another person calling it rubbish. For the first time in a very long time, actual fans of Pro Evolution Soccer are exceptionally disappointed with the product, and that is a sign that Konami really need to start listening to their audience if they want to continue being ‘the premier football game’ on the market. With that mini rant over, lets get going.
The Need For Speed
With so many problems seemingly ruining gamer’s experience of PES2008, I am going to start by picking up on something which I still feel is unique to the PES series, and something which has been progressively improved on in each instalment of Pro Evolution Soccer. There is no doubt that speed is a crucial part of football, with quicker players seeming to be the most devastating and dangerous players, and this is always represented very well in Konami’s franchise, with quicker players such as Ronaldo, Wright-Phillips and Walcott having the ability to get clear from their bigger, slower counterparts. However, in early versions of PES, you could build a team of small quick players, and be unbeatable. Players like Shearer and Kevin Davies were not getting the recognition for their abilities, because they lacked the pace that made them so lethal in the last third. In the last few editions of PES though, and in PES2008, bigger, stronger players are now as key as the smaller, quicker ones. Having someone like Viduka or Bendtner to hold up the ball is a genuine tactic now, and Konami should get some credit for identifying this. Of course, it is realism, and of course its something that should come as the norm, but for so long, the physical side of the game was shunned in favour of pace players and tricky wingers. I am not ashamed to say there are games when I play a very defensive long ball style, looking to exploit teams from set pieces using my centre backs. This is a situation that would never occur 5 years ago, and I am glad to see it getting progressively better in the PES series.
“I Want To Go….”
Several weeks ago, I mentioned the fact that Konami’s choice of music for their PES games was ‘questionable at best’. Konami are a company that have a rich history of using music to increase the atmosphere and mood in their titles. One of the most memorable gaming moments was hearing those 12 notes played at the start of Metal Gear Solid’s loading screen, and Silent Hill is a game the craves a quality soundtrack as a way of increasing tension and adding pressure. Whilst the commentary is a point of much debate in the PES series, there is no doubting that Jon Champion does a respectable job, and providing better scripting occurs, it has the potential to get better and better as the next gen console games continue to improve. However, the menu music is defiantly not acceptable in any way shape or form, and is something that needs to be sorted as soon as possible. I personally can tolerate ‘Go For The Goal’ as a pop style tune that would have been at home on the mega drive or SNES, but that is were my patience runs out. Konami have two main options, which they need to explore in order to get rid of the unbelievably dated tunes that are playing a great deal of the time. They could allow gamers to import their own music into a folder on their console or PC, with the game then reading the music from here as opposed to the CD or Blu Ray Disc. Surely a Media Player program takes up less space than a selection of over 50 tracks, and as long as it can play MP3 files, most people will be more than happy to use some of their hard drive to store their tunes of choice. Failing this, and knowing full well Konami are never going to shell out the money to use signed, famous bands for anything more than a entrance video, they should approach unsigned bands with music that is actually bearable. They could speak to DJ’s and get them to mix tunes that actually sound like songs you would hear in a club, not in a cartoon and they could approach unknown rap artists, rock bands and people who are musically talented, offering the option of promotion in return for the use of their tracks in the game. I know this won’t bother many people, but its something that I feel Konami really struggle on, and there is proof the EA Sports used to do it before they started getting big names to provide their ‘EA Trax’. On Fifa Manager 06, there was a tune by a band called Whitesilver, which I had never heard before. Intrigued, and having really enjoyed the song, I checked out the band to find out they were an unsigned Swedish group, who were currently starting up and had been approached by EA as a way of promoting their debut album. Surely Konami can take a huge note from this. Your views on the music in PES, and whether or not it needs sorting are very much appreciated.
Four More Years
Just a quick point regarding the PSN and the release of the PES2008 demo last Thursday. If anyone is thinking of downloading the 1GB+ demo as a guideline on whether or not to buy the game, I strongly recommend you avoid doing so. Firstly, by downloading the demo, you are showing to Sony that irrelevant of what they release or when they release it, it will still get downloaded and supported. This will result in many demos being delayed to after their games release, which is not what a demo is about. Secondly, it is a 70% version of a game, which is struggling with glitches as it is, and therefore it is a poor comparison to the ‘finished’ article. Sony and PES has always been a strong partnership, however with this demo situation, the questionable improvement of the PS2 version, and the problems plaguing its PS3 counterpart, links are looking frayed between the two.
Not A Patch On Me
At the time of writing I am yet to apply an option file to my version of PES2008, for the main reason that I am waiting until the next versions of the v1.0 ones are coming out. I tend to only update once or twice on each version of PES, as to get a settled squad lists and strips for playing Master League. Many people have asked how to set up the option file on their PS3, and as I have not done it myself yet, I am responding with the answer I am not sure. My best advice is to follow the guides offered, having read through them two or three times, or even print off copies and go step by step, in order to end up with the desired results. It’s also good to see a patch has been made available for the PC version of the game. Lets hope that the console versions will get their patches soon, although having been in the gaming world for a long time, I know not to hold my breath.
I Want The World And I Want It Right Now
Having read many good articles and humorous comments from various sources in recent weeks, I have to look back and just realise how demanding a group PES gamers truly are. Of course, we want the best possible footballing experience on our consoles, and although you would be hard pressed to find people played PES6 whilst owning PES2008, the newer title still doesn’t satisfy enough people. I am personally please with PES2008, and although I can see many areas for improvement, would defiantly say it is a better game than PES6. And yet many people feel hard done by. Hard done by for playing an improved game. Granted, the improvement may not be as great as in previous years, but its still there. And then there are the releases of option files and demos. Like many PS3 gamers, I was infuriated when the demo wasn’t released; getting more frustrated each week with Sony. I was calling up video game stores, like many of you out there, trying to persuade shops to release the game two or three days early in order to be playing it sooner. I was even queuing along with 200+ others at my local Asda the night of release, in order to get a quick game in the night before my mates. The impatience is quite shocking among PES gamers, and it still carries on. Whilst people are working hard trying to create realistic option files, there are still hundred of people out there demanding a better one, being abusive that one hasn’t been released yet, even though the title has been out just over two weeks! Some of the best PES6 option files were being released 6 months after the games release, but apparently that’s not acceptable nowadays! The computer gaming industry is the fasting moving one in the world, and sometimes, I feel people out there need to remember that its humans that are responsible for certain things, and need to cut others a break. I am sure that when the best option file is available, it will be released, and I am sure only a quarter of the people that use it will ever say thank you to those that developed it, and it probably won’t be the people who were being so disrespectful in these last few weeks.
Where It All Went Wrong
I am ending on a topic that has been bubbling over the course of the past few weeks, and with Fifa and PES being released so close to each other, probably has missed a lot of people’s attention. Whilst PES is receiving its worse response from gamers in years and Fifa is picking up the scraps with its regular ‘decent but not perfect’ accolades, the question that is on a lot of peoples lips is “Which Is The Best Football Game?” For many years the answer would simply be stated as PES, but nowadays it’s not something that can be answered to sharply. Is this because that the games are so commercial now that they are aimed at a different audience to what they were three years ago? Is it because that due to graphics and sponsorship deals, they know there games are going to sell based on adverts and promotion alone? I feel the answer is a lot more ‘grass routes’ than that. When you look back 12 years ago, and the beginning of the Playstation era, the football game market was still very much up for grabs. Taking management simulation games aside, there was still a great deal of choice for football gamers. Games like Sensible Soccer were still firm favourites on older systems, and on the Playstation, as well as ISS Pro and FIFA 96, you had titles such as Actua Soccer and Adidas Power Soccer available. Whilst these games were far from perfect games, they were an alternative that brought a different rival to Konami and EA. Then through Playstation and PS2 generations there were series such as VIVA Football, Libero Grande and This Is Football, which offered new ideas and concepts to provide a different challenge to gamers. None of these titles were classics, but they meant that Konami and EA had to raise the bar, and that along with competing with each other, they had to ensure their product was better than whatever the other developers were throwing out there.
Coming into the present day, and the era of the next generation consoles, the football gaming world is truly suffering from a drought. With the exception of football management games, and Super Mario Strikers (which is nothing more than an arcade game themed around football) there are two companies currently making football games, Konami and EA. There may be several titles from EA on the market, themed around tournaments or the champion’s league, but they still use the same engine as the FIFA series, and Fifa Street is also from the EA lab. Sports with a smaller universal following, such as Rugby and Cricket manage to send out games from two different developers each year, with sports like F1 and Super bikes managing more! This is surly not right. However, the facts are that EA and Konami only have each other to compete with now, and as a result, the people who are suffering from this two horse race are the consumers. Your thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
So that’s you lot for this week, and yes, as usual I have rambled on a bit. Views on anything you have read here would be greatly appreciated. I am getting some really interesting messages and mail, which is taken on board and read before each Interfering With Play gets penned. I want to take my hat off to Andrew Bengston, for his top review of PES2008 on X Box 360. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and will be writing my own in Interfering With Play next week. Any comments can be added here; alternatively you can hit me directly at danbolas@hotmail.com. As always, if you’re going to add me on MSN please mail me first, as I won’t accept you if I don’t know whom you are.
Thanks for Reading
1st Post*
Stil waiting on 360 patch..
still waiting on a fix for the ps2 online.
HEY, NICE.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU AND I WISH YOU LET ME KNOW YOUR IDEAS ON IT.
IF NEXT YEAR PES2009 IS FULLY LICENSE AND WE CAN’T EDIT ANY TEAM, JUST LIKE PES2008 LICENSES TEAMS, WOULD YOU BE HAPPY???
MY BIGGEST LET DOWN THIS YEAR IS THE EDITING MODE, WE ALL LOVE THE GAME BECAUSE HOW IT RUNS ON THE FIELD BUT IT IS SOMETHING ADICTING ABOUT EDITING YOUR OWN TEAM AND PLAYERS, WICH MAKE THE GAME FEELS YOURS, O YOU PART OF THE GAME. ” THIS IS MY GAME ” , IF THE GAME ON PS3 COULD HAVE THE SAME EDITING OF THE PS2 + THE PHOTO SCANNING,BOOTS EDITING AND THEY WOULD LET US USE THE 20 EXTRA TEAMS ON GROUP C ON THE MASTER LEAGUE I THINK THIS GAME COULD IT BEEN THE BEST PES OF THE HISTORY. THEY PROBABLY WOULD MAKE THIS CHANGES AND CALL IT PES2009.
IM IN LOVE WITH THE ML TEAM, CASTOLO,MINANDA ETC,
EDITING MY OWN TEAM
MAKING PES FEEL LIKE MY GAME.
GAMEPLAY IS VERY GOOD.
I just have one question: every time when i enter the game it asks me on what level do i want to play! every single time. everything i change in the game i must save and then load every freakin time! Is there no autosave?
i could not agree with u nemore robbye ron
I guess it’s just a matter of time till an independent or little known developer releases a simulation of the feel and flow of football that shames Konami and EA, even though they’ll have the licenses/graphics/etc.
Reminds me of the situation between Virtua Tennis and Top Spin (two pinball tennis games really), and how the humble Dream Match Tennis Pro is so much better at actually simulating the sport, despite the fact that it’s less appealing from the graphical point of view.
Regarding the ps2 version:
Why dont you talk about the backwards steps that Konami takes?
PES should get better on every aspect of the game, not just gameplay. Although we all agree gameplay is the most important aspect of the game, it doesnt mean all the other aspects are not important. Aspects as critical such as editing, proper real game modes such as the International Challenge, (eliminated from the ps2 version) and playing a Master League with 20 teams (not posible on ps2).
I dont understand why Konami keeps making these backwards steps.
Examples of backward steps or thing that got worse:
(Just to say its incredible that in a game that should get better it actually gets worse)
On PES 2008
Eliminated International Challenge mode (we can no longer play the World Cup qualifiers)
Faces of players
Presentation (all clubs and player names are in CAPITAL LETTERS which is terrible)
On PES 6
They eliminated the option for mixing the shirts with the shorts and the socks. (Lack of common sense or do they need to get a license for this one?)
On PES 4
We all were dissapointed for the lack of strip templates.
Its not much to ask is it? Only use their common sense and dont get worse the things which every person who loves soccer knows are positive.
Would you still be playing this game if suddenly on the next version they eliminate the option for “editing position” or for “individual attack”?
ark at this whiny prick above.
Dan, as always, great article.
Your loyal loving faggot friend, rev
When will PES2008 Psp come out in Singapore?How much will it cost?
Do not worry… It should be out before next month… Btw, I had just gone to Bugis Live Power Hub and saw ps3’s pes2008 which is selling for S$119 (approx. 38-40 pounds OR €60) so i guess psp’s version will be out within a month…
I’ve got a question here… Will there be a ps3 patch for pes2008??? I wanna know… Anybody got any news about this??? I do not wish to regret if i bought it… Jus wanna know will there actually be patches for all versions???
I totally agree with Javier it’s plain stupid konami take these backward steps every year, it may be little things but its these little things that make the game so much better. like mixing the 1st and 2nd strips and why not put in a 3rd kit and give the option of changing the goalie kits aswell. i dunno if i’m missing something but when i play ML i cant find the option of changing kit before a match? they took away the option of players shrits being tucked in or out, there should have been more stadiums especially english stadiums not having them is totally dumb, lack of boots and not bein able to edit the boots sucks and lack of strips is annoying and that stupid song “we’re gonna play football, SOCCER, football, SOCCER” is freakin annoying i end up singing it after i’ve played the game aaaahhh!!!!!!! but even with everything that’s not been put in the game i think it’s still a great game but it really could have been so much better.
I just have one question: every time when i enter the game it asks me on what level do i want to play! every single time. everything i change in the game i must save and then load every freakin time! Is there no autosave? I have pc version..
im a prick
Celtic are motherfuckers. viva la france
ya all fuckers
hey u cunts footie is shit like ya mam in bed my email is lickme@hotmail.co.uk
I totally agree with the fact there are only two football games available it would be so nice to see something new and give konami and ea a bit of competition,
but im afraid its a bit like the local corner shop trying to take on tesco.
dont think we will ever see another company trying to produce a real footy game
hi evri 1 i like to suck sum mager cock
and i had ya doggi in bed wid ya sheep ya we;sh fuckers
id also like to say that iam a gay asshole raper and i want mi meat in ur buns kissie kissie fellas xxxx
yeah we like to fuck mothers, much better than fucking guys u vagabond!
dave eats cum
i love penis with tabasco sause
everyone including jumbo is an arse hole
your are a reprebate. why are u posting as other people? ya plamf.
cunt
wanker
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spunk bucket
luke dean eats shit
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he sucks daves pecker with chocolate on the end
Can i someone tell me if there will be a PS3 patch available soon???
Big question: Me and mates have a league where we control 3 teams and then using the cursor setting we also play as the computer teams against our own teams. However this year they seem to have removed the option to play as the cpu! Is this true or is there a way around it?
the patch is available next week and you Are a prick
richard sucks cock
jumbo i had u r mam n she gave me crabs
all pricks, all pricks, all pricks, all pricks, all pricks,
u all like sweaty ball cheese
Can someone please stop these idiots from typing abusive notes on this excellent site. The people who ask genuine questions don’t want idiots replying with swearing and cursing. Its obvious some get a sick kick out of this but perhaps you would be better off getting lost and let the pro evo fans have there say.
Regarding the demo. It would have been beneficial for it to have been earlier. Although as I preordered it as soon as you could, it wasnt to help decide whether to buy it or not. And as it is the number 1 selling game I doubt this was a factor for a lot of people. Now it has been made available, it can help late deciders. It isnt a bad representation of the game. It plays quite well. Unlike the fifa demo.
Konami are able to do the hard bit well, (on the pitch) but the easy bit they keep falling short with. (menu’s
the only reasson this site is excellant is coz ya mama said that u doon’t have a cock p.s i am gettin more than a kik out of this muhahahahahaha
im a prick
I noticed that people have mentioned you can no longer use the zoom function on PS3 replays. Well I found out you still can. If you press Triangle it swaps the camera into zoom mode and using the left stick and D-pad you can recreate the same functions as PES6.
Maybe to eliminate these guys spoiling the site, PESgaming should start charging for its use. That way all of these kids would either not be able to use it or would have to ask their parents for their credit cards!
Has anyone bought the PES 2008 guide this year? What are the DVD’s like?
Have you guys checked out http://nextgenpes.wordpress.com ? They have some decent option files and pes news.
anon is a prick and fucks men
Im a prick and the website i have just mentioned is shit like me.
im a prick
your all fuckers, anon, richard,your all big fucking pricks
I think i should go hump a donkey ands i think pes is shit
The comments site on this shite has really gone to shit, sort it out pesgaming, there really are some sad pricks on here these days.
hi peeps, how do u make your own player on the ps3?
raveer there is no need to worry bout makin ur own player coz knowing u…u will make a player tht looks nearly like u n u r 1 butterz bitch so jus keep wiv the normal players:D p.s take my advice!!:D:D
die in a hole lol.
btw, im more hansom than u wouldntu agree? turbanator LOL waste guy
DOES ANY1 KNOW HOW 2 DO IT?
So what do u guys thing about the gameplay
Sometimes the comp is so freaking good.
But by far the biggest thing i’m having trouble with is defending I don’t think I’ve had a clean sheet yet and I was pretty good defender last game.
Is it just me with the problem or u guys having the same issue. And comp set pieces omg corners and free kicks just pray they miss.
u lil basterds all look like the back end of my arse
u foozball twats
I’ve finally got the game today and the game isn’t that bad.
I just didn’t believe it when I heard how shit the online mode is but it’s so shit that when you score a goal it doesn’t register and the players run around the ball like idiots!
I can’t believe that Konami actually released the game with an online mode which they probably tested and said ‘fuck it’ let’s just release it anyway. The FIFA online mode is like a million times better!
MAN IM GETTIN PS2 PES ON THE PS3. PS3 PES IS POOP WITH DAT EDIT MODE
Hello,
Every year I buy as well Fifa as Pes and every year it’s PES I get stuck to. This year however Fifa made a giant leap, even fifahaters can’t deny this. I haven’t bought PES yet because as if today I have my xbox 360 back from the repair center. No guys , honestly.. is it really that crappy??
Are the PES vibes of the old days gone?? When I read reviews they are quit positive, they do agree about the flaws but still, essentialy it remains the number one game to buy. So honest opinions please..
hey Granjeros,
the offline mode isn’t that bad just some glitches when the screen gets too populated like in PES 3 or 4 can’t remember. I’d still get the game cos gameplay is certainly better than FIFA.
the online mode is such a joke it doesn’t even work properly and you’ll see what I mean when you try it out.
ok, thanks Matthew
boys there is some good news check out - http://www.winningelevenblog.com/
they talk about the long awaited option file