Interfering With Play 08/01/08
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 08 Jan 2008
Welcome to the first Interfering With Play of the year that is 2008. I would like to begin with wishing everyone a happy New Year, and hope that you all had a safe and altogether enjoyable Christmas. This year will hopefully see PESGaming.com become bigger, and the online community to grow as a result. We have some very loyal visitors and some people who have some pretty good views on stuff. If you feel you could contribute in any way to this site, be it with information, news or something slightly different, contact Peter Willis with what you can offer, and I am sure he will be interested in getting you on board. As for Interfering With Play, I plan to keep up a healthy range of subjects regarding the talking points from the world of football and computer games, whilst still focussing on the PES 2008 issues that have plagued the back end of 2007. There is information in today’s article about the Seabass letter, so I urge you read on!
All Sparks Have Burnt Out
It was my own personal intention to start up an editing site for PES2008, providing information for those gamers who wished to edit the game themselves. The site was going to feature the transfers, ability updates and methods more making strips look more realistic, along with allowing lower league fans the chance to show off their own customising work, and to share it with others. After doing a fare amount of research into the subject, I have decided that most if not all of this information is available on forums, with a great deal of it being available on the PESGaming.com forums. Here you can find the correct name for the classic/unlock able players and those international sides with the wrong spelling. I would love to set up a site providing all this information, but for the time being anyway, recommend those who want to edit the game to scan the web for the best guides. Also, I am yet to get my hands on the PS3 eye so am unable to report how easy it is to use. Those console gamers who have imported their own faces / shirts on the game are welcome to leave a comment below explaining any complications or recommendations regarding each systems respective camera.
Give It A Face
With Interfering With Play moving into the New Year, I thought it would be an opportunity to give the article a logo, and was opening the floor to graphic designers or someone who just wants to have their image on the main page of PESGaming.com each week. I have a few of my mates currently working on designs and I am pretty handy on Photoshop myself, but would much rather have one of the PESGaming.com community design the logo. So if you have any ideas, send them to the address below. All images will be considered, and credit will be given to the chosen logo.
Letters To You
Before Christmas, the main talking point within Interfering With Play was regards a letter I was planning to write to Seabass, including suggestions made by the PESGaming.com community, all of who are fans of the series. This is still very much my attention, and following around a hundred e-mails over the past month, I am offering one more week for those ideas, no matter how big or small, that you feel would make PES2009 the pinnacle of football gaming, to be sent to me either in the form of an e-mail, or as a comment at the bottom of Interfering With Play. Starting next week, I will be breaking down the ideas into several sections, with one section each week being analysed and your ideas being put into a public arena. Those ideas that receive the most support, or seem sensible, as well as those supported by the weekly poll, will then be included in the final letter, which is planned to be sent to both Konami and Seabass, the games developer, on Friday 29th February. This is a great opportunity for your ideas to be aired, and for people to either build upon or support them, so please feel free to express your thoughts on improving the PES series. There have been a few forum members who seem to think this letter may be seen as a waste of time, and that no one pays attention to a site like this. It is pretty obvious that with thousands of hits a day, and the F.A. Premier League even getting in contact, we must have some form of voice. This is your final chance to have your ideas considered, so e-mail or comment by this time next week.
Guided By The Lights
Whilst I did receive some top Christmas presents, one thing that I did ask for but did not receive was the PES2008 strategy guide. Now at £9.99 in most game shops, or £5.99 online, it seems quite expensive for what is basically a beefed up instruction manual. I have been playing Pro Evo for many years now, back to the old ISS days, and have never once required any kind of guide or tactics book in order to get me through. I ask the opinion, is this book really needed? Are there any gamers out there who have one and find it genuinely worth the rather hefty price tag? They obviously sell well, seeing as a new one is released each year. I can understand it for RPG or adventure games that sometimes require a turn-by-turn guide, or even fighting games that give you combos and moves at a glance. But what does this guide offer the season PES player? Any light that could be shed on the subject would be greatly appreciated.
Let Me See That Con
Now, to act almost a s public service announcement. There are some shady characters on and around the Internet that are promising perfect option files for PS3 and X Box 360 versions of PES2008, including perfect kits and badges, for a small fee. I would like to warn all those out there who may be tempted to part with the cash that these are nothing more than hoaxes, and the people involved are ripping you off. The images of these ‘Complete’ option files have been taken from PC versions of the game, which are easier to edit, and that the option of changing badges and all strips to resemble their real life counterparts exactly is unfortunately just not possible on the next gen consoles this time around. I have heard a couple of stories about people receiving shoddy option files for their hard earned cash, and would like to start off 2008 by reminding you that it is a con, and to avoid these rip off merchants.
PC Or Not PC, Is That Even The Question
2007 saw PESGaming.com become a place for much discussion about the battle between the consoles and PC games world, and that although they have lived together in reasonable harmony for two decades now, sooner or later one is going to give. In my opinion, PC still play second fiddle to consoles, and although the fact nowadays PC’s are becoming Home Entertainment Systems, they still have a long way to go to be truly classed as a gaming machine. There is no doubt that on a high spec PC, the games look as good as if not even better than those on PS3 or 360, but not everyone has this High-end machine. The advantage for developers when it comes to making games for the consoles is that everyone who is playing their game will be playing it on pretty much the same specification machine. Yes the size of console hard drives may be changeable, and there may be HD support on some machines not others, but the speed, disc drive and memory is going to identical on console. If the game runs well on one machine, the developers are going to be pretty sure it will run well on all. PC’s have hundreds of different Video Cards and Sound Cards available, along with numerous operating systems, accessories and even DVD drives! The problem will be that for every one PC gamer that has all this stuff to make their game run perfectly, another just won’t have the correct equipment, and when your machine doubles up as a place for word processing or storing your music, you can ill afford to constantly be changing your Processor every few months, which for many means having your machine in the shop for a number of days. One point raised was that EA, a company with a rich PC library, believe that in a few years time, consoles will no longer be necessary and all gamers will play using PC. This is counteracted by an industry representative, who in a recently wrote in Games magazine that he believes that all consoles will end up being Handheld systems similar to PSP or the DS. I play games on my PC, but have far from a top of the range system. I much prefer sitting in my lounge, or lying on bed with my PS3 as to sitting at a PC to play games such as PES or even FPS like Call Of Duty 4. But it is down to personal choice, developers will always make games for PC, as it is very simple to convert a console game to PC format, however when it comes to both comfort and a more relaxed gaming experience, I still think consoles will win nine times out of ten.
Wii Will Rock You
My final point of the evening is in regards to a comment made an individual claiming Nintendo Wii to be the best next gen console, and that it is kicking the 360 and PS3 in the teeth when it comes to quality and sales. The Nintendo Wii is a brilliant concept made through by Nintendo that anyone can pick up and play, its very easy and very fun. In a party environment with a few mates, I would have to agree. The PS2 like graphics and overall questionable game selection (Super Mario Galaxy excluded) can be overlooked for the fact everyone does seem to be included. Being cheaper than the other consoles also give Nintendo Wii a slight advantage, but unfortunately, that’s where it ends. The games get old pretty fast, and unless you have parties every night, the console will find very little use on your own, again with Super Mario Galaxy withstanding. They are purchased by parents for their children, only to find that most kids would much rather go bowling than play it on Wii Sports and whilst these ideas start off very new and exciting, the range of future release games leaves a lot to be desired. Whilst March and April see PS3 owners looking forward to games like GTA 4 and Metal Gear Solid 4, Wii gamers can look forward to things such as Pimp My Ride, and Table Football. There is no denying that the Wii has had a successful launch, but baring a sudden influx of quality games that will attract the more hardcore gamer, sales will no doubt start to dwindle throughout 2008.
That’s your lot for this weeks Interfering With Play. If it was your first time reading, I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed it, and as I said, lets try and make 2008 our biggest year ever. Recommend the site to a friend or post a link on another message board. I really hope this community grows and grows because it is in support of a top football game. E-mails can be sent to danbolas@hotmail.com especially regarding logos and any ideas for the Seabass letter, which starts next week. Any PS3 gamers can add me as Thebolder, I do play Call Of Duty 4 online, although the last few weeks have seen me addicted to Uncharted: Drakes Fortune! Any comments about anything on this weeks article are also very much appreciated. Interfering With play is now back every Tuesday, so make sure you check PESGaming.com regularly to have your say!
Thanks For Reading
1st post whoohoo lol
Ideas for that letter you sending to seabass
1.The ability to tear the pitch up, e.g it gets slightly muddier on rainy days
2.The idea of have visible cuts and bruises when players are injured.
3.Be able to get mud on the players shirts + their hair moves when running
4.Have an Indoor Mode, or maybe a 5 a side option.
5.Have the option to have more weather conditions that actually effect the play,eg.light rain,heavy rain,icy (makes ball slide around faster) snow (prevents free flowing football) fog (less player passing accuracy)
6.More leagues, even if konami cant get the top leagues surely we can have the japanese or s.korea leagues or even the MLS or A-League or even a smaller european or african league.
7.No lag during cut scenes.
8.A Match analysis feature where commentators go through what you did right and wrong at the end of the match.
9.An option to be interviewed in the master league, by selecting form a choice of sentences.
10.Real currency for the master league
For the Gameplay
1.Less error prone keepers. But not completely flawless like fifa.
2.Top class players can control the ball better from long crosses,stopping the ball going about a metre in front of them.
3.Move movements, passing and running.
4.Players speed up when receiving a through ball like they tend to in real lfe.
5.Sound should comes out of the players mouths when speaking to the referee,and the referees voice.
6. They should have some shoddy pitches for lower league teams, that can be torn up easily and are small, nothings betta than a small sunday league game.
1. a domestic cup competition including both D1 and D2 teams together
2. possibly a fully licenced portugeuse league?
3. when an injured player is substituted, maybe they could be shown to not always have a hamstring injury! Other injuries do exist!
Nice article Dan!
My improvments are as followed:
1)a FULL edit mode….everything from boots…shirts…balls…all should be customisable to make things exactly how you want it. also it should have the ability to use stored hard drive images (unlimited as apposed to 8) and an advanced ‘Paint’ mode like the last game. also make note in your letter that the exclusion of these features was unnaceptable from a consumer view
2)Perhaps a Dribble Create feature….not essential but how great would it be to see someone running like the ministry of silly walks LOL.
3)Pitch deformation….Motorstorm has it….so should Pro
4)Needs Far better online features and stability
5)Referee Mode
6)my biggest wish would be for no cuts during a game….for example…a ball goes out of play the nearest player legs it to the touch line and recieves it from the ball boy…same with free kicks…goal kicks…just would make it feel so much more immersive.
Im sure i could think of more….but if any of these are included it would be a better game so…….beggars cant be choosers
Strategy Guide - I got the guide for PES5 and it wasn’t the best. However, I found, via google, a link to this years coaching DVD that I actually learnt a few new tricks from. (Someone and put it on Youtube) Whats more it meant I got it for free!!!
With regards to the Wii, I take your points about the poor forthcoming release list and party gameitis that seems to be taking over but as an owner of both a PS3 and Wii I am glad I’ve got one as it allows me to take a break from the barrage of rehashed war games (COD4 excluded!) and 4th or 5th sequels of games I first played back in the 90’s (although I also hate Mario!!). The problem with Nintendo machines is the lack of solid 3rd party development on them. Without this it will always seem a second rate console.
Stategy guide:
Personally i think it is a con that the basic manuals you purchase with a game do not contain all the control combination possibilities to begin with.
Why do we accept this as the norm?
A strategy guide should be exactly that - tips and tricks on how to use the known controls to your advantage - i.e. the best position to be in to lob a keeper, or how to beat a 4-4-2 formation etc.
Wii:
The machine is perfect for superficial gaming, but at the moment the ps3 and 360 could suffer from games developed for the casual market on the machines.
The new mantra seems to be to make games short, light and fluffy. Normal and hardcore gamers are being ripped off. Games are getting easier to complete and shorter in length too (for single players modes).
PES:
Game engine:
1) give us proper 16-way control over player movement
2) the faster you run with the ball, the less control you have over it (anyone remember the classic Dino Dini’s Soccer game on the Megadrive??)
3) being able to shift the ball from your left foot to your right foot when controlling and moving with the ball.
4) an easier way to pull off manual passing
5) better AI - teamvision is a joke. it sounds and plays like one of the many “improvements” introduced in fifa comedy releases.
6) fatigue being reflected in how players run/move, rather than having to rely on the meter to guage their levels.
7) crossing a ball - the systems for crossing balls in from the by-line, or from anywhere else need to be improved. being able to whip a cross in with lots of curl would be nice.
Cosmetic changes:
1) FULL editing facilities of players/shirts/boots etc
2) total control over camera angles. the PS1 gave the ability to define your own camera angle in the “Acua Soccer” series, why can’t we do the same with PES? i used to like the overhead camera angles from yesteryear - why can’t i define just how much zoom should be used, and even whether the pitch should be horizontally or vertically scrolled?
Once the above type issues have been addressed, then I’d welcome comments relating to how dirty the pitches get, or more routines with crowds etc - these sorts of “improvements” aren’t on my radar yet!
over and out
the cuts when the ball goes out of play are so annoying. you should be able to take quick goal kicks to catch people out of position after an attack. it’s always the same, either play it short to the first man or hit long, not enough variety. free kicks, corners and throws should be the same, the players are wherever they were when the ball went out of play, not back in ’set’ positions.
I’d recommend watching the DVD coaching manual as it shows you how to put even more spin and dip on the ball from crosses and freekicks etc. I score a lot more regularly now from croners as a result. Unfortunately I can’t find the link at the min that I used.
i play pro evo on the pc with the wireless xbox360 controller, lying or sitting on the couch on a 32″ lcd display…can it be more comfortable?
i think there is no difference between pc and the next gen consoles in this way…
pes09 should include
1. better commentary more tense build ups for the commentary to use, 2 quality commentators not mark larwence hu is teriible
2. an online update for all transfers..ive heard fifa do this
3. keepers to not always parry ball into the path of on coming strikers which happens too often and also hits heepers hand then goes in2 the goal which happens to frequently even with the best keepers.
4. fatigue is terrible players do not get as tired as pes08 have put them too many playes get too tired to play the next game..unrealistic
5. free kicks given too often for minor challenges, stops flow of game
6. many more ideas to be given but seabass should ave known this..jus w8 for MGS4 nad GTA4 n god of war
pes08 should include
1. better commentary more tense build ups for the commentary to use, 2 quality commentators not mark larwence hu is teriible
2. an online update for all transfers..ive heard fifa do this
3. keepers to not always parry ball into the path of on coming strikers which happens too often and also hits heepers hand then goes in2 the goal which happens to frequently even with the best keepers.
4. fatigue is terrible players do not get as tired as pes08 have put them too many playes get too tired to play the next game..unrealistic
5. free kicks given too often for minor challenges, stops flow of game
6. many more ideas to be given but seabass should ave known this..jus w8 for MGS4 nad GTA4 n god of war
Just found teh link again for the free PES2008 coaching dvd sections - http://www.consolegoals.com/view_video.php?viewkey=caf7aa07301948549bed&page=1&viewtype=&category=tf
It was on console goals not youtube. Sorry!
1. stadium editor(no more moaning about stadiums)
2. being able to change master league team once season is finished
3. ticker at the bottom of screen letting you know other scores during match
4.no more champions league with teams from your own division
5.players with fast pace running faster than slow defenders
6.expand on the master league pictures and make it somehow interactive
almost forgot another couple
7. being able to choose which foot you hit your shot with
8. try and get proper songs for teams(the dreaded fifa got it spot on this year with celtic)it makes it that wee bit more enjoyable
It is sometimes far too easy to get past defenders with the stronger players like adriano. The next edition should be more of a team game so instead of being able to get past defences with just 1 player, they should make through balls slightly easier to pull off and make the movement of the strikers much better.
pes improvements:
1. I REALLY WANT, people to be able to do international selection for online matches. I think that would be such a great thing to let people do.
2. a referee mode would be clever. To have 2 people facing each other and the third person taking the role of a referee. and after the match players can get to rate the ref, which would be pretty cool.
3. i think ronaldinho and c.ronaldo seem to run very similarly. I really wish a lot of the players ran closer to the way they run in real life.
4. Fifa’s be a pro online mode is AMAZING, it is one of the only reasons to why fifa for the first time in years is really good. i hope konami can find a way to counter that for the next pes.
i’ve always thought that it would be good if there was a goal of the month/season competition when the comp automatically saves decent goals as well as good ones saved by the player then have a rundown of the good ones at the end of each month or season.
My top three suggestions for new features would be as follows:
1. More reaction from the crowd, if you score a last minute winner you should be able to hear from going wild. At the moment they sound the same whether you score a crucial injury time screamer or a late consolation goal when your already four goals down.
2. Free kicks need looking at again as you still don’t have enough control over them and getting the ball up and over the wall is still too hard even with the world’s best players. Why can’t you play a free kick short unless you are in an attacking position? Sometimes you are forced to give the ball away due to the terrible default positions of your teamates.
3. I also agree that not having blank cut scenes whenever the ball goes out of play would make matches feel so much more realistic. Players should just recover the ball themselves and play on.
As well as these new additions Konami need to sort out the following poorer features introduced for the first time into PES2008 particularly the PS3/XBOX360 versions:
1. The stupid online and offline lag which still occurs even on my PS3 even when played through my £3000 HD Tv. And yes the patch made no difference!
2. The stupidity of removing the decent editor featured in past versions. PES’s biggest flaw is it’s absence of a decent Premier League license but this can be so easily overcome if Konami just made sure everything could be editable from badges, kits, grounds, text, boots and balls.
3. Sort out those keepers. They look like they are trying to catch a wet bar of soap on ice.
Happy New Year everyone.
Where does this belief that only a top-end PC beats consoles actually come from?
A mid-range PC graphics card such as the ATi X1950 has repeatedly shown it displays top-end titles better than a PS3 or 360 and it isn’t exactly a top-end card.
@ Don Sweey
U dumb fuck. ur sayin a mid range graphics card is better than a 1080p ps3?
SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, this is my first post on this website so go easy heh!
Personally, I think PES6 is about the same standard as PES2008 - it’s a shame that Konami haven’t made much improvement on the game.
These are the things I’d like to see included in PES2009:
1. Less cutting. If the ball rolls out of play, and a player can run, pick it up and take the throw in, this should be implemented. I imagine it’d work just like the quick free kick system - man runs over to ball, picks it up and the team can build quickly. I think that the quick free kick system should be worked on as well - sometimes, if the ball moves only 3 yards away from the spot of the foul, you can’t take the quick free kick. Players should be able to run and get the ball, take it back to the spot, and play along. When the game is constantly being cut up for small situations like those, it gets somewhat annoying.
2. More doubt. More and more we are seeing incorrect refereeing decisions. So I think Konami should introduce these mistakes. We’ve all surely got annoyed when our player is literally two inches offside, or sometimes even looks in line, surely? I doubt that even top class linesmen could call these decisions correct 100% of the time! So I think Konami should introduce a system whereby the wrong decision can be given. Perhaps a sliding scale whereby the nearer the attacker is to the defender, the less likely the decision will be right? Y’know, it doesn’t have to be constantly wrong, but to see a little bit of indecision would certainly add to the realism of the game.
3. The usual things . PES shop - where are you?! Easily editable kits, or even better, real kits! And personally, I’d like to see unlimited replay saves. This was near possible on PC, where you had 12 “boxes” of about 20 slots for any kind of save. Now, on 360, with 13GB free, I can only save 20 replays. This annoys me! Maybe I’m just being too picky…
Thanks for making a top game Konami, hopefully 2008 will be the year it all comes together. 3rd time lucky?
Oh, and get rid of Lawrenson. He sounds so unbelievably like he’s reading the script. Jon Champion is the best commentator I’ve heard on a PES game - just a shame Lawro detracts from him!
Just finished Mass Effect, now playing Assasins Creed, Ill buy PES2008 again when it’s £19.99 and I’ve got some points on my Game card! £10 is about right.
For ‘The Letter’, I would like a “NEXT GEN” version of PES!
Simple really!
@ Anonymous for being rude @ Don Sweey
even lower range cards than the ATi X1950, like my x800xt are more than capable of playing 1080p resolution,
I played PES 2008 on my 1080p tv with a low range card with great effect so dont bad mouth others when you have no idea
my pro evolution is annoying me atm coz it allows michael owen to run straight thru my defence untouched and he is so fast too. the only way to stop him is to chop him and get a card. any other charging him down doesnt work.
i play pro regularly and im quite good so do any of you find this too?
Jim,
Nice to know someone else has knowledge of these facts as I find it rather annoying how everyone fails to realise just what cards are in the 360 and PS3 and how far ahead the PC has moved even in the last few months.
@ Don sweey
an average graphics card is not better than the 1 inside the ps3
An average graphics card IS. That’s the problem with the entire myth of console graphics and PC graphics. Look at the technical specifications, capabilities and architecture of what you find in both the PS3 and 360 and compare those to average PC graphics cards. You’re in for a shock.