FIFA Fo Fum.

[Brooklyn Zoo]

I'm downloading it. I'm definitely getting this game.

 

[bps21]

I don't even like soccer but I had a blast with that demo and I think I might gamefly the game in the future.

 

[A Happy Medium]

I played for quite a few hours today. I didn't like it. I know that Liverpool sucks, but my team was especially stupid. Simple passes would be off the mark by several yards and the middle of the pitch turns into a children's game, with everyone trading possession of the ball. I was playing as a single player, by the way.

Also, is it just me, or have they gutted the manager mode?

 

[Mickey Massuco]

I think FIFA 11 is great. Every year over the past, I'd say three of four installments, there are these little improvements. It's hard to put my finger on, but I can *feel* the difference. It just seems smoother and plays better, I'd have to play FIFA 10 again to really compare.

It's great though, and is the closest to a real game they've come out with yet. Does anyone else play with pure manual settings (aka no assistance) or are y'all some semi-automatic bitches?

 

[Wario Lemieux]

Almost a year later, FIFA 12 is out and it's sick. I love the new defending and how it really opens up the midfield so it looks like soccer and not basketball with your feet. I know Vitamin X has it, and surely our English contingent does. Discuss that shit.

 

[bps21]

I bought it this year. It's awesome.

 

[Vitamin X]

Yep, it's been insanely fun. Got to import Timbers Army chants and play as them. I love the "Support Your Team" thing. Timbers are first in the league! Seattle right behind us. This only makes me want to whore myself out on FIFA even more.

I kind of don't like how the Virtual Pro function makes it so that it replaces someone on your team with them, that's kind of lame. I made one just for the hell of it and I can't take him off when I start career mode. On the other hand, it's been really fun. I haven't owned any FIFA game outside of last year's World Cup edition, so it's been a blast getting used to this one on PS3.

 

[bps21]

I have enjoyed playing online with the virtual pro when it's 11 people against 11 people. I scored two goals one game which was about as exciting as anything I've ever done in a sports game since I'm just guessing at what onsides is and know as little about soccer as one could probably know.

It's the same as when you do something sweet playing 6 on 6 in the NHL franchise. It's just a million times better when you're beating a whole team of real people.

 

[Vitamin X]

Onsides is when someone passes you the ball and there is at least two defenders between you and the ball, one of whom could be the goalkeeper, at least that's my understanding.

 

[Kageho]

Got it. Most fun I'm having in a long time with any sports game. Though I havent tried NBA2k or NHL this year. Currently got a season going with Wigan Athletic and I'm battling for a top spot in the Premier league. My offense rocks! ...though my defense totally sucks and my team has no depth. And most of my pounds are into my three strikers I paid for and created. Before someone freaks, they are only 75 overall each.

Onsides is when someone passes you the ball and there is at least two defenders between you and the ball, one of whom could be the goalkeeper, at least that's my understanding.

That's sorta correct. Any player without the ball can not be behind the last defender (sans goalie) on field or they cause an offside. The only exceptions are a corner or if the ball is placed behind the last defender, but all offensive players are in front of that last defender. I got an off-side called within 10 feet from the goal once.

I'm kinda thinking of creating a "TSM" team or at least creating as many TSMers as I can.

 

[Kageho]

I got a question for you FIFA people. How hard is it to bring a team like Crewe Athletic from nPower 2 to Barclays? Is it an impossible dream? I'm thinking of trying it.

 

[Kageho]

Is the only way to make more money in this game is to sell your players? Do I just go out and get loans on players? I made it through my first season, but I'm beginning to feel like its only a matter of time before I'm royally screwed if I don't figure out this matter.

 

[Sabre]

You make money by winning tournaments, the first year is hard, but if you do well your transfer budget near doubles in the second year.

Also increase the budget:wages ratio.

 

[Vitamin X]

Is the only way to make more money in this game is to sell your players? Do I just go out and get loans on players? I made it through my first season, but I'm beginning to feel like its only a matter of time before I'm royally screwed if I don't figure out this matter.

Yes, that's exactly what you should do, which is why it can be difficult to be a small, cheapo club trying to make its way up the ranks. But as Sabre said, you also make money by winning tournaments, so don't put too much intoI'm getting by on buying no-name players (a lot from Asia for some reason) who have really good stats in the things I'm looking for, for the style I want to play. I've sold a lot of my under 60 overall rating players and loaned out overpriced reserves, and if it makes them unhappy, I'll sell them or try to find a way to make them work in my system.

For me, I'm using Napoli's 3-4-3, although I'm actually doing something more like a 3-4-1-2 (and I also switch to a diamond formation in the midfield, depending on what I'm trying to do in the game and who I'm playing), so I've been bolstering up the Timbers' backline with guys who have great speed and stamina, even if their vision and everything else isn't perfect yet because this game really likes to give you big improvements for young players. Also make sure you get a great scouting network set up, it'll help your club be more successful down the line.

 

[Kageho]

You make money by winning tournaments, the first year is hard, but if you do well your transfer budget near doubles in the second year.

Also increase the budget:wages ratio.

I'm in my second year already now, hence why I was asking. I'm doing well in the F.A. Cup just about to get my ass handed to me by ManU. I bombed in the League Cup in the second round on a couple of bad goals, which deflated my team's morale.

Yeah, I didn't realize budget:wages till late into my first season. It allowed me to do at least a little scouting and sign some players I didn't think I could. My youth academy players are ready to play yet. I'm only nabbing the 14-15 year olds, so I can let them stew in my youth academy. I think the only way I'd sign a 16 year old prospect is if he's really f'n good.

Yes, that's exactly what you should do, which is why it can be difficult to be a small, cheapo club trying to make its way up the ranks. But as Sabre said, you also make money by winning tournaments, so don't put too much intoI'm getting by on buying no-name players (a lot from Asia for some reason) who have really good stats in the things I'm looking for, for the style I want to play. I've sold a lot of my under 60 overall rating players and loaned out overpriced reserves, and if it makes them unhappy, I'll sell them or try to find a way to make them work in my system.

...I was just producing my own players from people who had low ratings but good values from the transfer of local to European teams. I didn't even think about going after players internationally. Thanks VX. You probably just helped me out quite a bit! Too bad the transfer window is closed now...

I like to rotate my team a lot, so I don't usually have the problem of players bitching at me about playing time. Though that's likely to change since I really wanna make it to the Premiership after my second year since I'm battling for the last available move up. I think I can get it, but it's going to take some work and some luck.

For me, I'm using Napoli's 3-4-3, although I'm actually doing something more like a 3-4-1-2 (and I also switch to a diamond formation in the midfield, depending on what I'm trying to do in the game and who I'm playing), so I've been bolstering up the Timbers' backline with guys who have great speed and stamina, even if their vision and everything else isn't perfect yet because this game really likes to give you big improvements for young players. Also make sure you get a great scouting network set up, it'll help your club be more successful down the line.

At this past transfer deadline, I realized that while my team played great offensively, the team didn't do so good at defense. In fact, I suck at defense. If I don't outscore my opponents and keep pouring it on, I usually lose (like I did in the League Cup tourney).

So at the deadline, I modified my team greatly (only had 3 midfielders at that point) and doing something similar to what you are doing. I changed from 4-3-3 to what I like to call, Dynamic 352. Its a 3-5-2, but depending on the situation, it can morph into a 5-3-2 if it needs defense or if on offense it becomes a 3-2-5. In its first game since its inception, I won 7-0, though that was against a crappy team, but it still gives me hope that it works the way I need it too.

For scouting, where should I be looking for players? I know England and Brazil are hot soccer spots, but is there another place as good?

 

[Vitamin X]

For scouting, where should I be looking for players? I know England and Brazil are hot soccer spots, but is there another place as good?

Italy, Germany, Argentina.. Two of the best players ever came from Argentina (Maradona and Messi). Korea and Japan can produce a couple decent players as well.

 

[Kageho]

Well, after two great seasons, I've managed to make my way to the nPower Championship league. I managed to get promoted after finishing 5th, but winning the nPower League 1 Championship. Which brings me to my problem. I went from 3rd in my first season, to 5th this past season, and I really wanna make Barclays. I've got my best player, at 82 and is a CAM. He's not really good at finishing, but he's probably the best rounded player I have. His current worth is 150 million pounds. Should I sell him? I was told when I signed him that he was a "top player", so he could get to 90+. If what I read online is true at least.

 

[Sabre]

I would sell him and get some well rounded players to boost your entire squad.

 

[Vitamin X]

Does he have not have a long way to go on his contract or is he unhappy? If neither of those is true, keep on rolling and don't sell. I think if he was unhappy for whatever reason or if he had like one season to go on his contract, loaning him out for AT LEAST the equivalent of one year's wages for him for a year would be smart.

I'm having a blast with this game so far. My team, thanks to injuries, a weird roster and I guess my own festering need to constantly tinker with formations and tactics, uses a few different formations.

A 3-4-1-2, Napoli style. I have two strikers, one of whom is huge and strong but slow and the other is quick but not very strong being serviced by a creative acrobat CAM, then in midfield two fast wings who only dribble and win balls that come over to my side of the field, and 3 defenders who I found had excellent stamina and speed and play forward when the ball is in the final third. This is my default formation, and it's been pretty fun using it. I also use a 4-1-2-1-2 (basically a diamond) and a 4-4-1-1 for when I need to control the midfield and stiffen up on defense. It's cheap, but I tend to start with my base formation then bring in an extra defender in the last 20 minutes or so and use one of those other formations if I have the lead or am tied on the road.

This is probably my favorite sports game ever. The sheer amount of things to do both online and offline is fantastic. Also, the Timbers (or rather Timbers supporters) are winning the online leagues at the moment and have been for a while now! Woo!

 

[Kageho]

He's still got two more seasons at $2000/w. It was a 5 year deal I signed him for. He's not unhappy, he's always happy, because I rarely take him out and he's always chipping in offensively with assists or starting a rush attack (I like those). Its pretty easy to keep everyone happy on my team for the most part. Sadly though, his value tanked. He's 83 overall, but his value is less than my 78 CAM's. My striker's now the 100+ million, but considering he's got 24 goals in 20 games, I think he's not moving. I just wish him having all those goals would mean I'm in 1st.

I'm going to need to do something about my defense. Doesn't matter if I'm running my awesome 3-5-2, a 4-5-1, or a 5-4-1, I'm still getting scored on because my defense sucks. ...well, it could also be I just suck at soccer defense, but regardless, not doing good. Any suggestions? Team's totally fine as long as the ball doesn't go anywhere near my side of the field. I swear Akio's going to kill my defense for being so shitty.

 

[Twisted Intestine]

Seriously, FIFA - what a feminine sounding name.

 

[909]

I joined the first world and picked up 12.

My gamertag is Kingof909, I don't know how long I'll keep XBL Gold or how often I'll be on.

 

[Vitamin X]

Congrats. It's seriously addicting. I'm on Ps3 though, otherwise I'd definitely be down for a game.

 

[909]

The learning curve up from 08, which is the last one I had, is tremendously steep. I played some challenge last night with Wigan and failed but they actually played like Wigan do in real life which was interesting and different.

 

[Vitamin X]

It's amazing the level of intricacy for every player on every team in every league. I mean, obviously EA is more interested in the Euro leagues as most people will likely play EPL or one of the other big Euro teams but the fact that every player on the Timbers is exactly how they would be in real life (Chara as the "engine", Kenny Cooper falls down all the damn time, Perlaza blazing fast but always offsides, etc.) makes the game ridiculously fun to go along as you play with a manager.

I just spent 2-3 hours playing it today. I put in Skyrim-esque hours on this bad boy. What difficulty are you playing on? I find Professional to be tough enough for me.

 

[Red Baron]

I played a demo of it over the holidays, this is something to pick up within the next week or so.

 

[909]

It's amazing the level of intricacy for every player on every team in every league. I mean, obviously EA is more interested in the Euro leagues as most people will likely play EPL or one of the other big Euro teams but the fact that every player on the Timbers is exactly how they would be in real life (Chara as the "engine", Kenny Cooper falls down all the damn time, Perlaza blazing fast but always offsides, etc.) makes the game ridiculously fun to go along as you play with a manager.

I just spent 2-3 hours playing it today. I put in Skyrim-esque hours on this bad boy. What difficulty are you playing on? I find Professional to be tough enough for me.

Professional. Will eventually move it up once I get more used to it.

 

[Tino Standard]

This is the first FIFA game I've had, and I absolutely love it. One question, though: Do you guys change the length of the games? The default 6-minute halves seemed too short to me. I bumped it up to 10- seems a lot better.

 

[bps21]

Do any of you play the online mode where every player on the field is human controlled? It's the most fun of anything ever. Scoring a goal in there you feel like the fucking man.

 

[Vitamin X]

This is the first FIFA game I've had, and I absolutely love it. One question, though: Do you guys change the length of the games? The default 6-minute halves seemed too short to me. I bumped it up to 10- seems a lot better.

Yup, that's where I play it at. Gives me pretty realistic scores.

I want to play the virtual pro thing, haven't done much with it yet because I'm addicted to manager mode. There's just so much to do in this game.