PES2012 is quite possibly bipolar. Konami’s latest is a game which can inspire elation and frustration in equal measure yet has a nasty habit of the player seldom experiencing both emotions in one individual match – let alone one sitting – as your understanding evolves (pun intended) over time. In one match it can all click into place; not only for the player and their input, but how the AI responds too and it can result in an admittedly technically lacking but very pure –though far from perfect – football experience. The next match it can – and often does – seem to fall apart entirely and feed back to the user something that is miles away from that purity experienced a mere 10mins prior.

‘’That is football’’ many will say and yes, football , specifically a videogame simulation of football, should try to present the ugliness – the war of attrition that is so often apparent – in the sport and it is something that contributes to the overall beauty of the sport we all love, albeit in a somewhat perverse fashion. PES2012 can realise this ‘’ugly beauty’’ make no mistake, yet it is found more often than not in those matches when the game fully clicks into gear as mentioned previously. It is a vital ingredient in inspiring the much required sense of involvement which in itself is key to enjoyment of any videogame in any genre. It would therefore appear the problem PES2012 is unfortunately one of stability – one of balance – and it permeates throughout the entire game, lurching from the near (but not quite) perfect to the ridiculous from match to match.

Football is a sport in which random factor plays a huge part but the basic rules and regulations remain consistent from game to game, refereeing decisions apart of course. It begs the question : what are the rules and regulations in football videogame terms and by extension who acts as referee? Also, who takes responsibility for the random factor which needs to be present in order for that immersion to manifest? This will all read as WENB thinking out loud and yep, even walking the fine line between bleedingly obvious game design theory and outright pretentiousness, but let us try and answer these questions; see if we can make some sense of it for your consideration. As always, your feedback is encouraged.

The Rules and Regulations

Football has its own set of rules and regulations that are needed in order to ensure – or at least try to ensure – balance and consistency in professional competition. It goes without saying that a football videogame needs these same laws of the game to be present in order to realise any simulation aspirations at a base level. With that in mind, a football videogame therefore requires its own set of ‘’laws’’ that will help achieve a balance and consistency in experience. This would perhaps fall on the technical assets to supply them, and I don’t think it would be too assumptive for us to say that PES’ fans (and non-fans) are in agreement that Konami have not equipped their game with technology that is either ambitious or completely stable.

For all that the great FIFA v. PES debate offers up many a polarising view on each games merit as a true simulation of the sport, you would be hard pushed to find many who believe EA have not blessed their franchise with great technical assets. Sure, you will find opinion out there that questions the realism (exuberant tricks/ebb and flow/variance in play) or quality of execution in some areas (the impact engine comes immediately to mind here) but it is near impossible to argue that so far as pure look in player movement and for the most part player interaction and physics go, FIFA looks like football. Consistently. Whether it plays like football is for another discussion.

PES2012 can look like football as well (not as good as EA make it look of course) but it is more oft than not dictated by certain criteria being met to make it so. Such things as camera angle, stadium selection and even lighting condition impacting on proceedings more than they should. Since football videogames have introduced such variables as stadium, lighting conditions and even the shade of the grass users will always have their favourites and of course, some environments prove to be prettier than others. Even in those tattie* field like surfaces that looked as though they were ploughed by a farmer eating too many of his own funny mushrooms that were found in some arenas in the PS2 days of PES, you never felt like the game wasn’t moving like it should or that control/response or physics felt a little off. This happens in PES on current-gen and, along with the already limited tech., makes the user experience all the more inconsistent and genuinely off-putting. PES needs this righted moving forward – it needs it’s technical and visual assets to act like the ‘’laws’’ of the real sport and provide as consistent an experience as possible.

The good news here? Well, the murmurings are that Konami are on the same page with users and are pro-actively looking to meet the demands of the fanbase. These murmurings are not coming exclusively from within the community either and well informed sources are hinting that “a nice shock might await”.

The Referee

Okay, hear us out on this one. The referee in the sport is tasked with controlling the match and ensuring the rules and regulations are applied and adhered to. PES, naturally, has it’s officials in place in order to tick a simulation box and are equipped with their own AI that is instructed to apply the laws of the game, for better or worse. In football video game terms however, would it be completely ridiculous to assert that the user is the referee? After all, they are the ones who are in effect ‘controlling’ proceedings and like the referee uses the set laws of the game to help them do this, the player has his own rule-set at his disposal – the controller and the executable actions available to them….and switching the game off being the equivalent of a ref sending a player off!

Naturally, with the referee being only human they can get it wrong or uncertainty can creep in to their decision making in spite of them having their own instructions, or ‘controls’, available to them. Sounds a little familiar to us PES players, no? Like the real sports referees, errors in judgment or decision by the user in PES are or should be forgivable…in some cases. Picking the wrong pass, misjudging the right pass, using a lofted pass when one across the deck would have been better, shooting with a players weaker foot, ballooning a strike at goal – these are acceptable errors that should be present in any football game. What unfortunately is also comparable in PES to referees/officialdom in the real sport is the ambiguity, lack definition and interpretation of some of the ‘’laws’’; the controls to be exact. In PES2012 the weird logic and confusion surrounding some of the control and instruction requires streamlining as well as better explanation. You know where we are going here – both passing and shooting need looking at moving forward.

Passing has improved from how it was initially since patching and is much closer to how it operated in the preview code we had the privilege of experiencing in August last year. However, the strange decision to have a five-tiered assistance setting remains and it not only causes some of the more OCD players among us to tear our hair out in frustration trying to find the best setting as we jump between the variables on offer, it lacks any real definition or explanation as to what actually changes. That and the fact the passing game can be pretty damn inconsistent makes it somewhat of a war of attrition, for all the wrong reasons. Looking ahead, it seems to be the general consensus amongst the community that the developers would do well to streamline the settings so as the default is PES2011-like in its freedom, while still making player individuality key, with the other option being full manual which of course would still have player individuality impacting on execution in some way. When the passing game is good, it is very good in PES2012 and the progress made in off-the-ball movement – both AI controlled and team mate controls – should be held up as a large step forward if not quite entirely perfected.

Shooting is where the next game – or indeed, hopefully a new patch for PES2012 – should see some focus. Let’s be honest, in PES2012 it just ain’t right at all, with placement being the biggest bug-bear for all. There is nothing wrong with the theory of having player individuality, preferred foot and alike impacting on results but users need a model which offers more in the way of placement. Players wouldn’t have an issue with ballooned or wildly inaccurate efforts on goal if they have a sensation of control over it all. It’s a shame as a great deal of what happens in the build up to a strike on goal can be very satisfying.

To summarise, if indeed the user is like the ref, then give them clearly defined laws and instructions to work with – shorn of ambiguity – that allow them to control the game for the better.

The Random Factor

This aspect of the real sport is apparent to a reasonably good degree in PES2012 and no, we wouldn’t say entirely in a negative sense. It is safe to say the development team reigned in some of the unwelcome random elements that were apparent in current-gen PES up until now. Again, they haven’t eradicated all that is unwelcome regards random elements (as the previous segment touches upon) but progress has certainly been made.

When looking at the real sport, the random factor is what keeps us interested and while the sport does carry some level of predictability when looking at results and title winners, out on the field the second by second predictable… erm… unpredictability of how play can develop is still very apparent. It’s just the chaos of nature, man!

For a football videogame, PES specifically, to look to realize yet more of the welcome random elements it requires that balance of ambitious technical assets to work in tandem with intuitive control and excellent AI. Let us not forget the importance of player individuality too in the mix – a vital ingredient in not only allowing for more random and organic play to occur but one which is key to making a great PES game, period.

The overall theory of prioritizing advancement in AI by the WEP team will go some way to producing a more organic experience for the user in PES but the general opinion is that the AI can in fact prevent PES2012 from producing a match experience that ebbs and flows with a wide variance in patterns of play. The reasoning offered by the community is that the COM AI is too efficient at shutting up shop and executing its defensive duties near flawlessly that it gives the impression of the code by-passing or overriding player/team individuality in favour of tactical solidity. While not being as clear cut as that, the more you play, the more there appears to be some sort of AI override in place. Such tactical awareness and efficiency by the COM AI should not be entirely discounted as being a negative. The challenge it presents is more than welcome but it lacks context due to the stamina model not being what it should be and the aforementioned sense of player/team individuality being compromised resulting in AI teams being near telepathic in their play as a defensive unit that it would make the likes of Arrigo Sacchi proud. It can heavily impact upon final third play as well, with it sometimes feeling as though you are being rail-roaded to play a certain way to succeed. PES shouldn’t be about that unless the situation/context demands it. It shouldn’t define the experience.

At the other end of the pitch we have the AI scripting. This is a thorny issue as there is a case for the defence of such scripting needing to be in place in order to mirror the reality, the random element present in the sport. The irony. The opinion held by some at WENB is that COM AI ‘’god-mode’’ can be neutered to some degree by playing somewhat agriculturally when defending. This in itself is realistic as it is a requirement of just about any team in real life at some point – the need to defend ugly – though it can be counter intuitive as to what gamers are used to – the ability to out game the game. That said, the coding seems to be such that it can interfere with the users choice to play in such a fashion anyway, with many a user having tales of players inexplicably buggering up a simple clearance as the code cruelly initiates ‘’late drama’’ mode.

Is there a way to eradicate scripting from a football game entirely which doesn’t compromise on the immersion and sense of drama? EA claim their game is completely unscripted and it could very well be but what has happened there is heightened COM AI response, which impacts heavily on gameplay balance itself.

PES2012 : Some Perspective

For as much as a lot of the above reads as a complete deconstruction of PES2012, it is important to offer some perspective here. The simple fact is many within the community – this includes some very outspoken folks in our own community as well as others – have racked up hundreds of games each on PES2012, this WENB contributor can be included. Playing any football game hundreds of times would suggest it is doing something right to keep us coming back for more. It should also be said that this does not mean those players are blind to the fact the game has its flaws and plenty of them in actual fact. Some of the best (and in some cases most scathing) feedback comes from these players and while we can’t speak for others, putting in that much time with a game surely isn’t down to blind loyalty, a desire to punish one’s self or stubbornly refusing to ”move with the times” . Maybe it is just a balanced approach to what the game does (and doesn’t) offer.

2012 promises to be a big year for PES and that includes the immediate future. The J – League DLC for Japanese users has been announced which although not looking likely to surface for fans across the rest of the globe, could point to how the game could be supported in a variety of ways in future releases. It will be interesting to see what in fact the J – League content will add to the gameplay, if anything at all. It certainly has many curious and should it prove that this new content adds to the gameplay in any fashion it could see a spike in imports of Winning Eleven 2012. Needless to say that WENB will be sure to provide content and comment on this and other developments as we progress throughout the year. It just remains for us to say…

Happy New Year! And be sure to share your thoughts below or in the forums.

*Potato

While the sport is not really an exact science, there has been a meteoric rise in the use, and popularity, of stats in football. From how many passes Xavi does in a particular match to the amount of shots Manchester United have faced so far this season there now seems to be a recorded number for every aspect of the world’s number one sport.

Stats can often surprise us, like the fact that Swansea city made more passes away at Manchester City than their high spending counterparts. They can also often cement certain ideas we have about a particular player or team such as that 11 of Christoper Samba’s 15 goals for Blackburn Rovers have been headers.

Statistical analysis is something that has always been in the PES series. Shots, fouls, possession and corners are recorded stats that have always been viewable at both half and full time. However, with the advent of PES on current generation (multi-format) consoles Seabass and his team decided to take statistical analysis a little further giving players the option to track all their accumulated stats.

So I’ve decided to see if the stats collected in PES 2012 can be used in the same way as real life and see if Konami’s recorded stats reflect the PES player you think you are. I’ve also been keen to see if those stats can tell us anything about the how the game plays in comparison to real life.

What do your PES stats say about you?

The following stats were recorded playing the game on both Professional (around 30%) and Top Player (70%) difficulties. About half of the matches were played in exhibition mode while the other half were played in Master League and the cup competitions of Asia, America and Europe. I generally play against teams who are better than the team I’ve picked or are of similar ability such as Barcelona vs. Real Madrid or me as Udinese vs. Internazionale.

Here are mine….

70 – The amount of games I’ve played so far.

27/28/15 – The number of wins, losses and draws I’ve had. While it’s not a terrible record, given the fact that the majority of my matches have been played on Top Player which is brutally clinical at times, I’d like to think that my winning win ratio of 38.57% will be higher in another 70 match’s time.

92 – Is the amount of goals I’ve scored and conceded which gives me an average of 1.31 goals scored and conceded per match.

640 – The amount of shots I’ve had against the opposition meaning I’m having, on average, 9.14 shots per match. My 92 goals give me a 14.37% shot to goal conversion rate. While this rate is poor I’d like to think that it’s because it’s so difficult to master one of the hardest parts of the game – the shooting.

470 – The number of shots the COM has taken against which mean it takes only 6.71 shots per match. This gives it a much better conversion rate of 19.14% which is much better than my record but isn’t surprising. It also backs up the idea that Top Player is hard, maybe not in terms of possession – but when it comes to scoring goals it’s lethal. Hence I have a miserable rating of C when it comes to defending.

2 – How many penalties I’ve been awarded giving me a ratio of 0.02 per game. In 70 games this stat does seem low and probably is when compared to real life.

35 – Is the amount of cards I’ve received, which when separated is 31 yellow and 4 red cards. I’m not an overly passive player, and I do like to put a good crunching tackle in on an opposing attacker, but like the number of penalties this stat is a little low compared to real life where you can expect to see 4 or 5 cards shown in any one match. In contrast I have a per game ratio of 0.44 for yellow cards and 0.05 for red cards, However, given the fact that this is a video game made to be enjoyed and not real life maybe it’s better if there are fewer cards. Plus there is also the fact that I currently have a rating of S for fairplay.

62% – This is the average amount of possession i’m having in match. While it is a Barcelona type possession stat and while possession is something I look to dominate (the lowest possession stat I’ve had being 51%) whether playing against the COM or a human, I feel it is a frustrating stat. Keeping hold of possession seems to be something the COM never does. Whether I am up against Barcelona, Stoke, Lyon or Ghana the COM always tries to get to goal quickly and effectively. While different teams do attack in different ways; for example Colombia will often try a long ball from defence for Falcao to win in the air and Lyon will try quick passes down the wings, they all seem too direct. Even teams who are know for their possession football play in to direct of a manner too. To sum up, my best ever possession stat for a half was 77%-23% which was Villarreal vs. Barcelona.

34 – The number of hours I’ve spent so far playing PES 2012.

Do you have a better winning ratio than me? Had more penalties? Or have an even better possession average? Tell us in the forums, get involved and let everybody see if your PES stats are the best out there and what they say about how you play the game.

When I was afforded the opportunity to play preview code last year, circumstances were very different to that of last week. For a start I wasn’t turning up in Manchester last Thursday off the back of a stag weekend in Berlin with my mind and body clearly having had a falling out. No, what made things different this time is that instead of a 24hr stay it would be pushing 72hrs, meaning much more game time and that also I would experiencing the game with a number of my colleagues from WENB/Kitana Media and a couple of cameo appearances by others thrown in for good measure. This was something I missed out on last year and turned out to be hugely beneficial in that it allowed me to appreciate some of the games finer points when not playing. It also acted as a great bonding exercise for the Kitana team beyond playing the game itself and I departed from my time in Manchester feeling that I had met with folk whom I can happily consider as friends. PES, it would appear, does indeed unite and huge thanks have to go to Adam and his family for their wonderful hospitality. Now let’s talk PES2012!

With the press embargo lifting last week and there now being a plethora of detailed PES2012 gameplay impressions available, I thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at my experience of PES2012 last week during the WENB playtest festival of awesome which looked to excel in outstanding contribution in the field of excellence to football videogames. In other words, some of us got together and had a shot of it over the course of last week. This isn’t a full on impressions or preview post exactly as I feel there has been a ton of excellent content offered by WENB and those in the wider community that look to dissect thoroughly just about every facet of this year’s title based on the preview we had access to.

I guess I am looking to get across just how much of an impact a few elements of the gameplay in PES2012 had on me. This is not me saying that the game is flawless as there was, as expected, a degree of ”rawness” to be found with the code. What did take me by surprise was how stable the game performed generally and I was already mindful that of some of the issues existing in the preview code (keepers/shooting) were subject to further work. WENB’s own Suff and Asim Tanvir of NGB posted on twitter after time with new code earlier in the week that things have progressed further along in these departments. With that in mind I don’t think it is worth me touching on these aspects of the game as it is best to avoid any confusion.

Freedom Liberated

If there was one thing PES2011 looked to deliver, it was freedom of play, and for all that the core mechanics and technical assets tried their damndest to make this so, the game was hamstrung somewhat due to the limitations of the team having to essentially start from scratch. That said, the theory of engineering the game for freedom was sound and PES2011 had its moments of brilliance. They (Konami) were on to something and only a lack of all round stability and consistency in performance prevented the game from fully satisfying a passionate fanbase. We were on board with the vision but found ourselves scratching our heads perhaps a little too often at the quality of execution. PES2012 looks to run with what PES2011 promised, yet in doing so Konami have wrong footed us in how we would expect that vision to materialise. Where many would consider a technical leap from Konami similar to that which EA offered up moving from FIFA08 to FIFA09 to be the only solution, they have instead made a leap in core gameplay fundamentals that can be deemed just as impacting in their own right to that of EA’s efforts in 2008 when looking to construct a realistic, deep, but most importantly fun football videogame. Konami understand that the tech-war is not in fact a war at all but merely one of the battles to be fought and at this time it isn’t a fight they are going to win with this instalment. Enter the less glamorous ‘’ones and zeros’’ under all those presentation assets that ultimately drive any videogame experience and what allows PES2012 to be such a flexible and diverse football game.

‘’Active AI’’ is the official name but ‘’Actual Intelligence’’ – though sounding somewhat profound – is how Konami could have chosen to label the beating heart of PES2012 had they been in the mood to up the stakes in the feature naming game that is now part of this generation. The thing is, and let it be known that this is a positive, that this innovation that has been introduced to the franchise doesn’t leap out at you immediately. At very first glance, PES2012 looks very much like an improved, more fluid, ‘’alive’’ version of PES2011. This in itself is not a bad thing but bare in mind this is only at first glance. In my first match I was guilty of playing from muscle memory; not only utilising an approach born of hours upon hours of PES2011 but years of playing football games in general. Despite being forewarned of how advanced PES2012 looked to be in relation AI, I was failing right away to truly appreciate it and was guilty of looking at it as mere decoration – an aesthetic asset as opposed to a genuine aid to my play. This is not to say that what movement was being made wasn’t impressive or aiding me in my debut run out with the game, with full-back overlaps, forwards probing for space and the checking of runs plain to see, it’s just that in playing the game in the style I was – too direct, too fast, ill disciplined and untrusting of my players when in possession – I failed to truly survey the scene and this was made only more noticeable given that I was Barcelona. It wasn’t that I didn’t try to play like the current European Champions, more that I was trying to play like them using a PES2011 nay, any football game pre-PES2012 mindset. Sure, the core technique and make-up of the Barca team ensured I could always threaten my opposition but I was being wasteful with possession, the talent at my disposal, but most of all I wasn’t making use of the intelligence in off-the-ball movement and positioning of my team.

‘’Just play like Barca’’

This was the advice offered to me by my host for the weekend, who was quick to see the error of my ways. Now, that may come across as stating the bleeding obvious as well as potentially sounding damned patronising but here is the thing – it was the right advice to offer. This is how much Konami’s latest rewards you when you ‘’think football’’ and more or less directly apply your knowledge and understanding of the sport and its teams, tactics, individuals, and playing styles in particular. Obviously, for all the advances made in AI and other assets it doesn’t mean the game is completely limitless with possibility, or so deep as to capture every single individual trait of a team or individual. It is still just a videogame approximation of the beautiful game after all, with much of the real sports subtleties yet to be captured but PES2012 does a bloody marvellous job of trying to make you believe such limitless depth exists within the code. The game inspiring such a train of thought is very reminiscent of the classic PS2 titles. After gathering myself at the half time break and with my hosts wise council duly noted, I took to the field with a little more composure in my play and…

…I still ended up getting beat! Barcelona 1 – Benfica 3.

It wasn’t about winning though and my disappointment at losing my first match on PES2012 was greatly tempered by the fact that I had just played a second half in which my passing game at least was a worthy digital replica of the real life Barca in phases. I slowed my game down when in midfield with ball retention my number one priority and as a result the (active) AI – in tandem with players own characteristics on and off the ball – began to manifest in a way I haven’t really seen in a football game before. Suddenly I was spotting players looking for space that went far beyond mere overlapping runs (which were also far more noticeable and effective); players coming short, making little movements to lose markers and those very ‘’purdy’’ diagonal runs where all on display, inviting me to produce the football for which the Catalan giants are known. It was as if wee digital Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Messi were coaching me on the football they look to play and I was delighted to take them up on the offer. A Thoroughly satisfying debut apart from the result, with credit also having to go to the COM controlled Benfica in quickly making me aware that you can’t switch off and every ball is there to be won, along with schooling me in how blindly steaming in to regain possession can often make you look very, very stupid indeed.

It is absolutely vital to notify all before moving on that such was the evolution of my passing game and the freedom the game allows in this department – thanks in no small part to vastly improved through balls and the manual modifier actually adding something to play – that just over 24hrs later I was handing a certain Milan supporter his ass! Me playing as Italy with a turbo-charged Giovinco running the show and destroying my opponent’s England side, 3-1. A proud moment and he won’t like me telling you this…that he picked England.

The Lord of the Dance vs. Barjen Robben

There was one key aspect of the gameplay I just couldn’t fully unlock the potential of in my time playing but I was able to witness its beauty thanks to those others who were present. Dribbling in PES2012 as it stands in this preview code is quite incredible and previously mentioned Milan fan had it aced, hence why I look to emphasise my one glorious 3-1 victory over him whenever possible. We have all seen the videos showing how 1 on 1’s are being approached in this year’s game but let me tell you our host for our WENB gathering would appear to have unlocked so much more wonderful secrets in this discipline. The way it was described by Adam was ‘’a game of rock, paper, scissors’’ and I can see exactly what he means such is how it appears to work. I would add to this ‘’ballet performed on a knife edge’’ which makes no sense whatsoever but I am rolling with it, though possibly Eurogamer put it best when they said you feel as though you are ‘’playing close to the edge of your abilities’’. We really are talking about the absolute finest of margins here and when you succeed and dance your way through three players with such balletic beauty it looks and feels terrific, though perhaps not as beautiful or terrific as Mila Kunis in Black Swan. The work that has been put into making these face-offs at close proximity give the dribbling added dimension and depth. Think FIFA’s ‘’knock-on/first touch’’ control but something that feels less engineered, more organic and sprinkled with incidental and contextual flair which seems to vary from player to player and situation. Okay, there might not be 80,000,000 animations in place but there certainly is a surprising level of variety on show. Thomas ‘’The’’ Broad seemed to get the hang of using bursts of speed and spinning his marker with his back to goal early doors and scored a simply wonderful goal with van Persie only a couple of minutes into his first game. Very van Persie like in its execution and one of those moments from our time playing that reminded me of the PS2 days.

Of course, you can still look to use more orthodox methods along with the usual tricks and feints – including the improved shot feint – in which Danny was glad to illustrate via his constant use of ‘Barjen Robben’. To be fair, Danny was merely looking to use the main strength in his line-up and for all that the threat posed when he had Robben on the ball was very real, which is as it should be, he was made to work to beat his man and it just added to his pleasure no doubt! Thankfully and more importantly realistically, for all that dribbling has improved immeasurably over PES2011 and could be *whispers* the best dribbling has ever been in a PES game…maybe any football game*whispers* it’s not over the top, nor is it the case that a central defender will be slaloming or pirouetting his team to glory. Also, while the catch-up bug has gone, this does not mean we get the polar opposite as a result and have players tearing away from their markers. No, the balance at this juncture appears to be just right and it has a lot to do with Active AI fulfilling its role well, thus demanding that a player more often than not has to beat his man and those secondary pressers in order to go through the gears fully.

It really needs be said that never before in a football game have ‘’mighty midgets’’ or ‘’technicians’’ looked and felt so colossal out on the field. The likes of Silva, Modric and rather memorably for myself in one particular game I won 3-1, Giovinco, all stand out superbly. The more languid style best epitomised by someone like Busquets is well realised as well in that they he possesses a level of on the ball ‘smarts’ that sees him able to show composure in spite of a lack of pace and mobility on the ball. I don’t think I need to detail just how explosive Messi and Ronaldo are but let me just say that from what I witnessed they have been realised fantastically. It isn’t about these player’s abilities exclusively however, and all that goes on around them plays a huge part in making all these individuals stand out in PES2012.

The Return of an Art Form?

What would all this improvement and innovation matter if the defending wasn’t fit for purpose? Well, defending is pretty damned solid from my experience though it is demanding in just the right way. Timing and clever, conservative utilisation of secondary press is key and echoes what was present in the later PS2 offerings, though the system in PES2012 feels much more refined thanks to what in my opinion is a far more intuitive contain mechanic. The visual signposting as to what your player is doing is far clearer than found in PES2011 resulting in greater confidence when facing up to an attack, which naturally is helped by the AI improvements that see that a greater level of organisation and awareness is present.

Such is the depth of control at the disposal of the ball carrier and the intricacies present in 1 on 1 situations that they do feel like a genuine test of nerve and composure when undertaking defensive duties, especially when facing up against speed stars and players who possess excellent technique and hold up play ability. This includes when they have their back to goal and are receiving a pass. Often I found my defenders getting beaten by a clever first touch or spin into space due to me being over eager to get to the ball. In PES2012, much like the real sport, you will have to sometimes concede ground if it means getting that right moment to make the challenge or wait for the necessary support to arrive in order to temper an attack. There were even moments of defensive flair apparent in my time playing, with one goal saving clearance from Gari in a match against Danny that will live long in the memory. It took us all by surprise that one, especially Danny! Elsewhere I spotted little flicks and moments of control when a defender was dealing with an awkward ball that made defending look all the more tidy and composed. No more stage fright when dealing with through balls is also a welcome (and damned necessary!) fix as well and the all round alertness to stray balls, along with defenders looking to intercept and block not going without note either. The return of the art of defending? It be looking rather promising on this evidence.

Closing Thoughts

Make no mistake, for all that PES2012 is cut from the same cloth as PES2011 and shares some similarities in look and in some motion, it plays a game that is so far removed from last year’s offering as to be unrecognisable. This latest outing from Konami actually vindicates a lot of what PES2011 looked to offer fans and is a great advert for developers looking to implement fan feedback as well as ensuring that their own vision isn’t completely compromised in the process. PES 2012 is more of the same with the emphasis very much being on the ‘’more’’; more animation(though not genre defining for a sports title), more graphical polish, more stable, more fluid, more freedom of play, more tactical options, more off-the-cuff flair, more depth, more emotion, more passion, more possibility….erm…more goalkeeping!

The team in Japan not looking to start again from scratch has resulted in them producing something that ironically feels as though they have re-built the game entirely. This is a parallel that PES2012 shares in common with those titles from the PS2 glory days (though far more pronounced in this case) and it is surely no coincidence that with this being first game on next-gen for the franchise that looked to use the previous instalment as a solid base, it has benefited development of PES2012 enormously in pure gameplay terms.

As development enters into injury time the hope is that so much of what shines in preview code is not compromised as Konami look to deliver what is shaping up to be without doubt their finest effort in this generation.

I leave you with these words of wisdom as we venture forward to gamescom…

I beat Adam 3-1! Oh, and playing the game from pitchside camera is the way to go ;)

KONAMI shows PES 2012 improvements

Konami Digital Entertainment GMbH today revealed the first in-game images from its forthcoming PES 2012 title, showcasing the newly-implemented movements and animations the new game enjoys.

The new screens show a variety of situations from within PES 2012 that have been bolstered by new animations, visual enhancements and control elements. The Tokyo-based team has worked hard to ensure PES 2012 is a more fluid and playable experience, with the jostling system used in last year’s game now enhanced to offer proper bodily contact and physical reactions, while close control and the team AI has been reworked to provide a more realistic recreation of real football.

As such, PES 2012 gives the player total control, with dribbling now refined, while passing and build-up play are enhanced by AI that ensures teammates will make dummy runs and support the player with the ball.

PES 2012 will be released later in the year.

So it would appear that Konami are keen to emphasise that PES2012 will indeed see improvements in the animations department along with enhanced collisions which was always going to be welcome, especially if it is all going to add up to a more fluid gameplay experience. It is also encouraging to read that dribbling will be more refined (along with close control) because for as much as the dribbling mechanics were excellent in theory and certainly a strength of PES2011, the execution was just a little off in it’s consistency and responsiveness. Close control was lacking especially in first touch and taking down airborne passes so if these areas were to see improvement they would make a pretty big difference by themselves.

As for the screens themselves, they don’t give too much away but they do hint at a couple of things. First of all and probably most striking is the screen showing Sneijder appear to take a hit from De Rossi. Note the enhanced level of detail in Sneijder’s face which shows him emoting after the collision, right down to neck vein and muscle detail to go along with the contorted expression on his face. A small detail and certainly not one we will be seeing from a playing angle but a nice touch nonetheless. It is of course hard to read too much into a still image when trying to arrive at a conclusion regards fluidity and variety in animation but in the Sneijder/De Rossi screen it certainly looks like player interaction will be improved in terms of offering visual feedback to the player.

Moving on to the Spain/England screen, we have what is very much a familiar PES pre-release asset but it does look to show some potential improvements regards lighting in night time matches which any PES player will opine was quite possibly PES2011′s achilles heel in terms of the visuals. Kit detail and how it sits on the player models looks a bit more natural too, though Capdevilla does look as though he has piled on a few pounds. Player models generally look a touch better (more athletic?) and while these screens might not show vast improvement in appearances, they do display a little more in the way of smoothness of texture though whether this is a result of a touch up or added filter for the screens themselves is anybody’s guess for the moment. Still, it is good to see that we are getting some screenshots that show night time lighting straight from the off.

Finally, we have the Robinho close up. This one has proved to be a favourite for us at WENB as while it doesn’t give anything away at all regards gameplay, it does clearly show that PES still has a great eye for small details in kit design (numbering/lettering on Cassano’s shirt) and the way Robinho is emoting also worthy of note. Again we see the little details in neck muscle and facial muscle detail but we also get a glimpse of further detail in the form of sweat forming on the Brazilian superstars brow and forehead. Also, does it not also look as though the crowd might be more varied? Hard to tell again if this is a result of the asset having undergone some touching up but it could be that pitchside ambience and detail might see some further improvement.

So from starting the month of May not really any the wiser as to what would be happening with PES2012 we find ourselves ending the month having had two releases of announcements and assets. Hopefully this form continues for the remainder of PES2012′s pre-release cycle and you just now WENB will be there to cover it every step of the way! Stay tuned.

**UPDATE** Along with our own screens magnificent Marv and the rest of the team at Prorevo have higher resolution versions of the screens HERE

Seabass starts by outlining what he wants PES to be able to do which is primarily allow the player to play the football they wish to play. Citing the new mechanics brought to the series in PES2011 such as 360 dribbling and manual passing which would form the base for this concept, Seabass then makes it known that despite these core mechanics improving the game in PES2011 his opinion was that the balance was such that it focused on one specific style of play (star player spamming?) and that PES2012 looks to address this by allowing more in the way of team play.

As soon as the red overlay with Seabass’ full name and role within the team fades (1:04), cast your eye to the screen behind him and you will catch a first glimpse of the what looks to be the improved off-the-ball movement on the break. Notice also that as this phase of play progresses down the right wing we see the attacker in blue get clattered whilst being double pressed (1:12) just as he makes a subtle change of direction at pace. Immediately the game looks that more zippier and alive and it is excellent to see what looks very much like some attacking and defensive alertness straight off the bat; something which is highlighted only more so when the footage of PES2011 immediately follows on.

As we cut back to Seabass after the PES2011 footage we then see another phase of play start from a keeper kick-out. Below is an image captured at 1:41 in which we see the recipient of a flick-on control, turn and pass in one fluid, graceful (or more so than PES2011 at least) movement. Something which again points to more work being done in refining animations making everything seem more fluid…and hopefully more responsive to boot.

As Seabass talks about how they are looking to implement more team play into this years offering the footage playing on screen again looks to show more fluidity and refinement to that which existed in PES2011. It is not ground breaking stuff but what it does do is show the game to be more alive. Special mention before moving on has to go to the re-introduction of the classic wide-cam which is something most us fans of the series sorely missed in last years game and at 1:45 we see what some PES fans consider to be the equivalent of a ‘money shot’…SQUARE NETS!?

Net fetishists, your moment may well have arrived!

Seabass (nice shirt by the way!) uses this segment to go into detail regards improvements to off-the-ball movement; something which simply had to be addressed following on from PES2011 in which movement from your team mates was temperamental and a tad one dimensional at best, especially if players were not deemed attack minded enough via their stats and index assignment. Instead of simply mapping in a run player prompt into the controls in order to generate this much needed movement, Seabass appears to have opted for a focus on improved standard AI behaviours which sees players shape their runs not only to create space for a pass but also to act as a decoy – this isn’t a case of them simply running forwards in a straight line. This feature you would think will no doubt be further noticeable from player to player and from team to team in the final game. One wonders whether a nod back at the movement arrows present in the tactics/formations screen of past games will play it’s part here along with the team style modifiers introduced in recent instalments but on the surface it looks as though this is a key component to making the game look to have more ebb and flow as well as dramatically enhancing on screen player awareness.

The footage – along with what Seabass has to say – looks to highlight the advancements required in this department and is very informative, though there are some other little moments that I found worthy of note.

Below are few grabs of the phase of play after the arrows highlighting player movement is shown…

Recipient of pass goes to take on his marker. Note the No.10 in blue is tracking the run.

Player in possession beats his man but not without taking a little clip from the defender but he steadies himself (improved collisions?) Meanwhile the No.10 in blue continues to track the diagonal run made.

Having seen the player in possession beat his man, the No.10 is alert to the space created for the attack but has run off the player he was tracking to the deeper lying defender.

Attacker then looks for the pass which catches the No.10 out but his tracking the run of the intended recipient before passing him off to the deeper lying defender ensures it won’t be a straight forward 1 on 1 situation. Improved defensive awareness to match the improved off-the-ball movement in attack.

Moving on, at the 2:59 mark we see a player receive a pass and look to beat his man only for him to be tripped.

Play then appears to go on…

…until the ref would seem to spot that there was no advantage and calls play back. Advantage rule properly implemented? Looks an encouraging sign if not completely conclusive for the moment.

At around 3:03, when Seabass is explaining the need for over-lapping to be more prevalent, we see full screen footage of said over-lapping in action though it was not this that had me going for the screen capture button but instead the point at 3:13 where what looks like a more fluid and different looking crossing animation

As stated previously, this isn’t the stuff of technical wonder but it does point at there being more variety on top of the improved fluidity all round and is further highlighted at 3:23 when the recipient of a goal kick chests,turns and dispatches a lofted pass all in one movement.

Such improvements in attacking options are only half the battle when it comes to trying to capture the reality of the sport, so when Seabass then goes on to talk about the necessary improvements to the defensive side of the game, it is cause for optimism on a number of fronts. Firstly, just by looking at the game in motion you can see a higher level of alertness displayed and the use of ”test bed” footage to allow us fans to see the inner wirings of things like zonal marking and man-marking is very welcome.

In the picture above we can see a clear signposting of the AI’s organisation in defensive scenarios. Note that not only are all attacking players on screen marked, or at least have a player in close proximity, but that there are two spare covering men – one in midfield and one sitting deeper in the penalty area who is stationed within what one could speculate as being an area of danger by the code, with perhaps the three circles highlighting potential areas in which the ball could be played to. The parallel blue and red lines that move in unison would appear to dictate the current zone of play and how the defensive lines adapt to the momentum of attacks. All pure speculation but fascinating nonetheless.

With Seabass commenting on how hold-up-play by the defence will be made simpler regards controls, it does perhaps pose more questions than answers at this current time but one would imagine this could be a nod to there being better visual cues in place than was present in last years title. All in all that which is spoken and shown suggests a far more robust defensive game is in the offing, hopefully allowing for defending to feel like the art it was in the PS2 games.

On a final note, it is recommended to watch the action unfold on the screen behind Seabass to catch a further glimpse of the games ebb and flow and variance in tempo. It all looks that bit more organic and free flowing. Cut from the same cloth as PES2011 it may be on first glance but there is more to it than that.

**UPDATE**

Thanks to Twitter follower fabresass for the following spot.

On playing back the video from 4:49 through to around 5:03 there is evidence of what looks like a new tackling animation on three separate occasions. Note the ref doesn’t call for a foul after the first tackle, though it is hard to identify if he is motioning for play to continue as he is turns following play immediately after.

In order to round-up his thoughts as to what will make PES2012 the game fans want, Seabass is keen to highlight that 1 v. 1 situations will remain a key focus for the developers and that further improvements to dribbling to give a feeling of more ”direct control” will also be implemented. Full screen footage is shown of examples of players deftly tricking their opponent with tight control which hopefully means that PES2012 will be a game of more subtle skills and less about the trick stick shenanigans as was the case in PES2011 – the game looks to go back to it’s roots somewhat in other words in order to deliver a fresher, more intense experience.

And who doesn’t love a good nutmeg, so here is one for the hell of it!…

Added to this, there is mention of further advancements in the physical aspect of the game which can be seen throughout all the footage in all honesty (there just seems to be a more tenacious, snappy edge to play), however there are some further examples of this using production assets which let us get a little more up close and personal.

It is in this segment of the video that the camera zooms into the action on the screen behind Seabass (5:42) and we witness some patient build up play in which the ball is passed back by the team in possession in order to rebuild the attack from the back, only for them to soon pick up the intensity with short one touch passing around the area. Again, it is that variance in tempo that made PES what it was back on PS2 so it is great to see it realised once more.

In the final minute of the video we are teased as to what other information may well come our way in the lead up to the games release, with game modes and edit features hinted at. The footage showing glimpses of the new improved community modes (6:51)pique the interest as not only would it seem that players can set up our their communities to play within, but that there will also be the facility to challenge other communities. This is a welcome addition to the online component as theoretically it could mean this interface will allow for a more satisfying online experience in general but cross PES community site competitions can become a reality!

However, what stood out more on a personal level was what looked like a tantalising glimpse at a more polished version of the game running when it showed members of the development team crowded round a screen(7:18). It also hinted at what appeared to be a re-worked broadcast camera which looks to take in more of the action.

PES2012 is now very much upon us and credit has to go to Konami for the wealth of content shown in this first announcement video. Both informative and teasing at the same time regards information and gameplay footage, the balance was just right and let us hope that same balance finds it’s way into the final game later in the year. For now though I will let Seabass himself close this one off…

Hype. It’s a dangerous word for any PES fan, and perhaps something that can be attributed to WENB more than the series over the years. From PES 2008 to 2010, the series went into decline, with rare moments of confidence in games that paled in significance compared to it’s PS2 heyday. As a fansite, and as a key component to gathering news for the series, we made mistakes in lead up to launch – something we apologized for in the past.

Then came the run up to PES 2011, and a promise from us to inform you as honestly as possible, and to try and gauge hype and excitement more accurately. I feel we did this better than ever, and what we got is a new game that brought back fans of the series and football fans alike. Sure the game has it’s issues, but for the first time we saw a clear direction from the team, and one which belonged to the consoles at hand. It was also clean slate, a fresh start you could say from the WEP team. A solid foundation to bring forward the ideas and representation of football Seabass and his team have envisaged for many years. And thats of course where PES 2012 comes in.

I’d like to take you to a conversation myself and Jon Murphy (PES Team Leader) had late last year when talking about this years game. While I can’t go into everything, the direction of the series came up many times. As we discussed this, it became clear to me just what PES 2012 would be, and that’s a game for the fans. As we delved into the specifics, even back then, Jon said one thing very important to me, and that’s the feedback collated would be key in shaping the future.

It might seem simple, or even expected, but it’s a choice which takes a lot of focus and motivation. As a games developer, there are many things that you yourself want to do, and even include in the series that might mean certain feedback isn’t attainable. But to base everything in what you do in what the fans want, well that’s a major decision.

I’ll use an example from the competitors camp. With the FIFA series, a focus on feedback and listening has always been there, but it’s clear the way it’s approached is very different. The company as a whole have a vast array of ideas, and the dev team (to their credit) are forever trying to think up the next big thing. Whether it be a brand new mode or important gameplay inclusion. This, as we’ve seen in the past years, has also brought many problems. EA’s inability to be happy with what they have and improve has caused things like manager mode/career mode to be severely flawed. Fans of the game would have been happy for EA to keep the mode as it was, and fix bugs while adding key features. With the ethos of doing something more, the FIFA team have continually struggled to hit solid ground, forcing themselves to always do something new, scared of being seen as standing still.

So this is where PES 2012 comes back in. It’s a game that has a team focused on a different ideology, and belief in what they want. Much can be said of the working environment the WEP team find themselves, void of the pressures of accumulating massive sales that hang over EA. For them it’s a clear path, a path which includes making a game the fans want to see post PES 2011.

Recently I posted on the boards how amazed I was how much feedback was already implemented into PES 2012. Elements that caused most frustrations had been either improved or completely redone, with further focus on getting everything that the fans wanted into the game. And that’s what I feel PES 2012 will become. PES 2011 had some good moments, and some fantastic elements that rang true to any real life football fan. Rather than trying to re-write history, they’ve decided to take stock of the situation, and build on the game that brought them back so many fans – critically and sales wise.

If there might be some of you out there reading this now expecting PES 2012 to be a ‘fixed’ PES 2011, then perhaps I’ve done my job of tempering excitement. At the same time if you do truly think that, then once the game has been announced you’ll be pleasantly surprised. While the focus of the game is to act on feedback the fanbase has been excellent in providing, the team have had ample time to add a whole host of elements fresh and new that will blow your mind.

And I’ll leave it there, as I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprises ahead, or been accused of building hype. After all, does a great game need any hype to precede it? I’ll let you decide.

Watch out for our podcast Tuesday evening for more, with some further insight on what could be a massive shake up for PES and it’s future. That change? PES Director Shinji Enomoto being promoted to Vice President of Konami. Massive implications, all incredibly positive.

See you then.

An excerpt from the Enomoto interview :

Iwata: In a sense, “PES” is a real life’s work for you.

Enomoto: Yes. Even though we’ve been doing this for 10 years, I don’t feel as though we’re even close to capturing real football.

It is the very last sentence in this little snippet from the interview that has piqued my interest somewhat. Within the community there was some concern as to what Enomoto was saying; as though there was some form of admittance that PES is way off and it suggests the development team are struggling behind the scenes. I look at it differently as I believe that the fact he states that it is in the ten year history of PES – the game being known as PES that is – that they have never gotten close to realizing in full the beautiful game, in his opinion. It is something that is arguably cause for optimism as opposed to concern…though maybe not when he starts talking about staff performing mo-cap! Some things we really don’t need to be hearing regarding development, Enomoto-san.

First of all we must consider that ‘’10 years’’ of which he speaks. This is a ten years that has blessed us with a massive jump from PES2 to PES3, the introduction of player development in PES4, the oft considered series pinnacle and by extension arguably the finest football game ever created in PES5 to go along with the pin sharp(still!) and dripping with customization options offering that was PES6. It is quite a claim from Enomoto to say they haven’t come even close in this timeline all things considered, no? I defy anyone to say that at the time when a PES3, 5 or 6 arrived that there wasn’t a moment – or a constant feeling – that bar a few wee features and gameplay elements here and there that the game didn’t just about have it all.

Secondly and probably more importantly is the frame of mind shown by Enomoto. The last thing you want to hear a developer say is that there might be nowhere else left to go or worse, proclaim that they have flat-out aced the beautiful game in videogame form. I mentioned this in the latest podcast but in any profession the moment you start to think you have it perfected, it usually is the very same moment that it all starts to unravel. Sound familiar? Enomoto is merely serving notice that he and the team are only too well aware of the recent trials and tribulations that have faced. Let’s be honest here – even a developer who is rather satisfied with their efforts isn’t going to go screaming from the rooftops that this is how they feel.

The Question Remains

So all that aside, time to pose the following question :

What is missing from PES that has one of its producers offer the opinion that they have not even come close to the real sport?

I am sure we could all reel off countless omissions from PES or any football game that are missing but the challenge it would appear is how to implement some of these omissions into a videogame representation of the sport that a) aren’t intrusive to the overall flow, b) can actually be woven into the gameplay mechanics and c) genuinely add something to the overall experience. When having a think about this myself I decided that pretty much anything is fair game, though I did set the boundary of leaving things like game-modes and editing aside for the time being as although there is always going to be ways of expanding such assets, I really thought it best to concentrate on the simulated 90mins alone. That is not to say things like player attributes, tactics and strategy are out of bounds however.

Below are just some of the things that spring to mind when asking myself the question. Please note I am not saying they would work necessarily, I am merely trying to give examples of what might be missing. It also hints at my plain wrong appreciation of the dark arts of the sport…. Mwahahaha!

Defence

• Manual/Live Man Marking – it is one thing assigning man-marking duties via the formations screen, it is quite another implementing a manual user controlled man-marking mechanic into the control mechanics that has a balanced risk/reward system in place. I was thinking a pressure sensitive press and hold of L2 could see you ‘stick’ to a player with varying degrees of aggression and proximity. Hold down too much and for too long you end up fouling the player due to you getting a little too ‘’up close and personal’’. Think about the possibilities this would have in set-piece scenarios. I have always felt trying to mark players has felt a little loose in control and we all know that these kinds of tussles exist in the real sport. It should also be finally noted that if PES were to ever get a ‘run prompt’ function then this might offer a viable counter.

• Shielding/’Shepparding’ – Can really be utilized all around the pitch this and not just for defence duties. Again, this could be assigned to a trigger with pressure sensitivity playing a part which allows the player to shield or ‘sheppard’ the ball out or to simply just block off would be attention as you close in on a stray ball.

• Shirt Pulling/Professional Fouls – The ability to get ‘niggly’ in other words. This could be set under the man marking mechanic mentioned previously but is a little more devilish as it involves you taking out your frustrations on a player skinning you in a 1 v. 1. Obviously comes with consequences and *whispers* like the man-marking mechanic might make diving that little bit more of an option. It is obviously wrong but it exists in the real sport. It is ‘missing’ but do we want it?

Attack/ In Possession

• Running the Ball Off – What I mean is the ability to not so much pass to a team mate in close proximity but the ability to run the ball off to them. This sort of exists but is more by accident than design. It happens all the time in the real game and in midfield and on the wings in particular.

• Manual First Touch – Assigning a controller input that allows the user to instruct a player to jump and try to chest the ball down to use an example, as opposed to having to hope the player does it or just press pass or shoot in order to ensure contact with the ball. ISS Pro 98 on the N64 had this in place and it was magnificent as it could be used for flicking the ball into the air and turning when receiving a grounded pass or to jump and chest into a particular direction when meeting a high ball which was at the users discretion as to when to use it.

• Natural Flair in First & Second Touch – Posted missing somewhat since the PS2 days, a greater variety in how players receive passes, especially airborne passes, with the artists of the real sport displaying something out of ordinary if time and space permits. I also think that right now every football game practices an overly orthodox method of first touch in which players immediately look to get the ball on the deck. Simply watching any football match from across the globe you see some players keep the ball in the air with their second and even third touches when receiving a high ball. I think it was the great Pele who once said ‘’every player should have a first touch, the second is the more important’’ though I cannot source it unfortunately so you will just have to take my word for it. Maybe it was me and I am a football philosophy genius! In all seriousness maybe there is scope for such moments of incidental brilliance to be realized using the index card system and technique stats. Allow the game to surprise me more than what either it or FIFA do currently. Not everything needs to be engineered by the user and a little mystique wouldn’t go amiss.

• Player Comes Short – In all the discussion about off the ball movement I find it odd that this feature of the real game is seldom mentioned or suggested. Having a button prompt that instructs a player to come short and make himself available for a backwards/lateral pass would add tactical depth surely and could be more of an asset than having your DM blindly venture forward with reckless abandon and instead have the focus on ball retention first.

General

• Captain Influence – Is your captain a keeper? Have this influence organization in set-pieces. Should they be a defender maybe this could improve defensive line organization and if they are a midfielder they could influence passing and pressing. Forwards who are captains could display more work ethic and receive a stamina boost or prove to be more talismanic. All this could be dictated by a captaincy rating or stat so as it is kept in check somewhat.

• The Love/Hate Player – In just about every game played in real life there is a player who is loved by their own support and despised by the oppositions. More of an atmosphere thing this but having say Ronaldo booed with his every touch in an away fixture or a Gattuso cheered on after a crunching tackle in a home game would add something to the proceedings I feel. This could be something that evolves in an ML campaign with say a former player coming back to play against you with another club only to inspire disdain from your home support or say a goal-scorer getting a huge cheer from the fans as he is substituted or makes his entrance. Lots of possibilities here.

• ”Ole!” – C’mon! We all would love this to gradually surface with every successful pass in a long period of possession, especially when in a winning position. We have the boo’s that that bellow when the away side maintain possession so why not.

Passing It Over

Well, that is just some of what I feel might well be missing from the real sport at the moment with regards to football videogames in general. Again, it is not for me to say that these ideas would be a qualified success or even work in any way, shape or form. I do however feel that Enomoto has given us fans something to get our teeth into and perhaps think outside the box a little regards what could make a more complete game that is closer to reality.

It would be great to hear others thoughts and ideas on the subject of what is missing from footy games in general and I would encourage any answers to the question posed to be submitted either using the feedback section on the forums – in which you would need to look at offering a fully detailed explanation – or by replying via the comments section found below. I look forward to seeing what others come up with, though must stress such feedback will more than likely have missed the PES2012 feedback shipment and will be for the future….providing your idea is not something like using a barrel instead of a ball as that will never be considered. Oh, wait.

Funny thing is, it wasn’t the insight from my fellow Scotsman that has me writing this, but more so something the interviewer noted during Gary’s reply to the question about adding to the atmosphere in FIFA’s career mode that raised a wee smile from me as my mind wondered back to classic PES on PS2.

”I feel like gameplay’s getting harder and harder to improve on…and I think ‘matchday atmosphere’ is something we need to invest in. (We tell Gary how we invent ‘stories’ for our players in PES Master League)”

It is that in brackets above that resonated with me as a PES aficionado as it is something that even this 36 year-old man has been known to do in his years playing the game. I have to confess that in recent years such wandering of the imagination has failed to manifest itself in quite the same way as it once did when getting my fix of PES, though that is not to say the old grey matter can’t conjure up some flight of fancy. I started to think it was just middle age creeping in and the stark reality of life finally hitting home. This was a feeling I have not felt since…George Lucas took it upon himself to butcher my childhood in 1999. Bloody Jar – Jar and that whining little kid! Lucas might have the exact haircut I wish to proudly display in my elder years but even that magnificent towering bouffant fails completely to obscure the madness of the mind in which it sits atop. Seriously, a plot revolving around a dispute over a trade agreement is meant to be interesting how? To say I digress isn’t really going to cut it here, is it?

Back on topic, I can’t help but think that the re-vamp of PES’ Master League might be acting as more of a hindrance than help to my immersion in the game. I have no doubt that my own sanity will be questioned in much the same way I question that of a certain ‘Writer/Director’ (It still hurts!) but I ask you stay with me here before passing judgement.

I just think there is a degree of sterility about the way the both footy games go about their business regards the main ‘campaign’ modes these days. Sure, there is more authenticity and realism present but along with this comes a somewhat over-bloated experience. For me at least, part of the charm of classic PES’ ML mode was it’s simple, almost RPG-lite structure in which just seeing the players abilities increase after a match was enough to keep me going in itself and I filled in the blanks of the story of transfer negotiations, players failing to settle, board confidence and other off field matters without the actual game getting in the way. I could make it as deep as I wanted it to be off the field as the real story is surely always what happens out on the field. I believe that progression through an ML campaign in classic PES was less intrusive as it is currently but more importantly the basic videogame fundamental of escapism is dulled down somewhat when you are being prodded and probed by the game to deal with various matters between matches. I dunno, it just feels like I am asked to be an accountant for the club as opposed to being a manager who is questing to realise how the beautiful game should be played. I know fine well that in real life managers are in some part asked to oversee various aspects of the running of a club but isn’t that what a manager sim like Football Manager is for? Not that I am suggesting PES or FIFA have the same level of depth (though worryingly they aspire to be just that) but these games focus you would think is about the raw, untamed beauty of the sport and not the mundane chores that admittedly make it all happen. Let me concentrate on being the ‘’tracksuit manager’’ I yearn to be in other words.

I remember signing Ibrahimovic during the winter transfer negotiation period in PES4 (when the training mini-games were in place) and he repaid my faith by performing the square root of bugger all for the remainder of the season , so instead of selling him on I had him chasing the wonderful yet impossible to calculate geometry of Iniesta, Aissati and Nasri (who were all bloodied in a similar fashion!) in training the whole pre-season while saying to myself in a Brian Clough manner ‘’You’re a bloody disgrace!’’ daring him to get better. He ended up my best player the following season and arguably the most ridiculously talented player I have ever controlled in a PES game. This is how I want to connect to my team and get the balance right, not by looking at a bank balance and worrying if my scout is the right level. I think footy games are lacking in being able to inspire such a connection at the moment and ironically it may be because they are trying too hard to do just that.

Building a Legacy, Leaving a Legacy

If there was anything I would like to have a greater level of management with outside the first team squad it would be the youth team. Wouldn’t it pretty cool if between matches and basic tactical tinkering and/or transfer negotiation you could decide to train and develop them via quick 3min half challenge matches against your first team? It not only would allow you to see how good (or bad) the first teams cohesion is but at the same time you would be developing the youth squad. This would allow the user to make a better judgement as to who could make the step up to the first team due to you actually getting to control them in non-competitive circumstances against what should be better developed players. Surely this could only add to the immersion and makes you feel like you are building a legacy and more than just a club.

Something that has never been possible in PES’ ML is the ability to change clubs. Given all that I have suggested above were to be put in place – with the ability to leave it all behind and seek pastures new – not only would moving on be a tough choice but could also spur you on to do it all over again. What would make this even more of a wrench is if the ML landscape you created kept going. What I mean is that should you change clubs, with only limited options available (think a three 1st Div clubs, three 2nd Div. club, and three ‘other league’ clubs offer scenario) what you leave behind remains intact and part of the game world, with your former clubs signings and development all remaining in place. Suddenly you are pursuing your own legacy all over again! It should be noted I would have no sackings in place, just ‘game over’ if you mis-manage, so the urge to keep the game world you have created alive is always driving you on whilst making you very mindful not to get over ambitious.

I would like to hear others opinions as to what they think would be the ideal ML experience. If it happens to be what is already in place then it would be nice to hear some thoughts as to why that is. My own thoughts are that less can result in more, or that at least a change of focus upon other aspects of ML could make the experience more richer, deep and ultimately more rewarding experience us fans.

Huge credit again to PSM3 for keeping the torch alight during the ”quiet period” for us footy game fans.

Before going any further allow me to extend my apologies for being somewhat absent from the frontline of late; a mixture of festive period, work, family and even other gaming commitments had taken their toll as 2010 came to its end. Now suitably rested and focused I am ready to do it all over again!… with a little extra spring in my step as well it should be noted.

The ‘spring’ of which I speak is not just born of a much needed break but also last year’s developments in the world of PES, which culminated in the release of a game that for as much as it proved to polarise opinion, arguably done so for what could be perceived as being the right reasons. Many will rightly venture forward with the solid undeniable fact that PES on next-gen has consistently polarised opinion among those who have an interest in the franchise, whether that interest is rooted in optimism or downright cynicism, but the discussion and debate leading up to and after the release of PES2011 seemed to take a different course from years gone by. It mirrored the resultant game in many respects in that it too was a very different beast to what had come before and along with it demanded a little more thought in order to fully understand its merits. I guess what I am saying here is that the discourse amongst the community – as well as the gaming press – was not merely ‘’It’s Good’’ v. ’’ It’s Bad’’ in nature which is not to say that such exchange did not exist entirely, just that it was a little more complex due to everybody finding their feet with PES’ new chosen direction. Looking back, surely such uncertainty and complexity is more of a good thing than bad, or at least it is a welcome problem to have. We never get it simple us PES fans do we?!…Yet that does not detract from our will to kit up and take to the field all over again, hence why the events of last year have me more eager than the norm to get the ball rolling.

It would of course be naive to not embrace the fact that PES2011 didn’t click with some because of some well documented shortcomings which proved ultimately too much for a number of players in both the short and long term. Yes, steps were taken to address some of the more glaring issues that beset the game out of the box and while this player would not suggest that it was merely a case of papering over cracks – PES2011 is a great, if temperamental game and more than mere foundation – such fixes were probably not going to convert those unconvinced by what they had already experienced.

Temperamental is probably a good way to describe this players and I am sure others experiences of PES2011; one minute it really is the beautiful game, the next it regresses to a form of digital anti-football. My own take is that the good outweighs the bad more oft than not but there is an uneasy feeling when I boot up the game in that I am really unsure how it will play out. Such uncertainty as to what awaits is actually not a bad thing and in fact is an asset in a football game when you take into consideration PES’ past glory. The problem is how this uncertainty/randomness manifests itself currently in PES and it should also be noted that PES is not alone in next-gen footy games when it comes to this, perhaps albeit for different reasons as I am sure the lads over at FSB will pay testament to.

Hope From The Current Past

Having been blessed with the ability to turn to the Wii version of PES2011, which has been happening rather regularly of late, I think I have an idea as to what might be the root of the problem when it comes to PES on next-gens apparent bipolar nature. I think it lies with the stability of the game as when I boot up the Wii version I am not troubled by such concerns as PES2011 on Nintendo’s system is a technically very stable game. That is not to say that it is the perfect football game (though in my opinion the best footy game of 2010) but it functions and flows with a sure footedness that is missing for me in both PES2011 on PS3 and indeed EA’s offering on next-gen. I have been challenged on my opining that the Wii version of PES2011 is a more stable and ultimately satisfying offering than the technically gifted sales juggernaut EA have delivered or Konami’s own markedly improved offering on next-gen and while it goes without question that the next-gen games look to do and offer more regards technical assets, gameplay options and presentation, they are games that lack the confidence in execution that I find with the lower grade tech driving PES2011 on Wii. Maybe having less hardware muscle to work with ensures a sharper focus on basic videogame fundamentals, resulting in something that ironically ends up offering more. Loading up and playing PES2011 on Wii inspires a far more positive sense of the unknown which is rooted squarely in what can be conjured by it’s solidity and stability if that at all makes sense. It does to me!

There is always a huge sense of optimism for PES’ next-gen future when I load up the Wii version as before me is a game that serves only to remind that Seabass and co. now how to craft a footy experience par excellence. For as much as the Wii version of the game as won me over, it is also true to say that new ideas and innovations brought to the table in PES2011 on next-gen have done so as well, with the freedom of play now on offer being the stand out and while the Wii version is not short of a thoroughly satisfying passing game itself, it has to be conceded that it does pale in comparison to the solid foundation and possibilities to be found with Konami’s new vision on next-gen. What the next-gen version really could look to capture from the Wii version along with the already mentioned technical stability is how the game truly comes alive in the final third. Translate these assets over and marry them up with the new innovations and mechanics premiered in PES2011 on next-gen and PES2012 could be a truly defining moment for the series.

With the franchise now subject to more fan feedback and input than ever before (keep that feedback coming folks!), Konami’s approach on and off the field of play in 2010 provided much encouragement and sets up 2011 and with it PES2012 rather nicely.

We wanted change in many areas regarding our beloved PES in 2010 and we got it. 2010 was merely the sketched outline on the broad canvass, however. 2011 will be when the colour, detail and texture are applied.

To say what we have now is a total different game would be going too far as a patch 13mb in size is simply not going to able to achieve such. What could and is being said by the majority of the PES community is that what was delivered was an update that smoothed out some of the more glaring, fixable issues present in gameplay which were proving to frustrate the more we played. It goes without saying that not everything that was causing the blood to boil has been rectified and that the issues that remain unchecked are not the simple set of fixes deliverable via a downloadable update as is believed in some quarters. No, some things we are just going to have to wait for in the form PES2012, but let’s look at what the patch did do.

Shifting Gears

Player switching pre-patch was unreliable and very erratic to say the least. The impact that poor implementation of such a mechanic can have is huge and this was something that PES2011 players were getting all too accustomed to. In what is perhaps the biggest improvement offered up by the patch, player switching has now being vastly improved and the positive domino effect it has on the game as a whole should not underestimated. Not only is it the case that player switching in defensive situations is more reliable but it improves attacking play into the bargain as well, whether it is in player switching in passing moves or even response when latching onto a cross. I have found myself feeling the risk/reward balance is better balanced too as a result, with the game feeling more free and me being a tad more ambitious with regards to the football I look to play. Defending feels more like the art it should be and while in the final third things can still get a little glitchy, the feeling of being able to organise more effectively when under pressure is more than a welcome fix.

It is difficult to say for certain but could it be the the necessary tweaks to player switching has resulted in the AI appearing significantly more sharp? There certainly seems to be some AI improvements apparent which has the COM now appearing to be more inventive and playing to teams/individuals strengths. Pre-patch it was all too frequent that when the AI was attacking it felt a little too one dimensional at times and that it never seemed to utilise team, or more specifically individual players strengths. Placebo effect or not this player certainly feels a greater sense of threat when a COM controlled Lional Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney are running at my defensive line.

Jog On!

Along with the player switching improvements comes a fix to a well publicised issue within the PES community and that is the infamous ‘jog bug’ that saw the AI’s defending and pressure on the flanks being somewhat exploitable. Speaking to some players who are not active community regulars but are indeed PES players at heart I was surprised as to how little they were aware of this potential exploit, which is all fair and well but this was something that once you became aware of it was nigh on impossible to ignore to the point it did begin to hamper play. Just knowing it was there niggled away at me and in some cases dampened any sense of achievement I had when crafting a lovely move down the flank and finishing it off with aplomb. Now this has been rectified and rectified in a manner which hasn’t negatively impacted on defensive AI, any such irritation has now evaporated for the most part. This is not to say that wing play perhaps still remains a little too effective but knowing now that it is purely player skill and not simply exploiting an AI quirk.

What came as a surprise when the patch was announced was that it was going to rid the game of players names over COM players heads. It is such a minor fix in the grand scheme of things but what it does suggest is that even these little annoyances amongst the community are not going completely ignored. I am sure there are other similar things in the game which infuriate players but the names being present above AI teams players during play was one which was opined on more than others as being a bug-bear. Folks sense of infuriation was hardly screamed aloud from every quarter so the fact the developers have went in and removed it shows they are listening beyond the more pressing issues. An unexpected bonus then, much like the transfer value system which has also undergone some adjustment in order to make it more realistic.

Making Opportunities Count

With regards to shooting, things were a little less clear to begin with but through prolonged play the conclusion reached is that the tweaks in this department are subtle but noticeable nonetheless. Striking the ball feels a bit more weight-y than found previously, with more dip and variance in trajectory becoming apparent. Finesse shooting – while feeling a little less powerful – does now carry more finesse in this players humble opinion and maybe it is a placebo effect but placement of strikes on goal feel far more free regarding placement and responsive in execution also too boot. Still by no means perfect but in keeping with the general impact of the patch overall it is improved.

What the patch has done essentially is what it needed to do, and all it realistically could do with the game where it is at the moment. It has looked to smooth out the known, fixable issues with the gameplay as best a patch can. What is encouraging is Konami’ s willingness to look to address underlying issues as best it can and also keep the user base informed as to what the patch would bring on it’s release – no more mystery as to whether a patch had gameplay fixes like the last few years then. Nice.

Before closing it should be said that the series is on the right track regards gameplay and that this latest patch looks to further re-enforce this as being the case. What the series needs now is a significant technical leap (animations/visuals) so as to compliment the solid theory in place with the games design. A quick word on the graphics actually – I swear there has been some tweaking to lighting and colour levels since the patch, though improvements far beyond this are required for PES2012, feedback for which will be starting very soon here on WENB.