Archive for the ‘Soccer’ Category

We won’t be hearing a lot of gaming news this week as gaming companies wait for E3 next week to show off their stuff. Best Buy however, listed some new features for FIFA 14 that EA Sports doesn’t have on their site. Here’s what they have:

• Capture the thrill of a well-executed goal with Pure Shot technology, which mimics the moves your favorite striker performs during games when he scores awe-inspiring goals
• Watch as your player adjusts the approach angle to a more suitable direction for optimal positioning while taking a shot on goal
• Experience players’ expanded understanding of the phases of shooting, which enables them to adjust their stride and pace to precisely hit the ball
• Contend with realistic situations, in which players may need to take off-balanced or rushed shots that can hinder the accuracy and strength of their attempt based on where they are on the pitch and how the ball is delivered to their feet
• Enjoy new animations that eliminate the foot-sliding, skipping and scissor legs that occurred in FIFA 13
• Test your skill with Real Ball Physics that enables the ball to act as it would in the real world, based on new formulas that dictate the flight path and trajectory of a shot
• Strike the ball with force from a distance, drill low-rising shots with accuracy and blast dipping or swerving shots with realistic turbulence effects and utilize Curling Lofted Through Balls to curl the ball around opponents for precise passes
• Navigate the intricacies of ball possession, mastered by FC Barcelona, which dictates the tempo of the match with the Protect the Ball gameplay feature
• Fend off and block opponents from the ball while running at any speed, countering defensive pulling by stepping in front of the defender and using your body to shield the ball and stepping into the opposition to maintain possession and make a pass
• Fight for position prior to receiving the ball, so you are in the optimal location at the opportune moment
• Move in any direction to preserve your natural momentum and utilize quick, explosive cuts and turns to beat defenders one-on-one while sprinting with the Sprint Dribble Turns feature
• Show your dribbling with optimal touch and control that minimizes opportunities for defenders to regain possession with Variable Dribble Touches
• Combine different types of tackles, recover from missed tackles quickly and have another opportunity to compete for the ball in any tackling situation with Second Chance Tackles
• Come together as a team with improved teammate intelligence that delivers tighter, smarter marking and better run tracking
• Rely on your defenders to recognize opportunities to improve support and win back possessions, and depend on attacking players to break down intelligent defenses by creating space, running along the back line and checking their pace
• Learn and master the fundamental skills needed to be a star football player in Skill Games, a competitive practice mode helps you become a better player, faster
• Develop and refine a personalized scouting network as you search for talent around the world — you can evaluate players who may bolster your squad during the transfer windows with a new hub that provides live scouting reports in Career Mode
• Connect to the heartbeat of the sport and to other football fans through EA SPORTS Football Club, FIFA 14′s social network, where you can compete and share with millions of others around the world

One frustrating thing in the FIFA games is when you have a great opportunity for a pass and your teammate just isn’t in the right position to receive this. This is now a thing of the past with Teammate Intelligence. New for FIFA 14, your computer controlled teammates can now to make better and smarter decisions on both the attack and on defense.

Some notes from EA:

• FIFA 14 introduces new run types to make goal-scoring opportunities even more exciting. Players will have the intelligence to break down defenses by creating space for themselves and separation from defenders.
• You will notice that attacking players will watch the backline to avoid being caught offside before breaking free for a pass or through ball. Attackers will also now perform checked runs to confuse defenders.
• Additionally, the center-forward will back into a defender to hold position and receive the ball, creating space to gain possession. Afterward, he will either release to another player or turn and shoot on goal.
• Defenders will be better at tracking runs without over-committing. They will recognize opportunities to support and apply pressure from anywhere on the pitch. Rather than always covering the player closest to them, AI defenders will better position themselves to reduce the chance of someone being left wide-open:
  
• Defensive decision-making will be based on multiple frames enabling defenders to continually analyze the play to search for the most dangerous player. This will improve run tracking and man marking. Smarter, tighter marking will change the way games unfold as more action is driven to the middle of the field, leading to tighter passes and a greater emphasis on strategy.
• Also introduced this year is defensive pressure—teammates will recognize good opportunities to win back possession and support with tighter marking and more pressure. Previously, once a team had a lead late into a match, they would begin to slow the pace to run down the clock. Now, Defenders will recognize this and press the attacking players in an attempt to win back possession.

The folks at MachinimaSports got a chance to speak with Sebastian Enrique (FIFA 14 Producer) about some new features in the upcoming FIFA 14. We wrote about the new features yesterday, but this video should explain things a bit further.  In this vid you’ll learn about real ball physics, pure shot, and more:

EA keeps rolling out new info about their games this week. Monday was NHL 14, and today is FIFA 14. By their main header, it looks like Lionel is the main cover star once again, but check out some features and some screens for the upcoming soccer game. More info to come as we get it, of course.

PURE SHOT: Position yourself for the perfect strike Shooting has been transformed. Players have the intelligence to adjust their stride and approach angle to find the best position for hitting the back of the net. Well-hit balls feel satisfying and goals are rewarding. As well as quality strikes, players can now shoot while off balance or rushed.

PROTECT THE BALL: Dominate midfield and dictate the tempo Fend-off and block defenders from the ball while dribbling at any speed. Protect the ball from opponents to control play through midfield and dictate the tempo of the match. Plus, out-muscle opponents for position before receiving the ball, then turn defenders to carve out opportunities.

REAL BALL PHYSICS: Authentic ball movement and control Strike the ball with more force and finesse. Realistic ball physics now determines the trajectories of balls in game, enabling players to strike the ball with force from distance, drill low rising shots with accuracy, and blast dipping or swerving shots, just like real footballers.

TEAMMATE INTELLIGENCE: Better support from smarter teammates Better decision-making delivers tighter, smarter marking and improved run tracking. Defenders recognize opportunities to provide support and win back possession. Attacking players have new ways to outsmart their opponents and break down tighter, more intelligent defenses by creating space for themselves, running along the backline and checking their pace.

GLOBAL SCOUTING NETWORK: A game-changing way to play Career Mode Experience the world of professional scouting as you search for talent around the world. Develop and refine your own scouting network. Evaluate footballers to uncover the attributes of players who could bolster your squad during the transfer windows. A new hub delivers easy navigation, fewer interruptions and live scouting reports.

FIFA 14 will deliver online features and live services that connect fans through EA SPORTS Football Club, making FIFA 14 football’s social network, where fans connect, compete and share with millions of others around the world. The game will also feature:

• Changes to the wildly popular FIFA Ultimate Team
• A new online Mode that will encourage social competition
• Multiple new features and benefits to EA SPORTS Football Club, the live service that is the heartbeat of FIFA
• Complete authenticity with more than 500 officially licensed clubs.

Now for the screenshots:

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