EA SPORTS FC 26

[Chris Davies]

I wish there was a slider just to make CPU AI take more risks. If you look at gameplay modding, there is a safety net for everything like through pass, sprint, lob pass, forward pass, etc and it's very static(so if there are x amount of players in front of you, always pass back). Traits do override but it's still not random enough. Thats why weaker teams have 90% pass completion. They always play safe passes. In real life, bad players make worse decision and tend to play the ball long, it's the opposite in FIFA/FC. They need to make it percentage based and use stats like their passing ability and composure to determine if they will make a dumb long pass or a smart through pass based on these factors. It's actually not that hard to make a good CPU AI for a soccer game. I wrote a CPU AI for my football game that's already much better in FC 26.

On this subject, the saddest thing for me is that - in this engine - there's no point playing in different ways (and the AI won't either). It's all just pass-pass-pass.

In reality, Tranmere smash the ball into space over and over again, constantly turning over possession, for the one time when a defender misjudges the flight of the ball and your pacey winger forces his way onto the loose ball.

In FC, they just pass to feet. End of story.

Why? Because there is no point in hoofing the ball into space - you can't! Long balls will be magnetised to a player - an opposition player - and the defenders make no mistake in judgement.

That "looseness" isn't there. For all the tactics and strategies you can develop, the game still only works one way, and that's death by passing (with 90%+ pass accuracy common).

So much of what EA add is top-level stuff, which the core completely overrides or disregards.

They may read this complaint and set all lower league teams to use long ball tactics - and that's considered a "fix" - but nothing is actually fixed, because the ball isn't loose and the AI is still perfect.

 

[TomGibbons26]

I wish there was a slider just to make CPU AI take more risks. If you look at gameplay modding, there is a safety net for everything like through pass, sprint, lob pass, forward pass, etc and it's very static(so if there are x amount of players in front of you, always pass back). Traits do override but it's still not random enough. Thats why weaker teams have 90% pass completion. They always play safe passes. In real life, bad players make worse decision and tend to play the ball long, it's the opposite in FIFA/FC. They need to make it percentage based and use stats like their passing ability and composure to determine if they will make a dumb long pass or a smart through pass based on these factors. It's actually not that hard to make a good CPU AI for a soccer game. I wrote a CPU AI for my football game that's already much better in FC 26.

Wonder whether they could implement a similar logic to Football Manager - take into account player traits/attributes but also team instructions and individual player role instructions - can't be that difficult surely...

 

[Topaz]

Wonder whether they could implement a similar logic to Football Manager - take into account player traits/attributes but also team instructions and individual player role instructions - can't be that difficult surely...

I looked through some of the decoded file in Football Manager and also the leaked source code of an older version, the match engine is a mess. It's obviously not physics calculated. They generate a lot of match events per tick and they also fall into the same problem of safety net AI decision making. But the code so spaghettified and everything touches/affect everything else that the sideeffect of changing something in the core code is not worth the risk. Most people can't tell that a lot of the attributes have little to no effect anyway. For me, Football Manager is more of a roleplaying game than a realistic football simulator. I don't want to say exactly all the specific things they get wrong(because that will ruin the fun for people that are still enjoying Football Manager and the magicness). The only game i wish was open source was PES 5/FIFA World Cup 2010. They got that aspect spot on.

 

[DarthKebab]

Sorry for being thick but how do you edit the sliders with Gameplay Type set as Authentic? Only way I can edit them is custom which I found way too easy using Matts sliders previously

 

[caldeira]

Sorry for being thick but how do you edit the sliders with Gameplay Type set as Authentic? Only way I can edit them is custom which I found way too easy using Matts sliders previously

You gotta set to "Custom" with "Authentic features" turned on

 

[sir_mamont]

I have put the speed on 48 both user and cpu, acceleration on 50 both user and cpu and suddenly i lost three games, cause AI have really challenged me.

 

[caldeira]

I have put the speed on 48 both user and cpu, acceleration on 50 both user and cpu and suddenly i lost three games, cause AI have really challenged me.

which difficulty?

 

[Chris Davies]

Looks like the lack of penetration from the AI is being noticed online (Competitive) as well as offline (Authentic).

I have a horrible feeling the "fix" (which will surely come) will be to turn the AI into an unstoppable tiki-taka goalscoring machine for all of us... but we'll see.

 

[caldeira]

Just got this unexpected event. The thing is, I've literally won every single match since I joined the club 😂😂😂

I think I'll just have to wait for mods to enjoy the game now... it has become too easy even on Legendary with manual passing. The top-scorer tables don’t make any sense, transfers don’t make any sense, I get literally zero fouls every game, and now this... this is the cherry on top, honestly. Immersion officially ruined, EA.

 

[Colon]

Looks like the lack of penetration from the AI is being noticed online (Competitive) as well as offline (Authentic).

I have a horrible feeling the "fix" (which will surely come) will be to turn the AI into an unstoppable tiki-taka goalscoring machine for all of us... but we'll see.

I watched this video a few times now and this is maybe the worst example you could give for a bad AI. If you watch the off ball movement you can see that there is a defender next to or in front of each attacker and the passing spaces are also closed. So there are no ways the cpu can play any (realistic) passes forward in the box. The only way would be unrealistic 180° turn passes. The only situation where you could argue that the cpu is too passive is at 00:03 after Saka gets a lobbed through ball and he could cut inside and shoot. But even then there is an argument that the defense closes the space and there is no good shooting angle. And again there are no other passing options but playing it back. So in this clip the cpu is playing rather realistic.

 

[FC Bayern]

Just got this unexpected event. The thing is, I've literally won every single match since I joined the club 😂😂😂

I think I'll just have to wait for mods to enjoy the game now... it has become too easy even on Legendary with manual passing. The top-scorer tables don’t make any sense, transfers don’t make any sense, I get literally zero fouls every game, and now this... this is the cherry on top, honestly. Immersion officially ruined, EA.

View attachment 380708

Doesn't matter if you win. Fans will pressure the board to make change. Celtic are unbeaten in the league but still many idiots in the fanbase who want the board out & complain about the managers style

 

[sir_mamont]

which difficulty?

Ultimate with competitor mode on

 

[Chris Davies]

I watched this video a few times now and this is maybe the worst example you could give for a bad AI. If you watch the off ball movement you can see that there is a defender next to or in front of each attacker and the passing spaces are also closed. So there are no ways the cpu can play any (realistic) passes forward in the box. The only way would be unrealistic 180° turn passes. The only situation where you could argue that the cpu is too passive is at 00:03 after Saka gets a lobbed through ball and he could cut inside and shoot. But even then there is an argument that the defense closes the space and there is no good shooting angle. And again there are no other passing options but playing it back. So in this clip the cpu is playing rather realistic.

I see your point, and it is a VERY good thing to see AI teammates working defensively, but it shows how little risk the AI opponents take going forward and (as I said in my post) the lack of penetration.

No risks are taken by the AI because there is no reward for doing so in the current gameplay balance, with the ball being magnetised to an opponent player if they're even slightly close to your pass target. No 50/50 balls you might win, no challenging for the ball. Just a binary option. So why would you take a risk? It's completely robotic and the opposite of organic thanks to how rigid FCIQ is.

 

[Kopite1990]

I see your point, and it is a VERY good thing to see AI teammates working defensively, but it shows how little risk the AI opponents take going forward and (as I said in my post) the lack of penetration.

No risks are taken by the AI because there is no reward for doing so in the current gameplay balance, with the ball being magnetised to an opponent player if they're even slightly close to your pass target. No 50/50 balls you might win, no challenging for the ball. Just a binary option. So why would you take a risk? It's completely robotic and the opposite of organic thanks to how rigid FCIQ is.

AI crossing is still broken too - I have messed around with sliders but countless times the AI gets to the byline, has a perfect opportunity to cross the ball, but instead decides to turn back and tries to dribble/ping pong the ball into the box.

A bit more risk (crossing and long balls in to free space) would add so much more randomness to the game.

 

[Chris Davies]

AI crossing is still broken too - I have messed around with sliders but countless times the AI gets to the byline, has a perfect opportunity to cross the ball, but instead decides to turn back and tries to dribble/ping pong the ball into the box.

A bit more risk (crossing and long balls in to free space) would add so much more randomness to the game.

I just don't want to see that "forced", which is so often the way (again, a binary choice). It simply isn't beneficial to do anything other than pass most of the time, because pass accuracy is 90%+ and crosses will usually be magnetised to the defender.

The "fix" we'll get for e.g. no AI crossing is forcing the AI to cross, i.e. forcing them to do something pointless on purpose, which then dulls the AI's penetration even more - rather than opening up the ball physics, positioning etc. to allow balls to be put into dangerous places and for teammates to run onto them.

 

[FC Bayern]

AI crossing is still broken too - I have messed around with sliders but countless times the AI gets to the byline, has a perfect opportunity to cross the ball, but instead decides to turn back and tries to dribble/ping pong the ball into the box.

A bit more risk (crossing and long balls in to free space) would add so much more randomness to the game.

I've seen the AI play plenty of crosses into the box

 

[danilik]

Anche i cross dell'IA sono ancora difettosi: ho provato a usare gli slider, ma innumerevoli volte l'IA arriva sulla linea di fondo, ha l'opportunità perfetta per crossare, ma poi decide di tornare indietro e cerca di palleggiare/far rimbalzare la palla in area.

Un po' più di rischio (cross e lanci lunghi nello spazio libero) aggiungerebbe molta più casualità al gioco.

I think this depends on the team you use, this morning before going to work I played a game of ten minutes per half but I had to stop early, let's say I played just over a half and the CPU had already crossed into the area eleven times.

 

[Slippytoad]

I haven't tried FC26 yet (thinking about getting EA Play for the 10 hour trial). but if there was just one thing I wish they'd sort out it would be to make the ball its own free entity. Currently everything looks like its on rails, I see videos of people playing on full manual and crosses are laser guided still. Why not let us play long balls into space for a player to run on to. I still play PES from time to time and the freeness of the ball makes such a massive difference that its game changing. A free ball would also add a lot of randomness all over the pitch in 50/50s/corners etc. I'd probably buy this game if they could just implement it despite the other issues.

Am I alone in thinking that a ball as its own separate entity would be the single biggest upgrade this game could get?

While toying with trialling FC26 I've recently been playing Fifa 17 for the first time in 8 years (I guess I stopped playing in Sept 2017 when Fifa 18 came out). I remember it being good at the time but I'm honestly shocked at how fantastic it is. Much better graphics and lightning, very good animations, player physicality (when compared to more recent versions), a ball that feels more free, but more importantly better gameplay. I'm using the latest OS sliders but even the default GP is a joy to play. It feels like since 17, each fifa has gotten worse in terms of visuals and GP (probably due to the rise of FUT and the pandering to keep those players satisfied)

 

[Kopite1990]

I've seen the AI play plenty of crosses into the box

I think this depends on the team you use, this morning before going to work I played a game of ten minutes per half but I had to stop early, let's say I played just over a half and the CPU had already crossed into the area eleven times.

They do cross, but in my opinion it is broken. I will try and post some clips to explain what I mean.

You are right though, there are probably some variables in there in terms of teams being used, sliders, modes etc.

From what I have seen, the AI would still rather try to dribble through or play ping pong when the obvious choice would be a cross. It’s contextual too, in the 89th minute when chasing a goal I would expect the AI to start peppering my box with crosses/diagonals. But again, they just play the same as if it’s the 1st minute.

For what it’s worth, I’m enjoying the game a lot more than I thought I would after making some adjustments. Maybe I’m searching for a utopia that will never exist.

 

[Paul-v]

On this subject, the saddest thing for me is that - in this engine - there's no point playing in different ways (and the AI won't either). It's all just pass-pass-pass.

In reality, Tranmere smash the ball into space over and over again, constantly turning over possession, for the one time when a defender misjudges the flight of the ball and your pacey winger forces his way onto the loose ball.

In FC, they just pass to feet. End of story.

Why? Because there is no point in hoofing the ball into space - you can't! Long balls will be magnetised to a player - an opposition player - and the defenders make no mistake in judgement.

That "looseness" isn't there. For all the tactics and strategies you can develop, the game still only works one way, and that's death by passing (with 90%+ pass accuracy common).

I feel like a broken record here but the "engine" isn't the problem. It's all design decisions. With a few tweaks I got the game to be much more realistic, no more magnetized touches, misjudged long passes etc.

There is a huge problem with the AI though. As @Topaz said. They avoid all risk. This has been a problem in ALL FIFA/FC games. I dont care what people think about the older games but it is true. The AI requires the game is be "easy" to do anything. There are a few games in the series that handle it a little better but you get the feeling the AI was simply designed to keep hold of the ball until it can shoot. All this stuff about making the game "authentic" just doesn't work unless they fix this fundamental problem.

In previous games I would intentionally break the Animation system (yes the animation system) to make the AI do more random things. They are so based on "context", they wont think outside the box or 3 steps ahead.

Also, the game design as a whole doesn't suit long ball, which is quite funny for a football simulation game based on real life football where long ball and Tony Pulis tactics is making a huge comeback.

 

[Jowson]

I've seen the AI play plenty of crosses into the box

you haven't

 

[Chris Davies]

you haven't

Let's not start trolling each other.

 

[DarthKebab]

I just don’t like it because of the lack of randomness, if I want to score it’s always the perfect through ball to the striker running off the shoulder and into the box where the keeper stays on the line showing me the empty part of the goal.

It’s just easy, Matts sliders can add a bit more variety to the gameplay but if anything it just makes that easy through ball even easier, you can only seemingly play one game style

The only time I don’t win I when I sim a game

 

[Topaz]

I think that the separate ball can't make FC26 as a good game. This game is just continued online-oriented games by EA. For me, is not day-by-day game for playing in offline.
After a few days of FC26 testing, i played two matches in FIFA18. And after that, i deleted FC26. FIFA18 is looks like game, is works like game for player, for fun and enjoy. FC26 caused me more nerves and irritation than interest in the game. I don't want to watch the skating, the footballers attached to the ball, the unrealistic movements, passes and goals. Everything i thought about the game before, i think after testing. Not another second for this

The more time passes, the more I realize how ahead of the curve was games like PES 3,4,5,6. Gameplay wise we haven't hit that type of balance between physics, individuality and fun/arcade. The only 3 games close it it has been FIFA 17, PES 13 and PES 17.

 

[sleevel]

The more time passes, the more I realize how ahead of the curve was games like PES 3,4,5,6. Gameplay wise we haven't hit that type of balance between physics, individuality and fun/arcade. The only 3 games close it it has been FIFA 17, PES 13 and PES 17.

The variety of shot types in the old PES is mind blowing. It had chips, dinks, slaps, toe-pokes, trivelas…

 

[Chris Davies]

The variety of shot types in the old PES is mind blowing. It had chips, dinks, slaps, toe-pokes, trivelas…

I find this a really interesting topic of discussion.

FC will always go down the path of making every possible kick-type a button combination, because "skill gap". I don't think this will ever change.

But this comes at the cost of a player using his attributes / skills contextually, and it removes a managerial element of Career Mode.

The new "simplified trick stick" option is GREAT, in my opinion. It doesn't feel like you're putting the game on "easy mode" in using this, it just feels more intuitive, and it could be tweaked by EA in future to be more (or less) successful dependent on player attributes in Career Mode.

With that in mind, I do wonder if there's room to add a "contextual" controller setting for all input, not just the contextual "flair pass" option that's in the settings right now, which (importantly) doesn't make the game easier, but adds variety (and realism) by giving the AI the choice of what to do with your pass/shot input, taking into account their ability.

(For example, an identical button press could lead to a Premier League striker sidefooting a shot to keep it low and beat the keeper, where the same input with a League Two striker would result in a "standard" shot that's at a height easy enough for the keeper to save.)

 

[FC Bayern]

I've actually found myself playing like the AI, playing it around the edge of the box instead of crossing it in always. I feel some teams in real-life play that way (especially if they haven't got that 6ft striker up front)

 

[sleevel]

I find this a really interesting topic of discussion.

FC will always go down the path of making every possible kick-type a button combination, because "skill gap". I don't think this will ever change.

But this comes at the cost of a player using his attributes / skills contextually, and it removes a managerial element of Career Mode.

The new "simplified trick stick" option is GREAT, in my opinion. It doesn't feel like you're putting the game on "easy mode" in using this, it just feels more intuitive, and it could be tweaked by EA in future to be more (or less) successful dependent on player attributes in Career Mode.

With that in mind, I do wonder if there's room to add a "contextual" controller setting for all input, not just the contextual "flair pass" option that's in the settings right now, which (importantly) doesn't make the game easier, but adds variety (and realism) by giving the AI the choice of what to do with your pass/shot input, taking into account their ability.

(For example, an identical button press could lead to a Premier League striker sidefooting a shot to keep it low and beat the keeper, where the same input with a League Two striker would result in a "standard" shot that's at a height easy enough for the keeper to save.)

I’d prefer the context of the shot outcome to also be based on balance, ball position and pressure from defenders.

Similarly, keeper positioning, view/obstruction, and balance should affect their saving ability. If a keeper is set when you strike a shot, they will have an incredible leap but if you wait when they’re charging, their leaping ability is greatly diminished.

 

[PRO_TOO]

The more time passes, the more I realize how ahead of the curve was games like PES 3,4,5,6. Gameplay wise we haven't hit that type of balance between physics, individuality and fun/arcade. The only 3 games close it it has been FIFA 17, PES 13 and PES 17.

Feels to me, like lots of things had their pinnacle days already. Videogames, music, tv, movies… maybe books are an exception.
Lately the grateful thought of growing up analog and easing into digital, with so many good memories, comes up more often.

I find this a really interesting topic of discussion.

FC will always go down the path of making every possible kick-type a button combination, because "skill gap". I don't think this will ever change.

But this comes at the cost of a player using his attributes / skills contextually, and it removes a managerial element of Career Mode.

The new "simplified trick stick" option is GREAT, in my opinion. It doesn't feel like you're putting the game on "easy mode" in using this, it just feels more intuitive, and it could be tweaked by EA in future to be more (or less) successful dependent on player attributes in Career Mode.

With that in mind, I do wonder if there's room to add a "contextual" controller setting for all input, not just the contextual "flair pass" option that's in the settings right now, which (importantly) doesn't make the game easier, but adds variety (and realism) by giving the AI the choice of what to do with your pass/shot input, taking into account their ability.

(For example, an identical button press could lead to a Premier League striker sidefooting a shot to keep it low and beat the keeper, where the same input with a League Two striker would result in a "standard" shot that's at a height easy enough for the keeper to save.)

I always had the idea of using both analog sticks as feet of the player; a bit like stick handling in NHL! 😂
Man, I could see myself taking outside boot or wonderfully inside foot curled shoots on target… 😊

 

[sleevel]

Feels to me, like lots of things had their pinnacle days already. Videogames, music, tv, movies… maybe books are an exception.
Lately the grateful thought of growing up analog and easing into digital, with so many good memories, comes up more often.

I always had the idea of using both analog sticks as feet of the player; a bit like stick handling in NHL! 😂
Man, I could see myself taking outside boot or wonderfully inside foot curled shoots on target… 😊

The purpose of video games is to experience what you never could in real life. Namely, be a pro level footballer. If you’ve ever played alongside one or seen them up close with your own eyes, they can make the ball do whatever they want. Spin in any orientation, with any velocity, any loft, and make it land exactly where they want. (Assuming of course they are not under pressure from an opponent.) If you’ve ever watched professional golf, you see them put the ball on the green with spin and it sits a foot or two from the hole. That’s what they can do. To me, this is what a simulation should be. Feeling the control and ability of a player that I could never do with my own two feet.