There should be a correlation between: CPU Aggression level <-> Match Time <-> Difficulty
Yessssssssss. This is one of those things that you'd imagine someone would have thought of in development HQ at some point, it seems so basic and so necessary. If I play Superstar in a five minute game, we should both be blitzing to score within the time limit. In a ten minute game, the AI should take a little (but not a lot) more time. Fifteen minute games should be
build-up heaven.
Same with your assistance levels. If I play PA0, turn off laser-guidance for the AI. Or at least give me just a
few sliders. This stuff would make me enjoy the game literally 10x more.
And at the same time, Konami have always been slow at reaching their peaks. Such underachievers.
But PES 2013 was the best PES of the past engine for a reason.
Maybe this will be the last PES of the FOX Engine? I don't know. I kinda don't want them to be done with it now.
As I said in the podcast - the opus of FIFA was 16, then Frostbite happened and they've been (comparitvely) poor ever since. What if the opus of PES is 2020, because next year, Unreal is happening, if rumours are to be believed... Gulp.
...BUT, no, in my honest opinion, I still think the current engine is really holding the game back. Put 2020's design principles into an engine that isn't so locked-down and on-rails in
certain situations, not all (e.g. shot variety, and online play being the big one for me - people press constantly because THEY KNOW you have to wrestle with your controller to get your players to move out of their way in time), then... I think it would go from strength to strength.
Given the wave of people shouting "this feels fucking great" on Twitter, I'm more optimistic (me, optimistic - look what you're doing to me Konami) for PES's future than I ever have been.
It might even be enough to make devs (of both games) sit up and take notice of what everyone (not just on Evo-Web, but across Twitter etc.) seems to be praising specifically;
the realism. "Shit, look how much they love realism. Who saw that coming? Should this be the priority from now on?"
...no, that's too optimistic. That's the dream. Calm down, Chris.