Fifa 11 Xbox 360/PS3

Max

The shielding is different this year, in FIFA 10 it would automagically orientate you away from a defender, now it seems that you have to "time" the shield or actively pivot instead of just holding RT/R2 it took me a while to realise this. It's more like a LB/L1 hard stop without automatically facing goal.

I will fire up FIFA in a min to make sure I'm saying sensible things.... :)
 
glen said:
Max

The shielding is different this year, in FIFA 10 it would automagically orientate you away from a defender, now it seems that you have to "time" the shield or actively pivot instead of just holding RT/R2 it took me a while to realise this. It's more like a LB/L1 hard stop without automatically facing goal.

I will fire up FIFA in a min to make sure I'm saying sensible things.... :)
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But that's my point Glen: in these certain cases I can't actively do anything!

The majority of times I do not have this issue with shielding and I'm fine, and I get what you mean about it being different this year and more like a hard stop. But in some cases, such as those in the vids, my player does not respond to the analog stick or pass buttons, so I am not able to "actively pivot" or do anything to prevent a defender from stealing the ball.

I'm really hoping some other people know what I'm talking about because I have no idea what I should be doing in these circumstances to ensure that my player at least attempts to maintain possession.
 
SERIOUSLY wtf is up with this game. This is the biggest game rage I think I've ever had. On Legendary the game just cheats. It's crazy.

I've been playing some friendlies as Real Madrid against some rubbish German second division team. I played 4 games, lost all 4. Every match I dominate, they waltz up the pitch and score as and when they want.

The final game I felt like I'd finally cracked it, I was comfortably winning 3-0 with 12 minutes to go. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the AI went completely fucking mental. I mean insane. Every pass, no matter where on the pitch I was, had an AI player literally standing on top of my player about to receive the pass. It literally went 'turbo' on me. It's bonkers.

In 12 mintues the AI scored 4 goals and won 4-3. I couldn't make one single pass, when for the previous 78 minutes I was 3-0 up and playing some great stuff. To make things worse, every time they got the ball my defenders who I wasn't controlling kept just running all over the shop. It's ridiculous. 4 goals from two simple passes and they've got 2 attackers on 1 defender. Looking back at the game replay, in every single goal, it's caused because for some reason the game makes Marcelo at left back run in the opposite direction to the play, creating a massive, gaping hole in my defence. WTF. I can only control one player at a time ffs.

Seriously are you kidding me? I lose 3 matches in a row when I deserved to win every single one, then even when I'm 3-0 up the game goes absolutely mental and scores FOUR goals in 12 minutes? Against a german second division side? There was literally NOTHING I could do about any of the goals. The AI would win the ball deep in their own half, I'm jockeying the player on the ball with my striker, then it launches a long ball upfield and I've only got one player at the back. The game just made my players go awol for that 12 minutes so it could score, and literally had defenders standing on top of EVERY player so I couldn't make a pass. It was that extreme, like the game effectively clicked it's fingers and decided to score a goal every single time. In the previous 78 minutes I had total control of the game, I was comfortably pulling them apart with my passing, shutting every avenue available to the AI at the back. Literally the ball went out for a throw in, and when play restarted, the AI very visibly went turbo. That's the best way I can describe the level of sprinting, hounding, overly strong challenges, closing down, and AI making my defenders (especially Marcelo) go totally awol. That was literally the most artificial experience I think I've ever had in a game.

Don't know what to make of that, the games were really enjoyable but it takes the piss when it pulls stunts like that. I've never seen that in any video game ever, going right down to my old ZX Spectrum. It's so blatant. Oh, and I even managed to hit the bar with a header earlier in the game, it came down, and was absolutely clear over the line, even on the replay, but the game never gave a goal. Is this Legendary for real?
 
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If it makes you feel any better i was once 5-0 up at half time in FM 10 and the ai brought it back to 5-5, then as soon as they hit 5 they suddenly became really rubbish again (PSG vs Stade Rennais). That made me cry a little bit.
 
Ahh finally beat the damn game, 3-0, manfully held on despite the final 10 minutes the game going turbo again. Literally couldn't complete a single pass without being challenged before the ball even got to the relevant player.

After playing Legendary for two evenings, firstly giving away three goals in 10 minutes to lose 5-4, and then losing a 3 goal lead in 12 minutes to lose 4-3, does anyone have any tips for general defending? I'm all over the place at times. A simple AI turn on the ball can wrongfoot me and put them through on goal.

Want to keep playing Legendary because for all my moaning above, it's the only difficulty where the game actually attacks you and leaves a little space in it's own defence as a result.

Please help! ;)
 
Northzzz said:
If it makes you feel any better i was once 5-0 up at half time in FM 10 and the ai brought it back to 5-5, then as soon as they hit 5 they suddenly became really rubbish again (PSG vs Stade Rennais). That made me cry a little bit.
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:SHOCK:

I know what you mean, it's rage inducing! It's hilarious really, it's only a stupid video game but it still makes me so competetive. Silly really. :))
 
mfmaxpower said:
But that's my point Glen: in these certain cases I can't actively do anything!

The majority of times I do not have this issue with shielding and I'm fine, and I get what you mean about it being different this year and more like a hard stop. But in some cases, such as those in the vids, my player does not respond to the analog stick or pass buttons, so I am not able to "actively pivot" or do anything to prevent a defender from stealing the ball.

I'm really hoping some other people know what I'm talking about because I have no idea what I should be doing in these circumstances to ensure that my player at least attempts to maintain possession.
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Ok played a little last night. It's a two fold issue. The first appears to be a trapping issue the second is that the game ignores the R2 holding, what I was able to do was either release R2 and then reapply it to have my player go in to the the "shield" type animations. Or I was able to super cancel and then reapply R2.

I also noticed that it looks at the proximity of the defenders and seems to use that as a trigger for entering the animation set. If they aren't close enough or it selects the wrong defender you have the non response that your videos show. Also it seems to go hand in hand with the AI "double teaming" you.

If I had to guess I would say its a broken trapping animation and also broken animation choice hence the standing staring at the ball......either way its not right.
 
Are you saying though that you were able to super cancel out of the freeze? Or, like what I was saying, did you find yourself unable to make your man do anything for a moment or two?

In either case, it does appear to be some sort of glitch with RT (R2), agreed?
 
Having read the last few posts, I've only now started trying out the shield button, as I'd previously assumed the game kind of auto shielded for you. I've so far yet to have those freezing issues, hope it continues. I am however finding it really useful for slowing the game down, and I'm now actually finding a decent way of protecting the ball. I'd previously been trying to manually turn away from the defender, which is difficult.

Using the shield with fast tricky players is good too, because the defender usually jockeys to one side, allowing you to turn in the opposite direction and beat him, if the space is there. I hold R2 before the ball arrives to the player, that way he seems to oddly control the ball much tighter than normal, and is kind of protected if challenged from behind. Without needing to let go of R2 you can then press L2 and do a 360 dribble pretty seamlessly.

The 360 skill dribble actually springs to mind a couple of questions I've been wanting to ask everyone's opinion on. Does anyone use it, and in what situation? Nerf said earlier on that he uses it fleetingly, to change direction I think, certainly holding it seems to make the player do odd movements, even stumble over the ball sometimes.

And my main problem with the game, defending crosses, reared it's ugly head yet again. I've uploaded a video so hopefully someone can help me get to the bottom of this!

In the vid below, I initially have control of Alves but before the winger receives the pass, I've already switched to Pique in the middle and am using second press in some vain hope Alves can get over and cut out the cross. Anyways, as usually what happens, I can defend crosses anywhere in the box except, vitally, in the 6 yard box. Either the AI ghosts in between my defenders before I can switch to them, or, in this case, I press the shoot (clear) button and Pique does absolutely nothing. This is a massive problem for me. So many times, ONLY in the 6 yard box, I press the clear button well in advance and he does nothing. I've tried timing it early, late, everything. I can head the ball everywhere on the pitch, I myself am pretty lethal at scoring headers up the other end. A large proportion of my goals scored are headers, so this doesn't make sense.

This first one is the Pique 'non' challenge. I was literally pressing the button repeatedly.

YouTube - 180311 0363

This second one, the AI just ghosts in between my defenders. I switch control over to Puyol I think the second the cross leaves the winger's boot, but as you see there was nothing I could do, the AI just left the striker all on his own.

YouTube - 150311 0345

Any help would be much appreciated, because with the addition of the shielding thing, and minus the fact that I'm getting my ass handed to me on Legendary, I'm actually enjoying this game.....!
 
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lol, I can't believe you've played this long without the shield button - I use it constantly!

I wouldn't say I have a "problem" with defending headers, but I do notice I'll go through stretches where I'll concede more headers than I should. One tactic that has worked for me is to use the sprint button instead of the jockey button. I know this sounds strange and runs counter to what you're suppose to do - jockey for position - but sometimes I find a tap of the sprint button can help my defender get to the ball before the CPU knocks it in, especially when my defender is a little out of position. Give it a try.
 
Yeah I just can't do it. It's ruining the game. The two videos above are from this evening, I went back to the game and conceded another one with about 10 mins to go in my first match.

As you can see, he crosses the ball from right on the touch line, at that time the people in the box aren't even on the screen, so I have no idea how on earth I'm supposed to marshall the defenders.

As you can see, the AI blatantly just makes my defender stop running and deliberately leaves the striker. By the time the ball travels over, and I have control of the defender in the box, the cross (which is always stupidly accurate) is already travelling to the striker who's miles on his own. In instances like this, I only get control of the defender once he's stopped running and is miles from his opponent. It's pretty ridiculous. I have no idea how you're supposed to counter this. If the AI decides, more noticeably on Legendary, that it's not going to bother tracking the defender up until the point that you can even see them on screen, then what are you supposed to do? The whole move happened very quickly, as it's two very long, direct balls meaning that in seconds, the ball goes from a safe position to being in the back of your net. I get that you can manually control the defender in the box, but not if he's not even on screen. You can't really close down the cross with double press AND track the striker's late run when it's happening off screen.

Literally the moment the ball leaves that winger's foot, it's already a goal. This exact sort of goal happens so often now that I start a match accepting that I'm going to concede at least one of these. It feels like you're 1-0 down before you've even kicked off.

YouTube - 180311 0371
 
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LTFC, what level of movement assistance do you have set and player switching?

The only times I have players make complete stops when defending is when you press one of the action buttons and they "look" to do something but the ball is too far away.

That clip was bad, I personally haven't experienced it to that extreme.
 
Yeah, check your control settings. I have mine on 'Air Balls' and 'Low', but have a play around to see which suits you best. I also play on Tele cam, which means the penalty area is more often in frame when the cross is made.

Defending these cross-head goals is very difficult on Legendary, it is still probably the most common goal I concede. Crosses are ridiculously accurate and are sucked towards the attackers head, rather than played into an area for two players to go and compete for.

In the meantime, here are some things to consider:

1. Blocking the cross at source might be the most important factor. Rather than switching to your CB early, instead practice jockeying your fullback into the path of an impending cross, because you can do a more precise job of that than merely holding secondary pressure and hoping for the best. You can't block them all by any means, but you can get the percentages back on your side a little bit by simply allowing fewer crosses to come in.

2. Be more careful about committing your fullbacks. In the first and particularly the third video, you've pulled your fullback waaaay out of position through needlessly over-committing on the ball, leaving the opposition winger with all the time and space he could want in a crossing position. That's always going to be bad news. If your fullbacks had stuck goal-side of the wingers, the crosses don't come in and the goals don't happen.

3. On that subject, also think about denying the pass out to the wing in the first place. When it looks like an opposing fullback/midfielder wants to work the ball down the line to their winger, jockey into that potential passing lane and encourage him to look infield instead.

4. In the second video, you somehow end up with four defenders covering two attackers on the wing, exposing yourself 2v3 in the centre (Abidal and, I think, Xavi against three yellow shirts). This looks suspiciously like spamming secondary pressure is attracting extra players to the ball. If you leave yourself outnumbered in the box then obviously there's going to be a free header you can't do anything about.

5. Accept that there will be some occasions where a winger works some space for a cross and an attacker gets free in the area. It just happens in football, maybe not this much, but there will be some. It's mostly about trying to limit the number of opportunities that this might happen.

6. When competing for the header, use LT (or RT as mfmaxpower suggested - although never simultaneously!) to jostle in front of the attacker and meet the ball first. This usually means moving towards the ball, but not so much that you get too far underneath it.

In summary, I suggest concentrating on allowing fewer crosses to come in. Look at why those crosses happened in the first place and figure out how to prevent them in future, rather than relying on your centre-backs to win everything in the air. Chances are they won't.

The fact that Pique didn't jump in the first video is something that annoys me now and then. You'd at least expect him to challenge the ball in that scenario, whether he ultimately wins it or not. I don't know if there's a bug in the jostling (because it usually seems to be when there's pre-jump contact) that causes your button press not to register, or if it's more sensitive about the timing than it should be, or whatever, but I have had occasions where I've expected a jump (always using Shoot to clear) and nothing happened. There's nothing more annoying in any game than pressing a button and getting no reaction.
 
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I was experiencing this again and again when I was playing Fifa this year, and was one of the things that made me so angry I suddenly quit playing.

The problem is not only the defenders simply acting like brainless zombies, the fact that even if you manage to select a defender he won't do a thing and just stare at the ball, the goalkeeper that never saves any of these or the fact they do it again and again (at least in my experience, 75% of CPU goals were exactly like this). The main problem is that the crosser can't be stopped!

So, if at least I could put someone in front of the crosser making it difficult, it could be acceptable, but it isn't like that. Even if you manage to put a defender right in front of him, the crosser would simply turn at lightspeed and, facing the public, do a 180 turn and deliver a perfect cross from 40 yards to the lonely striker.

That is the fact that makes it so pathetic. It's scripted to a level of nastiness and feels cheap and poor. I think I have never witnessed a wrong cross from the CPU in higher difficulty modes. How can people like this is beyond me.

Nerf: Playing in my ps3, if I had Air balls switched on, my players would sometimes just stop and don't go for the balls, no matter the other control settings. The same happens now and then in some through balls. My player won't automatically run for the ball and when the system switches to it, it's dead stopped and the ball has passed or the opponent already has received the ball alone. Something is pretty wrong with all this assistances to movement.
 
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It's a shame the AI uses it as an easy out, had a fantastic scrap against Porto in the second leg of a Euro tie.

Leading 2-1 and just needed the draw away. My players were foiked from three games in a week and I had to battle to just stay in the game.

After 90+ mins of this and playing about 5 full minutes of time added on when just 3 was shown, lo and behold from their own half they pump the ball into the corner for a runner that must be miles offside or have rocket boots, he dinks a perfect far post cross to which I still look like getting to but..... oh.. wait.. he jumps a full 2 inches and lets the ball over his head for the striker to score...


It's so predictable you start calling their goals as soon as the move starts...
 
Thanks for the helpful posts guys :)

@Glen, I've literally tried using everything in terms of player switching and movement assistance, the result seems to be the same. I've been using auto recently with low assistance, but to be honest I don't see any difference in assistance from non to high. What does it actually do?

@Nerf, on your points 1-3 & 5, I totally see you point, but all it takes is for the AI to just get one decent cross in within 90 minutes and it's a goal. I manage to cut out crosses, and clear a fair amount that do come in, but every game the AI seems to be able to put one cross in and score. It might only score from, say, 5 crosses in a match, but the proportion is still way too high, as we all agree. Even if I conceded a header every 2 matches or something, it'd be okay, but every singe match, nah that's not right.

On point 4, fair enough, yeah I do try to double press while manually make a defender cover behind to prevent through balls etc, maybe this is what's causing players to leave the box. I think the video was a fairly quick break away though, which happens a lot, and often the AI just leaves players all over the place in those instances.

On point 6, I'll give LT a try, the problem I'm finding is that the crossing by the AI is so bullet like that I have almost no time to do anything, let alone jostle. But I'll give it a try :)

I'll also try to prevent the AI from putting crosses in, but like I described, it literally takes one cross in a whole 90 minutes and it's a goal. You can usually tell, from the type of cross. 99% of them are cleared, but that 1% seem to fall within 8 yards or so from my goal, and AI is already well clear of the defender. Either that, or like with the Pique vid, for that tiny 1% of occasions where the ball goes there but I have someone to compete for the header, the game seems to disable my defender from doing anything. Which is bizarre, because I've become extremely good at attacking the ball and timing my headers when attacking. An unusually high proportion of my goals scored are from headers.

It might only happen though for, say, one cross a match, but if that's enough for the game to always make it into a goal, then there's a big problem. One decent cross per match, one goal per match is out of kilter. The AI seems to score headers with a 100% success rate in these situations, which is bizarre considering it can still be one on one with my keeper and drag a shot wide. But headers? I'm not sure I've ever seen my keeper save one on WC or Legendary levels. It's a bit like the free kicks in FIFA10, where almost 100% of them would go in.

@ Nick Cave, I know exactly what you mean. During the build up play sometimes I know well before the ball goes into the box that the AI will score. It's strange. The AI player's movement seems to change, from normal to what I described as turbo, like the AI moves players with x100 more purpose than they normally have......
 
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Oh and I had to post this, I scored last night with Lampard, but unfortunately seems to become impaled on the corner flag. The game then got confused and thought it was constantly in the running celebration bit. Poor Lampard was so injured from the corner flag he couldn't finish his celebration.....though I'm not sure why his team mates are doing some kind of happy dance next to him....

This happened for good 30 seconds or so before I started recording, and caught the tail end of.....though it looked pretty hilarious though....

YouTube - 180311 0370
 
Yes with Torres at Chelsea, Carroll at Liverpool and Madine at Wednesday, the important updates :)

Try deleting all your squad files, then download the latest squads again.
 
The biggest problem I'm having lately is randomness of bad first touches. Players can chest the ball down at full speed with a defender hugging them but they can't do it facing the ball at all. Or on the foot where they randomly need to hit the ball 40 yards ahead.
When I do a knock on I can never beat a defender, he will immediately turn around and the ball is completely shielded, no way around.
The constant tripping, running through or over my players is out of hand too. And when the CPU wants to they just hold your defenders exactly where they want them, or the no jumping on crosses. EXCELLENT
Very frustrated right now. Having some fun playing as Derby but there are just so many glaring issues that happen over and over.
 
Here's some more RT-shield fail for you, mfmaxpower:

YouTube - FIFA11 - Shield Fail.flv

The ball arrived and I held down RT. My player did this spazzy little pivot, ended up facing the wrong way without control of the ball, and I temporarily lost the ability to move him while the defender stepped casually in to take the ball.

It seems like there's a bug in the trapping part of the move, where the player sometimes fails to trap the ball properly and it wriggles away from him, and he gets all confused. If you go into the Arena and work up a bit of speed, then hold RT-Shield, your player seems to make about three attempts to trap it while the ball bobbles between his feet.

Might be worth a feedback thread on the EA forum.
 
@nerf: that's exactly the type of the thing I'm talking about, though I'm not sure it's necessarily related to trapping as I'm pretty sure this freeze has occurred when I'll do a movement that involves dribbling, then stopping, then attempting to shield. In any case, I'll post something in the feedback forum about it, just in case the devs aren't already aware. Who the hell knows, someone who matters might actually see it.

Glad to know someone else has experienced this.
 
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