FIFA 14 News & Discussion Thread

[Topaz]

FIFA 14 was an exception. Had proper team and player individuality.

Yes, FIFA 14 indeed had a good individuality between teams and perhaps some players but the movement with the player and the momentum was so off-putting. It didn't feel responsive.

 

[Chris Davies]

FIFA 14 was an exception. Had proper team and player individuality.

I've got to thank you, man.

I've gone back to it quickly in the past, and I do have memories of it being my favourite by far (and trumpetting about it on here because the PES guys wouldn't give it a chance), but I've never given it a serious chance after getting used to the current games.

But - it is not even funny how much of a better game FIFA 14 is than any of the games after it. Instantly, after not having played it in years, it felt right.

Thanks to EA Access etc. I've got FIFA 14, 15 and 16 on the Xbox One, and last night I downloaded all of them and did quick comparisons between them all. As soon as you hit 15, the speed is doubled, every players' legs are "wobbly" and completely unnatural, every team wants to attack, and it persists through to today's game.

I'm sure it'll have its problems (I worry it might be a little too easy), but my games on 14 felt like a sweet-spot between FIFA and Pro Evo, with the physics of FIFA but the pace of PES (on -1, which is how I play), and with a little player individuality.

Even the sliders need precious little alteration...

What the hell is going on with FIFA now? Rutter turned it into the best FIFA ever made and since then, it's turned into jelly-legged pinball...

 

[Matt10]

I've got to thank you, man.

I've gone back to it quickly in the past, and I do have memories of it being my favourite by far (and trumpetting about it on here because the PES guys wouldn't give it a chance), but I've never given it a serious chance after getting used to the current games.

But - it is not even funny how much of a better game FIFA 14 is than any of the games after it. Instantly, after not having played it in years, it felt right.

Thanks to EA Access etc. I've got FIFA 14, 15 and 16 on the Xbox One, and last night I downloaded all of them and did quick comparisons between them all. As soon as you hit 15, the speed is doubled, every players' legs are "wobbly" and completely unnatural, every team wants to attack, and it persists through to today's game.

I'm sure it'll have its problems (I worry it might be a little too easy), but my games on 14 felt like a sweet-spot between FIFA and Pro Evo, with the physics of FIFA but the pace of PES (on -1, which is how I play), and with a little player individuality.

Even the sliders need precious little alteration...

What the hell is going on with FIFA now? Rutter turned it into the best FIFA ever made and since then, it's turned into jelly-legged pinball...

Yeah, I think FIFA 14 is where the series should have been built off of. No need for an engine change, just slightly improve the defensive mentality and positioning, just slightly.

This year's engine has made the game, for lack of a better word, "soft". From the ball physics (ball is too small in proportion as an example) to the overall feels of the player models, not to mention the random removal of the physicality "features" that were all over the marketing videos they promoted before the game's release.

I still think FIFA 11 was the best of all time, and coincidentally enough 14 played pretty close to it. FIFA had an identity then. Now, it's definitely a scramble to validate the decisions to spend so much time on an unnecessary engine change.

 

[Chris Davies]

This year's engine has made the game, for lack of a better word, "soft". From the ball physics (ball is too small in proportion as an example) to the overall feels of the player models, not to mention the random removal of the physicality "features" that were all over the marketing videos they promoted before the game's release.

You say "soft", I say "jelly-legged"! You see the most bizarre things, every single game - but it's clear that this started a while ago. Playing FIFA 14 for a few games, and then playing 15, it goes from slow, solid, positional, "chunky" football, to any midfielder whizzing and weaving around at a different speed to everyone around him (my old sliders had 28 for sprint speed, and that's on "slow" match speed)...

They said they've been weaving Frostbite into the game for a while - I half-wonder if 15 was the base they used (actually, they said they'd been working on it for a "couple of years", so that would make complete sense)...

For me, 14 would be spectacular with slightly better response times and more variation in how teams play (and the resolution of that damn ruler-straight defensive line issue that I only PM'd you about last week, because it's still there in 17 and I hate it)...

Now, it's definitely a scramble to validate the decisions to spend so much time on an unnecessary engine change.

The problem is, the latest engine change means prettier graphics, and that's officially resulted in more sales. I love PES but we're lying to ourselves if we consider it a real alternative in the eyes of the vast majority. If you're Joe Public and want a football game, you buy FIFA, and no matter what they do to it, it'll sell more copies each year, especially if it's prettier.

We're in a different era now - when PES used to outsell FIFA, the games were nowhere near being neck-and-neck from a gameplay perspective, and more importantly, back in the PS1 days, graphics were so universally basic that it wasn't a massive difference playing with an edited Merseyside Red instead of an "official" one. What's your average gamer (who plays games to have fun) going to do? Struggle to download and apply an option file using a PC they may not have and following a set of instructions they may not understand, or pay £50 for FIFA and play a slightly worse game with more teams and more modes instead?

The switch to Frostbite should have meant starting again, but for my money, it's just a leap backwards (shame it wasn't another year backwards or I'd have probably loved it). I don't see it changing much either, what's the motivation? Bolt on some new useless features to talk about in the PR and the money keeps rolling in.

 

[Topaz]

I still play FIFA 14 to this day with a gameplay patch which makes the dribbling feel different between bad and good players and the new moddingway patch update. I really love how different each team plays on FIFA 14 and it's one of my favorite thing. However, the only issue is personally have is when you get on a huge run of good form, there is that handicap where your whole team gets slow and lethargic. But it's not as frequently as the new FIFA so I kinda think it's probably a complacent system or something. If you are like me and you are sick of the linear one dimensional AI on the new FIFA, try FIFA 14. If you don't like the dribbling, get a gameplay patch. The physicality of that game and the touch error is still the best to this day.

 

[fmicablues7]

I still play FIFA 14 to this day with a gameplay patch which makes the dribbling feel different between bad and good players and the new moddingway patch update. I really love how different each team plays on FIFA 14 and it's one of my favorite thing. However, the only issue is personally have is when you get on a huge run of good form, there is that handicap where your whole team gets slow and lethargic. But it's not as frequently as the new FIFA so I kinda think it's probably a complacent system or something. If you are like me and you are sick of the linear one dimensional AI on the new FIFA, try FIFA 14. If you don't like the dribbling, get a gameplay patch. The physicality of that game and the touch error is still the best to this day.

Do you like it more than your tweaked fifa 16 (with demo exe) ? I should maybe dig out my old fifa 14 box.

 

[Topaz]

Do you like it more than your tweaked fifa 16 (with demo exe) ? I should maybe dig out my old fifa 14 box.

Although I love the fluidity of the FIFA 16 dribbling and the pace of FIFA 16, I still love the physicality of FIFA 14 and the touch error. Overall I still prefer the FIFA 16 Full Version Demo.Exe tweak but if people can't do that or hate the passing with purpose crap that doesn't have enough first touch error, then I suggest them to try out FIFA 14 again.

 

[fmicablues7]

Although I love the fluidity of the FIFA 16 dribbling and the pace of FIFA 16, I still love the physicality of FIFA 14 and the touch error. Overall I still prefer the FIFA 16 Full Version Demo.Exe tweak but if people can't do that or hate the passing with purpose crap that doesn't have enough first touch error, then I suggest them to try out FIFA 14 again.

I'm still confused by fifa 16 even with demo exe tweak. The differences in tactics between teams are more noticeable than in fifa 16 default game but still not enough. There are not enough fouls and injuries (even with sliders adjusted), my goalkeeper is very weak, i think the value you chose for goalkeeper slider is too low, at least for the user. 3/4 shots of the cpu goes in.

I will try fifa 14 this week and choose whether i should stick with tweaked fifa 16 or go back to 14.

 

[Topaz]

I'm still confused by fifa 16 even with demo exe tweak. The differences in tactics between teams are more noticeable than in fifa 16 default game but still not enough. There are not enough fouls and injuries (even with sliders adjusted), my goalkeeper is very weak, i think the value you chose for goalkeeper slider is too low, at least for the user. 3/4 shots of the cpu goes in.

I will try fifa 14 this week and choose whether i should stick with tweaked fifa 16 or go back to 14.

Well there is that struggle every hardcore footie gamer face. My opinion, play what you like and roleplay in situation where it's clearly unfair and unrealistic. Like whenever I play FIFA 14 and the handicap kicks in, I imagine it's my team getting complacent.

 

[fmicablues7]

Well there is that struggle every hardcore footie gamer face. My opinion, play what you like and roleplay in situation where it's clearly unfair and unrealistic. Like whenever I play FIFA 14 and the handicap kicks in, I imagine it's my team getting complacent.

Yeah, that is a real struggle to find a balanced footie game. I will also try again pes 2017, but i was really put off by the lack of variation in shooting for example and the lack of player individuality.

 

[DarthKebab]

FIFA 14 was excellent but loved FIFA 09 even more, felt like a proper PES game till they ruined it with 360 movement the year after.

 

[Topaz]

FIFA 14 was excellent but loved FIFA 09 even more, felt like a proper PES game till they ruined it with 360 movement the year after.

What do you mean? I don't remember much about FIFA 09 but I remember enjoying it.

 

[fmicablues7]

Matt10 sliders. Custom tactics edited. Moddingway 16/17 update. Heaven. This game is really good, how did ea fuck up so bad with fifa 17 now ? My only complaint so far is the lack of fouls. But i can overlook that because everything else is brilliant. Just tried to play pes 2017 this afternoon, i played 2 games and then i turned it off, it was so boring compared to this. Ball physics are just badly done on pes 2017.

 

[*aLe]

Sorry to revive this old thread after one and a half year, but I just have to say that I'm also playing FIFA 14 once again (there's a reason why it's by far the game I've played the most during my gaming life, it's been 1600 hours and counting) and you lot are pretty right on almost everything.

Teams actually DO play differently from each other. I've played a couple of matches against Portland Timbers and they would go down the flanks and cross it in for a header, Borussia Dortmund (the deadliest team I've faced till now) would gegenpress you like no tomorrow then try to get the ball upfront to Lewandowski with a through ball (possibly lofted), other teams would build their way to the goal pass after pass, while other ones will dribble more.

Now, in the online-driven so-called "next-gen" this doesn't happen anymore or, at least, not to that extent. When the CPU needs to score, now, it will start annoying the hell out of you by constantly tiki-takaing its way to your goal until it gets in front of the keeper (see Bayern Munich in the FIFA 19 demo, I know I'm not the one who experienced it).

This, above all, is the reason I still consider FIFA 14 superior to every FIFA released before and after it.

FIFA 16 is more refined, definitely "better looking" graphically (not that it's that important though) and is a little more varied in terms of what you can do with your players (it has driven passes that were lacking from FIFA 14, for example, and that's why when I play FIFA 14 I think "if only I could do what I do with FIFA 16"), but tactics of the CPU-controlled teams don't matter much there.
If they need a goal, deadly tiki-taka it is (even if they've been instructed to do otherwise via tactics).

I've been playing the PC version of FIFA 14 till now, but I also own an Xbox One copy of it which I'll test further in the coming days/weeks. If tactics are relevant also there (I really don't remember, gonna find out soon) it might aswell become my football game of choice for some time.

 

[klashman69]

Sorry to revive this old thread after one and a half year, but I just have to say that I'm also playing FIFA 14 once again (there's a reason why it's by far the game I've played the most during my gaming life, it's been 1600 hours and counting) and you lot are pretty right on almost everything.

Teams actually DO play differently from each other. I've played a couple of matches against Portland Timbers and they would go down the flanks and cross it in for a header, Borussia Dortmund (the deadliest team I've faced till now) would gegenpress you like no tomorrow then try to get the ball upfront to Lewandowski with a through ball (possibly lofted), other teams would build their way to the goal pass after pass, while other ones will dribble more.

Now, in the online-driven so-called "next-gen" this doesn't happen anymore or, at least, not to that extent. When the CPU needs to score, now, it will start annoying the hell out of you by constantly tiki-takaing its way to your goal until it gets in front of the keeper (see Bayern Munich in the FIFA 19 demo, I know I'm not the one who experienced it).

This, above all, is the reason I still consider FIFA 14 superior to every FIFA released before and after it.

FIFA 16 is more refined, definitely "better looking" graphically (not that it's that important though) and is a little more varied in terms of what you can do with your players (it has driven passes that were lacking from FIFA 14, for example, and that's why when I play FIFA 14 I think "if only I could do what I do with FIFA 16"), but tactics of the CPU-controlled teams don't matter much there.
If they need a goal, deadly tiki-taka it is (even if they've been instructed to do otherwise via tactics).

I've been playing the PC version of FIFA 14 till now, but I also own an Xbox One copy of it which I'll test further in the coming days/weeks. If tactics are relevant also there (I really don't remember, gonna find out soon) it might aswell become my football game of choice for some time.

For me FIFA 14 was still your typical FIFA but in a way it was the last 'FIFA', 'FIFA' game in which you could boot it up play a match without too much fuss and bullshit and enjoy especially vs another human.

I played this game a lot in Australia especially against people while travelling and we had some truly epic and many funny moments. The main thing which died since this version has been the fun factor in FIFA which explains the crisis in gameplay we are seeing now. FIFA since then has more and more become Frankenstein's monster with so many separate new engines sitting on top of eachover which don't work together at all sand create some seriously bad flaws.

Pro player Kurt's battle and subsequent banning from EA is a bad turning point for EA right now, what he said was true and looking back to FIFA 14 as you have my friend brings back memories of the last time FIFA despite its flaws was mindless joy and fun.

Its sad but true and strange how EA could at least present some team individuality here but have failed spectacularly ever since.

EA must start their gameplay again from scratch and focus what they are good at, bringing back the fun factor!

I still think FIFA 11 was the best of all time,

For PC I agree. It had the FIFA 2010 WC gameplay which is still EA's peak.

 

[JUNELELE]

FIFA14 was good but it still had unrealistic lack of inertia which made defensive recoveries too easy, and also the shooting was overpowered.

It took 2 years until they got the balance right with 16, for the most part.

But overall 14-16 was a very good time for FIFA games. They were the only games that used the Ignite engine, and that engine was a very solid base to work off of.

 

[fmicablues7]

FIFA 14 was indeed fantastic at highlighting teams individuality (after some custom tactics editing though). However, though it's been a while since i last played it, i remember there wasn't enough player individuality for the cpu-controlled players, especially compared to PES from PS2/PS3 era. You would see things like Pirlo running all day on the wing, or Busquets attempting long-range efforts.

 

[*aLe]

For me FIFA 14 was still your typical FIFA but in a way it was the last 'FIFA', 'FIFA' game in which you could boot it up play a match without too much fuss and bullshit and enjoy especially vs another human.
EA must start their gameplay again from scratch and focus what they are good at, bringing back the fun factor!

I agree that FIFA 14 is one of the FIFA games that can really be "fun" if played in a light-hearted way.
It can be frustrating at times against other people online (I remember I met some FUT players who would only rely on the kickoff bug, or people only relying on custom tactics on corners where your keeper would just find himself alone against four opponents packed in front of him preventing him to do anything) but if played against friends is indeed a great experience.
Though, what I like of it is that with some adjustments it can also be played in a deeper way.
I've also played a 4-year career mode with FIFA 16 and enjoyed it pretty much, but there's something in FIFA 16 which in the end I don't like and it's teams going berserk and completely discarding their tactic to turn to deadly tiki-taka when they need to score.

Its sad but true and strange how EA could at least present some team individuality here but have failed spectacularly ever since.

You're completely right, once again. There's something special in how teams differ from each other in FIFA 14.
I feel it's more noticeable pre-patch (in the version you would install off the DVDs) but also post-patch the team individuality is there.
I tried a match against the Timbers post-patch and they would mainly bury my defenders with crosses, I played against Borussia Dortmund post-patch and they would still often play a long ball to Lewandowski (but with a little more variety, which all in all adds to the enjoyment)... That kind of things.
I was afraid to patch it as I used to remember that it would become faster with the patch, but I think that with @Matt10's latest sliders that "faster after patch" effect could easily be countered so I'm sticking with the latest game update.

I also think I'd go back to the Operation Sports thread where they discussed adjustments to team tactics to make them even more close to their real-life counterparts and try some of those setups... They could really be the icing on the cake for a great game (but I'm replying to a tactics guru, so... I'm sure I don't need to tell you how important tactics are to have a proper footballing experience do I?)

FIFA14 was good but it still had unrealistic lack of inertia which made defensive recoveries too easy, and also the shooting was overpowered.

Playing with manual controls, I think that shooting isn't that overpowered (but it might be me who's not good enough).
I scored a wonder goal last night with the Sounders that felt sooooo sweet. It didn't feel overpowered at all, but it left me with that 'wow' feeling which I hardly experience nowadays. Gotta upload it somewhere.
I agree about the defensive recoveries being a little too easy though (both standing and sliding tackles I dare say), but I don't think it's a matter of inertia.
It's just that when you get close enough to the ball carrier, your player automatically sticks his leg out and dispossesses him. This also happens to the CPU so you see much ball turnover but you rarely feel in control of it.
This is my main gripe with the game right now, otherwise it would be almost perfect.

i remember there wasn't enough player individuality for the cpu-controlled players, especially compared to PES from PS2/PS3 era.

I don't know. I rarely play against "big" teams so I cannot really say what I see here. From what I saw, though, Lewandowski (the only "big" I've played against) plays pretty close to what we would expect him to.
I must try some more games against first-class teams to see how the players behave.

For PC I agree. It had the FIFA 2010 WC gameplay which is still EA's peak.

I feel FIFA 11 for PC is a "middle ground" between FIFA 10 and the World Cup game, and I think it's indeed a good game (maybe a little too frantic, but I think it's due to the lack of tactical defending. TD is a good weapon to slow things down when needed).
The best FIFA game on PC? Yes and no... While the 2010 FIFA World Cup game and FIFA 11 PC both play very good games of football overall (I finally managed to try the World Cup one this summer as I got a second-hand PS3), keepers are hideous at evaluating crosses to the point that it's almost immersion-breaking to me.
While it's true that crosses maybe have too much swerve at times (and this makes it hard for goalkeepers to evaluate them), more often than not keepers fail to properly react to them in both FIFA 11 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup game. They would fail to react to any long pass in FIFA 11 I dare say (to the extent that there were people online using the long pass to lob the keeper instead of using the shoot button with the modifier, so they would take advantage of the keeper not being able to properly read that ball).
But hey, this is material for another thread.

 

[*aLe]

I scored a wonder goal last night with the Sounders that felt sooooo sweet. It didn't feel overpowered at all, but it left me with that 'wow' feeling which I hardly experience nowadays. Gotta upload it somewhere.

And here it is. I absolutely love the way I feel in the rare occasions I manage to pull something like this.
An opponent messing with the first touch, Martins breaking away (yes, if you flick the right stick at the right time, with a fast player, there's little-to-no catching up by defenders if they're slower), the cross which Eddie Johnson almost reached and Evans right there to fire it past Ricketts.

​

 

[Madmac79]

Out of complete boredom with all the rest, I've reinstalled it. I've never touched it after 2014 and I remember not even going much crazy with it at the times.

Today, all on default and with minimum tweeks to sliders, it surprisingly feels fun and entertaining. Like a great mesh of arcade and sim elements, played it with modern eyes it felt a bit like an hypothetical spiritual son of ISS Kceo games (the clunky graphics contributes as well to the effect). It's both immediate and still pretty deep. Don't know if it's first impressions, I'm loving it as of now. I can finally see why many people put it up in a contest for the best EA one with Fifa 16.

Couldn't install moddingway patch but I'm having fun with old rosters nonetheless.

 

[gabe.paul.logan]

Out of complete boredom with all the rest, I've reinstalled it. I've never touched it after 2014 and I remember not even going much crazy with it at the times.

Today, all on default and with minimum tweeks to sliders, it surprisingly feels fun and entertaining. Like a great mesh of arcade and sim elements, played it with modern eyes it felt a bit like an hypothetical spiritual son of ISS Kceo games (the clunky graphics contributes as well to the effect). It's both immediate and still pretty deep. Don't know if it's first impressions, I'm loving it as of now. I can finally see why many people put it up in a contest for the best EA one with Fifa 16.

Couldn't install moddingway patch but I'm having fun with old rosters nonetheless.

Just wondering if the PS4 version if that much different in gameplay. And if its still available on PSN.

 

[Chuny]

Yes I'm quite sure is PS4,I was surprised how well it still holds up pal.
Remember it being a good game,but not this solid (still)
A bit iffy animation wise,but I'll take that Vs a more modern ping pong machine
Missed the tough CPU on 17- 18-19,but here I'm struggling a lot.

People probably going to hate us, Rock...
But I just saw this on Twitter:



It sure looks good from gameplay camera.
Is that 14 or 15 though?

 

[rockstrongo]

People probably going to hate us, Rock...
But I just saw this on Twitter:



It sure looks good from gameplay camera.
Is that 14 or 15 though?

That's a good question!
I'm betting on 15,sure looks good.
Have you modded any 15?

 

[culturaldope]

This is vanilla, unmodded FIFA14 PS4 that released on November 2013 as a launch title for next gen consoles.

 

[Chuny]

People probably going to hate us, Rock...
But I just saw this on Twitter:



It sure looks good from gameplay camera.
Is that 14 or 15 though?

Nope.
Never.
I honestly don't remember even liking it!

 

[*aLe]

People probably going to hate us, Rock...
But I just saw this on Twitter:



It sure looks good from gameplay camera.
Is that 14 or 15 though?

Next-gen 14?
At least, the scoreboard screams "FIFA 14" to me, as it was the last game which had "generic yet unique" scoreboards for different leagues. It was changed (for the worse) in FIFA 15.

 

[papinho81]

^ It has the fifa 14 UT adboards. It looks really good for a 6 years old game!

 

[Flipper the Priest]

Picked up FIFAs 14-17 at the weekend for the grand total of £5 have been playing away. The plan was to get reacquainted with 16, primarily, given its lofty status around here but no: 14 has stolen my heart. It's sublime. Great tempo and it feels... meaty. That's a Career Mode started!

 

[JUNELELE]

Picked up FIFAs 14-17 at the weekend for the grand total of £5 have been playing away. The plan was to get reacquainted with 16, primarily, given its lofty status around here but no: 14 has stolen my heart. It's sublime. Great tempo and it feels... meaty. That's a Career Mode started!

Biggest problem with 14 that i recall is lack of player inertia. defenders can recover super quick and attackers can glide around a lot.

 

[Marlon Anthony]

Picked up FIFAs 14-17 at the weekend for the grand total of £5 have been playing away. The plan was to get reacquainted with 16, primarily, given its lofty status around here but no: 14 has stolen my heart. It's sublime. Great tempo and it feels... meaty. That's a Career Mode started!

Is that the PS4 version? I remember getting a PS4 that year just before the World Cup and being gutted that the WC game was current gen only and that FIFA 14 was still really pricey despite being June but it was the only Next Gen football game at the time.

When i finally coughed up for a copy i remember having a really good time with it and thought it looked stunning then. I felt like for a launch PS4 footy game, It served it's purpose. At least it was an actual port with the same amount of teams and features unlike Road to the World Cup: FIFA 06 which was the Xbox 360's launch football title.