Yeah cheers Pughy, two good games. It was very difficult to get used to and a massive, massive change from playing the game normally with the assisted controls.
The best way I can explain it is to relate to Tiger Woods golf. On "full assisted" the AI chooses your club, points you in the right direction and all you have to do is get the power right .... even then you can by way off and still hit a good shot. On putting, the green is mapped out for you and you have assistance in hitting the middle of the cup ...... and as a result, you can get birdie after birdie.
On the hardest setting, you have NO assistance whatsoever, the wind is blowing, the greens are a nightmare to read and you end up hitting bogey, doubles, triples etc making the game a little bit frustrating to say the least.
That's how I felt last night playing on full manual. I found it very difficult to pass to my own players but started to get used to it during the end of the first / start of the second. You realise how much the AI does for you on full assisted and how hard this game can be when you don't have any of that help.
It was frustrating and the fact that two full games (and extra time) ended 0-0 probably shows how hard it is to get to grips with full manual on FIFA. Take my hat off to Ultima for playing full manual all the time ...... what a guy!
Played Geo straight after in the WINCE semi finals and christ, they left me with a headache. The ball zips about from player to player to player and then shots fly in on target from all over the place. There is such a massive difference.
In summary, full manual is difficult and frustrating. I bet it is really rewarding when you score a quality goal but I have yet to experience that feeling!! It seems this mode is suited to those who have the time to play a lot and like the challenge of having no assistance whatsoever from the AI .... just like Tiger Woods on the hardest setting.
I need to find the right balance though as I hated Tiger when it was too difficult and quickly went back to having all assistance turned on ...... don't really want to do that with FIFA as my 5 year old can bang goals in for fun with assisted so it really needs to strike the right balance as I move forward.
Cheers Pughy .... looking forward to some more games once the league starts very soon.
Arcade rubbish!
As you said yourself, you started getting used to it after 1 and a half games. It will frustrate. Real footy does too.
You see, I have had Tiger Woods recently and I had a few games with a guy from work. I filmed one hole and played one handed. All I did was just flick the stick back without even thinking. I got a Par!!! What is the point of that?
My mate in work plays the game often. He was inviting me to games so I was just accepting. I beat him on my first night of playing it. Drew one game with him over the next few nights but won all the rest. It was boring as hell!!!
I invited him to a game and turned all the help off. He 9 putted the first hole
I bogeyed it which I was happy with.
TW is another game that needs having all the assist and stupid boosts turned off imo otherwise it takes no skill at all so an absolute pointless exercise and waste of an evening in my eyes. It will frustrate like mad at times but so what? Eventually, I'll improve.
Games are supposed to be a bit of fun. Admit that but I need to have a little bit of a challenge otherwise it's pointless playing them.
I hate all the stupid red dots on the screen in COD so as soon as Hardcore is unlocked, I only play in those games.
Fight Night - I have to have use the sticks to punch to replicate the type of punch you are throwing. Using the face buttons is just button mashing again. Most people on that just used to come in and body spam! Who fights like that for an tire bout?! I jab and move and vary it up trying to be realistic.
Need a bit of realism/believability in what I'm seeing in front of me otherwise I personally don't see the point.
All I'm seeing in most games I play are people beating the game by using help or cheap tactics. They aren't out smarting their opponent. It's getting very tedious. At least there are decent opponents to be found out there but they are in a minority.
If the games are harder, I just keep at them. Doesn't mean I'm any good at them though but at least I feel I'm contributing to what's going on on the screen more.