Uefa Euro 2008 Demo has arrived.

forensicd · Post by **forensicd** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:59 am

Just the player control alone is worth the purchase. Tricks are much easier to pull off, which is either a blessing or a total cheese fest waiting to happen if OTP is in.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:12 pm

OTP is in it, but in a slightly different way. You will now play a career-type mode in Captain Your Country, and you have the option of up to three people joining. Not sure as to whether you can just play a random game with OTP, but interestingly enough, you will also battle your teammates for captaincy and other perks within your own team. So scoring, assisting and tackling will come with some statistical rewards. Great! Now Rob will never pass...

Also, with manual celebrations, all four players in co-op mode can celebrate simultaneously. I can see some potential there...
IGN has a thread on this. Check it out.

Now that I have all that theoretical knowledge, I would like to know: "Why the hell can't I download the damn thing?!?!" CRAP!!!

TheTruth · Post by **TheTruth** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:26 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote:Does it show as available for download on your demo list?

Doesn't show up for me either. I have read elsewhere that the demo has caused others 360's to crash...so maybe they pulled it.

I was really looking forward to trying it out.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:10 pm

The game has froze a few times on me.

barking_dogma · Post by **barking_dogma** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:39 pm

I actually managed to download it late last night before they pulled it from the list. I'll try it out tonight.

Here's the deal though...I have very good intentions at the end of each day, (when I finally sit down to game), to play any one of a growing list of games that I've either purchased or downloaded. Hell, I've had R6 Vegas 2 for over a week now! The problem is that Fifa-OTP has taken over my life like a nagging girlfriend. You don't want to dump her because you know what she does for you...and it's really good stuff!

If UEFA is really that big of an improvement, I'm in trouble.

-Dogma

Sending out a "yo" to all fellow FIFA junkies I've been wasting time with over the past few weeks. It's a blast! See you online.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:28 pm

Holy cow, the gang's all here!

Master, welcome to our little gang. Don't let Rob get you down!

Dogma, good to have you here, too. And Forensic, be careful, you don't want to bust your three posts a year average!

I wish I could send you guys the demo. I've played a bunch of games, and it hasn't crashed yet. Very weird that there's been nothing about the recall on Major Nelson's blog or anywhere. I wonder what the deal with it is.

If the game really will only have eight-player online, that is a bummer. It's sort of like the pull-back from six on six to four on four they made with NHL. It's not like five on five doesn't work in FIFA, so I find it pretty cynical of them to cut back, especially if they make a big deal out of, say, six on six for the next FIFA game.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:37 pm

It's so nice to have the whole gang here!

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:11 pm

Nothing brings people together like a football game. Being that this one is made by EA, I guess it's only fitting that half of us can't even play it.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:56 pm

Apparently it's been taken off the UK Marketplace too. It's available through the UK PSN store (downloading v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y but available), though I've not set up a US PS3 account yet so I don't know if it's available for any of you lot - some location-based lies may be necessary.

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:58 pm

Anybody try the PC version?

SportsNut · Post by **SportsNut** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:31 am

Seems like the best fifa yet, but the slowdowns in cut scenes is quite horrendous on the ps3 720p, is this any better on the 360?

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:03 am

MACTEPsporta wrote:OTP is in it, but in a slightly different way. You will now play a career-type mode in Captain Your Country, and you have the option of up to three people joining. Not sure as to whether you can just play a random game with OTP, but interestingly enough, you will also battle your teammates for captaincy and other perks within your own team. So scoring, assisting and tackling will come with some statistical rewards.

I really like the sound of this. Especially if they add in some online league play. What about 11 on 11???? When are we gonna be seeing that!

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:06 am

The demo is now available on XBL.

TheTruth · Post by **TheTruth** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:03 am

Rodster wrote:The demo is now available on XBL.

Yep, downloading now.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:36 am

I finally got it and was able to sqeeze in a couple of games late last night to try it out. It's pretty good. Seems that they've concentrated mainly on fixing the issues FIFA 08 has, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. Passing is more accurate, unnecessary touches are gone, chestdowns are nowhere to be seen, and the whole 2 hour player turning animation from FIFA 07, that haunted this year's FIFA as well, is also no more.

The default camera is now called co-op, and it was created specifically for OTP. It's basically the good old "tele" cam, just a bit more zoomed out, and slightly angled upfield. The only downside for me is not being able to see everything when my player is on the far side, but I can live with that. Because trick moves were intitially created to fit into be-a-pro cam, they were much harder to pull of in other camera modes. Now that it's defaulted to the new camera, they are much easier. That's cool, of course, but also worries me a bit, with all the 8 year-olds online.

AI seems to have been enhanced quite a bit. Fullbacks will now make runs both inside and outside the wingers based upon where the ball is. Midfield players see a lot more of the ball, as they get open more readily in the midfield, and defenders are no longer able to catch up to any forward regardless of pace ratings.

I also noticed one thing I didn't particularly like. When playing be-a-pro mode, with CPU teammates they will now almost always shoot if you press the shoot button. It's supposed to be a suggestion. I was pressing the shoot button to force CPU to tackle, so when they did and my teammate ended up with the ball he shot from 45 yards out. It's not a big deal for OTP, but in Captain Your Country mode, which I think will be the highlight of the game, it may become an issue. Of course having an "any" is a good way to make sure that doesn't happen. That is, if you can have "anys" in that mode.

I'll play more tonight, and if I discover anything else worth noting, I will edit this post.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:02 am

MACTEP, I think I speak for all of us who play together online when I say this: Your written English is amazingly accent-free

Good impressions. I remain guarded about the lack of extra touches and chest-downs in the box. I hope you're right, but I'm concerned that it may be an outgrowth of the quality of the teams in the demo. If you are right, those two changes alone are enough to warrant a purchase.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:28 am

I've tried 2 games and i'm just not seeing the game you guys are playing. The game speed has been dialed up a notch even in the rain the game's pace appears to be somewhat faster than FIFA 08.

I still see defenders not properly attacking the ball until you take control over them just like in FIFA 08 although at least they seem to be better positioned but still they don't make proper decisions on their own to try and break down an attack. It's still pretty much up to you to try and do it all or your dead meat on the pitch.

Animations still seem to get stuck at times. In one instance I was trying to preload a tackle animation and get in on a tackle and instead of just playing the free ball I passed it to the goal keeper. That was a wasted opportunity for a score.

The one thing I can say is the CPU's offense brings it in this version.

After playing PES2008 they still feel like very different games. The AI in PES2008 just seems to do more things right even though it's AI is not perfect either.

This appears to be one of those games i'll buy when it's on sale next year for $16.96 at Circuit City.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:11 pm

MACTEP has an accent?

Great impressions. I really like the co-op camera. I can't wait to see MACTEP and forensicd play offense with the improved controls.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:37 pm

I think players that are good at "any" position will be at a premium now, because it is easier to play in attack. So forensic's stock may drop a little, although he is a good "any" as well. My stock has fallen a while back... I blame the accent... I'll work on that.

Rob, in the mean time, will work on perfecting his tackling in rainy conditions. His goal is to take down 3 attacking players, 2 own players, and a manager on the sideline with one slide tackle. Good luck, Rob!

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:20 pm

Rodster wrote: I still see defenders not properly attacking the ball until you take control over them just like in FIFA 08 although at least they seem to be better positioned but still they don't make proper decisions on their own to try and break down an attack. It's still pretty much up to you to try and do it all or your dead meat on the pitch.

Are you talking about the regular game or the Be A Pro Mode? If it's the former, I don't get it. Why would you rely on the AI to defend if you're controlling any player? I've never seen the problem because I pretty consistently switch to the closest defender to either close down or stay in good position myself...in both FIFA and WE/PES.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:11 pm

RobVarak wrote:
Rodster wrote: I still see defenders not properly attacking the ball until you take control over them just like in FIFA 08 although at least they seem to be better positioned but still they don't make proper decisions on their own to try and break down an attack. It's still pretty much up to you to try and do it all or your dead meat on the pitch.
Are you talking about the regular game or the Be A Pro Mode? If it's the former, I don't get it. Why would you rely on the AI to defend if you're controlling any player? I've never seen the problem because I pretty consistently switch to the closest defender to either close down or stay in good position myself...in both FIFA and WE/PES.

Because some of us don't slide tackle at everyone. I like to use the "call 2nd defender" to have them play defense while I shut down passing lanes.

Or I'll actually play defense, by covering the player on the run while my defender takes the player with the ball.

This should have happen. It doens't because FIFA forced you to always play the ball.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:23 pm

RobVarak wrote: Are you talking about the regular game or the Be A Pro Mode? If it's the former, I don't get it. Why would you rely on the AI to defend if you're controlling any player? I've never seen the problem because I pretty consistently switch to the closest defender to either close down or stay in good position myself...in both FIFA and WE/PES.

I'm talking about the regular game mode Rob. I've tried Be A Pro and for the life of me I have trouble adjusting to the camera.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:26 pm

JRod wrote: Because some of us don't slide tackle at everyone. I like to use the "call 2nd defender" to have them play defense while I shut down passing lanes.

Or I'll actually play defense, by covering the player on the run while my defender takes the player with the ball.

This should have happen. It doens't because FIFA forced you to always play the ball.

Nobody I've played with "slide tackles at everyone," notwithstanding my own aggressive rep and penchant for sending Christiano Ronaldo ass-over-teakettle

I haven't seen the game in any sport where I was comfortable letting any AI control a player at the point of action...including GK in soccer and hockey. Sometimes there's obviously no choice, but in damn near every game in every sport it's better bet take matters into your own hands ASAP. Again, locked-on modes like Be A Pro excepted, of course.

JRod, inasmuch as the offensive AI in soccer games basically never has players make actual runs, I don't know who the hell you were covering while making those poor AI defenders do all of your work for you

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:47 pm

I must agree with Rob, much to my chagrin. The way all modern footy titles handle defense is by containing the ball carrier. The decision to tackle, or in Rob's case kill, destroy, annihilate, or at lest hospitilize the attacker, is ultimately up to the player. And it works. Occasionally you will see AI making the tackle for you, but it will usually happen when the attacker runs into a defender, and collision animation forces the defender to poke the ball away. Milliseconds later - you are awarded control of that defender.

The only other option is to bring up the off the ball defender, by holding the shoot button down. However, that is best used in the midfield, to set off quick counterattacks. If you use it with your defensive line, you will break open your defense and create openings, attackers can take advantage of. Not smart.

Just to set the record straight. All of you who haven't played OTP with us: Rob brings much more than random slide tackling to the table! We just haven't quite figured out what it is yet...

Post by **Jared** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 4:45 pm

I finally got a chance to play the demo...and it's definitely an improvement from FIFA 08...though it still can annoy me (just less so).

- The major difference, to me, is in the control department. I haven't experienced ANY of the totally frustrating lack of responsiveness that (in my opinion) plagues FIFA 08. It's much easier to do a one-touch pass, I haven't observed any unnecessary trapping, and it is such a relief to have some control over the player. I think it's still not as good as WE/PES, but it's a major improvement and makes it much more enjoyable.

- Game pace seems to be faster, though not terribly so. Of course, that could be because of the better teams.

- Teammate AI seems to be improved a little, although I wish your teammates would show a little more life in off the ball movements...player positioning still seems to be a bit static when compared to WE/PES.

- Default Be a Pro mode seems MUCH easier than default team mode.

- Shooting and passing seem a little improved. Through ball logic seems to be a little better...although this still needs a lot of work. There were many times when a forward was making a well-timed run behind a flat defense, and instead of pushing the ball deep behind the defense, the ball instead met the forward on his run. Argh.

- It still suffers from a lack of dynamic, flowing play when compared to WE/PES. Corner kicks are still boring and unrealistic (all players stand in the box, attacker and defender jump straight up, someone wins the header.)

Overall, the control is improved, but there are still structural issues that are just a big part of the FIFA engine that annoy me. However, a lot of these issues (based in teammate AI) don't exist in OTP...so that will be even more fun.

Digital Sportspage

Uefa Euro 2008 Demo has arrived.

FIFA Whipped