EA’s FIFA franchise is a cultural and economic juggernaut, dominating sales charts and receiving critical acclaim year after year. So how do they do it? How do they keep the feel fans know and love while pushing the envelope? Last week we sat down with Senior Producer Nick Channon to find out.
FIFA 16 is a big update – probably the biggest in several years. Nick frequently refers to innovation across the entire pitch: an effort to overhaul every aspect of the game while building upon previous successes. Improved interception logic and defensive cover AI, control over when the ball carrier touches the ball, and an altered passing engine have all made their way into FIFA 16. The change is immediately evident when holding the controller, as the on field experience is slower and more deliberate – it feels infinitely more like real soccer.
Which was the most important gameplay change? “It kind of changes the more you play. 2 months ago I would have said the interception logic, it basically makes you change the way you think about passing and it makes the midfield mean something again.” He’s not wrong. Long passes through midfield – the kind that used to be oh so effective, and would drive real life coaches mad – get picked off regularly. AI players are much more aware of their surroundings, and will make you pay quickly on higher difficulties.
“But, defending at times last year was difficult – players didn’t cover each other very well at all. It was difficult to keep with those quick attackers, and defenders would hang on to the player they were marking and not cover space.” I put this change to the test with my first few touches, intentionally putting players way out of position. I ran a centre back right up the gut of the field and turned the ball over – players shifted around in a way not seen in the franchise before, filling in gaps and maintaining defensive shape in spite of my shenanigans.
These changes didn’t just come from the team’s collective minds either, as there was a distinct focus on community feedback this year. The defensive changes were heavily influenced by the community, but also affected mode – the ire of many a message board last year. Player development was an identified problem, and has been addressed this year with the addition of weekly training. From my time with it, training seems like a nice way to guide the growth of your players to suit your strategy and system – fans should be pleased with this addition.
“The key to this year was we knew we had great technology and some great systems. It was taking the time to step back and look at them all. How do we improve all areas of the game? It was as simple as that. As developers it was a nice thing to do – to take stock of what you have, and look to improve. I think that’s why we’ve got the reaction we have.” Feedback from beta players has been overwhelmingly positive – a testament to how the team focused on making the game more fun for fans.
_________________________
The women’s game is “the most important feature we’ve ever added.”
The biggest addition though, and “the most important feature we’ve ever added,” is the women’s game. “We’ve been looking at this for quite a while, and wanted to make sure that when we brought women into the game, we did it right. We want to be the most authentic game, and the growth of women’s football has been huge. The Women’s World Cup was phenomenal, and at the end of the day that should be part of FIFA.” I highly encourage FIFA fans to give the women’s game a go – it’s part of the FIFA 16 demo – because it really is a totally different game. Nick and his team made sweeping changes to the game’s systems to make it feel right. Even the player rating system was reworked to suit the mode better. Lo and behold, the slower, more technical, and more continuous aspects of the ladies’ game are instantly apparent. For now, the ladies are limited to a single mode, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a big push towards feature parity in coming years. “I’m really proud to say I was one of the producers who was able to do it.”
Other substantial features have made their way into the game as well, including a tunable trainer to help new players learn the game, and veteran players master it. I lost count of the number of times the trainer suggested a play I didn’t think of right away – even the most skilled FIFA players can learn something from the trainer.
Ultimate Team. For many people it’s their favourite mode, allowing you to hand pick and fine tune a squad that plays well together and suits your personal style. The big change this season is draft mode, which will certainly ignite some heated couch arguments. “That’s what’s great about sports – there are certain players I just wouldn’t pick because I’m a Liverpool fan. It’s irrational – they are clearly excellent players – but there’s a ‘you don’t pick THEM’.” Those types of personal preference and style are going to make FUT Draft insanely popular.
For each aspect of your team, 5 options will be given. This includes formations, managers, and players – and the links between nations, clubs, and leagues will drive the chemistry of the team. Crucially, there is a high probability of getting some extremely high profile players in the draft: a fellow writer managed to snag Neymar, Ronaldo, AND Messi. But chemistry is more important than pure skill, so a less skilled La Liga full back will probably link better with Ronaldo than a superstar Premiere Leaguer. It’s a fascinating addition, and one that fans of the mode will probably embrace with open arms.
FIFA 16 is shaping up to be a standout entry in the franchise, and a new benchmark for challengers to chase. FIFA 16 releases September 22, 2015 – mark your calendars – we’ll have our full review for you at 6 AM on the 22nd. Something on your mind? Find me on twitter @yvr_paul.
