The passage of time leaves empty lives
Posted by: not-Greg in league table, scripting, tags: league table, scriptingMid-season 2018 has come and gone. I did nothing but press X four times. It’s a rare negotiations period when I don’t at least have a look at what’s on offer—but no, I’ve got enough megastars on the books for now, thank you very much.
Game 16 of the season saw all my players returned to maximum fitness after the four-week break. My opponents? Valencia. I had to chuckle maniacally when I saw that. What a great time to play my most important six-pointer of the season. The game was a mirror image in every sense of the first game of the season. I went 3-0 up and it was easy. The tiresome, inevitable God Mode kicked in towards the end. They got an inevitable goal to make the final score 3-1. It was a result that sent me 9 points clear at the top of the table. It’s mine to lose now, I think.
My next opponents were Barcelona. This was the most ridiculous, stage-managed game since the last one. It ended 1-1. I’ve already banged on about scripting/God Mode/whatever to a large degree and won’t repeat myself here. It was pretty painful to see, is all I’ll say. That’s what I’ve got against God Mode. I don’t hate it because it makes me lose or draw important games. I hate it because it’s a stain on the PES franchise. I cringe in embarrassment every time one of my players tries a straightforward five-yard pass that mysteriously bounces off the receiving player’s legs into touch, or just goes straight to the opposition. Sigh.
In the latter stages of my European Championships group, I met Livorno in our return fixture. I beat them easily in the first one, and the same happened here. I went 3-0 up, God Mode kicked in, they got a goal to make it 3-1, then the final whistle went. It’s an over-familiar script that urgently needs to be rewritten.
Back in the league, I just keep whining winning. The odd draw comes along to keep me honest. I’d have won the league already if the game didn’t make sure that I dropped points occasionally. Thus even I, an average player, need to be kept in check—would PES even be a game any more without scripting? Without the AI’s ludicrous and insulting ‘God Mode’, would there be any point in playing any recent version of PES for longer than a few days? It’s a controversial, delicate question for every PES fan.
PES2009 is now precisely 18 calendar weeks away (assuming a European release date of 24/10/08). That’s not long, is it? How time flies. We’ll all be dead before we know it.
I think the big scripting question—i.e., can Seabass & co. come up with an AI that’s good in its own right, and doesn’t require the handicapping of the human player’s team?—will be answered in PES2009. To be sure, if scripting/God Mode is as prominent in PES2009 as it has been since PES5, we’ll probably be stuck with it for the rest of this console generation.
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“We’ll all be dead before we know it.” - that was rather chilling in the middle of your post! True as well..
Just finished playing Act 4 of MGS 4. It was so sad. Makes you realise how time flies when it just felt like yesterday I was running through- well you know..
Going to play a bit of Online and then finish Act 5 tonight. I always enjoy watching endings of epic games at 2am in the morning. Did the same with MGS 2 and 3.
Looks like all is going well in the league! Even Valencia being all but dispatched. I am the same, they ALWAYS get that goal..
Not Given - it was Act 4 of MGS4 that helped to put me in a little contemplative mood that’s lasted all week. NO spoilers for anyone who hasn’t got there yet, but it’s safe to say that there’s a segment of MGS4 that ingeniously evokes the player’s own past, not just the franchise’s or Snake’s pasts. It made me feel quite sad, and almost choked up. I haven’t got much past that point yet, as real life has got in the way. I should finish the game over the weekend, then I’ll be sampling Online.
In PES2008 the league is looking pretty safe, isn’t it? These had better not be famous last words. I’m ahead of the blog as usual, but not as far ahead as usual.
I felt exactly the same thing. It’s an amazing achievement when you can make a game that creates that kind of mood and feelings in people playing it. Hopefully see you online, it’s a fantastic experience when you get a group that uses team work.
I just keep whining, winning
Nothing beats a good moan, just ask my Mrs. I’m the younger version of Victor Meldrew, when playing computer games. It does her head in. She just doesn’t get it.
Just finished 1st season in my Forest MM career, a little disappointed that you can pick any club to manage after the board said other clubs were interested.
Is this the only way, you can switch clubs, by resigning, don’t clubs make any offers?
Contemplating in taking over at ST PAULI in the German 2nd Division.
I am having a break from FIFA and having a MGS4 weekend.
Not Given - are you telling me that people actually play an online game using teamwork??!! Ever play Warhawk? I should get to sample MGO on Monday sometime. I have to finish the main game first. As bad luck would have it I’m doing extra hours at work so my PS3 time is severely limited.
heraldo - I’ve never changed clubs mid-career in FIFA so I’m not sure. The only time I’ve ever been given the option to switch clubs is at the end of every season.
My missus doesn’t mind the whining, what bothers her most is all the cussing.