The pattern of Season 10 of PES2014 is becoming clear. After Monday’s somewhat gushing endorsement of the game and my progress in it, I find myself being contained more or less in place. Can’t get ahead, but not falling behind. In the League at least. I’ve played 6 more league matches and this is the table:
I’ve not lost any more matches, but there have been two frustrating draws that have prevented me getting close to the runaway leaders. Both of these dodgy draws felt a touch scripty. Saying that PES is a touch scripty is like saying EastEnders is a touch shouty. It’s what happens.
First Man Utd were almost unplayable, and I considered myself lucky to come away with a 1-1. Then I should have thumped Spurs 10-0, such was my dominance. Their keeper clawed everything away and the post saved him twice when he was beaten. 1-1 there too.
I’m worried that this season will see me just go through to the end, almost getting within touching distance of the top but never quite managing it. As if the game won’t allow it for another season or two.
Many a veteran PES player will snort in derision at the suggestion that there’s a secret layer of machinery behind the scenes that controls the tendency of outcomes. But I know that the machinery is there, and that scripting exists.
Two reasons. First: I’ve perceived its effects, in every single football game I have ever played, for over 20 years now. Second (this is the real clincher): if I was creating a football game, I would pack it to the rafters with scripting. Football gamers want football games that last for more than a couple of weeks. The only practical method of doing that is to install a host of artificial handicaps that work their hidden magic according to very specific criteria – scripts, in other words.
Scripting in PES is an old debate that should have been put to bed long, long ago. I’m amazed when I see it suggested, or even hinted, that scripting doesn’t exist in football games. Believing that scripting doesn’t exist in footy games is a little like believing that film actors improvise their lines, and are accidentally filmed in the course of doing so. It just isn’t a credible position to take.
Things are slightly different in the Europa, where I have sailed through to the knockouts, as I knew I would. You just get a feel for how things will go. Scripting works both ways.
The knockouts are where I traditionally trip up in European competition. The Europa (or the WEFA Cup, as I will always think of it) is my least-won competition in all historical Master Leagues, for various reasons. This may be the last opportunity I will ever get to win it in PES2014.
Finally today, two moments from my encounter with Chelsea at the start of this season. I found these moments on my phone. I won this match 2-1. Yes, I’m the one who inflicted that solitary defeat on Chelsea as pictured in the table above.
First you see one of PES2014’s dumb moments: a decent header from Torres (okay, it seems to come off his shoulder, or even the Chelsea defender’s back, but whatever) that is chested down on the line by Deco, who then can’t twist in time to scoop the ball in. Aaargh!
But responsiveness fans needn’t fret too much. A few minutes later, Torres is on hand to first-time a half-volley into the net. The goal comes from a nifty one-two and is a fairly typical PES goal in many ways, but I find these something of a rarity in PES2014.
