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[AstroLad]

Finally going to be out here. Been waiting for this for months as WE7 is still my most played game right now.

Some choice quotes from the GI preview:

WE vs. FIFA lol):

If you’re a US gamer looking for soccer action, you basically have two choices: EA’s FIFA titles and Konami’s Winning Eleven franchise. And to be blunt, for true footie fans, Winning Eleven usually leaves FIFA with nothing but a mouthful of pitch.

The Winning Eleven series of soccer games has really made a name for itself not with flashy game modes or bonuses, but because of a tight and realistic approach to the “beautiful game.” Movement and animation rivals the real thing, ball physics are spot on, and the subtle nuances and features of the game are at center stage. Actually, I challenge you to find a more realistic soccer experience outside of pulling yourself off the couch and personally taking to the field yourself.

The game, compared to FIFA 2005, is superior in pretty much every regard. The stellar visuals, the fine-tuned control, and the ultra-realistic action all help to create a truly immersive soccer experience.

Master League mode (I don't know why he calls it "new" as elsewhere he seems to know it's not, but there are some nice changes). Also I don't think he mentioned that it was the first time you can start ML mode with any team (but what's the fun of not getting to play with Ximenez/Ximelez, Castolo/Castello, Huygens/Huylens and the rest of the gang! :

The most notable new addition is the Master League mode, which is essentially a fleshed out Franchise mode. You start off your managerial career by picking one of many club teams from around the world and then taking them through division play against other teams. To make your job easier, you also have a multitude of different tools at your disposal. For the first time in the series, you have access to development sheets that let you keep track of the statistics of every single player on your team, including the ability to see how they’ve matured physically and skillfully since the first day that they joined your club. Each player has 23 different statistical categories, ranging from attack skill, balance, stamina, power, header skill, and even team work. Interestingly enough, you can keep tabs on the skills of a player as they begin to age, where you’ll begin to notice how they’ll lose abilities in key areas.

In the event that one of your players ends up becoming the next superstar, or one becomes available on the market, you can go into negotiations with him to set a new salary and contract. This can only be done during certain parts of the season, but it’s a realistic attempt at trying to give the entire player management role a bit more ground to stand on. For money misers out there, you can also keep track of your team’s overall financial health, comparing your expected earnings with your actual monetary funds. Perhaps the coolest new feature is the freedom to actually acquire entire market data reports for other teams. Managing a professional soccer club isn’t easy and sometimes you’ll need to look to your competitors for some inspiration when making those big decisions.

Some bitching about the edit mode allowing too much customizability (!?!?!?!?!?!?!?) This guy has obviously never used WE to recreate real teams/players like so many WE players do, his minor complaint barely makes any sense anyway (omg you can create a super-strong team and use them in exhibition! Guess what, smart guy, you can also turn it to 1 star and destroy everyone in even non-exhibition games! OH NOES how will anyone exercise restraint! Should have limited one of the game's greatest features instead!):

If customization is more your thing, the Edit mode will probably be right up your alley. You can use this mode to alter pretty much every single feature of a player or team. Missing the glory days of Luis Figo? Well, use the Edit mode to bump up his stats to max, making him a force to be reckoned with. You can even alter player numbers, create entirely new players, and change flags, names, and uniforms of Club teams. Needless to say, the Edit mode is a lot of fun, but there remains the potential to create some pretty unrealistic mischief. Using my favorite team, France, as an example, I was able to take every single player on the team and bump their stats to the limit. This kind of nonsense is fun if you’re really interested in creating a stable of super players to overpower your competition, but in the grand scheme of things it’s pretty darn unrealistic. Usually in games that let you edit or create players, there’s some sort of cost model that helps to ensure that your creations or edits aren’t out of the realm of believability, but for Winning Eleven 8 there seems to be no restriction of the sort. Granted, you can only take your god-like players to the pitch in an exhibition game, but nevertheless, being able to do even that is a bit odd.

Finally, X-Box v. PS2 versions:

Compared to the PS2 version of the game (or at least the Japanese version), Winning Eleven 8 on the Xbox doesn’t seem to have too many advantages over its console competitor. The visuals are noticeably sharper and character models a tad less fuzzy, but overall, the two versions stack up pretty surprisingly well against each other. The most notable difference would have to be that the Xbox controller has a few less buttons than the PS2 controller, but thankfully the game has accommodated for this by using some pretty ingenious button mapping.

Nothing particularly new to anyone who's been following the game's info, but I am interested to see how the versions stack up and I'm ridiculously anxious for this game to come out.

Personally, I'm ready:

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[Ghost]

Xbox hasnt got less buttons it's just got stupidly placed buttons, and the control mappings arent ingenious at all, it's just mapped L2 and R2 to black and white, theres more than a few "press black and A" type commands (ie pretty impossible to do while trying to play), though many would argue you dont really need them.

Other than those problems i actually prefer the S to the DS2, the triggers make it much easier to control your sprinting and the stiffer analogues are much better for mazy runs.

 

[lachesis]

I wonder how PS2's sensitive button scheme might convert to Xbox version...

I might pick up Xbox Version just for the curiosity. My main series for next 6 month would be Liveware Evolution, just around the corner. (March 3rd...)

It's a shame, i mean "crime" that they are not including online function. However on the good news is that they are looking into all online connectivity from WE9s. (WE8 LE's online capability is known as a bit limiting - no edit allowded for official match, and so on.)

I am already too excited about next gen WE. Can't wait!

lachesis

 

[AstroLad]

Xbox hasnt got less buttons it's just got stupidly placed buttons, and the control mappings arent ingenious at all, it's just mapped L2 and R2 to black and white, theres more than a few "press black and A" type commands (ie pretty impossible to do while trying to play), though many would argue you dont really need them.

Other than those problems i actually prefer the S to the DS2, the triggers make it much easier to control your sprinting and the stiffer analogues are much better for mazy runs.

You use the analog to run? I have a friend who does, but I've never gotten it, to me the DS2 control scheme is absolutely perfect, which is why I felt justified in buying the DS2 adapter, and I always use digital, always, no fucking way I'm getting stuck w/ the X-Box's crap digipad. And yeah, I'm not a fan of the the black/white buttons either, and I use L1 R1/2 all the time. Then again I still wanted the (slightly) superior version and the cost of the adapter was the same as the new memory card I would have to buy anyway if I bought it on PS2.

 

[Socreges]

I use the analog stick. It might give me problems in FPS games, but it's perfect for WE/PES. Maybe because of experience.

Xbox hasnt got less buttons it's just got stupidly placed buttons, and the control mappings arent ingenious at all, it's just mapped L2 and R2 to black and white, theres more than a few "press black and A" type commands (ie pretty impossible to do while trying to play), though many would argue you dont really need them.

I don't think anyone needs to be considerate to such crazy, and frankly wrong, opinions.

 

[lachesis]

You use the analog to run? I have a friend who does, but I've never gotten it, to me the DS2 control scheme is absolutely perfect, which is why I felt justified in buying the DS2 adapter, and I always use digital, always, no fucking way I'm getting stuck w/ the X-Box's crap digipad. And yeah, I'm not a fan of the the black/white buttons either, and I use L1 R1/2 all the time. Then again I still wanted the (slightly) superior version and the cost of the adapter was the same as the new memory card I would have to buy anyway if I bought it on PS2.

I use analog for running but digital sometimes too - especially when I have to make sharp turns, or do a little trick, it helps out a bit. Also, it's said that digital is better/accurate when you do free-kick, while analog curves more. I do think it's a good investment to have PS2 pad adaptor though - albeit I'm not too sure how the pressure sensitiveness will convert through that adapter.

Black and White are L2 and R2? Damn. Those are very important buttons, especially R2 - as I always use them for dribbling and defending... If I do get the Xbox ver, I might have to get that magicbox myself...

lachesis

 

[Socreges]

R2 is my everything.

One of the less heralded additions to WE8/PES4 has been how tapping R2 will have the player step on the ball and pause. Learn it well. It can be fantastic for cutting up defenders.

 

[Ghost]

tapping R2 converts to tapping black, hence its not one of the impossible finger tricks.

Most of the finger tricks (as they will now be known) are tactical things or pre-determined moves only people determind to sap the fun out of WE would use on a regular basis (the kind of people who bring their master league team round on a memory card and insist on playing EVERY game with them).

 

[Socreges]

tapping R2 converts to tapping black, hence its not one of the impossible finger tricks.

That one isn't impossible, no. Though it remains awkward, at least, and would certainly discourage me from using a skill that I find valuable (and fun).

I mean, I *never* do the 360-spin because that means I have to completely remove my thumb from the X/Circle/Square/Triangle set to use the right analog stick.

Most of the finger tricks (as they will now be known) are tactical things or pre-determined moves only people determind to sap the fun out of WE would use on a regular basis (the kind of people who bring their master league team round on a memory card and insist on playing EVERY game with them).

What, are you trying to argue that having L2/R2 mapped to white/black isn't a problem because apparently they should be irrelevant? I don't follow.

I'm not sure what a "finger trick" would be, since you haven't given any examples. Like, R2+R2 (step-over) or R2+left/right (side-step)? Because those are both moves that I use maybe a couple/few times a game (unconsciously almost) and they only add to the experience. If you use them enough, you catch the AI/friend off guard. Use them too much, you become predictable and certainly take much fun out of the game.

 

[Fifty]

I almost always buy multiplatform games on Xbox, but since this isn't on XBL, and since I've been forced to master the PS2 controls year after year, I see no real reason why I shouldn't just stick with the PS2. Anyway, I'm still looking forward to WE 8, but knowing that there's no online play has really dampened my excitement.

 

[AstroLad]

That one isn't impossible, no. Though it remains awkward, at least, and would certainly discourage me from using a skill that I find valuable (and fun).

I mean, I *never* do the 360-spin because that means I have to completely remove my thumb from the X/Circle/Square/Triangle set to use the right analog stick.


What, are you trying to argue that having L2/R2 mapped to white/black isn't a problem because apparently they should be irrelevant? I don't follow.

I'm not sure what a "finger trick" would be, since you haven't given any examples. Like, R2+R2 (step-over) or R2+left/right (side-step)? Because those are both moves that I use maybe a couple/few times a game (unconsciously almost) and they only add to the experience. If you use them enough, you catch the AI/friend off guard. Use them too much, you become predictable and certainly take much fun out of the game.

IAWTP, the "finger tricks" in WE are fucking great b/c if you are truly dedicated to the game they can be useful in specific situations, but at the same time you can do so much with just the regular dribbles and controls that they're not required. They're also anything but "predetermined" in the sense that you just do some easy button move and wind up doing something that will burn everyone every time. The spin move, e.g., is something I started messing around with a lot in about my 80th hour of play, and it's amazing because it's difficult (as such a spin should be), but not impossible, and not overly effect, you have to use it at the exact right moment and will just get it stolen every time if you use it willy-nilly, but in certain situations, with great timing, it can be a thing of beauty, just like it should be.

The spin move & L1+Circle Pass in action in a 5-star WE7 match, South Africa (McCarthy to Nomvete) vs. Russia:
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~to376/MOV00161.MPG