PES 2016; myClub menus and the surprise Football Manager fans might enjoy.

PES 2015 was a gameplay success but much of its finer pieces like the myClub menus, were a convoluted, frustrating laggy mess. In PES 2016 things seems to been changing, while throwing in some surprises along the way.

When you go through the learning process you quickly discover that lag has mostly gone. Menu’s are swift and loading is adequate for a server based game, but more importantly things you want to do, you’re allowed to do.
Then you’re treated to something new, something different; training. 

Many years ago we watched a flashing bar tell us how our custom team was doing, then we got dots running around a field, and now we have a side on view of good animation. But something was always missing; sometimes you wished you could control your team.
PES 2016 gives you a taste of that, it lets you make your favourite underdog better, perhaps even tp exceed your expectations.
We will see whether it’s too artificial as the year progresses but if you were that ‘FM’ or ‘Champ Man’ kid who loved his adequate greats, PES might make you smile.

Rather than making an essay out of improvements I’ll list them.

- Faster menus and much less lag

- Players are now easy to recognise without a need to look right for their basic stats

- You can release a player straight after signing them

- SIM mode now uses other peoples 'cloud teams' so you always get a game. Also has a football manager look and feel to it. Very nice.

- Players start at different levels, you could get a level 1 top player who needs to play to improve…bit like the football manager top youth….

- All players can improve! Holy crap…is this football manager…

- Players can improve by training. They even improve more when they have links to the trainer, eg: same nationality, club, position….no wait…is this football manager?….

- Reserves are now accessible from the main menu without the need to go into a separate menu….this is definitely football manager….tenuous…

- Managers can earn contract extensions by you winning. Eg – 5 points in divisions

- In the ‘train player’ menu you can convert players into trainers; you lose that player for good.

- Though the trainer face doesn’t appear you can see their basic stats before using them.

- Managers have 25 contracts.

- You can change a player’s position tactics wise, so a CF can play as a SS. That position must stay within the attack/midfield/defence section.

- Gamepad buttons are more customizable with each action being able to have its own button

Probably a lot more improvements but I have work to do. Brilliant that Konami gave the non-match experience some serious thought and development.

For me this makes the gameplay debate the only one. Rumour has it FIFA is plodding along without much desire to make a simulation game, for my football game wants it can only be PES. I guess we’ll have to wait a few months until EA decides their final crippling/perfecting patch.

PES MyClub, the game for football purists

PES isn’t the perfect game, in fact it’s clearly like FIFA 14, a game in the development phase. However unlike FIFA 15, which continued building on FIFA’s mechanical animations the PES 2015 focus is clearly on user input. In this article I want to compare the mechanics of both games as well as explore how PES must change for 2016. I’ll even rank which one I feel is better, just for some controversy.

If we compare the techniques both games employ to replicate the beautiful game it’s clear to see one wants to put the user in control and the other relies on sharing this desire with artificial intelligence. Where you sit on that fence is the type of game you enjoy, I know where I used to sit but my new chair is very comfy.

Gameplay

Short passing
Short passing is a staple of PES, in fact as a FIFA player who sees a good through ball I’ve struggled in using short passes in the final third. In PES you’re able to pass short in most scenarios, it’s realistic because certain players are better at passing quickly, body position is key, and making space is imperative. In FIFA it’s very hit and miss, there seems to be little difference in passing very short and short and mistakes are rarely user generated. In FIFA when you get a move truly going passing can be perfect, so much so that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re not Barcelona. The commentary highlights the problem ‘they’re passing like it’s a computer game’, and they’re right, we are, because FIFA is mechanical and the opponent isn’t part of this set of numbers.
PES follows a different route, your manager helps your team play a certain way, possession for example, but don’t expect to flow up the pitch in a perfect sequence of short passes, you must beat the opposing line and draw them out of position to even get the chance to find your triangle. It’s football as it should be.
Winner – PES, it’s integral to the game. That’s how it should be.

Long passing
Long passing on PES is tricky but it allows you to utilise a variety of attacking options, for example if you have a target man a high long ball really will act like a long ball, not just a random punt. Long passing to a small wide player also produces great results too; they will take a great touch if the ball is low but lose headers regularly. The game mechanics are user influenced and both the attacker and defender can play to their strengths. In FIFA these mechanics are not all that present, a pacey player will win as many headers as they lose, perhaps more, because long passing is either hit or miss, it’s either going to your man or it isn’t. Player positioning and attributes do little to influence this outcome, a great example is Giovinco’s agility to win headers.
Winner – PES, no contest. The long ball works how it’s meant to, it’s more than a chance weapon and using it requires attention to detail.

Through balls
Through balls have become an integral part of how football games produce goals, in FIFA the long through ball has been abused and never reeled in thus causing defenders to topple and strikers to take perfect touches, quite literally nothing like real life.
In PES through balls can be just as dangerous but defenders actively spot passing potential, attacking players first touches are less influenced by pace and agility and more on ability and only the best players play the perfect pass. Then we have attacking options for the through ball, in PES you can influence the run your player makes and a well timed pass produces what you’d hoped for, in FIFA it produces what you’d expect, the difference is agonisingly obvious and a PES through ball sets up important not percentage chances.
Winner – PES, from a purist point of view FIFA isn’t even in this contest. If you’re just looking to throw some hail marys then head to FIFA, pick a pass with PES.

Shooting
FIFA has become so aim and shoot it’s agonising, in part due to some appalling programming in the goalkeeping department. Near post shots still produce goals for fun, long blasts are 50/50, headers are actions and finesse is a joy, not in a good way. The only shooting similarities are in chipping, where both games do an excellent job at making it feel realistic with chances very user focussed. Shooting on PES however is fun, really fun, you’re certain to miss and at times you get the feeling it’s never going to happen but it’s largely about attacker, keeper and defender positioning. With time and space you have a great chance but with a narrow angle you need to shoot early or find the top of the net; defenders really do influence accuracy.
Goalkeepers are integral to you not succeeding, and while there are some horrible animations that appear that the ball has hit the centre of the goal, 1 ft from the goal keeper, the frequency of this type of shot allows for the anomaly. Similarly running on a 45 degree angle toward the goal produces all too often, it’s just a good job keepers close well and good defenders snort at attacking agility.
Winner – PES, but not by much. It’s difficult to really judge FIFA when goalkeepers are so dire, I used to play on the 360 where keepers were better but on the Xbox One they can be superb or laughable, on either occasion this is pretty frustrating.

Dribbling
FIFA feels forced and clunky, especially with defensive pressure, but PES can feel slow to respond. Where FIFA is very much about stop start or skill PES lets you choose a variety of movements to beat the man and encourages a few well timed skills rather than a sequence of animations to beat the mechanics. The FIFA update ruined dribbling for me, but in reality it was too overpowered anyway.
The new mechanic destroyed dribbling unless you used a few key skills though I suspect a lot of this was down to AI pressure creating poor touches. Turning circles are now huge.
In PES body position is very important, stopping and starting is at play but if you run a yard away from your man he misses you and doesn’t home in unless he’s a few feet away ready to tackle. Dribbling for the best players is fun but the aim is to beat a man and get into space, you cannot simply dribble or skill your way through two players. It’s realistic, and when well timed a really fun exercise which makes you feel you actually beat a man rather than escaped the AI animation.
Winner – PES, again it’s about context because they both stutter a bit in this department. They’re both imperfect but then dribbling in football is very measured, very few players have ever possessed enough skills to beat a whole team and PES recognises that, playing against Messi examples this.

Skilling
FIFA is a mixture of animations bringing success whereas PES is about timing and surprise, where I love the ease at which they occur in FIFA I loathe the mechanics and enjoy the PES motivation of using them precisely.
Winner – Draw, different strokes for different folks. Neither are impressive enough to win me over.

Defending
This is another no contest. PES has a quality which leaves you panicking in your own box and able to defend space outside it. It’s not perfect, players movements are too slow for the gamer to fully defend space but it’s very user intensive and relying on the AI leaves a lot of space. In FIFA the AI control is incredible, even when the user is rushing in, 5 yard forcefields are not fun and high pressure/aggression makes it a game of ping pong. Football at its absolute worst.
PES also has two other bonuses, you can learn to beat a team by getting used to a management style (defending or attacking), and you can see whether your opponent is using the AI to rush in or whether they are tackling themselves. This has proved really beneficial in an attacking sense and a superb piece of simple programming.
Winner – No contest, PES. FIFA is a mess in defence, it needs a complete overhaul with the user input being more important than AI.

Player movements
Both superb; player runs are great, supporting positioning is brilliant and it’s always nice to set a player on a run. PES does have one improved feature, choosing and timing your supporting players run, it’s a nice feature, but then FIFA is so pretty.
Winner – Draw, both do a great job at making you believe that even Agbonlahor can make a quality run.

MyClub vs Ultimate Team

Menu’s

Loading speed
MyClub is dreadful, really slow, makes you worry that your connection is dying. It’s basic and judders and in general very primitive. FIFA is superb, the menus are a joy, especially after playing with PES, the developers have done a fantastic job at making sure everything looks and acts brilliantly and quickly.

Usability
I might prefer the tactic and manager approach of PES, which for gameplay purposes improves on FIFA, but the information delivery, for example player/game stats is appalling. Adding or removing players to a squad is a palaver, further frustrated by slow loading, it feel extremely primitive and nothing like the gorgeous, sweeping simplicity FIFA delivers. FIFA will have you wanting to check stats, enjoy the concept squads and tempted to explore, in PES you focus on getting it right because making a mistake, for example with your team sheet, takes time to rectify.

Winner, FIFA in a completely different class. PES, this isn’t 2005 anymore!

So you want to play a game

Menu’s, gameplay, they’re just the flesh, what about the bones! Why are you playing? Ultimate Team created a monster, one I wanted to be part of but it limits the user by advocating micro transactions and not gameplay. PES does the opposite, your squad is your squad, you’ve earned it and playing has unlocked its potential.
That to me is a joy, plus Konami regularly give meaningful gifts when things go wrong, for example my 50k gift was saved for the final weeks of the Champions League where I picked up some top quality black ball players thanks to a 70% chance of success.  Packs in FIFA are fun but they’re awful and demoralising, whereas in PES you look forward to getting a new player, especially in the early months of gaming. Though many believe the spinning balls of PES are decided from the outset it’s a good way to play, and building up agents simply encourages this because it’s about improving your team, hopefully adding one or two better players and not just making a whole team of world class talent. The best of the best can be beaten with the right average team!
Agents after every game is a masterstoke, and I’m very happy if 60 agents later I get 3 gold players and a black one.

Squad size limits on PES could be more generous but this should be offset with improved contract sizes, for goodness sake Konami encourage us to play with the limited squad and not scrimp to do so. In FIFA the contract system is great even if the market is a disaster, but you can build a team like a sticker collection which I always enjoy. The marketplace is great fun, even though you’ll never really try the top guys unless you pay, but those same players are available in different modes so in my mind MyClub is a real Ultimate Team competitor.

Tactics are important and while I appreciate what Konami are trying to do with manager style I do prefer the flexibility of FIFA, however if PES bothered to tell us how to unlock the highest managers this wouldn’t really have mattered. Microtransactions for a better manager, that’s a very EA thing to do.

Winner – PES, its close but I ended up preferring the delivery of quality rather than the desperation of affording it. The marketplace on FIFA has ruined Ultimate Team, where coin seller lurk clueless developers procrastinate; PES showed UT fans it could be done,  and done well.

Online

Both can be average to good however where FIFA wins is the sheer amount of players, I rarely find myself waiting 20 minutes to get a game whereas with Pro Evo that can be the standard waiting period. Also slow connecting and loading! Then we have the courtesy rating on PES, it’s a good concept but it threatens people with bans which in principle is fine but in reality can create a real headache for the honest player, especially when playing against a dishonest one. FIFA might crash and disconnect but it doesn’t penalise you by losing precious contracts and fitness, PES has some thinking to do on that front.

Winner – FIFA. PES is behind in developing an online service which represents 2015. FIFA might be down a lot but because they have so many more players people draw attention to it.

Final opinion

Overall both games are unfinished, from a development point of view PES is moving toward gameplay as its core ethos with functionality progressing on the side, whereas FIFA wants to give you an experience and change things if time allows it.
if you’re after a kick around you’re better going with FIFA, it’s the light entertainment that something like Community offers, nothing brilliant, nothing poor, passable with some moments of absorption.
If however you’re after an immersive experience that encourages creative gameplay and want to extend your hobby virtually you don’t really have a choice, it has to be PES.
In 2015 FIFA knows it has a competitor, as PES knows it has a platform. I’m really looking forward to seeing whether FIFA has stopped adding plasters in favour of making gameplay its focus or whether PES has finally matured into a gaming experience in more than gameplay and concept. 

Steam Machines, time for semiconductor manufacturers to step up.

10 years ago the PC environment drastically changed, with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 blurring the lines between PC and console gamer. This PC spec white case began chipping away at the dedication of the modder/upgrader and many started abandoning their yearly bank foray for a new graphics card/system in favour of the latest FPS or RPG; chip manufacturers began pressing panic buttons.

The next decade would see FPS and voice chat, the mainstay of PC gaming, shared, and while resolution was still a concern the then next generation made PC feel gaming accessible, sin keyboard and mouse. Fortune favoured Microsoft as televisions were going from frumpy corner pieces to sleek visual masterpieces, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 supported these advancements seamlessly especially in the case of video streaming where they even beat the SMART tv’s to the punch. Steam sat happily picking up the majority of PC gamers but users started looking for ways to be part of that ‘all in one’ living room experience.

Perhaps a little late Valve saw that changing landscape and the steam client began evolving, see Steam Big Picture, however Valve were constrained, not by user access but by software integration and while Steam client was keeping players, active or not, users started moving to consoles as a living room device. I personally stopped buying PC parts and instead spent my graphics card and RAM money on modding a white Xbox 360 to match the Xbox 360 Elite specs, £136, bargain.

For myself and others the writing was on the wall for PC gaming and while I often looked at making myself a neat living room/gaming PC I knew the cost would be horrific, especially with the slow development of small form factor power supplies and quality graphics cards.

In 2013 PC gamers still desperate for a Half Life 3 were treated by Valve, not with Half Life 3 but in the way of a PC ‘console’ named the Steam Machine. Hype was built, modders questioned the feasibility and rumours circled but in an untypical manner Valve blinked, perhaps correctly, and instead gave manufacturers and players time to digest their ambitions; they also went back to make sure their controller was perfect.

2013 also saw the next generation of consoles arrive with a bang but both whimpered when customers realised that many titles lacked that spectacular edge, to date some great titles exist but only a few are face slappingly good and many exciting titles are rehashes, for example I can’t wait for Borderlands.

24 months on and Valve have returned, just in time for a Netflix 4k debate and their return wasn’t with a couple of hardware solutions but amid 15 different Steam Machines. The Steam Machine isn’t a console but an opportunity for manufacturers to invade the living room with a powerful gaming machine. The Steam Machine doesn’t have to be your ‘console’ living room option, it can still be your own PC but with Steam OS, a linux based operating system powering it, and if loud fans aren’t your thing Valves Steam Link can stream your pictures to your TV, no long HDMI cables here. Rather than being a PC with gaming potential it’s a gaming machine with PC potential, especially thanks to the open source opportunities which may be influenced by ‘apps’ and ‘tiles’ currently being pushed by Microsoft.

Valve has announced they’re not intending to compete with the console market, even if they have a slick pad and streaming box but where they once lost regular players to consoles they might have found a way to win them back, especially with 4k a lonely technology.
There is however one roadblock to Valves momentum, semiconductor manufacturers. AMD are a classic example of the plight of these manufactures, even if they are back from the dead due to being a key component in delivering the Xbox One and PS4 they are still not the force they once were, and while Intel have reinvented themselves more times than David Cameron they’ve diversified to the mobile market in order to survive.
In reality both companies are struggling to reach the audience they once had with the bastion of their fortunes, PC’s.

On the surface it seems Intel and AMD are back on the way up, 2014 profits would suggest so, but as other chip makers dominate their other markets, streaming gaming continues to push for a TV native platform and high resolution starts to drive as a dominant factor, the PS4 guys definitely think so, Intel and AMD might struggle to unearth sustainable profit without a reinvention of their intentions.

Valve must hope that AMD, Intel and Nvidia are aware of this potential revenue stream, concurrently they could change the landscape of gaming completely but it will take a concerted effort of 

innovation and belief to draw people back to PC’s as well as offer something akin to PC gaming pre 2008. On both sides the organisations need to work together, Steam OS is built on linux and will require a strong amount of hard and software support as well as game development (porting has become a lot simpler) but the largest contributing factor will be components where power must be retained and size and heat reduced; quite the task.

Motherboards suited to small form factor exist, namely microATX and mini-ITX, but where microATX lacks case options ITX lacks real power. Both forms struggle to attract high quality motherboards and graphics cards and while RAM is cheap every other component is either expensive or slow to match higher end and thus larger devices.

The financial difference between building a Steam Machine and buying a console is still great, cost wise a decent box is £100+ more expensive and that’s just decent, but the chances of getting something size comparable is slim to none. It’s great so many companies are backing Valve by making Steam Machines that look like consoles but these machines need to keep up with development and allow upgrades when the time is right, this is where manufacturers need to realise the potential and show maturity by putting the consumer first.

In my opinion the motherboard is crucial, upgrading the CPU shouldn't require you to change the whole system, graphics cards should be more and more relevant so that a graphics upgrade gives the most benefit and cases need to reflect the consumer desire for smaller components and desire to upgrade. Intel, Nvidia and AMD have a great opportunity to take the mantle and carve a new revenue stream but they need to have continual two way conversations with Valve to make sure that hardware changes meet Valve’s ability to continue supporting upgrades  for at least a 4 year period, new gen not next gen.

Console gaming is the dominant force, that’s without doubt, but if you’re someone who once revelled in your TV’s best features finding a platform for gaming you might be looking at your black boxes with the concern that you've bought last year’s next gen.

In my opinion we will not see the Steam Machines potential until November 2016, by then we should see the first batch of upgrade questions answered, hardware manufactures showing their  hand, gain a clearer understanding of a linux OS for gaming and perhaps get some hype in the way of Half Life 3 or some other Valve hardware addition.

The future for gaming could be varied and innovative, especially on an open source platform, but without a team effort and intelligent foresight the 15 companies sticking their neck on the line will suffer, they’ve gambled and we’ll soon find out whether Valve will blink again.

If FIFA is Balotelli then Pro Evo is Milner

Football games have changed, in one corner we have the passionate about 'football commercialism' EA, and in the other we have the gameplay focused Konami. Where the debate used to be 'which game is better?' I truly believe the debate has shifted to 'football or footfall?'

Since FIFA's November patch I've completely fallen out of love with FIFA15, where user input was a direction I embraced the November patch swiftly removed this option from my fingertips and AI initiative was handed to my opponent.

Over the last 3 months I have tried to play FIFA 15, but from 500 games before the patch I only need my own and a friends hand to count the games played since.

Many have embraced the changes but the game has become very formulaic, and mechanical to the point of stagnant.  Where I once had to tackle my opponent I am now left with the feeling that the AI will do a far superior job, whether this is team mate press or by doing nothing I regularly miss tackles going it alone or find players sprawled on the floor listening for the AI stampede.
Videos online surfaced illustrating the benefits of doing absolutely nothing in defence, and while against the more experienced players, who use the games mechanics to their advantage, this isn’t a recommended tactic it is clear that against football players this tactic is wildly successful.
To clarify I am using the term football player for somebody who tackles themselves, tries to take control of what’s happening on the pitch and attempts to simulate the beautiful game as a virtual example.

If I offend, tough, some of us believe user input is integral to the way we play games, I lived through auto-aim on Counter Strike and it always offended.

This is the crux of FIFA’s problem, it requires the user to play FIFA and not football, this is certainly exampled by the Ultimate Team mode which is awash with hacking and coin mining to the detriment of the gamer who picks up the game to simply play and love football. A stunning example of EA's ignorance is the recent 'min/max BIN prices' which preclude 90% of normal gamers and have prices set on the coin buyers past investments. Very little EA does places the honest and true gamer first.

Like the Premier League, which is distancing itself from the football fan at an alarming rate FIFA post patch reverts back to the sodden glorified mistake that embraced FIFA 14 and FIFA 13, at least FIFA 13 didn’t pretend to be a football simulation, it was a game from first kick.

Where mistakes in gameplay changes exist, reverence to the consumer dissipates, with denial and ignorance rife. Many see the patch as not only hampering AI balance but increasing pass errors, especially short, stifling first touch and further supporting long through balls. EA does a fantastic job at shooting these down, especially in their forums where denial goes hand in hand with ignorance, but it's clear the developers have lost their way and this once football mad franchise has chosen the board room over bored football fans.

Then we have Konami, who with Pro Evo 15 have delivered a choppy glimpse at what the football fan really wants, the game has its flaws gameplay wise and similar to FIFA it wants you to aspire to using the best players to attain consistent success but it places availability and progression in the customers hands (like their gameplay), and not in their wallets, or parents wallets. That’s the standout difference, it's less likely to be their parents wallets and more likely to be those of the fan, the person who wants a leg up and not simply to buy a whole experience. In Pro Evo you’re allowed to succeed, encouraged to do so, in FIFA you’re expected to compete financially in a broken system of out of game transactions under the guise of hackers and cheats. Or of course you can buy a pack from EA, something useless of course, but they throw in a free gateway to gambling addiction for your efforts.

One system favours football fans the other favours finance, not dissimilar to the Premier League, and the very core of gameplay and enjoyment has been tainted because of it. Don’t get me wrong, Pro Evo is unfinished, it’s still building a platform to jump from, but it's doing so with the football fan at its centre and desperately seeking recognition for what is does right, not what is right by it.

FIFA is a game for children, for people desperate to prove they can compete, and for the foolhardy who think it’s a football sim. Pro Evo is a game for the honourable, the real football fan, and the once FIFA believer who has opted to play a game with heart and not vogue. The tide is turning in football games and we have two different products, one is a snowballing commercial entity hiding behind noise and spectacle and the other is an always developing player desperate to impress, desperate to be part of the scene but hoping to gain recognition and not hype.

Two Premier League players mirror the stages of these titles; one a spectacle, exuding bravado but producing very little apart from a huge bank balance, and the other has a heart, with the determination and endeavor to keep breaking the ceiling of ability.
Showmanship can only take you so far and for that reason I've always preferred Milner to Balotelli.

Edit -
Anybody see Balotelli and his penalty antics vs Besiktas? Yup FIFA all over, it's my ball, you can't have it and I'm certainly not going to celebrate with you if I score. This is my time to shine and your contribution is unimportant; next he'll be telling us he won the penalty!

FIFA 15 Post Patch, a desperate mess

FIFA 15 was a game with flaws, in fact my signature in the EA FIFA Forums is, and has been for quite some time,

'Better than 14, better than 13, more bugs and flaws than both put together.....FIFA 15 a glorious mess.'

Pre-patch the game was flawed in a few aspects, kick off positioning, high pressure/aggression in custom tactics, ice hockey tackles, zigzag dribbling and long through balls but it retained user input as they key to enjoyment.
Post-patch much of the freedom has gone, contain defending is back with a vengeance, possession play has been stifled hugely and defending manually has become an ungodly nightmare.
Add to that through balls being even more overpowered, zigzagging still a feature and kick and run with pace a key ingredient and you have a game that feels, plays and stinks like FIFA 14....oh and crossing is back.

FIFA 15 had many problems but it allowed any sort of player to play their style, if you play possession you could ping pong the ball around midfield nicely, if you defend to attack you could sit back and play counter, if you wanted to stream forward in numbers you could play that style and get yourself a high scoring game, you could play football even if the mechanics were often against you, there were fun matches even when you lost.

Post patch the mechanics are against you, the gameplay is against you and the AI is against you, the game is a dull, uninteresting, stifled sham. I started to learn how to adapt, midfield was a place of traffic so I chose the wings, goals, goals, goals, I had a few games of letting the AI do some of the work and I made sure I was keeping the ball, but I was always left thinking how the game used to play, and how pre-patch I was playing football, even if others were playing Ice hockey by knocking down all my players or American Football with a Hail Mary/punt return at every opportunity.

FIFA 15 is now FIFA 14 reincarnate, it gives very little and takes so much away, in my opinion the new patch needs to be removed with player positioning from kick off remaining; then they can work on the mechanics abuse.

The game is a glorious mess but it's not far from being a triumph, maybe they lack the flexibility to make changes that address certain problems but they need to at least return it to the freedom to play game it once was, perhaps then they can look at changing the zigzagging, long though ball and most importantly aggression/pressure abuse.
Make a game for football fans and not gamers, gamers have had too many editions modeled in their honour.

As a final mention I wanted to outline what I felt FIFA 15 should have worked on for this last patch, and what the new patch changed/how I think it has caused problems -

What they should have worked on
Kick off player positioning
Push/pull abuse
Players being knocked down
Referee's actually calling fouls against the super aggressive/push pull abusers
More stamina use for constant chasers
Real consequences for high aggression/pressure abusers or the removal of them as custom settings
Long through ball errors hugely increased/accuracy actually reduced
Player switching errors; they switch randomly and to the wrong player (on manual, air balls and auto)

What changed and it's potential consequences
From EA - 

Issues Addressed
• Gameplay improvements to defensive positioning and lob through balls
My thoughts -
Dribbling/first touch -
As well as auto tackling and being much closer/rushing into the opposition defenders seem to affect the first touch, a little like high pressure/aggression does, so you can be left taking a rough first touch, turning slowly and moving into a defender. Face up players come right into you, especially AI ones and so clearly players defensive positioning is affecting the likelihood of a defender taking the ball.

Passing -
Short passing is much rougher now, I find it's better to look forward than at the play unfolding because you can't play tiki-taka, you have to plan the attack avoiding the AI. The first touch has changed as has dribbling so the best passer must play the perfect mechanical pass and not the one which works for your style. My Xavi has gone from a nippy pass master to child dodging traffic while bending a pass around a force-field.
Crossing is actually much improved, sadly at times to the point of FIFA 14; I had a game were I scored 5 headers, 2 with Higuain, 1 with Cerci and 2 with Dos Santos, attackers appear to make slightly better runs, or perhaps defenders take worse positions.
Long through balls are still useful but it seems the shorter chip ball is a fantastic choice and extremely accurate.

Attacking -
Well clearly the game now has a deep back line and solid AI predictor, play offline and you'll see AI really is the game's main problem and feature. Attacking has been stifled completely, you can get chances but patience isn't always worthwhile and most people use the AI to make a tackle in midfield and counter, ergo FIFA 14.

Defending -
Well I defend manually and am now having real problems making challenges, not entirely sure why, but when I do tackle it goes back to FIFA 14 where the ball is moved out of reach, or the opposition runs right through my player getting the ball back with ease. I did defend using contain, team mate press and doing nothing and I was pretty damned effective, I felt quite sorry for my opposition because I wasn't really thinking.

Hopefully we can get FIFA 15 back, I don't need FIFA 14 2.0. If the game remains as is it'll definitely find Pro Evo as a competitor in my gaming library, I hear it's a well rounded game this year.

Update -
There was a 120 page thread in the EA FIFA forums about the patch problems, with many people referring to the how's and why's. Sadly EA have ordered their Community Manager to close any threads relating to the patch and so it'll soon fade away as though there are no problems. It's a real shame that as a community we are treated this way, we are only here to buy their wares.
Here's the thread link for anyone seeking people in the same boat, it might make us feel better to see many thousands of others losing patience with EA and the FIFA Developers.
Sadder still, it was a community writer who started the thread but when the pressure became too great he switched sides as though he forget there was a thread.
http://forum.ea.com/uk/posts/list/2974308.page

This video by soetiesoetie examples the largest problem with the patch update, pay attention to how little he actively defends, how often not selecting a player retains possession (even when the ball is bobbling between two players), and the opponent who does try to make tackles but continually fails.

2 IF Silver Teams

I've never tried the 4231 formation with any regularity but in trying to make another full IF team I realised it was my best option. In fact I've been able to make 2 IF teams for a fairly low price and hopefully more price drops over the next weeks allow me to experiment some more.

The first team was the main squad, I wanted to use Lemoine, Delort and Kurzawa and so set about trying to get them into a squad and the second I always had in mind because I'd picked up some of the Championship players as the year has passed.

Wolf - 7k - Misses too many low shots, is a very average keeper. Does well enough though if the ball isn't low. Then again he seems to play bronze benching Hulks all the time. Conceded 4 from 40 yards....sigh. He does a job but his lack of keeper height, his pace and his handling are clear inadequacies. It's frustrating as my team is quite slow so people take a lot of shots but that's the way of the game. (6.5/10)

Russ - 13k - Good but pace gets him caught as as his positioning doesn't seem brilliant. Strong enough to push a man off the ball, good tackler indeed and he meets a lot of corners, not many go in, he's actually a fairly decent player but as I mentioned because he's not beastly his pace can be a let down. (7/10)

Knoche - 9k - Good but sometimes feels a little weak, quick though and seems to be in the right place at the right time. With a chemistry card I'm sure he'd be quick enough to get in the way of most pace abuers, in the air he's decent enough indeed and from corners he regularly puts the ball in the net. Tackling wise he is better than Russ but I think this is down to pace more than ability. (8/10)

Kurzawa - 16k - An everywhere useful type of player, decent cross, good tackling, decent positioning. Works well with Lemoine. Dribbling is fine though not good and his passing is well worth using. He might not be the tallest but he wins headers and gets in the way well, he's better for me than Morel was and he's blue, not much more you'd want in a full back. (8.3/10)

Meunier - 21k - Slow but strong and tall, aggressive and a hard worker on the pitch. Decent cross, dribbling feels clunky though he is able to beat a man and keep going, whereas I prefer passing when I beat a man with Kurzawa. He's very good in the air, though he's very tall, but his work rates mean sometimes he's struggling to get back. (7.9/10)

Destorme - 12k - Slow but funny, gets forward a little too much and isn't the best on the ball but he's fine to pass or unleash a monster long or finesse shot. Defending is average, strength and height makes up for it but he can't really tackle and is run into rather than takes the ball. He's fun to use but only because it feels your controlling a tall wall who sometimes has legs, for chemistry purposes he has to stay but he does play his part especially when you decide to shoot from distance. (7/10)

Lemoine - 13k - Amazing passer, good defender, can't shoot, is a little small. Really helps my team out though and keeps it defensively tight on that side. Not much you can say about him apart from being brilliant when using his positive attributes, I really can't complain about much because he does a great defensive job and that's what he's there for! (8.9/10)

Fajr - 6k - Great all round but could do with a little more pace in this position, neat dribbler and good passer. Decent shot too. Reminds me a bit of Sneijder without the weakfoot. Good freekick and corner and in general is the classy player in this team. His vision might not be high but he makes most passes and without him I'd never get Habibou and Delort through on goal. (8.7/10)

Habibou - 13k - Short passing absolutely fine, through balls not so good but all round he's decent. Great shot, especially with the outside of the foot and wins a fair share of 50/50 balls. Does a decent job for me and scores freely. Fine as my CAM which is strange as he has a very low passing stat but he's a willing participant and gets into the box late at the right time. In the air he's pretty good but he's no Aduriz so I wouldn't aim at him too often. Without him goals might be tougher to get but as a player used for chemistry purposes he's surprised me a lot. (8.8/10)

Vanaken - 9k - My god he is slow, oh so slow. But he's funny with it and his dribbling is either amazing or shocking. He's huge but does get knocked off the ball (then again who doesn't), his shot is good but it takes an age to get off, but his passing is brilliant. He works hard....a little too hard as he gets knackered quickly but he's generally in the right place in both defence in attack. If he had 76 pace he'd be an incredible player. 66 leaves him a little too exposed when you need him to be supporting counter attacks. You need to find a formation that works for him because he's not going to light any fires in 4231. (7/10)

Delort - 15k - Excellent finisher but prefers the keeper to come out to him, poor in the air but good dribbling. More than enough pace and he makes awesome runs that I always end up not seeing till he's offside. First time shots are great fun, basically if the keeper moves and he shoots it's in, whether it's in the corner or flying past the keepers legs. He's a proper finisher and a decent poacher and while he's not the complete beast in front of goal you can be sure that he's going to finish more than he's going to miss. (8.5/10)

This is my fitness team, though it soon turned into the team I enjoyed using the most. Not because it plays better, it doesn't, but because certain players are very fun to use and make for enjoyable wins.

Mannone - 7k - Good keeper who could do with better positioning. He usually sweeps up through balls, he palms the ball well enough and he's good when saving low but he does get beaten from distance/corners and usually it's because he's not in the right place. Does a fine job though. (7/10)

Stones - 40k - Cost a bit but he's been worth it. He's strong enough on the ball, quick enough to keep up with most, well positioned and decent in the air. He's different from Turner and that's a help but when the balls at his feet you know you can always find a player and not worry too much about being pressed into a mistake. His tackling is also pretty decent but it's not quite as good as his partner Turner. (8/10)

Turner - 12k - Turner is brilliant and while he lacks some pace his positioning is brilliant, ground and slide tackling superb, strength excellent and heading rock solid. He is always catching up to the man through on goal and they very rarely are able to get through him even if they kick and run. From corners he scores freely and on defensive duties if he doesn't get to the ball he's usually putting the defender off. I really like him and feel comfortable with the lack of pace, a good partner for a quicker centreback like Stones. (8.7/10)

Coleman - 25k - I always wanted to use IF Coleman but his price was crazy, now he's cheaper I went for him and it's clear to see he is a gold player hidden in black. Good on the ball, excellent cross, brilliant tackle both on the ground and slide and with strong positioning in defence and attack. He's not brilliant in the air but if he does lose it his pace allows him to get back and make up for that inadequacy. He's a no brainer if you want an IF right back, he's a great player and definitely better than the man he replaced, Janmaat. (8.7/10)

Cresswell - 16k - Watch out Cresswell is whipping around the pitch and you're not stopping him! This little man charges around like he wants to be part of everything and he generally is. Good passer, good dribbler, very quick, strong cross, good timing in the challenge and generally always in the right place. He's not going to win your headers for you as he's a little dot but he certainly will try, plus he has 86 pace, that's pretty damn good when you need to cover errors. (8.7/10)

Shelvey - 20k - He's a pretty good player everywhere on the pitch but he's let down by his 2* skills which is a real shame because he does everything else very well. He's strong, he can tackle, he passes superbly, he stays in the right position and he can dribble well. He's tall and this makes up for his ability to not defend but in my mind he's fine defending and never really causes me a problem. He also wins headers and is a good set piece taker. (8.7/10)

Hendrick - 7k - He's similar to Shelvey but with a little less class all round, plus he seems to love coming forward and playing as a winger. Strong enough on the ball, quick enough to reach a pass, he's good in the air and does a decent defensive job but it is obvious that he's not the greatest player and can feel a little cumbersome when you need him to be solid. There's nothing really wrong with him though and he's a jack of all trades. (7.5/10)

Bryson - 20k - I had his IF but I swapped to this 2IF because I enjoyed using him so much, is there an improvement? Perhaps a little. His passing feels sharper, it was always sharp, his crossing is good, his positioning seems improved (not that that stat changes) and his shooting is definitely better but all in all he's a player who helps everywhere rather than worrying about staying still. That's a real positive because he's quite quick which means he can get forward and back, and actually in defence he's very useful indeed because he can tackle and can also win headers. He arrives late into the box and he supports my play well, a really good player. (8.7/10)

McCormack - 37k - Decent passer, excellent finisher and with good attacking positioning. His crossing is decent enough though not fantastic but his desire to get forward is a real help when you find Rhodes in the very middle. As an attacking player he's very useful, plus he has a great long shot but he's not going to help much in defence and why should he! He's a striker who can pass and dribble and I find that useful as the wider CAM in 4231. (8/10)

Sordell - 12k - I though he'd be like Habibou but he feels much less like a CAM even with a slightly improved passing stat. His passing is very average, perhaps even poor, his pace doesn't feel that quick and his dribbling is average indeed, plus his crossing isn't the best. I think he'd make a better striker and so he doesn't quite fit the CAM role but he does a decent enough job for me and with Bryson and Shelvey covering his lack of passing, and Rhodes being strong on the ball he is able to find his way onto goal and grab some final move finishes. His finishing is good but nothing spectacular. (7.3/10)

Rhodes - 20k - He might be on the slow side but he's strong enough to make an extra yard count and his shooting is devastating. From distance he scores scorchers, up close he's neat and the 4* weak foot makes him fairly deadly on either side. In the air he could be better but he's still very good when you cross to him and he's well worth chucking a cross at. He also has the 'beat the offside trap' trait which means he does act like a striker when you need him to. He doesn't make Delort type runs but he's always available to pass to and it means he's going to make something happen. His two biggest downfalls are dribbling, which is a little upright but you can use his strength to shield the ball, and his passing which really needs to be kept short or not at all! However if you play to his strengths he's going to score you a massive amount. When I started using him it took 7 games to get his first, now at 20 games he has 25 goals, I got used to him and it's been a rewarding style change. (8.5/10)

As yet I haven't checked for written errors, I'll do that later, it took me a while to write and I have other things to do! When this message disappears you know I've done my homework ;)

Too Much Fun

Someone suggested trying out Berbatov as centre forward and I decided to make an IF team around his skillful feet. The result has been an enthralling game of enjoyment, low expectation and brilliant team goals, oh, lots of rage quitting too. (not from me)

Carrasso - 10k - Decent enough keeper even if he isn't that tall. Good handing and distribution, seems to be well positioned and palms the ball away from attackers but from distance he is vulnerable and the ball does sail over his head every now and again. He's not that quick but he is quick enough to get to the feet of the attacker, slightly better than 2IF Costil but not by much. (8/10)

Nkoulou - 17k - Bargain for a pacey decent defender who will keep you in games as well as frustrate your opposition. It's difficult to criticise a 78 pace defender especially one who can tackle but his lack of height can be a problem when someone spams crosses. Fortunately there is pace/strength either side and it means crosses aren't that easy to get in. When the ball flies over his head Nkoulou is quick enough to get back and while he's no strong man he's strong enough and agile enough to get in front of his man and make a last ditch tackle. Standing tackle is better than his sliding tackle but I don't slide tackle all that often; feel free to pass with him, he'll get you out of sticky situations. (8.5/10)

Koscielny - 38k - A true defensive monster who only struggles when someone spams crosses, though he doesn't struggle too much. Extremely quick, great work rates, good standing and sliding tackle I can't say much about Koscielny apart from being a brilliant defender who everyone should try. One of the best defenders I've used. (9/10)

Bedimo - 16k - A monster of a defender he is the best Ligue 1 left back by a distance. I'll keep this brief, there's not much to mention! Great pace, very strong, brilliant in the tackle, good cross, willingness to get forward and a desire to get back, good in the air, horrible to play against. He is aggressive to the point of being angry and he makes crossing extremely difficult. People go down Coleman's side instead but unfortunately for them that just leaves them open for the Walcott counter attack. (9/10)

Coleman - 11k - Brilliant defender who only lacks height and a little bit of strength. He seems to be in the right place at the right time, has a good standing and slide tackle, brilliant dribbling and a very good pass. He allows Walcott to get away on the counter but also allows me to counter with my full back because he always seems to be in the right place in attack as well as defence. All in all I really like him but he's part of my team efforts rather than being like Bedimo the a monster defender, he's also makes up for Walcott's M/M workrates. Strong crosser too and he can hit a ball even if I rarely shoot with defenders. (8.5/10)

Ayew - 13k - Great cross, good pass, good positioning and a desire to get forward when the ball runs free. I'm a huge fan of his because he just seems to make the team tick on the left hand side. He is more than quick enough, his dribbling is good but his real asset is his strength and he will push his way past most defenders and leave them crying in a poor of AI rage. He's a truly useful player with some really great abilities, with 4* skills (he only has 3*) he'd be one of my favourite players in the game but as it is when things get oppressive you'll just have to 1-2 with him instead, he will definitely get past his man. Oh his finishing is very good too. (9/10)

Walcott - 62k - I hate his NIF and I don't think his IF is all that however he does have one stat which makes him extremely useful, pace. I am not pace abuser but I find his wide pace a real plus in this team and gives me some great counter attacking efforts. His crossing is very good but his short passing is average, his long passing I find poor. He is a pretty decent dribbler and his agility lets him beat his man with ease but I prefer to 1-2 with him and release that pace. His first touch is decent enough but I do find his lack of attacking workrate a bit frustrating especially when Ramsey gets back to defend, however he can always rely on the overlapping Coleman while he stands in midfield. Actually his midfield attitude isn't that bad as it gives him some defensive use. (8/10)

Ramsey - 30k - A great midfielder who has found the perfect role for his abilities. Great passer, good dribbling and shot, excellent positioning and very decent defending. He really puts pressure on the opposition and helps this team a lot in both attack and defence. I don't know what else to put about him because he's fantastic. He's not all that strong but he's not weak in any way, his one touch passing is excellent and his neat turning lets him find good passes to wider players, if he had 4* skills I'd be delighted but as it is I'll just use that brilliant passing to it's fullest. (8.9/10)

Moutinho - 39k - One of my favourite NIF players has become one of my favourite IF players. Defensively pretty perfect, in attack he's magnificent, his passing is brilliant, shooting good, and desire to be everywhere, and I mean everywhere, unparalleled. He breaks up most attacks, even with his small frame, but don't let that height fool you, he's getting the ball off the strongest players and he simply doesn't care for stature. Even Toure feels his wrath. He's a 'beast'. If he was 6 foot he'd be the best midfielder in the game, but as it is you just have to use him, watch him get underestimated and then decimate the opposition. Just quickly his tackling is superb in every way, he will strip the ball from the opposition or die trying, his long shots testing and his long passing as good as his short. (9/5/10)

Berbatov - 11k - He goes nowhere but he's always ready to attack. His dribbling is incredible, his long shots and finishing spectacular, volleying good fun, passing strong and heading abusive. Okay he doesn't get forward a massive amount but he's in the right place to get involved and puts through anybody making a run. He seems to arrive late into the box as well as chilling on the edge of the area expecting the ball, the 4*skills come off with ease and he's extremely strong both on the ball and when making challengers. He can shoot, pass, dribble, knock down the opposition and generally make your attack tick. Definitely worth buying because he's cheap as chips and twice as healthy. (8.9/10)

Gignac - 18k - Finally a strong Ligue 1 striker who can make the opposition panic. I don't cross all that much but this man mountain is going to trouble even the strongest defenders, and if he doesn't Berbatov will. His dribbling is good for a big man, and he is able to hold off enough even the most aggressive AI tactics, his short passing is better than average but he doesn't have the best vision in his respect. His finishing is very good both close and from medium distance but his desire to get forward seems pretty useful especially as he has M/M workrates. So far all the TOTS players I've used have been a significant improvement over the NIF's and Gignac is no different. If you like the NIF then you'll enjoy the improved dribbling, it really does make a difference, and with more precise finishing with better heading you'll get yourself a decent amount of goals. He could be better with a H/M workrate but in reality I can't complain, he seems to be in the right place at the right time and that's pretty important to my passing play. A bargain for a TOTS player and one everyone should consider. (8.7/10)