Here is where Fifa 2003 falls like a castle of cards. 5 examples in a 4 min match. Deportivo-Juventus. I was Juventus, on World Class, Champions League.
I would like to post my 5 replays of this, but as I don't know how to do it, I write down what happens. I play with a 4-1-2-1-2 formation

#1. Nedved receives at midfield, and just runs straight line towards goal. I get catched up, and by moving a few degrees I get rid of the attacker. Left side is completely free. Del Piero is behind me. It was he, who gave me the pass, and his marker is WITH HIM behind me. I blast on. As the attacker from before catches up with me for the SECOND time, I loose him for the second time, the same way. The defender on my right never even tryes to intercept me, as he thinks his m8 will bring me down ... penalty spot, kick, goal. 1 run from midfield!!!

#2. I get a long vertical pass from Tacchinardi. Receive with Nedved some 10 m outside the box. Again Del Piero and Trezeguet free my way from defenders ... alone before the keeper

#3. Deportivo does something ... really don't know what, but I don't have anybody back in my defense ... o-O? What the HELL? Where's my defense? I see Ferrara on the bottom of my screen ... appearently chatting with Thuram on how little work there is for them today, and having a smoke ... and signing autographs ... Same thing with Montero at midfield with Tacchinardi ... and Pessotto all the way up left ... o-O I realize the weather is fine guys ... but that's not what I pay you for!!! And what does mr smartass Deportivo? He doesn't run straight to goal .. nooo ... he plays it out the flanks where my men can take it from his m8 ... DUH! 2 screamers in 1 action ... abit much don't you think?

#4. This time I made a fine team movement ... Del Piero verticalizes again past Nedved for Trezeguet, who sprints 45 degrees up left, closely marked. I turn in, 90 degrees, and head towards goal, and of course score. OK, what's wrong here? Nedved .. he was standing on the edge of the box all the time I was jostling with my attacker, and that without anyone marking him ... totally free ...

#5. Apparently the same thing as the first goal. But this time I receive from Davids. OK ... I run with Nedved down the middle (usual scheme). NOBEDY attacks me. I send Del Piero and Trezeguet forward ... they take their attackers with them, like were they going hand in hand for a sunday picknick! Again, nobody tryes to stop me, and I blast it in ...

Of course then Deportivo scores in the last seconds of the game ... just the dot on the I !!!! Making the whole frustrating like hell ... I earn my wins, and deserve when I loose, but I don't deserve ending each time with a 2-1 at the 87th. It can't be possile, that whatever you do, no matter how much you pay attention, the computer ****s you each time!
Another Issue, which demands a certain attention, is the fact, that Cafù, Serginho, Henry, Owen, Eriberto and such folks can be catched up by people like Montero ... that sux. All those things totally ruin the game. That is what HAS to be improved, and HAS to be corrected in Fifa 2004 ... to get the BASICS of realism. Not talking about tweaking it, and making it eyecandy, or whatever. This is FORMULA. get it right ... or get the consequence ...

Exactly what 'consequence' are you talking about? Gamers have made empty threats to EA for years and they know that you will probably get taken in by the graphics and player models again next year. They don't listen because their sales figures suggest they don't have to. My advice to you is to judge FIFA 2004 fairly when it comes out, and if it disappoints you, look for another football game. You are a consumer, not a fan. You should be looking for the best deal rather than thinking of the old days when FIFA was a good/decent game. I hope i didn't sound rude. I'm just giving you honest advice.

This post gave me a headache, but I nearly died from this.

This is FORMULA. get it right ... or get the consequence ...

...classic

ok ... sorry for the headache, It was meant for the EA guys ... not for you. Btw ... what gave you headache exactly? What have I said wrong? I just stated what I think is wrong today, and what needs improvement next year ...
And I know I am the consumer, we all are. I just tryed to pinpoint the bad, what consequense? Well ... use your immagination ... what consequense could I be talking about? Those are the things not only I have been complaining about, but the whole comunity ... if they aren't ironed out, nobody will buy the game ... heh! THAT'S the consequene! They have 3-4 month before releasing some kind of demo ... time enough to think about how much they fixed those things in their game.

Btw ... B, empty thread? :o Why? What threads aren't empty then? Do you think I should just let it be? Do you think I shouldn't complain? Or that I shouldn't try to warn them? How the hell do you expect them to improve if they don't get feedback? As a matter of fact, their buyers, their customers, the end-users, are growing up, as some clever guy pointed out in another post, and we don't get all fuzzy, and don't wet ourselves anymore just because of the graphics, so NO they won't take us ... dunno about you. And if their sales curves don't show this ... they WILL soon

just to prove I'm not alone thinking it this way ... quote from Hans

You can`t expect people like me to praise the title when they fail to bring the total realism like they said it would be. I demand a decent game as a customer, a playable one, not a watchable one. And pre-released times like this is a good time to tell them what do we really want and what critics do we have so they can improve the freakin` game.

Originally posted by Goldfish
Btw ... B, empty thread? :o Why? What threads aren't empty then? Do you think I should just let it be? Do you think I shouldn't complain? Or that I shouldn't try to warn them? How the hell do you expect them to improve if they don't get feedback? As a matter of fact, their buyers, their customers, the end-users, are growing up, as some clever guy pointed out in another post, and we don't get all fuzzy, and don't wet ourselves anymore just because of the graphics, so NO they won't take us ... dunno about you. And if their sales curves don't show this ... they WILL soon
I call it an empty threat because I see this every year - "EA, get it right or else.". And every year, FIFA's sales figures rise because people buy the game in spite of the flaws, and then spend another year threatening EA. I'm not saying you're wrong in warning them, but EA have received millions of such warnings in the past. The only time they will listen is when their profits fall - it's the same for every company, even Konami. I stopped playing FIFA in 2001 and bought my first copy of ISS Pro Evolution 2 and haven't looked back since - why? Because I'm getting value for my money in the area that matters - gameplay. In todays market, you have more options than ever before. Three years ago it was either FIFA, ISS(KCO) or ISS(KCET). Now you have many more options. You have This is Football, the upcoming Club Football, ISS(KCO) and the PES series. Any one of these games offers better gameplay than FIFA, and the graphics are very good. Just take a look at screenshots of any of these games.

If you are unhappy with FIFA, the strongest message you can send them is to buy the competitor's titles. At the end of the year, rent a copy of each of these games and try them out with an open mind. Then buy the one you like best. If you feel EA fulfilled their promises and actually listened to the community, good for you. I hope FIFA does start challenging PES for the title of the best game, just to keep Konami on their toes. However, I wouldn't get my hopes up just yet. EA has let gamers down every year.

And about the consequence - do you seriously believe that people will care if FIFA 2004 is not that great, nobody will buy it? Truth is, sales figures will still skyrocket because people are gullible enough to fall for the cool ads, the fantastic intros and the realistic graphics. While one generation of FIFA fans is starting to grow up, another generation is only just being introduced to it. FIFA is a great game for young kids - I can't imagine a 7 year old playing PES, but I can see him playing FIFA because the gameplay is simple and easy to pick up. People will continue to buy FIFA because FIFA looks good and has world class players on the cover each year, whereas PES has a computer-generated torso.

in my country many 7 years old kids play we6...thats for sure

Did you use any gameplay patches?

Originally posted by Ian84
in my country many 7 years old kids play we6...thats for sure
My bad - I didn't want to insult FIFA too much by using 3 year old kids :D:p

And no wat3rf0x, I didn't use any gameplay patches because I'm a PS2 gamer.

B ... What you say makes perfect sense. But I think the grown ups will fall away more and more, so EA won't be relying on that part of the comunity anymore, if they don't get it right. As many others, I don't intend spending my money on Fifa 2004 if it isn't worth them. I have hope and faith in it being good ... but at the same time I say, that if it isn't, I won't buy it .. as many others won't. Naturally I'm talking of advanced players, who don't think of all those fancy things you mentioned. I am sorry to disappoint you, but as I don't have a PS 2, I cannot play those games you pointed out, though I would love to. I also tryed emulated games, but I had too many problems making them work. And no ... I don't have any friends with ps 2 and those games.

same here