I just purchased the PC version of UEFA Challenge and agree that it is an enjoyable game with much more realism than FIFA. However, I think it could be much better if certain things were changed.
I noticed that the ball physics and overall feel of the game is a bit 'floaty'. The ball just doesn't seem to have enough weight or roll enough on the ground. This is especially evident with the lob pass; the initial trajectory of the lob seems to be too high, and the ball floats too slowly to the target player.
One of the most impressive examples of accurate ball physics that could be used as a model is Virtua Striker 2 on the Dreamcast. The openness of play that already exists in UC combined with better ball physics would make a much more enjoyable gaming experience.
I did not notice any way to put aftertouch on shots, passes, crosses, or free kicks. This would be an excellent feature to add to the game. It would be great to be able to control the amount and direction of curve, backspin, or topspin on the ball while keeping it at a realistic level.
I would also make control of ball placement more precise (e.g. placement of headers, choosing which sector of the goal to shoot on, which area of the box to cross to, etc.) while keeping it difficult to master.
Reaction time also needs to be improved. One-touch play and clearances are a bit difficult because of the delay in reaction.
Collision detection could also use some work. It is sometimes difficult to get in front of attackers while defending and hold your ground or block a shot (it seems that the attackers literally go through you)Players should run into each other more and be more physical. Players are able to tackle the ball cleanly a bit too easily. I would like to see the addition of more body contact (grappling, shoulder charging,etc.) to win balls rather than outright tackles. Shielding would also be an excellent feature to add in order to minimize the effectiveness of foot-in tackles from behind. Another colision detection problem I noticed is that it is sometimes difficult to latch on to a loose ball (it takes too long for the ball to come into the players sphere of control).
Additionally, the defensive AI seems to leave too many spaces uncovered; lone strikers seem to be able to break into the box too easily. It should be more difficult to break into the box and get shots off.
The offensive AI could be enhanced by adding more support from players,having them make more runs and improving follow up on rebounded shots.
As for skill moves, many good suggestions have already been made in one of the previous posts. I would add to those the ability to perform dummies.
I'm not sure if these suggestions could be implemented in a patch or if it would be something to consider for future versions.
[ 05-19-2001: Message edited by: beavis ]
I noticed that the ball physics and overall feel of the game is a bit 'floaty'. The ball just doesn't seem to have enough weight or roll enough on the ground. This is especially evident with the lob pass; the initial trajectory of the lob seems to be too high, and the ball floats too slowly to the target player.
One of the most impressive examples of accurate ball physics that could be used as a model is Virtua Striker 2 on the Dreamcast. The openness of play that already exists in UC combined with better ball physics would make a much more enjoyable gaming experience.
I did not notice any way to put aftertouch on shots, passes, crosses, or free kicks. This would be an excellent feature to add to the game. It would be great to be able to control the amount and direction of curve, backspin, or topspin on the ball while keeping it at a realistic level.
I would also make control of ball placement more precise (e.g. placement of headers, choosing which sector of the goal to shoot on, which area of the box to cross to, etc.) while keeping it difficult to master.
Reaction time also needs to be improved. One-touch play and clearances are a bit difficult because of the delay in reaction.
Collision detection could also use some work. It is sometimes difficult to get in front of attackers while defending and hold your ground or block a shot (it seems that the attackers literally go through you)Players should run into each other more and be more physical. Players are able to tackle the ball cleanly a bit too easily. I would like to see the addition of more body contact (grappling, shoulder charging,etc.) to win balls rather than outright tackles. Shielding would also be an excellent feature to add in order to minimize the effectiveness of foot-in tackles from behind. Another colision detection problem I noticed is that it is sometimes difficult to latch on to a loose ball (it takes too long for the ball to come into the players sphere of control).
Additionally, the defensive AI seems to leave too many spaces uncovered; lone strikers seem to be able to break into the box too easily. It should be more difficult to break into the box and get shots off.
The offensive AI could be enhanced by adding more support from players,having them make more runs and improving follow up on rebounded shots.
As for skill moves, many good suggestions have already been made in one of the previous posts. I would add to those the ability to perform dummies.
I'm not sure if these suggestions could be implemented in a patch or if it would be something to consider for future versions.
[ 05-19-2001: Message edited by: beavis ]