(Bear with me please - this might get a bit long!) 
I know this might be a bit far-fetched and a bit late for FIFA 2003 but what do you people (i'm talking to you too, EA Sports!) think about a career mode in FIFA?
Just think about it - no matter how much they (you, EA Sports!) improve the graphics, animations, stadiums, physics, game play and AI (although those last two are of critical importance), you can NEVER experience what it is to be a professional football player if you always control the whole team.
Now think about a game where you can start as a up 'n coming hot young prospect (this would entail a Creation Centre, EA Sports! - preferrably with a face editor so you can import your own faces like NBA Live) and get offered a trial by a regional club. There you develop ur skills, which would be a dynamic rating system like in Total Club Manager 2003. (This is where a training mode would be ideal).
As you improve your various skills according to your playing position, you cement a position in the starting line up. Then as you accrue man-of-the-match performances one after another, you get noticed by a second-division club in need of a consistent performer to help it gain promotion to the Premier Division. You're given a your first substantial contract and further improve your skills thru better training techniques. You get called up for your first international duty in a few friendlies.
The season ends and your club gets promoted to the top flight. Half-way thru the next season and your club is struggling for survival. You again get called up for international duty in a few World Cup qualifiers, where you pick up an injury, sidelining you for a few weeks.
Your form is sporadic at first after you come back, but you start to consistently improve towards the business end of the season and eventually help your team to a mid-table finish. Your country also qualifies for the World Cup.
Your market value skyrockets along with your reputation and soon you field offers from some of Europe's powerhouses. You eventually agree to terms with a premier club in one of Europe's top leagues. Here you improve further as you train harder, but it is hard to crack a spot on the starting line-up. Eventually you are given a chance and even get to play a few games in Europe.
Your team, however, is knocked out of the Champions League in a tense quarter final, but you play a vital role in securing your team's domestic league title.
In the World Cup, your country puts up a heroic performance, but gets knocked out in the knock-out stages. You do, however, provide one of the tournament's highlights by scoring a memorable solo goal.
End of a long and arduous season - but next year's another story.
Well, as for the ending - that's entirely up to you! You could be a club stalwart, a cashed-up nomad, a 100-game national hero, or your career could be prematurely ended by a crippling injury which would leave you drunk and broke by the side of a road.
Maybe not that dramatic...
Seriously, wouldn't that be a cool idea for a new game mode - or even an entirely new game?? I've only ever once read anyone refer to having a career mode in FIFA. Isn't this the TRUE experience of the game?
Sure, it's not viable to just control one player in a 11-player game - but i'm sure someone will think of something (again, EA Sports - come on!) If there is a will, there is a way!! NBA Live has a feature where you can lock onto one player (i dunno why they won't do a career mode there), but then again it's easier with a 5-on-5 ball game. But that could be a good starting point.
Lastly, the benefits of such a type of game would be many. Namely, with the game being more player-centric the camera would be more centralised to that particular player (with possibly a second view to show where the ball is) this would be a great chance to show off all those new graphical advancements, rather than the static full stadium-view. What's more, you can select your own celebrations once you score a goal, like in NHL.
Please post all opinions and suggestions you may have. I've done my job in getting the ball rolling, now it's up to you guys. (YOU TOO, EA SPORTS!!)
p.s. i got this idea after i read about a new game called 'Pro Race Driver' by Codemasters (for all those racing fans out there). They call it a 'CarPG' and it does look and sound damn good. If you're like me and like sports games with a difference, go check it out.
CYA L8R,
i.like.jam
C:\Documents and Settings\trung\My Documents\Axialis Librarian\Icons\- Edit -\i.like.jam [flat].jpg
I know this might be a bit far-fetched and a bit late for FIFA 2003 but what do you people (i'm talking to you too, EA Sports!) think about a career mode in FIFA?
Just think about it - no matter how much they (you, EA Sports!) improve the graphics, animations, stadiums, physics, game play and AI (although those last two are of critical importance), you can NEVER experience what it is to be a professional football player if you always control the whole team.
Now think about a game where you can start as a up 'n coming hot young prospect (this would entail a Creation Centre, EA Sports! - preferrably with a face editor so you can import your own faces like NBA Live) and get offered a trial by a regional club. There you develop ur skills, which would be a dynamic rating system like in Total Club Manager 2003. (This is where a training mode would be ideal).
As you improve your various skills according to your playing position, you cement a position in the starting line up. Then as you accrue man-of-the-match performances one after another, you get noticed by a second-division club in need of a consistent performer to help it gain promotion to the Premier Division. You're given a your first substantial contract and further improve your skills thru better training techniques. You get called up for your first international duty in a few friendlies.
The season ends and your club gets promoted to the top flight. Half-way thru the next season and your club is struggling for survival. You again get called up for international duty in a few World Cup qualifiers, where you pick up an injury, sidelining you for a few weeks.
Your form is sporadic at first after you come back, but you start to consistently improve towards the business end of the season and eventually help your team to a mid-table finish. Your country also qualifies for the World Cup.
Your market value skyrockets along with your reputation and soon you field offers from some of Europe's powerhouses. You eventually agree to terms with a premier club in one of Europe's top leagues. Here you improve further as you train harder, but it is hard to crack a spot on the starting line-up. Eventually you are given a chance and even get to play a few games in Europe.
Your team, however, is knocked out of the Champions League in a tense quarter final, but you play a vital role in securing your team's domestic league title.
In the World Cup, your country puts up a heroic performance, but gets knocked out in the knock-out stages. You do, however, provide one of the tournament's highlights by scoring a memorable solo goal.
End of a long and arduous season - but next year's another story.
Well, as for the ending - that's entirely up to you! You could be a club stalwart, a cashed-up nomad, a 100-game national hero, or your career could be prematurely ended by a crippling injury which would leave you drunk and broke by the side of a road.
Maybe not that dramatic...
Seriously, wouldn't that be a cool idea for a new game mode - or even an entirely new game?? I've only ever once read anyone refer to having a career mode in FIFA. Isn't this the TRUE experience of the game?
Sure, it's not viable to just control one player in a 11-player game - but i'm sure someone will think of something (again, EA Sports - come on!) If there is a will, there is a way!! NBA Live has a feature where you can lock onto one player (i dunno why they won't do a career mode there), but then again it's easier with a 5-on-5 ball game. But that could be a good starting point.
Lastly, the benefits of such a type of game would be many. Namely, with the game being more player-centric the camera would be more centralised to that particular player (with possibly a second view to show where the ball is) this would be a great chance to show off all those new graphical advancements, rather than the static full stadium-view. What's more, you can select your own celebrations once you score a goal, like in NHL.
Please post all opinions and suggestions you may have. I've done my job in getting the ball rolling, now it's up to you guys. (YOU TOO, EA SPORTS!!)
p.s. i got this idea after i read about a new game called 'Pro Race Driver' by Codemasters (for all those racing fans out there). They call it a 'CarPG' and it does look and sound damn good. If you're like me and like sports games with a difference, go check it out.
CYA L8R,
i.like.jam
C:\Documents and Settings\trung\My Documents\Axialis Librarian\Icons\- Edit -\i.like.jam [flat].jpg
