First off I think that Ahmed pretty much nailed it. Obviously the career mode needs to be longer and I have absolutely no doubt that it will be. I do think Career Mode needs to be modeled after Madden (ie. the training, stadium builder, owner mode where you determine ticket prices, food prices, sell jerseys, gain sponsorships, TV deals, and also a budget to spend on promotion for your team.) Definitely we need to have to work out player contracts using real money, no point system.
I was also very concerned last year about how realistic Career mode would be as far as the top teams (Man U, Arsenal, Milan, Real, etc) staying near or at the top. It seems every time a game comes with a career mode, for the first year they have this problem. I fully expect this to be fixed this year.
As far as Ahmed was saying about the players ego/ media thing. I haven't seen too many other people talking about this, but I think it is a perfect idea, and actually is being implemented this year in Madden 2005. Madden is going to have a system where you can actually read the local papers and see what the media is saying and what your players are saying in the papers. Also, they are having EA Radio in the game, where there is a simulated radio show that talks about your team and how they played that week and what to expect the next week. Also, in Madden, the players are going to send you emails voicing their concerns about playing time, other players, the gameplans, etc. This intertwines with their morale, you have to manage their ego. If a player is upset he will not play well and you can either decide to play him more or ship him off to another team. Some players will come out and ask to be traded. You also get emails from the training staff about injuries and the owners or general managers about what kind of job they think you are doing on the pitch. This is all really cool stuff that could be great in FIFA.
Also, I would like to see dynamic weather that changes with the seasons (players wear long sleeves, possibly snow, and you can see the players breath when it is cold), and players being called up to the National Team and leaving your squad.
I would like to see a youth system too. In fact I think it is a must to increase the long term playability of the game. I would like to be able to create your own prospects like in other games, but you would still have to put in a bid to get them on your squad, they would not automatically come play for you. The better prospect you create, the more teams will want him and you will have to pay more to get him.
As far as bringing players along and them improving, we should have a practice or training mode like Madden where you actually choose a player and do certain drills with them, the better you do the drill the higher they increase. But of course, players also naturally progress or degress every year, which is determined by a potential rating as well as how much or how well they performed that season.
Also, I want to be able to sign players from around the world (ie Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Japan, etc.), and we need to be able to edit the players a bit. It doesn't have to be a full-on Creation Centre (although that would be cool!), but I would at least like to be able to choose a player's number and pick my captain (which could also improve their morale).
I also agree with real boots being in the game, a la NBA Live 2004. That is without a doubt one of the coolest things I have seen in a game.
Also, I want to be able to see results from all over Europe, not just the league I am playing in. And I think we need more stadiums of course. I would like to see double the number of stadiums we have now. And the cup finals should be played at neutral sites with a split crowd. Maybe you could allow the user to designate at the beginning of each season where the cup finals will be played that year. Or, if there is a stadium builder, allow us to create a megastadium to play the European cup finals in.
I know that this seems like a long list of things that will never happen or would be hard to implement, but there is not a single thing that I have mentioned that has not already been put in another EA game (Madden, NBA Live, etc). It is time that FIFA stepped it up another level.
Finally, I wanted to say that I just got Euro 2004 on Xbox and think the gameplay and menus are lightyears ahead of FIFA 2004. The menus must stay for FIFA and the gameplay is also great. Just fix the framerate issues (Xbox Euro NTSC) and add some creative and fantastic features to the Career Mode, and we will have ourselves one hell of a game!
Originally posted by AhmedK
I think we all agree that FIFA needs and in-depth career mode, combined with the amazing graphics and licenses, and the good gameplay, FIFA will jump over any other games.
- Age and retire should be added
Career mode is great, but it would be even better if you had to worry about replacing Figo and Zidane after a couple of season managing Real Madrid. Of course managers should have the options to try and make them stay longer, just like a transfer.
-Wages
We should be able to control the wages, or atleast control them sometimes, like when you want and old player to stay longer. There would be pros and cons, pro= you have figo or zidane longer. Cons= they are now being paid more, which some players may not like.
-more trouble
tired players, red card, and inuries were nice, but we need MORE. How about sick players? The players could go from bad(getting very tired in the game, to really sick(being out for a game or two). It sounds like an injury, but sickness would come like...well, sickness, unexpected. Also how about NT duties. Letting the player go means more practice and better morale, but you no longer have him(maybe even for a month if its a big tournament, the player would be tired, but he would be a lot better). If you don't let him go, you gave him , but you may face fines or the player getting mad at you. It wont be a problem with the youth and reserve players, but once the big guys want to go to the NT...thats when the fun starts
-Players should have minds of their own
It would be great if you could get into fights with players. Players would want to leave. or tell you that he is not happy at the club or something like that. We should be able to deal with their egos, a player with a big ego will not want to be left out of the starting line-up for one match.
-media
lets us talk to the media, and more ways to earn money, the weekly prestige was kind of lame, we need more ways to gain and lose money.
-INMODE practice
We should be able to have a practice mode inside the career mode. Time and time again i want to practice a new formation or practice putting a new player in a certain position, but i am stuck having to practice during a a game.
-Time should not stand still
I want to see changes in the weather, in what the players wear, in how fresh everyone is, and even if they get sick or not.
that's how I feel about that