Team Ratings don't seem to matter

[buziii]

I'm playing a career with Portsmouth in League 2, so my team ratings start at 61/62/60. I'm new to this game and to soccer in general, so I'm not very good and play at Semi-Pro.

I'm noticing that it doesn't seem to matter how highly rated my opponent is. Most games are very close whether I'm playing the worst teams in FL2 or if I'm playing Chelsea in an FA Cup game. In fact, I recently beat Chelsea, but have lost to bottom teams in the FL2.

Have others experienced this, or is it just at the level I'm playing (Semi-Pro).

[fearwhatnow]

Even Pro difficulty is very easy (at least for some experienced players) .You should try Pro for a bigger challenge.

[wordtobigbird]

It's mostly because of the low difficulty. Ratings do matter. When you face those elite players you will be able to tell. I can at least. Some teams are small and fast, some are big and slow. Some are all around wack. Some are STACKED. Ratings mean a lot in this game to me.

[mebby]

Ratings definitely matter. I agree with what everyone else has said. Up the difficulty and once you get used to it (don't judge by your first handful of games because there is a learning curve) you'll start to notice a difference.

[Hutton]

Quote: Originally Posted by buziii

I'm playing a career with Portsmouth in League 2, so my team ratings start at 61/62/60. I'm new to this game and to soccer in general, so I'm not very good and play at Semi-Pro. I'm noticing that it doesn't seem to matter how highly rated my opponent is. Most games are very close whether I'm playing the worst teams in FL2 or if I'm playing Chelsea in an FA Cup game. In fact, I recently beat Chelsea, but have lost to bottom teams in the FL2. Have others experienced this, or is it just at the level I'm playing (Semi-Pro).

Honestly this is a lot like real football. A lower league club will make a nice cup run and bring down a EPL team, but lingers in mid-table mediocrity in FL1/2.

This is life. This is football. The "best" team doesn't always win.

[kashik]

I believe the player ratings in this game don't really set the players apart all that well. There are players that are in fact beasts, but it seems the vast majority can play very similar. Also, due to how the game dynamically (and specifically for certain games) adjusts difficulty, players with very average or even below average stats can play like high rated players. I imagine you are experiencing this when you are playing against Chelsea. They may not be as quick as they should, their defence may leave big holes, or your players make great runs. When you are playing against lower rated teams, however, you are unlikely to get the same support. In fact, the support may sway to the opposite side and leave you wondering how you got the result you got.

If you up the set difficulty, the cpu will become harder but the adjustments to difficulty will still be there to try to keep things "exciting."

[buziii]

I appreciate all the responses. I'm enjoying the game at the current settings for now, because I almost always have close competitive matches. I play these sports games for the enjoyment, not necessarily to be the best I can be. As I find myself getting better and feel like the matches are not competitive, that is when I increase the difficulty to keep it fun and competitive.

It's not much fun when the AI are too dominant for my skill level and I can't even move the ball up the pitch.

[buziii]

I did try increasing the difficulty to Pro level. I noticed a big difference for me, and there does seem to be more difference between a highly rated team and a lower rated team.

I was totally dominated by Tottenham in the FA Cup. They dominated possession and I could hardly move the ball to the other end without it being stolen. If I did, I was in such a hurry to get rid of it before being tackled that I never got anything going.

I'm keeping it at Pro, but I turned down the speed and marking ability of the CPU a bit and I think I'm finding a happy medium for now, until I get better. I don't really have a plan when playing offense, partially because I don't know soccer well. I just try to pass it around a bit, and try to hit through balls into the box before being tackled and run to them.