How FIFA 15's Pro Clubs Mode Gets Online Team Play Right

[RaychelSnr]

When I play Pro Clubs in FIFA 15, I’m reminded of how frustrating, short-sighted and unacceptable the omission of EA Sports Hockey League is in NHL 15. While the narrative of NHL 15’s launch became about what modes weren’t in, I think the more understated point was a loss of a way to play. It was an affront to how users have started to build teams and community around sports brands. Online franchise modes and team play helps players invest in long-term commitments to a game, and they participate in these ecosystems even despite some microtransactions, server outages and player exploits. The ability to share an experience — triumph or defeat — becomes something powerful when each team member is investing in learning a position and contributing in their own way.

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[bballshawn24]

did you mean got instead of get in your title? good article btw

[killer miller31]

I totally agree i love pro clubs! Wish i could find a permanent group to run with. Great read!

[speedtrucker]

love pro clubs. it is basically all that my buddies and I play in FIFA 15. we've evolved into a CF, a Striker, a Winger, a CAM and me switching between CM/CAM/CDM depending on the flow of the game.

we love it but get annoyed with the cheese of 1 player sprinting across the field at a diagonal to pull the D out of shape because he is 92 sprint already.

that being said there is much less junk gameplay thank to the D being tweaked.

once todays patch gives us the ability to call the goalie out, I will be much happier. the most frustrating thing has been watching the keeper start to come out and then retreat only to watch the Defenders also clear out giving the attacker the ability to take his time on a shot. give up a PK if you must but don't just have everyone back away from the man with the ball.

[Semipro91]

Pro Clubs is the single best sports game mode I have ever been apart of. Can you imagine if 2K did this for NBA? I mean if there is one sport that this would translate the best, its got to be basketball. I agree with Tucker, being able to pull the goalie out will be one of the last pieces of the puzzle to making Fifa 15 amazing.

[wordtobigbird]

Good read. I agree that Pro Clubs is the most fun I've had with a sports game in a long time. Online team play is definitely the next step in the evolution of sports gaming. It's catching up to the rest of gaming to tell you the truth. I know there are those "anti-online " players here but the gaming community as a whole has embraced online. FPSs, RPGs, RTSs. MOBAs, Racing, Fighting, pretty much all of the multiplayer genres. Whether it be co-op or competitive, being able to player with other people online is the backbone of these games. The most popular games? The games where you can play as a team against other teams. Of course we would love to do this in a sports game where its ALL about individuals coming together as a team.

The article mentioned the CPU AI being improved which reminded me why gaming turned toward online multiplayer. AI technology has only gone so far. No genre has been able to develop AI that will provide a more engaging experience than playing with or against another person. FPS developers realized this and switched their focus a long time ago. Of course, there are still single player campaigns and some games that are only single player. But think about what makes those games. It's usually the story telling and immersion the developers can create around the game. It's never the AI of the enemies. I never think while playing Batman, "I wish I had some sliders for these thugs. Their punch timing is unrealistic."

Sports gaming is the last of the genre thats relies almost solely on the AI. Racing games come to mind but Forza Horizon 2 and Driveclub are online multiplayer based now. They don't think you'll be spending most of your time playing against the CPU AI. In sports games it's all about the AI. The best sports games? The ones with the best AI. To make things worse, it's the hardest AI to build. Even with 2K there are still a ton of improvements to be made to the AI. We have sections full of threads complaining about the AI and those wont ever stop. Might as well develop modes like Pro Clubs and MyPark that follow other genre's move toward competitive multiplayer.

It's also the most SIM gaming experience there is. We throw that term a lot around here but what's more realistic than you controlling one player on a team with other humans? Just like real life you only have so much control over the game. You have to use teamwork, communication and personal skill/decision making when the ball does come near you. I love it.

[wordtobigbird]

Quote: Originally Posted by Semipro91

Pro Clubs is the single best sports game mode I have ever been apart of. Can you imagine if 2K did this for NBA? I mean if there is one sport that this would translate the best, its got to be basketball. I agree with Tucker, being able to pull the goalie out will be one of the last pieces of the puzzle to making Fifa 15 amazing.

Well 2K is on it's way with MyPark and the Jordan Rec Center. Once they take the streetball element out of it and allow users to create their own "MyProTeam?" .

Hopefully no one is shy about straight up copying FIFA. No reason not to. Just make sure your PLAY determines your upgrades. That's huge because like Madden's XP system would be horrible for Pro Clubs.

[Hollywood88]

Anyone know a good place to find a pro clubs team to play with.