the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

[Lions81]

I know a lot of factors are involved in a manual shot being successful but in almost a month of playing 2010 FIFA I still haven't found a consistent method to score long range goals. Now there have been some really sweet 25-30 yarders I wish were recorded but they are few and far between.

This is what I know: Use players with high long shot stats, don't sprint, face the goal, one source says to move the L stick down after powering up which adds top spin to the ball thus keeping it low (this is questionable in its own right). It also says to move the L stick left or right to add sidespin. OK I get that part but how does it apply to the foot the ball is shot with? Even more I read of people "aiming" for certain corners of the goal on long shots which I find astounding considering the slow progress I have made.

In fps games we have a crosshair used for aiming, what is our reference for the FIFA player... whatever is in the "middle" of the screen? Let me pose an example: I have the ball with Robben crossing midfield, since he is left footed I drift a little to the left and around 35 yards I prepare to fire. Conventional wisdom says to power up about one half then move the stick left to cause the ball to curve left......right? That should put the ball somewhere inside the left part of the net. Well rarely this works and mostly it doesn't. It just seems random and I must be doing something wrong. I am a practice freak but its no good if I'm not practicing the right technique.

So please share something I don't know or maybe I already know but doing it wrong.

What to aim for and how to get the ball there, that sums it up!

[Lecrae]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

Your spin you add depends on what camera you are using. To add top spin you point the L analog stick at the goal, back spin away from the goal, curves depend on which was you point whether it is left or right. Also their is a natural curve depending on the foot hit with and whether or not that is their primary foot or they have a good weak foot rating. Also try youtube for guides on manual shooting because they can show you how to do it and you will see them doing it at the same time.

[Lions81]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

I've seen the you tube stuff, thanks.

Know what? I can almost regularly hit the back of the net with Van Persie, Sneijer and Robbins from the midline circle in practice. Its amazing and one day I'll record this. I can get the ball to go down consistantly, only the long shot curving is hard to do.

[simgamer0005]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

This is actually a great thread. However this is a very deep conversation and if you own the PC version of FIFA 2010, could really further this discussion with testing. I didn't know about moving the L-stick down to add topspin. I'll have to try that. I also didn't realize that holding down sprint makes a difference. I always thought holding down sprint does something to make the shot harder to save, not easier to save. I'll try shooting without holding down sprint for a change. Do you play the PC version of FIFA 10?

[Lions81]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

I have the xbox 360. Stay off the sprint, this will compose your player before shooting and make sure to face the goal. Watch the power, never go much past half.

After posting this yesterday I played Italy in the WC and something amazing happened. I had Robbin dribbling up the left side between the halfway line and penalty box and shot the ball. It was a laser that went diagonal across the pitch just under the bar into the right corner of the net! Maybe 40 yards plus the diagonal distance. Later against Jamaica it happened again in nearly the same spot! These were surely youtube quality. I didn't try to curve anything, just watch the power and the player ratings take care of the rest. At least this is working for me. And of course this is manual shooting.

[dmize]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

One thing to remember when your adding spin to a shot, do so after you start powering up the shot, not before or else it could throw off your accuracy.

I still can't make long shots consistently or anything, but yes it involves good shot power skill, and long shot skill. Don't hold sprint. You can aim for corners as well, but you don't move the L stick as much as you would to hit the corner on a closer shot.

[RTF]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

I'm not sure if theres any verification that pressing back or left/right while powering up has any effect on the spin of the ball outside of free kicks.

[simgamer0005]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

I'm not sure if theres any verification that pressing back or left/right while powering up has any effect on the spin of the ball outside of free kicks.

Well I can tell you it works, especially on free kicks or corners. Next time you are taking a corner, hold left or right after you start powering up your shot. (not before as the other poster mentioned) As the meter is powering up hold a direction on the L-stick. You'll notice on the free kick the ball will curve. I always had trouble doing this in scrimmage. Perhaps it was because I was holding sprint during the shot.

[simgamer0005]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

Oh and one other thing. Hold L1 (at least that's the PS2 / PS3 equivalent position on my PC gamepad) when you hold left or right on the L-stick.

So basically these are the steps to do spin on a free kick or corner kick (and they are important to understand exactly, because if you don't do it exactly like this, it won't work) :

1. Press and hold either [ ] (square) or ( ) (circle) button to start powering up your kick into play.
2. Immediately after you start holding down either [ ] or ( ) to powerup your shot, hold down L1 and a direction left or right on the L-stick.

If you do these two steps, then release either [ ] or ( ), your ball will curve. Keep in mind that it will curve away from the initial direction you were aimed at prior to the kick. So on a free kick just outside the elbow of the penalty box, if you want to curve the ball toward the goal to try to hit the top corner of the goal, then you want to aim wide of the goal and curve it toward that goal.

It's a very precise thing, and for console FIFA gamers, you are stuck with a fast power-up cursor. The great thing about the PC version is that you can adjust the speed of the powerup meters. I personally slow down the meter so I have more time to precisely aim my free kicks while powering up the meter and holding down L1 and a direction on the L-stick. Sometimes, I have tried pressing up or down on the L-stick and I think the spin effect is more subtle, but it probably does work.

So all that I have said is about free kicks, now it's harder to do all this timing during on the field dribbling, as sometimes you hardly have any time to fire a shot off. Doing this type of spin is probably easier from a free kick or corner kick, however with that said i'm sure it can be done the same way from scrimmage. Perhaps releasing the sprint button is the key.

[teambayern]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

Well I can tell you it works, especially on free kicks or corners. Next time you are taking a corner, hold left or right after you start powering up your shot. (not before as the other poster mentioned) As the meter is powering up hold a direction on the L-stick. You'll notice on the free kick the ball will curve. I always had trouble doing this in scrimmage. Perhaps it was because I was holding sprint during the shot.

...but corner kicks are free kicks. He's saying in free play, there's no verification you can control the spin of the shot.

[simgamer0005]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

...but corner kicks are free kicks. He's saying in free play, there's no verification you can control the spin of the shot.

what i'm saying is that's how it is on free kicks, corner kicks, penalties, anything. in free play, it's harder to really put much spin on it because you have to work to find space to get a shot off. it should be the same mechanics in free play that work on free kicks. i don't see why it wouldn't be.

[teambayern]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

what i'm saying is that's how it is on free kicks, corner kicks, penalties, anything. in free play, it's harder to really put much spin on it because you have to work to find space to get a shot off. it should be the same mechanics in free play that work on free kicks. i don't see why it wouldn't be.

Yeah, I agree with you on everything you said but the same system being used for free play. I think it's a totally different system. It always has been in FIFA and PES, and if you move the stick while powering up during free play, it changes the direction.

[jb12780]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

When you guys try for headers off of corners/free kicks, what button(s) do you use? Do you use the lob or the shot and/or finesse?

[simgamer0005]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

When you guys try for headers off of corners/free kicks, what button(s) do you use? Do you use the lob or the shot and/or finesse?

The shot button heads the ball towards the net off of corners. Lob heads it to someone else I think. I usually hold down the shot button before it gets there then release the button as it reaches the guy heading it. But sometimes you gotta switch to the man in the line of the cross before you press shot.

[Fobulous]

Re: the manual aim/sidespin dilemma

I am kinda new to manual controls as i am learning to play game with all manual and i have to say it is like playing a brand new game!

Anyway, to pass or shoot to a direction, do you have to face your man to the direction where you want the kick or is it after you press the powering up? If you have to face your man to the direction of the kick then i can see there will be problems when you are dribbling and you want to do a lob pass but the defender on my left, but there is a defender headed my way, if i face that way, he will tackle the ball away....