Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) I see where you are coming from but...This was a full retail release in Japan which means that all of those extra unlockables were maybe already included in the package? If so, and if you bought all of the extra training teams, you would then be paying full RRP for the game. Nintendo are playing the long game. They are seeing where they can lower the price of their titles, without lowering the 'value' of their software. The last thing we want is the race to the bottom mentality on the App Store where gamers prefer 'free' with IAP as the norm. This, and Rusty's Real Baseball are Nintendo being ambiguously explorative. That can only be a good thing for them as a company and for us as gamers. I think this is a superb game and I've already got about 30hours on it. For £10 that's great value. I wouldn't mind paying extra for the DLC now that I'm invested in the game neither. I can only see positives in this model if the initial buy-in costs come down from the standard £30-40 pricing. £10-20 is much more palatable. As consumers we are used to one way of purchasing Nintendo software. But the times are changing and with improved online and 'e' stores, Nintendo need to be pushing software buy-in that identifies with these current market trends while balancing inherent value. I see absolutely nothing wrong with releasing the game in episodes, or selling it with slimmer content for cheaper price along with some optional downloadable features - this is indeed a smart, flexible model. The problem with NPFC for me is that these DLC teams are in fact just a lower difficulty setting, or a cheat. They offer very little actual content - just practice teams with specialised tactics and bunch of players. I see no reason to buy it - if I would do so for single play, it would likely just become easier, and I don't want that. Challenge is vital part of the game. I really like add-ons and expansions, but here there are virtually no added-on or expanded features. It just an added option allowing you to boost your player faster. This mindset just does not work well with unskippable matches... I know even Fire Emblem had such DLC battles with some neat bonuses, but in that game you actually participate in battles - they are core game element - and some other DLCs actually offer some extra challenge for elite rewards. I just wish there would be such purchasable content in NPFC as well (e.g. SuperCup). Edited April 22, 2014 by kalipso3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 22, 2014 Hmmm. No way is npfc a retail game, it's far too slight. I don't mind the. Experimenting with pricing models, steel diver, pikmin, fir emblem, luigi, rusty baseball are all fine. This just seems a bit wrong to me, same awful dlc of mobile games and I don't like it. Awesome game though and I won't buy any so not too bothered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 22, 2014 So while there is DLC which makes the game easier, it's avoidable and doing so won't really impact my enjoyment of the game? I'm very tempted to by this game as from what I read it seems like my type of game (even Soccer isn't really one of my favourite sports) though this talk of the DLC sort of puts me off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 22, 2014 So while there is DLC which makes the game easier, it's avoidable and doing so won't really impact my enjoyment of the game? I'm very tempted to by this game as from what I read it seems like my type of game (even Soccer isn't really one of my favourite sports) though this talk of the DLC sort of puts me off. I would still recommend the game. Like I said, it's not perfect, but still pretty cool... Also, what comes to getting cards...the online mode is actually pretty good for that, because you can play as many games as you want without needing to think about the League schedule, training or player fatigue. Just put on a match, do something else while it plays out and repeat. Pretty handy! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 22, 2014 I would still recommend the game. Like I said, it's not perfect, but still pretty cool... Also, what comes to getting cards...the online mode is actually pretty good for that, because you can play as many games as you want without needing to think about the League schedule, training or player fatigue. Just put on a match, do something else while it plays out and repeat. Pretty handy! Do you get many cards per match playing online though? I only ever seem to get one or two... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 22, 2014 Do you get many cards per match playing online though? I only ever seem to get one or two... I think you might have a point there, it seems to be a bit less than in single player. Why? I have no idea... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 23, 2014 I think you might have a point there, it seems to be a bit less than in single player. Why? I have no idea... It could be because you can have unlimited online matches throughout a season. If you got as many cards in online matches, you could potentially finish the first season (or even start it) with a squad full of S rated players across the board. Even with the DLC teams, the most you can get cards wise each weak is 20 cards, so play 10-20 online games per game week and you are already equalling a fruitful game with a dlc team. Also...is there an actual limit on cards you can gain in a match? I recently got 10, but could you (theoretically) get 32 cards in a match? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 23, 2014 I wish there was more variety in WHY you got cards. It's annoying battering a team 8-0 and still saying negative things for cards... Also do players get better by just playing, or ONLY through cards? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 23, 2014 I wish there was more variety in WHY you got cards. It's annoying battering a team 8-0 and still saying negative things for cards... Also do players get better by just playing, or ONLY through cards? On the training screen you can see they train themselves. It's just a VERY slow process, cards accelerate that significantly. Also.. tried the escape reality combo. pretty pointless really. tech +8..... toughness -4, and willpower -2!!! Don't think I'll be using that particular combo again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 23, 2014 I have no idea about the combos... I didn't want to look at what they were and try them for myself, but tempted to now to be honest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 23, 2014 At the weekend I played quite a few online matches, always picking a new team that was in the same league as me but slightly higher up in the rankings. I managed to climb to 22nd in the UK, pretty pleased with that. I had a look last night, I wasn't even in the top 500. Looked at my recent matches, the same guy (who was in a higher league) played me 10 times in a row, beating me 9 times in a row. You can only play people that are within 15 places of you either side in the rankings. He clearly picked an easy target and abused the fact that the rankings take a while to update, really lame. My only concolation is I beat them in the 10th match, then they buggered off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 Since I decided to see what the combos wee I'm having much more fun with the game, though it still feels like a big grind... Couple of questions. 1. What are the squares on the player profile with ticks or x's in? 2. How do you change a players name? Also with regards to online, I don't quite see the point of it... You don't get many cards, you don't really control it... Is there not much to it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 Yeah it's getting a bit grindy. And the online ranking system seems to be quite weird indeed, it's like only wins matter, not who you get them from... #broken? @dazzybee The squares tell you how much training the player has done, and the Xs mark injured weeks. I think there's a higher chance of injury if you run the players to the ground with training or something... Player names you can change from the lower left corner, same place where you can hire new players and mess with the emblems. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 Since I decided to see what the combos wee I'm having much more fun with the game, though it still feels like a big grind... Couple of questions. 1. What are the squares on the player profile with ticks or x's in? 2. How do you change a players name? Also with regards to online, I don't quite see the point of it... You don't get many cards, you don't really control it... Is there not much to it? it's the training record. The square furthest to the left being the current week (so once you train a player a tick will appear) and the next three showing the previous 3 weeks record. A red cross shows the player was injured and therefore unable to be trained. Changing names idk, but maybe in the managers office? As for online, I played a couple of matches and have to agree, I don't see the point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 I just made a little experiment. I'm currently at 2nd place in the Finnish ranking, but just for testing I made a match with the bottom team. Surprise surprise, I won, and got nearly 200 points for that. Seriously, wth kind of logic is that? I could be playing the weaker teams all the time and racking points, but what would the point be? Not sure they thought this ranking system through... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 I'm beginning to think you have more control than I thought, but I think the training and the cards are the real key to the game. And owing what the combos are etc make it much better and give you that control. Now it may all be coincidence, but qute a few times, the pal layers act like the special combos you give them, so pick the right combos and they'll act like that... In this regard, more than any other management game do you actually dictate how your players play, which is pretty good. For example I have a winger, who isn't great, but I've been just giving him super long shot, and the last match he scored two long range efforts, and my third goal was where he hit the crossbar with an effort and someone headed it in... So really thinking about how y want each player to play, it's not just the stats , it's the abilities... Or.... It could be an absolute coincidence... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 Ah, so you think the combos do give special abilities? Hmm, very interesting...although if so, it's pretty weird that you can't see who has what! I haven't really been using combos that much myself, just whatever cards that raise the stats I want... Anyway, if anyone needs the full combo list, it can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17LnbSWJsP53Ip5uZ1rQBx7kB-wa4dmfxrId7ctq0V4U/htmlview?sle=true#gid=0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 I've been using this handy web page. Just tick all the cards you currently have and it'll tell you all combos you can currently do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 24, 2014 Ah, so you think the combos do give special abilities? Hmm, very interesting...although if so, it's pretty weird that you can't see who has what! I haven't really been using combos that much myself, just whatever cards that raise the stats I want... I'm pretty sure that is the case. It can have a negative effect - I used some FW combo's on a defender, simply to raise a particular stat, now that defender regular moves up the field and helps out the attacking effort, often scoring/assisting, unlike my other defenders with similar stats. Equally, my best FW had a Defensive combo used on him and he often is found defending rather than attacking. Both can be beneficial/detrimental depending on the context - obviously I would prefer my defenders stay in defense and my Fw's stay up front, but both those players do well so. Why not see the abilities? In a way it's more realistic not to see them, the training you encourage them to undertake shapes them as a player though, so you need to consider that as well as the 7 raw attributes that you do see. Some combo's give a nice increase the potency of the base cards. Wild man, for instance, has a net of about 38 skill points, whereas it's base cards would give about 27 points added together, if they were used on their own. For that reason alone some are very worth using. Having said that, others drastically decrease the potency of the base cards, the escape reality yields an overall gain of 2 skill points, from 3 cards. But perhaps it provides some form of skill that makes up the the few skill points - a player who perhaps will perform better than their stats would imply they are able to, in certain instances? Or perhaps it really is just a booby prize, and they won't communicate with the rest of the team as effectively.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 25, 2014 Finished my 2nd season (and 1st in the A. League)... no back to back promotion for me, but finished 3rd which I think is pretty good for a first season after being promoted Also got to the 2nd round of the Fed Cup this time (beating a Pro1 League team in the first round ...getting knocked out by a Pro2 League team in teh 2nd round, haha) Did a lot of Defence and Midfield focused training in the 2nd half of the season, and then all through the pre-season training, tinkered with my tactics and formation of which I seem to have found a good combination cause I'm 5 games into my 3rd season (2nd in teh A. League) and bulldozing (almost) everyone so far with 4 wins and 1 draw. In pre-season set a new record beating Mighty Oak in a Friendly 12-0... then 2nd game of the new season beat newly promoted Colt City 8-0 to make a new biggest win in a competitive game Game 3 then was vs last seasons A. League Champs, Good Omen AFC, (they lost the promotion playoff so stayed in A.League), and beat them 6-0...shocking, they destroyed me last season in both our games. 4th game then was a 1-1 draw with Arctic Storm, guess my guys must have gotten tired Also never bought anyone in the pre-season either, I kept looking to see if there might be anyone I could get to strenghten the team but all teh "top" players on the market seem to have worse stats than what my guys have so I guess I'll just keep training the current team and improving them R. Lampkin is now at RedShell FC. But I renamed him Mokong. How is my player doing for you now? Also why do I not see any of your players in the friend market?? Don't just take you gotta give a little too dude Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 25, 2014 After one draw, I'm getting consistantly thrashed in every match of my 2nd season. Is finding a good formation to use just trial and error, or is there some good way of choosing? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 25, 2014 How is my player doing for you now?Not sure as I haven't played for a while now. Was doing great on my last few matches though. Also why do I not see any of your players in the friend market?? Don't just take you gotta give a little too dude Well, that must be because someone has already taken them, because I did put a couple of players up when I got R. Lampkin. It doesn't actually let you into the friend market without offering one of your own players first, remember? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 26, 2014 Well, that must be because someone has already taken them, because I did put a couple of players up when I got R. Lampkin. It doesn't actually let you into the friend market without offering one of your own players first, remember? Oh right, didn't know only one person could share your player, didn't realise they get taken off the market when one person gets them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 27, 2014 I'm pretty upset with this game. After the first season, lots of grinding and some online matches, I get the impression this game is more like Game Dev Story. You choose a couple of options, train your team, watch the cute animations for 10min and repeat. It was all very exhilarating in the beginning, but after the first season without going through, finding about special teams that give you special combos (that I grinded many hours to try and find some of) and a menu that lists those found but doesn't allow you to apply the special combos from it... There's no way I can forgive Nintendo for charging a £13 for a game that feels like a fiver. By the way, any plans to create a league? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 3, 2014 Anyone else randomly get a team downloaded to their game? I saw the blue SpotPass icon on mine last night, it had downloaded Spain! :awesome: Playing them in a friendly unlocks a special combo at the end of the match, and gives you x3 of each of the cards required for it. So it's basically like the DLC teams, but free. Nice surprise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
