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I'm going to try and keep this thread updated regularly with information regarding FIFA 12. I'll post videos, screenshots, interviews and more. If you find some new FIFA 12 news reply to the thread and I'll add it.
[multipage=Videos ] This page will contain official videos and leaked videos. Obviously I can't confirm that the leaked ones are real.





[multipage=Screenshots ]

The following screenshot was released by EA and is official:

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The screenshots below are not official so may not be real:

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[multipage=Interviews ]

Interview with FIFA Creative Director Gary Paterson

FIFA 11 has sold over three million copies in the UK alone - out performing its nearest rival, PES, by almost 10:1.

We caught up with FIFA Creative Director Gary Paterson, Scottish ex-pat and Aberdeen fan, to learn about how EA approached FIFA 11, where they felt it succeeded - or failed - and what lessons can be learned for the inevitable announcement of FIFA 12, with expectations higher than ever...

Have you been surprised by the success of FIFA 11?

I don't know about surprised, but we were definitely nervous following FIFA 10. When you're on top it's a different challenge, and I think it's going to stay that way.


We purposefully went a little bit more hardcore - trying to get (players) to think about how you play. But then there's the silent majority who probably just want to pick it up, play, and have fun, and I think some of the reviews reflected that.

Did reviewers get what it was trying to do?

Some did, some didn't. I think our feature execution was strong, but not enough for some. That's the challenge. The features were there to alleviate the hardcore players' concerns, but we couldn't go far enough - not as far as we wanted - because we didn't want to alienate the vast majority.

How do we get around this?

We worked quite closely with the community last year, and 35 or so of them came here last April to play early versions of the game, and give feedback.

They email us back and forth, we're on the forums speaking to them. We're trying to go as far as we can in the direction they're looking for. But the vast majority want to fulfill football dreams.

Say Arsenal got beat 3-2 by Tottenham - you might want to reverse that scoreline. You don't want to sit there and learn how to play for ten hours before you can suss it out.

What were the hardcore players' main
concerns?

The two main areas - bar bugs and minor exploits, which we're on top of - are what they call 'ping-pong' passing, and high pressure. So if you play online a lot - the really good players will pass, pass, pass and when they defend, they'll just be high pressure and sprinting at you the whole time.

So the pressure's too strong, fatigue isn't strong enough, passing is too easy. We changed the fatigue model and I think we've got some success, but not as much as the hardcore want.

We also added pro-passing with more contextual error and attribute affects. We made some progress, but some ideas didn't make it. Like changing defending to be less easy, and more tactical. Again, we have to make a game for everyone. That's the challenge for us.


How have people reacted to the Personality Plus system?

Mixed. I think some people saw the value, other people - especially the hardcore - wanted us to go further.

I think with Personality Plus we could have backed it up with more visual cues for what we're doing because there's a lot of stuff that happens under the hood.

We had a database during development that listed all the effects of all the attributes, and it was really, really long - I think the visual cues, or maybe the commentary cues, just wasn't there. We needed that to convince more people that it was actually doing something.

So how do you 'fix' it?

You could have Andy Gray comment on something you did, like, 'he was obviously trying to find that hole but...' for a through ball or killer pass that went awry.

We could also use replays - show some information about what was supposed to happen and how that went wrong. It's a tricky one, but that's the one area I think PES gets the benefit of the doubt, and we don't tend to.

The challenge is we've got almost 700 teams. There's a vast gambit of attributes that we have to deal with compared to PES. And so sometimes those affects will be subtler than they appear in PES but the attribute range is greater for us.

How does the critical and commercial success shape your thinking for FIFA 12?

It's a huge challenge. Do we change it up? Fundamentally change how you defend? Or shoot or pass?

This year we might have 8.5 million users or so who know what they're playing and they enjoy that.

If we mix it up and say 'there is no pressure button', how are people going to be able to defend?

How can you add to the atmosphere in career mode?


I feel like gameplay's getting harder and harder to improve on... and I think 'match day atmosphere' is something we need to invest in.

(We tell Gary how we invent 'stories' for our players in PES Master League). I think the idea of creating stories through the year is something we're very interested in as well.

It's about creating a football world you immerse yourself in, things like, you know, the Rooney story (his contract wrangle that dominated the media last year), is definitely interesting for us.

Things to do while transfer window's closed is certainly something that we're looking at.
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Interview with David Rutter

EA Sports is hard at work on FIFA 12, and has detailed some of the improvements you can expect to see when the game releases later this year.

Despite huge critical celebration of FIFA 11, EA Canada producer (and Brit ex-pat) David Rutter has promised that the studio isn't resting on its laurels for the next game in the series.


The producer told the latest issue of OPM UK that EA has an "enormous shopping list" of improvements it wishes to make in its new game - and specified a few areas that the studio's already working on.

"I think we did a great job with the Personality Plus feature [in FIFA 11," he said, "but the the teams [AI] doesn't support that quite as much as it should.

"As an example, a team doesn't spot that if Peter Crouch in the area, they can lay a load of high balls onto his head."

Rutter also revealed that set pieces are getting a complete overhaul, and that EA isn't happy with interruptive in-game loading screens.

"Set-pieces are still a bit lame," he candidly admitted. "I get frustrated by not being able to do quick throw-ins, not being able to quickly select my free-kick takers, on the fly stuff. We're somewhat last-gen in the way the game cuts [before those things]."

Rutter also commented on where the FIFA series is headed in more thematic terms - addressing the developer's wish to add more "soul" into proceedings.

"Those moments where you take one [player] tp his old club and the boo boys come out, or his old team are more aggressive in the tackle towards him. SO you think: 'Wow! FIFA understands not just the game of football, but the sport and passion behind it'."
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FIFA 12 Preview in The Sun

FIFA is the biggest selling sports video game franchise in the world - and the 2011 update shifting in excess of 11million copies.
In less than 12 months since its launch, there have been enough games played online to fill 15,000 years - an incredible ten billion seconds!
It's little wonder that the next instalment is so eagerly anticipated...
And it doesn't disappoint, with widespread changes that make the seemingly flawless 2011 edition look almost pre-historic.
Last year, the title made it very easy to defend - with no skill involved, other than holding down the 'press' button.
This lazy tactic will be replaced by 'tactical defending', which finally introduces an element of art to protecting your goalkeeper.
Now you have to jockey your man and bide your time before making your move. It's all about timing and accuracy, rather than your player making an assisted beeline for the man in possession.
Attacking, too, has altered.
In line with the more realistic defensive approach, dribbling has also been overhauled - with closer control, the ability to genuinely hold up the ball and to buy yourself space.
Something that has been sorely lacking in previous titles - now your Drogba-type forwards can use their strength to create time and space going forward.
One-on-ones are a whole new ballgame - with skill and tactical nous the ultimate winner.
The crown in the trinity of changes, though, is the new 'Impact Engine' - removing awkward collisions with rogue limbs passing through opposition players.
Now, momentum is king.
The Pro Player Intelligence introduced last year has been updated spectacularly, with key player characteristics now making CPU teams actual opponents.
It also places emphasis on individual players' specific capabilities.
Peter Crouch prompts his team-mates to play wide and produce crosses; Xavi's vision encourages Barcelona forwards to make runs; Fernando Torres has an incredible ability to slice his efforts wide...
OK, so the last one was a joke, but you get the picture.
Such simple, almost innocuous changes - but the game has been revolutionised.
And it's just what football fans would want.
We can derive satisfaction from beating our man with a canny turn or touch, or equally revel in a perfectly timed challenge.
Somehow, EA Sports have been able to highlight major areas to alter - and have thrown their game into a whole new generation.
If you're a regular FIFA player, it'll take some time to adjust to the all-new game.
But you'll love it.
Simply, the greatest football game ever made.
[multipage=New Features ]

- FIFA 12 introduces the 'Impact Engine' which properly tracks and formulates contact between players, including their hips, knees etc.

- The AI will also keep track of areas of the body players have been injured during a match. Players can also become injured off the ball if abused too much, especially late in the game.

- FIFA 12 also introduces 'AI Vision Game' (rough translation), which promises to make passing more realistic. If you try to complete a pass to a player that's not within visible range, for example, it's less likely you'll complete the pass. EA hopes this will get rid of "blind passing".

- Personality Plus is more developed and should influence AI players' passes this time.

- AI is said to be "more human", with each player acting more or less according to his abilities. One example given is when an AI player sees Fabregas coming towards him with the ball, he'll act more carefully.

- OPM describes "new presentation" of matches in FIFA 12, which are said to be very much inspired by English football crowds.

- The game includes three new arenas, this time with integrated benches along the sidelines and "impressive lighting effects" according to OPM France.

- Integration of a new short dribble with the left stick.

- The game features a new camera that's noticeably closer to the ground.

- There's also a new menu interface that appears to be simpler and more ergonomic than before.

I've always wanted an app!