KO2: Studying The Game

[Sid]

How many people actually STUDY the game, the tactics, the player positionings etc (or have done in the past?)

Analyse which ball to the strikers works best, when to hold up the ball for precisely how many seconds, which way to turn your player when defending from a certain angle, when to switch players chasing the ball etc etc????

I just play for fun ... but would like to know more about the game... and be more "mechanical!"

I'm sure there are players here who treat KO2 like a brain surgeons exam, dissecting parts of the game!!

Own up!

[gdh82]

Nice one Sid !

In my opinion everyone here on these forums is a student at the school of KO2, whether we admit it or not!

Obviously the great game is just that - a game, so it has to be fun too. The moment it loses its fun, it'll be time to hang up our joysticks. Having said that, unless your extremely uncompetitive, I doubt anyone purely plays just for fun whether they win, draw or lose.

However small I believe there's got to be an element of improving your gameplay, and understanding the workings of KO2 - its all just a matter of degree.

I know what you're getting at though, Sid. Who amongst us are the Phd gurus, or are seeking a masters or who has just passed their GCSE ??? Personally speaking, I think I'm currently retaking my CSE for those old enough to remember !

[Noodlebug]

To be honest I'm not that interested in exploring player strengths, referee strengths, effectiveness of different tactics etc. I play default 4-2-4 because that's what I'm used to, I know where my players are. Sure I could probably become a better player by learning new tactics but with so few opportunities to play against real people, it's not really practical to change horses now. I'm happy to just be a player instead of a student.

I just play for fun, but I've played so much that I've picked up a few things based on what works. I don't know or need to know WHY it works which is the big culture shock when I joined this forum to discover you've all meticulously deconstructed the game code!

Obviously the aim of the game is to win but it's also to play with style and variety - where's the fun in goal kicks up the middle every single attack, even if it is probably the most effective way to make goalscoring chances? I'd rather score once from a 20-pass move or a dribble the length of the pitch from defence than get 5 "boring" goals (as long as I still win!).

And (when I'm playing for fun, anyway) I'm more interested in getting more different players on the scoresheet than having my strikers score 9 or 10 between them. Simple enough with the wingers and midfielders, a bit tougher with the defenders (impossible for the keeper without strong wind or plastic pitch!), but that's where the challenge lies.

Having said all that, however, I suspect that in a competition situation against a superior player, I might adopt a more "win at all costs" style...

[alkis21]

In my experience, most people who attempt to disect the game's truths, lies, musts and mustn'ts come up with a different theory every month. Plus, overanalysing can sometimes harm your gameplay, especially if it's done *during* the game. I've played against people who keep mumbling stuff like "how did Barrett made such a straight shot?" and "how did Nicholls push Cox?". WHO CARES! Grab your joystick and pay attention because I'm going to score while you're pondering.
I have stopped trying to think too much years ago. I like to play by instinct; I don't know how I do the things I do and I don't care, don't ask me to explain them. Whenever I tried to change the way I play because I had an idea that a different approach would be more successful, the results were disastrous. All IMHO of course.

[waynie]

i have played KO2 for around 15 years now, but never really got into the game mechanics until i joined the KOA. i remember meeting robert for the first time nearly 3 years ago, and, in that evening, i found out more about KO2 than the previous 12 years, e.g.:
barrett cant shoot straight
scott cant shoot straight
cox is strong
team A advantage
532 is better than 424 for humans
nicholls slows down
lindsey is fast
PBD
the turning header
the blocking header
player swtiching
442 advanced striker positioning

it was quite shocking how much i didnt know, but i think this was down to regularly beating the amiga, and therefore not needing to know so much. i think the above info is useful when playing other humans because it is more of a challenge and you really need every bit of assistance you can get.

i've got a 1 v 1 with robert lined up for monday. i will no doubt learn a bit more about the game from him then.

[Robert Swift]

To be honest I'm not that interested in exploring player strengths, referee strengths, effectiveness of different tactics etc. I play default 4-2-4 because that's what I'm used to, I know where my players are. Sure I could probably become a better player by learning new tactics but with so few opportunities to play against real people, it's not really practical to change horses now. I'm happy to just be a player instead of a student.

I just play for fun, but I've played so much that I've picked up a few things based on what works. I don't know or need to know WHY it works which is the big culture shock when I joined this forum to discover you've all meticulously deconstructed the game code!

Obviously the aim of the game is to win but it's also to play with style and variety - where's the fun in goal kicks up the middle every single attack, even if it is probably the most effective way to make goalscoring chances? I'd rather score once from a 20-pass move or a dribble the length of the pitch from defence than get 5 "boring" goals (as long as I still win!).

And (when I'm playing for fun, anyway) I'm more interested in getting more different players on the scoresheet than having my strikers score 9 or 10 between them. Simple enough with the wingers and midfielders, a bit tougher with the defenders (impossible for the keeper without strong wind or plastic pitch!), but that's where the challenge lies.

Having said all that, however, I suspect that in a competition situation against a superior player, I might adopt a more "win at all costs" style...

We've had this debate a million times.

All my goals are unique children and everbody else's are repetitive stock goals.

Actually, if you score 7 goals in a game:

1 is a lob
1 is a corner, penalty or free kick
4 are standard finishes, i.e. 1v1 with the keeper
1 is that sexy brilliant goal that shows how great you are at KO2

If you try to make every goal an artistic masterpiece then you are still just going to get 1 per game. Ultimately you will lose 7-1 instead of drawing 7-7. You can't score 7 wondergoals per game so forget the idea.

There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from learning those other 6 goals.
Also, learning them makes your wondergoals better.

[alkis21]

We've had this debate a million times.

All my goals are unique children and everbody else's are repetitive stock goals.

Actually, if you score 7 goals in a game:

1 is a lob
1 is a corner, penalty or free kick
4 are standard finishes, i.e. 1v1 with the keeper
1 is that sexy brilliant goal that shows how great you are at KO2

If you try to make every goal an artistic masterpiece then you are still just going to get 1 per game.

I couldn't agree more. Add "I could be much better in Kick Off but I just can't be arsed to learn all those repetitive goals".

Everybody scores with repetitive goals in Kick Off. Some people seem to convince themselves that just because they score less, they have more variety, and that anyone who scores a goal more than once per game is repetitive.

In that notion, the best player in the world is one who scores zero goals in every possible way.

[Bounty Bob]

You can only play to the game and in Kick Off that means learning certain moves and timings. The more moves and timings you can learn, the better you'll be.

[Semtex]

Rob is bang on the money here. Once you learn the 'routines' you have to learn how to nullify opponents and that is job done, a bit like completing a jigsaw puzzle. There's little left to do but do more of it...ask Gianluca...

I am at the stage where I score purely repetitve goals. There were two different goals on Sunday for me - Diving over Mark's defender (v. funny) and an intended shot that was trapped and passed, I reacted quickly and scored an excellent finish against Rob.

But I aim for purely repetitive. The majority of opponents are purely repetitive so the games are v. boring now. I could make the effort to learn even more but I just can't be arsed.

Oh, and Noodlebug, come the world cup when you shout 'what a goal!' everyone will simply look at the replay and go 'oh, that one'...

[alkis21]

That's three consecutive people agreeing with Robert, is that a record?

Everybody scores with repetitive goals in Kick Off.

Let me revise this comment; I did not by an means mean that Kick Off is a repetitive game. It may seem like that to us, but keep in mind that we've been playing it half our lives. Compared to every other football games, it is ANYTHING BUT. I still see goals I've never seen before 15 years later. How much time do you need to see every goal in other games? A month in FIFA? 3 months in ISS? The total freedom of style Kick Off has and the absence of "prefefined" goals is what makes it so special. But you can't expect every goal to be different, especially considering the level we're playing it at.

[Noodlebug]

Goal kick (or defender lob) down the central channel, headed on by a midfielder, advancing defender or retreating striker, (other) striker, or sometimes the player continuing his run picks it up, enters the box at an angle, draws the keeper, and slides it under him (or does a quick side-step shot). Usually straight on, sometimes on the diagonal (depends which side I'm on and which way I turn).

Those are what I class as boring goals. I usually try to score them only if I'm losing. Or playing someone I'm told will certainly beat me.

[Sid]

Those are what I class as boring goals. I usually try to score them only if I'm losing. Or playing someone I'm told will certainly beat me.

I rarely pull that off!

what goals do I score, ffs!??

[Bounty Bob]

Oh you definately need to come to the world cup noodle.