forameus

Did one TOTW SBC to see who I got. 83 rated SBC. I got a 76 that I refuse to learn the name of.

Oh aye, friendlies I scummed that immediately, f**k that. Also did it on beginner's squad battles for some objective that I can't remember exactly a week or so ago. But if it's Icon Swaps, using a team that I wouldn't usually use, I don't mind battering through them. Especially when if you can get EA on a less spiteful day, you can get some pretty good SB points by playing "properly", or at least have a somewhat enjoyable game. It's rare though, because squad battles is often fucking miserable.

I was losing 3-1, that was me coming back. I was getting served up teams that were higher rated than I would have liked, usually I do just punt through the weaker ones. Plus the glitch is temperamental for me. And even when it does work, feels like such a waste of time to be spending it in the game, but not really playing it. It's infuriating to be taking part in the big SB AI social experiment, but it's still a better way to spend time than giving EA the participation credit without actually playing. For me at least.

I've been building up bronze player stocks in the club to spend an evening chucking them into upgrades, hoping to be able to complete a few league SBCs with the results, but swithering on when to do it. Looks like there's actually decent weight on this weeks' TOTS, and I can only imagine it'll tank into the ground for EPL on Friday. Worked my way through 2 of the 4 offline Swaps objectives over the weekend, as well as getting Toney. EA had clearly turned the squad battles sliders up to "spiteful", as even World Class difficulty was turning on the cheese. Had one team go 3-1 up and do that really stodgy sort of play where they let you have the ball fairly easily until you have a chance then shut it down. Fought back to 3-2, then equalised in the 93rd minute. Of course they kept it just tight enough through extra-time, and then it was a shootout against the fucking Rain Man Goalkeeper. It doesn't seem to matter where you put penalties, whether you switch it up at all, or how hard you hit it, the keeper is going the right way and he'll save it. Shootout ended 2-1 after 7 each. Brutal.

Vieri isn't too bad. You're not going to get the sort of player that'll change your world, but he's a big lump who can hit it really hard on goal. Given how cheap he presumably is now, he's not a bad option.

Managed to get both Brandt and Mukiele today, along with TOTWM Benzema. Little over 700k in coins. No bad at all. Undecided on whether to push on and go baws out on league SBCs this week or risk getting lucky with much slimmer chances ones proper TOTS comes out.

I'd still put FIFA ahead in all respects to be honest. FIFA's gameplay has definite flaws, but so does PES in my opinion. They're just different kinds of shit. Presentation, obviously EA are better. And licenses. And their cash cow elements. I'm not sure Konami have it in them to really compete. It's like EA were against SI with their management games. Honestly wouldn't be surprised on a long enough timeline if Konami just give up completely like EA did. Maybe they're just hoping that EA will f**k it for themselves in a way that SI didn't.

One of my first kills was picking up a rocket launcher and just firing it wildly at a guy. Crossbow is my favourite I think. You better not miss your first shot, as it takes about 2 weeks to reload, but if you do hit it, pretty much instant kill.

Ah, apologies. Me being thick. Aye, we'll get Prime Icon SBC I'd imagine. Prime Icon Moments...maybe. Probably something pretty much at the end of the cycle, can't imagine them allowing something repeatable like that unless it's absolutely extortionate. Which it will be. I only had shitey packs as I've not played much this week, but then I've never really been one for holding onto packs. I've always thought pack weight is better outside of promos, so always hoping for some high rated NIFs for SBCs. I'll open anything I get when I get it.

I disagree on that, although I'm probably being too idealistic. What this working group should be doing is looking for Options A through Z that cover every eventuality. I want the Government to come out and say "right troops, football can come back on the 32nd of Julember" and the SPFL to flick to page 23 and find what they wanted to do in that eventuality. We absolutely cannot nail down a particular solution now, that I agree on, but they absolutely should be debating and looking into the feasibility of any number of solutions that cover all the bases. If we wait until we know the date things start, it'll take the SPFL another few years to actually work out that we just wanted to do what we did before, thanks. Edited to add, of course, I don't believe any of this will happen.

Last year they did two TOTS teams each week, one major and one minor. I believe the Community TOTS was paired with the English Championship and so on. On the Sunday night you got an SBC for a guaranteed minor league TOTS player, and on the Tuesday you got the major. The requirements were a little raised on 18, but still fairly reasonable for what you were getting. This year...f**k it, who knows. If they do bring back those SBCs, I'd prepare for requirements to be sky high. You'll definitely need at least one TOTS player, and maybe an 85 squad. Might even be higher than that, could be 86 or 87 if they're feeling particularly frisky. Think last year it was 83 for minor and 84 for major, for example. But of course, all that could be pish, because the one thing EA have shown is that they're happy to let people assume you'll get A, then change it to get B. Best bet if you want to prepare is just get as many high-rated players into your club as possible. They are going to fucking skyrocket once the SBCs are out. On the Icons though, I'm fairly certain you'll get f**k all. They said at the start of 20 that Icon SBCs were gone, and they were so unequivocal and certain about it that I'd be amazed if they came back. Maybe next year.

I hate going into the doom and gloom that a lot of people seem to revel in nowadays, but I have my doubts it'll even go ahead. This coming season looks like it'll not start on time, and I'd expect International football to be quite far down the list of priorities, particularly for the Euros and not the World Cup. Could well be they just can it completely. If they are to run it, I think it'd be much more sensible to pick a host and stick to it. I never really disliked the idea of multiple hosts, but a year after something like this, it seems like less of a good idea. But then who would want to host in those circumstances? You're replacing people jetting all over Europe for EVERYONE jetting into one country. Then everyone comes home again. But at the end of the day, we've just no idea. People with all the data and all the qualifications don't either. This time next year, we could be looking at everyone - or at least enough - having it to render it relatively harmless. We could, by some miracle have a vaccine just about ready. Or it could have mutated, or still be moving around at its current virulence. We just don't know, and that's fucking shit.

After my Mid Icon shithousery, I've basically only touched FIFA to do the little SBCs they've put up, and to be honest it's been lovely. Not going to be one of these people that says they'll drop the game and then end up back on at 6pm, but last week and this have been nice. I'll be back on Friday night for end of the season and the start of the journey to Dalglish, but after the longest break I've taken ever for 19 and 20, think I might do it more often.

We're being more pessimistic/realistic (delete based on opinion) and they're absolutely desperate to keep their "product" afloat.

Plunder sounds like it's a little too "CoD" for me, which sounds thick, but I quite like the tense nature of BR, and the fact you can get through quite a few games each time. Will probably give Plunder a go, maybe I'll end up really enjoying it.

Lawler's been weird lately. He was doing his usual tired routine, but a few months ago he just stopped. Was like he'd gone to the vets and got snipped, just smiling a slightly open-mouthed smile into the camera and offering very little of substance, but admittedly not saying much of his offensive stuff. Last few weeks it seems to have worn off, he's starting to offer a few of his cringey lines. Can only assume they still pop Vince, as he seems to be a bit of a liability to have around in the current era.

I'm playing mostly solo at the moment apart from the odd session in teams. I don't think I stand a chance of winning. Got 25th on Saturday, made it pretty much to the closing stages where the circles start really closing. Found a place to hole up, thinking I'd got most angles covered, and someone charges in with a heartbeat monitor and knows exactly where I am. Fucker.

Will probably download it since it's free, would be stupid not to. People rave about it, and can't beat a well put together story driven game

I've started playing this after a few guys at work set up a group. Have to say, I'm loving it. It's scratched that Division style itch for a medium-to-long term survival style game. Some games you have a nightmare, others are brilliantly tense. Expect it'll lose its luster at some point, but for free I can't exactly complain.

Mario Odyssey is a must buy, its just absolutely joyful. If you haven't played Witcher 3 it'd be worth a shot in the hope that you fall on the "absolutely love it" side of the fence. Breath of the Wild I never got into, but seems like I'm in the minority. Very polished, and if you like that type of game you'll have a ball. To be honest, I've not really found a game on the switch that I've thought has been shit, particularly on ports. The ones I've played have done an incredible job of working around the limitations.

Usually you'd say that it could turn out amazing or shit, but given their stuff with Firefly Match and the Boneyard, I see no way this can not be incredible.

Yeah, he's certainly not the worst I could have had. Neither are really. But they're just so...meh. I could've got someone flawed but fun, but instead I got two slight backwards steps. Oh well, in a couple of weeks if I can get through the Swaps tokens I'll have the Dalglish I wanted since the game released.

Worked my way through one Mid Icon Upgrade, then realised I had about enough to get haflway through another, so f**k it. Hierro in the first (arguably worse than the Carlos Alberto I already have), and then Baresi (again, arguably worse than the Carlos Alberto I already have).

I punted Messi for around 670k, and picked up a direct replacement in that CONMEBOL Salvio for 420k. Early signs are that it's made no real difference in quality, and he's just as brilliant as the wee man.

Wouldn't be surprised if they're almost identical. A few will switch around, but you're going to get the usual suspects. Major leagues will all have first owner online objectives (maybe even 11 this time), minor leagues will have SQB, probably without first owner, then a smattering of other online ones with more relaxed requirements. I'm doing one more Mid Icon SBC before it expires tomorrow, so I'll be praying to get Dalglish in that. If not, I need 11 out of the 12 for him and I'll be done.