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Joe Nickolls Interview

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New penalty kicks mode
Joe Nickolls: Penalty Kicks play such a big part of World Cup that we wanted to make this feature as authentic as possible. Historically penalty kicks have always played an important roll in the outcome of World Cup games and when you get to the penalty shoot-out situation the pressure goes up. What we have tried to do is transfer that pressure to the user in the videogame. In the real world you see the crowd and your teammates reacting to each situation and there's pressure on each player to make the shot. We have tried to take that feeling and make it visual.

Gamers can now employ new moves to improve their chances of scoring or saving the shot. New distracting techniques for the keeper, including waving arms and moving along the goal line, make this really authentic. Even the shooting player can attempt to chip his shot to fool the goalkeeper.

The penalty mode incorporates a new 'nerve bar'. Pressing the shot button to hit the sweet spot is the key to the perfect shot. However, the sweet spot now moves at varying speeds depending on the ability and experience of the player, making it hard or easier to hit the target.

New advanced shooting mechanics
Joe Nickolls: In our other FIFA games when you are shooting you have to hold down the button to determine how hard you shoot the ball. What we found is that as you come in on goal users get excited and hold down the button far too long, blasting the ball over the bar, and sending it way off target. That was frustrating for users. In 2006 FIFA World Cup when you hold the shoot button down now it will control the angle of the shot. So if you hold the button down longer it will increase the angle of the shot and if you just tap the button the shot will be low. We take care of the power and kind of shot for you.

The shooting model has been much improved with context sensitive AI. Shooting now takes into account distance and angle from goal. Also pressure from defending players will have a direct effect on the success of the shot.

I guarantee that people who play World Cup will see shots they have never seen before because we're giving assistance to make the shot more realistic. On top of that we've tuned the physics of the ball. The ball can now deflect off the keeper, hit the cross-bar then fall back in front of the goal giving the striker another chance to be knocked in and enabling more variety in the types of shots. You don't want the user to become bored. You want diversity in the kinds of shots you take like sliding kicks, diving headers etc.

Signature stars.
Joe Nickolls: World Cup is like the greatest hits of football. Everyone comes out to see their heroes - the stars. In 2006 FIFA World Cup the star players will act and respond like they are suppose to act, the way they play in real life. Almost a hundred players in our game have what we call enhanced attributes. Players become world renown for their individual skills. Some players are known for their hard shots, some players are known to be playmakers, some players have blazing speed, and what we've done is enhanced the attributes of the players that are known for these things.

Wayne Rooney, for example, is a powerful player who can out muscle most players but he's also fast and has an absolute laser of a shot. So in 2006 FIFA World Cup a player like Rooney can take a shot from far out and be very much on target because he is excellent striker. A player like Michael Owen has a fantastic turn of speed so if he, or a star player with similar attributes, traps the ball in a dangerous position, you will have a hard time catching him. Owen also has a great shot, and you'll see that in the game. For Ronaldinho or Zidane, they are skilled players who will have amazing technique. Even if you're not directly controlling those kinds of flair players, the CPU exploits their talents to devastating effect. In previous games against the CPU you can learn their tricks and learn what they're doing and you can beat them every time because they have a pattern. In World Cup, not only can the user pull off the star player moves but the CPU can do that move as well.

Just like in real life, a handful of the stars in the game have signature moves that instantly differentiate them from other players. Beckham and Roberto Carlos both have remarkable freekick animations. Ronaldinho is famous for this 'flip flop' feint that he uses to beat defenders.

Star players are also readily identifiable because they have a star over their head. Nearly every nation has one or more remarkable players in their ranks. For instance, Totti from Italy, Landon Donovan from the US and Pavel Nedved from Czech Republic, among many more are great players and are noted for their outstanding contribution to their teams.

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