FIFA 13: First-Touch Control Is Welcomed Gameplay Enhancement
First-Touch Control is one of the advertised gameplay enhancements for FIFA 13. In a nutshell it references the level of control a player has upon first physical contact with the ball after a pass.
This may seem like a subtle tweak, but it really isn't. As a matter of fact, it is arguably the biggest change to the gameplay engine.
The most important aspect of world football is passing, so anything that affects that part of the game is huge. This change helps to better simulate the various ways a player's possession of the ball can begin.
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Almost no pass is perfectly controlled, and that is one of the realities that First-Touch Control captures. When the pass first reaches a player the ball is still a bit free upon first impact.
This allows the ball to be taken away by a defender, depending on how far the ball caroms off the body on first touch. It can also be used to the ball-controlling player's advantage.
Once you learn the nuances of First-Touch Control you can use the realistic ball-physics to start your moves early. Anticipating the ball's carom in association with your player and the defender's position can lead to realistic and thrilling attacks.
Here is a video from EA Sports with FIFA 13 Line Producer Nick Channon explaining more of the system.
In that video you see an example of many of the situations Channon describes.
Here is a video of gameplay from the demo below. It is clear the translation from the early builds is there in the demo as well.
The demo of FIFA 13 is an excellent version of the game that users should be excited about, and First-Touch is a big reason why.
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