Problem with how the ME handles shots off target

Recently I have noticed a flaw in the match engine that may affect the result of the game. I guess you could call it a bug but it's more of a coding flaw I think.

Currently it seems that in the match engine the keeper is coded to make saves/deflections only when the shot is on target. When the shot is off target the keeper often still jumps for the save but will never actually get a touch on the ball 99% of the time.

And hitting the woodwork is considered being off target, so the keeper will never get a touch on shots that hit the woodwork even though they can realistically reach for it.

Now the problem occurs when the shot hits the woodwork and comes back into play. Even though the keeper could have held or deflected the shot, because the coding doesn't allow for them to touch 'off target' shots, it will come back into play and often end up as a goal due to sudden change of angle.

Could this be addressed so that the keepers actually save off target shots too if it is too close to being on target and if they are realistically able to? Because real life keepers over reach on their saves all the time.

I would like more realistic shots off target.

Like when a player is in a great spot but narrowly puts it past the post, in FM he tends to put it high and well wide......theres rarely any near misses and its really annoying.

This is probably more to do with 3d animations then the ME itself tbh.

You have to remember that what you see isn't actually happening its simply a representation of what the ME has calculated. So the ME calculates what happens during a highlight then picks the animations that best represent that.

More animations were added for FM10 & then increased again for FM11 so I would expect more would again be added for FM12 to give more variety in the 3d.

This is probably more to do with 3d animations then the ME itself tbh.

You have to remember that what you see isn't actually happening its simply a representation of what the ME has calculated. So the ME calculates what happens during a highlight then picks the animations that best represent that.

More animations were added for FM10 & then increased again for FM11 so I would expect more would again be added for FM12 to give more variety in the 3d.

If this is true, what point is there in tweaking tactics based on what one sees in a match?

If this is true, what point is there in tweaking tactics based on what one sees in a match?

Because what we see is a fairly good representation of what the ME calculates (we hope).

Lets take an example - the ME calculates a striker is one on one with a keeper but puts his shot wide of the far post. There is possibly only one animation that shows this so we would see the same one each time but in reality it could have happened in many different ways. The outcome is the same though the shot went wide.

If this is true, what point is there in tweaking tactics based on what one sees in a match?

I always thought that. If the ME isn't a true reflection of what's happening on the pitch then might as well play with just commentary

+1 for Cougar

I agree, the 3D Match Engine is a graphical representation of the actual Match Engine chugged away. The issue may well lie in the representation of the "play" rather than the actuality of it's occurrence.

In short, it's probably not affecting anything except your viewing pleasure.

I always thought that. If the ME isn't a true reflection of what's happening on the pitch then might as well play with just commentary

That's true and I'm sure many people do. The fact is with greater features comes greater complications. (A point I've made on many a thread...we need to be VERY careful what we ask for)

Because what we see is a fairly good representation of what the ME calculates (we hope).

Lets take an example - the ME calculates a striker is one on one with a keeper but puts his shot wide of the far post. There is possibly only one animation that shows this so we would see the same one each time but in reality it could have happened in many different ways. The outcome is the same though the shot went wide.

As it does, in full matches. (FM10)

As it does, in full matches. (FM10)

???

That was just a possible example.

FM11 has more animations than FM10 if it does in FM10 it also does in FM11.

You are missing the point of this thread and just focusing on the second post. I have no problem with different variations of how shots are fired. The game is still coded so that corners will not come from shots that are off target. and also that keepers will never get a touch on off target shots. This is extremely unrealistic.

And you can't excuse this as a 3d animation problem because it happens the exact same way in 2d.

it will come back into play and often end up as a goal

Not for me

Not for me

It doesn't matter because it is still ridiculous that keepers will always only save shots that are on target and let the off ones go.

I had not noticed this before so I had a quick look at my last match and I have found some saves where the shot LOOKED to be going wide - so it does happen, maybe not as much as irl though.

I had not noticed this before so I had a quick look at my last match and I have found some saves where the shot LOOKED to be going wide - so it does happen, maybe not as much as irl though.

check the shot stats as you go in the next match. You'll see more clearly.

Well I'm happy if my Keeper has good decision making and doesn't give corners way when theres no need lol But on a serious note I agree with Couger when a player recieves the ball to his feet the ME decides on which action to carry out i.e run with ball, pass the ball, shot for just three but the list goes on. So has for the keeper saving shots going wide its like flipping a coin layman term say theres 50/50 chance but the chances of actual getting 50 heads followed by 50 Tails is far greater. I am sure there will be ppl who will say their GK saved a shot that was going wide while others will say they haven't.

But I do agree that it doesn't happen has often has it does in real life.

check the shot stats as you go in the next match. You'll see more clearly.

The match stats don't include saves, you have shots on target, off target, blocked, long and ccc's - there is no "saves" statistic but as any other shot that the keeper doesn't touch that is on target is either listed in the stats as a blocked shot or a goal and there's no "cleared off the line" stat either (it's a blocked shot...) you *know* that your keeper has actually 'saved' the SoT's if you haven't conceded from them. However the off-target ones could have been "saved" as well, the stats just don't show that they were. (I have seen my keeper save shots that are going well wide along with the crowd's "oooh"... prolly the ME mucking it up again )

The match stats don't include saves, you have shots on target, off target, blocked, long and ccc's - there is no "saves" statistic but as any other shot that the keeper doesn't touch that is on target is either listed in the stats as a blocked shot or a goal and there's no "cleared off the line" stat either (it's a blocked shot...) you *know* that your keeper has actually 'saved' the SoT's if you haven't conceded from them. However the off-target ones could have been "saved" as well, the stats just don't show that they were. (I have seen my keeper save shots that are going well wide along with the crowd's "oooh"... prolly the ME mucking it up again )

Of course there is no 'saved' stat shown, but you need to be watching a live match to actually see what counted as on target and what counted as off target, and which ones the keeper saved. You'll notice that the vast majority of off target shots will never be touched by the keeper even if the shots are super close to goal (or hitting the post)

Of course there is no 'saved' stat shown, but you need to be watching a live match to actually see what counted as on target and what counted as off target, and which ones the keeper saved. You'll notice that the vast majority of off target shots will never be touched by the keeper even if the shots are super close to goal (or hitting the post)

I do watch the match, all of it... at default speed too... and I can't say that I've ever seen my keeper "leave" a shot that wasn't obviously missing the target apart from the few instances where he may have been wrong-footed or never in a position to do anything about it (these things happen to even the best keepers...). Give credit to the opposition that they are good enough or clever enough to be in that position, it's not just your team that is capable of it you know?

If you watch more carefully you can see that of course they will attempt to reach for those close off target shots but he will never touch them if they are indeed off target.

There's an example of a shot off target that the keeper's saving

How can you be sure that it's off target? You're going by what you see in the animation? You can't judge it based on the pictures but you need to have the stats window open and confirm each shot by shot. The ball sometimes curves a lot. And that doesn't actually look off target at all.