Games that adjust the odds when you are winning

[ryodi]

When I was playing PES3 against a friend last night he comfortably beat me 3-1 and 3-0 in the first two games. Then in the third game I started to play better (in my opinion anyway) and was winning the 50/50 balls, the deflections were going my way and I won the game 1-0 to his repeated yells of "I'm getting screwed over!". He then started to argue that the game had some sort of function included in it that makes it harder/easier for the player the more often you win/lose as he claimed was happening in this game when nothing seemed to go his way.

I maintain that he talking rubbish but he is adamant that this does happen and cites previous FIFA games with a set score limit that you cannot break as evidence as well as Madden 2003 where if you are winning enough games your players will simply refuse to catch the ball anymore.

Can anyone confirm or deny that this is the case to help solve this argument.

[11 Herbs 'n' Spices]

I think that it's more to do with mental attitude. I also believe there's a difference between thinking "I will win this" and "haha, I'm better than the rest of you". The more cocky that you get, the easier it is to lose your confidence when you start to lose.

I agree. While some games do employ such elements into a game I find a lot of the time it's all down to the playets foucus and determination,

I have often played NBA Street VOl. 2 being 10 points down with my opponent needing only to score another basket to win only for me to clamber back and ultimately win. On the other hand when I gain such a lead I become complacent and less focused becuase I believe I can afford to with such a massive lead.

[shynra]

Well there are handicaps in game for multiplayer but are usaully turned on/off by the user... it is possible that could be happening but id think that is a rather silly thing to include (espeshall as it doesnt seeme to be user controled). I do have faith in Konami that they would not include such devices that are hidden to make the game more competitive (rather than being a contest of skill) but it IS possible... i cant confirm that it has been used in that perticuler game... could of been some lucky shots by your friend or just bad luck....

[Danster]

I'm afraid I have no definite reply to this question as I do not work in games development

That being said I think that perhaps this whole phenomenom can be tracked back to the player and their fluctuations in form. For as long as I have played games on an electronic devise I have had the same feelings, time and again... That there was somebody inside there controlling the game as however they saw fit. As a child my friends and I christened it the "The little man inside the computer"

It certainly feels, sometimes, that games are making it harder for you if you are doing well (less often have I thought that the game has got easier when doing badly)

It is only when you are doing badly that you notice the luck ebbing away, that you feel the controller isn't working as well as it should, that "I did the same bloody shot the other bloody day AND it went IN!!"

So unfair....!

It's related to that experience (which I am sure has been mentioned on here before) of struggling to beat something in a game, time and again, fighting it, stressing it, then giving up. And when you come back to it at a later time, you breeze past that part that caused you so much trouble before!

Anyway Lee Scratch Perry is telling me "it's a long long time since I had some fun" so I'm off the bog for some more Pokemon Pinball, thank god for handhelds! Yay!

[Sprite Machine]

Mario Kart needs mentioning at least once in this thread.

[fasteasyfree]

I know what you mean. Over-confidence can cause you to quickly lose your edge. I was playing UT2003 against a mate, and he was pretty much hammering me for the first few minutes of a one-on-one. The I started clawing back, making better shots etc and his advantage disappeared. In the end I went on to totally hammer him.

I think that it's more to do with mental attitude. I also believe there's a difference between thinking "I will win this" and "haha, I'm better than the rest of you". The more cocky that you get, the easier it is to lose your confidence when you start to lose.

[Broken Thumbs]

I've heard the same argument. The bloke i was playing claimed that if you score a goal, your team plays better. Likewise if you concede, they get worse.

Sounded like nonsence, but he made the point that players have a 'performance' rating (i think it's a colour-coded thing which you access using the shoulder buttons in the team select option screen, y'know, where you substitute players), and that this changes.

I made the point that you're actually in control of the players, so the rating should only apply to the opposition, but thinking about it now, it could affect things like accuracy, etc.

I've confused myself...

[SeanR]

Genma Onimusha gave me "easy mode" after my 15th attempt at that bridge thing...

[nohsa]

I'm not too sure but it happens in the TGW series, when you are losing hole after hole the CPU adjusts by dropping shots, while it happens the other way around as well when you are playing too well.

[Fry Crayola]

It's a mental thing.

I was playing my younger brother in PES3, and was 3-1 up at half time. He's better at the game than me, but I coasted the first half and found myself getting cocky.

By 60 minutes, he was 6-3 up and nothing was going right for me. I couldn't get it together, I made rash challenges, and I was less composed on the ball. It takes a good football game to do this though.

Some games do handicap you though if you overperform. I hate them.

[Mr. Pin?]

In SoulCalibur 2 battles, we often see the player with barely any health left taking big chunks out of the other player's energy bar. Adopting the 'nothing to lose' attitude can work big-time in games like this, especially when the leader has adopted the 'too scared to win' mentality!

It's all to do with sports science, really. And how 'into' the games you are.

[DJ Sack]

Most racing games feature this where the trailing player will have speed boosts, not by much but enough, can be very annoying especially when your way out in front and they come sailing past at the end.

Although it does keep tentions high. Id rather something like goldeneyes handicap system which gives the person a higher/lower health depending on there score and is controlled by the person in charge of the game. that way games can be tailored.

[gwh]

Not sure about 'adjusting the odds', but my brother and I are convinced that the matches in Winning Eleven are pre-determined. Some matches you just can't win no matter how well you play- strikers missing open goals, etc.

Like wrestling, really- the result's been decided beforehand, but it's up to you how you go about it.

[Fry Crayola]

I don't believe that's the case in WE. Though a good footie game would have to make you think that by introducing randomness to the actions of the players. Otherwise it'd be boring.

How do other people feel about handicaps in multiplayer games? I'm usually against them unless playing against someone who's clearly inferior and needs it to stay alive. Like my girlfriend.

[Ebisumaru]

Anyone remember how Lylatwars dealt with the 'problem'? A double-edged sword if there ever was one...

[mr. fancypants]

Halo increases the auto-aim the lower your health is.

[shynra]

I become complacent and less focused becuase I believe I can afford to with such a massive lead.

Yeah thats very true... hapend to me befor many times... most notably in the arcade of Sega Rally 2.... i was being far too carefull once i got the lead and my m8 took me on the final corner .... the next race i raced like i was behind for the entire race and i beat him silly

[Jim Miles]

The only games I know which try and automatically even the playing field in multiplayer are racing games like 1080 and V-Rally where there is the option for the person behind to have higher speed. Ryodi, your friend is a sore loser!