Ability

Sand

Explain something to me - Im a filthy cheat so I downloaded a scouting tool for CM4 that allows you to load a saved game and check out any players, revealing the hidden stats and potential ability and current. I used a saved game from the 3rd season in with Tottenham and was looking at some of my players - Cherno Samba is hailed as the next Alan Shearer apparently but hes only got a potential ability of 133 out of 200, meaning hell only ever be as good as an average premiership footballer or good first division footballer? There was a few other surprises as well - players i didnt rate at all seemed to be operating at a higher level than some of my "stars" and had the potential to even be better again.

Samba though was the biggest surprise cos I had heard so many good things about him and I couldnt argue with the fact that he had already scored something like 40-50 goals in about as many appearances over 3 seasons and still only 18 or so.

I checked him out in another saved game, Barcelona about the same time into the game this time where he was also part of my squad and this time he had a potential abilty of 168 which is more like it for a top class player though well down the ladder compared to the likes of Saviola or Nesta or Ferdinand for example.

I guess my questions are for people who are more familiar with the "mechanics" underneath the bonnet - just how much of an effect does ability, potential and current have on a players performances? Is a players potential ability randomised from game to game or is it affected by the club hes at, the skills of the coaches he had training him or the amount of games hes getting? What causes a player to reach his potential ability or fall away from it - is it totally random or is it based on morale and appearances?

Im sure its not too simple to explain but Im just curious about it.

eirebhoy

I always thought that the potential ability of a player was the same for every game but anyway. If a player (player1) has good attributes and his current ability is, lets say, 100 and another player (player2) has the exact same attributes and a current ability of 150. If player2 has a potential of 200 player1 will not need to have a potential of 200 to be as good as him. I've just confused myself but do you understand?

kaimera

potential allows the player to possibly be brilliant...training, first team football increases the players ability.

their current abilty changes throughout the game with the training etc as it should.

the better the coaches you have, the better the training he is gonna receive so will improve.

least thats how I percieve "ability"

maybe TC can enlighten...

[EDIT] edited for typos...damp laptop keyboard

Makaveli

I agree with Kaimera. That's how I perceive it to be anyway.

Lafortezza

I think Kaimera is right,
but I remember reading that current ability affects how well and to what standard a player performs, even if his visible attributes aren't that great.

When they were playtesting CM4, sigames found that Thierry Henry obviously had a very high current ability, as he's one of the best strikers in the world.
But when they gave him the very high attrubutes that you'd expect him to have, like dribbling, pace, acceleration, balance, technique, etc
they found that he became a super-player, performing incredibly well and therefore unbalancing the game,

so I don't understand the system 100% but current ability and potential definitely have an affect on a players performances over and above what his attributes show,
they don't just show how his attributes will/might change depending on his training/coaches/1st team action etc

DapperGent

In addition to the stuff already mentioned I think the good players are set as -1 or -2 for potential ability, which are essentially two different types of randomizer.

This means that every time you start up a new game for say a -1 player his potential ability will be set (I think) somewhere between 120 and 200. With it likely enough (I think) to be in or around 150. For a -2 Player it is randomized (I think) between 150 and 200 with it being fairly unlikely to breach 190 but far more likely to get up there that a -1 Player (I think).

When a player's potential gets set this is the best he will ever be if given perfect coaching, right amount of games at the right time etc. etc. I have no idea how hard it is to get players to actually realise their full potential but I'd imagine it's fairly unlikely. As Lafortezza mentioned I think that potential ability affects current performance even if their current ability is dung. Seeing the beast that is Serge Makofo at 15 or 16 with terrible stats kinda confirms this. He plays almost as well then as he does when he's 20 or so with 15s all over the shop.

Going back to Cherno Samba, I believe he is a -1 player so he's very unlikely to ever have Saviola/Trezeguet-like stats. However he will always have great physical stats, great heading and jumping and acceptable Finishing, Technique, Flair etc. or at least some of the flashy stats. ie he's always likely enough to turn into a banker for your burly nod downs and nod ins striker who appear to be particularily effective in CM4. As in real life I suppose.

Pepe LeFrits

The link between ability and the stats confuse me a bit. My best player is a Brazilian DC (191 ability), but his stats aren't very good, and he doesn't perform anywhere near as well as my two other DCs with 185 ability. I got Kalambay from Sampdoria, he has 175 ability and 190 potential, but Christian Zenoni (144 ability) outperforms him considerably. Similarish stats.