Be A Pro: Seasons
Introduction
Be A Pro: Seasons is all about growing your player into an International Legend. Just like Be A Pro Match from the Kick-off menu, you’ll be in control of your player during games. With Be A Pro: Seasons, you’ll take your player through 4 seasons as you work to go from the Reserve Squad to the pinnacle of Club Play…becoming a Club Legend.
At the end of your 4th season, you’ll take on the International Cup as you try to lead your country to the title and become an International Legend.
Selecting a Team
Be A Pro: Seasons begins with team selection. You’ll choose your league and then dive into the game. There are a couple of things that you will want to keep in mind when selecting your team. If you go the Create a Pro route, you will only have a minimally skilled player to start with. You can’t expect to crack the starting line up at AC Milan right out of the gate.
Instead, you will have to bide your time on the reserve squad, improve your player, and then make the starting XI. Another route you can take is to go to a smaller Club like Barnsley in the Coca-Cola Championship, or jump on an MLS squad. You’ll have a better chance of making the first team, and you can always transfer after your first season to a bigger club.
You might also want to take a look at the Custom Tactics for your team before you make your choice. If you want to play a fast, wide-open style of play, then a Mexican squad like Club America will not be your best choice.
If you don’t want to go through the process of creating a player and growing his skills, you can always pick a current Pro and take over from where he is currently.
Create A Pro
By far the most rewarding way to play Be A Pro: Seasons is to create your own player from scratch. You can make him exactly the way you want, and then have the satisfaction of watching him progress from the bench to Legend status. There are four stages to the Create A Pro process. We’ll detail each one below.
Player Info
In this section you’ll fill out the basic information about your player. Most of it is pretty self explanatory, but there are a couple of items that you will want to be aware of as you make your new pro.
The Commentary Name is the name that your player will be referred to by the in-game announcers. If hearing your name called out correctly during games is important to you, you’ll want to pick a name off this list to use as your Surname.
Picking your Nation is obviously very important when it comes to the International Cup at the end of the game. While picking a smaller football nation will enable you to make the team more quickly, come Cup time, you’ll be hampered by the talent (or lack thereof) around you.
It’s better to go with one of the big footballing nations so that you have a better chance of victory when the big prize is on the line.
You’ll also determine your position and role from this screen. Possibilities include:
Forward – Striker, Left Striker, Left Wing, Right Forward, Center Forward, Left Forward, Right Wing, Right Striker
Midfielder – Right Defensive Mid, Center Defensive Mid, Left Defensive Mid, Right Mid, Right Center Mid, Center Mid, Left Center Mid, Left Mid, Right Attacking Mid, Center Attacking Mid, Left Attacking Mid
Defender – Sweeper, Right Wing Back, Right Back, Right Center Back, Center Back, Left Center Back, Left Back, Left Wing Back
You can’t play the Goalkeeper position, but then again what fun would that be anyway?
Be sure to pay attention to your favoured foot selection as well. When you get in close to the net, you’ll want to blast it with your best foot unless you have a high Weak Foot rating.
Appearance
In this stage of player creation, you decide how your player is going to look. In addition to all of the cosmetic options at your disposal, there are a couple of key choices that do affect game play.
Pay attention to the Height and Weight attributes. Taller players will be able to win more headers, while heavier players will be stronger in challenges. You can go as small at 4’11” and as tall as 6’9”. As far as weight goes, you can be a 110-pound weakling, or a 242-pound beast.
You hairstyle will be one of the most noticeable aspects of your player during game play, so take a couple of minutes to get your “do” just right. There are numerous choices that you can make. Everything from being bald, to having a big blue Afro is possible.
Player Style
Once you have defined how you player is going to look, it’s time to gear up to hit the pitch. You can set up whether your player wears ankle tape, tucks in his shirt (or leaves it untucked), goes with long sleeves, wears gloves, or sports a sweat band.
Of course the most critical selection for football fans is which boots your player is going to wear. Create A Pro gives you a pile of choices. We’ve included a list below:
- Adidas F50 Tunit – Black, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Silver, White
- Adidas Predator ® – Black/Red, Blue, Red, White/Black, Black/Silver, Black, Flame, White, Beckham Away
- Adidas Adipure – Black, Blue, Silver, White/Black, Navy, White
- Diadora Maximus RTX
- Diadora Brazil Alexler RTX 14
- Nike Mercurial Vapor IV
- Nike Ronaldinho Dois
- Nike Total90 Laser II
- Nike Air Legend II
- Lotto Zhero Gravity Due
- Reebok Sprintfit KFS – White/Red, Black
- Reebok Sprintfit Lite – Silver/Black, Red
- Umbro SX-Valor
- Umbro Speciali – Black, White
- Puma King – White
- Puma V1.09 – Black/Blue, Black/Yellow
- Puma V Konstrukt – Black
- Hummel 6.4 PIO FGX
- Mitre Revolve Pro
- Numerous EA SPORTS branded boots
Attributes
This section is key to player creation. It is here that you will define your player’s abilities and how their skills can be put to use on the field. Attribute ratings points must be purchased using Exp. Points. You’ll have 10,000 to begin with.
Attributes are broken down as follows:
Attacking
- Crossing
- Finishing
- Heading Acc.
- Short Pass
- Volleys
- Weak Foot
Defending
- Marking
- Stand Tackle
- Slide Tackle
Skill
- Dribbling
- Curve
- FK Acc.
- Long Pass
- Ball Control
Power
- Shot Power
- Jumping>
- Stamina
- Strength
- Long Shots
Movement
- Acceleration
- Sprint Speed
- Agility
- Reactions
- Balance
Mentality
- Aggression
- Tact. Awareness
- Positioning
- Vision
- Penalties
- Consistency
Goalkeeper – don’t worry with this category, as you won’t play in the net in this mode)
Some attributes will already be raised or lowered a bit (with 50 as the baseline) depending on which position you chose at the Player Info stage. However, your player is pretty much a blank slate at this point and it is up to you to dictate how he begins his career.
Don’t just overload your skill components as physical characteristics like Sprint Speed, Agility & Acceleration have definite application to the game play. Nothing is more frustrating that playing with a man that is just too slow to get to the ball. On the other hand, having a speed burner that can’t dribble is equally frustrating. You’ll want to go for a balance here.
There are certain skill attributes that are key for each position. Focusing on these will help your player develop at a quicker pace and achieve a higher overall rating. We’ve broken down the key attributes for each position below:
CB – Marking, Standing Tackle
SW – Positioning, Marking, Standing Tackle
RB/LB – Marking, Standing Tackle
RWB/LWB – Marking, Standing Tackle
CDM – Positioning, Ball Control, Short Passing, Marking, Standing Tackle
CM – Short Passing, Long Passing
CAM – Ball Control, Dribbling, Short Passing
RM/LM – Ball Control, Crossing, Dribbling, Short Passing
RW/LW – Acceleration, Crossing, Dribbling
CF – Ball Control, Dribbling, Finishing
RF/LF – Dribbling, Finishing
ST – Acceleration, Finishing, Heading Acc., Shot Power
Increasing these attributes will give you more “bang for your buck.” With that said, don’t under develop your Movement attributes. You’ll need a mix of speed, acceleration and agility to be successful at any position.
Defenders should be strong so they can knock players off the ball. Ball handlers need agility so that they can pull off some of the special skill moves. Your target forwards need jumping ability so they can go up over the defense to head the ball into the back of the next. Use common sense and increase attributes that will help your player play the way you want him to. You’ll be able to see tangible results once you take it to the pitch.
Season Objectives (Club/National)
Once you have either created or selected your player, you will be taken to the Season Objectives screen. You will be playing 4 years with Be A Pro: Seasons. Each year you will have a new set of objectives for both your Club and National teams. These objectives will be different based on the level of your player, and your position.
As a starter on the First Team, you’ll see objectives like “Finish in the top 3.” As a striker you might be asked to “Score 20 goals” or “Take 45 shots”. Typically you will also have an objective like “Achieve a final rating of 6.0.”
In the beginning of your career, you’ll have National objectives like “Win 1 National game.” As you advance and become a National Squad Member you’ll be asked to win multiple games or score a certain number of goals in International Friendlies. Achieving Season Objectives will help you gain large amounts of Experience Points. You can earn over 5,000 points by completing all of your objectives during the season. This can go a long way towards improving your player’s skills and abilities.
Central Hub
The Central Hub is the main screen you will use once you enter into Be A Pro: Seasons. At the top of the screen you will see which league you are in, what your team status is (First Team/Reserve), the season number, and which Match Day you are presently on. The Barclays Premier League has 38 Match Days just to give you an idea of the length of a typical season.
Below this you’ll see the option to Play Match, Sim Match or go into Multiplayer mode. Simming can be a quick way to speed through your season, but you give up valuable experience points by doing this. Your simmed player will never achieve as many points as you will by playing. In addition, you won’t be eligible for any Match Objective bonuses (more on this in a bit).
So in short, play your games!!’’
You can access the Menu as well if you need to review your Season Objectives, get a Career Summary, Improve Your Player or access Team Management.
On the right side of the screen you will see your current reputation. This will rise and fall depending on how well you are playing. You’ll see your Overall Rating, your current rating for the current season and the number of available experience points you have to improve your pro.
Current Levels gives you an idea of where you are on your progression to be a Legend.
Levels
Before we dive into a game, let’s take a minute to go over the different levels and what they mean.
Club:
- Reserve – you are a member of the reserve team
- Reserve Captain – you are now the captain and have access to team management for the reserves
- 1st Team Choice – you will get games with the first team, but will play in the reserves as well
- Squad Member – you are part of the starting XI for the first team.
- Fan Favourite – the fans love you
- Captain – you are first team Captain and have access to team management for the first team
- Legend – the ultimate goal. You are the stuff of Legend!
National:
- Unnoticed- your country’s football federation has no idea who you are
- Followed Up – you’ve attracted the attention of your Nation’s coaches and might get a reserve game
- Occasional – you will get some first team call ups
- Squad Member – you are entrenched as a starter for the first team
- Key Player – your role as a top player has been recognized
- Captain – you are first team Captain and have access to team management
- Legend – you took your country to the Cup and will be remembered forever!
Match Objectives
Before each match begins, you will be presented with a series of objectives for that match. Accomplish them and you will get an Experience Point bonus. More Experience Points equals better ratings for your player, so pay attention!
In the beginning, your objectives will be pretty simple with demands “Take 2 shots”, “Win the Game”, “Get a Match Rating of 6.5.” As you improve (and depending on your position), the tasks will get tougher. You’ll see objectives like “Score a hat trick”, “Win by 5 Goals” or “Get a Match Rating of 10.0.” These objectives will stretch your abilities, but the bonuses are greater as well.
Pro Performance
At halftime and at the end of the match, you will be presented with your Pro Performance. This will provide you with your match rating as well as give you stats like Goals, Shots on Target, Passes Completed, Dribbles Completed and Tackles Won.
You’ll also be able to see your Experience Points Earned. This is the magic number, as it will enable you to take your player’s to the next level.
Newspapers
After each game, you will see a Newspaper headline letting you know what the media, coaches and fan base think of the game. You’ll get hints as to where you are on your Level progress and how that match affected your Club’s progress.
Newspapers will let you know when you have been named Captain, attracted the attention of the National Team or if you just played a real stinker of a game.
If you are injured in game, you may be forced to miss time in the next game or beyond. Keep an eye out for a Newspaper headline telling you how long you will be out of the game.
Growing Your Skills
Besides playing the actual games, you will spend most of your Be A Pro: Seasons time at the Player Improvement screen. This is where you put the Experience Points you have gained to use to improve your player. You can make changes after every game, or wait for your points to build up and then make major changes all at one time.
If you are simming games, you’ll need to wait several games so you’ll have enough points to make a difference in your ratings. If you are playing and having success, then you’ll have more points to work with and can make adjustments more often.
The Player Improvement screen looks much like the Categories screen in Create A Pro. There are, however, a couple of different columns that you will want to pay attention to.
Rank – this shows your ranking in a particular category or attribute when compared to the rest of the team. 1/35 means you have the highest rating on the squad for that category/attribute
SATR – this is your rating at the start of the season for that category/attribute
SG – this shows how many rating points you have gained during the current season
Current – this is your current rating for the category/attribute
You will want to focus the majority of your attention on increasing your ratings for your position’s key attributes. They you can begin filling in other skills around them. Always spend some of your points to work on your Movement & Power ratings, as they will have a strong affect on your ability to get to the ball and deal with your opponents.
Mentality isn’t as important unless you are simming games. If you aren’t simming, save these for last as you control how you move your player and when you choose to make challenges.
See where you are struggling in games, and make adjustments accordingly.
Here are a couple of situations to be mindful of:
- If you are last to every ball, then your player needs more Sprint Speed
- If you have trouble exploding from a dead stop, increase Acceleration
- If you are constantly being knocked down, increase Strength and Balance
- If you consistently miss from in close, increase Finishing
- If you struggle winning crosses, increase Jumping and Strength
- If you can’t hit the net with your opposite foot, increase Weak Foot
- If you rarely ever can tackle the ball away, increase Standing Tackle
- If you struggle making quick dribble turns, increase Dribbling
- If your player gets tired quickly, increase Stamina
You are in control of your Pro’s development. Shape him to the way you have always dreamed of playing! If you aren’t sure what to do, take a look at the ratings for a player that plays the way you would like to. You’ll be able to see their ratings, and will know which direction to focus your efforts on.
In Game Control
For tips and strategies about how to play matches in Be A Pro mode, please read the “How to Be A Pro” section of this guide. This section details how to actually play each position as well as what the onscreen indicators mean in Be A Pro mode.
There are a couple of items specific to Be A Pro: Seasons that you need to know.
Request Sub
If you player is too tired or injured to be effective, you can call for a sub. You’ll be taken out of the game, but you will receive a ratings hit. Tried to avoid doing this unless your Pro is just too out of gas to do anything. You are better off toughing it out and maximizing your rating.
Team Management
Unless you are the Captain of the team, you do not have access to the Team Management screen. You can change in game tactics, but not lineups, substitutions or formations.
As Caption, however, you have full control. Experiment with moving your player around a bit. You may find that he is actually more highly rated at a different spot than the position you set up at the beginning.
End of Season
At season’s end you will review your Season Objectives to see how your Pro stacked up. If you did a good job, you can expect to reap major Experience Points.
You’ll get a season recap with a Final League table for your Club. Hopefully you were able to lead them to victory.
If your players won a league scoring title, you will see a Newspaper headline for that as well.
Now comes decision time. Do you stay with your current Club, or make a move to greener pastures? From the Transfer Offers screen you’ll be able to see the teams that are interested in you as well as the Level/Position you would be at that Club. You might be able to jump to a new squad and take over as Captain right away.
If you are on a bad team, now is the time to make your move and try to win the league. Win enough titles for your Club you will go down as a Legend.
International Cup
At the end of your fourth season, your Nation will take part in the International Cup. You will be placed in a group stage with three other teams. All four teams will play each other with the winner advancing to the knock out stages. As in normal league play, you’ll receive 3 points for a win, and 1 point for a draw. Ties will be broken with goal differential.
You’ll have to be at your best to make it through the knockout stages to the finals of the International Cup. Win it all and you will become an International Legend!
Career Summary
At the end of you’re the International Cup, you will be able to see your career summary.
The number of goals you scored, your appearances, overall rating, avg. match rating, reputation and club level will be visible for each season. Did you make it? Can you become the next Legend?
