👉Join and download now: https://www.patreon.com/c/anthjames_gameplayoverhaul

NOTE: This is just the release details post. See the FEATURED post for the Full Gameplay Package release post with the download.

***

V9 Details: 🆔 IDENTITY + CHALLENGE ⚔️

⛔ The FIRST thing you need to do when you download my mod is read the PDF called 📌 QUICK GUIDE - HOW TO APPROACH MY MOD.

🎥 Watch my all new DEFINITIVE GUIDE VIDEO:
➡️ https://youtu.be/oZMmvpNf4go

🜂 The improvements don't stop with V9. This update is headlined by one of the biggest breakthroughs I've made to date - a long-awaited solution to one of the series' most persistent issues that significantly improves the overall DIFFICULTY of the gameplay.

The all-new FC IQ BASE: MODERN FOOTBALL makes its debut in the FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE - a first for football gaming designed to recreate the tactical shapes and principles of the modern game.

V9 also introduces two brand-new standalones: IDENTITY and IDENTITY EXTRA - built around maximum levels of player contrast!

Building upon the foundations laid by MIDFIELD PLUS+ and ATTACK PLUS+, V9 also introduces countless refinements, new gameplay options and continued evolution across the standalone experience. There's still plenty of football left in FC26!

Read on for the details…

🟥 WHERE DO I START?

Before I go into the V9 details, I want to simplify and clarify your approach to the mod to avoid anyone getting overwhelmed. My mod is incredibly simple to use if you approach it correctly.

➡️ 1. THE PHILOSOPHY

➡️ 2. THE APPROACH

✅ Simply select ONE standalone and play with it first - no options, nothing extra. I highly recommend beginning with the NATURAL DYNAMIC+ standalone. This is one of my favourite standalones and its movement base might just be the best of the entire mod.

To summarise: If you've read the ESSENTIAL SETTINGS pdf and you select the NATURAL DYNAMIC+ standalone, that's all you need to get a full experience!

Everything else is refinement and personal perspective.

Ok, back to the V9 details…

🆔 NEW STANDALONES: IDENTITY & IDENTITY EXTRA

IDENTITY is built around contrast. Elite dribblers feel more explosive, agile players change direction with greater sharpness, while stronger, heavier defenders feel noticeably more physical and deliberate in their movement.

Every standalone in my mod is built around meaningful player differences. Player ability has always mattered, and every version already creates variation between elite and lower-quality footballers. 🆔IDENTITY however, takes this philosophy further than ever before.

The differences were always there, but now they're impossible to ignore.

✅ Elite players express their strengths far more clearly.

✅ Lower-rated players feel more limited in the areas you'd naturally expect.

✅ Every duel on the pitch becomes more dependent on who the players actually are.

This creates a gameplay experience where player individuality has a much greater influence on every attack, defensive duel and transition.

🆔➕ IDENTITY EXTRA follows the exact same philosophy, but extends the slower end of the movement spectrum even further. The quickest players remain highly explosive in the same way as they do in IDENTITY, while heavier and less agile footballers become even more deliberate, creating an even greater level of contrast across the pitch. Extra is perfect for those wanting that little bit of extra weight in specific areas of movement.

🙋‍♂️ What Sets IDENTITY & IDENTITY EXTRA Apart?

📈 All-New Attribute Curve: IDENTITY is built upon an all-new V9 attribute curve that creates greater contrast between players than ever before. The curve has been carefully rebalanced so elite footballers truly separate themselves, while lower-rated players feel appropriately limited. This isn't just about speed. Dribbling, agility, strength, balance, responsiveness, and countless other attributes now combine to create far more distinctive player identities throughout every match.

🧩 Not Just About Speed: This is not a basic speed tweak! Movement, dribbling, inertia, responsiveness, and contextual animations have all been meticulously adjusted to maximize how distinct each player feels.

🎮 Tangible Gameplay Impact: The differences aren’t just for show. Player identity transforms your gameplay, shapes your build-up, and challenges you to rethink your tactics every match.

⏰ Remember: These standalones aren’t about being ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ - they are all about differentiation. If you find that the IDENTITY standalones aren’t the perfect fit for you, there’s a full range of standalones in my mod, each crafted for different preferences and speeds. Explore the STANDALONE DIFFERENCES pdf for a full breakdown.

✨ WHAT’S NEW IN THE V9 STANDALONE?

The V9 standalone also sees continuous improvements and refinements.

For a complete general breakdown of everything included within the standalone, be sure to check out the GENERAL FEATURES OVERVIEW PDF.

However, here are some of the key improvements introduced in the V9 standalone...

⚔️ INCREASED DIFFICULTY - MASSIVE BREAKTHROUGH!!!

Perhaps the biggest achievement in V9 is the overall increase in DIFFICULTY.

For a long time, one of the biggest issues affecting FIFA/FC gameplay has been the relationship between left stick dribbling and CPU defending. Defenders would often become too passive, allowing attackers to glide through pressure with very little resistance.

That issue has now been addressed across ALL V9 standalones!

I'm extremely proud of this! The result isn't artificial difficulty or unfair gameplay. Instead, defenders are now far better at tracking attacking movement, staying with dribblers and applying pressure throughout an attack.

✅ The CPU closes space earlier and reacts more intelligently to changes of direction.

❌ Weaving your way through a crowded penalty area with left stick dribbling alone is no longer a reliable shortcut to goal.

As a result, attacks now feel far more earned. You'll need to create space through intelligent movement, passing, positioning and good decision-making, rather than relying on left stick dribbling to bypass multiple defenders.

This single breakthrough has a significant knock-on effect across the entire gameplay experience, creating football that feels more authentic, more competitive and considerably more rewarding.

🔄 NOTE: The R1 Controlled Sprint mechanic has been re-enabled across all V9 standalones thanks to this defensive breakthrough. As a result, the separate Controlled Sprint Enabled standalones are no longer necessary and have been removed.

⭐ ALL-NEW ATTRIBUTE CURVE

One of my biggest objectives has always been creating stronger Player ID, and V9 takes another step in that direction.

As mentioned above, I've reworked how player attributes are applied across the different rating ranges, creating greater separation between elite players, top-level professionals, average players and lower-level footballers. Every standalone in V9 features this new identity attribute curve.

Rather than players feeling compressed into similar levels of ability, individual strengths and weaknesses are now much more pronounced. The result is greater individuality throughout every squad.

💡 Those with the FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE also gain access to a completely new collection of ATTRIBUTE CURVE OPTIONS, allowing you to dramatically reshape how player quality is distributed throughout the game.

These include options such as:

🟩 V9 (Built into the V9 Standalone)

🟩 FLOOR RAISER

🟩 SKILL REDUCTION

🟩 HEAVY CONTRAST

🟩 REDUCED CONTRAST

🟩 DEFAULT FC26 (Used in V8 and prior)

Each provides a significantly different interpretation of player ability, allowing you to tailor Player ID exactly how you want it.

⚽ ADVANCED PASSING SYSTEM: NEW V9 STANDALONE VERSION

The V9 standalone introduces an all new and delicately balanced interpretation of my Advanced Passing System.

One of the primary objectives of my Advanced Passing System is to create greater depth to passing, ensuring not every footballer can execute every type of pass at will. Player ability should matter, with technical quality playing a much bigger role in how consistently different passes can be executed. Other contextual factors also need to matter, such as pressure, balance, distance, angle etc.

Achieving this, however, requires an incredibly delicate balance. Passing errors that are too aggressive can severely hinder the CPU's ability to construct attacks, ultimately harming the gameplay experience. It’s much more tricky than it might sound!

Those familiar with my Full Gameplay Package will know all about my Advanced Passing System. In previous standalone versions, I intentionally left it out because finding a balanced implementation that worked across every style of gameplay simply wasn't possible. For V9, however, I wanted to find that sweet spot - introducing a subtle but meaningful interpretation that adds greater depth and realism to the standalone while still leaving plenty of room for the far more advanced and highly customisable versions available in the FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE.

The result is a subtle, but meaningful evolution of the passing game. The laser-guided feel is reduced, while passing becomes more varied, organic and rewarding without compromising the CPU's attacking intelligence or the overall balance of the gameplay.

Passing outcomes in the standalone are now influenced by a wide range of contextual factors, including:

🔹 Pass type

🔹 Passing ability

🔹 Balance

🔹 Momentum

🔹 Player pressure

🔹 Speed

🔹 Distance

🔹 Passing angle

🔹 Body positioning

💥 Importantly, these factors are also weighted differently depending on the type of pass being executed. A simple five-yard pass is judged very differently from a driven pass, lobbed pass or cross, creating a passing system with far greater depth while remaining natural and intuitive.

Who is making the pass, what pass they are attempting and how they execute it matters more than ever before.

💡 FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE: Remember, the standalone includes just one carefully balanced interpretation of the Advanced Passing System. Simply explore the ADVANCED PASSING SYSTEM EXPLAINED PDF for a complete breakdown of every available option. There’s 2 new levels introduced as well (0.5 and 0.75), which are slightly increased variations of the new system included in the V9 standalone, so be sure to check them out!

🔄 Prefer the V8 Passing System?

If you decide the new V9 interpretation isn't for you, simply use the ADVANCED PASSING SYSTEM OFF option to restore the passing system used in the V8 standalone.

🧭 POSITIONING REFINEMENT: DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

Positioning continues to improve in V9 with further refinements to defensive midfielder behaviour.

One issue I wanted to address was the tendency for defensive midfielders to bunch together too frequently, reducing midfield coverage and creating unnecessary congestion. This behaviour has now been refined.

Defensive midfielders occupy space more naturally, maintain better separation from one another and provide stronger coverage across central areas of the pitch. When the ball is wide, they move to cover the space, but do so in a more intelligent way now.

The result is a midfield that feels more balanced, more organised and far better equipped to protect dangerous areas without sacrificing overall structure.

This refinement has been applied to all areas of the mod - including the V9 standalone, MIDFIELD PLUS+ and EVERY POSITIONING ALTERNATIVE, ensuring greater consistency across the entire ecosystem.

🤝 NATURAL HEADED PASSES

Headed passing has also received attention in V9.

Previously, headed passes could often travel with excessive pace, creating moments that looked unnatural and disconnected from real football.

In V9, the speed of headed passes has been reduced, creating much more believable ball movement following aerial duels.

Headers now feel softer, more controlled and significantly closer to how they behave in real football.

💥 INCREASED TACKLE AGGRESSION

Building upon the defensive improvements introduced in previous versions, V9 further refines how defenders approach tackling situations.

The CPU is now considerably more willing to commit to challenges when opportunities present themselves, irrespective of certain 'passive' tactical approaches.

The result is a far more active defensive environment as a whole.

🆓 REFINED FREE KICK SYSTEM

The free kick system has also been refined in V9.

V8 introduced a significantly more difficult free kick system to address an issue where direct free kicks had become far too easy to score. Ultimately it proved a little too harsh and unpredictable in certain situations and with certain players.

V9 introduces a much more balanced interpretation. Free kicks remain noticeably more challenging than the default game, but with improved consistency, creating a system that feels both rewarding and believable without being overly punishing.

💡 Those with the FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE can still customise this further by selecting a more difficult free kick option, or revert to the classic free kick system used in V7 and earlier if they prefer that style.

📦 FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE ADDITIONS: (650+ OPTIONS)

V9 also expands the Full Gameplay Package even further.

These options exist so you can tailor the gameplay to your own interpretation of realism.

There is no right or wrong balance.

If you enjoy experimenting and refining gameplay behaviour, there is a huge amount to explore.

If you prefer a simple experience then you don’t have to worry about getting bogged down with options and combinations - simply select an ALL-IN-ONE standalone and you’re sorted!

⚽ FC IQ BASE: MODERN FOOTBALL

Replicate MODERN FOOTBALL, particularly the types of shapes we’ve seen at the World Cup with this all new option!

This optional FC IQ BASE: MODERN FOOTBALL introduces a completely different tactical framework to FC26, recreating the aggressive, compact and highly coordinated team structures seen throughout modern football.

⚠️ EXTREMELY IMPORTANT REQUIRED SETTING

🚨 You MUST set your LINE LENGTH slider to 49/49.

Failure to use 49/49 Line Length will prevent MODERN FOOTBALL from functioning as intended.

This setting is absolutely essential.

First of all, an FC IQ BASE is a complete rework of EA's FC IQ Player Roles. By creating an entirely new FC IQ BASE, I can introduce broader tactical principles that apply across multiple roles, allowing the whole team to adopt a more defined and cohesive style of football while still preserving the individuality of each role.

This is exactly what MODERN FOOTBALL has been designed to achieve and these work WITH any existing positioning, including MIDFIELD PLUS+.

🛡️ ON THE BALL

When your team has possession, the entire team becomes significantly more aggressive with its positioning.

The standout feature is the defensive line. Centre-backs confidently step well beyond the halfway line, allowing your team to compress the pitch in a way rarely seen in a football game before.

Midfielders and attackers also adopt more aggressive supporting positions, ensuring the entire team moves forward together.

🔄 OFF THE BALL

Once possession is lost, the emphasis immediately shifts to collective defensive organisation.

Rather than attackers remaining disconnected from the rest of the team, strikers and wingers recover behind the ball, midfielders remain connected and defenders continue holding a compact shape.

The result is a true eleven-man defensive block, with every player contributing defensively before transitioning quickly back into attack once possession is regained.

🏃 INDIVIDUAL ROLES STILL MATTER

Although every team adopts this modern tactical philosophy, individual player roles are not removed.

The unique differences between every FC IQ Player Role still exist. MODERN FOOTBALL simply provides a consistent tactical identity for those roles to operate within, allowing the entire team to play as a far more connected and coordinated unit.

🌍 A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STYLE OF FOOTBALL

The result is a style of football built around:

🔸 Patience.

🔸 Territorial dominance.

🔸 Compact defending.

🔸 Collective pressing.

🔸 Quick counter attacks after regaining possession.

Because teams become so organised defensively, matches naturally become more stubborn and difficult to break down, which is exactly the intention.

Finding space becomes far more rewarding, while transitions become significantly more dangerous, creating a completely different tactical experience from the standard standalone FC IQ BASE.

📌 INTENTIONALLY DIFFERENT

MODERN FOOTBALL intentionally creates a much more compact and aggressive team structure. While this delivers a highly authentic modern dynamic, it also naturally changes how matches unfold.

🔹 Counter attacks become more dangerous. With your team committing further up the pitch in possession, losing the ball carelessly can quickly expose you during defensive transitions.

🔹 Attacking behaviours will naturally differ. The compressed structure means space can become more difficult to find, often leading to more patient build-up play and tougher defensive blocks to break down.

🔹 Overall match dynamics will change. Expect a different rhythm to matches, rewarding good decision-making while punishing poor turnovers.

❗ Don't forget your CPU SET-UP BASE

For the best experience, make sure you are also using a suitable CPU SET-UP BASE as outlined in the ESSENTIAL SETTINGS PDF.

I personally recommend the 🟥 ATTACKING BASE:

🔸 Build Up Speed: 99

🔸 Shot Frequency: 99

🔸 All Other CPU Sliders: 50

However, use whichever suits you best.

📈 ATTRIBUTE CURVE OPTIONS

The FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE now introduces ATTRIBUTE CURVE OPTIONS, allowing you to completely change how player ratings are translated into real gameplay performance.

Every player has an attribute rating for every aspect of their game, but the attribute curve determines how much difference those ratings actually make on the pitch.

🟧 The V9 standalone already features an ALL-NEW attribute curve, creating greater separation between elite players, top-level professionals, mid-range players and lower-rated footballers, resulting in stronger Player ID and more meaningful differences between players.

Those looking for a different interpretation can choose from five additional attribute curves:

🟥 ATTRIBUTE CURVE – HEAVY CONTRAST

Further increases the difference between player ratings, allowing elite players to stand out even more while creating a much steeper drop-off throughout the rest of the football pyramid.

🟦 ATTRIBUTE CURVE – FLOOR RAISER

Greatly boosts lower-rated players, reducing the gap between weaker and stronger teams. A great option for those who primarily play in lower leagues.

🟨 ATTRIBUTE CURVE – SKILL REDUCTION

Significantly reduces player ability across the board, creating a messier, less predictable experience where technical quality is harder to rely upon.

⬜ ATTRIBUTE CURVE – REDUCED CONTRAST

A softer interpretation of the V9 standalone curve. A good middle ground if you like the V9 philosophy but want a more forgiving attribute spread.

🟩 ATTRIBUTE CURVE – DEFAULT FC26 (used in V8 and prior)

Restores the more traditional attribute progression used in previous versions of the standalone, closely reflecting EA's original interpretation of player ratings.

🧭 IMPROVED DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER SPACING

As mentioned above, one of the key positioning refinements in V9 is an improvement to defensive midfielder spacing.

This refinement has been applied throughout MIDFIELD PLUS+ and ALL Positioning Alternatives, ensuring a consistent improvement regardless of which positioning system you choose.

Rather than bunching together or occupying the same areas of the pitch, defensive midfielders now take up more natural and intentional positions, spreading across central areas to provide stronger coverage and support.

The result is a more balanced and organised midfield that is significantly more difficult to penetrate, with defensive midfielders naturally protecting different central spaces while maintaining a cohesive overall team shape.

⚽ ALL-NEW PASS SPEED OPTION – HEAVY

The FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE now introduces an all-new HEAVY Pass Speed Option.

HEAVY represents the slowest pass speed isolation currently available in my mod. It has been designed for those who don't necessarily want SLUGGISH, but do want passing to feel more weighted, deliberate and thoughtful.

Importantly, every pass type has been individually balanced within this slower framework, while still maintaining meaningful differences between them. The result is a passing system that demands greater decision-making, where selecting the correct pass becomes just as important as executing it.

Sometimes a standard ground pass simply won't be enough. In those situations, you'll need to recognise when a Driven Pass, Lobbed Pass or another pass type is the better choice to successfully move the ball.

The result is a deeper, more rewarding passing experience where every pass carries greater purpose.

💡 All PASS MECHANICS OPTIONS are also available with the new HEAVY Pass Speed Option, allowing you to further refine the passing experience without sacrificing your preferred pass speed.

🧩 MIDFIELD PLUS+ OPTION: COMPACT LINES + DEFENDING STRIKERS

⚠️ REQUIRED SETTING: You MUST set your LINE LENGTH slider to 49/49, otherwise this option will not function as intended.

Use this option if you want to add an additional layer of compactness to your MIDFIELD PLUS+ experience. It is fully compatible with MIDFIELD PLUS+ and all MIDFIELD PLUS+ Positioning Alternatives.

This option further compresses the space between the team's lines, creating a more compact and connected defensive structure. In addition, strikers now recover behind the ball when defending, helping the entire team defend as a cohesive unit in a way that more closely reflects the organised defensive structures seen throughout modern football.

The result is a more disciplined defensive block that is harder to break down, and allows a nice compact refinement to MIDFIELD PLUS+ if you feel like it needs it!

📏 TACTICAL LINE LENGTH OPTION

This option strengthens the positional identity of different tactical approaches by creating more pronounced differences between how teams position themselves on the pitch.

Importantly, this impacts both the attacking and defensive phases of play.

For example, teams using Counter Attack tactics will naturally create greater separation between their defensive, midfield and attacking lines, providing more space to break into during transitions. Conversely, more possession-oriented tactical approaches will maintain much tighter spacing, creating the compact, short-passing structures commonly associated with possession football.

The result is a stronger tactical identity, where different tactical approaches not only play differently, but also position themselves differently.

💡 This remains an optional addition because it is a more extreme interpretation than what is built into the standalone. If you feel possession-based teams already circulate the ball enough, or you prefer a more balanced tactical environment, the standalone may better suit your preferences.

⚙️ NEW ADVANCED PASSING SYSTEM LEVELS - 0.5 & 0.75

The FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE now introduces two all-new Advanced Passing System levels: 0.5 and 0.75.

These have been designed to bridge the gap between the subtle interpretation featured in the V9 standalone and the existing Level 1 option. They provide slightly more aggressive implementations of the Advanced Passing System while still maintaining a highly balanced overall experience.

The result is greater refinement and control, allowing you to fine-tune the depth of the passing game with much smaller steps than ever before.

🥅 SHOOTING ERRORS OPTION - MODERATE (NEW)

The MODERATE Shooting Errors Option sits between the existing SUBTLE and STRONG variants, providing another carefully balanced level of refinement for those looking to fine-tune the shooting experience.

This option delivers a more noticeable increase in shooting difficulty than the SUBTLE variant, while remaining less aggressive than STRONG, giving you greater flexibility to find the balance that best suits your vision of realism.

Remember, shooting errors are not applied equally to every shot. Shot type, player ability, balance, pressure, body positioning and a wide range of other contextual factors all influence the likelihood of mistakes, creating more natural, varied and believable shooting outcomes.

🎯 REDUCED SHOT SPEED OPTION – STRONG V2

Use this option if you want to significantly reduce overall shot speed compared to the standalone.

Every shot type has been individually balanced to ensure the slower shot speeds still behave naturally and appropriately within different situations.

STRONG V2 is an updated and re-balanced version of the original STRONG option. Some areas have been strengthened, while others have been refined to produce more natural overall behaviour. For example, long-range shots now retain slightly more power than they did in the original version, helping maintain a better balance between realism and effectiveness.

🔻 REDUCED SHOT SPEED OPTION – VERY SUBTLE

This option is for those wanting to very slightly reduce overall shot speed compared to the standalone. This is an even more subtle implementation than even the existing SUBTLE option.

🧱 NEW MIDFIELD PLUS+ POSITIONING ALTERNATIVE: NARROW DEFENSIVE LINE

This new MIDFIELD PLUS+ Positioning Alternative introduces a more compact interpretation of the defensive line in specific situations. The biggest change comes around your own penalty area, where fullbacks tuck in more aggressively and the back line remains tighter, creating a stronger, more compact deep defensive block that is better equipped to protect central space.

💡 This remains an optional addition because it is a more specialised interpretation than the standard MIDFIELD PLUS+ experience. If you prefer a narrower, more compact defensive shape around your own box, this option is for you.

🦵 MARKING OPTIONS

Marking is represented in many different ways throughout FC26. These options adjust one of the most fundamental aspects of defensive marking: how tightly a defender stays to the player they are responsible for marking.

Choose from four different levels:

🟩 LOOSER

🟩 MUCH LOOSER

🟩 TIGHTER

🟩 MUCH TIGHTER

Looser options provide attackers with more space before defenders engage, while tighter options encourage defenders to stay much closer to their direct opponent.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: These options are not about creating full man-to-man marking across the entire pitch. FC26's underlying off-ball systems, including EA's 1v1 defensive mechanics, still exist. Instead, these options primarily determine how closely the assigned defender marks their opponent, allowing you to tailor the overall feel of defensive pressure to your own preference.

🪂 HEADER SHOT ERRORS OPTIONS – SUBTLE & STRONG

These options are for those wanting to increase headed shot errors compared to the standalone. SUBTLE provides a small increase in error, while STRONG creates a more noticeable reduction in the consistency of headed finishes.

🏃 EASIER ALTERNATIVE STANDALONES

V9 introduces a major breakthrough to CPU defending and game difficulty, improving how defenders track dribblers, close space and apply pressure throughout an attack. In particular, it helps address the long-standing left stick dribbling vs CPU defending issue that has been present throughout the FIFA/FC series for many years.

There is however, a small movement change associated with this breakthrough that can potentially increase the speed of movement slightly.

These versions REMOVE that breakthrough.

✅ Available for every V9 standalone.

✅ The EASIER ALTERNATIVE versions revert this specific change, reducing the additional defensive pressure introduced in the standard V9 versions.

💥 The CPU will be less aggressive when tracking attacking movement, creating more space and making it easier to progress through attacks using individual dribbling.

💥 This also removes the small movement change associated with the breakthrough, restoring movement closer to the original standalone foundation.

💥 Overall gameplay becomes more forgiving.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: I chose to include this breakthrough in every standard V9 standalone because I genuinely believe it represents a massive gameplay improvement. The increase in realism, challenge and gameplay depth was simply too significant to leave out.

💡 However, I also understand how particular many of us are about movement. While the movement change is subtle rather than dramatic, I wanted to provide the choice to revert it. If you prefer the original movement feel over the increased defensive challenge, the EASIER ALTERNATIVE standalones are available for exactly that reason.

🟪 UPDATED AND EASY-TO-FOLLOW GUIDES PLUS RECOMMENDED COMBINATIONS

A considerable amount of time has gone into updating and simplifying the information throughout the mod. There are countless tips, explanations and pieces of guidance spread throughout the package, making it easier than ever to get started and understand how everything works. There are also recommended combinations you can try.

If the size of the mod looks overwhelming, there is absolutely no need to worry. I have you covered. The QUICK GUIDE is the perfect place to start!

Simply take your time, explore the PDFs and read the small notes and explanations included throughout the package and you'll be up and running in no time.

Every option folder also contains its own README file, providing guidance and explaining exactly what that particular option does.

For those looking for more detailed breakdowns and a handy reference guide to return to, the EXPRESS NOTES AND CONSIDERATIONS PDF is the perfect companion.

Whether you're completely new to gameplay modding or simply new to my mod, I have you covered. The information has been designed to guide you every step of the way and make the whole experience as straightforward and enjoyable as possible.

Just make sure you extract the mod using WinRAR. If you encounter any issues opening folders or files, the solution is often very simple: just move the entire mod folder onto your desktop. From there, everything should be easily accessible.

➡️ New to my mod? Watch my all new DEFINITIVE GUIDE video here:

https://youtu.be/oZMmvpNf4go

It is the perfect place to start!

Whether you're brand new to FC modding or you want to understand the best way to approach my mod, this is the definitive guide.

📚 FULL INCLUSIONS LIST

Here is a quick overview of everything you will currently receive in each of my Patreon tiers. I haven't listed all of the options, because it will go on and on and on, but you can see the categories!

This will continue to grow and expand significantly as the mod progresses.

💎 'STANDALONES ONLY' TIER:

AIO Standalone Versions:

🟧 V9 IDENTITY

🟧 V9 IDENTITY EXTRA

🟧 V9 REVOLUTION HEAVY

🟧 V9 REVOLUTION HEAVY SPRINT

🟧 V9 NATURAL ELITE

🟧 V9 NATURAL BALANCE

🟧 V9 NATURAL BALANCE+

🟧 V9 NATURAL COMPOSED

🟧 V9 NATURAL COMPOSED+

🟧 V9 NATURAL DYNAMIC

🟧 V9 NATURAL DYNAMIC+ (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

🟧 V9 NATURAL X

🟧 V9 NATURAL X SPRINT

🟧 V9 NATURAL XS

🟧 V9 Fast

🟧 V9 Regular

🟧 V9 Regular Contrast

🟧 V9 Slow

🟧 V9 Slow Contrast

🟧 V9 Extra Slow

🟧 V9 BONUS: Fluid Flow

🟧 V9 BONUS: Slow Flow

🔥 'FULL GAMEPLAY PACKAGE' TIER:

AIO Standalone Versions:

🟧 V9 IDENTITY

🟧 V9 IDENTITY EXTRA

🟧 V9 REVOLUTION HEAVY

🟧 V9 REVOLUTION HEAVY SPRINT

🟧 V9 NATURAL ELITE

🟧 V9 NATURAL BALANCE

🟧 V9 NATURAL BALANCE+

🟧 V9 NATURAL COMPOSED

🟧 V9 NATURAL COMPOSED+

🟧 V9 NATURAL DYNAMIC

🟧 V9 NATURAL DYNAMIC+ (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

🟧 V9 NATURAL X

🟧 V9 NATURAL X SPRINT

🟧 V9 NATURAL XS

🟧 EASIER ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS OF ALL V9 STANDALONES

🟧 TRAP ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS OF ALL V9 STANDALONES

🟧 V9 Fast

🟧 V9 Regular

🟧 V9 Regular Contrast

🟧 V9 Slow

🟧 V9 Slow Contrast

🟧 V9 Extra Slow

🟧 V9 BONUS: Fluid Flow

🟧 V9 BONUS: Slow Flow

Older Versions:

🟦 V8

🟦 V7

🟦 V6

🟦 V5

🟦 V4

🟦 V3

🟦 V2

🟦 V1.01

Block Component Add-Ons:

🔥 MIDFIELD PLUS+

🔥 ATTACK PLUS+

🔥 ATTACK PLUS+ SLOWER STANDALONE VERSION

Presets:

🟨 Short Halves Preset (Updated)

🟨 Scrappy Preset

🟨 Light Scrappy Preset

🟨 Character Preset

Options:

🟩 Advanced Passing System Options

🟩 ATTACK PLUS+ SPECIFIC OPTIONS

🟩 Attacking Options

🟩 Attribute Curve Options

🟩 Ball Freedom Options

🟩 Ball Physics Options

🟩 Ball Size Options

🟩 Career Mode Gameplay - Important

🟩 CPU Behaviour Options

🟩 Defensive Options

🟩 Fatigue and Stamina Options

🟩 FC IQ Options

🟩 Freekick & Set-Piece Options

🟩 Goalkeeper Options

🟩 Header Options

🟩 MIDFIELD PLUS+ SPECIFIC OPTIONS

🟩 Movement Options

🟩 Older Options (Outdated)

🟩 Other Options

🟩 Pass Mechanics Options

🟩 Pass Speed Options

🟩 Positioning Options

🟩 Referee and Fouls Options

🟩 Shot Behaviour Options

🟩 Shot Error Option

🟩 Shot Speed Options

🟩 Test Option

🟩 Touch & Trap Options

🟩 EXAMPLE COMBINATIONS

🧩 EASY SETUP – NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED

Whether you're a modding pro or completely new to it all, my mod is designed to be incredibly easy to use.

✅ Step-by-step setup guides
✅ Clear, easy-to-follow instructions
✅ Express Notes & Considerations Reference Guide
✅ Explanations for every option and preset

Everything is written with simplicity in mind, so you can jump straight into the game with no guesswork required. Even if you're completely new to modding, you'll be up and running in just a few minutes.

🟨 IF YOU DON’T READ THE INFORMATION, YOU WILL BE LOST!!!

The first thing you should do when you download my mod is read the following PDFs (in this order):

✅ ESSENTIAL SETTINGS ⚠️
✅ 📌 QUICK GUIDE - HOW TO APPROACH MY MOD

➡️ I understand that it can feel like information overload. That’s why the documentation is meant to be a reference you return to regularly, not something you read once and expect to remember everything.

🎥 Watch my all new DEFINITIVE GUIDE VIDEO:
➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPgHeeglx0g

🟥 WHERE DO I START?

Simply select ONE standalone and play with it first - no options, nothing extra.

🚨 I recommend beginning with the NATURAL DYNAMIC+ standalone. This is one of my favourite standalones and its movement base might just be the best of the entire mod.

👉 If you’ve read the ESSENTIAL SETTINGS PDF and you select the NATURAL DYNAMIC+ standalone, that’s all you need to get a full experience! Everything else is refinement and personal perspective.

🎥 Watch my all new DEFINITIVE GUIDE VIDEO:
➡️ https://youtu.be/oZMmvpNf4go

🎮 DON’T FORGET THE CPU SETUP BASES

Before adjusting gameplay or experimenting with options, make sure you refer to the CPU SETUP BASES.

These are powerful guides introduced in V5 that explain the key settings relating to CPU behaviour and the use of sliders.

📌 You can find these inside the ESSENTIAL SETTINGS section.

The CPU Setup Bases are designed to help you understand how different slider approaches influence CPU behaviour, allowing you to shape the experience in ways that suit your preferred style of gameplay.

🚨 If you want to get the most out of the CPU AI in this mod, make sure you read and use these guides properly.

🟪 Don't Judge the Entire Mod on ONE Movement Base or ONE Set-Up

Reality:

🔹 Everyone values different things and sees ‘realism’ differently.

🔹 Don't play one standalone that doesn't suit you, or watch a clip that looks too slow (or too fast) and assume that represents the entire mod.

🔹 The mod is capable of producing a HUGE variety of gameplay experiences. Different standalones, positioning options, more defensively solid, more attacking. Different combinations can create experiences that feel dramatically different from one another. Something as simple as half length can change your perception of a behaviour being realistic or unrealistic for example.

🔹 This is why I constantly stress the importance of approaching the mod correctly. Building your gameplay is a process, not something that should be judged from one video, one setup or one person's preferences.

🔹 A setup that one person considers ‘perfect’ may be completely wrong for somebody else. That doesn't make either person right or wrong - it simply reflects different interpretations of realism and different priorities.

Fix:

🔶 Start with a standalone and build from there.

🔶 Read the guides and understand the purpose of the different components.

🔶 If a particular setup doesn't suit you, don't assume the mod itself isn't for you. Explore other standalones and options.

🔶 Judge the overall package, not a single video, screenshot, clip or setup.

💡 The goal of the mod isn't to force everyone into one specific vision of football. The goal is to provide a huge range of realistic gameplay balances so you can find the experience that feels most authentic and enjoyable to YOU.

⛔ REMINDER: EXPERIENCED USERS STILL NEED TO FOLLOW THE CORRECT APPROACH WITH EACH NEW RELEASE

It doesn't matter whether you're completely new to my mod or you've been using it for years - every new release should be approached in exactly the same way.

The reason is simple: the standalones themselves evolve.

With every version, I spend countless hours building, testing, refining and improving the gameplay. The standalone is not the same from one release to the next. It changes, improves and becomes the new foundation upon which everything else is balanced.

And that's the key point:

🔹 The standalone is ALWAYS the reference point.

Because the standalone changes from release to release, the reference point for every option also changes. An option that worked perfectly in a previous version may have a very different effect in the new version because the underlying gameplay has evolved.

That is why I strongly recommend that everyone - experienced users included - starts each new release by simply selecting a standalone and playing with it first.

Give yourself time to understand the gameplay I have built.

Only after you have become familiar with that new reference point should you begin exploring options and making adjustments based on your own experience.

⚠️ The biggest mistake you can make is treating a new release as if it were simply the previous version with some extra files added on top.

Every release is a progression, and the correct approach remains the same:

Standalone first. Learn the gameplay. Adjust later.

⭐ As always, my mod is FULLY compatible with FIFER’s Realism Mod.

🔵 My mod is compatible with any mod that doesn’t use gameplay.

⛔ The FIRST thing you need to do when you download my mod is read the PDF called 📌 QUICK GUIDE - HOW TO APPROACH MY MOD.

🎥 Watch my all new DEFINITIVE GUIDE VIDEO:
➡️ https://youtu.be/oZMmvpNf4go

I really want to thank-you all for the incredible support. I never claim perfection, but I’m always working to make the gameplay as good as it possibly can be!

Thanks again,

Anth

👉Join and download now: https://www.patreon.com/c/anthjames_gameplayoverhaul

FC26 Gameplay Overhaul | Anth James V9 | Realism Your Way (YouTube)