German essays, cocaine, and FM patch 9.02 collide: the results inside!

So it just took me about 5-6 tries to beat Karlsruhe with Leverkusen. They played like Brazil, my team sucked. They missed an empty net about 10 times. Do you want to see a PPM, how do I upload one?

I have tried about 30 different tactics uploaded by users. None work. I think this shows the failure of this game. I think that every player should be able to win if they want to. And yes, I am saying I want an winning tactic. While to some people, the fun of the game is trial and error, creating and tweaking a tactic until perfection, it is not to me. I want to win matches I should, that's it. For me, the fun is building a squad and signing new players and having your team improve because of the PLAYERS, not the tactic. I don't care about tactics. For FM 07 and FM 08, I have been able to bypass the one part of the game which I suck at by just downloading some tactic which will allow me to win most of the time. That made the game FUN.

Fun. That's a word that's lacking when I describe the game to some friends. I say, "oh, it's really realistic and addicting" or "you can control every aspect of the team" or stuff like that but it's not FUN. In fact, I have more fun writing German essays. Here's an interesting comparison between German essays and playing FM09 Patch 9.02:

In essay/FM, my ideas translate onto the screen:

German essay- yes. Ich kann uber meine Ideen schreiben. Notice how I wanted to communicate something and then... I DID. Wow! What a great concept.

FM- I want my team not to suck. Ok, I buy some new players and download some tactics which work for some forum members. Hmm... my team still sucks. What do I do? OK, I'll read this stupid 30 page tactical bible thing and try to create my own tactic. Oh wow. My team still SUCKS. In fact, it sucks so much that they cannot beat Karlsruhe unless Adler gets a 9.0 rating and Karlsruhe misses the empty net 10 times. Of course, I wouldn't mind it if my team was Kickers Offenbach or something and thus would actually suck, but I'm Leverkusen who is a pretty decent team. Certainly capable of beating Karlsruhe.

In essay/FM, I can learn something new:

German essay- actually yes, when I practice writing in German, I get better. Wow. Let's see if this translates (lol pun) to FM.

FM- when I play FM more, I get better. False. I don't. That's because each match seems completely random. I played really well against Bayern and then miraculously sucked against Karlsruhe. It seems like a question of picking a tactic out of a hat and praying it works, and then when it inevitably does not, picking another random tactic and hoping it works etc. So I would say I actually get worse at FM over time because the game frustrates me and I do everything more quickly, thus making errors I shouldn't (like not closing down so and so etc).

The essay/FM is flawed conceptually:

German essay- possibly, but it's my fault if the essay sucks.

FM- seeing as how it's actually impossible (for me) to get a winning tactic, the game is flawed. If I want to be Leverkusen and win most of the time, I should be able to. Remember, the fun for me is building up an average team into a great team. Man City got boring because I got the best players (even then, i still lost more than i should have). Is it my fault that I cannot create a tactic? Possibly, but I'm a pretty smart guy (you don't need to see my qualifications), and I make a tactic based off the bible thingy which theoretically should work. No, it doesn't. So I don't think it's really my fault that my team sucks, but rather a game flaw... that the game is way too damn hard.

Overall, let's compare the fun-ness between German essay and FM.

Writing a German essay is more fun than FM because I can get better at what I am trying to accomplish, I can communicate and apply what I want to do, and I have control over how well I do. In FM, I cannot get better because the game seems random and my created tactics can't beat Kettering Town (funny story about this....), my players suck for no apparently reason, and whether or not I win seems like complete luck.

So SI, 9.02 fails because it's not fun. I can't win. Do something about it with 9.03 or else I'm not buying the next game. Actually, that's not true. I still will so you don't actually have to do anything because I'll still pay you $30 or whatever to play a game which makes me upset. And you don't care if I'm upset, you care that I pay you the $30. And that's what's important. So keep profiting because of humanity's weakness to buy something that they find addicting but still hate. It's kinda like cocaine. But, it's ok, because crack cocaine dealers make a decent profit. So your goal is to produce cocaine that people actually can enjoy. Maybe, you can make Bayer Leverkusen players take cocaine so they are faster and more energetic than Karlsruher. Maybe, you can make Karlsruher players take cocaine so they OD and die. I don't care, I want to win.

So if you were wondering about the title, it goes in order of the things I enjoy. I enjoy German essays for the reasons I have described. I enjoy cocaine because it gives me a rush but withdrawal kinda sucks. I hate FM because it has no positive benefits. It's just addicting and I hate it because it's too hard.

The End.

PS: make the tactics engine easier to crack.

So it just took me about 5-6 tries to beat Karlsruhe with Leverkusen. They played like Brazil, my team sucked. They missed an empty net about 10 times. Do you want to see a PPM, how do I upload one?

I have tried about 30 different tactics uploaded by users. None work. I think this shows the failure of this game. I think that every player should be able to win if they want to. And yes, I am saying I want an winning tactic. While to some people, the fun of the game is trial and error, creating and tweaking a tactic until perfection, it is not to me. I want to win matches I should, that's it. For me, the fun is building a squad and signing new players and having your team improve because of the PLAYERS, not the tactic. I don't care about tactics. For FM 07 and FM 08, I have been able to bypass the one part of the game which I suck at by just downloading some tactic which will allow me to win most of the time. That made the game FUN.

Fun. That's a word that's lacking when I describe the game to some friends. I say, "oh, it's really realistic and addicting" or "you can control every aspect of the team" or stuff like that but it's not FUN. In fact, I have more fun writing German essays. Here's an interesting comparison between German essays and playing FM09 Patch 9.02:

In essay/FM, my ideas translate onto the screen:

German essay- yes. Ich kann uber meine Ideen schreiben. Notice how I wanted to communicate something and then... I DID. Wow! What a great concept.

FM- I want my team not to suck. Ok, I buy some new players and download some tactics which work for some forum members. Hmm... my team still sucks. What do I do? OK, I'll read this stupid 30 page tactical bible thing and try to create my own tactic. Oh wow. My team still SUCKS. In fact, it sucks so much that they cannot beat Karlsruhe unless Adler gets a 9.0 rating and Karlsruhe misses the empty net 10 times. Of course, I wouldn't mind it if my team was Kickers Offenbach or something and thus would actually suck, but I'm Leverkusen who is a pretty decent team. Certainly capable of beating Karlsruhe.

In essay/FM, I can learn something new:

German essay- actually yes, when I practice writing in German, I get better. Wow. Let's see if this translates (lol pun) to FM.

FM- when I play FM more, I get better. False. I don't. That's because each match seems completely random. I played really well against Bayern and then miraculously sucked against Karlsruhe. It seems like a question of picking a tactic out of a hat and praying it works, and then when it inevitably does not, picking another random tactic and hoping it works etc. So I would say I actually get worse at FM over time because the game frustrates me and I do everything more quickly, thus making errors I shouldn't (like not closing down so and so etc).

The essay/FM is flawed conceptually:

German essay- possibly, but it's my fault if the essay sucks.

FM- seeing as how it's actually impossible (for me) to get a winning tactic, the game is flawed. If I want to be Leverkusen and win most of the time, I should be able to. Remember, the fun for me is building up an average team into a great team. Man City got boring because I got the best players (even then, i still lost more than i should have). Is it my fault that I cannot create a tactic? Possibly, but I'm a pretty smart guy (you don't need to see my qualifications), and I make a tactic based off the bible thingy which theoretically should work. No, it doesn't. So I don't think it's really my fault that my team sucks, but rather a game flaw... that the game is way too damn hard.

Overall, let's compare the fun-ness between German essay and FM.

Writing a German essay is more fun than FM because I can get better at what I am trying to accomplish, I can communicate and apply what I want to do, and I have control over how well I do. In FM, I cannot get better because the game seems random and my created tactics can't beat Kettering Town (funny story about this....), my players suck for no apparently reason, and whether or not I win seems like complete luck.

So SI, 9.02 fails because it's not fun. I can't win. Do something about it with 9.03 or else I'm not buying the next game. Actually, that's not true. I still will so you don't actually have to do anything because I'll still pay you $30 or whatever to play a game which makes me upset. And you don't care if I'm upset, you care that I pay you the $30. And that's what's important. So keep profiting because of humanity's weakness to buy something that they find addicting but still hate. It's kinda like cocaine. But, it's ok, because crack cocaine dealers make a decent profit. So your goal is to produce cocaine that people actually can enjoy. Maybe, you can make Bayer Leverkusen players take cocaine so they are faster and more energetic than Karlsruher. Maybe, you can make Karlsruher players take cocaine so they OD and die. I don't care, I want to win.

So if you were wondering about the title, it goes in order of the things I enjoy. I enjoy German essays for the reasons I have described. I enjoy cocaine because it gives me a rush but withdrawal kinda sucks. I hate FM because it has no positive benefits. It's just addicting and I hate it because it's too hard.

The End.

PS: make the tactics engine easier to crack.

But, a German essay is not optional and provides no fun. I suppose, some people may argue that FM doesn't either.

But, a German essay is not optional and provides no fun. I suppose, some people may argue that FM doesn't either.

Good job missing the point (though, I'll admit, there really was no point to it besides from letting off some steam (lol pun... FM runs on Steam)). German essays ultimately create fun because they help me improve in German and I like knowing languages. German essays are also more fun than FM because I have control over them and this does not create the frustration FM provides.

Scott has a GREAT point.

SI need to read this.

Good job missing the point (though, I'll admit, there really was no point to it besides from letting off some steam (lol pun... FM runs on Steam)). German essays ultimately create fun because they help me improve in German and I like knowing languages. German essays are also more fun than FM because I have control over them and this does not create the frustration FM provides.

Gotcha, was just trying to be a smart arse and yet again... I fail.

Scott has a GREAT point.

SI need to read this.

No, I don't. I have no points what so ever. I made a stupid analogy, potentially offending some former cocaine users, and wrote like 5 paragraphs in what can be said in one sentence: make the game easier.

SI doesn't need to read this, there are plenty of other people complaining about the same thing.

I'm honestly beginning to think it's some sort of social experiment where SI tries to make the stupidest game possible and still make a profit.

Here are ways 9.03 can be worse than 9.02:

1. Make the AI goalies better than human goalies. At the moment, it's too fair. My goalie is too good. The AI needs to score more bs 35 yard goals.

2. At some random point in the match, make every AI player have CA 200 so they run around pwning the player's team. This may actually exist based off of what I've seen.

3. At the moment, it's not fair to the AI. They can't use an editor to improve their players. They only use default tactics. SI needs to compensate by making this possible. I see it like skynet. Make the AI have actual intelligence too it can download an editor and increase Karlsruhe players to 200 CA (but finishing 1). Then make it possible so the AI can download tactics too, but just to make it even more fair, give them free memberships to megaupload so they don't have to wait the 60 seconds.

I don't get the cocaine thing...

Scott has a GREAT point.

SI need to read this.

I don't get the cocaine thing...

that's because it makes no sense. Just like my team playing like complete crap for no reason makes no sense.

Did all the above actually read all that then?

Did all the above actually read all that then?

I sincerely hope they did not, for their sake.

Fair enough.

In the end, all it comes down to is the fun/realism balance which is often talked about on the forum.

Personally, I play FM for the realism, and to get away from reality everynow and then. Others prefer the game to be fun and less-challenging, so SI have a hard job. Either they can play on the realism aspect and people complain its too hard, or cater to the fun side and people saying its too easy.

Its not perfect by any means, but with such a big fan base. Its hard to please everyone.

Did all the above actually read all that then?

I read it and quite honestly, I am considering asking for a refund of my time

Did all the above actually read all that then?

Fair enough.

In the end, all it comes down to is the fun/realism balance which is often talked about on the forum.

Personally, I play FM for the realism, and to get away from reality everynow and then. Others prefer the game to be fun and less-challenging, so SI have a hard job. Either they can play on the realism aspect and people complain its too hard, or cater to the fun side and people saying its too easy.

Its not perfect by any means, but with such a big fan base. Its hard to please everyone.

I want to download a tactic which will make the game realistic because right now, it is not realistic. This is sort of my point. I don't want some random tactic which will allow me to dominate with Kickers Offenbach or something, I want a tactic which will allow my players to play according to their skill level. It wouldn't make the game easier, it would make the game fairer by having each team play according to their skill level, not to the skill level of the player.

If the latter must remain true, then I would expect someone to come with a tactic which works for everyone. It hasn't happened in 9.02. That's why the game is flawed. I think any player should be able to get Leverkusen to beat the crap out of Karlsruhe and not just the masters.

Your better off learning spanish

Your better off learning spanish

Pero ya puedo hablar en espanol bastante bien.

Fair enough if you can

Man sieht nur das, was man weiß. Or something like that. Perhaps "glücklicherweise kann der Mensch nur einen gewissen Grad des Unglücks fassen; was darüber hinausgeht, vernichtet ihn oder läßt ihn gleichgültig" is a little more appropriate?

Hope you figure things out Scott.

It's your tactics.

OP had more analogies than shakespeare lol

It's your tactics.

That and, if you got bored trying over 30 tactics, it's also your teamtalks

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=5494

glücklicherweise kann der Mensch nur einen gewissen Grad des Unglücks fassen; was darüber hinausgeht, vernichtet ihn oder läßt ihn gleichgültig" is a little more appropriate

Goethe?

It's your tactics

Well, they're actually the community's tactics, but yea.

That and, if you got bored trying over 30 tactics, it's also your teamtalks

No, I always get those spot on, thanks to your article about them.

Well I wanted to post about the same thing, I play quite some FM as I'm ill for the moment and am tied to the bed.

I noticed that I play the game not for fun, but out of a combination of frustration and addiction.

Losing 1-5 to Man U when I beat them a game ago 4-0 with ease doesn't make that much sense to me and frustrates me because I don't know WHY I lost.

So I either reload or accept the scoreline, in most cases when I lose reloaded is no option, as I want to move on and don't want to replay the match.

But sometimes espcially when I create a new or first tactic I tend to replay a match until the tactic and the game works out like I imagined.

The frustration is not that I lose, rarely there are very good and tight games without the ''******** factor'' that when I lose or draw I'm still satisfied to a degree and had FUN.

But seriously,the match engine in 09 is almost as bad as in 08 pre newest patch, way to many posts get hit in my game atleast 1 per game ,often 2 or 3, sudden slow down of players->I call it the 5 second of anal intercourse with the invisible man from behind, because my players suddenly behave like they're getting raped from behind so that they cannot reach the ball before the opposition.

It's like in Pro Evo, don't remember the version but on Ps2, where the game tried to force certain scores even in multiplayer matches.

Suddenly your players became useless and the opposition were like unbeatable.

I remember having a game with my friend were I beat him with ease and went up like 2-0 in the first 20 minutes and he kept telling me his players wouldn't respond and were weak even though we both played with Brazil.

So we changed controllers and gues what?

Before the controller change I dominated clearly and after that I couldn't get 1 shot on his goal and he banged 2 more goals in even though before that it seemed like there was a huge skill difference between us.

Needless to say, I do have the feeling with 09 sometimes too, especially the typical 45-50 minute goal,which I can smell a mile away and the ridiculous extra time 20-30 yard goals which happen any other game just like clear cut chances against the post(from both sides!).

Long post, but **** it was hard for me to enjoy 09 after I played Fallout 3 for like a month, man this game was like addicting and FUN, I wasn't frustrated while playing it and then popping 09 in is like the difference between having a choice of either having Sex with the girl of your dreams or having to fight Iron Mike in his prime for 12 rounds.

First option is pure enjoyment while the second would be too much of a challenge for me, too much pain and too much frustration with amost zero fun in it, even though I could get a kick out of it..........man.....wait I'm gonna dump that bitch and call Mike, haha this is going to be fun!

Yeah that's is how Fm works....cannot stop that easily can ya?...where are my boxing gloves.....and where is my Rocky music?Mickey I'm coming!!

I don't get the cocaine thing...

I guess it's because you've never tried it.

Great post though, I was laughing through the whole thing, and crying too, because I have the same problem.

Pero ya puedo hablar en espanol bastante bien.

If you are really from Boston like it says in your location you might be better off with Portuguese than German, unless you live in Chinatown.

If you are really from Boston like it says in your location you might be better off with Portuguese than German, unless you live in Chinatown.

well, university doesn't offer Portuguese so tough luck, i'd like to learn it eventually tho

cats are cute

Maybe your not a good manager, check the 'Jobs' section under your profile and look for water boy.

I feel your pain Scott.

About the realism factor:

Is it realistic in a game of football that the manager will change formation 5 times during the course of a match? Because thats what seems to happen during every game of FM. The AI is at an overly advanced level in my opinion, a level beyond most real managers where it realises exactly what problems there are with its side or what it can do to penetrate your formation and applies several variations several times during the course of the match. The expert players it seems will then alter their tactics to counteract what the AI has done, whilst everyone else will be mystified with what to do, sit back and pray, or alter a few sliders on the team instructions which probably don't really do the job. This is what takes the fun out of the game for me, I'd like to sit on the same tactic throughout the game or at most change once if things aren't working, like pretty much every real life manager does. Even if I did have the knowledge of how to counteract whatever changes the AI makes throughout the course of the match I would still resent having to do so so often, it just doesn't seem realistic to me at all.

I've spent one season watshing 3D highlights to tweak my tactics and now I'm using the same tactics for 20 season with great success...I'm in 2031 and I haven't lost a league match with ManUtd...you'll say ManUtd is easy, but I've taken them over in 2026, they were in mid-table and I've had to rebuild my squad with a burden of 6mil. monthly payment of old debts... So just spend some time working on your tactics, see where weak points are, utilise your strenghts and it should work fine...

care to post your tactics Mr. Bayern?

If I don't forget, I'll upload it in the tactics forum in the afternoon or evening (you can write me a PM I think if I forget) - I just hope that my post won't be deleted, because I'm to lasy to give all details, descriptions, screenshots etc.)...

It's all about;

1) Good (and by that, I mean the best you can afford) players in the CORRECT positions. Condition also a big factor but that's more obvious.

2) Morale and team talks. I've never looked back since adopting someone's team talk strategy from these fora. Apologies but I forget who.

3) More cocaine.

maybe cocaine is not a smart thing to do afterall. try acid, it will give you a different angle perspective.