Does SI listen to suggestions on improving games?

I was just thinking about this one, i've only joined this forum since i got fm09, so i don't know how things have been done in the past editions... But like everyone knows we fm users aren't too relactant to voice our opinions on the game, be it negative, positive, things that are going great, things that need improving, potential new aspects ect... So i was wondering how has it been in the past, has there been many improvements, additions, that's been based on popular opinions of gamers? Do the consumers have a large role in developing the series from year to year, or are these forums utilised by SI merely to single out and fix the bugs?

Not an important issue as such, just curious to know how the great machinery that is FM functiones.

Yes of course they do. Some of the most intelligent critics of the game get hired to beta test and offer ideas to improve the game.

If you dip into the tactics forum you'll meet the likes of wwfan who has done a lot of work to help improve the match engine.

Yes, I believe quite a few minor features (the +4 minutes to show stoppage times on goals and the distance measurements) were all suggested here.

If they didn't you wouldn't have the excellent 9.3 match engine.

The trouble is that if you come up with a great idea in March 2009, it probably won't make it in to the game until FM2011 since FM10 is pretty much decided upon by then.

I've heard SI people say before that they often WANT to implement certain features but they have to prioritise the more important matters. One bad feature can have a big knock on effect to other areas. It isn't as simple as thinking hey, Backpackant's a genius, we'll do it! Zap! Ta daaa!

yes, i believe they do, especially after making small changes such as changing the man city colours (white on light blue to dark blue on light blue) after it was spoken about in the forums

I think they listen really well and it's nice to see that they do, if only more companies did.

Of course we listen to what the community says, although the Internet users are only a fraction of our consumer base, if you guys take the time to come here and say something about it, it would just be plain rude not to at least try to read it and take it on board!

We always appreciate constructive thoughts, and just because we don't always comment on specific issues doesn't mean they aren't read and discussed away from the boards. Many ideas/features originally raised on these forums have gone on to be in the game in some way or another.

Then here is a constructive thought:

The rating system still needs to be improved! I can't believe after so many months of testing you can't get it work. Now the goalkeepers and D C's average ratings are always lower than the rest of the team. How can you not fix it? All you have to do is to reduce the increase of match rating due to goals and assists. When a player scores, his rating goes up typically by 0.6-0.8. Make it 0.4-0.6, and it is fixed, for gods sake. This is not rocket science...

You already mentioned this in your own thread. I'm sorry but I don't have the problem, I'd say you should check your tactics and the CA of your players.

You already mentioned this in your own thread. I'm sorry but I don't have the problem, I'd say you should check your tactics and the CA of your players.

Well, can you post a screenshot of the highest ranked defenders in your divison (go to your division's player stats, pick average rating, then using the filter pick only the central defenders).

I know what I see in my game (I have patch 9.3). At the end of each season best 10 forwards and midfielders ratings are between 7.50-7.20. For central defenders it is more like 7.20-6.95.

These are the results from detailed match engine. If you don't pick the detailed match engine for other active divisions, they produce more balanced ratings. Unfortunately the rating system is flawed in the detailed match engine. Not a show stopper, but gets very very annoying especially when you pay attention. Even more annoying is the fact that SI can't get this to work since a decade!

Are we playing a different game??

I understand what you're saying but it's not as easy as just saying 'make the weighting of goals for ratings less' as this would have huge knock-ons throughout the game and the match engine. I understand what you're saying though and thanks for bringing this up, although you did yourself a bit of a diservice by saying 'it's not rocket science' and 'how can you not fix it' - it may not be rocket science but it isn't quite as easy as you may imagine.

I don't mean no disrespect, however I believe that this is pure math/statistics. Can you briefly explain what kind of a huge knock-on we will experience, if the rating of a striker goes from 6.7 to 7.1 when he scores a goal and not to 7.4? Things will be just more balanced. What am I missing here?

You know, I live in US, I'm a structural engineer, and I'm a huge fan of this game. I have been playing since the earliest version (Domark). If I could, trust me I would take 2 months off of my life, just to get there for the game's next version, and work for free as a volunteer tester/suggester. I think FM2009 is the best version since CM01/02 (I skipped FM2007, bas decision I guess since everyone is saying that it was the best version), but it is these little annoying things that prevent me from getting addicted to this game, like I once was to CM01/02. I say little things, but these are little 'important' things. Not cosmetics, not a bug, but fun killing FLAWS. I wish I could work for 2 months in SI, and pinpoint the statistical flaws in the game so that they will be ironed out. Neither game prducers nor testers seem to care, then you guys talk about realism in the game