Suggestion - Can we please have a "permanent" individual player instruction screen

As the title says. This is something that I think we all have to suffer through, but it's not brought up much because it's not a massive issue or a bug. It's just a missing feature that causes nearly all of us to waste time needlessly making small changes hundreds of times a season, but we put up with it because we're used to it.

I'd like to give a scenario to explain what I'm on about. Imagine I have David Beckham in my Newcastle team, and he's my first choice right midfielder. He has stats like 20 for Long Shots, Passing, Creativity, Crossing, and strong mental stats - but he's slow and is a bad dribbler. So in my 4-4-2 tactic screen, my right midfielder will have individual instructions where Long Shots is turned to frequent, Through ball is regularly, and regular crossing from deep. But because Beckham is slow and can't dribble well, I set the right midfielder to rarely dribble with the ball.

Now, when Beckham needs to be subbed or rotated, the replacement is a fast winger in Jonas Gutierrez who can dribble well, but can't cross, isn't creative, and is awful at Long Shots. EVERY SINGLE TIME I make this change, I have to go into the formations screen, go into the instructions for the right midfielder, and reduce all of the Beckham-specific options and increase the Jonas ones. And that's a pain to have to do every single time I swap them in the lineup. It might not seem much to have to do, but imagine I have more than one position where two players with vastly different abilities are constantly swapping around, more than one formation where these changes need to be made regularly. The possibilities are pretty large, and so this task becomes tiresome, so much so that sometimes I can't be bothered to make a substitution because I'll have to change the instructions.

So my question is, why are we forced to instruct players only inside the team's tactics screen? Why can't I have an individual instructions page outside of my tactics, WITHIN the player's own profile screen, which THEN overrides the instructions set within the team tactics on a more "permanent" basis?

What I'd like to see is very simple - a "player instructions" page within Beckham's profile that will allow me to set individual instructions for him and him alone. The options can be exactly the same as those individual instructions found in the tactics screen. By default, all of the instructions within Beckham's profile should be greyed out (so no overriding instructions are active) with a checkbox to turn permanent individual instructions on or off. Each instruction option should have a tickbox next to it so that it can be activated. In my example for Beckham, I'd activate three instructions and tell him to cross early, shoot long, and rarely dribble with the ball. Hence, anytime I put him on the pitch in any formation in any position, Beckham's own pre-set individual instructions for those three specific instructions will always override those set within the formation. It means I'll not have to faff around constantly making repetitive changes.

Something along these lines:

1)

2)

Such an option would make life so much easier. I realise there are ways to "work around" this option not being in the game, e.g. saving the same formation twice but with the wingers having the different desired instructions, but this means I'll have to save countless combinations for all the differing players and tactics I have. The pre-set instructions for each type of player from the drop down menu is also far from ideal, and even if that menu was editable it'd still be pointless compared to this method as I'd still have to select or change them everytime I make a change on the pitch.

All of this makes sense in terms of "what would it be like in the real world". If you're a manager with a central midfielder who is perfect at shooting from range, every time he's on the pitch you'll want him to shoot from range unless otherwise instructed to do so. You don't need to instruct him every week "shoot long" after taking off a player who can't shoot from range. It's like a mutual understanding between you and the player.

It also makes sense in terms of "what would it be like in the real world". If you're a manager with a central midfielder who is perfect at shooting from range, every time he's on the pitch you'll want him to shoot from range unless otherwise instructed to do so. You don't need to instruct him every week "shoot long" after taking off a player who can't shoot from range. It's like a mutual understanding between you and the player.

Ive always wanted this, if you have a player with 19 in long shots, you will want him to shoot where ever he is on the pitch. Not mess about if you move positions or change him for another player.

This is why I dont use individual instructions at all because its too time consuming.

They need to change opposition instructions too, so either you can chose to apply ass man recommendations automatically you you can set up auto instructions yourself. ie low bravery = hard tackling, always close down wingers, show 1 footed players onto weaker foot etc.

As a further example, if you have Zidane in your team, you're always going to want him to play a free role whenever he's on the pitch, UNLESS you say otherwise. If he were in the game and you brought him on or took him off, the "external" instructions would mean you'd never have to faff around in the tactics screen setting things like "free role" every other week.

Yes please, great idea.

This would save me loads of time and excess mouse clicks.

i like this.... ALOT

Good idea mate

Dear Miles Jacobsen

I hearby command you to insert this feature into FM 2010 first thing this morning, 9-25-2009.

That is all.

bababui

Honestly, this is something I can't believe wasn't already in the game to begin with.

Good mock ups too, I dont honestly think it would be too hard to implement...

sounds a super idea

I already suggested exactly the same thing in the past, it's been years trying to pitch the idea and hoping to find something like it in the game. Glad to see it's picking up. This is what I wrote the last time, about a month ago (I love that you used Beckham in your example as well ).

I really think that a system revamp should account for the basic notion that roles are attached to the players, not to the tactics. One of FM's longstanding problems is that I can set up a nice tactic with everything working ok, but then when I'm up 1-0 at 80' and I replace my playmaker with a midfield fighter whose only purpose is to work as an additional defender, he will still play in my playmaker's role unless I tell him otherwise tweaking pretty much every slider in his profile. This is inaccurate, therefore the creation of a tactic should involve the creation of "profiles" to be assigned to players (more than one, of course), each one of them belonging to the overall tactic I'm using.

In the tactics screen we could right click on the player and find his, let's say, 3 profiles, with one set as default (which will be used unless I change it). Each profile can be changed from the current "player instructions" menu. So let's say I was playing AC Milan with my accurate 4-3-2-1 from the Ancelotti era. I take Pirlo out and send Gattuso in to protect the score. When this happens in real life, Gattuso won't be taking on Pirlo's duties (long balls, holding up the ball, dictating play). On the other hand, he will do things that Pirlo could not do (basically hunt down every opponent on the pitch). In real life this happen automatically, the manager doesn't have to specify it, because that's simply Gattuso's way of playing. With a "profile" system, I would send in Gattuso and he would be playing according to the player instructions of his default profile.

I think this would be a major improvement, allowing for greater flexibility. Another example: imagine England national team of some time ago (well, not that much time actually). 4-4-2, Beckham on the right. With Becks being a particular kind of right midfielder (not a dribbler, not a runner, basically a wide playmaker and a crosser), if I send in, let's say, Lennon, Bentley, Wright-Philips (all of which have played there in recent years) they need different instructions from Beckham. So, instead of having to tweak Beckham's instructions to suit those three quick paced, cutting-in, agile wingers, they would automatically play according to their default profile.

If I have a player who, within the boundaries and needs of my current tactic, can play different roles (either different interpretations of the same role or different roles altogether - i.e. fullback and winger), he can have more profiles. Everytime he's brought in ----> right-click on the player ----> select 1,2,3. Obviously my regular starting 11 would all play on their default profiles, basically making the system work exactly like it works now, but I could always introduce a small change on them as well (right click... ok, you get it).

Those who can't be bothered could always leave things unchanged and they would have the same game we have now. You don't have to create multiple profiles for every players, and only the default one is activated with the creation of your tactic. It's basically as it is now but with more depth and with the solution to one of FM's long-standing inconsistencies. Even the interface doesn't have to change much. What do you think (I already suggested this two or three years ago, I haven't played FM09 much but I'm getting FM2010 for sure!)?

Fantastic idea. The game NEEDS this!!

+1

and I'd like to see this implemented as soon as possible (:

This was a feature in Eastside hockey manager. You could give both instructions for individual players, and for positions. Definitely something they should bring into FM too

this is brilliant and much needed, since the annoyance of having to redo everything all the time means I usually don't bother.

SPOT ON IDEA,SURELY A MUST HAV

Dear Miles Jacobsen

I hearby command you to insert this feature into FM 2010 first thing this morning, 9-25-2009.

That is all.

bababui

Miles, if this is a petition Im signing it - dont let me go over your head to the Collyer's ;-)

Seriously though, this is a must have. I think the individual player settings defaulted to "last set player instructions" in CM0102 - though I may be wrong. Should also be applied to Opp Instructions. Though that would be specific to that particular match only, you should be able (if you load a new tactic in match) to tick a box for "Opp Insts as per kick off" or "Opp Insts as per before last tactic change", enabling you to overlay all those tweaks that you made either for kick off, or right up to the moment the tactical switch was made. Even saving every ten mins during a match is no good at present as the Opp Insts just default to some apparantly random setting which is not quite as per the last tactical switch but is not all neutral settings either. Also the Ass Mans in match feedback (which I love) only ever allows him to recommend up to 2 similar instuctions at once, ie at kick off he says "hard tackle the 2 x SC's". As soon as that change is made he recommends same again for (eg) AMC & MCd. Straight after that change he says (eg) "same again for ML & DR". Why could he not say from the start "hard tackle SC,SC,AMC,MCd,DR,ML"? I do not believe that he only thought this after each previous change, seems almost certain that his profile only has the capability to make a max of 2 such recommendations per feedback. Not good!

comon SI, add it

Excellent idea and one more thing that could really make this great is a drop down menu of positions.

It'll go in tandum with the OP's idea. For example I'd want to give a player who can play left wing and striker a different set of instructions for the different positions. This way I can just set them in his personal instructions window.

It'll also solve the swap positions problem a lot of people want including me. I like to have my wingers swap throughout the match. If my left winger goes on the right I'd like for him to cross less often possibly prompting him to cut in, playing more through balls and taking more long shots.

I had the same idea a while ago, but with several permanent instructions based on position a player is put on field, on the example one set for MR and another set for MC.

seriously it will save lots of time ...

Excellent idea i support this

I would say the vast amount of managers change their tactics to suit the players. Not the othway round.

So it makes perfect sense that individual play instructions should be in.

+1, mate.

At the risk of going slightly off topic, something similar for OIs would be handy, I'm fed up of having to set the same instructions for every team I play, why can't we save them?! Also, they should apply to positions, rather than to players, if their ST goes into goal, I don't still want tight marking on!

You've got my vote!

Huge plus and thumbs up from me.

I've been mentioning this a couple of times before. Would save a lot of time and clicking. And i am giving those instructions to the player, and not to the position.

Something I've wanted in for a while.

except you'd have the stats for him on the left and also be able to change it for different positions the player may play in, so if you you want to play on occasion if need be a player in a different position you could have those saved for that position too.

sorry didnt read earlier post.

i've wanted this for a couple of seasons along with alot of other stuff, but this is a big one

oh and by the way, to the OP, Beckham can dribble, its just that he doesnt often and such. i think its harsh to say he cant dribble. he's good with his feet, just as some people dont seem to think Lampard cant dribble but he can use his feet incredibly well, meh

To be honest, I'm torn with this one. I can see that there are plenty of cases where it will be very useful, but how is it going to be displayed on the tactics screen? If you have a position with forward runs rarely, but put a player there with forward runs often, what does the tactics screen display? It has to let you know that the instruction has been over ridden, but also probably needs to show you what the positional setting is as well as the players overridding value. And what happens if you're in a match and want to change a players overriding setting, do you have to go to that players screen and remove (or alter) the overriden value and then go to tactics and set up the new value? Or would you be able to change the players overriding value from the tactics screen as well (giving you potentially two checkboxes and two sliders for every instruction). And how would you deal with players that can play in a couple of different positions, or are used for different roles (but in the same position)?

Basically, it could get very messy and confusing very quickly if it's not clear what instructions are overriding what and so on. And it could get very cumbersome to change tactics if you have to go to every single players screen in order to tweak something.

Yes, I'd like this included. I find myself having to do way too many little changes in player instructions per season. Gets annoying tbh.

They could include this already in FM2010, just a new item in the menu + the link to the players instructions.

Great idea

Great post, I have thought an option to do this should be included for years.

Probably the best and most realistic idea pitched so far

i like the idea. would be useful

~~Stevie G~~

This is a great idea really should be in the game.

They could include this already in FM2010, just a new item in the menu + the link to the players instructions.

Like it's that simple to implement . Nevertheless, this is something that should be in the game ASAP.

Maybe add some player preferred instructions.

I too have wanted this for years and you've made it in a well constructed post. The one thing that puts me off playing FM more than anything is the constant setting and re-setting of player instructions. This would work wonders. Please SI put it in the game.

Would it not be easier just to give us the ability to save the player instructions to the set to menu?

This can be done with an EDT file I think but that is alot of messing around, an option next to the player instructions saying save would be great. I have Beckham in my team and play him at MR or CM he has different instructions for each position. It would be so easy to save his instructions and then click set to> Beckham CM or Beckham MR.

To be honest, I'm torn with this one. I can see that there are plenty of cases where it will be very useful, but how is it going to be displayed on the tactics screen? If you have a position with forward runs rarely, but put a player there with forward runs often, what does the tactics screen display? It has to let you know that the instruction has been over ridden, but also probably needs to show you what the positional setting is as well as the players overridding value. And what happens if you're in a match and want to change a players overriding setting, do you have to go to that players screen and remove (or alter) the overriden value and then go to tactics and set up the new value? Or would you be able to change the players overriding value from the tactics screen as well (giving you potentially two checkboxes and two sliders for every instruction). And how would you deal with players that can play in a couple of different positions, or are used for different roles (but in the same position)?

Basically, it could get very messy and confusing very quickly if it's not clear what instructions are overriding what and so on. And it could get very cumbersome to change tactics if you have to go to every single players screen in order to tweak something.

I didn't mention it in depth in the original post, but this feature would inherently necessitate a very easy method of turning these individual instruction overrides on or off, as well as an easy and visible way of seeing who has them turned on in the first place, otherwise as you say it could complicate things and confuse/frustrate people (especially those new to the game). It'd be up to the developers how they'd do this, but there are a good number of ways it could be done. E.g. in the formations screen maybe have a checkbox next to the player rating which is ticked if the player has his own overriding instructions that he's following, so if you don't want him to follow those overriding instructions you can just uncheck it (and that way it's very easy to see who has these overriding instructions active as the box will be ticked if they do). And similarly, maybe have the option to show or hide this column so that new to the game (or who dont want this feature) can ignore it if they fear confusion.

Would it not be easier just to give us the ability to save the player instructions to the set to menu?

This can be done with an EDT file I think but that is alot of messing around, an option next to the player instructions saying save would be great. I have Beckham in my team and play him at MR or CM he has different instructions for each position. It would be so easy to save his instructions and then click set to> Beckham CM or Beckham MR.

Mentioned this briefly in the original post as I had given that some thought before - the problem with the drop-down set menu method is that you'd still have to change player instructions every time you make the substitution or rotation in the lineup. For example using the method you've suggested, if Beckham starts for me and I bring on Jonas, I still have to click on Jonas and then select the saved Jonas RM instruction file from the menu - and I have to do this every time. Although it might save me time by only having to make one change instead of changing 5-6 instruction variables, it still requires me to do *something* every time the players are swapped. The idea here is that once you've given a player certain instructions, you then remove the need to make these changes so regularly. IMO having player instruction settings within the player's profile which automatically overrides instructions would be a more efficient way of doing things.

But that's only on the fundamental point of regular changes. Regarding saving instructions for more than one position, a drop down menu with pre-saved instructions (i.e. what you've suggested) would be a good option, but within the player's profile, so that you then have the affect of both automatic instruction overriding and the ability to select instruction profiles that are easily created.

oh and by the way, to the OP, Beckham can dribble, its just that he doesnt often and such. i think its harsh to say he cant dribble. he's good with his feet, just as some people dont seem to think Lampard cant dribble but he can use his feet incredibly well, meh

My comments were about Beckham within the game, and not IRL (not that I would agree with you on that anyway). If you can see from my screenshots, Beckham in the game has a dribbling ability of 11, along with acceleration 8 and pace 9. Those are terrible stats for a winger in FM to be asked to run with the ball. He'll not beat any fullbacks with those stats, hence why if I do play him out wide I make certain that he rarely attempts to dribble past anyone.

+1 Excellent idea

Good idea!

Wanted this for years, SI MUST add this.

Good idea. It would save me many hours of fiddling about in the tactics screens.

Just to add, would also love to see this.

Brilliant! That's all I have to say.

Got my vote. Damn, wanted this for years....