How can Long Term Saves be improved?

Pretty much as the title says really? I still feel in many ways that every season feels like the start of a new game, not a continuation of seasons previous. I know their are a couple of things like, the possibilty of getting a son, or stadium named after you, but apart from those their seems to be very little to make you feel like you are cementing a legacy or gaining a wide array of relationships with players, managers and the media. I think that at the rate FM is evolving in other areas like 3D ME etc just appearing on a favoured personel list isn't enough.

So what measures do I think could be made, or existing areas expanded upon.

Relationships

Basically they need to be more dynamic in my opinion. For instance if you want to be friends with another manager, you can only appear on favoured personel lists, why not have some press conference options where you can get a bit more in depth. Like saying you shall be enjoying a post game drink with said manager, or sharing some of the more decent scouted players report cards, just a bit of diversity that actually makes you think this is a friend. On the reverse some heated fueds with rival manager you dislike, dragging each other through the media with a good ol' war of words ala, Fergie/Benitez. It would just give the AI side more personality.

On the Playing staff side, perhaps have your captain play a more important role giving you weekly/monthly updates on dressing room morale and suggestions/concerns on tactics or other players, the captain should after all be the managers representitive on the pitch not just a name in a column. If a player is unhappy have an option to speak to that player, so you could either assuage their worries or give them the blow dryer treatment for being a primadonna. If a player gets player of the year and wants to thank the manager then go into a bit more depth ie have a personel message from the player, or say specifically how the manager has helped, given creative freedom, more confidence, a more important role etc etc. Give options to comment on player landmarks like, 1st senior goal, record breaking goal, retirement stuff like that.

Smarter Media

By this I mean have the media comment and bring up deeds done under your tenure, comment on old classic matches you had with your rivals, bring up bad blood between you and players/managers. Have them comment on your legendary striker surpassing the league goal record. Also maybe have a season pre-view, like 'Another season kicks off this weekend, and defending champs [insert team] will have a tough time repeating last years feat, especially due to the ammount of strengthing done by the chasing pack. However [insert team] have managed to hold onto to star player [insert player], who after finishing top of the scoring charts last season, including an absolute beaut for goal of the season [insert goal of season link] will be looking to kick on and terrorise more defenses' This although a rough and simple outline brings aspects of the previous season forward into the next. Other liitle things the media should do, like make a big deal out of the World Player of the Year this is a big accolade, maybe introduce the Ballon D'ore.

Chairman Interaction

Seems a logical step forward now we have backroom advice, confidence etc. Two yearly meeting post and pre season would suffice, to discuss goals, players and whether you are achieving the laid out plans of th eboard, who in modern football play such a massive role.

Manager Profile

Is a bit bare really, I would like to see the same stats that AI managers have though I admit this would be difficult to put in. Maybe a couple of other stats like, your disipline stance, are you a Capello type tyrant or a Keegan type man of the people. Do you have a good record with yongsters. How attractive is the football your team play ar you stylish or cloggers. How is you relationship with the board, your staff, your players, the fans. Have some graphics of trophies you have won (it is a bit Fifa-ish but still). Have a check box to show how this relationship based attributes, or manager personality attributes have gone up or down like a players stats, to show your progress, and give your virtual self some realism.

These are of course just a couple of things I thought of, but I am really interested to know what other people think could be improved upon, if any improvement is needed at all. I tend to play long term singal team games, and for me the long term gameplay is still lacking somewhat though I admit it is getting better.

What do you think?

All good ideas! Personally, I'd like to see dynamic league and country reputations.

I really like these ideas and it is something I would love to see in the games of the futures. For me my most difficult time during FM is always pre-season, I tend to get so caught up in transfers and whatnot that I tend to have to restart to stop things going to the dogs. I would love a way of having the feel of each season just an extension of the previous one with more references to it so that it doesn't feel like a new game each time.

Bestie.

I really like these ideas and it is something I would love to see in the games of the futures. For me my most difficult time during FM is always pre-season, I tend to get so caught up in transfers and whatnot that I tend to have to restart to stop things going to the dogs. I would love a way of having the feel of each season just an extension of the previous one with more references to it so that it doesn't feel like a new game each time.

Bestie.

Same here and wish you could transfer or carry your let say fm09 history to fm10 would make your career more interesting.

Dunno if you ever could drag over histories from the previous FM, though it is a nice idea. It just needs to feel more organic season after season.

I am surprised more people haven't brought up the worries and possible solutions of long term save gameplay, as it seems to me at least, to be an area that is still lacking.

Some great ideas here that seem realistic and possible. I do think that linking events/successes of previous seasons to the current season is a great idea and would definately make me feel as if i am creating some kind of history for myself. I definately feel that interaction with the board should be developed as it is clearly a huge part of todays game.

Good thread. (y)

these are good ideas and a long term save definately needs to be improved to make it feel like it is a long term game

Better regens

Same here and wish you could transfer or carry your let say fm09 history to fm10 would make your career more interesting.

I wouldn't want to carry over the games themselves as this would cause too many problems programming wise (The reason Vista was such an issue with people was because Windows was still using the core 95 coding with just fancy bits thrown in. Vista was made from the ground up and as so the older programs weren't compatible) however I would love to be able to pass on reputations. Basically you, the Manager, can import your profile so that the new game will have you as:

Experience - X amount of seasons.

Trophies - Blah, Blah, Blah (making them vague, so it could be "league", "domestic cups" "European cups" without actually clashing with the game's history)

Man Management Style

Tactical Nouse + Formation preferences

Youth Development

Etc.

This way you can start a new game in FM11, FM12 or whatever, even with the same team as before but your "history" as a manager remains. I'm never a big fan of the way we have our histories as it is right now.

Plus I'd love to be able to choose "previous youth player/coach of club" so that you don't have a playing background for the players to be able to deal with you as the manager.

Bestie.

Plus I'd love to be able to choose "previous youth player/coach of club" so that you don't have a playing background for the players to be able to deal with you as the manager.

I think this is an interesting Idea, I mean Mourinho never really playd at any great level,and his experience comes from, working in various areas of coaching/scouting in other clubs.

For me personally as a manager who likes the long term saves i must say my biggest problem is after about 4-5 years i have a major struggle to actually sign anybody as the scouting system seems to fail me and to be honest i cannot be bothered to search through thousands of players to pick out the best. So i would really like the scouting updated somehow (any ideas would be good here) and new interaction with agents who may have the next big thing on there books and are trying to engineer a move to a big club. This way theres easier ways of finding players to sign and also some extra dialogue to keep it inteeresting rather than the same old tosh every single game.

Along the lines of agents in the game maybe theres an option to organise a secret meeting with agent and player to try and poach the player. This would open up a whole new aspect of signing players as you could either get a fantastic deal by unsettling him or you could get caught and face disciplinary action such as points deductions, fines or even a transfer embargo for persistent offenders.

For me personally as a manager who likes the long term saves i must say my biggest problem is after about 4-5 years i have a major struggle to actually sign anybody as the scouting system seems to fail me and to be honest i cannot be bothered to search through thousands of players to pick out the best. So i would really like the scouting updated somehow (any ideas would be good here) and new interaction with agents who may have the next big thing on there books and are trying to engineer a move to a big club. This way theres easier ways of finding players to sign and also some extra dialogue to keep it inteeresting rather than the same old tosh every single game.

Along the lines of agents in the game maybe theres an option to organise a secret meeting with agent and player to try and poach the player. This would open up a whole new aspect of signing players as you could either get a fantastic deal by unsettling him or you could get caught and face disciplinary action such as points deductions, fines or even a transfer embargo for persistent offenders.

This would never be in the games as SI cannot be seen to be supporting illegal activities within the game.

Excellent points SI should really take them on board