Suggestion- improvements to "swap positions" [with mock-ups]

Swap positions, as I see it, is a very useful tool, but it needs some improvements. To start with, we need the ability to have multiple players swapping positions.

Here's a current player instructions screen

I think "swap positions" should be like your corner taker selections. It would be on the end of the list. You could have up to four "swap positions" active at any one time, each containing up to five positions. The players would move between all the positions, with somebody always occupying each position.

Here's one I mocked up earlier

The important thing is not the players' names, it is the positions they play in. In this instance, they are included because they help illustrate my next point.

What if you want Rosicky, VDV and Arshavin to move between the AML, AMR, AMC and MC positions, and Cesc moving between MC and AMC, but you don't want Fabregas wide? Well, remove AML/R from the MC's "switch". This could be done with a little red "x" next to the player's name. Each player would have to have at least two positions, and there could be no isolated players within the loop.

This is what my original example would look like

To expand upon the last point, you could have Rosicky moving between AML and MC, Fabregas between MC and AMC, VDV between AMC and AMR, and Arshavin between the wings, but not Fabregas and VDV between MC and AMC and the other two on the wings, unless they were on separate loops. I made a hash of that. Ignore it if you followed me until then.

My screenshots don't seem to be working properly anymore, so my next point, which relates very closely, will have to be text-based only.

I may want these players playing in all these different positions, but not playing the same. Say I have Ronaldo and Messi on my wings. I want them playing as wingers when they are on their stronger sides (Ronaldo right, Messi left) but inside forwards on their "weaker" sides. Therefore, I want their instructions to change with their positions.

How about something like this in a player's profile:

Cristiano Ronaldo

AMR= "Winger, attack"

AML= "Inside forward, support"

ST= "Complete forward, attack"

A few flaws I've spotted: tweaking during the match will be overwritten (e.g. if you change Messi to "defensive winger", when Ronaldo switches he'll go back to "inside forward"). We can fix this by saying that in-match tweaks will over-write the pre-sets.

Doesn't necessarily relate to tactics, you can't have player's switching roles without considering team strategy: "winger" and "inside forward" aren't set in stone, they change according to team settings.

Wouldn't work in "Classic tactics", or would be much harder: true.

Very hard to code, would take time better spent on other things, would be bugged: that's for SI to decide

Thanks for reading. In summary, "swap positions" needs to be improved to increase fluidity, especially amongst creative attacking players at top clubs.

Some good ideas definitely.

I've been saying for a couple of years now that some improvements are needed to the swapping players option. Even if SI don't go all the way with your ideas, then at least they should put in a system where you could chose to swap positions without swapping instructions too.

Ridiculously complicated screenshot and explanation Good idea though

Ridiculously complicated screenshot and explanation Good idea though

Yeah, I realised as I was typing it that I was making it sound complicated, but I couldn't think of how to simplify it

good ideas. it would also be cool if researhers could set player roles like this, to make sure these players have right roles set when managed by AI.

How about something like this in a player's profile:

Cristiano Ronaldo

AMR= "Winger, attack"

AML= "Inside forward, support"

ST= "Complete forward, attack"

I agree, that'd be great. It allows you to change the point of attack, but still have one player lead it (Ronaldo and Park are a good example; Ronaldo would always be the attacker, while Park hung back a bit, but they'd switch sides throughout the match).

I like this idea tbh. I was thinking about this idea the other day, as it was impossible to implicate Man Utd's famous position swapping between Rooney, Tevez & Ronaldo.

I feel a bit uncomfortable with researchers setting player roles tbh. Maybe if they only lasted whilst they were at the same club, under the same manager, that would be tolerable.