Does anyone else prefer the old champ man text commentary to the 3D engine?

I would never use the 3D MATCH ENGINE, it just reminds me of some really old SEGA MEGA DRIVE game from back in the day, the graphics are that poor. Not only that but it is just really slow (I am basing this assessment on FM10, I cannot access it on FM11 without my game crashing, though I would not want to anyway.) The problem I have with the 3D engine (besides the points above) is that it just leaves you wanting more. Better quality. More realism. With the 2D engine and the old flashing text on the champ man games, that was never an issue. When a goal goes in on the 2D MATCH ENGINE, the real beauty of the goal is not on the screen itself, but is in the imagination. When my player hits a long hard beauty of a goal, I imagine this beauty in my head. Then there was the text based match engine of the old champ man games. For those who played those games, do you remember the feeling you got when the text would flash repeatedly when you scored a goal? There was nothing like it, and the 3d match engine will never come close to it. The problem with the 3d engine is it does not leave much room for imagination, since you actually see how a goal is scored, if you know what I mean. Bring back flashing text commentary I say.

Obviously only those that played the old champ man game can answer this. I suppose if you have only been playing it for a few years you would not understand.

Having played since CM93 your description does give my great nostalgic feeling... but no, I love the 3D engine and can't imagine being without it now.

agree totally mate i just dont like it because of the lack of animations. where hulk would run the length of the pitch and box it in 2d heel run and get tackled for a real basic example. in my opinion its a different game in 3d to 2d and only commentry.

I just watch matches using the "Only commentary" option, I tried watching some matches using the 2D and 3D engines and just didn't enjoy it much still prefer the good old CM style commentary.

I wasn't aware you could have commentary only on the newer versions. If I had known that maybe I would have got more enjoyment from newer versions lol.

I've always used 2D, but for my upcoming LLM save with 11.3 I'll use the 3D engine to give it a fresh look.

I would never use the 3D MATCH ENGINE, it just reminds me of some really old SEGA MEGA DRIVE game from back in the day, the graphics are that poor. Not only that but it is just really slow (I am basing this assessment on FM10, I cannot access it on FM11 without my game crashing, though I would not want to anyway.) The problem I have with the 3D engine (besides the points above) is that it just leaves you wanting more. Better quality. More realism. With the 2D engine and the old flashing text on the champ man games, that was never an issue. When a goal goes in on the 2D MATCH ENGINE, the real beauty of the goal is not on the screen itself, but is in the imagination. When my player hits a long hard beauty of a goal, I imagine this beauty in my head. Then there was the text based match engine of the old champ man games. For those who played those games, do you remember the feeling you got when the text would flash repeatedly when you scored a goal? There was nothing like it, and the 3d match engine will never come close to it. The problem with the 3d engine is it does not leave much room for imagination, since you actually see how a goal is scored, if you know what I mean. Bring back flashing text commentary I say.

you are a man after my own heart i totally agree with you I'm so glad I'm not the only one that thinks like this:thup:

I wasn't aware you could have commentary only on the newer versions. If I had known that maybe I would have got more enjoyment from newer versions lol.

yer mate, in the highlight section choose commentary only. Makes the games run alot faster too.

We might get you into the new game yet

I prefer 2d, 3d still sucks and my pc sucks too.

I wasn't aware you could have commentary only on the newer versions. If I had known that maybe I would have got more enjoyment from newer versions lol.

You can set it like that in two ways.

"Manager Name" > Options > Mananger Options and change 'Match View' to 'Only Commentary.

or in the middle of a match

Match Controls > Highlight Mode > Only Commentary

On FM10 i only used the 2D but on FM11 i think the 3D engine improved a lot so i watch my games that way.

3D is visually enjoyable (if you're not expecting stunning animations... if you do, go play Fifa or PES )

But in the end you still sit and wonder why the match is going the way it's going... only, the Commentary Only preserved you from getting increasingly frustrated due to your team stubbornly ignoring whatever tactical input you try to give...

All in all we still DON'T REALLY KNOW what's going on, but Match Engine gives us the wonderful chance to get angrier at our players...

I only played FM since 08 but i agree with you that 3D is still a bit crap, which is why i use 2D.

How did Commentary only work then? How are you meant to know what's going wrong during a game?

yer mate, in the highlight section choose commentary only. Makes the games run alot faster too.

We might get you into the new game yet

Emailed Steam today asking them to delete my copy permanently.

If I could choose I'd have a complete "commentary only" version of FM.

I never use the 3D engine and it takes up so much precious memory

Had a look at 3D on YouTube and I have to say I am quite surprised. It doesn't look that bad to be honest. I was basing my assessment on FM09. Oops. Much improved since then. I suppose it would be good to see how good the players actually perform and also if they are following instructions It never worked though on my game for some reason. Every time I would got to a match it would crash and an error message would come up. The only way I could play a match was to disable 3D.

I only played FM since 08 but i agree with you that 3D is still a bit crap, which is why i use 2D.

How did Commentary only work then? How are you meant to know what's going wrong during a game?

I view my screen in split view. Left half is Opposition team's current tactics/formations screen,and right side is match stats.

Handy to see which formation opposition switches too,what subs are made,player bookings,amount of possesion,long shots etc.

Back in the days of CM01/02 and the like it was a great feeling to see that flashing text, but since the dots came in and now actual people running around I wouldn't go back to just commentary. Yes it's good to use your imagination at times, but the game has moved forward and I get more satisfaction out of seeing my team actually score rather than just reading about it.

Match engine frustrates me too much and feels slower.

Match commentary all the way for me. Don't half miss flashing text, often miss when goals go in, mainly due to them going in while changing tactics.

I agree with the person that said having the option of not loading the 2D and 3D engines and having it text only to allow more leagues and players to be loaded

Back in the days of CM01/02 and the like it was a great feeling to see that flashing text, but since the dots came in and now actual people running around I wouldn't go back to just commentary. Yes it's good to use your imagination at times, but the game has moved forward and I get more satisfaction out of seeing my team actually score rather than just reading about it.

Ditto. It's like saying you hate going to see a football match at the ground or on TV; you much prefer listening to it on the radio or reading the match report the next day so you can imagine that stunning overhead kick by Rooney...

the one thing that i don't understand about the commentary only loving people is how the hell do you know if your tactics work??

surely the results alone can't give you even half the picture?

Stats. Match Stats and Player Ratings. As long as my players get over 7, I don't care what happens on the match engine.

Can never get the match engine to do what I want anyway.

Still love and use the text option due to a mixture of nostalgia and a lack of time to play the game.

Plus the text option helps keep my blood pressure under control so I dont have to see some of the ludicrous defensive mistakes that Titus Bramble seems to make! grrrrrr lol

Titus Bramble's making them? Realistic then

2D classic for me always.

I've never seen the attraction in the 3D really. I like the imagination factor when I'm playing FM. 2D is perfect.

Nope. 3d is a marvelous addition because it is never boring and each field action is different from other ones.

2D for me.

The graphics for 3D are perfectly fine, it's just the range/quality of the animations that kill it for me. Like someone said it removes your imagination and replaces it with a very basic action, a mazey run in 2D just looks really devoid of skill in 3D. There's not enough to indicate a difference in technique or skill in 3D, even top level games look like school ground kick-abouts.

That's not a dig at Si or Sega tho, even games like PES/FIFA can't get it right despite their game being centred around it.

Match engine is pointless.It's just a visualisation.

3D engine is cool enough. I'd complain about its limitations, but it barely runs on my comp as it is, so I have mixed feelings

The flashing text has a nice nostalgic feeling but I guess I don't have the imagination some of you have because I always wanted to see it. And it always made my eyes twitch after a while, especially when it was announcing my opponent's sixth goal. Mind, versus the 2D engine it can be a little difficult in the 3D one to see the "big picture" in terms of formations, how they're working and such.

2D for me.

The graphics for 3D are perfectly fine, it's just the range/quality of the animations that kill it for me. Like someone said it removes your imagination and replaces it with a very basic action, a mazey run in 2D just looks really devoid of skill in 3D. There's not enough to indicate a difference in technique or skill in 3D, even top level games look like school ground kick-abouts.

That's not a dig at Si or Sega tho, even games like PES/FIFA can't get it right despite their game being centred around it.

Admittedly some of the technical stuff isn't done in good enough detail, but at least the graphics give you an idea of things like which defender missed an interception, how many sitters your striker missed, etc.

We all agree to " pretend " that SI will leave both 2D and 3D in future versions, the game can therefore be played based on everyone own preferences.

That's a banal statement but it is fundamental to keep it as it is

i prefer the old champ man commentry i can run the 3d match engine just dont like it doesnt look good or anything

Admittedly some of the technical stuff isn't done in good enough detail, but at least the graphics give you an idea of things like which defender missed an interception, how many sitters your striker missed, etc.

But doesn't the 2D engine show that, and is arguably an even clearer representation of tactics?

I also think the player likenesses aren't great either. There isn't really enough to differentiate between players.

Me. I always commentary only. The only time I go 2D are when things are going wrong are I'm trying to check my tactics. I never use 3D. Maybe for the first half of my first ever game just to check it out.

I always had a feeling, maybe a superstion that the graphics and commentary werent linked anyway. So a tactic that works in 2D wont work in commentary and vice versa. If I watch the game it seems like I wont have the same result and they play a completly different way, as in possession ans shots and stuff. As in commentary only on an older FM I usually concede lots of 1st and last minute goals but when watching the match it never happened. Weird maybe as people kept saying it was coincedence.

I would never use the 3D MATCH ENGINE, it just reminds me of some really old SEGA MEGA DRIVE game from back in the day, the graphics are that poor. Not only that but it is just really slow (I am basing this assessment on FM10, I cannot access it on FM11 without my game crashing, though I would not want to anyway.) The problem I have with the 3D engine (besides the points above) is that it just leaves you wanting more. Better quality. More realism. With the 2D engine and the old flashing text on the champ man games, that was never an issue. When a goal goes in on the 2D MATCH ENGINE, the real beauty of the goal is not on the screen itself, but is in the imagination. When my player hits a long hard beauty of a goal, I imagine this beauty in my head. Then there was the text based match engine of the old champ man games. For those who played those games, do you remember the feeling you got when the text would flash repeatedly when you scored a goal? There was nothing like it, and the 3d match engine will never come close to it. The problem with the 3d engine is it does not leave much room for imagination, since you actually see how a goal is scored, if you know what I mean. Bring back flashing text commentary I say.

Please use paragraphs when you post, it makes it easier to read !

Also with your game crashing when you try to use the 3d match engine, its not the games fault, your computer just cant handle it, you would obviously need to upgrade the hardware inside your computer. But believe me, the 3d match engine is fantastic, now you can see wy you lost, every aspect of it all. How on earth can you see why you lost with only text ?

To be honest, the 3d match engine is 1 of the most important parts of Football Manager game series

Also it seems to me the people who dislike the 3d match engine are the 1's who also have poor computers. Upgrade your current computer and actually see why you lot are losing matches !