FM 2012 ideas for improvements

I couldn't find a topic on this so I thought I would start one. Hopefully SI are interested in our opinions as they are working on the next edition of FM. Here are the top items on my wishlist:

• Make FM more FUN to play! Reduce the micromanagement. For example, under team training allow me to set global rules about resting players like anyone with energy less than 70% rest for 2 days, less than 50% rest for 3 days etc... Then I don't have to continually set players to rest individually.
  
• Reduce the time taken to make calculations and the info about games/leagues I care nothing about. Getting through ONE week feels like a SLOG and I don't want a second job!
  
• Add more flair, tension, excitement, emotion to the 3D match engine. Players look like robots, their movements should be more life like. Need more one-touch football, one-twos, aggressive runs and general "heart in the mouth" moments..
  
• Reduce the number of screens required to achieve tasks. Setting up a team in the pre-match screen is a real chore. Players should remember their unique instructions for a position. e.g. I want Jonas to cut inside and run with the ball often and not make crosses. If I sub him with a "hugs line" and cross type winger then I don't want to have to reset the tactics every time. The new player should reset the tactics in that position when I drop him in. i.e. individual instructions should be player specific and not position/ style specific. I should be able to set up my player and team instructions from ONE page. Constantly switching between screens is a chore.
  One last idea: change to a percentage value for player attributes (1 -100). this would allow for more differentiation between players and more importantly make training and player development much more DYNAMIC. Currently I can wait months (years?) to see any changes in my players attributes as a result of my time and effort towards training. For example, an improvement from 81 to 83 in technique would be "hidden" on a 20-point scale but "visible" on a 100-point scale. Also, I think the caps on player attributes should be more flexible. maybe a total cap for overall value but leave it to the manager to shape and mould how that player will develop.
  Sorry! One final point: take away some the "behind the curtians feel". I want to know what my player is thinking when his morale is "poor". Currently I go to player talk and under "happiness" he has no issues... ??? How is my match preparation setting helping my team? Currently it feels like it makes no difference at all. I want to see the consequencs of my decisions (good or bad) otherwise why bother?
  OK that's enough from me!
  Thanks for listening SI. Now lets have everyone else's ideas and suggestions!
  

I couldn't find a topic on this so I thought I would start one.

ever thought of using search?

On topic (Kinda)... does anybody else think that, if SI implemented all of the "improvements" that forum users suggest, the game would be crap?

If they even tried they would never stop, some of the ideas people have must be thought up when on drugs or any other kind of intoxicant.

If they even tried they would never stop, some of the ideas people have must be thought up when on drugs or any other kind of intoxicant.

Guilty!

does anybody else think that, if SI implemented all of the "improvements" that forum users suggest, the game would be crap?

Yes, I do.

Too late anyway as FM12 is in full development with the new additions added and being fully tested, should change it to FM13 maybe.

ever thought of using search?

On topic (Kinda)... does anybody else think that, if SI implemented all of the "improvements" that forum users suggest, the game would be crap?

Er, no, because more features, if implemented fully, result in a better game. Otherwise, what would be the point of the tactics creator, 3D match engine or DLR?

There is nothing wrong with the OP's ideas, which seek to improve the speed of the game and reduce the number of screens displayed to the user, improving the user experience - absolutely nothing wrong with that, and should be encouraged, not dismissed.

When some customers start to find it acceptable to "aim low" because new features have been implemented badly...

Shorter version of this thread.

OP: "Here are some reasonable suggestions to consider for improving the game experience."

The Usual Suspects: "SUGGESTIONS?! THAT'S IMPLICIT CRITICISM OF THE GAME?! ATTACK ATTACK!!!1"

[*]Add more flair, tension, excitement, emotion to the 3D match engine. Players look like robots, their movements should be more life like. Need more one-touch football, one-twos, aggressive runs and general "heart in the mouth" moments..

[*] Players should remember their unique instructions for a position. e.g. I want Jonas to cut inside and run with the ball often and not make crosses. If I sub him with a "hugs line" and cross type winger then I don't want to have to reset the tactics every time. The new player should reset the tactics in that position when I drop him in. i.e. individual instructions should be player specific and not position/ style specific.

One last idea: change to a percentage value for player attributes (1 -100).

Sorry! One final point: take away some the "behind the curtians feel". I want to know what my player is thinking when his morale is "poor". Currently I go to player talk and under "happiness" he has no issues... ??? How is my match preparation setting helping my team? Currently it feels like it makes no difference at all. I want to see the consequencs of my decisions (good or bad) otherwise why bother?

I especially like these suggestions. It totally kills it for me every time i see a player stop, bend at the waist, pick up the ball, stand up, hold the ball with two hands in front of him, and walk slowly to the corner flag. Players chasing after a ball a second after it's gone out is kinda weird too, as is the player taking the free kick standing right on top of an injured player. More foul and falling animations would be nice, such as a visible shirt pull or a player rolling a couple times upon ground impact. If many of these little "awkward moments" could be taken out, it would seem a lot smoother.

Thanks Lilywhites. Yes, the slow pre-corner/ throw-in movements need to be fixed. I also get the feeling that players aren't as aware of their team mates as they should be in the game. I rarely see players linking up to make incisive moves, even with top draw sides. If football was as boring as the match engine in real life then nobody would watch it. Yes, it has been improved but it still has a long way to go. I agree with you on the need for new fouling animations. Right now players just lay down like they've been shot... comical really... from a franchise that prides itself on realism. It also seems like SI has implemented new ideas (like the player talks + match preparation) without really getting the most out of them. I still can't find out what my players are thinking/ feeling half the time (let alone influence them) and match preparation has no measurable effect that I can see. SI needs to make the game MORE TRANSPARENT. It may be sacrilege here to mention FIFA Manager but they have some areas that are superior to FM, especially training and player interaction. If I encourage a player I can see his confidence value actually improve. If I ask him to focus on headers I can see his skills improve in a reasonably short time. Of course FIFA Manager also has a lot of major flaws. Pity we can't combine the best of both games. I would love that.

Thanks for your comments. I feel that SI have lost sight of the fact that this is still a game (an accurate simulation) and should be fun. While every game is a balance between realism and playability, SI could make FM more fun without compromising the accuracy of their simulation. Actually, they still have some way to go on the accuracy front. Take Andy Caroll in FM11 for example. He is a shadow of the dynamic, powerful striker that Liverpool paid 35 million for. In fact, target men are pretty useless as a whole in FM, their headers usually going 25 yds in front of them into the waiting keepers arms. The 3D engine still feels like a computer moving individual pieces around rather than a living team reacting to each other and working together.

I know exactly what you mean Lance- it seems like most of the "good" goals come from shining individual efforts rather than a great team move. It's a little too uncommon to see players combine in deadly fashion, although this has improved a bit i think. I agree with both your above comments totally.

I know exactly what you mean Lance- it seems like most of the "good" goals come from shining individual efforts rather than a great team move. It's a little too uncommon to see players combine in deadly fashion, although this has improved a bit i think. I agree with both your above comments totally.

my players regularly string together 15-20 pass movements that end in goals... and we play in League One!!!

I would like to see a new and improved scouting system which includes a similair idea to the CASTROL player rankings/ratings system for a more modern and efficient scouting process. This system uses a players total minutes on the pitch against different stats, such as goals scored for a striker, or interception/tackles made for a defender etc, and then ranks players overall in a big list. This accounts for both european and domestic football seperately or together. If you are unsure as to what I am referring to, just search CASTROL player rankings or ratings into google and you will find several sites, including the official one explaining all you will need to know. Several high profile people have praised the system for making scouting and identifying new talents much easier, Sir Alex Ferguson for example - http://www.goal.com/en/news/2939/cas...-modern-player. Copy and paste the link to view the interview with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Many managers have seen the benefits it brings to scouting in the modern game, and I for one would love to see this in football manager 2012 or 2013.

Let me know what you think

ever thought of using search?

On topic (Kinda)... does anybody else think that, if SI implemented all of the "improvements" that forum users suggest, the game would be crap?

If all the ideas were implemented the game would not necessarily be crap but you probably would need a supercomputer to run it.

If all the ideas were implemented the game would not necessarily be crap but you probably would need a supercomputer to run it.

It would probably take three days to get through a weeks worth of play clicking through everything required of you.

• Reduce the time taken to make calculations and the info about games/leagues I care nothing about. Getting through ONE week feels like a SLOG and I don't want a second job!
  

The only information that i get about games/leagues is the ones that i add from the start, if you add them you will receive the information about them

Interaction with the Physio during a game to tell you the extent of a players injury.Nothing worse than your star player getting injured and substituting him,only to find out after the game his injury was a broken finger nail

One last idea: change to a percentage value for player attributes (1 -100). this would allow for more differentiation between players and more importantly make training and player development much more DYNAMIC. Currently I can wait months (years?) to see any changes in my players attributes as a result of my time and effort towards training. For example, an improvement from 81 to 83 in technique would be "hidden" on a 20-point scale but "visible" on a 100-point scale.

Actually, this is already in the game and you can find it under the training fan in the player profile. Just click on attribute and it'll show you if it's for instance a high or low 15.

There is a couple of things I would love to see in fm

1. A international player development program of some type in the way the clubs have a youth academy. When u become a international manager u could go to ur FA and asked for money to be spent on youth development which would in turn you would have better youth coming though for that nationally.

2. I would like to see some thing in place for when u win many trophies as a club with some thing coming in your inbox saying something like for eg. Your Leeds team on the amount of trophies they have won ar up there with the great Ac Milan teams and R. Madrid teams of the past. And only the so called team of the 60's is above you in the all time list.

1. A international player development program of some type in the way the clubs have a youth academy. When u become a international manager u could go to ur FA and asked for money to be spent on youth development which would in turn you would have better youth coming though for that nationally.

This honestly doesn't happen in real life.