What do I hate about FM12, you ask me. Well, I’ll tell you….

So I spent most of my last day in China setting up the game just the way I like it. I made a few database changes, started pre-season and bought one or two reinforcements, sold a couple of scrubs, set up my training schedules and my tactics and my selections and my shouts, sent out my scouts to far-flung corners of the world looking for young talent, and even played a few friendlies against my affiliate teams.

Things were going well, a couple of victories against lesser opposition in the pre-season meant that my players’ morale was high, and they were beginning to grow familiar with my tactics. I even sat through the inane questions of the assembled press corps about my preseason preparation and my optimism about the new season, and finally, the big day was upon me, an opening fixture against the Arsenal.

I shut down the game, planning to start the new season afresh once I was on board flight VS251. I figure with an 11-hour flight, a comfy seat and a laptop power cord, I can get half way through my first season. While all the talk is about avoiding relegation back to the championship – I am carefully managing my chairman’s expectations – I’m quietly confident of a mid-table performance.

So what went wrong? Did an opening day thrashing by the Gunners get me off on the wrong foot? Did my main striker break a leg? Did the board refuse to sign off on the new center back I had my eye on? Did I get knocked out of the Carling Cup by lower league giant-killers? What made my first game of F1M12 such an incredibly frustrating experience?

None of the above? Instead: “This operation cannot be completed while Steam is in offline mode.”

Instead of 11 hours of football, 11 hours of boredom!!! (Okay, so Virgin has a great in-flight entertainment system and I got to watch Captain America, Bad Teacher, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Attack the Block for the third time.)

Still, having been told in several “official” threads that once the game had been activated I didn’t need to be online to play, this is a little galling. Am I doing something wrong, or is the whole Steam thing just a massive conspiracy to prevent me—and presumably others—enjoying the world’s greatest game?

Did you set Steam to offline mode properly before you shut it down?

I can't believe that once the game is activated that they could stop you from using a product you have purchased because your not connected to the internet!

Can I ask what operation this was that could not be performed? Because I don't think this should happen in ANY scenario because there is no way the game needs to be online for anything, nor does the game technically need steam for anything (I can shut down steam using the task manager and the game won't crash).

And what happened? Did it just shut down FM or crash or lock up?

That's the reason I can't be arsed with it tbh. Doesn't really matter now that I've bought it. They've got their cash so SI aren't arsed. Just find it ridiculous that I have a disc that is rendered irrelevant if 'offline mode isn't set up correctly'. Plus I've already had to crash dumps and my pc is only a year old and a decent spec. Poor effort. Steam just ruins the game cos its so unreliable.

Curvz... I had turned off the computer to go through airport security. I turned it on again after takeoff and tried to load FM12. It was launching the game itself that flashed up the "this operation cannot be completed in offline mode" message.

Is your game fully up to date? Had a message that it says it has to be up to date in order to work like that.

Surely with all the complaints Sigames should do a patch for people who have already bought the game on Steam but cant get it to work cos of Steam, there has to be a solution cos alot of people are suffering, I understand why Sigames have used Steam but you can see how many threads are made cos of Steam.

No matter what SI/SEGA are telling you, you have to set Steam in offline mode while you are still connected to the internet. Then test if it works.

No matter what SI are telling you, you have to set Steam in offline mode while you are still connected to the internet. Then test it works.

Hasn't worked for me. Gone back to a much more enjoyable game on fm10 anyhow so don't care that much.

I can shut down steam using the task manager and the game won't crash

Ha, thanks for the tip, didn't think I could do this. No more Steam running in the background for me

I feel sorry for those (the majority??) who bought the game and have never heard of this forum and don't get to see the FAQs on Steam problems or direct SI support.

Maybe next year the FAQ's come with the box.

Is your game fully up to date? Had a message that it says it has to be up to date in order to work like that.

Yeah, sounds to me like it was in the middle of an update when you shut ur pc down, as the message suggests it was already in offline mode. Does need to finish that before you can continue your game. Bummer though...

I believe Valve were working on a more flexible way of updating, but that hasn't arrived yet.

I feel sorry for those (the majority??) who bought the game and have never heard of this forum and don't get to see the FAQs on Steam problems or direct SI support.

Maybe next year the FAQ's come with the box.

Well I do not really see the point of feeling sorry for people who doesn't know how to use google, it's kind of sad actually.

Well I do not really see the point of feeling sorry for people who doesn't know how to use google, it's kind of sad actually.

Can I ask what operation this was that could not be performed? Because I don't think this should happen in ANY scenario because there is no way the game needs to be online for anything, nor does the game technically need steam for anything (I can shut down steam using the task manager and the game won't crash).

And what happened? Did it just shut down FM or crash or lock up?

How, in simple steps, do you do that?

Well I do not really see the point of feeling sorry for people who doesn't know how to use google, it's kind of sad actually.

Forgive me. I never bought a game before that needed knowledge of google before. Must be sign of the times. Previously I just bought a game, and played it.

Progress?? Right.

So someone has to pre-empt an unknown problem that they might have, then Google it and find this specific thread or other Steam FAQs? ...

Take example this "game is currently unavailable" problem, there are atleast 10 threads in these forums alone. Just by typing: "game is currently unavailable" on google there are several threads and answers.

Forgive me. I never bought a game before that needed knowledge of google before. Must be sign of the times. Previously I just bought a game, and played it.

Progress?? Right.

So i take it, if you ever had a problem with ANY part of your computer the last place you go is Google? You dont NEED to know about these forums, the Steam forums or Google, but you MAY if there is a problem.

How, in simple steps, do you do that?

- Right click on taskbar

- Select task manager

- Click on the processes tab at the top

- Find steam.exe

- Right click and select 'end process'

All done.

How, in simple steps, do you do that?

Open up your windows task manager, swap to the 'Processes'-tab and find the 'Steam.exe' process. Select it and hit the 'End process' button at the bottom.

Take example this "game is currently unavailable" problem, there are atleast 10 threads in these forums alone. Just by typing: "game is currently unavailable" on google there are several threads and answers.

Why would you care sat nice and cosy at 24/7 online access but not everyone has online, let alone google access?? There's a shedload of guys on Herrick in Afghan that can't even play the game because of the RIP tour changeover pre-release day. They get some R&R in the new year so stick your superior "I'm ok" mate. They can play then thanks to the progress this year on the way it's released. Only a few months to go.

Google and Steam and Joga.

Take example this "game is currently unavailable" problem, there are atleast 10 threads in these forums alone. Just by typing: "game is currently unavailable" on google there are several threads and answers.

I'll try googling 'how can i play FM12 without internet connection even though I have activated' when stuck as the OP is.

I'll try googling 'how can i play FM12 without internet connection even though I have activated' when stuck as the OP is.

I'm not criticising OP, but more generally these people who start a new thread, instead of just trying to google it. Anf forthat offline thing: by typing "how to play FM 12 offline" on google and take the first result, there's an instructions.

I'm not criticising OP, but more generally these people who start a new thread, instead of just trying to google it. Anf forthat offline thing: by typing "how to play FM 12 offline" on google and take the first result, there's an instructions.

The OP is not criticising Steam, he saying that he was given the information that you needed only to activate the game via Steam (internet) and then you could play how you wanted, online and offline, without doing anything. He didn't know that there was a process to put Steam offline.

I checked on the game (i bought from a friend that never install the game) instructions and the cover and to be fair it is quite missleading. The cover says "Requires Internet Connection to Install", it never say you require internet connection to play or to put Steam on offline mode. On back cover of instructions manual says: "Internet connection is needed to activate Football Manager 2012" never says you need to play or how to put Steam in offline mode. The only clue is inside the instructions that says it required to use Steam, yet never says how you play offline and since none of us that play many different versions of FM, we don't read the instructions. So the information on the cover is misleading and the OP has the right to be angry.

How can they google it something that they don't know. Tell me?

No matter what SI/SEGA are telling you, you have to set Steam in offline mode while you are still connected to the internet. Then test if it works.

This is simply not true, i never set STEAM my laptop to offline mode and i never have any problems playing FM 2012 or Civ 5 at work where i do not have and never will have any internet connection, i have been playing FM through STEAM since FM 2010.

- Right click on taskbar

- Select task manager

- Click on the processes tab at the top

- Find steam.exe

- Right click and select 'end process'

All done.

Open up your windows task manager' date=' swap to the 'Processes'-tab and find the 'Steam.exe' process. Select it and hit the 'End process' button at the bottom.[/quote']

Thanks, I don't have FM12 myself, but I know plenty who will appreciate this. Just a couple of things if you have the time, at what point do you do this (eg before/after starting the game) and is there anything you have to set up before doing it?

Cheers.

Thanks, I don't have FM12 myself, but I know plenty who will appreciate this. Just a couple of things if you have the time, at what point do you do this (eg before/after starting the game) and is there anything you have to set up before doing it?

Cheers.

Just tested this and so long as you have the game running (so once you hav eloaded it up) it seens to be fine to go ahead and close steam using the task manager.

Just tested this and so long as you have the game running (so once you hav eloaded it up) it seens to be fine to go ahead and close steam using the task manager.

Thanks.

xxx

I'm not criticising OP, but more generally these people who start a new thread, instead of just trying to google it. Anf forthat offline thing: by typing "how to play FM 12 offline" on google and take the first result, there's an instructions.

But they won't be online to Google it, you muppet.

But they won't be online to Google it, you muppet.

So how do they start the thread on here?

So how do they start the thread on here?

These sort of threads are posted to vent frustration later on, when it’s too late to Google a solution because they’ve already missed out on hours of game time.

For example in the OP’s case, I assume he posted this thread when he was back at home - certainly not whilst he was in-flight with 11 spare hours to kill.

These sort of threads are posted to vent frustration later on, when it’s too late to Google a solution because they’ve already missed out on hours of game time.

For example in the OP’s case, I assume he posted this thread when he was back at home - certainly not whilst he was in-flight with 11 spare hours to kill.

Well it's nice when people come here and start a new thread when their game doesn't work and share their awesome feelings how steam has ruined the game. Downside is that if everybody posted a new thread every time the game doesn't work, we would have soon countless useless threads.

Still, having been told in several “official” threads that once the game had been activated I didn’t need to be online to play, this is a little galling. Am I doing something wrong, or is the whole Steam thing just a massive conspiracy to prevent me—and presumably others—enjoying the world’s greatest game?

Assuming from this i'd say OP didn't manage to solve this problem, the fact how hard he really tried is unknown.

Assuming from this i'd say OP didn't manage to solve this problem, the fact how hard he really tried is unknown.

How could he have? He had no internet connection and the game wouldn't work without it despite claims that it should do! What the hell does it matter if he 'tried hard' to achieve something that couldn't be achieved?

How could he have? He had no internet connection and the game wouldn't work without it despite claims that it should do! What the hell does it matter if he 'tried hard' to achieve something that couldn't be achieved?

When he got the internet connection up, the first thing he did was come here and start a new thread, instead of just google it and found the answer, see the difference?

When he got the internet connection up, the first thing he did was come here and start a new thread, instead of just google it and found the answer, see the difference?

Would that have got his lost 11 hours of FM play back? What difference am I supposed to see?

Would that have got his lost 11 hours of FM play back? What difference am I supposed to see?

Does coming here and starting a new thread get his 11 hours back?

I want to fly how you do. Comfy seats, in flight enternainment? I'm guessing it wasn't Ryanair.

Does coming here and starting a new thread get his 11 hours back?

No, but he got it off his chest and managed to also warn others about such an issue existing. Everyone's within their rights to complain if they get problems with steam. You seem to have an issue with people doing that - fine but that's your personal problem. SI decided to force the use of steam creating an extra layer of problems, now they have the responsibility of dealing with the customers experiencing these problems. Expecting people to 'use google' or 'read FAQ's' is not dealing with that very well, thankfully this has not been their position and they've generally tried to be helpful. These threads will not go away though because steam will continue to cause issues as long as it's going to be needed to run the game.

No' date=' but he got it off his chest and managed to also warn others about such an issue existing. Everyone's within their rights to complain if they get problems with steam. You seem to have an issue with people doing that - fine but that's your personal problem. SI decided to force the use of steam creating an extra layer of problems, now they have the responsibility of dealing with the customers experiencing these problems. Expecting people to 'use google' or 'read FAQ's' is not dealing with that very well, thankfully this has not been their position and they've generally tried to be helpful. These threads will not go away though because steam will continue to cause issues as long as it's going to be needed to run the game.[/quote']

So you are okay with that people come here and start a new thread every time they got some kind of problem? About that warning thing, thread that's heading says "What-do-I-hate-about-FM12-you-ask-me.-Well-I’ll-tell-you…." is far from warning. Ummm expecting people to 'use google' or 'read FAQ's' is common sense, it's not ignoring the problem. SI is aware of the problems and fixing them, creating thousands of useless threads isn't really helping anything or anyone.

And yes, these threads will not go away, but by using common sense and google they will be reduced, hopefully.

I'm perfectly fine with people posting whatever the hell they want to. I'm not obliged to read it if I do not wish to, I'm fairly sure you have no such obligation either. No ones creating thousands of threads, if someone creates a thread about his/her personal problem then that's their right. You prancing in there rolling your eyes and 'educating' them about google isn't helping them either, do direct them to relevant articles or solutions if you want to help. If not then you can, you know, just ignore them.

OK- enough of the bickering please.

I'm perfectly fine with people posting whatever the hell they want to. I'm not obliged to read it if I do not wish to' date=' I'm fairly sure you have no such obligation either. No ones creating thousands of threads, if someone creates a thread about his/her personal problem then that's their right. You prancing in there rolling your eyes and 'educating' them about google isn't helping [b']them [/b]either, do direct them to relevant articles or solutions if you want to help. If not then you can, you know, just ignore them.

Well why do even have rules on these forums, since we aren't obligated to read threads? I nearly always tried to direct people to relevant solutions, and 'educating' people to use google will encourage them to use it next time they have problems.

I'm finished.

Just tested this and so long as you have the game running (so once you hav eloaded it up) it seens to be fine to go ahead and close steam using the task manager.

That actually closed Steam and FM12 when I tried it.

You can install it and run from CD without using steam which you obviousally didn't do. Other option is put steam in offline mode before shutting it down and test.

no you cant, you cannot install the game without steam unless its cracked.

the shut down things works for me if Steam is offline, but shuts down FM in online mode.

You close down FM12. You get a pop-up saying - Do you want to set the game to start up in offline mode next time? You click the yes box. It's done.

How hard would it be to programme that bit of customer service in?