AI Self-Awareness to Influence Attribute Acquisition - Is It Possible?

This just occurred to me. Would it be possible for players to "recognise" their "shortcomings" from their experiences on the pitch, and prioritise the attributes responsible for increase, ahead of others in the same training category, the next time he has gained enough CA points?

Example: Late in the game a player loses focus and is caught on the ball because he is tired, he recognises the need to increase his Stamina and Concentration ahead of other attributes in their respective categories.

I think it would require very intricate AI to provide a player with this "self-awareness", but as I couldn't program myself out of a wet paper computer I have no idea if this is even possible! So this, and the fact I'm still playing FM10 and no longer know which categories contain what, I thought I'd post the basic idea to see what others thought before going into detail.

That would make it the perfect game, but it also would make all players want to improve, and IRL not all players do cough balotelli

Would be an amazing feature, and should be used for players with high determination

I read the title and think off......

It would be very cool tho if players could do that.

This begs the question, are players in FM developing too robotically in the first place? To which degree are managers really able to "mould" players into what they want in real life?

That would make it the perfect game, but it also would make all players want to improve, and IRL not all players do cough balotelli

Would be an amazing feature, and should be used for players with high determination

The idea isn't to make them want to improve, just to recognise what would be the best attributes to raise to aid their improvement, when & whether they ever get to raise these attributes would still depend on all the things we already know and love in the game concerned with development.

The game is getting close to this in some regards. Events on the pitch can have a direct impact on stat increases or decreases, which is pretty remarkable. Also, you can have some effect as a manager by talking with your players about their match performances and especially about their training.

I think that it would be enough if managers were given a bit more detailed interactions with their players to help them develop a style of play or improve a weak area. It's great that we can slate our players for being "poor in front of the net" or "not providing strikers with enough key passes", etc.., but this really needs expanding on and meshing with the training area of the game.

I like the look of the player/manager conversations but for some reason the whole interface is really slow for my 'puter. What's worse is that these interactions are quite simplistic and full of lucky guesses rather than real conversation. What I'd like to see is a sort of graphical "manager's office" where you can invite players and coaches in for a chat and some tea . After every match your coaches can recommend you talk with a few players about their performances and training. Depending on how much you've developed your tactical and man management acumen you are provided with some helpful tools:

1. Novice Manager: The player profile: As a new manager with no experience in management you only have this to go on really. You lack many stats about past performances because your backroom staff have illegible handwriting and your league is too low for anyone to take notes professionally.

2. As a somewhat seasoned manager you have access to match stats, a history of player performances and reactions, and a few other tools to help with having a meaningful conversation. Your words are more likely to "hit home" as well because you've "been there and done that" many times before. The chance of inducing a strong negative reaction from the player is reduced quite a bit. You're given a longer list of responses to choose from and can even develop a rudimentary "training and development strategy" for a few key players or promising youth.

3. As an old hand you've chosen your tools and honed your skills to the point that you can do most man management in your sleep (automated becomes a choice here based on how you've handled situations in the past, or you can choose to automate in different ways via a menu). When you do step in you tend to have a larger impact on players. Your "training and development strategies" are pre-set for you based on how you've handled similar players in the past. They are also far more detailed. Besides normal game stats for a player you can now track complex and derived stats such as "mistakes made due to X" or "missed opportunities" or "inspired by situations like X" which in turn bring you new opportunities to develop more nuanced tactics and more finely pinpointed conversations.

4. As a master manager you have access to a full suite of automated and manual tools for developing and managing your playing staff. You no longer have to choose between set styles and can bring to bear the charm or wrath, cool-headed-ness or passion that each situation seems to prompt you to deliver (menus encourage you to choose the "right" option much of the time). Your analysis of match statistics and conversational encounters is nearly perfect with key elements jumping out at you from your copious notes (stats that need looking at are bolded, for example) each time you take a moment to review your squad. Your influence with players develops quickly such that some players will come to ally with you in their own development and with the development of the squad as a whole. Provided you choose reasonably matched backroom staff it will be very difficult for you not to make the most out of your squad. Your own sage wisdom will guide you through many situations and your studious understanding of all elements of man management gives you the tools to do the rest with accuracy and force of will.

Obviously if you could choose #4 this would act as a difficulty=easy button for the game. But back to the player interactions: It would be nice to have a desk-like interface during your conversations so that you could pull up whatever information you need at the time. Match stats, conversation histories, key relationships, training performances. If these were simulated in a 3D environment around your tea kettle and oranges I think the whole thing would be much more enjoyable. Would be super if you could actually read their body language too, but maybe that is asking too much? Its just too clunky to be taken further with the current model: Right-clicky on player, start conversation. Flip to stats / form tab. Read stats. Flip to training tab. Read reports. Flip to squad screen, read custom training effort screen. Start conversation with option 1. Now gamble on choosing A or B. Wince. Close conversation. Start with the next player.

I guess one way of implementing this would be to somehow get the AI to assess the player statistics from a match - or a set of matches - or a seasonal assessment.

Simple examples:

1. A striker has too-a-low shot on target % -> AI looks to improve Finishing/Composure etc.

2. A defender has a high amount of mistakes made -> AI focuses on Concentration/Anticipation(?)/Positioning(?)

3. A winger has a poor cross conversion ratio -> AI tries to improve Crossing/Decisions - of course, this stat may be down to tactics, so that would require an even more detailed feature, where team tactics are also changed.

These are just some trivial examples, and selecting attributes to player issues may be difficult, and I guess player personality will need to be considered.

Also, if the player has many issues, what will the AI prioritise? Will it influence the training workloads, or the individual focus? I do think it's a great idea, certainly adds to long-term competition and future player transfers. Like you, I'm no programmer but if it could be done, it would be a fantastic feature.

I guess one way of implementing this would be to somehow get the AI to assess the player statistics from a match - or a set of matches - or a seasonal assessment.

Simple examples:

1. A striker has too-a-low shot on target % -> AI looks to improve Finishing/Composure etc.

2. A defender has a high amount of mistakes made -> AI focuses on Concentration/Anticipation(?)/Positioning(?)

3. A winger has a poor cross conversion ratio -> AI tries to improve Crossing/Decisions - of course, this stat may be down to tactics, so that would require an even more detailed feature, where team tactics are also changed.

These are just some trivial examples, and selecting attributes to player issues may be difficult, and I guess player personality will need to be considered.

Also, if the player has many issues, what will the AI prioritise? Will it influence the training workloads, or the individual focus? I do think it's a great idea, certainly adds to long-term competition and future player transfers. Like you, I'm no programmer but if it could be done, it would be a fantastic feature.

Until they hit bad form, and their striker with 19/19 Finishing/Composure and 6% SoT is being made to work on those over his 7 First Touch.

Until they hit bad form, and their striker with 19/19 Finishing/Composure and 6% SoT is being made to work on those over his 7 First Touch.

Good point, again it was a simple example, and of course more attributes would be taken account than just the two listed - Technique, Off the Ball, First Touch etc. like you said. Then if it can be programmed, the weakest attribute from the category is prioritised, and then scaled down to their highest attributes taking less training time.

It would not be as straightforward as I made out above, and not just attributes will affect the stats - form and morale is important, for example.

The idea is to override some of the random/predisposed choices of attributes within a category - when a gain in CA points means a rise is due in that category - with something the player recognises as the best option for the greatest amount of personal improvement given the CA available.

Also for a player to realise that whilst it is nice to have 18 Acceleration, perhaps it would be better if the latest rise was applied to his 13 Pace!

As I said, I am still on FM10 so have no experience with Focus training, but maybe it would be possible for the player to inform you if he recognised an area that needed particular heavy attention.

Nothing else needs to change.

I read somewhere around here that the AI uses the quickness individual focus on all their players.