FM 2009 Patches?

Hey everyone, i just wanted to get some advice really. In my experience, the best games are the ones you play for years and years - hark back to the old CM97/98 etc when you could get to 2050 within a few weeks! Basically, ideally id like to spend the time between FM09 and FM10 playing only one game - but can anyone remember how important the patches are usually? Should i wait till the game is fully patched before starting it? What is everyone else going to do about this? I dont want to ruin the game by playing it too much if its going to be improved - its never as interesting 2nd time round!

Any thoughts?

Usually the original version is buggy like hell and the game is not playable until the first patch, so personally I'd test it out first for a few days and wait for some feedback and if it's buggy again then wait til after the first patch.

I really hate getting a long way into the game and then finding a game breaking bug but this can only be fixed with the patch and starting a new game. This really affects the long term playability when you have to start a new game to get the patch to work correctly.

I personally just patch up and continue playing my game

Yeah the patches are all save-game compatible, and IIRC the first and most important patch for 08 was released days after the game rather than weeks. As Ter says, just get playing and apply the patches as they are released.

Usually the original version is buggy like hell and the game is not playable until the first patch

I've never heard so much rubbish. There are tiny differences.

Ter - did you keep playing the same game from Demo right through the patches then? Ive been reading some of the stories of games getting into the 22nd century - would be great to get that far into a game....

I'm with Ter ... patch and play on!

I'd also disagree that the game is unplayable until the first patch.

How many patches were there for fM 08?

How many patches were there for fM 08?

two? and wasn't the second more of a transfer/data update?

If I'm really into a game then I patch and play on. Usually I don't end up starting my career campaign for a few weeks after release anyway though as I get a feel for the new game. Don't worry about it and enjoy. At the end of the day it's only a game.

Are the patches free, easy to download and simple to implement?

In all my time of playing cm/fm from 93 to now I've never had a game breaking bug. I've had a few weird things happen but nothing that stopped me from playing the game. Whenever I have installed patches I usually carry on the game I started out of the box.

Yes, yes and yes.

Thanks very much.

Ter, if you patch the game up, could you then carry on with your game with the new patch? Or would you have to start again? I thought you had to start again?

Ter, if you patch the game up, could you then carry on with your game with the new patch? Or would you have to start again? I thought you had to start again?

All patches are usually save game compatible nowerdays with FM, so no you don't have to start a new game after patching.

You don't HAVE to start again but it may take some time for certain types of fixes to filter through to your game, which isn't really that big an issue usually.

Is it true that ALL changes will filter through at the start of a new season? I've heard that most work right away and some at the start of new seasons, can you confirm this?

I personally just patch up and continue playing my game

I do that too. (Unless the game is broken, like FM 2008 out of the box)

so what would people suggest if I want to stick to just ONE career game between FM09 and FM10? My plan at the moment is to do various 6 month demos with a few different teams, play with the best of those for a while when the boxed game comes out, and then start my career game (with Arsenal - my team) when you lot think the game is "fully patched" - what do people think?

You don't HAVE to start again but it may take some time for certain types of fixes to filter through to your game, which isn't really that big an issue usually.

Thanks for clearing that up Ter.

I usually start a career game and patch up as I go along, there won't be as many ME bugs this year.

What's a ME bug?

Match engine bug, like the 7-5 type scorelines and the 345/1 shot on target to goal ratio, maybe slightly exaggerated. The game has been vigorously tested this year.

so back to the original question - what are people planning to do? Is it really viable/will you get the most out of the game if you just play one career game from when the demo comes out tomorrow until release day for FM10?

play non-serius for a few days to see if the game has any major bugs like crazy scorelines, unrealistinc comebacks or 5 sendings off in a game!

if not take it serius and get stuck in,

but if its anything close to FM 2008 then i definetly wont be touching it till it gets patched up!

thing im worried about is more the smaller bugs that are only obvious after a few years. as i say, i want to finally have a long term game again on this version, and if thats going to mean lots of bugs after a few years, it will ruin it rather. Can i suggest we use this partly as a bugs forum so that anyone who does want to play a long term game wont get too excited until either the game is patched up or, if we're lucky, the consensus is that no major patches are required....certainly in 08, you wouldnt want to do a long term game starting before the patch - the patch made a huge difference from day one i remember.

and also gazza...unrealistic comebacks like Spurs' the other day?! Jeez - i was at the game, left a couple of minutes early as i had to get home to make an important phone call so i wanted to miss the tube crush. The game I saw was Arsenal 4 - 2 Tottenham!! Was really gutted when the spurs fans around me on the way to the station started screaming and jumping up and down. Can we claim it was an ME bug?! Perhaps then we'll be given an extra two points!

anyone have any thoughts upon seeing the demo? Gotta say im underwhelmed - perhaps there will be major changes in the main game?