SEGA's Influence

Ok, so there is lots of talk about the demo, some people are disappointed, fair enough, everyone has there opinion whether its right or wrong they are entitled to say what they want

Alot of people who are disappointed are obviously blaming SI Games for some of the problems and game decisions with people questioning them and there choices (3d engine? Fm live? etc etc)

i really do feel that people shouldn't vent there frustrations at SI, ok they physically build the game, but you now forget there is another major influence when creating Football Manager, which hasn't been in place for that long

SEGA

SI are not a independent company anymore, yes they are a independent studio, but they are OWNED by SEGA totally outright.

SEGA have published FM for quite a number of years now, but thats all they did.... Publish the game, they did not have control of the studio, the way it worked etc etc

While its brought obvious benefits: more resources(money etc), use of SEGAs technology, marketing etc etc etc i think you are forgetting about SEGA obviously will make decisions about what should be in the game, ok most will go down to the studio, but SEGA will meet with Miles, and discuss new features etc

I think most of the decisions will still be down to the studio, of course, but SEGA will have a influence and pressure on them maybe to do somethings they might of not done 2 or 3 years ago, and SEGA might not let them delay things such as 3d engine which could of easily been left out, there wasn't a NEED for one, people who played FM were always happy with the 2D engine

i just think people forget there is now corporate pressure on SI to put things in maybe too soon

maybe im talking trash like others on the forums, but i thought people should be reminded that its not "SI loosing touch with its customers" (as another thread said), they will be made to do things by there owner (spin off game from a huge seller, cough FM Live) and influence that wasnt there in the past

im personally enjoying the demo, its a good game, hope you are too

With all due respect, and in the politest possible way, you do not know what you are talking about

Firstly - and you can cough all you like - FM Live is not a spin-off game, and wasn't driven whatsoever by Sega. Neither was the 3D. As Paul has outlined in a separate thread, 3D was a decision made by us to challenge ourselves and improve the game.

SI retains full creative control over its games, while Sega fulfill the role of an excellent publisher of our efforts.

FML is a project started, by me, a few years ago, for a new challenge, and now carried on by an excellent team - much like when Paul and I originally started with CM actually.

There are parallels with that, not least in the initial skepticism from some - yes, the game you know and love today as FM had many many skeptics when it first started out, often, ironically, due to its lack of graphics and it took a considerable amount of time for it to find its market.