Not enough time!!

As I get older, I have less time to play FM. As FM evolves, it requires more time to play it....

I think it'd be a good idea to add more options to the 'go on holiday' mode. Call it 'take a step back' or something. So that a manager can dip in and out of the game for the things that he (or she) finds interesting... I know that the tactics are the most important part of the game for some, while for others its developing young players over many seasons. Some enjoy making money on the transfer market, others like to do a bit of everything from time to time. I'd like to be able to leave things to my capable (or not so capable!) assistant and go and make a cup of tea, or watch TV or look on the interweb. Some might want to do homework, cook the tea, or nip out for a pint.

The kind of things I was thinking about would be:

- Select what should bring the manager back, transfers, injuries, feeder clubs, squad selections, basically all the 'red' news items, but the ability to select what you want.

- While on holiday able to see status of managed team (league position, injuries, results, player unrest, etc) So that I can flick back to FM and see if the assistant is doing ok, or not.

- Select a home formation, away formation, formation for use against big/small teams (based on the odds)

- team/squad selection, you can select 'use current team' but I was thinking something more general, as in use these players-> then select the 15/20 players you'd like to use over a season.

- Preferred substitutions, to ensure young players get game time

- If a scout finds a good player (set up a filter with attributes that the scout must match, or scout ratings)

- To be brought back if Board confidence low

- Return on cup match, option to set quarter final, semi final, final.

- Return for World cup / euro champs

A 'Ready' icon in the windows toolbar would be ace.

I'd also like to still look through player search, tactics, squad screen, etc while the game time is progressing, so that I get to the next game as quickly as possible. A bit like the continue timeout option but being able to still browse the FM database. This might be a big ask, but in the days of powerful multi-core computers, it'd be good!

I know of 4 people that play FM, 6 that dare not buy the game as they feel it will take over their lives...! To a certain extent they are right, because to play the game means to invest a large chunk of time. I miss the old CMs where I could fly through a season or two in a few hours, I can't devote the same amount of time to FM as I once was able to, partly because the game is far more complex now, partly because I'm not 15 any more.

Is anyone else as old as me?!?!

i know what you mean lol.my friend wont buy fm09 beacsue he said if he did he wont have a life.

I also miss the days when you could fly through a season. Especially in 01/02

I like to spend an hour or so setting a team up, recruiting players/staff, then I sort the tactics out over pre season and the first few games of the league.

I get a bit bored and want to fast forward to january, but step in if things aren't working as I'd like. eg, if my assistant isn't playing the players I want him to play, or if the tactics aren't working, or league position is bad, or if I've a really big game against my rivals. In january I then buy more players, sort out bosmans. and do the same thing again.

It can sometimes take 20 hours to play a season (might be even longer with the 3d match loading/stuttering) So if I want to play 5 seasons in, thats 100 hours, just over 4 full days of playing.... Unfortunately I can't put that much time into FM anymore!

I was just thinking that SI are going to lose part of their fan base every year as people get older and don't have the same amount of time available to play FM....

Oh the magic of Football Manager Handheld.

It always took me several months to finish a season. This was due to a combination of detail-attentive playing, and lack of time. It definitely brings a bit of fun and enjoyment even if I only get to finish a few seasons at most nowadays. I do agree in general with your concern as well.

I know what you mean and it has been mentioned before. I fondly remember the days when you could rattle through a season... Ah memories...

I don't think it'd be that hard to change to be honest. (Well, the using of the database while the game is processing might be!) The change to the holiday mode bit would be fairly straight forward I'd have thought. There isn't any change to the game engine, just a wee bit changing the UI and adding the options/prompts to bring you back from your holiday.

I really enjoy the game bringing young players through, its difficult to do when you only have enough time to play 2 seasons! When I come back to the game months later, I can't remember where I was so I start another game!

Its like only being able to watch the first 5 minutes of a film. You know it'll be an excellent film but you just haven't enough time to watch it! Really frustrating!

I almost buy FM every year, just in case I break my leg playing really footy, so that I've got something to do while I'm at home with a cast on!