The King is dead... Long live the King!

For as long as I can remember SI games have been the best by miles at football manager simulation. There crown has fallen with this latest incarnation.

“3D Match Engine - This year's match engine has seen more testing than ever before having been extensively beta tested in Football Manager Live for the past year. “

The graphics for the 3D is no better than when I played games on a Sinclair spectrum 20 years ago! Yes it is better than watching some dots move up and down, (no real manager watches dots move up and down a board, they watch a 3D game) but this is cheap and very 90's

“Sports Interactive has been working on the 3D match engine for nearly 3 years with the support of SEGA Japan's Virtue Striker team “

With the quality of video games out there now PES, Fifa, call of duty, they just make the graphics look childish. There animations are poor, not helpful to the game and the players look like michael jackson doing a moon walk most of the time. Except for this one player who got tackled, and spent the next 10 minutes of the games lying on his back while chasing the ball!

For a game that has its history in text based gaming, there is a lot of poor contrast on the text, making it difficult to read during matches. Ie yellow text on white background, the obvious one is the white text on pale blue background when playing against man city etc.

“Improved Media - SI have worked hard to reflect the greater impact the media has been having in recent years on the world of football, in the in-game dealings with the press. “

The press conferences are repetitive and boring very quickly, and the manager feedback leaves a lot to be desired, the way the questions are worded leaves you reading it two or three times to see if you agree or disagree.

“Assistant Manager Feedback - Pre-match and in-match feedback from your Assistant Manager on how the team is performing and your player's motivation levels, as well as hints on how your tactics are working and how you could outwit the opposition's tactics. “

I let the assistant choose the reserve team, and because we did not have a game. I allowed him to use some of the 1st team. The reserves got beat and so I checked to see how my top players faired only to find my assistant had put my striker in goals and my first team and reserve goal keeper on the bench.

This is by far the worst football manager game ever! The only reason that I bought this is that I like to play with the latest squads just as in real life and have bought Football Manager and Championship Manager since I can remember.

I am angry while writing this and feel every reason to be angry and I know this will annoy a lot of hardcore fans. The truth of the matter is that this game has been rushed out far too early for Christmas and all the game testers on this project should hang their heads in shame at not spotting the obvious flaws in this game. The buying public are not testers. We buy a game to be entertained!

So what's the new king?

None of this critisism is constructive. Possibly the most pointless thing I have ever read.

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sweep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

Ect Ect

Yeah, don't you dare post criticism unless it's in someway directly constructive. Bojan told you so. Completely agree with the whole press conference point and that's from only playing the demo but can't help but think whatever way they try to 'improve' the media, it'll always be boring and repetitive. After a season of playing the new FM you'll be sending your assistant to all the press conferences bar the superstar matches like the ECL final I feel.

Well technically this isn't SI's fault it's Steam's and the one your getting the 'No internet connection' message off.

Just because that part sucked it doesn't mean it loses the crown as best manager game as the actual game is great.

Its not a criticism, this is a complaint about a product which should still be in testing!

Its still the same FM underneath and i feel Si could have done alot more to justify a new game.

supply and demand, people moan when the game comes out every year with limited new features

and people would moan if they had to wait 2 years for a new verison of the game.

Can you imagine how Fifa fans would be if you had to wait for every major update,

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sweep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

Ect Ect

Ah, a Coldplay quote. A bit cultured for this time in the morning? lol I like Coldplay

Hi Maxduke, sorry mate but I have not even gone there with the DRM, this is about the claims that SI have made about their testing, "working on the 3D match engine for nearly 3 years", "extensively beta tested in Football Manager Live for the past year" Then rushed out broken!!!

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sweep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

Ect Ect

god I love that song

None of this critisism is constructive. Possibly the most pointless thing I have ever read.

sorry but your comment is ridiculous. It's constructive from what i've read.

Playing it on my brothers flashy macpro, its great!.. and given a few years improvements will be fantastic.

But playing on my own (2 ghz 1gb ram radeon 200) PC, its awfully jerky and seriously...

Above is bojanstheman quote regarding the 3D in another post!

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sweep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key

Next the walls were closed on me

And I discovered that my castles stand

Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing

Roman Cavalry choirs are singing

Be my mirror, my sword and shield

My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain

Once you go there was never

Never an honest word

And that was when I ruled the world.....

....sorry, got carried away..very off topic..but long live coldplay!

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sweep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key

Next the walls were closed on me

And I discovered that my castles stand

Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing

Roman Cavalry choirs are singing

Be my mirror, my sword and shield

My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain

Once you go there was never

Never an honest word

And that was when I ruled the world.....

....sorry, got carried away..very off topic..but long live coldplay!

I'd of carried on, but i was missing the video

spectrum gfx

I had a lengthy reply but I decided not to bother. Each person is entitled to their viewpoint, even if you don't understand that FM is not PES or FIFA. It doesn't need the graphics of PES or FIFA.

The graphics more than suffice and I quite liked them. Of course I can see the effort that has gone into designing a 3D model that works with a huge database of player moves and abilities. SI are fitting a 3D representation to a fully realised, and extensive, football world. FIFA and PES are not.

I say kudos to them for making it work.

You can be bitter and twisted but I am going to appreciate a small team's hard years work and sit down to play a damn good game.

spectrum gfx

hey, that looks just like FM09's 3d GFX

Nice to hear from like minded souls! Nadessico and longyt, how is it in sydney?

For as long as I can remember SI games have been the best by miles at football manager simulation. There crown has fallen with this latest incarnation.

“3D Match Engine - This year's match engine has seen more testing than ever before having been extensively beta tested in Football Manager Live for the past year. “

The graphics for the 3D is no better than when I played games on a Sinclair spectrum 20 years ago! Yes it is better than watching some dots move up and down, (no real manager watches dots move up and down a board, they watch a 3D game) but this is cheap and very 90's

“Sports Interactive has been working on the 3D match engine for nearly 3 years with the support of SEGA Japan's Virtue Striker team “

With the quality of video games out there now PES, Fifa, call of duty, they just make the graphics look childish. There animations are poor, not helpful to the game and the players look like michael jackson doing a moon walk most of the time. Except for this one player who got tackled, and spent the next 10 minutes of the games lying on his back while chasing the ball!

For a game that has its history in text based gaming, there is a lot of poor contrast on the text, making it difficult to read during matches. Ie yellow text on white background, the obvious one is the white text on pale blue background when playing against man city etc.

“Improved Media - SI have worked hard to reflect the greater impact the media has been having in recent years on the world of football, in the in-game dealings with the press. “

The press conferences are repetitive and boring very quickly, and the manager feedback leaves a lot to be desired, the way the questions are worded leaves you reading it two or three times to see if you agree or disagree.

“Assistant Manager Feedback - Pre-match and in-match feedback from your Assistant Manager on how the team is performing and your player's motivation levels, as well as hints on how your tactics are working and how you could outwit the opposition's tactics. “

I let the assistant choose the reserve team, and because we did not have a game. I allowed him to use some of the 1st team. The reserves got beat and so I checked to see how my top players faired only to find my assistant had put my striker in goals and my first team and reserve goal keeper on the bench.

This is by far the worst football manager game ever! The only reason that I bought this is that I like to play with the latest squads just as in real life and have bought Football Manager and Championship Manager since I can remember.

I am angry while writing this and feel every reason to be angry and I know this will annoy a lot of hardcore fans. The truth of the matter is that this game has been rushed out far too early for Christmas and all the game testers on this project should hang their heads in shame at not spotting the obvious flaws in this game. The buying public are not testers. We buy a game to be entertained!

If you had been a member here longer and posted more I would have some degree of respect for you, to just come here and merely slate FM2009 is as bad as your knowledge of the CM/FM series, stupidity is one thing but to say you have been playing CM/FM since you can remember is just plain silly judging your comments.

Nice to hear from like minded souls! Nadessico and longyt, how is it in sydney?

Wouldn't know i'm in Blackpool with only 4 hours to work

The blue one robinho and the red one looks like ronaldo!

and the light blue granny looking things are the Refs?

I think the game is brill tbf...imo everyone will hate or love it...just is life

Just because I'm a new member does not mean that I have not played the games for all these years. I have been very happy with FM and have never needed to voice my concerns just played a great game, however, the game has been rushed out and not tested as claimed in there sales pitch!

I vote in favour of renaming FM to Marmite

More like Sensible soccer

Playing it on my brothers flashy macpro, its great!.. and given a few years improvements will be fantastic.

But playing on my own (2 ghz 1gb ram radeon 200) PC, its awfully jerky and seriously...

Above is bojanstheman quote regarding the 3D in another post!

What's that got to do with anything?

I liked the demo match engine, although the game wasn't performing with above minimum specs... and now i've got the game with the patch, it works fine.

Reading your original post it sounded to me like a complete wind up, taking every major new feature and slagging it off. So you have been happy with every single fm or champ to date in every single way.. apart from this one?

Marmite lol

Guys, I've been playing for a while, but something's wrong...The graphics look like they've come from the last Ice Age. What's wrong? Pic:

bojanstheman your comments were not very constructive!

It's a hack, happens when Sol Campbell signs for Man Utd

More like Sensible soccer

How can anyone say anything's wrong with that? Just to reiterate; graphics don't make a game.

Oh and I know you're not saying anything bad Interloper.

however, the game has been rushed out and not tested as claimed in there sales pitch!

No it hasn't. It works. Maybe there are a few things SI might have liked better but nothing game breaking.

Release it any later and it may as well be FM10.

As for not being tested; well that's a comment that highlights your lack of knowledge about the process of making a game. The fact that they released a demo and a patch was made available prior to release is testament to the fact that they have tested.

How can anyone say anything's wrong with that? Just to reiterate; graphics don't make a game.

I know and i never complained about it... Just said it was more like sensible soccer. I play 2d 95% of the time anyway and couldnt care less about the graphics unless it was in the PES/Fifa level and i doubt that will ever happen.

As for not being tested; well that's a comment that highlights your lack of knowledge about the process of making a game. The fact that they released a demo and a patch was made available prior to release is testament to the fact that they have tested.

You got to doubt how much they tested it with a bug like the injury one being in the final game... of course they tested it but clearly not enough.

Good call interloper, but it seems that your views don't count unless youve been a member for years

bojanstheman your comments were not very constructive!

I was constructively advising myself to get a better pc!

No way it was tested as much as say FM 07, but unfortuantly that's the way it has to be for security reasons nowerdays

I know and i never complained about it... Just said it was more like sensible soccer. I play 2d 95% of the time anyway and couldnt care less about the graphics unless it was in the PES/Fifa level and i doubt that will ever happen.

You got to doubt how much they tested it with a bug like the injury one being in the final game... of course they tested it but clearly not enough.

Good call interloper, but it seems that your views don't count unless youve been a member for years

Please dont tell me i had a good point.... Last time i said that to another member who hadnt been here long either we were accused of being the same person.

Please dont tell me i had a good point.... Last time i said that to another member who hadnt been here long either we were accused of being the same person.

hmmm you do seem to have the same style as Ter

I CALL ALIAS!

"If you had been a member here longer and posted more I would have some degree of respect for you, to just come here and merely slate FM2009 is as bad as your knowledge of the CM/FM series"Navie,

I take it your some kind of lawyer, you cant defend your client so you attack the credentials of the witness. I am 45 and have been enjoying football manager games since I was 12! and this game needs fixed

I assume you mean paper based games too as the first video game manager game came out in 82, not 75 as your age would indicate there

just making sure, not Critisising

You got to doubt how much they tested it with a bug like the injury one being in the final game... of course they tested it but clearly not enough.

Well they could always release an update every 3 years to keep the likes of ungrateful you happy.

They've already fixed the injury bug btw. If you read the patch notes you'll notice they have listed it as adjusted and then adjusted again. That's testing.

Of course if they had 3 million testers then they might catch everything int his game of theirs that is bigger than FIFA and PES combined.

Oh wait. I've been playing MMOs for years. They have extensive testing periods of months and months, with hundreds and thousands of testers, yet they don't catch every bug. I've played MMOs, that I've bought and am paying monthly fees for, that have bugs three times as bad as this 'injury bug'.

You have to look at the bigger picture. You don't.

"If you had been a member here longer and posted more I would have some degree of respect for you, to just come here and merely slate FM2009 is as bad as your knowledge of the CM/FM series"Navie,

I take it your some kind of lawyer, you cant defend your client so you attack the credentials of the witness. I am 45 and have been enjoying football manager games since I was 12! and this game needs fixed

You're 45? I hope you don't have kids. Plus is this some kind of repressed teenage years? You're acting like a spoilt brat.

Must admit, I thought Drummaster was like 14. Anagain, what's the bournmouth nightlife like? Thinking of going there for uni.

Must admit, I thought Drummaster was like 14. Anagain, what's the bournmouth nightlife like? Thinking of going there for uni.

Well I don't enjoy the Bournemouth nightlife as much as I used to. It's a bit too hectic for me. It's vibrant as far as I am aware though.

If you're 18 and enjoy drinking, girls and partying then you'll be right at home. I can honestly appreciate the girls, even if I find the partying tires me out these days.

It's a damn fine area to live in too. Little expensive maybe.

Bournemouth also has the greatest team on the south coast. Better than the scummers.

If you're 18 and enjoy drinking, girls and partying then you'll be right at home.

Haha lovely stuff. Cheers

i have been in the past very critical of the various companies that release games that 10 years ago were just a patch. i'd have to say SI has done well in their upgrades to the point that one cant do much more upgrading two that comes to mind.. (OOTP baseball & eastside hockey manager).

For me i am satisfied with the way FM is now. if they go overboard with graphics they will get 80% of the people complaining the games unplayable. their has to be a happy medium between graphics & gameplay and i choose gameplay 24-7.

to unseat the "king" you better have more ammo than the lame-duck wannabe all graphics "0" gameplay install spyware fifa manager. i am just glad SI climbed on board with sega and not the lame-duck.

i havent even demo'd 09 i am stuck waiting for the na wwsm version that i read was due out the 17th. i dont need a demo. i think either cm04 or 06 was somewhat a failure cant remember which 00/01 was my first and most played version.

as far as the criticism from drum heck i've flamed a whole lot worse in other forums in the past and a flag for it to boot. hey they have a demo not happy with it well i wouldn't be spending too much time in here.

btw i've never done it in the past can i transfer my o8 save into 09?