Lack of Immersion in the football world

Just thought I would comment on something that ever since FM07 I feel the FM series has lost and thats the feeling that you are immersed in the football world.

I've never liked the change when the in boxes appeared to be seperated so you only got new/items for your division. I much prefer getting the all round new items so if I'm managing in League 1 but the world transfer record is broken or big signings are happening I want the game to tell me about this rather than me have to go hunting. Part of the excitment for me about football is the transfer stories and 'will they won't theys' but for me FM has lost this sense now.

I know you can go looking for alot of the information but I would much prefer that these type of items were much more accessible to you so that you actually feel you are immersed in the football world. Sometimes if I don't go looking I keep to my area of the game (lower leagues) get drawn say Man Utd in the FA CUp and only then relaise that Steve Coppell (say) is now the manager and think 'where the hell did Fergie go' only to look on the history and see he had gone 6 months ago!!

I personally think the inbox should include alot more about the football world in general or at least have the option for you to filter it yourself (which from what I can see you can't do currently). Either that or colour code the inbox with certain colour dots next to the items, i.e. red for ultra important to your club, yellow for transfer speculation, green for transfers completed, etc.

I sometimes feel that if I don't go looking for this information I'm in a bubble and feel like I lose the realism a bit.

Just wondered what others thought?

I agree with staetment above. Very good point.

I would like to know what SI think on this matter?

I agree. Whenever another managers comments on me or my team it doesn't come up as a news item. I think it should.

I Agree/bump

This has been deabted before.

I can see good points in both the mixed/non-mixed new arguments. So, I am going to get some splinters and sit of the fence.

I also agree; however, one of the SI team mentioned just the other day that they'd thought about the issue and decided to retain the split news boxes. Pity.

Totally agree. Now that you mention it, I realize a lot of what is missing from the game. Its a great game, but there is just something missing, can't put my finger on it though. It doesn't feel as real as it used to. It feels like I'm playing a game of statistics/numbers/averages. Anybody else understand this?

The easiest way would be add a filter to the news section, that way people who want to read all news items can and people who don't want to know about sackings etc can opt not to view them.

I understand that there is a bit of a split on this subject but if it wouldn't take too much work programming wise then just applying a filter to the user (i.e. in preferences an option stating news items worldwide, national, regional, etc) would allow each player to mould the game to their liking. Alternatively like I say have an inbox that is colour coded or something similar so its very easy to see which items you want to read and which you maybe don't.

I like the game overall and the series has been great to play in general but I do think that this part of the game is sorely missing and when I play it now I get that 'theres something missing' feeling from it.