Going back to '08

I've been playing fm since it was cm in 01/02 but for the first time I just can't play it.

I've put so much time and effort into the game and I just can't win, I'm not Arsene Wenger. I just want to come home from work and enjoy the game that I've enjoyed for years without reading 50 pages about tactics and formations and the like.

I've tried my hardest to get into the game, but when you go about 5 games without winning, trying all the tactics, reading that guide about 50 times and even trying the tactics on here.

The game has lost all it's fun. And I for one, will be trying CM when it comes out in april or whenever.

No disrespect to sigames, but they've created a game focused for hardcore gamers, when in reality most of us arn't. We just enjoy football manager, but not anymore.

Hope it can be sorted out.

It's your tactics...

Have to say I felt the same on the Demo, but now I have a settled tactic on the full version, things are going ok.

It isnt really a hard core gamers game mate, it is frustrating, yeah, but everything from about FM05 has been. I remember the old CM2 days of just playing 4312, buying Robbie Keane for peanuts and watching him score 60 goals a season as Rangers won every competition I entered them in.

It is a pain, but get a decent tactic from a good maker, mine is a 4132 from

RY and the game settles down. Season 1 was hard , but season 2 I am 27 games unbeaten in the League !

Don't go down the dark path of the new CM !!

I've used my fm08 tactic and I'm gunning for my 3rd straight Premier League title with Liverpool ! This game is fantastic, keep at it and I am sure you'll think the same in no time !

Try a couple of tactics on the tactics forum. Trust me, there's so many on there that eventually one will work. I was exactly the same as you, now I hate the match engine but at least I win a few games!

And... I think it is the best CM/FM in years.

The fact that there are so many ways now to change the look of the game, graphics, pictures, logo's etc means it is very much a game that can be suited to your own taste, with little knowledge.

Stick with it, whatever formation you want to play, you will find a tactic on these message boards that will work.

You could change everything in FM08 and ones before that, DWCallaghan.

Yip, appreciate that, but I always thought it was too complicated.

Yes you could

FM08 was probably the worst FM of all time yet you want to go back to that?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of fm and not a newbie, but it's so frustrating. I have tried every tactic on here, my players batter most teams but concede a soft goal every. single. game. My keeper cannot seem to save anything from his own half, every shot I have is a good save from the keeper/hits the woodwork.

I'm really looking forward to a patch. It's not my tactics (because I'm not using my tactics!). I don't see what I can do when my team just can not score, but opposition teams score with ease.

I loved '08, it was complicated and you had to put effort in but it was fun, and worthwhile when your team won. I just don't feel the same about this game.

I will stick with it for a bit longer, but other than that fm '08 was a lot better.

Just a typical game....

I dont know why people hate 08 so much? I quite like the game and yeah i too have gone back to 08. 09 is a great game but unfortunately its WAY TOOO slow on my pc and im certainly not buying a new PC right now for this game...

Yep there is no real right answer.

The engine is terrible and is either blind luck or spend hours upon hours micro managing,yes people say "goto the tactics forum and get a pre-made 1"but thats not really the point,I like to get my own tactics but this edtion is just a mess,If I use someone else's tactics then what have I achieved?...nothing,I would be just aswell starting unemployed and just watch the game.

I am just praying the patch can save this game for me or its heading to the darkest corner of my attic.

Switching tactics every game only makes things worse, choose a tactic, or make one, stick with it, then you'll get the results, patience is a virtue.

You can guarantee that every year there are always threads saying they've had enough of the new version and going back to the old one.

I think there's a standard template for them.

I played the demo and I have been waiting for the second patch before I buy the game itself, I started a new save as one of the big four to see what I can do

if your going to go back to 08, why tell us lot? have you done it yet?

These threads remind me of Keegan, spit their dummy out and leave, they'll be back, only to do the same thing again.

These threads remind me of every other thread, particularly as they always start with how long they've been playing FM/CM.

FM08 is the best FM game ive played FM09 is just terrible i dont blame AVFC Max for going back too FM08...

At least you can play the game!!

Agreed mate and that's the main reason why I have gone back to FM08 for now... FM09 is just too slow and I have a fairly new PC!

This is the first time I've ever wanted to go back to an old one.

I also mentioned how long I've been playing it, because of lot of people on here would no doubt act all superior and say 'this is the first time you've bought it, don't like it? don't play it'. Or some other such rubbish.

Although, I do feel the need to backtrack a bit, as I've started using somebody elses tactic (first time I've had to do that too, dontcha know) and it's a bit easier.

But hey, don't let that stop all you fanboys, who won't hear a bad word about fm.

Is this not supposed to be a discussion board cityhull? It doesn't state that you can only say good things about the game....

i've played for 4 seasons with the same tactic and improved upon already great arsenal team. the first 3 seasons went fine, won things, but not everything. then next season for no reason i got 5 points from my first 10 games. there is something wrong with this game for so many people to complain about it. for all the people that say its a great game, there are as many that disagree. i've given up with fm09 and for the first time since buying the first cm on the amiga and becoming and addict i'm considering if there is any point in buying another fm game.

Avfcmax I agree with you completely.

I too have gone back to FM08 as it was great FUN.

Id be interested to know who is still playing FM08. I bet SI would too!

cheers city. All I'm saying is, is that it's not fun anymore. Ok, I'm doing well now I have sued someone else tactics, but that's not what i really play the game for.

i've played for 4 seasons with the same tactic and improved upon already great arsenal team. the first 3 seasons went fine, won things, but not everything. then next season for no reason i got 5 points from my first 10 games. there is something wrong with this game for so many people to complain about it. for all the people that say its a great game, there are as many that disagree. i've given up with fm09 and for the first time since buying the first cm on the amiga and becoming and addict i'm considering if there is any point in buying another fm game.

What do you mean "no reason"? Can't it just be that, after 3 years, other manager found a way to counter attack your tactics? It happens in modern football, you know

What do you mean "no reason"? Can't it just be that, after 3 years, other manager found a way to counter attack your tactics? It happens in modern football, you know

i understand what you're saying but i don't think a football management game should be that relient on tactics. if its just about tactics why can't tony mowbray find a killer tactic in real life that means west brom will win the premier league this season. the reason, i think, is that its more about the quality of players you have than the tactics you employ

i understand what you're saying but i don't think a football management game should be that relient on tactics. if its just about tactics why can't tony mowbray find a killer tactic in real life that means west brom will win the premier league this season. the reason, i think, is that its more about the quality of players you have than the tactics you employ

If we are talking about real life, then success as a football manager is a combination between a talented squad AND good tactics (that 's why Tony Mowbray will never find a killer tactic to win the premier league ).

On a game, well, this is subjective. I personally like the fact that tactics is more relevant than before (more realistic than before in my opinion), but I do understand that this has made the game more difficult.

On the other side, there are gamers who like the game as it was (let's call it easier), where you could create one tactic to use through your FM career and base solely your success on buy good players.

I guess that one possible solution would be a difficulty level (as other games have); this would probably make happy more people.

If we are talking about real life, then success as a football manager is a combination between a talented squad AND good tactics (that 's why Tony Mowbray will never find a killer tactic to win the premier league ).

On a game, well, this is subjective. I personally like the fact that tactics is more relevant than before (more realistic than before in my opinion), but I do understand that this has made the game more difficult.

On the other side, there are gamers who like the game as it was (let's call it easier), where you could create one tactic to use through your FM career and base solely your success on buy good players.

I guess that one possible solution would be a difficulty level (as other games have); this would probably make happy more people.

spot on really. there needs to be a balance between catering for casual gamers and the more hard core gamers, which in previous versions had been a lot better than this one

there needs to be a balance between catering for casual gamers and the more hard core gamers

I feel this is the crux of the whole "FM is too hard" / "No, you're just rubbish" debate that has been going on for as long as I can remember. I don't think there can ever be a balance between "catering for casual gamers and the more hardcore gamers" as the two are mutually exclusive.

No matter how much you, anyone else, or even SI themselves would like it to be, FM will never be that game that can appeal to both groups because anything that is added to the game (or removed!) or tweaked to make it appeal to one group is going to push it further away from the needs of the other group.

For those complaining that tactics in 08 were easier than they are in 09 - remember that we didn't have the Ass Man feedback in 08, and that has proved invaluable (to me at least) when it comes to fine-tuning tactics, so as I see it, things are getting easier, not harder. The removal of farrows, barrows and sarrows has simplified tactics even further.

Just my 0.02€.

If we are talking about real life, then success as a football manager is a combination between a talented squad AND good tactics (that 's why Tony Mowbray will never find a killer tactic to win the premier league ).

On a game, well, this is subjective. I personally like the fact that tactics is more relevant than before (more realistic than before in my opinion), but I do understand that this has made the game more difficult.

On the other side, there are gamers who like the game as it was (let's call it easier), where you could create one tactic to use through your FM career and base solely your success on buy good players.

I guess that one possible solution would be a difficulty level (as other games have); this would probably make happy more people.

No, the solution would be a more accessible, intuitive, understandable tactical system. Remove the sliders and replace them with verbal instructions. That would help a lot.