Would you be happy if SI 'optimised/fixed' Football Manager for 2010...

But didn't add any major new features?

This is not aimed as a complaint topic about FM09, but I feel the general consensus is:

- The game is getting slower to play

- There is a large amount of "clutter" and little option to turn it off

- There are increasing numbers of bugs (which are fixed retrospectively)

- New features are added but nobody ever feels their potential is fully realised.

Now, in my opinion, I would be very happy if SI spent the next 12 months, continually improving and optimising the features we have, fixing bugs, and allowing a greater degree of flexibility (maybe adding basic training regimes, giving us the option to turn off features such as press conferences etc).

I don't feel the game is really desperate for any new features, and a lot of opinion floating around the forums suggests the game is becoming too complex.

What are your thoughts?

An improved match engine would do me, don't know if that counts as a new feature or not.

But didn't add any major new features?

This is not aimed as a complaint topic about FM09, but I feel the general consensus is:

- The game is getting slower to play

- There is a large amount of "clutter" and little option to turn it off

- There are increasing numbers of bugs (which are fixed retrospectively)

- New features are added but nobody ever feels their potential is fully realised.

Now, in my opinion, I would be very happy if SI spent the next 12 months, continually improving and optimising the features we have, fixing bugs, and allowing a greater degree of flexibility (maybe adding basic training regimes, giving us the option to turn off features such as press conferences etc).

I don't feel the game is really desperate for any new features, and a lot of opinion floating around the forums suggests the game is becoming too complex.

What are your thoughts?

No doubt about it. If they just spent a year perfecting what was there already, it would absolutely brilliant!!!!

Yeah I would be quite happy with that!!! May give SI a breather to perfect 2011 as well!

Yes. At this point, a (major) bug-free release would be a new feature anyway. :-)

And I don't mean to rub it in. It's just the way circumstances have caused it to be so far. It's a complicated program with a lot of variables.

Nevertheless, one major "new" thing FM needs is (much) better sound, along with optimizing all the potential FM 2009 has. If re-vamped sound could be the "goodie" for FM 2010 I'd be very happy. You know, team chants and the like. Crowd shouting "off, off" etc. Heck, why not some bagpipes/drums/steel drums/etc playing in the background in some matches? Ambience! At present, it continues to be very dull. I reckon this is one thing that needs a complete makeover.

I would agree with this but then people would be complaining "It is the same game. It needs change".

For me, 08 was the fastest version of all, with 09 slightly slower

However, i get the feeling that people are forgetting how slow it used to be prior to 08

SI is a business...first and foremost. In that respect they have to add more features to sell the new game and keep ahead of the competition. Every year they do iron out bugs previously - the transfer system this year is one such example.

Yes - absolutely. It needs to be done imo - because if they just pack more features in next year, this game will have major, mjaor issues.

And ehm, this new transfer system is just as bad as the old one, its not fixed at all.

Also - FM07 was not at all slow, even on the old computer I had at the time - FM09 is by far the slowest the game has been since it changed to FM.

The new features for next year could be improved sound and patching up the 3d engine to make it look prettier - that way you only have the graphics team + sound people working on new features and the majority of the coders working on optimising the game.

That being said, I have no idea how many programmers/graphics people SI employ.

I vote "No" - abandoning features entirely? That threatens sales, which may already be tight next year considering the global economic slowdown.

I do expect to see improvements made, from Confidence to 3-D to the match engine, but I think that's a part of the release problem.

That would be the concern.

Obviously I'm not affiliated with SI but I'm interested to see people's responses. SI have a very active forum here and do well to cope with the level of requests / problems / challenges reported.

I think it would useful for people to see what people really do want going forwards, and whether new features are considered more important than getting what we've already got perfected...

I can't imagine anyone would vote no.

@ Jod (and anyone else who feels that SI have to provide a large new feature list). I disagree. So many features in FM are half or even quarter-baked. Giving a multitude of new options in the media and staff/player interaction options would be a major, 3D level, feature improvement for them to laud.

Furthermore a complete lack of new features is no barometer of sales anyway. As EA prove with their Madden franchise that's just got worse and worse each year yet continues to sell enormous quantities. Gears of War 2 isn't exactly different from it's predecessors. Gran Turismo is always more of the same.

So properly implementing the features that are in the game, whilst giving it a comprehensive optimisation program, would easily be sufficient for me to throw off my relentless cynicism and laud SI.

VB

09 is the worst version of FM I've played and I've been playing it since CM3.

I voted no, it isn't fair to pay for a patch. They should patch FM09 until it works for everyone.

I [what a dreadfully unimportant word] would like to see whatever SI decide is best for the game, because I [that word again]am 100% sure that SI and all of us sad people, who do not reside in the real world, all want the same thing. Kind regards to all.

If they removed the slider system and fixed the match engine i would no doubt buy next year.

I have almost never used new "features" like team talks or press conferances anyway. Hell, if they realese a version where they remove some features like those two, it will be a huge bonus.... :-P

There's another problem with they way they implement new features - it always seems to take three releases for them to be right.

I voted no, it isn't fair to pay for a patch.

It wouldn't be paying for a patch.

We'll get critical things in a patch. Next November, you'd see massive improvements to what we already have, optimised, and with the best database in the world once again.

While I dont agree that the transfer system is "just as bad as the old one" I agree that the game should just be optimized for next year's version. If most of the problems arent solved for 2010, they ll just keep pilling up until you need like 5 patches before December.

And btw the slowest FM of all time award should go to... FM05 -.-

You get the feeling spending 12 months working on this game it would still be released with bugs. All that will happen for FM10 is adding new features to 3d and a data update.

09 is the worst version of FM I've played and I've been playing it since CM3.

err what about CM4? i Doubt anyone would agree that CM4 was better than FM09!

Properly implemented team talks, media modules, tactics and transfer systems would be like new features.

Properly implemented team talks, media modules, tactics and transfer systems would be like new features.

I'd agree with this. Press conferences need to be vastly improved i.e have many, many more questions/answers so they don't become repetitive within the first few weeks. Also make tone down the frequency of them

Team talks need more options too, and need to be more intuitive

Tactics don't need a complete overhaul, but making them more user-friendly so we actually understand them better would please a hell of alot of people

There's no point in keep adding new features if the ones currently in the game aren't very good

The thing is, they will never be able to create the perfect game. There will always be bugs!

As the poll says, most people would obviously rather have a game with less problems than new features, but how would SI market it? The marketing for each new addition is based on new features.

Unfortunately, this game isn't art, they aren't interested in making a masterpiece, they are interested in making money.

I would agree with this but then people would be complaining "It is the same game. It needs change".

Completely agree, would virtually guarantee this forum would be full of people "livid" because it wouls appear they have just paid for a patch.

09 is the worst version of FM I've played and I've been playing it since CM3.

Very constructive! Any reasoning? Ans why do people feel the need to bleet about how long they have been playing the game?

You get the feeling spending 12 months working on this game it would still be released with bugs. All that will happen for FM10 is adding new features to 3d and a data update.

I agree, to an extent. You may find its SEGA that actually want a new release every year! Im sure if SI were allowed to skip a year they would just continue and make 09 better such is their love of the game! Its just SEGA being greedy i feel, and exploiting the fact there are people who buy the game every year regardless!

exploiting the fact there are people who buy the game every year regardless!

yeh people like me... i must be too soft

yeh people like me... i must be too soft

And me, cant help myself! Like an old man in a knicker shop lol!

The thing is, they will never be able to create the perfect game. There will always be bugs!

ARC System Works would beg to differ. I can't think of many Square and Capcom games that are buggy.

It wouldn't be paying for a patch.

We'll get critical things in a patch. Next November, you'd see massive improvements to what we already have, optimised, and with the best database in the world once again.

Even with several new features added each year , there are still a lot of people of complain that they feel like they are just paying for a patch so without any new features whatsoever, these complaints will just shoot up.

Realistically, you need a good mixture of both new features and more polish. Without either, there is a high chance that the reputation of the game will be damaged and future sales will suffer. Neglecting new features just isn't a realistic option IMO.

reputation gets damaged more by releasing buggy game after buggy game than just releasing one version which doesn't add many new features.

However, i get the feeling that people are forgetting how slow it used to be prior to 08

I didn't play 08 (apart from the demo), but I've played hundreds of seasons on 07.

At least on my computer, 07 was WAY faster than 09. This could have something to do with me having a single core CPU, mind you..

I'm not necessarily complaining about the speed in 09 though (it's normal for games to evolve and need more computer power to run swiftly), I just disagree with your statement that it was slow prior to 08.

No I wouldn't. I expect FM09 to be a finished product after the second patch, so I expect FM10 to build on that finished product rather than rebox it.

No I wouldn't. I expect FM09 to be a finished product after the second patch, so I expect FM10 to build on that finished product rather than rebox it.

I agree with this, this game won't sell if it just fixes the bugs. We need new/improved features, otherwise SI will lose alot of customers.

Merely fixing stuff for a new version doesn't make sense commercially. Also, since the 3D is new (and very promising and exciting, I might add) in the series, it wouldn't make sense for SI to go slow right now. This is the time to run!

it wouldn't make sense for SI to go slow right now.

it would to me, and if they look at this poll (which they wont or will but ignore) they will realise that this is what the majority would like them to do. But they just see ££££

it would to me, and if they look at this poll (which they wont or will but ignore) they will realise that this is what the majority would like them to do. But they just see ££££

To be fair, they are on here alot and their 3D decision was made because of (or partly because of) a poll that we took part in. Of course they want money but they care about making us happy, that is why they were up until the early hours on the 14th November, trying to help us with our problems.

I voted fix the bugs, but really I would just like the match engine improved. AND NO BUGS OR ACTIVATION ISSUES!

I would just like the match engine improved.

so would i. this is the most important part of the game (and really needs alot of work i know) but htey seem to miss things every year.

To be fair, they are on here alot and their 3D decision was made because of (or partly because of) a poll that we took part in. Of course they want money but they care about making us happy, that is why they were up until the early hours on the 14th November, trying to help us with our problems.

I'm not having a go at SI (Not this second anyway) but they did that because it's their job and the problems reflected awfully on the company so it needed to be sorted asap. I don't think they would have done the same out of the goodness of their hearts.

I'm sure they want to make a game they are proud of, but to say they care about the fans is probably not accurate.

I have to say im delighted at the poll results so far.

I'm not having a go at SI (Not this second anyway) but they did that because it's their job and the problems reflected awfully on the company so it needed to be sorted asap. I don't think they would have done the same out of the goodness of their hearts.

I'm sure they want to make a game they are proud of, but to say they care about the fans is probably not accurate.

Matt (from Sega) was helping me with finding updates for my drivers and downloading SDK thing. I think they are a great help

Wakers: Why are you delighted?

I'm not happy for this to happen for 2010. I want to see it happening as soon as this new patch. As I stand at the moment, I'm not buying FM10.

And I voted for them to fix the bugs for 2010. Anyone who doesn't is foolish.

So, bean, you say you're not happy for 2010 to be just a bug fix... but you voted for that? A bit confused.

Because the number of people that want an optimisation of the code and bug fixes is far greater than the number for new features.

Because the number of people that want an optimisation of the code and bug fixes is far greater than the number for new features.

That delights you? Well I kind of was in the middle for the poll. I only want new features if current ones are fixed.

It does because I thought i was in the minority of wanting the game fixed

It does because I thought i was in the minority of wanting the game fixed

Have you seen the amount of moaner threads today?

How about new FM every two years? There would be about 6-8 data updates/patches in two year time. SI should try that. Atleast they would finally complete one FM.

Lets see what this new patch fixes, then we can all have our moans, but the game is 1st one i have played non stop for a long time....its not perfect but it is a lot better then any other similar game on the market......, come on boys what would you rather being playing.....