Some thoughts on FM09 from a player of old

I've played CMs and FMs for over 10 years. Its the only PC game I play, or have any interest in.

No need to explain the attraction of the game(s). We all know why we play and the sales figures for the game reflect its international polularity. With such entusiasm goes proportionate disappointment when patches are needed and awaited with bugs to keep us going in the meantime.

This time round, I was a little befuddled at getting the game started. Keycodes and that sort of thing. As if simplicity died a death. I registered by phone - no problems there. I couldn't tell you what or who Steam, Torrents or all that jazz is or are. Hence the phone. A confusing (and perhaps irritating) inconvenience. "They must have their reasons" I thought.

Uploaded the patch. Ready for action. another patch for the data editor needed and uploaded.

So off we go with the game. The team building etc. The post pre season friendlies anticipation. The New Players. The 3D. The frustration. 40 yard screamers for which your strikers must take the blame. Unbreakable crossbars, missed interceptions and long shots.

In the old days, it was just the commentary without new features having a parrot effect. The commentary worked well. Your imagination did the rest. What a team they were.

SI have made a lot of effort to improve the game between media interaction, 3D, 2D, face regens etc. As if simplicity died a death.

We strive on, hoping for improvements in gameplay. Some demanding it. All waiting for the new patch. I asked the simple question in one post as to whether the new patch would be out this week. Seems SI have been busy closing threads on the topic. I still don't know if it will be out tomorrow.

No simple answers to that simple question. Simplicity has indeed died a death.

The patch is expected and planned for tomorrow.

One of the SI guys confirmed this today in one thread and another confirmed it yesterday in another.

I think the problem is that many peopel prefer to post a question rather than search to see if it has already been answered, (which I suppose if just basic human nature).

Somoene suggested that there could have been a stickied thread at the top about upcoming patch release info but how many stickied threads do we have already? loads.

Anyway, I know what you mean about simplicity, but I like many of the gimmicks, (much to my surprise).

I like the Facegen feature that I thought I would hate, (I'm not so keen on hair-piece-gen though).

I like the stats additions like best eleven, (in fact would like to see a whole new stats page introduced).

I'm not taken by 3D if I'm often but I still live 2D.

The media and training passes me by a little, but I'm sure I will look into these areas more as my own save develops.

I suppose you are right about the lack of imagination required now. SI want the game to do more and more of it, (and I like that), but it does bame the game,...... "daunting" I suppose is the right word.

Pre-season now takes me about a week to complete. lol

Good post

And yes -for some reason in the last couple of weeks SI haven't been good with communicating - silently releasing an editor update and putting a small note at the top of the forum - most people never knew it was release, and i bet there are still some that don't know its there.

Instead of sticking a notice about the next patch, even if it just says "its in final testing, it needs to pass this before we release it, might be a couple of days yet", its buried at the bottom of a completely unrelated thread.

Will the new patch include the editor update or does the editor need to be patched separately?

Yep I also enjoyed the older games like cm97/98 and enjoyed them with a passion,they were easy pick up and play then lose yourself for hours on end.

I do believe though that FM09 has a good chance of being the best ever once the next patch hits.

Ok I do dislike alot of the micro-managing the game has and at times can seem a pain rather than a gain but there are lot of new things I really love and tbh I think the 3D will be a great addition,though I think that will probally be FM10 before we can enjoy that to the full.

Yep times have moved on and I think,for the most part at least for the better....though I hate to say it...it does need the patch.

like the Facegen feature that I thought I would hate, (I'm not so keen on hair-piece-gen though).

There is no "hair-gen" the face gen software that SI bought doesn't create faces with hair, instead the hair is popped on by the game from about a dozen options in another folder. You can actually add more hairstyles if you want - im surprised no graphics people have done this yet.

I'm looking forward to trying the game out again with the patch. However I just know that im gonna end up downloading someone's tactic within a couple of days because I just don't have the time to spend hours tweaking all the stupid sliders for each opponent.

There is no "hair-gen" the face gen software that SI bought doesn't create faces with hair, instead the hair is popped on by the game from about a dozen options in another folder. You can actually add more hairstyles if you want - im surprised no graphics people have done this yet.

I don't know about that - my favorite regen just "hair-genned" himself a new look. He went from a young Ryan Giggs look-alike to a young Alan Smith overnight. I'm praying that this does not forecast his future career.

I'm looking forward to trying the game out again with the patch. However I just know that im gonna end up downloading someone's tactic within a couple of days because I just don't have the time to spend hours tweaking all the stupid sliders for each opponent.

I honestly thought I was going to have to do this for the 1st time also mate,I even went as far as to ask for a tactic for my formation,no-one had 1 though.

I always play alittle unorthodoxed(I hate playing a 4-4-2)I honestly couldnt believe it when I got a 3-5-2(5 across the middle)working,

I really dont know if it was just pure luck,skill or just a mixture but it is working for me,it did sadly take alot of time of trial and error and the knock on effects did test me thats for sure,I am glad though I persevered as when the patch comes I will be playing my own tactic with my team about to start in the Premiership.

I honestly thought I was going to have to do this for the 1st time also mate,I even went as far as to ask for a tactic for my formation,no-one had 1 though.

I always play alittle unorthodoxed(I hate playing a 4-4-2)I honestly couldnt believe it when I got a 3-5-2(5 across the middle)working,

I really dont know if it was just pure luck,skill or just a mixture but it is working for me,it did sadly take alot of time of trial and error and the knock on effects did test me thats for sure,I am glad though I persevered as when the patch comes I will be playing my own tactic with my team about to start in the Premiership.

Dont be surprised if it doesn't work anymore.

Yeah I know that is what I am worried about tbh.

If you want to play the game in the old way, my friend you still can, like you i have played the game since the first on my trusty amiga, only bought a pc so i could play cm3 cause it wasnt going to come out on the amiga, ....... but if you still like it simple that basic game is still there, me i love the new 3d, i also think it will be next year or the year after before it is fully right, but it is a good start.... and for the extras, like the facepacks, etc that the community have produced, try them they add that little something... it makes the game that little more special...Yes it aint perfect but this is one of the better versions....Thank you guys....for making me loose another year of my life in front of this game....Should come with health warning....

Explain where the simple game is?

You can play it as if its cm01/02 but you'll lose every game?

blah blah blah blah would you quite your frickin whining. Seriously every day this board is littered with people who have problems with the game it is getting so old for those like me who love the game and would like to use these forums to discuss it.

I thought he was saying to go back and play an older version of the game,if he was saying simply dont watch the 3D and you have the easy game again....no comment.

blah blah blah blah would you quite your frickin whining. Seriously every day this board is littered with people who have problems with the game it is getting so old for those like me who love the game and would like to use these forums to discuss it.

While I will agree there is too much whinning,I would strongly dis-agree that the forum should only be used to praise the game,it is a forum after all at not a fansite,you can easily avoid alot of the whinning threads,like I do sometimes by reading the title.

i just get sick of seeing the same old whining all the time....and sometimes vent at people that post the same CRAP over, and over, and over, and over, and over........

I know that feeling I vented at someone today for posting the same nonsense on almost every other thread that was open...anyway happy thoughts and moving on (not fair to the op if this gets de-railed and locked).

i just get sick of seeing the same old whining all the time....and sometimes vent at people that post the same CRAP over, and over, and over, and over, and over........

you mean like this? if you're not interested in the thread, don't post in it. All you're trying to do here is get a good thread closed by being selfish, thinking people should discuss only what you want to

blah blah blah blah would you quite your frickin whining. Seriously every day this board is littered with people who have problems with the game it is getting so old for those like me who love the game and would like to use these forums to discuss it.

I thought you used these forums to whine about people whining about the game. I use them to whine about people whining about people whining about the game.