Reluctant to start a new save until 9.0.3

I feel as though it’s time to start over with yet another FM save. I’ve reloaded quite a few times of late, in an attempt to understand how to apply decent tactics, and that feeling of cheating has brought a premature end to my Newcastle save

There are things stopping me from starting over with a long-term career save. Some issues annoy me to such an extent I am considering hanging up my managerial overcoat until the next patch arrives, others I can put up with even if they should be fixed with the next update (graphical bugs).

Issues that I have experienced personally in my save games are as follows:

-Too many CCC’s/Strikers missing and firing at keepers too often. I can understand why this might be happening (i.e. to keep scores realistic) but it’s incredibly aggravating. Perhaps the ME should produce fewer chances or display a greater variety of reasons for not scoring.

-Inability to score Direct Free Kicks – blatantly noticeable for since the application of 9.2.0

-Variety of player irritations (players lay on the ground for an eternity after a tackle, running up to a ball and then away, poor goalkeeper distribution)

-Match View sometimes starting, without good reason, in the wrong mode (I no longer use TV mode yet sometimes it’ll launch like this – I do not use TV mode since the widget windows are incorrectly repositioned if I go into and exit out of the Tactics screen)

-My first choice keeper (most recently Given with Newcastle) who has played almost every match of each season I’ve played is said, through the media, to be trying to establish himself in the first-team

-My staff leaving without notice when their contracts end. No reminders are given. Bit of an oversight that one...

-I seem to miss information regarding managerial changes (hiring/firing) in any league let alone the one I manage in. I’ve seen an AI manager (O’Neil) move from Villa to Fiorentina and to have his job listed as insecure on day two of his reign. At least AI managers appear to be victims of board confidence issues as well as us mere mortals The whole inbox/news split needs looking at.

-When asking player A to learn from player B (tutor) the message still reads player A to learn from player A (i.e. Bojan to learn from Bojan)– which has been in since the feature arrived if I remember correctly and remains to this day

-Which reminds me... Wonderkids routinely made available for free... (Okay, I have to snap them up )

-Board Problems (Expected to gain promotion, gained through play-off rather than outright league position and board unhappy because I didn’t win the league)

-Graphical bugs (Shadows broken since 9.0.2, subs bench feet (the supports) flickering as if sorting is the problem (Radeon GFX card varieties)

-Securing a Championship title before the season is over I read a media report which says my team has one of the poorest Premiership sponsorship deals. I’m not in the Premiership yet and it was to be renegotiated at season end.

-My best eleven are sometimes listed in positions they’ve never played for me (listed in their natural positions which means that, on occasion, my top performer who played most games is put on the subs bench).

-Ball Control (oo-er missus) I’d say 99% of the time I can tell if a player, regardless of whether he is under pressure or not, will head a ball in a random direction rather than waiting for it to come down and controlling it (be it on their chest, with feet or whatever). They just head the ball out if they reach it whilst it’s at a certain height in the air.

-We STILL have players who have been subbed at half-time listed in the commentary as coming off/clapping to the fans even though they are not out on the pitch. Lazy.

-I’ve seen the media, on more than one occasion; speculate on a transfer involving one of my players even though the deals are signed and public. Player X is moving on a specific date yet the media speculate about whether he’ll go.

-The board saying 'Delighted to have finished behind the top teams this season' even though we finished second.

-Media reporting that I've signed a new contract 'to extend my stay until X' even though it was the date the original contract was due to end, I just upped my wages. The message assumes (incorrectly here) that any new contract is an extension...

-Forming relationships with the press does not happen in some leagues due to legal reasons. Yet I wasn’t aware of this until I spot a snippet of info in the bug forum. Then you have to use a community update to make it work (no biggie, lots of FM extras are built by the community) yet I’ve not seen this announced anywhere. You could at least tell people some leagues don’t work for legal reasons and allow some kind chap to post a link explaining how we might go about ‘fixing’ the issue. Oh, and you have to restart with a new save which is even more reason to get such information out to people before they commit time to career saves...

-It would be nice, especially for widescreen users which seem to be ignored as if they are something to worry about ten years from now, to highlight the whole width of a players info bar on squad screens so I can see who my current highlight for a teamtalk is relating to... at present I have to scan my eyes carefully to the left and hope I make the correct match. Sometimes I just click through the talks trying to find the name of the guy I wish to talk to.

END.

The above are things that have come to mind. I’m sure if I were to keep a comprehensive list of the problems I’d experienced it’d go on for a while longer. These kind of issues crop up with every FM release and I’m still experiencing lots of niggles even though we’re on the second patch. The most recent patch did improve a few areas (especially speed) but a whole host of bugs remain. I do try to ignore most of these when playing but its hard to overlook the sheer number still present.

I do post/upload for the bugs forum and I have put my name forward to be a volunteer tester. I do not consider myself as a simple moaner, I'm willing to try to help wherever possible. I’m hoping 9.3.0, whenever that might appear, fixes a number of issues listed above.

To be honest if it doesn’t, FM09 is going to feel a bit of a letdown for me. At times I’ve enjoyed it immensely but that enjoyment has always been boosted by the belief that the bugs would be sorted at some point. If a multitude of fixes and a few key improvements come through with 9.3.0 I think it could surpass my favourite of the series so far (a completely patched FM07). Why did I post this? I guess I just wanted to list issues I experience with the game so that I might compare 9.0.2 to 9.3 when it arrives.

i know what you mean

i think for anybody playing a 'long game', the joy of progression is diminished by things like the bojan bug

in its current format i cant play football manager the way i expect to be able to play it

im optimistic about the patch though and am also staving off starting another 'long game'

heres hoping

100% true,if you want to start a serious save game..

You'll be waiting a long time as there won't be a 9.0.3. (or else it came and went LONG ago).

There will likely be a 9.3.0 though.

i played the demo and nearly didnt bother buying the game as a result as i thought it was dreadful. However, i got it at christmas and think that with the second patch it is certainly playable. I do admit that some of the bugs are annoying though, and i do wish that we could eventually get a game that works almost perfectly as soon as you pay for it, requiring only one patch for the minor things that werent picked up on during the intensive game testing that should be taking place before expecting people to buy a game

this isnt just a criticism of SI by any means, but i think the mass use of the internet has made many companies a bit lazy. They know that they can release a game that is by no means the finished article and, when people complain, they can just "patch" it (this even happens with quite a few xbox 360 games now). I liked the days when a company had to be certain that the game they expected people to pay for was complete and playable on release, as they knew that if it wasnt everyone would be getting refunds and they would lose a lot of money. Now they hardly need to bother paying for extensive testing, they (meaning lots of companies not necessarily SI) can let the customers do the testing for them and simply "patch" as needed- even if in the case of a game like FM, by the time the final patch comes out the season that the game is meant to start in is over half way through

-My staff leaving without notice when their contracts end. No reminders are given. Bit of an oversight that one...

YES.

Its incredibly annoying having to go off looking for a new assistant all the time because nobody bothered to let you know your old one had left all of a sudden.

i played the demo and nearly didnt bother buying the game as a result as i thought it was dreadful. However' date=' i got it at christmas and think that with the second patch it is certainly playable. I do admit that some of the bugs are annoying though, and i do wish that we could eventually get a game that works almost perfectly as soon as you pay for it, requiring only one patch for the minor things that werent picked up on during the intensive game testing that should be taking place before expecting people to buy a game

this isnt just a criticism of SI by any means, but i think the mass use of the internet has made many companies a bit lazy. They know that they can release a game that is by no means the finished article and, when people complain, they can just "patch" it (this even happens with quite a few xbox 360 games now). I liked the days when a company had to be certain that the game they expected people to pay for was complete and playable on release, as they knew that if it wasnt everyone would be getting refunds and they would lose a lot of money. Now they hardly need to bother paying for extensive testing, they (meaning lots of companies not necessarily SI) can let the customers do the testing for them and simply "patch" as needed- even if in the case of a game like FM, by the time the final patch comes out the season that the game is meant to start in is over half way through[/quote']

thats what bothers me

i dont mind over sights like phil jagielka having the wrong position on his profile, but when they are totally aware of the fact that the AI underrates wonderkids, the fans confidence / players ratings dont reflect reality...then i feel a bit cheated that theyve just said 'this will do for now'

YES.

Its incredibly annoying having to go off looking for a new assistant all the time because nobody bothered to let you know your old one had left all of a sudden.

Just check when his contract runs out, use your common sence - you can't just expect him to renew his own contract. Although I do agree it is a frustrating bug and needs sorting.

I tended to add a general reminder about staff (hiring almost all of them in the same week helps this approach!) but really there should be a reminder from your 'admin staff'.

There is absolutely no logic in being notified when your players' contracts are running down, but not those your staff. None whatsoever.

This is the first FM game I have never played. Just can't get into the game.

I think it is like any other new FM, hard to get into. Usually takes me a season to get into a new FM. I believe 09 is resonably solid but the next patch has to fix issues which for me ruin the suspension of disbelief the game can offer (Being a footie manager).

Well that's what happens when you buy an FM that isn't fully patch, you're going to get bugs. You guys should've learned by now!

When is 9.0.3 out is it in february

When is 9.0.3 out is it in february

How the hell should we know? We'll know when SI know and tell us. Basic logic.

This is the first FM game I have never played. Just can't get into the game.

Same. Well I was into it for a bit, but then after a season it crashed

Id convinced myself as well that the coming patch would fix the game like it did with 08, but ive heard that its just a glorified data update.

Id convinced myself as well that the coming patch would fix the game like it did with 08, but ive heard that its just a glorified data update.

unless you heard that from SI then you have been told complete and utter b*llocks. PaulC has stated openly that he's fixing a number of bugs for the new patch, especially some defensive issues which were highlighted in a very helpful thread recently.

unless you heard that from SI then you have been told complete and utter b*llocks. PaulC has stated openly that he's fixing a number of bugs for the new patch, especially some defensive issues which were highlighted in a very helpful thread recently.

someone testing it told me

someone testing it told me

we both know thats not true.

Got to admit this is the worst FM ever and I can't get into it or sometimes be bothered with it any more. Get rid of the 3d SI and get the game back to what it used to be

PLAYABLE

For me, now that I have become accepting of its visual state, the 3D match engine is one of the best additions in this years game. There are plenty of things to fix, but getting rid of the 3D? Cannot see what that'd achieve. That would be taking needless steps backwards surely.

we both know thats not true.

Im not some rtard who posts on this section of the SI Forum, I usually avoid it just came on to see if there was any new stickys, im admin of FM-Base.

if any one from si is reading this can you sort out the injuries. i have 9 first team players out injured ranging from a month to 6 months. it is ridiculous the amount of injuries i get and probably any other person may get it is frustrating. The worst fm game so far. Will seriously think bout buying fifa manager instead.

Go ahead and buy FIFA manager, you'll come right back.

its a shame si dont have any decent competiton, as it is they just seem to be putting out tosh then fixing it as and when

I'm not carrying on until patch 3 is out which is frustrating because my teeth are starting to itch. I want to play but I just don't trust the ME yet.

I agree with the orginal post. I am still playing the game, still making some progress. But increasingingly I find FM (since around 2005/2006) like pulling teeth. I think this is the new realism factor which has brought with it reminders of the pain and the misery associated with being a real football fan (outside the high flying teams of your league).

I have no idea why I am still playing/hooked. My Bromley alsmost got promoted to League 2 last season (play off final). But not sure how much longer I can watch 0-0 games in which my team had 30 shots on target, missed 5 or 6 one on ones with GK; blammed umpteen freekicks over the bar (my favourite are those from close to the centre circle). Shot after shot after shot after miss after shot after shot after miss ...game after game after game after match after season after season (repeat to fade). Meanwhile another one manybe two of my strikers have not scored in 180 years of football. Should I try them in goal, defence? Are they just rubbish strikers, or maybe they cant actually play football.

(match after match after shot after shot after match after shot after match - is that my foot I have just hacked off...)

Also dont seem to be able to get two central mid fielders to play well together - I am continuing to work on this particular mystery (Arthur C Clarke could have solved it, probably)

I wouldn't be able to score if I didn't have Bojan!!!!

Sadly it's the same every year fellas. I love FM, but it only ever gets "playable" by the 3rd patch, usually in February, which gives you just about half a year until a new "unfinished" version comes out.

But me alomng with everyone else keeps buying it!!!

Oh, plus I've dumped my 4-4-1-1 Formation because despite getting in Guti Attacking Midfielders are absolutely "useless" in the game.

"-My staff leaving without notice when their contracts end. No reminders are given. Bit of an oversight that one..."

I lost 8 Scouts with 20 20 JA JP due to that...

Maybe it's just me who thinks its absolutely fine. Obviously, like any game, there are going to be some bugs, but to suggest that it isn't playable is just ridiculous

I'd have thought that 9.3.0 will be out in February with the data update from the January transfers like it always is. I don't see why this should be any different, and obviously there are bugs to fix. But delaying the start of a save until late feb because of this is just stupid

I wouldn't be able to score if I didn't have Bojan!!!!

Sadly it's the same every year fellas. I love FM, but it only ever gets "playable" by the 3rd patch, usually in February, which gives you just about half a year until a new "unfinished" version comes out.

But me alomng with everyone else keeps buying it!!!

You should buy it every February then you can play each for a year.

SI wont get a penny from me for this abomination of a game. If they spent less time trying to stop piracy and more time fixing bugs people might actually *choose* to buy the game.

YES.

Its incredibly annoying having to go off looking for a new assistant all the time because nobody bothered to let you know your old one had left all of a sudden.

Having just read about this, i decided to go and check my staff and two of them left without me knowing - thanks for bringing this up as I would never have know otherwise.

Maybe it's just me who thinks its absolutely fine. Obviously, like any game, there are going to be some bugs, but to suggest that it isn't playable is just ridiculous

I'd have thought that 9.3.0 will be out in February with the data update from the January transfers like it always is. I don't see why this should be any different, and obviously there are bugs to fix. But delaying the start of a save until late feb because of this is just stupid

stupid?

you dont think long term success is a bit hollow when the AI totally underrates wonder kids?

id say for any discerning fm player, a long term career type game isnt viable as it stands

Agreed with you and the first post.

I was great fan of computer and console games and in recent years with the growth of internet, i have been becoming feeling more disillusion towards the entire game industry. Today they just release a half done product and then patch it up. How many times in the 80's and 90's (those who remember well) we play the same game over and over again? I remember the golden years of Sensible Soccer (for Amiga and Megadrive), that i did endless of tournaments (i enjoyed of me having control to build the league) and playing with my pals the entire afternoons playing that same game and after that the first fifa games and then the old CM.

Today, I feel tired of being cheated in spending 50 to 70 euros per game, for a half done games. I remember well in playing Broken Sword 1 & 2, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Worms 1 & 2, Dune 1 & 2, Monkey Island (the first games, the 3d didn't like as much, but fun), X-COM: Terror from the Deep (now that is extremely hard game), Colonization (I played this one for almost decade), Out of this World (aka Another World), Centurion: Defender of World, Speedball 2, Wind Commander Saga, Sim City, Transport Tycoon Deluxe, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Sanitarium (didn't actually finished), Maniac Mansion Deluxe, Flashback, Legend of Kyrandia Saga, Prince of Persia 1 & 2, The Incredible Machine 3.0, The Lemmings, SimTower, Grand Prix Manager 2, CM97, Fifa 97, California Games, Fallout 1 & 2, Full Throttle, Leisure Suit Larry and even the Formula 1 manager game for the old Spectrum and the recent one: Final Fantasy VII (to name a few). These games never, ever I need to patch them and where games that marked my youth and played them for hours and hours that transformed in years. Nowadays, goes there is new Fallout game, but it has some bugs on it, but that patch will fix them or there is new Tomb raider, but it has bugs, but the patches will fix them. The solution is patches. It is the era of patches!!!!!

My point is most players who buy FM games most of them want to make very long career and the bugs that show, people think this way: "What I have to endure this bug, over and over again until the guys at SI release a patch? No way!"

Well if the people at SI needed only one patch (January for an update of data), then i would spend 50 euros for that game. If this is to be regular thing (and it is) only the third patch is the fully and lesser bugs complete game, then I'm going to simply gave up on FM. I'm not waiting 3 or 4 months for a patch or group of patches that make the game complete. It is absurd and very cheap way the people at SI and Sega to treat the fans and players like this. If the old and Classic games didn't needed patches why the new ones need them? There is something very wrong with this picture, don't you think?

I understand what you're saying, but you miss one important point. Years ago the games were smaller which translated into fewer people on the dev team (makes a project easier to manage) as well as a game of reduced complexity. They were easier to make and less likely to contain a wealth of errors. They all had bugs, but we would not spot them so often and if we were to, they may only be in a few places. With a game such as FM if you spot one error, due to the nature of the game, you are likely to come across it time after time.

SI simply have a problem with recognising bugs and sorting a plan of attack with regards to improving their fix process for the future. Hopefully the special Beta testing of patches will help a great deal.

I understand what you're saying, but you miss one important point. Years ago the games were smaller which translated into fewer people on the dev team (makes a project easier to manage) as well as a game of reduced complexity. They were easier to make and less likely to contain a wealth of errors. They all had bugs, but we would not spot them so often and if we were to, they may only be in a few places. With a game such as FM if you spot one error, due to the nature of the game, you are likely to come across it time after time.

SI simply have a problem with recognising bugs and sorting a plan of attack with regards to improving their fix process for the future. Hopefully the special Beta testing of patches will help a great deal.

You are spot on there. Bigger complex projects results in more unspotted / rare bugs. Also, Amiga was a common platform for lots of users, the hardware was the same and compatibility issues were easier to tackle, unlikely now days where there are lots of different computer specs.

I know that it can be frustrating finding bugs in the game we all love, but some comments in here (and by here I mean the whole forum) really undervalue the real effort that these guys put into making this game.

Also, the fact that there are no real competitors to SI should underline how this game compares with others in the same field. I mean try to play FIFA Manager or CM (or worst....), and then see the bugs there.... then try to complaint with those game developers, which won't give a rat ass about your rants.....

when 9.03 patch is released, will it be compatible with my edited data base which i currently use to play the game?

I dont see why not. You'll just continue your game and not use the new database I'd expect will be coming with the patch.

when 9.03 patch is released' date=' will it be compatible with my edited data base which i currently use to play the game?[/quote']

It should be compatible.

I dont see why not. You'll just continue your game and not use the new database I'd expect will be coming with the patch.

what if i want to start a new game but using my custom data base made from 9.0.2? will the 3rd patch be added to that data base?

its been attrocious this year tbh.

no long term enjoyment because none of the AI plans for the future.

manchester city has ruined the game in terms of it being a challenge to get money.

in spain, there is a ******** bug which leeches off your wages via signign reserve players for massive contracts.

in italy, the co-ownership bug makes it painfully easy to get ANY player in italy for a bargain price.

unsurprinsgly some player stats are blatantly wrong. some were fixed in 901/902 such as radoi + veloso but still, i'd like to see even maybe diarra toned down since he can use his left foot to a substandard. :|

regen system is still a bit crappy. massive improvement on 2008 but when will SI learn the basics of a good regen system? give birth to them at an early age (15-16yo), make them be able to use BOTH feet to a DECENT standard [so we don't have someone with a 20/20 right foot, 2/20 left foot and therefore super man stats which makes him too good cos none of his PA is used in his left foot abilty).

the well known "bojan bug" which applies for most youngsters is disgusting. HOW can playtesters miss this? it is SO blatant.

press conferences are a neat touch but the lack of options and the fact the answers provided something don't make sense is pure LAZY. also the lack of being able to have mind games with an opposing manager at will is a big loss imo.

the fact some players stats are blatantly wrong. take liverpool for example - no way is skrtel/agger terrible in the air to how they're portayed 4 seasons into the game. neither is babel anywhere near as mentally good as hes made out to be. once again, i'd also like to highlight how overrated adebayor has been. how did playtesters not pickup on the fact that arsenals stat spreads have made the majority of their players grossly overrated? anyone can see just by looking at adebayors stats 2-3 seasons into the game, hes TOO good.

seriously, do SI even have playtesters? if they do, they SUCK.

i'd rather have not had a 3D match engine [or facegen which i actually hate because they don't look real at all.. like AT all] but instead had all the fixes described in this thread then a few jazzy skins for aesthics to tide us over.

the only positive thing from this year for me is the assistants increased role and the fact they now interact with you during matches.

and the worst thing of all after my negative post?

i bet by 9.30, not everything will be fixed because that pretty much sums up SI's lack of dedication this year. they keep trying to innovate little new things but they haven't got the basics right for an ENJOYABLE AND REWARDING longterm game!

what if i want to start a new game but using my custom data base made from 9.0.2? will the 3rd patch be added to that data base?

I suspect the third patch (if history is to be my guide) will come with bug fixes/general game improvements as well as data updates. The latter being player moves since Jan transfer window etc.

If you have changed squad information (moved players around etc) you will still be able to apply patch 3 and benefit from all its improvements. In your case you can simply opt not to use the new database updated by SI. You will just continue your save game or start a new save with your changes. Job done.

I don't understand the logic of "waiting". If you like the game just play it. I play a long-term saved game and so what if Bojan gets bought by another team for nothing? It's not like he disappears or retires from the game. It just like doing any simulation. You'll get random things happening.

Just like in real life. Who could have predicted a team like Man City could buy Robinho? Or Kaka? It was just completely out of the blue. Same for Chelsea.

When people say I will wait to 9.0.3 so its "more realistic", it doesn't matter. Events over the long-term are random. Who knows what will happen next? Will a big team get relegated all the way down to division 2? Will a foreign owner buy Nottingham Forest and make them dominant? Will I make a conference team into a super power in the prem?

-Too many CCC’s/Strikers missing and firing at keepers too often. I can understand why this might be happening (i.e. to keep scores realistic) but it’s incredibly aggravating. Perhaps the ME should produce fewer chances or display a greater variety of reasons for not scoring.

agreed

I don't understand the logic of "waiting". If you like the game just play it. I play a long-term saved game and so what if Bojan gets bought by another team for nothing? It's not like he disappears or retires from the game. It just like doing any simulation. You'll get random things happening.

Just like in real life. Who could have predicted a team like Man City could buy Robinho? Or Kaka? It was just completely out of the blue. Same for Chelsea.

When people say I will wait to 9.0.3 so its "more realistic", it doesn't matter. Events over the long-term are random. Who knows what will happen next? Will a big team get relegated all the way down to division 2? Will a foreign owner buy Nottingham Forest and make them dominant? Will I make a conference team into a super power in the prem?

you're an idiot for trying to defend nearly every single decent young player being released by their clubs for free. wilshere, welbeck, bojan to name a few. it is UNREALISTIC. it is a FLAW. it should NOT have made it into the game. it SHOULD have been fixed because simply put, Football Manager games appeals for its loyal fanbase comes from the fact you can play longterm CHALLENGING games.

its been attrocious this year tbh.

press conferences are a neat touch but the lack of options and the fact the answers provided something don't make sense is pure LAZY. !

how's this for lazy - "he kicks it into row Z!" would it really have been so hard to come up with some original commentary? Ok, it's not a game breaker but it is indicative of the fact that these developers have tried to do the least work possible on this product.

When you have your assistant match stats (or whatever) box open and you click from the match to your tactics and then come back, you find that the boxes are in the middle of your screen and you have to drag and relocate them. I refuse to believe that anyone could have missed that in final testing, so all I can think is whoever signed off on the game said "nah, feck em (us the customer), we won't bother changing that, they'll still buy the game."

I'm still playing 9.2.0 but it's a pretty hollow experience, I just can't get around the feeling that I've been mugged.

I understand what you're saying, but you miss one important point. Years ago the games were smaller which translated into fewer people on the dev team (makes a project easier to manage) as well as a game of reduced complexity. They were easier to make and less likely to contain a wealth of errors. They all had bugs, but we would not spot them so often and if we were to, they may only be in a few places. With a game such as FM if you spot one error, due to the nature of the game, you are likely to come across it time after time.

SI simply have a problem with recognising bugs and sorting a plan of attack with regards to improving their fix process for the future. Hopefully the special Beta testing of patches will help a great deal.

how about not rushing a release every year and instead offering a data update for a small nominal fee?

no chance, its all about the money.