Why is FM2007 so popular..???

Reading through the forum and whether it's a thread about criticizing or praising the game I always encounter lot of people saying that they want to get back to this edition. I've played that game and as every other I played it untill the new one gets out. Maybe I played it a bit longer, because I waited for the patches to be released for FM08, and when they did I started playin' the 08.

Also there was a poll something like which version do you enjoy the most, and there were lot of people for this game without pointing out why... that made me to install it, and see what's the fuss all about... but because I couldn't find Logos, Player Pictures, Kits and stuff like that to add I stopped playin' it and went back to FM08 (because this is the first game I tottaly customized, with all those SuperPacks etc, etc).

So can anyone tell me, why the FM2007 is like the most popular version from the FM editions?

I dont know why, I think it was because it appealed to the casual gamers but aswell as being in-depth. But I reckon 09 is much better:D

Sticking to 2007 though CM07 on the 360 was terrible lol

On FM07, setting up a tactic that allowed your team to play in the style you wanted and then achieving some success from it was quite straightforward.

Personally, i thought that FM2007 didn't have any game-breaking bugs. The game ran smoothly. Rating system was good. Even though the match engine did not accurately represent the style of play that happens in real life (ie. targetmen are overpowered), it made a lot of sense and developed a world of its own.

I remember finding FM07 quite frustrating pre-patch. I actually think FM08 after its last patch was better than FM07 because it was slightly harder and yet, like FM07, didn't require heaps of guesswork to set your tactics up as you want them.

FM 07 is solid and consistent. FM 09 suffers from some pretty bad bugs (to be expected before a final patch) and is in its first year of a new match, transfer and media system, so it's never going to be GREAT.

FM 08 also had bugs and unbalanced regens. So both games suffer in long-term careers and in the match engine.

FM 07 has a sleek match engine that pretty much never shows a bug. On the odd occasion there's an odd 'pass' or a clearence when holding the ball and dribbling would've been smarter, but that can be attributed to composure and such.

Anyway basically, FM 07 is 99% bug free, has a much-closer-to-realistic transfer system, a consistent and smooth match engine and long term games that can go for millenia.

FM 07 is solid and consistent. FM 09 suffers from some pretty bad bugs (to be expected before a final patch) and is in its first year of a new match, transfer and media system, so it's never going to be GREAT.

FM 08 also had bugs and unbalanced regens. So both games suffer in long-term careers and in the match engine.

FM 07 has a sleek match engine that pretty much never shows a bug. On the odd occasion there's an odd 'pass' or a clearence when holding the ball and dribbling would've been smarter, but that can be attributed to composure and such.

Anyway basically, FM 07 is 99% bug free, has a much-closer-to-realistic transfer system, a consistent and smooth match engine and long term games that can go for millenia.

Its down to personal opinion tho... For me the only bug in FM09 (that affects me) is the ratings system and maybe one or other stupid long shot... (I dont mess around with tactics so I dont really care about the sliders...)

In FM07 (maybe cos I played for longer) had a load of bugs in the ME. Referees giving red cards to the same player every match at the exact same minute, defenders scoring own goals "on purpose" (they receive a back pass, turn 180º and shoot towards their own goal :|) and it already had a few stupid long shots.

For me it was the start of the crap transfer system with the ridiculous asking prices:

50 mil for Chivu, even tho Roma was a club that couldnt hold him and he wanted out. Or 1 mil for Eduardo da Silva? Too unbalanced :| There were more examples of either ridiculously high asking prices and also some ridiculously low.

And the thing I didnt like about regens was that they started as crap :|

But still, FM07 was my favourite... it has most of the important parts of FM08 and FM09 and runs faster

Regens were better, the ME was better and slick, transfers were better, there were less pointless features (eg pitch size), the game ran faster. Hang on, I'll just go c&p from the last time I was asked this.

A better ME, tactics that make more sense, smoothness, no "matchday experience" rubbish, no bugged confidence features, all the news in one convient place, the best regens for several versions, it runs quicker, ratings make more sense, pauses for tactical changes, no pointless "pitch size adjustment", more control over finances...

It was basically better than 08 and 09 in every way.

Simple fact is that tactics on FM09 are near impossible to understand.

On FM07, even FM08, things were straightforward.

I think there is also an element of looking at older games through rose tinted glasses. Everyday there are many threads on here pointing out problems and errors on FM09 and as a result you may get annoyed by things you maybe didn't notice before. Now FM07 is two years old, there is not that constant pointing out of errors and people focus on the good elements they remembered about the game.

I always think of FM2005 as the best version simply because i got so much enjoyment from playing it. But when i think about the game a bit more, i remember bugs that existed with player development, stadium expansions etc. and it reminds me that FM2005 wasn't quite as brilliant as i tend to remember it.

In FM07 (maybe cos I played for longer) had a load of bugs in the ME. Referees giving red cards to the same player every match at the exact same minute, defenders scoring own goals "on purpose" (they receive a back pass, turn 180º and shoot towards their own goal :|) and it already had a few stupid long shots.

Wow, I've never experienced those. Surely that was before the final patch.

I think there is also an element of looking at older games through rose tinted glasses. Everyday there are many threads on here pointing out problems and errors on FM09 and as a result you may get annoyed by things you maybe didn't notice before. Now FM07 is two years old, there is not that constant pointing out of errors and people focus on the good elements they remembered about the game.

Not at all. Like you said it's only two years old and people are still palying it regularly, we're not talking from memory, at least some of us are talking from playing it every day/few days currently.

Prior to 7.0.2, FM07 was rampant with red and yellow cards. After the last patch, I have to admit it became a great game.

I might look around to get this cheap. Thing is I couldn't go back to 2D I don't think. :|

I play it reguarly. Yeah, there were far too many reds on the original version. And remember Rooney's everlasting ban?

im waiting for the new patch for fm09 cos as it is the bugs spoil it

I play it reguarly. Yeah, there were far too many reds on the original version. And remember Rooney's everlasting ban?

Gosh, yeah. I'd forgotten about that. I think people's memories become selective over time.

Wow, I've never experienced those. Surely that was before the final patch.

Not at all. Like you said it's only two years old and people are still palying it regularly, we're not talking from memory, at least some of us are talking from playing it every day/few days currently.

Well the own goals still happened in 7.0.2.

Despite the bugs that I mentioned and the unrealistic asking prices FM07 still is my favourite. It has the most important features. I have it installed in my laptop (and one of the bugs I mentioned happened yesterday: stupid own goals :|)

But I still play FM09 most of the time

Because after 2nd patch game was much more realistic than FM08 and FM 2009 curently.

But I hope that it will change after 3rd patch.

Because getting your team to play how you want was much easier than it is on 08 or 09. Also, the M.E on Fm07 is the best so far post patch.

I'm playing it right now!

I wanted to like FM08, I really did. But the useful tweaks (reports for your own players, adjust budgets) nowhere near compensated IMO for the poor board confidence, ridiculous transfers, and worst of all, terrible regens which made long-term games difficult. Defenders continually making silly mistakes either didnt help!

FM07 was for me, probably the best balanced football manager between challenge and fun. It was tough, it was a challenge, but if you had a decent tactic and built up a good squad over time, you could enjoy some success. It didnt require the forensic analysis of tactics that the later versions need.

Because getting your team to play how you want was much easier than it is on 08 or 09. Also, the M.E on Fm07 is the best so far post patch.

Yes...implementation of tactics was much better.

I think it's because it is extremely playable, things don't crash, it runs smoothly and is intuitive. It's just much more playable than 09 because it's more stable etc

I think that's the main challenge for SI now, get FM10 as playable and stable as FM07

Good scouting system, uncomplicated match engine, solid regen system are just some of the reasons why FM07 is my favourite.

FM08 was a solid game but never gave me the thrills 07 brought. In fact i'll probably go back to 07 soon since my current system can't support 09.

On FM07, setting up a tactic that allowed your team to play in the style you wanted and then achieving some success from it was quite straightforward.

I found this to be the case on FM07.

I really enjoyed playing as mid-table sides on 07 as, with a few choice signings, you could really do well tactically, and you felt more "involved" because it was easier to understand why things were going right or wrong.

The things that were working well in fm 2007 are not working particularly well in later versions (for example transfer system, as well as regen quality), even longevity of players was almost perfectly balanced.

FM 2007 does have it's share of flaws in match engine, namely over the top balls putting strikers too often in one on one chances and a conversion rate for one on one chances being very poor.

However the biggest advantage too me it's I can actually get my players to do what I want them to do, which is something I found puzzling in later versions.

Also it had a very consistant database.

If I could play fm 2007 and start it at the season 2008/09, I would love it.

FM07 was the last truly enjoyable FM game I played. I managed to put together some long term games that were heaps of fun.

FM08 was more difficult, but after a few months I got used to it, although it didnt give me the same level of satisfaction as 07.

FM09 is a completely different animal. With this new iteration I find myself getting more frustrated than satisfied.

All in all i dont like the direction the series is taking.

It was a solid game. Match engine had it's quirks, but none of these were anything major. Regens were great. There was less unnecessary nonsense. Basically everything that has been said already.

In fact as the insane amount of successful through balls have put me off 2009 at least until 9.3.0 is out I've now decided to install 07 again and continue the world domination with my Guiseley team. Should be fun for a while.

Target men were as completely overpowered in FM07 as players with high Dribbling skills were in CM01/02 though... Although the latter problem was much, much bigger. I used to have Mexes as a sweeper in 01/02 and he scored at least 10-15 goals a season by dribbling from his own area, beating five to six players and then rounding the keeper to score.

I just returned to start a new game in FM07 last week and it was great fun. Admittedly I am managing FC Kobenhavn so it's not the most challenging of tasks domestically, but I had forgotten just how totally superior the match engine was to FM08. I can't think of a single thing in FM08's match engine that is better than FM07 and a whole myriad of things that are infinitely worse.

For a start my wingers work, with sensible instructions in FM07 - in FM08 they are a joke. Also any tactic I have used so far in FM08 brings me at most 5 good games before we start a torrid winless streak for no obvious reason. FM07 is far more balanced on that front and when I start losing it is generallly far more intuitive as to why.

I managed to get Viking Stavanger relegated (in my defence I did take them over half way through the season, in the relegation zone) in my first season of FM07, which is probably my worst "achievement" in 10 years of CM/FM, yet it was still a million miles less frustrating than finishing somewhere between 8th and 12th in the Championship for 7 seasons in a row in FM08 at Scunthorpe!

Target men were as completely overpowered in FM07 as players with high Dribbling skills were in CM01/02 though... Although the latter problem was much, much bigger. I used to have Mexes as a sweeper in 01/02 and he scored at least 10-15 goals a season by dribbling from his own area, beating five to six players and then rounding the keeper to score.

CM01/02 had no 2d view either though so our players could have been doing all kinds of idiotic and unrealistic things that weren't obvious fromo the commentary!

FM08 was attrocious due to its regens.

FM09 simply has bags of bugs/faults which make it too easy.

FM07 was topnotch IMO.

I still play 07 because of the long-term save I have.

07 was also the last game to not muddle up the Norwegian league. Sure, the homegrown player rule is real, in effect, but in 07, it didn't exist, and because of it, I did really well.

I figured out a tactic that works well pretty early on in 07, making it possible for me to have success on a league level, whereas I have tremendous problems with 09...

Another problem with 2007 was the odd distribution of attributes. While in 2008 players had awful physical attributes, in 2007 players could be faster than Usain Bolt but couldn't control a ball to save their lives - quite a few had really poor technical attributes.

A minor issue was also that players developed far too quickly - but I guess that simply encouraged users to play young players more often. All in all, despite this, you'd have a very healthy pool of players to choose from after around 10-15 years, all developed well enough to hold their own in top leagues.

While it may not have a ton of features crammed in, it got the match-engine correct and it kept things simple.

After that, SI appeared to do an EA and it didn't work.

Another problem with 2007 was the odd distribution of attributes. While in 2008 players had awful physical attributes, in 2007 players could be faster than Usain Bolt but couldn't control a ball to save their lives - quite a few had really poor technical attributes.

Surely this is realistic. Physical ability and technical ability are not connected in that way in real life, so shouldn't be in the game.

Surely this is realistic. Physical ability and technical ability are not connected in that way in real life, so shouldn't be in the game.

Not really, there were plenty of players with, say, all physical attributes over 15 at the age of 16 (!) but the average of their technical attributes was around 9...

And what's wrong with that?

There are a few weird ones if I'm being honest, like a player with good physical attributes, dribbling, finishing, crossing, passing, corners etc but with a technique of 4. Or a player with perfect attributes for a striker or attacking midfielder, yet his only position is left wing back. Things that don't quite make sense. But overall the quality of regens and most importantly the transfer AI when it comes to replacing older players seems much better than it is in 08 or 09. There are no 39 year olds getting first team football for top clubs, neither are all 34 year olds useless. Teams manage to keep up and put good teams out against you even when you're 15-20 years into the future.

very true. i wish the presentation of FM2007 was a little better and i could find a good facepack set for it lol.

And what's wrong with that?

No 16-year-old is fully physically developed. These 16-year-olds are stronger, fitter and faster than, say, Essien.

And no youngster at a top team will have such poor physical attributes. I'm talking midfielders with passing 6, technique 5, and so on...

These 16-year-olds are stronger, fitter and faster than, say, Essien.

Your lack of faith in people under a certain age is disappointing. I know people like to go on about an 'obesity epidemic' but come on now.

Your lack of faith in people under a certain age is disappointing. I know people like to go on about an 'obesity epidemic' but come on now.

He's right though. There certainly are 16 year olds faster than Essien, but faster, stronger and more physically fit? Once in a couple of years there might somewhere be a youngster built like a 16 year old Rooney, but even he didn't deserve high physical ratings all round at the time.

Anyway, took a look further into my game, year 2023 and the player ages. Oldest outfield player in the Premiership is Tom Huddlestone at 36. Couple of 36 year old keepers as well. Fabregas is 35 and has had 13 sub appearances in the league. Couple of other 35 year olds as well. Going down a level and we'll find 40 year old Graig Gordon in goal for Middlesbrough in the Championship. 36 year old Calum Elliot is regularly starting and scoring goals for Bury. Plenty of 36-38 year old keepers. Down another level and there's West Ham and 37 year old Anton Ferdinand in League One. 39 year old Gary O'Neil and 37 year old Steven Taylor in League Two. Plenty of oldies playing lower level footie.

Basically, there's nothing really that seems out of place. Most players retire at around 34 but some decide to hang around. Only the very exceptional 'oldies' manage to get into the first team at the very top teams while there are plenty hanging around playing lower level. Compare that to 2009 where we have 40 year old Terrys, Ferdinands, Torres' and Gerrards playing for the same clubs they are at IRL. Or 2008 where everyone over 32 is useless. Both games have AI teams that stagnate and stop giving you a challenge in long term games. Really makes one wonder, if they got it pretty much spot on in 2007 why did they have to go and change it messing all up in the progress?

Having lots of fun with my 2007 career at the moment, 9.3.0 really has to be good to spark my interest again.

Your lack of faith in people under a certain age is disappointing. I know people like to go on about an 'obesity epidemic' but come on now.

16-year-old males have barely finished puberty if at all. They are very unlikely to be able to:

1) Withstand strong tackles like Essien

2) Run faster than Essien - unless they are pure sprinters (and remember Essien is burdened by muscle and boots)

3) Run 90 minutes non-stop on a bumpy pitch taking tackles, changing direction and speed - like Essien

4) Jump high while being crowded, pushed around and climbed upon - like Essien

And so on.

Rooney's a bit of an outlier but Rooney's not that quick nor is he good at jumping.

16-year-old males have barely finished puberty if at all. They are very unlikely to be able to:

1) Withstand strong tackles like Essien

2) Run faster than Essien - unless they are pure sprinters (and remember Essien is burdened by muscle and boots)

3) Run 90 minutes non-stop on a bumpy pitch taking tackles, changing direction and speed - like Essien

4) Jump high while being crowded, pushed around and climbed upon - like Essien

And so on.

Rooney's a bit of an outlier but Rooney's not that quick nor is he good at jumping.

Rooney seems very quick in bursts. He can definitely outrun Essien over a longer distance as well. You're right about the rest though. And Rooney was a freak anyway, 16 year olds aren't really supposed to be built like he was. His physique has hardly changed since his Everton days.

Has anyone managed to find a latest data update for 2007?

Rooney seems very quick in bursts. He can definitely outrun Essien over a longer distance as well. You're right about the rest though. And Rooney was a freak anyway, 16 year olds aren't really supposed to be built like he was. His physique has hardly changed since his Everton days.

I don't know if Rooney can outrun Essien. Essien is a monster machine, capable of running non-stop for a full match. Rooney I'm not so sure. Mourinho called Essien "the most powerful midfielder in the world" - spot on, really.

Rooney's got quick feet for his build, true, but Essien can keep running and running.

I'm currently on FM07 and I absolutely love it. The players do the tactics i stipulate and the match engine is great, because for me resembles real life match. It has its unreal moments, its has the games the opposition GK can defend everything they can and can't (there are some matches like this), and its no-so frequent stuff like a defender picking up the ball almost in the line of goal (it only happened three times in the entire game) and even defender making a bad pass to the GK and making an own goal.

Now That on FM08 and Fm09 bugs with match Engine, but on FM08 was partially resolved and they seems to remain FM09, but the biggest letdown on FM08 was the confidence and the regens.

Also in terms of design things got bad turn since FM08 and remain and even got worse on FM09 in my opinion. I start my career with Benfica always and since FM07 following what happen in real life, when Benfica decided to scrap the B team. Now in al games since then all my players appear on my team... let's call it window. The loan players shows in different color as always.On FM07 all my players showed on my team window, but when I changed to tactical window all my loan players didn't show. Now on FM08 and FM09 they do show on tactical screen and I ask this. WHAT THE HELL FOR? What is the utility of my Loan players showing on the tactical windows if I can't use them? That for me is gruesome bug that makes feel that the game is not finish.

Also why do they overcomplicated with the separation of transfer news with normal news? I personally like it simplicity of the news of FM07, all news go to the news window, end of story.

On FM09 this things where not address that put's me off to play the game. The match engine continues the same if not even worse with the new approach of tactical system, the way it was was perfectly fine. The 3D match seems very awful for the recommended specifications to run the game. How does graphics of the 1990's requires so high specs? At this point I think that 3D Sensible Soccer for Amiga is much better then the one on FM09. Not to mention gruesome bug of the Kits not showing at the match window. I personally feel sorry for the guys that used their spare time in creating the Kits for at the end for SI not showing the respect for them. Yes It is my opinion that SI didn't respect the Kit Makers in this regard. If I was one of them I would refuse to waste my time on creating stuff for FM ever.

I was even shock that Michealmurray at the time when i ask if there was anyway to change for the Kits to show on Match window and his replay was if want to see the kits go to Information Windows of the club. I don't download the Kits to go to the Information Window to see them. I used my free time download them to see them on the match screen, not on the Information screen.

That is I'm sticking with FM07 and I'm waiting to see if there any improvements with the third patch. If things stay basically the same I will not be buying FM10 or the ones after that, because FM07 with its small annoyances and bugs is clearly superior to FM08 and FM09, then it is more likely to be superior to FM10.

The subs, never like the on going game on FM08 and FM09, because I want to do them calmly and not rushing things that if you are distracted is almost 80 minutes in the game.

From what I saw since the release of FM08, it is shame this kind of threads end up been ignored by this forums moderators and SI... at least will be ignored by SI.

Cheers.

im playing this at the moment. defo my favourite. just so user-friendly. is layed out like a fun game rather than a serious full-time job - if you know what i mean. has the right amount of features, and not too many pointless ones.

I don't know if Rooney can outrun Essien. Essien is a monster machine, capable of running non-stop for a full match. Rooney I'm not so sure. Mourinho called Essien "the most powerful midfielder in the world" - spot on, really.

Rooney's got quick feet for his build, true, but Essien can keep running and running.

Yeah, I was thinking this more over a 100, 200 or 400 yard distances rather than the distance covered over a full match. This is down to stamina anyway. I would put money on Rooney beating Essien in a 200m race at least.

Anyway, took a look further and I'm not seeing these 16 year old physical players in FM 07. They all seem to come into the game with quite poor physical attributes but then develop quickly. Seems reasonable enough. The problem with monster kids with all physical stats over 15 is more of a problem in FM 09 imo. 07 regens also seem to suffer from the footedness issue - like 09 there are extremely few players that aren't right or left only. Although arguably the effect of two-footedness in the match engine is not as bad as it is in the newer versions.

Wow, thankjs guys for the many replies on my thread... It really got some things cleared up for me about FM2007... I haven't bought FM09. because I still play 08 with some great add-ons like kits, facepacks, logos etc... It's a really important thing for me to have those things in a game... but after reading all these replies from all of you I really want to get back and see if I'll enjoy it as much as you did/are...

If only I could find some kind of superpack to download the kits, logos, facepacks... the ones on sortitoustsi don't work.

the ones on sortitoustsi don't work.

You could turn off your firewall and/or anti-virus until you finish downloading, that worked for me.