Jump to content

FOOTBALL MANAGER 2009 - Graphics Speak Louder Than Words! . . . [Mock-ups Included]


Recommended Posts

Personally i feel FM to have just about every feature you could possibly want in a football management sim. However, i find there is still something lacking.

I beleive FM would greatly benefit from a design overhaul - less text, more graphics.

Attributes

Attribute Alternative Colour

Match Flow

Overview

Table

Tactics

Before i start on the following topic i must insist on telling you that i really dislike Fifa Manager 08.

However the difference, i feel, between FM and Fifa Manager is:

DATABASE: Football Manager > Fifa Manager (90%-10%)

GRAPHICS: Fifa Manager > Football Manager (65%-35%)

Fifa1

Fifa2

Fifa3

Fifa4

Fifa5

Fifa6

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Replies 207
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I also beleive FM could benefit from:

Shortlist: Stopping everyone on your shortlist being linked with you every week. It's so annoying.

Pitch/Weather: Have different pitch styles and weather effects. eg. Snow lying on the pitch and playing with a yellow ball.

Friendlies: When selecting a team to play a friendly against either a)Only show the teams that are available to play on the date you have selected OR b)Select a team to play and show the dates they are available on.

World Cup Tree: For knockout stages show the progress in a tree based display. Something more exciting than displaying the same as league fixtures.

Manager Stats: Have more information entered at the start for your personal profile. I support Celtic and Liverpool. Favourite Players etc.

Photography: Using background pictures to good effect. Changes look/feel to certain screens. ie. Boardroom picture when you are asking for a board request.

Chairman: Stop a chairman from a wealthy club selling your top players over your head when you have enough money in the bank.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Stan, Are your changes available in a skin? Cos ur pics look ace, and it would make it look a lot better.

I think SI could improve their final product just by hiring a graphic designer to smarten the programme up. It wouldnt be detrimental to the game in any way, and the series could go stale without a refresh sometime soon - there hasnt really been a major overhaul since CM4 has there?

Link to post
Share on other sites

You've obviously spent a lot of time on this, and they do look good, but IMO changed graphics/skins have very limited impact beyond first impressions. Still, each to their own.

The shortlist thing is well-known and hopefully SI have fixed it for FM09. The way round at the moment is to save your shortlist under one name and take everyone off the list. You can import it back when you want to look at the players.

Pitch/Weather: Have different pitch styles and weather effects. eg. Snow lying on the pitch and playing with a yellow ball.

This already happens.

With friendlies, yes this would save time.

I thought they already had a "tree". Don't you just select a particular view?

The photography, I think is similar to the graphics. Nice touch, but there's more important things for SI to work on.

Chairman thing is also well-known, with about 3 posts per day. Again, hopefully SI have fixed this. Current work-arounds are 1) offer the player a new, very high contract, or 2) offer the player to £0 to a load of clubs. If he chooses to go to one of the others, you can cancel the deal at the last minute.

Hope this helps.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think SI could improve their final product just by hiring a graphic designer to smarten the programme up. It wouldnt be detrimental to the game in any way, and the series could go stale without a refresh sometime soon

They do have graphic designers, otherwise there would be no graphics. As for not being detrimental, if there are too many graphics, it slows the game down - moreso on <2GB machines, but still. And the only thing that will make the game go stale is if they don't fix the obvious flaws in the game. Graphics are a major second in terms of importance when it comes to FM.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, I know that they must have designers, but I meant someone from outside the industry who could look at the overall picture and make it better.

If all they were to do is to fix any flaws, eventually people would just stick with one version and keep updating it themselves instead of buying each new game. I know that I regret buying PES 2008, and that series has gone somewhat stale. Some new feature like individual personalities would really revamp it, and you could have it as an optional feature so people with low end PCs could tuen it off

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow great work on those pics most people don't put anything more than the time it takes to type their whinging posts. While the attributes average thing at the top of the bar sounds like a good idea, the rest of that stuff seems to pertain to skins more than anything.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmmm...

It's a bit of a marmite topic really. Some people will want it, others won't.

As previously said, some things can already be altered by using different skins (eg background pics).

Some things may benefit from a few more graphics but I think the placers faces on the graphics screen is a bit too much. Have you seen the Wii version of Pro Evo. I wouldn't want it ending up like that! And plus, many players will play through until all the current players have retired and, with some people not even liking facegen full stop, many wouldn't want it.

Good to see someone doing something more than just saying 'I want to see this' etc

Link to post
Share on other sites

Originally posted by StanPetrov:

Personally i feel FM to have just about every feature you could possibly want in a football management sim. However, i find there is still something lacking.

I beleive FM would greatly benefit from a design overhaul - less text, more graphics.

I actually quite like most of those mock-ups, I'm all for a bit of change, the curent game is just about at the pinnacle of stats/gameplay theres not much furhter they can push this. Aside from new features, a new 'look' could breathe new life into an already top-notch game icon14.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice touch, but there's more important things for SI to work on.

I disagree with this concept on a number of levels. For one, the changes outlined would be mostly performed by a graphics expert, rather than the programming team who would work on most of what you want changed.

Secondly, people should stop making out that graphics development is a zero-sum game, interfering with coding. SI is owned by Sega. Admittedly, Sega is currently a loss-making outfit, but 2007's revenue was around £2.6bn. There is space for an extra staff member or two without firing anyone. Furthermore, Sega employs around eleven thousand people worldwide. You're telling me there aren't a few graphics designers in that who could be lent to SI for the short time it would take to radically improve FM's look?

Thirdly, I think it's wrong to bring up FIFA in this discussion. When people think of FIFA, they mostly remember the shoddy gameplay. No-one is advocating borrowing from FIFA's gameplay dynamics. Looking outward for user interface improvements does not dilute the FM core.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Most of these I like a lot but there is one thing I do not want at all:

Pop-up windows!

The few times I've played Fifa manager they bugged the hell out of me! I have back and forward buttons on my mouse, that's what I want to use! Or the arrow keys, anything besides pop-ups

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great stuff, Stan. Some really cool suggestions there.

Originally posted by StanPetrov:

I also beleive FM could benefit from:

Shortlist: Stopping everyone on your shortlist being linked with you every week. It's so annoying.

icon14.gif

And - stopping the media question about one of your former players, that appears each time your team faces his "new" (lol) team. That really gets on my nerves. It should stop after the first time. But it just continues, season after season.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great work on those mockups, they look great.

All your additions are pretty simple but they do a massive amount for the GUI. Id be delighted if FM09 looked like that. Somehow, I think it will be pretty much the same boring look that we have gotton used to.

StanPetrov, I wonder, do you know how to code and make the skins? You could do alot of this with a skin, well I'm guessing on that. I know nothing about making skins.

icon14.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

Originally posted by StanPetrov:

Personally i feel FM to have just about every feature you could possibly want in a football management sim. However, i find there is still something lacking.

I beleive FM would greatly benefit from a design overhaul - less text, more graphics.

Attributes

Attribute Alternative Colour

Match Flow

Overview

Table

Tactics

Before i start on the following topic i must insist on telling you that i really dislike Fifa Manager 08.

However the difference, i feel, between FM and Fifa Manager is:

DATABASE: Football Manager > Fifa Manager (90%-10%)

GRAPHICS: Fifa Manager > Football Manager (65%-35%)

Fifa1

Fifa2

Fifa3

Fifa4

Fifa5

Fifa6

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

Not too keen on the player pics showing up in the tactics screen though, takes up too much space but apart from that it's wonderful.

A very well constructed post producing fantastic results and you've made it clear in your edited pictures what's changed and what you've done.

Well done fella.

Also, on the shortlist point...I hate joining another club and getting a player linked to you that you were interested in at your previous club.

For instance, I was manager of Sunderland and expressed interested in Jason Roberts. Two seasons later, I was Man Utd manager and got linked with him!!

Annoying.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The Graphics could be just black and white text for all I care as long as SI fix the damn game to make it more playable with less bugs.

If you want all that jazzy graphics then Fifa Manager is for you but I want a realistic simulation of the modern world and that is what SI produce and I want them to concentrate on that!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice to see a constructive topic as this. Gameplay is more important to me but most of the ideas posted I really like! A graphic overhaul always makes playing a new game more fun, like its a completely new game.

Since I believe the graphics are done by seperate parties as the coding of the game, I think it would be nice if Ter takes a look at some of your suggestions! It won't hinder the simulation development.

Link to post
Share on other sites

i think its a great idea and you have clearly put a lot of effort in to this unlike some of the other people who post here.

i think most of your ideas are great except the faces on the tactics screen. i think it would just take up too much room and make things too congested.

a new game always needs a new look i just hope its not too late for FM09

Link to post
Share on other sites

i like most of it but feel it would turn some people off as it is very FIFA-ish, i really like the prematch view with key players and the head to head view and feel this part would benefit the game where as some of the others would make the game run slower and are a bit pointless.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Originally posted by route1:

It's a bit of a marmite topic really. Some people will want it, others won't.

Which at least makes it better than the FM08 default skin that absolutely nobody likes, not even Ters mum icon_biggrin.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

I must say that im very impressed how such little changes radically improve the look of the game. And you made it work with the new super ugly skin. Congrats..

It would be nice if some of those ideas are integrated in FM09. IMO its not too late since this isnt something that would require any/many changes in the code. Is something like this already possible with current skins or is the the interface provided by FM way too limited for this? It would be great if SI provided some sort of SDK that would enable people to expand the game.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Arthur Li:

Awesome idea. It might slow the game down though which would turn some people away. Maybe there can be an option like Classic View or New View.

Nah...his changes are merely cosmetical. I doubt it would slow down the game even for 0.01%.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If you want all that jazzy graphics then Fifa Manager is for you but I want a realistic simulation of the modern world and that is what SI produce and I want them to concentrate on that!

Rubbish. FIFA Manager is rubbish so no it isnt the game for me. Would it really hurt to have a decent looking game for once?

SI have a skin man, its not as if it would even take their concentration away from keeping the game as realistic as possible.

Link to post
Share on other sites

STAN wow. I love the images. Thats exactly what i want to see in FM. I hate Fifa Manager for many reasons but the Fifa layout and skinning is a world above football manager.

Making football manager look like you screenshots would be a good way forward.

Please mate, think about creating a skin for fm08. If you dont know how then visit FMG and ask someone that can if maybe they could use what you have to create a skin.

That looks awesome and i am sure if someone can implement those into a skin it would go down a treat...

LOVE IT!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Originally posted by StanPetrov:

Personally i feel FM to have just about every feature you could possibly want in a football management sim. However, i find there is still something lacking.

I beleive FM would greatly benefit from a design overhaul - less text, more graphics.

Attributes

Attribute Alternative Colour

Match Flow

Overview

Table

Tactics

i love those pictures!!

brilliant. the attributes pictures with the overview spider web graph at the bottom, the info about yellow cards and injurys looks excellent.

i like the head to head stats on the match previous screen

the pictures of trophys is easily sorted by people making the backgorunds so i dont see that as being important.

i'm also not sure about the different colours on the league tables for euro spots and relegation zone EXCEPT for when you get to the last 5 games of the season when it's important to see this sort of info.

i'm not a big fan of those 'quick buttons' to filter possitions on the tactics page either though.

and i think the player faces on the pitch in the same screen are too big and make the screen look cluttered.

but over all the changes you've made look nice

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • SI Staff
I think SI could improve their final product just by hiring a graphic designer to smarten the programme up. It wouldnt be detrimental to the game in any way, and the series could go stale without a refresh sometime soon - there hasnt really been a major overhaul since CM4 has there?

There was a major overhaul for FM 2005 when the user interface changed completely and we properly supported team logos, player pictures, kits etc.

You've obviously spent a lot of time on this, and they do look good, but IMO changed graphics/skins have very limited impact beyond first impressions. Still, each to their own.

I don't agree they are just for first impressions. The addition of graphics make what were previously somewhat boring screens nicer to look at and often easier to quickly identify the information you are looking for or highlight important information.

They do have graphic designers, otherwise there would be no graphics. As for not being detrimental, if there are too many graphics, it slows the game down - moreso on <2GB machines, but still. And the only thing that will make the game go stale is if they don't fix the obvious flaws in the game. Graphics are a major second in terms of importance when it comes to FM.

I don't think adding more graphics to screens has much impact on game speed to be honest.

Good to see someone doing something more than just saying 'I want to see this' etc

Absoutely icon14.gif

I disagree with this concept on a number of levels. For one, the changes outlined would be mostly performed by a graphics expert, rather than the programming team who would work on most of what you want changed.

Yeah, changes like this would be implemented by the UI Team who would do the necessary code changes and the Art Team who would do the design work and create the graphics. Neither would be meddling in things like the transfer system or anything like that.

I don't believe at all that what you've suggested could be considered as 'fluff'. These are basic changes that would require little time to fix that would make the game a lot more user friendly.

I wouldn't agree that a lot of these are simply basic changes that could be done quite easily. There are a lot of things to consider (for example, from first glances, the selection details section is too small to fit all the text in that is usually there, especially after taking translations into account icon_wink.gif )

If you want all that jazzy graphics then Fifa Manager is for you but I want a realistic simulation of the modern world and that is what SI produce and I want them to concentrate on that!

I don't agree with that at all. There isn't a reason why we can't try to produce a realistic simulation of the modern football world while making it look nicer in the process. Both things can be done without being detrimental to the other.

Which at least makes it better than the FM08 default skin that absolutely nobody likes

The FM 2008 default skin has been a big success actually icon_redface.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • SI Staff
Im glad you posted Ter! You sounded quite positive, any chance of seeing these in Fm in the future?

I'm sure you know we don't comment on what you might be able to see in future versions of the game until we release the information and screenshots ourselves.

The graphical side of the game is certainly not being ignored though and the Art Team are always pushing for improvements to the look and feel of our titles.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I hate the default skin...

I use a skin called asesino and its very nice. I like a good looking skin with nice graphics and i got to admit fifa manager 08 in terms of graphics and new implementations are running ahead. The match engine and fake manager names are the huge negative but look at thier news reports ect..

What do we get each year? the same boring SITV's! Why cant SI take the time to develop a proper newspaper style that fifa have managed to do so well!

Also the media questions asked in that game have a great layout with the morale thing. Where in fm we get the same questions...same player reactions and same outcome...it needs revamped!

Halftime teamtalks should allow you to say more than one thing and so should fulltime...but we are very very limited to what we can or cannot say.

Hence why i will be working on a new media coverage pack once i have finished my soundpacks.

Link to post
Share on other sites

yeah agreed

i think the SI team could change the whole look of the game significantly to much success

i think they'd probably pick up a lot of customers who bought FIFA manager because it had better aesthetics

but yeah totally in favour of a skin shake up

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...