A former contributor (me) is back....... with questions.....

[sm1979]

Hi. I have been an avid FM/CMer since Paul and Ov created CM1 and owned every version of the game, with the exception of one of the seasonal updates to CM3, plus FM11 and also this latest one. I feel like I am getting the burn and desire to come back to the darkside. I have been xbox gaming now for the last couple of years so FM has taken a long break. I still have an existing save on 10 which I was only into the 2nd season, but I always felt that due to 1 youth prospect I had (a regen) I would one day return to the game and see how he progressed. I have ALWAYS found FM really hard though and it's this why I have not bought the last 2 games, and why I only played 1 full season on 10. I found Fm05 (IIRC) perfect for my level and had a fair amount of success, but it took some hard work in developing a tactic over 2/3 years. I found reward from that. It wasn't instant success, but I could actually see my side getting better season-on-season. Since then however the game has become so difficult for me.

I have read that since the most recent patch to 12 it's gone from being easy to hard. This is obviously not what will lure me back. Is there any way that I could buy 12, but only update it to the patch prior to the most recent one? Would this be a valid option? I don't have the time on my hands that I once did, so certain things I would rather not do, like in depth training routines, press conferences, team talks etc. Are the assistants good enough to do this themselves to save me time? I often wonder if what I was saying and doing was what was making me so bad in the first place.

Any overall advice on the matter would be appreciated please.

[milnerpoint]

No its not possible im afraid, when you validate the game through steam it will automatically update you to the newest version.
The game hasnt become harder as such since the patch, they just adjusted the moral a bit, i personally have not noticed a huge change since the patch.

[Kenco]

You don't need complex training schedules to be successful, I am using the default ones for Defence, Midfield and Forwards and doing well. Just make sure you get some good coaches.

Also get yourself a good assistant to take care of oppo instructions, team talks and press conferences and you'll be fine.

[markrae1]

I haven't noticed any difference to difficulty since the latest patch. Definitely recommend getting the game!

[dafuge]

I don't have the time on my hands that I once did, so certain things I would rather not do, like in depth training routines, press conferences, team talks etc. Are the assistants good enough to do this themselves to save me time?

It is certainly possible to be successful while using your assistant. I have mine controlling press conferences and team talks and my team is experiencing silly levels of success.

[Ackter]

My assistant does practically everything

[Kenco]

My assistant does practically everything

Does your assistant pack your suitcase for all the holidays you take?

[dafuge]

Ackter doesn't even post on the forums these days, he hires someone to do that for him. He's actually sat on a beach in Barbados.

[Ackter]

If there was an option I could tick to make my assistant send me on a 1 day holiday automatically every match, I would tick it

[Ackter]

Ackter doesn't even post on the forums these days, he hires someone to do that for him. He's actually sat on a beach in Barbados.

He's called milnerpoint iirc.

[sm1979]

Wow just realised how few posts i've had compared to some of you who have been members a much shorter time than me lol.

Thanks you guys for your input, duly noted and appreciated. You've certainly boosted my thoughts regarding the AssMan taking more responsibility.

Anyone else any thoughts / suggestions please?

[Ackter]

Yeah, dafuge is such a saddo tbh.

Look at all them posts, clogging up the forum.

[milnerpoint]

Ackter doesnt actually play fm, he just likes hitting continue for hours on end and purring over his son he had

[milnerpoint]

He's called milnerpoint iirc.

Shhhh your not suppose to have access to two accounts, you'll get us both in trouble!

[Ackter]

I've kinda forgotten what this thread was originally about, we should probably get back on topic :/

[Ackter]

Basically, FM12 on release was considered to be much easier than previous versions. With the latest patch its back to being around the same difficulty as previous games.

[sm1979]

Basically, FM12 on release was considered to be much easier than previous versions. With the latest patch its back to being around the same difficulty as previous games.

Cheers mate. Will probably give it a miss then.

[Ackter]

It's really not that hard if you pick Ex-International as your reputation and start at a medium-or lower level club.

The initial difficulty is mostly based on the player's reputations in regards to your own. Taking over Man City from the start will mostly lead to you being around a load of players who think they're better than you, whereas Crystal Palace (for example) would look up to an Ex-International player of the calibre you start at in FM.

The less respect players have for you (dependant on their professionalism and both of your reputations iirc), the harder the game will be.

[jase19]

have you considered trying the demo and judging it for yourself?

[Ackter]

The demo isn't really representative of the current product as I don't think it includes the patch.

[jase19]

The demo isn't really representative of the current product as I don't think it includes the patch.

right, but the patch that supposedly made the game harder....
i really don't see *that* much of a difference. i haven't been on the forums much the last month or so, so i don't know what the general concensus is, but that's what i think.

[Wiggins' Young Boys]

i'm convinced Ackter plays on some sort of secret super easy mode by the stories he gives on how great he is

[sm1979]

Cheers Ackter, that's a good way to put it regarding manager experience! If it seriously does have that sort of impact then I think I'll give it a go, but maybe on FM10 first before shelling out for 12. If that does get me some sort of run, and gets me hooked again in the next fortnight or so then I will certainly buy 12.

I never even thought of the demo, but again Ackter, a very good point regarding the patch not being present.

Thanks again all for the contribution, less the deviation midway lol.

[Ackter]

right, but the patch that supposedly made the game harder....
i really don't see *that* much of a difference. i haven't been on the forums much the last month or so, so i don't know what the general concensus is, but that's what i think.

Starting from a new game, there's a noticeable difference. Continuing a game from before the patch will make little difference if you've already achieved a big reputation.

[Ackter]

i'm convinced Ackter plays on some sort of secret super easy mode by the stories he gives on how great he is

Or I've been playing this game for something like 17 years now (or something daft like that)...

[Wiggins' Young Boys]

yeah but achievements are kinda devalued when you go in the editor and give your team £999,999,999 to spend

[Cleon]

yeah but achievements are kinda devalued when you go in the editor and give your team £999,999,999 to spend

Stop doing it then

And it's not really hard to be successful once you understand how the game works. That's the reason why so many of the users who's played since day 1 have a good knowledge and seem to be able to do the impossible. If you knew how Ackter approached the game you'd understand why he does. He understand how the attributes work and because he develops youths to play in particular roles over time it gets easier. I saw him do this first hand on FML and seen him do it on FM too.

[Wiggins' Young Boys]

don't take me seriously. i know how he plays the game. (awfully)

The thing i like about FM actually is that (apart from the annoying exploits that pop up game after game) is that you can't just play the same way all the time. it feels like tactically it evolves just like in real life (but on it's own tangent, kindof) anyway the point being to the OP that if you took a little bit of time to get into it. you wouldn't find it so difficult, just normal.

give FM a chance

[Ackter]

You play as Millwall.

I rest my case.

[SCIAG]

Yeah, dafuge is such a saddo tbh.

Look at all them posts, clogging up the forum.

Says the man who had 50,000 posts taken off him.

I didn't think FM12 was that easy unpatched, a minority (about 20-30% iirc) thought it was too easy but I thought it was about right, if slightly easier than before. Now it's slightly harder than I'd like. I have less time than ever for FM so I'd like to not have to work so I'm less inclined to spend a long time learning to read the match engine. I always relied on motivating my players above having perfect tactics and with it being harder to motivate top level players now I find the game harder, though tbh I can't tell whether it is definitely motivation/morale that is causing my problems. It would be nice to have some feedback on why we lost from my assistant at times, but that's a whole extra post.

[Ackter]

I'm going to go with that, seeing as it's less than what was actually taken off me...

[BiggusD]

Says the man who had 50,000 posts taken off him.

I didn't think FM12 was that easy unpatched, a minority (about 20-30% iirc) thought it was too easy but I thought it was about right, if slightly easier than before. Now it's slightly harder than I'd like. I have less time than ever for FM so I'd like to not have to work so I'm less inclined to spend a long time learning to read the match engine. I always relied on motivating my players above having perfect tactics and with it being harder to motivate top level players now I find the game harder, though tbh I can't tell whether it is definitely motivation/morale that is causing my problems. It would be nice to have some feedback on why we lost from my assistant at times, but that's a whole extra post.

Yeah, having super-fired-up players every game season after season was fun, but ultimately a bit boring. I like that this GodMode was taken out, but I notice that most opponents have poor morale throughout no matter how good form they are in. I rarely see superb morale in the opposition instructions screen before the match, but it doesn't look like it bothers them much, contrary to what I see when my team is in bad form. Maybe it's just that the AI tactics aren't tuned to be that fantastic when the players are in good form, compared to user-made tactics.

I don't particularly like the past experience "difficulty levels" either. It is not too well implemented. For instance, after several years at a club, none of the players there will feel motivated working for you even though you signed all of them. Why would they sign for you if they didn't trust you could bring them success? There are no tools which would make the players and fans love you despite your meagre experience in the game, so if you take over a mid-table PL club and take them to UEFA-cup spots every season but don't win any titles I can't really imagine how many seasons it would take before the players would listen to you. That's how slowly your reputation rises without silverware.

To the OP: FM12 is better than FM10. I liked FM10, sure, but the ME had this thing with the ball being more in the air than on the ground. An ordinary match had well over a hundred headers, and small players would receive passes to the head no matter what was done to prevent it. Aguero getting lowish av.r of 5.3 and the like because he only won 2 out of 30 headers sort of ruined the game in the short term. FM12 is much more balanced overall. I don't understand why you think the game is so difficult, though, because the AI doesn't actually put up with much of a fight in the long-term. Maybe you could be more specific about what you find so hard?

[sm1979]

Good morning contributors!

I just wanted to fill you in. Yesterday when I got in from work I decided to load FM10 back up, and I think i've got the bug back! I loved it. My Swansea side in season 2 were expected to rebuild for next season according to the Chairman, yet at the halfway stage of the season I sit 10th, and 2 points outside the playoffs. However, when I stopped playing it over a year ago, I think I got depressed or something. I think I must have been in the playoffs, but then went on an 8 game run without a win, and subsequently slipped out of the top 6. I played 3 games last night though, the first was a credible draw against a struggling Hull side (but they had much better players than me) who sacked their manager the game after mine. Then I played away at Sheff Wed, and with 15mins remaining I was 2-1 up, but ended up losing 3-2 - I was gutted. But again I was the outsider. I then had to finish with a game at home against struggling Coventry. I battered them on play, they had 2 shots on target to our 9, yet I only sneaked a 1-0 win, yet I was over the moon, first win in about 10. I just hope that my form comes back now, but being honest we have been playing reasonably well, I just can't see us maintaining a top half side, and think that I will end up nearer the relegation zone. I did get mentioned in the papers as the favourite for the Blackburn job, who got relegated at the end of the first season. They have some very good players there but I feel like i'm in the middle of something here. I just hope I don't live to regret it.

I know what you mean about the ball being in the air all the time though mate, it is a bit frustrating.