How to make the game harder.

I understand a lot of people find the game difficult, especially when they start playing. But once you understand it and you have a decent transfer budget, domination just becomes far, far too easy. Can SI not add an option at the beginning of the game that allows the Tactical Knowledge attribute to go up to 25? And I don't mean the same difficulty but spread over an extra 5 attribute points, I mean allowing someone who is proven at a top level but doesn't necessarily win much (i.e Harry Redknapp) to have a Tactical Knowledge of 20, and then giving your Mourinho's and your Wenger's a rating of 21-25. I can't see this being that hard to incorporate into the game. It just lets the computer adjust their tactics a bit more according to how you have had your team playing. Why this isn't already an option I don't no, as the whole reason people play games is for the effect it has on our reward system. If the game isn't a challenge, then it feels as if you haven't actually accomplished anything and so your reward system ceases to be stimulated, thus rendering the game pointless. Every long term player complains about the difficulty, so why not just make it harder?

I understand a lot of people find the game difficult...

If the game isn't a challenge, then it feels as if you haven't actually accomplished anything and so your reward system ceases to be stimulated, thus rendering the game pointless. Every long term player complains about the difficulty, so why not just make it harder?

So you understand that people (most people too) find the game difficult, then ask why not make it harder? You're answering your own question. They've taken massive flack in FM14 for making the game much more difficult, and that's evidenced by a lot of people looking fondly on FM12, as that was probably the easiest game to get right with little effort. Plus, saying "why not" is massively limiting. It's not just as simple as slapping a higher difficulty level on it (something which most people are against every single time it comes up), and it would probably involve the code being re-written to make it possible. And, not to over-egg it, but you'd be making something possible that would draw them massive criticism from the vast majority.

As for your idea, I'm not sure exactly what it would achieve. And again it would be a massive change to the AI, not the "I can't see this being that hard to incorporate" rubbish.

So you understand that people (most people too) find the game difficult, then ask why not make it harder? You're answering your own question. They've taken massive flack in FM14 for making the game much more difficult, and that's evidenced by a lot of people looking fondly on FM12, as that was probably the easiest game to get right with little effort. Plus, saying "why not" is massively limiting. It's not just as simple as slapping a higher difficulty level on it (something which most people are against every single time it comes up), and it would probably involve the code being re-written to make it possible. And, not to over-egg it, but you'd be making something possible that would draw them massive criticism from the vast majority.

As for your idea, I'm not sure exactly what it would achieve. And again it would be a massive change to the AI, not the "I can't see this being that hard to incorporate" rubbish.

FM 11,10,9 and so on were just as easy as FM 12, it's only that people remember the best the most recent one. I do, however, agree with your point. If they made FM 15 any harder, it would be a potential catastrophe for the future sales.

Some complains the game is too hard, some complains it's too easy. It all depends on the team you have and which rules you apply, so you can change the level of difficulty yourself.

Hide the player attributes, that will certainly make it harder, though more enjoyable.

I didn't say make the game harder entirely. I said add an option to at the beginning of the game. So people can choose to give themselves a harder challenge. And ok, maybe it would be hard to incorporate into the game, but the creators know exactly how to manipulate the game engine so making the AI capable of manipulating better should be more than possible.

As for what my idea would achieve I have made very clear. It would create more of a challenge, therefore making it a better game. That's pretty obvious.

Like others have said, there are plenty of ways to give yourself a challenge in the game as it stands. Extend that out to the editor and you can give yourself challenges that are nigh on impossible. If you're talking about adding a difficulty level, the idea was beaten down on several occasions. The ME is already "unstable" enough as it is, without adding artificial levellers. Difficulty levels will not work in FM without considerable redesign, for something which most customers would be against and not use anyway.

Like others have said, there are plenty of ways to give yourself a challenge in the game as it stands. Extend that out to the editor and you can give yourself challenges that are nigh on impossible. If you're talking about adding a difficulty level, the idea was beaten down on several occasions. The ME is already "unstable" enough as it is, without adding artificial levellers. Difficulty levels will not work in FM without considerable redesign, for something which most customers would be against and not use anyway.

What is the ME?

1. Improve AI player acquisition

2. Improve AI player development

3. Improve AI player management

4. Improve AI squad management

That should cover it.

1. Improve AI player acquisition

2. Improve AI player development

3. Improve AI player management

4. Improve AI squad management

That should cover it.

I think definitely all combined would work actually without having to change the game engine. Improving the player development would also improve the very floored loan system. I read that Harry Kane can become England squad quality, yet when I loaned him out to Charlton in my first season, he hardly developed whatsoever, despite performing very well and playing in the Championship. Seems to be pretty pointless at the moment.

the important thing is that it is realistic. if you take a team like Real Madrid or Machester City is right that it is easier, if you take a team into financial difficulties and with little prestige it should be difficult.

What is the ME?

match engine (the 3D match simulator and relative A.I.)

match engine (the 3D match simulator and relative A.I.)

Actually, to nitpick slightly, the ME is nothing to do with the visuals. The ME passes on what to show to either 2D or 3D, but it's separate.

Actually, to nitpick slightly, the ME is nothing to do with the visuals. The ME passes on what to show to either 2D or 3D, but it's separate.

is a graphical representation (in 3D! because 2D does not exist in reality, it is only a simplified representation, where in reality there is also the third dimension, when the ball gets up). however, are the lines of code that generate everything.

As already said improved AI squad building and youth development would make the game much more stable for long term gaming. However, I think FM14 is better than previous versions as I'm in 2030 and the top clubs have great squads.

The best way to make a long term game harder, atm, is to focus on your academy players. The amount will vary on the difficulty you want. 100% of first team being academy players will be very hard, whereas 50% of first team will be easier. Both rewarding in a long term save, and makes it harder. Put your own rules in place aswell (wage caps, domestic player bias, etc.)

There's no need for a difficulty level if the AI is improved.

Control the mouse with your left hand?

Start a career with Birmingham City!...That will make the game harder!!

Control the mouse with your left hand?

Unlikely to help, as I am left handed. Maybe the mental advantage you get from being a lefty is the reason I find it easy

Like others have said, there are plenty of ways to give yourself a challenge in the game as it stands. Extend that out to the editor and you can give yourself challenges that are nigh on impossible. If you're talking about adding a difficulty level, the idea was beaten down on several occasions. The ME is already "unstable" enough as it is, without adding artificial levellers. Difficulty levels will not work in FM without considerable redesign, for something which most customers would be against and not use anyway.

I really like the idea of using the editor. Have you, or anyone else, got any idea how you could make the game difficult in the long term without making it unrealistic or easy to fix after a couple seasons?

You think the game is easy? To me is almost impossible to do a good season :/

Anyway, have you tried LLM?

You think the game is easy? To me is almost impossible to do a good season :/

Anyway, have you tried LLM?

Who have you tried? What are the problems?

And yeah I did once, took League 2 team that were predicted to finish last into 8th place and this was when I was still poor at the game. Next season I was horrifically plagued by injuries. I now think it was probably because I didn't have enough physios but I didn't realise it affected the number of injuries at the time so I just deleted the game because someone was injured every match.

I recomend you to play LLM in the 6th division of England. My problems in this FM is the damn defense, they seem to be a bunch of idiots doing stupid mistakes. And I still can't understand why my opponent score 3 out of 3 shots and I can't get 1 goal from 10 shots

If you want the game to be harder, why not quit your all-conquering team and start from the bottom again?

I recomend you to play LLM in the 6th division of England. My problems in this FM is the damn defense, they seem to be a bunch of idiots doing stupid mistakes. And I still can't understand why my opponent score 3 out of 3 shots and I can't get 1 goal from 10 shots

For me FM seems to be about the teams balance. Sometimes when you are conceding loads of shots, instead of becoming more defensive you've actually got to go on the offence and push your defensive line higher up. Gauging how defensive or attacking you should be is made easier by looking at the odds before a game. Don't think of it as how you should play, but think of it as how the opposition is going to play. For example, if it's 4-3, they'll be defensive, but not overly so as they should be able to counter very often. So for this there is a number of things you could do depending on your formation and playing style. A good idea is playing a low risk game. Remember, you don't have to change your team instruction and ruin you teams tactical familiarity. One of the most overlooked features of the match engine (I cannot stress how significant it is) is your players individual instructions. It allows you to entirely change the dynamic of your team and the way they work together on a whole without changing your tactics week in week out. It can be quite time consuming, but when you do it, if you consider how each instruction will effect the players around him it is extremely effective. An example of this is that I generally, but not always, tell my winger to close down less if he has a winger to defend against and is playing along side a ball winning midfielder. It tends force tho opposition to play the ball into the central where I have my defensive minded cm's who are far more likely to disposes him. Even if they don't, they will have higher positioning than my winger and so he will be forced into a less favorable pass. If you consider the tiny little details through out your team, and use the team instructions as a lose preference for how you want the team to play then you should be ok. Also, I would suggest watching the game the whole way through. You learn much, much quicker this way. Hope my essay helps buddy.

For me FM seems to be about the teams balance. Sometimes when you are conceding loads of shots, instead of becoming more defensive you've actually got to go on the offence and push your defensive line higher up. Gauging how defensive or attacking you should be is made easier by looking at the odds before a game. Don't think of it as how you should play, but think of it as how the opposition is going to play. For example, if it's 4-3, they'll be defensive, but not overly so as they should be able to counter very often. So for this there is a number of things you could do depending on your formation and playing style. A good idea is playing a low risk game. Remember, you don't have to change your team instruction and ruin you teams tactical familiarity. One of the most overlooked features of the match engine (I cannot stress how significant it is) is your players individual instructions. It allows you to entirely change the dynamic of your team and the way they work together on a whole without changing your tactics week in week out. It can be quite time consuming, but when you do it, if you consider how each instruction will effect the players around him it is extremely effective. An example of this is that I generally, but not always, tell my winger to close down less if he has a winger to defend against and is playing along side a ball winning midfielder. It tends force tho opposition to play the ball into the central where I have my defensive minded cm's who are far more likely to disposes him. Even if they don't, they will have higher positioning than my winger and so he will be forced into a less favorable pass. If you consider the tiny little details through out your team, and use the team instructions as a lose preference for how you want the team to play then you should be ok. Also, I would suggest watching the game the whole way through. You learn much, much quicker this way. Hope my essay helps buddy.

Thanks a lot! I'm about to start a new carreer and I will definitely use your advices in the pre-season. Thanks and I hope you start a challeging new save

Wouldn't 25 just be the old 20? If someone has tactical knowledge 20 now then the AI is performing as well as it possibly can in that area. You could make it 100 and it'd still be the same level, just a different label.

Wouldn't 25 just be the old 20? If someone has tactical knowledge 20 now then the AI is performing as well as it possibly can in that area. You could make it 100 and it'd still be the same level, just a different label.

I tried to explain that, but didn't do it very well i mean 20 would be as difficult as it is now, but managers such as redknapp would become harder. and then anyone over 20 would be a new difficulty level that no one has experienced before. i think it would be good because you could start in LLM, and then the game will become far harder as you rise through the leagues

But if they have 20 for tactical knowledge now then it means they have the best possible. How would changing that to 25 make them any more knowledgable?

Have you heard of Spinal Tap and making 10 louder?

Who have you tried? What are the problems?

And yeah I did once, took League 2 team that were predicted to finish last into 8th place and this was when I was still poor at the game. Next season I was horrifically plagued by injuries. I now think it was probably because I didn't have enough physios but I didn't realise it affected the number of injuries at the time so I just deleted the game because someone was injured every match.

So basically you want to make the game harder but when the going gets tough you just delete it anyway?

If you play & stick to LLM rules there is no way you should be finding it consistently easy. Yes you can overachieve somewhat but not what you see from some people that gain promotion after promotion.

I just find it hilarious that Harry Redknapp is listed as a tactically gifted manager. 'triffic.

Who have you tried? What are the problems?

And yeah I did once, took League 2 team that were predicted to finish last into 8th place and this was when I was still poor at the game. Next season I was horrifically plagued by injuries. I now think it was probably because I didn't have enough physios but I didn't realise it affected the number of injuries at the time so I just deleted the game because someone was injured every match.

I don't think the number of physios has an effect.

So basically you want to make the game harder but when the going gets tough you just delete it anyway?

If you play & stick to LLM rules there is no way you should be finding it consistently easy. Yes you can overachieve somewhat but not what you see from some people that gain promotion after promotion.

It wasn't just tough that game. I had a player injured literally every game, to the point my cm's were going into matches with 65% fitness. I went from being the "most proficient tacklers i the league" to bottom of the table and not winning any points whatsoever. Plus I signed this Iranian guy, and he was missing half the matches because of international duty, which was just irritating because he was supposed to be my Marquee signing but I didn't take consider international duty because it was league 2 and I was Newport Co. That was my bad, and the injuries were aswell I guess for not signing enough physios, but I had no idea about physios reducing injuries at the time.

I don't think the number of physios has an effect.

I've read it in guides, and when I thought about it, I let all my physios go (I had maybe 3) apart from the best one I had, because I thought all they did was predict the injury length, not prevent them. I'm not certain, but 99% sure.

I just find it hilarious that Harry Redknapp is listed as a tactically gifted manager. 'triffic.

Lol I couldn't think of anyone who was proven at top 4 level but not world renowned...Maybe Pochetino? Not proven, but still there.

It wasn't just tough that game. I had a player injured literally every game, to the point my cm's were going into matches with 65% fitness. I went from being the "most proficient tacklers i the league" to bottom of the table and not winning any points whatsoever. Plus I signed this Iranian guy, and he was missing half the matches because of international duty, which was just irritating because he was supposed to be my Marquee signing but I didn't take consider international duty because it was league 2 and I was Newport Co. That was my bad, and the injuries were aswell I guess for not signing enough physios, but I had no idea about physios reducing injuries at the time.

So you actually should be asking how you can make the game easier? If you immediately delete a savegame because of some back luck with injuries and international duties...

Maybe the coaches of the other teams had 20 knowledge and decided that it was a good idea to try to injure your players?

It wasn't just tough that game. I had a player injured literally every game, to the point my cm's were going into matches with 65% fitness. I went from being the "most proficient tacklers i the league" to bottom of the table and not winning any points whatsoever. Plus I signed this Iranian guy, and he was missing half the matches because of international duty, which was just irritating because he was supposed to be my Marquee signing but I didn't take consider international duty because it was league 2 and I was Newport Co. That was my bad, and the injuries were aswell I guess for not signing enough physios, but I had no idea about physios reducing injuries at the time.

Injuries are part and parcel of football.

If you are going into any match with less than three players injured in your squad you are doing well in general.

If you only continue saves where you are doing well then it isn't a fair reflection of FM. If you want the game harder you have to take the rough with the smooth, if that means dealing with injuries and not winning any points so be it.

For the record my understanding is that physios do nothing more than predict injury length.

Simple to make game harder

1. Start with Fake Players - All your real world knowlegde goes out the window and you have to scout from the very start!

2. Attribute mask - again so you have to use your scouts instead of being all seeing and knowing.

3. Start Unemployed - Dont start at your favourite club or a club you know well

4. Set Past knowlege to Sunday League Footballer - Frankly this one is optional as with this set on you might find it difficult to even get a job at even the lowest club in the lowest league

There you go enjoy your challenge!

I saw a data analysis somewhere which showed that injuries where slightly less frequent and healed faster with 3 physios than with 1 physio. The one who made the analysis mentioned however that his database was nowhere large enough to make a definit statement.

In real life, you get one chance. In FM you start again as many times as you want. If you want to make it harder, and more realistic, start your first save and never start another. If you get sacked, find a new job. But restarting instantly gives you an unrealistic advantage as you already know a lot more than you did at first, something no real life manager can do.

I saw a data analysis somewhere which showed that injuries where slightly less frequent and healed faster with 3 physios than with 1 physio. The one who made the analysis mentioned however that his database was nowhere large enough to make a definit statement.

I read a post saying that someone has tested it and multiple physios showed no difference to a single physio. I'd love to know which is actually true.

My lord, it wasn't just "bad luck" with injuries. I had players injured EVERY game. Half my squad was missing. It would be literally impossible to win a match with the injuries I had. It was too the point the I'm sure it was some sort of bug in the game, it didn't matter if I my players were so crap we didn't have the ball long enough to even get tackled, someone would get injured without doubt.

My lord, it wasn't just "bad luck" with injuries. I had players injured EVERY game. Half my squad was missing. It would be literally impossible to win a match with the injuries I had. It was too the point the I'm sure it was some sort of bug in the game, it didn't matter if I my players were so crap we didn't have the ball long enough to even get tackled, someone would get injured without doubt.

I still fail to see the problem.

Have you seen the injury issues the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd have had the last few years IRL?

Having half your squad injured is one of the issues managers have to deal with, if you just pack up and start a new save when that happens whats the point? Where does it stop? Do you reload when you get a match you feel you should have won?

I read a post saying that someone has tested it and multiple physios showed no difference to a single physio. I'd love to know which is actually true.

:eek::eek::eek:

I still fail to see the problem.

Have you seen the injury issues the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd have had the last few years IRL?

Having half your squad injured is one of the issues managers have to deal with, if you just pack up and start a new save when that happens whats the point? Where does it stop? Do you reload when you get a match you feel you should have won?

So you dont think having a player get injured EVERY game, is a bit unrealistic?

So you dont think having a player get injured EVERY game, is a bit unrealistic?

Well that just doesn't happen constantly does it.

Over a short spell anything is possible if you are going through an injury crisis, if it happens constantly to you over several seasons, teams & saves its something you are doing to increase the injury risk.

As I said did you not take note of the injury issues Arsenal, Man Utd & Liverpool have had IRL over the last few years.

Just looking at Arsenal they currently have five players out injured and last season (Which wasn't the worst by far) they lost over 2000 days to injury (320 weeks) - http://www.arsenalreport.com/injuryroom/

EDIT

Here is the current premier league injury table from physioroom just one week into the season: http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

So you dont think having a player get injured EVERY game, is a bit unrealistic?

You should upload your save game to the bugs forum if this is actually happening. Personally I'd love to see it. I quite often have players pick up a knock during a game or a green cross and quite a few forced off by injury but they are often fine by the next game so it doesn't hurt my squad much. That's what substitutes are for.

Also a possibility that you have very injury prone players.

:eek::eek::eek:

I thought the physios only reported the length of the injury and had no effect on anything else so having one or seven made no difference. Would be nice if they could let us know.

Another suggestion:

Your squad can only consist of goalkeepers. That means you'll be bringing 11 goalkeepers to the field for every match.

So you dont think having a player get injured EVERY game, is a bit unrealistic?

If anything I think there are not enough injuries in the game, especially I find little niggles and (I think this has been acknowledged) serious 12 - 18 month injuries.

Even within that though, it is the nature of human memory to remember the significant things. I am now into the fourth season if my save with a premiership club and although on balance my injuries have been very light over the entire time the point at which I had to play three weeks with my third choice (young) left winger up front because he was the only player I had left in my entire squad who could play there.

Even at this point I did not really think my injuries were actually that bad, I was just unlucky. When balanced across even just three full seasons the overview of injuries at my club has been very light.