FM too easy?

The last two versions of FM I’m finding too easy, and I’m sad to say I’m losing interest in my all-time favourite game, to the point where for the first time in 10/12 years I’m considering not buying the next instalment.

Due to not having much spare time anymore I play FMC (will FM provide a higher level of difficulty?), I’ve played with a variety of teams, my recent venture has been with Coventry in league One. They have a media prediction of finishing 16th in the league, to which I thought would be a decent challenge. My first season I was promoted as champions in emphatic style scoring lots of goals and losing just 3-4 games. I was then looking forward to a really hard challenge in the championship especially considering Coventry’s financial situation, but I was totally wrong I’m nearing the end of the season on the verge of promotion AGAIN, I wanted a relegation battle. Maybe the Prem will provide that? I won’t bore you with my other saves!

I am no FM mastermind, my tactics are very simple, I play 4,2,3,1 narrow, direct passing, pass into space, high tempo, play narrow, and counter attacking, I have no individual player instructions all very simple. I never need to tweak formations or tactics before or during a game, I just click continue and win, and I’m getting bored. I would like to have to adjust tactics during a game to save a point, change formation against a strong team, use the manager shouts etc.

I’ve played with big teams small teams and get no challenge, I want to be challenged, I seem to remember FM09 being quite difficult and would love for the difficulty to be increased. I realise its very subjective and the different difficulty levels depend on what team you pick, but I generally think it’s too easy to pick up a small team and bring them to Premiership glory. I know you ned to balance fun and realism, but at the end of the day FM is a ultra-realistic simulation, with an advanced game engine, should it be this eay?

Also I’ve not even mentioned the longevity of save games, before the AI becomes almost useless at squad building.

I needed to share my opinions about the game I love so much.

Its not the case for a lot of people, many say the opposite.

I suggest you confirm which team you managed, what your success was, screen shots of achievement. It appears you have not even completed 2 seasons. I'm also wondering why you chose Coventry in league 1 when a better challenge of Portsmouth in league was available given your location

Galway Utd for 8 seasons.

Sampdoria for 6 seasons

Man Utd currently.

I don't know too many real life managers that have from managing in obscurity to managing Man Utd in 14 years, except Andre Villa Boas and Mourinho probably.

Galway Utd for 8 seasons.

Sampdoria for 6 seasons

Man Utd currently.

I don't know too many real life managers that have from managing in obscurity to managing Man Utd in 14 years, except Andre Villa Boas and Mourinho probably.

Tbf, that's been possible in every FM.

Try a Journeyman save or and work your way up to top from the very bottom. My current Journeyman, no qualifications and Sunday League experience, save I've been at the following clubs and won at least the league before moving on.

Coastal Spirit - New Zealand Regional Premiership 3 Seasons. Won everything in my 1st season.

PFK Metallurg Bekabad - Uzbek Oliy League 2 Seasons. Won league 1st season.

Melbourne Victory - A - League 2 Seasons.

Suwon Bluewings - K - League 2 Seasons. About to start my 3rd. Done the treble in all seasons yet to win the Club World Championship but have been Runners Up.

Oh and I've been offered the New Zealand U23's job when I was there and then the Uzbekistan job when I was there. I'm still their manager and 31st in the World Rankings.

I often start save games with the intention of starting a journeyman career, my problem is I grow to attached with my teams and find it difficult to leave my club.

Do you not find it too easy to start from the bottom and work your way to the top? Normally it takes me around 5/7 seasons to take a conference team through the leagues to the Prem. How often does this happen in real life? But this is where the developers have to strike the right balance between being fun and realism. A lot of people only like it when they are winning, personally I prefer good old fashioned relegation battles, to me that’s just as much fun as a title race.

I'm sure a lot of us would like it to be harder and I hope we'll see FM16 moving in that direction.

You can't ignore the fact though that you are using a narrow 4231 which is no doubt quite attacking which borders on exploiting the ME in this version. Its a known weakness to overload the opposition DC area and one that is currently unbalanced hence why you see so many people using it.

The direct, attacking tactic also benefits you when you are promoted as other teams see you as weak leaving space which plays into the hands of your tactic and results in your team overachieving.

Tbf, that's been possible in every FM.

And I do it in every FM

I have two words for the OP; Gainsborough Trinity. Load FMC and play until you reach L2 (they start in Conference North), no need to bother with PL.

I know it seems oddly specific and it is; I've been trying to do the unrealistic thing of "taking 5-7 seasons to reach the PL" with Gainsborough, but Conference North and the Conference itself are really tough for them.

I've tried it with other teams and had success, but Trinity is a team predicted to finish 21st and it's proven to be a proper challenge.

I'm sure a lot of us would like it to be harder and I hope we'll see FM16 moving in that direction.

Imagine the outcry.

The last two versions of FM I’m finding too easy, and I’m sad to say I’m losing interest in my all-time favourite game, to the point where for the first time in 10/12 years I’m considering not buying the next instalment.

I'm with you on that one. I didn't buy FM15 but was gifted it.

I'm playing FM12 at the moment, by far the best installment of the game for me. I just love it.

It doesn't bother me about the players being out of date because I usually start lower leagues and try to work my way up, which I can do quite quickly, some careers it takes longer than expected.

Usually by the time I'm a top team the original players are retired.

Basically it's like a new game with new players and far more enjoyable.

I often start save games with the intention of starting a journeyman career, my problem is I grow to attached with my teams and find it difficult to leave my club.

I normally have that problem but have managed to avoid it this time and I'm also avoiding countries that I've managed in before so I can experience new league rules (I got shafted over in the A-League in the 1st season) and also this means I'm avoiding leagues where I currently have knowledge of which makes it that bit harder.

I'm with you on that one. I didn't buy FM15 but was gifted it.

I'm playing FM12 at the moment, by far the best installment of the game for me. I just love it.

It doesn't bother me about the players being out of date because I usually start lower leagues and try to work my way up, which I can do quite quickly, some careers it takes longer than expected.

Usually by the time I'm a top team the original players are retired.

Basically it's like a new game with new players and far more enjoyable.

My favourite was FM12 as well, but I don't see the logic in your post. The OP complained how the last two versions were too easy and then you agree and say you play FM12 instead, which is by far the easiest since 2010.

Is FM12 the easiest?

That's ambiguous.

FM has always been an easy game. No matter what team you eventually can take them to the top, granted it may take a season or 10 but in general the AI is still poor at squad building and it makes the game easier the more seasons in you go.

Is FM12 the easiest?

That's ambiguous.

It's by far the most exploitable, which indirectly makes it the easiest.

It's the most enjoyable for me.

I've played FM13, FM14 and FM15, and they are all quite easy to get to the top anyway.

I play for enjoyment. Last career save I got sacked as manager of Bari after a less than fantastic start to the season, which was annoying after spending 3 years building the team.

I've always found the game "easy" - so I play for enjoyment.

If it is too easy, it's too easy to keep the sharks at bay poaching your best players. Top/rich clubs aren't aggressive enough still as in if you're Spurs, Everton or Liverpool you will lose Bale, Stones, Rooney, Sterling and Suarez in the real world. In FM it's too easy to build a team from League 2 to the Champions League and tell the big clubs to do one on the way up.

But if that wasn't the case then it would make the game too hard and no fun. It's a tough balance. True simulation or fun game to play? You decide.

FM15 is better than previous versions in making players more sulky and hankering for a move though imho.

It's the most enjoyable for me.

I've played FM13, FM14 and FM15, and they are all quite easy to get to the top anyway.

I play for enjoyment. Last career save I got sacked as manager of Bari after a less than fantastic start to the season, which was annoying after spending 3 years building the team.

I've always found the game "easy" - so I play for enjoyment.

I never said that my opinion and yours could be mutually exclusive. I completely get why it would be more enjoyable. Losing isn't fun, so if you win more, it's more enjoyable. Basic psychology really.

My issue is just that once it's clear that the main reason you're being successful (not in all cases, of course) is by exploiting a pretty poor match engine (mainly with pace, something which I was very guilty of indirectly) then it kind of takes the shine off of what you're doing. Sure you're successful, but it's like running a race where your opponents have their legs tied together. Sure, you won, but it's hard to get excited about it. That's the way I see it anyway, in my own experience. Other users may - and will - vary.

There's exploits in every version of the game, whether you know about them or use them or not directly or indirectly, that's just how it is.

FM12 just runs faster and smoother than any other version I've ever played. It has everything I need, fast progression through the seasons without any nonsense things they added since then.

The only thing I hate (and still do in FM15) is contract negotiations which I am sick to my teeth of asking for an improvement in this area.

Last night I beat Inter 7-1 in the first leg of the Italian Cup Quarter Final.

Warned the players not to get complacent.

They did, and I lost the tie - 9-1! (10-8 on aggregate).

I fined a bunch of players and they got unhappy - now my best striker wants to leave as I couldn't iron out that confrontation.

FM12 is quite hard in certain respects.

I love the game because it's easily the fastest version of the game for me - in the in game play and progression of the seasons. It runs very smooth and I like it.

I'm sure a lot of us would like it to be harder and I hope we'll see FM16 moving in that direction.

You can't ignore the fact though that you are using a narrow 4231 which is no doubt quite attacking which borders on exploiting the ME in this version. Its a known weakness to overload the opposition DC area and one that is currently unbalanced hence why you see so many people using it.

The direct, attacking tactic also benefits you when you are promoted as other teams see you as weak leaving space which plays into the hands of your tactic and results in your team overachieving.

I stumbled across the 4231 narrow tactic when all my wingers were injured, I did wonder if the tactic was taking advantages of weakness in the engine.

I hope SI have focused on the under the hood stuff this year, like AI squad building.

It's the most enjoyable for me.

I've played FM13, FM14 and FM15, and they are all quite easy to get to the top anyway.

I play for enjoyment. Last career save I got sacked as manager of Bari after a less than fantastic start to the season, which was annoying after spending 3 years building the team.

I've always found the game "easy" - so I play for enjoyment.

I might give fm9 and fm12 a reboot tonight

I don't agree with the easy argument, I very rarely win any silver but love the game as I feel the balance is just right. Many managers go through their career in real life without any silverware. I'm no tactical genius but I love the realism and depth of the game, that's what keeps me going back for more year after year.

Here an idea why dont u start in VCS or VCN and only use your youth intake players that u bring into your club. So u cant sign anyone outside of your club but your youth in take so that means you have to keep the **** players.

There's exploits in every version of the game, whether you know about them or use them or not directly or indirectly, that's just how it is.

FM12 just runs faster and smoother than any other version I've ever played. It has everything I need, fast progression through the seasons without any nonsense things they added since then.

The only thing I hate (and still do in FM15) is contract negotiations which I am sick to my teeth of asking for an improvement in this area.

Last night I beat Inter 7-1 in the first leg of the Italian Cup Quarter Final.

Warned the players not to get complacent.

They did, and I lost the tie - 9-1! (10-8 on aggregate).

I fined a bunch of players and they got unhappy - now my best striker wants to leave as I couldn't iron out that confrontation.

FM12 is quite hard in certain respects.

I love the game because it's easily the fastest version of the game for me - in the in game play and progression of the seasons. It runs very smooth and I like it.

7-1 and 1-9... that's sure realistic

Anyway you must suck as a manager if you lost with that margin.

FM15 is not the easiest FM, not by a long way, and i dont understand this problem of the game being to easy anyway, if its that big of a problem then get a few friends and play online, way more competitive from the get go.

Mate of mine says FM is way too easy these days - but then again, like me, he usually manages a big team which comes with all of the luxuries like amazing backroom staff, big transfer budgets and a decent squad of players.

He was United for a few seasons and he took them to another level. Going unbeaten in the PL season after season, scoring 120+ goals a season and conceding very few (single figure numbers).

Here an idea why dont u start in VCS or VCN and only use your youth intake players that u bring into your club. So u cant sign anyone outside of your club but your youth in take so that means you have to keep the **** players.

This, it's pretty much the way I play, I may buy in one or two players with promotion, but that's it, it all rests on my HOYD. It makes the game more challenging, but if the chips fall in your favour, it can be quite exciting developing your players.

FM always has been too easy since it's inception, especially when playing long term games (maybe I've always been lucky). I would like to see improved long term squad building from the AI so that I need to rethink my tactics.

Can't say I've found FM14 too easy.

17 years in and the only bit of silverware I've won is a Portuguese League Cup. ?

It's too easy to maintain success.

Once you start winning, it's very hard to stop.

I don't know too many real life managers that have from managing in obscurity to managing Man Utd in 14 years, except Andre Villa Boas and Mourinho probably.

Well, Fergie did it in 12...

Well, Fergie did it in 12...

Fergie was not in obscurity when he started, he had done an excellent work with Aberdeen

well, since I love passing style (possession) I just become frustrated with not being able to replicate Barcelona or Bayern, and it's not a matter of roles and duties, it's just the impossibility of our teams to retain possession. So, as for this issue its not easy at all.

Fergie was not in obscurity when he started, he had done an excellent work with Aberdeen

Fergie's managerial career started at East Stirlingshire 12 years before he took charge at Man Utd.

Fergie's managerial career started at East Stirlingshire 12 years before he took charge at Man Utd.

Damn it - you beat me to replying to the reply to my own snarky comment!

But yes, my point was that East Stirlingshire and Galway Utd represent fairly equal levels of obscurity...

Play the game honestly as if you were managing IRL, do not exploit the games artificial weakness.

I wish I'd never read this thread as I use tactics that I personally like and I do not like the one that exploits this games weakness, but it will be hard not to now as it's now ingrained in my consciousness.

Develop your own tactic, do not copy any and do not use one that you wouldn't use if you were a RL Manager. Such as Lopsided formations that exploit a weakness in the game that you wouldn't see in a IRL.

Answer questions in interviews and chats with players honestly. If you like attacking football and the Chairman asks.''Are you willing to play defensively''? Answer no!

If you have agreed to philosophy just to get a job, ignore it if it's not your style, it will make keeping your job harder.

Hold out for the highest salary possible when negotiating your own contract do not 'cheat' by asking for the lowest possible wage so that you get a bigger playing budget.

Do not host unrealistic friendlies to boost budgets or squad morale, get your assistant to arrange them as they tend to reflect a more RL fixture list.

My style has develop through the years and I never visit the tactical forum or ask advice on how to play any part of the game. If it helps to ignore them ditch FM Forums'

I find my saves reflect RL scenarios far more than what you see posted on here, they are never spectacular and success is rare. I start Unemployed I invariably get offered jobs at struggling club's so it takes at least 18 months to get any sort of squad developed into my style, which like true Football is usually too late and I'm sacked and have to try again, or if I've achieved I get bored and start chasing a bigger job which usually become much harder to do.

I'm even contemplating playing FM in the native language of my club and attempt to learn it as I play.

Unless you spot a big bug, do not come on here if you suspect a tactical issue is a bug try and work it out by developing your own tactic to counter act it.

I also use the transfer market realistically. I'm in the Icelandic league currently and do not hold out for ridiculous sums if I have a £ 5,000 30+ year old valued player and a club comes in with £7,000, I ask for £12,000 and if they refuse to go higher then I will sell at a negotiated number. Even if I cannot significantly strengthen my squad or budget by much This game has been to easy to hold on to a player.

Try the Icelandic league on full FM with the big 5 European leagues loaded + 2 others, 1 S. American, 1 Asian, 1 N American + S Africa and large database with no other Scandinavian leagues added.

I have found in Iceland that the larger Swedish, Norwegian and Danish clubs raid the Icelandic league and almost all players get their head turned by a bid. I have sold every player they have come in for. Replacing them is very hard. As:-

There does not appear to be a ''youth intake'' in Iceland so you have to go looking for kids to have some for the future. But the scouting range is so small you can only scout Iceland with a pool of players that is tiny the bigger club's squads are to small to arrange a loan, and they generally refuse if you play in the same division, all the smaller teams command a transfer fee which you cannot afford, if you can the salaries they ask for are high, and a lot of players are on long term contracts if you start the game in June so freebies are few and far between.

So in a Nutshell the squad you get will be the one you have for 18 months and your top players will leave, leaving you with scraps to rebuild. I have had to loan foreigners with out any scouting been done. And as I don't speak Icelandic players ignore team talks.

OR! If you want a big challenge try Chivas USA on the updated database.

(...)

Absolutely 100% agree with everything in your post!

The game is exactly as easy or hard as you want to make it, it is all about the parameters you set for yourself. If you want to exploit every loophole, of course it will be easy to win everything. If you play as realistically as possible (as I try to do as well), it will be that much harder.

And most importantly: The biggest factor in my enjoyment of the game is the story I build in my head - and sometimes here on the career/story forums - around my save. Storytelling is key!

...

Either that, or maybe I'm just really bad at the game and the OP is some sort of FM savant, in which case he should probably just find another game to play...

Absolutely 100% agree with everything in your post!

The game is exactly as easy or hard as you want to make it, it is all about the parameters you set for yourself. If you want to exploit every loophole, of course it will be easy to win everything. If you play as realistically as possible (as I try to do as well), it will be that much harder.

And most importantly: The biggest factor in my enjoyment of the game is the story I build in my head - and sometimes here on the career/story forums - around my save. Storytelling is key!

...

Either that, or maybe I'm just really bad at the game and the OP is some sort of FM savant, in which case he should probably just find another game to play...

I'm going to avoid this forum far more in future, there are too many threads that you can stumble on involving an exploit. I have read this thread out of boredom and found the tactic that exploits a weakness in the game, I wish I hadn't. They should be kept in the tactics and advice forum - a place I never visit no matter how frustrating FM can get.

I usually take the bragging threads with a pinch of salt and rarely read them. I am aware of the cheats that have always been available in FM games as I exploited them myself when I was an inpatient teenager looking to win by any cost. The game was poorer for it.

There are too many players that only enjoy FM if they win every game, if they cannot they create a ''FM's Cheating'' thread often leading too much advice with players then playing the advisers game rather than their own.

Perhaps SI Forums can be more stringent in future with exploit threads being thrown out of the main forum, tactical threads being restricted. And more encouragement to develop and learn the game of football yourself rather than copying tactics and editing someone else way of playing the game .

The way I play FM means I need to watch the whole match and spend more time developing a method, 12 months between a release of FM is never long enough to find and keep a winning formula. I haven't ''completed''(winning the champions league, dominate your division etc) an FM since FM 08 but enjoy it more now than ever by playing it as MY FM not someone else's. 80-90% of RL Managers fail, at some point and nearly all get sacked. Losing in Football is far more common for most Clubs and my experience in FM appears to reflect real football far more than any of the players that create threads here do.

Perhaps SI Forums can be more stringent in future with exploit threads being thrown out of the main forum, tactical threads being restricted. And more encouragement to develop and learn the game of football yourself rather than copying tactics and editing someone else way of playing the game

The forums are already pretty sterile without censoring people more over something that doesn't really hurt. People can play the game however they want, if you see an "exploit", then don't use it. Much better option than demanding that no-one talk about anything should you happen to stumble across it.

Yes i agree, that once you start winning its very hard to stop, and in my opinion it should be the opposite, retaining league and cup titles should be much more difficult the follwoing season.

I'm in two minds. It's too easy to dominate teams but at the same time i keep getting robbed. I'm only 8 games in and lost 3 times with the same thing i've suffered in every FM. I hammer teams with 20-25 shots on target, i hit the woodwork 11 times in those three games, 4 disallowed goals in those three games, 3 Gk man of the match performances, 5 shots on target from them with four goals scored. Two red cards that were rescinded because they were bull.

So yes, i think in general that the game is too easy but i also think the game throws equalisers in the mix when you're doing too well.

You're wrong. The game has no mechanic like that.

Its far too easy. I took concord rangers from the conference south to champions league winners, getting promoted/winning each season.

Long term AI squad building is something that never seems to change

Its far too easy. I took concord rangers from the conference south to champions league winners, getting promoted/winning each season.

Long term AI squad building is something that never seems to change

The issue isn't that you did, the issue is how.

Who did you sign?

What tactics did you use?

How did you scout?

Did you use attribute masking?

I've no idea how people are finding this game too easy, aside from the fact that apparently there are some super-powerful tactics that exploit the match engine and make it easy to win. On the other hand, I too am glad about this state of affairs - Football Manager is one of the very few games which I can play singleplayer, even after a long time, and still find a challenge (without having to set it up for myself with house rules and such). I'm sure that I'll eventually master the game and learn most of its tricks, so I'll just hope to enjoy the current state of affairs while it lasts.

Perhaps the reason why a lot of us dont find FM chaellenging enough is becasue a lot of us on these forums have been playing FM for the past 15/20 years and we know the game inside out? I suspect someone new to the series finds it a very complex and unforgiving game?

I think Weller has a point. I started playing around 98 and still do now which is probably why I find it slightly easier as I know where everything generally is and know roughly what works and what everything does and how it works but a new player would probably find it quite daunting to begin with even with the help topics.

I too have been playing since the 90s and the only times I have completely dominated the game has been when I "cheated" - and I mean that in the broadest possible sense as mentioned above, so it includes using weird and unrealistic tactics that exploit flaws in the game.

If I play the game realistically and don't "cheat" in any way, the game is certainly still very challenging to me after 20 years. But again, I focus on story and may very well be a crappy player.

The point is: The game can be exactly as challenging as you want it to be.

I too have been playing since the 90s and the only times I have completely dominated the game has been when I "cheated" - and I mean that in the broadest possible sense as mentioned above, so it includes using weird and unrealistic tactics that exploit flaws in the game.

If I play the game realistically and don't "cheat" in any way, the game is certainly still very challenging to me after 20 years. But again, I focus on story and may very well be a crappy player.

The point is: The game can be exactly as challenging as you want it to be.

I totally agree with you.