FM09 Player Backgrounds

Player Background Photos for FM09.

Backgrounds which appear within players individual profile pages (in an similar way to Villaturk and Beefsters stadium packs). These are all action photos rather than photoshop graphics, set at 1024/767 or 1280/800 resolution.

SCREENSHOTS

Torres - Cassano - Villa -

INSTALLATION

Extract to your my documents/sports interactive/fm2009/graphics/backgrounds/ folder using winrar or winzip. Create this folder yourself if it doesn't already exist.

In your options/preferences page make sure you have:

- show backgrounds ticked

- skin cache unticked

- reload skin on confirm ticked (if you are installing these graphics whilst already in the game)

DOWNLOAD

England - Premiership. 600 players & staff backgrounds: link down

England - Championship. 430 player backgrounds: link down

Scotland - SPL. 170 players & staff: link down

Italy - Serie A. 400 players & staff: link down

Spain - La Liga. 400 players & staff: link down

Germany - Bundesliga. 340 players & staff: link down

France - Ligue 1. 345 players & staff: link down

USA - MLS. 250 players & staff: link down

South America. 300 players from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico & Colombian leagues: link down

Champions League. 52 teams from the champions league group stage and qualifying round: link down

Uefa Cup. 30 teams from the uefa cup group stage and qualifying round: link down

Due to FileFront problems, all backgrounds have been uploaded into 4 megapacks:

1) England Premiership & Championship and Scotland SPL - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O0ZO5CK1

2) Germany, Italy, France and Spain - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZKKLRFSO

3) USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J58B37AM

4) Champions League & UEFA Cup - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7D1LZB5H

Any questions/errors etc. please post a message. I am using Steklo 09 on most of the screenshots which is a skin I would recommend, although the backgrounds should work well with any skin which uses slightly darker opaque shading on player profile pages

Cheers tjmtjm

Cheers tjmtjm

Really good quality stuff - thank you.

These look excellent in the game mate cheers. Are you doing any other packs?

Just put these into my game and they look fantastic.

Are you planning to do any other leagues?

Thank you very much for these --question though

When I go into another player (that does not have a picture) the last player viewed shows up ..for instance from Torres ..I went to see Belluschi ( and in the background the picture of Torres was still there)

Do you know any way I can rectify this ?

Cheers

Thanks for the comments guys, I appreciate it

I'm planning to work my way through the major leagues, although I don't mind doing the odd request as well. Currently working on Serie A - sample screenshot here of Balotelli using Tumma skin:

@ Alexander

This is a problem which is happening with all backgrounds (stadiums, competitions etc.) put in the game. You can get around it by going into the directory of whatever skin you are using and opening up the file called: panels/global panels.xml (you can open it using notepad or wordpad).

Find the text which says:

CODE

<!-- background picture - covers entire screen -->

<widget class="background" file="backgrounds/default">

<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" inset="0"/>

<attachment class="get_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" set_property="file" skip_if_null="true"/>

</widget>

And change it to:

CODE

<!-- background picture - covers entire screen -->

<widget class="background" file="backgrounds/default">

<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" inset="0"/>

<attachment class="test_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" mode="1" set_property="hidn" skip_if_null="false" skip_if_resetting="false"/>

</widget>

<widget class="background" file="backgrounds/default" hidden="true">

<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" inset="0"/>

<attachment class="get_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" set_property="file" skip_if_null="false"/>

<attachment class="test_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" mode="0" set_property="hidn" skip_if_null="false" skip_if_resetting="false"/>

</widget>

Then reload the skin with skin cache unticked.

Sorry mate, it works correctly if I pass from a page with a background photo to another with a background photo in it, but if I go to view a team that does not have a bg, it still shows me the previous team/player/competition background.

I think that I put the default.jpg picture in the wrong folder. Could you tell the exact complete path where to put it?

Thanks

how to make the background transparent so that i can see thebackground pics more clearly? i am not using any other skin. remb in fm08 u can remove the background w/o changing skin.

Staind - its a fair point. The default skin has a "fog" over the pictures. I just downloaded another skin and they pictures are perfect

afterware

Which skin are you using? If its the default skin you'll need to extract this using the resource archiver and then edit the panels/global panels.xml file as I have explained above. If its a downloaded skin locate this file in the skin's directory and edit it, make sure this file is edited and in place for all versions of the skin (e.g. left/right hand side folders).

staind / supersub

I agree the default skin isn't transparent enough to see these files or any other background images. I'm not too good at skinning and really not sure how you would go about editing the default skin to achieve this, but will keep an eye out and reply if I find a solution. In the meantime I recommend Steklo as the best skin for my backgrounds.

Sorry, i should have mentioned that the Steklo skin works fine.

@ Alexander

This is a problem which is happening with all backgrounds (stadiums, competitions etc.) put in the game. You can get around it by going into the directory of whatever skin you are using and opening up the file called: panels/global panels.xml (you can open it using notepad or wordpad).

Find the text which says:

CODE

<!-- background picture - covers entire screen -->

<widget class="background" file="backgrounds/default">

<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" inset="0"/>

<attachment class="get_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" set_property="file" skip_if_null="true"/>

</widget>

And change it to:

CODE

<!-- background picture - covers entire screen -->

<widget class="background" file="backgrounds/default">

<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" inset="0"/>

<attachment class="test_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" mode="1" set_property="hidn" skip_if_null="false" skip_if_resetting="false"/>

</widget>

<widget class="background" file="backgrounds/default" hidden="true">

<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" inset="0"/>

<attachment class="get_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" set_property="file" skip_if_null="false"/>

<attachment class="test_global_attachment" get_property="bgnd" mode="0" set_property="hidn" skip_if_null="false" skip_if_resetting="false"/>

</widget>

Then reload the skin with skin cache unticked.

im using the flex09 skin, and the pics work great (thanks by the way), but i cant do the above with my skin. i go to panels, and theres no xml file called 'global panels'. any ideas? or should i just download steklo?

afterware

Which skin are you using? If its the default skin you'll need to extract this using the resource archiver and then edit the panels/global panels.xml file as I have explained above. If its a downloaded skin locate this file in the skin's directory and edit it, make sure this file is edited and in place for all versions of the skin (e.g. left/right hand side folders).

It's the default skin. I used resource archiver and extracted global panels.xml in this folder:

My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009\panels

and put default.jpg file in:

My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009\graphics\backgrounds\default

But still it shows previous background if I go in a screen without a background.

longyt

There is a panels/global panels.xml file in the flex09_r folder, if you edit this as above it should be ok. However I'm not sure how to get this to work if you're using the left hand side version, simply transferring the file into the panels folder in the regular flex09 folder doesn't seem to work as it converts to the right hand side version.

afterware

Extract the entire entire default skin using the resource archiver and put the folders in My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009\skins (create it if it doesn't exist). Then from here go into each folder and edit the text in the panels/global panels.xml file accordingly.

As I say guys, skinning isnt really my thing so I'm going on what I've picked up myself here. If anyone else has any sounder advice feel free to step in?!?

hi, downloaded your EPL background pictures and they were great !! super work, i was wondering when the Seria A or La Liga are ready ?

cheers mate and great work.

longyt

There is a panels/global panels.xml file in the flex09_r folder, if you edit this as above it should be ok. However I'm not sure how to get this to work if you're using the left hand side version, simply transferring the file into the panels folder in the regular flex09 folder doesn't seem to work as it converts to the right hand side version.

yeh ive done that now, and as you said it converted it to the right hand version, ah well cant have everything . thanks for the help!

Is there any way that you can do a pack for the championship?

Thanks for these mate!

These pics are terrific. I followed tjm's advice, and I also have stadium backrounds - all adds to a great graphical experience. Just one small point though; many of the heads are lopped off by the title bar. Could you take that inbto account for future player pic packs?

These look good.

im using the flex09 skin, and the pics work great (thanks by the way), but i cant do the above with my skin. i go to panels, and theres no xml file called 'global panels'. any ideas? or should i just download steklo?

you can find the global panels in the flex_r section

Great work tjmtjm, can't wait for future packs.

If possible could you add a Scottish premier league pack & the French league? Would be mucho appreciated.

Italy Serie A Player Backgrounds Pack: 400 players and staff covering all 20 teams - DOWNLOAD HERE

Screenshots:

Amauri - Acquafesca - Cassano -

Cheers for the comments so far everyone. Next pack will be Spain La Liga, hopefully by tomorrow

Scotland, France, Germany and Championship packs on the way.

Fantastic! great work tjmtjm they look great! you legend you!!!!!! cant wait for la liga...

Does anyone know the link to download the steklo 09 skin?

thanks.

Does anyone know the link to download the steklo 09 skin?

thanks.

It's on this forum's front page - don't be so lazy!!!

Once again - many, many thanks. These are fantastic!!

Thanks for taking the time to do this for everyone else to enjoy.

Just started a Italian Save so this is perfect!

Also, I use the 'Dark Horizon' skin so I will post on here to advise if the backgrounds work ok or not.

Again, cheers

Spanish La Liga Backgrounds: 400 players and staff from all 20 teams.

Alves - Villa -

DOWNLOAD HERE

Thanks dude, these are awesome!

Can't wait for any future packs, French - German - Dutch - Scottish etc....

Top, top work man.

These are quality mate, any idea when the next pack will be ready??

cheers

i have a download limit so i am guessing even one of these packs may exceed my usage policy?

Scotland SPL: 170 players and staff covering all 12 teams.

Boruc - Lafferty -

DOWNLOAD HERE

Struggled to find decent quality images for these tbh. Next one is Bundesliga

Macca - each download link takes you to a page which shows you the size of the files first; eng - 129mb, ita - 78mb, spa - 87mb, sco - 46mb.

Nice one, these player backgrounds are excellent.

Cheers

Thanks for taking the time to do this for everyone else to enjoy.

Just started a Italian Save so this is perfect!

Also' date=' I use the 'Dark Horizon' skin so I will post on here to advise if the backgrounds work ok or not.

Again, cheers[/quote']So far all backgrounds work fine, just going to download the SPL pack.

Keep up the good work!

nice 1 mate are you planning on doing 1 for championship?????

Top work again!

Id pay good money for a scottish div 2 one or more specifically a Raith Rovers one sod the rest of those also ran teams ;p

Heres a link to players pics so you would know names etc

http://www.raithroversfc.com/cgi-bin/players.cgi

I can speak to the club photographer and get whatever size action pics for each player if you would be willing to do it

If you could id be happy to send you some cash via paypal or something just lemme know ;p

Like so many others thanks for excellant work its much apprieciated

Downloading them now and will let you know how i get on (using Blackin09 skin)

Installed all the 3 packs and works a treat once i edited the global file (Would stick on picture if no other to load until you selected another player)

Fantastic pack look forward to the others

Any notes on the different skins are much appreciated, cheers The backgrounds work better on some skins more than others so its a help to keep track as I've missed a lot of the recent releases.

Nazdarovie - If you've got the photos sourced and know all the players then thats most of the hardwork done Happy to do this though (no fee neccesary!), message sent.

Next pack up tommorow.

i'm usin the 'Three' skin atm. Works really good mate, backgrounds fill the whole page as the menubars are transparent Id recommend it. lookin forward to your next release.

One problem i do have is i play in windowed mode and some of the screenshots are missing heads, i thought i read a fix in this post but it must be another one somewhere.

If anyone has seen the fix can they post it for me please

Germany Bundesliga: 340 players and staff covering all 18 teams.

Screenshots:

Diego - Kiessling - Toni -

DOWNLOAD HERE

nice one

Charlie - sorry not too sure what to suggest for your missing heads. Do you mean they are under the menubar or the pictures aren't resizing properly? I play windowed mode mostly but dont have any problems when switching between fullscreen.

Quite often the heads are obscured by the title bar - if the photo could be moved down a few centimetres the heads would be visible.

Yeah for a lot of the photos I can't see a head. Kyle Lafferty, Scott McDonald are both examples.

Ok, will certainly bear that in mind. Im working off Steklo which has a thin top menubar (e.g. my Lafferty screenshot above), but I can see that using other skins like Flex might not have as much room at the top.

Top work as usual - do you have any more packs planed?