[official] FM2009 features announcements - improved modules from FM2008

[Viking]

And regens have also been improved....

Great news. How about the "players aging too fast"-issue?

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=12401

[Robsabbaggio]

I have to say, this is probably the most important part of the game for me.

I stopped playing FM2008 and went back to FM2007 mainly due to the poor player development model, dodgy board confidence and the complete frustration that was the transfer market.

I really hope we will see

On player development: regens should be created with different CA's, some high enough to allow them to become wonderkids, which never really happens at the moment. For me, this was the biggest single flaw in the game, that all regens I saw were poor until early 20's, which meant that equivalents of the likes of Rooney, Pato, Bojan, Raul, Casillas, Messi, Aguero, Owen, Fowler never existed. Also, better distribution of stats per positions. Afterwards, development should be at different speeds, some mature quickly some later, depending on factors likes games played e.g. like players that only become good later in life like Carragher, Toni. Then finally, they should start to decline at different times, depending on their physical condition (natural fitness), games played (burnout), number of injuries etc, they shouldnt all fall off a cliff soon after 30.

On confidence: the board actually be happy once in a while! Plus the ability to prioritise certain competitions e.g. Man U could play youths in the League Cup as they are going for the premiership/champions league, but lower level prem clubs e.g. Middlesbrough, might prioritise the league cup as that is their best chance of silverware. It would also be nice if youngsters bought for the future for peanuts, or loan players, were not judged as if they were massive transfers intended for the first team. The board need to basically be much more intelligent.

On transfers: the ability to sell players for a start. Its dang near impossible to give away players of decent ability, which just seems wrong - normally there would be some takers if you offer internationals for free. But no. Meanwhile, when you want to sign a player you have to offer multiples of their value to get them interested, but rarely get offers much above value for your players, an inbalance that means it is tough to wheel and deal. The process is only made harder by the computers approach to negotiations, which involved asking for more if you offer more.

And the multiple enquiries for players, this must stop. If I do not want to sell a player, I will list him as unavailable, indispensable to the club and set his value massively above that marked. But a club, say Chelsea, still enquires/bids about him at his value. Ok, I tell him he is only available at the higher price. Chelsea go away. So far so good, but then why do Chelsea come back a day later and make the exact same bid?? I could understand it if something had changed, like my player had become unsettled. But often they dont. Its just infuriating - either put up the cash or dont waste my time.

Improvements here, along with an updated database, would be reason enough to buy FM2009. The fantastic looking 3D engine would be icing on the cake!

[Guest hayta]

i typed it in all places, yet this was the appropriate place:

pleeeeeeeeeease, stop clubs making enquiries to the players which i already have set an asking price... please... over and over and over again. what's more annoying is that they are the same club... declares interest, hands off, enquiry, reply in asking price, withdrawn attention, 3 days after, the same club with an enquiry? why?

and also, someone at some point should be interested in a player which is valued at 3.5m but i am offering at -0-... and even if not, once they are on the list for some time and being offered around, they would be more sympathetic over mutual termination at more reasonable fees...

[virtex]

Could anyone from SI name the new leagues available?

[Miles Jacobson]

It's a heckuva lot of money that needs to be shelled out for a feature that a few dedicated and much-loved fans produce for free, season after season. Not that I wouldn't love to see the game fully licensed from the start but if it means all those bags of cash go into development and providing Miles with a very swish chair then I consider that money well spent.

Though on that note, what was with that chair, Miles? Were you thinking "Hmm, interview in my office... must get biggest, most luxurious chair I can find!!" ?

I want that chair almost as much as I want FM2009, seriously >.>

The chair is my own personal chair, and not SI's. No development money has been spent on the chair (it was my office chair when I was working full time in music, and part-time for free for SI...).

[Reds4life]

Anyone else thinks the scouting system can be improved? Read my ideas and see what you think.

[FM1000]

When will some new info about Fm 2009 will be released?

[Manager Milney]

Just to comment about the regens in 08, personaly in my game, i am aresenal and i bought buffon, and i found a regen whose scout report said has potential to be as good as buffon.So i find that there are a few quality regens in there - you just have to look!

[Robsabbaggio]

Just to comment about the regens in 08, personaly in my game, i am aresenal and i bought buffon, and i found a regen whose scout report said has potential to be as good as buffon.So i find that there are a few quality regens in there - you just have to look!

The problem with regens as I experienced it was not low PA as such, but:

1) Low CA at start, which meant it took ages for players to reach their potential (mid-20s). This might be true to life for the vast majority of players, but there are enough "wonderkids" generated in real life - Rooney, Casillas, Messi, Aguero, Fabregas, Owen etc - to allow some regens almost from the start to have high CA as well. The lack of such players is the real problem.

This is especially a problem when you combined this issue with attributes rapidly dropping post 30, which meant you only have a small window of 5-6 years when players are realising their potential.

2) Players statistics distributed poorly and not linked properly e.g. centrebacks with high corner taking skills, or players with ok pace but no acceleration. You might get the odd freak player IRL, but not as many as the game generates.

[dr-nix]

The problem with regens as I experienced it was not low PA as such, but:

1) Low CA at start, which meant it took ages for players to reach their potential (mid-20s). This might be true to life for the vast majority of players, but there are enough "wonderkids" generated in real life - Rooney, Casillas, Messi, Aguero, Fabregas, Owen etc - to allow some regens almost from the start to have high CA as well. The lack of such players is the real problem.

This is especially a problem when you combined this issue with attributes rapidly dropping post 30, which meant you only have a small window of 5-6 years when players are realising their potential.

2) Players statistics distributed poorly and not linked properly e.g. centrebacks with high corner taking skills, or players with ok pace but no acceleration. You might get the odd freak player IRL, but not as many as the game generates.

Here's deal, in real life younger players develop at much higher rate than older players. The exception is late bloomers that develop slower and usually bloom due to a mental breakthrough. This needs to be improved in the game.

[DPG]

Paul has traditionally posted stuff about the ME, and even he has directed some posters to wait for the blogs. Those in charge of other modules aren't always so communicative as he is. Rest assured, the blog will answer most of your questions.

Sorry if i have missed this, is there a set date for the blogs? will there be one every week, or just random.

Also is there a specific place set aside for the dicussion of international management, i hope this as been looked at a little, seems to get a bit thin after a while.

[molsen]

I am really looking forward to the new transfer system which is much appriciated.

I am wondering whether it will be possible to offer loan exchanges?

Like with the Berbatov-Campbell deal, where Campbell on loan was used as a makeweight. It can have a lot of influence on the decision to sell if the selling club knows that it gets a replacement (with a possible transfer clause) instantly.

[AIK]

The problem with regens as I experienced it was not low PA as such, but:

1) Low CA at start, which meant it took ages for players to reach their potential (mid-20s). This might be true to life for the vast majority of players, but there are enough "wonderkids" generated in real life - Rooney, Casillas, Messi, Aguero, Fabregas, Owen etc - to allow some regens almost from the start to have high CA as well. The lack of such players is the real problem.

This is especially a problem when you combined this issue with attributes rapidly dropping post 30, which meant you only have a small window of 5-6 years when players are realising their potential.

There should be several players that are not as good as Rooney, Ronaldo & Messi but still good enough to be a regular starter at the age of 19/20. Most teams, even in the biggest leagues, have 1-2 players under 21-year in their starting line-up and 2-3 more at the bench or close to the bench. In FM08 we only had the crappy ones, every player was a late-bloomer. This is something that ALWAYS has been an issue in FM. The squads are always ageing in this game but in FM08 it was worse than usual. Hopefully that means that they'll get it better than ever now in 09.

Most players should be close to their potential at 21. A player with 170 in potential should be around 150-160 in CA and a player with 130 in PA should have around 110-120 in CA. Then of course we have the exceptions. Maybe 25% should be nowhere near their potential at that age and 25% just 2-3 points away from their potential.

AI must also be much better a using their young players. AI must give them the chance at younger ages, they may not be as good as the older player but they need the experience, just like real life where managers usually favors a nineteen-year-old player over a 25-year-old.

IRL we see under-20 players be subbed into the Premier League all the time. That never happens in FM.

Stephen Ireland and Michael Johnson are starters for Manchester City. They aren't a new Ronaldo or Messi but they do still have potential but still not superstars.

[Guest ajdavies]

I expect you'll say no but is the Japanese league back? *crosses fingers*

[Rickooko]

If there was a "bow down" smilie, I'd use it right now. For long term gamers, the Regens is something we've desperately needed fixed. Above all else, the thing that let me down in FM08 is that when you get around the 2028+ seasons, regens that are ruling the prem would only be low prem players / Championship players. I hope the way the attributes are distributed are a lot better, so that we don't get technically and mental gifted 16 year olds who can run for toffee and fall over at the slightest gust of wind.

Exactly.

I think it is fair to say the "regen section" is not on the top priority list in fm09. But for long term gamers it is the top deciding factor in judging the game is successful or not.

[follow the blind]

cant wait to try out the new transfer system, but i was wondering. It would be great if there was an option to loan a player back to the club you brought him from as part of the deal. Real life clubs are buying players but leaving them at their original clubs so they can get first team experience. Will that be possible in fm 09?

[Jedi5diah]

Greetings,

players with age 32 onwards even with a high reputation shld be willing to sign for a lower reputation club and a lower wages. it is so hard to sell a player 32 onwards. lower league team shld be more active in signing such aged players as it will benefit their team.

player's can hired agents will make FM alot more realistic and controversial.

hope to see such improvements in future.

cheers!

[great_save]

With respect to team cohesion, what does it mean to have a high rating. Will it affect how the team performs on the pitch, or how likely a player wants to leave the club. I can imagine that a cohesive team is more likely to work for each other and perhaps work harder when they are one goal down. Similarly, a player within a cohesive team may not want to leave the club, in spite of big offers and interests, if they like their teammates. I can also imagine that personality and team cohesion can also interact.

[wild_oscar]

I really hope the new transfer system is more complex and realistic. After a couple of game hours, the current transfer system is just too simple and boring. There's hardly interaction between clubs in "negotiation", and the process is pretty much:

Buying - You offer X, they vaguely say "no", you offer more until they start negotiating.

Selling - They offer X. You ask Y. They say yes or no. No real negotiation there...

Hopes for improvement:

1) Have a more realistic "feel" of how negotiations are going. Is the deal close? Are they losing patience?

2) Have negotiation meetings. Transfers are not a series of emails/sms/fax messages from one club to another. They meet. And negotiate. And end up with a deal - or no deal.

3) Make alternative buying methods interesting. It's really hard to introduce other players in the deal, for instance. It would be really nice to have "must" and "might" in the system. Eg: I'm selling player X. I say to everyone "you MUST offer me 10 million up front, or a similar payment structure. I might consider one of THESE players (hands list from their squad). I might consider a future fee percentage from 5 to 50% to ease the money payments".

4) Player swaps. As mentioned above - both sides should create lists of players they might consider. Current system is useless regarding this aspect. Eg: I offer 5 million and player A, they reject. I offer 4 million, they accept. Feedback, please. "No, I don't want that player, just give me the money. Or no, I don't want that player, but would want one of these three".

5) Loans as part of the deal - would be nice for smaller teams. "I'll sell you X if you loan me Y and Z for two years"

Just my two cents.

[SmurfDude]

I'm glad to see the transfer system has received some much needed attention. From the users end it was ok, and perfectly functional. The problem however was the way the AI handled transfers. It quickly became tiresome trying to buy players, but i'm confident you guys have come up with more realistic AI behavior

About confidence though; I would love for them to take in to consideration other variables rather than looking at everything in black and white. For example as manchester united, I want to use the league cup as a way to try out youngsters, just as Fergie does. But in 08 this method simply got the board angry because I'd failed to achieve success in it

Also if I were Everton for example, and the board wanted me to get to round 5 of the FA cup, but I get knocked out in the 3rd round because I got drew away to Chelsea, I want the board to acknowledge this instead of deeming it as a failure!

[Arsenal71]

I'm glad to see the transfer system has received some much needed attention. From the users end it was ok, and perfectly functional. The problem however was the way the AI handled transfers. It quickly became tiresome trying to buy players, but i'm confident you guys have come up with more realistic AI behavior

About confidence though; I would love for them to take in to consideration other variables rather than looking at everything in black and white. For example as manchester united, I want to use the league cup as a way to try out youngsters, just as Fergie does. But in 08 this method simply got the board angry because I'd failed to achieve success in it

Also if I were Everton for example, and the board wanted me to get to round 5 of the FA cup, but I get knocked out in the 3rd round because I got drew away to Chelsea, I want the board to acknowledge this instead of deeming it as a failure!

Ditto, my sentiments exactly. That was probably the biggest grievance i had with the version.

[phantom1998]

Updated Competitions – Fully updated for the new 2008/09 football season with all the latest league, club and player data, featuring over 5,000 playable clubs from over 50 countries, and around 350,000 players and staff from around the world, drawn fresh from the famous Sports Interactive database.

Did we get the J-league into fm2009?

[Jobnik]

Great news. How about the "players aging too fast"-issue?

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=12401

One of the most annoying things on FM 2008.

I know when a player gets to the age 0f 30, its not worthy to invest in him and let him play, because his stats will drop drastically really quick.

Would anyone from SI like to tell us anything about this issue?

[Riz Remes]

One of the most annoying things on FM 2008.

I know when a player gets to the age 0f 30, its not worthy to invest in him and let him play, because his stats will drop drastically really quick.

Would anyone from SI like to tell us anything about this issue?

I think this has already been commented upon but in case you've missed it, the player aging is a part of the player progress and newgen modules so it has been revised as well.

[Ranbir]

And regens have also been improved....

I hope so. The AI becomes less of a challenge over time.

Of course, I also hope now clubs will stop 'enquiring' about a player. It gets annoying when you get a lot of enquiries; especially when they don't get followed up, even more annoying when I usually have it set below the valuation of the player. Were they ever serious?!

Finances? I hope that means countries can increase in overall wealth and prestige.

One thing that always irks me is that the Premiership always stays as a rich league, that's fine I get that.

But what about when I play from a less reputed country, in a less respected league...

Why does the league remain so poor? Even if I take a team there and make them European champions several times over, bring in some real talent. Yes, the club increases in reputation but the poor league remains small, in reputation and prize money. The wealth and obvious benefits of a consistent, successful club doesn't filter through to the country.

[VMX]

What I'd really like to see improved about transfers as well, is rich teams to stop buying every single player they can afford that's performing good in your squad, only to have him in the reservers for one or two years without playing a single match... and then sell him.

They fill their squads with tons of players who can't even be registered for the league (they sign WAY more players than the max number allowed), and then those players can't play so they leave after 1 or 2 years.

Real Madrid is doing it constantly for me in my game in the Spanish league. Every time I have a young player who's becoming to show potential, they come in with a 2 figures amount and get him without me being able to do anything. They completely mess my squad planning sometimes, only to have that player not even registered in their team and eventually sell him.

They should only sign players if they REALLY need them...

[danhieux]

Transfer system.

Just a quick thought on the new transfer system.

Will you still be able to see what clubs are interested in players? This seems a little unrealistic to me. I would like to see a system whereby if a club has expressed a definate interest in a player (ie Liverpool with Gareth Barry, tottenham with Arshavin) then this should be clearly stated. However, where is it only a rumour (ie Liverpool with David Silva, Villa with Milner) this should be made clear. It seems a little unfair that as a manager adds a player to his shortlist everyone else around the world becomes immediatley aware. I would also like to see the opportunity for a club to buy a player without anyone becoming aware until the trasfer is completed (I am aware this is difficult in the current media age).

Just a thought.

Matt

[fcdallas1982]

And regens have also been improved....

I hope MLS newgens and regens have been fixed. =)

[Viking]

I hope MLS newgens and regens have been fixed. =)

Lets hope so. I have added (as I´ve mentioned earlier in some tread) some 100 IRL US talents to the database, including real U20 players in various leauges. Still the AI pick newgens with monsterous stats over my players.

Thank God I can kill those monstergens with FFM.

[DMaster2]

About the transfer system, may i ask if co-ownership has been rewritten too and if it's more realistic now?

[Dayle Wood]

I think everyone will be happy...if it works that is

That is my biggest concern. I am 16 years into a game and the newgens, regens or whatever we call them these days are absolutely flawed. Their attributes are erratic and the general standard of players has slipped.

Having said that I am wetting myself over the introduction of 3d matches. I thought this was another 5 years of at the very least so bigs 'ups' to SI and their continued determination to be the very best in this genre of game. After 2009 there will be no pretenders able to claim they are better... though that has been true for some time anyway.

[Wayne\'o]

can i ask about the regens, for long term games especially net shared comps i think regens is a very key area that needed improvment.

when you say there has been improvments what kind are they? is it regens are more realistic in the possistions they play or are there more that come threw to keep the balance of the game over many season's, ?

[Alurny]

Miles, I'm not sure if you are still sticking your head in here but, will the new transfer module include changes in the distribution of, and capping of, reputation? As it has been highlighted many times by the community, and is damaging to long term games. Please answer my wishes and say you fixed it, .

[Lupe Lebô]

We could see a difference in atmosphere in champions league than the local league matches?

in the playeres, press, fans, board etc...

[Cully1993]

thank god about the transfer system i was in my second season with arsenal and i tryed to buy lucas off liverpool they want 112 million wat the hell is up with that

[Oz Gunner]

I have noticed a few people ask questions about whether certain leagues were now included and these have been ignored. I presume negotiations are still happening, but when will we know what countries and leagues will be in FM2009? Also what changes have been made? Living in Australia and being a fanatical A-League fan, I am waiting to see if this years changes including the Youth League make there way into the game. Also have taken an interest in the other Asian Leagues and would love to see the J-League back in the game. It was in previous versions of the games, but I think it dropped out due to licensing requiremements. Any way I know that the answers to our questions will be revealed in time. I guess we just need to be patient, but patience does not seem to be a virtue most FM gamers have. Hopefully you can put us all out of our misery soon. Cheers

[UtdForever]

Okay answer me this. if you choose to manage manchester united in FM 09 then why have you got berbatov in your squad when the date reads 1st july 2008? whenever a new version of the game is released, a new season in an enlish game starts on 1st july but the transfers are up to date after the transfer window has closed in august. surely this is unrealistic? wouldnt it be better to have a choice of which database to start from? i.e. one with realistic transfers starting from the 1st july and one with the transfers after august. i appreciate that the finished version of the game wont be ready till just before xmas but why have the transfers already in place on july the 1st?

The benefits of having a realistic squad on the 1st july would be you could hang on to players you felt should have been kept and not splash the cash on players you dont rate.

Its also very frustrating being a low down division club with no money on the 1st july when your trying to find some good free agents but you cant because theyve all been snapped up by clubs before august which hasnt happened yet! then your left sifting through the rubbish.

What does everyone else think?

One more thing that i like to add!

I'd like to add one more which I believe would add a great deal to the overall feel of playing a long career game: After winning a trophy, moving to a new club, resigning, etc. there is a media report that summarizes the users career. Currently there is practically no recognition of the users accomplishments. For example, over a long career to see how your reputation in the media grows as you climb from obscurity to one of the most famous managers in the world. I would love to read how many trophies I've won over the years, maybe some quotes from other personalities in the game and so on.

What does everyone else think of it.?

[The Bus]

Well there could just be an option whether one uses the rosters of the starting date or the ones that are updated to the end of transfer window.

[PC-Bantam]

Have there been improvements to International Management does anybody know?

Such as pre-tournament friendlies etc?

Even thought there were changes for FM2008 International management was still pretty disappointing

cheers!

[ak71]

Hi there...

Juz wish to check, how far does a relationship between a club and a player or a player and a staff, etc... will influence him in signing up for a club in FM2009. I'm posting this thread becoz i find that in fm2007 & fm2008, it's quite difficult to get a player into my club eventhough the player/staff named my club or any player in my club as their FAVOURITE CLUB OR FAVOURITE STAFF. Thanks.

[BobbyBamber]

How come the transfer rebuild is being given so little hype?

[Scotty Walds]

Because it's the transfer AI that is being changed, and will probably not look much different to users?

[shezza88]

Realistic Finances – SI have listened to feedback from all of their researchers to try and model every single financial area of the game correctly for each country, including transfers, staff wages, budgets, ticket prices, season tickets, competition bonuses and club sponsorships.

wooo !..thank god for that

[aggressive minor]

I've got to say, Im really reallly excited by this game. I thought some aspects of FM08 were dreadful, but it looks like 09 could be awesome.

[samdiatmh]

Transfer system

1) Has the acceptance been changed? (eg I (arsenal) offer Monaco 10m for Menez, rejected... meanwhile Man Utd come in with a 7.5m bid and it is accepted)

:S

[Joor]

What about indirect freekicks from deep, I have never scored from any in fm08. They are just so useless, even with a worldclass player like Pirlo who just cant hit my strikers in the area..

And what about training, any improvement here? will we be able to train specific attributes like in FML ?

One of the must annoying moments in Fm 08 was the AI who timewaste all 90 min - using up to 1 min on all goalkicks, freekicks and throw-ins. Will we finally see yellow card in situations like this ?

[Stuiedo1981]

Has the complaining feature been fixed?

Previously you would get a dodgy decision and complain about it (which had no positive impact), and you would then get a warning. Do it again and you had a touchline ban!

So, what was the point in doing it as it gave you no benefit and got you bans - i expect like me most peolpe ignored all those questions?

[Neji]

So, what was the point in doing it as it gave you no benefit and got you bans - i expect like me most peolpe ignored all those questions?

The benefit is that you can raise your relationships with players, and also their morale if you do it right. Getting it right is difficult though, so yes, I just ignore the questions.

[ShaunBryanScully]

Hi Miles,

I've read that FM 2009 will be out on the 14th Nov 2008. I'm from Singapore and was wondering if the release date is the same throughout the world. Can't wait for the release and will be waiting at the stores if the release date is same in Singapore! I got the 08 version a day after the release and hope to get this year's game as soon as it hit the shelves!!!

Hope you can help me out. Thankz!!

[alanricouk]

New regens would be great.

I always used to play FM08, knowing it was pointless going too far ahead in a game, since the players coming through were useless at doing anything physical.

Hopefully, this will be fixed.