FM16 - First thoughts on the early disclosures.

[mchbitil]

I personally buy a new FM every year just for four reasons: better AI managers, better transfers, better ME, and up-to-date database of players.

I don't care about bells and whistles and I'm perfectly content with all the UI and features of FM15, 14, 13 etc.

But I believe that SI guys are doing their best every year to improve the points above. The game becomes more realistic from this perspective and this is what I need.

Dynamic rivalries, better press conferences, injury clauses in contracts and other stuff doesn't really add to realism for me. Having Martial score 6 goals in 4 games would add to realism though, transfer prices making sense would add to realism, players not staying without a club because "wage demands too high" would add, etc.etc.

[Dagenham_Dave]

I Having Martial score 6 goals in 4 games would add to realism though.

That's not realism, that's simply mirroring exact events that have happened in real life, there's a subtle difference there, but it's one that more and more people fail to grasp. Football Manager will never exactly mirror real life, and nor should it. The game starts as it is in real life, but as soon as you press continue then you're veering off into something else altogether. Yes, there are aspects that should keep it 'realistic' going forward, but when you start going down the roads of complaining that players are 'overpowered' because they are scoring more in some people's saves than they are in real life - Balotelli in FM15 for example - then this is where the criticism becomes less coherent.

No-one knows what is going to happen in the world of football over the next 12 months. The fact that FM creates its own stories rather than rigidly stick to what people's real life expectations are is one of the game's big strengths IMO. The simulation itself should strive to be realistic as possible in that the way the mechanics work should be roughly how it might happen in real life, but exact outcomes, and scrutinising the 'realism' to the nth degree is only going to severely hamper your enjoyment of the game.

[Overmars]

I personally buy a new FM every year just for four reasons: better AI managers, better transfers, better ME, and up-to-date database of players.

And I focus on that fourth reason you listed. Having updated promotions, relegations, histories, and squads is what I pay for. Everything else is a bonus...although sometimes that bonus is a negative to me. Some of the new features overcomplicate the gameplay (ex. all of the player contract clauses every agent expects you to sift through). I would prefer the new features improve the AI and leave out things that just add tedious clicks to the gameplay.

[isignedupfornorealreason]

And I focus on that fourth reason you listed. Having updated promotions, relegations, histories, and squads is what I pay for. Everything else is a bonus...although sometimes that bonus is a negative to me. Some of the new features overcomplicate the gameplay (ex. all of the player contract clauses every agent expects you to sift through). I would prefer the new features improve the AI and leave out things that just add tedious clicks to the gameplay.

Yeah, sometimes things can be half-cooked. Getting a player knocking on the office door demanding first team football six games in, having started five of them... And they are on a rotation status as well. Some things need fine-tuning, as everything tends to do, somethings are simple fixes, others take a while because a fix can cause something else to pop up - corner exploits comes to mind.

Aside from the media and some elements of player interaction, I like most of the features that have been added down the years. Yesterday I had an encounter for the first time with a feature; I tried signing Michael Carrick on a free with Aston Villa. His agent point blank told me to get lost, but there was an option to speak personally with Carrick. I did so, convinced him to join us and hey presto, I just picked up the signing of a save file, cos he's streets ahead of everyone in my squad, even at a creaky 33 years of age. Little things like that add to the experience, even if sometimes we have to put up with that played five in six but thinks he's not getting enough playing time incidents.

Dynamic rivalries, better press conferences, injury clauses in contracts and other stuff doesn't really add to realism for me. Having Martial score 6 goals in 4 games would add to realism though, transfer prices making sense would add to realism, players not staying without a club because "wage demands too high" would add, etc.etc.

Injuries will add to the realism though. Maybe we can finally have our defenders on the field with that broken cheekbone masks, or players going on the field with an arm cast instead of crying in the physio room with a sprained finger (goalkeepers excluded).

[MBarbaric]

Yeah, sometimes things can be half-cooked. Getting a player knocking on the office door demanding first team football six games in, having started five of them... And they are on a rotation status as well. Some things need fine-tuning, as everything tends to do, somethings are simple fixes, others take a while because a fix can cause something else to pop up .

i see these situations from different angle. just as you are able to be a ***** and downgrade players status (from key player to rotaition i.e.) either by tinkering squad status or simply playing him less than a key player normaly would be played. same thing can do the player. he might sign the contract and agree to be a rotation player and play 5 out of 6 matches, he can still be a ***** and want more, he might even think he deserves to play depending on personality or form... basically i just tend to see these players as pricks ;D

[isignedupfornorealreason]

i see these situations from different angle. just as you are able to be a ***** and downgrade players status (from key player to rotaition i.e.) either by tinkering squad status or simply playing him less than a key player normaly would be played. same thing can do the player. he might sign the contract and agree to be a rotation player and play 5 out of 6 matches, he can still be a ***** and want more, he might even think he deserves to play depending on personality or form... basically i just tend to see these players as pricks ;D

Hmm, then they could at least have it so they ask for an upgrade to their squad status. In fact, Jack Grealish took 30+ games before he came knocking on my office to ask for a first team status as he had clearly broken through to become a regular. That makes sense, but the other situation? Meh. I've had players do the same thing six games in when they haven't started... The Aston Villa file I'm on I had five players within the first few weeks bugging me for playing time, and all of them shut up when I picked the "Look, the season ain't even started yet, save it for like 20 games in yeah?"

It's a drag. I like all the other interactions so far, like players asking to leave to bigger clubs, players asking to leave to smaller clubs for better playing time (Carles Gil is basically being a moody git, he's asked to leave four times and everytime no one takes him he changes his mind... prat!), just that one thing. I do wish I could fine players for breaching confidentiality in the dressing room. Hopefully FM16 will take note of this and allow me to get the entire team to turn against a player blabbing to the media about team talks and whatnot.

[MBarbaric]

It's a drag. I like all the other interactions so far, like players asking to leave to bigger clubs, players asking to leave to smaller clubs for better playing time (Carles Gil is basically being a moody git, he's asked to leave four times and everytime no one takes him he changes his mind... prat!), just that one thing. I do wish I could fine players for breaching confidentiality in the dressing room. Hopefully FM16 will take note of this and allow me to get the entire team to turn against a player blabbing to the media about team talks and whatnot.

That would be a nice idea indeed.

[KnightedManager]

Filipe Luis, Juan Cuardardo and Baba Rahman all say hello.

The AI is worked on every year to improve the logic and sanity, but if it was perfect then it also wouldn't be realistic. Teams do sometimes sign players who can't get a game. The code is in-depth and looks at a number of factors as suggested earlier in this thread but of course there are limitations. When working on something as complex as AI there will be.

Chelsea's signing of players and then selling/loaning for Roman's inflated back hander funded transfer fees in order to expediate FFP compliance shouldn't really count ...

[Sunstrikuuu]

Chelsea's signing of players and then selling/loaning for Roman's inflated back hander funded transfer fees in order to expediate FFP compliance shouldn't really count ...

I dunno, I think it's probably how a significant number of us players play FM. I know I'm frequently guilty of signing players cheaply, knowing I can loan them for a few years (or use them to plug a hole while a prospect develops) and sell them for fairly significant increases.

In terms of some of those players - I guess specifically Cuadrado - that's the clearest example of a manager and a FM DoF in conflict. There was no way Mourinho was ever going to use Cuadrado, because he doesn't use wingers who don't track back and defend. That's a DoF signing a player who doesn't fit the manager's philosophies, not a situation where the AI has signed a player it doesn't need, if that makes sense.

[Fmfan00]

just wondering can anyone at SI confirm if my post #533 is fixed or not for fm16 because i really would like to do that for the creation part but i do not know if it is fixed from fm15 or not.

[mchbitil]

That's not realism, that's simply mirroring exact events that have happened in real life, there's a subtle difference there, but it's one that more and more people fail to grasp.

There is something that you fail to grasp: on FM15 Martial just had poor stats and poor potential, and earlier versions didn't even have him, so if I play earlier FM I can not be even remotely close to real life.

In FM16 his stats will definitely be updated upwards so it would be possible for him to score a lot in EPL, which is exactly the realism I am after.

ps: TIL that this forums censors bad words

[grade]

just wondering can anyone at SI confirm if my post #533 is fixed or not for fm16 because i really would like to do that for the creation part but i do not know if it is fixed from fm15 or not.

Your guess as as good as mine. No one knows of this moment and probably you will know nearer to release date or almost certain only with the demo or the beta if you pre-order the game.

[Dagenham_Dave]

There is something that you fail to grasp: on FM15 Martial just had sh*tty stats and sh*tty potential, and earlier versions didn't even have him, so if I play earlier FM I can not be even remotely close to real life.

In FM16 his stats will definitely be updated upwards so it would be possible for him to score a lot in EPL, which is exactly the realism I am after.

Yes, his stats will be better this year, as he's a much better player than he was a year ago. It's not exactly rocket science. I'd also be prepared to bet than on FM15's release, you had absolutely no idea who he was.

[Cougar2010]

There is something that you fail to grasp: on FM15 Martial just had poor stats and poor potential, and earlier versions didn't even have him, so if I play earlier FM I can not be even remotely close to real life.

In FM16 his stats will definitely be updated upwards so it would be possible for him to score a lot in EPL, which is exactly the realism I am after.

ps: TIL that this forums censors bad words

Yes, his stats will be better this year, as he's a much better player than he was a year ago. It's not exactly rocket science. I'd also be prepared to bet than on FM15's release, you had absolutely no idea who he was.

mchbitil is also once again wrong but its hardly a surprise.

Martial has a high negative PA in the database therefore depending on the roll of the dice at the beginning of a save he can come out at anywhere from a solid EPL player to a wonderkid. He also has a decent starting CA which would easily see him as a good squad player one year into the save, ie now.

[mchbitil]

mchbitil is also once again wrong but its hardly a surprise.

Martial has a high negative PA in the database therefore depending on the roll of the dice at the beginning of a save he can come out at anywhere from a solid EPL player to a wonderkid. He also has a decent starting CA which would easily see him as a good squad player one year into the save, ie now.

Well, it never happened on my save that Martial became a world class wonderkid. Though, I didn't start too many saves.

I see that you, as Dagenham_Dave, don't understand what realism actually means. Realism means that if I know that Martial is good in real life, Martial has to be good in my game (at least in first season) too. It shouldn't be up to a roll of the dice. And this is what I'm pretty confident will be updated in FM16, and this is what I have paid for (since i pre-purchased FM16 already). Of course, I'm paying not only for Martial, but for updates for everyone across the board.

I don't really see your point though. Why do you have to pick on me and start an argument out of nowhere? I know you Cougar2010 from a few previous threads as sometimes helpful but more often very negative person. I have just explained my reasons for buying FM16, and both you and Dagenham_Dave jump on me. Why? Do you think it is somehow wrong to want updated stats on the players?

[samdiatmh]

The AI hasn't bought or sold players on reputation alone or as a primary factor for years, in fact the reason you see instances of players being bought & not used is because of SI's attempts to make player purchase based more on scout recommendation, current & medium range form, preferred formations & whether the player matches their preferred roles.

my problem with the AI is that they'll sign 2 (or more) players in quick succession that can compete in a similar role - hence the reserves basis

in my latest save, I had PSG come in for Balanta (fair enough) and then watched as they signed Laporte that very same window (errm, didn't you just shell out 30m for Balanta?)

they may have had a DC role to be filled (unlikely with David Luiz, Marquinhos and Tiago Silva already there) but then it became ridiculous - to the point where Balanta wasn't even registered for Europe that season

as an FYI, Balanta was rated as a 3* for me (with 5* potential), but had appeared regularly for my Premiership winning side (he complained about wanting more money from PSG)

Laporte was rated a bit higher (and still playing for his starting club) and they triggered the release clause

-------

as for the above, people were still shocked about Martial when ManUtd signed him (even some posting about it a week later)

LINKY

just like Harry Kane was poor on the default game (did alright in the Spurs youth team appearing in the Europa league)

and then he got buffed to buggery in the Jan patch

and maybe they're singling you out in particular because you like to complain about realism, which goes out the door the second you press continue for the first time

if you're that fussed about realism, then maybe the game should forcibly remove you from your post if you're not the manager IRL

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as for other things, I'm a little disappointed with the build up to FM16 - especially with there being a month till release (though I suspect it'll ramp up in time for the beta)

in previous years, we've had blogs, podcasts, small videos

whereas this year, we've not had anything except for the release features (and the shirtgate video, which wouldn't have been released if not for the backlash)

[Dagenham_Dave]

I see that you, as Dagenham_Dave, don't understand what realism actually means. Realism means that if I know that Martial is good in real life, Martial has to be good in my game (at least in first season) too.

Martial might lose form and not score another goal this season. Martial might also get a cruciate ligament injury and not play again this season. What you're doing is basing what you expect this player to be like purely based on form over a 6-week period. That's not 'realism', that's just trying to make a carbon copy of the opening period of one season. FM has its own world when you first hit continue. I'd expect Martial to be a top young player in the game, but what if it doesn't work out for him in real life? What if in your game, he scores 35 goals in the first season, but doesn't reach double figures this season in real life? How does that sit with your skewed vision of 'realism'?

[Cougar2010]

Well, it never happened on my save that Martial became a world class wonderkid. Though, I didn't start too many saves.

I see that you, as Dagenham_Dave, don't understand what realism actually means. Realism means that if I know that Martial is good in real life, Martial has to be good in my game (at least in first season) too. It shouldn't be up to a roll of the dice. And this is what I'm pretty confident will be updated in FM16, and this is what I have paid for (since i pre-purchased FM16 already). Of course, I'm paying not only for Martial, but for updates for everyone across the board.

You are basing your point on Martial as you see him now since his move to Man Utd. It is also based on a small number of good performances, come the end of the season your opinion of him may have changed.

FM15 is based on football as it was in August 2014. A year is a long time in football, especially for young players and FM isn't a crystal ball there will always be an element of catch up in FM.

Martial was a top young player in August 2014 and that is reflected in both his CA & PA in FM15. In my current save he has gone on to play for top clubs and has about 30 caps for France in his late 20s.

I don't really see your point though. Why do you have to pick on me and start an argument out of nowhere? I know you Cougar2010 from a few previous threads as sometimes helpful but more often very negative person. I have just explained my reasons for buying FM16, and both you and Dagenham_Dave jump on me. Why? Do you think it is somehow wrong to want updated stats on the players?

This was your comment and it was after Hunt3r edited the swearing albeit very mild:

There is something that you fail to grasp: on FM15 Martial just had poor stats and poor potential, and earlier versions didn't even have him, so if I play earlier FM I can not be even remotely close to real life.

In FM16 his stats will definitely be updated upwards so it would be possible for him to score a lot in EPL, which is exactly the realism I am after.

ps: TIL that this forums censors bad words

Do you have an issue with people pointing out where you are wrong?

[Svenc]

Martial might lose form and not score another goal this season. Martial might also get a cruciate ligament injury and not play again this season. What you're doing is basing what you expect this player to be like purely based on form over a 6-week period. That's not 'realism', that's just trying to make a carbon copy of the opening period of one season. FM has its own world when you first hit continue. I'd expect Martial to be a top young player in the game, but what if it doesn't work out for him in real life? What if in your game, he scores 35 goals in the first season, but doesn't reach double figures this season in real life? How does that sit with your skewed vision of 'realism'?

Plus performance itself isn't only down to stats/abilty (in the game, too), it's how a player is utilized as well. It has often been complained about that Messi/Ronaldo wouldn't score as regularly as in real football, but whilst I don't see that hugely much anymore, if you see how in the game there are sometimes utilized due to AI bias OR outright weakness (such as lone forwards in tendency being isolated by default by any AI), that's what you get.

I.e. at the most extreme, a human manager, if he truly wants to, can make a single player the sole target who gets at the end of things in and around the box (not advisable for a couple of reasons, but he can). You can turn an average guy into a pretty regular goal scoring threat, and your most valuable asset, going by "key stats" so valued in ratings. This proves a problem with AI as well, as AI also target players based on their ratings too -- and such may pick up players that aren't actually that good (which is already happening to some degree). Really great point about runs over short periods of time, any run can be more down to random chance rather than purely skill than many think it to be (which is why betting outlets love to publish such trends, btw. -- why would they do that if that would increase a punter's chance / decrease their profits?) There's that concept called "regression to the mean", and it applies to pretty much everything. In other words, it would be folly for the United research to completely dismiss previous performance simply due to such a small sample of games (and media who earn a living by telling spiced up sensationalist stories of heroes and losers, of huge fees and miracle runs, accordingly to demand). Even half a season in my opinion wouldn't justify a serious re-ranking for any player, unless it would completely contradict previous assessments. But then Martial is pretty highly rated as is, he made the list of wonderkids some fansites publish as early as FM 2013 in 2012.

[Mr U Rosler]

I'm not sure we actually need many more new features.

There is a natural limit to the number of features a game like this can have, unless they just add them to meet the expectations of the ignorant masses, in which case you'll end up with a massively bloated game.

Hopefully there will be a day when they can just polish what is already there.

[Sunstrikuuu]

Well, it never happened on my save that Martial became a world class wonderkid. Though, I didn't start too many saves.

I see that you, as Dagenham_Dave, don't understand what realism actually means. Realism means that if I know that Martial is good in real life, Martial has to be good in my game (at least in first season) too. It shouldn't be up to a roll of the dice. And this is what I'm pretty confident will be updated in FM16, and this is what I have paid for (since i pre-purchased FM16 already). Of course, I'm paying not only for Martial, but for updates for everyone across the board.

Well, speaking only of Martial, he has a -high PA. So there's a random element to his stats, but they're within a fairly narrow range, between 150 and 180. So it's guaranteed that, developed correctly, Martial will develop into at least a pretty good player. He'll be able to start for most Premier League teams, and nearly every team outside the Champions League. In the best case, he'll develop into one of the top few strikers in world football and be quite similar to Thierry Henry. So I think it's fair to say that you do know that Martial will be a good player.

Now, if he's not developed correctly that's a different thing. There's no guarantee he won't get injured or something. But then there's also no guarantee at all that the real life version of Martial hasn't basically finished developing. Everyone sees a 19 year old who's more than adequate for the English Premier League and assumes that means he'll get a lot better, but it's just as likely that this is the finished Anthony Martial, that he's a 150 CA 155 PA player.

Dear Kriss: You've already said in other threads that you don't read the boards anymore. Go away.

[KnightedManager]

my problem with the AI is that they'll sign 2 (or more) players in quick succession that can compete in a similar role - hence the reserves basis

in my latest save, I had PSG come in for Balanta (fair enough) and then watched as they signed Laporte that very same window (errm, didn't you just shell out 30m for Balanta?)

they may have had a DC role to be filled (unlikely with David Luiz, Marquinhos and Tiago Silva already there) but then it became ridiculous - to the point where Balanta wasn't even registered for Europe that season

as an FYI, Balanta was rated as a 3* for me (with 5* potential), but had appeared regularly for my Premiership winning side (he complained about wanting more money from PSG)

Laporte was rated a bit higher (and still playing for his starting club) and they triggered the release clause

-------

YES. All the time. Drives me mental. The Unregistered for Europe thing is so irritating it's beyond belief.

[Carninho]

my problem with the AI is that they'll sign 2 (or more) players in quick succession that can compete in a similar role - hence the reserves basis

in my latest save, I had PSG come in for Balanta (fair enough) and then watched as they signed Laporte that very same window (errm, didn't you just shell out 30m for Balanta?)

they may have had a DC role to be filled (unlikely with David Luiz, Marquinhos and Tiago Silva already there) but then it became ridiculous - to the point where Balanta wasn't even registered for Europe that season

as an FYI, Balanta was rated as a 3* for me (with 5* potential), but had appeared regularly for my Premiership winning side (he complained about wanting more money from PSG)

Laporte was rated a bit higher (and still playing for his starting club) and they triggered the release clause

-------

it happens IRL all the time. the last window saw WHU sign Antonio and he hasnt started a match yet as they also got in Moses & Lanzini. Spurs did the same when the spent all the Gareth Bale money. Chelsea do it too, look at the amount of players they have signed only to given them a game or 2 then sell on for a fraction of the price they paid for them.

at the end of the day its an AI manager doing this, if you play PES and FIFA it happens in those games too to a much higher degree. In FM i do see it but not as much, and only with a handful of high rep clubs.

[QWERTYOP]

It's basically looking like being FM 15.5 if we're being honest, but I'm ok with that. I've said for a while now that from year to year there's too much change for the sake of it.

[Dagenham_Dave]

YES. All the time. Drives me mental. The Unregistered for Europe thing is so irritating it's beyond belief.

Why does it 'irritate you beyond belief'? Seriously.

Personally, I hardly ever, if ever, see instances like this. It might well go on in my saves, but I tend not to spend the whole time I'm playing the game furiously studying other teams' squad lists just to spot some anomaly somewhere.

[roykela]

Why does it 'irritate you beyond belief'? Seriously.

Personally, I hardly ever, if ever, see instances like this. It might well go on in my saves, but I tend not to spend the whole time I'm playing the game furiously studying other teams' squad lists just to spot some anomaly somewhere.

It happens fairly often. I don't go studying the other teams but i do check them if i'm playing against them. They do tend to have some odd players registered instead of obvious ones.

Another thing as well, as i've noticed when taking over different clubs, that a lot of players aren't even registered for their own league.

They might, let's just say, have a first team squad of 25 players, which also need to be registered. Where only half the squad is registered.

When it's time to register again i find that there shouldn't and wouldn't have been a problem registering those players at all.

Instead i have half the first team squad and sometimes no reserves or youngsters as they have all been sold, released or sent out on loan to other clubs.

Also noticed that quite a few of those not registered, regardless of which country and league (of course, it needs to be somewhere where registration happens), are

very often new signings with key player status or important player status.

Signed before registration closes.

Although i doesn't irritate me beyond belief personally i can certainly understand that it might do just that to people.

Because it's pretty outrageous at times (in lack of a better word at this very moment).

[benallen002]

Personally, I think alot of the reason why some people don't think the AI squad building is as good as it is comes from the fact that it makes mistakes the user wouldn't make because the user is given too many advantages over the AI.

Does it have a lot of faults? Of course, that's why they tweak it very update. But I think if you were to drastically reduce the accuracy of scouting for the user, it would level the playing field and people might see how easy it can be to sign the "wrong player".

[Sunstrikuuu]

It happens fairly often. I don't go studying the other teams but i do check them if i'm playing against them. They do tend to have some odd players registered instead of obvious ones.

Another thing as well, as i've noticed when taking over different clubs, that a lot of players aren't even registered for their own league.

They might, let's just say, have a first team squad of 25 players, which also need to be registered. Where only half the squad is registered.

When it's time to register again i find that there shouldn't and wouldn't have been a problem registering those players at all.

Instead i have half the first team squad and sometimes no reserves or youngsters as they have all been sold, released or sent out on loan to other clubs.

Also noticed that quite a few of those not registered, regardless of which country and league (of course, it needs to be somewhere where registration happens), are

very often new signings with key player status or important player status.

Signed before registration closes.

Although i doesn't irritate me beyond belief personally i can certainly understand that it might do just that to people.

Because it's pretty outrageous at times (in lack of a better word at this very moment).

You can see registration logic being a bit suboptimal at times when you hit the Auto-Select button on your own team. It's usually not a huge deal, and I've certainly never seen it so bad that it'd completely cripple a team. I don't know quite what causes it - obviously, I'm not a coder or anything. I wonder though if it's linked to tactics or to the depth charts. It does seem to prioritize giving spots in the registered squad to players who are talented enough to start every match and also U-21 and thus eligible without registration.

[Sunstrikuuu]

Personally, I think alot of the reason why some people don't think the AI squad building is as good as it is comes from the fact that it makes mistakes the user wouldn't make because the user is given too many advantages over the AI.

Does it have a lot of faults? Of course, that's why they tweak it very update. But I think if you were to drastically reduce the accuracy of scouting for the user, it would level the playing field and people might see how easy it can be to sign the "wrong player".

I've actually found that my squadbuilding has changed dramatically as I've move back into playing in Italy. In Italy, you have a 12-man bench, rather than for example the EPL's 7 or the 5 of the Scottish Championship. I've started signing more players than I otherwise would have, because I know I can have them on the bench ready to play. And then they never do because I don't actually need them.

As for reducing scouting accuracy, I strongly disagree, provided we're talking about players within the top 2 levels of football in main European countries. I have no opinion on accuracy for the Faroe Islands or Gibraltar or whatever. But there's enough television coverage and other information freely available to the general public that scouting accuracy should remain relatively high for players in publicized leagues.

[benallen002]

But there's enough television coverage and other information freely available to the general public that scouting accuracy should remain relatively high for players in publicized leagues.

Perhaps. Though I'm not completely sold on the idea that you can avoid signing a mistake of a player based on publicly available information, or even watching in action 3 or 4 times; which is about all it takes to get most players scouted to within max accuracy in the game (even with Scouts attributes accounted for). Player Personality is a big one (you can see that without scouting him at all!) as well as almost all the mental attributes; those should never be fully "scoutable" and should only reveal themselves after a player has been in your squad for sometime, IMO.

Ask yourself this question: what is the ratio of players you've signed that have panned out to those that haven't? For me, it's too high without using "house rules", and I find that to be because if I use the game's features to their fullest extent, I just know too much about the player and rarely make a mistake. Who knows the real number of course, but IRL, I'd argue that ratio is close to 1:1 for most teams not at the elite level of scouting networks.

[Sunstrikuuu]

What type of players are you talking about? If wee're talking about buying 16 and 17 year olds, then actually, yes, I do think that there's a bit too much information available (drop the media handling style. He's 15. He's never been interviewed once.). For senior players, I think it's fine.

[flogside]

Really cant believe that with a little over 2 weeks until the beta is released that the (lack of) promotion for this game hasnt improved.

Completely underwhelmed by what is announced already, none of which interests me personally at all and with the bare minimum promotion they have done, very disappointing! Just my personal opinion.

[HTC]

Will Fantasy Draft work with players around the world (through online servers or something that will keep finding players for tournaments, like fifa for example) or only friends?

Huge excitement if its the first, dissapointed if its only for friends and hard to find opponents.

[fabioke]

Really cant believe that with a little over 2 weeks until the beta is released that the (lack of) promotion for this game hasnt improved.

Completely underwhelmed by what is announced already, none of which interests me personally at all and with the bare minimum promotion they have done, very disappointing! Just my personal opinion.

I don't feel the hype this year, might be the first year that I will not preorder the game.

Normally my intention is to wait for my favorite expansions to come out. But every year I fail miserably and I end up preordering the game.Last year it was the documentary combined with the feature video that did the trick.

So I’m ready to be surprised.

[Fond Foat]

Thats gets to exactly my point, Why are we expected to pay full price for whats basically an ME update with latest squad lists. Seems like buying the game every few years now is the way to go.

You are correct. Every 3 years seems to be about right looking back over the series history.

[martplfc1]

It's not something new really is it. I've played the game for ages now and can remember only very few "game changing" features. Let's not forget you'll probably be able to purchase FM16 for £20 somewhere. I'd say that's a bargain considering you can pay around three times that amount for the new FIFA or PES.

[lpcinder]

I love the new features. Great work SI! I'm still totally hooked on fm2015. It had been a long time since I last enjoyed an fm version so much.

[John_Wayne_was_a_nazi]

I just wanted to know, for the past couple of years there was a video on youtube explaining the new features that would come up roughly around a month before the game. Will there be such video this year?

[iolodavanki]

I heard that the data cut-off for FM16 was October 8th, which ironically coincides with when Klopp was announced as the new LFC manager. Klopp was confirmed late in the evening though and I am concerned that Rodgers may still be at the helm in FM16. Any thoughts?

[grade]

Rogers was sacked before that date, what can happen is Liverpool has no manager assigned. But I find it more likely to have Klopp as manager of Liverpool. But no matter, if he is not Liverpool manager, a quick edit on editor (full game that is) is easily fixed.

This year the EPL promises to be great competition IRL and in game.

[Spedding]

I heard that the data cut-off for FM16 was October 8th, which ironically coincides with when Klopp was announced as the new LFC manager. Klopp was confirmed late in the evening though and I am concerned that Rodgers may still be at the helm in FM16. Any thoughts?

been asked on twitter to miles the other day been confirmed klopp made data lock

[iolodavanki]

been asked on twitter to miles the other day been confirmed klopp made data lock

fantastic!

[timmy]

It seems to me that the level of interest in FM 16 seems much much lower than previous years.

[Maw74]

been asked on twitter to miles the other day been confirmed klopp made data lock

Will laugh if he is the first to get the chop in my game.

[flogside]

It seems to me that the level of interest in FM 16 seems much much lower than previous years.

Well you would know........1999 you joined the forums, longest serving member i remember seeing lol!!! Yeah im sure some people love the sound of the new features and will love the game, and good for them, i hope thats the case! Just for me the new features hold absolutely no interest whatsoever and dont get me excited at all. Im really disappointed that once again it appears that the youth side of FM hasnt been improved. I know the restrictions on having under 16's in the game which is a real shame but this side of things really needs improving. Things like bringing academies into the game like clubs have in real life would be great. But Manager on the touchline, fantasy draft and create a club?? Just gimmicky to me and adds nothing to the game. But thats just me, im sure lots of people will love it as i said already.

Who knows, maybe ill be surprised and love the game, hope so, but cant see that happening at the moment.

[dllu]

been asked on twitter to miles the other day been confirmed klopp made data lock

But that makes no sense since the game will start at the beginning of the season - when Rodgers was still manager.

[davidhu1999]

The match analysis feature may be useful. I sometimes use the existing match analysis tool

during half time if my team wasn't playing as well as I expected. So an analysis tool with more

advanced functionality might be useful.

Other features are mostly cosmetic and do not appeal to me.

[YOUNGSTEVE]

It seems to me that the level of interest in FM 16 seems much much lower than previous years.

That's because SI seem more interested in talking about it on social media like Facecrap & Titter, & not on these boards like it once was. The changes also look very cosmetic as well.

[Guest]

One side of the community asks for SI to stop with the eye catching features & concentrate on improving the overall mechanics, another side complains that there are not enough eye catching features.

Tough to be SI.

[grade]

My main criticism is not the features themselves, but the lack of buzz SI is making with this new release.