Football Manager 2020 - Feature Announcement Blogs

[Rashidi]

Yeah so far these UI changes are looking like a definite QOL improvement for a lot of people even for some of the hardcore users. The issue with custom views has been around so long I have gotten used to them by now. I love code of conduct and I can see myself carrying a bigger stick. The biggest issue this game has had for many years is how overwhelming the UI can be for a new user, so getting new players a more streamlined interface where important features are easier to access is going to be good. I only discovered that "loan reports" were in the Transfers section YESTERDAY, so you can imagine how happy I was to see it up front and centre in a landing page which is all about development.

[mhaffy]

49 minutes ago, roykela said:

Excited for FM20 to come out. I like the headline features.
If implemented correctly it could change the way i play the game significantly.

My biggest hope, though, is that they have fixed the everlasting issues with custom views.
They have been wonky for way too many years now.

Like you I really do hope that the long ongoing issues with custom views, continually having to re-size columns, are finally addressed and fixed. I have been raising this issue for years now with  nothing changing. Looking back through my old posts I note that the SI response to me after flagging issue again at time of FM17 beta was

"Thanks for your comments guys.

The issue is under review and we take all your feedback forward to help shape future editions of the game"

Issue was still there in FM18.......

Fingers heavily crossed but .......

[Guest]

I will give more time to SI, to present new features. I am really disappointment so far.

[DMaster2]

As usual no love for international managers i see

[janrzm]

6 hours ago, Rashidi said:

Yeah so far these UI changes are looking like a definite QOL improvement for a lot of people even for some of the hardcore users. The issue with custom views has been around so long I have gotten used to them by now. I love code of conduct and I can see myself carrying a bigger stick. The biggest issue this game has had for many years is how overwhelming the UI can be for a new user, so getting new players a more streamlined interface where important features are easier to access is going to be good. I only discovered that "loan reports" were in the Transfers section YESTERDAY, so you can imagine how happy I was to see it up front and centre in a landing page which is all about development.

I just watched your FM20 Preview on YT. I wanted to say thanks for the honest assessment of what's been revealed so far and you summed up exactly how I feel. Many of us love this game and dedicate thousands of hours to playing, it can be difficult to be critical of something you value so highly. The bottom line is the game will only improve if the community respond with honesty about the "new features" and the existing flaws. Thank you.

Edited September 25, 2019 by janrzm

[nicko]

I hope transfers are much more realistic this time around.. It's a joke and completely unrealistic

SI take note! I have said this since 2015 it needs a complete rehaul!

 

 

[Svenc]

21 hours ago, Johnny Ace said:

but the ass man's advice really needs to be improved. I mentioned on the feedback thread for FM19 yesterday, the advice he offers is useless, he doesn't know our system, if I'm playing a direct game & have 49% possession, he'll recommend shorter passing when that could totally go against your system.

Yeah that's a good Point. As I've argued in more recent times, it is debatable whether the game has at all embraced such a Thing such as Management and playing styles yet. Players, including AI, all get to (micro)-tweak their stuff and/or get to work from losely "Presets" -- the latter of which technically just being SI Micro-Settings (interpretations of a style) giving a Fancy name. There is Nothing or Little inside the Code that addresses "playing styles" as such proper. Actually, all Managers get to invent their own interpretations of a style. It's arguably impossible to Code feedback that makes sense within context -- when that context arguably isn'T even a thing in the game. Obviously depending on a style, you're Looking at hugely different benchmarks.

If Sean Dyche's assistant Manager would tell him that he'd concede a load of shots and suggest that he may Change his Approach, Dyche'd tell him to bugger off. It's inherent to his Deep Blocking brand of Football. He's not fussed About those shots -- and be it the most in Europe's top leagues, as of December 2017 when he sat top six with Burnley btw. He'S fussed About what those shots are like. Now obviously Things in Football are Pretty varied. Not every defensive style is the same as Dyche -- same as not every possession style is the same as Pep's. However, I think for a game, you have to conceptualize things at some Point, and may make a few cuts. Or else you may face a Task that is impossible...

Obviously the advice the assistant offers currently is nothing like he would manage the match himself would he take over -- luckily at all. At the same time, it may spring the Question why both -- the AI advice (and thus "Analysis") -- and their actual Management are being treated like two different things from the go. 

Edited September 26, 2019 by Svenc

[Double0Seven]

15 hours ago, mhaffy said:

Like you I really do hope that the long ongoing issues with custom views, continually having to re-size columns, are finally addressed and fixed. I have been raising this issue for years now with  nothing changing. Looking back through my old posts I note that the SI response to me after flagging issue again at time of FM17 beta was

"Thanks for your comments guys.

The issue is under review and we take all your feedback forward to help shape future editions of the game"

Issue was still there in FM18.......

Fingers heavily crossed but .......

I can remember the same issue floating around in FM 15 it was? If you google the issue, there are people from fm 15 who report similar problems with custom views so I remembered correctly.

People will always complain about SI not doing enough, but I surely hope like you that this issue is fixed after 5 years. As a programmer I know its hard to fix certain problems, but after 5 years, countless of reports and a reproducible problem?

I hope its gone by now...

Edited September 26, 2019 by Double0Seven

[Toin]

Will expected goals (xG) be in the game to give you an idea how you are doing? I'd like to be able to see it per game, and also perhaps a running average over 10 games to give you an idea of whether you should make changes, or bad results are just a fluke.

[Sheriff7]

12 hours ago, DMaster2 said:

As usual no love for international managers i see

Definitely...

[Sheriff7]

 

[DP]

Surprised at how many people care about the B team

[chuckles1234]

When they say "headline features"... does it mean that these (development centre etc.) are the biggest changes in 2020?

I couldn't care less about new features, the amount in there at present is great. I just hope they've significantly improved the match engine. 2019 was released with very problematic strikers; through balls; crossing etc etc and most of the ME problems couldn't be fixed in the patches. 

[gunner86]

32 minutes ago, chuckles1234 said:

When they say "headline features"... does it mean that these (development centre etc.) are the biggest changes in 2020?

I couldn't care less about new features, the amount in there at present is great. I just hope they've significantly improved the match engine. 2019 was released with very problematic strikers; through balls; crossing etc etc and most of the ME problems couldn't be fixed in the patches. 

Changes to the ME is kept separate and there will be news and videos much closer to release when they get closer to the ME version that is locked for release.

Miles has said on Twitter that they are still working on it, so it’s very difficult to see how there won’t be changes and/or improvements.

[Bunkerossian]

It is good that they are working on it. I'd even accept delays in release if it meant a better game.

[Vali184]

I hope that unplayable spanish B teams can promote through the divisions in FM20. I was hoping that the B team news would include general B team behavior, not only some updates for how B teams work in the MLS.

If you start a save with a spanish team that has a B team in an unplayable division, then it is almost impossible to develop quality players for the future. They get to play only with u19 players. The point of B teams is that the reserves players can play against higher quality opponents and not other kids.

Edited September 26, 2019 by Vali184

[armbi]

MLS b-teams vastly improved!!! My dreams comes true! 😆😆😆

[herne79]

34 minutes ago, Vali184 said:

If you start a save with a spanish team that has a B team in an unplayable division, then it is almost impossible to develop quality players for the future.

@Seb Wassell Seb, not really FM20 related as I seem to remember you discussing this on the forum before (edge of memory).  Could you shed a little more light on how player development via unplayable teams (such as in Spain) works?

[Bigpole]

11 minutes ago, herne79 said:

@Seb Wassell Seb, not really FM20 related as I seem to remember you discussing this on the forum before (edge of memory).  Could you shed a little more light on how player development via unplayable teams (such as in Spain) works?

I thought that promotion from unplayable league is a little bit mix of reputation and 'correct region' B team is promoted into. And afaik spanish B teams are little different with training and development control (they have separate stuff for a and b team I think?)

[Vali184]

52 minutes ago, herne79 said:

@Seb Wassell Seb, not really FM20 related as I seem to remember you discussing this on the forum before (edge of memory).  Could you shed a little more light on how player development via unplayable teams (such as in Spain) works?

I have no control over the staff, as in I can't fire or sign any staff members. I can't control individual training, even if I set it so in staff responsibilities (sign/fire staff is also assigned to me). I can't control who plays more, who starts matches. I found a tip online that said to move your best youths to B team. Or another one that said to increase the B team's reputation with the editor. Neither worked. These are what I can remember, I have another LLM save now that I play.

I'm not being negative, I enjoyed that save a lot, but I never managed to promote the B team to a playable league and got bored, I wanted to have control over the B team. I have to say that they were not in the next league below the last playable one.

Edited September 26, 2019 by Vali184

[Guest]

4 hours ago, DP said:

Surprised at how many people care about the B team

It's the gap between youngster & elite team.

[WelshMourinho]

I'm not sure how to feel about all the 'improvements' to the input our backroom staff provides.

Every previous iteration of FM has had our staff members advising us with absolute load of nonsense year on year, so it doesn't fill me with joy when one of the main first features released is how much more important they're going to be for the user.

Now if they provide a genuine, logical viewpoint that helps us during the game whether it be with tactics or any other thing we have to do at the club then fantastic! I'm all for it. But if we get the same useless tidbits of advice we've always received, it's a bit meh in my opinion.

I've the same view when it comes to the players playing time pathway. Okay it's nice to have it planned out for future seasons and all that, but I don't think it's fundamentally going to change anything. Every FM player in the world is still going to look to tutor the best personality type onto a youngster, and is going to give them plenty of game time from the age of 18 hoping they turn out world class. All this feature seems to do, imo, is let us do a few more clicks before we can crack on with it.

There's plenty of stuff I do love though, The idea of the club vision is great, and something that has been needed in the game. Especially with how clubs irl have taken the approach of sticking to an identity, this way of doing things should be a massive improvement on mere philosophies that you can sack off as soon as you start doing well anyway. I'm looking forward to using it in game.

Code of conduct is another little thing I love. 

Like many others, the deal breaker for me is how the attacking ME looks. Because FM19's was quite frankly painful to sit through at times. Dreadful movement from attackers ahead of the ball. Silly goals galore. The amount of goals that followed the script of : CB is in yards of space under no pressure decides to for whatever reason head it straight to an attacker. It was horrible. Then you'd have to read about how they hit you on the counter as if they were managed by prime Mourinho. 

I'd like to see a more adventurous AI too. God forbid you had a slight reputation advantage in FM19. 10 men behind the ball with a support duty striker left the games feeling extremely boring. They usually show the ME far closer to release date. For now I'll trust SI because I do think they know where the problems lie, and I'm excited to see what they've come up with for this year.

 

[chuckles1234]

9 hours ago, gunner86 said:

Changes to the ME is kept separate and there will be news and videos much closer to release when they get closer to the ME version that is locked for release.

Miles has said on Twitter that they are still working on it, so it’s very difficult to see how there won’t be changes and/or improvements.

Yeah, I'm just saying that these new features aren't great leaps forward compared to previous releases, so I'm hoping that more has gone into the ME. 

[gunner86]

6 hours ago, chuckles1234 said:

Yeah, I'm just saying that these new features aren't great leaps forward compared to previous releases, so I'm hoping that more has gone into the ME. 

They're worked on by different teams, so less of one thing doesn't mean more of the other.

That being said, it doesn't mean we can't hope they've allocated more of their budget to the ME team and got a few more guys in.

Edited September 27, 2019 by gunner86

[Preveza]

I'm very disappointed with those personally. Of all the things that have been asked for on their site for the last 5 years, this is what they gave us? And have touted them as things people asked for? I've never seen a single one of these things in the request forum. Which I visit almost daily.

First of all, two of these "changes" aren't even a changes at all. The first they just finally fixed how busted and lame end of season team talks were. All they did was change the wording to match the new objective system. This isn't its own feature, its part of the other and a fix. Not really something to tout as its own thing.

The responsibility screen was re-arranged. Not a feature or a quality of life change. Its exactly the same, just a different way of displaying it. And they added one new option.

Getting an email about jobs in your inbox isn't if you have no job isn't new. It just looks different now (graphical change). Not a feature or a quality of life change in my opinion. Who doesn't constantly look at the Job Security screen when you don't have job anyways?

The advice during team meetings one, they showed the wrong screen shot. Nothing new in that screen shot at all from past games. And why would I want my staff advice for start of the season team talk anyways? I know what the board expect for the season, and that is what I'm telling the team I expect of them. I don't care what the assistant thinks about that.

This is all pretty weak to me. I was expecting better, and honestly at this point more of an update.

[超级足球狂热迷]

To give a real suggestion, the focus is to improve the quality of the picture, change the proportion of players and venues, why so many unreasonable shots, is because too much space leads to too many shooting opportunities in the game, in order not to appear table tennis score.

Force out the golden finger's rescue and shoot into the goalkeeper's body.

Many players want to play the game well, but many pictures feel unreal.

[rdbayly]

7 minutes ago, 超级足球狂热迷 said:

Force out the golden finger's rescue and shoot into the goalkeeper's body.

Er, pardon?

[MBarbaric]

35 minuti fa, rdbayly ha scritto:

Er, pardon?

you know, when the striker shoots at the goalkeeper and the goalie pulls out a a finger rescue. His body explodes but the finger remains almost intact, albeit detached from the rest of the body which, itself, is completely detached with numerous parts slowly settling on the ground.

Edited September 27, 2019 by MBarbaric

[gunner86]

At this point, I fell the need to ask, what big important, amazing features are people expecting to be added to  game that has been running since 2004 (in it's current guise, and a further 22 yeares before that as CM), and is already pretty feature heavy?

[evilpimp972]

il y a 26 minutes, gunner86 a dit :

At this point, I fell the need to ask, what big important, amazing features are people expecting to be added to  game that has been running since 2004 (in it's current guise, and a further 22 yeares before that as CM), and is already pretty feature heavy?

A new ME? 

[HUNT3R]

6 minutes ago, evilpimp972 said:

A new ME? 

You mean like CM4 had?

[themadsheep2001]

1 minute ago, HUNT3R said:

You mean like CM4 had?

Let us never mention that version again

[gunner86]

8 minutes ago, evilpimp972 said:

A new ME? 

The ME is being worked on, and when it's ready, more will be announced. But as people keep pointing out about the Headline Features for this year - that's not a new feature, that's just improving an old one.

[HUNT3R]

1 minute ago, themadsheep2001 said:

Let us never mention that version again

Haha. Exactly.

[Double0Seven]

This is the curse of every big franchise that has no real competitor. Or just look at FIFA/Pes. Or huge games like Lol/Dota where new features aren't exactly game breaking either. Or the king of shooters csgo where you are lucky that a new game breaking feature is added once every 5 years. 

There's only so much you can do and add to a game about kicking a ball around. 

People need to down their expectations. I do however think that SI can do more, but not "brand new shiny feature" more. Refine what's already there and I don't talk about adding more UI screens that only confuse new players and "features" such as a rule change. 

[CFuller]

41 minutes ago, gunner86 said:

At this point, I fell the need to ask, what big important, amazing features are people expecting to be added to  game that has been running since 2004 (in it's current guise, and a further 22 yeares before that as CM), and is already pretty feature heavy?

You might be getting mixed up here, as the Championship Manager series only began in 1992. It was the original Football Manager that came out in 1982 - 22 years before the current FM era began. 

Pedantry aside, this is pretty much the same point I've been making for a few years now. SI have spent 25+ years developing a football management simulation which is now SO in-depth that there's very little they haven't added. I doubt we could name many new "big important, amazing features" which would improve Football Manager without turning it into Football Chairman/Insert Other Job Title Here.

[gunner86]

12 minutes ago, CFuller said:

You might be getting mixed up here, as the Championship Manager series only began in 1992. It was the original Football Manager that came out in 1982 - 22 years before the current FM era began. 

Pedantry aside, this is pretty much the same point I've been making for a few years now. SI have spent 25+ years developing a football management simulation which is now SO in-depth that there's very little they haven't added. I doubt we could name many new "big important, amazing features" which would improve Football Manager without turning it into Football Chairman/Insert Other Job Title Here.

I even Googled Championship Manager and indeed got 1992. For someone whose job relies entirely on his maths ability (plus my dashing good looks and boyish charms), that is one massive blunder. I knew there was a 2 in there.

Edited September 27, 2019 by gunner86

[Rien102]

il y a 14 minutes, gunner86 a dit :

For someone whose job relies entirely on his maths ability (plus my dashing good looks and boyish charms),

you are roulette croupier in a casino? (sorry, couldn't hold it back...)

[leviathan1904]

vor 36 Minuten schrieb Double0Seven:

This is the curse of every big franchise that has no real competitor. Or just look at FIFA/Pes. Or huge games like Lol/Dota where new features aren't exactly game breaking either. Or the king of shooters csgo where you are lucky that a new game breaking feature is added once every 5 years. 

There's only so much you can do and add to a game about kicking a ball around. 

People need to down their expectations. I do however think that SI can do more, but not "brand new shiny feature" more. Refine what's already there and I don't talk about adding more UI screens that only confuse new players and "features" such as a rule change. 

What do you think would be a "new game breaking feature"?

The expectations for an annual release are simply too high. "Game breaking" needs development time, which tends to contradict an annual cycle. Personally, it is important to me that the things that are revised and newly introduced are simply done well. Nothing is worse than immature innovations that cause frustration rather than joy.

[Sheriff7]

 

[Sheriff7]

 

[autohoratio]

1 minute ago, Sheriff7 said:

 

The lack of forehead wrinkles does look a little odd, but it's certainly an improvement over FM19's faces

[armbi]

On 19/09/2019 at 18:49, kandersson said:

As usual, ME is going to be the key.

Of course ME is crucial! A say this every edition. ME is the heart of this game just like real football mostly means watching matches and creating tactics and team bonds.

Lets wait for ME announcment hoping that managers suit is not important feature as its seams.

[autohoratio]

Maybe once the ME videos start getting posted in the buildup to release, Miles can do twitter polls of which match engine bugs have been fixed 

[janrzm]

2 hours ago, Sheriff7 said:

 

Happy in a sense that anything which makes you look 20 years younger is a positive.

Graphically we live in an FM bubble. It's like we are blind to all other existing technologies. Why the cartoonish hair and background graphics that remind me of the Amiga 500 I owned back in the day? Year on year it gets harder to defend and to forgive IMO. 

 

[mackos7]

2 hours ago, Sheriff7 said:

 

I'm sorry, I really don't like being this whiny nitpicking guy on the forum but all of these 3D renders look like they're from 2010 and yet are advertised as a graphical improvments. Also the fact that this is an actual improvment doesn't reflect good on FM19. 

I'm not expecting a lot from a game that's basically purple excel sheet simulator but maybe just don't try to sell it as one of the main features of the game.

Edited September 27, 2019 by mackos7

[rdbayly]

Firstly, I want to say I have high hopes for this year's release..

However; there is a significant chunk of the active forum userbase that doesn't want new features; they want a more enjoyable and immersive version of what already exists.

From a marketing perspective, it is my opinion that the announced headline features are largely a complete irrelevancy.

You know what SI, it would do you the world of good to simply put out a statement which outlined what you thought of FM19's ME, what you liked / disliked and what you are trying to improve this year.

It seems to me that you are afraid to acknowledge historical mistakes (e.g. last years's UI and horizontal pitch view). Guys, just be open and honest; we'd all appreciate it.

Thank-you in advance for the game I'll buy regardless.

 

Edit: I'd also add this key point: Football at elite level (from a coaching and tactical perspective) has changed beyond belief in the last 5 years. I honestly cannot see how the brilliant coders at SI can adapt to said change with the tools at their disposal. Time to move on and rebuild from the ground up. I know nothing about coding, therefore I cannot and will not demand a quick fix; however; you cannot say this game continues to be a simulation, if you can't simulate the sport we love.

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by rdbayly

[CARRERA]

anyone knows when beta is realeased?

[autohoratio]

5 minutes ago, CARRERA said:

anyone knows when beta is realeased?

There's no fixed date yet, it will be ~2 weeks before the full release like always

[BigV]

Steam is showing up as 8th of november which has been crushed by fm twitter page but going off that then 2 weeks before so mid/end of oct.