Become a beta tester for SI

[Sector7g]

Paul,

I'd love to become involved in this. I've played this game literally right from the beginning. You will see from my post history that the only time I really post in these forums is to highlight bugs and ways in which to correct them. I've also uploaded saved games to highlight errors I've noticed. My saved personal game right now is in Sep 2025.....that should tell you how much I play -).

I'm very much into long term games and the main faults I've always found with the series over the last few years are things that effect this. Mainly regens and the match engine. This years match engine was great from the start, genuinely the best released match engine I can recall. There was a bug released in the match engine in the last patch which I've already highlighted in the bugs forum. This years regens were also the best I can recall on release date. Sorry, I'm in year 2025....there isn't much I don't like about this game. Probably the one thing I would say is not accurate is how easy it is to grab great young players for free. The AI doesn't protect it's young players hard enough.

Anyway, as I say I'd love to help and become involved in making the game as close to perfect as we can!

Andrew

[NCFCRossky]

I would love to get involved in the beta testing as I love FM and would thoroughly enjoy contributing. I'm 23(24 on the 8th Jan ).

I've been playing since the days of CM and have seen all the big changes and loved them all. There are a few bugs ive noticed while playing FM 09 such as when you click the tactics button when in "TV View" it positions the widgets as if I was watching in "Classic" View of which is slightly annoying but understandable as there are so many features in FM 2009 and a lot of eventualities.

I studied ICT for 2 years at college and one of the modules was testing a simple program we made so its not as if I have no experience. I honestly believe I would contribute to this game and help things move an an even more positive direction. I always have these forums open whilst playing so when a bug is found I will not hesitate to post it in plenty of detail with the exact steps I made to discover the bug.

Anyway thanks for reading and I really hope I get the chance!

Regards

Ross

[thempesth]

Hello,

I am not going to stay in front of the computer to write stories about my life or what i can/can not do, and so, i will just write the basics of me. I am 22, i live in Bucharest(Romania) and i work as a game tester at a firm(this month i just turned level 4-from this, its just assistant and lead, as i think this is already known, if the levels are the same for other studios). My tester experience exceeds one year(from which aprox.8 months have been spent on PC projects-the rest on DS, XBOX 360 and PS3) and the "experience" in fm is longer then the testing one, playing the game since 1999. My main problem,if i could say so,with the game is only one thing(as injuries do not upset me, cause i like to spend money on many players, so i could have some back up), and that annoying thing is the following:if an user manages X team, and plays against Z team, when the Z team scores a goal, the user must go within the next 2-3 seconds in the menu and must choose the "go on holiday" option...this action will result in the Z's team goal to not be taken in consideration(canceled or whatever, cause the goal will not appear in the match report-go on holiday when receiving a goal and your team will benefit by not "receiving" that goal ). its an issue that i noticed from fm 08, and someone from this forum asked me why would i want to go on holiday during a match, and moreoften, after receiving a goal...if an option is available in more than X situations, than that option must be tested in all those situations...that is my major bug for fm...crashes occur because of pc configurations or different running programs, injuries exist because of the wrong written code, etc...anyway, i think that my experience in testing games could provide good things for SI/SEGA/FM, as i am aware of many test cases that provide bugs. hope that i can be suitable for a "job" as a beta tester and hope to hear from someone soon.

PS:please excuse my english, i just came home from a trip with a train that lasted 8 hours and i am quite tired.

[Valar Morghulis]

Thank you for this opportunity, I would like to be considered for the Beta test team as I have played FM(CM) since the first incarnation and every version since and have always loved the game and sought constructive ways to improve it. I've been involved with many projects that have required NDAs so am aware of the constraints they apply. For me the biggest issue I have with FM09 is the problem with "disappearing staff" (and the fact I can't get my midfield to gel but I am sure that's not a bug).

Good luck with this project, and I hope to reap the benefits in future versions of FM.

[dazbowski]

I guess I could tell you that i've been playing cm/fm since day one, or that i play it nearly every day or how much I love the game, but I guess everyone will be saying that and also I don't think it's relivant. The REAL reason I want to beta test is I want a game we can all enjoy again and sadly we haven't (imo) had that very often in recent times (with the exception of FM07) don't get me wrong i still play and i genuinely believe you guys have come close a few times, (FM09) still has the potential to be one of the best but it has some of the most annoying bugs/errors that just strips some of the fun out of it. I absolutely believe with the help of the right beta testers this game can be great again. anyways there's my pitch, cheers and hope to be hearing from you.

Darren

[Stian1234]

I'd like to be a beta tester because I believe I can be of value. I've been playing the game since very near the beginning, and used to be an active part of good old #champman. I know the game, and I know what is expected.

I've beta-tested FM Live, but the "normal" version of the game is what I'll always come back to. I've also done a year of research, FM07.

[col87]

I would like the oppurtunity to become a beta tester as I am a huge fan of the FM series and have been playing it and CM before it for as far back as I can remember and would like to be able to contribute to the series in the future.

I have an eye for detail and try and play the game in lots of different ways ie. tactics and media etc so I would have a high chance of coming across any bugs. I also have experience using the data editor.

One feature I would like to see expanded on is the player interactions, particurly with regards to the transfer system. For example to have the oppurtunity to try and convince players you are trying to sign ,of the ambitions of your club.

[homerjnick]

I'll beta test again for you since I beta tested many versions of the 9.2 patch for FM09 and I think we all contributed to a very successful 9.2 patch.

My main gripe with FM09 9.2 at the moment is the 2D TV View where the names and icons of players are still left on the screen on Key Highlights thus you can have 40 players on the screen at one time, a graphical error that should be easy to be fixed.

Injuries are just a tad too much, one v ones dont seem quite right and my central midfield ratings are very poor although playing good.

[Panpardus]

I'd also like to throw my name into the equation.

I've played for the game for a fair few years now, and have posted regular bug reports in the bugs forum's through out the years. I was also a tester back in 06 I think it was, the year some idiot leaked the beta out!

Generally I play my game pretty slowly, tending to watch for the smaller things, and I think my attention to detail in these areas may be of help. I also notice the bigger things but they tend to be bug reported sooner, if I am selected for a smaller group then I wouldn't have a problem reporting those issues either. I am also willing to follow direction for the betterment of the game, in that if you want me to test specific areas of the game then I am quite happy doing that also.

My biggest gripe with the game was the keeper assists/long balls, but for me this year there wasn't really a game breaker, I must have been one of the luckier ones in that regard.

The only other slight problem I have with the game is the lack of detail and clear indication in the press conferences, but I see this as a game flaw mostly (designed this way) and not a bug.

Cheers

Panpardus/Matt

[Pompeyboyz]

I would like to be considered for the roel of Beta Tester for future FM releases.

I have been playing this game since the very first CM was released on the Amiga and have owned all versions since. I was a previous beta tester for FML until near the end of Beta Testing.

I am very attentive to detail and can notice things others may not. I have been raising bugs for this release which have been getting results on already and feel I could further contribute on this.

My biggest gripe at the moment with this version of FM is player intelligence(or occasionally lack there of). Most noticable instances of this are when players all of a sudden stop running to the ball and let the oppostion pick it up even though they would have got there first, as well as lack of follow up when taking shots or tackling.

[DennisIran]

I will keep this short.

I'm a Guy, I would be happy to help if you need anything. Ive been playing FM for 4 yerars now. I know FM in and Out.

[TigerChris]

Hello,

I'd like to be considered for the BETA Testing after playing the game for several years now since the mid-90s. Since then i have purchased every game, and feel i have got a decent grip on the features and a lot of the ins and outs of the game. I have also recently entered into the CSE forum here and tried a few of the challenges, which i feel has broadened my knowledge in some areas, such as getting tactics and training correct.

One issue, i feel is that Press Conferences become too repetitive with the same answers being given.

[looknohands]

Much like Rancer before me, I too would like to volunteer my time to become a beta tester for future FM games and patches, with my area of interest being the MLS. I'm relatively new to FM, having started with '07, but have actively taken a role on this forum over the past couple of months in an effort to suggest and implement improvements to the MLS for 2009 and future releases. I'm often frustrated by the ability to identify problems and solutions with league but the inability to actively correct them- the editor can only do so much! The majority of the time, the issues of playability facing the league are readily apparent to those willing to dedicate time to the league and, as a stay-at-home dad, time is one thing I have plenty of. I'm fond of the "little league that could" and would love nothing more than to see it brought up to a level of respectability.

[Plastic_Road]

I would like to become a beta-tester, I have played FM/CM since the first installment. I have in the past been a tester for FM in the past. I am a programmer and understand the need for thorough testing. Testing is also a big part of my job. I'm pretty happy with FM09, but the one thing that has erked me a bit is that I seem to get an injury in every game, which normally results in the player being out for 2 months, and nearly all my injuries seem to be of a length of 2 months. Other then that I'm happy with the game.

[T-Bag]

Hi Paul, I would like to put my name forward too.

I have been playing CM -> FM from the start (but hey, hasn't everyone on this forum ) and feel I have a very strong understanding of how the game works as well as a wealth of experience playing it. Most of my yearly gaming consists of buying FM then playing it until the next version comes out so I am well aware of the ins and outs. I take a lot of interest in long term games, how players develop, the affects of training etc. Last year I even had a spreadsheet to record statistics from all my matches to work out the % of shots converted to goals compared to the AI etc.

Over the years I have spent a lot of time giving feedback on bugs, issues and anything which I felt was important to the development of the game as well as suggesting new features - In fact a couple of things I have suggested ARE in this years... although I presume other people must have suggested them too !

Now I know you will be looking over previous posts and you are going to spot that I haven't reported anything about FM09 at all. Now the reason for this is I was involved in beta testing Football Manager Live and devoted most of my time to this and then the subsequent launch where I joined a live Gameworld. I didn't want to miss the start of this so I decided to put FM09 on the backburner this year.

Consequently I have only recently bought FM - on the day the last patch came out. As most of the early 'big' issues seem to have been fixed I have found this to be a completely painless experience.. This is actually the first time I don't have a a major issue to complain (err I mean give feedback about..) about. However there many little things - certainly not game breaking - which need to be addressed: So I will give it a couple of examples of little issues:

The way players react to press conferences is often totally illogical and doesn't really make much sense. For example I was playing as Leeds in League 1 and was playing away to a Premier League team in the League Cup. It was 1-1 with 90 minutes on the clock, we had played amazing but disaster struck and they got the winner. I told the press I was proud of the spirit they showed despite the defeat which I feel is a fair comment - I was proud! But several players became unhappy with this comment which started to cause me problems.

Another day I beat a team 5-1 - My biggest win of the season with my star striker bagging 4 goals and 1 assist. He had scored something like 8 goals in the last 5 games taking this into account. At the press conference I said I was delighted, he had won goal of the month, player of the month and he was the top scorer in the league. I feel the highest possible praise was well deserved. He didn't. He felt that he didn't have to do much to please me ! blimey, if 4 goals isn't much I would hate to see what he would do when doing a lot ! Anyway he became unsettled after this, refused to sign a new contract and wants to be transfer listed ! All of which seems to be related to me telling him I was delighted with his current form.

There are many more reactions to media comments like this which has meant I dare not touch the press conferences as I have actually lost players from this who became unhappy with what seem to be perfectly sensible comments.

I'll leave it there, but I would be delighted to beta test FM - just don't get mad over that comment and ask for a transfer

[Chilliconcarnie]

I would LOVE to be a beta tester for Football Manager.

The only thing that has ever prevented me from applying to become one when the previous advertisements went up were due to the fact I could not commute to SI HQ when it has been restricted to in house.

I believe I would be suitable to becoming a beta tester because I have been an avid follower of the CM/FM franchise since I first played CM01/02 when I finally had my own computer to play it on and I feel that my experience in playing the FM range and other games, as well as my experience with running Technical Support.

I am always fascinated with the development process of many games, patches and addons and as such the few games I have been fortunate enough to participate in and it has been great to see how improvements develop from one build to the next right through to the final release.

My only real issue as it stands with Football Manager is the lack of true multiple monitor support. I woudl love to be able to have the match screen set up so that I could have the TV view on one monitor, with the match stats etc on the other.

Hope to hear in my favour, but no matter what, KUTGW

[pompeyfan]

I'd like to be considered as a beta tester as I've played every version of CM/FM since the first on the Amiga in the early 90's, have some experience of software testing and fault finding/reporting from doing a HNC/HND in IT at a local college and getting a BSc from the Open University, I also have plenty of free time to devout to playing/testing FM as I'm registered disabled (Agoraphobic) and virtually housebound.

[dragce]

HI My name is Dragan Radić and I have play this game since CM 01 02

I think I proved my worth as a beta-tester during the FML Beta Phase and I am still a beta tester in GW Coppell , I would like to be given the opportunity to test Football Manager . I dont think that new FM have "BIG BUGS" like some other members of the forum are talking but there is still some room for improvements and I woud llike to be given a chance to help SI to improve the game .

[Jirki88]

I would be interested in BETA Testing for Football Manage simply because I like the game. I've been playing it since FM06.

Personally I prefer to start unemployed, going to low-division, preferably in a county without foreigner limits. I tend to buy new players alot, I favour a large database over speed, usually, and I like playing network-games with a friend. This is also where my biggest concern about FM09 come up: the massive slowdown between December and March on most games. I'm used to slow-playing, but the slowdown is simply way too huge.

Also, I usually play with more than one manager on each savegame now, usually one European and one Asian manager.

I usually play FM 40-45 hours each week.

I've not been a member in those forums for very long, but I report the bugs I find in the Bugs-section, and try to contribute as well as being a pain in the ass (in the positive way, I want to be involved and see things develop!)

[Basketcase]

I would like to become a beta tester. I have played CM/FM since it was released in September 1992 when it was published by Domark. My biggest issue with the current game is the media side. It just lacks depth, is repetitive and best left to your ass man at the moment in my opinion. But my reason for wanting to test the game is to help to make it better and as bug free as possible. I tested FML and am now in a position to give much more time to testing than I was for that.

[Paul_B]

I would like to be considered.

My only real concerns with FM 2009 are that:

1) Press conferences tend to get a little repetitive, so you start to send your assistant to do them more often.

2) The players still sometimes stop still for a second or two with their legs still kicking. Mind you, this happens less after the last two patches, and it's quite funny to watch.

3) An awful lot of shots hit the woodwork, and I hardly ever see attackers pounce on rebounds (even with long-distance shots, following a penalty area clearance).

My credentials:

Let's see. When I started the old Flagship site, it was one of the first fan sites around, working with (now) your own Neil Dejyothin!

I then created a real - and fully working - season update for Championship Manager 2 - I think it was 97/98 turning into 98/99, because there was a gap while CM3 was in creation (hence, no official update). I did this by extensively modifying a saved game file, and it did the job while we all waited. I have not seen such an update either before or since.

Next, I worked with a few dutch programmers to create the first FM Scout program. I located all the data in the saved files and we got it programmed and working as much like a real scout as we could (there were no scouts in the game at that time).

Needless to say, I have bought and played all versions of the game by Sports Interactive.

I started with the original game - with no real names and a sideways tactics screen! I was soon published by a prominent Amiga magazine (I still have the issue at home), with a full 2-page spread devoted to my tips and tactics. Because they worked.

Besides my game history, I since graduated university in the USA, studying Computer Science, Philosophy, and Business Management. I'm moving back to England in just over a week. Happy times.

That's about it. I'd be glad to sign any agreement and help out.

[gedro2]

done some beta testing on fm live, I enjoy playing the game and if something is wrong you will soon here from me, I play most nights and if it helps with future patches you can have my opinion as well

[bean824]

One of my main gripes with Football Manager 2009 has to be how untested the match engine was - many bugs managed to slip through the testing process, leaving people feeling disgruntled and angry - me one of them. However, I would like to have the chance to be able to help fix and/or notice these problems before they reach the public release, so that SI can reclaim the appreciation that they've lost from their customers. I have a lot of experience in noticing bugs and issues quickly, and have been a member of beta testing teams for a number of different programs. As a person, I naturally work thoroughly and efficently, ensuring that all possible routes are covered before moving onto another section. I'm also very self-motivated - proven by the amount of research that I put into testing for bugs in Football Manager 2009, referenced to in many of my previous posts. I feel that if you accept me, you'll benefit from these character traits of mine, and as such, your customers will too.

B. King

[Rogue66]

Hi I would like to be part of the beta testing team. I have played Football Manager since Championship 97/98. I play FM quite a bit as I have plenty of time when I’m on my night shifts at work and also have access to the internet 24/7 work and home. The main issue I had with the latest version of FM09 was the realise of the actual game, I was one of many of the unlucky ones that bought the game in the morning and couldn’t get to play it till midnight. I know that’s nothing to actually do with the game it self but most people have mentioned the press conference and also team talks are very limited and that was also my main issue in the game.

[jayahr]

edit: No, actually don't count me in.

As much as I would like to help you as a beta-tester, my schedule only allows for a limited time of FM and then I would rather spend it playing my own game for fun, trusting the others to provide good feedback on the betas.

Cheers

[chopper99]

I would be interested in doing some Beta Testing.

I started my games testing career as a Test Analyst for Sony. After a year I moved onto Lead Tester, so suffice to say in that time I tested a great many titles. After that I became QA Lead for a smaller games company based in the North East called Eutechnyx. Since then I've moved into testing IT software and work for a large IT company that makes and supports government applications.

The above experience means that I know pretty much all there is to know about testing and about how to write bug/defect reports.

In terms of FM I've been playing it for years and I've written plenty of constructive stuff on the forums (I hope).

My biggest issue with FM09 at the moment is the apparent lack of importance of some attributes in the match engine, particularly pace.

[Matt1288]

Hello, I'd like to beta test for SI, so that I can assist the game and give as much assistance as possible. I'm also quite involved with SI, as my site is one of SI's affiliates and I will be going to the SI day in February.

I have also beta tested Football Manager Live, and me and the staff at my forum were quite involved with giving suggestions, I'm sure if you ask some of you will know the name Mike Burton.

Football Manager is a great game, and it's clear the main objective of releasing this game is to ensure people who buy the game can enjoy a realistic, bug-free and fun game to enjoy. It's clear this year there were some issues with the injury bug and etc, I'm sure in the future versions it will be prevented.

There isn't much else to say except, I love Football Manager and I would be willing to give a helping hand.

If you'd like to see my works, I am the owner of FM Discussion (affiliate of SI).

Thank you

[MikeB]

Dear SI,

I'm Mike Burton, and have been avid player of the Football Manager series since the days when it was called CM!

I am a long time moderator of SI's affiliate fansite: Fmdiscussion.com, and I regularly speak to Joe Turner, Sega/SI's affiliate organiser.

I have also BETA tested FMLive before release for several months and was often giving feedback to the forums.

I am a keen supporter of Football Manager 2009, and I am a bit of an addict to say the least! I would love the chance to help develop the game for future patches and releases, and I am also a Mac user, is that a good point or bad?

The main feature I would be interested to see develop more is the new 3D engine which could easily see improvment.

Thanks for your time,

Mike.

[Mitja]

i would like to be considered for testing the game.

currently i'm not playing the game becouse it has too many issues for my liking but i'm willing to test future patch(es) becouse FM is the only computor game i play and if there's anything i can do to make this game better, i'm all for it. i would provide feedback on day to day basis as it is something i have been doing in my posts already.

my biggest concern has always been ME and most of my posts on these forums were ME related and very critical. that doesn't mean other features are not equaly important. i watch all my matches in full highlights mode and it doesn't take long before i notice things i consider to be flaws/issues/unrealistic. i rated 910 higher than 920 becouse i consider it to be more solid defensevily but both have their pluses and minuses. players' inteligence (defensive especially), player movement and attributes reflecting in ME is probably something that should be improved further. i'm also willing to discuss and introduce my ideas how tactical interface could change in future.

cheers

[Peljam]

Hullo all,

I'd like to be considered as a tester.

I'm a 20 something Psych PhD student, specifically experimental psychology. I've been playing this series of games since the '97 version and have loved them all. In particular I've loved the way that gradually progess has been made from one version to another. Which partly leads in to why I think I'd be a good tester.

I know that the best improvements to try for aren't always the huge earth-shattering ones. Like the experiments I run it is much better to tweak and change small things to bring about meaningful and quality changes rather than going for a big showy change. It's not a conservative process as such but a sensible one when dealing with something as complex as the FM game and engines, or, in my research, human behaviour. So I'm quite happy to look at the small minute changes and their effects than demand or pine for larger meaningless additions. I also think my current science background means I'd be a good choice simply because it's now second nature for me to document things as accurately as I can. You never know if the smallest piece of information can later become key in solving a problem. As a result I have an almost unhealthy addiction to spreadsheets!

I don't have a background in computer programming but I have been trained to pick out problems, and where possible solve them. I might not be required to do much in the way of solving them but I think my background and familiarity with the FM series means I could do well. Alongside that is possibly my patience. I love playing 'career' games in FM. For me nothing quite beats building up a career, or a team, over time. I much prefer that to just taking on a big team or the team(s) I support. There's much more challenge there for me, and it also means I spend a lot of time and see a lot of events that might be missed in short term games. My love of long term games brings me into what bugs me about FM really. Generally anything that interferes with my enjoyment of a career game bugs me but one particular aspect is that of static league reputations.

Whilst it's fun and possible to build up a lowly teams rep through years of success you are stopped by the game at a certain point. Eventually you will be 'capped' by the repuation of the league you're in. I understand some of the reasons for this, namely complexity and realism. Dealing with realism first it's not very likely that smaller leagues such as the WPL or N.Irish ones will ever become footballing powerhouses. It takes a big imaginative leap to see them ever being like the EPL, La Liga, Serie A and so on. So I can see why allowing them to change to eventually become one hasn't been included. It saves gamers crying out in horror, FM years down the line, when they no longer find the EPL or their favourite leauges to be best. The complexity of modelling changing reputations is probably the bigger issue though. It would take extensive testing to actually ascertain whether the system for improving or decreasing league rep works when you consider all the possible interactions and knock on effects. It's something I've dealt with theoretically in Psychology (through connectionism and complexity/chaos theory if any one has hung on this far and is still awake!). It's not just as simple as allowing the league reps to change. More rep means better players which effects continental standings, performance, finances. In turn it also means a poorer league that improves can keep more of it's good home grown players, depriving teams in other leagues of good bargain players. A lack of cheap players then effects their performances, finances and so on. So again I can see, considering the effort required to get it right, why it hasn't been included.

That said it's something I desperately want in the game because, selfishly, it effects my enjoyment of long term games. It might not be likely but it could happen. Other unlikely events can occur in the game so why not the improvement/decline of leagues over large periods of time? I'd love to have the option of ticking for that even if it came with a disclaimer, saying that it could potentially make the game unstable in the long run and so on.

So in a nutshell. I love the game, think I could potentially be a decent tester, and would like to help test because frankly the more testers and testing you get done the more likely I am to get what I want!

[gerddi]

I would like to recommend myself for future beta testing as like many other people on this forum i have played the championship / football manger series for many years probably the days of cm3 or so.

Also i would say i am skilled on a p havng knowledge in many aspects such as programming, neworking and administrative tasks.

I am also lucky enough to have had experience of game testing at a young ge whre i tested such high ech games that ere on the mega drive lol

will notic that i have not made many postson this website but this is due to the fact that i find that most topics have already been commented on or repeated topics so there is no need for me t duplicate other peoples posts bt i would love the chance to be able to help in an way with the development of football manger a game in which we all spend so much tme.

Thanks for the opportunity to apply sI!!!

Gary James

[RT--]

Paul - could you give us a rough idea of the time layout involved in this kind of testing?

I'd like to help out, but don't want to volunteer and then find out I don't actually have enough time to do it properly.

Cheers,

RT

[Evilmaniacuk]

I know I havn't been a member here long but would like to throw my hat into the pile;

My only real concerns with FM 2009 are that:

1) Central Midfielders tend to try far too mant long distance shots, even when you tell them not to and the shooting stat is poor to begin with.

2) When two players are chasing a dead ball, one is clearly alot faster and then all of a sudden slows to walking pace and loses the ball

3) Press conferences tend to get a little repetitive, so you start to send your assistant to do them more often, which i think detracts from the games enjoyment factor.

My credentials:

Needless to say, I have bought and played most versions of the game by Sports Interactive.

I am what you call a dedicated fan.

The most important fact of all is I consider myself a "gamer" Video games are my life, Im someone who gripes about the bad things and loves the good things. I can relate to the problems people have and try to find solutions to them.

That's about it. I'd be glad to sign any agreement and help out.

[mag man]

Hi,

I would like to be involved in a beta testing process for football manager.

At the moment I have a lot of time to play football manager and have played since cm01/02. I normally am involved in long term games and so can see incidents which happen further in the future than average FM players. I have also become more active within the sports interactive forums and I believe becoming a beta tester would be the next step in becoming involved within the development of football manager.

In my current game I am in 2023/24 and the biggest issue I have with the game at the moment is the sponsorship bug. This can only really be seen when taking a team up over many levels and over several seasons as the sponsorship deals are not renewed very often.

Thanks for reading,

Mag Man.

[DJ Complete]

I would like to be considered for the beta tester position please.

I have played FM for over 10 years going back to the original Championship Manager Series in the early 90's. I am the type of player who plays a career game for around 30 years, staying with a club for an average of 7 years trying the win as much as I can for the club before moving on to the next club for my next challenge. I am a systems programmer by trade which involves alot of software testing. I am big fan of FM and I would consider it a privaledge to test the FM series.

[Sociopath]

Well I'm a 10 year veteran on the scene plus I have history with beta testing many different genre of game and patch in the online gaming word if that helps. I have made databases before for this game (and CM before that) and I have played since the mighty Amiga days.

[Jamie_E]

I would also like to be considered for the beta position at SI. I'm 18 years old and I have played the game since FM05. However, I have only read the forums since FM08 and since then I have played the game with a different persepective. I used to enjoy the FM series with a sense of naivity in how the game's played - turning a blind eye to problems and not even recognising others. Now though, I read these forums and play the game with an eye out for problems and things that disrupt the gameplay. I feel it would only be beneficial for me to become a beta tester. This newly aqcuired eye for detail will be put to use for SI and when the games come out I will be able to enjoy them again!

In my opinion, SI have not tested the match engine enough which is why I am really glad that you are looking for more testers! I play all my matches on full match highlights and there are a lot of little niggles: players clearing the ball in areas of the pitch other than when defending, backpasses from unrealistic positions, wingers not being intelligent enough in their run making etc. These problems made watching the game in full pretty frustrating and meant that I haven't played the game recently (these problems were more in 9.0.1 than in 9.0.2).

I want to make this game better and I feel it has the potential to be one of the best games ever made. However, whether it be complacency or SEGA's desire to make more money, SI have not produced the game that it could. I have no experience of testing before but feel I'm articulate enough to get my views across in a helpful manner and have enough time on my hands to be involved. More beta testers can only help the game and I have a desire to be one of them.

[SmurfDude]

I've been a fan for many years and have contributed a fair bit to the community. I'm unbiased and will happily report all bugs I find in a constructive way

[jjj]

Hi guys,

I'd be glab to be a beta tester of Football Manager, I actually am beta testing Football manager live and I have long experience trying games.

Basically from my point of view in my job (Software Ingeneer)perfect beta-tester is a person who knows nothing about the product, but in this special case is different,'coz FM has million options that an unexperienced (inthis game) player would find impossible to try everything.

I love this game and I've played since in 2002 I was surprised because of the feeling u can have playing it.

My best hobbie is play videogames in my free time and specially this is my favourite so I would be so glad to test it.

Thanks

[antyoung]

Hi I would love to become a beta tester.

I have played CM since 1996 and FM since sega took over. I play Football manager every day and it drives my wife mad (so testing a new one would really please her !!). I would be able to offer advice from a gamers view point. I love football, and I have great faith in Sega and SI to continue to develop the best management game year in year out.

One thing about FM 09, I would like to see more detail in International management (choosing training grounds, team selection), and more emphasis on winning games and trophies.

Thanks for reading

[lostpoolie2]

Hi folks,

One of the things we are taking on board from this year’s release is that feedback from these forums can be very useful in terms of identifying issues, but is sometimes received at the point after which we have released a new game or patch for it, simply due to the amount of permutations in a game like FM.

So what we want to do in this thread is to invite those of you who are interested to apply to beta test future patches and releases of Football Manager, in order for us to get more feedback and get more people testing patches and releases to try and get any issues ironed out before release - you will be expected to give regular feedback via a special invite only forum as part of beta testing.

All you need to do is post in this thread, stating why you feel you should be considered and your biggest issue (if you have one) with Football Manager 2009. We will also take your previous posts into account, as well as infractions etc and choose those of you we feel can contribute to making the next patch as good as possible.

Some things to be aware of before posting...

You would need to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement (a document where you legally promise to not discuss any area of beta testing or what you are testing) in order to take part in the testing process and therefore must be over 18 or be able to get your parents to sign the legal document for you. You also need to ensure that your details are up to date in your profile so that we can email you if your application is successful.

Please also note that we will only get in touch with you if your application has been successful and please do not be offended if you are not picked - we know what we are looking for and whilst some of you who apply may be perfectly suited to help in different cirumstances, you may not be suitable at this time.

Finally, this thread is purely for applications to be part of what we call our "Dream Team" test team. We ask that people do not comment on other people's applications, or take the thread off-topic, and if there are off-topic posts, infractions and deletions of posts will likely follow.......

Closing date for applications for this round of beta testing is Sunday 11th January at midday UK time, and all who we wish to invite to be testers will be contacted by Wednesday 14th January.

Cheers,

Paul Collyer

I would like to be a beta tester becourse I have played all of si's football simulation games over the years and whilst i do feel that there has been contiuase improvement i feel that this version of the game is slower than 2008.

[JamieK2008]

i would love to be considered for beta testing.... i will be out of work after wednesday the 7th January and will have loads of free time so will be willing to test and respond to any game you wish me to test. i would like to be considered for other games testing too not just Football Manager.

Thanks for reading and i await your reply

Jamie Kerr

[philipv]

Hi,

I would like to apply to be a Beta Tester for future patches of FM. I have bought every version since CM 01/02 and have invariably ended up spending a lot of time playing the game and poring over these forums for hints and tactical gems.

I come from a computing background, with a Computer Science degree, and have experience in software development and quality assurance cycles. I have a keen eye for detail, excellent written communication skills, and am able to express complex issues and problems clearly and simply. Also, I do not easily get bored, something I am aware can be useful in the role of a tester.

Having bought FM09 a couple of days after release, my opinion of it has varied considerably. I did not have any of the verification or graphics problems many experienced, and I found the addition of the 3D engine extremely useful in visualising tactics. However, as time has gone I have become frustrated with certain aspects of the game. These are largely related to in-game tasks that I feel are needlessly complex or time consuming. I am now in a similar position to what seems to be an increasing number of other FM gamers, in that I do not have the amount of time to spend playing that I once did, and believe it is extremely important that people in this situation are able to take part in the testing process.

- I believe the news system needs an overhaul, allowing players to choose categories of news story they want to appear in their Inboxes. I understand why the Inbox and News sections were split, but at present I find it needlessly difficult to keep track of all the news items I am interested in. It should be possible to have a set of preferences that filter the news items arriving in your Inbox.

- The implementation of Opposition Instructions can make them difficult and unwieldy to use. It is needlessly time consuming to have to put in the same set of instructions for each goal keeper or other particular outfield player position that you play against. Also, it is extremely frustrating that the instructions 'stick' to a player when the opposition's formation changes or a substitution is made. This is particularly the case when using the specific man-marking instruction. Unless you are able to react very quickly to a formation change it can leave your central defender completely out of position, when the person they are marking suddenly moves to a different position. This puts people who only watch key or extended highlights at a serious disadvantage. I believe the best way of solving this would be to allow players to specify certain 'triggers' that automatically pause the game and allow them to make necessary tactical adjustments. One such trigger might be when the opponent changes formation.

- It should be possible to save sets of individual player instructions so that they can be applied when that player is being used. It can be very time consuming to set these up if you are using a rotation system with different types of player.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to take part in the development of FM, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Phil

[Claude Luster]

I would be very interested in testing. I regularly read these forums (though, not always while logged in, and I admittedly haven't posted often).

I have beta testing experience with various products dating back to about 2000 (most notably, and relevantly, with Paradox Interactive (both Hearts of Iron and Hearts of Iron 2).

My issues with FM 2009 are with some of the boring repetitions in the game (press conferences do indeed get boring after a while...) and some minor parts of MLS.

I am an American user, but I'm incredibly passionate about Football Manager (I import the game from Game.co.uk rather than get WWSM for the cosmetic reason, I don't know why...I just do) and the sport itself.

Thanks for your consideration.

[ohaio]

Hello, My name is Lee and I would like to become a beta tester. The reason I feel I deserve to be A beta tester is because, I have played the game since Championship Manager 98-99. I have a thirst for trying to aid and expand on ideas aswell as being able to spot patterns and analyse it. I also spend alot of my time making scenarios and seeing what would happen if I did *** etc etc. One of the bugs I detected is the correlation between Clear cut chances and actual goals. I spend about 8 hours a day on FM09.

I hope you consider me.

[Hoopy05]

Hi would very much be intrested in Beta testing for Football Manager.

Have been picked for Football manager live and also i think it was fm07.

Been playing since cm93.

Also done a list of referee's from all over the world in the data forum, but sadly yet again, that part of the game is way out, with referee's that have retired and other top ones missing from the game.

Hope i merit consideration

cheers John.

[calvin]

Hi,

I would like to apply to become a beta tester for future patches and games. I am on this forum for a long time now, not the most regular poster but I spend most of my internet time on these forums. I follow and play the game since the very beginning, so I might say I have some experience with the general development of the game itself. I´m a real football addict, following most of the european leagues and the Brazilian as well.

My biggest concern is the tactical evolution the series is having. I think it could have more depth. International management is something I like very much, but this could be more develloped as well.

I know I have enough free time to be a good beta tester. Goodluck to the ones who become one!

[andre17]

Hello, my name is Andre Fagundes. I currently live in the Unites States. Firstly, I would like to thank you guys for this oppertunity. I was born and raised in Portugal and I know a whole bunch of knowledge of football. I am a huge European fan and also a Portuguese one. I believe that I can make an impact, a difference on how fm is. But then I ask myself, why should I be picked to be a beta tester? There are so many people applying for the spot. Am I different or better? The answer is, no. I believe that if we people, from all across the world make a team, a work together, we will be able to nearly cover every square inch of detail for fm. With all of us working together, we will hit the nail and improve Fm. Not only will I be a great influence on fm and help towars solving the problems and bugs in the beta, but I can contribute a lot torwards making the portuguese leagues, which I have the MOSt but not the only experience with. I do not want to make this letter to long due to all the reading from previous applications but I would like to thank you guys for reading my application. And to remember that in Football Manager there are no limitations as to how good you could make it a game. I would also like to say thhat I have been newly introduced to this forum and will keep contrubuting. And as to Fm 2009, I think that it is headed into a good direction. The only thing would be tweaking tactics (more options), keep doing a great job on the 3d engine (but to not forget the 2d) and to not be restricted so much on press conferences. But 2 of the 3 I listed above are new to Fm and I believe that they will develop to an even greater standard.

Thank you

------------Andre Fagundes---------------------

[Flashman]

I'll be happy to help you test your product. Don't really know what's involved so can't tell you why I should be included but I'm capable (I think) of telling you what's great and what's not so great about FM.

The features I'm most interested in are the various interactions with the AI - notably team talks and the media - as I feel this is an area which could be greatly expanded and improved. I'm afraid it's just not working properly yet, which is a shame.

[danielrae]

I'd like to put my name down too please.

Experience:

Not too much in the way of testing, but I have a degree in Multimedia, years of CM/FM playing experience, currently employed as a Web Community Manager, therefore have testing for upgrades, site changes, server modifications, etc, and am IT savvy.

I'm also a huge football fan, know a lot about football and support... (don't laugh) ... Motherwell.