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AI Experiment - The Bandits are back for FM09


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It's been great fun seeing the experiment begin, a shame about the lost detail... but if at least the top leagues aren't on full detail, then we're just going to get a repeat of the previous experiment. Perhaps it would be better to bite the bullet and run it again, making sure everything's in place?

*EDIT* Oh, so they can be changed later during the game? Carry on, then. :)

Let's see how my predictions went.

My predictions: "Most of the starlets (and, probably, idiots) don't even reach the season proper in their original clubs. With that kind of reputation, they're headed for the top two tiers of any of the top european leagues within a few months... they can't have a very high price at that league level."

Result: They didn't leave as quickly as I thought they would, but by January almost all were gone. A bit surprisingly they didn't all go to the top tiers. Oh well, they're still young and learning. :)

"The Bandits get hurt by losing their awesome players, and only get promoted thanks to the few remaining ones. The Sherriffs fare a bit better, as they already have the rest of the squad in place."

Result: The Bandits were hurt by their loss, but they were left with a steel-reinforced backbone in the 4 remaining starlets which of course meant keeping the humongous advantage from the first half of the season would be a pretty easy task.

The Sherriffs weren't hurt all that much by their players leaving, as they never had them in the first place. So I got that one fairly close.

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It's gutting that they all leave so quickly, but hardly unexpected. I can however see this experiment going in a very similar direction to the previous one, though I think that the international perspective will be far more interesting, and the full detail might have a big impact.

The only point I was going to make was that when you do a list of the numbers of Bandits players with certain PA's, would it be possible to make all of the columns the same width? It just got a bit confusing last time, as whenever a column had double figures it all got misaligned. Maybe either use additional zeroes at the beginning of shorter numbers to standardise it or use CODE tags or similar?

Up the Bandits :)

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Brilliant, as usual!!

As mentioned in an earlier post by someone, could we have a summary of the head to head results between the clubs? Not too important yet I guess given that they've only played a handful of times but in 20 years time it would be nice to see who has the upper hand.

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1) Always a shame, albeit unexpected, to see so many players move so quickly. Although Striker 1 has probably done enough to be legendary already. I look forward to next season so we can start to pick our favourites of the new Bandits.

2) Curse those Sheriffs for taking away our unbeaten record. Bah *shakes fist*

3) Assuming that the reports will take an age (and they are fabulous btw), I'd go for Summer transfers and first half of the season in one report, January transfers and rest of season in the other. Makes more sense to split it that way.

4) Fantastic to see that so many players moved to so many clubs. Last time they all just went "big" and that was that. This time they actually have joined clubs they might get a game for (the ambition maybe?) and they might hang around long enough to not want to move on, rather than moving straight to a huge club and never moving again.

5) Shocked to see how much difference training has. Moving to Premiership teams upped all the stars, but the lazy idiots went down. Unexpected result #1.

Looking blinding Kip.

VB

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Great 1st update Kip, and I can definitely see why it took so long.

I would be in favour of splitting the updates into 2 sections similar to what was done for 07... it means less waits between updates, and also allows us to predict how they would finish the season, which was always interesting.

As for sections I'm not particular interested in:

Premiership analyis I think could be done ever 2-3 season until one of the clubs breaks into the premiership

Competitions around the world - Interesting, but I wouldn't miss it if it was gone

Ones to Watch / World Beaters / Distribution of Players - I rarely read these in 07, and would probably skim over them in 09 at best.

Also, whilst it's great to see you go into detail for the Sheriffs, I wouldn't be too disappointed if you went into less detail for them to save time (as long as you still go into detail for the much loved Bandits!)

Anyway, that's my opinion, great update!

Cheers,

Marky Mark

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Guest mikeytwigge

great update kip brilliant read. Personally i like all your sections and would like them to stay. Also i prefer 1 update a year rather than midseason ones

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Great stuff Kip - I saw the updates going up just before I left the house at lunchtime but resisted the temptation to post in case I incurred the wrath of the thread by interupting the sections. :D

Bandits did well as expected and good to see they made some good signings to replace the outgoing starlets. A shame the Sherrifs didn't go up as it may now be a while before we see the rivalry on the pitch again. It will be inetresting to see if they fair better next season or get stuck in a BSP nightmare.

I thnk it's best to post the updates all at once, although splitting them up would create more discussion...

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4) Fantastic to see that so many players moved to so many clubs. Last time they all just went "big" and that was that. This time they actually have joined clubs they might get a game for (the ambition maybe?) and they might hang around long enough to not want to move on, rather than moving straight to a huge club and never moving again.

This is a good point. I remember how in the 07 experiment nearly all of them went to the top four and some lost out in games. And the wide midfielders who went to Chelsea did badly because of the Chelsea formation being 4-3-3 or something like that. It would be interesting to see if the AI can adapt their formations to suit the good players.

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I'd be massively disappointed to see the cutting of any segment. What would be the point in running multiple leagues if we never saw how they evolved?

We were all surprised at Wednesdays rise to be the largest club "in ze vorld!!" in the 07 experiment. Maybe with so many leagues running one or two surprises might appear in terms of big clubs. I know in my 09 game Betis and Vitesse have taken control of their countries, so with so many potential changes let's not judge a section on one season. In ten seasons you may be surprised.

Don't forget, this isn't "Follow the Bandits", this is "AI Experiment that happens to have the Bandits in it".

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I'd be massively disappointed to see the cutting of any segment. What would be the point in running multiple leagues if we never saw how they evolved?

We were all surprised at Wednesdays rise to be the largest club "in ze vorld!!" in the 07 experiment. Maybe with so many leagues running one or two surprises might appear in terms of big clubs. I know in my 09 game Betis and Vitesse have taken control of their countries, so with so many potential changes let's not judge a section on one season. In ten seasons you may be surprised.

Don't forget, this isn't "Follow the Bandits", this is "AI Experiment that happens to have the Bandits in it".

Well said that man

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Excellent points from VonBlade.

I find it rather interesting that the Bandits and the Sheriffs did not spend any money on transfers, despite their financial status. With the stars leaving, both sides need to start spending money, even if it is just buying the best talent on offer in their respective divisions.

If the Bandits manager does not spend money to increase the squad depth and improve the squad, I cannot really see a promotion this season, especially if the remaining stars leave as I expect they will.

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3) Assuming that the reports will take an age (and they are fabulous btw), I'd go for Summer transfers and first half of the season in one report, January transfers and rest of season in the other. Makes more sense to split it that way.

4) Fantastic to see that so many players moved to so many clubs. Last time they all just went "big" and that was that. This time they actually have joined clubs they might get a game for (the ambition maybe?) and they might hang around long enough to not want to move on, rather than moving straight to a huge club and never moving again.

I agree with both points. I think that Striker 3's decision to move to Championship first will prove to be very helpful in his career.

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I'd be massively disappointed to see the cutting of any segment. What would be the point in running multiple leagues if we never saw how they evolved?

We were all surprised at Wednesdays rise to be the largest club "in ze vorld!!" in the 07 experiment. Maybe with so many leagues running one or two surprises might appear in terms of big clubs. I know in my 09 game Betis and Vitesse have taken control of their countries, so with so many potential changes let's not judge a section on one season. In ten seasons you may be surprised.

Don't forget, this isn't "Follow the Bandits", this is "AI Experiment that happens to have the Bandits in it".

I second VB on this, though a two part posting for time would be my fave.

wazz

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Agree that its very interesting and very good that there was a good spread of clubs the stars went to. Seems more realistic. I think the reason they went for very small sums is that bids are somehow linked to the rep of the club as well as their own rep and CA/PA estimate and no the actual finances of the club. i.e. what they think is good value is related to how famous the club is.

Also Kip, could you add the reputation of the Managers? I would be interested to see when it gets high enough/is high enough for someone else to pick them up.

I like the format, the more the merrier and really interested to see how the other leagues pan out.

Either way, fantastic work as always.

ZJ

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Fabulous update :)

Nice to see the Bandits go up, a pity they couldn't have been unbeaten, but it would have to be the Sheriffs.

I like the single big update. It gives you something to really get your teeth into.

Things I'm currently excited about:

-The prospect of the superstars meeting each other in international competitions.

-Seeing how the boards perform in selecting managers - I think the Bandit's manager will get taken by a championship club sometime during the next season.

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The only point I was going to make was that when you do a list of the numbers of Bandits players with certain PA's, would it be possible to make all of the columns the same width? It just got a bit confusing last time, as whenever a column had double figures it all got misaligned. Maybe either use additional zeroes at the beginning of shorter numbers to standardise it or use CODE tags or similar?

Certainly can :)

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4) Fantastic to see that so many players moved to so many clubs. Last time they all just went "big" and that was that. This time they actually have joined clubs they might get a game for (the ambition maybe?) and they might hang around long enough to not want to move on, rather than moving straight to a huge club and never moving again.

I've been really impressed with how far and wide they've gone - who knew the likes of Hibernian would get a look in? With their raised ambition, they'll probably move a few more times before their careers are done, which is good.

5) Shocked to see how much difference training has. Moving to Premiership teams upped all the stars, but the lazy idiots went down. Unexpected result #1.

Yeah, in FM07 the idiots still got better, despite their attitude - so far that hasn't been the case here, so it seems the effect of personality on training has been raised. And those with better training facilities are really seeing the benefit, which is again great to see.

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Thanks for all your feedback and predictions folks, there have been some incredibly accurate predictions going on - you clearly know the game!

For those who requested it:

Bandits-Sheriffs Head to head

Sheriffs 2-4 Bandits (Setanta Shield South Second Round)

Bandits 2-0 Sheriffs (Blue Square South)

Sheriffs 2-0 Bandits (Blue Square South)

Bandits lead 2-1 in wins, with no draws.

Bandits lead 6-4 on goals.

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I'd be massively disappointed to see the cutting of any segment. What would be the point in running multiple leagues if we never saw how they evolved?

We were all surprised at Wednesdays rise to be the largest club "in ze vorld!!" in the 07 experiment. Maybe with so many leagues running one or two surprises might appear in terms of big clubs. I know in my 09 game Betis and Vitesse have taken control of their countries, so with so many potential changes let's not judge a section on one season. In ten seasons you may be surprised.

Don't forget, this isn't "Follow the Bandits", this is "AI Experiment that happens to have the Bandits in it".

A very good point. Personally, the sections I enjoy writing the most (aside from the Bandits report), are the world view posts. They will certainly be staying.

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Also Kip, could you add the reputation of the Managers? I would be interested to see when it gets high enough/is high enough for someone else to pick them up.

Sure, but before I answer that, here is a curious point:

At the creation of the game, the brilliant coaches at the Bandits and the Sheriffs were instantly given the assistant manager role. However, by the start of the first season, both had left their clubs. Why? Do clubs that low not feel to need to have an assistant, so they left? Were they too good, so left? Even more strange that that - neither has found work since. That could be down to their reputation, which is beyond obscure - perhaps the AI doesn't recognise how good they are, because they've never heard of them?

Anyway, since you asked, the reputations are:

Bandits Manager - 3367

Former(!) Bandits Coach - 952

Sheriffs Manager - 1594

Former(!) Sheriffs Coach - 704

Both chairman and both directors remain at 50 reputation.

It seems the Bandits manager has had his reputation greatly boosted by promotion - can they keep him?

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So, now I've asked you all for your predictions and thoughts, I thought I'd share with you the things I'm most looking forward to exploring in this experiment.

1) Full detail. Oh yes. Just having a league as playable means strange things can happen - nothing in the FM07 experiment was on full detail and Sheff Wed still became dominant, Man Utd still spent over a decade in the Championship, and Welling still won the FA Cup. So having more playable leagues should see these changes happen around the globe. But even more than that - full detail gives us the chance to really analyse the best players. For example, remember Umit Abdulkadir, the brilliant Turkish striker? Because his league was not playable or played on full detail, he was difficult to follow, but even more than that, because internationals were not played on full detail, his ability could not break the repetitive qualifiers for the major tournaments, and he rarely got to play. Now, he might.

2) International rivalry. Just wait until Striker 1 scores a World Cup final winner for Spain, against England. Just wait.

3) Bandits-Sheriffs rivalry. The cream rises to the top, and although they may not always be in the same division, they will be heading the same direction and will surely clash in critical fixtures from time to time. What price one team getting a result that sends the other down, or denies them a promotion place? The Sheriffs are already showing signs of being as bad in playoffs as the Bandits always have been (the Bandits were 0/8 in FM07), how about them meeting in one?

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Re Assmen. It might be because reputation affects wage budget and good staff want good wages. It depends if they had long-term deals they were released from, or a one-year deal as an Assman and couldn't agree terms. Perhaps they think they are better than they are. Perhaps they want to be coaches not assmen.

The Sheriffs Bandits rivalry (hereafter referred to as the 'Dorset Derby') has already loomed large in the season. I can't imagine it'll be long before they are bumping each other out of cups and playoff spots.

Finally, if the Bandits decimate the BSP then I reckon the manager will stay. Because L2 rep is about his current rep. If they start to struggle he might be poached. Luckily (?) a good manager does seem to be given more "rope" so he shouldn't be sacked for a blip.

I wonder how well Maia would have played on full detail...

VB

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My turn to rejoice at the return of the classic. My interest in the forum wanned ages ago and despite a couple of checks since I've missed so much. so glad the fb message was sent about this new version. Definitely favouriting the thread this time, also will be continuing the tradition of 'archiving' the updates to make it easier to follow the whole thing, though should be easier seeing it at the beginning as opposed to it being several months in before I first saw it last time. Looks better then last time for 2 reasons. 1) the extra update detail especially regarding the wider view of what's going on in the game (I always play with a fair few nations for that reason though it also means I know full well how much slower it'll be to do everything) and 2) the rivalry. Even more so as some people become sheriffs fans making it much more interesting though I'm sticking with the Bandits. Also the failure of one of them to go up makes it interesting as with the custom players mostly sticking around 1 season (though in many cases less this time) it seems important to make the most of it for a good start. Though conversly maybe staying in a lower league makes it easier to adjust (though the reputation deficit is a worry for the Sheriffs). Here's to a successful start to a great rivalry. I was wondering... not sure how practical this is to do but maybe we could have special updates covering the derby matches as opposed to waiting longer and lumping it in with all the stuff in the regular updates. While its not a problem maybe such important thread-dividing matches deserve special coverage. Long may this thread reign and can't wait for the FM11 version if this is anything to go by.

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Very good report as usual and my opinion has pretty much already been voiced by VB so not much to add. I like all sections and wouldn't prefer the reports coming in 2 parts but it's not that important and 1 or 3 parts would make me just as happy so no complaints whatsoever.

Oh and glad to see a Bandit sign for Lyon but sad to see him play only 2 games, hopefully Cris will age soon enough for Center Back 2 to break into the first team.

Also, only 3 Bandits play in the league of their second nationality (France, Portugal and Italy) while 4 more play for totally different leagues (Dutch player at Lyon, Jamaican player at Hibernian, New Zeland player at Rangers and Vanutu player at Dundee) so it's 5 out of the 7 starlets playing in a league bordering England and the other 2 playing for their 2nd nationality. Maybe distance or link with said leagues play an important role too.

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Also, only 3 Bandits play in the league of their second nationality (France, Portugal and Italy) while 4 more play for totally different leagues (Dutch player at Lyon, Jamaican player at Hibernian, New Zeland player at Rangers and Vanutu player at Dundee) so it's 5 out of the 7 starlets playing in a league bordering England and the other 2 playing for their 2nd nationality. Maybe distance or link with said leagues play an important role too.

France borders England?

*walks across English Channel*

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Awesome!

The master storyteller has returned to give us our Bandits update!

Fantastic update as always Kip, I'm so glad to see the quality of the FM 07 experiment cross over to this one.

Wow! Nearly al of the starlets leave? And to other countries as well! I'm looking forward to see how this develops...

And just like in a previous post, I wanna be sorry for the Sherriffs, I do,

but I just can't do it!

BANDITS FOREVER! :)

I would personally prefer all the updates to come in one, but like the others I won't complain, however you do it.

Also, I'm loving all the different sections, so I hope you don't take any out, but how would you feel about putting in the winners of all the competitions in "competitions around the world"? I would love to see if anyone made a surprise win in France or Germany, or if someone like B. Munich dropped into oblivion, let alone what might happen in England.

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but how would you feel about putting in the winners of all the competitions in "competitions around the world"? I would love to see if anyone made a surprise win in France or Germany, or if someone like B. Munich dropped into oblivion, let alone what might happen in England.

Ahem.

http://community.sigames.com/showpost.php?p=2946335&postcount=363

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It seems that you've misunderstood. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear. What I meant was the winners of the Premiership, Championship, L1, L2, BSP, BSS, BSN, Scottish Prem and Div 1 etc. Only the winners, mind but it later on in the experiment it might show us a little of what team is where while not making Kip fizh post tons of screenshots.

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Great update, I'm so excited that this experiment is rolling again - and even better this time! :)

One additional thing I'd like to see, is the clubs that were relegated from the top divisions every season (and those who were promoted into the top division). You already do it for England, but it'd be interesting to see how the top leagues develop across Europe.

Just a suggestion.

Keep up the good work! :)

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It seems that you've misunderstood. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear. What I meant was the winners of the Premiership, Championship, L1, L2, BSP, BSS, BSN, Scottish Prem and Div 1 etc.

Well as the Prem, Champ, BSS and Scot Prem are all included in the link I posted to, then I clearly didn't misunderstand.

But I accept I'm probably being blond and there is some "between the lines" meaning that has slipped through both your explanations.

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Well as the Prem, Champ, BSS and Scot Prem are all included in the link I posted to, then I clearly didn't misunderstand.

But I accept I'm probably being blond and there is some "between the lines" meaning that has slipped through both your explanations.

I think he wants to know the Championship, League 1, 2, Conference etc, I couldn't see them in your link

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I was making out a list, in the hope you would understand that I meant I would like to see the winners of every single competiton in the game world, not just the highest levels. Denther, above me has grasped what I meant.

But, I don't want to get into an argument, it was only a suggestion and the final decision is Kipfizh's anyway.

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TBF it takes long enough to write up the updates already. Just the winners of European leagues is enough, not sure how many people will care about Gent being relegated and replaced by Westerlo.

I'd agree with that. Although as a Frenchman I'd be happy to see who wins League 2 and who goes down from League 1 each year I don't think many people will care and I'm not sure it'll bring anything to the experiment as a whole. Unless the likes of PSG, Marseille or Lyon get relegated to League 2 but I'm sure Kipfizh would let us know if that happens just like he did in the 07 experiement when Man Utd dropped to the Championship.

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Oustantabulous! Love the update, just as is (in single format, rather than split..don't mind at all the wait, and I suspect in the end it will be a little less work on you).

As expected, the Bandits had their way with the league, despite losing most of the starlets...just a little surprised at the sherrifs failing to achieve promotion...but expect them up in season 2. I expect the rest of the bandits will leave over the summer, but still think they can do enough to achieve promotion again -- we'll see what talent comes in (maybe from their youth acad?)

One for two on my first four predicitons: Sherrifs failed to go up...but Bandits came close to the 3 GF/.6 GA I predicted...we'll see how the other two original predicitons play out....esp. hope to see bandits return to play together in the futer.

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Great thread mate, read all of the first thread with interest and I'm looking forward to this. I like the present set-up you've got for telling us what's happening, I'd like to put my 2 cents worth in and say I'd prefer to leave it as it is!

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TBF it takes long enough to write up the updates already. Just the winners of European leagues is enough, not sure how many people will care about Gent being relegated and replaced by Westerlo.

In the '07 experiment, Sheffield Wednesday became the dominating team in England, and Man Utd spent 10 sesasons or so in the Championship...

Wouldn't you be interested in hearing about progression like this, for other leagues than only England?

Either way, it was just a suggestion... It's all up to Kip and how much time he has on his hands.

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