How many of you ENJOY FM08?

[Mike7077]

Admitting to downloading it for free was a tad silly of him now, wasn't it?

[Yalcin]

Getting into FM has become harder and harder each year. I think it's a result of SI adding new features every year. What did we get this year? Adjust the size of the pitch! Great, another factor to take into consideration when doing tactics!

Other than that I feel that more than before the game decides how we play it. In FM08 you can no longer leave teamtalks to your assistent, they just pop up. Just like Opposition Instructions (which I use when I feel they are needed, not always).

I also think the added 'realism' (if I understand correctly the game balances out results in case they don't fit in with other 'factors') made it impossible to achieve enjoyable success. In my opinion CM and FM pre FM07 were about placing the right players in the right position and determine a course for your team in years to come. Tactics worked in previous versions if you had the right players in the right place, nothing more and nothing less.

In the last two versions much more came into play and that made the game a lot less fun for me (a casual gamer).

It's so weird, is there any other game out there that offers so little in return for the time you invest in it?

I just hope SI somehow offer something for people that struggle with the game. The included advisor thing that's in FM08 sure didn't help. I know how to sign a player, arrange a fixture or scout a competition!

[turnip]

It's taken me a couple of brief savegames to start enjoying it.

I think that a lot of the problem people have is that because SI change the way the match engine works from version to version you never feel as if you're starting from where the previous iteration left off. So as long as it took you to get going with last year's £25-30 is about as long as it'll take you to get going with this year's version. In short, you're not really improving from year to year... primarily because of the way the match engine is constantly changing.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I enjoy having to think of new ways to win matches, despite having wasted countless work hours pondering the same question this time last year. I suppose my point is that people who poured hours into developing a tactic for FM07 might get frustrated at having to do the same all over again for FM08.

But right now, I'm enjoying my game.

[Serpico]

Well I think I'm done. Downloaded a tactic from a pal. Set it as my tactic and went off on holiday. Came back a few months later and my side was doing better than ok. About what I'd expect irl. So I reload and take control myself, using the same tactics and I concede two goals a game for the first couple of months before giving up and watching Monty Python.

[heathxxx]

turnip - quite a good point regarding match engine changes that inevitably change the tactical aspects of the game. Possibly a reason why we've not seen so many posts from the "usual" tactical gurus this release.

I am enjoying the game. I like the features, old and new. There are issues, but I can work with or around them fine, with the exception of the Spanish player reg bug. This is very frustrating as I wanted to play a Spanish league save, but will wait to see if it's fixed with 8.0.2

[gubbs]

Can't say that I am enjoying it. The results make no sense, defense doesn't seem to matter a jot.

I have two of the best defenders in the world, a sound tactic and I am still getting 15 shots on target a game.

As has been said above, its insane. I am either winning 5-1 or loosing 5-1.

When you win, you don't feel joy because you know it wasn't much to do with any decisions you made ..

No, I am playing Fm2007.

PS: FWIW I also found the game to be clunky and very slow to process results on my box. Considering I have a pretty powerful PC this doesn't seem acceptable.

Won't be buying fm2009.

As things stand, I feel FM is becoming like Windows: Once every five years you actually get a new version not a nip-tuck, and when you do, it is unusable until SP2 at least ..

Sort it out S.I.

Its painfully evident your majority of sales are coming from loyal long term fans: abuse us at your peril.

[Antonin]

I'm not having much fun with it at the moment. As others here have said, I also do not have a degree in tactics and do not feel you should need one.

I come back to 08 from time to time for my Rochdale game, but quickly lose interest because it seems too much like work. It's just not a very enjoyable way to spend the little free time I have.

I spend most of my time with FM06, followed by FM05, followed by FM07.

[Powermonger]

Having looked at the ProZone implementation in CM08, I firmly believe this is what FM now needs to allow us FM players to be able to push forward and get some control back into our games.

Continually flying blind and frustratingly trying to understand why we are losing wears thin rather quickly. Giving us a tool to help us better analyse our matches when we lose, we can make more informed tactical or training changes which would alleviate the current frustrations I think many of us are suffering from.

[tzussu]

Here in the states the Football Manager series is considered the mother of all sports sims. I follow and play most that exist and I have to say it is w/o a doubt the deepest and most engrossing game out there and has captivated me for several years now (and soccer er football ranks about 4th on my list!). I believe that those who do complain do so out of their passion for the game / sport itself. The fact that so many people follow / respond to these boards says it all.

[gubbs]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Powermonger:

Having looked at the ProZone implementation in CM08, I firmly believe this is what FM now needs to allow us FM players to be able to push forward and get some control back into our games.

Continually flying blind and frustratingly trying to understand why we are losing wears thin rather quickly. Giving us a tool to help us better analyse our matches when we lose, we can make more informed tactical or training changes which would alleviate the current frustrations I think many of us are suffering from. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That wont work though, since the results are pre-caculated and the 2d representation is purely a pretty add on and doesn't do a very good job of representing the maths.

What Si. need to do is start again with a truly dynamic match engine, calculated in real time not adjusted to fit an already determined result.

Thats not going to happen soon because it would require thousands of man hours to implement.

[Ackter]

That's not how the engine works. You've misunderstood something.

It plays the match out right at the start - from 0 minutes to 45 minutes. Every kick of the ball, every pass, every tackle is decided within a second. What you see is the 2D highlights of everything that has just been calculated.

Same thing happens after half time, and every time you make a tactical change or substitution.

Calculated in real time, as you expect, would not be viable. It wouldn't be able to show highlights for example, you'd need to watch the entire match every time.

[gubbs]

I don't believe that for a second. I'd like to, but look at how sloppy they are with most aspects of the game experience, what poor judgemenbt they consistently show with regard sorting out gameplay balancing and bugs which should never crop up if there weren't massive cut corners in implementation and prototyping.

Human input and decisions are probably a negligible part of the drama.

Of course, you will tell me I am wrong and I likely am. But after years of playing these games and them not actually getting any smarter, I figure they have painted themselves into a corner s'all.

[Ackter]

You're entitled to your opinion, but yes I will tell you you're wrong.

If it didn't do it in that way then it wouldn't be able to show highlights. So many people believe that SI are cheating them in some way, but there's absolutely no reason as to why they'd go to all that trouble.

[gubbs]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ackter:

You're entitled to your opinion, but yes I will tell you you're wrong.

If it didn't do it in that way then it wouldn't be able to show highlights. So many people believe that SI are cheating them in some way, but there's absolutely no reason as to why they'd go to all that trouble. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

They don't, its just a module. Bling. Eye candy so you don't feel like you are 'playing' Access via Excel. With a bit of Paint chucked in.

[Dimony]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Signe:

I prefer FM 07 fully patched. FM 08 is definitely not a complete product both unpatched and patched. This is the first time I've been disappointed by SI. I agree that tweaking tactics get round the match engine, but it should not have to be this way. I mean, shouldn't tactics be how you want your team to play and not simply to beat the match engine?

For eg. 07 allowed moderation of tactics such that if you wanted a narrow width and play down the middle, you can and still pull off results with the right players and instructions. Not so for 08. In 08, I find that if i play through the middle and not use wingers, my strikers just cannot score off one on ones as often as say from crosses. I personally prefer to have one touch football and play my striker through but in 08 this is impossible if I want to win.

There are other bugs but not so detrimental as the problems in the match engine for now. I find the match engine to be a big let down and hopefully, by the 2nd patch everything will be resolved.

Also, happy new year guys! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've heard about the 'one on one bug' a lot, but I play this passing game and feed my strikers in, and I'm scoring a good number of goals. My problem is that I'm conceding even more.

[Ackter]

It's simply amazing how paranoid people are about a computer game.

[gubbs]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ackter:

It's simply amazing how paranoid people are about a computer game. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Why paranoid? I remember when the 2d match representation was introduced ..

I was well into it on the Amiga before that ****.

I don't see how you go from text only to a full, rolling, all interactive match that plots the exact trajectory of every ball and movement of every player - from a bunch of variables, a bit of a random number and 50 lines of 'he shoots, he scores!'.

Come on ..

They didn't do that much work on it. They just 'blinged' it up.

[Dimony]

The match engine allows you to see what the flaws in your tactic are more easily than the report.

If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to use it.

As for results, they are calculated after you enter the game, and then every time you make a tactical change, substitution or at half time.

The game isn't 'fixed'.

[Ackter]

They spent years developing the 2D engine.

To be honest what you think here is just plainly rediculous, and there's only so many plainly rediculous arguments I can get involved in.

[gubbs]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ackter:

They spent years developing the 2D engine. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah ok. Like they spend hours every day fixing the bugs? If someone is working 8 hrs a day on this game I am Captain Kangaroo. You could fix all the current issues in a week, so why does it take them months? Where's the team of programmers, the dedicated management etc? Its nonsense.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">To be honest what you think here is just plainly rediculous, and there's only so many plainly rediculous arguments I can get involved in. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fair enough. I've had my say.

[Benoit2]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ajcardall:

To say SI don't "give a toss" is a little harsh, especially considering the amount of patches and updates they bring out for the games. Remember they're under absolutely no obligation to do so.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Legally no, morally yes.

[Dimony]

Gubbs - with all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about.

Have you ever done any programming work in your life? Fixing bugs isn't as simple as you might think, because every time you fix something, you have to test all the possible impacts of that 'fix' on other game situations.

On top of this, you have to playtest seasons with the fixes in order to prove that you have not caused any unwanted anomolies.

FM is a very complicated game, and although it will never be perfect, it is far nearer than any of its competitors.

[Jimbokav1971]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You could fix all the current issues in a week, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Inly 5 hours into the New Year and we already have a contender for most ridiculous comment for the year .

[Jablome]

Well, I should have looked b/c I pretty much just started the identical thread. E-gad.

[Chalkus]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mdabat:

im loving it...currently in 2024 after successful stints with Heracles, Roma and now the Italian national team

bottom line - its great

second bottom line - people moan too much for the smallest reasons </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

third bottom line - you ignorant #@"£. We're complaining cos we paid for something that doesn't work properly. For me NOT AT ALL, is it too much to complain when something doesn't work at all?

[Chalkus]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Benoit2:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ajcardall:

To say SI don't "give a toss" is a little harsh, especially considering the amount of patches and updates they bring out for the games. Remember they're under absolutely no obligation to do so.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Legally no, morally yes. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Legally 'Yes' under the Sale of Goods Act

[Mirrork]

i am very unhappy with it...at the moment i feel like i burned money...with a proper patch it could turn into the opposite though

so far i really feel let down though and will consider future buys...

[Steffchenko]

i never thought i would ever get to the point of criticizing this game, but here i am. 08 is on MAJOR step backwards. i do not understand it and fail to find any meaning in it. i've been playing all editions since 99-00 at least, so i'm not a newbie. still i cannot figure out how on earth am i supposed to play it so it would work like 07. restarted playing form scratch at least 5 times and still it sucks so much, i'm close to smashing this cd to millions and mailing it to SI.

its simply so hard and stupid that it takes virtually every single chance of having fun. i usually win the first few games and then it all goes to hell. no matter if i play ac milan or my hometown team from romania, i still get defeated whenever the AI wants. i ALWAYS loose to the red lantern of the league, no matter what tactics i use or instructions i give. its pathetic! ever had a game where all your players got yellow cards? well i did, in 08. you might say it because i had hard tackle enabled. nope, it was on normal, and offensive players even on light.

another issue is the DM in 08. no matter how good he is, he will almost never get a mark over 7. you watch the highlights and see he does well, but his mark won't budge from 6. it doesn't matter if its a youngster or pirlo himself! finished the first season with milan and pirlo was around 6.45. again pathetic.

you can't spend one lousy month, game time, without pulling your hair out. even tried downloading tactics made by others and praised by users, so that i would be able to study them. that failed as well. now i'm quite at the end of my patience and also devotion for this game. it used to be my absolute favorite game. been playing SI's manager for the last 7-8 years constantly. the oly time i uninstalled it was right before installing the new version. now, 08 will get the bin treatment definitely. i'm fed up with it!

here's a pic. and it was not an accident. it happened more then once. those that know romanian football will tell you U Cluj is one of the weakest teams in reality. my youth team has more talent then all their teams conbined.

][/url]

[earmack]

Meh, I don't hate it per se, but after say 6/7 seasons I realised that in one-on-one situations my players would only score if they were running in from the corner of the area and not from the middle, a lot like: FIFA 98 Road to the World Cup. When I realised this (it was every single time) I just stopped playing. I started FM 07 back up (had a good save anyway)and in the first game I scored from a one-on-one where my striker ran straight down the middle of the box at the keeper, rounded him and slotted home, this hadn't happened in 500 or so games on FM08. Other people have told me they didn't experience this problem with FM08 but tbh that means sweet FA to me because if my tactics mean that my players only miss one on ones because they are running through the middle of the box I don't want to change it I just want to stop playing.

[earmack]

Addendum: I actually took peoples advice and changed the way my team changed to get round the 'one on one bug' (is it considered a bug?) and was even at the point of saying 'well hell thats cool as long as theres a work around' when I realised 'hang on I'm changing my tactic that was producing 5/6 one on ones a game because my players always miss those chances....but isn't this a simulation.....one that says it strives to be the most realistic in existence?'

The FACT is: One on ones ARE the best opportunities to score goals in football, I've played and watched football extensively and I KNOW this is true. If the simulation I'm playing fails to simulate this then I shouldn't play it.

[Steffchenko]

mine manage to score 10-15% of one-on-ones, though i never saw one dribble past the gk.

i too will reinstall 07 and spend alot of time in the editor to get the teams and players up to date. 08 is history.

[Steffchenko]

well thats that. uninstalled the damn thing. good riddance. i'm not gonna play this one just for the updates. thanx SI for ruining a perfect game!

[The Gaffovski]

I'm not enjoying it as much as previous versions. That's the honest truth, and I have been successful at winning trophies so that's not the problem.

I'm not enjoying watching the matches. Shots straight at the keeper, seemingly hit by a two year old so the ball bobbles to him. Central defenders staying in their position even though a winger is breaking through on goal, or running after the ball and then stopping to let the striker clean through (which never happens when I'm the one attacking). 34 shots, 19 on target, the opposing team wins with 1 shot. The way the player ratings are done I don't like either. Still too many long shots. Use a Playmaker and he might only pass the ball 20 times whilst another player will pass it 50 times. Little things like that which disappoint when they all add up, because in those respects FM has gone backwards.

FM 2007 was far more enjoyable for me. Having said that, FM 2008 has loads of potential, if only they could iron out all the issues.

The litmus test for me is how soon I get bored of playing. With all previous versions of CM or FM, I never did. With FM 2008 I usually quit after playing 3 matches.

So, I've tried all the beta patches and the official patch, I'm going back to playing FM 2007 now, and will try the second official FM 2008 patch when it is released. I thought that once I discovered successful tactics I would enjoy FM 2008 more, but it was only a brief thing. It's just not exciting anymore.

[gazzamcg]

The problem is the 4 year old game mechanic's that we are playing with are now showing their age and SI are showing they can't do any significant change's with it, unless I am totally wrong there and someone can correct me on this.

FM '08 has shown FM has become totally stale.

Since FM '05, it's been practically the same version after version only with a samll increment of quality to the match engine that's worth talking about, but that has become stale with this version.

Sure, extra feature's have been added over the few year's that you would expect but none of them have excelled the gameplay for me.

The training module from the start was terrible and coming up for 4 year's later is still horrific, this along with the match engine is the most critical part of the game that has been overlooked for the last four year's and you have to ask the question why ?

The match engine with this version has show it's totally became stale, even with the second patch coming out it's not going to be anything spectacularly different.

Regen's and developing youth's is still a problem.

The interaction with player's and coache's in particular are non-existent.

The overall lack of immersion because of how poor the feature's of the above and more are.

I really fear for SI and FM '09, because if there isn't any major changes then I fear a huge backlash from the public, something I think SI have been ignoring with dangerously over the last few year's.

And this is the question, will FM '09 be a small incremental update to some key feature's but ignoring other key feature's with a few bit's 'n' bob's thrwon in, or is it going to be the major overhaul that it need's ?

I still play FM '08 now and then when i've nothing else to do, but this version has taken the **** to be honest.

[Ackbaria]

I can't really enjoy it as my team suffered a sudden attendance-drop, so now its going **** and my owners want me out. Why won't they throw a fan day !??!

[George Graham]

The worst thing about this is how SI told us that FMLives match engine constantly being developed would help the FM match engine.

Its a joke that we have to wait until Feb for what we can only hope is an improvement.

What an absolute joke this game has become- new features thin on the ground and what was already there has been made worse.

[Sad Git]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I really fear for SI and FM '09, because if there isn't any major changes then I fear a huge backlash from the public, something I think SI have been ignoring with dangerously over the last few year's. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The only "Major Change" that SI seem to be considering is getting rid of these forums because in Miles' words:- "I don't think they're very nice any more"...

[Pim1984]

This is a complicated game, but fully patched the games are very good. That is why I am considering starting a new career with 07 now, because after patch 8.0.2 I should start a new 08 career anyway and 702 at least works as it should.

[Tubzinho]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I really fear for SI and FM '09, because if there isn't any major changes then I fear a huge backlash from the public, something I think SI have been ignoring with dangerously over the last few year's. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think this is, despite the fobbing off it recieves from certain people, going to be an issue in the not too distant future if the competition continues to raise its game. Football Manager has been able to stay ahead of the pack for a very long time but I think the competition is on the right path and determined to actually be competition rather than second best as it has been for a very long time.

From the people I have spoken to, there seem to be more and more people looking to patches to the point now where they ask when is the patch out before the game is even released! This can't be good for the game, it's like people are gearing up for it to fail which shouldn't be the case at all. And Miles Jacobson can reply all he likes about how it sells lots and lots of copies like he did when I previously mentioned this, the real question is how many people actually play and enjoy the game? Because if they do that, they will buy in the future.

Personally, I prefer overall FM07. FM08 has its moments and it seems to be better for my type of games i.e. career games but it is a lot harder in my opinion especially given the financial change. Tactically I don't find it too much harder although I still find it difficult to express specifically what I want the team to do at certain points in the game given all he sliders and tick boxes. Hasn't stopped me being successful but I just think FM07 is more fun.

Not half as fun though as managing in real life!

[CowRonaldo]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sad Git:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I really fear for SI and FM '09, because if there isn't any major changes then I fear a huge backlash from the public, something I think SI have been ignoring with dangerously over the last few year's. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The only "Major Change" that SI seem to be considering is getting rid of these forums because in Miles' words:- "I don't think they're very nice any more"... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I feel bad for the moderators, but it's SI's fault for releasing a bugged game.

[nymanr]

Am actually scared of uninstalling FM08 as i had so much trouble getting it installed.

Had to do some crazy workaround and extract the contents from the CD to a temp folder on my comp as the game would not install from the CD.

As a hole i am not enjoying FM08. Hated FM07 and still feel FM06 was the best to date (most fun).

Did not like the jump from "fun" to "work" that i experienced between FM06 and FM07 and at first i felt that FM08 was there some where in the middle of these two. Game had problems but could see the potential of the game with the beta patches. This is why i am so frustrated as i find my self asking "how did things go so wrong between beta and full 8.01"?????

Have no problems getting success in the game, but the sheer amount of times i find my self asking the question why did that happen as i play is just horrific.

I like playing in Spain so registration is a problem. I like playing with big teams so World class strikers missing 5 1vs.1/game is a problem. World class players with Free kick ability 18 not being able to get the ball past the wall in over 3 seasons is a problem.

Main issue is that the defense module is still not working correctly. Because of this SI toned down player ability that has caused the 1vs.1 issue and FK issue and terrible longshots.

Defenders are just to stupid and wont close down open midfielders so they just shoot and miss. Defenders wont close down braking wingers or strikers so they get far to many great goal scoring chances.

Mostly i am angry at my self as i swore to my self that i would not go out and buy the game at release as i was so disappointed with the bugs in FM07. Foolishly i did go out and bye the game as i saw that the beta patch was out. Thought that the full version would be just around the corner and that i finally would have a new FM game that i could enjoy. Sadly i was wrong...

But i still have some hope in me for the future

[Dregganor]

I like FM07 a lot more than 08 right now, and I think a large part of it is the skin. I can't really describe it, I just think I had a better experience with the 07 skin when compared to the 08.. Weird, eh?

[nymanr]

lol really need a edit option for our posts as i just saw some really bad typos in my post. As English is not my first language i really struggle to get thoughts down in to words.

ps i ment "buy" not bye

[Fallenone]

It's the reason why i stopped playing team fortress 2, oblivion, and other games during this winter break

its fun and dunt fear the complaints, it's only significant depending on your views on football

[andyinuk]

I enjoy it a lot. Only because I am playing the game with my missus and my friend. For me multiplayer game is infinately better than the single player game. I play single player game only really to try out different tactics and options.

[Themistofelis]

FM08 sucks thats all , SI made a bad game but of course this is not a big deal , moaning about spending the gigantic amount of 40e is funny.

For those who enjoy the game good for you i wish i could .

As i and many others before me have said too much simulation is killing fun i think SI must go back to game origins , many of us are the same people who enjoyed cm99/00 ; if you load it now and compare it to the latest release it looks like abandonware but it was all fun and we didn't bitch about it , did we?

Big budgets and crew doesn't make success , look at EA sports and Bethesda latest crappy productions, gaming industry is in crisis just because they are trying to add more **** over badly interpreted ideas .

Football speaking i would like a game where the fun is making a team that is a joy to watch , sure managing finances , media , training, transfers and babysitting are parts of the job but the core of everything is how the ball rolls in the grass the sooner SI gets this the better IMHO.

[Guest]

first let me say i have been playing football management games since football manager by Toms came out for the spectrum in the 80's and have enjoyed Football Manager (championship Manager) since the very early 90's. At the time the box had a character on it that to me resembled Ken Dodd and the offices of Collyers was in Putney i believe as i once visited the office.

The purpose of this ramble is to say that at the moment i am playing FIFA Manager, and the reason is the 3D match engine which, when patched via their forums, is pretty realistic. You can see your decisions affecting the game etc. Now the database is nowhere near as good as FM2008, but i don't think that FM can rely o that fact for much longer, i never thought that i would desert SI but unless they move with the times, i think next year i will be updating with FIFA and not FM.

With ea match engine (modified) and the database accuracy of FM plus the attention to detail that FM have in their game we would all be onto a winner ! Think about it !

[korzy]

I've dropped the game pretty quick after I got exposed to the shots on target ratio bug, ruined the game.

[json1901]

As a game itself its still the single greatest simulation ever created and we all owe eidos a hell of a lot for filling hours upon hours of our lives.

How people actually find such a difference between yearly versions is beyond me.

Only real standout issue ive so far come across in this years compared to 07,06 is the match engine which seems to of hit somewhat of a low.

Apart from that though i just think its each to their own.

My 2 major issues with CM/FM has always been the lack of transfer activity and completely unrealistic regens, but thats not singling out this years version.

if your 5 years into a new game then its the best thing since sliced bread, if youve become frustrated with your side a season and half in then its the biggest pile of rubbish around, the circle of gaming im afraid!!

[makka91]

i haven't noticed most of the bugs the only one i have really noticed is the near post attacking headers, board confidence which isn't as bad as what some people on here make out to be, the spanish registration(mainly because ill spend my career on my spurs) haven't noticed 1vs1 bug or through balls one.i am enjoying it but only after i unistalled off computer for a month after not liking it but i am starting to enjoy it alot more but i dont know whether i like it more than 06 or 07 atm...but still a good job SI