janrzm

Excellent post. I can relate to so much of it. I feel like almost all aspects of the games periphery have been improved over the last few years, which has added exponentially to the immersion (albeit with increased complexity) However, the nucleus of the game which is the ME seems mired and worse still stalled IMO. The end result for me was FM20 being the least enjoyable ME ever paired with the best "rest of the game" ever....... The notion of "enjoying" the game is an interesting one. On one hand its a video game, it's entertainment and as such must be enjoyable. On the other, its simulating as best it can, a massively stressful occupation, one that regularly chews up and spits out the toughest and best of managers and coaches. I guess I'm saying I could live with it being frustrating, joyless even if it was for the right reasons....... I actually quit playing the game this year around 750hrs, very low for me. But, Covid bought me back to the game and whilst I was grateful for the distraction after an additional 2000hrs....... I hadn't played one enjoyable save this version for many of the reasons you mention.

I'd promised myself that FM21 would be the first version I waited until the final update to buy, moving my cycle to around March. I love everything about the game outside of the ME and the tactical module. That said, with everything that's happened since I'm going to push that decision back to FM22, right now I want to support the game and the effort that's gone into delivering a product under very difficult circumstances. And, the 24th of Nov is my actual birthday, its a sign......

- Game Rules: I select friendlies against teams who play with the tactics and mentalities I'm most likely to face. Like @CaptCanuck I also save after my friendlies are complete, then replay the the games where I felt my tactic didn't behave as I'd hoped. I may replay these several times. I think this fills the "training ground void" of not being able to physically see more of your tactic being trained outside of an actual match. Always save before any contract negotiation or transfer offer. If it breaks down, I have to make an honest decision about the circumstances under which that happens, if I just got it wrong I live with it. If it broke down after 2 seconds and was unrealistic in that regard I may reload but only in extreme circumstances as it almost inevitably detracts. First Transfer Window off, always. - Club Rules: I will always spend some time researching a club and in particular its transfer activity. What types of player they go for, what markets they move in geographically. I will then do my utmost to replicate that in the game, until I reach a point in a save where I think there' be a realistic chance the club would be looking to amend some of its strategies. I recently started an FC Nordsjælland save, complete with Ghana leagues so I had a better visibility of their Right to Dream Academy, as the game doesn't give us enough control over this type of affiliate club I had to install another manager at RTD and holiday them so I could control the tactics they played, their recruitment and youth intake etc. Its hard work......I'd love to see some more in game controls for these types of scenario allowing us to more accurately define the relationship between linked clubs. "How likely is that to happen in real life" I ask myself this before any transfer, if I can't see it then I avoid doing at as takes only one or two decisions like this to destroy immersion for me. The game always, always turns up these opportunities for clubs to sign players that are just out of their league and unrealistic so you have to ignore them.

Thanks @FMFANFANFAN I'd not seen that thread before. Some cracking suggestions in there. The Financial side of the game is something that really interests me, and it's also an area of the game that is underdeveloped. And, I'm a sucker for maps and geography, again something that can be enhanced to add immersion so long as it's done carefully.

Stop the option to speed transfers over X amount of months - This is how many "real" transfers are structured so in itself its not the issue. But I understand what you are saying it can be too easy and unrealistic at some clubs to over spend. What most likely needs tweaking is a clubs appetite for long term debt. I'm not sure what goes on under the hood but this aspect of the game feels very generic at times and not specific enough to each club. That said, it may be a deliberate action on behalf of SI not to pigeon hole clubs.

Isn't this in the game at the time you are being interviewed? It could be added again between the job being offered and accepting it though.

You've touched on something there that could/would add some actual value to the Social Media element of the game. Knowing where your "plastic fans" were based would allow you to focus on increasing revenues in those countries. Signing a Star Player or Hot Prospect from that nation for instance to increase shirt sales or revenue generating social media interactions (Not sure this is even in the game as a revenue generator). Also, would really like to see the maps enhanced, and regions added. I've posted a feature request before and commented on similar.

At present I see us being allowed "X" number of coaches. Surely, for realism this shouldn't be an arbitrary number but a coaching budget, one I can allocate as I see fit? I've just had a situation in my first season at a club where I've had to let go 7 reserve team coaches (real staff at that club) because the board think we have too many. Frustrating given that is the real situation at that club. Then, to add insult to injury I am able to employ one coach who's wage is almost the equivalent of the 7 I let go added together. What is the logic of the club saying I must only have 5 coaches if I can employ 12 for the same outlay?

Do you recall where you read/heard that? I understand a reluctance by Si to group certain nations together again, the Balkans for example. Also, as we know from Google maps, country borders can also be contentious and you wouldn't want to alienate a particular market by misrepresenting how/where they understand their countries border to be. That said.....The way around this is to simply give each user the ability to group the nations they want together and create bespoke scouting regions as they desire. Personally I'd like to see the countries split in to regions too for more control.

100% Also, as I've raised in a separate request, let us request certain qualities the applicants should possess. Like a real job advert.....

@kr10 Great OP, enjoyed reading your thought process and the level of detail. I consider myself an experienced player, I endeavor to play the game without using gegenpress as it always feels overpowered and to some degree like a cheat. This year is worse than ever IMO. Hence how I came to be trawling through the tactics forum seeing if anyone was doing anything interesting. On reading your OP I decided to start a new save, attempt to push to one side any preconceived thoughts of my own and put faith in the tactic you presented. I'd been wanting to start an Atletico Madrid save but didn't feel it possible to replicate their tactics and be successful. However, I did feel they had the basis of a good squad for your tactic so dove in to it. First season, We started superbly, winning our first 7 La Liga games with relative ease, then followed a few draws and a couple of defeats albeit to decent sides. I made a rod for my own back being too critical of the players, something I've done in literally ever save I've played this year and whilst I've done ok with that approach in past versions the game this year more than ever it looks like players don't respond well to criticism despite what the feedback may say...... Atletico have an excellent squad, players like Saul for the WP and Lemar for the W have great potential, unfortunately I'm trying to both learn and forget various PPM's that are detracting from their performance at present, hopefully I'll succeed. So far, I have felt the need to change the DLF to PF as well as shoring up the defensive role on the left hand side, opposition dependent. I've only read the opening post, once I get through season one I'll look at what I've learnt and read the rest of the thread. Thanks again.

Very interesting and thoroughly enjoyable. I was going to have to ask you to lose a few games as that league table was unbearable for me......fortunately you've slipped a little so I'm coping again!!

@That There Phil Just about to read your thread. I'm also paying more attention to player personality than ever, maybe its a Sheffield thing!!! Your interest maybe stems from Wilder's ability to find players with great mental strength, mine from Wednesdays ability to find players with next to none.

@FrazT Thanks for always straight up telling it like it is.

I'll almost certainly buy it. However, I will no longer pre-order, I made that promise to myself after this years release. The status of the game as I type this is where I'd expect it to be on release day, not months after the event. My buying cycle will now be from final patch to final patch unless this situation improves.