mikelfc8

Does the game or do SI offer clear instructions for how each setting is supposed to work? If so, then do they work as expected? If there are no clear instructions, why not?

You may very well be correct, and I have always considered this scenario to be a possibility. The significant factor is that speculation such as this will be rife until SI makes an effort to clarify their strategies. The fact that my post (and many others like it) garnered no official acknowledgement suggests, however, that clarification and communication is not likely to be forthcoming around these issues, and that leaves me somewhat saddened. The silence, for me at least, is the main issue.

In terms of communication, this is absolutely the right way to go in my opinion. Much appreciated. Please consider offering similar statements on some of the historic issues that seem to have been ignored or neglected over multiple releases - set pieces international management stadium variation, suitability and design the step backwards in match graphics after FM17 newgen faces squad screen custom view columns the functionality of the DoF Amongst others. If SI could manage to clarify their intentions regarding these issues it may go a long way to assuage the notion that players who are very loyal to this game are shouting into the abyss, and it may well help to bolster the enormous amount of goodwill that I'm sure the vast proportion of the player base harbours towards the game and the team behind it. Thanks again

Isn't this a deeper problem? Should there be any database setting in the game in which players loaded and/or generated don't develop properly? Idealistic, I know. And, furthermore, one thing that has always irked me is - why is there no clear explanation of how the choices you make at set-up effect your long-term game? Whilst the in-game mechanics can benefit from some mystery in certain areas, surely game set-up should be comprehensively explained. Questions for SI, not you Dave, love your work to address these issues.

The bolded part. I couldn't have said it any better.

Lots of people have varying and different priorities when playing this game. They are all equally valid. There is much speculation and guesswork about why certain elements are the way they are. None of that is necessarily rooted in truth. But it is inevitable when communication becomes, as it has, a bit one-sided. This forum specifically asks for bug reports and suggestions for the future. It can seem as though they are being reported to a brick wall. I don't believe that is necessarily the case. Please SI, open the lines of communication a bit more. Especially around glaring issues like set pieces and newgen faces. A little explanation would go a long way.

Anticipation? Acceleration?

Just had Luis Diaz get a 6.5 but the option to fine him was not there. His last fine was over a month ago, so it doesn't seem to be related to fining only once a week, at least in this instance. I was able to warn him about his performance - 'our forwards were feeding off scraps etc.'

It seems to vary a bit with 6.5. Sometimes you can discipline and sometimes you can only warn. I wonder if it it has something to do with the micro-increments that we cannot see in the match engine calculations - 6.51389 vs 6.57984 - or something similar to that?

One way is to fine him for poor match performances. Poor performance fines - 6.5 - Warning 6.4 - 1 day fine 6.3 - 1 day fine 6.2 or below - 1 week fine. 2 week fines can causes happiness issues. Treat each fine as an isolated case. Players don't remember previous fines. If the player responds well he can get a bump in determination and/or work rate

Same here. With scouts too.

Spot on. I think this is key to understanding the more 'gamey' aspects of FM. We don't have access to hours on a training pitch and, more significantly, we don't have the massive resource of human communication and language to interact with our players and discuss ideas. Just compare the player interaction system with actual human communication and the issue is obvious. SI has to compensate for that somehow.

I've got Trent excelling at Liverpool as an rpm

Agree with this 100%. I recently suggested a similar approach.

If you're on Steam it may help to verify the game files? https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/0C48-FCBD-DA71-93EB

The DoF should also have some grasp of work permit rules.

I have to agree with this suggestion. It seems unlikely that players in the real world only get to experience this extra rehab if the manager remembers to initiate it?

Agreed. I'd also like to be able to say - 'we've had a busy schedule, and we've been rotating you to keep you fit for the most important games'.

Agreed. The feature can't really be trusted at the moment. I've put in a feature request to that effect, here

It would make the Director of Football much more effective if we could meet with him early on and set up some policy guidelines. Things like - If he is allowed to initiate transfers ignore/consider scout and analyst reports before initiating transfers for players (e.g. don't sign players, C- or lower players, only sign players B or above, set a minimum knowledge level before transfer etc.). sign/son't sign unscouted players ignore/adhere to board requirements on recruitment only bid for players with certain attributes, personalities, home-grown status or reputations If he is allowed to negotiate contracts set a wage structure and stick to it don't promise more playing time than the manager can accommodate don't promise loans to players the manager wants to keep at the club or U18s (not sure if setting them to unavailable for loan already does this?) set a minimum/maximum contract length There are probably lots of other things I've not thought of, but these are all based on issues I've had during gameplay.

No responses. Looks like a feature request is needed then.

I'm with you on that, spreadsheets seem too much like work. it's a shame the game doesn't retain the information, it could tell some interesting tales. The keeper sounds excellent, but there's never any accounting for first night nerves.

Yep, good point. I watched a Zealand test which seemed to indicate that ambition has very little effect on development, but I'm taking that with a pinch of salt.

@RashidiThat keeper certainly vindicates the approach. Did you expect it to be so successful so immediately? This may be a daft question, but can you access stats from previous seasons?

Am I right in thinking there is no way to insist that the DoF only offers a set amount of playing time when renewing squad players' contracts? Also, when asking him to renew youth players contracts, can I tell him not to promise them loans? If I can't fulfill the promises he makes to my players then giving him the reponsibility is a big problem.