Wishlist: What you would like to see in future versions of the game. All 'list' ideas in here.

[tom_numbers]

On a related note (and purely superficial), it would be quite nice if the stands were named after legends in some cases. I'd rather the game gave me the 'Chelsea Stadium', made of the 'Zola Stand', etc. than 'Zola Park'.

[Chris24]

What really needs to be improved is the medical exam that goes on for a transfer to go through, Past fm's used to have some sort of medical in but now it seems as if it has disappeared completely. The physio should give you a report on the player you want to buy's fitness and advise you to complete the transfer much like the reports scouts give you on players talent, well in this format anyway. Also if you are signing a player on deadline day you should be allowed to skip the medical and ask the players club for assurances over fitness.Would massively improve the transfer system for me personally.

[tom_numbers]

International press statements would be nice to come back. I remember being able to tell players that I wouldn't consider them for the international team until they were playing regular first team football. I'd also like to tell players that they should try to join a top division club in order to boost their chances of being selected internationally.

I see too many good players happily plying their trade in the second tier when they might be in the international team if they could test themselves against better opposition.

[pete24]

This may have already been said but when unemployed and on holiday I'd like to choose what league you apply jobs in. As well as top division clubs or higher reputation clubs, Premier League, La Liga, Championship clubs etc.

[Rafa2007]

Less goals from corners in the league you play in, it's crazy how all teams in a league can get 10+ goals a season from corners and causing strikers stats to inflate to well over a goal a game.

Pay as you pay contracts.

Also agree about urging players to switch clubs if your the international boss to increase their chances of getting selected in the national team.

[tom_numbers]

On a related note (and purely superficial), it would be quite nice if the stands were named after legends in some cases. I'd rather the game gave me the 'Chelsea Stadium', made of the 'Zola Stand', etc. than 'Zola Park'.

As an extension to this idea, when you build a new stadium, you could possibly start with north, south, east and west stands, which are renamed over a period of time. For example, Chelsea might build their "Chelsea Park", with the N, E, W and Zola stands, then 6 years down the line, they might have a new club legend, and so rename the N stand the Smith End or something.

[Bates Out!]

Hi all, new to the forum. Anyway, here's a couple of idea which might already be in the game, but I haven't played the last couple of FM's too much.

1) If you receive an offer for a player and negotiate it up, then the club pull out, you should have the option to offer the player to just that club at the original price.

2) If a club sells out a game, the stadium to actually be full. Same with the away end - ie. when Leeds play away the away end will always be full, be it Arsenal or Hereford, whereas someone like Watford might only take about 3 people to Norwich but 3000 to QPR.

3) The chance to be able to contact your players agent and tell him to do something like put a DVD together, or use his contacts to try and find the player a new club, instead of the usual 'offer to clubs'.

4) Have actual celebrations when you win something. Again this could mirror real life fans - ie. Scum fans don't seem to care when they win the league so nothing happens, but most teams have a pitch invasion and a lap of honour at the end of the year if something good happens.

5) To be able to chose whether to acknowledge the fans after each game/season, and how mental to go when doing so.

[Elohir]

I've asked for this in every version, and always been ignored - so here goes.

We need the ability to set player portraits via the UI. Instead of of finding a photo, looking up the right dimensions on the internet, cropping it, resizing it, writing down the handy 10 digit player number, looking up the xml paths on the internet, finding the XML, adding the XML element...

Why not just have a function where you can right click on the portrait and 'set portrait'? Maybe even go crazy and have basic cropping and resizing functionality? It'd turn an incredibly tedious job that takes ages into a few buttonclicks.

[spifferus]

1-Like in RL... Transfers are now made (most of the times) using Investment companies... Allow clubs to associate to those financial companies when buying a player and so.. having x% be owned by the club and x% be owned by that investment company. Later on.. .the game player can buy the remaining % from the investment company

2-A manager is a manager.... Game should allow us to apply to reserve or junior teams... that is also valid to de international teams... we should be able to apply to U21 and under... (Its not necessary to start a career as a main manager as most managers don't start that way)

3-More media speculation and with more influence.... that, valid to anyone... players, teams, managers, boards...(not just transfers)

4-Players striking and leaving club if finances way bellow 0...

5-was said here before... allow to create a pre-season tour... specially in countries were the club is associated with another wich has a comercial/influence relationship. Or be invited to one by receiving a fee...

6-Allow to search staff (specially Assistant Managers) using his preferred tactic and mentality

7-Like previous, but regarding to players (personality, mentality)

8-Referees failing more often (as in RL, and as it happens in most countries i'm sure, referees don't miss judge 3/4 times a season). But being that implemented... accusing the referee from having influence in the final result should only happen in certain goal situations

9-Fan influence at home and away games(Fans are a big part of the game) and having allot supporting you can boost the team. The other way around also works after a bad series of results. Also.. there are fans that are typically more calm... others are effusive supporters...that quality can change over time... Also, there are teams that take allot of supporters to the away games... some even more than the home supporters making you feel like your almost playing at home.

10-Players having personal issues... and that reflecting in their disposition to play... births, deaths, sickness of relatives, despite happening rarelly... should happen. and the player personality will determine how he will react to that

Thats all for now

Feel free to comment

[Rakia_Time]

The option to start the game with a completely empty team, no players, no staff, just a wage and transfer budget (size depending on the team)

[duccio]

Unless I have painfully missed something, I think it is very arduous to choose and rest players I think are in need of it. I mean after selecting players one must: right click ---> Squad ---> Training ---> Rest ---> X Day(s)/1 Week.

I often rest select players after matches, and really think a more simple way to do just that would greatly enhance the gaming experience.

[Smurf]

Yeh really hope they cleaned up the UI. Far too many clicks to get things done.

Especially if you are renewing contracts. Had to renew 30 contracts one time and it was the most mind-numbing experience.

Click player>Offer New Contract>Negotiate>Haggle>Haggle>Haggle>Finalise Deal>Exit talks

x29

(that's 240 steps to go through)

[Lazaru5]

Yeh really hope they cleaned up the UI. Far too many clicks to get things done.

Especially if you are renewing contracts. Had to renew 30 contracts one time and it was the most mind-numbing experience.

Click player>Offer New Contract>Negotiate>Haggle>Haggle>Haggle>Finalise Deal>Exit talks

x29

(that's 240 steps to go through)

This is self-inflicted, I have no sympathy for you...

You have 365 days to offer a new contract to your players, not just one... spread it out over the season, reward spectacular form with new deals at the time rather than at the end of the season, etc. Leaving yourself 30 players needing a new contract at once is just dumb imo but each to their own. It's almost certainly not a fault of the game that you had "240 steps to go through"

[l.s]

I'd like to see opportunity to change or build a new stadia for reserves and youth teams. Or make it possible to get a affiltiated club which have a stadium to rent for this purpose.

[mr_anthrope]

I haven't read through all the suggestions obviously, so I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I would love there to be a mode in which you could start your career in a particular decade. Say 1990, and take over the reins at, for example Manchester United and have the likes of Giggs and Scholes coming up in your youth team and mould them. Or manage and build teams with legends like Maradona and Cruyff, and maybe alter history to suit what you wish had happened all those years ago.

It would take painful amounts of research, more than anything, to pull that off, but I would absolutely love it. Perhaps something to think about a couple of years ahead?

[Viking]

I'd like to be able to add college/university clubs, where the players actually stays until their "contracts" exipre.

[Koki]

Please make the transfer behaviour of clubs less "English". Especially clubs in Eastern Europe invest values of 5-15 Mil for ONE new player. This is quite unlikely unless they have a sugar daddy. The same applies to Germany and France. No club (except Bayern and PSG) would pay 20 Mil or more for one player.

[MUFCElMikeO]

I've been meaning to post a suggestion for a while about rather than having an offer for a player accepted and then just automatically offering them a contract, they ask questions, see what their role in the team would be, be able to make them promises, etc etc, so that teams that aren't so amazing rather than have a player flat out say "no, not interested", you could try and convince them that it could be a good move for them.

Negotiations in previous Football Manager games have only been about how long the contract length is going to be, how much they're going to earn, while negotiations in the real world of football involve where the club is going to be going, what would be the benefit of such and such a player joining. It would add a whole new aspect to the signing of players side of the game.

[GR Choke]

Just bought Aaron Ramsey for 25m. I then buy some more players that play in his position to strengthen the CM area. He starts moaning about he feels there is too much competition for a CM place, i tell him that he is first choice and he says that he hopes i keep to my promise. Months pass and he hands in a offical transfer request, the thing is that i want an option to say 'well you can go for the 25m that i paid for you.'

[Iboshow]

Being able to get sponsorship. I promoted my team up 3 division but i only recieve 110K from a sponsor. I think sponsorship must be looked into, such as sponsor's having clauses such as finish top 5 or we will terminate contract finish 1st bonus 50K etc. I doubt that clubs only have one sponsor and if they did going up 3 divisions should attract more sponsors.

[petch86]

i think in the attendance they should show how many of that are away fans

[pauly1616]

my issue is this: the tactics creator imposes upon you the idea of what an 'advanced forward' is and what he does. and it tells you he exists, which one may agree with or disagree with.

what I want to see is that it is left blank when you buy the game. you then get to create these shorthand presets for each position yourself. you get to name the presets so no-one has to argue over what a trequartista is, whether it still exists or what instructions it should have. you name the presets, you choose the instructions.

then you save them. they are yours, and any system you make can be made quicker because you have your presets at hand to plug and play as the phrase goes.

you get rid of the wwfan versions. (if they are his versions). those become optional downloads, or even in the folder when you get the game, a simple click of import away, should you wish to use them.

then everyone is happy, no?

this idea extends to shouts. you name the shouts, you choose what they do.

[deserter]

my issue is this: the tactics creator imposes upon you the idea of what an 'advanced forward' is and what he does. and it tells you he exists, which one may agree with or disagree with.

what I want to see is that it is left blank when you buy the game. you then get to create these shorthand presets for each position yourself. you get to name the presets so no-one has to argue over what a trequartista is, whether it still exists or what instructions it should have. you name the presets, you choose the instructions.

then you save them. they are yours, and any system you make can be made quicker because you have your presets at hand to plug and play as the phrase goes.

you get rid of the wwfan versions. (if they are his versions). those become optional downloads, or even in the folder when you get the game, a simple click of import away, should you wish to use them.

then everyone is happy, no?

this idea extends to shouts. you name the shouts, you choose what they do.

Agreed.

[gullit4]

This is self-inflicted, I have no sympathy for you...

You have 365 days to offer a new contract to your players, not just one... spread it out over the season, reward spectacular form with new deals at the time rather than at the end of the season, etc. Leaving yourself 30 players needing a new contract at once is just dumb imo but each to their own. It's almost certainly not a fault of the game that you had "240 steps to go through"

it is a terrific idea to streamline the game. it should not be dismissed because you could do it over a year.

when the news item appears saying "the following staff have contracts expiring in x months", below it there should be a button saying 'select all'. clicking it highlights them all. clicking individuals unhighlights them. then below that button, a second button like the transfer drop down menu. from here you select "maximum % wage increase". you choose from 0% to unlimited. then finally at the bottom you have submit, dismiss and undo buttons.

bang. 30 contracts done in a couple of clicks. when you play a network game it is incredibly difficult to renew staff deals without taking ages. this fixes that, and improves the game's ease of use.

[x42bn6]

it is a terrific idea to streamline the game. it should not be dismissed because you could do it over a year.

when the news item appears saying "the following staff have contracts expiring in x months", below it there should be a button saying 'select all'. clicking it highlights them all. clicking individuals unhighlights them. then below that button, a second button like the transfer drop down menu. from here you select "maximum % wage increase". you choose from 0% to unlimited. then finally at the bottom you have submit, dismiss and undo buttons.

bang. 30 contracts done in a couple of clicks. when you play a network game it is incredibly difficult to renew staff deals without taking ages. this fixes that, and improves the game's ease of use.

Pretty much agreed - staff contracts are hardly as complicated.

The email could go one further and state which staff members are happy to keep their contracts at their current levels (or lower even). Some of your older or long-term coaches might fall into this bucket, whilst some of your younger or newer coaches might want a raise and those will need to be negotiated separately. So this could renew most of your contracts in a single mouse-click - even less clicks!

[Lazaru5]

Pretty much agreed - staff contracts are hardly as complicated.

The email could go one further and state which staff members are happy to keep their contracts at their current levels (or lower even). Some of your older or long-term coaches might fall into this bucket, whilst some of your younger or newer coaches might want a raise and those will need to be negotiated separately. So this could renew most of your contracts in a single mouse-click - even less clicks!

If you don't like the clicks, play a console game....

for staff, I click use existing terms, offer, finalise... three clicks, rarely does it take more...

[gullit4]

If you don't like the clicks, play a console game....

for staff, I click use existing terms, offer, finalise... three clicks, rarely does it take more...

it isn't about clicks, it is about ease of use. the same issues exist on many console games.

when you are playing an online game it can take up to 30 seconds per offer easily. and when there is a time limit imposed, it becomes less workable.

your response is absurd- do you oppose all user friendly initiatives? all this idea would do is make things easier. fewer clicks means a quicker, more enjoyable experience. it isn't about using a console or a computer at all.

[pauly1616]

"Select all", "renew at max 20% increase" or whatever sounds like a great idea.

Anything that can improve the functionality and streamline the game, especially for multi-players dealing with lag etc, would be great.

[Lazaru5]

it isn't about clicks, it is about ease of use. the same issues exist on many console games.

when you are playing an online game it can take up to 30 seconds per offer easily. and when there is a time limit imposed, it becomes less workable.

your response is absurd- do you oppose all user friendly initiatives? all this idea would do is make things easier. fewer clicks means a quicker, more enjoyable experience. it isn't about using a console or a computer at all.

and the issue is the time-limit, not the contract negotiations... I hate playing network games because you just do not get enough time to do anything, never mind give out new contracts, even setting up training or tactics takes too long on a network game, and that's if you already have the schedules and just need to load them and put the players in the appropriate one..

If I'm honest, I get fed-up seeing people complain about the number of clicks... has nobody noticed that almost every piece of software that has been around a long time now has way more clicks to perform a task than in the past? Maybe it's just me... at the end of the day, you know what you're getting when you buy it, if you don't like... User friendly doesn't translate into less clicks for other software, in fact I'd say that most other software is more bloated than ever.. at least with FM there's a perfectly logical reason for the additional clicks, even if you don't like them...

[gullit4]

at the end of the day, you know what you're getting when you buy it, if you don't like...

you must really dislike this thread.

why get fed up about complaints regarding the number of clicks? it increases as the detail in game increases. that is good, most people want a more immersive experience when it comes to real world simulators. the natural, unfortunate consequence is that the game is slowed and you have to sift through more information. an idea that allows you to retain the detail, but deal with it in a more efficient manner is exactly the kind of thing I would have thought this thread is for.

sigames has a great history of trying to take on board useful ideas from the people who buy their games. this is because ultimately these suggestions usually result in an improved product. most other software is more bloated than ever? disputable, but if so, the companies that release the software should be following SI's example, rather than the other way around.

[Guest]

I would like to see the option to 'make available for reserves until fit' extended to allow me to place eligable players into the U-18/19 squads, mainly due to the fact that most coutries do not operate a reserve league structure so if I've got a young talent in the first team & need to get him match fit after an injury at present I can either take charge of the youth wich will add time to an already detailed game or move the player to the youth team which almost without fail ends up with the player getting upset.

WOuld like to add another as this has just happened in my current game, can agents stop offering me players that I cannot sign due to league restrictions. I get fed up with agents offering me an Argentinian journeyman when I'm only allowed to sign EU nationals, this also goes for offering players that would never get a permit to work in the UK. Surely as football agents they should be fully versed in the required league regulations & employment law otherwise they are just wasting time & money touting a player to clubs that cannot offer him a payday.

[pauly1616]

Suggestion:

A standard day that season expectations is asked for in Italy, Spain, England.. other big leagues. (seems to be random between June and July now)

That way we could holiday to a day before that:P

[Murciaz]

I hope FM12 has improved multiplayer online, it would be awesome if it actually worked to play a smooth FM12 online game with friends:P

[Suarez...]

1. Better Developement System. Better Training. That sort of thing.

2. I want to beable to pick teh exact line-up of The U18 an Reserve Squads without having to watch the game. I want more control over these areas w/o being forced into watching game that I don't need to be watching.

[HopOnBaby]

Players who have signed pre-contracts abroad should at least start to learn the relevent new language before they move - signed up a couple of 16 year old Brazilians a year ago, but they still haven't learnt any German before their move over in the summer. IRL, they'd've had 18 months to at least learn some basic German in order to fit in better once they move.

[Suggy33]

One thing that annoys me currently, is on the player search screen, I go to edit the filter, but because EDIT FILTER and CLEAR FILTER are right next to each other, a lot of the time I click the wrong one, and I lose my filters.

I'd just like a little screen to pop up that says "Are you sure you want to do this?"

[Lazaru5]

One thing that annoys me currently, is on the player search screen, I go to edit the filter, but because EDIT FILTER and CLEAR FILTER are right next to each other, a lot of the time I click the wrong one, and I lose my filters.

I'd just like a little screen to pop up that says "Are you sure you want to do this?"

lol, I had this with save and status being next to each other in FM10... I must have saved the game hundreds of times by accident...

Whilst I'm here, I'd like the ability to run more than a single instance of FM at any one time, I know I can run FM09 and FM11 alongside each other, but I want to run my Barcelona and Hereford FM11 saves simultaneously and I can't... "football manager is already running"

[Guest]

Would like to be able to arrange winter break competitions in sunnire climates with clubs from other leagues that have similar breaks, I get board with setting up a tour of the reserve/non league sides based on the Canary Islands as they do not offer a great workout for my players.

[magicmastermind124]

It would be nice to be able to set up rules for friendly cups that reflect the rules in use in real life (e.g. for each goal scored the team earns an extra point).

[Matt_no_7]

I wanna see the greed of the youth players sorted out. Every year i have a set rate for players just turning 17 (unless they are mega talented) but every year i get 5-6 worthless players (who i only offer to keep around to fill out the youth and reserve sides) asking for £2,000 or more per week.

If an unknown 17 year old demanded Fergie give them £2,000 a week having done bugger all in the game they'd be thrown out the window, not the door, the window! This needs sorting big time!!

[Guest]

Would you like a window included in the game?

[Guest]

Jsut come to the Januray window & remembered an area of the game that has bugged me for ages, team status wage restrictions. I get increasingly frustrated that I cannot use my wge budget freely without these atrificially imposed bands, as I spend a great deal of my time in lower leagues wage control is an important part of my game & sometimes the best solution to having backup for a number of positions it to sign a good utility player that can do a job in a number of positions. Now the lad I'm looking at signing this time is never going to be a star & will be lucky to get a dozen games, maybe more dependant on injries & suspensions but the only way I can meet his wage demands is to set him as a key player.

The obvious problem is there is a good chance he'll get frustrated at not being the first name on the team sheet & if I change his status to rotation/backup then he's going to be hacked of at that, basically I have to back myself into a lose/lose scenario so can we see an end to this wage model? If the board give be £5000pw to spend on wages & I'm given full control over player acquisitions then I should be free to choose how much I give a player regardless of his squad status.

Actually I'd also like to see an end to the current ststus system, unless SI can back up the current Key/1st Team/Rotation/etc as an accuarate model of the current game at all levels I'd prefer a less refined system of Senior squad, Reserve squad & Youth with the player chat function being used to convey to players how important they are.

[Iboshow]

have you tried a low weekly wage but a high apearance fee

[Guest]

I'm not looking for tips plus the appearance bonus scale is also linked to the squad status but in reverse which presents its own problems.

[avarchillion]

my ideas for football manager 2012

so, after playing the football manager series for years. actually i think the first one i played was, championship manager 1998.

no matter, here my five cents to make game better (at least as i see it).

1. a simple, yet annoying bug has survived through the football manager versions. in the unlikely event of a goalkeeper scoring a goal, this is not added anywhere. for instance the german goalkeeper hans-jörg butt was and still is, known for is incredible ability to score penalties. in one season he scored 11 goals in the german 1st bundesliga for bayer 04 leverkusen. yet the game completly omits this. the goal doesn´t show up in any statistic.

2. praising players in private chats is still a thing of chance. why? well for instance in a game of the fc bayern münchen, robben scored 2 goals and was given the note 9.4. so in a private chat i told him, that he did great and he was so frustrated about me thinking his horrible game was good, that he nearly left the club because of this.

I think the problem may be, that the game does not map the matches properly. I mean that for some players the last game is properly matched as the last game but for others it seems to be the game before the last.

3. I think it would be a good idea if you´d be able to talk to a player about his manager. Why? Well, for instance, a player wants a new contract, but his manager doesn´t like you. You offer the player a contract and the manager demands insane stuff, knowing you will not agree to his demands. When the contract negotiations thus fail, the player will be angry and you are not able to explain why the contract negotiations failed. Maybe there should be an option to be able to offer a contract to a player without having to go through the manager.

4. In the press conference one sometimes has to answer a lot of questions. The annoying thing about that is, that in the end only one of the questions seems to count as they are summorized together and the players seem to react only to this final question. That, in my mind, destroys the whole concept of press conferences.

5. The insanely good young players..... Well, when you start a new game, the players are closely matched to their real abillities. Yet when you have played a few seasons you will have guys that are barley 16 and already have, for instance as a AMR 16 crossing, 15 pace, 15 dribbling and all other attributes about 13.

5.1 While some young players seem to be born with godlike abillities, most others are so crappy they are a sore for the eyes of every football manager. How can a fc bayern münchen give a contract to guy who is 18 and has 1 strength, 1 workrate, 1 creativity and nothing else over 8? Sry but even trying to visualizing a guy with 1 strength is something hard to do. Also, these "normal" young players never seem to be able to develop even closely to being professional players. That is strange if you consider, the traininggrounds, the professional trainers and the regular exercise these guys have to go through every day. Every normal young man training 3 years daily with the fc bayern münchen is most likely to become a rather good football player. Maybe not good enough for the fc bayern, but at least good enough for the second bundesliga.

-> I think you should balance the godlike younsters and the crappy youngsters a bit closer to each other. The rest should be training, trainers and talent (so that there is a difference between a christiano ronaldo and a andreas ottl).

6. How about making the game a bit more personal? Adding something like a private life to the players and the manager. Players having to go through divorces, manager marring and having children and all that. That would add another chaosfactor to the game and would make things a lot less predictable.

7. Another thing, I have, over years, developed my own tactic. It´s something of a 3-5-2 with three central defenders, two defensive middlefielders , two wingers, an attacking middlefielder and two central strikers. I saved this tactic under the name "3-5-2 def" and use it all the time. Well, the game tells me, on my personal page, that I am using either a 4-4-2 or some other random tactic (at the moment 5-3-2). I find that annoying as I am quite proud of the tactic I developed.

8. Also I think it strange that it is not possible for the manager of a nation, to train the players he called up before a mayor event like the world cup. You should be able to get the players together in a training camp.

9. well, can´t think of anything else, so that´s it. Over all the game is as great a game there is and you guys always have done a great job.

avarchillion

[x42bn6]

If I'm honest, I get fed-up seeing people complain about the number of clicks... has nobody noticed that almost every piece of software that has been around a long time now has way more clicks to perform a task than in the past? Maybe it's just me... at the end of the day, you know what you're getting when you buy it, if you don't like... User friendly doesn't translate into less clicks for other software, in fact I'd say that most other software is more bloated than ever.. at least with FM there's a perfectly logical reason for the additional clicks, even if you don't like them...

There's nothing "logical" about requiring a specific number of clicks to complete a task. The task has to be logical - how the user completes it is down to (UI) design.

Number of clicks/keystrokes is a reasonable measure for usability, as is things like mouse distance covered and contrast of items on screen. Minimising the number of keystrokes should always be considered.

This is surely why in FM11 you can click press-conference responses in buttons, whilst in FM10 you had to select an option and hit "Next". Half the mouse-clicks, equal the amount of effect, with a comparatively small risk of a misclick. That's UI improvement.

As for software nowadays requiring more clicks than in the past - nobody has said that's right, however. Look at the first iPhone - in contrast to the clunky Nokias and Samsungs, you could perform many things with a flick of the finger, whilst Nokia required you to navigate a million menus, whilst the iPhone looked gorgeous. I would imagine that the iPhone has one of the finest ratios of effect to keystrokes of a phone at the time - it was that good.

Contracts for players is pretty much one area where it can be improved - things like your assistant dealing with relatively uncontroversial contract deals (i.e. players who are getting old and will always ask for less money than before), or uncontroversial staff contracts en-masse. These should all be considered to improve the UI. ~10 clicks per contract renewal is a lot, especially for multiple players, and anything to aid usability and less clicks would be a huge plus.

[x42bn6]

Jsut come to the Januray window & remembered an area of the game that has bugged me for ages, team status wage restrictions. I get increasingly frustrated that I cannot use my wge budget freely without these atrificially imposed bands, as I spend a great deal of my time in lower leagues wage control is an important part of my game & sometimes the best solution to having backup for a number of positions it to sign a good utility player that can do a job in a number of positions. Now the lad I'm looking at signing this time is never going to be a star & will be lucky to get a dozen games, maybe more dependant on injries & suspensions but the only way I can meet his wage demands is to set him as a key player.

The obvious problem is there is a good chance he'll get frustrated at not being the first name on the team sheet & if I change his status to rotation/backup then he's going to be hacked of at that, basically I have to back myself into a lose/lose scenario so can we see an end to this wage model? If the board give be £5000pw to spend on wages & I'm given full control over player acquisitions then I should be free to choose how much I give a player regardless of his squad status.

Actually I'd also like to see an end to the current ststus system, unless SI can back up the current Key/1st Team/Rotation/etc as an accuarate model of the current game at all levels I'd prefer a less refined system of Senior squad, Reserve squad & Youth with the player chat function being used to convey to players how important they are.

I'd like something "soft" where the board lays out its recommendations but you are allowed some leeway (depending on the financial status of the club, number of players in each "band" and taking into account bonuses - £100 today is not the same as £100 tomorrow). Although I wouldn't be privy to removing the limitations altogether. However, some form of recommendation from the board, plus what is roughly the case in your squad ("The average wage of a squad player is..."), should be retained for new users or those who have issues managing money in-game.

[Lazaru5]

4. In the press conference one sometimes has to answer a lot of questions. The annoying thing about that is, that in the end only one of the questions seems to count as they are summorized together and the players seem to react only to this final question. That, in my mind, destroys the whole concept of press conferences.

Actually, every answer you give has an effect, not just the one that the media highlight... if a player of mine gets a mention in either a press conference question or a media comment that usually means that he will get a relevant individual team-talk come match-day regardless of which PC answer the press "picked".

[Lazaru5]

There's nothing "logical" about requiring a specific number of clicks to complete a task. The task has to be logical - how the user completes it is down to (UI) design.

Number of clicks/keystrokes is a reasonable measure for usability, as is things like mouse distance covered and contrast of items on screen. Minimising the number of keystrokes should always be considered.

This is surely why in FM11 you can click press-conference responses in buttons, whilst in FM10 you had to select an option and hit "Next". Half the mouse-clicks, equal the amount of effect, with a comparatively small risk of a misclick. That's UI improvement.

As for software nowadays requiring more clicks than in the past - nobody has said that's right, however. Look at the first iPhone - in contrast to the clunky Nokias and Samsungs, you could perform many things with a flick of the finger, whilst Nokia required you to navigate a million menus, whilst the iPhone looked gorgeous. I would imagine that the iPhone has one of the finest ratios of effect to keystrokes of a phone at the time - it was that good.

Contracts for players is pretty much one area where it can be improved - things like your assistant dealing with relatively uncontroversial contract deals (i.e. players who are getting old and will always ask for less money than before), or uncontroversial staff contracts en-masse. These should all be considered to improve the UI. ~10 clicks per contract renewal is a lot, especially for multiple players, and anything to aid usability and less clicks would be a huge plus.

I'm all for ease of use, x42, but not if means I lose something as a consequence. I personally don't like the PC format as it is atm, mainly because you have to be more careful with your choice of answer which naturally means you spend more time thinking about the answer... So far FM12 looks to have reduced the number of clicks again, so that should please you... I'll wait and see what the negatives to it are...

[x42bn6]

I'm all for ease of use, x42, but not if means I lose something as a consequence. I personally don't like the PC format as it is atm, mainly because you have to be more careful with your choice of answer which naturally means you spend more time thinking about the answer... So far FM12 looks to have reduced the number of clicks again, so that should please you... I'll wait and see what the negatives to it are...

However, you are not the only FM customer - a lot of people are more than happy to sacrifice detail for convenience. Look at the tactics creator - sacrifice the detail of sliders, gain time playing the game in a more natural way.