Football Manager 2014 Beta Update and Demo FEEDBACK THREAD

[Polop]

Large transfer deals are constantly falling through. Why are AI teams bidding more than they can afford for players, only to not have the funds to complete said transfer.

It's gamebreaking to the point that you can't sell anyone for over 20million or so.

[bartnawer]

The new ME is just plain boring. Even with exploit the middle and three central midfielders with one attack and two support, all my team does is pass to the wingers, wait for them to make a run and wingers just cross, with it being headed for a corner everytime...

[aliatam]

I find the game little slower after the new update..even setting up a new career game is longer to proceed. When you click an archived tactic to load, it takes seconds for your tactic screen to upload. There are also some parts when you click the button and it just writes processing on top right, screen kind of blocks, but then its ok . Its just slower..do i need to do something for this?

[sporadicsmiles]

3) The final product is coming out in 2 days and demo has just been out. (It's the shortest life for a demo in whole game history I guess?) Correct me if I'm wrong but this has never happened before. You should have at least two weeks of demo -not for fixing the bugs' sake, but for your customers to be actually able to test your game and make their decision. Most importantly, there should at least be one weekend of being able to play demo before release.

On this, there are many games that do not have demos at all. Plus, the point of a demo is to try before you buy - it is not going to go offline after the game is released so the number of days it is released before the release date is mute. Surely if you wish to test the demo and see if you enjoy the game before you buy it then it is worth taking an extra couple of days to do this rather than having to buy the game on release date?

[bartnawer]

Getting worse and worse. Strikers and wingers randomly taking shots 45 yards out when better options are available... I really don't get it anymore.

[Melroseby]

ok , lot of negativity on here, actually enjoying the beta and feel it is a large step forward from FM13. My team follow instructions and game is far more absorbing, still have to change my tactic every time a new build of Beta is released, but this is no hardship. KUTGW SI

[mbchuz]

Does anyone know if triallists are still eligible in the FIFA Club World Cup?

I forgot to report it previously, so I'm hoping someone else has. With a bit of luck in the Champions League, I'll be able to check later today.

[mbchuz]

Cancel that, just had my first crash

C++ Runtime Error

R6025

-pure virtual function call

[Korleone]

Then you need to be much more transparent or face the criticism.

1) I asked for a bug fixes list two times on twitter to Mr. Jacobson. First time it was rejected by saying there was no time for it. Second time, this conversation occured:

Me: @milesSI you said there was no time to make a list of fixes but you can give exact numbers. confused...

M Jacobson: @fsorkac selecting a list of bugs set to "claim fixed" and "fixed verified" in software that tells you how many you have selected is easy.

Me: @milesSI does the software have copy+paste as text option?

M Jacobson: @fsorkac not for what would be a summary of issues, rather than the conversations that have gone on between QA & dev.

I don't recall having joined a beta testing session of a game without knowing what was being fixed.

2) You don't have a "Ask Dev Q&A" sessions during the season -something like Blizzard does. We get a final update around January and then you start working on the next version. How about telling us a bit more about your process instead of waving away the criticsm by saying we don't know about what's going on behind the scenes? I appreciate you guys are active on the forums but why don't you interact with your customers in different ways than only on forums?

3) The final product is coming out in 2 days and demo has just been out. (It's the shortest life for a demo in whole game history I guess?) Correct me if I'm wrong but this has never happened before. You should have at least two weeks of demo -not for fixing the bugs' sake, but for your customers to be actually able to test your game and make their decision. Most importantly, there should at least be one weekend of being able to play demo before release.

4) You have your own beta testers, yet you seem to heavily rely on the feedback that will come from the forums/twitter. Fine but what exactly are your beta testers doing then? Even for issues that are extremely easy to notice, we have been asked to upload pkms/saved games. For most of the things, the answer should have been "known issue" instead of "could you please update etc etc?"

5) The whole celebrity marketing thing (them having the full/beta version before us, paying customers) was insulting, don't do it again. I, myself, convinced a friend to play the game saying it was good despite the issues. He's going to buy it after a three years break. Don't forget, a happy customer is the best advertisement. Make a bug free game for once and I promise you, I will run naked in my home town with 50 copies of the game in my bag.

Sorry, this has not been game feedback but a two weeks beta testing experiences feedback. It's relevant for what you wrote, though.

Subscribe to those mentioned above. I basically bought a game but has no official support, i need to find answers to my questions in forums.

Beta started promising but after 3 updates is worse (same year by year).

Many many crush dumps, in first beta version was not any.

[Switters]

Wingers appear to be too overpowered now. Either from my own team or the oppositions. Extended highlights usually show wide players running on the flanks getting past the fullbacks and trying to cross. There was one game where I felt the highlights show wide players running and crossing for the whole game. Not much central midfield play at all. Defenders in the ME just can't track or stop running wingers getting behind them much, which results in too many crosses played in, which also results in too many corners. In one particular game, the opposition had 5-6 corners in less than 5 minutes in the match.

[kingjohn1947]

demo not showing up on my steam account

[enemyzz]

Have match stats and heat map been removed from FMC or are they not implemented yet? I've had 2 games in a row now with 65% pass ratio and I cant work out what type of passes are failing as the stats are devoid of info...

[Scudders]

Apologies - if wrong place.

But since the latest update - I cant seem to find - How I can turn off the match preview (FMC). Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

[tlm_77]

Not even going to bother starting a game at the minute. Crash after crash for a start and then all the other things people mention.

I've also noted how poor the transfer system is at the minute.

I get offers for my players but they're virtually always well below their worth.

AI teams wont bid silly amounts anymore for my star players.

Game's going to be shelved until release day.

[Cas46]

I can report that I agree totally with the overpowered wingers. Every game teams with half decent wide players just boss their way down the touchline unchallenged, just played Valladolid as Valencia and they didn't have a winger in the starting line up and so they made 6 dribbles in the whole game except for a very average winger called Keko who came on at half time and made 10 dribbles all down my right flank just on his own.

[thegr8anand]

Well the widgets remain in place now but i still have to change them if i am playing home or away. I use team-ratings, performance and body language and they change to the other team if i play a different(home/away) game than my previous one.

[ChelseaFan]

This version is even more frustration than the last! Play through the middle is non existent. 90% of goals come through crosses and set pieces. CAM's are amazingly bad and full backs have gone from world beaters to dead wood.

I've read through tactic guides, understood the fluidity system and felt like I developed a decent tactic but it means nothing due to CAMs performing awfully and inside forwards taking long shots from 40 yards even without the Long Distance shooting PPM (and being told to work ball into the box).

Crosses and wingers are completely overpowered and the game as of this moment is extremely frustrating to play.

[mbchuz]

Third crash in a month of game progression now, with no consistent cause. Never had a single one before the patch.

Then the Champions League final comes around and I have 6 players (5 certain starting eleven) out on international duty because the national team had a game coming up in SEVEN DAYS!!! That is ridiculous!

[Welshace]

Third crash in a month of game progression now, with no consistent cause. Never had a single one before the patch.

Then the Champions League final comes around and I have 6 players (5 certain starting eleven) out on international duty because the national team had a game coming up in SEVEN DAYS!!! That is ridiculous!

Firstly, don't swear on the forums...

Secondly, it's a beta, expect crashes and bugs.

[daylight]

Well you guys must be doing something right, for the first time in years I actually set my alarm clock so I could get up a couple of hours before my kid woke up so I could have a bit of playing time.

The only problems I am seeing is, as I said before the fullbacks getting low scores and there does seem to be a bit too many shots on goal, I would say it is that high as there seems to be quite an increase on long shots.

I am finding it easier to get under 21 Premier league players to come on loan to the 2nd Division, I am not sure if something was changed there or if I am just targeting the right players, I would say the former as before I could not get hardly any team even willing to accept my offer, let alone the player actually accepting, good stuff.

Still a couple of days to go before release and I am pretty confident you guys will sort out the remaining little problems.

[BiggusD]

I've been playing the Demo a bit, and here's my first impression.

Non-ME

* The contract negotiations are still not negotiations. I expect more than 1-2% reduction of the base demand before trading bonuses.

* Started with Lazio and interest in my players seemed better than FM13, but all offers were very low.

* I miss the overview of what a player instruction actually do. Surely rather than discerning what he does through which shouts I can give him, it would be better to display a list of which shouts he actually has?

ME

* I don't trust ratings since full back ratings are very low by default, and this has tactical ramifications especially when it comes to substitutions.

* The graphics are much better, but unlike in FM13 I now understand what people mean by "ice skating".

* The more detailed team talk reactions are helpful.

* Juventus had 66% possession against me in the Super Cup. They kept the ball for minutes at a time without much trouble because my team hardly closed down at all. This might have been caused by me setting the Lazio team to Attack and thus less space was covered. Could also be tied to the issue below.

* When set to Attack strategy, midfielders and strikers hardly tracks back at all. "Attack" shouldn't mean "stay up front" to this degree.

* The Trequartista I employed in the AMC position moved very little in any direction. Mostly just standing about idly high up the pitch. Once I switched to AMC-A he became much more active and my players found him more with their passes.

* And the most annoying "bug" of all; impossible and stupid headers. The ball goes over the defense and will obviously either go out or end up with the keeper, but the defenders rush after it, jump, and then head the ball back into the feet of the opposition while in the air. I call these The Headers of the Owl Men and it would have been funny if it wasn't so frequent and damaging for the defense.

* Not just headers, though. Also when the ball would roll nicely back to the keeper, panicked defenders lunge for it and clear the ball wildly a few centimeters in front of the katatonic keeper.

* When a winger has the ball, he is closed down by the full back... while the rest of the defenders and midfielders remain in the box. Obviously, the full back can't risk a tackle without any form of cover, so he's just standing there allowing the winger to do whatever he wants. Apparently the lateral movement of the defense is still almost non-existent in FM14.

[Butters76]

I'm fine with the idea of playing a beta to make the full game better, but there just seem to have been some glaring issues that make you wonder how they were missed in development in the first place. And with each update, other issues seem to have cropped up, which makes me cautious as to whether they will be sorted in time for the full version. But obviously I'll reserve proper judgement until that is out, and if it turns out that everything is sorted by then and the proper game has omitted most of these issues, then I will consider the beta to have been a success.

Have you any idea how complex the code for Football manager is. Hurts my head just to think about it. Everything "talks" to Everything. You change some code to fix a certain bug and then other things are affected and new bugs can arise.

You see the same thing in other complex games like Grand strategy games. Takes testing on a massive scale to iron out all the bugs. FM always gets there in the end. Last year the ME was terrible at release, just awful. But after the updates it was excellent.

[teodoro]

Good evening to anyone. After several games with the new update i have to say:

1)Too many long shots from outside the area. The players looks like they have nothing to do but shot. It seems the same problem like 13.3 patch. You can t see a through ball or a good pass inside the box...

2) The game is very attaking. Every team win the ball is trying to counter. One player takes tha ball and start running down the flanks.

3)Goalkeepers save everything

4) No one place the ball. Everyone shots with power

I agree 100%..

It seems that attack patterns are rather too simple and repetitive.

In this area there was not any significant progress compared to the previous version.

[enemyzz]

Yes the heading of ball by defenders is frustrating. 90% of the time if your player had left it, it would have gone out for a goal kick. Also Zonal marking where has that disappeared to??? At times its non-existent, with opposition players left wide open unmarked.

Oh and don't even get me started on the throw in bug. My players constantly throw it to the other team. It still exists after how many versions of fm? I've forgotten because its been here for so long.

Unfortunately shades of fm13 patches are coming to light. Starting to get worried......

On another note seems like the tactics have been dumbed down for console just like Total war.

[Shakes]

* The contract negotiations are still not negotiations. I expect more than 1-2% reduction of the base demand before trading bonuses.

Yes, I find the contract situation is unbearably stupid, worse in FM14 since it all comes out of your budget anyway so why even pretend anything done in negotiation matters, may as well just give us a price with a yes or no button.

I haven't got far enough into FM14 to tell if this is still the case, but in FM13 once you got agents to "Great Respect" they'd start actually negotiating and giving you big discounts on their initial demand. Takes a long time to get to that point though, maybe a decade of giving contracts to several of their clients without breaking a negotiation.

[gipsy]

Hello,

I have not yet updated to the latest version of the beta, till on 14.0.3

I noticed players not recovering from games quickly enough and therefore being at an average of 90 to 95% condition before starting a game.

I rotate my squad for every game except for the keeper and I have "rest the day after match" selected so I guess this still needs improvement. Is it better in the latest update?

Also, I intend to do a clean install of FM14 on Thursday, FM13 FAQ explain how to fully unistall the game but Icouldnt find a similar article for FM14beta. Is it ok to follow the steps of FM13 FAQ to uninstall beta?

Thanks

[luka_zg]

I didn't update and by your impressions I don't want to until full game release. Is it possible to acces the game while offline?

[Coyh]

Cancel that, just had my first crash

Had this one 3 times now

[tigerhgrrrrrr]

Apologies - if wrong place.

But since the latest update - I cant seem to find - How I can turn off the match preview (FMC). Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Me too, I use instant result and have to work around other screens to get out and then progress by using "continue". I get my 1st indication of the result via the news emails then randomly the match report pops up. Not great. Game so good though I can live with it, especially if it is fixed soon

[milnerpoint]

Yeah wingers are now a bit overpowered, or the full backs have been dumbed down a bit much, either way crossing def seems a bit too powerful now. Defending against a target man is very very difficult, and corners are a bit of a lottery to defend. The ratings also need looked at, players shouldnt be dropping to below 6 in the first ten minutes of a game, not when you've had 70% of the ball and the opposition is yet to have a shot at your goal. I dont see how a centre half could be playing a 5.7 in that situation. Full backs have really been nerfed as well in terms of ratings, mines have gone from being massively over rated at 8/9 each game to finishing a 3-0 win, with barely any shots, and them playing 6.8's.

Oh and the widget in the match screen that come on inbetween highlights is really annoying now, it never stays on your team, so if your home one game and away the next, you have to change it to show your players, it really grates on you after a while.

On the plus side the overall feel of the ME is better, more long shots hitting the target, more follow up rebounds and generally it looks smoother than ever.

The extra continue click is a touch annoying as well.

[jam jameson]

I've played a bit with the update and in my opinion it's not so bad as someone say. Some positives: i) finally we have some fine golkeeping, we've not had for years...; ii) the 3d is really fluid and enjoyable to see, the animations are much better than FM13; iii) the ME does not look so extreme, i've not experienced the 50-shot issue nor the '90-minute crossing' issue; iv) the build up looks quite realistic and quite varied.

Some negatives: i) experienced the crash when clicking alt+tab, first time ever after the update, good job SI... ii) after the update the graphics in the news is completely ruined, missing some elements and looking really as an unfinished work; iii) of course you cannot notice and overpower of the wings and of the wing play and on the other end the poor fullbacks never stopping their opposite player; iv) again few tackles from my players, even when you'd feel it should be necessary; they just look at their opposite and run beside him

In general FM14 promises to be a step forward, I hope we'll enjoy it since the release date and not in 2014...

[Jacquesmoza]

Hi there, I purchased the game through steam last night and already I am having problems loading it up. When I launch the game the comes on up until all the introductions are finished (where it's got logos of different leagues), then the screen just goes black and it stays like that. However, I checked the task manager and it says the game is still running. I have tried restarting it several times and the same thing keeps happening. I have played previous fm on my computer and it has never caused me any problems. Please help. Thanks

[luka_zg]

Could I get an answer please?

I didn't update and by your impressions I don't want to until full game release. Is it possible to acces the game while offline?

[voe2012]

some feedback/questions

1. Young midfielders, even natural DM's very low tackling, marking strength & stamina but high technique, passing etc
   
2. Champions League odds and expectations are messed up. As Ajax, playing Napoli away, the pre match odd favours Ajax heavily, but my assistant manager suggests "underdogs team talk". We lose a bit unlucky 1-0 but play rather well, so I sympathise with the team. All react badly. Apparantly there are two systems in place regarding match expectations?
   
3. All my youngsters are jaded by november, they played in the reserves (not in the U19's) which is Dutch 2nd division (professional). WAD?
   

,

[couragewolf101]

i've got 2 crashes already. r6025, private function cell issue.

[Caketiger]

The update has made the game poorer for me. The FBs are awful now.

I should have learned from before. Once you get a version you like, play the game with Steam in offline mode and don't add updates until you read the feedback in the forum and see whether the issues raised are the sort that would annoy you.

Going to wait until the full version is available before playing more - it's too annoying.

[Kriss]

Hi there, I purchased the game through steam last night and already I am having problems loading it up. When I launch the game the comes on up until all the introductions are finished (where it's got logos of different leagues), then the screen just goes black and it stays like that. However, I checked the task manager and it says the game is still running. I have tried restarting it several times and the same thing keeps happening. I have played previous fm on my computer and it has never caused me any problems. Please help. Thanks

Please start a thread here http://community.sigames.com/forumdisplay.php/342-Crashes-Game-Launch-and-Technical-Issues following the guidelines.

[Kriss]

The update has made the game poorer for me. The FBs are awful now.

I should have learned from before. Once you get a version you like, play the game with Steam in offline mode and don't add updates until you read the feedback in the forum and see whether the issues raised are the sort that would annoy you.

Going to wait until the full version is available before playing more - it's too annoying.

Sympathies, but if everybody did that there'd be no point in early Beta

[Kriss]

i've got 2 crashes already. r6025, private function cell issue.

Please report here http://community.sigames.com/forumdisplay.php/342-Crashes-Game-Launch-and-Technical-Issues

[Kriss]

Could I get an answer please?

Yes it is, boot up (with modem off) open game.

[Warlock1792]

Having some crashing problems since the new update.

Played a couple of months game time fine then I played Southend in the FA Cup 3rd round and after this game it crashed. Luckily my game had auto saved becfore this game so I reloaded it back up and I hadn't even played that game against Southend and it crashed again. When I say crash I mean quit unexpectadly

[Kriss]

Having some crashing problems since the new update.

Played a couple of months game time fine then I played Southend in the FA Cup 3rd round and after this game it crashed. Luckily my game had auto saved becfore this game so I reloaded it back up and I hadn't even played that game against Southend and it crashed again. When I say crash I mean quit unexpectadly

The problem is getting a severe looking at so hopefully a solution won't be long but please add your info here http://community.sigames.com/forumdisplay.php/342-Crashes-Game-Launch-and-Technical-Issues

[daylight]

Is it possible that SI have lowered the starting ratings for players?

After maybe 2 minutes of play I have a centre midfielder on 5.9, other times it will be my striker after only 2 or 3 minutes being below 6 etc.

I think the starting rating was 6.7 before?

Now it seems it could be maybe 6.2?

[gipsy]

Why do some of my posts get deleted I don't get it...

I was asking, is the player fitness improved in 14.1 compared to 14.0.3? I rotate my team (all players except GK) for each game and I have "rest players day after match" selected, neveretheless when I have to select a team for a game the players average condition is between 90 and 95%, a bit low considering the rotation...

Also I intend to fully uninstall the beta before the full game goes live on thursday; is it ok to follow the steps described in FM13 FAQ to fully remove it or should I do something more?

[Kazza]

Anyone else getting this:When I come to load game it shows Ncle.conflict1 and Ncle.conflict2. Both will not load. However, as I keep a back-up I am able to load from that?

[Apostolis1978]

Fantastic match earlier this evening Luton vs Gillingham, firstly the bad,

Luton 28 shots, 11 on target despite having a man sent off on 20 mins, Gillingham 16 shots, 8 on target, 44 shots in total just not realistic, defenders ratings mostly below seven my GKs rating a measly 6.8 when he was fantastic and saved a penalty.

The good

Forester for Gillingham through on goal, Ronnie Henry makes a last ditch attempt to tackle him from behind but brings the man down and he’s got to go. Now not great for Luton but realistic, it happens week in week out in real life, the thing is here that Henry tried to make the tackle, he didn’t just stop and give up.

The final few minutes Gillingham throw everything into a last ditch effort to secure a win against 10 men, Luton’s defence absolutely heroic, tackles flying in, and proper clearances of the sort you would see in a real game, clear the ball into touch, just brilliant.

Conclusion still work to do but minor tweaks not major ones, make the defence a bit better so less shots in a game when teams are relatively well matched , still too many shots hit the bar, still a problem with defenders looking to tackle an attacker who’s trying to get to the by-line and cross, defenders still seem to stop about a metre from the by-line leaving the attacker free to get his cross in, in real life it’s the attackers skill that allows him to beat the defender and cross and not because the defender can’t be bothered to run any further.

Regarding the finishing and shots issue I posted it in the ME bugs forums and they said they are working on finishing Vs AI defence (even with a man down) so patience my young padawn.

I haven't tested the new patch yet I am about to now before I go to work, will post my results when I do.

Link here:http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/367148-Reviewed-1.4.3-Match-Engine-Defence-Wacky-Results

[Damien37]

have allready posted in the bug forum this one but no respond yet if its a bug or not...

so i will post and here...tho im sure it has all ready been raised also here...

After continue the news screen doesn't refresh at first but needs from me to press again the continue button or space

When I click Continue, the game resumes normal but no newly news appear in the news screen. When it's done processing, I'm still looking at the same screen and I have to click Continue another time, before the screen refreshes and gives me my new new items.

Same thing happens when i end a game.

cheers..

[Basile Boli]

Is anyone else find a huge morale issue on FM14 Beta?

I've won 6 of my 7 opening games, am top of the league, have just qualified for the C/L proper, and yet ALL my first team squad are 'abysmal'?

This makes no sense at all?

I've had no arguments, no run ins with any players. It seems that a day after match day they will go back to 'okay', yet gradually day by day they deteriorate until they're abysmal just a few days after the match.

[Basile Boli]

Is anyone else find a huge morale issue on FM14 Beta?

I've won 6 of my 7 opening games, am top of the league, have just qualified for the C/L proper, and yet ALL my first team squad are 'abysmal'?

This makes no sense at all?

I've had no arguments, no run ins with any players. It seems that a day after match day they will go back to 'okay', yet gradually day by day they deteriorate until they're abysmal just a few days after the match.

[Hit the upright]

Funny old thread this one it almost looks as if people are playing with different match engines; personally I think we are getting there. It seems to me that pinpointing the issues in a rational way is a more productive way to get the game we want rather than waves of negativity, as understandable as they might be, especially given that some of these issues were apparent in FM 2013 and that some are so glaring you wonder if the testers know anything about football.

Here are my recommendations, I’m sure as I play more games a few more will come to light.

Fewer shots

Better defending especially on the flanks

Too many shots hit the bar

Headers still loop all the time

Too many own goals where the ball bounces off the back of keeper

There seems to be an occasional problem with players running past the ball in what seems like an attempt to get back into position.

Can’t say I’ve experienced unstoppable wingers belting down the touch line, maybe because I’m not playing in the top divisions at the moment. The defending seems to me to be much improved on the wings although defenders are not getting tight enough, it needs to be remembered that in real football a defender marking a winger (or any attacker for that matter) has to make a judgement on when to tackle, he needs to stay on his feet and keep tight to the attacker to win the ball, unless or until he is sure that going to ground to make a tackle is either the correct choice or the only choice to clear the danger.

Any computer simulation is never going to really replicate football, in the real game a player can make the correct decisions for 89 mins and then have an aberration, how can you replicate that, however the fundamentals have to be adhered to, I think this is close and I can well understand how difficult it is to tweak, correct one thing and it throws another out of kilter.