Football Manager 2014 - Full Game Feedback/Tilbakemelding 14.1.3

[wwfan]

Maybe it's time for cooler heads to prevail. Not often we see actual swearing directed at a specific individual on these forums.

We recognise emotions and frustrations run high at this time of year. No drama. Just one of those things.

[cerud]

We recognise emotions and frustrations run high at this time of year. No drama. Just one of those things.

You're in line for sainthood at this point I'm waiting for the headline, "Computer game causes blind rage rampage. News at 11."

[FrazT]

Perhaps this discussion should now move on to the Tactics forum?

[Taipan]

New release is always a fun time, eh wwfan ....Tell me you don't miss being able to hand out yellow/red cards...Infractions seem so cold and lifeless

[wwfan]

Perhaps this discussion should now move on to the Tactics forum?

I'm not sure why I still get involved with the feedback thread. Like a red rag to a bull if I even suggest people try something differently.

[Sancho Panza]

Just played for about 20 hours since release and thought I would post a thought or two here.

Not to impressed with the match engine. So many goals are the same. Goals being scored from corners after deflections in the box and players just running around defenses like they aren't there are too common. Seems very hard to get a CCC since the full version was released. Neither myself or the AI are very successful at it and most goals come from scrappy goal line action. The rest of the game seems great to me. I think I will return was the Match Engine is updated over the next few months as I am not enjoying watching the games play out. I haven't had any problems otherwise and I am finding the game quite polished compared to last year in everything but the Match Engine.

[stfiler]

maybe not related to topic but when are the trading cards going to be implemented?

[Auqakuh]

Here's a question: why is it that when my players go away for the international break, they all - literally every single player - come back with morale degraded to "okay"?

They can't all be losing. And, indeed, they aren't. England won, as just one example of a national side with players of mine in it.

I read that the ratings problem isn't affecting morale. I'm sorry, but that simply isn't true, not in my current save. Morale is plummeting constantly. I've literally never ever had a morale problem in this game before, in thousands of hours of play, unless I'm losing matches - and I'm not losing matches until the morale problem gets ridiculously out of hand.

My tactics are not the problem. I've watched quite carefully and can say that the players are executing my instructions perfectly... to the extent that they're doing as they're told, carrying out the gameplan, they're just awful at it. Passes are hugely innacurate (ten yards behind the player they're aimed at), the play is unintelligent ("I'm a winger in a great crossing position, I know, I'll pass it 60 yards back to an invisible player"), and I could frankly play a brick up front and it'd put more effort in than an amazingly demoralized van Persie.

What's more, if I use the IGE to boost morale (something I'd never usually do, but became curious as to what affect it'd have), my team plays brilliantly... until about the 60th minute, at which point morale has again dropped to the "okay" level, and we're again rubbish.

Player condition is fine, I'm rotating well, so it's not a stamina problem either.

Beyond the player ratings, I can't see anything whatsoever that would cause morale to drop like this - especially not, as in a match against Everton that I just played, when we're 3-0 up inside 15 minutes. Surely that should boost morale, not destroy it!

What's more, my team talks, as ever, involve 5-7 players being happily green and motivated, but it just has no effect whatsoever on morale in the long-term during a match.

Bemused. :/

[keithfc]

this match engine is cheating for ai.

ai likes to goal what they want, ignore all the ability they having and tight defence. your players just become noob. all wide open shoot, header within the box are soft.

AI 1 shot in target 1 goal. Chance is not needed to created for a goal. Yours player need to shot over 10 shots in target, 3 clear - cut chance for a goal. It exists again and again. I am just tired with this me.

After getting a tittle in the first season, all teams opposing to you will play defensive football, no matter they are playing at home or away. Guardiola plays defensive tactics in their home against my team, Dortmund. What do you think? You are just forcing me to play counter tactics for every game, no matter who i need to against with. All high pressure closing down, attacking tactics must need to be gone for a win.

sorry for my poor english

[Auqakuh]

Just had Steam check my game files. It found some to fix (although I did this earlier and it didn't find anything wrong before, so that was a little weird). Not sure what was wrong or even if it was related, but the morale issue has now gone away. Yay!

Now my only real issue is that processing is so, so, so very slow compared to last year. Is that likely to be because I'm playing on Linux? I have it set to uninterruptible, and only have three nations (England, Spain, Germany) on full detail. That's only 10 leagues. In FM13 I was playing with 20-30 leagues (depending on save), with it taking only about 15-30 seconds to process fixture-heavy dates. It's now taking about double that with a third/half as many leagues.

[hluraven]

this match engine is cheating for ai.

ai likes to goal what they want, ignore all the ability they having and tight defence. your players just become noob. all wide open shoot, header within the box are soft.

AI 1 shot in target 1 goal. Chance is not needed to created for a goal. Yours player need to shot over 10 shots in target, 3 clear - cut chance for a goal. It exists again and again. I am just tired with this me.

After getting a tittle in the first season, all teams opposing to you will play defensive football, no matter they are playing at home or away. Guardiola plays defensive tactics in their home against my team, Dortmund. What do you think? You are just forcing me to play counter tactics for every game, no matter who i need to against with. All high pressure closing down, attacking tactics must need to be gone for a win.

sorry for my poor english

2 main things. 1 - The ME does not know which team is human or AI. So it cannot cheat for one over the other. 2 - If the ME is cheating for the AI, how did you win the title in your first season?

[RTHerringbone]

What's a good program to record on screen stuff?

So I can record some SI gameplay. I wanted to point out some issues.

The best thing to do is send them a .pkm file as it allows them to see all of the required detail. Details are in the Bug Forum.

[Bello di Notte]

my game stuck when i get to steam workshop... i cant install dark skin... please help me

[Welshace]

my game stuck when i get to steam workshop... i cant install dark skin... please help me

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/368978-Known-issues-Workshop-14.1.2-PLEASE-READ

[Auqakuh]

I have spotted a minor issue, I think. Not sure if anyone else is getting the same, but my board wants me to play attacking football and possession football; currently they're 100% satisfied that we're playing attacking football as required, but the possession confidence seems stuck at "seeing signs of attempting to play possession football but there needs to be improvement". I had the same in the Beta, as well; currently, my side has a mean average of 61% possession. Surely that's enough?

Or does the possession thing just tick upwards more slowly and require more time?

In my Beta save it never went up, despite averaging 60% possession over a season and a half of play.

Related to this, I am wondering when we're going to see team possession as one of the team stats in competitions. It's pretty obvious that the game is recording an average stat, since the media remarks on it and there's the whole team philosophy thing with the board now, but that we the players can't see it is a big shame - if nothing else it would save time when doing match preparation: currently I have to get my damn calculator out if I want to know!

[stevemc]

Installed the game last night, on my Macbook Pro (Mavericks) from the disc copy, and it was the easiest installation of a FM game that I've ever done. Even loaded in all the graphics without any issues.

The only problem I do have is that the "backgrounds" don't show, is this preferences option going to be available in a patch?

[PinkYoshi]

so sick of injuries. players get injured every match now when they are at 70% in my team . i had enough, waiting till next patch. every game there is 2-3 injuries.

defenders staring at balls and not moving or pull of spectacular tackles. no middle ground. seems worse than beta. opposing AI seems to score if behind no matter how defensive tactic you set. set to contain, much deeper defensive line, play safer, waste time, swap fresh defender or 2 on., they still score. its annoying

[Welshace]

Installed the game last night, on my Macbook Pro (Mavericks) from the disc copy, and it was the easiest installation of a FM game that I've ever done. Even loaded in all the graphics without any issues.

The only problem I do have is that the "backgrounds" don't show, is this preferences option going to be available in a patch?

There has been an issue with background transparancy etc Steve.. plenty about it on the graphics forum I'm sure... it's being looked at.

[Pelvis]

I dunno if im seeing it right,but suddenly all players look the same height in 3d match..before i could clearly see the difference between a 195cm player and a 170cm player..now they seem the same..did they remove height difference or something?

[stevemc]

There has been an issue with background transparancy etc Steve.. plenty about it on the graphics forum I'm sure... it's being looked at.

I hope so. Pretty disappointed if SI have removed this option from the game, without at least letting people know first. Wasn't it patched last year by SI?

[Butters76]

[sarcasm] Every FM version has been the worst yet and the previous one was perfect.[/sarcasm]

But at release that is actually true. Its no secret that FM is released in a quite shabby state every year. With major gamebreaking bugs. But they always fix it and after updates its the best football manager ever made. EACH AND EVERY YEAR!

[tobiwan]

I play with a Deep Lying Playmaker and Centre Midfielder Defend in the MC slots. I don't want DMC's dropping deep when i'm trying to play football in their half and the MC's with defending duties mean we still push and pressure high up, but we don't get caught out often.

I don't bother with the individual instructions, especially centrehalfs pressing because I don't want them stepping out of line and leaving a gap for a striker to roam into. I'd suggest getting the team instructions right, then tailoring individual players once you see their weaknesses in the matches. I had Negredo on loan from Man City but he kept wasting shots from 20 yards constantly... he soon slowed down once I told him to 'Shoot Less' in his instructions!

Thanks for your reply, the notion to use individual instructions reactively is interesting, might be that I overcoached my team :-P I'm mainly playing with 2 DM, because in FM2013, 2 MC always left my defensive line too exposed for my liking. Might be time to re-think that notion.

You would be best posting in the tactics forum but I have to say your tactics do not look good at all.

You are playing a high line and asking players to hassle more and close down more and on top of that you are giving them more expressive play, that must leaves massive gaps in behind and even through the middle if your CBs are high up and closing down and hassling .

First, sorry for the off-topic post in this thread. Second: I agree to 100%, the tactic is not good and should open gaps like there is no tomorrow. I wrote my original post because that is not happening. I rarely concede because of a counter or gaps in my defense. Mostly, I concede because my defensive line and my two DMs are crowding in my own penalty area without challenging the opposition. I'll change my tactics according to your excellent suggestions and see what happens :-)

I've also noted that my team is not yet fully familiar with the tactics, so that might explain the problems, too (even though I would have expected even more gaps in that case, but who know the minds of soccer players...)

Community, thanks for the help, and SI, thanks for a great game very well done!

[Butters76]

The low transfer offers issue is something we are aware of and it is being investigated.

The examples that have been mentioned in this thread are far more extreme than anything we have seen internally.

If you haven't already done so could you close the game down and clear your cache. When you load the game back up could you please let us know if the problem persists.

If it is still present then would someone mind uploading a save game to the FTP from just before one of these low bids are made.

Details on how to clear your cache can be found here - http://www.footballmanager.com/faq/?game=38&id=217

Details on how to upload a save game can be found here - http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/368795

Cheers,

Ben

Sorry, not able to do that. I deleted all 14.1.1 generated games. Have not seen it in 14.1.2 games yet. But only gone through the first transferwindow so far. Will report back if I see it again in a game generated with 14.1.2

[keithfc]

2 main things. 1 - The ME does not know which team is human or AI. So it cannot cheat for one over the other. 2 - If the ME is cheating for the AI, how did you win the title in your first season?

i dont know who is cheating. I dont care. I just want to enjoy the game. But this nonsense was what i have seen in the game. The first tittle was get from the beta engine.

Many stats are post within this thread already by others. They are nonsense. These nonsense exists when i watch the game with comprehensive highlights. When i see the full match, this nonsense is reduced.

If you are developer, i hope it helps you.

[BiggusD]

I'm not sure why I still get involved with the feedback thread. Like a red rag to a bull if I even suggest people try something differently.

This is good advice. I don't think your tone was too uptight with Huntelaar19 either.

However, advice to analyse the matches and make adjustments when the ME is in this state is bound to be met with emotional responses, because it is a logical argument which you can back up with experience and facts - against a feeling of frustration that things aren't quite right. They are just feelings because I've been trying to analyze what exactly is wrong, but I don't know where to start! Rather than sit down and watch a full match, stopping every minute to write a work-up on problem areas, I just don't bother firing up the demo, because an update is bound to come soon and change everything - so it's a waste of time.

Instead I played FM13 yesterday, and saw that only nuances separate that ME from as-good-as-it-gets-dom. Those nuances are the over-efficiency of physique-driven direct football (which I exploit), some strange decisions on and off the ball in transition phases, weird behaviour on the ball close to the byline inside the box, lack of precise into-space-passes, lack of non-lofted through balls and my personal bug-bears; extremely high priority of getting throw-ins, overabundance of mindless clearances and backpasses to the keeper.

Fix that and the FM13 ME would have been near-perfect!

Granted, the amount of sliding tackles were extreme in FM13 and I noticed this better once having tried the FM14 demo, but compared to the glacial pace and hibernating intensity of the gameplay in FM14, I'd prefer unrealistic sliding tackles. It is no wonder many users are having problems achieving success, since the lack of aggression is so extreme that it feels natural to compensate by pushing up, hassling, get stuck in and going Attack or Overload in order to at least have your players -appear- to try to play football. This only makes things worse because it opens up space for the opponent to pass in. When I got that confirmed, I went the other route; stand off, Counter/Defend, drop deeper, stay on feet... but didn't notice any difference. Neither off nor on the ball - they opted for route one and dribbling raids anyhow. The latter is extremely efficient because even as the defender (usually the full backs) and the winger directly face each other with literally only the ball between them, the winger do not lose possession of the ball. Having played football and enjoyed dribbling myself in my day, I can hardly describe in clear enough terms how unrealistic and game-breaking that is. It is unrealistic because once you face a defender 90 degrees vs 90 degrees with the ball in the middle between you, there is nothing you can do but lose the ball. It is game-breaking because this literally allows any player to go on dribbling raids where he sort of pushes the defender in front of him like a plow, and it appears a successful sliding tackle is the only way to dispossess him. The physics engine that prevented players from going through each other in FM13 is apparently replaced with one where the ball is non-physical.

This causes a gameplay where the team who has the ball in Extended highlights get to finish the attack, which ends in either a goal, a corner or a bad clearance. Then there's either a new highlight, a new finish or a goal-kick, and if it's a goal-kick the ball pings back in the vast majority of cases. Then cut, and rinse repeat for the other team (or the same team, depending on factors I was unable to determine). It didn't matter who I managed. Lazio, Oxford, Coventry, Chelsea. The stock tactics already loaded when I started the game lead to 20/20 shots, 50/50 possession and good or bad results depending on God knows what... for about three or four matches. From then on the stats changed to 10 for/30 against and 40/60 possession regardless of opposition, with all four teams.

So if the new approach you speak of is "adapt to the opposition every game" I'm out, along with 90% of SI's customers.

[Colorado]

So far experience hasnt been bad, match engine seems a bit dodgy. and seriously sort out whoever is in charge of portuguese database 1/10 job done there. how can a player like matic have 8 stamina? someone who runs almost 14kms a game. Its as if the research does not watch football at all.

IIRC there's a history of problems with the Portuguese league data, I don't like to single out individuals, but complain to SI about it and maybe they can review it.

[ben carter]

Just a quick one and I think this is the right place.

I've seen a bit of feedback on transfers with people signing Keisuke Honda from CSKA for cheap due to his contact expiring.

He has already agreed to join AC Milan, chairman Allegri has confirmed it.

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/ac-milan/transfer-talk/news/allegri-confirms-honda-deal_113980.html

I don't know if specific contracts make it in to updates but just a heads up in case.

Cheers

[nostalgicsob]

This game has potential.

However, the finishing is atrocious. Just like it's been since...forever. I guess that's used as a mask to conceal other match engine flaws.

It's quite simple really. You can not blame someone's "tactics" on the finishing being absolutely **** poor. It's the same for the AI.

Finishing is, at this point, in no way shape or form, a depiction of real life. It is absolutely horrible and needs to be severely looked at over the coming weeks, otherwise I'd declare this match engine as close to broken.

Corners are however way too effective. My CB's easily notch up 10-15 goals a season from set pieces alone. That's another issue that's been apparent over the last couple of versions, how is it not fixed yet?

[Rayban_DK]

Here's a question: why is it that when my players go away for the international break, they all - literally every single player - come back with morale degraded to "okay"?

They can't all be losing. And, indeed, they aren't. England won, as just one example of a national side with players of mine in it.

I read that the ratings problem isn't affecting morale. I'm sorry, but that simply isn't true, not in my current save. Morale is plummeting constantly. I've literally never ever had a morale problem in this game before, in thousands of hours of play, unless I'm losing matches - and I'm not losing matches until the morale problem gets ridiculously out of hand.

My tactics are not the problem. I've watched quite carefully and can say that the players are executing my instructions perfectly... to the extent that they're doing as they're told, carrying out the gameplan, they're just awful at it. Passes are hugely innacurate (ten yards behind the player they're aimed at), the play is unintelligent ("I'm a winger in a great crossing position, I know, I'll pass it 60 yards back to an invisible player"), and I could frankly play a brick up front and it'd put more effort in than an amazingly demoralized van Persie.

What's more, if I use the IGE to boost morale (something I'd never usually do, but became curious as to what affect it'd have), my team plays brilliantly... until about the 60th minute, at which point morale has again dropped to the "okay" level, and we're again rubbish.

Player condition is fine, I'm rotating well, so it's not a stamina problem either.

Beyond the player ratings, I can't see anything whatsoever that would cause morale to drop like this - especially not, as in a match against Everton that I just played, when we're 3-0 up inside 15 minutes. Surely that should boost morale, not destroy it!

What's more, my team talks, as ever, involve 5-7 players being happily green and motivated, but it just has no effect whatsoever on morale in the long-term during a match.

Bemused. :/

SI, this is noteworthy.

I have thought the same as well, in that the morale has a hugely adverse effect on the players, which in turn could count for a lot of the poor defensive performances, the ill timed tackling, the non-aggressive strikers, the lack of pressing etc. It quickly becomes a snowball effect, given that morale could also (I don't know) translate into the how they respond to the manager (ie. us), their team mates, thewish to negotiate new contracts and much more.

Maybe a key problem is that you perhaps have coded to much emphasis on morale?

[nostalgicsob]

SI, this is noteworthy.

I have thought the same as well, in that the morale has a hugely adverse effect on the players, which in turn could count for a lot of the poor defensive performances, the ill timed tackling, the non-aggressive strikers, the lack of pressing etc. It quickly becomes a snowball effect, given that morale could also (I don't know) translate into the how they respond to the manager (ie. us), their team mates, thewish to negotiate new contracts and much more.

Maybe a key problem is that you perhaps have coded to much emphasis on morale?

Another issue that's been brought up for many versions prior to this one. Morale is basically the end be all in FM.

[Rayban_DK]

Another issue that's been brought up for many versions prior to this one. Morale is basically the end be all in FM.

Not really. But the key issue with morale in FM13 was that it was too easy to keep it on max for your team with player talks, team talks and just having been at the club, winning, for several seasons. The AI didn't have that capability and that gave us a huge edge in long term games.

I have, just to give an example from my own experience, never started a long term save in FM without ending up having the best club in the world. My latest game with FC Nordsjælland, a pretty decent Danish team, saw me dominating the world stage within five seasons and with more than £130.000.000 in the bank solely for transfers before I reached 15 seasons. That was due to the fact it was too easy (still is) to get young wonderkids from far away places to your club for peanuts. And keep them there.

After a few seasons of success it stopped to matter what I said to the players, they all reacted positively to my personal talks and critiques, perhaps out of awe, and I never had a problem with star players who wanted to leave or demanded unrealistic contracts.

I actually liked it like that. I play FM more for therapy reasons after a stressfull day than for anything, and winning soothes my soul. But it was highly unrealistic.

I hope that this years version of FM will make it more challenging for us long term players. Of course they have to iron out all these chinks first.

[RTHerringbone]

However, the finishing is atrocious. Just like it's been since...forever. I guess that's used as a mask to conceal other match engine flaws.

It's quite simple really. You can not blame someone's "tactics" on the finishing being absolutely **** poor. It's the same for the AI.

Finishing is, at this point, in no way shape or form, a depiction of real life. It is absolutely horrible and needs to be severely looked at over the coming weeks, otherwise I'd declare this match engine as close to broken.

Finishing isn't atrocious - the conversion rates of all shots is actually quite good overall.

What is an issue is that some of the off target shots are really wild.

They, along with corners, are in the process of being fixed as we speak.

Note - please don't give the swear filter any more exercise.

[shirajzl]

So if the new approach you speak of is "adapt to the opposition every game" I'm out, along with 90% of SI's customers.

I think 90% is a bit high, but a good chunk of SI's player base will eventually give up on this game because of everything you stated above. SI are convinced this is the right way to go and they won't change their approach until they see a significant drop in their sales, along with a drop in forums activity (which, of course, is financially irrelevant, but still meaningful). That drop will happen, maybe not this year or the next year, but sooner or later people will start abandoning this game, leaving only a niche of enthusiasts. And no, FMC won't help the cause.

[Butters76]

This game has potential.

However, the finishing is atrocious. Just like it's been since...forever. I guess that's used as a mask to conceal other match engine flaws.

It's quite simple really. You can not blame someone's "tactics" on the finishing being absolutely **** poor. It's the same for the AI.

Finishing is, at this point, in no way shape or form, a depiction of real life. It is absolutely horrible and needs to be severely looked at over the coming weeks, otherwise I'd declare this match engine as close to broken.

Corners are however way too effective. My CB's easily notch up 10-15 goals a season from set pieces alone. That's another issue that's been apparent over the last couple of versions, how is it not fixed yet?

I wouldn't be too conserned. Remember how horrible the release version of the ME was last year and how awesome it became after some updates. This years release ME is much better than last years release. So its very promising.

[Worldclass]

I'm playing in the lower leagues with most players having poor attributes. But I still see players having perfect chest control and first touches at this level. I feel the match engine needs to show a bigger gap between good players and poor players. Attributes like strength and first touch for example, need to stand out more.

[Hit the upright]

The problem for me is not bugs I don’t think the ME is riddled with them just a few and winning is not difficult, in a season and a half I’ve only lost less than a dozen games, developing winning tactics is not difficult if you know a bit about the tactical side of the game. The problem for me is about how well the ME represents real football, especially defence. Football has changed, the modern defender has to be much more careful when tackling compared to say the 70s, he has to stay on his feet and stick like glue to the attacker, its why for instance in the modern game we see so much shirt tugging, watch matches from the 70s it hardly ever happened because defenders could and did tackle hard, two footed from behind etc. the FM match engine does not represent modern defending well enough IMO, (there’s certainly no shirt tugging thank goodness), however, I don’t think that as true in regards tackles, plenty of them seem to be going in.

My gripes with the ME are

Too many shots

Players hardly ever score when one on one with the keeper

Crosses from the by-line go pretty much uncontested, in fact crossing is too easy, in my recent game with York of 22 crosses by both sides only one was blocked, the reason being IMO is that the defenders are not getting tight enough.

Tackling is ok but defending is not tight enough.

Back heels, too many, defenders, midfielders, attackers all at it even in the lower leagues, sometimes several times a game, it’s not realistic.

Headers on goal are all looping, has anyone seen a downward header.

And yes I do watch the comprehensive highlights and view the analysis

[wez007]

For some reason I just cant get into FM this year (boy ive tried!), ive been addicted since the very first release all those years ago. I dunno.. something just doesnt feel right and I cant quite put my finger on it

I dont think recent releases of Arkham Origins & BF4 have helped and im sure even COD will have me spend even less time on FM which is slightly sad considering ive been in love with the game for so many passionate years.

The ME is a maker-breaker for me, the first revision of FM13's ME was pretty horrific and had me turn my back on it for a few weeks until the 2nd patch. Came back and had a very enjoyable Wolves save which ive still not actually put down yet. But this year... like i said above, im just not sure what it is, is it boring? Have i fallen out of love? Is the ME to predicatable?

I really need something to give me that va-va-voom back SI... im just not sure what and how

[milnerpoint]

I think 90% is a bit high, but a good chunk of SI's player base will eventually give up on this game because of everything you stated above. SI are convinced this is the right way to go and they won't change their approach until they see a significant drop in their sales, along with a drop in forums activity (which, of course, is financially irrelevant, but still meaningful). That drop will happen, maybe not this year or the next year, but sooner or later people will start abandoning this game, leaving only a niche of enthusiasts. And no, FMC won't help the cause.

I think you could find this post in every feedback thread for the past 5/6 years of the game, and every year the sales get better. Losing older fans doesnt mean that no one new will buy this game. There are thousands of people every year who pick up FM for the first time and have no comparison to older versions, so its a pointless debate.

Yes, some will stop playing, and at the same time new players will pick it up.

FM wont be going anywhere for a long time.

[daylight]

First, sorry for the off-topic post in this thread. Second: I agree to 100%, the tactic is not good and should open gaps like there is no tomorrow. I wrote my original post because that is not happening. I rarely concede because of a counter or gaps in my defense. Mostly, I concede because my defensive line and my two DMs are crowding in my own penalty area without challenging the opposition. I'll change my tactics according to your excellent suggestions and see what happens :-)

I've also noted that my team is not yet fully familiar with the tactics, so that might explain the problems, too (even though I would have expected even more gaps in that case, but who know the minds of soccer players...)

Community, thanks for the help, and SI, thanks for a great game very well done!

No problem, hopefully you get the same success that I am having with it, I will add I am using fluid and standard as my starting tactics, I also have a BBM and a DLP in the centre, although those are things you can play around with to suit your own needs.

[RTHerringbone]

I think 90% is a bit high, but a good chunk of SI's player base will eventually give up on this game because of everything you stated above. SI are convinced this is the right way to go and they won't change their approach until they see a significant drop in their sales, along with a drop in forums activity (which, of course, is financially irrelevant, but still meaningful). That drop will happen, maybe not this year or the next year, but sooner or later people will start abandoning this game, leaving only a niche of enthusiasts. And no, FMC won't help the cause.

I don't buy this argument at all.

Why shouldn't a football management simulator oblige you to pay attention to what the opposition is doing? Isn't that the whole point?

A lot of BiggusD's observations are subjective, and so may or may not actually be significant issues.

As an example, in my opinion there are actually more sliding tackles in FM14 at the moment than I ever recall there being in FM13.

One outstanding issue is the tackle count, and more often than not, the excessive tackles are last ditch slide tackles.

That's one opinion versus another, neither is definitively right but it proves that subjectivity doesn't amount to much and so shouldn't be assumed to be fact.

The comment about Extended Highlights just is not true. I've seen plenty of highlights where the ball starts with the AI, we win the ball in the middle of the pitch or nick it off a wide midfielder (which BiggusD claims doesn't happen when face to face), and then Counter to score.

On the other hand, some of BiggusD's observations directly relate to fixes which are in progress.

People get excited at this time of year and start throwing around words like "never", "always", or unsubstantiated percentages when they see something odd. A touch of perspective is needed.

[Dagenham_Dave]

They, along with corners, are in the process of being fixed as we speak.

.

I hope you don't tweak the corner thing too much. I don't see an extraordinarily high number of goals from corners, but I do see a few. Hard to tell if it's more than normal. I'd hate for it to be tweaked to the extent that you hardly ever see a goal from one.

Also the 'wild' shots are much less frequent than they were in FM13 at this stage, so not a great deal of work needs done there either IMO.

[Butters76]

For some reason I just cant get into FM this year (boy ive tried!), ive been addicted since the very first release all those years ago. I dunno.. something just doesnt feel right and I cant quite put my finger on it

I dont think recent releases of Arkham Origins & BF4 have helped and im sure even COD will have me spend even less time on FM which is slightly sad considering ive been in love with the game for so many passionate years.

The ME is a maker-breaker for me, the first revision of FM13's ME was pretty horrific and had me turn my back on it for a few weeks until the 2nd patch. Came back and had a very enjoyable Wolves save which ive still not actually put down yet. But this year... like i said above, im just not sure what it is, is it boring? Have i fallen out of love? Is the ME to predicatable?

I really need something to give me that va-va-voom back SI... im just not sure what and how

This is how I feel every year. FM isn't really FM until X-mas. It needs updates to be enjoyable. We are used to a polished superb version of last years and then we are given a new unpolished version. Makes playng the new version at release frustrating when you are used to the old rock stable, polished and realistic version. Thats why SI get lots of undeserved flack this time a year.

SI for the love of god next year. Release a beta demo (6 months gametime) with no strings attached around october 20th. Let us fans play to break the game, then you release a pre purchase thingy mid november with updated beta based on feedback from 1st beta.

Release it december 1st. You will get a much more polished release product and you'll make the X-mas sales.

[milnerpoint]

This is how I feel every year. FM isn't really FM until X-mas. It needs updates to be enjoyable. We are used to a polished superb version of last years and then we are given a new unpolished version. Makes playng the new version at release frustrating when you are used to the old rock stable, polished and realistic version. Thats why SI get lots of undeserved flack this time a year.

SI for the love of god next year. Release a beta demo (6 months gametime) with no strings attached around october 20th. Let us fans play to break the game, then you release a pre purchase thingy mid november with updated beta based on feedback from 1st beta.

Release it december 1st. You will get a much more polished release product and you'll make the X-mas sales.

Why dont you just buy it at xmas instead of release day?

[RTHerringbone]

I hope you don't tweak the corner thing too much. I don't see an extraordinarily high number of goals from corners, but I do see a few. Hard to tell if it's more than normal. I'd hate for it to be tweaked to the extent that you hardly ever see a goal from one.

Also the 'wild' shots are much less frequent than they were in FM13 at this stage, so not a great deal of work needs done there either IMO.

My perception of the "issue" with corners is just that near post ones are often under hit, and it becomes easy to exploit that from our perspective, and easy to mitigate the threat the AI pose from the same weak corners. I'd just want that tightened up really as anything that can be exploited in any way is a bad thing.

As for shots, I get a few corner flag threateners with Salisbury City! When we miss, we really miss!

[Butters76]

Why dont you just buy it at xmas instead of release day?

Several reasons, FM is a must have every year so I just pre-order it on steam as soon as I see it. 2nd If I buy at release I'm familiar with the game and the new features by X-mas when my hardcore FM'ing happens.

[Q.P.R]

I think that SI try to add to much , FM built a good fan base because of the simplicity of the game .

but now they just wanna try and add too many things and changes into the game . if they cut down on theses it could help ..

small changes are better than big ones ..

[tts0]

So, we are now day after official release of FM 14 and I've seen many people - including myself - just gave up playing the game due to its unplayability. As I mentioned before, it's just ridiculous how you've made the game worse than before with lates update - especially match engine. I hope you'll restore the 14.03 match engine with some tweaking in the finishing aera within few hours, cuz it's simply pathetic that we - the customers - can't enjoy the product that we paid for!

I've spent some hours playing/testing this product and I really wanted to find some positive aspects but I coudn't. If you think my feedback isn't constructive enough, I can give you houndreds of thousands of arguments to support my statement, yet I think I won;t be necessary, cuz everything has been already mentioned in this thread.

I hope, you'll put yourselves together, guys, and make it right for us soon!

[RTHerringbone]

I can give you houndreds of thousands of arguments to support my statementd.

Do you think there might be a teeny touch of exaggeration here?

[slemsman]

One of the things that has always annoyed me about Football Manager is the AI transfer offers for my players. They will repeatedly offer the same amount time and time again which I will reject each time. Or they will make an offer, then a higher offer, then a higher offer then a week later come back with a much lower offer as if none of the other rejected offers took place!

I really hoped the new dynamic transfer dealings in 14 would help with that but I've just started a game with Newcastle and I'm nearing the end of preseason and I think I've turned down 25 or so offers of less than £2.5m for just 5 players.

It doesn't fill me full of confidence that the CPU Managers AI has been improved or will provide much of a challenge.

[Dagenham_Dave]

So, we are now day after official release of FM 14 and I've seen many people - including myself - just gave up playing the game due to its unplayability. As I mentioned before, it's just ridiculous how you've made the game worse than before with lates update - especially match engine.

You do realise that the match engine is the same one that was used in the last few days of the Beta, yeah? There were no ME changes when it went to the full release.