Are people finding FM 2015 challenging enough?

[sportsfan67016]

What are peoples experiences with the game so far? This is not a post to get people coming out and saying how brilliant they are at the game because I wouldn't say Im even that good a manager. It seems now that it is far too easy to achieve success though. I generally select a team from the lower leagues and work my way up. As far as Im concerned Id be quite happy to have very little success over a career game. It wouldn't bother me if I never made the Premier League..I tend to stick to a 30 year management career and then scrap the game and start a new career. The challenge then for me is to try and get a more successful career the next time. For me the more difficult the game is the better. I had a career game with FM 2014 that was a decent balance although even that became too easy as the game progressed. Ive never tried selecting a team from the Premier or Championship because I can imagine the game would be way too easy then. All that happens then is you just lose interest and stop playing the game. I know there are the various game challenges you can try too but I prefer to just play a normal game.

How are other players careers going so far? Are you finding the game to be a lot easier than FM 2014?

[barnsey22]

i think regens are making it far too easy at times. after a few seasons, your regens are near world class. in lower league teams, buying regens, then selling them on for bigger money, then repeat, makes your team do well on the park and also off the park financially. making it that wee bit too easy

[Mr U Rosler]

Tactically i think the balance is ok.

Its just very easy to improve your squad year on year which makes progressing up the league's a 'process' which you simply need to persist with as long as you have a sound tactic and can manage team talks and morale.

But its been like that for as long as i can remember.

Still very enjoyable for me.

[shirajzl]

It's difficult enough. People seem to forget how much of a breeze FM 12 was. FM 13,14, and 15 are far, far more difficult for various reasons. As said above, though, long term squad building is something at which a user always massively outwits the AI, making it seem easier after a few seasons.

What's more, I feel going through the leagues from the bottom is actually easier than picking a team like Stoke because when starting in lower leagues you face poor opposition and you focus on getting newgens early on or getting players with the right 2-3 attributes. With Stoke, from the off you have to face fully formed AI teams with world class players, while by the time you get from Vanarama to Premiership the AI teams have aged, often not supplemented with quality newgens.

[red dragon1978]

Personally I have to admit FM15 has entirely beaten me and in all likelihood finished me as an FM player. I'm prepared for the 'its your tactics' brigade, and won't bother to respond, but I found FM entirely un-user friendly. I won't bother with talking about the stupid results, the inconsistencies and flaws in the AI, as I'll just get 'it's not the game, it's you'. Rather, I'd like to mention the times where I've made a substitution only for another player to get injured almost instantly afterwards, necessitating another change. OK, happens in real life, just happens far too often in FM, like six matches in a row. Then there are the times I've made all 3 subs and lost players to injury....one time going down to 9 players and losing a 2-0 lead thanks to that. Again, happens IRL but too frequently in FM. A bit like hitting the woodwork 6 times every match. Or the times you batter a team, have multiple shots from decent positions and lose 1-0 to the only shot your opponents muster. My last match I lost 2-0, having 24 shots.....to 2. And 19 of those were inside the area. Then of course there's the wildly inaccurate scout reports, who tell you a team has low work rate, and they then proceed to harry, hassle, press and park the bus for the entire match. Or the team who've apparently got slow, ineffective strikers who then leave your fastest defenders for dead, despite their acceleration being 6, and the defenders 13. And these teams who couldn't hit a barn door with a thermo nuclear device before playing you score three. Glad some people are succeeding with the game, but unfortunately I'm finished.

[SpillBlood]

i think regens are making it far too easy at times. after a few seasons, your regens are near world class. in lower league teams, buying regens, then selling them on for bigger money, then repeat, makes your team do well on the park and also off the park financially. making it that wee bit too easy

You've been able to do this for years and you can do it with with free transfers of real players.

I'm finding it fun/challenge, especially since the last M.E update. It's took me four seasons to get Rotherham in the Premiership, that was challenging enough. Especially staying up the first season.

[SeattleFan]

just wondering has anyone ever taking a team from the Vanarama Conference South or north and just limited themselfs to only buying regens/Youth intake players and no other players.

[cleaner475]

I find it more challenging at lower level's, it's seems about as challenging as it should be when you are not an elite club.

Problem is my usual yearly Arsenal save is just too easy to enjoy, I win every game, have nearly had two unbeaten seasons already and have turned Arsenal from 4th place runners to unbeatable domestically and on the European stage, now I've bought some good players Varane and Odegaard to name two but I shouldn't already be dominating, Real Madrid still have a better squad yet my team can beat them with ease, it's a shame really because I was absolutely loving that save but three league titles in a row and its only 2018 isn't exactly promising considering how much of advantage a human player tends to have once all the AI clubs have rebuilt there squads over the years (often mediocre quality).

Personally while I was no fan of FM14's ME I think it gives more realistic results than this one, although this one looks and feels much better if that makes sense I remember my FM14 save of joining Udinese, building them up slowly and taking three years until I narrowly won the Serie A title and quckly got out there and joined flailing Inter and then doing the same process with them.

FM15 has a lot of good points but it seems to be far too easy, close to FM12 levels imo.

[funkybike1]

My main source of frustration in FM15 is the match engine, and how the game always seems to screw me over at the worst time.

My latest keyboard-breaking moment was my keeper getting sent off for a dubious second yellow and then losing the match 6-5. On the bright side, I still got promoted that year, but said keeper decided he was too good for my club and is currently on non-contract with some crappy Spanish team.

[Double0Seven]

As someone who has played FM 09 and FM 14 for 400 hours, I do not consider myself as someone who has achieved much success in this game. Im gonna buy FM 15 and I will enjoy the game but I just sometimes feel that the game is very hard. While playing FM 14 I found myself more reading about the game(@Cleon the geniuis and many more)then actually playing the game. Hell I even enjoyed reading other people's opinion on the game. Im surprised by the amount of good information provided on these forums. . There are just so much (interesting) parts of this game. I even found out that pitch size matters for your tactics!

Im a real life footballer myself (lowish amateur lvl ofc) who also watches a lot of football and I find that some real life things are hard to replicate in this game. For example a team such a Bayern Munchen. I watched their game against Freiburg and I believe they had around 85% possession, 1100(!!!)passes and won 2-0. Freiburg is not the best team of course but this would be hard to replicate such a situation in FM. Bayern pressured high, only played one real holding midfielder (Alonso) and Freiburg was dropping deep. In FM terms that would mean that Bayern gave so much space for Freiburg that they would have easily pulled off a few good counters, score , then park the bus while Bayern tries to score from long shots, get frustrated and then lose the game. Well at least that is what always happen to me...

If FM 15 is easier Ill take it.

[Hairycull]

Like any game the more you play the easier it is.

People that are FM/CM vets should find the game easy enough, but its also setting yourselves challenges, winning the champions league at some point during a save is pretty easy.

Normally I attempt to get the Scottish leagues as the most reputable that is becoming harder and longer to achieve with each FM. Normally I have to regularly change what team I manage in Scotland to achieve this.

[xambo]

At the beginning it is always challenging when you start in lower leagues. I started in the Vanarama Conference South and after 5 seasons I am now in League 2. I remember in FM14 I promoted quicker.

It does get easier though as you progress and reach the Premier League. Specially if you are good at building teams. My team will usually consist of star players that can beat most teams in the Premier League. At that point I think the challenge is over and I need a new challenge. As a human player you always have some advantage over the AI. You will be able to buy the better players later on.

[Hull City Tiger]

I'm finding it pretty easy to be honest. Especially since the last big update. Halfway through my 1st season with Hull, i'm 2nd in the Prem. Qualified from Europa League group, in the League cup Semi, and still in the FA Cup. I'm scoring over 3 goals every game and barely conceding.

[Kriss]

Started in Brazil Div3 it certainly wasn't easy for the first three seasons but as my rep and team improved it did become much easier, if I'd accepted the (far too many) top club job offers I got I think it would be a cakewalk from here on in.

[sportsfan67016]

That's my feeling too. FM 2012 was a cakewalk...it was far too easy to achieve success. And that's the early impressions Ive got from playing FM 2015. I hope SI do something in the new patches to change this or Im afraid I wont be playing the game anymore. Its pointless when theres no challenge. The game has to be difficult or its pointless playing. The only option will be to install FM 2014 again which will be a shame

[Dagenham_Dave]

Just taken over at Norwich halfway through season 2018-19 in a save I started in the beta. Got offered this job while at Coventry. I was sitting 5th in the Championship with them at that point - my first season in that league. Since joining Norwich, and using the same tactic as I did at Coventry, only with superior players, I've won my first five matches, scoring 19 goals in the process.

As I'm someone who often struggles with this game, even when I get what I think is a decent tactic (and enjoys that sense of struggle, as I never go big teams), I'm feeling this a bit soulless. My time at Coventry was actually more enjoyable, as I was often tweaking the tactic through matches, whereas in these five games at Norwich, I've just sat back and watched them destroy every team.

The conclusion is that if I'm finding it easier than normal, those who are actually good at this must be having a field day.

[lemmystash]

It's easier than 14. That's not saying much mind, as so is catching a bullet in your teeth.

I'm enjoying my game. Real Sociadad, 6th about Feb time after finishing a point off 3rd last season.

[louissiscool]

I am finding the game challenging enough, i think sometimes things seem easy and other times it seems impossible i sed to find these games very easy but since fm14 i have found it quite hard but i normally win more then expected to i guess you could say that is success.

[seedorf]

I agree that the game feels a bit too simple. Have always liked to play the LLM and fight their way up in the series but in this version it is too simple. Took over Solihull Moors in the Conference North and won the league with over 10 points. When I season after they won five first matches in the Conference with basically the same starting eleven I lost the joy of playing .

Right now, I tried to start a save with Farnborough in the Conference South and mid- season, so I lead the league easily.

And no, I'm no genius in tactics or so.

So yes, the game is too easy as it is now.

[sportsfan67016]

Judging by the feedback so far..it seems that nearly everybody is coming to the same conclusion. Im definitely no super manager either so if Im finding it easy then you players who are good at the game must be finding it really disappointing to play the game as it stands. It seems way to easy even from the lower leagues. The updates seemed to have made it even easier since BETA. I really hope SI can do something about this

[Burnsey85]

I'm finding it a good balance, but then again I'm not very good.

First save was Man Utd, pretty easy and a good learning curve.

Second save with Middlesbrough was a disaster, didn't ever really get my tactics right and deservedly sacked in the first season.

My current save with QPR is so-so. Finished 9th in my first season, in the second now with a massively overhauled team and tinkering with tactics, trying to learn what each one really changes so hopefully I can be better. Was never meant to be long term but looking at it that way now. Can't really climb up the leagues but they've got a woeful youth set up and the finances aren't great(-20mil in late October...), so it'll be a different challenge improving both those aspects while improving the first team too.

So for me, the level is about right... but if I do get better I'll just not start as 'international player' and not use all my points when setting up my profile(surely that'll make the game harder, right?)

[Dagenham_Dave]

It's a shame, because I think the match engine is excellent in the most part this year, but it's clear that some tactical set ups are just exploiting it hugely.

[sportsfan67016]

Agreed...it is a shame because the ME is good in my opinion too. Some of the faults with it that people are finding Im just not really seeing. Do you think its the tactical setups that are exploiting it or just the fact that FM 2015 is just a lot easier than FM 2014 was?

[Confused]

It's definitely too easy. More specifically scoring an absolute ****-ton of goals.

The match engine does indeed seem to be running well, but it seems tactics like mine just exploit it. Going to have to put my save on a hold until the next update

[Äktsjon Männ]

I don't actually think any user tactics exploit the ME. The problematic part imo is AI's use of tactics. The 15 ME is less robust, some specific roles do very specific things and there is a lot more versatility compared to older versions. This allows the human player to be creative in many ways that the AI can't cope with tactically. It's different from pre FM13 versions where some tactics exploited an actual flaw in the ME. This time there are tactical tools and options to stop any approach, it's just that the AI is rubbish at using them.

[YOUNGSTEVE]

That's one of the reasons I am staying with FM14. Also it doesn't seem to add much to that game anyway, and is very uninspiring.

[Double0Seven]

Is it easier or is just our perception? I think a lot of people who find the game 'hard' will be in tactics forum looking for help rather then general forum. And what is considered 'hard'? We sure need someone comparing FM 14 and 15 with same team, tactics and other circumstances to actually see if its easier. Or maybe we were just all lucky in FM 15? Or there is just a real exploit in the ME?

[mbell88]

In my first save I was sacked by Leyton Orient after 6 months (predicted to finish 1st but was only 8th at xmas) then joined Port Vale to attempt to save them from relegation but failed. They kept me for a few months of the next season in league 2 before sacking me for losing 5-1 to Crewe. Now I've joined Crawley, where it will all be different!

So yeah, I'd say its as tricky as ever - I've owned every FM since 05

[shirajzl]

People's perception is skewed by the fact FM15 is a bit easier than FM 14 and 13, but far, far more difficult than FM 12. It all depends from where you're looking at it.

It's ridiculous to state "judging by the feedback, most people agree it's too easy" because what, some 20 people responded here and there are loads of others who find the game difficult as well as those who think it's easy who'll never post here. Not to mention loads of other FM forums where people are raging at how difficult it is every day.

I personally know a lot of people who never frequent any forums who stopped playing FM because it's far too difficult for them to be bothered.

You can't make broad conclusions based on a tiny minority of hard core fans who bother to read and reply to forums threads.

[bleventozturk]

I don't actually think any user tactics exploit the ME. The problematic part imo is AI's use of tactics. The 15 ME is less robust, some specific roles do very specific things and there is a lot more versatility compared to older versions. This allows the human player to be creative in many ways that the AI can't cope with tactically. It's different from pre FM13 versions where some tactics exploited an actual flaw in the ME. This time there are tactical tools and options to stop any approach, it's just that the AI is rubbish at using them.

This. FM15's ME is the most responsive ME that I've ever seen. During a match I can see what is working and what is not working, and by tweaking a few things I can easily gain advantage over AI because AI is not good enough in responding to those tweaks. It makes things a bit easier than what I would prefer, but other than that it is a brilliant ME.

[sportsfan67016]

I agree 20 or so people saying its easy isn't most people...I know its generalising.. but I was interesting in getting other peoples views on the difficulty of FM 2015. Are the people you know finding FM 2015 too difficult or are you talking about previous versions?

[sportsfan67016]

I agree the match engine is very good but Im hoping when SI release the next update that it also increases the difficulty of the game. For me the whole point of playing the game is it has to be challenging. Im not bothered if I have very little success on a career save as long as its enjoyable but above all for me it has to be difficult. Believe me..Im no expert at the game so theres no bragging involved here at all :-)

[Äktsjon Männ]

This. FM15's ME is the most responsive ME that I've ever seen. During a match I can see what is working and what is not working, and by tweaking a few things I can easily gain advantage over AI because AI is not good enough in responding to those tweaks. It makes things a bit easier than what I would prefer, but other than that it is a brilliant ME.

It's a dilemma for SI because people going 4231 attacking with Man Utd and scoring 130 goals a season whilst winning every game and trophy is something they cannot ignore. But then limiting the options by deliberately hampering ME versatility and tactical variety would be a huge step backwards. There is very little wrong in terms of ME balance. To counter the too many shots and goals claim, I can pick a mediocre team and set them up to concede less than 1 goal per game. It shows that you can utilize tactics to achieve both extremes. There are no fundamental ME flaws that keep being exploited regardless of tactics. The AI simply has to become much smarter, which I know is not an easy task.

[shirajzl]

I agree the match engine is very good but Im hoping when SI release the next update that it also increases the difficulty of the game. For me the whole point of playing the game is it has to be challenging. Im not bothered if I have very little success on a career save as long as its enjoyable but above all for me it has to be difficult. Believe me..Im no expert at the game so theres no bragging involved here at all :-)

That's SI's problem, you see. Loads of people wouldn't touch FM if it was that difficult. It's all a touchy balancing act.

[jujigatame]

I'm finding it sufficiently challenging. I'm playing as Dortmund and am doing well but Bayern are appropriately untouchable. It's always a little strange to talk about the "difficulty" of an FM game anyway because it's not like there are difficulty levels or like the ME does any sort of handicapping. The computer-controlled managers play by the same rules you do.

[Defensive]

It's ridiculous to state "judging by the feedback, most people agree it's too easy" because what, some 20 people responded here and there are loads of others who find the game difficult as well as those who think it's easy who'll never post here.

And even in this thread its actually quite 50/50 if you read carefully.

[andu1]

I am trying to raise the difficulty for myself by playing very defensive, to limit the high scorelines. Although i still have 20+ shots on goal , playing defenisve mind you, i am scoring 1-3 goals per game now.

[psucolonel]

Yes, but why does the AI not build it's squads' in an intelligent manner?

[baboyray]

I find the difficulty just right

[Sussex Hammer]

I find the difficulty about right. What I am struggling with though is the logic of the game at times. Don't think I conceded more than 3 in two seasons in one save, just started up another save and got done 4-3 at home by Chelsea in my second game!!

Seriously, I certainly do find though that only one formation seems to work for me though and that's a 4231 with two DM's (not against Chelsea though obviously!) and it's interesting to see a 4231 come up a lot with peoples views that the game is too easy. I can't win with 442, 451, 4411 or what I want to play a Diamond so if anything the game seems one dimensional in how well particular tactics fare,.

[Nuno Dias]

Si Games now has FMC and FM, i hope next year they make FM Nightmare, where you buy great players and they only score auto-goals, then people would finaly be happy, a game where they manage the best clubs with the best players and they can't win, fantastic, this at least would not cripple the game to all the "normal" people that have the understanding that if you play well, you can win, WHAT A SHOCKER...

[Macha]

As the other edition of FM, I find FM15 bit more difficult at the start, but it gets easier as I understand more. Also, the difficulty is finding the right balance for your team with so many different player roles. Finally, your scouts might tell you that this player might be a WCP but he turns out not to be or just a Good Premiership Player but turns out to be WCP, so it takes bit more guessing whether you get the right player or not, which I think is brilliant.