Realism

[Captain_al]

Opted for general discussion forum as not specific feedback.

I've heard other say this game is too easy this year and ive been a strong defender of it. Proposing they start lower league etc.

But heres my current situation. Latest save (Journeyman start, no badges as usual)

I got my first job in Hong Kong (eastern fc) which was a bit lucky as they are one of hong kongs better teams, so as an unknown manager it was a shock but not entirely outwith the realms of possibility.

I've won the hong kong league 3 times now. Taking my manager rep to 2 stars. I've also been managing cook islands national team on the side but so far only friendlies.

GERMANY just approached me for the job! Great, you might say but for a purist like me it feels like the entire save is now broken. No way would one of the biggest teams in the world take a chance on a nobody like me. Now I dont feel like if I move to other clubs I've earned it. The game is already considering me a top manager apparently? Not very realistic given the stature of teams/leagues ive managed in so far.

ITS ON A STANDARD UNEDITED GAME WITH SEVERAL LEAGUES LOADED.

Anyone else had similar? Would you just decline interview and continue your journeyman game?

[phnompenhandy]

7 minutes ago, Captain_al said:

Would you just decline interview and continue your journeyman game?

Yeah, this. I'm following a chap's youtube journeyman career and he adopts such a realistic approach. Always haggle for the highest wages you can get and always jump ship to a higher-rep club providing it's a realistic progress.

[herne79]

2 hours ago, Captain_al said:

Would you just decline interview and continue your journeyman game?

Yup and then spend a couple of minutes uploading the save and starting a new thread in the Bugs forum because something's gone wonky there.

[forameuss]

20 hours ago, Captain_al said:

Would you just decline interview and continue your journeyman game?

Basically, yeah.  I don't think ignoring things like that really affects your save too much.

On a slightly related point, people get hung up on the "realism" part too much.  At its core, FM is probably not strictly a simulation, more an approximation.  It's by far the most realistic in its field, but it's not really that realistic.  There's plenty in there you could argue about, but it only really matters if you let it.  Think of it like an RPG - you're playing the role of the manager on a journeyman save, and with a bit of imagination and just letting yourself enjoy it, the game's fine.

[Matt_G]

20 hours ago, Captain_al said:

I've heard other say this game is too easy this year and ive been a strong defender of it. Proposing they start lower league etc.

Interesting point you raise here, I started my only save so far on 19 in Vanarama South and have overseen consecutive promotions in each of my four seasons.  I say this not to brag but to try and expand on the point about the relative ease of the game.  It’s beyond anything I’ve achieved in terms of the speed of the progression and whilst I am delighted, you raising this is making me  wonder if something is slightly awry?  

(I do expect this coming season to destroy my upwards momentum as my wage budget is £86k p/wk and Palace’s is £825k p/wk.)

I don’t necessarily think the game is too easy, but I am surprised at the success I’ve had so far.  Sadly I doubt this would happen IRL. 

[phnompenhandy]

Just now, Matt_G said:

Interesting point you raise here, I started my only save so far on 19 in Vanarama South and have overseen consecutive promotions in each of my four seasons.  I say this not to brag but to try and expand on the point about the relative ease of the game.  It’s beyond anything I’ve achieved in terms of the speed of the progression and whilst I am delighted, you raising this is making me  wonder if something is slightly awry?  

(I do expect this coming season to destroy my upwards momentum as my wage budget is £86k p/wk and Palace’s is £825k p/wk.)

I don’t necessarily think the game is too easy, but I am surprised at the success I’ve had so far.  Sadly I doubt this would happen IRL. 

No, I think SI have weighted the game to be easier this time. I think if you play the game the orthodox way, as it's intended to be played, it does get boring with repeated success not earned through high-level skills. However, there are so many ways to make it more challenging that it doesn't bother me. I've just been sacked from my level 12 club after failing to get promoted by two points; I'm now restarting with a double-management challenge - one club at L12 in England in an Academy Challenge and another at L12 in Scotland in a Director of Football Challenge.  It will be tricky to survive either, never mind both.

[Matt_G]

I agree that the player can self-restrict to make the game more challenging, and the ability that the game gives us to do that in such a huge variety of ways is what makes it so good.  Personally I’m just surprised at how well I seem to be doing, having habitually always hit a brick wall in similar saves in years gone by.  

It’s interesting though that there seems to be a consensus that a “pick up and play” approach seems to be fairly successful this year too, whereas in the past people have complained about the difficulty of just playing the game.  I imagine SI have been trying to strike a balance between making it a good game for casual first timers and those with 20 years hardcore experience etc. 

[phnompenhandy]

5 hours ago, Matt_G said:

I agree that the player can self-restrict to make the game more challenging, and the ability that the game gives us to do that in such a huge variety of ways is what makes it so good.  Personally I’m just surprised at how well I seem to be doing, having habitually always hit a brick wall in similar saves in years gone by.  

It’s interesting though that there seems to be a consensus that a “pick up and play” approach seems to be fairly successful this year too, whereas in the past people have complained about the difficulty of just playing the game.  I imagine SI have been trying to strike a balance between making it a good game for casual first timers and those with 20 years hardcore experience etc. 

Whether they've made the game easier as such is debatable, but I do think that the tactics creator has been an enormous boon to many who are tactically uncertain, and the medical centre helps to keep injuries down a lot for those who use it. But the pre-set tactics and help in customising your own set-up has, I think, made a huge difference.

[Stevo_99]

I have had no luck on this game whatsoever, unlike last years version where I had success at pretty much every club  I managed.

I tend to find that on some versions of FM I do really well with most clubs I manage, and others, like this years I can not win anything.

My record on this years version:

Stirling Albion: 2020: 3rd (lost playoff s/f)
                             2021: 8th (sacked mid-season)
Airdre: 2020: 4th (lost playoff final)
              2021: 6th (sacked mid-season)
Queen of South: 2020: 6th, Challenge cup final runners up
                               2021: 3rd, (lost play off, second round)
                               2022: 3rd (resigned Jan after winning opening 19 games and then hitting relegation like form)
Vaduz: 2020: 7th (sacked mid-season)
Basel: 2020: 2nd (resigned after 10-0 away defeat to Man City) 20 points behind Young Boys.
Darlington: 2020: 12th (sacked mid-season).
 

So not much fun so far.

Last year on FM 18 I took Berwick from L2 to Championship, won National North with Stockport and Leyton Orient from NAtional League to comfortable League one.