CFuller Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays / Season's Greetings / Happy Gary McAllister Day to all my fellow FMSers. I'm hoping your festive period has been less stressful than it has been over here. To cut to the chase, my grandmother was rushed into hospital on Saturday afternoon. The brain tumour that almost killed her 14 years ago had returned, and she suffered a seizure while walking around the town centre with my grandfather (who's thankfully on the mend after his recent health scare). The timing couldn't have been much worse. Dad got the phone call just as my sister and her husband arrived from Telford for Christmas dinner. Thankfully, Nan is currently stable in hospital, and her condition has improved over the last couple of days. Considering her age (84) and her recent health problems, though, I don't hold out much hope for her in the long-term. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 Oh dear. Sorry to hear that mate. Merry Christmas to you guys too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 And greetings from China. Looks like business as usual after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 I knew everything would be alright for you over there. Thankfully, things are alright for us over here. Nan's still in hospital, but from what I've heard from Dad, her condition hasn't worsened. If there are any major developments over the coming days, though, I'll be sure to let you all know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 Hope all is going to be ok CFuller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 Glad to hear things are going better, Chris. And of course, Merry Christmas to you all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 Thank you for your kind messages. The doctors have found a problem with Nan's heart, so it looks like she'll be having a pacemaker fitted tomorrow. On another topic (vaguely related to FMS), I have decided to abandon those money-grabbing so-and-sos at Photobucket, and delete all my FM screenshots from that site. That means anyone who happens to stumble across my FM15 story "The Next Generation" will find that the screenshot links no longer work. I could re-upload them onto Imgur, but there are 560 of them. It's not worth the hassle for a story that I'd finished such a long time ago, really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 It's a text writing board. We're supposed to use our imaginations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 1 minute ago, tenthreeleader said: It's a text writing board. We're supposed to use our imaginations. That's true. Those screenshots were just for player attributes, so readers could track our players' progress over the years. I seriously thought about bringing "The Next Generation" back for FM17, but with newgens. That was until I found out just how terrible the newgen faces were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 They are interesting, I'll grant that. Personally I wonder why no one in the game world seems to know how to correctly render men's clothing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 1 minute ago, tenthreeleader said: They are interesting, I'll grant that. Personally I wonder why no one in the game world seems to know how to correctly render men's clothing. Or how to generate the faces of 15-year-old youth players so that they don't look like 19th-century strongmen, aliens, or 50-something school headmasters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 In my own case, I reference the issue in Out of His League with this description of the game-generated Joe Bailey, the Non-League Paper scribbler who covers Salford: "Bailey was an interesting sort. He sort of looked like the comedian Steven Wright. He wore a frilly Afro-type hairdo with what Chance liked to call a five-head – too big for a four-head, if you will." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Photobucket are *****. Flickr or Google Pics are much better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 And so ends 2017, which has been my most enjoyable year in a long time. My sister's wedding in February was the undoubted highlight, and we also welcomed a new kitten to the Fuller family in September. 2017 has been a great year for me on FMS as well. The amount of support I've received for my work has been truly outstanding, and I still feel honoured to have had "House of Flying Daggers" win Story of the Year. That story will resume in 2018, as will "An Impossible Man", while "Sometimes Love Is Not Enough" will reach its conclusion. As I hinted at previously, I'm also in the early stages of writing a CM00/01 story. I won't be buying FM18 at all, so that story will help fill the gap between now and FM19, especially if either of my long-term projects come to a natural end earlier than anticipated. The next 12 months are set to be massive for me. I'm close to deciding what I want to do long-term, and the confidence I've received here is making me lean towards writing full-time. More significantly, I am possibly just weeks away from leaving Romford and moving house. If and when anything is confirmed, I'll let you all know. Okay, I think that's enough rambling from me. Happy New Year! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Happy New Year to all as well. Winter is a pain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 Happy New Year everyone, hope you have all had a great one. @BenArsenal winter isn't a pain, its the best season hahaha (I'm one of these weird ones that love the cold weather) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 10 minutes ago, mark wilson27 said: Happy New Year everyone, hope you have all had a great one. @BenArsenal winter isn't a pain, its the best season hahaha (I'm one of these weird ones that love the cold weather) A mild breeze is fine. But having to put on seven layers of clothing just to head outside to grab a drink from the convenience shop downstairs is a real bitch. Oh well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Happy new year everyone starting this year as I did last year full of man flu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
git2thachoppa Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 PLEASE HELP I spent the last however long, hours, minutes, don't know, writing the entry on the most stressful season. I put my hand on the mouse and the back button pressed. I went forward and the post editor didn't save a damn thing. Yes I know this is poetic. The most stressful horrible season followed by a massive **** you waste of time when writing it out. Is there ANY way of saving that version? Where is the most recent version? Why didn't it save? HELP. I can't do this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego Imposta Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 7 hours ago, git2thachoppa said: PLEASE HELP I spent the last however long, hours, minutes, don't know, writing the entry on the most stressful season. I put my hand on the mouse and the back button pressed. I went forward and the post editor didn't save a damn thing. Yes I know this is poetic. The most stressful horrible season followed by a massive **** you waste of time when writing it out. Is there ANY way of saving that version? Where is the most recent version? Why didn't it save? HELP. I can't do this. I had the exact same problem with my very first post so my heart goes out to you. I couldn't figure out a workaround then (other sites seem to auto-save drafts?) so I write it all in Word first now. As brutal as losing any writing is, you do have options. As much as you worry you'll never get back exactly what you wanted to say, you have the gist. If the gist was built on certain facts or occurrences that you can't quite remember or sequence anymore then you can write from a once-removed position i.e. similar to the mind-set of how a one-eyed fan talks about their team. Sometimes the best stories you hear in person are non-linear and iterative, and sometimes when written down these summaries can be better than the original. But what you do need is time away to shape that idea. I don't mean to come across sanctimonious as I was absolutely furious when it happened to me, so barring some mod magic I hope you can make peace with it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
git2thachoppa Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 10 hours ago, Diego Imposta said: I had the exact same problem with my very first post so my heart goes out to you. I couldn't figure out a workaround then (other sites seem to auto-save drafts?) so I write it all in Word first now. As brutal as losing any writing is, you do have options. As much as you worry you'll never get back exactly what you wanted to say, you have the gist. If the gist was built on certain facts or occurrences that you can't quite remember or sequence anymore then you can write from a once-removed position i.e. similar to the mind-set of how a one-eyed fan talks about their team. Sometimes the best stories you hear in person are non-linear and iterative, and sometimes when written down these summaries can be better than the original. But what you do need is time away to shape that idea. I don't mean to come across sanctimonious as I was absolutely furious when it happened to me, so barring some mod magic I hope you can make peace with it I write notes as I play. The gist is in wordpad. When the season is over, I then copy that into the post editor to write a new entry, and write it out properly and do all the formatting. That is the hour or two I lost and can't get back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 On a side note, A few more stories have been entered into the FMS Archives Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 With EvilDave and Gavrenwick starting challenge games I was wondering if any of you guys would be interested sorting out a challenge like we used to do. So we would need to see what challenges people could think of. Then we could vote for which one we would like to do and go from their What do you guys think Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 I'm up for that. I'll start. How about this one for starters (based on an idea found in The Guardian): The Holy Trinity Challenge Step One: win your domestic league with any of the following teams which can be found in the Bible: "The Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." - Matthew 12:42, KJV "Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres Bury thy dead." - Genesis 23:6, KJV "So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved." Isaiah 41:7 KJV "And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold" - 2 Chronicles 9:20, KJV "Till I come, give attendance to Reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." - 1 Timothy 4:13, KJV "Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great Grasshoppers." - Nahum 3:17, KJV Step Two: Win the Brazilian league or state league twice with Corinthians. - (First and Second Corinthians, see what I did there?) Step Three (because in the Bible, three is an important number): Win any domestic league with: "If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another Man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution." Exodus 22:5, KJV Perhaps a lengthy challenge, but since it has no continental requirement, more doable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 Very good tenthreeleader, not heard of that one before and like you said pretty good as theirs no continental requirements. Would it have to be the top domestic league with each side? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 I've seen a couple of challenges whilst browsing: 1) The Big Brother Challenge - The challenge is too take over a lower league club which has a much bigger club within its limits. For example, taking over FC United and try and get them to the top and beat their so called big brothers. Another example for this could be Paris FC rising up from Ligue 2 to beat PSG 2) The Director of Football Challenge - You basically leave everything to your director of football. Basically all you can do is pick your training and tactics. Everything else like scouting, transfers and contracts is down to your DOF 3) The San Marino Challenge - A well known challenge where you take over both the San Marino national side and try to get them into some sort of World force. You also take over the club side San Marino and take them up the Italian League system and win Serie A, however you are only allowed to use players from your clubs youth system If I find out any other decent ones I will post. I'll give it a week and if theirs enough interest we can decide which one we could do as a forum Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 When I first read "Big Brother Challenge", I thought the aim was to watch Channel 5 for more than 20 seconds without switching over. The Director of Football Challenge is an interesting one. I've watched the popular FM YouTuber 'Lollujo' do that challenge on his live streams, and it's quite entertaining to say the least. I probably won't have any time to do any challenge(s) you lot decide on, as I've got enough on my FM plate as it is. Nonetheless, I can't wait to read about all your adventures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 19 hours ago, mark wilson27 said: Very good tenthreeleader, not heard of that one before and like you said pretty good as theirs no continental requirements. Would it have to be the top domestic league with each side? Since the clubs named are at different tiers, my thought was to make it simply 'the league they're in when you run them'. That would require four championships and make a decent medium length save. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WLKRAS Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 I do like the idea of bringing back the challenges. Would give me another chance to have a bash at this one (previously submitted as an FMS challenge, but don't think it won the vote). The Last of the Vikings Harald III of Norway, better known as Harald Hardrada, is generally recognized as the last king of the Vikings. With his death at the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, the Viking age came to an end. Incidentally by his invasion of England, he probably cleared the way for the Normans to displace Harold Godwinson as King of England. Harald was a well travelled man, having served in the Kingdom of Kievan Rus (now Ukraine) and Byzantium. Your goal is to retrace his steps and claim the ultimate price where Harald failed, be crowned King of England. Stage I Start of with a manager of Norwegian nationality and grab yourself the job at Viking Stavanger. Win the Norwegian league and be crowned King of Norway. Stage II Travel east to either the Ukraine or Russia and defend the kingdom of Kievan Rus. Win the national league and make sure you advance further into Europe than your rivals (Further than any Ukrainian team if Russian and vice versa). Stage III Travel south to Byzantium (what is now Istanbul). Take charge of any team based in Istanbul and win the Champions League as well as a league title and the cup (not necessarily in the same year). Stage IV Return to Scandinavia (Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark) and consolidate. A league title or a cup will suffice. You may also take charge of one of the national teams and qualify past the group stages of a major tournament Stage V The battle for Stamford Bridge. Win an English league and cup double. Win any game you play at Stamford Bridge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego Imposta Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 I've never done a challenge before as none of them have appealed to me, but I'd not heard of The Last of the Vikings before! Amazing idea. Once I inevitably end up on the scrapheap in Spain I'll give this a go for sure Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 Looks a good one that @WLKRAS. Thats one to add to the list Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 So guys which challenge do you reckon we should try The Holy Trinity Challenge (tenthreeleader) The Big Brother Challenge (mark wilson27) The Director of Football Challenge (mark wilson27) The San Marino Challenge (mark wilson27) The Last of the Vikings Challenge (WLKRAS) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 Holding my breath. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 So, Jack Rodwell was today released by Sunderland after asking for his contract to be terminated - and they agreed. What a disaster of a career since leaving Everton for City. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Doesn't he hold some sort of record of most league starts without a win? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I imagine he must, being a Sunderland player and all that. #cheapshot Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayR2003 Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 16 hours ago, gavrenwick said: I imagine he must, being a Sunderland player and all that. #cheapshot I approve of this message. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 I wonder if you guys would like to try The Longevity Challenge I suggested here back in the day. I remember it was well received but nobody actually tried it. Let me see if I can dig it out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
git2thachoppa Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 I've learned a little about the French Cup (Coupe de France) and it seems way better than the F. A. Cup, at least now the latter is on a par with other countries' national cups due to lack of prestige and the impending death of replays. English Cup has over 700 teams down to level 10 of the league system. French Cup has over 7000 teams, open to anyone, and includes overseas territories, meaning up to 20,000-mile round trips for one team, and truly historic matches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 On 1/13/2018 at 18:04, mark wilson27 said: So guys which challenge do you reckon we should try The Holy Trinity Challenge (tenthreeleader) The Big Brother Challenge (mark wilson27) The Director of Football Challenge (mark wilson27) The San Marino Challenge (mark wilson27) The Last of the Vikings Challenge (WLKRAS) As it seems noone is that fussed about voting for this, we'll do a free for all. If anyone is doing a challenge let us know in your opening post and we'll go from their Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 So, Arsenal's new attacking line is Lacazette, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang and Ozil. Or LMAO. But in all seriousness, I hope this marks a new dawn for Arsenal after years of stagnation. We've never had a transfer window with so much major activity involving first team members, not that I remember anyway. More then the additions, the fact that we let Coquelin, Walcott and Sanchez (albeit forced) leave in such a short span of time indicates, to me, that the club is finally recognising that drastic action needs to be taken. The new Head of Recruitment we got from Dortmund is obviously having a big influence at the club already, which is good. More work needs to be done of course. I reckon we can probably write off this season, and plan to rebuild during the summer. I won't be surprised to see more big names leave (probably the likes of Bellerin, Mustafi, Xhaka and Ramsey. I think poor Cazorla will retire too). But we need much better reinforcements in defence, and a long term replacement for Cech. Get that sorted and I think Arsenal will be much closer to the title race next season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 I'm not sure what to think about the arrivals of Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang. Signing a new attacking midfielder, and breaking our transfer record on the Bundesliga's second-top goalscorer since the start of 2013/2014, is all well and good... but Wenger's once again ignoring the area of this Arsenal team that is seriously weak. Where's the central midfield bully that we haven't had since Patrick Vieira? Is it any wonder that we get beaten by teams like Swansea when our midfield has so much style but so little substance? To be brutally honest, neither Xhaka nor Elneny are capable of even holding a candle to Vieira when it comes to their defensive abilities. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego Imposta Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Fellow Gooner so have to chime in. I find it jarring that Arsenal have abandoned their principles during this window. These are the same principles that have held us back/kept us ticking along (delete as applicable for your viewpoint) during the Emirates years. So why give the dual impression of drowning and waving now? It feels un-Arsenal in every sense. Surely all four have to play in the same team all the time. That is incredibly exciting on paper and Arsenal haven't been the most exciting team in the league for a while. I hope the last few months to be anything but a write-off but it comes with the caveat of that kind of thing keeping Wenger on to honour the next year of his contract. I'm not so sure that's a good idea anyway let alone from a man who eschews his own principles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
git2thachoppa Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Wenger with the last throw of the dice. He's finally trying it another way and spending some money to get the best players. I wonder if Arsenal ever saved all that much financially in hindsight, given the TV deals and rise in transfer fees. Makes investing in young players and selling them for about £10m profit look a bit of a small dent compated to the potential success of spending a bit more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 23 hours ago, CFuller said: I'm not sure what to think about the arrivals of Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang. Signing a new attacking midfielder, and breaking our transfer record on the Bundesliga's second-top goalscorer since the start of 2013/2014, is all well and good... but Wenger's once again ignoring the area of this Arsenal team that is seriously weak. Where's the central midfield bully that we haven't had since Patrick Vieira? Is it any wonder that we get beaten by teams like Swansea when our midfield has so much style but so little substance? To be brutally honest, neither Xhaka nor Elneny are capable of even holding a candle to Vieira when it comes to their defensive abilities. That is true, and like I said more work needs to be done in the summer, and hopefully Wenger addresses these shortcomings. But at least this window, I feel, is a statement, that things are not the same as before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
git2thachoppa Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Accidental pun of the year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 Your MOD is looking for inspiration. I fancy doing a game save on FM18 but can't really get into anything. Would anyone be interested in me doing a FMS Story sign up and actually try to keep it running before anyone says anything hahah At the moment I'm struggling for ideas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego Imposta Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 12 hours ago, mark wilson27 said: Your MOD is looking for inspiration. I fancy doing a game save on FM18 but can't really get into anything. Would anyone be interested in me doing a FMS Story sign up and actually try to keep it running before anyone says anything hahah At the moment I'm struggling for ideas Over the years I have found inspiration in a site with colour-coded maps of dialects. You can just imagine all sorts of potential pairings, groups, themes etc. Western Europe Eastern Europe clickable world map Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 I'm watching Wolfsburg vs Stuttgart on TV right now, and I've always wondered about a 'car makers' challenge. Not sure how it might actually work (and a lot of teams might end up being German), but it can include the likes of Coventry (Jaguar), Crewe (Bentley) and Sochaux (Peugeot), among others. Let me go think about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Anyone know when the january transfer update will be made to fm18? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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