Do you want the short version or the long version?
The short version, you know the lottery right?
Still not sure what we can say but they always were going to akin to buying a lottery ticket. One of the most anticipated features coming soon anyway.
I'm dead set against them.
Thursday 31 December 2009
Monday 28 December 2009
The Wonderful Match Engine
Normally I'm moaning about something or another but the reason I'm still chugging away is down to the database and match engine. I'm no tactical expert but the players seem to have a character that is in excess of their stats.
I took him off, now is he looking complacent from any stat on the screen? Is it because he's young or his ability is so high that he's over confident or is just built that way? I suspect it's his age I don't know that for certain but I think it's that. That's what makes the match engine and database so good it simply isn't case of looking at a set of stats and game over.
I bring on one of my value players who I know at 31 will be mentally strong and give 100%, we carry on to win 4-1. Complacency can spread like a disease in a game!
Oddly enough I went to watch the Swans today and we get a player sent off after 16 mins, duff ref (was using more colourful four letter words at the time :) ) a few minutes later and Joe Allen commits a shocking foul, he's a great player Joe Allen but he's too young, the Swans manager took him he knew his head was gone. Swans held on to draw 0-0.
Never more was this demonstrated the other night pretty much coasting to a 3-1 win I look at my player mentality's and one player is 'looking complacent'.
I took him off, now is he looking complacent from any stat on the screen? Is it because he's young or his ability is so high that he's over confident or is just built that way? I suspect it's his age I don't know that for certain but I think it's that. That's what makes the match engine and database so good it simply isn't case of looking at a set of stats and game over.
I bring on one of my value players who I know at 31 will be mentally strong and give 100%, we carry on to win 4-1. Complacency can spread like a disease in a game!
Oddly enough I went to watch the Swans today and we get a player sent off after 16 mins, duff ref (was using more colourful four letter words at the time :) ) a few minutes later and Joe Allen commits a shocking foul, he's a great player Joe Allen but he's too young, the Swans manager took him he knew his head was gone. Swans held on to draw 0-0.
Sunday 27 December 2009
Happy Thoughts
Had a great Christmas, my 6yo daughter it's magical. Watched one of those films you forget about and yet it's amazing, if your in business or into IT at all, Pirates of Silicon Valley, one of those films I've watched it's been open mouthed through the entire film. If you wrote a book you wouldn't believe it.
Anyway to FM Live only Miller these days....
I suppose in a way Miller is more interesting than Shearer as the shortage of players has forced me to use some 'value' players. I mean the Shearer team pretty much picked itself in the end. So I'm often left not really knowing who I should play some of time.
GK Sommer - Very solid at 33 still showing some green and no major wrries about the age kicking in this season.
DR - Curbelo Owned him man & boy pretty solid nothing too fancy. Got his chance 3/4 seasons back as I couldn't secure a megastar.
DC - Sidnei got him fairly cheap at 30yo's very solid DC in his final season
DC - Congia Has the touch of wonderkid about not so much in that he's amazing ability or potential but that he plays like a man despite being a boy.
DL - Simon triple A player
MR - Ismodes play a low ranked team and he's not too bothered but when it really matters makes an impact.
ML - Traore at 32 has a seasons left (kind leave all outfield players go at 32 now) fantastic winger.
MC - Hansen well the market is inflated in Miller at 22 world famous looks dam fine despite the kind of low Aq Fee, so clearly hidden stats are dreamy. Still £1.8m not cheap but 22 so.
MC - Fornasari Not quite triple A but cheap wage auction signing.
FC - Esquerinha Great stats can be a little lazy but had him for 12 seasons!
FC - Welbeck a flair player, at times breathtaking, others frustrating should revel in the players around him.
Strange team in many ways recently has risen to 1st in rankings after an amazing run in the NFA Pre Season Cup (played 8 w7 D1 L0, conceded 1 goal!). I don't expect that to last but I'm hoping we can stay well away from relegation. Last season in the ladder we did 2nd / 1st / 2nd / 2nd.
I'm going to try and stay upbeat from now on, I do disagree with the way some things are done but I'll say me piece and leave it at that. I don't think they want beta testers who just sit back and say everything is wonderful and whilst I might be many things I'm not a 'yes man'.
Anyway to FM Live only Miller these days....
I suppose in a way Miller is more interesting than Shearer as the shortage of players has forced me to use some 'value' players. I mean the Shearer team pretty much picked itself in the end. So I'm often left not really knowing who I should play some of time.
GK Sommer - Very solid at 33 still showing some green and no major wrries about the age kicking in this season.
DR - Curbelo Owned him man & boy pretty solid nothing too fancy. Got his chance 3/4 seasons back as I couldn't secure a megastar.
DC - Sidnei got him fairly cheap at 30yo's very solid DC in his final season
DC - Congia Has the touch of wonderkid about not so much in that he's amazing ability or potential but that he plays like a man despite being a boy.
DL - Simon triple A player
MR - Ismodes play a low ranked team and he's not too bothered but when it really matters makes an impact.
ML - Traore at 32 has a seasons left (kind leave all outfield players go at 32 now) fantastic winger.
MC - Hansen well the market is inflated in Miller at 22 world famous looks dam fine despite the kind of low Aq Fee, so clearly hidden stats are dreamy. Still £1.8m not cheap but 22 so.
MC - Fornasari Not quite triple A but cheap wage auction signing.
FC - Esquerinha Great stats can be a little lazy but had him for 12 seasons!
FC - Welbeck a flair player, at times breathtaking, others frustrating should revel in the players around him.
Strange team in many ways recently has risen to 1st in rankings after an amazing run in the NFA Pre Season Cup (played 8 w7 D1 L0, conceded 1 goal!). I don't expect that to last but I'm hoping we can stay well away from relegation. Last season in the ladder we did 2nd / 1st / 2nd / 2nd.
I'm going to try and stay upbeat from now on, I do disagree with the way some things are done but I'll say me piece and leave it at that. I don't think they want beta testers who just sit back and say everything is wonderful and whilst I might be many things I'm not a 'yes man'.
Monday 21 December 2009
The FA's & Community Input
If SI do go down the road of curing inflation one the biggest complaints will be that teams can't compete.
In my opinion, it is therefore vital to ring fence the various tiers within a GW, sort of a gameworld in a gameworld. Been some awesome ideas floating around beta on how to do this most notable is T-Bags's stuff.
Community Input
As an active beta tester I naturally get involved in debates on the beta forums etc. I really felt my idea to rotate top teams out of a gameworldd was a runner, then my youth draft youth system in newgen worlds. I think the most important thing a beta tester can do is contribute try and put forward ideas and hopefully help improve the game.
Very few end up in the game but that's not really the point all you do is give your perspective it's really upto the developers to take it or leave it.
Marc Duffy Said
Now you would maybe think I'd see that as bad thing, I think it's an excellent idea. I thought the higher wage demands that appeared in beta were a good move, I felt that the regression we saw in 1.3 was fair enough. Too often in my opinion they have caved in to pressure from the vocal minority.
It's already in the air that the next focus is going to be on the economics which fits in well with my recent posts.
I think the hardcore will resist a low inflation model mostly because if you spend long enough on line you can bag an inflation busting deal and make a huge profit. So the point I'm making that it might not even matter what the community thinks, which overall is the way it should be.
In my opinion, it is therefore vital to ring fence the various tiers within a GW, sort of a gameworld in a gameworld. Been some awesome ideas floating around beta on how to do this most notable is T-Bags's stuff.
Community Input
As an active beta tester I naturally get involved in debates on the beta forums etc. I really felt my idea to rotate top teams out of a gameworldd was a runner, then my youth draft youth system in newgen worlds. I think the most important thing a beta tester can do is contribute try and put forward ideas and hopefully help improve the game.
Very few end up in the game but that's not really the point all you do is give your perspective it's really upto the developers to take it or leave it.
Marc Duffy Said
We're dipping our toes back in the water when it comes to involving the community in the game and it's direction, it's why we set up the future developments forum. For a while the mood of the forum (which was our own wrong doing) dictated it wasn't a good idea.
Now you would maybe think I'd see that as bad thing, I think it's an excellent idea. I thought the higher wage demands that appeared in beta were a good move, I felt that the regression we saw in 1.3 was fair enough. Too often in my opinion they have caved in to pressure from the vocal minority.
It's already in the air that the next focus is going to be on the economics which fits in well with my recent posts.
I think the hardcore will resist a low inflation model mostly because if you spend long enough on line you can bag an inflation busting deal and make a huge profit. So the point I'm making that it might not even matter what the community thinks, which overall is the way it should be.
Saturday 19 December 2009
Inflation Again
I was wondering how a GW should be structured if you had zero inflation this is what I came up with....
It's quite shocking really, very rough and ready I admit. To explain it a bit lets take say a 3 star team so they should have 11 players on around £5k a day £55k total, six subs on half that and get a provision for three new players per season. So overall £72k a day.
Now then exactly how that cash is spent is entirely up to them, if they want one world famous and a bunch of lower rep players then it's their call, want to go all youth, their call etc etc. Heck they don't have to save they could gamble and go for promotion.
Exactly how stadiums all fit into that I'm not sure.
It's quite shocking really, very rough and ready I admit. To explain it a bit lets take say a 3 star team so they should have 11 players on around £5k a day £55k total, six subs on half that and get a provision for three new players per season. So overall £72k a day.
Now then exactly how that cash is spent is entirely up to them, if they want one world famous and a bunch of lower rep players then it's their call, want to go all youth, their call etc etc. Heck they don't have to save they could gamble and go for promotion.
Exactly how stadiums all fit into that I'm not sure.
FM 1.5 The Make or Break Release & Skills
Well I've said before I really don't get what all the fuss is over skills so I wasn't really bothered either way.
1.4 is now well on it's way to seeing a release date on live servers so I think attention now will switch to 1.5.
1.4 is a great update and it's a pity it won't really have it's time in the sun as a stand alone release, overall it makes FM Live a better game, injuries, rep system being my favourites.
The basic game design is what next needs attention, nothing at all confirmed yet but the way things are being talked off it's very promising. A bit vague and never really sure what I can and can't say about beta.
I think the economics of the game and FA's will get a fair bit of attention and by the time it's all road-mapped out it'll be fairly clear why a reset was needed. Although I would say that at the time of the reset announcement I got the impression that this wasn't really finalised.
Hence my reaction to it at the time. You read the posts and do 2+2 =6 and get way off track.
Anyway on the FA front I'd like to see it structured in such a way as the tiers get fairly isolated, sort of mini-GW's inside a GW. The top teams lets be honest have a fairly easy ride, I had a team in Whiteside and for two seasons didn't play another top 50 side, WWWWWWWWWWWW. Very nice for me but not so good for everyone else.
The podcast interview was great and Sega / SI did use the term 'sticky' a lot. So where do we go from here, my guesswork:-
Early Jan - 1.5 publicly road-mapped - cue mass hysteria from some on the forums:)
Mid Jan - First beta builds of 1.5, expecting beta Gw's to be reset
Late Jan - Beta GW's launched with bulk of 1.5 done and dusted
Feb - Tweaks to 1.5
March - Release 1.5, reset servers.
April - Subject to GW's remaining active the FM10 freebie's rolled out into existing servers.
May - Version 2 released, subject to GW's remaining active mass marketing campaign
June - July - FM Live becomes a massive success!
1.4 is now well on it's way to seeing a release date on live servers so I think attention now will switch to 1.5.
1.4 is a great update and it's a pity it won't really have it's time in the sun as a stand alone release, overall it makes FM Live a better game, injuries, rep system being my favourites.
The basic game design is what next needs attention, nothing at all confirmed yet but the way things are being talked off it's very promising. A bit vague and never really sure what I can and can't say about beta.
I think the economics of the game and FA's will get a fair bit of attention and by the time it's all road-mapped out it'll be fairly clear why a reset was needed. Although I would say that at the time of the reset announcement I got the impression that this wasn't really finalised.
Hence my reaction to it at the time. You read the posts and do 2+2 =6 and get way off track.
Anyway on the FA front I'd like to see it structured in such a way as the tiers get fairly isolated, sort of mini-GW's inside a GW. The top teams lets be honest have a fairly easy ride, I had a team in Whiteside and for two seasons didn't play another top 50 side, WWWWWWWWWWWW. Very nice for me but not so good for everyone else.
The podcast interview was great and Sega / SI did use the term 'sticky' a lot. So where do we go from here, my guesswork:-
Early Jan - 1.5 publicly road-mapped - cue mass hysteria from some on the forums:)
Mid Jan - First beta builds of 1.5, expecting beta Gw's to be reset
Late Jan - Beta GW's launched with bulk of 1.5 done and dusted
Feb - Tweaks to 1.5
March - Release 1.5, reset servers.
April - Subject to GW's remaining active the FM10 freebie's rolled out into existing servers.
May - Version 2 released, subject to GW's remaining active mass marketing campaign
June - July - FM Live becomes a massive success!
Wednesday 16 December 2009
All Quiet on the FM front
Well not much to report recently, all you can do in beta is forward views and opinions when asked and hopefully catch a few bugs.
Playing wise we're now limited to inflation ridden beta which is fun to play in courtesy of the NFA ladder. So far finished runners up twice and won it once. Fair play to Nick of Inter as he took this stage, winning his first Div.1 title.
Shows how competative the thing is that Osvaldo's Magneto who's been really dominant at times had a bad run and found himself relegated.
A couple of seasons back I was a point from going down. Still the title win combined with runners-up spot should secure Gold Cup so banking another 17 rep for a season.
The GW is pretty much b0rked and I'm sitting on £7m with nothing to spend it on. Still it's a beta so can't expect too much I suppose.
No GW1 podcast this week, gah.
Playing wise we're now limited to inflation ridden beta which is fun to play in courtesy of the NFA ladder. So far finished runners up twice and won it once. Fair play to Nick of Inter as he took this stage, winning his first Div.1 title.
Shows how competative the thing is that Osvaldo's Magneto who's been really dominant at times had a bad run and found himself relegated.
A couple of seasons back I was a point from going down. Still the title win combined with runners-up spot should secure Gold Cup so banking another 17 rep for a season.
The GW is pretty much b0rked and I'm sitting on £7m with nothing to spend it on. Still it's a beta so can't expect too much I suppose.
No GW1 podcast this week, gah.
Saturday 12 December 2009
Inflation Was that it?
After bouncing ideas around the beta forum mainly with Alex and Ov, who're both pretty sharp so I don't know why they converse with the likes of me:) I came up with what I think is a killer argument.
That's it no boosts, drafts, returning players, etc needed you want 100% fair play then zero inflation ticks all the boxes and then some.
Will it happen?
Well it's a simple case of it has to. If Si don't go in this direction then it's inevitable that GW's will become unbalanced as they get older. Then we'll be back to where we are today and that doesn't mean another reset it means the plug gets pulled.
That would be a sad day FM Live has massive potential and fingers crossed it would never come to that.
What does it mean?
Simple, either less money or more top quality players in the databse.
One idea not yet fully explored is more top quality players that would also lower inflation. Increase supply...
Going to be interesting couple of months that's for sure!
Zero Inflation = Your £500k starting balance should be worth the same in Season
24 as it is on Day One.
That's it no boosts, drafts, returning players, etc needed you want 100% fair play then zero inflation ticks all the boxes and then some.
Will it happen?
Well it's a simple case of it has to. If Si don't go in this direction then it's inevitable that GW's will become unbalanced as they get older. Then we'll be back to where we are today and that doesn't mean another reset it means the plug gets pulled.
That would be a sad day FM Live has massive potential and fingers crossed it would never come to that.
What does it mean?
Simple, either less money or more top quality players in the databse.
One idea not yet fully explored is more top quality players that would also lower inflation. Increase supply...
Going to be interesting couple of months that's for sure!
Tuesday 8 December 2009
FM Live Moving forward
YA ramble snipped.
Here is my Current Grand Scheme fix FM Live Total Solution:-
The top tier whilst giving loads of cash relies heavily on corp fans who bugger of at mediocrity at that level and jump onto promoted teams, glory hunting bunch they are! The effect is that promoted teams get a handsome boost whilst the teams that did finish middle struggle unless the kick on and start winning things.
You don't have to play with 2star players sign one megastar if you want and have a bunch of kids running round but you get the idea I hope.
Such is your average managers love affair with winning (managers play U17 games all day if they have great U17 squad) I rather fancy the effect would be that once a lot of teams got to the top level they'd hop GW's much the same way they hop FA's. Bit tough it would be in that top FA I fancy.
Which overall is rather desirable as it ensures.... progression! Crafty eh?
Anyway it's kind of gone down like a lead balloon on the beta forums, but hey I try.
Here is my Current Grand Scheme fix FM Live Total Solution:-
Lots of idea put together from beta forum posters so not my ideas but scheme:)I actually tidied those figures up a bit £12m - £10m for top tier, basically ties in to supply/demand of players. It's all based around a concept of, play with 2star players with 2star budget against 2 star teams, promoted, 3star players 3 star budget against 3star teams, promoted and so on.
5star FA
The top 50 teams in the GW go into this FA. The only way to progress is to play teams in this FA (ends the n00b bashing). Not sure how it works something along T-Bag's FA idea. The bottom 25 are relegated.
Four Star FA
Next 100 teams in a GW. Bottom 50 go down. Same principle.
Three Star FA
Next 200 teams in GW.
The 5star FA results in a massive increase in Corp Fans. Stadium Income cap & wage tax are removed. The opposite of parachute payments are paid.
Teams in this FA can earn massive amount of cash upto £20m a season. Fans are quick to jump onto the next new thing i.e. promoted teams. The only way to sustain your cash is to be winning always, if you start finishing 10th season after season they start to get bored and leave.
Other FA's are more stable, no so much glory hunting fans but similar sort of principle.
Finance
Tier One - £20m - £15m a season
Tier Two - £6m - £5m a season
Tier Three - £4m - £3m
etc etc.
You can with the bottom tiers go with CPU clubs, nice easy ride for a season or so.
Very rough figures but should be based on the players in the databse and should ensure that there is zero inflation.
The top tier whilst giving loads of cash relies heavily on corp fans who bugger of at mediocrity at that level and jump onto promoted teams, glory hunting bunch they are! The effect is that promoted teams get a handsome boost whilst the teams that did finish middle struggle unless the kick on and start winning things.
You don't have to play with 2star players sign one megastar if you want and have a bunch of kids running round but you get the idea I hope.
Such is your average managers love affair with winning (managers play U17 games all day if they have great U17 squad) I rather fancy the effect would be that once a lot of teams got to the top level they'd hop GW's much the same way they hop FA's. Bit tough it would be in that top FA I fancy.
Which overall is rather desirable as it ensures.... progression! Crafty eh?
Anyway it's kind of gone down like a lead balloon on the beta forums, but hey I try.
Sunday 6 December 2009
Inflation, inflation inflation
Inflation is in my opinion are very bad thing. If GW's are to remain attractive and you are to progress then it needs to be kept low!
Well I have gone on at length about a deeper pyramid and to be fair Millie put this forward quite strongly at the council. It all started with one of the beta guys posting that a 3.1/2 star team should be able to afford 3.1/2 star players and a 4 star team etc etc.
I got to thinking (danger!) hang on as a 3.1.2 star team with stadium or without I can afford a much better team than that! Yet there are not enough players to go round!
So you put 1000 managers in a GW all with the means to secure top players but these are in short supply. So you end up with a situation where demand outstrips supply and then inflation.
So is inflation bad? Oh my yes, it's immensly frustrating, you save up to get your £1m for your striker and whats this by the time you have the cash he's £2m. To a new manager in an old GW inflation is a nightmare, his cash is worthless.
In a very busy GW things rapidly get out of control, everyone gets annoyed that they can't seem to get anywhere, youth wages go through the roof, it just ends in a mess.
By season 3 or 4 though so many managers have left that inflation comes back down with a bump, less demand.
So bottom line I've tried to suggest that if there are enough household names in a server for 5 teams then give just 5 teams the means to support his wage, world famous enough for 20 teams then give 20 teams that sort of cash there are 300 3.1/2 star players then give 300 teams that sort of cash etc etc.
The teams at the top need pressure on them to perform so any faltering and bang the money goes and they have to sell up.
Of course this is a radical change but errr hello did anyone hear reset, radical changes are needed!
Well I have gone on at length about a deeper pyramid and to be fair Millie put this forward quite strongly at the council. It all started with one of the beta guys posting that a 3.1/2 star team should be able to afford 3.1/2 star players and a 4 star team etc etc.
I got to thinking (danger!) hang on as a 3.1.2 star team with stadium or without I can afford a much better team than that! Yet there are not enough players to go round!
So you put 1000 managers in a GW all with the means to secure top players but these are in short supply. So you end up with a situation where demand outstrips supply and then inflation.
So is inflation bad? Oh my yes, it's immensly frustrating, you save up to get your £1m for your striker and whats this by the time you have the cash he's £2m. To a new manager in an old GW inflation is a nightmare, his cash is worthless.
In a very busy GW things rapidly get out of control, everyone gets annoyed that they can't seem to get anywhere, youth wages go through the roof, it just ends in a mess.
By season 3 or 4 though so many managers have left that inflation comes back down with a bump, less demand.
So bottom line I've tried to suggest that if there are enough household names in a server for 5 teams then give just 5 teams the means to support his wage, world famous enough for 20 teams then give 20 teams that sort of cash there are 300 3.1/2 star players then give 300 teams that sort of cash etc etc.
The teams at the top need pressure on them to perform so any faltering and bang the money goes and they have to sell up.
Of course this is a radical change but errr hello did anyone hear reset, radical changes are needed!
All Change
I do actually work on Saturday but Friday is the day that means that one more and I get two off. So in a much happier mood all round seemed like a good time to do a post.
It has been a doom and gloom weak with the reset news and although I don't mind a reset as SI kind of half revealed their vision of the game it did make me feel a little despondent. Might have got the wrong end of the stick with some promising things on the beta forum.
In the meantime I think I'll shuffle the accounts around, it's a bit depressing looking at youths and thinking ohh he'll be great. Then looking at my wage bill and thinking yippee long term I'm all set:) Besides I have tried to get my money back on remaining subs so seem a bit cheap of me to carry on logging in.
I think it's far better to take a break whilst SI hopefully fix the game come back nice and fresh to it all. Still have the beta account so will mess about in there.
It has been a doom and gloom weak with the reset news and although I don't mind a reset as SI kind of half revealed their vision of the game it did make me feel a little despondent. Might have got the wrong end of the stick with some promising things on the beta forum.
In the meantime I think I'll shuffle the accounts around, it's a bit depressing looking at youths and thinking ohh he'll be great. Then looking at my wage bill and thinking yippee long term I'm all set:) Besides I have tried to get my money back on remaining subs so seem a bit cheap of me to carry on logging in.
I think it's far better to take a break whilst SI hopefully fix the game come back nice and fresh to it all. Still have the beta account so will mess about in there.
Thursday 3 December 2009
360 Controller Drivers for XP
Back to Trackmania for me, had a spare 360 controller but had the bug where the driver doesn't load.
After quite a bit of goggling the link seemed to fix.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/1/f/81f54fd0-044d-43e1-af4a-4cb4029ac41a/Xbox360_32Eng.exe
Use at own risk etc.
After quite a bit of goggling the link seemed to fix.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/1/f/81f54fd0-044d-43e1-af4a-4cb4029ac41a/Xbox360_32Eng.exe
Use at own risk etc.
Wednesday 2 December 2009
Eve On Line Review
I've seen this game getting rave reviews and it runs ok on my laptop. Fired it up looks dam fine but complex. Ok tutorial time, 'you must be docked at a space staion', ok errr muddle through end up travelling a lot and finally luck my way onto a space station.
Tutorial controliing your ship. 'You must not be docked to use this tutorial', grrrrr. Undock, tutorial controlling your ship, 'You must be in rookie system to use this tutorial'.
Delete game.
Tutorial controliing your ship. 'You must not be docked to use this tutorial', grrrrr. Undock, tutorial controlling your ship, 'You must be in rookie system to use this tutorial'.
Delete game.
Tuesday 1 December 2009
Lets be upbeat!
Well all we can do now is be upbeat. I was on long contracts with two subs so I had to cancel a credit card to get out of it. I have a long account for Shearer (a year left) and I've asked for my money back on subs remaining.
I'd much prefer to be on a 1 month rolling payment plan as things stand. I'm also planning on buying FM10 at some point so will use that to get back in.
So moving forward Si / Sega take a gamble on their being enough LLM managers out there to survive. Hopefully there are and gameworlds will be very busy and keep going for a long time. Sounds good.
I'm expecting a nerf to stadiums to come soon, if managers are to keep up with top teams in a short space of time then having something which gives a massive advantage over everyone else staying in.
The first draft ever took place in Beta and I think it worked well, couple of tweaks needed but overall it worked.
I think it'll drive the middle managers nuts but that's off topic at least the actual code worked.
1.4 might not take so long to get out there which is great news.
On the pitch I have to be honest I've kind of lost interest, Clough has £4m of stadium payments laid out (doh!) and Shearer feels a bit flat. Beta thankfully is really busy and season has started ok, waiting for the new players hitting the database to have an effect on prices before using cash.
I'd much prefer to be on a 1 month rolling payment plan as things stand. I'm also planning on buying FM10 at some point so will use that to get back in.
So moving forward Si / Sega take a gamble on their being enough LLM managers out there to survive. Hopefully there are and gameworlds will be very busy and keep going for a long time. Sounds good.
I'm expecting a nerf to stadiums to come soon, if managers are to keep up with top teams in a short space of time then having something which gives a massive advantage over everyone else staying in.
The first draft ever took place in Beta and I think it worked well, couple of tweaks needed but overall it worked.
I think it'll drive the middle managers nuts but that's off topic at least the actual code worked.
1.4 might not take so long to get out there which is great news.
On the pitch I have to be honest I've kind of lost interest, Clough has £4m of stadium payments laid out (doh!) and Shearer feels a bit flat. Beta thankfully is really busy and season has started ok, waiting for the new players hitting the database to have an effect on prices before using cash.
Monday 30 November 2009
Is FM Live Doomed?
Well there's a happy title for a Monday evening:)
I really thought that FM Live 2.0 would be a rag to riches type game in some way. The more I read the more it seems that Si seem keen to keep a GW as flat as possible, as I said in my last update.
This could be a 'I told you so' post. I've read back through my blog, well skimmed through it and here are some posts I did in August.
Still lets revisit:-
The high churn rates are down to users losing I'm convinced, there are just not enough that want to play a LLM / Simulation type game. Countless times I've said you can't make a game where everyone is Man Utd you can make a game where everyone becomes Man Utd for a time.
At the council Marc Duffy opened the meeting with 'the Live worlds have died the same way as Beta'. Come on SI, it's right there staring you in the face!
Today then I thought I'd pitch my 'lead a youth team to glory idea' but alas no backers. The thing is I think the current crop of managers are either top managers and intent on staying there or actually pretty happy with being an also ran.
So I kind of think that I'm Winston Churchill during the wilderness years :)
Anyway time to move on again from this, I started saying these things on the old forums after being in the game for a week and after nearly two years it's time to let it go.
So do I think FM Live is doomed? I really hope not it's got massive potential, it's target demographic though is the FM player although that in it's self is something I think SI still need convininging of!
My straw polls of 5/6 real life FM managers well they just don't play FM as Fulham for twenty seasons, the either play as Man Utd or Barca or..... rags to riches.
The game surviving depends on just one thing, how many LLM types there are, if they can get enough of them then rock on, otherwise this time next year I'll be posting memories of FM Live.
I really thought that FM Live 2.0 would be a rag to riches type game in some way. The more I read the more it seems that Si seem keen to keep a GW as flat as possible, as I said in my last update.
This could be a 'I told you so' post. I've read back through my blog, well skimmed through it and here are some posts I did in August.
Still lets revisit:-
28/8/08 More FM Live server downtime
However looking back at GW6 (these figures are pulled from memory) then we’ve had around 3000 users in the last six months and only around 300 remain active.
A retention rate of 10% doesn’t bode well so I’ve two concerns from this. First, if you play a long term game with a youth policy you could quite easily be playing in an empty gameworld in a few short months.
24/08/08 Servers Break
Overall I don’t think these are the biggest issues facing the game but rather longevity. The cause of this is that there isn’t much sense of progression in the game. I’ve said this countless times but the pyramid is too shallow, if you don’t get into the top 50 with in a few months chances are your not getting in the top 50 period.
The high churn rates are down to users losing I'm convinced, there are just not enough that want to play a LLM / Simulation type game. Countless times I've said you can't make a game where everyone is Man Utd you can make a game where everyone becomes Man Utd for a time.
At the council Marc Duffy opened the meeting with 'the Live worlds have died the same way as Beta'. Come on SI, it's right there staring you in the face!
Today then I thought I'd pitch my 'lead a youth team to glory idea' but alas no backers. The thing is I think the current crop of managers are either top managers and intent on staying there or actually pretty happy with being an also ran.
So I kind of think that I'm Winston Churchill during the wilderness years :)
Anyway time to move on again from this, I started saying these things on the old forums after being in the game for a week and after nearly two years it's time to let it go.
So do I think FM Live is doomed? I really hope not it's got massive potential, it's target demographic though is the FM player although that in it's self is something I think SI still need convininging of!
My straw polls of 5/6 real life FM managers well they just don't play FM as Fulham for twenty seasons, the either play as Man Utd or Barca or..... rags to riches.
The game surviving depends on just one thing, how many LLM types there are, if they can get enough of them then rock on, otherwise this time next year I'll be posting memories of FM Live.
Saturday 28 November 2009
Now for something completly differemt
You know I've often thought the original vision for the game was pretty solid.
So why don't SI just do that? This is radical, get rid of cash. Yep you read that right, get rid of stadiums, youth players, get rid of it all.
Just have once a season open seven day wage auctions with no cash. The only cash you spend is your wage budget.
A player retires just bring him back according to the latest database.
Simple to code easy to maintain, can make the game very cheap and actually that would appeal to the fantasy football type.
Lets make Fantasy Football using the FM database and Engine
So why don't SI just do that? This is radical, get rid of cash. Yep you read that right, get rid of stadiums, youth players, get rid of it all.
Just have once a season open seven day wage auctions with no cash. The only cash you spend is your wage budget.
A player retires just bring him back according to the latest database.
Simple to code easy to maintain, can make the game very cheap and actually that would appeal to the fantasy football type.
The End of The Worlds
Now before you start reading this I've always enjoyed FM Live so whatever happens I'm sure I'll stay playing although I have cancelled all subs.
Well I think I get it now. SI's vision for the game is one of a flat pyramid structure where every team is pretty much on the same level.
The big plus to having a GW set up this way is that it's pretty easy to catch up and no one gets ahead.
So old GW's are just as attractive as old ones.
It's the total opposite of the direction I think SI should go.
The big downside of course is that SI HAVE NO CHOICE but to reset the GW's to do this.
Will it work?
The short answer is no.
Although I think their target market is still for the non-gamer who doesn't play football games. In other words not me or the current crop of managers, that's why their not worried about losing us.
Can you believe their still chasing that dream?
I can't.
The thing is though I stand alone, most current forum users can't come up with anything better than 'boost new managers' which gives you the same thing that SI are doing just from the other direction.
Clearly my vision of managers playing through a long deep GW isn't one that's shared by SI or much of the community. Maybe the newgen worlds will have some different features. I'm sure I read that SI expect the real worlds to be more popular.
Predictions time, sometime soon stadiums will get nerfed and the cash you get will be much lower than we see currently.
We might see wage tax and a new level, £150k ish. Not sure how their going to stop teams amassing massive amounts of cash with trading.
Might even see some limit to income so it's % over current wages like we see at low level rep levels.
All this will come in c.1.5 Feb March for relaunch with these controls in place.
Newgen worlds will be more popular than real by 3:1 ratio.
Some tight control on hopping GW's.
The worlds will start and bleed members like they always have. The tight controls won't work.
Some will get ahead some way most won't. The dreadfully slow pace of the game will continue and a total no no for any form of way of 'grinding' your way ahead.
The hardcore will get frustrated as they can't get anywhere, the non-gamer fantasy football type won't even show up.
After a summer of marketing the game by Autum the churn rates will be unavoidable. Finally after years of development the game will close or be sold.
Wow, reading that back it's pretty doom and gloom from me. I'm not even upset about a reset!
On the more positive front, well a fresh start is going to be exciting although it looks as if you won't be able to pick your starting squad. So maybe it won't be:)
What else errr I've enjoyed the game so far, enjoyed being in the beta. FML 3.0 will rock!
Well I think I get it now. SI's vision for the game is one of a flat pyramid structure where every team is pretty much on the same level.
The big plus to having a GW set up this way is that it's pretty easy to catch up and no one gets ahead.
So old GW's are just as attractive as old ones.
It's the total opposite of the direction I think SI should go.
The big downside of course is that SI HAVE NO CHOICE but to reset the GW's to do this.
Will it work?
The short answer is no.
Although I think their target market is still for the non-gamer who doesn't play football games. In other words not me or the current crop of managers, that's why their not worried about losing us.
Can you believe their still chasing that dream?
I can't.
The thing is though I stand alone, most current forum users can't come up with anything better than 'boost new managers' which gives you the same thing that SI are doing just from the other direction.
Clearly my vision of managers playing through a long deep GW isn't one that's shared by SI or much of the community. Maybe the newgen worlds will have some different features. I'm sure I read that SI expect the real worlds to be more popular.
Predictions time, sometime soon stadiums will get nerfed and the cash you get will be much lower than we see currently.
We might see wage tax and a new level, £150k ish. Not sure how their going to stop teams amassing massive amounts of cash with trading.
Might even see some limit to income so it's % over current wages like we see at low level rep levels.
All this will come in c.1.5 Feb March for relaunch with these controls in place.
Newgen worlds will be more popular than real by 3:1 ratio.
Some tight control on hopping GW's.
The worlds will start and bleed members like they always have. The tight controls won't work.
Some will get ahead some way most won't. The dreadfully slow pace of the game will continue and a total no no for any form of way of 'grinding' your way ahead.
The hardcore will get frustrated as they can't get anywhere, the non-gamer fantasy football type won't even show up.
After a summer of marketing the game by Autum the churn rates will be unavoidable. Finally after years of development the game will close or be sold.
Wow, reading that back it's pretty doom and gloom from me. I'm not even upset about a reset!
On the more positive front, well a fresh start is going to be exciting although it looks as if you won't be able to pick your starting squad. So maybe it won't be:)
What else errr I've enjoyed the game so far, enjoyed being in the beta. FML 3.0 will rock!
Friday 27 November 2009
Out of Beta
Felt recently that there was a undercurrent of resentment of my beta involvement did get somewhat stuck into the rep and injury system changes.
That combined with a personality clash has left me in a position where I will effectively leave the beta development process and just limit myself to bug finding.
Be great here to GW1's podcast next week with Marc Duffy. Maybe they could get one of their harshest critics who's going nuts on forums onto the show as well. Oddly though many are not so critical in the real world, had a few nasty blog replies here, it's all good fun!
I do feel for the SI guys, they are trying to make the game better and if you listen to some of the moans you'd think they had done it out of spite.
That combined with a personality clash has left me in a position where I will effectively leave the beta development process and just limit myself to bug finding.
Be great here to GW1's podcast next week with Marc Duffy. Maybe they could get one of their harshest critics who's going nuts on forums onto the show as well. Oddly though many are not so critical in the real world, had a few nasty blog replies here, it's all good fun!
I do feel for the SI guys, they are trying to make the game better and if you listen to some of the moans you'd think they had done it out of spite.
Thursday 26 November 2009
Treat the Disease not the symptoms
Well this could be a fairly epic post and it could be titled 'High Ho Silver' as I'm going to get on my high horse.
Ok two big posts by Marc Duffy lets start with reasons for leaving.
In this post by Marc we see discussed that to level the playing field the draft system will be introduced aka 'Returning stars'. They think that this will be the most popular GW in the long term.
So now you can bounce around the few GW's that will be open and from season 3 get a tasty boost. If success doesn't come then 'I'm losing I'm off' or bounce around some and eventually your regen will be so awesome that it'll level the playing field a little.
The newgen GW is for the 'long term manager' yet does little to cover how this retains it's long term appeal. Logically draft system for youths makes sense, otherwise these GW's will suffer the same fate as the existing ones.
I'm not at all upset about the reset if it fixes the game. I'm not seeing it though, if a draft system exists for youths in a newgen world then fair enough but otherwise no.
Then there is this treating the symptoms, in the second post today Marc Duffy said 'users spread too thin' so we'll reset. Woah that's a big jump if that's the case close GW's and pack em into old ones but the cause of this thin spread is outlined in the numbers leaving.
So apart from the draft system how does that change anything. 100% convinced that managers leave cos their losing.
Look lets look at facts, if it was a casual issue then the casual FA's would be empty, if it was real players then you'd just leave servers run with the draft system kicking in later, if it was cos their losing then the lower rankers would be leaving. Guess what, they are!
The roadmap said 'bigger and better competitions' this solves this issue of lower rankers getting LLLLLL records. Yet where are they? Ok works fine in Clough but I've an account in Muhren and FA's are not set to promote FA hoppers to relevant position. Same GW a rejig of FA's and their running qualifying leagues again!
There is nothing in 1.4 that changes the game to suggest that you'll hold on to low rankers, the worse teams will still lose a lot the managers will still leave.
SI's solution and thinking to solve this issue is to level everyone up.
Look:-
Post:- http://community.sigames.com/showpost.php?p=4327259&postcount=1352
Millie is on the same page as me, deeper pyramid, there needs to be a bigger depth of teams.
http://jakswans.blogspot.com/2008/03/broken-dreams.html
It's grinding on me now, I said in beta there are series issues with this game I've been banging on about it for ages, too many leaving why? Why opening so many GW's? Why did beta server with 3000 previoulsy active managers fall so quickly? Why do low ranked teams leave?
My Fix List
It is essential to get the game set up so the top teams play the top teams the middle teams play the middle teams and the bottom teams play the bottom teams.
To have progression there has to be regression, either do it with a draft youth system or get the top teams to leave.
Stop chasing this nonsense dream that there are hundreds of subscribers out there that don't play FM that will want to play FM Live.
I know this sounds negative so now for positive. Subscribers, good grief you'd swear that SI had literally held them at gunpoint and robbed them. I've paid for the game for a year I've enjoyed the game for a year.
Skills why is there such a massive hang up about this? RELATIVE skills are, if you've got JP and every other manager has it's not worth much is it.
Finally does anyone think that someone is going to leave their megastar team to go and be 300th in the Elite GW?
Ok two big posts by Marc Duffy lets start with reasons for leaving.
- • Need to devote too much time to be good - People on here all the time/not fair against hardcore/can't play once a week to be successful.
- • Lack of things to do - Boring/ I want more to do/ repetitive/ I won everything now what?
- • Prefer FM - Don't like online/no real teams/not realistic
- • Wanted to start again and no new world - I want to start again/new world please/
- • Frustration at losing - Why do I lose/win 2 games then lose 10 /ME is bad/too hard to win against AI
- • Empty GW - No one online/All my friends have left/ no one to play during the mornings
In this post by Marc we see discussed that to level the playing field the draft system will be introduced aka 'Returning stars'. They think that this will be the most popular GW in the long term.
So now you can bounce around the few GW's that will be open and from season 3 get a tasty boost. If success doesn't come then 'I'm losing I'm off' or bounce around some and eventually your regen will be so awesome that it'll level the playing field a little.
The newgen GW is for the 'long term manager' yet does little to cover how this retains it's long term appeal. Logically draft system for youths makes sense, otherwise these GW's will suffer the same fate as the existing ones.
I'm not at all upset about the reset if it fixes the game. I'm not seeing it though, if a draft system exists for youths in a newgen world then fair enough but otherwise no.
Then there is this treating the symptoms, in the second post today Marc Duffy said 'users spread too thin' so we'll reset. Woah that's a big jump if that's the case close GW's and pack em into old ones but the cause of this thin spread is outlined in the numbers leaving.
So apart from the draft system how does that change anything. 100% convinced that managers leave cos their losing.
Look lets look at facts, if it was a casual issue then the casual FA's would be empty, if it was real players then you'd just leave servers run with the draft system kicking in later, if it was cos their losing then the lower rankers would be leaving. Guess what, they are!
The roadmap said 'bigger and better competitions' this solves this issue of lower rankers getting LLLLLL records. Yet where are they? Ok works fine in Clough but I've an account in Muhren and FA's are not set to promote FA hoppers to relevant position. Same GW a rejig of FA's and their running qualifying leagues again!
There is nothing in 1.4 that changes the game to suggest that you'll hold on to low rankers, the worse teams will still lose a lot the managers will still leave.
SI's solution and thinking to solve this issue is to level everyone up.
Look:-
Post:- http://community.sigames.com/showpost.php?p=4327259&postcount=1352
There are multiple reasons why we're not resetting sooner, we wanted to give people notice of such a major change but most importantly there's no point doing the reset until the changes are in place to stop gameworlds becoming inbalanced from day 1.They are always going to good managers and bad managers are we suggesting that this won't happen? There will always be inblance lets not fight it, embrace it.
Millie is on the same page as me, deeper pyramid, there needs to be a bigger depth of teams.
http://jakswans.blogspot.com/2008/03/broken-dreams.html
The game needs a deeper pyramid structure to it's competitions and a kinder way to climb through the ranks.Nearly TWO YEARS AGO now.
It's grinding on me now, I said in beta there are series issues with this game I've been banging on about it for ages, too many leaving why? Why opening so many GW's? Why did beta server with 3000 previoulsy active managers fall so quickly? Why do low ranked teams leave?
My Fix List
It is essential to get the game set up so the top teams play the top teams the middle teams play the middle teams and the bottom teams play the bottom teams.
To have progression there has to be regression, either do it with a draft youth system or get the top teams to leave.
Stop chasing this nonsense dream that there are hundreds of subscribers out there that don't play FM that will want to play FM Live.
I know this sounds negative so now for positive. Subscribers, good grief you'd swear that SI had literally held them at gunpoint and robbed them. I've paid for the game for a year I've enjoyed the game for a year.
Skills why is there such a massive hang up about this? RELATIVE skills are, if you've got JP and every other manager has it's not worth much is it.
Finally does anyone think that someone is going to leave their megastar team to go and be 300th in the Elite GW?
Shearer Season 15
Well not really planning on doing much with this squad this close season. The Galacticos have arrived!
Might be worth noting a player I picked up WAAAAY back, couldn't get in the team at 24, started doing some good things at 25, at 26 he's playing regular, at 27 ok fair enough. Finally now at 28 not many teams would say no to him:-
He was signed the same day as a regen went for £40k on Shearer and he's never been over wage demand.
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Reset!
At last I can talk about the council. Of course the big news was the reset.
When they told us I thought oh my, that's not good, and I did say that there were GW's that could get the draft system and survive. Heck I reckon there are some that just carry on to be newgen worlds.
I got the impression this was a done deal though, and when you think back SI have been very coy for a long time about plans for old worlds. So I suppose there has been much soul searching over it but in the end a painful decision has to be made.
Personally I've enjoyed playing FM Live, my harshest criticism of SI has been that their long term vision has been lacking. When they started opening worlds way back I think it was nuts then the new manager only thing just was plain daft.
The presentation from SI at the council was opened with 'we dropped one and opened too many worlds' so kind of took the wind out of my sails. Fair enough that's progress I thought.
The draft system for the 'real' worlds I think will work in keeping old GW's attractive and if we get a draft system in the newgen worlds for the youths then happy days. If we don't the game is going to be in trouble.
The second biggest complaint I have over FM Live is it's so goddam slow and boring. Made to suit the pace of the slowest casual manager, it's a great game but this area really frustrates me.
I'm writing this on the eve of the announcement and I'm guessing many will go off the deep end. The theme will be 'I'm winning now! Look at my toys fly out of this pram.'
When they told us I thought oh my, that's not good, and I did say that there were GW's that could get the draft system and survive. Heck I reckon there are some that just carry on to be newgen worlds.
I got the impression this was a done deal though, and when you think back SI have been very coy for a long time about plans for old worlds. So I suppose there has been much soul searching over it but in the end a painful decision has to be made.
Personally I've enjoyed playing FM Live, my harshest criticism of SI has been that their long term vision has been lacking. When they started opening worlds way back I think it was nuts then the new manager only thing just was plain daft.
The presentation from SI at the council was opened with 'we dropped one and opened too many worlds' so kind of took the wind out of my sails. Fair enough that's progress I thought.
The draft system for the 'real' worlds I think will work in keeping old GW's attractive and if we get a draft system in the newgen worlds for the youths then happy days. If we don't the game is going to be in trouble.
The second biggest complaint I have over FM Live is it's so goddam slow and boring. Made to suit the pace of the slowest casual manager, it's a great game but this area really frustrates me.
I'm writing this on the eve of the announcement and I'm guessing many will go off the deep end. The theme will be 'I'm winning now! Look at my toys fly out of this pram.'
There may be trouble ahead
Well Part One of two parts is out. The forums nearly exploded.
All sorts of speculation flying.
Still under NDA, so can't discuss but if they nearly exploded today they will explode tomorrow :)
I'm not really up for the 'real' GW so will be newgen all the way.
We get a youth draft system into that, combine with 1.4 and I think the game is pretty much fixed.
All sorts of speculation flying.
Still under NDA, so can't discuss but if they nearly exploded today they will explode tomorrow :)
I'm not really up for the 'real' GW so will be newgen all the way.
We get a youth draft system into that, combine with 1.4 and I think the game is pretty much fixed.
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Clough and stuff
Clough - Not doing bad flirting with promotion actually and I've quite a low wage squad compared to the rest of the division. Had a dip in form recently which I think started with a late equaliser where we were winning 2-1. A few bad results followed but the football being played is solid so not overly worried. Not much cash due to stadium but we're doing quite well all things considered. Rank although that don't mean much is 180th ish.
Shearer - Right into the galacticos era here now. We didn't win anything in the end but there isn't much wrong with finishing 6th in the Premier League, runners-up both the FA Cup and Gold Cup. Very hard to improve team now and keep under £250k a day. Still the cash pours in so always keeping an eye out.
Beta - Another solid season and looking good next season having replaced the two that left. Two Div.1 Stages won and didn't look like we were in much danger of relegation.
Scott manager of Freemantle is leaving Shearer and he'll be badly missed. He had some tough times early doors and was desperate for a major title and he took the Premier League so his time ended on a high.
The announced announcement:) Well it was a bit of a mistake the delay, but the changes needed are substantial and it needs to be spot on. Not much point announcing changes and having to change tact after a few of the critics start going at it.
They need to be solid and as one on the changes.
Shearer - Right into the galacticos era here now. We didn't win anything in the end but there isn't much wrong with finishing 6th in the Premier League, runners-up both the FA Cup and Gold Cup. Very hard to improve team now and keep under £250k a day. Still the cash pours in so always keeping an eye out.
Beta - Another solid season and looking good next season having replaced the two that left. Two Div.1 Stages won and didn't look like we were in much danger of relegation.
Scott manager of Freemantle is leaving Shearer and he'll be badly missed. He had some tough times early doors and was desperate for a major title and he took the Premier League so his time ended on a high.
The announced announcement:) Well it was a bit of a mistake the delay, but the changes needed are substantial and it needs to be spot on. Not much point announcing changes and having to change tact after a few of the critics start going at it.
They need to be solid and as one on the changes.
Saturday 21 November 2009
The Match Engine & Form
I can't quite believe that some on the forum now are asking for form to be removed. Next we'll have a campaign to remove the round ball!
The argument goes like this, I can't influence form so remove it. First off lets try and get a grip on what form is.
Swansea City are now 3rd in the Championship and last night got there by beating Derby 1-0. It was a late goal yet a few weeks back they were drawing games all the time. Why?
Well form of course! But the Swans manager can influence the players by talking to them! True without question and in my opinion the most important part of football managers job.
Managing people though is the most complex of jobs, attempting to simulate that in a football game would be just plain daft.
The Swans manager would also have an influence on form in how he reads his team & their current form, the opponents team, their form. Exactly what tactics to pick mindful of the opponents tactics and all the factors already listed.
Take two games I played from last night, we're not in rich vein of form currently. First game I play a team away from home 50th ranked, decent side he has and we've two players out.
Man for man I think my team is better but they seem to be playing well and we're not exactly buzzing. I go counter attack to try and absorb some of the pressure but 60th minute they score. Despite changing tactics can't really open them up. Fair result.
Next up is a team ranked 120th coming off the back of a bad run. On paper it should be a walk in the park but this team I'm playing are going well currently.
Go down to an early goal, I know my team, off the back of a defeat can be very dangerous and going a goal down sees them pounding the opposition. Just before half time we score to make it 1-1 and in the second half we coast to a 3-1.
Now then I can actually see the mentality of the players, yes little dots but somehow the Match Engine manages to convey how fired up and focused the players are (or not).
The game has it's issues but this ain't one of them!
In saying that I do sympathise with managing expectations. Most managers I think just think ok I'm ranked 20th their ranked 200th 2-0 to me, when that doesn't happen for whatever reason then it's off the forums to get SI to fix the game.
A little bit of feedback to say 'opponents are really fired up for this today', 'your captain reports that the mood in the dressing room is one of total confidence' (not necessarily a good thing) etc so at least managers can understand it all a little better.
The argument goes like this, I can't influence form so remove it. First off lets try and get a grip on what form is.
Swansea City are now 3rd in the Championship and last night got there by beating Derby 1-0. It was a late goal yet a few weeks back they were drawing games all the time. Why?
Well form of course! But the Swans manager can influence the players by talking to them! True without question and in my opinion the most important part of football managers job.
Managing people though is the most complex of jobs, attempting to simulate that in a football game would be just plain daft.
The Swans manager would also have an influence on form in how he reads his team & their current form, the opponents team, their form. Exactly what tactics to pick mindful of the opponents tactics and all the factors already listed.
Take two games I played from last night, we're not in rich vein of form currently. First game I play a team away from home 50th ranked, decent side he has and we've two players out.
Man for man I think my team is better but they seem to be playing well and we're not exactly buzzing. I go counter attack to try and absorb some of the pressure but 60th minute they score. Despite changing tactics can't really open them up. Fair result.
Next up is a team ranked 120th coming off the back of a bad run. On paper it should be a walk in the park but this team I'm playing are going well currently.
Go down to an early goal, I know my team, off the back of a defeat can be very dangerous and going a goal down sees them pounding the opposition. Just before half time we score to make it 1-1 and in the second half we coast to a 3-1.
Now then I can actually see the mentality of the players, yes little dots but somehow the Match Engine manages to convey how fired up and focused the players are (or not).
The game has it's issues but this ain't one of them!
In saying that I do sympathise with managing expectations. Most managers I think just think ok I'm ranked 20th their ranked 200th 2-0 to me, when that doesn't happen for whatever reason then it's off the forums to get SI to fix the game.
A little bit of feedback to say 'opponents are really fired up for this today', 'your captain reports that the mood in the dressing room is one of total confidence' (not necessarily a good thing) etc so at least managers can understand it all a little better.
Monday 16 November 2009
Busy and Bored - The Youth Scenario
Back in work so not much time to spend on FM Live now. Things are a bit flat, Shearer, I don't think we're getting relegated, Clough is close season. The beta remains quite dramatic as ever, either chasing the Div.1 title or trying not to get relegated.
In my very humble opinion FM Live needs a hook, everything else is there. The hook would be in my opinion that you club is formed with a bunch of kids and your task is to steer them to fame and fortune, a classic rags to riches tale.
What this means in simple terms is that when a team joins a GW they are given a team of top drawer regens, forget academies we don't need them.
Just by simply holding on to those kids the balance of power will change in a GW. I'm totally convinced having played in many many worlds that managers want to win. What better way than they win at various youth levels until their youths are ready to take on the world.
Maybe 5 or so with lifetime locks. Have to be careful to see how this would be implemented as the experienced crew would have it away with new managers.
This combined with encouragement in the FA's that managers play each other at their own level would fix the game.
Personally I'd be a bit more mercenary and award badges for being Champion of a GW and kick them out so they can do it again. That would be unpopular though:)
In my very humble opinion FM Live needs a hook, everything else is there. The hook would be in my opinion that you club is formed with a bunch of kids and your task is to steer them to fame and fortune, a classic rags to riches tale.
What this means in simple terms is that when a team joins a GW they are given a team of top drawer regens, forget academies we don't need them.
Just by simply holding on to those kids the balance of power will change in a GW. I'm totally convinced having played in many many worlds that managers want to win. What better way than they win at various youth levels until their youths are ready to take on the world.
Maybe 5 or so with lifetime locks. Have to be careful to see how this would be implemented as the experienced crew would have it away with new managers.
This combined with encouragement in the FA's that managers play each other at their own level would fix the game.
Personally I'd be a bit more mercenary and award badges for being Champion of a GW and kick them out so they can do it again. That would be unpopular though:)
Sunday 8 November 2009
Clough Season 14 Squad
The end of my 2nd season in Clough, here is the squad that'll be going into my 3rd season.
GK - D'Urso picked up in initial squad, for £50k Aq Fee, a little ropey at first but matured well.
DL - Startsev whilst the top teams focus on securing the superstars I work under the radar picked up in wage auction.
DC - Svensson Signed from another team £100k odd as I recall, under 25 and DC's tend to struggle a little, maturing nicely now.
DC - Talis Wage Auction signing not a great footballer but nice solid DC
DR - Beardsley Wage Auctions not over so may still be able to replace him, current weakest position but mature no nonsense DR.
DM - Woods very solid MC used with defensive duties. Really makes the middle tick.
MC - Abied cheap wage auction signing.
ML - Cedric is in the database from the off I've seen him wonderkid status early doors but tends to turn into an honest winger gives 100% and does have enough talent to open up some teams.
MR - Lingane another cheapie I picked up in wage auction.
FC - Martinez does blow hot and cold but has got talent.
FC - Antonio one of my best ever signings scores some delightful goals was sitting on someones subs bench until I picked him up in wage auction.
Ladadie - Bought with a view to replacing Woods, was a speculative wage auction bid.
As you can see end of season 2 that squad is as good as any I've had end of Season 2, new or old GW. The main differance from my point of view is that I would have managed to have bagged a few potential wonderkids whilst everyone was chasing Pato.
Whilst a few of the youths are half decent they don't compare to the quality you can get in the first few days.
We're still not overdrawn and have spent around £5m on the stadium I'd guess. The team is put together with a view on being competitive in Division Four. Aspiring to be one of the top teams in the Gameworld after three seasons isn't doable in saying that if I ignored the stadium I could push further.
GK - D'Urso picked up in initial squad, for £50k Aq Fee, a little ropey at first but matured well.DL - Startsev whilst the top teams focus on securing the superstars I work under the radar picked up in wage auction.
DC - Svensson Signed from another team £100k odd as I recall, under 25 and DC's tend to struggle a little, maturing nicely now.
DC - Talis Wage Auction signing not a great footballer but nice solid DC
DR - Beardsley Wage Auctions not over so may still be able to replace him, current weakest position but mature no nonsense DR.
DM - Woods very solid MC used with defensive duties. Really makes the middle tick.
MC - Abied cheap wage auction signing.
ML - Cedric is in the database from the off I've seen him wonderkid status early doors but tends to turn into an honest winger gives 100% and does have enough talent to open up some teams.
MR - Lingane another cheapie I picked up in wage auction.
FC - Martinez does blow hot and cold but has got talent.
FC - Antonio one of my best ever signings scores some delightful goals was sitting on someones subs bench until I picked him up in wage auction.
Ladadie - Bought with a view to replacing Woods, was a speculative wage auction bid.
As you can see end of season 2 that squad is as good as any I've had end of Season 2, new or old GW. The main differance from my point of view is that I would have managed to have bagged a few potential wonderkids whilst everyone was chasing Pato.
Whilst a few of the youths are half decent they don't compare to the quality you can get in the first few days.
We're still not overdrawn and have spent around £5m on the stadium I'd guess. The team is put together with a view on being competitive in Division Four. Aspiring to be one of the top teams in the Gameworld after three seasons isn't doable in saying that if I ignored the stadium I could push further.
FM Council
Sworn to secrecy, it was a brutally honest discussion overall and I was left in no doubt that SI / Sega have the commitment and the conviction to deliver a game that achieves it's huge potential.
The day itself was fantastic, it was 'lets talk about FM Live for a day', my favourite subject, with the actual guys who code the game, a1. Did feel envious of them imagine having a job that involved football, games, lots of stats, gah to be 18 again I'd beg them to take me on as a 'gofor' :)
I think I missed the fuss over at Gameworld One about it, I think council was an unfortunate choice of words, focus group would have been more fitting. SI record for making games is second to none and I think they'll go their way with it, but needed input from managers who were prepared to be critical.
Got the impression that perhaps some of the Gameworld One guys felt we would be deciding the future of FM Live, which wasn't what it was about.
I can't really comment on anything more until announcements are made I had to say something about the day, so I apologise if your reading this and thought I'd be revealing all but NDA prevents me saying more.
I've been really active on the rep and injury changes coming in 1.4 and will be free to discuss these and naturally groan or cheer the various teams.
Clough - Division Five champions, still on a limited budget with stadium payments however I'll go overdrawn if the right player pops up. From being in many Gameworlds season 3/4 seems to be the grinding seasons getting the stadium finished before you can crack on.
Shearer - A £1.4m Aq Fee right back at 26 on low wage was just the ticket so £4.5m poorer we should have a decent enough team to stay in the NFA Premier League. Started the season badly and have had decent results since so can't complain.
Beta - We were limping a bit here as we missed out on wage auctions. Spotted a £500k 30yo for 1.5m on auto so pounced. That sounds a lot but with players ageing end of season now he's really 29 in old money:) Could do with a striker now to really push. In saying that we have finished 2nd and 1st in the top league in the two stages so far so not too bad at all.
The day itself was fantastic, it was 'lets talk about FM Live for a day', my favourite subject, with the actual guys who code the game, a1. Did feel envious of them imagine having a job that involved football, games, lots of stats, gah to be 18 again I'd beg them to take me on as a 'gofor' :)
I think I missed the fuss over at Gameworld One about it, I think council was an unfortunate choice of words, focus group would have been more fitting. SI record for making games is second to none and I think they'll go their way with it, but needed input from managers who were prepared to be critical.
Got the impression that perhaps some of the Gameworld One guys felt we would be deciding the future of FM Live, which wasn't what it was about.
I can't really comment on anything more until announcements are made I had to say something about the day, so I apologise if your reading this and thought I'd be revealing all but NDA prevents me saying more.
I've been really active on the rep and injury changes coming in 1.4 and will be free to discuss these and naturally groan or cheer the various teams.
Clough - Division Five champions, still on a limited budget with stadium payments however I'll go overdrawn if the right player pops up. From being in many Gameworlds season 3/4 seems to be the grinding seasons getting the stadium finished before you can crack on.
Shearer - A £1.4m Aq Fee right back at 26 on low wage was just the ticket so £4.5m poorer we should have a decent enough team to stay in the NFA Premier League. Started the season badly and have had decent results since so can't complain.
Beta - We were limping a bit here as we missed out on wage auctions. Spotted a £500k 30yo for 1.5m on auto so pounced. That sounds a lot but with players ageing end of season now he's really 29 in old money:) Could do with a striker now to really push. In saying that we have finished 2nd and 1st in the top league in the two stages so far so not too bad at all.
Wednesday 4 November 2009
The Teams
Shearer - Gandolfi on his £800 a day wage is now high profile. Compared to some managers that are paying £20k a day for players like that it does tend to give me a massive advantage. Everyone see's him as 3.1/2 star as well. Might be a clue there as to why some GW's just don't have talent coming through as the 'youth managers' hunt for the next Ronaldo and miss the bread and butter players totally.
Team seems to be doing ok and a fair few youths that look as if they'll be handy in a few seasons time. Future looks steady as ever. Thankfully the FA's were done on last seasons position and we remain a Premiership team. Rank is irrelevant but doing ok there top 30 currently.
The NFA Premiership looks a tough one I think we'd be lucky to stay up and do very well to bag another UFFA spot.
I could have streched my legs a bit an used the £6m or so to really have gone for it but prefer to only sign players that clearly are a cut above.
Beta - Currently going ok, the new injuries mean you have to have strength in depth so I think I just about managed to cover positions with the odd youth and mature utility players end of season. There were issues with the beta GW during wage auctions which meant I couldn't strengthen as much as I would have liked.
This has left me with a huge bank balance, a £200k wage bill and massive projected. Could be a busy close season next time!
Clough - I can't play the games on board ship but we've gone from thinking about a play off spot to thinking about promotion to thinking we can win the title! Not bad really, a few youths picked up that might be useful later on as well. I don't expect to be doing much better season as it's still a lot of cash going into stadium, might take wages upto £100k subject to players becoming available.
Using this sort of bugdet might put me in the running for a compettive team in Div.4 should we get promoted.
It looks like I'll be able to make the council after all, leave New York at 6:30pm arrive UK 8:30am, spend the morning in London.
Had a few mails /posts about my player prices chart, it's subjective of course but signing players in wage auction for demand / Aq Fee seems a logical place to work back from.
My legs are killing me played footie with with my son and nephew and I was running round like a loon. Woke up the following morning to find being 40 meant I couldn't run around like that any more.
Team seems to be doing ok and a fair few youths that look as if they'll be handy in a few seasons time. Future looks steady as ever. Thankfully the FA's were done on last seasons position and we remain a Premiership team. Rank is irrelevant but doing ok there top 30 currently.
The NFA Premiership looks a tough one I think we'd be lucky to stay up and do very well to bag another UFFA spot.
I could have streched my legs a bit an used the £6m or so to really have gone for it but prefer to only sign players that clearly are a cut above.
Beta - Currently going ok, the new injuries mean you have to have strength in depth so I think I just about managed to cover positions with the odd youth and mature utility players end of season. There were issues with the beta GW during wage auctions which meant I couldn't strengthen as much as I would have liked.
This has left me with a huge bank balance, a £200k wage bill and massive projected. Could be a busy close season next time!
Clough - I can't play the games on board ship but we've gone from thinking about a play off spot to thinking about promotion to thinking we can win the title! Not bad really, a few youths picked up that might be useful later on as well. I don't expect to be doing much better season as it's still a lot of cash going into stadium, might take wages upto £100k subject to players becoming available.
Using this sort of bugdet might put me in the running for a compettive team in Div.4 should we get promoted.
It looks like I'll be able to make the council after all, leave New York at 6:30pm arrive UK 8:30am, spend the morning in London.
Had a few mails /posts about my player prices chart, it's subjective of course but signing players in wage auction for demand / Aq Fee seems a logical place to work back from.
My legs are killing me played footie with with my son and nephew and I was running round like a loon. Woke up the following morning to find being 40 meant I couldn't run around like that any more.
Saturday 31 October 2009
FM Live Council & all that
Unfortunately due to being away I'm not really able to log on to forum for any length of time (expensive on board the Queen Mary 2) and due to a massive clanger on the wife's part (holiday ends later than thought) unlikely to be able attend.
The council to me says that SI are REALLY doing something apart GW activity. If you were harsh then you'd say they were now having a meeting about doing something but I think it's progress.
I think my gripe is that the game seems to lack direction or a vision. I may well be way off the mark here but it seems to me that FM Live started as Fantasy Football using the FM database / match engine and became something more.
It seems to have moved so far from the original vision that SI no longer have a vision as such. If I was to be harsh again you'd say Si were making it up as they go along. To get things back on track that needs to be sorted. Maybe the council will allow them to really home in on exactly what direction to take.
It seems to me it's one direction or another
1) What we have now - GW's are not dynamic and remain as they are. New managers need to be given a boost in order that they can find their level in a GW.
2) The entire concept changes to 'rags to riches' or 'minnows to giants'.
Just to repeat what I wrote on in a forum post I'm of the opinion that a new GW launches with 1000 managers, 100/200 will be happy with a lower league manager type of game; into the community, chatting about players, the Fa set up, the games, youths, and generally just enjoying the game.
800 or so will be desperate to get to the top; owning the best players, top 30 ranked, winning premier leagues, getting into UFFA, etc.
After a few seasons your left with 200 / 300 managers, 100/200 are happy with their lot and the rest are either at the top or think they will be at the top soon.
The reminder have come the conclusion that it isn't going to happen and either leave the game or hit the forums to beg for a new GW.
If you accept that as the reason for the levels of activity that we see then really it's back to SI to ask if they have to make a more commercial game. That's not a given, there vision for the game may well differ and it may not need be a mass market product. In fact if you can find enough managers happy with a lower league / simulation type of game then why worry?
If they do need to make a more commercial game then the only one that is viable is 'rags to riches' in some way. The hardcore of the community will generally argue against this, yes it's a long term game they will say but
How that's implemented exactly is open to debate, high pa youth teams to new managers, force top managers out, hard code regression to top teams, allow managers to move clubs, Prestige forced restarts etc etc.
Isn't it already like that though?
In a way it is, I can get into a GW slowly build up the stadium to support a galaticos squad and head on up to the top 50 ish. It takes a long time and with changes to the FA's in some GW's (like Clough) it's a fun journey. Not everyone has played the game for the same amount of time as me though, whilst I'm not amazing at FM Live I'd say I'm above average so very often others can't experiance the game in the same way.
Very early on the hit the wall and are left bored with what is basially a Lower League Manager / Simulation type game.
Also if I started a new seprate account in Shearer I can't see that 2nd account overtaking the first account, so I will be limited as to how far I could progress anyway.
The solutions put forward by the community don't follow this either, if the vast majority of the community that is left are generally happy, their suggestions are often pre occupied with preserving the staus quo. Give new managers a boost seems to be touted around a lot but the second you start suggesting boosts like high PA youth team, hands are thrown up in horror but that's a real boost they say! :)
The one thing that SI seem fairly convinced about is that database players need to remain for an old GW to be attractive. Is this the reason why GW's are not popular? When I've debated with managers who advocate this as a reason why they won't join an old GW it comes across to me as an excuse and not the reason.
The council to me says that SI are REALLY doing something apart GW activity. If you were harsh then you'd say they were now having a meeting about doing something but I think it's progress.
I think my gripe is that the game seems to lack direction or a vision. I may well be way off the mark here but it seems to me that FM Live started as Fantasy Football using the FM database / match engine and became something more.
It seems to have moved so far from the original vision that SI no longer have a vision as such. If I was to be harsh again you'd say Si were making it up as they go along. To get things back on track that needs to be sorted. Maybe the council will allow them to really home in on exactly what direction to take.
It seems to me it's one direction or another
1) What we have now - GW's are not dynamic and remain as they are. New managers need to be given a boost in order that they can find their level in a GW.
2) The entire concept changes to 'rags to riches' or 'minnows to giants'.
Just to repeat what I wrote on in a forum post I'm of the opinion that a new GW launches with 1000 managers, 100/200 will be happy with a lower league manager type of game; into the community, chatting about players, the Fa set up, the games, youths, and generally just enjoying the game.
800 or so will be desperate to get to the top; owning the best players, top 30 ranked, winning premier leagues, getting into UFFA, etc.
After a few seasons your left with 200 / 300 managers, 100/200 are happy with their lot and the rest are either at the top or think they will be at the top soon.
The reminder have come the conclusion that it isn't going to happen and either leave the game or hit the forums to beg for a new GW.
If you accept that as the reason for the levels of activity that we see then really it's back to SI to ask if they have to make a more commercial game. That's not a given, there vision for the game may well differ and it may not need be a mass market product. In fact if you can find enough managers happy with a lower league / simulation type of game then why worry?
If they do need to make a more commercial game then the only one that is viable is 'rags to riches' in some way. The hardcore of the community will generally argue against this, yes it's a long term game they will say but
How that's implemented exactly is open to debate, high pa youth teams to new managers, force top managers out, hard code regression to top teams, allow managers to move clubs, Prestige forced restarts etc etc.
Isn't it already like that though?
In a way it is, I can get into a GW slowly build up the stadium to support a galaticos squad and head on up to the top 50 ish. It takes a long time and with changes to the FA's in some GW's (like Clough) it's a fun journey. Not everyone has played the game for the same amount of time as me though, whilst I'm not amazing at FM Live I'd say I'm above average so very often others can't experiance the game in the same way.
Very early on the hit the wall and are left bored with what is basially a Lower League Manager / Simulation type game.
Also if I started a new seprate account in Shearer I can't see that 2nd account overtaking the first account, so I will be limited as to how far I could progress anyway.
The solutions put forward by the community don't follow this either, if the vast majority of the community that is left are generally happy, their suggestions are often pre occupied with preserving the staus quo. Give new managers a boost seems to be touted around a lot but the second you start suggesting boosts like high PA youth team, hands are thrown up in horror but that's a real boost they say! :)
The one thing that SI seem fairly convinced about is that database players need to remain for an old GW to be attractive. Is this the reason why GW's are not popular? When I've debated with managers who advocate this as a reason why they won't join an old GW it comes across to me as an excuse and not the reason.
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Youth
I'll show you a youth player! Make your eyes bleed this one!
Yuuummm and locked for a season on £800 a day.
Yuuummm and locked for a season on £800 a day.
1.4 Injuries and their effect
After this new system was introduced and logged in to find my main striker out for four games. I hadn't even realised I did this but my mouse hovered over the log out button, hang on though he'll still be injured tomorrow!
There is no dodging injuries now, we reached the end of season and I'm looking at squad thinking I have to have a proper squad, many of these players will be out for key games. It really does add a lot to the game.
Beta - What a glorious season, took three stages of Div.1 won the Mid Season Open. I don't think any team has done that previously not even in Alchomedia's glory years did they take 3 out of four.
I've always kept a youth team going and thankfully have managed to produce some first teamers, their not drop dead stunning but are 25+ now and high profile standard. This at least allows me to pump some serious cash at the 28-30yo players subject to being able to find them. Somewhat odd that players now age end of season, so during wage auctions looking at 31yo not just 30yo:)
Clough - Well it's a competitive team for the league we're in for sure but results are not exactly spectacular. Still play some nice football and will further strengthen in the close season. I think we're headed for a mid table finish from what I've seen thus far. UPDATE: A mini good run later and we hit the top of the league around six of the cheapo's I have have turned high profile and the team that was 4th we beat 4-1. Ohhh.
Shearer - Finished 3rd in AEFA once again a UFFA spot so good result there, already have bagged a £1m + Aq Fee AMC who's 30. New leagues which I pray for the sake of the GW won't be qual. Still carrying two / three players really in this team but I'm not going to buy unless we're talking jaw dropping. Some decent youths coming through but it does take sooooo long before their as good as half decent 30yo.
Still managed to bag the Best of Fed and U21 League in AEFA this season.
Latest vibe on the forums seems to be player progression, some ME problems all due to be fixed very soon and the never ending 'what you gonna do about activity SI, open a new GW'. I suspect there are around 9/10 managers who've bounced into every new GW that contually ask the new GW question.
I get their point, playing short term in a long term GW must be a buzz.
There is no dodging injuries now, we reached the end of season and I'm looking at squad thinking I have to have a proper squad, many of these players will be out for key games. It really does add a lot to the game.
Beta - What a glorious season, took three stages of Div.1 won the Mid Season Open. I don't think any team has done that previously not even in Alchomedia's glory years did they take 3 out of four.
I've always kept a youth team going and thankfully have managed to produce some first teamers, their not drop dead stunning but are 25+ now and high profile standard. This at least allows me to pump some serious cash at the 28-30yo players subject to being able to find them. Somewhat odd that players now age end of season, so during wage auctions looking at 31yo not just 30yo:)
Clough - Well it's a competitive team for the league we're in for sure but results are not exactly spectacular. Still play some nice football and will further strengthen in the close season. I think we're headed for a mid table finish from what I've seen thus far. UPDATE: A mini good run later and we hit the top of the league around six of the cheapo's I have have turned high profile and the team that was 4th we beat 4-1. Ohhh.
Shearer - Finished 3rd in AEFA once again a UFFA spot so good result there, already have bagged a £1m + Aq Fee AMC who's 30. New leagues which I pray for the sake of the GW won't be qual. Still carrying two / three players really in this team but I'm not going to buy unless we're talking jaw dropping. Some decent youths coming through but it does take sooooo long before their as good as half decent 30yo.
Still managed to bag the Best of Fed and U21 League in AEFA this season.
Latest vibe on the forums seems to be player progression, some ME problems all due to be fixed very soon and the never ending 'what you gonna do about activity SI, open a new GW'. I suspect there are around 9/10 managers who've bounced into every new GW that contually ask the new GW question.
I get their point, playing short term in a long term GW must be a buzz.
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Ohhhh Sometimes you win the lottery
During my desperate efforts to strengthen the Clough squad during wage auctions I chanced upon a player that hadn't played much but was still well known.... Strange, anyway I managed to get him on £4k a day £65k Aq Fee.
We won our first game 6-1 have limped along with a defeat a draw and another thumper 5-0. In this time he's gone £170k High Profile with some amazing goals in the process.
Div.5 is pretty well balanced there is one team on a good run and another with wages of £230k! We lost 1-0 to them but actually had more chances. I really hope I'm not in Div.5 when my wages get to that stage:(
I've got Sega fright in Shearer I think I should move but don't really know if I should so I'll just do nothing :)
It has been a bit gritty on the forums recently, 1.3 had a progression bug which no one liked naturally. Everyone thought that the new injury system was ace. There were at least a hundred posts about the progression bug and six on the new injury system. Not nice being SI sometimes!
It is getting a bit flaky on the forums again as managers sit in their GW's with plans for world domination coming to fruition, only to find the world is now 20 odd managers.
Had a good debate with someone in the forums (not naming names) and it went like this:-
Them: I justify my position due to this real life example.
Me: That is not comparable to real life because it's more like ....
Them: It's a game stop using real life examples.
I do like a debate and I think it should remain as a debate, it is strange that many months back I had a debate with someone in the lobby. Who was right or wrong is irrelevant (well I was right naturally) but the guy the following day pm'd me to apologise. I was quite shocked, it's ok to disagree about something!
My favourite is, 'do you think this player is worth X', do you want a honest answer I say, I then say no, and here is why. Someone once told me after that I didn't know what I was talking about and should shut up! Hehe.
Gah look at that me just with just another random wibble, what was this post about again, errr something about football.
We won our first game 6-1 have limped along with a defeat a draw and another thumper 5-0. In this time he's gone £170k High Profile with some amazing goals in the process.
Div.5 is pretty well balanced there is one team on a good run and another with wages of £230k! We lost 1-0 to them but actually had more chances. I really hope I'm not in Div.5 when my wages get to that stage:(
I've got Sega fright in Shearer I think I should move but don't really know if I should so I'll just do nothing :)
It has been a bit gritty on the forums recently, 1.3 had a progression bug which no one liked naturally. Everyone thought that the new injury system was ace. There were at least a hundred posts about the progression bug and six on the new injury system. Not nice being SI sometimes!
It is getting a bit flaky on the forums again as managers sit in their GW's with plans for world domination coming to fruition, only to find the world is now 20 odd managers.
Had a good debate with someone in the forums (not naming names) and it went like this:-
Them: I justify my position due to this real life example.
Me: That is not comparable to real life because it's more like ....
Them: It's a game stop using real life examples.
I do like a debate and I think it should remain as a debate, it is strange that many months back I had a debate with someone in the lobby. Who was right or wrong is irrelevant (well I was right naturally) but the guy the following day pm'd me to apologise. I was quite shocked, it's ok to disagree about something!
My favourite is, 'do you think this player is worth X', do you want a honest answer I say, I then say no, and here is why. Someone once told me after that I didn't know what I was talking about and should shut up! Hehe.
Gah look at that me just with just another random wibble, what was this post about again, errr something about football.
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Jak's Football Manager Live Player Price Guide
I suppose prices are subjective, I've had a lot of players that have great stats but they only tell you the type of player not when or how often they play like their stats. In other words i've owned some right duffers that should be great but are not.
I always look for Rep (relative to club played for, a high rep player at a low rep club is going to be nice!), Aq Fee (ability) and finally stats (will give you a clue as to the type of player).
I did this more really for the sake of my own sanity! I bagged a £1m household name at 29 in Beta for £1.4m and got to thinking is that expensive or not?
Comments on Players
Household Names - These players are the regular match winners or as defenders will almost never make a mistake and are amazingly consistent.
World Famous - Either consistent or occasional match winning performance. You might see the odd mistake at the back but it's going to be rare.
High Profile - Great players above average in every respect.
Well Known - Your bread and butter type rep can be quite variable so these can easily turn into High Profile. They should be VERY cheap!
I always look for Rep (relative to club played for, a high rep player at a low rep club is going to be nice!), Aq Fee (ability) and finally stats (will give you a clue as to the type of player).
I did this more really for the sake of my own sanity! I bagged a £1m household name at 29 in Beta for £1.4m and got to thinking is that expensive or not?
Comments on Players
Household Names - These players are the regular match winners or as defenders will almost never make a mistake and are amazingly consistent.
World Famous - Either consistent or occasional match winning performance. You might see the odd mistake at the back but it's going to be rare.
High Profile - Great players above average in every respect.
Well Known - Your bread and butter type rep can be quite variable so these can easily turn into High Profile. They should be VERY cheap!
Monday 19 October 2009
1.4 Injuries - Rough Outline
Ok Mr. Collyer has just outlined the new injury system that will be rolled out to beta. As ever this is Work In Progress and may not make the final game, we're just trialling it:-
Injuries:From my own point of view I'd have liked to have seen only the League count as recovery time giving us some real depth to the squad management side of the game but still overall a MASSIVE improvement.
- an injury can occur in any match resulting in a player having to leave the field
- only after a major competition match can an injury become lasting, but the chances of it lasting are reduced by up to 50% if the user has general physio skills (10% per level)
- lasting training injuries can occur from time-to-time but with the likelihood reducing by up to 50% if the user has general physio skills (again, 10% per level)
- injuries prevent a player playing for X number of major competition matches only; a player is eligible to play in any other matches
- if a team has no scheduled major competition matches, or the player is a free agent, injuries recover over time at a standard rate based on the usual 1 month = 1 year timescale, but as soon as his team (if he has one) has a scheduled major competition match this recovery freezes and the team must play a match to continue the recovery of any injured players
- the length of an injury can be reduced by any general physio skills and any injury-specific physio skills
1.4 Token Screenshots
Some more random 1.4 screen shots, work in progress so don't get wound up if something doesn't make it. This time featuring on the tokens thing. Nothing yet has made me go wow I need one of them! I think we 3d makes it in might make a difference. Tried FM10 and the 3d is pretty good would love to see stadiums in and maybe would could see something sexy with tokens then.I suppose custom crowd chants could be good.
AS EVER WORK IN PROGRESS
MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE IT INTO GAME!Clough - Made a huge start to the season with a 6-1 win and in the following 4 games have just got a point, doh. Promotion doesn't look likely but we are playing some neat stuff, last season we looked awful and were awful. So some progress.
Beta - Most of the squad over 30 but thankfully a big stadium generates enough cash to replace all those fairly easily. Have won first two stages of Div.1 and then just avoided relegation (ladder FA always full of drama). Although the new rep system doesn't kick in for a few seasons I've banked a 17 from Gold Cup and the two Div.1 wins should assure us of Gold Cup next season. So that's 40% of my rep sitting at 17 for wh
en the new system kicks in.Shearer - In a forum thread a post by T Bag made me check Shearer and Clough for join dates and number of teams in the top 50. Only a handful of teams had got to the top after they joined a GW late. I don't really care too much for being top 50 or anything really I just want to play competitive games but should I give up on Shearer..... It's the only GW I currently do youth, I don't know we'll see.
Results wise it looks like we could get into UFFA again, I think pro rata we're top of the Premiership I can't see that continueng with my youth filling out a few critical positions but UFFA place I'd be happy.
I guess getting into UFFA every season, apart from one, is kind of Tottenham like which is ok I guess.
Thursday 15 October 2009
Clough Season 13 - Starting Out at the Bottom
Another season starts in Clough, I'm going to stick with Clough for eight months minimum (that's how long there is on the account) so we'll see where the journey takes us.
I'm going to move the Shearer account somewhere else so we'll focus on Clough here for a while, it's likely to be a sorry tale but we might have little bouts of minor glory along the way.
A fairly typical end of season one stadium, just after this I added a Exclusiv Corp Box, ouch £1.8m odd.
I've been looking at stadiums again recently I think the optimal kind of stadium delivers around £250k a day and costs around £15m. If you time it right and do it over 56 days then it'll take 100 days return. So.....
The first ten million is done in the first three months, but it only costs £5million due it generating an income and you having 56 days to pay.
The final five million is free as your now using cash your stadium is generating but you would never have had had you not spent the first £5m :)
So pretty cheap stadiums, they do hold you back a little though!
Anyway to facilitate the stadium wages have to be kept low. So I can't really expect much this season.
So my target is around mid table, if we can get anywhere near promotion I'll be delighted!
I'm going to move the Shearer account somewhere else so we'll focus on Clough here for a while, it's likely to be a sorry tale but we might have little bouts of minor glory along the way.
A fairly typical end of season one stadium, just after this I added a Exclusiv Corp Box, ouch £1.8m odd.
I've been looking at stadiums again recently I think the optimal kind of stadium delivers around £250k a day and costs around £15m. If you time it right and do it over 56 days then it'll take 100 days return. So.....
The first ten million is done in the first three months, but it only costs £5million due it generating an income and you having 56 days to pay.
The final five million is free as your now using cash your stadium is generating but you would never have had had you not spent the first £5m :)
So pretty cheap stadiums, they do hold you back a little though!
Anyway to facilitate the stadium wages have to be kept low. So I can't really expect much this season.
So my target is around mid table, if we can get anywhere near promotion I'll be delighted!
Clough Season 13 Squad
I like Clough the mods and orgs run the FA's so that hoppers are inserted into the structure at their correct level. So although my teams rubbish and didn't have a great first season (12th in Div5) I know if I can improve squad the level of teams I play next season should be pretty consistent. I'm not at the mercy of however many random hoppers there are.
So the second season squad is put together on that basis.
GK Urso - That lack of rep is a worry but we are a low rep club. Stats and Aq Fee and even performance make me keep him.
DL Cazumba - All last season the left postion was an achilles heel for us. At 31 I'm only going to get one season but it does cure the problem for one season at least.
DC - Svensson - A speculative buy from another team had a decent season with us. Aq Fee was only £35k on purchase. A little bit ropey at times but should cope with Division 5 ok.
DC - Talis at 30 should get two seasons from him. A no nonsense DC not a great footballer but was plaeased to land him at wage.
DR - Beardsley another of the Talis mould no nonsense defender.
ML - Cedric ahhh this player and me go back some way. At the start of the GW a wonderkid candidate but often doesn't get the breaks. Not awash with ability but will run up and down that left flank all day. I think a club record of £150k to land his signature.
MC - Woods Stupid injury system:) I've tried to land Woods in a few GW's starts of at 20 as I recall very solid MC who can on occasion open a teaam up. In his prime here and if we're to make any progress this season it very much depends on Woods.
MC - Labadie safe solid DM at the right age.
FC - Martinez delighted to have land such a player at the proper age of 27! Ok he's never going to be world class but at this level should have something to offer.
FC Antonio - Another striker that should threaten at this level.
Wednesday 14 October 2009
1.4 - Injuries - Educated Speculation
I'm glad I got the ok to blog about 1.4 gives me something to wibble on about instead of moaning:)
This is sort of quite well informed speculation, we can expect to see something along these lines. Injuries are pretty broken in FM Live at the moment. If your activity rating is low for whatever reason you just as well get your players trained by Jack the Ripper rather than play games I think they'd be safer!
If your activity rating is high then injuries just as well be off as you can just log off to avoid their effect.
In 1.4 as you can see from the rep system the serious side to the game are FA games, everything else is fun. So logic would suggest that turning injuries off for the fun games would make sense. So regardless if a player has done his metatarsal in or not he will only be injured for Rep FA Games.
You could logcally then change injuries from time, say two days, to games so out for two games. However the Xtreme FA's potentially play 160 games a season (if leagues run three times). It's swings and roundabouts though, as although you'll get more injuries a season you'll have more games to cure them.
After some good discussion \ debate I proposed:-
So say you have your striker out for 20 games with a broken leg, play an FA League game and the injury will be 19 games.
OMG what happens if I get into UFFA reach the final of the Gold Cup have two good domestic cup runs, I'll be picking up injuries but these games don't cure players.
Ever heard of the term strength in depth.
OMG what happens if he gets injured in the last league game of the season and I'm in the final of the Gold Cup?
Do you risk him in the last league game of the season knowing you have a Gold Cup final coming up? Football Management in Football Manager Live!
This is sort of quite well informed speculation, we can expect to see something along these lines. Injuries are pretty broken in FM Live at the moment. If your activity rating is low for whatever reason you just as well get your players trained by Jack the Ripper rather than play games I think they'd be safer!
If your activity rating is high then injuries just as well be off as you can just log off to avoid their effect.
In 1.4 as you can see from the rep system the serious side to the game are FA games, everything else is fun. So logic would suggest that turning injuries off for the fun games would make sense. So regardless if a player has done his metatarsal in or not he will only be injured for Rep FA Games.
You could logcally then change injuries from time, say two days, to games so out for two games. However the Xtreme FA's potentially play 160 games a season (if leagues run three times). It's swings and roundabouts though, as although you'll get more injuries a season you'll have more games to cure them.
After some good discussion \ debate I proposed:-
- Main FA League - Healing: Yes Injuries: Yes
- Rep Enabled Cups - Healing: No Injuries: Yes
So say you have your striker out for 20 games with a broken leg, play an FA League game and the injury will be 19 games.
OMG what happens if I get into UFFA reach the final of the Gold Cup have two good domestic cup runs, I'll be picking up injuries but these games don't cure players.
Ever heard of the term strength in depth.
OMG what happens if he gets injured in the last league game of the season and I'm in the final of the Gold Cup?
Do you risk him in the last league game of the season knowing you have a Gold Cup final coming up? Football Management in Football Manager Live!
Head Hits Wall
Open a New GW I can't compete with existing teams!Don't open a New GW SI teams should be forced to work their way up from the bottom.
I can't EVER overtake existing teams so make the top teams leave.
I'm not leaving.
Open a New GW I can't compete with existing teams.
Give new teams a boost!
Even with a boost I still can't overtake existing teams, give me a proper boost like £30m.
You must be joking it's long term game!
Open a New GW I can't compete with existing teams.
If you open a new GW when my GW is dead whats the point.
Meanwhile GW's, whilst not quite on their last legs that's being a bit dramatic, are not exactly brimming with new users for the reasons listed.
Monday 12 October 2009
1.4 - New Reputation System
Ok hold the phone this is a big one! Spot the difference, no more 5star Rep system but now we're moving to a scale of 1-20!
However that's not all!
To this...
The screens do a good job demonstrating the the change and the likely way this will rolled out to Live, you'll have advance warning.
Converting your old rep to new is fairly simple case of times it by 4. So:-
However that's not all!
To this...
The screens do a good job demonstrating the the change and the likely way this will rolled out to Live, you'll have advance warning.League ranges from 1 (bottom of the lowest tier) up to 18 (top of the highest tier)New Money Old Money
League divisions all overlap by 1 level. Consensus seems to be this is a good thing.
Main cup competition is 1 less than winning the highest league the cup involves
Secondary cup competition is 2 less than winning the highest league the cup involves
Gold Cup starts at 1 below winning the top league, so 17 rising to 20. Provides security if you qualify, but doesn't make chasing the Prem redundant.
Silver Cup runs at 2 below Gold Cup, so 15 rising to 18 (same as winning the league)
CWC Cup runs at 1 below Silver Cup, both start and end, so 14 rising to 17
GW Cup starts from 1, and rises to 1 below CWC cup, so 1 rising to 16
Converting your old rep to new is fairly simple case of times it by 4. So:-
| Old Rep | New Rep Low | New Rep High |
| 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 1.5 | 6 | 7 |
| 2 | 8 | 9 |
| 2.5 | 10 | 11 |
| 3 | 12 | 13 |
| 3.5 | 14 | 15 |
| 4 | 16 | 17 |
| 4.5 | 18 | 19 |
| 5 | 20 |
1.4 Preview - Judging Potential
FM Live 1.4 will be a I think one of the biggest changes since v1, this is a work in progress so things could change!
The headline changes are:-
On the left we have the new Home Page. Very fancy!
As you can see you can change these around and have a range of choices for what appears where.
As yuo can see on the last screenshot JP has changed. You no longer get an instant reading you have to assess the player first!
This is a massive change to the game and will stop the managers going omg 5 star potential he's the next Ronaldo! Although we did have a youth on £40k a day a few days into Shearer.
Your own players will be assessed automatically it takes time. Should you see a player you like you can add him to the assessment list.
As you
can see in the Screenshot below. Do we still need youth academies? Their also penciled in for 1.4 just we haven't seen them yet.
The headline changes are:-
- Judging Potential changes
- Club Reputation Changes
- Injury System Changes
On the left we have the new Home Page. Very fancy!As you can see you can change these around and have a range of choices for what appears where.
As yuo can see on the last screenshot JP has changed. You no longer get an instant reading you have to assess the player first!
This is a massive change to the game and will stop the managers going omg 5 star potential he's the next Ronaldo! Although we did have a youth on £40k a day a few days into Shearer.
Your own players will be assessed automatically it takes time. Should you see a player you like you can add him to the assessment list.
As you
can see in the Screenshot below. Do we still need youth academies? Their also penciled in for 1.4 just we haven't seen them yet.
Saturday 10 October 2009
Lets be Upbeat 1.4
Whilst SI fumble around the marketing and long term future of GW's in beta 1.4 is taking shape. Whilst I can't yet go into specifics it looks like it's going to have a big impact.
Currently progressing is a case of sign players as cheap as possible to get to 3.5 star rep, build stadium and kick on from there. That won't work in 1.4. Reputation will come from doing well in your FA leagues & the big UFFA comps (Gold, Siliver and Cup Winners Cup). So you'll have to do the business on the pitch prior to building a stadium.
Hop FA's for easy games if you want but your running with wages of £200k+ you could be staring at bankruptcy. (I'm all for putting hoppers in the bottom tier if it hurts them and boy will 1.4 hurt them!)
The ability to restart leagues mid season should keep extreme FA's happy as they'll be able to run three or four seasons in one as it were.
It's no secret that the youth side of the game is going to get tweaked and by the looks of it will be a little better. I'm no fan of youth academies as their very casual user friendly but I think JP will be nerfed and JP is VERY casual manager friendly.
There is even talk of the injury system getting fixed in 1.4, ok it's like 12 months overdue but finally no longer a system that encourages you to log off! Awesome.
Talking of that I've been busy in Clough trying to patch together a team to get out Division 5, I was particularly delighted sign Michael Woods at 29 who should run the middle of the park and if I leave him go at 32 I should get 3 seasons out of. One game later he's out for five days, sweet! Gah :(
Currently progressing is a case of sign players as cheap as possible to get to 3.5 star rep, build stadium and kick on from there. That won't work in 1.4. Reputation will come from doing well in your FA leagues & the big UFFA comps (Gold, Siliver and Cup Winners Cup). So you'll have to do the business on the pitch prior to building a stadium.
Hop FA's for easy games if you want but your running with wages of £200k+ you could be staring at bankruptcy. (I'm all for putting hoppers in the bottom tier if it hurts them and boy will 1.4 hurt them!)
The ability to restart leagues mid season should keep extreme FA's happy as they'll be able to run three or four seasons in one as it were.
It's no secret that the youth side of the game is going to get tweaked and by the looks of it will be a little better. I'm no fan of youth academies as their very casual user friendly but I think JP will be nerfed and JP is VERY casual manager friendly.
There is even talk of the injury system getting fixed in 1.4, ok it's like 12 months overdue but finally no longer a system that encourages you to log off! Awesome.
Talking of that I've been busy in Clough trying to patch together a team to get out Division 5, I was particularly delighted sign Michael Woods at 29 who should run the middle of the park and if I leave him go at 32 I should get 3 seasons out of. One game later he's out for five days, sweet! Gah :(
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Return of the Moaning Old Git!
There was a thread on the forum by Loris and initially it looked like your typical moaning thread but in fairness to the guy what he was saying actually struck home.
Basically he'd be in a few worlds played long term only to see that GW die. He was open to the suggestion that he could move to Clough or Whiteside but he was saying 'well what's to say that won't die'.
For eight / nine months now there have been moans from the community from managers stuck in this boat and all the while they've been saying to Sega 'why are you opening more worlds!'.
SI / Sega have been saying their seriously thinking of doing something, after eight months though it's getting a bit old. Now we find out yet another world may open 'in theory for cancelled accounts' which is bound to take another batch of managers from older GW's.
Still we hear nothing of Sega plans for the old worlds and i think you eventually must come to the conclusion there are not any.
I did suggest the problem is that GW's become top heavy with rich clubs, thus making progress beyond a point impossible and it might be better to invite top ranked teams to new worlds. This would allow new managers to progress and eventually themselves earn the right to play in a new GW.
Is this is a good idea? I don't know but I do know it's better than f*&! all or just six months of waffle.
Harsh? I really don't want to be all doom and gloom but I'm paying for this game and Sega are not a charity, well not in my book anyway.
On a more positive note the first season in Clough is coming to an end and whilst we've had a fairly dismal mid table finish the FA's are set up properly. So if I do well close season with signings I've a chance of doing better next season.
On another more positive note we won the first stage of the Division One Title in Beta and on an even more positive note we've had a few decent results in Shearer. Continuing the theme the youth I've now managed to get together in Shearer is starting to look a bit tasty.
Basically he'd be in a few worlds played long term only to see that GW die. He was open to the suggestion that he could move to Clough or Whiteside but he was saying 'well what's to say that won't die'.
For eight / nine months now there have been moans from the community from managers stuck in this boat and all the while they've been saying to Sega 'why are you opening more worlds!'.
SI / Sega have been saying their seriously thinking of doing something, after eight months though it's getting a bit old. Now we find out yet another world may open 'in theory for cancelled accounts' which is bound to take another batch of managers from older GW's.
Still we hear nothing of Sega plans for the old worlds and i think you eventually must come to the conclusion there are not any.
I did suggest the problem is that GW's become top heavy with rich clubs, thus making progress beyond a point impossible and it might be better to invite top ranked teams to new worlds. This would allow new managers to progress and eventually themselves earn the right to play in a new GW.
Is this is a good idea? I don't know but I do know it's better than f*&! all or just six months of waffle.
Harsh? I really don't want to be all doom and gloom but I'm paying for this game and Sega are not a charity, well not in my book anyway.
On a more positive note the first season in Clough is coming to an end and whilst we've had a fairly dismal mid table finish the FA's are set up properly. So if I do well close season with signings I've a chance of doing better next season.
On another more positive note we won the first stage of the Division One Title in Beta and on an even more positive note we've had a few decent results in Shearer. Continuing the theme the youth I've now managed to get together in Shearer is starting to look a bit tasty.
Monday 5 October 2009
Shearer Silly FA Set Up
It's been an interesting pre-season in Shearer. A few of us who started off in the SFA decided to move back. I was under the impression that we'd end up being allocated a spot based on the recent rules but Shearer it seems is a bit behind the times.
Even though I made my thoughts known still nothing was done. More team arrived in the SFA and we'd have been in a situation where the top rep teams in the FA would have been spread across three divisions. It would have been a massive boost for me as we don't have forty tough games a season but done at the expense of the lower rep teams, pretty bad form and I didn't want to be part of it.
You could argue that eventually it'll sort itself out but it never seems to as someone is always moving.
It's a theme that carries on throughout the GW sadly, e.g. current SFA Champs Boosh find themself in the third teir of the Casual FA. Mind if I was an org I'd be tempted to make sure they were not in my division as well, very scary team :)
Anyway long story short we're back in AEFA, I don't really want to whinge about it or anything else so shall draw a line there. In fact I'm staying away from the forums I just end up moaning anyway and I don't mean to :)
Even though I made my thoughts known still nothing was done. More team arrived in the SFA and we'd have been in a situation where the top rep teams in the FA would have been spread across three divisions. It would have been a massive boost for me as we don't have forty tough games a season but done at the expense of the lower rep teams, pretty bad form and I didn't want to be part of it.
You could argue that eventually it'll sort itself out but it never seems to as someone is always moving.
It's a theme that carries on throughout the GW sadly, e.g. current SFA Champs Boosh find themself in the third teir of the Casual FA. Mind if I was an org I'd be tempted to make sure they were not in my division as well, very scary team :)
Anyway long story short we're back in AEFA, I don't really want to whinge about it or anything else so shall draw a line there. In fact I'm staying away from the forums I just end up moaning anyway and I don't mean to :)
Saturday 3 October 2009
Shearer Season 12
Season 12 wow doesn't time fly. We've never won a Premier League or an FA Cup but we've got into UFFA every season apart from one (Alonso sucks) so we've been there or thereabouts. I've still got cash but I'm quite happy being competitive so I think this is the team that will roll into Season 12.GK Neumann - He's still young for a Goalie and it shows sometimes. Try playing FM Live without a goalie and you'll see the massive effect this position has on the Match Engine. Still he's coming into his prime now and he has got what it takes.
DR Ristic - Only 20 so a risk here but he's getting 7.2 av rating often when the team are not playing well. I have no doubt his influence in the U21 squad was the reason why we did so well at that level last season. He's not going to be a megastar but I'm expecting High Profile safe and solid by the time he's 24/25.
DC Pique - Just finished his first season went from World Famous to Household Name at the age of 32. He will falter a little come 1.3 but his ability is so high he's good enough for me for another season.
DC Gandolfi - I've watched Gandolfi against top strikers and he keeps them quiet for long periods. If it's hidden stats you want then my bet is he's good them in A1 condition. I do have a 29 'safe' DC on the bench should I feel the need.
DL Barre - A left back and a waste of cash, watch the games.... If we're losing or playing a top team then Barre will often come into the middle make the killer tackle and feed the ball to someone who then turns the game. There are maybe 3 or 4 right wingers who would trouble him in the Gameworld.
DM Yakob - With his ability and age I think he won't stay past this season but he likes to win and will run all day. If I wasn't quite so rich then I'd keep another season.
MC - Schneirderlin I bought Yakob to set him free, is everywhere always, just a triple A player in his prime.
MR Tremolada - Most of the time can't be bothered to use his massive ability, against the bigger teams or big games you better have a good left back cos if he's on form then it's game over. Is a bit erratic though.
ML Tadic - Great attitude not in the same class in terms of ability as the right winger but will run all day and a little more consistent. He does struggle to open teams up should they have a class right back.
FC Welbeck - Does have runs of good / bad form, patience though, the good form is so good though he's well worth having.
FC M'Villa - Start of last season at 25 he was a £200k Aq Fee Well Known. Now £500k+ and World Famous and still rising. Not a wonderkid but a normal youth that's come through.
Subs of Note
For the first time I'm not just getting a few high rep / low wage players just to keep rep high.
Poggi - such a commanding presence in youth games and at 17 is getting 7+ at senior level. Could be a wonderkid this one.
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