Good effort that. I have decided to start my first big save of 21 after going off it a bit during my traditional opening Arsenal save. Now going to drag Coruña back to the big time.
I’ve got a new laptop that hopefully doesn’t sound like it’s taking off during FM matches, so I’ve started a game. Got it in my head that I wanted to manage in Norway. There are four levels but for some reason, although you can select the fourth, you can’t actually manage teams in it. Annoying cos there’s a team called Frigg. I know you can download databases but I’m a sucker for Steam leaderboards.
So I’ve started unemployed in the hope of getting a Norwegian 3rd tier job. There was one available - Arendal, one for the Frozen fans - but I didn’t get it. However I did somehow get the Denmark U21s job (despite failing to get their U19s job) so those lovely Norway lot will know my name soon enough. Built my tactic around a lad called Anders Dreyer, but he’s soon to be 22 so he can suck it. Now I’m all about a purposely chosen eighteen year old [black!] lad called Mohamed Daramy who has seemingly snubbed his Sierra Leonean ancestors to come and play up top for me.
I'm a twit
Premier League 2025/26 started badly
But then mysteriously really picked up
15-0!
Dunno who Nicolas Madsen is but he's amazing.
I'm a twit
Was a rather busy window. A last minute attempt to sign Danny Ings on load from Chelsea sadly failed.
Going well after ten games
Last edited by Mike; 14-02-2021 at 05:34 PM.
Had a go at this last night, not because I think there's any real likelihood of me getting back into it but because it's on Game Pass and thought I may as well distract myself from a shit United game with a shit computer game.
My initial observations are that the UI is absolutely wretched and that in the six years since the version I last played they've just piled even more shit into it. I only got as far as doing one friendly because as ever setting up a new save is the worst part of the game but even then I did, of course, immediately get FM'd with a healthy lead in possession, shots, xG (ugh) and a man advantage for 30 minutes leading me to a heroic late equaliser with Sigma Olomouc.
I'll at least give it a go until I get to the competitive games before I condemn it to the bin once more but I don't think being able to bang my fist on the table in press conferences or find out who everyone's mates are in the squad is what was missing from FM for me.
I only got to 8 hours on this version because me eyes just couldnae tak it. That was during two national lockdowns as well, so there's little hope for the future when I might be allowed to leave the house.
I wish they'd leave press alone, it's a completely pointless part of the game until such time as there is very advanced AI that could respond to things you actually creatively say to it (so about 25 years' time).
This makes me sad.
Used to enjoy reading people's updates.
The colours aren't great but the fucking layout. Maybe there's a way to change it?
The team-talk page where it tells you how your players react to you going "Lads I think scoring more goals than the other team is the way forward *point finger*" has all the players arrayed around the screen in a circle rather than just in a list like it used to be. Absolute shit, a change made for the sake of making a change. Nobody actually feels like they're sat in a room surrounded by disinterested millionaires so don't array the fucking icons "around me" you cunts.
Just get a new skin?
Will there be ones which significantly change the layout of the UI or will it just be a fresh lick of paint over the existing nonsense?
I fucking hate player interaction. I took over at Newcastle and they were a right load of depressive mongs (understandably).
"I expect a mid table finish with the right signings"
We thought you were going to give us a chance, boss
"No, no, I am, I just mea...:
No, fuck off, I'm going on loan to Hull.
I'm looking forward to I DEMAND MORE PLAYING TIME two games into the season.
"No, Sean Longstaff. I can't have you training to become a cavaliering left-back."
"Boss, I really do think a third string goalkeeper should be starting at least every other week".
"I'm not thinking of the title just yet. We're taking every game as it comes."
SPOKESPERSON DISMAYED AT CLUB'S LACK OF AMBITION
The UI is dogshit.
The squad selection screen is the worst, and it’s hard to get to the main squad screen to pick your team from there. And the match screen is horrendous with seemingly most data inaccessible at the end of a match.
I'm a twit
I've not played a new FM since FM11; mostly due to the increased unnecessary features and 'in-deptness'. Don't have the time nor interest.
Sounds like most people have similar concerns with the newer versions. But is that because we're all getting older (and the customer market is just getting replaced by people younger than us), or is the game becoming less popular due to these features? (Us lot being a very small sample pool)
I don't think it's popularity's waning. 2021 sold a million copies in record time. I'm with you, though. I hate the faff. I can hand as much as I want over to the Assistant Manager but it still doesn't flow like I want it.
TBF I don't find the interface much more annoying than previous ones. Well, I do find things they've done annoying, but not in such a way that it impinges on my experience of actually playing the game. Like, I agree with @Ian, the team talk having the players arranged around you is REALLY stupid, but mostly because it's clearly part of their push in FM 21 to make it more "realistic" and "immersive", when in reality it's the kind of annoying gimmicky thing they'd have in a shit 90s game. But, as it's always been, the UI etc is far less important than simply whether you can get past that first pre-season, and then finish the first season.
Speaking of which, I've actually gotten a save going for the first time in ages. Used a mod that makes the top 3 tiers of Scottish non-league playable, and have successfully taken "Petershill" to two promotions in three seasons. One promotion away from the riches of League Two and trips to Stenhousemuir and Annan Athletic
I had a go at the Xbox version the other day as it was on GamePass and it did a fairly decent job of making it playable with a controller. What wasn't that playable was the actual game itself, which, as has been said, is just a horrible bloated mess.
I think my favourite part of this save so far is that i've been able to successfully utilise a strategy i've tried and failed dozens of times - using a slow old playmaker.
i expected to have to pay about £60/week (huge bucks at my level), but he demanded an amateur contract, as player/scout. his 4 JPA and JPP aren't even that bad. he just sort of walks around the pitch, but against Scottish tier 7 keepers freekicks are basically pens.
Started playing this again the past few days and have managed to get Kings Lynn to the promised land of the Premier League I spent next to nothing in the summer getting everyone in on loan. But, 23 points from 21 games points to us staying up quite comfortably.
New stadium isn't ready till the end of the season though so we have had to play our home games elsewhere for the season. Previously when I have had this happen we have rocked up at Norwich which is sensible as it's only 40 miles away. This time no stay at Norwich, so I thought maybe Ipswich or Peterborough or even at a push MK... Nope this season we are playing our home games at Tranmere just the four hundred mile round trip for a home game.
I'm just playing as United as I invariably do with a new save. I've done my first game of the season and it went well enough but I'm not sure I'll last. There's nothing about it that's convincing me it's done anything about the stuff that stopped me playing in the first place and it's added more irritating stuff as I've already mentioned. The problem, I suppose, is that they had essentially got the core bit of the game right (or near enough) years ago so now they just have to tack more shit on and bloat out existing features to justify a yearly release / their existence.
On the plus side, basically the same formation I used in FM15 looks promising so far so hopefully my brief stint in this won't involve too much farting about with tactics.
As you say, the match engine and transfer system is basically pretty good, so I don't understand why they don't spend all their resources making it look great and run fast, to maximise those sweet 'maybe' sales. Instead they bring in loads of bollocks pointless features every year, as if people will pull the trigger based on the chance to know the imaginary social dynamics of their imaginary squad.
Maybe Miles thinks this does look great. I think I've done a surrealist post before about him having pictures of himself woven into his net curtains or something, so I won't repeat it.
This business of arguing over future playing time in every contract negotiation can do one as well.
More admin / reasons for players to bitch at me isn't what anybody wants.
I'm up to 2028 in my one and if it wasn't for the 'send assistant' button I'd have definitely thrown in the towel long before. One bug I keep getting is a post-match interview asking how I plan to approach the match I've just finished.
I'm in summit like 2032, never done a press conference or ran a training session. Pointless drivel.
Just polish the game and make a skin that isn't horrendous from the outset. Thank fuck for downloadable skins.
I barely get a game going. I won the League Cup on 2013 in my first season and felt I was never going to top that.
That's it uninstalled.
All the annoying shit that it already had when I last gave up plus reams of new annoying shit. Not worth my time, and my time ain't worth much right now.
Why don't you play the slimmed down version? FM Touch?
I think I'll make this my last season.
The hell is going on with that goal difference?
Season 4, my first up in the Lowland League (one promotion away from league football).
Was smashing it at first, challenging the mighty East Kilbride, but as we roll into February we've gone off the boil a bit. Still in 2nd, but level on points with 3rd and 4th (who I think we'll finish below).
In more exciting news though, we somehow smashed Clyde (mid-table championship) 3-0 away in our third round replay, and drew St Mirren away. Lost but...
there's nothing better than a big away draw early on in a save like this. pretty much paid for my next 2-3 seasons.
also a quick moment to appreciate the mighty Harry Girdwood
love that the sortitoutsi facepack goes down this far, even the vast majority of grey star mopes i brought in on trial that weren't good enough for the 7th tier had photos. definitely makes it a more immersive experience.
He’s gotta get an SPL start before he retires.
I'm a twit
Lads.
Was fearing the worst when we went 2-0 down in the first leg against Formartine, but big Harry got us a goal back in the 94th minute and then we never looked back.
Before I get onboard with the celebrations, have you made your own tactic?
I'm a twit
Things are still going well in Germany.
Which is impressive when you see the wage budgets.
Last edited by Mike; 21-03-2021 at 03:42 PM.
Managed to draw at home to non-league Gala Fairydean Rovers in the 3rd round, but thank god i managed to beat em in the replay cus:
Toggle Spoiler
Toggle Spoiler
Toggle Spoiler
Toggle Spoiler
Last edited by igor_balis; 25-03-2021 at 12:03 AM.
Things have gone a bit wrong
Why do my chairmen keep insisting on playing direct defensive football??
Got roped into getting this years version after my hometeam got Hamsik IRL, so wanted to try it out. That first season was a breeze but now it's all back to regular regen-farming. Picked up a nifty central midfield pairing:
My headcanon is that they share an absolute don of a father, who keeps a Korean wife on the side and got them both pregnant around the same time.
Last edited by Bernanke; 03-04-2021 at 09:31 PM.
Finished my third season, and the first in the Bundesliga.
Last edited by Mike; 04-04-2021 at 11:12 AM.
Solid progress being made in scotland:
Gridwood's SPL dream lives on, ish:
I've just started a new journeyman save, 33 leagues loaded, mostly in Asia. Set my manager as lowest possible rating. Let's slog...