Football Manager Series

H_G said:
Shouts are BACK, meanwhile they are looking for a new alternative.

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I mean, they're pretty much admitting week-by-week that every decision they've made post-FM24 has been the wrong one. I've never seen anything quite like this.

This feels like a slightly desperate attempt to get the hardcore back, with the "quickest win" they can muster. The whole UI is, pardon my French, fucked (missing tons of data and buggy as hell) - it seems clear Unity isn't really for these kinds of projects. "Shouts" aren't going to bring everyone back.

Player numbers continue to falter, and I don't think these changes will be enough to save the game. As @bsmaff predicted a while ago now, I think FM26 is doomed to be terrible for its lifespan, and FM27 will end up as what this game should have been.
 
Chris Davies said:
I mean, they're pretty much admitting week-by-week that every decision they've made post-FM24 has been the wrong one. I've never seen anything quite like this.

This feels like a slightly desperate attempt to get the hardcore back, with the "quickest win" they can muster. The whole UI is, pardon my French, fucked (missing tons of data and buggy as hell) - it seems clear Unity isn't really for these kinds of projects. "Shouts" aren't going to bring everyone back.

Player numbers continue to falter, and I don't think these changes will be enough to save the game. As @bsmaff predicted a while ago now, I think FM26 is doomed to be terrible for its lifespan, and FM27 will end up as what this game should have been.
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The problem is, that they never say it directly. They admit their mistakes by adding stuff that was already in the game. But they won't say "Okay guys, we are sorry that we delivered this bad product.". Just saying this would at least make people say "Ah at least they care.", and give the customers some sort of trust.

That's the problem with having no competion. SI thought the people would just accept anything at this point, because people were desperate for a new FM game after 2 years. And why are they fixing things, that should never have been taken out? Because they are first and foremost worried about their pockets and the money they lose out on.

Carles P. said:
Honestly, who cares what some (Korean) influencer thinks or does?

Please don't be angry with me, but endlessly posting random Twitter and/or reddit account posts doesn't ultimately change anything about the situation.

It just dampens the mood even more.
For me, at least 50% to 60% of the world of the internet is completely toxic. Especially in the gaming sector.
Fortunately, EvoWeb is a place where this is largely not the case. So here, despite PES and FIFA, there is a rather positive atmosphere.

I've only played FM26 for about 3 hours so far. So I'm probably not deep enough into it yet, but I think you can really overdo it.

I mean, FM26 has been out for a week now + 2 weeks of beta. And day in, day out, all you read here is ‘mimimimi’.

There is so much more to life than video/computer games, and certainly much more than Football Manager 26.

Then just play FM24, for example, or another genre.

Please don't get me wrong, I don't mean any harm. It's just my personal opinion. But maybe we can find a compromise.




And please remember that English is not my native language.

I had the text translated from German to English, so there may be some errors here and there.
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Or, you know, after 2 years people can expect a much better and polished game. Especially since we are not getting this game for free and SI (which is not a small Indie Developer) wants us to spend our money to play this game. No one has to buy it or can just play another game. That's correct. But Fans of this series or this genre can and should voice their frustration and opinions, if FM is the only option for them (I am ignoring mobile games etc.). And regarding your remark that there is much more to life than video games: That is true, but I would say, that you don't even have to be a gamer to play FM. But for someone, who just wants to play this game between meetings for examples, the state of this game can be very frustrating.
This is not like with EA FC for example, where the community is crying mostly about gameplay directions and want the game to be as easy as it can be. This is about a game, that is at points fundamentally flawed and had a lot of bugs on release.

I think it is much more toxic to claim that voicing frustration as a customer is just "mimimi".
 
Joga said:
I got curious today & skimmed over it.. & it stinks of AI all over the shop.
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subtra3t said:
It doesn't seem like AI at all to me. And I think that the dash is far more appropriate than a comma in that situation.
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These things are never 100% accurate but to say 0% likely is quite telling:

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Have started playing FM26 again.
TBH I have not noticed any massive bugs with the game at present and I had no crashes to desktop which appears happens to many.

Please note this is just my opinion of playing the game under one save for Exeter where I have only reached the end of October.

First of the difficulty of the game is seems stupidly easy and tactics are simplified.
Playing a bog standard 4-2-0-3-1 formation like normal with gen gen press and high intensity with only two loan signings.
I am sitting at the top of the table with an Exeter squad which is sitting just above relegation in L1 and certain to go down IRL.
I am sure you can probably make it more complicated than that, but why bother when just clicking a couple of buttons work.
Some will say that I don't get instant good results, but reading online people are winning the Prem with really average teams with no signings - So personally I feel the game has become easy to appease the modern generation where you don't have to work for anything.

The UI also has several issues, the general running of the UI works if you just want to keep clicking continue.
However the issues come in when you try to do anything remotely easy, well what used to be easy.
Trying to find new staff is now an impossible feat, where you need to go through multiple clicks and pages to find the right one to be able to find staff and replace them and search for them. (I also really don't like that they now got rid of stats for staff and replaced it with good/very good - Again for simplicity)
But the UI is something slowly getting used to but it is an unnecessary complicated mess which seems to be geared towards helping console users.
The email system is completely broken and you have to click on each one individually so seems this is geared towards console use, and the amount of emails seems to have been massively increased with what seems like you get more emails in a week on FM26 than a year on FM24.
It needs a lot of work and they should of kept the feel similar to how it has always been, if it isn't broke don't fix it.
The size of the UI is also over the top too.

Last of the match engine.
Finding the correct settings for viewing the game has improved some aspects for me but still finding the game incredibly slow and taking an age to get through matches, but this is just a me issue not a game issue.
The match engine after watching a few games does have a lot of issues, no player collisions (players run through players), full backs score way too many goals, players standing still next to the ball as they are not the ones in control of the AI.
Biggest gripe though is the same pull back goal over and over again. Full back or winger beats man shoots and scores or pulls back into 6 yard box for easy tap in.
There are other goals like a couple of long range goals, but variation is very slim - Also the goal where there is a shot and the keeper catches and drops the ball is so infuriating to watch but happens quite often.

Overall it is FM at the end of the day, you can have fun with the game.
But for me it feels like playing a console version of FM where a lot of the game has been incredibly simplified so users can take their favourite team to glory rather than having to work at it for several years.
Lastly and this is a massive lastly bring back Deadline Day, it was the best part of FM and right now it is a blink and you missed it.
 
Placebo said:
These things are never 100% accurate but to say 0% likely is quite telling:

View attachment 390239
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It is quite telling indeed.. It's a bot, trying to tell me I'm 100% wrong.
This is like those times when government agencies audit themselves, & find nothing wrong :LOL:

I think I'll stick to my humble opinion, & years worth of reading & comprehension experience, thanks.
 
I been playing it for another couple of hours and I can't play it no more.
Nothing to do with the UI or simplicity of winning with no thought.

The thing that got me is the pull back goals and winger runs down wing into box shoots and scores.
I am watching the same goal over and over again, it is like playing Football Manager 2 on the Spectrum where there is only 5/6 different highlights and you know if it is ending in the back of the net.
I just can't watch the match engine anymore.
The match engine this year is probably the worst it has ever been.

Also one last thing - Has anyone ever missed a penalty in a match?
I even selected my worst penalty taker in my squad and he has scored all 3.
 
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bsmaff said:
The thing that got me is the pull back goals and winger runs down wing into box shoots and scores.
I am watching the same goal over and over again, it is like playing Football Manager 2 on the Spectrum where there is only 5/6 different highlights and you know if it is ending in the back of the net.
I just can't watch the match engine anymore.
The match engine this year is probably the worst it has ever been.
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IMO, it has been like this for years, last time I remember the engine being half decent was 2018. At least with 2018 you could train and depend on things like free kicks and corners. I made one heck of a team because of this back then and it was enjoyable to see my vision work. Nowadays, you dont seem to do anything. Just pick a formation and then the players do whatever they want.

I know I have been saying this for a long time but if EA could pull their finger out, they could easily take the entire Football Manager fanbase with some additions and changes. In fact FC26 is a step in that direction.
 
Paul-v said:
IMO, it has been like this for years, last time I remember the engine being half decent was 2018. At least with 2018 you could train and depend on things like free kicks and corners. I made one heck of a team because of this back then and it was enjoyable to see my vision work. Nowadays, you dont seem to do anything. Just pick a formation and then the players do whatever they want.

I know I have been saying this for a long time but if EA could pull their finger out, they could easily take the entire Football Manager fanbase with some additions and changes. In fact FC26 is a step in that direction.
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Different games.
I don't see how an arcade football game replaces an in-depth stat driven database simulator.

The only thing FM26 and FC26 have in common is they are both turds.
 
As anyone ever played a Football Manager game as easy as FM26?
I really can't remember a game this easy since Premier Manager on the Amiga.
 
bsmaff said:
As anyone ever played a Football Manager game as easy as FM26?
I really can't remember a game this easy since Premier Manager on the Amiga.
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I ported over my Football Manager 2024 save and found the matches fairly difficult, losing games I was winning previously (as Coventry, back in the Championship after relegation in the season before). But I only played three matches (I think) before I was so bored I had to stop.

I'm really missing playing FM but can't go back to a game I played to death (24) or a game I really don't like (26)...

So I'm in the exact situation I've been in with PES/FC for the last ten years or so. It's so sad.
 
Chris Davies said:
I ported over my Football Manager 2024 save and found the matches fairly difficult, losing games I was winning previously (as Coventry, back in the Championship after relegation in the season before). But I only played three matches (I think) before I was so bored I had to stop.

I'm really missing playing FM but can't go back to a game I played to death (24) or a game I really don't like (26)...

So I'm in the exact situation I've been in with PES/FC for the last ten years or so. It's so sad.
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Maybe it imported your tactics from FM24 which just don’t work in FM26.
But so far been using the click and select tactics in FM26 and so far the game is just sooooo easy.

But the match engine is just complete shit.
Every game you will get 2/3 pull back goals, it is just awful to watch.
 
bsmaff said:
But the match engine is just complete shit.
Every game you will get 2/3 pull back goals, it is just awful to watch.
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New match engine update just launched to fix this issue - but it makes me worry about how else the balance is messed up now.

Nothing feels like care has been taken over it - "Shouts" being a big one. It's just "throw things at them to shut them up".
 
Chris Davies said:
New match engine update just launched to fix this issue - but it makes me worry about how else the balance is messed up now.

Nothing feels like care has been taken over it - "Shouts" being a big one. It's just "throw things at them to shut them up".
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If they changed the match engine and stopped cut backs, then they probably nerfed stuff so I won't win any games now.
 
So they changed the match engine so cut backs now get blocked more often but every 2 out of 3 goals are still cut backs.

Apart from that they don’t seem to have changed much, standard tactic still works.
Won the league with Exeter with 5 games remaining.

To me there are so many issues with the game which just isn’t the match engine.
 
Was ready to go back to the game after seeing a screenshot of how much more data was displayed when in a match.

The comparison between launch and now is, frankly, embarrassing.



However, I didn't realise you only see it at half/full-time... so I'm not going back yet.

Meanwhile, daily player counts continue to plummet vs FM24's launch figures.

IqFzAQsD_o.jpg
 
Looks like this is the place to go for 2D kits for FM26 - so many more than I've been able to find elsewhere (e.g. the SS kits from SortItOutSI).

The bad news is they have to be downloaded by league, rather than one "megapack" being available...

FM Slovakia - FC'12 Kits

Default versions of the kits (so that they match the generic in-game kits and don't look mismatched) can be found here, but I don't know if they work in FM26 yet.

Default FC'12 Kits
 
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Finally content creators are talking about how this game have gone down hill for many years now, I guess FM 26 was the final straw that broke camel's back...

 
Chris Davies said:
It's truly insane to me that they thought ditching data during matches was a good thing.

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That's 13 years ago? Damn, that match engine looks 90 % same as FM 2024. As I always played 2D I trough they introduced 3D engine somewhere around 2015

From this point of view I kinda understand that they had to do something.

I still prefer 2D but we are for sure minority.
 
DerleiPT said:
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I see this multiple times a day on social media and while I understand the desire to replace the dreadful default stadiums (Anfield in particular is a disgrace), I believe it causes issues whenever a team upgrades their stadium (because they don't use the same "building blocks" as normal stadiums) and I just don't think it's worth it.
 
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