retired_gitfresh

Wouldnt be able to tell what David Lowe was saying even if i had the opportunities tbh :thdn:

retired_fabricodalacosta

I've got my first official stint as researcher for Blyth Spartans for FM2008. As has been said, there's already a fair bit of data in the editor. It's more a case of updating it with personnel changes, etc.

retired_stesska

You also get your name in the credits, and researchers are usually asked if they are interested in beta testing. I guess you could say having the data exactly how you think it should be is another perk.

retired_barbie34

(In no particular order as some consider one aspect more imporant than others) - presuming this is for the a new FM:

a) Make sure every player has their previous years history (e.g. 2006/2007 for FM2007) - any new players to the club make sure they have correct history (even before they joined your club)
b)Make sure all atributes/CA/PA are up to date where known. Leave blank if not known.
c)Update all extra info for players, e.g. caps etc
c)Add in the years intake of all youth players, most researchers (English researchers anyway) include all youth players who are likly to play in the U18s this season - which usually includes people down to 15/16 years old- if you have a new youth player who has just joined the club who is from another country/club make sure you include that other club in the history.
d)Update financial/stadium/staff etc info.

I think that's just about it

retired_barbie34

^^ FM2008 I mean!

runronnirun

a typical calendar researching year (even though i've only done it for ~9 months):

january - generally have full access to squad files all month, in order to make any changes required and get everything up to scratch ready for a post transfer window data update. also need to keep the head researchers up to date with any transfers.
feb->apr - continue to re-assess data based on what you're seeing in first team games, plus reserve/academy games for those who go. dunno about anyone else but i keep a few text files for different issues (contracts, injuries, newly discovered factual info, possible attribute changes etc) to note stuff down in until we next have access to files.
apr - have squad files back for a bit, fill in player histories for those unlikely to feature for the rest of the season, basically start towards updating the data to how you expect/want it to appear for the next game
apr->jun - same as feb->apr
jun-> july - squad and club files back, make all necessary/desired changes to existing personnel, register departing players with new clubs (and fill in their contract info there), request new signings be moved into your file, add all new youth players (as Fran says, anyone likely to play u18 football in the coming season is my rule of thumb), generally make sure everything is fully up to date
jul->game release - keep updating head researchers with further transfers/loans and any other data that you come across, correct any errors that become obvious from the beta, prepare for the onslaught of complaining people when the game comes out
game release onwards - if a data update is deemed necessary, get files back, make changes

you've also got to deal with the complaints and suggestions in the data forum, which is a year-round thing really (still had people complaining about FM07 stuff and FM08 arrives tomorrow night).

it's pretty ace really, especially for an obsessive statto-type like me. i generally quite enjoy discussing all this stuff in the data forum and on the researchers forum, going to reserve/academy games is no chore for me because i'd be going anyway, some of the digging for info can lead to making pretty interesting contacts and discoveries not just relating to the research. there's quite a lot to do for the bigger clubs with 100 or so staff members but as long as you don't leave it all until the last minute it's not really any bother. only downside can be randoms adding you to msn to quiz you on the data, but the block button is always there to save the day.

tl;dr etc

retired_DonWon

Just have to learn to type -10 in the right box.

retired_jesenia

all of them then?

retired_DonWon

Wengers wonderkids iirc

retired_civilian888

One of the many reasons why I stopped using MSN there Nick

Its alot of hard work, i've taken on Droylsden this year aswell which has doubled my load. I've been playing this game since the first CM2 and you could say it has been part of my life growing up so when I was asked to be a Researcher for FM05 I was very proud. I find it rewarding to load up a new version of the game every year and flick through every part of the City data knowing I did all of it

I remember creating Micah Richards for the January data update for FM05, I put him down as an AM R/C as thats where he was playing at the time. For FM06 I made him a D/M R/C and had his potential very high, then last year for FM07 I made him very good with a very high potential and took quite abit of stick from people over different forums insulting me saying i'd overrated him and was biased etc etc, its great to see people over on the Good Player Forum saying they hope he's improved even more for FM08. I see that as a sense of achievement, not everyone is ever going to agree with everything you do datawise, but it can be disheartening sometimes when people doubt your ability to do the job