I have been following this thread with interest reading claims and counter claims relating to the game.
I empathise with the players that feel it does and admire those who are prepared to defend it but I can't help feel that we are wasting our time. This game is so badly programmed that the longer I play the more obvious it is.
I am playing in Sweden with IFK Goteburg. Won the league first season and 9 points clear in the second. Some might say what you botered about but I am as so many things happen which prove in my mind the game is poorly programmed giving the AI the advantage all the time.
Examples:
* My centre half just won best player, best GK, best Def, and best Mid in the Royal league (off season cup for scandinavian teams). This surely is basic programming. Avg ratings for each position then the highest wins.
* Swedish teams spending inordinate amounts of money on players. I won the league had a decent run in the uefa cup in the first season and have 200k to spend. I have checked the other teams for transfers, highest sale is one team flogged a youngster for 750k. Where have they got the money from. I can guarantee that if I load up a game with any other swedish team, as with IFK they will have a pittance.
*Appaulingly bad match engine where players do not do what your tactics are set up to do.
*Supergoalkeepers do exist. I have watched every minute of every game for 1 and a half seasons and have witnessed opposing goalkeepers diving about in a manner which my goalkeeper doesn't. Honestly it is weird. The players all move on the pitch at generally the same pace but in the box the keeper has the ability to almost jump from the six yard line to the goal line. This has happened so many time when my players get to the byline cross to the back post with the keeper stranded then he miraculously looks like he jumps from one side of the goal to other and makes a save. I reiterate this has NEVER been replicated with my goalkeeper. Before the defendants say its my keepers stas I have Tim Krul on loan and no matter who is in nets for the opposition they can do it regardless of stats.
*The whole shots/goals thing is a joke. All my strikers have 15+ for finishing and composure ( I think this is superior to any other team in Sweden) but it means diddly squat. The game does not allow you to hammer home your advantage regardless of how easy the chances are. Instead you will score maybe 2 goals from the 10 you have created then sit back and watch as the computer team which has just been battered for 80 mins some how gets superhuman reserves of energy and turns the game on its head for the last 10 by switching to 4-2-4 scoring a goal with their first attempt and then proceeding to make it very uncomfortable when for the preceeding 80 mins of the game they haven't managed to get out of their own half. This is totally b*llocks. When was the last time you seen a team battered at Old Trafford with players literally on their knees be able to turn it around for the last 10. I don't deny this can't happen maybe once in a season but it is every team, every game in FM 07.
*AI teams tactical changes have immediate results on the pitch. If the computer changes to 4-2-4 they create loads of chances when previously they haven't been able to string 2 passes together. How unrealistic is that. I set up my own 4-2-4 to prove to myself that it wouldn't work and shock horror I was right. If the game was tight due to the countless squandering of chances I would switch to 4-2-4 to see what would happen. AI invariably ran up the pitch and scored. My point is this. Only the human decisions affect the game. When have you seen the AI implement a change in tactic which has materially affected there performance regardless of what formation they have changed to.
IMO never. The AI makes the perfect decision 100% of the time. Again total b*llocks. Regardless of manager ability and players at there disposal all decisions they make are positive for their team. If they change it works for them, if you change again it works for them.
*AI players getting injured doesn't affect performance. Having watched so many games it is evident that AI players take a knock (have green injured symbol) but there condition never drops to less than 80%. My players take a knock and go as low as 60%. Honestly in my last match the centre forward took a knock but his performance was not affected, scored 2 goals. He ran around finishing the game with 84% condition. I had players not injured into the 70's. Again b*llocks. If human players are injured they stand out on the pitch as they can't run, yet AI charging about like a new born lamb despite his injury.
The above is just some of the things I have noticed. I truly believe that if FM08 is not resolved then this game has the potential to die on its arse. I have never known so many people with so many of the same gripes with a game. I think most people are prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt as undoubtedly they have tried to take the game in a new direction however it has been done poorly and as the saying goes once bitten twice shy. I truly hope this isn't the case with FM08 as my faith and memories of some fantastic times playing CM01/02 etc and FM 05 and 06 with my mates are in danger of being overshadowed by the toils of trying to play FM07.
None of my mates even bother with this. Some of them decided after the first couple of weeks that the game was cr*p. I took it upon myself to trawl the forums to gain a better insight to feed back to them but they aren't interested. The console footy games with the name evolution in its title has never been played so much this last 6 months.
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