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After my initial outrage at the news, I've had time to think about it and although not happy about it I've come to a few personal conclusions...which I'll share with you.
There's an editor comes with the game. You have the option to load it or leave it out when you install the game.
The Harchester Patch is like that. You have the option of downloading it and playing instead of one of the existing teams (who will cease to exist).
No LLaMa will take this option, so it doesn't really apply to us.
SI must have struck a deal with Sky to allow this. There are copyright issues, etc., so they must have some commercial interest in it...it will benefit both SI and SKY to have the Team played on FM, and I'm sure there will be enough saddos to make it worth the Programmers while.
Let them get on with it, I say...it doesn't apply to us.
Moved Devon's response from the OT thread so I can add "WHS"
Quote:
See, I don't agree with that. If SI's stance is "realism"--the most realistic Football Manager sim, etc.--and any other soapbox slogans then it shouldn't be in the game. What next, difficulty levels? Setting ticket prices? burger prices?
Not realistic, not the manager's job, aye, but what about Harchester in FM06? That wasn't realistic, but it made it in the game. Can't we make it optional to set ticket prices? Sure the Harchester thing (is Harchester right? Red Face) is still managing but still. Fantasty draft anyone? (It's a big draw and element of most American management sims).
I can't say that it bothers me that the option is there, because it is an option, not mandatory, but when things like this start to creep in, the argument for other things "not being realistic" goes out the window. So if SI's approach is truly, genuinely and solely about realism (while keeping it fun of course) then these fantasy elements don't fit.
It's nice to have a game with lots of options for different types of gamers, just be honest about it and do it proper.
I did read a thread on this over on GQ and the most sensible thing said was: "if you don't like it (and face in the game) then unselect them". Of course you could still get the odd friendly against them but it's not the end of the world.
The argument from the SI fanboys was that any exposure for the game was a good thing. They have a point.
One section on the back of the box says
"New additions to make the game more realistic..."
Then they not only put Harchester United in the game, later they release a download that puts them in the Premier League at the expense of one of the other teams, all of which (love them or hate them) deserve to be there.
So who's next? Wirral County? Warbury Warriors? Red Park City? Melchester Rovers (if it's still going)?
Oh, for our llamas who are unfamiliar, I better explain those other 'teams'
Wirral County - League Two 'team' featured in the sitcom Mike Bassett: Manager, a TV series spin off from the Mike Bassett: England Manager movie.
Warbury Warriors - Championship 'team' featured as a cartoon strip in The Sun every day.
Red Park City - Premier League 'team' who replaced Warbury for a shortwhile in The Sun before being replaced by Warbury, now have an online cartoon.
Melchester Rovers - 'Team' featured in the famous Roy of the Rovers comic that ran for about 40 years before finishing, though I did hear that they brought it back at one point?
I don't use the editor, I shan't use the Harchester patch, I've never come across the team in FM yet, so it doesn't make any difference to me game-wise.
FM2006 has been up with the best of the series, an available (and optional) patch isn't going to spoil it for me.
I think there's a bit of an overreaction in here. It's an optional download that will spark some more interest in the game.
I'm all for doing stuff like this as it gives people the option of playing the game a bit differently and an added challenge when their interest in the game may be dying.
It takes up no development resources so it isn't something we've spent a lot of time on.
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