Halk

Ok, posting here since it seems to be the haven of a bit wiser, more relaxed people - and since I'm happy to start in the lower leagues.

I've tried a few games, mainly with Rangers, one with Portsmouth (so easy!) and one with Accies.

I've yet to really gain any grasp of what's going on.

I can sign coaches and improve the training - I think. I could even tailor training to suit each individual player, but I'm not motivated to do that currently since I'm not really seeing any impact of what I do on my team.

I'm pretty clueless designing tactics. I could easily take a [tactic deleted] and modify it a little to what the strengths in my team were - but any tactic I've tried results in me getting absolutely gubbed. So I'm afraid I really have no idea of what a tactic has to have in it.

So - I want to learn from mistakes, and play the lower leagues.

I'm aware of some of the tools I have at my disposal.

1) When I do a player search I can have it cut out players that aren't going to be interested in signing for me. I realise this may not be perfect.. it may leave in players I can never sign, and worse leave out players I could. I'm happy to live with that.

2) I can send scouts out. Never had much success with that, as yet, but I'm sure I can pick that up by myself.

3) Assistant manager picking team, and giving a team report. I think this tells me who are the best players 'on the day' to play. Which is fine for me. I select my tactic, and have my guy pick the team, and from there I adjust it to move in/out players I want to get a game.

4) The player valuation. I've come to realise this is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. I'm not going to worry about that any more. Especially if I get into the lower leagues. I'll be using it to see if a player is worth selling. I.e. worth more to someone else than they are to me. But I'll not be using it to assess my players.

5) Team talks. I usually have my AM do these. But, I think I've grasped how to make them work. Players with high morale can take a shouting at more than ones with low morale. I can't blow too hot and cold. I have to single out players for praise and criticism. Some players respond differently. I'll soon pick up dead givaways on their personal file which types of personality respond well to which kinds of comments.

6) The press. Seems if you choose your comments wisely, and don't frequently comment then my own individual stats can be nudged up (except loyalty...). If these have an effect on my team then this'll be nice, as I can perhaps use this to my advantage.

7) The team I pick. Some teams have lots of overpaid players that I can't get rid of (some useless Dane). Others have youths that could excel. Others have players with shining futures. Others have teams of squad players that have already played their best football and need replaced. Some teams have a board that will interfere - which is good and bad. Others have unreal expectations. Others may let you away with murder.

8) I can change teams. I'm from Hamilton and I've always been a Rangers fan. So when I picked either of those teams I had no interest in moving. If I choose a lower league team then I can perhaps leapfrog up the tables as I learn the game and go to better teams. I can also recreate my manager if I get sacked, if I want to stay with the same team forever.

9) Free transfers - Buying players would seem to be daft compared to free transfers. At the top flight there's hardly any decent frees available. It appears for lower leagues there's a cornucopia. I expect this will be where I will buy most of my players from.

10) Going on holiday - I've been doing this frequently. I get the players at the start of the season, set up the tactics, and go on holiday till mid march. My team doesn't do so well and I'm sorely dissappointed. I think I need to start watching matches, changing tactics (hopefully just simple changes like passing style, depth etc), and playing game to game rather than season to season.

11) Player stats. I've also looked at the editor at potential and current ability. I don't see a great link between that and how well they actually play, or what effect they have on players stats. This I was doing to try and learn something. But the editor doesn't appear to be able to teach me much.

So what I'm looking to find is...

A lower league team that I can pick that has players I can try to develop. Financial stability so I don't need to worry about losing all my hard work. A board of directors that won't expect me to win the league - and sack me if I don't.

I'm not in the least concerned about finding a team that's already got the players to jump up 2 divisions. I'd rather not have it on a plate so I don't have to do anything.

What should I be looking at in a player? Their fitness stats, and the key stats for their position?

And any advice anyone can give me. Please don't suggest players though, from what I've seen in the past couple of weeks it's pretty much cheating (in my opinion anyway - which I'm not going to force on anyone), the game is about doing what you can with the resources you are given.

Thanks!

Kfoolmoon

jcb23

Well. That's long and it's not going to be popular round here.

Here's some things you might like to think about.

We attempt to play the game realistically. That means no editors, no player searches. You find new players using your scouts, for example.

We like to succeed and fail on our own merits. We don't tip, we don't help each other out. We do commiserate or celebrate together.

Point #10 there. Why are you playing the game? Setting it up and going on holiday sounds more like running a defrag than doing something enjoyable.

Point #8. Getting sacked is part of the game. We don't just give up and recreate ourselves. We roll up our sleeves and find a new job.

So much more, but so little time. I'm sure others will point out the error of other points.

BoroPhil

crikey, these wind-ups are getting more and more elaborate

The Amazing Dale Watkins

frowned upon? that's putting it quite mildly

Halk

Rather a hostile response.

Let me restate what I was posting here.

I'm asking if you guys can suggest ways for me to get some more from the game.

I fail to see how I could have been more polite about it - it's a request, that's all.

But to specifics.

10) Because at the moment I don't have a good feeling of what I'm trying to do.

In order to gain any success in this game I'm going to need to get my own playing ability to at least what I'd consider poor in all the various sections of the game. Some of them I'll perhaps in time be good at. I'm way below that at the moment. So I've been trying various methods to try and learn each individual part of the game. One of those was to pick the players, sign the team pick the tactics and then see how it goes. If you like, take a step back and see the results.

8) Again I'm talking about learning the game. I'm obviously going to learn by my mistakes, and if it means I can go to 1 team, and continually work with them until I start to learn how to play then that's what I'll do.

Regarding editors - note I said I was trying to understand how the game works. I've also said it was no help. So the editor is out of the picture.

As for mentioning a player by name, I do apologise. I had read the rules, but didn't think it was quite so strict as that. I didn't anticipate I'd ruin anybodies life by it, but I shall not mention any players by name.

But going back to the points...

1) As I said. I can try and pick the tactics, but I get horsed if I use anything but the standard ones. Hopefully I'll learn over time.

2) Well, until I find something out, I don't know it. So excuse me for being ignorant. But thanks for telling me.

6) Actually let's not go through all the rest of the points, Kfoolmoon. I've in no way attempted to ruin anyones enjoyment of the game, nor have I done so. I can't understand your hostility, unless you're simply logging onto these forums to have a bash at people.

I'm not asking for the instant formula to success in FM06. Nor am I asking you to divulge your secrets. I'm simply asking if someone can give me any advice towards helping me learn the game by playing it, so I can gain some more enjoyment from it. You don't have to help me, I'd appreciate any help you could give me, but I'm not going to thank you for bulletpoint flaming my posts just to satisfy your ego.

The Amazing Dale Watkins

Actually, Kostis' response wasn't hostile at all. If anything I was impressed by his composure.
What it all boils down to is this: NO TIPPING. People in this forum like to learn from their own mistakes and hence you won't get the kind of answers here that you are hoping for, no matter how politely you ask.

wewak

What TADW said. Kostis was extremely polite.

I didn't read your whole thread (either of them) ... which is where my point comes in - succinct posts = :thup:

Halk

Ok. Let's take a step back here.

It seems I asked in the wrong forum. Fair enough. I did read the stuff at the top before I posted, but it didn't quite give me the right information. I now have a better understanding of what this forum is really about, and I don't have a problem with that. But you should appreciate these are the official forums from the game designer. My questions were about lower leagues and this is the lower leagues forum. There's nothing up top that mentions advice. All it mentions is specific players and specific tactics - neither of which I requested.

I'm no longer expecting any advice from you guys. I do appreciate some of you haven't been hostile, and you've been quite pleasant. But was there really any need for me to get burnt at the stake?

The Amazing Dale Watkins

I think it also mentions no tipping.
you obviously haven't seen a real roasting yet