retired_zarine

OK, before everyone who likes to get deeply into making some of the incredibly detailed tactics in FM2007 start hounding me I'd just like to state from the off that I think SI must be congratulated on continually adding to it.

However, I personally don't feel as drawn to spending hours and hours on FM these days as I used to from the original CM up until probably about FM2006 to be honest as I find it mind numbing trawling through my oppenents team trying to figure out 'plans' to beat my next opponents.
The game is undoubtedly many times harder now than it was say even 3 or 4 years ago and although many probably feel this is for the better (presonally I'm undecided) I do think that maybe they are going to alienate some of their fans who just can't be arsed to get that deep into a game.
Out of my fiends who I know are avid CM/FM fans of years gone by I'm probably the only one who still plays it on a fairly regualr basis, there are at least 6 of them (including my older brother) who just don't aren't interested in it anymore because they have never been the kinds of people to read instruction manuals for Playstation games, let alone get stuck into the immense amount of mathematical data and numerous variables that you have to take into consideration before playing every game if you want to do well.
I think that maybe in future incarnations there should be an easier mode for the game where a lot of the emphasis on training and tactics is selectable so that those who just want to sign players and play matches can do so without having to get too heavily involved with the more mundane (as they would call it) aspects of being a manager in Football Manager.

retired_infinite_dreams

I have also played the game since the first games in the mid/end of the 90's. But i on the other hand like the way this game is going. This version of the game is the hardest so far, and you need to think alot about how you form your team and how the opponent form their team. In the FM 2007 it not just to select a formation, buy loads of good players and hot prospect's and then click your way through the season. In the previous games i have been frustrated that it sometimes have been to easy to make a medium or small club to one of the biggest clubs in the world.

This version is much more realistic in the aspect that it takes time for a club to go from say, League One and establish themself as a good Championship side and then after a while push for promotion to the PL and then make a strong premiership side that can challange for European titles.

What i like in this version is that the complexity (not so complex when you analyzed them for a time) of the tactic instructions give me the freedom and possibility to tweak the team just like i want them for a particular match.

But i understand also that ppl that don't have time to sit down find it to be to complex. IMO this is great since i like sitting down analyze the opponents come up with different tactics, working figures out and tweak my team the way i want.

And i also agree with you that the game might loose some fans that is thinkting that the game is to complex. So your suggestion of difficulty levels isnt a bad idea at all. But i think that it would be harder (not impossible) to implement (i work as a software developer) so that it works in a good way.

retired_chick

Could not of said it better myself. The game has definately evolved, which has it's good and bad points. Great for those who have time to sit down for long periods of time and try different things, and tinker around with tactics/training. But when it comes to the average Joe like myself, all I want to do is pick a team to manage, choose a formation, organise little things like Captains, free kick taker, penalty takers etc and sit back and watch my team play (hopefully well) and make some descent signings. With the game being more complex it makes it very very hard to do this, if impossible!

I do try to get to grips with the game as much as I can, and I do read tactic info on these boards and others, I even spend some time making a tactic myself, but I just don't have the time to constantly do this, and unfortunatly I suffer. Hopefully in the future maybe SI will make FM with a possible option of difficulty, something that maybe players like myself who want it a little bit easier can enjoy.

I mean I have had FM07 since it first came out and I have only managed to complete a few seasons with Bayern, which was actually alot harder than it should of been because of all the tactical problems I have had, not to mention the fact that I don't have alot of time to play the game, and would rather enjoy watching my team winning games than sitting messing around with tactics all the time.

Still a great game with excellent features, and im sure I will still buy future versions ( although alot of my friends haven't even bought this one due to the difficulty ) but maybe SO could add a difficulty level in the future.

retired_BrownVanilla

personally i don't think that you need to have a look at every member of the opposition, all you have to do is look at the scout reports and make your changes according to that(e.g i have been using the same basic tactic for about 3 seasons now while just reguarly making tweaks) but your right in saying that the game is harder, which personally i love, but then again other people don't, unfortunatly from what ive heard it would be very hard for SI to make different difficulty levels, or take the emphasis off of 1 certain thing becuase thing would require a lot of re-coding, but as a suggestion to you try FM handheld becuase that is simpler and easier than the PC/mac version.

retired_traceyjo

i'm all for varying levels of difficulty!!!

retired_lilbear

Difficulty levels sounds just wrong for a simulation. Detail level, on the other hand, sounds both fitting and more or less what I'd want.

Media comments, player & manager interactions, opposition instructions, training etc. are not what I'm usually interested in while playing the game (in some saves or when I have the time, yes, but usually not). Sure, you can leave most of these settings as-is or to the assisting manager, but that can be quite detrimental to your team.

It's the tactics (preferrably with less steps on the sliders...), picking the starting eleven & transfers that I'm most interested in.

...but shouldn't this topic be in GQ?

retired_amy66new

I don't expect many people to agree with me on this one, but I think people have made far too much of tactics in the game. I have never played with deep tactics and really well planned styles etc. for every team and I haven't done on this game.

I play attacking football and focus on the players I've got - try and get players with high determination and quite young. I've done this at many different levels and cultures (La Liga, EngPrem, Serie A, Championship, League 1, Serie B and Ligue un). I have not had the best sides on those divisions, but I never seem to do badly.

Admittedly I do leak a fair few goals but we always seem to come up with the goods- there was one spell I had with Notts County that I won 7 games in a row 2-1 and then 3 games in a row 4-2.