Poll: Does GTN help or harm Manager Mode?

[StormJH1]

Now that it's been about a week or so with the game, I'm wondering how people who've had more time with it than me feel about the Global Transfer Network. Do you like the idea of "hidden" ratings, or is it pointless to try and suppress information about real-life soccer players. Also, how do you feel about the additional hassle of setting up scouting to reveal information that was automatically provided for you in the past?

[mjarz02]

I really like the idea of it but it can be very time consuming. Thank you to sofifa.com!

[Gnemi]

Regretfully I agree with mjarz02 - it's good in theory but I find it to be an unsatisfying time sink. Much better ways to enjoy my FIFA experience than %$&@ing around with a bunch of naive, incompetent "Scouts" who seem to not realize anything about the footballers of the world unless I lavish them with money and send them on airplanes to galavant around the world.

"Boss, you'll never believe it, but I saw this midfielder when I was in Spain. They call him Shavvy and he's very good. Unfortunately, I don't think we can afford him."

"Well, how good is he?"

"I'm not sure yet. He could be no better than Lee Catermole. I'm gonna need another two months, wages, and room/board so I can learn a lot more about him."

"Can't you just watch him on YouTube? Match of the Day? God forbid, maybe use modern technology like the world wide web?"

"What's the world wide web, sir?"

[minervau]

Overall I think it helps. It was way too easy last year to seek out the best youth players from other team's sides, and led to the no-effort development of super-teams.

I do also agree that it's a bit time-consuming. However, I have noticed that some players (generally star players) seem to come pre-scouted. For instance, when I searched for pacey wingers in La Liga and the Premier League, guys like Jesus Navas, Pedro, Alexis Sanchez, etc., already had complete reports, whereas guys like Carlos Vela required scouting.

Overall, I like this system. I've used it to good effect when I have a specific type of player in mind (e.g., pacey winger), and then use scouting and inquiries to narrow down a list of two or three players within my transfer budget. Then you buy a player and cross your fingers hoping he'll fit into your team. I think this is great, because in the past the complete accuracy of ratings essentially meant there was no way to completely "bust" on a player (the way Arsenal busted on buying Gervinho, or Man United on Juan Sebastian Veron).

If I could suggest a modification: if you want to speed up transfer scouting, I think it's reasonable to go online and search articles to find, for example, "Best 50 Defensive Midfielders in the World" or "Top 50 Young Talents in World Football." Then based on the subjective reports of these writers, you can ask your scouts to evaluate specific players. This eliminates some of the complete crapshoot of finding players but still provides for the uncertainty of not knowing exactly how your purchases will be rated or fit into your squad.

[Gnemi]

What I like about using using SOFIFA is that it's 100% up to me how much restraint I show with shaping the narrative of my Career Mode.

I find it unrealistic that *any* club would sell their 18 year-old youth studs for a couple million euros. Whether you do that buy scouring clubs through the Search or by cheesing it through some website listing, it's silly.

The best you could hope for is to take one of these guys on loan and hope that the player's club will sell them. Even that is unrealistic. Everton are never going to buy Deulofeu.

Anyway, I'll be perfectly happy using the Youth Academy and recruiting a few big name players along the way through my career. I don't need SOFIFA or even the GTN to do the latter. I'll simply decide that I'd like to pursue Leighton Baines or Soldado or Kagawa and make an offer. I don't need the GTN for that.

[Whomario]

My No1 gripe is that the scouted ratings disapear after 2 months (or around that), which feels very strange. Yeah, i could just keep notes or strain my brain more, but it´s a game afterall.

[SaylaB]

I dig it. It's refreshing. You can really narrow down your criteria, but in a vague way. Rather than saying I need a guy with 90+ speed and 80+ vision (like in the past search menu), you set "pacey" and "playmaker" as your criteria, and your scouts scour that country for players that fit the mold. It feels a bit more organic to me. And that's a GREAT feeling from a video game.

It's a bit time consuming and repetitive, but what part of career mode isn't?

I'm hoping it doesn't get tossed to the wayside for future iterations of the game.

[StormJH1]

Quote: Originally Posted by Whomario

My No1 gripe is that the scouted ratings disapear after 2 months (or around that), which feels very strange. Yeah, i could just keep notes or strain my brain more, but it´s a game afterall.

Wait, WHAT? Is that true? So if I'm scouting a guy in October, those ratings won't even be there by the January transfer window? Yikes.

I haven't actually gotten to the point where you do transfers yet - do you have the full ability to try and sign anyone, and scouting is simply to reveal ratings? Or can you only make offers on guys you have identified through scouting? I assume it's the former.