CM 03/04 Demo available

[Passacaglia]

Seems like most of the people on the SI Games forum are liking it:

http://community.sigames.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=21019056&f=98119937&m=43610058

[RPI-Fan]

Wow, that caught me totally offguard.

Thanks!

[McSweeny]

hot damn! can't wait for this to be released

[RPI-Fan]

Here's the official feature list as of Sept. 25 from the CM Forums:

Whats New!


Four new leagues over and beyond the original CM4 release (as added in CM4 enhancement packs)
Updated player, team and competition data for the 03/04 season
Pre-game database editor
View previoulsy saved matches


Improvements on Championship Manager 4


Player to player relationships (i.e. indication of players and their relationships to other players)
Improved media module, the game now gives you more feedback than ever before
Improved match engine (areas such as offside greatly enhanced as well as the inclusion of visual status indicators)
Goal of the month (and season) awards
Pitches now show the effects of weather and this can affect your teams performances
Past meetings information screen
Live Cup draws
More intuitive training system
Effects of training now visually indicated on player profile screen
In-game printing
B & U21 International Caps
Improved scout reports (both player and team)
Improved injury news as well as an updated rehabilitation system
Create nicknames for players and managers
New Alternative Skin
Cup Tree View
Coaches now give their own player rankings

People have been saying good things about the improved match engine, which is good. Pretty much everything on that list is great.

In-game printing... QS, are you listening?:)

Cup Tree View should be neat, and Live Cup Draw was always fun.

It'll be great to have the "Past Meetings" back - that feature was always really cool.

[SirFozzie]

All Cool new features - MLS and its players= No Sale to me, at least for the start

[Icy]

Really surprissing, i thought it would be out a week before the game. Downloading now:)

[Joe Canadian]

Excellent!!! Going to download it now...

[Neuqua]

Excellent, something to do while I wait on FOF...

[McSweeny]

man... reading the reactions thread over at SIgames really has me drooling. Feels alot different than the reactions to CM4. Need to scrounge up some cash now

[Bee]

I refuse to go to the SIGames forums because I don't understand the insults. Looking forward to impressions posted here about the demo since I won't be able to download it until Thursday night.

[Francis_Cole]

In-game printing/

HTML and text format as well :)

[SirFozzie]

F'in Eidos... If this game is as good as the reviews it's getting... I might have to reconsider my stance :?

[Glengoyne]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
F'in Eidos... If this game is as good as the reviews it's getting... I might have to reconsider my stance :?

I would say the quality of this game has less to do with Eidos, than SI. Of course if your stance was that you'd never buy another game by F'in Eidos, then I see your point. If I were you I'd start rationalizing now.

[Francis_Cole]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
F'in Eidos... If this game is as good as the reviews it's getting... I might have to reconsider my stance :?

There's no harm in trying the demo... :)

[mckerney]

Excellent work not titling the topic just 'Demo Available', giving many reason for kicking your ass.

[Daimyo]

Will CM03/04 be available for download purchase or have to go through snail mail again?

[SirFozzie]

Originally posted by Francis_Cole
There's no harm in trying the demo... :)

You might as well say "The First Hit's Free"

And yes.. it's because of F'n Eidos that I was going to wait for "Sports Interactive Football 2004-05" or whatever the heck they were going to call it.

But rationalization is a GOOD thing... I guess.

[Francis_Cole]

Will CM03/04 be available for download purchase or have to go through snail mail again

At the moment its only "snail mail" :)

[cartman]

So, I'm still a little confused from the SI/Eidos split. Is this demo the last one based on the SI code, or is this the first version of the new Eidos code?

[SirFozzie]

This is the final Champ Manager based on SI code.

SI takes their code and gets a new title next year, while Eidos takes the Championship Manager name and does a new game with it...

(and likely flushes the good name of CM down the commode, does Eidos)

IIRC, Francis_Cole is one of the bigwigs at SI, but of course, I've been known to be wrong before ;)

[Bee]

Originally posted by cartman
So, I'm still a little confused from the SI/Eidos split. Is this demo the last one based on the SI code, or is this the first version of the new Eidos code?

The last joint effort. Next year Eidos will be striking out on their own (and most likely fall on their face).

Edit: That's weird....SirFozzie and I both answered and slammed Eidos in the response! Sweet! :D

[Francis_Cole]

IIRC, Francis_Cole is one of the bigwigs at SI,

I'm 5"4.. does that count as big ? ;) :)

[cartman]

Cool, thanks. I've been back playing CM4 a lot more, so I'll look forward to trying this demo.

If GameSpot doesn't carry this for the folks back in the US, I will be back for Christmas, so if the game is released before then, I can bring copies back for folks who can't order from the UK for whatever reason.

[Bee]

I wonder when gogamer will have it available for pre-order...

[SirFozzie]

Originally posted by Francis_Cole
IIRC, Francis_Cole is one of the bigwigs at SI,

I'm 5"4.. does that count as big ? ;) :)


Note I didn't say big in size.. I just meant big in wig. Like, say, Don King size? :0

[FrogMan]

Originally posted by Francis_Cole
Will CM03/04 be available for download purchase or have to go through snail mail again

At the moment its only "snail mail" :)

Could this "at the moment" be interpreted as "in the future, a downloadable version may be available"??

FM

[Icy]

Here are my first impressions after an hour playing it:

Press interation: Much better, it was almost none before.

Training: Really improved, i love it now, deep but easy as there is a graph that shows you the overal effect of that traning (for mental, physic, attack, defense, mid, keeper and total). If you set a whole week with sprints, 5 + 5, etc etc, you see a graph with the skills that will develop for that kind of traning. If you change for example gym for tactics you will see in the graph how fisics goes down while mental goes up. That makes it much easier to underestand for the average guy.
This is great also: Effects of training now visually indicated on player profile screen

2D: Well, seems improved a bit, but still too many long passes and almost not midfield, could be ok for an UK football fan, but too bored for a spanish one, you won't see good midfielders passing each other 5 times until they find a hole on the defense.

There are also lots of improvements on the interface that make it easier to manage, like the back button missed from the old CM3.

I like it a lot of more now, much more polished, i only would like a better 2D AI, but i supossed that was not fixed as they never answered about it at their forum. The text sim reports seems improved so we can play it like the old series anyway.

This is just my first review, my mind could change with the hours playing it, overal i like it much more than CM4, lets see if it is not bugged, that will take more time to see.

[Bee]

Thanks for the quick impressions Icy. Sounds great.

[Passacaglia]

gogamer will be listing the game 'sometime this week' according to the SI forums.

And thanks for the impressions, Icy! I still don't know much about soccer yet, so to me it pretty much looks the same as the CM4 demo!

[Bee]

Thanks for the gogamer info Passacaglia!

[Scholes]

First thoughts:

Some of the real cool stuff:

A quick button you click to show the effect training has had on a player in his attribute screen.

Transfers are a little more abundant, including realistic loan/option to purchase deals.

Tactics- Some new default tactics (I noticed a 4-2-3-1 Man Utd style in there) and a preset button that automatically assigns individual instructions depending on position. I.E. I put Roy Keane in the middle, I click on preset/defensive mid and his individual player instructions are assigned. It's pretty useful to use as a starting point and tweak from there.

Declaring interest in players has some funny results-Arsenal declared an interest in Gary Neville and all the Arsenal fans went nuts, saying basically that the Man U scum didn't deserve to wear the Arsenal jersey. :)

I've only played a couple matches, but I like the improved 2D. I do not like the boxes around the names within the 2D though, it just looks bad to me. There weren't there in the last version.

Something tells me there is a bunch more to be seen, so I'm off to play more.

[Francis_Cole]

The tactical template feature is very usefull, and the tactical templates are all in xml format so you can edit them, to create a new template - or change an exisiting one

[illinifan999]

How's the noUSA thing working out? Is there a manageable national team?

[Passacaglia]

Can anyone poking around there see if you can get the quick starts anywhere? I've tried looking around, but haven't seen them. Thanks.

[Scholes]

Italy, Portugal, Germany, Scotland are here:

Linkage (http://cmagazine.dk/)

[klayman]

I think the 2D AI has been vastly improved. My midfielders attack the box, and I almost fell out of my chair when my defenders actually attempted a tackle.

[Wasabiak]

Dang, i wish i knew more about soccer. I tried the demo briefly at work today. Have never played any of the previous soccer games. Of course, i'm completely lost as to how the game works. Might have to do some soccer research and get into this, as it looks like a very fun sim.

[Icy]

All the quickstarts:

ftp://ftp.sigames.com/demos/CM%2003-04/

The mor ei'm playing it the more i like it. It has a lot of small things that make it really great and easier to use. My only complain now is the 2D AI.

This what klayman said is sad but true " almost fell out of my chair when my defenders actually attempted a tackle"
That has been at lest tweaked, but we shouldn't be as excited of seing a defenseman to try to stop the forward, they are supossed to do that and much more. It has been tweaked but still work needs to be done to show real first divisions football.
Anyway after the CM4 deception i'm so happy with this game by now, i'm again a Sigames believer :)

Now something weird, being spanish i have been living soocer around me since i was a child, played in my city junior team, etc etc. But during last year i learned a lot about american football, bought some books, read in the net etc (watched it before at TV but not knowing the strategies, etc as deep as now) and i must admit that i love it now, mybe even more than soccer. I think that this is the first year that i'm more excited about other text sims releases like FOF2k4 and TPF than about my loved CM series.
Of course not any text sims is as deep as CM right now so i will play it anyway :)

About the ones that say that they don't know enought about soccer, just ask, i have learned a lot about USA football from you, is my time to pay back :)

[SirFozzie]

Icy:

Can you see any of the American players? I know it's just a quick start, but just curious

[Icy]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
Icy:

Can you see any of the American players? I know it's just a quick start, but just curious

I can only see the USA main squad so i guess that the USA professional teams are out :(

[Neuqua]

I can actually see, and click on, the real players from the US National team. They don't seem to have a team listed for them however, as expected.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally posted by Scholes

Declaring interest in players has some funny results-Arsenal declared an interest in Gary Neville and all the Arsenal fans went nuts, saying basically that the Man U scum didn't deserve to wear the Arsenal jersey. :)


Good lads. I f*ckin' hate that hairy-lipped b*stard.

[daedalus]

Originally posted by Wasabiak
Dang, i wish i knew more about soccer. I tried the demo briefly at work today. Have never played any of the previous soccer games. Of course, i'm completely lost as to how the game works. Might have to do some soccer research and get into this, as it looks like a very fun sim.Treat it as a strategy game - it is no more than a strategy game with roleplaying element in a soccer/football setting (as is FOF with respect to american football). Although I am learning about soccer some (much to my chagrin), much of the nuances that would be obvious to a long-time soccer fan still goes over my head. Yet, that does not stop me from enjoying the game (now, the annoyances with regards to the game "cracking" your formation . . . that's another story).

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
You might as well say "The First Hit's Free"

And yes.. it's because of F'n Eidos that I was going to wait for "Sports Interactive Football 2004-05" or whatever the heck they were going to call it.

But rationalization is a GOOD thing... I guess.

CM03-04 is the last game which Sports Interactive are making for Eidos, our future management games (whatever they are called) will continue using our games engine.

Eidos will be creating a new 'Championship Manager' game themselves for next year which I believe they will be calling CM5.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally posted by Francis_Cole
Will CM03/04 be available for download purchase or have to go through snail mail again

At the moment its only "snail mail" :)

Because we're splitting with Eidos I'm afraid its somewhat unlikely that a download version will be available this time around .... watch this space though, I'm only a humble coder and business stuff isn't my 'bag' really ...

[Marc Vaughan]

In game printing
Francis Cole implemented all of the print stuff in the game - twas the first thing he did when he joined us (we've rescued him from university for his year out :D) .....

Please forward any bugs you find in it via. PM to him ;)

[FrogMan]

Originally posted by Marc Vaughan
Because we're splitting with Eidos I'm afraid its somewhat unlikely that a download version will be available this time around .... watch this space though, I'm only a humble coder and business stuff isn't my 'bag' really ...

Thanks for answering my question, Marc. I was just thinking "maybe I should email that Marc dude..." :)

A downloadable version would be great for us North Americans, at least I'd see it as great as would very much increase my possible impulsive buy of the game, say on a snowy winter weekend... Keep us posted if you hear anything, good or bad...

FM

[Ryan S]

I have a question for Marc regarding free kick takers.

When you see Free Kick (L) and Free Kick (R) on the tactics screen, does that refer to the side of the pitch the free kick is being taken from, or are you selecting your prefered left and right footed free kick takers?

[Wasabiak]

Originally posted by daedalus
Treat it as a strategy game - it is no more than a strategy game with roleplaying element in a soccer/football setting (as is FOF with respect to american football). Although I am learning about soccer some (much to my chagrin), much of the nuances that would be obvious to a long-time soccer fan still goes over my head. Yet, that does not stop me from enjoying the game (now, the annoyances with regards to the game "cracking" your formation . . . that's another story).

It's probably just a matter of learning the lingo. I'm going to spend some time with it tonight at home.

Jeez, why do ALL the really good games all come out at once? Might have to take out a loan.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally posted by Ryan S
I have a question for Marc regarding free kick takers.

When you see Free Kick (L) and Free Kick (R) on the tactics screen, does that refer to the side of the pitch the free kick is being taken from, or are you selecting your prefered left and right footed free kick takers?

Its the side of the pitch the kick is taken from.

[Bee]

Anyone test out the print feature yet?

[Marc Vaughan]

In the 'SI Network game' thread on sigames.com General Questions forum there are various league tables posted from the html printout option ... beyond that, yes (obviously ;) ) .... but I'm somewhat biased ...

[Bee]

oh, I figured it was "tested"...I was curious what people thought about it, and hoping for someone to post some of the printouts. :D

And I still refuse to to go to a forum where I don't understand the insults being thrown at me. ;)

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally posted by Bee
And I still refuse to to go to a forum where I don't understand the insults being thrown at me. ;)
LOL :D

(it can be a tad rough over there, for heavens sake don't go into 'Off Topic' without a bodyguard ;) )

[klayman]

sample squad screen print out


12th in English Premier Division
Squad Screen

| Pkd | Inf | Name | Position(s) | Form | Morale | Cond. | Apps | Av R | Value |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| FC | | Baros, M | S C | 7-7-7-7-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £6.75M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| DC | | Biscan, I | D/DM C | 8-7-7-7-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £4.3M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| DR | Wnt | Carragher, J | D/DM RLC | 6-9-6-5-7 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £3.6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | Wnt | Cheyrou, B | AM C | 7-7-6 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £3.7M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| FC | | Defoe, J | S C | 7-6-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £8.5M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| MC | | Diao, S | DM C | 8-7-7-8-6 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £3.6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB7 | | Diouf, E | F RC | 6-7-7-7-8 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £7.25M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| GK | | Dudek, J | GK | 8-7-7-7-8 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £4.1M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB5 | | Finnan, S | D/DM R | 5-8-7-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £2.6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| MC | | Gerrard, S | DM RC | 6-7-8-8-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £12.75M|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | Inj | Hamann, D | DM C | | Okay | 33% | - | ---- | £7.25M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB8 | | Henchoz, S | D C | 8-7-7-7-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £1.8M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB10 | Wnt | Heskey, E* | S C | 7-6-7-6 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| DC | Inj | Hyypiä, S* | D C | 7-9-6-5 | Okay | 74% | - | ---- | £3.4M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ML | | Kewell, H | AM LC | 7-8-8-9 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £7.75M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB1 | | Kirkland, C | GK | 6-6 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £1.7M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB3 | Wnt | Le Tallec, A | AM/F C | 7-7-7-7-8 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £2.4M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | Medjani, C | SW/D C | 6-6-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £180K |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB12 | Wnt | Murphy, D | AM RLC | 6-7-5-7 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB4 | | Owen, M* | S C | 6-9-8-7 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £18.75M|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | Raven, D | D C | 8-6 | Okay | 98% | - | ---- | £85K |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| DL | Wnt | Riise, J | D/M L | 7-9-9-8 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £5M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB6 | | Sinama-Pongolle, F | S C | 7-7-7-7-6 | Okay | 99% | - | ---- | £1.8M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| MR | | Smicer, V | AM RLC | 7-8-7-7-7 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £2.6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB11 | Sus | Traoré, D | D LC | 7-5-8-7 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £1.6M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | Wallwork, R | D/DM C | | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £1.9M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB9 | Wnt | Welsh, J | DM RC | 7-6-7 | Good | 100% | - | ---- | £1M |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SB2 | | Whitbread, Z | D C | 6 | Okay | 100% | - | ---- | £85K |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

[klayman]

sample table print out


Holders - Man Utd


| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D.| Pts |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1st | | Arsenal | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2nd | | Aston Villa | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 3rd | | Birmingham | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 4th | | Blackburn | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 5th | | Bolton | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 6th | | Charlton | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 7th | | Chelsea | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 8th | | Everton | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 9th | | Fulham | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 10th| | Leeds | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 11th| | Leicester | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 12th| | Liverpool | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 13th| | Man City | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 14th| | Man Utd | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 15th| | Middlesbrough | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 16th| | Newcastle | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 17th| | Portsmouth | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 18th| | Southampton | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 19th| | Tottenham | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20th| | Wolves | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

[klayman]

individual player


Striker (Centre), English (50 caps/22 goals), Age 23


| | Apps | Gls | Asts | MoM | Yel | Red | Tck | Pass | Sh Tar | Fouls| Fls Ag | Av R |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Non Competitive | 3 (1)| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.11 | 76 % | 66 % | 5 | - | 7.50 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| League | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ---- |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Cup | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ---- |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Continental | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ---- |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| International | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ---- |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Overall | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ---- |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


the only thing missing here is the player's name. The file is saved as Michael Owen, but it would be nice to have the name somewhere in the printout.

[Bee]

thanks klayman!

[klayman]

here's an html printout of the player's form screen (which is an awesomely amazing inclusion!!!). I don't have anywhere to host it, so you'll just have to download the screen capture.

Edit: made the screen shot a little smaller

[klayman]

no problem

[daedalus]

Originally posted by Wasabiak
It's probably just a matter of learning the lingo. I'm going to spend some time with it tonight at home.It very much is. Them people on that there island . . . they just don't talk English right! :D

I seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY recommend having Marc Vaughan's guide handy. (Really, I recommend it.) It does a really good job of breaking the games and ratings down to a slightly simpler version for the soccer-challenged (like us!). As you play the game more and you get more accustomed to it, you pick up the various nuances beyond just the obvious (defender . . . tackle, good) if you choose to and you can move along to doing other things. But it allows you to at least get started playing in the game and not be banging your head against a wall because of the strange way they talk (pace? technical? feh!) over that pond about this weird game (huh? no hands? funky.).

Don't hesitate to use a "stock" formation, either. I used the stock 4-4-2 diamond for a long time with Rushden with solid success. (That was in CM 01/02 but I don't expect SI to have fubar'ed it up in the meantime.)

ALL of that said, if you give it an honest try and really don't like it, don't sweat it. Not every game is for everybody. Ben, for one, I know don't care for it even though I think he appreciates the concepts. In my opinion, it's worth the "work" in getting used to, though (if you can stomach the game).

[Wasabiak]

I definitely am going to give it a try. Everyone on this board has raved about it for a long time. Just curious, where can i find the guide you discussed? Thanks for the help. :)

[Icy]

Wasabiak, as 99% of spanish, i am a soccer fan since i was a kid. I'm also a fan of the CM series since the first version so if you need any help with anything related to tactics/rattings explanations, etc just open a thread and i will be more than happy to help you, i have learned a lot about usa football here, it's my time to pay back the community :)

[FrogMan]

Originally posted by Wasabiak
I definitely am going to give it a try. Everyone on this board has raved about it for a long time. Just curious, where can i find the guide you discussed? Thanks for the help. :)

Here it is. Am I allowed to post it here? If not, I'll delete it and find the link to it at SI. I downloaded it from SI when I downloaded the CM4 demo...

Just downloaded the demo for CM03/04, will try that over the weekend...

FM

[PilotMan]

CM is ungodly addictive.....fantastically engrossing and a good way to lose a relationship or spend time getting over one. Now that I am married its finally safe to play. ;)

[Wasabiak]

Thank you's!!! :)

[daedalus]

Originally posted by FrogMan
Am I allowed to post it here? If not, I'll delete it and find the link to it at SI. I downloaded it from SI when I downloaded the CM4 demo...Just say one of the moderators of FOFC said you could. :D

[FrogMan]

yeah, that cool, laid back moderator of the HT forum... HornedFrog Purple they call him :D

FM

[HornedFrog Purple]

Well if SI wants to sue, they will have to get in line behind TroyF. Good luck with that. :)

[BreizhManu]

Have fun with the demo guys, you'll see that this game is really better than CM4.

Now going to continue my 5th season with the Beta :D (That's why I like being a researcher)

[Icy]

Originally posted by BreizhManu
Have fun with the demo guys, you'll see that this game is really better than CM4.

Now going to continue my 5th season with the Beta :D (That's why I like being a researcher)

Lucky bastard, i hope you will burn your processor today ;)

[Marc Vaughan]

Just so you chaps know now things have calmed down a tad on the development front, I'll be trying to update my hints and tips for CM03-04 ... I'll post here when I've done it and they're in a vaguely legible form :D

PS. The hints and tips are freely available and anyone can do pretty much anything he likes with them, I make them to help people enjoy the game - the more people who can do that, the better imho ...

[Marc Vaughan]

BreizhManu - How's your team doing? - Stevenage have just reached the heady heights of the 2nd Division in my current game

Only 3 seasons in, removal of the MLS league destroyed my long-term 9 season game :( ..... I'd just got them into the Premiership as well ...

PS. For once I'm not playing as Brighton 'cos we're too far up the pyramid at the moment to be a really big challenge ....

[BreizhManu]

Originally posted by Marc Vaughan
BreizhManu - How's your team doing? - Stevenage have just reached the heady heights of the 2nd Division in my current game


Pau

2003-2004 : winner of National, promoted to L2
2004-2005 : 7th in L2
2005-2006 : 6th in L2
2006-2007 : winner of L2, promoted to L1, received an offer from Saint-Etienne in L1, accepted.

[bamcgee]

congrats on what appears to be a very fine game. I ran through a few months of the demo last night, and really felt like this was the game I was expecting with CM4 but never really got. The improvements are subtle and across many different areas, but they all seemed to improve the immersiveness of the simulation. I particularly thought that the transfer market seemed more realistic, the training was a huge step up (previously was a complete mystery), and midfielders now score on occasion. Yes, it's another $30, but I have more than a little sympathy that this stuff isn't the easiest thing to do well every time.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by Marc Vaughan
Just so you chaps know now things have calmed down a tad on the development front, I'll be trying to update my hints and tips for CM03-04 ... I'll post here when I've done it and they're in a vaguely legible form :D

PS. The hints and tips are freely available and anyone can do pretty much anything he likes with them, I make them to help people enjoy the game - the more people who can do that, the better imho ...

With the MLS removed was it replaced by a generic US league?

[Passacaglia]

I'm pretty sure it hasn't, mckerney.

Also, for those like me who are trying to learn about soccer, this might be helpful. It's called the Ultimate League guide, and while it's a bit out of date (it says something about CM 01/02 on there), it still has a lot of information regarding the different countries, such as what kind of tournaments they hold, how promotion and relgation work, how many teams from each country qualify for continental play, etc. It's really long (70 pages, I think), and I haven't read it all, but I have it as a reference if I'm curious about something.

http://www.sigames.com/downloads_view.php?id=268

[ISiddiqui]

Very nice demo! I've been every year DLing the demo, but never actually getting the CM (mainly because it is across the ocean and, secondly, by the time it comes out, I'm in the middle of school and have little time for games). I think I'll definetly order CM 03/04 though. It really looks amazing so far.

Hopefully when SI makes their own game without Eidos, it'll actually make an appearance on US shelves. :D

[cartman]

I'm sure that someone will come out with an unofficial add-on that replaces a minor European country with the MLS.

But that being said, it will keep the same rules of the original league, and not be an exact replica of the MLS.

[wbatl1]

What are the system requirements? I cannot get the demo to run on my computer. It is weird, because it seems like it loads, the white Eidos comes up, then it just stops loading. It stays on a black screen. I never had any problems with the other demos of games from SI

[Critch]

Originally posted by wbatl1
What are the system requirements? I cannot get the demo to run on my computer. It is weird, because it seems like it loads, the white Eidos comes up, then it just stops loading. It stays on a black screen. I never had any problems with the other demos of games from SI

I had this problem as well, so hopefully what fixed it for me will work for you too.

Apparently the demo gets confused when it's looking for the CM DATA folder if you've got a folder called DATA further up. I had a c:\DATA folder (the Lahman files for OOTP), so the demo was looking in there for the CM data and was hanging. Once I renamed that file it worked, and it's a great improvement over CM4. No more pausing when changing screens and the like.

[SirFozzie]

Originally posted by Neuqua
I can actually see, and click on, the real players from the US National team. They don't seem to have a team listed for them however, as expected.

Well now, this is an interesting kettle of fish.

We had thought before there would be a problem with the copyright of the US players that caused Eidos to yank the MLS league from CM4.

But if the USA squad players are there, then it points to a problem with MLS.

Probably something to do with EA Sports and their FIFA series, and I won't ask Marc or Francis Cole to respond to my wild speculation. If we see the players of MLS, assigned to no league, then we know it had something to do with the teams and the like.

[ISiddiqui]

But if the USA squad players are there, then it points to a problem with MLS.

That it is. However, there are SOME real players from the US National Team. There are plenty of fictional players on the US National team as well. The only real players I've seen are those that play for European teams.

[Marc Vaughan]

Only MLS players were affected by Eidos's decision - not simply 'all' American players.

[SirFozzie]

Thanks Marc.

Guess it's a problem with MLS or it's Players Union.

[Karim]

Is there a discounted price for this version? I know with the first version, in Canadian pesos and shipping across the Atlantic, it cost around $75.

I won't be buying all of FOF2004, TPF, EHM:FE and CM03/04 so I'm still debating...

[FrogMan]

Karim, the game is available from www.gameplay.com at £24.99, plus £4.95 for shipping to Canada, which works out to 66.32 Canadian dollars...

FM

[Karim]

Thanks, FrogMan.

[Karim]

dola,

<lol> I just noticed the recommended age for CM03/04 at gameplay.com is 3 years and above... Can a 3 year-old really appreciate a text sim of this magnitude?

[FrogMan]

no problem, but I found one weird thing. That 24.99 price seems to be only when you come right from the ad on the SI boards. If you go to gameplay directly, then find CM03/04, the price is 26.99... not a big deal, simply different...

FM