I just got CM 03/04. Now what?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Okay, the title may be a little misleading. I've played most versions of Championship Manager, and I'm not asking for tips on how to start or what team to use or anything like that. I'm wondering if I need to download any patches or data updates or anything. Also, I'd like to run a pretty decent-sized database (medium or large), but I remember something around here about having to alter some files in order to get a larger database running smoothly. I intend to play a lower-league team in England or a team in Scotland, although I may change my mind on that, depending on how long it takes to get the answers I'm looking for.

Thanks!

[McSweeny]

get the latest patch from sigames.com and you might want to grab the pre-game editor and the real time editor as the built in editor leaves a little to be desired. Other than that, i've had no problem running a medium database and only a few leagues but i started as Nottm Forest (D1) and that might not be enough for a lower league team.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Thanks. I'm trying to download the patch from SIgames, but the download never starts. I guess I'm doing something wrong. I don't think I have any reason for an editor. I'm willing to just play the game the way it is. I'm just concerned about having enough players to consider for my D3 team.

Thanks again.

[Sharpieman]

What I hate about the patch is, is that I guess it doesn't allow Freddy Adu in the game.

[Desnudo]

Thanks. I'm trying to download the patch from SIgames, but the download never starts. I guess I'm doing something wrong. I don't think I have any reason for an editor. I'm willing to just play the game the way it is. I'm just concerned about having enough players to consider for my D3 team.

Thanks again.

You can download the patch from a mirror site if you're having trouble with SI's site. Stay away from Large DB unless you want very slow run times. Although it might be all right if you only ran the English leagues and nothing else. Your main concern with a Medium DB setting will be lack of coaches, not players.

[SirFozzie]

Look for the Calcio Update, that's the best update around. (after downloading the latest patch of course)

[Marc Vaughan]

unless you're an absolute stathead I'd suggest using small or medium database and if you're interested in definitely having players from certain teams configuring a ddt file to ensure their presence (there's a guide to 03-04 on sigames.com which details all the mysteries of ddt files etc. - I'll make it easier to do this in Football Manager don't worry).

[andy m]

i've just found that you can pre-order football manager from play.com for 17.99. bargain!

[andy m]

p.s. - marc, will we see the match graphics upgraded to look like this?

http://retrogamer.merseyworld.com/fm.gif

and are you going to put a picture of yourelf on the box, looking like this?

http://www.retrogames.co.uk/RGonline/assets/images/ktoms8.gif

:eek:

[Marc Vaughan]

p.s. - marc, will we see the match graphics upgraded to look like this?
and are you going to put a picture of yourelf on the box, looking like this?

LOL :D

PS. Try as I might I could never look like that ;)

[ice4277]

Vector graphics could be the high-water mark for the Football Manager series.

Or not.

[ice4277]

Dola

One thing you might want to do when starting a new game, assuming you have a broadband connection, is to download the CM SuperPack. It is about 120MB dl but has thousands of player, team, competition, and stadium pictures. Doesn't actually add anything gameplay-wise but gives the presentation a bit more flair. Also, I downloaded the CM Sorted update, it seems to be pretty good, and has a bunch of the US players added in. I've heard the Calcio update is pretty good too though.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Thanks for the help, everybody. I'll try to find those updates that were mentioned. I'll work with the medium database. As long as I can find some people to put on my team, I'm not worried about it.

What is the mirror site for the patches?

[Glengoyne]

Thanks for the help, everybody. I'll try to find those updates that were mentioned. I'll work with the medium database. As long as I can find some people to put on my team, I'm not worried about it.

What is the mirror site for the patches?
There should be a number of links to mirrors from the CM forums.

[Desnudo]

Dola

One thing you might want to do when starting a new game, assuming you have a broadband connection, is to download the CM SuperPack. It is about 120MB dl but has thousands of player, team, competition, and stadium pictures. Doesn't actually add anything gameplay-wise but gives the presentation a bit more flair. Also, I downloaded the CM Sorted update, it seems to be pretty good, and has a bunch of the US players added in. I've heard the Calcio update is pretty good too though.

Don't you find that the player pictures really slows down your PC performance? I tried a player pack for CM4 and my computer was crawling.

[Desnudo]

p.s. - marc, will we see the match graphics upgraded to look like this?

http://retrogamer.merseyworld.com/fm.gif

and are you going to put a picture of yourelf on the box, looking like this?

http://www.retrogames.co.uk/RGonline/assets/images/ktoms8.gif

:eek:

Isn't that Paul McCartney's public body double?

[ice4277]

Don't you find that the player pictures really slows down your PC performance? I tried a player pack for CM4 and my computer was crawling.
The only thing that takes longer for me is starting up CM. I think it takes a while because the computer is trying to load all the images into memory and there are a ton of them. However, once the game actually starts up, I have zero difference in game speed. I have a relatively 'average' computer so I don't think that would be an issue. On CM4 it may have been a bit slower, but on 03/04 its no problem, at least for me.

[Pumpy Tudors]

The latest Calcio update seems to have a CRC error in one of the files in the RAR archive. Grrr. So now I don't know whether to just get the CM Sorted update or somehow search for information on this Calcio problem. I've had the game sitting in my house for 24 hours and I still haven't played it yet. :(

[Calis]

I use CM Sorted myself and think it's a pretty good update.

I'd go ahead and fire that up.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I use CM Sorted myself and think it's a pretty good update.

I'd go ahead and fire that up.

That's exactly what I needed someone to say. Thanks!

[ice4277]

Well, I did say that earlier in the day about CM Sorted.

But dont mind me I'm just bitter because I'm drunk :D

[Pumpy Tudors]

Well, I did say that earlier in the day about CM Sorted.

But dont mind me I'm just bitter because I'm drunk :D

Well, yeah, but... damn, you're right.

[andy m]

Isn't that Paul McCartney's public body double?

it's the mighty kevin toms, who programmed the original football manager in BASIC in 1982 or something nuts like that. it was a great game, you could sign Eric Gates and he would be a 5 skill player, then the season would end and you would find that he had regressed to a 1 skill player in the off-season. he must have been enjoying his holiday in ibiza just a bit too much.

anyway:

http://www.kevintoms.com/

holy crap, you can play it online, check it out:

http://www.maf.uk.com/hob/footballmgr.htm

[Alf]

it's the mighty kevin toms, who programmed the original football manager in BASIC in 1982 or something nuts like that. it was a great game, you could sign Eric Gates and he would be a 5 skill player, then the season would end and you would find that he had regressed to a 1 skill player in the off-season. he must have been enjoying his holiday in ibiza just a bit too much.

anyway:

http://www.kevintoms.com/

holy crap, you can play it online, check it out:

http://www.maf.uk.com/hob/footballmgr.htm
Geez andy. Those links are fabulous. Football Manager is what got me into trying to program myself. I buikt a Football Manager for the first genertation of Atari 520 at that time (1984 I think; because I also did a Track & Field simulation).

[Pumpy Tudors]

Jeez, I played that Football Manager for like 5 minutes, and in my first match, a Blackpool player scored on me from like 600 meters away. I give up!!

[ice4277]

I can't believe how little media interaction there is in that game.

[andy m]

Jeez, I played that Football Manager for like 5 minutes, and in my first match, a Blackpool player scored on me from like 600 meters away. I give up!!

i love the lack of scale. your players are like 1/100th the size of the goal. it's nuts.