ALRIGHT BOYZ...HERE WE GO...The Football Manager 2012 THREAD!!!

[DaddyTorgo]

Game on!!!

Decrypted and starting up!

[DaddyTorgo]

BEFORE YOU START A NEW GAME, delete the fake files. THis enables the German national team, real names of japanese teams, etcetera:

Go into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\football manager 2012\data\db\1200\lnc\all (if you installed via steam) and delete the .lnc files there.

Replace with the "Susie Real Names Fix" file from sortitoutsi.net

[SackAttack]

Man, worst parody thread ever.

[DaddyTorgo]

DIAF!!!!! :rant:

[Jon]

What time is it supposed to be working? I keep getting the "unavailable" message.

[DaddyTorgo]

Try restarting Steam maybe?

[markprior22]

can't access the sortitout site...says down for maintenance

[DaddyTorgo]

can't access the sortitout site...says down for maintenance

Yeah - that happened to me too. I have the .lnc files if people want them...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1980852/lnc/Awards.lnc
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1980852/lnc/Club%20Names.lnc
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1980852/lnc/Competitions.lnc

Put them inside a folder you create called "lnc"

[markprior22]

That would be sweet DT

Thanks


When I click on these links, it brings up the text file. Shouldn't there be an actual .lnc file to move to the directory? Sorry but I'm confused.

[Young Drachma]

Curious to hear how it's going to be. Not sure I can see buying until a few patches in. My obligatory question: "How is data editing this year?"

[DaddyTorgo]

That would be sweet DT

Thanks


When I click on these links, it brings up the text file. Shouldn't there be an actual .lnc file to move to the directory? Sorry but I'm confused.

Nope. They're not .lnc files

The folder is named "lnc" but the files inside are text files

[Jon]

Try restarting Steam maybe?

I've restarted Steam, restarted the computer....
'
I'm getting bummed. Awful day at work, and I was hoping to play this tonight...

[DaddyTorgo]

Switching your Steam server maybe?
Question

I receive the message The Steam Servers are currently unavailable. Please try again later. or The Steam Servers are too busy while using Steam - what should I do?

Answer

Change your Download Region

Try changing your Download Region to see if it affects the issue:
On Windows


Start Steam
Go to Steam > Settings > Downloads tab
Under Download region, select a different but relatively close region.
Try launching or installing the game once more

[moriarty]

Dumb question - I'm trying to continue the saved game from the demo and my DB is set to 'small'. Is there a way to increase it mid-game, or do I have to start all over to utilize a larger DB?

[TroyF]

added the logos, player pics and .inc files to the game. Ready to take it out for a spin. Yippee.

[DaddyTorgo]

Dumb question - I'm trying to continue the saved game from the demo and my DB is set to 'small'. Is there a way to increase it mid-game, or do I have to start all over to utilize a larger DB?

Pretty sure you'll have to start it over to get a bigger DB size :(

[jbergey22]

DT

So whats the deal with the German Natl's team? If I just start fresh now something will be messed up?

[DaddyTorgo]

DT

So whats the deal with the German Natl's team? If I just start fresh now something will be messed up?

If you replace the default files with the files linked in my dropbox (as detailed in the earlier post) they'll be normal, with real people.

If you don't replace the files, the German national team will be populated by greyed-out created players (the real players will still be playing, and still be German, etc, they just won't be on the national team).

[jbergey22]

Ok,

Thanks for the heads up DT.

[markprior22]

added the logos, player pics and .inc files to the game. Ready to take it out for a spin. Yippee.

where do you get the pics and logos? Got the .lnc files from DT but don't know where to get the other files....thanks

[DaddyTorgo]

where do you get the pics and logos? Got the .lnc files from DT but don't know where to get the other files....thanks

I's trying to get a download of them...I might have an old version on my old laptop...maybe.

[TroyF]

where do you get the pics and logos? Got the .lnc files from DT but don't know where to get the other files....thanks

I had em from last year. I believe sort it out si still has all of them available. I'd upload em, but my connection sucks and nobody would get them for a week anyway.

[jbergey22]

What are you guys getting for a 3D rating?

I swear I was at 4-5 last year, now Im at a 1? My computer is 1 year old.

[DaddyTorgo]

4.5 i think, but i just got a new laptop.

[fortheglory]

where is a place to download all the megabuck logos in one shot?...no torrent

[TroyF]

If you are going to do anything with the editor, you need to have a separate d/l through Steam.

go to library, all games, tools, fm12 editor.

[jbergey22]

where is a place to download all the megabuck logos in one shot?...no torrent

Im looking for this same thing for player pics. Downloading 20 different pic packs with this free download package is quite the chore.

[jbergey22]

4.5 i think, but i just got a new laptop.

Im hoping I just need to download something to improve this. Falling off a cliff that fast is kind of alarming. I dont know if I can buy a new computer every year just to play FM. Might be worth it though;)

[DaddyTorgo]

Im looking for this same thing for player pics. Downloading 20 different pic packs with this free download package is quite the chore.

Yeah. I found a torrent of 3.10 to get me most of the way there - will let you guys know in a minute if it's an actual working file.

http://tinyurl.com/4x4mc5k

[jbergey22]

Yeah. I found a torrent of 3.10 to get me most of the way there - will let you guys know in a minute if it's an actual working file.

http://tinyurl.com/4x4mc5k

Thank you.

This is going to take awhile..1.6% after around 10 min of downloading.

[DaddyTorgo]

No prob. If I could point you to the actual source torrent I used I'd do that too. Hmm.

Yeah


hxxp://torrents.thepiratebay.org/6633581/Football_Manager_2011_Cut-Out_MEGAPACK_Version_3.10_facepack.6633581.TPB.torrent

[RainMaker]

Im hoping I just need to download something to improve this. Falling off a cliff that fast is kind of alarming. I dont know if I can buy a new computer every year just to play FM. Might be worth it though;)
Might check to see if your video card driver is up-to-date.

[sovereignstar v2]

Latest cut-out player faces megapack can be found here. You need to sign up for the forum, which is something you should do anyways.

Player Faces - Download Cut Out Faces Mega Pack (http://fmdownloads.com/graphics/style/4/cut-out-faces)

There should be a new megapack out soon.

[sovereignstar v2]

Little peeved they didn't get a little database update in patch. Sergio Aguero has a fricking release clause still. Have to use the editor already.. grrr!

[SirFozzie]

Ooh.. my regional leagues mod (replacing england's league setup with a 9 region national league based on location, with the winners of each region playing for the national championship) from FM11 imported into FM12 fine.

Prepare for great rejoicing or great despair (and bending Marc's ear as he told me the bug that prevented it from working in FM11 was fixed!)

[sovereignstar v2]

And for those that haven't noticed, Susie/Sortitoutsi trashed everything on their forum and it sounds like nothing is coming back. I appreciate the hosting they provide, but they have some different kind of folks running that place.

[sovereignstar v2]

Ooh.. my regional leagues mod (replacing england's league setup with a 9 region national league based on location, with the winners of each region playing for the national championship) from FM11 imported into FM12 fine.

Prepare for great rejoicing or great despair (and bending Marc's ear as he told me the bug that prevented it from working in FM11 was fixed!)

DT wins.

[SirFozzie]

Heh. I'm not going to fight DT over which thread gets to be official. It'd be bloody stupid if one of us got boxed over it.

Besides, his ego needs to boost ;)

*grins, ducks, runs*

[DaddyTorgo]

And for those that haven't noticed, Susie/Sortitoutsi trashed everything on their forum and it sounds like nothing is coming back. I appreciate the hosting they provide, but they have some different kind of folks running that place.

Really? Nothing coming back?

Yikes.

[jbergey22]

Latest cut-out player faces megapack can be found here. You need to sign up for the forum, which is something you should do anyways.

Player Faces - Download Cut Out Faces Mega Pack (http://fmdownloads.com/graphics/style/4/cut-out-faces)

There should be a new megapack out soon.

Yeah this is the link I started with but there was 20 packs I needed to download and with the free download package they were taking over an hour with each pack. Glad DT helped out. That was annoying.

[DaddyTorgo]

Yeah this is the link I started with but there was 20 packs I needed to download and with the free download package they were taking over an hour with each pack. Glad DT helped out. That was annoying.

But that link is also all of the 20 packs I think...cuz it's 4GB

[sovereignstar v2]

Uh, there is a single 4.1 gigabyte link in large font on that page.

[Axxon]

If you replace the default files with the files linked in my dropbox (as detailed in the earlier post) they'll be normal, with real people.

If you don't replace the files, the German national team will be populated by greyed-out created players (the real players will still be playing, and still be German, etc, they just won't be on the national team).

I just deleted the files in INC and I have ungreyed out real players on the German national team. Is yours an updated version of this?

[jbergey22]

But that link is also all of the 20 packs I think...cuz it's 4GB

When I clicked on it, it sent me to a place where I had to do 20 seperate downloads. Perhaps I missed something. Not sure.

Yeah it gave me the option of free mirrors or signing up for the premium package which costs 83p a month. However much that is.

[sovereignstar v2]

Same deal for the metallic logos megapack listed here.

http://fmdownloads.com/graphics/style/5/metallic-logos

Personally, I don't like the metallic logos, but the shiny logos megapack I much prefer might be dead for good.

[sovereignstar v2]

Really? Nothing coming back?

Yikes.

What's happened to the old files?
If you're wondering what's happened to the all the old stuff its been temporarily removed but will be back very soon (basically we ran out of time to convert it all).

The forums however are starting again with a completely clean slate.

And I'm pretty sure a vast majority of downloadable content was never uploaded to the Susie site, so I don't know what files are going to "be back very soon".

[DaddyTorgo]

Uh, there is a single 4.1 gigabyte link in large font on that page.

That's what I meant. A single 4gb link, and then inside it is all of the same data as the 20 individual packs.

[jbergey22]

That's what I meant. A single 4gb link, and then inside it is all of the same data as the 20 individual packs.

Im not too sharp when it comes to finding torrent downloads. Is there a chance that you could find a logo torrent as well?

Thanks in advance.

[DaddyTorgo]

I'll see what I can do jbergy.

[jbergey22]

I'll see what I can do jbergy.


I found this.

FM2011 Metallic Logos Megapack | FMScout (http://www.fmscout.com/i-1047-FM2011-Metallic-Logos-Megapack.html)

[SirFozzie]

Ooh.. my regional leagues mod (replacing england's league setup with a 9 region national league based on location, with the winners of each region playing for the national championship) from FM11 imported into FM12 fine.

Prepare for great rejoicing or great despair (and bending Marc's ear as he told me the bug that prevented it from working in FM11 was fixed!)

And the answer is:

Not yet. It ranks euro teams based on the REGIONAL points, not the playoff points. (which is a problem when smaller leagues play 28-30 games, and some bigger leagues play 38-40 games)

[DaddyTorgo]

The one that sov posted earlier worked fine for me...just finished DLing.

[jbergey22]

The one that sov posted earlier worked fine for me...just finished DLing.

Did you kick in for the premium package upgrade? I wasnt able to download that unless I upgraded to premium which cost something.

[jbergey22]

This is the screen Im getting from that link.

[SirFozzie]

and you din't click on the free mirrors part at the bottom?

[DaddyTorgo]

Neat lil touch - the derbies all have their proper names.

[DaddyTorgo]

Did you kick in for the premium package upgrade? I wasnt able to download that unless I upgraded to premium which cost something.

Nope...I didn't.

[jbergey22]

and you din't click on the free mirrors part at the bottom?

That is where this conversation began. They are saying they could click on this all in one download where I dont see it as an option.

Them mirror links on the free package take over an hour for each one. It was taking so long so DT put a torrent link for the face packs that has already finished downloading. Now I was looking for a different way for the logos.

[DaddyTorgo]

Logos - Download Metallic Logos Mega Pack (http://fmdownloads.com/graphics/style/5/metallic-logos)

sent me to a page where I just had to download the one file for the logos.

I'd throw up a torrent for the logos too, but it's 2am and bedtime for me - and I don't leave my laptop on when I sleep. If you haven't got them tomorrow I'll happily throw one up when I'm done with work then.

[jbergey22]

Logos - Download Metallic Logos Mega Pack (http://fmdownloads.com/graphics/style/5/metallic-logos)

sent me to a page where I just had to download the one file for the logos.

I'd throw up a torrent for the logos too, but it's 2am and bedtime for me - and I don't leave my laptop on when I sleep. If you haven't got them tomorrow I'll happily throw one up when I'm done with work then.

Ill just use these ones that I found. Thanks for all of the help.

[MrBug708]

In the preseason, got invited to go on a Chinese Tour as the enthusiasm for my team there. Just two games though

[MrBug708]

Uggh can't find where to get the new youth players :(

[DaddyTorgo]

Uggh can't find where to get the new youth players :(

What do you mean?

[DaddyTorgo]

Michael Owen (750k midyear signing from ManU) with an "Old Trafford Special" for Juventus against Inter Milan in the Derby d'Italia (94th minute winner in a 95 minute game)

3rd goal of the package. You also get Inter's goal against me, and a beautiful FK by my potential Krasic-replacement, a 22 year old Icelandic kid named Gylfi Sigurosson.

<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cgc-z51lTvA" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe>

[cody8200]

I keep harping on this but quick question - how does MLS look? Can anyone familiar run a season and see the results. Are there weird releases occurring and are the newgens better?

[MrBug708]

What do you mean?

I didn't get any new players when the season turned over. I'll play a little bit more this morning before I go sub, but was disappointed :(

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Hoo boy. Once again, my 'every other year' purchase is rewarded. This is a vast upgrade over '10. Was amazed at how much the game has improved both in the games and in the interface. Didn't make it very far last night, but love everything I've seen thus far.

[DaddyTorgo]

I didn't get any new players when the season turned over. I'll play a little bit more this morning before I go sub, but was disappointed :(

Hmm weird. I'm only in January/early Feb with my game, but will check at the end of the year.

[Bea-Arthurs Hip]

I keep harping on this but quick question - how does MLS look? Can anyone familiar run a season and see the results. Are there weird releases occurring and are the newgens better?

Looks like there are some salary cap issues, GA & Sen "SEL" players being counted against cap, I am not playing MLS only telling you what I am reading on the SI boards.

I hope it is not true as I would like to run a career MLS game, fingers crossed.

[SirFozzie]

I've already redone my "American Premier League" file.. if someone wants to test it.

[Axxon]

I just saw something I haven't seen in forever. I had a striker score a perfect 10 in a friendly match. I can't remember seeing that in a long time. He did have 6 goals but I've seen that and no 10.

Same game, which I won 6-3 had something I know I've never seen. I had a center defender score 2 own goals, both mostly on the GK but still. I kept him in but alas no own goal hat trick. Has anyone ever seen that one before? Would the hat trick commentary kick in or what?

[sovereignstar v2]

I keep harping on this but quick question - how does MLS look? Can anyone familiar run a season and see the results. Are there weird releases occurring and are the newgens better?

Not interested in the MLS and haven't check out anything on this board in a long time, but it does look like it's still active. I'm sure there are some MLS impressions there.

FMNorthAmerica (http://s6.invisionfree.com/fmnorthamerica/)

Edit: Okay, I browsed the forum real quickly and there doesn't seem to be any substantial impressions/reviews. Sorry. Might be a place to check back with in the future though.

[moriarty]

OK - need some advice b/c I don't remember how the DB size works. I'm about 5 months into my LLManager (Blue whatever North) and have all England, and several leagues from Spain/Germany/Italy enabled.

Problem is I'm on small DB size - so not sure if it's worth restarting. Am I going to run into an issue where there are not enough 'good' players to add to my team, or is my only risk that England will start winning World Cups in 2018? My goal is to advance up the managerial chain (i.e. take improved job offers) so I hopefully won't be in the lower leagues forever.

Throw away 4-5 months and restart or press on? Thoughts?

[Young Drachma]

I've already redone my "American Premier League" file.. if someone wants to test it.

Editing went that well this year? Just wondering...

[whomario]

what are the other 2 .Inc files for besides the "fake" one ? (one is "nleague", the other "lic_dan_swe_fra")

[RPI-Fan]

How do I edit the quality of a team's youth and training facilities? And is it possible to do it mid-save?

[whomario]

Before start in the regular editor (has to be downloaded aditionally in steam, go to library ---> tools )

Will be possible in game in a little while i guess, just have a look here every now and then : FMRTE - Official website » Football Manager Real Time Editor - Website (http://www.fmrte.com/)

Lots of guys used this in 10 and 11 to make the game more challenging (giving rival teams money and better facilities, you can also cancel a few stupid transfers every now and then)

[sovereignstar v2]

what are the other 2 .Inc files for besides the "fake" one ? (one is "nleague", the other "lic_dan_swe_fra")

They are supposed to be deleted when using the fake files so I don't have mine any longer. Might be able to tell what they do if you open them up in notepad.

[Ryan S]

what are the other 2 .Inc files for besides the "fake" one ? (one is "nleague", the other "lic_dan_swe_fra")


I think nleague creates fake names for the Japanese teams. Not sure what the other one does, but I usually delete it anyway.

[RPI-Fan]

Before start in the regular editor (has to be downloaded aditionally in steam, go to library ---> tools )

Will be possible in game in a little while i guess, just have a look here every now and then : FMRTE - Official website » Football Manager Real Time Editor - Website (http://www.fmrte.com/)

Lots of guys used this in 10 and 11 to make the game more challenging (giving rival teams money and better facilities, you can also cancel a few stupid transfers every now and then)

Thanks!

I was actually not able to find what the steps are to get to a team's youth facilities etc. in the editor - any advice?

Thanks so much for your help!!

[DaddyTorgo]

OK - need some advice b/c I don't remember how the DB size works. I'm about 5 months into my LLManager (Blue whatever North) and have all England, and several leagues from Spain/Germany/Italy enabled.

Problem is I'm on small DB size - so not sure if it's worth restarting. Am I going to run into an issue where there are not enough 'good' players to add to my team, or is my only risk that England will start winning World Cups in 2018? My goal is to advance up the managerial chain (i.e. take improved job offers) so I hopefully won't be in the lower leagues forever.

Throw away 4-5 months and restart or press on? Thoughts?

I'm pondering this myself. Thinking I'll end up restarting for my serious game, which sucks, because I'm leading the league through like 20 weeks in this game.

[MrBug708]

Looks like youth intake happens three months before the season ends

[DaddyTorgo]

I got youthies in Italy in March.

[Icy]

I'm pondering this myself. Thinking I'll end up restarting for my serious game, which sucks, because I'm leading the league through like 20 weeks in this game.

If you have a decent computer (less than two years old), i would select Custom size and then all the national reputation players from each continent, that will give you around 88k players.

If you are going to play mainly in Europe as i do, i also select all the players from the top division teams in Europe. I think my total DB had around 94k players.

Else at least select large database that will give you around 25k players, depending on the legues you select as playable.

[Big Fo]

I'm enjoying all the new animations in the match engine.

[bhlloy]

I'm loving this year's version, they finally seem to have gotten the match engine and the 3D to a point where there aren't too many weird things going on that take away from the experience and I can finally seem to put a superior team out there with a simple tactic and watch them do what I would expect a team of decent soccer players to do. I can put a target man with good target man ratings up there and watch him do what a target man is supposed to do - hold the ball up and bring other players into the game. I didn't feel like that last year for whatever reason.

One minor gripe - the logic with own goals still seems to be pretty wacky. IRL if a free kick deflects off the wall or if there is a shot on goal that the keeper gets a hand to but can't do anything but help it into the side of the net, that's still the attackers goal. Don't think the match engine does quite a good enough job of recognising that yet, and I hate it when it screws my players out of goals or kills one of my players average rating when IRL they wouldn't be blamed for it. But pretty minor. Overall I think the match engine and the way the game plays has taken huge strides.

[Blade6119]

I got youthies in Italy in March.

Early March in England

[Izulde]

So is FM12 not quite as frustrating for people who suck like me?

[bhlloy]

So is FM12 not quite as frustrating for people who suck like me?

For me at least, not so far. I chose Wrexham, I have one of the best squads in the league to begin with, I signed/loaned 6 or 7 quality players and I'm dominating with a basic 4-4-2. Might just be a flash in the pan but I was never this good last year.

[Sweed]

Finally a day off to play. Like others already restarting. First game start unemployed and get hired by Derby go to meet the staff, no ass-man, 1 position coach, and 6 youth coaches WTF? Budget so tight can't even afford to a mutual release and hire who I need.

Start my new game and look at Derby and they have ass-man and like 6 coaches. Guessing they left in my first game with the fired manager. Anyway hit "select team for me" or whatever it's called a few times until I came up with a team with a full staff and a little bit of money. Ended up with Burnley and am digging in today to get my club squared away.

Also if you haven't been on SI site base skins are now posted in the "skinning hideout" making customizing much easier.

Sports Interactive Community (http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/279828-Football-Manager-2012-Base-Skins)

[DaddyTorgo]

FLARES IN THE STANDS...WOO!!!

[bulletsponge]

FLARES IN THE STANDS...WOO!!!

Ballotti was with the fans? ;)

seriously i cant wait to see that at my stadium.... as soon as i can sell more than 6k seats

[DaddyTorgo]

Ballotti was with the fans? ;)

seriously i cant wait to see that at my stadium.... as soon as i can sell more than 6k seats

Yeah - that was the first time I saw it.

[tyketime]

Another deal from Amazon (this one does say US billing addresses only):

Football Manager 2012 [Download] - 20% off at $31.99

Here's the weird part - if I do a google search for Football Manager 2012, only the MAC version appears. But if I log into my Amazon account first, I see the PC link. Not sure why that is... maybe the listing is brand new.

But I just entered my Product Key into Steam, and it is now downloading...

[Marc Vaughan]

FLARES IN THE STANDS...WOO!!!

The supporters wear all sorts of clothing ...

(oh you mean 'those' flares ;) )

[tyketime]

Do any of you ever play with fictional names? Does this make it more of a challenge (because you don't already know who the great players are)? Or does it really go against the true intent of taking an established team and making them champions...

[markprior22]

Couple of general soccer questions...

1) What are good situations for loans? Benefits/Disadvantages if any?
2) How often do you sign players that your scout brings to your attention? I usually get a report and it usually says the player would be a useful addition but I can't sign everyone.
3) What is the frequency of transfers IRL? Is it like trades in baseball or are transfers less frequent?

Thanks

[DaddyTorgo]

FYI - If you're adding leagues to an ongoing game guys, if you want to add multiple divisions within one country all you have to do is select the lowest and it will add the ones above that (just discovered this by trial and error myself).

[TroyF]

Couple of general soccer questions...

1) What are good situations for loans? Benefits/Disadvantages if any?
2) How often do you sign players that your scout brings to your attention? I usually get a report and it usually says the player would be a useful addition but I can't sign everyone.
3) What is the frequency of transfers IRL? Is it like trades in baseball or are transfers less frequent?

Thanks

More experienced soccer guys will do better, but I'll shoot:

1) The strategy with loans is dependent on what size team you have. If you are playing in a lower division, getting loans from bigger teams can improve you greatly and help you get players without a huge expenditure.

If you are playing with a big team, loans are important to give young players first team experience. Make sure you look at the loan offer to see what type of role the club is going to use the player in. You want "valuable member of the first team" so your guys get experience. Other things you will look at will be youth facilites and the managers attributes at developing young talent.

2) Two reasons to sign players.

1) You have a crapload of money and you just want a guy. It's not always realistic, but it's fun to have guys you watch on TV play for your team.

2) The more reasonable thing is to look at your team needs. Look at the team ratings from your scout. Are you weak in midfield? Do you need a striker? Let's say you play a 1 forward formation and you have 1 superstar striker, a 4+ star potential 20 year old and a solid 3 star vet signed for three more years. It doesn't matter if your scout recommends 200 strikers, you really don't have a major need unless you spot a true bargain.

It's all about looking at your team and determining need positions.

3) There is decent turnover from year to year at most teams. Youth players head out, new ones come in. Older vets are sent packing or teams that have problem areas get a transfer budget and look to fill them. Some teams can completely revamp from year to year and bring in 10 or more players. More often, the top teams will tweak their rosters with a few exits/additions.

[Big Fo]

Playing as Man Utd, I have 14 goals from corners in 11 league games now. I am not sure if I am really exploiting anything specifically, the goals are coming from defenders on the near post, defenders on the far post, and loose balls in the box being slammed home by smaller attacking players. The AI teams just suck at defending them.

I know Ashley Young is good at taking corners and Vidic is a beast in the air but even he "only" has six of those goals.

[Sweed]

I'm just going to say what I love about FM is also what I hate (a good hate if that exists) about FM. Its so damn deep that starting a new game really zaps me over the course of a day. 10:00pm and I've just finished my first friendly against my reserves. Yeah, I had a few interruptions but still that's a lot of time to get to game one, holy shit.

Figure out the squad, release unneeded coaches, try to hire more coaches and scouts, tactics, roles, meetings, talks, boardroom discussions, etc. etc. etc., and yet its still a blast. Hell I haven't even touched training other than getting everyone on conditioning for the first couple of weeks. Buy that time I should be getting into a rhythm so knocking out training schedules will be a breeze.

Really liking the 3d game now. Only been watching football for a few years and certainly don't have the eye of someone that grew up watching the game but man it sure looks like football to me. Really didn't have any WTF moments, as in previous versions, where I had to try "make-up" a reason for what I just saw, IE game result was right but animation didn't exist to show it properly. I think the action all over the pitch is much improved and especially around the goal. Shots that are now wide or high look like they were mishit instead of the game "knowing" it is a high or wide shot and then pulling up an animation where you would think "no way". The whole thing just seems so polished. Through balls, GK hoofing it 3/4 of the way down the pitch with players trying to get a head to it, etc. all looks great IMHO.

My only trouble, so far, is the new scouting. I am woefully short of DR and went looking. My scouts, between the three of them, only have a couple of DR's that I have no chance of getting. Too expensive, too good, and wouldn't play for me even if I had the cash. OK, lets look for players without a team, yeah good idea. My scouts, with full knowledge of England, can't come up with one DR that is looking for a club. Huh? This is playing with every team in UK, Wales, Ireland, N. Ireland fully playable with large data base. Maybe I'm missing something obvious but I think I've looked about everywhere for an answer.

I did hire a new scout, he signed about a week into my game, and he came up with one unattached DR. That's one DR between 4 fulltime scouts. Not a game killer by any means but a bit of a pain. Again, I hope I'm missing something obvious of if not that this gets some type of tweak in a patch. I know in previous versions I could at least find some former Barclay's player trying to hang on by stepping down to npower and wonder do these guys not exist because it is a brand new game or do my scouts just not see them? I would think they would be a known quantity and almost every scout would at least have some knowledge of aging vets on the lookout for a job.

Just hit me as I'm typing this, is there any way to send out a message to agents letting them know you need an experienced vet? I know at first press conference I was asked what I might be looking for and expressed defensive players but haven't seen any results from that. Maybe too soon?

Despite this issue I'm thinking this game is going to eat a major part of my free time. To the point I don't see myself buying NBA 2k this year. Trying to play both I don't do justice to either and a computer sim like FM just gives a much better real experience. That or I am just getting older:)

FWIW all of my old graphics have worked without a hitch. Logos, my 2 year old mega-cutout-face pack, and advertisement boards around the pitch. Just dragged my graphics folder from v11 to v12 and only had to change the id number in the xml file for my manager picture. Still haven't tried my custom panels but now with the base skin out I think\hope most of those should work too.

[bulletsponge]

nearing the end of my first season. currently in a 20 match winless slump that dropped me from 2nd in 1st division to 16th. luckily theres only 6 games left so it looks like i will be safe from the drop and my team was only expected to be around midtable.

and the date for regens in england is March 12th

[bhlloy]

My only trouble, so far, is the new scouting. I am woefully short of DR and went looking. My scouts, between the three of them, only have a couple of DR's that I have no chance of getting. Too expensive, too good, and wouldn't play for me even if I had the cash. OK, lets look for players without a team, yeah good idea. My scouts, with full knowledge of England, can't come up with one DR that is looking for a club. Huh? This is playing with every team in UK, Wales, Ireland, N. Ireland fully playable with large data base. Maybe I'm missing something obvious but I think I've looked about everywhere for an answer.



I would agree with this, but I'm not sure if it's necessarily a negative. Last year, if I was an English team and I wanted to scout an English player, I would usually have every single one of his attributes. Now it seems like my scout either has to have "knowledge" of him or I don't see anything. I think the latter might be more realistic (if I haven't sent a scout to watch him, how would I know how good he was) but it definitely makes for a more challenging game, especially at the lower levels where you only have a couple scouts.

I definitely agree with Fo as well, corners are way overpowered if you set them up correctly. I just won a game 5-2 with 4 of the 5 goals coming from corners, my one CB had two, my other CB had one and I got another tap in from one of my strikers. Definitely something that needs to be looked at in a patch.

[whomario]

If you have a decent computer (less than two years old), i would select Custom size and then all the national reputation players from each continent, that will give you around 88k players.

If you are going to play mainly in Europe as i do, i also select all the players from the top division teams in Europe. I think my total DB had around 94k players.

Else at least select large database that will give you around 25k players, depending on the legues you select as playable.

what are your computer specs ? I will buy a new one after christmas, will be a laptop though.

How easy is moving a save game ?

Will propably start with similar setting as last year, sth around 45k.

[Icy]

what are your computer specs ? I will buy a new one after christmas, will be a laptop though.

How easy is moving a save game ?

Will propably start with similar setting as last year, sth around 45k.

I play on a laptop too, but not the one i would recommend for gaming, at least considering cost.

Mine is a 5 months old Macbook Pro 2.2 15" but upgraded with an SSD HD and 8GB RAM.

Really powerful and portable, I'm so happy with it and in fact it has replaced both my home and office PC's, but so expensive compared with a windows laptop.

With the upgrades it's close to 2500€ and i wouldn't have purchased it if it wasn't for work mainly and because i wanted to try an Apple computer after hearing everybody in my industry sector saying how my productivity would increase with one. Now i agree with them, but i'm going offtopic.

[markprior22]

Thanks so much Troy....exactly what I was after

[Coffee Warlord]

Another deal from Amazon (this one does say US billing addresses only):

Football Manager 2012 [Download] - 20% off at $31.99

Here's the weird part - if I do a google search for Football Manager 2012, only the MAC version appears. But if I log into my Amazon account first, I see the PC link. Not sure why that is... maybe the listing is brand new.

But I just entered my Product Key into Steam, and it is now downloading...

Huh...I can only see the mac version logged in or not.

[whomario]

show off ;)

RAM is generally the most important for FM, isn´t it ? There´s a couple decently priced 8GB laptops around i´m having my eyes on :)

[Sweed]

I would agree with this, but I'm not sure if it's necessarily a negative. Last year, if I was an English team and I wanted to scout an English player, I would usually have every single one of his attributes. Now it seems like my scout either has to have "knowledge" of him or I don't see anything. I think the latter might be more realistic (if I haven't sent a scout to watch him, how would I know how good he was) but it definitely makes for a more challenging game, especially at the lower levels where you only have a couple scouts.

.

I agree it is actually a step in the right direction and adds to the challenge. I just find it odd that I am in a situation where I have only one DR on my first team and one on my youth team, that's it, and can't come up with a list of unattached players that may want to at least try out for my club. I'd welcome almost anyone to come in for a "look-see" even knowing next to nothing about their ratings.

I'm not needing to know everything about these guys and don't expect to if my scout hasn't seen them play. I do think there needs to be a way to find free agents that are looking for a club though. Even with no current info on attributes I could at least look at their playing history and decide whether or not to offer a trial. Again, with the new gui maybe I'm just missing something that allows me to find these types of players? Maybe, even with the large data base, they simply don't exist?


It did hit me in bed last night (yeah, like all of us my club runs through my mind as I try to get to sleep:)) that maybe I could ask some of my players for recommendations? Getting ready to try it now but I have a feeling they will only come up with already employed players.

[whomario]

I´ll propably start as NT coach for a change and just move to 2014 and then see at what club i can get a spot for myself.

[tyketime]

Huh...I can only see the mac version logged in or not.
I wonder why I have access to it? I did purchase another download earlier in the last week...

[markprior22]

Two more questions...

1) How do I get a recommendation from a coach/scout as to what the team needs? Last time I played (a couple of years ago) it seemed like I could get a report stating for example that the team is weak at a certain position.

2) There seems to be quite a few times when I open a player profile and the reports section is empty saying that I need to scout the player from the scouting action bar. When I click on the scouting tab, I just get the option to compare player and something else I can't remember at this time. What do I need to be able to do to be able to scout more players?

Thanks

[DaddyTorgo]

Two more questions...

1) How do I get a recommendation from a coach/scout as to what the team needs? Last time I played (a couple of years ago) it seemed like I could get a report stating for example that the team is weak at a certain position.

2) There seems to be quite a few times when I open a player profile and the reports section is empty saying that I need to scout the player from the scouting action bar. When I click on the scouting tab, I just get the option to compare player and something else I can't remember at this time. What do I need to be able to do to be able to scout more players?

Thanks

On #1 - that's a good question. I wonder if that concise "summary report" has been removed - I haven't found it yet either. You can see under "Team Report" the star ratings of your various positions though...so you can kind of tell at a glance there what's lacking yourself.

#2: I'm not entirely sure what you mean. To scout an individual player there's a button up top (along with the * and the "Make Offer" button) where you can order a scouting report on that player. Best bet is just to use the "Scouting Pool" option.

[Glengoyne]

On #1 - that's a good question. I wonder if that concise "summary report" has been removed - I haven't found it yet either. You can see under "Team Report" the star ratings of your various positions though...so you can kind of tell at a glance there what's lacking yourself.

....

Man I hope that hasn't been removed. I really think that helps me as someone with no clue about how to manage a football club.

I'm still lamenting the removal of the ability to have a coach tell you what he believes is the depth chart for a given position. Now I pretty much have to remember that so and so is our fourth best striker.

[DaddyTorgo]

Man I hope that hasn't been removed. I really think that helps me as someone with no clue about how to manage a football club.

I'm still lamenting the removal of the ability to have a coach tell you what he believes is the depth chart for a given position. Now I pretty much have to remember that so and so is our fourth best striker.

I hope it hasn't been removed either. It was a handy lil shortcut.

You can still get the same info though on the page I mentioned - just by scanning down yourself and seeing where your first/second choices have the fewest stars.

Ditto with figuring out who's the 4th best striker or whatever. You can just go onto any of your strikers "Report" pages and see the coach's idea of the depth chart for the position (or see the top 3 on the page I mentioned).

[AlexB]

Two more questions...

1) How do I get a recommendation from a coach/scout as to what the team needs? Last time I played (a couple of years ago) it seemed like I could get a report stating for example that the team is weak at a certain position.

2) There seems to be quite a few times when I open a player profile and the reports section is empty saying that I need to scout the player from the scouting action bar. When I click on the scouting tab, I just get the option to compare player and something else I can't remember at this time. What do I need to be able to do to be able to scout more players?

Thanks

2 - the player is probably based outside the zones you are able to scout. Either you need to ask the board to expand the areas where you can send your scouts, or if he is out of contract you could offer him a trial and get the evaluations from the coaches instead

[DaddyTorgo]

Man I hope that hasn't been removed. I really think that helps me as someone with no clue about how to manage a football club.

I'm still lamenting the removal of the ability to have a coach tell you what he believes is the depth chart for a given position. Now I pretty much have to remember that so and so is our fourth best striker.

I still remember in like 01/02 I used to hand-write depth charts in my classes in college, along with rough % of games each level should play (budding little Rafa Benitez I was at that point) for my Rosenborg dynasty.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Am I missing something regarding the depth chart? All of my scouting reports show a full depth chart at that position including placing that scouted player in the ranking of your current players. Is this what we're talking about here or something else?

FWIW......The depth chart rankings that I've seen in this game are better than anything in any previous version I've played.

[DaddyTorgo]

Am I missing something regarding the depth chart? All of my scouting reports show a full depth chart at that position including placing that scouted player in the ranking of your current players. Is this what we're talking about here or something else?

FWIW......The depth chart rankings that I've seen in this game are better than anything in any previous version I've played.

Nope - you're not missing anything. I was just pointing that out.

[jbergey22]

So I have read a few people talking about corner kicks scoring too frequently. Has anyone heard when the first patch will be out?

[bulletsponge]

i wish i could score on some corners, but im getting raped by cornerkicks

[Marc Vaughan]

i wish i could score on some corners, but im getting raped by cornerkicks

Right some basic attacking corner tactics -

Pick a style and stick to it, mine is front post domination at the moment - my two best people are on the front post; one for flick ons and one for running in ... aim for that post and have one other chap with decent aggression annoy the goalkeeper (he doesn't need to be over-tall or physical but it'll help if he is ... his job is basically to get in the way) and everyone else doing other things as seems sensible.
This gets me a few goals each season - come the end of the season the two people involved have probably got 6-8 goals from corners, which while it might not sound like a lot can easily give your team a LOT of points over the course of a season.
ALWAYS keep at least two players back when you take a corner or you'll find yourself potentially hit on the break.

Defending Corners -

Conversely for defending corners you need to be flexible as you don't know what they're going to try, first thing is shift any short-arse players out of the box or tell them to mark short men (rule of thumb for me, if you're short and an attacker then you stay up front or lurk outside the box, if you're a defensive player you mark short-arses). Generally I put any medium height wide wide players on the posts (5'10-5'11) and everyone else does zonal marking ... but thats my general preference.
This isn't infallible at all - but should keep your defense reasonably tight and obviously you can 'tweak' this according to your team.
One other thing - always consider keeping your wide midfielders 'forward' for corners presuming they're fast/good dribblers - it'll help you break should you manage to get posession quickly (generally you'll find they'll stand 'wider' of the center than if you keep a striker forward and as such they'll have a bit more space to recieve the ball because defenders staying back will intentionally tend to stay central (which is sensible as it ensure they can block the route to goal).

[Marc Vaughan]

So I have read a few people talking about corner kicks scoring too frequently. Has anyone heard when the first patch will be out?

There was a 'day of release' update which contained a few tweaks and obviously we'll release further patches as required .... although tbh I haven't seen many issues with corners myself (apart from possible the default defensive tactic for humans being a little 'weak' for my side, not sure if its a problem with others though as I haven't tested it on other teams yet*).

*In my defense I'm not in SI QA and not 'active' in developing FM PC/Mac these days

[DaddyTorgo]

So I continued on my demo game (will play it till the first patch I guess).

Won the league handily with Juventus in the first year (95pts with the runner up a good 20pts behind) thanks to a 29W-8D-1L season and a 86GF/26GA performance (swear to god I didn't save/reload at all). And actually, the one game I lost was mid-season when I gave my guys a breather against a provincial side and paid for it...wasn't expecting to have a chance at undefeated or anything so I wasn't even thinking about it.

So of course, in expectation of Champions League football I went out during the offseason and spent my $20mil to bring in 16! new players (given, 8 of those were youth guys who aren't going to sniff the first team who were brought in on frees). I knew 16 was too many and was likely to cause problems, so I scheduled some extra friendly tours (China and somewhere else).

And in my first 2 CL games...I got smoked by Arsenal at Home, and Benfica away. Finally managed to get the campaign off on the right foot with a 7-0 drubbing of poor Twente, and we'll see if I can't get points away at the Emirates and have results go my way in order to sneak an advance.

Frustrating. Ah well, at least my league campaign seems to be off to a good start at 6-1-1. Although with a loss already I doubt I'll be as good as last year.

I don't say this to boast or anything. More to say that (as I mentioned to Foz) I'm finding transfers more realistic - at least initially. Maybe it's the AI, maybe it's the way I'm playing, maybe it's the scouting and the visibility of players in the world, but to have $20mil to spend and to be able to bring in 6 guys of roughly 2.5-3 star ability for depth just sounds like...right. Some on very short money because they're old...some younger, some out of nowhere types. And a couple young free transfers of talented guys (Vladi Weiss and Yaya Sanogo) who might be useful this year (although Sanogo has missed several clear-cut chances so far and needs a run in the reserves...Weiss was good enough in friendlies that I loaned Krasic away and gave him the starting spot).

[path12]

Do any of you ever play with fictional names? Does this make it more of a challenge (because you don't already know who the great players are)? Or does it really go against the true intent of taking an established team and making them champions...

I always go fictional. For me it makes it more interesting to discover who is good rather than already know.

[whomario]

i allways planned to try a fictional game, but never could bring myself to do it. If i want to go the "i don´t know stuff" route i start in a country or league i´m not familiar and still can get a kick out of facing the big names when playing against them :) And even though i have decent real-life-soccer-knowledge it isn´t stellar anymore and so every year i play FM and every year 90% of the players i buy are still unknown to me IRL.

as for Corners : I allways felt that setting up 1 certain way to play them was a tiny bit boring and have it on mixed for variety.

But for positioning i have :

- 1 player near post stand/flick (player with decent heading, preferably a striker because of rebounds where he´s then better suited than a defender)
- 1 player attack near post (strongest heading player, often a CB)
- 1 player attack far post (2nd strongest header)
- 1 player on edge of area (good long range shooter)

i also often have someone "attack ball from deep".

defensively like Marc i also found that it´s very effective to have a wide midfielder up front (since i mostly play with 2 attacking wingers that works well) and in adition tell your best playmaker/passer to stay on the edge of the area, in most cases he´s a bad header anyway but can do wonders for the counter attack.

[SirFozzie]

Warning: Here's an issue you'll need to resolve yourself before the first patch is out:

The default GK training schedule has no Positioning training in it. So, if you use the default, then your GK will get slightly worse at Positioning over time (it's bad but it affects CPU teams as well as yours, so it's equal effects)

[jbergey22]

There was a 'day of release' update which contained a few tweaks and obviously we'll release further patches as required .... although tbh I haven't seen many issues with corners myself (apart from possible the default defensive tactic for humans being a little 'weak' for my side, not sure if its a problem with others though as I haven't tested it on other teams yet*).

*In my defense I'm not in SI QA and not 'active' in developing FM PC/Mac these days

Ok thanks Marc,

I was reading about it in one particular thread in the SI forums and I seen it mentioned here so I thought it might be an issue. I will presume that it was just a small sample size issue.

[illinifan999]

How do you install kits? I swear I go through this every version. You'd have thought I'd remember by now.

[whomario]

How do you install kits? I swear I go through this every version. You'd have thought I'd remember by now.

it´s C/User/documents/sports interactive/FM2012 and then there you have to create a folder called "graphics" and in that folder create one called "kits"

normally i´m not one for graphical updates but i admittedly have installed club logos for the first time ever and have to admit it makes the game a lot slicker looking :D

[DaddyTorgo]

it´s C/User/documents/sports interactive/FM2012 and then there you have to create a folder called "graphics" and in that folder create one called "kits"

normally i´m not one for graphical updates but i admittedly have installed club logos for the first time ever and have to admit it makes the game a lot slicker looking :D

Oh so it's "kits" and not "logos" ? Maybe that's why my motherfucking logos weren't showing up. I'm a doofus too sometimes.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Just got a 22.6 MB update on Steam. Assuming it's the first patch and not a roster upgrade.

[jbergey22]

Oh so it's "kits" and not "logos" ? Maybe that's why my motherfucking logos weren't showing up. I'm a doofus too sometimes.

This is easily the hardest sim I have ever purchased for installing mods. I think they tried to make it simple but it ends up just being more confusing.

I messed around 2-3 hours before I got the logos to take and my logo folder isnt called "kits"

[whomario]

Oh so it's "kits" and not "logos" ? Maybe that's why my motherfucking logos weren't showing up. I'm a doofus too sometimes.

there´s kits and logos available, if you downloaded logos than "logos" it is ;)

you also in game have to go to preferences ---> display/sound and there untick "use skin cache" and tick "allways reload skin on confirm" !

Maybe it´s this ?

[Coffee Warlord]

So what's the verdict, kids?

Buy now or wait till the first (big) patch?

[DaddyTorgo]

there´s kits and logos available, if you downloaded logos than "logos" it is ;)

you also in game have to go to preferences ---> display/sound and there untick "use skin cache" and tick "allways reload skin on confirm" !

Maybe it´s this ?

LOL...nope...I did all this. My facepack showed up just fine...for some reason the logos haven't though.

[whomario]

did you leave the file structure of the logos intact ? (folders for "europe" "africa" , "competitions" etc ?)

[DaddyTorgo]

did you leave the file structure of the logos intact ? (folders for "europe" "africa" , "competitions" etc ?)

Pretty sure. Maybe I ought to check that. I didn't mess with the internal file structure of it at all.

Ah no. See...somebody cocked that up it looks like.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

So what's the verdict, kids?

Buy now or wait till the first (big) patch?

I haven't seen many issues at all thus far. Initial build is awfully good.

[whomario]

i´ve admittedly only played matches so far and little else (german national team), but those are looking sweet. Allready had a few moves that made me go "oh wow" and it looks more cohesive/variable than last year. Maybe i´m delusional here, but hey ;)

And that´s 2D, glad they never wavered in their commitment to it as the backbone and 3D being merely a different way of showing the game engine rather than changing it.

[TroyF]

If you are playing on a widescreen monitor or use high res, there is a terrific add on at the SI forums. It's an extended panel for the game. On one screen you can see name, positions, best position, nationaility, age, value, ability and potential, condition, morale and stats.

It's not a big d/l and I'd share it if I could, but my internet is painful at uploads. I highly advise it for anyone on a bigger monitor.

[markprior22]

Questions about youth teams...

1) Do I need to do anything for these teams? I've got my hands full just taking care of the senior team and am hoping the youth teams are being handled by the AI

2) Are the youth teams used similar to minor leagues in baseball (i.e. getting called up to the senior team)? Can someone tell me more about how the youth teams are used?


Thanks

[markprior22]

Another question....what is the first team coach? I have an assistant coach and youth coaches but no first team coaches. AI recommends five. Any particular skills I should be looking for at this position?

[DaddyTorgo]

LOL - so it looks like my logos have been working all along - although I never noticed them change.

[TroyF]

markprior,

Your youth coaches control the youth teams. You will want to look for mentors for the really good young players. You can also put them on specific training schedules as well. (or d/l training schedules, the '11 ones work with '12. FM Scout is a good options there as well as the si forums)

First team coaches only impact the first team, not the youth squad. So the "working with youngsters" rating isn't as critical. Look for coaches who have high motivation and discipline mental traits and then look for their best coaching trait (attacking, defending, tactics, technical, etc.)

Your baseball analogy is good, with one huge difference. The youth teams practice with the senior squad, so if you wanted Chris Carpenter to help out the kid in A ball, he could do it right there on the field. I played the game for 4 years before I realized how huge mentors were. Don't make my mistake. Pair up talented youth with your talented, character guys and they will develop faster.

[pbot]

Pair up talented youth with your talented, character guys and they will develop faster.

Is there something specific that needs to be done here...or do you mean make sure you have some good character veterans at those positions and they will automatically mentor the young players?

[TroyF]

Is there something specific that needs to be done here...or do you mean make sure you have some good character veterans at those positions and they will automatically mentor the young players?

You need to go to the player interaction screen of the player you want to be the mentor. Select development and then tutor. A drop down list of players who this player can mentor will pop up. You then have a conversation with both players to start the mentoring.

A couple of quick points. . .

The player who is getting mentored should be worse than the older player.

Your goal is to get close personality types if you can. Having a driven plyer with a light hearted player is not usually going to work out and can actually cause a locker room riff.

Save before you start your conversation with the mentor. Eac guy takes better to different type of ways and tones to Menotti. Play around with it a bit to get comfortable with it.

[TroyF]

You need to go to the player interaction screen of the player you want to be the mentor. Select development and then tutor. A drop down list of players who this player can mentor will pop up. You then have a conversation with both players to start the mentoring.

A couple of quick points. . .

The player who is getting mentored should be worse than the older player.

Your goal is to get close personality types if you can. Having a driven plyer with a light hearted player is not usually going to work out and can actually cause a locker room riff.

Save before you start your conversation with the mentor. Eac guy takes better to different type of ways and tones to Menotti. Play around with it a bit to get comfortable with it.


Marc and any of the other vets, if I am missing anything here, please let me know. I feel like I am still learning things about the game after thousands of hours into it. I do not want to lead new players astray.

[DaddyTorgo]

Found a couple early training schedules done up by guys.

FM2012 Training Schedules | FMScout (http://www.fmscout.com/c-training12.html)

[Big Fo]

I just messed around with the editor briefly. I really hope the new field for Random ID will help end my problems with Unique ID conflicts in situations where I want to begin a universe with multiple new national/continental rules.

For example: I plan on creating a new American league system without all the annoying MLS rules that are too difficult for SI to make work correctly. This worked fine in FM 11. But I also want to revamp the North American competition rules, adding a secondary competition similar to the Europa League/Copa Sudamericana. This would not work for me in FM 11 since all new competitions (in new rules files) would be assigned the same new Unique ID. I am hoping the purpose of this new Random ID is to make such conflicts extremely unlikely (with it being a randomly generated 9 digit number).

[henry296]

Another question....what is the first team coach? I have an assistant coach and youth coaches but no first team coaches. AI recommends five. Any particular skills I should be looking for at this position?

Personally, I just hire coaches and they work with both first team and youth players.

[pbot]

You need to go to the player interaction screen of the player you want to be the mentor. Select development and then tutor. A drop down list of players who this player can mentor will pop up. You then have a conversation with both players to start the mentoring.

....


Thanks. I had no idea about that.

[bhlloy]

Personally, I just hire coaches and they work with both first team and youth players.

I have to admit this is one area where FM hasn't quite nailed the realism yet. If I get to a lower league club and they have 6 youth coaches already on the books, I should at least be able to keep them around (this is the setup that most lower league clubs in the UK have, they are academy coaches but FM treats them all as youth coaches) and not have them count towards my coach limit.

It sucks having to pay 50-100k in termination fees to a bunch of scrubs so I can rehire some decent first team coaches, because I have a coach limit of 4 but I started the game with 10.

And yeah, I agree with Henry. Unless you are at a big time club (big enough to have 10+ coaches so you basically have a completely separate youth setup) you don't want to be messing around with the youth and first team designations, it will kill your training setup.

[DaddyTorgo]

I have to admit this is one area where FM hasn't quite nailed the realism yet. If I get to a lower league club and they have 6 youth coaches already on the books, I should at least be able to keep them around (this is the setup that most lower league clubs in the UK have, they are academy coaches but FM treats them all as youth coaches) and not have them count towards my coach limit.

It sucks having to pay 50-100k in termination fees to a bunch of scrubs so I can rehire some decent first team coaches, because I have a coach limit of 4 but I started the game with 10.

And yeah, I agree with Henry. Unless you are at a big time club (big enough to have 10+ coaches so you basically have a completely separate youth setup) you don't want to be messing around with the youth and first team designations, it will kill your training setup.

This has changed - now you can offer mutual termination for no fee on the first day you arrive at the club to clean out your coaches you don't want.

[bhlloy]

This has changed - now you can offer mutual termination for no fee on the first day you arrive at the club to clean out your coaches you don't want.

Not in the game I'm playing right now, unless I simmed a day by mistake?

[DaddyTorgo]

Not in the game I'm playing right now, unless I simmed a day by mistake?

You must have. I'm pretty sure it even tells you that you can once you take over the team...it's in that whole like..."package" of "new team emails"

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Anyone know where the check box is to allow your assistant to control friendlies? Can't seem to find it in any of the options menus that I've seen thus far.

[MrBug708]

Team Name --> Team Policy

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Team Name --> Team Policy

Thanks Bug.

[TroyF]

Not in the game I'm playing right now, unless I simmed a day by mistake?

Yep, you must have. Any coach will accept mutual termination on the first day. One of the "hints" on the game says that is for the first day at any job, so I'm assuming if you switch jobs the same rules would apply at the new one.

[bhlloy]

They have always accepted it for as long as I can remember (for at least the first month actually), but I'm sure I still got charged the 50% of their remaining contract like it was last year. I'm going in game now to check.

[bhlloy]

eck, I guess the inbox doesn't go back that far. If you say it's so, it must be so. Doesn't change the fact that it's a workaround but it's not really how youth/academy coaching is set up in real life. Nitpicking of course.

[klayman]

Marc and any of the other vets, if I am missing anything here, please let me know. I feel like I am still learning things about the game after thousands of hours into it. I do not want to lead new players astray.

The main attributes that are benefited during mentoring are mental, specifically determination. The youngster will also pick up some or all of the PPMs of the mentor. Therefore you want to match a mentor to a player by 1)position, 2)determination (the mentor needs to have a higher determination, or the youngsters determination will drop. With respect to this, my EPL team for example will have no mentors with a determination <15), 3)the mentor should have PPMs that you want to pass on, 4)compatible personality types. (I'll also throw same languages into here. I always make sure the mentor can speak one of the languages the youngster can, but I'm not sure if this modeled)

The mental part is key. This is where your youngster is going to make improvements during the mentoring. If he already has a high determination, high work rate and high teamwork, mentoring isn't going to do much for his development (depending on your level of play, EPL >15 for example). It will provide the youngster with PPMs and comradeship (a successful mentoring will list the manager and the mentor as favorite personal) but the risks outweigh the rewards for a player with already developed mental attributes (unsuccessful pairings can lead to morale drops, dislike among the players and between the manager, and disharmony in the dressing room).

What you don't want is to take your local headcase and have him mentor a bunch of youth players, otherwise you'll soon have a team of headcases. Once the youngster has developed sufficient mental skills, his development will be aided by playing games, either on loan or at the club. With all other things being equal (youth facilities, playing time, etc), youngsters with a higher determination will reach their full potential more often than youngsters with lower determination.

(this information is based on the previous versions of the game, although I don't suspect much has changed)

[Marc Vaughan]

Marc and any of the other vets, if I am missing anything here, please let me know. I feel like I am still learning things about the game after thousands of hours into it. I do not want to lead new players astray.

You did well covering things generally and klayman covered the risks of having 'unprofessional' role-models ...

One final word of warning with personality types, clashing types is obviously detrimental at times BUT if someone if young and has a negative personality then having him work with more professional players can help him change his attitude sometimes (if he doesn't implode ;) ) ...

Also having two people with really unprofessional attitudes work together is basically asking them to bunk off for a quiet drink rather than do anything ;)

Finally also consider what you're planning to do with the tutor going forward if he's an older player, if you make your starlet striker a friend of his and then release the tutor at the end of season that might not go down too well ....

[whomario]

I think i found a first bug or at least a poor design choice : When giving the general team talk before the game you never get a reaction from any of the player, only when doing it individually.
However, at half time and after the game it happens with general team talks.

[DaddyTorgo]

I think i found a first bug or at least a poor design choice : When giving the general team talk before the game you never get a reaction from any of the player, only when doing it individually.
However, at half time and after the game it happens with general team talks.

I noticed this too - I found it very weird.

What's the deal with that?

[riz]

I think i found a first bug or at least a poor design choice : When giving the general team talk before the game you never get a reaction from any of the player, only when doing it individually.
However, at half time and after the game it happens with general team talks.

You can actually get reactions from the overall team talk in the pre-match stage already, but it is rarer than in the other stages of the match when the players have more things from the match to assess with the team talk.

[DaddyTorgo]

You can actually get reactions from the overall team talk in the pre-match stage already, but it is rarer than in the other stages of the match when the players have more things from the match to assess with the team talk.

I get one or maybe two guys motivated, but that's about it.

Does that maybe mean that my team is highly professional and doesn't want a pre-match talk?

[Blade6119]

Minor feature that I may be missing, but if its not in the game I would love implemented. When i do a player search, I wish I could filter out all players I have a scouting report on, and only see players I have yet to scout. Maybe that feature is already there, but being able to search only players I havent already looked at should be an easy yet helpful filter

[TroyF]

I'm in late January in my start. I decided to keep the Wilshire injury in the game. I splashed some cash, but reasonable targets, no Hazard or Hulk or Gotze.

Wilshire should be ready in another month. (another 2 weeks out and then some reserve games before I throw him in action)

The EPL race is ridiculous. After 22 games:

ManU 49 points
Arsenal 48 points
Liverpool 47 points
Man City 47 points
Chelsea 45 points
Tottenheim 41 points

The top five all have goal differentials within 3 of each other.

I survived a run in late December of ties against Norwitch City, QPR and Wigan. (ugh) Too many wasted points. I think that will come back and bite me in the ass.

I also think I'm due for the big injury. Van Persie has stayed healthy the entire year. I've monitored his games and his minutes closely. The result has been 20 games, 18 goals and 7 assists.

I know I'm playing with house money at this point. When does he go down and how much is it going to kill me when he does?

His contract will be up the following year, I'm in between a rock and a hard place. Keep him and pray I can keep him somewhat healthy? Or take the 30+ million and try to find talent that can actually stay healthy?

I'll worry about that in the offseason I suppose.

[DaddyTorgo]

I'm in late January in my start. I decided to keep the Wilshire injury in the game. I splashed some cash, but reasonable targets, no Hazard or Hulk or Gotze.

Wilshire should be ready in another month. (another 2 weeks out and then some reserve games before I throw him in action)

The EPL race is ridiculous. After 22 games:

ManU 49 points
Arsenal 48 points
Liverpool 47 points
Man City 47 points
Chelsea 45 points
Tottenheim 41 points

The top five all have goal differentials within 3 of each other.

I survived a run in late December of ties against Norwitch City, QPR and Wigan. (ugh) Too many wasted points. I think that will come back and bite me in the ass.

I also think I'm due for the big injury. Van Persie has stayed healthy the entire year. I've monitored his games and his minutes closely. The result has been 20 games, 18 goals and 7 assists.

I know I'm playing with house money at this point. When does he go down and how much is it going to kill me when he does?

His contract will be up the following year, I'm in between a rock and a hard place. Keep him and pray I can keep him somewhat healthy? Or take the 30+ million and try to find talent that can actually stay healthy?

I'll worry about that in the offseason I suppose.


I vote ditch him. More fun to find new talent then to stick with the names you know - unless its a special favorite player.

[sovereignstar v2]

How do you install kits? I swear I go through this every version. You'd have thought I'd remember by now.

it´s C/User/documents/sports interactive/FM2012 and then there you have to create a folder called "graphics" and in that folder create one called "kits"

normally i´m not one for graphical updates but i admittedly have installed club logos for the first time ever and have to admit it makes the game a lot slicker looking :D

Oh so it's "kits" and not "logos" ? Maybe that's why my motherfucking logos weren't showing up. I'm a doofus too sometimes.

The folders can be named whatever you want - it does NOT matter. They just have to be in the user data folder. The naming and structure is totally up to you.

[TroyF]

Looking forward to finishing off this crazy season tomorrow.

I was bounced out of the CL by Udinese. The league is simply insane.

The top four teams all have 72 points. The fifth place team has 69.

Man U (number 1), me (number 2) and Tottenham (number 5) have a game in hand over Chelsea and Man City (3 and 4)

After the game in hand is played, there will be 4 games left for everyone. So I could be celebrating an EPL title or I could be looking at the Europa league all based off what happens over the next five games.

I play at West Brom (16th in the table), home against Sunderland (#8), at Wigan (15th), home against Man City and home against Swansea (20th)

All can be won, but any slip ups and I'm in bad shape.

[SackAttack]

Looking forward to finishing off this crazy season tomorrow.

I was bounced out of the CL by Udinese. The league is simply insane.

The top four teams all have 72 points. The fifth place team has 69.

Man U (number 1), me (number 2) and Tottenham (number 5) have a game in hand over Chelsea and Man City (3 and 4)

After the game in hand is played, there will be 4 games left for everyone. So I could be celebrating an EPL title or I could be looking at the Europa league all based off what happens over the next five games.

I play at West Brom (16th in the table), home against Sunderland (#8), at Wigan (15th), home against Man City and home against Swansea (20th)

All can be won, but any slip ups and I'm in bad shape.

Go Baggies!

[MrBug708]

In my game, the Baggies were taken over by a Chinese billionaire

[MrBug708]

Just had three EPL games scheduled in three straight days in december. I'm pretty sure that is a scheduling bug?

[Blackadar]

I always go fictional. For me it makes it more interesting to discover who is good rather than already know.

I love the FM series, but I follow the real game so little that everyone might as well be a fictional player!

I tried the demo again and went back to 2011. I still don't see enough in 2012 to justify the price. But I'm enjoying the hell out of my Brisbane Roar FC, though the huge offer I just received to take over Blackpool is very, very tempting.

For those who are reading this thread and are FM virgins, they need to go buy it and dive right in!!!

[Icy]

After a first save attempt with my hometown team, i have decided to start over. I'm too attached to my hometown players as i see playing them in real life every other weekend and as stupid as it sounds, i feel bad when i cut somebody etc. :D

For the new start, i have decided to do a journeyman save, to become the next Mourinho, not feeling bad about leaving a team to improve my own fame and reputation.

I have started from the very bottom, unemployed and without reputation. Had to wait until November to be offered a job and it was from the bottom team of the bottom league in UK, a semi-profesional team founded in 2008 called Nuneaton, a team that had yet to win a game after 12 weeks, with no money to sign new players and the huge amount of 200 ticket holders!

Now this is a challenge!

[Epi_862]

Is there something im not getting? This has happened MULTIPLE times with my Newport Co game.

A player is mad, wants to get out of the club, i offer him to other clubs for free, no one wants him, so i offer a mutual termination...

And the player gets fucking mad?

What?

[Icy]

Have not seen it in the thread, so here it goes:

The unofficial FM12 guide, 286 pages of FM wisdom totally free (they accept donations):

The Unofficial FM12 Guide - FM-View (http://www.fm-view.com/fm12-guide.html)


It's 286 pages packed to the gills with knowledge, screenshots, and general information. Designed for both first time players and experts with years of experience, the Guide is your tool for truely understanding all facets of Football Manager 2012. Written by the staff of FM-View, the Guide is 100% free. That's right - no payments, no "premium content" - just straight knowledge comming to you in a tight little package. 100's of hours of research have resulted in the Guide being as through as possible - but do not think that this is over - far from it, in fact.

The Guide is intended to be ammended, and supported by other articles covering a range of topics. New formations, tactics, and styles of play will allow us to add to the Guide to make it as complete as humanly possible. And, as with everything FM-View does - those too will be 100% free.

Bet you are wondering what this 286 page beast of a Guide actually contains - well, here's a peek into the Guide's inner workings:

Introduction
Pre-Game Setup
Taking On A New Job

The Tactical Framework
Definition Of Terms
Formations
The 4-4-2
The 4-5-1
The Back Three
Asymmetrical Formations
Philosophy
Strategy
Positions
Roles
Duties
Positional Analysis
Set Pieces
Touchline Instructions
Advanced Concepts In Pre-Game Tactics

Development
Friendly Matches
Backroom Staff
The Assistant Manager
Coaches
Training
Building A Scouting Network
The Physiotherapy Department
Youth Development

Morale
The Importance of Morale
Team Talks

Negotiations
Buying Players
Free Agent Signings
Loans
Contracts
Agents
Agent Offers

Media & Interactions
Press Conferences
New Job Conferences
New Signing Conferences
Pre & Post Game Interviews
Mind Games
Player Interactions
Player Absences
Board Room Interactions
Stadium Issues

GFX & Downloads
How To Install Graphics
The Ultimate XML Guide

[PraetorianX]

Hey, SI rolled out an update. Very small, only like 40 some MB. Fixes the keeper position training bug and a couple of other small things.

Very good SI, very good.

[Marc Vaughan]

Hey, SI rolled out an update. Very small, only like 40 some MB. Fixes the keeper position training bug and a couple of other small things.

Very good SI, very good.

As with all our products we'll sporadically roll up updates as warranted ... and sneak in a few new oddities now and again :D

[RainMaker]

Have not seen it in the thread, so here it goes:

The unofficial FM12 guide, 286 pages of FM wisdom totally free (they accept donations):

The Unofficial FM12 Guide - FM-View (http://www.fm-view.com/fm12-guide.html)
I've been looking for something like this for years. Thank you for posting it. Going to donate some money to them too.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Is there something im not getting? This has happened MULTIPLE times with my Newport Co game.

A player is mad, wants to get out of the club, i offer him to other clubs for free, no one wants him, so i offer a mutual termination...

And the player gets fucking mad?

What?
Wouldn't a mutual termination pay him less than the balance of his contract? Then he'd be unemployed on top of that? I think the idea of the pay cut is making the player mad.

[MrBug708]

So I'm the three time defending champion in the EPL and I've never won Manager of the Month

[Icy]

So I'm the three time defending champion in the EPL and I've never won Manager of the Month

They know it's your (future) wife who decide the team lineups for you.

[SirFozzie]

Just a reminder, to check the directory C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\football manager 2012\data\db\1200\lnc\all for the lnc files, they reappear after just about every patch (minor or major), so you may have to re-delete them every once ina while if you want to unlock teams etcetera

[Shepp]

As with all our products we'll sporadically roll up updates as warranted ... and sneak in a few new oddities now and again :D

Since FM has gone Steam exclusive this year, does this mean that SI are going to roll out patches as needed instead of one big patch in December and another in February, as in past years?

It really seams like this years FM doesn't have any of the big issues that usualy linger around until the third patch. The GK training but was the biggest that I had seen. I've been shocked to go over to the SI board and not see every other thread saying "SI is the devil!" or "I want my money back!"

[Epi_862]

So does the squad status thongy (key player, backup, ect.) have any actual tangible effect after the contract is signed?

[Pumpy Tudors]

So does the squad status thongy (key player, backup, ect.) have any actual tangible effect after the contract is signed?
Yes, that persists. It's how you tell a player what his role on the team is. If you keep telling a guy that he is a key player but you stop putting him in the lineup, he's going to get pretty pissed off. If you tell him beforehand that he's a rotation or backup player, he probably won't be happy about it at first, but it won't come as a shock when he doesn't see as much game action anymore.

That also makes me think that if you offer mutual termination to a "key player", he would probably blow his top.

[Epi_862]

Yes, that persists. It's how you tell a player what his role on the team is. If you keep telling a guy that he is a key player but you stop putting him in the lineup, he's going to get pretty pissed off. If you tell him beforehand that he's a rotation or backup player, he probably won't be happy about it at first, but it won't come as a shock when he doesn't see as much game action anymore.

That also makes me think that if you offer mutual termination to a "key player", he would probably blow his top.

Thanks. Better start keeping tabs on them more closely.

[whomario]

Steam tells me, that "This game is currently unavailable"

:confused:

I knew i shouldn´t have let windows update.

edit : I don´t freaking want to update all my drivers like steam suggests, especially since my laptop goes wonky with the latest graphic drivers (flickering on the screen)... And every other game works i have on steam, including FM11. And did i mention that i shouldn´t have to update drivers that were clearly working just 24 hours ago ? Shouldn´t the engine be able to tell what exactly is the problem ? "This game is currently unavailable" my ass ...

[whomario]

ok, if anyone else is getting this : Open steam, right click on Football Manager 2012 ---- > Properties ----> local files ----> verify integrity of cache

then update goes and/or steam downloads some other stuff. If it still doesn´t work, do it again. Rinse and repeat. Had to do it 4 times but now it works.

[MrBug708]

They know it's your (future) wife who decide the team lineups for you.

Close, my Assman does that for me

[Atocep]

I'm a FM noob and I'm looking for some advice on what to do with a player.

I took over Chelmsford after they fired their manager near the end of the 12/13 season. Before start of the my 1st full season with the club I signed a 17 year old midfielder with huge upside on a free transfer. He's developed much better and faster than I expected. His assessed value after I signed him was $200k and now at the start of his 2nd season with the team (we were promoted to Blue Square Premier) his assessed value has gone up to $290k. He's now 18, he's the best player on my team, probably one of the top 2-3 midfielders in Blue Square Premier, and I have him signed for the remainder of this season and one more.

There's no way I'm going to be able to afford him after next season and he's my best player right now. My club isn't in the greatest shape financially, but is financially stable. Valued at $650k, $3.8 million in debt (they decided to build a new stadium which opens after this season), and about $300k cash sitting around.

I seriously doubt I could get promoted again this season, but I do think next season would be realistic possibility. His contract is up after next season though and right now my budget is around $8.5k per week on players so, like I said, there's no way I'm going to be able to resign this kid.

I honestly don't know what to do with a young player this talented at this level on a club this small. I've never had anyone close to him honestly.

[MrBug708]

Sell him and attach a 50% future fee to him.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Since FM has gone Steam exclusive this year, does this mean that SI are going to roll out patches as needed instead of one big patch in December and another in February, as in past years?
The answer to this question determines whether I buy this game in October or in February.

[Shepp]

The answer to this question determines whether I buy this game in October or in February.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[markprior22]

How does the game update? I started the game through Steam but didn't get any notices, downloads, etc. I'll try the cache suggestion above but I would like to know what process occurs when a Steam game gets updated.

[Ryan S]

How does the game update? I started the game through Steam but didn't get any notices, downloads, etc. I'll try the cache suggestion above but I would like to know what process occurs when a Steam game gets updated.

Steam updates are usually performed in the background, the only notification you usually get is a popup when the update has downloaded and maybe an update in the recent news area.

[EagleFan]

Question from an outsider looking in...

Is there enough of a difference between 11 and 12 to justify the upgrade for someone that is not a hardcore soccer guy. I enjoy the hell out of 11 and love messing with the formations and strategy though I admit that I don't know enough to really know what I am doing, but having fun anyway.

I don't know enough about all the players and leagues to know if there are major flaws in the way the games play out but watching a game play out in FM is one of the most enjoyable experiences that I have had in computer gaming. Sadly, it has almost ruined me on watching soccer as I would rather watch a match play out in FM over watching anything but only the highest level of soccer being played (it is hard for me to watch the MLS as I don't find it as entertaining as a game of FM).

Are there enough reasons to jump to the new version?


Right about now would be the time for me to as I switched to a new laptop so I have to start from scratch for a new career on 11 anyway.



To be honest, the only thing that would keep me from jumping to the next version would be if it gets more complicated. Since I lucked into getting 11 (thanks to the greatest secret santa ever :) ) I am leaning towards making the jump and really only major bugs or changes which over-complicate the game would keep me from making the jump.


(I think I almost talked myself into it while typing this post)

[DaddyTorgo]

Not really anymore "complicated" - although the addition of "tone" to team talks and conversations makes them more nuanced and difficult. But personally I think that's a hell of a lot more realistic...

[Sweed]

I think in game action looks a lot more realistic, especially action in the box. The whole thing just seems tighter to me. Goalkeeper passing\distribution, and through balls are much improved, IMHO. Missed shots make sense to me now compared to previous versions where "the game engine makes a missed shot but the graphic display of it just isn't as real looking as it should be". Maybe others don't see it the same way I do but end to end I find viewing a match is so much better in 12.

There are little things like pop-up boxes showing all of a players attributes by mousing over a little "i" icon next to his name. Love this feature when setting up tactics or making opposition instructions during a game. Hell, they are even in the widget boxes on your TV view during a match.

DT has touched on the team talks. Also included in the talks are being able to address each tier of your team IE a message to just your defenders, midfielders, or attackers.

It's all subjective and maybe to you it wouldn't be worth $40. As for me I'm happy with spending the cash and find the upgrade worth the price. If you haven't tried the demo it would be a good way to see new features in action. Of course you could always wait for a sale on Steam, I would think they would be $29 around Christmas.

[TroyF]

Some questions here:

1) I've never had an issue pop up because I've always been careful about designating too many first team contracts, but how many games does first team mean? It it 100% for key, 75% for first team, 50% for rotation, 25% for backup? What games count in this?

2) Do the hidden attributes change. Like consistency and big matches ratings?

3) What constitutes a big game. In my last save I wrote about the congestion at the top of the league. It's week 35, I'm playing West Brom, I lose and I'm likely out of the title race. Does the engine know that's a big game or is it only rival games and championship games?

[DaddyTorgo]

Some questions here:

1) I've never had an issue pop up because I've always been careful about designating too many first team contracts, but how many games does first team mean? It it 100% for key, 75% for first team, 50% for rotation, 25% for backup? What games count in this?

2) Do the hidden attributes change. Like consistency and big matches ratings?

3) What constitutes a big game. In my last save I wrote about the congestion at the top of the league. It's week 35, I'm playing West Brom, I lose and I'm likely out of the title race. Does the engine know that's a big game or is it only rival games and championship games?

For #1 - I'd imagine it depends on the player.

[RPI-Fan]

Umm, you can easily transfer your save game from your old laptop to your new one.

[Big Fo]

I'm not sure what counts as a big game really. I just assumed it meant derbies, cup finals (and maybe semifinals), and games down the stretch when you're competing for a league title. Maybe I'm wrong.

[DaddyTorgo]

I really want to start my longterm savegame.

[SirFozzie]

I want Mario Balotelli mode, where players randomly burn down their house with fireworks, score a goal in the League Cup, lift your uniform to reveal a top that reads "Why Always Me?", have their mum send them to a shop to get an iron, and come back with a trampoline, a Scalextric, two Vespas and a ping pong table, and then while out on a shopping date with his mega hot GF, get caught leafing through a porno mag.

(yes, all these things happened to Mario this month)

[sovereignstar v2]

I want Mario Balotelli mode, where players randomly burn down their house with fireworks, score a goal in the League Cup, lift your uniform to reveal a top that reads "Why Always Me?", have their mum send them to a shop to get an iron, and come back with a trampoline, a Scalextric, two Vespas and a ping pong table, and then while out on a shopping date with his mega hot GF, get caught leafing through a porno mag.

(yes, all these things happened to Mario this month)

You get to date this too...

http://images1.gossipcenter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_header/photos/raffaella-fico-crs-new-gf.jpg

[SirFozzie]

yes, that is the GF he was out with when photographed leafing through a porno mag.

As I said elsewhere "Dude! you have Filet mignon right next to you in real life, why would you look at pictures of steak in a magazine?"

[EagleFan]

You get to date this too...

http://images1.gossipcenter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_header/photos/raffaella-fico-crs-new-gf.jpg

I believe that I hate that man.... or am extremely jealous of him.

[MrBug708]

haha...found out why I dont win any manager awards. Because I quick sim games, my Assman has been getting the nod.

[MrBug708]

Just had a 7-7 tie in the 4th round of the FA Cup against the 11th place Championship team. They scored four goals against a grey-out GK in the last 20 minutes of the game. I had a goal disallowed in 2 minutes of stoppage time

[jbergey22]

Just had a 7-7 tie in the 4th round of the FA Cup against the 11th place Championship team. They scored four goals against a grey-out GK in the last 20 minutes of the game. I had a goal disallowed in 2 minutes of stoppage time

You should send out your tactics. Call it "Fun and Gun" soccer tactics by Mr Bug. :)

[Epi_862]

Just want to answer to the non-soccer-fan who asked if 12 is worth it - yes it is. The scouting (which is my favorite part) is miles better and more... i guess logical now. Player interaction is miles better. Its just an all around better game. All the additions this year really make it great.

And also, im now going into my third season with newport co., and just got promoted to npower 2. This fucking game has taken every free minute i have had this week. Even skipped gym 2 times. It's seriously un-fucking-healthy good. And i hate to admit it, but im hooked. Hopefully getting my ass handed to me npower 2 tames the addiction a bit.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Funny story. Went to 'Tony & Tina's Wedding' while out here in Vegas. Sat next to a couple who was from Southampton. First thing I said was 'don't they have a soccer team?'. He gave me a full update on the team and how they were doing. Said they were leading the division just below Premiership and were hoping a promotion was in the works. He was impressed how much I knew about English soccer. All because of this game. :)

[DaddyTorgo]

Getting antsy to start my long-term game, but I started a game as River Plate in Argentina last night before I crashed. Gave myself Argentine/Italian heritage so that maybe I move abroad to Europe at some point in the future.

Kind of want to wait another month or so to make sure the game is ironed out and ready for my long-term game.

[bulletsponge]

Just want to answer to the non-soccer-fan who asked if 12 is worth it - yes it is. The scouting (which is my favorite part) is miles better and more... i guess logical now. Player interaction is miles better. Its just an all around better game. All the additions this year really make it great.

And also, im now going into my third season with newport co., and just got promoted to npower 2. This fucking game has taken every free minute i have had this week. Even skipped gym 2 times. It's seriously un-fucking-healthy good. And i hate to admit it, but im hooked. Hopefully getting my ass handed to me npower 2 tames the addiction a bit.

i got news for ya, getting your ass kicked just makes you want to come back for revenge. the harder the game is, the more addictive it is

[Tim Tellean]

In case you hadn't seen this before.

Football Manager Guide | Ultimate Tactics & Strategy Walkthrough (http://footballmanagerguide.com/)

<center>Have your squad playing beautiful football in FM
Explore and dominate the game like never before!</center> Stop navigating blindly through countless confusing game features and your frustration at seeing inconsistent results - now you can learn the game inside and out with the biggest and most comprehensive strategy manual ever created for the Football Manager series.

The Ultimate FM Walkthrough Guide (http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=EJTjw&m=3g9kTHPDd75YRY7&b=TJc5fk5XpmsMy2Ytbu2PWg) tackles all the features and is a veritable step-by-step strategy for success from past FM beta testers in all facets of the game including tactics, training, scouting, team talks, squad management and much, much more.

http://footballmanagerguide.com/wp-content/themes/manganescent/images/TUFMWG-book.png This eBook is 132 massive pages of quality tips, secret hints and in-depth experienced insight on Football Manager you will not find anywhere else. No padding. No filler.

Philosophy of approaching a football management job
Footballer genetics and scouting dynamics
The power of player psychology and team talks.
Training regimes and preparing for each match.
Tactical superiority and statistical analysis
and so much more, we can't even list it all here! At FM-Britain, Tactical Theorems and Communication & Psychological Warfare provided you with an excellent under-the-hood look at the tactical modules and team talk options, but what it had in depth, it lacked in information in other key areas of the game.

This eBook, produced by Wonderkid of FM Fanboys & Los Wonderkids fame, makes up for those holes and then some. Actually, some of the tactical philosophies inside his guide could be considered an opposing viewpoint to our own - but they're still rooted in fundamentals we do agree upon. He also has written it purposely in a way which is easy-to-digest and relatable to everyone, from complete newbies to experienced vets. As Wonderkid puts it himself:

"FM is a game reaching to be as accurate a simulation as possible; it's not an arcade game anymore. You can no longer be successful under the old 'click, click, click and play a match' mentality; so, if you want to be good at this game and get the benefits from understanding it, you need to grasp the real concept of football management - and this is what the eBook aims to provide. Ultimately, I just hope people enjoy reading it and learn how to enjoy their games like I do."

Here at FM-Britain, we support him and this eBook wholeheartedly. In fact, we've even secured a deal to get you and all of our loyal readers an exclusive 20% discount off the £6.95 price of this massive 132-page guide.

Until this Sunday night at 11:59pm GMT, you can purchase this strategy guide hot off the digital presses for only £5.50. Just type in the discount code NEWSLETTER20 at the secured checkout.

[Marc Vaughan]

Funny story. Went to 'Tony & Tina's Wedding' while out here in Vegas. Sat next to a couple who was from Southampton. First thing I said was 'don't they have a soccer team?'. He gave me a full update on the team and how they were doing. Said they were leading the division just below Premiership and were hoping a promotion was in the works. He was impressed how much I knew about English soccer. All because of this game. :)

(wrings hands happily while a white cat purs on the arm of his chair)

Oh yes another one falls into our clutches, its only a matter of time until more succumb and I'm able to watch even more soccer matches on DirectTV .... muhahaha ....

All part of my master plan to be able to follow Brighton more easily from Florida :D

[Grim.Reaper]

In case you hadn't seen this before.

Football Manager Guide | Ultimate Tactics & Strategy Walkthrough (http://footballmanagerguide.com/)


<CENTER>Have your squad playing beautiful football in FM
Explore and dominate the game like never before!</CENTER>Stop navigating blindly through countless confusing game features and your frustration at seeing inconsistent results - now you can learn the game inside and out with the biggest and most comprehensive strategy manual ever created for the Football Manager series.

The Ultimate FM Walkthrough Guide (http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=EJTjw&m=3g9kTHPDd75YRY7&b=TJc5fk5XpmsMy2Ytbu2PWg) tackles all the features and is a veritable step-by-step strategy for success from past FM beta testers in all facets of the game including tactics, training, scouting, team talks, squad management and much, much more.

http://footballmanagerguide.com/wp-content/themes/manganescent/images/TUFMWG-book.png This eBook is 132 massive pages of quality tips, secret hints and in-depth experienced insight on Football Manager you will not find anywhere else. No padding. No filler.

Philosophy of approaching a football management job
Footballer genetics and scouting dynamics
The power of player psychology and team talks.
Training regimes and preparing for each match.
Tactical superiority and statistical analysis
and so much more, we can't even list it all here!At FM-Britain, Tactical Theorems and Communication & Psychological Warfare provided you with an excellent under-the-hood look at the tactical modules and team talk options, but what it had in depth, it lacked in information in other key areas of the game.

This eBook, produced by Wonderkid of FM Fanboys & Los Wonderkids fame, makes up for those holes and then some. Actually, some of the tactical philosophies inside his guide could be considered an opposing viewpoint to our own - but they're still rooted in fundamentals we do agree upon. He also has written it purposely in a way which is easy-to-digest and relatable to everyone, from complete newbies to experienced vets. As Wonderkid puts it himself:

"FM is a game reaching to be as accurate a simulation as possible; it's not an arcade game anymore. You can no longer be successful under the old 'click, click, click and play a match' mentality; so, if you want to be good at this game and get the benefits from understanding it, you need to grasp the real concept of football management - and this is what the eBook aims to provide. Ultimately, I just hope people enjoy reading it and learn how to enjoy their games like I do."

Here at FM-Britain, we support him and this eBook wholeheartedly. In fact, we've even secured a deal to get you and all of our loyal readers an exclusive 20% discount off the £6.95 price of this massive 132-page guide.

Until this Sunday night at 11:59pm GMT, you can purchase this strategy guide hot off the digital presses for only £5.50. Just type in the discount code NEWSLETTER20 at the secured checkout.

Is this updated for the latest version? The site did not mention it.

[Ajaxab]

Oh yes another one falls into our clutches, its only a matter of time until more succumb and I'm able to watch even more soccer matches on DirectTV .... muhahaha ....

Hopefully, DirecTV can get their deal with Fox Sports sorted out so that we can keep on getting soccer matches after the end of the month.

[Atocep]

Does anyone know what it takes to be able to request your board to move the club from semi-professional to professional?

I'm assuming you need solid finances and you need to be a league with other professional teams. In the past it was also recommended that you sign your players to full-time contracts but that's not an option in this version as a semi-pro club.

[MrBug708]

I was asked a question about the relationship with the chairman. I told the newspaper that we didn't even talk. I wanted to see what was going to happen, but nada

[EagleFan]

Just had a weird oddity in my first friendly.

One of my defenders was called for a foul in the box and also injured on the play (talk about a double whammy).

Two team trainers (or coaches, or something) stood with him on the field for a little while then he walked off the field with them. I saw the two trainers walking down the sideline (like they were heading to the back I assume). Then the injured player walked back onto the field to where he was injured and the seemed to take his jersey off and sit in an invisible chair.

For the PK (and follow up play as the keeper made the save) he just sat there on his invisible chair about 8 feet from where the PK was taken.

It was near the end of the match and there were no more plays that showed up down my end of the field so I don't know if he was going to remain.

[tyketime]

Is this updated for the latest version? The site did not mention it.
I never heard of this before. So I just googled it, and The Ultimate Football Manager 2011 Walkthrough Guide clocked in at 108 pages. Current version now states 132 pages. I'm not definite it was updated with FM12 info, but there have been some changes since Nov 2010.

[AlexB]

Just had a weird oddity in my first friendly.

One of my defenders was called for a foul in the box and also injured on the play (talk about a double whammy).

Two team trainers (or coaches, or something) stood with him on the field for a little while then he walked off the field with them. I saw the two trainers walking down the sideline (like they were heading to the back I assume). Then the injured player walked back onto the field to where he was injured and the seemed to take his jersey off and sit in an invisible chair.

For the PK (and follow up play as the keeper made the save) he just sat there on his invisible chair about 8 feet from where the PK was taken.

It was near the end of the match and there were no more plays that showed up down my end of the field so I don't know if he was going to remain.

I've seen something similar - one of my injured players levitating horizontally about a foot above the pitch on an invisible stretcher while being flanked by two men in white coats!

[Oilers9911]

Anyone having issues with the game freezing? Every third match or so when I click the Play button to start the match, the game freezes to the point where I have to shut the laptop off in order to get out of it. Could it be graphics card related?

[DaddyTorgo]

Anyone having issues with the game freezing? Every third match or so when I click the Play button to start the match, the game freezes to the point where I have to shut the laptop off in order to get out of it. Could it be graphics card related?

Never seen that. Maybe? Is it an older card? Are your drivers updated? Does it run in 2d?

[Miller Time]

Anyone ever seen a guy playing for his NT but not having a club? In my Blackburn season, Owen Hargreaves is playing for England in WC qualifiers and does not have a club (it is mid October or so). Hargreaves also only played 1 game for Man City in 2010-11.

Thought that was very bizzare and highly unlikely to ever happen in real life.

[RPI-Fan]

Anyone ever seen a guy playing for his NT but not having a club? In my Blackburn season, Owen Hargreaves is playing for England in WC qualifiers and does not have a club (it is mid October or so). Hargreaves also only played 1 game for Man City in 2010-11.

Thought that was very bizzare and highly unlikely to ever happen in real life.

It's not all that unusual. Sadly, it's happened for the USMNT on several occasions. Nothing to see here, IMO.

[Miller Time]

It's not all that unusual. Sadly, it's happened for the USMNT on several occasions. Nothing to see here, IMO.

Might not be a bug but completely unrealistic IMO.

An unemployed 31 year old, who has played 5 competitive matches since 07-08 (it is late 2012) featuring for England in WC qualifiers? How ridiculous does that sound?

He is also willing to join my Blackburn squad for peanuts so his unemployment has nothing to do with his wage demands.

I pay zero attention to the USMNT but I am guessing whoever they capped was not under similar circumstances.

[RPI-Fan]

Might not be a bug but completely unrealistic IMO.

An unemployed 31 year old, who has played 5 competitive matches since 07-08 (it is late 2012) featuring for England in WC qualifiers? How ridiculous does that sound?

He is also willing to join my Blackburn squad for peanuts so his unemployment has nothing to do with his wage demands.

I pay zero attention to the USMNT but I am guessing whoever they capped was not under similar circumstances.

I'll be honest, I thought he had been capped by Canada the first time I read it. In which case it would have been perfectly realistic. In any event, I can easily see a situation like that playing out, even for England (coach needs a veteran midfielder in a qualifying game, presumably verse a crappy team where you don't want to create card or injury problems for your grade-A guys). Agree to disagree, I suppose.

[Epi_862]

Just looking for a little input from some veterans...

I love taking a small team and trying to reach the top. I have no desire to start in the bigger leagues, and thats why i started the game with newport co.

The question i have is, is it possible to take the team to the top without cheating? In a time frame that actually is possible?

I've already taken the team to npower 2, and im currently flirting with a playoff spot 10 games to the season. But i think thats a fluke.

Now the problem is: shitty youth facilities, finances in the toilet, no wage budget... All this meaning that my squad is decent, but theres nothing cooking in the youth team, nothing in the reserve team, and my main squad is a couple of injuries away from putting John Nobody on the field.

So i guess the question is: If i just keep at it, will the attendances steadily rise, is there a chance that the owner throws a couple of million into the team or something... Or am i doomed to mediocrity for 20 years - and should i therefore try to get a job on a team wheres money and facilities for a run at the top.

If anyone has some insight, i'd gladly hear it.

[Big Fo]

On the SI boards I have seen people that managed non-league teams all the way to the EPL and started a dynasty with them, winning multiple league and Champions League titles. Eventually they get new stadiums, draw 50,000+ per match, can get money put into their training facilities, etc.

It's certainly possible.

[bulletsponge]

Just looking for a little input from some veterans...

I love taking a small team and trying to reach the top. I have no desire to start in the bigger leagues, and thats why i started the game with newport co.

The question i have is, is it possible to take the team to the top without cheating? In a time frame that actually is possible?

I've already taken the team to npower 2, and im currently flirting with a playoff spot 10 games to the season. But i think thats a fluke.

Now the problem is: shitty youth facilities, finances in the toilet, no wage budget... All this meaning that my squad is decent, but theres nothing cooking in the youth team, nothing in the reserve team, and my main squad is a couple of injuries away from putting John Nobody on the field.

So i guess the question is: If i just keep at it, will the attendances steadily rise, is there a chance that the owner throws a couple of million into the team or something... Or am i doomed to mediocrity for 20 years - and should i therefore try to get a job on a team wheres money and facilities for a run at the top.

If anyone has some insight, i'd gladly hear it.


yes you can! it will be hard but it can happen. the biggest hindence will be your stadium and facilities. once you get some $$ in the bank ask for your facilities to be upgraded. stadium cost millions to expand though and can take years in the epl before you fully expand or get a new stadium

[DaddyTorgo]

It's definitely doable. I took San Marino from Serie C2 to Serie A and got my stadium expanded in 2010. Stadium expansion (if not mandatory, which is a nice benefit of some leagues) is tough, and getting quality youth setups up and producing is likely even tougher - however it might be a bit easier in this version...

[Marc Vaughan]

I'm working on it presently in my 'serious' game - Eastbourne borough are in League 1 presently, we've got a new (but compact) stadium already with 9k capacity ....

Me and my board have a somewhat 'spirited' relationship with me continually whinging at them for more resources and them finding new ways to say no, might have persuaded my old chairman to step down which happened a couple of seasons ago now .... can't be much fun having a manager complaining all the time ;)

(I'm in 2020 now - spent quite a while mired in the Conference Premiership)

[Blade6119]

I took AFC Telford from blue square north to the premier league last year, which took about 10 years, and it took me another 6 to actually win the premier league. So I went from bottom to top and it took me 16 years, and I felt I caught a few big breaks with players/games to get me there.

[Crapshoot]

Anyone ever seen a guy playing for his NT but not having a club? In my Blackburn season, Owen Hargreaves is playing for England in WC qualifiers and does not have a club (it is mid October or so). Hargreaves also only played 1 game for Man City in 2010-11.

Thought that was very bizzare and highly unlikely to ever happen in real life.

Stephen Appiah had thus happen to him with Ghana...

[Blackadar]

Just looking for a little input from some veterans...

I love taking a small team and trying to reach the top. I have no desire to start in the bigger leagues, and thats why i started the game with newport co.

The question i have is, is it possible to take the team to the top without cheating? In a time frame that actually is possible?

I've already taken the team to npower 2, and im currently flirting with a playoff spot 10 games to the season. But i think thats a fluke.

Now the problem is: shitty youth facilities, finances in the toilet, no wage budget... All this meaning that my squad is decent, but theres nothing cooking in the youth team, nothing in the reserve team, and my main squad is a couple of injuries away from putting John Nobody on the field.

So i guess the question is: If i just keep at it, will the attendances steadily rise, is there a chance that the owner throws a couple of million into the team or something... Or am i doomed to mediocrity for 20 years - and should i therefore try to get a job on a team wheres money and facilities for a run at the top.

If anyone has some insight, i'd gladly hear it.

It's entirely possible. I took a BSN team all the way up and won the Premiership in one dynasty. Took a bunch of years to do it, but I did it.

You really have to start with a young team and develop some players that can launch you up a couple of steps. It's really buy low, sell high and don't get attached to anyone. For example, I had a kid named Dylan McGouch (or something like that) who was perfect for the lower tiers. He was fast, quick and with good finishing skills, he was the ideal target man for the long ball. I managed to get him for a song and he was a superstar. I sold him only a couple of seasons later. Why? Because his over-inflated stats were because he could take advantage of the physical vulnerabilities at the lower tiers. Once in the nPower leagues, he was just another player. So I dumped him while his value was through the roof. Getting over a million for a player at those levels is like mana from heaven.

So my strategy was to assemble a young team that got me from BSN to the nPower 2 division. Along the way, I made some excellent pickups that I turned around for some good cash flow. Once you have a war chest built up, moving up from the lower leagues becomes very easy. Then I dumped just about everyone and put together a stop-gap team of veterans to keep me from getting relegated. I burned through the cash buying the next round of young players. I got those players together and made the next push.

That got me to the nPower league, where I repeated the process. Dumped everyone I could for huge money, brought in vets for cheap with short-term contracts, used the cash kitty to buy young players and held on for dear life to not get relegated. A couple of seasons later, we were competing for the nPower Championship, got promoted and held on for dear life again while I had the stadium rebuilt and the facilities improved. Once the cash started rolling in, I started buying my talent. While I couldn't ever spend dollar-for-dollar with a club like Man City, I had more than enough to put together a top team and we won it all.

The real trick is that you have to play as a cold-hearted bastard. You can't have any sacred cows. Your entire job at the lower levels isn't so much winning, it's getting young players on the pitch in a place to put up obscene numbers and then getting rid of them before anyone figures out that they're a product of the system and not all that talented.

---

I'm currently playing a new dynasty that had me start in Australia with the Brisbane Roar. I took a promotion after a couple of years with Blackpool, but I almost wish I'd have stayed with Brisbane. It's so easy in an environment like that to build a real dynasty. In two short years, I had a $5m war chest from buying and selling players, which is HUGE at that level. It's fun to be in a position to be able to buy any player in the league and no one can compete with you on a cash basis.

---

But a damn weird thing happened to me with the Blackpool offer. I don't know if it's a quirk of the game or the rules of Australia or whatever, but Blackpool made me an offer I couldn't refuse around November. I took it, but for whatever reason I couldn't start until April 1st. With Blackpool 14th in the nPower league, I figured I was looking at possibly having to take over a team headed for relegation to nPower 1 on April 1st. So I led Brisbane to another championship and when I went to take over Blackpool, they had already hired a new head coach for 3 years. But I still got the job and now there's two head coaches!

What's even stranger is that when I took over Blackpool, they had climbed to 8th in the nPower league. We went 3-0-1 in the last 4 to climb into the playoffs, won the 1st series and then won the final playoff game when the opposing team scored an own goal in the 85th minute. So instead of taking over a nPower 1 team, we're now going to the Premiership! Talk about a different level of challenge...they should have torn up my contract and kept the other head coach!

[Big Fo]

I just messed around with the editor briefly. I really hope the new field for Random ID will help end my problems with Unique ID conflicts in situations where I want to begin a universe with multiple new national/continental rules.

For example: I plan on creating a new American league system without all the annoying MLS rules that are too difficult for SI to make work correctly. This worked fine in FM 11. But I also want to revamp the North American competition rules, adding a secondary competition similar to the Europa League/Copa Sudamericana. This would not work for me in FM 11 since all new competitions (in new rules files) would be assigned the same new Unique ID. I am hoping the purpose of this new Random ID is to make such conflicts extremely unlikely (with it being a randomly generated 9 digit number).

In case anyone else cares (I think Dark Cloud wanted to know if this worked now), doing something like this is now possible. No more Unique ID conflicts.

[Young Drachma]

In case anyone else cares (I think Dark Cloud wanted to know if this worked now), doing something like this is now possible. No more Unique ID conflicts.

Excellent news! Thanks for the follow up.

[aran]

How are the AI managers? I just read a user review on metacritic that says that they are in general not particularly good. I have played a several year career in FM2010 but never really knew enough to judge how good the AI is. It was good enough for me not to feel like when I achieved things that it was primarily because the AI was bad. I don't know as much about football as many of you guys do, though.

What do you think of the AI managers?

[Marc Vaughan]

How are the AI managers? I just read a user review on metacritic that says that they are in general not particularly good. I have played a several year career in FM2010 but never really knew enough to judge how good the AI is. It was good enough for me not to feel like when I achieved things that it was primarily because the AI was bad. I don't know as much about football as many of you guys do, though.

What do you think of the AI managers?

They're not "perfect" but one thing people often forget is they're not designed to be - they're designed to be realistic managers with the flaws and personalities of their real-life counter parts, some might fall out with players and refuse to back down even when they're wrong, some might stick to a policy of youngsters and sell on players as they get older even if they might still be able to provide a decent service to their clubs etc. .... some people will see this as 'flaws' in the AI, but really thats by design and meant to be the case.

(which isn't to say the design/implementation is perfect - but please do bear in mind the above)

[markprior22]

How do new players become members of your youth teams in FM12? Is there any kind of draft? Do you just sign players that scouts report on? Do your lower level coaches/scouts keep the players coming? This is such a noob question but I am not sure how it works.

[markprior22]

Also, what exactly is the "minimum fee release clause" included in some contracts. Is that what I would owe the player if I chose to release him before the end of the contract?

Thanks for all the help

[Big Fo]

If your player has a minimum fee release clause of $1m, any AI bid of $1m or more for your player would be automatically accepted. You wouldn't get a chance to reject the offer.

It works the same way if you bid for a player with such a clause.

[DaddyTorgo]

How do new players become members of your youth teams in FM12? Is there any kind of draft? Do you just sign players that scouts report on? Do your lower level coaches/scouts keep the players coming? This is such a noob question but I am not sure how it works.

#2 and #3 basically.

Sign young players your scouts report on (have some out looking for young young talent if you're a big enuf club), and your club will generate a number of youth players from your youth academy every year.

Unless you're playing in MLS there's no "draft."