Football Manager 2014 - Full Game Out Now!

[JetsIn06]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Ok - been a long time for me and, of course, I'm overwhelmed. Playing Classic with Kidderminster of the Skrill Premier (trying to get my feet wet). I noticed it's 6 months until my first match - say what? Is that normal?! I'm starting to set up friendlies with other teams (didn't realize I could do that until February). I guess that's how I get my players into match shape. Still, I see no one else scheduling any friendlies.

Was I really meant to sit around for 6 months before my league actually starts?

What's the date in game?

[SirFozzie]

you probably started with an american league active.. when you start the game you get a choice on when to start the game, if (like default if you're american) you choose Jan 2013, then you have to wait till July when the "first" season of England is scheduled.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Ok - been a long time for me and, of course, I'm overwhelmed. Playing Classic with Kidderminster of the Skrill Premier (trying to get my feet wet). I noticed it's 6 months until my first match - say what? Is that normal?! I'm starting to set up friendlies with other teams (didn't realize I could do that until February). I guess that's how I get my players into match shape. Still, I see no one else scheduling any friendlies.

Was I really meant to sit around for 6 months before my league actually starts?

You probably didn't change the "Start Date" to match the league you were planning on playing in so it defaulted to another one.

[Balldog]

Anyone know if I preorder now do I still get early access??

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Balldog

Anyone know if I preorder now do I still get early access??

I presume so?

[Eaglesfan27]

I pre-ordered late this afternoon and was able to download early access with no problem.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

you probably started with an american league active.. when you start the game you get a choice on when to start the game, if (like default if you're american) you choose Jan 2013, then you have to wait till July when the "first" season of England is scheduled.

That's exactly it guys, thanks.

[sovereignstar v2]

Took me about 2 seconds to fall in love with the "size of text and images" interface setting in preferences. Just what a lot of people who use full HD resolutions were clamoring for.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Took me about 2 seconds to fall in love with the "size of text and images" interface setting in preferences. Just what a lot of people who use full HD resolutions were clamoring for.

holy crap, that is sweet. I can actually see. Woo hoo.

[flere-imsaho]

How are the new player roles in tactics?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

How are the new player roles in tactics?

Liking them. Playing with Pirlo/Marchisio/Pogba as a regista. I also like that when you go to select a player role in the tactics/team selection screen you get a popup telling you how good the player is at various roles. Makes tactical tweaking based on personnel so easy.

I also really like the new way of presenting additional tactical instructions ("play wider" "get stuck in" etc) for both the team as a whole and for individuals (and the ability to customize the tweaks by individuals playing the position). Makes things just so much easier/user friendly.

[DaddyTorgo]

Note that I just figured out (and maybe others are smarter than me?) - there's a little button to click when you go to do "save game" to toggle between local and cloud.

I didn't save my game last night to the cloud, so I'm going to mess around with another save (Athletic Bilbao) today until I get home to save the other game to the cloud.

[DaddyTorgo]

I just crafted a tactic that should be a lot of fun if it works.

4 D - 1 DMC - 2 MC - AML - AMC - AMR

AMC operating as a "Shadow Striker", AML and AMR as Inside Forwards, both MC's on ATTACK, and the DMC as a Regista.

Intended for use in situations where I outclass the opponent and want to pack the midfield and try to score bunches. Could easily adapt to moving the AMC up to ST if necessary too.

Curious to see how many opportunities on goal it gets me in a match though.

[DaddyTorgo]

Well I got 2 quick goals once I realized I should play the AMC with 13 finishing over the AMC with 9 finishing!

This might have potential.

61% - 39% on possession, outshot them 18-6, 3 clear cut chances to 1.

Against a Serie B team (with Athletic Bilbao), but still.

[DaddyTorgo]

Might just be small sample size or refining my tactic for the changes to the match engine, but it feels like I'm having to do a hell of a lot more game-to-game and in-game tactical tweaks. Not formation changes or whatever, but "shouts."

[DaddyTorgo]

5-2 win with 4 goals from my WB/R.

Given it was against the 17th place team in the league, but maybe my tactic is getting a bit more dialed-in.

[scooter]

I think DT is pretty excited about the new game - six posts in a row. You're on a roll man!

(I'm living vicariously through you as I always wait for the Holiday Sale on Steam to pick it up. It also makes my wife's Christmas shopping a little easier)

[TroyF]

My favorite feature in the game so far:

Say you have 2 RB. One is terrific at going forward, one is kinda slow and needs to be kept back.

Now in tactics, you can set up their roles so whenever you switch out, rest, sub, etc. one for the other, the roles automatically switch and you don't have to change your tactics every time.

I'll probably spend 1 or 2 hours each preseason setting up my guys in roles for multiple positions. I can't tell you how happy this makes me.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by TroyF

My favorite feature in the game so far:

Say you have 2 RB. One is terrific at going forward, one is kinda slow and needs to be kept back.

Now in tactics, you can set up their roles so whenever you switch out, rest, sub, etc. one for the other, the roles automatically switch and you don't have to change your tactics every time.

I'll probably spend 1 or 2 hours each preseason setting up my guys in roles for multiple positions. I can't tell you how happy this makes me.

This. This is so nice.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by scooter

I think DT is pretty excited about the new game - six posts in a row. You're on a roll man!

(I'm living vicariously through you as I always wait for the Holiday Sale on Steam to pick it up. It also makes my wife's Christmas shopping a little easier)

I was havin a good time last night, that's for sure!!

[JetsIn06]

Originally Posted by TroyF

My favorite feature in the game so far:

Say you have 2 RB. One is terrific at going forward, one is kinda slow and needs to be kept back.

Now in tactics, you can set up their roles so whenever you switch out, rest, sub, etc. one for the other, the roles automatically switch and you don't have to change your tactics every time.

I'll probably spend 1 or 2 hours each preseason setting up my guys in roles for multiple positions. I can't tell you how happy this makes me.

Where do you set the roles you want them to use? Or do you just set them on the tactics field and it "remembers"?

[NoSkillz]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

5-2 win with 4 goals from my WB/R.

Given it was against the 17th place team in the league, but maybe my tactic is getting a bit more dialed-in.

4 goals in one game from a wingback???

I don't think I've had four goals TOTAL from fullbacks in my life playing FM.

You mentioned above your tactic was 4 back, , 1 DMC, 2 center mids, 2 wingers (inside forwards) and an AMC.

Does this mean of the 4 defenders, you're playing 2 center halfbacks and 2 wingbacks?

I'm intrigued by the formation...just wanted to clarify what you're doing, as I get ZERO offense from my fullbacks in every tactic regardless of role and I always figured that the only way to get them to jump up and get more involved was to have no one in front of them - ie: no wingers.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by JetsIn06

Where do you set the roles you want them to use? Or do you just set them on the tactics field and it "remembers"?

I'm at work now, but when you go to the "players" instructions on the tactic, there is something on the left that says something like "add other players to this position" or something like that.

As Arsenal, I made the tactic with Sagna. Then I added Jenkinson on that screen and gave him a different role and different set of instructions. When I swap them, it will add the correct instructions as well.

What I do is add players to all of the positions they can play right off. So Sagna is listed as the starting RB, has backup roles assigned to him in both DC and another one for DL. If one of my CB's gets hurt in a game and I need to slide Sagna over, I don't have to spent 5 minutes changing Sagna to specific CB instructions, I don't have to spend 5 minutes moving Jenkinson in and giving him a proper set of instructions and I don't have to worry about spending time changing my tactic if I decide to go with a fast striker instead of Giroud.

(note here, I'll always start with Arsenal and move to the lower leagues in another career later)

This single addition means probably an 30 minutes each offseason (to add new players and youths to the roles) and will save me a minimum 10 minutes a match of altering tactics during a game. If this were the only new addition, I'd be a happy guy.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by NoSkillz

4 goals in one game from a wingback???

I don't think I've had four goals TOTAL from fullbacks in my life playing FM.

You mentioned above your tactic was 4 back, , 1 DMC, 2 center mids, 2 wingers (inside forwards) and an AMC.

Does this mean of the 4 defenders, you're playing 2 center halfbacks and 2 wingbacks?

I'm intrigued by the formation...just wanted to clarify what you're doing, as I get ZERO offense from my fullbacks in every tactic regardless of role and I always figured that the only way to get them to jump up and get more involved was to have no one in front of them - ie: no wingers.

Two different games - I wasn't entirely clear on that.

The 4-1-2-3-0 was what I was screwing around with using Athletic Bilbao here at the office. I can send you that formation if you want to mess around with it.

The 4 goals from a wingback came from my Juventus game at home where I'm playing a 5-3-2/3-5-2 (however you want to look at it).

That formation is

GK
3xDC (Defend)
2xWB (Attack)
DMC - Regista
2xMC (1 Ball Winning, 1 Advanced Playmaker)
2xST (1 Target Man, 1 False 9).

The 4 goals from my WB were from my WB/R (Lichtsteiner), on the side of the False 9 (Tevez).

What seemed to happen (from memory, not looking at the replay/highlights) is that the WB/L (Asamoah) was marauding down the left, so the opposition DL went out after him. The Target Man (Llorente) drew 2 defenders due to the threat of the cross. The False 9 (Tevez) dropped back towards midfield, drawing another defender, leaving the WB/R (Lichtsteiner) free of a defender and unmarked at the back post. If I recall, 2 of the goals happened this way and 1 of them was more a result of him carrying the ball into the box, Tevez dropping off into midfield to open space, and Lichtsteiner blasting in a shot from his run, and then the 4th goal was a total fluke that he scored on the counter after picking up a clearance from a defensive corner and outracing the other team down the field.

[NoSkillz]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Two different games - I wasn't entirely clear on that.

The 4-1-2-3-0 was what I was screwing around with using Athletic Bilbao here at the office. I can send you that formation if you want to mess around with it.

The 4 goals from a wingback came from my Juventus game at home where I'm playing a 5-3-2/3-5-2 (however you want to look at it).

That formation is

GK
3xDC (Defend)
2xWB (Attack)
DMC - Regista
2xMC (1 Ball Winning, 1 Advanced Playmaker)
2xST (1 Target Man, 1 False 9).

The 4 goals from my WB were from my WB/R (Lichtsteiner), on the side of the False 9 (Tevez).

What seemed to happen (from memory, not looking at the replay/highlights) is that the WB/L (Asamoah) was marauding down the left, so the opposition DL went out after him. The Target Man (Llorente) drew 2 defenders due to the threat of the cross. The False 9 (Tevez) dropped back towards midfield, drawing another defender, leaving the WB/R (Lichtsteiner) free of a defender and unmarked at the back post. If I recall, 2 of the goals happened this way and 1 of them was more a result of him carrying the ball into the box, Tevez dropping off into midfield to open space, and Lichtsteiner blasting in a shot from his run, and then the 4th goal was a total fluke that he scored on the counter after picking up a clearance from a defensive corner and outracing the other team down the field.

That's awesome...thanks for the detail - this is even more intriguing to me, as in my long-term Dover save I'm looking for another 2-striker formation other than the flat 442. This 5-3-2/3-5-2 looks to be a great fit for my personnel.

Do you run this formation with different mentalities (ie: Attacking one game...standard/control/counter/etc another) or is this primarily an attacking formation for you?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by NoSkillz

That's awesome...thanks for the detail - this is even more intriguing to me, as in my long-term Dover save I'm looking for another 2-striker formation other than the flat 442. This 5-3-2/3-5-2 looks to be a great fit for my personnel.

Do you run this formation with different mentalities (ie: Attacking one game...standard/control/counter/etc another) or is this primarily an attacking formation for you?

I'll pull together an even more detailed answer for you tonight - I love talking about my tactic.

Simple answer is I tend to run it either control or attacking (with changes to "retain possession" or "more direct passes" shouts accordingly also). Typically "Balanced" in terms of philosophy at this point - although in FM 2013 I had it on "Rigid" (I think that will vary based upon the talent level of your players). The Target Man is sometimes an attacking forward, and the False 9 is sometimes a Deep-Lying Forward depending on if I swap in my backup personnel.

In FM 2013 I ran essentially the same formation with a Deep-Lying Forward and Attacking Forward, and with a Ball-Winning-Midfielder and a Box-to-Box midfielder, but at the moment I haven't tried it with a Box-to-Box CM in FM 2014. Also in FM 2013 I think (if I remember right) my WBs were on Support and not on Attack. I found that putting the non Ball-Winning MC on Advanced Playmaker was necessary to keep a better link between midfield and strikers (or at least when I do that I don't get the message about gaps).

I'm getting better possession domination in FM 2014 with it then I probably did in 2013 (just anecdotally, no evidence to support at the moment), and it's definitely one where if you press high up the pitch with it you can put the opponent under serious pressure and limit their chances.

I'll write up a full explanation later and discuss my experiences with it in FM 2013 and so far in FM 2014 - I'm a bit of a tactics geek!

I'm still refining it for FM 2014 though - I didn't import it and decided to start over and recreate it by hand so that it gave me what I was looking for.

[kingfc22]

How does one reset the game on a mac? The game booted up fine after my initial install but I was messing around with the resolution and text sizes and now the game is unplayable.

I found the answer in the FAQ section online about deleting the cache folder, but I do not see a cache folder located on my hard drive.

[DaddyTorgo]

LMAO

Serie A Goal of the Month for December

WB/R Stephen Lichtsteiner sweeps the award, winning all of the Top 3.

[DaddyTorgo]

Game won't connect to my youtube account - trying to upload highlights...

[kmbgolf]

any good links for the facepacks and logos and stuff

[sovereignstar v2]

All the good stuff can be found here.

[DaddyTorgo]

Going to finish my first season today. I'm 7 league games (+however far I make it in the CL) from the offseason.

[SirFozzie]

Looks like someone's found a way to generate nearly infinite money (1 Billion in one test) for teams in nations that have the ability to sell % of players to agents.. looks like it's going to be fixed in release so abuse it now while you can...

MONEY HACK issue thas has to be adressed in order to save the integrity of the game.

[DaddyTorgo]

See attached my 3-5-2/5-3-2 complete with a couple tweaks I made yesterday in playing.

Changed it to Fluid and ticked the "shorter passing" instruction (do those instructions come thru with the tactic btw? I assume so) in order to attempt to decrease longer shots and increase passing to strikers in better scoring positions (i was noting way too many long shots for my tastes).

Striker roles can be adjusted to suit your players' strengths, as long as you have 1 playing a false 9/deep-lying forward and one more up-front I have found it works equally well. I've played with DLF and Advanced Forward several times with backups, or even with Complete Forwards.

In fact - in the uploaded version I think you'll find one False 9 and the other as an Advanced Forward, where usually I play with a Target Man/False 9 combo.

Just remove the .001 after you download of course.

[DaddyTorgo]

First season down

Scudetto Winner (25W - 10D - 3L) 58 GF (2nd best) - 20 GA (best in league)
Playing in the CL Finals against Real Madrid (thanks to getting a lucky draw against Ajax in the semifinals)
Serie A Player of the Year - Paul Pogba
Serie A Goal of the Year - Stefan Lichtsteiner (one of the ones from his 4 goal game against Genoa)
Serie A Head Coach of the Year
Front Runner for Serie A Managers Manager of the Year Award
5 Players in Serie A Team of the Year First 11: Buffon, Bonucci, Pogba, Vidal, Llorente
Italian Media Foreign Player of the Year: Fernando Llorente
Serie A GK of the Year: Buffon


News of Note in the World:
-Real Madrid fire Ancelotti
-Messi was Spanish League Player of Year & Top Goalscorer

[DaddyTorgo]

da fuq!?!?!

I'm 6-4 favorites in the CL Final.

Gah.

Lost 2-1 in extra time.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

First season down

DT, I thought of you when I ended up grouped up with Juve in the CL group stage (I'm playing as my normal Arsenal).

Ended up splitting the two games with them 1-0 in both games. Ironically enough, both teams won the game away instead of home.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Alan T

DT, I thought of you when I ended up grouped up with Juve in the CL group stage (I'm playing as my normal Arsenal).

Ended up splitting the two games with them 1-0 in both games. Ironically enough, both teams won the game away instead of home.

[DaddyTorgo]

Early results for my Bilbao tactic (4-1-2-3-0) looking very promising.

3-2 over Valladolid in the first league match. 3-1 up at the half over Osasuna in the second. I can only imagine how much better it would be if my most otherwise skilled AMC didn't have a "9" for finishing.

Dropped it from attacking to control and emphasiezd short passing, retaining possession, looking for overlap, playing wider, and working the ball into the box.

Think making it control helps, because basically I envision it as a fluid system that keeps hold of the ball, with the attacks springing from any of the midfield trio making overlapping runs and running onto through balls. AM/R (Markel Susaeta) with a hat-trick in the first half.

Finished 4-1.

60-40 possession edge. 17-3 shot edge (9-2 on target).

Currently sitting second in La Liga (ABOVE BARCA), even on Goal Differential and ahead on Goals For.

[SirFozzie]

One tactic I've been trying to work on is a fairly bogstandard 4-1-3-2 Control/Balanced set up (back four, DMC, ML MC MR, ST, ST). Scoring a bunch of goals (Lewandowski had five in our last Bundesliga game).. tough away games and champions league games I've been dropping to counter.

Thoughts on instructions: Play out of defense is a must call, it stops those random boot upfields that get turned around into another attack quickly. A push higher up seems to help when you have the advantage, it starts things higher up field and seems to do more pressing to turn defense into attack quickly. Play into space seems to be not so useful

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

One tactic I've been trying to work on is a fairly bogstandard 4-1-3-2 Control/Balanced set up (back four, DMC, ML MC MR, ST, ST). Scoring a bunch of goals (Lewandowski had five in our last Bundesliga game).. tough away games and champions league games I've been dropping to counter.

Thoughts on instructions: Play out of defense is a must call, it stops those random boot upfields that get turned around into another attack quickly. A push higher up seems to help when you have the advantage, it starts things higher up field and seems to do more pressing to turn defense into attack quickly. Play into space seems to be not so useful

Who are you playing as? Bayern? Dortmund?

Control - you trying to retain possession then I assume? So retain possession, shorter passing, work ball into box...

[DaddyTorgo]

Aaaak. Real Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao from San Mames.

*prepares to die*

GOAL FOR BILBAO!!!!!

62nd minute!!!!

Bilbao 1 (Munian '62) - Madrid 0

Flighted in a LONG curling FK that Casillas misjudged and it snuck under the bar.

Gah...and 72nd minute CR7 nudges in a goal off a corner.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Madrid score in injury time to win it 2-1. Karim Benzema nudges in another goal off a corner.

Note - this was with my default tactic, no changes. So pretty good IMO.

[SirFozzie]

Here's a link to the alternate tactic I'm working on:

4-4-2 Wombat

[The Jackal]

I'll probably wait until this is out of beta to buy, as I already have too many games I've recently purchased that I'm not playing, haha.

[flere-imsaho]

Anyone know off the top of your head whether you can transition from beta right into the full game once released? By which I mean you continue playing where you were (team & date), just with an updated game / db?

Edit: I seem to recall in the past you could do this with the demo, which is why I'm asking. You'd play for 6 months (in game time), it would tell you the demo was done, but then you could upgrade and continue.

[SirFozzie]

yes (updated game, some things require a restart, you won't have the updated db in save game)

[DaddyTorgo]

My cloud saves didn't save up to the cloud last night so no poking at my teams while I'm at work today.

[DaddyTorgo]

Over 600 bugfixes in today's patch of the beta.

[Shepp]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

First season down

Scudetto Winner (25W - 10D - 3L) 58 GF (2nd best) - 20 GA (best in league)
Playing in the CL Finals against Real Madrid (thanks to getting a lucky draw against Ajax in the semifinals)
Serie A Player of the Year - Paul Pogba
Serie A Goal of the Year - Stefan Lichtsteiner (one of the ones from his 4 goal game against Genoa)
Serie A Head Coach of the Year
Front Runner for Serie A Managers Manager of the Year Award
5 Players in Serie A Team of the Year First 11: Buffon, Bonucci, Pogba, Vidal, Llorente
Italian Media Foreign Player of the Year: Fernando Llorente
Serie A GK of the Year: Buffon


News of Note in the World:
-Real Madrid fire Ancelotti
-Messi was Spanish League Player of Year & Top Goalscorer

How do you get through a season so fast? Do you use the Classic Mode? One of the biggest issues I've had with FM over the last couple of years is how I can only get through a handful of seasons during a real time year.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Shepp

How do you get through a season so fast? Do you use the Classic Mode? One of the biggest issues I've had with FM over the last couple of years is how I can only get through a handful of seasons during a real time year.

Nope - not classic mode.

Just powering through...playing far too much. Given I've dabbled a little with a Bilbao savegame that's a few matches into the season, and fallen asleep in front of it a couple times (maybe that added 8 hours?) but have primarily been playing with my Juve squad, I've put in 69 hours on the beta so far. And that includes the offseason and the first couple games of Season 2. So maybe...40 or so hours a season at this point? Which should realistically go down a bit as I get deeper into the game and squad/tactics/etc. get more "settled."

-I delegate out training and youth team management to my AssMan
-I don't mind subscribing to a lot of news, but have learned to really only read the relevant stuff, unless I want to dip my toes in and see what's up in the world occasionally
-Scouting reports on players - I won't look at them unless my Scout comes back with a rating that's either 4* or 5* or it's a position I'm looking actively to improve and I've temporarily set a lower bar
-I've actually probably been going slower than usual so far this game because I've been handling the press conferences myself
-I tend to stick within a relatively narrow tactics band once I get something that works for my squad
-