Alright boyz, here we go!!! FM 2006 First Impressions

[McSweeny]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

let me know, this could bug me enough to try and track a box version, which I assume has the two Englishes on it...

FM

swapping the english file from the demo into WWSM works just fine. disaster averted

[jbmagic]

do you guys usually change the currency, weight, temperature, height to american standard system?

wow this game is so deep. first time playing this game

[SirFozzie]

I have set up the Net Game thread btw

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

WWSM2005 had this options of picking English US or UK, IIRC...

FM

The thing is, I think the download version IS WWSM2006 -- I think there are two games -- FM06 (available by boxed copy in Europe) and WWSM06 (available by download OR boxed copy in NA & SA).

Hopefully you're right and you could get the language you want, but there might be reason to be concerned.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

do you guys usually change the currency, weight, temperature, height to american standard system?

wow this game is so deep. first time playing this game

Height & Weight I do in American (even though I hate this units in practical terms), Temperature I'm comfortable enough with so I'll leave it in Celsius for that authentic football feel, and currency I use whatever league I'm playing in (so usually Euros).

BTW, I'm a huge dork and would never even consider using Kelvin -- who actually would use it in FM?

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

The thing is, I think the download version IS WWSM2006 -- I think there are two games -- FM06 (available by boxed copy in Europe) and WWSM06 (available by download OR boxed copy in NA & SA).

Hopefully you're right and you could get the language you want, but there might be reason to be concerned.

Based on what McSweeney said, looks like it doesn't matter.

[Eaglesfan27]

For my measurements, I stick with typical American conventions. However, I prefer the language to be UK style.

Oh yeah, after I'm done my season (in the next 20 minutes or less) I'm going to go download this and start a career

[RPI-Fan]

Since I may want to restart when there is a new patch, I did the following:

Re-started w/ 15 div/5 nations (MLS, all England, all France [where I plan to play], Italy Serie B, Spain 2nd Div) & more significantly, Small database.

My theory is: If the game is as good as some people here say, I won't care about not having a huge selection of players or all the possible leagues. Plus, I won't ever get frustrated by a slow load time.

If the new patch comes out, and I don't like a smaller database/league selection, the patch will be a perfect time to start a new game.

Win-win situation.

[FrogMan]

I've only started a bogus game (like England only on small database) and goofed up with it and I'm already in love... look at this email:



The flu!!! and what decision I make could stop a possible breakout from happening!

FM

[Eaglesfan27]

That is awesome FM!

[SirFozzie]

and the scary thing, if you send him home, not only will he take longer to come back, but since the Physio won't be prodding him to remain fit, it will take him longer to get back to game fitness!

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

That is awesome FM!

I found it pretty cool and it reminded me of them many weeks I simply lost inf FOF where half my team went down with the flu and I simply stood there with nothing to do against it, or no interaction to either stop it from spreading or something like that. FM/WWSM really is a RPG wrapped into a sports sim...

FM

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

and the scary thing, if you send him home, not only will he take longer to come back, but since the Physio won't be prodding him to remain fit, it will take him longer to get back to game fitness!

oh, that's even deeper than I thought... wow...

FM

[TroyF]

Where is the option to shoot the guy? It may be that bird flu thing, we can't take any chances.

[Eaglesfan27]

Ok, just finished my season with Manchester Utd. Now, I need to decide who to start my "fake career" with once I get the game installed.

I already know that I want this version to be where I do my first dynasty with an MLS team (which I plan on writing concurrently with my FM05 Manchester United dynasty.)

However, I don't want to start that MLS career until I'm sure a key patch isn't still coming out.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Ok, just finished my season with Manchester Utd. Now, I need to decide who to start my "fake career" with once I get the game installed.

I already know that I want this version to be where I do my first dynasty with an MLS team (which I plan on writing concurrently with my FM05 Manchester United dynasty.)

However, I don't want to start that MLS career until I'm sure a key patch isn't still coming out.

very cool, i love reading your dynasty

another key patch coming according to SI

"The game is based on the second build of the 6.0.1 patch. When patch 6.0.2 comes out, there will be a separate/special version for the WWSM Digital Download version."

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Ok, just finished my season with Manchester Utd. Now, I need to decide who to start my "fake career" with once I get the game installed.

I already know that I want this version to be where I do my first dynasty with an MLS team (which I plan on writing concurrently with my FM05 Manchester United dynasty.)

However, I don't want to start that MLS career until I'm sure a key patch isn't still coming out.

My last FM05 career (lasted ~3.5 years IIRC) was in Belgium -- had a good time with that. But, I also had a career with Cannes in France that I really enjoyed for a couple seasons until I got sacked.

I'm playing in the French National Division (3rd level out of 4... but you can't play the 4th) -- I like it, I think, because of the diversity of nationalities, and if you move up you face great challenges holding on to your players which I think can prove to be very fun. Plus I've taken French all through high school and a little bit in college so I'm just kind of more into the culture than, say, German.

[Eaglesfan27]

Hmmm.. a lower league French team might be fun. I know I want to manage a team in a country that I haven't managed in the past for this fun short career.

[Eaglesfan27]

Had to respond to a few emails before I realized I could have been downloading at the same time..

At 55%.. only a few minutes more to go...

I've decided to try a lower league Brazilian team for my test run as I've always wanted to manage in Brazil

[SirFozzie]

You want to go as deep as you can then in the Brazillian League, since there are regional leagues as well as the Campeonato

[yabanci]

what's the price on the download version?

[Eaglesfan27]

29.99 is the download price, Yabanci.

A few quick thoughts:

I really wish I didn't have to go to work early in the morning so that I could play later tonight. Fortunately, I only have to work for 3 hours tomorrow morning

It's not fair to compare speed since I'm playing this version on a much more powerful system than I was playing FM 05, however, I'm amazed at the speed of WSM 06. For my test game, I'm running 34 leagues in 15 countries with normal detail everywhere except Brazil and it is very quick. I decided to start out unemployed, and I simmed 2 weeks (before I was hired) in under 10 minutes!

I love the new screen where you can see a player's best positions and an analysis of how good they are. I also love the prefered moves on that screen. I also really like that I can negotiate my salary.

Also, I'm finding that Brazil has a rather confusing league structure. I think I'll need to read up on the details of managing in Brazil at some point if I play this test game for any length of time. I'm not sure I want to play this test game too long because I'm already starting to salivate at this young striker I have who has excellent speed and a nice set of skills for a lower league football team.

I'm really looking forward to finally managing an MLS team in the near future..

[SirFozzie]

There's like 12 regional championships in one part of the year, then a standard promotion/relegation league later in the year.

in the regional part, you could see the best team in the first division take on a non-league team.. so there's a lot of easy matches

[McSweeny]

ah man

i just started fooling around with Celtic and now it's almost 2:30... doubt i'm getting much sleep tonight

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by McSweeny

ah man

i just started fooling around with Celtic and now it's almost 2:30... doubt i'm getting much sleep tonight

I said I was going to sleep an hour or so ago.. NOW I mean it


P.S. I can't believe my star striker is only 16, but he is clearly the class of my team in my friendlies so far..

[Sidhe]

I couldn't really get into FM2005, but this.. this is unbelievable.

I should have gone to bed hours ago!

[SirFozzie]

Just had the most unbelieveable moment in my new MLS game.

2006 MLS Cup Eastern Conference Semifinals

New England vs Metrostars (1st vs 4th)

We come in on a hot streak, but the first game, we lose 2-1, and quite frankly.. it should've been worse. Matt Reis makes some great saves and we come back home a goal down. Even worse, Josh Wolff (acquired in late 05 from KC), our main goal scorer and MVP candidate (Twellman, Dempsey and Parkhurst are all playing in Europe now!) gets a thigh strain, and I have a choice.

Let the Physios treat it: Anywhere between a week and a month, and he's almost definitely out of the 2nd leg.

Give an injection: He'll only be 90% for the 2nd leg, but he'll attempt to get through it, but if he aggravates it, it could be up for three MONTHS. Probably, no matter what the result of the 2nd leg, his season is DONE.

I hate to do it, but I order the pain killing injections.

2nd leg.

Wolff scores in the 10th minute to tie it up on aggregate.

37th minute.. the goal that puts us ahead in the series..

We miss a penalty in the 63rd minute that would put it away..

75th minute, he intercepts a pass at the center circle, and limping, beats TWO defenders and scores the clinching goal, his hat-trick!!!!!

I take him out so he can get the applause he deseres. The Revs win 4-0 and advance 5-2 on aggregate.

Wolff is hobbling afterwards, as he seems to have aggrevated it, but he MIGHT be available for MLS Cup if we make it.. (2 days-3weeks).

Wow.

Just...

Wow.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Height & Weight I do in American (even though I hate this units in practical terms), Temperature I'm comfortable enough with so I'll leave it in Celsius for that authentic football feel, and currency I use whatever league I'm playing in (so usually Euros).

BTW, I'm a huge dork and would never even consider using Kelvin -- who actually would use it in FM?

Keep an eye on height as this can be an indication of a players jumping potential if they have low jumping at an early age (ie. a defender who's got 2 jumping at age 16 will undoubtably improve somewhat if he's 5'11'' already whereas if he's 5' 2'' then the chances are he'll never be dominant in the air).

Also with weight you'll find it fluctuates according to a players fitness, this (especially in the off-season) can be used to spot which players are professional and look after themselves and which don't .... finally bear in mind that different physical physiques have different natural weight levels, ie. sprinters are naturally lighter than more bulky physical players (ie. that 6'4'', 20 strength, 1 pace player you've got is going to weight more than the 5'4'', 20 pace, acceleration, 1 strength player who bombs up the wing ... regardless of their fitness).

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I said I was going to sleep an hour or so ago.. NOW I mean it


P.S. I can't believe my star striker is only 16, but he is clearly the class of my team in my friendlies so far..

Be warned though young players tend to find handling pressure hard - especially if you're a big club.

There are exceptions but young players are often 'confidence' players, especially with strikers - while hot he might be red hot, but if he has a bad game he might have trouble recovering form (especially if the media pick upon him).

You'll also run the risk of increasing his ego if he feels he's too important.

Both things can be 'played down' to a certain extent by ensuring he's partnered with an experienced mentor up front, someone he'll respect and who has a stable personality can help kids settle in and handle things to the best of their abilities.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

I found it pretty cool and it reminded me of them many weeks I simply lost inf FOF where half my team went down with the flu and I simply stood there with nothing to do against it, or no interaction to either stop it from spreading or something like that. FM/WWSM really is a RPG wrapped into a sports sim...

FM

Thats exactly what we're aiming at - the idea is to make you think of your staff and players as real people and feel guilty about cutting your 34 year old striker who's been a star at the club for 8 years just because you've signed a new hotshot etc. ... such things give you a small insight into how a real manager must feel and makes the game much more personal and 'real' imho (probably utterly wrong, but I at least do feel an attachment to my players ... soft touch that I am ... thats one of the reasons I put the promoting players into non-playing staff many releases ago, I hated having to release old players who had been loyal to me ).

PS> Glad those of you who've got the game are enjoying it

[SirFozzie]

Marc: A couple things if you don't mind answering..

A) Whenever you give pain injections, they always are injured after that one game. In the demo, you could possibly stretch them out over a couple games at increasing risk. Is that a design change post demo?

B) There's a niggling thing for the Supporter's shield winner (The MLS team with the most points in MLS, regardless of conference)

Chivas USA win

Chivas USA have won the by having the best record in the 2006 MLS

Obviously, it should be plugging "Supporter's Shield" in there, but it's not.

[Marc Vaughan]

A) Whenever you give pain injections, they always are injured after that one game. In the demo, you could possibly stretch them out over a couple games at increasing risk. Is that a design change post demo?

This isn't always the case - the likelihood depends on the players fitness/condition level and his natural injury-proneness ... certain players will handle injections and playing with injuries ok, some just won't.

B) There's a niggling thing for the Supporter's shield winner (The MLS team with the most points in MLS, regardless of conference)

Ok - consider it on the list of things to look into ...

PS> Are any of you chaps considering getting the PSP version when its finished? ('tis regionless so will play on any countries PSP) - I'd be interested in hearing what you lot think to the idea of a text sim on a handheld.

[SirFozzie]

Well, maybe I've been extremely unlucky, but I've done A) about 15-20 times and every time they're listed as "Re-aggrevating it in training" after a game where they got the injection. *shrug*

[condors]

wow very good first impression can't wait to get done work and play some more

[Bee]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

PS> Are any of you chaps considering getting the PSP version when its finished? ('tis regionless so will play on any countries PSP) - I'd be interested in hearing what you lot think to the idea of a text sim on a handheld.

I'll pick it up. It would be nice to play on flights and in the metro without having to lug out the laptop.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Thats exactly what we're aiming at - the idea is to make you think of your staff and players as real people and feel guilty about cutting your 34 year old striker who's been a star at the club for 8 years just because you've signed a new hotshot etc. ... such things give you a small insight into how a real manager must feel and makes the game much more personal and 'real' imho (probably utterly wrong, but I at least do feel an attachment to my players ... soft touch that I am ... thats one of the reasons I put the promoting players into non-playing staff many releases ago, I hated having to release old players who had been loyal to me ).

PS> Glad those of you who've got the game are enjoying it

Marc, I already feel like that with my FM2005 career, it'll be simply that much better once I get started in 2006

Hey, could you do us a favor? Go tell thanks to Graeme and tell him to sleep a little

FM

[Sidhe]

Ok, I only got four hours of sleep but I woke up excited because I could play FM2006 some more,

That's some seriously addictive crack you've cooked up there, SI..

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Well, maybe I've been extremely unlucky, but I've done A) about 15-20 times and every time they're listed as "Re-aggrevating it in training" after a game where they got the injection. *shrug*

Jesus, 15-20 times? Are you a sadist or something?

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Jesus, 15-20 times? Are you a sadist or something?

he didn't say all on one guy, only 5 times on 3-4 different guys

FM

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

This isn't always the case - the likelihood depends on the players fitness/condition level and his natural injury-proneness ... certain players will handle injections and playing with injuries ok, some just won't.


Ok - consider it on the list of things to look into ...

PS> Are any of you chaps considering getting the PSP version when its finished? ('tis regionless so will play on any countries PSP) - I'd be interested in hearing what you lot think to the idea of a text sim on a handheld.

I'm certainly getting the PSP version when it is finished. The idea of being able to play FM at work (I can't put the PC version on work computers without getting in trouble) during breaks is just too good to pass up Also, it will be great for business trips.

Edit: I lied. I didn't go to bed at 2:30, I played til 3:30 last night

[Ramzavail]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I'm certainly getting the PSP version when it is finished. The idea of being able to play FM at work (I can't put the PC version on work computers without getting in trouble) during breaks is just too good to pass up Also, it will be great for business trips.

Edit: I lied. I didn't go to bed at 2:30, I played til 3:30 last night

I went to bed at 3 and I feel like mashed potatoes right now. Well worth it though

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I'm certainly getting the PSP version when it is finished. The idea of being able to play FM at work (I can't put the PC version on work computers without getting in trouble) during breaks is just too good to pass up Also, it will be great for business trips.

Edit: I lied. I didn't go to bed at 2:30, I played til 3:30 last night

PSP version of this would be bad for me.....oh sooo bad for me. Do you know how tempting it would be to pull out a PSP at 3-4 AM in the middle of a long, boring stretch of highway and play while I am driving?

hmm.

Maybe I will ask for a PSP for Christmas.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Edit: I lied. I didn't go to bed at 2:30, I played til 3:30 last night

Originally Posted by Ramzavail

I went to bed at 3 and I feel like mashed potatoes right now. Well worth it though

sigh These times are over for me. Went to bed at about 12:10 which was already much later than my usual time, thanks to SI releasing this when the Pats were playing (read: getting squashed) on MNF. Fast forward to 4:30am and you got youngest kiddo crying/whining. He went back to sleep but is starting a cold, so he whimpered/cryed every 10-15 minutes until I decided it was time to go take a shower around 5:30am since I'm the man in charge in the house with the wife working the night shift... sigh

So, I feel like mashed potatoes right now with nothing fun to show for it... Glad you're enjoying it guys, have fun for me...

FM

[Pumpy Tudors]

I barely got to play last night. I looked over my team (I'm using Exeter in the English Conference), but I didn't do anything. This morning, I woke up and insulted the manager of my upcoming friendly opponent (not even friendlies are friendly when I'm the manager!). I looked over my team some more and went to work. Now I'm sitting here at work just waiting to get home and work on tactics for my team.

I love the "positions" link for each player. I used Exeter in WWSM 2005, so I'm familiar with quite a few of the players on my team in WWSM 2006. I never would've guessed that one of my defensive midfielders actually makes a fairly decent attacking midfielder. I think I even have a defender who's not completely incompetent as a striker. This is great stuff! It makes me a little more comfortable about being flexible with my lineups, particularly because I have no transfer funds. Sometimes I have to get creative if I have some injuries.

One question: I've noticed that one of my strikers' preferred moves is "playing with his back to the goal." How do I take advantage of this? It is more likely that I can play long balls to him because he'll see them coming and get into position? Should I maybe avoid trying to place through balls to him because he won't get a running start on the defenders? I just don't want to completely misuse him when he's in my lineup.

I think I might have to leave work early today.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I
One question: I've noticed that one of my strikers' preferred moves is "playing with his back to the goal." How do I take advantage of this? It is more likely that I can play long balls to him because he'll see them coming and get into position? Should I maybe avoid trying to place through balls to him because he won't get a running start on the defenders? I just don't want to completely misuse him when he's in my lineup.

I think I might have to leave work early today.

It means he is the kind of striker who is not fast but physical, that after a long ball to him, he can keep the ball in control with the back towards the goal, until the other attackers find a good position. Usually you want to have one of those in your lineup, while the other sticker should be a fast one (for a classical soccer lineup, of course there are tons of variations).>>

>>

Ok guys, you are making me wanting to start a serious game now, i was waiting until the next patch is released to polish even more the game before i start, as it's always better to start from zero after a patch, but after reading you i can't wait anymore.

About the PSP, well i usually carry my notebook with me when i'm not at home but yeah, i'm really thiking about a PSP for FM and maybe an EA sport action game like Madden, FIFA etc. My only concern would be about the interface and how to manage it all with buttons instead of a mouse.

[Ajaxab]

Found this quote from a review about the player database:

"The information is so accurate that rumour has it that managers like Bolton's Sam Allardyce use the Football Manager database as a rough guide as to where to send out his talent scouts. Just last season, on having played some obscure Eastern European team in the Champions League qualifiers, Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was asked as to whether he'd known much about the team before playing them to which he replied, "I knew a fair bit, as I'd checked them out on Football Manager before we left"."

I think this is a tribute to SI's scouts around the world. Can you imagine an NFL player talking about how they knew about a rookie across the line because they'd played against him in NCAA '06? For me, stories like these are testimony to the briliance of the FM series.

[Cringer]

I am just amazed by this game.

The last, and only, version I had was CM 00/01. I loved the game and even fired it up a bit last year.

But this....this is a whole new world to me. There is so much more here that I never even imagined possible. I downloaded it last night and fired it up. Because of the MNF game and the beer in me though I only started a game (w/ Scottish and English leagues, me as my favorite mighty Wee Rovers of Albion in the Scottish Division 3). I have started to mess around with the game this morning and holy crap.

Almost every click seems to bring up something new to me. I just saw a screen that told me a guy has a weak left foot and strong right foot and was amazed at even that. One problem is I have found myself getting lost a few times but am slowly starting to find my way around better. Thankfully I have the CM 00/01 experience, that atleast gives me a rough outline of how things go.

I want to go search out some good 'newb' info but I can't drag myself away from the game. So much stuff....so much.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Cringer

I am just amazed by this game.

The last, and only, version I had was CM 00/01. I loved the game and even fired it up a bit last year.

But this....this is a whole new world to me. There is so much more here that I never even imagined possible. I downloaded it last night and fired it up. Because of the MNF game and the beer in me though I only started a game (w/ Scottish and English leagues, me as my favorite mighty Wee Rovers of Albion in the Scottish Division 3). I have started to mess around with the game this morning and holy crap.

Almost every click seems to bring up something new to me. I just saw a screen that told me a guy has a weak left foot and strong right foot and was amazed at even that. One problem is I have found myself getting lost a few times but am slowly starting to find my way around better. Thankfully I have the CM 00/01 experience, that atleast gives me a rough outline of how things go.

I want to go search out some good 'newb' info but I can't drag myself away from the game. So much stuff....so much.

I know how you feel. I'm still amazed at FM2005 over a year after firing it up for the first time

FM

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I think I might have to leave work early today.

You have been working lately?

I was under the impression you job the last couple weeks had been waiting for and searching out new games?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Cringer

You have been working lately?

I was under the impression you job the last couple weeks had been waiting for and searching out new games?

For what this temp job pays me, that wouldn't be too far from the truth.