Alright boyz, here we go!!! Football Manager 05 First impressions

[daedalus]

Originally Posted by McSweeny

i've been having some weird problems with alt-tabing out. Today it crashed straight to my desktop two or three times with no warning and no message. Just closed up and acted like it was never running in the first place. Very annoying, considering it did it just after i had beat Holland 4-2 in my first World Cup 2006 group match as Ireland

All my drivers are up to date and all my windows updates are taken care of. Got a brand new Athlon 64 3000+ and i'm running XP SP2. Hope this will be taken care of in the patch

Have you considered playing it in windowed mode instead?

[McSweeny]

Originally Posted by daedalus

Have you considered playing it in windowed mode instead?

ummmmm yes... yes of course i have

now

[moriarty]

Anyone who peruses the boards over at sigames heard any rumours about when a patch might arrive?

[FrogMan]

all you can read over there is: "when it will be ready", so your guess is as good as mine...

FM

[Eaglesfan27]

Reading the boards over there and the article about the Guardian's negative article, it seems that the patch will be here "in days, rather than weeks." That was written a few days ago, so I'm really hopeful it will be here by the end of this week. I want to start "my real" dynasty (which I'm debating trying to write-up.)

[Desnudo]

Same here. There are some really annoying bugs that are starting to get to me as I play more. The long pause on the 2d match screen and the attribute masking issue specifically come to mind.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Same here. There are some really annoying bugs that are starting to get to me as I play more. The long pause on the 2d match screen and the attribute masking issue specifically come to mind.

Patch will be here shortly - its in test now ...

[Desnudo]

Great news! Thanks for the update.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

The long pause on the 2d match screen and the attribute masking issue specifically come to mind.

What is the attribute masking issue? I haven't noticed any problem with that.....

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by path12

What is the attribute masking issue? I haven't noticed any problem with that.....

Players that you scout later get masked again. Players that you should be able to see the stats on stay masked.

[Router Help]

I've had players on my own team have some of their attributes masked.

[path12]

I haven't noticed that in my game -- I might have to scout a player twice to get all of the masked attributes to show, but once they're there I haven't had it mask again....

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by Router Help

I've had players on my own team have some of their attributes masked.

Same here.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

bu,p.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Dola: Just heard this would be out on the 13th not 6th.

[Desnudo]

Does anyone remember what files you can delete in your TMP folder? I seem to remember that helping performance.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

Dola: Just heard this would be out on the 13th not 6th.

That release date will just get pushed back further and further. I am glad I went ahead and bought my game.

[Desnudo]

Since the game is exactly the same in both countries, I don't see the point in waiting in either case.

[Eaglesfan27]

The only advantage of waiting would be the cheaper price (factoring in shipping and everything else.) That being said, I'm glad I went ahead and got it from gogamer even if I'm waiting for the patch to really play the game.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

The only advantage of waiting would be the cheaper price (factoring in shipping and everything else.) That being said, I'm glad I went ahead and got it from gogamer even if I'm waiting for the patch to really play the game.

I think the emotional cost of having to suffer through this thread reading about other people playing it makes it worth paying the extra $5 shipping. I know when you all had it for 2-3 weeks before mine finally came I was getting anxious. This game is the only one now that I feel like I must have and as soon as possible.

BTW, I'm at "Turning your underwear inside out saves on washing."

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I bet they can the retail US releae. Oh and has anyone seen EHM in retails yet?

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Dola: I have been waiting for a US release but am leanng on going to go gamer. cuz Im sick of waiting for the retail version.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

I bet they can the retail US releae. Oh and has anyone seen EHM in retails yet?

Go gamer had it I believe- as did some other retail site ( I noticed it when searching Black Friday) ...

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

I bet they can the retail US releae. Oh and has anyone seen EHM in retails yet?

never seen EHM here in the states..i live in california and all stores i been too never seen it here..Best buy, circuit city, EB software,, compusa, etc

i worry i will never see Football Manager here either

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I really wanted ehm but dont really like the e download. so I guess when I have the money I'll go to go gamer.com.

[riz]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

I bet they can the retail US releae. Oh and has anyone seen EHM in retails yet?

ONLINE

NHL.com

NHL Team Stores - (all 30 NHL online team shops should be stocking the game)

Amazon

DVDEmpire.com

Gamestop.com

WalMart

Camelot.ca

UNITED STATES

New York

Babbage's Etc
(914) 963-3442
Address:
3 Xavier Dr
Yonkers, NY 10704

Texas

Fry's Electronics
12707 North Mopac
Austin, TX

CircuitCity
5400 Brodie Lane
Austin, TX

CANADA

Alberta

EB Games
Southcentre Mall
100 Anderson Road NE
Calgary, AB T2J 3VI
403-225-0735

EB Games
Chinook Centre Mall
6455 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary, AB T2H 0K9
403-212-0213

Nova Scotia

Electronics Boutique
Mic Mac Mall
21 Mic Mac Boulevard
Darmouth, NS, B3A 4N3 CA
902-463-2310

Ontario

EB Games
Laurentian Power Centre
245 Strasburg Road
Kitchener, ON N2E 3W7
Canada
(519) 745-8695

Westmount Mall
785 Wonderland Road South
London ON, N6K 1M6 CA
519-474-7504

The Toronto Eaton Centre
220 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON, M5B2H1 CA
416-596-7871

Saskatchewan

Mall: The Centre at Circle and Eighth
3310 Eighth Street East
Saskatoon, SK, S7H5M3 CA
306-683-4684

The above is from our thread at our forum, where we are trying to collect retail outlets/online stores that sell the game in North America.

Some people in NA may think they are the ones getting ripped because they cannot get it in their local store, but the truth is, we are the ones who feel the most pain about not having it out there in stores enough. Yes, I am personally very ticked off at the NA release situation, for both EHM and WWMS/FM. Believe me, if I could, I would pack my bags with copies of EHM and tour all the arenas in Canada and US to sell the game to hockey fans who cannot buy order it online. But due to our small dev team size and the fact that we need to get some new stuff done on the next game, that really is not an option

Now back on topic.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by riz

The above is from our thread at our forum, where we are trying to collect retail outlets/online stores that sell the game in North America.

Not to keep things off track, but in case you haven't seen it, Walmart lists EHM game as "Preorder", then follows it with "Preorder this game and it should ship on 02/03/2005."

Linky to Walmart

[Sharpieman]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

never seen EHM here in the states..i live in california and all stores i been too never seen it here..Best buy, circuit city, EB software,, compusa, etc

i worry i will never see Football Manager here either

Do you have a Fry's around you, they usually have most software.

[riz]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

Not to keep things off track, but in case you haven't seen it, Walmart lists EHM game as "Preorder", then follows it with "Preorder this game and it should ship on 02/03/2005."

Linky to Walmart

Yeah, their website states a weird date and we have noted that. But again, we can only bug Sega US to try and contact them.

On the other hand, I've talked to another person on another board about the game and he says he works in a Walmart and they have it in the store, on the shelves. So go figure....

[Eaglesfan27]

If I was on the fence, that patch information and the delay of the NA patch would be enough to push me over to ordering from gogamer (or a similar site.)

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

Dola: I have been waiting for a US release but am leanng on going to go gamer. cuz Im sick of waiting for the retail version.

I ordered it through go gamer last wed. and got it on monday. On the si boards it says patches are going to be different for the US version. I'm not messing with that, so i ordered the original (european) version.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I think the emotional cost of having to suffer through this thread reading about other people playing it makes it worth paying the extra $5 shipping. I know when you all had it for 2-3 weeks before mine finally came I was getting anxious. This game is the only one now that I feel like I must have and as soon as possible.

BTW, I'm at "Turning your underwear inside out saves on washing."

Bingo! I am very happy I ordered the game from gameplay and didn't wait on the North American release.

I don't have as much time to play as I'd want to (only up to "mildy addicted") but I'm coming along nicely in my first season, now up to the end of April 2005 and fighting very hard not to relegate from League One. I love this game

I got my first question for a local newspaper yesterday. After we lost 1-4, they came to me and asked something like this: "Your team seems to conced a lot of goal, what do you think is the cause (or what do you plan on doing to correct this, don't remember exactly?"... I was like, yeah, we've been winning regularly lately, then have one bad game and you pounce on me, damn... I answered the regular Jim Mora answer: "We didn't do didly poo out there" Seriously, I answered that the team had trouble playing a whole 90 minutes.

Looks like the players took it well, as we won the following game 4-0, against the 19th place team (we're in 18th)... woohooo

FM

[Desnudo]

Who are you playing as? I'm playing as Newport Country. Got them from Conference South to League Two, but I'm struggling there. I finished mid-table last season and I'm not super optimistic about this season since I have basically the same team. On the plus side, I somehow have two Wales wonderkids on my team now. On the negative side, they play DC and DL. In an odd turn of events, one of them, who is twenty, got promoted from my youth squad.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm debating between starting with a random conference team or a random League 2 team. I've decided I want to start a long dynasty after the patch is out with the goal of eventually being offered a job by either Man U, Chelsea, or Arsenal.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Who are you playing as? I'm playing as Newport Country. Got them from Conference South to League Two, but I'm struggling there. I finished mid-table last season and I'm not super optimistic about this season since I have basically the same team. On the plus side, I somehow have two Wales wonderkids on my team now. On the negative side, they play DC and DL. In an odd turn of events, one of them, who is twenty, got promoted from my youth squad.

I'm playing as Luton Town, currently in League One. Got a few kids who've seen their value take some monstruous jumps in the last few weeks, especially some strikers, since I play a 4-3-3 and I can showcase 3 of them every game. I do some sort of rotation between 5 of them, so they all stay in pretty good game shape. One of them, Enoch Shuwonmi, saw his value jump from about $110k to $750k from January to the end of April

Okay, enough talking, kiddo's asleep, my HT lineup is set for tomorrow's friendly, time for them last 4 games of the season

FM

[Chief Rum]

I wonder if the reporter questions happen anywhere but England? I haven't seen it elsewhere yet. I am currently playing as Wolfsburg in the Bundelsiga and am in the second season, and I still haven't seen that here.

CR

[tanglewood]

I am currently playing as Inter and have used my scouting network to find a vast number of good looking youngsters, resulting in around 20 new faces coming in next summer. The youth movement is here.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

I am currently playing as Inter and have used my scouting network to find a vast number of good looking youngsters, resulting in around 20 new faces coming in next summer. The youth movement is here.

What did your scouts say about your top prospect?

Oh and how long did it take to get to your house after ordering from GoGamer.com.

[Anthony]

i piss on the florr.

no i'm not drunk. go fuck your momma. fuckers.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

What did your scouts say about your top prospect?

Oh and how long did it take to get to your house after ordering from GoGamer.com.

They automatically ship it second day for $5.99. Ordered mine on wednesday night and got it monday.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I wonder if the reporter questions happen anywhere but England? I haven't seen it elsewhere yet. I am currently playing as Wolfsburg in the Bundelsiga and am in the second season, and I still haven't seen that here.

CR

I don't know. It only happened to me once in my whole first season, and I was sort of shocked to be asked any kind of question by the media, to be honest

I finished that first season yesterday evening. Finished in 19th, staying out of relegation zone. With about 3-4 weeks to go in the season, I made a crazy request to improve the training facilities. Didn't really count on it, but went "what's the worst that could happen?"... The board was at least satisfied with my management of the team, after being unsatisfied for some moments in the season, even seeing my name with the "insecure" tag more than a few times in the "jobs safety" screen. They replied that the team finances could not warrant an improvement to the training grounds. I thought "okay, gonna ask again next season"...

I went on, played the rest of the season, kept hitting the "continue" button to go through Summer, and boom, June 20something comes, they refresh the team's wages, new year of contracts kick in, they announce the new transfer budget, and say what?!? "The Luton board is happy to tell you that the improvement to the training ground have just been finished" Woah, nice!!!

Another nice thing. July 1st come, all my Bosman signings arrive at the club, many new faces and all. I go and ask for a team report, not that I base all my team selection on my assistant manager's input, but I find it somewhat useful to read some of his thoughts. What do I see on the "Future stars" line, two names I absolutely don't remember seeing before. One of them is a 15yo D RC, who looks like a physical phenomenon, with mins of 13-14 on all the physical skills, with some at 17-19... I had not played much with CM4, so this is my first time at seeing some good youth pull coming out of my own youth system... We'll see how he develops...

FM

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER

Oh and how long did it take to get to your house after ordering from GoGamer.com.

It took me about 15 minutes to get the game from the local sumpermarket to my house.

/ukresident

[Eaglesfan27]

I thought about putting this in a seperate thread, but decided not to do so. According to SI's board, the patch will be out tomorrow afternoon (UK time obviously), barring any last minute problems. So, hopefully by 12 noon CST I'll be starting up my new dynasty tomorrow

[moriarty]

Awesome! Thanks Eaglesfan. Of course we'll have to factor in the 24 hour lag while the servers get crushed.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I thought about putting this in a seperate thread, but decided not to do so. According to SI's board, the patch will be out tomorrow afternoon (UK time obviously), barring any last minute problems. So, hopefully by 12 noon CST I'll be starting up my new dynasty tomorrow

I hope the patch is good.

Since I consider FM2005 unplayable out of the box (note: _I_ find it unplayable - there are too many totally unrealistic things happening that just make the game totally unenjoyable), I picked up CM 01/02. Been playing in the conference, and having a blast (I'm in 22nd out of 22 teams - desparately trying to figure out how I'm going to turn this ship around - my goalkeeping has been pathetic. Usually in CM I can't score goals, but that's not the problem with this team - I just can't get ANY thing from my keepers).

If FM2005 w/ the patch brings everything to the table that CM 01/02 has, and keeps the annoying bugs out, I'll definitely switch to FM, if nothing else for the 2D match engine (but there are other things that will be nice, like the assistant manager report, etc.).

[GoldenEagle]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

I hope the patch is good.

Since I consider FM2005 unplayable out of the box (note: _I_ find it unplayable - there are too many totally unrealistic things happening that just make the game totally unenjoyable),

Can you whine anymore?

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Can you whine anymore?

1) I didn't ask some random message board to do my homework for me, and then try and justify it.
2) I'm not whining - I didn't ask for my money back or anything. I said I found a better alternative to an unpatched-FM.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

Can you whine anymore?

You know, I almost had that reaction at first, then I thought "what the heck" I mean, if that's how *he* feels, well good for him. To *me* the game is immensely enjoyable right out of the box, as you probably can see/feel from the posts I've made in this thread lately. I don't overanalyse if my keeper is or isn't doing the goal kicks properly or what not. Like CM4, where people were complaining that strikers were scoring way too much compared to other positions. I was "so what, am I having fun?" and the answer was a resounding "YES!!!" I mean, no other game has had me screaming, well I don't scream cause we have a baby in the house, or pumping my fist wildy in the air when I see a nice exchange between two or three of my players, resulting in a goal. Maybe I'm crazy, but I feel like I'm a part of their world...

I will keep on playing this career once the patch is out, as it is said to be savegame compatible. I just love how my team is shaping up.

FM

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

I hope the patch is good.

Since I consider FM2005 unplayable out of the box (note: _I_ find it unplayable - there are too many totally unrealistic things happening that just make the game totally unenjoyable), I picked up CM 01/02. Been playing in the conference, and having a blast (I'm in 22nd out of 22 teams - desparately trying to figure out how I'm going to turn this ship around - my goalkeeping has been pathetic. Usually in CM I can't score goals, but that's not the problem with this team - I just can't get ANY thing from my keepers).

If FM2005 w/ the patch brings everything to the table that CM 01/02 has, and keeps the annoying bugs out, I'll definitely switch to FM, if nothing else for the 2D match engine (but there are other things that will be nice, like the assistant manager report, etc.).

Can you indicate what it is that you find unrealistic in FM please? - I'm very interested in this, especially considering your comments regarding CM01-02 which (while still being a good game which I'm very proud of having been involved in making) was far less realistic than FM in its simulation.

[MizzouRah]

Is there a nice thick "beginners guide" to FM 2005? I tried the demo and like soccer, but the game still seems hard for me to learn. I don't have problems with other games, just this one. Too bad, because most people love the heck out of it.

Todd