Stadiums- 9 seasons in and finished.

We are now in Season 10 of Valderrama and it occurred to me a few weeks ago that I need never touch my stadium again.

I remember mid last year, a while pre-reset, looking at the forums and then Jakswans blog to gem up on the 'requirements' for stadiums, and found them to be a stark choice:

Invest in stadium -or- Invest in team

There were some managers that were clearly not playing long term and investing totally in their team. They obviously won all the trophies and then ran away from the GW when the 'investors' income from the stadiums meant the glory hunters couldn't compete. This appeared a solid tactical decision, but possibly not one that would work post reset.

SI wanted teams to stay in their GW's (not hop when they became less competitive) and for new users to be able to catch up (which, when you are competing against teams that have spent 8 months investing in stadiums, is a 'you 'ain't ever gonna catch-up' scenario).

So, to the current format. I have a general theory for building stadia alligned with this important rule: ALWAYS PAY OVER 8 WEEKS.

1) Wait till end season 1/beginning season 2 and build a 3 Tier Ospilata (or whatever it is called). Always build a season in advance of when you think you will want the structue/seats, as it takes around 24 days to build.


2) (beginning of season 3) As soon as it (1) is built, install electronic advertising in the 2 slots & build 1 x Exclusiff Corp seating (Yes, it is bloody expensive, but it also pays itself off quickest and earns you the most).


3) If, when the Corp seating is built, it looks like you have the demand, build another Exclusiff (remember to pay over 8 weeks). If you don't have the demand, or the cash, either add a couple of the more expensive remaining seating (not the other Corp one... ever!), or wait a week or 2.


4) When you have completed the 2nd Exclusiff seating look to fill the stands with the most expensive seating your fans are willing to sit in.


5) This should take you to around season 5 where you want to start looking at building your 2nd Ospilata 3 Tier.


6) When completed build the 2 Electronic advertising slots immediately & build the 2 remaining Exclusiff corp seatings over the following 3 seasons (6-9)... based on demand- if there is no demand yet, again construct the highest price seating wanted by the fans (the over-riding factor here is that the fans with least money are not to be catered for... the peasants).

- I may add the odd small amount of seating at other times, but it’s optional.

The problem with the current system is that there hasn't been the choice as per pre-reset. You could do well and build your stadia. I am now in season 10, have minimal tactical ability (or so I am often told), 15* Rep, Prem Div team and have an income of £163k a day. And therein lay the problem.

I am finished. I have no intention to increase my capacity. I got into this position by mostly FA winnings and prudent wages (we all sell the odd player but I am not even close to being regarded a ‘trader’), and have no particular urge to spend a further huge wedge of cash & for it to pay itself off over the next 500 days. I still have a fair bit of room to improve as a team but can’t earn more cash.

I have 2 Main stands, over 20k of fans wanting to watch the matches, around £5k of fans wanting Corp seating and no reason to satisfy them. Why would I?

So, what is the solution? I just missed it (having started playing FML in March 2009) but understand big changes to the Stadiums caused uproar on the forums…. Some things never change. If the monies were just changed on the game this would cause both problems and moans.

Well, if I were to compare this to a real life scenario, maybe it could be Arsenal. They had Highbury, but it had reached capacity and further building was not possible. They had to move to a new site to build a stand befitting the demand. Could this be added to FML? An enormous outlay to build a whole new stadium?

Alternatively, SI could adapt the game so that teams could earn more at the top end, but also have even faster degeneration of seating, and accordingly, income. Make it more risk and reward. Add another strategic element.

What I would prefer not to do, however, is to only ever visit my stadium when I want to repair it from now to the end of time……. Oh well, another easy thing for Si to adapt J

SI Silence

The rumours are that SI are more silent on the forums now than previously because of the abuse and negative feedback they got/get & the lack of constructive comments made by managers (or, in some cases it seems, ex-managers)- some are like dogs with a bone and never seem to accept an explanation unless it fits their myopic view of the game.

In my opinion, this is a huge fail. The forums have become a haven for the negative disaffected doom-mongerers of FML. Comments and accusations are made as if they are fact, with no official reply. I read the forums and, despite agreeing with some downsides of the game, just feel many random statements made are generally uninformed and narrow-minded.

I try and grasp on to the hope that most people have a rational side, and when explained why something has to, or will happen, then they accept and move on or away. As things stand though, with no comment at all, the dissent increases....

I am guessing it takes a fair bit of time out of their days, and they can ill-afford wasting it, but more of a presence will sate some peoples needs for clarification (and if some things need saying a few times, they need saying a few times- even if it's 'we haven't decided yet' or something more blunt, but informed).

A little tough love's what these people need. If that doesn't work, move on to Molotov cocktails- then again, if SI are fixing a few of the issues about which many people are asking, I guess silence is indeed golden... difficult balance.



Wages are high? Re-bid.

There seem to be a lot of managers unhappy with the high demands of players in their teams & I wondered if it would be possible to have a constructive and reasoned discussion on the forums about it… and then decided that would be impossible with the anti-SI spouting, negative trolling, I hate ‘new’ FMLing, Mr W. Hiners. (as ever, if you don’t like it, leave…. And soon please.)

My perspective is that there is a sense of entitlement felt by many managers over their players. Almost a 'how dare a player performing well in my first team ask for such money'.

But you can always re-bid.

The problem is that the system didn't work properly after reset- we were told players start to demand wages reflecting their Performances, Division, Rep, etc. and increase accordingly. I waited for this and posted on the forums a lot hoping it was about to 'kick in', but until the more recent upgrade it was absent. There were many warnings of increases during the early months, but some managers bid high on players regardless, and are now feeling the pinch- quite a topical reflection on current real-world financial issues.

You can also re-bid on a player, rather than auto-extend.

Equally, the current GW financial climates haven't helped being able to afford wages, but that is the nub of the issue. Managers are now having to think about whether they Auto-Extend or Auto-Rebid. I don't think managers are being forced to pay high wages, more just having to choose whether to effectively 'lock' a player or not.

Its worth repeating… and loudly:

YOU DON’T HAVE TO AUTO EXTEND. YOU CAN AUTO RE-BID

Pre-reset managers got 5 locks. Now you get as many as you can afford. It feels that some managers have been spoilt with the cheap auto-extends recently and are now seeing they can't coast with players. The downside is that you might lose players you really like.

This may well affect the top teams more- as they have the most desirable players- but this is part of the extra mile they have to go to in staying at the top. If the only string to their bow was buying loads of players they didn't want for themselves, and selling high (being a trader) then they aren't up to the task of being the top manager.

There is an alternative & equally vocal view on the forums as well... the fact that even World Famous players can't be sold for £1 as 'there is no money left in the GW's'. I'd say the two issues are linked- there is less money around as the GW's adjust to the new finances (so buying 'willy-nilly' is not happening as much) but I bet the unsigned World Famous players have wages WAY over their base demand? Yep, thought so….

I agree with some that SI have changed too much inside the game to affect long term tactics and needed to Beta test things better (like here), rather than add new innovations, but things are what they are.

The fact is, and you may have gathered this, you don't HAVE to auto-extend....

Oh well... back to the whining..

New users

33 new teams in the RFA so far this season (2 weeks in). Over double more than we had at this stage last month.

We have been advised that a slow trickle of teams will become apparent over the next few months. If this is the start then this will have the knock-on effect of kick-starting the transfer market too- as long as teams are realistic in the WA's in the next 2 seasons.

I just hope this isn't, well... false hope.

Player -v- Environment

FML really needs it.... and soon..... ie: for 1.8.

Be it:

•   International teams (I like Jak's idea)
•   Making the CPU clubs more relevant by them having 'real names' and competitions within the game against them.... not the colourless challenges we have now.
•  A point to earning RP's (at the moment they must be a huge embarassment to SI, and they are so under utilised I suspect they wish they hadn't implemented them)
•  Inter GW cups (top teams/managers(LC and CC winners from each GW), same player pools to select from, best verses the best, play each other twice over 2 weeks....
•  many more... but I only have 5 mins!

Thats it really..... when teams are losing they need something else to concentrate on within the game.... retention is already an issue. Give it a bit of a helping hand.

Is Day-Trading more Dead than Mr Dead of Deadtown?

Consternation on forums and Live, bemoaning the death of the game. RIP transfers, death to finances, burn all the wages witches at the stake, woe is us and all that sail in us.

Hmmm… really? Well, so far, it seems a lot of those that dislike the new structure are managers that manipulated the old structure- as noted in the last post.

Is it the end of trading, though? I don’t think so. I know a lot of managers got a kick out of billions of trades and sales. I respect that. The problem was that that it seemed to be based on a set formular:

Find young player + good PA + bid accepted by gullible manager = profit in a few weeks.
(I’ll admit that I may have been that gullible manager before now)

There is a skill in it, I don't deny. I have seen the catalogues of purchases and sales of some managers and behold their greatness in the transfer market. But does it make sense?

Applying the much hated (especially when it disproves point of view) real life comparison: it was like buying Jack Wilshire, CRon7, Connor Wickham, Andy Carroll, & Chris Smalling…. Playing them in the odd game or 2 and, regardless of performances, selling them a season later to some sucker for a 50% increase on the price... just because there was a label on their head saying 'might be good in a season or few'.

As enjoyable as that may have been, it was too easy- value should only increase through good performances. Now we have the value tab (which, whilst helpfulish, still feels relatively unexplained) giving a guide, wages reflecting rep and dynamic Transfer Values….. so:

- If the players bought play well they increase in transfer value but their wage demand increase (realistic, but the day traders hate it because their plan to sell the world to itself has a barrier of increased wages)

- If purchased players play poorly, or little, they may have a reduction in Wage Demand, but *SHOCK* *HORROR*, their Rep/Transfer Value may decrease too….. meaning the sell on value is also lessened…..Agggghhhh… no profit for the Day Trader!! In fact, the carnal sin of (more shock horror)…(£LOSS!!!)

Does this mean trading is killed? I suggest not. I don’t want to come over all rose tinted (and accept it doesn’t seem fully tested so am prepared to be found wrong) but maybe this means managers will actually buy players they want to play in their side more, rather than MAINLY buying for the profit they ultimately get.

So, it isn’t impossible for it to work, but now managers have to choose the right players…. Perhaps ones with low Ave Ratings for the old manager, get them working, get the TV increased and then sell for a profit? But, unless they buy them very young, they will need to give them FA games…. And I think that is what annoys many of the day traders. They don’t actually want the players, just the profit.

In short…. The managers who can spot potential, can trade well & can get performances out of players will still excel. The charlatans will suffer…… Oh well.........

Moans about transfers.... during wage auctions

Several moans on Live and the forums about how the 'new' system is killing transfers (better performances = higher wage = paying for the performances you get)

I do feel a lot of the moaning is self serving rubbish. Many of those whining come from 3 categories:

• 1) Managers that had VERY young squads with low wages and high performances ...poor dears now having to pay the going rate for the players and their performances

• 2) Managers that had paid over the odds on wages already.... and its clear there were loads of them (the amount of mail comments on £50k WA bids on awful average players were a-plenty)... it was made very clear since reset and in blogs that wages would increase (Clearly it didn't work after reset as it should have, but it was well documented)

• 3) FML managers that traded their eway to the top (or tried to) and now see the TV's are showing this to be a more difficult route (but still there are plenty that not only ask for £4mil on a 25 year old AMC, with a TV of £3mil, but a sell on % as well.... the audacity!)... Whooops.... not as easy to dupe managers.... now only the best salespeople will be able to continue with that angle on the game.

Added in to the above reasons Wage Auction time has always been slow on transfers and fast on bargain hunting.

I'm not necessarily saying that the new system hasn't affected the volume of transfers (it was always going to slow things down as it bedded in), or that it won't continue to be a bit slower as the 'traders' are more obviously trying to sell over the going rate, but that it's too early to conclude the Transfer Market is dead.

So, for me, the pricing system can be painful, but will take time to bed in with managers needing to reacclimatise with the fact they have less to spend first. This, I hope, will reduce the wages being paid in general and wages reducing over the next few months.....

One final annoyance on the moans. If you don't like the prices or wages of prospective purchases... don't bloody buy them. Equally, if you can't sell players... have you considered they are either gash, or you are asking for too much... just a thought....

There..... I am cleansed.

Morale update...

1.6.5 hotfix is in.

Am I pleased?
Answer: Yes

Why?
Answer: Because I won 3 and drew 2 last night to drag me a small way out of a relegation place.

Do I think that this was part of the problem as to why i was frustrated?
Answer: Absolutely.

Was it anything to do with the 1.6.5 hotfix?
Answer: Not a scooby

Surely it was, after all I won games?
Answer: I have no idea. How would I know?

The fact remains.... morale issues are still there, and I am still unsure as to what works and why. We really need feedback from players on teamtalks and other buttons and gadgets to influence it out of game.

That said... until I go on another numerous game losing streak, I shall probably be less annoyed. The connection between the two is obvious. Lack of control = frustration.

I guess its way too late for a 1.7 addition but hope its a main consideration in the future. Having control, or the feeling of control, so that the decisions you make appear to instigate a difference is key to the game.

Morale is low...

Morale is currently top of my FML annoyance agenda (along with lag which, fingers crossed, seems less painful over the last 2 nights)

Morale... hmmm.... Its just completely uncontrollable outside of games.

Lose=  low morale= lose more= low morale= lose Ad infinitum

How the hell do you break that cycle? At least in FMxxxx you can influence outside of games, see how players respond to your team talks and give press conferences which have an impact of sorts. In FML, just the crappy team talks.... I hate them and have no idea if they work or not... are players affected? Who knows? They must do, but how?

The results suggest that whilst I am trying to say 'Good luck lads' thay are interpreting it as 'You are all gash, go out there and lose for double your wages'. I tried the 'Your performance is disappointing' at half time and I was lifted by the players deciding that this meant they should all do Phil Neville impressions. Again, who knows? Without feedback, this element of the game is pointless- all pretty disappointing when having some sort of influence over morale has been mooted by the forum noises for some time.

Look, I know I can drop players with low morale. Rest them and their morale improves, it seems. Although this is an option, on this limited occasion, I agree with many on the forums moaners when I feel this is unrealistic. Rooney may be resting at the moment, but thats only because he is tired after screwing his 2nd pensioner in the last year (poor old Fergie). Aside from that, Torres has been awful for Liverpool, but still played, VDS's confidence would be low at Man Utd but he still plays, Bent missed sitters for Sunderland the other night but still plays.... thats the way it is. My better players are on low morale, how many games would you like me to drop them for?

Oh well.... the 1.6.5.1 (or whatever) fix is out this morning. I look forward to getting home this evening and finding a whole bunch of Happy Smiley People (holding hands).... but suspect its just because they were playing with the damned superglue again.....

Grrrrr..... Lag... ffs

Hopes were lifted.... '...a large fix has gone in and should aleviate a lot of the lag' they said. 'There was a problem over the weekend so try tonight (Tuesday)' they said.

So I did. And prune me with pliars and call me bramble bush, it seemed better on Tuesday. A few others commented on spikes- I had a couple- but in the main, for the first time since reset, I felt relatively lag free.

Then last night arrived..... and, yep, it was like a stray bogey. You thought it had been picked, but it was really hanging from your philtrum to impact you later on....

Delays waiting for the wording of mails to appear, some matches (if started at the time of a lag spike) could take 20 seconds to log into, searches and parameters setting taking ages to both be changed and then appear on the screen- Its not The Double (Circa 1989-90) where one weekends worth of ZX Spectrum results could take 20 minutes to be processed, but its certainly not the speed expected in 2010 either.

I know a lot of people aren't getting it, and for that they should be eternally pleased, but with the Valderrama body count down to around 850, losing new, or old, subs due to lag is just careless.... expecially when it has been mentioned for 7 months now.

I fecking hate lag.... almost as much as I hate irresponsible bankers and the EU commission- Now thats a high level of hate...

Morale.. hmmmmm

Now a few days into playing and my players, bless 'em, have all been sectioned for the goodness of their own health. I'm not saying they are manic depressives, just that they appear to have a wild penchant for inserting solid metal projectiles into their cerebral cortex via a hand held device.

I'm not going to moan about having 7 CCC's this morning in a Prem league game against the bottom team, and losing 4-0 (the other team had 4 shots on target, though), that can happen and I wouldn't get too het up over it.

I do struggle, though, when I am seeing amazing chances with swathes of the goal practically begging for a ball to be nudged into it... and then its hit wide... by a few players. If this is the moral/form factor, then it just seemed a little extreme at the time.

That aside, I have a my keeper of many years with a seasons average of 6.89- he is a bright red arrow down. I have no great idea why, apart from the fact I am likely to get relegated if i don't win a few games soon- but he is playing okay, apart from being bloody nervous during games all the time... he is 33 and has played hundreds od Major games... get over it.

I just feel that the morale is too intense. I like the idea of having it, but why have the team talks when you can't see what impact they had on players- like in FMxxxx. And to have T/Talks as the only option to judge/affect morale (apart from winning or, more likely in my case, losing) is starting to feel like it was just thrown in without all the aspects that made it even vaguely useful in FM (although I hated them then as well!)

Going to keep trying to get a formation that suits the players.... but it does seem like a bit of a vicious circle. If you lose, you get bad results. You tweek the formation, lose again, worse morale, tweek again, lose again as the formation is unbalanced now, and lose again..... wash repeat until the players are all wearing straightjackets and singing 'I'm a Barbie Girl'.

Hmmmmm...

Go, don't close the door, just turn around now....

I think it is fair to say that I have only seen a greater outbursting of annoyance from some users once before... and that was the reset announcement. Whether their issues are realistic is more a personal opinion -after all, if they aren't enjoying the game, that is their prerogative- but why carry on playing?


Irrational moaning and 'I'm gonna quit' threats just scream of petulant childishness and desperate needs to get attention. I don't really care if people have long subscriptions... even if they are 4 months into the future... for the sake of £20 or so (which most people would write off if it were elsewhere) you should just go and spend your life elsewhere. Bore off unless you are going to give reasoned opinion.


Those people that still log in for hours moaning about the game and how they hate it..... please leave. You are either enjoying the game or not. If not, why still log on? Go play Civ, or MoH, or whatever.... go and join a darts team or a book club. Go and spend time with friends or lovers- or both. Go and learn a language. Just go.


Some people have already left and I respect them. They have made a logical decision:

Its a game + I don't enjoy it= I don't play it.


I appreciate people want improvements and can be frustrated.... but bloody hell....some of these people have the vote.... not comforting.

1.6.5... post armageddon thoughts

Loads of comments about 1.6.5..... my early thoughts....

TV's & Wages- A- Huge positive change

For those that didn't realise what was coming with wages, TV's etc... you have missed the ingame mails from SI and been caught out by ignoring them.

- TV's are now based more on 'the going rate' and will more likely annoy the Wheeler Dealers... hurrahh. Possibly less Football Trader Live.

- Wages are now also based on the going rate. This has been long advertised and available to read up on.... this may catch those out that have already paid 'silly' (imo) wages. Hurrahhh.... finally people are going to pay the going rate rather than get kids through on the cheap- perhaps proper aged teams might be the way forward now?

New Match Engine- Too early to tell.

For those that hate the ME... hmmm... well, I'm not sure if they have a point yet. I have been massively affected in losing most of my FA games, but have seen some elements that I like a lot.

Some people, however, were saying the ME was broken 1 hour after they first logged in. The mind boggles at the lack of mental power! It may have issues- all the ME changes before have had a bedding in time- but to judge it so early is a tad unfair.... though I will admit to jibbering a bit about my defenders losing the ability to defend....

What I do find amusing is those managers that,  like sheep, had been using the 4-3-3 religiously found the 'exploit' didn't work anymore.... oh dear, they may actually need to find their own formation...  No sympathy. Baaaa!!

Lots of tweeking needed from me to make my 4-4-2 work, but I am hoping to get something right in time to just avoid registration.

I've never really analysed the ME too much in the past but will watch more on this one... and am now trying to be positive in the interim....

Team Talks- D+

No point my defending this. I never liked them in FM2009, and don't like them any more now. I'm not sure they offer enough control over player moral (end of match option might help, and in between game abilities too). I actually started just ignoring them for the last few games I played and started to actually play a bit better. At least in FMxxxx you get feedback as to what the players thought on the team talk. For me, it doesn't work yet and will become pretty unused I suspect.

Regardless, moral does appear to have taken a large hit and I want to spend more time trying to understand it before I decide it is as huge an issue as others have vocalised. What I do know is that my players are all on Suicide watch at the moment.... so all sharp objects have been hidden and a win or 2 needs to be achieved.

Cash for Ranking points - B

'Reduced commercial and stadium income by 10%, and introduced a daily income boost of up to 10% which depends on your placing within your ranking band at the end of the day (top = 10%, bottom = 0%). '

I think its a sop for the managers (like me, incidently) that want non-Rep'ed games to have more of an incentive. It won't really affect my feelings on the non-rep games but I like the fact the concern has been taken on board. Regardless, it is such a small amount that those that don't like it are barely affected & those that do like it have an additional incentive.

Lag- F

Still abysmal and still makes the game intolerable at times. Last night was possibly the worst I have known it, so I guess it's still raw, but I hate it so much and, if anything was to make me consider stopping playing, this would more likely be it. Not even close that point yet, though. Just pretty disappointed that we were told that 1.6.5 would go some way to removing some lag, and has so far failed completely.

Overall- B (if lag was fixed I would say A+ regardless!)


So, for a mid-upgrade, I think it was so far generally positive. There are elements which are annoying- the downloading time for many was, as ever, laughable- not sure about those that moaned about the late notice of the download. Agreed, it was a strange one, but not sure that it made much difference over previous ones with a weeks notice.

My only cautionary note would be the lack of clarity on how TV's are calculated and the carnage that may occur with signing on fee's come the wage auctions.... more on that if it arrives.

Wage, TV and Signing on fee changes in Beta/1.6.5/1.7

I've been working long days so am likely to be hazy about something entirely plausible..... it just isn't looking that way at the moment.

Many of the tests going on in Beta look good, but one of the over-riding issues with recent aspects/additions is the lack of clarity (YA's, Skils, Assessments.... to mention 3).

The new Transfer Value(TV)- which is better illustrated with a list of similar players recently sold- and signing on fees, and the way they don't reflect PA, was sorely needed..... but when it comes to transfers, fees, amounts and multiples being added.... well, I think I will get it in due course, but it seems like another confusing aspect that will mean much work in the help rooms.

Still being tested.... so hopefully more refining will result in further transparency. For me, I like to troll through stats and detail (thats the essence of FM/FML) but it either needs to be simple to understand, or have an easy to find explanation.... but what do I know...

More moaning than '70's porn stars... so I've heard (ahem)

Loads of moaning in game about bugs (even in Miller in the lobby from a couple of whiners.... I mean, bloody Miller!). Started a thread of contradictions that are heard day in and day out..... it went thus...


Dear SI,

This game is terrible is a complete waste of 16p a day or whatever because I have lost 2 games in a row - sort it out please. The game is broken.

I also hate the injuries. I don't want it to reflect reality. And Whilst I am at it I hate this 4-3-3 loving ME. It is so not reflecting reality.

It’s a disgrace that players get injured - my team only plays 900 plus games a season and I get an injured player at least once ever 100 games. It’s a complete joke, Si games, I want at least 16p refund.

I log in for 10 hours a day and there isn't enough to do.... the game is broken.

Whilst I am at it, I hate the transfers system. I hate the fact people have the audacity to pay large money they have saved to buy players they want. They should only buy for MV as that is the guide. I also hate managers that expect me to sell my best youths for stupid small figures. Don’t they know that MV isn't a proper reflection of a players worth?

Why have SI games got it so wrong with youth? Every graduate I get through my academy should be 5* - again SI games have got it wrong giving me average grads instead except the rare 5* that you get through –It’s a joke. I should always get 5* grads… I hate this game.

Why are there so many bugs? I hate the bugs. And why don't you tell us about upgrades. We want more upgrades and faster... Why don't you do this?

Also the wage auctions a complete joke that people want to bid for good players, it’s not fair people should not be bidding with their own valuation of a player in wage auctions, it pushes the price up of my teams wages.

And what’s more teams who buy strikers with pace and defenders who jump and head the ball they score goals against my team - should be banned as its an exploit. I hate it how teams want to win games.

I just hate the game.

I log in for hours every night when I could be doing something I actually like. Its so unfair. I detest the way that SI abuse my time like this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr P Dantic

FML Beta testing... we need more.

I think its pretty clear that the time between the last upgrade (Christ knows when that was but I think it was when I upgraded from Atari to a ZX Spectrum) and the next upgrade is the longest I have known.Various suggestions have been made but the 'after the FM2011 roll-out is favourite.

Have to be honest. This hacks me off and pleases me at the same time- a bit like the thought of eating pigs eyeballs and then realising they taste nice. Its about time more time was spent on upgrades in Beta. Most of the major upgrades since pre-reset (YA's, RP's, Skill point restructure, Stadiums, Finances, 3D Lag, etc) have been rushed out and invariably needed fixing again. Not only is this a pain in the kecks, but it wastes time fixing things that should have been rolled out only when they were ready.

3D- Whether its a good idea or not (I like it however), your computer ends up going slower than Wayne Rooney through a red light district. this was highlighted on many occassions in Beta. Reaction? Lets roll it out anyway (I suspect because 'the Masses' were chomping at the bit).

RP's- Rolled out as a sop to managers around the Reset announcement. Completely irrelevant. Reduces most of the non-FA/Major games to friendlies with no real point... apart from bragging rights (like I care, I want money, Rep and something tangible..... pointless mascots or a manic lawnmower doesn't get me grabbing for the tissues) -or- fitness. Yes,  I know I could add tactical tweeking.... but that doesn't appeal to me endlessly, and would be for a minority of players.

Skills- long threads, lots of comments. Still not happy with the endless time it takes to learn anything.

YA's- Proof is in the fixing. It came out. It was broken. It was fixed. It is fundementally broken. it is now being completely overhauled. SI have listened and actioned. Sometimes just feels it shouldn't have left Beta.

Stadiums- Just several seasons  in, 2 three-tier Ospilata's (or whatever- why weren't they just called Barry, Derek and Trevor?!) later, and at 16* Rep it is merely a place to bury profits to avoid tax. Too easy to get to £150-160k. The last £15k is pointless.

Finances- Clearly wrong post reset, hence the adjustments. Again, not tested long enough in Beta. I also think wage multipliers took too long to come in.... but time will tell as teams drop away after spending too heavily.

LAG- The single most annoying thing to bring me closest to turning off and walking away. It is in a constant state of 'being looked at


Anyway, I digress. This is obviously a moan so far.... but, *Shock* *Horror* maybe things are changing? Longer testing in Beta will mean longer between upgrades. I can take that. I can see the point to that. If the final product coming out of the factory is a more refined workable feast, then I am buying into the situation. Let the delay continue if it means a sharper upgrade.

Prospective changes being tested so far, to MV, AF's, JP's... are all looking positive for me at the moment. 1.7 must be a hit... If the game gets itself into a position when it can full on advertise, then more money comes in, then more Dev team members. That seems worth the wait. No pressure SI....

**Its very Official** I spend way too much of my time playing FML.

I was playing the other night and even felt I had to finish an Email on Valderrama before succomming to my wife's demands on my body..... don't worry, it was only a paragraph, and only took a couple of minutes to finish (the paragraph), but, all the same...

Even stranger still, it was all part of a reply due to some managers being pissed with things on the GW- and others just thinking their inert attempt to string words together constituted cerebral arguments against logic- I don't mind constructive argument, that is how things get improved, but negative jibber is tiresome and destructive.

It just got me wondering why? What is the attachment? I have a 'Real' life. I have real friends that I can touch and converse with- with the touch part, I mean they were real, not imaginary friends, my mates would never let me randomly touch them. Then again, most of my mates aren't willing to sit in front of a PC for a few hours at a time deciding whether to pay an imaginary £4mil for an imaginary player to play in an imaginary team.

I remember on the late Champ Managers and all the FM's thinking it would be great to play the game against other people- I used to link up for old C & C games until the Play Stations overloaded, and just wanted to sample that competition on the most realistic football management game.

I suppose its the challenge. You know you are playing 'real' people elsewhere in the world, who also think they know what they are talking about when it comes to football management. Not only that, you can chat to them about the aforementioned imaginary player and deal.

My wife thinks its irrational and geeky- but she hates anything that requires any kind of programming during its manufacturing. My kids used to like to watch, especially my daughter who played some matches and made game decisions with me- but at 7 years old, and some of the swearing on the GW, I have had to restrict this.

Utter ramblings... but when Civ comes out soon, my FML time may finally be strained to the point where I log-in for normal lengths of time. Maybe that new option may cut the addition.... scary thought.

FML... an addiction that may be harmful to your health

Football Manager Live . Sign up play and be miserable. Apparently.

I have been playing this game for around 16 months now (after years of Football Manager and Chapionship Manager etc). It offers an interaction that will be the closest most of us will ever get to actually managing a proper professional team- which is a welcome relief to most clubs.

The stunning thing recently is the amount of people on the forums that seem to be playing with the most negative stand-point, but still logging in and still spending some hours both playing and posting anti-FML gash on the forums.

Why? Christ knows. Or maybe he is as bemused as me.

Its a bloody game. It costs £4.99 a month to subscribe to and for that you can play as little or as much as you want- but you have the ability to program your side to perform the way that you want when you are offline.

You can cease playing when you want. You can cancel your subscription. You can turn off your PC and leave your house to re-familiarise yourself with the sun and 'other real people'. You could even, if that suggestion was too horrifying, play a different game *shock* *horror*. Some people say they have long term subscriptions... well, what part of 'you still don't have to spend your time doing something you resent' are you struggling with.

Only idiots stay with products that they are truly unhappy with. If you have a way of removing yourself from a Gas supplier, Mobile contract, pie shop subscription... then you do it.

There are issues with the game that need looking at. There are things that can be annoying.... but when it reaches the point that you hate playing a game. Stop. Re-evaluate your life.Re-evaluate your free time.

Some people are stunning examples of Intellectual Pygmies.


Even Jesus facepalms you

No idea

General waffle on FML.....

I guess I will use this as a way of ranting, pontificating and jibbering about whats on my mind (generally very ill thought out matters) and adding them here so that I can laugh at myself when/if I grow up.