Blaming the wrong people

I follow the local paper online, and add comments now and then when the urge arises. What annoys me is the misguided vilification of public servants, when they have to follow the whims of their senior officers.

There was a story this week about an apparent attempted burglary that police charged the perp with criminal damage- he had broken a ground floor window, but hadn't managed to get in the house, leaving the police to either charge for a relatively safe 'criminal damage' or a less solid 'breaking & entering'.

The online messages were full of spit and bile against police officers (think 'do your job' in a pre-neaderthal grunt, etc), which misses a large point.

The last few governments have, brick by brick, brought in swathes of targets by which to bash public services over the head with. Each target moves around like the wind, being changed every several months to suit political whim.

What happens is that the senior officers of the time are so desperate to reach these targets that they concentrate on the ways to achieve them, rather than doing the best job for the public (this could be applied to the NHS, HMRC, DWP and the rest of the alphabet soup). Whist this occurs those DOING the work become disillusioned because most of them want to do the best job possible, and the moving 'targets' hinder this considerably- yes, some are not great, but that is the same in all areas of work. Most are decent and hard working.. imagine trying to do a good job whilst ignorant people offer hate and vilification.

This specific case mentioned in the story looked like a perfect example, even if it isn't the case in this instance. There is no doubt a target for convictions. The likelihood of getting a conviction for burglary in this instance is much less than a conviction for criminal damage, therefore (to help hit targets) officers are probably instructed to get the most likely results.

There is an element of merit that this is also a better use of public money AND that it is better to get a conviction rather than no conviction, but it is far too weighted in favour of getting quick results.
Whilst this goes on the current government bring in police commissioners so that there is an extra layer of bureaucracy between them and the public when issues with the police arise... so the government of the day are never directly responsible anymore. Neat trick, eh?

So, I'll agree that the public are not best served, but I think people should look higher than those on the street trying to offer a good service. Look at the most senior officers bending over backwards to reach targets, however counter-productive they may be. Look at the newly installed police commissioners also seeking to justify their position, and look to the government who are apparently no longer in full control....

It is myopic and lazy to simply blame those doing the work on the ground.

Are you represented?

It was suggested in PMQ's this week that there is "a creeping technocratic coup" in Whitehall. Having "relinquished political control of the [Downing Street] policy unit" and having "let it be staffed by the civil service" the civil service is in control and "bolstering the position of the permanent bureaucracy".

In short, top Civil Servants are making all the main decisions.

I can't even begin to lament or mourn the loss of 'control' over decisions through the ballot box because that has itself been smoke and mirrors for some time now.

Whilst most people posting one politically angled sites are keen for some influence on the main stage, there are x10 more that have been utterly turned off by the non-politics purveyed by the top table of political parties (Labour, Lib Dems and Labour).

Regardless of peoples political party leanings (and I currently have none because I see no one party that seems to have enough substance to its views), what essentially is the point? Democracy is just now a word with little evidence of the general populace being represented.

We are, it feels, part of a 2 party dictatorship on rotation- with the ugly cousin somtimes being patronised (Lib Dems). Makes you despair a little.

Switching Tact

It seems, looking back, all previous posts were based on a game that, whilst hugely interesting, is dead, gone & buried. It all seems a lot of wasted time now, when reading through the feelings on the game etc.

Inspired by watching the first 2 series of Sherlock over the last fortnight I've decided to expand & get my thoughts onto the www so that I can look back in years to come and wonder what the hell I was thinking.

Initial puzzle is this:

How the hell does anyone think a £26k a year benefit cap is too low? That would require a gross family income of £35k a year.

Answers on a postcard to 'I want more money for nothing.com'

The search.

Jeez. unless you have fantasies about Orcs or want to fight a dragon, the MMO industry is a wasteland.

I'm in search of an alternative to FML. I have had a quick peek at the other Football games and may save them if I get REALLY desperate. Star Wars doesn't blow my frock up... in fact, I pretty much dislike it (raised and bred as a Star Trek man- although that looks distinctly average).

Does anyone have any solid suggestions.... the alternative is to do something that resembles 'life'.... *shivers*

(did I mention... still gutted, still feel sick its ending)

Its the end of the world as we know it.... but I don't feel fine.

You know... I was wrong. I'm ugly enough to admit that. The game died. I wanted to be positive & because I loved the game so intensely, I thought others would see the huge potential if marketed to, but didn't cater for those that perhaps didn't know a good thing when they saw it. I think those that continually wallowed in their dislike of the game, or elements therein, didn't help things. But then, they would disagree. It matters little now.

I still don't see why it couldn't return to Beta as a paying concern- effectively people also paying to test the FM12 etc ME's... those charges can get passed on to offset etc. I have seen some reasoning 'why not', but a clean slate Beta after so much learnt- and knowing the game is a huge potential- seems an opportunity too good to turn down. Its not a queston, maybe just the ramblings of someone feeling let down and wondering what the hell will replace such an awesome game and people I have chatted to over the last 2 years+.

Thanks SI for an awesome game. I still feel sick its ending, and for that I hate you too. You gave up. You admit is had massive potential, but ran away. You mention FMO as a great next thing, but know this game was a massive bomb of potential. FMO will need testing and related costs. The opportunity to actually offset those costs were here with many willing to pay to do that for you. That is a true testament to how much faith the gamers had in the potential & far outweights the faith SI had in the game themselves.

Nothing lasts for ever. This was a blast. Thanks to the Mods, Orgs, CH's and all that contributed ingame...in essence, the heart and soul of the game. The ones I will miss. Thanks to all the SI staff for making me resent working for a living even more than I had to, when I really just wanted to be playing.

It was the best game I have ever played, and it failed. Damn, I can only imagine what the game that succeeds would look like.....

Shit

Thats it really.... just feel a numb feeling.

Will miss people I never met (now I know how the feckers that 'knew' Diana felt).

To those on the forums that were more keen on moaning and griping over appreciating the game and being constructive. Feel free to bugger off now...  you have bored me enough.

To those I have chatted to on the game, it has been a pleasure- even the jibberers and ones that meant I had to keep PC'ing them in the small hours..... most had good sides.

Damn, SI.... you have ruined my day. Such a bad outcome.

I might be completely wrong, but...

Having a think recently and a chat with a couple of people over the withdrawal from public life of SI- even PaulC has advised he will duck out of front line replies- here (#173)- as ever, the negative tools affecting the majority.

Whatever about the subbie forum- it’s a pain and a massive customer relations own goal, though not a game breaker- but the lack of communication on Beta Forums is bemusing.

Now, Beta is where the testing of the new ME, innovations, fixes etc occur. We have Miller and Coppell. Miller being the initial testing vehicle GW and Coppell ensuring Miller haven’t been too crap. New ideas are vocalised in the forums and often you would get interaction with the Devs etc. picking ideas to pieces in a, generally, constructive way (this is the main difference with Beta, it actually contains most people that have a positive interest in the game. Any trolling and they get kicked from Beta)

And here comes the problem, there has still been no further interaction since I posted a few weeks ago. This is very strange. Even accounting for it being SI holiday time this kind of silence in Beta is in my experience, unheard of.

Normally after an upgrade has been finished it gets ‘locked’ and then is practically ready to roll out. Then Miller gets a few new additions to test, look at, discuss. The last client upgrade of any note was around 6 weeks ago. This again is unheard of.

Now, some people have suggested the game is dying and this is a pointer (yep, normal trolls on the Subbie forums with so little in their lives that they continue to post about a game they have given up on). I am more positive. I think something is coming, some announcement. Kriss says SI are still overseeing on the forums and is still looking forward (or 'east' as he cryptically mentions here). He might be putting a brave face on things, but I’d prefer to think that he either knows something or is just as positive.

If it is an announcement, let’s play for a moment, what could it be? Whatever about the doom-mongers, I’m going to look positively. I’m going for it having something to do with FMO (The Korean Version announced last June/July ish). I wonder if they are finishing that off  and the Devs are helping that project hit the ground running.

I have no proof or evidence, but it just seems the time would be around about right-dev time is not obviously being used on FML (although it might be behind the scenes) and it would explain a lot of the recent occurences.

What impact this might have on FML is to be seen- whether it is happening now nor not, it is going to happen sometime…. It just looks like the stars are aligned.

Speaking sense *shock* *horror*

I have seen a few posts recently where sense is being spoken on the forums. Where the comments made are no vaccuous hyperbole or hysterical ramblings. I know, I can hardly believe it either !!

Without wanting to copy Martin here , but there does seem to be a raft of people that expect and demand the ME is exactly like real life. Chances of this ever being achieved = 0%. No issue with striving to make it better, but if people want a completely exact representation of real life, try real life.

WWfan has made a very welcome return to the forums with an analytical mind and offering insights and reasonings as to why people are getting certain results. This has blown a lot of theories out of the water, seems to have given some managers food for thought (perhaps showing they aren't as tactically adept as they might have assumed), and alligned more managers with Bobby Ball rather than Bobby Robson.

This thread in #150/164/175/178 etc, WWfan gives valid opinions on the ME and tactics. Now, this isn't to say he will always be right- Football is opinion after all- but solid argument and meaty reasoning are more often a more convincing post over 'This ME is shit etc etc'.

The amount of people that I see moaning about the ME ingame when they lose is laughable. Especially when many play at 2.5 speed, MP's making the decisions for them, stealing redballs and then moaning about strength of AI's, playing the same formation and tactics for home/away and regardless of opposition, not looking at the Oppositions formation, not looking at where they are being exploited or where they can exploit.

Football might be full of opinions, but even the FML managers that crawled out the shallowest of gene pools must realise that playing in the above manner is not conducive to permament winning.

18Rabbit makes a solid analysis here (#3) on why a team didn't win its game. The OP (sorry for choosing you, it could have been any number of posters) hysterically saying it might make him quit. Football IS a game of opinions and, quite frankly, unusual results. If it wasn't we would all win at the Bookies each Saturday when we bet on the results of games. But at least look at some of the reasoning first.

The analysis tools I metioned in the last post might help people see some of the faults in their tactics more clearly- this in turn would (possibly) reduce some of the complaining.

We all want to believe we are great tacticians but this ME (where there is no killer formation, no killer instruction or way of getting goals, no way so far (it may be found yet) or manipulating wins) is possibly showing that some managers used the cracks in old ME's as a crutch more than they might like others to think....

I will reitterate. The ME isn't perfect, but it is the best anywhere. People that see faults in it are either part of the solution (by adding contructive and informative posts) or part of the problem.

Feed me with stats, pies and scotch!

As is clear from previous posts, I have no particular issue with morale, just with the ability to know why my team is playing bad. Is it morale, form, tactics, shouts, players, luck.... I just don't feel equiped enough yet to analyse games better.

Then I remembered a post from Marshall a few months ago linking suggestions: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/225375-More-match-analysis-tools-in-FML
 (post #15)

- it is over 2 months ago, so it was when Cynet was more positive :p

Anyway, I love it. It seems to offer all you might want (immediately anyway… before we imagine up more intricate details) in the way of match analysis, explanation of a lot of match queries we have, opens the immediate analysis of the game up to hardcore and casual and seems to answer a lot of the ‘why’ questions.

Some of this could be answered now by studying match after match, but even then so many (including me) aren’t sure if the luck/morale/form aspect is the real factor. This can negate that to an extent.

I don’t want an assistant manager telling me who to watch, who to mark or what formation to use. I just want to be able to analyse the information. Some people have said that they like the simplicity of FML over the stat driven mass of FM2011. I can empathise with that, but with these kinds of tools you can choose to use them, or not. Dissect them at your leisure and implement at your pleasure. Or just use gut feeling instead of looking deeper.

Win win win win win.

My wife knows more about FML than FM2011 managers.

.... and apart from knowing I have an unhealthy addiction to it (albeit it one that isn't ruining my liver), and the fact I am Spartacus in several different places, she knows nothing. So, poor show brown cow really, regarding FM2011 gamers.

A quote from Wes on the main forum (http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/260542-website-update- #13) 'Just a thought and maybe a bit off topic but have you (SI) ever advertised on the main FM forums? Not so much an ad but a post in the FM subscriber section of what FML is ,what it can offer, probably a bit of a hijack but your playing for the same team, so why not? :D
Cant beleive more FM hardcore players havent come over to FML, I never liked the idea until i accidently stumbled across some info lurking aroung the FM sub forum (havent really touched FM in 3 years of FML).'

Just with this in mind. I was having a very rare wander around the FM forums and posted in this one: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/260566-Game-involving-FM-community?p=6649540#post6649540
Effectively this guy on FM2011 wanted more of a community experience. Where better than FML, I thought, so posted and was ignored- I supect they have never heard of FML and thought I was a random freak.

The amount of people that come from FM20xx to FML and say they love it are, in my anecdotal experience, quite a high %. Quite why SI don't tap into that is beyond me. I bet loads of people on FML still have a FM2011 box/Steam game. So the demand for FM20xx doesn't leave.

This isn't a moan, this is a positive 'JUST DO IT' message. After a few months of positive additions to Valderrama we are slipping again. We regularly have over 100 online. The chat rooms are often buzzing with jibber. But from 700+ down to 665 again.

When so many potential customers are on your doorstep, you would be mad to ignore them. Then again, there is an element of ignoring their own customers views, suggestions and ideas on the forums. Maybe they are Mick McMad of Madville after all!

It's SI's game. Its understandable they want to retain control, but there are a lot of people willing to help. If there is a shortage of staff, and things can be done by managers keen to pitch in to enhance the game, harness them.

But first of all... make sure all FM2011 managers get the opportunity to buy both products !



All the people I have interacted with at SI have been diamonds. They all appear to be hard workers and have improving the game as a priority. Quite why customer communications have arrived at this position is bemusing ...   :-(



1.7 Huzzaarr... *ponders*

Obviously I have no inside information but the last time I remember SI being this quiet on the forums I seem to feel that it was just before an Upgrade (I reflected at the time that they must need to steel themselves for the abuse they get post upgrade, and the work on bugs that may appear).

I looked last week and Bertie hadn't posted for a couple of weeks, Paul once in a week or so, Rb hadn't been that active and Ov hadn't posted since the end of Jan. No idea where Duffy has gone, PaulC was manning the barracades on the ME thread and Ben was manfully dealing with the Bugs thread. All in all, forum skeleton staffing.

As posted before, I want them more active, but have wondered whether this is really a sign of 1.7 being close. SI have gone all The Third Man on us over recent months, but is this the rest before the chaos?

Where so many good suggestions historically came from the forums, and ideas built upon, too many of the threads have recently been created by moany tools with no concept of 'balance'. I'm hoping SI come back strong after this unnanounced break- because if they don't, the forums lose their main purpose. Creation.

The TV Lounge is a couch potato

The TV Lounge. Does anyone use it?

It just seems to be a ‘chat’ room that shows clips of goals that you generally don't care to associate any time to. A room that only ever seems to be noticeably used by random spammers/spanners. Like re-runs of WWF, whoever watches the goals are either unstable, bored, in denial, desperate or a combination of all 4.

I think it could VERY simply be enhanced if there were a button to stop the goal clips being shown in the TV Lounge so you could just see the current scores. Sometimes I don’t really want to gatecrash a game (or let the other manager know I care!) so seeing the vide-printer style scores appear is handy. This change has been acknowledged in Beta, logged as a potential future change, but that was several months, and 2 upgrades, ago

At the moment I get a few seconds to try and locate the the scores I want... and then the goal clips kick in. It just flaunts itself like a flasher jumping out on you at a tube station entrance. I'm in trauma. Cue re-runs of men in bikinis pretending to fight each other….. I can’t change screen quick enough. The therapist's bills are on the way to you SI !

Emoticon-fest... imagine...

This was suggested again in a beta thread a short time ago, but originates as far back (to my knowledge) to several people when the ideas for RP use were flying around (remember RP's.... RIP etc.... wasted opportunity)

I love the idea. More to personalise the game can only be a positive step- some won't care or use it, but many will. Add in your 'own' homepage as well, perhaps. Add more design to the stadium, goal celebrations, even dug-outs if need be.

Some concerns were on the numbnuts abusing it and creating abusive or crude emoticons but, as ever, I'm sure the rules could apply to this as they do to the written word.

I guess the reality is the time to code such an addition -v- coding the current plans. I suspect that this might be either a long term or never term idea whilst the SI team is thin on the ground with resources.

Control, Control and CON-bloody-TROL

I've been playing FML for over 2 years now. Zola for a year and Valderrama for a year (along with ongoing accounts Miller a year and Nunez for a month). I think any game that keeps the attention of anyone for that length of time is worth a solid regard, huge respect and an acknowledgement that it has grasped the reason why we all love football.... and still follow various teams even if they lose week after week- I say this as an Ipswich fan...

Despite all this time, I would never claim to be any kind of tactical wizard on FML (many would be nodding at this point if they were reading), but in real life I feel like I have a good grasp on tactics. So, I work on gut feeling and try to apply real world tactics to the game (apart from employing the obvious contender of corner banging, but never played 4-6-0 *shows badge of honour*). This works sometimes, and sometimes not. I appreciate football has large elements of luck and 'the unknown', that is what makes it so emotive. Players have personalities and can be utter tools but have uses (Barton), hair-pullingly inconsistant (Torres), can implode on themselves (Rooney), be petulant like a child (Balotelli), and as stupid as a bucket-full of shrimps (Bramble) but the manager tends to know what is wrong, despite not always being able to deal with it.

Herein lies the problem.

Are my playing being inept morons because of the tactics/shouts/morale/etc... or is it just because they, or I (or both) are inept morons. How do I know? Not a Scooby. I suppose it could be me. Entirely plausible. I know it must be sometimes- be it through a lack of time prepping or looking at things- but often I am in the dark. I like to be to blame for winning. Human nature is as it is when I lose and expect it must be the game! :p

Beta has some new features being tested that give a little more clue, but I really feel this needs to be ramped up. I'm not suggesting people get nursed through management.... let people find out themselves. But at least give them the opportunity. Signpost huge errors. Player feedback to say why they are hacked off. More opportunities to interact with players. Some feeling of control.

Many think they might be tactical geniuses (whilst still playing at 2.5 speed, don't look much at stats, use the 'power formation' of the moment, never change home and away tactics and allow silly things like letting their 5ft6 winger mark the best jumper in the opposition), and some of them will always moan. They know football. They live it. After all, they watch it every week, how could they not...  In offering additional signposts FML might actually be doing society a service in proving to these internet warriors that they are sometimes/often wrong.

I try not to blame the ME. It is what it is- the best out there. Not perfect, never will be perfect, but a work of art that is as close to being real as anything in the world has at the moment. As ever though, the FEELING of control is king... and that control needs to be easily accessible, not at the end of a 50 page thesis on stats. I want to make a decision and to know that it had an effect- be it positive or negative -or- whether I win because of it or not. If this brings a reduction to the moans about it being the ME's fault, more the better!

Some work/analysis= Yes.
Reams of analysis= Not casual friendly or, in the main, Hardcore friendly.

Lag Update

Still there/here. Still a pain in the kecks. Jeez, I have a ZX Spectrum in the loft somewhere.... I might go retreive it to compare. 'The Double' used to take 120 minutes to play a 90 minute game weekend.... its not quite that bad, but seems worse due to expectation.

I'm used to it (even though I hate it and it makes me walk away from the PC) but when I get a new user ask why things are going so slow trying to explain sounds so lame.

These types of forum threads are becoming way too frequent:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/256868-Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggg!

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/256276-Disgusting-LAG

.... I know SI are looking into it, and I'm sure its not simple, but the awesome increase in managers recently could be reversed by this lag.

No idea what this illustrates but it said 'lag' and has pretty patchwork patterns :p

Wage Auctions... sleeping is for wimps.

You know that feeling.... within an hour (or few) of a Wage Auction to end, you have a bid in and just have to wait up.

I could never, whilst retaining any kind of credibility in the 'real world', explain this to people I have met in the flesh & even *SHOCK* touched, but way too often I have stayed up till stupid-o-clock just to SEE that I have won an auction......     I say won, I mean fretted over which arse might jump in and steal the player, that I don't own, off me.

It seems, if only in my small mind, that if you stay awake to see the WA in, you are able to ensure the player becomes yours. I'm not entirely sure the process for this, and whether as well as morale SI have factored in desperation of managers into the ME, but  there I was doing it again last night.

It was around 10:30pm, I popped back onto Valderrama for 15 mins and this (because I was so keen to guide my WA target- a nice 4.5* PA yoof- into the Spartacus harbour) resulted in my eventually getting to sleep at around 1:30am.

That's not the whole story. Sleep was 01:30am, but the wage auction finished at 12:00am. You see, it's not enough to just sign them. You have to play the buggers too. Gaze upon their Atts and ponder the way tactics might work with them (or, in my case, with any player I own). Add in the Lag of 15 minutes from auction end to player arriving and the time mounts up.

Today= knackered (and completely negating the previous relaxing weeks Annual Leave).

I remember doing a nutty one on Zola.... staying up till 4am just to see the great Francesco Metti safely home.

Bloody stupid, tiring FML addiction. Now at work during lunch trying to summon the energy not to leave the office at 3pm and sleep in the car for an hour before I go home.

Like I said, you couldn't explain this to a 'real person'. They would look at you and consider you some sort of mentalist that pokes at snakes with a short stick just to see if they are deadly poisonous.

Regardless, I won the player. He is mine.... and anyone that tries to take him from me will need to stay up late for him.

1 relaxing week away to Ireland and then 3 late nights on FML... has anyone got a couple of aspirin or a weapon of some kind to kill people with... I'm shattered.

Lag

I absolutely hate it. It is the bain of the GW's and, frankly, the main thing that makes me log off.

Post reset, seasons 1 to around 9, it was a 'mare. We kept hearing about how it was being looked into and how it was being taken seriously. I didn't doubt this, just as, over the last week or so, it is undoubted that it is growing again (also in Nunez when logged on there)

It is not numbers on the GW (1 minute to see mail this morning with 30-40 online). It is not my PC- got it newly built in Dec with a super dooper processor. It is also not my provider.... so definitely the Game/Server/FML/SI.

This is a major issue. SI need to address it, and soon. I'm as hardcore on the game as most, but it will cause me to look away...  9 months of frustration was enough. The moans in-game are increasing, and justified.

New Subbie in Nunez :-O

After being able to source 4 x 4 month box sets, I decided to set up a new account elsewhere.

After chatting with several people I decided on Nunez. There is a vibrant community on Valderrama and, despite what other GW’s might desperately pontificate, I find it difficult to see how another GW might be as good. With this in mind I’m trying Nunez and they often state it’s a great community so I can judge that claim- and I know a few people there so I can get some good loans in!

To be honest, it was the best bit of player analysing I have been able to do since I originally joined in March 2009- shield-less I had no PC’s, no chat to look at, nothing to approve and start and no Emails to reply to…. loved it.

On first sight I certainly saw little evidence of the great starter players that have been lauded on the forums- although I have no issue with them for starter teams as they are some way behind in Skills, Money, Stadia, Rep, YA’s and Income already. That said, Nunez is a RS GW and it seems that Fantasy GW’s are more likely to have some of them.

Got several good players all the same (compared to my original Valderrama starting pool anyway). I’m hoping a few managers in Nunez feel the same way and offer me silly money for a couple- I really see it as a big help for new teams, and perhaps vital.

Whether this is fair on longer term managers in Nunez..... well, if they have had x-months head start on me with the aforementioned (Skills, Money, Stadia, Rep, YA’s and Income) then me being able to sell a few players for a £mil or two (fingers crossed) shouldn’t offer them serious problems. If it does, they really need to either look at the way they have set their team up or relish the challenge to show the noob his ‘place’. I always tend to work on a '10 months to get to the top' system anyway.... so care less regardless!

Not sure how much time I will spend in there yet (as Valderrama always takes priority) but if I can work out how to set up a couple of clients at the same time I will have total chance to screw this up….

Inter FA.... Yeeee... (and may I say)... Haaa

IFA.

3 Letters. One success.

Maybe a novel fad, maybe something that will whither and decline in time, but in the meantime a great idea that needs huge pats on the back.

I only speak from Valderrama experience where the relevant Mods and Orgs on this one have spent shed loads of time implementing and facilitating quizzes, comps, predictions, Deal or no Deals, etc. but the community activities whereby people are associating more with their FA’s has been a huge hit.

All of a sudden, and for the first time since reset, I actually give a toss if I win a non-Major game (generally easier to do against EFA). I now really want to win the picture quiz with DFA so we get more points. When other managers in your FA win IFA games or comps you are genuinely pleased- even when the annoying ones win!

There are only 2 initial & potential negative points on this (but even they are small).

1)      Some may feel more reluctant to move away from an FA that doesn’t suit their style of play

2)      It needs a bit more money to make it a tangible ‘win’, perhaps.

Regardless, a good addition. I would recommend this to all GW's that want to harness a bit of community spirit… And yes, Dugout FA is the best...

Youth Academies.... whiney whiney

YA managers + expectation that the youths they get will be good = disappointed managers.

The above calculation is standard. YA's are a gamble. Pure. Simple. Straightforward.

If managers want to ensure the standard of their youths, not have to release the rubbish they get, not 'waste' their money, not 'hate' the YA system.... close the Youth academy- I refer them to Line 2 again.

In my old age I am beginning to understand that many more people than originally perceived are masochists at heart..... because those same whiners never do shut their YA's! :p

Your Youth Academy- get used to it!

Somalian Pirates

Rapid blogging… Jeez…. I could almost be confused for regaining a little enthusiasm. And the confusion would be correct.

As already posted before, I think SI MUST be more active on the forums in responding to suggestions, issues & moans- often from irrational humans that are barely registering on the ‘sentient being’ scale.

Additionally, more Official GW Emails outlining things to look forward to, or explanations, perhaps…. Many people don’t look at the forums- I know in Beta a lot that approaches this is being trialed, I hope it comes out to live and, if so, in an accessible format.

All this aside, something happened. It was deep, meaningful and all very satisfying. I think I have become, over the last 3-4 months, tired of the same arguments, from the same protagonists, and as frustrated with the lack of official response or action from SI… about pretty much most things, until now.

A pro-active decision was made by SI, and action taken. It was like that first appointment that you had with the dominatrix  … oh, errr,  that might just be me.. but in this instance was all about the Somalian Pirates of Valderrama (as per this thread…. http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/249828-The-somalian-cheaters) and some managers that had purposely exploited a bug.

Aside from the teams caught in the crossfire of Somalians being removed due to their over-production of quality players (often 4*+), and the numerous managers that were satisfied with the main protagonist/s getting screwed with their pants on, it was good to see action. Okay, it was slow coming, but action all the same.

Regardless of your standpoint on the Somali YA's, to see a Raft of Super Admins arrive and be executive in decision-making was a joy to behold.


Add in the Emails sent to entice managers back (time will tell if they stay, obviously, but trying to be positive), and things are looking up.

So a plethora of hats off to SI... hmmm.. two positive posts in a row, I'm in danger of becoming a Fanboi    :o

**Hold the Front Pages**

We have an RFA that has increased to 34 teams for the 2nd run!

The last 2 seasons have been dismal for any increase in numbers of new teams, whilst seeing teams leave through natural wastage-although I know that some managers leave on principle of them thinking the game is pants, I think that, bearing in mind a lot managers have been playing for a couple of years, most are just FML burnt out. With that in mind, there is a huge market out there to tap for the next generation of addicts.

Emails sent to old innactive teams by SI, though, have enticed many back with the news of riches in many finance projections- although, if you have lost your players in WA's and have less than £3mil in your account, you might want to consider whether you really should restart.... (with there being a wider range of players to select from when you see the whole database after a restart).

Anyway, hats off to SI, finally a significant and overt attempt to increase the GW numbers. Valderrama still often has 100+ managers on during various evenings, but boosting this was a necessity. Now they need to kick on from this and get the numbers up more, even if by 10-20 a season NET.

I understand further mailshots may be sent out soon. More of the same in increases would be a welcome addition.

The Continued black-out from SI on plans and lack of positivity on the future

I have been trying to stay away from the forums more recently- particularly the Subbie one- but, when I need to look at them to keep up to date with changes, this is difficult. They are awash with negativity but very little rebuttal from SI. This then spreads to the GW’s and, to be honest, to me a little. The lack of SI comment fuels chat of the game being in turmoil, on its last legs, considering reset pending FMO being rolled out in Europe etc. etc. wibble. etc…  

I want to defend the game, I want to refute comments- just by nature this is my starting point as I like playing the game and, although accepting there are some poor areas, would rather it succeed than slate it constantly like some of the imbeciles- but there is nothing I can refer to from SI that holds weight in an argument, as they have said little (Referring to a post made months ago about there being no reset doesn't begin to reason with some people...but I wonder what would....)

I appreciate it takes time out from other tasks, but keeping the positivity and support is imperative for the long term of the game. SI may feel that a blanket ‘no comment’ is a good route but, really, they need to revisit this stance.

Just looking at the Subbie forum today we have titles such as:

The Restart is near :)  (Just say it isn't.... unless I missed a memo)

The somalian cheaters  (Say something.... other than the unspoken 'its fixed now... please forget the issues this has caused')

Manual  (More clarity needed for some time)

.... that are asking either pertinant questions or ones that need to be clarified asap to dispel the negativity.

Then you have the ones either trying to be productive, needing clarification as to why it can't happen or just nice for some comment to offer positivity:

Fast Paced GW.  (Yes/No?)

Fmlive legends  (acknowledge those that put time in....)

Request: Seperate 'real' mail from 'spam' mail  (A valid suggestion... yes/no, acknowledge it)

Suggestions for new features  (More ideas, valid or not, with time taken to post...)

2000 user gameworld?  (Is it possible, I think not, but say so)

etc. etc. etc...

I remember the plethora of posts when RP's were installed. The dozens of good ideas that were taken time over, offered in good detail and then completely ignored. I guess an argument is that these suggestions could be made in Beta Forums, but not all are on Beta and why duplicate?

If people get no feedback = they stop posting ideas

I would suggest a sticky at the top, effectively a general Q & A. Collate quotes, comments, gems of wisdom from SI Devs/Staff, which would be a reference point for both new managers to look at, but also managers to refer others to if they keep asking the same inane questions- to refer though, you need comments to refer to... I may suggest this, so over to SI....

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...