FM Matchday Video Blog

[Wengerball]

Here's the new video update.

#FM14 Video Blog -- Match Day (English version) - YouTube

No more sliders

 

[rollerdude1]

It is kinda sad that we will not be having sliders, but I am really excited about the individual instructions as this is prob. it is out in the real world, managers telling/ instructing players what to do. They lost the sliders, but I am also happy about the new player roles. This along with the ind. instructions, even though cant make up for tactical micro managing we lose by the lack of sliders, I think will provide much more realistic fm.

 

[HasonJenderson]

I'm quite glad to see the back of the sliders if I'm being honest. I never truly understood them, and I didn't really have the time to change every single slider to see what changes to the match it would make, so I just stuck to the TC and just changed the team sliders i.e. width, tempo etc when I saw fit. The player instructions will be a huge improvement, and will allow us all to make much more creative tactics imo.

For the first time in a while I actually can't wait for the new FM, I usually wait till around the new year to buy them but I might actually pre-order this one!

 

[eddow]

I have to agree with HasonJenderson. Since the addition of player roles, overall team strategies and philosophies into FM2010, one could already predict how the tactics would evolve in coming years. I think it doesn't make sense to have sliders and template instructions (strategies and philosophies) at the same time.
The problem it gives you is that the manually set sliders will not change when you change overall strategy (Contain, Defensive, counter, balanced, control, attacking, overload). It would take a lot of work to check every player's sliders and change it for every team strategy.

With the absence of sliders in FM14 this is no issue anymore. I actually really like the "shout-wise" team and player instructions. It works well with the already existing team strategy and philosophy plus player roles. It's also a more realistic approach as you now ask your players what to do in human language. That doesn't mean the tactic making will be less immersive. As I am a real tactician myself, I am very apt on this part of the game. If you ask me, the instructions will allow you to make more advanced tactics in a more understandable way.

Keep the work going SI, FM14 is going to be the best FM game yet again!

 

[Nelly6]

I'm glad about the sliders going too. How many levels were there that you could adjust them to, about 15-20? You don't really need that many levels of telling your players how much they should close down, or how much creative freedom they should have.

I'm also hoping the put a bit more clarification into what your instructions actually do. Like the counter attack option always seemed a bit weird to me, because of course you want your team to counter attack when the opportunity arises. But does ticking the option mean you play a counter attacking style in the way selecting selecting Counter as you strategy would? Or mean you look to counter at every opportunity? Or does leaving it unticked mean you absolutely never counter attack? Just a bit of a better explanation or better phrasing and it wouldn't be a problem. This is just an example, but I find a lot of the instructions aren't explained very well.

 

[Wengerball]

I like the inclusion of all the new features. It is exciting but they should've kept the sliders as an alternative option for everyone who was a fan of it.

 

[Death Ball]

I don't like the disappearance of the sliders.

It would make good sense to change the ones in the modern tactic that still remained for the team instructions: defensive line, width and such, so as to allow the player to not see them. But I really liked to have them available as an option to work with. Whoever didn't want sliders just had to avoid clicking the buttons to show them and to not convert to classic. I don't see the need to avoid the sliders to those who would choose to play by them. Unless changes to the tactic engine have been such that the sliders stopped being workable, which I doubt as it didn't sound it was that why they removed them.

Still, the new way sounds potentially interesting, though I didn't pause to have a closer look to see if the choices are too few. Initial impression is that they may or may not be few. We'll see once the beta/demo comes out; but I do look forward to it. I will miss the sliders but I won't cry over the loss. Unless the new system is very poor, which I doubt.

 

[Mike.]

I don't like the disappearance of the sliders.

It would make good sense to change the ones in the modern tactic that still remained for the team instructions: defensive line, width and such, so as to allow the player to not see them. But I really liked to have them available as an option to work with. Whoever didn't want sliders just had to avoid clicking the buttons to show them and to not convert to classic. I don't see the need to avoid the sliders to those who would choose to play by them. Unless changes to the tactic engine have been such that the sliders stopped being workable, which I doubt as it didn't sound it was that why they removed them.

Still, the new way sounds potentially interesting, though I didn't pause to have a closer look to see if the choices are too few. Initial impression is that they may or may not be few. We'll see once the beta/demo comes out; but I do look forward to it. I will miss the sliders but I won't cry over the loss. Unless the new system is very poor, which I doubt.

Part of the disappearance is down to the fact that the AI cannot use them. Remember any developments need to be used by the AI or its not a lever playing field.

Miles did give his view though: Team instructions are done via what were called "touchline shouts" previously, but set before the match. As are fluidity and mentality.

As it says in the video, individual player shouts are also now possible, and these over-rule team instructions.

And yes, lots of coaches and managers were consulted about these changes at various levels of pro and semi-pro football, and people who coach coaches. Those conversations have been going on for multiple years, but it was Paul's decision to make the changes now to have one unified system, and it's a decision that I agree with completely.

The possible combinations are huge. People need to remember that we're trying to make a simulation of football management. The sliders didn't give us that. The new unified system does.

 

[Max]

It's 100% a step in the right direction getting rid of the sliders and introducing more individual shouts.

 

[Death Ball]

Thanks for the answer, Mike.. Indeed those are very nice and valid points that I completely understand and approve. Well said.

Still there's the instinctive part that misses what's familiar (even if I didn't use sliders all that much)... But yes, I know once FM14 comes out I'll be forgetting the sliders and even wonder why did I ever thought I'd miss them.