January Transfer Window Update now available

[Logorex]

Can anybody discuss here how much 'playable' the game gets after this patch? I'm looking to buy this game finally but unsure as to how much this patch fixes the game - if the match engine is as horrid as EVERYONE says it is still, I'm sticking w/ 2012. Please let me know and thanks in advance everyone!

The match engine is most definitely not "horrid." There are moments where I just want to smash my laptop, but I feel like every game has had those moments. Apparently with the latest patch, they fixed some of the biggest problems with the game (players being oversensitive teenage girls, 1/2 of the scored goals being corners) so I feel like now the game is definitely at its best. It's definitely an improvement on 14 (I got so sick of seeing "He didn't mean that!" every time my player crossed into the box.
But YOU have to determine if YOU like it, so if I were you, I'd go try the demo first.

 

[engenuine]

Thank you guys, I didn't actually mean only the match engine but the entire game itself as how realistic it is. I have tried the demo for a little bit and slowly but cautiously deciding to try the game out as well. I am still unsure why I should go with this one when I already have purchased 2012. I'm also unsure about the 'overwhelming' majority of people on Steam being biased and immature about the game. I generally go with them with other game reviews but I shouldn't for this particular game? Not so sure about that. Still on the fence but I really appreciate your opinions.

 

[WJ]

Thank you guys, I didn't actually mean only the match engine but the entire game itself as how realistic it is. I have tried the demo for a little bit and slowly but cautiously deciding to try the game out as well. I am still unsure why I should go with this one when I already have purchased 2012. I'm also unsure about the 'overwhelming' majority of people on Steam being biased and immature about the game. I generally go with them with other game reviews but I shouldn't for this particular game? Not so sure about that. Still on the fence but I really appreciate your opinions.

Everything (tactics, ME, transfer AI, transfer and contract negotiation AI etc etc) is more realistic and improved on compared to 2012. That said, you might struggle especially tactically, if you last played FM12.

If you have any issues, open a thread either here or in the tactics section. There are quite a few helpful members here who wouldn't mind giving advice or explaining something.

 

[oth007]

Can anybody discuss here how much 'playable' the game gets after this patch? I'm looking to buy this game finally but unsure as to how much this patch fixes the game - if the match engine is as horrid as EVERYONE says it is still, I'm sticking w/ 2012. Please let me know and thanks in advance everyone!

The match engine has some glaring defensive issues at the moment. Specifically, defenders are simply incapable of properly closing down, making tackles and exerting defensive pressure on the opponent, even when instructed to "close down more/much more" and "tight-mark". All they do is to backpeddle and watch as attackers run at them and making passes like Barca. The result is frequent occurrences of matches with extreme high scorelines and shot counts ( ie, matches with 7 or more goals and 40-50 plus shots). The ME is quite incapable of handling attacking/overloading tactics. Go take a look at the tactics section and you can see most of the popular and successful tactics are extremely adventurous and attacking approaches. Adopting a conservative approach simply does not work, unless you are playing a team who are sitting back playing against you.

In short, if you are a fan of realistic football like me, you are not gonna like the current ME . However, if you enjoy really out of this world matches with really crazy scorelines and shot counts then you would enjoy it. Just download one of the attacking tactics from our geniuses in the tactics section and you can most likely annihilate the AI 7-0 and 8-0 with extreme ease. But do be prepared to concede a couple few if your opponents decide to have a go against you. Your defenders would simply be unable to cope with the pressure. You just gotta go gung-ho.

 

[zindrinho]

The only thing I dont like about the ME is that my defenders never let the ball just roll out of the pitch or high crosses to no one
just pass behind the goal, they just HAVE to take a touch and make a corner

The first half of my first season I had an unimaginary number of back passes towards my goalie from the midfield which always ended in a corner as well,
those seems to have stopped even before the new patch.

 

[engenuine]

The match engine has some glaring defensive issues at the moment. Specifically, defenders are simply incapable of properly closing down, making tackles and exerting defensive pressure on the opponent, even when instructed to "close down more/much more" and "tight-mark". All they do is to backpeddle and watch as attackers run at them and making passes like Barca. The result is frequent occurrences of matches with extreme high scorelines and shot counts ( ie, matches with 7 or more goals and 40-50 plus shots). The ME is quite incapable of handling attacking/overloading tactics. Go take a look at the tactics section and you can see most of the popular and successful tactics are extremely adventurous and attacking approaches. Adopting a conservative approach simply does not work, unless you are playing a team who are sitting back playing against you.

In short, if you are a fan of realistic football like me, you are not gonna like the current ME . However, if you enjoy really out of this world matches with really crazy scorelines and shot counts then you would enjoy it. Just download one of the attacking tactics from our geniuses in the tactics section and you can most likely annihilate the AI 7-0 and 8-0 with extreme ease. But do be prepared to concede a couple few if your opponents decide to have a go against you. Your defenders would simply be unable to cope with the pressure. You just gotta go gung-ho.

man.. thank you for the insightful opinion there, really enjoyed reading it - that makes me even more cautious at the thought of spending my money on this game XD

 

[zindrinho]

believe it or not but its got all to do with your tactics! No team IRL goes all gung-ho from the kickoff, but you as a manager sure can.
there's a good reason why your scores are 5-3, 4-3, etc while the AI has normal score lines in between them. it happens even if you turn the 3d/2d view on. its your tactics!

I dont concede late in games anymore because I stopped using the defensive/contain tactic after having dominated possesion.
I clear the ball to flanks, use quick wide men and CM's as subs and turn the team settings to structured (rigid) along with team shouts as concentrate!

 

[WJ]

man.. thank you for the insightful opinion there, really enjoyed reading it - that makes me even more cautious at the thought of spending my money on this game XD

The problem is that he's wrong. Sure you can download exploitative tactics that have no bearing on real-world concepts and get weird stats and scorelines.

If you use anything resembling a coherent tactic based on RL football, you'll get a very good simulation with "normal" stats. I'm not saying there aren't issues, because there are and every FM (including FM12) has issues. It doesn't take away from the fact that it's a **** good game with a very good ME.

I've used the same 2 tactics before and after the update without having to tweak a thing and I just won the league. I'm generating 15-25 shots per game as well, so nothing unrealistic.

 

[oth007]

The problem is that he's wrong. Sure you can download exploitative tactics that have no bearing on real-world concepts and get weird stats and scorelines.

If you use anything resembling a coherent tactic based on RL football, you'll get a very good simulation with "normal" stats. I'm not saying there aren't issues, because there are and every FM (including FM12) has issues. It doesn't take away from the fact that it's a **** good game with a very good ME.

I've used the same 2 tactics before and after the update without having to tweak a thing and I just won the league. I'm generating 15-25 shots per game as well, so nothing unrealistic.

If the match engine is working normal as intended then there should be no room for such "exploitation" right? Can you spot the irony here. The ME can be "exploited" simply because there are defensive deficiencies existing. Similarly, you can be "exploited" should the opposition adopts attacking mentality against you, which they often do.

 

[WJ]

If the match engine is working normal as intended then there should be no room for such "exploitation" right? Can you spot the irony here. The ME can be "exploited" simply because there are defensive deficiencies existing. Similarly, you can be "exploited" should the opposition adopts attacking mentality against you, which they often do.

There's always an exploit. It's different in each version, but users always find some way of doing it. I don't think you realise just how complicated the ME is. The AI does get better each year though and so does the ME but think of all the millions of different possible combinations you can use to create a tactic. It's never going to be perfect, but it's **** good.

You can be exploited. I don't get exploited, because I'm prepared for when the AI tries to attack. Users go too gung-ho and unfortunately the AI can't cope. The ME is mostly fine.

 

[zindrinho]

I rarely get exploited by AI's attacking mentality, they rather take me on the counter attack because I've employed too attacking of a tactic! I feel this discussion is more appropriate in the frustrations/rage thread than the update thread.

Just a last point; with enough men behind the ball the opposition will rarely get a goal. just like IRL. With all men going on the attack chances are a counter will break away. Look at Man United this season!

 

[Ghents]

I finally fixed some issues I had with the animations, but has anyone noticed a significant slow down in the operation of the UI, specifically when you add in custom graphics (IE Face/logo packs)?

My game ran like a breeze, so I readded my facepacks and such and now it's back to running like trash. Specifically on the tactics screen and/or replacing a player in the lineup in the tactics screen overview. If it's in the normal substitution screen, fine. But overview, it lags like crazy.

 

[oth007]

I rarely get exploited by AI's attacking mentality, they rather take me on the counter attack because I've employed too attacking of a tactic! I feel this discussion is more appropriate in the frustrations/rage thread than the update thread.

Just a last point; with enough men behind the ball the opposition will rarely get a goal. just like IRL. With all men going on the attack chances are a counter will break away. Look at Man United this season!

You are not being "exploited" because the opposition is sitting back against you. Should you be facing teams that decide to be adventurous and push men forward then that's when the ugly surfaces, and you start seeing the issues that I've highlighted, even when you're playing as a team with a great backline.

And yes, of course i agree with you that adopting overloading tactics reap great benefits, simply because the ME can't handle it! 40/50 shots? 9-0 10-0? You can see it all over the forums.

 

[WJ]

You are not being "exploited" because the opposition is sitting back against you. Should you be facing teams that decide to be adventurous and push men forward then that's when the ugly surfaces, and you start seeing the issues that I've highlighted, even when you're playing as a team with a great backline.

And yes, of course i agree with you that adopting overloading tactics reap great benefits, simply because the ME can't handle it! 40/50 shots? 9-0 10-0? You can see it all over the forums.

The opposition definitely do not sit back against me. I'm in charge of a mid-table team and I get my fair share of opponents using Attacking and Overload mentalities against me. One team even lined up in a 3-4-3! What I don't do is play Attacking/Overload myself, because that's stupid (it's far too open then) and the reason why you see silly scorelines like 7-3.

The ME can handle it. I know, because as I've said, I'm able to defend against the AI going all out attack on me. It's the AI that has problems with these tactics.

 

[zindrinho]

that's what I'm trying to say as well, as long as the AI is attacking all is good, but when I am chasing a goal I'm having troubles
with them counter attacking me.
Breaking down defensive teams is an art and one that requires switching up tactics if your plan A isnt working!

 

[Praelia]

Has anybody else had silly amounts of injuries since the new patch?

 

[oth007]

that's what I'm trying to say as well, as long as the AI is attacking all is good, but when I am chasing a goal I'm having troubles
with them counter attacking me.
Breaking down defensive teams is an art and one that requires switching up tactics if your plan A isnt working!

Scoring goals isn't a problem in fm15 bro, it's keeping clean sheets against teams having a go at you that's a big challenge XD

 

[Logorex]

Has anybody else had silly amounts of injuries since the new patch?

MORE injuries? That's even possible?

 

[zindrinho]

Scoring goals isn't a problem in fm15 bro, it's keeping clean sheets against teams having a go at you that's a big challenge XD

Not for me... keeping it tight at the back is easy and pretty straight forward, while cutting open a defense who's sitting back in a 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 is harder for me. At least with an avg team expected to end on lower half of the table.

 

[blinkblues]

I've been getting a ridiculous amount of bookings since the update and I've had someone sent off for two bookings in 19 of the 22 games I've played on 15.3. My tactics aren't particularly agressive either. It might be because I play a higher line? Still a bit stupid though.