Just an idea for SI's coffers.

[Allegrif1]

There are hundreds of features the community would like to see in each new release, but obviously not all of these can be tackled due to time and manpower constraints. I would like to suggest an idea: offer a crowdfunding platform. How would it work? Add a subforum called 'crowdfunded updates'. In this forum, users can start new threads with an idea they'd like to see implemented in the next release. These threads would not be visible until approved as 'reasonable, achievable and non-divisive' by an SI admin. When approved, the SI admin would also add an estimation of how much this update would cost to implement. Once this has all been approved, users could then donate to this update, and if it reaches the target amount it gets added to the game. If users donate but the project doesn't make enough to fund its development, then the donated money is put in the user's online wallet. From here it is not withdrawable, but can be pledged to another future update.

Update ideas would be limited to those that are non-divisive, such as small updates to add extra realism with no real changes to major game mechanics. For example, one idea could be to add 'half season tickets' around the new year (these may already exist, but I've never come across them), which would provide a negligible cash increase in January, and then a negligible decrease in gate receipts for the rest of the season (some fans who were paying per ticket before January getting in on a half season ticket after January). This would just add a tiny extra element of realism, and I do not think it would be controversial - many if not most clubs actually do this. I just bought one for Barnsley!

The above would be an example of one of the smaller projects that could be crowdfunded. An example of a larger project would be something like a 3D stadium overhaul. I don't think you can accurately re-create real stadiums for licensing reasons(correct me if I'm wrong?), but with some hard work I'm sure it would be possible to at least make the stadiums similar to their real-life counterparts for a welcome bit of added realism. For example, you could create the following different types of stand:

• No stand - grassy area
  
• 1 tier standing terrace
  
• 2 tier standing terrace
  
• Traditional grandstand (old style with support columns - lower tier standing, upper seating)
  
• Traditional grandstand (old style with support columns - converted to 2 tier all-seater)
  
• 1 tier seating
  
• 2 tier seating
  
• 3 tier seating
  

These could then be given a small, medium or large attribute and option to include filled or open corners. Once that framework's in place, each club's stadium could be modified to more accurately represent it's real-life counterpart. This is something that I would like to help fund if it were possible - seeing Oakwell on FM as a modern, round stadium kills the realism so much in the 3D match engine that it makes me resort to the 2D engine just to avoid it. Under the system above, Oakwell could be displayed more realistically as an old-fashioned 4-stand stadium with two mid-size 1 tier seated stands, a mid-size 2 tier seated stand and a 'converted grandstand' (the West stand). You have no idea how happy this would make me. Anyway, that's just an example of a larger update that could be considered as a crowdfunding option.

This would all be as well as, not instead of, the most important ongoing game updates. The idea would be to fund perhaps one or two extra developers to get more done. I'm suggesting this idea because I think many members of the FM community would get involved and would end up pledging money to things they've wanted to see in-game for a long time. I know that I would contribute, and I'm just thinking that if I would offer to part with a few quid to better the game, others surely would too. I'm confident that sums in the thousands could be reached in this manner, and all on top of the actual game sales. The success of other games on sites like Patreon prove that crowdfunding to improve a game is a more than viable way to improve the end-product and ultimately your profits.

Waiting to be shot down in flames

[santy001]

One thing worth remembering is that in most cases with game development throwing extra money (no matter where it comes from), and by extension, staff at something doesn't necessarily mean an improvement in the output of the development team nor the ability to develop additional features. Mainly because anyone coming in would need to become familiar with the way in which SI works and such. Even if there were a few more developers specifically with the remit of developing a single aspect - it would then need testing and any issues that arise elsewhere with other aspects of the game would need fixing. Then, once its all done? You either have to release the staff who now have this well established knowledge of a part of your product or you have to keep them on to retain that knowledge even if it may not be iterated on much during the following years.

With a blank canvas or fresh project its easier to crowd fund a title, Elite Dangerous did it well and Star Citizen looks like it could be the ultimate showcase of what crowdfunded games can be but a well established franchise which has been a work in progress year upon year comes with a different set of challenges facing it.

Ultimately though, look at how the game is developing. It looks quite likely that some day there will be able to be custom packs for various grounds like there are skins, logos and badges etc. It might take a little longer for various reasons, but based on the rest of FM's graphics it will be entirely open to customise how you like and free to everyone.

[forameuss]

Absolutely, unequivocally, 1354% no.

What santy says is correct. Development isn't just about throwing money at something. It's not as if SI are looking at features and going, "Sorry, but we're a fiver short on that one, into the no pile". Similarly, you can't just bring in two new developers, throw them a feature, and then get them to do that. It just doesn't work that way. If you're exceptionally lucky, and get a very switched on contractor in the door, you might (emphasis on might) get lucky, but are you really going to generate the £500 (conservative) a day that one of those would cost?

As for the ideas themselves, handing over any power like that to the community would be a disaster at best. The wishlist thread has many good ideas, but for every good idea, there are five bad ones, and ten absolutely dreadful ones. And for every dreadful one, you'll have many supporters. So say these supporters decide to throw money at it...what do SI do then? The idea might be technically possible, but they've talked about it in the past and decided against it. Does that opinion change now money has been thrown at it? Do they build it into the game despite it making little sense? Do they just say no again? If so, the only thing that separates this from the existing wishlist thread is that you've slapped a price on it.

I see where you're coming from, but sorry, terrible idea. It just wouldn't work in this setting.