Football Manager 2019 Feature Blogs: VAR and Match Improvements

[jayahr]

So realistic, this waiting will rile me up in game as much as it does irl

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, akm.91 said:

The match engine has not changed. You’ll see soon I guess. 

Round & round we go, please allow me to make this very clear. 

The ME has numerous code updates every year & is constantly being improved on, there's nothing SI can do if you're unable to recognise this when watching a match, even with the limitations of the graphics engine which were addressed last year when SI moved from DX9 to DX11 support & dropped the 2D classic view to open up more development avenues.

[Alerion]

As far as I understood, this is more for the post-game interviews and fanbase reactions, right ? Because surely VAR is not needed in a game simulation from my perspective. It does add a nice touch and realism into it, but the video above shows how long this process can take, given that VAR is being used fairly often in a game, this could mean we get unnecessary screen time from something that is basically not needed in a simulation.

Dont get me wrong, I dont want to complain about something because I dislike it, I just genuinely feel its only in the game so it can be announced as something new and a feature. 

I´d like to hear your opinion on how useful or not it will be.

[Flashman]

Am I missing something with this introduction of VAR and goal line technology?  These are things used in real life to eliminate human error from decision making on the pitch.  With Football Manager, there is no human error in the decision making on the pitch - so what are these features going to add?  Immersion perhaps?

 

As others have asked as well - how much time will we be made to wait whilst a decision is referred to VAR..?

[Smurf]

1 hour ago, diddydaddydoddy said:

FM should rightly reflect real life, hence VAR (and the option of using it in certain leagues/competitions only) is spot on. BUT I agree I hope there is an option to reduce the time it takes to view  a decision being made>

They should reflect real life, but it's a game after all. There's nothing fun about watching a referee run to the side of the pitch, wait a few seconds and return a result. Visually, it's better to give the view of the spectator watching via TV for a match, a close up of the incident would use possibly the same amount of time. 

The time it takes to review shouldn't reflect real life as it's a game first and foremost and the fun aspect needs to be there respected too. 

In terms of realism, they haven't (best of my knowledge) put a podium on the pitch and let you watch the players lift the Champs/League/FA/League cup trophies either, which happens, but you don't see it in the game. 

But somehow they find the time to animate a referee running to a hood at the side of the pitch. 

 

[Neil Brock]

1 minute ago, Smurf said:

They should reflect real life, but it's a game after all. There's nothing fun about watching a referee run to the side of the pitch, wait a few seconds and return a result. Visually, it's better to give the view of the spectator watching via TV for a match, a close up of the incident would use possibly the same amount of time. 

The time it takes to review shouldn't reflect real life as it's a game first and foremost and the fun aspect needs to be there respected too. 

In terms of realism, they haven't (best of my knowledge) put a podium on the pitch and let you watch the players lift the Champs/League/FA/League cup trophies either, which happens, but you don't see it in the game. 

But somehow they find the time to animate a referee running to a hood at the side of the pitch. 

 

That was put in for FM18. 

[SlobaFMB]

I don't agree with both of you (Flashmen, Alerion). In past referee give some decisions in favour of opponent and I lose game or crucial points (also in my favour but less). FM (SI) isn't FIFA (EA) or PES (Konami) and in FM series I see many mistakes in the past.

Edited September 27, 2018 by SlobaFMB

[Smurf]

5 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

That was put in for FM18. 

Doh! 

Well that's me told. I'll get my coat.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Flashman said:

Am I missing something with this introduction of VAR and goal line technology?  These are things used in real life to eliminate human error from decision making on the pitch.  With Football Manager, there is no human error in the decision making on the pitch - so what are these features going to add?  Immersion perhaps?

 

As others have asked as well - how much time will we be made to wait whilst a decision is referred to VAR..?

Human error by officials has been part of the ME for a long time.

[Flashman]

Ha!  Well I've never noticed it.

[GerdMuller]

Watching a trophy lifted: FUN

 

Watching a referee looking into a screen and jogging around the pitch: Boring

You dont see the referee investing 2 minutes to adjust the wall in freekicks and spray a line for it too, you dont see coin flips for the sides , the game doesnt last 90 Minutes because gameplay reasons and some things are just boring. As someone said, a quick review of the ball placement when in doubt right after the shot..sounds ...fun. 

Still baffled this is a MAJOR feature we should be excited about now :-)

Edited September 27, 2018 by GerdMuller

[themadsheep2001]

Just now, GerdMuller said:

Watching a trophy lifted: FUN

 

Watching a referee looking into a screen and jogging around the pitch: Boring

You dont see the referee investing 2 minutes to adjust the wall in freekicks and spray a line for it too, you dont see coin flips for the sides , the game doesnt last 90 Minutes because gameplay reasons and some things are just boring. As someone said, a quick review of the ball placement when in doubt right after the shot..sounds ...fun. 

Good thing this can be changed in the editor anyway. So don't really get the complaints

[wally13]

i See been away for a few years and nothing as changed on the fm new features day 

[themadsheep2001]

11 minutes ago, wally13 said:

i See been away for a few years and nothing as changed on the fm new features day 

A lack of information is no hurdle for those who want to throw out some hyperbolic reactions 

[cris182]

30 minutes ago, Flashman said:

Ha!  Well I've never noticed it.

You have never seen an incorrect offside or had a red card overturned?

[zigaliro]

I also wish that when someone receives a yellow, the time is not slowed like in FM18 but it continues normally. That`s really annoying and slows the match quite a lot.

[kingking]

Has there been Improvements to the Animation and A.I of Tricks & Dribbling?

(e.g. Increased variety of tricks and dribbling, and better animation of tricks and dribbling)

Edited September 27, 2018 by kingking

[GoldenGoal]

[rdbayly]

2 hours ago, akm.91 said:

The match engine and graphics look the same as they have for the last few years. POOR! 

Until you grasp the difference between GRAPHICS and the underlying MATCH ENGINE CODE, you will continue to post some of the most baseless comments I've seen on this forum today.

You simply don't know what the ME is like yet, none of us do. You can say the stadiums look poor, and I agree with you, but you have no basis whatsoever to pass comment on the ME itself.

[StevehFC]

I'm willing to give the new ME a shot but going by those pictures it looks the same old issues will be in there. Really no excuses if that's the case. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by StevehFC

[Lord Rowell]

"Additionally, we’ve included disabled fans in all types of stadiums. "

Good to see

[Terry1973]

I don't want to be negative but i was expecting real, or similar or better  stadiums.  Better crowds, chants....it looks the same.

The UI has changed, but that also  just looks like the same with a change of colour, its hardly refreshing.

Fingers crossed every player has a photo or a face at least and regens look better with a greater variety.

[hluraven]

Can we get a search option in the editor for leagues with VAR? Would be good to turn them all off straight away!

[westy8chimp]

3 hours ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

If it happens in real football, it should be in FM, delighted to see VAR.

Agree with the principal. Part of me still hoping for a tick box in match day preferences as to whether or not we see the animations. It'll be fun, for a while, in a network game sure...especially as it was slow enough to send an annoying voice note whilst decision was being made

[jackob]

Alarming. And, what’s worse, in itself alarmingly consistent with SI’s recent (apparent) strategy. 

Let’s be clear: VAR is not a new feature, it is a ‘hygiene’ addition that ensures the game is up to date with the latest methods of officiation. 

In short, if it weren’t there, (a minority of) people might mention its absence. But to celebrate its presence as part of a new product launch? Crikey. Do they think we’re stupid?

What does this say about the organisation’s decision making? Why is this - apparently, apparently - a focus? 

This is limp feature creep, nothing more. 

Worse, it reeks of the most superficial, and frankly dated, approach to marketing + communications. This isn’t 1997, where a new bullet point on a jewel case could convince people of a product’s unmissable newness! 

This community is smart and it is engaged. The expectation, as far as I can read/sense/infer, is for deeper attention to the game’s core mechanics, the visualisation of those core mechanics and - most critically of all - a clearer strategic direction in terms of what the game is actually “all about”. 

Strategy, if I can remember my Sun Tzu correctly, might well be about deciding what you *don’t* want to do, perhaps even more than what it is you do want to do. 

In short, are we certain we want a half-baked social dynamics simulator? Are we absolutely certain we want a tedious, repetitious course in public reputation management (press conferences)? More to the point, is including VAR really, definitely, absolutely, more critical to our enjoyment of this product than - say, I don’t know - making the players not look like LS Lowry designed pond-skaters with all the co-ordination of a hungover Danny Welbeck?

 

Really, really, really, this begins to look like a cynical exercise in the crudest form of marketing. 

 

For goodness sake: 

 

- Strip features, stop adding them.

- Make your strengths superpowers.

- Focus on ONE THING that will deserve to make this version of the game famous.

- Think, think and think again about the balance between absolute realism and player enjoyment.

 

Sorry. Just need to get that off my chest.

I am sad enough to care about this game.

I should probably have life in more perspective,  but I can’t bear to see its loss of direction. 

 

[SlobaFMB]

1 hour ago, Lord Rowell said:

"Additionally, we’ve included disabled fans in all types of stadiums. "

Good to see

 

SI is only one who care about disabled people or LGBT community in games (if we compare with FIFA, NBA, PES, NFL, NHL...). Nice in every case!

[Tom8983]

10 minutes ago, jackob said:

In short, are we certain we want a half-baked social dynamics simulator? Are we absolutely certain we want a tedious, repetitious course in public reputation management (press conferences)?

No, I want very good versions of these. I'll make do with less good versions until they make it good. It's better than not having them at all. And you certainly don't get excellent versions of these features by not including them unless/until they're great.

[westy8chimp]

Just now, Tom8983 said:

No, I want very good versions of these. I'll make do with less good versions until they make it good. It's better than not having them at all. And you certainly don't get excellent versions of these features by not including them unless/until they're great.

Right sentiment... And maybe prevelant in terms of dynamics because by sounds of it that has had further integration with team talks etc this year. I think in 5 years time dynamics could be great. 

But press conferences... When its been stagnant for so many years... It damages the credibility of sensible statements like you just made. 

[armbi]

7 hours ago, Neil Brock said:

These include ball control animations, crosses, headers, passes, shots, tackles, some celebrations and even crowd movements.

That's very good to hear, wow even crowd is more creative now! But what about dribbles??? I've asked about it MIles before FM 17, now we have FM 19 and I see more creative will be some casual Johns in the stadium crowd. Fantastic! A suggest to remove the dribble attribute until it has " faithfully representation during a match"

[into pitch black]

Vars doesn't work like that in real life as it does in the video, well not straight away. The refs in the studio (or wherever they're hiding) will look at video replays to see if it's a penalty, it's only if they can't decide either way, they'll advise the on field ref of that and he will go over and look at the monitor to have the final say after looking at the replays himself. 

A ref has never ran straight to a monitor at the side of pitch before the studio refs have advised him to.

[Branquinho1997]

2 hours ago, into pitch black said:

Vars doesn't work like that in real life as it does in the video, well not straight away. The refs in the studio (or wherever they're hiding) will look at video replays to see if it's a penalty, it's only if they can't decide either way, they'll advise the on field ref of that and he will go over and look at the monitor to have the final say after looking at the replays himself. 

A ref has never ran straight to a monitor at the side of pitch before the studio refs have advised him to.

This is the correct method for VAR 

[maxisignorelli]

hace 4 horas, into pitch black dijo:

Vars doesn't work like that in real life as it does in the video, well not straight away. The refs in the studio (or wherever they're hiding) will look at video replays to see if it's a penalty, it's only if they can't decide either way, they'll advise the on field ref of that and he will go over and look at the monitor to have the final say after looking at the replays himself. 

A ref has never ran straight to a monitor at the side of pitch before the studio refs have advised him to.

You are right. but how would you recreate that moment in the game? Even watching on TV you cannot listen what the refs in the studio says to the ref in the pitch, so there are a lot of times they talk and you don't even know.

It's just a game, and it's a very good feature to make the game more realistic, take it that way.

[Lanko]

I really, really hope the animation can be skipped entirely and we just get the decision.

In FM18 it's already a pain the referee walking to give a player a yellow card, and an attrocity when the physio enters the pitch and then both him and the player leaving for the sideline.

About the match improvements: hopefully long shots and free kicks were fixed with this after the attrocity it was in FM18. Hopefully we can actually see a ball curling and be able to have a team with a Coutinho type of player be your top goalscorer or the carrying force of the team.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Lanko

[MrManagerMan]

Put your hands up if you want to buy the same game as last year but with the menus and stats in different positions on the screen and in a different colour but with added VAR...

...Thought not.

[skam]

VAR you say?

 

Meh.

[hluraven]

11 hours ago, Tom8983 said:

No, I want very good versions of these. I'll make do with less good versions until they make it good. It's better than not having them at all. And you certainly don't get excellent versions of these features by not including them unless/until they're great.

Ironically, that's basically where VAR is right now. A bit of a fiasco/less good version than not having it at all, but the best way to improve it is to include it and make it better through experience. 

[Matteo3champions]

Two questions:

 

1) Touchline bans will be still available with VAR, if you criticise a ref in a press conference?

2) Ref could decide to don't apply VAR in a controversial situation?

[grade]

The VAR inclusion to the game, aside from being realistic, i don't the see the point to be Headline announcement or the game at all. In the fat FM I will probably disable it in the editor, once the novelty wears off. And if the VAR is on FMT (not yet announced, that I saw), I guess, players have to endure it... as there is no option to remove it.

As for match engine and the 3D graphics improvements, I will wait my opinion when more footage is available.

[VP.]

2 hours ago, MrManagerMan said:

Put your hands up if you want to buy the same game as last year but with the menus and stats in different positions on the screen and in a different colour but with added VAR...

...Thought not.

Absolutely ridiculous post, there's a little more than just the changes you've mentioned isn't there (training has had a massive overhaul for one and tactics look very promising), plus we're still gonna have more news over the coming days. 

I cannot wait for release day now.

[MrPompey]

Watching the VAR clip I can see 2 major issues:

1. The ref is in the incorrect position for the free kick. That side of the pitch will be covered by the linesman. His correct position for the free would funnily enough be just behind where the attacker appeared to be foulded. There would have been no need for VAR as the ref would have been positioned to see it. I have personally raised this in the past regarding incorrect referee positioning. Hopefully it will get onto the to do list at some point

2. There appears to be a pathing issue. The line / direction that the referee takes to get to the VAR screen is flawed, he does not take the most direct route and has to adjust multiple times. If this logic applies to players then this will cause problems or perceived problems when the ME actions are displayed graphically and we see players not taking logical or direct paths when they need to

[wally13]

3 minutes ago, SortitoutsiVP said:

Absolutely ridiculous post, there's a little more than just the changes you've mentioned isn't there (training has had a massive overhaul for one and tactics look very promising), plus we're still gonna have more news over the coming days. 

I cannot wait for release day now.

Baffles me even now after been on these forums for 10 years how people still judge new version based on on a couple of 30 second video and a handful of screenshots  😩😩

[FrazT]

1 minute ago, wally13 said:

Baffles me even now after been on these forums for 10 years how people still judge new version based on on a couple of 30 second video and audio handful of screenshot  😩😩

Nothing changes there- it has been the same for 20+ years and will be the same next year.

[grade]

35 minutes ago, FrazT said:

Nothing changes there- it has been the same for 20+ years and will be the same next year.

Then what is exactly the point of these forums? If people can't accept criticisms of any sort. That irritates so badly.

They are entitle to their opinion, as I'm entitle to mine. Just do what I do, ignore and move along. Less stress in your life.

To be fair we are judging the features, this year with a lot less content then previous years. This year we had no video whatsoever, just a couple of screenshoots and text written what has changed. That was it. Sure we have a few cute and "funny" videos via twitter, that wasn't even shared in these forums. Sure the videos aren't much just the screenshoots and few clips of 2D animations.

Some people like the features, some don't. You guys need to understand, that those that didn't like the features, are questioning what else is new to game, if these are the big headline features. I understand their point of view. I don't agree with their view, but do you see me complaining them moaning about it? These forums have been the same for several years. people complain, then come people complaining that those complaining, and goes around in circles endlessly.

If a lot of people complain about how this pure cosmetic changes and whatnot, then it is SI fault. For several years their announcements features have been poor to awful. Last year thought it was an improvement, but this year we are back to awful, but I will fully share my opinion until all announcements have been shared and how they are shared.

Edited September 28, 2018 by grade

[FrazT]

So who exactly are " you guys"?

My comment was that it baffles me that users will jump to conclusions about the new game, based only on some incomplete info- it happens every year and it will continue to happen.  I have no problem with that, but it continues to confuse me and has nothing to do with not accepting criticism.

[HUNT3R]

@grade, there's a difference between not liking the features and calling the game the same. It very clearly isn't. There are a number of tactical changes and a training overhaul which are two big changes. Getting more control w.r.t. training is always welcome and these tactical styles will surely help players create what they want, while also giving us more variation in the managers' style we face.

[grade]

20 minutes ago, FrazT said:

So who exactly are " you guys"?

My comment was that it baffles me that users will jump to conclusions about the new game, based only on some incomplete info- it happens every year and it will continue to happen.  I have no problem with that, but it continues to confuse me and has nothing to do with not accepting criticism.

You guys, I mean those don't understand why people complain with little information SI shared. I' will be careful in using generics in the future.

It used to confuse me, but not anymore. It just a case of seeing where and how others people are seeing these new information and understand if they don't like the new information. Why they are questioning that if this are big and important changed of the game how does future information to be released are going to be any better then this. I understand their frustration. All I can say, people wait for future release of information. But if you don't agree with that sor of view/opinion, i'm cool with that.

19 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

@grade, there's a difference between not liking the features and calling the game the same. It very clearly isn't. There are a number of tactical changes and a training overhaul which are two big changes. Getting more control w.r.t. training is always welcome and these tactical styles will surely help players create what they want, while also giving us more variation in the managers' style we face.

But Hunt3r, people will not like those features or have opinion that it adds nothing to the game. Tactics and Training change I saw have great potential, but I will hold further criticism and complements when I see them in action. I might like or not like how they are implemented, but can't judge that with a screenshot. Other might not share that view.

But I for one am questioning the inclusion of VAR will add anything fun to the game. I feel from the video shared, It adds nothing to the game, aside from realism. Every time the VAR is activated we will see the same animation every time, with the same duration, making the match in game last even longer then it is on previous games. You might agree with me or not. But first impressions, I feel it was added just because it happens in real life and adds nothing but a pure cosmetic feel to the game.

[jackob]

1 hour ago, FrazT said:

Nothing changes there- it has been the same for 20+ years and will be the same next year.

...you're right. But the responses are the same because the problems/issues are the same. 

Perhaps we'd be freed from this annual Groundhog day if things started to materially change? 

The crux of the issue = VAR is a cosmetic, 'keeping up with the Joneses' addition.
As such, it is worrying that it should be foregrounded as a significant 'new feature'. As consumers, this - understandably - leads us to make assumptions about lack of innovation elsewhere.

You can scoff at these assumptions if you like (e.g. "wait for the game" etc), but - let's be brutally honest - recent history hardly inspires confidence that there will be game-changing revelations that lay elsewhere...

[Guest]

I'd have preferred more focus on the core ME & player animation updates being part of the 1st round of feature annoucements, the addition of VAR is a 2nd or 3rd round feature & is something we already knew was being introduced so doesn't even have the surprise element to justify being considered as a headline feature.

[jackob]

Pure feedback straight from the hip:

It bothers me that - when the game has essentially been drifting for the last 3-4 years - coder time is spent on features designed to create more headlines than they do actual value to the gamer. 

Examples.

_Simulating Brexit when not even our Prime Minister has decided what it might mean yet for the core economics of the country, let alone the globalised Megabus that is the Premier League.

_The addition of Sports Science/Data to connect with public discourse around MoneyBall etc but without any meaningful impact on the game's engine

_And now VAR - itself ill-defined, problematic and controversial...but, of course, the lead story for a bored journalist to get hold of. E.G. https://www.dailystar.co.uk/tech/gaming/723950/Football-Manager-2019-Release-Date-Mobile-Touch-News-Beta-Update-New-features-FM19-Sept-27

The list could go on and on...

--------------------

PR-able gumph is fine of course, but - for goodness sake - sort out the bigger issues first. What of the awkward scouting redesign last time out? What of a match engine visualisation that - I'm sorry to say thus - seems to have been dropped from an entirely different era? What of mind-numbing, thumb-killing press conference tedium? What of the fundamentals around player development curves? What of Regens who look like extras from a 6th form production of Frankenstein? 

 

Come. On. This is a best-selling international release! 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2018 by jackob

[Totalfootballfan]

I hope that there'll be an option to avoid watching VAR events animation during matches because if such ability is absent then it looks nonsense to me.

I'm sure that the most of peope that 'protest' against VAR in FM19 asking not about removing it as an idea because the VAR introduction in a PC game is a harmless thing unlike in real life, people just want an options to skip watching its event.

To those people who fanatical protest agasint it I want to say that unlike in real life, in FM referees are always aware about everything what happens during matches and they are able to make correct calls all the time because they aren’t humans they are just a part of the game code  but SI coded them to make mistakes sometimes in order they can look like referees from real life  and let’s say in FM a good referee is coded to make 90 correct calls of 100 calls and a bad referee a coded to make 70 correct calls of 100 calls and so on…

So unlike in real life, in FM the VAR introduction might be just an additional animated even during matches that many people would like to skip and nothing more than that and there might be no changes to the code that is responsible for referees’ decisions but as I said it would be logical to if SI slightly increased numbers of correct call from referees in the leagues that support VAR compare with the leagues that don’t support it.