rristola

Do you think that there could be any set of improvements in FM so, that the result would be more realistic? Budget, willingness to sign aso. Concerning lower leagues.

That was exactly my point. With volunteer scout, or not... My idea was that there really wouldn't be any money for scouting package in lower leagues teams. I guess that in your team there is money for that package, but you don't use that money.

My best guess is that SI can't "promise" that they could be able to gather all that info, if there were that many new teams. I just checked it up, in English 7. level there are about 60 teams. (levels 1-6 -> about 7*20 teams = 140 ; 60 means about half more) I know that SI was looking volunteers to gather that lower leagues info, but maybe system isn't reliable yet. But, I'm not meaning whether they are official divisions, or not. Could there be some kind of a universal "restrictions" system for lower leagues teams - because they just can't afford it? You, as manager, would like to... board says NO. That system could be budget based, so it could be used all over the world for any lower league team. Even for fantasy team in fantasy world... In addition, those probability calculations should also be adjusted - you don't move across the country if there is no salary included. As mentioned before. Or, without any special reasons. BTW, how much was the lowest scouting package in FM? Isn't it weird that a team with 0 budget has that kind of money to spend on scouting???

I guess that this is the most asked question - why isn't my kit show up in the game? There shouldn't be any previously added kits - not within those leagues. I found that with Editor there aren't any specs for away shirt for that team - why? Still there is a white away shirt in team profile. Team ID 33003310 If there is a conflict within added stuff, is there a way to find that conflict? Other than manual search... Last - if I make a 3. kit for any team and put it into correct folder, should it show up? (Config file included, of course.) If that team didn't have any 3. kit before...? I did all that but no third kit. How to get that kit to show up WITHOUT touching Editor? Thanks for help.

Wouldn't it be the easiest way to have setup for difficulty - adjusting players' willingness to try-outs or to sign? And like you wrote about that Premier league dropout, and him signing into a amateur team - if that is unrealistic, shouldn't we contact SI using the "Requests" forum? Same goes with amateur (or all lower leagues) teams budgets, which can be almost zero, and still they can put 20-40 000 (cost of scouting package) into scouting... What if scouting in local and neighbouring areas would cost nothing (no-cost zone), and then budgets of those teams could be zero? Going to see some youngsters tournament would be asked from the board... Reason why I am suggesting "Request" forum is, that I have got contact with SI Staff there. I asked why teams that have confirmed promotion/relegation can't scout players according to their to-be level - there is this option "fits first team", but what does it mean next year. The only thing is, that SI likes these suggestions to be well thought out. How could we get some ideas gathered here? By lower leagues players? Even LLM players? New set of rules for lower leagues. And, BTW, I think that there are many players, who would like to play lower leagues teams. In many countries third or fourth division teams are amateur-based, maybe even the second division. OK, guessing that.

When I last started a game, that English amateur team was just promoted and also empty of players. I had to speed up player searching. Then, out of nowhere, came up a dropout from Premier League - I signed him without seeing him. Risky, but... Would you have? And after him also others got interested in us. What do you know about dropouts? In my team 9 of best 11 were dropouts and 18-20 years old. 6 of them hadn't played at all in previous year. How many academies/players in them are there? Can it be, that every year there are a lot of those who are left without a contract? Those dropouts are in the database, but is it like that IRL? Was my young dream tean realistic? As you wrote, those are our rules. But if you would have power over SI, would you change something in scouting rules or budget or... in lower leagues?

i should have found this forum earlier. I have played FM on and off for some time now, and I try to get some realism into the game. I start unemployed, attribute masking, with lowest degree, Sunday leagues and in some lower league team. My problem is that I really don't know which means, that FM gives us, are realistic, and which are not... So, I'm still trying to find my set of realism rules. I have used CA/PA stars. For me they work as they were notes, where scout had written "Check these first", "Average" or "No way!" on those players' folders. And, because I'm playing on/off, they help me remember most important players after a pause. I do use player searching, and I would like to hear main reasons why aren't you? All managers must have computers, and they can find out which players are on free market. And you can use your phone and call them. If someone agrees to come to a try-out, why not... With chosen Scouting package you have limited the amount of possible players, with attribute masking you don't know anything from a lot of them, and most of them would say "NO!" when asked for a try-out. IRL the biggest issue probably is money - when someone is a low/no salary paid player, how to make money for living. But what about young players, who are dropouts from some top level? Would they want to find a team so hard, that they would do anything? I had a game start as a manager in into 8. level promoted amateur English team, and during pre-season I was able to get as my best eleven mainly young dropouts that were all from top 5 levels. Even from Premier. No salary, no bonuses. Could this happen IRL? I do understand that 1 hour or 30 minutes idea, but IRL... I live in Finland, and here for some schoolkids it takes more than 30 minutes to get to the school. Even for kids in the elementary school. In fact, is it so that SI just haven't thought about us, lower leagues fans, enough? There is a rule for probability calculations whatever happens in top 6 leagues (in England), but all lower leagues use those same probability numbers as that 6. level league? That would kill realism. Also the number of try-outs in team should be reconsidered. Unless IRL all those try-outs find their own accommodation. Should us, players make SI to improve those calculations all the way to 8-9-10th, or amateur level? Should there be less money to be used in semi-pro and amateur teams for scouting or just go by the overall budget? In our amateur team we had quite much money for scouting, but otherwise no money at all. Why? Scouting in your own "county" or local area could cost nothing. Therefore scouting would have to be done just inside your own area or neighbouring areas included in lower leagues. Or maybe a few thousands in scouting budget just to visit a few tournaments for youngsters... Thanks. PS. I have been making a Finnish lower level teams' kit pack. WIP, not tested. From summer -22, so it belongs to FM23. Link: https://www.mediafire.com/file/62sfhukhbtohpza/Finnish_1.Div_%27Ykk%C3%B6nen%27%2C_2.Div_%27Kakkonen%27_and_some_lower_teams.7z/file

But, are these anomalies? From that list I made can be seen that 6 of them didn't play anywhere last year. None of teams - from any level - wanted them... And I couldn't have any influence on that. First they all said no, when I asked them to join us. Only when the first one agreed to sign, it got easier. And all these players were free on the market. Why, if they are so good? But, of course, you can be, and most likely, are right. SI loves high (top) level football, and that's sad. There would be much more if lower levels were included properly... But - in FM you can play in 6 highest levels in England, and I started in a team that was in 8. level? Is difference between 6. and 8. level so big? And that's why I asked if anyone knows how things are IRL. Can there be so many young players in academies, that these dropouts can be found free still in pre-season?

BTW, I'm the one from your example 3. I have recently thought this issue a lot. I can't say that I would know what is the best system, but it isn't this one we have now. And, of course, the better the scout is, the better (or more accurate) results he/she would be able to give us. Also faster. My results. So far. 1) First one question. There are that view with "Scouted" players. Should those results be comparable or not? Should each position be reviewed on its own, or all players be reviewed together (on league level basis)? Or both? - If each position is reviewed on its own, then every time the best of any position would get 5 stars aso. - If reviewed all together, then maybe none of position X would get 4 or 5 stars if there aren't any good ones in the league... 2) The easiest way to get the best star ratings scale for any view is to remember what was the assignment that you gave to your scout. And, yes, this assignment has to be mentioned in the view. - If you ask anything like "Who is the best ... in our team?", then the worst of your players gets 0,5 stars and best 5 stars. This would give the most variation. Most important, "in our team" is mentioned in that assignment. - Using this way we could order our scout to find better player that we have now, but that doesn't give any idea for us, what is his level in our league. Like "fits first team". Signing a new player WOULD change the whole scale, if the new player is worse/better than anyone else in our team. 3) This is the one for me. Scouting is on league level basis, and that league level can be changed (at least -1...+1). It is mentioned in the view, that assignment is to find player "for our current league level." - If assignment is anything like "...for this league", then scout would have to do extra research, which would take more time. - 0,5 stars would mean that player isn't good enough to this league level, and 5 stars would mean, that player belongs to the next level. Three stars would be "the average player". - This could happen - in a promoted team we have only 1,5 stars playmaker, we have lost a few games on a row, and then manager gives an assignment "get at least average playmaker in this league" would mean finding at least three stars playmaker. - Here you could also take a view where only playmakers are chosen, and from there you would see the CA levels of the other teams' playmakers. - When during the spring you realise that you're getting promoted or being relegated you could start finding new players for the next season. - When you have won a place in one of UEFA leagues (or...), there could also be an option to have those opponent teams' players in comparison. - You might want to find a Striker that could have any chance against those defenders. BTW, I voted for this. And if anyone who reads this, thinks that something needs to be done, then VOTE. That is the best way of getting something to be done.

What? You say that we, as managers, can order our players to waste time, but on the other hand, there isn't any possible penalty for that! I have used only that 'some times' option and just to avoid warnings... I voted for this. BTW. All you, who read this, if you think the same way, then vote - this is the best way of getting something to be done.

I use mods. Adding leagues, kits and more realism. Nothing to make FM easier. I am new as a manager, not a legend. I chose to be manager in a team which was promoted from 9. level in England, but team is also doomed to be relegated back. Only a few players in team and no staff at all. Team is amateur, no money for anything (except for scouting). That was the starting point. Now we are waiting our first friendly in pre-season. Nothing really meaningful has happened. I have searched new players really hard. Look who have I found. My squad (4-1-3-2), last contract - years and level: 2018-20 League Two 2017-20 Champ, but loaned into a 7. level team 2018-20 VNL 2017-20 Prem 2017-21 Prem 2018-20 League Two 2016-18 Prem 2017-21 Prem 2018-21 Prem 2020-21 VNL 2018-21 Prem These VNL players are older, 30 and 26 years olds, but otherwise they are 20 or less. My question is that should finding players be this easy? And that they have agreed to sign, and signed... OK, they are dropouts, but shouldn't there be other, higher level teams much more interested in them? Offering good amount of money! Of course, also this could happen again - when season starts, one by one they get good contracts elsewhere, and leave. I know. Those, who know how things are IRL, are there really that much free players? Even dropouts from Premier League and Championship? And in the game 'Potentially VNL level' or even League Two. Another question is - should this be taken into "Requests" forum, and asked there if this willingness to sign should be reviewed? Thanks.

Good question. I don't know... In fact, I don't even know what is the real difference with Standard, SS and FC'12 kits. FYI, you can try Kit Creator for free. Is Kitbasher a good tool? 2D and 3D? Templates? What's the best/worst with it?

Do you know, if it is possible to adjust those numbers with Config files? BTW, is that spot (for number) on shirts back fixed by FIFA or UEFA or..., or is there variation shirt by shirt? For instance, in one Finnish lower level teams kit there are about 10 sponsor tags. Picture added. I have tried to "give enough room" for numbers, but,,, Also, some of those tags are pretty small - do they look fine, or at least OK? Have I found tags with enough pixels in them, so that they look "sharp"? BTW, what is your minimum amount of pixels in a tag? Always as many as you can find? I guess I just want a second opinion, so that when in November we get FM23, that I don't get a message "Not usable." then. In Kit Creator there are not that many templates, have you found everything you need or have you had to use a lot of effort to succeed?

As far as I know, there hasn't been any kit packs for Finnish teams - except for the League. I have made one, and I would like to have some comments on how they work in game. All kits have been made with FM Kit Creator. It makes both 2D "photo" and 3D texture for game engine. Packs teams are from from 1. Division 'Ykkönen' and lower. Some teams have just one kit, at least for now, but this pack is in WIP. Kits are NOT perfect, but are they OK? Do the game draw shirt numbers on sponsor tags? Do some tags look too "scruffy"? Any other problems...? FYI, these kits are from summer (season) 22, so in fact they belong to FM23. Link to download pack - https://www.mediafire.com/file/62sfhukhbtohpza/Finnish_1.Div_%27Ykk%C3%B6nen%27%2C_2.Div_%27Kakkonen%27_and_some_lower_teams.7z/file Thanks.

First, thanks for answering. Second - I mentioned verbal only, because some players don't like stars in FM. I'm not one of them. FYI, I'm not an expert with FM - in any way. In every game I've started I have to seek some help. And, I like stars. For me it's a way to keep players' folders 'in order'. It's a bit like when a scout would have left me a bunch of folders, and there's a few with a note "Check these first." -- -- -- -- BTW, how does a scout decide, what range of stars count he will use in any report? Is that stars range desided for every report, or is it "locked" somehow? Is it based on our teams players' quality at that time? If scout scouts an opponent team, what about then - their 3 stars is about equal to our 3 stars? -- -- -- -- In my original post I told about my difficulties in my early career. That team had just promoted, and when I ordered scouts to search 'fits First team' players, all suggested players were good or leading, BUT ONLY in that last year's league. Not nice! When I rethink my idea, I'm realising, that maybe it isn't the STARS that are an insufficient way - it's the ORDERS that I can give to a scout. In the end, if I check every scouting report one by one, those stars work fine. All that I need is to know, what is the assignment, or what means if someone has three stars... (It will cause problems, if there is a list where players' stars counts are not comparative.) Part of the original In my opinion, you should add these possibilities into scouting assignments. Like what happened to me in my example, those suggested players were better than my current ones, but not good enough for team's current league level... How to present results with stars? If comparison is with the players in your own team, then stars are as they are now. If comparison is made on league basis, then 0,5 stars means "not good enough to this league" and 5 stars means "excellent" or "belongs to a higher league". 3 stars is the average player. There's a few thoughts. Please, ask more if there are more questions. And, sorry, if the text is a bit confusing - English isn't my native language.

First, this issue has been in discussions/requests before. Even by me. Now, something new, something totally different... In earlier discussions there has been opinions how good stars are in presenting players' quality. And, of course, there are also those who think stars are not good at all. My problem was, when my team was promoted, and I had to find new players who were better than any of those old ones - new ones got only five stars CA - NOT helpful. Think, what kind of orders you would give to your scout in different situations, and there is also your answer... - We have to find a better playmaker. -> comparison to your own team's players (situation like now) - Our GK isn't good enough. Find GK that would be in top 5 in this league. -> comparison to all GK's in this league (You would get a list with top half GK's in this league added with those that scout has found.) - We'll get promoted. Start finding a decent playmaker for the next year. -> comparison to one league level up players (Like when VNL South team needs at least two stars VNL playmaker.) (Even 'Scout Assignment' 'First team player' isn't that helpful here.) - We'll get relegated. These players cost too much. Find good ones for the next year. -> comparison to one league level down players (Comparising to your current players isn't reasonable, but.. to supposed next year's, one league level down, players' quality is what you need!) You should be able to give orders for your scout relative to what you are looking for! There should be at least these four options: current team, current league, and one league level up/down. MAYBE - when your team has reached, for example, some UEFA league, you might want to find an extra quality player for that. I know - every new enhancement for FM should have some plus and minus effects. Situation like now - your scouts know your players, so they don't have to make any extra work when starting these 'vanilla' assignments. Everything stays as they are now. When assignment is for this league or one league level up/down, it would take (maybe) one-two days extra time to do research on that league and those players (to be able to compare). So, more complicated job - needs more time! (So, when a scout researches quality of players' in one/two positions (like with Wingers), and one league level up/down, it means about 20 teams * 1-2 positions * 1-2-(5) players = a lot of work. 1-2-(3) days extra work for research.) MAYBE - if that possibility to UEFA league etc. is included, your orders for scout could also be relative to that league. The third option - NO stars at all. Verbal, maybe? I can live with those stars, but SI should ask players who don't like them, what else there could be. Or, if those players would like to solve this problem with changing skin, or something. I have thought one solution - there could be a verbal "level / scout's opinion best / worst" mixture. So, NOT just "poor, decent, average, good, excellent", but also something like "top 3 talents", "best overall playmaker", "our corner specialist", "can play in 6 positions", "deteriorating", "gets only slower", "has moods", "injured a lot", "wanting to leave?", "can't afford him" So, a bit like scouts' opinion on player's main strength, these could be "calculated" using all the data. But also issues like "will only to play in position X" could be taken into account. And I think that most of these pieces of info are ALREADY scattered there in different views - here only the most meaningful - positive or negative - would be shown! Results of reseach would be done with stars AND a definition what was that assignment (like, 'tall CB with good heading for first team' or 'decent CMF playmaker for VNL'), or it's verbal. It would be the player that could choose. That's all from me now. Please, write comments - do you think everything is good the way they are now, or is there something that needs to be done with scouting and stars there. And, if you think, that something needs to be done, VOTE FOR THIS! That's the only way this get's recognition by SI.

Those of you, who have In-Game Editor, please, check out that team FC Reipas, ID 33003310. It should have two shirts, orange-black striped and white with black trimmings. OK? In the Editor, does that away kits info look OK? At least - there is info? The more I have had time to think, the more I think the biggest problem is myself. I must have tried to "re-design" a kit with the Editor, and at the end - a mess.

Thought the 'General discussions' sector, but there's something more weird here, OK, the backround. I've started to make kits for FM23, but testing them in FM22. Team is a real one - Finnish 3. level 'Kakkonen' team FC Reipas, which ID number is 33003310. I'm using FM Kit Creator program, which makes all needed - 2D 'photo' of shirt for 'Team profile', 3D texture for game engine and also that Config file. I had made home kit, put it into correct folder, reloaded skin, and - it shows up. Everything worked fine. I made the away kit,... , reloaded, and - it didn't show up! Why? There was still game's vanilla shirt on the profile page. I reloaded skin a few more times, nothing. Then I checked In-Game Editor, and it showed that THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY AWAY KIT! At least, that away kit info part was all empty. But, there was still this vanilla looking away shirt to be seen in team profile window... 1. Do you have an away kit within team FC Reipas? What about kit's info in Editor? 2. What causes that there is an away shirt to be seen, but no info in Editor? How can that shirt be drawn in game, when there is no info? Is it, that FM itself forces at least two kits (that away shirt is white with black trimmings - as it should)? I have loaded a lot of mods, kits, aso., but... how did I manage to do this? (I haven't used kits from lower Finnish levels.) Last one. If I create a new imaginery THIRD kit to a team, which didn't have one earlier, and want it to be 'easy-to-be-installed', how to get FM understand that there is a new third kit to be added? Just a folder in correct place doesn't seem to be enough... Does this need something into Config file, or...? In-Game Editor shouldn't be needed! Is there a manual concerning all these Config files? (If I wanted to create something downloadable stuff...) Weird case. Thanks for helping. Rauno

No, ID number is the link to all data in one team. At least, that's the way I see it. To add something, like a new kit, you make those graphics files and with a config file you tell the game what those files are. And the game knows where to seek them. In those graphics (kits) files there are no orders for shirt numbers. Or, are there in vanilla template, I don't know... With FM In-Game Editor you can then change the way those shirt numbers are shown, and even what colors GK kits have. That info is stored somewhere, and I'm asking if anyone knows how to manipulate that info. I'm new with this, I'm not familiar with those vanilla game data files. At all.

Just recently learned how to make my own kits, or... still learning, of course. I know the folder to put them into, and that there is a config file. That was the basic part of this. I would like to be sure, that numbers in those kits would be shown as they should. Even GK kits - maybe... And I know that these can be changed in the FM In-Game Editor. But, how to do this with a configuration file? Example files anywhere? In which folder should these configuration files be located? Graphics/kits folder, data editor folder,...? How to get those correct values - like of a custom kit color? Is there a helping tool for this? Any help is appreciated. Rauno

Not necessarily. RED1 passes ball to RED2, and RED1 starts to run along the side line. RED2 passes ball to RED1 (this is what happens in picture). Critical point is the MOMENT when RED2 passes ball. IF RED1 is still above RED2 AND opponents defence has raised so much that there are only one opponent above (or equal) him, then RED1 is offside. Still. To avoid offside RED2 should hold the ball as long as RED1 reaches the same line as he is. But, this happens only if opponent has ordered its players to raise defence line just after corner kick has been given. If there are at least two opponents above (or equal) RED1, there won't be offside. If opponent raises defence line immediately in corners, I most likely wouldn't use short corner kicks. IF they seem to cause offside. How to use that tactic in picture and avoid offside in FM, I don't know.

Thanks.

Me too. What I tried to ask, was... when you have a job as a manager, getting your staff members to go to courses cost money - are you ready to invest that money, and at the same time build better relationships with them, and if you ever have the chance to go to another team, do you try to get those same staff members to join you?

OK. Thanks for your thoughts. My last question to you, have you chosen your assistants and other staff just to fill a certain need, or have you tried to "bond" promising staff talents and have them as your "coaching team members" - you being their mentor?

Nice work. Question. If WWY and Adaptability, Discipline, and Determination are (or nearly) fixed, will all those gained CA points go into Coaching points (except WWY)? What about if you are / are not a GK? Is (Mental side) Tactical Knowledge something that can be improved? I think that, yes, there are personal MAX values each coach has in skills and mental issues. It seems that in FM Devs like to use PA's, where they should use CA's - learning these skills and issues is possible. But only to your personal MAX. Why else would there be in coaches' interviews "Experience has given me a lot of new perspective. I've learned a lot. And still do." (Not an exact quote.) In your opinion, should there be more chances to improve your coaches using courses? Also Mental side?