Soccer Gaming Catch-All

What is does this screen mean? I feel like an idiot asking, but I'm tired of seeing it and not knowing.
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It means the computer is simulating games in which your club is not involved. I'm guessing that you've got the Dutch league set as playable (and that you are managing in the MLS)'

Make sure to play game in window so you can happily browse GWJ while game is simulating all that stuff

I meant the Home Form section. The WWWXW, etc next to each team.

W = Win

D and X = One stands for a home draw, the other for an away draw (I can't remember which is which, but an away draw is considered better than a home draw)

L = Loss

It's actually based on the English reporting model, where D is a no-score draw (0-0) and X is a score draw. No real difference in this game, of course, but it was a significant difference when I was a lad, as like most people we used to do the football pools at home. That's also why, for those who watch the classified results on the BBC or ITV, the matches have numbers down the side - they correspond to the numbers on the pools coupon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footbal...

Got chance to try out FIFA 12 for PC. I think I'm buying it - I had no interest in playing another football game this year, but it's surprisingly good. Leaps and bounds over FIFA 11 (PC). Player movement isn't as good as in PES but it wins in every other department - especially passing (things like lofted balls, through passes) is sharper than I remembered it to be.

edit: Good tip: after playing 4-5 games on Pro I didn't feel like I was in control of the game yet my skill level seemed decent enough to prevent me from going to lower difficulty level. Changing game speed to slow seems to have solved the problem - it's a good setting for learning the game controls.

Is there a lot of difference between console/PC versions of FIFA? Apart from being able to mod and use higher resolutions of course I played the FIFA 12 demo and found no compelling reason to upgrade from FIFA 11 on Xbox.

End of 2012. England finished runner-up at Euro 2012. Capello, citing exhaustion, retires. The search for a new England manager ends with the name of...

...Eddie Howe. Of Burnley. No, I don't know either.

I held out for as long as I could. Finally gave in to FM2012. Got the FM bug at the end of March. Tried the FM2012 demo, but had been content chipping away at a new Portuguese LLM save in FM2011. Just revisited my Atletico Madrid FM 2011 save and I was desperately wanting the depth chart feature as well as the new team talks (at least that's what I used to justify my purchase).

edit: Starting my first LLM save unemployed and the New England Revolution are offering me a job with my experience set as Sunday League Player?? Really? I mean I'll take it, but it makes zero sense. The only other teams interested were lowest of the low in Spain.

Don't tempt me maxox... I'm still running on FM11. Though I do think waiting for 2013 is what will happen with me since Newcastle should be pretty good.

I just resigned from Stade Rennais in the long-running game I had going with them. I transformed them into the best club by UEFA co-efficient, 3rd-richest club in the world, and a ridiculous trophy cabinet. Trophies, 12 seasons and £243 million in the bank apparently isn't enough to pay me more than £13,000/week. As usual with me in a top league I started off with transfer-listed/Bosmans and then transitioned into youth-poaching where I got some amazing players. I really should give lower league management another try the next time I start an FM game.

Oh, random anecdote: Messi ended up World Ball & FIFA player of the year 9 times in his career. He's actually still going at the age of 35 for Barca but he only played in 12 games for them this past season.

Finished up my first season (half season really since I started in June) of my first FM12 "LLM" save. Having my first job be with New England in MLS seems far from LLM. My big Designated Player signing was Guti. His play was every bit as meh as my real life feelings towards him. 1 assist and 1 goal (from a PK no less) in 13 appearances. What's better is he wants an $11.5k/week raise to stay on?

I started 2nd in the Eastern Conference and ended up that way. I lost to the Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. Henry was in top form. Finished 3rd overall in the race for the Supporter's Shield (top of the combined table).

Not sure how much longer I can hold out in MLS. It's just not incredibly interesting for me. All of the finance rules with no risk of relegation. I had to restart a save when I made a move that put me over the salary cap. There was literally nothing I could do other than get in my time machine and learn to do the math in my head beforehand. Sadly my MLS save in CM4 is what got me started with this series.

First full year of MLS under my belt with New England Revolution and ... I won the US Open Cup, MLS Supporters Shield, and the MLS Cup (probably something I won't replicate now being qualified for NACL). This was the first time in FM that winning something felt hollow. It was just too easy or something. I blame my signing from Middle Earth ...
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I'd like to stick around and see how the NACL log jam works out, but I am going nuts as it is with MLS not scheduling around international breaks.

Last game I played, my young centreback managed to put in two own goals, both without an opposing player within twenty yards. Ended the match with a 6.80 rating. I'm beginning to suspect that FM12 has a problem with its rating system.

kazooka wrote:

Last game I played, my young centreback managed to put in two own goals, both without an opposing player within twenty yards. Ended the match with a 6.80 rating. I'm beginning to suspect that FM12 has a problem with its rating system.

Did the goaltender take the rating hit?

FIFA 12 and FIFA Manager 12 (download editions) are $9.99 each on Amazon US right now.

kazooka wrote:

Last game I played, my young centreback managed to put in two own goals, both without an opposing player within twenty yards. Ended the match with a 6.80 rating. I'm beginning to suspect that FM12 has a problem with its rating system.

Maybe your CB played well apart from that - and don't forget, in that rating system, 6 is only average.

FM12 only £5 in Steam sale today - fill yer boots if you were even thinking about getting it.

davet010 wrote:

FM12 only £5 in Steam sale today - fill yer boots if you were even thinking about getting it.

Filthy enabler.

I played FIFA 12 at a friend's place the other day and had a good time. It was the first non-FM soccer game I've played since Mario Strikers and some version of FIFA and it's like a completely different world. The momentum the players have is a welcome change from the games of yesteryear though I still tackled at every opportunity like I was playing World Cup '94 on the Game Gear.

It was a pretty good time. I had trouble breaking down his defense and forgot what the shoot button was until the 2nd-half of our 2nd-game but it was entertaining. I was basically playing like Swansea - keeping the ball but creating basically nothing in the final third. It didn't help that my third touch of the ball was a horrid backpass to my goalkeeper that got intercepted and deposited into the empty net.

Picking up a PS3 to get back into regular sports games is more tempting than it was.

Started a new FM12 game, after editing Rangers down into Scottish League Div 3 (update 12.2 had them in administration anyway, so left that). Winning the first few games relatively easily, but i know I won't have the money to renew contracts or reject any sizeable bids, so I'm going to have to develop young players through my u-19 system and blood them against these part-timers...lord knows I won't be able to persuade anyone with a future ahead of them to come here from elsewhere for about 3 years

Addendum - I needed a striker who could hit the target, so waited until after a home game and snaffled 10k from the takings to buy Steven Howard from Leicester reserves for £10k and some deep-fried haggis. Greedy get wanted £5k a week for playing against part-timers, but we'd just had an offer of £400k to sell Papac, who was on 14k a week, so that was nice. TV presentation makes it look like playing a potential giant-killing in every away game - I've played in front of bigger crowds than some of these.

The stats tables that pop up show some amusing disparaties. The wages one went something like

1. Rangers - £9.4m (better check that, god knows who's getting the big money)
2. Brechin - £200k.

Quite the wage gap there. I wonder if the team will be able to get out of administration and stay out on your way up the leagues.

Unsurprisingly I stated a Newcastle file and have stayed up way too late tonight playing "just one more game". I'm doing my usual vacation between matches which moves things along nice and quick.

I sold off a couple of useless players and made one purchase, a central defender who now wants out because he hasn't been getting any games. After he complained I played him and he was abysmal so I guess he'll be on his way. I'm going with a basic 4-4-2 and we've been Jeckyll and Hyde so far: losses to Norwich, Bolton, Swansea, Everton and Wolves while we've won more than our share against bigger teams (Liverpool who suck, Manchester United).

We have two 6-nil wins on the bounce against Manchester City and away at Wigan. Ben Arfa chipped the Wigan goalkeeper from half to get the 6th goal in the Wigan game. I haven't seen that before.

I should probably head to bed before I play another match or I'll look at the clock and it will be 4am.

PES 2013 demo is on XBL. Not bad, and it also features the new international signal for S.O.S.

"Danny Welbeck <> Andy Carroll"

I played the demo a bit last night, and I really kind of liked it. Not a huge soccer guy, but something always makes me want to check it out.

How dead was/is the PES series since FIFA became the top dog? Will this game make some in-roads?

So my favorite mode in fifa is the career be a pro mode. I love playing as one player on a team and letting the computer deal with contract negotiations, formation, subbing, etc. However, all that stuff is pretty terribly designed in Fifa.

The game never subs you out so you get benched for the next game from exhaustion. If you get taken out from an injury, you need to finish the match playing as the whole team. This sucks for me as I play pro mode on world class because as one player I can play well at this level. However, the few instances when I have to play as the team, I get crushed by World Class.

Transfers as a player suck. Basically, the season ends, a few random clubs based on your rating and (hopefully) previous season rating give you a few offers or you can stick with your current club. I want to sign long term contracts, have clubs fight over me with an agent, demand a transfer, be cut from the team, etc.

I hate how the team immediately starts you. My guy joined Bayern as an 82 and Robben was benched. That's ridiculous. I should have to come on as a sub (doesn't happen in this game) and earn a spot. I wish they had practice matches, b squads, loan me out, etc.

My biggest complaint though...NATIONAL TEAMS. I want to be called up by the US to play alongside Dempsey and win a world cup. That might be the greatest moment in video gaming history for me (besides maybe killing sephiroth, my first headshot in counter-strike, and maybe a few other moments).

Can PES fix any of these?

The game never subs you out so you get benched for the next game from exhaustion.

In my current game it was even worse: the coach insisted he needed me even though I was exhausted, so I played the last 2 months of the competition without any reserve stamina. Fun!

I agree with you on most accounts, except that I like you get to play immediately even if you're the worse player. I prefer it being unrealistic over not playing

Maybe PES has upped the ante a bit since the last version I played (2011), but the Be A Pro part is far worse than FIFA's. You have no indication of whether you're in position or not, and get no feedback on your performance level until after the game. It does start you off on the bench though

Confession time chaps...when setting up my 'Rangers Newco' game, I'd forgotten they were in the CL. And I got them through the qualifications into the group stages. And we were drawn against Barca, Marseilles and Slovan Bratislava...And we got through in 2nd.

So our debts are paid off - I've made a profit of £32m and it's only Jan. Still, we've been drawn against Man City, so that's it.

Program can be a bit arsey about internationals. Rangers had a Scottish League Cup game against Falkirk, and I was missing 17 players due to internationals (OK, so many of them were u-19 internationals, but I had 5 first teamers missing) and went out on penalties. And the fans blamed ME !

And the season ends.

P36 W35 D1 L0 - GD +116 P106

Knocked out of CL by City (beat them 2-1 at the Etihad though, winner scored by Steve Howard, rescued on a free from Leicester C reserves !)

But that wasn't the most exciting bit. As the SD3 season finished a week before the Premiership, I thought I'd have a look at the final week. City 75 pts, Arsenal 72. Both teams at home, so I got on to Roberto for a free ticket and took my seat at the Etihad, expecting some 'typical City' fiasco.

Manchester City 9 (NINE) Wigan 1. And City missed a penalty (scored 2 others, mind you). Was a bit of a fluke, they only got 83 goals all season, including the nine. City also got to the CL final after knocking out the plucky Scottish Div 3 outfit, but got gubbed 3-0 by Barca.

Also party to one complete travesty. After winning every single Manager of the Month award, I get ready to amble on stage at the yearly awards, only to find that the Manager of the Year award went to the manager of East Stirlingshire, who managed to win...the SD3 playoffs. Give him his due, I guess - they only finished 55 points behind us in the league.

davet010 wrote:

And the season ends.

P36 W35 D1 L0 - GD +116 P106

Knocked out of CL by City (beat them 2-1 at the Etihad though, winner scored by Steve Howard, rescued on a free from Leicester C reserves !)

But that wasn't the most exciting bit. As the SD3 season finished a week before the Premiership, I thought I'd have a look at the final week. City 75 pts, Arsenal 72. Both teams at home, so I got on to Roberto for a free ticket and took my seat at the Etihad, expecting some 'typical City' fiasco.

Manchester City 9 (NINE) Wigan 1. And City missed a penalty (scored 2 others, mind you). Was a bit of a fluke, they only got 83 goals all season, including the nine. City also got to the CL final after knocking out the plucky Scottish Div 3 outfit, but got gubbed 3-0 by Barca.

Also party to one complete travesty. After winning every single Manager of the Month award, I get ready to amble on stage at the yearly awards, only to find that the Manager of the Year award went to the manager of East Stirlingshire, who managed to win...the SD3 playoffs. Give him his due, I guess - they only finished 55 points behind us in the league.

I think I need to check this game out. You can spec other games? I've always hated Fifa for not telling me who won previous years, etc.

Err.....it's not very much like FIFA - its closest analogue to American sports would be Out of the Park Baseball or Front Office Football. There is a demo on Steam that you might want to try before investing your hard earned dollars

davet010 wrote:

Err.....it's not very much like FIFA - its closest analogue to American sports would be Out of the Park Baseball or Front Office Football. There is a demo on Steam that you might want to try before investing your hard earned dollars

Yeah, even with the semi-3D match engine, this is 10,000x more Text-based sim than it is FIFA. 10,000,000x even.

Also, anyone heard any word on FM 13 yet?