Football Manager 2014: Everything You Need To Know
Today the news has broken, Football Manger 2014 has been announced by Sega and Sports Interactive and we are the first people to tell you what the changes to the game really mean for you.
Hailed as the most action packed FM game ever we look set for a treat, although the official launch date is yet to be published, this is sure to come in the next few days but you can now pre-order it from Amazon.
You can buy Football Manager 2014 through Amazon using the button below:
Fans have been promised loads:
- An improved 3D Match Engine
- A tactical overhaul
- More realistic transfers and contracts
- More sophisticated board interaction
- More complex interaction between staff, players and rival managers
- A revamped news system
- An enhanced user interface
- Evolution for Classic mode
- Additional community features
- Extensive tech improvements
Though the details seem like a big step, to real players of the game this announcement only tells us what we expect from the game, natural progression, but do the released screenshots tell us the same story?
Not really, the screenshots seem to only include old features, things that were included in the 2013 and some 12 versions, just laid out in a different way.
For me the time was right for a big seed-change from SI, the last version was a big seller and no doubt this one will be to, but so far I have to say the news and pics look disappointing.
Lets hope that the ‘work in progress’ state is just the start of what is to come.
Today is a big step, its huge in fact for all us fans, but I am yet to pass judgement on the game based on the news and screenshots that have been shared so far.
There does seem to be a couple of small changes that look real good, the way scout reports show up a basic overview in your message area is cleaver, it really saves time and the overview screen that contains some pretty graphs and pie-charts based on a few new KPI’s in the game looks fairly sexy.
It appears that you can now get other players to talk to each other in attempt to ‘get them on board’ which is a nice touch, but nothing groundbreaking.
The biggest change though and something that little detail has been released on is the ‘match plan creator’ which through all intents and purposes looks like you can really drill down on how your team plays during the game, changing the tactics during any given situation without you needing to do it manually every time.
The other glaring feature seems to be ability to loan back to the host club, a great addition that we have spoken about a few times as being needed.
I did just spot a tiny thing on one of the images, ‘manager expectation’ has been included on the screen when negotiating a contract with a player, is that the expectation of the player’s performance at the club or your boards expectation of how you should be performing this season? Only time will tell.
I assume the later, in which case the board expectation options have obviously been widened up to include lots of different scenarios, rather than just your plans for domination.
What do you think? Did you spot anything in the pics that stands out to you? Here is a few more to wet your appetite.
SI say that we can expect to see the following:
Play it whenever, wherever, however
Play on Linux for the first time, plus the inclusion of ‘cloud-save’ technology which means that managers can now pursue a single career from any computer, anywhere in the world. FM14 also includes integration with Steam Workshop making it easy for managers to create and share customised FM content such as photo/logo packs, new and custom competitions and tailor-made challenges using the new Challenge Editor.
Improved Match Engine
The 3D match engine has seen extensive improvements, including enhanced AI, improved lighting and player animation, individual player character and kit models, more realistic player reaction to on-field incidents and a range of optimisations which combine to make this the best looking and fastest FM Match Engine yet.
Tactical overhaul
There has been a complete redesign of how tactics are created, selected and implemented with player roles and team strategies becoming even more prominent, definable roles for players for multiple positions, new player roles and instructions and improvements to rival managers’ AI so that they’ll adapt their tactics more readily over time
More realistic transfers and contracts
FM 2014 features a revamped transfer module where opposing clubs and managers adopt a more realistic approach when making or responding to transfer offers. In addition, a number of new ‘real world’ transfer clauses have been added, such as the facility to loan a player back to the club he’s just been bought from and the option to offer a combination of cash and loan players, as well as new contract clauses such as a sub bench appearance fee. On top of this, the old ‘turn-based’ system of transfer negotiations can now be done two ways, the tried and tested system and a new ‘live’ system, similar to that used in FM’s contract negotiations.
More sophisticated board interaction
Contract negotiations are more realistic in FM 2014, as managers and boards can now make demands and lay down their respective visions for the club in both initial job interviews and contract renewal discussions. Managers can also attempt to renegotiate transfer and wage budgets as a reward for staying loyal if they’ve been offered a job by another club, with the outcome helping aid their decision on whether to move or not.
Improved interaction with players, staff and media
There is now better interaction between players, managers, their rivals and the media; for example, members of the coaching staff now offer feedback on how reserve and youth team players are performing. Managers can also ask key players to have a word with unhappy squad members, while the introduction of an end-of-season meeting allows the manager to let the squad know how they have performed and set targets for the coming season.
News system
The news system has been overhauled so managers can now deal with many club matters directly from their inbox. In addition, news is now colour-coded, based on category, and contains more detail – for example, scout reports now appear as a single news item with a top-line report on all players scouted and the facility to shortlist or make an offer for each of these players.
Enhanced user interface
Major changes have been made to FM 2014’s user interface. Key areas have been redesigned – including the training overview page, the transfer centre and the news homepage – while widespread changes have been made across the game’s user interface. The language employed throughout the game has also enjoyed a major overhaul and now corresponds more closely to the language of real world football.
Football Manager Classic evolved
Managers can now choose more than three playable nations in Classic mode for a more immersive experience. In addition, FM’s ‘fast play’ mode now includes Transfer Deadline Day, a Match Plan wizard and new un-lockables.
You can pre-order the game from Amazon, the official partner, use the button below.
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Chappers
Hey, I'm Danny and I run (try to) this FM appreciation site. We do try to be constructive and talk about some real conversational subjects but occasional we may drift away from the subject slightly! I hope you enjoy this site, if you want to chat you can find me on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, alternatively just leave a comment below. Cheers!
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