Forum Suggestions/Feedback Thread: How can we make this place better?

leninbenjamin

Seems like we got a decent community of posters here but at the same time I do think meself that this forum could do with being a bit more engaging and I was wondering if there are others who feel the same? It seems to primarily serve as a one-stop shop for trouble shooting or that as opposed to generating much real discussion.

So, I was talking with T4TF he's agreed and willing to facilitate any ideas we might have.

First things first anyway the stickies need updating. The links one is now nearly completely irrelevant. Also i was thinking we should get rid of the good players one with multiple threads for each edition, perhaps even having different ones for the different league levels, or would that be too much effort?

The other thing would be maybe getting a few challenges going? I know there's been a few done in the past and they seemed to work quite well for those. T4TF suggested something of a monthly fantasy football style event, in which we use individual player score, league standings, team stats among others to calculate the points? We could either all pick the same team for the month or maybe come up with a system with weights for the different league levels?

We could also try something in relation to tactics perhaps; maybe try and periodically come up with a boards tactic pack that we could create by sharing and modifying each others? Might be a bit of fun to see your tactics being employed by someone else and how they get on with them...

Anyway, is this all a bit much or have you guys got any ideas yourselves?

Ardscoil Ris

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Seems like we got a decent community of posters here but at the same time I do think meself that this forum could do with being a bit more engaging and I was wondering if there are others who feel the same? It seems to primarily serve as a one-stop shop for trouble shooting or that as opposed to generating much real discussion.

So, I was talking with T4TF he's agreed and willing to facilitate any ideas we might have.

First things first anyway the stickies need updating. The links one is now nearly completely irrelevant. Also i was thinking we should get rid of the good players one with multiple threads for each edition, perhaps even having different ones for the different league levels, or would that be too much effort?

The other thing would be maybe getting a few challenges going? I know there's been a few done in the past and they seemed to work quite well for those. T4TF suggested something of a monthly fantasy football style event, in which we use individual player score, league standings, team stats among others to calculate the points? We could either all pick the same team for the month or maybe come up with a system with weights for the different league levels?

We could also try something in relation to tactics perhaps; maybe try and periodically come up with a boards tactic pack that we could create by sharing and modifying each others? Might be a bit of fun to see your tactics being employed by someone else and how they get on with them...

Anyway, is this all a bit much or have you guys got any ideas yourselves?

I agree completely.

I was thinking we could arrange some online games of FM09. Something like every Saturday we play two weeks. Just an idea.

Sticky threads do need some updating. Maybe one sub forums for the past versions of FM perhaps?

Thanx 4 The Fish

I do not think it is likely we will get sub forums for the old versions of FM (or need them for that matter), the threads that have been there from before are still available if we want to view them just search the forum.

I do like the internet games option and think that we could probably get quite a few on and playing at least that often.

SantryRed

The challenges idea is a good one.

I'd be up for that.:D

SantryRed

Actually, thinking about it, we should have threads for specific threads such as Season Updates, Training and Tactics etc...

Would keep topics of conversations within one thread.

thusspakeblixa

I did a few challenges before and they seemed to get a bit of interest. +1 for them.
and +1 for network games if someone can explain how they work

Ardscoil Ris

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

I did a few challenges before and they seemed to get a bit of interest. +1 for them.
and +1 for network games if someone can explain how they work

Work like a normal game of FM except that human players take the place of some AI. More specifically it's not turn based if that's what you thinking. We all play the same time with one person hosting the game. You can have three ways of playing:

(1) Everybody presses continue and when every human player has pressed it the game goes forward.

(2) Timed continue. Time limit countdown and when the timer is up the game goes forward.

(3) Normal which is where we all play at our own pace and if somebody goes AFK the admin just force continues the game.

It makes FM one hundred times better because it introduces a real life element into the game and match days between two human players is excellent. The rivalry between players is so fun. It's the way the game was meant to be played.

However, I have learnt that some people take ages at FM and games usually take for ever to play. It would take a month or two to play through a full season, but I assure you every week feels like cup final week.

thusspakeblixa

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

Work like a normal game of FM except that human players take the place of some AI. More specifically it's not turn based if that's what you thinking. We all play the same time with one person hosting the game. You can have three ways of playing:

(1) Everybody presses continue and when every human player has pressed it the game goes forward.

(2) Timed continue. Time limit countdown and when the timer is up the game goes forward.

(3) Normal which is where we all play at our own pace and if somebody goes AFK the admin just force continues the game.

It makes FM one hundred times better because it introduces a real life element into the game and match days between two human players is excellent. The rivalry between players is so fun. It's the way the game was meant to be played.

However, I have learnt that some people take ages at FM and games usually take for ever to play. It would take a month or two to play through a full season, but I assure you every week feels like cup final week.

Do you need to download a client though?

Ardscoil Ris

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

Do you need to download a client though?

You need to download something called Hamachi. It allows other people to connect to ones computer.

Hamachi is a zero-configuration virtual private network (VPN) shareware application capable of establishing direct links between computers that are behind NAT firewalls without requiring reconfiguration (in most cases); in other words, it establishes a connection over the Internet that very closely emulates the connection that would exist if the computers were connected over a local area network.

DSB

I'd love to do a league that went like the length of a proper season, if that makes any sense? I've never played network games before, so I dunno if thats the norm, or if its possible.

Ardscoil Ris

DSB wrote: »

I'd love to do a league that went like the length of a proper season, if that makes any sense? I've never played network games before, so I dunno if thats the norm, or if its possible.

It does happen and will probably be the way it will go if we have anything over ten people playing.

DSB

Amazing, count me in.

Frisbee

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

It does happen and will probably be the way it will go if we have anything over ten people playing.

I'd be in for that aswell!

Ardscoil Ris

I should also mention that it's a lot more fun if we all play in the same league. Imagine the match involving leninbenjamin and myself. It would be intense :pac:

Frisbee

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

I should also mention that it's a lot more fun if we all play in the same league. Imagine the match involving leninbenjamin and myself. It would be intense :pac:

Yeah I took it as a given we'd be using the same league.
Which league though?
I'd like EPl but I'd say everyone will want Utd, Chelsea, Pool, Arsenal.
Then Citeh, Villa, Spuds, Pompey.

Would have to work out a fair way of deciding who gets what team..

Ardscoil Ris

Frisbee wrote: »

Yeah I took it as a given we'd be using the same league.
Which league though?
I'd like EPl but I'd say everyone will want Utd, Chelsea, Pool, Arsenal.
Then Citeh, Villa, Spuds, Pompey.

Would have to work out a fair way of deciding who gets what team..

Maybe, I know I would want Liverpool, but only because I support them. It doesn't matter really. The most fun I have had online was with relegation battles between friends.

Also, we all don't have to be involved in direct competition. If their is ten plus playing then there will be battles for the league, UEFA cup spots and relegation battles. No matter who you are we could all have fun. If everybody wants to be in the top clubs then we could divide up. What I mean by that is we could have 4 players in EPL, 4 in Seria A etc. That way no matter who is in the race with you to win the league they will be human. Also it would make the Champions league the stage where we all do battle.

Frisbee

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

Maybe, I know I would want Liverpool, but only because I support them. It doesn't matter really. The most fun I have had online was with relegation battles between friends.

Also, we all don't have to be involved in direct competition. If their is ten plus playing then there will be battles for the league, UEFA cup spots and relegation battles. No matter who you are we could all have fun. If everybody wants to be in the top clubs then we could divide up. What I mean by that is we could have 4 players in EPL, 4 in Seria A etc. That way no matter who is in the race with you to win the league they will be human. Also it would make the Champions league the stage where we all do battle.

Well I'd want Arsenal. But I wouldn't mind playing with a lower team. For example if we got ten who wanted to play EPL someone could do a random draw out of a hat and that would be the order you get to pick your team in...

Ardscoil Ris

Frisbee wrote: »

Well I'd want Arsenal. But I wouldn't mind playing with a lower team. For example if we got ten who wanted to play EPL someone could do a random draw out of a hat and that would be the order you get to pick your team in...

True. We will have to wait and see how many want to play first. I think it's time we find out. We should create a sign up thread.

Frisbee

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

True. We will have to wait and see how many want to play first. I think it's time we find out. We should create a sign up thread.

Good idea.
It's your brainchild so you can have the honour

thusspakeblixa

See how many people we get, then decide on a league.
I say we do EL!
Great craic!

Ardscoil Ris

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

See how many people we get, then decide on a league.
I say we do EL!
Great craic!

One thing that should be noted is that no matter how bad your PC is it matters not.

The host of the game bears the demand of the game and the rest of us connect to him. I can run all leagues no problem. We don't have to run all leagues, but you shouldn't be afraid to sign up because you feel you won't be able to run a game properly.

Frisbee

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

One thing that should be noted is that no matter how bad your PC is it matters not.

The host of the game bears the demand of the game and the rest of us connect to him. I can run all leagues no problem. We don't have to run all leagues, but you shouldn't be afraid to sign up because you feel you won't be able to run a game properly.

Very good point.
Would probably be best to only load up two or three leagues.

leninbenjamin

Frisbee wrote: »

Well I'd want Arsenal. But I wouldn't mind playing with a lower team. For example if we got ten who wanted to play EPL someone could do a random draw out of a hat and that would be the order you get to pick your team in...

hmmmm.... we could play the premier league, but use a database editor to adjust player atttributes before hand to even up the teams. say make every team one world class star, 190 CA, then maybe another 3 or 4 CA170 and the rest in and around the 150 mark...? could also do it to adjust things like club reputation, transfer budjet etc. so everyone is on an even footing. it'd just be a case then of everyone downloading and using that modified database for the game.

it would take a little time to do, but the results could be worth it.

Frisbee

leninbenjamin wrote: »

hmmmm.... we could play the premier league, but use a database editor to adjust player atttributes before hand to even up the teams. say make every team one world class star, 190 CA, then maybe another 3 or 4 CA170 and the rest in and around the 150 mark...? could also do it to adjust things like club reputation, transfer budjet etc. so everyone is on an even footing. it'd just be a case then of everyone downloading and using that modified database for the game.

it would take a little time to do, but the results could be worth it.

Not usre this is the right way to go.
Maybe give whoever gets a smaller club a fairly large transfer budget, but I wouldn't be for editting players...

leninbenjamin

Frisbee wrote: »

Not usre this is the right way to go.
Maybe give whoever gets a smaller club a fairly large transfer budget, but I wouldn't be for editting players...

meh... i've messed around with this kind of thing before, it actually can become quite entertaining. If you create a team of superstars you'll find the game will start to rerank you so your tactics become a lot more important. It can be hilarious actually, 'That's his first ever goal' and things like that start appearing with a lot more frequency against you. I had a game once where a reserve team fullback with about 5 for long shots aatribute scored an absolute screamer from just inside my halfway line.

Ardscoil Ris

Frisbee wrote: »

Not usre this is the right way to go.
Maybe give whoever gets a smaller club a fairly large transfer budget, but I wouldn't be for editting players...

Agreed. Just because your not one of the top four doesn't mean you won't have fun. When I played online with a few people they enjoyed being teams like Sunderland and causing upsets against better teams controlled by other human people. Just because you win the league doesn't mean your the best. I would be more impressed with people who play as say Newcastle or Everton and push for a champions league place.

If people all want to be big teams I still maintain that we play in England, Italy and Spain. If everybody is a top four team there, then their will still be domestic competition and the Champions League would also provided top notch entertainment.

Frisbee

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

Agreed. Just because your not one of the top four doesn't mean you won't have fun. When I played online with a few people they enjoyed being teams like Sunderland and causing upsets against better teams controlled by other human people. Just because you win the league doesn't mean your the best. I would be more impressed with people who play as say Newcastle or Everton and push for a champions league place.

If people all want to be big teams I still maintain that we play in England, Italy and Spain. If everybody is a top four team there, then their will still be domestic competition and the Champions League would also provided top notch entertainment.

That's the way I think would work best.
Or if people are happy to draw for choice of PL teams we could do that.

leninbenjamin

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

Agreed. Just because your not one of the top four doesn't mean you won't have fun. When I played online with a few people they enjoyed being teams like Sunderland and causing upsets against better teams controlled by other human people. Just because you win the league doesn't mean your the best. I would be more impressed with people who play as say Newcastle or Everton and push for a champions league place.

If people all want to be big teams I still maintain that we play in England, Italy and Spain. If everybody is a top four team there, then their will still be domestic competition and the Champions League would also provided top notch entertainment.

fair enough, either way suits me anyway. I tend to enjoy playing with the big teams and scouting for wonderkids more, but i seem to be better at playing with the smaller teams... or was in the previous releases... still haven't had time to complete a full season in FM09.

even worse: i got Arsenal to the Champions league Final, after beating Fiorentina in the semi 4 - 2 in the first leg, or something silly. but I got sacked for fielding a team of reserves and losing to Tottenham in the game between the legs. lol! closest i've had to a full season.

Ardscoil Ris

leninbenjamin wrote: »

fair enough, either way suits me anyway. I tend to enjoy playing with the big teams and scouting for wonderkids more, but i seem to be better at playing with the smaller teams... or was in the previous releases... still haven't had time to complete a full season in FM09.

even worse: i got Arsenal to the Champions league Final, after beating Fiorentina in the semi 4 - 2 away in the first leg. but I got sacked for fielding a team of reserves and losing to Tottenham in the game between the legs. lol! closest i've had to a full season.

That was harsh. Where you doing bad in the league?

leninbenjamin

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

That was harsh. Where you doing bad in the league?

yeah, it wasn't great tbh. Man Utd were running away with it by Christmas (they had only dropped about 4 or 5 points after 30 games which was a bit ridiculous i thought), so i started rotating more than i should have to keep injury prone Cesc, Walcott, Adebayor, Sagna et al. fit for the Champions League matches. about 8 games to go i was in 5th or 6th, although there was only a spread of like 5 points (single digits anyway) between 2nd and 7th (and about 30 off United lol). thought i was being smart to focus on the Champions League :pac:

anyway, sorry for dragging it off topic. As for the online league, i'd love to participate but i could only really do this on weekends, and even then as my term progresses I'll have less and less time available to me... I'd say ye go ahead and arrange times, if it suits it suits me. We can still organise the less demanding odd offline challenge for those who an online league wouldn't suit.

Ardscoil Ris

leninbenjamin wrote: »

yeah, it wasn't great tbh. Man Utd were running away with it by Christmas (they had only dropped about 4 or 5 points after 30 games which was a bit ridiculous i thought), so i started rotating more than i should have to keep injury prone Cesc, Walcott, Adebayor, Sagna et al. fit for the Champions League matches. about 8 games to go i was in 5th or 6th, although there was only a spread of like 5 points (single digits anyway) between 2nd and 7th (and about 30 off United lol). thought i was being smart to focus on the Champions League :pac:

anyway, sorry for dragging it off topic. As for the online league, i'd love to participate but i could only really do this on weekends, and even then as my term progresses I'll have less and less time available to me... I'd say ye go ahead and arrange times, if it suits it suits me. We can still organise the less demanding odd offline challenge for those who an online league wouldn't suit.

Well weekend only play was the idea. You should go to the sign up thread and post who you want to be. I'm sure we can arrange in this forum when is the best time to play.