Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

If it's a video game it goes here.

Moderators: LawBeefaroni, Arcanis, $iljanus

Post Reply
Darkstar One
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:46 am

Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by Darkstar One »

Was wondering if anyone has any insight into how bad the learning curve is on this for someone who is a casual soccer fan.
User avatar
mori
Posts: 4589
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:53 pm
Location: Edge of Darkness

Re: Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by mori »

It can be as steep as you want it to be. I have been playing since FM 2010 and am still learning. I started as a casual soccer fan as well. It can also be incredibly easy if you pick a top team (I imagine Bayern Munich, or Manchester City would be a good FM 18 choices), download a plug & play tactic that fits your squad, and just let the game do its thing. Then its just a HR sim trying to keep your players happy, healthy, and motivated. After a few hours, and a few restarts, you will have the basic hang of it. Older versions of FM use to have tutorials that would teach you the basics but they did away with that and now you only get an online manual.
User avatar
Godzilla Blitz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:27 pm
Location: Twin Cities MN

Re: Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by Godzilla Blitz »

Starting with a top team is one way to do it, but starting with a lower league team is definitely another way, and in some ways I'd argue it's easier.

The tactics are much simpler and more forgiving down low. You can get pretty far in many cases with a basic 4-4-2 formation.

Honestly, I think mindset is the key thing. When I first tried to play, I was overwhelmed with trying to understand everything and was afraid of making mistakes. It can be paralyzing, and you can spend hours trying to figure stuff out before ever getting to your first game.

What finally got me over the hump was just hitting the "continue" button (or whatever it's called) to advance game time, and just assuming I had no clue what I'd be doing for the first half season. In the lower leagues, because free agents are often your best and cheapest way of improving your roster, you can be adding players throughout the year, so you don't have to get your roster in place before the season starts. So start playing games, watch how your players do, and adjust from there. After a few games, you'll start noticing weak and strong players, and off you go.

Regardless of the level, I would recommend taking some time and picking a team with some financial wiggle room. I came back to the game for the first time after not playing for a few years and selected a team with a poor financial situation. In those cases, you can often be hamstrung with regards to adding players, and it's a whole different situation. In my case, I really struggled to have fun, as I wasn't good enough to solve the problems on the pitch without adding players, and I didn't have any money to add players.
Cortilian
Posts: 1590
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:30 am

Re: Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by Cortilian »

Godzilla Blitz wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2017 6:31 pm Starting with a top team is one way to do it, but starting with a lower league team is definitely another way, and in some ways I'd argue it's easier.

The tactics are much simpler and more forgiving down low. You can get pretty far in many cases with a basic 4-4-2 formation.

Honestly, I think mindset is the key thing. When I first tried to play, I was overwhelmed with trying to understand everything and was afraid of making mistakes. It can be paralyzing, and you can spend hours trying to figure stuff out before ever getting to your first game.

What finally got me over the hump was just hitting the "continue" button (or whatever it's called) to advance game time, and just assuming I had no clue what I'd be doing for the first half season. In the lower leagues, because free agents are often your best and cheapest way of improving your roster, you can be adding players throughout the year, so you don't have to get your roster in place before the season starts. So start playing games, watch how your players do, and adjust from there. After a few games, you'll start noticing weak and strong players, and off you go.

Regardless of the level, I would recommend taking some time and picking a team with some financial wiggle room. I came back to the game for the first time after not playing for a few years and selected a team with a poor financial situation. In those cases, you can often be hamstrung with regards to adding players, and it's a whole different situation. In my case, I really struggled to have fun, as I wasn't good enough to solve the problems on the pitch without adding players, and I didn't have any money to add players.
OMG that is exactly me. Except that I never got out of vapor lock on the game. I bought FM2016 because I thought it would be fun and then I literally spent hours staring at the screen with a bajillion options and no clue what to do next. I don't think my guys played even a single match and steam says I've played 4 hours. Maybe I'll do that and just hit continue :)
User avatar
mori
Posts: 4589
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:53 pm
Location: Edge of Darkness

Re: Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by mori »

FM 2018 is 50% off this weekend. That is as cheap as this series gets. Just dabbled a little bit with it but I like what I see so far.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by malchior »

mori wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:11 pm FM 2018 is 50% off this weekend. That is as cheap as this series gets. Just dabbled a little bit with it but I like what I see so far.
My big problem with FM is that they've barely ungraded it so I've been skipping a year or two between buys. If someone had 2016 or 2017, could I recommend it? Not really. Never had a version at all. Hell yes - it is a great game once you get into it.
User avatar
mori
Posts: 4589
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:53 pm
Location: Edge of Darkness

Re: Football Manager 2018--how bad is the learning curve?

Post by mori »

I think you can skip 18 if you have 17. Not a whole lot of difference. The 3D game engine looks most improved compared to 17 as it is more realistic and natural but I play with crap players on crap teams so I cannot comment if you play with Barcelona or Real Madrid.

If you skipped 17, I think this would be worth it for you.
Post Reply