Match Experience
Every year the match team here at the studio seek to get even closer to creating a perfect simulation of real football. Most years there are one or two areas of the match AI, animations or overall visuals that they place an emphasis on enhancing or updating for the upcoming release. This year, however, the team have been able to implement a suite of new additions that take our match simulation to new levels of authenticity.
At the centre of all of these improvements is our new animation engine which is debuting in FM22. We’ll go on to talk about the technical details about the new engine and the different elements that have been enhanced because of it over the course of this blog but you’ll notice a vast difference when playing FM22 to the overall feel and flow of play in matches.
The new animation engine has enabled us to introduce new elements to the match engine that simply weren’t possible with the previous engine. Some of these are subtle additions that replicate the flow of play of real football, and some are larger more in-your-face changes that are felt across every match.
Let’s take a look at what makes the new animation engine so special.
The Data Hub
Data analysis has become an integral part of day-to-day life at football clubs across the world, fuelling the success of teams at all levels of the game. It has also become an accepted part of football culture, being as commonly discussed in the media as tactics and transfers.
Some might argue that we played a small role in making data analysis a part of football culture but, beginning with FM21, we wanted to revolutionise the level of data and analysis within Football Manager. We wanted to give you the power to harness the same metrics and reporting methods that the top clubs use to find a winning edge over their rivals.
Last season, we introduced a raft of new features around performance analysis including the addition of xG and deeper pre- and post-match analysis. In FM22, we’re introducing a dedicated Data Hub alongside some new metrics and more interaction with your team of analysts. These improvements not only allow you to view reports and key metrics but to also take more of hands-on role with analysis and shape the direction of your analysts’ work.
Staff Meetings
Important, regular meetings between managers and their backroom teams are vital to the smooth running of any football club.
Previous iterations of Football Manager have included these in the form of regular inbox items but for FM22 that’s profoundly changed. Don’t mistake this upgrade for a simple lick of paint – our drastic staff interaction overhaul is anchored by an all-new weekly Staff Meeting.
Numerous discussions with real-life coaches working across a variety of departments has given us a real insight into how regular these staff meetings are, who they typically involve, and the sort of things addressed to ensure that everyone is working in unison for the ultimate benefit of the playing squad.
As you’d expect, every club does things slightly differently, but the general consensus is that there’s typically one big meeting every week, featuring everyone from the manager themselves to scouts, analysts and the Head of Youth Development. That’s what we’ve modelled our brand-new Staff Meetings on.
Bringing weekly reports on Coaching, Recruitment, Player Development and Staffing together in one place means you’ll spend less time wading through inbox items in every career. There’ll be less pausing what you’re doing to deal with admin or overlooking things because you’re more focused on recruitment and matchdays. The Staff Meetings are going to be a one-stop shop for making your club run as smoothly as possible, allowing you more time to turn them into the title-winning machine you want them to be.
Let’s get into the specifics of how the new Staff Meetings work…
Transfer Deadline Day
Transfer Deadline Day is one of the biggest, and most dramatic, staples in the footballing calendar.
We’ve all been there, watching the clock tick down on the big screen and waiting for one of the presenters or pundits break that news that our club is about to make a massive late addition to their squad. From done deals to rumours sparked by someone’s yoga instructor’s neighbour, we’re hooked for every minute of it.
For clubs, it’s a different beast entirely. While in an ideal world they’d have their business done well in advance, the world doesn’t work like that. Results in the opening few weeks can highlights obvious squad deficits, while players being tempted by big offers and season-changing injuries can also throw a spanner in the works. Likewise, sometimes deals materialize that are just too good to turn down.
In Football Manager 2022 we’ve sought to replicate the drama of Transfer Deadline Day, upping the immersion factor and making it an unmissable part of the game. Modelled on discussions with those involved in all aspects of the day’s madness, it’ll still feel like you’re watching the drama unfold on your television but all the while in the thick of the action, sitting in the managerial hotseat and making all the big calls.
We know how focused managers need to be to deal with the chaos of Transfer Deadline Day. By bringing all this information together in one place, it’ll be far easier for you stay on top of things and ensure you’ve got a happy squad capable of delivering those all-important victories in the weeks and months to come.
