The intent of FMH isn't to mimic the full-fat PC game, its intentionally a lighter experience so that it suits the devices better and can be played more quickly on the move in short bursts of time.
Sorry, but many, many other developers are able to update their Apps for the new screen ... even real small ones ... but Sega as a huge company needs months for such a update ...
Oh come on! Smartphone and especially tablet gaming has moved on dramatically. We have console quality titles in every genre on the App Store and to hide your laziness behind the old "intentionally a lighter experience" line is extremely insulting. You DO realise that newer iPads like the Air and Air 2 have replaced a lot of people's computers? You DO realise that people no longer accept stripped down games just because it's a mobile version? I'm not asking for the full PC version on iPad but I'm asking you to actually give us something closer to the full experience than the same dross we've had on iOS since FM came to the App Store. Hiding behind the "it's a mobile game" excuse is woeful and weak. And the lack of being able to assign simple man marking is nothing to do with it being a "lighter experience", it's just laziness. In fact the "newspaper" front pages used when you win an award or trophy haven't changed since FM 2012. The UI is largely unchanged. 2012 review: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/113278-football-manager-handheld-2012-review 2015 review: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2014/11/20/sega-football-manager-handheld-2015-for-ios/ They're near identical no matter how good the "new" 2D match engine in 2015 is meant to be. I'd happily pay for a squad/transfer update but I'm done paying £7 a year for the same pitiful mobile UI and feel in a brand new app. The platform and what it is capable of has long outgrown what you are prepared to give us.
You are obviously welcome to your opinion on the game; however it is a fact that it is not intended to mimic the PC game and is meant to be faster and more 'fun' to play; generally people play mobile games in shorter bursts of time and the playing duration of the PC product does not suit such devices as well as FMH does in my opinion. The reception and enthusiasm which people normally give to the game tends to validate our stance in this regard.
Do you genuinely believe that adding proper man marking options will remove this "fun to play" aspect you seem so hell bent on protecting? And I've checked the reviews and many are commenting on the fact what you've done this year is no different than the last two years and could easily have been done as an update rather than a full new app. And congratulations on completely ignoring every point I raised in order to force your own agenda. We don't want the mobile version to perfectly mimic the PC version but we want a mobile version that's moved with the times and uses the hardware to its potential. Tactical options like man marking and deeper player and media integration isn't going to change the game from a mobile one to one which mimics the PC version. And when you look at games like VainGlory and BioShock on iOS it makes your laziness and stuck in the past attitude even worse. People DO sit down with their iPads and game now, for a lot of people it is their gaming machine. You're throwing money away by being stubborn and force feeding us a stripped down "toy" edition of Football Manager.
I am generally pretty satisfied with each year's version of FMH. And this year's match engine is a huge improvement to my enjoyment. It makes the extended highlights way more fun to watch. I love playing a match or two while listening to my favorite footy podcasts. I'm sure man marking would be a cool option, but I don't know if I'd utilize it much. I probably wouldn't turn 3D graphics on either if that was an option. I'm definitely a more casual manager, so I'm sure there are many more experienced managers that would utilize many of these features if they could be added. Hope all this criticism isn't getting to you too much. It should speak to the enjoyment had from the full version. However, I'd love to know: does the PSP or Vita get a fuller version than mobile? I don't have either, but I'm just curious if iOS devices could handle that version.
I agree that everyone's entitled to their opinion. Mine however is that so far I'm loving this years edition (much the same as all the years previous). The new match engine is brilliant and the pick up and play aspect is perfect for my daily bus journeys to work and back. Keep up the good work!
Marc, people have been asking on this website for years for the full match to be shortened into halves that last a couple of minutes. Nobody is asking for the full PC version to be ported onto mobile and you seem to ignore or skim over this very point time and time again. The fact that I can't differentiate between this version and the version 3 years ago should be a huge problem. It would be an excuse if this was the first version of the game and it was being built on but there's been what, five yearly versions now? I'm not even going to mention the IAPs...
So there's a big update out for this today. First thing on the list is 1080p skin. Updated and loaded on my iPad Air ... game looks the same, not any sharper. What am I missing here?
I also don't buy the whole "it's not meant to mimic the pc version" argument either. The simple fact is this game is way out of date in terms of content and features. Yes it looks different but it's the same game as the last 3 or 4 with minor changes. We now live in a world where FTL and Baldurs Gate are getting ported to iOS with the minimum of fuss but this is a TOCA car trying to win an F1 race. I think FM in its current form should be scrapped and replaced with FM Handheld from the PC version. But, as long as they keep charging (and collecting) a premium price for an average piece of software they won't change their approach. Just my 10c worth.
I think I saw my storage go down around 200mb, and the FMH2015 app go up in that amount. Glad I have some available space atm.
Also, latest update really made the new match engine run poorly. The fastest option is now WAY too fast, and Medium (my favorite) stutters terribly. Slow stutters even more! Don't update if you are currently enjoying it. Wish I didn't.
Can anyone tell me how to turn on or enable this so called 1080p skin? Since both updates the entire game has looked identical to the way it was before the update. Is it just the match engine that's 1080p or the entire game? Club badges are still pixelated on iPad Air, same as before the update too.
Another thing. How the hell do you win matches in this game? In the 2014 version I found a formation with Rangers that was great and I won almost every game. In the 2015 version I can't beat even the teams below me with a Rangers despite having vastly better players. Given the limited nature of the mobile version all I can do is change up training schedules or alter player roles and the team instructions but it's becoming frustrating.
I'm thinking of buying the game, but I have two questions: - Can I run the app on an iPhone 4S? (preferably on iOS 7, but I could update to iOS 8 if necessary) - Is it possible to play simultaneously with several players? I used to play with friends on a pc, and would like to do the same on the iPhone. It's fun when both are in the same league and competing against each other. Thanks in advance for the help!
Does really nobody know the answers? Would really like to buy the game, but need to know these things before I pay $10 just to find out afterwards that I can't play the game.
1. I think the 4s is listed as compatible, but I'd double check in the app description. I play on a 5s and an iPad 2 both running iOS 7. You might have to use the standard match engine, though. 2. This is a single player experience I believe. I don't think you can play against others like in the free-2-play alternatives (ie: Champ Man, Fantasy Manager, and Top Eleven). So, you may want to check those out if you want to play socially.
Thanks, that helps me out a lot! What about in-app currency and other things, are those necessary during the game? And what version do you play on the iPad 2, this one or the 'classic' version made specifically for the iPad?
