FM is a great game and it has come a long way since I first played it 4 years ago.
However, since the 90s, I've played some incarnation of Madden. I left for the 2K series but now it is the only deep game of football that exists (hard to say that with a straight face). But the move to the PS3/XBOX360 realm has really not impressed me. Numerous glitches, statistical errors, and very few customization options make it harder and harder to deal with each iteration.
The bottom line is that I'm on the fence. I really want to come over to FM full time but it needs to be more user friendly and as deep as Baseball Mogul for me to do that.
First and foremost, lets not kid ourselves. Even if the game is not affiliated with the NFL, a quick scan of the Mod forum shows everyone wants to make it as close to the NFL as possible. So why not make it easier to do so? Let us simply import photo files from websites (.jpg or .gif) for helmets, logos, etc. And make it idiot proof with a simply import function like when we attach files to an e-mail.
Second, rosters change daily in the NFL so that should be easier to replicate as well. Frankly, reading the "how to update rosters thread" sounded like a seriously difficult process. I'd love an ingame process that allows that to occur effortlessly.
Third...player photos. This is a cool part of Baseball Mogul that is missing from FM. It really adds to the immersion factor and makes the player profiles seem more like real life. But, if getting all those photos and editing the logos out like BM is too hard, simply add a feature where we can upload photos. I know sizing is an issue so (best whisper voice here) make it the same size as the photos used on NFL.com. That way we can always get the latest photos.
Fourth, and I read this in a link on the forum, make it like Baseball Mogul only with football. That game is great and I have played it a lot. In fact, I dropped console baseball all together for BM (and OOTP) about three years ago and haven't looked back. Just imagine these options in FM that the current BM has:
•NEW 2009 Rosters and Ratings
◦Carefully edited and tested for maximum accuracy
•UPDATED Statistical Database
◦Includes the complete 2009 MLB Season Schedule
•IMPROVED Expansion Team Options
◦Take control of your team before the expansion draft
•NEW Historical Simulation Engine
◦More realistic ratings and results from 1901 to 2009 and beyond
•NEW League Options
◦Easily match-up teams or all-stars from different eras
•IMPROVED Roster Management
◦Adjust the number of pitchers each team carries
◦Decide how minor league pitchers are used
•IMPROVED Fantasy Draft
◦Better Interface and Artificial Intelligence
•IMPROVED Player Development Engine
◦Pitchers and batters match player types for their era
•IMPROVED Play-By-Play Mode
◦More realistic results and better manager AI
•NEW FEATURES for multiplayer leagues
◦Commissioner Mode "cheats" fixed
◦Easy Lineup Import and Export
◦New Scouting Options
•IMPROVED Baseball Mogul Encyclopedia
•IMPROVED Help Files and User Interface
•More than 300 new Player Photos
•More than 100 new Season Schedule Templates
•Over 150 other fixes and improvements...
So why write this? Well, I think there is a market for gamers who are tired of the button mashing, cheesing that is console football. EA saw this and tried to make Football Head Coach. It fell short mainly because it lacked customizability and solid gameplay. That is where FM comes in. It has the ability to fill that niche and, personally, I'd rather my money go to guys like Clay and Marcus (OOTP) than EA who simply upgrades 1-2 features and rolls out the same crap each year. FM is almost in a position to fill the need of lot of frustrated console gamers who want an alternative.
Just my two cents. Love FM2010 and hoping FM 2011 really knocks my socks of and lets me retire as a Madden player for good.
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Originally Posted by mkarau
