My redesign of FHM

[pens66]

Originally Posted by dave1927p

How does FM do it? I seem to see little to no wasted space in there game. In fact, there is almost too much information that overwhelms us new guys to their game.

In FM every screen seems to have some elements that are fixed in size and then (usually in the middle) a big element that presents information. That big element is very flexible in showing us more or less columns with information (i.e. stats or ratings) and you can actually edit every screen and choose which columns and how many of them you want to have displayed. I honestly think FMs interface is fantastic.

[archibalduk]

Originally Posted by dave1927p

How does FM do it? I seem to see little to no wasted space in there game. In fact, there is almost too much information that overwhelms us new guys to their game.

I've posted a screenshot from FM 2013 at the bottom of this post for you. I've deliberately used a screenshot which shows how it looks at 1024x768 (IIRC the game uses fluid displays so that additional information can be shown at larger/wider resolutions).

I agree with you - there is a bit too much information shown in the screenshot below. It looks great at a larger resolution because things are more spaced out, but it's all a bit of a squeeze at 1024x768.

I know it's not fair to compare FHM with FM 13, but it does go to show how much information can be placed on the Profile Screen. If you take away the large Player Status box and Bans box in the FM screenshot, it'd be more spacious and still present all of the useful information on one screen.

IMO not all that much needs to be done to FHM's Player Profile screen. All I'd like to see is the stats/history section taking up less space (i.e. just show the Total stats for this season), use of a rink graphic to show player positions, and list all of the attributes on the screen. There's plenty of room for that once you take into account the spaced used up by the stats/history, the attribute graphs and the duplication of some of the attributes which are shown on both the Profile and Attributes screens.

[Oren Djoos]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

Keep in mind though, that the default screen resolution is 1024*768, so any screen design needs to fit in these dimensions as well.

Why is 1024x768 the "default"? 4:3 monitors haven't been standard for what, a decade now? And less than 4% of steam users still use 1024x768: Steam Hardware & Software Survey

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Oren Djoos

Why is 1024x768 the "default"? 4:3 monitors haven't been standard for what, a decade now? And less than 4% of steam users still use 1024x768: Steam Hardware & Software Survey

A valid point, but I would point out the many folks likely to participate in the Steam survey are playing games far more graphically-intensive than OOTP.

[YZG]

Originally Posted by dave1927p

I'll fight to the death to keep it in. I do agree that the age blends to much into the stats so it must be moved after the season (or before the season) as Crombeen mentioned...or see below for alternative.

Season - Age - Team - League

or

Age - Season - Team - League

I'd be happy with either way.

To me, it's not really an important info in the stats section, but I appreciate others may think it is. To be honest, I can happily live with it there, as long as it does not camouflages as a stat

[Alessandro]

Originally Posted by archibalduk

I've posted a screenshot from FM 2013 at the bottom of this post for you. I've deliberately used a screenshot which shows how it looks at 1024x768 (IIRC the game uses fluid displays so that additional information can be shown at larger/wider resolutions).

I agree with you - there is a bit too much information shown in the screenshot below. It looks great at a larger resolution because things are more spaced out, but it's all a bit of a squeeze at 1024x768.

I know it's not fair to compare FHM with FM 13, but it does go to show how much information can be placed on the Profile Screen. If you take away the large Player Status box and Bans box in the FM screenshot, it'd be more spacious and still present all of the useful information on one screen.

IMO not all that much needs to be done to FHM's Player Profile screen. All I'd like to see is the stats/history section taking up less space (i.e. just show the Total stats for this season), use of a rink graphic to show player positions, and list all of the attributes on the screen. There's plenty of room for that once you take into account the spaced used up by the stats/history, the attribute graphs and the duplication of some of the attributes which are shown on both the Profile and Attributes screens.

Wow. I don't play FM for a few years and it has really improved. Beautiful. I don't see a single pixel wasted in this screen. Awesome. Hopefully FHM will become something similar

[dave1927p]

Originally Posted by YZG

To me, it's not really an important info in the stats section, but I appreciate others may think it is. To be honest, I can happily live with it there, as long as it does not camouflages as a stat

I think it's one of those things people either like it or not at all and would prefer to ignore it. I use it for going through players history, examining what age he excelled and what age he declined and comparing it with other players. It saves me from doing the math each time so that's why I enjoy it.

I really like the players history stats to show as much as possible without getting too crampted. Difficult but not impossible. Did he win the Stanley Cup? Did he lead the league in that category? Was he made a captain that year? Selected as an allstar etc.. The goal is to show that information in one screen to it's easy to see and most can be done with creative ways (bolding, italics, small logos etc) Then for more information you are always free to view his "awards" section. That would be ideal in my mind for all stat based games. I want to know the most as possible about the player with a quick glance at his player history stats.

One of the biggest things missing however, is the totals broken down for each league in players profiles. This must be done for the first version, other stuff I listed not so much.

[YZG]

Yeah, I agree that more info can be put in the stats section.

As a kid, I collected hockey cards and I liked how some companies (O-Pee-Chee and Topps) added simple and not cumbersome elements such as bold or italic fonts and diamonds to the stats tables to denote league leaders, etc. Such a system could easily be adapted to FHM. Perhaps a legend to the various elements could appear as one hovers the mouse over the stats.

[croatian]

Originally Posted by Alessandro

Wow. I don't play FM for a few years and it has really improved. Beautiful. I don't see a single pixel wasted in this screen. Awesome. Hopefully FHM will become something similar

I would like FHM becomes mix of best from OOTP Baseball and FM/EHM

[Crombeen]

Well to be honest I hope OOTP will never become like the people behind FM

FM isn't as good as people say they are don't get me wrong I love the game but they are like EA telling everybody their the best without any competition.
There are still lots of improvements they never care about. Like if you're a huge fan of LLM ( bottom of England ) you're still handling with all media talk and interviews before and after the games while your club ins't professional at all. You have a stadium of max 750 people and only 230 will come see your game but after each game you have to do media interviews the same way Man UTD does them. Doesn't make any sense.

If you get promoted a few times with your team and you become a more 'successful' club the team-rivals never upgrade so you can play in the Championship league just below the Premier league becuause you've doen very well for a few years and still have rivals from the days in the Blue Square Premier League.
I know there is a location-script in the game that can located teams and nearby stadiums so it would be better if they used that script to see what clubs in the same league are playing close by to be rivals with + based on reputation of those clubs.
It's very frustrated because if you win rival games it can grow your fanbase a lot and become much better.

Or what do you think about all the Back - Back - Back - Back clicks you have to make if you have visited a players-profile-page.


One thing that keeps me very excited about this game is that you can play it for 5 years and still learn something new that has been in the game for years. Like today. You can click on players on the pitch ( 3D engine ) to view their names. - If you can catch them haha

Still playing FM 2012 because it's too much fun and I don't wanna give up my Save-game of 14+ seasons into the game.
Maybe I'll buy FM 2014 - not a huge fan of Steam here.

[dave1927p]

Originally Posted by Crombeen

Well to be honest I hope OOTP will never become like the people behind FM

I agree, eventually most companies as they grow they get that way though. I also hope I will never see the day paid for DLC is released for this game or any other stat based sport game. FM's DLC makes me sick. But lets face it, adapt or die and a lot of companies are turning a big profit for DLC...especially the release day dlc.

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by Crombeen

Well to be honest I hope OOTP will never become like the people behind FM

The "people behind FM" include some of the finest gentlemen I've worked with in this industry or any other. They've also taken our niche hobby and built it into a genre that sells over a million games a year, and used the resources that come with those kind of sales to do things in their game that we can't even contemplate doing with ours. A little respect for that, please.

[dave1927p]

Originally Posted by JeffR

The "people behind FM" include some of the finest gentlemen I've worked with in this industry or any other. They've also taken our niche hobby and built it into a genre that sells over a million games a year, and used the resources that come with those kind of sales to do things in their game that we can't even contemplate doing with ours. A little respect for that, please.

I guess that is true. Without the boys at SI, this genre would be much different. I probably would of never even discovered ootp if i never had played EHM first. I'm still upset they stopped the game so i hold a grudge. Not matter what everyone looks like angels compared to EA sports, the fine folks there take away features only to add it back a few years later as "all-new" (Owner mode and Madden)

[Smetana]

Originally Posted by JeffR

The "people behind FM" include some of the finest gentlemen I've worked with in this industry or any other. They've also taken our niche hobby and built it into a genre that sells over a million games a year, and used the resources that come with those kind of sales to do things in their game that we can't even contemplate doing with ours. A little respect for that, please.

Agreed. Some quality human beings involved there, some of whom I've also had the pleasure of interacting/working with. Question their development decisions if you wish, but don't question their passion for what they do.

[archibalduk]

Originally Posted by Smetana

but don't question their passion for what they do.

Too right! I met up with Riz a couple of years ago at the Rangers v Kings game in Stockholm. Guess what he was doing on the flight to Sweden? That's right, playing EHM 2007!

[Alessandro]

Originally Posted by Crombeen

FM isn't as good as people say

[Stinson]

Originally Posted by Crombeen

but they are like EA

Comparing Sports Interactive to EA is absolutely comical.

Originally Posted by JeffR

They've also taken our niche hobby and built it into a genre that sells over a million games a year

In addition, Football Manager is consistently one of the top five games played on Steam. Based on daily peak users, it's consistently up there with games like Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike, Skyrim, and Civilization V.

Anyone developing this type of game can only dream of being in a position like that.

[TigerGDK]

Originally Posted by Stinson

Comparing Sports Interactive to EA is absolutely comical.



In addition, Football Manager is consistently one of the top five games played on Steam. Based on daily peak users, it's consistently up there with games like Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike, Skyrim, and Civilization V.

Anyone developing this type of game can only dream of being in a position like that.

Damn...I didn't realize FM wasn't any good? I only consistently put up anywhere from 1500-2500 hours with each new version. Guess I've been missing something!

[Crombeen]

Never mind you guys totally misreading my point.

I really don't care how nice the persons behind that game are because I buy a game from them and play it. Based on that experience ( buying-/installing + playing ) I judge - give my opinion, but some fans see that as a (personal) attack today and start about respect.

I never said it's the worst game on earth, so take it easy, there are just some parts I really don't like about it and them. Most are based on how they have become robots of social media-/marketing today instead of humans talking about a passion we all share.

But it's all good, I can see how those people are in some way more protected from an outside view. Most of them are like role-models to some people.

Over and out,
Thanks for the feedback at my design