Master League Wishlist

[Stan]

Some ideas about ML.
I think most of these ideas are bout custimisation. The current ML would already be more enjoyable if it was fully customisable.

Some of the ideas aren't even new: transfer frequency is an example. I used to play ML with very low transfer frequency for other clubs. Some people might like a high transfer frequency, well let them make a choice when they said up their game.

One should also have the choice to play with or without regens. Playing with regens is a huge letdown for some people, others like it. Very simple: give us the choice.

We all know that ML is subject to gameplay scripting because (i suppose) the development team think ML is better with scripting, but we might disagree. Once again: give us the choice between both options.

I also want more consistent form arrows. If a GK makes a howler, it is logic that he should have a low form. If a striker scores a hattrick, he should have an high foirm arrow.

Transfers should also be more logic, Eden Hazard from Real Madrid to Anderlecht is not logic unless he is in his 30's (in fact, Hazard has Always said that he wants to end his carreer with his brothers for Zulte Waregem). It should also be impossible for Palermo to buy Salah or Van Dijck from Liverpool. It would be nice if Bale would go to Spurs (rbut that is perhaps difficult to implement).

What would make ML very interestin would be the option to bring some scenario's into the ML.

You start the first january with Brighton and they are rock bottom with injuries and you can only buy one player. The aim is to stay up (and if you stay up, extra transfer money).

You play with Leicester and break into the top four and then a sugar daddy takes over the club.

A club can build a new and bigger stadium, meanwhile you play at Wembley and it becomes harder to win (lower form arrows). The first season in the new season gives your players a confidence boost, but you don't have transfer money.

Players who don't play regularly put in transfer requests, you can talk with them to persuade to stay or go only on loan to another club.

You start with a club and the board asks you to offload older players and replace them with players under 25 year. If they perform well you sell them with profit (i.e. the reality for clubs like Ajax and Genk for example). This makes it easier to attract young prospects (and vice versa if you don't play young players).

 

[Emroth]

As for transfer frequency - apparently thats in Pes20. So that would be one box ticked.

My wishes:

- Edit mode.
Let me customise anything I want. If I want 3 or 4 divisions in a league - let me add them. Give me back full edit options for kits. Let me draw the sponsor on kits, edit add boards, turf, stadium chairs, anything I want. Let me create balls. Add chants etc.

- More names in database, to assign to players. Common names in all languages. I hate playing with/against teams where commentator doesnt know anybody.

- regens - id like to see them coming back altered. Different look, at least hair style and colour, different name (but still pronounced by commentator)

- let me upgrade stadium, capacity, turf quality. Heating. If I have shit stadium Id like to see mud in places. When it snows let me see snow

- bring back staff hiring. Let me decide - do I want to get a good doctor, who will make sure injuries are healing faster, or youth trainer, who would help me create little gems

- friendlies! Jesus! Give me back ability to organise pre season friendlies! It was such a nice feature! I could play against teams id probably never meet. Would be nice to organise friendly against South American teams when playing in Europe

- Transfers - introduce "team reputation". Make it so players are not happy with a perspective to join lower team. Make it borderline impossible to join rival teams.

- team spirit - either scrap it, or change the whole mechanism. Team spirit should affect only team work - player runs, positioning, things like that. As for COM teams - scrap it altogether. As far as I know AI teams play at 99.. fuck this!

- let me see my performance affecting sales, team popularity, amount of supporters on matches. More important matches should have bigger crowds.

- add some logic into arrow forms and add some random events. For example:
"Billy had a family emergency. He will not be available for the next two matches." Then Billy comes back and is on a downer for some time.
Or - you let a young fella play - he is happy. His arrow is up. Guys on the bench are slowly heading towards bottom.
Or - Jimmy comes back from an injury and his form is shit for few weeks.

- let me change sponsor on kits every so often, maybe even slightly alter kits. It would make playing couple of seasons so much more interesting.

 

[ron4]

Yeah, I have to agree with both Stan and Emroth in terms of ML wants. The mode has been a stagnant letdown for ages: good elements have been added, but always at the expense of other things..

I think my wish list, in order of priority would be:

1) FIX THE TRANSFERS!!!
- this pretty much ruins my ML experience year on year.
- Club reputation/ranking needs to mean something in the transfer market - a team that finished 12th in a division should not be able to sign good/established players from a top six team.
- Rival teams should not do business with each other.
- players in their prime from top leagues should not sign for lower or backwater teams.
- players/agents should seek guarantees of team role, playing time and release clauses during negotiations and if these are not honoured refuse/delay contract renewals.
- realistic prices automatically set to the currency of your team’s country.
- allow us to set exact transfer/wage/bonus amounts.

2) NO REGENS!!
- another thing that ruins ML
- If they can’t code random player generation, allow the community to have a database of player builds to import into the game and this could update all teams’ youth academies every two seasons.

3) Cause and effect - MAKE US CARE
- winning awards; league titles, cups, golden boot, top assister, team of season/tournament, etc should appear on player profiles and increase their value..players from lesser teams with these awards should be hunted by bigger teams, so if a team bossed the 2nd division, it would be almost impossible to keep that team intact when going into the first division.
- players glued to the bench lose form and eventually hand in transfer requests.
- strikers & goalkeepers on a bad run should make more errors.
- losing their place to new signing makes players either rise to the challenge or disrupt the dressing room, depending on their team role and age.
- on occasion the board should ask us to drop or fine players: if we agree we might annoy the player, if we refuse, we might annoy the board.
- teams with many different nationalities take longer for team spirit to increase.
- players coming from other countries/continents may not settle(form is always bad) and have to be loaned out or sold.
- young players would be overwhelmed in big games, make more mistakes under pressure from more experienced players and lose focus under media speculation or meteoric rises.
- introduce “hot head, cool head &old head” team roles for players: these would bring more depth to and create more situations in matches.
- players with HOT HEAD would fly into tackles, argue with ref, get booked and sent off more frequently, have training ground bust ups, but would also play better in derbies, get fans cheering, grab games by scruff of neck and increase teams’ resilience in hostile away games. COOL HEAD would stabilise a team when they go a goal or two behind, keep team shape/teamwork better and perform better in penalty shootouts..but too many in a team lowers development of flare players and match winners. OLD HEAD gives players under 23yrs old faster tactical adaptation and increases their development when played with veterans in their position, but stifles the development of players who are in their peak years and play in the same position.

4) Reintroduce back room staff
- Again, I think this is is really important for ML. The back room staff is the backbone of football management games - where you invest the club’s money directly affects how your team develops and the obstacles you are likely to face during your tenure.
- ASSISTANT MANAGER, FIRST TEAM COACH, YOUTH TEAM COACH, GOAL KEEPING COACH, HEAD SCOUT, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, PHYSIO, SPONSORSHIP ADVISOR, GROUNDSMAN and PR OFFICER
- Each department should have skill levels and aptitudes: if your club can afford it, you can pay for an expert, if not you will have to hire within your budget, or find someone with aptitude and pay to train them over time.
- Give them contracts like players, so that if they become respected/revered, other clubs will try to lure them away.
- Interact with them: they will give you monthly reports with stats/info/opinions/recommendations and if you continually ignore their advice, they will be unlikely to renew their contracts.

5) More divisions
- Gaining promotion and avoiding relegation is too easy in ML. Only being able to aim for one promotion makes the thrill short lived. Also, I have never heard of anyone being relegated in ML.
- Like Emroth says: allow the community the option of adding more divisions in each country, so that we can build a more authentic experience - I’d like to take a 3rd tier Portuguese side to Liga Nos and then be offered the Real Madrid job.

6) Coaching badges/levels
- You can only manage clubs according to your coaching badges. You can’t manage Barcelona, Real, Bayern, PSG, Man City, Liverpool, Juventus, etc out the box - you need to increase your coaching level, which in turn earns you coaching badges
- Coaching level increased with match wins, derby wins, winning trophies, achieving promotion, avoiding relegation, making yearly profits.
- Maybe make this feature optional, so casuals don’t get put off.

7) Refine the training
- focus points(training) and experience points(matches) both increase players’ stats.
- amount of focus points for training depends on the level of your head, first team &youth coaches.
- player ratings for matches affect the base experience points gained for playing.
- we see the experience points go up after each game(like Pes5)
- injured players can’t train and long term injuries cause a decrease in certain stats.

8) Stadium builder
- Again, allow Pes community to add stadiums.
- Each team starts ML with a certain stadium level, which can be upgraded piece by piece, or a whole new stadium can be built. Bigger/newer stadiums attract bigger crowds and more revenue, but the board have to approve the cash for upgrades, or secure loans/sponsorship for new stadiums.
- fully customisable stands, seat colours, dugouts, hoardings, dressing room(for cutscenes), etc.

9) In-game shop
- a place where you can edit your team’s kit(or add a kit for licensed teams) without having to go to edit mode.
- edit your squad’s strip styles and hair styles
- edit manager’s appearance(face, hairstyle, clothes)
- access/buy new boots and hairstyles that you unlock by completing challenges and milestones.
- boot editor (like Pes5)

10) Cutscenes/Boardroom meetings
- variety(at least 4) of different cutscenes for EACH situation; winning league, cup, season awards, derby games, red cards, promotion, relegation, transfer negotiation for star players, signing star players, when player completes skill training, serious injury during a match, final game for club/testimonials and boardroom meetings.
- boardroom meeting cutscene at the middle and end of each season, where you can request extra funds for transfers, back room staff, stadium upgrades, etc. The answer to the requests will depend on results and fan/media perception of you as manager.


This is a long old list and I’m sure it would be hard to bring all these ideas into Master League straight away. There are lessons to be learnt from games like Football Manager and even FI*A. Maybe Konami need to look at making ML a standalone product, separate from MyClub and the online competitive stuff. Chris from Evoweb mentioned that one possibility would be to make ML a paid service game that is constantly updated. If they wanted revenue justification, Konami could add micro transactions in the form of boots, hairstyles, stadiums, one-off back room staff, etc.

I don’t know what the future holds for Master League, but I hope some kind of mix of Pes5, 2010, 2013 and Football Manager with next gen innovation will signal a new era of footie magic.