The most striking upgrade comes in the form of an overhauled and fully-3D match engine. Extrapolating 2D movement data to form the basis of a dynamically-realised 3D encounter is no easy task to achieve, so SI has wisely enlisted the help of Sega's Virtua Striker team to provide the motion-capture legwork - with early results showing considerable promise through some rough edges. Ball movement is believable and relatively realistic, with a minor disconnect between animations that we're promised will be ironed out before release.
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The FM Live DVR-style timeline bar also makes a welcome appearance, allowing 3D highlights to be rewound and viewed from any angle – perfect for those of you that want a closer look at crucial tactical gaffs. It's an intuitive system that'll be familiar to users of Windows Media Player or any other similar video playback system, slotting neatly into the tactical overlay and available at any stage in the game. Good stuff.
For all the visual pizazz, player movement and behaviour is still governed by the same underlying calculations as previous iterations, with the 3D visuals simply slotting in over the top. With motion-blending and over 100 animations to add to the final release, we're expecting marked improvements in the coming months, but have no doubt that this is a feature that'll make or break the enchanting spell that characterises Football Manager. At this stage we're hoping and expecting it'll be the former for most players.
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Complimenting the upgraded visuals is a brand new assistant manager service, offering up a suite of pre-match and in-game advice to help outwit your opponents and minimise tactical errors. As ever, the assistant is fully customisable and can be tailored to specific skill levels, useful for both new players and long-time fans alike, and if the expanded and improved media interaction is anything to go by, you'll want to use it – often. Reporters will now harass you over quotes made in the heat of battle months before, with pre and post-game press conferences featuring for the first time. The media circus is looking to be as brutal as real life, something of a sad indictment for our national pastime.
Rounding out the list of improvements is an expanded board confidence section, players that cite preferred moves, updated competitions featuring over 350,000 players across a total of 5000 teams, widescreen support, realistic country-specific financial models for each team, and the ability to play as a female manager for the first time in Football Manager history. The underlying code for the transfer system has also been re-written from the ground-up for improved speed and accuracy, something fans have been clamouring for in the previous few seasons.
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Provided the animation comes together before release, FM 2009 is shaping up to become more than the expected annual evolution with improved stats. As a series that reinvents itself visually every 3-4 years, this is perhaps the most comprehensive update yet, and will no doubt attract a similar level of ire and confusion as the initial release of Championship Manager 4. Lest we forget, that turned out to be the fastest-selling PC game of all time in the UK, so no matter how alien the alterations seem at first, we'll trust SI to deliver the goods this coming November.
