MLS is broken

[KeegBCFC]

The MLS is broken, has been for years. AI teams do not know how to use the salary cap/GAM or their reserves. 1 year in and Toronto have 14 players, LA Galaxy have just 10. Raise these issues on the SI forums and they just ignore you. All MLS testers should be sacked.

[Odiumism]

I guess I haven't seen it as bad as you've described but there is no doubt that it is very flawed. The problem with the MLS and also the A-league in Australia which has the same types of problems, is that they have some fairly arbitrary rules that are very difficult to fit into the game world that SI has created. The game has over the past few years made players much more likely to ask for pay raises when they and their teams are performing well, which then with the salary cap makes teams give out new contracts more often and then struggle to fit inside of the strict regulations.

One thing you can do to help fix the problem is to play with a larger database so the MLS teams have more options for some of the lesser contracts available to them(Reserve, SMS, GA etc.) Now obviously that's not the ideal fix and hopefully SI will put in a little more work in the future to improve its viability as a playable league.

What I always do is scrap the MLS and put in a custom database of the USA with pro/rel that also gets rid of the draft and the salary cap. Now also, clearly if you are looking for realism this isn't the solution for you. But for me, I much prefer pro/rel for the USA because plain and simple, it's just better(Just a jab at US soccer for being so stupid and short sighted about this topic)

[Liquid Todd / Slash]

Unfortunately SI pander to those who players who seem to play the Premier league or equivalent so lesser league and lower league managers get ignored.

Some people can't understand why I come down hard on others here but last time I checked this was a management game so sort the rules, finances, big bugs out and stop listening to the 1 season wonders who can't work the ME out.

[KeegBCFC]

@Odiumism I have lowered all clubs reps, the Nations wage values and a bunch of other stuff in the editor. This brings it down to a playable level for around a season or maybe even two, but it still just goes wild eventually. From what I can see, the issue is AI not knowing to use GAM to bring down a players salary cap impact. It has been the same for years now. I don't understand how those testing the MLS can't see this, as it is blatant from the very start of the game. I have no interest in fantasy editor files that add pro/rel or no draft or salary cap, that breaks my immersion.

@Slash a.k.a Liquid Todd you are right. If this was an issue with the Premier League the whole team at SI would dive on it. Because it's a league in which not many people play, the attitude is "♥♥♥♥ it, enough people bought the game" The MLS offers a unique playing experience that you can't get in any other league.

[Liquid Todd / Slash]

I would agree with the ♥♥♥♥ it part but enough people clearly do not buy the game, Miles is always after the numbers showing us how many people are playing now and such on twitter. I just find it disappointingly fickle that there are so many streamers out there who have a voice yet fail to use it. I want a true football manager experience, they just seem to focus on the match engine and graphic updates to please the fickle players. That is not enough.

[Odiumism]

Oh I totally understand where you are coming from! I get the frustration of wanting to play a game the way it should be played and not being able to, like at all. It's disappointing that they don't seem to care enough about some leagues and I agree completely because I also play the MLS from time to time.

@Slash I also agree with that completely! It's always disappointing when he talks about playing numbers but glosses over the complaints that many of us having been giving for years and years now. From his perspective I kinda understand it, as it's his job to make a game that sells copies and makes SI and Sega money, and he's consistently done that for them. But, I at least, really want to see them make tangible upgrades and add new and interesting features. And lastly, I want them to not totally stop development of the game on launch. Just a few updates/bug fixes and the winter roster update and magically we are supposed to be happy with that, even though there are plenty of bugs that are just left there after Feb because they already started development of next years game. I might have been able to understand that years ago when they were a much smaller team and they have to appropriate their resources a lot better, but now they don't really have that excuse.

[Liquid Todd / Slash]

Trying to adapt to a match engine because someone found a bug in it when others are quite happy to play thru it is cause for losing players who get fed up with the constant moving of the goal posts. So why are we always given so few match engines/database versions numbers to play with? Take Minecraft, If I want I can roll back and go to whatever version number I want to play.

I know SI have a lot of ideas thrown at them every year, so here is the best 1 you are going to read today. That 2 week or so Beta period, Everyone who pre-purchases MUST send at least 1 bug report every time they play because clearly they do not use game testers who cover all bases. Up and coming leagues and a non-league teams need addressed badly. IF you fail to send in a bug report or you are found to be managing a premier league team for more than 8 hours in a day you get banned(from beta)...Oh and your favourite teams name gets removed from the game permanently(that 1 is the nail in the coffin to get ppls backs up). ;)

[KeegBCFC]

That's a kind of evil Slash, but I like it :D

[Neil Brock]

We've asked for examples within the thread you created on our forums. Whilst we can understand your frustration, it doesn't happen every time with every single set up, so suggesting we go on holiday for a season rather than providing a save isn't all that much help.

If you can't provide a save, would still be useful to provide your exact setup (so which leagues loaded, what database size etc) so we can at least try and replicate what you're seeing at your end - https://community.sigames.com/topic/495567-usa-official-league-specific-issues/?do=findComment&comment=12467759

Thanks.

[Liquid Todd / Slash]

I always get the feeling the brockman comes on to give us the big brush off. Bring back Kyle B, he's nice and gives good advice and cake!

I dont really care for the reactive mess clean up post-release. Too many false positives for my liking. #proactiveworksbest

[Neil Brock]

We have an external private testing phase which takes place prior to the game's release where we invite people who have taken the time to leave considered and detailed feedback on our forums. Likewise if anyone chooses to consistently raise any issues on our forums we'll invite often we'll ask them to be involved.

After that stage we do a pre-release beta, whereby everyone who pre-orders is invited to contribute to raise any issues prior to the game coming out.

Then after that stage, our QA team are constantly on our bugs forums responding directly to anything that gets raised across the game. We're not reactive - we're simply active. We're always working on the game and always engaging with anyone who takes the time to raise issues on our forums.

In regard to this specific issue, when it was originally raised our QA team responding in regard to teams having a smaller squad after multiple seasons:

Hi, this is primarily due to a known issue with clubs that have B clubs specifically
where they can't seem to prioritise shifting players from the B club to the senior squad when needed. This is something we are investigating and attempting to fix but the first attempts have been unsuccessful as there's no clear cause in the code (so I am told by the coder for MLS) I'm afraid.

Since then we've been requesting specific examples when they come up externally so we can investigate further. Thanks.

[Liquid Todd / Slash]

Thanks for that full reply, I love yas really but I have 1 issue...you forgot to bring cake ;P

[Neil Brock]

I make a mean rocky (well Brocky) road to be fair.

[GeirOve]

Originally posted by Neil Brock:

We have an external private testing phase which takes place prior to the game's release where we invite people who have taken the time to leave considered and detailed feedback on our forums. Likewise if anyone chooses to consistently raise any issues on our forums we'll invite often we'll ask them to be involved.

After that stage we do a pre-release beta, whereby everyone who pre-orders is invited to contribute to raise any issues prior to the game coming out.

Then after that stage, our QA team are constantly on our bugs forums responding directly to anything that gets raised across the game. We're not reactive - we're simply active. We're always working on the game and always engaging with anyone who takes the time to raise issues on our forums.

In regard to this specific issue, when it was originally raised our QA team responding in regard to teams having a smaller squad after multiple seasons:

Hi, this is primarily due to a known issue with clubs that have B clubs specifically
where they can't seem to prioritise shifting players from the B club to the senior squad when needed. This is something we are investigating and attempting to fix but the first attempts have been unsuccessful as there's no clear cause in the code (so I am told by the coder for MLS) I'm afraid.

In Norway this year, there is no registration window, you can have as many foreigner in the squad as you like and just register them from game to game. If someone has tested, this wouldnt be the case.

There are also wrong names and ages in the database this year, which is new. Two years ago there where no existent players in the Rosenborg squad. Basically non existent players

I asked Jack work the space many years ago about a certain bug that i cant remember on the top of my head. But it was a very obvious one, and his respond was that there was not enough time. And its my impression too, the game feels rushed

A year differerence in a players age etc is very forgivebale, but when you play other leagues, below the top 10 to build up a nation and a team to be consistent in CL. The gameplay experience atm is pretty poor.

Next year I will write up a summary of things I come across the first 3 seasons as a RBK manager in Norway, and you can do what you want with the info.

[Neil Brock]

Best place for Norwegian issues are as follows - even by raising them now they can be investigated:

Registration/League based issues - https://community.sigames.com/topic/495602-norway-official-league-specific-issues/

Issues regarding data - https://community.sigames.com/topic/495356-norway-data-issues/

Thanks.