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Football Manager 2013 update 13.1.3 improves passing AI and performance

football-manager-2013-update

The changelog for FM 2013’s 13.1.3 patch lists a lot of things, but as I read them I was thinking of something else: Football Manager’s in-match engine has become an incredible complex and powerful beast of a sim, isn’t it?

As I sit here in a kind of realisation reverie, you can get on and browse the list below. Highlights for the match engine include improved short pass accuracy and tweaked trajectory of medium length kicks.

Elsewhere there’s faster processing speed across the board, a new ‘Show only friends’ option in the network lobby and rolling contracts for staff in FM 2013’s Classic mode. But enough from me; over to Sports Interactive:

MATCH ENGINE

  • Refined position of d-line and also the lines infront of it when defending
  • Brought wingers a bit deeper when defending
  • Weaker players more likely to favour direct passes quicker
  • Improved short pass accuracy slightly
  • Tried to increase number of crosses slightly
  • Fine-tuned shot accuracy
  • Fixed some minor player on ball decision bugs
  • Improved trajectory of medium length kicks like free kick shots and corners
  • Made players better at offering out ball to teammate
  • Tried to improve player reactions to deflected balls or tackles
  • Made players more willing to slide tackle when opportunity and need arises
  • Fixed some unnatural save directions from keepers
  • Fixed keepers trying to save ball at wrong point when its heading for post or bar
  • Made players slightly better at turning body while on the run
  • Made strongest player stand ground when 2 players collide while going for a header
  • Made goal celebration paths a little bit more varied
  • Fixed commentary saying ball well wide when not really that far wide
  • Some ball physics collision tweaks
  • Some team talk fixes
  • Further tuned team shape and d-line position when defending
  • AM strata now comes back to defend unless set to “all-out attack”
  • Made d-line shift up when opposing player with ball is successfully pressed
  • Made d-line shift back quicker when attacking player is running with pace at them with the ball
  • Some tweaks to marking of opponents in own area
  • Fixed defenders shifting across as full back engages winger in last third causing bad shape
  • Tried to reduce instances of players heading ball they could control a split second later
  • Some minor fixes relating to player interception of ball
  • Some refinements to off ball movement around ball player
  • Some general tweaks to pass choice and on ball decision making
  • Some more minor keeper save fixes
  • Fixed some instances of woodwork hit not being registered
  • Fixed player not waiting to get up before running off to celebrate after scoring a diving header
  • Fixed ultra-rare crash when player shoots from close range
  • Further small refinements to on ball decisions and pass choice
  • Improved direct free kick trajectory slightly
  • Improved crossing aim AI
  • Fine-tuned pass and shot accuracy slightly
  • Improved player reaction and awareness of ball generally
  • Improved defensive tracking of player running with ball
  • Slight reduction of player reaction time to fast curling balls
  • Slight reduction of player reaction time when ball a long way away from them especially if not facing it
  • Improved defender lateral positioning when defending wide ball
  • Fixed winger not staying wide when asked to hug touchline and ball on his side in advanced position
  • Goalkeeper should narrow the angle better when a player is running at him at speed
  • Goalkeepers should try to move under the ball path even if they think they can’t reach it.
  • Fixed a bug where the keeper fails to catch a ball if it has just hit the crossbar/post
  • Fixed keeper turning ball over bar described as turning it round post
  • Fixed some player collision avoidance issues
  • Fixed a bug where an offside is given instead of a free kick for a foul
  • Stop a rare teleport bug with goal celebrations
  • Fixed animation issues whilst player argues with ref
  • Fixed small anomaly in team selection AI
  • Fixed bug causing players to occasionally react too late to pass
  • Improved pressing of opponents slightly
  • Made players more willing to go for a riskier interception if ball receiver is in a goal scoring position
  • Tweaked keeper positioning when facing down attacker
  • Reduced pointless passing slightly
  • Fine-tuned chance of speculative passes slightly
  • Refine kick inaccuracy algorithm slightly
  • Fixed defenders not turning quick enough when tracking player running onto through ball
  • Reduced likelihood of players making pass when in clear cut shooting position
  • Fixed GK reactions to powerful shots

GENERAL/PERFORMANCE

  • Improved processing speeds
  • Fixed rare crash when pressing ‘Set for Release’
  • Fixed sole crash using edited database in network game
  • Fixed interface slowdown when scouting hundreds of players at once

COMPETITIONS

  • Fixed Russian Cup final clash with World Cup call-ups
  • Fixed Spanish registration window in 2015/16 season
  • Fixed user taking control of friendly, when assistant set to

CONFIDENCE

  • Fixed board confidence in relation to ‘Give youth a chance’ promise
  • Fixed board expectations not reflecting those set in meeting
  • Improved international managerial appointments

GUI

  • Fixed live league table widget not holding position
  • Fixed attribute colour state saving
  • Fixed coaching assignment state saving
  • Fixed scrollbar reverting top top when adjusting individual training
  • Fixed squad depth chart displaying PA over CA
  • Fixed up/down keys not responding post-match
  • Fixed new position training state saving
  • Fixed custom background pictures not showing

NETWORK

  • Added ‘Show only friends’ option to network lobby
  • Fixed inconsistent behaviour of timers
  • Fixed pre-match force continue proceeding too far
  • Fixed client scouting assignments
  • Fixed client match vs host, when host on holiday
  • Fixed flickering/slowdown on client transfer list screens

TRANSFERS & CONTRACTS

  • Staff in FMC now signed onto rolling contracts
  • Fixed agents offering players for £200m
  • Fixed French transfer values
  • Fixed rare instance of transfer news with no option to respond
  • Fixed loophole allowing Rangers to break transfer embargo

SI say you ought to save your current game, quit and restart Steam, and then launch the game again to trigger the update. A lot of these tweaks should be pretty welcome, I’d imagine. Will they change your game at all?