Sexy FM

Whilst loading up fm for another session with the "game" I was just thinking how different this experience is since I first set eyes on the series a long long time ago- CM 00/01. When the "game" actually was a game all those years ago the appearance of the game was not as important of a factor as it is now. The Game could stand on its own two feet and the sheer "nicotine" that filled your lungs when you got to December of your game with Man Utd kept you coming back for more.

These days the "game" is a simulation and I am now unqualified as an experienced manager, despite having a shelf in my room with every edition of the game, all of which well used. I am 14, therefore cba with game in game out developing a tactic. I tell you this a lot don't I? So I will stop there. Basically the game now needs versatile new graphics and guides to keep you interested.

I suppose that's a bad situation. I know that for me FM is a shadow of its former glory that came about in 2001/2002. But since then the games graphics have come on leaps and bounds. When I first got CM it was pretty ugly to say the least, and didn't do anything but stack up appointments at the Opticians. Its panels of blue with the legendary yet simplistic nav bar on the left was about all you could see. It was simple and basic and compared to other games of the time- not necessarily management games- it was pretty far behind the market.

Championship Manager 00/01

It is nothing much is it? But it wasn't required to be a work of art. It was all part of the experience to stay up till silly o'clock in the morning, and wake up next morning not in the morning at all, with sore eyes that sting when you blink. You know you've achieved something.

Championship Manager 01/02

Pretty much the same story here. It was the finest edition of the game was 01/02. I think most would agree with me, in most discussions on the scene people say that 01/02 is the meaning of the series etc etc blah blah blah. You have heard it all before. Again a shit advert for Photoshop

Championship Manager 4

Oh look what we've got here. This is new huh. I remember when this came out, it was a revelation and a complete regeneration of the game. 2D pitches as well, ooh very fly. This was the first time we had proper fm skins that could change the look of the game completely. Its new experience it offered was fantastic to some. Unfortunately the game was late, had too many patches and was generally a shit tip of a game. But it had to start somewhere. Look where we are now. Its debatable as to how good the game is, but hey, I'm hooked. Simulation or not. This was the first of its kind and was a new step in making the game sexy.

Championship Manager 03/04

The Same here, don't need another pointless description.

Football Manager 2005

A new name, a rebirth of the brand and game we all love. This new skin called 'Metallic' developed by sports interactive's Ter was magnificent. It was a revolution and was the first time proper images were used. It was even better than the previous CM 03/04 skin which was also held in high regard. Around this time Sortitoutsi.net was starting to make it big as the home of graphics on the net.

Various skins were available and the skinning community was really starting to take off. It existed before hand at CM Skins and Susie earlier but 2005 was the year that got the ball rolling faster. Susie proclaimed to be the biggest fm skinning site on the scene. And it was.

It was as seen here the big boom year for graphics. Not just skins. If you look at how many skins were available it was a lot. There were more for 03/04 but that page was taken from this time 2 years ago, so the 'scene season is still early. Over all though 05 boasted more graphics.

I don't need to go onto 06, its pretty much the same story but footy manager 07- the current game- is rather new and shexy. The attitude this time around to skins has been more relaxed. There aren't a lot of skins available for this edition is there?

Check This Out

In there it says that he might not be looking in the right place. Hes not, there just aren't any available. And the ones that are are pretty crap. Even Hellenic hasn't lived up to my expectations set by the last edition. But why aren't there any skins this time around?

It is maybe because Flexion- the default 07 skin- is so god damn sexy. I have never seen a skin like it, only maybe Turnstyle III of fm 06 by Ricey matched up. It is the perfect colours to keep you into the game and stop you from turning it off rubbing your eyes. It flows smoothly and I like it a lot. It is a gapping contrast from its predecesors and is at the cutting edge of design.

Maybe artists who previously designed skins find it hard to beat. It doesn't need changing maybe? Or maybe they just can't be arsed like most of the sceners today. Graphics are such a big part of the community now a days and the lack of skins this time around does ourselves no favours. It would be a crying shame if creation of skins didn't pick up.

Our game needs to be sexy, we have become used to it now, we can't rely on Ter only to satisfy us. Get your fingers out Skinners.