FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
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FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
This is a basic guide designed to welcome newcomers to the world of the FMF and micronational football as requested by people interested in becoming involved here. This guide will hopefully cover all the questions you may have regarding what we do and how we do it, and how to do it yourself!
If you can't find what you're looking for, just reply here with any questions you may have and they'll be answered as soon as possible
What is the FMF?
Fancy French acronyms aside, the FMF is the official football organisation for Micras, which is the planet whose map is maintained by the MCS. Everything within the FMF is simulated, so you don't need to worry about having enough people in real life to make a team, and the only nations involved are those with land on Micras.
What does the FMF do?
To put it simply, we try to be the "FIFA" of Micras. This means we organise and run both national team and club side tournaments for the whole of Micras and for our four separate confederations. Our flagship competition is the FMF World Cup, which is held on an annual basis to decide who is the best national side on Micras.
How does the FMF run things?
As we have a number of different tournaments, we have a variety of staff members responsible for simulating these matches. Due to different people's simulating capabilities, there are a number of ways which we generate results in the FMF.
Many people prefer to be able to watch matches and to give them as realistic a flavour as possible, which can be achieved with modifiable video games. The most popular of these are the FIFA Football and Pro Evolution Soccer series, which are available on multiple platforms and generally allow for all aspects to be personalised as desired. Other video games are also used, such as This Is Football, but FIFA and PES are the most successful, have new versions released each year and have older editions available for low costs in many places.
In addition to video games, there are less visual means through which matches can be simulated. One common method of text-based generators is ESMS, which allows control of all the same things as the video games, but gives an output of text-only details.
A further approach to generating results are management games such as the Football Manager series, but this type of game has not seen much usage within the FMF because of modifying limitations.
So, what do I have to do to start my own league?
Firstly, it's best if you have one of the above means of generating results to be able to run your league to its full potential. However, we understand that some means can be costly and/or need specific consoles or computer requirements that can't always be met, so don't worry if you don't have any access to them. For domestic leagues, if there is a need for a quick fix, then using dice or a random number generator is an easy way to get raw scores.
For creating the league and its teams, we generally suggest the following, although these are by no means absolute rules. Leagues should really have no less than six teams, and at the very most twenty (with a recommendation on ten), per division, and be made-up of an even amount of teams. To be as fair as possible, league tournaments are best run on a schedule where teams play each other at least twice. Each team should have an absolute minimum of 16 players (eleven starters and five substitutes), with there being no rule on maximum squad sizes. Because there are no direct shared attributes for players, you should also have no worries about how good or bad you create your players' skills in relation to any other nations' leagues either.
What things can I do to make my league stand-out from the crowd?
Honestly, as long as the fundamentals of the sport aren't affected (such as trying to play with two goalkeepers), you can add as many quirky rules as you like. Some nations have an abundance of female players, others run their leagues with complex play-off rounds, while some have restrictions on foreign players; there's a lot you can change if you so wish.
So how does my league affect my national team?
In a phrase; quite a bit. The FMF runs the best way we know how, and that's on a "the more you put-in, the more you get-out" system. What this means is that, generally speaking, those nations which take an active interest in football will produce the better-performing national teams.
This approach is taken by the FMF because of the wide array of differing means of simulating matches not allowing for one Micras-wide database of attributes and statistics. We feel that, given this situation, having a loose equation of domestic activity producing international prowess is the most realistic way of doing things.
Admittedly, this is not the only factor taken into account, with culture bases and relative populations also being influential, as expected, but should give understandable reasons behind which nations record better results than others. This does mean you might see one nation beat another who has a lot more domestic activity, but football is football and you'll always get upsets!
I've started my league now and I'd like to bring-in some experience. What do I do for transfers?
During the year, the FMF runs two transfer windows during which teams may sign players; during the summer (June-September) and winter (January). Only during these two windows are teams permitted to buy, loan or sell players - including free agents - so that all moves can be kept track of and regulated as necessary.
There may be exceptions to the transfer window ruling which can be allowed by the FMF; these are normally for newly-founded teams. New leagues and teams are often created outside of the windows and free agents are seen as a good way of introducing experienced players to the nation. A simple application for special dispensation to sign unattached players to these teams may be submitted at any time of the year outside of the transfer window so that such moves can be noted within the FMF. Players you create yourself from scratch (such as academy youths) do not count towards any transfers and may be added to your squads at any time.
For buying players, the approved currency of the FMF is the Craitish Cräite (symbol: Cr), which can be equated to the approximate worth of the British Pound in real monetary values. While there aren't any rules on how much a team's transfer kitty has to be, a few leagues enforce limits to allow for more realism. In addition to being realistic, there's also a likelihood that people will get a bit annoyed if they keep having large offers thrown at them for players with money that has dubious origins. The best approach is to start-off small, watch how it's done by those who have the experience, and learn and grow from there. It's not a rush, and you'll gain more respect within the FMF if you play fair.
Now what do I do?
If you've gone through this guide, founded a league with teams, created your own players and signed others legally, and have a way of simulating your league, you're good to go! If there are any speed bumps you hit on the way, don't fret; the FMF is here to help you. If you're struggling to make something work or understand a certain area of what we do, there's nothing wrong with that (we all had to start somewhere, after all) and you'll be a lot better off asking about things here and getting sound guidance.
Now, if that's all, we at the FMF wish you the best of luck with everything!
If you can't find what you're looking for, just reply here with any questions you may have and they'll be answered as soon as possible
What is the FMF?
Fancy French acronyms aside, the FMF is the official football organisation for Micras, which is the planet whose map is maintained by the MCS. Everything within the FMF is simulated, so you don't need to worry about having enough people in real life to make a team, and the only nations involved are those with land on Micras.
What does the FMF do?
To put it simply, we try to be the "FIFA" of Micras. This means we organise and run both national team and club side tournaments for the whole of Micras and for our four separate confederations. Our flagship competition is the FMF World Cup, which is held on an annual basis to decide who is the best national side on Micras.
How does the FMF run things?
As we have a number of different tournaments, we have a variety of staff members responsible for simulating these matches. Due to different people's simulating capabilities, there are a number of ways which we generate results in the FMF.
Many people prefer to be able to watch matches and to give them as realistic a flavour as possible, which can be achieved with modifiable video games. The most popular of these are the FIFA Football and Pro Evolution Soccer series, which are available on multiple platforms and generally allow for all aspects to be personalised as desired. Other video games are also used, such as This Is Football, but FIFA and PES are the most successful, have new versions released each year and have older editions available for low costs in many places.
In addition to video games, there are less visual means through which matches can be simulated. One common method of text-based generators is ESMS, which allows control of all the same things as the video games, but gives an output of text-only details.
A further approach to generating results are management games such as the Football Manager series, but this type of game has not seen much usage within the FMF because of modifying limitations.
So, what do I have to do to start my own league?
Firstly, it's best if you have one of the above means of generating results to be able to run your league to its full potential. However, we understand that some means can be costly and/or need specific consoles or computer requirements that can't always be met, so don't worry if you don't have any access to them. For domestic leagues, if there is a need for a quick fix, then using dice or a random number generator is an easy way to get raw scores.
For creating the league and its teams, we generally suggest the following, although these are by no means absolute rules. Leagues should really have no less than six teams, and at the very most twenty (with a recommendation on ten), per division, and be made-up of an even amount of teams. To be as fair as possible, league tournaments are best run on a schedule where teams play each other at least twice. Each team should have an absolute minimum of 16 players (eleven starters and five substitutes), with there being no rule on maximum squad sizes. Because there are no direct shared attributes for players, you should also have no worries about how good or bad you create your players' skills in relation to any other nations' leagues either.
What things can I do to make my league stand-out from the crowd?
Honestly, as long as the fundamentals of the sport aren't affected (such as trying to play with two goalkeepers), you can add as many quirky rules as you like. Some nations have an abundance of female players, others run their leagues with complex play-off rounds, while some have restrictions on foreign players; there's a lot you can change if you so wish.
So how does my league affect my national team?
In a phrase; quite a bit. The FMF runs the best way we know how, and that's on a "the more you put-in, the more you get-out" system. What this means is that, generally speaking, those nations which take an active interest in football will produce the better-performing national teams.
This approach is taken by the FMF because of the wide array of differing means of simulating matches not allowing for one Micras-wide database of attributes and statistics. We feel that, given this situation, having a loose equation of domestic activity producing international prowess is the most realistic way of doing things.
Admittedly, this is not the only factor taken into account, with culture bases and relative populations also being influential, as expected, but should give understandable reasons behind which nations record better results than others. This does mean you might see one nation beat another who has a lot more domestic activity, but football is football and you'll always get upsets!
I've started my league now and I'd like to bring-in some experience. What do I do for transfers?
During the year, the FMF runs two transfer windows during which teams may sign players; during the summer (June-September) and winter (January). Only during these two windows are teams permitted to buy, loan or sell players - including free agents - so that all moves can be kept track of and regulated as necessary.
There may be exceptions to the transfer window ruling which can be allowed by the FMF; these are normally for newly-founded teams. New leagues and teams are often created outside of the windows and free agents are seen as a good way of introducing experienced players to the nation. A simple application for special dispensation to sign unattached players to these teams may be submitted at any time of the year outside of the transfer window so that such moves can be noted within the FMF. Players you create yourself from scratch (such as academy youths) do not count towards any transfers and may be added to your squads at any time.
For buying players, the approved currency of the FMF is the Craitish Cräite (symbol: Cr), which can be equated to the approximate worth of the British Pound in real monetary values. While there aren't any rules on how much a team's transfer kitty has to be, a few leagues enforce limits to allow for more realism. In addition to being realistic, there's also a likelihood that people will get a bit annoyed if they keep having large offers thrown at them for players with money that has dubious origins. The best approach is to start-off small, watch how it's done by those who have the experience, and learn and grow from there. It's not a rush, and you'll gain more respect within the FMF if you play fair.
Now what do I do?
If you've gone through this guide, founded a league with teams, created your own players and signed others legally, and have a way of simulating your league, you're good to go! If there are any speed bumps you hit on the way, don't fret; the FMF is here to help you. If you're struggling to make something work or understand a certain area of what we do, there's nothing wrong with that (we all had to start somewhere, after all) and you'll be a lot better off asking about things here and getting sound guidance.
Now, if that's all, we at the FMF wish you the best of luck with everything!
Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
I should point out to those who wish to simulate their leagues on Football Manager 2013, that an editor is available to download on the tools section of steam, where you can create new teams, stadium, cities, leagues etc, so if you do wish to sim your games on there you can. (Just make sure that you select larger database when you start your game and make sure that player ratings are fair and realistic - make sure to have a look at real life examples just to be on the safe side)
Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
I was actually going to make a separate thread for this but then I saw this so I figured I'd ask here:
Why are soccer players loaned/transferred instead of traded?
Why are soccer players loaned/transferred instead of traded?
Hâlian, Magic: The Gathering player/baseball and gridiron fan/computer guy/conlinguist and worldbuilder/tabletop and video game fan too
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Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
A transfer fee is paid to compensate the club for breaking a player's contract. If the players were traded, you'd have to wait until both players contracts had ended. Loaning is normally used when a team wants to send some of its players to a smaller club in the hope that they will play more games and improve. This benefits the smaller club because they get to have some better players for a season.
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Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
Yeah, we work with how transfers are generally undertaken in real life. That doesn't rule-out the possibility of player-for-player trades, or even part-exchanges, but means they're usually done solely using fees or loans
Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
Uh no you don't. If that were the case then how could midseason trades happen in other sports?joefoxon wrote:A transfer fee is paid to compensate the club for breaking a player's contract. If the players were traded, you'd have to wait until both players contracts had ended.
Hâlian, Magic: The Gathering player/baseball and gridiron fan/computer guy/conlinguist and worldbuilder/tabletop and video game fan too
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Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
I think you may have answered your own question thereCJ Miller wrote:other sports?
Like I said, you can still trade players directly if that's what you want to do, as long as it's within the window, just it's not the most common way of transferring
Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
The thing is that in football, teams don't trade players. You sell a player without buying a player from that team. To take a real world example, when Monaco brought Falcao from Atletico this summer, Atletico didn't want any Monaco players in return as the Monaco team is much weaker that the Atletico team. Thus Monaco payed a transfer fee to Atletico as compensation.
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Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
It's not quite as absolute as that, as it does happen rarely. Most of the time, if there are players going either way between teams, it's normally a loan deal or a part-exchange, such as when Barça paid Inter £59million and gave them Samuel Eto'o in exchange for Zlatan Ibrahimović...Senya wrote:The thing is that in football, teams don't trade players.
Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
How if at all do I change a country code? Because I want to change Shireroth's IRS to SXI.
Also also, we should do a Club World Cup sometime.
Also also, we should do a Club World Cup sometime.
Hâlian, Magic: The Gathering player/baseball and gridiron fan/computer guy/conlinguist and worldbuilder/tabletop and video game fan too
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Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
We've never had anyone want to change their trigramme before, so there's no precedent procedure for it. I'd not want to change it though, as it could cause some confusion with all the previous times IRS was used, and there's no real need for it to be changed.
Also, Club World Cup? How about an FMF Champions' League?
Also, Club World Cup? How about an FMF Champions' League?
Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
SXI fits the native name "Sxiro" better, and also what if by some act of god/dess it stops being an Imperial Republic?
Hâlian, Magic: The Gathering player/baseball and gridiron fan/computer guy/conlinguist and worldbuilder/tabletop and video game fan too
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Re: FMF: FAQ's and how-to-dos
I guess we'd have to see should that happen. Although we have DSM standing for "Democratic State of Monovia" within our codes, despite the entity it relates to having gone through about six reïncarnations since that name. It's just a three-letter acronym used internally for one organisation, after all