Game overview
Derby Manager is a homage to old school manager games, namely Championship Manager 01/02,
with much influence from Football Manager series. It is much simpler than both of those games and created to be played with friends.
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Score.
The main idea behind the game is to allow you to create history. You build your managerial career starting from scratch and work your way up.
Every match you win increases your overall score, with those from international cups bringing you the most points.
Try to write your name at the top of the high scores list for times to come.
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Beta.
The game is very much built around community. It is still in beta stage, and we would appreciate any feedback you might have.
Join our Discord and connect with our small but active community.
Design goals
During the development of Derby Manager there are certain design guidelines that we follow:
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Simple and accessible.
The main goal is to create a game that can be easily understood and played.
Something with a complexity of a board game, but with computer-game math in the background.
Understanding the concepts and mechanics behind the game lets users make informed decisions and compete against each other.
The game should rely as little as possible on hiding information from users.
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Game first.
The game's job is to simulate realistic football world, but even more important is to make for an engaging experience.
Since it is a multiplayer game, the emphasis is on making it fair for all users.
There are limitations in place to prevent certain things that might be common in real world, but that would break the multiplayer game
(i.e. selling a player for twice his actual value).
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Adjusted for online play.
The game is intended just the same for highly active users and those that want to sign in only sporadically.
The benefit of signing in comes mostly from better reaction time (adjusting your tactic before the match or not missing that good player on the market).
We also had to accept some limitations of the medium. For example, managers can't adjust their tactics once the match has started as that would reward online users.
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Avoid meta game.
One of the design choices is also to reduce the meta play as much as possible.
The goal is to have a game where the best approach is to lead your club as you would lead it in the real world.
This means avoiding mechanisms that would encourage you to, for example, field only goalkeepers for the match because that way you'll earn the most money from training.
If such an approach is discovered it will be heavily discouraged with future updates.
Manager
You are the manager. You get a random name (from the nationality you have chosen) when you sign up to keep the game's verisimilitude.
If you want your name changed (to something sensible) feel free to ask on Discord.
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Popularity and experience.
As a manager you are defined only with these two stats. Popularity is directly connected to the results you achieve with the club.
Higher popularity allows you to join better clubs. Experience is increased organically by signing in to the game and gives a boost to your team's performance.
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Contract requirements.
When you join a club you get a contract with certain minimum requirements you have to satisfy:
- Sign in at least once per week.
- Keep board satisfaction above 25%.
- Have at least 22 players in your squad.
Failing at any of those requirements might get you fired and in search of another job.
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Changing clubs.
The club you manage is not yours and will live long after you have retired.
You can change jobs of your own accord and take a club with better players and finances,
or just to move into higher division even if you didn't manage to win a promotion.
Or you can stay at one club your whole career.
End game
After 36 seasons (36 real life months) you will retire. Your total score will be written down in history for others to try and beat.
Maybe a stadium will be named after you, who knows... Either way, you are free to start the game anew.