Different versions
- Billgates v6.0 (Official)
- Verge 6.9 (Official)
- Billgates v7.0 (Official)
- Thiago v2.0 (Official)
- Hongik v3.0 (Official)
What do Thiago 2.0 do compared to Billgates 7.0 and what about Hongik 3.0?
That is an often asked question. And there is no clear answer. Statistically speaking, the numbers are too similar to say “This does more crosses, this creates more of that, and less in this.” In that sense are they simply, way too similar.
We all see and feel differently, and everyone trying the different versions, knows there's a difference, but explaining it, is a whole other thing. Placebo is also in play, when we talk about what someone felt was different compared to another version. Some few even still claim that it's all a hoax. tsk tsk
So all we can say about choosing a version, is to try them for a few games yourself, and see how it makes you feel. That is the best indicator for you, your tactics, your team, the league, for the players, and for the overall experience for a long term save. No one can tell you how you feel.
What have we changed?
- We have changed numbers and values in the strings.
- We have added new strings, that adds new delay, speed, acceleration and deceleration with possibilities in delays, theoreticals, min, max, and potentials having a different outcome on players' physical behavior.
What are we not changing?
- We are not changing AI behavior. This is controlled by attributes, tactics, roles, instructions, and possibly more things that we are not in control of. But we are not saying that those things are not indirectly influenced by physics.
- It does not change animations. Animations got their own speed values and time signatures. This however is possible to change, but we sincerely doubt we are going to do it with a small team. +200k lines of coding. Just alone “Pass Ball - Standing” make up for 368 strings and variation of passing the ball while standing. Anyone still saying SI did not spend a lot of time on the ME? You are wrong.
How does it impact what you see?
- Depending on what physics we change, will it affect what you see on the pitch.
- Our key words are Balancing, subtlety, realism, flow and fluidity, when we are trying to find the correct changes in physics to implant. These words are subjective, and how we see the beautiful game, adding to that, each developer also sees these things possibly differently.
Will it change the match engine?
- Yes. Is the short answer.
- The numbers we have changed, will not impact your results in any noticeable way. Only extreme numbers in the strings would heavily influence the statistics and results.
- Old fixtures are already done and dusted, and are therefore not influenced.
- This means, depending on what numbers and strings we change, the outcome of games compared to the normal json is altered.
- @Sports interactive – “Making changes to the match engine is an incredibly complex balancing act to try and find the most enjoyable but yet also completely realistic representation of real life football.”
- We agree with SI, that it is hard to find the correct balance between enjoyable football to watch and realisme in the outcome of results. We believe that enjoyable football to watch is a tiny bit more important than perfectly balanced tables, and specific teams having the same goals scored each season.
- We have claimed the opposite, “no statistic changes,” this was due to corrupt data input. We are sorry for this misunderstanding. We could definitely 100% change the Match engine and the results if we wished to do it.
- FM enginners Statistics spreadsheet
- We, the players, are the deciders of what realisme is to the majority. Not a small staff at SI. And we say that realistic gameplay is subjective. Therefore multiple ME versions.
Plans for the future?
- That depends entirely on Sports Interactive. We have no inside information about FM21, or if this will be patched in a way, where people no longer can apply it.
- IF they allow us to continue this work, would we of course start working on FM21’s json file, when released. Same goes for keeping FM20’s json files up to date, with new stuff we learn and can apply to it.
How to apply the mod:
Close football manager 2020, download the mod, unzip the file, (backup original file) and replace it with the new (physical_constraints) file, in:Steam: Local disk:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Football Manager 2020/data/simatch/physics
Epic games: :/Program Files/Epic Games/Football Manager 2020/data/simatch/physics
Mac steam: Library/application support/Steam/steamapps/common/Football Manager 2020/data/simatch/physics
Mac epic games: Users/Shared/Epic Games/FootballManager2020/data/simatch/physics
If you change to a newer/older json file, the game might crash in the load up. This is due to adding or deleting strings. The game has a hard time with such changes. It takes 1-2 tries before the game recognizes the changes. The maximum we have seen is 5 crashes in row when trying to load FM20.exe. When it works, will it do so, until you change the json file to another version again with new or deleted strings. This behavior also seems to be different from machine to machine, and platform to platform. Many never experience this.
Showcases:
We do not wish to showcase this ourselves (modding team), at least not directly. We let the community not involved with the modding, do it for us. And we believe the community is the best to deliver a fair assessment of this mod. Anyone that wishes to showcase this, can do so.We hope some content creators, and others with commentary gifts will make videos. Bad or good, or in between, all reviews are welcomed. We consider it good feedback in any case.
Feedback & Donations:
This is a completely free mod of course. No strings attached. But we would love feedback from anyone interested in making this mod better. We started this project with only one intent, to have more enjoyable content to watch in our favorite game. But we have come to the realisation that we are interested in creating, and not only editing. Whatever that means, and toward what purpose, is too early to tell.So with that in mind, are donations welcomed, and open to whomever that wish to donate to the FM Engineers:
Donate via PayPal
FM Engineers discord server
– Credits –
ThiagoBillgates
FM forums across the globe
![FM24 2025-26 Real Fixture & Results (Start in 2025) [12-10-2025]](https://www.fmscout.com/datas/users/realresult_artv2_257759.png)
Discussion: FM20 Match Physics Patch by Thiago
59 comments have been posted so far.
Laughs could almost be heard all the way from Korea.
The only one hampering SI from their livelihood is them self. I don't think what I want as a standard, is the same you want. We are not going to stop, and we will not accept a half asked ME in the only Football manager game available on the market.
Why would we care about what SI think? They clearly don't care about what a large portion of their fan base think. Nah, I'm not having it. We could not care less, if this will make Miles pull hairs or make it grey. Actually I personally hope so. At least they then understand what WE want.
If they cared that much about the game then surely theyd release a new format every few years and just upgrades in between? But that's not quite as lucrative is it. Just churn out a turd then polish it a bit.
Yeah, it is not a placebo, we can change physics.
I can do this if I want: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWRSlu5kYPg (Laporte score from his own box)
Or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqSwPxB0i94
And you are right, we cant change AI, no physics will change the decision making from players, it only affects the results.
A player wont think "now the speed is 999999, so I can make this long pass and my teammate will get it", no the will make the pass just like before, but if you change the speed for 999999 the teammate will deal with the long ball running faster now.
My point doing this mod is make the speeds smoother, the movement more enjoyable, more fluid.
I disagree with some values set by SI team, and they once disagree with their first physics, thats why they created a physical constraint file, so they can change if they feel that isnt good.
I think we can do a showcase, but if you want a hotfix mod for 1v1 situation, or that kind of thing you definitely wont get it, because yes, we dont change AI, but you def can see a more attractive match.
The only reasonable thing you have said in 9 posts, is that this file, do not to our understanding change the AI behavior.
People that are inclined to say and believe like you do, can have their opinions (no one can change them anyhow,) but saying this is placebo, is the same as saying that physics in the game is a hoax. I shall gladly showcase how easy it is to break the game with the json file, if you don't believe that is possible. We do not want that to happen in our versions, we actually like the statistics how they where intended from SI, therefor are we not trying to do something crazy, and you or others not seeing the difference might come down to one of three things. Either you don't understand how to apply a simple file, you have no experience with FM20 ( I do, 2700 hours of them to be extract,) or worst case scenario you played for one game, and made your conclusions and never tried it again. Billgates v6.0 is pretty similar to original json, so I could understand how you would come to that conclusion, if you only played one game, with only that version.
The ME is made up from many files, the json is just one of them, but make no mistake – A big part of it. Oh, and btw, we actually can change more of the ME if we wished to do it. But you know ... Not our game or problem and all that, copyright infringement tsk tsk.
they have got too comfortable dishing up what is basically a data update, with less licensing each year.
can’t wait for patch 21.1, 21.2, 21.3 etc over next few months
si are losing more and more licenses with each year, it’s the 3rd party graphics, mods, data updates etc than finish a half complete product
We can just enjoy the patches & play the game.
you don’t need to use it, I do and have seen the results.
not sure the football rules came up
now off you pop
Like the 1 on 1s, I now have strikers drawing the keeper ‘ rounding the keeper rather than simply hitting at the keeper
looking forward to the FM21 version of Mbappe not being capable of finishing a 1 on 1 when clean through
they are all slightly different, I use Bill gates 7.4 and Thiago v.2.0
i have seen overhead kicks, lots a triangle passing, penalty rebounds, hitting bar and post, scuffles in penalty box from corners, none of which I saw before.
recommend extended match to see the best of the action.
SI really don’t like it and delete references to it on their forum :-)