Football Manager 2017 Skinning Guide Part 1 - How to Extract Default Files & Understanding File Structure

 

This is a simple guide to explain how to extract the fmf files that contain the default files for Football Manager 2017 and explains the file structure of the files to make it easier for people to modify the game themselves.

(This guide also applies to any recent version of Football Manager just replace the 2017 with the version number you are playing).

Football Manager 2017 Match In-Between Hightlights Mod

If you downloaded last years mod then you know what to do by now, the instructions are pretty much the same as not much has changed to the coding of the actual files, I've made a couple of tweaks to improve the content of the panels but the main change is just updating the file locations.

Like the last couple of versions the match screen we have in Football Manager 2017 is a hybrid TV-Classic view mode where again if there are no hightlights you are left on the pitch view instead of switching back to the last panel you were on, where we are left with a small pop-up giving us some information like the old TV-View widgets.

Football Manager 2017 Match Screen Kits Mod

My latest Match Screen Mod for Football Manager 2017 is another update from last year with this one changing the logos on the match screens into kits, however unlike previous years there is only one version for each mode this year as adding the kits to the header doesn't work correctly this year, though you can still combine it with my Match Titlebar Team Names Mod for full mode skins:

Mod One - This version is for Full Mode Skins and replaces the Logos with Kits on the Split Screen Overview Panel but leaves the Logos in the Header, as shown in the first screenshot below.

Mod Two - This version is for Touch Mode Skins and just replaces the logos on the match screens with kits, however as Touch mode doesn' have a header it doesn't need the other file to add the logos back to the header. (Second Screenshot below)

Mod Three - You can also create a third version of the mod for Full Mode Skins that adds the Team Names back onto the Titlebar (Third Screenshot below) - To do this you need to download the Second Mod (Yes the Touch Version) aswell as the version of my Match Titlebar Team Names Mod that you want.

Mod One will ONLY work with Full Mode Skins. If you are using a custom skin that has changed the Match Titlebar then you are best downloading Mod Two and then following the advanced instructions further down to add the logos back to the header if need be.

Mod Two will work with all skins including custom skins, Full Mode skins and Touch Mode skins2 should also work with any FM16 full-mode skin, though if you are using a skin with a custom match titlebar you'll need to modify the files yourself.

Note that these mods don't add kits/logos to the various Overview screens that don't display logos by default it just changes the existing logos to kits, if you want kits on the overview screen then that is a whole different guide.

To apply to your game you just need to download the file for which Mod you want from below, extract the zip file and put the extracted match folder into the panels folder for the skin you are using, if you are using the Default Skin then download the Base Skin, add the file(s) to that skin and switch to the Base Skin in game. (If you have the skin cache on you may need to turn it off and reload your skin for the changes to show up).

FM17 MATCH SCREEN KITS MOD DOWNLOAD PAGE

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Redistribution Terms
You are free to post this content to your website provided:
1. It is not sold or behind a paywall.
2. You don't advertise it as being exclusive to your website.
3. My username and blog address are included: http://michaeltmurrayuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Football Manager 2017 - Match Titlebar Team Names Mod

This is a simple mod that restores the Team Names to the Match Titlebar in Football Manager 2017, and you have two options:

Team Names and Logos:

Team Names and Logos, plus a Competition Logo:

They are designed to work on skins based on the Default FM17 skins, for skins that have a different match titlebar from the default you'll need to modify the files yourself. NOTE: These won't work in FMT mode skins as they don't use this panel.

Please note that if you are playing on a smaller resolution certain options on the action bar might be cut off at certain points, to access the other options you need to left click in the empty space and a dropdown menu will appear like in the second screenshot (which was taken at 1024x768) meaning they are still available to select.

To apply to your game you just need to download the file for which version you want from below, extract the zip file and put the 'match' folder in the panels folder for the skin you are using, if you are using the Default Skin then download the Base Skin, add the file to that skin and switch to the Base Skin in game. (If you have the skin cache on you may need to turn it off and reload your skin for the changes to show up).

Note if the Skin you are using already has a 'match title bar.xml' file you'll need to follow the advanced instructions further down to create the mod on your own as overwriting your skins custom match titlebar may cause problems.

FM17 MATCH TITLEBAR TEAM NAMES MOD DOWNLOAD PAGE

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Redistribution Terms
You are free to post this content to your website provided:
1. It is not sold or behind a paywall.
2. You don't advertise it as being exclusive to your website.
3. My username and blog address are included: http://michaeltmurrayuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Football Manager Touch 2017 - Scoreboard Logos Mod

This is a simple mod that restores the club logos to the Scoreboard on the Match Pitch view in Football Manager Touch 2017, aswell as adding a Competition logo.

IF YOU ARE USING THE FUL MODE THEN YOU WANT THIS PAGE

That is designed to work on skins based on the Default FMT17 skins, for skins that have a different match scoreboard from the default you'll need to modify the files yourself. (full instructions are provided at the below link)

Note if the Skin you are using already has a 'match title bar score.xml' file you'll need to follow the advanced instructions further down the linked page to create the mod on your own as overwriting your skins custom scoreboard may cause problems.

FMT17 SCOREBOARD LOGOS MODOWNLOAD PAGE

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Redistribution Terms
You are free to post this content to your website provided:
1. It is not sold or behind a paywall.
2. You don't advertise it as being exclusive to your website.
3. My username and blog address are included: http://michaeltmurrayuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Football Manager 2017 - Scoreboard Logos Mod

This is a simple mod that restores the club logos to the Scoreboard on the Match Pitch view in Football Manager 2017, aswell as adding a Competition logo.

IF YOU ARE USING THE FMTouch MODE THEN YOU WANT THIS PAGE

That is designed to work on skins based on the Default FM17 skins, for skins that have a different match scoreboard from the default you'll need to modify the files yourself. (full instructions are provided at the below link)

Note if the Skin you are using already has a 'match title bar score.xml' file you'll need to follow the advanced instructions further down the linked page to create the mod on your own as overwriting your skins custom scoreboard may cause problems.

FM17 SCOREBOARD LOGOS MOD DOWNLOAD PAGE

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Redistribution Terms
You are free to post this content to your website provided:
1. It is not sold or behind a paywall.
2. You don't advertise it as being exclusive to your website.
3. My username and blog address are included: http://michaeltmurrayuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Football Manager Touch 2017 Base Skins Released

Please note that these skins will only work with Football Manager Touch 2017 mode skins, full mode Base Skins can be found in the post further down the page.

As with recent Football Managers to make certain changes in Football Manager Touch  2017 you are required to add files to the skin folders, whilst this isn't a problem for fan-made skins it is a slight problem if you are using the Default Skins included with the game. So to help people out I have again made some Base Skins for FMT2017 that allow you to add and modify the default skins without breaking your game.

Full instructions on when and how to use the Base Skins can be found on the download page, please ensure you read the page in detail before downloading the Base Skins as it will save you problems in the future.  

Base Skins for Football Manager Touch 2017 Download Page

Currently there are six versions of the Base Skin - one based on the Light Skin, one based on the Dark Skin, one based on the Retro Skin and then a Touchscreen version of each of them.

If you have any further questions on the Base Skins please ask any questions in the Skinning Hideout on the Official SIGames Forums.

Football Manager 2017 Guide - How to Stop the Blurring Effect

Like in FM2016 Football Manager 2017 includes a blurring effect that displays when the main screen isn't in focus (i.e. when processing, saving or responding to a popup), however if you don't like this effect then it is simple enough to disable.

Football Manager 2017 Base Skins Released

Please note that these skins will only work with the Full Mode of Football Manager 2017, Football Manager 2017 Touch Mode Base Skins will be released seperately over the weekend.

As with recent Football Managers to make certain changes in Football Manager 2017 you are required to add files to the skin folders, whilst this isn't a problem for fan-made skins it is a slight problem if you are using the Default Skins included with the game. So to help people out I have again made some Base Skins for FM2017 that allow you to add and modify the default skins without breaking your game.

 

Full instructions on when and how to use the Base Skins can be found on the download page, please ensure you read the page in detail before downloading the Base Skins as it will save you problems in the future.  

Base Skins for Football Manager 2017 Download Page

Currently there are three versions of the Base Skin - one based on the Default Greenish Skin with Background Support and one based on the Dark Skin and finally one base on the Light Skin for the Full Mode of FM2017.

 

If you have any further questions on the Base Skins please ask any questions in the Skinning Hideout on the Official SIGames Forums.

Football Manager 2017 - How To Locate or Move Your User Data Location

 

Like with FM2016 the Preferences menu in FM2017 no longer lists or allows you to change your User Data Location, this feature was removed from the game because it was confusing people.

Your User Data Location is the place on your hard drive where user generated content is stored, this includes data generated by the game such as save games, tactics and shortlists. It also includes graphics (kits, logos, faces etc) and skins that you may have downloaded or created.

These instructions are largely the same for Football Manager 2017, however as the Touch Mode is now a seperate entry in your Steam Game Library the instructions are slightly different depending on which mode of FM2017 you are using.

Football Manager 2017 Beta Release

Am a little bit late but the Pre-Release Beta of Football Manager 2017 has been out for about a week now with the full release expected on the 4th November 2016.

As normal I will start updating my content once the game has been fully released.

At the moment there doesn't seem to be too much different from a skinning point of view, the one big change is the fact that the Touch Mode is now a seperate entry in your Steam Game Library, which means if you are using that version of the game your instructions will be slightly different than in previous years.

As normal most up-to-date information can be found in the Skinning Forum on the Official Sports Interactive Forums.

From a quick look it looks like logos, kits and player faces all haven't changed and as such you should still be able to use last year graphics. Though at the moment your Manager Picture won't work as as their is a new 3D generation system in place that cannot be overriden at the moment.

Skins as always won't work and you will have to wait for the skin makers to update or release new skins.

FM16 Guide - How to Enable Rotating Default Backgrounds

First of all credit for this goes to ArtDekDok, he's just asked me to type up this guide as he isn't a native English Speaker.

This may be of interest to some people, ArtDekDok has found an interesting way to get the game to rotate through a list of default backgrounds instead of you being stuck with the same background.

Easiest way to show this is with a quick video: