Dev Diary #2: The Details That Matter

Two weeks since the last diary. The match engine is stable and performing well, so I shifted focus to something equally important: making LeManager look like it deserves your €5.

The Little Things

I’ve been thinking about Steve Jobs and Apple’s obsession with details. The screws inside the original Mac had to be perfect even though users would never see them. That philosophy matters here too. A €5 price point isn’t an excuse for rough edges. The club selection screen was functional but lacked something. It showed the information you needed, but it didn’t feel right. So we rebuilt it. Now each fantasy club has its own visual identity. Dynamic borders in club colors, star ratings that show difficulty at a glance, hover states that reveal budgets and stadium details. Paris Saint-Claude’s card expands to show you founded in 1970, 48,563 capacity, €45M transfer budget. Small details that make the clubs feel real.

Bug Squashing

Between polishing screens, we resolved five bugs that were blocking progress. Nothing particularly amusing this time, mostly cosmetic issues and flow blockers. The tactics screen was showing zero players for wingers. The fixtures page sometimes displayed empty. Squad selection had some missing player issues. All fixed now. The work isn’t glamorous but it’s necessary. A game that looks professional needs to work professionally too.

What’s Next

Match engine tuning is the immediate priority. We have JSON configuration files and internal visualization tools to refine how matches play out. That’s technical work that won’t make for interesting screenshots yet, but it’s essential for getting the simulation right. The home page and match page are getting the same visual treatment as club selection, but they’re still using mock data. I’ll share those when they’re ready to show.

Until next time. Just one more match.