While the patch fixed the "under the hood" mechanics, the core of what made FM12 great remained:
If you are looking for information regarding this specific version and the technicalities of the 12.0.4 update, here is everything you need to know. Why Version 12.0.4? football manager 2012 skidrow patch 1204
Many players still prefer the "sidebar" navigation of 2012 compared to the modern tile-based UI. It was snappy, intuitive, and allowed for quick scouting. While the patch fixed the "under the hood"