ping: Multiplayer commishes

[FargoFreez aka fof playa]

Currently I'm talking one-on-one with the USFL Commish, Howard Flaschen. We're discussing league matters, some of which is the "fun" stuff, and some which is not so "fun". We've just run across a new problem. There is something really fishy going on with the depth charts and the Active & Inactive Rosters. We thought it may have had something to do with owners making free agent signings, but weren't sure. Just happened to be checking out the CFL's official board and BOOM!, there it is. The same problem, the same symptoms.

Having trouble spitting this out right, but I'll get to what I'm writing this for. The stakes are starting to rise for some/ all of the current MP leagues up-and-running. I know our league has just reached week 4 in the preseason and the CFL is also rolling. I haven't kept up with some of the other leagues (DHMFL, eNFL, WigFL) as much, but they seem to be running at faster pace. As we all devote more and more time to our own leagues and to each of our individual teams the ante is "up-ed" and we want our reward. To be blunt, we want this shit to work. We want it to work because this shit can be so much fun.

I propose we have some sort of open discussion about current, universal league matters. Because some leagues have advanced further, more knowlege may be out there than is actually shared. I know that the USFL Commisioner has certain concerns as I'm sure that GoldenEagle (CFL) and whoever will be commishing the IHOF do too. These concerns may even be playing a role in who does/ doesn't want to become a commisioner at this point.

Would a live chat be going too far?? Would a specific thread be the answer?? Anyone want to play the e-mail game? Like I mentioned before, I'm not all that good with words (usually only post stupid comments because of this) and don't have any answers. I just want to see if anyone is thinking around the same lines.

Let us unite.

tfl,
jeff

[Flasch186]

here here, i would love to get the MP running much more clear. I am very nervous of impending problems, although, Ive only heard of some and havnt experienced any. Each week ive had owners say their moves werent made and I have put it on them as all I do is import them. Is there something i should know.

A few weeks ago i pinged the FOFC that maybe the MP order of ops in the sticky may need some cleansing and clearing up adn no one took up on it. I think if it wouldnt be too much, perhaps the guru himself could set up an outline of this and other things involving MP as this is where the meat is.

I want the USFL and FOF to run for a long long time, and starting over would be crippling in that what owner would want to be a part of anything again if it'll crumble again. what say you?

[Flasch186]

This week especially (game time) ive spoken to 4 owners who have stated that certain things werent reflected in their stuff. For example one said he renegotiated contracts and they werent reflected, another said that many of the palyer's he'd made active / inactive weren't reflected. I definitely need to know what is happening. Is there a work around for this if it is a problem because at first I thought the owners were doing something wrong possibly with invalid rosters but now Im beginning to wonder.

[GoldenEagle]

The active/inactive depth charts is a big concern of the CFL. Our owners want to perefect their teams the they want them. I think it may be related to turning scouts make roster decisions 'on'. I have editied this and hopefully it will fix the problem. If it does not, then the cFL owners and I will meet and find a solution for all involved.

Another problem I have encountered is if an owners changes player numbers, then his export will not take. This could be a big potential problem.

Finally, another one of my league owners can not get the league file to update.

[stevew]

I'm not the wigFL commish, but, um he's kind of banned here ....anyways, we had issue with if you sign someone the day of a game, it automatically makes your roster go up to 47 and then the computer sets it however they like.

anyways, you can mail him @ [email protected] if you have any questions.

[Vince]

Not a commish, but I'll be following along interestedly, as I'd like to help the IHOF get off the ground as smoothly as possible.

[FargoFreez aka fof playa]

Originally posted by stevew
anyways, we had issue with if you sign someone the day of a game, it automatically makes your roster go up to 47 and then the computer sets it however they like.

This is definately the new, hot issue right here. Owners (like me) in the USFL are trying to take full advantage of the 60 man rosters during the preseason and "have battle" between journeyman and the minimum-receiving rooks. While you obviously want to fill out your roster, making these extra signings is negating some (all?) of your precautionary depth chart moves.

If Terrell Owens ever returns another punt for my team my fist is going to dance on the FOFC logo.

[GoldenEagle]

Does anyone know if the league file you release every week is merely an update or the actual file to run the league? It will get very annyoing if every time a new owner joins my league I have to send him every league file we have.

[stevew]

It benched my star receiver(Plexico Burress) for 2 straight weeks till I figured this out

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
Does anyone know if the league file you release every week is merely an update or the actual file to run the league? It will get very annyoing if every time a new owner joins my league I have to send him every league file we have.

I have worked this problem out - an owner must slect start a new MP career instead of just loading the game up.

[Fido]

Originally posted by Flasch186
I want the USFL and FOF to run for a long long time, and starting over would be crippling in that what owner would want to be a part of anything again if it'll crumble again. what say you?

This was exactly my concern and why I backed out of a league. The MP stuff just doesn't seem quite ready. No offense to Jim - this is to be expected the way it came about - it is MUCH easier to get MP in when its i nfrom the start of development. Trying to patch in MP can be a nightmare.

[Balldog]

We are having an issue with the AI benching peoples starting QBs way to often.

[Gallifrey]

I know the most common error I have seen made with Multi-player depth chart issues comes from:

In the Global options window, under multi-player settings, set all to NO. Otherwise the AI will over ride.

[-Mojo Jojo-]

Originally posted by stevew
I'm not the wigFL commish, but, um he's kind of banned here ....anyways, we had issue with if you sign someone the day of a game, it automatically makes your roster go up to 47 and then the computer sets it however they like.

I recall seeing that one of the leagues (I'm not sure which) was doing two stage files per game week for this reason. First, any interested teams would sign FA's and send in stage files. The commish would input them and create a new league file. Then everybody would set their game plans and depth charts and send new stages files, and the commish would run the games. It seems like a lot of effort, but it's a work-around...

[Flasch186]

well setting the global options to "no" isnt the fix as the USFL has always had that set and is still receiving complaints. Im willing to bet it is the FA signings, resetting a team's moves and then since the games immediately follow that, the comp. sets it the way it would. This is NO GOOD!!!! and it seems simple that this shouldnt happen....isnt that why when an owner goes back to their team and releases someone it asks them, "whether or not they want to release the player contingent on their FA signing?" what to do?

[Flasch186]

see look at how far something extremely important goes down before anyone pays attention. I dont know if people are on vaca or something? hmmm....or bump

[Vince]

It's only been a day, and we're approaching the weekend. Just make sure you bump it on monday or so.

[gstelmack]

In my office league, the only player who has ever had a problem with active/inactive roster issues turned out to be submitting an invalid roster: he had like 50 guys active. If you don't have exactly 46 active when submitted, the computer will let the scout have at it. So make sure you have a valid roster, and if players want to do signings and the like run an extra turn without simulating games (free agent signings occur immediately upon stage import on the commish machine).

Also remember that client's cannot save. We had one case of a player whose renegotiations weren't happening that was caused by exactly this. Clients must do their entire turn without shutting the game down.

Once we figured out this stuff up front, we haven't had a single problem running our league.

[stevew]

Thus far we are running on this schedule.

M/W/F Games
T/T Stage files imported

We've made it pretty clear that you need to have a valid roster of exactly 46 guys, or the computer will just have at it.

There really needs to be a screen on this game that says

You Have You Need
2 QB 3 QB

Wuld make it way way easier.
Personally I dont want the computer to do ANYTHING to my team.
They like to release people without any rhyme or reason.

[FargoFreez aka fof playa]

I just wanted to chime in and say thanks to everyone for posting. Hopefully we can keep multiplayer discussion alive and well, without barriers between leagues.

[TLK]

Originally posted by gstelmack
In my office league,

You had me at hello.......


That's great to hear people are having office leagues. If I proposed this at my place of employment..... I'd hear... "You mean we actually have to use that televison looking thing with a typewriter...."

[Flasch186]

bumped again