Commissioner functions - participants needed for testing

[Vegas Vic]

I'm looking for several participants to do some testing of the commissioner functions. You don't need to spend a lot of time on this. We just need to make sure that everything is working correctly. Plus, this will give us an opportunity to brainstorm on how to handle drafting, free-agency, etc.

[Vince]

I'm in Vic...what do you need? Game Plans to import? Just let me know.

[RPI-Fan]

Vince; you don't really import game plans. Instead it's a "stage" file which includes your game plan, along with everything else for the week (depth chart changes, acquisitions, etc.).

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by Vince
I'm in Vic...what do you need? Game Plans to import? Just let me know.

Thanks. What I'm suggesting is that we put the game through its paces at the multi-player level, to make sure that everything is working properly, and to shed some light on how we should proceed with potentially problematic areas like drafting and free-agency.

There's no need to spend a lot of time on game-planning or draft analysis (after all, this is just a test).

[Ben E Lou]

I'm in for testing.

[Vegas Vic]

Let's give it a day or two, see how many participants we have, and then let her rip.

[FBPro]

Ok, count me in.

[Vince]

Originally posted by RPI-Fan
Vince; you don't really import game plans. Instead it's a "stage" file which includes your game plan, along with everything else for the week (depth chart changes, acquisitions, etc.).

Heh, shows you how much time I've been able to spend with the game so far.

[KWhit]

I'll help out too.

[Buzzbee]

I should be able to help out if needed.

[Vegas Vic]

We'll get started tomorrow (Wednesday) with however many people we have on board.

Please enter the following for the league name: ITSATEST

Question: Do we begin with stock rosters or a preference draft?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Vegas Vic
We'll get started tomorrow (Wednesday) with however many people we have on board.

Please enter the following for the league name: ITSATEST

Question: Do we begin with stock rosters or a preference draft? I say we try a pref. draft, to see how it works.

[cuervo72]

I can give it a shot too, Vic.

[Vegas Vic]

Looks like we'll start with a preference draft. Please choose your team (you can claim them in this thread). Once again, the league name you need to enter is: ITSATEST.

[Ben E Lou]

Atlanta.

[Vegas Vic]

Also, is everyone fine with the default rosters, or do you want to use the "real names" file?

[cuervo72]

For testing purposes, I'd say the default is fine. We're not going to make any serious decisions about careers here, really so it shouldn't matter.

I'll take Philly.

[Ben E Lou]

AGreed. Default is fine.

[Samdari]

I'll take the Jets/Meteorites.

Has there been a deadline announced for getting in the first files (with the preferences filled in)? Does using a preference draft here mean that the league will be using that for initial player distribution?

[Vince]

I'll take the 49ers/Goldrush

[Vegas Vic]

Thanks to all of you who have agreed to participate.

Please open your Multiplayer Controls icon on FOF2004.

Under "Participant Functions", click on "Enter New Career".

Enter ITSATEST for the league ID.

Choose your team, and click "Begin with preference or complete draft".

Set your draft preferences.

e-mail your export file to me ([email protected]).

I will then begin our league with the preference draft.

Thanks.

[Ben E Lou]

E-mail sent.

That was easy.

[FBPro]

I"ll get it out later tonight, that ok?

[cuervo72]

Sent!

[FBPro]

I chose Tennessee and my file is sent.

[Vegas Vic]

I'm going to start her up tomorrow around noon PST with whomever we have onboard.

Thanks.

[Buzzbee]

Email sent. I selected the Tampa Bay Pirates (Buccs)

[Vince]

E-mail sent as well.

[QuikSand]

After you get the hang of things, it woudl be good to try out some foreseeable "problem" situations. Things I can think of:

-somebody should submit a lineup with an inadequate number of active players (see how that resolves)

-two or more teams should submit bids for the same free agent player

-one team should deliberately miss a few submissions

Maybe some other sorts of things that might happen in an ordinary league... see if they raise any unexpected problems.

[Samdari]

I can answer the first one Quik.

When a team tries to do an export with roster problems (too many/few players, too many inactives, depth chart not filled in) he is reminded that the scouts will correct those problems if the owner chooses to continue with the export.

[Vegas Vic]

I have finished the first stage (preference draft), and all participants have been e-mailed the file. Unzip it in your league directory, not your import directory.

After a bit of discussion, we'll proceed from there.

Thanks.

[cuervo72]

Well, it looks like I did it ok and was able to load it up.

[Samdari]

In order to test functions, do you want some of us to try to sign the same FA, or things of that nature Vic?

EDIT: Ack! I drafted Tony Banks. The perils of the preference draft.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by Samdari
In order to test functions, do you want some of us to try to sign the same FA, or things of that nature Vic?

I'm sure that will come up during free agency; we'll see how the program handles it.

Next step: Should I run the entire pre-season, or week by week?

[Vince]

I'd say the entire pre-season. We're just giving this a dry-run, and pre-season is a good 'step' for a simulation. No need to go week-by-week, IMO.

[Ben E Lou]

Yeah. Run the pre-season.

QUESTION: Is there a way to tell which teams are CPU-run and which teams are human run?

[Buzzbee]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Yeah. Run the pre-season.

QUESTION: Is there a way to tell which teams are CPU-run and which teams are human run?

You can tell the human team I'm controlling by looking at the records. I'm the one that'll be winless. :(

[Samdari]

Whole preseason is fine here. When do you want the files?

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by Samdari
Whole preseason is fine here. When do you want the files?

Ready anytime.

[Ben E Lou]

Vic:

I am not going to submit a file this time. I want to see what happens.

[Buzzbee]

Email/file sent.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by Buzzbee
Email/file sent.

Thanks.

As soon as the others (minus SkyDog) submit their files, I'll run the preseason.

[Vince]

Good times, I'll get my file to you some time this afternoon.

[Vegas Vic]

Still awaiting files from the others.

Let's go, guys. The sooner we crank out the preseason and regular season, we can really get into the meat of the program with free agency and the draft.

[cuervo72]

Just sent mine a few minutes ago, if it went through ok.

[Vegas Vic]

Vince and FBPro, I'm still waiting on your files.

[Vince]

D'oh! Sorry dude. I'll get on that right away.

EDIT: Sent.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Vegas Vic
Thanks.

As soon as the others (minus SkyDog) submit their files, I'll run the preseason. Next stage, I'm going to submit an improper roster (like with only 2 WR's on the active roster, who needs any more than that anyway? :p) and see how that is handled.

[FBPro]

Originally posted by Vegas Vic
Vince and FBPro, I'm still waiting on your files.

I sent mine a few days ago. I can send again if need be.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by FBPro
I sent mine a few days ago. I can send again if need be.

I only got your initial file to begin the game with.

Have you sent the next file with you depth charts and gameplans? If so, I didn't get it. Please re-send.

Thanks.

[Vince]

Vic, mine work out ok? I have this retarded tendency to forget to attach things to my e-mails, and I was doing it late last night after a long day. Just want to make sure that it worked out ok.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by Vince
Vic, mine work out ok? I have this retarded tendency to forget to attach things to my e-mails, and I was doing it late last night after a long day. Just want to make sure that it worked out ok.

Vince, I got yours.

I'm leaving late tonight to fly back to North Carolina for Thanksgiving, and I won't be back until Sunday. I plan on running the preseason and e-mailing the files back to you guys before I leave for the airport. I'll be out of commission until Sunday.

By the way, I hope all of you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Always remember how much you have to be thankful for, and remember those who are less fortunate.

[Buzzbee]

Have a safe flight and enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Oh, and thanks for your efforts so far. I'm sure many of us will forget to thank you once the workload becomes deserving of much greater thanks.

[Vince]

I echo the sentiments expressed above, both to Vegas Vic and to everyone else. Have a happy and safe thanksgiving, everyone!

[Alf]

Is the testing underway ? Can I join the test phase ?

[cthomer5000]

Is anything going on with this?

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
Is anything going on with this?

Yes, sorry for the delay. I had some computer problems which unlicensed the game.

If the participants will e-mail the next stage files, I'll proceed with starting the regular season.

Also, please note -- my e-mail address has changed. Cox Communications has converted from their previous system.

My new e-mail address is [email protected]

[cuervo72]

I'll e-mail mine tonight.

[Buzzbee]

I should be able to email mine in the morning.

Question:

How many games at a time are we simming? Just 1? Several at a time? Considering the initial start date is scheduled for about a month away, I figured we might want to sim several games so that we can get to the off season. In our Kitty Hawk Group Think we simmed 4 games at a time and it seemed to work pretty well. It allowed us to tweak without getting bogged down in the minutiae (sp?).

[cuervo72]

Latest file sent. My team names are different on my machine now, but I don't anticipate that messing up the file.

[Vince]

I was under the impression (possibly false) that we were going to just simulate the entire season so that we could get to the off-season stuff...

[cuervo72]

It's probably fine to simulate a number of games, but we might wish to stop mid-season to test some in season roster moves, etc.

An issue that had come up in FOFL discussions was that you can't import/export an invalid roster, so the AI would have to sign/cut some players theoretically to make the roster ok. It was then suggested though that there is a possibility of processing two sets of owner exports a week, one to process any free agent signings, after which the commish distributes the file, and then another to have the new roster set to sim the games. That way, if someone needs to be cut to pick up someone else because of injury, you will have an opportunity to a) specify who is cut (or put on IR), and b) attempt to sign someone you specify to replace them . This may be preferable to the game seeing that you don't have enough at a certain position and taking matters into its own hands.

I don't know if I've made this entirely clear, but I think this is something we might want to test.

[TRO]

Regarding in-season FA moves, you might want to check out the following: http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18441

[TRO]

Just curious if the league is still breathing...

[Alf]

Not much apparently

[Ben E Lou]

i think so...just waiting on the constitution people to do their thing

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by SkyDog
i think so...just waiting on the constitution people to do their thing

I'm working on this, but have been tied up the last couple of days assisting another league with its draft. ;)

[Samdari]

Originally posted by SkyDog
i think so...just waiting on the constitution people to do their thing

funny, I thought that was waiting on the results of the sim league.

Seriously, what is needed from the constitution people before this league is continued? We sort of need to know to what levels financials can be 'ignored' in the MP simulation, and thus are curious to see how the staff hiring process goes.

[cuervo72]

I don't think there's much to the staff hiring process. You're assigned a coach, coordinator and scout from the outset, so not much you can do there. Now resigning might be an issue, but not initially. It might take a couple seasons of simming to see what limitations there are by the owners on staff hirings, if any.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by cuervo72
I don't think there's much to the staff hiring process. You're assigned a coach, coordinator and scout from the outset, so not much you can do there. Now resigning might be an issue, but not initially. It might take a couple seasons of simming to see what limitations there are by the owners on staff hirings, if any.

Well, we can find out if owners place restrictions on staff hirings in the very first offseason, assuming that someone has chosen a team with one staff member leaving. Offer 100 mil and see what happens....

We kind of need the answer to that since the prevailing opinions seems to be that we should "ignore" financials, but if they play a part in coach hirings, I don't see where this is feasible.

[Vince]

Well, I sent in my league file. I'd think we should get a little role call in action on this test league to see who all is still willing to try some stuff. Also, is there anything we are trying to test in-season now? If not, why not go straight through to post-season?

[cuervo72]

I'm still here, I sent a file last week. I think we should try some different things regarding roster changes, etc. Try to sign a few guys etc.

TRO has pointed out above that FA's will sign with the team with the lowest team number (see the teams.txt file), which will be an issue. Reminds me that until there is a fix, we will need something in the constitution about that. Also we might want to dry run a couple of weeks where there are two submissions; one to process any roster/FA changes (we should intentionally make some), and then the other to set the game plan and depth chart. I believe this will be the way we will want to proceed during the actual season (less AI interaction I think).

[Buzzbee]

I'm here, but very busy. If there are any specific things we want to test, let me know, as I have not sent Vegas Vic my file.

I think we need to decide what we want to accomplish with this dry run and test some things out. Initially I think the idea was to just hop into it and familiarize ourselves with how multiplayer worked. Now that we've been able to tinker with it a while, I think there are some areas where we need to answer some questions, as has been pointed out above. As a result we probably need to devise some specific scenarios and test them out.