About to start 6.3a SP career

[albionmoonlight]

I have heard such great things about 6.3a that I thought that I would try and start a full-fledged SP career with it.

A couple of questions. First, should I still let the game run for a dozen or so seasons before I take control to let the initial talent work its way through?

Also, is there a utility cap reduction setting that makes the free agency more realistic?

Thanks.

[Ben E Lou]

A couple of questions. First, should I still let the game run for a dozen or so seasons before I take control to let the initial talent work its way through?I don't think the initial talent is really an issue. I would consider doing it, though, for contract purposes. In the first 6-ish seasons, the AI teams are often reeling from the effects of the initial contracts.

Also, is there a utility cap reduction setting that makes the free agency more realistic?One thing I've found that seems to make the game a little tougher overall and FA a bit more fun is actually playing on Main Street level (the easiest) with high cap range increases. It makes it easier for AI teams to keep their better players. I like to play at Main Street and then limit myself to using only 2/3 of the salary cap.

[davehibb]

I've got a kinda related question.

I'm 15 seasons in to a single player game (6.3a) and the last 2 seasons I've found that not only myself but probably about a third of AI teams are having major cap difficulties.

I've always left the cap settings as they are in the global settings panel and i play the middle financial setting, so I was wondering if there's a recommended value to raise it season on season to stop half the teams in the league ending up going over cap?

I don't think I'm the greatest at cap management but I'm certainly not the worst and a couple of seasons i've had to manage with just 2 or 3 inactive guys on my roster but this last end of season I found myself about $24m over cap and with only 22 guys signed so I did the only decent thing and left the Chargers where I'd won 10 Bowls in 13 visits over the last 15 seasons to go to the Bears who have $70m cap room to play with, a decent bunch of players under contract and the 3rd overall pick. :lol:

[Dandelion]

Here:
41 years (with the last ten or so on Patch 6.3..) on "5th Street" level with the standard cap increase (2.8 to 8 millions/year)
Right now (2049) the cap is at 354 millions. And with 10 of my players becoming free agents next year, including my starting QB and 50% playing time RB, C, LDE and RDE I'll have to do some serious contract renegotiation, as I've already spent 351 millions of next year's cap..

Franchise Salaries for QB / RBs are about like this:
Position / Top / Top 5 Av / Top 20 Av
QB / 59mill / 27 mill / 8.8 mill
RB / 24mill / 10.8mill / 5.25 mill

.. with other positions looking quite like that, too.. LTs are 29mill/17.5mill/7mill for example..

The way to manage the cap for me over all those years was keeping away from top5 personnel and trying to build a successful team from those players between top10 and top20 on their positions and nearly as good backups, as for the "price" of a top5 player I'd get two marginally worse ones, costing less together.. Trying to get players with high Loyalty for Skill Positions helps a bit, too..

Managed a 487-177-1 (.733) normal, 73-17 (.811) playoff record. 34 times in the playoffs, 21 times in the Bowl and won 17 of those..
Those Computer managed teams which seem to follow about the same approach as I do - staying away from top5 players - do quite well too. Others, who spend 50+ millions on a franchise QB often have to fill their roster with "fillers" and their records show that. Many a #1 draftee QB who'll never play in a Bowl (or even playoff game..) on those teams.

I've started a new League now, again on 5th Street level, but with a lower cap increase (2.8 to 5.6mill) to see where that will lead..

[Raiders Army]

Okay, I got home and drank a few beers. I'll preface with that.

Anyhow, I've forayed into MP just once and decided that it wasn't for me. I like to go a lot faster and the method in which MP is done is far more complicated than I want to deal with (with which I want to deal?). So I've played a lot of SP. A LOT.

My recommendations would be to play every season. Jim has done an excellent job of making the game so you don't have to micromanage; but perhaps you form your team through the draft and FA and track the rest of the league. It's less meaningful when you break somebody's record that you fast-simmed through. Then again, that may be your cup of tea...

Also, the financial model is broken. Most teams lose money, and how they get new stadiums built or renovated, I have no idea. IMHO, Ben's advice is sound.

However, I wonder out loud what the effects of no increase or a small increase in the cap would be. Would teams become profitable? I'd say I'd check it out, but I still need to read The Shack because my co-worker is bugging me on my thoughts on it. I don't think I have the time nor the inclination to try to get teams profitable.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the game in SP immensely.