FBCB2 discussion: Full version now available

[Buccaneer]

Even in month two, I have 20 on my list - adding new ones that even after the first month, I see no chance which I drop off the list.

[rowech]

So, what is the purpose of the call list? Perhaps this is a major part of the game I'm missing out on? I just assumed it was a way to organize the 20 kids you really want to go after. Is there a benefit to putting a kid on the list?

[Scoobz0202]

I think so Rowech. If I recall I had started recruiting one season without using it and wondered a few months down the road why I wasn't doing so hot. I reloaded a previous save after I noticed that because I think it was that detrimental.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by rowech

So, what is the purpose of the call list? Perhaps this is a major part of the game I'm missing out on? I just assumed it was a way to organize the 20 kids you really want to go after. Is there a benefit to putting a kid on the list?

DING DING DING

This is what you are missing. It is definitely a core part of recruiting, and not just a cosmetic thing. It signals to the recruit you are interested in them, and they then will look at your school and evaluate their interest in you.

[Buccaneer]

cartman is correct.

[SlyBelle1]

Probably a dumb question...after you secure the number of recruits you need to offer scholarships, is there any point to continue recruiting each month? I am assume not, but wasn't sure why the recruiting options just didn't become disabled after that point, unless meant to allow you to see what other schools do.

Second question, is there a report/screen somewhere that grades the recruiting classes of each school and ranks them? If not, how do you know from an overall perspective how well you really did? Or is it more of an individual thing?

[Buccaneer]

Sly, do you mean after all of your scholarships have been accepted? There is no reason to do any recruiting actions after that.

[Scoobz0202]

Once I secure my recruits I stop paying attention to the recruiting page.

In regards to the rankings of your class you should get an email at the end of each season with your overall rank. If you would like a more in-depth review, under the Season tab on the left click History. Second or so from the bottom. Then click REC RANKINGS and there is a bunch of good information there.

[SlyBelle1]

Thanks Buc and scoob, you answered my questions. I thought that was the case about recruiting, seems to make sense.

[SlyBelle1]

Sorry for all these questions, but a couple more.

1) If you cut a player, how do you fill his spot? Or does that spot stay empty all year?

2) I am not that familiar with all the college rules and such. Just started a season where 5 of my players were immediately suspended for academics. Is the college rule they stay on your roster and your stuck with a short bench until they come back?

[rowech]

Well, I just recruited a season with more of a focus on using the call list better. I did this fairly quickly so not quite as much focus as I might normally give but I landed the #80 class in the country. Picked up an all-state SG ranked #156 in the country. A PG ranked #254 in the country. A SF ranked #664 in the country. Fell off trying to get that third guy in the class. I should have jumped off a player and switched and didn't. Paid the price on him.

No clue if moderate success will continue but maybe this will bear some fruit.

[BishopMVP]

If you have players transfer out or leave early for the NBA draft, you'll get additional scholarships to offer at the end of April. Since the only players left are <1000 ranking, it's almost always not worth it, but if you're playing with a small team I'll usually keep scouting (usually the biggest players) and see if I can get a diamond in the rough. Particularly if you know you'll only have 3 post players next year or 2 guards, or 6 Seniors on scholarship I'll scout the JC guys as a quick stopgap that only really wastes a scholarship for one season, since it would be unused anyway their JR year.

(This is FBCB2 obviously. The original I think players declared for the draft after training camp and you could offer their scholarships then. I can see why Brian made the change, but without any high-profile recruits waiting until April to sign it can be frustrating if you know you'll have multiple early entries.)

[hollmt]

Originally Posted by rowech

Well, I just recruited a season with more of a focus on using the call list better. I did this fairly quickly so not quite as much focus as I might normally give but I landed the #80 class in the country. Picked up an all-state SG ranked #156 in the country. A PG ranked #254 in the country. A SF ranked #664 in the country. Fell off trying to get that third guy in the class. I should have jumped off a player and switched and didn't. Paid the price on him.

No clue if moderate success will continue but maybe this will bear some fruit.

i have high hopes for you rowech! i hope all the help everyone is giving you pays off for you. this is a terrific game...yes, im a fanboy, but it is

i think the recruiting feature is almost a game itself. a friend of mine played it this way, where i handled all the recruiting, and spent loads of time on it, and he handled everything else. it is quite fun.

good luck!

[muns]

Originally Posted by SlyBelle1

Sorry for all these questions, but a couple more.

1) If you cut a player, how do you fill his spot? Or does that spot stay empty all year?

2) I am not that familiar with all the college rules and such. Just started a season where 5 of my players were immediately suspended for academics. Is the college rule they stay on your roster and your stuck with a short bench until they come back?

1. You dont your correct. Youll get another walk on the next year to replace the guy you cut.

2. Yes they stay on your roster and they are eligible to come back when the second semester starts (Jan 1).

[muns]

Originally Posted by rowech

Well, I just recruited a season with more of a focus on using the call list better. I did this fairly quickly so not quite as much focus as I might normally give but I landed the #80 class in the country. Picked up an all-state SG ranked #156 in the country. A PG ranked #254 in the country. A SF ranked #664 in the country. Fell off trying to get that third guy in the class. I should have jumped off a player and switched and didn't. Paid the price on him.

No clue if moderate success will continue but maybe this will bear some fruit.

Glad to hear it!!!! Keep us updated. If you ever start over, I would also make sure that your head coach is as close to being maxed out on the recruiting attribute as you can. There is always debate on the other 3, but that one is the most important to max out.

[henry296]

Playing the demo and I quick observation. Why didn't my starters all start the 2nd half? Everyone should be rested.

[Radii]

1) If you cut a player, how do you fill his spot? Or does that spot stay empty all year?

IIRC... correct me if I'm wrong here: If you don't use all your scholarships in a previous year or your roster is a little short you'll load up on walkons, and as long as you cut them before a certain point (maybe before recruiting starts??) you can free up a scholarship or two that way in that specific scenario.

EDIT: I sort of misread the question there, you can't fill the spot that season, duh!

[Icy]

Regarding the call list, i always supposed that having a guy in the call list meant that he was receiving a call every recruiting period, not just a way to organize your possible recruits.

In every other college game, console or text sim, one of the basic actions is to phone call the recruits, and of course it's the minimum step needed to get some interest from them. There is no phone call to X recruit action in FBCB, that is what the call list is for.

[SlyBelle1]

Originally Posted by muns

1. You dont your correct. Youll get another walk on the next year to replace the guy you cut.

2. Yes they stay on your roster and they are eligible to come back when the second semester starts (Jan 1).

Thanks for the answers.....boy, my team would have been really screweed playing the first two months without five players

Just to be clear, does the computer generate walk-ons for you or do you have any say it people you add to your roster as a walk-on?

[Icy]

Originally Posted by SlyBelle1

Thanks for the answers.....boy, my team would have been really screweed playing the first two months without five players

Just to be clear, does the computer generate walk-ons for you or do you have any say it people you add to your roster as a walk-on?

The computer ads the walk-ons and you have nothing to say, but those walk-ons are not randomly generated. The walk-ons are usually players who had interest on you team and that were not given an scholarship by any other team.

[SlyBelle1]

Originally Posted by Icy

The computer ads the walk-ons and you have nothing to say, but those walk-ons are not randomly generated. The walk-ons are usually players who had interest on you team and that were not given an scholarship by any other team.

Great..sounds like a good system.

[Lathum]

WOOt!

Just won my first title in my 27th season at Washington. Had 5 straight top 20 recruiting classes so I am loaded with talent and it all came together for the tournament. I won my games by an average of 23 points, including a 38 point win over Bama in the final 4 and an 18 point win over Mizzou in the finals. I won every game by at least 17.

time for a victory cigar!

[SlyBelle1]

Anyone having an issue with the setup option that allows you to stop simming when an injury occurs on your team? I have turned this option and and used the setting of 0 days and 1 days and my sim never stops when I have an injury. Am I missing something?

[rowech]

I'm not sure if it's just because of the call list but I've seen some success since I stared playing last night. My focus has entirely been on recruiting so I've been flying through the seasons...

2010 -- 18-16, lost in 1st round of NIT, 71st class (6th in B10)
2011 -- 22-14, 3rd place in NIT, 173 class (10th in B10 but only 2 recruits)
2012 -- 13-18, no postseason, 190 class (9th in B10...bad risks on my part)
2013 -- 23-12, lost in 2nd round of NCAA, 148 class (7th in B10)
2014 -- 22-13, lost in 3rd round of NCAA, 61 class (5th in B10)

I think my 2014 class is much better than 61st by the time it's done with but it won't have any kind of core around it as the 2010 class has now graduated.

Hopefully, this moderate success continues. Thanks to all who gave input but I think it might have really been all about the call list and making sure to put players on there.

The 2014 season was tough because I lost my PG in January when the record was probably something like 15-6....fought hard and got in but the seeding tanked and was tough.

[muns]

Originally Posted by rowech

I'm not sure if it's just because of the call list but I've seen some success since I stared playing last night. My focus has entirely been on recruiting so I've been flying through the seasons...

2010 -- 18-16, lost in 1st round of NIT, 71st class (6th in B10)
2011 -- 22-14, 3rd place in NIT, 173 class (10th in B10 but only 2 recruits)
2012 -- 13-18, no postseason, 190 class (9th in B10...bad risks on my part)
2013 -- 23-12, lost in 2nd round of NCAA, 148 class (7th in B10)
2014 -- 22-13, lost in 3rd round of NCAA, 61 class (5th in B10)

I think my 2014 class is much better than 61st by the time it's done with but it won't have any kind of core around it as the 2010 class has now graduated.

Hopefully, this moderate success continues. Thanks to all who gave input but I think it might have really been all about the call list and making sure to put players on there.

The 2014 season was tough because I lost my PG in January when the record was probably something like 15-6....fought hard and got in but the seeding tanked and was tough.

Heck yes!!!! Glad its been a bit better for you.

It is about the call list. Other than writing kids letters (which are usually computer generated and impersonal) the phone call is usually the most important thing to do to start to establish a relationship with a kid.

[britrock88]

Rowech, it actually seems like you're coaching your team up really well in comparison to the recruiting rankings (for instance, a Sweet 16 appearance with a core of a #71 class is a solid outperformance). So you have that going for you.

[dawgfan]

Glad to hear it's going better rowech. I didn't bother mentioning the call list as I just figured you were filling it up each month, but that is almost certainly where you were falling short on guys. If there's a prospect that is "Very High" or "High" in interest in me when recruiting starts and I don't have him on my call list, he almost always drops the next month to "Average" or "Low" - you have to be calling kids that you are interested in or risk letting other schools pass you by.

Sounds like you have it fixed though and things are going a lot better, which is great to hear.

[Lathum]

I've decided to retire at UW and start a career at a small school. Suggestions?

[Scoobz0202]

How small?

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I've decided to retire at UW and start a career at a small school. Suggestions?

One of the Dakota schools are always challenging.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

One of the Dakota schools are always challenging.

South Dakota State it is

[henry296]

I've been playing the demo and have some comments / feedback.

1. Players should return to good condition after halftime. Sometimes some of them are still just ok.

2. I can't call a timeout after a made basket by my team.

3. You shouldn't be able to sub for a non FT shooter after the second made foul shot.

4. I had a situation where I missed a FT with 4 seconds left and the player who got the rebound made a 3 PT without any passes before the clock expired. That seems hard to believe.

5. I was Pitt and had a small recruiting budget (5k per month). Is this because I spent my entire coaching budget? If so, i think it should be more clear that would be the impact.

6. My team can't play D to save my life, but that is probably my problem and not the game

7. I'm really enjoying coaching my games. I think the pace is very good and gives me a good feel for my team.

[henry296]

Dola.

I'd like to see a little more regionalization in the non-conference scheduling. For example, I'd like to see Pitt play the other Pittsburgh schools instead of Arizona / Arizona State / Air Forece. Penn should always play the Big 5 schools. Duke / NC play other North and South Carolina schools.

[henry296]

Another strange thing just happened.

Team called for Technical. After foul shoots there was a media timeout. Then the other team called a timeout before inbouding the ball. If this was supposed to be because of difficulty inbounding the PBP should say so. Otherwise, if this time out was because of a scoring run, then it doesn't make sense to come right after a media timeout.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Lathum

South Dakota State it is

Good luck! Let me know when you breakthrough.

[OldGiants]

Enjoying the demo: thanks to Rowech and all who responded to his questions I have a much better idea of how to play successfully.

There's much to like in the stats and html output, plenty to mull over.

A couple of quick questions:

1) On the team's html output, there is a training facilities entry. It always matches the team prestige number. What is this used for, and does it change over time to something other than mirror the prestige? Can a Boone Pickens come along and pay $1 billion for a wonderful training facility?

2) Is there a way to change the default folder for report outputs?

3) I love the training update report. Do players ratings change during the season, or only after training camp?

When I get back from working out, I'll be buying this.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Good luck! Let me know when you breakthrough.

will do.

When I first start out I fast sim the first 2 seasons, only doing my own recruiting and training. Then by season 3 when I have my own players in I watch the games. Got to season 3 and already am bringing in 2-3 start recruits and beefing my prestige up. What I do in season 2 is schedule all road-home series, so in season 3 when it "matters" I have al home games.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

1) On the team's html output, there is a training facilities entry. It always matches the team prestige number. What is this used for, and does it change over time to something other than mirror the prestige? Can a Boone Pickens come along and pay $1 billion for a wonderful training facility?

I hadn't noticed the link between prestige rating and training facilities, that's interesting.

From what I've seen in playing it, facilities upgrades are tied to your performance - if you impress the AD (by meeting/exceeding his goals), you'll see your yearly budget increase and periodically your training facilities will be upgraded. To my knowledge, there's no "booster" simulation with your facilities randomly upgraded.

I haven't dived into the HTML outputs; whenever I look at my facilities, it's in the AD screen where there is a rating for the facilities, as well as where they rank within your conference.

[gstelmack]

I would guess that the training facilities entry in the HTML is incorrect and copying the wrong field. That field also shows up in-game on one of the team screens, I have to check, but in the FOFC league my training facilities are "0" and my prestige is "9". Facilities upgrade when your AD gets really happy. They affect how much your guys develop (training camp only?), and I *think* may have a minor effect on recruiting.

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by henry296

I've been playing the demo and have some comments / feedback.

1. Players should return to good condition after halftime. Sometimes some of them are still just ok.

2. I can't call a timeout after a made basket by my team.

3. You shouldn't be able to sub for a non FT shooter after the second made foul shot.

4. I had a situation where I missed a FT with 4 seconds left and the player who got the rebound made a 3 PT without any passes before the clock expired. That seems hard to believe.

5. I was Pitt and had a small recruiting budget (5k per month). Is this because I spent my entire coaching budget? If so, i think it should be more clear that would be the impact.

Agree on #s 1 and 2

#3 actually happens in college basketball. I had the same feeling about it initially; however, I think that may be an NBA-only rule.

#4 -- imagine that the miss bounces high and is tipped outside by a tall dude to the SG waiting at the 3-point line...

#5 -- that would have been because you overspent on coaches. The coach hiring screen displays a recommended total coaches salary in the bottom-right corner that is typically in the 60-75% area with respect to the team's total budget.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by britrock88

#5 -- that would have been because you overspent on coaches. The coach hiring screen displays a recommended total coaches salary in the bottom-right corner that is typically in the 60-75% area with respect to the team's total budget.

True, but I think his point is that it would be helpful to put more visibility on the impact to the recruiting budget by how much you spend on coaches. Maybe put additional fields on the coach hiring screen that would give you an updated projection of what your recruiting budget per month would be given your coach salary offers you have out.

It's not a big deal to me - I try to stay in the general range of my recommended coaching salary total, and if I really want to be 100% clear I can run a spreadsheet myself to figure out what my budget will be, but I can see where he's coming from.

[henry296]

Thanks for the feedback. As for #5, I think it makes sense, I didn't even see the information that it would impact recruiting budget. I'll pay more attention next time.

[OldGiants]

Enjoying finally getting to see all my recruiting rankings that I were in my demo saves.

The injury reasons need a bit a work. I've had one player break his jaw twice and miss no time whatsoever each time. In one of the games, another player sprained his wrist and was out for 8 games. Is there a hidden 'wimp' factor?

[Yodi]

I have two suggestions that are more or less cosmetic:

1. Most lists of conferences are alphabetical in the game, even when the user changes the name of the conference. There are two exceptions I have found, on the daily schedule screen and the coach moves screen. I would like it if the conferences were listed alphabetically on these two lists as well, even when the names of the conferences are modified by the used. Basically, have these two lists the same as all the other lists in the game.

2. I would like to see a print screen added for retired coaches.

[henry296]

After coaching almost every game in my demo season, I don't recall any situations where the defense just knocks the ball out of bounds. I think this leads to too many long stretches without a stoppage.

I realize it is a sample of 1, but my final four was a 4,6,10 and 13 seed.

Another thing I would like to see is the +/- during the game and in a box score.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

The injury reasons need a bit a work. I've had one player break his jaw twice and miss no time whatsoever each time. In one of the games, another player sprained his wrist and was out for 8 games. Is there a hidden 'wimp' factor?

Agree. I just saw a player on my team out only 18 days with a fractured hip.

[henry296]

Just bought the full version. After setting up a new career to start with a lower prestige team, I got to the start of the season. I clicked on a day in the future that I thought was my first game and selected Sim to Game. What happened was that I started seeing the PBP of another game and then a second game. For a little bit it was my game. I hit exit to stop simming and got RTE 91. Unfortunately, I didn't save so I have to start all over. Is there an auto-save ability?

[HeavyReign]

What version number is in the bottom of the screen when you start the game henry?

[henry296]

Originally Posted by HeavyReign

What version number is in the bottom of the screen when you start the game henry?

2.1.0

[OldGiants]

Having lots of fun, so the things wrong stand out more starkly.

I had a roster filler walk-on immediately go on academic probation, then he became unhappy at his lack of playing time. "Well, hit the books, son, that's the f-ing point."

Players on probation should not whine about lack of PT.