Online Hockey Sim - MetroHO - Page 10

samifan24 · 08-10-2010, 12:52 PM

What's your MetroHo username, Billy? I'll add you to my FOFC friends list.

Capital · 08-11-2010, 11:49 AM

I have always thougth about trying this game but never got around to doing so. I read what's available on the game site, which is not very much - probably more once you sign up, but I have a question about the draft. I understand that the league and playoffs last 30 "real" days but what about the draft? Does everyone need to be present at the same time? Would the computer pick if a person is not there? Just not sure how this works.

RendeR · 08-11-2010, 12:19 PM

You rate the rookies in the draft pool in teh order that you want them, the league you're in then drafts in reverse order of finish, worst team getting the guy they want most, next worst taking the top guy left on their list and so on on down through.

once you set your draft prospects order you really don't need to be there.

samifan24 · 08-11-2010, 12:32 PM

My level 5 league is just entering the playoffs in the next few days so I estimate I'm 12 or so days away from looking for a league. Any FOFC players also looking? I can join a level 4 or an all levels league.

Travis · 08-11-2010, 01:37 PM

I've got two teams currently in the offseason (both level 5) and a third (level 4) about to hit the offseason. I'm considering a bit of a hiatus, but if there is a FOFC heavy league on the go I'd be willing to put a team in.

Capital · 08-12-2010, 02:28 PM

Made the leap last night and started a team. Unfortunately, there was only 1 other team signed up for a level 1 league so I guess I'll have to wait to get the season going. Hopefully, the wait is not too long. I can see how you can get immersed in the league.

Now, if there was only a way to narrow the free agent search options a bit. Trying to find a sniper forward through a million pages takes time...even sorted by position.

Travis · 08-12-2010, 02:45 PM

Use the player search feature. Set the options to sniper, UFA and designate an age and/or rating range if you like.

I never use the FA list, much easier to use the player search and make offers that way.

Capital · 08-12-2010, 03:15 PM

Thanks Travis...I will check that out tonight. The rating range would be important because the game restricts new players to a max rating of 79 for the first 30 days.

Travis · 08-12-2010, 03:20 PM

You can also use it to try and find some bargains.

For example, set the current rating max to 79 but original rating minimum to 80 with a max of 100.

You may find some veteran types who are on the decline (currently rated under 80) who had an initial rating of 80+ so you could use your staff to restore them to an 80+ level.

Usually those guys are only good to sign for a year as they'll start declining faster than you can restore them, but it's a nice way to flesh out those lower lines.

Capital · 08-20-2010, 02:07 PM

Does it matter when you "drill" your player? In other words, if I set the drill before I play my games that day, will my players be fatigued?

I've had minor success with drill. My thought is to keep using drill on the young players and hope they improve.

Any thoughts?

Travis · 08-20-2010, 02:35 PM

The fatigue listing you see there (unless there has been a change to this in the past two weeks) is only to show that you can't drill them again that day, it in no way affects their in game performance.

As for drills, my understanding is that age doesn't really matter but rating does, so the lower the current rating, the better the chance of your drill hitting a +1 or +2. I usually factor age/contract length into determining who I want to drill, but past that it's luck of the draw. I'll usually try and drill players up to around 85 and goalies to 94.

Ajaxab · 08-20-2010, 03:05 PM

I just finished up my first season playing the game. I'm not sure what to make of it. Somehow, we managed to finish 3rd in a level 5 public league. But somehow, a team with 2.5 million credits and 13 seasons of experience ended up in my league. They went 66-6. If the game allows teams like that in a level 5 league on a consistent basis, I'm not sure how motivated I am to keep on playing. I guess I'll see how the playoffs go and take it from there.

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

I just finished up my first season playing the game. I'm not sure what to make of it. Somehow, we managed to finish 3rd in a level 5 public league. But somehow, a team with 2.5 million credits and 13 seasons of experience ended up in my league. They went 66-6. If the game allows teams like that in a level 5 league on a consistent basis, I'm not sure how motivated I am to keep on playing. I guess I'll see how the playoffs go and take it from there.

That team is a level five team because that's simply the highest level of the game. My team won like six games this year against the very best in the league. We got demoted to level four and I'm ok with that. Yes, we were technically level five but were no where close to as powerful as the other teams in our league, three of which were in the top 10 in the entire game.

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 12:40 AM

I read that player ratings increase naturally until age 24 so, basically, you can drill anyone but it's probably best to drill younger guys (21 or younger) to increase their skills.

Ajaxab · 08-21-2010, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samifan24

That team is a level five team because that's simply the highest level of the game. My team won like six games this year against the very best in the league. We got demoted to level four and I'm ok with that. Yes, we were technically level five but were no where close to as powerful as the other teams in our league, three of which were in the top 10 in the entire game.

Oops, I completely botched that explanation. This was a level 1 public league, not a level 5 league. 66-6 against a bunch of us noobs. The second place team had played 4 seasons, but the rest of us were completely new to the game. I'm not sure how the assigning of teams to a level 1 league works, but putting in a 13 season vet with that many credits was pretty poor.

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

Oops, I completely botched that explanation. This was a level 1 public league, not a level 5 league. 66-6 against a bunch of us noobs. The second place team had played 4 seasons, but the rest of us were completely new to the game. I'm not sure how the assigning of teams to a level 1 league works, but putting in a 13 season vet with that many credits was pretty poor.

Ok, yes, that's different. That's a user that has tricked the system. My guess is he plays all levels leagues a lot to avoid being promoted. He would've been automatically promoted to level two after winning your league, though. What's his team ID? I can talk to Adam about it if you'd like. That shouldn't happen.

Ajaxab · 08-21-2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samifan24

Ok, yes, that's different. That's a user that has tricked the system. My guess is he plays all levels leagues a lot to avoid being promoted. He would've been automatically promoted to level two after winning your league, though. What's his team ID? I can talk to Adam about it if you'd like. That shouldn't happen.

The team is the Hamilton Coyotes, ID 2471. He's played 3 seasons in level 2 and the rest in level 1.

Maybe it's a fluke that he has that many credits, but strangely, when I checked this morning I thought I saw that he has a little over 1,000,000 credits. Now it's up to just shy of 2,000,000. I could be wrong on that though. Maybe his level 5 arena helps with getting that many credits.

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

The team is the Hamilton Coyotes, ID 2471. He's played 3 seasons in level 2 and the rest in level 1.

Maybe it's a fluke that he has that many credits, but strangely, when I checked this morning I thought I saw that he has a little over 1,000,000 credits. Now it's up to just shy of 2,000,000. I could be wrong on that though. Maybe his level 5 arena helps with getting that many credits.

He's legit. Look at his last couple of seasons at level one prior to your league. He had 40+ wins each year but wasn't promoted because he finished 3rd or lower (I believe you must finish 1st or 2nd to gain promotion to the next level.) Basically he always plays in really competitive level one leagues and did so until he ran the table in your league.

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 12:53 PM

Have any of you guys run into problems with specific users on MetroHo?

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

I reported a blatantly one-sided trade in my league but as far as I know nothing came of it.

Did you ask Adam about it?

samifan24 · 08-21-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

I e-mailed admin with the details and didn't hear anything back beyond confirmation that they got the e-mail.

Oh well. They're usually pretty responsive about things. I actually meant if you've had any run-ins with other users on the forums, for example.

BillyNYC · 08-21-2010, 11:01 PM

samifan: sorry for lack of response. Looks like a pretty good deal you made. Hope it works out. My username there is Billynyc, same as here.

re: A team dominating level 1: There are no age limits in a level. As long as a team wasn't promoted to level 2 (or was demoted from level 2...), they can be in a level 1. There has been talk of making "new team only" level 1's, but nothing has come of it.

re: ripoff trade: Report it in the suspicious trades forum on the site. That part of the forums is pretty active and honestly people have a bit of a witchhunt mentality. If something is suspicious, they will look at it.

re: drills: Depends on where your team's at and how many drillable players you have. Definitely drill younger guys and also guys near level bumps (80, 85, 90, 95). The skill jump from 84 to 85 is alot bigger than 83 to 84. At higher levels, obviously need higher skills players. I still drill my 97 goalie everyday (94 goalies just don't cut it past Level 3) and have been drilling some 94 skaters to try to get them to 95.

re: credits: My level 5 arena gets me around 1M credits/game, so the jump from 1M to 2M sounds right for that guy.

re: my team: Blew a 5 game lead to lose Dominance by 1 game. I didn't lose it as much as other team won it, as they won 17 straight at one point. After 12 seasons, am in my first ever Finals. The Dominance team got upset in the other semifinal. It's a public league, so 3 game final. Tomorrow is game 3, so I play with everything on the line: My first Metrocup, promotion to level 5. My team's better (PR #15 vs #51) and was 3-1 at home against him in reg season as well as winning Game 1 handily...but I'm still uptight and expect the worst. We shall see. Cupboard is FAR from bare, so I should be as strong next season. Still, would be nice to do battle at Level 5 with the big boys.

BillyNYC · 08-22-2010, 02:31 AM

Game 3

I was nervous about this, maybe moreso than someone who's been playing online sims for more than 10 years should be. I was the favorite. A win and I go to Level 5, which has always been a goal of mine. Secondarily (oddly enough), I'd win my first ever MetroCup.

When I checked the preview, was surprised to see my PR up to #9, after having been #17 the day prior. The 15-team Level 5 league ended yesterday so lots of those teams were in offseason.

Would I be joining most of them in a new Level 5?

I didn't dare quicksim this. If I lost with the better team, I'd regret it. I wanted to play it out myself. I tend to follow a typical scheme to my playing: I get the rounds out of the way with my worst lines (leaving a few for my PK line if needed) and so I have my top line play late in the period. So if I get through the first half, I view it as going downhill for the second.

Press or trap? My opponent (The Bob Ross) is a press team and for most of the season, I was as well. My defense is strong (all 90+), so I like having more shots than less. Both our goalies were 97, so felt like he'd have a better chance at the upset with less chances. Press it was.

First Period

I start with a mix of normal and conservative with my 3rd and 2nd lines. Nothing notable until the 7th round:

7 The Bob Ross Goal scored by #15 Forward Frederick Blaisdell assisted by Forward Bobby Figuera AND #97 Forward Jeremy Roenick.

Down 1-0. He was outshooting me. And yes, he has a player named Jeremy Roenick.

Fine...I can do this. Just stick with my game. Period starts to wind down:

16 The Shaolin Landfills Penalty to Defenseman Tyree Bullett 5 rounds for Slashing Defenseman Lamont Widmer.

^$(($%$%^@%%@!!!! I had saved my PK line for a few rounds. But not the 4 until the end of the period.

20 The Bob Ross POWER PLAY Goal scored by #25 Defenseman Lamont Widmer assisted by Defenseman Cornell Houser AND #13 Forward Darryl Debroux.

OK this isn't good. Somehow was outshot 17-12 in the period. Down 2-0. I can still do this. Right?

2nd Period
I decided I was being too conservative. Used mostly "normal" in the 1st. Moved to "aggressive" in the 2nd. My offense is better than his. I need to generate chances.

And nothing happened. First half of period goes without any action. I kill a penalty in 13th round.

16, 17, 18, 19...

20 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Brent Folkner assisted by Defenseman Samuel Golubev AND Forward Gilbert Laperle.

A lifeline, just when I was thinking all was lost. Folkner's one of my favorite "pieces of data", having been a "bust" of a first round draft pick (63 rating). Then he increased via drilling...and increased...and increased. Now he's a 96 and will be on my squad for 3 more seasons with his cheap $1.5M contract. I didn't give up on him.

2-1 Bob Ross, end of 2. I outshot them 17-10 in the 2nd.

Third Period
I'm in this game and have the better team. Can't get frantic. Just need the next goal and take my chances. Bob Ross hadn't had a penalty called on them all game. I was due.

First few minutes pass. Nothing happening. And then...

8 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Pablo Lehto assisted by Forward Mike Benskin AND Forward Alexander Threats.

And we have a tie! 2-2! Lehto was playing his last game for me. I had traded for him a few years back when I had too many snipers. His $400k/year contract made him almost like a rental. He would not be re-signed.

OK, so now what? No reason to change strategies or be cute. 10th and 11th minutes pass. I have all 7 rounds of my top line to go. Advantage me.

12 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Gilbert Laperle assisted by Forward Brent Folkner AND Forward Radek Schwegel.

And I come all the way back! Laperle and my top D Golubev had come in a trade 5 seasons back for a bunch of prospects. He had scored 51 for me in the regular season, one short of the league lead. I am considering trading him in offseason, as his $7.5M salary is a bit much, although cheap for his 95 rating.

Let's slow it down. But not too much. "Normal" play style...

13 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Radek Schwegel assisted by Forward Brent Folkner AND Defenseman Jose Stensrud.

Insurance! And 4 in a row. Schwegel was a 3rd round pick more than a calendar year ago. Since then he went from a 69 rating up to his current 90. He was a 4th liner for 5 seasons. Prior to this year, he never scored more than 10 goals or 51 points. Centering a line with Folkner and Laperle, he racked up 33 goals and a league-high 105 points in this breakout season. I don't make very many trades, so he's another guy who I developed and like Folkner, he is signed a few more seasons.

Now "conservative". I don't need more goals. I just need to stop them.

15, 16, 17, 18, 19....20.

YOUR TEAM DEFEATED The Bob Ross. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE WON THE METRO CUP!

Wow. That was more stressful than expected. And I'm happier than expected. Ends up I didn't get even ONE power play, so had to earn this win. I outshot Bob Ross 42-41. After a shaky start, Kris Idol, my goalie kept me in the game and got the win.

Idol was drafted as a 17 year old, 92 rated keeper. He had bumped to 94 before that offseason, so never had a chance to sign him for fairly cheap. I decided to not sign him until he was high 90s and then do a 3-year rookie contract with him. In the next 5 seasons, he increased only 3 points to his current 97. I finally signed him this year and he's been the league's best goalie in this, his rookie season.

And now, next season, he'll be key to me not getting run over in Level 5. Hurrah.

chesapeake · 08-24-2010, 11:09 AM

Any other level 1 folks about ready to start league play? I've got a couple more deals I am hoping to close in the next day or two to fill out my roster, and then the Blue Crabs will be looking for a league.

I felt pretty good about our debut season, 31-41 and a 7th place finish. More importantly, I won 20 home games and my star sniper got 76 pts to meet both of my endorsement goals.

samifan24 · 08-24-2010, 07:34 PM

For anyone currently in the off-season, I have the following players available for trade:

93 OD at 5 mil for 1 season
92 PLY at 6.76 mil for 1 season
83 CHK at 1.5 mil for 1 season
74 OD at 400K for 5 seasons

samifan24 · 08-27-2010, 09:55 AM

If anyone is looking for an all levels league, the league I just joined (Max Attack) still needs four teams. It seems like a pretty balanced league. We have one level five (PR 80), a few weaker or rebuilding level fours (like me) and then teams from the lower levels, too. Feel free to join if you're looking for a league or want to get back into the game (I noticed some FOFC friends seem to have gone inactive over there).

samifan24 · 08-31-2010, 10:48 AM

What does everyone think about line combinations? My relatively unremarkable third line of 80 2W-81 PLY-80 SNP is really playing well at the moment. At first I thought it was just a fluke but after a few games I'm wondering if I didn't accidentally stumble upon a "good" line structure. Have you found other line combinations that really work and don't work?

chesapeake · 08-31-2010, 11:27 AM

I assume you are playing the 2W very defensively? Will he make enough hits consistently to get your two more offensive players the puck?

Travis · 08-31-2010, 11:30 AM

Re: Line Combos

Almost always put your most playmakerish guy in the middle (so playmaker or two way forward). Put your most defensive guy on the left side (checker-two way-power forward) and your most offensive guy on the right side (sniper-playmaker).

I tend to try and avoid doubling up on styles so you end up with something like this:

Offensive line: Power - Play - Sniper
Balanced: Checker/TW - Play - Sniper/Power
Defensive: Checker - Two Way - Sniper/Playmaker (preferably sniper here)

RW is the position that sits off when you're penalized, hence having your most offensive minded player at that spot. Past that I've had a lot of success with the sort of line you're suggesting without having to alter any of their individual offensive/defensive settings.

samifan24 · 08-31-2010, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesapeake

I assume you are playing the 2W very defensively? Will he make enough hits consistently to get your two more offensive players the puck?

My settings for that line are 2WF: +2 DEF / PLY: +1 DEF / SNP: +0.5 OFF

samifan24 · 08-31-2010, 12:12 PM

Do you guys only use playmakers or two-ways as centers? I have a checker as my 4th line center between a PF and a sniper and they've all been quiet in albeit limited ice time.

Travis · 08-31-2010, 12:24 PM

I have no idea if the mechanics of the game measure up to my thought process on the matter, but it seems to have worked out well for me sticking exclusively to PM and TW as my centers then going with offensive types down the right side and defensive types down the left.

That said, I really didn't get into tweaking tactics guy by guy and instead relied on getting player types/ratings to match my needs so moving the offensive/defensive sliders for guys on that line may increase their production. Given those 3 guys though, I'd probably run the PF in the middle, keep the SN on the right and have the CH on the left side.

samifan24 · 08-31-2010, 01:29 PM

Are you still playing the game? I thought I send you a mail message but never heard back.

Travis · 08-31-2010, 01:45 PM

Which account? I hadn't been on the site for about a week (taking a break until ball is over in a couple weeks) so I may have missed it. I just tried checking but I'm not seeing anything on any of them (sorry if I missed it prior to that even).

samifan24 · 08-31-2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

Which account? I hadn't been on the site for about a week (taking a break until ball is over in a couple weeks) so I may have missed it. I just tried checking but I'm not seeing anything on any of them (sorry if I missed it prior to that even).

I don't remember honestly. Good to know you're still there because some of my other FOFC contacts have stopped playing I think.

Travis · 08-31-2010, 02:37 PM

I'm not sure what I'm going to do. This summer got so nutty with sports and holidays that I figured it was a good time for a break. I've got all 3 of my teams ready for leagues (lineup requirements met, coaching staff hired, etc) so that part is at least out of the way. I'm still trying to check the forums every now and then in case there are any major changes but I may just bring back 1 team for a while and see how it goes. Certainly a fun game and I stuck with 3 teams for quite a while, so we'll see what happens.

chesapeake · 11-01-2010, 08:35 PM

I just got promoted to level 2 after my third season. My team isn't going to be ready to join the level 2 league that is now forming; but as I look it over, my team is at least a season or two in development behind even the worst teams. I expect that I'd very likely relegate to level 1 without a lot of luck.

So, if I am going to take my lumps this season while I develop my younger guys, should I do it in a level 2 league and probably relegate back to 1, or should I try and join a private league and wait to join a level 2 league when I am actually competitive?

If anyone wants to take a look at my team, we are the Chesapeake Blue Crabs, #4464.

samifan24 · 11-01-2010, 10:36 PM

If I were you I'd stay in an all levels league where you won't be relegated and try to pick up a top draft pick and sell off all expiring veterans to playoff caliber teams to expedite your rebuilding process.

dbd1963 · 11-02-2010, 01:57 AM

How many FOFC folk are still playing MetroHo?

I'm managing the Pewter Pots, ID 1856. I'd like to get into an FOFC league if there are still any around. I'm early in a public level 2 right now though.

samifan24 · 11-02-2010, 06:31 AM

I'm playing, The Whale, and am stuck in an all levels league with a lot of top 100 PR teams. I'm a weak level four and am not really a fan of the high PR teams crushing all levels leagues just because they can. I told Adam he should add more league customization options which would allow league creators (donators) to restrict teams that can sign up by PR.

BillyNYC · 11-02-2010, 10:09 AM

Tough to restrict by PR, as lots of ways around that (join, then sign a player afterwards, or put backups in lineup, etc). I agree it blows when a top tier team beats up on an all-level league.

As for me, I'm staying afloat in Level 5 15-team leagues. Last season, went 0-5 on final day of season to lose out on a playoff spot. (Choke!) This season, finished 7th and will take on Richmond Hill in first round (and likely get stomped).

My team's consistently top 20 PR, but I have the same problem I have in just about all "dynasty" games I play: my natural tendency is to build for the future, so I lack the balls to sacrifice that for the present. I could've traded picks and some prospects and had a top 5 PR team anytime the last 2 seasons...and haven't.

Guess it goes back to what's "better": a consistently good team (that has a shot at winning titles) or a team that goes back and forth between being a very strong contender and rebuilding.

Right now, I'm at the point where I can probably keep my team top 40 in PR indefinitely. Yet rarely will I ever be top 10.

I look at trogdor (New Bedford Hax), whose team went 4-68 in my league and who tanked from the start. He has 5-6 1st round picks and will be really strong in a few seasons (stronger than me probably). Yet I can't make myself tank like that...and one of my goals is to never be relegated...maybe I should though.

samifan24 · 11-02-2010, 12:29 PM

How do you get your team to be so strong so consistently? Is it a goalie and top defensemen? The right line combinations? We're friends on there so feel free to check out my team and message me there and let me know what you think of my team.

BillyNYC · 11-02-2010, 01:38 PM

Will check your team later tonight or tomorrow.

I think the key to consistency is threefold: drafting, drilling, and contracts.

My draft starts today and I know with my 3 picks, I'll get something decent. I don't draft guys below 65 (other than 3rds in drafts with lots of sandwich picks. My current draft has enough sandwiches that my 3rd sandwich would be equal to a FIFTH rounder).

Already having a Level 5 arena, I can focus on scouting. Understanding the algorithm (essentially, the greater the positive between scout rank and pop rank, the better a player is) is vital...and misunderstood even by veteran teams. Someone's going to draft a guy pop rank 10, scout rank 25...and not even understand that a guy pop rank 40, scout rank 35 is probably 10-15 RATINGS POINTS better. (Above example is assuming a 15-team pool.) Then they're going to say how unlucky they are or that the draft sucks. NO luck is involved in that decision.

By keeping a pipeline going, it builds my team and gives me blocks to deal for even more picks and other things.

The second key is drilling. As a level 5 arena, with supporter, I get 19 drills. I can't even imagine having less. I NEED to drill my young 80s-low 90s guys. I NEED to drill my draft picks (or package and deal them if I can't drill). And I need to every single day. I don't miss days.

I try to avoid rotating guys. I have 19 guys that I drill every single day. (Sometimes 20-21, which I'll rotate slightly...). If I have more than 21, I'll deal a few for future picks or try to package 2-for-1. You get much more value out of 3 GREAT guys than 5 GOOD guys. If rotating costs a guy 1 pt a season...over 5 seasons of drills, that's 5 pts. Not small.

In coming seasons, I'll be at a disadvantage compared to some teams that understand the betting algorithm (which I've become too lazy to look into...open to suggestions). With the re-drill "prize", some teams will have 21 drills versus my 19. Not a HUGE advantage, but a few points a season is not negligible.

Other tip:
I like keeping guys unsigned or on one-year deals until they're either 79 or 84 (74 for level 1-2/new teams). It's huge to have cheap contracts for a long time. If an unsigned guy's at 79 with only a few days to go in the season, I'll stop drilling him. Then next season, sign 1 yr rookie contract and re-sign 8 years. So I get an 80+ guy for 9 seasons at $1/$1.5. (Or $3M at 84).

Houy, Gilday, Nies, Che are all signed to rookie deals that way. There's a chance I lose 1-2 of them as RFAs...but then I'd just take the free draft picks and repeat. With constant drilling, I end up with guys like Lipman and Foxwell....90+ guys for cheap for a long time.

The focus is more on cheap contracts than on positions or even needs. I figure I can always deal a good contract for a need. Can't do the reverse.

Different people have different signing strategies (see Kehmesis's articles in newsletters), but the above works for me.

dbd1963 · 11-02-2010, 05:11 PM

I really think that MetroHo has some good mechanics, and it's very easy to use, but it has some strange peculiarities that diminish the joy for me. Why should there be so many great FAs, for instance? And how realistic is it that we want to sign these youngsters to long term contracts then dump them when they are at the top of their game?

I asked around to see if that bothered anyone else, and the consensus seems to be, not at all. Players of the game like it the way it is, even if it isn't realistic. But I've gone looking for "press" for MetroHo, and it's dang hard to find (except for Adam's tweets). The game seems to have a pretty small fan base and it hasn't been growing. If I were the game owner, that'd bug me, but I'm not so it doesn't matter what I think.

IN ANY EVENT, when I went looking for press for MetroHo, I came across another hockey sim that looks quite a bit deeper in terms of realism and strategy. It's called Hockey Arena.

http://www.hockeyarena.net/

Have any of you guys tried that yet? I just started up a team over there and have played my first game today. So far I like it, but I haven't gotten very far.

I don't know what it is about hockey -- I never watch it on TV, but it does make for a compelling sim.

I'd MUCH rather play FOF as a browser based text sim, but even if I could, I'd probably still play the hockey sims.

tucker rocky · 11-02-2010, 05:58 PM

Another good idea is to use your excess cash(if you have any), claim 90+ waiver players in the league you're playing in, then trade them for picks/prospects.

You could also sign a bunch of 90+ players to 1 year deals, join a league,
wait until league fills up, then trade for picks/prospects.

Don't sign 90+ UFA's in the offseason, then trade them before joining a league, as this is not allowed.

samifan24 · 11-02-2010, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tucker rocky

Another good idea is to use your excess cash(if you have any), claim 90+ waiver players in the league you're playing in, then trade them for picks/prospects.

You could also sign a bunch of 90+ players to 1 year deals, join a league,
wait until league fills up, then trade for picks/prospects.

Don't sign 90+ UFA's in the offseason, then trade them before joining a league, as this is not allowed.

I have a pretty good core of young players and always sign a couple of 90+ vets each season. If my team tanks, I move them for picks or prospects. It works pretty well.

08-10-2010, 12:52 PM	#451
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	What's your MetroHo username, Billy? I'll add you to my FOFC friends list. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-11-2010, 12:19 PM	#453
RendeR Coordinator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Buffalo, NY	You rate the rookies in the draft pool in teh order that you want them, the league you're in then drafts in reverse order of finish, worst team getting the guy they want most, next worst taking the top guy left on their list and so on on down through. once you set your draft prospects order you really don't need to be there. __________________ http://wotlabs.net/s...8/signature.png http://wotlabs.net/sig_dark/na/banichi18/signature.png

08-11-2010, 12:32 PM	#454
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	My level 5 league is just entering the playoffs in the next few days so I estimate I'm 12 or so days away from looking for a league. Any FOFC players also looking? I can join a level 4 or an all levels league. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-11-2010, 01:37 PM	#455
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	I've got two teams currently in the offseason (both level 5) and a third (level 4) about to hit the offseason. I'm considering a bit of a hiatus, but if there is a FOFC heavy league on the go I'd be willing to put a team in. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-12-2010, 02:45 PM	#458
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	Use the player search feature. Set the options to sniper, UFA and designate an age and/or rating range if you like. I never use the FA list, much easier to use the player search and make offers that way. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-11-2010, 11:49 AM	#452
Capital High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000	I have always thougth about trying this game but never got around to doing so. I read what's available on the game site, which is not very much - probably more once you sign up, but I have a question about the draft. I understand that the league and playoffs last 30 "real" days but what about the draft? Does everyone need to be present at the same time? Would the computer pick if a person is not there? Just not sure how this works.

08-12-2010, 02:28 PM	#457
Capital High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000	Made the leap last night and started a team. Unfortunately, there was only 1 other team signed up for a level 1 league so I guess I'll have to wait to get the season going. Hopefully, the wait is not too long. I can see how you can get immersed in the league. Now, if there was only a way to narrow the free agent search options a bit. Trying to find a sniper forward through a million pages takes time...even sorted by position.

08-12-2010, 03:15 PM	#459
Capital High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000	Thanks Travis...I will check that out tonight. The rating range would be important because the game restricts new players to a max rating of 79 for the first 30 days.

08-12-2010, 03:20 PM	#460
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	You can also use it to try and find some bargains. For example, set the current rating max to 79 but original rating minimum to 80 with a max of 100. You may find some veteran types who are on the decline (currently rated under 80) who had an initial rating of 80+ so you could use your staff to restore them to an 80+ level. Usually those guys are only good to sign for a year as they'll start declining faster than you can restore them, but it's a nice way to flesh out those lower lines. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-20-2010, 02:07 PM	#461
Capital High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000	Does it matter when you "drill" your player? In other words, if I set the drill before I play my games that day, will my players be fatigued? I've had minor success with drill. My thought is to keep using drill on the young players and hope they improve. Any thoughts?

08-20-2010, 02:35 PM	#462
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	The fatigue listing you see there (unless there has been a change to this in the past two weeks) is only to show that you can't drill them again that day, it in no way affects their in game performance. As for drills, my understanding is that age doesn't really matter but rating does, so the lower the current rating, the better the chance of your drill hitting a +1 or +2. I usually factor age/contract length into determining who I want to drill, but past that it's luck of the draw. I'll usually try and drill players up to around 85 and goalies to 94. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-20-2010, 03:05 PM	#463
Ajaxab College Benchwarmer Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Far from home	I just finished up my first season playing the game. I'm not sure what to make of it. Somehow, we managed to finish 3rd in a level 5 public league. But somehow, a team with 2.5 million credits and 13 seasons of experience ended up in my league. They went 66-6. If the game allows teams like that in a level 5 league on a consistent basis, I'm not sure how motivated I am to keep on playing. I guess I'll see how the playoffs go and take it from there.

08-21-2010, 12:40 AM	#465
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	I read that player ratings increase naturally until age 24 so, basically, you can drill anyone but it's probably best to drill younger guys (21 or younger) to increase their skills. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-21-2010, 12:53 PM	#470
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	Have any of you guys run into problems with specific users on MetroHo? __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-21-2010, 11:01 PM	#475
BillyNYC High School JV Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Berlin, Germany	samifan: sorry for lack of response. Looks like a pretty good deal you made. Hope it works out. My username there is Billynyc, same as here. re: A team dominating level 1: There are no age limits in a level. As long as a team wasn't promoted to level 2 (or was demoted from level 2...), they can be in a level 1. There has been talk of making "new team only" level 1's, but nothing has come of it. re: ripoff trade: Report it in the suspicious trades forum on the site. That part of the forums is pretty active and honestly people have a bit of a witchhunt mentality. If something is suspicious, they will look at it. re: drills: Depends on where your team's at and how many drillable players you have. Definitely drill younger guys and also guys near level bumps (80, 85, 90, 95). The skill jump from 84 to 85 is alot bigger than 83 to 84. At higher levels, obviously need higher skills players. I still drill my 97 goalie everyday (94 goalies just don't cut it past Level 3) and have been drilling some 94 skaters to try to get them to 95. re: credits: My level 5 arena gets me around 1M credits/game, so the jump from 1M to 2M sounds right for that guy. re: my team: Blew a 5 game lead to lose Dominance by 1 game. I didn't lose it as much as other team won it, as they won 17 straight at one point. After 12 seasons, am in my first ever Finals. The Dominance team got upset in the other semifinal. It's a public league, so 3 game final. Tomorrow is game 3, so I play with everything on the line: My first Metrocup, promotion to level 5. My team's better (PR #15 vs #51) and was 3-1 at home against him in reg season as well as winning Game 1 handily...but I'm still uptight and expect the worst. We shall see. Cupboard is FAR from bare, so I should be as strong next season. Still, would be nice to do battle at Level 5 with the big boys. Last edited by BillyNYC : 08-22-2010 at 12:05 AM.

08-22-2010, 02:31 AM	#476
BillyNYC High School JV Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Berlin, Germany	Game 3 I was nervous about this, maybe moreso than someone who's been playing online sims for more than 10 years should be. I was the favorite. A win and I go to Level 5, which has always been a goal of mine. Secondarily (oddly enough), I'd win my first ever MetroCup. When I checked the preview, was surprised to see my PR up to #9, after having been #17 the day prior. The 15-team Level 5 league ended yesterday so lots of those teams were in offseason. Would I be joining most of them in a new Level 5? I didn't dare quicksim this. If I lost with the better team, I'd regret it. I wanted to play it out myself. I tend to follow a typical scheme to my playing: I get the rounds out of the way with my worst lines (leaving a few for my PK line if needed) and so I have my top line play late in the period. So if I get through the first half, I view it as going downhill for the second. Press or trap? My opponent (The Bob Ross) is a press team and for most of the season, I was as well. My defense is strong (all 90+), so I like having more shots than less. Both our goalies were 97, so felt like he'd have a better chance at the upset with less chances. Press it was. First Period I start with a mix of normal and conservative with my 3rd and 2nd lines. Nothing notable until the 7th round: 7 The Bob Ross Goal scored by #15 Forward Frederick Blaisdell assisted by Forward Bobby Figuera AND #97 Forward Jeremy Roenick. Down 1-0. He was outshooting me. And yes, he has a player named Jeremy Roenick. Fine...I can do this. Just stick with my game. Period starts to wind down: 16 The Shaolin Landfills Penalty to Defenseman Tyree Bullett 5 rounds for Slashing Defenseman Lamont Widmer. ^$(($%$%^@%%@!!!! I had saved my PK line for a few rounds. But not the 4 until the end of the period. 20 The Bob Ross POWER PLAY Goal scored by #25 Defenseman Lamont Widmer assisted by Defenseman Cornell Houser AND #13 Forward Darryl Debroux. OK this isn't good. Somehow was outshot 17-12 in the period. Down 2-0. I can still do this. Right? 2nd Period I decided I was being too conservative. Used mostly "normal" in the 1st. Moved to "aggressive" in the 2nd. My offense is better than his. I need to generate chances. And nothing happened. First half of period goes without any action. I kill a penalty in 13th round. 16, 17, 18, 19... 20 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Brent Folkner assisted by Defenseman Samuel Golubev AND Forward Gilbert Laperle. A lifeline, just when I was thinking all was lost. Folkner's one of my favorite "pieces of data", having been a "bust" of a first round draft pick (63 rating). Then he increased via drilling...and increased...and increased. Now he's a 96 and will be on my squad for 3 more seasons with his cheap $1.5M contract. I didn't give up on him. 2-1 Bob Ross, end of 2. I outshot them 17-10 in the 2nd. Third Period I'm in this game and have the better team. Can't get frantic. Just need the next goal and take my chances. Bob Ross hadn't had a penalty called on them all game. I was due. First few minutes pass. Nothing happening. And then... 8 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Pablo Lehto assisted by Forward Mike Benskin AND Forward Alexander Threats. And we have a tie! 2-2! Lehto was playing his last game for me. I had traded for him a few years back when I had too many snipers. His $400k/year contract made him almost like a rental. He would not be re-signed. OK, so now what? No reason to change strategies or be cute. 10th and 11th minutes pass. I have all 7 rounds of my top line to go. Advantage me. 12 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Gilbert Laperle assisted by Forward Brent Folkner AND Forward Radek Schwegel. And I come all the way back! Laperle and my top D Golubev had come in a trade 5 seasons back for a bunch of prospects. He had scored 51 for me in the regular season, one short of the league lead. I am considering trading him in offseason, as his $7.5M salary is a bit much, although cheap for his 95 rating. Let's slow it down. But not too much. "Normal" play style... 13 The Shaolin Landfills Goal scored by Forward Radek Schwegel assisted by Forward Brent Folkner AND Defenseman Jose Stensrud. Insurance! And 4 in a row. Schwegel was a 3rd round pick more than a calendar year ago. Since then he went from a 69 rating up to his current 90. He was a 4th liner for 5 seasons. Prior to this year, he never scored more than 10 goals or 51 points. Centering a line with Folkner and Laperle, he racked up 33 goals and a league-high 105 points in this breakout season. I don't make very many trades, so he's another guy who I developed and like Folkner, he is signed a few more seasons. Now "conservative". I don't need more goals. I just need to stop them. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19....20. YOUR TEAM DEFEATED The Bob Ross. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE WON THE METRO CUP! Wow. That was more stressful than expected. And I'm happier than expected. Ends up I didn't get even ONE power play, so had to earn this win. I outshot Bob Ross 42-41. After a shaky start, Kris Idol, my goalie kept me in the game and got the win. Idol was drafted as a 17 year old, 92 rated keeper. He had bumped to 94 before that offseason, so never had a chance to sign him for fairly cheap. I decided to not sign him until he was high 90s and then do a 3-year rookie contract with him. In the next 5 seasons, he increased only 3 points to his current 97. I finally signed him this year and he's been the league's best goalie in this, his rookie season. And now, next season, he'll be key to me not getting run over in Level 5. Hurrah. Last edited by BillyNYC : 08-22-2010 at 02:40 AM.

08-24-2010, 11:09 AM	#477
chesapeake College Starter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arlington, VA	Any other level 1 folks about ready to start league play? I've got a couple more deals I am hoping to close in the next day or two to fill out my roster, and then the Blue Crabs will be looking for a league. I felt pretty good about our debut season, 31-41 and a 7th place finish. More importantly, I won 20 home games and my star sniper got 76 pts to meet both of my endorsement goals.

08-24-2010, 07:34 PM	#478
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	For anyone currently in the off-season, I have the following players available for trade: 93 OD at 5 mil for 1 season 92 PLY at 6.76 mil for 1 season 83 CHK at 1.5 mil for 1 season 74 OD at 400K for 5 seasons __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-27-2010, 09:55 AM	#479
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	If anyone is looking for an all levels league, the league I just joined (Max Attack) still needs four teams. It seems like a pretty balanced league. We have one level five (PR 80), a few weaker or rebuilding level fours (like me) and then teams from the lower levels, too. Feel free to join if you're looking for a league or want to get back into the game (I noticed some FOFC friends seem to have gone inactive over there). __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-31-2010, 10:48 AM	#481
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	What does everyone think about line combinations? My relatively unremarkable third line of 80 2W-81 PLY-80 SNP is really playing well at the moment. At first I thought it was just a fluke but after a few games I'm wondering if I didn't accidentally stumble upon a "good" line structure. Have you found other line combinations that really work and don't work? __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-31-2010, 11:27 AM	#482
chesapeake College Starter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arlington, VA	I assume you are playing the 2W very defensively? Will he make enough hits consistently to get your two more offensive players the puck?

08-31-2010, 11:30 AM	#483
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	Re: Line Combos Almost always put your most playmakerish guy in the middle (so playmaker or two way forward). Put your most defensive guy on the left side (checker-two way-power forward) and your most offensive guy on the right side (sniper-playmaker). I tend to try and avoid doubling up on styles so you end up with something like this: Offensive line: Power - Play - Sniper Balanced: Checker/TW - Play - Sniper/Power Defensive: Checker - Two Way - Sniper/Playmaker (preferably sniper here) RW is the position that sits off when you're penalized, hence having your most offensive minded player at that spot. Past that I've had a lot of success with the sort of line you're suggesting without having to alter any of their individual offensive/defensive settings. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-31-2010, 12:12 PM	#485
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	Do you guys only use playmakers or two-ways as centers? I have a checker as my 4th line center between a PF and a sniper and they've all been quiet in albeit limited ice time. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-31-2010, 12:24 PM	#486
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	I have no idea if the mechanics of the game measure up to my thought process on the matter, but it seems to have worked out well for me sticking exclusively to PM and TW as my centers then going with offensive types down the right side and defensive types down the left. That said, I really didn't get into tweaking tactics guy by guy and instead relied on getting player types/ratings to match my needs so moving the offensive/defensive sliders for guys on that line may increase their production. Given those 3 guys though, I'd probably run the PF in the middle, keep the SN on the right and have the CH on the left side. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-31-2010, 01:29 PM	#487
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	Are you still playing the game? I thought I send you a mail message but never heard back. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

08-31-2010, 01:45 PM	#488
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	Which account? I hadn't been on the site for about a week (taking a break until ball is over in a couple weeks) so I may have missed it. I just tried checking but I'm not seeing anything on any of them (sorry if I missed it prior to that even). __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-31-2010, 02:37 PM	#490
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	I'm not sure what I'm going to do. This summer got so nutty with sports and holidays that I figured it was a good time for a break. I've got all 3 of my teams ready for leagues (lineup requirements met, coaching staff hired, etc) so that part is at least out of the way. I'm still trying to check the forums every now and then in case there are any major changes but I may just bring back 1 team for a while and see how it goes. Certainly a fun game and I stuck with 3 teams for quite a while, so we'll see what happens. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

11-01-2010, 08:35 PM	#491
chesapeake College Starter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arlington, VA	I just got promoted to level 2 after my third season. My team isn't going to be ready to join the level 2 league that is now forming; but as I look it over, my team is at least a season or two in development behind even the worst teams. I expect that I'd very likely relegate to level 1 without a lot of luck. So, if I am going to take my lumps this season while I develop my younger guys, should I do it in a level 2 league and probably relegate back to 1, or should I try and join a private league and wait to join a level 2 league when I am actually competitive? If anyone wants to take a look at my team, we are the Chesapeake Blue Crabs, #4464. Last edited by chesapeake : 11-01-2010 at 08:36 PM.

11-01-2010, 10:36 PM	#492
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	If I were you I'd stay in an all levels league where you won't be relegated and try to pick up a top draft pick and sell off all expiring veterans to playoff caliber teams to expedite your rebuilding process. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

11-02-2010, 01:57 AM	#493
dbd1963 High School JV Join Date: Jun 2006	How many FOFC folk are still playing MetroHo? I'm managing the Pewter Pots, ID 1856. I'd like to get into an FOFC league if there are still any around. I'm early in a public level 2 right now though.

11-02-2010, 06:31 AM	#494
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	I'm playing, The Whale, and am stuck in an all levels league with a lot of top 100 PR teams. I'm a weak level four and am not really a fan of the high PR teams crushing all levels leagues just because they can. I told Adam he should add more league customization options which would allow league creators (donators) to restrict teams that can sign up by PR. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

11-02-2010, 10:09 AM	#495
BillyNYC High School JV Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Berlin, Germany	Tough to restrict by PR, as lots of ways around that (join, then sign a player afterwards, or put backups in lineup, etc). I agree it blows when a top tier team beats up on an all-level league. As for me, I'm staying afloat in Level 5 15-team leagues. Last season, went 0-5 on final day of season to lose out on a playoff spot. (Choke!) This season, finished 7th and will take on Richmond Hill in first round (and likely get stomped). My team's consistently top 20 PR, but I have the same problem I have in just about all "dynasty" games I play: my natural tendency is to build for the future, so I lack the balls to sacrifice that for the present. I could've traded picks and some prospects and had a top 5 PR team anytime the last 2 seasons...and haven't. Guess it goes back to what's "better": a consistently good team (that has a shot at winning titles) or a team that goes back and forth between being a very strong contender and rebuilding. Right now, I'm at the point where I can probably keep my team top 40 in PR indefinitely. Yet rarely will I ever be top 10. I look at trogdor (New Bedford Hax), whose team went 4-68 in my league and who tanked from the start. He has 5-6 1st round picks and will be really strong in a few seasons (stronger than me probably). Yet I can't make myself tank like that...and one of my goals is to never be relegated...maybe I should though.

11-02-2010, 12:29 PM	#496
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	How do you get your team to be so strong so consistently? Is it a goalie and top defensemen? The right line combinations? We're friends on there so feel free to check out my team and message me there and let me know what you think of my team. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

11-02-2010, 01:38 PM	#497
BillyNYC High School JV Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Berlin, Germany	Will check your team later tonight or tomorrow. I think the key to consistency is threefold: drafting, drilling, and contracts. My draft starts today and I know with my 3 picks, I'll get something decent. I don't draft guys below 65 (other than 3rds in drafts with lots of sandwich picks. My current draft has enough sandwiches that my 3rd sandwich would be equal to a FIFTH rounder). Already having a Level 5 arena, I can focus on scouting. Understanding the algorithm (essentially, the greater the positive between scout rank and pop rank, the better a player is) is vital...and misunderstood even by veteran teams. Someone's going to draft a guy pop rank 10, scout rank 25...and not even understand that a guy pop rank 40, scout rank 35 is probably 10-15 RATINGS POINTS better. (Above example is assuming a 15-team pool.) Then they're going to say how unlucky they are or that the draft sucks. NO luck is involved in that decision. By keeping a pipeline going, it builds my team and gives me blocks to deal for even more picks and other things. The second key is drilling. As a level 5 arena, with supporter, I get 19 drills. I can't even imagine having less. I NEED to drill my young 80s-low 90s guys. I NEED to drill my draft picks (or package and deal them if I can't drill). And I need to every single day. I don't miss days. I try to avoid rotating guys. I have 19 guys that I drill every single day. (Sometimes 20-21, which I'll rotate slightly...). If I have more than 21, I'll deal a few for future picks or try to package 2-for-1. You get much more value out of 3 GREAT guys than 5 GOOD guys. If rotating costs a guy 1 pt a season...over 5 seasons of drills, that's 5 pts. Not small. In coming seasons, I'll be at a disadvantage compared to some teams that understand the betting algorithm (which I've become too lazy to look into...open to suggestions). With the re-drill "prize", some teams will have 21 drills versus my 19. Not a HUGE advantage, but a few points a season is not negligible. Other tip: I like keeping guys unsigned or on one-year deals until they're either 79 or 84 (74 for level 1-2/new teams). It's huge to have cheap contracts for a long time. If an unsigned guy's at 79 with only a few days to go in the season, I'll stop drilling him. Then next season, sign 1 yr rookie contract and re-sign 8 years. So I get an 80+ guy for 9 seasons at $1/$1.5. (Or $3M at 84). Houy, Gilday, Nies, Che are all signed to rookie deals that way. There's a chance I lose 1-2 of them as RFAs...but then I'd just take the free draft picks and repeat. With constant drilling, I end up with guys like Lipman and Foxwell....90+ guys for cheap for a long time. The focus is more on cheap contracts than on positions or even needs. I figure I can always deal a good contract for a need. Can't do the reverse. Different people have different signing strategies (see Kehmesis's articles in newsletters), but the above works for me.

11-02-2010, 05:11 PM	#498
dbd1963 High School JV Join Date: Jun 2006	I really think that MetroHo has some good mechanics, and it's very easy to use, but it has some strange peculiarities that diminish the joy for me. Why should there be so many great FAs, for instance? And how realistic is it that we want to sign these youngsters to long term contracts then dump them when they are at the top of their game? I asked around to see if that bothered anyone else, and the consensus seems to be, not at all. Players of the game like it the way it is, even if it isn't realistic. But I've gone looking for "press" for MetroHo, and it's dang hard to find (except for Adam's tweets). The game seems to have a pretty small fan base and it hasn't been growing. If I were the game owner, that'd bug me, but I'm not so it doesn't matter what I think. IN ANY EVENT, when I went looking for press for MetroHo, I came across another hockey sim that looks quite a bit deeper in terms of realism and strategy. It's called Hockey Arena. http://www.hockeyarena.net/ Have any of you guys tried that yet? I just started up a team over there and have played my first game today. So far I like it, but I haven't gotten very far. I don't know what it is about hockey -- I never watch it on TV, but it does make for a compelling sim. I'd MUCH rather play FOF as a browser based text sim, but even if I could, I'd probably still play the hockey sims.