The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

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  • Cheese2121
    Moderator
    • Jul 2011
    • 2518

    #1

    The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

    Many might remember a thread with a similar title from when packersfan created it over at a few of the other previous dynasty sites but I thought with the number of people I see posting asking for advice/tips this might be helpful to some. This will be an ever evolving document so if you have anything you want to add, please post it. Please keep in mind these are just my opinions! There is no wrong way to do a report as long as you are having fun. If any portion or use of this violates OS TOS please don't hesitate to let me know and I will remove it promptly.

    I've seen hundreds of dynasties over my years of reading franchise/dynasty reports. I have been at this for quite some time but there are others such as Matt10 and Deegeezy who have been at this even longer than me.

    Some reports have been legends, ones that I constantly Google search, just to see if I can read them one more time (eg. Deegeezy's Tulane). Others die after 20 posts--this has happened to me once or twice--and should never have been started in the first place. Others last for a month, and die quietly, without a "bump" post or an annoyed user screaming for an update. How do you get from the one nobody follows to the one everyone has bookmarked?

    *credit goes mainly to packersfan4ever who put together a lot of the basic layout of this guide and the original drafting*



    1. Have Fun
    This is the most important one. If you don't read any of the other ones, read this one and at the end of the day this is the only one that truly matters. If you aren't having fun, you need to stop posting pronto. The whole point of dynasties is to have fun and enjoy what you are doing, and if that's not the case it will show in your updates. Pick a team you like, find some difficult sliders that will pose a challenge to you, and play/post away. The more fun you are having, the better your updates will be, and the more people will follow yours. We all have enough things in our life that we have to do or work that has to be completed. When I come on to the site, this is my free time, my fun time. It is the time where I get to hang out with other guys who love the sports video games and writing about them.


    2. Grammar and Punctuation
    Take time to proofread your updates. Nothing is a bigger turnoff than someone who can't quite, figure, out when to put commas. if ther is a sentence that luks like this and there are no periods and it just keeps going and going your doing something wrong. You don't need to be an English major to post updates that the readers can understand and follow.



    3. Balance Between Text/Graphics
    Finding a balance between using graphics and actual text is key to making an outstanding dynasty. Posting a dynasty with heavy amounts of graphics or writing is fine, but in most of the best 'chises you find that they have a good mix. The other advantage of using text updates is it shows that you put effort into your dynasty. Once you have the basic graphic layout set up, all you have to do is insert a few sentences and pictures and voila!, you have your update. With written updates, it shows that you spent 30-40 minutes actually typing it up. Which leads me to my next point...


    4. Effort
    Put effort into your dynasty. Having your update be, "Beat Michgian 29-10. Now 3-0. Mike Jones won the Heisman, btw," is a pretty big turnoff. Put some time into it, and people will follow.


    5. Get the Followers Involved
    This is key to keeping people interested. If someone replies, thank them and/or reply back. Along with that, responding lets them know that you actually appreciate them following your dynasty, and they will keep posting.

    Also, try doing things like CAPs and press conferences with the followers. This will get the readers involved, and they will check in to see how their CAP is doing or how you answered their question.


    6. Post In-Depth
    Don't just post your game updates and how many recruits have committed to your school, because that's not all that happens in the game. How are other teams around the NCAA doing? What's the top 25 like? Any big games that week? Tell us. We want to know.


    7. Realism
    Last but certainly not least. Realism. If your 'chise isn't realistic, following it is hard because we all know you'll win ever game. If you are playing as Alabama, fine, you can win every game and nobody will care. But if you are playing as Vanderbilt, for example, even an 9-3 season should be unreachable your first season. Sometimes you can't help being good, but at least make an attempt to lose some games. After a couple seasons, when your fictional coach has had time to build the program, you can go 13-0 and win the National Championship. But until then, it should be a rebuilding process, not a play-every-game-on-All-American-and-go-undefeated process.
    A Rising Storm in the North | Cheese's Eastern Michigan Dynasty (NCAA '12)

    XBL Gamer Tag: MrCheese2121 (feel free to add/message me!)

    Currently Playing:
    NCAA '12 (Xbox 360)
  • Getty51
    Pro
    • Jul 2009
    • 816

    #2
    Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

    Fantastic Post. This is a great start for anyone looking to start a dynasty thread.

    Glad someone took the time to put it together!
    Chicago Cubs - A Road to a Dynasty (The Show 2015)

    Comment

    • Cheese2121
      Moderator
      • Jul 2011
      • 2518

      #3
      Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

      Originally posted by Getty51
      Fantastic Post. This is a great start for anyone looking to start a dynasty thread.

      Glad someone took the time to put it together!
      Thank you! Glad you found it helpful!! I hope others do as well!
      A Rising Storm in the North | Cheese's Eastern Michigan Dynasty (NCAA '12)

      XBL Gamer Tag: MrCheese2121 (feel free to add/message me!)

      Currently Playing:
      NCAA '12 (Xbox 360)

      Comment

      • RoundingThird
        Leyenda
        • Aug 2012
        • 3468

        #4
        Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

        Great idea! I'm shocked no one thought to do this a long time ago, except for packersfan, of course.
        Red Sox|Patriots|Celtics|UConn

        Comment

        • Cheese2121
          Moderator
          • Jul 2011
          • 2518

          #5
          Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

          Originally posted by RoundingThird
          Great idea! I'm shocked no one thought to do this a long time ago, except for packersfan, of course.
          Me too! I would love to have others, post their thoughts and suggestions. I see so many people/franchises with so many unique and incredibly creative twists that I would love to hear from others. I figure we can make this an ever evolving guide bringing together all of our ideas. Thanks for the feedback!
          A Rising Storm in the North | Cheese's Eastern Michigan Dynasty (NCAA '12)

          XBL Gamer Tag: MrCheese2121 (feel free to add/message me!)

          Currently Playing:
          NCAA '12 (Xbox 360)

          Comment

          • beast10
            All Star
            • Nov 2011
            • 6258

            #6
            Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

            The following is copied straight from NLSC, really good pointers tho


            Spoiler
            Last edited by beast10; 07-22-2015, 04:06 AM.

            Comment

            • Zaky29
              Rookie
              • Jul 2015
              • 38

              #7
              Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

              I want to do a dynasty post, but I'm nearly finished with my 2nd season of a dynasty that I'm really enjoying. Would you dissuade against starting a dynasty post that's already rolling?

              Comment

              • Matt10
                Hall Of Fame
                • Apr 2006
                • 16629

                #8
                Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                Love it, cheese. So much wisdom

                My #1 advice is BE DIFFERENT. Do things your way, on your terms, and stand out. If you do that, all of the above will take care of itself.
                Youtube - subscribe!

                Comment

                • RoundingThird
                  Leyenda
                  • Aug 2012
                  • 3468

                  #9
                  Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                  Originally posted by Matt10
                  Love it, cheese. So much wisdom

                  My #1 advice is BE DIFFERENT. Do things your way, on your terms, and stand out. If you do that, all of the above will take care of itself.
                  At the same time, it is also good to look around at others' dynasties to get a feel for their style and what it is that makes them so popular. I know for me personally, if I see a format I like, I'll make a slight tweak to it, and then mention in the thread that I was inspired by whoever for the certain style/format for an Around the League post. Game previews and recaps should be almost unique though. It's you playing the games, so make it creative.
                  Red Sox|Patriots|Celtics|UConn

                  Comment

                  • Matt10
                    Hall Of Fame
                    • Apr 2006
                    • 16629

                    #10
                    Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                    Originally posted by RoundingThird
                    At the same time, it is also good to look around at others' dynasties to get a feel for their style and what it is that makes them so popular. I know for me personally, if I see a format I like, I'll make a slight tweak to it, and then mention in the thread that I was inspired by whoever for the certain style/format for an Around the League post. Game previews and recaps should be almost unique though. It's you playing the games, so make it creative.
                    Absolutely - great point. That also works for those starting out, and that is a common question that I get messaged to me. I usually will respond with I can show you how to do certain things, but you will need to find your own way to stand out at some point in time. Especially if you do want to get more views, credibility, and overall life on the report.
                    Youtube - subscribe!

                    Comment

                    • Cheese2121
                      Moderator
                      • Jul 2011
                      • 2518

                      #11
                      Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                      Originally posted by Zaky29
                      I want to do a dynasty post, but I'm nearly finished with my 2nd season of a dynasty that I'm really enjoying. Would you dissuade against starting a dynasty post that's already rolling?
                      I think there are pros and cons to both. If the dynasty that is already rolling, is what you love then that is what you should do. Maybe give us a good run down of what happened previously so we can be caught up with you. The advantage of starting a report from fresh would be it gives your readers more of an opportunity to become invested in the team, the players and the story. This is of course all just my two cents.



                      Matt and Roundthird: Fantastic points, I know I got inspiration from so many greats that came before me (Deegeezy, Matt10, SPFB, Tearz...just a few who come to mind) but at the same time I tried to find my own style and tried many different things. I am someone who believes in always trying new things too and I am always looking for ways to improve my reports. I love that this thread has started to generate so much discussion. Let's keep it going guys!
                      A Rising Storm in the North | Cheese's Eastern Michigan Dynasty (NCAA '12)

                      XBL Gamer Tag: MrCheese2121 (feel free to add/message me!)

                      Currently Playing:
                      NCAA '12 (Xbox 360)

                      Comment

                      • RedRaider10
                        MVP
                        • Dec 2014
                        • 1387

                        #12
                        Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                        Great post Cheese, I will keep this in mind when I'm reporting in my dynasty.

                        Comment

                        • JHedges2
                          MVP
                          • Jan 2007
                          • 4651

                          #13
                          Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                          There is good stuff here. I'd also like to plug http://www.dynastynation.operationsp...beta/index.php if I may. Lot of good stuff on there enabling you to create team pages. You can see my Yankees franchise in my signature if you're interested.
                          Arsenal | New York Yankees

                          Comment

                          • thesportsguru11
                            Cooking With Sauce
                            • Feb 2014
                            • 5105

                            #14
                            Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                            Awesome stuff cheese. I wish I could've read this a year ago when I followed none of these rules haha.

                            Anywho, as someone who has gone from a nobody to somebody in a matter of 7 months, I have some advice, if you don't mind.

                            Like Matt said, Be Innovative/Creative. That is the biggest way to keep your readers interested. Do things that no one else is trying (example, make your pictures in gif/slideshow format, as I've done.) LopaKa and someone else, whose name escapes me, are the only ones I've ever seen do this aside from myself. I took Lop's idea (the other one came after mine started) and tweaked it to what I could do and made it work for me (massive thanks for the inspiration, bud!)

                            Create-A-Coach is another something I've never seen anyone do before I implemented it (not to say it hasn't been done...I'm willing to bet it has somewhere, I just haven't seen it yet.)

                            Point is, there's always new things to try with the depth these dynasty modes and franchise/owner modes can provide, not to mention the number of graphic programs out today and technology available to you. Find something unique and roll with it.

                            Trying out different things in your first reports can lead to long-term success. Find something you like and make it work! Just don't make it so complicated and time-consuming it becomes a chore. The minute that happens, the minute you burn out.

                            Lastly, people love a long report (as in, multiple seasons, something to read before bed for a lot of nights). As cheese mentioned, you need to put aside the fact that no one may be watching and enjoy what you're doing for yourself before worrying about going big. Because the fact of the matter is, and beast10 touched upon this, there are folks watching, even if silently.

                            If you get 5/6 seasons in, I am certain people will find reason to start reading, no matter what team/sport.

                            With that said, good luck and happy chisin'!

                            6x Super Bowl Champion Patriots |Red Sox | Celtics | Bruins |Boston College | USC | NASCAR Young Guns

                            OS' biggest game show nut.

                            Comment

                            • Matt10
                              Hall Of Fame
                              • Apr 2006
                              • 16629

                              #15
                              Re: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Dynasty Reporting

                              Originally posted by thesportsguru11
                              Awesome stuff cheese. I wish I could've read this a year ago when I followed none of these rules haha.

                              Anywho, as someone who has gone from a nobody to somebody in a matter of 7 months, I have some advice, if you don't mind.

                              Like Matt said, Be Innovative/Creative. That is the biggest way to keep your readers interested. Do things that no one else is trying (example, make your pictures in gif/slideshow format, as I've done.) LopaKa and someone else, whose name escapes me, are the only ones I've ever seen do this aside from myself. I took Lop's idea (the other one came after mine started) and tweaked it to what I could do and made it work for me (massive thanks for the inspiration, bud!)

                              Create-A-Coach is another something I've never seen anyone do before I implemented it (not to say it hasn't been done...I'm willing to bet it has somewhere, I just haven't seen it yet.)

                              Point is, there's always new things to try with the depth these dynasty modes and franchise/owner modes can provide, not to mention the number of graphic programs out today and technology available to you. Find something unique and roll with it.

                              Trying out different things in your first reports can lead to long-term success. Find something you like and make it work! Just don't make it so complicated and time-consuming it becomes a chore. The minute that happens, the minute you burn out.

                              Lastly, people love a long report (as in, multiple seasons, something to read before bed for a lot of nights). As cheese mentioned, you need to put aside the fact that no one may be watching and enjoy what you're doing for yourself before worrying about going big. Because the fact of the matter is, and beast10 touched upon this, there are folks watching, even if silently.

                              If you get 5/6 seasons in, I am certain people will find reason to start reading, no matter what team/sport.

                              With that said, good luck and happy chisin'!
                              These are all great points, you've definitely found your form by accomplishing those concepts and execution.

                              I will say the gif thing was done by yours truly back in the day

                              http://www.operationsports.com/forum...&postcount=294

                              And then most recently

                              http://www.operationsports.com/forum...9&postcount=16

                              I am not proud of too much in this world, but contributions to the dynasty reporting scene has been something i've held dear because it was always my virtual identity. I obsessed over templates and reporting deliveries. I tried so many different ways to do things that now, almost 15 years later, it's second nature. The reporting text posted as images was my finding to skip HTML and just screenshot websites and how they looked, onto dynasty reports. The ESPN graphics and all that came shortly afterwards to enhance the visuals and presentation. I'm not saying everyone copied me, but it was an indirect trend that I started way back on MM, MN days. It's sad that I am still proud of something I started when I was a teenager and now in my 30's

                              The part that I have struggled with is getting games to play how I want them. NCAA 14 is back to where I want it, and that's why that is the only real game I can play right now next to FIFA. That and these kids costing all my hard earnings :P
                              Youtube - subscribe!

                              Comment

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