NCAA '14 First Year Recruiting & Skill Tree Guide

[JLoco11]

Quote: Originally Posted by thinkjoey

I have had no transfer requests on my team through 3 seasons. I guess i am doing a pretty good job then. I felt bad and had to restart a game I was going to lose because it would mean losing my top recruit. I do not think that I will do this once the real rosters come out and I start a new dynasty. ----------------- Quick note...I was able to get a player to pick my school even after they locked me out and I unlocked it. So it is very much possible. You get a major point jump once you unlock it. I got over 1k points.

You had LockSmith, and most likely had it up to level 3... but how many points did you have to invest in him as opposed to others who didn't lock you out?

With Unlocking players, you sacrifice points each week and have to hope a visit gets you back into the race. Most times, if you get locked out and the CPU has visits, you will lose that recruit in the long run.

[woodjer]

Quote: Originally Posted by JLoco11

If you and the CPU hit the 50% mark in the same week, the CPU will schedule their meeting once you get into the recruiting section. Let's say it's week 8... 6 schools are right around 45% including yours. When you advance week, all 6 schools will hit the 50% interest mark. When you enter the recruiting section, the CPU will have their visits automatically filled out before you, EVEN if you were the lead school. Essentially, you get screwed out of a spot. Same scenario, but let's say I hit the 50% mark in week 7, and the CPU schools get there in week 8, I get to choose my visit in week 7. Even if it's not 6 schools (say 1 or 2 schools)... if you hit the 50% threshold of interest in the same week, they will setup their visit before you have a chance to... even if you're the #1 interest school.

Right, I get that the CPU schedules first but the 50% mark is only one of the two requirements. Don't you have to be in the top 5 as well? If that's the case, then it should be statistically impossible for you to miss out on a visit as the #1 school since there should only be 5 in the top 5 and you are one of them. There could be 100 schools that hit the 50% mark in the same week but only 5 will be in the top 5, right?

See what I'm saying? It's not the 50% that bothers me so much as the top 5 part. If we have to meet both criteria but the CPU doesn't, I'd say it's a bug that should be fixed. Not going to rant about it but doesn't make sense that the #1 school doesn't get in as a result.

[JLoco11]

Quote: Originally Posted by woodjer

Right, I get that the CPU schedules first but the 50% mark is only one of the two requirements. Don't you have to be in the top 5 as well? If that's the case, then it should be statistically impossible for you to miss out on a visit as the #1 school since there should only be 5 in the top 5 and you are one of them. There could be 100 schools that hit the 50% mark in the same week but only 5 will be in the top 5, right? See what I'm saying? It's not the 50% that bothers me so much as the top 5 part. If we have to meet both criteria but the CPU doesn't, I'd say it's a bug that should be fixed. Not going to rant about it but doesn't make sense that the #1 school doesn't get in as a result.

I see what you're saying, and I see what I missed in relaying the information...

Visits are not restricted to ONLY the top 5 schools until the recruit has locked his 5 schools. Multiple schools can hit the 50% threshold before he locks people out (and usually they do... most locks occur after the 50% threshold).

So when multiple schools unlock 50%, and the recruit hasn't locked in the top 5, then CPU takes up your recruiting visits.

Once a recruit locks his battle (top 5, top 3, top 2 etc), the outside schools won't get a chance to visit unless they use Locksmith (which I didn't notice any CPU use).

But until the lock occurs, all schools are fair game. You could be #1, and if 8 schools get the 50% threshold with you at the same time while the recruiting battle is still open, they will schedule ahead of you.

[woodjer]

Quote: Originally Posted by JLoco11

I see what you're saying, and I see what I missed in relaying the information... Visits are not restricted to ONLY the top 5 schools until the recruit has locked his 5 schools. Multiple schools can hit the 50% threshold before he locks people out (and usually they do... most locks occur after the 50% threshold). So when multiple schools unlock 50%, and the recruit hasn't locked in the top 5, then CPU takes up your recruiting visits. Once a recruit locks his battle (top 5, top 3, top 2 etc), the outside schools won't get a chance to visit unless they use Locksmith (which I didn't notice any CPU use). But until the lock occurs, all schools are fair game. You could be #1, and if 8 schools get the 50% threshold with you at the same time while the recruiting battle is still open, they will schedule ahead of you.

OK, now that makes sense, I guess. So what happens when the lock comes in and there are only 3 schools? Is it a free-for-all for the last two visits? Or does that recruit only make 3 visits?

Still, kinda strange that the #1 team gets locked out but at least it's being "fair" in the sense that nobody is locked in yet. Although, it would make sense that a recruit could lock in 1 school but not everyone all at once. Not sure how the game would handle it but I would imagine it happens all the time IRL.

[Gronk4M13]

Great post, very helpful.

[JLoco11]

Quote: Originally Posted by woodjer

OK, now that makes sense, I guess. So what happens when the lock comes in and there are only 3 schools? Is it a free-for-all for the last two visits? Or does that recruit only make 3 visits? Still, kinda strange that the #1 team gets locked out but at least it's being "fair" in the sense that nobody is locked in yet. Although, it would make sense that a recruit could lock in 1 school but not everyone all at once. Not sure how the game would handle it but I would imagine it happens all the time IRL.

It's 1 visit per school, up to a max of 5 schools. So if only 3 get to visit, there's no fight between those 3 for another visit.

So a recruit could only go to a school once, even if it's the only school recruiting him.

[thinkjoey]

Quote: Originally Posted by JLoco11

You had LockSmith, and most likely had it up to level 3... but how many points did you have to invest in him as opposed to others who didn't lock you out? With Unlocking players, you sacrifice points each week and have to hope a visit gets you back into the race. Most times, if you get locked out and the CPU has visits, you will lose that recruit in the long run.

I had 500 points invested in him. I am only the Offensive Coordinator for the team and though I do not have authority to designate points for recruitment...we did have locksmith.

The CPU did have a visit for him later on, but they were playing against me which halted their ability to win and gain many points. I had my visit later on and secured him on my team.

The first time this happened...i did lose the player to the other team I was in battle with during the one week offseason.

[NIN 3 28 06 OKC]

this needs to be bumped. this is an important thread. I'm just getting into the skill tree and everyone should see this thread. that is all