Looking for general trade advice/tips

[YeOldTonk]

When looking at possible trades I get kinda confused on the whole relation between age/potential/OVR. At what point is someone too old for an effective A potential or so? How different is a 80 OVR B potential than a 80 OVR C potential?

Is there some general guidelines on what to look for or like what age range is doable for each potential grade? Don't need the above questions answered specifically, just general thoughts.

Just looking for some general tips on how rate acceptable trades.

Thanks.

[WillGio]

For the most part, the CPU looks at three variables; 1. Player's current OVR, 2. Player's future OVR (Potential), and 3. Player's current age. Contract, Service time, Performance (ect.), do seem to have a little influence, but not a sizable difference.

To answer your first question, Player's stats seem to peak between 29-31 for the most part, but don't start declining until age 33-34. Then with each consecutive year after, the player's stats decline at a faster rate than the previous year. Although the developers have claimed that they've tweaked it a bit for this year's game, by making the player's stats/OVR more dependent on the player's performance. So for ex.: If Jose Bautista performs at a high-level in-game, his rate of decline will be far slower than if he was underperforming.

The player's potential never stops being a factor, but it does take a backseat as the player ages. I'd say potential still plays a big role until the player hits 31/32, and then the CPU bases it's evaluation off of OVR. Another way to think about it, is if you have a 26 year old prospect with a 70 OVR and a 82 POT, the CPU may give it more value than a 36 year old with a 80 OVR and a 95 POT, because the receiving team will get more peak years of that 82 Potential, rather than a declining player with a 95 potential.

Your second question is sort of the same thing. Since Potential is just one part of the equation, the CPU may settle for a player that's younger, even if the older player has better stats/potential. The difference between an 80 OVR /B POT and an 80 OVR/C POT, all has to do with the two player's age and exact numerical potential.

Currently, the only way to see a player's potential is to go into the player editing screen and look at his attributes, (which is very time consuming, especially if you're in the trade screen). So if you take the two 80 OVR players, (let's assume they are both 27 Yrs Old), but one of them is a B at 85, and the other is a C at 75, the B Potential player will have a way bigger value in the trade. But if the B Potential is 81 and the C Potential is 79, the game almost views them as equals, (Players attributes withstanding).

Did that help out at all? I know it's not really the easiest thing to sort through, considering how much work the CPU trade logic needs to be revamped. Just remember Potential relies on age for it's value. If the player is 29 or younger, Potential is a big deal. But once they are on the other side of 30, Potential starts to fade.

[milldaddy35]

Can always use the Trade Discussion Thread. Most of the guys over there are pretty smart on if a trade is fair enough or not.

[YeOldTonk]

Quote: Originally Posted by WillGio

Did that help out at all? I know it's not really the easiest thing to sort through, considering how much work the CPU trade logic needs to be revamped. Just remember Potential relies on age for it's value. If the player is 29 or younger, Potential is a big deal. But once they are on the other side of 30, Potential starts to fade.

Yes. It cleared up some of my questions.

For me its just a matter of evaluating trade possibilities. If I have a 27 C 77 player would a trade for a 33 B 81 be a legit trade? Depending on what abilities I'm looking for.

Just things like that is what I was getting at.

Your explanations helps clear some of the thinking up for me.

Thanks.

Quote: Originally Posted by milldaddy35

Can always use the Trade Discussion Thread. Most of the guys over there are pretty smart on if a trade is fair enough or not.

Was looking through there, but I don't want to keep posting/asking there while trying to play the game. I'm not that anal about the trades, if I F' up on a trade, its my fault. Just want to have general knowledge so I'm not missing anything.

[Ghost Of The Year]

What I like to do is reverse engineer a trade. If there's a proposal made to me, I like to see that if I were to offer the same trade but from the CPU's perspective, would the CPU accept it, if the CPU doesn't accept then I don't usually take the bait.
If I'm making the proposal, and the CPU accepts, then I need to see if the CPU will accept it if they were in my shoes.

[WillGio]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ghost Of The Year

What I like to do is reverse engineer a trade. If there's a proposal made to me, I like to see that if I were to offer the same trade but from the CPU's perspective, would the CPU accept it, if the CPU doesn't accept then I don't usually take the bait. If I'm making the proposal, and the CPU accepts, then I need to see if the CPU will accept it if they were in my shoes.

That's a cool tip, I never thought of that.