Feedback on the Trade AI

[krownroyal83]

Haven't really had any issues with AI trades, but this had me scratching my head.

What exactly has you scratching your head about this trade?

[Epic]

Haven't really had any issues with AI trades, but this had me scratching my head.

What exactly has you scratching your head about this trade?

They waived him the same day. Straight after giving up 2 picks for him. Did they just want to strenghen the AHL team?

[krownroyal83]

Oh ok. I didn't notice that. Yeah that makes no sense what's so ever.

[lemming3k]

REally? That is odd. When I have had the offer for a guy I just drafted, and I come back with a counter offer, I quite often get them to accept for a pretty high level player. I mean not like EHM 07 where Ryan Wilson often netted you someone like Alex Ovechkin the day after the draft. But I have done well with it.

*Yes EHM EA trade engine still needs some tweaking, but if you have not played EHM 2007 you have no idea how far it has come. It is insane how much better it is and how much harder it is to make a trade. Improvement in this area is HUGE. Still needs more I agree....but HUGE.

I do not mind the emails asking for my guys. Even if they are spam, shows me I drafted something interesting if I develop it right.

It might depend on the player - unless it was recently patched. Maybe going for players instead of picks would yield better results. I know they're gonna pitch it low, but it's quite bad at times. I end up setting players to untouchable and then forgetting I might be prepared to part with them after a few years of poor development!

[batdad]

Yes setting them to untouchable is the way to go to stop teams from asking for them.

[ChenWei91]

Francis Perron was drafted in the 7th round by the Sens in 2014 too...

[krownroyal83]

Francis Perron was drafted in the 7th round by the Sens in 2014 too...

What season did this trade occur in?

[nino33]

2016 draft pick involved, so for sure before the second offseason

[demons19]

I know I am in the minority but the trading is bad....its impossible to make trades for me. Teams just do not negotiate in good faith. You ask for anyone and you get a no we cant find a right fit. You offer them your star for a 4th line and the say no. You offer your player and 12 teams offer the same exact bad pick. You change the setting for what you are seeking and teams ignore it. Teams offer the same pile of junk no matter who you dangle. So you can't approach them, everyone says offering does not work. Then I read people talking about tricking the trading AI? really?
My own inability (and it may be a me issue) has led me to stop playing the game. I want realism but I also want to play a game. If trading is off the table, whats the point?
Yes the 2007 game had flaws, was weaker, but it was more fun because at least you could make a trade. I love other aspects of this game but the trading along with all player moral being in the toilet has sort of ruined it for me. Yet, I want to play again. I keep hoping some updates will fix some of this or someone tells me this magical secret to "take advantage" of the trading AI.
And not for Crosby or Ovechkin but for a 3rd liner now and then!

[batdad]

Honestly...if that was the case then noone would be able to make trades. Yet we can. Is the AI for trading perfect? No. But it is also not easy, and that is good. You have to deal with the teams who have interest in the type of player you are trading, or at least that is what I have found. Example: You are trying to trade Linden Vey. You try and deal him to a team with 5 RW on their roster, and 2 prospects in the minors. They are not going to give you much, unless you ask for their weaker RW.

Now...you try and deal with a team that has in their interest that they need one of these:
a. A prospect RW
b. A depth RW
c. Possibly a core RW

Then they will have more interest....but guess what they will not give up? Anyone who is in the positions that they have listed as needed. So you have to match your needs to that team's needs when you are trading. Then you will have more success. If you need a LD, and they have no listing for needing a Dman...then you have a chance. If they have a D listed as a need, you are not going to get one of their good dmen, or even one of their top 5 or so.

I have been working on this philosophy for a little while now, and am seeing some results. Better able to make deals when I take into account the other team;s needs and wants, and what they have extra of.

[demons19]

I am taking their needs into consideration...its a disaster in my game. It's like they hate me
When you are talking about lower level players, it just shouldn't be this hard.
And I absolutely hate the collusion by the AI where they all offer the exact same pick.
I have even offered my 1st rd pick and get insulted with a 4th rd and 5th rd.
I have gone at this at all angles I can think of. I'd rather have less realism.

[batdad]

Ok...you are right, I am wrong. No problem. Have fun not playing the game.

[demons19]

I never said you were wrong.....its my experience, unless I am not entitled to one.
I will assume since you have 12,408 posts you have quite a bit more experience and hours playing which have led to certain skill sets playing the game.

[batdad]

It was a joke demons...hence the smiley. It has nothing to do with my number of posts, that I made a joke and you missed it unfortunately.

That being said, yes you are entitled to your opinion, but others are not having as much difficulty making appropriate kinds of deals, as witnessed by the number of posts about trades all over the place here. In fact in some cases there are ridiculous trades that the AI accepts from you, such as trading your 1st round pick and a couple 2nds for Dougie Hamilton.

I did say,and will say again...I do agree that trading is difficult in the game, but I feel it should be....Do I think that sometimes it is too hard...yes...it clearly is for some.

Another thing that may affect it is the reputation your GM has and the other GM has in the league. if it is high, the other teams may be more likely to make deals with you than if it is low. Plus...the wasting time thing if you hit the "assess trade value" or get opinion on trade button too often, and they start asking you are you going to make an offer or not?

I also wonder .... and am just wondering aloud here, because I seem to recall it being something that Riz wrote about way back when with EHM 2007 that too many bad offers that GMs on other team's do not like will affect their likelihood of trading with you. In 2007 it was not a problem, becasue trading was too easy...In EA maybe it has some effect, as the trade AI has tightened up.


Would I like junk offers that the AI GMs give me gone? well not totally, want them upgraded a bit, so I can negotiate off of it if I wish too, but if my GM reputation (ie starting the game as a rec leaguer) what GM would not want to take advantage of that?

Wonder if anyone has seen a difference by how they start off the game in the offers they get....Doubt it....but worth a shot.

Is it annoying that the same not needed players get offered up in deals all the time. Yes. Is it a game killer for me....no. I tend to just work with the team that offers what I think is the best deal, in those things, and look at their needs and get things done.

I do understand that some find it hard to trade, I have no issue with that. I do understand that some find it frustrating and annoying. I have no issue with that.

My experience with this game, going 10 years back now (well EHM 07 then this one) has led me to realize that it is not perfect, but it is not as hard as many make it out to be. Otherwise not so many people would be having success.

There are lots of games I suck at and have no time or interest in. So I get that people who find a game too hard and not working will not want to play it.

[nino33]

I'd rather have less realism.

Not me! Never, ever do I want less realism

[MGSPORTS]

Iv'e seen the Bruins Trade 1st Round Pick 2015,DeBrusk,other 2 first Rounders they Drafted this year in real life in 2015 and won the Stanley Cup.

[ClassicSwarley]

The Panthers just traded Aaron Ekblad for Joe Pavelski in year 2017. What. The. Actual. <SNIP>. Lindros?


Mod note: Swear word removed and warning issued - Archi

[CJ]

The Panthers just traded Aaron Ekblad for Joe Pavelski in year 2017. What. The. Actual. <SNIP>. Lindros?


Mod note: Swear word removed and warning issued - Archi

They might be at a similar CA in-game at that point!? But the game clearly doesn't consider PA/Age.

[saberhagen83]

What do you guys think about teams making stupid offers for very good players? I'm actually thankfull they don't go through though. Had one recently where Canucks offered two 3rd round picks to the Blues for Pietrangelo. He's a very good D-man, both play in the same conference and both are going for a playoff spot. Blues aren't in any cap problems either. To me the GM at Canucks must have been high on something to even consider Blues accepting that. I'm all for "testing the waters"...but that is just being ridiculous cheap.

I've had similar offers made to me for good young prospect players. They come at me with the worst players they apparently can find and a few low picks. Really doesn't match my needs at all.

[lemming3k]

Sometimes they do go through. I saw Quick leave for two 3rds and a couple duff prospects. Very poor.

[saberhagen83]

Oh dear. Thankfully I haven't seen anything like that go through so far in my save. I probably jinxed it now though.

[saberhagen83]

The AI is a bit weird sometimes. Trade deadline, trying to bolster my roster heading into playoffs with a trade for Chris Stewart from Panthers. He's on the block, with a deal lasting this season only. Offering a 3rd+4th...denied. Fair enough. Then I see them rejecting Rangers that offered a 2nd. Madness. Day after, he's waived by the Panthers!

[Andrew55]

The AI is a bit weird sometimes. Trade deadline, trying to bolster my roster heading into playoffs with a trade for Chris Stewart from Panthers. He's on the block, with a deal lasting this season only. Offering a 3rd+4th...denied. Fair enough. Then I see them rejecting Rangers that offered a 2nd. Madness. Day after, he's waived by the Panthers!

Yeah unfortunately, rental deals aren't recognized by the AI.

[Koekenbakker]

Is RFA broken? Seth Jones became a RFA in the summer of '16. I offered 2,4 million a year for 3 years. He accepted and his team didn't match the offer. I mean, Seth Jones for 2,4 million?

It would be nice if RFA would work, especially with a team like Pens who have a pants talent pool. However, at this moment RFA seems to be too easy for me to get players.

[archibalduk]

I saw this really good post about the Trade AI from Riz on the SI Forums:

I've seen many posts wondering why a team would reject a trade which seems logical to be accepted as it is massive overpayment, but if you look at the financial aspect, it would make no sense as it would put the other team in all sorts of cap problems.

No-one is actually truly untouchable in the game, everyone has a price when it comes to the trade evaluations. The problem is, trading for someone like Crosby, each piece you offer back in the trade needs to be fairly good in relation to Crosby's value itself to be appreciated by the other team. If they are in a "win now" mode, they are unlikely to value 1st round picks as much as roster players and won't be making trades which weaken their current roster even if overall the value of the trade would make sense (ie. getting back five 1st rounders, and a couple of bluechip prospects). However, if you catch them in a rebuilding phase they are more likely to be open to such trade offers as their priorities would be different and an offer like that would likely be considered and accepted as they wouldn't be as worried about maintaining the talent level of the current roster versus the future. But again, you cannot go with quantity over quality when offering something in return, as they won't consider lower round picks at face value when they are offered in return for a franchise player for example.

This has actually been one of my benchmark tests this year when balancing the trade evaluations, to make sure even key players like this are available if the return is good enough, so it has seen some heavy testing.