Challenge Ideas

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:06 pm

Yes you could do that. In fact...I did...

Post by **CatchUp** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:30 am

batdad wrote:Bruins and I are particularly tired of freaking Patrick Marleau and CatchUp.. Even though the guy could not beat us with him...

Hey, it's not like I'm the only Challenge participant to have the same players on multiple teams. Shall I go to the Challenge Recording thread and check your 'shots for any 'duplicate' players? Surely, you haven't EVER used the same player more than once, or you wouldn't spend so much time bugging me about it.

And btw, I beat you both in 6.1, with Marleau.

Post by **archibalduk** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 12:03 pm

You tell 'em, Catchup

Post by **getzlaf15** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:32 pm

When do you officially decide upon the challenge, this is my first one, ive never really understood about the whole challenge things, but i've voted on a team, and i'm up for trying everythin once

Post by **batdad** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:29 pm

CatchUp wrote:
batdad wrote:Bruins and I are particularly tired of freaking Patrick Marleau and CatchUp.. Even though the guy could not beat us with him...
Hey, it's not like I'm the only Challenge participant to have the same players on multiple teams. Shall I go to the Challenge Recording thread and check your 'shots for any 'duplicate' players? Surely, you haven't EVER used the same player more than once, or you wouldn't spend so much time bugging me about it.

And btw, I beat you both in 6.1, with Marleau.

Hee. Nice rant. I feel bad now. No never used the same guy twice. I have never had Nittymaki...never.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:31 pm

Challenge will start after the poll...so likely Sunday or Monday this week (North American time speak though)

Post by **batdad** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:20 pm

I'm thinking about joining the next challenger, already picked the blackhawks, but i'm not sure if have time to do so.
Can i join any time? How about the time to send my reports? I also reporting some problems with my EHM07: my save game only grows (one reached 120mb and after the 4year it crashed? anyone reported the same problem?).
I'm wondering how you deals with software problems and continue the game play or simply started all over again?

This quesions may sound weird, but i never play online before and i dont now what to expectjavascript:emoticon(':-k'

Post by **batdad** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:22 pm

You can join any time once the teams are set up. There will be deadlines for games 20, 40, 60, and end of season posted at the top of the challenge forum that you have to meet.

As for the crashing..not sure what is happening there. Sometimes games become corrupted for some reason. I have not had that issue and I have one sim that has gone 19 seasons or so.

No worry on online...we don't play the challenges on line, we play our own games and then post things. Playing on line games I know nothing about, since I have never joined one.

Oh, and just so you know...it is not necessarily the Blackhawks we are using in the challenge. Everyone will use the same team..whoever wins the poll in the end. We will announce the winner once the poll is closed. Saturday..

Post by **Danny** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:32 pm

Yeah it's not a "conventional" online game where you meet with others and you all play at the same time, you can play whenever you have the time and then you post your results within a certain timeframe. But usually you'll have about 6 weeks to finish one season. So there's no need to be worried about being disqualified because the game crashing during an online session...since we don't really have any

If the rules are too confusing and you're afraid of making mistakes you can just wait for other people to post their results and then do the same to get a feeling for it

corinthian · Post by **corinthian** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:32 pm

Thanks!!
I'll keep in touch.

Post by **timmy_t** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:28 am

What's with the 2 free agent signings??

What's with the no trading on Draft Day??

What's with the "you must have a 1st and 2nd round pick each draft"??

Who made these rules, and why wasn't I invited to the party??

Post by **batdad** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:01 am

Hi timmy_t

Bare with me....this will be long. We have been waiting for the questions to come. In the interest of transparency, I will tell you all.

Believe it or not...I thank you for your questions. I was wondering when someone would ask them. I did not think what we did with the rules could be perfect. We sure fought about them when we were working on them behind the scenes.

First off, all of the rules come from suggestions in this thread...blacklists were out, and only having a certain # of trades were bad too (WE tried both-wanted to give flexibilty, without people having the same super-team every year. I know I was somewhat guilty of that, in particular with Nittymaki. Sutherby and Gaustad.

I understand that the rules are a little more difficult, and may in some ways seem over-the-top. But really they are not. Still a ton of flexibility for you. Honestly, give it a try and you will see. And you were invited to the party in this thread for some time. I was thinking you actually contributed some ideas, but without looking back I am not sure.

The reasons we changed the rules were because it was getting so silly. It was so easy to win everything, we decided to make it more difficult. If after we try out the rules, we feel we need to make things a little more liberal we will.

Let me address the issues you brought up:

1. 2 UFA signings: You can sign your own guys no problem. In general we felt that there were too many people remaking their team entirely all the time. No REAL LIFE NHL team does that so fast. Yes some get more than 2 guys in per year. But we felt that this was a fair number. This was something we discussed, and when we tested the rules out...we found it actually worked out well with 2 guys. With the limited budgets we have, more than 2 is not going to be plausible very often anyway. (We actually argued between 1 and 5 over and over and over). When we tested we decided on 2 as it seemed reasonable given all the other constraints.

2. This was because with the rules we are trying to build teams slower. We don't want people trading picks every year for superstars etc. Again just something to make things more of a "challenge". With the "homegrown" player people have to develop prospects on their own anyway. This way helps you do so. You can trade up in the draft prior to draft day if you wish.

3. The no draft day trades are simple. ...The AI for trades on this day is much easier to play with. You can sit their for 24 hours in real time, working to get the best "Steal" of Ovechkin you can find. This is not the way it works in real life, and we wanted to make things more like real life.

4. Oh and before someone else asks I will answer...the no trades in the summer (jul 15-Sep 14 beginning of training camp). Again, just to help us actually develop our own players...to not have people remake the team before the season even starts. Trade AI is again, more lenient during the off-season than the regular season.

5. Hey you still have trade deadline day...we talked about banning it too....

It is the easiest day to make big moves in the whole game.

We totally understand if this is not how you wish to play the game. No doubt, some people like to go out and do what they want to do...and we get that. However, others...as you read through this thread were looking for a change to the challenges.

This is the idea we came up with..We hope you give it a go, and see how enjoyable it is. In the test I learned alot. One thing in particular. There are players in the CBJ system, that are actually pretty darn good that you would not expect to be. B72 got a Calder Trophy for some guy named Marc Methot when he used him as a Homegrown. I screwed up with Gilbert Brule, and had him play too many games...so ended up using another guy who turned out to be a solid player in my game (Mark Flood)...Methot as well (no rookie of the year for me). Also Tim Konsorada turned out to be a good 3rd line checker and pk guy.

I have no doubt there were other guys--Fritsche was awesome in Syracuse, just I never gave him a shot.

And Pascale Leclaire...well he turned out to be one heck of a starting goalie in year 3 for me. 17 Blocker, 18 glove and all attributes were above 15. I was amazed. We all were shocked about that. He finished 3rd in Vezina voting in year 3.

Normally in challenges I would have dumped those guys faster than anything. Nitty would have played goal ... and my defense would have had noone under the age of 25 on it. In shorter challenges I probably still would. But we are making the challenges a little longer to help us all learn more/be more challenged and work more like real-life GM's. So...I want to develop guys.

Again, we get it if it is not your cup of tea. But Bruins, Arch, Calv, CatchUp. Minstrel and I were all shocked at the stuff we found out about guys that we normally do not give the time of day too. And it was more interesting, because we had to work for it, instead of picking up our usual guys and making outlandish trades.

Oh and BTW--Freaking B72 won the test-challenge. I am so glad we did not bet "schoolatars" on that.

Sorry for the long winded message...hopefully it maketh you at least a little less

EDIT: WHOA!! EVEN LONGER THAN I THOUGHT...sorry

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 2:10 pm

Although it was a bit wordy, batdad hit the nail on the head. Look at the last couple challenges. I could barely tell the difference between them. So many people traded away a bunch of their team and got many of the same players. It was just getting boring. We all thought that with EHM not being developed anymore, we had to do something different to make things fresh. You'll really be surprised at home much fun it is if you give it a chance this way. Sure, it's more challenging but... it's a challenge!

Plus, with the old rules it seemed like it was always the same handful of people winning. These news rules will help level the playing field a bit, IMO.

Post by **timmy_t** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 5:08 am

Hey guys, thanks for the information and encouragement. The old rules were why I stayed out of the last few challenges. I like to challenge myself too... I don't know if you remember, but my "Fantasy" challenge team was all US hockey players, and it was tough!

I'll read the rules a few more times and get ready when we decide on a team.

Thanks again

Post by **batdad** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 5:17 am

Atta boy timmy! When I saw your post I was not sure...but the questions did need to have answers...so again GOOD ON YOU for asking them...

So...you gonna get in on the schoolatar bet with us mods??? Hey...come on...

Tomorrow...the team will be decided...maybe

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 5:25 pm

I remember that all US team from the challenge. I keep thinking that would be fun to try. One of these days I'll get around to it.

Glad to hear you'll be joining the challenge.

These things are always so much fun when you've got a lot of people participating in them. If you're feeling really inspired, you could do a blog to go with your challenge team. I know I'm planning to do one.

Batdad, if we keep getting more and more people to join the Schoolatar bet, it's going to be so hard to tell posts apart with all those greyed out avatars.

Post by **Danny** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:03 pm

Alrighty, so the homegrown player for the 2007-2008 season must be signed by me by the end of training camp 2006 and I have to annouce the homegrown players one year in advance ?
So when I post in the roster recording thread I name my 10 core players for 2006-2007 as well as the player i picked to be the homegrown player in 2007-2008 ?

And I understand I do all of this at the end of the season, since it requires screenshots regarding games played and such ?

Post by **batdad** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:08 pm

No you don't have to announce a year in advance. Just must be signed to a contract..so he is in your system. You announce at the conclusion of training camp the year the player will be on your roster...when you are doing your roster declaration.

No...no homegrown post for season 1. Wait til season 2.

no...you post your roster at the beginning of your season, and when you post screenshots in the stats recording thread...little gremlins will be checking your roster. Becuase you will now be posting indiv stats at 20 games. (I will go and put that in the rules.)

Post by **batdad** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:23 pm

When posting rosters

1. Be sure to copy/paste from the stats recording sheet.
2. Be sure to check roster rules. Post at the start of the season your core and homgegrown (if needed) for that season.

3. A screenshot at 20 games..in stats recording thread of your individual statistics screen will be required.

Again...have fun.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:18 pm

I just wanted to add something...

Please don't be shy about asking questions! These rules are new and a little tricky to understand at first (just ask batdad how many times I asked to have things cleared up when we were developing these rules). We want to have as many people as possible participate and we don't want people to stay out of the challenge because they're not sure they understand the rules. You know the old saying... the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask.

Post by **batdad** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:22 pm

YEp...B72 you are right! We want the questions to be asked for a variety of reasons. We need any questions you guys have out there to be asked, so we can help you out.

Don't quit the game cause you are unclear. I can sound blunt, but I want the questions. I mean no harm...at least in the challenge questions thread.

Post by **Danny** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:46 pm

Uhhh confusion

batdad wrote:Group C Pick 4 of 9 players

Jim Vandermeer
Jassen Cullimore
Brandon Bochenski
Brian Boucher
Patrick Lalime
Michael Blunden (Peter Bilodeau)
Dave Bolland
Jeff Hamilton
Mikael Holmqvist

Players left out of lists: Michal Handzus, Martin Lapointe.

batdad wrote: **NOTE:Homegrown eligible players also listed as core players cannot be used in both categories. The players in question for this challenge are: Cam Barker, Dave Bolland (Peter Bilodeau)

Post by **batdad** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:55 pm

Whoops

I will get on that right away. Thanks Danny.....

Fixed now in the Roster Recording thread. I had just forgot to put Michael Blunden after Bolland in the list of players eligible for both homegrown and in the lists. So the list is now:

Cam Barker, Dave Bolland, Michael Blunden (Peter Bilodeau)

Sorry....

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:07 pm

This whole core player thing... If only there was a tool in EHM to keep the player list in sight. Now I have to print all out and keep a stack of paper in hand in order to manage (heh) my core lists.

And the question? Yes, I have one. Have I understood correctly that the trade block in pre season is total? I can't trade players for picks or picks for players either? All I can do is claim players from waivers and sign (two) free agents and sack players? And tease my personnel, like pick them with pencil...

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:22 pm

There is nothing in EHM that will track your core lists. That's not something they even had in mind when they made up the game. It's just something we came up with for our challenges. If you download the Excel spreadsheet for recording your challenge data, there is also a sheet in there for tracking your core. It you play the game windowed, it's really easy to flip back and forth between the spreadsheet and the game. That's about the best way I can suggest.

To answer your other question, yes the trade freezes are total. No trades allowed of any kind during those times.