Preview: Exciting new changes to the TBL Challenges!
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:40 pm
Over the past year and a half, a large chunk of our community have been competing in the TBL Challenge competitions. They've been a real blast to play and it has provided an insight into how other users play the game. However, the Challenges are in danger of becoming too much of the same with everyone winning the Playoffs and the Presidents Trophy regardless of what team we choose for the competition. Also, most of us are guilty of shipping out the vast majority of the team's original roster and replacing them with the same players every time.
So it's about time we introduced some new twists to make things even more fun and exciting! We've brought in a couple of new rules that will encourage competitors to make the most of their original team and to develop talent from within, but that will also give them the flexibility to put their own mark on the team. We've designed and tested these rules with simplicity in mind so that the Challenges remain as approachable for both new and old users as they have always been.
So without further ado, I introduce to you: Core Players, The Home Grown Player, and the all new Roster and Trade Rules!
* Core roster players - At the beginning of the first season, GMs will have to choose ten "core" players from a list of designated players. There will be three types of core player. For each one of the ten you choose, they will have to play a minimum number of games according to what type of core player they are.
* The Home Grown player - Beginning in season 2 (2007-08), each challenge GM will be required to have a homegrown player on his or her NHL roster. This player will be a player in "your system". The homegrown player will be required to play 45 games in what would be his rookie season. Provided the homegrown reaches 45 games he can be sent up and down between your minor league system and your NHL club.
* New roster and trade restrictions include a no trade period to prevent users from exploiting a weakness in EHM's trade engine and a limit on the number of free agents that may be signed each season.
We've thoroughly tested these new rules and are confident that they will add a welcome new twist to the Challenges. We hope that they will see a shift in mentality from aiming to win the Playoffs, regardless of the team, to one where the aims for the season will be realistically based on what team we choose for the Challenge.
The detailed rules will be released in the very near future - as will a poll to vote for the next Challenge team. To discuss these rule changes, visit this thread.
So it's about time we introduced some new twists to make things even more fun and exciting! We've brought in a couple of new rules that will encourage competitors to make the most of their original team and to develop talent from within, but that will also give them the flexibility to put their own mark on the team. We've designed and tested these rules with simplicity in mind so that the Challenges remain as approachable for both new and old users as they have always been.
So without further ado, I introduce to you: Core Players, The Home Grown Player, and the all new Roster and Trade Rules!
* Core roster players - At the beginning of the first season, GMs will have to choose ten "core" players from a list of designated players. There will be three types of core player. For each one of the ten you choose, they will have to play a minimum number of games according to what type of core player they are.
* The Home Grown player - Beginning in season 2 (2007-08), each challenge GM will be required to have a homegrown player on his or her NHL roster. This player will be a player in "your system". The homegrown player will be required to play 45 games in what would be his rookie season. Provided the homegrown reaches 45 games he can be sent up and down between your minor league system and your NHL club.
* New roster and trade restrictions include a no trade period to prevent users from exploiting a weakness in EHM's trade engine and a limit on the number of free agents that may be signed each season.
We've thoroughly tested these new rules and are confident that they will add a welcome new twist to the Challenges. We hope that they will see a shift in mentality from aiming to win the Playoffs, regardless of the team, to one where the aims for the season will be realistically based on what team we choose for the Challenge.
The detailed rules will be released in the very near future - as will a poll to vote for the next Challenge team. To discuss these rule changes, visit this thread.