Is it actually possible to do a Fantasy Draft with MLB players?

Viridel · 03-24-2019, 02:22 PM

I've 'set up' the league a dozen times. Sometimes it auto-assigns me a team (Arizona or Baltimore), sometimes it asks me. Sometimes it has a full league of (properly rated) fictional players, sometimes the available players are crap, and the team rosters are already full (and yes - I am selecting "Hold Draft" EVERY time).

I've been playing this since about v8 or 9, and have NEVER been this pissed off about how awful the league creation GUI is. When factoring in the need to rebuild the database every damn time (instead of being able to use an existing database, and just overwrite the game file) - I'm left shaking my head about how crap-tacular my experience has been, without even throwing a pitch.

So how the hell do you create an MLB universe league with a Fantasy Draft of REAL players with BLANK opening rosters???

Curve Ball Dave · 03-24-2019, 02:41 PM

You can't just create a Standard League and do a draft with the button on the League Settings screen?

Viridel · 03-24-2019, 03:18 PM

New Standard League -> MLB -> 4 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Set Up Manager / Select Team -> ONLY option is "Start Game" -> Rosters pre-filled.
Therefore, no.

New Custom Game -> Add New League -> Create Real World League -> MLB -> 2 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Scouting & Picture menu -> Set Up Manager / Select Team -> Advanced Mode -> Options -> Hold Inaugural Draft -> Start Game Set Up Manager / Select Team (again?) -> Start Game -> 3 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Rosters pre-filled, and draft is 1.5* players at best.

Tried doing all the above instead with Create Fictional League (since it specifically says "Players are real, historical or fictional", and I assumed I could choose which) - and great! Open rosters, 5* guys in the draft pool......... ALL Fictional Players.

Andy · 03-24-2019, 03:33 PM

After you create a new MLB league there is an option to release all players and do a draft. Maybe under Global Settings? Don’t have the game open right now.

HerbD · 03-24-2019, 03:34 PM

-Set up a standard league, pick your team, make sure you have act as commish checked
-go to league settings and hit "clear rosters" which will release all players to free agency
-on the same league settings page hit "schedule free agent draft"

Ktulu · 03-24-2019, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viridel

New Custom Game -> Add New League -> Create Real World League -> MLB -> 2 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Scouting & Picture menu -> Set Up Manager / Select Team -> Advanced Mode -> Options -> Hold Inaugural Draft -> Start Game Set Up Manager / Select Team (again?) -> Start Game -> 3 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Rosters pre-filled, and draft is 1.5* players at best.

Start a real world league and then Go to League Settings > Functions > Under Popular Functions: "Schedule Fantasy Draft"

Viridel · 03-24-2019, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ktulu

Start a real world league and then Go to League Settings > Functions > Under Popular Functions: "Schedule Fantasy Draft"

Love to - too bad I can't

I've been dealing with this issue for a decade. Wonderful game - worst GUI experience of any game I've had to suffer thru.

Ktulu · 03-24-2019, 04:00 PM

You have to be in commissioner mode and in the preseason (mar 21)

Edit: if you're in Challenge Mode the function is probably disabled.
Edit 2: you don't even need to be in commish mode

Viridel · 03-24-2019, 04:14 PM

So there was no checkmark for Commish on the Create League screen (even recreated a league... again... to look for it) - and I have absolutely no idea where to enable / review Commissioner settings.

And March 21st is Opening Day - the league creation defaulted to March 20th, therefore I was in pre-season.

Like this is so fundamentally basic - I just don't understand how I can be 3 hours in, and yet to choose a single player.

EDIT: Pretty sure I've been doing Challenge Mode for as long as its been around. Are they actually REMOVING features in this version? If I didn't accidentally leave it running overnight, I would have asked for a refund already. Every year I go thru this sh!t due to the terrible GUI... Definitely won't be buying 21 without a major overhaul.

Ktulu · 03-24-2019, 04:45 PM

Literally just started an MLB fantasy draft. Took 2 minutes and about 7 mouse clicks.

Custom Game > No Thanks to Challenge Mode > League Creation WIzard: Create Real World League > Click Through and then League Settings > Fantasy Draft > Done

Viridel · 03-24-2019, 07:34 PM

Fair enough, but:
a) Shouldn't the exclusions of Challenge Mode specifically outline that Fantasy Draft is disabled?

b) It is completely counter-intuitive to create a 'Standard' game in order to access Fantasy Drafts. By definition, a Fantasy Draft is a Customization - therefore that should be accessible via the Custom Game system (not necessarily one at the exclusion of the other - but available in both)

especially due to, c) The fact that there is an available selection in the Custom Game system for "Hold Inaugural Draft", that doesn't work as one would expect.

Markus Heinsohn · 03-25-2019, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viridel

Fair enough, but:
a) Shouldn't the exclusions of Challenge Mode specifically outline that Fantasy Draft is disabled?

b) It is completely counter-intuitive to create a 'Standard' game in order to access Fantasy Drafts. By definition, a Fantasy Draft is a Customization - therefore that should be accessible via the Custom Game system (not necessarily one at the exclusion of the other - but available in both)

especially due to, c) The fact that there is an available selection in the Custom Game system for "Hold Inaugural Draft", that doesn't work as one would expect.

a) I have added this clarification to the challenge mode dialog.
b) I disagree. Fantasy draft is a function that can be applied to any league during preseason (except when in Challenge mode), it's not a customization.
c) What doesn't work? When you check this, the players get dumped in a draft pool after creating the league this way. At least that's how it's supposed to work

Viridel · 03-25-2019, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

a) I have added this clarification to the challenge mode dialog.
b) I disagree. Fantasy draft is a function that can be applied to any league during preseason (except when in Challenge mode), it's not a customization.
c) What doesn't work? When you check this, the players get dumped in a draft pool after creating the league this way. At least that's how it's supposed to work

b) Well, it is a customization. No different than changing the number of games in a season, changing the player rating scale, etc. You are changing the fundamental structure of how the league will start.
I'm not saying "Take it OUT of the standard league" - I'm saying "Add it IN to the Custom League", so those who do see it as a customization won't spend 3 hours trying to make it work.

c) League Customization -> Options has a box for "Hold Inaugural Draft". When using this, and Real League setup, the players are still assigned to their teams, and the "Inaugural Draft" is made up of 1.5->0.5* players. This is not logical

There is an incredibly easy solution to ALL this...
1) Under Options, have a checkbox that says "Start League with a Fantasy Draft*"
1a) *Fantasy Draft not available in Challenge mode. Checking Fantasy Draft will DISABLE Challenge Mode.
2) Change the term "Inaugural Draft" to "Entry Draft" - because "Inaugural" sounds like Startup, and the dictionary agrees with me. Everyone knows what an Entry Draft is, and would have a more accurate expectation.

Ty Cobb · 03-25-2019, 12:55 PM

Viridel—you can add the fantasy draft in Challenge Mode only BEFORE pressing start game. Once you press it, fantasy draft is disabled. At least, this is the way it works in Historical. If you're talking about setting up a 48 team startup with a random draft of real players (for example)...I've been wanting that for a looooonnnnnnng time. I suspect it has something to do with coding difficulties that they don't offer this option. Trust me...I've asked.

rywilson4 · 04-07-2019, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ktulu

Literally just started an MLB fantasy draft. Took 2 minutes and about 7 mouse clicks.

Custom Game > No Thanks to Challenge Mode > League Creation WIzard: Create Real World League > Click Through and then League Settings > Fantasy Draft > Done

Did this allow you to select the number of teams you want in your leage?

03-24-2019, 02:22 PM	#1
Viridel Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 33	Is it actually possible to do a Fantasy Draft with MLB players? I've 'set up' the league a dozen times. Sometimes it auto-assigns me a team (Arizona or Baltimore), sometimes it asks me. Sometimes it has a full league of (properly rated) fictional players, sometimes the available players are crap, and the team rosters are already full (and yes - I am selecting "Hold Draft" EVERY time). I've been playing this since about v8 or 9, and have NEVER been this pissed off about how awful the league creation GUI is. When factoring in the need to rebuild the database every damn time (instead of being able to use an existing database, and just overwrite the game file) - I'm left shaking my head about how crap-tacular my experience has been, without even throwing a pitch. So how the hell do you create an MLB universe league with a Fantasy Draft of REAL players with BLANK opening rosters???

03-24-2019, 02:41 PM	#2
Curve Ball Dave Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,337	You can't just create a Standard League and do a draft with the button on the League Settings screen? __________________ "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing"-Warren Spahn.

03-24-2019, 03:18 PM	#3
Viridel Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 33	New Standard League -> MLB -> 4 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Set Up Manager / Select Team -> ONLY option is "Start Game" -> Rosters pre-filled. Therefore, no. New Custom Game -> Add New League -> Create Real World League -> MLB -> 2 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Scouting & Picture menu -> Set Up Manager / Select Team -> Advanced Mode -> Options -> Hold Inaugural Draft -> Start Game Set Up Manager / Select Team (again?) -> Start Game -> 3 minutes of waiting for files to load -> Rosters pre-filled, and draft is 1.5* players at best. Tried doing all the above instead with Create Fictional League (since it specifically says "Players are real, historical or fictional", and I assumed I could choose which) - and great! Open rosters, 5* guys in the draft pool......... ALL Fictional Players. Last edited by Viridel; 03-24-2019 at 03:28 PM.

03-24-2019, 03:34 PM	#5
HerbD All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Indiana Posts: 965	-Set up a standard league, pick your team, make sure you have act as commish checked -go to league settings and hit "clear rosters" which will release all players to free agency -on the same league settings page hit "schedule free agent draft" __________________

03-24-2019, 04:00 PM	#8
Ktulu Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: BC Posts: 4,506	You have to be in commissioner mode and in the preseason (mar 21) Edit: if you're in Challenge Mode the function is probably disabled. Edit 2: you don't even need to be in commish mode __________________ "The ice is getting even more thinner, my friend!" Last edited by Ktulu; 03-24-2019 at 04:48 PM.

03-24-2019, 03:33 PM	#4
Andy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 2,263	After you create a new MLB league there is an option to release all players and do a draft. Maybe under Global Settings? Don’t have the game open right now.

03-24-2019, 04:14 PM	#9
Viridel Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 33	So there was no checkmark for Commish on the Create League screen (even recreated a league... again... to look for it) - and I have absolutely no idea where to enable / review Commissioner settings. And March 21st is Opening Day - the league creation defaulted to March 20th, therefore I was in pre-season. Like this is so fundamentally basic - I just don't understand how I can be 3 hours in, and yet to choose a single player. EDIT: Pretty sure I've been doing Challenge Mode for as long as its been around. Are they actually REMOVING features in this version? If I didn't accidentally leave it running overnight, I would have asked for a refund already. Every year I go thru this sh!t due to the terrible GUI... Definitely won't be buying 21 without a major overhaul. Last edited by Viridel; 03-24-2019 at 04:17 PM.

03-24-2019, 04:45 PM	#10
Ktulu Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: BC Posts: 4,506	Literally just started an MLB fantasy draft. Took 2 minutes and about 7 mouse clicks. Custom Game > No Thanks to Challenge Mode > League Creation WIzard: Create Real World League > Click Through and then League Settings > Fantasy Draft > Done Attached Images __________________ "The ice is getting even more thinner, my friend!"

03-24-2019, 07:34 PM	#11
Viridel Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 33	Fair enough, but: a) Shouldn't the exclusions of Challenge Mode specifically outline that Fantasy Draft is disabled? b) It is completely counter-intuitive to create a 'Standard' game in order to access Fantasy Drafts. By definition, a Fantasy Draft is a Customization - therefore that should be accessible via the Custom Game system (not necessarily one at the exclusion of the other - but available in both) especially due to, c) The fact that there is an available selection in the Custom Game system for "Hold Inaugural Draft", that doesn't work as one would expect.

03-25-2019, 12:55 PM	#14
Ty Cobb Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Grayling, MI Posts: 4,569	Viridel—you can add the fantasy draft in Challenge Mode only BEFORE pressing start game. Once you press it, fantasy draft is disabled. At least, this is the way it works in Historical. If you're talking about setting up a 48 team startup with a random draft of real players (for example)...I've been wanting that for a looooonnnnnnng time. I suspect it has something to do with coding difficulties that they don't offer this option. Trust me...I've asked. __________________ "You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me." Thanos