First impression...expansion....changes??

[chriskelly]

I love expansion mode.

after download, I just ran a test...moved scouting to 100% accurate, current rosters, 2 team expansion draft all AI run. Here's what I noticed, with my questions and hopes:

-I simmed a season in 7 minutes while doing other stuff!!! In the past, this was at least 20 minutes! this is awesome!
-I still can't set up a "realistic" expansion with multiple rounds where each team loses 1 player per round, then pulls back more. so, I protect 20, 3 years cutoff, max 3 lost / team. I really wish this would be changed!!!
-At a glance, the AI seems to be a little better at making protection decisions, but some still don't make sense:
-One team left their 4 and 5 hitters, both on decent contracts, and protected middle of the road RP / SP prospects instead.
-One team left a ML ready 22 year old prospect who plays multiple positions in favor of RP's when it had plenty
-One team left its 28year old #3 starter on a $4M deal in favor of AAA RPs (with starter stamina) in the 26 year old range with worse ratings.

Is there any work around? Can I change the individual teams focus, to maybe get more realistic results? can I point them to who to protect? Is there any plan to make the expansion draft work more like in real life, with multiple rounds?

[progen]

Originally Posted by chriskelly

I love expansion mode.

after download, I just ran a test...moved scouting to 100% accurate, current rosters, 2 team expansion draft all AI run. Here's what I noticed, with my questions and hopes:

-I simmed a season in 7 minutes while doing other stuff!!! In the past, this was at least 20 minutes! this is awesome!
-I still can't set up a "realistic" expansion with multiple rounds where each team loses 1 player per round, then pulls back more. so, I protect 20, 3 years cutoff, max 3 lost / team. I really wish this would be changed!!!
-At a glance, the AI seems to be a little better at making protection decisions, but some still don't make sense:
-One team left their 4 and 5 hitters, both on decent contracts, and protected middle of the road RP / SP prospects instead.
-One team left a ML ready 22 year old prospect who plays multiple positions in favor of RP's when it had plenty
-One team left its 28year old #3 starter on a $4M deal in favor of AAA RPs (with starter stamina) in the 26 year old range with worse ratings.

Is there any work around? Can I change the individual teams focus, to maybe get more realistic results? can I point them to who to protect? Is there any plan to make the expansion draft work more like in real life, with multiple rounds?

95% of the time I play this way! I usually turn off auto evolution, run 5-7 seasons, and then add the Expos and Mexico City, where I always take the Expos. Currently though, I'm doing historical, with GM/Manager of the expansion Rockies. I never played out games in the past, but just started with OOTP22, and through the first five games, it has been a blast. Doubt I'll do the entire season, but it's more fun than I imagined.

The one thing I do with the expansion draft, to make things more challenging, is to allow the AI teams to protect 25-29 players, and always change from 3 to 4 years of service. I found staying with the 3 years of service, there are just too many young, really good players that go unprotected, and it doesn't seem very realistic. I never played with the default settings, where only 15 players can be protected, but it would appear that would be a much easier build for your expansion team. Hope some of this helps!

[WIUPIKE]

Originally Posted by chriskelly

I love expansion mode.

after download, I just ran a test...moved scouting to 100% accurate, current rosters, 2 team expansion draft all AI run. Here's what I noticed, with my questions and hopes:

-I simmed a season in 7 minutes while doing other stuff!!! In the past, this was at least 20 minutes! this is awesome!
-I still can't set up a "realistic" expansion with multiple rounds where each team loses 1 player per round, then pulls back more. so, I protect 20, 3 years cutoff, max 3 lost / team. I really wish this would be changed!!!
-At a glance, the AI seems to be a little better at making protection decisions, but some still don't make sense:
-One team left their 4 and 5 hitters, both on decent contracts, and protected middle of the road RP / SP prospects instead.
-One team left a ML ready 22 year old prospect who plays multiple positions in favor of RP's when it had plenty
-One team left its 28year old #3 starter on a $4M deal in favor of AAA RPs (with starter stamina) in the 26 year old range with worse ratings.

Is there any work around? Can I change the individual teams focus, to maybe get more realistic results? can I point them to who to protect? Is there any plan to make the expansion draft work more like in real life, with multiple rounds?

I usually have the teams protect 50 to 60 players to add for a challenge.

The day the lists are due, i go into comish mode and make adjustments if a highly rated player is shown available that shouldnt.

[progen]

Originally Posted by WIUPIKE

I usually have the teams protect 50 to 60 players to add for a challenge.

The day the lists are due, i go into comish mode and make adjustments if a highly rated player is shown available that shouldnt.

Good idea. I've really only had a few issues regarding players like that, but would be easier to check first.

[chriskelly]

I end up doing it offline, and it takes forever. I do 1 round protecting 15, and I edit the list for each computer team, and then I draft for both so the AI doesn't take all old guys with high salaries. Then, I start over, manually move those 30 guys to their new teams, change the protection to 18, and do it again. it takes forever. I was really hoping this version would improve on these issues, at least a little bit......I haven't yet taken a look at the types of players the AI takes to see if it has or not.

If I just had the ability to toggle the types of decisions the AI makes when it protects and picks, that would be great. maybe I do, and I don't know about it?

[WIUPIKE]

Originally Posted by progen

Good idea. I've really only had a few issues regarding players like that, but would be easier to check first.

It is something i started doing i think a version or so ago. The AI gets better each year, where at first I would move 2 or 3 per team to 1 per team. And with playing around with this version so far its only maybe 5ish total adjustments.