Serious Scouting Flaw for On-Line Leagues

[kcroyalgm]

The new scouting system is great by design but seriously flawed in its implementation (at least for on-line leagues).

In OOTP7/8 international scouting finds were exclusively available to the team whose scout found him. The find was supposed to go into the free agent pool after a period of time but never did.

In OOTP9 the find does indeed go into the free agent pool, but he goes there much too quickly. For example, my most recent find was discovered on 6/16 and on 6/17 he was in the FA pool for all to sign. So you can see than in an on-line league that sims 7 days at a time, the free agent becomes available to everyone before the finding team has a chance to make an exclusive offer.

I spent a significant higher than normal amount of money in my scouting budget on international scouting. That is now money spent for no reason since it appears that every player uncovered by my international scouting is available to everyone in the league at the same time as me. I could spend $0 on international scouting and just sit back and make offers to the finds of other teams.

I'd like to cut my international scouting budget significantly but I cannot until the next preseason.

[tysok]

Good post. It made far far more sense the previous way, if the guy in question had ever finally gone into the FA pool. It's the same in a solo league, you can't negotiate with the player at all... you either give him what he wants and hope, or give him more than what he wants and hope. If he's any good the AI picks him up a day or two later when you're still negotiating. Makes the whole point of spending money on international scouting a waste of time.

[bailey]

That's not true. Because I was on vacation, I missed the chance to set my scouting budget when DDB went to 9. As a result, I'm spending next to nothing on international scouting. However, shortly after that, I did get an e-mail advising me that S. Sun would sign with me for 1.6 mil/yr. I offered 1.2/yr and I got him. He's batting over .300 for me now

[kcroyalgm]

Originally Posted by bailey

That's not true. Because I was on vacation, I missed the chance to set my scouting budget when DDB went to 9. As a result, I'm spending next to nothing on international scouting. However, shortly after that, I did get an e-mail advising me that S. Sun would sign with me for 1.6 mil/yr. I offered 1.2/yr and I got him. He's batting over .300 for me now

Then you got lucky. Maybe the email came on the last day of the sim and he wasn't yet in the FA pool. Or no one else noticed him and he liked your offer the best. Or something.

But international finds are going into the FA pool no later than one day after you get the email.

[Corsairs]

This issue has been brought up several times. Markus, could we get an official update on whether this is perceived as a problem and, if so, when it may be addressed? Our league is slated to convert over to OOTP 9 in three weeks and I would absolutely hate to have to turn off hidden talents, but that's exactly what's going to happen if nothing changes. It makes no sense for a few teams to be pouring money into international scouting just to serve up hidden talents to everyone else. They should be rewarded for their investment, not punished.

[kcroyalgm]

I hope this gets Markus's attention.
I fear it won't.
Without a fix my on-line league with scouting will become a waste of my time.

[Markus Heinsohn]

The next patch will fix this, the player will be hidden from the FA list for 14 days.

[Corsairs]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

The next patch will fix this, the player will be hidden from the FA list for 14 days.

Huzzah! Cheers, Markus!

[kcroyalgm]

There is a God!
Thank you, Markus!!!!!

[bailey]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

The next patch will fix this, the player will be hidden from the FA list for 14 days.

Ummm, what if your online league sims 15 days at a time or more? I'm interested in fast sims like this. I hope this isn't hard coded, but can be modified by the commish. What's the rush to dump these guys into the FA list? If it has to be hard coded, I'd like to see a 45 day wait.

[kcroyalgm]

Originally Posted by bailey

Ummm, what if your online league sims 15 days at a time or more? I'm interested in fast sims like this. I hope this isn't hard coded, but can be modified by the commish. What's the rush to dump these guys into the FA list? If it has to be hard coded, I'd like to see a 45 day wait.

Just above you weren't concerned about it.
Anyway, you make a point, but it would be a minor point. Even in a 15-day sim arrangement, most finds would still be exclusive to the finder, the exception being those finds made on the first or second day within the sim. I'm happy with the solution as Markus described it.