This is how to make the game more challenging

[canadian content]

I wanted to start another thread on this matter that players can refer back to from time to time. Please state the game settings you use to make the game more challenging whether you play with ratings on OR stats only.

Veteran OOTP players, we would love your input and opinions.

[Lockdog]

I started a new league yesterday. Something I did was turn off ratings for both players AND coaches.

[PSUColonel]

OK....I use scouted ratings.

AI Evaluation: 30/40/20/10 Very Hard trading neutral

I use normal scouting accuracy, but I only receive scouting updates at the start and end of the season...my prospect lists are only updated annually also.

I use 20-80 scale also.

[PSUColonel]

I also could lean towards 20/40/30/10

[Roy Tucker]

Want challenging? Just crank that injury level setting up to high. Then watch all that brilliant drafting, all those brilliant trades and all those brilliant lineup settings go down the drain and all the players that you fleeced from the computer for pennies on the dollar drop one by one by one until you are left curled up in a fetal position weeping at season's end because the only players you have left to put on the field are teenage free agents fresh off the boat from Cuba.

But yeah, high injury setting isn't for everyone including me.

[canadian content]

Originally Posted by Roy Tucker

To add challenge I put my talent change randomness at 200, add a salary cap and put trading on hard.

I put your post here from that other thread, too, I hope you don't mind.

[PSUColonel]

I wish scouted ratings were based on performance, rather than having results being driven by ratings

[RchW]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I wish scouted ratings were based on performance, rather than having results being driven by ratings

Not sure I understand this. Sounds like a circular reference or conundrum.

Performance = results unless you can show me how they are not equivalent. Ergo performance/results produce ratings and ratings produce performance/results.

Clarify please.

[PSUColonel]

I was under the impression the real ratings drove the results...I was suggesting the "scouted" ratings be based on actual performance.....which as we know varies for a variety of different reasons

[Izz]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I was suggesting the "scouted" ratings be based on actual performance.....which as we know varies for a variety of different reasons

I thought that was what changing the AI eval settings was for, plus ticking the Overall Rating based on AI eval, not pure ratings.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I was under the impression the real ratings drove the results...I was suggesting the "scouted" ratings be based on actual performance.....which as we know varies for a variety of different reasons

You keep using the words performance and results as if they are different things. They are synonymous to me in this usage. If scouting for the purpose of acquiring players was based solely on actual performance/results no player with poor performance would ever be signed or traded for. Two examples are Josh Johnson and Brandon Morrow of San Diego. Both of them have been injured and bad for more than one season but any scout and player evaluator would focus on "apparent skills", in the absence of good results, that may still be present. Such skills merit team friendly/performance based contracts which is what they signed.

[canadian content]

Anyone else out there with suggestions or settings?

[RchW]

Spend your whole budget so you can't trade for some stud mid season.

Don't bypass or stop any roster rules. Most common exploit used IMO

Use no ratings (stats only) or 1-5 scale and never look under the hood.

Get rid of potential ratings. I'm ambivalent about this.

Never edit players unless it is to stop them from being used at the wrong position by an AI team.

Never edit injuries, contracts or positions to your benefit.

Never make a trade that is a clear loss for an AI team. Look at the deal as the AI GM and be honest. No one trades a 24 year old Cy Young SP with 3-4 years of arbitration control. The beauty of this is that you can get a another good player if you just give fair value or pay for it just like RL GM. I get a kick out of seeing my throw in players as regulars 2-4 seasons down the road.

Don't hoard multiple marginal position players or pitchers. It can be easy to have 2-3 replacement level SS or 4 replacement level+ OF and MR in AAA. The side benefit is that you might get lucky with a random prospect who develops due to a clear path being created.

As a corollary don't let a prospect die on the vine because you have him blocked. Give him away if necessary.

[Trebro]

Originally Posted by RchW

Don't hoard multiple marginal position players or pitchers. It can be easy to have 2-3 replacement level SS or 4 replacement level+ OF and MR in AAA. The side benefit is that you might get lucky with a random prospect who develops due to a clear path being created.

As a corollary don't let a prospect die on the vine because you have him blocked. Give him away if necessary.

Funny you should mention this, as the AI-controlled team I took over for in my current league was definitely hoarding AAAA position players and really had wrecked the AAA and AA teams, something I'm still fixing in year three, and am likely going to get fired before it's better.

And I just DFAed a young SP that the AI had put on an MLB contract but I have no room or use for, so I am likely just giving him away!

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by RchW

Spend your whole budget so you can't trade for some stud mid season.

Don't bypass or stop any roster rules. Most common exploit used IMO

Use no ratings (stats only) or 1-5 scale and never look under the hood.

Get rid of potential ratings. I'm ambivalent about this.

Never edit players unless it is to stop them from being used at the wrong position by an AI team.

Never edit injuries, contracts or positions to your benefit.

Never make a trade that is a clear loss for an AI team. Look at the deal as the AI GM and be honest. No one trades a 24 year old Cy Young SP with 3-4 years of arbitration control. The beauty of this is that you can get a another good player if you just give fair value or pay for it just like RL GM. I get a kick out of seeing my throw in players as regulars 2-4 seasons down the road.

Don't hoard multiple marginal position players or pitchers. It can be easy to have 2-3 replacement level SS or 4 replacement level+ OF and MR in AAA. The side benefit is that you might get lucky with a random prospect who develops due to a clear path being created.

As a corollary don't let a prospect die on the vine because you have him blocked. Give him away if necessary.

but if you look at the written reports...which we all do, it's obvious what the scout's opinion is...so you might as well use 20-80....I would not go any more than that however

[PSUColonel]

but go very
low accuracy

[PSUColonel]

Also...only get reports at the start and end of the season...it's a way to keep scouting in the mix, but not enough, to give it away

[PSUColonel]

It also forces you to actually go out and scout players

[PSUColonel]

listen, this game is tough......even with all of this

[RchW]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

but if you look at the written reports...which we all do, it's obvious what the scout's opinion is...so you might as well use 20-80....I would not go any more than that however

I don't agree. A 1-5 scale gives you far less information. I don't use scouting and I find the OSA stuff unenlightening with respect to the 1-5 scale.

ok