What's the best way to evolve my universe?

cavebutter · 02-15-2016, 01:53 PM

Looking for some suggestions on how to evolve my fictional universe over the next 5 or so game years.

Currently have a 16 team ML (all USA, 2 subleagues of 8 teams each, no divisions).

I have 2 Indy leagues:
Canadian League of 8 teams (2 subleagues, no divisions)
Mexican League of 6 teams (1 subleague, no divisions)

The goal, within 5 years or so is to have a single major league that incorporates the 16 original teams plus an expansion of 4 or 6 teams (those can be gradual), plus the 14 indy league teams. Ultimately, I want a 36 team ML.

The expansion of the original US league is easy enough, but I am having trouble figuring out all the steps for integrating the 2 indy leagues. Relevant issues:
1. Mexican Indy League does not have a draft nor does it generate any free agents. It just pulls players 25 yo and older from the global FA pool.
2. Canadian League does have a draft, but the PCMs are very low (bc I set it up as an Indy?). It has an active roster age limit of 24, and currently feeds the ML draft.

Here's my best guess at a workable approach.
1. Remove age limits from both indy leagues
2. Add a draft to the Mexican league
3. Set PCM's for both of these leagues to match the ML
4. Stop having Canadian League feed the ML
5. Let these leagues continue to run with changes 1-3 for a few years to build up talent.

After that, I'm stumped. How do I bring the Indy leagues into the ML? Will there be enough players to stock their minor league systems or should I use ghost players for a couple years? Will the Indy leagues lose their history when I bring them in?

Any thoughts or tips? Thanks.

bwburke94 · 02-15-2016, 05:49 PM

The key here is to expand the majors by 6 teams, then add the Canadian/Mexican teams immediately after the expansion draft. That way they won't lose any players to the draft.

I'll refer to the expansion year as Year X for the purposes of this setup. I'm referring to calendar years, not league years.

YEAR X-5: At the start of the ML season, stop having the Canadian feed the ML. All new players are now draftees.
YEAR X-5: On the first day of the ML offseason, remove both international leagues' age limits, and set their PCMs to the ML norm. Add a draft to the Mexican.
YEAR X-3: On the first day of the ML preseason, temporarily expand the draft pool by an extra few rounds of players.
YEAR X-1: On the first day of the ML offseason (this is the offseason in which expansion takes place!), revert the Year X-3 changes. If the ML has a Rule 5 draft, disable it for this year only.
YEAR X: On January 1, hit the "Expand League" button and add 6 teams to the ML. It doesn't matter which subleagues you add them to, you're realigning anyway.
YEAR X: On January 3, move all Canadian and Mexican teams to the ML, and realign the league. Delete the Canadian and Mexican Leagues, as they are now blank. Turn ghost players on.
YEAR X: On the first day of the ML regular season, re-enable the Rule 5 draft.

cavebutter · 02-16-2016, 01:40 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. Seems really reasonable. I will be gradually adding the ML expansion teams in rather than expanding by six in a single year. Otherwise, this seems like a really good approach.

One other thing- and I might have to start a new thread for the answer if hounding know it:
When adding an amateur draft to a league that does not have one, the box is greyed out and the explanation is cut off. It says: "can only be added during..."

Any idea how to finish that sentence. Can't be offseason, because I'm in the offseason and can't add if. Must be pre-season then, right?

DustinthePOWERHOUSE · 02-16-2016, 09:38 AM

I can't remember for the life of me, but I believe if you move the teams out and "defunct" the league the league history stays intact...but if you delete it completely it goes away.

Maybe just replace the teams in the Mexican league if you care about the history?

Unfortunately, I wish we could defunct a league and then re-establish it as the same league and keep the team histories. But from my memory that wasn't possible.

Padreman · 02-16-2016, 09:56 AM

OOTP should have a section with defunct/folded leagues and teams. For example in real life there was a proposed third major league the continental league let's say for arguments sake in your world they actually started this week and it ran for 12 years then for money issues they had to shut down operations there should be an option to put that league in defunct state which means it's not active but it's not deleted and let's say 20 years later you decide to reactivate that league maybe even add back some of the original teams The history for both the league and the teams should still be there. This will be a huge step forward if the game accomplish this

02-15-2016, 01:53 PM	#1
cavebutter All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,163	What's the best way to evolve my universe? Looking for some suggestions on how to evolve my fictional universe over the next 5 or so game years. Currently have a 16 team ML (all USA, 2 subleagues of 8 teams each, no divisions). I have 2 Indy leagues: Canadian League of 8 teams (2 subleagues, no divisions) Mexican League of 6 teams (1 subleague, no divisions) The goal, within 5 years or so is to have a single major league that incorporates the 16 original teams plus an expansion of 4 or 6 teams (those can be gradual), plus the 14 indy league teams. Ultimately, I want a 36 team ML. The expansion of the original US league is easy enough, but I am having trouble figuring out all the steps for integrating the 2 indy leagues. Relevant issues: 1. Mexican Indy League does not have a draft nor does it generate any free agents. It just pulls players 25 yo and older from the global FA pool. 2. Canadian League does have a draft, but the PCMs are very low (bc I set it up as an Indy?). It has an active roster age limit of 24, and currently feeds the ML draft. Here's my best guess at a workable approach. 1. Remove age limits from both indy leagues 2. Add a draft to the Mexican league 3. Set PCM's for both of these leagues to match the ML 4. Stop having Canadian League feed the ML 5. Let these leagues continue to run with changes 1-3 for a few years to build up talent. After that, I'm stumped. How do I bring the Indy leagues into the ML? Will there be enough players to stock their minor league systems or should I use ghost players for a couple years? Will the Indy leagues lose their history when I bring them in? Any thoughts or tips? Thanks. __________________ MySQL, MyStruggle - A self-indulgent blog about my attempts to roll my own MySQL Database with OOTP Logo Gallery

02-15-2016, 05:49 PM	#2
bwburke94 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belchertown, MA, USA Posts: 4,504	The key here is to expand the majors by 6 teams, then add the Canadian/Mexican teams immediately after the expansion draft. That way they won't lose any players to the draft. I'll refer to the expansion year as Year X for the purposes of this setup. I'm referring to calendar years, not league years. YEAR X-5: At the start of the ML season, stop having the Canadian feed the ML. All new players are now draftees. YEAR X-5: On the first day of the ML offseason, remove both international leagues' age limits, and set their PCMs to the ML norm. Add a draft to the Mexican. YEAR X-3: On the first day of the ML preseason, temporarily expand the draft pool by an extra few rounds of players. YEAR X-1: On the first day of the ML offseason (this is the offseason in which expansion takes place!), revert the Year X-3 changes. If the ML has a Rule 5 draft, disable it for this year only. YEAR X: On January 1, hit the "Expand League" button and add 6 teams to the ML. It doesn't matter which subleagues you add them to, you're realigning anyway. YEAR X: On January 3, move all Canadian and Mexican teams to the ML, and realign the league. Delete the Canadian and Mexican Leagues, as they are now blank. Turn ghost players on. YEAR X: On the first day of the ML regular season, re-enable the Rule 5 draft. Last edited by bwburke94; 06-01-2016 at 01:22 AM.

02-16-2016, 01:40 AM	#3
cavebutter All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,163	Thanks for the suggestions. Seems really reasonable. I will be gradually adding the ML expansion teams in rather than expanding by six in a single year. Otherwise, this seems like a really good approach. One other thing- and I might have to start a new thread for the answer if hounding know it: When adding an amateur draft to a league that does not have one, the box is greyed out and the explanation is cut off. It says: "can only be added during..." Any idea how to finish that sentence. Can't be offseason, because I'm in the offseason and can't add if. Must be pre-season then, right? __________________ MySQL, MyStruggle - A self-indulgent blog about my attempts to roll my own MySQL Database with OOTP Logo Gallery

02-16-2016, 09:38 AM	#4
DustinthePOWERHOUSE All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 871	I can't remember for the life of me, but I believe if you move the teams out and "defunct" the league the league history stays intact...but if you delete it completely it goes away. Maybe just replace the teams in the Mexican league if you care about the history? Unfortunately, I wish we could defunct a league and then re-establish it as the same league and keep the team histories. But from my memory that wasn't possible. __________________ Shootin' at the walls of heartache, BANG BANG, I am THE WARRIOR! "It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am"- Ali Wladimir Klitschko will DESTROY you.

02-16-2016, 09:56 AM	#5
Padreman Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2013 Location: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (formally San Diego, CA.) Posts: 4,138	OOTP should have a section with defunct/folded leagues and teams. For example in real life there was a proposed third major league the continental league let's say for arguments sake in your world they actually started this week and it ran for 12 years then for money issues they had to shut down operations there should be an option to put that league in defunct state which means it's not active but it's not deleted and let's say 20 years later you decide to reactivate that league maybe even add back some of the original teams The history for both the league and the teams should still be there. This will be a huge step forward if the game accomplish this __________________ Chargers= Despicable Traitors