Question about Development

[maddog7800]

Does anyone know if player development is purely a function of playing time, potential, peak age, and decline age? Or are other factors involved?

The way I understand it from the XML file, a player has an "optimal" level (ML, AAA, AA, A) based on their age and peak year. If a player is at a higher level, their development is reduced because they are considered over matched. But what if that player manages to have a great season at that level? Does that offset the "over matched" consideration?

I've always used the players' statistical performance as a guide for what level they should be at, but after reading through the XML, I'm not so sure that's a good indication. Are there any good indications of what level a player should be at, other than using strict age bins (<20 = A, 21-23 = AA, 24-26 = AAA, 27+ = ML, for example) or basing it on some kind of ratings bins? How do you all identify early peakers and late bloomers?

[KG Erwin]

ORIGINAL: maddog7800

How do you all identify early peakers and late bloomers?

You can't. That's one of the beauties of this game. It is NOT a strict recreation, and it was never intended to be one. It's a complex sim, and like real life, you are incapable of figuring it out.

Life throws you some curveballs sometimes. This game is meant for those who want to re-invent history, not recreate it or be able to quantify it into absolute probabilties. This game, in a fashion, is about human behavior. It's humanistic in nature, and relativistic in measuring talent.

I went philosophical, and I apologize, but managing the minors is really tough. With 3 levels, I'd have to think that age and ability go hand-in-hand on judging where to put a guy. With this is mind, perhaps going with a 25-man historical roster and a ten-man AAA level isn't that bad.

[maddog7800]

Thanks for the response, KGErwin.&nbsp; I get what you're saying.&nbsp; I'm not looking for perfect insight and I'm primarily a fictional player, so I'm also not interested in perfectly recreating history.&nbsp; In fact it's the uncertainties of the fictional game that make me prefer it.&nbsp; That's also why I use the smallest ratings scale, because I prefer the uncertainty of basing decisions on performance rather than ratings.

What prompted my posting was that performance doesn't seem to be a very good indicator of when a player should be promoted.&nbsp; If I promote a guy "too early" but he still does really well and gets plenty of playing time, it seems that his development would still be penalized for being above the optimal level.&nbsp; This seems a little counter-intuitive to me.&nbsp;

What I would really like to see is some kind of indication, even if there is quite a bit of uncertainty to it, of what level our scouts, minor league coaches, or whoever think the player is ready for.&nbsp; This, combined with in-season development, would really make for some interesting promotion/demotion/trade decisions during the season.&nbsp; The way it is now, I rarely move a good young player quickly up the levels because I'm thinking that I may be keeping a good player from becoming great.&nbsp; And the only feedback to that decision is how the ratings change in the offseason.

Please don't take this as complaining, because I absolutely love PureSim and have been buying it and following its development for quite some time.&nbsp; I just thought this might be a topic Shaun might want to think about for the next version that could really add to the GM aspects.

By the way, thanks, Shaun, for a great sim.&nbsp; I've really enjoyed it and I'm glad to hear that you're working on a new version for next year!

[KG Erwin]

To tell you the truth, managing player development is probably the hardest thing to get a handle on. However, I haven't taken an association through two complete seasons yet.

I guess one should quick sim through four or five years just to get a feel for how the minors work.

[SirWolf1960]

One thing you could do is "auto-assign" players. Then you can adjust from there based on your gut feelings about players. That's how I do it. I am also a fictional player, for much the same reasons you are.
&nbsp;
Steve