Ratings Changes During Season VS Off Season

[slider15]

I was just curious what peoples opinions/preferences were on this. I have never set up an association with the during season ratings changes before so I just started a fictional one. It got me thinking how others felt about this. All feedback is appreciated.

[KG Erwin]

At one time, in-season ratings changes resulted in some statistical anomalies. I don't use them, and I'm not sure if Shaun got the kinks worked out in 1.70.

[slider15]

Thanks for the response KG. I started one today with the ratings changes during the season, but how do you monitor the changes or even know if they take place? I simmed through half the season and the ratings report is still blank.

[modred]

I don't beleive that the in-season changes show up on the report. You just have to keep an eye on them. They seem to change around the end of May and sometime in the July/August time frame.

[KG Erwin]

Yeah, it's an incremental thing, and requires even closer monitoring IF you are simming. For this game-by-game player, the offseason ratings changes are fine. I have enough micromanagement to do as it is.

Frankly, I always thought that this addition was teetering dangerously close to draining the joy out of this elegant sim by inserting unneccessary minutiae. I'd just as soon see Shaun remove it for PS2008.

[CrashDavis]

It got me thinking how others felt about this.

Slider, I never used the In-Season Ratings Changes. I guess I became a bit gun-shy when reports from other folks started flowing in about pitcher strikeout totals going astronomically high. So I stayed away from that option after those reports. That was quite long ago and I don't know if it was ever corrected in later releases.

[Frozen Stiffer]

I'm with Crash on this one.

I considered it at one time, especially when the '06 Marlins replay I was starting had a TON of players with high potential. I was figuring that whatever they lacked at the start would be made up for as the season went on. However, just like with Crash, I too started reading nightmarish results in HR totals as well as any other vital, worthwhile statistic. I was just too scared to tinker with it.

I think Shaun mentioned something about fixing it in the latest 1.70 patch, but I'm not sure. Frankly, even if he did, something in the back of my head makes me think twice-- I'm probably not likely to enact it any time soon. Or at all, to be honest.

[33sherman]

I liked the in-season ratings quite a bit, though in the original build there were indeed some problems with inflated statistics. Shaun said he'd worked on this for 1.70 and I am definitely going to use the in-season ratings for my next association.

[puresimmer]

All issues with this feature regarding statistical anomalies were fixed.

[LetsPlay2]

I think it is your call Shaun.

I know I can live with it !

[menippus]

I use in-season change, but I only do fictional play.
Works for me.

[evilmonkeycmand]

I also use in-season change, with no problems whatsoever.
One thing I would like to see is instead of the "Player Ratings change" report listing the cumulative change through the year, instead listing the most recent change.  Similarly, it would be helpful on the "Ratings change" graph on the player card to have an entry for each time it changes, instead of only during the postseason.
Obviously this isn't important enough to incorporate into this year's version.  Perhaps for next year?