Player Progression

[Hampe]

I haven't seen too much about player progression here on the forum, so I'm wondering if you guys can answer some noob questions.

I've seen that older players decline, but do younger players progress at the end of the season? What is this based on (performance?)? And also, is the process automatic or does it take any manual labor to get it to work properly?

[Mykal]

From my understanding, it does happen

exactly how it works, I cant say
i've not completed a season yet to be able to tell you

[micvik]

Its automatic and the progression is based on a potential rating.

You can also change how players progress by editing the DefaultValues_TrainingCamp table in the MainData database with microsoft Access. 

[Hampe]

Can you also adjust their total potential?

[Marauders]

Can you also adjust their total potential?

 
Not in the game.
 
One can do this in Excel.

[Hampe]

I've been looking at this and I'm getting a bit better understanding for it, but I'm not quite there.  I was looking through the usmfl database at both the player and players_potential tables, and I noticed some things/had some questions:

- I noticed that some of the players_potential playerIDs match up with the IDs in the player table....that's good, makes sense and everything (that is the potential for that player).  However, there are something like 44,000 entries in the potential table, and only 2,400 entries in the player table.  Are these extra entries future draft picks that get generated automatically? (if so, then I have more questions....but I'll get to those later).

- The players_potential table for my league is empty......does that ever get generated automatically, or do I have to go through and make entries for all 500+ players manually?

- Are the potential rating numbers simply max values, or will they always be attained?  (Basically, is it the case that not all players reach their full potential?)

- I have basically the same question about the maximum season value.  If I set the max season value at 15, does that mean that the player could retire after 12 seasons, or will he always retire after the 15th season?


I guess that's all for now....

[Tullius]

The players_potential table for my league is empty......does that ever get generated automatically, or do I have to go through and make entries for all 500+ players manually?

What i have seen in various test leagues is that all entries will be made. It seems at least for all active player.

But i have not really a overview about the system. The USMFL is in my opinion a special case because the league was created using an Alpha version and here some things were simply very different. At that time the game created sometimes thousends of players and some of the old chunks are still in the game (even when only as redundant entries). To study the player progression i would now create a new league and sim some seasons.

[Marauders]

- Are these extra entries future draft picks that get generated automatically? (if so, then I have more questions....but I'll get to those later).

 
The draft picks are created each season.  Their potentials are added at that time. 

- The players_potential table for my league is empty......does that ever get generated automatically, or do I have to go through and make entries for all 500+ players manually?

 
Have you started a season for this league with players and a draft? 

- Are the potential rating numbers simply max values, or will they always be attained?  (Basically, is it the case that not all players reach their full potential?)

They are max values.  One must use training camp to increase skill attributes that will max out if the potential is met.  Players also have skill attributes naturally decline as they age.
 

- I have basically the same question about the maximum season value.  If I set the max season value at 15, does that mean that the player could retire after 12 seasons, or will he always retire after the 15th season?

 
A player could retire prior to that.  He will retire at the max. 

[Hampe]

ORIGINAL: Marauders

- The players_potential table for my league is empty......does that ever get generated automatically, or do I have to go through and make entries for all 500+ players manually?

Have you started a season for this league with players and a draft? 

No, not yet. I might go with Tullius' advice and mess around with a fake league before messing around with my league.

Thanks for the info.

[garysorrell]

Thats a good way to go, Hampe. It will kill you when you hose a league you were looking forward to using. I've fone it a number of times. Making a test league to try things with will save you a few headaches.

[Hampe]

Oh great thanks a lot Gary. Now I'm going to be super worried any time I go and mess with the DB for my league .



I've been trying to get in the habit of backing up the DB anytime I'm about to fiddle with it. I hate that Access automatically saves changes.