Towel Boy Basketball Returns!

[Coffee Warlord]

So, I figured if I can run into catastrophic bugs and have to bring down the system not once, but twice, I might as well try again, eh?

The screwing around with Cyberdunk gave me the urge to fix what went wrong the last time. I *gasp* actually tested the game through several seasons, and even more *gasp*, it actually worked. So, I feel comfortable enough re-opening the game for a third time, and hoping enough people here liked it/forgive me for having to shut it off the last two times.

For those of you who weren't around in its last incarnation, Towel Boy Basketball is a college basketball text based web game. You too can beat up on my god awful squad in the mighty Dean Houston Conference.

http://tbb.officepimps.com/

[wade moore]

Third times the charm! Like the last two times, I'm in!

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Third times the charm! Like the last two times, I'm in!

I learned my lesson(s) from last time. Releasing it before you're really ready and not bothering to completely test an entire season is not a good thing.

And it's on a real web server now instead of a brick in a closet.

[Yellow5]

I'm in as the Tacoma Aromas in the Dean Houston Conference. Glad to see this is back!

[Coffee Warlord]

By the way. Fun with randomly pulling from zip code databases to create bot teams has given us the following stellar Community Colleges.

The mighty Kennedy Space Ce Community College.

And my favorite...

The Wal-mart Inc Community College

[wade moore]

Will there actually be games simmed tonight?

[Coffee Warlord]

No. Season starts sunday.

Though training will run tomorrow.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

No. Season starts sunday.

Though training will run tomorrow.

Roger that, thanks!

[Coffee Warlord]

Did I mention my team is absolutely MISERABLE?

I have exactly one player with one stat of acceptable.

I obviously didn't rig it well

[rjolley]

The Stone Mountain Tech Bearcats have signed on to compete in the Dean Houston Conference of the TBB. Fear us! (either because we'll be really good or really bad )

EDIT: Looks like we're pretty bad...

[Poli]

How many coffee cups does the brick in the closet have on it?

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by rjolley

The Stone Mountain Tech Bearcats have signed on to compete in the Dean Houston Conference of the TBB. Fear us! (either because we'll be really good or really bad )

Heh. And you come out to Palm Springs to take on my Fighting Trout first thing.

[MikeVic]

I kind of remember this... maybe I'll sign up.

[lordscarlet]

I know very little about basketball and have never managed a sim team, but I started a team.

[wade moore]

CW - would you rather us keep constructive feedback here or on the game boards?

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

I know very little about basketball and have never managed a sim team, but I started a team.

That's okay, my team apparently knows very little about basketball.

[lordscarlet]

Can we get a roster page that's easier to stick into excel?

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by wade moore

CW - would you rather us keep constructive feedback here or on the game boards?

Can throw it here for now if it's easier.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Can we get a roster page that's easier to stick into excel?

I didn't have too much trouble with it really... I've quickly thrown together a spreadsheet that gives numerical values to the stats ratings and averages them out.. very rudimantry and ripe with flawed logic (i.e. not weighting different stats for positions in the average), but it wasn't hard at all.

Although it might be nice if I didn't have to go to a separate screen to get the Potential.

[Passacaglia]

I'm in as the Grand Rapids Fighting Calders in the Dean Houston Conference.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Can throw it here for now if it's easier.

Ok.. here's the biggest thing that jumps out at me. I haven't looked at ANY other roster than mine, so this is purely based on my roster.

It seems to me that there is a relatively logical progression that Seniors are rated a bit higher than Juniors who are a bit higher than Sophomores and so-on. No problem there.

The problem is, it's only slight and the Seniors are nowhere close to their potential. It would seem to me that in general, seniors are going to be a fair amount closer to their potential than freshman.

Now, maybe this is just going to be how it is with the initial rosters and it will clean itself up after we go through a few seasons, but just a somewhat frustrating observation for now. I have a couple of seniors that could be very good players, but based on the future of my team there is just very little benefit in trying to do much developing of those guys.

[Passacaglia]

Ooh, and I have a 7'1" freshman. I don't care what his ratings are -- he's a 7'1" freshman!

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by wade moore

The problem is, it's only slight and the Seniors are nowhere close to their potential. It would seem to me that in general, seniors are going to be a fair amount closer to their potential than freshman.

Now, maybe this is just going to be how it is with the initial rosters and it will clean itself up after we go through a few seasons, but just a somewhat frustrating observation for now. I have a couple of seniors that could be very good players, but based on the future of my team there is just very little benefit in trying to do much developing of those guys.

In short, it's how it is with the initial rosters. The fact that you saw any sort of progression is purely coincidence. Stats for generated players are built pretty much randomly, as are their class year. Obviously this will sort itself out down the line when you get 4 years with your kids, but the initial roster gen doesn't account for current/potential based on year.

edit: I actually think I could retrofit that in before Sunday's games, and actually give teams some decently developed juniors/seniors to start things off, if it's in popular demand.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

In short, it's how it is with the initial rosters. The fact that you saw any sort of progression is purely coincidence. Stats for generated players are built pretty much randomly, as are their class year. Obviously this will sort itself out down the line when you get 4 years with your kids, but the initial roster gen doesn't account for current/potential based on year.

edit: I actually think I could retrofit that in before Sunday's games, and actually give teams some decently developed juniors/seniors to start things off, if it's in popular demand.

Cool - like I said, not a big deal. I can cope with the fact that the initial rosters will be skewed.

Time to bench those seniors!

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Did I mention my team is absolutely MISERABLE?

I have exactly one player with one stat of acceptable.

I obviously didn't rig it well

Same here. Boo.

[mauchow]

Me too.

[MikeVic]

I seem to have a pretty smart team, and a guy with a 3.90 GPA though.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

edit: I actually think I could retrofit that in before Sunday's games, and actually give teams some decently developed juniors/seniors to start things off, if it's in popular demand.

I wouldn't do it for the benefit of right now... If you want this to matter down the road as things expand (it could really put new teams at a disadvantage 3 years from now if they start new with this setup) but for the early teams it doens't really matter... but, maybe this would simulate like a Division II team moving up to Division I.. in that case their young players are often as good/better than their old players because they are recruiting at a different standard.

[mauchow]

This is pretty sweet.

[Travis]

In, looking forward to giving this a good run through.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I wouldn't do it for the benefit of right now... If you want this to matter down the road as things expand (it could really put new teams at a disadvantage 3 years from now if they start new with this setup) but for the early teams it doens't really matter... but, maybe this would simulate like a Division II team moving up to Division I.. in that case their young players are often as good/better than their old players because they are recruiting at a different standard.

Very good point.

And I'm not sure I want new teams to be royally and utterly screwed down the road when I have to expand the leagues. They'll still be not as good (assuming I auto-developed players on new rosters, it'd still be nowhere near full potential), but at least they wouldn't have to spend 3-4 seasons being utterly horrid in comparison.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Very good point.

And I'm not sure I want new teams to be royally and utterly screwed down the road when I have to expand the leagues. They'll still be not as good (assuming I auto-developed players on new rosters, it'd still be nowhere near full potential), but at least they wouldn't have to spend 3-4 seasons being utterly horrid in comparison.

Yeah, good point... Thats' the pros/cons of it to me..


So on another note - recruiting right now is just a complete gamble? As far as I can tell there's no way to see where your team ranks with the rest of the universe or how players feel about your team? Guys I'm looking at are already twice as good as my team, but maybe that's how it is across the board - i don't know.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by rjolley

The Stone Mountain Tech Bearcats have signed on to compete in the Dean Houston Conference of the TBB. Fear us! (either because we'll be really good or really bad )

EDIT: Looks like we're pretty bad...

Week 1 showdown - bring it on!

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Yeah, good point... Thats' the pros/cons of it to me..


So on another note - recruiting right now is just a complete gamble? As far as I can tell there's no way to see where your team ranks with the rest of the universe or how players feel about your team? Guys I'm looking at are already twice as good as my team, but maybe that's how it is across the board - i don't know.

Right now it is. You actually learn things on the recruiting update. Until that first update runs, it's largely looking at their desires, hoping for a match, and taking a gamble.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Right now it is. You actually learn things on the recruiting update. Until that first update runs, it's largely looking at their desires, hoping for a match, and taking a gamble.

Desires?

Oh... hah.. didn't see that before, ok - good start.. thanks ...

[Coffee Warlord]

Alright, duck kids. Your older players are about to get quite a bit better.

Before I run it, the lowdown:

Players are being bumped up by a % of their potential, a randomly generated number range based on year & training cap (a hidden stat that determines the maximum increase a player can have per training update). Juniors and Seniors will see a sizable increase. For the most part, freshman, if they have a high training cap, MIGHT get lucky and get a percentage point or two, sophmores maybe a smidge more.

[Anthony]

Dean Houston Warriors of Astoria, playing in the Trout Ten. i wanted to be in the DH Conference. oh well.

[ntndeacon]

Red Mountain State are a new member of the Trout Ten

[Anthony]

what do all those times mean on the lineup screen? how do you set that up?

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

what do all those times mean on the lineup screen? how do you set that up?

It's modeled after the sub matrix in DDS:PB (among others on that line). Basically it's who you want to sub in/out at what point during the game, counting down. So the 40:00 mark is the start of the game, and you can set your rotation from there.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

It's modeled after the sub matrix in DDS:PB (among others on that line). Basically it's who you want to sub in/out at what point during the game, counting down. So the 40:00 mark is the start of the game, and you can set your rotation from there.

gotcha, thanks.

wouldn't PT be easier to set if you did it like how jim does it: 1-10 scale, with 10 being the most playing time? as-is it seems that whether my guy is on a roll or not, he's coming out. just a friendly suggestion. this look like something fun to do during work. good job overall.

[MikeVic]

The highest stat I have now is amazing. What an improvement.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

gotcha, thanks.

wouldn't PT be easier to set if you did it like how jim does it: 1-10 scale, with 10 being the most playing time? as-is it seems that whether my guy is on a roll or not, he's coming out. just a friendly suggestion. this look like something fun to do during work. good job overall.

This is actually much easier to code/handle in the sim engine, and I think basketball oftentimes has a more set rotation schedule.

Oh, and on a similar topic, 'cause I know someone will ask. Players train faster when they get playing time. Your freshmen may suck, but they need some minutes to reach their maximum ability.

[Mr. Wednesday]

So the Dean Houston Conference is full, and we're working on the Trout Ten. Any other conferences with teams in them yet?

[Coffee Warlord]

Nope, it runs straight down the list.

In order of how the conferences will be populated:

| Dean Houston Conference |
| Trout Ten |
| Colossal Squid Ten |
| Conference Dolamite |
| Erik Flamebeard Ten |
| Sectoid Conference |
| Dark Jedi Conference |
| Penalty Box Ten |
| Conference Yak |
| Towel Boy Ten |
| Ladies Man Ten |
| Broken Database Ten |
| Conference Werewolf |
| Puke Green Ten |
| Conference Thunderdome |
| Conference Gindin |
| Trucker Ten |
| Bad Rex Ten |
| Blue Mountain Conference |
| Empty Cupboard Ten |

[Tigercat]

I wanted to put my team in the big city and we ended up being across the street from HA's team. We are going to slap the Dean Houstons around like the red headed stepchild that they are.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

I wanted to put my team in the big city and we ended up being across the street from HA's team. We are going to slap the Dean Houstons around like the red headed stepchild that they are.

What a coincidence. We have a non-conference game against the Dean Houstons now, so I think we'll join you in beating them around.

[Anthony]

we are not the Dean Houstons (although that does sound impressive).

we are the Dean Houston University Warriors of Astoria.


Warriors.

of Astoria. get it right.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Alright, duck kids. Your older players are about to get quite a bit better.

Before I run it, the lowdown:

Players are being bumped up by a % of their potential, a randomly generated number range based on year & training cap (a hidden stat that determines the maximum increase a player can have per training update). Juniors and Seniors will see a sizable increase. For the most part, freshman, if they have a high training cap, MIGHT get lucky and get a percentage point or two, sophmores maybe a smidge more.

that was the worst thing you could have done. now the Dean Houston University Warriors of Astoria are more dominant.

just reset my lineups, the season is over already for many of you.

[MikeVic]

I have a senior with a higher current ability than potential...?