Pro Strategy Football 2019

Started by Nefaro, September 08, 2018, 08:14:39 PM

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Pro Strategy Football

Quote from: Lowenstaat on September 11, 2018, 10:30:19 PM
Thanks for sharing your plans, Kerry. I've been playing your game on and off over the years since I picked up a CD copy of Tom Landry Strategy Football Deluxe years ago. I still play your 2016 version of Pro Strategy Football on PC and occasionally play around with the 2018 version on my phone when I travel. I've never tried multiplayer, but I am very excited to read your comments about adding in game league customization and fully configurable leagues at all levels of football. I look forward to seeing those features in future releases.

Thanks much, I'm really glad when I hear that people are enjoying the game!  Feel free to send me suggestions as well, to prostrategyfootball@gmail.com.  At least half the new features each year come from users' suggestions.  Thanks!

Grim.Reaper

although good coaching is certainly important and welcomed, career play is something that a lot of folks enjoy and expect as well.  not saying it has to be perfect, but unless i am misunderstanding the only way to evolve your team is to draft players.  without other means of changing your roster through trades, free agency, waivers, practice squads, just seems too limiting.  not sure i really care about salaries as long as some reasonable replacement is added to judge the value of each player and not allowing teams to stock up.

personally i am surprised to see it last on your list and implying it will only be considered if people ask for it.  just surprised to know this isn't already being asked for by people enough to warrant a much higher priority.  seems like any football audience i look at are always stating these things are needed and expected.

but again if the main focus will be more on individual games and coaching, then i can understand why it will never happen.  i can certainly be in the minority anyway but will keep an eye on future versions if they go in enhancing the career experience.

Nefaro

Quote from: Pro Strategy Football on September 11, 2018, 10:06:04 PM
As for free agency, what I'm considering adding next year - but only if people even want this light version - is free agency with contracts, but not salaries.  That's just too much to do with my other priorities.  If I add this light version and people like it, that opens up salaries for the following year.  However, if no one wants FA without salaries, then the whole thing would have to wait.

My top priorities for next year are:
1) online multiplayer (coaching)
2) fully configurable leagues, so you can have college leagues, high school, past NFL, anything you want
3) configurable rules
4) in-game league editor
5) ability to edit and create schedules (pretty essential with configurable leagues)
6) * free agency light, if people are interested


Free Agency is a must.

The reason I picked up PSF this year is because you've been adding more Career features.  I'm enjoying it and would like to see more added.  Adding a yearly free agency stage to next year's version would definitely be at the top of my wish list.

Thanks!   :bd:

Pro Strategy Football

Quote from: Nefaro on September 12, 2018, 04:42:59 AM
Free Agency is a must.

The reason I picked up PSF this year is because you've been adding more Career features.  I'm enjoying it and would like to see more added.  Adding a yearly free agency stage to next year's version would definitely be at the top of my wish list.

Thanks!   :bd:

Thanks to you!

I didn't explain myself very well, with regard to FA.  When I said, "if people want it" I meant "if people would be ok with a FA system that has contract lengths and franchise players (and even make it very configurable), but that doesn't have salaries."  If people insist on salaries and salary caps, I honestly don't see it happening, because I have other priorities as well.  But if they're willing to have a system that has everything else, as a stepping stone for 2020, yeah, I think it would be good to add.

What I think I could do is something like this:

  • when creating a career, give the option "include Free Agency round each year"
  • if the user includes FA, then let them configure it; for example,
  • let them choose how long rookie contracts will be (default 3 years, right?)
  • let them choose how many franchise players each team can designate each year
  • etc

and since FAs want to go to better teams, I would think that the default FA order would be the reverse of the rookie draft, although that could be configurable as well.  Players are already given values, so sorting them by value is no problem, and the AI teams would participate, same as they do in the draft, by looking at the values of players and their needs.  I figure the FA would continue until no team selects a player (including your team).  Each "round" some number of teams may say "no more, thanks"

Now, there's a lot I don't know, since that's not really my area.  I assume you'd want to be able, at any time during the FA phase, to go look at the rookies in the upcoming draft, too.  So, my thinking is that I'll be asking a lot of people a lot of questions before I even try designing this.  But it sounds doable, as far as I can tell.

thanks,
Kerry

Nefaro

#19
Quote from: Pro Strategy Football on September 12, 2018, 08:35:40 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on September 12, 2018, 04:42:59 AM
Free Agency is a must.

The reason I picked up PSF this year is because you've been adding more Career features.  I'm enjoying it and would like to see more added.  Adding a yearly free agency stage to next year's version would definitely be at the top of my wish list.

Thanks!   :bd:

Thanks to you!

I didn't explain myself very well, with regard to FA.  When I said, "if people want it" I meant "if people would be ok with a FA system that has contract lengths and franchise players (and even make it very configurable), but that doesn't have salaries."  If people insist on salaries and salary caps, I honestly don't see it happening, because I have other priorities as well.  But if they're willing to have a system that has everything else, as a stepping stone for 2020, yeah, I think it would be good to add.

What I think I could do is something like this:

  • when creating a career, give the option "include Free Agency round each year"
  • if the user includes FA, then let them configure it; for example,
  • let them choose how long rookie contracts will be (default 3 years, right?)
  • let them choose how many franchise players each team can designate each year
  • etc

and since FAs want to go to better teams, I would think that the default FA order would be the reverse of the rookie draft, although that could be configurable as well.  Players are already given values, so sorting them by value is no problem, and the AI teams would participate, same as they do in the draft, by looking at the values of players and their needs.  I figure the FA would continue until no team selects a player (including your team).  Each "round" some number of teams may say "no more, thanks"

Now, there's a lot I don't know, since that's not really my area.  I assume you'd want to be able, at any time during the FA phase, to go look at the rookies in the upcoming draft, too.  So, my thinking is that I'll be asking a lot of people a lot of questions before I even try designing this.  But it sounds doable, as far as I can tell.

thanks,
Kerry

Sounds good.

It doesn't have to be hardcore dollar-counting contract deals to be enjoyable for me.  Would I eventually want it?  Probably.  But I see your game as filling a lighter side of career football sims, which is a very sparse field to begin with.   I can definitely see myself picking up both types in the future if the Career mode gets attention.  O0

Allowing for custom numeric settings on the FA options would be great!  I'd definitely use it to customize.


dinsdale

Quote from: Pro Strategy Football on September 11, 2018, 10:06:04 PM
Hi, folks!  I hope you don't mind me introducing myself and giving a little background on my Pro Strategy Football game...

Thanks for the explanation, now it makes sense. I used to love playing https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4454/statis-pro-football so I'm off to pick up the game!

Grim.Reaper

just a few things i would say....overall the framework would likely get me to consider a purchase and having dollars is not a must.

-  free agents don't always go to the good teams, a lot of times it's fir more playing time or money which in this case wouldn't matter.  so something would need built in to allow for that kind of variability.  the player has a choice so shouldn't just be another version of the draft.

-  has to be some kind of limit on the number of players each team can pick up.  even without salary cap being the factor, each team is not equal so somehow that must be figured out.  again doesn't have to be hard core stuff just something to represent that.

-  sounds like you were planning only to have free agency at start of year.  what happens in the game when players get injured?  how do you backfill?  seems like teams should be able to add players during season as well.

- i assume there is a roster size limit.  therefore if person picked up the team will have to drop someone unless due to retiring or something like that.  those dropped players should then become part of the pool for free agency too.

Pro Strategy Football

Quote from: dinsdale on September 12, 2018, 10:58:44 PM
Quote from: Pro Strategy Football on September 11, 2018, 10:06:04 PM
Hi, folks!  I hope you don't mind me introducing myself and giving a little background on my Pro Strategy Football game...

Thanks for the explanation, now it makes sense. I used to love playing https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4454/statis-pro-football so I'm off to pick up the game!

Thanks, I hope you enjoy the game!

Pro Strategy Football

Quote from: Grim.Reaper on September 13, 2018, 04:24:02 AM
just a few things i would say....overall the framework would likely get me to consider a purchase and having dollars is not a must.

-  free agents don't always go to the good teams, a lot of times it's fir more playing time or money which in this case wouldn't matter.  so something would need built in to allow for that kind of variability.  the player has a choice so shouldn't just be another version of the draft.

-  has to be some kind of limit on the number of players each team can pick up.  even without salary cap being the factor, each team is not equal so somehow that must be figured out.  again doesn't have to be hard core stuff just something to represent that.

-  sounds like you were planning only to have free agency at start of year.  what happens in the game when players get injured?  how do you backfill?  seems like teams should be able to add players during season as well.

- i assume there is a roster size limit.  therefore if person picked up the team will have to drop someone unless due to retiring or something like that.  those dropped players should then become part of the pool for free agency too.

This right here is a great example of why I'll need input and suggestions, thanks!  You're right, there is a roster size limit, and I let you move players up and down on the roster management screen, and it tells you which ones will be cut (by moving them down).  I like the idea of moving cut players to the FA pool, and I guess I'll need some logic how to deal with FA players who aren't picked up in multiple years.

I've wondered about injured reserve.  The game currently has injuries, and they can go multiple games, or even be season-ending or even (very rarely) career-ending.  But if you lose your starting HB for the season, you're stuck playing his backup the rest of the season.  It would be nice, in the 2020 version or maybe 2021, depending on what I can get done, to pick someone up from that pool of players.

Thanks for the input!

Nefaro

#25
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on September 13, 2018, 04:24:02 AM
just a few things i would say....overall the framework would likely get me to consider a purchase and having dollars is not a must.

-  free agents don't always go to the good teams, a lot of times it's fir more playing time or money which in this case wouldn't matter.  so something would need built in to allow for that kind of variability.  the player has a choice so shouldn't just be another version of the draft.

-  has to be some kind of limit on the number of players each team can pick up.  even without salary cap being the factor, each team is not equal so somehow that must be figured out.  again doesn't have to be hard core stuff just something to represent that.

-  sounds like you were planning only to have free agency at start of year.  what happens in the game when players get injured?  how do you backfill?  seems like teams should be able to add players during season as well.

- i assume there is a roster size limit.  therefore if person picked up the team will have to drop someone unless due to retiring or something like that.  those dropped players should then become part of the pool for free agency too.

To the 2nd & 4th point, it currently has roster limits.  After going through the draft, you have to cut your team down.  The UI for cutting players was surprisingly easy to use, as is much of the GUI.  Chip-chop-done in one quick go; moving the keepers to the top of the well delineated list and the chaff to the bottom marked with required cut slots.   

Although I don't think you can place specific players at specific locations at the moment, the game seems to put your best at their starting positions on it's own.  It's done well at that thus far so no complaints from me.  I often never messed with switching the left & right CB/LB/etc in other career sims anyway.  Not to say it might occasionally come in handy, but far from a priority IMO.

Grim.Reaper

nef, for item 2, i wasn't referring to roster size limits.  i was meaning that each team when going through free agency doesn't sign the same amount of players.  in the real world that is largely due to the salary cap.  i am just saying withou salaries in the game that would need to be somehow represented since not all teams equal in free agency market.

glad to see developer open to ideas and look forward to checking out next year.

axis football comes out today so will be interesting to see how it pulls this all off.  although the relugationsystem seems kind of dumb in a football game...and it's not even optional.

dinsdale

So after playing a few games, I must say it's a really, really good match simulator. The game feels right, especially fatigue as a defense can be ground down over the course of the game. The stats, plays, and results seem plausible and realistic.

I lost two very close games because of some key drives, a few plays and choking at the worst possible moments. There were no spectacular 98 yard passing plays, just failing to hold on a key 3rd and 6 and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns after marching downfield.

It's not Front Page Football '98, it's been a long time since I played that, but I remember trying to assemble a franchise and a game plan then trying to sim as many games as possible to see how the team developed. Where it shines is the game, maybe it will be interesting to play a season, but trying to do a career would miss out on the strongest part of the game - 60 minutes of attrition and trying to win the key moments on the field.

Pro Strategy Football

#28
Quote from: dinsdale on September 14, 2018, 07:11:04 PM
So after playing a few games, I must say it's a really, really good match simulator. The game feels right, especially fatigue as a defense can be ground down over the course of the game. The stats, plays, and results seem plausible and realistic.

I lost two very close games because of some key drives, a few plays and choking at the worst possible moments. There were no spectacular 98 yard passing plays, just failing to hold on a key 3rd and 6 and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns after marching downfield.

It's not Front Page Football '98, it's been a long time since I played that, but I remember trying to assemble a franchise and a game plan then trying to sim as many games as possible to see how the team developed. Where it shines is the game, maybe it will be interesting to play a season, but trying to do a career would miss out on the strongest part of the game - 60 minutes of attrition and trying to win the key moments on the field.

I appreciate that!  And I hope to continue improving it, so you'll get many, many hours of enjoyment from the series.  Thanks again!

Oh, and in case anyone ever wonders, because I also wrote this game for myself and my brother, I promise you, no matter how crazy something seems (I've lost games on a missed XP or a Hail Mary, but also won some crazy games) - I *promise* you there is no AI cheating, no slanting the dice, etc.  I simply try to make the AI learn (each game, though - it would be nice to eventually have the AI watch how you coach multiple games) and also look at its strengths and weaknesses, and your's, and the weather, the situation, etc.  Then I calculate percentages and "roll the dice."  Generally, I calculate percentages and the "dice" is really a random number < 100.

I really wish I could simplify the file sharing, and I want to figure out online multiplayer, and make the rosters more flexible, and add Free Agency (you guys have really gotten me confident that I can implement something pretty good next year, and then improve it with feedback).  I think I need to have a pool of players from which you can draw during the season, too, and also injured reserve.

Whew!  Well, thanks again, all, and to you guys who bought it, I sincerely hope you enjoy the game (and any good reviews/ratings might help it gain some visibility).  If you have any problems, you can always email me at prostrategyfootball@gmail.com

One last thing.  Are there any games you suggest I purchase this fall, to get a better idea of the management side of things?

Grim.Reaper

Quote from: Pro Strategy Football on September 14, 2018, 11:54:11 PM
One last thing.  Are there any games you suggest I purchase this fall, to get a better idea of the management side of things?

From an american football standpoint, Front Office Football is the king of career based games at the moment.  Later this year, OOTP will be releasing an updated version as they now have teamed up together.  If your looking for general concepts regardless of the sports.....typical ones include OOTP, Football Manager, Wolverine Studios Basketball games.  Even Madden and NBA 2k do things reasonably OK, at least from a light perspective.  There is also Football Mogul which is probably the lightest of the bunch, not sure how they handle these things nowadays since I simply refuse to play that one anymore:)  Axis 18 football just came out yesterday and now includes this type of stuff, no idea how good but I bet probably on the lighter side as well.