HBD worlds are taking longer than ever to fill. As commish of several worlds recruiting is unbelievably slow. In Boston Tea Party we are currently offering a $100 incentive package for 7 openings and haven't had 1 nibble--not 1 request--in over a month of running this special. In other worlds I post notices for replacement owners and I can't even GIVE away a team anymore. 

I'm hoping we can have a comprehensive conversation on the following questions:

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1. Is HBD on its deathbed?

2. If so, is there anything that can be done to reverse the trend?

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I'm sure there will be many fingers pointed at WIS/Fox--and deservedly so. But there are two sides to every story and I'd love for some of their representatives to weigh in on the subject. I imagine some of the blame falls on us fans/owners as well. 

So in addition to our thoughts on what THEY can do, is there anything WE can do to reverse the trend and save the patient? I know this may become somewhat of a b*itchfest, but I'm also looking for constructive ideas. Thoughts outside the box. Is there anything we can do to either motivate WIS into serious action or ideas on how to turn this game we have a love/hate relationship with?

The floor is open. I imagine there are one or two opinions out there. Thanks in advance for joining in the discussion.

--sermonauthor



 

I don't feel the game is dying at all.   I put myself on the waiting list for my most recent world endeavor.   There have been unexpected upgrades to the game in the last year which is evidence in itself that WIS is putting time, effort, and money into the game.   The changes have had a positive impact in any number of ways, IMO, most notably deterring tankers and adding more spice to the draft.   I personally like the new design, interfaces, and ... quite honestly, I am happy with my HBD experience.

With all this said.. I respect your opinion that you are having a bad HBD experience.   It's just the complete opposite of my opinion.   I expect if you got a reply from WIS on the matter of the game dying... they might refer to the positives that I alluded to above.    I cannot imagine WIS agreeing on any level that the game is dying.

First, I'll answer the most important question.   No, I don't think the game is dying.    I have three long-term worlds and all roll within hours if not minutes.  We have waitlists and limited openings each season.   They are good, competitive worlds and people want in. 

Now, for the ugly part.   Some worlds are dying.   It's natural and likely self-inflicted.  WifS has taken away our ability to "check" worlds for unbalanced results, horrible trades or general apathy.    So all we have to look at is number of openings.    If I see a private world with 7 openings, I'm thinking the worst.   Incentives won't bring me in.  The game costs $8 a month.   More important to me would be the number of seasons I'll play in 2016.   Will I get 3-4 seasons or 1-2 because of slow rollover?   There's nothing worse than waiting to play.    If you're good, you want to get right back at it.  If you're bad, you want to get that rebuild going.   If I think it's going to be 2018 before I get a playoff appearance because of slow rolls, well, that's too long. 

FWIW, I commish two worlds and will admit that there is less interest.   I have waiting lists but they're not as long as they used to be.    In addition, interest comes later rather than early.    If I start a thread with 30 days left in the season, no one inquires.   But, when there's a week left, people start showing up.   And I think that comes from the desire to "play now".

Finally, I think the solution is to allow varying world sizes.   20, 24, 28 and 32.   Your 7 openings is the worst, you'd contract to 28 and still have three while, if you had 8 openings, you'd go to 24 and play tomorrow.     Once a world gets to 20 and sits for a month, it is done.  I don't know how much programming would be involved but no one would have more than 3 openings the very moment it was accomplished.    That said, there would be massive ******** when that 110 win team drops to 92 because there are no weak sisters to beat up but you gotta break some eggs to make an omelet.

siberiansoul, actually my HBD experience is fantastic. Always has been. Like you I am also enjoying the new interface and upgrades. It is the apathy part of the game, the long waits to play a new season that causes me to ask this question.

I love Mike T's idea of adjustable world sizes. I had always played with the idea, assuming it is possible programming-wise,to allow up to 4 "ghost team". Ghost teams would contain generic players and pitchers with the quality balanced to win approximately 50-60 games. Ghost teams would be on permanent A-I and would be unable to make any trades. I'm encouraged to hear neither of you feel the game is dying, but instead evolving. Thanks for the input.

What do you guys think of mergers as solution to dying worlds? My experience has been good so far. Sure it's lousy to lose all world history. But as least you get to stay private and, most importantly, keep your teams. But I'm running into fierce opposition whenever I bring up the topic in troubled worlds.

I'm not a fan of SIMMY teams.    Having played GD/Soccer with them, they always end up at the bottom.  It's not competition, it's playing Madden on rookie.  I don't find that fun but, if stuck in a situation where I wasn't playing, I might warm to the idea.

I'm hoping to not have to experience it but I'd be against merging.   The whole "dynasty" thing gives me an "attachment" to my fake players.   I've got Slammin' Sammy Davis, Jimmy "*******" Cambridge, The Great Jimmy Powell, Pete "The" Wolf, Brandon Gray and numerous others who were long-time players for me.   I like to look at their "accomplishments" from time to time.   Sadly, Slammin' Sammy was a merge victim(after I left the world) and I never get to revisit his glory days.  I wouldn't stop a world from doing it, I'd just move on, but I think it's a viable option for those who aren't nerdy enough to give their players nicknames.  IMO, it's the second best option to varying world sizes. 

I do not think HBD is dying.  There is a set of core players who will play the game for the next 30 years if it is available.  What may be happening is a typical life cycle for games.  The first few years the game is very popular because it is something new that people are trying out.  Then after that it slows down to those who really enjoy it with the ones not liking it starting to drop out.  After the first spike and then drop off it levels out to the core players with a few new ones trickling in (and a few dropping out) as time goes on.  I think HBD is coming out of the drop off phase and leveling off to where it will run long term.

The drop off phase was likely more severe than it needed to be due to WIS neglecting this game for several years.  Recent updates should help transition from the drop off phase to the leveled out phase.  There is a problem with filling the less popular worlds right now which would be expected in a drop off phase.  Since I doubt we will have a large influx of new owners, reducing the number of worlds is about the only solution to help with filling quicker.  I know owners in those worlds will scream bloody murder but it really would be the best for the health of HBD (worlds would fill quicker).  Currently there are 5 worlds with 10 or more openings.  Do those owners really want to wait 2-3 months before playing their next season? 

My suggestion for the health of HBD would be merging   If they could merge 3 worlds into 2 (can WIS do that?) and do that twice to eliminate 2 worlds, I think we all would have a healthy sustainable HBD.

I've been here a year to 18 months. I see three main problems -

1) Owners like cloud12 and others trade rape noobs, taking their best prospects and creating unbeatable dynasties that last for years.

2) There are longstanding worlds out there that probably should die. There's a hardcore set of owners married to their teams and the rest are a parade of 1 and done owners and noobs. No continuity.

3) Commissioners/Owners don't do enough to police their worlds. This includes issues like #1 and others. Do you know how many times I have spoken up only to get messages from other owners saying "I've been arguing that for years. No one does anything. Don't waste your time."

So I think owners working with everyone else in a world to keep a clean ship, help recruit, and help mentor new players is the ultimate solution. And if a world is dead, stick a fork in it.
 

 

Three worlds can be merged into two. The key is the number of teams in those worlds who are staying. If two worlds have 16 teams each there is an easily achievable merge into 32 spots. But if one of the worlds has 20 owners and a second world has 25 owners that is 45 owners. Since you need multiples of 32 for a successful merge those two worlds of 45 combined owners would need to find a world with 19 owners who are willing to join the merge. That would make 64--a multiple of 32. Sometimes there will be 62 owners between three worlds and they will recruit two more for the final spots.

My only comment on HBD is the injuries. I get that they happen in the real world but they are devastating when they happen in this game. GD has NO injuries, basically fatigue oriented play.....and there seems no rhyme or reason as to when/how/why/if these happen. i am not sure what the right solution is but jeez something less random & consequential would be nice.

The key is to crank your medical to 20 million ASAP. I look forward to injuries now. Means my players are getting the super soldier treatment.

One could argue that injuries are far more frequent, and devastating, in MLB. 

The amateur draft is total crap now.  I put no money in 1/2 of the draft, yet I see players from that side and a lot of players that I spend a ton of money on are missing. I will give it this year and see if I continue it or not.

It's always been that way.   In that respect, nothing has changed.

They can market this game better along with their other sim games. Sim leagues and dynasty leagues are what makes this site so special. Yet, when I used to have Facebook and Twitter they would constantly post sims of upcoming current games.  It was hard to find a post to share about the sim and dynasty leagues and what they are about and how to play.