The State of HD Topic

mduncanhogs
Posts: 1103 (0)
Hall of Famer
127 60
Prospect
I know I'm not saying anything new or novel here, but WIS seems to be allowing HD to die a slow death.  They haven't done ANYTHING to try to improve the game in a long time.  There hasn't been an update or developer chat in I don't know how long.  I would love for seble or someone else with WIS to come tell us what the heck they are up to, because it clearly isn't improving HD.  I would like to see an update that adds a few new features (I've wanted to have control over who my players guard in a M2M defense for a LONG time, for example) and improve the jobs logic, but that may be asking too much.  WIS may want to see interest in HD up before they put more cash into it.  I would like to see it get the attention GD is getting (new engine with a new primary developer running the show) without the complete engine overhaul, for example.

The user community seems to be getting less involved too.  These forums are nowhere near as active as they were when I first started.  You used to see a "I'm new at this and need help" post in this forum every day, and they almost NEVER happen anymore.  Seems like no one is recommending the game to their friends anymore and WIS definitely isn't doing anything to bring new users into HD.  You used to see users talking strategy here a lot more than you do too (mind you, with a lot of it utterly useless because no one wants to give away their secrets...).

I say all this because I want to see it get more active again.  I enjoy this game thoroughly and would like to see it improve and get more active.  I'm always trying to fill my conferences up because I find the game more enjoyable when playing it against other humans.  Anyone have any ideas as to what we as the user community can do to get HD hopping again?  I'm up for any suggestions.  I run a few nonconference tournaments and those are always a good way to get the game more active and enjoyable, but they don't help draw new users in.  How much would it cost WIS to run a TV add for HD during the NCAA tournament opening round (I assume a ton, but it might actually help bring more people to this game, just not sure if they would get enough new users in/seasons purchased to cover the cost of the ad)?

Truth be told, what really needs to happen is someone with a lot more money than I have needs to approach Fox and buy WIS out from under Fox.  I get the distinct impression Fox is using all of the WIS developers to try to develop better fantasy sports games that are simply never going to compete with Yahoo and/or ESPN.  They need to give up on that idea and stop wasting time and money on it.
2/10/2014 12:53 PM (edited)
arssanguinus
Posts: 1120 (0)
Hall of Famer
282 1
Pro
I don't know about others, but when I'm helping a player I usually just go to sitemail.
2/10/2014 2:09 PM
rednu
Posts: 2673 (0)
Hall of Famer
185 2 5
Pro
I would seriously reconsider asking WIS to do ANYTHING like they are with GD. The last two new roll outs over there have been complete pooch screws with all the lack of listening to customer and beta feedback. To be blunt, it has been borderline criminal that the games were released in the condition they were to paying customers. What we have now in HD isn't perfect, but it is enjoyable and playable, two things you will find very few saying over on the GD boards. I too dislike the stagnation here, but seeing how a once proud game has been run into the ground in GD makes me think we are better off when we are being ignored.
2/10/2014 2:37 PM
nachopuzzle
Posts: 1427 (0)
Hall of Famer
105 2
Prospect
Posted by rednu on 2/10/2014 2:39:00 PM (view original):
I would seriously reconsider asking WIS to do ANYTHING like they are with GD. The last two new roll outs over there have been complete pooch screws with all the lack of listening to customer and beta feedback. To be blunt, it has been borderline criminal that the games were released in the condition they were to paying customers. What we have now in HD isn't perfect, but it is enjoyable and playable, two things you will find very few saying over on the GD boards. I too dislike the stagnation here, but seeing how a once proud game has been run into the ground in GD makes me think we are better off when we are being ignored.
I don't know much about what's happened to GD, haven't played in a long time, but there are some fairly simple changes that could be made that wouldn't affect how the engine operates...such as being able to choose which players to guard in M2M, etc...which would make a lot of users very happy.
2/10/2014 2:53 PM
mduncanhogs
Posts: 1103 (0)
Hall of Famer
127 60
Prospect
Posted by rednu on 2/10/2014 2:39:00 PM (view original):
I would seriously reconsider asking WIS to do ANYTHING like they are with GD. The last two new roll outs over there have been complete pooch screws with all the lack of listening to customer and beta feedback. To be blunt, it has been borderline criminal that the games were released in the condition they were to paying customers. What we have now in HD isn't perfect, but it is enjoyable and playable, two things you will find very few saying over on the GD boards. I too dislike the stagnation here, but seeing how a once proud game has been run into the ground in GD makes me think we are better off when we are being ignored.
I guess I didn't word that very well.  To be clear, I DO NOT want to see a complete engine overhaul with HD.  The engine has some flaws, sure, but for the most part it works pretty well.  What HD needs is for WIS to get back involved in its game again with small updates here and there to improve the quality of the game.  There are many great ideas to make HD better that have been brough up by the user community, but I'm not sure anyone at WIS is even aware of those ideas.  Something like giving coaches the ability to select who guards who in a M2M defense wouldn't be that complicated to program into the game.  Improvements to recruiting wouldn't be hard to program in, such as giving coaches the option of doing a scouting trip to get feedback on 2 KNOWN attributes (selected by the coach) as opposed to 4 random attributes selected by the engine.  These are not complitcated chages, but they improve the game.  That is what is frustrating to a long-time HD player like me.  We aren't getting ANY updates at all.  It truly does seem like HD has been ghost-shipped, like so many "human controlled" teams have been (Arkansas, Monticello in Allen has a "human coach" but 5 walkons, as an example).

Maybe we are all just suckers for continuing to give WIS (but really Fox Sports) money for playing HD that they are clearly using somewhere else, not on making HD better.
2/10/2014 2:59 PM
mduncanhogs
Posts: 1103 (0)
Hall of Famer
127 60
Prospect
This pretty much says it all...

http://whatif.cincinnati.com/locker/site_updates.asp?sport=HD&numdays=180

Changes within the last 180 days...

There are no Hoops Dynasty updates for the past 180 days.

2/10/2014 3:03 PM
mduncanhogs
Posts: 1103 (0)
Hall of Famer
127 60
Prospect
Based on what I'm seeing, the last HD update with any meat to it was in June...of 2012.
2/10/2014 3:04 PM
smackawits
Posts: 170 (0)
Hall of Famer
148 71
Prospect
They certainly need to re-do the coaches hiring.....having 11 SIM teams in the BCS conferences because no one can qualify for them is criminal. Of course, they would have to change the firing logic also.
2/10/2014 3:27 PM
mullycj
Posts: 2737 (0)
Hall of Famer
214 1
Prospect
Well you have to admit the removal of the "etta" thread was a step in the positive direction!!
2/10/2014 3:48 PM
rednu
Posts: 2673 (0)
Hall of Famer
185 2 5
Pro
Posted by mduncanhogs on 2/10/2014 2:59:00 PM (view original):
Posted by rednu on 2/10/2014 2:39:00 PM (view original):
I would seriously reconsider asking WIS to do ANYTHING like they are with GD. The last two new roll outs over there have been complete pooch screws with all the lack of listening to customer and beta feedback. To be blunt, it has been borderline criminal that the games were released in the condition they were to paying customers. What we have now in HD isn't perfect, but it is enjoyable and playable, two things you will find very few saying over on the GD boards. I too dislike the stagnation here, but seeing how a once proud game has been run into the ground in GD makes me think we are better off when we are being ignored.
I guess I didn't word that very well.  To be clear, I DO NOT want to see a complete engine overhaul with HD.  The engine has some flaws, sure, but for the most part it works pretty well.  What HD needs is for WIS to get back involved in its game again with small updates here and there to improve the quality of the game.  There are many great ideas to make HD better that have been brough up by the user community, but I'm not sure anyone at WIS is even aware of those ideas.  Something like giving coaches the ability to select who guards who in a M2M defense wouldn't be that complicated to program into the game.  Improvements to recruiting wouldn't be hard to program in, such as giving coaches the option of doing a scouting trip to get feedback on 2 KNOWN attributes (selected by the coach) as opposed to 4 random attributes selected by the engine.  These are not complitcated chages, but they improve the game.  That is what is frustrating to a long-time HD player like me.  We aren't getting ANY updates at all.  It truly does seem like HD has been ghost-shipped, like so many "human controlled" teams have been (Arkansas, Monticello in Allen has a "human coach" but 5 walkons, as an example).

Maybe we are all just suckers for continuing to give WIS (but really Fox Sports) money for playing HD that they are clearly using somewhere else, not on making HD better.

I hear where you're coming from duncan -- those sorts of changes would definitely improve the user-friendliness of the game without amounting to a massive alteration to the game engine (at least to my extremely limited coding brain...). I'd be all in favor of that...heck, I'd even settle for an occasional check-in that says "we're letting it ride for another 3 months" or something.

I just don't want to see the chaos of the last two GD rollouts take place over here. I have to protect my addiction ;)

2/10/2014 3:59 PM
This post has a rating of , which is below the default threshold.
Show
dacj501
Posts: 4779 (0)
Hall of Famer
1 305
Pro
#4 - when viewing recruits by rating instead of the default, add the players ranking to the info we can see, PITA for D2 schools chasing pulldowns to have to remember which guys are out of reach. Could accomplish same thing by adding the ability to search between a range of rankings, instead of just top 25, top 50 etc. 

#5 - either by default or as an option, make it so that the player potential is visible in the main team info pop-out window that opens when you click on your team. Only place to see everyone's potential at once now is the practice minutes page.
2/11/2014 4:19 AM
dan2044
Posts: 335 (0)
Hall of Famer
1 1 254 4 28
Prospect
I just want to say that I really enjoy this game.  Yes there are some things that can improve certain aspects of it.  But if nothing changes, 'll keep playing, and keep enjoying it.
2/11/2014 10:20 AM
dacj501
Posts: 4779 (0)
Hall of Famer
1 305
Pro
Posted by dan2044 on 2/11/2014 10:20:00 AM (view original):
I just want to say that I really enjoy this game.  Yes there are some things that can improve certain aspects of it.  But if nothing changes, 'll keep playing, and keep enjoying it.
well that's hardly gonna motivate them 
2/11/2014 12:37 PM
dan2044
Posts: 335 (0)
Hall of Famer
1 1 254 4 28
Prospect
dacj, i hear, but I just don't like the basic idea of this thread that this game is keeping the status quo and ruining itself.  Just cuz it's not getting better doesn't mean its getting worse and I like it now. So if they do make the changes necessary that would be nice.  If not, it doesn't change anything for me.
2/11/2014 1:24 PM
12 Next ▸
The State of HD Topic
△Top△Bottom

Search Criteria

Terms of Use Customer Support Privacy Statement

© 1999-2026 WhatIfSports.com, Inc. All rights reserved. WhatIfSports is a trademark of WhatIfSports.com, Inc. SimLeague, SimMatchup and iSimNow are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts, Inc. Used under license. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.