I think 3.0 (especially at D1) is a better game. I think I can sum it up in just once sentence: I have a chance.

I have two teams, Fordham and Auburn. Fordham is playing tonight in the S16 against the #1 overall seed Wisconsin. I just finished looking and thinking and planning. I think i am going to lose but I have a chance. In 2.0 if I go to this point, and I did with Rutgers, Princeton and SMU, I knew I was going to lose. There was pretty much only one way to win in 2.0, get to a high baseline school, get to A+ prestige, dominate. I like that there is more than one way to skin the proverbial avocado.

Auburn just finished recruiting in cycle 1 in our first season and we had a chance to land decent recruits. Recruiting is now so much more fluid and intricate they managed to design a system that is complex, encourages risk, and is fun. The old system, was find guy, hope someone closer and/or with higher prestige wants him, if there is a second school calculate if I can out spend him and invest or cut bait. Recruiting is no longer a flow chart, it's fluid, and I have a chance to land decent recruits at a D+ school. My B-/B Fordham team has signed three top 50 players over the last 5 years. I have a chance.

I was never a great D1 coach (and still am not) but I always felt D1 was so stacked against me it took the fun out of it. The game was forcing me to play one way. I understand that some people preferred the old system but I really like the new system. I have a chance,

Posted by Trentonjoe on 7/13/2017 6:45:00 AM (view original):
I think 3.0 (especially at D1) is a better game. I think I can sum it up in just once sentence: I have a chance.

I have two teams, Fordham and Auburn. Fordham is playing tonight in the S16 against the #1 overall seed Wisconsin. I just finished looking and thinking and planning. I think i am going to lose but I have a chance. In 2.0 if I go to this point, and I did with Rutgers, Princeton and SMU, I knew I was going to lose. There was pretty much only one way to win in 2.0, get to a high baseline school, get to A+ prestige, dominate. I like that there is more than one way to skin the proverbial avocado.

Auburn just finished recruiting in cycle 1 in our first season and we had a chance to land decent recruits. Recruiting is now so much more fluid and intricate they managed to design a system that is complex, encourages risk, and is fun. The old system, was find guy, hope someone closer and/or with higher prestige wants him, if there is a second school calculate if I can out spend him and invest or cut bait. Recruiting is no longer a flow chart, it's fluid, and I have a chance to land decent recruits at a D+ school. My B-/B Fordham team has signed three top 50 players over the last 5 years. I have a chance.

I was never a great D1 coach (and still am not) but I always felt D1 was so stacked against me it took the fun out of it. The game was forcing me to play one way. I understand that some people preferred the old system but I really like the new system. I have a chance,

Cap D2 and D3, let people play in the first session and it's better game

D1 is by far the most fun of all 3 divisions now IMHO

While I was away for 10 years, the experience TJ listed is the reason I quit. I was here on Day 1. Better coaches beat me to the better teams. Knowing I was playing second fiddle until one quit/died sucked the fun out of the game.

And, before someone screams "Participation Trophies for everyone", I don't need a trophy. I just don't care to play poker with 5 cards when others have 7.

Posted by MikeT23 on 7/13/2017 8:24:00 AM (view original):
While I was away for 10 years, the experience TJ listed is the reason I quit. I was here on Day 1. Better coaches beat me to the better teams. Knowing I was playing second fiddle until one quit/died sucked the fun out of the game.

And, before someone screams "Participation Trophies for everyone", I don't need a trophy. I just don't care to play poker with 5 cards when others have 7.

Definitely a strength of the game and yeah D1 is more fun but I would like to have a D3 team and hope to remain at D2... but i am itching to only play d1 now... which means something isn't as fun as it was. I always liked d2 best

Harvard, Weber St, Utah (1 seed), Memphis (1 seed), and Fordham all made the Sweet 16 in Wooden. 8 more non-big 6 teams made the second round.

That being said, I think in pretty good at DII recruiting but it's quite boring, to be honest. Most exciting time for me in Weber St is recruiting, easily. Most exciting time in N.W. Nazarene is the postseason.

I'm not enjoying D2 at all. Maybe it's because I know I'm going D1 so "dynasty" doesn't apply. Maybe it's because I'm rolling in mediocrity for 3 seasons. Maybe I'm frustrated because I can't figure out fastbreak. I just know I love my D3 team(full conference certainly plays a part as well as success) and spend a lot less time with my D2.

Posted by Benis on 7/13/2017 7:40:00 AM (view original):
D1 is by far the most fun of all 3 divisions now IMHO

I agree with that in sentiment, but not severity. I also think that it is probably a good thing.

Not sure its a good thing. All divisions need to be enjoyable for this game to be successful. Especially since its takes awhile to even get to D1.

and to mikes point about full conference at D3- I'm in a super conference in phelan D3 and its a blast. I love it. But only because of the competition and "comradery" not really because of 3.0. The games themselves are fun but recruiting stuff is blah.

"Not sure its a good thing. All divisions need to be enjoyable for this game to be successful."

I am not sure if that is true, at least monetarily. Say the goal is 200 user per world. I am totally making that up but at that point, the game makes money. If 100 users are in D1 and 50 are in D2 and D3 the company still makes money that it being 67/67/67 (more even).

I can totally for see a future where there are like 25 guys who camp out in D2/D3 to earn the credits and beat up on fish while the majority of new players quickly (and successfully because of lack of competition) move up. D2 and D3 will be populated by a core group of experienced humans who win alot, newish humans who make the NT once they get the basics, and sims. D1 will become where the majority of human owners play. If it pans out that way (and the # of humans is significant, 120+?) it should limit the quality of recruits that slip through the cracks into D2 and D3.

Correct, all divisions need to be enjoyable but there's no harm in D1 being the pinnacle. That's the "hook" to keep people in. "Yeah, D3 is fun but D1 is better!!!"

All they need to do is improve jobs!! Make it faster to get to D1. ESPECIALLY for people who are at D1 already in other worlds.

That's common sense, if you believe D2/D3 are training grounds for D1(I don't), but it also give an advantage to long-time users over new users.

But I see no reason why a winning season at D3 and 2 winning season at D2 shouldn't get you a low level job in Southland or whatever.

"I am not sure if that is true, at least monetarily. Say the goal is 200 user per world. I am totally making that up but at that point, the game makes money. If 100 users are in D1 and 50 are in D2 and D3 the company still makes money that it being 67/67/67 (more even)."

Yeah I'm not sure what the 'sweet spot' is for # of humans per world but I'd assume they were thinking it would AT LEAST be as successful this year as it was the previous years. I'd imagine, since they did invest some time, effort and money into 3.0, they'd want more people to get their investment to pay out.

But looking back on the last few years, you typically had about 350-400 humans in each world. I'm not sure of the populations of all worlds but I don't think any of them are even close to 300 right now. Maybe they're happy with whatever they can get, it's possible. I'd think they would want more people though.

Unless...... Mo Money Mo Problems?

Posted by Trentonjoe on 7/13/2017 6:45:00 AM (view original):
I think 3.0 (especially at D1) is a better game. I think I can sum it up in just once sentence: I have a chance.

I have two teams, Fordham and Auburn. Fordham is playing tonight in the S16 against the #1 overall seed Wisconsin. I just finished looking and thinking and planning. I think i am going to lose but I have a chance. In 2.0 if I go to this point, and I did with Rutgers, Princeton and SMU, I knew I was going to lose. There was pretty much only one way to win in 2.0, get to a high baseline school, get to A+ prestige, dominate. I like that there is more than one way to skin the proverbial avocado.

Auburn just finished recruiting in cycle 1 in our first season and we had a chance to land decent recruits. Recruiting is now so much more fluid and intricate they managed to design a system that is complex, encourages risk, and is fun. The old system, was find guy, hope someone closer and/or with higher prestige wants him, if there is a second school calculate if I can out spend him and invest or cut bait. Recruiting is no longer a flow chart, it's fluid, and I have a chance to land decent recruits at a D+ school. My B-/B Fordham team has signed three top 50 players over the last 5 years. I have a chance.

I was never a great D1 coach (and still am not) but I always felt D1 was so stacked against me it took the fun out of it. The game was forcing me to play one way. I understand that some people preferred the old system but I really like the new system. I have a chance,

Totally agree with this post. I find each level is somewhat different as far as recruiting strategies go, and each is enjoyable in its own way. If you try to recruit each level the same you will not be recruiting optimally in one or two of those levels and probably won't like those levels. I may not be recruiting optimally yet but I am pulling in good classes and having some success, even though I don't feel I game plan well at all.