We can certainly add a User Setting so you can control whether you see the Assistant GM feature.

The Assistant GM features are mostly geared towards helping new users and users that are tight on time. If you're a veteran user with ample time to play and make decisions, you likely don't need the help.

At the bottom of each Assistant GM result is a numeric ID value. If you ever use the feature and see a result you think is bad or incorrect, please include the ID number in a support ticket. We can then troubleshoot the result since we maintain a bunch of diagnostic data.

As you all know, HBD has a near infinite set of world/roster/player permutations. These features have been heavily tested but there could still be scenarios that produce questionable results. If you run into one, please share specific details about what you think is wrong. It'll help us evaluate further and continue to improve the feature which will help new users and, hopefully, keep them playing HBD longer.

Also, keep in mind results different from your personal recommendations may not mean they are wrong, just different. But if there are results that are flat out wrong or bad, those are the ones we'd like to be made aware of and improve.

For trade suggestions, keep in mind each objective has unique logic and the goal is fair trade value that includes a combination or overall player ratings, seasons under control and much more. It's also smart enough to know players with a 92 rating are not only higher quality but also more rare than a player with a 75 rating. The feature also tries to provide a variety of suggestions so you may like some, you may not like some but they should make sense. If you see some that don't, would love to see the details to review.

Appreciate everyone's feedback.

tzentmeyer, thanks for taking the time to respond. I do have to push back on a couple of your points, though:

You write, "The Assistant GM features are mostly geared towards helping new users and users that are tight on time."

This is an excellent idea, but as they are now, the Asst GM tools won't accomplish this goal. New users would be even more confused than they are now. The adjust minor leagues and suggest promotions tools are good ideas, but they create big imbalances in your minor league rosters. For example, if you promote a player, you have to do something to fill the spot he has vacated, but the tool doesn't do that. It should also know that demoting a player during the season will result in a ratings hit, but it does it anyway.

"For trade suggestions, keep in mind each objective has unique logic and the goal is fair trade value that includes a combination or overall player ratings, seasons under control and much more."

The trade suggestions are laughable, to be honest. I've played around with it quite a bit in my worlds where it's enabled, and I have yet to see a trade (out of dozens) that I wouldn't call lopsided. And I've already had to reject several absurd trade suggestions offered to me. New users getting fleeced in trades by veterans has always been a problem, but this will only make it worse. One of the problems seems to be that prospects are evaluated based on overall rating and projections, but most of the ones included in the trades that I've seen suggested are older prospects who have already stopped growing; their projections are still lofty, but any veteran user knows that they will not start growing again and will never reach those projections. The trade suggestion engine's logic should be adjusted accordingly.

Overall, these tools are good ideas, but they don't seem ready for prime time yet, and I fear that rolling them out now will do more harm than good.

"One of the problems seems to be that prospects are evaluated based on overall rating and projections, but most of the ones included in the trades that I've seen suggested are older prospects who have already stopped growing; their projections are still lofty, but any veteran user knows that they will not start growing again and will never reach those projections"

This is a valuable observation and one we'll revisit quickly.

As far as the demotion penalty goes, that's a topic we've been discussing internally for a bit (prior to Assistant GM features). A potential change may be coming.

TZ, thanks so much for being involved in the forum. Really nice to know someone is listening. 2 points.

Demotion penalties should be eliminated. Too arbitrary and potentially devastating. Also not logical.

if HBD went ahead with the trade suggestion tool without taking into account the unlikelihood of “prospects” reaching their projections, I think that makes it totally worthless and should be pulled back for everyone’s sake.

An AI tool might be a nice convenience for our HBD program, though it’s totally optional. Anyone who feels it would make things easier can use it, and those who prefer the existing process can continue as they do now. Also, when it is used, there is language above and below the buttons that read that there is no undo button. So, if you fiddled it without reading the language and it messed everything up, I don't feel sorry for you. Let it be a lesson.

Above the buttons language:
"You've asked me to optimize your minor league system. Before performing the roster changes, please review the settings below. When ready, click the "Submit" button. At that point the optimization process will take place and you will not be able to review or undo the moves. To learn more about the process, see How This Works."

Below the buttons language:
"Reminder: Changes are immediate and cannot be undone."

The Asst GM for minor leagues was fine for me...BUT that's only because I'm in a win now situation and have very little in the minors I care about. It saved me the hours of moving minor league garbage around while fighting the minimum roster size limits. So, for my limited needs it saved me some time.

The trades suggestions are ridiculous. It suggested many lopsided trades and when I clicked on Win Now it suggested trading for young guys.

Also, if it is using projected ratings are those accurate projected ratings or are they the ratings that a specific owners would have based on their budget?

I guess these new Asst GM buttons are no worse than the optimize button in lineups/pitching staff.