Use this thread to post any changes you want addressed in the next release (no matter how far away that may be).
Conference Alignments—I don't see why we still must use 12 team conferences in HD. I understand that they don't want to give some conferences advantages because they have a higher number of teams (which equals more postseason $), but if we want realism, that is how it works so why not make other adjustments to compensate for that (I will get to those changes).
The more realistic it is, the more enjoyable the game will be. Teams already have certain advantages that come with baseline prestige and this is an advantage that can be compensated for so I see it as a necessary change they need to make. Marquette and DePaul should not be in the Horizon and South Florida shouldn't be in the Sun Belt. This is a problem at the lower divisions as well.
Also, while you may think that the small conferences would suffer, don't think that so fast, because smaller conferences would be splitting less cash; therefore compensating for the lesser chance they have at putting multiple teams in the NCAAs or NIT.
Preseason Tournaments—The CBE Classic, Maui Invitational, Diamond Head Classic, Puerto Rico Tip Off, Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Preseason NIT and Old Spice and Charleston Classic draw large national attention and deserve to be in the game (likely with altered names). Obviously inserting all tournaments could be too much for the Dev. Team, but how about we extend the period between Non-Conf. and Conf. play and put in 5 to 10 tournaments, with three rounds each.
Now, the organization of this could cause controversy, but I think there is a simple solution; teams apply for tournaments during recruiting, much like they schedule exhibition games. You can only apply for one tournament obviously and there could be certain qualifications for tournaments (i.e. Team must have made NIT previous season, team must have made NT previous season, team must have A- to A+ prestige, team must have D- to D+ prestige, team must be in conference with B- or higher prestige).
By the end of recruiting, the top 8 teams which applied for each get a spot in that tourney and winners of tournaments get some bonus cash to make it worth their while. (Nothing huge, maybe 3k to 5k for winning a big tournament and $500 to 1k for smaller tournaments).
New Interface—I think we would all appreciate a fresh interface. They talked about this last time they had an update, but didn't take any action (besides in the forums). I believe that giving the menus a well-needed new look would go a long way in convincing users that the Dev. Team cares about doing the small, simple things to make us happy.
Recruits—I think we can all support a new system of recruit generation. We don't need huge changes that would throw off the whole balance between old and new recruits, but evening out the range of recruits from top to bottom of DI is harshly needed. As it is, you need to load your classes at low-level DI to make a run in the NT and it requires a great recruiter, and some luck, to actually bring up a program to consistent respectability.
The "Rich Get Richer" system isn't working and evening out recruits would do a great job in making up for the changes I want in Conference Alignment. If you aren't tired of watching high prestige teams swoop in and "poach" lower prestige teams' recruits (Not what I oppose. In fact, I embrace this as part of the game) with ease, and then leaving these teams with no other solid recruits, then you are likely at an A prestige school or you're just selfish because you want to ensure that you make the Elite 8 every season and that you don't have to worry about the George Mason's, or Butler's, or VCU's making deep runs and kicking you out.
Job Applications—It should be easier to move up in DI, but it should also be easier to get fired. No team should keep a Sim AI as coach unless there is no reasonably successful coach willing to move up. I'm sure you guys have some good idea's on how to fix this.
I'll give two examples of situations that make no sense in the areas of Hiring and Firing.
Hiring Logic—I will use myself as an example because I know which jobs were available to me every season. Coming out of DII, I was reasonably successful. See below.
| 44 |
car_crazy_v2 |
17-12 |
9-2 |
7-8 |
1-2 |
12-4 |
|
54 |
B |
NT At-large Bid
NT (1st Round) |
| 43 |
car_crazy_v2 |
18-13 |
8-4 |
7-7 |
3-2 |
10-6 |
|
41 |
B |
NT At-large Bid
NT (1st Round) |
| 42 |
car_crazy_v2 |
20-10 |
10-5 |
8-3 |
2-2 |
11-5 |
|
47 |
B |
NT At-large Bid
NT (1st Round) |
| 41 |
car_crazy_v2 |
13-16 |
5-5 |
6-10 |
2-1 |
8-8 |
|
97 |
C+ |
|
After departing from this school, I was qualified for D+ DI schools and obviously anything below that. But after two seasons at DI, where I made a NT, I still wasn't qualified for the majority of D+ jobs, meaning that schools looke
d at me worse than they had when I was coming out of DII. See the improvement my team made in my two seasons below.
| 46 |
car_crazy_v2 |
20-9 |
10-4 |
9-3 |
1-2 |
13-3 |
|
62 |
C |
Conf Champion
NT At-large Bid
NT (1st Round) |
| 45 |
car_crazy_v2 |
16-12 |
8-5 |
7-6 |
1-1 |
10-6 |
|
178 |
D+ |
|
| 44 |
Sim AI |
14-14 |
5-8 |
8-5 |
1-1 |
7-9 |
|
173 |
D+ |
|
| 43 |
rajunrhino |
14-13 |
9-4 |
5-8 |
0-1 |
10-6 |
|
175 |
D+ |
|
In real life, if a coach made that sort of improvement in two seasons, schools would jump all over him, and I'm sure there are other, better examples out there.
Firing Logic—Here is a case where a coach intentionally bombed and ruined his program, but he should have been fired before it got to this point nonetheless. See below.
Now this is obviously a coach with experience and success, but when you take and A+ prestige school and fail to make the NT one season and then have two consecutive losing records, you should be fired, regardless of past success. As I said though, there are probably better examples so feel free to share them.