I've just begun my second season with GD, although I didn't study or read-up on how to play the game my first season, a couple of years ago, so I kind of consider this my inaugural season. I have a couple of questions about how a player's ratings (attributes) are affected by depth chart position and Sub Level settings, and therefore Playing Percentage. And, the affect, if any, that playing time has on true freshman.

After my first non-con game today, I noticed that many of my players have 1 or 2 point increases to some of their attribute ratings. However, there doesn't seem to be any correlation with their playing percentage, and freshman, whether they played or not, have no rating changes at all. Obviously, I'd like to maximize the opportunity to increase ratings on specific players when a good opportunity presents itself, either by pushing them up the depth chart, or making halftime adjustments.

I'm also not sure if the rating increases I see in my player profiles today are the result of just today's game, or an aggregate of increases from exhibition games too.

Any insight on the formulas or conditions that contribute to a player's rating increases will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

The ratings increases are directly related to the player's work ethic. A player with a higher work ethic will develop more rapidly. If you start a freshman, his work ethic will rise quite a bit in his first season, which will then increase the speed in which he develops. If you start a soph, his work ethic might rise some, but not nearly as much. If you DO NOT start a junior or senior, his work ethic will then start to fall.

And yes, the exhibition games do count in ratings increases.

Thanks BJ! That helps. Just so I'm clear, only starts impact a player's work ethic, and not their playing percentage? So, I'm guessing that the actual amount of the ratings increases are a function of work ethic and playing percentage?

Thanks again!

Playing time impacts it also. If you have a senior who is starting but only plays 20% of the plays his WE will drop. Opposite for an underclassman, if he is starting but not playing much his WE will still rise, just not as much as if he was playing 90%.
Also, each player has a growth factor built in that you can get from the scouting visits messages. It will tell you he has the potential to grow a lot in the next 4 years, probably won't see much growth, etc. That isn't tied to WE, so a high WE player with a low potential ability will not see the growth from a similar WE player with high potential. The recruiting posts go into a lot more detail than that.

Thank you Panthsho but I must be missing something, specifically regarding the Freshmen on my roster. I elevated some on my depth chart to ensure their start today. It's only halftime so I imagine that any attribute rating adjustments won't be visible until after the game is over. However, not a single one of my Freshmen has had even a single attribute rating adjustment so far in this young season. I've peeked at the Freshmen on some other teams and many of them have already had quite a few 1 or 2 point increases. Additionally, those other coaches' players typically have no game experience according to their game logs. Even though I have ensured that some of my Freshmen got some playing time, today and yesterday, still zero ratings increases. Every rating increase point I don't get sets me farther behind the top competition in seasons to come. Any clue why my Freshmen are missing out on even the slightest of ratings increases?

I should mention that I took care, during recruiting, to focus on players with respectable WE and at least "good" feedback for their growth potential.

Sorry for all my questions but I sure appreciate the feedback.

Your players grow slowly is small increments per game. The games process and then growth is calculated. When they grow enough to show a full point, then you will see it. Your freshmen hasnt played the same amount of games yet as your upper classmen, so you won't see much in improvement. Some of your guys have played 4 games already. The FR are improving though, its just not enough to equal a point yet.

Akua is right, since it is full points you won't always see jumps at the beginning. I just looked at my roster and my Freshman have increased by 8 points on average in 7 games, so just under a point a game. And that is total, so if they are going up 2 points in 5 categories and down 1 point in 3 categories they are going up barely .25 points/game in a category. Yours have only played one game so it isn't surprising.
One other piece of advice, if you want to help the Fr growth schedule two exhibition games after signing day. That way you will get two more games with them. It won't change the world, but will help in the long run.

FWIW, I typically do not see growth for a FR until game 3, which is why it is important (IMO) to have those FR play two exhibition games.

Good luck.

nitros

P.S. It should go without saying that the above is a general statement and all players grow differently based on WE, potential and playing time.

Akua, Panthsho, Nitros,
Thank you all for the feedback and advice!! Now that I've taken a closer look at the Freshmen on other teams, that have already advanced some of their ratings, I do see that their teams played a couple of post-signing exhibitions. I won't miss that opportunity next season. :)