Free credit card ID league?

[Galatine]

I'm really enjoying the beta but for the most part it's a lot like playing solitaire since few owners are very active.

Many of the few who are playing, are (to be polite) 'overactive'. Running two plus teams in a league or just running one like there's no tomorrow.

The problem is exacerbated with inactive teams offering little or no competition.

Combined these two problems lead to ridiculous statistical differences that may or may not have anything to do with the game engine.

I'd like to see a alternate beta league where everyone who wanted to participate had to confirm identity by using a credit card number that _wouldn't_ be charged for the beta test.

While it's true this wouldn't keep all the rabble out, it would at least be a small deterrent and as my dear old Mother use to say, locked doors only keep the innocent at bay.

This would also be a chance to see how the game system would run with a higher activity level and so, a far more balanced league.

[nysteinbrenner]

It's a good idea in theory, but I doubt very seriously that too many people would agree to Beta Test any product if they had to give out credit card information, whether the card was being charged or not.

[Galatine]

It acts as a deterrent.

A filter to leave only those who are already committed to paying as soon as the mogul guys ask.
Personally I'm already sold. It's good now, it promises to be great. Especially if the level of competition rises.

My only regret is for those who do love the game but don't yet have access of a credit card they could use for this purpose.

Perhaps another alternated beta league could use registered email addresses from paid service providers? (AOL etc.)

The problem really seems to be anonymous email providers (hotmail, yahoo etc.)

And my junk mail filers on my accounts agree! :)

I don't expect this to stop people abusing the game system but only reduce it.

[Bad_Ash]

I'm a dedicated tester and I use hotmail. I move alot, so I hate using a local ISP email address. I also like msn messenger. I think judgement based on actions is what needs to be done.

If we want a league of active testers all we have to do is ask Clay if he will have a special invite league with people that actively test.

Badash

[amount]

What we need are user created leagues in which a human commissioner can kick out any owner after a predetermined period of inactivity, ie 3 days. If after 3 days, the owner did not respond to, say, a commissioner's email message, the team would be opened up to new applicants. Probably, people would so much want to play in a good, active league, that there would be no difficulty finding a new owner when a previous owner is kicked. Different leagues, of course, could have different requirements. Personally, I'd like to be in a league with a 3-day limit. If you had to go out of town, or on holidays, you could simply tell the commish that you'd be gone for a week, and avoid getting kicked. But unexplained absences would not be tolerated. I'm not some kind of a power hungry freak, I just want to play in a league that's as comitted and involved as me. If other don't, they can choose a less intense league. That's why we need user created leagues, and absentee owner removal.

[TGG]

Ian is currently the only one who can start new leagues -- he does his best job to meet demand as it expands.

We are working on the option for users to start new leagues, but with all the possible options, and the fear of unfilled leagues filling up our hard-drive, we still have a fair bit to work through.

Clay



I love the idea of user control leagues........ But not if the idea makes it hard to feed my family. If we have our own leagues even if Mogul is getting the user money , the league depends on the players, an if a user created league is not working an those players either can not or do not deside to contune paying for playing then Mogul starts to lose money........

Right now how it is set up, only the people setting up the leagues can look around an ask what the ****.....why are we not making money. Once you get every person out there making there own leagues then there will be no one playing in those leagues ( this takes up disk an band space) Even if you deside only to have 25% or what ever number made up of user control leagues you still run a very high risk of cheating, not filling leagues, or other wise ticked or players.

The system now almost works an I stress the word almost, but bugs should be worked out before anything else.

[Galatine]

Currently there seems to be mainly scattering of seeds, with 8-12 active players per league and 1-3 people overdoing it with salaries or number of teams controlled in a single league.

At the very least, the statistical results of those leagues are as meaningless as the Yankess playing in AAA (and more than a little boring to be a part of)

Perhaps I'm just itching for the game to go live but right now abuse and disuse of the beta league system makes it hard to actively participate in testing where any form of competition is so completely meaningless. Frustratingly meaningless.

I understand the need to build the foundation before the house but right now the beta game (for the most part) isn't really being tested by use in a fashion similar to how it ideally will be.

Or at least I hope that will be the case.