Erzac

To combat some Monday boredom, I went ahead and calculated some average overall stats from GHL teams. Overall doesn't of course paint the full picture of a player's capabilities, and thus is only a vague approximation of what a team can do, but it's the only easily available number for comparison.
 
Team overalls here are comprised of the average of a team's best 18 skaters (12 centers/forwards, 6 defenders) and the starting goalie. OFF/DEF come from the same players, but are simply rounded up/down to the closest full number for clarity. SG is simply the assumed starting goalie (best overall). Calculations made on day 5 of S10.
 
Here are the numbers - teams are in order starting from best OVR.
 
1.  West Chicago Protons (GM: Richard Feynman - bouncer)
OFF: 89 DEF: 91 SG: 95 OVR: 89,5
 
2.  Deadwood Vandals (GM: Kim Vandaele - koekefix)
OFF: 87 DEF: 89 SG: 96 OVR: 88,4
 
3.  Harrisonville Sabercats (GM: Hurja Herra)
OFF: 88 DEF: 89 SG: 88 OVR: 87,6
 
4.  Rome Trojans (GM: Yann Rock)
OFF: 87 DEF: 88 SG: 91 OVR: 87,5
 
5.  Cedar Rapids Minutemen (GM: Richard Armour)
OFF: 86 DEF: 88 SG: 93 OVR: 87,1
 
6.  Eldred Elite (GM: Steven Bennett)
OFF: 86 DEF: 89 SG: 93 OVR: 87,0
 
7.  Canmore Grizzlies (GM: Matt Muffett - themattinthehat)
OFF: 86 DEF: 87 SG: 91 OVR: 86,9
 
8.  Moapa Valley Gothic Knights (GM: David Chaw - FTW)
OFF: 87 DEF: 87 SG: 90 OVR: 86,9
 
9.  Richford Rebels (GM: Jusu Manager)
OFF: 86 DEF: 89 SG: 89 OVR: 86,9
 
10. St.Thomas Stray Cats (GM: Erzac Ray - Erzac)
OFF: 87 DEF: 87 SG: 90 OVR: 86,8
 
11. Portland Oilers (GM: Xavier Zhou - xZhou)
OFF: 86 DEF: 88 SG: 91 OVR: 86,6
 
12. York Wolf Pack (GM: Jiri Heikkala)
OFF: 85 DEF: 87 SG: 93 OVR: 86,2
 
13. Violet Volcano (GM: Soupy Salez)
OFF: 85 DEF: 88 SG: 92 OVR: 86,1
 
14. Thetford Mines Pegasus (GM: Anthony Grauwels - Pingu)
OFF: 85 DEF: 86 SG: 89 OVR: 85,5
 
15. Oshawa Dynasty Heroes (GM: Kris Zenatik - Euph)
OFF: 85 DEF: 85 SG: 86 OVR: 84,7
 
16. Collegeville Rhinos (BOT)
OFF: 85 DEF: 82 SG: 90 OVR: 84,4

It's a tight league as always, 6 points separating 6th and 13th place.

Steve, your trade was ok. If trade is between two managers (with no complete newbie), then it is almost all the time ok - the trade meter will take care of bad trades. Obviously there might be small portion of trades where the two know each other (or it is multi-account) and one team aims to boost the other, but that is also easy to recognize (and I don't think somebody like this is in GHL/SHL right now).
 
The more I think about it, the more I am for complete ban of trades with CPU teams. Easy solution (if you are only human in your league level, get a friend or leave for different world - it is boring to be alone anyway). Only CPU-CPU can be allowed. Over 90% of shady business is Human-CPU and report button is also dangerous as it seems to me that one gets message when it is pushed without any human cross-check that it is not just angry click from team that lost to you (why someone wanted to push it for you?).
 
This will make this game so much better and cheating is usually the critical point of such type of manager game - either you can solve it and you have most of the managers happy and clean, or you will fail to deal with it and the game is ruined for many. 
 
Also I wonder - are there any reverted trades? I noticed that Rhinos are now again CPU as the new "manager" got a lot of reports, I assume, but why the hell aren't the trades reverted? If somebody takes over of a team for a week, makes 10 CPU trades and then is banned, those trades should be automatically reverted - no questions asked.

I got reported yesterday (two days ago/Tuesday night EST), which was odd since the only trade I did was with Kim (Vandals, he twisted my arm, haha) which was pretty even up.  Personally, I would rather just have someone message me if they felt I was doing something wrong and hell, maybe offer me a more fair trade, or explain why they feel I am cheating.  
 
I do find that our self policing mostly works, but there are times when it just makes sense to do a "bad trade".  For instance, my goaltending situation has hardly improved in the past 2-3 seasons for despite my best faith in my guys, find myself wanting to find an out.  If I am willing to sweeten the deal to get a deal through, neither I nor the recipient should be blamed.  I realize this is different than some of the matters discussed above by Rich, but perhaps we need to start naming names to give people a chance (both parties and jury members) to explain why they believe it is or isn't an unfair trade.  I have seen that blow up here, most notably with SHL teams and certain team hopping managers, but to get an email from the system accusing me of cheating and/or my account locked for just making an offer, feels a lot like being "guilty until proven innocent."  We're all adults here and if you can't defend your trade, even if lopsided, then we probably don't want you in Biscuit anyways.  

French Gulf Black Knights are now computer owned.  Can/Should we make a gentleman's agreement not to trade with them until a new user takes over?  The team isn't horrible (the right manager could save them still this season), but if they lose one or two key players, they are done for this season and several others.  

What a mess! 
A regular medieval witch-hunt: with pitchforks, torches, everyone pointing fingers, accusations flying, posturing, and grunting...
Just like a scene out of a Monty-Python film. 
 
Received this in-game message, which I assume was sent to every GM, on day 34, season 7, GW Biscuit, and yes: it's from the very same manager who, once this goal was accomplished, went on to rape the abandoned team.
 
 
PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM KIM VANDAELESEASON 7, DAY 34 COLLEGEVILLE RHINOS (SHL)Hi Soupy Salez,

Hope you are well. 

I'm sending you this mail because there are still some managers abusing the trade system in their advantage. I really can't handle the unfairness that comes with it and that's why I'm asking you to report the manager of Collegeville Rhinos (SHL) as a cheater. I think there are more managers like him but what he has been doing 2 seasons in a row is just unreal. I want to prevent this from further escalating and make it fair for other managers as well. If you look at his team it's amazing the way they have been improved, but if you look at the trade history it's clear to see how he got that far. He has been trading only with the CPU and is still abusing the system. This has to be stopped.

I talked with Anders about this and he does not have the time to investigate this further. He wants us managers to step up and take our responsibility to report him. If we have enough reports he will be blocked by the system. Please report him and let us do something about this unfairness.

Thanks,

Kim
**************End of copy/pasted message**********************
 
Don't mean to pick on ya Kim. Most other players are the same:
Reggie quit the Collegeville Rhinos, a few games ago. Anyone whom cares to have a look, will see that the rape of said team has already begun.  **********************************************REBELS ACQUIRE SCHMITZ FROM RHINOS The Richford Rebels have acquired Damien Schmitz and Bruce Redondo from the Collegeville Rhinos in exchange for Massil Christensen and rights to Matteo Legros-St-Pierre plus a GHL level 3rd round pick. **********************************************There is a dark secret, hidden in the closet of this game. And it is hypocrisy and protectionism. Well: I'm just teasing you boys.  Here's the good news: You're normal!!
 
Meta-gaming and gentlemen's agreements don't work.  Never have. Never will.   It seems to be against human nature. 
Otherwise: why would we need referees and officials in every level of sports play?   We wouldn't need lawyers and judges, nor that smug principal who berated you, back when you were a naughty kid in school. 
Heck: you even need a washed-up, red-nosed, fat booze-breathed excuse for a referee in your beer league, cause that arse for the red team keeps "accidentally" tripping other players, then saying a very disingenuous "sorry". 
 
We all seem to try our best to game the system. We seek to minimize our taxes, and negotiate the prices of the things we want to purchase. We keep secrets from our co-workers, so that we can use them to look sharp at a later date.  
From observation: it seems to be the way we are. 
 
Yes: I trade with AI teams, almost exclusively.   I have not yet seen a reason or argument not to.  I have had a team in every GW, since the beginning of the game. Usually playing in the lower-level leagues, where there is two or four POT ( player-owned-teams).  The only way I will stop doing it is if I get banned, kicked-out, or the hardwired game-rules change. 
 
These meta-gaming, gentleman's agreements were doomed to fail, and I never posted about them, because I was not in the GHL league where the discussion started, and I was dismayed at how the GM's who disagreed with it were portrayed. 
 
From an outside point of view: in a GW of 90 teams, those rules benefit and protect the elite 8-10 teams; create an impenetrable buffer-zone of 4-10 mediocre teams; and lead to a world of hurt and despair for the remaining 70-75 teams. 
How is that in any way fair gaming? 
What is this BS altruistic proclamation: to preserve competitive AI teams for imaginary future managers? Horse-feathers!!
 
If all new GM's were to start in the LIHL: how is a team laden with about 25 yellow-barred LIHL players, (individual player trade values), supposed to make it to the elite top-10 in the GW, with 25 green-barred GHL players?  
Drafts and free-agents (FA) you say? Moose-droppings!!  
 
That's only possible if the table is equal for all, and so why not?    So let's do it!  
Who's willing?  Flat fair rules, same for all.  No meta-gaming. 
How about every GM in the game gets a vote on the rules concerning trading with AI-CPU-teams?  
How's about's Anders hard-wire programs it into the game? 
Then we all play within the hard-wired rules, and nobody has anything to complain about! 
 
Except: any and every game-player has no choice but to play within the hard-wired rules, in any game, but some would seek to change those rules. 
So; the rules get changed, or they stay the same. 
But for the sake of understanding humans, please stop bending the rules, and then trying to convince others, that although you are advantaged by such change, that it's for the best for the game, and all involved. 
Please: just stop.   Not everyone's buying it.
 
If it is indeed what everyone wants: then let's get a majority decision, and ask Anders to hard-program it into the game.
Of course: Anders can decide on his own, if he want's to do it.  We realize it is tricky and difficult, but we all, without exception, have faith in this wondrous gift of game, you have given us, Anders.  Thanks.
 
I did not mean to pick on anyone, just to show the undeniable true nature of us all.  
None of us is sitting on a higher moral/ethical ground. 
 
This post is not sanctioned by my mod status, but spoken as a sovereign soul. 

I usually try to stay away from the trade drama around here because the managers that have abused the system either think they didn't do anything wrong, don't care or are not willing to fix their mistakes. I feel like nothing will change unless more drastic measures are implemented by the game in prevention of abuse of CPU trades.
 
That being said, I find the sense of community in our game world a little lacking. I may be wrong, but it seems we all chat here with each other when there is a conflict over a trade others disagree with, but we never actually chat about our teams, our league, players, potential trades,direction of the game, etc.
 
 
Just my two cents, back to lurking now

When a progress bar reaches 100%, that particular skill will improve by one point.

*Begin wall of text*
 
-- I started with one of those awful teams that as been managed by the computer for a while.  By the way, I don't think a new manager will ever get a competitive team right away because it either has been managed by the computer (so not competitive) -- I made a lot of trades with computer and signed some free agents.  I wasn't always fair with the way I used free agents to make trades.  My apoligies if I ruined anyone experience --
 
Part of the reason why computer teams are not competitive off the bat might just be that they're robbed of their picks, and/or young talent. A big problem is the ability to trade freshly signed free agents for "free" assets, especially picks. Maybe one doesn't ruin anyone's experience right away, but making such trades just condemn new players into pilfered teams that will take ages to build up. You might just have started with such a team.
 
 
-- everyone has the exact same opportunity to trade with computer teams.--
 
Technically, yes, but every (computer) team has a limited number of assets. Once they're gone, they're gone. Also, just being able to do something doesn't quite equal that it should be done. It can't be a race of "who is the fastest to sign FA's and turn them into computer picks".
 
 
-- What's keeping new players from joining this game is the huge edge teams from GHL have on any other teams in this world because they get the best prospects (first two rounds so best 30 prospects every season) and the best free agents seasons after seasons --
--Right now, my best player is 86 overall, and a 85 goalie, I have a few 81-83 and mostly 80 overall players.  If I'm lucky, I might sign 1 or 2 players over 85 overall, a few 83-85 as free agents.  How will I compete with the top 4 GHL teams--
 
Comparing lower league teams to GHL teams is not a really good practice. Yes, they sign the best FA's. Yes, they get the best prospects. And so will you, if you make it to GHL and stay there. It's now my 3rd season in GHL, and I'm tied for 6th in the standings. The first two seasons I finished 12th. I never expected to compete for the first couple of seasons in GHL, my only goal was to not relegate and gradually build up the team. Maybe I'll even make the playoffs this season. I might even have a shot at the cup in a season or two. Even right now I probably couldn't win a playoff series against a top-4 team. But at some point I will. And the whole process has been, and continues to be, exciting.
 
Point being, I don't think you're expected to stand up to the best GHL as you come out of SHL. Hell, when I got to the GHL I barely knew a player's overall might be displayed in green (I think I had one, 81). It takes time, and it should, to become competitive when you move up a league level. For me, that's what a sports management game is all about - seeing your long term decisions, trades, signings combine into a hopefully winning package over time.
 
 
 
I might've ventured a bit off topic - computer trading in itself is not a problem. Computer trading, when used to accomplish trades that wouldn't be feasible between human managers, is a problem. That, and the FA flipping for computer picks.
 
*End wall of text*

Computer trading in of itself isn't cheating no but I have pointed out too many times in this forum that exploiting flaws in a game to your advantage is cheating. That means that exploiting computer teams via trades is cheating. That is exactly what you are doing in your trades.
 
 
Your point is massively flawed, poorly thought out and exceptionally weak as a result.
 
A new manager doesn't need to make trades with computer teams unless there are too few human managers to try to trade with. Unless you are in the GHL (which a new manager will never be able to be in) or on the brink of reaching the GHL you should not be concerned about the GHL, top teams or top players. They are completely out of your reach in every way. You should only be concerned about your league and what you can do in it. Also the edge will never get bigger unless you stop learning the game and resort to things like what you are doing to "catch up" to a perceived gap that isn't there to begin with.
 
Regarding new teams getting to the GHL it is completely within the realm of possibility to have a very competitive team your first year there. I am the perfect example of that. To my knowledge I am the most recent team, and one of the very few, so far that has made the playoffs their first year after promotion in the GHL for this game world and it wasn't by fluke. No it wasn't easy. It was rather difficult. It should be. You are a SHL team promoting to the GHL. Be realistic with your expectations. Honestly I still think that I would have been better off team wise staying in the SHL for one more season but I made my very unexpected promotion to the GHL work. Every offseason there are a number of quality GHL players to grab for the at least 2 teams that rank up into the GHL. Yes the top talent is maybe a total of 3 to 5 players but you only need 2 maybe 3 such players. My first year I grabbed 3 such players out of about 6 or 7. Two forwards and a defender. I then grabbed a few role players to fill out my team and my team played well enough to get into the playoffs. On the way I traded 2 of those top players for a top goalie and 2 lesser skilled forwards. Yes the trades were with computer teams but notice that I traded 2 top talent players for one top talent player and two lesser talented players in return. I didn't try to finagle top talent away from computer teams via giving a number of lesser players in return.
 
Trading with computer teams is not a problem. Exploiting the computer in trades to get an unfair advantage is a problem. No exploiting the computer in trades is not an answer to a bigger problem. There is no bigger problem. The only problem there may be is your own inability to learn and improve yourself as a manager and exploiting the computer in trades is not the solution to that problem. Never, in any multiplayer game, is using in game exploits of any kind to your advantage an "answer" to a "problem" perceived, proven and known or otherwise.

*Begin wall of text*
 
-- I started with one of those awful teams that as been managed by the computer for a while.  By the way, I don't think a new manager will ever get a competitive team right away because it either has been managed by the computer (so not competitive) -- I made a lot of trades with computer and signed some free agents.  I wasn't always fair with the way I used free agents to make trades.  My apoligies if I ruined anyone experience --
 
Part of the reason why computer teams are not competitive off the bat might just be that they're robbed of their picks, and/or young talent. A big problem is the ability to trade freshly signed free agents for "free" assets, especially picks. Maybe one doesn't ruin anyone's experience right away, but making such trades just condemn new players into pilfered teams that will take ages to build up. You might just have started with such a team.
 
 
-- everyone has the exact same opportunity to trade with computer teams.--
 
Technically, yes, but every (computer) team has a limited number of assets. Once they're gone, they're gone. Also, just being able to do something doesn't quite equal that it should be done. It can't be a race of "who is the fastest to sign FA's and turn them into computer picks".
 
 
-- What's keeping new players from joining this game is the huge edge teams from GHL have on any other teams in this world because they get the best prospects (first two rounds so best 30 prospects every season) and the best free agents seasons after seasons --
--Right now, my best player is 86 overall, and a 85 goalie, I have a few 81-83 and mostly 80 overall players.  If I'm lucky, I might sign 1 or 2 players over 85 overall, a few 83-85 as free agents.  How will I compete with the top 4 GHL teams--
 
Comparing lower league teams to GHL teams is not a really good practice. Yes, they sign the best FA's. Yes, they get the best prospects. And so will you, if you make it to GHL and stay there. It's now my 3rd season in GHL, and I'm tied for 6th in the standings. The first two seasons I finished 12th. I never expected to compete for the first couple of seasons in GHL, my only goal was to not relegate and gradually build up the team. Maybe I'll even make the playoffs this season. I might even have a shot at the cup in a season or two. Even right now I probably couldn't win a playoff series against a top-4 team. But at some point I will. And the whole process has been, and continues to be, exciting.
 
Point being, I don't think you're expected to stand up to the best GHL as you come out of SHL. Hell, when I got to the GHL I barely knew a player's overall might be displayed in green (I think I had one, 81). It takes time, and it should, to become competitive when you move up a league level. For me, that's what a sports management game is all about - seeing your long term decisions, trades, signings combine into a hopefully winning package over time.
 
 
 
I might've ventured a bit off topic - computer trading in itself is not a problem. Computer trading, when used to accomplish trades that wouldn't be feasible between human managers, is a problem. That, and the FA flipping for computer picks.
 
*End wall of text*

*Begin wall of text*
 
-- I started with one of those awful teams that as been managed by the computer for a while.  By the way, I don't think a new manager will ever get a competitive team right away because it either has been managed by the computer (so not competitive) -- I made a lot of trades with computer and signed some free agents.  I wasn't always fair with the way I used free agents to make trades.  My apoligies if I ruined anyone experience --
 
Part of the reason why computer teams are not competitive off the bat might just be that they're robbed of their picks, and/or young talent. A big problem is the ability to trade freshly signed free agents for "free" assets, especially picks. Maybe one doesn't ruin anyone's experience right away, but making such trades just condemn new players into pilfered teams that will take ages to build up. You might just have started with such a team.
 
 
-- everyone has the exact same opportunity to trade with computer teams.--
 
Technically, yes, but every (computer) team has a limited number of assets. Once they're gone, they're gone. Also, just being able to do something doesn't quite equal that it should be done. It can't be a race of "who is the fastest to sign FA's and turn them into computer picks".
 
 
-- What's keeping new players from joining this game is the huge edge teams from GHL have on any other teams in this world because they get the best prospects (first two rounds so best 30 prospects every season) and the best free agents seasons after seasons --
--Right now, my best player is 86 overall, and a 85 goalie, I have a few 81-83 and mostly 80 overall players.  If I'm lucky, I might sign 1 or 2 players over 85 overall, a few 83-85 as free agents.  How will I compete with the top 4 GHL teams--
 
Comparing lower league teams to GHL teams is not a really good practice. Yes, they sign the best FA's. Yes, they get the best prospects. And so will you, if you make it to GHL and stay there. It's now my 3rd season in GHL, and I'm tied for 6th in the standings. The first two seasons I finished 12th. I never expected to compete for the first couple of seasons in GHL, my only goal was to not relegate and gradually build up the team. Maybe I'll even make the playoffs this season. I might even have a shot at the cup in a season or two. Even right now I probably couldn't win a playoff series against a top-4 team. But at some point I will. And the whole process has been, and continues to be, exciting.
 
Point being, I don't think you're expected to stand up to the best GHL as you come out of SHL. Hell, when I got to the GHL I barely knew a player's overall might be displayed in green (I think I had one, 81). It takes time, and it should, to become competitive when you move up a league level. For me, that's what a sports management game is all about - seeing your long term decisions, trades, signings combine into a hopefully winning package over time.
 
 
 
I might've ventured a bit off topic - computer trading in itself is not a problem. Computer trading, when used to accomplish trades that wouldn't be feasible between human managers, is a problem. That, and the FA flipping for computer picks.
 
*End wall of text*

Per Reggie's comments, I think one solution to this would be to have a league that is designed differently, ie not and up and down, but more an NHL static level with equal leagues/divisions.  Some prefer that, some this.  If you want to jump in and be competitive in a season or two, then that style of league makes it possible, but not the current promotion/demotion style.  Each have their pros and cons.  
 
Like Erzac said, moving from SHL to GHL really requires most of us to spend 3 or more seasons before we have a realistic chance at the Finals.  My biggest challenge is not screwing up my plan and being impatient in the interim, haha.  
 
But more importantly, not doing these types of trades is also part of the sportsmanship of the league.  Anyone from GHL could easily pick off the top 2-3 players in each computer SHL team for a 3rd round pick and/or a bench warmer.  But we don't to not screw the real SHL players and we recognize the game is more fun this way, for us all.  We're all competitive, but we don't want to ruin the integrity of the game just to win a handful more of games each season.  

There are some more improvements on the way regarding computer team trading AI. This will include computer teams less likely to agree on trades with unrealistic number of players involved. Computer teams will be less likely to get involved in too many trades each season. They will value incoming trade picks less but will still demand great value for their own. I'm also thinking of introducing a lock down period for free agents before being able to trade them. This is not decided but maybe would prevent quite a lot of abuse.
 
Can't say when this will be ready since I'm in the middle of another update at the moment. But I will really try to speed things up or perhaps pause the other update and squeeze this one in before.
 
Thanks for all your comments and commitment of making this game better!

*Begin wall of text*
 
-- I started with one of those awful teams that as been managed by the computer for a while.  By the way, I don't think a new manager will ever get a competitive team right away because it either has been managed by the computer (so not competitive) -- I made a lot of trades with computer and signed some free agents.  I wasn't always fair with the way I used free agents to make trades.  My apoligies if I ruined anyone experience --
 
Part of the reason why computer teams are not competitive off the bat might just be that they're robbed of their picks, and/or young talent. A big problem is the ability to trade freshly signed free agents for "free" assets, especially picks. Maybe one doesn't ruin anyone's experience right away, but making such trades just condemn new players into pilfered teams that will take ages to build up. You might just have started with such a team.
 
 
-- everyone has the exact same opportunity to trade with computer teams.--
 
Technically, yes, but every (computer) team has a limited number of assets. Once they're gone, they're gone. Also, just being able to do something doesn't quite equal that it should be done. It can't be a race of "who is the fastest to sign FA's and turn them into computer picks".
 
 
-- What's keeping new players from joining this game is the huge edge teams from GHL have on any other teams in this world because they get the best prospects (first two rounds so best 30 prospects every season) and the best free agents seasons after seasons --
--Right now, my best player is 86 overall, and a 85 goalie, I have a few 81-83 and mostly 80 overall players.  If I'm lucky, I might sign 1 or 2 players over 85 overall, a few 83-85 as free agents.  How will I compete with the top 4 GHL teams--
 
Comparing lower league teams to GHL teams is not a really good practice. Yes, they sign the best FA's. Yes, they get the best prospects. And so will you, if you make it to GHL and stay there. It's now my 3rd season in GHL, and I'm tied for 6th in the standings. The first two seasons I finished 12th. I never expected to compete for the first couple of seasons in GHL, my only goal was to not relegate and gradually build up the team. Maybe I'll even make the playoffs this season. I might even have a shot at the cup in a season or two. Even right now I probably couldn't win a playoff series against a top-4 team. But at some point I will. And the whole process has been, and continues to be, exciting.
 
Point being, I don't think you're expected to stand up to the best GHL as you come out of SHL. Hell, when I got to the GHL I barely knew a player's overall might be displayed in green (I think I had one, 81). It takes time, and it should, to become competitive when you move up a league level. For me, that's what a sports management game is all about - seeing your long term decisions, trades, signings combine into a hopefully winning package over time.
 
 
 
I might've ventured a bit off topic - computer trading in itself is not a problem. Computer trading, when used to accomplish trades that wouldn't be feasible between human managers, is a problem. That, and the FA flipping for computer picks.
 
*End wall of text*

*Begin wall of text*
 
-- I started with one of those awful teams that as been managed by the computer for a while.  By the way, I don't think a new manager will ever get a competitive team right away because it either has been managed by the computer (so not competitive) -- I made a lot of trades with computer and signed some free agents.  I wasn't always fair with the way I used free agents to make trades.  My apoligies if I ruined anyone experience --
 
Part of the reason why computer teams are not competitive off the bat might just be that they're robbed of their picks, and/or young talent. A big problem is the ability to trade freshly signed free agents for "free" assets, especially picks. Maybe one doesn't ruin anyone's experience right away, but making such trades just condemn new players into pilfered teams that will take ages to build up. You might just have started with such a team.
 
 
-- everyone has the exact same opportunity to trade with computer teams.--
 
Technically, yes, but every (computer) team has a limited number of assets. Once they're gone, they're gone. Also, just being able to do something doesn't quite equal that it should be done. It can't be a race of "who is the fastest to sign FA's and turn them into computer picks".
 
 
-- What's keeping new players from joining this game is the huge edge teams from GHL have on any other teams in this world because they get the best prospects (first two rounds so best 30 prospects every season) and the best free agents seasons after seasons --
--Right now, my best player is 86 overall, and a 85 goalie, I have a few 81-83 and mostly 80 overall players.  If I'm lucky, I might sign 1 or 2 players over 85 overall, a few 83-85 as free agents.  How will I compete with the top 4 GHL teams--
 
Comparing lower league teams to GHL teams is not a really good practice. Yes, they sign the best FA's. Yes, they get the best prospects. And so will you, if you make it to GHL and stay there. It's now my 3rd season in GHL, and I'm tied for 6th in the standings. The first two seasons I finished 12th. I never expected to compete for the first couple of seasons in GHL, my only goal was to not relegate and gradually build up the team. Maybe I'll even make the playoffs this season. I might even have a shot at the cup in a season or two. Even right now I probably couldn't win a playoff series against a top-4 team. But at some point I will. And the whole process has been, and continues to be, exciting.
 
Point being, I don't think you're expected to stand up to the best GHL as you come out of SHL. Hell, when I got to the GHL I barely knew a player's overall might be displayed in green (I think I had one, 81). It takes time, and it should, to become competitive when you move up a league level. For me, that's what a sports management game is all about - seeing your long term decisions, trades, signings combine into a hopefully winning package over time.
 
 
 
I might've ventured a bit off topic - computer trading in itself is not a problem. Computer trading, when used to accomplish trades that wouldn't be feasible between human managers, is a problem. That, and the FA flipping for computer picks.
 
*End wall of text*

I just reviewed the transactions in SHL where 8 of the 16 teams are CPU, so understandably, trading is going to be hard to do without trading with these teams.  
 
TWO of the top four teams in SHL have a total of 14 trades with CPU teams this season.  Of those, I'd say roughly half are tilted in the players' teams favor.  
 
I think part of the problem is that the CPU AI over values the draft picks.  One could say this is true in real life too, some GMs wanting youth and picks over a current roster, but when you look at the trend over a large sample of trades, the CPU (which I assume is more or less the same for each team) values the picks over current players.  
 
Even if players (in every level) exploit this apparent weakness to stack their team (but sadly leave a team almost wrecked for any new player joining, which I feel is worse), once they move up a level, they are going to have to start all over again and assuming the next level up has more player managers, probably unlikely to be replicated, especially at the GHL level in Biscuit.  
 
So even though this is somewhat self policing, I think tweaking the AI in the CPU teams to make it damn near impossible to trade with them without giving up a lot is possibly the quickest or most long term solution.  

Up or down voting could work, but i'm pretty sure people wouldn't use it properly. I think it's worth a shot. What i think is important to do before that is to restrict trading players who have just made a contract with your team, it's too easy to sign free agents and trade them instantly. This restriction would also be easier to put into effect than the vote system. How about one season or half a season no trade restriction for newly signed players?

The restriction of 30 days on team or 15 games played makes a lot of sense. It still allows teams to be able to trade away players that they will lose via demotion that they signed in the offseason or early season while getting rid of quick sign and trades.

First there is no in game meter that truly gives an idea on what is and isn't a fair trade. No the two ownership groups being ok with the trade is not a trade balance meter. Second ripping the AI off via a trade is an exploit. Using in game exploits to your advantage is against the rules. Hence why it is an issue and hence why there are people complaining about it.

Is there a reason we can't see the game history for each player for more than 5 games?  I often find myself wanting to to see 10 or 20 games back to see streaks my players have been on so I can adjust my roster, tactics, etc based on what seems to have worked in the past.  I know I can go into each individual game but usually I am only looking on that info for one or two players.  Five also is a very small sample size, especially if it a player that is in and out of the lineup.  

One-way contract only means that a player will never move down league levels. I.E. you can't trade them to a lower league, or should you get relegated, they would be released.
 
Promotion clause (quote from help files):
 
"A *promotion contract* clause will increase the player’s salary if his team is promoted to a higher league. The new salary is calculated so that the player will keep the same percentage salary cap impact. E.g. if the player’s salary was 10% of the cap limit in the previous league his new salary will be 10% of the new league’s salary cap. If a player with a *promotion contract clause* is traded to a team in a higher league level the contract clause will activate just as if his team hade been promoted. Once the *promotion contract clause* have been activated it will be removed from the player’s contract."  Hope that answers everything.

I enjoy actively initiating trades with all sorts of teams in different leagues and whatnot and wanted to suggest something to make the whole process a lot less time consuming and painstaking. My usual process for looking to make trades is going to a league, clicking on a team, searching through the transfer tab of their players, checking their cap space, and then looking into any transfer needs or trade block players. This takes quite a bit of time and can is annoying since I constantly run into teams with little to no cap space or no trade block players or transfer needs. Yes, I understand I can still make trades without any of those aspects being in play, but after getting an uncountable number of those trades rejected, I've learned not to waste my time anymore. My point is, it'd be nice to have all of those things in one place (cap space, transfer needs, maybe even trade blocked players). I think a good place would be the "New Trade" action in the transfers tab. On that daunting list of teams from all the leagues you can trade with, having that information listed beside each team would be inexplicably useful. I know I know, that's too much to put on one line; so I was thinking maybe next to each team, display simple things such as their cap space and perhaps the manager's trading reputation (neutral, enthusiastic, hard to please, etc). Then maybe have an "Expand Details" button or something that reveals transfer needs, trade block players, and anything else you may find helpful for making a trade. I'm not sure how feasible this is as I'm no programmer or anything, but just wanted to share my thoughts on how to make the game more user-friendly. And who knows, maybe such a feature would encourage more managers to initiate trades, because down where I've been, trades are extremely rare.
 
Thanks for any time you may have wasted reading my thoughts,
 
Luke Ciccone

Well, that's three picks, all likely top-5, gone to the same team. All from trades with computers, and all with the same pattern - a bunch of bench warmers for a great pick. I guess it's not cheating as it's within the game mechanics, but one could never pull off any of those trades with a human manager. It's quite blatant abuse of being able to trade with computers, personally I don't think such trades should be possible.

I have been waiting and watching for an opening in this game world. I noticed a lot of the old Hockey Dynasty players are in this world. 2 days ago there was an opening in the LIHL , So I jumped on it. I have the 16th team in the LIHL. There is no place but up.  I'm on my way.  I'll see you all up there soon.