The new user interface is in preview!

Want to check it out? Click here! (If you don't like it, you can still switch back)

League Forums

Main - General MFN Discussion

Playing fair and ethically

By GrandadB
8/02/2016 4:56 am
Hello all, am new to this game and have been looking at teams that have been successful and tips & suggestions from experienced players. Have noticed that there are certain teams/owners who are highly skilled at acquiring 1st and 2nd round draft choices for existing players, sometimes in bunches. Since, this game is trying to simulate the NFL as much as possible, which is a great endeavor and benefit to all who play, I would suggest that strong measures be taken to prevent truly "imbalanced" trades that allow one team/owner to acquire way more than the "norm" when it comes to trades. When you see teams that are consistently 16-0 with unreal statistics, the simulation loses its appeal and playability. Here is a quote relating to why people want to get an unfair advantage to win games online..... "Some players place an inordinate amount of attention in being first in all the scoreboards, no matter what. These are the "ends justify the means" crowd who see winning as the be-all and end-all in life. They also tend to be either desperate for attention (whether it's good or bad) or have inflated egos. They tend to think they're above the rules. Since cheating in a online game is fairly easy and the possible consequences are relatively light (if you get banned, create a new account or move onto the next game), it's the ideal venue for these types of people." I post this with the hope that the game can be made as fair a playing field for all as possible.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By CCSAHARA
8/02/2016 8:55 am
Simple fix really, there are many ethical players on MFN and what is needed BADLY is that each league needs a commissioner to keep the league in fair and competitive balance. I see no reason why considering many are long term players that the position can’t be a vote among the teams of that league and the position be applied for by GM’S interested in doing the job.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By parsh
8/02/2016 1:04 pm
CCSAHARA wrote:
Simple fix really, there are many ethical players on MFN and what is needed BADLY is that each league needs a commissioner to keep the league in fair and competitive balance. I see no reason why considering many are long term players that the position can’t be a vote among the teams of that league and the position be applied for by GM’S interested in doing the job.


I've been opposed to this for a couple a reasons:

1. Personal Politics. There are groups of players on here that are friends in real life (tbh, a buddy of mine is on here and got me into this). What's to stop me from being the "commissioner" (either inside the league or outside as a non team owner) from vetoing trades that doesn't benefit him? For the record, I wouldn't do that .. lol

2. Player Weightings. You may be offering a 2.1 draft pick for a 98 rated RB, fair? Nope. What if the Commissioner sees him as a 78 rated player? Now is it fair? Until there is transparency on default rankings, it's hard to gauge what's fair or not. I am encouraged that JDB is considering this suggestion

To the OP, I understand your frustration. Sometimes a trade snowballs. One pick generates 2 or 3 picks in a trade .. then one of those picks generates 2 or 3 more then before you know it, you have a team with a boatload of picks.

My suggestion is simply, "When in Rome do as the Romans do". No NFL team would trade a stud WR/QB/etc 2 or 3 years in the league for more picks in a later draft. I mean honestly, a teams fanbase would mutiny .. lol.

Another thing to consider also is when a new owner takes over, they don't have the same "attachment" to a player and want to draft their own players.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By Nicko
8/02/2016 1:38 pm
I agree that this is the biggest issue right now in MFN. I love playing NFL simulation games. I have no interest in playing football games as the player, I want to be the coach or GM. I like to read about trades, contracts, and draft picks in the NFL. MFN is by far the best game I've found for this type of simulation.

Unfortunately not everyone that plays the game has my same appreciation for a "NFL simulation". Some people are more concerned with the destination than the journey.

Unbalanced trades, that would never happen if both users knew what they were doing, are killing the competitive balance of some leagues. I don't see an obvious solution, all the proposed solutions seem to have some sort of negative. The solution I think would be the best is to make all trade offers public knowledge. So we can all see any type of shady deal well ahead of time. Also if trade offers were made "public", JDB could loosen up the restrictions on the trade meter, because the "trade market" should keep trades fair.

https://mfn6.myfootballnow.com/community/thread/5/1846?page=1#11504
(A thread detailing this proposed solution)

The other proposals I've heard are:
-Have a commissioner for each league.(Though this has it's own complications that could lead to cheating)
-Have a peer review/poll for each trade. Trades could be voted "unfair" and be
repealed.
-Abolish trades. (This would take away a fun part of the game)

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By punisher
8/02/2016 4:10 pm
Nicko wrote:
The solution I think would be the best is to make all trade offers public knowledge. So we can all see any type of shady deal well ahead of time. Also if trade offers were made "public", JDB could loosen up the restrictions on the trade meter, because the "trade market" should keep trades fair.


I really think a public trade arena is not a good thing at all because then you would people who would get tired of seeing their trades where everyone can see them regardless if they are good or bad where they just quit trading altogether.

Nicko wrote:
-Have a commissioner for each league.(Though this has it's own complications that could lead to cheating)


basically you would have people who get along with certain people accept every trade they send out and people who they don't care for they will just reject every trade they send out or get.

Nicko wrote:
-Have a peer review/poll for each trade. Trades could be voted "unfair" and be repealed.


I think this wouldn't work because there are some people out there that look at trades and most times than not they say both parties are cheating .
So if you were to make it where people reviewed/polled/voted on/etc. the trade you would see most likely trades going away like old newspapers because people would reject them and people wouldn't want their trade reviewed/polled/voted on /etc.

Nicko wrote:
-Abolish trades. (This would take away a fun part of the game)


each time I keep thinking that really more and more that sooner or later this will happen where people cant trade anything NOT because of good or bad trades BUT because it seems there is always a accusation of cheating daily on this website in one of the leagues when a trade goes thru.


Now let me say I hope that JDB really does the player weights for trades or at least have them factor into the trade and maybe this problem of trading good or bad will go away and people can start latching onto the next problem they have with this game.

Though you would think people would want glitches/bugs/errors/etc. fixed before stuff like trading and what not in this game.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By GrandadB
8/02/2016 5:49 pm
Thank you for the input and opinion on this problem, Im glad it wasnt just my first reaction as a new player and that I was "off base". I strongly agree with punisher's statement.... " I hope that JDB really does the player weights for trades or at least have them factor into the trade and maybe this problem of trading good or bad will go away and people can start latching onto the next problem they have with this game."

Some examples of unfair trades and team domination are very, very Obvious. In one league, MFN 2, there were 9 trades btw the same 2 teams for the 2026 & 27 seasons, one team sending players for high draft picks, all #1s & 2s. CMOAN MAN, lol The team that sent the players is 5-2 and competing for league champ, can you guess how the team that got the players is doing? They are 0-7, and there's a question whether or not the owner is actually playing. In a reply from JDB, he acknowledged that there had been complaints about the owner of the team who consistently acquires high numbers of draft choices (he is currently active in seven leagues), but he did not see anything wrong in the trades. I did not know if he had seen the above mentioned obvious case of abuse, so I let him know, have not heard anything back on it as yet. Hopefully, this kind of thing will be addressed along with the other problems (bugs & glitches) to make the game that much more enjoyable. I know its not easy to work with the programming & code, hopefully the income generated from the game for the owner(s) will be good enough to warrant the time and effort to do so.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By Brrexkl
8/02/2016 5:55 pm
How can you have 9 Trades over 2 Seasons when Teams are Capped at Two Completed Trades per Season?

Seems the most they could have done is 4 Trades Total, with 4 Pieces per Side on Each Trade.

Now, that's still 16 Moving Parts over 2 Seasons... which is a lot... but it's not unusual at all.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By lellow2011
8/02/2016 5:58 pm
Brrexkl wrote:
How can you have 9 Trades over 2 Seasons when Teams are Capped at Two Completed Trades per Season?

Seems the most they could have done is 4 Trades Total, with 4 Pieces per Side on Each Trade.

Now, that's still 16 Moving Parts over 2 Seasons... which is a lot... but it's not unusual at all.



Um, actually you're capped at 3 completed trades per season with one team if I remember correctly. That number isn't really important to the topic at hand though.

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By Brrexkl
8/02/2016 6:02 pm
Also, what do you mean by 'Unreal Statistics'?

You can't compare MFN STATISTICALLY to the NFL. It doesn't work that way.

MFN is actually much more like College in the real world... because the Talent Level can be so varied. Some of us are the Tides, Ducks and Buckeyes... and from time to time some games are going to get silly because the other team is so sloppy. Currently, I'm one of those Sloppy teams. I battle other Sloppy Teams for great games, because we are 'equally bad'... while the Giants of the League destroy me (wait until my Utes grow up! Best Defense in the MFN-7 is about 2 Seasons away for me!).

So when you look at MFN Statistically, it's better to keep a College frame of mind about it rather than an NFL frame of mind. In the NFL the parity is actually rather good, with even the worst Teams able to beat Great Teams (Remember my Browns defeating the Defending Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots awhile back, for instance).

Also, in the NFL... though rare, One Draft/FA Period can completely flip a team. Oakland, Tampa Bay... the wonders of a Franchise QB and a Good Defender... suddenly Respectable.

While it will improve your team, I don't think MFN can really be a "Got that ONE Player to change 4-12 to 12-4" kind of deal... because of Play Book Knowledge being so slow and having impact on Reaction.

So when you say 'Unreal Statistics'... based against what other Statistics?

Re: Playing fair and ethically

By Brrexkl
8/02/2016 6:12 pm
lellow2011 wrote:
Brrexkl wrote:
How can you have 9 Trades over 2 Seasons when Teams are Capped at Two Completed Trades per Season?

Seems the most they could have done is 4 Trades Total, with 4 Pieces per Side on Each Trade.

Now, that's still 16 Moving Parts over 2 Seasons... which is a lot... but it's not unusual at all.



Um, actually you're capped at 3 completed trades per season with one team if I remember correctly. That number isn't really important to the topic at hand though.


Except it is... part of his Claim is that 2 Teams either Colluded, or one Team just victimized another, to the tune of NINE Trades in 2 Seasons.

That would absolutely be an egregious abuse... which is part of why Trade Caps exist.

So yeah, to claim 9 Trades in 2 Seasons absolutely is part of this conversation. He cited it as an argument for his stance.

I don't mind the discussion at all, but keeping it in the realm of reality would be nice.