Ashamed to say I'm finally getting around to this after seeing you talk about it so much in the DET Discord. I was definitely apprehensive going in because I am the furthest thing from a developer guy, but you actually present the information in a very accessible way even for my dumb ass. I enjoyed it a lot, and I learned a lot about what you're doing.
Just some things to add in passing that aren't already touched on in the above, more timely comments.
- The "free" version of STHS does not allow you to run sims. It is merely a "client" file which allows a coach to edit lines and submit them (via email, dropbox, whatever the simmer prefers) rather than using a text-based line template that requires manual changes. Some simmers prefer using that, some prefer the text-based method, but that's what the "free" sim does.
Similarly, the download link in the index file is for the free client application. It has a different extension than the full-blown league file you'd need to run test sims.
- To touch on <a href='index.php?showuser=1322' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-13'>mpc</a>'s point on build diversity ... don't disagree with anything you said, Clards, but would like to add something that I think goes drastically under-discussed in any diversity conversation is the role of the defense attribute in the sim. It's easily the most important stat in STHS, and it's not even close. For instance, if you want to be a defensive defenseman, you obviously put points into defense. But if you want to be a prolific scoring sniper ... you also have to put a ton of points into defense. You cannot build a truly successful one-way offensive player in this league, even with 99 scoring/skating/puck handling. It's completely counter-intuitive and confuses rookies when you explain it to them for the first time, but it's absolutely vital for building a good player regardless of what you want that player to do. That is probably the biggest factor in the conversation, and yet it hardly ever gets mentioned. The sim really handcuffs us in that regard.
- Perhaps most importantly, I appreciate someone entering the conversation admitting they don't have all the answers. Egos can be a terrible thing in these parts, so it's refreshing to see someone having some of the conversations and ideas you have with a rational frame of mind. I do think some of them, particularly in the last 15-20 minutes or so, are a bit radical for our league, but at least I know I can say that without you telling me to go fuck myself with a rusty switchblade.
ztevans
