Let's Have A Little Fun on the Boards!

[Virtual Jarmo]

So, here's the thing. Board activity has dropped quite a bit. I know it has a lot to do with the sim schedule. As a result, here's what we're going to do.

We're going to have a series of contests, perks, awards, what have you, to increase board activity. The prizes for these contests will vary. It could be a CON raise for a player of your choice. It could be a POT raise for a prospect. It might be an extra underager on the farm. It might be another player re-rate. Or maybe another ceiling re-rate. Perhaps a CON raise for your starting goaltender. Maybe a CON raise for a newly acquired player. Maybe some waiver exemptions. Who knows, it all depends on how the Committee members feel. It will all be at random and it will not be announced until a winner(s) are determined.

Here are some of my ideas:

Sunday NFL Pick 'Em
Predict what guy on your team will have a two-goal game during that week
Best trade (for both teams) during the month
NHL Player Survivor
EHEC Player Survivor
Best record of the month (by conference, by league)
NBA Season Prediction Contest
NCAA Football Pick 'Em
NBA Survivor
Pick the NBA player with the most points.
Pick the NFL Running Back to get the most yards that weekend


Looking for some more ideas from you guys. Again, you have to participate to have a chance to win. Many of these contests will take place in The Sports Bar forum, so we don't clog up main league forums. Trying to come up with things for all GMs, so they can still participate even they know nothing about the NFL or the NBA.

Give me some more ideas, and let's get this started.


Also, just throwing it out there...who would be down for trying to get Full Tilt Poker to host an EHEC poker tournament one night where most everyone can be there?

[DevilsGM]

I like the theory, just not a big fan of boosts...or the NBA. I personally still like the chatbox idea what happened there, was it a no go?

[Jets GM]

best avatar maker?

but srsly, i always think its cool to compare league results to NHL ones. have something where on nightly basis there is a pick em' of max 3 games (obv less if there is less then 3 games) where you pick 3 winners who will win both there NHL and EHEC game. See who could have the best record, reward best record montly basis?

[SypherSens]

Yeah it should be something related to the game. Not another league. Maybe something like predict the top scorer for the week or something.

[Vik-Oil]

I truly hate giving out boosts as rewards, especially for things not game-related. Plus, I work until 5, do an online class in the evenings, and coach minor hockey (starting tomorrow). I'm kind of stretched thin as it is.

[GM Office Q]

I would be down for some poker for sure. Maybe one night a week or something? No EHM rewards though.

[Fedz]

I dont mind it, we definitely need a way to bring activity up a little bit.

Though I will admit I'd prefer it to be game related.

[CapsGM]

Game-related contests (as in EHEC, NHL) sound fun. I wouldn't even mind some NBA stuff (don't follow the NFL as much), but I agree that EHM rewards should be left out.

[Commish Bub(NYR)]

I have no problem with players getting boosts, as long as they're not handed out like candy. But, as with Vik, there might be some who aren't able to be around enough to take full advantage of that. I don't know what other kind of rewards or awards you could give out that would encourage participation, other than just the glory of knowing you've won. There are some boards that give out microbadges for you to add to your profile, but then you've got to design/find/steal appropriate ones.

I also prefer keeping it (mostly) within the league. So guessing highest scorer, most goals, longest losing streak, etc, keeps people paying attention what's happening here. We could create our own trophies -- silly or serious -- to add to the ones in the game already, and either track players in the running for that trophy, or have votes at the end of the season.

Having said that, I wouldn't mind having a few non-league tourneys or pools as well -- NCAA hoops comes immediately to mind.

[DucksGM]

I agree with most of what was said. I don't really know enough about the NFL or NCAA to make educated picks for those games.

How about those rewards for writing articles and stuff?

[DevilsGM]

I agree with most of what was said. I don't really know enough about the NFL or NCAA to make educated picks for those games.

How about those rewards for writing articles and stuff?

Thats a good idea, one of the other leagues im in gives like 5 con points to distribute to any of your players below 80 con if you do X number of articles by the end of the season.

[TorontoGM]

All the EHM related ideas are great, but no rewards for anything other than EHM stuff.

I'm down for poker tho, I play roughly 3 hours a day. I'm ALWAYS down. haha

[Jets GM]

I agree with most of what was said. I don't really know enough about the NFL or NCAA to make educated picks for those games.

How about those rewards for writing articles and stuff?

Thats a good idea, one of the other leagues im in gives like 5 con points to distribute to any of your players below 80 con if you do X number of articles by the end of the season.

ttt

sorry to bump an old thread, but if GM's were going to be rewarded for writing articles etc. I'd think we see a lot more being done. I have a hard time spending 30mins-1hr writing something for no real reason/purpose other then to talk about my team. If a certain number would get me 3-5 CON points or 10-20 ceiling points that would be a big motivator, and wouldn't sacrifice the integrity of the league imo. Or maybe the staff could do a GM of the Month award, and you'd get a boost of some sort.....

[Parker]

sorry to bump an old thread, but if GM's were going to be rewarded for writing articles etc. I'd think we see a lot more being done. I have a hard time spending 30mins-1hr writing something for no real reason/purpose other then to talk about my team. If a certain number would get me 3-5 CON points or 10-20 ceiling points that would be a big motivator, and wouldn't sacrifice the integrity of the league imo. Or maybe the staff could do a GM of the Month award, and you'd get a boost of some sort.....

That would be very cool. I used to write news articles like crazy when I was in the PUHL and SHL but I got the idea that hardly anyone read them and my interest kinda tapered off. If there was a reward for it though, I'd be churning out news like crazy hehe. I don't know about ceiling points (maybe too much of a reward; well-placed ceiling points can turn a flawed prospect into a solid one or a solid one into an uberprospect) but some CON points to spread around would be awesome. What are everyone else's thoughts on this?

[Virtual Jarmo]

We've got a few things in the works. Some off-site, some on-site. But, for the most part, the writing of stories issue has been brought up, as has doing a GM of the Month award again. The code is already written in the home page, it's just a matter of deciding criteria and whatnot. Not to mention, it's already February.

I just don't want people to abuse the article writing to enhance their players. There would have to be some sort of substance to the articles.

Not sure who all Pat Webber (NYR) contacted, but he wanted to put together some things on each team's top 3 prospects. I will incentivize (making up a word) participation in that for sure. Like I said, not sure who all has been informed.

[Commish Bub(NYR)]

Not sure who all Pat Webber (NYR) contacted, but he wanted to put together some things on each team's top 3 prospects. I will incentivize (making up a word) participation in that for sure. Like I said, not sure who all has been informed.

I contacted everyone. At least, I think I did, lol. I've heard back from a number of GMs, so I'll start posting some things shortly.

I like the ideas of incentives for writing, posting, whatever. My first thoughts are along the lines of ceiling/con points, but I agree with Parker in that it's easy to go overboard on that. I think con points might be the better way to go, but you could still have one GM who has the time and energy to publish like crazy and end up with a team of 99 CON players.

Maybe cash is the way to go instead.

[Jets GM]

sorry to bump an old thread, but if GM's were going to be rewarded for writing articles etc. I'd think we see a lot more being done. I have a hard time spending 30mins-1hr writing something for no real reason/purpose other then to talk about my team. If a certain number would get me 3-5 CON points or 10-20 ceiling points that would be a big motivator, and wouldn't sacrifice the integrity of the league imo. Or maybe the staff could do a GM of the Month award, and you'd get a boost of some sort.....

That would be very cool. I used to write news articles like crazy when I was in the PUHL and SHL but I got the idea that hardly anyone read them and my interest kinda tapered off. If there was a reward for it though, I'd be churning out news like crazy hehe. I don't know about ceiling points (maybe too much of a reward; well-placed ceiling points can turn a flawed prospect into a solid one or a solid one into an uberprospect) but some CON points to spread around would be awesome. What are everyone else's thoughts on this?

Ya, we could come up with rules for boosts to avoid that from happening.

i.e no one can have a con boosted over 75 or 80, no one can have a ceiling attribute boosted over 090 or 095, max ceiling boost of 10 etc.

[Virtual Jarmo]

Maybe cash is the way to go instead.

And you pay our hosting bill if you don't write anything?

[Commish Bub(NYR)]

Maybe cash is the way to go instead.

And you pay our hosting bill if you don't write anything?

I'm typing, I'm typing!

[Penguin]

I say we all pitch in to buy Pat a Roxxxy Robot! http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... type=&aq=f

[TorontoGM]

^Huge waste of money, it can't even do the dishes.

How about whoever writes the worst article of the month, gets 3 con taken from their best player. That'll stop them from writing hundreds of useless articles. And whoever does the best one, gets 3 con.