Progress toward starting simulations of the 2023 Sandbox Season

New task list; see post #4 for some details

I'm going to keep this thread stickied and update the OP as we progress through the steps toward simulating the 2023 Sandbox Season.

Initial data gathering Status: 60% Goal: April 7th. Diverted effort to getting Player availability ready.
Player Availability Status: 70%
Development of running game AI simulator. Status: 30%
Development of passing game AI simulator. Status 10%
Penalties Status: 0%
Special teams Status:0%
Other changes to software to accommodate new data sources and simulators: 0%

Any update on this?

Anybody ever ask Cox how his personal life is going?

Is he married?

Does he have children?

How are they?

Does his family have to sacrifice in order for him to continue this sim over the years?

Is this sim an issue in that marriage?

Maybe the questions are inappropriate?

But I don't think the consideration towards him and his personal life are inappropriate.

Sure, it isn't any of our business, but that isn't my point.

My point is, Cox is a real man, dealing with real life in America, during a really tough time for all Americans.

I think we need to consider his reality.

For us, our lives are getting dragged through reality right now.

And we use things like this sim to help us cope and give us a place of refuge and a respite.

But for Cox, I can imagine that that may have once been the case, running and designing this sim was probably a respite for him too.

Now, I can theorize, without make too grand an assumption, that this sim is more burden than refuge for Mr. Cox.

I am not here to speak for your Sir, nor am I attempting to put words in your mouth Mr. Cox.

I am just try to help shed some light on the elephant in the room

Please understand and help me understand, if I am accurate or if I have missed the mark.

Mr. Cox, I hope things are well with you.

We know you care about the game and we haven't heard from you in a while.

I hope your personal life is moving forward in positive direction.

Keep the continuing.

May the force be with you.

Thanks for your concern, Ummberto. I'm doing fine and better than most.

Kevin and I have been planning on moving the game away from an expensive data source for some time. The current revenue from the game doesn't come close to justifying the annual expense. When I wrote the OP, we thought we would be able to go one more year with the old data source, and I was going full speed ahead. But apparently the subscription to our old data set ran out and we have to migrate to new data sources before we can do simulations for 2023. The change in data source is going to require a major rework of the simulation engine, which I started working on several months ago. But now, I am going to need to complete that work now. I am quite busy at my real job including many nights and weekends, and jumping into a huge task at a time when my regular job is demanding hasn't been appealing. I will also admit that complaints about the game do take some wind out of my sail, as it would for anybody.

With all of the above, I needed a break from the game.

I plan to jump back into things this weekend. I will update the OP with the new task list and try to keep it updated.

Same things said when this was in beta, 2010-11.

ShTT or get off the pot!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wind From West

Same things said when this was in beta, 2010-11.

ShTT or get off the pot!

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Geeze guy, could you actually be any more of an ahole...

Yes, we all know you can, but seriously

Was that necessary, you are like some chick bringing up crap from the toilet
From over a decade ago? Really.

Wtf

Bum terd.

This ****s been going on way before ur previous bitching, lol.

Btw, I think we all know who the bitch is in this Sim.
Research folks creating dumb**** posts and I guarantee you're winning that league, lol.

You're such a dumb mfer, lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wind From West

Btw, I think we all know who the bitch is in this Sim.
Research folks creating dumb**** posts and I guarantee you're winning that league, lol.

You're such a dumb mfer, lol.

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It's funny, but, when I was away from the game, I wanted to know, what happened that caused me
To get so negative while I was part of it the first time.

So I did go back into the previous posts that I had been a part of.

I found that it all started off great, but you in particular, always had some evil shlt to say to me.

And I got caught up in the back and forth, and joined your negativity.

You weren't the only one of course.

There were others, full of spit and vinegar.


I realized, that those conversations, changed the entire experience of this sim for me

So I decided back then, to return to the sim.

Despite yours and others negativity, and enjoy the game for what Cox is able to provide for us.


I don't know why you are the azzhole that you are online.

Maybe, you have a lifetime warranty on shlt for brains.

I don't know, and I really don't care.

Maybe I would, if you weren't such a drill, but you are, at the moment, so I don't.

And clearly, you aren't going anywhere soon, neither is all that vomit that comes
through the keyboard from your fingertips.

So I simply take the good with the bad.

Nobody can make another man look at himself, but life does have a way.

I hope you see yourself and make some changes that others can be grateful for.

glad everyone is having a nice day

When I said something, it was about u never shutting up bout ur issues seeings how ur complaints were ours back in beta.

Just be prepared. This Sim is liable to be pulled for 'updates" forcing u to start over.
Maybe then you'd understand, not likely, lol.

Not trying to deter others. Just facts.

CDCOX-Thanks for the update. I can only speak for myself, but just getting occasional progress updates so I know what to expect regarding the timeline is all I really need.

It was a great format etc. and I had fun with it. These pricks selling the data are unbelievable. I'll understand if you can't go forward! Glad I got a few good years out of the game, and won a bowl with my first team.

We don’t have any resentment towards our data source. They deserve financial compensation for the services they provide and for several years we were willing to pay it. However, it has become apparent that the user base isn’t growing fast enough to continue to invest $ at the same rate as we were. Since we started, machine learning has advanced by leaps and bounds, so we are exploring doing more with data that is publicly available. We fully intend to keep the game going. I just need some time to develop the new simulation engine. I will post updates in this thread.

Cox I sent you a PM on here. I may be able to help with a data source.

Minor update: I put in about 7 hours of good work over the weekend. The effort went into updating the player availability table. It is not done yet.

Nitty gritty details:
1. There are two sets of player IDs in the database; 1) our internal IDs and 2) IDs assigned by our former data source. We need to convert everything to run only off of our internal IDs. I started that today with the player availability table. This required some programming in addition to data wrangling.
2. Player availability resolution deals with issues of identifying unique identities for each individual in the NFL. The NFL typically identifies players as P.Mahomes for Patrick Mahomes. Simple, right?
a) Both Justin Watson and Jaylen Watson play for the Chiefs. The NFL parses these as Ju. Watson and Ja. Watson. Not so easy all of the sudden.
b) Curve ball. There are two Michael Carters in the NFL. They both play for the Jets. Except one of the Michael Carters played for two teams in 2023.
c) Sr., Jr., II, III, IV, and yes even V are separate suffixes of players in the NFL. These cases require special handling.
d) Don’t get me started on hyphenated last names.
e) two players changed their last names in the last few years.
f) I try to include team affiliation to increase certainty of identity. In-season change of teams throws that into doubt. They are very frequent.
g) Nicknames. Decobie -> Cobie. Which do I search for?


Everyone of these cases requires manual curation. I’ve greatly automated the process but it still requires a lot of manual curation.

Expect another update next weekend.

Thank for the update we understand there will be some delay but we know you will work them out. Is there any new things coming out for the game. but thank for all you do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cdcox

Minor update: I put in about 7 hours of good work over the weekend. The effort went into updating the player availability table. It is not done yet.

Nitty gritty details:
1. There are two sets of player IDs in the database; 1) our internal IDs and 2) IDs assigned by our former data source. We need to convert everything to run only off of our internal IDs. I started that today with the player availability table. This required some programming in addition to data wrangling.
2. Player availability resolution deals with issues of identifying unique identities for each individual in the NFL. The NFL typically identifies players as P.Mahomes for Patrick Mahomes. Simple, right?
a) Both Justin Watson and Jaylen Watson play for the Chiefs. The NFL parses these as Ju. Watson and Ja. Watson. Not so easy all of the sudden.
b) Curve ball. There are two Michael Carters in the NFL. They both play for the Jets. Except one of the Michael Carters played for two teams in 2023.
c) Sr., Jr., II, III, IV, and yes even V are separate suffixes of players in the NFL. These cases require special handling.
d) Don?t get me started on hyphenated last names.
e) two players changed their last names in the last few years.
f) I try to include team affiliation to increase certainty of identity. In-season change of teams throws that into doubt. They are very frequent.
g) Nicknames. Decobie -> Cobie. Which do I search for?


Everyone of these cases requires manual curation. I?ve greatly automated the process but it still requires a lot of manual curation.

Expect another update next weekend.

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We appreciate you

Thank you for the update

CD, most of us are pleased to have such a unique game to play and appreciate you.

Take the time you need.

Sooo, how's it going?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phog

Sooo, how's it going?

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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤔

Funny no less

I've been worse. With some of these offseason moves, this year's NFL season is definitely going to be interesting. Hbu?

I'm so far removed from FA and my drafts, I have no idea what players are on what teams, nor do I remember what strategies I intended when I put the teams together.

It will, for me, basically be like taking over eight abandoned teams.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cdcox

Minor update: I put in about 7 hours of good work over the weekend. The effort went into updating the player availability table. It is not done yet.




Everyone of these cases requires manual curation. I?ve greatly automated the process but it still requires a lot of manual curation.

Expect another update next weekend.

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Soooo, I was responding to this. ^^^ :) And yes, I don't have any recollection of what strategy I had for my teams.

Hey Cox, how's it hanging? How's progress coming along?

Since there is an extended delay and you are using a new data source, will there be a training camp period to test our rosters, allowing us to set a lineup and game plan for challenges?