BuzzerBeater Forums

I do ~90% of my time here on BB from my smart phone. And there actually only are two things that I can't do on BB with my phone.
1: watch live games. This can easily be handled though if I installed puffin browser. But I don't often look at the game's live anymore so.
2: ordering the draft list. This is the only thing I don't know if it can be done even with puffin. But when the time comes doe sorting rhe draft I do that on my computer. Not really a big deal but it would be nice to be able to do it on the phone at least.
I'm not sure I would even use an app if there was one. I don't feel the need at all since the things that I so on BB works just fine as it is.
I also don't know how big draw rhe app would have on the appstore. But anythings better then nothing.
Just for the sake though I'll bring up the example of HT as I use to do when there's talk of an app.
They got one now and I think it had its first birthday recently.
It was long talked about like the messiah that would come and save the game from its dropping user numbers.
Well a year later and they are still losing users.
So I don't think we should expect anything like what I said HT thought it should be. But surely a way to promote the game at least some.
Perhaps they should just create a BB sign-up app that let's the new user sign up for a new team in it but directs to the website when that's done. With some nice description and pictures perhaps it will draw in some managers that won't leave right away when they notice it's not a super fast pay to win game.

You are exactly right regarding the smart phone. I also do most of my BB work that way, with the exception of ordering the draft list and writing long forum posts. I watch my games on Puffin often. An app could be good, but if it isn't at least as good as using the website via smartphones then it will be a bit of a disaster. I've worked with enough system "improvements" in my day to see the danger of an easy to use app/dashboard that fails to have the same functionality as the original less convenient program.

I think you are able to watch games using the dolphin browser and it is free unlike puffin. Still can't order the draft picks though

I'm not a doom and gloom-er as there is definitely plenty of life left in Buzerbeater but it is unlikely to ever be saved, like the inevitable downward spiral of the humble CD.

Would an app, more advertising, improved gameplay and a shiny new site boost user numbers? Definitely. Although non of those will stop the game folding down the line, it would be worth trying as much as possible if it holds off the inevitable.

i am late to this conversation, and i wish to apologize if my thoughts have already been stated.

i think this is a remarkable game, extraordinarily well thought out. but that also means it is very complex and actually more than a bit forbidding to new players. keeping those new players who try this game seems to me be key to getting growth back into this game.

what if certain elements of the game, in particular training, were modified so that progress was faster at the lower levels? for example, i could imagine fixing the GE so that a DV team would pretty much be guaranteed a pop a week (or faster!) in whatever was trained that week for any young player. this would serve a dual, or even multiple purposes:
-- coaches would see immediate improvement and positive feedback for active management
-- teams would improve more rapidly
-- the talent pool for all managers would increase more quickly, perhaps reducing the current problems with the TL
-- managers would be able to train and sell players as a viable option for building a team

i could see a training regimen, for example, that is 120% faster for DV, 115% for DIV, 110% for DIII, 105% for DII, and "normal" for the top level. just for purposes of illustration.

i could see training, and perhaps other elements (say, injuries) becoming more challenging as a given manager worked his way up the food chain. for injuries, perhaps the DV teams would been more or less immune from injuries, which could be graduated in severity to our current standard for the top level teams. maybe trainers / doctors / pr guys could be discounted for level, as well.

i'm not a programming guy, but it seems to me that tweaking the GE to favor newer, lower-level teams and managers is doable and could pay dividends for the upper-level managers and the game in general.

All players would be encouraged to start (and keep as long as possible) their training in the lowest league possible

perhaps my perspective is skewed, as i only have a passing interest in the NT, but it seems to me that pride in individual (not national) achievement would push many many coaches to higher level. i could see a few veteran managers who have been in this game for BBdecades would wallow in DV, but new managers would be able to move up the ranks, at least to DIII, in a few seasons.

Micronations would say it is unfair too.

Micronations are difficult problem, but right now, teams from the the larger nations have to compete with these teams / countries that more or less print money. and if the topic is NT, micronations aren't rising to the top as the game is currently structured anyway.