Why has it become so easy to zone out?

[Victor 10,943]

I went on a 3-day trip to Athens last weekend (Monday being a day off here in the UK). A thunderstorm diverted my flight to the Greek island of Rhodes for about 1.5 hours and on the way back to London the plane took 2 attempts to land, so it was interesting to say the least but not really the point of this post.

 

The point is, after coming back on Wednesday, I already felt I had drifted so far away from the VHL somehow that I didn't really care to check what I missed. I could use work on Thursday and Friday as an excuse, but then again I still had plenty of time in the evening. I didn't have any plans for this weekend, haven't watched much football (my usual lazy pastime), and yet it took me halfway through Sunday to properly log into the VHL this week.

 

Why has this happened? Why has it become so easy to disengage from the VHL? Is the problem with me, and it might well be given I've just taken over a year's hiatus, or is it deeper? Is it the fact it's so easy to earn TPE now that I don't feel motivated to participate much when half an hour is enough to get me 14 TPE? Or is that actually what's keeping me here, having abandoned the effort to make a proper point task.

 

In the last half hour, my plan for earning TPE has downgraded as follows:

1. Do 2 podcasts (6 and 3 TPE), claim VHL trivia, and answer 3 press conference questions.

2. Write a HOF article (6 + 3 uncapped TPE), do a 3 TPE podcast, claim VHL trivia, and answer 3 PC questions.

3. Claim welfare, do a 3 TPE podcast, claim VHL trivia, answer 3 PC questions and ask some myself.

 

What have I actually ended up doing? Claimed welfare, claimed VHL trivia, answered some PC questions, and wrote this because that's all it takes. Also got 2 TPE from the VHLM practice facility even though just last week I would had to make 3 additional posts for 1 less TPE. And why is VHLM facility now open to non VHLMers too? What benefit is there?

 

 

Maybe I'm overreacting and next week everything will be fine again. Hopefully.

 

P.S. I've also spoken to Will and we agreed that trade salary percentages are outdated given there are less games in a 8-team VHL than 10-team. I will therefore update finances using these numbers. Cheers.

 

• 100% - off-season - Game 40
• 85% - Game 41 - 110
• 70% - Game 111 - 170
• 60% - Game 171 - ~210 (number not always correct, must be the last game simmed on the trade deadline day)

[STZ 5,360]

I hear ya..

[Banackock 8,049]

Oddly enough, I feel similar. Have found it very hard to write the last couple months. Could be because Im working so much - but feel there's other factors too. 

 

Also, why write 500 words for 6 TPE when I can claim Welfare for 5? I'm thinking that'll be my plan for one of my boys tonight. The other, magically, is still using a big media spot I wrote which is down to its last life.

 

VHL needs to spruce up too. Not much going on around the boards. GOMHL+SHL are much more lively and often have me checking them more as of late (which is weird). But..

 

I come on to check the sim only to find out it hasn't been simulated that day and have to wait until the next morning. Next morning I log in and still nothing. It's happening more and more. 

 

I think more frequent point tasks tasks would benefit the league too.. the VHL offers one weekly, obviously, but has other shit too that you can write for small TPE. Hopefully activity checks help out with this, because I feel like press conferences didn't help the way we wanted them too. Back when i tried them out, it felt like the same 5-6 guys doing them and asking.i went weeks?? Without questions. No wonder people leave the site after joining. 

 

Which comes to retention. How do we make the site easier to navigate, while also making it aesthetically pleasing to a newcomers eye? Maybe change is in order and the vague, basic look isn't working anymore. The forum look is stuck in the early 2000's while our new members are advancing with today's world. Could be a minor thing to help...

 

Maybe we need to find and add more interactive ways for members to gain TPE. I love the activity check. It's gauges who is actives and who isn't, and is an easy way to earn minimal TPE at the click of a button. Media spots are losing their flame

for me and VHL.com's have always been a task of bull shit when I quickly put together some form of wording and somehow make it last 150 words. What if we got rid of the VHL.com and brought in a themed point task like the SHL has? 

 

Media spot/Graphic - 6

Welfare - 4-6

Special PT - 2-3 (150 words). 

Activity check 1-2

Press Conference - 2 

 

10 - 13 week

 

 

[Higgins 3,618]

Boubabi was a huge driver of activity (both positive and negative).

[Victor 10,943]

Another change is needed. I feel like 6 point PTs should be scrapped and replaced by two smaller weekly PTs. Or even three and scrapping VHL.com's as well.

 

Then you'll have 3 lower effort PTs per week but you'll have to engage with the league more to do them. Two could be themed, one could be more lax.

 

I know people like the flexibility of being able to post a large article and claim it over time. I appreciate that but the reward is excessive IMO for what can in theory be a once-a-month contribution. I'd cap that at say 2000 words and only let it be claimed as max 3 TPE per week.

[Victor 10,943]

2 minutes ago, Higgins said:

Boubabi was a huge driver of activity (both positive and negative).

I think the ratio became too negative to be sustainable.

[Beaviss 4,957]

9 minutes ago, Victor said:

Another change is needed. I feel like 6 point PTs should be scrapped and replaced by two smaller weekly PTs. Or even three and scrapping VHL.com's as well.

 

Then you'll have 3 lower effort PTs per week but you'll have to engage with the league more to do them. Two could be themed, one could be more lax.

 

I know people like the flexibility of being able to post a large article and claim it over time. I appreciate that but the reward is excessive IMO for what can in theory be a once-a-month contribution. I'd cap that at say 2000 words and only let it be claimed as max 3 TPE per week.

 

Im not opposed to this but I never write anymore so I might be biased.

[Exlaxchronicles 415]

I personally find doing 8 gfx reviews tedious and making my shitty gfx on my phone the same, esp when no one ever grades them. I'm slow at both so it takes me time to get em done. Doesn't seem worth it honestly.

My plate is so full most of the time I feel overwhelmed, but I need a distraction from life and at this point the VHL is it.

I enjoy this for what it is but maybe being older/less patient now I find that the effort out weighs the rewards.

If I can maintain the enthusiasm that is waning for the game I'll finnish Kiaskov's career, and after that it's up in the air whether I continue or not.

 

[STZ 5,360]

1 hour ago, Higgins said:

Boubabi was a huge driver of activity (both positive and negative).

 

lmao.

[Higgins 3,618]

22 minutes ago, STZ said:

 

lmao.

 

hehe

[STZ 5,360]

Just now, Higgins said:

 

hehe

 

lolhaha

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

We're all old fucks now.

[Higgins 3,618]

1 hour ago, STZ said:

 

lolhaha

 

[STZ 5,360]

11 minutes ago, Higgins said:

 

 

Outstanding.. arguably the most..

Edited May 13, 2018 by STZ

[Higgins 3,618]

1 minute ago, STZ said:

 

Outstanding.. arguably the most..

 

i just fell off my chair spilled my bowl of cheerios laughing too hard

[STZ 5,360]

32 minutes ago, Higgins said:

 

i just fell off my chair spilled my bowl of cheerios laughing too hard

 

Omg u must b so hi rite now

[frescoelmo 1,276]

5 hours ago, Exlaxchronicles said:

I personally find doing 8 gfx reviews tedious and making my shitty gfx on my phone the same, esp when no one ever grades them. I'm slow at both so it takes me time to get em done. Doesn't seem worth it honestly.

 

 

*back in my day*  #jardy #phil #yabois #semicolons

 

I did find it easier to write PT's when I was doing other computer-task things, like studying or other homework.  Just would occasionally take breaks...  I always broke out media spots in the into/body/conclusions; simply put I would try to do one paragraph at a time and just keep it simple.  Honestly the hardest part was starting.

Edited May 13, 2018 by frescoelmo

[Will 4,660]

6 hours ago, Victor said:

Another change is needed. I feel like 6 point PTs should be scrapped and replaced by two smaller weekly PTs. Or even three and scrapping VHL.com's as well.

 

Then you'll have 3 lower effort PTs per week but you'll have to engage with the league more to do them. Two could be themed, one could be more lax.

 

I know people like the flexibility of being able to post a large article and claim it over time. I appreciate that but the reward is excessive IMO for what can in theory be a once-a-month contribution. I'd cap that at say 2000 words and only let it be claimed as max 3 TPE per week.

 

I never liked that change that let MS’s be posted in advance either. But I do agree with the PT sentiment. I like posting 590’s every once in awhile that I don’t even claim half the time just to let people know what I’ve been doing or what I think of something, but I find it very difficult to sit down and write a 500 word article nowadays and I have for some time.

[hedgehog337 3,483]

yeah, not the easiest job to post a media these days, I don't even care that much about a grammar much anymore lol.

[pennypenny 227]

As someone who's new to the league - I feel like writing tasks are very very difficult to perform. I mean, writing in general isn't hard. Just to have to write on the league itself, players, teams, all that. It can feel really drawn out to get over 500+ words alone for a +6.

 

Alas, I want to try to do well, so I gotta do this every single time  +4 from welfare ain't enuFF

[frescoelmo 1,276]

32 minutes ago, pennypenny said:

As someone who's new to the league - I feel like writing tasks are very very difficult to perform. I mean, writing in general isn't hard. Just to have to write on the league itself, players, teams, all that. It can feel really drawn out to get over 500+ words alone for a +6.

 

Alas, I want to try to do well, so I gotta do this every single time  +4 from welfare ain't enuFF

 

Easiest way I have found to continually write articles is to make your player with a background/story in mind.  Easy to relate to and connect with your weekly media spots.

Edited May 14, 2018 by frescoelmo

[diamond_ace 3,112]

On 5/13/2018 at 10:54 PM, pennypenny said:

As someone who's new to the league - I feel like writing tasks are very very difficult to perform. I mean, writing in general isn't hard. Just to have to write on the league itself, players, teams, all that. It can feel really drawn out to get over 500+ words alone for a +6.

 

Alas, I want to try to do well, so I gotta do this every single time  +4 from welfare ain't enuFF

For my first guy, I did a lot of "what is he doing in his life" type of articles. He was a Swiss D, I had him looking for apartments in Calgary when I was drafted, finding new restaurants in Calgary he'd stop at, I had him take a vacation back home in Switzerland to go skiing, I had him host a party with all his teammates, I hooked him up with some Olympic gymnast that was in the news at the time, etc.

[Spade18 1,305]

4 hours ago, diamond_ace said:

For my first guy, I did a lot of "what is he doing in his life" type of articles. He was a Swiss D, I had him looking for apartments in Calgary when I was drafted, finding new restaurants in Calgary he'd stop at, I had him take a vacation back home in Switzerland to go skiing, I had him host a party with all his teammates, I hooked him up with some Olympic gymnast that was in the news at the time, etc.

I was a fan of the "stereo typical hockey interviews"  Easy to bang out, and this being a hockey sim, even if they didnt really contain much info it was kind of in line with how hockey is covered lol 

[Banackock 8,049]

On 5/13/2018 at 8:54 PM, pennypenny said:

As someone who's new to the league - I feel like writing tasks are very very difficult to perform. I mean, writing in general isn't hard. Just to have to write on the league itself, players, teams, all that. It can feel really drawn out to get over 500+ words alone for a +6.

 

Alas, I want to try to do well, so I gotta do this every single time  +4 from welfare ain't enuFF

U go dad

[DollarAndADream 3,356]

On 5/13/2018 at 8:42 AM, Exlaxchronicles said:

I personally find doing 8 gfx reviews tedious and making my shitty gfx on my phone the same, esp when no one ever grades them. I'm slow at both so it takes me time to get em done. Doesn't seem worth it honestly.

My plate is so full most of the time I feel overwhelmed, but I need a distraction from life and at this point the VHL is it.

I enjoy this for what it is but maybe being older/less patient now I find that the effort out weighs the rewards.

If I can maintain the enthusiasm that is waning for the game I'll finnish Kiaskov's career, and after that it's up in the air whether I continue or not.

 

It's truly sad that nobody wants to be a grader. It's an easy way to make 2 TPE per week, but you and I are the only ones doing it.