1) Another winning season and good recruiting; didn't go as well as hoped though
2) Nope
3) Tollway to the Safety Zone
4) I still don't completely understand how to maximise team lineup play since the simulator's a bit opaque. Adding another tactical option or two would be great. Also it'd be great if you could automate naming your recruits.
5) Nope

1) I learned a lot about TMVL and in the process hit my coaching and XP goals.

2) I learned that I had forgotten a lot about volleyball. Does that count?

3) She Blinded Me with Science.

4) None.

5) Technically, everything, but I'm working on it.

1. Pretty much a perfect season but I wish I could get recruiting right. It's the one place I struggle.

2. That happened the previous season

3. Getting Better by the Beatles (though so much the lyrics)

4. The new rankings and viewer update will be awesome I reckon. Not really anything else specifically needed.

5. No, I'm all good.

For 3  it's TMVL as a whole rather than Columnia the team. Expansion, all the extra additions, future plans etc are making an excellent game even better.

And that should say not so much the lyrics

1) We did well at getting to a couple of finals , we didnt do well at winning them

2) A lot more , still a lot to learn 

3) I can't explain

4) Lets go crazy 3D graphics game simulator !!

5) Key positions and tactical play, ie pecan pastries have high MB x2 A+ but weak at S (D+) and RS (E-) can I set my team up in a way exploit this ?

1) What went well for your team?  What could have gone better? I think I managed to understand the basics of the game, recruiting went well with a lot of luck, targetting the 5* players appears to be the best strategy if you want to challenge for titles.

2) Do you know a little more about volleyball than you did to start the season?  A LOT more, I'd watched a bit at the Olympics but it's more technical/complex than I thought.

3) If TMVL were a song, what song would it be for you and why?   Things Can Only Get Better

4) What suggestions do you have to improve the simulator, league, interaction, etc?  I still struggle to understand all the competitions, Someone said Tucson won a trophy - could there be another menu/tab for the Cups so we can see what stage each tourniment is at?

5) Is there any area of the game you would like to learn more about?  If you can be specific we can provide more.  I need to buy a hat.

1) What went well... Recruiting... other than that... another failed season - no hardware = no success.

1) Most thing went well for the Bunch. I would have liked to spend fewer RP for my recruits, but I got into a situation where I knew I needed to spend to ensure I got the player. 

2) I learned that Olmec has the same sense of humor as the real-life "volleyball gods."

3) "Close but no cigar" by Wierd Al

4) I don't always have any immediate suggestions, but when I do, I email Al about them immediately. -The Most Interesting Coach in the World.

5) Nothing in particular.

James,

First off - I'm not advocating anyone try to do this - chances are it will mess with your serve order which I think is one of the most important things to sort out in a lineup. Also it would be hard to predict the opposition line-up unless you think they are playing T7 or B7. And this is not something I've ever considered. But if you did know what they were doing...

The best way to counter good blockers is with good serve receive/passes which gives the best chance of a SET 3. This means only one blocker which has at best a 1% chance. With SET 1 and SET 2 you will get 3 and 2 blockers respectively. If you're expecting good blockers in match one and poor in the match 2 and considering this only then play your better servers in match 1.

If they have a weak RS then he isn't going to get many attacks as the setter will pick the stronger between the RS and OH (either front row or back row) more than the weaker. If you look at the Support tag and Setting you can see that with a backrow setter there is more chance of him picking out the RS than if he's front row setter. Many players play their Setter at #1 and he plays back row for the first 3 rotations/ To exploit this you want your better servers trying to force poorer passes when you think his setter is there. But this happens anyway. However if you thought he might play his setter at #IV then you could have your better servers for the 4th rotation.

For the weak setter, assuming weak everywhere, then the only thing you can probably expoit is him trying a Setter dump. Being a poor attacker you have a better chance of digging his attacks. It's your RS or S that tries to dig a setter dump so you play your better of the two defender in the back row when you think their setter is in the front row.

Also all other things being equal (which they aren't) to get the setter dump you have to have their setter in the front row receiving a pass 3. A pass 3 is more likely with a poorer server. As with the RS it's likely that your poorer servers will be serving when their setter is front row anyway. BUt if you think he's playn setter at #4 then have your poorer servers at #1 to #3

Just to recap I don't advise anyone doing this - all I do is set up what I think is best for me and not try and guess the opposition's rotation.

1. I managed my roster reasonably well I think to target games I thought I could win. Lot more strategy to learn though. 

2. Yes. Honestly I thought it kinda boring before this. Now I see it is not :)

3. No idea

4. Agree with Roy. I didn't really know where we were with some competitions as we went along.

5. I still need to work out best strategies and lineups but I've learned a lot just from reading posts by some of the experienced players. As long as these keep coming, and I'm sure they will, I'll keep learning! 

Really enjoyed the season, and I'll be back! :)

1) What went well for your team?  What could have gone better?

We got to the Final of the Holyoke thingy in our first season, I reckon that makes me a tactical genius.

We lost the Final of the Holyoke thingy. I reckon that makes me a tactical imbecile (or I was cheated by the system, which is always likely)

2) Do you know a little more about volleyball than you did to start the season?  

Yes....although the rotation thing is still not embedded.

3) If TMVL were a song, what song would it be for you and why?  

Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve

I got to the Final.....and lost.

4) What suggestions do you have to improve the simulator, league, interaction, etc?  

More RP's for Dallas :)

Al to be banned on anything that could be construed as a 'Kiss of Death' comment. ALL my losses were because of this.

5) Is there any area of the game you would like to learn more about?  If you can be specific we can provide more. 

I tended to follow the instructions on the orders page re: who to play where....but it's an impossible equation lol....you can't fit everyone in where the recommendations say so I'd like more of an idea what is the most important and an order of priority...also to have an idea how best to combat a better opponent when you just aren't as good on paper

1) What went well for your team?  What could have gone better?

I thought it was a successful inaugural season for the Bulldogs. We played well at home but were not very good on the road.

2) Do you know a little more about volleyball than you did to start the season?  

YES!!

3) If TMVL were a song, what song would it be for you and why?  

Motley Crue, "Home Sweet Home"

4) What suggestions do you have to improve the simulator, league, interaction, etc?  

Not real sure, I felt like all my questions were answered readily and easily. I felt that I was able to integrate into the league fairly smoothly.

5) Is there any area of the game you would like to learn more about?  If you can be specific we can provide more.  

The ranking system still confuses me, but it's not a game changer

Thanks Mike, that's very good of you.....I thought we had a successful inaugural season too...although I think Al wanted our thoughts on our own team.

I do appreciate it though, thank you :)

Re-reading something Steve said made me raise a question.

" It's your RS or S that tries to dig a setter dump so you play your better of the two defender in the back row when you think their setter is in the front row."

In a real match, it's actually usually the OHs that need to pick up a setter dump. Or does "dump" in this instance include an actual full on attack (hit/spike) from the setter on the second touch of the side?

Max and I have talked about this one a little bit too Mike and did just now.  

"Generically" it seems like a setter dump is often called a "campfire" where the ball is placed by the setter in the middle of everyone on the other side of the net (between the front row and back row).

Max pointed out to me that there are two types of these:

1) Some where a setter is attacking (right or left handed) and he is less likely to go towards the left back based on physics and preference where the L is positioned.

2) If its more of a dump, its the same thing.  The Setter knows the best defender in the back row to make a dig is typically the L so they will tend to go towards the back row OH (middle back) and/or the S/RS (right back) in the back row.

I think the code focuses on the RS/S (right back for the defense), so Max and I talked about potentially updating this to add the back row OH (middle back) into the equation more.  I have a task for this to be worked at some point.