3pointtally wrote:

I'm in for this for sure. 

When we say fictional colleges, are we talking real world cities though, or are we talking about a completely fictional map? I think there are pros and cons to both of those but that can all be fleshed out long term.

My initial thought is real world cities, but completely alternant timeline so we combat both sides of cons. The construction of a process that would limit groups stepping on toes is being put together as we speak.

Wallflower wrote:

I think the biggest thing is having a small group to watch over the project and quality control. I'm certainly willing to get involved in this where I can.

We are in the process of deciding the best way to approach this, and I think you're right. I'd go one further and offer the idea of a small panel that votes on everything instead of individual quality control that decides. This would give us a nice check and balance system. Individual control can be used in the case of advice to a group to make colleges better equipped to get through these votes, though. I can see that being very beneficial.

Gritty wrote:

I"d love to participate. I would also be willing to help people with designs (within reason).  

Within reason is the goal! No one is on anyone else's payroll so if a leader decides they want to be a boss then it can be reported and consequence can be dealt. My original idea for this was giving the community the opportunity to collaborate with people they are unfamiliar with or people they wouldn't usually consider working with for whatever reason. I want the high skilled designers to be paired with beginners and inexperienced because it will encourage growth and relationships.

Sevsdast wrote:

If I'm honest, my perfect goal is for this to be a fun project that we can all work on.

Exactly. If the community decides a spinoff fiction is warranted then I think a legacy like project could be considered.

Dan O'Mac wrote:

I'd say we build our version of a Power 5, then add in a group of 5. If we want to go farther than approx 100 teams, we'd keep building from there.

MyTeamIsDr.Pepper wrote:

This is what I'm thinking, just set up the replacement for our universe's power 5 and stretch it out from there. Also focusing on just the big 4 sports could also work. Although if someone who's got a fictional sport wants to make some concepts for their sport that could be fun too.

I don't think the conference idea should be taking a front seat on this drive. By doing this it feels like harder deadlines are given, but a project with so much interest needs to consider personal lives of group members. This would require a more flexible style and more tentative rules when it comes to number of teams due per time frame. Leaving expectations for completion might be a little too much forward thinking.

QCS wrote:

Yeah, I think it'll work as both a community exercise and a source for people to use.

I think this would be the best way to give meaning to the project. I think we would build conferences in more detail including rivalries if we pursued a legacy project or something of that nature, but conferences can be used more like suggestions when the teams are offered like a catalog for use. Creators could pick and choose the teams used in their universe and set them up however they please.

Section30 wrote:

I don't know how much I'd be able to contribute with my own project, but this sounds really interesting and I would love to be involved in some way

I just pitched a system that prioritizes the life of an individual, hopefully encouraging participation without forcing the feeling of commitment. It basically suggests we design during certain periods of time then present like it's a school project. A user could include themselves or not during these times, but must wait until sign up for the next period of time to participate again if they opted out previously.

GregTheWolf144 wrote:

What if we scrapped the design aspect or made it optional, to avoid crappy designs. We could simply identify them the way sportsfan7 did with D4, which is brilliant. We could add colors in lieu of a design if one does not feel comfortable designing. Just with all of the schools, list their colors, or even give a school name their font color to show the school colors

The purpose of groups is to encourage more creativity and give users who don't feel comfortable with design the opportunity to have their ideas fit the standard of the project with assistance from others. You could focus on helping with colors, schools and mascots if that is your comfort level, but I don't think setting limitation is a better system than setting standards.

Sorry, I missed a lot and I had more to add on to my original idea in the initial thread. I hope to continue by developing these ideas with a board of selected individuals. I have been talking with QCS, and I think we have a good start. If you have any further suggestions or criticisms for the above please shoot me a message! If you are interested in managing the project (not being a leader of a design group like previously discussed) you can contact me for that too. If there are any questions I believe those could be asked here... and please don't quote the whole message! Thanks everyone. 

NeoPrankster wrote:

The toughest part will be coming up with names for each school without stepping on the toes of schools that already exist.

We are definitely working on a way to avoid this and optimize the process.

RoughRiders9 wrote:

I wouldn't mind being part of this project somehow. Not sure how much time I can devote to this project as I still have my Solar League and other things in life, though. But this sounds fun! 

I think I'd prefer if we could stick with the real world locations to make it a little easier. But at the same time, I wouldn't mind trying to incorporate this somehow in my Solar League, even though it's 500 years in the future and all over the solar system, lol. 

Olympus Mons State on Mars, anybody? 

If you want to get involved, the thread just opened under AHSports College Project.
There's a sign-up form in order to let us know how you want to be involved and how much too, if you have any more specific questions, feel free to PM thehealthiestscratch, QCS, or myself.