Total Popularity Index (proposal)

The idea of Total Popularity Index (TPI) was proposed by user xjuice in Global.

Basics

The TPI of a player would be determined based on his in-game performance (not necessarily the same as his TSI). If a player scores a hattrick, for instance, his TPI would increase dramatically. TPI indicates a player's popularity among the team's fans.

• To clear some misunderstood points: TPI does NOT indicate performance itself, but popularity that is affected by it. It doesn't indicate popularity among teammates, but the fans. It is also not connected to the overall mood of the fans towards the team and every player has it's own TPI.

What TPI would affect

TPI would affect in game performance. If you're hot, you're hot, so to speak. If you score a goal one week, you'll be that much more confident coming in to next week's game. If you get carded, then you're going to be playing a little worse next week, because you'll be rattled by the card. TPI would also affect fan support... if you buy a player with high TPI, fan support increases. If you sell a player with high TPI, fan support decreases. This adds a whole new depth to the transfer market - you're actually worried about the player's performance with his previous team when you buy players, instead of just what the scouts say. TPI would also affect Sponsor income, in that sponsors will give a team more money if their players are "marketable."

• In the original proposal TPI didn't concern the performance in future games. The fans really don't care what the scouts say. All that matters to them is the performance. Even the best players have their rainy days.

What would affect TPI

TPI would be affected by many things.

Team Performance

Players on teams that win would experience an increase in TPI, as the fans are interested in the team again. Accordingly, players on teams that lose would experience a decrease in TPI. This would serve as a deterrant for Farming players in that teams with only one good player sacrifice winning, and that player will lose TPI.

• IDEA: The effect of this increase or decrease would depend on the popularity of the player. Players that are 'popular' level would experience a larger TPI increase when the teams win and a smaller decrease when the teams lose. Nasty fellows would experience a smaller increase with a win and larger decrease with a loss (blame the mean guy... it had to be him!).

In-Game Performance

The largest effect on TPI would be In-Game performance. This effect would be affected by three things:

1. Events in the game - if you score a goal, the fans will like you more. If you get carded, the fans will like you less.
2. Game rating (number of stars) - If you play well, the fans will like you more. If you don't play at all in a week, fans will like you less.
3. Best/Worst Player - If you stand out as the best or worst player in a game, the effect on TPI of the match will be greater or less.

Transfers

TPI works as a deterrant for Daytrading in that if you transfer a player, he will lose a very large amount of his TPI (~50%). Therefore, you'll be selling the player with 50% less TPI than he had when you bought him, dropping his value. The "bottom line" that a player can reach by repeated transfer and poor performance would be determined by his TSI (he'll always have a certain number of fans that appreciate his skill whichever team he plays for).

The "First Impression"

The Events in the game effect on TPI would be greatest during the first match played with the team, and would decrease as the number of matches played with the team increases. The effect of the first match on a player's reputation would be tremendous. Game rating effect and Best/Worst Player effect would also be substantially greater during the first match, but these would fall to their normal level and stay the same magnitude after the first match with the team.

• IDEA: The "First Impression" effect could also occur when a player is placed on the transfer list (obviously this would be a negative effect on TPI) to further deter Daytrading.

Events

Other events affecting TPI:

• Players who play for the U-20 or National Team gain more popularity.
• Players who win the Top Scorer honor in their league gain more popularity.
• Players who record a hattrick or clean sheet gain more popularity.
• Players gain more TPI as their age increases until after they reach 27, at which point it begins to drop during the offseason. Fans like veteran players more than youngsters, but they also like their players to be in good physical condition.
• IDEA: Players who serve as team captain gain more popularity or lose more popularity in accordance with the team's final match result.

Revising TPI

Discussion of these ideas can be found in Global thread (4682204.1) Discussion can also occur in the talk page of this page. If you add any ideas, please label them as IDEA. If you're opposed to any of the points made above, feel free to label that point an IDEA as well, but be sure to state why you're opposed in the discussion page.