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+---- Thread: *Where the hell am I? (/showthread.php?tid=38488)
*Where the hell am I? - TeyonSchavari - 04-05-2022
Hi, I'm new to the ISFL. What is this place and what the heck do I do?
Hopefully, I'll be able to answer this and any other questions that you, my new friend, may have regarding the exciting world of simulation football! My name is TeyonSchavari. In my 3 years IRL in this league, I have had three separate player careers and held league positions such as Head Office, Rookie Mentor, and currently, Community Moderation Head. These experiences have given me a strong grasp on how this league works, so you're in good hands here.
So what is the ISFL? If you really want to get into the lore of it, the International Simulation Football League (ISFL) originally started nearly five years ago under a slightly different name - the National Simulation Football League. As you might guess, having the acronym of "NSFL" on an online space is rather unfortunate, so we as a league decided to rebrand, especially considering that our userbase is far from being contained to one nation.
The league is comprised fully of volunteers across various league jobs in exchange for league money. This includes Head Office, Rookie Mentors, and team GMs among many more very important positions which keeps the ISFL alive! Someday, you too may be motivated to hold a job in this league (even if that motivation is just to earn more money to use on your player). In this league you can control one player, and through your efforts have the chance to win awards, championships, and maybe even have a shot at entering the Hall of Fame!
But where do I start? Which position should I pick?
Of course, if you haven't already, the Rookie Guide is the best place to start fresh. It has all of the basic information you need to begin creating a player. But, you may not know what position to pick! The choice can seem very overwhelming. If you want to play a position that GMs will salivate over, DL and OL are the best place to go, and aside from those defense will always be highly sought after. That said, you can usually find a place at any other position. QB is the toughest position to crack into the starting lineup with, but if you are so bold, I say go for it. In my opinion, you should start out playing the position you want to play. Reason being, you get a free position switch at the DSFL level, so if you find that you're unsatisfied with the position you've chosen, you can switch to something better for you!
Ok, I created my player, now what?
Now, you wait until your player is approved. The RM team has been pretty quick lately, so if you refresh the forum and look at 'Alerts' in the top right corner, you may see an alert letting you know that your player has been approved, and the response they make has all the next steps you need to take for your player. Congrats, you are now in the DSFL draft pool as a prospect in the upcoming draft! You may even get picked up on waivers to get some playing time before this season ends. In the meantime, if you have any questions, this league has many knowledgeable people that are more than happy to help!
Great, I've completed all of the tasks for my player and am excited to be drafted! Where do I go from here? How do I improve my draft stock?
This is a crucial time in your development as a rookie. Many players don't make it past this point, as unfortunately not every user sticks around. The best thing to do now is simply to stay active in one way or another. Write a short media piece about your player. Foray into the world of graphics and make yourself a signature. And of course, always keep a lookout for new point tasks and keep up with activity checks. Pop into a league discord every once in a while and say hello - there are a lot of great people in this league and you may find yourself making new friends sooner rather than later. If you stick around, you'll be a thriving member of this community in no time!
"The best ability is availability activity." If you are active, GMs are going to take notice. Whether you're keeping up on media, starting a podcast, or shitposting on discord, it is going to help you out in a big way. Eventually, as the season draws to a close, GMs of DSFL teams will begin reaching out to you to scout your player. Just be yourself in these conversations, they are usually pretty laid back as teams are just gauging how well you would fit in their locker room. Some teams even have open locker rooms and may allow you to join their server to get the feel of what a team locker room is like. This is in my opinion on of the most fun parts of being a rookie - enjoy it!
Is there anywhere I can go to learn more about the league's history?
The League Wiki is a great place to poke around in to find out some of the league's history. Another fun place to go if you want to learn about past scandals would be the Punishments section - I've spent way too much time catching up on past drama in my day. The league YouTube Channel has a variety of past streams such as games, awards shows, and draft shows that you can watch at your leisure and if you want to get an idea of what dot football looks like. Lastly, if you want even more stories on what has happened in this league in the past, look no further than the league discord! All you have to do is tag an old head like me and we'll talk your ear off reminiscing on shenanigans of days past.
I've begun to sink all my time into this league, please help. Is there any way to escape?
Short answer: no. Long answer: if you've read this far into the article and made it down to this paragraph, you have made a dire mistake and are too far gone already. There is no escape! Dot football is now your life. Thankfully, you're not alone, and you'll be dreaming of the day you're free from this place just like me! (Kidding, of course...or am I?)
Ask any and all questions you may have if you're having any trouble, and most importantly have fun! If there is anything I've missed, other ISFL veterans can help in replies below this one. I hope that anyone that has read this finds this helpful and that this can pre-emptively answer any questions you may have as you start your journey as an ISFL superstar!
RE: Where the hell am I? - WildfireMicro - 04-05-2022
Excellent article