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I think ptFri describes a common situation, that of spending tons of time conceiving the league and then building it complete with all the necessary detail only to begin to want something better, or more complete.
It's nice to get past the 'fun of building it' and actually see it play out in detail. We see some of those in this very thread. They are easy to find because the writers are very committed in their approach. They have what many want to experience in their own efforts.
I think the French Baseball League (located in this thread) is my best effort for longevity. My wife and I visit french speaking Martinique frequently and have each been to Montreal and Paris once. We have a certain admiration for the French which led me to creating a league based on only French speaking areas.
It was fun to research the cities, colleges and high schools, too. It allowed me to put in place a framework that was completely French, but at the same time, expansive beyond the borders of a single country.
But, what really made this one stick (I'm in multiple on-line leagues) is the focus of a single player, Julien Henri. In the early versions much was written from his POV so it was not unlike a novel in that his personal life was interwoven with the career.
Eventually, I gravitated away from the personal posts yet I think that was the best part of the project. We see multiple posts, and many very very good, but there are far fewer projects that get behind the personalities of the characters involved. Again, there are some in this thread and they are fun to read.
Having Julien as my lead part of the project also gives me an end date. When Henri retires, so does the thread. It will be bitter sweet, just like our own lives, to watch Julien begin to lose his skills while his numbers begin to fade. Already, younger players are beginning to challenge Henri and his team.
At the same time, it's fun to hope for a few swan songs as he approaches the end. Can he win another title? Will he outduel the stud 27 year old pitcher in a Game 7?
When it's done I also have the option of flipping it to a novel. Wouldn't that be a fun project?
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