Text sims that should be made

[Airhog]

A Racing Sim

I think this has to be the number 1 untapped text-sim market. Grandprix manager was fairly decent, and F1 Manager had to many bugs to make it a serious contender. I kept this pretty broad, but there are many different sims you could produce under the racing genre. Nascar, Open Wheeled racing, Road Racing, Sprint Car Racing, Motorcycles, etc. I personally feel it is just a matter of time before someone comes out with a decent game here.

Rugby

I think this sim would show some promise. Like soccer sims, this genre may not fair as well in the states as it would across the pond. I imagine there may be one or two rugby sims out there, but I havent seen anything in the US.

Olympic Sports

A sim based on the Olympics would do okay I think. Especially if it is a broad sim dealing with countries and their programs rather then individual events.

Combat Sims

I think this could be another good option for text sims. Right now we have few sims that deals with combat as entertainment. I think that a more futuristic sim would do quite well.

College Sports

There are still a few college sports that have yet to see the sim market. I think that football has room for another sim, although I think TCY is probably as good as it gets in this genre.

Stock Market Sim

There have been some done in the past, however I think a more up-to-date sim would go over quite nicely here.

[Barkeep49]

For stock market sims I think Wall Street Raider is current and quite enjoyable as a text sim.

[Craptacular]

Olympic Sports

A sim based on the Olympics would do okay I think. Especially if it is a broad sim dealing with countries and their programs rather then individual events.


I think an Olympic sim would be cool. Each country could have geographic and cultural advantages in certain areas (think Austria and skiing, Kenya and distance running, etc). It would be up to you to decide whether or not to focus on those, or try to make the Jamaican bobsled team a winner. :)

[JonInMiddleGA]

I've said it several times, it won't hurt to say it again.

If anybody ever manages to capture the NASCAR experience in a text sim, I'd likely be willing to mortgage my house to buy it and lose my business from the time spent playing it.

I've gotten so desperate that I'm even slowly working on some ideas for a campaign-style tabletop game myself.

Beyond that, someone managing to conquer high school football would be my next wishlist item. Alas, I believe that might be a harder nut to crack than NASCAR. The volume of data alone would be staggering.

[sabotai]

*takes out tape recorder*
*presses record*

Note to self - Create an all-inclusive, CM immerive like NASCAR sim and then charge JonInMiddleGA $70,000 for it.

*presses stop*

[k0ruptr]

an awesome boxing sim.

and, a better computer hacking sim.

[amdaily]

Boxing, NASCAR, and a combat sim get my votes.

[Marmel]

A cross dressing sim. Neuqua keeps asking me if I know of one, and I just want him to leave me alone.

[Vince]

I can't believe 8 posts in and no one has mentioned Curling.

[Karim]

In all seriousness, what I'm missing is a global political sim and a career boxing sim with an editor.

[Mac Howard]

A Ryder Cup golf sim as one the two captains. It could be combined with a regular golf sim so that could select to be a playing captain or not.

[sabotai]

2 sims I would like to see (that have not been mentioned yet)

A tennis sim. In this game you would act as an agent, managing the careers of several (however many you want) tennis players. Entering them in challengers up to grand slams and the olympics. Negotiating sponcer deals and trying to maximize you intake while pleasing your players at the same time.

A horse racing sim. A racing sim that lets you own horses and do what you can in real life. "Rent" out studs or owning mares and breeding them to auction off the yearlings and two-year olds. Entering them into cheap claiming races up to the highest stakes. Trying to secure top jockeys to ride your horses, and quality trainers to make them into champions.

[Primal]

If anybody ever manages to capture the NASCAR experience in a text sim, I'd likely be willing to mortgage my house to buy it and lose my business from the time spent playing it.
Hmm... how can I make a game simulating a bunch of rednecks drinking busch beer and smoking Winston cigarettes?

[Mountain]

I've thought a little bit about the high school football sim as well. I think what would be cool about it would be player assessment and training. For instance, each player who tries to come out for your football team wouold have a set of attributes, i.e. speed, agility, strength, intelligence, etc.and it would be up to you as a coach to determine where to place and develop them on the team.

The players could also have some preset ideas as to what positions they would prefer to play to make them more resistant or pliable to the position. A game like this could also add some immersion levels by trying to convince the 6'3 280 sophmore bemehoth who plays the violin to come out for the football team. Also there would be a certain amount of older players coming in to the school district by parents relocating to the area additionally you could also lose some of your players to parents moving family situations shanging or whatever. Also if the player performs poorly in school or is a disciplinary problem would be interesting as well.

I think the fun in a game like this would be having a pool of raw talent and then developing it over time wiht training and experinece from playing games. Also you could face the age old decisions of cocahes. Do I force players to adapt to my system, or do I change my offense and defense based on the abilities of my players?

I think a sim like this could be very doable if you didn't try to incoporate all fifty states at one time. Just use one state at a time. Just some thoughts.

[SirFozzie]

Hmm... how can I make a game simulating a bunch of rednecks drinking busch beer and smoking Winston cigarettes?

That better be a joke, Primal....

[RedKingGold]

What about Title Bout from OOTP Developments,...was that any good???

[T-Storm]

A Sports-League-Sim.
First you decide what sport you want your League to be in. Then you award franchises to the highest bidders or have them all League controlled, decide who plays the salaries, the rules of your league, if it has a salary cap or not etc.
Of course the other Sportleagues would be in battle for the fans with you. But not just those from the sport you chose, but those of the other sports as well.
You compete with them for the top college or maybe even high school players to enter your leagues draft and not that of the other league.
Currently the nfl is the league in the states. The usfl, ableit getting some of the top college players and former nfl stars failed miserably. Can you do it better?
Or do you want to make IceHockey the top sport?
Of course, it may not be based on the usa alone.
So expand the nfl, make it the worldwide sport that soccer currently is.
In essence I want to be the League Owner/Commisioner and recreate / expand the battles of the past.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I think a sim like this could be very doable if you didn't try to incoporate all fifty states at one time. Just use one state at a time. Just some thoughts.
I assume you mean something along the lines of CM's "loaded leagues" vs "background leagues"?

[Airhog]

Ah I forgot about golf and teniis, curling has a sim already, im not sure if it is a text sim or actually has gameplay included. Horseracing has several sims out there, however none of them are really that good, and should probably be included. Computer hacking has several sims, with uplink being the newest. Im not sure how much better they can make a hacking sim, without having you actually write code and such. Boxing does have one option, but without a career mode as this time, it really can't compete.

[sabotai]

Horseracing has several sims out there, however none of them are really that good, and should probably be included.
I don't think any of them is close to having a solid career play to it. And I don't think any of them include breeding.

[StormcloudCreations]

Hmmmmmm....*writing lots of ideas down*

NASCAR sim? As in race cars? Really? People would pay for this (more than just JohninMiddleGA and amdaily)? The only weird part would be having to actually watch the races on TV for "research".... :)

[sabotai]

Just buy a 6-pack or cheap domestic beer and pick up one of those Auto Trader things. That's all you need to know to make a NASCAR sim...

(KIDDING!)

[Karim]

A Sports-League-Sim.
First you decide what sport you want your League to be in. Then you award franchises to the highest bidders or have them all League controlled, decide who plays the salaries, the rules of your league, if it has a salary cap or not etc.
Of course the other Sportleagues would be in battle for the fans with you. But not just those from the sport you chose, but those of the other sports as well.
You compete with them for the top college or maybe even high school players to enter your leagues draft and not that of the other league.
Currently the nfl is the league in the states. The usfl, ableit getting some of the top college players and former nfl stars failed miserably. Can you do it better?
Or do you want to make IceHockey the top sport?
Of course, it may not be based on the usa alone.
So expand the nfl, make it the worldwide sport that soccer currently is.
In essence I want to be the League Owner/Commisioner and recreate / expand the battles of the past.

That's a very interesting idea. I'm not sure if you'd even need to sim actual games, or need to know players beyond those that are the stars of your league.

I'd definitely give something like this a look, but I think it might be very difficult to create.

[Bubba Wheels]

A Sports-League-Sim.
First you decide what sport you want your League to be in. Then you award franchises to the highest bidders or have them all League controlled, decide who plays the salaries, the rules of your league, if it has a salary cap or not etc.
Of course the other Sportleagues would be in battle for the fans with you. But not just those from the sport you chose, but those of the other sports as well.
You compete with them for the top college or maybe even high school players to enter your leagues draft and not that of the other league.
Currently the nfl is the league in the states. The usfl, ableit getting some of the top college players and former nfl stars failed miserably. Can you do it better?
Or do you want to make IceHockey the top sport?
Of course, it may not be based on the usa alone.
So expand the nfl, make it the worldwide sport that soccer currently is.
In essence I want to be the League Owner/Commisioner and recreate / expand the battles of the past.

This one would interest me, alot.

[GrantDawg]

*takes out tape recorder*
*presses record*

Note to self - Create an all-inclusive, CM immerive like NASCAR sim and then charge JonInMiddleGA $70,000 for it.

*presses stop*
Are you really Norm MacDonald?

[GrantDawg]

Hmmmmmm....*writing lots of ideas down*

NASCAR sim? As in race cars? Really? People would pay for this (more than just JohninMiddleGA and amdaily)? The only weird part would be having to actually watch the races on TV for "research".... :)
I don't think there is anyway to over-estimate the interest in a game like this. Seriously, a deep game that take into account all that goes into building a race team, finding sponsors, building cars and keeping them running without going bankrupt would sell well. If you incorporate raceway elements such as pit strategies and such, it would be an added bonus.

[RPI-Fan]

As much as I hate neckcar, if a sim were well done, I'd be willing to give it a shot.

That said, a golf sim is on the top of my wishlist, and tennis is 2nd.

[GrantDawg]

Well I hate golf. Only bigots like golf, but if a golf sim was well done I'd play it.

[Tekneek]

As much as I hate neckcar, if a sim were well done, I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Are you a clone?

[JonInMiddleGA]

I don't think there is anyway to over-estimate the interest in a game like this. Seriously, a deep game that take into account all that goes into building a race team, finding sponsors, building cars and keeping them running without going bankrupt would sell well. If you incorporate raceway elements such as pit strategies and such, it would be an added bonus.
And as a double-bonus (for the developer at least), if anyone ever mastered the details, it seems as though it'd be tweakable for the creation of separate products for both F1 and U.S. open wheel (Indy, CART, or a re-combination).

The details & influences are different for each and the weight of various factors varies, but the basic mechanics of the business aren't wholly unrelated; i.e. You've got to build a team, find a sponsor, prepare a car, hire & retain drivers, etc no matter what format you're racing)

[RPI-Fan]

Are you a clone?

I used to listen a lot, but for this instance the term seems to fit, so I threw it in there.

[Fido]

I've said it several times, it won't hurt to say it again.

If anybody ever manages to capture the NASCAR experience in a text sim, I'd likely be willing to mortgage my house to buy it and lose my business from the time spent playing it.


This is in intriguing. What would you see your role (as a player) as being? Team owner? Crew Chief? Driver (a la ITP)?

[Aylmar]

A Racing Sim

I think this has to be the number 1 untapped text-sim market. Grandprix manager was fairly decent, and F1 Manager had to many bugs to make it a serious contender. I kept this pretty broad, but there are many different sims you could produce under the racing genre. Nascar, Open Wheeled racing, Road Racing, Sprint Car Racing, Motorcycles, etc. I personally feel it is just a matter of time before someone comes out with a decent game here.


I worked on a NASCAR sim for about six months. I wasn't having any fun with it, so I junked it. I guess I just wasn't into NASCAR enough to make it enjoyable. I agree that it would be a good market, though.

[amdaily]

I don't think there is anyway to over-estimate the interest in a game like this. Seriously, a deep game that take into account all that goes into building a race team, finding sponsors, building cars and keeping them running without going bankrupt would sell well. If you incorporate raceway elements such as pit strategies and such, it would be an added bonus.


I agree. I'm by no means a huge NASCAR fan. How people can site there and watch cars circle around a track for hours on end, I don't know :). But the whole process would make for an intriguing and very deep text sim.

[JonInMiddleGA]

This is in intriguing. What would you see your role (as a player) as being? Team owner? Crew Chief? Driver (a la ITP)?
I'm pretty much looking at this from the top down, so team owner is what I'd want. I've got zero interest in crew chiefing since I'm not a mech-tech guru, and even less than zero interest at approaching it from a driver p.o.v.

But making hire/fire decisions, making choices about who to hire & how to allocate the resources, etc., and then seeing the results unfold, I'd probably play forever.

[Fido]

I'm pretty much looking at this from the top down, so team owner is what I'd want. I've got zero interest in crew chiefing since I'm not a mech-tech guru, and even less than zero interest at approaching it from a driver p.o.v.

But making hire/fire decisions, making choices about who to hire & how to allocate the resources, etc., and then seeing the results unfold, I'd probably play forever.
Are you just looking for this game to be made or are you willing to help? I've spent like a half hour or so thinking on this, and realize that I have about 20 questions that I would need to answer before I could do such a game. Can I PM you for some guidance?

[McSweeny]

how about a message board sim? you could recreate FOFC and play out alternate histories. What would happen if HM had NOT been banned? What if SkyDog went crazy? What if PEOPLE LOST POSTS?? Endless possibilities

[JonInMiddleGA]

Are you just looking for this game to be made or are you willing to help? I've spent like a half hour or so thinking on this, and realize that I have about 20 questions that I would need to answer before I could do such a game. Can I PM you for some guidance?
You're welcome to PM me with 20 questions, but I'll warn you in advance:
unless you're very familiar with NASCAR, I'm betting there'll be a lot more than 20 questions before a product hits the mark http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

Along those lines, I'll also start trying to convert some of the thoughts that go with my slowly developing dice-and-chart notion into something on paper, that might also shed some light into the dark corners.

[QuikSand]

A well-done thoroughbred horseracing sim, marrying that sport with all the traditional elements of career-style sims, would be wonderful. For a niche that has attracted several different tries, most have fallen grievously short in one fashion or another.

[Icy]

I thinking on an online text sim to develop on my free time as i'm a web programmer/designer. Something like hattrick but not for soccer, i have thought on the olimpic games idea soem time ago, starting with some kids to make them atlethes, having to manage training, diets, etc including dopping with some pros and lots of cons. Then manage this guys careers from local teams to the olimpic games. As it would involve tons of sports, mybe would be a so big project, but i'm thinking again on the idea as some of you named it.

[miami_fan]

A sports agent sim/public relations officer sim.

Many possibilities for either option, you can be head of a PR firm for leading or minor celebrities, you can have sports stars from a wide variety of sports as an agent.

I like the sports agent one......that way I can convince some FOF GM to sign a 11 yr LG with 12 current and 14 potential to a six year contract with a $8 million bonus! :D

[tucker342]

global political sim, and I also like T-Storm's idea

[tucker342]

dola-

I hate Nascar, but if there was a well done text sim of it, I would probably buy it

[dacman]

A well-done thoroughbred horseracing sim, marrying that sport with all the traditional elements of career-style sims, would be wonderful. For a niche that has attracted several different tries, most have fallen grievously short in one fashion or another.

**Drool**

[Franklinnoble]

I agree with Quiksand... we need a comprehensive thoroughbred racing text sim.

Oh, and they already have a curling sim. I shit you not.

[yabanci]

What about Title Bout from OOTP Developments,...was that any good???

Title Bout is excellent for what it is, which right now is basically a replay game rather than a career sim. Using a baseball analogy, it's more like Diamond Mind Baseball than it is like OOTP. The Title Bout sim engine has been developed in various forms for more than 20 years, and it is very solid and produces realistic results. The pbp is superb. Since there are no licensing issues, it has actual fighters and years have been put into rating them for the most accurate results.

They are working on turning it into an OOTP-style career sim for the next version, and I have a feeling it will then become a truly great sim, whether you are a boxing fan or not.

[Sun Tzu]

I think somebody should create a <b>draft sim</b> complete with "mckerneyish" folk who ruin all of the fun for everyone. One strict rule is there shall be NO MOCK DRAFTS, as they obviously give away all of the best draft picks for those who are unprepared for say the <i>people most likely to die a virgin</i> draft. I mean, it might be totaly obvious to most people that The Afoci would be the top pick, but there are some out there who possibly haven't heard of him...well maybe.

:p

[DanGarion]

A NASCAR sim would be great. I have become a big fan of NASCAR and honestly being able to be a owner and that type of stuff would really interesting. Honestly something like that COULD be so deep. Especially if it took it deep enough where the young racers were racing in other leagues as kids (ie gocart) and then some would develop as they were signed by you and go into both Busch and Truck series. After that they would eventually become full fledged Nextel Cup guys. Autoracing can be an extremely deep concept if you get it right and would have amazing replay value as a career text sim.

[Honolulu Blue]

I've mentioned before my interest in a career auto racing sim. I'm glad to see a few of our programmer friends have finally noticed. I still think, if done well, it will sell well enough to make a decent profit.

I also echo the desire for a better thoroughbred career sim.

[Flame Eater]

NASCAR with depth...yes. It's the fastest growing sport around, and everybody has a computer these days.

I grew up near Indy with open wheel, but a good NASCAR sim would be fun.

[StormcloudCreations]

A sim with like owner type stuff: hiring drivers and pit crew, each with different stats, getting sponsors, keeping track of career records/points/money for each of your drivers, etc, with lots of sharp fancy backgrounds and interface with race cars in them? That kind of NASCAR sim? :)

[Airhog]

Yes, but before making a nascar sim, go play GrandPrix Manager. The problem with this game, is that its too easy to make it too the top. I think a game like this should be alot like TCY, even with great talent, it is still quite hard to win a national title. You have to remember that no-one really runs away with things year in and year out.

[wbatl1]

you could even(should have) cohesion, ala FOF, between the pitcrew members, and the driver/crew chief.

[TLK]

An all-inclusive racing text-sim....... I'd never leave my house....

[StormcloudCreations]

With of course the funnest thing about racing that I know about included: crashes, injuries and (gasp) rare deaths.

GrandPrix Manager looks interesting; I had never heard about the game before. The lone review did note many "race result simulation" problems that caused him to shelve it.

I honestly had no idea that this was something many people were interested in...might have to maybe start up a feature list of some type....what would be the main wishes/features that would draw you into a text sim like this?

[Mountain]

While others may like the idea of being the owner of a race team, I think a NASCAR sim could be just as fun if you were trying to develop a driver over his career, ala ITP. Start off at the small tracks with maybe your own cars and small local sponsors and work your way up trying to attract the attention of the big race teams. Of course being the owner would be cool as well. I think in order to have a NASCAR simulation game not only would the race results have to be realistic but the financial management side of the game should be very strong as well.

Such as competing for sponsors, the drivers could have ratings for popularity with the fans which would translate to merchandising sales. Do you want an extremely talented curmudgeon or a more moderately talented driver that is good with the fans.

And to respond to an earlier question about the high school football sim idea, yes something like CM with background states instead of background leagues.

[stevew]

Man, you are all missing the boat here. IF I could program, this game would already be made.

Church
League
Softball

Depending on how deep you wanted to make it, it could be awesome. I would venture that your "basis" would be that you would have to be running a medium business, and to add talent, you may have to give them a job. Factor in elements like a players "sobriety level," the clubhouse alcohol policy, and the Infidelity of course, and you have a winner.
Imagine getting a tip from your informer(no email in this game) at the local bar, "Jenkins' old lady has taken a notice to Douglas." Youd have to handle this situation, or risk Jenkins getting pissed and quitting, or actually killing Douglas in this situation.

[Celeval]

Church Softball League Informer

I think that needs to be a title.

[ET11]

Man I'm glad to see other people interested in a racing text-sim, I've been working with some people from the .400 studios on one but the lead guy there left the company, we have a discussion that what was going on but I haven't heard from anyone in over a month, might have died do to that person leaving, here is the link to the site, www.medleypublishing.us/forum/index, please check it out for any one who is serious and would like to create one, it is at the bottom and says, "Nascar Sim Ideas/Discussion, there are some great ideas there, right now I'm working on finishing my own career racing board game for CART/IRL, using Lambourne Games World of Motor racing Indycar series, so please any one interested in furthering this idea, post over there or here, I don't understand how a game like this is still not offered, every other company seems to make the same games over and over again, it is UNTAPPED!

[Eaglesfan27]

Man I'm glad to see other people interested in a racing text-sim, I've been working with some people from the .400 studios on one but the lead guy there left the company

The lead guy at .400 studios left?

[StormcloudCreations]

Honestly, I could probably tackle one, but my concern would be: would it sell? Does NASCAR racing have wide enough appeal (with computer sim users) for it to be a successful title?

[NoMyths]

I would really love to see a High School football text sim...cut out all the big business nonsense.

[ET11]

No sorry, the lead guy on this project, not of .400 studios

[DanGarion]

Man I'm glad to see other people interested in a racing text-sim, I've been working with some people from the .400 studios on one but the lead guy there left the company, we have a discussion that what was going on but I haven't heard from anyone in over a month, might have died do to that person leaving, here is the link to the site, www.medleypublishing.us/forum/index, please check it out for any one who is serious and would like to create one, it is at the bottom and says, "Nascar Sim Ideas/Discussion, there are some great ideas there, right now I'm working on finishing my own career racing board game for CART/IRL, using Lambourne Games World of Motor racing Indycar series, so please any one interested in furthering this idea, post over there or here, I don't understand how a game like this is still not offered, every other company seems to make the same games over and over again, it is UNTAPPED!
You mean this link? :)

http://www.medleypublishing.us/forum/

[ET11]

Stormcloud, Yes I feel you would get alot more than you think, I have been following this site for years, never posted until today due to this topic, if you could make the game, it would be a first, there are alot of people who would love the running of a race team, I've been following other race sim sites, most are formula one and the people there can't believe no one has created one, either stock car or open-wheel.

[ET11]

Yep, that's the link.

[The_herd]

Honestly, I could probably tackle one, but my concern would be: would it sell? Does NASCAR racing have wide enough appeal (with computer sim users) for it to be a successful title?

I'm just a casual NASCAR fan, and I would definately buy a text sim if made. As I learn more about the sport, I realize that its a sport that could offer a lot more depth than I originally assumed. If you would have asked me a year ago, I wouldn't have considered it, but as I learn more about the sport, I realize that its a sport that could offer a lot more depth than I originally assumed.

As I'm sure you know, word of mouth can really carry a game. Between this forum, OOTP, .400, and any other text sim forums, I'm positive it would sell if done well.

[ET11]

Honestly, I could probably tackle one, but my concern would be: would it sell? Does NASCAR racing have wide enough appeal (with computer sim users) for it to be a successful title?

If you would like to talk more about developing one, please read what we were working on over at medleypublishing and let me know, have tons of ideas and notes from all of our discussions

[TLK]

I guarantee that a NASCAR sim would sell. An all-inclusive racing sim would even sell better. I don't know a thing about programing, but I know a lot about the financials of racing, and I'd be willing to help out in anyway possible......

[ET11]

I agree, I would love to creat a "World of Auto Racing" sim where you could start out in one series and try to expand into other series, ala Penske, Ganassi.

[ET11]

A sim with like owner type stuff: hiring drivers and pit crew, each with different stats, getting sponsors, keeping track of career records/points/money for each of your drivers, etc, with lots of sharp fancy backgrounds and interface with race cars in them? That kind of NASCAR sim? :)

That sounds about right.