Tabletop Basball

[lcjjdnh]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but can anyone recommend a good tabletop baseball game, preferably free, that would be good for to play with my younger brother (13). I was thinking about getting Strat-O-Matic, but neither of us have any experience with dice and chart games, so I don't know whether it's best to rush out and spend out $40 on it. Thanks in advance.

[Airhog]

http://econweb.tamu.edu/turocy/WTGWR/

Google turned this up. Might be worth a look

[markprior22]

SOM is what I grew up with. Definitely the tabletop baseball game I'd recommend.

[lynchjm24]

I like Statis Pro as a youth, but they haven't made it in years.

[CraigSca]

I have to recommend Replay Baseball. It's a great mix that doesn't succumb to the standard 50/50 limitations of most games. It's pretty inexpensive, and it's run by a one-man shop who is probably one of the nicest guys in the business. I admit I'm biased because I've done some Retrosheet work for him, but he is truly a nice guy and the game is the best tabletop game I've ever played for "feeling" like baseball and realism.

Check it out at www.replaybb.com (http://www.replaybb.com)

[dawgfan]

Does Tom Tippett still make a tabletop version of Diamond Mind? IIRC, it's more detailed and accurate than Strat-O-Matic. Of course, some would say that the detail in Diamond Mind is outweighed by the easier gameplay and flow of SOM. I played years and years of SOM, so I'm a fan, but it's not the only one out there. A simpler (and faster) one to play is the old Statis-Pro line from Avalon Hill.

[CraigSca]

Just an FYI - Pete is running a special now on his baseball and basketball games. The game is $20 including priority mail postage and comes with a $5 off coupon for any yearbook (season). If you were thinking about it diving in, now would be a good time.

Again, here's the website: www.replaybb.com (http://www.replaybb.com)

[lcjjdnh]

Alright, thanks for the head up.

[JonInMiddleGA]

When the Grass Was Real strikes me as having the potential of being the Holy Grail of fictional baseball gaming ... if it weren't so damned complicated, or had an actual set of rules that weren't in constant flux, or if it wasn't quite so caught up in being "theoretical" & could get moving in a "let's play it instead of philosophizing about it" direction.

There's at least one Delphi Forum devoted to WTGWR but that did more to kill my interest than to kindle it. I know (at least in an online sense) quite a few of the people involved with it & think they're both some of the best folks & smartest gaming people I've run across ... but damned if I believe that it will ever turn into a game that is long-term playable for even the grognardiest gamers.

[CraigSca]

Brien Martin is on the gaming forums a lot and he has designed a number of games (including Hot Stove League Baseball, a predecessor of WTGWR - he's also done a number of other sports in this same vein). As you probably know, Jon, as a frequent visitor to those forums he's now received permission to offer 4 of Valgames' games - he may be sidetracked by that.

I saw WTGWR a while ago, but I may need to "re-check" this one out.

[JonInMiddleGA]

This might be worth at least a look, and while it isn't free, it isn't a major investment for starting up with either.
http://www.playbaseballclassics.com/

What it is: Usually described as something like "a very simplified version of Strat".
What it isn't: The most accurate sim in the world.

If you're looking for a heavy dose of accuracy, then most people I know say Replay is the way to go. But if you're just looking for a fun baseball game on the tabletop, I'd say this one is as good as any.

Biggest drawback is that it's too simple for a lot of serious gamers. My 7 y/o mastered the gameplay in about an hour to give you some idea.

Fair warning too that there's a (relative) lot of controversy about just how inaccurate it might be over a long haul. But I've played it, so I know it can be fun.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Brien Martin is on the gaming forums a lot and he has designed a number of games (including Hot Stove League Baseball, a predecessor of WTGWR - he's also done a number of other sports in this same vein). As you probably know, Jon, as a frequent visitor to those forums he's now received permission to offer 4 of Valgames' games - he may be sidetracked by that.

I saw WTGWR a while ago, but I may need to "re-check" this one out.

I think Brien is utterly freakin' brilliant a lot of the time AND I don't think I've ever run across anyone who looks at games so closely to the same way I do ("okay, now how can I turn this into a campaign-style game AND enhance the realism at the same time"). But he isn't the only force behind WTGWR as far as I could tell & I think the whole "open-source" model for development has reached the point of being counter-productive. Instead of getting one damned fine game, I feel like the number of optional rules/charts/ methods has turned it into 10 partial games, none of which I can just pick up & play.

[WrongWay]

I like Statis Pro as a youth, but they haven't made it in years.
There we go. Statis Pro and it's fast action cards put my Statomatic Dice System in the back of the closet.

A hell of a lot easier and faster. If you can find it this is the game for you.

[JonInMiddleGA]

There we go. Statis Pro and it's fast action cards put my Statomatic Dice System in the back of the closet.

A hell of a lot easier and faster. If you can find it this is the game for you.

Check the downloads section, baseball category at
http://www.tabletop-sports.com/index.php

[Scholes]

I've always been a fan of Dynasty League Baseball.... as real as it gets.

www.designdepot.com

[PilotMan]

I am a Strat O Matic Fanatic! Actually, I have fallen away as I have gotten older. FOF, TCY, OOTP, and now CM/FM have proved to be better for me financially and entertainment wise than SOM. I still love SOM though.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Since When the Grass Was Real was mentioned in this thread, I thought I'd pass along this info just posted a few minutes ago at http://forums.delphiforums.com/UBAJHW/messages

From: Brien Martin (BKMARTIN26) 12:11 pm
To: ALL (1 of 1)

Gents:

Ted and I have been in touch recently, and Ted has let me know that he is not developing WTGWR2 any further, insofar as the charts and tables are concerned. He believes that the information is out there for folks to use to construct the tables and charts, but that he himself will not be doing them.

I may take a stab at it, once my plate is cleared of Valgames reprints ... which may not be for awhile.

As Ted and I developed the game as an "open source" game, we certainly welcome anyone attempting to put the ideas presented for WTGWR2 into a tangible form. I would remind people who may attempt this that Ted and I retain the "copyright" to the ideas and concepts ... and that any published materials based on our research an/or presentation must contain proper credit to both Ted and myself.

[Whar]

For a slightly oddball table top game Wizkids makes a MLB game. SportsClix (http://www.wizkidsgames.com/sportsclix/mlb/mlb_article.asp?cid=38515&activeNav=home)

[CraigSca]

Since When the Grass Was Real was mentioned in this thread, I thought I'd pass along this info just posted a few minutes ago at http://forums.delphiforums.com/UBAJHW/messages

From: Brien Martin (BKMARTIN26) 12:11 pm
To: ALL (1 of 1)

Gents:

Ted and I have been in touch recently, and Ted has let me know that he is not developing WTGWR2 any further, insofar as the charts and tables are concerned. He believes that the information is out there for folks to use to construct the tables and charts, but that he himself will not be doing them.

I may take a stab at it, once my plate is cleared of Valgames reprints ... which may not be for awhile.

As Ted and I developed the game as an "open source" game, we certainly welcome anyone attempting to put the ideas presented for WTGWR2 into a tangible form. I would remind people who may attempt this that Ted and I retain the "copyright" to the ideas and concepts ... and that any published materials based on our research an/or presentation must contain proper credit to both Ted and myself.
Well, that explains his absence from the boards. It's disappointing, because it seems like he was about to use a mathematical "breakthrough" to allow past seasons to be replicated with the engine. I wish he had posted his charts :(.