What was your first purchase in the Front Office Football series?

[Solecismic]

As a companion to the how did you hear about it poll, I'd like to know when you first purchased a Front Office Football product.

Thanks, again, for all responses.

[cartman]

I bought the original FOF off of eBay, since the first run was sold out. That was in early to mid 1999, if I recall.

edit to reflect the dates Jim put on the poll. I definitely got it off of eBay before the EA edition came out.

[rkmsuf]

FOF

The original. Wet and wild.

[maximus]

I first tried a FOF sim when it was with EA (I belive it was FOF2). My first actual purchase with FOF4 (it came on CD). After that I bought TCY.

[saldana]

the college years was first followed shortly after by fof, about 4 or 5 years ago

[Kodos]

FOF 2001 for me. And thus was born the Bill Gates Challenge.

[vex]

I bought FOF2, but only because I didn't know that TCY was coming out in a month.

[sabotai]

FOF2. I beleive the original FOF was sold out by the time I found FOF.

[JeeberD]

FOF2

[FrogMan]

I bought the very first version, still have the CD near my PC :)

FM

[jeff061]

FOF4. Was late to the party and missed all the EA drama.

[Ben E Lou]

Came across the original shortly before the release.

[KWhit]

EA FOF 2001.

[Hammer755]

I've been a member of FOFC since June 2001, yet just purchased my first FOF game a few months ago.

[moriarty]

I think FOF2 ... except that I didn't buy it from EA, so does that make it FOF1??

[John Galt]

Although I was tempted to vote for the trout, I had to admit that my first version was the original.

[rkmsuf]

1998? WTF? It was that long ago? Sweet sassy molassy.

[VPI97]

I think FOF2 ... except that I didn't buy it from EA, so does that make it FOF1??
Same here...I don't remember if it was FOF or FOF2 (I've always thought it was FOF2), but I didn't buy it from EA.

[hukarez]

Shortly after discovering the Solecismic web site, placed an order after the screenshots. Waited a few days for my copy (4th Ed being the release that was available to me) to come into the mail, and undoubtedly piqued my interest in text sims.

[Butter]

TCY via download. Have never bought FOF Pro version, but probably will with some iteration in the future.

[WSUCougar]

I think FOF2 ... except that I didn't buy it from EA, so does that make it FOF1??
Yeah, mine was also FOF2 but it wasn't from EA...was it just a Digital River download? Memory...cells...dying...

[Raiders Army]

Was gonna go for the trout option, but had to be honest. FOF, the O.G. for me!

Edit--lol...saw I answered just like John Galt! Must be the lawyer in me.

[gottimd]

I originally bought Front Office Werewolf, but I was voted out, and decided on the football game.

[cthomer5000]

definitely FOF2001 for me. I came across a demo for FOF2, went to purchase, and was directed to the EA website for FOF2001.

[path12]

Read something in CGW, went to the website, immediately ordered the original.

[jbmagic]

the latest edition FOF 2004 (5.1)

[Front Office Midget]

Yeah, it was FOF2... I wanted to buy FOF1 but it was sold out. And then the next FOF was released only a few months after I bought FOF 2... lame.

Crazy that I've been playing FOF for about 5 years now. The game was so ahead of its time back then.

[mhass]

Bought it after spending about 14 months fighting that awful Front Page version that was so buggy. When was that?

[General Mike]

FOF 2001. I bought it in June of 2001, a couple weeks after I bought OOTP3

[Blackadar]

The original, baby!

I'm an old-timer.

[HomerJSimpson]

I bought the orginal, but only a couple of months before FOF2. I heard about the game then, and couldn't wait for the new game.

[duckman]

I bought FOF 2 after finding it during a search for information on Football Mogul. I saw how much superior the product was to FM, and I immediately downloaded it.

[3ric]

FOF2, followed in order by: FOF2k1, TCY, FOF4 and FOF2k4

[Emiliano]

EA FOF 2002.

[tucker342]

TCY for me

[Buzzbee]

TCY, then FOF2002, then FOF4, then FOF2k4.

[Kodos]

Wow. 96 votes so far, and not one "trout" vote. :eek:

[Raiders Army]

Oh, if we're also doing what versions we bought, I got all of them with the exception of EA Sports FOF 2002 and the trout.

[vex]

Wow. 96 votes so far, and not one "trout" vote. :eek:
Because we like it deep-fried.

[Draft Dodger]

EA Sports. the fuckers.

[Antmeister]

Dammit I want to change my vote to FOF2. I know I didn't originally buy it from EA Sports. That one came later with that frickin small scroll bar that I couldn't stand. I think this is why SkyDog became jaded when it comes to nicer looking interfaces.

[Young Drachma]

FOF2 for me.

[gi]

Read about the game (Original) on some game review website, possible gamespot.com. Still have the cd and cd insert. I remember calling and taking to a lovely lady to place my order.

[ice4277]

FOF2, first night I had it I stayed up until about 5am playing it, if I recall correctly.

[ice4277]

FOF2, first night I had it I stayed up until about 5am playing it, if I recall correctly.

[ice4277]

FOF2, first night I had it I stayed up until about 5am playing it, if I recall correctly.

[Crapshoot]

one and only version was FOF 2002...

[zums]

the original for me baby...


1998? WTF? It was that long ago? Sweet sassy molassy.


yeah, i remember finding out about the original pretty close to the release, and *begging* my mom to buy it for me, ended up waiting a few months until my 16th bday... check the board nearly every day, just dont post much... kinda sad i've "grown up" with the sideline/fofc :o


-zums

[zums]

Dola -

WAYNE SIMMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!


-zums

[BigJohn&TheLions]

FOF2... I was looking up Football Pro on ebay to buy '98 (wouldn't work on the comp. I had when it came out, then when I did get a good computer '99 came out.) I searched for "Front Football" and this game came up called "Front Office Football." The gmae was costing too much on ebay, but I found FOF2 and fell in love. :)

[Raiders Army]

FOF2, first night I had it I stayed up until about 5am playing it, if I recall correctly.
How late did you stay up playing it? I didn't get that.

[Antmeister]

Same here...I don't remember if it was FOF or FOF2 (I've always thought it was FOF2), but I didn't buy it from EA.

I definitely know I didn't own FOF1 because I believe that was the one where the players could even be on drugs. I think for sure I was on FOF2 but not through EA. Digital River was allowing you to download it, I believe.

[sterlingice]

Wow. I was the first person to go with the trout answer :)

SI

[LloydLungs]

My first purchase was the original -- and, if I'm not mistaken, it was the last computer game I ever ordered over the phone. I used to be a Lance Haffner Games customer and probably ordered 10 million disks from them over the phone in the 80s and 90s. It's actually bizarre to think back about ordering games, season disks, etc that way. Time and technology marches on.

[LionsFan10]

Bought the original off of eBay, because Jim was sold out of his original stock after I e-mailed him about the game. Have bought every version since then.

[TazFTW]

TCY.

[FBPro]

Came across the original shortly before the release.
:) me 2

[Darkiller]

First buy was FOF2.

[John Galt]

My first purchase was the original -- and, if I'm not mistaken, it was the last computer game I ever ordered over the phone. I used to be a Lance Haffner Games customer and probably ordered 10 million disks from them over the phone in the 80s and 90s. It's actually bizarre to think back about ordering games, season disks, etc that way. Time and technology marches on.

That's right. I forgot the first order was on the phone.

[nilodor]

I would have bought FOF 1 but the demo was just too short. I couldn't find any reviews that I thought were credible so I took a pass. I was worried that there would be alot of problems in the game since it didn't really let you get into it. Turns out I was wrong but if there had been a viable alternative at the time of FOF 2, I might never have bought into the franchise.

[MJ4H]

Bought the original; later purchased TCY.

[fantastic flying froggies]

TCY, but not right when it came out. It must have been about a year later, roughly when I joined FOFC, so end of 2002.

[Bad-example]

I bought the original via the phone after reading a magazine review.

Bought every game since upon release, except FOF2. I just didn't trust Digital River.

[Capital]

FOF 2 but it was not through EA.

[Senator]

The first, and it was like Christmas everyday after that.

[Joe]

FOF2K4, bought it speficially for multi-player.

[jetpunk2000]

My first was the original. I unfortunately don't have it anymore, which upsets me greatly.

[kcchief19]

I discovered FOF during the days of of the original version, but I hesitated on purchasing because I was initially hesitant about purchasing something sight unseen over the Internet from somewhere I had never heard of (I was poor and a conservative shopper). I had finally decided to make a purchase when the run of the original was out of stock and I had to wait for FOF2.

[Buccaneer]

It was FOF2 just before FOF2001 came out. The first thing I remembered was Raiders Army countdown thread.

[SegRat]

Proud pappa to the original.

[Coffee Warlord]

2001.

And I still miss expanding leagues. :)

[Axxon]

I was one of your last orders of the original FOF. I know because you announced it sold out shortly thereafter and I was really happy that I hadn't procrastinated.

Of course, FOF2 came out soon afterwards so I didn't ever play the first one very much.

[corbes]

FOF, which I discovered by searching online after buying Baseball Mogul.

[Dutch]

I remember ordering FOF1 by phone when I lived in Los Angeles. I don't remember where I got the number, but I do remember telling the lady on the phone that I have been wanting this game way before I ever heard of FOF. I want to say there were 2 batches of FOF disks and I got in on the second batch right before the draft update was made available (NFL 1999 Draft, I think it was...with Donovan McNabb, Ricky Williams, Edgerrin James and Torry Holt).

Oh, and in '98, the graphics rocked! :p

[MizzouRah]

FOF2 - what a classic that game is.

[TroyF]

I had the first.

Still have the CD.

[korme]

I voted for EA Sports FOF 2002 but I'm pretty sure I had 2001. I don't remember the difference between either of them though

[JeeberD]

I didn't own either of them, but I remember hearing that 2002 was buggier than hell and really no more than a roster update...

[RoastDuck]

1998? wow!

I remember it was a toss-up between Football Mogul and FOF - I went with Mogul. Needless to say I ordered FOF within a week.

[Alf]

FOF2k1, followed TCY (indiana Village challenge which I let die...), FOF4 (never played a season) and FOF2k4 (which I only play as multiplayer, great thanks for that !)

[Icy]

I voted TCY as when i tried to buy FOF it was not available for download purchase so i ended purchasing TCY. After that i purchased FOF2k4 as it was available for download.

[Raiders Army]

1998? wow!

I remember it was a toss-up between Football Mogul and FOF - I went with Mogul. Needless to say I ordered FOF within a week.
IIRC, Football Mogul came out about the time FOF2 came out. I remember having some high hopes that Football Mogul would be able to provide a similar, but different experience that FOF provided, but sadly it did not.

Also, Shorty, the only difference between EA's 2001 and 2002 versions were updated rosters (again, IIRC)

[primelord]

The original FOF.

[cuervo72]

FOF4. I was pretty late on the trend apparently.

[Raiders Army]

Looking at the numbers, I'm guessing this is the hardcore audience that were with Jim from Day 1 (or year 2).

I would think that the actual numbers of sales went up with each subsequent release.

[Elvis]

FOF1 was sold out by the time I found it... wasn't long before FOF2 came out, though.

I also miss the league expansion. And the Sparkle BioGrass.

[cthomer5000]

I also miss the league expansion. And the Sparkle BioGrass.

Me too on both counts.

[Passacaglia]

Looking at the numbers, I'm guessing this is the hardcore audience that were with Jim from Day 1 (or year 2).

I would think that the actual numbers of sales went up with each subsequent release.

Yeah....hopefully that explains it. Seems worrisome to look at the poll and think that the games aren't really picking up new buyers. Hopefully it's just that more hard-core types are here.

[timmae]

I had purchased the original after a few of my FPS leagues went under.. fell in love the first second I started playing. Wow... that was 3 jobs, 3 apartments and 2 cities ago! Ahhh.. the days of getting to work and spending the first 2 hours playing FOF!!!

[thealmighty]

TCY

[thesloppy]

Original, after reading the CGW article. Bought thru Chips & Bits if memory serves.

[stevew]

I didn't own either of them, but I remember hearing that 2002 was buggier than hell and really no more than a roster update...I remember an issue with that game where you could keep a player for an extra year on a zero contract, cause the structure was messed up. This'd be the one with Vick as a rookie i believe. I had the previous version from EA, but i lost it after a hard drive format, and I didnt have anything written down, so as to be able to get a new license. I played the first EA one a ton, but didnt mess with the 2nd one much, since it was pretty darn buggy.

[Honolulu Blue]

Bought FOF Classic within 2 weeks after it was released. That probably makes me one of Jim's first 1000 customers.

I have all of Solecismic's games except for leper stepchild FOF2002.

[JasonC23]

I believe it was Jim's wife that took the phone orders for the original, am I right?

Either way, that's me. While packing for my recent move, I found the original CD. And my gaming life was never the same...

[BuffaloHuskey]

I bought the original, and still have the CD. I remember the lady (not sure if it was Jim's wife)that answered the phone asking me about the town i lived in at the time. Just something I have randomly remembered over the years

[revrew]

2K1 - Still my favorite version. Would still be playing it if it weren't for the NFL realignment. I have since, however, bought 5.1 and play it exclusively now.

[Sweed]

2k4 for me. Had tried the fourth edition demo and was about to buy but found out that 2k4 was on the horizon and waited for it's release.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

FOF2, first night I had it I stayed up until about 5am playing it, if I recall correctly.
Wasnt there an issue with the Dl not working properly on that first night?

[Ben E Lou]

Bump. Un-stick.

[randal7]

I first bought one of the EA sports versions. It was the one where the Browns were an expansion club. If someone would be kind enough to remind me which version that was, I'll vote in the poll.

[Honolulu Blue]

I first bought one of the EA sports versions. It was the one where the Browns were an expansion club. If someone would be kind enough to remind me which version that was, I'll vote in the poll.

That would be FOF2.

[Cringer]

I got the original FOF, then about 1-2 months laters FOF 2 came out. Doh!