Wolverine Studios Announces Shaun Sullivan's Draft Day Sports: Baseball!

[MacroGuru]

Wow. Wolverine is pulling a full scale blitz this year

[DaddyTorgo]

april fools?

[MacroGuru]

Here is the thread, and Gary swears it isn't..

http://www.wolverinestudios.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5174

[rjolley]

Here's one from Shaun: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1762041

[Gary Gorski]

From Shaun's post at Matrix (http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1762041) this morning...

"No, this is not an April fool's joke."

edit to say - I couldn't be happier about Shaun joining us. I'm a big fan of his work and the chance for us to influence his game and for him to influence our other games can mean nothing but good things for all of our future titles.

[DaddyTorgo]

fair nuff - that was just my immediate reaction

exciting news for sure

*drools* if we can get Puresim-style realism with Gary-style "personalities" and "interaction"...i might be able to die happy

[Barkeep49]

The stuff DDS has done with personality was a big draw for me to the Puresim project in the first place. I look forward to seeing what direction the game goes.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

You should have announced this yesterday or tomorrow.

Good luck guys!

LOL.......so true. It's a wonderful thing, but I can't think of a worse day to make a big announcement in the video game industry than April 1st.

[Gary Gorski]

well the official big announcement will happen tomorrow when we send out the press release and such. We had to wait for some things to happen and we announced it on our forums today to backup what Shaun posted at Matrix. Our "worldwide" announcement of the game will be tomorrow but for the people on our board and others like FOFC - the people who are our "friends" in the industry - no harm letting you guys know even if it is April 1st :)

[Lonnie]

Now Wolverine will have all my money!

[Swaggs]

This has the potential to be an awesome game.

[duff88]

I need to whine...

There are already tons of Baseball, Basketball and Football sims already... No need for competition, what we need is a Hockey sim! :(

[DaddyTorgo]

seriously - this could make me a very happy camper

can't wait to go over to the wolverine board and flood it with suggestions

[MizzouRah]

Wow, excellent news!

[Gary Gorski]

I need to whine...

There are already tons of Baseball, Basketball and Football sims already... No need for competition, what we need is a Hockey sim! :(

Well it's not "another" baseball sim on the market - it's going to be an even better version of an already good and established one. I think PureSim is very underrated in comparison to its competition and I think it can only get better.

As for a hockey sim - I'd love to add one to our rapidly growing stable. If there's a good one out there point them in our direction.

[Icy]

Both as WS staff member and as baseball games fan, I'm so excited about this news and I must admit it has been sooooo hard to keep my mouth closed on that other thread here about the baseball games for 2008 :D

Shawn is a great addition to WS, and not only for his incoming baseball game but also because his programming skills and ideas that will help for sure other future WS games.

[Cringer]

Kick ass. If this improves upon Puresim then I am all for it. Puresim was already my favorite baseball sim experience, so I will be trying my first Wolverine Studio game I guess.

[rjolley]

Well it's not "another" baseball sim on the market - it's going to be an even better version of an already good and established one. I think PureSim is very underrated in comparison to its competition and I think it can only get better.
Totally agree with this. PureSim has usually been seen as less than OOTP and more than BM. Personally, I think it's just as good as OOTP without all of the bells and whistles. And I've always thought Shaun has been one of the most responsive developers and bought his game during the beta period every year.

Hope this melding of the minds puts PureSim into the proper light (if it's not an April Fool's joke :) )

[Bee]

Didn't Shaun do a lot of Front Page Sports Football mods back in the day? How involved would he be with the football game?

[Schmidty]

Hopefully it's better than the overly-complicated new OOTP, and it's shitty interface. If so, that would be the perfect game.

[Cringer]

Oh, and I will still call it Puresim. DDS: Baseball is just kind of blahhhhh to me.

[Gary Gorski]

Totally agree with this. PureSim has usually been seen as less than OOTP and more than BM. Personally, I think it's just as good as OOTP without all of the bells and whistles. And I've always thought Shaun has been one of the most responsive developers and bought his game during the beta period every year.

Hope this melding of the minds puts PureSim into the proper light (if it's not an April Fool's joke :) )

This explains how I feel about PureSim. Shaun's got a full-time job and a family and really spends the limited time he has making and continually improving a great baseball sim. He doesn't have the time to really get out there and push it and didn't have the benefit of having someone to make an interface for him. That's where we're coming in. We just brought in Ivan ("Icy") to help with our expanding line of products needing graphics and obviously we're doing a great deal of work trying to market our titles - I'm thrilled to be able to share what we can offer with Shaun because his title is extremely underrated. I think it can hold its own with any baseball sim out there and we're going to make sure it gets the chance to shine and gets the attention it deserves.

I also look forward to what Shaun can do for our titles. He already played a big role in helping out with the Total Pro Golf series and PureSim has some things implemented that I would like to see in our games - in game FTP being one of them. I think only good things can come from combining our talents and in the end we're going to see a better version of baseball, football, basketball and whatever else we roll out and yes, Shaun did do a number of things with the FPS series back in the day so his experience with that will only help make our upcoming football game even better.

[Young Drachma]

Wow, huge announcement. Best of luck, would certainly be something I'd give a chance.

[Subby]

I wonder why no one is taking these games on-line. It seems like a socially-networked website with the same underlying game engine and mp capabilities would have a viable subscription-based revenue model.

[Gary Gorski]

It is being tried - http://www.simnasium.com/

[Young Drachma]

I wonder why no one is taking these games on-line. It seems like a socially-networked website with the same underlying game engine and mp capabilities would have a viable subscription-based revenue model.

I wondered about this earlier today and wasn't sure what it'd take to do it programming wise. But the premise would surely be great if it were done right.

[Anthony]

i wouldn't want a purely online MP game. case in point, i was fiddling around in my pc and i found my copy of OOTP6, and i found my receipt and briefly restarted my old, old career. i finally, after all this time, won a championship. so i want the ability to put a game down and go back to it whenever i want. online MP holds no interest for me. someone should smack subby for such a fucking stupid idea.

[stevew]

how the ai? puresim better

[Subby]

i wouldn't want a purely online MP game. case in point, i was fiddling around in my pc and i found my copy of OOTP6, and i found my receipt and briefly restarted my old, old career. i finally, after all this time, won a championship. so i want the ability to put a game down and go back to it whenever i want. online MP holds no interest for me. someone should smack subby for such a fucking stupid idea.
No I think it should have single player functionality as well - you would just be in your league with AI teams instead of humans.

And that last part - suck it, underachieving cubedweller.

[Subby]

It is being tried - http://www.simnasium.com/
That's interesting, but seems really, really, really limited.

[miked]

i wouldn't want a purely online MP game. case in point, i was fiddling around in my pc and i found my copy of OOTP6, and i found my receipt and briefly restarted my old, old career. i finally, after all this time, won a championship. so i want the ability to put a game down and go back to it whenever i want. online MP holds no interest for me. someone should smack subby for such a fucking stupid idea.

If this doesn't illustrate how bad the OOTP6 AI is, I don't know what else could.

[Izulde]

Wow, I didn't see this coming at all.

Good thing I held off on getting a new baseball game.

[Galaril]

Both as WS staff member and as baseball games fan, I'm so excited about this news and I must admit it has been sooooo hard to keep my mouth closed on that other thread here about the baseball games for 2008 :D

Shawn is a great addition to WS, and not only for his incoming baseball game but also because his programming skills and ideas that will help for sure other future WS games.

Damn you! If I had known this I wouldn't have spent the money to buy Action PC Baseball:) No problems since this will probably be a sometime before we see agame. But, great news I have always liked Gary's basketball games since TCB and I was so excited to here about the football game but this is just amazing. Shaun's game shave been great and he really has a love for what he is doing it is evident. IMHO here is the George RR Martin of baseball sims. I guess SI has some competition now with Wolverine really stepping up. If nothing else the text sims industry was in need of some fresh competition.

[Eaglesfan27]

Wonderful news. I'm very glad to see Shaun join a quality company and I'll certainly be buying his next title. :)

[Dutch]

Wolverine Studios is en fuego!

[DanGarion]

Wow this is great news! Great job guys.

[larrymcg421]

How can I still afford my gardener if I'm giving all this money to Wolverine Studios?

[Comey]

You'll have to downgrade to a Suburban.

[Buccaneer]

Interesting news. I thought Shaun had to go into retirement or something? Or was that the coverup?

[Shaun Sullivan]

I'm super excited about this.

Gary and I already have had some great collaborations in the past, and the combined resources, design talent, and focus in place at Wolverine is invigorating.

Shaun

[Cringer]

I'm super excited about this.

Gary and I already have had some great collaborations in the past, and the combined resources, design talent, and focus in place at Wolverine is invigorating.

Shaun

Whatever helps to keep you putting out baseball games in the future is a good thing IMO. With this possibly even improving your game, I am chalking it down as the next baseball game I buy.

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

How was Puresim at realistically simulating the roster moves, and financial situation of the MLB?

[Coffee Warlord]

How can I still afford my gardener if I'm giving all this money to Wolverine Studios?

Keep paying them money and then tell them to bring me on for spiffing up their site and developing online components. :)

[BYU 14]

Dynasty in the making

[Antmeister]

This is sick! I have always seen Shaun as a very solid programmer and not only is he going to bring his game to this company, but he should also be a great resource for clamping down on a lot of bugs as well. I hope he is helping out with the football game as well since Shaun has some experience with Front Page Sports from back in the day.

I must say that I am excited for the future of sports sims again. 3 companies duking it out which should only improve the quality of all the games.

[Galaril]

This is sick! I have always seen Shaun as a very solid programmer and not only is he going to bring his game to this company, but he should also be a great resource for clamping down on a lot of bugs as well. I hope he is helping out with the football game as well since Shaun has some experience with Front Page Sports from back in the day.

I must say that I am excited for the future of sports sims again. 3 companies duking it out which should only improve the quality of all the games.

Who would that be Wolverine Studios, SI and ? Matrix?

[Cringer]

I think the third would be Greydog. Although SI may not be #2, they only make 1 game, and in a sport the others don't touch. Solecismic couldn't possibly be it. They have one sport with two games, one game being older then dirt by now almost, plus a card game, so overall 1.33 games.

Who wants to be #3?

[Antmeister]

Well I was talking about baseball:
OOTP, Sports Mogul, Wolverine.

But if we add football to the equation, it will be:
Solecismic, Grey Dog, Wolverine

And if adding basketball there will only be two:
Grey Dog and Wolverine

[Gary Gorski]

actually Grey Dog has suspended their basketball title so we're the only one that offers hoops and definitely the only one that will offer all three and hopefully even more games in the future.

[Cringer]

Lacrosse is getting screwed.

[Antmeister]

actually Grey Dog has suspended their basketball title so we're the only one that offers hoops and definitely the only one that will offer all three and hopefully even more games in the future.

Oh crap, I gotta keep up with all this stuff. So basically you will be competing against two other in football and baseball. Can't wait to see what your team puts together. With Icy and Shaun on your already talented staff, this should really make for some interesting games.

[astrosfan64]

Shaun reminds me of a hollywood wife. What is this his 3rd or 4th company he has been with in the last 5 years?

Hopefully he can find a stable happy home.

[Capital]

This appears to be another great move for Wolverine Studios. Very interested to see what these two companies can deliver. It seems like a natural combination.

[Bad-example]

If the new game improves (greatly) upon Puresim's interface, I will be very interested.

[Gary Gorski]

If the new game improves (greatly) upon Puresim's interface, I will be very interested.

Then you'll be very interested :eek:

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Can anyone answer my question because I have never played Puresim:

How was Puresim at realistically simulating the roster moves, and financial situation of the MLB?

Thanks

[Young Drachma]

Can anyone answer my question because I have never played Puresim:

How was Puresim at realistically simulating the roster moves, and financial situation of the MLB?

Thanks

My understanding is that PureSim is great for playing MLB and such alike. The front office isn't as good as OOTP I don't think, but only in the sense that if you like options, it wasn't as robust. I did enjoy it as a straight simulator of MLB without fake teams or anything like that. Statistically I found it to be better than anything out there, but it just wasn't really a game that lent itself to the imagination as much as OOTP or was chock full of options (that may or may not work) like other games.

The gaming experiences of the two are very different, then.

[cougarfreak]

I just tried to fire up Puresim on my a newer laptop this weekend and couldn't get it to stop crashing with Vista. I like Shaun, and his games, and hopefully this will enable him to keep enhancing his title.

[rjolley]

Here's a page on Shaun's site about running PureSim on Vista: http://www.puresim.com/vista.html

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Thanks DC

[Icy]

If the new game improves (greatly) upon Puresim's interface, I will be very interested.

I'll do my best :)

Btw, I need to talk with more Gary and Shaun and we have been already discussing some changes, but once we figure the new interface basics, I'll also ask around to know what you guys like/dislike from Puresim and also other text sims from Wolverine and the competence, to try to please as much of you as possible.

Wolverine Studios is know for listening to their customers and i'll follow the tradition :)

[st.cronin]

Extensive hotkey support, please.

[Shaun Sullivan]

Shaun reminds me of a hollywood wife. What is this his 3rd or 4th company he has been with in the last 5 years?

Hopefully he can find a stable happy home.

That cracked me up. Don't forget I have also retired and un-retired twice in that period too :) Hey, it's the life of an indie.

To be fair, I have been with Matrix for 3+ years, and I was quite happy. The Wolverine opportunity was just one I couldn't pass up.

[astrosfan64]

That cracked me up. Don't forget I have also retired and un-retired twice in that period too :) Hey, it's the life of an indie.

To be fair, I have been with Matrix for 3+ years, and I was quite happy. The Wolverine opportunity was just one I couldn't pass up.

Damn, I forgot the retirements! Good luck Shaun, I look forward to your new offering.

[DaddyTorgo]

am I correct in assuming that we won't be seeing this this anytime very soon though?

[Cringer]

I'll do my best :)

Btw, I need to talk with more Gary and Shaun and we have been already discussing some changes, but once we figure the new interface basics, I'll also ask around to know what you guys like/dislike from Puresim and also other text sims from Wolverine and the competence, to try to please as much of you as possible.

Wolverine Studios is know for listening to their customers and i'll follow the tradition :)

BOOOOO!

Screw all these babies here! ;)

[Gary Gorski]

am I correct in assuming that we won't be seeing this this anytime very soon though?

I guess it depends on what you mean by very soon. If you're looking for something early on in the baseball season then I would say no. Shaun's going to take PS as it stands and decide on what improvements to make and in the meantime Ivan is going to be redoing the entire interface so its going to take some time. I don't know exactly how much that will be - that's going to be up to Shaun and what he can do with his schedule. The deadlines are completely up to him to set and as soon as we get an idea of when the game could be available we will let you know.

[DaddyTorgo]

I guess it depends on what you mean by very soon. If you're looking for something early on in the baseball season then I would say no. Shaun's going to take PS as it stands and decide on what improvements to make and in the meantime Ivan is going to be redoing the entire interface so its going to take some time. I don't know exactly how much that will be - that's going to be up to Shaun and what he can do with his schedule. The deadlines are completely up to him to set and as soon as we get an idea of when the game could be available we will let you know.

I didn't really mean early in the baseball season. I figured there was no way that'd happen. But I meant like I dunno - before the end of this baseball season I suppose. Gotcha though.