Solecismic/FOF "State Of The Union"

[3ric]

Interesting new perspective on FOF:
State of the Union | Football Frontier (http://www.solecismic.com/frontierblog/?p=570)

[Ben E Lou]

This deserves its own thread.


State of the Union

I’ll confess. I don’t get a lot of hits on this blog, and part of me is curious to see if I can generate any traffic with my upcoming series of posts.
At this moment 15 years ago, I had just made a life-changing decision. I was a programmer working for a large corporation. The job paid well, but it wasn’t very rewarding. I liked most of the people around me, including my manager, but I absolutely hated working in a cubicle. I’m easily distracted, and need a quiet place to be productive. I was 32 years old, and on what I would term a crossroads. Do I continue to do mediocre, uninteresting work for a good paycheck the rest of my life? Or do I indulge myself and try and create something I love, with no security?
Something had happened at work a few months earlier. I was talking to an intern about the company politics. He had asked me why the senior team members were so apathetic toward the job. I explained that the tech boom was ending, and stock options weren’t the road to riches they were in the early ’90s. They were frustrated and had little motivation to work as hard as they once did. If you treat programming as a 9-to-5 job, you really can’t accomplish much. I was overheard by my team leader. Rather than discussing this with me, or even with our manager (who would have laughed it off), he went to the corporate representative who ran our division. I was called into the corner office and asked, “do you want to work here?”
Like most people in that situation, I lied, and sat through a half-hour lecture. I came out of it feeling embarrassed, angry toward my team leader (I immediately asked my manager for a new assignment, which I received when I explained why). And, perhaps this admission speaks badly of me since I continued to accept my paycheck, not very loyal to my company. I think the decision was set in motion that day. I knew that I would never be happy professionally if I didn’t run my own company.
I’ve been “inventing” games since I was a little kid. Deep in the nest of cardboard boxes containing remnants of my past life, there are dice-and-paper football, Olympics, basketball and baseball games. There’s even a cricket game inspired from our family’s frequent trips to London (I was born in England, while my father was on a sabbatical doing research for one of his books). They’re not terribly sophisticated games. No research went into them. They weren’t created for any audience. I played them myself, and created imaginary leagues. There wasn’t quite a Damon Rutherford (son of the incomparable Brock Rutherford, for those who recognize The Universal Baseball Association, Inc. reference). But it occupied a lot of my time, and a big part of who I am is rooted in these imaginary playing fields. I was never a good athlete, despite constant effort. This was my outlet.
So when (and I’ve written about this many times) I had the opportunity to review Clay Dreslough’s Baseball Mogul for Computer Gaming World, I realized that I wanted very much to create one of these games myself. And it was 15 years ago this week that I wrote a short letter to my manager, gave my four-weeks notice, and started preparing to make Solecismic Software my full-time work. On February 20, 1998, I was on my own. I have not sat down in a cubicle since.
Today, I stand at another crossroads. I have not done much in the last five years. My marriage ended in the spring of 2008, just after Solecismic Software turned 10, and money ceased to be a motivator for anything. Fortunately, I had saved most of what I made from Front Office Football, so I’ve been able to live off of those savings and the decreasing sales of my products by reducing any urge I have to buy “stuff” I don’t need. But five years of “finding myself” is really too much. It’s getting old, and I need to redefine what my life means. I’ve been able to work in decent bursts over the last five years. There have been a couple of free updates of Front Office Football – one that was almost the size of a new product in terms of work and value. And there was the card/board game the past few months. I think that was a good product, but not really right for a modern marketplace where the computer is far more efficient.
I’ve continued to research the game of professional football. In fact, I’ve created a pretty thorough database of quarterback performance over the last 40 years. I’ll be reporting some of my findings in this blog in the near future with a series of posts here. I hope some of you will find that entertaining and interesting. I wrote, 15 years ago, that when I started the Front Office Football project, I threw out everything I thought I knew about professional football. I let the numbers speak to me. Today, there’s so much more data out there. It’s time to throw everything out again. That’s what the quarterback project represents.
I still can’t say what the future holds. Now I’m 47, entering what people call middle age. I can’t make any more promises than I made when I was 32. I didn’t know what I could achieve then, and I don’t know any different today. I’ve been tempted over the last five years simply to put my professional and college games in “maintenance” mode and simply put out updates every year. But I don’t think that’s terribly stimulating from an intellectual perspective. It’s just a financial decision. If I do that, then I’ve become the “corporate” identity that was never satisfying for me when I was on the other side. Maybe some day, if I’ve truly created the games that capture everything I want to capture, I can do that, and use those updates to focus on one or two smaller features that enhance the experience. Certainly real prices have declined to the point where customers would feel that’s a fair decision financially and morally. But the games, as they stand now, are not “finished.”
I would like to finish them, or at least take them to the next level from a simulation perspective. The quarterback project is the beginning of that effort. Whether that results in a new Front Office Football this fall or not I can’t say right now. I might take this in an entirely new direction. Or I might build it into the existing framework and simply overhaul as much as I can. I’ve looked into the world of mobile gaming. While I believe this could be a good direction for my products, I don’t mobile-game myself. So I think, instead, I have to build something new and then maybe farm out that development if it’s successful.
I don’t have any solid answers, as I’ve written. I’m at that crossroads, and I’ve decided that I still love Solecismic Software and that there are many new challenges to face. I wish I could tell you what that means, but I can’t. Any more than I could have told you 15 years ago when none of you would have been very interested. I’m glad you care (enough to have read this far). It means a lot to me to realize there are people out there who believe in my vision. But part of why I’m capable of these things means I can’t realistically make promises. And for me to do effective work, I have to let the work come organically, from my love of sports and my love of numbers.
Will there be regular status updates? No. I made a business decision after I released The College Years that hype is bad. That was a good decision at the time, for many reasons. Now that I haven’t put out a new Front Office Football in six years, it’s not so much a business decision as a personal one. I’m simply a private person and I hate disappointing people. I don’t like a lot of attention, frankly. Nor do I want to limit myself or put any type of artificial constraint on my work. So I might comment from time to time. I will definitely say something if I feel for certain that a new Front Office Football is imminent. I can say that my direction right now is firmly behind the professional football game, and I will only return to the college game if I find new success with the main product. Other than that, as always, the future is uncertain and waiting to be discovered.
I like discovery. I hope you do, too.

[TRO]

Intriguing.

[Dutch]

At some point, Jim needs to refocus on these titles, and by focus, I mean, he needs to roll up his sleeves, and get back to WORK. (WORK is defined as shit that sometimes isn't any fun and all of us on this planet have to do.)

Sounds like he's done a lot of soul-searching and dealt with a lot of tough situations, but now it's almost starting to sound like a bunch of scatter-brained ideas are screwing up his money-maker.

Jim, please don't take offense to this, but you didn't retire from cubicle-ville to make card games or board games. If you did, you would've been back into a cubicle by 2000. I mean, your ideas away from FOF and TCY have been nothing short of awful. You were meant to make FOF and TCY. PERIOD. That is what defines you as a man and honestly, it's a pretty awesome definition. Get your head on straight and take care of your business.

[Pyser]

promising update. really hope a new version of fof comes out of this.

[Julio Riddols]

Jim is our Bobby Fischer and I love him for it.

[TLK]

I have no idea what any of that meant.... but I like it...

[PackerFanatic]

I have no idea what any of that meant.... but I like it...

+1

[Solecismic]

At some point, Jim needs to refocus on these titles, and by focus, I mean, he needs to roll up his sleeves, and get back to WORK. (WORK is defined as shit that sometimes isn't any fun and all of us on this planet have to do.)

Sounds like he's done a lot of soul-searching and dealt with a lot of tough situations, but now it's almost starting to sound like a bunch of scatter-brained ideas are screwing up his money-maker.

Jim, please don't take offense to this, but you didn't retire from cubicle-ville to make card games or board games. If you did, you would've been back into a cubicle by 2000. I mean, your ideas away from FOF and TCY have been nothing short of awful. You were meant to make FOF and TCY. PERIOD. That is what defines you as a man and honestly, it's a pretty awesome definition. Get your head on straight and take care of your business.

Yes, I do find that offensive. I'm not defined by a couple of products. Nor is an idea "awful" simply because it doesn't lead to a treasure chest full of shiny coins. Some of the work (like the computer card game a few years ago and the physical card/board game this past year) has made me much more competent as a graphic artist. I don't know if that will lead to a prettier FOF, but it's good work. And, really, the board game art comes from a program I wrote that would go straight into a new version of FOF if there is one.

Was the board game a great business idea? No. And Kickstarter gave me the opportunity to see if it could become a great product without putting me in financial trouble. But I still came out with something pretty cool from the experience - something I can show my son and he can say, "yeah, great, dad, and I can use my smart phone to take a virtual walk on Mars..."

I like living more simply. Next door, I have neighbors now. They spent more than half a million building a humungous house. Two kids, two adults, two dogs. They moved in last month. Must have taken 20 trips with a good-sized trailer. They have three cars. They have a three-car garage. It is damned cold outside, it snows and ices a lot, and they have so much accumulated stuff that all three cars have never spent a minute inside that nice cozy garage. What is this obsession with stuff? Their youngest was outside playing in the snow last week. He was frustrated because none of the *five* sleds he owns worked properly on the hill in their back yard. The problem is the back yard. They'll probably buy another one this spring.

If life were about money, I'd have more of it, frankly, if I never left cubicle-land. I don't regret that for a second.

I don't think you're being respectful, and I don't see why you believe addressing me like a renegade teenager is productive.

I'm really a fairly sane and quiet person who happens to have a high tolerance for spending 12-hour blocks in front of a computer writing code. I also have developed a dislike of commercialism, probably from having my own dreams of a nuclear existence violated.

[MalcPow]

Looking forward to whatever happens. Appreciate the update, and appreciate the heads-up that I should be checking out the blog periodically. Always interesting stuff there.

[Abe Sargent]

We'll be here for ya, no matter what Jim

[NawlinsFan]

Thank you for your candor Jim. Life is more than living the grind from 9-5 everyday. Unfortunately some settle for that, there are some that have no choice and then there are others that find within themselves the ability to pack up their cube clutter and venture down a path that is good for their soul and life. I am glad to take away from your blog that certain potions of your life have begun to heal and come together. May the journey continue.

As you know we are a group of individuals that have found joy in the challenge, statistical feedback and representation of a sport we enjoy that you have modeled in FoF. We look forward to whatever path you choose with regards to it's future knowing that whatever decision you make you will make it because it is in your best interest and driven by the passion and desire within your heart.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

I really hope you find that spark Jim.. We would all love another version of either game, both are great.

In fact I still play TCY to this day, I have a team in Alaska and it's extremely hard (in a good way). I feel TCY is the best college football simulation ever created and I'm still finding fun ways to play it after all these years.

One concern is, the online leagues are in dire need of an update. I know our league would benefit from it, could bring in new owners and prevent it from closing (i've been there since 2004). It's getting tougher to recruit new owner to our league and an update would help tremendously.

Thanks Jim for listening and I hope you get that spark back. I'm rooting for ya.

[SirBlurton]

As a decade long lurker, I dug up my old log-in info just to say I'm glad you're still plugging away, Jim. I hope you find the same inspiration you found when you created FOF and TCY! But I also won't take it personally if you don't - what you've created already is "enough". Can't blame people for wanting more of a great thing though!

Also wanted to voice support for your musings about potentially finding someone to port to mobile - anything along those lines would be completely fantastic - and a "must buy" for me!

[Sebmono]

Another decade-long lurker here, good luck to you Jim! The thing you've created with FOF has been such an amazing boon for me, an eternal digital sandbox that has always allowed me to play and live out a multitude of fantasies and experiences. I will always be grateful and inspired by what you have created and look forward to anything else that you feel the desire to share with us.

Again, good luck, you are someone that I would never hesitate to support!

[scorp]

I hope the stuff you are looking into sparks you to continue on the football path your a re now on. Obviously this community wants more FOF, but if your basis for doing one needs to be from within, it only means you would work harder at making it the game you want it to be.

If that happens it would be something much better than doing a new version for us.

[SFL Cat]

I've moved on. I thoroughly enjoyed FOF and TCY when they originally came out, and multi-player extended my interest in FOF. However, a new FOF or TCY would need to be a lot more than an engine tweak for me to purchase them. At the very least, the new games would need to be as flexible as OOTP -- various league structure and configurations, ability to start games during various eras of football, and I'd absolutely love a option that would allow me to relive the football wars between rival leagues (i.e. NFL-AFL).

Making the game more flexible in these kinds of ways never seemed to be high on Jim's to-do list for previous updates. That's cool, it's his game and he can do what he wants with it. But I'm more selective with how I spend my $$$ these days too. I do wish him the very best, though, whatever he does.

[Raiders Army]

Jim, when it comes down to it, you have huge balls and don't need to take shit from anyone. There are many people out there with great ideas and many people out there with dreams, but you put yourself out there and are successful both financially and professionally. That says a lot about you and your gumption, for lack of a better word. While I would love an update to FOF or TCY, I still play FOF 2007 to this day (well, actually yesterday but whatever).

While some may believe that you are outdated and non-essential to this community we call FOFC, there wouldn't be an FOFC without you. Regardless of the future, I respect what you've accomplished. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

[TheFoosballWizard]

I have no idea what any of that meant.... but I like it...

I hope Jim does more work on FOF, but even if he never works on it again I feel like we got a hell of a lot of work on it from him for a really small price. If this game didn't exist I might have to *GASP* BUY A CONSOLE FOOTBALL GAME! Thankfully, it never came to that.

P.S. TLK, it appears I took over your FOFL team. :) They're the Parts Unknown Jackalopes, now.

[Firefly]

I don't think you're being respectful, and I don't see why you believe addressing me like a renegade teenager is productive.



I am reminded, after reading the original post and all of the replies, of what is called in astrology a Uranus person. These kinds of people like doing what they like to do. They don't don't like bosses. They don't like routines. They don't like responsibilities or traditions. They like freedom. Breaking molds. Finding the coming thing. Change. They work in bursts, following flashes of inspiration. They don't keep hours or structures that limit them.

On the positive side, they often have great minds and great ideas... and ideals. However, their creations rarely satisfy them, because their visions and ideals are so perfect they are nearly impossible to manifest in the real world. And they get bored easily, so they can have trouble finishing things.

And yes, they can have something of the rebellious teenager still alive in them, no matter their age or economic status.

Is this "right" or "wrong"? No. We're all free to do what we like. In my opinion they could be happier if they could find it in them to "negotiate" between the old and the new, between what is established and what could be, between freedom and compromise. But that's for each person to decide.

All the above is simply textbook astrology -which, by the way, is ruled by Uranus. Interesting, isn't it?

[Solecismic]

Thank you for your candor Jim. Life is more than living the grind from 9-5 everyday. Unfortunately some settle for that, there are some that have no choice and then there are others that find within themselves the ability to pack up their cube clutter and venture down a path that is good for their soul and life. I am glad to take away from your blog that certain potions of your life have begun to heal and come together. May the journey continue.


Thanks. I need to come up with more answers. It's unfortunate that this kind of work is incompatible with the cubicle world. But what corporations have to do (it's their responsibility, as entities made up of investors) is take a proven idea and sell it.

One concern is, the online leagues are in dire need of an update. I know our league would benefit from it, could bring in new owners and prevent it from closing (i've been there since 2004). It's getting tougher to recruit new owner to our league and an update would help tremendously.

I think FOF is in a place where it needs a new version rather than an update. The sport, too, has changed in the last few years, and my studies (something I have continued to do in the last few years) show that there are things I didn't model correctly in the first place. I don't think it's a good idea to stick with a framework I created in 1998 and thoroughly remodeled in 2003. Some things can be done within that framework, and I don't want to throw everything out (it will probably look very similar). But I don't think an update alone would be satisfying to owners.

Another decade-long lurker here, good luck to you Jim! The thing you've created with FOF has been such an amazing boon for me, an eternal digital sandbox that has always allowed me to play and live out a multitude of fantasies and experiences. I will always be grateful and inspired by what you have created and look forward to anything else that you feel the desire to share with us.

Thanks. That's really where I think games should go. More toolkits for the imagination than structured and scripted.

At the very least, the new games would need to be as flexible as OOTP -- various league structure and configurations, ability to start games during various eras of football, and I'd absolutely love a option that would allow me to relive the football wars between rival leagues (i.e. NFL-AFL).

League structure and era recreation are valuable. But they would be as large as any new version in terms of development scope. So I would have to balance that value, which would be tremendous for you and many others, against the value of other large ideas that would have greater value for other customers.

Unfortunately, I'm not the type who finds great value in league structure, so it's never been high on my list. I understand that's a deal-breaker for many, and I apologize. I hope the focus on statistical modeling and other additions/work has enough value to compensate. If I do this right, at least era recreation becomes a smaller development task down the road.

I can see why that answer might contradict my theory that good games fuel the imagination. It's really just a matter of scope. The NFL offers you a place where you can anchor yourself in a familiar construct. That's the fuel. Flexible league structure might offer more fuel for some, less for others (though certainly having a feature you don't use isn't a bad thing).

I am reminded, after reading the original post and all of the replies, of what is called in astrology a Uranus person.

What's odd, though, is that I don't have trouble finishing what I've started, even if it takes thousands of hours. It's more that my decision process for what's next is more driven by curiosity than a desire to maximize economic variables.

Astrology is cute and easily understood - that's why I chose it for modeling team chemistry. But the problem is that it encourages stereotyping and the theory itself has no scientific basis.

Don't confuse a search for meaningful and interesting work for rebelliousness. If you look at the computer field, you'll find a lot of people who aren't rah-rah types, but neither are they the rebellious type.

[MizzouRah]

Just like Gary and Markus's games, I'd buy a new version of FOF as soon as it hit the internets. :)

There aren't many games that hold their value on my computer like FOF has over the years. I'll be here waiting and hoping.

[PackerFanatic]

Just like Gary and Markus's games, I'd buy a new version of FOF as soon as it hit the internets. :)

There aren't many games that hold their value on my computer like FOF has over the years. I'll be here waiting and hoping.

+100

I've been here since 2k4 and even if I go a few months without playing, it still seems to suck me back in.

[StLee]

I am reminded, after reading the original post and all of the replies, of what is called in astrology a Uranus person. These kinds of people like doing what they like to do. They don't don't like bosses. They don't like routines. They don't like responsibilities or traditions. They like freedom. Breaking molds. Finding the coming thing. Change. They work in bursts, following flashes of inspiration. They don't keep hours or structures that limit them.

On the positive side, they often have great minds and great ideas... and ideals. However, their creations rarely satisfy them, because their visions and ideals are so perfect they are nearly impossible to manifest in the real world. And they get bored easily, so they can have trouble finishing things.

And yes, they can have something of the rebellious teenager still alive in them, no matter their age or economic status.

Is this "right" or "wrong"? No. We're all free to do what we like. In my opinion they could be happier if they could find it in them to "negotiate" between the old and the new, between what is established and what could be, between freedom and compromise. But that's for each person to decide.

All the above is simply textbook astrology -which, by the way, is ruled by Uranus. Interesting, isn't it?

Wow... you have described my personality to the nth degree. I'm 35 but perpetually 13 in my mind, and I had to go into a line of work where days are mostly different, though patterns do emerge.

[Mota]

I'm in for whatever sports game you create. I don't care what it is, I know you'll make it good. Hopefully you can find your motivation and come up with the next great thing.

[Firefly]

Astrology is cute and easily understood - that's why I chose it for modeling team chemistry. But the problem is that it encourages stereotyping and the theory itself has no scientific basis.



Oh, there's nothing easy or cute about astrology, believe me. I haven't even seen your chart at all! And of course, nothing's more stereotyped than astrology itself ;)

But that's all right. I don't mean to pretend that I know what you're like, let alone convince you of it. As I said, I was reminded of Uranus after reading your posts, that's all.

Glad to see it struck a chord with St. Lee, though.

[aston217]

But I don't think an update alone would be satisfying to owners.


Actually, I think an update would be *extremely* satisfying to owners. A very small number of changes within the current framework would extend the product lifetime significantly.

-Reduce the importance of that BPR bar a little bit
-Add a layer of unpredictability to draft picks. Keep it otherwise the same, but maybe a little extra dice. Mainly: rare should be the round 1 pick that we can point to universally as a mega-stud. It's too easy to sit far back in round 1 and scoop up surefires stars at whatever positions are left. Those teams should be taking more chances.
- Nothing else...interface, graphics, they're good. :)

Put a small price tag on it -- I can't think of a current FOF owner who wouldn't pay for that, and it would bridge the gap between FOF 2k7 and the next-gen, much revamped version. It'd also serve as a nice secondary project to the card game stuff, wouldn't it?

[Subby]

Just seeing this. Appreciate the update and I look forward to whatever Jim is working on. He has already given me a lifetime of entertainment for my gaming buck, so I can't really offer anything up other than a best wishes.

Best wishes, Jim.

[Morgado]

And Kickstarter gave me the opportunity to see if it could become a great product without putting me in financial trouble. But I still came out with something pretty cool from the experience - something I can show my son and he can say, "yeah, great, dad, and I can use my smart phone to take a virtual walk on Mars..."

Jim, I can't say that i've always liked everything you did with FOF and TCY (which is part of why I don't play them anymore), but I think it is great that you are enjoying what you're doing. Echoing Subby, I wish you the best on whatever projects you choose to pursue. Thanks very much for MANY hours of fun that I had with all of the different versions of FOF that I played.

[MIJB#19]

It's nine years already - I've been playing in the same FOF multiplayer league and I still enjoy it very much. Sure, over the years we've seen flaws in the game, but many patches came around, including the big change from FOF2004 to FOF2007. The overall trend has been that FOF was fun to play with. Many hours have been spent and I don't think I regret that at all.

[Kodos]

Do what you love, Jim. Especially if you can afford to.

Over the past decade, I find my interest shifting from the NFL to college football. A new TCY would be great. But a new NFL game would be welcome too.

[claystone]

Jim do what you love to do and if you love it "you never worked a day in your life".

So if designing games is what makes you happy, go for it. The money is just the bonus.

[bighouserulez]

I will admit i love FOF as much now as i started 10+ years ago.

I would be happy with an update, a new version, or just anything like this post showing hope.

FOF is a fantastic game that just does need a few changes.

[perez24]

Jim,

FWIW, I'll keep checking the site and will buy a new/updated/revised FOF if/when it comes out. If it turns out you don't do one, but do something you like, good luck. You made a helluva game multiple times and that's something that most of us can't say about ourselves.

[Dutch]

Sorry if my "rant against renegade teenagers" offended you. My military background probably was showing too much to get a response like that.

In the end, I wish you all the success in the world for largely selfish reasons (FOF is the greatest sports game ever made in my eyes) and I only bust your balls because honestly, I don't want to see FOF/TCY fade away.

[Gallifrey]

I enjoyed reading "The Quarterback Project – Waiting in the Wings".

Man you sure can crunch the numbers.

[Sef0r]

It's been 6 years, and a couple years since an update. Whatever it is you're doing, enjoy it.

You must have hit on something in your years of research where you've felt comfortable to blog it - and this is a good thing. You sound like the type of person who would not say anything unless they were confident they could see it through.

Look forward to reading about your QB research - and please don't let negative comments on your research divert your thinking...this is yours.

[tarmer]

Jim...

I do not have a long pedigree in terms of FOF or any of it's internal workings - I have recently purchased the game and honestly found it enjoyable but to be frank a little frustrating in it's antiquity..

Now before we start finding offense in what I am hoping is a productive post, let me finish my train of thought...

The game engine and "rational" as well as game play it's self is awesome - It is one of the best in what it is supposed to do. I realize that this is a labor of love so some of these following thoughts may have little to do with your personal goals.... One of the more frustrating features (and this has been noted several times before) is the lack of customization - For the solo player this is an issue BUT for the online player this is a huge problem. Computer games have so changed over the years with the advent of MP games everywhere. One of the best features of OOTP is the ability to customize a league to make it "different" than others so you offer a fresh game enviorment - You can change league format, Countries, even player names and nationalities and tailor make "special" enviorments. Filling 32 team leagues that have limited flexibilty from every other league gets challenging..

Another thought if one was looking at "new" steps to progress has little to do with the framework - With the popularity of online MMORPG games maybe what the next step is becomes looking more towards the future than the present... What if you put together FOF Online edition - This would allow managers from all over to play the game much easier as everything would be accessible through the internet..

My 2 cents

[Sef0r]

...What if you put together FOF Online edition - This would allow managers from all over to play the game much easier as everything would be accessible through the internet..


and also open to attack, hacking, ddos, etc...

I for one like the gui, interface. What I think is needed are more options for OFF and DEF plays and how to line up against certain formations. Be able to double team a stud WR and limit him to 4 targets (by smart QB) or 10 targets and some picks (by not so smart QB). I won't go on because there is a thread with a huge list of stuff that could be nice to have.

[33sherman]

I still play about 30 seasons apiece of both TCY & FOF a year. I can't resist around this time of year. TCY is my favorite, but yeah, it's pretty old. Sometimes I can't believe how much fun I've gotten from that tiny 4 MB game.

I would definitely drop $20 apiece for updates, but at this point I've resigned myself to that never happening. It's just too bad that this particular niche seems so unattractive to other developers.

[WilleB]

I'm getting excited for a new product and Jim has done an excellent job. Thanks Ben for your work as well, along with many others in the Community.

The WR and TE situations seem to be a priority and would like the LBs to also get a look. The WLB especially, being a coach, it's drives me crazy.

The graphics in my book are fine. I personally would like the option to place faces to the names. Don't care for an editor, but just for in-game personalization.

That being said, with this minor want, this new version is sure to be a success once it's given a chance and everyone is use to the changes.

Great work fellas.

[Flasch186]

Yes, I do find that offensive. I'm not defined by a couple of products. Nor is an idea "awful" simply because it doesn't lead to a treasure chest full of shiny coins. Some of the work (like the computer card game a few years ago and the physical card/board game this past year) has made me much more competent as a graphic artist. I don't know if that will lead to a prettier FOF, but it's good work. And, really, the board game art comes from a program I wrote that would go straight into a new version of FOF if there is one.

Was the board game a great business idea? No. And Kickstarter gave me the opportunity to see if it could become a great product without putting me in financial trouble. But I still came out with something pretty cool from the experience - something I can show my son and he can say, "yeah, great, dad, and I can use my smart phone to take a virtual walk on Mars..."

I like living more simply. Next door, I have neighbors now. They spent more than half a million building a humungous house. Two kids, two adults, two dogs. They moved in last month. Must have taken 20 trips with a good-sized trailer. They have three cars. They have a three-car garage. It is damned cold outside, it snows and ices a lot, and they have so much accumulated stuff that all three cars have never spent a minute inside that nice cozy garage. What is this obsession with stuff? Their youngest was outside playing in the snow last week. He was frustrated because none of the *five* sleds he owns worked properly on the hill in their back yard. The problem is the back yard. They'll probably buy another one this spring.

If life were about money, I'd have more of it, frankly, if I never left cubicle-land. I don't regret that for a second.

I don't think you're being respectful, and I don't see why you believe addressing me like a renegade teenager is productive.

I'm really a fairly sane and quiet person who happens to have a high tolerance for spending 12-hour blocks in front of a computer writing code. I also have developed a dislike of commercialism, probably from having my own dreams of a nuclear existence violated.

Now Im offended, why? Damnit, Jim! I need the power is what that neighbor kid is screaming eventhough he doesnt know it yet. Now Jim, his parents dont know it but you do. Go out there and show that kid how to tear that hill up ;)

[CU Tiger]

I'm excited for the new update, but sadly through the chat the other night and 15 re reads of this post, I FINALLY figured out what frustrates me to no end.

I made a career and a mini empire by being a chameleon my business changed as technology and customer demands changed. I made a bunch of money installing "home network infrastructure" when the whole concept blew the mind of smart business leaders...5 years later those same moguls could have their 8year olds "push the button" to enroll the wireleess modem.

If I didn't change, adapt and deliver what they wanted I got steam rolled into irrelevance. I remember being pissed when a concept I made a fortune on hardwiring and engineering was incorporated into an AVR and could be duplicated by a monkey...but I had to adapt and deliver the next widget my customers wanted.

I thought for a decade (and still do for nyone that cares) that plasma was a superior technology to LCD...yet as LCd and then LED backlit LCD took hold I installed and sold a ton of them. Not because I'd thought they were better, but because the voice of the customer was loud and clear.

With Jim I have just realized he is still trying to make the game that is perfect To HiM...and hopes other folks appreciate his vision. I really want so even to take FOF and make it what the masses want, but alas I finally realize Jim will not ever "compromise" his vision for the benefit of his customers as it would be "selling out to the man"...I respect that. I appreciate it. And it pisses me off that it took me this long to realize it.

Illbuy fof7 the day it's released. But I will likely never launch it.

Thanks for all the entertainment value JIm.