Jim's Next Game... Just 10 Days Away?
 

So I'm reading solecismic.com after being computer-deprived for the last week, to see if there are any clues about the new game. I noticed that the release date for FOF4 was Oct. 23, 2002. What are the odds that Jim is waiting for the one-year anniversary to release his next product, or at least toss us a bone about what it might be...

Very small, since he implied he'll be releasing info on what the game is very near the end of the month.

I'm thinking it could be one of the following:

- TCY2: The first was very well received. The College season is in full swing, and if he's made improvements that people want to see, it'd probably sell pretty well. Plus, keeping a lid on the title makes sense if this is the next project, as he wouldn't want to totally kill any sales of TCY between now and whenever he releases the game.

- Front Office Hockey: I don't know if Jim is a big hockey fan, but this could be a really cool game... only drawback is that it seems like EHM has cornered the market on this right now.

- Front Office Basketball: Probably a pro league version, but could go college... my guess is this is a long shot.

- Front Office Baseball: Lots of competition here, but with a statistically driven game like baseball, there's always room for improvement, and this sort of thing would fit well with Jim's fondness for statistical analysis. There's still time to cash in on World Series hype, but then it's a long off-season, and the demand for a new baseball game would be diminished, so I don't think this would be the best time to release this sort of game.

- Front Office Soccer: Highly unlikely, but you never know. There are enough Hattrick nuts around here that would buy it, and if it's multiplayer, all bets are off. The sour taste of the CM4 bugs also leave a window of opportunity open.

- Front Office Golf: Nah, I don't really think so, either... just thought I'd see how that sounded.

- Front Office NASCAR: Again, so unlikely I can't even imagine it, but I don't know jack about NASCAR, so I could be wrong.

- Front Office Horse Racing: Dear God, I can only hope. I would give Jim money for this now if he said this is what he's working on. I'd buy ten copies and give them to my friends. Nothing this good ever happens to me, though, so that makes this option a statistical impossibility.


These are the only sports I can think of that have the sort of deep statistical resources for the kind of games that Jim makes. Am I missing anything?

Dola...

I am missing another longshot possibility...

- Front Office Boxing: It'd be cool to train boxers, but I don't know if you could make an in-depth strategy game out of it...

It's not NASCAR, Jim already made that announcement.

Or a woman's soccer league.

Or a stripper simulation...


:(

it's also not curling or a political sim. (as per Jim).

My money is on Baseball, with TCY 2 being the 2nd most likely option.

I am partial to TCY2.

Now, I would like to see all of these suggestions, but I have to imagine which ones would be entertaining in the Jim Gindin format.

I think College Basketball would be a strong title that Jim would have fun writing. Baseballl, which just seems like a logical step away from football, is probably the ideal statistical geek programmers wet dream.

I'm not sure Hockey has enough stats to make it anything but a Solecismic Lite game. Unless it was the scope of the game that was epic - College/Semi-Pro/Pro/International...

Autoracing would only work with Jim if it included F1/NASCAR/IRL/CART and their minor leagues...that's the only way I could see player development mean anything.

Horsracing is something I am ignorant about, but I would imagine that the genre is so small that it wouldn't merit a serious attempt...unless it's like my thoughts on Hockey and encompass a much larger region besides the USA. But who cares about horse racing in Dubai that would buy that game??? But maybe I'm completely wrong.

The only other possibility that I see right now is FOF5.

So here is my betting lines...

TCY2 - 50%
FOF-Baseball - 20%
FOF-College Basketball - 15%
FOF-Hockey - 5%
FOF5 - 5%
Something else - 5%

I'll wager 5 dollars on TCY2!

Jim recently said that TCY is the game that saved his company...he says he owes everything to that game...think he still think about that money gold mine?

The reason I don't think TCY2 is next:

From solecismic.com

My desire to break into new sports continues to grow, however. In early 2003, I began work on a new simulation. In this field new challenges always beckon. It's been a tremendously rewarding experience.

After Mizzou's victory over Nebraska I was getting the inkling to start another shot at glory with the Tigers. I wonder if I should wait until his new game comes out? Does the latest patch update to the Tiger 2003-4 season? (This is what I keep calling this season to my non-Tiger friends to piss them off) I guess I could check the site, but that seems like a lot of work.

Y'know, I could have written those exact words.

Only difference is that's how I feel about a deep NASCAR sim.

"My desire to break into new sports continues to grow, however. In early 2003, I began work on a new simulation. In this field new challenges always beckon. It's been a tremendously rewarding experience."

Don't forget that Jim recently said that because of certain publishing problems he had to switch games. That problem was with ViaTech. That tells me he will release the next game by CD. He has stated that a huge problem with FOF4 was that there were copies left over. He has stated that TCY has sold a lot of copies....

My conclusion, TCY2.

Yeah, but didn't we read somewhere that he had to change his plans at some point since that time? Maybe that would give some weight to the TCY2 possibility (starting work on a new sport, rnu into problem, fall back on something a bit more proven), but it's all pure speculation now, isn't it?

FM

well, sab beat me to it...

Ok, this is something I've wondered about, and perhaps people here can shed some light. Why would an issue with publishing cause Jim to change games? He sold FOF and FOF2 without a publisher, right? And did the same with TCY initially. Why would a publisher deal falling through cause him to shelf a game to start working on another?

I can picture the PBP commentary now:

"Rudd turns to the left...
Rudd continues turning to the left...
Rudd makes a turn to the left...
Rudd follows his turn to the left by angling to the left..."

folks never get tired of this

"Why would an issue with publishing cause Jim to change games? He sold FOF and FOF2 without a publisher, right? And did the same with TCY initially. Why would a publisher deal falling through cause him to shelf a game to start working on another?"

Because if he's going to self-publish a game (which he did with FOF4 as well), he wants to make sure he'll actually sell enough copies to make it profitable. He knows that will happen with a sequal to TCY. He does not know that will happen with a baseball, hockey, basketball, etc. game. FOF4 did not sell as well as Jim had hoped. (He still has CD copies available and it's been almost a year) Chances are, he'd sell less (initially) with an entirely new sport. I think his best bet to make money is to go with TCY2. Remember, the new policy of ViaTech is to not pay people for at least 4 months. If Jim is counting on revenue from his next product, that money has to come in when the game is released. And if he's going to self-publish again, he has to go to the well where he knows he'll find water. (Good analogy? ;) )

But of course, this i sjust guess work using logic, and we all know how much people hate logic. :D

It's also possible that Jim was working on a non-top 4 sports (Football, Baseball, Hockey, Basketball) and because of what happened, he switched to a major sport. But I'm betting on TCY2.

What about a college basketball sim? It would be a different sport and a different direction, but at the same time, it could almost be a TCY2. Same type of recruiting and game play with the only differences made because of differences in sport. And plus, he wouldnt have to put together a full game control engine, just in game strategies and timeouts and such.

Based on the good point from Tigercat, my line is
TCY2 67%
College Hoops 33%

Maybe 50/50. Good call.

sabotai,


Nice analysis but that would mean that Jims entire future is just going to be TCY updates. This is his full time gig and he's always going to need money coming in as soon as he can get it. If he is only going to take the safe route then it's TCY clones forever.

Some would certainly be ok with that but TCY is actually my least favorite solecismic game. :(

Lord please let it be hockey or baseball.... or even basketball. .... or multiplayer FOF.

I hope it's TCY 2.... That would be my top choice..

I think it will be TCY2, but I wonder if the reason that TCY sold so many more copies than FOF4 was that because after 4 previous versions people just didn't want another pro version... a new game should sell more when you consider that he's essentially hitting the same market over and over.

Baseball, OOTP/Puresim is enough competition. Nahh... no way.

Basketball is covered as well.

Dammit Jim, just make TCY2.

TCY-College Basketball would work nicely

TCY-MrBug's Social Life is the game I would want to play. :)

Would the basis be about a guy who has a baseball team in a fictional league who can never get over the hump?

Whatever sport the next game is, here's hoping it is not a college sim. Recruiting and keeping players for 5 seasons maximum...blech.

First of all, he wouldn't need to keep putting out annual TCYs to mine a gold field as long as he did what he currently does - update the game and patch it like he does. Let's face it, it's time for TCY2, we're ready and the market is ready. If he releases a game with realignment options in the future when conferences go amok, then this could be a great simulation. It's his money bear, so why wouldn't he do it.

Also note that other football options are available - not just college and pros. Front Office High School, Front Office Other Leagues (AFL, CFL, etc), Front Office Football Agent, Front Office Sports Media, etc.

I want womb to tomb FOF. Wouldn't it be something to have a baby and introduce the kid in FOF: Pop Warner. Then its FOF: High School. Follow local media stories, recruiters, and so forth. Then it's on to FOF:TCY where the college years begin. After that, enter the draft and it's FOF, the original and see how your player does. And after retirement, it's on to FOF: SPorts Commentary where your player has to compete with networks, bad sporting events, and other commentators to come out on top!

Now that would be something.

-Anxiety

"Nice analysis but that would mean that Jims entire future is just going to be TCY updates."

Not neseccarily. It would mean he'd make a TCY sequal every other game, only if his previous did not generate enough. I think he's going to TCY because FOF4 did not sell out like he had hoped. Had FOF4 sold out, I think he'd be moving on to other things. After TCY2, he'll probably continue with what he was doing before, and if that doesn't meet sales expectations, he'll go for TCY3, but if it does, maybe he'll move on to something else again.

IOW< you go to money well when you have to. I think, just from the sound of things, that Jim needs to. "TCY saved my company." I think he's trying to use TCY to go from "being saved" to "being comfortable". And then try to move on again.

"What about a college basketball sim? It would be a different sport and a different direction, but at the same time, it could almost be a TCY2."

I think Jim had said (a long time ago), that basketball was his least favorite sport, so I don't know if college hoops would be up on his list of "want-to-do"s. And I don't know how willing Jim would be to doing a college game without a pro counterpart.

Again, all speculation on my part...but that is why it's fun. :)

TCY 2 Football would be awesome.

TCY Basketball would be sweet money.

FOF Baseball would be fine.

Anything else, I probably won't buy :(

I'm hoping for High School Football

The more comments from Jim that I read, the more certain I become of him next game. TCY 2 will be be released next, and baseball is what was ditched/put on hold. The reasoning being that baseball is the game he has always wanted to make, then TCY 2 replaced it because of reasons that we have already mentioned.

i could care less what the game is based on but i really want to play something "fun" again

I wouldn't mind TCY with about 80-90% LESS recruting.

As long as it isn't college sports, I'll be happy...

My thoughts on this are that TCY2 is very likely. However, I'm not totally sold on the idea that TCY2 is it. The argument is pretty strong. He was working on a new game in a new sport. I believe Jim admitted to that. A publishing deal fell through, so he shelved that project an moved to a different game. Logic would suggest that rather than switching to an entirely new sport again he would go back to something familiar so that he could get something out the door. It wouldn't be FOF5 since he just released FOF4. My gut says that he simply accelerated his plans to work on TCY2 next year, and moved it up to this year.

The only thing that bugs me is the timing. It would seem a little odd or awkward to release TCY2 near the end of the season. Yes, people will be interested, but during the peak of the recruiting season would make more sense. However, it might actually be good because he would get the pop from the initial buzz, and then another pop when next season starts up and he updates the game with a patch (updated rosters and conferences).

Just my $0.02.

It depends on what stage the game is at. Usually, Jim will not release any info until the game is about ready. Given that he gave up/shelved a new game a few months back and is about ready to make an announcement on the replacement, my guess is that it has to be something that was already a functioning game that he has updated, just based on the timing. Knowing the way he researches games, there's just no way he was able to research AND code a game in this short a time frame.

Of course, this might all be wrong if his announcement is that he's just starting to code a new game. But that's not his style, so I doubt it. My guess is TCY2.

A good NBA sim would be nice....

but if that isn't it, than there is Total Pro Basketball to look forward too.

I'd be interested to see Jim's reaction as he read this thread. :D

I agree with most of this, and I too think it will be TCY2. TCY was one of Jim's big moneymakers, saving his company. Let's not forget that Jim needs money to keep going. FOF4 was a year ago, and didn't sell quite as well as he might have hoped (though not bad). If he was going to have a major delay with a publisher, that would push back profits from his game which branches off into a new sport. So while that gets settled, he has to bring in revenue somehow, right? Well, TCY serves as a basis for TCY2 (I also think it is too early for FOF5 when TCY2 hasn't been offered), and we've given a lot of suggestions for TCY2, so write TCY2 to have some cash flow, they go back to the other game when things clear up.

As for the timing....yeah, I guess the timing might not be the best. But if it comes on the heels of the bowls, when we start to miss football, that could be a plus too.

For someone (like me) who thinks TCY is 90% recruiting, that would be a devastating thought.

I don't mind the "amount" of recruiting, but I think it needs "spicing up". More interaction, more information, etc.

I would like recruiting to be more indepth.

yep. Deeper is probably a better word than spicy. :D

One other thought. Jim has said that TCY is still selling. He mentioned that the Downloads of TCY have recently surpassed the number of CD's he sold. Since TCY still seems to have "some" legs, would Jim announce TCY2? It'd be like coming out with the DVD of Lord of the Rings while it is still in theaters.

Alas, I think the preponderance of evidence is that it is TCY2. Even if there are a few TCY sales tricking down the pipeline, it won't compare to the rush for TCY2, thus justifying the release.