Alright Boyz, Here We Go!!!! (OOTP 2007 release thoughts!!!)

[lynchjm24]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I haven't even reloaded ootp 2007 after going back to Windows XP, anyone here still playing?

I've been playing a lot.

I've turned off everything though. Scouting sucks - off. Morale is stupid - off. Coaching sucks - off. Personalities don't do much for me - off.

3 levels of minors using ghost players and 30 team MLB fictional. My computer won't run facegen, but I don't think it's all the important anyway.

My only complaint is that the AI isn't aggressive enough when signing the top pitching free agents. I can develop hitters, but I've stayed on top by signing the top free agent pitchers much of the time.

I'm used to the interface, I've pretty much gotten to where I only use about 15 screens and it becomes more manageable once you get used to it.

[GoDukes]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I think I've come to the realization that ootp has finally passed me by.

This game jumped the shark for me when all of the waiver features were introduced. Became too much. That, coupled with the slow development/improvement of the overall game just bummed me out. How far has it really come from v.5?

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

I've been playing a lot.

I've turned off everything though. Scouting sucks - off. Morale is stupid - off. Coaching sucks - off. Personalities don't do much for me - off.

3 levels of minors using ghost players and 30 team MLB fictional. My computer won't run facegen, but I don't think it's all the important anyway.

My only complaint is that the AI isn't aggressive enough when signing the top pitching free agents. I can develop hitters, but I've stayed on top by signing the top free agent pitchers much of the time.

I'm used to the interface, I've pretty much gotten to where I only use about 15 screens and it becomes more manageable once you get used to it.

Agreed, I turn off scouting (don't see the point), and have never, ever used coaches.

[Fouts]

Can't manage every games because the game crashes when trying to replace an injured pitcher. Once they fix that I'll play it again.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Fouts

Can't manage every games because the game crashes when trying to replace an injured pitcher. Once they fix that I'll play it again.

They're not going to fix that because I'm pretty sure it's only you - have you tried the tech support forum or reinstalling?

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

I've been playing a lot.

I've turned off everything though. Scouting sucks - off. Morale is stupid - off. Coaching sucks - off. Personalities don't do much for me - off.

3 levels of minors using ghost players and 30 team MLB fictional. My computer won't run facegen, but I don't think it's all the important anyway.

My only complaint is that the AI isn't aggressive enough when signing the top pitching free agents. I can develop hitters, but I've stayed on top by signing the top free agent pitchers much of the time.

I'm used to the interface, I've pretty much gotten to where I only use about 15 screens and it becomes more manageable once you get used to it.

You were the last person I would expect to be still playing.

[Fouts]

Originally Posted by molson

They're not going to fix that because I'm pretty sure it's only you - have you tried the tech support forum or reinstalling?

It is already posted in the tech forums. Posted every couple weeks, and mostly ignored. I hardly think its just me.

[markprior22]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I haven't even reloaded ootp 2007 after going back to Windows XP, anyone here still playing?

It's pretty much all I play anymore. That will probably change when fb season gets closer but for now I am in year 4 of a fictional league and having a blast.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I haven't even reloaded ootp 2007 after going back to Windows XP, anyone here still playing?

Still playing 'em out one game at a time from a league I started in v4 (2002-2014 managing every game). Just finished my first season (in v2007) and have made it to the NLCS, up 2-0 with a now mostly fictional Cubs team.

I let the AI run my minors and overall am happy with where it plays players so the game isn't any more work than 6.5 for me to play. Been much happier with the pitching in v2k7. Previous versions, especially 6.5 and before, would give me two or three 20-game winners with sub 3 ERA's every year. My current year only Prior (started with Rolen17's 2002 real roster) had a sub 3 ERA. My next best pitcher is a stud but only managed a 3.40ish ERA and a 14-10 record and two of my starters were over 4.00 (pretty much unheard of for me before 2k7).

So as for me and the way I play (solo and manage every inning of every game), the game is still as much or even more fun than pre SI releases.

FWIW I use all the bells and whistles and have no problem overlooking some of the shortcomings. Doing this to me is easy when I think back to the days of playing only season replays with SOM and having to do all the stat work etc by hand.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

I've been playing a lot.

I've turned off everything though. Scouting sucks - off. Morale is stupid - off. Coaching sucks - off. Personalities don't do much for me - off.

3 levels of minors using ghost players and 30 team MLB fictional. My computer won't run facegen, but I don't think it's all the important anyway.

My only complaint is that the AI isn't aggressive enough when signing the top pitching free agents. I can develop hitters, but I've stayed on top by signing the top free agent pitchers much of the time.

I'm used to the interface, I've pretty much gotten to where I only use about 15 screens and it becomes more manageable once you get used to it.

That's exactly how I've been playing OOTP5, except my complaint is not being aggressive in signing FAs (I tweak the game to make this the most competitive part of the season for the AI, to the point where I lose bidding wars all the time) but in that the AI really doesn't manage historical pitching staffs very well. In my recent career in playing before the Golden Age for the first time, it becomes almost laughable. I think I'll stick with the Golden Age as I usually have done since it knows how to play that well. I know v2007 does a better job in this, from what I have read, but I would need to get rid of 90% of the features and 90% of the screens, as well as overlook that they did not include some of the key reports from previous versions. Those make it a turn off for me to want to spend the time and effort to play.

[lynchjm24]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

You were the last person I would expect to be still playing.

Well, they need to go back to the drawing board on some things.

But I will give them this:

The AI use of waivers is much improved - I don't see any prospects to claim

If you set trades to very hard it's not bad

You cannot just collect prospects because they aren't nearly as sure a bet as they used to be

They seemed to improve the draft AI in the last patch, and except for not valuing the stud relievers enough it does a good job of recognizing the top talent.

The built in baseball-reference type tool really is awesome.

The frequency and severity of injuries seem realistic to me.




If I could change one thing:

I would tie the talent increases and decreases to their actual results in some fashion. It's just odd to see a guy having a great season at AA and you get reports that his potential is lower, while a guy hitting .200 will get a huge increase. I don't mind that happening sometimes, but as players move up the results should drive the opinion of the scouts somewhat. Also players should need to be getting playing time to get talent increases when you have the minor leagues enabled.

[lynchjm24]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Those make it a turn off for me to want to spend the time and effort to play.

I think this is a key. You need to really invest some time. To learn and to play even after you've got a system to enjoy it. It isn't a game I can play if I've got an extra 45 minutes, because by the time you get it loaded and get yourself situated you are almost out of time. I'd say a season takes me 3 to 4 times longer to play then it did in v. 5 or v. 6. I've only started one league and I'm in 2014. To play a season it's at least 4-5 hours of playing time, and I never play a game out. Now part of that is my computer is older, but it's mostly the game takes longer to play.

[MizzouRah]

I'll continue to read your thoughts if you post them lynchjm as I know you don't sugar coat anything as far as ootp is concerned.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

Well, they need to go back to the drawing board on some things.

But I will give them this:

The AI use of waivers is much improved - I don't see any prospects to claim

If you set trades to very hard it's not bad

You cannot just collect prospects because they aren't nearly as sure a bet as they used to be

They seemed to improve the draft AI in the last patch, and except for not valuing the stud relievers enough it does a good job of recognizing the top talent.

The built in baseball-reference type tool really is awesome.

The frequency and severity of injuries seem realistic to me.




If I could change one thing:

I would tie the talent increases and decreases to their actual results in some fashion. It's just odd to see a guy having a great season at AA and you get reports that his potential is lower, while a guy hitting .200 will get a huge increase. I don't mind that happening sometimes, but as players move up the results should drive the opinion of the scouts somewhat. Also players should need to be getting playing time to get talent increases when you have the minor leagues enabled.

I've had a great, "nothing to do" weekend and loaded up Icy's template and started a new fictional career.

With coaches and scouts turned "off", I'm starting to get immersed into my universe somewhat.

I'll see where I'm at after a full season, but right now I'm playing it in 1-2 hour spurts, so it has my attention. I'm still overwhelmed at all the detail in this game.

[King of New York]

I started a historical sim in 1901 as the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins--I just finished up the 1990 season. I'm going to take it through 2001.

I have discovered that, by turning off the "recalc historical financials" feature, the AI has become a lot tougher--it seemed to be having some trouble dealing with moving financial targets each season. I'm playing with trading set to "very hard/heavily favor prospects," stars turned off, 1-5 rating system, player development and aging are slowed slightly.

This time out, the game has given me a pretty good challenge. I have not won the World Series since 1974, and I didn't win a World Series between 1909 and 1933. I did get a good dynasty going between 1940 and 1947, but I only won one out of six world series in which I played during that time.

[MizzouRah]

Mid way through my first season and I'm ahead of Houston by 2 games (fictional). I know the interface pretty well and I agree with lynchjm24, it's not a game I can just sit down for 15 mins and play.. takes me an hour or so to really get things rolling, which isn't a bad thing.. there is a TON of baseball information at your mouse pointer.

I have coaches turned off, is there a way to still be more of a "gm" and watch a game, like how you can with the All Star game? If I bring a AAA player up, I like to watch his first game.. but I don't think there is a way around managing the game?

[darkenigma510]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Mid way through my first season and I'm ahead of Houston by 2 games (fictional). I know the interface pretty well and I agree with lynchjm24, it's not a game I can just sit down for 15 mins and play.. takes me an hour or so to really get things rolling, which isn't a bad thing.. there is a TON of baseball information at your mouse pointer.

I have coaches turned off, is there a way to still be more of a "gm" and watch a game, like how you can with the All Star game? If I bring a AAA player up, I like to watch his first game.. but I don't think there is a way around managing the game?

Before the game starts, you can set the in-game decision to be done by your manager rather than by you.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by darkenigma510

Before the game starts, you can set the in-game decision to be done by your manager rather than by you.

Even with them turned off? I did see that option, I was just unsure if it would work.

[darkenigma510]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Even with them turned off? I did see that option, I was just unsure if it would work.

Sorry, not sure since I always play with them on.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Even with them turned off? I did see that option, I was just unsure if it would work.

Yeah, it works. You hire a manager and then turn coaches off and it'll do all of the same stuff, only you won't see the managers. I do it this way, because I don't like how the game counts manager and coaches salaries against payroll numbers.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Yeah, it works. You hire a manager and then turn coaches off and it'll do all of the same stuff, only you won't see the managers. I do it this way, because I don't like how the game counts manager and coaches salaries against payroll numbers.

Yeah, me either.

Thanks!!

[lynchjm24]

Originally Posted by King of New York

heavily favor prospects

In my fictional leagues I have always gone with heavily favor prospects. In this version though I think this might put the AI at a disadvantage as prospects seem to be much more volitale.

[EagleFan]

Just wanted to chime in and thank Marcus, Marc and the guys at SI for the fine job they did on the game. Not to sound like a fanboy but I have been having a blast with this game.

It does seem a little overwhelming at times so I tried a league with just the Japanese leagues (major and minor) to keep the number of players down to a manageable level and am running Tokyo. I have been managing every game and have been having a blast. I love the ups and downs of either watching some on the team overperform or the frustration of trying to find a closer that doesn't want to do an imitation of "Flash" Gordon in the clutch.

The only annoying thing is the lack of variety in the names of the Japanese players as it seems like eveyr team has the same set of last names in their players (There's a Yashamura on every team, more than one Abe on every team, and so on...). That has made it a little tougher getting used to my team (especially my relief pitchers who seem to all have names that sound alike).

[Young Drachma]

I did some research and rough calculations to attempt to create ballpark factors for a few cricket stadiums. The sheer size of the playing field in most makes it a pretty big challenge, but...at the same time, it's a lot of fun to be able to do it and I haven't tested it out yet for a game, but I intend to later this season in my current dynasty.

The premise is, it's not like America where you'd get to descrate the pitch by putting say 20,000 more bleachers on the actual field of play to accomodate the differences between the sheer largess of a cricket pitch and the relative narrowness of a baseball field.

Foul Ground size is extra large.

Kensington Oval (28,000)
(Barbados, West Indies)
Dimensions: (330/403/414/475/425/368/349)
Factors

LBA: .966
RBA: 1.017
2B: 1.039
3B: 1.293
LHR: .688
RHR: .710

Lord's (30,000)
(England)
Dimensions: (345/423/470/505/460/410/360)
A baseball exhibition was actually played at Lord's around World War II.

LBA: 1.028
RBA: 1.009
2B: 1.135
3B: 1.597
LHR: .580
RHR: .485

I'll be doing others later, but...it was a neat idea of something different to attempt to do.

[Breeze]

I have done several Strat-o-matic baseball replays and I'm just now starting to mess around with OOTP. I have a bunch of questions...but I won't go into all of there here. One that I would like to know the answer to is regarding the All-Star game (and yes I read the manuals comments on the All Star game).

In my Strat replays I put the All-star game at the end of the season so I can truly grab the best players for the season. In addition, I make it a best of 7 series - so I have a significant number of AB and IPs for the players. This information helps me determine who should be inducted into the "Hall of Fame".

In OOTP is it possible to:

a) put the all star game at the end of the season

b) make the all star game a "best of" series?

[Breeze]

I have another question...

In reading the manual I saw where the league can be set up to use Traditional Managing or SABRmetric styles. Is it possible to have different managers use different styles? So maybe half are Traditional and half are SABR guys?

[Mike Lowe]

I don't even know why I'm wasting my time asking but, is there a MLB all-in-one installed for this yet? Do any of the roster files actually produce real stats? I remember Cubby's sounding promising but I can't stand the inaccurate player #'s (bothers me..not sure why).

I'd love to play this game but can't get into the fictional (is there a fictional all-in-one installer? Maybe that would be cool) and have yet to see a good roster in about 2-3 years now.

[miked]

Originally Posted by Mike Lowe

I don't even know why I'm wasting my time asking but, is there a MLB all-in-one installed for this yet? Do any of the roster files actually produce real stats? I remember Cubby's sounding promising but I can't stand the inaccurate player #'s (bothers me..not sure why).

I'd love to play this game but can't get into the fictional (is there a fictional all-in-one installer? Maybe that would be cool) and have yet to see a good roster in about 2-3 years now.

Are you talking about uniform numbers? With all that goes into making these rosters, I would hate it if they spent hours correcting all jersey numbers for every player.

I think there are some things in the works, but nothing looks amazingly promising. I don't see why people just don't use Lahman and fill the rest of the minors with fictionals. In one season, there will be tons of fictional players in the draft. I doubt most people playing the game could even name the top 10 prospects on each team, let alone the complete minor league system.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Breeze

I have done several Strat-o-matic baseball replays and I'm just now starting to mess around with OOTP. I have a bunch of questions...but I won't go into all of there here. One that I would like to know the answer to is regarding the All-Star game (and yes I read the manuals comments on the All Star game).

In my Strat replays I put the All-star game at the end of the season so I can truly grab the best players for the season. In addition, I make it a best of 7 series - so I have a significant number of AB and IPs for the players. This information helps me determine who should be inducted into the "Hall of Fame".

In OOTP is it possible to:

a) put the all star game at the end of the season

b) make the all star game a "best of" series?

You can manually schedule the All-Star game to the end of the season, but not after the post-season.

And no, you can't make it a "best of" series.

[Mike Lowe]

Originally Posted by miked

Are you talking about uniform numbers? With all that goes into making these rosters, I would hate it if they spent hours correcting all jersey numbers for every player.

I think there are some things in the works, but nothing looks amazingly promising. I don't see why people just don't use Lahman and fill the rest of the minors with fictionals. In one season, there will be tons of fictional players in the draft. I doubt most people playing the game could even name the top 10 prospects on each team, let alone the complete minor league system.

I was thinking of doing this very thing with the Lahman database. The problem is that I've heard so many things in regards to the game not handling the development of players properly. I have no idea how to adjust the settings either as I don't have a ton of time to tinker. Does Lahman play well? I just don't want all of these young players taking over the league like I've seen and read about time and time again.

Thanks for the advice!

[CraigSca]

I'm sure this has been said ad nauseum, but one of the strengths and weaknesses is OOTP's customizabilty. I would have put an end to a lot of this a long time ago. It's like buying an EA game with 1000 sliders...who has the time to test them all to your particular standards?

[Young Drachma]

I created a market size spreadsheet that I think works pretty well if you're a solo player looking for variability and a more realistic financial experience in the game.

[stevew]

If anyone is done with their ootp2007, and would like to donate it to me, hit me up via pm.

[Huckleberry]

I just started playing this a lot recently. I'm running a replay from 1901 where I modify the expansion history.

Anyway, Ted Williams finished with 817 home runs. I think it was 817, definitely more than 800. Took the lead from Babe Ruth's 757.

Ty Cobb finished with almost 4,800 hits.

Walter Johnson won 626 games. Most of that, though, is a result of my running of the Cleveland Indians. The AI is obviously pretty easy to destroy in a replay. Especially when you set it up so historical rookies are imported as free agents. Obviously I know who to throw the money at to get them on the team in the first place. I was just quick-simming for stats purposes and wasn't looking for a challenge. At one point I had an outfield of Joe Jackson, Tris Speaker, and Babe Ruth. I had to trade Ty Cobb away for some starting pitching. Before that I had a rotation of Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Ed Walsh, and Mordecai Brown.

Anyway, with my lineups the pitching staff piled up the wins. At first I completely ran the team's transactions, then I let the computer handle most of the transactions. By the time I resigned from the team they still won the next four World Series after I quit.

But I had never had a guy hit 800 homers before. And no, Williams didn't play for the Indians. But the Phillies sure were happy OOTP didn't simulate WWII and the Korean War.

[rjolley]

I did something similar with OOTP6 and generated the CATO pages for them. You can check them out 2 of the leagues at whatif.dormir.homedns.org and hob2.dormir.homedns.org.

I added in some MLB equivalence for Negro League players, along with some friends and family. For the WhatIf League, I started off with fictitious team names in the usual MLB cities, then added some Negro League teams during expansion.

The HR leaders? In HOB2, Babe Ruth with 713 and WhatIf, Ken Griffey, Jr with 840.

The big winners?

In the HOB2, the Detroit Tigers won 11 WS titles in 13 attempts, while the Cleveland Indians won 7 in 12 trips. In the WhatIf, the Cincinatti Pride won 12 titles in 21 trips, with the Baltimore Admirals winning 10 in 16.

I'll probably do something similar with the new OOTP and the new PureSim, depending on which one I decide to pick up (which will probably be both, actually)

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by rjolley

I did something similar with OOTP6 and generated the CATO pages for them. You can check them out 2 of the leagues at whatif.dormir.homedns.org and hob2.dormir.homedns.org.

I added in some MLB equivalence for Negro League players, along with some friends and family. For the WhatIf League, I started off with fictitious team names in the usual MLB cities, then added some Negro League teams during expansion.

The HR leaders? In HOB2, Babe Ruth with 713 and WhatIf, Ken Griffey, Jr with 840.

The big winners?

In the HOB2, the Detroit Tigers won 11 WS titles in 13 attempts, while the Cleveland Indians won 7 in 12 trips. In the WhatIf, the Cincinatti Pride won 12 titles in 21 trips, with the Baltimore Admirals winning 10 in 16.

I'll probably do something similar with the new OOTP and the new PureSim, depending on which one I decide to pick up (which will probably be both, actually)

Yeah, the competitive balance was reasonable when every team was run by the AI. Having the rookies come in as free agents with no draft in OOTP made it way too easy to dominate. (If anyone's curious, this is accomplished by deleting the teams from the Lahman files for every player's stat lines)

But when I let the teams sign the free agents it got back to normal fairly quickly.

[rjolley]

Yeah, I can see that. I just let the players come in via the draft and let the AI handle everything themselves. If a team ran out of money, I let them handle how to get out of trouble and tried to make the revenue of the larger markets (NYC, Chicago, LA) be more than the smaller markets, though I don't think it worked out as well as it should. Also, it was great watching pre-FA baseball and players staying with the same team for 10+ seasons. Some very good teams couldn't overcome the dominate team of the time, even though they had lineups or rotations that would've been dominate in real life.