Latest From Jim

[Ben E Lou]

"Meanwhile, I had promised people another Front Office Football update by the end of October. Again, I apologize, but I am still waiting to hear information that would allow me to make the decision whether to proceed with FOF9. Development remains on hold and I continue to learn new techniques. We’ll try again next month. As we all know by now, I am really, really bad at adjusting to the obvious. I beat myself up all the time about it, but unfortunately, it’s just who I am."


Full post here: Home Field and Scoring in the NFL, an Update – Football Frontier

[Antmeister]

Nice. Regardless of what information he hears, the fact that he wrote he is continuing to learn new techniques leads me to believe there is a CHANCE we get a new version. Because from the past, if Jim is kicking around new ideas, this tends to motivate him to try it out in a newer version.

[NawlinsFan]

Interesting. Curious as to the information he is waiting on, other potential employment? Like Ant though states he is still learning which is good news. I think most will agree that of the other game engines out there his is by far the most complete and representative of this sport. I respect his desire to push this alone and only wished there were a means of getting him some assistance allowing him to shed some of the load.

Here's to being patient!

[PilotMan]

At this point some news is better than simply not knowing where of what, if anything, might be coming. Rather than things just disappearing off into the sunset.

[james17]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

At this point some news is better than simply not knowing where of what, if anything, might be coming. Rather than things just disappearing off into the sunset.

You mean like how OOTP screwed this whole thing up?

Meanwhile, it's great to hear from Jim. Whatever this 'information' is, I just hope it's for the best for him.

[RD]

Is it really that difficult to say, yes there will be another version or no there will not be one?

[Millerp33]

Thanks for the update Jim. During this down time I’ve been hoping Jim would find that spark and we would either get a new version or an updated FOF8. I imagined an 80’s style montage where Jim working feverishly and excitedly.... alas that didn’t happen..... yet..... until then I’ll push through with my SP season. FOF is head and shoulders above all other sim games so I’ll patiently wait. Onward and upward go the 2028 Philadelphia Eagles!!! On the road to Victory!!!

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by james17

OOTP screwed this whole thing up

I've been resisting this POV... but I'm rapidly approaching it now.

[NawlinsFan]

Originally Posted by RD

Is it really that difficult to say, yes there will be another version or no there will not be one?

It is the way of Jim! One practices patience and awaits the planetary alignment.

[NawlinsFan]

Originally Posted by james17

You mean like how OOTP screwed this whole thing up?

In a dream world I saw OOTP reaching back out to him with an offer of his own dedicated staff.






Then I woke up.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by james17

You mean like how OOTP screwed this whole thing up?

Meanwhile, it's great to hear from Jim. Whatever this 'information' is, I just hope it's for the best for him.

Yep, OOTP took a great plan and crushed it into bits. It's not as if this niche of the gaming world is loaded with great ideas and success from corner to corner. There's something worthwhile here and it wasn't treated as such.

[MIJB#19]

It feels kind of like a "+1", but it's encouraging that Jim's coming up with updates. Even a "not much to report" is a sign that FOF9 isn't out of the picture.

[AlexB]

Agreed, although it looks pretty, the Wolverine game isn’t even close to FOF as a sim, and hopefully Jim can find a way to market

[NawlinsFan]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Agreed, although it looks pretty, the Wolverine game isn’t even close to FOF as a sim, and hopefully Jim can find a way to market

Agreed! I tried to see if I could enjoy it, even made a few of the graphics sets for it, but just couldn't stay there. The game mechanics have come a long way since Brooks started it, the new Wolverine GUI is nice, but the overall game play just isn't there. The game now sits on my drive collecting dust, a shame.

[echolodge]

Originally Posted by NawlinsFan

Agreed! I tried to see if I could enjoy it, even made a few of the graphics sets for it, but just couldn't stay there. The game mechanics have come a long way since Brooks started it, the new Wolverine GUI is nice, but the overall game play just isn't there. The game now sits on my drive collecting dust, a shame.

If only we could merge Wolverine like graphics with Jim's game engine, I'd be happy. Historical rosters would be great too.

[Pacersfan46]

Originally Posted by NawlinsFan

Agreed! I tried to see if I could enjoy it, even made a few of the graphics sets for it, but just couldn't stay there. The game mechanics have come a long way since Brooks started it, the new Wolverine GUI is nice, but the overall game play just isn't there. The game now sits on my drive collecting dust, a shame.

This is what actually brought me here again (realized I had a private message from 2014 I never saw - lol). I tried to play The DDS PF game and just no. I started off a new game with a player draft and had all 97+ offensive line starters just to see what would happen and I felt like it did nothing. Then I saw the 'salary cap' and how it worked. Woof.

So I came back here to reinstall the old games. Unfortunately even though I'm admin, my PC really does not want me to change write permissions so TCY may be beyond my reach. Good to hear something new might be coming "soon" ... as we know that's relative here

**EDIT** Also I heard about the OOTP plan, and I was super encouraged. RIP that I suppose.

[b1gd51]

Don't even get me started on DDS.

Gary was pimpin' that game out like crazy on the OOTP-FOF forum until I mistakenly bought the hype and both the college and pro football games they offered... then quickly realized that under that nice-enough UI they have, the gameplay is severely lacking.

I even had a spell where I helped w/ field logos on their college game and got about 3/4 of the way through updating the entire roster file w/ real-life contract/salary cap values only to discover their system was also a mess. Then I finally decided to buy FOF for the first time ever (FOF 8), became instantly hooked, and never touched DDS again.

Great customer service they have in regards to communication on their official forum. I can give them that, but their entire lineup across every sport they make a game for seems half-assed and left me feeling cheated based on what I was sold by Gary at first.

But anyway, on the FOF note right now where Jim is at... is anyone here familiar w/ Duece Douglas on the Madden OS forum?

He created a thread 4 years ago entitled Connected Franchise Mode: A Rebuild which has stayed relevant throughout. He's put a ton of work into not only the gameplay aspect of improving Franchise in Madden, but equally as much into providing mock-up visuals for his ideas.

Ever since OOTP screwed Jim over -- and considering the only thing lacking for FOF seems to be the visual/UI aspect -- I've just felt as if these two would be perfect for each other in working on the next FOF. I mean, if Duece is willing to put all of that work into that thread for free, I can only imagine he'd be willing to help w/ the design aspect of FOF the same way. It's not like his ideas are going to be considered by EA/Tiburon by now.

Is there any way to reach Jim -- other than this forum -- and take a shot at making this happen?

[NawlinsFan]

Reviewed his stuff, amazing. It's obvious he is dedicated to adding to that game but some of those screens, IMO, could create a foundation to move forward from.

[Ben E Lou]

Another small update:

Again, to non-update FOF9 News, I am still waiting for information related to the project that will determine what I do next. When I have that information, I will let everyone know what will happen. I thought I’d have an announcement back in August, but some things are a lot harder to finish in our new world and I think that’s what causing this delay. Can’t say for certain, only that I know how I’ll proceed either way – it just makes no sense to announce anything under these circumstances. Normally, I’d just keep quiet about everything until I had something to say, but I don’t want people to think I’m holding back on information given that FOF9 was originally announced more than two years ago.

From the Home of Small Sample Sizes – Football Frontier

[james17]

Really glad he's keeping us informed even though progress is slow. Very classy and so 'un-OOTP' like.

[echolodge]

I agree. I am really rooting for Jim to improve a game that is already outstanding.

[TroyF]

Well wishes Jim. I would love another game, but I hope you are happy doing whatever you do. FOF has given me many hundreds of hours of enjoyment.

[thefatcat]

So it's a few days from being 6 months since OOTP screwed Jim and i guess all of us and we've had no update on what happens next apart from Jim saying he is thinking whether he should continue or not etc. 6 months is a lot of thinking time and let's be honest if you think about taking on a big project for 6 months your hearts not really in is it? So do people this is the last version or ?

[NawlinsFan]

Originally Posted by thefatcat

So it's a few days from being 6 months since OOTP screwed Jim and i guess all of us and we've had no update on what happens next apart from Jim saying he is thinking whether he should continue or not etc. 6 months is a lot of thinking time and let's be honest if you think about taking on a big project for 6 months your hearts not really in is it? So do people this is the last version or ?

My personal take, which means squat. Not hearing from Jim for me is the norm. He has never been very open to discussing plans from what I have seen. With that his last comments hinting that the earliest anything could/would be ready would be April. I have my toes crossed that this was in fact a hint and that he let out and when added to his comment about learning new techniques that he just may be working the code from the OOTP fiasco into a working format. One other point that may also be a stretch. In his last Frontier blog he discusses his creating a new variant of the Quarterback Rating System. Within this discussion he mentions this -

"In order to create a simulation, you have to model something. The more you incorporate into your model, the more engrossing the simulation. But that means you have to make more decisions about what you’re modeling. Some random chance is necessary – you can’t have a sports simulation without some elements of randomness."

There is more in the blog but I found this interesting in that in the middle of discussing his QBR version he relates it to creating a simulation. Again, a stretch? Maybe. Maybe it's nothing more than having hope that he hasn't abandoned it and wanting to believe that in typical Jim fashion he will let us know something in the next few months as "he" is comfortable with what he has developed and where it sits on his development timeline.

So toes, fingers, eyes all crossed that I may be right. In the end though, only one person knows for sure.

[tald]

Encouraging to hear anything from Jim. I like many anxiously await news of a new program.

[Sharkn20]

Originally Posted by thefatcat

So it's a few days from being 6 months since OOTP screwed Jim and i guess all of us and we've had no update on what happens next apart from Jim saying he is thinking whether he should continue or not etc. 6 months is a lot of thinking time and let's be honest if you think about taking on a big project for 6 months your hearts not really in is it? So do people this is the last version or ?

That´s what you and your legion of moaners achieved, congratulations.

[thefatcat]

Originally Posted by Sharkn20

That´s what you and your legion of moaners achieved, congratulations.

What are you going on about and who are the legion of moaners? If you are looking for a fight i just do not have the time or patience to listen to you, there are way to many sh-t things going on in the world