.400 Software Studio's major shake up

[T.C.M]

*** BREAKING NEWS ***     Markus Heinsohn, Andreas Raht and the OOTP and Title Bout development teams will concentrate exclusively on developing baseball and boxing games as Out of the Park Developments in the future. This change will allow Markus and Andreas to focus more on game development and less on company administration. Jim Trunzo will be the head of marketing for Out of the Park Developments, and Steve Kuffrey continues his excellent efforts in co-developing OOTP and as the support manager. Joe Stallings and Arlie Rahn will now serve as co-CEOs of .400 Software Studios, and will continue to lead the company's development of pro and college football, pro and college basketball, hockey and other sports simulation titles. Arlie was a software project manager for an international manufacturing company before joining .400, with Joe holding a VP of marketing position with a national investment management firm earlier in his career. On Friday, July 25th, the current .400 Software Studios website and the related forums will go offline. On Saturday, two independent sites and message boards will emerge online, www.400softwarestudios.com and www.ootpdevelopments.com. The forums for Out of the Park Baseball, Inside the Park Baseball and Title Bout Boxing will be located at www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/. The forums for the .400 titles, Tournament Dreams, Total Pro Basketball, Total Pro Football and Total Pro Hockey will be located at www.400softwarestudios.com/board/. Out of the Park Developments and .400 Software Studios will continue to have a symbiotic relationship, and you will be able to find news and information of both companies’ titles at both locations; however, they will be two independent companies, each providing products and support exclusively on its own website. Both companies will continue their effort in developing premiere sports simulation titles, counting on an excellent community that grows each day.

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[rexallllsc]

Wow. Wonder why

[Darkiller]

looks like these guys want to make a big push once and for all in this field of games.

[Ksyrup]

This is solely speculation on my part, but I wonder if Marcus was worried that the adverse press over the basketball game was affecting OOTP, in terms of questioning the quality. I don't really know anything about the boxing game, but all of the other games now just at .400 are either brand new or not nearly as advanced as OOTP is. Maybe this is a way to distance the long-standing, more stable OOTP from recent and future brand new products, from a quality standpoint.

For instance, when the football game comes out, if it has the typical first generation problems nearly all games do, this is a way to at least avoid someone lumping OOTP in with those products if someone swears they'll never buy another .400 Studios product again.

Also, by segregating the products like this, it allows the appearance that one company isn't biting off more than it can chew by trying to release a new game in every sport. Now, there are clear divisions as to which company is producing which sports. It provides the appearance of a more focused creation process.

Who knows. That's just my initial reaction. Has that boxing game been around for awhile? Admittedly, I have no interest in it, so I know nothing about it.

[Bee]

The Trunzo's have been doing the boxing game in one form or another since I was a kid...which was a LONG time ago. I think they've had 2 previous versions of the computer version. Neither game done by any programmers at .400 Studios and both games were IMO pretty bad. The upcoming version will be the first one from .400 Studios and looks like a completely new game. With the Trunzo brothers involved, I'd expect the game to have a very solid sim engine that will generate realistic results. The problem seems to be that they underestimated the amount of time some of the management aspects would take and the game will be released without much of the actual management portion of the game. So basically, it's a straight "boxing sim" as opposed to a "boxing management sim" until next year.

As far as the split goes, my guess (and this is pure speculation) is it probably has more to do with how profits are split than anything else. Sometimes in business it's a good idea to split revenue streams to give a more direct incentive to those involved with that specific aspect to improve the product or increase production.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Bee
As far as the split goes, my guess (and this is pure speculation) is it probably has more to do with how profits are split than anything else. Sometimes in business it's a good idea to split revenue streams to give a more direct incentive to those involved with that specific aspect to improve the product or increase production.

That certainly could be, but you can accomplish that within the same company if you really wanted to. That might be a part of it, but I still think this has more to do with branding than anything else.

But hey - who knows...

[Markus Heinsohn]

Hey

This should answer your questions:

http://www.400softwarestudios.com/bo...threadid=40528

The rocky TD release had nothing to do with it... and I didn't fear any consequences from possible bad future releases. Heck, OOTP had some tough releases as well

I just wanted to get back to the roots.

[ScottVib]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
This is solely speculation on my part, but I wonder if Marcus was worried that the adverse press over the basketball game was affecting OOTP, in terms of questioning the quality. I don't really know anything about the boxing game, but all of the other games now just at .400 are either brand new or not nearly as advanced as OOTP is. Maybe this is a way to distance the long-standing, more stable OOTP from recent and future brand new products, from a quality standpoint.

This was not the reason for the split. It's more an issue of allowing Markus to spend more time coding and less time trying to be CEO. In the end both groups still get along with each other and will coexist.

[Ksyrup]

Gald to hear it.

Hey, I enjoy a bit of harmless speculating just like anyone else!

[Easy Mac]

Originally posted by ScottVib
This was not the reason for the split. It's more an issue of allowing Markus to spend more time coding and less time trying to be CEO. In the end both groups still get along with each other and will coexist.

uh huh, a typical company resonse.

[Maple Leafs]

It will be interesting to see how the two companies do. The ideal software company would have two things: at least one well-recognized line of products to provide stability, and various new product lines (some of which will work out, some of which won't). The former can act as the "cash cow" to fund the latter, with the goal of seeing a few of the new ideas eventually move into the "established" category.

Seems like .400/OOTP had that set up, and now does not. That said, it's not as if all the .400 games are brand new with no history at all. And OOTP isn't completely matured and ready to be put out to pasture just yet.

[JPhillips]

At least we didn't get,

"Marcus just wants to spend more time with his family"

[ScottVib]

OOTP is certainly not being put out to pasture... I know Markus has lots of ideas that will probably take OOTP out several versions beyond where it currently is.

But in the end there is a lot of work to running a company that spans an Ocean with people distributed from Arizona to Germany, and a product line that runs 8 deep, and to do that and be the lead developer of 2 of the products is extremely difficult to say the least.

For almost all users (excepting beta testers and folks like me...) this change should be pretty transparent. Just an extra bookmark to link the boards, other than that you'll be getting the same great products developed by the same people, with the same quality customer service that you've come to expect.

It should be an interesting ride but I am confident both companies will continue to grow and be top notch developers of Sports Simulations.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally posted by ScottVib
OOTP is certainly not being put out to pasture... I know Markus has lots of ideas that will probably take OOTP out several versions beyond where it currently is.

But in the end there is a lot of work to running a company that spans an Ocean with people distributed from Arizona to Germany, and a product line that runs 8 deep, and to do that and be the lead developer of 2 of the products is extremely difficult to say the least.

For almost all users (excepting beta testers and folks like me...) this change should be pretty transparent. Just an extra bookmark to link the boards, other than that you'll be getting the same great products developed by the same people, with the same quality customer service that you've come to expect.

It should be an interesting ride but I am confident both companies will continue to grow and be top notch developers of Sports Simulations.

Exactly... I think I'll be 65 when I code the last version of OOTP

[Easy Mac]

you'll feel or be 65? if it is the former, I guess we have what, a version left

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
you'll feel or be 65? if it is the former, I guess we have what, a version left

LOL

[Anrhydeddu]

But someone still has to run OOTPDev, right? I guess becoming CEO of a smaller company is better than being a CEO of a larger company , huh?

Good luck.

(ps. As much as I think "symbiotic" is a cool word, don't overuse it. )

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
But someone still has to run OOTPDev, right? I guess becoming CEO of a smaller company is better than being a CEO of a larger company , huh?

Good luck.

(ps. As much as I think "symbiotic" is a cool word, don't overuse it. )

Well, actually I don't see myself as the CEO... Andreas does all the work that a CEO usually does. Although he won't be able to overrule my OOTP-related decisions

[EagleFan]

I can't see where anyone would think OOTP was going out to pasture. If that were the case there would be no need for this move. It seems more like a bad move on .400's part more than anything else, to split with the game that gave them a market. I hope this isn't the first step in the end of .400.

Good luck to both companies. It will be interesting to see where this ends up going. Hopefully both will succeed and we'll end up with a good MP hockey and football game down the line.

[ScottVib]

As Markus mentioned Andreas has always been OOTP/400's jack of all trades and this move allows Markus to get to the workload that allowed him to make OOTP the best baseball sim on the market today.

IMO it's a win-win (with only the inconvience of adding a new bookmark) for all parties involved, Markus gets to get back to doing what he enjoys most, while Joe and Arlie continue to develop the Total Pro line of games and Tournament Dreams.

[sachmo71]

I'm just waiting for the football game, and I don't care who programs it or sells it to me!

[hoosierdude]

I agree. I like both groups equally.

[Arles]

To be honest, this really changes nothing from my end as well. I will continue to spend almost every waking hour working on this football sim.

Arlie

[GrantDawg]

Say it aint so, Joe! (I just always wanted to say that). Good luck guys, and get that freakin' football game finished already (Not to mention ITP).

[Swaggs]

From Marcus in the .400 Thread:

What does this mean for OOTP?

It's all good news. I will have much more time now and can concentrate solely on programming and supporting OOTP (and once released, ITP). So, nothing will really change, I will continue to code the game and support it with everything I got.
----

I hope this does not indicate that another version of OOTP will be released before ITP.

[Draft Dodger]

is it to early to start the "is Jim going to team up with 400 and release his baseball game with them" rumors?

[Barkeep49]

It's nice that everyone is apparently still friends but this strikes me as just plain strange. Why does Markus leave .400 sports rather than just step down? I mean with his ownership stake I am sure he could have still be granted autonomy in regards to OOTP/ITP development. Yet he felt the need to strike out on his own?

In the end I just hope it makes for better games, but despite the earnest reassurances of folks like Scott it just strikes me that there has to be more to this story.

[ScottVib]

Originally posted by Barkeep49
It's nice that everyone is apparently still friends but this strikes me as just plain strange. Why does Markus leave .400 sports rather than just step down? I mean with his ownership stake I am sure he could have still be granted autonomy in regards to OOTP/ITP development. Yet he felt the need to strike out on his own?

In the end I just hope it makes for better games, but despite the earnest reassurances of folks like Scott it just strikes me that there has to be more to this story.

Remember Markus isn't striking out on his own, he's returning to the original format of the company. The only difference is that Andreas now has the additional responsibility of being the lead coder on Title Bout and the Trunzo's are a part of OOTP Developments. It quite simply is a move to give himself more time to do the things he likes to do, and spend less time monitoring the progress of other products and managing people. There really isn't anything more to the story then that.

[EagleFan]

Barkeep49 echoes my sentiments. There is most likely more behind the scenes, and that's fine.

Arlie, what do you mean every waking hour on the football game? Get that TDCB multiplayer feature up to par first.

[Eaglesfan27]

I also agree with Barkeep49's thoughts as I am having very similiar thoughts. I just hope both companies continue to produce quality games. If they do that, everything should be fine.

[korme]

ive read more and so my first comment was speculation

[korme]

Originally posted by Swaggs
From Marcus in the .400 Thread:

What does this mean for OOTP?

It's all good news. I will have much more time now and can concentrate solely on programming and supporting OOTP (and once released, ITP). So, nothing will really change, I will continue to code the game and support it with everything I got.
----

I hope this does not indicate that another version of OOTP will be released before ITP.

I hope it does.

[Buzzbee]

Joe Stallings and Arlie Rahn will now serve as co-CEOs of .400 Software Studios, and will continue to lead the company's development of pro and college football, pro and college basketball, hockey and other sports simulation titles. Arlie was a software project manager for an international manufacturing company before joining .400, with Joe holding a VP of marketing position with a national investment management firm earlier in his career.

Ok, now for a silly question. Since .400 is a baseball reference, and since Joe and Arlie are CEO's of a company that programs simulations that are NOT baseball, how long before the name is changed from .400 Studios? And what will the new name be?

Total Pro Software? (Not if they have pro AND college)
Total Sports Simulations?
Total Sports Software?
JoRahn Sports?
Starlie Software Simulations?
Total Studios?
Total Fiasco?

[Bee]

Perhaps Sim.NET?

[Joe Stallings]

[sachmo71]

Totally Stressed Programmers, or TSP for short.

[Fritz]

I am sure none of this has to do with the arrest....

[vtbub]

Huh?

[The Afoci]

The man loves his horses, it was bound to happen...

[Bonegavel]

Originally posted by Buzzbee
Ok, now for a silly question. Since .400 is a baseball reference, and since Joe and Arlie are CEO's of a company that programs simulations that are NOT baseball, how long before the name is changed from .400 Studios? And what will the new name be?

Total Pro Software? (Not if they have pro AND college)
Total Sports Simulations?
Total Sports Software?
JoRahn Sports?
Starlie Software Simulations?
Total Studios?
Total Fiasco?

I thought the same thing. However, even though I am not a baseball fan I know that a .400 avg is stellar. Reminds me of MTV. The started out playing music, and now you would be hard pressed to find a video on there but you still know it as Music Television.

The Total Fiasco is a little harsh Afterall, I don't know if they are becoming rich off of this venture, but they are doing something for a living that I would give my aorta to be able to do: creating simulation software.

[Buzzbee]

The Total Fiasco is a little harsh Afterall, I don't know if they are becoming rich off of this venture, but they are doing something for a living that I would give my aorta to be able to do: creating simulation software.

The Total Fiasco was all in fun. Note the little yellow circle with the eyes and the smile. Oh, and the wink too. Kinda like this.

{Edit} Kinda like the one YOU used that I conveniently overlooked. Ooops.

[daedalus]

In the end, does it really matter?

Base on past history, we know that:

• Markus will eventually pop out a new OOTP version.
• Markus will likely continue to listen to suggestions.
• Markus will likely continue to provide great support for OOTP.
• Arlie will eventually pop out the game he's working on.
• Given that it'll be v1, it'll probably have a difficult release.
• Some people will swear off .400 release and miss a good game.
• Again.
• Arlie will likely continue to provide great support for it.
• Joe will continue to patiently post and answer questions.
• Scott will continue to patiently post and answer questions.

Does it really matter if Joe's new title is Assistant Director of .400 Sanitary Engineering Department or CEO if we get the game we want to play eventually?

[Anrhydeddu]

Originally posted by Fritz
I am sure none of this has to do with the arrest....

You were not supposed to have shared that.

[sachmo71]

[ScottVib]

Originally posted by daedalus
In the end, does it really matter?

Base on past history, we know that:

• Markus will eventually pop out a new OOTP version.
• Markus will likely continue to listen to suggestions.
• Markus will likely continue to provide great support for OOTP.
• Arlie will eventually pop out the game he's working on.
• Given that it'll be v1, it'll probably have a difficult release.
• Some people will swear off .400 release and miss a good game.
• Again.
• Arlie will likely continue to provide great support for it.
• Joe will continue to patiently post and answer questions.
• Scott will continue to patiently post and answer questions.

Does it really matter if Joe's new title is Assistant Director of .400 Sanitary Engineering Department or CEO if we get the game we want to play eventually?

Several of those steps will be removed. We learned a lot of lessons from the Tournament Dreams release and are not anxious to repeat the same mistakes again.

But I can assure you that Markus will provide another OOTP, Arlie will provide TPF, and you will still see the same great support from both sides of the company that you've come to expect.

[Draft Dodger]

meanwhile,

Reese's has announced they will continue to make two great tastes in one candy bar.

[Swaggs]

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
meanwhile,

Reese's has announced they will continue to make two great tastes in one candy bar.

Wow. They are really happy about that Reese's.

[Daimyo]

Originally posted by Buzzbee
Ok, now for a silly question. Since .400 is a baseball reference, and since Joe and Arlie are CEO's of a company that programs simulations that are NOT baseball, how long before the name is changed from .400 Studios?

.400 is a baseball reference? I always thought it was in reference to the quality of the games...

[kcchief19]

Well, I have no reason not to believe the "official" explanation, so I suppose best wishes are in order. I don't believe the "official" explanation for a second, and I don't think too many other people are really buying it either, but I don't think it will make too much difference.

Frankly, everything Markus has said sounds vaguely familiar -- namely, Jim's relationship with EA. .400 was built entirely on the success of OOTP. The company was formed more than a year ago and has managed to release three games -- OOTP5, which was a given; Tournament Dreams, which I'm sure is fine now but was a total wreck and pooch screw for the first few months (although it sounds like that promised MP feature is still problematic); and Title Bout Boxing Trivia, which seems to me like an afterthought. Two of those games were the work of the OOTP/Trunzo team. So in a little more than a year, what has the rest of .400 done, except release a buggy college basketball game?

If all Markus/Andreas wanted to do was get back to their roots, there is no doubt that could have done it as part of .400. This split indicates to me that there is difference in opinion between these two camps. For my money, that's a good sign for OOTP but a bad sign for .400.

[Tekneek]

Originally posted by kcchief19
If all Markus/Andreas wanted to do was get back to their roots, there is no doubt that could have done it as part of .400. This split indicates to me that there is difference in opinion between these two camps. For my money, that's a good sign for OOTP but a bad sign for .400.

That is a good analysis. It very well could have been something like that, but I doubt an amicable separation would have people out here telling that kind of story.

Tournament Dreams is a good game, IMO. I was not an early adopter, and rarely am, so I don't have any scars from that.