Question for OOTP fans

[tinpanalley]

I need to know whether it's in any way possible to turn off ALL management options so that all I do or see every day is the standings, schedule, league stats, and the next game to play. I don't want anything else. Just the most basic type of season like older baseball video games that just tracked one season for you.
Is that doable in OOTP?

[mattlanta]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

I need to know whether it's in any way possible to turn off ALL management options so that all I do or see every day is the standings, schedule, league stats, and the next game to play. I don't want anything else. Just the most basic type of season like older baseball video games that just tracked one season for you.
Is that doable in OOTP?

Yes, that’s what I do as soon as I get the game each year to see how every players career pans out!

[tinpanalley]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Yes, that’s what I do as soon as I get the game each year to see how every players career pans out!

Ok. I'm understanding that there's no such thing as a quick play or exhibition mode, but then I can right now get an end of season roster and run a simulation of last year? Or edit that roster to update it and have it ready for April?

[Daonlyjmo7]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Ok. I'm understanding that there's no such thing as a quick play or exhibition mode, but then I can right now get an end of season roster and run a simulation of last year? Or edit that roster to update it and have it ready for April?

No. It’s always opening day. However, I believe ratings get updated.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

No. It’s always opening day. However, I believe ratings get updated.

Wait, I don't understand, that didn't answer my question... I asked if you can get an end of 2017 season roster and start a new season with it.

[CMH]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

You can replay any season.

So essentially you can start with a 2017 roster by starting the 2017 season.

You can go back to 1947 and play through that season and beyond.

Is that what you're asking?

[tinpanalley]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

You can replay any season.
So essentially you can start with a 2017 roster by starting the 2017 season.
You can go back to 1947 and play through that season and beyond.
Is that what you're asking?

Well, let me first explain that all I'm used to is simulation type games like we talk about here on OS. I don't have any experience with text-based games. Let me see if I can explain this properly. I've asked friends who have never played OOTP and they totally understand my confusion. Asking on the OOTP forums has gotten me nothing but confused faces and even bizarrely attitude. I guess people get defensive about things they like.

Ok... In any other baseball game, you can take any roster set you create or edit outside of game modes, then take that edited roster and start a season with it. So, because of that, there are constantly people here (be it with The Show, or NBA 2K, or whatever) updating rosters, making trade deadline rosters, etc etc. My confusion is that it seems everyone who plays OOTP ONLY ever starts playing with April rosters and never during the offseason do they want to play with rosters as of, let's say, January 1st.

I have never once wanted to start playing a baseball game in the offseason with rosters from the start of last season and I would imagine I'm probably not alone in that. So, I'm having a hard time understand what the appeal is. I would guess, "maybe people are so many years into their franchises that they simply don't care about current rosters". Except, the problem there is that everyone also seems to buy this game EVERY year to get the new rosters.

So I'm left with the following questions that I can't understand...
1. Do OOTP players play OOTP18 with 18 rosters and not play the game again with updated rosters until they buy OOTP19?
2. Does the game simply not come equipped with a trade mechanism to move players around at will?
3. Is this game not mean to be played the way we play other sports games? Is it purely a structure from which to play online fantasy baseball leagues? I can understand starting the 1951 season from the start and playing it any time but even then, I wouldn't want opening day, I'd want trade deadline or end of season rosters. Maybe that's just me.

Can someone help me out with this? I've been playing sports games for about 25 years and I've never seen a video game where I don't get how this game is meant to be used. Am I just totally nuts?

Thanks!

[CMH]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

1. I think you'll have a hard time getting answers to this question from the forums because the people in the forums are base fans that are mostly into OOTP for their fictional universes. Fictional being the key word here.

So even if they did start with OOTP 18 and 18 Opening Day Rosters, when 19 comes out, they are not starting over again. They are transferring their save file to 19 and continuing their franchise. Most people on the boards update the game to get the new features and to support the developer.

Now, for those that are into MLB Rosters (which by the way is a fairly new concept for OOTP to have on release day) they may very well like to start over again with MLB Opening Day Rosters.

OOTP does update the rosters during the season and I'm sure there are some people that start over again to use the new rosters, but I would bet that the some is very very few. OOTP simply doesn't attract those type of gamers. That's not to say you don't have the option to play that way, but you're unlikely to find like-minded gamers on the boards.

2. You can play in commish mode and do anything you want. Anything. Edit contracts. Change uniforms. Move players around. Change team names, cities, ballparks. If you want the Twins in the NL, go right ahead. The game is the sandbox of all sandbox games.

But back to point 1: understand that because a lot of gamers come to OOTP for that freedom, they are unlikely to start over again once they set their dream set-up, unless it's to create an entirely new set-up. So the roster question is hardly a question for the fanbase.

3. There is no way that OOTP is meant to be played. It's meant to be played however way you want to play it. It allows for a lot to go however way you want.

But yes, if you plan to play the 1946 or 2016 season, you start at the beginning of that season. Opening Day. With Opening Day rosters. There are no rosters for Trade Deadline 2016 or to start playing on July 20, 2016 with the rosters as of that date. I'm not sure any game allows this though?

[tinpanalley]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Well thank you for the very thorough explanation, it's the closest anyone's come to explaining what OOTP... is for lack of a better word. I appreciate it.

1. I think you'll have a hard time getting answers to this question from the forums because the people in the forums are base fans that are mostly into OOTP for their fictional universes. Fictional being the key word here.

Ok.. funny. Different definitions of "ficitonal" then. Because to me (just one man's opinion) if I wanted a "fictional universe" I'd more likely look towards a simulation game that actually gets imposed upon by you physically controlling the players. And I'd then think of going to something like OOTP for a "mathematical realism universe". Because the numbers are all there, there is no (or very little) human ability with a controller imposing results, and you sort of watch as the stats run their projections. Even if you are in fact "controlling" what occurs in the game. In short, I can "tell" Altuve to swing or take a pitch, but his ability to execute that isn't based on my thumb timing a button or control stick. Do you see why I always thought of OOTP as less, I don't know, hands on? I see what you're saying though.

They are transferring their save file to 19 and continuing their franchise...
some people that start over again to use the new rosters, but I would bet that the some is very very few. OOTP simply doesn't attract those type of gamers...

Ok, didn't know ANY of that. And in my defense it's not clear on the site that the game is aimed at that kind of player. I still can't get over the fact that there is no "Play Now" with ANY team in the entire database. I get it, start a fictional game, do a best of 7 between the 51 Dodgers and the 41 Red Sox, but I don't understand why those things aren't just "click play now, click teams from anywhere, go". And that's my simulation game past talking. Old Time Baseball could do this AND also let you create a "universe" to play a season in. Fantastic game, on a separate note. Even today.

You can play in commish mode and do anything you want. Anything.

The only thing with that is when you come across someone like me that wants to do not 'anything', but rather 'nothing'. Perhaps this game simply isn't for me but I absolutely can't stand sports video games that try to create an alternate universe of fictional events. Yes, I know, I should just go find something else. I get it, trust me. I'm not trying to argue that I'm in the right here or that things should be my way. There was a game called Hardball III by Accolade. Best version of the series. You had: MLB, full rosters, stat tracking, every team's schedule. Season ended, playoffs, world series, done. No injuries, no this guy's fatigued, no this other guy wnet out to a bar and got in a fight and.... none of that. Mechanical statistic simulations took place on the field that you controlled with a controller and no other interference occured. Yes, I DO get that the way I'm playing games ISN'T devoid of a fantasy element because I'm the one pushing swing and running to catch a ball and that theoretically THAT in and of itself is "fantasy". Sports games were like that for YEARS. Now, and I'm not even that old, I go to pick a play in Madden and the game wants to tell me what other people have chosen in this situation. And I could not sincerely begin to care less. And another guy is angry because he doesn't have enough playing time. Which is nuts because in real life, that guy would never have said that. That Hardball III experience is what I would want out of a text based game.

There are no rosters for Trade Deadline 2016 or to start playing on July 20, 2016 with the rosters as of that date. I'm not sure any game allows this though?

No not starting on a specific date, no game can do that, although that would be awesome just for pennant races alone. But what I'm saying is that I'd want the option to take a roster from the end of the playoffs and start on April 1st 2017 in OOTP18 with that roster set, or take that end of season roster, go through the league updating the teams (trades, waivers, FA signings) to get them to opening day 2018 and play with that in 3 months.

Sorry, I'm trying not to sound like a jerk (knee jerk reaction from the responses over on OOTP's forums) but inevitably asking whether I can play a certain way is going to end up with me saying "I don't want this, I want that, can it be done?" and like I said, I'm just trying to figure it out.

Thank you again, really!

[CMH]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Just to answer some things you brought up.

There is a Play Now like feature. You can take a team from any year and have it play against another. So if you want to see how the 1927 Yankees would do against the 1988 Oakland A's, go ahead. You can make it at one game exhibition or a playoff series. I think you can sim as many games as you'd like but don't quote me on that.

You can also choose a team and tell a player to swing away or bunt or take. Definitely an option when you play as manager and play through the games. This was how I played for years when I first picked up OOTP fifteen years ago.

Your Hardball III experience is possible. It involves checking some boxes and disabling some features but you can essentially get that same no extra fluff, one season, things playing basically identical to real life stats season.

And you're not sounding like a jerk. You have questions. I'm trying to help as much as I can. [emoji3]

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[tinpanalley]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

There is a Play Now like feature. You can take a team from any year and have it play against another. So if you want to see how the 1927 Yankees would do against the 1988 Oakland A's, go ahead. You can make it a one game exhibition or a playoff series. I think you can sim as many games as you'd like but don't quote me on that.

Yes, fair point, I had forgotten about that.

You can also choose a team and tell a player to swing away or bunt or take. Definitely an option when you play as manager and play through the games. This was how I played for years when I first picked up OOTP fifteen years ago.

How do you play now? Just curious to see how people play. What's less involved than Manager, only getting the results and only focusing on GM stuff?

Your Hardball III experience is possible. It involves checking some boxes and disabling some features but you can essentially get that same no extra fluff, one season, things playing basically identical to real life stats season.

And in that way of setting up the game, which I think trial and error is getting me to, I can do any transaction I want because of making sure I control all teams, right? One thing that would save me time... is there any way to start a new season and then just SAVE all my settings to apply to any new universe I start?

And you're not sounding like a jerk. You have questions. I'm trying to help as much as I can. [emoji3]

Thank you.

[CMH]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Yes, fair point, I had forgotten about that.

How do you play now? Just curious to see how people play. What's less involved than Manager, only getting the results and only focusing on GM stuff?

And in that way of setting up the game, which I think trial and error is getting me to, I can do any transaction I want because of making sure I control all teams, right? One thing that would save me time... is there any way to start a new season and then just SAVE all my settings to apply to any new universe I start?

Thank you.

I really only play in online leagues as GM.

Yes, you can set everything to human control and run as the commish and control all transactions.

I'm almost positive you can save settings in a template to reuse anytime for new startups.

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[Nunyerbiz]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

I am primarily a fictional universe OOTP player.... because when I started playing the game, it had no MLB licensing and I got somewhat set in my ways.

That said, CMH put it perfectly... it's the sandbox of sandbox games. While I agree that the OOTP forums can be a tad ... uhh.. defensive... it's a generally good place to read / post. I haven't been there much lately because I don't buy sports games every year and all my questions about OOTP16 have long since been answered.

But poking around the forums you'll find all kinds of cool ideas for things you might not have ever considered trying. I had a blast with a random entry league where each year the draft classes would be randomly drawn from every player to ever appear in the major leagues. About 25 seaons into the league, I had a 21 year old Pete Rose playing on the same team as a 37 year old Bryce Harper... and Sal Bando retired at 41 with 500 HRs... Nolan Ryan blew out his elbow at the age of 26 and never regained form... Mark Fidrych never blew out his rotator cuff and retired with 220 wins. It was oddly addicting.

So even if you are looking for a very specific play style... give the game a try... it can lead you in a bunch of different directions if it manages to get it's hooks in you.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Well, I wanted to say thanks to you guys for helping me understand the game better. Certainly better than the guy on the OOTP forums that basically told me, you're playing it wrong and what you want is pointless.

Nunyerbiz, I totally get how you play and that you like having all that fun fictional stuff going on. That's great that there's a game out there that can do that. OOTP is definitely a baseball stat lover's dream and I'm definitely that kind of baseball fan. Who know maybe this year I'll actually play a whole season. I just don't get the lack of people creating team updates, but with that December one somebody made, I should be able to update enough to get it in order for Opening Day. I'm just used to The Show and other baseball games where there are constantly people putting out updated rosters. I only buy sports games EVERY year if there is some massive game changing development.

So, now that I understand it, ultimately the reason I was looking into this is because I have a friend who's in his late 70s, very good with computers, and plays computer games all the time. Card games, trivia games, online casual games but he's a huge sports buff. So, I thought, he'll never play a game like The Show or MVP Baseball, but he would totally dig a game where he could load up his Yankees, and play a season like he was coaching from the dugout. I know for sure that the business stuff and finances would bore him to tears and he'd find it excessive. So I just wanted to find him a sitting in the dugout, calling plays in the game, kind of game experience. Even without minors to make it simpler. I just want something where he has a full MLB season ready to go, doesn't have to physically play it like in The Show, but he can call every pitch and every at bat if he wants to, follow the season, perform transactions if he wants to keep the teams accurate. Now that I've got it working the way I'd want, I can get him into it, but the only slight hitch is that I think the entire menu system could be overwhelming for him. He sees ok, but the menusin OOTP even drive me a bit nuts sometimes. My hope is that if I tell him these are the screen you need to worry about, ignore the others, that he'sd figure it out like he does with everything else on a computer.

Now, a bonus would be to be able to play with him from time to time online, even in exhibition mode (he lives in another country).

[CMH]

Re: Question for OOTP fans

Head to Head has been a dream for 19 years.

One day. One day.

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