Dice based games and PC versions

[tinpanalley]

While I'm not as young as most video gamers today, I am completely unaware of this type of game and I'm also completely shocked because with my limited knowledge, I was convinced that OOTP was the quintessential simulation 'replay of a season' type game. And so I couldn't understand why you needed to do so much franchise managing which I really can't stand. I play simulation/action baseball games (MVP, High Heat, 2K) and only do single seasons with every single managerial function turned off. I want a mathematical reproduction of a season game by game. I would have thought that outside of OOTP, no text based sim could do that and for some reason in my head thinking of Strat and others as "dice-based", I figured it must involve very detailed stat-keeping, sure, and accurate rosters, but with rolls of the dice randomly selecting outcomes of players rather than in any way being statistically accurate. I'm doing some reading and finding that Strat-o-matic and others like it and, in fact, not OOTP are more like stats-rich, if you will.

Is it possible for someone to explain to me how a game like Stratomatic works, then? Just to get an idea of how a few at bats work? In the text based/dice based world, I'm much more interested in something that is what people call "season replays without progression" because that's how I play all my sports video games anyway.

Thanks, guys.

[LucianoJJ]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

In Strat's PC game you can manually enter the dice rolls and the game does the rest. Reads the charts, tracks the stats, etc. The game will also randomly generate dice rolls, too.

The PC version allows you to play the games one at a time, or you can speed play a game, or as many games at a time as you want. If you want to use the speed play method, you have to complete a computer manager. You set your lineups, pitching rotations, bullpen usage and other substitution options. The accuracy of the stats you get are realistic. The cards and ratings are the DNA of the game engine. While it lacks the visuals of what people are used to in The Show and other games, the sim game play aspect is my favorite of all games.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

In Strat's PC game...

Ok, but I don't understand, I also need to have these cards? There's none of these types of games that just play with software? I want to find one that is as good as Strat but has a demo I can try.

[bkrich83]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

If you're looking for a PC game based off a dice board game, I highly recommend PC Replay Baseball.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

If you're looking for a PC game based off a dice board game, I highly recommend PC Replay Baseball.

Well, that's exactly what my question was, I have no idea what it is I'm looking for because I don't know what these are yet. I was pretty thorough in my post what information it is I'm looking for.

[57oceanlover]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

Try SBS bb or Dombrov bb.

[tinpanalley]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

Try SBS bb or Dombrov bb.

Never heard of SBS. Is there something more recent than 2015 though? Looks like the last update on the site.

[Will I Am]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

You should check out youtube, there are a ton of videos for different c&d/pc games.

Here is a quick SOM game on PC. I will say though that strat is better on PC once you have played the c&d version as it gives you a better feel for the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WTBfVGPXzo

[tinpanalley]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

You should check out youtube, there are a ton of videos for different c&d/pc games.

Here is a quick SOM game on PC. I will say though that strat is better on PC once you have played the c&d version as it gives you a better feel for the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WTBfVGPXzo

Sorry, I don't seem to have been clear in my post. I have NO knowledge of these kinds of games. So, I don't even know what "c&d" and "SOM" means. That's why I saaid...
"Is it possible for someone to explain to me how a game like Stratomatic works, then? Just to get an idea of how a few at bats work?"

I actually don't know what these games are. I've never played one, I've never known anyone that played one. All I know is OOTP because, well, they spend craploads of marketing money putting their name out there so people will write about it and make videos, etc. I don't wanna go over EVERYthing I said again, but reading here and there I've found people talking about the non-progressive purely mathematical season play of these dice games and I need to understand what that is, how they work, why they're so statistically superior, and how I try a PC version. And if possible, how are they different from OOTP? See, I'm trying to understand the mechanics of these games and why they are so sought after.

[LucianoJJ]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

You don't need the cards. You can buy the PC game with the card image, and the cards will appear on your PC screen. C & D is cards and dice. SOM is short for Stratomatic.

[Will I Am]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

Sorry, I don't seem to have been clear in my post. I have NO knowledge of these kinds of games. So, I don't even know what "c&d" and "SOM" means. That's why I saaid...
"Is it possible for someone to explain to me how a game like Stratomatic works, then? Just to get an idea of how a few at bats work?"

I actually don't know what these games are. I've never played one, I've never known anyone that played one. All I know is OOTP because, well, they spend craploads of marketing money putting their name out there so people will write about it and make videos, etc. I don't wanna go over EVERYthing I said again, but reading here and there I've found people talking about the non-progressive purely mathematical season play of these dice games and I need to understand what that is, how they work, why they're so statistically superior, and how I try a PC version. And if possible, how are they different from OOTP? See, I'm trying to understand the mechanics of these games and why they are so sought after.

That's kind of why I suggested youtube. There videos that will explain everthing better than you can on a forum.

[57oceanlover]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

If you go to SBS site you will find rosters 1900 to 2017. And Dombrov uses lahmans rosters.. strat o matic is way too costly. Dombrov $20. SBS is free

[tinpanalley]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

If you go to SBS site you will find rosters 1900 to 2017. And Dombrov uses lahmans rosters.. strat o matic is way too costly. Dombrov $20. SBS is free

Sorry to be a pain, but again, I don't know about these games so I don't know what a lahmans roster is.
And for SBS how long does it usually take for them to release a new roster at the start of the season?

[mymaq]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

There are at least three PC-based baseball games that play exactly as you stated you would like to play. The ones I know are Strat-O-Matic, Action PC baseball, and Diamond Mind Baseball. All three are season-based games -- you buy seasons. All seasons are available from the 1900s to 2018. Once you complete a season, the season year is complete. There is no carry over to the next season, no franchise to track, no aging players, no contracts, no doing well enough to keep your job...you either replay the season or start a season playing with a team from a different year. You do not have to set prices, negotiate anything, keep players happy or any of the franchise stuff you have to do in OOTP. Actually, if you have played OOTP's exhibition match-up mode where you can play any team against another team during a series or one game, the games above play much like that, only over an entire 162 (154) game season. The game tracks all the stats you could want, handles scheduling (in fact you play the same schedule that the team played in the year you selected.) During the course of a season, trades and injuries that occurred during an actual season happen in game if you want. Both options can be turned off within the game if you don't.

In game, you can manage like an on-field manager: telling players to swing away, bunt, steal, pitch-out, walk; you can call defensive shifts; pinch hit, bring in relievers, tell runners when to try for an extra base...anything a manager or base coach would do. Or you can just set up which two teams will play and watch the action unfold. You can play with one team or several; or you can just follow as the PC simulates league play and follow along as the season unfolds. You can create the starting lineups and pitching rotation or you can let the game decide that based on actual lineups of the years played. There are many options within the game -- much like OOTP. But unlike OOTP, it is based on one season replay -- not taking over a team and trying to guide it through multiple seasons.

I have played (and owned) OOTP, Action PC Baseball and Diamond Baseball. Action PC Baseball is closer in presentation to OOTP -- there are animations of fielders, batters, pitchers and runners; there are stadium sounds, rain delays, and written play-by-play. Diamond Mind Baseball has the same strong statistical underpinnings as Action (and OOTP) but does not dazzle with presentation; you have an on-field diagram (based on the layout of the home stadium) and you can follow the players around the bases.

The only draw-back to both games (and I'm sure the same for Strat-O-Matic) is the cost of seasons. Unlike OOTP, which provides all the seasons in one package, you have to buy individual seasons in Action PC and Diamond Mind. In Action PC, seasons run as high as $20 each but they do have sales almost every 3 months that bring the cost down to $7 to $10 per season. Diamond seasons run higher -- around $25 each.

Here are the websites to each game so you can get a better idea of what they do:

https://diamond-mind.com/

http://dksports.com/baseball.htm

Good luck with your search!

[tinpanalley]

Re: Dice based games and PC versions

There are at least three PC-based baseball games...

Hey, thanks so much for the thorough breakdown. I really appreciate it.

I have OOTP19. But I would love to try those other games because I just find them so fascinating but I can't really pay for them without knowing what they're like. And yeah, there are Youtube videos but Youtube videos aren't the be all to end all of trying things out. They don't let you look at settings, they don't let you look at menus. Plus videos of these games tend to just become some person showing off to you the things they like or making you watch them play with their favourite teams. Anyway... as I said, I would love to try these games to see the dice concept for myself. That single season aspect really interests me. But I think it IS doable to turn everything off in OOTP including storylines and progression and at the end, well, you just don't continue. You start again. Would you say OOTP is essentially the same thing? I just feel like having everything stripped back would be more up my alley. I know you CAN turn lots of things off in OOTP but I'm not 100% certain that the game won't still try to give you a fantasy "experience" with pointless things like emails from management, etc etc.