2017 MLB Manager News
 

I am curious as I am sure we all are on if there is any news concerning when MLB Manager 2017 is coming out or if it's coming out. Along with features

Admins - even if Sebastian cannot reply or if he does not have the time to can you please, PLEASE know what's going on with this year's game. Any info would and is better than no info on where the game stands. Being a beta tester we have not heard anything either.

Please and Thank you. From all of us.

Don't ignore our pleas for info.


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Lukas Berger informed me the game was in fact coming out

Good. I will definitely get the updated version despite it being just a season update.

Gotta say, I'm disappointed that no one from OOTP has even acknowledged this thread yet. Even if to just say the generic "details coming soon".

Check ootp's twitter feed.

They have multiple times responded to people asking about MLB manager.

They haven't given any detail, but it seems pretty clear the game will come out, albeit with no significant changes other than this so called "owner goals" which will be in my opinion the equivalent of adding nothing.

MLBM is on life support. It's pretty clear that it's way way down on the list of priorities. I mean, how hard can it be to visit this forum once every two weeks or so to simply say "Hey guys, we haven't forgotten about you, more news to come soon"? I think at least part of the problem is that Sebastian's heart just isn't in it--how many times in the past has he complained that he doesn't even make minimum wage working on MLBM? (Not his exact words, but close enough.) I'll buy the game again as a kind of investment in something better to come in 2018, but it would be good for customer morale if someone from OOTP Dev would drop by once in a blue moon to say hello and at least pretend that this game and its fan base matter to them.

MLB Manager 2017 will be released like every year in the past 7 years around Opening Day (late March / early April) and as always we will name the exact date close to release since it is always hard to plan with Apples review process. The day will be as always a Thursday.

It will be released for iOS and Android, with the iOS release needing iOS 10 this year.

It will mainly be a graphical (the new graphic designer Daniel wants to give his design ideas to the game) and roster update for 2017.

If you have small feature wishes, let us know and we will see if it fits in our schedules for release and/or a later update.

I think the issue here is non communication. This was from a year ago...

MLB Manager 2016 is available now!

This year will be the last that MLB Manager is based on the old project code base (which is essentially OOTP 11 with some AI upgrades from later OOTP versions), next year we will shelve the code and use the OOTP 17 / 18 code base for MLBM, making both games saved-game compatible and hence adding tons of new features to MLBM. We will devote a lot of development time to this in 2016 and beyond.

But for now, please continue to support us and enjoy MLB Manager 2016!

Thanks!
Markus

How did you go from complete overhaul to "graphical" changes? 7 years is a long time to support a game, that constantly gets over promised and under delivered. Again, all of that might be forgivable with better communication. Coming to this forum to participate only once a year, when you want us to buy your game, isn't helping.

Back to the game. Are you saying that saved games will also not be swapable? Or that literally the only thing changed this year are the graphics?

2017 MLB Manager News
 

What are some examples of small features you guys would consider adding?

I love this game, will buy it no matter what, but I feel like I've been playing the same exact game for a couple of years now. I just want some improvements.

A full minor league system needs to happen, clearly it won't for 17, but this game just isn't correct with out a full minor league system.

How about international free agents? Is that small? Every couple of years add in some veterans from Japan or Cuba to the free agent list.

How about a more comprehensive bullpen? Add a spot for a designated long reliever? Add a spot for a 7th inning guy?

I'd still like the logic to be tuned to differentiate more between starters and relievers and not just really have guys all just in reality be "pitchers" capable of doing both. (This might be more long term)

I'm sure I can think of more smaller ideas. But really any way that the longevity of playing a "career" mode can be improved, any way it is more like ootp is better.

Expanding the name database seems like a very easy thing to do.

Let height and weight have an impact..... smaller guys less power, bigger guys more power and velocity

2017 MLB Manager News
 

I would also like to see veterans or really just older players who just sit in the minor leagues and on the free agent list and not ever play in the majors deteriorate.

Also the generated rookies are always so similar, few relievers, lot of power hitters, very few strikeout pitchers.

And I wish 4th and 5th round picks sometimes would improve, the draft is too much about having a top 5 pick. But this I guess ties all in to the broader player progression and minor league system topic.

Some (hopefully) small change requests:
1) On the iPad, when playing a game and viewing the lineup for substitutions, please please please add handedness to the information on the "Select a player to replace ..." and "Select a pitcher to replace ..." screens. This alone makes it so that I prefer playing on my iPhone instead of my iPad.
2) When playing a game and replacing a position player, make the default filter "All Batters" with default view of "Batting Ratings".
3) When in the "Player Trade" screen, if I'm working on a trade with a National League team and want to go back to the team selection screen, leave me in the National League instead of bringing me back to the American League.
4) When playing a game and viewing the two current pitchers (for possible substitution), if I touch the name of my current pitcher (almost always accidentally), it should show me my current pitcher's information (it does) but then should give me the option of going back to the previous screen, not "Return To Game".
5) This one likely isn't a small change but might be of large enough impact to make it worth it: when playing a game and viewing the roster of players not in the game, make it possible for me to view their information without forcing the substitution.

Some decent suggestions in this thread.

2017 MLB Manager News
 

Yeah but your post is the most telling.....

2016: no changes, ootp promises major overhaul and improvements

2017: no changes

I just can't believe in 2017, when every person has their mobile device in their hands 24/7, ootp isn't looking to capitalize on that enormous market.

Why not make the game free for a couple of weeks, and try to attract new customers?

Why not try to promote the game on social media?

Look at the App Store, look at how many freaking baseball games there are!

My guess is that sales are down from last year and so they don't want to put more resources in. I get that. But you can't abandon the mobile market, it's the future.

My feelings are similar. The community for OOTP Baseball didn't just materialize overnight. The owners and developers constantly interacted with users. They fostered relationships with their users by listening and talking. Finding out what features were desired or needed improvements. Using social media/adopting emerging social platforms to reach new users. Ignoring MLBM is the exact opposite approach to what has obviously been a winning strategy. They should be trying to put the same effort for MLBM, or what is even the point of development?

I too plan on purchasing MLBM when it comes out. I just won't purchase any of their other projects, until at least a little love is given to MLBM.

OK, I get it, and it kind of makes sense: by releasing something that is only cosmetically altered and almost completely devoid of any substantive programming updates, Sebastian can dramatically improve the margins for this year's game and actually make something that's slightly better than minimum wage for his work. I get that. I just wish OOTP would figure out a better way to make the financial model for this game work, for them and for the lead developer.

I am glad to hear Daniel is here to improve the graphic design (and my suggestion is to ditch the kiddie cartoon look and make an interface that is actually designed for adults), but I have to say a "new features free-for-all" at the last possible minute doesn't sound like a development plan to me, it's just creating last-second chaos in what appears to be an attempt to distract us away from some of the inevitable grumbling that will happen when people realize that OOTP has not been thinking about this game AT ALL for over a year.

I think OOTP needs to realize that this new version is going to get absolutely hammered on the App Store with one-star reviews screaming that it's a "big rip off" because "nothing has changed" and "they're charging the same price." Personally, I support this game and I support the vision Markus laid out in his (now unfortunate) promise last year, and I always give it five stars, but if OOTP is looking to expand the audience for this game and keep the current players on board, they really need to get a plan in place, supported by a financial model that makes sense and doesn't cause the lead developer to (justifiably) moan and complain that he's basically doing everyone a favor by working on this game essentially for free. That's not good for his morale and it makes some of us wonder what the heck is going on at OOTP.

But go ahead and toss the MLBM fans a bone this year, we'll take it, because like they say in baseball, "There's always next year."

Easy small add-on: DH options for AL and NL in settings.

Not so easy: Customized playoff up to 16 teams.

Another easy add-on? Exhibition games or series?

MLB the show just added "player quirks" to their franchise mode.

Much like the badges on NBA 2k these will help differentiate between players and give bonuses to players in certain situations.

This may be too expansive with a month to go (I'm really not expecting the team to make any changes) but I'm always for additional things to differentiate between players.

I like to play historical. For that reason, I'd like expansion even if its a manual edit at the end of a season. As you move forward in history too many players don't see the light of day as you move to the modern era.