I have posted something like this before I think and am sure it has popped up before in discussion, but have been thinking about how much I am anticipating the new game and its occured to me that the biggest area of improvement I can see is not going to be added in this version.
What I think OOTP is missing is more financial sim depth and more stadium building/atmosphere depth. I know that Markus wants to get away from this. In fact I think I remember him saying in some interview that he is getting rid of promotions and will not include a feature where you can price your own hotdogs and soda's etc. So it's not his vision.
But I wanted to say that I think this direction is a fairly large mistake by OOTP. I think this is one element that is missing that would attract a larger market and in addition is a feature that many current OOTP fans would enjoy. Why?.....
....well when I think of baseball I think of the game, but I also think of baseball fields. I love baseball parks. I love the grass. I like the new stadiums with the retractable roofs (safeco). I like the dirt and the sounds. I like the smell of the food and the vendors. I like the mascot and the big scoreboard. The atmosphere for me is half of baseball. OOTP has no atmosphere.
If there was a stadium builder in the game where you choose grass, turf, roof, dome, park attractions etc. And if that feature was visual....!!! It would be something I'd spend a huge amount of time on. You could add luxury boxes, add batting cages and attractions for the fans. Choose to add concessions and souvenir stands. Hire a mascot. You could fiddle with financial aspects like different seating prices for different levels. Etc. Etc. Etc. To me, the business financials are of interest and kind of fun. I love the idea of building a park that is home to your team as well. I'd especially love to build a minor league park! This feature would round out the game for me and I think would draw in new fans of this wonderful game. It would be like the Sims meet OOTP (without all the little annoying people and simspeak).
These features could also be toggled 'off' as I know is important to so many purists in this game. Don't get me wrong. I'm a guy that loves baseball stats and I buy Baseball Prospectus just like a lot of you, but that is not the whole game. Its the meat of baseball, but its not the spirit. Come on, I know you have all dreamed it....owning your own team, building your own park....I know you have.
Anyway I wanted to give one out loud
Please Please Please from me on this subject. I understand that I am in the minority of current OOTP users and that the game developers don't love this approach, but I have to speak up for the users that would like to play this game but see it as too daunting and statbased.
Enough said.
Let the 'that is the stupidest idea ever' comments begin.!!