I suppose I could offer a little more insight, since I've been working on this feature almost exclusively for the past few weeks.
The fact is, it's almost overwhelming how involved this thing is. Talk about possibilities! Try brainstorming for a little bit and see what kinds of possible scenarios you can come up with. Chances are, they're possible with this feature. It's just that complex! And we haven't even finished adding all the triggers and conditions yet! Honestly, this feature has the potential to completely revolutionize OOTP, in terms of connecting players with the 'outside world'. This may sound like hyperbole, but storylines may be the best thing to happen to OOTP in years!
Okay, now that I've sung the praises of storylines, I'll give you some more details...
As Afino said, we're working on re-configuring the off-field injuries file so that each of them will become storylines. Part of the problem with the OFIs in the past was that, while they occur infrequently, you're just as likely to see an article about a player getting injured from throwing his shoe at a meowing cat as you would an article about a player getting injured doing something routine like working out. In this new system, frequency is customizable, meaning we can now control how often certain events take place. There can even be stories that only happen once during the entire life of your league!
Also, as was mentioned before, the storylines play out over time. So one day you might see an article that says a player was involved in a minor traffic accident and given a DUI. Then, maybe a week later, you find out the player is in counseling for alcohol addiction.
And unlike before, when players would simply miss a specified amount of time, there may now be a variety of different results. For instance, they are now susceptible to increases or decreases in talent and morale. So if a member of a player's immediate family passes away, his morale might take a hit. On the other hand, if he misses a game to celebrate the birth of a child, his morale may shoot up.
Plus, injuries are now more dynamic. So let's say a player suffers an injury. The immediate diagnosis may be that he will miss 7 days. However, you might end up seeing an article a week later that says he has suffered a setback and will miss an additional 10 days. This can theoretically go on for an indefinite amount ot time... just like in real life. Ultimately, a player who keeps suffering setbacks may be diagnosed as having a career-ending injury or he may simply decide to retire.
Storylines also open up many more possibilities for suspensions. If a player gets into a bar fight, you may read an article about it one day, and three days later, another article may inform you that the player has been suspended for 5 games. Then maybe a few days later, yet another article will tell you that his suspension has been appealed and he'll only be benched for 3 games! (Like I said, the possibilities are nearly endless!)
Oh, and no more instances of nice guys inexplicably punching out news cameramen. That's because storylines can now be tied to personality. Now, only those with low personality ratings will be the ones acting up and getting into trouble. Conversely, don't expect to see a Milton Bradley taking time off to donate a kidney.
And don't worry about seeing a player falling overboard while on a cruise in the middle of the season. Certain events may only happen during the offseason, while others may only happen during the season or even spring training.
Of course, just like in past versions, certain events will only happen after a specific year. However, unlike before, events may also
stop after a certain year. So you won't have stories about players falling off their horse on the way to a game in 2010. Plus, events may now be era-specific. So if you're playing during the early 40's, you'll likely see stories about players going off to fight in the war, or if you're playing in the 20's, you might read about a player being arrested for bootlegging!
Still other storylines may be determined by a player's age or even their physical condition. (Older or more out-of-shape players will be more likely to suffer certain illnesses.) Other stories may pertain to a player's nationality. (A player takes personal leave to help with relief efforts after his homeland is struck by a hurricane.)
I've already explained that players' morale may rise and fall as a consequence of certain events. But it may also be a
cause for certain events, as well. So a player with extremely high morale might decide to go out for a night on the town, but his excessive partying might result in him missing the next day's game with a bad hangover.
Furthermore, a team's success on the field (or lack thereof) may determine whether specific storylines occur. So if a team is in the midst of a prolonged losing streak, the manager might go ballistic during a post-game press conference or a player might injure his hand from punching his locker in the clubhouse.
Additionally, storylines may only involve players who are in a contract year, are currently free agents, are on the active roster, or are in the minors. Don't wanna read about Joe Nobody in the low minors missing a game because he overslept? You can even eliminate storylines regarding insignificant players altogether by attaching at-bat or innings-pitched conditions.
And these examples are based on what's already been coded. There will be even more triggers, conditions, and results, not to mention a multitude of new complete storylines, added over the coming months! But remember, what's truly great about storylines is that you have the power to customize them to your liking. Yes, there will be a finite number of triggers, conditions, and results, but as many as there are and will be soon, I seriously doubt many people will feel limited by what's available.
So yeah, as you can see, this is gonna be a HUGE addition to the game, as far as the immersion factor is concerned. I truly believe this will go down in history as a transformative moment in the development of OOTP!
