ITP FAQ/Information Thread *Please Sticky*

[Scott Vibert]

Here the following information is all that is known about .400 Studios upcoming release: Inside the Park Baseball.

First a little about the game from the hype blurb on the 400 Studios website:

You've called the shots as owner, field manager and general manager in Out of the Park Baseball, and even put on your league commissioner's hat on occasion. Now is your chance to get "inside" the park: as a player.

Traditional role playing elements and sports simulation fuse to combine for a unique and compelling gameplay experience in Inside the Park Baseball. Create your character and watch help him evolve over consecutive seasons. Do you have what it takes to become one of the game's all-time greats? Will your "Rookie Card" be worth hundreds of dollars when you retire, or will it be a substitute drink coaster? Will you get your choice of the top national ad opportunities once you make it to "The Show," or will be you be the spokesperson for Al's Used Car Heaven?

Scheduled Release: 2003

What kind of work is ongoing?

I will give you an update from "my" perspective, I have done and will continue to do alot of research on the project, from interviews, to getting details from key people, to brainstorming some on my own.

I honestly cannot give out alot of details but to this point this is what my side of the project has involved. Many, though not all of this info has been passed on - plus I have more that I am trying to finalize and fine-tune before I send it in.

I know that it isn't much, but "now ya know"....

Steve 8/16

One of the really cool things we've been working on in recent days is inventory manager. If you've played any traditional RPG like Baldur's Gate, NWN, Diablo, etc. you are probably familiar with the inventory "grid" and how different items occupy different slot sizes. This is something I think we've modelled pretty ingeniously. You will have access to dozens of different inventory items in the game, from different bats and other gear to special items which infer bonuses on your character (i.e., you can spend some of your hard earned AA money on The Art of Hitting book, which gives your character +1 to his contact hitting rating).

Markus is working on providing the dev team with an item editor (fun fun!) and we are building some additional items this week. Now, if everyone behaves, maybe I can talk Markus into releasing the item editor with the game.

Joe 8/17

Can you start as a high school or college player?

I *think* so. We are discussing this a way to provide a different level of challenge. Coming from high school, you are typically more raw but have more room for growth. As a college draftee, your skills are typically more refined, but the variability of your potential is lower.

Joe 8/17

Do you "wait" to be drafted by a computer AI team, or can you assign yourself to a team?

You will be signed or drafted.

Joe 8/17

Is it possible to make the jump directly to majors, ala Pete Incaviglia?

Don't think so. You might be able to go the Andruw Jones route (I think he went from low minors to AAA to the Braves in his first pro season).

Joe 8/17

Can you hold out and even sit out a year and be drafted by another team, ala J.D. Drew?

This depends on how we handle the drafting routines.

Joe 8/17

Is it possible to create your own logos and put your picture in the game?

Yes, most definitely.

Joe 8/17

Can you continue as a coach or manager after your playing days are over?

We haven't got that far yet.

Joe 8/17

Do you control your destiny as far as being able to approve or deny trades to another team?

It depends on your contract.

Joe 8/17

is the ability to import/export from OOTP still going to be included?

I think you will be able to import your character into OOTP like you would import a single play from the Lahman database. However, OOTP and ITP will not "sync" i.e., your career path will diverge if you play the two games concurrently.

Steve, feel free to sticky/lock as you see fit, all others please reserve this thread for information only, keeping the comments about it or the game to the other threads in the forum.

Thanks