Understanding Ballpark settings

AstaSyneri · 08-20-2012, 08:16 AM

Hi!

For my first season I have played with more or less randomly generated ball parks. For this upcoming second season in the European League of Champions (since I am more or less done with Logos/Jerseys and the like), I'd like to give each team a bit more identity through "believable" ballparks.

Looking at the Edit Ballpark screen I have a few questions, though:

Is Type and Surface purely cosmetic? I imagine Wind would lengthen or shorten flyballs... but does a different type of surface have ground balls actually behave differently?

How do I interpret the Ballpack Factors? Why is a park better or worse for LHP (e.g. .965) than for RHP (e.g. 1.035)? Why would home runs be any harder or easier apart from the distance to the bounding walls (set in the next section)?

Can anybody help me with this?

[Edit: I found a few answers in the manual after all (didn't see the next lower entries, duh).]

Surface IS cosmetic, Type basically, too, but Domes and Retractable Roofs eliminate really bad weather options, hence reducing injury risk, etc.

Setting distance and Wall height is only used to play-by-play descriptions and has not effect on actual gameplay - that's where the Ballpark Factors come in. So basically they are the only thing worth discussing!

Thank you!

CecilCooper · 08-20-2012, 08:31 AM

Type and surface are completely cosmetic. There is a default picture for a grass field and a synthetic turf field so that is the setting that sets which default picture to use.

Wall distance and height is purely cosmetic also. It's the rates that you are questioning that set how frequently the various hits are resulted.

So the rates are the only thing that matters. The RHB vs LHB side of things just have to do with how often things happen to those types of batters and the sides of the field they happen to. The RHB section will result in more things going to LF, LCF and CF and fewer to RF. The LHB section results in more going to RF, RCF and CF and less so to LF.

If you have a 1000 foot distance and a 1.0000 rate of HR. And if you have a 250 ft distance and a 1.0000 rate of HR they will have the same amount of HR hit during a season (in an avg year).

AstaSyneri · 08-20-2012, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CecilCooper

So the rates are the only thing that matters. The RHB vs LHB side of things just have to do with how often things happen to those types of batters and the sides of the field they happen to. The RHB section will result in more things going to LF, LCF and CF and fewer to RF. The LHB section results in more going to RF, RCF and CF and less so to LF.

If you have a 1000 foot distance and a 1.0000 rate of HR. And if you have a 250 ft distance and a 1.0000 rate of HR they will have the same amount of HR hit during a season (in an avg year).

Hmm. Understood. But if I want to setup an interesting league, what determines these ratings?

I already have teams from many different countries who have extremely differing economic data - and hence the football stadiums that will host most of the teams at the start, have very different capacity (totally different topic, I know).

So now I want to make their ballparks somewhat individual and have certain perks figure into it (e.g. that one side's wall maybe closer than the other, due to space available in the stadium).

eriqjaffe · 08-20-2012, 11:22 AM

Grab Gambo's "2001 Stadium Chart" from here:

Ballparks | OOTPMODS.COM

It's an Excel spreadhseet (works with OpenOffice, as well). One of the tabs has a space where you can enter dimensions and wall heights and it will calculate park factors for you. Being an Excel sheet, you can see exactly how Gambo arrives at them, as well.

AstaSyneri · 08-22-2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Grab Gambo's "2001 Stadium Chart" from here:

Ballparks | OOTPMODS.COM

It's an Excel spreadhseet (works with OpenOffice, as well). One of the tabs has a space where you can enter dimensions and wall heights and it will calculate park factors for you. Being an Excel sheet, you can see exactly how Gambo arrives at them, as well.

Amazing spreadsheet - thanks for the link! That should give me a lot to play with ;-)

08-20-2012, 08:16 AM	#1
AstaSyneri Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Münster, Germany Posts: 182	Understanding Ballpark settings Hi! For my first season I have played with more or less randomly generated ball parks. For this upcoming second season in the European League of Champions (since I am more or less done with Logos/Jerseys and the like), I'd like to give each team a bit more identity through "believable" ballparks. Looking at the Edit Ballpark screen I have a few questions, though: Is Type and Surface purely cosmetic? I imagine Wind would lengthen or shorten flyballs... but does a different type of surface have ground balls actually behave differently? How do I interpret the Ballpack Factors? Why is a park better or worse for LHP (e.g. .965) than for RHP (e.g. 1.035)? Why would home runs be any harder or easier apart from the distance to the bounding walls (set in the next section)? Can anybody help me with this? [Edit: I found a few answers in the manual after all (didn't see the next lower entries, duh).] Surface IS cosmetic, Type basically, too, but Domes and Retractable Roofs eliminate really bad weather options, hence reducing injury risk, etc. Setting distance and Wall height is only used to play-by-play descriptions and has not effect on actual gameplay - that's where the Ballpark Factors come in. So basically they are the only thing worth discussing! Thank you! __________________ The European League of Champions Dynasty Report Last edited by AstaSyneri; 08-20-2012 at 09:15 AM. Reason: Found most information in the manual after all

08-20-2012, 11:22 AM	#4
eriqjaffe Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Under The Christmas Fish Posts: 7,648	Grab Gambo's "2001 Stadium Chart" from here: Ballparks \| OOTPMODS.COM It's an Excel spreadhseet (works with OpenOffice, as well). One of the tabs has a space where you can enter dimensions and wall heights and it will calculate park factors for you. Being an Excel sheet, you can see exactly how Gambo arrives at them, as well. __________________

08-20-2012, 08:31 AM	#2
CecilCooper Major Leagues Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 444	Type and surface are completely cosmetic. There is a default picture for a grass field and a synthetic turf field so that is the setting that sets which default picture to use. Wall distance and height is purely cosmetic also. It's the rates that you are questioning that set how frequently the various hits are resulted. So the rates are the only thing that matters. The RHB vs LHB side of things just have to do with how often things happen to those types of batters and the sides of the field they happen to. The RHB section will result in more things going to LF, LCF and CF and fewer to RF. The LHB section results in more going to RF, RCF and CF and less so to LF. If you have a 1000 foot distance and a 1.0000 rate of HR. And if you have a 250 ft distance and a 1.0000 rate of HR they will have the same amount of HR hit during a season (in an avg year).