New Game Mode Concept: Perfect Manager

[Garlon]

I have had this idea for several years for a mode in which OOTP players can compete against the computer in historical matchups and your results will be tracked on a world leaderboard. This is not a head-to-head mode, but rather player vs computer only, but your progress will be tracked against all other users. This will use the 1-pitch mode for playing out games.

Basically, you would be able to pick any two teams from a season in history and play a 5-game series. You would play it once through as each team. This way you will always play through once as the better team and once as the underdog, and you will need to use all 5 starting pitchers and manage your relievers throughout the series.

For example, consider a matchup of the 1962 Yankees vs the 1962 Red Sox. The Yankees had a .582 Pythagorean Winning Percentage, and the Red Sox had a .470 Pythagorean Winning Percentage in 1962. In this matchup we expect the Yankees to have a .611 winning percentage against the Red Sox and the Red Sox to have a .389 winning percentage against the Yankees. I have these expected winning percentages for every matchup for every season since 1901 in a file.

When you play as the Yankees and beat the Red Sox you earn 389 points for each win, and when you play as the Red Sox and beat the Yankees you earn 611 points for each win. When you play this 5-game series once managing the Yankees and once managing the Red Sox there will be a potential to earn 5000 points because the 5 games as the Yankees are potentially worth 389 * 5 = 1945 points and the 5 games as the Red Sox are potentially worth 611 * 5 = 3055 points and 1945 + 3055 = 5000 possible points.

For example, let's say you win 3 out of the 5 games when playing as the Yankees and 2 out of the 5 games when playing as the Red Sox. The wins as the Yankees are worth 389 * 3 = 1167 points, and the wins as the Red Sox are worth 611 * 2 = 1222 points. This combines for a total score for the series of 2389 points. 2389 out of a possible 5000 points is 2389/5000 = .4778.

Your Perfect Manager Winning Percentage after those 10 games is .4778. As you play more games OOTP keeps track of your total points earned and total possible points earned and continues to update your Perfect Manager Winning Percentage and your total wins.

There can be overall leaderboards but also leaderboards based on eras (like Deadball Era, Golden Era, etc) or by Franchise. There would also be tiers, so that you rank up to a new Managerial category once you play say 50 total games or 100 total games and so forth.

This mode could also be tied to your Perfect Team login so that you could earn PT points, awards, or complete missions by playing and managing out games.

If you maintain a Perfect Manager Winning percentage above .500, that means you are managing better than the OOTP computer manager.

There could be user-selected matchups, weekly curated matchups, or even randomized matchups where OOTP picks a random season and random teams.

I think there is substantial potential here for an entirely new mode that takes advantage of what already exists in the game and community. How much fun would it be to play out these series using the Silvam Historical Ballparks?

This is something i would like to see as a new mode for OOTP27.

Please share your thoughts.

[Beatles Eternally]

Garlon,

I think this is a GREAT idea! It is perfect for those of us wanting to do more than build a "perfect team." While there is nothing wrong with that, the Perfect Manager Mode allows us to test our mettle in game situations. The possibilities are staggering and it seems to me that such a mode could be implemented easily given OOTP's open and deep structure and adaptability.

Two of the best things to happen in recent editions to OOTP have been the Player Development Lab and the expansion of Drive For The Pennant to encompass all seasons.

I am hopeful that the developers will give serious consideration to this exciting idea! People love leaderboards and I believe that in a more active mode such as this, players will become even more enamoured and hooked on the greatest baseball sim there is!!!

[Garlon]

In addition to 5-game exhibition series where you are required to play out all 10 games, we could do all of the World Series in history too, just like you can from the Main menu currently, but this time your results count on your profile.

We might even be able to do historical All-Star Games too.

I think a lot of people would play this if it was tied in with PT points and missions.

We would just need a simple interface similar to what we have in the Main menu for playing an Exhibition Series.


Select a Perfect Manager Challenge

A. Play 5-Game Series>Select Year>Select Teams or let OOTP pick a random Season and Random Teams.

B. Play World Series>Select Year or let OOTP pick a Random Season

C. Play All-Star Game>Select Year or let OOTP pick a Random Season

[niu354]

Excellent idea! Might be fun to pilot this with some kind of simultaneous play event, perhaps with some of the affiliate streamers? Get them online at the same time and track their progress with this concept in real time.

[robc]

This sounds like a fun idea. I love leader boards in games. I hope they wouldn't add any pay to win element in this game mode as that would kill my interest.

[David Watts]

Will participation in Perfect Team be required to participate in Perfect Manager?

[Garlon]

If we ever got this mode I think it makes sense to link them using the same account so that points and missions could be included that could be used for your Perfect Team but you would not need to actually participate in PT.

Personally, I would only only be interested in playing Perfect Manager.

Any pay to win element in a new mode like this would really ruin the whole thing. The point is that you can compete on a level playing field with everyone else so that it is your decisions as a manager are what makes the difference in the results. Setting your lineup, calling Hit and Runs, managing your relievers, deciding when to attempt a steal or bunt, when to PH, when to call if an IBB, when to bring in defensive substitutes and anything else. Ultimately, if you can make better de visions than the computer then you should be able to maintain a PM winning percentage above .500 because the scoring system is balanced.

A variety of leaderboards could make it fun too. You might be good at managing a modern game, but how are your managerial skills in the Deadball Era?

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by Garlon

If we ever got this mode I think it makes sense to link them using the same account so that points and missions could be included that could be used for your Perfect Team but you would not need to actually participate in PT.

Personally, I would only only be interested in playing Perfect Manager.

Any pay to win element in a new mode like this would really ruin the whole thing. The point is that you can compete on a level playing field with everyone else so that it is your decisions as a manager are what makes the difference in the results. Setting your lineup, calling Hit and Runs, managing your relievers, deciding when to attempt a steal or bunt, when to PH, when to call if an IBB, when to bring in defensive substitutes and anything else. Ultimately, if you can make better de visions than the computer then you should be able to maintain a PM winning percentage above .500 because the scoring system is balanced.

A variety of leaderboards could make it fun too. You might be good at managing a modern game, but how are your managerial skills in the Deadball Era?

If I don't have to have a Perfect Team and the players and teams perform like they did in real life, I think your idea would be a lot of fun. If we have the historical stadiums installed will the game load them like it does when we play historical?

[kq76]

Intriguing! I'm not a one pitch mode guy (my seasons take long enough as they are), but this would definitely convince me to try it.

A few issues:

1) I don't think it should be called Perfect Manager. It's just too similar to Perfect Team; we'd be confusing what people are talking about.

2) Your log5 formulas aren't taking home field advantage into consideration. Thankfully, there's a fairly simple fix. Here's my SS on this.

3) Also note that the win % would have to be calculated for each game and presumably the HFA would change throughout the series.

EDIT: If anyone wants to play around with the SS (put in whatever team %s or HFA that you want), just select File > Make a Copy.

[pstrickert]

If it means new modes and options for historical play, I'm all in! Actually, I like the name Perfect Manager. Seems like a natural fit. I think smaller challenges, limited in scope and duration, would appeal to many people. Personally, I don't care about leaderboards, though others do. More power to them. Honing my managerial skills would be reward enough for me. In fact, it'd make a great training exercise to improve my skills when engaged in other game modes. Not to mention, it would take greater advantage of (and showcase) all of the improvements to OOTP historicals.

[Garlon]

We could put in an adjustment for HFAbut the win% would not need to be calculated for each game. The scoring system is self-balancing because you will be required to play through once as each team.

I completely agree that challenges that are limited in scope would be more appealing especially since it will introduce players to so many more eras and players in history.

Yes, the Silvam stadiums would work in this mode.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by Garlon

We could put in an adjustment for HFAbut the win% would not need to be calculated for each game. The scoring system is self-balancing because you will be required to play through once as each team.

I completely agree that challenges that are limited in scope would be more appealing especially since it will I grouse players to so many more eras and players in history.

Yes, the Silvam stadiums would work in this mode.

Was thinking about your 5 starting pitcher rule. Wouldn't most people playing Deadball teams simply use the "follower" method to ensure guys like Young, Johnson, Mathewson etc. get to pitch the majority of their series games, or would the game make sure starters recovery time was longer than in real life?

[Garlon]

The dead all era matchups could be 4-game series. It is important for each pitcher in the SP rotation to get a turn and you need to manage your reliever usage throughout the series so the matchup winning percentage and scoring system makes sense.

[Brad K]

When I "manage" games I only handle substitutions. I set the computer manager to my tactical preferences and let the computer manager handle all the play calls. Would this work in your proposal?

[Garlon]

Yes, I think so. I would want it to be accessible to as many people as possible.

[Hrycaj]

Cool sounding idea. I think you would have to really look at the dead ball model for this. Take the 1905 World Series for example. It was a 5 game series that the Giants won 4-1. In the series both Christy Mathewson or Joe McGinty started every game (Matty 3, McGinty 2). Red Ames pitched 1 inning in the Giants game 2 loss. Everything else was a complete game from the Giants side. That was part of the magic in those old days, ironman players. I don't think the game engine can even now account for this type of player usage in a OOTP historical replay. I also wonder how much managerial decisions impact the outcome of the game if ratings are the main driver? Anyway, I DO like the idea even if it sounds like I'm doing the exact opposite with my comments.

[rburgh]

But what if I just take the 2024 White Sox against all 29 other teams and dump all the games to the White Sox? I'm the greatest manager in history!

[Garlon]

You will only control one team at a time when playing a series, not both. However, you will need to play through once controlling each team. When you lose you earn 0 points. When you play as the better team you earn fewer points per win.

If you are playing with a team that has an expectation to win 70% of the time against another team, then those wins are worth only 300 points, whereas when you play as the weaker team those wins are worth 700 points. Every matchup therefore has an average of 500 points per win with a total possible of 1000 points.

If you win more often than expected by making better managerial decisions then you should be earning more than 50% of the total possible points.

[David Watts]

I think the success of something like this would depend a lot on how much OOTP participates. I think folks will get bored pretty quickly if they have to choose their own matchups. Mainly due to there just being so many matchups to choose from. That being said, if OOTP provides daily matchup challenges or every other day etc. I really think this could be a blast.

There could be theme weeks/months, such as World Series month where all the OOTP challenges involve teams that met in the World Series. This could expand to involve matchups of great World Series teams like the 27 Yankees against the 84 Tigers(I know the obvious choice there is the 75 Reds, but hey, I'm a Tiger fan....at least it's the same great managers).

There could be a home run week/month where all the matchups involve teams that hit a ton of home runs. What about a week where all the matchup involve teams that hit a ton of home runs vs teams that were built around incredible pitching?

My point is, the options are endless, but I really think we will need OOTP to lead the charge in suggesting the challenges.

Here's another thought. This again is based on the idea of OOTP creating weekly or daily challenges. How cool would it be if OOTP were to use the results of the challenges to create OOTO challenge tournaments. For example, let's say a challenge begins using the World Series matchups of the 80's. After everyone is given the time to play each series as both the top dog and the underdog, OOTP could tally the results and use them to determine the matchups for the second round of the tournament. This could go until a best team of the 80's is crowned......which of coursse will be the 84 Tigers.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by David Watts

I think the success of something like this would depend a lot on how much OOTP participates. I think folks will get bored pretty quickly if they have to choose their own matchups. Mainly due to there just being so many matchups to choose from. That being said, if OOTP provides daily matchup challenges or every other day etc. I really think this could be a blast.

There could be theme weeks/months, such as World Series month where all the OOTP challenges involve teams that met in the World Series. This could expand to involve matchups of great World Series teams like the 27 Yankees against the 84 Tigers(I know the obvious choice there is the 75 Reds, but hey, I'm a Tiger fan....at least it's the same great managers).

There could be a home run week/month where all the matchups involve teams that hit a ton of home runs. What about a week where all the matchup involve teams that hit a ton of home runs vs teams that were built around incredible pitching?

My point is, the options are endless, but I really think we will need OOTP to lead the charge in suggesting the challenges.

Here's another thought. This again is based on the idea of OOTP creating weekly or daily challenges. How cool would it be if OOTP were to use the results of the challenges to create OOTO challenge tournaments. For example, let's say a challenge begins using the World Series matchups of the 80's. After everyone is given the time to play each series as both the top dog and the underdog, OOTP could tally the results and use them to determine the matchups for the second round of the tournament. This could go until a best team of the 80's is crowned......which of coursse will be the 84 Tigers.

There's a guy on these forums named Nick Soulis. He writes about projects like those mentioned above in the Dynasty Forum. Might be cool if OOTP could reach out to Nick and get him to write previews for the matchups it chooses. Nick is great at summarizing past teams into a couple paragraphs in a way that really brings them to life.