Couple questions from a newb

[ScottP]

Few questions from a newb, I've played a bit of the OOTP8 Free and OOTP12 Demo, and had a couple questions. I much prefer the visual appeal of OOTP12 over 8. I love the UI look a lot more, it's sleeker as one would say. I am a complete baseball newb, but I love sport sim games, I'm mainly here waiting for the hockey sim to come out, but I've played a fair bit of FM without knowing anything about soccer beforehand, so I figure why not give OOTP a shot? I love when I sign that free agent and he performs gloriously. Reminds me of the time I played as Canucks in EHM, and I got Bertuzzi as a free agent, and he was one of my top performers statistics wise throughout the season, and he was with me when I got the Canucks their first Cup win.


1. What are the main improvements OOTP13 has over 12?


2. I don't know much at all about MLB, or any current players or anything, so I'd be doing a fictional league, what's the best setup for a fictional league for someone trying to learn the game more and such? Less teams? Less games played than the default? I feel starting with a small pool of teams, and doing expansions every couple seasons until I have a nice amount of teams and I have a better feel for OOTP and baseball in general is a good way to go?

3. If I play with Minor Leagues, is it best to have all the levels? Or would it be fine if I just had say AAA, and High School/College or would I find too many players not good enough for AAA? And my other question is, if I don't play with Minor Leagues and go with the reserve roster option, does that stunt the development of prospects? As they wouldn't be playing games in the Minors?

4. Since one of the main things I like is drafts in sports sims, I'd be doing an inaugural draft. Since I don't know a thing about Baseball, should I be drafting the best Pitcher first? Or should I just go with the best in any posistion? What posistions are more important in the early rounds? Should I get my good batters first? Or make sure my top picks are to fill each posistion out with players with good defensive stats?

5. When I play Sports sims, I generally like to play as just the GM, you know making all the big decisions, like who to re-sign, who to cut, etc. ? I do like to play some games themselves, but I like getting a lot done in a short amount of time, and don't want to spend a long time completing one season, I like seeing how my choices with my team and affect the league as a whole. is there any sort of settings I should make sure I set before? I know in EHM I liked to setup my lines, and the practices, but let my coach actually coach the games, though I did coach a couple games, and such, mainly during playoffs.

6. Anything else you think a newb would need to know before getting himself into spending hours playing OOTP and learning about Baseball all at the same time.


If all goes well, I'll probably pick the game up next friday, as it would be payday, and I have a week's vacation starting next friday.

[TommyHerr]

1. What are the main improvements OOTP13 has over 12?

I think the AI is way better. Not perfect but A LOT better. I think the trading is fair and balanced. You want a stud? You're gonna have to give. I have yet to get a real star without giving up something I would have rather not. The game also seems more balanced as far as the length of a quality career. It mirrors RL better. Some guys can play past 40, other guys drop off the face of the baseball planet at 31. There is much more...bottom line it is a big jump up from 12 to 13.

2. I don't know much at all about MLB, or any current players or anything, so I'd be doing a fictional league, what's the best setup for a fictional league for someone trying to learn the game more and such? Less teams? Less games played than the default? I feel starting with a small pool of teams, and doing expansions every couple seasons until I have a nice amount of teams and I have a better feel for OOTP and baseball in general is a good way to go?

I don't play fictional teams...but I did start a 1901 to present game, and I didn't know a thing about players that old, so it seemed like a fictional team to me. Back then there were only 16 teams and not too many extra players in the beginning. Its also a reserve clause era, so I didn;t have to worry about free agency at first. So...the answer is yes, starting small and simple and growing from there is a great way to ease the learning curve.


3. If I play with Minor Leagues, is it best to have all the levels? Or would it be fine if I just had say AAA, and High School/College or would I find too many players not good enough for AAA? And my other question is, if I don't play with Minor Leagues and go with the reserve roster option, does that stunt the development of prospects? As they wouldn't be playing games in the Minors?

Not too sure here. I would say start with a smaller amount of players and less minor league teams at first. But if you let your coaches run the day to day of the minors, its not too hard to run 3 minor league teams.

4. Since one of the main things I like is drafts in sports sims, I'd be doing an inaugural draft. Since I don't know a thing about Baseball, should I be drafting the best Pitcher first? Or should I just go with the best in any posistion? What posistions are more important in the early rounds? Should I get my good batters first? Or make sure my top picks are to fill each posistion out with players with good defensive stats?

Playing historical with drafts, I get players rated as though they are pretty much ready for the majors so its a little different. Playing non-historical in the past I found that drafting is a beast to master. Most of my "sure things" never panned out. Playing EHM I had a good feel for developing players. But baseball and OOTP is a different animal. I found that developing SP's was alot like developing D-men and goalies in EHM. More patience is required.

5. When I play Sports sims, I generally like to play as just the GM, you know making all the big decisions, like who to re-sign, who to cut, etc. ? I do like to play some games themselves, but I like getting a lot done in a short amount of time, and don't want to spend a long time completing one season, I like seeing how my choices with my team and affect the league as a whole. is there any sort of settings I should make sure I set before? I know in EHM I liked to setup my lines, and the practices, but let my coach actually coach the games, though I did coach a couple games, and such, mainly during playoffs.

I set my lineups at the beginning of the year. I sim each game and review the box scores. I make adjustments as the season progesses and as needed by injurie or poor play or the need to bring a guy to the majors.

6. Anything else you think a newb would need to know before getting himself into spending hours playing OOTP and learning about Baseball all at the same time.

Just be prepared to get hooked! Also don't get over attached to your first attempt at a league. You will figure out something as you go and realize you want to start a new/different league.

[ScottP]

Thanks for the reply. I'm most likely going to pick this up next week.