Announcers!!

Beatles Eternally · 03-19-2018, 08:40 PM

Way back in the day two PC baseball sims had actual announcers calling the game. The first of these was Old Time Baseball - which I still play from time to time. It is still available as abandonware, just Google it. Anyhow, you could choose between Mel Allen or Curt Gowdy. The game came with every season from 1871 to 1981 and the animation were superb for that time - mid 1990s.

Then came APBA Broadcast Blast Baseball for Windows. Ernie Harwell called the games ad it really felt like the real thing. You could play any season from 1871 to 1997.

I would LOVE to see a feature like that! Just NO Joe Buck please?

mgom27 · 03-19-2018, 10:54 PM

But would have to get license to hook up with ESPN or so on but then could have Ken Rosenthal in Game.

Brad K · 03-20-2018, 12:16 AM

Old time baseball was amazing for its time. It has some database problems but playing as a field manager was superb.

They had Curt Gowdy in Mel Alan record phrases including players names and put them together for the broadcast.

Very good touches like Gowdy would say in a sympathetic voice "it's been a tough night for him at the plate, he's o for four".

Amazing for a DOS game

ScottPoseSnag · 03-20-2018, 10:25 AM

Amazing idea.
1. You would think that MLB would want to work with the OOTP developers to get a good announcer on board to spruce up the presentation. 2. If the game wants to go outside the box, a great voice would be Hank Azaria, of Brockmire announcing fame. 3. Even just a regular guy that knows baseball would be an improvement over the computer voice. 4. Maybe there is a local team announcer that loves ootp and would want to do it on the cheap for the exposure/fun of it?

We don't need madden like color commentary. Just the basic play calls would be a great start. "3-2 count, here's the delivery, lined into centerfield for a single." Adding player names and team names would obviously be a much more significant undertaking.

Brad K · 03-20-2018, 12:21 PM

Old Time Baseball had some of the player names and made it work on a DOS program!

Really, it works if you just record the names of the major players and if you do first and last separately, then some of them will apply to lesser players.

neugey · 03-25-2018, 07:22 PM

+1. I was a frequent player of APBA Baseball for Windows w/ Ernie Harwell.

If Markus and co. could add quality play-by-play audio to the already cool field animations, I swear to God I'd put my XBox on garage sale and never touch another video game ever again!

vrobx1 · 03-26-2018, 12:53 PM

I agree.

Even if you could make it sound like an old-time radio play-by-play call, that would be amazingly awesome!

03-19-2018, 08:40 PM	#1
Beatles Eternally Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 164	Announcers!! Way back in the day two PC baseball sims had actual announcers calling the game. The first of these was Old Time Baseball - which I still play from time to time. It is still available as abandonware, just Google it. Anyhow, you could choose between Mel Allen or Curt Gowdy. The game came with every season from 1871 to 1981 and the animation were superb for that time - mid 1990s. Then came APBA Broadcast Blast Baseball for Windows. Ernie Harwell called the games ad it really felt like the real thing. You could play any season from 1871 to 1997. I would LOVE to see a feature like that! Just NO Joe Buck please?

03-19-2018, 10:54 PM	#2
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,529	But would have to get license to hook up with ESPN or so on but then could have Ken Rosenthal in Game. __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

03-20-2018, 12:16 AM	#3
Brad K Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2016 Location: St Petersburg Florida USA Posts: 6,658 Infractions: 0/2 (3)	Old time baseball was amazing for its time. It has some database problems but playing as a field manager was superb. They had Curt Gowdy in Mel Alan record phrases including players names and put them together for the broadcast. Very good touches like Gowdy would say in a sympathetic voice "it's been a tough night for him at the plate, he's o for four". Amazing for a DOS game

03-20-2018, 10:25 AM	#4
ScottPoseSnag Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 31	Amazing idea. 1. You would think that MLB would want to work with the OOTP developers to get a good announcer on board to spruce up the presentation. 2. If the game wants to go outside the box, a great voice would be Hank Azaria, of Brockmire announcing fame. 3. Even just a regular guy that knows baseball would be an improvement over the computer voice. 4. Maybe there is a local team announcer that loves ootp and would want to do it on the cheap for the exposure/fun of it? We don't need madden like color commentary. Just the basic play calls would be a great start. "3-2 count, here's the delivery, lined into centerfield for a single." Adding player names and team names would obviously be a much more significant undertaking.

03-20-2018, 12:21 PM	#5
Brad K Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2016 Location: St Petersburg Florida USA Posts: 6,658 Infractions: 0/2 (3)	Old Time Baseball had some of the player names and made it work on a DOS program! Really, it works if you just record the names of the major players and if you do first and last separately, then some of them will apply to lesser players.

03-25-2018, 07:22 PM	#6
neugey All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 805	+1. I was a frequent player of APBA Baseball for Windows w/ Ernie Harwell. If Markus and co. could add quality play-by-play audio to the already cool field animations, I swear to God I'd put my XBox on garage sale and never touch another video game ever again!

03-26-2018, 12:53 PM	#7
vrobx1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 3,429	I agree. Even if you could make it sound like an old-time radio play-by-play call, that would be amazingly awesome!