Where did all the new customers come from?

[OldFatGuy]

Originally Posted by Officespace99

what...like me

Hey, northern Va! Howdy neighbor!

[Bears5122]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Tell those people to come back. Historical MLB gaming has been heavily enhanced and it rocks the house now.

Most of the guys I know were modern day MLB sim guys. Used to do some leagues with them. Not sure if they are into historicals or not. Think some are waiting for the demo or until there are some usable MLB rosters.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by Bears5122

I know of a bunch of people from the old OOTP days that have more or less given up on the game as it doesn't cater to those who like real MLB simulations.

OOTP doesn't cater to people who like to play modern MLB leagues? I'm not one of them, but it's my impression that they have always very much catered to those people (and rightfully so as there sure seem to be a lot of you just by looking at past online leagues). Sure, sometimes it has taken awhile to get rosters and no set is perfect, but in time there's usually decent ones, no? Are you just saying that you feel OOTP should have always had decent rosters right from the day of release or is there something else that you guys are missing or wanting?

[Giants44]

Originally Posted by Bears5122

I'm not denying there are a lot of people who are like you and into the fictional leagues. But it's hard to deny a huge chunk of the old OOTP players were MLB oriented. Compared to what the community was like back in v.6, this place is sort of slow. I know of a bunch of people from the old OOTP days that have more or less given up on the game as it doesn't cater to those who like real MLB simulations.

Kind of reminds me of All-Pro Football put out by 2K. While it was a great game, most people still wanted the real players in Madden.

???

You might want to re-read my post - I ONLY play MLB have never played anything but MLB. I think OOTP does a fine job of modeling MLB.


I agree with you 100% about the 2k All-Pro football I played it 2-3 times but it never held my interest, I need real players.

[steveo]

Originally Posted by Giants44

What interests me is where did all of these new people come from, was there a review or an article somewhere that steered so many new customers to OOTP?

I am one of the new customers and for me it was the customizability (is that a word?) of fictional leagues which attracted me to the game. I am a long time sports management game fan with football manager my all-time favourite, so it was the (former) link with SI which introduced me to the game. I decided to buy this version despite not being a baseball fan because I was frustrated with the lack of custimisation in Football Manager. As I wasnt near the massive soccer fan I am now before I got into FM I figured I would get around the fact the game was baseball and begin to like and understand the game better, though there is no doubt that OOTP is more overwhelming than FM I am slowing getting the hang of it after alot of reading and mucking around.

[Bears5122]

Originally Posted by Giants44

???

You might want to re-read my post - I ONLY play MLB have never played anything but MLB. I think OOTP does a fine job of modeling MLB.


I agree with you 100% about the 2k All-Pro football I played it 2-3 times but it never held my interest, I need real players.

What rosters are you using? Didn't it take like 6 months for usable rosters to be made for each version? And even then I remember that the rosters were riddled with errors such as duplicate players.

[Bears5122]

Originally Posted by kq76

OOTP doesn't cater to people who like to play modern MLB leagues? I'm not one of them, but it's my impression that they have always very much catered to those people (and rightfully so as there sure seem to be a lot of you just by looking at past online leagues). Sure, sometimes it has taken awhile to get rosters and no set is perfect, but in time there's usually decent ones, no? Are you just saying that you feel OOTP should have always had decent rosters right from the day of release or is there something else that you guys are missing or wanting?

The old versions were built around an MLB setup. They usually came with some kind of roster out of the box. I felt that it replicated the MLB system much better than the newer versions do after setting up a universe.

It's not that the rosters took long, it's that the game is now built so that rosters are near impossible to make. The old versions made it much easier to build rosters. This has led to major inaccuracy issues in them along with extremely long man hours just to build a set.

It's not a knock on the game, they chose to go that route. But it's hard to deny that they haven't moved away from MLB fans and toward those of fictional leagues. If not, the rosters wouldn't be near impossible to make.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Bears5122

Most of the guys I know were modern day MLB sim guys. Used to do some leagues with them. Not sure if they are into historicals or not. Think some are waiting for the demo or until there are some usable MLB rosters.

If they want the current season they need to get a PS3 and MLB 08 the Show. Otherwise it's OOTP all the way now.

[Bears5122]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

If they want the current season they need to get a PS3 and MLB 08 the Show. Otherwise it's OOTP all the way now.

Yeah, I think most people are going with the Show for their MLB fix, myself included. That's a great game btw.

[Giants44]

Originally Posted by Bears5122

What rosters are you using? Didn't it take like 6 months for usable rosters to be made for each version? And even then I remember that the rosters were riddled with errors such as duplicate players.

last year rosters were in the works for months after release so for me I played

1. my long running historical turned fictional around 1980 which I imported from previous version

2. a historical league starting in 1976

3. an almost current MLB here I do a historical from 2006. gives me pretty much the current off season. I juts get to decided which real decisions to make and which ones to change. "No, I 'm sorry tell Mr Zito our GM is unavailable.

In previous years real roster sets tended to show up pretty quick. One year (can't recall which one now) rosters were out literally minutes after the game was released.

as fas as errors I am sure there were some but I usually was able to handle those pretty quick and easy.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Bears5122

Yeah, I think most people are going with the Show for their MLB fix, myself included. That's a great game btw.

My dream game is MLB 08 The Show with an OOTP engine.

[ribman]

I'm new (though I was an owner 4-5 years ago for a season) here's why
I'm a a big baseball sim guy-I've played Stratomatic for over 40 years-
OOTP is the first game to really challenge that game seriously for me. They are different games really and I wouldn't play 1 over the other. I just use them for different type projects. I've always had my eye on OOTP advances and trolled the forums and each new versions features.

OOTP in a brilliant move sent me an email with a "I can't pass that up" preorder price- too good to let go-that's whatm got me
now I'm managing Arizona League in 1 mod and 1923 Brown in a historical .

Great game- in my very limited time -I would say that opposing GM's are a little too eary to snooker. I've already discovered in historical leagues if I target future great players before they become great the other GM will give them away for unfair value (a decent now player) I got Gabby Hartnet like this. (a 19 year old Lou Gehrig thankfully wasn't to be gotten).

It's not bad but it is noticable.

[The Wolf]

Change your trade settings in Game Setup to very hard and prefer rookies. You will never snooker an AI GM again.

[ribman]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Change your trade settings in Game Setup to very hard and prefer rookies. You will never snooker an AI GM again.

Thanks didn't even know that was an option

[Rahhja]

Originally Posted by ODB72

As a lurker for 4 years I want to give a shot out to Le Grande Orange. There are a ton of great posters on this forum but he always has really insightful info and very knowledgeable posts.

This reminded me of the post that made me purchase the game for the first time. I just tried to look for it but it's much too old. It was a post by that living legend, Tiger Fan.

He had started up a fictional league and had all his players on spread sheets according to there worth and it was all color coded and I thought cool! That's a real geeky thing to do and I like it!

I've been doing the spreadsheet thing for every league I start now (though they have never looked as cool as his did.)

/love off
Rahhja

[mattshwink]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Unless you're getting an HP employee discount, get a Toshiba laptop instead.

They are much superior.


Which Computer Product is Better? - Toshiba Laptops Vs. Hewlett-Packard Laptops - Associated Content

Thanks for the advice, but I think laptop opinions are pretty varied! I can find you the same types of articles decrying Toshiba laptops. The problem is, support across the entire notebook industry is varied, some days you will have a good experience, and some days not so good. I have been in the IT industry for years, and can site specific instances of problems with just about every brand (years ago, our biggest "problem" notebooks were Sony, followed closely by Toshiba! But times have changed and all vendors have gotten better, even though there is still a lot of inconsistency, even within each vendor.)

Here are some links to some more independent reviews, which rate HP and Toshiba about the same:
Toshiba Portege R500-S5003 Laptop reviews - CNET Reviews
HP Pavilion dv9700t Laptop reviews - CNET Reviews
AnandTech: Toshiba Satellite X205-S9359: DX10 to go, please!

I cannot find any independent reviewer that rates any Toshiba as superior to the other laptop manufacturers, though most of the large independent benchmark shops don't rate notebooks often (due to market volatility and difficulty for apples-to-apples comparisons). My wife currently has a HP provided through her company (she just got a new one, they replace them every 3 years, a good policy!) and no problems with either one, rock solid performers!

There is also the issue that I cannot find any Toshiba notebooks that have 17" displays, Intel 9300 processors, and non-integrated graphics (well, they do, but they are Quadro cards, not what I am looking for!) In general, I hate Toshiba's website. Poorly done when you compare it with Dell, HP, and Gateway. Veyr difficult to find specific specs (or when looking at a particular notebook to tell the specs without clicking on it).

So for now I am looking mainly at HP, though Gateway is a close second. But if Toshiba puts out something new in the meantime that meets my specs, it will definitely get a second look!

Matt

[rowech]

Granted it's only one opinion but we bought a Toshiba two years ago and it's been the best computer we've ever purchased.

[mattshwink]

Originally Posted by Erik W.

I'll never buy another HP computer. We bought one for my wife, and even leaving out the fact that the PSU died after just over a year, the installed software is nothing but trouble. I hate that thing so much.

First thing I do whenever I get a new computer is wipe and re-install OS, then drivers, then updates (patches and such), the basics (AV, office software), then any software I use. I never leave a machine in the default manufacturer state (not from any vendor)! I used to re-install every six months or so (especially with always-on Internet) but my wife doesn't like the cleaned machine look as much as I do

As for the PSU issue, we have a Dell that we have had for 5 years (my wife got it for grad school). It's really showing it's age now (slow). We have had to get the MB replaced twice (although it gets a lot of use and wear, gets lugged everywhere we go). But we didn't have to pay for either one, we got the four year warranty (at home service). That is one thing that Dell has over most other vendors, at home service. I hate having to ship anything anywhere for service!

As a rule of thumb, I always get the four year warranty when buying a laptop, and one year (or the default) with a desktop. I can always replace desktop components, but not so with a laptop!

But we are probably not going to buy a Dell this time. Their high end models are just too expensive

Matt

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by rowech

Granted it's only one opinion but we bought a Toshiba two years ago and it's been the best computer we've ever purchased.

I don't know any Toshiba laptop users who will get anything but another Toshiba. I know a woman who tried a different brand once, but she hated the other laptop and went back to Toshiba ASAP. I've used HP's. I would never own one. Toshibas are head and shoulders above all other laptops, except maybe the Alienware ones.

I have two Toshiba laptops. I play OOTP on this one Toshiba Satellite A305-S6841 15.4" Widescreen Notebook Computer With Intel Core2 Duo Processor T5550 With Centrino Processor Technology at Office Depot., which you can get through Office Depot for under $1000 right now, and it's great. With the 256 MB graphics card it also plays 3D games really well. Plus it has harman/kardon speakers built-in.

[mattshwink]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

I don't know any Toshiba laptop users who will get anything but another Toshiba. I know a woman who tried a different brand once, but she hated the other laptop and went back to Toshiba ASAP. I've used HP's. I would never own one. Toshibas are head and shoulders above all other laptops, except maybe the Alienware ones.

I have two Toshiba laptops. I play OOTP on this one Toshiba Satellite A305-S6841 15.4" Widescreen Notebook Computer With Intel Core2 Duo Processor T5550 With Centrino Processor Technology at Office Depot., which you can get through Office Depot for under $1000 right now, and it's great. With the 256 MB graphics card it also plays 3D games really well. Plus it has harman/kardon speakers built-in.

And I can find just as many people who are sworn to Dell, HP, Asus, Alienware (now owned by Dell), etc. It's mostly personal preference, especially with laptops (each laptop has its own feel). I, myself, am not a brand loyalist. I find it too confining (especially as the computer market changes rapidly and vendors constantly make better (or worse) systems.

And I very rarely buy retail. That 15" laptop is a great deal, but it's not powerful enough for me and the screen is too small (for me). The warranty isn't listed either, and I buy 3-4 year warranties with laptops. I would get a 20" but my wife doesn't want to lug around a 12+ pound laptop (even though I would be the one lugging it!)

I find the retail channel too confining. I like customization. The service can also be spotty (in retail, though vendors sometimes aren't much better). Given that this will be my primary (home) machine and I want to cram as much into as I can (my wife won't let me buy toys every two or three years) ...which means a T9300 (T9500 not enough bang for the buck), 7200RPM laptop HDD, and either an ATI (3xxx) or NVIDIA (8xxxx or 9xxx). And I want all that with the four year warranty (from the manufacturer, not the store!) Unfortunately, Toshiba does not have any models that fit those specs. The Dells in that category are too expensive (as are the Sony and Lenovo models)....that leaves HP and Gateway. So if Toshiba releases a model soon that meets those specs.....I'll take a look, but until then, they are out of the running for me, no matter how many people like their other models.

Oh, and I can get discounts on the Toshiba's (and HP, Sony, Dell, Lenovo). If you want them just e-mail me (msw22@yahoo.com) and I will send you (or anyone else) the invite.

Matt