Completely demoralised

[old timer]

Originally Posted by StyxNCa

You really can't figure out why a programmer would lie about programming an AI cheat into a game? Hm.

In what way would a cheat that makes it harder for a human player to win the WS be beneficial? Would this somehow make Markus feel proud to hear that people can't win the WS, because he programmed it to be harder? Would people enjoy it suddenly getting harder in the WS?

If Markus was going to make the WS harder, then why not make it so we can't keep winning the division/league titles year after year as well? It just doesn't make much sense to program the game this way. Furthermore, other games that cheat, usually do so at a higher difficulty setting.

[jasonn29tn14]

Now that I think of it the 'code' must have been cheating the 2001 Seattle Mariners as well. Look at their record. They must have been cheated since they didn't win it all. And they're only one classic example of dozens over the course of the last several years.

[Wrigleyviller]

This hasn't been my experience. I've only played one season so far, and I won the WS. My team had a killer offense, only one consistently good starter, and a hot-and-cold bullpen. I swept the NLDS, took the NLCS in seven, and swept the WS. My mediocre pitchers came through with great clutch performances, and my offense kept steamrolling along. The only thing was my defense fell apart in the playoffs and WS, but I hardly think any of this constitutes a cheat code or anything.

[Articula]

The whole point of this thread is meant to be, if its so hard to win the World Series, why is it so easy to dominate the regular season. Make the regualar season more realistic and the OP wouldn't feel like he's been cheated in the World Series.

I understand that you can self-impose a salary cap on yourself, but still if its that easy to cakewalk thru the regular season, the playoffs just are not as fun. I watched the Cubs win 97 games last year in the regular season. I can tell you it didn't feel that easy. Don't make the regular season feel so easy and I bet this thread doesn't exist.

[StyxNCa]

Originally Posted by old timer

In what way would a cheat that makes it harder for a human player to win the WS be beneficial? Would this somehow make Markus feel proud to hear that people can't win the WS, because he programmed it to be harder? Would people enjoy it suddenly getting harder in the WS?

If Markus was going to make the WS harder, then why not make it so we can't keep winning the division/league titles year after year as well? It just doesn't make much sense to program the game this way. Furthermore, other games that cheat, usually do so at a higher difficulty setting.

Well since I haven't seen this WS problem I can't say there is a cheat. The point is that no programmer in his right mind would admit to his customer base that any kind of cheat code exists. That would be suicide.

[StyxNCa]

Originally Posted by Articula

The whole point of this thread is meant to be, if its so hard to win the World Series, why is it so easy to dominate the regular season. Make the regualar season more realistic and the OP wouldn't feel like he's been cheated in the World Series.

I understand that you can self-impose a salary cap on yourself, but still if its that easy to cakewalk thru the regular season, the playoffs just are not as fun. I watched the Cubs win 97 games last year in the regular season. I can tell you it didn't feel that easy. Don't make the regular season feel so easy and I bet this thread doesn't exist.

Let's use my team as an example. Over the past 6 seasons we have a winning % in the .680's. Our WS record is 3-3.

I understand that we are playing the other league's best team (I don't have divisions). In my life I have seen a lot of real life instances of the heavy underdog winning the WS or championships in other sports. It doesn't take a lot for an underdog to get fired up. In sports, many times, it's a curse to be the favorite because of the mental aspect of that position and the incentive the underdog has to prove everyone wrong. That "favorite" label puts all the pressure on the favored team.

Naturally in the championship series you will face tougher competition. In response to the fact that you "roll" through the reguar season, how many games does a team play against lousy or average teams during the season? A lot more than half the games. So comparing regular season results with WS results really is apples and oranges.

My team lost a series to a team the had an amazing 88 wins the season we had 114 with them winning their league by 1 game. We clinched in early September.

They also played in a league where the separation from 1st to last was not very big. Was that league so close because all the teams sucked or was it because they were all pretty good? Who knows, but having to fight till the last day to clinch toughens a team up for the playoffs. It doesn't allow them to get "bored" and that fighting spirit continues on into the playoffs. It seemed my team went to sleep after we clinched with another month to play and never bothered to wake back up. You see a lot that teams who get a break between playoff series lose their next series to the team who didn't get such a break. It's the momentum thing.

In my league only one other team was over .500 which explains our record. I don't believe the competition level in my league was anywhere close to the other league.

So was I shocked that we lost the series? Heck no.

Anyway, I don't feel there is a cheat for post season. I'd find it real boring to win every time.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by ehencley

I believe that the "alleged" late season fall off in Human teams is due to rest issues. I truly believe that if you start a guy 155-162 games a year, they start to lose effectiveness in OOTP.

Doesnt apply to me. I generally have 11-12 guys I split time in the lineup with. So, I usually only 1, maybe 2 guys get 150 starts. And I notice a lot of the AI players get 155-162 games. (i generally see at least one 3B get 162 games due to the fact the computer mysteriously refuses to carry another player with any knowledge of 3B playing). So, if anything it is the opposite.

Actually, I dont have much problem with the hitters, it is the pitchers that gets aggravating. Like Tate, my starters almost always explode in the playoffs. Not just one starter either. All the starters, 90% of the time. I have won the WS a couple of times (though not one that went 7-games). But, I have had to get very creative with my pitching staff to do it. Starting relievers for 1 inning, then putting in the starter. Taking 3 guys and pitching them 3 innings each. I will say my bullpen does pretty good in postseason, but they are almost always pitching down by 3+ runs way too much.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by Questdog

Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.....

Not that you're a loser, but if Lou Pinella played OOTP he'd be a whole lot worse than Mr. Tate on these boards.....

Hah, thank what John McGraw would be doing to his computer.

[StyxNCa]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

So, I usually only 1, maybe 2 guys get 150 starts. And I notice a lot of the AI players get 155-162 games. (i generally see at least one 3B get 162 games due to the fact the computer mysteriously refuses to carry another player with any knowledge of 3B playing). So, if anything it is the opposite.

I noticed that too, that there are many AI players with 155 or more games played. There is no way I can get one of my players that many games.

[Malleus Dei]

Bobby Cox, one of the best managers in the history of baseball, went into to numerous playoffs with the best team in baseball only to come out of them all with only one WS win, but at least he never claimed that the system was rigged against him.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Rondell Tate

And that is the result -- comfortable regular season win, playoff loss after playoff loss -- that many of us are reporting, ad nauseum. Is it proof that Markus has coded in game "cheats"? No. I haven't seen anybody saying SEE! I proved there's code. Is it proof that for whatever reason, an inordinate number of seasons have that same story arc? Yes.

It's odd because you actually seem quite well spoken and intelligent, whereas most of those who claim things are "rigged" seem to have the mental acumen of a pre-teen.

Regardless, as someone else stated, many, many, many, people play solo OOTP and don't post about when they win the World Series an appropriate or even an outlandish number of times.

This 'inordinate number of seasons' that you are saying people are reporting about really only is a handful of players, playing only a fraction of the total seasons played in OOTP.

Does it happen that a team loses a series to a worse team in OOTP? Certainly. It happens in real baseball too, as has also been pointed out here ad naseum.

When you are reporting the results of your own dynasty that probably isn't all that old, or even the single Denver dynasty, these are all small sample sizes, anyway.


However, just as many, if not more, people have reported being able to win five or six WS in a row and I'm sure many people can remember instances when they had 'normal' results in the World Series for dynasty teams (ie. win two out of three, win two in a row, then two more in a row two years later, etc)

If you had some Ron Co. esque study of dozens and dozens of seasons, played in different settings, that someone showed that top teams are unfairly treated in the playoffs, then we'd have something to talk about. However, that sadly isn't too easy to come up with when this is a complaint based on human teams.

[CHCfan]

Originally Posted by StyxNCa

Well since I haven't seen this WS problem I can't say there is a cheat. The point is that no programmer in his right mind would admit to his customer base that any kind of cheat code exists. That would be suicide.

I think the more convincing argument for me is: why would Markus continue to have this (hypothetical) code enabled version after version, with threads like this popping up every year (since v.4 at least, when I began)?

I agree with your premise, but it doesn't outweigh the other logic in my mind.

[Déjà Bru]

I was thinking about this thread as I won my third World Series in a row tonight, winning it all in the first three years of my league. This past season, 1903, I swept the series 5 games to none (it was the best of nine then).

Really, guys, I'm no great OOTP player. I did get fortunate in the inaugural draft to get four above average starters, that's all. Plus, I manage all my games. My dominance continues.

I used to think there was some tougher playoff module in OOTP. I remember arguing that way when the "shoe was on the other foot." I really don't think that way anymore, especially after blowing through three championship seasons like these.

It's a combination of skill and luck that determines OOTP results, all the way through postseason.

[tajoumaru]

Originally Posted by CHCfan

I think the more convincing argument for me is: why would Markus continue to have this (hypothetical) code enabled version after version, with threads like this popping up every year (since v.4 at least, when I began)?

I agree with your premise, but it doesn't outweigh the other logic in my mind.

There's another possibility we need to consider--that the game is learning. It's getting smarter and re-writing itself.

[jasonn29tn14]

The Chicago Cubs haven't won a WS in over 100 years! It must be the playoff code cheating them!

[Killing Time]

Originally Posted by jasonn29tn14

The Chicago Cubs haven't won a WS in over 100 years! It must be the playoff code cheating them!

I think that one is more of a curse.

[Jamee999]

Originally Posted by jasonn29tn14

The Chicago Cubs haven't won a WS in over 100 years! It must be the playoff code cheating them!

Nah, they just really really suck.