What are the iOOTP 2013 upgrades over 2012?

[JoseB]

First off, I am a HUGE fan of the iOOTP series and have logged countless hours with iOOTP 2012... but after playing iOOTP 2013 for a few days now, I can't really see any upgrades other than different colors and fonts.

Is iOOTP 2013 just a re-skin of 2012? If not, could someone please outline the upgrades over last year's version?

[ms2002]

Originally Posted by JoseB

First off, I am a HUGE fan of the iOOTP series and have logged countless hours with iOOTP 2012... but after playing iOOTP 2013 for a few days now, I can't really see any upgrades other than different colors and fonts.

Is iOOTP 2013 just a re-skin of 2012? If not, could someone please outline the upgrades over last year's version?

Well, for one, the MLB rosters are obviously updated. There should be an upcoming update that will make the default MLB rosters even better. Also, player development/creation, fielding development and trading AI have been completely updated to match OOTP 14's engine. Those are subtle, but essential changes that make the game that much more realistic.

Also, you have the ability to add real ballpark images. For historical players, there's the option to import real rookies when progressing to the next season.

I have a feeling more is to come in updates, too!

[JoseB]

That's a good start I guess, and I expected the rosters to be updated, but I also expected some revamping of the interface and better functionality.

Also, no WAR??

[Sebastian Palkowski]

On one side we want to improve the game with every new version and update but on the other hand we have to be careful to not make the game more complicated. The way we handle it is to improve the game with new features during the year and not hold them back for a new version. The first update, as already mentioned, will have the final Opening Day roster. Then I will work on Retina and iPhone 5 support, which will be a requirement for all Apps starting May 1st.

[JoseB]

Thanks for the explanation, that kind of makes sense. I was just a little dismayed to find a $4.99 app that seemed unpolished and played like a Beta (e.g. text is cut-off, straight lines are askew).

My four suggestions are as follows:

• Add WAR as an extended statistic.
• Add the ability to retract a free agent offer.
• Have the financials evolve in real-time. My 2034 team budget is $95MM.
• Add the option to switch major and minor league players, rather than get an error message that the MLB 25-man roster is full. This eliminates a manual step in roster management and disabled list management.

With all that said, I remain a loyal and fervent player/supporter of all things iOOTP.

[Disco Dog 13]

Originally Posted by JoseB

Thanks for the explanation, that kind of makes sense. I was just a little dismayed to find a $4.99 app that seemed unpolished and played like a Beta (e.g. text is cut-off, straight lines are askew).

My four suggestions are as follows:

• Add WAR as an extended statistic.
• Add the ability to retract a free agent offer.
• Have the financials evolve in real-time. My 2034 team budget is $95MM.
• Add the option to switch major and minor league players, rather than get an error message that the MLB 25-man roster is full. This eliminates a manual step in roster management and disabled list management.

With all that said, I remain a loyal and fervent player/supporter of all things iOOTP.

+1 for each point

Echo the sentiments of loyalty and loving the game too ... I'm addicted !!

[theAdam]

+1 for retracting a free agent offer.

Another minor thing that has always bothered me is that when looking through a team's roster I can't see if they are untradeable due to being a recent draft pick unless I add them or check their history. It would be nice to be able to see that in some way in the player list... perhaps in a color code? I realize screen real estate is at a premium.

For evolving financials, I actually like the dollar amounts remaining the same instead of inflating. Amounts can get to ridiculous levels if a league is played for many years. If this is added, please make it an option that can be enabled/disabled when a league is created.

That all said, I appreciate that the iOS version of the game is kept simple. While I can appreciate the complexity of the full PC version which I also have, at times it feels too much like work and not recreation. The level of simplicity and yet having a baseball "world" I can fully immerse myself in is at a terrific balance in the iOS app. I get far more enjoyment from the app than I do with the full PC version OOTP.

[ms2002]

JoseB, those are fantastic suggestions. I agree with each one. Hopefully they can be added in an update.

Originally Posted by theAdam

That all said, I appreciate that the iOS version of the game is kept simple. While I can appreciate the complexity of the full PC version which I also have, at times it feels too much like work and not recreation. The level of simplicity and yet having a baseball "world" I can fully immerse myself in is at a terrific balance in the iOS app. I get far more enjoyment from the app than I do with the full PC version OOTP.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I play iOOTP way more than the PC version these days (more due to life demands than choice). I love how complex, yet simple it is. I hope it can get more attention in development and keep evolving as a mobile app.

[JoseB]

Originally Posted by theAdam

Another minor thing that has always bothered me is that when looking through a team's roster I can't see if they are untradeable due to being a recent draft pick unless I add them or check their history. It would be nice to be able to see that in some way in the player list... perhaps in a color code? I realize screen real estate is at a premium.

That's another good example of how an extraneous step could be eliminated. They could filter the trading screen to keep out newly drafted players that are ineligible.

+1