The Curious Case of Raidergoo. The Raidergoo Interview

[Padreman]

This forum legend has Hall of Fame Status have been a member since 2003 and has over 8,500 post. Here he is Raidergoo

When and what version did you start playing OOTP?
I started playing OOTP 4 during paternity leave in January 2003. There's a picture somewhere on here of me feeding my two week old daughter while I was playing OOTP 4.


What's feature of the game you love most?
I like the international complexes the best, nowadays. It's a tremendous amount of fun trying to identify who will develop, and then bid on them in a free market auction. I spend way too much time and energy hacking on this! Because of this, I would love an option to replace the regular amateur draft with an auction. You could maintain competitive balance by giving teams varying amounts of money to spend based on their winning percentage, with the worst teams having the most cash.


What's favorite baseball team (any league)?
I have been a Reds fan since I was five. I didn't quite understand that the Big Red Machine was a once in a lifetime thing. I am quite partial to the Dayton Dragons, partly because it's the local 9, and partly because the logo is very cool!

How old you?
I am 42. That's a very important number.


Where are you originally from?
I am from Springfield, Ohio. I've made it about 25 miles west down I-70 in four decades.


Are you a family man?
I am happily divorced with two young daughters. I am their residential parent so they keep me busy CONSTANTLY.


What do you for a living?
I perform IT administration for a really cool manufacturing company in Dayton, Ohio. The building says Intergalactic Headquarters on the sign out front. I kid you not.


Besides OOTP do you have any other hobbies or interest?
Raising two girls keeps me busy. I chase women rather successfully on my own time. I am involved in a custody battle with my ex-wife which soaks up too much of my time, energy, and money. If that ever gets settled, I am very interested in the American Civil War. I have a large library and I've toured Gettysburg twice and Appomattox. But, really, my hobby is OOTP.


You think MLB should expand to 32 teams 2 leagues of 16 if so where and will this not water down talent pool?
MLB can easily support 32 teams today, and probably should expand to 36 teams before the decade ends. The American population has grown by more than 50 million people since the last expansion. In constant dollar terms, the USA is almost 20% wealthier, too. The talent pool is also far larger than before. Today's MLB imports a massive amount of talent from Latin America and Asia. You really can't think of it as 316 million people supporting 30 teams. It's much closer to 500 million. The 1920's had a population of 115 million support 16 teams. The same population ratio of 1 team per 7 million people would support 44 teams today. Back then Organized Baseball abused the game with the color bar, disdaining Blacks and Latinos. My god, they can hit a curve ball! Sign 'em and play 'em! Plus, the level of instruction is better. The quality of play has risen dramatically. Doctors are better, repairing what were CEI's a generation ago.

If I picked the cities, I'd add a franchise in Montreal, Brooklyn, San Antonio, Austin, Charlotte, and Los Angeles. I like the idea of adding additional teams to the NYC and LA marketplaces to dilute the tv revenue that the Dodgers and Yankees get and the Mets waste. I would also move the A's to San Jose.


Do you think people like Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez should ever be in the HOF ? Why or why not?
Nope. PED usage is one of Baseball's capital crimes. These guys are not as rotten as the Black Sox, Pete Rose, or Hal Chase, but, they are close.


If the OOTP team asked you be a consultant what will you change, add or remove for new version of the game?
I think I would add single-click historical minors with league evolution. I would like to take data here (Minor League Baseball History - Baseball-Reference.com) and have it distilled into a csv file so that if you choose to sim the 1977 season that you would get this data (404 - File Not Found - Baseball-Reference.com) imported automatically. I know that a perfectly accurate import isn't possible. For example, during that season, SEA and TOR only had Short Season A affiliates. We'd have to fill in the gaps a little bit, more so the farther you go back, sort of like what happened to simulate 19th century baseball. I would like to see affiliations change as they did in real life. I'd like the league totals to be inputted from real life. I mean...the data is there. But it is a really niche feature.


What modder's work do you personally enjoy?
I loved Captain Walrus circular cap style logos. I think justafan should get a copy of OOTP each year for life.


Is there any other game, book or show your currently enjoying you would like to let us know about?
The last PC game I played other than OOTP was Civ III-when it was new. I am years behind on pop culture. I just managed to watch The Avengers on Netflix last weekend.

[RchW]

I chase women rather successfully on my own time.

This is the quote of the century so far.

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by RchW

This is the quote of the century so far.

The day after I wrote that, I wondered if it would be edited out.

Nope!

[Raidergoo]

I've spent the last ten minutes tracking down my daughter's picture from OOTP 4 days and found it.

She's going to turn 11 in a month.

[The Game]

By far the best interview so far. I agree with his 36 team argument, PED users and the HOF & Auction Draft which was my favorite part.

[RchW]

LOL, you blink and suddenly they are grown up and very challenging. You sir have my utmost respect.

[Padreman]

Originally Posted by RchW

This is the quote of the century so far.

That was very funny

[justafan]

Originally Posted by RchW

This is the quote of the century so far.

I don't know, I really like this quote...

Originally Posted by Padreman

I think justafan should get a copy of OOTP each year for life.

[The Wolf]

Before I finally let one of them catch me I always thought it was better to let them chase me.

[The Wolf]

I support Justafan getting a free copy of OOTP each year for life.

[Elysian Fields]

I'm an American Civil War crank myself. I'm reading a book on the Battle of Champion's Hill right now. Have a stack of other books to get to when I'm done with it.

The Civil War did a lot to spread the game of baseball, I think. OOTP is, in some kind of way, a product of the Civil War perhaps.

[Padreman]

Actually I'm reading about the Buffalo Soldiers my wife being of African-American descent studied that her self i recently found her books they where very interesting. Not Civil War area but still nice history

[The Game]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

I support Justafan getting a free copy of OOTP each year for life.

Add Reds1 and No Pepper to that list. Gern gets high consideration also.

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Before I finally let one of them catch me I always thought it was better to let them chase me.

I have found that the women in my desired demographic (divorced college educated white collar professionals about 40 years old) require chasing at first. Mostl of them still think they are unicorns.

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by Elysian Fields

I'm an American Civil War crank myself. I'm reading a book on the Battle of Champion's Hill right now. Have a stack of other books to get to when I'm done with it.

The Civil War did a lot to spread the game of baseball, I think. OOTP is, in some kind of way, a product of the Civil War perhaps.

I believe that the Civil War paved the way by through rapid construction of railways, increased industrialization, thus creating a fertile environment for mass immigration. The USA after the Civil War was by and large (still is) an empty country waiting to be filled up.

One of my favorite baseball anecdotes is that on the day of Custer's Last Stand, the Reds lost to the team that became the Braves, 8-7.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Raidergoo

I have found that the women in my desired demographic (divorced college educated white collar professionals about 40 years old) require chasing at first. Mostl of them still think they are unicorns.

Unicorns in what way?

[D-BacksJosh]

Originally Posted by Raidergoo

I believe that the Civil War paved the way by through rapid construction of railways, increased industrialization, thus creating a fertile environment for mass immigration. The USA after the Civil War was by and large (still is) an empty country waiting to be filled up.

One of my favorite baseball anecdotes is that on the day of Custer's Last Stand, the Reds lost to the team that became the Braves, 8-7.

I used to live in Manassas, VA right next to the national park. We would attend the re-enactments there for the battle of Bull Run, it was fascinating to watch. The Civil War is a very interesting subject.

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Unicorns in what way?

A unicorn is a fairy tale creature, mythical, magical, and unique. Most women I have dated are surprised to learn that there are several hundred of them out there in their specific demographic in the Miami Valley. I prefer to think of them as thoroughbreds, instead. This cuts out a lot of initial pretensions and leads to some fascinating conversations where I can learn quite a bit about a lady.

It's not the highest on my dating list but I do ask and learn how a potential partner would handle my OOTP hobby.

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by D-BacksJosh

I used to live in Manassas, VA right next to the national park. We would attend the re-enactments there for the battle of Bull Run, it was fascinating to watch. The Civil War is a very interesting subject.

My mother was born in a little town called Farmville, VA. The next town to the west is Appomattox. My mom didn't learn until she was 11 and moved to Cleveland that damn yankees was two words.