Can we discuss the scheduling?

touya · 12-08-2018, 09:56 AM

I initially just wanted to add this to the suggestions & features post but I think this deserves an extra post as it is probably a topic in itself.

While I realize that the vast majority of the player base is US based, the current schedule is very disadvantageous for other time zones, especially the playoffs and World Series.

What I suggest should not change much as it doesn't touch the times itself: My idea is how about the week starts on Sunday instead of Monday.

That way, the playoffs would be late night for EU players but on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. Plus, the Sunday can be used to prepare the new season and watch the initial games.

As it is now, I can never watch any playoffs and neither can I look at my team before the it's already playing in the next season because I have to be at work. This removes some fun for me.

eldur00 · 12-08-2018, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by touya

I initially just wanted to add this to the suggestions & features post but I think this deserves an extra post as it is probably a topic in itself.

While I realize that the vast majority of the player base is US based, the current schedule is very disadvantageous for other time zones, especially the playoffs and World Series.

What I suggest should not change much as it doesn't touch the times itself: My idea is how about the week starts on Sunday instead of Monday.

That way, the playoffs would be late night for EU players but on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. Plus, the Sunday can be used to prepare the new season and watch the initial games.

As it is now, I can never watch any playoffs and neither can I look at my team before the it's already playing in the next season because I have to be at work. This removes some fun for me.

I wonder if there's enough users from Europe to warrant having different timezone servers. They should have the numbers easily available to them, but with the nature of PRO/REL of the mode, it might be difficult to get the right numbers for the right balance.

Some people in the US could probably use being on the European schedule side of things, while the opposite would be true as well.

I'm sure they are looking at that kind of thing already.

touya · 12-08-2018, 10:41 AM

Yes, Kris already said that they are looking at this. They will also check load statistics over the weekends to possibly adjust it.

I just thought it is probably a good idea to also have the chance for other players to give some input.

Of course the majority is US based and that is why I would not suggest touching the actual play times. That the games will be at night time for Europeans is a given. But changing the weekly cycle shouldn't have any impact on US players.

Westheim · 12-08-2018, 10:57 AM

I am not staying up until 4am just because OOTP is doing sims at snail pace, be my team involved or not.

noragar · 12-08-2018, 11:01 AM

I much prefer having the September pennant races on Saturday and the Playoffs on Sunday as opposed to having them on Friday and Saturday.

There's also the logistics of how the switch would happen. Would that mean shutting everything down for 6 days to get on the new schedule? I guess the other option would be to skip April games one season and have a "strike-shortened" season. Neither seems like a very good option from either the player's side or the programmer's side.

Dogberry99 · 12-08-2018, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noragar

There's also the logistics of how the switch would happen. Would that mean shutting everything down for 6 days to get on the new schedule? I guess the other option would be to skip April games one season and have a "strike-shortened" season. Neither seems like a very good option from either the player's side or the programmer's side.

Or sim games throughout the night, like what the Entry Pool already does

Orcin · 12-08-2018, 12:02 PM

This was discussed during the beta and the current system was preferred by the majority.

Socali · 12-08-2018, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by touya

...
What I suggest should not change much as it doesn't touch the times itself: My idea is how about the week starts on Sunday instead of Monday.

That way, the playoffs would be late night for EU players but on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. Plus, the Sunday can be used to prepare the new season and watch the initial games.

I much prefer Saturday playoffs...season start on Sunday. Apparently, that is the minority opinion. I’m on board with that Touya.

USA Central Time here

Dogberry99 · 12-08-2018, 01:15 PM

I doubt the majority that preferred Sunday would be significantly inconvenienced if it were Saturday.

This could also potentially help the many people who were never able to change their ballpark to their preferred specifications.

Orcin · 12-08-2018, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogberry99

I doubt the majority that preferred Sunday would be significantly inconvenienced if it were Saturday.

You can’t please everyone.

Dogberry99 · 12-08-2018, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

You can’t please everyone.

That's exactly my point. We should not be looking to please everyone. On decisions such as this one, maybe maximizing preferences ought to take a back seat to minimizing inconveniences. To me, this post brings up some compelling reasons why it might be less inconvenient for a greater number of people for the season to end on a Saturday and begin on a Sunday.

I did not see this discussed during the beta period. I did not ever give it much consideration (beyond the one stadium modification thread) before I found this thread. Having no issues with this myself, I was ignorant that others might.

Orcin · 12-08-2018, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogberry99

To me, this post brings up some compelling reasons why it might be less inconvenient for a greater number of people for the season to end on a Saturday and begin on a Sunday.

It might be, but according to the discussion that already took place, it isn't. Most people did not want the season to begin on Sunday. They wanted the season to end on Sunday so they had time to follow both the pennant race AND the playoffs.

Dogberry99 · 12-08-2018, 04:52 PM

Cool story. For those of us who were here for the beta and missed the discussion in spite of our forum activity, could you point us in the right direction to catch up?

Orcin · 12-08-2018, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogberry99

Cool story. For those of us who were here for the beta and missed the discussion in spite of our forum activity, could you point us in the right direction to catch up?

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=294793

Germaniac · 12-08-2018, 05:06 PM

I asked Markus about that .. apparently only 3% of the users are from Europe ... so no chance. At all.

damientheomen3 · 12-08-2018, 05:07 PM

Although I personally believe that the current system works the best (grain of salt, I'm from the US so I'm in the optimal time zones but I work til 9 PM most nights so I usually only have a couple games every day where I can actually do anything with my lineups), I feel this discussion can be re-visited now that people have a few more weeks of PT under their belt.

Kushiel · 12-08-2018, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogberry99

That's exactly my point. We should not be looking to please everyone. On decisions such as this one, maybe maximizing preferences ought to take a back seat to minimizing inconveniences. To me, this post brings up some compelling reasons why it might be less inconvenient for a greater number of people for the season to end on a Saturday and begin on a Sunday.

I did not see this discussed during the beta period. I did not ever give it much consideration (beyond the one stadium modification thread) before I found this thread. Having no issues with this myself, I was ignorant that others might.

If you minimize the majority, you alienate the majority in favor of the minority. That is a bad business decision.

Westheim · 12-08-2018, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germaniac

I asked Markus about that .. apparently only 3% of the users are from Europe ... so no chance. At all.

If you had made me guess, I still would have sliced that in half.

There is zero point in catering to European audiences. And I say that as roughly 3% of that European audience.

touya · 12-08-2018, 09:36 PM

I joined this while knowing the schedule. The practical implications however are not immediately apparent. What begins to bug be is that I will never be able to choose my pitcher in a World series as this is like at 6am on Monday for me.

If this was on a Sunday I still would probably pass. But depending on how important it seems to me I still at least have the option. As it stands, I can't even prepare for the new season because next chance I get the new season is already several games in..

That OOTP/PT will never cater to an EU audience is obvious, this is why I do not even ask about moving the actual times. But a shift in the day would have minimal impact and would be the same for everyone.

mikezone13 · 12-09-2018, 03:04 AM

Be thankful you're not in Australia like me - although the benefits are picking up cheap steals at auction while the 97% of the US user base are sleeping and set their auctions to end in my prime time

12-08-2018, 09:56 AM	#1
touya Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 46	Can we discuss the scheduling? I initially just wanted to add this to the suggestions & features post but I think this deserves an extra post as it is probably a topic in itself. While I realize that the vast majority of the player base is US based, the current schedule is very disadvantageous for other time zones, especially the playoffs and World Series. What I suggest should not change much as it doesn't touch the times itself: My idea is how about the week starts on Sunday instead of Monday. That way, the playoffs would be late night for EU players but on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. Plus, the Sunday can be used to prepare the new season and watch the initial games. As it is now, I can never watch any playoffs and neither can I look at my team before the it's already playing in the next season because I have to be at work. This removes some fun for me.

12-08-2018, 10:57 AM	#4
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 14,068	I am not staying up until 4am just because OOTP is doing sims at snail pace, be my team involved or not. __________________ Portland Raccoons, 95 years of excell-.... of baseball: Furballs here! 1983 * 1989 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1995 * 1996 * 2010 * 2017 * 2018 * 2019 * 2026 * 2028 * 2035 * 2037 * 2044 * 2045 * 2046 * 2047 * 2048 * 2051 * 2054 * 2055 * 2061 * 2071 1 OSANAI : 2 POWELL : 7 NOMURA \| RAMOS : 8 REECE : 10 BROWN : 15 HALL : 27 FERNANDEZ : 28 CASAS : 31 CARMONA : 32 WEST : 39 TONER : 46 SAITO Resident Mets Cynic - The Mets from 1962 onwards, here.

12-08-2018, 05:06 PM	#15
Germaniac Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Frankenthal, Germany Posts: 3,102	I asked Markus about that .. apparently only 3% of the users are from Europe ... so no chance. At all. __________________ I'm going to have to meet my Maker some day. And if He asks me why I didn't let this boy play, and I say it's because he's black, that might not be a satisfactory answer. Happy Chandler, 1947

12-08-2018, 09:36 PM	#19
touya Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 46	I joined this while knowing the schedule. The practical implications however are not immediately apparent. What begins to bug be is that I will never be able to choose my pitcher in a World series as this is like at 6am on Monday for me. If this was on a Sunday I still would probably pass. But depending on how important it seems to me I still at least have the option. As it stands, I can't even prepare for the new season because next chance I get the new season is already several games in.. That OOTP/PT will never cater to an EU audience is obvious, this is why I do not even ask about moving the actual times. But a shift in the day would have minimal impact and would be the same for everyone. Last edited by touya; 12-08-2018 at 09:40 PM.

12-09-2018, 03:04 AM	#20
mikezone13 All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 553	Be thankful you're not in Australia like me - although the benefits are picking up cheap steals at auction while the 97% of the US user base are sleeping and set their auctions to end in my prime time __________________ AFBL New Jersey Athletics FOD Boston Shamrocks GLBL Milwaukee Eagles HRBL Toronto Stags PBF Commish only ABL (old SBC) Commish only

12-08-2018, 10:41 AM	#3
touya Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 46	Yes, Kris already said that they are looking at this. They will also check load statistics over the weekends to possibly adjust it. I just thought it is probably a good idea to also have the chance for other players to give some input. Of course the majority is US based and that is why I would not suggest touching the actual play times. That the games will be at night time for Europeans is a given. But changing the weekly cycle shouldn't have any impact on US players.

12-08-2018, 11:01 AM	#5
noragar Minors (Single A) Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 85	I much prefer having the September pennant races on Saturday and the Playoffs on Sunday as opposed to having them on Friday and Saturday. There's also the logistics of how the switch would happen. Would that mean shutting everything down for 6 days to get on the new schedule? I guess the other option would be to skip April games one season and have a "strike-shortened" season. Neither seems like a very good option from either the player's side or the programmer's side.

12-08-2018, 12:02 PM	#7
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,884	This was discussed during the beta and the current system was preferred by the majority.

12-08-2018, 01:15 PM	#9
Dogberry99 All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Wichita Falls, TX Posts: 1,328	I doubt the majority that preferred Sunday would be significantly inconvenienced if it were Saturday. This could also potentially help the many people who were never able to change their ballpark to their preferred specifications.

12-08-2018, 04:52 PM	#13
Dogberry99 All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Wichita Falls, TX Posts: 1,328	Cool story. For those of us who were here for the beta and missed the discussion in spite of our forum activity, could you point us in the right direction to catch up?