What a Wonderful Game!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Germaniac

I fully can understand that approach ... but you might re-consider since recent releases have been extremely stable and almost free of major bugs.

I usually wait 2-3 weeks until the early patches are through and then import my precious fictional leagues and I haven't had the slightest problem.

Of course, I regularly create zip-files of my league files.

Agree with you totally... the game is usually quite stable.

I'm just on old codger, stuck in his ancient ways.

[Mariner and Giants Fan]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

I'm kind of quirky... my experience is to wait a while before you update any kind of software... I learned this in the 80s when accounting was computerized... I would always wait a month before I would use the update... they always fixed any problems that popped up in that month.

I don't mind playing OOTP19 until July, 2019 when Markus will probably do the final update for OOTP20... I'm fine with OOTP19 for a few more months.

Yes, I also remember when accounting became computerized in the 80's and all the good along with bad that came with that. I do understand and appreciate your reticence but it would drive me crazy to remain that way as I believe software engineers have progressed in the past 30 years with patches and what not, don't you? Of course I do not have a long running sim like you that might be jeopardized so I can see your caution.

[Germaniac]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Agree with you totally... the game is usually quite stable.

I'm just on old codger, stuck in his ancient ways.

You have every right to do it that way

[endgame]

Thank you for the posts, EC. Tokens are often originated by need or request, and Matt has been generous when their creation doesn't require hours of investment. I am quite certain your contributions- and more of those are available in your dynasty thread, right? -will be examined for elements that may drive future token inclusion.

The key here, and just my opinion, is recognizing that your recaps arise largely from an intimate knowledge of both the teams and the players. We should strive to evaluate how and where to include elements that have to the potential to provoke that same level of intimacy from the user when he reads the recap. Provide him an interesting note that may generate additional actions and investigations on his part in order to deepen his own understanding. I'll be watchful for these possibilities.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by endgame

Thank you for the posts, EC. Tokens are often originated by need or request, and Matt has been generous when their creation doesn't require hours of investment. I am quite certain your contributions- and more of those are available in your dynasty thread, right? -will be examined for elements that may drive future token inclusion.

The key here, and just my opinion, is recognizing that your recaps arise largely from an intimate knowledge of both the teams and the players. We should strive to evaluate how and where to include elements that have to the potential to provoke that same level of intimacy from the user when he reads the recap. Provide him an interesting note that may generate additional actions and investigations on his part in order to deepen his own understanding. I'll be watchful for these possibilities.

endgame, I realize it is very, very difficult to do generic recaps that are very limited with what you can include... about the best you can do is basically tell the score of the game... who won... and give the stars of the game... who had the key hits... winning and losing pitchers and their records... maybe include some season stats of the stars.

On the Beta Team I learned over the years to be very bland in your news stories... it was hard make them sound realistic... they have to fit a wide ranges of subjects... adjectives could get you in trouble when they did not really fit in... so I use to limit the use of adjectives on much of the news in the game... I would cringe when I would see a story where "Jones had a tremendous season, batting .250 with 40 home runs and 80 runs batted in"... I would go into the database and delete the word "tremendous"... the word would fit if Jones batted .333 with 40 homers and 100 RBIs, but not when he batted .250... this used to occur occasionally in the news stories...a rookie would win the Rookie of the Year Award... in the news story you would see "Newcomer Smith dazzled the league with an amazing season... He hit .265 with 5 home runs, scored 70 runs and drove in 50."...this would happen when the quality of the rookie crop wasn't very good... hope they have learned and fixed them to make them read more realistically.

I use to strive for enough stories in a category so they would see the same ones over and over.

Check out the Islandian Pro Alliance on the Dynasty Forum... there are over 10 years of recapping games in it.

I would be glad to help out on the game recaps in OOTPB... might be able to offer some ways to expand and improve them... I could also write additional ones for you, too... to add more variety to them.

I'll do some research of the recaps in my game -- I don't do them for the regular season... the AI does them -- and offers some suggestions.

Are you still on the Beta Team? Are you involved in the recap writing? Should I send you an email or PM my findings?

[Eugene Church]

Uh Oh!... EC has to eat a little crow.

This is a Wonderful Game.

I just recently watched a game using the animation and was really, really surprised how much it has improved since last year when the game was released... in past years I have always panned it on the Forum here and didn't use it, nor the sound... it just wasn't well done... just a lackluster and mediocre product.

I was wrong.

From now on I will use the animation... it is acceptable now... I will use it when I play out my postseason games in the Islandian Pro Alliance... I have to say the animation is pretty good.

But, of course, I want it to get better and be as good as EA graphics... or at least, half as good as EA... as you can see, I'm not hard to please.

[endgame]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Are you still on the Beta Team? Are you involved in the recap writing? Should I send you an email or PM of my findings?

Yes, not directly, and posting here or starting a separate thread would be great. Thank you.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by endgame

Yes, not directly, and posting here or starting a separate thread would be great. Thank you.

If you think it would be useful, I will do my research so I know what I'm talking about and offer my suggestions for improving the game recaps.

[endgame]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

If you think it would be useful, I will do my research so I know what I'm talking about and offer my suggestions for improving the game recaps.

Please do so. It will provide good and original seeds. Thank you.

[84Hammy]

I agree with you about animations, EC. I normally just simmed through the seasons, but when I tried the animations with this version I was pleasantly surprised. Next thing you know I am playing out all my games and trying to coax the ball out of the park!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by 84Hammy

I agree with you about animations, EC. I normally just simmed through the seasons, but when I tried the animations with this version I was pleasantly surprised. Next thing you know I am playing out all my games and trying to coax the ball out of the park!

GO OOTP ANIMATORS!... GO!

2 bits!... 4 bits!... 6 bits a dollar!... all for the OOTP Animators!... stand up and holler!

YEAH, MARKUS AND THE CREW!

[Eugene Church]

UH OH!

EC has to eat more crow.

Since endgame asked me to review the game recaps and offer suggestions to improve them, I discovered that they... like the animation in the game... have been improved.

I was wrong again.

They have made some good progress on game recaps since OOTP19 came out last spring... that was the last time I paid any attention to them until tonight.

[Germaniac]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

GO OOTP ANIMATORS!... GO!

2 bits!... 4 bits!... 6 bits a dollar!... all for the OOTP Animators!... stand up and holler!

YEAH, MARKUS AND THE CREW!

And the animations will be even better in v20 ...

Trust me

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Germaniac

And the animations will be even better in v20 ...

Trust me

The animation has improved so much, I am going to have to replace my beloved old 2D stadiums... ooh, that's tough... I will lose a lot of immersion and atmosphere in my Islandian Pro Alliance.

Can the old 2D stadiums be converted 3D?

No, I have no idea of what's involved and how to do it.

Teflon Skies told me one time that it took him 100 hours to create his stadiums.

Remember Avalon Stadium... Sky High Stadium... Derby Downs and his many other wonderful creations?

[Eugene Church]

And these masterpieces... Teflon Skies must have made 30 stadiums in all.

I have used them for 15 years... hard to let them go.

[Splitter24]

This is all well and good, EC. But the real question is: How are the Cold Creek Catamounts doing?

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Splitter24

This is all well and good, EC. But the real question is: How are the Cold Creek Catamounts doing?

The C'Cats were fifth in last year with a 75-79 mark, but they have really stepped it up this year to second place, posting a 86-62 record with 6 games to go.

Sadly, they are playing second fiddle to one of the best teams in my Islandian Pro Alliance, the Marston Nine (94-54), who have already cinched the division crown and will be one of the IPA Pro Cup favorites.

Other viewers: please pardon the IPA digression and promo... but I need the publicity.

I think Splitter24 is the only one interested in it... wow!... what a baseball fanatic!

[Eugene Church]

This is also for Splitter24, who has to be an old Boston Braves fan... notice his Tommy Holmes RIP... Holmes was a really good hitter for the Braves in the 40s and 50s... those were the good old Golden Days of Baseball with only 16 teams and the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.

Splitter24, did you write this back story for Cold Creek?... it was one of my favorites.

Many of my IPA backstories and town histories were brilliantly written by the OOTP Community when I first started it 12-15 years ago... their writings really have made my experience on the dynasty report really special.
This is one of them... might be my favorite.

COLD CREEK CATAMOUNTS

Owner: Cold Creek Catamounts Baseball Club, LLC

President and GM: T. Kelly Holmes III
Manager: Joe Cochrane

The Town of Cold Creek is a quaint little hamlet located in north-central Ruthlandia. The town straddles a beautiful tributary of the Green River. Cold Creek, named after the body of water which flows through its heart, boasts a population of 58,000. The majority of the population resides in the town proper. The rest are mainly inhabitants of the sizeable parcels of farmland outside of the town which make up the Cold Creek Township.

History of Cold Creek

The area around Cold Creek has been home to some families dating back to the 1700's. Among the early inhabitants of the area were opportunistic farmers and devout religious groups seeking a safe haven from those intolerant of their beliefs. All in all, these were hearty folk seeking a home that they could call their own.

The people formed small villages and farming communities in the area that would become Cold Creek. Villages such as Dana, Enfield, Prescott and Greenwich dotted the landscape for over a century. Mostly owing to its harsh winters and its other generally unpredictable climate conditions, the Cold Creek area remained generally sparsely populated throughout the first half of the 1800's.

That is until 1860, when the first influx of American immigrants came to the shores of Ruthlandia. These people wished to find a haven for peace and tolerance. The Cold Creek area afforded them the home they sought and the villagers welcomed them with open arms.

But change itself is a catalyst for more change. With the growth of residents came dilemmas that the tiny villages were unable to solve on their own. The growing population spurred the need for a hospital, schools and law enforcement. Not all of the immigrants were of the agrarian bent; jobs were soon in very short supply.

So it was that in 1862 village selectmen and representatives of the outlying farm collectives gathered together to draw up plans to unite the little villages into one town. The voting was quick. The majority ruled. The town of Cold Creek had been established.

It was soon after the vote that Cold Creek experienced a renaissance. And no one embodied the period more than Stephen Deckster. Deckster emigrated from America to Ruthlandia in 1862. After a brief apprenticeship to an American shoemaker, Deckster set sail for Ruthlandia looking for the success that his apprenticeship could no longer offer. After hearing about the growth-related problems of the newly-incorporated Cold Creek, Deckster sensed an opportunity that he could only dream of. In Cold Creek, Deckster utilized his innate skills as a salesman combined with his knowledge of shoe making. He successfully raised enough seed capital to establish Deckster Shoe Company. And the many unemployed residents of Cold Creek offered him a sizeable pool from which to draw a work force.

It was only a short time before the whole of Ruthlandia and Tycobbia were clamoring for their own fine shoes from the Deckster Shoe Company in charming Cold Creek. The town as a whole was experiencing success on a grand scale. And Stephen Deckster was soon the wealthiest man in Cold Creek.

Deckster was a man who enjoyed the fruits of his success. Yet he was always accutely aware of the debt of thanks that he owed to the people of Cold Creek. He made sure that the schools and libraries always had book shelves stuffed to the ceilings. The hospital was staffed by doctors whose educations were funded from Mr. Deckster's pockets.

Deckster's son Michael continued the family tradition, inheriting the family business shortly after his father's death in 1919. Time moved slowly for Cold Creek during Michael's half-century tenure as president of Deckster Shoes. But change was about to hit Cold Creek again. And this time, the problems would be more difficult.

Michael died suddenly in the summer of 1969. It was assumed that the company's Vice President, Clint Billings, would assume control of Deckster Shoes. But a lawsuit challenging that progression was successfully won by Michael's son, Patrick. Patrick Deckster knew as much about the shoe business as he did about work in general: extremely little. Patrick immediately jettisoned any high-ranking Deckster executive who might pose a threat to his stewardship. After a series of questionable business decisions (including the use of a cheap plastic-like leather substitute in place of the high quality hide that Deckster was famous for), the fortunes of the company began to fade. In 1982, Deckster announced that it was closing its doors for good.

For the next ten years, the fortunes of the Town of Cold Creek mirrored the demise of Deckster Shoes from the previous decade. Unemployment was high. Buildings were falling into disrepair. Some residents voiced their concern by leaving Cold Creek altogether. The heart of the town had stopped beating. Cold Creek was dying.

But in the mid-90's, things started to change. Not like a phoenix rising up from the ash. But more akin to a tree, whose dormant limbs weather the brutal winter only to sprout leaves once more come spring. The demise of the goliath that was Deckster Shoes took with it many of the long time family-operated businesses that called Cold Creek home.

A new renaissance was beginning to take hold in Cold Creek. New small businesses appeared, the majority of which were started by Cold Creek families. The rustic downtown area crossed over to the good side of the line that separates those which time had forgot from those which time had left behind. Cold Creek had become the wonderfully nostalgic town that we know and love today. And partly because of that, a new industry began to take hold.

Cold Creek Today

No longer the tiny Shoe Capital of Ruthlandia, Cold Creek has become one of the darlings of the tourist industry. Ruthlandians and Tycobbians alike journey to little Cold Creek, especially during the fall. The cool autumn air that comes down from the Appian Mountains brings with it a pallette of colors which turn the foliage of the Cold Creek area into a firestorm of reds, yellows and oranges.

The annual Maple Festival also brings together its own flock of curiosity seekers. Cold Creek's week-long Maple Festival draws approximately 10,000 out-of-towners each fall, inevitably overflowing the many Bed and Breakfasts in the downtown area. It boasts the finest combination of culinary goods and arts and crafts this side of the Silver Mountain Range. The Cold Creek Maple Festival features many booths where Ruthlandia's finest artisans can display their wares, the Maple Festival offers everything that can be enjoyed about the season. And lest you forget why it's called the Maple Festival, there are reminders everywhere. Maple syrup, maple candy, maple flavored meat jerkies, maple butter... if it can be flavored with (or coated in) maple, you'll find it here.

Oh, and don't forget to make it to the village green during the middle of the festivities where you can have a chance to meet the winner of the Ms. Maple contest and members of the Cold Creek Catamounts, the local professional baseball team. Cold Creekers take their festival more seriously than anything. Well, except for their beloved Catamounts.

Baseball History in Cold Creek

With the influx of American immigrants came the game of baseball. The sport became an obsession in Cold Creek. Not a summer day went by when the old Cold Creek Grounds wasn't filled with local boys (and men!) tossing around the horsehide. And when Michael Deckster (a true sportsman's sportsman) assumed control of Deckster Shoes, baseball became even more interesting in Cold Creek. For when the Islandian Amateur Baseball Association passed its resolution in 1924, allowing companies to offer employment to men of skill on the ball field, the obsession reached a whole new level. The Deckster club soon became the best local squad in North Central Ruthlandia (much to the chagrin of townsfolk of Stoner, their neighbors and rivals to the north).

The baseball frenzy led to the Deckster family building a wonderful ballyard in 1938, christened Deckster Park. And with the new ball park came the most fabled player in Cold Creek history.

T. Kelly Holmes was the Cold Creek poster boy. He was a friendly, gregarious fellow who was a hero to every little boy on the sandlots of Cold Creek. Not possessing the home run power of other Islandian Amateur Baseball Association legends, Holmes never the less was one of the more feared batsmen on the circuit. He had a penchant for coming up with game-winning hits. And the sound of his line drives banging off of the big tin wall in right field was a constant source of dread to many opposing pitchers. And after Kelly would scurry around the basepaths for his inevitable doubles and triples, Cold Creek yannigans would burst into their familiar chant: "T! K!... Ho!", a clever melding of their hero's initials and the abrupt knockout end of a boxing match.

Despite the wonderfully entertaining squads fielded by the Deckster Shoe Company, the club was only able to net one championship trophy. That was in 1945, Kelly Holmes' greatest season. The Deckster Club remained competitive throughout the 60's. But when the company went down, it took the Deckster Club with it.

Without the funding of Deckster Shoes and the general bleakness of the local economy, baseball disappeared from the Cold Creek landscape. Deckster Park became a ghost town. Weeds replaced the pasture where Kelly Holmes once roamed. The wooden bleachers that once stretched from left field to center began to decay due to neglect before collapsing altogether. But when the fortunes of the town began to reverse course, the familiar Cold Creek story of change bringing changes reappeared yet again.

While all of the success stories of Cold Creek in the 1990's bringing some sunshine to a blighted community, there was still something missing. And that something was baseball. Without the benefit of a major corporation to field a legitimate ball club, the people of Cold Creek lamented the lack of opportunity of ever bringing a team back to the town. But all because of the innocence of a little boy, Cold Creek had a future with baseball once more.

Jimmy Gustafson recalled sitting on his grandfather's lap while being regaled with stories of T. Kelly Holmes dashing around the field ("Like a catamount! he used to say") and the Deckster Club winning out over those no-good Stoner Stars. When he asked why no one played baseball in Cold Creek anymore, he was told that when Deckster Shoes closed down, no one could afford to have all of those ballplayers on their payroll. After absorbing the explanation provided by his grandfather, young Jimmy approached his father (owner of Gustafson's Drugstore on the corner of 3rd and Main) one day about having a ballclub in Cold Creek again. If he could hire one ball player, then Cold Creek Bank could hire one. And the Happy Toast Tavern could, too. "But who's going to pay all of the money to build a new ballfield?" was the obvious reply, to which Jimmy responded "We already have one." But Deckster Park needed money to be useable again. A lot of it. Who had that kind of money? The answer, as Jimmy would later remember saying to his father, was "All of us."

And so began the rebirth of baseball in Cold Creek. The first money was the $8.63 that little Jimmy had in his piggy bank. Then, reviving the spirit of Stephen Deckster, Jimmy Gustafson went door-to-door all around Cold Creek, raising funds for the renovation of the decaying ballpark. With the attention to detail on par with a successful accountant, Jimmy kept track of everyone who gave , even little 4-year-old Chrissie Miranda who reached into her pocket and donated 5 cents and a slightly melted Cadbury Flake bar. When Jimmy's grandfather passed away, he bequeathed his meager life savings to the Bring Back Baseball to Cold Creek Fund. T. Kelly Holmes, still a spry septigenarian, donated some of his precious Deckster club items to the cause. Memorabilia filled with many sweet memories, so future generations could have sweet memories of their own.

The town rallied. Local contractors offered their services for free. Volunteers would show up at the old ballfield after a long day of work, just so they could work a little more. New strapping, young employees began showing up on local business payrolls. The renovations came to a close. The circle was complete. Baseball was back in Cold Creek.

Baseball returned to Cold Creek on April 5th, 1990. The rejuvenated ballpark, renamed Holmes Field in honor of the local hero, played host to the Stoner Stars that day. The new local nine, the Cold Creek Catamounts, emerged victorious on a walk-off line drive off the old refurbished tin wall in right field. Sometime after the game, groundskeepers swore they heard the faint whispers of something that sounded like "T... K... Ho..." echoing throughout the field.

Baseball Today in Cold Creek

The Cold Creek Catamounts today are members of the Islandian Pro Alliance. They are the only team in Ruthlandia that is owned by the citizens of the town in which they play as opposed to a single individual or civic group.

Each year, a town meeting is held to elect members of the board of the Cold Creek Baseball Club, LLC, the governing body representing the citizens' interest in the ball club. For the 4th consecutive year, local lawyer John Cockerham has been voted president of the board.

When it came time to select a manager for the Catamounts, the job went to none other than "T. K. Ho" himself - T. Kelly Holmes, who had managed the amateur Cold Creek Catamounts to much success in the company leagues. Holmes, still an astute baseball man was also appointed general manager.

The current Cold Creek skipper is star infielder Joe Cochrane. A player-manager, who took over in 2057 and kept on playing. Cochrane joined the team at age 21 in 2041.

Holmes Field

Capacity 7,777

Dimensions:

LF line 350
LF 360
LCF 380
CF 408
RCF 373
RF 345
RF line 320

[Splitter24]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Splitter24, did you write this back story for Cold Creek?... it was one of my favorites.

Indeed I did, EC. I remember writing that. The funny thing is, I just reread it and remember the sentence "Baseball had returned to Cold Creek" being "The leaves had returned to the tree." Must've got changed along the way somewhere. There's all kinds of historical (and one personal) references littered throughout the story. I enjoyed putting it together and glad you liked it.

Go Cold Creek! Make Stoner see stars!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Splitter24

Indeed I did, EC. I remember writing that. The funny thing is, I just reread it and remember the sentence "Baseball had returned to Cold Creek" being "The leaves had returned to the tree." Must've got changed along the way somewhere. There's all kinds of historical (and one personal) references littered throughout the story. I enjoyed putting it together and glad you liked it.

Go Cold Creek! Make Stoner see stars!

I didn't just like it... I loved it!

Your Saga of Cold Creek would make a wonderful TV mini-series.

You are a gifted writer... I teared up several times while reliving the history of the Cold Creek Catamounts... you certainly have a way with words.