OOTP23 & MLB Lockout

[Irrelevant Dude]

Have there been any official comments on what the MLB Lockout might mean for development of OOTP23? It seems to me like it could have a significant impact on what features can be delivered. With the unknown end date, and a likelihood of multiple rule changes, what are the chances that OOTP23 releases later than usual or even skips a year? I'm not sure that skipping a year is an option anymore, as they need to feed the Perfect Team cash cow, but the "core game" may be stuck in limbo until we know what the landscape of MLB looks like going forward. Maybe we could see a 22.5ish version this year with a refreshed Perfect Team but minimal changes to the core game?

[BIG17EASY]

Originally Posted by Irrelevant Dude

Have there been any official comments on what the MLB Lockout might mean for development of OOTP23? It seems to me like it could have a significant impact on what features can be delivered. With the unknown end date, and a likelihood of multiple rule changes, what are the chances that OOTP23 releases later than usual or even skips a year? I'm not sure that skipping a year is an option anymore, as they need to feed the Perfect Team cash cow, but the "core game" may be stuck in limbo until we know what the landscape of MLB looks like going forward. Maybe we could see a 22.5ish version this year with a refreshed Perfect Team but minimal changes to the core game?

What features exactly are you worried about being affected by rules changes? The biggest one I can think of is a DH in the National League, and we already have a simple checkbox for that.

IMO, the biggest hurdle for OOTP would be a delayed start to the MLB season, which would give us incomplete rosters with possibly some significant unsigned free agents still sitting out there at the end of March/beginning of April. Those roster ramifications could be remedied in a patch once the lockout ends, though.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Originally Posted by BIG17EASY

What features exactly are you worried about being affected by rules changes? The biggest one I can think of is a DH in the National League, and we already have a simple checkbox for that.

DH is a minor one, but I was thinking more in terms of financials and roster construction. Changes to player control, arbitration, etc. We don't know where the two sides will end up landing in those areas.

[BIG17EASY]

Originally Posted by Irrelevant Dude

DH is a minor one, but I was thinking more in terms of financials and roster construction. Changes to player control, arbitration, etc. We don't know where the two sides will end up landing in those areas.

Most of those are already things we can adjust in the game, so it should be easy for the devs to add those changes to the game. The issue is the timing of the agreement between MLB and the MLBPA. If the lockout lasts into April/May, the release of OOTP 22 obviously won't have those changes (assuming release date stays the same as previous years). Regardless, I don't see anything that would cause there to be no new OOTP next year.

[rudel.dietrich]

With enough Perfect Points, you can end the lockout!

For my serious answer, back in 2020 (which seems like it was 40 years ago) MLB did not begin until 23rd of July
It did not effect OOTP at all

I don’t expect it to affect current development at all.

The game barely has a financial engine which is what will most be affected by the next CBA (if one is ever released) so I don’t expect much will need to be changed.

The game will be developed, come out. Have its usual list of 30 new ‘features’ 20 of which will be bug fixes or features from the past that now work.
Rinse and repeat

[Pelican]

Remember that OOTP provides for editing of financials, and some basic rules that would affect contracts and spending. So, you could (as Commissioner) adjust some of those factors to imitate whatever changes the players and owners make. And, best of all, if they deadlock and the season is delayed or cancelled, at least you can play out the 2022 season (presumably under the old rules). Or, better yet, you can impose a hard salary cap and effectively discourage tanking and force the small market teams to be competitive. In my latest sim, I essentially sold the Pirates and the Royals to wealthy bitcoin and NFT barons, who injected funds into these moribund franchises. Entertaining to see the formerly frugal clubs gobble up free agents - with admittedly mixed results, thus far.

[CraigBShuman]

It may affect programming OOTP 24 but not the coming version. The actual MLB season has already been completed.

[Trebro]

The only issue I could see might be with licensing. The two sides might not play nice about that. Not sure where that lies and not my business to know. Hopefully it will be a moot point!

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by CraigBShuman

It may affect programming OOTP 24 but not the coming version. The actual MLB season has already been completed.

huh? No, OOTP tries it best to reflect the rules and environment of the upcoming MLB season.

[Syd Thrift]

Originally Posted by Irrelevant Dude

Have there been any official comments on what the MLB Lockout might mean for development of OOTP23? It seems to me like it could have a significant impact on what features can be delivered. With the unknown end date, and a likelihood of multiple rule changes, what are the chances that OOTP23 releases later than usual or even skips a year? I'm not sure that skipping a year is an option anymore, as they need to feed the Perfect Team cash cow, but the "core game" may be stuck in limbo until we know what the landscape of MLB looks like going forward. Maybe we could see a 22.5ish version this year with a refreshed Perfect Team but minimal changes to the core game?

I’m really curious what you think is impeded by the lack of baseball being played. Are you talking about rosters? There are people who work on that but that’s a really, really small amount of resources required to spin up. Adding animations has nothing to do with the season. Neither does working on the UI or adding in new features or… pretty much anything else. Am I missing something here?

If anything if it’s like 2020 at all then sites like Baseball Reference may use OOTP to simulate the season that’s not being played, which will give them free advertising, which will in turn give them a huge incentive to push out 23 before Opening Day, perversely especially if Opening Day is pushed back.

[BBGiovanni]

OOTP was 1,000,000x better than MLB baseball in 2020, and that might be the case for 2022 as well.

[fuzzy_patters]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

I’m really curious what you think is impeded by the lack of baseball being played. Are you talking about rosters? There are people who work on that but that’s a really, really small amount of resources required to spin up. Adding animations has nothing to do with the season. Neither does working on the UI or adding in new features or… pretty much anything else. Am I missing something here?

If anything if it’s like 2020 at all then sites like Baseball Reference may use OOTP to simulate the season that’s not being played, which will give them free advertising, which will in turn give them a huge incentive to push out 23 before Opening Day, perversely especially if Opening Day is pushed back.

I think the issue would be if there are major changes in the CBA. OOTP tries to replicate the real life roster rules. If those rules change, the game would have to change.

On the other hand, not to speak for the developers, but I think there is a simple solution to this. Release the game and then release a patch later with the updated roster rules. Then, like you said, you get the publicity during the lockout, and you get to have any news rules too.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by fuzzy_patters

I think the issue would be if there are major changes in the CBA. OOTP tries to replicate the real life roster rules. If those rules change, the game would have to change.

On the other hand, not to speak for the developers, but I think there is a simple solution to this. Release the game and then release a patch later with the updated roster rules. Then, like you said, you get the publicity during the lockout, and you get to have any news rules too.

I think the bold goes without saying taking in how Markus normally operates along with how 2020 was done. The only caveat might be how complex the new CBA is as to what they can patch in and actually have work. Having said that I believe they will do what they can do to get it right or as close to right as possible. Either way the game is coming out on schedule and I see no reason to think otherwise.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

OOTP was 1,000,000x better than MLB baseball in 2020, and that might be the case for 2022 as well.

I've come to the point that if MLB makes it too hard to watch games on tv without paying extra I will be just fine in my "OOTP baseball world" going on without missing a thing.

[Dave Stieb II]

I've just assumed all along that this is exactly what will happen.

Until they notify us otherwise, I'm anticipating the normal release timeline - including whatever improvements/adjustments they've made to the general game; the rules adapted as best they can prior to release date (if there's a settlement), and the rosters at whatever stage they're at by that point.

Then they'll work hard to iron out bugs and make any adjustments to the rules and rosters as they become aware of them - and issues patches just like they always do.

It is the beauty of this game and the people who develop it. You don't just 'open the box and live with whatever comes out' for the entire season.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Originally Posted by fuzzy_patters

I think the issue would be if there are major changes in the CBA. OOTP tries to replicate the real life roster rules. If those rules change, the game would have to change.

Yeah, this is what I was getting at. We simply don't know the magnitude of the CBA changes yet, so it is impossible to gauge how simple or complex the required updates might be.

I agree with what many of you are saying here, that most likely the game will release on its usual timeline, with subsequent patches if required to adjust to the new CBA. But there are still a lot of unknowns - Not only the content of the CBA, but also when will the lockout end? If it drags on into late February or March, then things may start to become a bit more difficult.

[Pelican]

Yea but if the fools continue the lockout and there is no season, or a messed-up truncated season like 2020, at least we will have the OOTP universe to maintain some semblance of order. With OOTP 23 it will be business as usual on opening day. However, if no games are played, we won’t have any new stats. And fantasy leagues will be a distant memory.

[Braden]

It would seem to me that this would be a good time to focus on game play, e.g. the historical exhibition, make it work better, correcting all the cosmetic issues with ballparks, e.g. balls and players going through OOTP ballpark walls and historical accuracy, e.g. ability to select helmet usage, historic logo, uniforms and caps accuracy, historic player photos and insuring that OOTP park are properly tested before publication and other stuff like all that.

[PSUColonel]

Great time to work on a much better spring training model…grapefruit and cactus leagues, ballparks, schedule, etc

[RchW]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

huh? No, OOTP tries it best to reflect the rules and environment of the upcoming MLB season.

So if there is no MLB then OOTP will reflect the rules and environment of the last played season.