Is OOTP Baseball 23 worth it?

[renderfred]

I only play fictional games with OOTP Baseball. Is there anything new with OOTP Baseball 23 from last year's version that might make me want to get it? Has stadium creator been updated and if so, what's new in stadium creator?

Thank you.

[andyhdz]

the stadium editor hasnt been touched at all. The 3d for the players has been improved a lot. It's a whopping $40. Less than a tank of gas. Get the game.

[Syd Thrift]

They also rebuilt the day to day sim engine from the ground up and completely reworked how stealing works.

[BusterKing]

It's worth every penny, but I say this for every version since I bought them all.

[Mat]

Originally Posted by renderfred

I only play fictional games with OOTP Baseball. Is there anything new with OOTP Baseball 23 from last year's version that might make me want to get it? Has stadium creator been updated and if so, what's new in stadium creator?

Thank you.

Apart from the reasons mentioned, I like that I can now set tie games for Spring Training.

[ERS]

7th year with OOTP. My opinion is that the interface is faster this year. I manually play my teams games so that is the same, which is expected. But, all other processes are faster. After a month, would I buy it, knowing what I know now ... YES!

Support the company .. Buy it!

[nolushhere]

Originally Posted by BusterKing

It's worth every penny, but I say this for every version since I bought them all.

Agreed.

I buy every year to support and the mobile version.

[sabin357]

I'm pretty critical of how poorly they have botched this release, especially after delaying it. Even still, I already have 260 hr in game with it in the current state. Some of that is from accidentally leaving the game open overnight a couple times, but I still expect to get 1000+ hours before the next release.

If you think you will get a good value for your entertainment dollars, buy it.

They screwed things up quite a bit & released a broken mess, but they did so by trying to continually improve the game. They're always trying to improve the experience with each release. I like to support that sort of product & I think after the next patch, the game will be the superior version of OOTP.

[KJDelaney]

no, its not worth it

[Bobbyraz49]

Originally Posted by andyhdz

the stadium editor hasnt been touched at all. The 3d for the players has been improved a lot. It's a whopping $40. Less than a tank of gas. Get the game.

Agree !!!!
I'd pay double for this ! The hours of playing are well worth the cost.

[BarneyRubble]

If you have OOTP 22 and are happy with it. The answer is No.

I don't play PT and I don't use 'shop a player', so I don't see any huge difference from 22.

Subject to change...

EDIT: If you want to support the game, buy it. I've bought a few versions I had no intention of playing. Since OOTP 4, it's been an annual tradition. Traditions can come to end though.

[progen]

Originally Posted by BarneyRubble

If you have OOTP 22 and are happy with it. The answer is No.

I don't play PT and I don't use 'shop a player', so I don't see any huge difference from 22.

Subject to change...

EDIT: If you want to support the game, buy it. I've bought a few versions I had no intention of playing. Since OOTP 4, it's been an annual tradition. Traditions can come to end though.

In a similar boat as I wasn't "wowed" by the info that finally got posted on the day of the release. Roll out was a bit amateurish, and I'm still enjoying playing OOTP22. And like you, I don't play PT, and I only play out a dozen or less games during a season, so this is the first year since I bought OOTP4, that I didn't pre-order, and haven't purchased 23 yet.

I mentioned this in another post, but besides OOTP, I put many hours into Football Manager, but my last purchase of that game was FM16. It scratches my itch for the football(soccer) genre, and I just never got excited by the versions after 16. I'm wondering now if that's where I'm at with OOTP?

[Sweed]

Improved GUI
In-game tutorial system
Improved 3D player animations. Added in-game facegen support
Added new outfits support, to upload multiple custom jersey/pant/hat combinations to use in 3D
Live Start update including full minor league stats
Added new shop player types (shop for multiple players and shop for prospect packages)
Completely new way to handle daily lineups - can set lineups for up to 30 days in the future, can tie to saved custom lineups (so that changing the custom saved lineup will automatically change the lineup saved for a future game), or set a one-time use lineup. Can pre-select all these options for both vs L and vs R, for full flexibility on future lineup usage
Custom Lineups and Custom Lineup editing has been significantly updated and improved to better set and manage custom lineups. Can run basic editing directly from custom lineups dialog.
Added support for Draft Leagues (Tournament style setups where players are pulled from draft pool or feeder leagues).
Included templates for MLB Draft League, Cape Cod League, MLB Prospects League, and Northwoods League.
Ability to specify eligible pool by HS/CO year, and/or set leagues to pull from only currently eligible players or also include future draft eligible players
Many configurable options to customize their setups
Added sortable Team section, to allow filter and comparing various team stats or information about teams (records, history, park factors, financial/market info, coaching staffs, etc…). Added Team vs Team standings page
Support for Ties, with multiple options like only in Spring or after a set number of innings
Added full Double Elimination playoff option
Added customizable round-robin configurations, so that RR playoff formats can include more variable playoff sizes (ie. could do 5-team RR where only the top team from the pool advances)
Tournament Scheduling now supports multi-game series (if common off-days selected in tournament options)
Added tag controls + more filter options to in-game league and personal news messages, including tagging/multi-select and text search
Better time of day modelling for when to switch to evening backgrounds in-game
Added option to set player strategies directly from player pages
Human Manager can now explicitly defer strategy settings to AI control
Added spectator mode to HR Challenge. Can now watch replays of derby rounds, even from simmed rounds if selected
Potential fielding ratings now visible for players with experience at a position


AI/Engine Updates
Improved internal batter vs pitcher calculation to better reflect individual matchups.
Adjusted in-game SB logic, to better reflect top base stealers success rates. Added explicit hold runner decision, adjusted pickoff logic
Completely updated movement ratings, to better use the whole range of movement values. Note: underlying movement values will NOT change on import, but due to new calculations, players may display new movement ratings. For most traditional leagues, default movement values end up in ranges where no extreme swings in talent are expected, but there may be some pitchers who have larger impacts than others
Redesigned catcher framing model, including league setting to control how much impact it has, and a fielding stat for framed runs saved (for both the catcher and pitcher - pitcher value for information only)
Improved in-game logic for sitting players (checks depth charts for most tired players first)
Balanced error rates by position
Slight adjustments to stuff+control at the extremes, adjusting impact of players with large internal values.
Adjusted how park factors influence results.
Increased trade block offers
Historical Updates
Updated historical financials
Improved historical balancing of ratings on import/recalc. Historical ratings should better adjust to era, and be more consistent between new games and recalc

New Options
Added team strategy options for sit batting/pitching pct. Separated sit pit % into SP/RP. Added new options for defensive substitution settings per player
Global injury ratings split into short term and long term injuries, to allow different settings for injury frequency
Added more scheduling options for game time schedules (ie. force all games to daytime or evening).
Added another option to control player development aging
Added league modifier for catcher framing
Added customizable leaderboard display on standings/sim screen
Added explicit league setting to ban shifting (if shifting is banned, league setting for how often to shift will impact how often the AI will run a “weak shift” which is still always allowed)
Added options for League Draft Lottery for the top picks
Added option for max times optioned in a season, number of option seasons, Ohtani Rule
Added player option for two-way players to have the team skip the DH when they pitch
Added optional early season roster expansion
Added league options for HR Challenge (whether to save replays)

Online League Changes
Added (optional) ability to set “sim waypoint” to note on game calendar when sims occur, and coordinate internal events like player contract negotiations.
Added ability to set “Limited” Commish to perform sim actions but with no editing abilities

PT Changes
Tournaments now better adjust to the era if set
Players who can train at a position can now train to 100%. The limit for allowing training is now 5% of career games at a position. Training has been slowed slightly.
Adjusted pitching limits for low stamina SP
BABIP shown on player profile
All New Card Shop
Adjusted draft slots from 1 to 2
Changed player and card loading
Added more tournament variants
Changed loyalty rewards

Other various updates:
Fixed some issues with handling and managing deleted parks in universe
Improved save game file size
Implemented cash in storylines options (updated Charity storyline)
Added Arm Runs value for players, LOB% for pitchers, SIERA for pitchers

Import From Previous considerations:
As noted, player ratings and scouted rating will shift slightly. Movement ratings for all players will change
Daily lineups are not saved and brought forward - they will have to be reset after import
Historical leagues with historical financials may notice that average league settings end up changing fairly drastically the next year. You may need some manual edits to make sure finances stay in line with the new values (new leagues created in 23 will default to the new financial values)
Modifiers may need substantial change after import. It is HIGHLY recommended to only upgrade in the off-season, and to run an auto-calc of modifiers at the earliest interval. This is especially critical for any leagues which have talent ranges or modifiers outside of the norms. Other than the base calculations for AVG, HR, etc…, the following settings also may need extra attention:
SB attempts and SB pct (should be balanced around 1 for each, may want SB Attempts slightly lower for modern day)
Error modifiers (all positions should be around 1, perhaps slightly below, except perhaps SS which may be more around 1.1, although historical games may have quite different modifiers)


Yes.

For no longer caring about the base game that is quite a list.
I bolded some of the things I like. You may like or not care about what I've done but still find value in other areas.

If you play out your games... it looks better, they added plays that add more realism, camera movement has been improved (smoother)

Added in stats and more ways to parse those stats.

Lots of quality of gameplay added to this version. Things you had to dig hard to find are now easier to get to, along with things you couldn't see at all now added to the game.

If you don't see value in that list of features I'm not sure what to say. I guess we'd have to agree to disagree.

[sprague]

Maybe after the new patch comes.
Right now its not generating the way previous versions have done.
This might Get good but its a few weeks or a month away.

[swoboda]

Yes.
Worth it.

[Pelican]

Firm yes. When you look at all the changes Sweed lists, bolded and not, for just about everyone who plays, [1] some don’t apply (e.g. PT for me), [2] some are relatively subtle, and won’t reveal themselves until you are well into a season and playing out games, [3] others (e.g. sim engine changes) won’t be apparent until you sim a season and get better (true, fair, realistic, deep) results, and [4] you’ll notice some (e.g. 3D changes) right away, even if that’s not why you play the game. Balance all those refinements against a few aggravating bugs that will swiftly be patched. The last should be the tipping point. If you’re worried about spending the forty bucks, remember that it gets you not just a refreshed version, but amazing support and every patch and upgrade for a year, free of charge. Not a close call for me, and, as others have said, support the product. If you’re like most of us, if you divide the cost by the hours happily spent, you get a very, very small number. I calculate around ten cents an hour. That works for me.

[andyhdz]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Firm yes. When you look at all the changes Sweed lists, bolded and not, for just about everyone who plays, [1] some don’t apply (e.g. PT for me), [2] some are relatively subtle, and won’t reveal themselves until you are well into a season and playing out games, [3] others (e.g. sim engine changes) won’t be apparent until you sim a season and get better (true, fair, realistic, deep) results, and [4] you’ll notice some (e.g. 3D changes) right away, even if that’s not why you play the game. Balance all those refinements against a few aggravating bugs that will swiftly be patched. The last should be the tipping point. If you’re worried about spending the forty bucks, remember that it gets you not just a refreshed version, but amazing support and every patch and upgrade for a year, free of charge. Not a close call for me, and, as others have said, support the product. If you’re like most of us, if you divide the cost by the hours happily spent, you get a very, very small number. I calculate around ten cents an hour. That works for me.

exactly. When console games start at $60-70 and have those extra fees that you practically have to get and you look $40 for OOTP its a total no brainer. I seriously don't get people who wait for it to go on sale when it's dirt cheap as it is.

[progen]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Firm yes. When you look at all the changes Sweed lists, bolded and not, for just about everyone who plays, [1] some don’t apply (e.g. PT for me), [2] some are relatively subtle, and won’t reveal themselves until you are well into a season and playing out games, [3] others (e.g. sim engine changes) won’t be apparent until you sim a season and get better (true, fair, realistic, deep) results, and [4] you’ll notice some (e.g. 3D changes) right away, even if that’s not why you play the game. Balance all those refinements against a few aggravating bugs that will swiftly be patched. The last should be the tipping point. If you’re worried about spending the forty bucks, remember that it gets you not just a refreshed version, but amazing support and every patch and upgrade for a year, free of charge. Not a close call for me, and, as others have said, support the product. If you’re like most of us, if you divide the cost by the hours happily spent, you get a very, very small number. I calculate around ten cents an hour. That works for me.

Not worried about the money. As mentioned earlier, been a loyal customer since OOTP4. Maybe just bad timing for me, as I'm full blown into Football Manager as the "real" football season winds down,(I don't follow the Mickey Mouse League - MLS), and again, because the game just wasn't hyped up as much as in the past, was kind of odd. And as mentioned, fine with OOTP22 for now.

Good to see the "Gabe" as I call him, goes by Sweed, reiterate the list of changes that actually I had seen(at least most) from Markus' post. Should've hired him as my Sales Manager back in the day, lol.

As the year moves on, and my Football Manager days wind down, among some other games I play off and on, I'll probably look to pick it up. Most of my buddies feel the same way, some for different reasons, but out of the dozen or so I keep in touch with, either here in Savannah, or in PA, only two have purchased 23.

And I know I'm in the minority, but I don't feel the need to support "the company" like I did in the past, since they've partnered(been purchased) by Com2uS whose revenue is well over 400 million. A sale by the way, which I have no problem with, having worked over the years with many acquisitions between companies, I see it as only enhancing the OOTP product.

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by andyhdz

the stadium editor hasnt been touched at all. The 3d for the players has been improved a lot. It's a whopping $40. Less than a tank of gas. Get the game.

That's sad that a tank of gas costs more than OOTP.

[bosunmate]

I'm such a fanboy I bought both versions OOTP and Steam to support the developers. I'm happy with this years release....