Goodbye to an old baseball friend

[Antonin]

Over the years I've continued to play some older versions of OOTP baseball, even as I buy new versions. Just because I have a fondness for simpler times in my life and simpler games that brought me joy when I was a younger man.

I had the free version of OOTP5 installed on all of my computers up to this year, with several leagues I began back in the day. It was quite fun to still play those leagues! I had a world league, and even a Turkish League for which I had made first and last name files.

In January I bought a new Windows 11 PC, and this weekend finally got around to installing the free OOTP5 on it. Alas, it doesn't launch, no matter what adjustments I make in "properties." Oh well.

I have such warm memories of my OOTP5 leagues. The most recent version of OOTP that I play is 25, but there is a lot to be said for going back to a much simpler time. Simple basic stats, no 3D, etc.

[Déjà Bru]

That's interesting because I was just thinking the other day about how it used to be; for example, if you had a program that ran in Windows 95 and you moved (or more likely, were forced to move by changing computers) to Windows 98, stuff would be immediately broken. In recent years, Microsoft (I don't know about other software companies) has done a good job in making their operating systems backwards compatible.

But I guess there is a limit, which is reasonable, I suppose. OOTP 5 goes back to 2003 and those were the days of Windows XP, I believe. There has been a lot of water under that bridge since then.

There are indications that it is possible to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 on a new PC; for example, this. But I would weigh the time, effort, expense, and risk of doing so against your love for OOTP 5. Is it worth all that?

[Antonin]

My experience with Windows over the years has been that when I'm forced to "upgrade" to a new computer and new version of Windows, most of the games I played before no longer work.

It isn't worth the effort to downgrade to Win 10. I'm too old and too tired to waste time fiddling around trying to get a computer game to run. I just want to install, click an icon, and play.

Oh well. I will always smile every time I think of my simple, fun old OOTP5 leagues.

[Déjà Bru]

Yes, good memories all the way up to Com2uS, Markus' retirement, and OOTP 25, the end of the line for me. In 20 years, if I am still around, I may be in your boat but until then, more good memories!

[StatsNerd]

Totally relate to both of you. There's just something special about those older versions, simpler, faster, and full of nostalgia. OOTP5 was a gem.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by StatsNerd

Totally relate to both of you. There's just something special about those older versions, simpler, faster, and full of nostalgia. OOTP5 was a gem.

I remember campaigning against animation in the game, out of concern that the focus would be removed from simulation realism in favor of an arcade flavor. I begrudgingly accepted the pawns — remember them? I would still be okay with them!

Well, my fears were unfounded because up until now (version 25 that is; I don't know about 26) it seems you could play without animation and FaceGen and 3D stadiums and still get realistic baseball results, just like you did in OOTP5, maybe better.

Which is an idea, Antonin. You know there are ways to revert somewhat to the feel of that simpler game. Use the Classic Webcast view, for example. Look through the settings for other features that you may want to turn off.

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

...Which is an idea, Antonin. You know there are ways to revert somewhat to the feel of that simpler game. Use the Classic Webcast view, for example. Look through the settings for other features that you may want to turn off.

Yeah, I only use Classic 2D view, and I've turned off owner goals. As always, I only play in "can't get fired" mode. I did try the 3D view, but it wasn't for me. Ball animation is not my cup of tea, either. Still, I'm happy that other players have gotten the features that they have always wanted. I know a lot of guys were really, really, really eager to see 3D when playing out games.

I play a historical league in 25, but I migrated most of my leagues to 22 a couple years ago. Maybe I'm just old, but even 22 seems a bit crowded and sometimes hard to understand. Options are great, but there are so many, I have a hard time figuring out what some of them mean. And version 22 does some strange things.

For example, in one league that I play a lot, I have 5 non-pitchers who began their last game exhausted. I've never had that happen in any version of OOTP, so I assume that there's some setting that I'm not understanding. Catchers, yes. Pitchers, yes. But never 3 infielders and 2 outfielders. I have always been in the habit of "giving a guy a day off" from time to time, just like MLB, so who knows the reason.

One thing I loved about OOTP5 was the radio icon at the lower right corner of the play-by-play screen. That version of the game supposedly had sound, if I remember correctly, but every time I turned it on, the game crashed. No matter.

I loved the play-by-play text. "A fielder with better range would have made that play!" Such fun times. I used to come home from work and play out several games before dinner.

[jpeters1734]

i miss the pawns. I think it's better to have them than bad player animations

[Antonin]

I seem to remember that in OOTP5, if you wanted to play a historical game, you had to change some setting and point the game at the Lahman database. I felt such a sense of accomplishment and wonder when this actually worked, and I had actual 1957 players on their correct teams in a 1957 league.