Trouble using Live Start

Ashbury · 08-05-2025, 12:50 PM

After a busy trade deadline, I tried using the Live Start feature in OOTP to begin a fresh league. I clicked on New Game, chose New Standard Game, clicked the Live Start checkbox and picked August 2, entered a game name and clicked Start Game. It took a while to process, as new games will do, then gave me the screen where I can choose my team and my role as GM, then I clicked Start Game. It went through an initialization process with the progress bar, and then I get the error message box: "Live Start failed. Please verify..." It suggests going to the Settings page and clearing out some data folder in the database tab, which I did, to no avail. The resulting game is just the one with the normal March 14, 2025 start date.

I seem to recall never having had success with a Live Start in the past, either.

I can provide more detail about version and laptop, but first, does this problem ring a bell with anyone?

crashsports1 · 08-05-2025, 02:25 PM

In my experience it's usually that the files for that day aren't up to date yet (it happens mid morning usually) and/or that youre not connected to the internet. Check your connection and also maybe try going to yesterday's date instead?

MontrealExpos · 08-06-2025, 05:13 PM

Same for me impossible to start with a live start, it said failed! And yeah i am on internet! Someone got a solution?

Ashbury · 08-07-2025, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crashsports1

In my experience it's usually that the files for that day aren't up to date yet (it happens mid morning usually) and/or that youre not connected to the internet. Check your connection and also maybe try going to yesterday's date instead?

I did try several dates in August, before I posted here, thinking along the same lines as you. No improvement.

I think my post and this response serve as confirmation that my Internet connection is functional.

Ashbury · 08-07-2025, 06:22 PM

A follow up. Being a glutton for punishment I tried again, using the Custom Game button first instead of Standard Game. Went through the same general steps, and at the end the error popup window suggested I try Trace Mode. I found Trace Mode in the Windows menu for OOTP 26, so I fired that up. It's like regular OOTP but slower. Unfortunately after going through the same steps, the Live start still failed, and I don't know what to do with Trace Mode at that point. Any ideas?

CBLCardinals · 08-07-2025, 06:38 PM

Fellas I’d you are good starting a season/live start 8/1 I’d highly suggest my set I posted earlier!!

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=364712

AstrosdooD · 08-08-2025, 03:00 PM

I've had this exact issue with trying a Live Start. Have been trying it since August 1st and keep getting the same message as the original poster in this thread. Have not seen any useful information on what to try to solve this problem.

If I knew how to import the updated files others have done, I'd try that, but this is the 1st time I've tried a Live Start since I started buying the game back in 2023.

Anybody got a clue what to do?

Lukas Berger · 08-08-2025, 03:05 PM

I would guess there is likely an issue where for some reason the game cannot connect to our servers (possibly because of being blocked by a firewall or other similar program).

For anyone who's having this problem, if you can put OOTP into debug mode and post the resulting file in the bug reports forum, we can check that out. This might provide a little more info as to why this is happening and suggest a potential solution.

https://support.ootpdevelopments.com...debug-log-file

AstrosdooD · 08-09-2025, 12:13 AM

Thanks Lukas! It was a firewall issue. Got a Live Start done after turning off my firewall to start it up!

Ashbury · 08-09-2025, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

I would guess there is likely an issue where for some reason the game cannot connect to our servers (possibly because of being blocked by a firewall or other similar program).

For anyone who's having this problem, if you can put OOTP into debug mode and post the resulting file in the bug reports forum, we can check that out. This might provide a little more info as to why this is happening and suggest a potential solution.

https://support.ootpdevelopments.com...debug-log-file

Thanks for noticing this conversation. Just to be clear, do you mean the forum called "OOTP 26/PT 26 - Technical Support"? I've had trouble in the past by not dotting all my i's and crossing my t's when trying to communicate a problem I'm seeing, so I'd like to not start off on the wrong foot this time.

Ashbury · 08-09-2025, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AstrosdooD

Thanks Lukas! It was a firewall issue. Got a Live Start done after turning off my firewall to start it up!

What kind of a firewall do you have? I'm not aware of any on my system, although I do have Norton installed and it may be doing something. What's weird is that the firewall, if it exists, doesn't stop me from accessing OOTP's servers (licensing, version downloads).

Ashbury · 08-12-2025, 02:36 PM

Okay, so I right-clicked on Norton and turned off both kinds of firewall-ish kinds of things I could see (Auto-Protect and Smart Firewall), accepting the whining from the tool for the moment. I tried again with a Live Start. No change, still failed at the same point.

I took a look at the Debug log I posted in the Support forum here. The link that fails in it, works fine, when I click the link manually in my browser.

So, I remain mystified.

08-05-2025, 12:50 PM	#1
Ashbury Minors (Single A) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Incline Village, NV Posts: 93	Trouble using Live Start After a busy trade deadline, I tried using the Live Start feature in OOTP to begin a fresh league. I clicked on New Game, chose New Standard Game, clicked the Live Start checkbox and picked August 2, entered a game name and clicked Start Game. It took a while to process, as new games will do, then gave me the screen where I can choose my team and my role as GM, then I clicked Start Game. It went through an initialization process with the progress bar, and then I get the error message box: "Live Start failed. Please verify..." It suggests going to the Settings page and clearing out some data folder in the database tab, which I did, to no avail. The resulting game is just the one with the normal March 14, 2025 start date. I seem to recall never having had success with a Live Start in the past, either. I can provide more detail about version and laptop, but first, does this problem ring a bell with anyone? Last edited by Ashbury; 08-05-2025 at 12:51 PM.

08-08-2025, 03:05 PM	#8
Lukas Berger OOTP Developments Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Nice, Côte d'Azur, France Posts: 21,363	I would guess there is likely an issue where for some reason the game cannot connect to our servers (possibly because of being blocked by a firewall or other similar program). For anyone who's having this problem, if you can put OOTP into debug mode and post the resulting file in the bug reports forum, we can check that out. This might provide a little more info as to why this is happening and suggest a potential solution. https://support.ootpdevelopments.com...debug-log-file __________________ lukas@ootpdevelopments.com PreOrder Out of the Park Baseball 26! Need to upload files for us to check out? Instructions can be found here

08-05-2025, 02:25 PM	#2
crashsports1 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Mar 2024 Posts: 65	In my experience it's usually that the files for that day aren't up to date yet (it happens mid morning usually) and/or that youre not connected to the internet. Check your connection and also maybe try going to yesterday's date instead?

08-06-2025, 05:13 PM	#3
MontrealExpos Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jan 2025 Posts: 27	Same for me impossible to start with a live start, it said failed! And yeah i am on internet! Someone got a solution?

08-07-2025, 06:22 PM	#5
Ashbury Minors (Single A) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Incline Village, NV Posts: 93	A follow up. Being a glutton for punishment I tried again, using the Custom Game button first instead of Standard Game. Went through the same general steps, and at the end the error popup window suggested I try Trace Mode. I found Trace Mode in the Windows menu for OOTP 26, so I fired that up. It's like regular OOTP but slower. Unfortunately after going through the same steps, the Live start still failed, and I don't know what to do with Trace Mode at that point. Any ideas?

08-07-2025, 06:38 PM	#6
CBLCardinals OOTP Roster Team Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 1,884	Fellas I’d you are good starting a season/live start 8/1 I’d highly suggest my set I posted earlier!! https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=364712

08-08-2025, 03:00 PM	#7
AstrosdooD Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2025 Posts: 2	I've had this exact issue with trying a Live Start. Have been trying it since August 1st and keep getting the same message as the original poster in this thread. Have not seen any useful information on what to try to solve this problem. If I knew how to import the updated files others have done, I'd try that, but this is the 1st time I've tried a Live Start since I started buying the game back in 2023. Anybody got a clue what to do?

08-09-2025, 12:13 AM	#9
AstrosdooD Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2025 Posts: 2	Thanks Lukas! It was a firewall issue. Got a Live Start done after turning off my firewall to start it up!

08-12-2025, 02:36 PM	#12
Ashbury Minors (Single A) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Incline Village, NV Posts: 93	Okay, so I right-clicked on Norton and turned off both kinds of firewall-ish kinds of things I could see (Auto-Protect and Smart Firewall), accepting the whining from the tool for the moment. I tried again with a Live Start. No change, still failed at the same point. I took a look at the Debug log I posted in the Support forum here. The link that fails in it, works fine, when I click the link manually in my browser. So, I remain mystified.