Is it time to buy 27 yet? Still playing 26

[mandersen]

Are the bugs out?? This is the first time in forever that I didn’t pre-order, mostly because I’m really enjoying my Pirates franchise in 26. My laptop is on its last legs which makes it the perfect time to start a new team, is it time to buy 27 or is there still a lot of work to do?

[dlefe]

I would wait a bit. I have bought every version since OOTP6, but I should of waited a bit for '27. World Home screen still doesn't work yet (missing info on league dates, etc.), and only "IF" you use this, the Feeder Create setup doesn't work yet. For now, i'm staying on '26 until these 2 specifically are fixed as until they are fixed, i'm pretty much stuck since I use Feeders. Outside of some balancing issues, '27 does look very good however. I think '27 could very well be the best version soon.

[mandersen]

I don't really use either of those functions, I just play a franchise, day to day, typically

[Sweed]

IMHO after the latest patch cleaning up "too much player movement", aka "sign/release" the game is in excellent shape. Minor league player churn through sign/release has been squashed. As the game is now on my computer it is the best version ever. FWIW I play out all of my games and get in two to three seasons per version. My opinion of v27 is based on slow play. I don't sim fifty or a hundred plus seasons so cannot speak to how "long term saves" are working.

There are minor things that need cleaning up like the World Home screen mentioned. I thought I was the only person that ever paid attention to that screen. All that is missing is it used to have "league events" for each league mentioned. About the only thing I miss in that list is seeing each league's opening day date and when playoffs start. To each their own but to me, a user that likes that screen, it is a tiny-tiny issue and not something that needed prioritizing in the first few patches. Nor a reason to wait to play v27.

Playing out games in modern 3d, like every version, has it's small issues. It will always be a work in progress. The "throw out the trailing runner trying to advance at 2b issue" that was prevalent in v26 is gone, at least I haven't seen it playing out 28 minor league games and 26 more regular season games. The minorly irritating issue in v27 is ground ball to 1b where the first baseman is very close to the bag. Instead of stepping on the bag for the out he waits for the pitcher to cover and makes a 2 foot throw. Lukas has already said this is a bug, they are aware, and a fix is coming. Having said that the work they did do on the modern 3d is a very nice upgrade. Through shadowing improvements and redoing the player's body model the game looks great. They also redesigned the widgets to make better use of screen real estate.

Like every year there are some users that have computers that OOTP, for whatever reason, doesn't play nicely with. I do feel for these users as whenever something like this is happening to you, it sucks. Having said that if it were a widespread problem the boards would be exploding. They're not. From my reading in the support forum Macs are way more likely to have issues than PCs.

All of the above comes from a user that plays on a desk top computer with an ultra-wide monitor. I have a laptop, though I don't like laptops. It is in my life as a necessary evil to be tolerated if I go visit the kids, or watch a video while on the exercise bike. I don't play OOTP on my laptop.

[mandersen]

OK, I DL's the game and played around with it for a few. I have black specks all over my screen when I'm playing a game. I started with a game in Sacramento with the A's and it was there. Tried a game in Miami and it was there too. Any idea what this is?

[Syd Thrift]

Yeah, the 3-1 putout where it looks like it should be 3U is an... issue, but it's more of an issue with presentation to be honest. If there are too many 3-1 outs that's one thing but if a grounder is hit to a certain zone and it's supposed to produce a 3-1 out like 70% of the time or whatever, it will do so regardless of where the ball looks like it's hit in the field. The issue there is that the ball should appear to be hit further away from 1st, not that the game is "wrong" exactly.

Overall I think the game's doing a good job of it so far. The main issue I've had is that importing your screens from 26 blows up some of what's in the game, so don't do that and just re-create them on your own this version. I feel like there are more awkward angles in 3D mode than there used to be but I'm also not using the OOTP created stadia so that's likely on me / the guys who built those stadia that silvam collected as much as anything else and in any case I/you/anyone else can't really expect the devs to fix mods. The engine has been... fine (it didn't do a great job of calibrating the stats for the current season I'm in and I've had some issues as I've tried to adjust these on my own but, again, that's like 90% a me issue / not something you're going to see when simming out a modern-day league).

It's always up to you as to when/if to buy the game but I think it's in a great place for mid-April.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Yeah, the 3-1 putout where it looks like it should be 3U is an... issue, but it's more of an issue with presentation to be honest. If there are too many 3-1 outs that's one thing but if a grounder is hit to a certain zone and it's supposed to produce a 3-1 out like 70% of the time or whatever, it will do so regardless of where the ball looks like it's hit in the field. The issue there is that the ball should appear to be hit further away from 1st, not that the game is "wrong" exactly.

Totally agree. The amount of 3-1 outs feels right. The ball location on these plays needs to be farther away from the bag.

[highandoutside]

The game is coming along, but needs some tightening to feel as polished as '26. Very close though. Exciting to see this game take another solid step forward.

[Johnny Case]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Yeah, the 3-1 putout where it looks like it should be 3U is an... issue, but it's more of an issue with presentation to be honest. If there are too many 3-1 outs that's one thing but if a grounder is hit to a certain zone and it's supposed to produce a 3-1 out like 70% of the time or whatever, it will do so regardless of where the ball looks like it's hit in the field. The issue there is that the ball should appear to be hit further away from 1st, not that the game is "wrong" exactly.

Overall I think the game's doing a good job of it so far. The main issue I've had is that importing your screens from 26 blows up some of what's in the game, so don't do that and just re-create them on your own this version. I feel like there are more awkward angles in 3D mode than there used to be but I'm also not using the OOTP created stadia so that's likely on me / the guys who built those stadia that silvam collected as much as anything else and in any case I/you/anyone else can't really expect the devs to fix mods. The engine has been... fine (it didn't do a great job of calibrating the stats for the current season I'm in and I've had some issues as I've tried to adjust these on my own but, again, that's like 90% a me issue / not something you're going to see when simming out a modern-day league).

It's always up to you as to when/if to buy the game but I think it's in a great place for mid-April.

Absolutely wrong. I have played 70 to 80 games batter-by-batter and have yet to see a single 3-UNASSISTED play. ZERO.

It is NOT a mere 3D presentation issue.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by Johnny Case

Absolutely wrong. I have played 70 to 80 games batter-by-batter and have yet to see a single 3-UNASSISTED play. ZERO.

It is NOT a mere 3D presentation issue.

Is there an issue in the game? Yes, and as noted above Lukas has acknowledged they are aware.

28 spring training games and 25 regular season games played out. I have seen 3U plays at 1b. It may not be a "mere" 3d presentation issue but it is a 3d presentation issue. Either the game engine is generating the "right" amount of 3-1 outs, but the 3d is putting many of the balls too close to 1b. Or there aren't enough 3U plays being generated resulting in the 3d engine not having to make very many 3U plays. Or a mixture of both.

The best answer now, IMHO, is to see if anything is done in the next patch to "fix" the issue.

[Charlie Ricker]

Originally Posted by Johnny Case

Absolutely wrong. I have played 70 to 80 games batter-by-batter and have yet to see a single 3-UNASSISTED play. ZERO.

It is NOT a mere 3D presentation issue.

I'll second that, I've noticed the same thing. I know the team is working on fixing things and I have no doubt this will get fixed as well.

Charlie

[zappa1]

I've seen 3 unassisted. It's there.

[Charlie Ricker]

Originally Posted by zappa1

I've seen 3 unassisted. It's there.

Do you recall if it was a grounder unassisted or a liner caught on the fly with no need to step on 1st? I'm just curious.

Charlie

[Lukas Berger]

The too many 3-1 plays is already fixed for the next patch.

[Bluenoser]

I've seen plenty of U3 & F3 plays, they are in the game.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by Charlie Ricker

Do you recall if it was a grounder unassisted or a liner caught on the fly with no need to step on 1st? I'm just curious.

Charlie

I see Lukas posted after you asked, a good thing.

To satisfy your curiosity the ones I have seen were indeed ground balls and the 1b man had to run and touch the bag. Some were the exact opposite of the "bugged" too close to the bag play. IE the first baseman was quite a way from the bag and it looked like a throw to the P covering would have been the better play. Some were just normal "I got it" plays by the first baseman.

[highandoutside]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

The too many 3-1 plays is already fixed for the next patch.

Lukas, I know this is a small thing and purely cosmetic, but could you look into pitch locations? There is a noticeable higher rate of high pitches (both in the strikezone and as balls) in '27 than '26, and it is a bit distracting.

(Of course, maybe the change is intentional and previous versions were locating too many low pitches?)

[Bobfather]

If you plan on buying it eventually, why not buy it now, but wait to play it till you think it is ready? Or wait till it goes on sale. Which is why I don't understand why people don't take advantage of the pre-release discount. Then wait until you like the updates. Again, I bought on announcement day, and I have not been so disappointed. I stopped playing.

[zappa1]

Originally Posted by Charlie Ricker

Do you recall if it was a grounder unassisted or a liner caught on the fly with no need to step on 1st? I'm just curious.

Charlie

Absolutely it was a groundball to first. He ran to the bag and beat the runner. The pitcher was only half the way there.

[zappa1]

I bought 27 but there are some things I'd like to see fixed up. Still mostly playing 26 though. I did what Bobfarther has suggested. I bought it and play it once in a while waiting for the emprovements and fixes I'd like to see.