UPDATE - OOTP 26 Public Beta Patch: 26.7.77

[zappa1]

Originally Posted by erik.ootp

The windows installer was missing the alternate skin files. I added the skin source files to add-ons central (bottom left on the start screen). Once you have downloaded and installed the alternate skin, you should be able to see it in the list. Then you just need to restart the game for it to build the skin.bin file and show you the new skin.

Thank you very much.

[Baseballman2K5]

I'm still seeing a problem with teams releasing decent potential prospects shortly after they were drafted. A lot got release at the start of Spring Training (2/12/2030)

[Larryk007]

OK got it.
ps I had to find the SKINS file in the programs file to copy and paste.

[noooooo4499]

Originally Posted by Baseballman2K5

I'm still seeing a problem with teams releasing decent potential prospects shortly after they were drafted. A lot got release at the start of Spring Training (2/12/2030)

Are those with 100% scouting accuracy? It's possible those OSA ratings are outdated, I've noticed the released draftees with this update tend to be worse ones who are generally replacement level

[1991Cubs]

I'm in the offseason. It looks like the new patch does not like some of the fringe veteran depth players the AI was signing before the patch. Some of these guys who just signed right before the update are now being released. I guess we will get a little bit of awkwardness with teams eating newly signed million-dollar plus contacts as the new patch deals with logic made before the update.

For example, 32-year-old backup catcher Jorge Alfaro (rated 43) had just signed a $2.4M deal with the expansion Orlando club. Despite being one of only three catchers on their roster, he was immediately released after the new patch. A player like that, out of options and on the fringes, might be a reasonable release candidate, but youÂ’d think an expansion club still filling out its roster would at least hold onto him through Spring Training. With that being said I'm looking forward to better overall roster logic.

[kidd_05_u2]

After looking around a little more, the AI does look a little too aggressive at cutting veterans now. Before this patch, the AI would keep an entire 26-man roster of veterans in the minors. After this patch, the AI is keeping almost no player in the minors as injury coverage for the MLB club.

The current situation seems better than pre-patch, but the pendulum swung a little too far the other way.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by 1991Cubs

For example, 32-year-old backup catcher Jorge Alfaro (rated 43) had just signed a $2.4M deal with the expansion Orlando club. Despite being one of only three catchers on their roster, he was immediately released after the new patch. A player like that, out of options and on the fringes, might be a reasonable release candidate, but youÂ’d think an expansion club still filling out its roster would at least hold onto him through Spring Training. With that being said I'm looking forward to better overall roster logic.

Not saying this is or isn't a problem, we're actually testing things out a little more and specifically looking at what happens with the AAAA type older guys now based on the feedback here. Alfaro though, is a guy who has regularly been released in real life, four times in the last three years just quickly looking at his B-Ref page, so I wouldn't say that in and of itself this is the AI doing anything real teams do not do.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by kidd_05_u2

After looking around a little more, the AI does look a little too aggressive at cutting veterans now. Before this patch, the AI would keep an entire 26-man roster of veterans in the minors. After this patch, the AI is keeping almost no player in the minors as injury coverage for the MLB club.

The current situation seems better than pre-patch, but the pendulum swung a little too far the other way.

As I mentioned above, we're looking at this now and will see if we can maybe make some slight tweaks.

This is a very delicate balance though. I think to some extent, it's likely to be impossible to get this perfect without our significantly increasing injury rates, especially in the offseason/pre-season for minor league guys, given that per our previous discussions you made the (good) point that a lot of those real-life signings of older AAAA guys are reactions to injuries.

If we have even 10-15 less guys out (and possibly even more) in a given minor league system than real teams do, then we really kind of end up in a place where have to choose the lesser of the two evils, either not promoting young guys quick enough, or having too few vets at the higher levels of the minors.

EDIT: Seems like we might be overall keeping a few less players at each level than the real-life teams do. We'll probably look at trying to increase the typical AA and AAA roster sizes to more like 34-35 players per team, which seems to be around what most real-life teams are doing. Hopefully that should give some extra room for those older AAAA guys without forcing the younger prospects lower down in the system.

[kidd_05_u2]

Originally Posted by Lukas Berger

As I mentioned above, we're looking at this now and will see if we can maybe make some slight tweaks.

This is a very delicate balance though. I think to some extent, it's likely to be impossible to get this perfect without our significantly increasing injury rates, especially in the offseason/pre-season for minor league guys, given that per our previous discussions you made the (good) point that a lot of those real-life signings of older AAAA guys are reactions to injuries.

If we have even 10-15 less guys out (and possibly even more) in a given minor league system than real teams do, then we really kind of end up in a place where have to choose the lesser of the two evils, either not promoting young guys quick enough, or having too few vets at the higher levels of the minors.

EDIT: Seems like we might be overall keeping a few less players at each level than the real-life teams do. We'll probably look at trying to increase the typical AA and AAA roster sizes to more like 34-35 players per team, which seems to be around what most real-life teams are doing. Hopefully that should give some extra room for those older AAAA guys without forcing the younger prospects lower down in the system.

Hi Lukas. A few thoughts on all of these.

1) I get what you are saying about the difficult balance to strike and the difference due to real life injuries being higher.

I think you want roster construction that looks like the real teams of today to be the target. The lower injuries will make for fewer MLB debuts per year, but that is okay because the human player is choosing the lesser roster churn.

The target: real teams tend to go into a season with 15-25 players aged 27 or older in the minor leagues. Both for MLB coverage and because there are a lot of AA and AAA innings to play. The initial roster set is a good benchmark of what the game should aim for.

The problem before the latest patch: the AI would sign another 6-7 veterans on top of the initial roster, cutting younger players to create room, while also signing more players in the age 25-26 range as well.

The problem with the new patch: the AI keeps only 8-12 players aged 27 or older, and with a bias against age even within this group.

2) I gave the AI 30-man rosters for AAA and AA and it is only keeping these 8-12 veterans.

3) Typical AA and AAA rosters don't carry 34-35 players! They only get there if you count players on the IL and the development list, which I'm not sure you should for OOTP purposes. Given the player limits for the overall minors and that the lower minors need more players, the active rosters at AA and AAA tend to be 27-28 players fairly consistently. If you want to get it to 30 players in OOTP that's fine, but anything beyond that is too much.

[bajenroma]

AI transactions logic is not that great.

The Athletics signing Yandy Diaz, already having Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz listed as 1B that each hit 40+ home runs the previous season.

[phenom]

Tell that to Mike Ilitch, who signed Prince Fielder when he had Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in his lineup already.

[JRRose]

Originally Posted by phenom

Tell that to Mike Ilitch, who signed Prince Fielder when he had Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in his lineup already.

I don’t think they immediately DFAd him and released him though

[Matt Arnold]

We've updated the version. Please see the first post for the changes

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by phenom

Tell that to Mike Ilitch, who signed Prince Fielder when he had Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in his lineup already.

True, but Ilitch signed Fielder due to an injury that forced Victor to miss the entire 2012 season.

[shakturi101]

Post 26.7.77, are there expected to be anymore balance changes (development/player release changes)?

[luckymann]

Still no love for Notes functionality? Boooooooooo

G

[johndoe8865]

We're the AAA/AA roster limits expanded as was mentioned above? I'm for anything that gets us closer to how the real life MLB runs.

[BestbatBoy]

with the new skin, and really all the skins, is there a way to edit them to lighten or change the color of the top row with File, Game, Manager's name, League name and etc. I think its a shame so many of the amazing logos out there are basically ruined by being so dark

[Tony79]

Now that minor leagues rosters have been increased the AI just converts lots of the extra position players to first basemen.

In my current game the Brewers now have 6 first basemen in AAA with only 1 of each outfielder.

[Larryk007]

I think it is a good look, better in many ways. But I think the bar slider on the left top of this page needs to have color, not black with dot. There should be some color to the left. (maybe this is a work in progress, but this is my feedback)