Just wanted to say "Thanks", but...

[Cornelius McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by RchW

My cable company gets more in one month than I've spent on OOTP since v5. I seem to get less and less from them.

I take your point but (and this may just be sentimental me), sincerely feel that OOTP is not just "another business", but a sort of cultural (baseball) icon that I need to support. Call me nuts but it is a different relationship.

Having said that I don't expect others to see it that way.

Rich, more than two years ago we canceled our satellite (no cable way out here in the sticks) and signed up with netflix. We didn't feel we were getting our money's worth. All those channels and usually nothing good to watch. And all those commercials.

We don't eat out much. We don't go to movies. We're pretty frugal. So if the next version of OOTP isn't worth $30 compared to the present version I'm not going to spend the money. I'm happy with what I have. If ver 12 didn't have a pbp save I wouldn't be any happier with it than I am now. So I can totally understand someone not buying the next version if it doesn't include additional features he wants.

Every year some people don't buy that version because it doesn't have the additional features that person wants and OOTP is still going strong.

[professor ape]

I hope that my previous comments are not misinterpretted. Let me make this very clear. This is the best baseball simulation game available. I highly recommend that people who are looking for a great baseball game buy it. $40 is nothing when you look at the hours of enjoyment that you will get especially when you consider the cost of most any other form of entertainment. I happily bought every version from 6.5 through OOTP10.

Now I understand that this may sound like a contradiction when I did not buy OOTP 11 and do not plan to buy OOTP 12 without having more customizable playoffs. In my case I have gotten a great deal out of the game but for my game play (fictional solo) I need the customizable playoffs to build leagues in the way that I want to. Without this as a new feature I just feel like I am going to be doing the same thing over and over. To me, it is not worth the time investment to set up and run new leagues if I can't configure it the way that I want to.

Some have questioned why I and some others come on the forum saying that we are not going to buy the new version. I am going to vote with my dollars. I am posting my reasons on the forum to let Markus know why I am not buying OOTP12 and how he can win my business again. I think that helps Markus more than just losing my money without any feedback.

If being able to customize playoffs is not important to you then you should absolutely buy this game. If Markus could say with 100% certainty that he would include customized playoffs (and maybe league associations) in OOTP13 on the condition that I buy OOTP12 now, then I would drop my $40 in a heartbeat and wait a year to spend another $40.

To repeat - THIS IS A GREAT GAME!

[tejdog1]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Not directly. If you check the box scores for doubleheaders for a league over at the MILB web site, you'll find they are played as two 7-inning games. As for a doubleheader consisting of a 9-inning game followed by a 7-inning game, if I recall correctly, I came across that in an article which described that rule being adopted by the International League. Late 1960s, I think it was. I probably found it in a TSN issue while looking for something else.

I don't think I wrote it down reference specifically. But the tidbit of info did lodge in my brain.

I think this is false. The only time you'll see a 9 followed by a 7 is when a game is suspended and resumed the next day. Then that game is to 9 innings, and the regularly scheduled game is 7 innings.

[tejdog1]

I took my copy of '11 to my friends apt for the SuperBowl, I intended to let him play it that day, then take it back. I forgot it there, and he's loving it. I think he'll be buying '12.

I wouldn't buy every version just to support Markus, but I WOULD do things like this every year, because I DO believe in the product (I didn't EVER intend to even let people here KNOW I did this, but...)

MetsProspectHub Blog Archiv A lil break from the usual…

[Matt Arnold]

I do support the game, but I do want to be sure that each iteration is "worth it." To be honest, I don't think 11 was all that big of a change from 10. There were a lot of changes, as Markus said, but I literally had to go to the OOTP11 web site to see exactly what did change. They were good changes, sure, but it was more little ones, or behind the scenes type changes (like the re-coded fielding engine).

I will say, the featured changes sound good. The financial engine is something I've always had issues with, and if it truly got a good rework, that alone might be enough to get me to buy it. As well, I want to see what the AI improvements really are.

I do expect that when this game comes out, it will be more than worth it. But I also don't necessarily know where I'll be when it comes out, and how much time, and how much better it actually will be. So I will wait and see, and then when it does come out, and everyone on the forums raves about it, I'll give in

[david limbaugh]

Originally Posted by Vinny P.

Unfortunately for you, though, this game is first and foremost, a professional baseball game. ll pro leagues have 9 innings. Even college ball plays 9. Hell, even high school plays 9 innings. Unless, of course, the mercy rule comes into effect. So really, asking for customizable number of innings is kind of pointless, unless you want to simulate Little League or something.

I also don't think that customizable playoffs is that big a deal either, since once again, this game is first and foremost, a professional baseball simulation. Yeah, it's cool enough that we can have feeder leagues. But the main focus is on the pro leagues, not the feeders.

As a 14-year volunteer assistant high school baseball coach, I can tell you that we, by NFHS rules, play seven innings. As a part-time P.A. man at a division one college for years, I can tell you they play seven inning games from time to time. Also, the name of the game is Out of the Park Baseball. Not Out of the park Professional baseball - LOL!!!

[Stats_Enthusiast]

one more thing to add to my mini-novel (sorry bout that)... just after re-reading this thread again I had one more thought (uh-oh!)...

If for no other reason, other than to get the attention of Markus and co., by Ceph boycotting the purchase of OOTP 12, when presumably he can probably afford to buy a dozen copies and still meet his monthly nut...

I don't even think boycotting the purchase is Ceph's point... however the squeaky wheel gets the greace. (hopefully in this case)

His point is clear as day (at least in my eyes, even though what I see doesn't mean **** at the end of the day)... just hear me out...

Since this is such a tight-nit community... maybe do a seniority thing... those who have done the most work contributing to the forums, modding, beta testing, been around the longest, or whatever... they would get the first crack at coming up with high level game designs (one or two each)... then based these feature designs, you could poll the community (or not) and see what kind of feedback you get...

Thus marketing your (potentially) new features... before they've even been born... and getting a feel for how the consumer is going to value "X" feature...

Holy sh*t, I sound like a marketing major!!

So for example, say Ceph wants the customizable playoffs feature... he would have to right the high level game design doc and then Markus would have to approve it of course etc., etc., etc.

Could be a great way to generate more people... think about how many people out there would love to design games for a living... well, now they get a chance... name in the credits, etc.

[CD1083]

If I want to play a 1 inning 1 game season with a 1 game playoff I should be able to.

[Vinny P.]

Originally Posted by david limbaugh

As a 14-year volunteer assistant high school baseball coach, I can tell you that we, by NFHS rules, play seven innings. As a part-time P.A. man at a division one college for years, I can tell you they play seven inning games from time to time. Also, the name of the game is Out of the Park Baseball. Not Out of the park Professional baseball - LOL!!!

Sorry, but there is no way in hell I can name all the various rules that all the various states' high school baseball leagues play their games. For the most part, high school baseball plays 9 innings. I honestly don't care about all the little niche situations, such as what LGO had mentioned earlier about doubleheaders. Out of the four years I was in high school, between playing high school baseball, and Little League baseball (all the way up to the Babe Ruth/Senior Leagues) I can count on one had the number of doubleheaders we've played. And not once have we ever played less than 9 innings, except for a rainout after the 5th, when it becomes an official game. And that only happened twice. And we made it to the 7th, and 8th innings respectively.

Also, it may be called "Out of the Park Baseball," and the slogan may be "Play it your way." But please do not contradict me when I say that the game was meant to emulate professional baseball. Can you play in whatever feeder league you choose? Sure. Can you turn off the financials? Absolutely. But that is not the target market for OOTP. The target market is for those who enjoy simulating professional baseball. It would probably be a disastrous mistake from the business standpoint if Markus were to switch his target market from pro ball, to amateur ball.

Now, that does not mean that I am hating on the idea of setting customized numbers of innings, or customizing playoffs. What I am pointing out, is that only thinking of current customers and what they want as opposed to spending valuable development time creating features that would bring in new customers would be a bit foolish. The feedback from current customers is great, and has tremendous value in helping to determine what potential new customers may want. But some features that have nothing to do with pro baseball (target market), such as customizable number of innings, would have to be put on the backburner for items that DO have to do with pro ball, such as a better financial system, an actual encyclopedia, and league associations.

[Vinny P.]

Originally Posted by Chase Davis

If I want to play a 1 inning 1 game season with a 1 game playoff I should be able to.

I think Markus should also program in customizable gravity as well. If I want to play in a dome on the moon, I should be able to!!

[CD1083]

Originally Posted by Vinny P.

I think Markus should also program in customizable gravity as well. If I want to play in a dome on the moon, I should be able to!!

Well now you're just talking like a crazy person...

[Vinny P.]

Originally Posted by Chase Davis

Well now you're just talking like a crazy person...

Why!? I want customizable gravity, dammit!

[CD1083]

Originally Posted by Vinny P.

Why!? I want customizable gravity, dammit!

Only in Denver.

[tejdog1]

Originally Posted by Vinny P.

Why!? I want customizable gravity, dammit!

Huh... maybe the only way Luis Castillo could hit onee out.

[Cooleyvol]

Originally Posted by Chase Davis

If I want to play a 1 inning 1 game season with a 1 game playoff I should be able to.

Ok, you just jumped the shark.

[CD1083]

Originally Posted by Cooleyvol

Ok, you just jumped the shark.

Ayyyyy!!

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Vinny P.

I think Markus should also program in customizable gravity as well. If I want to play in a dome on the moon, I should be able to!!

Vinny, every time you post, the final answer to this thread is right there before our very eyes!

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn
Because I prefer it,* and my vote counts +100

* "it" is whatever the hell he prefers!

Endless debate threads like this one become mere sophistry once this is realized.

[akw4572]

To each their own, but I've always supported OOTP. I love the game, and definitely don't want the franchise to go anywhere.

[Vinny P.]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Vinny, every time you post, the final answer to this thread is right there before our very eyes!

* "it" is whatever the hell he prefers!

Endless debate threads like this one become mere sophistry once this is realized.

Heh, I forgot about my sig! I got this from a nearly identical thread, either exactly one year ago, or exactly two years ago.

[Vinny P.]

Originally Posted by Chase Davis

Only in Denver.

Denver has a customized atmospheric pressure, not a customized gravity. Although, it probably is a bit less way up there.