The Worst of Times - Waiting

Déjà Bru · 03-02-2020, 03:26 PM

Waiting until March 17, that is. (I pre-ordered, thank you very much.) It's always an awkward time, this period of waiting.

I sigh. I get up, stretch, walk to the window, stare at the birds for a while (and think about the darned lawn, which means it was a mistake to look out the window). What do I do until March 17?

For, I am at a happy point with OOTPB 20. On the cusp of the off-season which I am told is the best time for league conversion to a new version of OOTPB. Frozen in time. Sigh. What are those birds doing? You lousy birds, get off my lawn! It looks bad enough!

Time crawls. Surely it's been a couple of hours since I started typing this post? Only two minutes? Sigh.

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despair.

Sigh. Are those birds still out there? Let me go check.

Sweed · 03-02-2020, 04:04 PM

I agree it is a difficult time but at least it is a known date. There are worse things.....

During this time I go back to the days of my youth and ordering the newest season of Strat O Matic cards and waiting for the brown UPS truck to show up, but when?

I used to pay extra when I ordered that would guarantee delivery 10 days after they received my order and the check cleared. At least I was smart enough to send a bank money order, and they sent the order as soon as they got it. So I would count the days.

First class mail: they should have my order in 3 days.
Then 10 days to have my cards, 13 days.
But wait, doesn't include Sundays. Now what? 14-15 days?

Time to sit, wait, and count the days. UPS would be in my neighborhood between 4:30 and 5:30 normally. It would be torture sitting and watching for that brown truck only to have it go by or not be seen at all. Then I would tell myself that maybe this time he could be running late so wouldn't give up until 6:30 ish. Then do it all again the next day.

There weren't too may better days than when those cards would show up. An evening of going through every team arranging the cards in batting order, rotation, bullpen. Looking over my players seeing who had the good cards and then, finally, being able to start playing and recording stats by hand. Great times

BirdWatcher · 03-02-2020, 04:41 PM

I hear this.
But I almost have the opposite problem. Suddenly a new version is nearly upon us, and while I am anxious to move my fictional universe (W.P. Kinsella league and all that revolves around it) into the new version of the game, I also find myself hurriedly trying to get to the off-season so that I can time things optimally.

Probably the time I most frenetically play an OOTP version is during the final ramp-up to the next iteration.

(Oh, and Sweed, as a former- well, not entirely former- S-O-M gamer, I totally relate to your post.)

PocketsAintFull · 03-02-2020, 05:14 PM

I recently ordered a basic version of Strat-o-Matic (an 'express' version that was cheap and easily obtainable here in the UK

) after being into OOTP for a few years and seeing people post about what they used to play

rudel.dietrich · 03-02-2020, 05:17 PM

My memory may be failing me. But the time between announcement and release is a lot shorter than it used to be.
Also, we get an actual release day about a month to five weeks in advance now.
OOTPD has gotten much better at their development. It used to be they did not know the release date until sometimes the weekend before release.

Calvert98 · 03-02-2020, 07:51 PM

Well, for me it is a bit longer.

Although I pre-ordered, I play the modern MLB Start these days. And I am not carrying over a franchise from OOTP 20 this time, otherwise, I could start right away.

The reason being is that when I start a new MLB Universe, I want to have as much of the real-life rosters, personnel and draft correct in that first year as possible.

Anyway, looks like I need to wait till at least the first two patches are in-place. Next year, I will just carry-over my franchise, so I can dive-in right away.

Beatles Eternally · 03-02-2020, 08:02 PM

I am guessing that many here are fans of other sports. I'm strictly a baseball fanatic so the hell is even more egregious. I get some respite when the magic words "pitchers and catchers report" are intoned. Then there is the agonising wait for OOTP!!

It's not fair! I should sue MLB for even HAVING an offseason.

I'd sue Markus and Co. for making me wait and play lesser products but, I sense that Markus and Co. have even more formidable attorneys than MLB.

I can't wait to play the 1934 season in this best-to-date iteration of the King of Baseball sims!!!

Bluenoser · 03-02-2020, 08:23 PM

I've been so busy playing OOTP20, time is flying by. I can't believe it's March already. Only 2 weeks from tomorrow - wow.

jimmysthebestcop · 03-02-2020, 09:01 PM

I have to wait even longer. Ootp has been releasing exactly when March madness starts the last 2 years. Plus it's st Patrick's week as well.

Meaning I probably can't get to it until the 23rd. Such bad timing.

I had to watch streams of xx last year to hold me over until Monday lol

Bub13 · 03-02-2020, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweed

During this time I go back to the days of my youth and ordering the newest season of Strat O Matic cards and waiting for the brown UPS truck to show up, but when?

This was me in college, only it sucked to see the pink "you have a package" slip in your mailbox....after the post office had closed for the day.

Déjà Bru · 03-02-2020, 09:20 PM

This thread, in particular certain posts, will serve as proof that all of us remain children at heart.

Westheim · 03-03-2020, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Waiting until March 17, that is. (I pre-ordered, thank you very much.) It's always an awkward time, this period of waiting.

I sigh. I get up, stretch, walk to the window, stare at the birds for a while (and think about the darned lawn, which means it was a mistake to look out the window). What do I do until March 17?

For, I am at a happy point with OOTPB 20. On the cusp of the off-season which I am told is the best time for league conversion to a new version of OOTPB. Frozen in time. Sigh. What are those birds doing? You lousy birds, get off my lawn! It looks bad enough!

Time crawls. Surely it's been a couple of hours since I started typing this post? Only two minutes? Sigh.

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despair.

Sigh. Are those birds still out there? Let me go check.

Is that what retirement does to a person?

Ormondbeachdan · 03-03-2020, 07:07 AM

Yup.. that was my life starting in....1963!!!!!

Déjà Bru · 03-03-2020, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westheim

Is that what retirement does to a person?

Nah, not really. I jest.

As a matter of fact, a few times people have asked me in the past year, "How's retirement going?" Here is what I have said:

"You know, I thought once I retired that I would have all the time in the world to do the things I want to do but remarkably, that is not the case. I still don't have enough time!"

Whereupon my interlocutor and I agree that that is a sign of a happy retirement.

Curve Ball Dave · 03-03-2020, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

This thread, in particular certain posts, will serve as proof that all of us remain children at heart.

And proud of it!

ForeverRoyalKC · 03-03-2020, 02:35 PM

You know, you guys are the great motivation for Marcus and crew! To know their invention is so agonizingly anticipated has to make them feel pretty great.
Deja, the line about being children at heart is well put. I am 51 and still feel that excitement about opening day in MLB and OOTP. I have some 2018 Topps cards coming and I can't wait to open them! When you lose your passion for things, you lose quite a lot.

Bluenoser · 03-03-2020, 04:48 PM

It's like this

Curve Ball Dave · 03-03-2020, 06:38 PM

When I was a kid (1970s) each March or April I'd be dying with anticipation of when that year's baseball cards would come. The day they did was like a holiday, I was so happy. I feel the same way about the release of the latest OOTP. I hope I never lose this feeling.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've already begun preparing. All of my custom files (jerseys, caps, logos) are ready to be copied and pasted into 21 so they'll be where they have to be when I start my new universe.

discodude5 · 03-04-2020, 11:08 PM

The waiting can be tough. Thanks for threads like this to help pass the time.
I HATE watching baseball games. I love watching other sports way more. Probably the pace of baseball, the constant delays type of things compared to other sports. Playoff baseball in the late innings I do enjoy though.

However, this game, a baseball game, which I've been playing for years is one of the things I most look forward to every year.
I really enjoy the statistics in baseball, the .400 flirtations and the 20 win seasons. It all makes sense and is addictive as you dive into it.

Being able to create my own fictional league and do nearly anything I can imagine with it has given my thousands of hours of enjoyment. The season and career leader boards are my own little world and mean something to me.

OOTP for me is not just playing the game, but at work or sitting in traffic thinking up plans for my team or league.
As an OOTP manager I guess we are always working to make our team better. Even when the boss is talking to you but you're thinking about if you should resign that 30yr old third baseman for 7 years.

Déjà Bru · 03-04-2020, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discodude5

I HATE watching baseball games. I love watching other sports way more. Probably the pace of baseball, the constant delays type of things compared to other sports. Playoff baseball in the late innings I do enjoy though.

I have a solution for you. The best, the besty best, BEST solution!

Solution: "Watch" baseball games while playing OOTPB! You don't notice the slow pace of live baseball while you are playing OOTPB.

Caution: This depends on hearing. That is, you must listen for crowd noise or announcer hysteria in live baseball telecasts so that you can quickly look up over the edge of your laptop cover to see what is going on. The caution is, you could be confused by crowd noise in OOTPB (true story) and look up at live baseball at the wrong time. I suggest playing OOTPB with crowd noise turned down or muted altogether.

03-02-2020, 03:26 PM	#1
Déjà Bru Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: United States Posts: 10,456	The Worst of Times - Waiting Waiting until March 17, that is. (I pre-ordered, thank you very much.) It's always an awkward time, this period of waiting. I sigh. I get up, stretch, walk to the window, stare at the birds for a while (and think about the darned lawn, which means it was a mistake to look out the window). What do I do until March 17? For, I am at a happy point with OOTPB 20. On the cusp of the off-season which I am told is the best time for league conversion to a new version of OOTPB. Frozen in time. Sigh. What are those birds doing? You lousy birds, get off my lawn! It looks bad enough! Time crawls. Surely it's been a couple of hours since I started typing this post? Only two minutes? Sigh. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despair. Sigh. Are those birds still out there? Let me go check. __________________ - Bru

03-02-2020, 04:41 PM	#3
BirdWatcher Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 4,262	I hear this. But I almost have the opposite problem. Suddenly a new version is nearly upon us, and while I am anxious to move my fictional universe (W.P. Kinsella league and all that revolves around it) into the new version of the game, I also find myself hurriedly trying to get to the off-season so that I can time things optimally. Probably the time I most frenetically play an OOTP version is during the final ramp-up to the next iteration. (Oh, and Sweed, as a former- well, not entirely former- S-O-M gamer, I totally relate to your post.) __________________ The Denver Brewers of the W.P. Kinsella League-- The fun starts here(1965-1971: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=289570 And continues here (1972-1976): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=300500 On we go (1977- 1979): https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=314601 For ongoing and more random updates on the WPK:https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=325147, https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=330717

03-02-2020, 05:14 PM	#4
PocketsAintFull All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 1,771	I recently ordered a basic version of Strat-o-Matic (an 'express' version that was cheap and easily obtainable here in the UK ) after being into OOTP for a few years and seeing people post about what they used to play __________________

03-02-2020, 08:02 PM	#7
Beatles Eternally Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 145	I am guessing that many here are fans of other sports. I'm strictly a baseball fanatic so the hell is even more egregious. I get some respite when the magic words "pitchers and catchers report" are intoned. Then there is the agonising wait for OOTP!! It's not fair! I should sue MLB for even HAVING an offseason. I'd sue Markus and Co. for making me wait and play lesser products but, I sense that Markus and Co. have even more formidable attorneys than MLB. I can't wait to play the 1934 season in this best-to-date iteration of the King of Baseball sims!!! Last edited by Beatles Eternally; 03-02-2020 at 08:04 PM.

03-02-2020, 09:20 PM	#11
Déjà Bru Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: United States Posts: 10,456	This thread, in particular certain posts, will serve as proof that all of us remain children at heart. __________________ - Bru

03-02-2020, 04:04 PM	#2
Sweed Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 6,092 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I agree it is a difficult time but at least it is a known date. There are worse things..... During this time I go back to the days of my youth and ordering the newest season of Strat O Matic cards and waiting for the brown UPS truck to show up, but when? I used to pay extra when I ordered that would guarantee delivery 10 days after they received my order and the check cleared. At least I was smart enough to send a bank money order, and they sent the order as soon as they got it. So I would count the days. First class mail: they should have my order in 3 days. Then 10 days to have my cards, 13 days. But wait, doesn't include Sundays. Now what? 14-15 days? Time to sit, wait, and count the days. UPS would be in my neighborhood between 4:30 and 5:30 normally. It would be torture sitting and watching for that brown truck only to have it go by or not be seen at all. Then I would tell myself that maybe this time he could be running late so wouldn't give up until 6:30 ish. Then do it all again the next day. There weren't too may better days than when those cards would show up. An evening of going through every team arranging the cards in batting order, rotation, bullpen. Looking over my players seeing who had the good cards and then, finally, being able to start playing and recording stats by hand. Great times

03-02-2020, 05:17 PM	#5
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	My memory may be failing me. But the time between announcement and release is a lot shorter than it used to be. Also, we get an actual release day about a month to five weeks in advance now. OOTPD has gotten much better at their development. It used to be they did not know the release date until sometimes the weekend before release.

03-02-2020, 07:51 PM	#6
Calvert98 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 579	Well, for me it is a bit longer. Although I pre-ordered, I play the modern MLB Start these days. And I am not carrying over a franchise from OOTP 20 this time, otherwise, I could start right away. The reason being is that when I start a new MLB Universe, I want to have as much of the real-life rosters, personnel and draft correct in that first year as possible. Anyway, looks like I need to wait till at least the first two patches are in-place. Next year, I will just carry-over my franchise, so I can dive-in right away.

03-02-2020, 08:23 PM	#8
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 13,680	I've been so busy playing OOTP20, time is flying by. I can't believe it's March already. Only 2 weeks from tomorrow - wow.

03-02-2020, 09:01 PM	#9
jimmysthebestcop Banned Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 1,728 Infractions: 0/2 (5)	I have to wait even longer. Ootp has been releasing exactly when March madness starts the last 2 years. Plus it's st Patrick's week as well. Meaning I probably can't get to it until the 23rd. Such bad timing. I had to watch streams of xx last year to hold me over until Monday lol

03-03-2020, 07:07 AM	#13
Ormondbeachdan Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ormond Beach Fl Posts: 299	Yup.. that was my life starting in....1963!!!!! __________________ https://challenge.ootpdevelopments.c...s/MrDanboy.jpg

03-03-2020, 02:35 PM	#16
ForeverRoyalKC All Star Starter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Hop, skip and a jump from Stockton Lake, MO. Posts: 1,128 Blog Entries: 3	You know, you guys are the great motivation for Marcus and crew! To know their invention is so agonizingly anticipated has to make them feel pretty great. Deja, the line about being children at heart is well put. I am 51 and still feel that excitement about opening day in MLB and OOTP. I have some 2018 Topps cards coming and I can't wait to open them! When you lose your passion for things, you lose quite a lot.

03-03-2020, 04:48 PM	#17
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 13,680	It's like this Attached Images Last edited by Bluenoser; 03-03-2020 at 05:11 PM.

03-03-2020, 06:38 PM	#18
Curve Ball Dave Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,271	When I was a kid (1970s) each March or April I'd be dying with anticipation of when that year's baseball cards would come. The day they did was like a holiday, I was so happy. I feel the same way about the release of the latest OOTP. I hope I never lose this feeling. I don't know about the rest of you, but I've already begun preparing. All of my custom files (jerseys, caps, logos) are ready to be copied and pasted into 21 so they'll be where they have to be when I start my new universe. __________________ "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing"-Warren Spahn.

03-04-2020, 11:08 PM	#19
discodude5 Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 363	The waiting can be tough. Thanks for threads like this to help pass the time. I HATE watching baseball games. I love watching other sports way more. Probably the pace of baseball, the constant delays type of things compared to other sports. Playoff baseball in the late innings I do enjoy though. However, this game, a baseball game, which I've been playing for years is one of the things I most look forward to every year. I really enjoy the statistics in baseball, the .400 flirtations and the 20 win seasons. It all makes sense and is addictive as you dive into it. Being able to create my own fictional league and do nearly anything I can imagine with it has given my thousands of hours of enjoyment. The season and career leader boards are my own little world and mean something to me. OOTP for me is not just playing the game, but at work or sitting in traffic thinking up plans for my team or league. As an OOTP manager I guess we are always working to make our team better. Even when the boss is talking to you but you're thinking about if you should resign that 30yr old third baseman for 7 years.