Tips for keeping involved in created league

blazertaz13 · 11-07-2015, 08:21 PM

I am in the process of starting another fictional league (again).

I am wondering what advise you can give me to help me get a connection with the created league. I get one going, sim some history, play some games and then start with a new idea.

I would really like to keep one of these leagues going. If not for a whole year of OOTP, but also to carryover from version to version. I know that there are those out there that are definitely do so.

So what is it that keeps you attached to your created leagues?

Thanks for sharing.

DreamTeams · 11-07-2015, 09:34 PM

Five things you can do to keep your league fresh and interesting for the long haul...

1) Start small and expand as you go.

2) Create or have some really cool logos created for the league. Depending on when you start, have a vintage set or classic set and a modern set. That way you'll look forward to seeing the logos refreshed/updated as you go through the years. Set in advanced the year(s) that your logos will be switched out with the new set.

3) Do the same with your uniforms/caps. Create a vintage set, a classic set and a modern set, to be switched out every five seasons. (That's what I've done for my league. However, starting with the 80's the unies will switch out every ten seasons and I've already created them all the way up to the year 2000.)

4) You could also do the same with your ball parks. But, of course you might want to switch those out much less often. (Some of the parks I use will never switch out because I love them so much. But others change and still others will be slightly renovated/updated.)

You could create these as you go, but if you create them ahead of time it will go a long way toward vesting you in your league for the long haul. Plus, you'll likely be excited and driven to reach the next switch out of logos, unise and ballparks. Also, it offers a nice incremental refreshing of your league that will be built in from the start.

5) From time to time create or carry fictional players over from your past leagues. It'll give your league some instant excitement and familiarity even.

These things have worked for me and perhaps it'll help you stick with your league for a long time, as well.

sprague · 11-08-2015, 04:29 AM

Totally agree w dream #5

I keep the names of my fav fictional players early on. Best hitting rf is renamed Bobby mcgreggor. Best fielding catcher nutsume hasagawa. Ect.

Keeps instant familiarity with the star players first 10 years until I get to know the batch of new players that have been generated.

HerbD · 11-08-2015, 05:41 AM

Also try renaming players to real life people that you know. Including people that you don't really like...that will give you a heroes/villains to root for and against all the time.

ohiodevil · 11-08-2015, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerbD

Also try renaming players to real life people that you know. Including people that you don't really like...that will give you a heroes/villains to root for and against all the time.

To take this one step further I will create and rename guys after some of my favorite baseball movie characters (Roy Hobbs, Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez, Crash Davis, Jake Taylor, etc....) usually around the time they played in their respective movies and follow their careers.

In fact I started a new fictional league and expanded in 1930 and one of the teams was the New York Knights, so not only is Hobbs a star in the making (.317 18 HR 73 RBI in his rookie year), I made Pop Fisher the owner of the team.

jpeters1734 · 11-08-2015, 01:06 PM

I love participating in these threads because fictional is the best and most rewarding way to play ootp, imo.

These are all great suggestions. The best one is to start small. The key to a long haul fictional is to become familiar with the teams and players. If you start too big, you risk becoming overwhelmed. When a player wins a batting title or come up in a news story, you should already be familiar with that player.

Play out some games. My style of play is a simmer. I usually don't play out many games. But to get involved in a fictional, you should play out a couple games a month to get more familiar with the players.

Start the league in the past. Nothing loses my interest quicker than a league 50 years into the future. It's hard to relate to the world in your game. I would start during an era that you remember. I like to add friends, family, and of course myself to my games.

Don't think you have to model it after the MLB. Make it your own. Just because the MLB plays 162 games does not mean you have to. Maybe your favorite part of baseball is home runs. Make the ballparks smaller. Don't like the MLB's mega contracts? Create your own financial system. In my online league, we actually turn contract extensions off. Makes for an exciting offseason.

Don't be afraid to tinker. And don't think you have to start over again because you changed a rule. In my solo league, I have made countless tinkers and modifications. My league is ever evolving.

Good luck to you and I hope you get into your fictional!

jpeters1734 · 11-08-2015, 01:12 PM

I would also recommend the Retro thread if you're looking for some cool logos

RchW · 11-08-2015, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazertaz13

I am in the process of starting another fictional league (again).

I am wondering what advise you can give me to help me get a connection with the created league. I get one going, sim some history, play some games and then start with a new idea.

I would really like to keep one of these leagues going. If not for a whole year of OOTP, but also to carryover from version to version. I know that there are those out there that are definitely do so.

So what is it that keeps you attached to your created leagues?

Thanks for sharing.

All the advice you got is great. Best part it is from some great posters who have the experience and skills to create a universe..

I'll take a different tack. What's missing in your satisfaction that causes you to stop leagues after what seems to be a short time. I have two significant MLB fictional leagues going for 75 and 90 seasons over multiple versions and I don't do much of anything (great as they are) suggested above. My leagues would be considered bare bones by the high standards set by so many others here. My satisfaction comes from them being like my own private baseball reference and I explore the history of each just like I do the real BR. They are dynastic leagues. In both cases I built dominant teams like the Yankees of the 20's to 50's. The incentive that keeps me playing is that my dominance is not enough, I can't quite get to the "Yankee" level in a modern FA and run scoring environment. Maybe I'm easily satisfied, but I'm never bored.

So my limited suggestion is; figure out exactly what's missing. The last thing you want to do is spend mega hours decorating the house then finding out that the foundation is crumbling.

NoOne · 11-08-2015, 02:19 PM

if you like creating leagues, maybe that's where you have the most fun.

make a keeper league that you resign yourself to accept whatever randomnly happens, and some side league(s) you can recreate all you want.

best answer for you depends on how you enjoy the game and why you decide to restart leagues.

don't lose sight of what you enjoy just because of some perception of how the game is "supposed" to be played.

if it's a case of constant revision that you can't resist... get over the OCD

.... or embrace it.

USF · 11-09-2015, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazertaz13

I am in the process of starting another fictional league (again).

I am wondering what advise you can give me to help me get a connection with the created league. I get one going, sim some history, play some games and then start with a new idea.

I would really like to keep one of these leagues going. If not for a whole year of OOTP, but also to carryover from version to version. I know that there are those out there that are definitely do so.

So what is it that keeps you attached to your created leagues?

Thanks for sharing.

I think that is a common issue that GMs face in solo leagues and replay leagues since there is always the next best thing to try and do.

For me it has to hit home - have a deep meaning - something I followed as a child or questioned as an adult. I am a Blue Jays fan so I decided to do a replay from 1976 and on and take over the Jays from the expansion draft forward to see what I could do with them compared to real life.

I have also done replays on individual players such as Nolan Ryan - what if he played for a better team?

Perhaps you can consider a replay with a fixed time length so you know the project is for lets say 10 seasons and thats it! If you decide that upfront it may be more rewarding going through the seasons. The best part of that is once you reach 10 seasons in this example you might want to keep going!

Jason

Orcin · 11-09-2015, 10:29 AM

Write a dynasty report.

Izz · 11-09-2015, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

Write a dynasty report.

Seconded.

Even if you only write it for yourself. Creating some sort of story, either for the entire league/world or for an individual within the league, really helps you get attached, imo.

Gai1997 · 11-10-2015, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izz

Seconded.

Even if you only write it for yourself. Creating some sort of story, either for the entire league/world or for an individual within the league, really helps you get attached, imo.

Looked at yours and that seems like it would be really fun. I'll be honest about a weird thing that goes on in my head when I play in OOTP: A lot of times when something happens in the game I'll create storylines in my head and fake interviews between players and what they would say in reaction to that and such. It would be fun to put those thoughts into words and even if no one would read it (Probably not, I'd probably make a boring league haha) but I like writing regardless so it should be fun. I think I'll try making a league this week and see what happens.

crawdad5000 · 11-10-2015, 02:43 PM

Create a Major League and one Independent League. Trades turned off. Only way to get new players is through draft and FA. Using the current ML setup for an example have every team that finishes last in their division move to the IL and the top 6 (current ML setup) in the IL move to the Majors (rosters and all). Do this every year, switching teams out, however when a team gets sent to the IL they have to wait a certain number of years before they can go back to the Majors, even if they qualify by record. So the next best record gets sent to the majors. A guy had this Idea for NCAA14 on PS3 a couple of years ago with the conferences being rated. Definitely kept the game interesting since you didn't know from year to year what was going to happen. I would think in OOTP you would have to make both leagues equal in standing plus tweak all the contract stuff or just make them reserve clause era leagues.

Rizon · 11-10-2015, 03:27 PM

Great ideas here. Getting really cool/unique logos, unis, ballparks helped me a great deal.

I spend a lot of time poking around through my league, looking at player histories, team histories, etc.

I also do a pre-season statistical analysis (preview) of the teams and players. I got this idea from Sports Illustrated in the 90s, I'm not sure if they still do it. This makes for a fun way to learn the depth of teams and players.

Izz · 11-10-2015, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gai1997

Looked at yours and that seems like it would be really fun. I'll be honest about a weird thing that goes on in my head when I play in OOTP: A lot of times when something happens in the game I'll create storylines in my head and fake interviews between players and what they would say in reaction to that and such. It would be fun to put those thoughts into words and even if no one would read it (Probably not, I'd probably make a boring league haha) but I like writing regardless so it should be fun. I think I'll try making a league this week and see what happens.

Yeah, go for it! It is really fun, and it sounds like you're doing most of it already in your head anyway

Mr. Marlin · 11-11-2015, 12:33 AM

I'm in year 1971 of a fictional I've been running since game year 1890 and since OOTP 12. I used to be the same way, making a league, getting a new idea and making another. But this one has really held my interest.

I look at the passing of years of this league as telling a story. Each game a page, each year a chapter. During the first 20 years or so I sim'ed to build a history. But I watched the player and team progression each year so I did it slowly. I decide who gets the awards at the end of the seasons. I decide who gets into the HoF. Immediately after the championship game I save a team picture ff the champions of each league. I made a template that puts the team logo & year in the picture and save it. I managed some of those teams so it's cool to go back through them and remember.

A progression of uniforms and logos is a must. I used TX Rangers excellent work through the 1940s and have made my own since using Photo Impact Pro 13 or Justafans excellent tools.

I've led 4 managers through 14-22 year careers in the 81 years of game time. I always start them unemployed and take minor league jobs and work up to major league jobs. I take from the jobs that are offered. At a certain age I'll retire them and start a new one. While I am controlling a team I'm not just it's manager I'm also it's beat writer. I'll write recaps of important games, stories about the team, players, etc. They are not long, 100 words or less usually but they are right there in the league newspaper adding to the history being built.

No matter what job I have in the league I am always the commissioner. If a team is failing in a market the next ownership change I'll move it to a new market. I always decide the awards ah HoF at the end of each season. I know the players in this league almost as well as the real players of todays game. Sometimes if tow of them are in a race for the batting crown I'm watching their box scores as much as the teams I'm managing.

These are the thing's that have held my interest at least.

nightfly · 11-12-2015, 10:31 PM

I feel like we're separated sim brothers, Mr. Marlin. I'm always writing up game reports and I have several years' worth of previews and draft records and such. That's where I have the most fun in the game.

If you're a fan of fictional leagues, the best thing about the game is that even a quickstart of the current MLB becomes a fictional league after a certain amount of time. I'm up to 2065 and of course none of these people really exist. It's fun to draft a guy and see him really prosper.

11-07-2015, 08:21 PM	#1
blazertaz13 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Windsor, CO Posts: 185	Tips for keeping involved in created league I am in the process of starting another fictional league (again). I am wondering what advise you can give me to help me get a connection with the created league. I get one going, sim some history, play some games and then start with a new idea. I would really like to keep one of these leagues going. If not for a whole year of OOTP, but also to carryover from version to version. I know that there are those out there that are definitely do so. So what is it that keeps you attached to your created leagues? Thanks for sharing.

11-07-2015, 09:34 PM	#2
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,521	Five things you can do to keep your league fresh and interesting for the long haul... 1) Start small and expand as you go. 2) Create or have some really cool logos created for the league. Depending on when you start, have a vintage set or classic set and a modern set. That way you'll look forward to seeing the logos refreshed/updated as you go through the years. Set in advanced the year(s) that your logos will be switched out with the new set. 3) Do the same with your uniforms/caps. Create a vintage set, a classic set and a modern set, to be switched out every five seasons. (That's what I've done for my league. However, starting with the 80's the unies will switch out every ten seasons and I've already created them all the way up to the year 2000.) 4) You could also do the same with your ball parks. But, of course you might want to switch those out much less often. (Some of the parks I use will never switch out because I love them so much. But others change and still others will be slightly renovated/updated.) You could create these as you go, but if you create them ahead of time it will go a long way toward vesting you in your league for the long haul. Plus, you'll likely be excited and driven to reach the next switch out of logos, unise and ballparks. Also, it offers a nice incremental refreshing of your league that will be built in from the start. 5) From time to time create or carry fictional players over from your past leagues. It'll give your league some instant excitement and familiarity even. These things have worked for me and perhaps it'll help you stick with your league for a long time, as well. __________________ Last edited by DreamTeams; 11-08-2015 at 11:00 AM. Reason: Numbering fixed.

11-08-2015, 05:41 AM	#4
HerbD All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Indiana Posts: 854	Also try renaming players to real life people that you know. Including people that you don't really like...that will give you a heroes/villains to root for and against all the time. __________________

11-08-2015, 01:06 PM	#6
jpeters1734 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Juust a bit outside... Posts: 5,617	I love participating in these threads because fictional is the best and most rewarding way to play ootp, imo. These are all great suggestions. The best one is to start small. The key to a long haul fictional is to become familiar with the teams and players. If you start too big, you risk becoming overwhelmed. When a player wins a batting title or come up in a news story, you should already be familiar with that player. Play out some games. My style of play is a simmer. I usually don't play out many games. But to get involved in a fictional, you should play out a couple games a month to get more familiar with the players. Start the league in the past. Nothing loses my interest quicker than a league 50 years into the future. It's hard to relate to the world in your game. I would start during an era that you remember. I like to add friends, family, and of course myself to my games. Don't think you have to model it after the MLB. Make it your own. Just because the MLB plays 162 games does not mean you have to. Maybe your favorite part of baseball is home runs. Make the ballparks smaller. Don't like the MLB's mega contracts? Create your own financial system. In my online league, we actually turn contract extensions off. Makes for an exciting offseason. Don't be afraid to tinker. And don't think you have to start over again because you changed a rule. In my solo league, I have made countless tinkers and modifications. My league is ever evolving. Good luck to you and I hope you get into your fictional! __________________ "Cannonball Coming!" Go Bucs!! Founder and League Caretaker of the Professional Baseball Circuit, www.probaseballcircuit.com An Un-Official Guide to Minor League Management in OOTP 21 Ratings Scale Conversion Cross-Reference Cheat Sheet

11-08-2015, 01:12 PM	#7
jpeters1734 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Juust a bit outside... Posts: 5,617	I would also recommend the Retro thread if you're looking for some cool logos __________________ "Cannonball Coming!" Go Bucs!! Founder and League Caretaker of the Professional Baseball Circuit, www.probaseballcircuit.com An Un-Official Guide to Minor League Management in OOTP 21 Ratings Scale Conversion Cross-Reference Cheat Sheet

11-08-2015, 04:29 AM	#3
sprague All Star Starter Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,921	Totally agree w dream #5 I keep the names of my fav fictional players early on. Best hitting rf is renamed Bobby mcgreggor. Best fielding catcher nutsume hasagawa. Ect. Keeps instant familiarity with the star players first 10 years until I get to know the batch of new players that have been generated.

11-08-2015, 02:19 PM	#9
NoOne Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,167	if you like creating leagues, maybe that's where you have the most fun. make a keeper league that you resign yourself to accept whatever randomnly happens, and some side league(s) you can recreate all you want. best answer for you depends on how you enjoy the game and why you decide to restart leagues. don't lose sight of what you enjoy just because of some perception of how the game is "supposed" to be played. if it's a case of constant revision that you can't resist... get over the OCD .... or embrace it.

11-09-2015, 10:29 AM	#11
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,798	Write a dynasty report.

11-10-2015, 02:43 PM	#14
crawdad5000 Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dayton, OH Reds country! Posts: 382	Create a Major League and one Independent League. Trades turned off. Only way to get new players is through draft and FA. Using the current ML setup for an example have every team that finishes last in their division move to the IL and the top 6 (current ML setup) in the IL move to the Majors (rosters and all). Do this every year, switching teams out, however when a team gets sent to the IL they have to wait a certain number of years before they can go back to the Majors, even if they qualify by record. So the next best record gets sent to the majors. A guy had this Idea for NCAA14 on PS3 a couple of years ago with the conferences being rated. Definitely kept the game interesting since you didn't know from year to year what was going to happen. I would think in OOTP you would have to make both leagues equal in standing plus tweak all the contract stuff or just make them reserve clause era leagues.

11-10-2015, 03:27 PM	#15
Rizon Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: SF Area, California Total Posts: 531,691 Posts: 2,363	Great ideas here. Getting really cool/unique logos, unis, ballparks helped me a great deal. I spend a lot of time poking around through my league, looking at player histories, team histories, etc. I also do a pre-season statistical analysis (preview) of the teams and players. I got this idea from Sports Illustrated in the 90s, I'm not sure if they still do it. This makes for a fun way to learn the depth of teams and players. __________________ JML MILKSHAKES

11-11-2015, 12:33 AM	#17
Mr. Marlin All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,245	I'm in year 1971 of a fictional I've been running since game year 1890 and since OOTP 12. I used to be the same way, making a league, getting a new idea and making another. But this one has really held my interest. I look at the passing of years of this league as telling a story. Each game a page, each year a chapter. During the first 20 years or so I sim'ed to build a history. But I watched the player and team progression each year so I did it slowly. I decide who gets the awards at the end of the seasons. I decide who gets into the HoF. Immediately after the championship game I save a team picture ff the champions of each league. I made a template that puts the team logo & year in the picture and save it. I managed some of those teams so it's cool to go back through them and remember. A progression of uniforms and logos is a must. I used TX Rangers excellent work through the 1940s and have made my own since using Photo Impact Pro 13 or Justafans excellent tools. I've led 4 managers through 14-22 year careers in the 81 years of game time. I always start them unemployed and take minor league jobs and work up to major league jobs. I take from the jobs that are offered. At a certain age I'll retire them and start a new one. While I am controlling a team I'm not just it's manager I'm also it's beat writer. I'll write recaps of important games, stories about the team, players, etc. They are not long, 100 words or less usually but they are right there in the league newspaper adding to the history being built. No matter what job I have in the league I am always the commissioner. If a team is failing in a market the next ownership change I'll move it to a new market. I always decide the awards ah HoF at the end of each season. I know the players in this league almost as well as the real players of todays game. Sometimes if tow of them are in a race for the batting crown I'm watching their box scores as much as the teams I'm managing. These are the thing's that have held my interest at least.

11-12-2015, 10:31 PM	#18
nightfly Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 81	I feel like we're separated sim brothers, Mr. Marlin. I'm always writing up game reports and I have several years' worth of previews and draft records and such. That's where I have the most fun in the game. If you're a fan of fictional leagues, the best thing about the game is that even a quickstart of the current MLB becomes a fictional league after a certain amount of time. I'm up to 2065 and of course none of these people really exist. It's fun to draft a guy and see him really prosper.