OOTP 8 released!

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Andreas Raht

"SION" is not only the graphics, it's in the text everywhere and in the code. We'll use another name in OOTP9 I guess. But I really absolutely don't understand why you bother about that abbreviation of a fictional "online network"?! It's called SION in OOTP8 because we wanted to fix some bugs instead of doing cosmetical stuff. I hope that's okay for you

Agree..his ranting is a bit irrational and hard to comprehend.

[Cooleyvol]

I'm gonna offer my two cents to you guys and I don't even play this game anymore--

First of all, I can't believe all the bellyaching that's going on! ESPECIALLY since you've been offered the following IIRC:

--If you own 2007 and want OOTP8, its FIVE BUCKS. (Come on....you're griping?)

--If you own 2007 and only want to import Cato information, a FREE way has been provided. (What else could you ask for?)

--If you don't own 2007, OOTP 8 is 20.00 (very cheap price)


Why, given these options are some of you bitching about having to pay for it since you already own 2007? First of all, the addition of Cato importation makes this much more than a patch and well worth five bucks to anyone who already owns the SI version of the game. I guess you see your initial purchase as payment in full for this great add on. You're wrong. You wouldn't do the work involved for nothing, I fear.

For those bitching, who want to import Cato, use the method provided, import it, uninstall OOTP8 and basically shut your pie hole. The bitching is just for bitching's sake, IMO.

..........and to publicly gripe b/c SION is still in the game is the most infantile attempt to interject yourself into a thread that you really have nothing to say in. Thusly, you post that 'gripe'.

I have OOTP2007 (its not MY OOTP, however) and have supported Markus since OOTP2. To anyone who's griping about paying five bucks for Cato importation--have you thought about the work involved? ..............and you don't want to pay for it?

If I still ran a league, this would be a no-brainer EVEN IF I had no Cato to import.

I don't know why I'm surprised, its always been this way. God bless you battists, for dealing with this customer base.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Right now, seeing SION everywhere I look in OOTP8, I am thinking that any price is too much for it, but that's probably way too colored by anger to be a fair overall appraisal, and you're probably right.

what the hell is the big deal?

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

what the hell is the big deal?

LOL, you are sooo late. Andreas and I already had that discussion and it's over.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by bababui

Agree..his ranting is a bit irrational and hard to comprehend.

The translation of that is that you disagree with it. But it doesn't matter. That discussion is over with.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by bababui

SI crap??

SI has set the gold standard for sport sims.

You couldn't have misunderstood that any more if you tried, and some of us have a very different take on SI. And "SI crap" referred to the SI clutter in a non-SI game, not their product quality, which you would have known if you'd read Andreas and my discussion.

Trying to misunderstand, jump on people, start a fight, and drag up old issues is not a good idea, okay? That discussion is over. Time to move on.

Arguing like this is why I quit coming to these boards 2 or so years ago. Look, OOTP has done some things in the past I didn't like. Saying they had no time to patch OOTP 6 one week and the next week dropping a $10 "upgrade" on us. That irked me. Joining SI and changing their game entirely... what was wrong with the 6.5 layout, I wonder?

However, I don't see the beef here. Battists has explained why things are they way they are. They can't patch an SI game. They can't put out an identical one with a new name. So, I think their solution was a pretty good one. I mean, I don't mind "donating" $5 to OOTP Developments because it's my favorite gaming company out there and I'm ecstatic they are back on their own. I feel they produce their best work w/o interference. I mean, I still play OOTP 6.5 to this day.

Plus, if what I was told is true and you get 2 new licenses with an upgrade then I truly don't know what you can complain about then. Since when has two new licenses ever been offered for _any_ text sim for $5? Upgrade to OOTP 8 and give your old OOTP 2007 license to someone who's never played the game for Christmas. That's what I'll probably end up doing. They'll love it.

[Solonor]

I think the trigger that set people off about paying for this version is the term "bug fixes". I haven't seen anyone complain about paying for new features (rightly so), and since the only people that need to pay a whopping $5 for the game are league commissioners, the bug fix issue is really the only point of contention that makes sense.

Well, just to let you know, there are a grand total of 2 (maybe 3) bug fixes in this version that stem from Markus's uncontrollable urge to fix things. There were a few complaints on the beta boards that caught his attention, and he jumped in with his standard "Fixed!" line.

The only 2 I recall are that players claimed off waivers in online leagues go to DFA instead of on the Active Roster (forcing a Commish running a sim week to stop and address it), and players in deleted feeder leagues not showing up in the draft pool.

That's it. There's your bug fixes.

So, unless you're complaining about either one of these items, the only thing you're paying for in OOTP8 are new features.

[Claybor]

The 'upgrade' to ootp8 will be $6 minimum not $5 ($1 is meaningless, I am just putting down what post #1 says), and possibly $20 if they cant get the payment method working properly. While the amount of $$$ might be low, to me it's the principle of paying for a patch. I have no problem buying a new version every year, but to pay for a patch now and then another version in less the half a year just doesn't seem right. Of course I can just have some patience and wait for ootp9, which is what I will do.

[battists]

I have added a list of bug fixes to the original post. There are not many fixes, so perhaps this will assuage some of the fears about a "paid patch."

Thanks!

[CMH]

Hmm, even if there isn't a discount code, I'd be willing to pay 20 bucks for OOTP8.

But, I'm going to wait to see if there's a discount code.

[Andreas Raht]

Originally Posted by Anisoptera

So you know, the buy via desktop option seems to work, but the buy via web browser function takes you to http://www.elicense.com/sigames/store/index.asp where there is no option to buy OOTP8 that I see. I'm thinking you want it to direct to https://www.elicense.com/ootpdevelop...tore/index.asp , but you'd still need to add it there.

Are there plans for a trial version? I'm anxious to check out the catobase importer. Does anybody have a sample output uploaded anywhere?

Thank you! We've fixed that now.

A sample version is now online at http://www.ootpdevfiles.com/ootp/ootp8demosetup.exe

Have fun!

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by battists

I should resist the urge to get into this further, because I think in some cases you simply can't convince others of your perspective. But, although Markus and Andreas wrote it, OOTPB 2007 is a SEGA/SI product. Since OOTP is now a separate company, we are not entitled to release a patch for their game. At the same time, we were not legally entitled to release a completely identical game with a different name slapped on it. Instead, we tried to find a way that we could offer the same benefits to OOTPB 2007 users for as close to no cost as possible. This was the best we were able to come up with. I understand your sentiment completely, but I would hope that the general impression received by the public isn't one of "shadiness." Trust me, if we are able to offer the discount to OOTPB 2007 users, we won't make money on the OOTPB 2007 users who buy OOTP 8.

Anyway, like I said, I understand your perspective, and I certainly respect anyone's desire to not buy OOTP 8. However, please understand that there is nothing "shady" going on here!

Steve

I know you cannot be specific but it would be interesting to know some day the overall marketing success, or failure, of OOTP 8. That is the true test of whether you have done the right thing. I am optimistic, myself.

[battists]

Originally Posted by Andreas Raht

Thank you! We've fixed that now.

A sample version is now online at http://www.ootpdevfiles.com/ootp/ootp8demosetup.exe

Have fun!

This has been added to the original post, as well.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by avwjase

Arguing like this is why I quit coming to these boards 2 or so years ago. Look, OOTP has done some things in the past I didn't like. Saying they had no time to patch OOTP 6 one week and the next week dropping a $10 "upgrade" on us. That irked me. Joining SI and changing their game entirely... what was wrong with the 6.5 layout, I wonder?

I can't say I agree with this. 6.5 was a lot more than bug fixes ie a patch. It added features and was well worth the $10. Many stayed with v6 and continued to enjoy the game while many upgraded for "only $10", much like v8 will only be $5.

Without the ground up rewrite, as Markus has stated many times, we'd still be struggling along cobbling together a game with spaghetti code. When you add all of the things that the SI branded game added you have to have a bigger GUI to get to those features. I for one don't see how the old simple GUI would work with today's ootp.

Like today's issues there will always be different views. Just wanted to post my 2 cents and certainly respect your viewpoint.

Originally Posted by avwjase

However, I don't see the beef here. Battists has explained why things are they way they are. They can't patch an SI game. They can't put out an identical one with a new name. So, I think their solution was a pretty good one. I mean, I don't mind "donating" $5 to OOTP Developments because it's my favorite gaming company out there and I'm ecstatic they are back on their own. I feel they produce their best work w/o interference. I mean, I still play OOTP 6.5 to this day.

Plus, if what I was told is true and you get 2 new licenses with an upgrade then I truly don't know what you can complain about then. Since when has two new licenses ever been offered for _any_ text sim for $5? Upgrade to OOTP 8 and give your old OOTP 2007 license to someone who's never played the game for Christmas. That's what I'll probably end up doing. They'll love it.

I do agree with you here. I'm sure they'd love to give v8 to all of the 2007 owners. However it would have to be licensed and elicense would have to get their licensing charge. So they are trying to get us the game for $6, I assume this is approx what elicense charges ootp for their service. They certainly, as a small company, can't afford to dish our "free" versions at a cost of $6 a piece.

IMHO it is a good value at $6 since you are getting two new licenses. My first thought was to not get v8 because there aren't enough things in there to make it worth it to me since I only play solo and have never used cato. However, after reading your post, I like the idea of buying 8 and gifting v2007 to my son. He has thought about trying the game many times and I told him how good 07 was but he's never been to sure if spending $30 on it would end up being a wast of money. This will give him the opportunity to finally try oopt at no cost to him. The way he likes to sim ahead to do careers in some of his console games (like many ootpers he just looks at the numbers and likes to do the drafts and transactions so it's not really just about the graphics) shows me that if he tries ootp he will more than likely be hooked and buy future versions.

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by battists

This has been added to the original post, as well.

Original post still doesn't show that the price in Europe is approximately $29.00

[bababui]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Original post still doesn't show that the price in Europe is approximately $29.00

Its a reverse Marshall Plan for cash strapped Americans!!

[Andreas Raht]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Original post still doesn't show that the price in Europe is approximately $29.00

We have to pay a 19% VAT tax for all sales to European customers

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Andreas Raht

We have to pay a 19% VAT tax for all sales to European customers

OMG. I feel your pain, Europeans.

[Andreas Raht]

Originally Posted by Sweed

I'm sure they'd love to give v8 to all of the 2007 owners. However it would have to be licensed and elicense would have to get their licensing charge. So they are trying to get us the game for $6, I assume this is approx what elicense charges ootp for their service. They certainly, as a small company, can't afford to dish our "free" versions at a cost of $6 a piece.

That's correct. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be $6.99 now. Otherwise we would have to pay extra fee for that deal.
We're still really happy that we can offer this option because OOTP 2007 and OOTP 8 are sold by two different companies so it's not so easy to set up this coupon code thing.

IMHO it is a good value at $6 since you are getting two new licenses.

Yes, you'll get 2 extra licenses which do not require that you keep the old licenses. You could sell them on ebay or give them away to a friend for christmas