3-D Graphics

[thevaliantx]

Originally Posted by The Game

if you ever finish Ebbets and LA Coliseum I would love to use them.

The second image, from the top, would completely satisfy me, if it were just a wee bit bigger scale-wise so that I could at least differentiate between the players. Even Bases Loaded 2 graphics would have me all giddy.

[One Post Wonder]

I fully support the 3-D graphics addition because like a lot of people, I see the difference it made in FM. I also remember all the flak it got in FM when it was first announced there too, and the fears all turned out to be unwarranted. It doesn't take much... FM 2013's in match graphics look like something from the Playstation 1, but they do the job very well. Baseball would almost certainly easier to model than football - unlike football where anything could be happening, in baseball you know where the left fielder is going to be, there's only one guy at bat at a time... etc

It's coming regardless. Because what other additions could OOTP make that would have a similar major impact on the game and do as much to expand the customer base? Most of the other suggestions I see are minor things. Nearly all of them would further tax the already overwhelmed AI.

If the next edition of OOTP had no improvements at all other than 3-D in-game graphics, it would still almost certainly be the biggest selling version we've seen in years. What other one improvement could we say that about?

[sluggo523]

Originally Posted by dodgerblue88

It would be cool if Markus would find some way to add 3d or even 2d sprites and layer them on a 2d stadium image, that way we could use stadium images already available and watch the little guys hit field and run

Originally Posted by Cryomaniac

That might actually be harder to make work (or at least to test reliably) than a stand alone graphics engine.

I found a program in the works about 8 to 10 years ago that did just that. You could use any ballpark photo and move points around the screen to line up the outfield walls. You would do the same for the bases and pitching mound and batters box. Then the players and action would play out on the screen. The players reminded me of Micro league players, not great but good enough. I lost the program with a computer crash and have never been able to find it again on the internet. It was never a finish product so maybe it did turn out to be harder then it looked.

It would be nice to have something, even like what action pc baseball has. Just not sure how much work it would take.

Glenn

[helm123]

Really all you have to do is look at the Steam Greenlight section for OOTP and you can read post after post that OOTP is nothing but a spreadsheet generator. Far from the truth but perception is reality and that is the perception of the game outside the captive group. Don't think it will ever get enough votes to be Greenlighted.

I'm sure Markus wants to grow sales and the addition of some type of graphical representation of the game will do just that.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by helm123

Really all you have to do is look at the Steam Greenlight section for OOTP and you can read post after post that OOTP is nothing but a spreadsheet generator. Far from the truth but perception is reality and that is the perception of the game outside the captive group. Don't think it will ever get enough votes to be Greenlighted.

I'm sure Markus wants to grow sales and the addition of some type of graphical representation of the game will do just that.

I'm sure the team wants to get the game on steam since it'll mean more sales, but at this point in time I think a game not getting green lighted on steam is actually a good sign regarding the game's quality.

I loved steam for a while but lately it's full of nothing but dreck and junk (imo). Nothing worth playing there except some old games that have been on steam for years, long before it jumped the shark.

[Bowtie]

Originally Posted by The Game

High Heat, Tony Larussa & Hardball are slow?

To add to this, was Front Office Manager slow? No. FOM had very good graphics but what turned many off from that game was it didn't have the real MLB prospects (they used fake names for them).

[helm123]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I'm sure the team wants to get the game on steam since it'll mean more sales, but at this point in time I think a game not getting green lighted on steam is actually a good sign regarding the game's quality.

I loved steam for a while but lately it's full of nothing but dreck and junk (imo). Nothing worth playing there except some old games that have been on steam for years, long before it jumped the shark.

There is indeed a load games getting Greenlighted that I would never buy and I don't see how they are getting Greenlighted in the first place.

I haven't purchased the new version of OOTP as I'm waiting to see if does ever get Greenlighted. Run both a Windows PC and a Linux box. Sometimes the Windows box is taken by the kids and I don't want to have to run wine or some VM on the Linux box. Right now I'd have to purchase two versions and it doesn't make sense so hopefully if it ever makes it to Steam I can have both in a nice package that Steam keeps up to date patch wise for Me.

[Kobeck]

I would be happy with 2D graphics myself and little dots. As long as the dots came close too doing what the pbp describes.




I would not need close ups of batter/pitcher ect.




If the graphics was left 'moddable' I am sure they would be amazing enough soon enough

[Mr. Baseball]

If they add graphics, it's going to be some stupid cartoonish crap that looks like it's from the 1990's. I like OOTP the way it is. If you want 3d graphics, play video games. If they add 3-d, I'm done buying new versions. I don't want it.

[Cryomaniac]

Originally Posted by Mr. Baseball

If they add graphics, it's going to be some stupid cartoonish crap that looks like it's from the 1990's. I like OOTP the way it is. If you want 3d graphics, play video games. If they add 3-d, I'm done buying new versions. I don't want it.

Any graphics would almost certainly be completly optional.

[thevaliantx]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I'm sure the team wants to get the game on steam since it'll mean more sales, but at this point in time I think a game not getting green lighted on steam is actually a good sign regarding the game's quality.

I loved steam for a while but lately it's full of nothing but dreck and junk (imo). Nothing worth playing there except some old games that have been on steam for years, long before it jumped the shark.

And, I think that's where you went wrong in your post. The PC gaming market is about to get real big with the disappointments coming this way courtesy of the way the new consoles. Tablet games have never done very well and never will, mostly due to the screen size...and we all know how terrible gaming on cell phone is. That leaves the pc market. Intel is touting their new processor that's supposed to be much, MUCH better than the last one. And, then you have the Oculus Rift VR headgear set to make its debut next year at a price everyone can afford. Gaming is about to change BIG TIME (to borrow the words of Dusty Baker, coach of the Cincinnati Reds, lol) and EVERYONE knows that console technology can't keep up with what can be done in a pc. Steam can only offer what's available in the pc market, at prices it feels the majority of buyers can afford and will pay. If the pc gaming market improves, which it will (if you're listening to what's about to happen with the new game consoles), it's only going to get better.

[thevaliantx]

Originally Posted by Mr. Baseball

If they add graphics, it's going to be some stupid cartoonish crap that looks like it's from the 1990's. I like OOTP the way it is. If you want 3d graphics, play video games. If they add 3-d, I'm done buying new versions. I don't want it.

Appreciate the insult. By the way, no one is asking for super realistic-looking graphics, just something that indicates there is life on the field. That game you have right now is just a 'cartoonish' spreadsheet.

[BigCity]

After pages and pages of comments, many of the earlier discussion are either forgotten or never read I guess - but it does amaze me how some people will threaten to never buy the game again when we all KNOW any graphics addition will be optional (meaning an ON-OFF switch). If you don't like it, turn it OFF and the game is exactly the way it is today.

If you don't like playing online, turn it OFF (already defaulted that way).
If you don't like financials, turn it OFF.
If you don't like facegen, turn it OFF.
If you don't like the almanac, turn it OFF.
If you don't like coaching, turn it OFF.
If you don't like scouting, turn it OFF.
If you don't like suspensions, turn them OFF.
If you don't like storylines, turn them OFF.
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.

Why is graphics any different than any other option in the game? And why would one threaten to hurt the company and the other side of the customer base for this single option?

If you don't like 3D movies are you going to stop going to theaters?

[hallissyc]

I am a newer player of these types of games, so I am not sure I have much of a dog in the fight. I always kind of knew that these games existed, but didn't know that they had the intense following that they obviously do. In any case, in my search for the correct game for me, I easily eliminated FM13 due to one inherent flaw it had: based on the 3D engine, my computer didn't meet the minimum specifications to run it. Sure, you can turn these graphics off, but if you can't even install the game because your graphics processor is not supported...I find that to be an issue. You alienate your fan base, and by proxy...people will jump ship. I shouldn't need to upgrade a 3-4 year old computer just to play a game.

-Chris

[hallissyc]

Additionally, what would this do to the licensing aspect of OOTP? As far as I know, this game (as of right now) is not endorsed or officially licensed by MLB. Getting involved in something big, like a merger of The Show and OOTP would involve big dollar licenses that, quite frankly, probably wouldn't pay off. I do think, however, that in the eyes of the games' developers, the evolution of this title would make the inclusion of 3D inevitable. In order to attempt to gain larger interest and fanbase, a move like this would need to be made regardless of whether it alienates the hardcore cult following that OOTP has built.

-Chris

[Cryomaniac]

Originally Posted by hallissyc

Additionally, what would this do to the licensing aspect of OOTP? As far as I know, this game (as of right now) is not endorsed or officially licensed by MLB. Getting involved in something big, like a merger of The Show and OOTP would involve big dollar licenses that, quite frankly, probably wouldn't pay off. I do think, however, that in the eyes of the games' developers, the evolution of this title would make the inclusion of 3D inevitable. In order to attempt to gain larger interest and fanbase, a move like this would need to be made regardless of whether it alienates the hardcore cult following that OOTP has built.

-Chris

In terms of player's names and stats, the MLB lost a court case a few years back which had the effect that OOTP doesn't need permission to use that information. Likenesses (so photos etc) are a different matter, but as long as there was some way to edit those things (and there would be, because that's a major part of OOTP's appeal) then it wouldn't really matter if the default player models were really generic.

[Tyler87898]

Originally Posted by helm123

There is indeed a load games getting Greenlighted that I would never buy and I don't see how they are getting Greenlighted in the first place.

I haven't purchased the new version of OOTP as I'm waiting to see if does ever get Greenlighted. Run both a Windows PC and a Linux box. Sometimes the Windows box is taken by the kids and I don't want to have to run wine or some VM on the Linux box. Right now I'd have to purchase two versions and it doesn't make sense so hopefully if it ever makes it to Steam I can have both in a nice package that Steam keeps up to date patch wise for Me.

Why would you have to buy two versions? OOTP comes with two licenses, so you download OOTP for Windows on the Windows computer, and you download the Linux version on the Linux computer and just use the same license.

Though there may be a problem with continuing one saved game (unless you transfer the leagues to each computer and whatever...)

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by Tyler87898

Why would you have to buy two versions? OOTP comes with two licenses, so you download OOTP for Windows on the Windows computer, and you download the Linux version on the Linux computer and just use the same license.

The Linux version uses a separate licensing mechanism and requires a separate purchase.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by BigCity

If you don't like 3D movies are you going to stop going to theaters?

Yes. Yes I am.



(Actually, I stopped going to theatres years ago. I prefer cocooning at home, watching a movie at home on the TV now. Never would have thought I'd be saying that 10 or 15 years ago.)

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Gil Thorp

This sums it up for me. I don't understand how graphics can make the game better. Dots moving around the field, really? My concern is that development in this area could take away from development and improvement of the game's core areas. To interest me, a visual representation of the game would have to be so good that all of us would have to go out and buy high end gaming machines.

Exactly.