Take out Children Dying in OOTP

[Hoiles]

I think storylines is a great addition and won't play a game without it, especially now that it's less silly than before. While including the specific child dying scenario doesn't make a difference to me, I agree with the OP in that's it also doesn't accomplish anything and I'd take it out. Bluenoser's suggestion though is quite good and less controversial though.

[Mr. Baseball]

I don't understand why people have such an issue with the story lines. It's a little blimp in the news reports and doesn't effect your game whatsoever. If you don't like them, turn them off or ignore them. It's text, that's all it is.

I for one have been very pleased with the way OOTP has expanded on these in recent versions. They're getting better and better each year.

It's one of those things that's stupid to complain about IMO because you have the option to turn it off.

[spleen1015]

He's not complaining about storylines. He's complaining about 1 particular storyline. There's a difference.

[Mr. Baseball]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

He's not complaining about storylines. He's complaining about 1 particular storyline. There's a difference.

Was a general statement directed at people who do complain.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Rizon

I treat Storylines like 7-Up: Never have, never will.

^ This

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Mr. Baseball

Was a general statement directed at people who do complain.

I don't complain about them. I just turn them off.

[Hankyu Braves]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

Hi. You're right. I'd absolutely agree that you don't NEED these types of stories to make the storylines enjoyable.

That being said I'd personally be more for adding the chance of players dying. It would be more realistic.

But I can see where the idea of playing a game like OOTP is a chance to escape from the harsh realities of life.

So while I personally don't see the need to remove the feature, I can respect that you do. Guess I really don't have much else to add.

Same here. All players should die (optional of course for those who are too sensitive). It makes for a great story. Legenddary player turned manager dies in his sleep at the ripe age of 83. Oh the joy of reading the news and reliving all the great (virtual) memories.

Seriously, I believe this is the one thing lacking.

Regarding the OP. I don't see the problem. It's a game.

[Ts-Rock]

my 2 cents:

Is it a good storyline that adds needed value to game: NO

Will it stop me from buying game: NO

Will it affect me emotionally to the point I can't play the game: NO

Will it make me upset that I have to create a thread about to get it changed: NO

Do I spend more than 3 secs reading ANY story lines: NO

Have I ever seen this storyline in 7 years of playing OOTP: NO

Do I enjoy the story lines: Yes

[injury log]

Originally Posted by Mr. Baseball

Not sure why so many people hate storylines.

I don't think it's true that 'so many people hate storylines'. It just seems true because a few people who dislike them are very vocal on this forum.

Originally Posted by The Wolf

I don't complain about them. I just turn them off.

But you do complain about them, all the time. And every time you do, it makes me cringe. Several OOTP features - the MLB roster set, news stories, storylines, the pbp, among others - are entirely the work of volunteers. The people who work on these things aren't paid; they're donating their time entirely to make your and other OOTPers' experience of the game more enjoyable. If you don't like their work, that's fine, you can turn storylines off. But you don't need to disparage their efforts every chance you have. Nothing about your comments is remotely constructive, and if they lead volunteers to stop working on the game, then everyone playing OOTP loses.

Storylines are almost infinitely better in v14 than in v13. Yes, they are far from perfect, but I think the people who contributed to them this version deserve to be applauded for their work. If you don't like them, there's an on/off switch. Or you could do something that actually helps other OOTPers, like suggest how to improve them, or even work on them yourself. You don't need to take every opportunity you have to make volunteers feel like their work is worthless.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by injury log

I don't think it's true that 'so many people hate storylines'. It just seems true because a few people who dislike them are very vocal on this forum.



But you do complain about them, all the time. And every time you do, it makes me cringe. Several OOTP features - the MLB roster set, news stories, storylines, the pbp, among others - are entirely the work of volunteers. The people who work on these things aren't paid; they're donating their time entirely to make your and other OOTPers' experience of the game more enjoyable. If you don't like their work, that's fine, you can turn storylines off. But you don't need to disparage their efforts every chance you have. Nothing about your comments is remotely constructive, and if they lead volunteers to stop working on the game, then everyone playing OOTP loses.

Storylines are almost infinitely better in v14 than in v13. Yes, they are far from perfect, but I think the people who contributed to them this version deserve to be applauded for their work. If you don't like them, there's an on/off switch. Or you could do something that actually helps other OOTPers, like suggest how to improve them, or even work on them yourself. You don't need to take every opportunity you have to make volunteers feel like their work is worthless.

I have a question. In the past I believe I read that coaches and scouts had to be turned on for the interactive storylines to work. Is that true?

[injury log]

And as for the storylines about children dying, I'd say the following:

- realism is not, in and of itself, a compelling justification for including a feature in OOTP. OOTP GMs don't set the price of hot dogs, choose the typeface for the team's marketing material, or determine how big the stadium parking lot should be. Realism is mostly boring, and OOTP should be fun.

- I don't think this storyline makes the game any more fun. Were it not there, almost no one would want it added. And those who do like it could almost surely live without it, while many of those who don't like it may very well have strong feelings about it.

- that said, Bluenoser's suggestion would make the storyline (replacing 'child' with 'family member') far more palatable to all users, and I think that would be an improvement.

- There are certain storylines I'd like to see that other people might dislike. I want player personalities to matter, and I want to see a Milton Bradley or a Denny Neagle or a Kengshill Pujols in my game. I think there should be a category of 'unsavory' storyline that is disabled by default, but which users could elect to enable. I think then everyone can be happy with the types of storylines they see.

[SirMichaelJordan]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

I really, REALLY shouldn't be contributing to this argument, but here we go...

I'm okay with Markus & Co. leaving this storyline in after the first discussion about the issue. I didn't want them to take it out simply because it's not politically correct (and yes, despite whatever anyone may say, that's what it boils down to - censoring yourself to avoid backlash is trying to be politically correct). If there was an overwhelming majority asking them to take it out, however, that's a different story - but from what I've seen in both this discussion and the last, it's pretty much split 50/50.

Now, if you disagree with this specific storyline, I would take Bluenoser's advice and write the dev team directly. And be calm about it, please - present some constructive reasoning and politely ask that this storyline be changed. Don't go nuts on the forum and then wonder why people insult you back.

That's all. There's no need to spawn a massive argument about this. It's just a game.

Agree, I dont care for the feature at all but if the storylines were worth using then I wouldn't have a problem with this specific storyline nor the other death, crime related story lines that were mention. No need to be PC and censor yourselves. If anything, I am against that idea....

also Im sure The Last Of Us didnt lose sales when the main character's young daughter died from getting shot by a soldier...

In fact people loved it!

I think things like this help the player get attach to his players and is a level of immersion. No need to take that away just to be PC..

[Ts-Rock]

Originally Posted by SirMichaelJordan

also Im sure The Last Of Us didnt lose sells when the main character's young daughter died from getting shot by a soldier...

In fact people loved it!

Dude...SPOILER ALERT!!!!


haha, I've already beat the game (Top 3 game of all-time!!!) and I agree! As a father of a young girl I cried at that part, it immediately made me care about the character and drew me into the game in a way I've nvr been drawn in. But that's a different story for a diff thread.

[MUFC1878]

I don't mind this particular storyline. Also, I agree with having players die. Maybe freeze their age and have a news report.

Btw, this is from a 8 teams league I just started. Its first three news reports.

[Painmantle]

Amazingly enough, I just went into my computer to this location


C:\Users\youruser\Documents\Out of the Park Developments\OOTP Baseball 13\storylines\default_storylines.xml


Opened up the xml file

found this particular storyline, changed the wording and Viola! Problem solved!

That child no longer dies in my game if that storyline comes up.

This whole process took every bit of 1 minute!

Problems like this are easily solved if you think outside the box!

My guess is that the people who don't like these story lines can either A) Turn them off or B) edit them quickly.

If people who don't like them spent 1/10th of the time fixing them as they did complaining about them...this thread wouldn't even exist!

[Nunyer]

I think you miss the point.

If you don't know the storyline is there... because you might be one of those thousands of people that buy the game and don't think to browse the forums or edit xml docs... Then you might get hit with the story line and find yourself bummed out. I think that was the whole point of the OP... The fact that he doesn't play this game to read about dying children and wasn't expecting something like that to be included.

I don't think it's a big deal either way, but I certainly see his point. Immersion runs both ways... something that pulls you further into the game world might damage the experience for somebody else and push them away from the game world.

[BIG17EASY]

Originally Posted by injury log

And as for the storylines about children dying, I'd say the following:

- realism is not, in and of itself, a compelling justification for including a feature in OOTP. OOTP GMs don't set the price of hot dogs, choose the typeface for the team's marketing material, or determine how big the stadium parking lot should be. Realism is mostly boring, and OOTP should be fun.

Neither do real life GMs.

[injury log]

Originally Posted by BIG17EASY

Neither do real life GMs.

Can we agree that an OOTP GM might spend about 10 hours on GM tasks, give or take, to finish a season, and that a real life GM would spend 2000+ hours doing the same? That makes 1990+ hours of tedious tasks that occupy the real life GM each year and not the OOTP GM. I don't really care what those tasks are; they just don't need to be in this game.

[HuachucaThunder]

I agree with some here, if you don't like the story lines, just turn them off. Additionally, why not just go into the text file for the story lines and delete or edit the ones that you think are not relevant? Granted this is a very large file, but perhaps it would be worth it for some to do it.
Just a thought

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by injury log

Storylines are almost infinitely better in v14 than in v13. Yes, they are far from perfect, but I think the people who contributed to them this version deserve to be applauded for their work. If you don't like them, there's an on/off switch. Or you could do something that actually helps other OOTPers, like suggest how to improve them, or even work on them yourself. You don't need to take every opportunity you have to make volunteers feel like their work is worthless.

Originally Posted by injury log

And as for the storylines about children dying, I'd say the following:

- realism is not, in and of itself, a compelling justification for including a feature in OOTP. OOTP GMs don't set the price of hot dogs, choose the typeface for the team's marketing material, or determine how big the stadium parking lot should be. Realism is mostly boring, and OOTP should be fun.

- I don't think this storyline makes the game any more fun. Were it not there, almost no one would want it added. And those who do like it could almost surely live without it, while many of those who don't like it may very well have strong feelings about it.

- that said, Bluenoser's suggestion would make the storyline (replacing 'child' with 'family member') far more palatable to all users, and I think that would be an improvement.

- There are certain storylines I'd like to see that other people might dislike. I want player personalities to matter, and I want to see a Milton Bradley or a Denny Neagle or a Kengshill Pujols in my game. I think there should be a category of 'unsavory' storyline that is disabled by default, but which users could elect to enable. I think then everyone can be happy with the types of storylines they see.

Two terrific posts in a row.