So, 3D game animation now a complete mess

[Royalsusedtorule]

Since the last update, my game animation had suffered. The action depicted often did not match very well with the PbP, did not sync time-wise as well, some of the actions were not as correct as they had previously been, etc. Things that were annoying since they had previously been more accurate, but also things you could live with and kind of ignore.

Now, however, I started a new historical game and the game animation is just a complete mess. Pitchers' and fielders' arms do not move - the ball just shoots out like its from a bazooka. Batters don't swing - the ball seems to just bounce off of them. Balls appear to directly hit batters and PbP says it's a swinging strikeout. Balls often go to the outfield on plays that PbP calls infield hits or outs. Just ridiculous stuff. Example: Just had a ball hit to the RF, then it laid at the fielder's feet while the batter raced around bases. Suddenly, the ball shoots to 1st base and the PbP, which had been frozen, says the 2nd baseman fields and throws to 1st for the out. Meanwhile, the depicted baserunner had nearly made it to 3rd.

Now, I know 3D animation is not the foundation of the game or the most important aspect of OOTP by any means. However, when you've grown accustomed to a fairly competent level of it, as most of us have in recent years, this is very frustrating.

I had two historical games saved prior to this new one, and the 3D animation had been working in them (although not as well as prior to last update, as I earlier stated). I went back and checked them and they now have the same animation issues as the new game I started.

Has anyone else run into this? Is there a way to correct this and still keep the saved games?

As I said, I play OOTP for a lot more reasons than 3D game animation, but it has added to the enjoyment of the experience, and this is frustrating as heck.

[cbbl]

I have not seen most of the animation issues you describe. Getting the animation and PbP in sync has always been a challenge. I do occasionally see a animation blip (like the ball just laying at the fielder's feet kind of issue) but not with enough frequency to record it as an issue.

[Royalsusedtorule]

Originally Posted by cbbl

I have not seen most of the animation issues you describe. Getting the animation and PbP in sync has always been a challenge. I do occasionally see a animation blip (like the ball just laying at the fielder's feet kind of issue) but not with enough frequency to record it as an issue.

Yeah, this is happening to me on every batter, every play not. Virtually not even worth having the 3D animation on. Grrr

[BirdWatcher]

It sounds like there is certainly something wrong with your save that is not the norm.

As cbbl said, there are certainly some quirks still with the animations. But what you are describing sounds like a serious problem with your most recent installation. I'm hoping someone far more tech savvy then me will respond here, but I suspect that you might need to try re-installing the latest update.

(Though I have to say, not to make light of your situation, but just once I want to see that ball shooting out like its from a bazooka thing.)

[Royalsusedtorule]

Well, I tried reinstalling last update. Did no good.

Screw it. Just going to put the game away. Makes no sense. Working in morning - goes haywire 3 hours later.

Is 3D animation most important part of OOTP. Heck no. But it is part of what I paid for. It is something that enhances enjoyment of playing out games (when it works). It is something I've come to expect (while overlooking minor glitches). This just feels like going back in time - for a higher price.

Hope I've got a good book to read. I'm putting this frustration aside and letting it rest for a while.

[endgame]

Yeah. Rest is good. If you check back, I'd like to ask whether you've changed or imported any stadiums recently, and if the stadium of your first mention is the same for all games or just one of those two teams. Thank you.

[Mannyw]

I'm having similar problems with animations, most often on hits to the outfield and a choice to try for the extra base is needed.

I haven't downloaded any new stadiums or such. I've also tried adjust multiple graphics settings to fix the issues and nothing has improved the problem.

**UPDATE: I just changed a few setting and issue seemed to clear. I notice it only had problems when dialog box popped up to make a base running choice. I changed my, "Semi-Transparency Background", setting from yes to no. I also changed to font, "Barlow Regular", from the default. Since then the issues that were occurring on every pop up box have cleared.

Hope this help those having problems.

[Matt Arnold]

I would suggest double-checking the install again in the op to make sure the animations installed correctly. Best way to handle that is either through Steam's verify integrity of file or if the standalone version on File->Settings in the troubleshooting tab we have a similar function.

From the original description, it basically feels like the animations are not loading correctly at all, hence no throwing animations and the ball just being at the players' chest. Like endgame mentioned, it may also be worth verifying stadiums too, if the coordinates are all wrong there.

Otherwise, it may also be worth making sure that your video drivers are all up to date. But I can guarantee that the issues being seen there are not intentional and not being seen by the vast majority of people.

[Matt Arnold]

I would suggest double-checking the install again in the op to make sure the animations installed correctly. Best way to handle that is either through Steam's verify integrity of file or if the standalone version on File->Settings in the troubleshooting tab we have a similar function.

From the original description, it basically feels like the animations are not loading correctly at all, hence no throwing animations and the ball just being at the players' chest. Like endgame mentioned, it may also be worth verifying stadiums too, if the coordinates are all wrong there.

Otherwise, it may also be worth making sure that your video drivers are all up to date. But I can guarantee that the issues being seen there are not intentional and not being seen by the vast majority of people.

[Royalsusedtorule]

Originally Posted by Matt Arnold

I would suggest double-checking the install again in the op to make sure the animations installed correctly. Best way to handle that is either through Steam's verify integrity of file or if the standalone version on File->Settings in the troubleshooting tab we have a similar function.

From the original description, it basically feels like the animations are not loading correctly at all, hence no throwing animations and the ball just being at the players' chest. Like endgame mentioned, it may also be worth verifying stadiums too, if the coordinates are all wrong there.

Otherwise, it may also be worth making sure that your video drivers are all up to date. But I can guarantee that the issues being seen there are not intentional and not being seen by the vast majority of people.

Thanks for the response. I'm going to try and give an accurate rundown of just what happened.

I purchased OOTP at the time of the early bird or pre-sale special (or whatever it is officially called) as I do each year, so it's my understanding that was the eSellerate version, correct? Those are the downloads I have used for all the updates.

I downloaded and installed the latest update shortly after it was announced. At that time, I noticed that there were a few more glitches in the 3D game play than before the update, but they weren't major issues and I just got used to them (example of the main one I noticed: after the update, a ball hit slowly between 3B & SS went directly to LFer appearing to be scratch single. however, fielders would freeze there while baserunners continued and PbP would call that the ball went down to the LF corner and play would result in a double or triple). Even with the glitches (which there have always been a few), the main 3D animation was as it had been before the update.

The past several months, I have been doing historical games where I pick a year and team and see if 1-2 player additions would have made the diff between that team finishing where it actually did or now being able to possibly win a pennant. During a morning break yesterday, I set up a game in 1976 using the Twins. I went through league settings to set my preferences, made several trades to set up what I wanted to experiment with the Twins, saved the game and left it open on my Macbook, which I hooked to a charger.

Then, during a break yesterday afternoon, I went back to it, simmed through spring training to opening day and began to play out the season's first game. That is when the 3D animation had the major issues, such as no throwing or batting motions, balls sometimes laying at fielders' feet, much more out of sync with speed and accuracy of PbP, etc. Fielders and baserunners still basically perform their functions on plays, but don't seem as smooth and fielders' motions for catches, dives, etc. don't appear as before. Basically, 3D animation had become pretty much a farce not worth paying attention to.

I went back and tried game play on two previous saved historical games (one 1978, one 1972, both Giants). The game play was affected in those now, as well. I then reinstalled the last update and the issue was still there. I set up a new 'test' game at that time and it also had the 3D issues. This morning I deleted the Twins 1976 setup and test league to see if that would make a diff, but the other saves still have the issues described.

I am an older dude who is not especially tech savvy - just wanted to get that noted. I went to System Preferences on my Macbook and checked software updates and it showed everything up to date (Mojave 10.14.5). As far as the game troubleshooting you mentioned, I'm in the dark to what you are referencing. In the past, all purchases, downloads and updates have installed fine with no issues I was aware of other than those others might also have had with updates and were related in the forums. I have been using OOTP20 as I always have and haven't tried making stadium changes or anything else technical (only changes I ever make are my preferences in league settings).

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Royalsusedtorule]

A related question to this thread now.

Usually when you install an update, when you open OOTP you see the main game cover page and across the top it scrolls that various features are being installed and checked with the percentages as they install.

Does anyone know, if you are reinstalling an update over that same update installed previously (due to the possibility there was a problem on the first install), should that same information show up at the top of the screen?

I have tried reinstalling the 20.5.52 update over the same one previously installed and the game page just opens ready to play without showing any of that install info at the top. It makes me wonder if it is actually reinstalling?

[Mannyw]

Earlier I reported I had fixed the problem but I spoke too soon. Still having 3D video failing to show any throw/play where a choice dialog box pops up.

I've reinstalled the game and I keep all my drivers fanatically updated with Driver Booster.

[Royalsusedtorule]

Originally Posted by Mannyw

Earlier I reported I had fixed the problem but I spoke too soon. Still having 3D video failing to show any throw/play where a choice dialog box pops up.

I've reinstalled the game and I keep all my drivers fanatically updated with Driver Booster.

Are you using a Mac?

I ran the 20.5.52 update download twice, then unlicensed, uninstalled and reinstalled with no luck. I didn't restart my Macbook that day, however.

The next day, I restarted the Macbook, and everything worked. Which was great. Except I lost all the mod downloads in add-ons with the uninstall and reinstall and can't find any servers for them anymore

So, anyway, don't know if you have restarted whatever machine you are using, but if not I'd suggest trying that. Who knew?

[Mannyw]

No, I have an i7 with GeForce 1070, 32 gb of ram all drivers completely updated.

Never had any graphic problems until this patch.

[sdw1000]

Ya..the 3-D graphics are wonky. Been like in 19 and got worse in 20. I've had a ball hit to the outfield, the catcher runs out to the outfield, while the batter runs really slowly to first then gets thrown out by the catcher from the outfield. Ridiculous stuff.

[smiller]

Very often now sacrifice bunts pick up speed as if they're rolling downhill before being fielded.

[zappa1]

I've seen lots of stuff, but I'm keepin' my mouth shut. I don't need the die hards comin' out of the walls tellin' me I don't know what I see. I know what I see and I'll also know when it stops, too.


I should add, though, that I don't think it's a complete mess at all.

[torpidbeaver]

I'm also seeing the same thing since a recent patch, but I'm not sure which. Mostly it's the players no longer throwing or swinging the ball, as well as running very strangely. But occasionally also weird on-field things completely divested from the PbP.

[BusterKing]

yep, it's a mess. I'm no longer playing 3D, just too frustrating to watch.

[Greenbay]

Did the latest patch "54" fix any of these issues?