Few simple features that I think OOTP 21 cannot be released without

[SkoCubs]

I think this game could massively improve if we could see why assistant GM's, trainers, and scouts have the reputations they have.

For example, I want to know why scouts have a legendary reputation. Perhaps there could be a tab that shows best drafted players, best amateur IFA's, and best prospects acquired through trade. While this will share similarities with the Assistant GM and I think ideas for this are the least obvious, perhaps best FA acquisitions or most efficient FA acquisitions.

Assistant GMs we should be able to see most efficient trades, biggest trade wins, biggest trade losses, least efficient extensions, most efficient extensions, etc..

Trainers we should be able to see days spent on the DL throughout the system and major leagues. Perhaps there could be a feature that lets you see "Trainer X helped team X play 130 games five years in a row after injury riddled seasons prior."

I think this also applies to hitting coaches and pitching coaches. Let us see players who have ran through their system.

All of this stuff you could do manually if you try hard enough and I know some of you do this, but 99% of don't want to manually do this. Especially for a game that is so dependent on odds/good luck/bad luck.

Finally (and the addition I'd like to see the most) I think the last thing that should be implemented is a better draft history tab. Similar to what we have in the team history tab with batting/pitching register and starting positional/pitching history, we should have top tens for draft classes with most WAR produced, games played, PA's etc. Maybe there could be a "link" on each draft class that sends you through to the profiles to each player who spent a day on an MLB roster. That link should include an already calculated total of MLB games played, PA's, IP, WAR, etc.

I think for many of us we already have a shortlist of drafted prospects who made the MLB and for many of us it becomes the largest shortlist. I know every five years or so I run through previous draft classes and add them to the shortlist.

Best part of these additions is how easy I'm guessing it'd be for the developers to add these features

[Rawlsian]

I think these are all great ideas. I really like the idea of a draft history section that isn't team specific and is sortable by different stats (WAR, etc) to get a sense of who was the most efficient draft pick and what team drafted best.

One thing you didn't talk about, that I'd also like to see, is more meaning to the managerial positions. We should be able to interact with our own Assistant GM more and get his take on our current roster or receive advice on a player we should target on another team. The Scout should be able to play the same function --- give us a list of his top 20 prospects on another team, as an example, that we can use during trade negotiations and the like.

Also, we should have the ability to be poached and poach coaches on other teams. If the Diamondbacks have a bench coach that I covet as a manager candidate, I should be able to offer him my manager job. Similarly, teams should approach me about becoming their new General Manager if my record for success is good enough. At which point, I should be able to negotiate my contract with the new team and what the owner goals are (at least for the first year) to give me some semblance of control over the organization like a new "big" hire would have.

[strzepeksc]

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=310137

[SkoCubs]

Originally Posted by Rawlsian

I think these are all great ideas. I really like the idea of a draft history section that isn't team specific and is sortable by different stats (WAR, etc) to get a sense of who was the most efficient draft pick and what team drafted best.

One thing you didn't talk about, that I'd also like to see, is more meaning to the managerial positions. We should be able to interact with our own Assistant GM more and get his take on our current roster or receive advice on a player we should target on another team. The Scout should be able to play the same function --- give us a list of his top 20 prospects on another team, as an example, that we can use during trade negotiations and the like.

Also, we should have the ability to be poached and poach coaches on other teams. If the Diamondbacks have a bench coach that I covet as a manager candidate, I should be able to offer him my manager job. Similarly, teams should approach me about becoming their new General Manager if my record for success is good enough. At which point, I should be able to negotiate my contract with the new team and what the owner goals are (at least for the first year) to give me some semblance of control over the organization like a new "big" hire would have.

100% on your "scouts give you a list of top 20 prospects on another team" idea. Personally one of the issues I run into and I'm guessing many others, is what to do when an AI team offers you a 70 OVR reliever for a prospect that your scout says is going to be a career minor leaguer. Is the AI bugging out? Is their scout seeing something different? Is your scout missing something? If you're in commissioner mode you could switch over to that team and see what their scout is seeing in that situation.

Agreed, on your final point though. I've definitely let certain coaches explore other opportunities just to spread out some "good" reputation coaches throughout the league. Unrealistic to keep an "excellent" manager in your system for twenty years.

[diesel230]

I like your ideas.

I always wished that when a manager was fired or contract not renewed, the coaching staff would go with him like IRL. Most new managers come in and hire a whole new coaching crew.

I also would like to see Umpires with personality and tendency. One guy has a tight strike zone, another guy is quick to toss a manager. The game log could show what was truly a strike and what the umpire called.

If replay reviews are ever instituted, their overturn % could be in their profile for accuracy.

[AKAthatoneguy]

One thing I just thought of that bothers me:

When an AI team offers you a trade, so you go in to discuss it because you'd like to swap players of similar value on their side or add something as a kicker, and they suddenly say they won't even accept the trade they offered you. I'd like to see that fixed.

[SkoCubs]

Originally Posted by AKAthatoneguy

One thing I just thought of that bothers me:

When an AI team offers you a trade, so you go in to discuss it because you'd like to swap players of similar value on their side or add something as a kicker, and they suddenly say they won't even accept the trade they offered you. I'd like to see that fixed.

This happens all the time when you check trade proposals from the AI in your mail then go to "discuss" them

[jfb8300]

The big four as I see it:

1. Filters. Why can we only filter by a few basic old school stats like AVG and ERA? Every single stat needs to be filterable. If I need a High Work Ethic, Knuckleballer, who is an Iron Man with a below league average FIP-, I need to be able to filter that. Simply no excuse that isn't already in the game.

2. Player aging. OOTP is stuck in the 1990's when many a player played until their late 30's/early 40's. Given the modern youth trend, this makes aging curves in the game laughable. Aside from having future leagues fill with players that should be retired grandfathers, the inaccurate aging curve kills the AI because they keep giving 7/8/9/10 year contracts to players over 30 years which handicaps their fiances.

These graphs show the issue. And no, tinkering with aging/development cannot fix the problem. Part of is related to the draft pools, as way to many high school players are being drafted and not enough college age - again, a relic of the 1980's and 90's that OOTP refuses to adjust for. https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=306958

3. Injuries. The AI doesn't seem to take into account fragile/wrecked when doling out contracts. And while I didn't bother trying to track or graph injuries (because I have zero faith any time will be spent fixing any of these issues), it seems the disproportionate number of injuries occur to fragile players, while none happen to most normal players. Again, this just kills the AI because from my human player perspective, fragile and wrecked players don't even exist, I've trained my eyes not to even see them.

4. Staff. We can't be taking 4 mouse clicks on each of 150 available staff to see if a guy can relate to the players on my team. Relationships/Development/Etc all need to be sortable and filterable from the staff search screen. Staff also need career progression. Seeing a guy get signed to manage a rookie ball team at age 30 and spend the next 30 years there winning 20 championships is immersion killing. Doubt we'll ever see staff poaching and the like, but at the very least, the if AI teams fires a manager in the high minors, or one retires, every manager in their minors should be promoted a level and new hires filled in from the bottom.

[venflaalachi]

I use tournaments a lot. One issue I would like to see fixed is the strength of temporary players. They are way overpowered. If a country cannot fill out a roster for a tournament, the temporary players should be all below average players I feel like. Too often I see temporary players that are 4-5 star players.

[SkoCubs]

Originally Posted by jfb8300

The big four as I see it:

1. Filters. Why can we only filter by a few basic old school stats like AVG and ERA? Every single stat needs to be filterable. If I need a High Work Ethic, Knuckleballer, who is an Iron Man with a below league average FIP-, I need to be able to filter that. Simply no excuse that isn't already in the game.

2. Player aging. OOTP is stuck in the 1990's when many a player played until their late 30's/early 40's. Given the modern youth trend, this makes aging curves in the game laughable. Aside from having future leagues fill with players that should be retired grandfathers, the inaccurate aging curve kills the AI because they keep giving 7/8/9/10 year contracts to players over 30 years which handicaps their fiances.

These graphs show the issue. And no, tinkering with aging/development cannot fix the problem. Part of is related to the draft pools, as way to many high school players are being drafted and not enough college age - again, a relic of the 1980's and 90's that OOTP refuses to adjust for. https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=306958

3. Injuries. The AI doesn't seem to take into account fragile/wrecked when doling out contracts. And while I didn't bother trying to track or graph injuries (because I have zero faith any time will be spent fixing any of these issues), it seems the disproportionate number of injuries occur to fragile players, while none happen to most normal players. Again, this just kills the AI because from my human player perspective, fragile and wrecked players don't even exist, I've trained my eyes not to even see them.

4. Staff. We can't be taking 4 mouse clicks on each of 150 available staff to see if a guy can relate to the players on my team. Relationships/Development/Etc all need to be sortable and filterable from the staff search screen. Staff also need career progression. Seeing a guy get signed to manage a rookie ball team at age 30 and spend the next 30 years there winning 20 championships is immersion killing. Doubt we'll ever see staff poaching and the like, but at the very least, the if AI teams fires a manager in the high minors, or one retires, every manager in their minors should be promoted a level and new hires filled in from the bottom.

I have some issues with your test and I'm not sure if you did enough to conclude they've messed up the player aging. But I'll comment that on the link you provided. But rarely do I see players touch 40 unless I touch aging.

Also, I notice it especially with relievers, but they're definitely noticeably cheaper. And the ones who aren't it adds a bit of realism. There are guys who ask for one year prove it deals, then there are guys who initially tell you to kick rocks they're healthy. Although I agree that an improvement to contract negotiations are needed. Also, plenty of injuries happen to my "normal" guys.

Finally, your last option I agree that it should be a box you can check but it shouldn't be automatic/required. I keep neutral coaches at A+ and above, but have the focused coaches at lower levels.

[getalife1798]

I wish coaches did more in the game (developing players) as well as give us more information about who the coach is. Maybe they are connected to a HOF player or HOF coach.

Also, maybe when voting for the HOF, maybe have a vote for a coach/owner. That would be something cool to vote for.

[Arobbins]

Definitely need some kind of "team fit" filter or mechanic in the game for FO staff. Something more tangible to actually see the effect managers/coaches have on a club. As far as I can tell there's never been much of a difference in anything except some scouts

[jimmysthebestcop]

Originally Posted by jfb8300

The big four as I see it:

1. Filters. Why can we only filter by a few basic old school stats like AVG and ERA? Every single stat needs to be filterable. If I need a High Work Ethic, Knuckleballer, who is an Iron Man with a below league average FIP-, I need to be able to filter that. Simply no excuse that isn't already in the game.

2. Player aging. OOTP is stuck in the 1990's when many a player played until their late 30's/early 40's. Given the modern youth trend, this makes aging curves in the game laughable. Aside from having future leagues fill with players that should be retired grandfathers, the inaccurate aging curve kills the AI because they keep giving 7/8/9/10 year contracts to players over 30 years which handicaps their fiances.

These graphs show the issue. And no, tinkering with aging/development cannot fix the problem. Part of is related to the draft pools, as way to many high school players are being drafted and not enough college age - again, a relic of the 1980's and 90's that OOTP refuses to adjust for. https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=306958

3. Injuries. The AI doesn't seem to take into account fragile/wrecked when doling out contracts. And while I didn't bother trying to track or graph injuries (because I have zero faith any time will be spent fixing any of these issues), it seems the disproportionate number of injuries occur to fragile players, while none happen to most normal players. Again, this just kills the AI because from my human player perspective, fragile and wrecked players don't even exist, I've trained my eyes not to even see them.

4. Staff. We can't be taking 4 mouse clicks on each of 150 available staff to see if a guy can relate to the players on my team. Relationships/Development/Etc all need to be sortable and filterable from the staff search screen. Staff also need career progression. Seeing a guy get signed to manage a rookie ball team at age 30 and spend the next 30 years there winning 20 championships is immersion killing. Doubt we'll ever see staff poaching and the like, but at the very least, the if AI teams fires a manager in the high minors, or one retires, every manager in their minors should be promoted a level and new hires filled in from the bottom.

I'm not sure about #2 or #3 as I don't have enough but your other 2 points are spot on.

1. It actually goes beyond filters it's the UI. It is completely in consistent. From screen to screen the filters can change, or you might not be allowed to change a screen.

Like the actual player info you can't decide what boxes show up and what doesn't. But the manager screen you can. There are loads of other examples with certain filters or sorting not being present from screen to screen throughout the game.

In a game like this UI is very important and its a little aged and just not consistent at all.

4. Staff is absolutely horrible. It takes about 10 clicks per candidate to figure out which minor league club he will be good at.

And you can higher a pitching coach as a manager but then you don't get any information about it.

Or reversely there have been managers who have become bench coaches or gone back to batting coaches. But none of that is allowed.

And yeah poaching needs to be a thing.


I would like a UI refresh not just to bring it current but to make sure it is consistent and completely customization on every screen and every box/section.

UI refresh something current like the Motorsport Manager UI is beautiful as an example of course it is only about 15% as complicated as OOTP. But it could still use a fresh coat of paint.

Anther thing Motorsport Manager gets right is the entire CEO, staff hiring/firing and marketing parts.

OOTP has the problem of being used both as a simulation and as a video game by either different sets of player base or even the same player base at different times.

And as much as OOTP gets right about the simulation and about baseball I sometimes feel it fails at the video game fun aspect. At first I didn't like Perfect Team in ootp 19 but in XX I probably played it more then the normal game mode. I was just bored with the normal game mode. I wasn't into the spending real money part but it actually felt like a fun game and not the same old baseball sim.

Yes XX was proably the best version of OOTP ever but it plays pretty similar to all the previous versions.And I actually got bored with it. I am certainly not a die hard baseball fan but I am a die hard gamer, no doubt.

I don't know if Motorsport Manager gets anything right about actual racing as I don't know anything about that sport but it certainly gets the fun and video game aspect down.

To me OOTP lacks the entire front office, marketing and media feel of a major sport. The little things that take it beyond a sim to a video game while still not being arcadey console game.

I actually like the stories and weird injuries in OOTP I know some people turn it off. So it will always need toggles for settings.

But I would love for some kind of interaction to poach coaches/managers, also front office execs and actually grow a fanbase through marketing. Whether that is getting players to do interviews, commercials, sponsors, or bobble head days and $1 dog day down at the park. Building stadiums.

I know changing uniforms and even locations is in OOTP but its more like "godmode" then it actually having some kind of interaction with the game. OOTP sim fans don't care about uniforms but in real life fans do care. Just look at Harper beating Lebrons uniform record as 1 example.

OOTP has to walk that line of hardcore simulation while also being a video game. I mean it certainly is the best baseball sim ever. Hands down without question. But as a video game it does feel stale at least to me.

At least Perfect Team was a breathe of fresh air whether you like it or not.

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by jfb8300

Staff also need career progression. Seeing a guy get signed to manage a rookie ball team at age 30 and spend the next 30 years there winning 20 championships is immersion killing.

Yeah this is the big one for me... so many other aspects of the game are so amazingly realistic that the coaching/staff area sticks out like a sore thumb. It's so elementary. Staff must be able to be poached and career progression must exist. It may not be the sexiest part of the game, but it needs an upgrade pretty badly.

[Syxx34]

This is strictly for the draft page. There should be a search ability to narrow the results for a certain player within the draft pool list. Online leagues draft before the actual in game draft. So I keep track of picks so I know who is taken within my game. Having this ability would make my life easier to add pick to draft list to mark players as taken.

[ignats75]

The ability to print EVERY report. Even more than getting advice from other staff, I want to be able to analyze data myself. Its near impossible when you are tabbing back n forth from HTML screens to the game. For me, its almost a deal beaker on the game. I said almost.

[ThePride87]

Welp....here I was, acting all snarky last Spring saying PT was the end for my time with OOTP.....and I see the updates coming from OOTP21.....and here I am, already talking myself into buying the upcoming version. I guess my immature anger was wrong.

Forgive me for my past transgressions, finding out about PT had given me a sour feeling knowing how "The Show" and EA games' franchise modes fell apart as soon as virtual cards came into existence...those companies chased the $. Clearly a year later, I'm still interested in the next installment and don't have a valid reason to complain about PT as of yet. I still dislike PT's existence, because it's useless to me, but the things like updated scouting, drafting, team expansion, stadium creator....those are things I'm very much excited to see next month.

Being someone who loves to build spreadsheets keeping track of all of his team assets, just giving me expanded scouting/drafting alone would make my life 100% better with this game....not that it's bad, but clearly it has plenty of room for improvement.