Noob questions.....

[ashperry83]

Hi all, long time FM addict who has just made the jump to OOTP15 but I have a few questions!

Trying to get my head around the game I have started a 2014 season with the Mets. When the game started, it was March 31st. Will it not start at the beginning of Spring Training?

Also, I have chosen to play in GM mode. Is this a good way to "learn" the game? how do most people play? I have Terry Collins set up to make all decisions etc although I do feel like I am maybe not getting the full experience by not micro managing each game? Perhaps thats just the FM player in may as it would take me forever to complete a season if I managed each game surely?

Finally, is it possible to start way down in the Minors and work my way up to the Majors? I love long term career games and that would be ace!

Sorry if the questions seem silly, but I absolutely love the initial impressions of the game and want to get the most out of it!

[Peregrine]

The first season will start on opening day but after that it will go through offseason, preseason, spring training, etc.

Personally I tend to play in GM mode most of the time - some people like to get into the details of running each game but the game supports any kind of playstyle you want. You may want to let the manager run things for a while and jump in and handle a few games here and there till you get a feel for it.

You can start in the minors and move up, however I have found it frustrating as you can't really control when you get moved up (tends to be after you do well for a few seasons) and I end up wanting to manage in the big leagues sooner - but it is an option. You can of course have as long a career as you want in the majors.

[ashperry83]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

The first season will start on opening day but after that it will go through offseason, preseason, spring training, etc.

Personally I tend to play in GM mode most of the time - some people like to get into the details of running each game but the game supports any kind of playstyle you want. You may want to let the manager run things for a while and jump in and handle a few games here and there till you get a feel for it.

You can start in the minors and move up, however I have found it frustrating as you can't really control when you get moved up (tends to be after you do well for a few seasons) and I end up wanting to manage in the big leagues sooner - but it is an option. You can of course have as long a career as you want in the majors.

Thanks Peregrine, when you play GM mode how do you navigate the games? Watch as your manager plays it through or do you literally just skip to the end result?

[IanIachimoe]

Welcome... I manage every game & you can get through one in 10 mins or so. Really enjoy it & it gives me a good feel for the team.

Of course, I'm only halfway through my 2nd season after getting it @ launch. No worries though. With the ability to carry careers from one year's game to the next, I will be playing this career/game for a loooong time.

I imagine I will eventually sim here & there, but haven't yet. Really enjoy the managing duties along with the GM's.

[IanIachimoe]

Also the mets here & I received some great offers when shopping around Chris young & Bartolo colon among others... Some food for thought. I immediately looked to get younger & cheaper & still remained competitive.

[ashperry83]

Cheers Ian, appreciate it. Made some nooby errors over the weekend think I will restart tonight. Only got 10 games in.

Do many people play with the cant be sacked box ticked?

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by ashperry83

Cheers Ian, appreciate it. Made some nooby errors over the weekend think I will restart tonight. Only got 10 games in.

Do many people play with the cant be sacked box ticked?

I tend to think of myself as a GM/Owner. If I make bad choices, I have to live with them all. Not get fired and start anew.

[IanIachimoe]

double post

[IanIachimoe]

Originally Posted by ashperry83

Cheers Ian, appreciate it. Made some nooby errors over the weekend think I will restart tonight. Only got 10 games in.

Do many people play with the cant be sacked box ticked?

nope (but I did consider it w/being the NYM & knowing i was gonna blow them up intiially )

had a surprisingly good 1st season & so far so good in year 2.

finished 2nd & a handful of games back of the division leader (WAS) & few back from the Wild Card. Wilpon was 'happy' w/our season & graded out well.

[rlsimpson2]

I think it depends on what you enjoy. I play as the GM/Manager although I sim through the games. I will do the things managers do like set lineups, pitching rotations, etc. I just don't play out the games as it seems tedious to me (though I'm not knocking it because I know a lot of people really enjoy this part). I'm just limited on time and prefer the building/setting up part of a team more than playing the games out.

Also, I usually play with as "cannot be fired", but that's just because I'm a big Reds fan, and that's who I want to play with. I'm about 75 seasons in (started on OOTP 14), and I really enjoy getting the sense of adding to my franchise's history. It's really cool to see one generation of players transition to the next, and you have that continuity.

The first career I started I did have the ability to get fired which happened to me about 15 years in even though I had been to the playoffs the previous year and was hovering around .500. I thought about continuing it as I was quickly hired by a new franchise, but I just wasn't into it because I had no connection to the players. All of this is personal preference though. I just started playing around Christmas last year, and it's a great game!

[ashperry83]

Originally Posted by rlsimpson2

I think it depends on what you enjoy. I play as the GM/Manager although I sim through the games. I will do the things managers do like set lineups, pitching rotations, etc. I just don't play out the games as it seems tedious to me (though I'm not knocking it because I know a lot of people really enjoy this part). I'm just limited on time and prefer the building/setting up part of a team more than playing the games out.

Also, I usually play with as "cannot be fired", but that's just because I'm a big Reds fan, and that's who I want to play with. I'm about 75 seasons in (started on OOTP 14), and I really enjoy getting the sense of adding to my franchise's history. It's really cool to see one generation of players transition to the next, and you have that continuity.

The first career I started I did have the ability to get fired which happened to me about 15 years in even though I had been to the playoffs the previous year and was hovering around .500. I thought about continuing it as I was quickly hired by a new franchise, but I just wasn't into it because I had no connection to the players. All of this is personal preference though. I just started playing around Christmas last year, and it's a great game!

Sounds like the sort of way I want to play! Do I have to set the game in GM mode or Commissioner mode to be able to do everything yet sim the game ? I want to pick team/rotation etc.

[rlsimpson2]

Originally Posted by ashperry83

Sounds like the sort of way I want to play! Do I have to set the game in GM mode or Commissioner mode to be able to do everything yet sim the game ? I want to pick team/rotation etc.

No, I don't select either of those things. I just create the game as normal and then I go about setting my team how I want it (calling up/sending down players, any trades or free agency, setting the lineups and pitching staffs and depth charts, etc.). Then when you hit the "play today" button or whatever it is (I'm not in front of my game) you can sim as far ahead as you want whether one day (if you'd like to set the lineup each day) or to a certain date if you're comfortable with the lineups and depth charts. When I start at Opening Day I usually set it to sim until the first year player draft but it will stop a number of times before then for personal message emails, injuries, the draft list, really whatever you choose for it to stop for. Everybody has their own way of playing. This has worked well for me.

[TGH-Adfabre]

Do I have to set the game in GM mode or Commissioner mode to be able to do
everything yet sim the game ? I want to pick team/rotation etc.

No, go to your managers options page. On that page you select what you delegate to the AI and what you do yourself.

[rlsimpson2]

Originally Posted by TGH-Adfabre

No, go to your managers options page. On that page you select what you delegate to the AI and what you do yourself.

Good call. Sorry, I left that part out in my description of how I do things. Obviously, the managers option page is a big help in determining how much you're controlling vs. how much you're letting the AI do. Very important point.

[ashperry83]

Originally Posted by IanIachimoe

Also the mets here & I received some great offers when shopping around Chris young & Bartolo colon among others... Some food for thought. I immediately looked to get younger & cheaper & still remained competitive.

Restarted last night after spending ages reading the forum for tips etc. Spent two hours getting to know the WHOLE roster!

Havent made any moves yet but may try to shift Murphy, Young, Colon and Ike if possible.

Will invest for the future!

[IanIachimoe]

^^ I hung on to murphy for his positional flexibility until trading deadline of year 2. FA after the year, so it was time to go.

IIRC, SEA offered me nick franklin straight up for young & it has proven to be a STEAL.

[IanIachimoe]

ended my 2nd season (I manage every game) 91-71 & earned a trip to the Divisional series after winning the wild card (vs ATL), eventually losing to WAS.

ended up with a managerial/GM score of 91. no 'manger of the year' award though.

pretty happy about that...

(just wanted to tell someone & my wife couldn't care less )

[SashFili]

I can't backup my league to save my life.. can anyone help?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by SashFili

I can't backup my league to save my life.. can anyone help?

It should be pretty easy. Just click as shown below, except maybe for the first time, click Copy All Files instead of just Start Backup. After that, clicking Start Backup will copy only the files that are new or have changed. As you can see, I ran a backup recently so there were not many files to copy this time. The last screen print shows you were the game makes its backup folder. You should zip this folder down and copy it on a thumb drive or some other file storage medium.

[SashFili]

Thanks for the print screens