Take out Children Dying in OOTP

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by coljesep

First and most importantly, I'm sorry you had to go through that- that sucks.

Secondly, your taking an example of a letter that would be written (Dear Developers) and claiming I am patronizing? I'm merely suggesting that somebody who might write a letter to a software developer might start it off by saying

"Dear Developers,"

That wasn't patronizing, it was giving an example.

The feature is pointless and only brings a dose of reality that brings nothing to a baseball sim. You have people who say it should be gone, the people that say keep it wouldn't notice if it was gone - so why keep it? It's a poor development choice.

Where's the example? You didn't provide one, you hypothesized that there might be such a letter. Get over it.

If it bothers you that much, edit the storylines file.

That's one of the beauties of OOTP - you can edit things like stories, injuries, xml files, etc etc.

As the saying goes, "It's your game, play it your way".

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

That's one of the beauties of OOTP - you can edit things like stories, injuries, xml files, etc etc.

And you can also turn many things off.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

And you can also turn many things off.

Absolutely.

[D-BacksJosh]

Maybe they could change the storyline to a 'family emergency'. That way people can imagine their own stories as to what that 'emergency' is.

[coljesep]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Where's the example? You didn't provide one, you hypothesized that there might be such a letter. Get over it.

If it bothers you that much, edit the storylines file.

That's one of the beauties of OOTP - you can edit things like stories, injuries, xml files, etc etc.

As the saying goes, "It's your game, play it your way".

You're looking at this from a solo player perspective. I'm looking at it from a game developer/business perspective.

You shouldn't tell your customers "if you don't like kids dying in the game, then edit the story line files" that's bad business.

I don't remember seeing players die via heart issues, players getting into drunk driving accidents, players beating their wives, players caught gambling - all of this stuff happens to - but it doesn't appear to be in the game. Why? Because they add nothing to the game.

0 people will play this game and say "This game isn't realistic because nobody's kid died" - Fact.

If 1 person (customer) says "I haven't seen this and I hope I don't." then it shouldn't be in the game.

All it does it make the OOTP franchise look bad for including it.

You want kids dying in the game? Cool - then you be the one to edit the storylines.

Me, I want the game to include what it needs to include to make it an entertaining distraction from real life. Having a players child die doesn't do that - it just makes me question the game developers thought process.

[Cryomaniac]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

It is.

Panama Pump

Not quite the same, but me and some friends once got rid of an underground wasp nest by pouring paraffin into the hole and setting it on fire.

[BIG17EASY]

Originally Posted by coljesep

You're looking at this from a solo player perspective. I'm looking at it from a game developer/business perspective.

You shouldn't tell your customers "if you don't like kids dying in the game, then edit the story line files" that's bad business.

I don't remember seeing players die via heart issues, players getting into drunk driving accidents, players beating their wives, players caught gambling - all of this stuff happens to - but it doesn't appear to be in the game. Why? Because they add nothing to the game.

0 people will play this game and say "This game isn't realistic because nobody's kid died" - Fact.

If 1 person (customer) says "I haven't seen this and I hope I don't." then it shouldn't be in the game.

All it does it make the OOTP franchise look bad for including it.

You want kids dying in the game? Cool - then you be the one to edit the storylines.

Me, I want the game to include what it needs to include to make it an entertaining distraction from real life. Having a players child die doesn't do that - it just makes me question the game developers thought process.

If Markus & Co. try to accommodate every person who doesn't like something about OOTP, they'll go absolutely crazy and we basically won't have a game anymore.

I get your point and agree that it doesn't really add anything "fun" to the game by having this storyline. Yet, my opinion is that if it's realistic and something that could happen in real life, then I'm ok with it. I actually have a bigger problem with things like players getting hurt while skiing in July, which wouldn't happen in real life, like someone mentioned previously in this thread.

If you want your complaint taken seriously, send Markus a well-written note about your concerns. But making statements like the highlighted one above comes across as if you're saying, "I want everything done my way and everyone should agree with me." That's not the way to get your concerns heard/considered on these boards.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by coljesep

You're looking at this from a solo player perspective. I'm looking at it from a game developer/business perspective.

You shouldn't tell your customers "if you don't like kids dying in the game, then edit the story line files" that's bad business.

I don't remember seeing players die via heart issues, players getting into drunk driving accidents, players beating their wives, players caught gambling - all of this stuff happens to - but it doesn't appear to be in the game. Why? Because they add nothing to the game.

0 people will play this game and say "This game isn't realistic because nobody's kid died" - Fact.

If 1 person (customer) says "I haven't seen this and I hope I don't." then it shouldn't be in the game.

All it does it make the OOTP franchise look bad for including it.

You want kids dying in the game? Cool - then you be the one to edit the storylines.

Me, I want the game to include what it needs to include to make it an entertaining distraction from real life. Having a players child die doesn't do that - it just makes me question the game developers thought process.

OOTP does NOT look bad for including it, except to you I guess. The game continues to rock. But since you're so into the effects thing, please get some numbers that show how many people stopped buying OOTP or won't buy it because that is in there.

I did NOT, nor have I ever said, I want kids dying in the game.

What I did say was, it doesn't bother me that it's in there, so stop making assumptions and get over it already.

Edit the file or write your "Dear OOTP Developments" letter and threaten them with a lawsuit or something.

Honestly, you'd think the world was coming to an end. Do you ever read a newspaper or magazine? What do you do when you see a story about a death, read it or skip over it? Do the same when you're playing OOTP.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by coljesep

If 1 person (customer) says "I haven't seen this and I hope I don't." then it shouldn't be in the game.

That statement is the equivalent of ten pounds of manure in a five pound bag.

[D-BacksJosh]

I don't agree with adding and subtracting things from the game the first time someone disagrees with it. There are points being made on both sides that are completely valid. Really, I am impartial to the debate. Either way is not going to make me stop playing it, and it does not make me question the developers integrity. I would have to say if you don't like seeing certain storylines, then a sacrifice has to be made and storylines should be turned completely off. Also, if children dying adds to realism, then it only makes sense that criminal storylines like Aaron Hernandez, or Milton Bradley should also be included for the realism. Especially since children dying happens a lot less in real life then players getting into trouble with the law, no matter the moral consequences.

[Hasta la vista pelota]

I guess this never bothered me because I understand that these aren't REAL children dying. But it wouldn't bother me to see these references removed either.

[coljesep]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

OOTP does NOT look bad for including it, except to you I guess.

There have been people who have replied that agree with me so clearly it's not just me right?

The game certainly doesn't look GOOD for including it right?

And no when I am reading a newspaper I am not playing a game. I will bet any amount of $ that OOTP will not put in a Christopher Lane or Aaron Hernandez like situation into the game. Care to take me up on that bet?

Why won't they? I read about those things in newspapers... they actually happened? So why not add them to bring more realism to the game?

Delmon Young was charged with hate crimes in NYC last year where's that suspension in OOTP?

There's a level of realism that can be left out of a baseball sim and everything will be a-okay.

People look for realism with regards to baseball and OOTP, not with regards to children dying in a baseball sim, or players getting shot and killed or an athlete possibly being involved in multiple homicides. You do not NEED to add them to the game, and telling people to edit the feature to take it out is asinine.

Now, you want the feature to stay. I don't. End of conversation between us.

[Lukas Berger]

So to the folks who are upset about this:

Do you get equally worked up when children die in books? movies?

Thousands of children die every die in real life. It's sad, tragic, horrible. But it happens.

It might make more sense to be upset about the real children that die every day, rather than a couple of storylines in a game, that only attempts to faintly resemble reality.

[coljesep]

Originally Posted by D-BacksJosh

I don't agree with adding and subtracting things from the game the first time someone disagrees with it. There are points being made on both sides that are completely valid. Really, I am impartial to the debate. Either way is not going to make me stop playing it, and it does not make me question the developers integrity. I would have to say if you don't like seeing certain storylines, then a sacrifice has to be made and storylines should be turned completely off. Also, if children dying adds to realism, then it only makes sense that criminal storylines like Aaron Hernandez, or Milton Bradley should also be included for the realism. Especially since children dying happens a lot less in real life then players getting into trouble with the law, no matter the moral consequences.

You're exactly right. If keeping kids death in the game is done for realistic purposes then drunk driving accidents, multiple homicides and the like should be included also - but the thing is... I know they won't. There is absolutely no way OOTP would ever add a storyline that accuses a player of murder despite the fact it can and has happened in sports. You can take that to the bank.

[coljesep]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

So to the folks who are upset about this:

Do you get equally worked up when children die in books? movies?

Thousands of children die every die in real life. It's sad, tragic, horrible. But it happens.

It might make more sense to be upset about the real children that die every day, rather than a couple of storylines in a game, that only attempts to faintly resemble reality.

Hi lukasberger - I'm questioning the thought process and the need for the feature. Not the realistic nature of the sad truth that it can happen. Does it need to be in the game to make the game realistic? The answer is no. Just as a Christopher Lane situation doesn't need to be added, or Lyman Bostick, or Nick Adenhart, or Darryl Kile, or an Aaron Hernandez type situation. You do not NEED those stories to make the storyline feature enjoyable.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by coljesep

There have been people who have replied that agree with me so clearly it's not just me right?

The game certainly doesn't look GOOD for including it right?

And no when I am reading a newspaper I am not playing a game. I will bet any amount of $ that OOTP will not put in a Christopher Lane or Aaron Hernandez like situation into the game. Care to take me up on that bet?

Why won't they? I read about those things in newspapers... they actually happened? So why not add them to bring more realism to the game?

Delmon Young was charged with hate crimes in NYC last year where's that suspension in OOTP?

There's a level of realism that can be left out of a baseball sim and everything will be a-okay.

People look for realism with regards to baseball and OOTP, not with regards to children dying in a baseball sim, or players getting shot and killed or an athlete possibly being involved in multiple homicides. You do not NEED to add them to the game, and telling people to edit the feature to take it out is asinine.

Now, you want the feature to stay. I don't. End of conversation between us.

All those storylines you're suggesting are good ones.

There is a suggestion forum for OOTP15 - please put them in there.

This game looks VERY VERY GOOD - if you want to continue to nitpik the little things in the game, go ahead.


PLEASE NOTE - Storylines are written by volunteers, as are a lot of other things in the game.

You are more than welcome to volunteer to write storylines. If you choose not to do so, then you really have no ground to complain about them. The opportunity is there for you to affect change, so put up or ......

[Nunyer]

I am indifferent as well. Not offended... not asking anybody to make changes to the game... But as I said before, I don't think the developers thought this particular story line through properly. No new customers are likely going to fly through the website because a virtual player might miss time due to a death in the family versus him missing time for any number of other pre-canned reasons... But obviously some people don't want tragedy splashed into their baseball text sim. For them it's the opposite of immersion, it's pulling them out of the game world to reflect on how the real world can suck ass. So I think including this particular story line was a poor business decision... Little chance for any tangible gain, while as we have seen with this thread, the very real ability to alienate a paying customer.

It's something that if it happened in my league, it wouldn't raise much of an eyebrow really... Whether it was child death or parachute accident or murder or alien abduction... In about 5 or 6 seconds I would have already forgotten the 'cause' part of the text and would be much more concerned with the 'effect' part in regards to my roster. That's the reason I'm playing the game... to manage a roster... not to help virtual Bob Shortstop overcome his virtual adversity.

[spleen1015]

While it doesn't bother me, I think coljesep is right that it probably shouldn't be in the game. At the same time, it is easy for the player to remove the storyline, so why not just remove it if you don't like it and move on?

Just because I agree with coljesep doesn't mean I think OOTPDevs should have to remove it. It is their game, they can make it however they want. If we don't like that, we can chose to not buy it or take advantage of the customization of the game and remove it ourselves.

[Mr. Baseball]

I wouldn't go after OOTP for this though. They aren't trying to offend anyone. They are constantly trying to improve realism, they just took it into the wrong context in this particular instance. No worries. It doesn't bother me that much.

[PSUColonel]

what's the big deal?...it happens IRL