A Message on Something Online Commissioners Need Help With

Eddie Paxil · 01-22-2018, 01:33 AM

A Message on Something Online Commissioners Need Help With

To the Makers,

I hate coming off as serious, but there’s a time for that.

Let first me say, I love playing OOTP. I stopped playing console games all together when I discovered OOTP, and that it was available for Macs. I am forever searching for games in other sports that match OOTP for Macs, haven’t found any, though I see potential in FHM. I was so looking forward to Beyond the Sidelines, and of course my disappointment pales in comparison to what Francis went through.

A big portion of the people I’ve met through OOTP, mostly in online leagues are amazing, and there are quite a few after 10 and a half years. I started my own league to have a league out there reflective of things I want from one. Also, to add to the legacy of the great OOTP community that existed when I arrived. I help new commissioners and players when and where I can.

Even personally, OOTP has played a part in my journey. When I came to it I was a musician ready to move on from the chase of being an artist, and an audio engineer until technology shifted on me, before I ever got started. OOTP and the influence of some I met have led me to chase an education in sports management. I’ve even written a paper on OOTP marketing in that journey. I’ve now found my own niche entry in what may be lead to a career in baseball. Through that I’ve met more amazing people too, and gotten involved in amazing things. I even met Sean Lahman and totally OOTP geeked out in front of him.

I say all this to impart context on what I’m requesting for online commissioners, and where it comes from. I think the new ventures OOTP has taken with the MLB, Steam, and growing in general, are nothing but good. I also understand that aspects of development needed to focus on that which would attract the new users even more. However, us online commissioners are here and play a role. Maybe more so in the future.

There is a serious rash of GMs using false identities to join leagues. It’s not even always for cheating. Sometimes it’s for torment or revenge of a perceived wrong. There are some ways out there to vet and some service providers help, but not enough. I’m sure going to have to go far on vetting now. More than I want to really, it’ll come off as cynical, but in the current climate it’s pragmatic.

Please understand that I don’t mean the following statement derogatorily. I hope how I’ve begun this letter proves that. However, OOTP can no longer run like a mom and pop on this subject much longer. OOTP keeps getting bigger and more high profile, and commissioners with little to no computer skills are exposed to the worst part of the internet, but we hang in there because of the potential of the best.

Put plainly, we need in game tools to spot cheating, or false multiple users from one person. The stories I’ve heard range from an immature kid sure, but all the way to, hey guys that GM might seriously not be well. It’s exhausting for a league and discouraging. Commissioners are also losing the irreplaceable commodity of time on the problem. I had an experience on this recently though minor, but another league I’m in was facing another possible issue at the same time with what seemed like a repeat offender on this matter. It turned out to be a false alarm. But who can blame them for thinking it?

I’m an audio expert, and apparently now a baseball historian. So, cards on the table, I have no idea how to do it. I have no suggestions, and zero know-how on dealing with it. That said, I don’t have to, to know it’s needed. I need to see the problem, and apply reasoning. I left the console world in 2007, but I hear part of the advent of online play is security measures for this. From warnings to suspensions, and even banning tools. There are innovative people in and around the OOTP world more qualified to make suggestions or help, but it can’t be impossible.

My league isn’t going anywhere. I’m going to keep working my tail off to make it great. I’m just wondering if one day I’ll be alone in there because players got tired of this problem. We need help, I’m not cynical. The proof lies in that I don’t want to go back to solo leagues.

Eddie Paxil
OOTP Forum Member
Since May 28, 2007

ArmandoT11 · 01-22-2018, 04:03 PM

Even though I started playing online two years ago and only been a commisioner for a year I've seen a lot of bad behavior from some particular GMs, stuff that ranges from uncomfortable -like having someone join a league, trade the farm in an effort to win a championship and then quit after a season leaving the team without future- to deranged like releasing all your players before leaving a league.

And what bothers me the most is that the people doing that can easily go to another online league and repeat the same behavior. We are the ones paying the server, spending time and effort to keep our leagues running, for some people to just mess with it without any repercussion at all.

A couple commisioners had the idea to post a blacklist in this forum with the names of the people that have a bad reputation, but the moderators quickly shut that down. We still managed to create a channel of communication for us owners of online leagues (obviously we haven't been able to invite every single one of them though) where we shared info about who and why we should avoid in our leagues.
That was working well until it was discovered that those blacklisted guys were now registering back with fake names.

There has been talks of adopting a pay-to-play mechanism but that won't sit well with some users and at the end of the day it doesn't solve the problem in question which is to weed out the "criminals".
My suggestion is creating official OOTP accounts, the same way other plataforms like XBox and Steam have been doing it, in an effort to keep track of users and applying bans when needed.
But in any case something needs to be done soon and we need the help from you OOTP developers to solve this.

Eddie Paxil · 07-24-2018, 09:12 AM

I'm bumping this. My league was just hacked by the most disgusting GM I ever encountered in OOTP in 11 years of playing it.

Don't know if its an issue any developer cares about.

But I may be done with OOTP after this.

01-22-2018, 01:33 AM	#1
Eddie Paxil Major Leagues Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana Posts: 411	A Message on Something Online Commissioners Need Help With A Message on Something Online Commissioners Need Help With To the Makers, I hate coming off as serious, but there’s a time for that. Let first me say, I love playing OOTP. I stopped playing console games all together when I discovered OOTP, and that it was available for Macs. I am forever searching for games in other sports that match OOTP for Macs, haven’t found any, though I see potential in FHM. I was so looking forward to Beyond the Sidelines, and of course my disappointment pales in comparison to what Francis went through. A big portion of the people I’ve met through OOTP, mostly in online leagues are amazing, and there are quite a few after 10 and a half years. I started my own league to have a league out there reflective of things I want from one. Also, to add to the legacy of the great OOTP community that existed when I arrived. I help new commissioners and players when and where I can. Even personally, OOTP has played a part in my journey. When I came to it I was a musician ready to move on from the chase of being an artist, and an audio engineer until technology shifted on me, before I ever got started. OOTP and the influence of some I met have led me to chase an education in sports management. I’ve even written a paper on OOTP marketing in that journey. I’ve now found my own niche entry in what may be lead to a career in baseball. Through that I’ve met more amazing people too, and gotten involved in amazing things. I even met Sean Lahman and totally OOTP geeked out in front of him. I say all this to impart context on what I’m requesting for online commissioners, and where it comes from. I think the new ventures OOTP has taken with the MLB, Steam, and growing in general, are nothing but good. I also understand that aspects of development needed to focus on that which would attract the new users even more. However, us online commissioners are here and play a role. Maybe more so in the future. There is a serious rash of GMs using false identities to join leagues. It’s not even always for cheating. Sometimes it’s for torment or revenge of a perceived wrong. There are some ways out there to vet and some service providers help, but not enough. I’m sure going to have to go far on vetting now. More than I want to really, it’ll come off as cynical, but in the current climate it’s pragmatic. Please understand that I don’t mean the following statement derogatorily. I hope how I’ve begun this letter proves that. However, OOTP can no longer run like a mom and pop on this subject much longer. OOTP keeps getting bigger and more high profile, and commissioners with little to no computer skills are exposed to the worst part of the internet, but we hang in there because of the potential of the best. Put plainly, we need in game tools to spot cheating, or false multiple users from one person. The stories I’ve heard range from an immature kid sure, but all the way to, hey guys that GM might seriously not be well. It’s exhausting for a league and discouraging. Commissioners are also losing the irreplaceable commodity of time on the problem. I had an experience on this recently though minor, but another league I’m in was facing another possible issue at the same time with what seemed like a repeat offender on this matter. It turned out to be a false alarm. But who can blame them for thinking it? I’m an audio expert, and apparently now a baseball historian. So, cards on the table, I have no idea how to do it. I have no suggestions, and zero know-how on dealing with it. That said, I don’t have to, to know it’s needed. I need to see the problem, and apply reasoning. I left the console world in 2007, but I hear part of the advent of online play is security measures for this. From warnings to suspensions, and even banning tools. There are innovative people in and around the OOTP world more qualified to make suggestions or help, but it can’t be impossible. My league isn’t going anywhere. I’m going to keep working my tail off to make it great. I’m just wondering if one day I’ll be alone in there because players got tired of this problem. We need help, I’m not cynical. The proof lies in that I don’t want to go back to solo leagues. Eddie Paxil OOTP Forum Member Since May 28, 2007 __________________ Eddie Paxil OOTP since 2007 Commissioner of the OMLB GM of the OMLB New Jersey Pioneers Commissioner of the NBBU GM of theNBBU Hoboken Knickerbockers Follow the NBBU Dynasty Thread Here.

07-24-2018, 09:12 AM	#3
Eddie Paxil Major Leagues Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana Posts: 411	I'm bumping this. My league was just hacked by the most disgusting GM I ever encountered in OOTP in 11 years of playing it. Don't know if its an issue any developer cares about. But I may be done with OOTP after this. __________________ Eddie Paxil OOTP since 2007 Commissioner of the OMLB GM of the OMLB New Jersey Pioneers Commissioner of the NBBU GM of theNBBU Hoboken Knickerbockers Follow the NBBU Dynasty Thread Here.

01-22-2018, 04:03 PM	#2
ArmandoT11 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 43	Even though I started playing online two years ago and only been a commisioner for a year I've seen a lot of bad behavior from some particular GMs, stuff that ranges from uncomfortable -*like having someone join a league, trade the farm in an effort to win a championship and then quit after a season leaving the team without future- to deranged like releasing all your players before leaving a league*. And what bothers me the most is that the people doing that can easily go to another online league and repeat the same behavior. We are the ones paying the server, spending time and effort to keep our leagues running, for some people to just mess with it without any repercussion at all. A couple commisioners had the idea to post a blacklist in this forum with the names of the people that have a bad reputation, but the moderators quickly shut that down. We still managed to create a channel of communication for us owners of online leagues (obviously we haven't been able to invite every single one of them though) where we shared info about who and why we should avoid in our leagues. That was working well until it was discovered that those blacklisted guys were now registering back with fake names. There has been talks of adopting a pay-to-play mechanism but that won't sit well with some users and at the end of the day it doesn't solve the problem in question which is to weed out the "criminals". My suggestion is creating official OOTP accounts, the same way other plataforms like XBox and Steam have been doing it, in an effort to keep track of users and applying bans when needed. But in any case something needs to be done soon and we need the help from you OOTP developers to solve this.