Best way to learn this game?

[Antmf]

I am a baseball fan and. Normally play deep complex grand strategy type games. But now I want to quench my desire to play a great baseball sim. I hear this game is deep and has a steep learning curve. So my question is what is easiest and best way to learn this game and is the game worth the time learning it? Is it fun and somewhat addictive?


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[Gerry58]

Originally Posted by Antmf

I am a baseball fan and. Normally play deep complex grand strategy type games. But now I want to quench my desire to play a great baseball sim. I hear this game is deep and has a steep learning curve. So my question is what is easiest and best way to learn this game and is the game worth the time learning it? Is it fun and somewhat addictive?


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Yes, fun and addictive. If you know baseball there is nothing to learn. Just start an historical season , chose a team that you know well and delegate to your assistant most of the duties like scouting, roster management and so on. Than when you are more confident, start managing more and get involved in the day by day aspects of the game

[Germaniac]

It definitely is fun and really addictive.

I'd suggest you either start with a historical year you like or use one of the quickstart games ... just to get the feel for the game.

And trust me, as soon as you have passed the first steps, where all seems complicated and overwhelming, you'll get curious and will try all the great stuff that you can do with this game.

And if you have any kind of questions or problems feel free to ask!

[Beatles Eternally]

Originally Posted by Antmf

I am a baseball fan and. Normally play deep complex grand strategy type games. But now I want to quench my desire to play a great baseball sim. I hear this game is deep and has a steep learning curve. So my question is what is easiest and best way to learn this game and is the game worth the time learning it? Is it fun and somewhat addictive?


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Hi Antmf,

I would say it has a bit of a learning curve but this latest edition is MUCH more user friendly than the earlier editions in the early 2000s. Everyone that has answered your post is spot on with regard to how best to jump into the game. The community here is fantastic so don't be afraid to ask questions.

Play ball!!!!!

"Beatles"

[gmjay74]

Originally Posted by Antmf

I am a baseball fan and. Normally play deep complex grand strategy type games. But now I want to quench my desire to play a great baseball sim. I hear this game is deep and has a steep learning curve. So my question is what is easiest and best way to learn this game and is the game worth the time learning it? Is it fun and somewhat addictive?


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I've been playing OOTP since OOTP 2 and with every release, MLB Rule change, etc I constantly find new depths to plumb. Up until recently I've been taking the current rosters and driving the ship (Mgr and GM) until i get bored or fired...or both. Then I would start over again taking lessons learned and adding that to what I was doing with the current season.

When OOTP started having actual MLB rosters, I enjoyed starting a new game unemployed, latch onto whatever minor league position was available and work my way up within a few years. This way, I'd let the GM make decisions for me as to what roster I was going to have, understand why the GM was making the move (Injury, player performance good and bad, etc).

Recently I've decided to (finally) try managing teams (historical games) from my hey-day (1970's) and making them into powerhouse dynasties, especially transitioning from the reserve clause rules to the free agency rules as we understand them today.

Tons of depth in this rabbit hole and lots of ways to lose many, many hours!

[Antmf]

Originally Posted by gmjay74

I've been playing OOTP since OOTP 2 and with every release, MLB Rule change, etc I constantly find new depths to plumb. Up until recently I've been taking the current rosters and driving the ship (Mgr and GM) until i get bored or fired...or both. Then I would start over again taking lessons learned and adding that to what I was doing with the current season.



When OOTP started having actual MLB rosters, I enjoyed starting a new game unemployed, latch onto whatever minor league position was available and work my way up within a few years. This way, I'd let the GM make decisions for me as to what roster I was going to have, understand why the GM was making the move (Injury, player performance good and bad, etc).



Recently I've decided to (finally) try managing teams (historical games) from my hey-day (1970's) and making them into powerhouse dynasties, especially transitioning from the reserve clause rules to the free agency rules as we understand them today.



Tons of depth in this rabbit hole and lots of ways to lose many, many hours!

Thank you. Let me ask you. In between games or a week or so of playing what do you look for in your team. I mean what stats are you looking at to see who is pulling their weight? I don’t know when to trade or demote etc. maybe the player is having a bad few games. So if you have any tips please let me know. Thanks again.


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[gmjay74]

Originally Posted by Antmf

Thank you. Let me ask you. In between games or a week or so of playing what do you look for in your team. I mean what stats are you looking at to see who is pulling their weight? I don’t know when to trade or demote etc. maybe the player is having a bad few games. So if you have any tips please let me know. Thanks again.


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I've had to get a new set of glasses for all the analytics I do

To be honest, it truly depends on what you consider to be important to the success of your club. I use WAR a lot when all the other standard stats don't reveal what I want them to. In fact, I use WAR a Lot for decision making on borderline players. Also, take a peek at those development reports! See any trends that are alarming? Constant decline in ability is probably not a good start, however if these are stable, you're probably in the beginnings of a slump.

That said, contracts play a HUGE role as well. Do the players have option years, can he be sent to AAA for a tune-up? Is it just a few games that he's underperforming? Great example is my playing this years Dodgers. Cody Bellinger spent the first month batting less that .100 yeowch! I gutted it out (and other players were performing well) and he finally came around when May started and is now batting .285 with 7 dingers and a bushel of RBI's in June.

Part of the game, and management in general is making those gut calls on what you feel is right for the success of your club. Experiment and find your model of success!

[Antmf]

Originally Posted by gmjay74

I've had to get a new set of glasses for all the analytics I do



To be honest, it truly depends on what you consider to be important to the success of your club. I use WAR a lot when all the other standard stats don't reveal what I want them to. In fact, I use WAR a Lot for decision making on borderline players. Also, take a peek at those development reports! See any trends that are alarming? Constant decline in ability is probably not a good start, however if these are stable, you're probably in the beginnings of a slump.



That said, contracts play a HUGE role as well. Do the players have option years, can he be sent to AAA for a tune-up? Is it just a few games that he's underperforming? Great example is my playing this years Dodgers. Cody Bellinger spent the first month batting less that .100 yeowch! I gutted it out (and other players were performing well) and he finally came around when May started and is now batting .285 with 7 dingers and a bushel of RBI's in June.



Part of the game, and management in general is making those gut calls on what you feel is right for the success of your club. Experiment and find your model of success!

Thank you. Btw what is WAR and how do I find what all the abbreviations mean?


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[gmjay74]

Originally Posted by Antmf

Thank you. Btw what is WAR and how do I find what all the abbreviations mean?


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Here's the link to the glossary: https://manuals.ootpdevelopments.com...&page=glossary

WAR is a way to measure how many more wins a player projects to add to your team vs a replacement player, typically comparable level, bench level, high minors - at the same position. It's a quick way to see if your player is adding value to your team or dragging you down and can possibly stand to be replaced - either by a bench player or your minors system.

In conjunction with WAR, OPS+ or ERA+ for pitchers is another telling stat that gives you an idea of where your player is. Both WAR and OPS+/ERA+ only give you a short term, in the here and now snapshot of where he's at. Combine that with previous performance and you can see where they're improving, peaking or declining, for example multiple years of decline in these numbers though still in the "positive" territory is a good measure of overall statistical declining "health".

[Antmf]

Originally Posted by gmjay74

Here's the link to the glossary: https://manuals.ootpdevelopments.com...&page=glossary



WAR is a way to measure how many more wins a player projects to add to your team vs a replacement player, typically comparable level, bench level, high minors - at the same position. It's a quick way to see if your player is adding value to your team or dragging you down and can possibly stand to be replaced - either by a bench player or your minors system.



In conjunction with WAR, OPS+ or ERA+ for pitchers is another telling stat that gives you an idea of where your player is. Both WAR and OPS+/ERA+ only give you a short term, in the here and now snapshot of where he's at. Combine that with previous performance and you can see where they're improving, peaking or declining, for example multiple years of decline in these numbers though still in the "positive" territory is a good measure of overall statistical declining "health".

Thank you very much.


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[Calvert98]

To follow up on GMJay's note on WAR, this game has really caused me to dig deeper into Baseball analytics.

An easy way to get into it: Read "Moneyball". It's a good read, and short and you will give you an some insight as to not only the some of what we GMJay has mentioned, but also it's a good overview as to the GM role and team building, at least their approach.

And if you liked that book, you may want to check-out Keith Law's new book. I'm about halfway through it, and it's a good overview of the basic stats and new stats/ways of looking at the game.

And if you like all of that, there other good books, blogs, websites and so forth that you will eventually dig-up.

[Antmf]

Wow thank you so much...

[Calvert98]

No problem. By the way, Keith Law’s new book is called “Smart Baseball”.

Another book that just came out that I haven’t read, but that looks interesting is “The Shift: The Next Evolution in Baseball Thinking” by Russell Carleton. It’s probably next on my reading list.

Anyway, have fun and welcome.