Today's Live Card Update!

[Markus Heinsohn]

OK guys, I spent the entire weekend (while we had beautiful Spring weather outside, damn it) coding and tweaking the algorithm that adjusts the 2019 MLB live card ratings.

The updated ratings will be part of the league files for the new season, which will be available around 6-8 AM ET today. We will both update the player ratings and the card images, of course. Now, it is possible that you may find discrepancies between card images and the player overall ratings, in this case you need to reset your card image cache (PT Home screen -> Profile & Settings tab -> Troubleshooting menu -> Reset player card cache).

On average, hitters did get a bit more of a rating hit than pitchers, who are doing fine on average. The reason is that the league overall is hitting just .240/.320/.408 at the moment (cold weather? Continuing trend?), and the baseline is last year's stats output at .248/.318/.409. Also, a couple of guys did see their ratings change slightly because we made some adjustments in the baseline database, and these changes are now part of the live card update.

Position player defensive positions & defensive ratings do not change (that would throw off the overall card value too much), however pitchers may change from SP to RP/CL and vice-versa, resulting in value swings. One example is Roenis Elías, who was a SP initially in our database but has been used exclusively in relief by the Mariners so far, so he is now a RP with the corresponding value (who can still be used as a SP since his stamina rating does not change).

Anyway, it's still all small sample size, so we don't have many swings larger than +/- 3 points of card value. Keep in mind, even when the overall card value did not change, there may have been subtle changes in the composite ratings. OK, that's it. Mini-spoiler: We do have one new Perfect card, and one Perfect got demoted to a Diamond. Can you guess who?

Update: Here is the list of changes as an excel file and as a CSV text file.

[moalkha]

I suspect the demoted perfect is Jose Ramirez, and that's why I sold him before it was too late.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Correction: We in fact do have one new Perfect card, and one Perfect got demoted to a Diamond.

[Ile]

Even though I didn't suspect Mookie would get demoted, I sold him anyway. These live card rating changes are really scary, so chances are I will never hold on to a perfect live card which is a shame considering how rare they are (1 total across 3 teams in OOTP19 since PT release)

While I personally dislike it (a lot), but still don't really mind, I am very much afraid of OOTP Go if the plan is that it's gonna become a mobile market hit as opposed to just a companion app for us that own OOTP.

Mobile gamers are not used to have their grand gacha prize be downgraded a level. 1:1000 becomes a 1:150. I know it swings both ways, I know it adds another layer of skill to play the market, research player stats etc. But I fear the headlines such a downgrade will make, and I fear what will happen to OOTP reviews on Steam, and other influential platforms.

I'd rather the rating for a live card starts at max 99 and always have 1:150 odds even if it's been upgraded to 100, and only historical perfects at 1:1000 to be honest.

Or just 1-2 updates per season, but brand new cards so you can pull 100 pre-season Ramirez and 99 all-star break Ramirez.

The moment where you finally hit the 1:1000 should be nothing but joy, and a feeling that you can build your team around that player. Not sell it in fear of losing out on ~20k.

I may sound like a spoiled, self-entitled kid here, but that's cause I've played gacha games for the past 10 years, and I know what players they attract. While PT is a niche gacha, it is a sort of gacha. And these games tend to strike a nerve with their players, that may end up with them go out their way to mess with the companies/devs behind them.

Again, I love PT, I knew this could happen beforehand so I don't mind it. I'm just worried.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally Posted by Ile

Even though I didn't suspect Mookie would get demoted, I sold him anyway. These live card rating changes are really scary, so chances are I will never hold on to a perfect live card which is a shame considering how rare they are (1 total across 3 teams in OOTP19 since PT release)

Well, it's just a matter of perspective. When a Perfect becomes a Diamond, it may very well become a Perfect again a couple of weeks later. I think this whole thing adds a great amount of strategy.

And I am not worried about OOTP Go one bit. Why would I, the card odds are the same over there of course, and I don't think there will be millions of new PT players suddenly. Most of them will be regular desktop PT players.

[moalkha]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

Correction: We in fact do have one new Perfect card, and one Perfect got demoted to a Diamond.

I hope it's Rendon because I have 3 of them and it would net me a really nice profit.

[Ile]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

Well, it's just a matter of perspective. When a Perfect becomes a Diamond, it may very well become a Perfect again a couple of weeks later. I think this whole thing adds a great amount of strategy.

And I am not worried about OOTP Go one bit. Why would I, the card odds are the same over there of course, and I don't think there will be millions of new PT players suddenly. Most of them will be regular desktop PT players.

But I want millions of new PT players, cause you guys would make a fortune.

It's definitely a matter of perspective, of course! I suspect I'm in the minority of not liking it, and I respect and understand the logic behind it. Not trying to disrepect anyone here, just airing my worries because I'm looking forward to Ootp Go so much. But maybe I'm overestimating the market demand for a baseball perfect team game

[moalkha]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

Well, it's just a matter of perspective. When a Perfect becomes a Diamond, it may very well become a Perfect again a couple of weeks later. I think this whole thing adds a great amount of strategy.

I'm not a big gambler and I like to have stability in my roster, that's why I go exclusively with historical cards.


Having said that, I agree with you about the strategic choices with live cards

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally Posted by moalkha

Having said that, I agree with you about the strategic choices with live cards

For me it's a ton of fun... imagine you own a Gary Sanchez card and you watch a Yankees game, and see him clobber 3 HR like he did yesterday, wouldn't you be totally happy? This adds a whole new dimension to watching live baseball IMO

[giventofly]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

For me it's a ton of fun... imagine you own a Gary Sanchez card and you watch a Yankees game, and see him clobber 3 HR like he did yesterday, wouldn't you be totally happy? This adds a whole new dimension to watching live baseball IMO

Yes but as a Pirates fan that is never gonna happen. lmfao

[dancariaz]

No changelog for which cards changed? Would be nice to have an overview.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally Posted by dancariaz

No changelog for which cards changed? Would be nice to have an overview.

We have one, but we are still debating wether to release it to the public. Tune in to our Twitch livestream tonight, Kris will go through the most interesting changes

[2002halos]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

We have one, but we are still debating wether to release it to the public. Tune in to our Twitch livestream tonight, Kris will go through the most interesting changes

Markus, I'd love to have a record of what ratings every player opened the season at. I was trying to compile it myself, but ran out of time. Be great if you guys could release it.

I know you released a complete card list about a week or so before the season began, but a lot of cards and ratings changed even in that short time and were different when PT20 went live.

At the end of the year, I'm hoping to have the opening, peak and closing ratings for each card/player, so it would be great if you guys could release at least the opening ratings somewhere. Otherwise, my dream of catching them is already over.

[absurddoctor]

I know this isn't a poll, but would like to add my voice towards not releasing the changes, or any further updates to the card spreadsheet. Players have two resources to invest in the game, time and money. Having all that information easily available tilts the in-game value of money over that of time. Those of us who have more money than time are probably going to put the same amount of money in no matter what, but I'd be sad to see the value of time spent on the game decreased (and FWIW, I say that as someone who doesn't have much time to invest these days).

[neugey]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

On average, hitters did get a bit more of a rating hit than pitchers, who are doing fine on average. The reason is that the league overall is hitting just .240/.320/.408 at the moment (cold weather? Continuing trend?), and the baseline is last year's stats output at .248/.318/.409.

I'm going to blame it on Chris Davis of the Orioles (0 for 19 and counting)

[Semtextual]

Movements on my players:

Buehler 83>82
Gerrit Cole 95>96
Darvish 74>73
Strasburg 90>92
Chapman 92>95
Doolittle 89>87
Conforto 86>88
Correa 89>88
W Contreras 81>84

Luckily i sold Realmuto who has now indeed gone from Diamond to Gold.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Update: Here is the list of changes as an excel file and as a CSV text file.

We decided to make these public as other games similar to PT do it, too.

[dkgo]

for the people who can't open random dropbox files at work, can someone please let me know if Rendon is the new perfect? I have a ton invested in him. he was still selling for 5K to 5.5K just yesterday

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by dkgo

for the people who can't open random dropbox files at work, can someone please let me know if Rendon is the new perfect? I have a ton invested in him. he was still selling for 5K to 5.5K just yesterday

He is.

[STLRS95]

Originally Posted by dkgo

for the people who can't open random dropbox files at work, can someone please let me know if Rendon is the new perfect? I have a ton invested in him. he was still selling for 5K to 5.5K just yesterday

Yes, he moved up. Chris Sale dropped from Perfect to Diamond.