Game difficulty settings...

[PaulContinuum]

How do I change them, and where, as this is the first time I've purchased a OOTP baseball game? Please be gentle.

[eck.nicholas]

Unfortunately there isn't a difficulty setting in this game. I hope you enjoy the game though.

[Neags23]

There are no difficulty settings, per se. But there are things you can do to make it easier to build a winning team.

Set scouting accuracy higher, or turn it off altogether to get true ratings.
Set trading difficulty to easy.
Turn off player morale system.
Turn off coaching system.
Turn off financials.

The last three are debatable, but it could be argued that not having to deal with those additional aspects of the game make it easier. No budget concerns, no personnel concerns, etc.

Best of luck!

[5-4-3]

Well, there’s easy mode (in Commissioner Mode) and hard mode (not in Commissioner mode). You can tweak a few settings, as noted, but this is far more a simulation than it is a game.

[Matt Arnold]

Originally Posted by 5-4-3

Well, there’s easy mode (in Commissioner Mode) and hard mode (not in Commissioner mode). You can tweak a few settings, as noted, but this is far more a simulation than it is a game.

I disagree with the last point

[5-4-3]

Originally Posted by Matt Arnold

I disagree with the last point

Then let me elaborate a bit.

A computer simulation, by definition, reproduces the behavior of a real-life system using a math-based model. OOTP does this with baseball.

Computer simulations are used to gain new insights into the system they are simulating. OOTP does this with baseball.

Computer simulations are used to see what is likely to happen if one or more of the variables in the real life system are changed. OOTP does this with baseball.

A computer game, on the other hand, is “a computer-controlled game where players interact with objects displayed on a screen for the sake of entertainment.”

I think it’s more of a simulation myself.

[Matt Arnold]

Originally Posted by 5-4-3

Then let me elaborate a bit.

A computer simulation, by definition, reproduces the behavior of a real-life system using a math-based model. OOTP does this with baseball.

Computer simulations are used to gain new insights into the system they are simulating. OOTP does this with baseball.

Computer simulations are used to see what is likely to happen if one or more of the variables in the real life system are changed. OOTP does this with baseball.

A computer game, on the other hand, is “a computer-controlled game where players interact with objects displayed on a screen for the sake of entertainment.”

I think it’s more of a simulation myself.

[5-4-3]

Originally Posted by Matt Arnold

No, not so much. If I just want baseball game entertainment there is MLB The Show. But if I want or need a sophisticated baseball simulation? It’s just OOTP.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by 5-4-3

Well, there’s easy mode (in Commissioner Mode) and hard mode (not in Commissioner mode). You can tweak a few settings, as noted, but this is far more a simulation than it is a game.

Commish Mode does not make the game easier. i use it to edit things that need to be edited in a fictional-historical replay. You can go over budget for FA signings and trades with it on. i go out of it when i do those unless they are force trades.

[PSUColonel]

The only way to make the game more/less difficult, is to utilize the difficulty settings. (trade Difficulty, scouting accuracy, ratings fog of war,, etc..)

[daves]

Originally Posted by Neags23

There are no difficulty settings, per se. But there are things you can do to make it easier to build a winning team.

Set scouting accuracy higher, or turn it off altogether to get true ratings.
Set trading difficulty to easy.
Turn off player morale system.
Turn off coaching system.
Turn off financials.

The last three are debatable, but it could be argued that not having to deal with those additional aspects of the game make it easier. No budget concerns, no personnel concerns, etc.

Best of luck!

This seems accurate. Setting the trading to very easy, set scouting to 100% accurate, turn off financials, lower injury to very low or none and add DH to both leagues are your easy options. I am not sure about turning off the coaching system since the coaches help with lineups and trades.

[5-4-3]

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by PaulContinuum

How do I change them, and where, as this is the first time I've purchased a OOTP baseball game? Please be gentle.

Originally Posted by Neags23

There are no difficulty settings, per se. But there are things you can do to make it easier to build a winning team.

Set scouting accuracy higher, or turn it off altogether to get true ratings.
Set trading difficulty to easy.
Turn off player morale system.
Turn off coaching system.
Turn off financials.

The last three are debatable, but it could be argued that not having to deal with those additional aspects of the game make it easier. No budget concerns, no personnel concerns, etc.

Best of luck!

Since OP did not say he necessarily wanted the game easier, indeed perhaps he wants to make it harder, let me add the ultimate, hardest way to play: Stats Only ("None Displayed" for Player Rating Scales in Global Settings). I have never had the courage, the commitment, or the time to try it myself.

But since OP appears to be a noob (no offense, Paul - we all were noobs in our day), I can add a trick to make the game easier, using the same Player Rating Scales. Instead of the default 20 to 80 for Current, Potential, and Other Ratings, choose 1 to 100 which allows for greater granularity and precision of player evaluation. Similarly, instead of Stars for Overall and Potential Ratings, choose numeric scales of 20 to 80 for the same reason.

[seven]

5-4-3,

Thanks for keeping this exchange so humorous and friendly! I completely get your point about OOTP being a great simulation. But I'm also one of those people who get great entertainment value out of watching games unfold inning by inning. Each iteration of OOTP brings it closer to what it's like to be at a ballpark seeing a real game.

[5-4-3]

Originally Posted by seven

5-4-3,

Thanks for keeping this exchange so humorous and friendly! I completely get your point about OOTP being a great simulation. But I'm also one of those people who get great entertainment value out of watching games unfold inning by inning. Each iteration of OOTP brings it closer to what it's like to be at a ballpark seeing a real game.

Thanks, but why would it not be humorous and friendly?

I find MLB The Show on my big screen TV to be far more entertaining, but only somewhat a simulation, and not a very good one at that. But OOTP? OOTP is a great simulation that is somewhat entertaining.

But that’s just me. No one is obligated to agree with me .