OS Awards: Text-Simulation of the Year
Submitted on: 01/02/2009 by
Chris Sanner
Text simulations have been a staple of sports gaming since this writer can remember. This year was a very successful year for text simulations overall, as several quality titles were released. Some new faces were seen atop the pack this year, but it was an old veteran that took home the award for the best text simulation of 2008.
The Out of the Park Baseball franchise is one of those rare series that always seems to be better each and every year. This year was no exception for the series, as Out of the Park Baseball 9 was one of the finest versions yet. With a revamped in-game system as well as several notable improvements, including a new scouting system, Out of the Park Baseball 9 delivered a quality experience for all gamers.
Out of the Park Baseball wins yet another Text-Sim of the Year Award.
Operation Sports Text Simulation of the Year: Out of the Park Baseball 9
Staff Comments
Matthew DiStaulo: I am definitely in the minority on this one, but I am a huge Baseball Mogul fan and have trouble getting into the Out of the Park Baseball sims. The other sims on the list are good too, but no sport lends itself to the genre like baseball.
For anyone who questions the reliability of Baseball Mogul's simulation engine, almost every season I simmed in 2008 had the Devil Rays winning the AL East division. If that is not proof enough that it is a solid simulation engine then I do not know what is. The other factor that goes into Baseball Mogul getting the nod for me, is that its play-by-play Manager mode is extremely fun and engaging.
Bryan Estrella: Personally, I felt that 2008 was an incredible year for text sims and our roster of contenders reflects that. In fact, I would honestly have no problem awarding the title to any one of the games from this strong crop.
However, we selected OOTP 9 as the winner for 2008 and I cannot disagree with the choice. It is just a really solid and addicting game. Hell, the MLB season has been over for a while, and I am still in the midst of my long-term Blue Jays dynasty. And I am pretty sure that I will still be playing it until OOTP 10 is released. Also, this opinion does not come lightly -- I have been a fan of the series since OOTP 3 and this was the first OOTP I have really been able to get into since OOTP 6.5. So I really hope that the series continues on this road it has started down.
In the end, I just hope 2009 is as good as 2008 was for us text simmers.
Chris Sanner: Like Bryan, I too am still playing Out of the Park Baseball 9. I would almost say I have played OOTP 9 more than I have MLB 08: The Show at this point. The thing I have also done, is play just a single career this whole time with the Texas Rangers. I do not know how I have done it, but I have managed to keep the Rangers payroll at a nice steady pace while keeping a winning product on the field -- maybe Tom Hicks should look into hiring me to be the next Rangers GM?
I am only half kidding with that last line (but really Mr. Hicks, my phone is always on), but it is that "feeling" that OOTP 9 gives you that is rarely seen in any game. Out of the Park 9 gives you that feeling, and if it was not for its niche appeal, I think the game would be a strong contender for the best game of 2008.
Readers' Choice
In a landslide, readers chose Out of the Park Baseball 9 as their favorite text simulation of 2008. There were some grumblings about missing games on the list, but not every game can be nominated for a year-end award -- this is not intramurals. However, the readers' choice seemed to go hand-in-hand with the staff when it comes to text sims, which has been a rarity thus far during the awards.
Winner: Out of the Park Baseball 9
Voting Results: Out of the Park Baseball 9 (55.81%), Baseball Mogul 2009 (13.95%), Total Extreme Wrestling 2008 (12.40%)
Reader Comments: I went with World of Mixed Martial Arts. It's a fun and somewhat deep text sim. -- SHAKYR
OOTP is always great and this year is no exception. -- dislimb
OOTP 9, hopefully OOTP 10 will be even better. -- Cryolemon
For me it was between WMMA and TEW 2008. I went with WMMA because it deserves props and recognition, very addicting game. Dan Hardy is a unbeatable BEAST, GSP and Anderson Silva know. -- DTX3
The Out of the Park Baseball franchise is one of those rare series that always seems to be better each and every year. This year was no exception for the series, as Out of the Park Baseball 9 was one of the finest versions yet. With a revamped in-game system as well as several notable improvements, including a new scouting system, Out of the Park Baseball 9 delivered a quality experience for all gamers.
Out of the Park Baseball wins yet another Text-Sim of the Year Award.
Operation Sports Text Simulation of the Year: Out of the Park Baseball 9
Staff Comments
Matthew DiStaulo: I am definitely in the minority on this one, but I am a huge Baseball Mogul fan and have trouble getting into the Out of the Park Baseball sims. The other sims on the list are good too, but no sport lends itself to the genre like baseball.
For anyone who questions the reliability of Baseball Mogul's simulation engine, almost every season I simmed in 2008 had the Devil Rays winning the AL East division. If that is not proof enough that it is a solid simulation engine then I do not know what is. The other factor that goes into Baseball Mogul getting the nod for me, is that its play-by-play Manager mode is extremely fun and engaging.
Bryan Estrella: Personally, I felt that 2008 was an incredible year for text sims and our roster of contenders reflects that. In fact, I would honestly have no problem awarding the title to any one of the games from this strong crop.
However, we selected OOTP 9 as the winner for 2008 and I cannot disagree with the choice. It is just a really solid and addicting game. Hell, the MLB season has been over for a while, and I am still in the midst of my long-term Blue Jays dynasty. And I am pretty sure that I will still be playing it until OOTP 10 is released. Also, this opinion does not come lightly -- I have been a fan of the series since OOTP 3 and this was the first OOTP I have really been able to get into since OOTP 6.5. So I really hope that the series continues on this road it has started down.
In the end, I just hope 2009 is as good as 2008 was for us text simmers.
Chris Sanner: Like Bryan, I too am still playing Out of the Park Baseball 9. I would almost say I have played OOTP 9 more than I have MLB 08: The Show at this point. The thing I have also done, is play just a single career this whole time with the Texas Rangers. I do not know how I have done it, but I have managed to keep the Rangers payroll at a nice steady pace while keeping a winning product on the field -- maybe Tom Hicks should look into hiring me to be the next Rangers GM?
I am only half kidding with that last line (but really Mr. Hicks, my phone is always on), but it is that "feeling" that OOTP 9 gives you that is rarely seen in any game. Out of the Park 9 gives you that feeling, and if it was not for its niche appeal, I think the game would be a strong contender for the best game of 2008.
Readers' Choice
In a landslide, readers chose Out of the Park Baseball 9 as their favorite text simulation of 2008. There were some grumblings about missing games on the list, but not every game can be nominated for a year-end award -- this is not intramurals. However, the readers' choice seemed to go hand-in-hand with the staff when it comes to text sims, which has been a rarity thus far during the awards.
Winner: Out of the Park Baseball 9
Voting Results: Out of the Park Baseball 9 (55.81%), Baseball Mogul 2009 (13.95%), Total Extreme Wrestling 2008 (12.40%)
Reader Comments: I went with World of Mixed Martial Arts. It's a fun and somewhat deep text sim. -- SHAKYR
OOTP is always great and this year is no exception. -- dislimb
OOTP 9, hopefully OOTP 10 will be even better. -- Cryolemon
For me it was between WMMA and TEW 2008. I went with WMMA because it deserves props and recognition, very addicting game. Dan Hardy is a unbeatable BEAST, GSP and Anderson Silva know. -- DTX3
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