Inside The Park Info

[CamEdwards]

Originally posted by Bee
I can't think of a game I'd less rather it be than baseball.

This sentence my brain hurt it made mine.

[Bee]

Originally posted by heybrad
Its always baffled me how people say the AI is good and yet just about every dynasty on here starts out with all the restrictions, and I mean HUGE restrictions, that they have to put on themselves to make the game competitive.

I think the majority of house rules address 1 or 2 glaring weaknesses in the AI (specifically roster management). The draft AI is pretty solid now and the trade AI isn't that bad either compared to other games out there. I think free agency problems are attributable to the poor roster management.

As far as the game being competitive, what single player text sim is? CM4 is probably the best and I see all the time about players moving a Conference team to the EPL in approximately 10 years. While the .400 Studio games have mulitplayer, for those of us who like single player games there's no challenge from their AI.

Also, most people posting dynasties here are veteran FOF gamers. I've seen quite a few posts from newer players that they don't play with house rules and feel the game is challenging for them.

Like I said, I think there are a couple glaring weaknesses in the AI of FOF but overall it's better than most other text sims out there. CM4 is probably the best IMO. After that, I can't think of any other text sims that I'd put the "overall" single player AI ahead of FOF.

[Bee]

Originally posted by CamEdwards
This sentence my brain hurt it made mine.

You shoulda tried writing it.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by FBPro
Simple solution.....

Sounds like a good/fun/interesting game to you = purchase it.
Doesn't sound like a good/fun.......yada, yada, yada = don't.

So what you're saying is, "Only fan boys need apply [post]"

[Buccaneer]

Originally posted by SkyDog
1. AI is decent, could be better, but is decent.

Decent is putting it politely, esp. in regards to roster management.

[/b]2. I don't care about customization of rosters and leagues.
3. I don't care about multiplayer.
4. I don't care about custom scheduling.
5. Yep. I'm not interested in playing a game that someone else wants to play. Shocker of shockers, I want to play a game that interests me. [/b]

That is an awfully selfish view. I would love to have a game that can be enjoyed by me and enjoyed by many others (of those that would be interested in playing) on different levels, esp. in playing against real people and in playing historical settings (as oppose to playing like its 2003 every single season). If you are so in love with playing something so static, why aren't you raving about Diamond Minds? It seems like all you want is a poor-man's version of DM.

Imo, there is no way Jim can match the fun of playing OOTP with FOB. A baseball version of FOF would have limited appeal without the ability to play online leagues and to customize for those that doesn't think there was baseball before 2003. That is why I am really hoping for a Horse Racing sim.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Buccaneer
That is an awfully selfish view. I would love to have a game that can be enjoyed by me and enjoyed by many others (of those that would be interested in playing) on different levels, esp. in playing against real people and in playing historical settings (as oppose to playing like its 2003 every single season). If you are so in love with playing something so static, why aren't you raving about Diamond Minds? It seems like all you want is a poor-man's version of DM.

Sure it is selfish. I play text sims for my enjoyment, not someone else's. If most non multi-players are honest, they'll say the same thing.

As far as Diamond Mind, not interested. I want a career sim, not a single season sim. I played my share of Strat-O-Matic baseball back in the days when there were no career sims, and I it always left me longing for a career sim. I want to start with fictional players, and draft new fictional guys and watch them develop. I don't care about playing any other way.

[kcchief19]

In the debate over the OOTP AI versus FOF AI, I believe the true difference is that in FOF you can accumulate the most talented team and usually win while in OOTP you can accumulate the most talented team and not always win. I'm not convinced that difference is due to a superior AI, but rather than the performance of players in OOTP have a much wider range of possible performance, whereas players in FOF will generally play more to their ratings. Frankly, I think the best answer is somewhere in between.

That being said, here is the shocker for those out there that think I'm an unabashed OOTP/400 basher: I wish Markus the best of luck and say bully to him on his game. If he's making a game that he will enjoy playing, I'm sure that it will be a success. For those of you who measure success merely the number of zeroes after the one, it might not be that great, but if Markus makes a game he enjoys and others do to, who cares?

If there is a demo for the game, I'm sure I will try it. If I like it, I'll buy it. That being said, this game was originally slated to come out a year ago. Granted, that's preferable to the TDCB release schedule but ...

[AZSpeechCoach]

I imagine groupies in ITP will be handled thusly:

Groupie: Hey baby, looking for a good time?

You buy the antibiotic bat to prevent VD.

Groupie: Ready?

You: I put on my robe and wizard hat.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by AZSpeechCoach
I imagine groupies in ITP will be handled thusly:

Groupie: Hey baby, looking for a good time?

You buy the antibiotic bat to prevent VD.

Groupie: Ready?

You: I put on my robe and wizard hat.

"Sure, they say I'm a decent defensive catcher, but I'm more interested at how you handle balls."

[Buccaneer]

Originally posted by kcchief19
In the debate over the OOTP AI versus FOF AI, I believe the true difference is that in FOF you can accumulate the most talented team and usually win while in OOTP you can accumulate the most talented team and not always win. I'm not convinced that difference is due to a superior AI, but rather than the performance of players in OOTP have a much wider range of possible performance, whereas players in FOF will generally play more to their ratings. Frankly, I think the best answer is somewhere in between.

That being said, here is the shocker for those out there that think I'm an unabashed OOTP/400 basher: I wish Markus the best of luck and say bully to him on his game. If he's making a game that he will enjoy playing, I'm sure that it will be a success. For those of you who measure success merely the number of zeroes after the one, it might not be that great, but if Markus makes a game he enjoys and others do to, who cares?

If there is a demo for the game, I'm sure I will try it. If I like it, I'll buy it. That being said, this game was originally slated to come out a year ago. Granted, that's preferable to the TDCB release schedule but ...

That is surprising coming from you, Matt. But I think you fall into the same trap as I when trying to compare baseball to football. Because of the variability in baseball, you can hide more of the AI and still have it competitive (paraphrasing from QS).

To me, FOF's failings (besides its static mode) is lack of ability for the AI to evaluate and value (price) players adequately. This hurts the competitiveness of the game in two ways: 1) the AI overpays bad talent and throws out good talent (thus creating a team that can't match yours) and 2) makes very good talent available to you, esp. at an undervalued price. All of the significant house rules for FOF come from trying limit taking advantage of acquiring very good players at value prices through trading, drafting and free agency.

OOTP seems to do the same thing but because it's baseball, it is probably a little less obvious. Plus, with the cap in football/FOF and having to implement house rules for caps in baseball/OOTP, that creates a whole different set of dynamics.

[Buccaneer]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Sure it is selfish. I play text sims for my enjoyment, not someone else's. If most non multi-players are honest, they'll say the same thing.

You are wrong, sir. For me (and others from reading various posts), there is great fun in reading OOTP dynasties ranging from CR's modern Angels, to your modern fictional Braves/Expos career, to HB's alternate history, to my 1960's Cardinals/1970;s Reds/1940-50's BoSox, to various Dead Ball era careers at OOTPdev, to following the Japanese Baseball League (as an outsider) as well as FOBL's massive league, to various other Manager Mode careers that have twists to them, and to other mix and matches of league structures (from 12 to 36 modern/fictional/historical teams) with fictional/historical/modern players in eras ranging from 19th century to well into the future. All we get here is the same FOF dynasties with the same house rules over and over (except for 3ric's quasi-historical attempt).

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Buccaneer
You are wrong, sir. For me (and others from reading various posts), there is great fun in reading OOTP dynasties ranging from CR's modern Angels, to your modern fictional Braves/Expos career, to HB's alternate history, to my 1960's Cardinals/1970;s Reds/1940-50's BoSox, to various Dead Ball era careers at OOTPdev, to following the Japanese Baseball League (as an outsider) as well as FOBL's massive league, to various other Manager Mode careers that have twists to them, and to other mix and matches of league structures (from 12 to 36 modern/fictional/historical teams) with fictional/historical/modern players in eras ranging from 19th century to well into the future. All we get here is the same FOF dynasties with the same house rules over and over (except for 3ric's quasi-historical attempt).

Yes, there is ADDED fun in reading dynasties. However, the game isn't fun if you don't enjoy it personally. I've never read a CM dynasty, for example, other than when I was trying to get into the game.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by SkyDog
3. I don't care about multiplayer.

I hear this a lot around here. I agree to an extent - at least I do not want to see OOTP style sacrificing of the single player experience in favor of multiplayer. But come on, multiplayer FOF in the FOFC league would be the mother of all online leagues. We could almost have euro soccer style tiered leagues, with promotion and relegation, interest would be through the roof, and you'd be playing with more than just random internet strangers, you be playing against your imaginary internet friends.

[Bee]

Samdari....

will you be my imaginary internet friend?

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Samdari
interest would be through the roof

for at least 3 WEEKS

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Samdari
I hear this a lot around here. I agree to an extent - at least I do not want to see OOTP style sacrificing of the single player experience in favor of multiplayer. But come on, multiplayer FOF in the FOFC league would be the mother of all online leagues. We could almost have euro soccer style tiered leagues, with promotion and relegation, interest would be through the roof, and you'd be playing with more than just random internet strangers, you be playing against your imaginary internet friends.

I know there'd be interest for some, but I doubt I'd even seriously consider playing in an online FOF league. By nature, things would move too slowly for my tastes.