Out of the box...

[Stats_Enthusiast]

I want to share a little fantasy of mine, hoping others out there might share the same fantasy too.

I've been playing OOTPBB since version 5. Bottom line, I love the game.

My fantasy is to purchase a version of this game (and for the sake of this post, let's say OOTP 9), load it onto my computer, click on Quick-Start Game, select a file called MLB 2008 for example, wait for the red load ticker to reach 100%... and to my complete and utter surprise, EVERYTHING is ready to go.

What is "EVERYTHING" you ask? When I select history, ALL the MLB history is filled with REAL data, starting from 1901. When I look into Awards, Past Champions, Hall of Fame, League Records, etc. ALL, the REAL MLB data is there; again starting from 1901... ALL OF IT. (NOTE: I use capitals for emphasis. And I understand that SOME data would be missing) BUTTT the lion's share is there and ready to research and disect.

Additionally, this applies to ROSTERS, LOGOS, TEAM COLORS, JERSEYS, etc. For example if I want to manage the Vancouver Canadians, all I want to have to do IS select this team, go their home page and BAM, logo, jersey, team colors, roster, stats, history are ready to go. ITS ALL THERE.

NOTE: Remember EA's baseball game? It would always have some fine print stating ROSTERS ARE ACCURATE AS OF "X" DATE. This would be TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE.

I realize there are many great people out there who devote endless hours creating amazing mods - database files, roster sets, jerseys, facial hair, webpages housing all this wonderful artwork... and you are ALL to be applauded...

Furthering my point, what I want OUT OF THE BOX, is to be able to play the game, without having to collect ALL the data, ALL the roster sets, ALL THE art work (jerseys, logos, stadiums, etc) to find out this person only did the logos in JPG so I now have to search the web for freeware to convert all the photos to PNGs or other buddy did facial hair mods, however I have no idea how to incorporate this into my game (AS MUCH AS I'D LOVE TO!)

So, I'm going to make a suggestion... in as much as ALL these wonderful people put all this effort into making MODS and they post their work for FREE (thanks btw), why don't you Markus (with all due respect of course), challenge the community to providing ALL these features to you. In otherwords, they would enter a contest, for LOGOS, or ROSTER SETS, STADIUMS, DB's, AUDIO, JERSEY's or BEST WRITER for articles, etc. etc.

There would only be one winner for each category (community vote), and in turn, for "FREE " OOTP 9 would have the right to use their work in your game. The winner of course would get a FREE copy of the game and a their name in the credits of your game. Hell I'll even pony up the cash for some of the "FREE" games...

It's a win, win, win, situation. You win by supplying all these wonderful MODS already FREE, PRE-Loaded in the game... OUT OF THE BOX. The MODDER wins by getting a free copy of the game and their name in the credits, AND I personally (and I'm sure a few others) win by getting to play the game OUT OF THE BOX, as I have envisioned for years, but have NEVER been able to play.

It would be great NOT having to spend endless hours that I don't have, collecting or attempting to create what I want. I literally buy the game every year and its never played. I'm not bitter, I'm just craving the experience I know I can get from this game, but have yet to experience.

Again, I'm willing to put up a bit of cash for this, but the main idea for MY OUT OF THE BOX EXPERIENCE, is to offer MODDERS a chance to get their work in a nationally recognized product, while users like me can benefit by enjoying the game OUT OF THE BOX.

Thanks.

Adam

[tripli00]

Would love the out of the box experience

wonder how many people hold off on OOTP till the mods are ready?

Would make a great community buy in for the game with the voting - and gets round the normal license problems.

Its the thoughts of the modders that are needed here though - I'm one who loves there work - but cannot replicate the effort!!

[English_Ray]

Its a nice idea of course, but the reality is it cannot happen - it doesn't matter whether the logos, uniforms etc are made my Markus or a third party, because if they are shipped with the game, then they have to be officially licensed. Money has to be paid to the teams, to MLB, to whoever.

Its been a long enough battle in the courts (as I understand it) to determine that players' names and statistics are public domain, allowing the game to ship with complete rosters - but its not going to happen anytime soon with the graphics. They are the teams' trademarks and they get to charge if they are used commercially, ie out of the box.

[Simmo13]

Stats-enthusiast, at the beginning of your post you say "I've been playing since V5........bottom line is I love this game" but at the end "I literally buy the game every year and it's never played". Just curious.
I appreciate the point about time constraints but as a player of fictional leagues (with perhaps too much time!!) I rather enjoy the setting up of my universe using, and occasionally making requests of, the incredible modders that are generous enough to share their work.
This is not a criticism of your post, rather an idle thought about my own enjoyment of this extraordinary game.

[1998 Yankees]

Three observations, all of which are trite I know, but here they are:

1. The devil is in the dollars. What you propose would cost much more and therefore hurt sales. OOTP has always relied upon the kindness of modders in that regard.
2. Part of the charm of this game are the modders and their interaction with the developers in this community.
3. Part of the charm of this game is the customizability that it offers (and of course, requires of others, depending on the viewpoint). I have read here more than once that some people have more fun setting up their leagues than playing them out.

I never hung around EA Sports or any of the other "national" baseball sims that I played in my life like I have with OOTP. Other than the quality of the baseball simulation, the points above have something to do with that, I believe.

[silvam14]

Originally Posted by Stats_Enthusiast

NOTE: Remember EA's baseball game? It would always have some fine print stating ROSTERS ARE ACCURATE AS OF "X" DATE. This would be TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE.

The only thing about this is that once the "continue" button is clicked, real rosters get blow to hell. Its just the nature of the game

[Stats_Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by English_Ray

Its a nice idea of course, but the reality is it cannot happen - it doesn't matter whether the logos, uniforms etc are made my Markus or a third party, because if they are shipped with the game, then they have to be officially licensed. Money has to be paid to the teams, to MLB, to whoever.

Its been a long enough battle in the courts (as I understand it) to determine that players' names and statistics are public domain, allowing the game to ship with complete rosters - but its not going to happen anytime soon with the graphics. They are the teams' trademarks and they get to charge if they are used commercially, ie out of the box.

Then of course the game could ship with FICTIONAL uni's, logos, etc. Supplying the history of the MLB means thats one less step that a user like myself would need to do.

And again, the modder would/could get a free copy of the game and his name in the credits, the game would improve upon it's already genious design, and again users like me would be able to FINALLY enjoy the game the way it's meant to be enjoyed.

I'm a solutions guy...

[Stats_Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by English_Ray

Its a nice idea of course, but the reality is it cannot happen - it doesn't matter whether the logos, uniforms etc are made my Markus or a third party, because if they are shipped with the game, then they have to be officially licensed. Money has to be paid to the teams, to MLB, to whoever.

Its been a long enough battle in the courts (as I understand it) to determine that players' names and statistics are public domain, allowing the game to ship with complete rosters - but its not going to happen anytime soon with the graphics. They are the teams' trademarks and they get to charge if they are used commercially, ie out of the box.

Originally Posted by Simmo13

Stats-enthusiast, at the beginning of your post you say "I've been playing since V5........bottom line is I love this game" but at the end "I literally buy the game every year and it's never played". Just curious.
I appreciate the point about time constraints but as a player of fictional leagues (with perhaps too much time!!) I rather enjoy the setting up of my universe using, and occasionally making requests of, the incredible modders that are generous enough to share their work.
This is not a criticism of your post, rather an idle thought about my own enjoyment of this extraordinary game.

You're getting hung up on the unimportant particulars. I stated a fact in the first sentence and summed it up with an exaderation for emphasis.

Drink?

[Stats_Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Three observations, all of which are trite I know, but here they are:

1. The devil is in the dollars. What you propose would cost much more and therefore hurt sales. OOTP has always relied upon the kindness of modders in that regard.
2. Part of the charm of this game are the modders and their interaction with the developers in this community.
3. Part of the charm of this game is the customizability that it offers (and of course, requires of others, depending on the viewpoint). I have read here more than once that some people have more fun setting up their leagues than playing them out.

I never hung around EA Sports or any of the other "national" baseball sims that I played in my life like I have with OOTP. Other than the quality of the baseball simulation, the points above have something to do with that, I believe.

1. I would be/have been willing to front some cash for this endevour
2. I'm not trying to elminate MODDERS here, of course the game would still be moddable. I merely expressing a piont of view (mine) because I don't have the knowledge OR the time to do what I want to do.
3. Read response 2.

I share your sentiments about NOT haning around other "national" baseball sims either. I'm a OOTP loyalist to the end.

[Stats_Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by silvam14

The only thing about this is that once the "continue" button is clicked, real rosters get blow to hell. Its just the nature of the game

Right. But "that game" isn't the topic of this thread.

In fact what I'm going to do is put it out there myself...

I'll buy someone a copy of the game (OOTP 9) IF they can create me the OUT OF THE BOX experience that I define in my initial post.

I read these posts a lot and have great respect for those who MOD this game so others can enjoy it more.

As I've already mentioned in a few previous replys, I do not have the time nor the knowlege to give myself the Out Of The Box (OOTB) experience I do desire.

So I'm willing to buy someone a copy of the game if they can make my OOTPBB fantasy come true.

My email is progressivegemini@gmail.com let me know...

Thanks.

[Stats_Enthusiast]

I'm only typing this to keep this thread alive...

Again, I'm willing to BUY someone a copy of OOTPBB 9 IF they can put together a template for me...

Read the first post of this thread or email me @ progressivegemini@gmail.com

Cheers,

[rem]

Jaffe's all-in-one MLB installer used to do this.

[biggamejrs]

yes it was for 2006 i think. it was great. i'm still playing a league started with it.

[Stats_Enthusiast]

where can I get a copy of this template?

[rem]

There isn't a 07/8 version of it.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by remangiii

There isn't a 07/8 version of it.

Could always load it in 2006 and then import.

[rem]

Originally Posted by BruceM

Could always load it in 2006 and then import.

But you'd get '06 rosters. And for the record, I think it was last made for OOTP6.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by remangiii

But you'd get '06 rosters. And for the record, I think it was last made for OOTP6.

2005 rosters and version 6.5

OOTP6 Utilities and Front-Ends

[tcblcommish]

Originally Posted by Stats_Enthusiast

Again, I'm willing to BUY someone a copy of OOTPBB 9 IF they can put together a template for me...
Cheers,

Isn't that kind of against the Elicence policy at all?

[Stats_Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Stats_Enthusiast

I'm only typing this to keep this thread alive...

Again, I'm willing to BUY someone a copy of OOTPBB 9 IF they can put together a template for me...

Read the first post of this thread or email me @ progressivegemini@gmail.com

Cheers,

see above...