Ping: Roster Makers (How do you get players' NAMES into a game?)

[Muzamba]

Here's the deal: I want to set up a new league with alternate cities and nations files. (AFAIK, this can only be done during the initial setup, since there's no way to import them into an a previously-generated game.) Upon doing so, I'd like to import already-created players into this new league.

I've learned from experience that this can be accomplished by generating a total number of new players in the league that are equal to the number of players you want to import, then using the "Import Rosters" function in Game/League Setup to get them into your league.

The problem with this, however, is that it imports all the player info you need except the players' names. In this case, I'm trying to import upwards of 4000 players, so manually changing each of their names would be terribly exhaustive.

I've tried other techniques, like swapping out the .dat files, with mixed results--usually involving the game crashing.

There was also an incredibly underrated mod created by Tony M. a few years ago that did exactly what I'm looking to do, but he hasn't been able to update it for OOTPX. (Unfortunately, I lost my copy of this program when my computer crashed early last year, or I would have simply set this all up in OOTP8 and then converted it to X. But to make matters worse, Tony no longer has a copy of it himself and apparently there isn't a copy of it available for download online anywhere either! )

Okay, so my question is this... Is there any other way to get the players' names into the new game?

I've asked a few roster makers about this before, but for some reason, there seems to be a veil of secrecy surrounding the whole roster-making process. I may be mistaken, but I recall getting the impression that there needed to be some kind of "high-security clearance" from the OOTP Dev brass before this information can be dispensed to the masses. (Okay, I'm probably reading too much into this, but it's still a little frustrating that I can't seem to get any definitive answers on this topic after all this time.)

Anyway, if anyone out there--roster maker or not--can help me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[Spritze]

Roster makers tediously type all the names one by one and it is terribly exhaustive. This may be why they don't tell you of an easy way to do it.

Alternately export your info in csv files or mysql or access or whatever you are comfortable using and then...... Convert it all to Lahman compatability, then import it in as Lahman files.

[Muzamba]

Originally Posted by Spritze

Roster makers tediously type all the names one by one and it is terribly exhaustive. This may be why they don't tell you of an easy way to do it.

Alternately export your info in csv files or mysql or access or whatever you are comfortable using and then...... Convert it all to Lahman compatability, then import it in as Lahman files.

FWIW, someone did tell me there was some method--maybe even a tool of some sort--that was used to create the rosters that were shipped with the game. I could be completely off the mark on this, but I'm fairly certain I understood correctly.

Anyway, it's a shame that there isn't a more efficient way of doing this. It just seems so inefficient to go through and re-do the whole thing when all I really need is for the names to import.

This is seriously something that needs to be addressed for the next version. It's extremely aggrevating that we can import almost any tidbit of biographical information, statistic, or rating for a player, yet we can't import his name.

And by the same token, if it were at least possible to import cities and nations after game creation, that would solve this problem as well. This is yet another aspect of the game that desperately needs attention in OOTP11.

(BTW, the Lahman option did cross my mind, but again, I'd have to re-enter a huge amount of information when all I need is the names.)

I do thank you for your response, though, Spritze. I'm gonna keep searching for a different way to accomplish my goal, but I may in fact end up having no choice but to re-enter all the names manually.

Oh, and if anyone out there happens to have a copy of the Player Importer designed by Tony M. (known as "redsoxford" at the time of release) please let me know. (I believe it was officially labeled as "Stadium Importer" at the time and it allowed for the exporting, editing, and re-importing of stadiums, teams, and, ultimately, players.)

[Killing Time]

There was a thread about how to do this right after I joined. I wish I remember what the answer was.

[Malleus Dei]

"It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out." - Proverbs 25:2

[Muzamba]

I'm just having a little difficulty believing that the roster makers manually enter each player's name in-game. Now, I concede this may very well be one of those "hard to believe, but true" instances. In which case, it's rather ridiculous that one can get virtually any kind of information imported into the game for a player except his name. But that just seems like too glaring of a design flaw for a game like OOTP. Because, if we are to believe that these huge roster sets are all entered manually within the game, I'd think the roster makers would have been clamoring for Markus to fix this several version ago. Again, I may be mistaken, but something seems a little odd about all of this. (Not to mention the fact that I've tried PM-ing several people involved in creating roster sets and related mods, only to have none of them respond after numerous attempts over the past few months. Coincidence? Perhaps. Frustrating? Definitely!)

[Spritze]

Originally Posted by Muzamba

I'd think the roster makers would have been clamoring for Markus to fix this several version ago.

Unrequited clamorization has been rife for several versions. Others are probably choosing non-responsiveness over the frustration of bringing this unrequitian to the forefrontal lobes of their minds. It would be slendiforous if this gets adjudicated in a future version. But be forewarned, if you hold your breath until this takes place you may experience a smurfified complexion.

[Muzamba]

Originally Posted by Spritze

Unrequited clamorization has been rife for several versions. Others are probably choosing non-responsiveness over the frustration of bringing this unrequitian to the forefrontal lobes of their minds. It would be slendiforous if this gets adjudicated in a future version. But be forewarned, if you hold your breath until this takes place you may experience a smurfified complexion.

Well, at least your amusingly verbose response helped diffuse some of the unbridled rage seething within me.

(Ever notice how many anger-conveying emoticons there are on this forum? Tells ya somethin', doesn't it? )

[Killing Time]

Originally Posted by Muzamba

Not to mention the fact that I've tried PM-ing several people involved in creating roster sets and related mods, only to have none of them respond after numerous attempts over the past few months.

They must have a cartel.