Playing a game in Online Leagues

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Okay, a new question about Online Leagues...

In the manual, it says the only person who can actually "Play a Game" in the Online League is the Commissioner.

Remember how I said that my Father and I are on two different computers and will eventually be in different states?

Well, here's the issue... We both actually like to "Play" most of our games, and not just simming them.

In the manual, in Online Leagues, Non-Commissioner Human Managers are not allowed to "Play the games", especially when it comes time for them to export their team files after the game.

Is there a way to work around this whole issue?

The only thing I can think of is both my father and I both have the Commissioner Password (or perhaps, if I don't set a Password... might that help?), so when we each upload/download the necessary files, then that would allow either of us to essentially act as the Commissioner so as to play our particular games.

Or perhaps I'm understanding the whole process wrong?

Or how about this, if I don't initiate the Online League function, will I still be able to have the option to "Export" the necessary files... or are any "Export" & "Import" functions only available when Online League mode is initiated?

If you guys know of any workarounds to this so that both my Dad and I can at least play our own games, not just sim them, then that would be awesome.

And most importantly... honestly, I would rather not let my father have the commissioner Password. He is a known cheater in games(to me) and it drives me up the wall when I notice he makes changes (mostly to his advantage). So if there's a way to have each other play the games without involving compromising the Commissioner's God-like powers (which would only be issued to me, since I am the most trustworthy of the two) then that would be even more awesome.

Any help would be appreciated.

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Would using the "Backup" option as a feasible workaround so that both my Dad and I can actually play our games?

Here's my line of thinking...

I create the league, etc. I do NOT make an Online League. Just a league for myself, so to speak...

I play my game, maybe sim a few Computer vs. Computer, and do what I do. I leave my father's team and game-to-be-played alone.

Then I hit "Backup" with "Copy All Files" selected.

It should save this big "Backup" somewhere on my Hard Drive right?

I go and somehow send this big "Backup" file to my Father via e-mail, FTP, or what have you.

He uses the "Backup" file I sent him and uses it to to "Restore" it to his copy of the game.

Theoretically, he should have the settings I had in my game (included league structure, the few games that I had played and/or simmed, etc.) on his. I left his game-to-be-played untouched, so he could play that and do his thing.

Then when he's done playing and making changes. He'd do the same process that I did so that I could download his "Backup" file.

Think this might work?

[phillosopherp]

I am trying to grasp what you are looking to accomplish and I just don't think I get it so I want to make sure.

Are you basically looking to be able to run two human controlled teams on two separate computers,playing out every game? If so I will attempt to see how you will go about doing this, but I will tell you right now that it would not be by making the league an online league. That would not work for you.

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Sorry, I know what I am trying to accomplish is really hard to describe.

My Dad and I like to play each of our team's games. By that, I mean actually managing the game, in pitch-by-pitch mode - warming up pitchers, etc.

Normally to accomplish this, we would play the League on the same computer.

However, we have two different computers with two different game licenses, and we don't like monopolizing each other's computer to play a sim game like this. Furthermore, I'll eventually be moving to another State.

So we thought doing an "Online League" might do the trick. However, the only catch is that "Online League" settings on OOTP X only allow the designated Commissioner to actually play a team's ballgame. For all other non-commissioner human managers (like my Dad), they could only see the box score of their ballgame that was simmed by the commissioner (in this case, me).

So, basically, we are trying to figure out a way to play our one League... on two different computers... in a way that would allow both of us (not just the commissioner) a chance to actually play our teams' ballgames.

Phew. I really hope that makes sense to someone.

And yes, using the Online League settings does not allow this. Like I said, it restricts the actual playing of a ballgame to the Commissioner. Other human managers can only view what happened on their ballgame via the box score and not actually play it.

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Originally Posted by phillosopherp

Are you basically looking to be able to run two human controlled teams on two separate computers,playing out every game?

Yes, I think you got it.

At the same time, all of the League's history, statistics, transactions, news, etc. are kept intact and identical on both computers as we go through each season.

I know the "Online League" mode lets you keep track of all of this and allows Human Managers to do just about everything, but the main exception, among other things, is the actual playing of each ballgame (again, except for the Commissioner)

[molarmite]

There is no way for doing what you have in mind. That's called Head to Head and is a highly requested feature but hasn't made it in yet.

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Originally Posted by molarmite

There is no way for doing what you have in mind. That's called Head to Head and is a highly requested feature but hasn't made it in yet.

Well, if by Head to Head you mean when it comes time for both of our teams to play each other and we decide we want to actually play the ballgame... then that's a small sacrifice we could take. I think my Dad and I could live with simming our particular matchups between our two teams.

I'm more concerned with when our teams are playing the computer-managed teams. We usually like to actually play most of those ballgames, not just sim them.

However, we each want to play this League and our ballgames on our own computers and not have to share one computer to do it all. I'm trying to figure out a workaround to do it.

Theoretically, I'm thinking the Game Backup and Game Restore option should do the trick. However, it might be quite tedious, especially if we like to tinker with our teams multiple teams throughout the same day... in which case, we'd have to do the Game Backup after every time we tinker with it and send each other the Game Backup file(s) via USB if we are in the same household or via e-mail or FTP once I move out-of-state.

However, if all that I'm trying to accomplish is still considered the "Head to Head" option, then... well, darn.

But that would be a cool feature. Especially if they can get it to work for Online Leagues. Where both human managers get to play an actual ballgame against each other in realtime. Somehow they'd be connected over the internet.

[Kelric]

I don't see why you couldn't do it as long as you weren't having the AI sim games in the background and if you are willing to swap the full files every time each of you play one game. I just think that would be incredibly tedious.

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Originally Posted by Kelric

I don't see why you couldn't do it as long as you weren't having the AI sim games in the background and if you are willing to swap the full files every time each of you play one game. I just think that would be incredibly tedious.

Yeah, exactly my line of thinking. Too tedious perhaps.

Once we get our OOTP's up and running on our comps, we'll give it a shot and let y'all know how it goes.

I'm just hoping somebody else has a better, less tedious, idea for allowing us to accomplish what we're trying to accomplish.

[SupaDupaMonkey]

What about my Online League idea... and where both my father and I are the "Commissioners" and granted the commissioner's powers in the league?

Being commissioner lets you do everything that human managers in Online Leagues are restricted to do, like actually playing ballgames and making trade offers.

I would just have to trust my cheating-butt father would have to play honestly and not tinker with player ratings to his advantage, huh? lol

[Kelric]

Right, but that won't stop you from having to constantly swap the file after each of you play only one game.

[JTSMOOTH]

Originally Posted by SupaDupaMonkey

What about my Online League idea... and where both my father and I are the "Commissioners" and granted the commissioner's powers in the league?

Being commissioner lets you do everything that human managers in Online Leagues are restricted to do, like actually playing ballgames and making trade offers.

I would just have to trust my cheating-butt father would have to play honestly and not tinker with player ratings to his advantage, huh? lol

I was just about to suggest that and then I read this...It would work.

You could have GM#1 play his game, upload the new file. Then GM #2 plays a game, advances the in game date, plays a game the next day(if they have one scheduled) and then uploads the file for GM #1. Who then plays their game or games...and so on...

[SupaDupaMonkey]

Hey guys, thanks for more responses. Any and all ideas are welcome.

Kelric, yes, you are correct. It won't stop us from having to swap the files every time. And I think I've just about come to the conclusion that for both of us to play on our separate computers on the same league, that that's only the way to do it: The backup/restore game option.

However, does anybody know how many MB (heck, or even GB) is the backup game file on average for Leagues with several seasons completed?

Also, if anybody happens to know, how comprehensive and stable are the backup files? If you select the "Copy All Files" button, will every single piece of history (player, team, etc.), stat, news logs, etc. saved as if nothing had ever happened? Has anybody come across any problems after restoring the backup files like misplaced stats, missing stats, unsaved parts of the league, etc.?

JTSmooth, thank you for clarifying about the Online League dual-GM option. That is what I would figure would work best for my father and I. As much as I love the guy, I just don't trust him not to change player ratings. LoL! He's done it before in past OOTP's and was usually the reason why I quit playing him back then. hehehe. But if it's the only way, then I'll consider it (especially when I'm cross-State).

Well, how about this question in regards to that... If you set a commissioner password and you are using your human manager profile set under "play as commissioner", will it prompt you to put in your password every time you try to change a player's ratings or try to change the league setup, or when trying to change anything actually? Or will the password prompt only come up if you are a regular human manager with no commissioner priviledges trying to make changes in the game?

Because I could always not give him the password... or if password is required for him to even play, then I could always change up the password afterwards to keep him honest.

[griffeyin98]

I'm actually trying to accomplish the same thing with a buddy in another city, so I'll keep you updated if we figure out a good way to do it. I'm gonna give the dual-commishioners a shot when he gets his laptop back next week. I think that way may work best depending on how OOTP works the online game file upload.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by molarmite

There is no way for doing what you have in mind. That's called Head to Head and is a highly requested feature but hasn't made it in yet.

Unless they did something to make it not work, H2H is possible and has been for a couple years now: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...head-head.html

[griffeyin98]

we've been "sharing" the league file through yousendit for a couple weeks and it isn't as big of an issue as I thought it would be, they way we're playing, some of out games get simmed, but that's mostly because of our personal schedules. But we send it back and forth 2-3 times per week.