General Manager

[frank_olaf]

I was wondering if it is possible to play the game in GM mode, meaning that i dont do any of the daily management stuff like setting line ups, but only do things like signing players. I have player EHM and in that game there is an option that allows you to chose if you want to coach games or have your head coach do it. Is there something similar in OOTP?

Thanks

[Kaitiaki]

Yes. On the Manager Options screen, you can switch control of each of the following between yourself and your team's AI Manager:

1. Lineups/Staff/Depth Charts
2. Roster Moves (promotions/demotions)
3. Transactions (signing/releasing players)
4. Minor League Transactions
5. Minor League Lineups/Staff/Depth Charts
6. Trading

If you set #s 1 and 5 to AI control, that'll leave you with just the GM-level tasks to worry about.

- Kai

[AfWapo]

I've been wondering the same thing. I wanted that option in 2006, but it wasn't there.

I would love to have a game mode as JUST the GM, and you would be in charge of hiring a manager, etc. The manager could obviously give suggestions about what he feels the team needs to compete, etc. "I think we need to acquire another starting pitcher" or "We need some speed in the outfield" etc. Maybe the manager could even give some feedback on suggested trades. Wouldn't that be cool?

I also wish there were an option for playing JUST as the manager, and not being the GM. You could have the ability to let the GM know what it is you would like for him to do, or give your opinion on how necessary it is to re-sign a certain player or whatever... but ultimately, you play with the roster given you.

How hard would this be to implement?

[frank_olaf]

thanks, that sounds good. One more concern. Will the new game have real player names?

[Kaitiaki]

Originally Posted by AfWapo

I've been wondering the same thing. I wanted that option in 2006, but it wasn't there.

Other than the addition of a separate control for minor league lineups/staff/depth charts, what I described above existed in the exact same form in 2006.

The manager could obviously give suggestions about what he feels the team needs to compete, etc. "I think we need to acquire another starting pitcher" or "We need some speed in the outfield" etc. Maybe the manager could even give some feedback on suggested trades. Wouldn't that be cool?

Note that you won't get any more feedback from your manager by playing this way, but you already do get some - in 2007, managers do give a little line of feedback on the trade screen when you're constructing a deal.

I also wish there were an option for playing JUST as the manager, and not being the GM.

Set the controls I discussed above to the opposite of what I recommended for playing as a GM, and you can do this. Though you don't gain additional tools for communicating with your AI GM - you simply have to live with his decisions.

- Kai

[Kaitiaki]

Originally Posted by frank_olaf

thanks, that sounds good. One more concern. Will the new game have real player names?

Not that ship with the game, no.

That said, there is a very dedicated mod community around here, and it's highly likely that there will be an MLB roster set or two (which include minor leagues) available on or around the release of the game. I'll leave it for the people that do such things to say more about them when they're ready to do so.

- Kai

[endgame]

Originally Posted by Kaitiaki

in 2007, managers do give a little line of feedback on the trade screen when you're constructing a deal.


- Kai

Ah, now that's a tidbit I hadn't heard. I like the sound of that.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by Kaitiaki

Yes. On the Manager Options screen, you can switch control of each of the following between yourself and your team's AI Manager:

1. Lineups/Staff/Depth Charts
2. Roster Moves (promotions/demotions)
3. Transactions (signing/releasing players)
4. Minor League Transactions
5. Minor League Lineups/Staff/Depth Charts
6. Trading

If you set #s 1 and 5 to AI control, that'll leave you with just the GM-level tasks to worry about.

- Kai

can you pick your own AI manager if you have scouts and coach disable? or one AI Manager just gets assign randomly to your team

Where I go to see the ratings of the AI manager?

[AfWapo]

The feedback from the manager sounds like a welcome addition.

As for setting the controls to the AI... no matter what I had checked, I was always listed as the team's general manager -- and not as the manager.

I just think it is a bit silly that the game didn't allow for me to be hired as the manager OR the General Manager. Setting those options you mentioned just didn't seem to cut it for me. Maybe I'm just picky.

[Kaitiaki]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

can you pick your own AI manager if you have scouts and coach disable? or one AI Manager just gets assign randomly to your team

If you have them disabled, then no. But there would seem to be something fundamentally backwards about the idea of wanting to play in a world where you have an AI Manager while also wanting the feature that provides such Managers to be turned off.

If you want to play in this sort of "limited" role, I would strongly recommend turning at least the Coaching system on (though you could still leave Scouting off, if you wanted).

Where I go to see the ratings of the AI manager?

The same place you would any player. They have Profile screens and HTML pages just like every other person in your game world. Those aren't accessible, though, if you have the Coaching system off - see my previous paragraph.

Originally Posted by endgame

Ah, now that's a tidbit I hadn't heard. I like the sound of that.

To give you an example, this is the paragraph I got when I set up a random deal just so I could make this post: "Your manager says: 'This is not too bad, but still would not convince me personally. I suggest asking for an additional prospect. Our projected budget room would improve by $18,870 to a total of -$484,558.'"

- Kai

[jbmagic]

f you have them disabled, then no. But there would seem to be something fundamentally backwards about the idea of wanting to play in a world where you have an AI Manager while also wanting the feature that provides such Managers to be turned off.

If you want to play in this sort of "limited" role, I would strongly recommend turning at least the Coaching system on (though you could still leave Scouting off, if you wanted).


The same place you would any player. They have Profile screens and HTML pages just like every other person in your game world. Those aren't accessible, though, if you have the Coaching system off - see my previous paragraph. - Kai

Thanks

I have coach/ scouts disable but when I goto manager option I see I can still pick Manager(Computer AI) to control by lineup, depth charts, etc still.

[Kaitiaki]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

I have coach/ scouts disable but when I goto manager option I see I can still pick Manager(Computer AI) to control by lineup, depth charts, etc still.

You can. But you won't be able to hire/fire a manager to get one that suits your strategy preferences, and it's a pain to see the ratings/info of your current Manager when Coaching is off.

(For reference, it can be done: go to your team's Home page - the HTML one - and select the Personnel page under "Links" on the left. That will show you the name of your Manager. Put his name into the Search bar in the top-right corner of the interface, and then left-click on his name in the search results to open his profile. Strategy Preferences is the second tab at the top.

Yes, that's cumbersome, but that's to be expected if you want Coaching information in a world where you have Coaching disabled. As mentioned, doing anything with Coaches is much more efficient if the system is enabled.)

- Kai

[Mr. Capo]

Originally Posted by Kaitiaki

there would seem to be something fundamentally backwards about the idea of wanting to play in a world where you have an AI Manager while also wanting the feature that provides such Managers to be turned off.

- Kai

Yes, but not entirely off base. Even with coaching off, the name of the field manager appears on screen in a couple of places. To better support my fantasy, I like to customize his name. So I go to his EDIT screen, via the procedure you've outlined, and name him something that suits me. Strictly cosmetic, but it pleases me.

[battists]

Just to clarify, too:

The reason that things like the bench coach appear even if you have coaching turned off is this:

Turning coaching off doesn't mean that you have no coaches or managers. It simply means that you've elected to use anonymous, equally-rated coaches. So, you'll still see options like "Ask manager for pitching staff" and you'll still see the names of the people in the game.

Not sure if that clarifies anything.

Incidentally, going back to the original poster's question, although you can play in a GM-like mode, it's important to note that 2006/2007 does not make a true distinction between these roles. So, if you choose to handle only GM roles, you won't get access to different capabilities, or get messages aimed only at the "GM". Similarly, if you choose just to handle manager roles, you won't be treated very differently.

The game just isn't designed right now to have those two roles fully separated.

[Mr. Capo]

Originally Posted by battists

The game just isn't designed right now to have those two roles fully separated.

That would be a great feature for 2008. And throw in OWNER, too.

I'd like to see the owner, GM, and manager each be "role-playable." Ideally, there would be a hierarchy of owner>GM>manager, and you could override the decisions of the guy beneath you.

As owner, you could be proactive like Steinbrenner or Finley (who gave his players nicknames they didn't like, made them grow moustaches, and named the mascot after himself) or just sit back and make the budget.

As GM you could just go to work on draft day, letting your manager set the lineups etc, or you could control the team like Billy Beane, who may as well have a cardboard cutout for a manager.

Let's at least give the owner a name.

[Kemp]

Originally Posted by battists

Just to clarify, too:

The reason that things like the bench coach appear even if you have coaching turned off is this:

Turning coaching off doesn't mean that you have no coaches or managers. It simply means that you've elected to use anonymous, equally-rated coaches.

That's actually a question that I posed here:
Scouting vs Coaching?

You wouldn't happen to know this answer, would you Mr. Battists?

[Curtis]

Originally Posted by Mr. Capo

That would be a great feature for 2008. And throw in OWNER, too.

I'd like to see the owner, GM, and manager each be "role-playable." Ideally, there would be a hierarchy of owner>GM>manager, and you could override the decisions of the guy beneath you.

As owner, you could be proactive like Steinbrenner or Finley (who gave his players nicknames they didn't like, made them grow moustaches, and named the mascot after himself) or just sit back and make the budget.

As GM you could just go to work on draft day, letting your manager set the lineups etc, or you could control the team like Billy Beane, who may as well have a cardboard cutout for a manager.

Let's at least give the owner a name.

This was worth posting twice.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Mr. Capo

That would be a great feature for 2008. And throw in OWNER, too.

I'd like to see the owner, GM, and manager each be "role-playable." Ideally, there would be a hierarchy of owner>GM>manager, and you could override the decisions of the guy beneath you.

As owner, you could be proactive like Steinbrenner or Finley (who gave his players nicknames they didn't like, made them grow moustaches, and named the mascot after himself) or just sit back and make the budget.

As GM you could just go to work on draft day, letting your manager set the lineups etc, or you could control the team like Billy Beane, who may as well have a cardboard cutout for a manager.

Let's at least give the owner a name.

I am all for this as well. This could be part of 2008.