How will you play OOTP 9?

[Muppetus Galacticus]

I'll start an MLB game while I work on one of my fictional ideas.

[chimanbj]

I'll start with a standard MLB build in 1901, with AAA, AA, A and Rookie league systems. I'll surround that with LOTS of independent leagues, both in the U.S. as well as world-wide. Different leagues will crop up over time, but no league will ever be completely abandoned (it's hard, if not impossible, to get to a dissolved league's history). At some point in the future (say, the 1960s, during MLB's expansion), I'll allow the independent leagues to have trades with the MLB, and then see, in another 50 years, which players from the independent league end up in the Hall of Fame (I make the requirements a bit more realistic, so I don't get flooded with players who have one or two years of experience).

Another thing I want to experiment with is building different rookie pools (based on the Lahman structure) for different leagues. This would (hopefully) allow for the creation of an AAGPBL, and the Negro Leagues.

Of course, the VERY first thing I do is take a standard league and try to break it. I'm going hunting for bugs! (meaning this in a very POSITIVE way. I love this game, and want to lend a hand in making it even better)

[Giants44]

This thread really illustrates the genius (that I did not understand at the time) of the decision to allow for all of these customized "world" leagues.

For myself I have played hundreds of leagues over the years and not once have I done anything that wasn't a MLB model, just doesn't appeal to me at all. But clearly so many other people do, and that is the strength of OOTP it really does allow you to play the game the way you want to play it.

[MizzouRah]

Like the thread starter, just a typical MLB type setup.

[mikev]

Online, as always.

[renojedi]

I do a real MLB ste-up with two expansion teams. I take control of one and see how long it takes my to end up with a winning franchise. With OOTP 8 I played one and simmed two games since I just got it a couple of months ago and wanted to get some seasons under my belt before OOTP 9 came out. So far I am through two and a half and have one 69 and 75 games. I think I am trending down for the current season.

Anyway, I will play all the games in OOTP 9 so I am one of those guys who likes all the in game enhancements to the experience (like sound) so I am really looking forward to it!

[Markus Heinsohn]

I usually start up a simple 16-team fictional league with full minors. I start in 1977 and simulate 30 years to build up some history. Then I release all players and start with a draft

[blackrussian]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

I usually start up a simple 16-team fictional league with full minors. I start in 1977 and simulate 30 years to build up some history. Then I release all players and start with a draft

ive always wondered what kind of league the creator of the game actually runs...

[Russ]

I think I'll start with the current MLB and simulate 30 years to get rid of all current players. Something about having the real history and fictional players appeals to me.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Originally Posted by blackrussian

ive always wondered what kind of league the creator of the game actually runs...

I like it simple, and rather small leagues so I get to know the players quicker... what always fascinates me how much FaceGen actually adds to the game. Andreas and Aurelio did a wonderful job there

[playball335]

I'm not quite sure how I am going to start. I just hope I can do it on this nice long Memorial Day weekend (prays to the allmighty baseball gods)!

[ootp3to6]

I am going with MLB plus minors.
In addition to this I am going to try setting up a multinational league.

[AESP_pres]

Start an historic league in 1969 and play with the Expos with the restriction that I've to trade or draft or sign only the players who had really played with the real franchise.

[Casimir]

The Polska Liga Baseballu will be a major league baseball league based in Poland with a full minor league consisting of Rookie through AAA levels. A college feeder league will also be based in Poland. I'll set the league up, sim about 20 years to get some history, and then grab control of a downtrodden team to see how quickly I can turn its fortunes around. I'm planning on having an expansion or two along the way, and will take control of an expansion team to see how quickly I can take it the championship. We'll start with 2 leagues, 2 divisions per league, and 6 teams per division, and add 1 team to each division during expansion. Also will have a few independant teams in AAA, AA, and A.

I'll be using logos based off of cephasjames' photobucket page, and wanted to extend my thanks for his work and the work of others with developing and sharing those.

[Simmo13]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

I like it simple, and rather small leagues so I get to know the players quicker... what always fascinates me how much FaceGen actually adds to the game. Andreas and Aurelio did a wonderful job there

Agree completely. On another thread there were comments about the newer versions being "impersonal" and "less immersive" than the golden days of 6.5 but having played since 6.12 I find that Facegen, write/edit news stories, logo and uniform mods etc, have added enormously to the realism of my fictional baseball world. I suppose I think of OOTP as a bit like reading an interactive novel ( rather then setting out to beat the game) so I'm really looking forward to starting a new fictional/historical league with 2009. Thanks for a great game

[RMc]

I like to re-arrange the history of baseball. In one universe, America doesn't enter WW2, so the St Louis Browns move to Los Angeles in 1942 (as they were actually planning to do), followed by the Athletics shifting to San Francisco ("The A's By The Bay") in 1944. Then a rival "United League" (anagolous to football's All-American Football Conference) pops up in the late 40s, leading to a lengthy "ball war". The UL capitulates by 1955 and its teams are brought into the AL and NL, who now have 12 teams apiece. In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers threaten to move to Atlanta, but stay after a new domed stadium in built in Flatbush.

In 1963, the same year astronauts land on the moon, MLB expands to Canada, Mexico and Cuba (no Castro in this timeline, either). Japanese teams are added by the seventies, with Sadaharu Oh hitting a sayonara home run to give the Tokyo Robins a World Series win over the Boston Red Sox in 1975.

By 2001, MLB has 64 teams from Australia to Puerto Rico, with new franchises set for Europe and South America. It soon surpasses soccer as the most popular game on earth.

At least, that was the idea: my hard drive fried before I could implement it

[ctorg]

I play all different kinds of leagues. My longest lasting ones are usually fictional but set in the real world, usually a sort of alternate MLB with fictional teams in real cities. I start small (sometimes just 12 teams) and play out a number of years, paying attention to things on a large scale. I gradually expand and move teams around and adjust finances for inflation and all that. Then I take over a team, usually an expansion team.

Once I get to the point where I can't stop winning every year, I usually start a new league.

[kq76]

I think I'll start a Russian Super League and turn it into a European Continental League like is happening in real life with hockey. That's in addition to my usual Canadian League of course.