Basic questions

[cbbl]

Hi all!

Another question for you.

I’m kind of a historical simmer, but with fictional leagues and players. My overall objective is a league history that has a level of reality to it – even if that reality is only inside my little world.

My plan was to “pretend” a league was formed on the west coast in the late 40s as a competitor to MLB. At first the new league, which I’m calling the California Baseball League, has only eight teams – four at the ML level and four at the AAA level (each affiliated with a ML team).

As time goes on, the league expands – more teams at the ML level, and expansion of the farm system.

I am seeking to create this alternate universe and replicate the real world as if is league was formed. That means I want to adjust things like player names, foreign players, and finances (including things like free agency, the waiver rule, etc.) as time goes on.

I’m sensing that I’m being too ambitious for OOTP. But let me ask straight-forward.

1. I cannot add leagues once a game is created. How do others deal with this if planning on league expansion? Two options I see:

A. Add all the leagues now, but don’t associate the teams with the ML team until the appropriate time. The problem I see with this is that I have to create the teams, and the history records will show the leagues all being formed the same year.
B. Create different games every year a new league is formed. The problem I see with this is I lose continuity in the history files within the established leagues (such as the ML).
C. Another option? If I can add leagues and keep the historical data by messing with the .dat or other files, fine. Tell me how. Other options??

2. The only way to update names and financials seems to be by creating new games. Again, if I do this, I lose the historical records from game to game (lets say Joe Johnson hits .301 with 80 RBIs in 1949. Because I have to create a new game for 1950, I export the team roster with Joe from the 1949 game and import it to the 1950 game. I open up the 1950 game and see he’s there, but without any stats from 1949.

It seems to me that this challenge would most likely be faced by historical simmers who are looking to build the entire MLB universe (including minors) … if you are a historical simmer starting in, say, 1901, how did you handle the addition of the farm system? Addition of minor leagues? Updating player financials? … and all while keeping historical integrity and compiled stats?

Please help! Many thanks!!

cbbl

[YankeePride]

I can't answer some questions because I'm not much of a historical simmer, but I will comment on your first question.

As of now, it seems the only way to do this is to create the entire universe from day one. It's unfortunate and right now the first of two major gripes I have with the game (the second being unable to pull a free agent offer).

You are spot on with 1a. The other issue I believe I remember someone mentioning is the league still having to run it's basic operations. So, though the league wouldn't ahve started in your mind until 10 years later, it'll still have to run as a regular league before hand. That basically kills your idea.

You could do 1b, but it'll involve a lot of file movement and there's no telling what information you'll either lose or screw up by doing so.

I wish there were a better way to do this. Good luck with whichever direction you choose.