Suggestions: Play-by-Play

[battists]

This suggestion thread is designed to collect suggestions for the next version of OOTP, on the following topic:

Play-by-Play

Includes
- Anything related to playing out your games, including feedback on the screens, new features, comments on play-by-play text, etc.

Excludes
- Anything outside of the "in-game engine"

Instructions
We will use this thread to collect suggestions on the above topic. Later on, we hope to present this information back to the community in a way that would allow you to vote and prioritize certain features.

If you would like to participate, here are the rules!

1. Only 1 suggestion per post.
2. Suggestions must be on-topic for the thread.
3. Constructive, non-inflammatory suggestions only.
4. No comments on others' suggestions are necessary. That means, we don't need 15 posts in the thread saying "Great idea!" or "I agree!"
5. Please don't link to other forum threads as your way of making suggestions. ("My suggestion can be found HERE.") If it's important enough to you that you want it in this thread, then it should be important enough to put it in the format I've asked for here!
6. You can certainly post suggestions that conflict with or build upon earlier suggestions.
7. Mockups are welcomed, they really help Markus see what you're interested in accomplishing.

Format for Suggestions

Suggestion
What is your suggestion? Be as specific as possible; include the screen you're talking about, if applicable.

Reason
Why do you think this is important? If this is to correct what you perceive as a problem in OOTP 2007, what is that problem? Be as specific as possible.

Priority
In your opinion, how important is this suggestion?
High (MUST have), Medium (should have), Low (nice to have))


Handy Cut-and-Paste Suggestion Form:

Suggestion


Reason


Priority


Thanks for participating!

Steve

[Mattymo]

Suggestion
This was mentioned in a thread last week but...when playing out a game, I should be notified when the opposing team uses a pinch hitter or makes a pitching change.

Reason
It's very important in the managerial aspect of the game...I dont want my lefty facing their lefty specialist in the 8th inning, but half the time I don't realize it until it's too late.

Priority
High

[Cryomaniac]

Suggestion
All the play by play should be editable, there should be no hardcoded calls.

Reason
More customization is good.

Priority
Low I suppose.

[Qrusher14242]

Suggestion
Allow me to choose if i want to tag up or not.

Reason
Dont want my catchers with 3 speed running on Jesse Barfield and always getting thrown out

Priority
Medium

[Comedian2004]

Suggestion
Add a hook that checks streaks. Joe Smith currently has a 25 game hitting streak going. Larry Anderson is trying to extend his streak of hitting a home run to 12 games.

Reason
During the league, you have no idea of what streaks are current. Unless of course you use AUHistoryHint

Priority
High

[Stu]

Suggestion
Add the ability to watch play-by-play after a game is completed

Reason
This could probably go in online suggestions as well, but it would be awesome to be able to watch the play-by-play of games that have already been played. For online leagues, owners would be able to go back and watch their games for the previous sim period. For offline you could go back and watch great games, etc. This would be much better than looking through the game logs.

Priority
Medium

[KGAGE]

Suggestion
Accomplishments/milestones should be noted in PBP. I would like to be notified during a players first at bat of the game if they are leading (or in the top 5) the league in something. Hitting streaks of 10 or more games should also be noted. If a player has broken a team/league record, that should be noted. Single game team/league records should also be kept and noted.

Reason
More immersion into my fictional universe.

Priority
Medium

[endgame]

Suggestion
Significantly tone down the "legs it out" at first and those similar phrases that put more weight on the batter's ability than simply referencing the more appropriate fielder's choice plays.

See "--and he's....SAFE at first base!" (specifically the reference to it being, perhaps, a pbp issue)

Reason
While DPs are accurately reflected statistically, the current wording and/or coding of these fielding decisions leads to the perception that the double play is not occuring when it should, i.e. the fielders possess the ability to pull it off and it ends up looking like a 20/35 speed/baserunning batter is unduly credited for his top notch speed or effort, both of which may not exist.

Priority
HIGH, for the "real feel" of good baseball.

[endgame]

This isn't core issue material, but I'll mention it anyway. While I'm aware the pbp can be edited, there are some familiar standards that I miss seeing when the occasion merits:

Suggestion
Bring back a couple of the ol' standbys at least once in awhile, e.g. Griffith "strikes out the side" or "Three up, three down"

Reason
Just some basic baseball I expect and have seen in previous versions I'd like to see return.

Priority
Obviously, low.

[wiggans1]

Suggestion. Change the order of the play by play call.


Reason. The play by play is backwoards most of the time. The PBP should read as a radio call (Example with runner on first on how it should be)

" Wind up and the pitch to Hennessy, it's a drive to right, Johnson on the move, he can't get it. it will roll to the wall. Wilson is around second on his way to third. johson chases it down to it, Wilson will try to score. Johnson to Alverez with the relay, the throw to the plate, Wilson slides... and he's safe. Hennessy rounds second but will hold with a stand up RBI double."

How it is now

The game now almost always follows the batter after he has hit the ball.
(Example: with a runner on first)
Wind up and the pitch to Hennessy, it's a drive to right. Johnson on the move, he can't get it, it will roll to the wall. Hennessy rounds first, will try for two. Johnson picks it up, Hennessy is in with a double. Wilson rounds third and will try for home. he slides, and he's safe....

It's backwoards, The way it is now. The runner on base is almost an after thought.

Priorty. one of the most important facets of the game for me. I Manage every game my team plays.

[Simmo13]

I'd very much like to see PBP that gave me an idea whether my defensive positioning was helping or hurting me, along the lines of......

"and that's a single though the drawn-in infield"
"the third baseman guarding the line stopped that from going into the corner"

Perhaps not very elegant examples but you get my point.

PRIORITY ENTERED AS MEDIUM

[wilkiburger]

This is an awesome game, however I would really like to see the reintroduction in the PBP of "Cabrera leads the NL in 2B hits" "Uggla is currently on a 12 game hitting (RBI, HR, etc) streak.

When players overtake others on the leaderboards, be it career or club, I would like to see acknowledgement of that in the PBM, e.g. "Tankersley is one K away from levelling with Benitez"

"Ramirez is currently 3rd in the all time Marlins SB just 2 away from Reed in 2nd"

How do you all feel about this.

Also how about records for single games against each other team and career.

Cabrera is the leading hitter against the Indians with 39 hits, but also a table that is sortable, further to that I wish I could sort the Batter v Pitcher.

Just some ideas that have probably been muted already, still an awesome game.



PRIORITY ENTERED AS MEDIUM

[JerryArr]

Suggestion
Display each player's team in the Starting Lineup screen for All-Star Games.

Reason
So you can see what team each All-Star is on... plus easy reference if you're the League Commish and you're recapping it in a chat or something.

Priority
Medium

[ctorg]

Suggestion
Have supplemental play-by-play files for specific ballparks/teams (as Strat-O-Matic does).

Reason
Allows for more nuanced, field-specific PBP calls, such as a reference to the Green Monster at Fenway or the apple coming out of the hat for a homerun at Shea. Whether this would be set to stadium-specific or team-specific might be a bit of a debate, but I would go with stadium-specific.

Priority
Low

[lt2cents]

Suggestion

Eventually completely redo play by play. There is no way the current granularity of play by play can be tweaked by text editing to the next level, which should be comparable to a top notch radio commentator.

Other entries here almost touch on this need.

The goal should be to match the timing, as related to the developing play, of the play call. A second 'voice' might be added for additional commentary before/after the play call.

There needs to be much more diversity of plays.

The proportion of regular play to extraordinary play needs to be greatly improved.

PBP language needs to be improved, at least to suit the 'ear' of someone who heard some of the better announcers.

These last two items might be preference settings, to someone not put off by too many 'exciting plays' in a game, or by more modern style expression, they can have them.


Reason

Quality of game immersion. To make a more real feel to the mix of plays and the announcer calls.

Priority

NO PRIORITY LISTED. ENTERED AS MEDIUM

[mgom27]

Suggestion
Live Play by Play for like the World Series,All-Star Game and if Futures Games,Home Run Derby and Celeblity Game is added
Reason
I like all those in real Life with it's Play by Play
Priority
High

[Roundin Third]

Originally Posted by Stu

Suggestion
Add the ability to watch play-by-play after a game is completed

Reason
This could probably go in online suggestions as well, but it would be awesome to be able to watch the play-by-play of games that have already been played. For online leagues, owners would be able to go back and watch their games for the previous sim period. For offline you could go back and watch great games, etc. This would be much better than looking through the game logs.

Priority
Medium

Suggestion: More specifically add option of writing PBP to a file that can be exported/saved

Reason: Same as above, opens options for online league to "broadcast" games.

NO PRIORITY LISTED. ENTERED AS MEDIUM

[frogger6]

Suggestion
Defensive player's icon highlights when ball is hit to him. ...Sound effect for caught ball, fielded ball, error, etc.

Reason
Reading there play-by-play can get boring. A simple highlight of fielder who has the ball as the play plays itself out would help immensely.

Priority
I'd put it right after sound

[pstrickert]

Suggestion
Allow the PbP to draw upon the gazillions of stats kept in the game. Right now, we get the bare basics, if that. The PbP could, in fact, include the following (some of which have already been mentioned in other posts):

1. league (or team) rank in any of the major statistical categories
2. batting average with runners in scoring position
3. batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position
4. individual stats against the current opponent (team, batter, pitcher) so far this season (or lifetime)
5. team record against the current opponent so far this season
6. reference to milestones (e.g., number of all-star games, MVP awards, 500 home runs, etc.)
7. reference to player history (e.g., when drafted, when traded, when placed on DL for lengthy period of time, etc.)
8. current streaks (team or individual)
9. pinch hitting stats for a pinch hitter when he is announced
10. number of pitches thrown by SP when it approaches 90 or 100
11. reference to manager's name in PbP (as well as news stories)
12. reference to player's birthplace (e.g., "the Baltimore, Maryland native takes a look at ball two")
13. reference to a player being recently called up from the minor leagues or activated from the DL

etc., etc., etc.


Reason
To make the PbP "current" and to break up the monotony of the PbP.

Priority
Medium-Low

[DerekT]

Suggestion
Have more descriptions on close plays

Reason
On infield hits it is very unclear that the play was ever close to begin with. For example a play will read "The ball is hit, the pitcher grabs it, the throw to first is not in time, its an infield hit", for this play it was never clear that the play would be close or that it was a difficult fielding play for the pitcher.

Something like this would be perfered "The ball is hit, the pitcher is going to have to run up to grab it, the pitcher gets to the ball and throws to first, not in time, infield hit!". On this play there is a indication of a non-routine play.

Priority

Medium to High