OOTP10 Suggestions: New Features / Grab Bag

[battists]

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

New Features / Grab Bag

NOTE: This thread should only be used for suggestions that don't obviously fit into another already posted category!

Includes
- Any features that didn't previously exist in 2007 and don't fit obviously into another category, such as sound, 2D, etc.

Excludes
- Features that have an obvious fit in another category. This should be the "category of last resort"!

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

[Hrbek14]

Suggestion
Allow the abandonment of the DH by putting him into the field.

Reason
It is an important baseball rule. It happens several times each MLB season and is a vital part of the strategy of using the DH. Not having this rule implemented forces changes in roster management and game strategy. If MLB didn't allow this to happen, for example, the Minnesota Twins would have been forced to use a roster spot on a third catcher for the last several years because they frequently use their two catchers (Mauer and Redmond) in the lineup at the same time. Without the ability to abandon the DH, they would be stuck without a catcher in case of injury unless they burned a roster spot on a third catcher.

Priority
High

[southsidefan]

Suggestion
Keep track of consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

Reason
I sorta of do this manually but it is a pretty big record that isn't being recorded yet.

Priority
low

[t-bone shuffle]

Suggestion

- In the Webcast screen, I'd really like to see "Last Years Stats" for both the hitter and the pitcher. In fact, I'd like to see the first three lines for each be current season, last season and career, in that order, with potentially a line prior to the career numbers separating it from the two previous seasons.


Reason

- For me it's an immersion issue. Now, when I look at a players current season stats, my only comparison point is his career stats, which may or may not tell me a thing about what the player is accomplishing currently. Is he trending up, or down? For me to get to know the players on teams other than mine, this is what comes to mind. Plus in the early parts of a new season, a players performance from the previous season may carry much more relevance than his career numbers.

Priority

- For the game as a whole, I'd say it's a moderate priority. For me personally, it's a high one.

[ovccsteve]

Suggestion:
Minor-league Designated For Assignment Box (possibly with a variable or indefinite time length), limited to players not on the 40-man roster.


Reason
Since coding a minor league DL is apparently a major pain, what about a workaround where you can at least stash injured minor leaguers in a convenient location? It would make it much easier to manage those players and would also make the "Ask Bench Coach" buttons fully functional even if players are injured long term.

Priority
Medium

[texasmame]

SUGGESTION: Ability to hold or send baserunners on a case-by-case, play-by-play basis.

REASON: May not be "realistic" but adds to the tension/fun/skill of the game. I want Lou Brock to try for the extra base on Johnny Damon but not on Ichiro.

LEVEL: Moderately high.

[texasmame]

(I guess this would go here)

SUGGESTION: IRS% for relief pitchers kept track of.

REASON: Realism and very helpful in making crucial bullpen decisions. Unreal that a game with such stat depth is lacking this!

PRIORITY: Highest!

[Captain Walrus]

Suggestion
Allow the players to be created or edited by inputting a stat line and receiving ratings.

Reason
Currently, if I want to use customized stats, I have to edit the Lahman database and then import the player. This requires a TON of work which often makes me give up on league projects that I was excited about and stop playing OOTP for a while. If I could just type in the stats, it would be so much quicker and cut out the middle man.

Priority
Very High (this is literally the only new feature I care about)

[Afino]

Suggestion

Adding an innings limit in addition to the max pitch count on the player strategy page.


Reason

- This is a bigger issue in spring training where starters only go up to four innings pitched. My relievers get fatigued and injured due to unintended overuse when I sim. I realize the pitch count can be set, but I'd rather also have an IP limit for this reason.

Priority

- Low

[Raidergoo]

Suggestion
Many High school feeder league players should go to a college feeder league.

Reason
Realism.

Priority
Low

[Raidergoo]

Suggestion
Playable College teams complete with a recruiting process to acquire talent.

Reason
Realism. it would also add an entirely new way to play the game.

Priority
Low

[Raidergoo]

Suggestion
Export/Import to a Lahman format database (IE multiple CSV's)

Reason
This would allow for easy clean-up of data, editing, and review of data.

Priority
Medium

[StyxNCa]

Suggestion

Make it possible to type in stats to come up with ratings in the player editor the way it was in 6.5 and earlier.

Reason

It's way too tedious the way it is now. I also like to create real life lefty/right stats for players when they are available.

Priority

For me, it's really the only thing I would like to see changed. Top priority.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I posted this in another thread but seeing another request about this in here I will put it in here as well.

[bigMatt]

I would like to have more control over Spring Training. Specifically, I would like to be able to expand the # of games scheduled, schedule A & B squads, and be able to move guys up and down during ST without the player losing an option.

[whobob]

Suggestion

Allow a more interactive history. Allow people to set an "all time" team much like someone would set a lineup/rotation, except with all the players from the organization's previous years.

Reason

Allows a more expansive and interactive history. After I've simmed so many years, the history becomes one of the biggest parts of the game. Adding such a feature would let me spend more time pouring over the history of my club.

Priority

Low

[whobob]

Suggestion

Affiliate players in the Hall of Fame with a certain team. This can be done by the highest VORP with a certain team. I would also let Championships won with a team account for a very small deciding factor. If one player has a very close VORP with two teams, he should go to the team he's won the most with.

Reason

Gives GMs even more of reason to sign potential HOFers to contracts and keep them on their team as long as possible. I like to keep my players as long as possible because I think they'll go into the HOF under my team name. I even peruse the HOF and attribute players to certain teams. It would be nice to make it official, and you could see which team has had the most HOF players. This is currently a big part of the HOF (seeing what cap a player will wear when they go in) and I would like to see it reflected in OOTP.

Priority

Medium

[whobob]

Suggestion

Allow the retiring of player's numbers.

Reason

Adds to the history of the game, and honors the ballclub's all time greats. Makes the game mirror MLB more thoroughly.

Priority

Low

[Afino]

(the above post reminded me of something!)

Suggestion

Locking in a player's number.

Reason

When a player moves up or down between levels or especially moves on and off the disabled list, a player's number will change even if his number had not been in use by someone else while he was away. I'd like to keep the same numbers, for potential retirement (suggestion above)

Priority

Low

[Nutlaw]

Suggestion
Add team rivalries. Have games played between rivals increase attendance, increase the effect of the outcome upon fan interest, increase the likelihood of brawls in-game, and decrease the likelihood of trades between rivals.

Either allow the commish to edit a field for each team to designate one or two rivals, or create a more fluid way of calculating it in game. You could do the latter by tracking a sort of rivalry score for each opposing team that would increase after a close division/wild card race, after a playoff round against the opponent, and to a much lesser extent after things like brawls.

Reason
It would add depth to the game without making it any more difficult to play.

Priority
Low.

[Syd Thrift]

Suggestion: Give the option of having a player take a cortisone shot to delay the effects of a major injury.

Reason: Something similar is done in FM, and it adds to the drama and the realism of the game. Your cleanup hitter suffers a thigh injury and will miss the next month. You have 2 weeks to go in the season and need the guy badly. Do you give him the shot and risk longer-term injury or do you let him tend to his wounds and wait 'till next year?

Priority: Low.