Independent Leagues (Reprise)

[Dr. P.R. Park III]

This is either the third or fourth year in a row I will be campaigning for independent leagues to be implemented into the next version of OOTP. Earlier in the year, I suggested the following:

"Just going to throw this out there again: please add functional independent leagues....also while I'm at it: please make it optional for the game to create annual free agents for each league, otherwise the OOTP engine constantly just spews out crappy nobodies, with no history or connection to the world, and overpopulates and clogs the game up. Every player should have a traceable history in this game... "

I pretty much still feel the same, except now there appears to be even more reason for independent leagues now with Reserve Clause Era rules in-game; the Reserve Era and historical independent leagues go hand-in-hand.

Bottom Line: Independent leagues, even in the crudest format (a simple optional check box in the Game Options saying Ability to Sell/Purchase Players, attached with a drop-down box where the user can define the hierarchical baseball environment, or just simply select which leagues a MAJOR league can purchase contracts from.)

This is long overdue, especially from a historical standpoint.

[Jntg4]

Originally Posted by Dr. P.R. Park III

This is either the third or fourth year in a row I will be campaigning for independent leagues to be implemented into the next version of OOTP. Earlier in the year, I suggested the following:

"Just going to throw this out there again: please add functional independent leagues....also while I'm at it: please make it optional for the game to create annual free agents for each league, otherwise the OOTP engine constantly just spews out crappy nobodies, with no history or connection to the world, and overpopulates and clogs the game up. Every player should have a traceable history in this game... "

I pretty much still feel the same, except now there appears to be even more reason for independent leagues now with Reserve Clause Era rules in-game; the Reserve Era and historical independent leagues go hand-in-hand.

Bottom Line: Independent leagues, even in the crudest format (a simple optional check box in the Game Options saying Ability to Sell/Purchase Players, attached with a drop-down box where the user can define the hierarchical baseball environment, or just simply select which leagues a MAJOR league can purchase contracts from.)

This is long overdue, especially from a historical standpoint.

I just make an A league not affiliated with a major league when I do it. Rookie if it is lower-level.

[Dr. P.R. Park III]

The concept of independent leagues is much more then simply creating an unaffiliated lower-level minor league; it's about establishing a baseball hierarchy and then having established indie players' contracts picked up by major league teams, often at very minimal fees.

The problems with independent league workarounds in-game:

1.) They're not real independent leagues
2.) Independent stars end up demanding ridiculous amounts of money from major league teams because the AI cannot distinguish between a major league star and indie star (for example in a couple of test sims for a possible World of Baseball 12 quickstart, major league teams keep signing Josh Phelps from the Atlantic League to a ridiculous contract because he always belts 30-35 dingers) but in reality Phelps would never be signed for $1-2 million; instead his contract would be purchased, and he would sign a minor league deal...this possibility currently doesn't exist.
3.) Historical independent leagues are integral for historical game-play and should also be required since Reserve Era Clause rules are now in-game.

You have to think about the dynamics of professional baseball, not only in the context of a modern lens, but also historical. When you look at it like that, independent leagues are just as important as Reserve Era Clause rules.

[clamel]

Agree 110 %.

Independents leagues should be included very soon.
It´s just, almost, impossible to include them at the present.

I have tried hard too and contracts really messes things up big time.

[Gator]

I agree this is important.

[jmlima]

Another yes vote here. This is quite fundamental in fact if the game wants any claims of 'historical simulation'.

[ashantewarrier]

I agree with you DR! It's about time we get true independent leagues.

Btw- care to share your workarounds that you use now?

[risp2out]

I wholeheartedly agree that Indy leagues need to be included. One of the problems I've always had was getting financials to be adequately differentiated and yet still evolve (you can set the leagues to different levels financially, but the non-ML leagues won't develop proportionally to the ML if you're playing in a historical setting). There should also be one big crop of players each year and all of the leagues should scramble after them. There might be a few phenoms that ML teams sign right out of high school, but the others would hook up with lower level and local teams to try to prove themselves.

[thbroman]

Sorry to be slow in adding my support to this request, but IMHO this is a must if there is ever going to be a fully function historical universe in OOTP. No doubt about it, this is the #1 item on my wish list for OOTP13.

Oh -- and item #1a would be a financial system that allows minor leagues to work in a way that allows them to buy and sell players. If there are any quetions, LGO is the man to ask!

[RANGER11JP]

You have to have someplace for your has beens or walk ons to go. The teams themselves could also be the makings of a new affiliate or move into an existing league. A home for all the highschool, college, internationals or whatever. Isn't that what makes getting into a team system great. Isn't that what makes baseball great and our total immersion stories worth having?