JANUARY UPDATE: January 2, 2004

Jim Trunzo · 01-02-2004, 09:06 AM

Hello, All,

Let's begin by repeating our wish that you and yours had a Happy Holiday. I hope in some small way OOTP helped make it a bit more enjoyable.

It's hard to believe that 2003 is now history but I can't say that I'm sad to see it go. November and December were just a tad stressful. Now, as always with the advent of a new year, it's time to move ahead.

Here's a quick, down and dirty update:

1. We've compiled a new list of items to add to what was left over from the last list so that we may address these issues in upcoming patches.

2. We will be releasing either two smaller patches or one major patch by the end of the month. These patches or patch should take care of 90% of all the requests made since and features missing from the original release of TBCB.

3. Among the issues addressed from a design standpoint are: too much swelling/too many cuts; modification of the knockout strategies; balancing the rankings to permit sufficient variety without ridiculous rankings from organization to organization.

4. Among the issues addressed from a technical standpoint are: print routines; inporting data from previous editions; additional function buttons, etc.

5. I will be posting a poll about which feature you might like to see added to a future version of the boxing game. Please let us know your preferences. None of these will reflect features that are already ear-marked for the role-playing game.

6. Design work has already started on the role-playing version of the boxing game. I'd like to start gushing about the features that it will contain but it's way too premature. I'll just say this: you'll be able to manage a single fighter or a stable of fighters; rent space in a gym or own a gym; negotiate with local promoters or national promoters; play it straight or bend the rules; lead your fighter or fighters to a championship or into the gutter; make millions or owe millions. And forget operating in a virtual town - how about a virtual city?

7. The boxing website will start to take on a new look soon. Please begin looking for fighter downloads and articles, sometime next week.

Thank you for your support. Please continue to spread the word about the boxing game. Frankly, perhaps even a little crudely, the truth is that the more we sell, the better products we can make and the more incentive we have to do just that!

Oh, on a final note: anyone who wishes to review any OOTP products for legitimate sources, please contact me: jim@ootpdevelopments.com.

darthpb · 01-02-2004, 10:19 AM

Wow!!!! And, yes, you did make my New Year just a little bit better. The game already does everything I expected it to do but these improvements will surely bump it closer to 100%...thanks for a GREAT product...

vistaman44 · 01-02-2004, 10:33 AM

Thanks for the update, Jim. Looking good!

BrocktonBlockBuster · 01-02-2004, 02:06 PM

Jim,I'd like more animation. I also would prefer clearer graphics. I think the blurry deal has to do with being PC. Which I understand and respect. I think clear graphics along with a slider for skin color would be better though. Thanks for the update,I'm loving the game as is right now!

jrmorgan56 · 01-02-2004, 02:17 PM

Thanks for the update Jim!

earl6125 · 01-02-2004, 02:31 PM

Jim:

I dont want to beat a dead horse here..but does that also include the condition ratings you were going to check into. Remember I mentioned to you alot of fighters were missing this rating.

Thanks, Jim. Wishing you a great 2004!

GDE · 01-02-2004, 03:02 PM

Jim,

The thing I personally need is for the sanctioning bodies to have different rankings among the top fighters.

Boxingnut · 01-02-2004, 03:05 PM

Thanks for the update Jim, the future of TBCB sounds great and is in good hands!!

PittPanther · 01-02-2004, 03:54 PM

I actually thought the graphics were strong for a text based sim.

But surprise, surprise it's number one right now on the poll!

I have to admit, I'd like the bareknuckle or career stages first.

I'd also like the see the auto-schedular cleaned up a bit.

I'd also like to see a calender.

I'd also like to see the strategies tweaked just a weee bit.

Forever yours,
Waiting Patiently

almo · 01-02-2004, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PittPanther
I actually thought the graphics were strong for a text based sim.

But surprise, surprise it's number one right now on the poll!

I have to admit, I'd like the bareknuckle or career stages first.

I'd also like the see the auto-schedular cleaned up a bit.

I'd also like to see a calender.

I'd also like to see the strategies tweaked just a weee bit.

Forever yours,
Waiting Patiently

I Completely AGREE with you!!!!

I think the graphics are great...tasteful and leaves something to the imagination. Someone said that they were done this way because of PC issues? I beta tested and there was no mention of political correctness! It was just an artful ( Van Goghish) way of doing graphics.

Id completely like to see the career stages!

By the way...the calander is a great Idea!!!

rastak · 01-02-2004, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Trunzo
Hello, All,

Let's begin by repeating our wish that you and yours had a Happy Holiday. I hope in some small way OOTP helped make it a bit more enjoyable.

It's hard to believe that 2003 is now history but I can't say that I'm sad to see it go. November and December were just a tad stressful. Now, as always with the advent of a new year, it's time to move ahead.

Here's a quick, down and dirty update:

1. We've compiled a new list of items to add to what was left over from the last list so that we may address these issues in upcoming patches.

2. We will be releasing either two smaller patches or one major patch by the end of the month. These patches or patch should take care of 90% of all the requests made since and features missing from the original release of TBCB.

3. Among the issues addressed from a design standpoint are: too much swelling/too many cuts; modification of the knockout strategies; balancing the rankings to permit sufficient variety without ridiculous rankings from organization to organization.

4. Among the issues addressed from a technical standpoint are: print routines; inporting data from previous editions; additional function buttons, etc.

5. I will be posting a pole about which feature you might like to see added to a future version of the boxing game. Please let us know your preferences. None of these will reflect features that are already ear-marked for the role-playing game.

6. Design work has already started on the role-playing version of the boxing game. I'd like to start gushing about the features that it will contain but it's way too premature. I'll just say this: you'll be able to manage a single fighter or a stable of fighters; rent space in a gym or own a gym; negotiate with local promoters or national promoters; play it straight or bend the rules; lead your fighter or fighters to a championship or into the gutter; make millions or owe millions. And forget operating in a virtual town - how about a virtual city?

7. The boxing website will start to take on a new look soon. Please begin looking for fighter downloads and articles, sometime next week.

Thank you for your support. Please continue to spread the word about the boxing game. Frankly, perhaps even a little crudely, the truth is that the more we sell, the better products we can make and the more incentive we have to do just that!

Oh, on a final note: anyone who wishes to review any OOTP products for legitimate sources, please contact me: jim@ootpdevelopments.com.

Jim, thanks for the update.....sounds great....a couple of questions. Is it true the following will not be addressed in the next patch?

1) Title History Screen.
2) Ranking html exports.
3) Noting of title bouts in fight history screen.

Also, will the role playing game allow more than one player?
That's pretty key, it's always alot more fun competing with a friend instead of by oneself against the computer. World Championship Boxing Manager (I think that's the name) was pretty fun just for that reason.

vistaman44 · 01-02-2004, 04:29 PM

Just noticed tournament brackets were not mentioned. Is that something that's coming this month, or down the road some?

wildhawke11 · 01-02-2004, 05:09 PM

In regard to improved graphics
At the moment the text is the key to what is going in the ring. I feel that as graphics are improved the text will become less important as of course the eyes will pretty much stay on the figures of the fighters in the ring.

So full sound commentary and better graphics sort of go hand in hand.
Although of course i do realise that its doubtful if both will be done together.
Would be nice also if the graphics show the fighters using the correct hand when throwing punches. Which is amiss at times of course.

Its a bit premature, but when voice commentary is used in the program its so important to have the right person doing the sound commentary. You know yourself some commentators regardless of what is happening in the ring can make a fight seem boring.

As pointed out to Jim and Co once before.
Once a fighter is taking a count.
You can say One Two Three Four
Or Oneeee Twooooo Threeee Fourrrrr

The 2nd version is in my book the correct way to go. Well, that's how it was done in the old radio broadcasts as i am sure Jim and Tom will recall.

Thanks for a Great Program though Jim and Co

Bronx Bomber 15 · 01-02-2004, 05:14 PM

Hey Jim,
Great news, things are really moving along. Any chance of fixing the problem of not being able to move fighters between databases so we don't have to manually enter the fighter in our existing database every time there's fighter updates?
In any case, excellent work. Thanks.
-JIM

MiddleGA · 01-02-2004, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Frankly, perhaps even a little crudely, the truth is that the more we sell, the better products we can make and the more incentive we have to do just that!

Frankly, perhaps even bluntly, you'd take a step in the right direction by finally making a demo available for prospective buyers.

Speck · 01-02-2004, 08:08 PM

Out of the four options, I like voiced commentary, but it has to be done correctly. I wouldn't mind waiting a version or two if that's what it takes. One thing I would suggest is using a lossy audio format (ogg vorbis - no patent/license fees

) instead of wav files.

I don't want to think about how large the download would be if wav's were used

Speck

Antonin · 01-02-2004, 08:39 PM

I'm a bit surprised that full animation ranks so high on the list of things people really want to see. I'm a text-based management sim geek, with the emphasis on "text-based." I'd hate to see TBCB start down the slippery slope to arcade-ism.

Personally, I love the "listening to the radio" feel of watching the text commentary scroll up the screen. I did the "rock-em, sock-em" eye candy thing a long time ago, and my approaching-middle-age eyes just are not impressed by that kind of thing any more. I much prefer using my imagination as I read the fight text.

For future versions of TBCB I'd love to see more flexibility in creating my boxing universe, more statistics, more ways to instruct your fighter during a bout. I'd like to have the *option* of having fighters age automatically. I'd like an option that would let me track a fighter's winnings, even in single fights that I set up (these are "professional" boxers, after all). I'd like a "role play" module, as long as it's not cartoonish.

But to tell you the truth, I'm so pleased with the current version of TBCB I would not be disappointed if the Trunzos said "We are going to scrap the role playing stuff and focus on other ways to make this an even better replay sim."

Beach23BoyP · 01-02-2004, 08:46 PM

Jim,

Thanks for the update. My wishes:

1) Ability to move fighters from group to group (or databases).
2) You said that you would release all the "graphic files" used in the game. I have an idea for my skin and I need those files. Mine will not be like an oil painting or blurry -- it will be another process.
3) More than "role play" I'd really like to see you go for a "radio type announcing of the bouts". Like Ernie Harwell in Baseball Blast use to take me back to '27 Yankees -- you could put us right in the middle of the Dempsey - Tunny fight! Think about it!

Bill

Speck · 01-02-2004, 10:03 PM

Bill, I think the graphic files you are looking for are in the \Skins\Default\Animations\ folder (under the folder where you installed Title Bout.)

Speck

wildhawke11 · 01-02-2004, 10:21 PM

What has to be remembered by all here of course that Jim, Tom, Andrea's and Co can only give us so much in patches.

Meaning all the other things that will be added cost time and money. We must never lose sight of the fact OOTP can only give us so much free in patches before the Big Boss man will quite rightly say come on Trunzo when will the dollars start coming in i cant afford for you to keep working on the game without more income coming in.

So to me anyway it makes more business sense to get right and patched up what is already in the game. Then later at a small cost bring out an add on with a lot of stuff on that will improve upon what we have already.

Anyone here who has in any way run or tried to run a small business will fully understand my way of thinking.

The other way to go of course is to patch up as much as possible in this game and then the extra add-ons can of course be combined and implemented in with the Role-Play game but off course that's some way in the future.

My motto has always been, buy and enjoy what is available at present, if you wait for the best version you will never enjoy anything in life, because there is always something better coming along in most cases.

View Poll Results: Which Feature Do You Want Most?
Bareknuckle Module	12	10.34%
Career Breakdown Dates (Beg, Prime, etc.)	53	45.69%
Complete Animation (all punch, clinch, etc.)	34	29.31%
Complete Voiced Commentary	17	14.66%
Voters: 116. You may not vote on this poll

01-02-2004, 09:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jim Trunzo OOTP Developments Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Leechburg, PA Posts: 740	JANUARY UPDATE: January 2, 2004 Hello, All, Let's begin by repeating our wish that you and yours had a Happy Holiday. I hope in some small way OOTP helped make it a bit more enjoyable. It's hard to believe that 2003 is now history but I can't say that I'm sad to see it go. November and December were just a tad stressful. Now, as always with the advent of a new year, it's time to move ahead. Here's a quick, down and dirty update: 1. We've compiled a new list of items to add to what was left over from the last list so that we may address these issues in upcoming patches. 2. We will be releasing either two smaller patches or one major patch by the end of the month. These patches or patch should take care of 90% of all the requests made since and features missing from the original release of TBCB. 3. Among the issues addressed from a design standpoint are: too much swelling/too many cuts; modification of the knockout strategies; balancing the rankings to permit sufficient variety without ridiculous rankings from organization to organization. 4. Among the issues addressed from a technical standpoint are: print routines; inporting data from previous editions; additional function buttons, etc. 5. I will be posting a poll about which feature you might like to see added to a future version of the boxing game. Please let us know your preferences. None of these will reflect features that are already ear-marked for the role-playing game. 6. Design work has already started on the role-playing version of the boxing game. I'd like to start gushing about the features that it will contain but it's way too premature. I'll just say this: you'll be able to manage a single fighter or a stable of fighters; rent space in a gym or own a gym; negotiate with local promoters or national promoters; play it straight or bend the rules; lead your fighter or fighters to a championship or into the gutter; make millions or owe millions. And forget operating in a virtual town - how about a virtual city? 7. The boxing website will start to take on a new look soon. Please begin looking for fighter downloads and articles, sometime next week. Thank you for your support. Please continue to spread the word about the boxing game. Frankly, perhaps even a little crudely, the truth is that the more we sell, the better products we can make and the more incentive we have to do just that! Oh, on a final note: anyone who wishes to review any OOTP products for legitimate sources, please contact me: jim@ootpdevelopments.com.

01-02-2004, 10:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
darthpb All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Queens, NY a mile from Shea Posts: 637	WOW Wow!!!! And, yes, you did make my New Year just a little bit better. The game already does everything I expected it to do but these improvements will surely bump it closer to 100%...thanks for a GREAT product...

01-02-2004, 10:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
vistaman44 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Auxvasse, Mo. Posts: 3,143	Thanks for the update, Jim. Looking good! __________________ ---Mark (vistaman44) "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters, compared to what lies within us." — Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, philosopher and poet (1803-1882) ----------------------------------- Currently operating 1980s JM-HW, 1940s, African, 1980s LW and women's boxing universes

01-02-2004, 02:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
jrmorgan56 Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New York Posts: 460	Thanks for the update Jim! __________________ CornerWork

01-02-2004, 02:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
BrocktonBlockBuster Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 280	Jim,I'd like more animation. I also would prefer clearer graphics. I think the blurry deal has to do with being PC. Which I understand and respect. I think clear graphics along with a slider for skin color would be better though. Thanks for the update,I'm loving the game as is right now!

01-02-2004, 02:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
earl6125 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 165	Jim: I dont want to beat a dead horse here..but does that also include the condition ratings you were going to check into. Remember I mentioned to you alot of fighters were missing this rating. Thanks, Jim. Wishing you a great 2004!

01-02-2004, 03:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
GDE Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Nancy,KY Posts: 193	Jim, The thing I personally need is for the sanctioning bodies to have different rankings among the top fighters.

01-02-2004, 03:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Boxingnut Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 372	Thanks for the update Jim, the future of TBCB sounds great and is in good hands!!

01-02-2004, 03:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
PittPanther All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,174	I actually thought the graphics were strong for a text based sim. But surprise, surprise it's number one right now on the poll! I have to admit, I'd like the bareknuckle or career stages first. I'd also like the see the auto-schedular cleaned up a bit. I'd also like to see a calender. I'd also like to see the strategies tweaked just a weee bit. Forever yours, Waiting Patiently __________________ Commitment Teamwork Pride Hail to Pitt!

01-02-2004, 04:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
vistaman44 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Auxvasse, Mo. Posts: 3,143	Just noticed tournament brackets were not mentioned. Is that something that's coming this month, or down the road some? __________________ ---Mark (vistaman44) "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters, compared to what lies within us." — Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, philosopher and poet (1803-1882) ----------------------------------- Currently operating 1980s JM-HW, 1940s, African, 1980s LW and women's boxing universes

01-02-2004, 05:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
wildhawke11 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: united kingdom Posts: 1,834	In regard to improved graphics At the moment the text is the key to what is going in the ring. I feel that as graphics are improved the text will become less important as of course the eyes will pretty much stay on the figures of the fighters in the ring. So full sound commentary and better graphics sort of go hand in hand. Although of course i do realise that its doubtful if both will be done together. Would be nice also if the graphics show the fighters using the correct hand when throwing punches. Which is amiss at times of course. Its a bit premature, but when voice commentary is used in the program its so important to have the right person doing the sound commentary. You know yourself some commentators regardless of what is happening in the ring can make a fight seem boring. As pointed out to Jim and Co once before. Once a fighter is taking a count. You can say One Two Three Four Or Oneeee Twooooo Threeee Fourrrrr The 2nd version is in my book the correct way to go. Well, that's how it was done in the old radio broadcasts as i am sure Jim and Tom will recall. Thanks for a Great Program though Jim and Co Last edited by wildhawke11 : 01-02-2004 at 10:29 PM.

01-02-2004, 05:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
Bronx Bomber 15 All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: LI, NY Posts: 761	Hey Jim, Great news, things are really moving along. Any chance of fixing the problem of not being able to move fighters between databases so we don't have to manually enter the fighter in our existing database every time there's fighter updates? In any case, excellent work. Thanks. -JIM __________________ EMPIRE BOXING Houston Astros Dynasy page *Harass me directly*

01-02-2004, 08:08 PM	#16 (permalink)
Speck Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Sacramento Posts: 21	Out of the four options, I like voiced commentary, but it has to be done correctly. I wouldn't mind waiting a version or two if that's what it takes. One thing I would suggest is using a lossy audio format (ogg vorbis - no patent/license fees ) instead of wav files. I don't want to think about how large the download would be if wav's were used Speck

01-02-2004, 08:39 PM	#17 (permalink)
Antonin All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Icy Cold of Space Posts: 857	I'm a bit surprised that full animation ranks so high on the list of things people really want to see. I'm a text-based management sim geek, with the emphasis on "text-based." I'd hate to see TBCB start down the slippery slope to arcade-ism. Personally, I love the "listening to the radio" feel of watching the text commentary scroll up the screen. I did the "rock-em, sock-em" eye candy thing a long time ago, and my approaching-middle-age eyes just are not impressed by that kind of thing any more. I much prefer using my imagination as I read the fight text. For future versions of TBCB I'd love to see more flexibility in creating my boxing universe, more statistics, more ways to instruct your fighter during a bout. I'd like to have the option of having fighters age automatically. I'd like an option that would let me track a fighter's winnings, even in single fights that I set up (these are "professional" boxers, after all). I'd like a "role play" module, as long as it's not cartoonish. But to tell you the truth, I'm so pleased with the current version of TBCB I would not be disappointed if the Trunzos said "We are going to scrap the role playing stuff and focus on other ways to make this an even better replay sim." __________________ Currently reading: The Draco Tavern, by Larry Niven Conspiracy of Fools, by Kurt Eichenwald Last edited by Antonin : 01-03-2004 at 12:25 AM.

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01-02-2004, 08:46 PM	#18 (permalink)
Beach23BoyP Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Spring, Tx Posts: 381	Jim, Thanks for the update. My wishes: 1) Ability to move fighters from group to group (or databases). 2) You said that you would release all the "graphic files" used in the game. I have an idea for my skin and I need those files. Mine will not be like an oil painting or blurry -- it will be another process. 3) More than "role play" I'd really like to see you go for a "radio type announcing of the bouts". Like Ernie Harwell in Baseball Blast use to take me back to '27 Yankees -- you could put us right in the middle of the Dempsey - Tunny fight! Think about it! Bill

01-02-2004, 10:03 PM	#19 (permalink)
Speck Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Sacramento Posts: 21	Bill, I think the graphic files you are looking for are in the \Skins\Default\Animations\ folder (under the folder where you installed Title Bout.) Speck

01-02-2004, 10:21 PM	#20 (permalink)
wildhawke11 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: united kingdom Posts: 1,834	What has to be remembered by all here of course that Jim, Tom, Andrea's and Co can only give us so much in patches. Meaning all the other things that will be added cost time and money. We must never lose sight of the fact OOTP can only give us so much free in patches before the Big Boss man will quite rightly say come on Trunzo when will the dollars start coming in i cant afford for you to keep working on the game without more income coming in. So to me anyway it makes more business sense to get right and patched up what is already in the game. Then later at a small cost bring out an add on with a lot of stuff on that will improve upon what we have already. Anyone here who has in any way run or tried to run a small business will fully understand my way of thinking. The other way to go of course is to patch up as much as possible in this game and then the extra add-ons can of course be combined and implemented in with the Role-Play game but off course that's some way in the future. My motto has always been, buy and enjoy what is available at present, if you wait for the best version you will never enjoy anything in life, because there is always something better coming along in most cases.