The Expansion Pack offers new features, extensive tweaks and modifications, resulting in the most realistic and enjoyable version of OOTP ever. It will be available for $9.95 in mid June and requires a valid license of OOTP 6 installed in order to work.

OOTP 6.5 is backwards compatible, meaning that OOTP 6.12 league files automatically convert to 6.5 format when loading. League files created in 6.5 work with OOTP 6.12 as well. However, team exports from 6.5 are not compatible with OOTP 6.12, so online leagues require all members to run the same version.

Let's get into the details of the Expansion Pack. Here are the new features and tweaks of 6.5, explained a little bit deeper.

The core of the AI in a baseball game is it's player evaluation algorythm. We have used modern reasearch and player evaluation concepts (i.e. value over replacement players) in order to rework the player evaluation in OOTP 6.5, resulting in smarter AI throughout the game. This influences trades, signings and basic roster AI, for example lineups or pitching staff settings.

The new roster handling AI does not only benefit from the new player evaluation, it was almost completely reworked and now feels more realistic, resulting in less waiver moves and a better understanding of the roster structure.

In previous versions, teams did not really understand their position in the league and therefore did not adjust their free agent signings or trades to the state of the organization. Now teams have a focus, which is either 'normal', 'win now' or 'rebuild'. This focus influences the trading as well as roster AI. Teams which are rebuilding may give their rookies more playing time and may trade ageing players when they are out of the pennant race early in the season. 'Win now'-teams may trade a prospect or two in order to get an established player for the final push for the playoffs.

Players now have a national and local popularity rating, which has impact on the team if the player leaves or gets added to it. If you sign a very popular superstar, your fan interest may get a boost. But if you trade one of your most popular local players, fans may may be upset and stay home.

Player development is also one of the most important parts of a career baseball game. We have further enhanced the algorythms of OOTP so that the game now offers even more variation in career curves and more realism overall.

Users now have the chance to set their lineups for the following 7 days. This is especially useful for online leagues play but also offers a new way to handle lineups/depth charts for solo players. The screen displays the projected opposing starting pitchers and offers some options, for example you may allow the AI to insert utility starters into your lineups. The 7-day lineups are included in the team export files used for online leagues.

It is now possible for a league in online league mode to allow the trading of draft picks. Picks received via trades may be traded again.

So far the game only allowed you to base player talent ratings on the entire career or the remaining career when you imported players/seasons from the Lahman Database. OOTP 6.5 allows you to base the talent ratings on peak seasons of the player's career, resulting in more realistic career curves.

The subject says it all, you can now use the career fielding statistics of a player as the base for his fielding ratings.

Instead of a pitcher turning immediately red when tiring, you may now visit the mound and ask the pitcher how he feels. We reworked the in-game fatigue system for this feature so that the performance drop due to fatigue is more realistic.

A lot of OOTP users have been complaining for the amount of foul balls that get mentioned in the play-by-play. We have now added the option to only display the foul balls where close plays are involved.

We have added some more basic plays to the game engine, for example errors on dropped foul balls or players colliding in the field.

The quest for the perfect in-game AI continues, as we have improved the pinch-hitting and pitching change AI.

Ever wondered who in your league is close to a milestone? The new screen lists all players who are close to an important mile stone - for example his 500th career homerun or win number 200!

This new screen lists the leaders of projected season total stats in several categories. It's the perfect place to check if someone in the league is on pace to breaking a record or a personal career high, like 200 hits in a season.

• Added the option to prevent computer teams to adjust their own strategy setting (interesting for historical leagues)
• Players now have projected stats listed in their player stats page
• Added projected stats and milestone watch reports to league website
• Relievers may win the pitching award in rare cases
• The MVP selecting algorythm has been redesigned
• Japanese and defected Cuban players entering the league before free-agency
• In-Season retirements now happen from time to time
• Players now sometimes come out of retirement and start a comeback
• Off-season and spring training injuries have been added
• A complete new skin is also included, as well as a fictional data update

We believe these enhancements truly improve the gaming experience of Out of the Park Baseball!

Markus Heinsohn
CEO Out of the Park Developments