[Matt Arnold]

As we prep the last few checks, here is the changelist of items for the new release:

OOTP 24 Changes

• Added Pitcher BABIP rating
* Mostly used in historical games + Perfect Team, to simulate pitcher’s abilities to limit contact on balls in play
* Rating is combined with the (previous) movement rating into a new combined movement rating (new rating is essentially “added” to previous rating. So a pitcher with an average BABIP rating will see no change to their movement rating, but an above average BABIP value will cause their movement to increase)
* Rating is visible in Perfect Team
• Updated IAFA system
* Players introduced a few months before signing period begins
* Allows teams to invite groups of players to monthly practices, increasing scouting and player loyalty
* Users will need to balance inviting the same player to multiple practices to get a super accurate scouting and strong relationship, versus spreading out invites to get a larger breadth of information
• Improved financials such that international bonus pools are more realistic and vary based on revenue and qualified FA signings
* Can now trade international bonus pool
• Updated Owner Goal system
* Goals now include a priority from your owner, gauging how much they value the goals
* You may discuss and replace certain goals. The owner will offer a replacement option and some choices how to proceed. If you decline their second choice, they may force you to keep the first choice, or they may give a new option to choose from. Changes will incur a small decrease of the owner’s mood
* New Owner Goals: Team Chemistry, Team Splits, Improve International Development, Increase Fan Interest
• New Trading Deadline Day Mode
* On deadline day, extra trade negotiations can take place
* Time between evaluation run in real-time if selected (ie. you have 5 minutes to discuss and submit trade offers. Real-time selection can be disabled, or set to a custom value)
* User selection on how many extra periods to run
* AI will more likely revisit previous offers, try to complete more deals
* Increased trade rumour speculation news, about which teams are negotiating and which players might be on the move
* Pending trades at the end of the trade period will include one bonus period where only previously submitted trades can be complete, no further negotiation can happen
• Added new Hard Mode for trading
* Will not see other GM feedback until you submit an offer
* Will not be able to tinker endlessly on trades, as you will need to submit to see feedback from the opposing team
* Make this work now button disabled when trading hard mode is enabled
* Feedback may be immediate,or may arrive up to a couple days later in inbox reply
• Trading Reputation system
* Human managers can now be evaluated on their trading history. Users gain or lose reputation both per team and globally
* You will gain reputation if you complete deals
* You lose reputation if you cancel an agreed upon deal (or the deal is agreed upon and sits pending waiting for completion). You may also lose some reputation if you repeatedly spam terrible offers to the opposing team
• Improved contract negotiations, including offer history and better player reactions to trade offers
* Pre-Arbitration players will be more willing to discuss long-term contract demands
* Improved negotiation page to balance long-term deals

In-Game
• Updated 3D Player Models
• Added uniform numbers and names to jersey backs (optional based on jersey template used)
* Font names can be imported from/exported to colors xml files
• Added ability to specify high socks on players (player option and option on jersey template)
• Added ability to choose bat color and shoe color for players
• All-new audience model that is more dynamic and reacts to the play
* Also available in construction kit parks, modded park models
• Added new spray chart view to graphically show player groundball tendencies
* Listing is based on actual groundball performance this year, mixed with generic batting tendencies
• All-new “Superstats Replay”, featuring new camera modes and extra details and highlighting on the play. Superstats replays may be accessed through a menu or using Shift-F10 in-game. Alternately, Superstats views may be set to run on all regular replays if you wish
• Updated player running animations for smoother than ever game action
• Improved on-field player AI, with more realistic game action
• Better game animations, improved timing of on-field plays
• More dynamic game action
• Improved Camera Motion
* Smoother general camera motion should have less cuts and jerks during the play
* All new pre-game stadium pan
• New Uniform/Alt Uniform Functionality
* Added functions to deactivate/delete alternate uniforms per team and for all teams and leagues
* Import/export functions for colors and uniform values per team and for all teams and leagues
* Yearly in-game updates for colors and uniform values
* When starting a new game colors XML files are searched to get colors and uniform values for each team from
• Improved handling of rescheduled games, weather during game
• Added ability to lock widgets in classic game view
• Updated classic game view widget handling

AI Updates
• Updated contract reply AI
* New Long-term demand to scale contract offers reasonably based on player age.
* Contract Negotiation history included on contract page to review previous offers
* Improved AI contract replies
• Updated trade evaluation AI. Rebalance trade difficulties
* Trading will also not “lock” players pending in a deal, so you may include a player in multiple pending deals, potentially
• Improved IAFA contract negotiations/bidding
* AI may also trade for IAFA bonus pool money
• Updated AI rule 5 protection
• Updated Suggested Roles to take more factors into play for suggesting SP/RP
• Updated AI strategy in inaugural drafts, expansion drafts
• General updates to AI player valuation
• Updated league bunting levels, modifiers, algorithms
• Updated general baserunner advancement on groundballs (players will more often take GB direction/situation in play when determining when to advance, and which base to throw to)
• Added defensive indifference in blowouts
• Adjusted roster AI to not sign as many minor leaguers to MLB deals, high signing bonuses

Historical Updates
• Updated Historical Progression settings to allow modifier import only
• Updated historical DB to merge in more information
• Updated historical fielding ratings values, calculations
• Historical Wizard includes more setup details for customizing initial roster import
• Added Park Name field to historical ballparks(so stadium names should appear in news articles as “Fenway Park” and not “Fenway Park 19xx-19xx”, while still allowing easy use to use a historical stadium pack to view the 3d model)
• Park images can now also default to within the 3d park folder

Misc Updates
• Max Contract Length updated to 15 years
• Max Players per trade increased to 10
• Single Subleague Leagues will now display multi-column on the league standings page
• Improved Facegen
* Speeded up picture generation process when free agents wear suits
* General Facegen performance updates
• Split Luxury Tax so that you can run both forms of luxury tax/revenue sharing separately
* Added setting so that revenue sharing can impact IAFA bonus pool space
• Fixed online league security issue with extra file-level protection
• Tweaked morale based on player expectation of lineup spot
• Updated financials
* More cash available for trades (same pool as FA money)
* Fixed inconsistencies when team owner controls budget disabled
* Updated financial calculations to set revenue sharing/luxury tax/money from owner in the year it’s relevant
• Added Mop-up bullpen role
• Numerous other changes!


PT:
• BABIP rating incorporated into model
• Training and previous card history will not be carried forward when cards are sold
• Player whose default ratings include partial training at a position will play at full training for those positions in tournaments and drafts
• Perfect Drafts display how many players at each position you have seen
• Stadium options that change as you move through the levels
• New PT Live Mode - available soon
• New PT+ for increased rewards
• All new content plan and mission set