Stats Only

[brockholtsuperstar]

Hello fellow Out of the Parkers, I came here for some advice on undertaking my first stats only playthrough. I also plan on managing my entire minor league system and play out most if not all games. So any tips or advice on this type of playthrough? Anyone else done something similar and want to share some war stories? Anything will be appreciated!

[Déjà Bru]

Now, Wolf, here is an opportunity to state your case and you certainly will do a good job of it. Just don't skewer the folks who disagree with you and limit your repetition to twice; that is, no more than three iterations of the same point. Do these things, my friend, and you will win the day! ()

[PSUColonel]

I wish I could stick to managing all of my games, but being the GM for the entire organization.. Believe it or not, is a big undertaking itself. (Which is a good thing). I try to watch my games via real time simulation gamecast. I also use scouting, but on a limited 2-8 scale. My neighbor is a scout for the Orioles, and he tells me that's the scale most commonly used anyway. (Over 20-80) I do other things to challenge the game also: trading on very hard & heavily favor prospects. I only recieve league wide scouting updates at the start and end of each season, and the prospect reports are only updated annually. I use 40/30/20/10 as the overall AI evaluarion.

[brockholtsuperstar]

Yeah I've made it through about half a season managing every game so I hope I'll be able to stick it through the whole way this time. I've done a few seasons doing the whole org but I think I could pull it off. The real challenge is going to be doing so in stats only. I wish that they released a top 100 prospect list more than once a year but what can you do haha

[PSUColonel]

you can have it changed dynamically in the League Settings area.

[brockholtsuperstar]

I've put hours into this game and only realized this now. You sir are a SAINT

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Now, Wolf, here is an opportunity to state your case and you certainly will do a good job of it. Just don't skewer the folks who disagree with you and limit your repetition to twice; that is, no more than three iterations of the same point. Do these things, my friend, and you will win the day! ()

After that I won't be posting a thing.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

After that I won't be posting a thing.

why not? Here the guy sets you up for the shot, and now you won't take it?

[smiller]

There was a long thread about stats only in OOTP14, and reading it convinced me to give it a try. Very glad I did as it has made the game more challenging and interesting.

[smiller]

PSU Colonel--What box do you check under League Settings to get additional top 100 prospects lists? Is it "enable automatic evolution of the league" or another box? Thanks.

[brockholtsuperstar]

Yeah I was looking for the '14 thread the other day but couldn't find it so I just decided to make this thread.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by smiller

PSU Colonel--What box do you check under League Settings to get additional top 100 prospects lists? Is it "enable automatic evolution of the league" or another box? Thanks.

League setup - Global Settings Tab, R/H side.

_

[smiller]

Bluenoser: Found it. Thanks.

[Cryomaniac]

I didn't even know that setting existed...

[PSUColonel]

Yes...but I find it more challenging and realistic to have it published annually...remember...the prospect list is based on actual ratings(something I never agreed with)

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

After that I won't be posting a thing.

Ah, c'mon Wolf. I was only pulling your leg.

[smiller]

Wolf, it was your strong advocacy that got me into stats only, a decision I'm very glad I made. So, you shouldn't stay silent on the subject.

[The Wolf]

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...tats-only.html

[The Wolf]

Damn, you guys can be persistent. Okay. Turn off ratings and stars and be sure to check the box for the AI not to use ratings in its player evaluations. Set your AI evaluation criteria to 0% ratings, 50% current year, 33% last year, 17% two years ago. Set scouts on and to average accuracy or lower if you dare. Use feeder leagues, both HS and college. If it's a fictional league, sim ahead for five years or so, that cycles the feeder leagues and gives every player a statistical history that you can use for evaluation.

Now take over a team. Do not be in Commissioner mode. Do not be unfireable. Start making decisions about players based on stats and scouting reports. Suddenly discover that the game is far, far harder than when you could see ratings and potentials.

You will either love the uncertainty or you will hate it. You will make some great trades and some awful ones. Some of your draft choices will be crap, and some will be golden. You will find yourself agonizing over player decisions - is your third baseman just in a slump or is this the beginning of the end for him? Is your catcher ever going to return to his pre-DL form, or will he be a shadow of what he was from now on? Why does your bullpen suck so badly? Should you draft this guy or that guy? Damn, you're thinking like a real-life GM.

And that's because without ratings and without potentials, you will actually have to make decisions just like a real GM does, and not like an all-knowing video gamer. And you will suddenly find yourself thinking like a GM and dealing with limited information like GM's do.

To me, it's the best way to play OOTP. But it's not for everybody, and you may not like it. But there is a hard core of stats only players who do think it's the best way to play, and if you try it you may find out you are one of us. Or not. But what have you got to lose by trying it? You already bought the game.

"It's your game, play it your way." My way is stats only. Maybe it's your way, too. Maybe it's not. Try it and see.

[smiller]

Wolf: I've been playing this way for a number of months and totally agree that it makes for a much better playing experience. Some questions: How much do you really rely on your scouts if they're just average or low? Are your player decisions almost totally stats-based?