OOTP 25 MLB Higher Realism Quickstart

ExpedientFalcon · 03-17-2024, 03:18 AM

Hello, I wanted to share a quickstart that I created which brings a number of fixes to the default MLB start.

OOTP 26 Download Link (v8, Google Drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tyw...ew?usp=sharing

How to install: Extract the zip file, move the entire .quick folder into your `GAME_DIR\data\quickstart_games` folder. You should now see this file as an option when you create a new game from a quickstart file.

Here's what this brings:

- Fixed the dimensions, wall height, and weather of all stadiums
-> A large percentage of MiLB stadiums had incorrect dimensions, which have been fixed based on available data including, in order of preference: official measurements, Google Earth measurements, and field photos
-> In OOTP 26, a few MLB stadiums had old dimensions, such as the old hill in Houston and the old version of Yankee Stadium. These are also fixed. (They were correct in 25, so presumably this is a bug.)

- Recalced park factors for all stadiums using the spreadsheet by Joelman111
-> These calcs consider park dimensions, weather, elevation, and turf type in order to be more realistic
-> As one key example, home runs will actually fly out of Denver now!

- Many DSL teams were sharing stadiums when they should not be. All DSL teams now have their correct stadium.

- Retractable roof stadiums are now set to 0% chance of rain, to simulate closing the roof

- Updated ballpark names to be accurate as of the current season, and added dimensions and park factors for the two new MiLB ballparks in 2025

- Include all transactions up to and including the game start date, March 14.

- Minor gameplay tweaks, most notably:
-> Add roster limits for minor leagues: 28/28/30/35/50 for AAA/AA/A/DSL/Rookie respectively
-> Set injury frequency to High (Realistic Modern Day)
-> Lower catcher framing impact to 2 (from default of 5) to simulate the impact of ABS Challenges being in place for AAA. (It is not yet in place for MLB, but you may wish to change this 1-2 seasons into your league to simulate the league implementing it.)
-> Increase pitcher hook for all minor leagues to simulate how minor league managers try to rotate more pitchers in to each game.
-> Disabled league evolution settings except for changes in offense and pitching stats. The AI tends to make changes like expansions and relocations happen in unrealistic ways, so this lets the player control those events manually.

Not included currently are 3D park models for minor leagues.

Note that it is safe, but not necessary (unless you want to), to run Update Player Ratings when starting a new save from this quicksave. Be sure to run the AI Manager for all teams after updating ratings. Only do this at the very start of a save, as it will overwrite player progression and regression.

I would have loved to make this as a mod rather than a quicksave, but couldn't figure out how. If anyone knows, let me know, because I think that would be the preferable way to set this up.

I also would welcome the devs to integrate these changes into the game itself.

---

Changelog:

-v8 (2025-05-17):
-> Minor tweaks to game defaults
-> Disable player development sliders (you can reenable these in game settings, though I felt that the AI and effects need some significant improvements, as they currently can lead to some very unrealistic and undesirable situations)
-> Unlock popularity ratings for all players (the default rosters have popularity locked for some players, but imo it makes more sense to allow this to change over time for all players)

-v7 (2025-04-01):
-> Minor tweaks to AI valuation and league level settings.

- v6 (2025-04-01):
-> Add real ballpark dimensions and names for MLB Draft League teams.

- v5 (2025-03-27):
-> Restore catcher framing impact to 5 for MLB, I failed to realise the challenge system was only in place for spring training (Can be fixed in existing saves by going to MLB -> League Settings -> Stats/AI -> Catcher Framing Impact)

- v4 (2025-03-27):
-> Contains a number of fixes to contracts, MiLB personnel, and MiLB players based on the mega roster fix thread.

- v3 (2025-03-24):
-> Correct an issue where the Athletics logo and colors were incorrect (can be manually fixed for existing saves by going to Athletics -> Team Settings -> Delete the "City / Name", then go into "Modify Team Colors, Logos and Textures" and auto-load the logo, ballcap, and jerseys.

- v2 (2025-03-23):
-> Correct an issue where the ACL was incorrectly set to a limit of 35 players instead of 50 (this can be manually fixed for existing saves, in ACL -> League Settings -> Rules)

---

Archive for Old Game Versions:

OOTP 25 quicksave: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j4K...ew?usp=sharing

micropterus58 · 03-17-2024, 10:37 AM

Nice addition. Looks like a lot of research and effort. Thanks.

smithtm · 03-17-2024, 04:08 PM

Thank you for taking the time and effort to do this. I'm looking forward to loading this up and giving it a go.

gregisawesome13 · 03-20-2024, 06:18 PM

I did my own, may be best to just consolidate all the changes into one. Attached my game file in case you need it.

Cod · 03-21-2024, 08:19 PM

Thanks for putting this together. I'm planning to take a look this weekend.

justindixon120 · 05-13-2024, 07:01 PM

This is great work. Just curious, do you use feeder leagues or just roll with the generic OOTP Draft Setup?

ExpedientFalcon · 05-14-2024, 04:33 PM

This setup is just using the default draft setup. I've experimented with feeder leagues in the past, and while I like the idea, I opted not to go with it in this setup.

DatDudeDillan · 05-20-2024, 11:02 PM

Sorry kinda a noob at downloading files for ootp. I downloaded it, but how do I get in OOTP?

ExpedientFalcon · 05-21-2024, 06:11 PM

You'll want to unzip the file, and then place the folder from that inside of the "quickstart_games" folder in your OOTP installation directory. This will make the quickstart available in game to start a new game from the quickstart.

KJDelaney · 05-27-2024, 03:31 PM

For those who have played it, how good/realistic is it?

CoopMog · 06-03-2024, 09:11 PM

there's no .lg file that I see?

ExpedientFalcon · 06-03-2024, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoopMog

there's no .lg file that I see?

It's not a league save file, ti's a quickstart. You move the whole `.quick` folder into your `GAME_DIR\data\quickstart_games` folder, then you can create a new game from the quickstart.

zekeroberts · 07-05-2024, 07:46 PM

would there be any way to get just the minor league stadium dimensions from this? that aspect was really bugging me when I was getting started on my 2024 expansion universe, but I didn't want to take the time to research and edit when I was eager to start playing the game. I would love to be able to go in and edit, either by uploading new park files or manually entering from a spreadsheet of dimensions, etc... anything you could share on that aspect of it would be very much appreciated! looks like you did a lot of great stuff with this quickstart!

textilemonster · 07-09-2024, 11:57 AM

Was this made with OOTP 25? I'm trying to install and play it in OOTP 24 (basically just so I can get the stadium info).

I just want the data. Can I open one of the .dat files in a way where I can comprehend what it says?

willboat75 · 07-30-2024, 01:29 PM

I would also be interested in a spreadsheet with the park factors that I could plug into my own save, if that exists

dawg1isclear · 07-31-2024, 06:16 PM

double check, havent looked at this in awhile...

textilemonster · 07-31-2024, 09:16 PM

Nice! Thanks.

ExpedientFalcon · 03-17-2025, 03:39 PM

The new version for OOTP 26 is up! Also, for those interested, here is the excel spreadsheet I used for calculating the park factors (credit to Joelman111 for the template and formulas)

Cod · 03-17-2025, 04:16 PM

One of the better modern day QS I played in OOTP 25. Highly recommend this for people who want to play in a modern day, realistic world.

ExpedientFalcon · 03-24-2025, 12:37 PM

Published a new version with a couple of fixes:

- v3 (2025-03-24):
-> Correct an issue where the Athletics logo and colors were incorrect (can be manually fixed for existing saves by going to Athletics -> Team Settings -> Delete the "City / Name", then go into "Modify Team Colors, Logos and Textures" and auto-load the logo, ballcap, and jerseys.

- v2 (2025-03-23):
-> Correct an issue where the ACL was incorrectly set to a limit of 35 players instead of 50 (this can be manually fixed for existing saves, in ACL -> League Settings -> Rules)

03-17-2024, 03:18 AM	#1
ExpedientFalcon Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 53	OOTP 26 MLB Higher Realism Quickstart Hello, I wanted to share a quickstart that I created which brings a number of fixes to the default MLB start. OOTP 26 Download Link (v8, Google Drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tyw...ew?usp=sharing How to install: Extract the zip file, move the entire .quick folder into your `GAME_DIR\data\quickstart_games` folder. You should now see this file as an option when you create a new game from a quickstart file. Here's what this brings: - Fixed the dimensions, wall height, and weather of all stadiums -> A large percentage of MiLB stadiums had incorrect dimensions, which have been fixed based on available data including, in order of preference: official measurements, Google Earth measurements, and field photos -> In OOTP 26, a few MLB stadiums had old dimensions, such as the old hill in Houston and the old version of Yankee Stadium. These are also fixed. (They were correct in 25, so presumably this is a bug.) - Recalced park factors for all stadiums using the spreadsheet by Joelman111 -> These calcs consider park dimensions, weather, elevation, and turf type in order to be more realistic -> As one key example, home runs will actually fly out of Denver now! - Many DSL teams were sharing stadiums when they should not be. All DSL teams now have their correct stadium. - Retractable roof stadiums are now set to 0% chance of rain, to simulate closing the roof - Updated ballpark names to be accurate as of the current season, and added dimensions and park factors for the two new MiLB ballparks in 2025 - Include all transactions up to and including the game start date, March 14. - Minor gameplay tweaks, most notably: -> Add roster limits for minor leagues: 28/28/30/35/50 for AAA/AA/A/DSL/Rookie respectively -> Set injury frequency to High (Realistic Modern Day) -> Lower catcher framing impact to 2 (from default of 5) to simulate the impact of ABS Challenges being in place for AAA. (It is not yet in place for MLB, but you may wish to change this 1-2 seasons into your league to simulate the league implementing it.) -> Increase pitcher hook for all minor leagues to simulate how minor league managers try to rotate more pitchers in to each game. -> Disabled league evolution settings except for changes in offense and pitching stats. The AI tends to make changes like expansions and relocations happen in unrealistic ways, so this lets the player control those events manually. Not included currently are 3D park models for minor leagues. Note that it is safe, but not necessary (unless you want to), to run Update Player Ratings when starting a new save from this quicksave. Be sure to run the AI Manager for all teams after updating ratings. Only do this at the very start of a save, as it will overwrite player progression and regression. I would have loved to make this as a mod rather than a quicksave, but couldn't figure out how. If anyone knows, let me know, because I think that would be the preferable way to set this up. I also would welcome the devs to integrate these changes into the game itself. --- Changelog: -v8 (2025-05-17): -> Minor tweaks to game defaults -> Disable player development sliders (you can reenable these in game settings, though I felt that the AI and effects need some significant improvements, as they currently can lead to some very unrealistic and undesirable situations) -> Unlock popularity ratings for all players (the default rosters have popularity locked for some players, but imo it makes more sense to allow this to change over time for all players) -v7 (2025-04-01): -> Minor tweaks to AI valuation and league level settings. - v6 (2025-04-01): -> Add real ballpark dimensions and names for MLB Draft League teams. - v5 (2025-03-27): -> Restore catcher framing impact to 5 for MLB, I failed to realise the challenge system was only in place for spring training (Can be fixed in existing saves by going to MLB -> League Settings -> Stats/AI -> Catcher Framing Impact) - v4 (2025-03-27): -> Contains a number of fixes to contracts, MiLB personnel, and MiLB players based on the mega roster fix thread. - v3 (2025-03-24): -> Correct an issue where the Athletics logo and colors were incorrect (can be manually fixed for existing saves by going to Athletics -> Team Settings -> Delete the "City / Name", then go into "Modify Team Colors, Logos and Textures" and auto-load the logo, ballcap, and jerseys. - v2 (2025-03-23): -> Correct an issue where the ACL was incorrectly set to a limit of 35 players instead of 50 (this can be manually fixed for existing saves, in ACL -> League Settings -> Rules) --- Archive for Old Game Versions: OOTP 25 quicksave: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j4K...ew?usp=sharing Last edited by ExpedientFalcon; 05-17-2025 at 02:47 PM.

03-20-2024, 06:18 PM	#4
gregisawesome13 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 200	I did my own, may be best to just consolidate all the changes into one. Attached my game file in case you need it. __________________ Check Out my Australian Baseball Dynasty

05-27-2024, 03:31 PM	#10
KJDelaney All Star Reserve Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 575	For those who have played it, how good/realistic is it? __________________

07-31-2024, 09:16 PM	#17
textilemonster Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2024 Posts: 129	Nice! Nice! Thanks.

03-17-2024, 10:37 AM	#2
micropterus58 All Star Starter Join Date: May 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,191	Nice addition. Looks like a lot of research and effort. Thanks.

03-17-2024, 04:08 PM	#3
smithtm Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miamisburg, Ohio Posts: 116	Thank you for taking the time and effort to do this. I'm looking forward to loading this up and giving it a go.

03-21-2024, 08:19 PM	#5
Cod All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,087	Thanks for putting this together. I'm planning to take a look this weekend.

05-13-2024, 07:01 PM	#6
justindixon120 Bat Boy Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 2	This is great work. Just curious, do you use feeder leagues or just roll with the generic OOTP Draft Setup?

05-14-2024, 04:33 PM	#7
ExpedientFalcon Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 53	This setup is just using the default draft setup. I've experimented with feeder leagues in the past, and while I like the idea, I opted not to go with it in this setup.

05-20-2024, 11:02 PM	#8
DatDudeDillan Bat Boy Join Date: May 2024 Posts: 1	Sorry kinda a noob at downloading files for ootp. I downloaded it, but how do I get in OOTP?

05-21-2024, 06:11 PM	#9
ExpedientFalcon Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 53	You'll want to unzip the file, and then place the folder from that inside of the "quickstart_games" folder in your OOTP installation directory. This will make the quickstart available in game to start a new game from the quickstart.

06-03-2024, 09:11 PM	#11
CoopMog Bat Boy Join Date: Feb 2024 Posts: 8	there's no .lg file that I see?

07-05-2024, 07:46 PM	#13
zekeroberts Bat Boy Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 5	would there be any way to get just the minor league stadium dimensions from this? that aspect was really bugging me when I was getting started on my 2024 expansion universe, but I didn't want to take the time to research and edit when I was eager to start playing the game. I would love to be able to go in and edit, either by uploading new park files or manually entering from a spreadsheet of dimensions, etc... anything you could share on that aspect of it would be very much appreciated! looks like you did a lot of great stuff with this quickstart!

07-09-2024, 11:57 AM	#14
textilemonster Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2024 Posts: 129	Was this made with OOTP 25? I'm trying to install and play it in OOTP 24 (basically just so I can get the stadium info). I just want the data. Can I open one of the .dat files in a way where I can comprehend what it says?

07-30-2024, 01:29 PM	#15
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 176	I would also be interested in a spreadsheet with the park factors that I could plug into my own save, if that exists

03-17-2025, 04:16 PM	#19
Cod All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,087	One of the better modern day QS I played in OOTP 25. Highly recommend this for people who want to play in a modern day, realistic world.

03-24-2025, 12:37 PM	#20
ExpedientFalcon Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2023 Posts: 53	Published a new version with a couple of fixes: - v3 (2025-03-24): -> Correct an issue where the Athletics logo and colors were incorrect (can be manually fixed for existing saves by going to Athletics -> Team Settings -> Delete the "City / Name", then go into "Modify Team Colors, Logos and Textures" and auto-load the logo, ballcap, and jerseys. - v2 (2025-03-23): -> Correct an issue where the ACL was incorrectly set to a limit of 35 players instead of 50 (this can be manually fixed for existing saves, in ACL -> League Settings -> Rules)