(OOTP 25) Daniel Saline's USBL Quickstart

willboat75 · 07-02-2024, 10:51 PM

OOTP 25 Download Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wmm...usp=drive_link

Hello again,

Last year I recreated Daniel Saline's excellent USBL series in OOTP 24. I played nearly 20 years with the Indiana Tribe and ended the save as the definitive team of the 2020's. Shoutout Bobby Skeens, Cameron Miller, and Mike Koenigsberg.

Now, in OOTP 25, I am craving a similar experience. However, I don't think that last year's version was as close to what was outlined by Saline as I would have liked, so I've resolved to remedy that issue.

I have restarted the creation of this quickstart nearly a dozen times to make sure that all division, playoff and league structures are correct. All expansion, relocation, and even stadium implementation track with Saline's initial descriptions.

What also comes in this USBL quickstart are four levels of minor leagues, three draft leagues, a development league, and one independent league, all having some history.

The USBL was founded in 1930. Four of the six original teams predate the league, so I tried my best to replicate that in-game. Similarly to last year's sim, the early seasons were dominated by Boston, Chicago, and New York.

There was a short time of parity during the late 40's and early 50's during the league's first expansions, but USBL ownership returned to the big markets until the late 70's. Since the reserve clause was abolished and playoffs were expanded in the 80's, championships are more evenly spread.

The last dynasty were the four-times consecutive champion St. Louis Archers from 1991-94. Though the New Mexico Suns of the 2000's had a San Antonio Spurs-type run, winning titles in '03, '06, '11, '12.

Terry "The Mississippi Mudcat" Gay and Willie "The Man" Ortiz, are the league's greatest hitter and pitcher, and the namesakes for the MVP and Pitcher of the Year Awards, respectively.

The league's home run king is Jonathan Whitaker (pictured below), who had the four best power outputs in league history from 1993-1997 while playing in a hitter's park in Tucson. He played a final two seasons in Pittsburgh to barely beat out New York's Derek Federspiel's career mark of 667 homers by three.

There a million fun things to discover nearly 100 years of simulated history. There will never be a DH in this league, so see how bad pitchers have been at hitting. Check out the precursor leagues in the 1920's. Of course, you can also forge your own path with one of these franchises.

The quickstart begins in the 2015 offseason as four new teams are about to enter the league. I have attached the 2015 league table. Colorado beat New Mexico 4-2 in the most recent Branson Cup Series.

Here are two options for your save:

The Traditional Rebuild: Jacksonville Gators

Since entering the league in 1996, the Gators have never won more than 88 games, which they've done twice, representing their only postseason appearances. A decent young core has yet to scratch out more than 63 over each of the last four seasons.

The Longest Drought: Boston Masons

The Masons have won eight Branson Cups since their inception in 1930. They haven't won it since 1967, though. It's been so long that a second concurrent Boston franchise has come and gone. Fourteen trips to the playoffs since have only yielded more heartbreak.

Whatever direction you choose to go, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to loop me in on what you do in this quickstart.

Thank you to Golem64 for creating all of the kits in OOTP and eriqjaffe for creating each team's stadium. Obviously, a huge thank you goes out to Daniel Saline for his excellent concept work.

Original Sportslogos.net post: https://boards.sportslogos.net/topic...s-posted-2424/

My OOTP 24 Quickstart post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...46#post5118546

Hokie05 · 07-04-2024, 08:09 PM

Thanks, going to give this one a go.

Hokie05 · 07-04-2024, 09:24 PM

So, I hopped into a save and had a look at the free agent list. Many good young 18 year old prospects are available, including one guy who was a 2nd round pick, signed a $1.3 million signing bonus, and then was released one day later. Didn't play one single game in his first year in the game, and now he's a free agent 4 months later.

Here's an example of another player...

June 1: Drafted in the 5th round
July 27: Signed a contract with a $480k signing bonus
July 28: Released
August 5: Signed a minor league contract
August 5: Released (yes, on the same day)
August 5: Signed another minor league contract with a different team
August 8: Released
August 10: Signed another minor league deal
August 11: Released
August 11: Signed another minor league deal

And so on and so forth. August 5 must have been a whirlwind for him, haha.

Is that normal? It's been a few years since I played OOTP.

Hokie05 · 07-05-2024, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hokie05

So, I hopped into a save and had a look at the free agent list. Many good young 18 year old prospects are available, including one guy who was a 2nd round pick, signed a $1.3 million signing bonus, and then was released one day later. Didn't play one single game in his first year in the game, and now he's a free agent 4 months later.

Here's an example of another player...

June 1: Drafted in the 5th round
July 27: Signed a contract with a $480k signing bonus
July 28: Released
August 5: Signed a minor league contract
August 5: Released (yes, on the same day)
August 5: Signed another minor league contract with a different team
August 8: Released
August 10: Signed another minor league deal
August 11: Released
August 11: Signed another minor league deal

And so on and so forth. August 5 must have been a whirlwind for him, haha.

Is that normal? It's been a few years since I played OOTP.

Actually, now that I've thought about it for awhile, I'm pretty sure this has always been an issue in OOTP.

willboat75 · 07-05-2024, 04:39 PM

yeah I've noted that the AI has been waiving and releasing a bunch of players, especially those that they drafted. I don't think I'm going to update this particular save, but my ideas for a solution would be to get rid of minor league roster restrictions

I'm cooking up a V2 of sorts, and I realize I jumped the gun on this post.

bigsmooth · 07-16-2024, 10:44 AM

Looks great! Can you possibly provide the steps for downloading and installing this Quickstart? Also, what is the playoff process for this league?
I may give this a shot!

Déjà Bru · 07-21-2024, 08:55 PM

willboat75, you base your work on and bestow "a huge thank you ... to Daniel Saline for his excellent concept work." The link above to Sportslogos.net does not work but I followed the one in your last year's thread:

https://boards.sportslogos.net/topic...s-posted-2424/

He did great work on logos and uniforms, I see, and your replicating his efforts for this very promising quickstart are much appreciated.

A question remains in my mind, though. What was he designing that stuff for? That is, I don't see any indication of what game he played the USBL on, if any. Sportslogos.net is not a gaming website.

jksander · 07-23-2024, 06:05 AM

Downloading this, will definitely let you know if I get anything off the ground

avondice · 03-16-2025, 12:16 AM

Any update on V2?

bradleycchurch · 03-16-2025, 01:46 PM

Yesss! I am also hoping for a V2 for 2026!

willboat75 · 03-18-2025, 04:54 PM

If the demand is there, I'll get it done. Keep on me, though. I have everything outlined, and it'll be a much more ambitious version than any other iteration I've done. What I'll need to do first is organize the graphics and timeline further. I'd like to wait for the game's first patch before I start working in the game itself.

For a teaser, know that I'll be incorporating the Continental Independent Baseball League that's been outlined on these forums. Also, 20_range, if you're looking at this, I'm looking forward to using your int'l graphics.

Please bug me about this so I stay on track!!

willboat75 · 03-24-2025, 01:55 PM

I'm up to 1962. I'm thinking of releasing a couple QS variants. 1987, 2003, 2016, 2030.

bradleycchurch · 03-24-2025, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willboat75

I'm up to 1962. I'm thinking of releasing a couple QS variants. 1987, 2003, 2016, 2030.

Yessss Please! Awesome idea

Pjm8804 · 03-26-2025, 11:43 AM

I also am very interested in an updated version for OOTP 26 and will be anxiously waiting! I played the version that you put out for OOTP 24 and really enjoyed it. Great work on this, as well as your other quick starts. Thank you for being willing to share this with the community!

willboat75 · 03-26-2025, 02:20 PM

Working out some kinks with the international league and trying to slim them up a bit. I'm going to start over because I want this to be refined as possible.

Below is the spreadsheet I am working off of:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Snake Eyes · 03-29-2025, 09:15 AM

Excited to see what you will do with this. I love the idea of multiple options of when to start.

mwb6 · 03-31-2025, 12:15 PM

Is the Quickstart available anywhere? The links in this post don't seem to work. If anyone knows where it can be downloaded, please post.

willboat75 · 03-31-2025, 01:58 PM

I took the OOTP 25 version off my Google Drive because I was running out of space. I am aiming to have the new QS available tomorrow.

willboat75 · 04-01-2025, 03:35 PM

The first QS is here! I'll post a separate thread later when it's all complete but anyone can test this out: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/f...UuZWwEE?lfhs=2

NOTE: In preseason 1987 you will have to load in schedules for all USBL affiliated leagues following a structural change. Add All Star Games to these leagues as well. Monitor the Baseball World Cup into 1988 preseason to make sure that its working properly. Thanks!

You find yourself loading into this world two days before an expansion draft that will bring in three new teams. You will see that the USBL has been chugging along since 1930, and that the QS includes a Japanese League, a Korean League, a World Cup, four tiers of minor leagues for the USBL and a Development League.

Find the club that suits you! All stadiums are loaded in. Check the spreadsheet for future expansion/creation dates.

bradleycchurch · 04-01-2025, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willboat75

The first QS is here! I'll post a separate thread later when it's all complete but anyone can test this out: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/f...UuZWwEE?lfhs=2

NOTE: In preseason 1987 you will have to load in schedules for all USBL affiliated leagues following a structural change. Add All Star Games to these leagues as well. Monitor the Baseball World Cup into 1988 preseason to make sure that its working properly. Thanks!

You find yourself loading into this world two days before an expansion draft that will bring in three new teams. You will see that the USBL has been chugging along since 1930, and that the QS includes a Japanese League, a Korean League, a World Cup, four tiers of minor leagues for the USBL and a Development League.

Find the club that suits you! All stadiums are loaded in. Check the spreadsheet for future expansion/creation dates.

Can’t wait to try this! Where do we find the schedules to load into the affiliate leagues? Thank you!

07-02-2024, 10:51 PM	#1
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	(OOTP 25) Daniel Saline's USBL Quickstart OOTP 25 Download Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wmm...usp=drive_link Hello again, Last year I recreated Daniel Saline's excellent USBL series in OOTP 24. I played nearly 20 years with the Indiana Tribe and ended the save as the definitive team of the 2020's. Shoutout Bobby Skeens, Cameron Miller, and Mike Koenigsberg. Now, in OOTP 25, I am craving a similar experience. However, I don't think that last year's version was as close to what was outlined by Saline as I would have liked, so I've resolved to remedy that issue. I have restarted the creation of this quickstart nearly a dozen times to make sure that all division, playoff and league structures are correct. All expansion, relocation, and even stadium implementation track with Saline's initial descriptions. What also comes in this USBL quickstart are four levels of minor leagues, three draft leagues, a development league, and one independent league, all having some history. The USBL was founded in 1930. Four of the six original teams predate the league, so I tried my best to replicate that in-game. Similarly to last year's sim, the early seasons were dominated by Boston, Chicago, and New York. There was a short time of parity during the late 40's and early 50's during the league's first expansions, but USBL ownership returned to the big markets until the late 70's. Since the reserve clause was abolished and playoffs were expanded in the 80's, championships are more evenly spread. The last dynasty were the four-times consecutive champion St. Louis Archers from 1991-94. Though the New Mexico Suns of the 2000's had a San Antonio Spurs-type run, winning titles in '03, '06, '11, '12. Terry "The Mississippi Mudcat" Gay and Willie "The Man" Ortiz, are the league's greatest hitter and pitcher, and the namesakes for the MVP and Pitcher of the Year Awards, respectively. The league's home run king is Jonathan Whitaker (pictured below), who had the four best power outputs in league history from 1993-1997 while playing in a hitter's park in Tucson. He played a final two seasons in Pittsburgh to barely beat out New York's Derek Federspiel's career mark of 667 homers by three. There a million fun things to discover nearly 100 years of simulated history. There will never be a DH in this league, so see how bad pitchers have been at hitting. Check out the precursor leagues in the 1920's. Of course, you can also forge your own path with one of these franchises. The quickstart begins in the 2015 offseason as four new teams are about to enter the league. I have attached the 2015 league table. Colorado beat New Mexico 4-2 in the most recent Branson Cup Series. Here are two options for your save: The Traditional Rebuild: Jacksonville Gators Since entering the league in 1996, the Gators have never won more than 88 games, which they've done twice, representing their only postseason appearances. A decent young core has yet to scratch out more than 63 over each of the last four seasons. The Longest Drought: Boston Masons The Masons have won eight Branson Cups since their inception in 1930. They haven't won it since 1967, though. It's been so long that a second concurrent Boston franchise has come and gone. Fourteen trips to the playoffs since have only yielded more heartbreak. Whatever direction you choose to go, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to loop me in on what you do in this quickstart. Thank you to Golem64 for creating all of the kits in OOTP and eriqjaffe for creating each team's stadium. Obviously, a huge thank you goes out to Daniel Saline for his excellent concept work. Original Sportslogos.net post: https://boards.sportslogos.net/topic...s-posted-2424/ My OOTP 24 Quickstart post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...46#post5118546 Attached Images Last edited by willboat75; 07-25-2024 at 12:41 PM.

07-21-2024, 08:55 PM	#7
Déjà Bru Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Long Island Posts: 10,745	willboat75, you base your work on and bestow "a huge thank you ... to Daniel Saline for his excellent concept work." The link above to Sportslogos.net does not work but I followed the one in your last year's thread: https://boards.sportslogos.net/topic...s-posted-2424/ He did great work on logos and uniforms, I see, and your replicating his efforts for this very promising quickstart are much appreciated. A question remains in my mind, though. What was he designing that stuff for? That is, I don't see any indication of what game he played the USBL on, if any. Sportslogos.net is not a gaming website. __________________ - Bru

07-23-2024, 06:05 AM	#8
jksander All Star Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Indianapolis IN Posts: 1,372	Downloading this, will definitely let you know if I get anything off the ground __________________ "Oh No! We Suck Again!" -- Reviving the White Sox in 2025 -- An OOTP 26 Dynasty "Ain't Gonna Work As Topping's Farm No More" -- A's Baseball in a Reimagined Fifties -- An OOTP 25 Dynasty

03-31-2025, 12:15 PM	#17
mwb6 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 77	USBL Quickstart Available ? Is the Quickstart available anywhere? The links in this post don't seem to work. If anyone knows where it can be downloaded, please post.

04-01-2025, 03:35 PM	#19
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	OOTP 26 USBL Quickstart #1 (1986 Offseason) The first QS is here! I'll post a separate thread later when it's all complete but anyone can test this out: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/f...UuZWwEE?lfhs=2 NOTE: In preseason 1987 you will have to load in schedules for all USBL affiliated leagues following a structural change. Add All Star Games to these leagues as well. Monitor the Baseball World Cup into 1988 preseason to make sure that its working properly. Thanks! You find yourself loading into this world two days before an expansion draft that will bring in three new teams. You will see that the USBL has been chugging along since 1930, and that the QS includes a Japanese League, a Korean League, a World Cup, four tiers of minor leagues for the USBL and a Development League. Find the club that suits you! All stadiums are loaded in. Check the spreadsheet for future expansion/creation dates. Last edited by willboat75; 04-01-2025 at 06:06 PM.

07-04-2024, 08:09 PM	#2
Hokie05 Bat Boy Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 9	Thanks, going to give this one a go.

07-04-2024, 09:24 PM	#3
Hokie05 Bat Boy Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 9	So, I hopped into a save and had a look at the free agent list. Many good young 18 year old prospects are available, including one guy who was a 2nd round pick, signed a $1.3 million signing bonus, and then was released one day later. Didn't play one single game in his first year in the game, and now he's a free agent 4 months later. Here's an example of another player... June 1: Drafted in the 5th round July 27: Signed a contract with a $480k signing bonus July 28: Released August 5: Signed a minor league contract August 5: Released (yes, on the same day) August 5: Signed another minor league contract with a different team August 8: Released August 10: Signed another minor league deal August 11: Released August 11: Signed another minor league deal And so on and so forth. August 5 must have been a whirlwind for him, haha. Is that normal? It's been a few years since I played OOTP.

07-05-2024, 04:39 PM	#5
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	yeah I've noted that the AI has been waiving and releasing a bunch of players, especially those that they drafted. I don't think I'm going to update this particular save, but my ideas for a solution would be to get rid of minor league roster restrictions I'm cooking up a V2 of sorts, and I realize I jumped the gun on this post.

07-16-2024, 10:44 AM	#6
bigsmooth Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 437	Looks great! Can you possibly provide the steps for downloading and installing this Quickstart? Also, what is the playoff process for this league? I may give this a shot!

03-16-2025, 12:16 AM	#9
avondice Bat Boy Join Date: Jul 2024 Posts: 5	Any update on V2?

03-16-2025, 01:46 PM	#10
bradleycchurch Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 145	Yesss! I am also hoping for a V2 for 2026!

03-18-2025, 04:54 PM	#11
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	If the demand is there, I'll get it done. Keep on me, though. I have everything outlined, and it'll be a much more ambitious version than any other iteration I've done. What I'll need to do first is organize the graphics and timeline further. I'd like to wait for the game's first patch before I start working in the game itself. For a teaser, know that I'll be incorporating the Continental Independent Baseball League that's been outlined on these forums. Also, 20_range, if you're looking at this, I'm looking forward to using your int'l graphics. Please bug me about this so I stay on track!!

03-24-2025, 01:55 PM	#12
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	I'm up to 1962. I'm thinking of releasing a couple QS variants. 1987, 2003, 2016, 2030.

03-26-2025, 11:43 AM	#14
Pjm8804 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Waxahachie, Texas Posts: 42	I also am very interested in an updated version for OOTP 26 and will be anxiously waiting! I played the version that you put out for OOTP 24 and really enjoyed it. Great work on this, as well as your other quick starts. Thank you for being willing to share this with the community!

03-26-2025, 02:20 PM	#15
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	Working out some kinks with the international league and trying to slim them up a bit. I'm going to start over because I want this to be refined as possible. Below is the spreadsheet I am working off of: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

03-29-2025, 09:15 AM	#16
Snake Eyes Bat Boy Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Iowa Posts: 18	Excited to see what you will do with this. I love the idea of multiple options of when to start.

03-31-2025, 01:58 PM	#18
willboat75 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Detroit Posts: 154	I took the OOTP 25 version off my Google Drive because I was running out of space. I am aiming to have the new QS available tomorrow.