In-game Altitude Purely Cosmetic?

[Ike348]

In the world_default, there are some cities with an altitude tag that then shows up in the game. Question: Does this affect anything, or is it purely cosmetic?

I know I can use Gambo's spreadsheet to determine altitude's affect on factors, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I need to know whether I should bother including it for my updated United States world_default.

[jaysdailydose]

Originally Posted by Ike348

In the world_default, there are some cities with an altitude tag that then shows up in the game. Question: Does this affect anything, or is it purely cosmetic?

I know I can use Gambo's spreadsheet to determine altitude's affect on factors, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I need to know whether I should bother including it for my updated United States world_default.

If you know it has an effect on factors, then I think its obviously not purely cosmetic...

[RchW]

Park factors a la Colorado would reflect altitude since they are based on results.

[jaysdailydose]

Originally Posted by RchW

Park factors a la Colorado would reflect altitude since they are based on results.

That and the weather model could definitely be affected at altitude, now that I think about it.

[Ike348]

I'm saying that in the game, the altitude for some cities (Denver, etc.) is listed higher than 0. Does OOTP do anything with this data?

I know I can do stuff with it, but does OOTP?

[Number4]

I can imagine either 2 things:

Altitude is covered by park factors, so the altitude shown is just a information that you can expect more homers than in a similar park at ground level, but the important information is a modifier in home runs for the park. (which I think is more likely) or

Altitude is another factor in addition to park ratings.

If someone is inclined, it should be easy to test. Take 4 identical teams, composed of 13 cloned slugging good defensive outfielders and 12 cloned flyball pitchers with bad movement.
Why good defensive outfielders? We don't want a lot of triples and therefore some inside the parkers because there are some tree stumps instead of defenders in the outfield.

Let them play in 2 divisions of 2 teams with no interleague play. Identical parks with identical park ratings, except one is at ground level, one is higher up.

This should be enough data in a very home run friendly enviroment to see if there is a significant statistical difference in HR in the park at altitude or if it is all in the park ratings.

[Ike348]

So does it have an added effect in addition to park factors? Or does it simply set up the default park factors and nothing else?

If I have a ballpark with 1.2 for home runs and 1500 m altitude, and another ballpark with 1.2 for home runs with 0 m altitude, and the same teams playing in each like Number4 described, which ballpark would have more home runs?

They should have the same, right?

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Ike348

So does it have an added effect in addition to park factors? Or does it simply set up the default park factors and nothing else?

If I have a ballpark with 1.2 for home runs and 1500 m altitude, and another ballpark with 1.2 for home runs with 0 m altitude, and the same teams playing in each like Number4 described, which ballpark would have more home runs?

They should have the same, right?

Yes because PF includes the altitude humidity etc of the games already played.

See ESPN park factors.

2014 MLB Park Factors - Home Runs - Major League Baseball - ESPN

[Ike348]

Originally Posted by RchW

Yes because PF includes the altitude humidity etc of the games already played.



See ESPN park factors.



2014 MLB Park Factors - Home Runs - Major League Baseball - ESPN

Thanks for clearing it up. So the in-game altitude is purely cosmetical.

Now I don't have to worry about adding it!

[Joelman111]

Can confirm. Altitude is purely cosmetic and does not affect the number of homeruns. I just recently developed a new formula to calculate park factors that includes this information if anyone would like.