Does anyone else watch their league unfold without taking over a specific club?

Habsfan18 · 04-22-2015, 04:39 PM

Just wondering how many other people play this way? Essentially, it's like being a spectactor or even commissioner rather than being a GM or Manager of a particular club.

One of my favorite things to do is create/sim a complete alternate/fictional MLB history from 1901 to 2015 and then go from there. I've noticed that sometimes I have more fun just "watching" the league unfold rather than take over a club myself.

So yeah, do you guys act as a commissioner type as well? Or do you HAVE to be a GM or Manager to have fun? Of course it comes down to personal preference.

OakDragon · 04-22-2015, 04:44 PM

This is what I almost always do. I treat OOTP as a complex, incredibly detailed newspaper, essentially. I love delving into all the details of what's going on. I'm more of a "big picture" person than "detail-oriented" anyway. Trying to actually manage or run a team would drive me crazy.

Bluenoser · 04-22-2015, 04:49 PM

Spectator mode - what I've been doing mostly for a long time now. I just pick a favourite team like a real life fan and then follow them through thick and thin.

Always fictional, once league is setup I never edit anything other than making minor adjustments to LTM's if I feel a certain stat/stats may be getting too wonky.

It's a lot of fun imo.

stl jason · 04-22-2015, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OakDragon

This is what I almost always do. I treat OOTP as a complex, incredibly detailed newspaper, essentially. I love delving into all the details of what's going on. I'm more of a "big picture" person than "detail-oriented" anyway. Trying to actually manage or run a team would drive me crazy.

sort of the same here... I'm detail oriented in that I enjoy setting up all the little things in a fictional league (logos/jerseys/names) to make it more complete; but once it's ready to kick off, I have it sim through at least five years a night, and read through the news/league history/etc.

the deepest I ever go is GM level, and just put together the team, then let the manager take it from there (why else did I hire him if he's not going to manage that low level stuff)... in that scenario, I'll fast sim a month at a time to keep watch on my team.

Padreman · 04-22-2015, 04:57 PM

No

Fyrestorm3 · 04-22-2015, 05:16 PM

I have tried to do this in the past. And while the concept is alluring, I almost always find myself reverting to managing a team. I just get more invested that way.

Lou Gehrig · 04-22-2015, 05:19 PM

Interesting. I must admit I have never entertained just grabbing some peanuts and popcorn and watching the games play out.

Gai1997 · 04-22-2015, 06:35 PM

One time I spent hours setting up a league and I was all excited to manage but I decided I'd sim a bit to test the settings and such. Well I got engulfed and ended up continuing to sim and sim and it was a ton of fun just seeing the results of everything.

The Game · 04-22-2015, 06:38 PM

In my ABF league i am simming up to 2000 when i will talk over the Chicago Fire. Other then operating as the GM for the Chicago Fire for redrafts or when someone special like my great grandfather, grandfather and my father come into the league i sit back and watch it unfold.

24Rocks · 04-22-2015, 06:50 PM

Always when I start a new league I sim 20 years because I would get way to attached to players that aren't going to do well, then Take over a HS team for 4-5 years while watching MLB evolve then after my created HS players leave for college I move on to a GM, But my fun thing is going back in to drafts and just seeing who did well who couldn't draft or Like I have posted before finding the awesome

I also like having other "international leagues run along side" so 20 years is 60 years for me

ThatSeventiesGuy · 04-22-2015, 07:22 PM

Nope. Total control freak, so I couldn't do that. Gotta run a club my way, or I'd go crazy.

DreamTeams · 04-22-2015, 07:41 PM

Spectator or god mode is my favorite way to play. My league is like a giant sandbox. Love it.

David Watts · 04-22-2015, 08:54 PM

I love playing this way. I either pick a team and watch all of their games or simply pick a game daily from the entire league and watch it. One thing I really wish Markus would add is the ability to select a team and subscribe to the teams news feed. That way, as a fan, I would learn when they sign a player, make a trade, cut someone etc. I would also get news when a player retires. It's amazing how fast a league comes to life.

ra7c7er · 04-22-2015, 09:47 PM

I do all the time. Usually when I am testing league setups I'll sim 25-40 years just watching. Then when I start over to play a team I'll use HOF'ers from the test league as names for the awards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Watts

I love playing this way. I either pick a team and watch all of their games or simply pick a game daily from the entire league and watch it. One thing I really wish Markus would add is the ability to select a team and subscribe to the teams news feed. That way, as a fan, I would learn when they sign a player, make a trade, cut someone etc. I would also get news when a player retires. It's amazing how fast a league comes to life.

Fan mode.

conception · 04-22-2015, 09:53 PM

I can't really get immersed in the league without actively controlling a team.

Eugene Church · 04-23-2015, 11:04 AM

Just a spectator in league commissioner mode.
I run a test league before I start play to get the stats where I want them.
Then make minor adjustment in league modifiers when I have to.

I always just watch a league unfold.

I always play fictional because you always get huge disappointments when playing with real players. Seeing a great player with a mediocre career is hard for me to deal with.

Never have controlled just one team.

Never played with financials. They are too much work.

Elektranaut · 04-25-2015, 03:00 AM

I've never really tried this,might give it a go but I like to get involved with a group of players I've developed and then carefully watch their progress game by game.

SirMichaelJordan · 04-26-2015, 01:01 PM

Yup pretty much the first thing I do with every release, mainly to see how my settings hold up and what I have to change before I start my career game but I do get attached and end up keeping it going along with my career save.

Rockfan616 · 04-26-2015, 01:04 PM

I play out a lot of my games, but I do like to jump around the leagues and take over a team temporarily so I can play with different teams rather than just one thruout the season. I also play some of my minor league games too so I can see how those guys are developing during games. I have the Red Sox as my base team, but I do jump around the league a lot in commissioner mode just to see what else is going on. I haven't finished my first season yet because I play out a lot of my games but that's how I do it anyway. It's a fantasy league season with a fictional AAA and AA league as well. Very fun way of doing things IMO!! :-)

Habsfan18 · 08-25-2015, 09:09 PM

Just wanted to post in here and say again how much I love playing in spectator mode. I've found myself enjoying OOTP even more since I stopped controlling clubs. I just sit back and watch my league's history unfold.

04-22-2015, 04:39 PM	#1
Habsfan18 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 2,245	Does anyone else watch their league unfold without taking over a specific club? Just wondering how many other people play this way? Essentially, it's like being a spectactor or even commissioner rather than being a GM or Manager of a particular club. One of my favorite things to do is create/sim a complete alternate/fictional MLB history from 1901 to 2015 and then go from there. I've noticed that sometimes I have more fun just "watching" the league unfold rather than take over a club myself. So yeah, do you guys act as a commissioner type as well? Or do you HAVE to be a GM or Manager to have fun? Of course it comes down to personal preference.

04-22-2015, 04:57 PM	#5
Padreman Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2013 Location: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (formally San Diego, CA.) Posts: 4,138	No __________________ Chargers= Despicable Traitors

04-22-2015, 05:19 PM	#7
Lou Gehrig Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: New York Posts: 292	Interesting. I must admit I have never entertained just grabbing some peanuts and popcorn and watching the games play out. __________________ "Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." LOU GEHRIG Yankee Stadium July 4, 1939 www.alsa.org

04-22-2015, 06:38 PM	#9
The Game Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Inside The Game Posts: 30,937	In my ABF league i am simming up to 2000 when i will talk over the Chicago Fire. Other then operating as the GM for the Chicago Fire for redrafts or when someone special like my great grandfather, grandfather and my father come into the league i sit back and watch it unfold. __________________ Go today don't wait for tomorrow It isn't promised, all the time you get borrowed Don't live your life for other people Don't bottle your emotions till they crack and fill a couple just sorrows Take your mind and refocus go get a paper write your goals out Throw your middle fingers to all your haters "Stay Strong"

04-22-2015, 06:50 PM	#10
24Rocks All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Posts: 808	Always when I start a new league I sim 20 years because I would get way to attached to players that aren't going to do well, then Take over a HS team for 4-5 years while watching MLB evolve then after my created HS players leave for college I move on to a GM, But my fun thing is going back in to drafts and just seeing who did well who couldn't draft or Like I have posted before finding the awesome I also like having other "international leagues run along side" so 20 years is 60 years for me __________________ Jonny Former OOTP Online leagues: LOHO: Detroit Tigers ISL: San Diego Padres VSL: Pittsburgh Pirates NPBL: Ohio Raptors/Nova Scotia Fishermen AFBL:Ontario Blue Pirates Check you my YOUTUBE or TWITCH

04-22-2015, 04:44 PM	#2
OakDragon Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Jose, CA USA Posts: 3,494	This is what I almost always do. I treat OOTP as a complex, incredibly detailed newspaper, essentially. I love delving into all the details of what's going on. I'm more of a "big picture" person than "detail-oriented" anyway. Trying to actually manage or run a team would drive me crazy.

04-22-2015, 04:49 PM	#3
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 14,177	Spectator mode - what I've been doing mostly for a long time now. I just pick a favourite team like a real life fan and then follow them through thick and thin. Always fictional, once league is setup I never edit anything other than making minor adjustments to LTM's if I feel a certain stat/stats may be getting too wonky. It's a lot of fun imo.

04-22-2015, 05:16 PM	#6
Fyrestorm3 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tampa Bay, Massachusetts Posts: 2,928	I have tried to do this in the past. And while the concept is alluring, I almost always find myself reverting to managing a team. I just get more invested that way.

04-22-2015, 06:35 PM	#8
Gai1997 Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 370	One time I spent hours setting up a league and I was all excited to manage but I decided I'd sim a bit to test the settings and such. Well I got engulfed and ended up continuing to sim and sim and it was a ton of fun just seeing the results of everything.

04-22-2015, 07:22 PM	#11
ThatSeventiesGuy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Midland, MI Posts: 3,426	Nope. Total control freak, so I couldn't do that. Gotta run a club my way, or I'd go crazy. __________________ https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...00&postcount=1

04-22-2015, 07:41 PM	#12
DreamTeams Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,522	Spectator or god mode is my favorite way to play. My league is like a giant sandbox. Love it. __________________

04-22-2015, 08:54 PM	#13
David Watts Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Looking for a place called Leehofooks Posts: 9,823 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I love playing this way. I either pick a team and watch all of their games or simply pick a game daily from the entire league and watch it. One thing I really wish Markus would add is the ability to select a team and subscribe to the teams news feed. That way, as a fan, I would learn when they sign a player, make a trade, cut someone etc. I would also get news when a player retires. It's amazing how fast a league comes to life.

04-22-2015, 09:53 PM	#15
conception All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,150	I can't really get immersed in the league without actively controlling a team. __________________ Check out my unique and endlessly thrilling no-trade OOTP league. Once you play this way, you will never want to go back! http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...xperience.html

04-23-2015, 11:04 AM	#16
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,946	Just a spectator in league commissioner mode. I run a test league before I start play to get the stats where I want them. Then make minor adjustment in league modifiers when I have to. I always just watch a league unfold. I always play fictional because you always get huge disappointments when playing with real players. Seeing a great player with a mediocre career is hard for me to deal with. Never have controlled just one team. Never played with financials. They are too much work. Last edited by Eugene Church; 04-23-2015 at 11:09 AM.

04-25-2015, 03:00 AM	#17
Elektranaut Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 361	I've never really tried this,might give it a go but I like to get involved with a group of players I've developed and then carefully watch their progress game by game.

04-26-2015, 01:01 PM	#18
SirMichaelJordan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 2,716	Yup pretty much the first thing I do with every release, mainly to see how my settings hold up and what I have to change before I start my career game but I do get attached and end up keeping it going along with my career save.

04-26-2015, 01:04 PM	#19
Rockfan616 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 275	I play out a lot of my games, but I do like to jump around the leagues and take over a team temporarily so I can play with different teams rather than just one thruout the season. I also play some of my minor league games too so I can see how those guys are developing during games. I have the Red Sox as my base team, but I do jump around the league a lot in commissioner mode just to see what else is going on. I haven't finished my first season yet because I play out a lot of my games but that's how I do it anyway. It's a fantasy league season with a fictional AAA and AA league as well. Very fun way of doing things IMO!! :-)

08-25-2015, 09:09 PM	#20
Habsfan18 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 2,245	Just wanted to post in here and say again how much I love playing in spectator mode. I've found myself enjoying OOTP even more since I stopped controlling clubs. I just sit back and watch my league's history unfold.